[ prp ] A Dance (Nikal +Taiena + Durgs)

[medigel]

Nikal was still feeling a little overwhelmed, not that he showed it. He had always had a good poker face, if not a sour resting look, but alongside the joy of Impressing Tecuanith (literally and figuratively) was the pre-emptive and combative thoughts of any stranger daring to bother them. Ever one to think about the shadow following the light, Nik was sure someone, drunk or sober, would find them--a family member, a friend, whatever--and attempt to further guilt his beloved about the death she had accidentally caused. It wasn't that Western didn't teach the same as High Reaches when it came to hatchlings and possible casualities: it was more that he had always had problems believing in the best in people, even when outside stimuli told him it was going to be just fine.

This moreso when he had the best thing in the world now.

Thus why he looked a little grim when he found his sister at the celebration, his eyes darting to the side once before finally allowing himself to relax. Family was okay, he told Tecuanith beforehand. Even if they could be annoying. "Hey, Tai. You want a dance?" he asked, looking so much like he had when he had attended these feasts as a young boy: stiff, formal, and with a small hunch in his shoulders.

The difference, though, was obvious: he had a new light in his eyes, a certain shift in that defensive posture. It was no longer something self-centered but something that protected another.

"I figured we could talk while we do," Nikal added, like he wasn't inwardly fit to burst about it all.

Tecuanith, at his side like a small feline, cocked her head slightly up at the woman, regal as any hatchling could be, and oiled, and scarred. She was also festooned with a necklace he had borrowed from Mom on short notice. < Mine said you would seek an audience, > she said. < He was kind enough to take the initiative for you. >

And she was kind enough to not be more intimidating for the meeting.

xdemon_pachabel

2 months later.............sweats

 

[demon_pachabel]

Veena and Taiena had both been over the moon about the little green that had looked so fondly upon Nikal. Waiting for the rest of the hatchlings to make their match so that they could have introductions made had been almost painful. Taiena in particular had all but willed the impressions to be made. It was only Veena's calm that had bid them both to not simply mob him the moment it was over and Taiena had ultimately agreed - the bond was new, better to not overwhelm it immediately with excited family.

Khandjith had made sure to be extra demanding of her attention leading up to the Feast just to help.

"I'll accept your offer to dance - but only if you tell me all about her. I want to hear," Taiena said, taking a moment to look down at the freshly oiled green fondly. How lovely was she?

"He was right. If he hadn't have asked, I was going to anyways," she confirmed. "Not that you need to hear it from me, but you did pick the best one."

Then, she offered Nikal her hand. "I'm happy for you - she's beautiful."

Medigel

 

[medigel]

Privately, Nikal told His, You can relax, my sister's cool.

< I will take that into consideration. > Because while Nikal was her beloved, Tecuanith still wasn't one who liked being told what to do. She eyed Taiena still, deigning to show some pleasure at her compliments but similar to her rider when it came to trying to remain cool: she was there to look fierce as well as beautiful, shard it! < How lucky he is that you have eyes and some sense, at least. >

She expected to be looked upon with awe and wouldn't reward the bare minimum, whatever the woman's relationship to Hers.

Nikal let his breath out, both a scoff at the green and a scoff at his sister, and took her hand as they went to the dance floor. "You'll need to get more creative than that understatement," he told her, barely joking. "Mention her scars next time, she's very proud of those."

Tecuanith gave them just enough distance to move comfortably, but she made it clear that she wasn't just going to be left behind. It wasn't quite a dance that she managed, but she glided around them, mantling her wings at any that got too close. She wasn't exactly the sharing type and already not fond that Nikal would be dancing with others.

"You saw how she fought those golds?" Nikal went on, still trying very hard not to sound like he was gushing so much as he was making casual chatter. "She's--Right, s**t. She's Tecuanith." That was sort of important. "She just flew out of the egg like--I don't know, a warrior queen in a dramatic play? Her sister--yes, okay, it's Zhaoruith, I got it," he nagged back with a glance at the dragonet, "she called, and Tec just bust out and got in their faces, right? That was awesome."

demon_pachabel