All That Glitters... (Dmitri)

[Ember]

If Eikane was glad for anything about his injury from the mine collapse a while ago, it was that it had done nothing to impair his ability to play music. Considering music and not walking in general was the goldhandler's passion...yes, very grateful was he. He strummed a few notes on the handheld harp he'd brought out that night and kept his eyes closed to the dim weyrbowl. He could make out some things in the darkness considering he was a wherhandler but it wasn't important at that moment to be looking. He knew perfectly well what his gold was doing. He could practically feel the night-chilled water rolling off his own skin.

He struck up a slow, almost haunting tune as the gold walked herself out of the deeper water. The blinding shine of her hide from the Run had long since faded though she seemed to sparkle with a different sort of glow, egg heavy queen that she was. Eikask's melodic croons drifted in and out of the melody her Harper played as she continued to drift wraith-like out of the water. She shook herself in a surprisingly (deliberate) graceless motion to get rid of at least some of the water sliding off her hide. She liked how baths left her looking, of course, but the gold didn't particularly like being wet. Largely because snuggling up against Hers while wet left him grumpy.

That was her plan, too. The gold flopped rather unceremoniously next to the playing Harper and laid her head on his lap carefully. She was still a bit damp and she projected a quiet apology for it. She let him play a bit longer, making the occasional approving snuffle or croon but eventually she grew tired of him essentially ignoring her. She let out a sharp whine that nearly had Eikane dropping his harp on her and he snorted. "Oh alright, alright," he told her, voice equal parts irritation and fondness. While he disliked her rather selfish, arrogant nature the gold did have a sweeter side that was reserved mostly for him alone. Her refusal to share many personal things with the other whers often had bad consequences, though.

The gold had finally managed to drive even Dmisk away, or so the gold grumbled at him near constantly, albeit in different terms. Even he'd been surprised at the sheer amount of hurt the blue had managed to inflict by abandoning her (the abandonment concept actually being her own). Any attempts to get the gold to apologize had, naturally, been pointless. Her mental connection with him was strained at best, actually non-existent at worst. The gold continued her whining and whoofing and other such wher noises while complaining to her Handler. Alone with Hers, the gold was surprisingly physically vocal.

Of course, when her sounds slowly diminished and then vanished entirely Eikane knew another was approaching. Eikask was tense though she kept her nonchalant position. "What's up, darling?" Dmisk. And Loud One, but Dmisk. The goldhandler blinked in surprise. "You've been keeping up the connection?" Well of course, it was work time. She kind of had to even though she didn't want to. Or had he changed his mind since he'd said that? There was a hopefully underthread to her question but Eikane only shook his head and sighed, running a hand over an eyeridge gently. When even he could hear their approach he called out, "What brings you guys this way?"

[Requiem]

Dementia had been left with Erilena and the twins. Naturally. The little gold tended to gain weight at an alarming rate, nearly doubling in size. This clearly was going to be a large clutch courtesy of that bronze that had caught her. Whatever its name was. (Dmitri didn't really pay much attention. In general he didn't want to think about sleeping with a teenaged weyrling and quite possibly messing up his dragon for the unforeseeable future.)

It wasn't really any spite that had keep the bluepair away from the clutching gold and her handler. Dmisk didn't spend that much time in the apartments as it was, staying most nights in the weyr with His and His' mate and their new hatchlings. When he wasn't there he was usually in the surrounding area, not the actual Weyr. It was his job, after all. And as for the harper? Well, two little newborns and an eggheavy salamandyr, not to mention a wife who deserved a break from time to time, kept him pretty busy when he wasn't accompanying Dmisk.

The cold blue did not at all approve of how his clutchsister treated him, but it really wasn't that much different than she always was. After the Run he'd quickly returned to his mostly indifferent state. (Though it wasn't entirely certain whether part of him was aware or not of just how much he'd shaken her by simply leaving and thus was milking it. Dmisk did tend to be rather crafty from time to time.)

The blue didn't bother speaking to her when they were still a good distance away. All she got from him was the tenuous connection (he could almost cut her off completely from his presence even when she was searching for him) that indicated he was close. Dmitri strode out of the relative darkness with his wher beside him and smiled a bit lopsidedly at Eikane's greeting. "Ask Dmisk. Though personally I wanted to check on Nocturne and gimpy. Dementia's been sulking a little about missing her mate. Apparently all those bronze's eggs make her too fat," he concluded with a snort.

The male settled on his haunches and regarded his clutchsister in silence for a long moment. Waiting until the tension was just right. Then, he queried in his precise, emotionless way, How are the eggs coming along, then? There was nothing but icy politeness behind the question. It certainly seems like you are taking care of them. Hard to tell what he really meant by that statement, and the blue certainly didn't seem interested in clarifying further. His eyes were focused unwaveringly on the queen.

[Ember]

Eikane smiled at his friend despite the turbulent emotions passing through the bond. He was logical enough to recognize that Eikask was the one upset with Dmisk and sort his own emotions out of that. Of course, he also got some of Nocturne's influence. The blue liked Dementia as well as was possible for him. The goldhandler found it rather amusing that him and Dmitri were closely tied in such weird ways. One gold-blue mate pair, another gold-blue...something. He'd never been sure how to classify Eikask and Dmisk. His gaze briefly flicked over to the blue wher and then back to Dmitri.

"Gimp? How nice," he responded dryly, a hint of bitterness tinging his tone. He may never get over it. "Well, the gimp is doing well, looking forward to the lady's hatching." Because who didn't love adorable ugly babies? Nah, he really just wanted more people for the Night Watch. They were spread rather thin at that point. He stroked the gold's head gently and he felt her purr quietly. "Nocturne's fine, too. Over whatever it was he caught..." The goldhandler trailed off and gave Dmitri a quizzical look. "She misses him?" No offense meant to his own salamandyr but the blue wasn't the best of company and he had never known the gold to miss him before.

Eikask didn't change position even as Dmisk sat and stared at her. She wasn't about to drive off any attention but neither was she going to acknowledge him first or give any indication that his stare was unnerving her a bit. The gold was fairly certain the blue purposefully tried to be all mysterious and quiet and threatening. Oh, sure, some was just Dmisk being himself but she'd had enough conversations with her brother to know that wasn't all there was to him. He really would be the perfect king for her if not for him being a blue. She really didn't have any issues with blues but she'd heard enough about the clutches sired by Nocturne to know she needed...more. Pity.

The frosty question regarding her eggs was met with a flick of the tail and internal confusion as she considered her answer. His coldness hurt more than she'd like to admit. Never had she been that cold with him in private even if she was dismissive of him during her runs. The gold lifted her head slightly to see him better, eyes whirling in forced blue calm. The eggs are doing well. Your concern is appreciated, she responded, mental tone almost casual. She paused and let her head rest on Eikane's lap again. It is obvious that I would look after them well. Eikask privately commented to Hers, This conversation is incredibly awkward.

[Requiem]

Catching the tone in Eikane's response, the bluehandler smiled a touch wryly. He really should have been aware as to the extent of his friend's injury, and indeed the length of it had seemed odd to him, but with babies and hatchings and Eikane not being the sharing type of person...eh. "You can call me scarface or candle wick or something, and we'll be even," he commented dryly. Dmitri's strange form of apology.

It was good to hear that Nocturne was well. That would make his fussy lady happy, since she didn't want to ever have to choose an interim mate again. Dmitri was privately amused that the gold didn't really have a hugely strong bond to the blue (though clearly there was some fondness there) and yet was insanely elitist in this regard. Elitist and gold didn't usually equate with blue mate; Dementia was aptly named. "I'd call it more a matter of being exceedingly displeased with how big and icky feeling she's gotten. She blames Atlas, of course. Apparently Nocturne is a better mate because he doesn't make her blow up into the size of a moon," Dmitri responded, amused. The way he said the words made it clear that she'd complained to him more than once before, to mostly that effect.

He could tell. Maybe she thought he couldn't, but she was his clutchsister after all, and he knew those whers best of all. That and most emotions could be smelled, especially those related to fear. No, Eikask didn't fear him. Had no reason to. But he was making her uneasy. Nervous. The forced calm didn't fool him. Nor did he miss the way she kept close to Hers, almost as if it was a comfort. Dmisk wasn't precisely pleased. That said, this was more pleasing to him than her callous treatment of him. Clearly he'd favored her too much.

My concern is obligatory, he responded to her, infuriatingly inflectionless as ever. You are our queen and your eggs will produce the next members of the Night Watch. I can only hope that Pidesk's progeny will be more impressive this time than the last. Your looking after them cannot correct any errors that domestic wher's genetics have already produced. Was Dmisk jealous? No. Did he think her choice stupid? Yes. She'd already tried Pidesk and Roisk, both, producing no real whers of any value. Did she think trying again would bring different results?

[Ember]

Eikane chuckled at Dmitri's response, recognizing it for what it was. "I rather like candle wick," he said consideringly. That said he'd probably just keep calling Dmitri by his name or one of the more common nicknames. Maybe. Sometimes the goldhandler needed to force himself to remember he was only in his twenties not his forties. Those days would come sooner than he liked. "How're the brats doing? Enjoying your atrocious singing to put them to bed?" He asked jokingly. He was incredibly thankful Nautic hadn't pressed for adoption or anything. It wasn't like he didn't like kids but...they were awfully messy.

The goldhandler grinned, amused because the complaint about being huge was a common thing among golds. Eikask didn't particularly like being egg-heavy either. Had one been available she probably would have picked a brown last time if only to see if she got less fat. "I see. I'll try and convince him to at least peek in on her at some point. He doesn't mention much but I think he might be a little concerned. If not over Dementia herself than his position as her mate," Eikane said dryly. "How come we got the odd ones?" Because he couldn't have been the only one to notice it.

Eikask very nearly lashed out at her brother. There was a brief, white-hot flash of anger before she reigned it in to a slow boil. Naturally, Eikask drawled in response, there would be no other reason for you to be concerned about eggs. She rose then from her position all but sprawled out on Hers. Too much nervous and angry energy to continue to be idle and she would very much like to put some more space between her and her blue brother. If she could call him that any longer. Perhaps the domestic genes are not so terrible, she commented to Dmisk as she moved towards the water again. Pidesk and his sister are older than our own clutch and there are about the same number left.

There had been surprisingly little logic behind her choice of Pidesk this time though. Sometimes she liked to be comforted by others than Hers, even if they didn't neccessarily know they were comforting her. Eikask dipped her muzzle to the water and took several cooling drinks before sitting at the edge. Well then, Dmisk, your duty is done here. You checked on the queen (even if he hadn't really asked about her...and yes, she was not calling herself his in any way) and her eggs. Unless there was something else you wanted? There was no hopefulness in tone or in emotion, only the quiet expectation that he would leave. He had no other reason to hang around her anymore, not while she was in the relative safety of the weyr.

[Requiem]

"Probably because we're odd," Dmitri responded reasonably. Eikane was about as girly as a man got without being outright effeminate, being a neatfreak and ever so concerned with his appearance as it was. Not to mention his peaceful demeanor. Like...a prim and proper lady without the silliness. Kinda. Not surprising a gold went to him. (Dmitri ignored what Dementia's being his might indicate. Better not to overanalyze it.) Dmisk, though...he figured the blue just liked intelligent things. Or something. Dmisk never answered the question beyond you smell right, like that explained everything or something.

Wrinkling his nose, he wiped a hand idly on his trousers. "Ill, actually. Elysia comes by a lot, especially when I'm not there." (Possibly because Dmitri had a tendency to be very short on patience with her usual antics and it usually resulted in his throwing her out of their weyr.) "She had something and the kids caught it, too. First Dileina, then Emitre. He just got over his. It's been a long few days," he added dryly. This never sleeping was something that was going to take a lot of getting used to. They tried to switch off and whatnot but...yeah. Sick babies didn't really sleep like...at all.

Numbers aren't everything, Dmisk returned logically, head swivelling to follow her escape to the lake. Perhaps she thought that leaving him behind would somehow leave behind the anger at his response. Or make him less likely to see it. It was a dismissal, but not a direct one, and Dmisk felt no obligation to oblige her. He'd been dismissed in her presence enough to be...perverse in this.

Yes, my queen, came the cold words. My clutchsisters welcome my presence in their Runs, though they don't often choose me. Considering I have always joined the Runs of my sisters - and those of no other females - to ensure their safety, I would have thought that my golden clutchsister who by definition should have more decorum and understanding than her green siblings would acknowledge her clutchbrother's intentions as well. I neither asked nor expected your choice. You spurned me as your ichor. Who am I not to leave when my queen dismisses me? If you will not be my clutchsister, you must be my queen, and I will treat you as you have chosen to be treated. You have only yourself to blame if you do not like the state of affairs.

[Ember]

Eikane quirked a smile at Dmitri's answer. He shook his head ruefully but not in denial. "So much for opposites attract," he commented cheerfully. As with just about any person bonded to a draconid he wouldn't trade Eikask or Nocturne for anything else. The goldhandler grimaced sympathetically at Dmitri's news about the twins. That...officially sucked. Like, majorly. Babies were fussy enough when they were not only singular but healthy. He didn't want to imagine how much trouble a pair of sick ones would be.

"I'm surprised she visits at all without being forced to by S'rei," Eikane said, thoughtful frown on his face. He didn't picture her as the type to like children. "I'll bet. If you need an extra pair of eyes and hands for a bit, other than your hoard of babysitters..." The offer was implied and probably the only time he'd verbally express it. Dmitri ought to know that if he offered help once he'd be willing other times as well. Only for the bluehandler would he likely offer to look after the kids for a bit.

Eikask was faintly amused by the blue's continued dismissal of...well, everyone other than their clutchmates or their mother. So very typical of the blue. The gold curiously shot back, Why is it that you put so much stock in our clutchmates and not others? Sure they aren't as impressive as ourselves but they aren't completely incompetent. She'd always been kind of curious about that part of Dmisk. She'd put it down largely to arrogance on his part. He was awesome so clearly his clutchmates must be as well. Perhaps there was also some affection for their siblings too though. Not that he might not answer her the way things were between them now.

The gold was surprised by Dmisk's words regarding his intentions and her behaviour. She grumbled mentally at Eikane about the scolding despite feeling the sting of it. I never dismissed you, she started slowly. She stood up and padded back towards the blue. And never have I had conversation like this with any other wher. She did not mention that she she was fondest of Dmisk out of all the other whers, her children included. If he couldn't or did not want to acknowledge that she meant that when she told him she didn't have conversations like this with the others then perhaps it was a wasted effort.