I Just Think You're Pretty, Okay?

Writers: Halyonix, Yvonne
Date Posted: 19th December 2024

Characters: Reyela, R'vkal
Description: Ryvankal works up the courage to talk to a pretty Reyela
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 11 of Turn 12
Notes: Musical inspiration from "Don't Listen To My Voicemail"

He had decided that she was pretty, even from far away. There was something about her that emanated, if that was the right word, and he just...wanted to say hello.

Seemed awful silly but...wait, hadn't she been a Candidate right as Ryvankal had arrived? Those first few days had been such a blur and he hadn't gotten to know everyone before that first Hatching.

Well, now he _had_ to find out. And he had a reason to talk to her.

"'Scuse me?" he asked politely as he neared her table.

Reyela looked up from her plate with a smile. People were better than being left to her own thoughts, and she'd been thinking too much about her last shift in the Dragon Infirmary. "Hi?"

Now he felt just plain foolish. "Hi, I'm...I'm Ryvankal. One of the Candidates. You...you were a Candidate too?" Shard it, he was about to stick his foot in his mouth somehow, wasn't he? Hadn't been this hard talking to a woman before.

"Of course I remember you," Reyela said, gesturing to invite him to join her at the table. "Ryvankal, right? You were pretty new to the Weyr when I Impressed Brandith. How are you liking it here now that you've been here for a while?"

"Different," he answered simply. Still feeling a bit tongue-tied, he added, "Feels a bit different still but not as different as at first. You're Brandith's rider, you said. Reya?" He had a feeling he had the name wrong though.

"Close! It's Reyela, but I've been called Reya before." She wrinkled her nose at him as she smiled, just to see what he'd do. "There's a lot of names to learn."

The Weyr itself had been a lot to learn, on top of all of the names, but Ryvankal just nodded. "How's...what's it like with Brandith? Now that you're not a weyrling anymore?"

**Flame it,** she thought. If he was asking about riding a green dragon then he probably wasn't here to flirt. Why were all the handsome ones into other men?! "Like, flying in a fighting Wing? Or having her grown up instead of a hatchling?"

"Um...both?" Ryvankal replied.

She sighed. "Being in a fighting Wing is... exciting. It's scary sometimes if the weather is bad, but I trust my wingmates. There's flame going off all around you and crackdust gets everywhere and sometimes Thread seems to come at you out of nowehere, but it's... honestly, kind of exhilerating being up there with everyone during a 'Fall. And I like having a grown dragon. Lessons were kind of boring and carving up buckets of meat gets old." She winked. "I mean, I like handling meat, but not like _that_."

Ryvankal suddenly had a feeling that she was talking about a different kind of meat. His cheeks reddened. He hated that they did that. He cleared his throat, trying _not_ to think -- okay, he was kind of thinking about it now but it really wasn't polite, not on a first meeting, and he didn't want to come across as _that_ kind of guy. He tried to steer the conversation towards safer grounds. "So um...Threadfall's kind of fun? Like dangerous fun?"

She nodded. "Dragons and flames everywhere... it feels good to be part of something that works together so well. It's really beautiful. Like a dance, almost. A really dangerous dance. Everything just... means so much more, you know?"

There was nothing in smithing that equated to that. Well, maybe collaborating on a commission and producing a beautiful piece. But there was nothing that dangerous. Or dancing. Ryvankal shifted awkward, unsure what to say. "Guess I'll take your word for it. Haven't had something like that happen to me yet," he admitted.

"But you'll try Standing again at the next Hatching, right?"

He nodded. "Nothing really pulling me back to the Hold just yet. I was engaged but...she died and..." Shells, that was a damper thing to say, even if it was the truth.

"Oh-- oh gosh, I'm so sorry to hear that." Reyela half reached toward him in sympathy, but snatched her hand back. He was a stranger and he wasn't Weyrbred. He might not like being touched. "That's awful. You must have cared for her very much."

Now it was getting more awkward. She had almost touched him and he had sort of wanted that! But then the subject of his deceased fiancee was just making it all worse. Maybe he should stop bringing her up. But he didn't know how not to when people asked. He was honest like that. Uncomfortably, he shrugged his shoulders and then winced at how callous that looked. "Was starting to. We weren't together very long."

"What was her name?"

For a moment, her name stuck in his throat. He didn't like how that felt. With visible effort, he said, "Amina. Her name was Amina. Runner threw her during a ride."

"I'm so sorry, Ryvankal." She knew what it was like to lose someone. Anyone with dragonriders in the family did. For all that she found Threadfall days exciting, it also meant death and pain and grief for someone. "I know we don't really know each other, but I'm glad you told me."

Ryvankal nodded awkwardly. Maybe they could get back to talking about happier stuff again. He wasn't a fan of dwelling on the past much anyway. And this was just starting to feel weirder and weird. He'd come over to her to talk to her. Like, maybe get to know her better. "You ever go out past the Weyr, to those beaches in the west?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

Reyela knew a change in subject when she saw one. "Sure, when I can. It's easier now that I can go on Brandith. Do you?"

"If I can borrow a runner for the day, sure. Not as easy for those of us on two feet." He cracked what he hoped was a playful smile. He probably just looked silly. "Nice beaches over that way though."

"I miss riding runners," Reyela sighed. "Brandith gets jealous so it's hard to justify it unless I have a good excuse, and those are hard to come by these days."

He decided to shoot his shot. "Would...Brandith be jealous if you went with someone on a runner?"

She blinked. He was-- was he asking her out? **Perhaps he'll Impress a blue,** she thought, giving him another once-over. **You won't be jealous, will you Brandith?**

}:Runners are food. It's _embarassing_.:{ Brandith's distaste flavoured her mind-voice.

**You can't even eat a whole runner,** Reyela shot back. She smiled at Ryvankal. "Too bad if she is. Are you asking me to go riding with you?"

All he could do was nod. It was like his voice suddenly just...flew off. Shard it!

She laughed. Holder boys were a ridiculous lot, but at least this one was cute. It felt like a risk to say yes, but if she decided that she didn't like him she could always have Brandith come get her and abandon him at the beach. "Sure, why not? If you arrange runners I can see if I can get the Kitchens to pack us a lunch. Meet you at the stables at eleven in the morning?"

"Deal!" he answered, his lost voice returning with a squeak that was equally annoying. "Eleven tomorrow. Runners'll be ready."

Last updated on the December 24th 2024

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I Just Think You're Pretty, Okay?