Bath Time Gossip

Writers: Devin, Estelle
Date Posted: 12th February 2025
Series: Guarding Gil

Characters: Gilbek, C'nal, I'lek
Description: I'lek is after gossip about Tr'vel from Gil, much to C'nal's annoyance
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 7 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Tr'vel

"There'll be no running on off on my watch, prisoner, so don't even
think about it," C'nal said as they went down the hall to the bathing
caverns.

"Why would I want to, with such charming company," Gil muttered under
his breath. He hadn't even spent an hour with the brownrider yet and
already he was missing even the watchful presence of Tr'vel.

C'nal didn't speak again until they stepped into the large cavern.
"Get on with it."

Resigned, Gil walked over to the bench at the side of the cavern and
stripped off his clothes, keeping his gaze as firmly fixed on the floor
as ever. He was so determined not to so much as glance at the other
bathers, that he didn't see who had come splashing up until the last moment.

"Gil!" I'lek beamed at him. "I was hoping I'd find you here! Oh, you've
got a new escort." He looked innocently up at C'nal.

C'nal crossed his arms and frowned. "Behave yourself, greenrider."

"You're no fun," I'lek pouted. "I'm only here for a chat. Nothing
more...unless you've developed a taste for it," he added slyly, winking
at Gil.

The holder turned even redder than the warm water and steam of the
bathing cavern could account for, but he managed to keep his composure.
"Better not." He glanced at C'nal. "I suspect our friend here has
limited patience for that sort of thing."

The brownrider scoffed. "You are a sly one, aren't you? I can almost
believe you're okay with this."

"I _am_ okay with it," Gil retorted, exasperated. "I'm stranded in a
cave on a sheer cliff for most of the day. I like having someone to talk
to, even if they are making fun of me."

"I'm not making fun of you," I'lek protested. "I just want gossip!"

"You're here to _wash_ prisoner," C'nal said.

"He can wash and gossip at the same time," I'lek pointed out. "It takes
a little practice, but as long as you don't open your mouth while you're
soaping your face..."

"What did you want to know?" Gil asked quickly. "I can't say I'm up to
date on the latest Weyr gossip. Being a prisoner and all."

"Tr'vel!" I'lek reached for a handful of sweetsand and began scrubbing
his chest. "We _all_ want to know what happened between you yesterday.
Even C'nal, though he pretends not to."

C'nal made a disgusted noise. "Nothing _happened_ you wherry brain."

"Oh, I think we could all tell that something happened," I'lek said,
grinning. "We want to know what _else_ happened."

"Nothing. Tr'vel dropped me off back at the cliff weyr." So they had all
noticed, or at least seen his reaction. Mortified, Gil reached for the
sweetsand. "Does...uh, that...always happen after a dragon chases?" he
asked, hoping to distract I'lek.

"Well, my Lirioth is female, so it's different for us. We never
lose." I'lek grinned. "But our brownrider here would be able to tell
you. From first _hand_ experience."

C'nal just glared.

"No?" I'lek shrugged as elegantly as he could with bubbles dripping down
his chest. "Perhaps you aren't the best one to ask." He stage-whispered
to Gil behind his hand. "There's this rumor that once he stayed
/between/ too long, and it froze and fell off. And that's why he's so
grumpy all the time."

"So it could have happened to anyone," Gil said hastily, before C'nal
could jump into the pool and start drowning the greenrider.

"Not necessarily. He must have been at least a little attracted to you,"
I'lek said, with all the airy authority of an expert. "The flight would
have...intensified his feelings. Brought them to the surface."

I'lek having fanciful ideas was one thing, but C'nal didn't want the
prisoner getting any. "In the sense that he likes men, yes. It was
just a physical reaction to dragonlust. You were pressed against his .
. ." The brownrider gestured vaguely.

The greenrider gave him a pitying look. "You have no romance in your soul."

Gil glanced from one to the other, none the wiser. "I hope I didn't
offend him, anyway. It wasn't intentional."

C'nal grunted. "If you said something rude, I'm sure he's heard it
from holders before."

"I didn't really know what to say," Gil admitted. "I apologized for
going off alone, and asked him if he'd be all right, but he just seemed
to want to get rid of me. He _is_ all right, isn't he?"

"He's fine."

"Oh - good. So he'll be back, then?" Gil asked, his voice more hopeful
than perhaps he was aware.

For once, I'lek didn't speak, but he gave C'nal a very meaningful look.

C'nal's eyes narrowed. "Why? You think you can use this against him?
Tr'vel isn't a fool."

"Of course not," Gil said, his temper fraying. "He's better company,
that's all."

"We're not here for your _comfort_, prisoner," the brownrider said.

"And at least he can remember my name. It's Gilbek, not prisoner," Gil
reminded him, a caustic edge to his voice. "But you can call me Gil."

"I don't need to be on familiar terms with someone who acted against
the Weyr," C'nal said.

"I didn't..." Gil began, then pulled himself up short. C'nal was right -
he had, even if indirectly. He shouldn't have let I'lek's enthusiasm
fool him. The dragonriders knew what he'd done, and they had every right
to despise him.

I'lek watched Gil return to scrubbing himself clean, head down and
shoulders slumped, then pulled a face at C'nal. "That was harsh, even
for you."

"It's the _truth_," C'nal shot back. "The Weyrleader wants to give him
a chance, but we don't know if this man is planning to stab us in the
back."

"Look at _his_ back," I'lek said, loudly enough to make Gil cringe and
hasten to finish his bath. "We're not the ones who did that to him."

C'nal was quiet for a moment. "So maybe he learned something. Or
maybe, like a beaten canine, he still wants to lick their hand."

"All the more reason to be kind. Or at least civil," I'lek said, folding
his arms. "Even an ill-treated canine can change if he's cared for." His
lips twitched. "And certain people might enjoy caring for him very much."

C'nal grunted and crossed his arms. "I need to balance out the rest of you."

I'lek tried to match his dour look, but it didn't last long before he
grinned. "Where would we be without you? Lightning Wing might even get a
reputation for being...friendly."

"Faranth forbid."

The greenrider laughed. "I'll get you to smile one day. You can't resist
me forever."

C'nal ignored that and asked Gil, "You done washing yet?"

"Yes." Gil rinsed the last of the sweetsand out of his hair and climbed
out of the water to dry off, keeping his scarred back turned away from
the dragonriders. He nodded to I'lek. "I hope you have a good day,
Greenrider."

"Thank you. Don't let this old grouch get you down," I'lek said
cheerfully as he watched them go.

Last updated on the February 21st 2025

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