Dealing with Rumors (open, K'sah?)

[kayla]

It did not take long for the rumor about K'sah and P'len to reach beyond the confines of the Weyrling Barracks. In fact, the first place it spread to was, not surprisingly, the Candidate Barracks. Which meant it was not long until the Candidatemaster himself heard the rumor.

His first reaction had been denial. He knew how the young man felt about him, so he did not believe that he would have been with someone else. And P'len had been impressed by a Bronze - which, at first, made the rumor seem rather impropable to him.

However, the thought kept nagging at him. K'sah hated the necessary restrictions that were on the two of them, even if he did - sometimes - acknowledge that he understood why V'nes insisted on them waiting, at least until the Weyrlingmaster declared the most recent clutchmates as old enough to share their riders with people - perhaps even until Nariath rose for her first flight, depending on Nariath's own maturity. V'nes had some idea of just how much the young Green Rider craved physical touch, and it started seeming more and more likely that if someone offered him physical affection, despite how he might feel about the older man, he would gone for as a dehydrated man would go for water.

And he remembered that while Bronzers always preffered women, it was not unheard of a Bronzer temporarily, maybe even just one night, being with a male green rider. It was rare, but not impossible.

So it was that, while he desperately hoped it was just a rumor, V'nes had shut himself in his office and quarters and brought out a skin of wine. He found that wine rarely helped, but there were occassions when it could help dull the pain, and tonight was one of those times.

[hrsegrl]

Phwyn had come to the Candidatemaster's office on his own for once. Not that it was imperitvive that he see the man, he simply wanted to know around how much longer it would be before Adeloth clutched. He had to impress and soon. Phwyn was tired of feeling like he was being left behind by his older brother.

Carefully the Candidate knocked on the door, wondering why in Faranth's name it was even locked. He couldn't recall a time when V'nes had locked the door to his office. That coudl be because he usually only visited this office when he was in trouble.

This place held many memories for him, though none of them had to do with behaving. "Anyone there?" He called, shortly after knocking. It would be just his luck, after dragging himself here that the Candidate Master wouldn't be around.

[kayla]

At first, V'nes tried to ignore the knocking. Was it too much to ask for some time alone? Just a moment or two to drown his own sorrows?

"Anyone there?"

He sighed and put the skin of wine away. Apparently it was.

Self pity does not become you, anyway mine. You took this job because you care about the youngsters.

The Candidate Master balled his fist momentarily. He was not angry at his dragon, but he really could have done with the reproach right now. Sure Perylth was right, but one night of self-indulging self-pity would have been nice. Maybe he could have gotten over the beautiful young man and moved on.

You do not believe that. Answer the door.

"Perylth, right now, you're not helping." The words were half growled and the man ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. His eyes would be slightly red from the half drunk skin of wine, but otherwise, he needed to appear calm and collected.

"Just a moment!" He moved over and unlocked the door, opening it to see Phwyn. "Phwyn. Come in. How can I help you?"

[hrsegrl]

Phwyn waited until he heard a call come out from the office. As soon as the door was opened, Phwyn knew something wasn't right with V'nes. Phwyn was a people person; he understood their moods and the way people talked when they were hiding something. He immediately felt bad for bothering him over something as trivial as clutching dates.

Of course, he had hoped that they would be able to chat about which Candidates would impress and what they would impress to. After all they did that the last couple times with P'len as a game of sorts. Phwyn, who was now as lonely as the Candidatemaster seemed to be, thought it would be no issue to come here under the pretext of the next clutch.

"Oh, well I was just walking about and wanted to discuss the next clutch, since Adeloth flew well again and its fairly apparent that her pairing off with Bristith produces large clutches..." He trailed off, not sure whether it was a good idea to be here now. He was going to figure out what was wrong with the Candidatemaster before he left. That was his new reason for visiting. Not that the man would tell him anything important, at least not on purpose. Judging by the man’s eyes and the amount of time it had taken him to come to the door, Phwyn guessed there was a wine skin around here somewhere. The sixteen turn old had been drunk before and had told the most appalling secrets…

[kayla]

V'nes wasn't drunk, but he was a little bit loosened up. And he had known the brothers long enough that seeing Phwyn in no way made him worse - though if P'len had come to visit it would have been a different story. He probably would have wound up grilling the Weyrling about what the nature of his relationship with K'sah was.

The Candidate Master tried hard not to have favorites, not that that would in anyway influence the choice of the Dragons, but it was not fair to the boys - or few girls - who were under him. However, there were some Candidates he could not help but grow close to either because they needed extra attention, or they got in trouble enough that they wound up spending a lot of time in the Candidate Master's office. That was how a friendship with this pair had developed.

V'nes had not wanted to pry, but he had kept an eye on Phwyn, he knew it was difficult for him with his brother Impressed. "Of course, Phwyn. Though its a bit early to start making guesses on whats in the eggs since they've not been clutched yet." He grinned, though it was a half hearted grin, and somewhere in his mind, he knew that Phwyn would know that. "Have a seat. Would you like some klah?"

He moved to pour himself some, hoping to clear his mind some. "How are you doing, Phwyn? We've not really gotten to talk much since P'len impressed. I know that's been difficult for you." Though he did not mention the bronze issue, he knew of it, but would not prod at wounds too closely. He had passed that information on to Lan'ae and M'ren.

[hrsegrl]

Phwyn laughed and sat down as the chair was offered him. "I don't know; I mean even if Adeloth doesn't do as well as last time, theres still going to be a lot of eggs. Thread is coming, she has to ahve higher clutch numbers." That Phwyn was a firm believer in thread's return was not a suprise, his brother believed it too. They had read the records and knew the talk. The Red Star was late but he had seen it in the sky and knew it was growing closer to Pern.

"No klah for me, I'm not a klah drinker yet. Have to become an adult and stay up to all hours of the night. " Phwyn grinned. It was true that the more responsibility a person had at the Weyr, the more klah they consumed. That went along with wine at times as well.

"Actually I'm doing fine. Grandfather came over last week, for family dinner and P'len as well. I've decded that my brother is nothing like Grandfather and have decided to forgive him for impressing a Bronze. I never want to see Grandfather again and I somehow convinced my grandmother that I'm gay." He laughed, knowing full well that the Candidatemaster knew his reputation. "It would have been funnier if P'len had done it though. I took him to the Lower Caverns that night and the poor guy. Glad I'm not having to deal with the year long celebacy thing right now."