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Whomever had come up with the notion 'like Rider, like Dragon' had obviously never bothered to take draconic mating flights, and their aftereffects, into consideration. For starters, not only had Gh'lan tried to be the impossible neutral party, he had even gone as far as to try and mentally barricade himself from the implications of Khunoth's enthusiastic involvement.

That is to say, when he was unceremoniously dragged from the welcome oblivion of deep sleep by a sudden wash of fresh air reaching places that had never seen the light of day, he was more then a little surprised. And chilled.

"WHAT IN BLAZES?!" Springing awake all at once was not a trait he could normally claim to possess, but for once the Powers That Be took pity on the poor brownrider and allowed the full story(and full awareness) to come swimming back promptly and without abbreviation. Craftbred as he was, along with being completely inexperienced, Gh'lan found the situation itself to be more shocking then the company. Him? Nude? In a strange bed after WHAT?! The fact that T'ka was now on the floor and off the bed did little to help, since he couldn't spot his clothing immediately, and she had taken the blanket with her when she had jumped out of the bed. Shardit! It wasn't supposed to be like this!

Beyond embarrassed, he looked around helplessly for something to put on, and ended up settling for primly sitting cross-legged with his hands folded across his lap. Dammit, this was silly! It also did not help that he had no idea where he was. Were they in T'kas weyr? Faranth knew it wasn't his!

Shells, he hoped T'ka hadn't hurt herself taking that tumble! A moment was spent internalizing the current situation, and coming to grips with not being able to immediately rectify the nude problem, before Gh'lan scrambled over to the edge where T'ka had vanished. Health of self and friends before modesty... right. Dammit he wasn't cut out for this crackdust! "Shardit! T'ka, are you alright?" He couldn't help the self-directed chagrin in his voice, but he would at least try not to mention what had just happened, or their current state of undress. Eyes on face, eyes on face...

Khunoth, however, was a satisfied presence in the back of the former starsmith's mind. Briefly touching his rider's mind, the brown sent a wash of amusement and adoration down the emotional link between them. He, of course, had no problem with what had occurred. He, after all, was quite happy to be sharing a ledge with Haanyath, whom he regarded highly. Didn't Gh'lan hold Haanyath's rider in high regard as well?

Being the stolid, and very masculine, comfort pillow suited Khunoth just fine. Whether his rider shared in the sentiment was obviously not his problem, especially since Haanyath did not appear in the least bit put out by her own rider's paranoia. You are silly, Gh'lan. The brown rumbled, curving his neck so he could rest his head across Haanyath's back and peer back towards the sleeping place where his rider was. You should go back to sleep.

Of all the absurd advice you could think to offer, THAT has got to be the worst Khunoth! Gh'lan thought back fiercely, waving off the proffered blanket from T'ka as his nerves began to settle. Logically, she'd just seen a whole lot more then his manly bits, so he'd rather she be comfortably well covered. "I... well.. no." He answered her, taking the opportunity to look everywhere else except at T'ka. "I actually have no idea where 'here' is."

Silly rider, you are in the room off the Weyrbowl. I have seen many other riders use it when they cannot get to their weyrs.

Oh great Faranth, that just made it all better didn't it. Given the population of Ista, who knew how many flights had... er... concluded in this room. On this bed. In these furs....

That was enlightenment I did not need. The brownrider replied, staring down at the bed fur beneath him with new-found disgust.

You were wondering, I explained. I do not see a problem.

Shardit Khunoth!!!!

Then, saying aloud to T'ka; "How about I turn around and look that way while you get dressed and we can.. um..." Dammit, how were they supposed to talk about what just happened? He'd studiously avoided really looking at her, but when he turned back, he couldn't help the rush of heat that was surely coloring his cheeks. Shardit shardit shardit! She was trembling! Blast it! To hell with modesty and craftbred traditions, he wasn't about to sit there while a lady looked about ready to cry after a round between the bedfurs. Inexperience could account for a lot of things, but it wouldn't account for bad manners!

Without giving his brain a second more to over-think what he was about to do, Gh'lan scrambled off of the side of the bed himself and landed with a thud right next to T'ka, mindful of the blanket and the intent of keeping it around her. The stone of the floor was damn cold, but that added sensation made it all the easier for the brownrider to focus, rather then dwell on the greenrider's proximity. "Shardit, to hell with modesty... we need to talk now." He said, maneuvering so he was close enough to draw her in for a hug. "And I think Haanyath and Khunoth have the right idea, if you don't think it would be too presumptuous of me to offer a shoulder to lean on. You look like you might need it."

"Well, I had something eloquent to say... and it was clear as crystal about a breath ago..." Gh'lan replied after a moment, a little stunned that T'ka had actually relaxed against him. It was growing increasingly difficult to remain calm, what with Khunoth dragging him into this situation without a 'By your leave.' And the more he thought about it, the more insecure he was becoming, and the faster his determined calm was vanishing. Faranth, he hadn't so much as kissed a girl, let alone seen one unclothed or... done otherwise.

"I... just wanted to know if ... if this was going to change our friendship." He added softly, turning his head away so he could stare at the wall, willing suddenly tense muscles to relax. Damn, he sounded like a fool... Of course things were going to change! T'ka was wrapped in a sharding blanket without a stitch on beneath it, he was likewise in the nude, though he had eventually taken a corner of the blanket to cover his nether regions. Dammit, he'd always been uncomfortable just running about without a shirt on!

"I mean in the negative way, you don't.. uh.. regret that it was Khunoth? And me?" His soft tone wasn't quite pleading, but it was close. Retrospectively, he would be kicking himself mentally for bringing that up right away, but the brownrider was young yet, and in dire need of some assurances that he hadn't just royally messed up one of the few good friendships he had at Ista. "I value your friendship more then anything else and... I'd hate to think that...well..." He trailed off, not sure what he thought, and aware that he was probably babbling like a toddler at this point.

Khunoth, picking up on his rider's growing unease, sighed heavily and adjusted his position so Haanyath could nibble on his shoulder to her heart's content. I am not sure why he is so uncertain of your rider. This is most unlike him. He said to her, leaning into the green's ministrations when she found a particularly itchy spot. You flew well, I was there, and things are as they should be. The pale brown continued, disgruntled by the sudden thought that Gh'lan might not agree with Khunoth's affection for Haanyath.

His arms tightened reflexively when T'ka's fingers brushed his shoulder, but Gh'lan managed to avoid embarrassing himself further with a flinch by covering his startled movement with a turn of his head. Staring at the wall opposite where they sat on the floor, he studied the rough stone grains while she spoke, containing his first reaction more the once just by virtue of not looking at her. Most of what she was saying he understood, but when she almost said that what had happened was insignificant.. well... he took that like a bolt to the heart. Even with her understandable clarification (scanty as it was) afterwards, Gh'lan could shake her first words from his head.

Even if he had said he hoped they would still be friends, and nothing would change... and all that good chivalrous stuff... there was a small treacherous part of his mind that was clamoring for attention. That small, carnal, instinct craved some acknowledgment that it/he had done well, and at this point it was all he could do to keep himself from giving in to that rarely heard from part of himself and asking her what it wanted to know. So what if she didn't regret that it was him emotionally, this small part of the brownrider wanted to know if she had been satisfied! Oddly, Khunoth understood this part of him better then even Gh'lan himself did, and once T'ka had subsided into silence and Gh'lan warred with his morals, the brown dragon silently coaxed the normal aspect of his rider back to the fore. He reminded his rider that such questions and expectations were both unfair, and a bit selfish... and the Gh'lan HE chose was neither of those things.

However, it was Khunoth's eventual recital of T'ka's feelings via Haanyath that finally evoked a dramatic reaction from the brownrider, and sent that little selfish side yipping back into the dark.

"He says Haanyath says you are relieved?" He asked, breaking a long silence with a voice that shook a little with emotion. Sitting up straighter, he leaned forward to peek around and see her face. "That, isn't just dragontalk? Are you really?" Sure, he could conclude that it was the truth just by what she had said, but he really wanted to hear her say it.

I would not lie, and neither would Haanyath. Now you should sleep. Khunoth put in, resting his head along Haanyath's back again with a contented sigh.