Eating Alone is Lonely

[kaemi]

“Why are you so... depressing and mean?” Kalindan asked bluntly. He wasn't one for beating around the bush, especially not with random blueriders that responded with scathing comments when he did try. He liked the guy well enough, and they ran across one another often in the Records Room, but any time they tried that whole 'talking' concept... Well, about halfway into any semi-decent conversation, they would broach a topic on a slightly more personal level, and the rider would completely shut down and make some random, overly-sarcastic comment. Now, he assumed that it was a defense mechanism, but still. A little much, don't you think?

The rider looked up at him, meeting his eyes and raising his brows. “Oh, Faranth, it's the 'L'res' look again,” Kalin intoned with a groan. “You do realize that you look like you have serious indigestion when you give that look, right?” The words wiped the look right off of L'res' face, and it was quickly replaced with a wide grin.

“Alright, alright,” he replied, still grinning. “I am not depressing and mean though, thank you kindly.” If his Evanoth had been awake, he probably would have had something to say about those words, but that was alright. He wasn't. L'res shrugged, in reply to Kalindan's eye roll. “I don't know what you're talking about, not about the depressing and mean, or the 'look'. It's utterly absurd for you to accuse me of such baseless things.” The grin was still largely on his face, but he continued. “I cannot even fathom why you would accuse me...” he stopped, as the amused look had left Kalin's face now. “What?”

Merely giving him a blank stare, the candidate waited for him to come to his own conclusion. When it became obvious that the rider was doing no such thing, Kalindan huffed. “You did it again, you know. Went all- I'm superior than you because I know bigger words. I do know what all those words mean, but I certainly wouldn't use them in normal conversation.” It was L'res' turn to give a blank stare. “Because-” Kalin stressed the word, as if he had actually been asked the question he knew was on his companion's mind -”there are plenty of other, more common, synonyms.”

It was obvious that L'res didn't see the point, but he nodded and only rolled his eyes at the much younger Kalindan when he wasn't looking. It earned him a wide grin from the candidate, who decided that it would be a good time to leave, now. Before he admitted to having seen the eye roll and started an argument, which could lead in the destruction of the Records. Which would be bad. Waving, the candidate left, leaving L'res alone in the Records Room.

He was quite alright with being alone, especially with his immense Records before him. Rifling (gently) through those that he had before him, L'res waited and read, hoping for either A. some new piece of knowledge to jump up at him (unlikely. Not the new piece of knowledge part, but rather the jumping) or B. Evanoth to awaken so that he would have an excuse to leave. Other, of course, than wing drills. After a few minutes, however, the bluerider began to feel the rumblings of hunger. Giving in, as he didn't want to be too disappointed with the lack of jumping, L'res stood and made his way to the Weyrhall.

It wasn't long before he had food and was sitting down, by himself, at a table. Wherry meat and klah to drink... delicious. Oh, with a sweet roll on the side.

[firethorne]

An audible groan could be heard as the tall bluerider slowly sat down on his bed, his body protesting as he bent over to remove his boots. Whoo, shards and shells, Reinth, D’seus just ain’t kiddin’ around anymore, is he? Grunting with the effort, H’seo jerked both shoes off clumsily, flopping backwards on his bed when he was done. Shadow Wing drills had been absolutely merciless that day, and despite the coolness of the autumn air, every rider and dragon were panting when the end was finally called. As beat as he was, the wingrider was also absolutely starving, and thoughtfully weighed the two in his mind. Eat, or sleep? His stomach giving a loud, raucous grumble at the thought of food, H’seo’s decision was made for him.

Drills were…most challenging. His blue agreed, having not moved since finally flopping out on his ledge. Reinth was one of the hardest working dragons in the world, but even he was utterly worn out after today’s strenuous practice.

Wincing with sympathy at the exhaustion that laced through his dragon’s mindvoice, the bluerider hauled himself up and strode back to his bathing room, intent on washing the sweat off him so he could relax and have a good, comfortable dinner. Keeping his thoughts quiet and to himself so Reinth could get some much-needed rest, H’seo went over the drills once more in his mind, knowing something was off. Shadow Wing was always pushed for perfection, but lately D’seus had been a man possessed, demanding more out of them than ever. He had to believe Thread was returning soon; it was the only explanation for his sudden vigor.

After cleaning up and tugging on some comfortable clothing, the wingrider slipped past his sleeping blue on silent feet, content to let Reinth doze. The poor boy was worn out, and he deserved to take it easy. Making quick work of the massive weyr steps, the obnoxiously-tall man entered the cool weyrhall and grinned, his stomach once more announcing how empty it felt. Grabbing a rather large, hearty portion, including two fruitrolls for dessert, the Shadowrider turned, grey eyes scanning the weyrhall. Spotting another bluerider sitting alone, he grinned and made his way over, balancing his hefty amount of food deftly. “Howdy, L’res.” H’seo drawled amiably, parking his rear across from the Illume rider. “How are you and Evanoth doin’?”

[kaemi]

One may say that L'res wasn't the most friendly person in the Weyr, and that was certainly the case. However, when he recognized that bluerider that came and sat across from him, he offered a smile. He liked H'seo well enough, and appreciated his work ethic to a degree that he tried very hard to curb his tongue when they were around one another. It didn't always work well: case in point, the way he had acted around Kalindan. He liked the boy as well, but he and sarcasm had a close and loving relationship which wasn't often disturbed. Oh, and then there was the fact that the genial rider occasionally got on his nerves with his large smiles. That was besides the point.

Still. "H'seo," he said with a nod. "We're doing well. How are you and Reinth?" Evanoth liked his fellow blue a good deal, but then, he liked just about everyone, especially when their riders tried to engage in conversation. Shaking his head briefly, L'res looked back up at the bluerider.

“Drills were today, were they not? Did D'seus run you lot into the ground?” The Shadow wingleader had a reputation for being brutal at wingdrills. A'lez was hard, as well, but he tended to be more laid-back. What with the idea that Thread was coming back, most everyone at the Weyr was cracking down, but not many so hard as D'seus. However it turned out, L'res had no doubt that both wings would be well-prepared for Thread. Between the two wingleaders, and then R'kon and Y'ry, their other two bronzers, it would be interesting to see who would win Aeriath's Flight and become the next Weyrleader.

Maybe it was wing-pride, but L'res had his bets on A'lez, quite literally. He'd placed his 1/8 mark that morning with one of the lower caverns worker. He just hoped that none of the bronzeriders or their Weyrwoman (particularly Weyrwoman Raelwyn, actually) found out about the betting. It could be... less than desirable if it upset their proddy queen with the amusement of a few weyrfolk.

[firethorne]

Settling his tall frame, the bluerider tucked into his food as L’res returned his greeting, a little more formal than H’seo. Naturally, he had rather expected it from the other man, however, having gotten used to his distant manner. Grinning, the wingrider shrugged, pulling off some of his roll. “Aww, you know us, same as ever. Doin’ good, just living life.” He drawled amiably, swallowing the bread quickly. After those demanding maneuvers D’seus had put them through, he was utterly famished! Cringing slightly as the other bluerider mentioned drills, H’seo raised his eyes toward the cavernous ceiling of the weyrhall, shaking his head.

“Yep, they were.” The shadowrider drawled slowly, giving the other man a pointed look. “I ain’t sure what’s crawled up D’seus backside, but it sure has him riled up.” Chuckling, H’seo grabbed a few more bites of food before continuing. “Course I know what it is, though.” Eyes growing serious for a moment, the bluerider’s mind wandered to the reported signs that Thread was going to return soon, knowing as well as the rest of Shadow Wing just what was causing their wingleader to push them so hard. Having never met the deadly menace, they would need every ounce of practice and cunning they could marshal once it began to fall. Although, it wasn’t going to do anybody any good if he killed them all before it fell! And at the rate he was going, D’seus was likely to do just that.

Acquiring a rather wicked gleam in his eye, the tall rider suddenly leaned forward slightly, whispering conspiratorially. “Or, between you an’ me, I’m startin’ to think he’s just practicing for Aeriath’s Flight.” H’seo got a kick out of that, chuckling as he straightened and returned to his food. L’res wasn’t the most jovial fellow in the weyr, but even he should get a bit of amusement from that thought. After all, it was all over Refuge how the queen was beginning to glow, her hide gleaming with an iridescence that hadn’t been seen in three turns. It would do them good to see a clutch on the sands again. “Be careful, A’lez might start runnin’ Illume into the ground too when he finds out.”

Quirking a brow, H’seo studied the other bluerider for a moment, then lowered his voice noticeably. “Personally, I’m just glad the gold is finally going up, regardless of who catches her. We need the dragons.” Uncharacteristically serious, the rider was silent for a few heartbeats before he grinned again. “Course, then there’s also the betting on the next Weyrleader, but you and I, we’re too upstanding to do such things, ain’t we?” He drawled. Smirking, H’seo figured L’res probably had his marks laid down, just as he had put his own on D’seus a couple of days ago. Their wingleader pushed them hard, no doubts there, but he was a brilliant rider, and Zorometh was a powerhouse in the air. He had his bets on the Weyrleader, too.

[kaemi]

The drawl was a little... much, to say the least, but L'res was used to it by now. He had stopped attempting to correct H'seo's speech awhile back, when he realized that it was useless. “That's great,” the bluerider responded, not bothering to continue that part of the conversation any longer. Beginning to eat his own food, knowing that he should probably eat a hearty meal before Evanoth woke up, and before the inevitable wing drills that A'lez would put them through later. Cutting through the wherry meat, he savored the flavor for a moment before looking back up at his fellow bluerider companion.

That was certainly true enough. Most of the bronzeriders were starting to act as such, and L'res wasn't surprised that H'seo thought D'seus the same way. “They all are, I do believe. She'll be going up soon, and none of the bronzes have had such excitement since the last one.” With the drastic lack of queens that were left on Pern... the bronzes didn't often have such fun competition as gold Flights, like they may have if there were a few more. Because if there were more then there would be more gold Flights, and more clutches, with more gold eggs with more gold Flights. So the bronzes would have more fun. Obviously. Realizing that he was going in circles in his thoughts, L'res shook his head minutely and focused back on H'seo.

More dragons, yes. Those would be needed, if the rumors were true. Which they usually are. And even this rumor had made its way around and confronted L'res and his awkward ways. He was a little unsure on timetables, but it was safe to say that Thread would be coming soon enough, and those who weren't prepared would be lost to between. Another viable reason for D'seus and A'lez working them so sharding hard.

The bluerider wasn't entirely sure what about this could have his companion grinning... although, really, he shouldn't be surprised... but as soon as he tried to puzzle out a reason, H'seo spoke. It drew a corner of L'res' mouth up, and he was quick to reassure. “Upstanding. Yes. That is for lower caverns workers, and drudges, and the like. We are dragonriders,” he said with a nod. H'seo being who he was, had probably put down his own marks for D'seus. Both bronzers were great in the sky, but it was all up to the dragons. In his own mind, it was Nienoth's turn to show his prowess in the skies, the talent and skill that all the illume wingriders knew was there.