Stars and Abattoirs
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Yvonne, Sia
Date Posted: 13th May 2025
Characters: H'run, A'khal
Description: A'khal and H'run meet up again at an ungodly hour
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 20 of Turn 12
The air was clear and cool, the skies a deep indigo tinged with blush. H’run woke while the moons were still up and wandered up the cliffside again in search of the handsome Wingthird with the telescope, only to find it empty.
Being a morning person was a disgusting habit. So was being lonely.
The bluerider swung by the Dining Cavern intending to grab a hot drink and a pastry before begging off morning drills when he spotted a familiar dark head speckled with silver atop a set of broad shoulders. H’run changed course to slump into the bench seat opposite A’khal. “Another early morning for you? Was it a moon this time? A comet?”
A'khal didn't look up right away. His fingers were stained a little with ink, and his flight jacket was thrown over yesterday's shirt. The mug in one hand was still too hot to drink, steam curling against the early morning chill. The other was sketching easily across a messy chart. When H'run settled across from, he blinked, like surfacing from somewhere far away. "No moons this time." He said, "Star charts. We're almost into winter now, so we're losing the summer constellations. Looking at a different part of space."
He blinked again and raised the klah to his lips. Not quite awake, a forewarning for the rest of the day. "You're up early. Or did you spend the night awake, too?"
H’run sipped his klah. “I don’t reveal my night time secrets to just anyone.”
"I'm not just anyone." A'khal teased.
The harper lifted a brow. “Oh? Do explain. I would love to hear more.”
"You're the one that keeps casually running into me." A'khal said with an easy smile, "But I can't blame you. The people just love a bit of silver in the hair."
H’run sighed. “Silver as starlight. You got me.”
"I knew it." A'khal said, straightening just enough to run a hand through his hair and to preen a little bit. "No harper is too tired for a bit of poetry, I see."
“Oh dear, now I suppose I’ll _have_ to be on my toes around you,” H’run said lightly. “It’s all fun and games until I misstep and do something foolish like rhyming ‘stars’ with ‘abattoirs’ and you’ll never forgive me for it.”
"I'd give extra points for creativity if you could manage to use both and have it make sense." A'khal said mildly, "That shows a level of commitment typical of poets."
“I’m a terrible poet, but I’m sure that I could compose something for you. But I don’t work for free,” H’run said primly.
A'khal leaned back, propping an arm lazily along the back of the bench, his half-smile curling wider. "Oh, of course not. No true artist does. What's your price, harper?"
A thousand quips were quickly examined and discarded alongside a couple of crude innuendos. Instead the harper decided on something simple. “A favour to be called in at a later date.”
A'khal's brows lifted, amused. "Vague and ominous. I like it. Done. One favour. I draw the line at singing in front of people, though. I have a reputation to uphold, you know." He considered a moment longer, thoroughly enjoying himself, "Something tragic and haunting, preferably. The poem, I mean. None of this 'there once was a man named A'khal.'"
H’run stuck his lower lip out in a pout. “You think so little of me, that I would stoop so low?”
A’khal hummed in mock suspicion. “I know my ballads. Man agrees to a mysterious bargain by a handsome creature, man suffers unintentional consequences."
The bluerider couldn’t help the shy smile that spread across his face, so he hid it behind his klah mug as best he could and tried to make the action look intentional. “You think I’m handsome?”
A'khal let the question hang in the air between them, studying H'run over the rim of his mug. Something in the sight of him-- mischievous, tired, sincere-- landed squarely in A'khal’s chest. "You know you're handsome. But yes, I do."
“Well good. And for future reference I do like to hear it said out loud,” H’run said. Warmth radiated outward from his centre, curling gently around the hurt parts of himself. “And now that I know that, I’ll try extra hard on that poem of yours.”
"Noted." A'khal said with a smile, "You'll hear it as often as you like, then. Maybe even when you don't." He lifted his mug for a final sip, now lukewarm, and pushed it aside. “Are you heading to drills?”
“Ah--" yes?” H’run’s gaze drifted to A’khal’s shoulder knots.
"Hey, whoa, I'm not a fink." A'khal put a hand over his knots to cover them. "And you're not in _my_ Wing. I was going to offer that we walk together."
“Sure. I need to stop at my weyr first, if you’re headed that way…?” Assurances or not, he didn’t know A’khal well enough to give him _that_ level of trust.
A’khal nodded, easy and unbothered, picking up his flight jacket and swinging it over one shoulder. “Why don't we walk together until our paths diverge?" He suggested instead.
H’run picked up his pastry and stood. “After you.”
Last updated on the June 10th 2025