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Things hadn't gone so great for Okassis since arriving back at the Weyr early from the Gather. Having to report to the Healers' again had been a humiliating experience - they mostly knew him by name now, but were more likely just to refer to him as "that Trader". Not even just "that" Trader, but "that" Trader, with the groan and moan and the assurance that anytime he came, trouble was sure to follow. After getting some numbweed for his ear and something that would help the swelling, he'd been sent off and told, with an exasperating sigh that promised no faith, to please stay out of trouble!

He hadn't been sure where S'van had gotten to, so hadn't bothered trying to catch up with him until the following day. Which was just as well, because the gift he'd gotten for S'van had been in desperate need of washing after his skirmish with Jaenel. He'd let it soak in water overnight, snuck out from the crowded alcove early the next morning, and scrubbed it vigorously for nearly a whole candlemark.

By the time his work was completed, his fingers were pruned and any tiny trace of grime on his own hands had been washed clean. But for his efforts, the scent of flowery perfume was contained mildly to one or two spots in the cloth - about as good as it would get, he decided.

Heading outside and seeing a sunny and clear sky overhead, he found a rock to lay the frilly apron out on, set himself up on a comfortable piece of ground with his whittling knife and a sizable chunk of wood, and got to busying his hands. It would probably another candlemark or so before the apron would be dry, and then, finally, he could present it to his friend. Scraping at the wood, Okassis grinned to himself, imagining what S'van's reaction would be to the thoughtful gift. One to remember, for sure....

The Trader's head perked up at the sound of his name. S'van's growing procession of dragon, rider, and flitt wasn't hard for him to spot out, either; he split into a grin. "Hey, just the gent I wanted to see!" Okassis cheered, glancing down briefly as he tucked his knife into his belt before standing.

The apron wasn't exactly dry yet, but it didn't seem like he had the time to wait for it to dry out. As his friend approached, Okassis snagged the neck of it with one hand. "Got a present for you from Gather!" he called out, flinging the wet cloth at his friend's face with remarkable aim. He then seated himself on the rock, wearing his biggest trader smirk yet as he waited for S'van to puzzle out what it was he'd been handed. "Inaari helped me pick it out," he put in helpfully. "We both thought it was perfect."

Of course, at some point, his attention had to turn to the flitt that seemed to be dogging his friend. Okassis's lips pursed slightly, his brows tightened a smidgen - "What's that, now?" he asked, knowing perfectly well what it was.

A look of shock and offense crossed Okassis's face almost immediately. "Of course I was right!" the Trader exclaimed, rolling his eyes in a tremendous arc. He was so astounded that his friend should question his predictions, in fact, that he felt obligated to say it again with stronger emphasis; "By the Egg, S'van. Of course I was right!"

Now Okassis had to act annoyed by his friend's lack of faith, and he did so with a splendid snort and crossing of his arms. It worked out really nicely, actually; beneath the facade of frowny faces and tight stares, it was easy enough for Okassis to bury a real sense of apprehension as he eyed the little Green that had taken after his friend. Shards... Okassis had only ever come upon a firelizard egg once in his whole life. How was it that S'van had laid his hands on not just one, but two since coming to the Weyr? Plus Impressing? Did his friend have some sort of bizarre dragon magnetism that Okassis hadn't seen before?

There was a certain amount of envy threatening to show, and it was better off drowned in a wave of irrelevance. "Well," he fluttered his eyes with a smile, "that picture she got me of you was awfully darling, you know. And just think of the sort of picture she could get me if you posed in this!"

That's right he'd been right. Okassis smiled toothily, thinking - not for the first time, not for the last - how fortunate he was to have a friend that would accommodate his humors so willingly. Gall was one lucky dragon, for sharding sure....

"Well, it might as well be a flitt pocket," observed the youth somberly of Kia's antics. The little green was terribly cute, he admitted to himself, despite his jealousy. Stooping down to get a better look at the young lizard, he asked, "How'd you get your hands on this one, anyway? Charm her with that seaholder smile, eh? Or maybe she just likes the smell of fish."

And as usual, wide-eyed S'van was falling right into another gullibility trap. There really wasn't much sport in it at this point, but the ex-Trader never could resist pushing at something until it broke, and S'van's masculinity was such an old favorite!

Helpfully catching up part of the apron when it seemed that the brownrider was about to drop it (ignoring altogether the fact that the apron was in no real danger), Okassis let his hold on it linger as he gazed deeply into the Weyrling's eyes, and breathed with an astonishing imitation of sincere passion - "And nothing else."

Okassis almost regretted the moment ending - not because he really wanted to keep dragging it out, even he had a limit before he started getting uncomfortable. But S'van's face, shards, his face! The way he went sunburn-red in an instant, stammering, trying to assert himself when he was so far out of his depth already. Okassis was laughing like there'd be no end to his mirth, even as he stumbled back from the well-deserved shove he'd gotten for his trouble.

"'Course I'm a jerk," he chuckled breathlessly as the brownrider rounded on him, "that's what the song said!" If he was bothered at all by being compared to a girl, he didn't show it. Grinning, still struggling with bubbles of laughter, he straightened himself out and went to take his seat once more.

"So, what brings you out at this hour, anyhow?" Okassis asked, picking out his whittling knife once more to continue his work. "Got to pay off a favor for that little green of yours or sommat?"

"And when that day comes, I'll just have to get a mite bit smarter, won't I?" Unconcerned as always, Okassis smiled lazily to his friend, along with S'van's growing company of reptilian companions. He didn't say, he was in doubt that S'van would ever grow past his gullibility - not because the seaholder was so timid and insecure that he was unable to get beyond it, but because it seemed so ingrained into their dynamics that Okassis was very certain he'd pretend to be flustered, long past the time when he was able to laugh along with the rest of them.

"Bathtime for the brown, is it?" Musing over this, Okassis decisively settled his hands on his knees and boosted himself up. "I'll tag along, eh? We can chat." The saying of which led to the obvious implication, that the blond had something he wanted to talk to his friend about. It was hard to measure how serious it was yet, though, with Okassis being relaxed and joking as he was. "Besides, Faranth knows that Nose's day just wouldn't be complete without some moment where she could pretend we were off being romantic together!"

"Ah, not just you, my boy," Okassis grinned, adopting the voice of his father for a moment as he regarded his friend. With a sort of gruff fondness, he reached out to ruffle S'van's hair. "To keep up in my business, you've got to be a step in front of Threadfall, don't you know!"

Then he broke out laughing, tramping ahead a few steps. "C'mon! You don't want that lunk of yours stinking up the Weyr, do ya?" he called back cheerfully. "They'll find out he's sleeping in the Barracks with us if he doesn't scrub up good!"

He was only half-joking about that, too. Galliath seemed to be getting larger with every day; it was only going to be a matter of time before someone caught onto their awkward arrangements, at this rate, and Okassis wasn't sure where the pieces would fall once that happened. He imagined himself claiming innocence; a dragon? Okassis would squeak, his eyes wide, in MY room? No Z'nal sir, never, I would have noticed for certain! All the while, a large dragon tail would be wagging under the upheaved mattresses on the back wall....

Well, at least it kept life interesting.

"You should've seen Nan at Gather," Okassis began musing. "I think it's her very own paradise. All the gossip of the island, lining up for her. Did you know that S'kagi had a daughter? I found her myself, and put the two together!"

"Shards. Z'nal, I like to keep three steps ahead of, and at least two to the right," Okassis answered with a mock shiver. "I don't see why we need Weyrs at all. We just need enough of him spread out over Pern, and when Thread falls close enough to catch a glimpse, it'll just turn right around and run back to the Red Star for safety!"

Flashing a grin at the dragon, he retorted, "Well, of course I do. It's all part of the plan, you see. If I smell worse than Galliath there, then nobody'll notice the dragon smell. That it'll keep away any nosers is just a bonus!" Then he had to pause, examining his wording, and amend, "Well, other than the obvious Nose, at least."

It was easy to joke. It was comfortable, even. Okassis wondered if he wanted to change the conversation at all; and, considering Galliath, thought that maybe he didn't. The dragon wouldn't want to hear about the drama at Gather, surely, and if Okassis was dying to confide in his best friend about it, then maybe he'd just have to wait....

Or maybe he'd just have to be selfish, anyway. Because he could tell when he needed something, and there was no one else at the Weyr who could understand the way S'van could. And he could bear a guilty conscience, maybe, for having to confide it in Galliath at the same time; it was just the way things were now.

"... So," he began obtrusively, "my caravan was at the Gather."