Fathers Will Be Fathers

Writers: Len, Paula
Date Posted: 5th September 2011

Characters: Sh'lua, G'wen, S'vin, C'lua
Description: The two weyrlings make good on their promise to C'lua, and end up running into the brownrider's father
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 11 of Turn 6

"Tarth flew really well!!" S'vin called out as Kadeth landed beside
the brown.

>From his position behind C'lua on the rider's lifemate, G'wen patted
him on the shoulder. His own Neath landed gracefully beside the two
male dragons. It was odd, watching her from afar. All of her awkward
angles and gawkiness had faded away, leaving a very large, but quite
beautiful green. She would be Rising soon, the boy thought with a
stab of fear. It had to only be a few sevendays away, looking at her
condition. Ruthlessly he pushed that thought away and focused on his
friend sitting before him.

C'lua had to admit he had enjoyed the flight. What was best, Tarth had
been sharing what he saw with his riders. The dragon vision was
drastically different than human, and it tended to make him dizzy and
disoriented (all those facets!) but it was better than the darkness he
now lived in.

G'wen nudged the brownrider. "Ready to get down so Tarth can go
fishing with Neath and Kadeth?" The two weyrling dragons were
practically hopping in excitement for one of their favorite activites.
S'vin had already gotten off his blue and was stripping him down.

"Sure, umh, can you help with the buckles?" C'lua asked with embarrassed tone.

"Yeah, no problem." G'wen reached around and unsnapped C'lua whilst
S'vin put his hands on the young man's shin and knee to steady him in
case he lost his balance. Kadeth had also come around the other side
of Tarth to steady C'lua with his head in case he needed it.

With the help of his friends, C'lua got down to the ground without
mishap. Standing still for a moment, he tried to get his bearing. He
could hear wind and feel the sun. "Okay, which direction is the
weyrlake?" he asked, wanting to go to sit by lake. "I thought I could
sit at the beach and wait while Tarth fishes."

"This way then!" S'vin hooked the lad's hand in his arm and led him
down to the lakeside. There was a fallen log that he guided them to,
so the three could sit comfortably whilst the dragons fished. G'wen
meanwhile, wandered along the forest line, gathering firewood so they
could have a little picnic. After he had enough, he walked back to
the two others and began starting the little fire.

S'vin rummaged in his knapsack for the tubers they had taken from the
kitchens that morning, to put under the fire. "All we need now is for
one of those dragons to catch us some fish and we'll have a nice
lunch in an hour or so."

~*~

}: Tarth is inviting me to fish with himself and some others :{
Galerith told his rider. The big blue stretched his wings, feeling
tempted to join him. He wasn't hungry but catching fish was fun.

** With whom? Is C'lua out too?** Sh'lua asked, bit alarmed. His son
had been hit with depression lately. After injury like his it was to
be expected but it still wasn't healthy, or so the healers had told
him.

}: Neath and Kadeth, :{ Galerith answered.

**Neath? Shards, G'wen! What is that boy up to now? Take me to them,**
Sh'lua said and quickly snatched Galerith's straps. He had to check
this out. If G'wen and his friend could jolt C'lua out of his blue,
that was good news but he also feared they could just push him deeper
into it.

~*~

"I almost ended up being cook as a child," C'lua remarked.

"Did you?" G'wen laughed from his seat by the fire. He gave the
three fish cooking a poke; they were just about done, wrapped in their
leaf pockets. The tubers likewise were smelling good from their
position now by the fire, rather than under it. the fire itself took
that slight chill out of the air for the three lads.

"What happened?" S'vin piped up.

"I nearly burned down the kitchen and I was told to find something
else to do. So I picked woodcrafting," C'lua replied.

"Appropriate choice, really," G'wen added dryly.

C'lua's response was lost when Galerith made a noisy landing.

}: Ooh, I want to fish too! :{ the blue declared.
"Hi boys!" Sh'lua's cheery greeting was bit forced.

"Dad?" C'lua was starting to recognize people by the voice but was
still often unsure.

Dad indeed! G'wen stifled a groan and kept his eyes firmly fixed on
the fire. This was the first time seeing Sh'lua after that
embarrassing incident that had happened in the man's weyr.

"Hi Sh'lua!" S'vin exclaimed. This should get interesting, he mused to himself.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Sh'lua asked, dismounting his dragon, he
let him join the others at the lake.

"Of course not," C'lua replied.

"The more the merrier!" S'vin laughed, trying to cover up his mouth.

"You can have half my fish," G'wen mumbled shyly. They only had the
three fish, it would be rude to not offer Sh'lua something. He dared
a glance at the man, wondering what in the shells Sh'lua thought of
him now.

"It does smell good, thank you. So, what are you up to besides cooking
fish?" he replied and asked.

"We're getting Tarth some exercise," S'vin answered, being
careful_not_to say we're trying to lift C'lua out of his depression.
"C'lua here," and he clapped the lad on the shoulder, "did brilliant,
didn't he G'wen?"

The small boy nodded and focused on getting their lunch ready. They
had only brought three plates, and forks to go with them. And three
glasses for the light bottle of juice. Glancing nervously at Sh'lua,
he made the decision to put his own lunch to one side and give his
plate to the man. G'wen owed him an apology, anyways, and C'lua was
his son, so this was their time if they wanted it. After handing
everyone their food and drink he sat back and poked at the fire.

"It's a good thing you are helping my son," Sh'lua said. Things seemed
to be fine and C'lua did look more cheerful.

C'lua chuckled suddenly. "You're being over-protective now, dad," he
pointed out. It had taking him a while to figure out the bluerider's motives.

What the bloody shards did the man think they were going to do with
his son, G'wen thought to himself, narrowing his eyes at Sh'lua.
S'vin rolled his own eyes at his friend and mouthed 'hypocrit.' As if
they would have done anything harmful to C'lua. He was their friend,
for Faranth's sake.

Being caught out, the bluerider did have the grace to look embarrassed.

At that G'wen quietly stood so C'lua wouldn't know he was up. He
pointed at his own chest and then all but jabbed his finger in
Sh'lua's chest and motioned for him to get his miserble arse over to
the forest edge, before stalking over there himself to have some words
with the man. Father or not, he wasn't about to come over here and
ruin the day for his son.

Curiously, Sh'lua followed the green weyrling.

G'wen was quiet until they reached the treeline, then he turned and
poked a finger into Sh'lua's chest. Hard. "Listen you...what the
bloody shards did you think we were going to do to your kid? He's our
friend you know! And if you're such a great da when why have you just
let him sit in that miserable weyr of his for this long anyways?"

"I just didn't 'let' him sit miserable in his weyr," Sh'lua retorted
back with some heat. Then he just slumped and rubbed his face. "I
tried everything I could figure out to draw him out of his depression.
Me, his mother and his sister too. But sometimes friends get through
were the family can't," he gave the greenrider a thoughtful look.
"What I've seen today gives me more hope than the past months. I'm
grateful of you and your friends for that," he was speaking from his
heart.

At that G'wen relaxed and managed a small grin. "Okay
but_please_don't ruin it for him, okay?" That's all poor C'lua needed
was to clam up with his da here.

"All right, I'll get out of the way," Sh'lua promised and took a
closer look. "What happened to you?" he asked and pointed the fading
bruise on his mouth.

The lad dropped his eyes. "It was just some jerks wanting me to do to
them..what I did to...y'know..." His voice trailed off, being ashamed
that so many men were now teasing him for that, but not the man he was
supposed to have been with. Before today, every time he had seen
Sh'lua since that night it had seemed the man ignored him or got away
from him as fast as possible.

"Some people are just idiots," Sh'lua said with compassion. He give
the boy a quick hug. "When next scandal comes up, they will forget
you," he said. That was probably not the best comfort but he couldn't
come up with anything better.

"I hope so." G'wen allowed himself to linger a tiny bit in Sh'lua's
arms. He was so muscular it was easy to feel safe in them. When
Sh'lua released him he sighed and gave the man a small smile. "So you
trust us with C'lua then?"

"Yes, I just leave you in peace," Sh'lua replied. ** Ah, craps, he so cute!**

"Great!" He motioned for him to say good-bye and leave. The less
C'lua knew about their talk here the better. With a wave of his hand
he walked back to his friends.

Sh'lua made his excuses and left the young men to have fun on their own.

Last updated on the September 19th 2011

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Fathers Will Be Fathers