Even If They're Sober

Writers: Devin, Vix
Date Posted: 9th August 2007

Characters: K'sper, M'dali
Description: K'sper and M'dali talk after Bentith wins Prinniath's flight
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 4, day 12 of Turn 4

That languid, sated feeling filled him as he woke. }:Bentith flew us well,:{ Prinniath informed him sleepily.

**Who is that?**

}:He is from Dragonsfall. A brown,:{ she said with a hint of smugness.

Then he remembered. They were at the Tavern, and although he might escape without a tongue lashing from the Tavern Master, there was no escaping the Weyrleader. He might as well enjoy the little time he had before facing the inevitable. The warm, well-muscled body pressed against him was certainly worth his attention. Too bad he rode brown. M'dali rolled over and trailed a hand down his chest. Wake him, or not?

K'sper could feel himself slowly waking, something nagging at the back of his mind, something wrong.

}:We flew her well!:{ The brownrider smiled slightly at his dragon's triumphant yet sleepy tone. Then he remembered where they had been when the flight occurred. His eyes popped open to view the strange ceiling. "Oh shards!"

"Not the best reaction I've gotten," M'dali said. "Well, it depends on the tone, I guess ...."

Unable to look at the other dragonrider - the other _male_ dragonrider - K'sper continued to look at the ceiling, his voice barely above a whisper. "Exactly where are we?"

M'dali looked around. "Looks like a room."

"But still at the Tavern?"

"I don't know how we would have gotten anywhere else," the greenrider replied.

"True," agreed the brownrider, still not looking at M'dali. "We are in so much trouble."

"_I'm_ in trouble. I don't know how anyone can blame you." Then M'dali thought a moment and frowned. "Oh, I suppose the crafters and holders might not understand." **You could have warned me,** he scolded his green.

}:I fly when I choose,:{ was her reply.

"I've a feeling that a few would have expected me to show a little more self control," noted K'sper. **As if my thoughts were on anything near leaving this place then.**

}:It was a good flight.:{ Bentith replied languidly. }:Just enjoy this time.:{
**Enjoy?** K'sper shot back at him. **He's. . . he's a _he_!**

}:He rides a she.:{ the brown answered, as if that made it all alright. }:And a lovely she at that.:{ "During a Flight?" M'dali asked. "Not anyone weyrbred." The greenrider sighed. "I know I was a wherry-brained fool to bring her here so close to mating. But she's not exactly obvious when it comes to her cycle."

K'sper sat up and looked around for his clothing. "A mating flight at a Hold. I wonder what other kinds of havoc this created?"

"It might be fun to find out, if I wasn't going to get blamed for all of it." M'dali sighed again.

The brownrider glanced toward the other rider, remembered that the man was naked, and looked away. "Do you think any of the Hold folks were affected?"

M'dali looked thoughtful. "I don't know." Then his eyes widened. "But shards! If they were ..." He got off the small bed and seized a shirt from the floor. "I think we should get out of here."

"I think that's mine," K'sper stated, reaching for the shirt. "Whether they were or not, we should get out of here - and probably won't be welcome here for a long time to come." He directed his thoughts toward his dragon, inquiring where the brown was resting.

}:I am not ready to leave.:{ was Bentith's reply.

**I think that we better leave while we still can,** his rider insisted.

M'dali found a pair of pants and held them to himself to check that they were his. "And I was just getting to like the place," the greenrider said as he pulled them on.

Pulling on his own clothing, K'sper sighed. "I don't drink often, and I think I'll stay away from alcohol for a while." He silently wondered whether without the wine he would have shown more restraint.

}:Why?:{ Bentith's sleepy voice asked him. }:We flew well. Why regret it?:{ The greenrider had located his shirt and one of his boots, but was still looking for the other. "Were you weyrbred?" he asked suddenly.

"Uh, no. Holdbred."

"Huh. Well, that explains it," M'dali said.

"Sorry, but it's the way I am." K'sper shook his head and turned toward the other rider. "Some things don't just change because of Impression."

"It sounded like you were trying to blame your participation on alcohol." M'dali located his other boot and tugged it on. "That's different than being less than happy with your flight partner."

"I don't know what I'm feeling right now." The brownrider shrugged and glanced around to see if he had forgotten anything. "Bentith knows my preferences and until now he has chased only greens with female riders. I suppose he's selective out of deference to me. I assume that the alcohol had something to do with this, but I don't know. And whether it will happen again - I don't know that either."

"_All_ brown and bronzeriders prefer women. That doesn't stop their dragons from chasing a male's green, even if they're sober," M'dali said. "But I suppose I can't blame you for your discomfort. I would be fairly ... disturbed if I woke up next to a woman."

"I hadn't thought of it that way," K'sper admitted. "As to all browns and bronzes chasing greens, for some reason he's not chased those with male riders, and I figured it to be my attitudes holding him back." He frowned, his voice now softer. "I don't think that hurt him in any way."

"As long as he's happy, it shouldn't matter." M'dali shrugged and then smiled. "I'm very flattered to be your first, by the way."

The brownrider started to answer, but paused thoughtfully. "I'm . . . not sure how to answer that. I guess I'll just say thanks - and that we probably should leave before we're forced to leave."

The greenrider nodded. "You're right." He moved to pass K'sper and then paused. "Whatever your feelings, you were good." M'dali smiled and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." Then he was out the door.

K'sper could feel the heat in his cheeks as he blushed. "Well, that's a relief - I guess." He glanced around the room once more and then followed the other rider, in search of his dragon and home.

Last updated on the August 11th 2007

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Even If They're Sober