Late [Sketchy]

[Sketchy]

"That's just because I'm good at hiding how tired I am," he joked. "But you do get used to it," D'cien agreed, shrugging a little.

"That's the best thing. It takes a while to settle into a good routine with your dragonet, figuring out what needs to be done and all." Threading his fingers through his hair, he pushed it back from his face, watching Reir absently, eyes flicking to Hiarth, his klah, and her, at random moments.

"It'll be good for you. You'll make friends and meet lots of new people. Coming to the weyr usually helps diversify what you already know." He grinned. "I've made loads of new interesting memories here, not all of them showing how wonderful weyr life is. Like cleaning the kitchens." He waved his hand. "That was the favored punishment for me, since I could reach inside the big pots to clean them."

[cetas]

“Perhaps then I should sleep enough for the both of us, or is that too mean?” Reir joked, a little absently minded, if no one knew better they may have believed that she genuinely thought that was legitimately possible. In reality she just wanted to help, if only it actually was possible.

“We shall have to see on that though – about friends and what not. I struggled to get into the swing of things when I was here last. The other candidates seemed like nice enough people but some of them seemed to have little time for keeping new friends. The others… I can’t say we really gelled. But of course, that does not necessarily dictate the future.”

A little crestfallen now, Reir broke her line of sight to look elsewhere, nowhere in particular, anywhere was fine - she just did not want D’cien to see her upset. Yet she couldn’t help but feel she was just being silly – yes, her past experiences were a little tough on the shoulders but she had a great friend in Inaise already, and now she was even establishing a connection with a bluerider.

[Sketchy]

"You should. Hiarth is all about getting his own sleep, but my sleep is by far secondary," D'cien joked in return.

"Weyr life is very different. It can take a while to get used to," he commiserated. It hadn't been as hard for him- not with his mother telling him about it as he'd grown up. He'd been fascinated by it long before he'd finally been searched. Even now it was something that he loved- the weyr was home, through and through.

"Of course not, I'm sure it'll be better this time around. And you've already got Hiarth on your side. Anyone who feeds him is good in his mind."

In his glancing around, D'cien was surprised to see someone who looked slightly familiar. Frowning a little, he watched as she got closer, hazel eyes narrowed as he tried to remember where he'd seen her from.

"Inaise?" A quiet whisper was all that D'cien did, still blending in the crowd enough that he hadn't been noticed. Hiarth raised his head to look over her, recognizing her from his bonded's memories.

[cetas]

“Hiarth is a dragon who seems to know what he wants, and that is not a bad thing.” Reir mentioned sternly, raising the now almost empty glass of klah in the blue’s general direction, although unsure if he was paying more attention to them or the passing fire lizard’s. “Well thank you for being on ‘my side’, if that’s what you say.”

Glancing back at D’cien, his attention now appeared to have been divided. His whisper was soft, not intending it for the ears of another. However Reir believed that she recognised the name…

Looking in the general direction of D’cien’s eyesight things were now starting to fall in place. She remembered Inaise mentioning knowing a set of twins, and D’cien mentioned a brother but there was no reason to make the connection – there must have been countless brothers and even twins in the weyr. Rubbing her temples, Reir was amused by this latest development.

“So she is finally hungry enough to make her way here.”

[Sketchy]

"Hiarth always knows what he wants," D'cien replied dryly. "Food," he reassured her with a grin. Hiarth snorted and lifted his head, looking in the direction that D'cien was. His eyes turned a lighter blue, curious as he watched the crowd sift and move, catching glimpses of the woman D'cien was watching.

"You know her?" Eyes still on Inaise, who was stopping to say a hello here and there whilst she grabbed food, D'cien turned his attention back to Reir, hazel eyes contemplating.

Inaise finally finished, and turned, catching sight of Reir, as well as Hiarth, though she had yet to recognize D'cien. "Sorry I'm late," she sighed, setting her tray down beside D'cien with a grunt. "I had to redo my mopping chore."

When she was finally settled, she took a moment to turn, finding a surprisingly familiar face. "D'cien?"

The reaction was a blur of excited exclamations and questions, flooding as the pair realized that they did in fact, know each other. After it calmed down, Hiarth getting up to butt his head at Reir's shoulder, D'cien grinned. "I've known her since she couldn't even walk," he joked.

Inaise blushed. "He hasn't known me that long, he's not that much older than me."

D'cien waved his hand at her. "So you're both candidates together, that's great." Hiarth snorted again, demanding attention as he huffed from the other side of the table. "Oh, Inaise. This is my dragon, Hiarth." He admitted a bit of pride made it into the statement as he looked over his dragon, the fond look still in his eyes as they slid from Hiarth over to Reir.

[cetas]

Before she knew it, Hiarth was thrusting his face into her shoulder. It was surprisingly forceful, dragons were strong creatures yet the strength to which the blue had used was much unanticipated, but not necessarily unwelcome.

At this point D’cien and Inaise were catching up, reminiscing about calmer days it seemed. Perhaps this is why Hiarth had demanded her attention, to let the two do so… or perhaps he just wanted some affection, she wasn’t entirely sure which, it was difficult to gauge with dragons so far.

This wasn’t to say she wasn’t paying any attention to the two, something about why Inaise was late, and something about how older D’cien actually was than Inaise. Reir did not want to eavesdrop on their conversation, not wanting to interrupt them or pry into details she did not need to know. However they were not speaking in such a manner to not include her entirely. Right now she would focus her energies on the bouncy blue now sitting beside her, she had not stopped smiling in a while now, so things must be going right.

[Sketchy]

Seeming to gather his thoughts, D'cien blushed a little. "I didn't mean to forget you, Reir. It was just so-" Inaise cut him off "Unexpected?"

D'cien shrugged and grinned at Hiarth. "Hiarth was keeping you company, I see."

Inaise observed first Hiarth, then Reir. "Ironic that you found the people I know before I did," she joked, pushing her hair behind her ear. "He being nice to you?"

D'cien rolled his eyes. "I'm always nice," he retorted. Picking up his tray, he glanced at Hiarth. "But I should get going. Hiarth needs a bath before bed tonight. So," he looked at Inaise, "we can catch up later. And as for you," he turned his hazel eyes to Reir, "it was great meeting you. I'm sure I'll be seeing both of you more, and if you wanna find me, just ask around the weyrlings. We usually know where the other is."

And with that, he fluffed Inaise's hair and picked up his tray, leaving the pitcher of klah behind.

Inaise watched him go, her lips quirked in a half smile. "That was eventful." Hiarth reluctantly dragged himself off Reir, giving her one more fond bump before tottering after D'cien.

[cetas]

Reir had become rather startled by the use of her name, firmly placing her back into conversing with the other two at the table. “Oh, I actually did not think you had forgotten me.” She uttered, with a look of slight confusion. “I couldn’t help but look at Hiarth anyway; I’ve never seen a dragon so close who was actually paying attention to me.”

Turning to Inaise, she found herself recalling their conversation about the twins whilst they explored the barracks. Despite the sheer scale of the weyr, the odds of actually bumping into D’cien of all people were so slight that the actuality of it was hilarious. “I know, who would have thought it was as easy as walking in here and getting tripped up.” Reir couldn’t help but give D’cien a faint smile as she replied to her. Inaise did not know that story… yet. “Yes, he is being very sweet.”

For now the night was beginning to darken, and the food that was once on the tables had now either been consumed, or only scraps were remaining. The noise was quieting, and D’cien was now off. The mental image of Hiarth taking a bath was an interesting one indeed. “Well it was nice seeing both you and Hiarth; it was fun to meet someone I could joke around with.”

Once it was just the two girls remaining, Reir confidently poured a second cup of klah from the pitcher. “Yes, it certainly was.”

[Sketchy]

D'cien grinned in return. "Laughter makes life all that much better," he replied, before whisking away with Hiarth.

Inaise set her cup down and grabbed the klah after Reir was done. Blue eyes followed Hiarth until she could no longer see the dragon. Finally, her attention returned fully to Reir. "Imagine that, he Impressed." She picked up a piece of bread to nibble on thoughtfully. "I know he didn't Impress the first time he stood; that was really the only news we got back home from his parents. Other than that, though, I didn't hear much."

She fiddled with her cup absently, finally looking back up to Reir. "You were all right here, then? Without me? I know we agreed to meet earlier, I just got held up by chores." She made a face. She didn't mind chores. But she didn't seem to be very good at them; too busy daydreaming or something like that.

[cetas]

Following Inaise’s example, Reir also took a slice of bread but instead of eating it she just held it somewhat absent-mindedly. She had eaten a little bit, and could afford to do so some more but the meeting with D’cien and Hiarth had given her butterflies in her stomach.

One thing was certain, she liked the quietness of the atmosphere better than the booming hustle of the dining room when it was packed to a higher degree. Pondering on Inaise’s initial comment, she tilted her head in confusion. “I guess this was a scenario where hearing nothing actually meant good things.”

Finally taking the time to take a bite from the bread, Reir found herself amused once again, Inaise probably didn’t realise it but she looked rather timid fiddling with her cup. “Don’t worry about it. Chores, eh? You’re actually pretty late even when taking that into account – what chores were they actually making you do?” Despite her surprise, Reir tended to poorly allocate time to chores as well. It was actually more surprising she was here on time – and Inaise was the late one. Reir couldn’t control herself, and broke out in laughter whilst covering her mouth in modesty.