{PRP] Where Have I Been? (Zh'gan, Savindri & Manahahtath)

[Samuel Carlin]

Zh'gan had, perhaps, taken too long getting dressed. Someone else might have said so, at least, wondering why he'd changed twice and was still eyeing his boots somewhat doubtfully before heaving a sigh, shrugging and stepping into them. They'd already been brushed cleaned and oiled with a little extra from the tub he used on Manahahtath's itchy spots, and yet ... "It's what I have," he said aloud, both to himself and to the dragon settled beside him, watching with curious amusement. "And if someone stops to talk about my boots, then obviously something else is wrong. Right?" A glance at the dragon and he noddled decisively. "Right."

If they are looking, the bronze answered, even more amused in his thoughts than his patient expression, we have done something right.

"Right," Zh'gan said again, slipping into a smile as he gave the dragon a fond chuck under the chin. "Let's go."

Out of the barracks. Out to find a very specific someone who had been on his mind. He'd left the other boy behind and let him down, and that didn't sit right with him, he'd explained when Manahahtath was confused by the frequent fretting. You'll see. You'll like each other. You'll understand.

Catching him between chore rotations was the hope, so Zh'gan felt an extra jolt of triumph when he spotted Savindri. "Savindri!" he called, picking up his pace to jog a little distance across the bowl, Manahatath eagerly trotting behind. "Glad we found you!"

Meepfur

That was a whole lot of stuf to say hi! smile

 

[Meepfur]

At the Hatching, Savindri had been absolutely delighted to see Zhaydegan Impress, even if he had done some from down in the sand, as he'd tripped over himself when the hatchling bronze had pushed him out of the way. But there'd been no room for offense or jealousy, in the young man's heart, and while he'd missed his friend's company after, he'd not felt at all slighted. And the new bronzerider had been quite busy since then - who wouldn't be, with a wonderful dragon to tend to and everything that went with it? - so Savindri had read nothing into Zh'gan's absence outside of the obvious difference in schedules. And, you know, dragon: that pretty much trumped everything.

The Candidate was on his way to clean himself up after his morning chore - helping to clean the feeding pens, one of his least favorite - so that he would be presentable enough to eat lunch. Not that he minded, but...manners. He needed to wipe down and change his shirt, at the very least, and- Oh! Look who it was!

He broke into a wide grin when a familiar voice called his name, and waved enthusiastically at the approaching pair. Though he was quite the mess after his chores, he didn't give it a second thought, and might even have gone for a hug if he weren't unsure about how Manahahtath would take it. Nonetheless, he beamed. "Long time no see!" he exclaimed, though the statement was purely a friendly greeting. His gaze soon fell to the young bronze, and was nothing but appreciative. "Gosh, he already looks bigger, even!"

Samuel Carlin

 

[Samuel Carlin]

Zh'gan's steps didn't falter at all, dirt or none, the smile just as bright. He didn't falter at all, that was, until Manahahtath got a better look at the young man His was headed for, and stopped, one foot frozen mid-step. That made the Weyrling's approach hitch as well and he looked back to the bronze.

What's wrong? He's fine. You're not shy, are you?

No. He's dirty, the dragon complained.

Zh'gan looked at Savindri again, taking in the evidence of messy chores with an up and down, and his grin broadened into a chuckle. I've been dirtier than that. Plenty of times. come on, it's fine.

You always wash.

Just come and say hello, would you? Zh'gan closed the distance ith a shake of his head. He didn't go for a hug either, but he gave no sign of disapproval or distaste. He simply said, "He's being fussy about dirt at the moment. Don't mind him. He's a little fussy." Eyebrows lifting, he gave his dragon another more critical look. "Does he? He probably is. He eats enough for three of him."

Zh'gan straightened up, then, into something resembling formal posture, and said, "Savindri, this is Manahahtath. Manahahtath, Savindri. Be nice to him."

Thus instructed, the bronze padded forward as if he hadn't balked in the first place. Stretching his neck, he touches his neck and touched his nose to one of the cleaner spots on Savindri's arm, then sat, quite properly, to allow a proper inspection, though which of them was meant to inspect the other could go either way.

Zh'gan was still all grins. "Long time no see is right. How are you? How have you been?"

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"Oh, is he? I'm sorry," Savindri apologized with nothing less than complete sincerity, and went on to explain, "You caught me on my way to clean up, I just finished over in the feeding pens." Cleaning presumably went without saying - it wasn't like he'd have been eating there! "I could...hmm. The lake's not far, would it be better if I rinsed off?" It wouldn't take as long as going all the way back to the Barracks and cleaning up more thoroughly, and time with Zh'gan was rather at a premium.

"Hello, Manahahtath," he said cordially, standing quite still as the young dragon approached and touched his nose to his arm. He desperately wanted to touch, but while his sense of humans' personal space was lacking, such was not the case when it came to dragons. Still, he was absolutely beaming at the brief moment of contact that had been bestowed upon him. "It's wonderful to meet you properly!"

"I'm fine! Same as always, y'know? Not much really changes around the Barracks except who's there." Quite a few had Impressed, obviously, and new ones came in now and then, and sometimes someone would age out, but...Candidacy remained ever the same. Lessons, chores, sleep, repeat.

Samuel Carlin

 

[Samuel Carlin]

"No! No, you don't have to do that.," Zh'gan answered maybe a little too quickly. "I didn't mean that you were too dirty for him. And really, it's mostly me he gets fussy about. Peo[e will be looking at us," he said, standing up straighter and speaking stiffly, though the smile rather ruined the effect. "We cannot make a second first impression." He let the imitation go, but the dragon, who had turned his head to consider Zh'gan, didn't look away. "You know, that sort of thing," Zh'gan explaned to Savindri.

Savindri's joy was unmistakable and Manahahtath rwas far from unobservant. Attention on the other young man again, the bronze gave a quiet rumble and settled onto the ground. He hadn't moved any closer to Savindri but he shifted his weight and leaned a little.

Zh'gan had started to nod at the description of day-in, day-out Barracks life, but Manahahtath's move made him grin like a fool for a second. He offered his dragon a wave of gratitude. then he cleared his throat and asked, somewhat more sedately, "D'you want to touch him? The oil's pretty well soaked in right now. Shouldn't get any on you."

Meepfur

Tag from the past!

 

[Meepfur]

"Oh, that's alright then. As long as he doesn't mind!" Unoffended either way, Savindri was content as long as Zh'gan and his dragon were fine with him, dirty or clean. Watching his friend's impression of his dragon, he grinned. "I never really think about that stuff much, honestly...I guess because I don't have to." He was just another Candidate, and a very average one at that, so he generally escaped notice. No one was watching him, that was for sure! And it was also just fine.

At the offer to touch Manahahtath, he was thrilled, but still double-checked. "I'd love to, if it's okay?" he asked the bronze as much as his rider, and would wait for an affirmation before very gently reaching to stroke the young dragon's head - jaw first, then up and around, much as he would have to politely greet a canine. Not that there was any comparison between a dragon and a canine, but habit was habit, and reaching right up over any non-human anything's head was ingrained in him as Very Rude.

Samuel Carlin

 

[Samuel Carlin]

"I didn't think about it much before, either." Before the dragonet had chosen him. And that wasn't entirely true, "I mean, I'd rather be watched than ignored, but now it's ...different." For obvious reasons. "You might not worry about it, but people are paying attention to you," Zh'gan promised. "Not to make you nervous or anything, but you wouldn't have been out there with us if people were just going to look past you."

Manahahtath didn't object to the invitation for Savindri to touch him, and even ducked his head a little in anticipation. He didn't flinch or twitch or shy awqy from the touch, either, but simply allowed it, eyes a steady, serene blue as he was carefully stroked.

Meepfur