Take a Deep Breath [Bjin]

Why is she crying? Ronarth asked, whispering in his mindvoice as he held one brightly whirling eye to the window. D'ren looked up, nodding once to the dragon and allowing himself a soft, sad smile.

She's a baby, Ronarth. It's what they do he explained. He held Tsereni close to his chest and rocked her gently, trying his best to coax her back to sleep. The little girl wiggled and gurgled, but gradually she calmed down. D'ren shushed her lightly and rose to his feet, restless after a long morning tending to the little girl's demands.

If he felt like he'd never slept before, he wasn't even sure what the proper complaint was anymore. Between his duties as a Weyrleader and his duties as a parent, he wasn't even sure if he could tell up from down anymore.

He placed Tsereni in her bed and moved into his bathing quarters, where a rare mirror hung on the opposite wall. "Shards," he murmured as he inspected himself. He was graying fast, much too fast for a man his age. He wasn't young anymore, but he'd never expected to look at himself so old so soon. He sighed and ran his fingers through his red hair, which seemed to grow increasingly peppered each day.

Ronarth. Have I gotten too soft? he asked, narrowing his eyes at the mirror in a flash of resentment. He still couldn't believe his latest moment of weakness; allowing that poor boy to be lashed in public. He knew it was the logical thing to do in the short term. He knew his Weyrwoman and his Second had a good point regarding consistency and example. He knew he was a bleeding heart.

The long term mattered too, damn it! He sneered, thinking about the increasingly unhappy population that he oversaw. He'd never seen a Weyr so close to revolution. How could he have allowed this to happen?

And why did Tsuen fight him every step of the way?

We cannot disobey Nirinath Ronarth lamented as he coiled outside. And Tsuen is fearful to return home

I know, Ronarth D'ren said. He recognized Ronarth's indecision. The bronze wished to defend both his rider and his mate, and Tsuen by extension. It didn't help that D'ren felt both more and less attached to Tsuen with each passing day. She'd once been so devoted and gentle. Now, she seemed to sink further into her depression each day, and D'ren didn't know how to save her. It was just like he didn't know how to save the poor northerners whose lives he'd ruined, or the greenriders who suffered under abuses that he was powerless to stop because they went unreported.

In a rare moment of wisdom, Ronarth spoke: You can't save everyone.

I ought to at least be able to save someone D'ren replied sourly. He sighed, then turned away from his reflection.  Come on. We're going to see B'jin

He grabbed his notepad and some charcoal and shoved them in a bag of baby supplies. Then, he spent a few quick moments strapping Ronarth before going back inside to retrieve Tsereni. She slept soundly as he rode to B'jin's hut, though he chose to travel along the ground rather than fly. He didn't trust his own hands with the child in the air, much less Ronarth!

And so Ronarth arrived, trotting up to B'jin's hut like a massive pony. The bronze crooned a greeting as his rider dismounted and approached the door.

Larrikith! D'ren wants to show off the tiny human he announced. He made no mention of his rider's self-loathing mood. D'ren himself seemed muted, but not unhappy as he waited for the door to open.

B'jin was enjoying the demise of Katilan weather from the terrible heat of summer into Autumn, which while not all that much better, was at least somewhat milder. It also meant the greenrider could wear comfortable amounts of clothing without attracting undue attention - either for over dressing, or under dressing. B'jin liked being comfortable, and unfortunately his comfort levels usually required a certain amount of clothing; summer didn't always agree with those desires. B'jin liked Autumn better.

Currently, the greenrider had the doors and windows of his hut thrown open, allowing the early morning breeze to shift through the building while he cleaned up the mess that was left in the wake of two hyperactive children having recently spend the night there. Well, that was a little unfair. Indamor was growing up to be far too serious a child (he reminded B'jin uncomfortably of himself pre-Impression) while Amorandii was the one that was still very much hyperactive and childlike. The girl was only barely beginning her sixth turn, so it was to be expected. He supposed, if either of his two young children were unusual, it was Indamor with his quiet brooding and watchful eyes. The greenrider snorted as he recalled R'nd's avid insistence that the boy was haunting. Something about being stared at for the duration he'd been stuck with him.

Hello Ronarth! Larrikith called from the rooftop, with just enough attention bestowed upon her human for him to hear her greeting and take note. She could feel his mind jump-start in a flurry of concern, wondering why D'ren was dropping buy without warning, while she herself leapt tidily from the roof and pranced over to Ronarth, touching her nose to the bronze's in greeting. B'jin will be pleased, she said happily, still bespeaking the human at the same time and feeling him relax at her words. He has wished to visit but did not want to disturb. We have also been busy. Well, B'jin had been on a roller-coaster of emotional highs and lows, and Larrikith had had blues to attend to and a flight the month prior. It was a busy life, being a green!

How are you? You are looking well! It never hurt to feed her friend's ego, but Larrikith was also being genuine. She did care how Ronarth had been, and as far as she was concerned, the bronze did look to be well.

B'jin made his way to the front door curiously, blinking when he saw it was shut. Deciding the wind must have done that for him, B'jin hoped it had happened before the Weyrleader dropped by, and not in the man's face. That would be slightly awkward. Tugging the door open, B'jin smiled cheerfully at the other man, eyes lighting up as he spotted the infant. The greenrider swayed for a moment, obviously keen to relieve D'ren of the child, but managed to contain himself as he turned to pin the door back with a rock.

"Come in," the greenrider's voice was muted, but in no way uninviting as he stood back and waved to the Weyrleader, moving towards the kitchen and tossing the handful of stuffed toy through the bedroom doorway as he went. "Amorandii," he called back to D'ren, as if in explanation. The couch was currently still in possession of several furs, pillows, and stuffed toys as it had spent the night as a fortress for the imaginative girl, her bemused brother, and amused father.

B'jin reappeared in the doorway with an impish grin and offered D'ren a glass of cool juice and he studied the older man with a slight frown drawing eyebrows together. "Are you okay?"

Ronarth crooned back at the little green and pushed his nose forward to meet hers. He'd always loved greens in general; their playful spirits and adorable ways of darting about and playing such precious games never failed to charm him. He couldn't figure out why he wasn't allowed to fly them, considering how D'ren seemed just as fond of their riders. Then again, humans seemed awfully stuck up over that sort of thing. Ronarth thought that being good friends with someone was an excellent condition for flying them, but D'ren didn't seem to agree.

Weird.

D'ren likes B'jin. I don't think he would ever be considered an intrusion Ronarth replied. Okay, B'jin stressed D'ren out sometimes, but who didn't? Even the people D'ren loved the most stressed him out. Even  Ronarth stressed him out! He was like some sort of stress-monster.

B'jin always cheers him up

D'ren smiled as the door opened. "Hello, B'jin," he said. He spoke softly and cordially, though the usual tiredness in his voice had reached a new level. He looked between B'jin and Tsereni and smiled even wider, an expression that still seemed natural on his face in spite of everything. "I figured it was about time you met this little lady. And thanks; don't mind if I do."

He came inside and stepped over and around the mess, barely even noticing it as he seated himself on the couch. "I hope I didn't stop by at a bad time," he said as he balanced the child on his knee. When B'jin returned a moment later and asked his question, D'ren immediately frowned.

He accepted the juice and took a sip before answering. "Just tired," he said, knowing there was no point in lying to B'jin. Something was always wrong. B'jin knew that by now. "And how have you been? How are your kids? All three of them," he said with a wink. His decision to mention Talian was a sign of his guilt. He was far more interested in checking on the northern boy than the Katilan born children.

B'jin frowned slightly back at D'ren, eyebrows drawing together as he watched the Weyrleader's expression. Tired was probably the last thing on his list, but B'jin didn't press for the moment as he instead leaned over the back of the couch and delicately plucked the tiny child from the bronzerider's arms, grinning impishly and without apology.

"They're well," B'jin smiled, looking up as he walked around to the front of the couch and unceremoniously pushed all the crap off the couch and sat himself down almost regally, before destroying the effect by curling up in the corner and watching the little eyes stare up at him. "They're doing well," he continued, brown eyes flickering to capture D'ren's own gaze. "Indamor will be a fair dragonrider, before long. Maybe Nirinath's next clutch." The kid was ten, so he would be scraping the lower region of allowance come the gold's next rising. "Larri thinks brown, maybe bronze." The pleased flush and quiet tone indicated Larrikith thought bronze, but B'jin was unwilling to be quite so bold. He'd just be happy if the boy was. The child had a strange fear of blues, though.

Speaking of fears, "Talian is responding better to Larrikith's presence," he hadn't really asked Valerian if the young man had had his pretty little blue around the young Healer, and Talian had been particularly tight lipped about Erisi. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew that Talian had felt particularly cut off since the other two Impressed. "I don't think he should be put on the Sands this time," B'jin paused slightly, conflicted and the emotions warring visibly on his face. He wanted to make Talian happy, and keep him safe, but he wanted to also be honest from an unbiased point of view. "Maybe next time..." Yes, Talian could probably be made to Stand next time and Impress; no, B'jin was not going to be the one to put him on the Sands. "But I know he really doesn't want to, D'ren." And he'd make damned sure D'ren - the Weyrleader - knew where he stood on it.

While he was on the topic, B'jin's expression was almost hard as he stared at D'ren now. He wouldn't be bold enough to demand Talian be released from Standing, but his beautiful, precious, princess daughter was another thing entirely. "I don't want Talian on the Sands," he might not demand D'ren leave the Healer off, but he'd make his stance plain as daylight. "But I do not want Amorandii on the sands. Ever. I will not have her a greenrider." His eyes were haunted before they dropped down to the baby, the rider's features softening visibly as he cooed softly to the little girl under his breath, smiling brightly at her and tickling her tummy gently.

B'jin enjoys his company, Larrikith replied placidly to the bronze, curling up happily beside him without being too far in his personal space to subtract from easy conversation. D'ren makes B'jin feel safe, she said lightly, well aware of the way her rider relaxed subtly whenever he was in the Weyrleader's presence. Even during the lashing, D'ren had made sure no unnecessary harm came to her rider. B'jin adored the bronzerider, who could do so little wrong in his eyes.

D'ren loved the little girl, but shards was it good to have someone else hold her for a moment. D'ren took the opportunity to stretch a bit. "That's good to know," he replied generally to the comments on Indamor. It would be a pleasure to see B'jin's eldest biological child on the sands.

He raised his brow at the next part. D'ren didn't know Talian well; in fact, he barely knew the kid at all. They'd spoken only twice, and both had been awkward, hostile conversations. "Your kid has a lot of guts," D'ren said after a moment, thinking of the spiteful way Talian had stared him down in his hut not too long before. "He told me flat out that he hated my guts," he said, both amused and saddened. He doubt B'jin knew much about that night, seeing how Tal apparently kept to himself even to those he loved the most. That's the side D'ren saw, in any case.

"I don't want to torment the kid any more than we already have," he said gently, "but you know I can't just...not let him stand. It's not fair to the others who aren't interested, and well...then we will have taken him from his home for nothing." D'ren still didn't understand why someone wouldn't want to Impress. Shards, that boy needed a lifemate!

"We'll see how it's going next time around," he said, shaking his head. They could save that battle for another day. "He can't have special treatment, though. But I am glad that he's feeling better." The guilt in his voice was deep and obvious, more obvious than he realized. 

The next part was a relief. "I'm glad someone else sees it my way," he said with a light groan. He eyes Tsereni and winced. "...No offense intended to you, B'jin, but I wouldn't want my daughter on a green either. It's nothing to do with green dragons, but I know you all have a special set of challenges you must face. It's no place for a girl." Especially not his girl. She would be a dragonrider over his dead body.

"Speaking of Talian having guts," D'ren continued, "I haven't really had a chance to talk to you. I'm sorry to hear J'ver and S'kef were giving you such trouble. J'ver I would expect, but S'kef...I was disappointed by that. Really disappointed." Shards, it looked like N'gelt was no better, either! It still enraged him to think that N'gelt would behave the way he had.

True colors indeed. Both of them. Garbage...

Ronarth purred a bit and collapsed beside Larrikith in a great bronze heap. He would be glad to know that. He often feels...powerless. He wishes he could keep everyone safe, but he feels like he has failed everyone.

B'jin enjoyed the simple pleasure of holding a baby, particularly one that seemed so content to just be held, staring up at him with her wide baby eyes and blinking at him with that distinctly infant expression etched on her features. Her little face was so damned cute! The greenrider gave her tummy another little tickle before looking up in surprise at D'ren, a questioning eyebrow arching in surprise at his words. Both eyebrows arched up and B'jin's face took on a shocked expression at that particular piece of information. He was less surprised that Talian felt that way, and far more shocked that he'd actually said it.

"I know," B'jin said softly, slowly letting the shock of Talian's apparent gutsiness fade away. He was aware that he couldn't accept special treatment from D'ren, but at least the Weyrleader knew where he stood, and at least he was aware that B'jin didn't want the kid on the Sands, and that Talian didn't want to be there, either. It wouldn't stop B'jin feeling guilty when Talian was dragged out before the eggs, but... B'jin sighed softly and scrunched his nose up.

Eyebrows arched slightly in amusement; "None taken. Only a fool would want their daughter on dragonback." Of course, the Holds and Halls had always played it up, emphasising the honour and glory women received when they bonded to gold (which was also a crack of dust) but no one mentioned what happened to those women that Impressed the other colours. B'jin wasn't going to risk his little girl trying for gold and getting green. Besides, Larrikith could smell goldriders and Amorandii wasn't one of them, and her father had difficulty seeing her ever growing up to be so. The child was far too sweet and mischievous and precious to be tainted by the harsh realities of a greenrider's life.

The topic switch back to Talian was a little surprising, but B'jin went with it without a fight, letting most of his attention drift back to the baby as he puffed a gentle breath of air on her face, watching her reaction with amusement and poking her lightly on the nose with one finger when her stare became too intent. The gentle action elicited a soft giggle from the baby and B'jin grinned triumphantly before his head jerked up to stare at D'ren. The greenrider's features losing all colour, eyes slightly wild, blood freezing for a moment as he feared D'ren knew more than he should, or was asking more, before anger flashed across his features and his lips pursed; Talian hadn't deserved the revenge the whore had dealt upon him. The baby fussed, picking up on his heightened emotions, and B'jin focused on settling her, offering a finger for the child to chew on.

"Indeed."

He has not failed B'jin, she couldn't speak for the rest of the population, but Larrikith had never been afraid of speaking for B'jin. He has kept my silly human safe, and that is important. Larrikith tilted her head and sprawled out more comfortably beside the larger dragon. Humans are strange creatures. Don't know what they'd do without us.

D'ren knew a sore topic when he heard one. He smiled a little bit, his own way of acknowledging that now was not the time, and moved on.

"I've just been tired lately, I suppose. N'gelt is stressing me out," he confessed. Okay, so maybe this topic wasn't much better. It was all he could think about, though. "And poor Tsuen. I think the baby really has her stressed. Postpartum depression, I think they call it? I've considered asking a healer to come out and have a look at her, but I don't want to insult her independence." Which was a lie. He was horribly worried about his Weyrwoman, and he figured insulting her independence was a lot better than just letting her torture herself.

D'ren frowned. It was better to talk about B'jin, he decided. He'd always felt protective of his favorite greenrider, and spilling his problems onto him just didn't feel right.

"So how is R'nd?" he asked, arching one brow in a manner that was almost sly, but was just a little bit too tired to be convincingly sly. D'ren's assumption that the two were weyrmated had never been challenged. In fact, he was surprised R'nd wasn't there right now, sharing a home with his lover.

They were so cute. Well, in an unsettling way. Male on male sexuality had always creeped D'ren out just a little bit. He didn't disapprove - how could he be so judgmental of his fellow riders! But he certainly didn't want to think about it too much. He smiled nonetheless, eagerly awaiting the response.

That is good to know Ronarth purred, reassured by Larrikith's words. He knew he liked the spunky green for a reason! He crooned and yawned. D'ren will always keep him safe...when he can the dragon said. Sometimes, he feels like B'jin will not let him. There was a touch of sadness in his voice.

B'jin grimaced at the mention of N'gelt. He didn't like brownriders, and couldn't remember a time when he ever had. They were high enough up the chain that they should be making those below them feel safe, not tormenting them and getting away with it! The greenrider held his tongue, however, and besides his expression of distaste at the named rider he didn't give the Weyrleader any reason to believe his favourite green would drop every brownrider between if he were ever given the chance.

A frown contorted B'jin's face at the mention of Tsuen, the greenrider unusually preceptive as he picked up on D'ren's obvious worry for the woman, and his love of her. B'jin, himself, considered Tsuen a twit, and sorely regretted not turning her hut into a bonfire alongside the rest of the troublemakers that turn. It was all for the best, he supposed, and something he had no intention of D'ren ever learning. The greenrider greatly respected his Weyrleader, but the man's mate gleaned no such thing. Not that he'd ever say so, nor did he wish for D'ren to know. B'jin simply avoided the goldrider and her brown riding lackey as much as he could and let the bronzerider make of it what he would.

"Something like that," B'jin frowned slightly. Both his blueriding partners had seemed to be fine, and he'd only found out their little imps were his own well after they actually gave birth. That in itself may have been an effect of Nemall, or simply the women not being sure whom to blame for their condition. Both children were distinctly his, however, and B'jin did not regret claiming them. They were his life and light, and made everything worth it. Cuddling the baby delicately, B'jin could almost understand D'ren's worry, especially after the drama of the day before.

"He's avoiding me," B'jin smiled, brown eyes sparkling with amusement as he directed his gaze to D'ren. "R'nd doesn't like kids very much," he explained, bouncing the baby and not at all worried, "Amorandii is a bit full on, and Indamor has this - how did he put it -" B'jin paused, almost smirking, "'Soul searching stare'. I had both of them over last night." Having R'nd in his bed would have been far more comforting than being elbowed by unconscious children in a fortress on the floor, but his children had needed him and R'nd... well. He was a big boy and he had other outlets if he needed them.

D'ren's assumption that the pair were, in fact, weyrmated had been carefully not spoken of by the pair; the greenrider preferred to forget things that didn't sit well with him, and that was a particularly dangerous topic that he was not going to even think of thinking of. He rather enjoyed his bluerider and he didn't fancy losing him: R'nd didn't do commitment and that was fine, especially when B'jin remembered how Nemall had started out just as sweet as R'nd currently was. He didn't want to ruin him!

I am glad, Larrikith replied softly in return, the smile in her voice even if it couldn't twist upon her maw. Ronarth's next words caused the little green to pause, considering. B'jin has secrets that even I don't know, she offered quietly. Sometimes, he won't let me keep him safe, either.

D'ren wouldn't have been surprised or offended to hear B'jin's opinion of Tsuen. Shards, D'ren himself agreed sometimes. She tried, though. Like him, she tried. She struggled with the impossible decisions and the inevitable mistakes, and somehow she made it through. Lately, though, her tenuous hold seemed to be slipping. D'ren frowned a little bit at the thought, how he'd failed to protect her from the Weyr's hatred and her own demons.

Iif he could make everything perfect for her, he would. He wished he could take it all away, to take all of her burdens from her shoulders and let her tired soul rest. He'd tried, and it just didn't stick.

"I'm sure she'll be fine eventually," he said with a sigh.

He let the topic shift, listening as B'jin spoke of R'nd and his recent absence. "Really? I thought you two would live together by now, for sure," D'ren said, betraying his unfamiliarity with the situation. He really would have expected the two to be properly weyrmated by now. Of course, the news that R'nd didn't much care for children wasn't much of a surprise. R'nd didn't seem like the childloving type. Shards, maybe he wasn't even the settling type. D'ren frowned and blinked, wondering why he hadn't thought of that before.

Trouble in paradise. It sucked. He flashed the greenrider a look of empathy, then sighed yet again.

He couldn't get the previous day out of his head.


I would help if I could, too Ronarth whispered. Shards, why was this topic so damn depressing? The bronze let out a sudden squeal of protest, which made D'ren jump. "Ronarth!" the man gasped, so startled he looked like he'd seen a ghost.

B'jin didn't believe in perfect. His life was too tortured and tangled for a perfection to exist. Once, he'd have said life was perfect and he was going where he wanted, and would get where he wanted to be. Then it blew up around him, and the shit hadn't stopped falling until (if he were completely honest with himself) only a turn or so earlier. Sad, when he stopped to think about it, that his life had been so miserable for the better part of the past thirty turns. Well, late was better than never, though it hardly felt any better at the moment, as he coddled the baby in his arms and tried hard not to think about the mess of the day before.

"Huh?" B'jin looked up, startled, and blinked as he processed the kind-of-question D'ren had given voice to, the greenrider frowning. His lips pursed into a line, and brown eyes stared up at D'ren from under thick lashes as he considered how to reply to that and the things the Weyrleader was implying. B'jin was well aware of how long the pair had been together, with Larrikith pointing out quite smugly to him (privately, thank Faranth) that her last flight marked a turn of their 'not relationship' (and he hadn't liked her tone when she said that) and left B'jin to struggle not to spaz out where he was lying curled against the bluerider. Horrible beast.

"No," B'jin replied after a moment his voice mild. "The kids share my room." Well, that should shut everyone up, and play on the rumour they were mated so D'ren wouldn't take R'nd away and leave him in a wing alone with S'kef and J'ver (how could he do that to him?). Besides. It wasn't like it wasn't true. The bluerider avoided him like the plague when the children were around, and B'jin didn't really blame him, considering the complete lack of respect Amorandii in particular had for privacy. Or alone time. Or being quiet. Or eating her dinner. Or not spilling her drink on the couch.

Of course you would, Larrikith said softly, leaning over to lick the bronze dragon's cheek just as he squealed, causing the green dragon to puff up like a balloon and shriek in surprise, leaping backwards and whacking the house with her tail. Her eyes were huge and swirling rapidly with surprised fright, the little green draw in on herself.

"Larri!" B'jin ground out, before focusing on the now very unhappy baby, rocking her as he half sung a lullaby, enticing the child to quiet. Only when she began to settle did B'jin look up once more, letting the child chew on his finger as he frowned thoughtfully at D'ren. "Soo," it wasn't the silence B'jin was uncomfortable with, but the question he was trying to figure out how to pose. "Ah, I don't suppose you ever managed to find someone to collect my guitar?" Voice and words timid, B'jin's cautious gaze quickly dropped back down to study the baby in his arms.

D'ren was surprised. ''Ah," he said, nodding and feeling somewhat foolish. He paused for a moment, almost embarrassed. "I don't think I'd be the only one surprised, though. There's quite a lot of talk about you two." He reached out and poked playfully at the giggling baby, his face lighting up as he did so.

Then, a frown. "Was I right to place you two in the wing together?" he asked. Suddenly, a lot of the fuss at the announcement made more sense. "I wasn't trying to make it awkward for anyone. Come to think of it, you aren't the only ones that behaved oddly at that..." His thoughts immediately went to two in particular. "S'kef and J'ver seemed awfully uncomfortable. But what am  I supposed to think? They are always together and Tyrrisath always wins her flights."

He smiled, playfully but tiredly. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. His facial hair was getting noticeable and his usually immaculate sense of order was obviously off; he was wearing a dirty shirt and his hair was a mess. D'ren groomed himself perfectly every day. There was no explanation other than a complete and total inability to stop to so much a think, much less shave.

He jumped suddenly when Larrikith screeched outside. Even worse, Ronarth answered her squeal with a squeal of his own. D'ren's eyes narrowed. Ronarth! he snapped, catching the dragon in mid-squeal. stop it!

Ronarth curled up sullenly while D'ren sighed. What had B'jin just asked again? Oh! "Um...yes, I did," the bronzerider said tiredly, trying to get his thoughts in order. "I sent I'shan, but I never told him who it was for. I'm sorry I forgot to retrieve it. I'shan should still have it."

B'jin gave a soft snort at D'ren's quiet comment as he poked Tsereni, the greenrider arching an eyebrow slightly and bouncing the giggling baby. "I try not to listen to the gossip." It wasn't a dig at D'ren, but was said with a mild shrug and a quirk of his lips. "It drives Par'a insane." How often had the woman come up to him, to share the latest news and been disgusted when he wasn't aware of it? B'jin actually found it more, rather than less, amusing. But he wasn't really interested in the latest words about himself and R'nd. His interest in gossip was far more limited to what was happening in the upper levels; D'ren, S'kef (now N'gelt) and in their own useless ways, Tsuen and E'lore. People who were vital to the running of the Weyr.

"Yes!" - well, that was a little too empathic! B'jin eyes widened and he flushed, dropping his attention back down to the baby, fussing over her with dedication to avoid D'ren's gaze. He was sure that would be taken entirely the wrong way, but B'jin couldn't stand the thought of being alone in that wing. He needed someone sane and safe to be there with him; he'd been betting on being in the Weyrleader's wing and wasn't quite sure why he hadn't been. He was unwilling to ask, however, for fear he'd be transferred and R'nd would be left alone with the psychotic brownrider and his slut.

"They are mates," B'jin added quietly, still focusing on the baby so as to avoid looking at D'ren. He was more than a little embarrassed by his outburst and wasn't prepared to see the look that may still be etched upon his Weyrleader's face as a result. He let slide any further comment referring to himself or R'nd. They'd come to the unspoken decision to totally ignore D'ren's assumption and the amusement it caused their fellows. It was better that way, and by ignoring it they could pretend like it didn't happen. That was much more to their flavour.

"S'kef has issues." Well, wasn't that the pot calling the kettle black! B'jin's voice was mild and matter of fact, however, and he finally looked back up at D'ren. He gave no indication of what S'kef's issues were, or how he might know about them. His words were simply offered as a reassurance of a fact; S'kef had issues, but D'ren was right, and the pair were mated. What more did the Weyrleader need to know?

B'jin's mouth opened, then closed, before opening again. Brown eyes were huge as he stared at D'ren in dramatic horror. "You sent Shel to get - D'ren!" The greenrider's voice went up a handful of octave as he voiced his horror, looking traumatised. "My poor baby!" He struggled to speak for a while, still looking wild around the eyes and his face somewhat pale. "Do you know - Oh my - Does he even know how to carry a guitar? Do you KNOW what Nemall will do to me if it's damaged?!"

The greenrider shot to his feet, still holding the baby tightly, and rambling to himself as he did so. The infant seemed amused, giggling as she chewed on a finger though B'jin was completely oblivious to the child's antics. "Larri? Larri! We have to go. We have to go right now. I have to - we have to. Oh my Faranth if he's broken one string!" Forgetting completely about D'ren, B'jin pelted out of the hut, baby still in his arms and threw himself aboard Larrikith, who was chortling like a fool.

We will bring the child back when my silly human is thinking straight once more. He really does love that guitar!

Well, at least he was right about that one. "I thought so, though S'kef always denies having any interest in other men," the Weyrleader commented conversationally. He'd grown more fond of gossip as time wore on. He'd once considered it mean-spirited and a waste of time, but as his age crept up on him and his job continued to wear him down more and more, he found himself more willing to enjoy whatever simple pleasures he could find. His gossip wasn't quite as aggressive or derisive as most of the weyrs', granted. He wasn't interested in scandals, but more just the sort of everyday facts that gave him a close look into the social structure of his weyr.

For example, D'ren didn't elaborate on how the homophobia fact alone said a lot about S'kef's 'issues'. Maybe homophobia wasn't the word, though. S'kef had many prejudices, but that wasn't one that the Weyrleader had ever observed. So what was the right word? Denial? That sounded about right.

"That he does," was his only comment.

Before much else could be said, D'ren found himself confused and unsure whether or not he should be offended. His child, still in the arms of the greenrider B'jin, let out a squeal of delight as the man fled towards the door, babbling something about someone named 'Shel'. Who on Pern was 'Shel'?

"B'jin?" D'ren asked questioningly, eyes widening as he rose to his feet in alarm, almost protectively, though whether he was trying to protect B'jin or the child or both was uncertain. Before he could panic too much, Ronarth's voice came to soothe him.

Don't be upset! Larrikith said B'jin will return with Tsereni soon. He's just worried about his guitar and has to go steal it, I think

What?

What?

D'ren blinked a few times, unbelieving, and threw his hands up. "I give up," he declared before turning and heading back to his study to continue his work. He trusted B'jin would take excellent care of his little girl, and in all honesty, D'ren would enjoy the quiet.

That didn't mean the whole thing made any sense, though. Who the shards was 'Shel'?