What You Don't Know (Shintagoi)

[Taxx]

He was hungry and the food was good. T'vir never felt guilty about stuffing himself right down to his toes, when he worked it all back off doing his duties for the Weyr. And those who knew him were rarely surprised at the amount he put away. Like this morning. Smearing a thick chunk of bread with butter and jam, T'vir bit off a corner and set to work chewing it enough to swallow it down, savoring the taste. Meats and fruit were sitting on the plate, waiting for their turn.

The sudden presence of another at his side drew T'vir's attention and he blinked at the- Candidate. Rate of chewing increased until he was able to clear it, a nod of greeting to the other- possibly older? He had the look of someone older. But he was a Candidate and T'vir was a rider in training and he definitely had more rank than a Candidate. "Morning," he greeted aloud, and then took another, smaller bite, just in case the Candidate wanted to talk.
Esko

[Esko]

Candidate Shintagoi

Food. It is possibly the greatest thing on Pern, even greater than a bronze dragon or sex. It's what drives the working people every day, and what drives dragons and their riders to fight Thread. Shintagoi was coming up with this epic monologue in his head, as he piled his plate with meats and fruits, grabbing a slice of bread along the way. He ate large and worked large, and he wasn't afraid to admit it. He looked around for a seat, though it didn't really matter; normally everyone was too busy eating or chatting up their friends to make new ones with him. That was fine. He didn't see his usual group of boys anywhere either, so he found someplace random and took a seat; a seat next to a particular blue weyrling.

When the guy actually spoke up, Shintagoi couldn't help but be surprised. Oh? So he was being chatted at? That was fine. He didn't mind a bit of smalltalk here and there. He turned to face the boy, a youthful-looking face that couldn't be possibly older than him. But he recognized the knots like second instinct; this boy was a weyrling! A blue weyrling, in particular. Well, he could pretend to be polite to him, for the time being. "Morning." He replied, as the boy chewed. "Doesn't seem like you're in a hurry, eh?" A smirk flashed on his face, before he picked up his bread and tore a chunk out of it, dipping it in the meat-juices and eating it. Politely, of course. Any dignified bronzerider's son would have table manners.

[Taxx]

Taunt or genuine question? T'vir wasn't sure and didn't really care to ask. He only shrugged, chewed away at the bite in his mouth, and answered once it was gone. "Meals shouldn't be hurried. And unless there's some emergency, I won't be." And he wasn't much concerned with being neat while he did it. The Candidate could be as polite as he wanted; T'vir was just looking to fill his stomach. Reaching for one of the fruits, he took a bite out of it, savoring the taste as he chewed- and at least keeping from talking while his mouth was full.

"Looking forward to the Hatching, I bet?" he asked, glancing over and wondering if Shintagoi would Impress from the clutch- and if so, what. Would they be weyrlings together in a month's time, both with blues- or would he be lower, with a green, or above, with a brown or bronze? Ah, he could speculate all he wanted, but it was all a bunch of what-ifs, guesses. Not until it actually happened would anyone know for sure. Still, nothing wrong with chatting about it. "Have hopes of what you'll Impress?"

[Esko]

"I like the way you think. Those who rush probably don't taste their food." Shintagoi nodded his head in agreement. The boy seemed smart. Not as smart as him, of course, but pretty darn smart. What bothered him was the less-than-neat way he went about his meal. While it wasn't a total slob-fest like that pirate scum girl, it wasn't what a high-born man would eat like. Shintagoi held back the impulse to correct him on his behaviors, however. He saw a potential in this boy, and maybe he could be useful later on. Perhaps he could gain his trust for a little while?

The next question seemed painfully obvious and, frankly, quite stupid. What else would he look forward to? He was a Candidate, shardit. A Candidate prepared for the Hatching, revved up excitement for it. "Of course." He smirked. "Hope? Why, I know what I'll Impress. Bronze, just like my father and his father before him. See, I come from a very long line of bronzeriders." And it was bad enough one of his brothers Impressed brown, threatening the family bloodline. He wouldn't be the one to muss it up.

Would he?

[Taxx]

Oh that was truth. Part of the joy of food was actually tasting it- savoring each bite. He was glad to hear that Shin understood this well. He hardly glanced over at the Candidate as he replied to the question of Impression, the assured tone giving T'vir a hint as much as the words did. Shintagoi would expect to Impress bronze, and consider any and all other colors as less important.

An eyebrow raised at the mention of the generations of bronzeriders he claimed to be descended from, and a brief wonder at his own crossed his mind. T'vil had never talked about his own father, but he was a bronzerider and he hadn't seemed pleased when T'vir had told him about Brauth. Whatever, really. Brauth was his and he was Brauth's, and he wouldn't change that for anything. If Shin Impressed bronze and carried on his family's legacy, good for him. "I'll root for you getting what you deserve, then," he responded, flashing a broad grin at the wording. Shin could take it how he wanted.

"So," the weyrling continued, jabbing his fork at a tuber now and biting off one end. "Seen you around Ar- Aleni. Fancy her, do you?" Seeming just mildly curious, just carrying on the conversation and giving no hint of what he intended to do next.

[Esko]

Candidate Shintagoi


So this boy thought that he deserved bronze? Well, of course, he deserved bronze, but it was rare for someone else to agree with him. Was this boy being sarcastic? No, he decided. He was beginning to like him more, as it seemed they saw eye-to-eye. "I see. I'm Shintagoi, by the way." He quickly threw in, assuming the blue weyrling didn't know his name. Shintagoi hadn't quite established his name in the Weyrhold besides with the Candidates. he would garner more attention once he Impressed bronze, of course.

"Aleni?" He'd picked up the "-ar" sound that the boy began to say. What did that mean? He chuckled at the question. "Fancy her? Not quite. I've attempted to talk to her, but she seems to be quite intent on ignoring me. Not sure why." He never understood why anybody would want to avoid him. Everybody should love him for who he is. "So, I can't really get to know her or form much of an opinion. She is pretty, though. Not very shapely, but with a pretty face." But there was something about her that could not get him aroused, though. It was strange; any pretty girl would be sure to pitch his canvas.

[Taxx]

“T’vir,” the weyrling offered in return. “Well met.” A short glance at the older boy and a nod before he turned back to the meal, pausing only to ask the question and not even sure why he wasn’t just coming right out and telling Shintagoi the truth.

And very much wishing he had at the reply that came. T’vir’s face twisted in a mask of disgust at the way Shintagoi talked about Arlin- the person he knew as Aleni- and he could feel his hunger fading as ’gross’ reigned in his mind. “I can tell you why,” he started, glancing over at the Candidate again. “That I have to do so proves that you’re all way too easily fooled by appearance. First off, she’s not a she. He’s male. My older brother. And his name’s Arlin. What you’ve gone around fancying is a guy dressed as a girl. Creepy as feck, in my opinion.”

Stabbing at a cut of meat on his plate but making no attempt to begin eating again- simply venting his feelings on the food. “Don’t know what he’s playing at, trying to convince everyone he’s a woman, but I’ll end it one day. Just waiting for the right time. Be more careful about who you pick to chase after in future, yeah?”

[Esko]

Candidate Shintagoi

What came next was something he didn't expect. He'd expected a jab at his manhood or something, but he didn't expect the answer. "You're kidding." So...did he seriously think a sharding boy was pretty?! He couldn't believe himself. He never made mistakes, and yet... "I'm not easily fooled," he growled lightly, "But sh- he must've been a particularly feminine boy at the start. Got a girl's face. But it explains the lack of feminine...everything else, really." Frankly, he was ashamed of himself. Why didn't he find her attractive when she looked attractive? It made sense, but he also couldn't quite rule out the possibility of him talking out of his ass.

"I never said I quite fancied her, or him, or whatever the shard Arlin is. But yeah, that's creepy. Why would someone give up being a man and step down to a lower position? It makes absolutely no sense." He'd never heard of anything like it, really. Any sensible man knew that his place was above a woman and that he held an advantage by having a pecker. "I hope you find that opportunity to, T'vir. Something like that has to be stopped." Unfortunately, he had a feeling that Arlin wouldn't change his mind. Under any circumstances.

[Taxx]

“I’m not,” T’vir replied stoutly. “Maybe. It doesn’t matter what he looks like; he’s a boy. Honestly, haven’t you noticed he doesn’t have even a trace of a chest?” Maybe those loose shirts he wore were meant to hide that, but T’vir wasn’t fooled- he’d known from the start that there was no chance of anything feminine forming.

A snort at Shintagoi’s attempt to deny that he’d said anything of the sort about Arlin. T’vir gave him a raised eyebrow of disbelief but decided against teasing him- he was backtracking quickly enough and with enough gusto to prove that he wasn’t really interested. Now that he knew the truth. “Go ask him,” T’vir replied with a sour tone, once more stabbing his knife into the meat, holding it there and then yanking it out to use fork and knife to slice off a bite. “We’ll see. I’ll find a time, sure. He’s not gonna get away with this, I promise you that.”