Wide eyes will always brighten the blue. (Rii)

[rii]

Smiles, those were always good, and Ba'sun happily returned the expression. Handing over the toddler did well to brighten her mood as well. Much better than watching her shift nervously and chew on her lip. If she didn't want to become a victim, she sure as well should stop acting like one. Her confidence needed work - and he had no idea why she spoke with such insecurity. Hm. Privately, Ba'sun commented to himself that he was glad he never had daughters - especially growing up in Benden's environment. Raising a girl would likely drive him batty. "You wound me. I'm really trying here and you trample my efforts."

Dramatically he placed a hand over his heart, effecting a sorrwoful frown - an expression that quickly washed away to favor his true mood. Except he wanted to bop the girl on the head for again bringing up Shoal's history. Without even thinking of his actions, Ba'sun brought up his hands within her sight and pantomimed the action of throttling her because he told her to shut up about all that. If a mandyr or fire lizard with half mind got ahold of that information—grr!

"I would rather he not be reminded of his past, if you don't mind." Because the kid was young enough to forget, to grow up in peace and not haunted by a history that would never change. Who knows if he'd ever see his father, siblings, or cousins again. It was better he didn't know they even existed. Somehow Ba'sun doubted Erilena would understand. So with a sigh he let the matter be dismissed.

My pleassure, Ekarth purred as he stretched out along the grass. In turn, Ba'sun frowned at his peculiar mind mate - Ekarth and not Aello, thought they were both troublesome in their own ways - even though the very thought of the fire lizard brought her to the scene. The green lighted on his shoulder and crooned invitingly at Erilena. Ba'sun settled a brooding look on Erilena. "Now you've doomed us all, including that blue lump. I just hope you know.."

Pay Ssun'O'mine no mind, LenaOne. Hiss mind iss not what it once wass on impressing. Ba'sun snorted, but Ekarth heeded him not, instead sliding across the grass to flip onto his feet and loosely coil around Erilena. He regarded the child with one eye, then the other in careful consideration before nodding in his wisdom. Kirvene

Ba'sun mouth opened, well no that on wasn't too bad, he settled a glare on the blue. "I hate you."

He'ss sso jealouss.

[Rei]

The dramatics where a nice touch. Erilena gave Ba’sun a playful look and then gave him a slight mock frown. “Oh you where trying? My apologies. The names where so horrible here I thought you where just playing around.” Smiling brightly afterwards she bounced Shoal again now eyeing the bluerider with playful interest. Okay so maybe she had misjudged him at the beginning. He really wasn’t too bad at all. Certainly not actively mean as she had first worried. In fact he might actually be fun. Seemed like it anyway. It was really too bad Feyrianth couldn’t relax enough to see that. Maybe another time. Her dragon did have a short memory after all. If they ever ran into the bluepair again, away from the kids, it would probably be okay.

Frowning softly as the bluerider’s stance changed Erilena’s eyes slightly widened and she placed one hand over her mouth. Whoops. Well it wasn’t as if she mentioned any names or anything. Tch. It was going to be harder than the greenrider thought to keep herself from slipping. Apparently the woman would actively have to work on it. Giving Ba’sun a look of mock terror Erilena made a half step back from his pantomimed violence. “Do forgive me. I’m just still getting over the shock.” Giving him a sad puppy dog like look she gave a half whimper. “So mean you are. Are you this abusive to your poor dragon? No wonder he teases you.” Unfortunately though she couldn’t really keep up the act seeing how the rider’s next comment was actually kind of serious. Giving him a sheepish look Erilena nodded. “He’s just a baby. He won’t remember. I’ll keep a closer watch on my mouth in the future.” Because whether Ba’sun liked it or not the greenrider was planning on visiting. She might even offer to baby sit if he’d agree to it. Nuzzling the side of Shoal’s head the woman turned to view Ekarth as he spoke.

The fire lizard’s appearance was only a momentary distraction and Erilena gave a soft mock croon at the green before her attention was stolen by Ekarth. Giggling after his mind speech she winked at the blue. “Oh don’t worry. I’m not paying him much mind anymore. My ears are only for you darling.” It was only then that the greenrider realized that she had no clue what the blue’s name was. Rude of her not to have asked before now. Oh well the nickname would do until she could figure it out somehow. Watching the dragon as he coiled around her the woman gave him a warm smile. Dragons hardly ever made her nervous. Which was really kind of silly because one could get hurt by a dragon far more easily than a human.

Shifting Shoal so Ekarth could get a better look for his ‘inspection’ Erilena tried not to laugh at the nod. “Kirvene.” Her tone considering the woman gave a nod and then leaned over to press a kiss to the blue’s head. “Wonderful name! Good job.” Looking back at Ba’sun she smiled. “I think he’s riiiight. You are just jealous.”

[rii]

She didn't understand - completely. Partially, but not as much as he wanted her to understand why he wanted the events of the take-over to be washed away from Shoal's memory. The words he might not understand, but kids were good on picking up on moods; when something was wrong, when people looked at them and were sad for them. It would bring up questions. Ba'sun did not want Shoal carrying with him that once he had siblings, once he had a father and mother – why make the child grieve over these things when he could happily live without the knowledge; without the misery. He could be happy still - didn't people see that?

Ba'sun audibly snorted at Erilena's flattery toward Ekarth. "You shouldn't humor him that much. That bag of bones is nothing but trouble."

Then she just went on to agree with him. Ba'sun let his head and shoulder slump in defeat. "What kind of nickname is Kirv. Sounds like a curve," He demonstrated the meaning with a sweep of hand through the air, one that curved around Erilena to flick at Ekarth's snout. "Curvy." He traced a lewd drawing in the air with his fingers of a woman with a generous figure. "Yeaah, I don't like it."

If you can come up with ssomething better, feel free. In the meantime, it iss two againsst one. You losse. Ekarth stuck his tongue out from where he hovered above Erilena's shoulder. Don't be ssuch a ssore losser. Ba'sun grunted, eyes appraising the girl holding the child, and ignoring Ekarth smirking features. "You seem to like kids," But didn't look like she ever went through pregnancy - Ba'sun had an eye for those things. If she visited the creche often to be cheered up by them she must have a desire for one, and the way she fawned over Shoal only hinted at one thing as far as he could tell. "Thinking about having one?"

[Rei]

Shrugging she turned to Ekarth and tilted her head up at him as if appraising him. “He’s fine. Definitely healthy if you really look at him. I think your rider is just irritated that I am on your side and not his.” Throwing another playful look at Ba’sun the greenrider watched him trace the picture in the air and giggled. “Well I think it sounds fine. We like it.” she stated happily before mimicking Ekarth and sticking out her tongue. “So he’s right. Majority rules for now. You do lose.” Balancing Shoal on her hip Erilena raised one hand to briefly rub at Ekarth’s eye ridge. “He is being a sore loser isn’t he? You can’t help it that you're so smart.” Dropping her hand she again readjusted the toddler and briefly cooed to him. “Well now Kirvene. What do you think about it? I think your Dad is just being silly.” Smiling at him as the little boy just gurgled and fisted her hair the rider shrugged. “I think It’ll work. You don't have to nickname him Kirv. I think he likes the name anyway. So that makes it three against one. I think you are pretty much destined to lose.”

The question caused Erilena's expression to change and, giving a soft smile, she briefly nodded being careful to lessen the amount of tugging the motion did with her hair. “Yes. I love kids. They’re wonderful.” Looking at Shoal briefly she gave a light shrug. “I’ve thought about it before yes. A lot at times. I’ve always wanted kids. It’s just….never the right time.” Never the right time and she didn’t have the right person. Maybe one day she could have a family but right now? It was pretty much just a dream. Not only did she have the infirmary business and wing to worry about but she didn’t have a partner. Oh the greenrider was well aware you didn’t exactly need a husband or a weyrmate to have a baby. But she wanted that. A family. Someone to share that all with. Maybe it was a hold bred thing and maybe it was hard to make work in a weyr environment. She wasn't sure.

However, Erilena had long ago decided she wasn’t going to settle for less than what she wanted. Which was a weyrmate at the very least. A family. To have the child of someone she loved, not just some random flight partner or person. Maybe it was a bit of a dream but not one the woman was willing to give up. Not yet and probably not ever. She had time after all. Sure people married and had kids at her age. Much younger even. But… she was only twenty so there was time. Besides, after having her previous weyrmate leave her, she still wasn’t ready or even wanting to go about trying to find another. Especially since the greenrider was having such a hard time letting go. It hadn’t been her decision to split after all. She had given R’ven what he wanted, his space, but that hadn’t made Erilena’s feelings for him lessen at all. For Faranth’s sake she still pined over him on a near daily basis and it had been almost six months now since they had split. Half a turn and she still missed him like crazy. Even more so now that she couldn’t make some excuse to just catch a glimpse of him. So no. The greenrider didn’t want another weyrmate. It hurt too much when they left.

Giving another soft and slightly sad smile to Ba’sun she shrugged. “One day when it’s right I want one. Maybe a few. Until then. I’ll fawn over the kids here and my cat.” Pressing a soft kiss to Shoal’s temple Erilena debating giving him back over to the bluerider. No she didn’t want to give him back just yet. But he wasn’t hers to keep. “I know we just met and all. But if you ever needed someone to watch him?” Turning her gaze towards the man she tried not to appear too hopeful. They had just met after all. The greenrider probably wouldn’t trust her baby to a near stranger either.

[rii]

Dad - Ba'sun pulled a slight face at the term. He had no intention of eluding the kid to believe he was his father; and straight out refused to make the connection of Shoal being his son. It could be simple, he imagined and lead himself to believe, he was just the parent figure - someone the kid could rely on and trust. There needed to be some degree of separation because Shoal wasn't his. Ba'sun grunted at the girl double teaming against him with Ekarth. At least his assumption had been right - that her attachment to the children in the creche had a lot to do with wanting one of her own. She looked old enough, healthy enough, wonder what really kept her from completing the wish.

"Hey, hey. Don't think you can steal my kid 'cause you are waiting to have your own." His held up his hands, palm slightly showing toward Erilena in silent request to have Shoal back. "Don't be offended, but it is probably going to be a while before I let him out of my side for longer than a minute or two." Not until things settled down, and though Ba'sun didn't voice it, he was more worried about some of the big-headed Selenitas riders thinking they would do S'rei a great service by rescuing Shoal and running off to some hold unknown to hide the child. Ba'sun was already attached, as much as he tried to deny it, and he was not likely to react well.

Ba'sun gifted her a teasing smile and a wink, "Just be sure not to collect too many cats to fill in that space."

The sound of feet running across the grass made him turn to smile thankfully at the returning boy, accepting the clay jar with a ruffle of the kid's hair. "Do me a favor and stop hiding things, the creche women have enough on their hands to deal with right now."

"I know," Ralor sulkily replied, grinning in Erilena's direction before turning and running back the way he came.

"Diluted numbweed," Ba'sun answered the question that had not been asked. The jar was held up, tapped with a single finger. "With a bit of flavoring to not be so repulsive. Helps with the teething. You can tell 'cause he chews on his fingers and kind of drools. It keeps him up and night - and in turn me. So hopefully this will help both of our problems."

[Rei]

Ah that’s what she was expecting. Trying not to appear too disappointed Erilena gave Shoal a final cuddle and stepped slightly away from Ekarth to turn the baby back over to Ba’sun. Swallowing her desire to frown as she handed him back she smiled instead. She was being far too silly about it anyway. “It’s okay. My ex used to tease me about being a rogue. Probably better I turn him over before I decide to really steal him.” Wiggling her fingers at the bluerider she made it clear in her tone that she was just teasing. Dropping her hand the young woman gave a soft smile. “I think I understand. Better he stays with you. Safer that way. I don’t blame you, but I’d still like to visit? If you’d be okay with that of course.”

Trailing off Erilena gave a snort in response to his tease. “Oh I think I’ll be fine with just Ca’tauri. She’s the size of a few cats and spoiled rotten on top of that. I’ve no desire to turn into a crazy cat lady.” Giggling slightly at that thought she made a face. “Besides I don’t think that particular space is one that’s easily filled.” Animals weren’t really babies. Although the greenrider supposed having them did help quell the desire a little. That didn’t mean she was going to go out and obtain a menagerie though.

Ralor’s appearance caused her to smile and she watched him till he was out of sight. Little troublemaker that he was he still remained one or Erilena’s favorites. Most of the time anyway. Hazel eyes turning back to the jar she nodded. “If you need some for your own use I can get it easily for you considering I work in the infirmary. Letting him chew things also helps the teeth cut faster. Cold things can numb to if you can find them.” Shaking her head she made a face. “Listen to me go on. You probably have more experience than me in these things anyway.”

The greenrider reached up to caress Ekarth’s muzzle a final time. “Well I guess now that you’ve got what you wanted. And I’ve kind of really extended my break beyond what I should have. I should go.” Glancing at Ba’sun she gave another bright smile to the bluerider. “So as far as visiting? Yes? No?”