Mishandled Inquiries
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: Shawna, Sia
Date Posted: 9th December 2024
Characters: Cirina, O'rosin
Description: Cirina asking the important questions
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 23 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: R'fayne, C'rand, B'lyes, Saedyna, Tirraze, R'lor
Follows "DCW: Manhandled"
Once again, Cirina was in O'rosin's weyr before he got home. He didn't really understand the need for a quiet place, having grown up and used to with everyone underfoot, but he was happy for company. When Cirina found the barracks crowded and noisy sometimes, he found his weyrling weyr too big and quiet.
"Do you want me to run down to the kitchens for snacks?" He asked as he dumped Aeoluth's riding straps in a tangle on the floor that he'd regret later. "Or make tea? N'tan gave me some to try."
Cirina was sprawled on his couch with a book, “Tea would be great. How’s working with N’tan? I heard he got that scar on his head from a bar fight. Is he scary?”
She folded over the corner of the page she was reading and set the book down.
"He said the scar on his head came from a run in with a cupboard." O'rosin said doubtfully, "But it does seem a little big for that. Huh. He just looks scary. Aeoluth has a new playmate, so at least he's not vibrating as much when I'm in class." O'rosin busied himself with putting the kettle on and grabbing the two mugs Cirina had filched from the kitchens.
“It's probably good for Aeoluth to have someone to play with where they aren't disrupting class,” Cirina grinned, “Or turning the feeding pens into a bloodbath. Hopefully that makes R’lor happy. So. How are things going with your classmates? Like R’fayne,” there was no subtlety to the segue.
O'rosin was nodding in agreement and about to launch into the latest story of overeager Aeoluth that the question caught him off guard. "Fine, I guess? Saedyna keeps giving me the stink eye like I did something to her specifically and C'rand and B'lyse make us all queasy. R'fayne's…? I dunno, he's some cross recently, but we weren't good friends to begin with. Why….?"
“I can talk to Saedyna and see if I can find out what’s going on there,” Cirina offered. She needed to talk to her other friend anyway, it had been too long. That wasn’t the focus at the moment, though, “Well, I ran into R’fayne the other day and we got to talking. Listen, I know you’re not really a fan of girls, but what about boys? Maybe a specific boy.”
"Warn her that one of these days there'll be a stern wind and her face will set like that." O'rosin said. He frowned, considering, as he handed her the cup with hot tea. "What? I like girls just fine. Have I done something to make you uncomfortable? Nobody here cares about having a chaperone, so I've been tryin' to be proper."
Cirina stared at him, “You’ve been so proper that now I’m offended. I’m very pretty! But you like staring at R’fayne’s stupid face instead. And other things, I hear.”
O'rosin's face flushed pink. "Sure, you are. But you're a _lady_, and it's not right to come on to the only person showing me around and helping with classes. And Aeoluth would be upset if I did anything untoward."
Aeoluth brushed against his mind briefly, unsure what 'untoward' meant but almost certain that he would not be.
“I am not and Aeoluth wouldn’t be. He likes me,” Cirina said peevishly.
"And where did you hear about me staring? I was _not_. It's too cold for how barely dressed R'fayne's been."
“O’rosin, it’s eighty degrees. And like I said, I ran into R’fayne today. You should definitely make a move there.” Cirina sipped at her tea and added innocently, “This is very nice. You should drink some.”
O'rosin blew out a long breath and flopped into the chair opposite Cirina, clutching his mug of tea like it might offer him a way out of this conversation. Aeoluth's curious mental nudge wasn't helping"his dragon was clearly as interested in this topic as O'rosin wasn't. "I'm not doing nothing. I didn't know being _with_ guys like that was an option before getting here, and I don't judge B'lyes or C'rand or L'fael or anyone. Or Tirraze, since maybe she likes girls? But R'fayne must be getting the wrong idea."
“Well, if that’s what you want me to tell him, I will, but are you sure that’s what you want me to tell him? I mean, he’s certainly not bad looking. I want to touch his hair, those curls look nice, don’t they?” Cirina had turned to sit sideways and stare at him.
O'rosin's face shifted from pink to red as the image came unbidden into his mind- his fingers combing through R'fayne's dark hair. He could almost feel the texture against them, the warmth of his scalp beneath his touch. He set the tea down with a rough 'thunk' as he shoved the thought away, horrified at himself. "I don't really notice stuff like that." He lied, weakly.
“Well then maybe we should take you to the infirmary because from as red as you just turned, you’re either lying or you’re sick. Come on, you’re at a Weyr. No one cares who you think is attractive. Well, except for R’fayne. Who wants to know because he probably wants to shove you against a wall,” Cirina continued, enjoying his discomfort.
"He does not!" O'rosin exclaimed. "He's trying to give me a hard time after R'lor's awful Flight talk, is all. You don't have to join in, you know. And I know no one cares here. I just said I don't mind what everyone else does."
“Nope, that’s definitely not it. I checked, and when have I ever led you wrong? You should be warned that he’s feeling a little frisky. He half pulled my arm off and he doesn’t even like me,” she absently rubbed at her upper arm. “But if you want him to back off, that’s what I’ll tell him. Just tell me what you want.”
O'rosin stared at her dumbly for a second. The idea of R'fayne being 'frisky' towards him was about as plausible as Aeoluth sitting still. "I don't- don't tell him anything. You two don't need to be talking about me." He sputtered, his voice pitching slightly higher than he intended. "It's not like we're- like I- like he's- drink your tea!"
“Alright. Noted. I will definitely not talk to R’fayne about this,” Cirina lied blandly. “But R’fayne is the one who hunted me down, so I’m not the one you need to convince. You should go tell him that. Oh, do you want him to come over? You could do it right now,” she gave a whistle and Digger suddenly sprang up from his napping spot on Aeoluth’s back. “Do you have something I can write on?”
"No. I got nothing. I've never had anything. I don't write at all." O'rosin said too quickly and tried to wave Digger away.
}: I could just ask Skadith. :{ Aeoluth supplied helpfully to them both.
“Oh yes, do that,” Cirina called.
"Don't you dare!"
Aeoluth looked between them, torn. }: But Cirina knows best. :{ He repeated, though O'rosin didn't know how he remembered _that_ when he couldn't remember to not make a mess in the feeding pens.
**No she doesn't.** O'rosin shot back, and then out loud with increasing panic, "_You_ aren't talking to Skadith, and _you_," This time at Cirina, "Aren't talking to him, or sending a note, or _whistling_ in his general direction. Now it's getting late and I am going to bed. "
“Yes. Get your beauty sleep,” Cirina said, chugging down half her cup of tea before standing. “I’ll just head back to the barracks now, if Aeoluth wouldn't mind dropping me off?” She headed for the brown, assuming the answer would be a yes. “Good night! Don't think about R’fayne’s pretty hair. Or jawline!”
Last updated on the December 16th 2024