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+--- Thread: [G] [P] 740.08.23 | Great Eggspectations (/showthread.php?tid=4518)
740.08.23 | Great Eggspectations - B'kit - 27.Aug.19
B’kit had waited for a few weeks before sending a message to his father. He hadn’t meant to leave it quite so long, and he’d been working on the note when he thought of it between cycles of sleeping and eating and oiling, but that felt like excuses and he’d finally finished the damn thing and sent it.
Part of him still thought back to the Touching. To the doubts which had plagued him when he touched Erebuth’s shell. That he wouldn’t measure up after all. That impressing a sickly blue from a blue’s clutch would somehow diminish him in Sh’dar’s eyes.
But just like that day, he firmly pushed such thoughts away. He had a lifemate now who loved him. Who needed him. And neither of them would ever intentionally abandon the other.
He knew Sh’dar had been at the Hatching. He’d spotted him during the chaos of moving the dragonets, but hadn’t had time for anyone or anything beyond Erebuth. What did his father think of the spectacle, he wondered. Everything had been a blur of emotion and chaos- though thankfully it had been bloodless. He was honestly ashamed of knowing his father had seen how hysterical he had become toward the end.
Sh’dar had sent a reply back with Nutmeg to arrange a visit, and Kitt was anxiously cleaning while Erebuth napped and he waited. Hearing the backstroke of wings and the sound of a voice on the ledge, he supposed it was time. He left the door to the room ajar for Erebuth and went out to greet the pair.
“Welcome to Ista, Father. Good day, Adraith,” he added with a polite nod to the imposing bronze.
RE: 740.08.23 | Great Eggspectations - Sh'dar - 11.Sep.19
Ista’s recent Hatching had been enlightening. Sh’dar didn’t particularly blame anyone for what happened - golds were peculiar creatures and did what they wanted. Though on the other end, blues should certainly be heavily encouraged to stay out of gold Flights, especially the younger ones. Golds did as they pleased, but blues could be controlled.
And on the topic of blues…one of his children had Impressed a blue at the Hatching, one one of only two blues - and three dragonets - that Impressed. If Sh’dar wasn’t mistaken - and he might be, he never was particularly good at keeping track of his children - B’kit was the oldest of his children born after the Plague, and the first to Impress since then as well. Sh’dar had missed having dragonrider children; he had such trouble relating to them unless they had dragons, he really did.
He has been relieved to receive the letter from his son. The two of them had never been particularly close - mostly they saw each other when Sh’dar visited some time around the boy’s birthday to drop off a generic gift he’d put far too much thought into for something so impersonal - but that didn’t mean Sh’dar didn’t care about him. Even if it was mostly in a vague, distant sort of way. In any case, when he received the letter Sh’dar had quickly sent a reply back with the firelizard to set up a visit.
Sh’dar would certainly never admit it but he was nervous about the meeting. He really was bad at emotional encounters, and hopefully it wouldn’t put off his son too much.
In the letter, B’kit had written instructions for where to find the Weyrlings - not in the usual barracks, interestingly - and when the bronze pair appeared above Ista they quickly identified the right ledge. Adraith gracefully landed on the stone and Sh’dar slid down from his back, greeting the loitering Assistant. It looked like the man had been reading something or other and had gotten up when he realized Adraith was headed for their ledge. It was mere moments more when his son appeared on the ledge.
“B’kit,” he said warmly, making sure to use his son’s new name, “congratulations. I’m proud of you.” Sh’dar smiled, though it may have been more stern and intimidating than he intended. And he was proud, absolutely. B’kit’s distress throughout the Hatching didn’t diminish his pride at all. He didn’t even think on it after the event itself - clearly on some level his son could sense his lifemate and how poorly the little blue had been doing in his shell. That would make any dragonrider a bit unreasonable, especially one who didn’t know what was going on - that the emotions weren’t all his. No, Sh’dar didn’t think poorly of his son for that at all.
“Where is your bonded?” Sh’dar asked, not seeing a blue dragonet behind B’kit or anywhere around the weyr. “I would like to meet him, if he is amenable.” Adraith hummed softly in agreement.
RE: 740.08.23 | Great Eggspectations - B'kit - 12.Sep.19
A tiny part of Kitt had fantasized about an enthusiastic hug to start off this reunion; the awkward clap on the shoulder he actually got was more in line with their relationship to date though. Oh well, he thought and shrugged off the feeling. Sh’dar had smiled, and remembered his honorific; if his manners were a bit chilly, that wasn’t out of the norm for the two of them. Kitt had always been the enthusiastic and talkative one
“Erebuth was taking a nap, but I should be able to wake him easily enough. You’re welcome to come in if you’d like, or I can bring him out here if Adraith wants to meet him as well,” B’kit offered. “He hasn’t met too many bronzes yet; full grown bronzes at least.”
He slipped back into the room and roused his sleepy blue. “They’re here,” he said with a smile. Who? Kitt laughed lightly. “My father and his dragon, silly. I told you earlier. Come on now, let’s go out and see them. It’s a beautifully sunny day and the ledge is nice and arm for another nap if you want.” The blue huffed a sigh and hopped down off the bed; if this was so important to his B’kit, he would go meet these strangers.
B’kit grabbed a ball as well, in case the blue turned playful, though he expected he would likely prefer to stick close. Together they slipped back onto the ledge, Erebuth just slightly behind his legs. “Father, this is Erebuth. Erebuth, this is my father and that’s his dragon, Adraith.” With encouragement, Erebuth very cautiously approached the bronze to touch noses, his wings flaring and folding nervously. Hello.
RE: 740.08.23 | Great Eggspectations - Sh'dar - 28.Sep.19
Sh’dar let B’kit go to his room unaccompanied, thinking the young dragon may prefer not to wake up to a stranger in his space. No purpose needlessly frightening the dragonet. He waited patiently for B’kit to return, smiling at the unsure blue.
“Hello, Erebuth,” Sh’dar said kindly, noting how nervous the dragonet was. That wasn’t terribly unusual for Weyrlings, especially within the first month or two. It was even a little endearing. Adraith agreed, and he gently returned the nose touch.
Hello, little one, the bronze said affectionately. He loved young dragons and couldn’t help but want to give them guidance. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Carefully Adraith lay down, positioning himself in a way that invited Erebuth over if he felt comfortable doing so while avoiding encroaching on Erebuth’s space.
In order to help the clearly anxious little blue from getting overwhelmed, Sh’dar pointedly kept his attention on B’kit after his initial greeting to Erebuth. That let Erebuth only have to deal with Adraith, which hopefully would be less stressful (it usually was, dragons tended to more easily get along with dragons and Adraith was particularly good with younger ones). Instead, Sh’dar started a conversation with his son.
“He’s looking much improved,” Sh’dar said, pleased. He remembered how poorly all the dragonets looked at the Hatching, and Erebuth absolutely looked healthier than any of them had then. Improvement was good, especially considering where Erebuth had started. B’kit should be proud.
RE: 740.08.23 | Great Eggspectations - B'kit - 04.Oct.19
Kitt watched anxiously as Erebuth greeted their visitors, almost as nervous as his dragon. The blue shifted from foot to foot, but calmed a bit as the two greeted him politely. Erebuth looked over to B’kit for reassurance, then settled near the bronze in a nice patch of sun. It’s nice to meet you too. B’kit has been telling me about you.
B’kit sat at the small table where Erebuth could still see him and gestured for his father to join him. “Thank you,” he smiled, his nerves easing. “He is… They all are. The healers are here constantly, but they’re less…” he swallowed and continued, “less concerned than at the Hatching.” Everyone had been convinced the entire clutch would die, and the three weyrlings had been petrified that first night.
“It’s nothing like I thought it would be. It seems silly to admit that. I wouldn’t give him up for anything, but I think the move North scared me a little less sometimes.” He bit his lip and glanced at his father. “Was it ever like that for you and Adraith?”