[PRP] An Education in Straps (L’nik, Shahera, & dragons)

[demon_pachabel]

No? Hmm. Hessianth thumped his tail against the ground in a fashion similar to an irritated cat, though it wasn't that he was irritated with Therianth and her poor explanations at all. Missing? Missing from where? Do we need to look for something? It must have been very important if it was upsetting her so. It wasn't stolen, was it?

Hessianth's devoted upset scratched at the back of his mind, and L'nik had to swat it away. He'd offered his help and had been rejected, so clearly it was a matter between dragons. It seemed simple enough - hopefully. "Scrap leather? Depends on the size of the pieces. I used a lot of it to make that tug-o-war toy, but I know some riders really like...." his voice dropped distinctly, implying more than what he actually said did on it's own, "unique straps, and if they're not meant to be uh...flight worthy, well, the thick remnants can usually...get a new life." L'nik managed to keep a straight face the entire time. "Sometimes Danren - Grandpa - lets the apprentices tinker and experiment."

faesinger

 

[faesinger]

Therianth paused before shaking her head. Seeing as how she was tucked under Hessianth’s wing her head rubbed against his side. No, not stolen. Just not there. Here. She flopped a little more. This wasn’t working and she couldn’t go run to figure it out. Stupid Thread. Why did it have to exist and ruin everything? She could feel the frustration building and now Therianth wanted to maim something.

And there was the thought spoken out loud. Shahera laughed. “Oh?” She smiled up at L’nik. “Have you ever made any?” She teased, eyes dancing, knowing the answer was likely no from the way he talked about it. Unless he was trying to spare her not at all delicate sensibilities. If that was the case, what did he think they got up to at the Courtesans Hall? “Is that why they are specializing in straps?”

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Hessianth was understanding less and less, but oh he was trying to. Something was missing, it was just not there, but it wasn't fair? It was like a riddle and he'd never been very good at those, though not for a lack of knocking his head against them. We can go look for it, he suggested. If it wasn't here, being forced to sit still was likely making her restless about it.....

Right?

It was a pretty funny thought if you weren't half as bashful as L'nik felt about it all. "No. But I've taken the orders," he said, trying his best to keep his voice as at an even tone. He managed, at leaat, if not very convincingly. "They're not as commonly sought out as it sounds, so I think it may be think he wrong area for that type of specialty market," maybe elsewhere, but certainly not there. "They don't look too complicated though."

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[faesinger]

Therianth huffed. Then for extra emphasis huffed again before, of all things, giggling. We can’t go look for it. It will have to find us. She leaned more against Hessianth. After a while a small, it is us, right? was passed to Hessianth.

Oh, Shahera wasn’t going to let this opportunity go. No way, no how. “Did you have to take measurements?” Her voice was full of mirth and suppressed laughter. “I am sure only the very invested ones actually ordered anything. Likely the more purely experimental made do with that they have.” She gestured to the straps she had been examining earlier. “How complicated would be too complicated?”

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Hessianth's confusion was palpable to L'nik by now, but at least Therianth seemed less frustrated, and he'd take that as a victory. If that is how it works, he answered with a thrum, idly curling his tail around hers. If you think it is us, I see no reason it isn't. You know it better than I do, perhaps.

There was no way his face wasn't getting ruddy at Shahera's line of questioning. "Sometimes? I mean....some...already knew those," L'nik's voice cracked a bit more than he meant it to, like he was going through puberty all over again and to that end it was embarrassing. "Some people came with drawings," and while he'd claimed to have never looked at such things....curiosity was a powerful creature. He looked to the straps again as she gestured at them, face abnormally taut - but it was almost an adorable look on his face. "When you hit a certain point of needing a lot of hardware and uh...overly precise adjustment straps, I'd think. They're not far off from riding straps..."

Some may have argued they still were riding straps......but he blocked that thought out before it emerged fully formed.

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[faesinger]

Oh. Oh! Things were starting to go back together. But she needed to hear it, Therianth realized. Needed to here what? Not a perhaps, that was for sure. But do you want it? She refused to dictate. Her tail curled slightly more firmly around Hessianth’s though.

“Were the interesting drawings?” A growing male could not possibly not look. Shahera would not believe L’nik if he said he never looked. She cocked her head to the side, all innocence. “But the more complex ones lend for a wider variety fo fun. I could show you. Though I suppose we would have to make them first. I refuse to use ill fitting riding straps. That would just ruin the fun.” Not to mention possibly ruining the straps.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

What I want, is for you to be happy, Hessianth answered, nuzzling against her cheek with an offer of sweet, purple-laced thoughts. And I will rend your unhappiness from the world in whatever way I can, Therianth. It was one absolute truth he would not falter on if challenged.

Oh, he couldn't even pretend. "Some of them were. Most people don't draw all that great, though," L'nik admitted. He wasn't exactly a shrinking violet about the whole thing, but he definitely didn't like knowing more about what other's were than a normal person would. Shahera's next statement sent a flood of red through his face and his attempts to keep a neutral expression failed him completely, dropping straight into bashful. "I mean, I'm sure they do, but," he rubbed a hand along the side of his neck and head, fluffing his hair on the one side so it stuck out awkwardly, "It'd certainly be an interesting project. Just need to spec things out..." Oh boy.

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[faesinger]

Therianth thrummed contently and nuzzled back. I want you to be happy too. Things were fitting back together. So Hessianth had been the missing piece. Therianth would have to examine that. Later. Your unhappiness will be equally destroyed. She settled down more comfortable.

Shahera laughed a laugh of delight. “You are adorable.” She declared. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” She would never push anyone into something like that. It required trust and compassion, not forcefulness for all that it was playing at that. “It would be a very interesting project though if you do want to pursue it.” She smiled, still all innocence. “I could take measurements.” She raised her hands as if to do so.  

[demon_pachabel]

She seemed to feel better, at least, so Hessianth stashed the thought away in case it was important for later. Good. Then we can both be happy, there was no other dragon he would have trusted those words from more. To call her a trusted friend simply didn't feel like the right word for it.

"I guess I am," a younger L'nik would have protested being called adorable, but he simply accepted it. "If they're something you want, I'm just as capable as any of the other tanners here, I don't see why I can't," at least, right then he couldn't. "What you'll want to decide first is how you want them to fit. I've seen...options," and he'd seen the person those options were drawn to. Hoo boy.

faesinger

 

[faesinger]

Therianth sent a wave of purple tinged happiness to Hessianth. Yes. It was a simple word but it held so much. It held trust, care, happiness, playfulness, and even some mischief. This was right. I want to play now. Tell me a story!

Shahera’s grin got a little feral. “Did you want me to take your measurements?” Then it was back to pure innocent smiles. “What sort of options?” It was always interesting to learn what other people were interested in. “And did you just have to imagine them or were you required to check for fit?” The laugh was back. The riding straps that she had been examining were all but forgotten in light of this much more interesting line of conversation. But they were there for demonstrations if needed.  

[demon_pachabel]

Oh! It was time for a story, was it? Hmmmm, what kind of a story? The kind whispered around a fire in low dramatic whispers Hessianth's voice dropped appropriately, Or something more along the lines of dramatic adventures that make you want to travel halfway across Pern? He imagined both would make Therianth feel restless, but maybe not.

That grin on her face stirred something in L'nik, but he didn't have time to figure out just what it was. "Do you think I'd look good in it?" he nearly didn't get the words out at first. "Oh, some people like to frame certain features....adjustment straps in certain places. Loops for hooks." he stated the last word as a blank look came over his face, as though he was imagining it. "I didn't get to do any of the work on those orders. For obvious reasons, I guess."  

[faesinger]

Low dramatic whispers. Therianth hummed. The other can wait until we can travel with them. Maybe we could take our riders. Maybe. She looked up at Hessianth expectantly.

The grin wasn’t exactly feral this time but definitely predatory as Shahera looked L’nik up and down. “It would be quite fetching.” Shahera seemed to consider something and this time the innocence did not return. “DO you have certain features you would want framed?” She stood up and moved slowly towards L’nik giving him time to move away. “I suppose not being able to work on them makes sense. You missed out though.”  

[demon_pachabel]

A promise! We will fly off on some long adventure someday and see more of Pern for ourselves! Hessianth was fond of the idea now, and he'd drag L'nik by the corpse along if it was needed. But Therianth had requested a story, so he chose one, and began; A young dragon and her rider had just moved into their first weyr. It wasn't a big one, but the view was nice, and their neighbors were quiet folk. She made friendly talk with the other dragons, she could see from her ledge on occasion, but there was one who seemed to be a rare sight - just off to the right. He'd only come out on some nights, and claimed to never talk with any of the others. Was this even a good hook? He didn't know. Hessianth had never had to tell a story before, but if Therianth wasn't interested, he'd...pick a new one!

"I...don't know?" L'nik admitted. Some people immediately knew what their finer traits to look at were, and there were several nice traits he could have easily identified on other people - not that he'd been looking (he'd definitely been looking). He didn't step away even with all the opportunity in the world. "Do you think there's anything worth looking at?" he knew it was a can of worms - but maybe he wanted that one opened.  

[faesinger]

Therianth was content to listen to Hessianth. It was the usual sort of play she did, but it was still being playful and she enjoyed it. At Western? Or maybe Fort? She tried to figure out where the story took place. It wasn’t actually relevant but she didn’t realize that. Why won’t he talk to the others? Who only at night? She wasn’t the best story listener it seemed.

Shahera took the lack of withdraw as permission and finished moving into L’nik’s personal space. “You don’t know?” She asked. Running her hand along his shoulder she asked, “you never had someone tell you a part of you was particularly nice?” She moved so she was standing behind him and started moving her hand down his back. “No lover that paid particular attention to a specific spot?” Her hand now rested at the small of his back.  

[demon_pachabel]

I don't know, Hessianth admitted, but that was part of the appeal of the story, he guessed, was that one wasn't meant to know. She only saw him at night, though. But she found him a little strange. Always asking about if she heard the scraping noise in the wall between their weyrs. She insisted she couldn't, but the more he asked, the more it felt like she could. Subtle, at first... If he'd had a hard surface to drag his claws across to make the effect, he would. But never the less, he offered the closest noise one could with his voice.

L'nik stood a bit straighter, perhaps out of nerves, as Shahera traced her hand over his shoulder. "No. I...can't say I've....done much in that department," he could safely say he'd kissed one or two girls in his life, but nobody that he'd had any particular spark with. As she traced her hand down his back, L'nik visibly shuddered, looking at her over his shoulder. "It's never bothered me, though," he added, just in case.