Man, Woman, What's the Difference? (Caden)

[Requiem]

So. He was in a mood. It happened on occasion. And yes, it was usually Eveyth related. (Not that he ever could tell when she was beginning to glow. Gradual changes and all.) Of course, it might have had something to do with the judgmental looks he was getting from these miners when he dropped his baby sister off earlier. They wanted to term him 'freak' because he rode green? Well, fine. He could live down to their expectations.

Now, it wasn't enough to just look girly. X'rx wanted no gender-confusion getting in the way of his campaign to make these holders uncomfortable. Seeing an apparent female - if somewhat flat female - walking around with greenrider knots so wouldn't do the trick. So was he wearing last turn's leathers that left absolutely nothing to the imagination? You'd better believe it. Even the smallest of men couldn't be mistaken in anything that tight. The loose shirt tucked into those too-tight pants was left unlaced more than enough to disabuse anyone of the notion of breasts.

Now there were plenty of men who might wear their pants too tight. That was not enough of a shock factor. In light of that, X'rx had feathered his hair, dark strands almost completely obscuring the right side of his face. The bangs were cut long, to the chin, the back short. And the hair on the left side of his head had been braided back, a green ribbon threaded through it, with feathers and shells worked into the braid. It was the kohl, though, that really did it. Oh, he didn't apply it like Syrene, the raccoon make-up that made her look part-corpse. (He was still on an active campaign to get her to stop doing that permanently.) No, he outlined his eyes in dark sweeping lines.

So yes, X'rx had more or less gone to the Gather dressed and made-up like a very gay, very effeminate man-whore. He'd even stolen boots with heels from the eldest of his two sisters. (Yes, their feet were the same size. Yes, X'rx was small for a guy. He knew. Didn't have to be reminded.) And why not, after all? If they were going to give him the evil eye and think it anyway, why the shells not? Okay, if he'd been female it probably would have been appropriate to assume it was his time of the month but...eh.

You know, it wouldn't be at all appropriate to just dress like the man-slut the holders expected. So naturally when he saw a very tall, lean man with his back turned to X'rx, the greenrider in his little hissy fit sashayed right up to him. Pressed his hip into the man's. Threaded fingers through the back of his hair. And yes, kissed Caden full on the mouth, making sure to give him lots of tongue while Caden was still too shocked to respond - and any onlookers quite the show. Only one small problem. That hand that was supposed to be feeling up a manly chest...was getting a bit more curve than expected.

X'rx broke off the kiss, stepping back. Surprise number one. Hey, he knew this one. From the baths, if he remembered correctly. And when did Caden become a woman? Furthermore...were those goldweyrling knots on her shoulder? His flush was instantaneous. Oops.

[Ruby]

Caden had managed to sneak out without the Headwoman's influence today, which meant that instead of frilly shirts, over-shined boots and copious embroidery, she'd come to the Gather in something much more comfortable (for her). Flightleathers, mostly, clean but scuffed and worn from Weyrling lessons. She'd let Mo'rya pick her shirt today, but he had a much better grasp of her taste than the Headwoman did, outfitting her in a very simple blouse. The only hint of girlishness was the green ribbons lacing the sleeves, but with her jacket on even those were invisible. Good thing it wasn't exactly warm today, although to be honest it wasn't exactly cold either. Oh well.

There wasn't much she needed, really, but Blossom had taken an interest in the red threads at the Jewelry stall, so Caden was pretending to browse while the Firelizard cozied up with the stall's keeper, batting eyelids and chittering away, hoping he would get the message and just give her one of the strings. The new baby had been a mistake - somehow, she, Mor'ya, and Er'ani had all found themselves with new pets - but she already seemed about a million times more outgoing than Caden herself, even just days out of shell. Blossom would probably get what she wanted, too. Sel and Nitrath had taken to her immediately.

Caden had drifted to the stall's far corner when she felt someone bump her from behind. Turning to apologize - they must have just brushed her, the gather was crowded today - she found her head captured, her body pulled forward, her mouth invaded. Caden didn't have much experience to go on, but this was just about the opposite of Cr'oph's kiss. On the other hand, two kisses in two days wasn't exactly a bad track record, given the 18 turns of no kisses that had gone before. Wait. That wasn't the right train of thought.

Pulling back just as X'rx discovered exactly what her looseish shirt hid, Caden shook her head, blinking at the greenrider as she tried to process. Her cheeks were flaming, and it only got worse when she actually looked at her assailant. She knew him, had seen him around, although he wasn't usually dressed quite so much like a Bitran doxie. She opened her mouth to ask what he was thinking, her brain torn between being flattered and annoyed at the invasion of space, but what came out was, "Your shirt is, uh. About to fall off?"

[Requiem]

That was quite a blush. What was even more curious, though, was that Caden didn't seem very upset at the crazy greenrider attack she'd just fallen victim to. Surprised, yes, but she didn't seem even a bit annoyed, much less angry. He cocked his head to one side. The tall woman had captured some of his attention before he realized she was a woman, and now that attention was effectively held. X'rx looked her up and down, then blinked at her comment.

What an odd response to being spontaneously throat-swabbed.

"There's no danger of that," he responded, with a mixture of amusement and continued embarrassment that formed a rather strange combo. Nevertheless, he nervously adjusted his shirt on his shoulders, tugging it inward a little. Glancing over his shoulder to see if they had an audience, he was relieved to find that if anyone was paying attention, they must have grown bored at Caden's lack of violent reaction.

If nothing else, his campaign to shock the holders into an early grave had been thrown off course long enough for him to actually think about it and he had no clue why he was doing this. What purpose did proving them right serve? (Not that they could be proved wrong, but still.) "You're a woman," he stated needlessly. "A very tall one."

Feeling some of the heat fading from his face, he decided he wasn't going to apologize for his appearance or his behavior. The whole thing might have been one big mistake but...well, this was a goldweyrling. It wasn't like the shinies would have anything to do with lowly greenriders when they graduated unless it was to bark orders anyway. (Cr'oph excepted. But X'rx had saved the man's life once, so he didn't think that exception proved anything whatsoever.) Let her think what she wanted.

Well, he was here, and he might as well enjoy himself a little. That bold blush had him more than just a little amused. You'd think she'd never been kissed before. Threading his arm through hers, he smiled up at her. "Not bad, by the way, but you really should return the kiss a little. I'm always willing to help people practice." Suggestion touched his tone. A little kiss wasn't going to hurt a baby dragon, and X'rx wasn't mean. He wouldn't take it too far. That was assuming Caden would let him, anyway. No, he just wanted to see how red he could get this woman. Curiosity sparked.

[Ruby]

This kissing stuff was dangerous business. What if she was wrestling someone, and they decided to plant one on her, and she just went all limp and stupid? It was a good question, and one she'd have to consider. X'rx had certainly gotten the limp and stupid reaction; her brain still seemed to have miles to go before it caught up with her mouth. Dangerous business indeed.

Still flaming red, her mouth went on without her brain's input - a dangerous combination usually, but in this situation, Caden's brain probably would have just said FLEE! so maybe it was a good thing. "Aye," she replied to the accusation of her gender, gesturing vaguely at the goldweyrling's knot on her shoulder. "Or so they tell me. Nitrath thinks so, anyway." Well, that was stupid, but not as bad as it could have been. Maybe. She fiddled with her jacket, too, pulling it tighter across her chest in a gesture of self-protection, although it had the interesting side effect of highlighting exactly how little she had in the way of breasts. Not intentional in the least, but at least it was clear, now, that X'rx hadn't made TOO big of a mistake.

Unfortunately, now that she'd answered him, Caden realized it would be much harder to escape X'rx's company. If she'd just stiffened up and brushed past him, she'd be free, but now she was forced to be polite. A little, anyway. Still, she cringed away from the touch on her arm, attempting to keep it away from him without him knowing, and of course she failed. The bold suggestion didn't help much either; redness came back full-force. It wasn't an attractive blush, either, like a pretty holder girl whose cheeks colored as she batted her eyelashes, or some nonsense. No, it was Caden's whole neck and face that changed color, in a blotchy pattern. Even her ears felt like they were on fire.

"I, erm," she started, trying to find an appropriate answer to his offer and failing miserably (it seemed to be a day of fail for the poor girl). "I don't, I'm not - " Shards, she thought, this is stupid. Who was this idiotic creature, babbling and fussing because a boy thought she should be kissing differently? What, she thought, would C'den have done? Well that was easy enough. Reaching across with her free arm, she attempted to pry X'rx's fingers loose. "I've plenty of practice," she grumbled, sounding just a touch more sullen than she intended to. "Just prefer when I'm not surprised, is all. And those pants are too tight," she added, trying not to glance down at them. "Not my taste at all." As if she had a taste in men.

[Requiem]

Blushing even redder now. It was a touch evil, perhaps, but he was very much enjoying flustering Caden. Such expressive reactions she had, even if her verbal reactions weren't very comprehensible. He was at least mildly merciful, though, and offered her something of a reassuring smile as she stumbled over her words, rather than teasing her about it.

He released her arm as she began trying to remove his hand forcefully, instead reaching up to trace the air near her neck and cheek. "Plenty of practice. Of course." The words were quiet, the amusement subtle but certainly not undetectable. She was still unbelievably red...but if she wanted to claim that she had practice, he wouldn't call her out on it. Yet.

It didn't escape his notice this she was pointedly avoiding looking at his pants, either. X'rx chuckled. "And your clothing is entirely too formless. We all have our preferences...in this case, though, I happen to agree with you. These are just last turn's pants. Perhaps your good eye can help me find something more suitable? It's on my list of errands." He smiled encouragingly. Ironically enough, he'd actually put on enough muscle (little though it was) in the last turn that he was indeed telling the truth. Of course, he already had pants that fit him less...immodestly.

"And perhaps I can find something more flattering for you. No offense or anything, but if you're going to wear knots, there's really not much sense in hiding. Some pants that don't swallow you, taller boots, a little strategy in the placement of your belt and showing a little neck...you could go from that adrogynous look you've got going to female and sensible. And a haircut. That-" He gestured to her hair. "That's just not attractive on anything. If you're trying to hide, it's not working. You just look like that's what you're trying to do. Makes people wonder why."

No, Caden was not likely to escape X'rx for awhile yet. "For the record, if I didn't think you were a man at first glance, I would not have accosted you. They were turning their noses up at me yesterday. I figured I'd give them something to turn their noses up at. I don't make a habit of kissing strangers out of the blue." A slight mischievous glint entered his smile. "Normally."

[Ruby]

"Aye." Practice, yes. Couldn't prove that one way or another, if she had started out as terrible, maybe with practice she would come off as inexperienced? She could only hope, because she wasn't getting any less red... or any more feminine, clearly. She made a face when X'rx admitted that the pants weren't intended to fit - ha, her own fashion sense might be next to useless, but she could still spot a too-small pair of pants. That seemed to be more than some of the flightmoths could do, so there.

Of course, it appeared that she wasn't doing much better, although she was doing it in the opposite direction. Clothes too formless, too androgynous (did she even know what that meant? Caden wasn't sure), hair too... something. She tugged on a longish bit that trailed near her collar, making mental notes. X'rx, as a full rider, was her superior; and while these were suggestions at best, clearly he saw something lacking about her, something others had seen and commented on as well. Perhaps it was time to consider a change, except...

"'m not trying to hide. And I don't want to look female," she added, but of course her defensive tone betrayed her, at least partially. It might actually be true that she didn't want to look female. "And gotta wear knots, don't I? Nothing I can do about that." Of course, Caden had never once considered leaving the braided cord at home - if she didn't wear knots, how would she know where she fit in the hierarchy, and who she would listen to? It was expected. With a little smirk, she added, "Me and Mo'rya switched the other day, that was good. Less people looking at us funny, he makes a much better goldrider. Didn't feel the need to kiss anyone to make my point, though," she added. Her tone was flat, but if X'rx looked close, he might spot a twinkle in the Goldweyrling's eye - yes, that was what passed for humor with Caden. She was still mad at the Greenrider; mad about the kiss and how silly it made her, upset that he felt the need to criticize her wardrobe (of course that was a subject she'd brought up, not him), annoyed that he wouldn't leave her alone. But being different and having people turn their noses up at her was a familiar feeling, so she felt some form of kinship. Maybe she didn't need to be mad at him forever.

She wasn't giving up her grumbling quite that easily, though. "You don't want my help with pants, promise," she went on, gesturing at her own oversize ones. "And unless you're planning on cutting my hair yourself, I like it how it is," For now. Now that he'd said something, though, she'd have to find out what some of the other boys did... or maybe even a girl. Maybe. Of course, he didn't have to know that. "So. Gonna let me go?"

[Requiem]

X'rx regarded her curiously at her assertion that she didn't want to look female. Well, Caden was female, so it was something of a moot point now wasn't it? Granted, she didn't have much of the curves and her build was strong enough...the truth was the truth and it had a way of coming out no matter how much you wanted to hide it. "Not everyone wears knots all the time," X'rx pointed out needlessly. Of course, they were supposed to for the most part. New regime; new rules.

Well, she didn't seem quite so put out with him anymore, though he was still bugging her if her skintone and defensiveness was any indication. The greenrider was more than ready to start shooting her down all over again. Caden really wasn't going to escape him so easy. "Nope," he responded cheerfully. "I wouldn't mind cutting your hair at all. I cut my own." Another flash of a smile. Course, he needed the help of a couple mirrors and a Ximera to make sure the back didn't get all crooked, but he thought he did a fairly good job. Someone else's hair would be easy.

"There's not anything wrong with looking like what you are, you know. Nothing wrong with being a woman. I bet you could look very striking. Not soft, not feminine, but handsome. Darya's a handsome woman and she doesn't look feminine," the man concluded. He was bound and determined to sell her on this idea. Anyone with half a brain could tell that much.

X'rx very much liked Darya's look...when she wasn't being swallowed in clothing too large for her because she'd lost weight. "I can give you a cut that sharpens the planes of your face. I promise, no softness." He flashed his most winning smile. "So what do you say? Wouldn't you like people to not sneer at you every time they see you without having to pretend you like frills like Kaegan does?"

X'rx drifted a little closer to Caden, then, driving his point home. Or perhaps just seeing what her reaction was to his closer proximity. (In all actuality, that was the far more likely reason. Prey should not be allowed to skitter away so easy, and how could a person hunt if they didn't take the effort to get to know their prey?) The greenrider had all the time in the world to hook this one.

[Ruby]

"Supposed to," Caden replied stubbornly, fingering her own knot. It's true, she'd seen some around the Weyr and many more around the Gather without knots, but the Goldweyrling didn't break rules just for the hell of it, especially silly rules like pinning a bit of cord to your shoulder. Even if it did out her as not, exactly, male. In fact, she was far more comfortable switching the one she had for Mo'rya's or maybe a plain Weyrfolk's cord than she would feel going without knots; she'd feel naked, she was sure. She didn't like feeling naked.

The rest, though, got a face. "There's nothing wrong with looking like what I am? Then how come I can't look like what I want? I like my hair well enough, my clothes are comfortable, functional. Don't want to be striking or handsome; 'd rather people didn't notice me. Safer that way." Ah, and there it was, if X'rx cared to notice. As if to drive the point home, Caden shoved her hands deep in her pockets, wondering, now, why she was putting up with the greenrider still. It would be plenty easy to overpower the smaller man, storm off, and demand a ride back to Selenitas. But as much as X'rx was annoying, there was still that feeling of communion between them, and Caden was pretty sure she needed as many friends as she could get. Twink greenriders included.

"We can discuss the haircut later," she growled, "Unless your weapon of choice is scissors? Not letting you use a kitchen knife," she added, leaving out the (fairly obvious) fact that she always cut her own hair with a kitchen knife. If she was going to be made to sit still for some girly haircut, she might as well make sure it looked halfway decent. "If you want to try, I'll try to sit still, but no guarantees. And if I don't like it, I'm chopping it off again."

[Requiem]

X'rx regarded Caden calmly, mind obviously working behind his mild gaze. Assimilating what she'd just said. "Sounds like you're hiding to me. Functional and comfortable is all well and good, Miss I just want to look how I want to look, but invisible is not a look. It's a fool's dream now that you have Nitrath. You're never going to be safe from scrutiny again. Accept it." His smile wasn't ungentle. It wasn't as if he didn't know what he was talking about; the green knots on his shoulder put him in a similar situation, though he didn't have to endure the spotlight like she did. There were too few male greenriders for him not to be noticed and judged based just on his dragon's color and his own gender.

Irony was a lot of the stereotypes were at least partially true. Heh. Except possibly the biggest one; he definitely was interested in women.

The man didn't bother to mute the delight inherent in his smile when it became clear that Caden was capitulating. Oh, this was better than expected. Not only was she agreeing to sitting down and having her hair cut, but it would now take place in a private setting. Probably his weyr. Excellent. And if she'd bow to that pressure, perhaps she'd bow to other ones. Like more flattering clothes.

X'rx somehow managed to keep most of the excitement out of his tone, however. "Fair enough. You have every right to cut off all your hair whenever you wish. You won't want to though, I promise." He was already considering how best to go about it. But there was another matter to convince her on, and he was more than ready to move onto that while he was on a roll.

"I've seen some of the things that Headwoman puts you in. Or is it Kaegan? Absolutely atrocious. If we can find you something that doesn't make you look so formless while still being tasteful, you won't have to look like a possessed doll on steroids." Blunt truth anyone? "Don't you think that's worth letting go of this already doomed campaign to disappear into thin air?"

[Ruby]

"Ugh." It was true, everything X'rx was saying was true; Caden knew it somewhere deep inside herself, she just hadn't wanted to face it. Having it just... laid out like that was unpleasant at best. Not that she would ever give Nitrath back, nor trade her for anything, not even Smath, which was saying a lot. (Then again she wouldn't have traded Smath for Nitrath, either. The gold understood). "Don't want to. Not till I have to anyway, and I can avoid it at least a bit till I graduate, or thereabouts. Till Nitrath rises. No one notices immature Weyrlings." Lies, all lies, and Caden knew it - X'rx would be able to see it written all over her face if he looked close enough. Pariah and Kleopath had been in Caden's own weyrling class, after all, and even though the young Bluerider had generally ignored them, not everyone had.

That was all she wanted to say on that subject, though - she got the message, even if she didn't like it, and might not really accept it for years to come. And X'rx was being reasonable about the rest, despite the fact that Caden imagined anything he could do to her hair would not meet with her approval. Of course, she was imagining some foolish curls or the kind of gentle cropped cut some of the female riders adopted for practical reasons, not anywhere near what the Greenrider was certainly thinking. "We'll see. Might not look it, but I can be picky. Ask Mo'rya." That caused a corner of her mouth to lift - much more of a smile than she'd had on her face recently. This was not the Goldweyrling's favorite conversation topic.

Yet somehow, it had become something she liked even less. Hair was one thing - there was only so much you could do with it, after all, unless you liked those bleaches and dyes some women selected - clothes quite another. Those Caden simply didn't understand, and clearly the Headwoman's taste was not doing her any favors. "Headwoman, Kaegan doesn't care what I wear." Oh wait, not entirely true. "Not yet, anyway. Might change her mind once I'm supposed to be showing up at Holds to get more tithes out of the Lord Holders." Another grimace. Really, Weyrwoman was just about the last position Caden ever wanted. Couldn't she and Nitrath be some sort of warrior pair, leading to Weyr to war at the head of Alpha Wing, or into Threadfall? She'd pitched this idea to Nitrath at some point, and the Gold had just laughed her silvery laugh and gone on to poke logical holes all over that theory. The memory still made Caden cross.

"Anyway, that you'll have to talk to Mo'rya about clothes, he seems to think he's in charge of that now. Picked this shirt, and it's his next project to re-purpose all my pants into skirts or some nonsense," she said, plucking at the thin material of her blouse, mostly obscured under her jacket.

[Requiem]

He snorted outright at her description of what Mor'ya had in mind for her. (Much of what Caden was saying needed no response. She either was denying the truth or would learn it soon enough.) "Because that's sensible for a dragonrider. Though I suppose Weyrwomen - future Weyrwomen - don't really have to be particularly sensible if they don't want to be." Or maybe to such a woman a skirt was sensible. Depending on what image you wanted to present. X'rx might have some interest in basic appearance, but once it crossed into the realm of politics, he knew he was very much out of his league.

"Well, good luck with all the people trying to give you makeovers," the greenrider concluded cheerfully, smiling brightly enough that you'd think he wasn't one of those very people. Before the man disappeared back into the crowd, though, he poked Caden squarely on her nose. "Don't forget. If you don't come by soon I'll have to come collect you and I promise it will make you blush again." A wicked gleam sparked behind his eye as he flashed a grin at her, then quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Which was something of a feat given how he was dressed. Then again, X'rx was not that big, was he?