Good Day, Quiet Night(Open)

[thedreamerlady]

He wasn't that drunk. He'd only had part of a bottle of wine, and some of that 'brandy' V'cran was always babbling about, and whatever it was that the nice cook had given him after he'd said it was his birthday. It had been warm, and relaxing. But that had been over the entire day.

The Greenrider supposed it had been a good day. Nisha had found him a particularly nice section of hide for new gloves, and had found a cook willing to give up a pie for them to share, and they'd spoken for almost an hour. His wing hadn't had a very long practice, and his wingmates, the ones that he knew at least, had found him nice presents, or had just wished him a happy birthingday. And during the day, he'd been so elated he'd forgotten what awaited him at night.

A lonely Weyr. A sleeping Green.

It had seemed better to sit here, in the pale light, sipping away at some drink. He wasn't drunk. Just pleasantly tipsy.

He was thirty-three. He had two children, and one rode a brown. He had a loving niece, a wonderful family. He had a Green who loved him, even when she was irritated. He had a great life.

His name was N'zule, he was dressed finely, and he was still interested in the one person who seemed to make his comfortable life unpredictable. The one person he wasn't logical around no matter what time of Del's cycle it was. It was a good thing that he considered Rory's room Nishor's room, or he might have made another mistake, one that would make their relationship even more complicated. It was late, and he wasn't going to wake a sleeping baby. His sons had taught him thus.

And it wasn't like he was a foolish boy. The Greenrider was thirty-three. He needed to deal with this. He was too old to have a relationship like this. He put his head in his hands, wished that he'd never met Rory, and life was still as simple as it had been back then.

[hrsegrl]

Rory had finally done what Nisha had suggested and took the night off. Allior was watching Nishor, who absolutely adored his cousins. Alene and Allie were always good with him and loved to carry him around and play his mother. Nisha would probably laugh to see the young girls pretending to be moms. Nishor was a good baby and never seemed to care who was holding him.

He had spent a couple candlemarks at the Weyrhall for dinner but then he couldn't find anyone to really have fun with. Everyone was drinking and being merry but Rory couldn't trust himself to join in. No matter what he did he needed to remain sober. That would not be an easy task given the day. Yes, he knew exactly what day it was and even had a gift for N'zule but he doubted he would see him. Rory couldn't go looking for him either.

So the drudge went back to his rooms and then took a long and relaxing bath. When he got out he felt better and it never hurt to be clean. Deciding it might be nice to pick up someone to share the evening with, he headed to the Night Hearth. When he arrived he was quietly shocked to see N'zule there. What would he be doing here when it was his birthing day? Shouldn't he be celebrating?

Rory walked up behind him and without a word, dropped his small wrapped present into N'zule's lap. Then he said quietly, "Happy Birthingday N'zule."

[thedreamerlady]

The package dropped in his lap overrode any and all feelings he had about the package dropper. N'zule liked presents, and the Greenrider wasn't going to allow himself to mess up getting a present.

"Thank you." He responded, mouth on auto pilot. His groomed fingers opened up the present to reveal a belt. Not just an average, bought at a Gather belt, but a nice one, probably handmade, and skillfully done.

"Ooooh. I really thank you." N'zule peered over at Rory. The alcohol in his system seemed to be calming him down, and making him more accepting of everything. "How did you know my old one was fraying?" A slightly goofy smile appeared on his face. N'zule was good and tipsy.

[hrsegrl]

Rory was elated that the greenrider didn't thrust the gift back at him or even in the slightest seem unhappy that Rory was present. He even seemed excited about it. It was so nice to know the greenrider didn't mind receiving gifts from him. Rory had worked on that quite hard and though he'd never admit it to anyone, he had hoped it would impress other people who saw it. He wasn't normally someone who wanted people to see his work, not that he didn't have pride he just didn't want to make a big deal out of something anyone could do. It wasn't like dragonriding.

"I'm pleased that you like it. Nisha happened to mention it when she was visiting. Besides I had to give you something, its your Birthing day!" Rory was grinning back at a tipsy N'zule. The greenrider had no idea that Rory was still completely in love with him and that smiling at him like that was probably not helping the situation.

"Did you get any other presents?" Rory thought he must have. His current man ought to have at least. Nisha probably got hims something too. Nothing would be as awesome as that belt, he had poured sweat and tears and hours of labor into that. No one esle had one like it.

[thedreamerlady]

"Thank you, thank you. Nisha was very right. This one looks better than my last one ever did!" N'zule smiled winningly. At last, a weakness of N'zule. Presents. But that would be something to discuss on a different day.

"Sit down, and I'll tell you all about my birthday. I'm thirty-three now, you know." N'zule really wasn't talking all that quickly, but it still would have probably been hard to get a word in edgewise.

"My wingmates gave me presents, and I think we had a short Practice. Nisha managed to get us a pie, and bought me leather for better gloves. I'm excited. My current gloves let the cold air in when I'm flying. I don't like it." N'zule pouted, then brightened again.

"And the cook staff was very nice to me, and gave me this delicious drink. But Del's asleep, so I decided to enjoy it here, and then you gave me a belt! I wish I had birthing days more often."

[hrsegrl]

Rory sat down across from the greenrider, quite content to see the greenrider so happy. He listened as he went on about the things he had recieved and how wonderful everyone had been to him. Rory was always going to be older than N'zule. Thirty three was nothign in comparison to Rory's thirty four. If anyone knew that Rory was that good at crafting things, he'd get no rest with requests. He only made special things like that for special people.

He didn't overlook the fact that no 'other' man had been mentioned when the lists of gifts were said. He waited till N'zule finished to say, "You know I could make them for you... the new gloves, I mean. " Rory wasn't about to be N'zule's slave but he would love to make him a pair of gloves. Then everytime N'zule wore them he would think of Rory and that pleased the drudge.

"Birthing days are fun. It does help when you have people who care so much about you to give you presents and make your day special." Rory didn't say he was one of those people, at least not directly. He was watching the greenrider's reactions. Nisha had said N'zule wasn't himself lately but here he found a rather happy greenrider.

[thedreamerlady]

N'zule was a happy greenrider. A drunk, happy greenrider.

"You'd make them for me?" N'zule asked, his green eyes tearing up a little bit. "You're my best friend Rory." Legs still unsteady, N'zule didn't try to stand, but he spread his arms, and tried to convey silently that he wanted a hug. A good hug. A friendly hug.

N'zule was not drunk enough to try anything. He'd learned his lesson in some respects. Hooking up with Rory was addicting, and would lead to more, and more, and then it would end as badly as there relationship. N'zule didn't want to get into another fight with Rory. He didn't want to get into a fight with anyone. Pyralis might have that reputation, but N'zule wasn't always that way, and he didn't like being perceived that way. His mouth wandered into dangerous territory, leaving his brain lagging behind.

"We were together on my last birthday. Do you remember that. It was good."

[hrsegrl]

Rory was nearly undone just by those words. His best friend? The drudge tried not to let this make hime too happy. Then N'zule spread out his arms and Rory, being unable to deny the greenrider anything, walked back over to him. He had to get one his knees to be at the same height as a seated N'zule which was fine with Rory. He hugged the greenrider, it was a good hug, neither intimate nor platonic but somewhere inbetween. "Of course I would. I'd do anything for you." And though the words were true he almost wished he had not said them. The greenrider had enough power over him as it was.

"I remember. It was very good... and if I'm allowed to say, you looked very very fine that night. Not that you don't always look good." He wasn't trying to flirt but Faranth help him,it was hard not to! Rory was a flirtatious sort of person and well he'd rather flirt with the person he liked best to flatter. " You were wearing a deep green shirt that brought out your eyes and you had new shoes..." The reason he remembered this? Because he had later taken those garments off of the greenrider. Why couldn't they have fun... no strings, just fun...

[thedreamerlady]

N'zule kissed Rory on the forehead. No no no! Screamed the rational section of his brain. It reminded him that this was the most foolish thing he could possibly do was to get reinvolved with Rory. It reminded him that neither of them wanted to go back onto that spiral of a relationship. None of them wanted to be placed there, did they?

No!

But the other part of his mind reminded him that things had changed. Rory no longer drank, Nisha told him so. Rory would do anything for him. He lived alone, spending days with his green, and nights alone. When Rory had left, so had his social life, other than Wingriders who wouldn't leave him alone.

"I'd do anything for you too." N'zule confided, slowly stroking Rory's back with one of his encircling arms. "But I don't think you'd want me to do anything for you."

[hrsegrl]

Rory smiled at the greenrider's kiss. There was the softer side of N'zule which he only showed to people he cared about. Rory liked being one of them though the past Turn had been mostly avoiding eachother and fighting. He wished they could move past the arguments and insults to see what they liked about eachother. Maybe now would be a good time to convince the greenrider to give him another chance.

His gray eyes peered up at N'zule's green ones. He was a handsome man to say the least and now he was rubbing Rory's back almost sensually. "Well there are a few things you could do for me." He winked, obviously being over the top and flirtatious at the same time. Rory liked flirting and having fun and he could do both in this situation.

"The first thing you could do, is listen to what I'm going to say and try not to hate me for saying it." Rory couldn't put it off any longer. "I know in the past we have had our troubles but I can't think of anyone who hasn't." He bit his lip a little before continuing. "Heres the thing. I can't date anyone because I love you and everytime I try to have a casual relationship I can't. I'm living in torture because I love you and no one else will ever match up."

[thedreamerlady]

There it went. All that rational, correct thinking, and for a moment, N'zule was caught up in a wild fantasy of what exactly he could do for Rory. Green eyes widened, and pupils expanded. Only for the rational, polite, non-PFS'ing N'zule to reassert himself. That was not what Rory was talking about. He was talking about baby-sitting, and that sort of stuff: right?

But the next words the drudge spoke tore that argument to shreds.

Rory still loved him? That changed everything, didn't it? But the last time they'd thought their problems were over, they'd come crashing back down, hadn't they? Yes they had. N'zule realized he was suppose to respond, and eyes narrowed in thought.

"Would you like to go on a date?" The Greenrider cleared his throat. "I, I mean, I feel the same way as you, and I don't want to rush back into anything. Maybe if we go slow we can correct some of the problems of last time." The Greenrider's voice trailed off, and he looked down at the ground, flustered.

[hrsegrl]

The moments seemed to pass like turns. N'zule loved him too! All was right with the world now. Rory was more than happy, in fact all of his features seemed to have lightened up. His gray eyes were almost teary, though not quite. N'zule was the only person who made him feel this much.


"Dating." He said, trying the word out before making a yes or no type response. Rory touched the greenrider's cheek gently. "Going slow sounds fine to me. I don't think we will have all of the same problems as before. I'll be better to you. I promise." The drudge meant it too. He wanted to be happy but he wanted N'zule to be just as happy if not more.

"Should we start this dating thing tonight?" Rory would love to give this a fresh start on N'zule's birthingday. He didn't know if the greenrider had anything in mind for these dates but so long as Rory didn't drink he was sure they would go fine.

[thedreamerlady]

"We should have an end of date. Walk me to my Weyr, and maybe give me a kiss goodnight?"

N'zule looked hopeful. This was the good way to end the evening. Nothing more, nothing less. Either would probably end the two men in a world of trouble.

"Does that sound good to you?"

[hrsegrl]

Rory nodded and stood up. The drudge was smiling, though he knew there would be plenty of trying times ahead of him. He held out his hand to N'zule to help the greenrider out of his chair. "Sounds good to me." He hoped N'zule understood that this was not going to be the same as before and that he was going to be more understanding. At the same time, Rory did not want to feel like he was being taken for granted.

"I'd say you could come visit Nishor but he's with Allior tonight. She always wanted a son. Speaking of which I heard Kerzule was Searched on some mock Search last sevenday. He's traveling with some riders and other folk to a secure area. In case of another disease outbreak. Apparently there is a good chance he will impress when he is older."

N'zule wasn't expected to know these things because he was not around his children as much as their foster parents were. Rory doubted Allior had mentioned it or even that Kerzule had seen N'zule in the last sevenday.

[thedreamerlady]

N'zule took the proffered hand, and hauled himself up, feeling serene now that he had made a firm, logical decision.

"I'd wondered why I hadn't seen my son around lately." N'zule said seriously. And then he continued to talk, gossip, and otherwise chatter as they took the trek up to his Weyr. He was well aware of how attractive the man next to him was, and how the last time they'd walked to his weyr, a mere kiss would have seemed insulting.

Everything's changing. The Greenrider ponder, and hoped this time it would be better.

When they finally arrived at his Weyr, N'zule smiled.

"So, I'll see you soon?"