Dude, Where's My Respect?

Writers: Eimi, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 18th August 2017

Characters: Kaiafel, A'kua
Description: The Weyr's most imperfect bronzerider meets the Weyr's most hopeful future rider.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 1 of Turn 8

The prey this morning had not been cooperative, and Zeiranth's forepaws and face were a mess, as were parts of his chest. With not much time left before drills, A'kua had hastily gotten the bathing supplies and removed his dragon's harness so the bronze could get a wash in the indoor lake and the rider could scrub off the blood. In the rush, however, A'kua accidentally whacked himself on the head with a buckle, hard. The torrent of profanity that followed was impressive, to say the least. When A'kua could think somewhat straight, he pointed at a small crowd of hopeful, wide-eyed weyrbrats who had likely come to sneak glimpses of the variety of dragons. "Hey, you," he said to the closest one, a boy with a round face and curly black hair. "C'mere and gimme a hand."

In retrospect, that probably wasn't the best way to get help: Any kid in their right mind would be reluctant to approach a swearing, bare-chested man with scars on his face and arms. But A'kua needed assistance fast, and niceties could come soon enough.

As a Weyrbrat with no memory of a time when Thread wasn't falling, Kaiafel was never phased by injuries, scars, even missing limbs. Besides, this was a bronzerider. That automatically gained the boy's trust. "Sure! Do you want me to climb up on top?"

"Fardles, no! Don't be st-" A'kua bit his tongue and reminded himself he was speaking to a defenseless kid. Children were given some leeway as long as they had nice manners. "Don't be silly," he amended. "See that blood on Zeiranth's chest? Take the bucket and put aside the scrub-brushes and soapsand pot, and use it to splash water on it before you get to scrubbin'."

Kaiafel frowned slightly as he dumped out the contents of the bucket onto the sand. "Why is it silly? I climb up on my Da's bronze all the time. It's the best way to get between the neck ridges and Kalamath likes it."

"I'm not your pa, and Zeiranth isn't his bronze. Your pa's rules aren't our rules, and I don't let just anyone atop my dragon," A'kua firmly stated, carrying the harness to the edge of the lake. Leaving it there, he gathered the other scrub-brush and dumped a little of the soapsand on the bristles. "Besides, Zeiranth doesn't need a full bath. He just needs his chest and paws worked on while I clean his harness and his face."

**Shells, what a grumpy bronzerider. You shouldn't talk to people who are helping you like that,** the boy thought sourly as he took a step into the water, but stopped. His father had taught him to respect all dragonriders, especially bronzeriders. But more than that, he should show respect to everyone. Why then was it ok for this man not so show respect for him? After all, he wasn't a little boy anymore! Where was _his_ respect?

"You're right, bronzerider, you're not my Da. And you haven't asked me nicely, so there is no reason why I should help you." Kaiafel threw the bucket back up on the sandy beach and crossed his arms over his chest in his first true act of preteen defiance. He would not be treated like a child!

A'kua shrugged, unimpressed. "Whatever, kid. I don't have time for this whershite," he said dismissively, and turned away to find another weyrbrat.

Zeiranth huffed out a breath, since he couldn't sigh and they were getting shorter on time. He stretched out his neck and caught the hem of Kaiafel's shirt in his lips, tugging very, very gently and crooning as best he could with a closed mouth.

"It's ok," Kaiafel said, reaching out to stroke the bronze's great muzzle the way he knew Kalamath liked. "It's not your fault." The Harpers and his Da instilled in him the knowledge that even though humans couldn't always see the potential in a rider, their lifemate could. After all, that was one of the reasons all riders were supposed to be respected. It still was not excuse to be rude, though, Kaiafel decided.

Zeiranth tugged again, trying to pull Kaiafel back, but he was too late; two more weyrbrats had been selected, and they were collecting the bucket, brush and soapsand. "You snooze, you lose!" one, a heavyset brunet boy, taunted Kaiafel.

"Get out of the way, we're helping now," the other, a taller lad with bright blue eyes, stated as he reached to shove Kaiafel aside.

Zeiranth immediately let go of the tunic and inserted his head between Kaiafel and the other boy, so he only bounced off the bronze's face. }:A'kua!:{

"HEY!"

The other two boys jumped at the bronzerider's bellow, and stared at him wide-eyed.

"I do NOT have time for this!" A'kua yelled furiously. "And you do NOT act like that around my dragon. If you two are going to be brats, then I'd rather have li'l sir tantrum there keep the job! Now get outta here and pray to the Ancients I don't find your parents and tell 'em how disgracefully you acted."

Crestfallen, the blue-eyed lad lowered his head and walked back toward the crowd of other weyrbrats, shoulders drooping. The heavier boy was just gaping.

Kaiafel looked over at the boy with an amused smirk. "Leave the bucket, Hearmon." For all that he was bigger than him, the younger weyrbrat feared no one at the Weyr. But he reached out his hand once more to scratch Zeiranth's eyeridge in gratitude for shielding him from the other boys. He looked over at the bronzerider expectantly. Kaiafel liked the bronze, and would be happy to wash him. But he still wanted to be asked nicely.

A'kua was scrubbing at the harness and muttering to himself as Hearmon left. Zeiranth prompted, }:Aren't you going to ask him again?:{

**Nope,* his rider replied. **He was happy enough to help until he found out he wouldn't be allowed to do what he wanted. He's just being a brat, Zei, and I don't bow to brats, as demonstrated by the other two.**

The bronze shifted his feet. They really would be late to drill at this rate, and Zeiranth didn't have the dexterity to scrub off his own self. }:It wouldn't kill you to ask.:{

**It wouldn't,** A'kua agreed. **But I'm not going to. I'll take the penalty for being late.**

Zeiranth let out a long breath that sounded like a sigh. }:You're being really stupid,:{ he said reproachfully, gave Kaiafel a sorrowful look, and approached the lake to wet down his face and forepaws. They would likely still be damp by the time his rider was done with the harness.

With a shrug, Kaiafel turned to walk back up the beach, standing just a little taller at the knowledge that he could not be treated like a child any more. Apparently this bronzerider just didn't have a Da who valued manners...

Last updated on the August 24th 2017

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Dude, Where's My Respect?