That's _It_?

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 7th June 2006

Characters: Birigundi, Traelyn
Description: Biri and Trae reunite, but their relationship doesn't go as smoothly as before...
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 4 of Turn 3

Birigundi

"Well, well.... If it isn't the incorrigible Candidate," Traelyn grinned.

Birigundi whirled around. He knew that voice! "Well, if it isn't my beautiful teacher," he grinned, looking the goldrider up and down. "Still gorgeous, I see."

"And you still seem to be as incorrigible as ever. I guess we haven't changed much over the months, hmm?" Her gray eyes flickered impishly.
"And how've you been?"

"Well, I've been changing a _little_ I think," he shrugged as he stepped over to the wall and leaned against it, looking down at her face with his saucy smile. "I've been busy. I'm going to be a father in a couple months, so I've been helping take care of Nia. How about you? How do you like being _Weyrwoman_?"

She blinked in surprise. Of all things, she hadn't been expecting him to tell her he was expecting a child! Well...maybe it wasn't so surprising--she remembered how he was with the girls. "A father? Congratulations, Birigundi!" Traelyn smiled at him. "As for me? My life at Dolphin Cove is going well, thank you. But there aren't any little upstarts to entertain me with their quick wit like you over there, though."

"Of course not," he chuckled. "I'm one of a kind, you know. I can't think of any other candidates that would have the guts to come onto a goldrider, let alone a Weyrwoman" Where, there was Kavlyn, but he quit being a Candidate, so he didn't count anymore.

"Mmmm. But I seem to remember you came on to me _before_ you knew I rode a queen."

"And I didn't give up after I found out." Shards, but she was fun to flirt with! He had almost forgot... Tracing a finger along the back of her neck he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "And you weren't Weyrwoman before either, and yet I am undaunted."

Playfully she batted that finger away. "Ah, but I was Weyrwoman _Second_... That's got to count for something, right?"

"Yes, of course. I means I had to try _twice_ as hard," he chuckled as his fingers found their way into her hair. "And it means now you have twice as much to teach me."

A slender brow rose. "Oh, does it?"

"Oh, I sure as shards, hope so."

She just grinned at him. Incorrigible! "Now, Birigundi, you know I'm not here a Dragonsfall, anymore. I don't have a weyr to take you back to, and you don't have one of your own..."

"Are you kidding? You have an entire _Weyr_ to take me back to. What do you say you try and convince me to come Stand at a Dolphin Cove hatching?"

"What, and steal you away from Dragonsfall?" Traelyn chuckled. "I don't think D'wrayt would appreciate that much--losing one of his Candidates...."

Birigundi leaned down to kiss her neck playfully. "But think of what _you_ could gain! And Dolphin Cove too, of course."

"Of course." Her expression turned a little more serious hen as she touched the tips of her fingers to his chin, tilting his face up to she could see his eyes. "And what of your baby, hmm? And the mother?"

"I'm sorry, I thought we were still flirting," Birigundi chuckled, looking back into her eyes.

A brow twitched slightly. "About Standing at a Hatching? I thought you were somewhat serious." She tapped her nail against him before she let her hand fall. "But maybe I read you wrong, hmm?" Shards, U'kaiah was right. She really did need to just...loosen up more.

"Well, I said you could _try_ to convince me. I didn't say you'd actually succeed." He wiggled his brows at her suggestively. "But I had hoped you'd at least try."

"Mmm. Well...for the kind of thing I have in mind to try and convince you..." The impish light returned to her eyes. "In the end, I think you'd be begging me to take you back with me. But that's 'if', Candidate."

"If?" he asked, eyebrows raised curiously.

"'If' meaning if there's an empty weyr, 'if' there's time, and 'if' you're a good boy."

"While I can arrange the first 'if' if you can arrange the second. As to the third... well," he gave her his best cocky grin, "you already _know_ how good I am."

"And in what context am I supposed to take that?"

He shrugged shoulder lazily. "Every context, I guess."

"Uh huh." She shook her head, grinning. "Really, Birigundi, it's tempting to try and persuade you... But I'm actually on my way to see a friend right now."

"Well, then let me persuade you to persuade me," he chuckled, wrapping his fingers around her hips and pulling her closer.

She tsked at him. "Now, now. Be a good boy, hmm? I don't want to keep him waiting."

"All you have to do is tell him there's a rude young candidate that was in need of admonishing," he whispered into her ear, nibbling her lobe teasingly.

Giving him a gentle push, she kissed his cheek--the slightest of touches. "Not today."

"Give me a proper kiss for old time's sake and I'll behave myself," he suggested with a slow smile.

"If you behave yourself, I'll give you one and maybe a dash extra next time I see you, hmm?"

"Oh, but a little misbehaving seems so much more fun. Admit it, you like it when I misbehave."

"I won't admit any such thing," she laughed. "You're ego's far too inflated for your own good, you know."

"My ego has served me well," he grinned. "Do you think talking will get you out of kissing me, Weyrwoman?"

"Yes. Now let me go, Birigundi." Her hands encircled his wrists. "My friend's waiting. Like I said, next time, if you're very good.... We'll see."

"No, that's not what you said. I thought Weyrwomen were supposed to be honorable and all that. You said you would give me one and next time maybe a dash extra." He gave her a sad pout. "And I've been such a patient good boy."

Traelyn just chuckled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before slipping around him. "You have--for you."

"Wait wait wait," Birigundi turned and called after her, shaking his head in disbelief. "That's _it_?"

Pausing, she turned her head. "That's what?"

"This! You're acting like we never slept together before." Birigundi didn't know why it frustrated him so much, but he suddenly felt... played.
"If you've changed your opinion of me, fine. But _tell_ me so for Faranth's sake! Don't flirt and tease and then pretend like I'm just some stupid kid that you can bed when you like and then brush off later."

Traelyn stared at him, dumbfounded, her jaw slowly starting to tighten.
Where had this _come_ from? "Who says I'm sharding 'brushing you off'?
I told you, I'm _meeting_ someone."

"Well, that's fine, Weyrwoman, but you didn't have to give me just a peck on the cheek and a pat on the head on your way by. Before you were Weyrwoman you could flirt, kiss and sleep with me, but now you act all _chaste_? What, do you think you're too good for me now?"

"No." Traelyn sighed, trying to push her temper back. She did _not_ need this right now. "Look, Birigundi, this is just...the way it has to be.
I'm a Weyrwoman--Dolphin _Cove's_ Weyrwoman, now. And I'm on Dragonsfall's soil. And I'm sorry if it sounds arrogant, but I...well, I have to keep appearances. What I do behind closed doors is _my_ business, but when I'm out here for the whole of Pern to see..." She studied his face, wondering if it was even worth it to explain. Ruffled feathers could be hard to smooth--especially when it had to do with a male's ego and pride.

"So I'm good enough to sleep with behind closed doors, but not good enough for even a sharding _kiss_ in public. No, I see, Weyrwoman. I see all too well." Shells, it wasn't as if he _needed_ her attention. He had plenty of lovers. But it still sharding stung. "Well, I better leave you to your 'friends' who actually have doors you can hide behind. We wouldn't want anyone seeing you talking to the lowly candidate, now would we. All of Dolphin Cove might just tumble to the ground!" With that he turned on his heel and stalked away.

Traelyn gazed after him, feeling the temper that she'd been holding back suddenly spark, then gutter out. Completely. **Faranth, Biri... You still have a lot of growing up to do.**

Last updated on the June 8th 2006

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That's _It_?