[PRP] INCORRECT. (K'lar/Mnereth + Renose)

[Tsunake]

Mnereth had fed well recently, and as a result, K'lar absolutely had to clean the blue until his hide practically shone. Far be it from him to ever allow his dragon to be less than pristine, and the smell and sight of dried blood clinging to talons and jaws... No. Absolutely not. Mnereth's eyes whirled with deep indigo hues, adoring the attention from his rider even as he held perfectly still to allow His to scrub him wherever he pleased. It gave K'lar great pleasure to clean him so, and though it was slightly chilly, the man had reassured him that the activity would warm him up in no time.

Later, the blue mused, he would gently push his rider into socializing with his fellow wingriders. K'lar often grew anxious about such things, but Mnereth knew that, ultimately, it would be good for him.

"I swear, there is more of your hide every time I do this!" The bluerider puffed, grateful that it was midday and there was very little chance that anyone would see him like this. Still, despite his complaints, K'lar was in high spirits. Naturally, Mnereth was one of the most beautiful blues there was, but after a good scrub like this? He absolutely shone. "There," He said with deep tones of satisfaction, "I think we're finished. What do you say to that?"

I like the ripples of the water. Mnereth said simply, having gotten distracted by the way it shimmered in the sunlight. But something drew his attention, and he lifted his head even as K'lar snorted with affection about his whimsical ways. Someone comes.

"What?" The man yelped, scrambling to make his wet hair look SOMEWHAT presentable. "Who?!" He knew this river was close enough to the Weyr that other riders would use it, but blast it all!

I don't know. Mnereth knew it was not a fellow dragonrider.... and that only piqued his curiosity.

houllow

a garbage starter 4 u.

 

[houllow]

He shouldn't have been sneaking out, and if the Candidatemaster or anyone else knew for that matter he;d be flayed alive, but Renose simply did not care. He'd been trapped (his words and thoughts) in a pace full of the sick and dying (not as often as before, okay) and by Faranth he wanted out. What exactly he would do once he was out would happen when it happened, and to be quite honest Renose didn't even think his scheme would work.

A scheme, of course, of simply walking out.

It worked ridiculously well and Renose had half a mind to tell everyone that it was super easy to depart the Weyr while it was under quarantine, but then tattling would ruin his chances of future escaping escapades. The candidate was about to congratulate himself (again) for puling this off when someone came into view. Two someones to be more exact, and one of them was massive. The other was a dragon, but that was beside the point. Renose needed to play it cool, so very cool, if he didn't want to find himself on the bad end of punishment.

Casually walking up and shooting the rider-dragon pair a smile, the teen stretched his arms above his head. "Wasn't expecting there to be anyone out here. Looks like my plans for skinny dipping today need to be put off."

Nailed it.

Tsunake

i can never apologize enough for renose

 

[Tsunake]

A candidate? K'lar knew for absolute certain that they didn't have free time until much later in the evening--and the confident, casual demeanor of the boy said that he didn't much care that he'd been caught. The mention of skinny dipping was enough to make K'lar flush with embarrassment. How impudent! "What are you doing out here?!" The older man sputtered, drawing himself up to his full height to glower imposingly.

Mnereth was more curious, lowering his head to investigate the candidate with interest. To bathe. He offered, feeling faint flickers of amusement when K'lar sent him a wordless thought of disgust in return. He should be attending lessons!

"Well?" The thin man folded his arms tightly across his chest, wondering if he should just have Mnereth scoop the boy up and take him back to the Weyr. The blue was delicately sniffing Renose, and, with an air of satisfaction, rumbled a pleasant greeting to the boy. Don't you dare encourage him!

Mnereth paid no mind to his rider's snappishness, knowing that K'lar was anxious. It often happened.

houllow

I love him, oh no.

 

[houllow]

Oh no. Oh no oh no. Renose looked at the man and studied his reactions, the expression on his face growing wider with delight.

This was going to be fun.

"I think I already said I was out here to skinny dip? I mean, I'm not one for getting naked in front of others if it's just me, but - " Renose chuckled a little bit at the puffs and rumbles from the blue dragon, his eyes crinkling with joy. He liked dragons quite a bit, and liked them even more when they were welcoming and affectionate. "Or wait, where you out here to swim? If that's the case, don't mind me. Go ahead and get stripping, I promise I'll even look away."

This man - a wingrider like basically everyone else in the Weyr - was clearly older than Renose and likely going to have the teen flayed alive if and when either one made it back. Perhaps it would be in Renose's best interests not to give his name, and then later shave his head and pretend he knew nothing of this encounter.

...except Renose liked his hair and changing his appearance would be tiresome.

"Well?" Now it was his turn to return the words, the impish grin still remaining on his face.

Tsunake

I AM NOT SORRY

 

[Tsunake]

"You thought you could just show up and skinny dip instead of attending to you chores?" The man said, both incredulous and exasperated at once. And why was he grinning like a wherry, anyway? Did he not realize that K'lar, if he wanted, could make his life very miserable indeed? His lips pursued for a moment as he prepared to tell the young fool that it was none of his business what he was doing out here, and he could--

What? Stripping? Him? The prim man went almost purple when he realized what had been said, struggling to find his tongue for a moment.

Mnereth, however, swung his great head to the side, considering the notion as he fixed one green eye upon his sputtering rider. The water would be cold, but it might be good for you.

"No!" K'lar managed to finally hiss, his cheeks quite red. "Absolutely not! What is the matter with you?!" Shards and shells, did this boy have no shame? As though K'lar would even consider doing such a thing in front of anyone, especially a complete stranger!

houllow

in which K'lar has an aneurysm.

 

[houllow]

It was taking absolutely every ounce of self-control for Renose not to burst out laughing. He felt his teeth bite the inside of his cheek to help keep a straight face, but he was certain his expression was giving him away. "We-well, if you're not going to, then - " His voice was trembling as he spoke, and he really hoped the man wasn't interpreting it as fear or nerves from his outburst. "I...I suppose I'll just go ahead and not worry about what you're thinking."

The teen wasn't shy, but he wasn't exactly an exhibitionist either. He was a born and bred weyrbrat, meaning modesty was a luxury he couldn't afford, and so he slowly started to shrug off his shirt. "What about you, Mr. Dragon? You up for a swim with a stranger?"

Tsunake

renose is D Y I N G

 

[Tsunake]

Alarm surged in K'lar as he realized what the young man intended, and he surged forward. "No, no, no!" He blustered, flapping his arms furiously as though that would somehow dissuade the fool. "You can't just--it's freezing! You'll catch a chill!"

Mnereth's eyes were whirling with amusement as he watched the pair, considering. I bathed. I will swim again. He spoke to the boy directly, keeping his speech short and direct as usual.

"You will not!" K'lar whipped around to glare fiercely at the blue dragon, who reached out to lovingly nudge at his chest. "Both of you! You," He paused to point at Renose, "Are heading back to the Weyr for your chores! And you are taking us there!" A finger jabbed in Mnereth's direction.

The dragon rumbled quietly, looking as though he was considering it... much to K'lar's annoyance.

houllow

Bless him, he could not have found a better man to fluster.

 

[houllow]

It was too late, and Renose already had his jacket off and his shirt over his head. The cold air bit at his skin, instantly causing gooseflesh, but he was making a point and so he had no time for knowing he was freezing. "Pardon? My shirt was over my ears, so if you said anything I didn't hear you."

He'd heard him, but he was ignoring the man in favor of having had the dragon speak directly to him. Always a wonderful experience, really. The shirt that was hanging on the ends of his arms was quickly discarded to the floor, and the teen sat down to start to pull his shoes off. It wasn't as cold as he originally though (it was worse) but Shard it he'd started and now he was going to finish.

"Last chance to join in?"

Tsunake

s o r r y

 

[Tsunake]

Internally, the dragonrider was making sounds like a dying animal. Why? Why was he always to be cursed with idiots? Mnereth got to his feet ponderously, and the broad-shouldered blue stepped back into the water... but not before playfully using his nose to flip some water at K'lar. The man screeched and avoided the splash, huffing and puffing.

"Faranth take both of you!" He blustered, though despite his temper, there wasn't any real rage. "You'll end up coming down with the flu, and mark my words, you'll regret it then!" He warned Renose. But... with Mnereth insisting on lingering, it wasn't as though he was going to walk back to High Reaches!

Dratted dragon. Dratted candidate. Drat it all.

houllow

 

[houllow]

Smartly deciding to keep his pants on, as he really didn't want to be completely naked in front of a stranger, Renose took a deep breath before plowing into the river himself. The water was freezing and boy it hurt like no tomorrow, but he had a point to make and thus he was not going to back down. It felt a little better once he'd been in for a moment, and with the blue dragon at his side it made it all worth while. Renose had won whatever little dare he'd had with himself and that was all that matters.

"I already had the flu, and you can't catch the same cold twice." Maybe. Renose sure as shells wasn't a healer so what did he know? He knew enough that even with everyone around him dropping like stones he merely had a sniffle. The candidate was far too strong for something as simple as a cold. He was Renose, after all, not just some common candidate. "Plus it actually feels good once you get used to it. The Weyr was really dirty with all those people being sick, and this feels like a good way to get the blood going."

Renose was lying out his butt, he was flipping freezing.

There was a dragon here though and he couldn't look weak in front of him. "How's the water for you? Feels nice?"

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

He is cold. Mnereth informed his rider privately, and though he seemed to be off in his own world, he was making sure to pay attention. Human skin was much thinner than dragon hide, after all, and he knew they could succumb quite quickly to changes in temperature. K'lar's mouth tightened, but he gave nothing away. Let the brat suffer for a moment or two more.

"Oh, have you? I'm sure you were a delightful patient." He sneered, squinting as the boy proceeded to act so flippantly. "I'm sure you do need a bath, though."

Do not tease long. Mnereth rebuked his rider gently before answering the boy. It feels nice. He agreed, reaching out to gently nose at Renose.

I'll stop once he admits that he's freezing his fool hide off. He thought sourly.

houllow

 

[houllow]

Renose raised an eyebrow at the man's comment. "I actually probably did. A lot of the candidates got hit hard with this flu, and then there were all the riders out, so whomever wasn't dying had to work hard. Not sure I had time to do much other than work and eat. Maybe sleep on my feet a few times, like a herdbeast." The teen shivered a little, though he dunked himself down in an effort to hide it. The water wasn't as cold as it was before, but maybe that was because he was getting used to it. Or going numb.

Same difference.

The nose of the dragon was met with a hesitant touch, not because Renose was afraid but because he didn't exactly...feel like moving. It was really cold, this was really ridiculous, and maybe if he swam around a bit he'd warm up. Thankfully the water was clear and he could see that his toes were the same color as before, his pants were keeping his legs somewhat warm, and he stretched his arms over his head. "Also, yanno, I'm not a bad guy. You're the one who immediately jumped to extremes, even if I was sorta the one interrupting you." He lowered his arms back down. "I just...wanted out of there."

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

"Why did you want out?" K'lar chose to answer that instead, already feeling himself bristle when he was told he jumped to extremes. Had he? Of course. A candidate leaving the Weyr? He'd only gone wandering on his time off! With a sigh, he relented, and Mnereth gently pushed his head up and under the boy, lifting him out of the water. No need for him to be cold any longer.

The older man sighed with exasperation, rubbing his temples. "You know the rules by now. And once you have a dragon, that doesn't make them easier at all. Especially if you don't Impress a bronze here..." K'lar never minded that fact. He was never meant to be a bronzerider, and Mnereth was the most perfect creature that had ever graced Pern.

But a boy like Renose.... What would happen if he Impressed a green? Would his personality be crushed? K'lar felt his lips pursing at the thought, exhaling roughly. IT wasn't fair, but he'd never questioned the hierarchy.

houllow

 

[houllow]

Renose let out a rather undignified noise as he was lifted, his arms gripping and his legs flailing just a faint bit. The sudden bite of the cold air had his whole body tremble, but he ignored it away in favor of trying to answer the man. "Well wouldn't you?" The teen raised one of his eyebrows at the question. "You just said it yourself, that place is downright awful and yeah, when you get a dragon it doesn't get easier."

A faint tap on the blue's nose, of appreciation and also a sign to please let him down, was given as Renose continued talking. "And who cares what the color of the hide of my dragon is, if I ever Impress? They'l be my lifemate and the opinions and actions of everyone else don't matter. They chose me and so the only opinion that matters to me is theirs." A smirk followed the end of that sentence. "Besides, you don't regret Impressing this beautiful blue, do you? Do you care about what other people think over him, or would you tell them to shove a glow up their -hoaoaaa." His grip sliding, Renose nearly fell as he couldn't finish his sentence.

He really, really didn't want to fall into the water again as it was cold and shallow.

Tsunake

 

[Tsunake]

"Awful?" Now his eyebrows raised. "I never said that. The rules are in place for a reason. The hierarchy is in place for a reason. My point was that bronzeriders can get a little more slack. Why do you think we fared so well against Thread? Because of the rules, and the diligence we put into following them." K'lar sighed exasperatedly when the boy went on about Impressing his own dragon, watching as Mnereth obliged... and let Renose roll off onto the ground, however gracefully.

He'd been bullied and disliked from the start, twitching with irritation at the reminder. Impressing Mnereth hadn't changed that--it just meant that he had someone who would never, ever leave his side. "Don't be a wherry. I was never meant to be a leader and am quite happy with that! I certainly didn't care about the color of its hide. And I've never given people a reason to say anything about Mnereth or myself."

It would not bother me. Mnereth added, as calm and collected as ever.

"Listen--what is your name, anyway? The point I'm trying to make is, we've worked very hard and earned our place. No one has anything bad to say about us because we don't give them a reason to. High Reaches is our home." The blue rumbled his agreement, his eyes whirling slowly with contentment.

houllow