How to Impress a Boy

Writers: Aaron, Sia
Date Posted: 25th May 2024
Series: Lemhask in Love

Characters: H'lem, M'thos
Description: Uh oh. Lemhask has a crush! He goes to the master of romance himself for advice.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 2, day 5 of Turn 11

M'thos

Lemhask was not used to feeling flustered. At least, not because of fluttering vtols in his tummy. He had never had a crush on anyone before, not a real one. That can't eat, can't sleep, reach for the stars, over the fence, weyrwide tourney kind of stuff. Candidates came and went all the time. That was how the Weyr was. But then T'lonas came. And with him came Tannock.

Lemhask could not put into words why he felt so drawn to him. He was so sweet. Kind. Gentle. Older. Cooler. Nothing like Lemhask himself. But he wanted to be with him. Spend time with him, talk to him, make him smile. Hold his hand. Maybe even... _hug_ him. Gasp. And he longed for Tannock to feel the same way about him.

If there was anyone in the Weyr who knew how to make someone feel that way about them, it was his dads. And he would probably talk to both of them about it, but between the two of them, one definitely knew Tannock better than the other.

"Hey, Pops! Do you have a minute to talk?" Lemhask was used to sounding like he knew exactly what he was doing, especially when he absolutely did not. "I didn't get in trouble!" he added quickly.

M'thos was still unused to that knowing tone in one of his youngest children, but he tried to keep his expression smooth and welcoming as he looked up from the lesson plans T'lonas had loaned him. "Please, Lem." He said, closing the folder with a flourish. "I never expect trouble from you, buddy. What's on your mind?"

Lemhask could not help but smile to hear that he was not expected to be in trouble. It made him feel that perhaps he was better than Merhaskel at _something_.

"W-well... You know how to get people to like you. How do you do it?"

M'thos considered the boy. "I suppose. You've not known for having trouble making friends, though. Have you tried all the regular stuff? Saying hello, asking to spend time together, all that music. I can set you into groups in the next candidate class, if you like."

"We've had groups together... Not to say that I wouldn't want to again," Lemhask added quickly. "But. It's just. What if I do all that stuff wrong? What if I do something lame or dimwitted, and... then he won't like me?"

"That's just a risk you have to take, buddy. But from experience, lame and silly is okay. You don't have to be perfect all the time."

Lemhask peered at M'thos with a bit of side eye.

"You are, though!" he said. "Even more than Dad!" T'mhas had to put marks in the swear jar, so that was points off.

"Hah, we are far from that, though it's nice that you still think so." Clearly he hadn't spoken about this to either his mother or aunties recently. He would be announcing that to T'mhas the moment he got home, though. "Be yourself. You're very likeable, if I do say so myself."

"Everyone's dads say that..." Lemhask grumbled. "What do I do if I be myself, and then he doesn't like me?" It was all well and good to take the risk of doing something lame or dimwitted, but if Tannock did not like Lemhask as himself, he was sunk!

Oh ho. M'thos' eyebrows raised a little in surprise. Of course it was about a boy, but he didn't think it was about a _boy_. The children were growing up too fast, and it reminded him about how old he was getting. "Well, if he doesn't like you, it's not worth pretending to be someone he does like. The truth all comes out eventually, and then it just hurts more."

Lemhask huffed.

"I just really want him to like me," he said softly. "Maybe he doesn't even like boys... Did you know some people don't even like boys!?" As though this were absolutely absurd.

"Some people don't." M'thos agreed mildly. "I could hardly believe it myself. But that's not anyone's fault. Some people are just born that way."

Absolutely absurd!

"So I just have to... start talking to him... and hope he likes it? Can't you tell me anything he might like to talk about?" asked Lemhask.

"I don't know which boy he is, kiddo." M'thos said. "But that's what striking up a conversation is for. Finding out what he likes."

"It's Tannock!" As though this were obvious. And he could hardly just waltz up to him and say, 'So, what do you like? Wanna hug?' Oh, how Lemhask wanted nothing more than to just hold him.

M'thos put his head in his hands and took a deep breath. He tried not to laugh. Teenagers were the best, especially _his_ teenagers. He was so glad that T'lonas got him this job. "All right." He said when he resurfaced, running a hand through his hair. "The advice still stands, buddy. Small talk works. Smile, ask how he's doing. See where it goes from there."

Lemhask frowned and folded his arms, but it was clear that he had started to bother M'thos with that display of exasperation. He simply did not understand how utterly devastated he would be if Tannock did not like him back. How could he when everyone liked him? But he was not going to keep pestering him at this point, when he was clearly quite done with him.

"Alright. Thanks, Pops. Sorry for bugging you..."

"You aren't bugging me." M'thos said mildly. "You never bug me, dear boy. But if I've learned anything in my life, you can't _force_ these things. Talk to him first. You might find that you don't actually like him all that much. Or that you do. Either is okay. One step at a time, all right?"

"One step at a time..." Lemhask gave his begrudging agreement. He wanted to skip right to the part where they were hugging. "I love you," he ventured, as if always just a little bit worried that when he said this, he would not hear it back, as if there were ever a time he had not. (Of course, he always had.)

"I love you too, Lem." M'thos said warmly. "Let me know how it goes, all right? Good luck."

Last updated on the June 1st 2024

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How to Impress a Boy