Blueriding is… (part 1)

Writers: Mirren, Paula
Date Posted: 15th September 2015

Characters: F'nix, Sh'lua
Description: Felnix and Sh'lua meet.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 20 of Turn 8
Notes: Part 1 of 2.

F'nix

"Is this seat taken?" It seemed to be the last empty seat and Felnix was starving. He's eat standing up if he had to.

"Feel free to take it," Sh'lua grinned and moved his dishes a bit to make room for the lad. Not bad looking lad either. He did noticed the candidate knots. So not too forward with this one. You never knew how candidates reacted to flirting.

"Thanks." Felnix flopped down gratefully and started eating. It was funny how food tasted better to him when he was hungry.

"You have an healthy appetite," Sh'lua remarked with a chuckle.

"I'm a growing lad." Felnix grinned.

"Oh, I can see that," Sh'lua said with an admiring look.

Felnix stopped with his fork halfway to his open mouth. Then he flushed. "Um, yeah…"

"What's your name? I'm pretty sure I didn't Search you. I'm Sh'lua, rider of blue Galerith, by the way," Sh'lua introduced himself.

"No you didn't. I'm Felnix." Awkwardly, the candidate put down his fork and offered his hand.

"I'm pleased to meet you," Sh'lua replied and shook the hand. He put a little extra meaning to the word pleased.

"You too." Felnix took back his hand and resumed eating. "So, you ride blue?" he asked between mouthfuls.

"Yes, I do. Does that bother you?" Sh'lua replied and asked, giving the candidate an inspecting look.

"Should it?" Honestly Felnix never gave them as much consideration as bronze and browns.

"No," Sh'lua smiled. "But there are candidates who are bothered by it," he explained. "Very hide bound thinking, if you ask me. If it weren't Galerith, they wouldn't get Searched at all."

That was true. "Because of…" Felnix swallowed. This was too awkward to ask about directly.

"We like both boys and girls...well, there are some who like boys more," Sh'lua filled in the sentence for him.

Felnix nodded. " Can I ask you a question?" he asked nervously.

"Ask away," Sh'lua said encouragingly and picked up his klah mug.

Tentatively, because he didn't really want to hear the answer, Felnix asked, "Has a guy who liked boys and girls ever impressed bronze? Or brown?"

"Ah, no. Not to my knowledge. There's some weyrbred brownriders and bronzeriders who don't mind occassionally catching a green with male rider, but none of them would knowingly seek out a male partner for sex," Sh'lua replied.

Felnix's heart sank and then rose again. He could live with that. It's be the best of both worlds. "Right, I see," he said, trying not to look too interested.

"Blueriders have all the fun and none of the responsibilities of bronzeriders," Sh'lua grinned impishly and sipped his klah.

"Oh really?" Felnix raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Have you seen how much work wingleaders and wingseconds had to do? They don't have time for parties," Sh'lua replied. "Take G'nir for instance, man doesn't know how to relax. A prime example of a bronzerider."

Felnix blinked. "But they're very important to the Weyr." Surely that outweighed having fun any day?

"Which is why we need the browns and bronzes," Sh'lua replied with an amused expression. The boy was missing his point, and that Sh'lua wasn't being serious.

"We need every dragon," Felnix said quickly, in case he might have caused offence.

"Yes, we do. As well as we do need every candidate so that those little dragonets will find their lifemate. And we need riders of all kind and all persuations," Sh'lua said and patted the boy's shoulder.

"Really? Why do dragons need men who like other men?" Felnix blurted out.

"Because there's not enough girls for every green dragon," Sh'lua replied matter-of-factly. "Considering how reclutant some holds are to let their girls get Searched, I'm sometimes amazed we have any."

That was true. And blues liked men who wanted to catch the greens ridden by men. "I guess they won't change that any time soon."

"No, they won't," Sh'lua agreed.

"How can a dragon tell?" Felnix asked. Humans apparently couldn't.

"They just can. And that's the best answer you'll ever get. It's one of the many mysteries of dragonkind," Sh'lua replied. "Of coure, if you really want answers, or at least theories, I can introduce you to my uncle A'dori. He's something of a genius. After his explanations though, you'll need a stiff drink and check that the chair you sit on is really there. He has that affect on people."

Felnix chuckled. "I think I'll pass. Although I wouldn't say no to a stiff drink. The Weyr always has good alcohol."

"And after your first Fall, you'll realize why," Sh'lua said.

The candidate's smile faded. "That bad?" he asked.

"Thread fighting is sharding dangerous and hard work," Sh'lua replied with serious tone. But because he didn't want to scare poor candidate, he decided to lighten the mood. "I could show you my scars. It would require me taking off my pants," he said with naughty expression.

Felnix blushed. Was the bluerider flirting with him? "That sounds like an interesting place to get scored," he muttered.

"Tight? Not really, not if you're in danger of losing your leg," Sh'lua replied, serious again.

"Yeah, no, I meant…" Felnix stammered.

"Don't worry about it," Sh'lua grinned again and patted Felnix's shoulder.

The candidate swallowed. "Thanks. I'm not usually so - you know, with my foot in my mouth."

"Heh, for some reason, that seem to happen around me a lot," Sh'lua said with laugh.

"Really?" Felnix could see why. He was a good-looking man. "You seem pretty easy-going."

"I am, I am also rather straight forward," Sh'lua said.

"Me too." Sometimes and about some things.

Last updated on the September 16th 2015

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Blueriding is… (part 1)