Acting Oddly

Writers: Estelle, Nici
Date Posted: 1st August 2005

Characters: R'yal, Terissa, A'zer
Description: The morning after Terissa's revelation about A'zer, R'yal has an uncomfortable conversation with his friends
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 19 of Turn 3

R'yal was uncharacteristically quiet at breakfast, and not solely due to the pounding headache and sour taste in his mouth. Despite emptying so many wineskins between himself and Terissa that he wasn't entirely sure how he'd managed to get back to his weyr, he could still remember last night's revelation.

If Terissa had not been playing an elaborate practical joke on him - which, even in his clouded state, he thought she hadn't - then it seemed that A'zer had...fallen in love with him. Had written songs about him.

He'd thought himself so shameless that he was impossible to embarrass, but this was horribly uncomfortable. What was he to do? It wasn't as though A'zer was unattractive - quite the opposite - but R'yal was...well, he wasn't ready to settle down and start making a home with the man like some Hold wife, that was for certain!

Sighing, he rested his head in his hands. What was he to do?

The object of his serious ruminations sat down across from him, followed by a very slow moving Terissa, who decided A'zer's arm made a wonderful resting place and, ignoring the klah he'd carried over for both of them, snuggled into place on A'zer and promptly fell asleep.

"What," A'zer said, "did you _do_ to her!"

R'yal managed a weak grin. "We both had a rather late night last night, depleting the Weyr's wine stocks." At all costs, he knew he must not mentionwhat Terissa had told him - and obviously he could _think_ of nothing else. "I'm just glad N'klos didn't schedule a drill this morning."

"Huh...that's not what _I_ heard," A'zer said, trying to stifle his laughter.

The greenrider's mouth dropped open in momentary horror and he started to get up in haste - then caught A'zer's grin and had the good sense to check with his dragon.

"Shards, A'zer! You nearly gave me a heart attack. Besides, if I'd _really_ been late for drills N'klos would probably have come and dragged me out of bed himself..." He started to smile dreamily at that thought, and then hastily hid his smile, remembering what Terissa had told him. "And then I'd have been mucking out the weyrling barracks by now."

A'zer wrinkled his nose. "I can think of more pleasant places to picture you, thank you very much!" He shifted Terissa on his arm when it started to go numb and was rewarded with a soft snore. "So, why were you looking so serious when we showed up...even with a hangover you manage to be annoyingly perky."

"Oh, nothing important." R'yal thought quickly. "I was just...remembering that I'll have to leave H'jen's birthday party early next sevenday because of N'klos' drills. Unless we persuade N'klos to go to _that_ party as well..." Feeling absurdly uncomfortable with a man who'd been a friend since he'd graduated from the Weyrling's Wing, he decided it would be much easier if Terissa was awake, and he reached across the table to poke her arm. "Wake up, Terissa - we need your opinion."

"G'way...tired...head hurt...."

"Are you sure you're that desperate for an opinion?" A'zer's voice was laced with amusement.

Perversely, R'yal found that it was much easier to forget his own hangover when he was tormenting someone else about theirs. He prodded her again. "Come on, greenrider, stop being dramatic. You only had a few drops last night."

"You're annoyin'....what opinion?" Terissa glared across the table. If she could flame as well as her dragon, R'yal would be crisped about now.

"Whether we can persuade N'klos to go to a party next week and thus reschedule his morning drill." R'yal tipped his head to one side thoughtfully. "Maybe if you asked him very nicely..."

"Um...hello. Not in his wing...what's in it for me?" Terissa sat up and rubbed her eyes. "And what, suddenly I'm the 'bronzeboy convincer' or something?!"

"You said it," R'yal replied, raising his eyebrows. "And as for what's in it for you - have you _looked_ at the man lately? He certainly hasn't been neglecting his physique at Vista Point, and..." His voice trailed off and he glanced guiltily at A'zer. "Well, I'm sure we could find you a nice bottle of wine for your trouble."

A'zer gave him a 'look'. "You're acting oddly today."

"Oddly - me?" R'yal's reply was a little _too_ casual. "Why would you think that?"

"Because I know you too well?" A'zer shrugged. "It's just an observation."

"Oh. Maybe I'm just feeling the effects of all those skins of wine Terissa made me share with her last night." R'yal quickly - and rather gracelessly - changed the subject. "So, Terissa, what do you say about the N'klos suggestion? A'zer and I would be forever grateful."

She snorted. "I'll think about it...but he's a _snarly_ one. I mean, how he gets women in bed is beyond me. He's always frowning!" She liked her bronzeboys more approachable, like O'dan. Even hurt he always seemed to smile. Maybe it was an act, but it was a _nice_ act!

"Well, there you go. The poor man obviously needs some more affection in his life." R'yal stole a glance at A'zer. Shard it - now that he _knew_, it was almost impossible not to think about what Terissa had told him! He had to get off the subject of people's love lives altogether.

It was slightly worrying how hard he found it to think of anything _else_ that he was likely to talk about.

"So...uhm, A'zer, what did you think of that new formation we worked on yesterday?"

"Excuse me?!" A'zer almost choked on the klah he'd just poured.

"What?" R'yal demanded, exasperated. "Can't I comment on a wing drill from time to time without you two looking as though I'd just grown an extra head?"

"Nope!" Both Terissa and A'zer replied in unison.

A'zer just looked at Terissa. "I'm going to have to get him as drunk as you apparently did in order to prize whatever's on his mind _out_ of said mind...unless I get distracted by parts other than his mind..."

Terissa only shook her head. She was starting to 'get' why R'yal was so strange and it was annoying. Hadn't she told him not to worry about it! It wasn't like A'zer was going to ask him to weyrmate or make him stop seeing other people for shard's sake. A'zer was in love...not stupid!

"Hey! I never get _that_ drunk," R'yal protested. "I'm very good at holding my wine." Alcohol - now there was a topic of conversation that steered well clear of poems and unrequited love. Mostly, anyway.

***

Estelle (estelle@triadweyrs.org)
R'yal, green Iliraith's rider, DCW

Nici (nici@triadweyrs.org)
Terissa, rider of green Porath, DCW
A'zer, rider of blue Rymnath, DCW

Last updated on the August 16th 2005

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Acting Oddly