Insecurities

Writers: Aaron, Heather
Date Posted: 21st September 2021

Characters: F'aen, T'ner, Y'sak
Description: T'ner's insecurities begin to get embarrassing, for him and F'aen.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 9, day 19 of Turn 10

"I should have washed you the other day when T'ner was here with Lehystrath, I would have at least had some help." F'aen said to Scarleth as he followed her down into the water.

}: I wasn't dirty then and I was still enjoying Vemiath's company.:{ Scarleth said as she spread her wings and sailed daintily into the lake to get her hide wet.

F'aen rolled his eyes, although there was a smile about him as he stepped into the water up to his knees.

}: Speaking of Vemiath, here he comes.:{ the green purred.

Sure enough, blue splash landed beside of Scarleth, while Y'sak laughed and joined F'aen.

"He does like to make an entrance." Y'sak said indulgently.

"Like his rider?" F'aen teased, crossing his arms over his chest.

Y'sak merely winked at F'aen as he took his scrub brush out of the bucket he'd brought along. "I'll help you scrub Scarleth if you'll help with Vemiath."

"Deal." F'aen agreed, wanting to get the chore out of the way as quickly as possible.

}:Vemiath is still with Scarleth,:{ Lehystrath complained. His sour mood was still leaking into T'ner's head despite the reassurances he had from F'aen. }:One can hardly play the lead role while not even on stage. I should make a grand entrance.:{

**What? Where are they? Where are you going?**

}:They are at the lake, bathing with their riders. You must wash me again. Come.:{

**No. Don't be ridiculous.**

}:Wash me again, or I shall not speak to you.:{

**This is getting real old, Leh. You didn't catch once. It's not the end of the world.**

}:I didn't catch because _you_ were not focused on the prize. Now. Take me to the lake, and wash me again, or I will simply go without you.:{

**No. Stop. Do not go down there.**

}:I am going.:{

And he did. Lehystrath flew down to the lake and alighted on the shore, striking his best handsome pose.

}:Good day, beautiful one,:{ he greeted Scarleth.

T'ner sighed and ran after him to see what he could do.

Scarleth paid Lehystrath no mind, she was busy chatting with Vemiath as F'aen and Y'sak scrubbed her flank.

Y'sak was regaling F'aen with some silly anecdote that had the greenrider doubled in a fit of laughter.

Lehystrath was not used to being ignored.

**Yeah, it's no fun, is it?**

T'ner reached the lake to see F'aen and Y'sak laughing and enjoying each other's company and fought to keep himself from feeling jealousy.

While Lehystrath was indignant at being ignored, he was loath to try again to get Scarleth's attention. Being ignored once could be chalked up to her being too occupied to have noticed, but pressing the matter could lead to a more obviously purposeful ignoring. Or worse, an outright dismissal.

}:This is your fault,:{ Lehystrath accused T'ner. }:If you had flown like you meant to win instead of worrying about what everyone else was doing, we would have caught Scarleth! And then she would be talking to me.:{

T'ner listened to the blue berate him. It was already too late. The damage was done. He had already crossed the threshold. Nothing he could do could change what came next. It was decided.

But F'aen had been more than happy to talk to him the day before. F'aen had not ignored him.

But no matter how he talked sense to himself in the face of his irrational fear that F'aen had already decided to leave him and was just waiting until his affairs were in order to tell T'ner, Lehystrath's despair at having lost Scarleth forever – mistaken as that despair may have been – spilled over into T'ner and overwhelmed his good sense.

T'ner's heart began to beat faster, and he began to shiver again.

**Leh, I need to go home,** he said. **Before F'aen sees me.** As though it were not obvious he was there.

}:I am not taking you any– ... T'ner? Are you alright? T'ner!? Stand still. I am coming.:{

Lehystrath splashed out of the water with nary a thought of grace.

The loud dragon splashing could not be ignored. When F'aen looked up, it was to the sight of a very familiar set of blue haunches.

**Is that Lehystrath?** he asked Scarleth, who swung her head around to see.

}:Yes, it is.:{

F'aen's brow furrowed at the way the blue was hurrying, as if something was wrong.

**Is everything alright with T'ner?**

"What is it?" Y'sak asked, but F'aen had zoned him out.

}: Lehystrath, my rider wishes to know if yours is well.:{ Scarleth said to the departing blue.

Lehystrath showed no hint of annoyance at Scarleth bespeaking him only now.

}:He is shivering, my lady,:{ the blue said to Scarleth. }:Cold, perhaps... He begs that I ask your dear rider not to leave his current business on his account. He will be well.:{

**Thanks, Leh,** T'ner clung to his blue's back as they flew back up to their ledge and T'ner ran inside to hug F'aen's pillow.

Back on the ground, Y'sak asked, "Was that your weyrmate?"

F'aen, snapping back to reality, glanced sideways at the good looking bluerider. "Uh, yes, it was." Embarrassment crept up the back of his neck. What was T'ner doing? He wondered. He had understood the insecurities when Lehystrath had lost Scarleth's flight but.. still?

"I'd better go," F'aen said, despite what T'ner had instructed.

"Aww, are you in trouble now?" Y'sak teased but it rubbed F'aen the wrong way.

"Just shut up, Y'sak. Sometimes you just don't know when to stop." F'aen stomped out of the water.

"F'aen! I was just kidding!" Y'sak called after the retreating man.

The greenrider made for the communal bathing pools, where he was going to take a hot bath, and then figure out what he was going to say to T'ner when he went back to the weyr.

Last updated on the October 1st 2021

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Insecurities