Choosing Day

Writers: Devin, Steel
Date Posted: 6th January 2025

Characters: V'tian, T'lin
Description: Important pre Flight decisions are made
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 15 of Turn 12

T'lin

T'lin waited for a good opportunity, so when Calaroth informed him that Indith was getting a bath, he and the blue headed down to the Weyrlake. He usually didn't wear a shirt if he was dragon washing, but he'd put one on for the greenrider's sake. "V'tian?" he called to the young rider. "Would you like some help?"

"Sir!" V'tian greeted, internally wincing; he _was_ still fully dressed, but he'd already waded into the Lake to wash Indith and so was spattered with water and soapsand himself. "I mean... If you would like to? She's not very big."

Indith arched her neck, fanned her wings a little bit. }: I am plenty big enough!:{ she retorted.

"This is Calaroth." The blue rumbled a greeting to Indith. "And I'm T'lin. My duty to Indith." He picked up a handful of soapsand as he considered what to say next.

"I'm V'tian, and that's Indith-- but you knew that." The Weyrling offered. "My duty to you and Calaroth."

Indith shifted a bit as the blue landed nearby, arched her neck as she studied him. }:Hello.:{

}:Hello Indith. You are growing well,:{ the blue's eyes whirled happily.

"Soooo . . ." T'lin started. "Just to be upfront about this, the Weyrlingmaster asked me to talk to you."

V'tian controlled his expression -- nevermind that he wasn't even looking at the other rider. "... I think I know what you're going to say." He responded, slowly. "We did have that talk with the Weyrlingmasters..." And the Mindhealers, he didn't add.

Indith's wings mantled slightly, and she eyed Calaroth in a newly considering manner. }: I am very happy to meet you.:{ She said carefully.

}:A pleasure.:{ Calaroth lowered himself to be as non-threatening as possible. }:We are here to help.:{

"It doesn't have to be me," T'lin said. "But it does need to be _someone_, and I'll be gentle and patient." He glanced over at V'tian as he scrubbed Indith's hide.

V'tian kept his gaze fixed firmly on Indith's hide. Green. She was a green, and he was her rider and it was _okay_ to feel the way he did, Faranth only knew why. She could be an _excuse_. Most everyone outside the Weyr would see him that way anyways. It... He didn't need to hide.

And T'lin _was_ handsome...

He was, perhaps, unaware that his emotions were displayed across his face-- or the way that Indith was echoing him, digging her claws into the silty lakebed even as she _leaned_ toward Calaroth, eyes whirling with just a hint of agitated yellow. }:We do not dislike you.:{ she told Calaroth almost urgently. }:I would very much like Mine to be happy!:{

V'tian still hesitated, but only a moment longer, before darting a glance at T'lin. "... Okay." He told the older blue rider. "... Okay. But... But can we... spend a little time together first? Or... Or after? Or... Is that weird? I don't..."

}:We choose you.:{ Indith said, more firmly.

Calaroth crooned at her and gently brushed his muzzle against her neck. }:We are honored.:{

"Of _course_," T'lin insisted with a smile. He was relieved V'tian had agreed easily. He'd been worried the young greenrider might be more reluctant and the idea of pressuring someone into sex, even a little, even when it was this important, made him feel ill. "We don't have to rush. We can wash Indith and get to know each other. Have a meal or two if you'd like, maybe go do something fun on the restday. And you can stay with me after, if you'd like." T'lin winked. "I like cuddling."

Indith held very _very_ still, her eyes whirling faster for a moment before she settled, tucking her wings in close and pretending like she was not trying to be an extremely well behaved statue. She wanted so badly to make things work.

"Not outside the Weyr." V'tian responded, instantly-- too quickly to be casual, and he winced visibly. "I mean, I... Yes. Finish washing _her_, before anything. And get to know you more." He added just as hastily, trying to course correct.

Faranth, he sounded _stupid_, and he glowered at his boots a moment before he tried to rally. What could he even _try_ to say, to recover?

Maybe he should stop talking.

"I'm holdbred too," T'lin said. "Though I'm luckier than most. My family has always accepted me for who I am, and Impressing a blue wasn't a surprise to any of us."

"My--" V'tian started, then stopped. "I don't _have_ one." He responded tightly. "They left before I made it back from feeding _her_. And I wouldn't go back there even if I _had_ gotten the bronze I thought I was. Or no dragon at all."

Indith crooned softly, trying to soothe. }:If they do not like you they are wrong.:{ she said simply. }:And I do not like them.:{

T'lin paused in his scrubbing. "I'm sorry." It was always hard hearing what so many other holdbred people went through. "You can borrow mine if you want. I'm sure they'd be happy to have you over for dinner. Though be warned, there's a _lot_ of us so it can be overwhelming."

V'tian didn't know what to say to that, at first; just shrugged and kept scrubbing. "It's fine." He said, finally. "I have- I had four siblings. Two older, two younger. I'm used to dealing with it. Though... When you say a lot... Is it more than four?" He asked.

A pause. "I doubt Da-- Vyticor'd let my brothers be Searched anyway. Not after _my_ Impression." He scrubbed at a patch of green hide intently.

Indith made a soft sound, but continued to hold still. }:I think this side is nearly clean.:{ she told her rider. }:Maybe you could come on my other side, or you and Calaroth's, if you want to?:{

V'tian made a face. "It's _fine_, Indith."

"A lot more than four." T'lin laughed. "I have five siblings, plus my parents, and grandparents, and uncles and aunts and cousins." He paused. "Does Indith need something?"

"She's _fine_." V'tian started to respond, then reined himself in. "I... I mean, we're fine. She's just being a fuss." He paused, then added, "... Sorry if she- we- disrupted your thoughts."

}:Oh but I am sure I did not.:{ Indith protested. }:You know I can feel you, just like you can feel me. We do not need to be embarrassed. Flying is what we _do_.:{

T'lin arched an eyebrow. "Am I not scrubbing her right?" He looked up at the green. "Pardon, my lady."

Indith looked back at him, and then at Calaroth. }:Tell Yours not to worry. He is a very good scrubber.:{ She offered. }:Mine might help Yours scrub you next time, in trade?:{

V'tian ducked his head. "She said that the side we're on is clean enough." He relayed, after a hesitation. "... And I think she just volunteered me to help with Calaroth later. If you need it."

"Always happy to have company when I wash Cal." T'lin reached for the sweetsand bucket so they could move to Indith's other side. Family was clearly a touchy subject for the greenrider, so T'lin moved to a different topic. "So, V'tian, what do you like to do? In the whole five minutes of free time you weyrlings have."

V'tian couldn't help it; he snorted. "Well. I was doing some remedial lessons and stuff, before I Impressed. And... I was trying to be a Dragonhealer but then well... _Indith_."

He shrugged a little, then sighed. "The Weyr was... A lot, at first. But I... I don't regret it. I... I like it here."

A pause. "I like reading. Learning new things. I've thought about trying to take a Craft on but most of them won't take dragonriders, I'm pretty sure."

Another pause. "What do you like to do?"

"I'm a Technician, though I don't have much time for it now." T'lin regretted it, sometimes, but he wouldn't trade Calaroth for anything. "I specialize in design. I also like spending time with my friends, visiting my family, going to Gathers, things like that."

"That sounds fun." V'tian responded, and let his hand linger on Indith's hide a moment before he splashed around to rejoin T'lin. "I bet you've been a lot of interesting places." He added. "... I'm going to go to more Gathers when I have the time, for sure. _And_ I'm sure that no one's going to hate me."

T'lin looked over at him. "Are you worried about the greenrider thing, or the problem with some holders trying to kill us thing?"

"... More of the second?" V'tian half suggested. "I mean, if I attend only the main Gathers, I probably won't nearly be the only greenrider there, but... Everyone knows riders have been _dying_. What if the Weyr is just where we should stay, if we're not fighting Thread? Indith wouldn't hurt anyone but she could panic. I don't want to look stupid either."

"You could go to the North. They don't have any of those issues up there." T'lin shifted to scrub at another spot.

"You know, I keep forgetting that." V'tian muttered. "I'm able to go literally anywhere with Indith."

The green crooned softly.

"We could go to a Gather together if you'd like. Maybe a smaller one up North?" T'lin suggested. Then he flashed a grin at the weyrling. "My treat."

V'tian stared resolutely at Indith's hide, colour creeping slowly up his neck and into his face-- but he nodded. "I... We... We'd like that, si- T'lin."

A brief pause. "I mean. For the whole five minutes of free time us Weyrlings get." He told the other rider, trying for a teasing tone.

T'lin laughed and nudged his arm. V'tian had that awkward, lanky shape teenagers often had, but he was already taller than T'lin and from the look of him he might fill out nicely in a few turns. "Got any plans for the restday?"

"Not particularly." V'tian responded, after a moment. "I mean, it feels like Indith needs a bath every few days but... Other than that, we mostly stay here, and I study." He added.

"So let's go to a Gather, then." T'lin smiled.

V'tian grinned back, slightly more certain. "Yeah. Let's."

Last updated on the January 15th 2025

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Choosing Day