Dragonpoker and Proddy Dragons
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: Corrin, Duskdog, Sia
Date Posted: 11th May 2024
Characters: E'kavas, G'zan, N'kyri
Description: The guys get together for their regular dragonpoker game
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 10 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: K'mai, L'keri, I'maek's ugly mug
Panghuth wasn’t one to show a lot of the more obvious signs of her impending mating. She wasn’t really any snappier than usual, and didn’t like to make a show of things; she didn’t preen or go out of her way to attract attention, and her hide often didn’t really show much difference in color until very shortly before she decided it was time to fly.
Still, G’zan knew. For him, it was a pleasant buzzing energy that made him a little more restless than usual, but he counted himself lucky, as he knew that some of his greenriding friends became anxious, or emotional, or otherwise unhappy. He could just enjoy it for a day or two, without being _too_ distracted, until Panghuth was ready to go.
It felt like he had another day or so to go, so it wasn’t worth canceling dragonpoker night over it.
** Say hi, Panghuth, ** he told his dragon as Roquath and Oriath approached their weyrledge. His green had retreated inside to get comfortable, and to leave the ledge open so that their visitors had a spot to land.
}: Hi, Panghuth :{ she repeated, opening one eye to observe the newcomers. If he didn’t know her better, he would have thought she was making a joke, but no, Panghuth didn’t joke -- she was just expressing her utter disinterest in his guests at this moment in time. Though she _did_ include the brown and blue in her lackluster “greeting”.
E'kavas was going to cancel. He considered canceling several times that day. He knew he'd have fun when he was there, but ugh. Roquath always knew when greens were getting ready to go up, no matter how chill or reserved the green actually was, and he made up for her by being the biggest ham in the entire Weyr.
And that's exactly what he did, barely giving E'kavas enough time to dismount before fanning his wings and preening. }: Hello, beautiful" :{
"Get outta here, you _brute_." E'kavas made a grand shooing motion with his arms and moved closer to the brown, like he was displacing a flock of avians. Logically, that probably shouldn't have worked, but Roquath backed up and took off from the ledge with only a brief protest. "Pardon me." He said to N'kyri and G'zan. "I don't need him posturing the entire time we're here."
N’kyri flew in to see Roquath posturing and E’kavas shooing. Oh. **Is it that time, Ori?**
}: Always hard to tell with her. :{ Oriath gave the mental equivalent of a shrug as his rider swung down from his shoulders. }: Hey, Pang. You rising soon? :{
The bluerider had the same casual, conversational tone as he strolled into the weyr, handing off a pair of wineskins to their host. “Must be hard being the second most sexually frustrated color in the weyr. I’m glad Oriath is close in size and speed to his mates. Does Ro ever get jealous of all action you get off his hard labor, E’kavas?”
}: Soon, :{ Panghuth confirmed matter-of-factly, unbothered by the question. }: When I feel like it. Not right now. :{ That last was clearly directed at Roquath, as she cast an eye up in the direction the brown had gone.
}: I know! :{ Roquath answered eagerly. }: The early avian gets the worm, they say. :} He didn't know exactly who 'they' was in this case, but he knew that it was a thing people said.
"Oh, don't get me started." E'kavas said. "He makes up for it in sheer volume. Usually it ends up with the two of us moping in a cold bath." He made himself right at home, grabbing a couple bowls and filling them with the chips and dragon crackers that he'd brought.
“You and your baths,” N’kyri scoffed fondly as he took a seat and started helping himself to the snacks. “I know poor Roquath doesn’t have other options, but you do. I’ll never understand why you don’t just find a new partner. It’s a lot more fun.”
"I do, sometimes." E'kavas protested good-naturedly. "If I decided to indulge every time Roquath tried, I'd get nothing else done."
“Fair enough,” relented N’kyri. “He _is_ the most persistent chaser I know.” Still munching away at the dragon crackers, he pushed the deck over to G’zan, motioning for the other man to shuffle. “We really need a fourth for these nights. It’d open up so many more games-- and spice up the betting.”
"We could start inviting more people." E'kavas said. "I'maek would probably be down. I bet he's got a bad poker face."
“He’s got a bad face, alright,” G’zan said, shuffling the cards. “Nah, he’s an okay guy, we could invite him. Or L’keri or K’mai, maybe. They’d probably be down. Or, hey… somebody _new_, who’s hot for a guy like me. That wouldn’t hurt.”
“But we haven’t had any blind transfers lately,” grinned N’kyri.
G’zan shuffled the deck into one hand long enough to grasp his own chest with the other. “OW. Straight to the heart. How am I ever gonna recover? This might affect my ability to deal cards fair. I’m sorry if you get all the crappy ones.”
"I could invite M'yvak, I bet he thinks you're hot." E'kavas supplied helpfully. "For a share of the good cards."
“Do your worst,” N’kyri chuckled, still pleased by his jab. “I’ve got the skills to compensate.”
G’zan was actually not great at snappy banter or clever comebacks, and so even though his brain prickled at the opening to somehow playfully insult N’kyri’s so-called skills, he let it slide and just dealt the cards. “All good cards for E’kavas ‘cause he’s gonna hook me up, got it. That’s what _real_ friends do, y’know. Can’t just rely on Panghuth to get me the hot stuff. Sometimes she picks some real duds.”
N’kyri, on the other hand, adored some playful teasing. He was all the happier when circumstances aligned for an quip. “Didn’t E’kavas win your last flight?”
“Like I said,” G’zan replied. “Duds.”
"Wow, rude." E'kavas said, though he didn't even look up from the cards he was holding. "I even got you a snack and cuddled afterwards."
“Don’t worry, G’zan. I’ll make sure Oriath chases next flight,” promised N’kyri.
“Okay, but you gotta bring snacks, too. It _did_ get E’kavas some points.” G’zan looked over his cards. Meh. They didn’t need to know that, though. “Maybe some wine, too? A steak? You guys .,never take me out.”
"I think the cleaning staff will get mad if we start bringing food to the flight rooms..." mused N'kyri. His cards were decent, despite G’zan’s threat, and he slapped some chips into the pot. "I'll consider it though, if you match this bet."
"Who wouldn't love to wash body fluids _and_ steak sauce from the flightroom sheets." E'kavas said. "I'll match that bet, but don't do Roquath any favors."
G’zan tossed some chips in, too. “Have you thought about just… getting Roquath a real big pillow or something? That he can make, uh, friends with?”
"You should have seen his couch in the weyrling barracks. That was a rough couple of months."
G’zan, caught off-guard by what _might_ have been a joke or might well have been serious, choked back laughter. “And people say greens are the randy ones. I’m lucky, I guess -- Panghuth don’t care except for like half a candlemark every few months. Except sometimes that makes _me_ feel unlucky,” he mused.
“Should have impressed a nice blue, like me,” said N’kyri as he traded in a card. “I get the fun of a chase every month or so, but nothing insane, like Randy-ath.
“Speaking of luck… Let’s see those cards.”
"A calmer brown wouldn't have gone amiss." said E'kavas. "One of many things I don't have. Just one pair."
“Nah, I wouldn’t trade a green for anything in the world. Even if she’s a li’l less of a tail-shaker than most of the greens I know.” G’zan tossed his cards down on the table in front of him with an exaggerated sigh. “And I got not a sharding thing here.”
“I told you I’ve got the skills,” N’kyri grinned as he lay down a winning hand. Despite G’zan’s threat, he’d had dumb luck on his side. Not that he was going to admit it. “Better luck next time.”
Last updated on the May 13th 2024