Sketch My Dragon

Writers: Devin, Mirren
Date Posted: 22nd September 2015

Characters: J'kri, F'nix
Description: J'kri and Felnix chat after their encounter.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 22 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Paetri

F'nix

"Hey there." J'kri took the empty seat next to Felnix.

Felnix looked over and flushed. "Hey."

J'kri bit back an urge to tease him. This required a more delicate
touch. "You um... feeling okay?"

"Yeah. Kinda." Felnix shrugged. "Mostly."

"What's wrong?"

Felnix licked his lips. "I feel - different."

"Oh." J'kri let out a little breath. "I was worried you were hurt.
Different how?"

"Like-I did what I did," Felnix whispered. "And I liked it."

J'kri smiled and nudged him in a friendly way. "You're being honest
with yourself. That's a good thing." Many people had difficulty
shedding their holdbred notions and he hoped this meant Felnix was
making progress.

"Yeah, just -" The candidate frowned. "I didn't think - I didn't know
this about myself, y'know? What am I supposed to do about it?"

Now J'kri couldn't resist teasing. He propped an elbow on the table
and set his chin in his hand. "Well, you could 'sketch my dragon'
again."

Felnix blushed. "I want to," he admitted. "I wouldn't mind drawing you either."

'Really?" J'kri leaned close and said in a low voice, "I have an idea
for a pose."

"Oh really?" That wasn't so surprising really.

The bluerider grinned, eyes dancing. "I could show you later." Good.
Felnix hadn't run or closed down at the first sign of flirting.

"What, not even a hint?" the candidate asked.

J'kri tilted his head. "Well, it involves my couch and no clothes."

"Those were a given," Felnix said dryly. "Apart from that…"

"You'll have to wait and see."

"Has anyone every told you you're a tease?"

"Once or twice. But I always make up for it." J'kri slid a hand along
Felnix's thigh.

"Hey, " Felnix jerked away. "Someone might be watching."

"Still not there yet, huh?" J'kri sighed. "Well, everybody's different
and I guess you just need more time." J'kri had been considerably less
shy about liking men once he got to the Weyr. It had only been a few
sevendays before he was sneaking off to storerooms with Daret and not
long after that J'kri had been holding hands with him in public.

"That's a way off," Felnix replied. If ever. "It's nothing personal, it's just–"

J'kri laughed. "Aw, you're worried about my feelings. I just want you
to be comfortable with yourself, that's all. It feels so much better
when you don't have to hide or pretend."

Felnix reddened and shrugged. "I just - I don't know. I don't know who
I am, I guess. It's kinda confusing."

"If you think this is a change, wait until you Impress. You really
_are_ a different person when you have a dragon." Sharing another
being's thoughts and feelings changed one's own. Each rider had a
different experience. Some seemed much the same after Impression while
others seemed like different people, but everyone had been
fundamentally altered.

"Yeah, but that's not a change people are going to ostracise you over,
y'know?" Felnix said. "This - this other thing. It is."

"Your family?" J'kri asked.

"Them, amongst others. Holders aren't a tolerant lot. But you know that, right?"

J'kri nodded. "People back at the Hold know. You can't exactly hide a
blue dragon, but my parents have carefully not mentioned what it
means." He shrugged. "I don't live there, though. And neither do you."

"No, not now, but I might if I don't impress. I'll be at the mercy of
my craft. Imagine if this got around to some Lord Holder and I got
sent there." Felnix shuddered.

"You're already 'tainted' by the Weyr, you know," J'kri said with a half smile.

"Oh good. That makes me feel so much better," Felnix replied
sarcastically. "Maybe I should just beat myself up."

"I didn't mean it like that. It's just that some people will see you
differently because you lived here." J'kri sighed. He wished things
were different. "But I understand that this puts you in serious
danger. I've heard what happens to people like us."

"Yeah, well I wouldn't have chosen it, you know?"

J'kri shrugged. "It's just who you are. It's not a matter of choice.
The choice is how you deal with it, whether you feel bad about it or
not." He gave Felnix a serious look. "You can hide it from people
because they might hurt you and still not feel ashamed. I hope you
don't." He hadn't considered that Felnix might leave the Weyr for his
craft. That did change things.

"Hopefully I'll just impress," Felnix said. "Then it won't matter so much."

"Then it won't matter _at all_." J'kri smiled and fought an urge to
squeeze his shoulder. "But don't worry. I'll keep your secret. As far
as anyone knows, we're just friends. I warned Paetri I had company
when you were over, just so she wouldn't walk in, but I didn't tell
her it was you."

Felnix flushed. "I hope not, that'd be…" Embarrassing didn't even
cover it. "Yeah, best that no one knows."

"You're extra cute when you blush," J'kri said quietly.

Felnix blushed even deeper. "Yeah, well, I try," he joked.

J'kri bit his lip as his body heated. "It's making me want to...
sketch you." Having Felnix under him, shy and yet eager had been so
nice.

"I'm always up for a - sketch," Felnix replied.

"Come on then." J'kri stood but didn't reach for Felnix. He'd have to
remember to keep his hands off the Candidate... until they were alone.

For once, Felnix didn't glance around. He got to his feet and followed
the bluerider eagerly.

Last updated on the September 27th 2015

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Sketch My Dragon