Stay Away!
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Leigh M-F., Mirren
Date Posted: 13th October 2015
Characters: A'kua, F'nix
Description: A'kua stands up for F'nix.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 10 of Turn 8
}:I'm not sleepy,:{ Zeiranth stated.
"Aye, you are," A'kua countered, adjusting the quilts that covered the rushes on his dragon's stone couch. For a brief moment, he wondered how many dragonets had previously slept there, to wear the quilts down to such softness and the stone to soapy smoothness. "Don't fuss at me."
}:I'm really not,:{ Zeiranth insisted, even as a huge yawn made a liar of him. }:I was talking with blue Heiprath. I want to talk more.:{
"You can do that in the mornin'. Now you don't come to bed right now, I'm not singin' to you."
Zeiranth seemed to pout as he climbed onto the couch. }:Okay, I'm in bed, so that means you'll sing, ri-:{
"Don't get so close to me, you man-lover!" someone yelled.
A'kua groaned and dropped his face into his hands, recognizing the voice of a holdbred brown weyrling. He had been acting like a brat ever since the Hatching, when previously he hadn't been so bad. Wearily, the redhead peeked through his fingers to see what the matter was.
"As if I'd want to get feckin' close to you," F'nix retorted. His face was pink, hands clenched into fists. He looked about ready to use them too.
"Then why'd you walk right into me, huh? You had to have seen me right there!" the brown weyrling yelled, face mottled with an ugly flush. "Probably tried to cop a feel, too, just like all the other dirty man-lovers!"
**Zei,** A'kua thought.
The baby bronze looked at him, surprised by the sudden seriousness in his partner's mental tone. }:Aye?:{
**What's his name again?**
}:B'drin, who looks to brown Purowth,:{ Zeiranth supplied.
**Right. Thanks. Stay here.** A'kua got up, angled to the right, and crept up behind the brown weyrling, gesturing for other classmates watching nervously to be quiet. Catching F'nix's eye, A'kua made a motion with his left hand that clearly meant **wind him up some more.**
F'nix's frown deepened. He didn't really want to stand here and take this. This better be going somewhere.
"As if I'd feel _you_up, " he said scathingly. "I'd prefer to feel your sister up. Or should I say 'again'? Remember that last hatching when you didn't impress? Well we had a good roll in the furs after that." Did the brownrider even have a sister? Oh well, he'd find out.
B'drin bristled like an angry feline and raised a fist. "Why you little-"
One hand shot around his wrist, squeezing tight, and the other came down hard on his shoulder, fingers digging into B'drin's collarbone. The brown weyrling yowled and his dragon lunged upright, only to be stopped by a hiss from Zeiranth.
"I'm not in the mood for this kind of garbage tonight!" A'kua shouted, spun B'drin around harshly and let go, pointing a finger in his face. "I'm tired, my head hurts, and if I hear one more abusive word out of you, not only will I tell the Weyrlin'masters about your disgraceful conduct, I'll make your life so miserable you'll think you're livin' on the Red Star. So if you have a problem with F'nix, then TALK about it like the responsible adult you're supposed to be! And remember, one day your brown'll catch a green ridden by a man, so like an ill-fortuned mariner, you don't have a bloody leg to stand on!"
Silence fell over the barracks in the aftermath of the echoes of A'kua's furious tone. He drew a slow breath and looked at F'nix. "You all right?" he asked at a more socially appropriate volume.
F'nix shrugged. "It was going to happen sooner or later. There's always - jerks." Including him, if he was honest.
B'drin sneered at A'kua. alternating between rubbing his shoulder and his wrist. "Are you going to demand I apologize t-"
A'kua cracked his knuckles. "Go. To. Bed," he snarled. Wisely, his classmate decided leaving to brush his teeth didn't have to happen that evening, and hurried to the cot next to his brown's couch. "There's always a bigger jerk, too," A'kua muttered, meaning himself. "But really, you're okay?" he asked again of F'nix.
"Yeah, thanks. It's just…" F'nix paused. "It's like having a big blue sign saying 'assume this' y'know?"
"Tell me about it," A'kua sighed, and flicked a hand at Zeiranth, who was now apparently speaking with Purowth, judging by the way they were staring at each other.
F'nix raised his eyebrows. "You impressed bronze, what are they assuming about you?"
A'kua threw up his hands. "That I'm goin' to be some kind of glorious leader with rank and honors to my name, which I don't want or even remotely need," he said in complete exasperation.
}:A'kua,:{ Zieranth broke in, }:Purowth says B'drin is worn out and very homesick and doesn't want to sleep with men, but there's a bunch of men already here to sleep, so why is he so worried about it?:{
Due to being extremely tired, the redhead found the question funny, and had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing. **Mention that to Nisith and I'll tell you when you're older,** he managed to think, and lowered his hand to talk again. Sure, he still didn't like the new bluerider very much, but he hated bullies even more, so it didn't hurt anything to side with F'nix this time. "Let's bed down. We can deal with this in the mornin'."
Once Nisith passed the message on, F'nix snorted and glanced around. There certainly were a few guys around. Not that he'd thought of any of them _that_ way.
"I have a feeling I'll be dealing with it for a while to come." He sighed.
Personally, A'kua thought it was a fitting payback for the time the blue weyrling tried to rile him in the serving line. But he didn't say it aloud; the experience would either make F'nix a little more humble, or it would make him able to laugh it off, or it would make him bitter. He found himself hoping it would be one or both of the formers. Probably because he knew what it was like to be picked on. "Don't let it get to you. It's not your fault people are idiots," he said before heading to his own cot. "All right, everyone, get in bed before the Weyrlin'masters come around," he called, and yawned again. "Let's not give 'em any excuses." (Actually, he just wanted everyone under the covers and quiet so there were fewer things keeping him up. Ancients, he hoped there wouldn't be any more problems tonight. His sleep was continuing to be lousy.)
"I blame their parents," F'nix said cheerfully. He slipped under his covers and gave at the blue dragon sleeping beside him. He could already hardly recall how life felt without him.
Hopefully that rather funny comment indicated F'nix was feeling better already. A'kua got into bed and very quietly sang to Zeiranth until the little bronze was asleep and the weyrling was staring at the ceiling.
Last updated on the October 26th 2015