Humans can be so stubborn! [Fide]

[basile]

Mine...

No.

Mine.

No.

Mine, if you would just...

I said NO Gryth, just let it drop!

Oh, honestly! The Blue snorted, tossing his head in utter aggravation. Humans! Such thick-skulled, idiotic creatures. Why couldn't he just go down to the Candidate barracks and find the silly girl? It wasn't that hard! But you'd think Gryth had asked His to take Rukbat down from the sky with his bare hands, the way he was avoiding the subject. He had to simply speak in a certain range of tones and the boy would turn into agitation incarnate. Much as he was right now.

N'ryl had slammed his fist on the table with his last emphatic denial to his dragon. Why, why, why couldn't Gryth just get it through his head that going to the barracks was NOT an option? How many times did he have to explain that it simply wasn't done? Especially not a man going to the female's barracks! And doubly especially when there were so few Candidates to occupy said barracks! Really, he could get the poor girl in a lot of trouble that way. True, there was a very high tolerance for... promiscuity among the weyrs, but what was his excuse? His dragon hadn't recently flown, he had no dragonlust in his blood.

Maybe he had a different kind of lust though, he grudgingly admitted to himself as he stabbed blindly at his plate of tubers. He couldn't deny the longing he had to see Tonii any more than he could explain it. He simply wanted to have the girl's company, to make sure she was okay. He'd felt horrible ever since Kalith's second hatching, as he'd sat there and watched dragonet after dragonet Impress to someone other than the girl he had convinced to transfer weyrs. It must have broken her heart when she'd been left standing, and if any indication came from the way she'd run out of the Sands so quickly he hadn't been able to find her afterwords, her will had likely been broken as well. She'd been so certain that she wasn't dragon worthy, and what had he done besides proven her point for her by convincing her to Stand?

The Bluerider groaned. That Hatching would be a day he would never, ever forget. His sister had finally Impressed, to a Cyan no less, and he was happy for her. Really he was. But somehow he couldn't seem to smile at the thought. It brought him no joy at all. All he could see when he thought of Kalith's children hatching was the desolate look on Tonii's face. He'd tried for several hours after she'd run out to find the girl, but to no success, and somehow he just knew that she felt she'd been abandoned by him. Of course it didn't help that every time he'd seen her since then the girl had skittered off like a scared bird, or that overprotective Purple flitt of hers, Streak wasn't it?, had hissed at him in a most threatening way. That was really all the proof he needed.

With another groan, N'ryl pushed his plate away and let his head drop to the table, wrapping his fingers in his shaggy black hair, ignoring the dull thud as his forehead hit the wood. Just what was he supposed to do? Shards, but he was confused!

[fidelli]

Tonii had been purposely avoiding well... Pretty much everything, and everybody. It wasn't hard - she had Streak and Shine to help, and Silk - growing now into a charming young Pink - would help her avoid the crowds. Every single one of her flits had N'yrl's picture firmly in their mind, and if they saw him while they were flying, they would report to Tonii. It helped her to avoid him - she really didn't want to see him again, seeing how disappointed he must have been in her. He had been so sure that she was going to Impress, and she had totally crushed that. So, she was avoiding him.

Mind you, Tonii was quite depressed with herself as well, but that was so much of habit now that she didn't really have to sulk over it. It was part of who she was, knowing that she was a failure and going through life with her head down. But, when N'yrl had stumbled into her life... She had thought, perhaps, that she wasn't so bad. He had given her a little hope - tucked away quite heavily, but still there. She had stood for nine hatchings at Benden Weyr, and had thought herself done, done with being rejected. It was something she took now, easily enough. It was depressing, but she shoved through it quietly, trying not to remember. Her flock helped. Streak rarely left her side nowadays, coiled around her neck constantly. Shine, ever the grump, was always skulking nearby as well, and Silk often was around to chatter at her.

Even the boys, Brown Sleek and Blue Soft, were hanging more often around her to make sure that she was indeed alright. She loved them, and the care that they showed for her - it was nice. Especially after the eleventh hatching she had stood for, and failed at. Two at once at Dalibor, with twenty dragonets, and twenty two candidates - she and one other boy was left standing. What bothered her really, out of everything, was how much she had tried to warn N'yrl and Gryth how much she was not one to Impress the wonderful dragonets. She was just Tonii, and she didn't deserve one. After the Hatching, she had stumbled to the lake, but very soon after dragons had begun to sprout from the sky for the war, and she had scurried to the candidate barracks, franticly packing her bag. She had planned to go back to Benden, back to a mother who hated her, back to a Weyr that did not realize she existed, back to a Rider who abused her - she didn't belong there, but she didn't belong here either.

She was sure that N'yrl and Gryth were so mad, and would run - except the war had gone on overhead, giving her time to both think, and to panic. At the end, she stayed, because she had no way to go back, and... What was left for her? She had to only avoid N'yrl, and stay tucked in the kitchens for her chores. She enjoyed there most of all, invisible as the hustle and bustle ran around. The most she was seen was when she snuck out into the actual dining room to grab dishes and bring them back in. She helped by doing most of the dishwashing, and occasionally with the bread, but that was about it. She wasn't really fantastic at anything, and knew that - she took things as they were now.

And she even liked Dalibor. The people didn't judge her by who she was, but what she did, and she worked hard, so they didn't complain. It was nice. So, with Streak off - he sneezed at the soap she used - and Silk the only one wrapped around her neck at the moment, she snuck out of the kitchen to scoop up the plates sitting there. She was carrying plenty of plates and cups when she stopped at the table, with a young man sitting by himself. She wasn't really paying attention, juggling as many things as she could, and asked quietly, shyly, "Umm, excuse me sir - can I take your plate?" She didn't really focus on the man, worrying over not dropping everything - but she didn't want to make two trips, and she thought she could at least help this much.

[basile]

At first he thought he was imagining it, that soft, hesitant voice that had been echoing in his thoughts for so long. His fingers tightened in his hair, twisting slightly as he let out a very soft, almost pained groan. More torture, no doubt. His punishment for luring the poor girl for more heartache. N'ryl squeezed his eyes shut, trying to will the little voice away.

Don't be wherrie-brained, N'ryl-mine!

He tried to ignore that, but really, who could drown out such an annoyingly smug tone? A deep sigh pushed from the boy's chest as he slowly relaxed his grip on his suffering locks and sat up, stopping when his elbows propped him up, one hand on his cheek holding his head against his neck. "Yes, I'm done with it," he said simply, reaching out with the hand that wasn't propping to push the plate towards the presence near him. Then out of in-bred politeness, he added "Thank you," casting a glance at the girl without really seeing her.

That is, until he took another glance. Then he was up out of his seat, his eyes wide as a flicker of emotions ran across his face faster than he could identify them: Surprise, ecstasy, sadness, wariness, self-loathing, confusion, happiness, and finally a cautious curiosity. "Miss Tonii!"

N'ryl's eyes went slightly wider, then slowly closed in mortification as deep, rumbling laughter sounded in the back of his mind. Why, oh why, did his voice have to choose now to break like that of a young boy's? He'd been settled into his slightly deep drawl for a good many years! It had been ages since he'd squeaked like that! Faranth, couldn't the ground just swallow him up now and save him the humiliation of this moment? But no, it wouldn't do that. Life seemed to like to watch him squirm, he was discovering.

Slowly, so slowly, he opened his eyes, doing his best to ignore the flush that he knew stained his face a deep scarlet. It took a moment, but he managed to clear his throat and sound half way dignified as he repeated, "Miss Tonii, it's so good to see you. I've been wondering how you've been." He glanced down at his plate, picking it up to give himself somewhere else to focus other than on his humiliation, then gestured awkwardly towards her, his way of offering to help her carry her pile of dishes.

[fidelli]

Tonii didn't want to drop the dishes she was juggling, and most of her attention was on them. Of course, if they hadn't she would have seen the hair for what it was, heard the soft noise he made for who he was. She did catch the sigh though, and looked at the male with worried eyes - he was probably not finished, and here she was bothering him! Of course, as she did look at the sighing person, she realized who it was, and her eyes grew even wider. OH NO! 'Yes, I'm done with it.' She tried to snatch the plate and run, but it required her hand to juggle the plates, and she just couldn't do it fast enough, and very quickly the polite young man was looking up. 'Thank you'

And then he was standing up, so fast she flinched backwards. He was probably going to hit her - she was sorry! Her eyes closed, she tilted her head back and waited for the blow to come, hand holding the dishes so tightly her knuckles turned white. She didn't want to drop them and break them - some poor kitchen worker might get in trouble. 'Miss Tonii!' It was only his words that made her slowly open her eyes, just in time to see him widen them and close them. Was he... Embarrassed? His voice had just cracked, like some of the younger male candidates she used to help with chores. They were sweet kids, who were clumsy and not sure what to do around her. Their voices cracked, but they were just hitting puberty - his was a deeper voice with a drawl to it that she remembered quite distinctly. "Umm, umm, Bluerider N'yrl." She tried to duck into a curtsy, forgot she was holding the dishes, and almost dropped them.

She rose then, blushing bright red as she rejuggled them, trying not to look at his face but as he cleared his throat she peeked anyway. He was bright red, and it was adorable - she almost giggled. A small smile caressed her face, but she ducked so he wouldn't see - she didn't want him thinking she was laughing at him. 'Miss Tonii, it's so good to see you. I've been wondering how you've been.' She flinched again, not being able to help it. Her eyes ducked away, shoulders hunching - she didn't want him to know she had cried, that she had almost left. He was probably so disappointed in her. She watched the plate move from her vision though, and was forced to move her eyes upwards to take it - he was, however, not giving it to her like she expected, but offering it.

And Tonii realized, with surprise, that he was offering to take some of the dishes. "Oh no! Thank you, but it's okay! I c-c-can handle them." Faranth forbid she make him dirty his hands - a rider's job was not near this. But, we reach where is important in the story. Remember, Silk was wrapped around Tonii's neck, interested in all this. However, Streak, never far off, felt the girl's change of emotion, and popped between to find her. When he came out, imagine his fury and outrage when he saw he was not there to protect His from the evil Bluerider! With a scream of fury he spiraled upwards, calling to him Shine, Soft, and Sleek. The multi-colored flits flashed to him almost at once, hearing Their's was in trouble.

They congregated together, and dove at once to drive him away, grabbing at clothing and tugging on hair, Streak even trying to score him with claw marks. It didn't last long - Tonii dropped the dishes she was holding and cried out, "No!" It was perhaps the most forceful thing she had ever said, and she had said it pretty quietly. But the flitter's, moved by the command she had put in her head, dropped back. Streak landed on her shoulder, where Silk had vacated to dive into N'yrl's arms and croon to him. The poor person! The Purple only hissed and coiled himself around His's neck, leaving Soft and Sleek to hover above and mock him like crows, and Shine to be scoped from the air least he really attack again.

"I'm so sorry!" She had dropped the dishes, and was mentally scolding them all, but only Soft and Sleek seemed to be listening, as she looked at him with horror. "I'm so sorry, they didn't mean it, they were only trying to protect me and please don't hurt them, I'm sorry!" In her mad rush to protect the flitters that had congregated on her like a mass of live color, she looked at him with horror in her eyes and stayed frozen. She had no idea what he was going to do, or how much he was going to hurt her, but she knew that her Flitter's were only trying to help her, and it was probably the one thing that would make her actually speak, covered in the various blues and whites and purples and browns as she was. "I'm so sorry. They thought you were going to hurt me." She didn't know what else to say to him, so she said nothing, eyes dropping down to the broken dishes on the bench and floor.

Another mess she had made, of everything.

[basile]

He couldn't help the small smile that slid across his lips, he really couldn't. She still had that habit of addressing him so formally. It was a wonder if she would ever be comfortable enough around him to abide by his request to be called just plain N'ryl. Sure, Gryth had chosen him as a life-mate, but did that really make him any different than any other person in the room? Well, maybe it did, made him more likely to get injured or worse, especially with thread not too far down the line. "N'ryl," he reminded her softly, reaching out automatically to gently block the tip of the plates, which quite easily could have fallen over in the dip she made. He was careful though not to touch Tonii herself. He didn't want her any more upset with him than she already was.

When it seemed liked she had everything back under control, he pulled his hand back, running it through his hair in a classically nervous gesture, for him anyway. He focused his sight inward, trying to will the blush away as his eyes searched for a safe place to look, somewhere that wouldn't embarrass either of them, or make either uncomfortable. They settled on the growing Pink on her shoulder, the only one of her flock who hadn't seemed to take an immediate dislike to him after the Hatching. That seemed a safe place, and he smiled rather fondly at the little creature as he held out his hands to take some of her burden.

Of course, the boy's attention snapped back to girl rather than flitt as she insisted that she could handle things herself. He eyed the stack rather dubiously, noting how precariously it was stacked, and slowly shook his head. "Please, let me help," N'ryl insisted himself, reaching out to unload about half of the burden from her arms. It was clear he wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. Not that he really had a choice.

He could just imagine what the Purple had seen when he betweened to His' side. The man who His had been avoiding, had probably caused her much distress, oh who was he kidding? Tonii likely hated him!, reaching out towards the girl in close quarters. He could only imagine that it would look like a severely threatening action to Streak. Hearing the outraged screech, he almost could have guessed what was about to happen. So it was really no surprise when a brown, blue, and black body appeared seconds later, rage touching each of their eyes.

What did surprise N'ryl was the face that, just as the other four dived at him, Silk appeared in his arms, crooning up at him. A flash of panic ran through him as his eyes darted from the whirl of color to the soft Pink in his arms, and instinctively he folded his arms around the small body, clutching Silk tightly against his chest as he felt the sharp pain of claws on skin and hair, and the rip of his clothing, probably his sleeves, he noted somewhere in the the back of his mind.

Then, just as quickly as it started, it all stopped. A 'no' resounded through the crash of shattering dishes. The tugging and tearing stopped, and slowly one eye opened, then another, warily eying the swirl of flitts about Tonii as he cautiously straightened up. He felt the small trickle of blood down his cheek, probably from where one of the flitts scored him, but that really wasn't important in his mind. Instead, he glanced down in his arms at Silk, concern obvious in his gaze. "Are you alright, little one?" he asked her, then looked up and repeated the question to her human counterpart, his eyes on her hands, afraid she may have cut herself when she dropped the dishes.

It was then that he registered her words, and his gaze jerked up to hers with amazement. Did she actually think he was going to harm her flock for protecting her? From the horror in her eyes, she obviously did. A look of unrestrained disgust flashed across his face before he could stop it. "Miss Tonii," N'ryl began, noting as he did that his voice had taken on a slightly dangerous edge. But at the moment he couldn't seem to bring himself to care. "If anyone ever tries to hurt your 'lizards, especially for protecting you, they will answer to me personally." He paused as he heard a loud rumble in his mind, almost enough to shake his bones where he stood. "And Gryth," he added, knowing that the growl was a full agreement of his words.

[fidelli]

Tonii addressed everyone formally, and he didn’t know if he ever would address her by anything else. It was the way of her speaking, just how she was. That was okay with her, too. She was fine with that. She even liked the lever of formalness she addressed everyone with – it helped her remember where she stood, where she was compared to them. She knew she was under them, and that was fine with her. Out of all the rider’s that she would ever meet, she didn’t know if she would ever call any of them by just their first names. She didn’t think so.

‘N'ryl.’ And yet he always pushed that, always reminded her that he had another name. She only nodded and swallowed as his hand came into her point of view – but he was just stopping the sliding plates she was holding. Foolish her. She should have gone back to the kitchens and dropped off the stack and then come back and gotten the next load – he might have had left, or she would have gone around a different route… But wishes weren’t fishes that made up the whole sea, and she just shifted out of reach, dropping back as he dropped his hand down. She couldn’t however, help but to follow his hand up as he ran it through his hair, biting her lip. She wondered what his hair felt like – that curly dark mess had to be really soft.

She shoo her head slightly to get rid of the ideas. That was silly of her to think – she didn’t know why she even did think of that. At least she could peer up at his face without shying away if he looked at her, for he wasn’t even focused on her. No, he was watching Silk, who was still watching him sweetly. She wished she could be more like Silk, so sweet and caring and soft and gentle with everything. Of course, as he offered to asked to take some of the dishes she immediately got distracted. It was alright – she could handle it all.

But, apparently that was the wrong thing to say, for he was looking at her again and she was flaming as red as her hair. ‘Please, let me help.’ He was insisting, and it was an order, even if softened with please, leaving her with no idea of what to do. She let him take it, of course, but she didn’t know what she should do – it seemed so rude to let him have it. But he was reaching out, and she gasped slightly – that was close, so so close, too close! She wanted to duck away, but that would have been an insult so she stayed frozen where she was and closed her eyes. It was easier.

When the outraged screech of the Purple resounded through the air Tonii did open her eyes, gasping. Oh no! But she was not a slow person, and she had been about to call them back when Silk disappeared from her neck to the hands of N’yrl. She would protect him, would make him feel better, for he was miserable on the inside. She was snuggled up against his chest in a moment, and she stayed calm, knowing that the other Flock members would have never hit her, and that N’yrl was only trying to protect. When he did straighten out she only scooted into a more comfortably position in the arms of the Bluerider and cheeped in concern at his face. ‘Are you alright, little one?’ She was fine, and whistled at him sweetly as he looked up to find Her’s. She took that time to run up his shoulder and curl her tail around his neck, peering at the scores left by one of the flock, peeping quietly in concern.

Tonii however, was terrified. Her hands had been fine, and she was more worried about him at the moment – he was bleeding, he was going to hurt the flits, Silk was in danger! She gathered Streak closer to her, eyes unable to look away from her face in horror. His eyes flashed disgust, and she almost began to cry. Disgust in the flits – would probably personally dump her back where she had come from, understanding it was such a bad idea to bring here. ‘Miss Tonii.’ And his tone of fury as he said her name, she dropped her eyes out of habit and fell to her knees, hurriedly scooping glass onto the apron she wore. ‘If anyone ever tries to hurt your 'lizards, especially for protecting you, they will answer to me personally.’ She froze at his words, shock pouring off of her. What? He was… He was protecting her? ‘And Gryth.’

Open mouthed, she stared at him, confused and astounded. He would protect them? Despite the fact that – “Oh! Oh no, you are bleeding!” She rose, not caring that she had sliced her fingers on sharp ends. The tinkling of broken pieces falling from her apron didn’t matter to her, and her hand meant nothing. “Oh no! Are you alright? I’m sorry…” She had no idea what to do – drag him to the infirmary? “I can wash that – oh, please.” This was her way of going around what he had said until she could process it anyway and she didn't mind that. Streak had taken his place on her shoulder, while Sleek and Soft were cycling overhead and Shine on the other shoulder, and she reached out to tug on his hand. She gently led him to the kitchens, back to the sinks where the clean hot water sat, ready for the dishes she had broken. She would apologize later for them, but now she was casting worried glances at the blood dripping down his face. “Oh, oh, oh…” A towel scooped up and dipped into the water, and offered him the stool, quietly and efficiently dropping him down onto it and dabbing at the wound. She hadn’t forgotten though, and, never looking into those jade eyes, she quietly whispered, “Thank you. And Gryth.”

The scratch wasn’t bad at all, and she offered him the towel, dropping back her non-bleeding hand to worriedly scan over the wound. Streak was growling softly, but she hushed him in her mind and he quieted down, trying not to disrupt him anymore than she had already. Silk stayed where she was, pressed up against him and quite happy in her position.