Can't Keep My Eyes from the Circling Skies (Attn: Jah'vi)

'One...two... three...four...five...six...seven...ei...' The utter blackness and lack of sensation had Andren's heart racing, but he reminded himself to count and as he got to the last number, they were suddenly out in the open air again. His muscles unlocked and he took a gasping breath, realizing he had started holding it in the last few moments. He blinked into the daylight, looking down at the expanse of the canyon stretching out below them. He turned his head to see a camp with tiny moving shapes off to one side, and frowned as he tried to make it out, but they were moving past it rapidly and he found himself focusing on the unfamiliar shapes of the weyr, cut directly into the canyon. He didn't dare let go of the reins, though it hardly seemed likely that the dragon actually needed them to guide him, but moved his head just a little to peek and make sure the shape of Jah'vi behind him was still as real as the man felt.

"That... that'll take some getting used to." He didn't sound terrified, but he could hear a breathless note in his voice that he knew meant he was somewhat shaken.

Having relayed screamers, fainters, and, quite possibly the worst, peeers, Andrens' breathless reaction was a refreshing change. Definitely shaken, but the healer had not balked completely. That also spoke highly of his chances to Impress, cautious but not frightened, qualities he found the dragons liked. He gave Andren a light squeeze around the waist for reassurance while Nolinth made lazy circles as he descended to the canyon.

But then Nolinth was angling for his ledge, and not the canyon floor, and Jah'vi gave him a little kick with his heel. Just what are you doing? he asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.

Giving you privacy, like you both want, the bronze responded to only his rider, snapping his wings back smartly as he landed on the outcropping out of their weyr ledge. Before Jah'vi could think of a reply to that, the bronze was animatedly speaking to Andren.

This is our home, Nolinth told him excitedly, peering over the ledge. They weren't very high up in the canyon, a perk of being one of the few ranking dragons when he'd arrived at the Weyr of outcasts. You can see the newest dragons by the lake, training, he continued, as fascinated by the little dragons as he was by firelizards.

Jah'vi was just more than slightly taken aback at Nolinths decision to just drop them off in their weyr. He didn't want Andren to get the wrong idea, that he'd just been kidnapped to the Weyr for the appetites of the riders. Some smaller holds still feared this when it came to Search. But at least his weyr connected to the tunnels and stairs leading outside; even without Nolinths assistance he could steer the new candidate in the right direction.

"Well, this is mine and Nolinths weyr," he said with a nervous chuckle, unfastening all of the buckles from both of them before he dismounted smoothly. "Just throw your leg over to this side and slide down to his leg," Jah'vi instructed, "and use the straps to keep control." Even as he spoke he moved into a position where, if Andren lost his balance and fell, he'd be there to catch and steady him.

Nolinth gave a snort, clearly pleased with himself, and Jah'vi reminded himself to tear the bronze a new one later. The healer was attractive, yes, and Jah'vi hadn't missed how he'd practically plastered himself to him during the flight. That hadn't all been nerves, so the attraction was mutual when combined with that flirting and those looks from earlier.

He just hoped Nolinth hadn't pushed things too far, putting them both in his weyr like this. Nolinth had said this was what they both wanted, but Jah'vis stomach still rocked with nerves. He couldn't read his mind, and the expression was no good because Andren was still locked in the joy of his first flight.

Andren smiled at the squeeze, feeling a little thrill run through him.  The dragon banked into the weyr and landed in a way that felt like it was jolting him but that he presumed was a practiced landing based on how neat it was with no slipping or skidding. Nonetheless, he was glad for the straps and Jah'vi's arms that held him securely in the saddle, his thighs tightening down to try to keep himself steady.  

When Nolinth spoke to him, he looked around, craning his neck to look both in at the weyr and out at the small figures of the young dragons and their riders.  He spent some time looking out at them, trying to imagine himself among them and struggling to wrap his head around it, everything was happening very suddenly and he was out of his depth. Still, he felt a surge of excitement at the notion, and he took that as a positive sign.  

"You have a very nice home, Nolinth." He had entirely missed the importance of the weyr's placement, but as he returned his attention to the interior he had to acknowledge that it was pleasant place.  His being delivered here, he could only assume, wasn't out of the ordinary, though Jah'vi seemed a bit flustered by something.

He turned his head to indicate to Jah'vi that he was listening, nodding as the watched the other man slide down Nolinth's side, preparing himself to follow suit, "Alright, but you can't laugh at me if I fall on my face." He took a breath and slid, landing with a stumble but not in fact landing on his face or rump.

Andren blinked as he stood up, feeling almost as though he was still floating until he adapted to solid ground again, and giving Jah'vi a flicker of a smile before turning back to Nolinth, "Thank you for the ride, Nolinth, it was an incredible experience."

Jah'vi felt rather floaty himself, having put his arms around the healer as he almost tumbled off Nolinth. He could swear that he heard Nolinth rumbling laughter in his head, but he was distracted by the scent of the other man; he must have been working with herbs before Jah'vi had snatched him up, he thought.

Nolinth gave a happy little noise and curled up on his ledge, not saying anything. He apparently considered his job done, and was checking out of the conversation. Jah'vi, finally realizing he was still holding the healer close to him, loosened his grip and stepped back.

"So, my weyr," he said, scratching at the back of his neck and grinning ruefully. It was spacious enough, with a armoire for his clothing, a bookshelf stuffed to the brim with research and other flight information. A desk, a bed, and a rather nicely stocked bar completed the room, along with enough painting and wall hangings to make it seem homey.

"I wasn't expecting company," he said, moving very quickly to grab his clothing from yesterday and shove it in a chest for the time being. He spoke as if the room was a complete disaster, which it was to his eyes, when it was barely disheveled.

"I'll take you to see the candidate master, Brielody, in a little bit," he said, feeling a little more like his normal self, enough to grin at Andren. "She'll get you all set up in the barracks and tell you what you need to know." He glanced at the bar and then really grinned. "You won't be allowed alcohol for a while when you Impress, so would you like a celebratory drink?"

Andren didn't resist, not quite sure whether to wrap his arms around Jah'vi or not, and settling on giving him a little one-armed squeeze and pat. After as much time as he had spent around the more conservative holders and crafters, the idea of more or less openly flirting with another man had him swallowing a case of nerves. He breathed again when Jah'vi stepped back, following the other man and looking around the weyr.

It seemed to be a cozy enough home, and Andren spent enough time looking at the art and wall hangings to realize that he could appreciate Jah'vi's taste. He found himself taking a glance over the bookcase, squinting at titles and keeping his hands behind him to avoid pulling any of them off the shelves.

"Believe me, living with the other apprentices at Healer Hall I've seen real messes, this is nothing." Andren shuddered at the memory of a horde of unwashed teen boys all tasting freedom for the first time and using it to never pick up after themselves, seemingly constitutionally incapable of seeing dirt.

He filed away the name Brielody, nodding and giving Jah'vi a grin in return, "You seem pretty certain, thank you for that. And yes, I would love a drink."

Jah'vi grabbed two glasses and poured one of the nicer red wines he had in his possession. No way was he hitting the poor guy with Lightning; Brielody would murder him.

He turned back and offered one glass to Andren. "Nolinth doesn't Search often, but even I have to admit he's usually dead on," he said with a big grin. "Most people don't take so well to having another voice in their head."

What he'd seen so far impressed him, frankly. He'd been unafraid of one of the largest dragons the Weyr currently had, had accepted Search almost immediately, and hadn't disgraced himself on his first trip *between*.

"Welcome to White Lightning Weyr, Andren," he said, offering his glass up in a toast.

Andren held the wine up to the light almost reflexively, looking at the vintage's legs and inhaling its bouquet before he remember that he wasn't at home and laughing at himself, swirling it carefully while he listened to Jah'vi with a nod.

"He didn't sound threatening, and I think seeing him being willing to let all the children play and climb on him helped." Andren shrugged at that, taking a sip of the wine and making a pleased noise at it, a far cry from some of the cothold stuff that tasted like it had been aged in someone's castoff boot. "This is good."

He lifted his glass and nodded in appreciation of the toast, "And to the rider, and his bronze, who Searched me. May I always do you credit." He wasn't entirely certain what to say, but it sounded appropriate to his ear and so he rolled with it.

Jah'vi rolled his eyes and cast an affectionate look at the bulk of dragon on the ledge. "He loves kids," he said with a chuckle. "Though if he's waiting for me to give him some to play with, he's going to have to wait a long time, aren't ya?"

There was only a snort for a reply.

Jah'vi couldn't help but grin at the little compliments Andren was dropping. "I have a good feeling," he said, meeting Andrens eyes and smiling. Shards he had beautiful eyes, he thought. "I think you'll find Weyr life will suit you well."

"Not interested in... uh, not really my business, is it?" Andren shook his head at his own question. "Sorry, I haven't exactly met a lot of men who were so open about their..." he shrugged, feeling as though he was digging himself deeper.

He smiled ruefully, taking another drink from his glass to cover the fact that his normally quick wit seemed to be failing him whenever he looked at the bronze rider.

"I certainly enjoyed what I heard about Ista from my mother, though I think that she edited it somewhat for young ears."

"... preferences?" Jah'vi finished with a little grin. "Think about it... There's four female dragon colors, and a lot more male riders then female. Both our breeding Queens are ridden by men, as well."

He wished he hadn't mentioned the queens, because that made him think of Br'son, which made him feel oddly guilty. And why should he feel guilty? He'd all but thrown himself at Br'sons feet, but he was either obliviousiness or pretending to be so to save Jah'vis feelings. And either of those options left a bad taste in his mouth.

Sipping his wine, he took a step closer to Andren, a purposeful and slow one. He didn't want to scare him off. "Oh? And what stories did she tell you?" he asked, raising one eyebrow and smirking a little.

Andren licked his lips, "Well, that makes sense. I know that gold Queens only picked women, but things have changed."

He thought through what he had just said, vaguely worried that it had been insensitive but not sure if and how to correct himself on it.

The slow, deliberate step forward was far from lost on Andren, and he swallowed another sip of wine, feeling just a hint of warmth from the alcohol spreading through him from his belly outward.  His body language opened, and his eyes stayed on Jah'vi as he slid a half step forward, himself, wondering how anyone could resist that face and finding himself speculating about the other man's hands before he remembered that there had been a question.

"Mostly about her daily life, how it felt to see the dragons fly overhead, and the politics that she barely understood as a child but saw more of before she apprenticed." He grinned wider, expression a little wicked, "My father told me that weyrfolk are all libertines. Mother didn't exactly disagree, just said that things are different and that Holders and craftspeople don't understand."

Jah'vi chuckled, setting his glass down on the sideboard. "Well, never let it be said that I don't personally take what I want," he said in a low voice, plucking Andrens' glass from his hand and setting it aside, before he closed the brief distance between them and pulled the healer to him with a gentle hand on his neck.

His lips were soft, and Jah'vi was gentle at first, but the kiss quickly became more insistent. When he finally released him, Jah'vi took a slightly ragged breath, but kept one hand on his lower back and the other gently rubbing his neck.

"Nothing wrong with knowing who you want," he said, wondering if this was the first time Andren had been told this. He'd always taken it for granted, growing up at Eastern, that he had the freedom to be himself.

The kiss didn't catch Andren by surprise, but it took his breath away and he found himself letting out a little growl of desire as Jah'vi pulled away. It took an effort of will for him to not just dive after the other man and see if he could steer him toward the bed that was enticingly nearby.

His arms had slid up around the bronze rider, and he grinned wider, "Well that's good, because right now I know exactly who I want." He paused for a moment then closed the gap again, kissing Jah'vi with hunger, his lips soft but arms tight around the other man.

It wasn't that he had never had a dalliance with another man before, travelling afforded him some freedoms that he wouldn't have had if he had been stuck in an infirmary at the same Hold for the last several years, but things always had to be done with a certain air of secrecy.

He broke the kiss, licking his lips and studying Jah'vi's face as he freed one hand to run his fingertips over his cheek to his jaw.

"Anyone ever tell you how handsome you are?" That was said with a twinkle in his eye, it was impossible that he hadn't heard that before, but it certainly bore repeating even so.

"Not often enough," Jah'vi growled before turning them suddenly so that Andren was the one closer to the wall. He advanced until the healers back was pressed to the stone, trailing kisses up his neck to his ear. "Has anyone ever told you how utterly kissable you are?" he whispered before reclaiming his lips, letting his hands wander down Andrens' chest.

He had to force himself to lean back, finally, eyes dark as he looked at the healer in his arms. The attention and affection felt so wonderful, and Andren was definitely handsome, and quite sharp witted.

"I should probably get you to Brielody to check you in as a candidate," he said reluctantly, resting his forehead lightly against Andrens while trying to catch his breath and convince himself not to just keep the healer here with him for the rest of the evening. "We need to get a message off to your Hall, letting them know you've been Searched."

He gave him one last kiss, this one soft and sweet and promising. No, he wouldn't keep him, but he definitely wouldn't turn him away if he came wandering back after he had been acclimated a little more to weyrlife. "Then maybe later...," he trailed off, not wanting Andren to get the wrong idea and think he was blowing him off after all that.

Andren had let out an inarticulate moan as Jah'vi's lips moved over the side of his neck, returning the kiss with interest and working his fingers into the bronze rider's hair. He groaned and bit back a protest as the other man pulled back, running short nails lightly down the nape of Jah'vi's neck and trying to get his own breathing back under control as well.

"I... you know how these things should go, and if they're going to wonder why I waited so long, then..." He gamely resisted muttering 'scorch it' and forced himself to just brush his lips against Jah'vi's instead of restarting what the other man was apparently trying to end. "Definitely later, unless you would rather not. Will I have enough freedom to?"

Andren extricated himself from Jah'vi, keenly aware of how much his body was insisting that they not wait. He grabbed his glass and tossed back the last gulp of wine, "Just... give me a moment. I'll need to get my bags from Nolinth, too." He had almost forgotten the dragon's presence, oddly, and the reminder that the bronze had likely been completely aware of the whole interlude had the healer resisting the urge to apologize.

"Until you Impress," Jah'vi said, not able to stop from grinning. "Then depending on what you Impress... ," he gave a shrug. "Some of the newer colors seem to be fully mature at 6 months."

He wanted to pull him back, but made himself behave. He tried to tell himself it was for fear of Brielody, but he knew deep down it was Br'son.

Bloody Br'son, he thought, digging the palm of his hand against his forehead. "Yah, I'm sorry about that," he said, belatedly moving to help with the bags. "Sorry big guy," he apologized to Nolinth also, undoing several buckles to his riding straps. "Someone distracted me," he cut his eyes sideways at Andren and gave a wicked little grin. "Bad form for a Wingleader to leave their dragon in their harness like that, but I think he'll forgive me this once."

He hung the straps up, taking a deep breath before he turned back to Andren. The desire to say screw it and just drag him to his bed and not let him leave until morning rose up in him again, and he nearly did just that. But there was still that niggling little longing for Br'son.

It wouldn't be fair.

"Let's get you to Brielody and settled in for the night," he said with a smile.

"If they aren't going to keep me too busy, maybe I can learn some dragon healing hands-on." The young man had largely gotten himself back under control by the time they got Nolinth unloaded, slinging his pack onto his back with a practiced shrug.

"Do you have to be celibate until your dragon is mature?"

He paused to give Nolinth a grateful pat, "Sorry about that, I'll try to be less distracting next time. Wear a burlap bag or something." He shot Jah'vi an amused look.

There still seemed to be tension in the air, thrumming between him and Jah'vi, and he had to admire the other man's dedication to his duty and focus intently on other thoughts for a moment to keep himself from pulling off his clothing on the spot.

Andren let his breath out, and made a sweeping 'lead on' gesture with one hand.