Tree Branches and Second Chances (Tavis, Erno)

[Zephyr]

Well. This was embarrassing.

At the current moment, poor Buram was hanging upside down, his brightly colored trousers twisted uncomfortably around one of the branches. The boy was lucky he hadn't slipped right out of his britches, but he was a slim boy and luckily, his weight wasn't enough for him to do so. Unluckily, however, he wasn't heavy enough to break the branch, and all his attempts at wiggling wildly around only produced a nauseatingly bobbing branch with boy in tow. He had to pull his shirt down over his stomach so his midriff didn't show.

How did he get into this predicament? Well, he was climbing trees. Back in Ista, Buram would climb trees all the time. It started when he was a kid in an attempt to get away from his overbearing and slightly rude stepfather, and trees became his oasis, and he got good at climbing them, all sorts of trees. This time, unfortunately, he lost his balance and fell backwards. Buram was lucky he didn't hit the ground and break his leg or neck or something.

But now he had to get out of this sharding tree before someone came along.

Very embarrassing.

[Ivy]

How many sharding times were they going to make him move? Stealing him from Selenitas Hold - never mind he'd been heading for the Weyr, never you mind that. Now here they were in the... new Selenitas? Or the weyr formerly known as Burimyu? Whichever it was, that's where he was.

True there had been a good reason for the move - you know, the whole... earthquake and destruction... All that jazz. So it made sense that they had moved. Didn't mean Tavis had to like it.

All these thoughts were running through his mind as he walked along the bank of the river - those thoughts and thoughts about his recently passed turnday. What did he have to show for the past turn? Nothing.

One. Year. Gone. Now. Another!

Apima of course thought this was a fantastic thing, this turnday. So in her monotone mind voice she sang out loud to everyone around. Tavis did not find this amusing in the least and swatted at the small Green salamandyr. "Shut it Apima."

Just as he was about to turn and head back to his room he happened upon an odd sight - a boy stuck hanging from a tree. Even the bitter teenager couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter as he approached. "Hey there... you just... hanging out?" Comic genuis, thy name is Tavis.

[Ruby]

"Buuurraaammm!" Erno called, somewhere between wailing and laughing, "Sorry, I went to find someone and... Oh hi." Apparently Buram had managed to attract some help of his own. Erno had told him not to climb the tree, but his new friend had insisted on doing exactly that. The boys had been searched together and claimed each other practically immediately - near the same age, similarly outgoing personalities, it just seemed sensible - and everything had been just peachy until younger Buram got it in to his head that tree climbing in the jungle would be fun. Erno didn't agree, but he also didn't want Buram eaten by a wild feline, so here he was.

Along with another boy around their age, with an attractive mop of curly hair and the kind of brooding adolescence that many of Erno's own brothers had gone through. Cute, but in the kind of blatantly heterosexual way that made Erno want to start considering likely females to set him up with. For now, though, the sandy-haired young man stuck out a hand for Tavis to shake, eyeing him from under a flop of hair (and totally ignoring Buram's predicament). Erno laughed at the mysterious candidate's hilarious pun, then said, "Hi, I'm Erno! And yeah, Buram's just... chillin'. He likes trees? I guess we could get him down, or you could tell me more about your adorable pet there. Is that one of those Salamandyrs I've heard so much about?"

Friendly, bubbly Erno; welcome to the Weyr.

[Zephyr]

The longer he hung from the tree, the more he wished Erno was back with help already. He was already embarrassed enough. He didn't need someone possibly stumbling upon him in such a state. Unfortunately for the boy, that was exactly what happened. He was busy with the blood rushing to his head, far too busy to hear Tavis' footsteps on the ground. By the time he noticed the boy, his face was flushed red visibly, even if his skin was darker.

He was laughing at him. Of course he was laughing. Buram thought he probably made a pretty funny scene, hanging from the tree from his trousers. He was high enough that it would be hard for anyone to reach him, or for him to fall comfortably. He chuckled at the boy's words, twisting around to watch the boy as he approached him. He had to admit, for not being very funny, he was a cutie. Grinning widely, Buram wiggled where he was. "Yup! Pretty funny, right? He exclaimed. " Was actually waiting for someone, but hey! My name's Buram!" There wasn't a trace of sarcasm in his words.

" Erno!" Buram said as the other boy finally returned. " Did you find anyone to he..." Before he could finish talking, Erno's attention was on the boy. Buram grinned knowingly. " So I don't suppose you found any help? That's okay! I'm sure I can find a way to get down while you cuddle the salamandyr." He kept trying to swing his upper body towards the tree, but it wasn't working out quite so well. He fell at length, glancing to Tavis. " That really is a very cute pet!"