SWOOP [tag; T'rel]

[madb]

"Ahh," R'get sighed with relief, as he stripped of his rider clothes. It had been a difficult practice. He winced, still sore. He'd been yelled at--again, what was this, the fifth time this month?--that if he'd only practice more, he and Pallath would be easily ahead of the other greens in their wing.

It is true, Pallath said dismissively, always her own best champion.

It's an exaggeration and you know it, R'get retorted.

Pallath didn't say anything else, but R'get knew she didn't agree with him. He sighed and unlaced his boots.

Focus on the good things! He was hot and sore and aching, sure... but there was nice good cleaning in it for him, and there was nothing better than exhausting yourself and then taking a bath. Except for maybe eating. R'get liked working hard, he supposed that was the real tragedy in this, that he couldn't focus that happiness on wing routines.

Now nude but for a well-placed towel, R'get made his way out of the dressing area and into the caverns.

Another rider might have admired the craftsmanship that went into the making of the caverns, or wondered how they had managed it so cleverly. R'get never had. There were things those brought up in weyrs were accustomed to having in their lives, things they took for granted, and there had never been reason for him to think of it beyond that it was as it was.

And he loved it.

Well, not always. On particular times of the day. It could get so very sharding crowded in the bathing caverns, for one thing. R'get liked people, sure, but not when it became all elbows and knees and people jabbing things in his face, not without a certain amount of foreplay, at least.

But in all seriousness, this was the time to go. Not many people around, enough room to stretch, find an unfamiliar face--not that there were many of those left--and make a new friend. Get all pleasantly wrinkled and clean. Head out, go to sleep, wake up, get hot and sweaty, return to baths... rinse, wash, and repeat. Pun intended.

Oh, there was a new face! And look, sitting all by himself, too. He must be completely bored, and in want of company, I'll bet, thought R'get. I'll go fix that.

He reached out and touched the guy's shoulder, a wide smile lighting is face. "Hey! I'm R'get. I don't believe we've met yet." He held out his arm, completely comfortable.

[Hiko]

Finally, some time alone with his thoughts.
Training had been its usual level of wearying hardship, with T'rel playing an interim sweep rider for the second time that month. If A'zael would just pick a permanent wingsecond, the brown rider thought, the rest of them wouldn't have to keep switching back and forth between duties. As it was, there weren't enough bronze and brown riders around on whom he could plant the position – and less that would put up with having to play at other roles – they'd have assigned workings within the wing!
Then there was that whole matter with the greens.
T'rel sighed, slipping deeper into the bathing pool's intoxicating heat. That green rider – R'net? G'ret? He thought that might be the name, but he was generally better with the dragons, thanks to Iskeloth's nearly-constant gossip – had been given the riot act. Not that T'rel could blame the day's wingsecond; the green rider had been an idiot in the sky.
Pah.
There were better things to think about.
There was also the option of not thinking at all.

Neither seemed apt, for his brain had decided to zero in on the events of the past Turn. Iskeloth's rider gave another deep sigh and leaned his head against the stone edge of the pool, eyes shut. Why did he always go back to thinking of Perrane?
Even if she had been the closest thing to a friend he'd gained upon arriving at the Weyrhold, why did every waking moment have to revolve around her death?
Iskeloth's unnaturally soft reply jarred the young man into cold, sober wakefulness.
Because aside from myself, she was your only friend. You need more attachments, or you'll never get over her.
Do you really think that's what I-
He didn't have the chance to finish his question to the dragon; someone was touching him. He opened his eyes and looked to the owner of the offending hand.
R'get. That was the name.
“We're in the same wing. T'rel. One of the two brown riders you fly with.”
Be Nice. You need a friend. Why not let it be some silly green's rider? At least you'd be able to talk to him without stumbling over every other word.
“Sorry, you caught me off-guard.” T'rel shifted back into a better position, “How's the shoulder? I thought I saw you clip it pretty hard during one of those swoops.”

[madb]

"Oh, are we?" R'get laughed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. He really needed to start paying better attention. Pallath snorted in the back of his mind.

He got the attitude in the first comment, but if it affected him, R'get didn't let it show. Instead he sat down next to the guy--the guy in his wing, apparently--taking the questioning remark as a good sign. He winced in mock pain at the reminder. "You did," he admitted, easily, "I wasn't exactly... flying my best." He rolled back the shoulder in question and this time, the wince was real. "Ouch. Ahaha... yep. Stiiill hurts."

"You flew pretty well?" R'get guessed, not actually having noticed the other rider existed up until this point. He grinned. "At least, better than me, I think I was the only one yelled at today by that grumpy old watchweyr of a second." He raised both hands quickly, to ward off protest, "as I deserved," he allowed.

The greenrider was young and irresponsible, but not a total idiot.

[Hiko]

T'rel shifted in the warmth of the waters. While he had flown his sweep route at a better level in terms of common flight sense, nothing was ever smooth when it came to Iskeloth.
“Only insofar as Iskeloth allows, I'm afraid. He's not exactly gentle in the air.” Though, the young man had to admit, anything was better than when his lifemate was grounded. If he was confident but harsh in flight, the brown was fumbling and awkward on the ground. T'rel shrugged.
Awkward silence fell over him, the brown rider not knowing what next to say.

Ask him of Pallath.
Interested in greens, now?
Hardly. I'm merely trying to give you ideas.
You were never so helpful with Perrane.
I was more interested in gaining Liyath's favor than yours.

“Pallath's not much younger than Iskeloth, if I'm not mistaken. How's full-time work within the wing treating her?”
It will suffice.
Don't make this any more difficult for me, all right?
The brown scoffed.

[madb]

"Better 'not gentle' than 'not strong' though, am I right?" R'get said, latching upon the most positive response to that. He really should've asked Pallath about what had been going on in the air that he'd apparently missed...

Pallath chuckled. Perhaps if you had listened more to me, R'get, we would not be quite so behind on everything. The tease, rare for the green, was fondly meant. R'get winced anyway.

Ouch! Hit me while I'm down, why don't you?

It seemed as if his presence was not quite wanted, as the other rider stretched into an awkward silence. R'get raised his eyebrows slightly. He wondered what he had done wrong?

Would you like a list, or shall I hold my tongue?

"Someone's full of humor today..." R'get muttered, but with no real venom. It pleased him, to see Pallath loosen some of her rigidness.

"She loves it. Practically blossoms." R'get said. "I'm the one not so enamored with the work. My Pallath is... she's quite the intense green, strong in the air, very capable. Her form is perfection. She's just... she's just amazing, absolutely amazing. I'm love-struck, but what rider isn't?" He winked. "Me on the other hand? I've... not quite caught up."

"And your brown? Does 'not exactly gentle' in this case mean over-enthusiastic or the opposite?" The greenrider kept his tone friendly and his posture open, so that it was obvious he was not attempting any offense. Nothing got two riders at each-others throats faster than insulting their dragons.

[Hiko]

T'rel caught himself in a small laugh at the man's question. While some riders might have taken offense at the inquiry, the red-headed man wasn't one of them. He supposed his relationship with the brown bonded to him was less of an ever-loving, full of compassion one and more of that akin to siblings. They each knew the other's flaws and were both more than willing to point them out both to one another and to the world – how else to better oneself than the reminder of one's shortcomings?
“Iskeloth is the most nimble brown I've seen in the air, but when he makes a turn? The dimglow doesn't know how to do anything smoothly. He's... He's like a racing runner. He's good for on-the-mark reactions, but too sharp when going round the bend.”

T'rel rubbed his neck; the dragon's ridges always seemed to catch the young man at an odd angle, and he knew that by the next morning, he'd have a bruise at the junction between neck and shoulder. He'd have to raid the inventories later for a proper salve; his jar had been dry for a sevenday.
“It's a process. We've been working on it, but the best he can really do is to warn me when he's going to whip about.”

As he eased into the comfort of conversation once more, T'rel caught movement from the corner of his eye. A young woman was entering the pools. When she noticed his glance, she gave a flirty little wave.
Oh. Goodbye, train of thought.
T'rel cleared his throat. So much for comfort.
“I, uh.” He cleared his throat again. He really had to look into carving a bath into his weyr.

[madb]

R'get raised his eyebrows, following the exchange and the flirty little wave between the two. T'rel cleared his throat and said something that the greenrider couldn't hear, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Rau blinked, and then grinned.

Oh. Oh. A bit shy with the ladies, eh? Well, if R'get could say so himself--and he did--he was an expert healer when it came to fixing that unfortunate condition up. And, for that matter, a great matchmaker. This situation went from being a sort of so-so chat with a fellow wingrider, to very amusing, in three bats of a firelizard's wing.

"What, don't you like her? She seemed interested enough." R'get looked over and saw that the woman had glanced their way as well. He waved cheerfully. She seemed far less enthused by his attention.

The greenrider shrugged, unaffected. She wasn't exactly his type.

"I think she would like it if you went over, you know," R'get said, returning his attention to T'rel. He nodded his head in the woman's direction, to where she'd situated herself a good distance away in a more private section of the baths. "Doesn't it seem like she wants some company?"

The 'if you know what I mean' tone wasn't exactly subtle. R'get didn't do subtle. It was likely he didn't know how.

Pallath made a distinct sigh in his mind. She wasn't fond of this sort of thing, to which R'get replied that she didn't have to hang about. The dragon agreed and, for lack of a better word, disconnected. Likely she was off to sunbathe somewhere.

He had Impressed such a prude.

[Hiko]

T'rel paled. Was R'get trying to help?
Oh no.
No.
No, no, no.
No.
Yes.
No.
It could be good for you.
I've never-no.
Never what? Chased a girl? The brown's amusement over his lifemate's discomfort was plain.

The brown rider had never kissed a woman, let alone – shells, he'd only ever managed awkward hand-holding with Perrane and that-
T'rel swallowed.
That had been by sheer accident; he'd grabbed it, thinking he was aiming for a doorknob in the dark.
“Maybe later,” T'rel replied, voice shaken. “I, uh. I don't even know her.” It was the best excuse he could offer, given the situation. The mere idea that a stranger could want him was ridiculous – and to have a fellow wingrider goad it on? Insane.
What happened to his plans of a quiet bath and a night in of reading?

[madb]

"Well, that is how these things start out," R'get pressed, grinning, "You don't know each other... and then you do." Very intimately. And with gusto.

"hmm..." if the other wingrider wasn't going to do anything, than perhaps it was up for R'get to take the initiative.

"Wait here, I'll be right back," he told T'rel, cheerfully, as he started moving away, arms sweeping back the water in front of him as if that made his progress any faster. He made his way through the smaller clumps of people until he approached the girl on the other side. She glanced up at him, unimpressed.

"You're not my type," she said, eyes flickering over him dismissively.

"Feeling's mutual, dear," R'get said, with his most charming smile. She visibly relaxed. He leaned against the edge that she was resting on and said, "I was wondering, could you do me a favor? See, my friend over there--" he gestured to where T'rel was, "--he's a little shy with girls. So I was wondering...?"

The girl smiled, and nodded. "You want me to go over there and talk to him? That's no skin off my back." She glanced over, the scan appreciative this time. "He's cute."

"So then... want to come hang out with us? You're far too pretty to be alone," R'get said, reaching out his hand. She took it and they moved back together.

"Hey! I've made a friend. I hope you don't mind if she comes over and hangs out with us," R'get told T'rel, with a big and obvious wink. “Her name is…” he paused, and glanced at the girl with a pleading look. She rolled her eyes and pushed past him.
“Veera, my name’s Veera. And I can introduce myself. It’s nice to meet you. I didn’t get your name…?”

[Hiko]

T'rel hardly had time to process that the other man was leaving his company to go fishing for the flirting girl. When the two reappeared near to him, the brown rider's face flushed into a deep crimson. What the shells was he supposed to say to this woman? He didn't know her from the wings; she had to be of the cavern or hold stock – which made the situation all the worse for Iskeloth's rider, as his only real understanding on how to approach the opposite sex came from the bond other riders had with their dragons.

“I. Uh. T-T-T'rel,” the young man yammered, unwilling to look anywhere but the vicinity of her brow. Lower, and he'd risk locking eyes with the woman and only further reducing his patterns for speech. Lower still, and...
“Uhm. Uh.” He stuck a hand out, the gesture stiff with uncertainty. He honestly didn't know if he'd meant for her to shake it or it had come out in a reflexive sort of salute
(Why were wing protocols the first thing he fell back on?)
for a greeting.
“H-H-Hi.”

[madb]

The woman looked down at the proffered hand, her smile wry. She took it and turned her smile warmer, a genuine honesty shining through it, though it was small. It was obvious she thought that had been adorable. Not sexy, but, hey. She was the type that liked them cute.

R'get tried not to be too obvious, but his face might have betrayed his worry. C'mon T'rel, you are so lucky she thought that was cute...

Time to make you sexy!

"T'rel here is an excellent wingrider!" Rau jumped in, not wanting to give T'rel enough room to hang himself. He draped an arm across T'rel's shoulders. "He and his, uh..."

Iskeloth, love. I thought I was supposed to be the one with the bad memory.

"Iskeloth, they're the best in our wing. Really, superb fliers. Heroic in threadfall! I heard they're even looking for T'rel to gain position, hey, isn't that right?" R'get tugged at the other rider, almost pleadingly.

"Is that right?" Her eyes brightened, and she tilted her head. "Impressive. And you're so... young." She flashed another smile, this one with more of an edge.

Greenriders, Least subtle predators on the planet. R'get thought with a roll of his eyes. He was including himself in the assessment, of course.

Pallath snorted agreement.

Perhaps you brought the wrong person over for poor Iskeloth's rider? She mused, wisely.

Oh, please, Pallath. You're a dragon! A non-flirting prude of a dragon! What do you know? R'get scoffed. This will go great! Besides, I thought you didn't want to get invovled?

The green deigned not to answer.

[Hiko]

What was R'get doing? T'rel lurched back as if to get away and felt his shoulders his cavern wall.
He was trapped.
“It's not. Not really. I don't know. Uh. M'not impressive. Just me. U-Uhm.”

The weight of R'get's arm around his shoulders, paired with Veera's feral smile, was too suddenly all too much for the young brownrider. He felt the walls of the bathing cavern closing in on him, the water too warm, the people too close.
“I, uh. Ishouldreallygo. I have, uh. Iskeloth. To take care of. Erm.” He jerked away from R'get's arm and stood up.

“Uh. Bye.”
T'rel's flight from the cavern, towel barely clinging to his body as he fled, had not gone unnoticed by the rest of the bathing community. And as he scrambled to leave, Iskeloth wondered within the brown rider's mind if his lifemate would get much ridicule for that day.