The Not-So-Universal Language

Writers: Aaron, Duskdog
Date Posted: 13th July 2024

Characters: C'rand, B'lyse
Description: Corland and Blue practice signing.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 2 of Turn 11

Corland wanted to get better. That's all there was to it. He'd picked up plenty of Blue's signs naturally along the way, and they'd practiced out of sight in empty rooms like this before, too, but it felt different now. If they were going to be... well... _together_ (and that still felt so odd to say, even in his head -- odd in a nice, warm way, but also in a "wow I did not expect my life to take this turn" sort of way) then he wanted to be able to understand _everything_, and communicate _everything_. Even if Blue could read his lips perfectly every single time, there would still be something special about being able to communicate in a way that was really only theirs, too.

(It was _Blue's_ special way of communicating, technically, but he liked to think of it as theirs now. He tried not to think about C'pier also understanding it. If he had any say in the matter, Blue would never be close enough to that tunnelsnake for it to matter ever again.)

"Okay," Corland said, nodding along as Blue showed him one more time. "Let me try now." He tried to mimic the gesture Blue had just shown him, making sure to pay attention to the specifics of the movement, and frowned. "I don't think I'm doing it quite right. My big ol' hands, ugh."

[You're doing well!] Blue signed. He gently squeezed Corland's first two fingers on his right hand together. [I like your hands.]

Then he repeated the sign he had just demonstrated, first two fingers together, not spread apart.

Corland couldn't help but blush a little. Shards, he'd never really care that much about what people thought about him, but it felt so good to know that Blue liked little things about him, even when there was a part of his brain that wanted to call himself silly for enjoying it. He kept his fingers together and repeated the sign, hopefully right this time. [Better?] he signed after, and then, a little haltingly, [And I like your hands, too.]

[That's it!] signed Blue. And he, too, blushed at the praise. He did not think his hands were anything special, but if he could think Corland had nice hands, he could hardly begrudge him for returning the sentiment. [You're learning so well.]

It would take time to get to the same level of conversational fluency he had once enjoyed with... well. With that other guy. Blue refused to even think his name. But Corland had truly learned the basics as well as Blue could have hoped. And he knew that was because he truly wanted to learn to communicate with him.

He took Corland's hands in his and tentatively brought them to his lips for a kiss, all the while watching his face to keep an eye on his expression.

Corland felt the warmth rise in his cheeks, blush deepening, but he couldn't help but light up in a smile. He had never been much of a reader, really, but he'd heard enough songs about feelings like this to know they supposedly exist, but he'd never really expected to feel them, himself. It just seemed so distant to him -- the sort of thing meant for the daughters of Lords, or maybe harpers or something. People with fancy ideas and time on their hands. His own parents certainly hadn't had anything like that, and it was hard to imagine a guy like him, straight out of the forge, getting giddy over some girl kissing his hands, let alone a boy... a _man_.

"This is weird, huh?" he asked softly, hoping that Blue could read the words clearly. "Not in a bad way, just... feelings I never expected to feel, you know? All fluttery. It's nice."

[My dad would...] Blue spoke as he signed the next words so that Corland would know what they meant. ["...shit his pants."] He laughed. ["It would almost make it worth it to see his face again."] The spoken words did not quite line up with the signs, but Blue just let the words be out of order and assumed Corland would get the picture.

Corland definitely got the picture, and he couldn't help but laugh, too. [Mine probably would, too,] he signed back haltingly, trying to get the words just right. "Too bad he'll never get to know how much I just don't care what he thinks." Lest the conversation slip into a darker tone, he grinned again. "Imagine looking down on your father from the back of your own dragon."

"We'll both do it," said Blue. "Once we Impress." He would not mind seeing the island again. But he did not want to live there, not anymore.

"I'll go with you when you see yours, just in case he doesn't get the message even with a dragon," Corland said.

["We should kiss right in front of him."] Blue could not wait to see the look on his face. It would surely be the quickest way to send that message.

Corland laughed again. "We _should_. And he can choke on _that_." Smile lingering, he bit his lip slightly and then signed, [We could kiss now, too.]

Blue's heart fluttered. He smiled and nodded and leaned in slowly, watching Corland's face.

Corland leaned in, too, and kissed Blue softly. His heart was beating so hard that it seemed like surely Blue would be able to hear it, even though Corland knew that was silly.

When the kiss ended at last, Blue could not stop smiling.

[Thank you! That was very nice.]

"It was," Corland agreed, aware that he probably had a silly smile on his own face. But he didn't care. "And... nobody here to stop us from doing it whenever we want."

[Nobody.]

Last updated on the July 23rd 2024

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The Not-So-Universal Language