Saved You a Dance

Writers: Avery, Yvonne
Date Posted: 6th June 2014

Characters: F'lin, Riveenata
Description: F'lin and Riven finally get to the promised dancing.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 6, day 22 of Turn 7

The night passed quickly, a dizzying merry-go-round of dancing, wine and laughter that didn't quite seem real, or maybe it was too real, and the push-pull of Thread and /between/ was what was fleeting. By the time the Harpers were beginning to slip into slower, sweeter songs to lull the crowd into their beds - or someone else's - F'lin was more than a little drunk. He'd been turning to say something to Riven all night, or reaching for her hand to pull her into a dance, but she wasn't there. And then he'd remember-- she had Impressed. And he'd smile.

Twice he'd seen her in the crowd, but the first time he was dancing with a girl he remembered from Topaz Sea Hold, now a married woman, and the second time she'd disappeared by the time he'd crossed the cavern to find her. The third time he spotted her, she was sitting with a few other women, their heads close together as they chatted over the music. F'lin waved his friends goodbye and managed to make it to where she was before she up and left again. He sat down beside her with a *whump* and put an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close for a wet, loud kiss on the cheek. "I should be mad since you ended up partnering with someone else all night, but I just can't be. Congratulations!"

"Thanks!" She giggled and leaned her head against his shoulder, wanting to be closer but aware of her new restrictions. "It has been kind of busy. Nytha had some advice, Vemrin saved me a bubbly pie, K'mai and S'loi wanted to dance. But I'm glad you're here now."

"Better late than never, that's my motto," F'lin said cheerfully. "What did Nytha have to say?"

"That Weyrlinghood will go by fast, that I'll probably be a trio leader one day, and that you'd better be waiting when I become a senior." Her eyes sparkled when she said the last.

"Oh really?" F'lin pressed a quick kiss against her temple. Weyrlinghood took an eternity to pass. It was hard enough when he'd been the weyrling...! "Good thing she's around to arrange my life. I don't know what I'd do without her."

She laughed and snuggled closer. Surely just resting against him wouldn't be a problem. "I think I'm going to have to have quite the party," she said after a moment. "I remember the beach one your group had."

"Yeah, that was pretty fun..." The bronzerider trailed off, remembering. The moons had been bright, the sea gentle and the beer was crisp and cold. He and his clutchmates had gathered one last time before they'd gone off to different Wings, different Weyrs and different lives. But that last night together, their bond had felt like it would never break and nothing would ever change. He blinked away the nostalgia to focus on the party he was actually at, instead of the one he remembered. At least in both he'd had the same girl curled against him. "Think you'll like your clutchmates as much as I liked mine?"

"I hope so," she said. "I'm realizing I don't know the other Candidates as well as I used to, except for the weyrbred ones. But Selyna Impressed too, and we caused so much trouble growing up, so at least I know I have one friend."

That was good. "How's Savith?"

At hearing her dragonet's name, her lips turned upwards and her eyes grew soft. "Perfect. Though she was scared. She didn't want me to come. I had to stay with her till she fell asleep. I hope you can meet her soon," she added.

"I'm glad she's okay..." F'lin trailled off, sober enough to realize that whatever he said after that point was probably going to be the wrong thing. So what if he'd never seen a dragonet go grey like that before. Riven probably hadn't either, but she didn't need to hear it said out loud. "Are you okay, though? I mean, with Impressing? Not that you can change it, but.."

"It's better than anything I could have hoped for," she said earnestly. "I've wanted this for how many Turns, and she's great! How long did it take until Seneth's personality started to show?"

The bronzerider shrugged, relieved that they were moving onto easier topics. "I don't know. Right away, I guess. Well, after the food coma stage."

"It'll be interesting, finding out more about her. Right now she's quiet and clingy, was reluctant to see my parents even. Hopefully I'll be able to give a proper introduction."

"I'd like that."

"Well, sometimes when we're allowed out of the barracks for free time, I'll have her arrange it. I hope she likes Seneth and they become friends."

F'lin grinned. "Everyone likes Seneth. I don't think that will be a problem."

"Oh, good. It'd be a pity if she hated him and we couldn't spend time together." That was still in the cards for their future, right?

"That won't happen." The bronzerider tipped his head as the music changed, going from one slow song to another. At least this song he knew the steps to. "I missed out earlier. Are you completely exhausted, or can I coax you out to dance with me?"

"You can have this one. And maybe the next, if you're good," she said, with an unexpected rush of playfulness.

"Two dances, then." F'lin smiled as stood and held his hand out to Riven. "I'm okay with that."

She knew they'd had different plans, but the unexpected events had changed that. They'd have to be okay with just the dances, for now - and in a few months, who knew?

She took his hand and let him whirl her onto the dance floor. "I'm glad I caught up with you again. Running away from you would have been a poor note to end on," she joked.

"You can run, but you can't hide," he told her. And it was true. Sooner or later, he'd always catch up.

Last updated on the June 15th 2014

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Saved You a Dance