I don't even... [J'ver]

All he had wanted to do, was put up the latest assignment for his weyrlings, and then spend the remainder of the day on the lake side with his kids. The only saving grace was that the pair of them had dashed on ahead of him to get good seats in the dining hall for lunch, and to wheedle extra sweets out of whichever favourable cook was on duty. B’jin was, at least, very thankful for that – both of his children were very good readers and the note he had spent far too long gawking at on the bulletin boards was definitely something he did not want either of them reading!

The collection of people surrounding the board had surprised him, and the amount had been why he’d encouraged the kids to run on ahead; a crowd like that usually meant a wing assignment had been posted and the crowd wouldn’t be easy to get to. He’d been shocked when they fell away easy enough so he could squeeze through, unrolling his own announcement to put up as he went. He hadn’t really picked up on the level of sniggering, or the way elbows were being jabbed around until one got him in the ribs and B’jin turned startled brown eyes on a rather burly looking brownrider and he shrank away, ducking past another greenrider before coming face to face with the ‘mysterious note’ that was clearly the center of everyone’s attention.

B’jin stared vaguely for several moments, eyebrows furrowing as he read before his eyes popped wide open and his face flushed a very rapid and very hot crimson. Despite now being the cause of the laughter, elbow nudges and winks being thrown around, B’jin was oblivious to everything but the horrifying words scrawled in a less than perfect hand and pinned up on the bulletin board. The greenrider’s lack of knowledge about the previous notes – particularly the one he himself had starred in – had managed to become something of a running joke first amongst his friends, and later with many of the other occupants of the Weyr. B’jin still had no idea about it, and it was the goal of those closest to him to keep it that way, while the more malicious members of the population simply enjoyed knowing something he didn’t.

“..!” the strangled exclaimation that left B’jin’s lips only caused more laughter to erupt from those around him and the greenrider reached out to snatch the note from the board, scowling viciously through his crimson features at the one man that made a dig about B’jin keeping it for later reading. Stuffing the sheet roughly into his pocket with far less respect than he ever treated parchment, B’jin stuck his own notice on the board, turned and took two steps. He ran chest first into another brownrider, gave a startled squeak, and ducked under the laughing man’s arm, throwing him a filthy look as if it were all his fault for all the events. The angry thoughts that were falling down upon Larrikith were too mangled to unravel.

I don’t know, B’jin… B’jin, where are you going? Larrikith sighed dramatically as she roused herself where she was sleeping in the sunshine beside Ayyonth, enjoying probably the only peace she’d expected to get before a trip to the lake with B’jin and the children. Apparently said rider had forgotten about the aforementioned children, however, as he stalked away from the Dining Hall and towards the bronzerider’s hut. He was still quite a long ways from it when he  - once more – ran straight into another rider. B’jin heaved a dramatic huff, and threw out one arm, attempting to shove the other away and forgetting the parchment in his hand as he did so.

“Get out of the way, J’ver.”

“I think not. You’re the one that ran into me, B’jin,” J’ver’s tone was remarkably even and calm as he finally gave into sneering at the other greenrider. B’jin did not rank high on the list of people he cared much for, how could he when so much trouble came from that man? If only he had done his job of ratting out other dragonriders a bit better and had a better control over that pesky – yet adorable – brat of a Healer-turned-weyrling then there wouldn’t have been so much trouble. In the end, however, it all worked out and S’kef now controlled the Weyr. Still, B’jin was a troublemaker and deserved special attention.

“What do you have there?” J’ver quickly grabbed the paper that had been thrust against him, no doubt accidentally. He could hardly imagine B’jin giving him anything willingly and it was obvious the man was flustered over something and hadn’t meant to run into him or share anything he had. As he read the crumpled paper, J’ver politely stepped out of B’jin’s away, silently giving permission for B’jin to leave like he wanted to. There were much more entertaining items on that single piece of parchment than the other greenrider could ever hope to compete with.

“This isn’t at all surprising,” J’ver commented casually as he folded the paper up with more care than it deserved. “Are you running off to tell D’ren about the horrible things being said about him? Or maybe, you’re going home to hide.” B’jin seemed to be a delightful shade of red and he was prudish enough to be embarrassed about reading such a thing. No doubt B’jin didn’t know about his own starring role and that brought a tiny wicked smile.

"Hey!" B'jin snapped, both startled and irked as the parchment was snatched from his hand. "Give that back!" The older greenrider made a snatch for the piece of paper, hissing between his teeth when J'ver tidily side stepped him and waved him off dismissively as if he were no more than an annoying flying insect. B'jin took three more steps forward, and aimed a heavy kick at J'ver's shin the same moment as he tried to snatch the parchment back into his own hands. When the attack managed to land, B'jin snatched the parchment back from J'ver with a victorious 'hah!' and bounced back several steps before glaring irritably as the greenrider's words found their way into his mind for processing.

"It's disgusting gossip," B'jin sniffed, looking at J'ver with disgust as he made sure he had a good hold on the now-folded parchment; he had been too worried about taking it away previously to bother folding it, but he wasn't going to waste J'ver's effort on that, at least. Nor was he going to actively admit that he was fleeing to D'ren. B'jin wasn't quite sure the bronzerider would want nor need to see the parchment, but B'jin was also uninterested in hiding something like that from him. He would hate if it were about him, and could only imagine D'ren would like the warning to remain hidden for at least the rest of his life. His fingers twtiched slightly, and B'jin folded his arms over his chest.

"None of your business," B'jin scowled. He knew J'ver was a little sneak thief, and that the other greenrider was far too good at being far too deep in everyone else's life and times; it was hardly surprising that he would be snooping into B'jin's own once more, even if the only reason he were doing so was because B'jin had crashed into him on his way out of the Gather Square. B'jin wasn't about to own up to that fact, however, even if it meant crediting J'ver with more information than he should have been allowed. B'jin didn't like the idea of J'ver snooping around his activities once more, not after the last event when Talian had been targeted. B'jin's expression hardened at the memory, and his eyes narrowed at J'ver.

"If you'll excuse me." It was a statement, and not a request for agreement; as a result, B'jin spun on his heel with every intention of marching off.

“You bitch. You kicked me!” J’ver scowled as he leaned over to rub at his shin. He didn’t care for the moment that he had lost ownership of the parchment since his pain took priority. Given his relationship with S’kef, J’ver was used to and even enjoyed pain but that was different. S’kef had a skilled hand both with his palm and a whip and made it pleasurable; B’jin, however, kicked with intent to hurt him. That simply would not do!

As he watched B’jin fold the paper, J’ver composed himself and stood up, his usual air of smugness back in place. “Disgusting gossip? From what I hear, many of these stories are based on true events.” J’ver had his doubts about some of the pairs that the author seemed to find amusing together. Like S’kef and R’nya. That was something that would never happen past or future but D’hys and Ravana had potential to be something and then of course there was the story featuring the man-child before him that was trying to flee. “Take, for example, the fascinating story about how you and R’nd reunited after the firelizard debacle.”

J’ver’s smugness radiated off of him as he smirked and twirled a piece of his fringe. B’jin would deny it, naturally, but he’d turn a delightful shade of red and be flustered. Especially since he had been trying to make a quick escape. There wasn’t a chance the man would continue running away with that quip hanging between them. Vixen appeared near J’ver’s head and he cooed lightly at the gold before sending her after B’jin. She darted off and came to a stop in front of B’jin to assist in keeping the greenrider from running away when J’ver wasn’t finished with him yet.

B'jin sneered at J'ver, spinning around to look at the other greenrider in disgust. The firelizard appearing his his face had startled him, but he was far more focused on the words spewing so vilely from J'ver's lips. B'jin liked to think he was getting much better at ignoring the stupid little fluttering creatures, especially when they popped up unannounced and unwanted. Their only saving grace was that they were somewhat trainable, at least notably wtih Rell who did as he was told and buggered off when B'jin gave him a dirty look. He almost liked that firelizard, in a disgusted and slightly jealous way.

"Your type of truth, clearly," B'jin spat, his nose scrunched up in a continued sneer, brown eyes dark with irritation and sparks of anger. "The same truth that makes S'kef Weyrleader," a dangerous subject, but both S'kef and J'ver would be fools not to realise where B'jin stood in that regard. He wasn't the type to make a public spectacle about it, but that didn't mean he liked or agreed with it. They'd be incredibly delusioned to think he agreed just because he was silent.

B'jin battered at the little gold firelizard, who gave the impression of being up his nose, uncaring if he sent her spiraling or not by hitting her as he glared at J'ver. "You have an active imagination," the greenrider drawled, not believing for a moment that there was a story about he and R'nd though he was more than a little flustered about people being aware of the... misunderstanding... that had occurred between himself and the bluerider. Eyebrows knit together as B'jin frowned irritibly. "You should put it to better use, than writing up disgusting fantasies. Has S'kef stopped hitting the right buttons?" B'jin's voice changed, mocking the other greenrider as it dipped into sugary depths, brown eyes wideneing with mocking concern.

J’ver let the comments about S’kef’s coming into power slide since, as B’jin already knew, he wasn’t living under a rock and knew not everyone supported his brownrider yet. They would in time, especially with what they had planned for the near future. S’kef would be loved and the saving grace for everyone and people like B’jin and D’ren would have to suck it up and smile continuously before they became the hated ones that were looked down on.

“Aw, that’s so sad. He hasn’t told you about your starring role yet. Can’t trust a bluerider, can we?” J’ver actually had no idea if R’nd knew about the story or not but since he had seen I’shan and Rhaedalyn looking it over before I’shan snatched it away, J’ver assumed the pesky bluerider would have told his friend. That would truly be amazing and brighten J’ver’s day if the happy couple got into another fight because of his helping hand. B’jin had always bothered him with how tight he had been with D’ren when the bronzerider was Weyrleader and he hated the man all the more due to S’kef’s obsession with him. At least that was over with and he had his brownrider’s full attention once more.

Vixen shrieked as the hand came flying towards her and narrowly missed sending her flying. The little gold returned to J’ver who cooed and petted her where she sat on his shoulder. She wanted to curl up and bask in all the affection J’ver would give her but she held a regal stance and glared at the mean human that had definitely earned a spot in her book of people she didn’t like. J’ver wasn’t too pleased with B’jin right then either and his eyes narrowed slightly. Not only had he nearly hit his firelizard but he had struck a wrong chord with the conversation.

“I have far better penmanship than the mystery writer and my imagination is used for far more entertaining things,” like making the lives of others miserable and B’jin was always the perfect and easiest target. “Since you’re so focused on S’kef and what he’s hitting, I’ll be sure to let him know you miss his gentle touch and arrange a time for him to come find you.” He may have once been jealous over the attention S’kef gave B’jin but he was secure in their relationship now and fully believed that such a meeting, if it were to happen, would be more violence than anything emotional. He believed his brownrider when S’kef said there was nothing there for B’jin anymore.

B'jin's brown eyes narrowed suspiciously at J'ver, more then happy to believe the other greenrider was making up such a story, especially since B'jin knew J'ver well enough to know the slimy bastard would go out of his way to make him uncomfortable. As a result, the greenrider was reasonably relaxed and unfazed by the comment. "From slutrider to smut writer. You've degraded further than I had given you credit for." He arched both eyebrows at J'ver, widening his eyes. "Clearly blueriders are far more trustworthy than brown." As far as B'jin was concerned, that was a given and not something he would ever be looking back on nor chaning his mind about. Brownriders were the threadborn bastards of Pern, and B'jin would not have been happier if they would all suffer a rather colour-bound instantaneous combustion.

The greenrider clearly waved off the excuse of handwriting. While he had seen J'ver's writing in announcements, and it was, honestly, very neat (albeit over flourished) he would be a fool to think the man incapable of manipulating his own hand so well, when he was capable of manipulating so many idiots that surrounded him. If only he could see how badly he was being manipulated by S'kef. B'jin snorted, and gave J'ver a disgusted look, an expression that melted into wide eyed terror. Just as swiftly, brown eyes narrowed into outrage and he glared at the other greenrider with furious distaste.

"No one is interested in your soggy leftovers, J'ver." B'jin sneered.

J’ver laughed in the back of his throat, a hand delicately held before his mouth as if to cover the fact he found B’jin so amusing. “My dear, soggy or not, he’s not my leftovers as I’m not done with him just yet.” He waved that hand dismissively in the air, brushing that silly idea away. Really, B’jin’s attempts at insults were far more like jokes and made the cunning greenrider glad for their random encounters. They brightened his day, only a little, but it was enough to keep him in good spirits as he moved on to the next victim.

“Besides, you’re vastly confused. No one is interested in you. Even your bluerider you’re so fond of has been and will always continue to be shared with the entire Weyr. If you want to talk about leftovers, I think you’re the one in possession of them.” J’ver knew how much truth was in that claim but did B’jin? The man was so gullible and easily influenced that any seed of doubt that was given enough information to grow would explode into a tangled mess of confusion and emotions. R’nd had indeed placed himself in nearly every bed at Katila but that had declined since his interest in B’jin began. Whether the two men even realized that was debatable. B’jin likely believed R’nd was out whoring every time they were apart and that was the perfect area to attack if the stupid slut wanted to toss out attempted insults at S’kef.

B'jin snorted, giving J'ver an amused, pitying look as he shook his head slightly. "You're not done with him?" Amusement lingered in the terms, and B'jin's eyebrows arched upward just slightly. Brown eyes were lit with the emotion, but it was an almost spiteful light. "You are clearly confused." Something B'jin wasn't evne going to hide taking a smug satisfaction in. J'ver thought he was in control? The man was delusional! He had as much control over S'kef as the residency of Katila had over the local weather. J'ver would never be done with the brownrider, because S'kef was a brownrider; J'ver would die if he ever tried to shake the man from him, and S'kef would throw him aside without a thought the moment the greenrider was of no use to him. It was kind of adorable that J'ver actually thought he had some semelence of power in their fucked up realtionship.

"Nothing wrong with leftovres, J'ver," B'jin purred sweetly, ignoring the dig about R'nd running around behind his back. B'jin had known what the bluerider's habits were before he got involved with the man, and he was neither the type nor did he view himself in a position to demand a change in his friend. If R'nd wanted to run around whoring himself out to all the locals, well, that was his business. B'jin would ignore it where required, and poke fun at his friend when the opportunity arose (Par'a, anyone?) but he wasn't going to pay it any more or less inforamtion now, than he ever had before. What R'nd did when he wasn't within B'jin's company was R'nd's business. "And he's plenty interested," there may have been some added emphasis to that, but if there were, it wasn't immediately one way or the other. The dig about no one being interested in B'jin himself slid off as easily as water on an oiled dragon's hide; he'd been told worse things than that since he became a dragonrider, notably from people that mattered. J'ver's opinion didn't even blip on the radar.

J’ver fully believed he still had some control in the relationship. He had successfully held his ground during some of the more vicious spats to the point that S’kef had been the one to come back to him out of need and desire. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe he’d ever be able to leave S’kef without the worst beating of his life and currently he didn’t need to leave the brownrider. S’kef was Weyrleader and he needed J’ver to keep that position. They were both in the positions they had craved and neither of them would want to change a thing. B’jin would see the truth of it as each day passed and they remained in power and controlled the pathetic lives of everyone around them.

B’jin truly lived in a delusional world. He seemed to have a knack for pretending everything that would upset him or ruin his happy view on life didn’t exist and the fact he did that about his lover was simply impressive. How could anyone continue to believe that someone was only interested in them when they were rather pathetic, dependent, and boring? The bluerider B’jin had attached himself to was young still both in terms of age and in the bond with a dragon. He was attractive – in the eyes of most though J’ver didn’t quite see it – and popular and seemed to have a short attention span. Why B’jin thought it was okay to keep settling for the scraps of everyone’s favourite meal was an intriguing question but it was also he good that he did. R’nd made for excellent blackmail material against B’jin.

R’nd also made for a prime target of adding suspicion to the greenrider’s mind and potentially messing with the one thing that seemed to make B’jin truly happy. “Your delusions are adorable. I can see why R’nd keeps playing them to his advantage. Such a clever boy for a bluerider.” He smiled sweetly, hoping that B’jin started to question his time with his so-called mate and if a wedge could be squeezed between them. If it tore them apart, then wonderful; B’jin would be miserable. If it made them stronger as a couple; also wonderful. R’nd’s happiness and health would be B’jin’s top priority and J’ver could do business again with the sorry excuse of a greenrider.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” J’ver knew he had been the one to stop B’jin from cutting their time together short but now he wanted to make the point he was in control between the two of them. “I must be off. I have several people to inform about the piece of paper you have in your possession. I believe you were running off to do the same? Or perhaps you were going to check on a bluerider and his real plans for the day?” A smirk was given to B’jin, daring him to deny either thought was in his mind before J’ver made a show of turning his back on the man. Typically he liked to always keep his enemy in sight and never leave his back open for attack but B’jin posed little threat to him – mostly due to S’kef getting revenge but also because B’jin simply wasn’t someone J’ver felt he had to fear.

"My delusions?" B'jin smiled sweetly and shook his head, mocking and sad as he looked pityingly at J'ver. "Delusional as you might believe me to be, J'ver, it will never be on par with your own incredible lack of reality." The greenrider had no idea what J'ver was trying to get at with his comments about R'nd, and he found them far more confusing than anything else. The idea that R'nd was 'playing' him to his 'advantage' was beyond confusing; how was R'nd playing him? B'jin wasn't even sure R'nd knew how to play someone - besides! What possible advantage could R'nd get from their not-relationship? Sure, Ayyonth got to fly Larrikith more regularly than any dragon prior had had the luxry of before, but it wasn't an advantage, and B'jin was lucky R'nd was horrified by him! He really wasn't nearly as pretty as some of the others in the Weyr and B'jin had always known R'nd could have his pick. There simply wasn't any advantage available for being around B'jin, and he couldn't understand why J'ver would think there was - or think that R'nd thought there was.

Clearly, that only proved yet again the delusional state J'ver was living in. Not only did he think he was in control of his realtlionship with S'kef, but J'ver also thought that being involved with B'jin rendered some type of advantage for R'nd. B'jin would try to figure out what type of advantage J'ver apparently believed B'jin granted his lover at a later time, but for that moment he just continued to stare pityingly at the other greenrider. When he asked to be excused, B'jin snorted, but he didn't make any particular move beyond that. At least not right away. The carefully handled sheet of parchment was folded again and placed lightly in the pocket of his pants. It was dangerous to keep it, when J'ver so clearly knew B'jin was in posession of it, but both he and S'kef would be fools to think he wrote it. B'jin decided he'd get rid of it later; burn it, probably. But for the moment, he would keep it safe.

"Something like that," B'jin purred, smiling sweetly at J'ver though brown eyes flashed with irritation. He was indeed planning on digging D'ren out of his hiding hole and letting him know what had happened, and while he was also planning to see R'nd in the evening, B'jin had no idea what the bluerider's day's plans were nor wehre he was at. He was, however, getting sorely sick of J'ver making digs at R'nd's sexual exploits. There were far sluttier riders within the weyr than his bluerider, and even on the best of days B'jin was less than okay with hearing people take shots at those he cared about. His shoulders stifened as J'ver turned and began to walk off without a word, and B'jin's lip curled. Slimy little bastard! Acting on impulse, B'jin leaned over to pick up a handful of muddy slush that rested between the rocks lining the main walkway, and hurled it at J'ver's back forcefully.

He didn't wait around to see if it hit him; turning, hand dripping mud, B'jin fled in no particular direction at all.