Beach

An eerie mirror, the glass-quiet Sea of Azov: the clear waters stretch along the dark-pebbled shores, and along this narrow beach. Here the faintest lap of waves belies the calm beyond; here the rocks have been ground down into finest, softest sand - those observant would mark upon the similarity between it and the sands of the hatching grounds. The soft sand soaks up summer sunlight as a sponge; painfully hot during the warmer months, it is only truly pleasant at wintertime. Rocks rise to east and west, lichen-limned and green against the abyssal darkness of stone.

This is clearly a lovely time to not be in an unventilated stone house. The humid is at least nicer than earlier today, and as the moon dapples the beach, the bondfire is lit, the boardwalk is still busy with last-minute cusstomers. Out on the sand of the beach itself, a sharp blue form lays streached out, wings open to catch the cooler air coming in off of the sea, and sitting between his forelegs is a familure red head with a keg of wine.

Taliveth's gotten quite good with his D'ex-radar. These days he can usually make fairly accurate predictions as to the bluerider's location. This may come from all the STALKING that the brown has done, carefully learning D'ex's schedule. Because that's just what you do when you like someone, right?! And here he comes, the rusted relic of a dragon galloping awkwardly down the beach, leaving footprints in the sand. « ZYNTH! HI ZYNTH! Zynth I missed you! I missed D'ex! I haven't seen him since this morning! » A'ndi meanders along after him at an easier pace, carrying a couple paper bags with sammiches. When he's within distance, the brownrider just chucks one of the bags at D'ex HERE CATCH ahahahaha :D

Well, D'ex does have a very predictable schedule. He is a creature of habit. Besides, a giant brown might be hard to miss if D'ex wasn't getting so damn good at ignoring him. Zynth, however, does see the use in Taliveth and as the starts touch snow, the blue's head rises and turns toward his brother, « Good evening Taliveth. Thank you for missing us. We had early sweeps today and wanted to visit the eggs. » You know, in case Tali's stalking needed help with the shift in today's schedule. D'ex sits up in time for the bag to be caught, but not gracefully. "Oooo, is it ham and cheese?" An extra wooden cup sits beside the keg of win and this is scooped up and tossed toward A'ndi. CATCH BACK! "Red wine is only the sort of thing that needs to be eaten with Ham and Cheese. Not white."

Taliveth's gallop slows to a weirdly crooked trot, and then to his usual trompy-stompy walk as he approaches his brother. A smushy nose is extended towards the blue's sharp face, eyes whirling gleefully. « How are the eggies? Do you think the babies will come out and say GOOD MORNING soon? Can I take them home? » There's a sense that he already knows the answer deep in his heart, but it never hurts to ask. Zynth is smart. A'ndi catches the cup with relative ease, having the advantage of seeing it coming. "Ham and cheese. The last one. I took the wherry." He plops himself right down nearby, moving with a comfortable familiarity that comes with the acceptance that they do, in fact, seem to be friends. "There's wine pairing for sandwiches? You're shittin' me. Just drink whatever." sorry, he's an uncultured swine

"Of course this is a wine pairing for sandwiches! This is the good stuff! Ista-brewed and everything, you have to do it right." As he speaks, he sits up, starting to unwrap the sandwich. "But if you don't want any, I did bring a wheat beer or two for your regrettable pallat." The blue moves his head a tab bit closer, the pointed nose booping the squishy one lightly, « Perhaps in a few sevens. So, not so soon. But I do not think you can take any of them home. » Zynth knows that Tali probebly knows this, but it's all part of the game, right? He can humor his brother, « They harden as we speak. They are well. » Eggs were not the blue's fortay, but he liked them in a curious, semi-possessive sort of way. They were the future and he liked the idea of having the Future in control.

[OOC:] A'ndi says "lol future minions"
[OOC:] D'ex says "pretty much"

"Oh, like you're so fucking sophisticated," A'ndi replies with an eyeroll as he too unwraps his sammich. They're nice sandwiches! Bought rather than made at home. The fancy bread is a give away. "But fine. Sure. I'll try some." The cup is presented. "So. How was work? Anybody do stupid shit today?" The bluerider may have noticed over the course of their acquaintance that A'ndi does enjoy hearing about the follies and failures of their fellow riders and humans in general, usually followed up with a good dose of mockery. Taliveth's nose moves on, poking around at one of Zynth's wings. « I guess we came from eggies like that, huh? A'ndi says mine looked like a KITTY. » Then he's off, moving towards the water, glancing back expectantly at the vivid blue.

« I do not remember being an Egg, but I suppose it is true. I was … . I don't know. » Zynth never inquired about his egg, it didn't matter to him. However, as the brown moves off, he will slowly stand, giving D'ex the time to stand and get out of the way, before following. "Yes!" The cup is taken and the nice red wine tipped into it. "Some jackass on watch thought it would be a clever idea to start a conversation on sweeps and we didn't get our corrdinates til late. Not only did we show up in the wrong place at first, but no one bothered to tell us until the wing assigned to upper Southern Barrier showed up! Seriously?! Lynx needs a new wing-second, the guy doesn't pay attention to what he ought to be paying attention to! Not only that, but some green in Lepord decided it was a great time to go up. Of all the unreasonable times! So Zynth and I cut out early to go look at the eggs." The wine is passed back and D'ex again settles into the sand again, "Also, I met your wingleader and I don't like him."

Taliveth runslides into the water, creating a series of waves and shoving some nighttime swimmers (skinny dippers?) off to the side. wheeeee! And thus begins the brown's joyful singing, just belting it out to the sky. A serenade for his favorite blue. A'ndi sniffs at the wine, makes a face, but sips on it anyway. The sandwich is nommed upon as D'ex tell his tale of workplace stupidity, and A'ndi makes all the appropriate faces of commiseration. "Some people don't understand that work is work. Not a fucking party." At that last, the brownrider raises an eyebrow and quirks the slightest half-smile. "That seems to be the general consensus about K'vvan. But as weird as a green Wingleader is… he's good at his job. It takes some serious balls to lead a high flight wing." The front line 'cannon fodder,' facing Thread head on. "What'd he do to you?" Because surely K'vv did something.

"He flipped me off and called me lots of names." Of course, D'ex flipped him off first and was also calling names, so perhaps that didn't count for much? "He's a weird guy." A bite of his own sandwhich and eyes turn toward the water and the brown, "Dude, is your dragon dying? Also, tell him he needs to stop with the stalking, if he wants to know where we are, he can just ask Zynth." D'ex was good at ignoring, but he did notice. Zynth himself will not comment on the singing, but flutters up a few yards before cutting down into the water near the brown. The blue's smaller size does allow for less of a disruption to the water, but still, those skinny dippers might be having a less fun night by now.

"Yup. That sounds like K'vvan." No surprise at all there. "But knowing you, I'm sure you deserved it. You're kind of a little shit." And yet, there is a certain fondness to the way he says. Otherwise why would they be eating sandwiches together? A pause for more sandwich, a gulp of wine (he does not know how to drink it properly AT ALL), before answering, "He's singing. It just sounds like dying. But don't tell him that." A'ndi glances for a moment over his shoulder, eyeing all the splashing. "I told him it's rude, but he insists it's important. He wants to look after you guys." SHRUG. A'ndi is used to explaining his dragon's oddities by now. "By the way…" Fingers begin to pick and pluck at the crust, starting to pull it away from the bread. "You mentioned that your wingsecond sucks. So if he's such a fucking putz, why don't you just take his place?" Yes, those skinny dippers are having a hard time. They end up sitting in some wet sand in the shallows, glowering at the frolicking pair of dragons. Well, at least Tali has started frolicking.

<All> Taliveth senses that: Dhazkyth has every ounce of admiration for Southern's junior queen. « oh my god beckyth look at her butt it is SO BIG. » a bedazzled pink unicorn cavorts around with an obscenely large hindquarters, shaking it like one of them rap guys' girlfriends.

"I am a respectable shit though! Your wingleader has no sense of humor and is nothing but an old grouch. He started it." D'ex definatly started it. Yes. He did. No apologies, but Nedeeth and Zynth seemed to get along just fine. As one might expect. "Well, you need to get Tali some singing lessons. It sounds like a runnerbeast having a heart attack underwater while being strangled. It's terrible." He waves his glass toward A'ndi's drinking, "If you gulp it down, you're not tasting it. Drink it slowly, enjoy it. It's important. It's good wine." He takes a sip of his own wine and promptly chokes, "Are you insane?!!?!? My wingsecond may not always be on top of it, but if I was wingsecond, then it would be ME that everyone is complaining about! I don't want a knot! I didn't even want a dragon til I had one! I'm a blue rider, A'ndi, usually that means I have no wish to run things!" However a brush of snow will reach out, « That's a wonderful idea, you should talk to M'noq. »

A'ndi just nods along to the 'respectable shit' part. UH HUH YEAH SURE YOU ARE MMHMM. He can't really defend Tali's singing so he doesn't try, instead giving a skeptical look as the conversation shifts to the method of wine consumption. "Eh…" is how he feels about it, apparently. But, lest D'ex have a heart attack, A'ndi sips it sloooowly. And frowns at the cup. YOUR GOOD WINE IS WASTED ON THIS HEATHEN, DEXY. But A'ndi looks up quickly at the choking, because that's bad, but flustered D'ex is thoroughly amusing to the brownrider. "Well, considering that you'd have to be crazy to hang out with someone like you, I'm pretty sure somewhere along the way I've lost my damn mind. But…" The last remnants of the sandwich, mainly the pulled away crust, are set aside. Time for some REAL TALK, man. "I'm serious. You have a ridiculous attention to detail. Your dragon is smart enough to run business ventures behind your back. If a greenrider can be a wingleader, why can't you be a wingsecond? And if anyone complains, tell them where they can shove it." He brings up the cup to sip again, peering over the rim at the bluerider. "And wouldn't it be nice? To go to anyone that doubted you-" which at one point was A'ndi hahaha "-and shove that knot in their face? Watch them salute you?"

<All> Taliveth senses that: Zynth Appreicates the sentiment, but thinks that perhaps this revilation could be done a little quieter? It is the middle of the night.

<All> Taliveth senses that: Dhazkyth is reminded that all these Southern dragons are pansies. a'ight fine grampa, go back to dreaming about stacking half-off your early-bird special coupons.

<All> Taliveth senses that: Zynth would like to define 'pansy' for any Igen dragons interested, « But thank you, all coupons are sure to expire soon. »

"I'm not saying a bluerider can't be a wingsecond, I'm saying a bluerider is far less likely to want to be wing-anything, other than rider! Listen to yourself A'ndi, you just admitted hanging out with me is to question your own sanity and you think I should be in charge of people!" D'ex refills his cup and gulps it down, against his better judgement for the treatment of this wine. Real Converstasion was going to need a bit of a buzz if A'ndi was going to push this topic. "Are you completely loosing it? I have spent the better part of my life breaking the law and being a felon, I'm only allowed in this weyr because some Watchdragon who didn't know better Searched me. I don't want a knot. And I don't want that responsibiliy of other people and thier bonds over my head. M'noq is a great guy. And so is my wingsecond. But there is no way in hell I'd ever want to do that!" The touch of snow reaches out to brush A'ndi too now, « BUT, we would be very good at it. We would make great Wingseconds. You know Igen had a blue as Weyrsecond for a while. Maybe we could try that? »

"I think it'd be crazy to hang out with K'vvan on any regular basis. But he's a great boss. People are different at work than they are socially." A'ndi casually holds out his cup for a refill. WELP if we're gonna do this~ "Aren't you the one that wanted everyone to forget about your past and stop holding it against you? You're a dragonrider now. That's all that really matters, isn't it?" While awaiting his refill of booze, his blue gaze drifts off to watch the dragons in the water. He shivers a bit at the blue dragon’s mental touch. Then he mutters, "Listen to me. What is wrong with me? I'm supposed to be a traditionalist. Fuck."

The cup will be topped off without delay, "Traditionallist? And your wingleader is a green, I think you got tapped badly if you think you're a traditionalist! You need to get your folks off of your back." D'ex tops off his own cup. "You're right! I'm not a pirate anymore, I don't do that, but that does not mean it's a wonderful idea to go and ask for a knot. I killed people for a living, A'ndi. I don't think you get that all the time. I don't anymore, sure, but half of Southern's guards know me as a total pain in thier ass for a year. I don't want a knot and it's not a good idea. I'm not … I'm not a captian-type!" Zynth, however, is a very ambitious blue. « So we are agreed then? We should try for Wingsecond and then Wingleader, and then Weyr Second. Right? Yes. Best way to get people to forget a past is to give them new memories of the presant. New things to complain about than time in prison. Yes. » Zynth loves this idea!

oooooh there it is. An elephant that has been hanging around in the room whether they ever really realized it or not. Just… sitting there, waving it's trunk around, chillin', waiting to be brought up. And there it is, AKA remember how D'ex used to COMMIT MURDER? "I do get it!" A'ndi snaps, glaring at the other man. He keeps glaring, looking him right in the eyes, as if he's somehow being very stubborn about something. "… I've been trying not to think about it." He's just tipsy enough to admit it. And then awkward silence. Even Taliveth stops mid-prance, a paw poised in the air.

D'ex meets A'ndi's gaze unflinchingly, his expression hard. "If you got it, then you wouldn't suggest stupid shit like that." Elaphant is going to be acknowlaged. "I. Used. To. Kill. People. Okay? This is not something you can pretend isn't real about me, A'ndi. I was a pirate. Not the worst, but not the best either. You want a good pirate? That was me. You want a good person, talk to Luciana. I hear she has a brat now." D'ex finishes off his wine again, but this time does not refill it. "However. I. Don't. Do. That. Anymore." He taps the sword at his waist, the gift from A'hali. "This has never been used. And if all is well, then it never will be, it's a reminder A'ndi, of all the mothers who I took thier children from. Adult Chilren. But if it's me or them, I always chose me. Clearly. I'm still here. And I'm not going to try for a knot. And that's that." His tone remains level, serious even, his gaze never leaving A'ndi's. "I was a bad person, A'ndi. And I'd like to think I'm a far less bad person now."

A'ndi breaks the stare-down only to knock back the last of his wine because it is necessary right now. The cup gets slammed down into the sand… so the sound isn't very impressive. Something must be going on in his fuzzed-up brain, as there's the tell-tale sign of Taliveth glitching out. « !!!!! ??? #$$%. …. &! » The rhythm of his orbit is disturbed and that poised foot begins to dip into the water, and then out, and then in, then out. A'ndi peers like a fucking weirdo all around the beach; the darker it's gotten, the more people have abandoned the area. Even the skinny dippers gave up and went home. And so, with no one around, or at least no one who matters, A'ndi leans forward suddenly and pulls the other rider into a hug. It's his turn this time! "Everyone on fucking Pern is a piece of shit." He means it. He hates 99.6% of the population. And then there's Taliveth, his rainbowy aurora borealis opening up in D'ex's mind, « !flesruoy no drah os eb t'nod oS »

D'ex really had to keep in mind how much of a light weight A'ndi is. However, this was not the reaction he was expecting. The redhead goes ridged at first, his whole body statue-like. Slowly, D'ex melts, realizing that A'ndi is not trying to break him. Still, A'ndi being the one to initiate touching? That's new. "Yeah. Everyone on Pern is a Peice of Shit." And D'ex hugs A'ndi back. The over-kill of Tali's mind is softened by Zynth, this borealis breaking over a streach of falling snow, the forest night lit up by his brother's colors. Zynth himself will reach out and stop that claw. Just pick one. In or Out. Not this back and forth, it's weird. « Pern to Taliveth. »

« -oot siht ekil dluow hsiF teb I dna hsiF ekil yzzuf s'ti dna mraw s'ti dna ecin yllaer si siht tub taht tnaw t'nod ew dna detnioppasid eb lliw hteedaN dna worromot krow ot og t'nac ew taht od ew fi tub EDOLPXE annog er'ew kniht I seilfrettub fo tol a s'erehT » Tali babbles away to Zynth and his rider, though he sounds kind of distant, static-y. Meanwhile, A'ndi is very aware that it's weird for him to be initiating touching. Touching is generally frowned upon. Personal space is of utmost importance. But right now, just for the moment, he allows himself to relax and, from the back of his mind, examine this experience. Hmmmmmyes fascinating. The conclusion: not awful. Once this conclusion is reached, the brownrider disengages contact, slowly, sitting back and blinking owlishly. "… Anyway. I should put him to bed." Taliveth has started holding Zynth's paw with the one that was doing the dipping. « GNIS DNA SDLEIF EHT HGUORHT NUR S'TEL »

« Oh really? That's fascinating? This more Special Friend Thing? » Zynth is an ass, but a very polite one. D'ex is a far-less polite ass, and will only stare at A'ndi for a moment, "You know you're gay, right? This is not a new revelation for you?" Though, D'ex fully expected it was. If this is another elephant in the room, this is not one D'ex is aware of. "Because, sometimes I think you don't like it." With that, the starts to stand, dusting the sand off of himself and starting to collect cups and wine, "Yes, get your baby to bed, and dear Farthen! Please don't let him drop by until at least ten! Some people do like to sleep in when they have the chance."

"W..wha-" A'ndi's momentarily frozen while D'ex goes about his business. And Taliveth was climbing out from the water, and he just sort of falls onto the sand with a *whump*. "What, a guy can't hug another guy without it being gay?! Fuck you!" Aaaaand he's back! Cue the middle finger! "See if I'm ever nice to you again…" Grumblemutter as he stands and brushes himself off in a huff. But he will be nice again, inevitably inviting them over for pancakes or something any day now. "I'll tell him to get there early. And to sing you awake!" A'ndi stomps off then down the sand, signaling for Taliveth to follow. Which the rusty brown does by pushing himself along using his hind legs, his whole front half lying uselessly in the sand. But eventually he will regain proper use of his body once A'ndi banishes this particular elephant of his to go drown in the sea. At least for now.