FIC: A Clean Line Across The Sea (SPN RPF, Genevieve/Adrianne)
Title: A Clean Line Across The Sea
Author: exmanhater
Fandom: SPN RPF, CW RPF
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Genevieve/Adrianne (background Jared/Jensen)
Word count: 5,700
Content notes: dubcon of the "my dragon is going into heat" variety, but the characters are very much consenting, even if the timing wouldn't be their first choice.
Summary: Genevieve is happy being a junior queenrider in Benden Weyr, with lots of friends and few commitments, until a transferred bronzerider named Adrianne makes her think about wanting a more lasting connection.
Notes: Written for Trope Fest 3 with the prompt SPN RPF, Gen/Adrianne, Pern AU. This should be readable by folks who haven't read the Pern books, but if you want a primer: basically, dragons and riders bond psychically and together they fight a menace that falls from the sky (called Thread), while living and training together in a place called a Weyr. Dragon biology leads to mating flights where the riders are caught up in their dragons' passions. It's like a sex pollen + soul bonding match made in trope heaven! Also, klah is Pernese coffee, a wherry is just a fancy cow, and gold dragons (also called queens) fight each other to the death if one of them rises for a mating flight too close to the time when another will rise unless one of them hauls ass away immediately. Gold and green dragons are female; bronze, brown, and blue dragons are male; all dragons can teleport by going through nonspace called between. Golds are the biggest, followed by bronzes, browns, blues, and greens. That is also their social pecking order. There, Pern in a nutshell!
For those of you who do know Pern, this is ostensibly set in the second-to-last Pass before the last Long Interval that precedes Dragonflight, but I've handily ignored any sexism or homophobia that might have been expected at that time, and have not incorporated any Pern characters who have been referenced as living during that time period. Also, in this AU, dragons Impress riders of whichever gender and orientation they want, regardless of the dragon's color/sex (because let's get real, McCaffrey's "ideas" about gay people are vomit-worthy).
Characters & dragons:
Genevieve, rider of gold Rubieth (Ru-bi-eth)
Adrianne, rider of bronze Jesranth (Jes-ranth)
Jared, rider of brown Samenth (Sa-menth)
Jensen, rider of green Deanoth (De-a-noth)
Julie, rider of gold Annath (An-nath)
Misha, rider of blue Casteth (Cast-eth)
Felicia, rider of blue Charilith (Char-i-lith)
Sandy, rider of green Demonith (De-mo-nith)
Danneel, rider of bronze Rath
Stop fussing, Rubieth told Genevieve, her mental voice louder than it needed to be for Genevieve to hear from across the Weyr.
"I'm not fussing," Genevieve protested. Jared, from across the table, looked confused for a moment, then smiled at her.
"When are you going to stop talking out loud to your dragon?" he asked. "You know, the dragon you impressed four years ago who has a direct psychic connection to your brain?"
Genevieve raised an eyebrow. "Maybe when you stop mocking me about it?"
"Where would be the fun in that?" he replied. "Anyway, why are you fussing?"
"I'm not!" Genevieve repeated. "That's the whole point, and I don't need you to lecture me about it, too. Rubieth's bad enough."
Jared was her closest friend in the Weyr, but that didn't mean she needed to tell him everything, and certainly not anything about his Wingleader. She especially didn't need to tell him about her crush on his Wingleader, because if she did, she'd never hear the end of it both in her head and outside of it, between him and Rubieth, and she didn't need that kind of hassle. And there was always the chance that he would tell Adrianne or let it out accidentally.
So you admit there is something you are fussing about, came Rubieth's satisfied voice.
NO, she thought back, as firmly as she could. No matter how annoying Rubieth's insights into her mental state could be, she loved her dragon fiercely and with a tenderness she'd never thought possible.
Jared had grown tired of waiting for her to focus back on their side of the conversation, and was busily filling his plate with wherry meat and bubbly pies. Thread was due again the next day, and Genevieve knew she should follow his example. They'd need their energy, with so many riders and dragons grounded with injuries. The last Threadfall had not been kind to Ruatha Hold or Benden Weyr. The Pass had just started, and even though the entire Weyr had been practicing and drilling continuously, it hadn't made actually facing Thread for the first time less frightening. They'd learned hard lessons already.
Genevieve shook her head to clear it - breakfast was no time for thinking such depressing thoughts.
"I'll get it out of you eventually," Jared told her. He tossed a strip of meat at her head, which she caught and threw back immediately. Jared bit into it with a grin. "I mean it, you can't hide from me, Gen. Or maybe I'll tell Jensen to have Deanoth girltalk it out of Rubieth."
At the entirely ridiculous image of Deanoth and Rubieth gossiping like teenagers, Genevieve laughed and almost choked on the sip of klah she'd just taken.
"You're evil," she finally managed to say. "Samenth needs to repudiate you immediately!"
"Well, I never," Jared said, his prim expression sending Genevieve into another fit of laughter.
Jensen sat down next to Jared with a full tray, Felicia and Misha behind him with their own trays, and looked at Genevieve with mock sympathy.
"I'm sorry," he said. "Is my weyrmate behaving like the uncultured lout he is?"
"What does that say about your taste in men?" Felicia asked, and ducked when Jensen swatted at her head, before sitting down on Jared's other side.
Genevieve scooted over to make room for Misha, and focused on her breakfast, happy to be out of the spotlight as the conversation moved on to new topics.
Adrianne wasn't a problem she wanted to share just yet, not even with her friends.
+++
Adrianne had transferred from Fort Weyr two months ago, bringing a few bronze- and brownriders with her. Benden had a relative surplus of queens, and not enough bronzes to face the start of the Pass, so Fort sent some younger riders who wanted a chance to make a name for themselves in exchange for goldriders who wanted the opportunity to stand out of the crowd. It was, Genevieve thought, one of the smartest ideas the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman had used to plan for the Pass. It brought new blood into the Weyr, and gave everyone something to focus on besides the looming threat of Thread.
She just wished it hadn't thrown her whole world into disarray. Dragonriders were generally work-focused, without much drive to create permanent relationships with any individual except their dragon, and Genevieve loved the freedom the Weyr had given her. She didn't have to think about her reputation, even if she spent every night in a different rider's weyr, and Rubieth and her friends provided her with all the emotional support she could want.
But Adrianne made her want more, made her want slow, human sex without the need of her dragon ramping up the ecstasy, made her think about the possibility of permanence. There were dragonriders who took mates - Jensen had never let anyone fly Deanoth except Samenth since the first time she rose, and Jared would never even think of trying for a queen the way everyone thought he should, since Samenth was the largest brown in the Weyr and might be able to catch a gold. Genevieve admired their love and their partnership, but she had never been envious of it before.
Genevieve usually made quick decisions, and when she wanted something, she thought about how to get it, and immediately put the plan into action. All her best thinking, however, didn't give her any good ideas this time. Holders went on dates, or courted each other if they were from the higher classes. Dragonriders - didn't. The dangers of their lives had always seemed to call for living in the moment.
Dragons live in the moment, and we still have mates sometimes, Rubieth interrupted helpfully, breaking Genevieve out of her own thoughts.
"You're biologically wired to live in the moment, dear," she replied. In the privacy of her own weyr, she could speak to Rubieth however she wanted. "I'm not quite so lucky."
You don't try hard enough, Rubieth sent. Maybe you should speak to them. Jesranth is quite brave and his rider is as well.
Genevieve frowned. Dragons didn't generally take much notice of humans who weren't their rider - and when they did, it was hard to find out why.
"Do you like Jesranth?" she asked, and received the mental equivalent of a shrug.
He is very large, but he always shares his sunrock.
"The highest compliment!" Genevieve laughed. "Sharing the best sunbathing locations!"
He does not wait for me to ask, Rubieth stated. He offers before I even know that I want to sun myself.
That, Genevieve knew, meant something. Dragons of any color would obey a queen, even over the objections of their own rider. For Rubieth to say Jesranth offered was an interesting choice of words.
"And what do you think of his rider?" Genevieve asked, not expecting much of an answer.
She is very large as well. For a human. Rubieth's mental voice sounded a bit like muffled laughter, and Genevieve smiled.
"I deserved that," she admitted, and let Rubieth's smug self-satisfaction wash over her. Adrianne was a problem that would keep for later, and they had a drill in just a few minutes. "I'll meet you outside in a moment, love."
Luck was not with her - Adrianne was just leaving the training grounds when Genevieve arrived, and she slowed down when she saw Genevieve checking Rubieth's gear. She was dusty, and looked tired, but Genevieve still wanted to do unspeakable things to her thighs, which were wrapped in tight leather pants and looking especially delicious.
You're like a green in heat, Rubieth commented loftily, while angling her head for a scratch. Genevieve's face flamed, and she avoided Adrianne's eyes as she focused on her dragon.
"Gen," Adrianne called, tugging on Genevieve's arm to gain her attention. "Your turn for torture? It's so warm here compared to Fort. I keep overdressing for practice and then sweating like a pig."
Genevieve turned to look at Adrianne, and flushed again, thinking of other ways to make Adrianne sweat, but managed to reply. "Yes, Julie's not convinced we've made enough progress with our formations, so it's extra practice for a fortnight."
"You should see what the Fort Weyrleader considers enough practice!" Adrianne said with a laugh. "It makes this look like easy fun." She paused, sobering. "But they've had even worse losses than Benden so far this Pass."
"I heard," Genevieve replied, treading softly. "Five dragons gone between. I'm sorry."
Adrianne looked off into the distance, then shook herself and smiled at Genevieve. "All in the past now," she said. "Have a good practice, Gen." She turned to Rubieth and executed a flawless bow. "My lady," she told the dragon, and Rubieth's eyes swirled with pleasure.
"Don't inflate her ego!" Genevieve protested, but she was secretly just as pleased as Rubieth.
Adrianne brushed a hand down Genevieve's arm as she walked away, calling over her shoulder, "she deserves every bit of ego she has."
Rubieth looked smugly at Genevieve. Genevieve sighed.
"Yes, you're a pretty, pretty princess," she told Rubieth, walking out to join the rest of her wing. "But right now you're a princess who's going to get dirty."
+++
During the next Threadfall, Genevieve was grateful for all the extra practice Julie had been putting the queenriders through. Riding a very large dragon while wielding a blowtorch and ducking Thread took skill and practice, and since Genevieve felt she lacked much skill, the practice was even more important. She sometimes envied other riders, who got to forgo the flamethrower because their dragons could breathe their own fire, but she tried not to think that very often. Rubieth had once asked, very sadly when she was just a year old, if Genevieve wished she was another color, and Genevieve never wanted to make her dragon feel that away again.
She wouldn't trade Rubieth for anything. She just wished queens could breathe fire like the other colors.
Left! Rubieth called out to Annath, warning her away from a thick clump of Thread that had made it through the wings above them. Genevieve watched with relief as Julie and Annath swerved out of the way, then burned the clump to ash with her flamethrower.
Rubieth suddenly dipped her head, then sent a quick flash to Genevieve of a green dragon falling from above them. Demonith needs help, she told Genevieve. Annath says to go now! She will follow.
Do you know where? Genevieve asked. It was dangerous for any dragon to go between without a clear picture of where they wanted to end up.
Deanoth told me where, Rubieth sent, and Genevieve said "Go!" They blinked between, four seconds of complete sensory deprivation, before appearing some distance beneath the falling dragon. She was small, one of the younger greens, but Genevieve knew she and Rubieth wouldn't be able to break her fall alone. Other green dragons were running Thread interference below and above the falling dragon, making sure no one else got hit, so at least Genevieve didn't have to worry about that.
She is not conscious, Rubieth told Genevieve worriedly. Her rider is calling for her, but she does not hear. She went between to kill the Thread that scored her wing, but when she came back, she lost control.
We'll catch her, Genevieve said, sending Rubieth a mental picture of what she wanted her to do as Annath appeared beside them. Can you tell Annath?
She sees, Rubieth told her after a moment. She will help us.
Annath and Rubieth flew downward ahead of Demonith side by side, gaining momentum so that they could break the green dragon's fall safely. They'd practiced this drill many times and they flew smoothly together, timing their movements so that Demonith landed lightly on and between their backs. Even with their precision, the impact jolted Genevieve harshly, and for a moment she didn't think her straps would hold. But they did, and once she knew she was safe, she scrambled to see what had happened to Demonith's rider. The tiny figure was upright in her saddle - she was awake and appeared unhurt, though Genevieve knew she must be frantic with worry for her dragon. Demonith's wing was badly scored, large tears running down the length of it.
The two queens continued down, not daring to go between with an unconscious dragon, and Genevieve felt her adrenaline begin to fade.
Waiting to tell Adrianne about her feelings was stupid, she thought in a flash as they landed, healers taking over to tend to Demonith and her rider. Maybe dragonriders didn't often have permanent attachments, but if she wanted one, she shouldn't let anxiety stop her from trying. There was always the chance that she wouldn't make it through the next Threadfall, and she didn't want to have any regrets.
She and Rubieth rejoined their wing once they could - Threadfall was only half over, and every able dragon was needed. They were both exhausted by the time they had flamed the last bit of Thread and were able to land.
Genevieve cleaned and oiled Rubieth, murmuring sweet reassurances to her the whole time, then sent her off for a meal while she went to get herself clean before heading to the dining hall. It was time to do what she did best - take action.
About time, Rubieth said approvingly. Genevieve didn't dignify that with a response.
Adrianne was sitting with Jared, both of them unusually sober. They looked up when she sat at their table.
"Good work out there," Jared told her. "Jensen said you and Rubieth kept Demonith from dying."
Genevieve shuddered, thinking of how devastated Demonith's rider, Sandy, had been over the injuries Demonith had sustained. She'd had to be forcibly dragged off Demonith so that the healers could do their work.
"We all did well," she said. "Jensen and Deanoth kept Thread from hitting us on the way back, and Annath and Rubieth did all the hard work. I'll never complain about Julie's rescue drills again, though. We knew what to do because we'd practiced." Genevieve took a drink of warm klah. "Is Demonith okay? We couldn't stay to see what happened after the landing."
Adrianne gave her a reassuring smile. "Jensen said Demonith won't be able to fly for quite some time, but she will heal. He said Sandy is finally starting to believe everything will be okay."
Genevieve sighed. "Good. The thought of losing another dragon - I don't know if we could bear it." Then she remembered her earlier resolve. "Jared, can you give us a moment? I need to talk to Adrianne alone."
Jared gave her a strange "what are you doing?" look, but got up nonetheless, hugging Genevieve briefly and whispering "you'll tell me later," into her ear. "Bye, Adrianne," he said, walking over to join Misha at the next table, who was sporting a bandaged arm and appeared to be bragging about it to a captivated group of young greenriders.
Adrianne's mouth was open with surprise when Genevieve turned back to look at her. She closed it quickly, but still looked concerned.
"Have I done something wrong?" she asked. "I'm not always sure if my Fort habits are acceptable here, but I don't want to - "
"No," Genevieve interrupted, horrified. "No, no - that's not it at all!"
Adrianne slumped back and drew a hand across her forehead dramatically. "Well," she said. "That's a relief! So what's going on?"
"I - " Genevieve felt herself flushing, and forced herself not to look away from Adrianne. "I wondered if you - if you wanted to take our dragons on a daytrip on our next Threadfree day? I know we're not supposed to play favorites, but I want to get to know you better, and I thought maybe you weren't opposed to me," Genevieve swallowed hard and kept going. "Uh, opposed to me, romantically?"
Adrianne's mouth twitched at the corners and Genevieve started twisting her hands together in her lap.
"Gen," Adrianne said, her smile widening. "Are you asking me on a date?"
"Yes?" Genevieve said. "Uh, only if you'd like to? Do Fort riders even believe in dates?"
"You're so adorable," Adrianne told her, shaking her head and biting at her bottom lip.
Genevieve's stomach flipped. "That's a yes, then?"
"Definitely a yes, on all counts." Adrianne reached over to take Genevieve's hand in hers, her thumb rubbing smooth circles on Genevieve's skin. "It's a date."
Genevieve smiled widely, her heartbeat returning to normal. "Good," she managed. "Rubieth and I will surprise you, take you somewhere new."
"We're going somewhere new?" a voice asked, and Genevieve turned to see Felicia standing behind her. Genevieve looked to Adrianne, not sure what she should say.
"Gen and I are," Adrianne said. She lowered her voice and added, "on our own," giving Felicia a very self-satisfied smile.
"Oh, I see how it is," Felicia replied, ignoring Genevieve's embarrassed groan. "Good for you, ladies."
"Thank you," Adrianne beamed.
Genevieve pulled her hand away and stood. "Can I go die of embarrassment before Jared comes back and proceeds to make humiliating jokes at my expense?"
"Did I hear my name?"
Genevieve jumped, and turned to glare at Jared. "No, no you didn't!"
He smiled widely. "I live to please. What can I humiliate you about today?"
Felicia ratted them out before Genevieve could stop her. "Gen has a date," she sing-songed. "With a certain bronzerider. Tall, blonde, stacked."
And that was that - Genevieve had a date, and absolutely no privacy. But, watching Adrianne's pleased smile as Jared and Felicia continued to try to one-up each other with bad innuendo, Genevieve rather thought it was worth it.
+++
Genevieve woke up suddenly before dawn several days later, her heart racing for no reason she could see. She stood up unsteadily and reached out for Rubieth, whose presence in the back of her mind seemed duller than usual. When their minds met, Genevieve fell back against her bed as the force of Rubieth's lust and hunger slammed into her consciousness.
Rubieth was rising for her mating flight, when she wasn't due for it until at least a sevenday from now, if not more. Genevieve knew it wasn't rational, but she felt resentful that Rubieth had chosen this day, of all days. The day of her planned date with Adrianne.
Shaking off her feelings as Rubieth's mind surged into hers, Genevieve fought for control and raced out of her room in her nightshift, yelling for Julie.
"Rubieth's rising early!" Genevieve panted, when her Wingleader appeared in the hallway. "There's at least three other queens who might be close - you've got to tell the Weyrwoman and send them away!"
Julie's face paled, but she didn't lose her composure. "Okay," she said calmly, taking Genevieve by the shoulders and turning her toward the lower caverns, where there were rooms set up for the human part of mating flights. "Get to a safe room, and make sure Rubieth is under control for as long as you can keep her that way. Annath is sending the golds in possible danger away. Do you have a partner picked out already?"
"No, I - I thought I had longer, but I'll be okay," Genevieve said, and Julie hugged her quickly.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yes, there's no one who would try for Rubieth who wouldn't be kind," Genevieve said firmly. Rubieth was a very junior queen, and hadn't clutched more than five eggs in any of her previous three flights, so she wasn't going to be hugely popular. Genevieve should have asked someone sooner, but she'd hoped that maybe Adrianne would - Genevieve cut herself off. Now was not the time.
Julie gave a smile and a nod, pushing her towards the stairs again, then ran in the opposite direction. Genevieve stood still for a moment longer, still dazed and flushed with Rubieth's consuming need, and focused on her, feeling her anger at Genevieve's refusal to let her rise just yet.
I am hungry, Rubieth told her. I need, need, and then she was past using words, and sent rolling waves of conflicting feelings directly to Genevieve's mind. Rubieth was still on the ground outside - Genevieve had maintained enough control for that - but she knew it wouldn't hold for much longer.
You're not hungry for food, love, and you know it, she replied, fighting to be calm and affectionate, to keep her mind separate from Rubieth's as she ran down the stairs to the lower caverns. This isn't your first flight.
Rubieth sent her a flash of their last flight in reply, and Genevieve stumbled at the stab of lust searing through her. That flight had been with Danneel's bronze Rath, and although it hadn't gone beyond the flight itself, Genevieve still sometimes fantasized about Danneel and her extremely talented mouth. Genevieve concentrated on breathing, and laughed at herself. "Not fair," she protested out loud, and jumped in surprise when a human voice replied.
"Julie said you might need help getting downstairs," Jensen told her, his hands steady and safely non-sexual on her shoulders. Greenriders were the only unaffected people around when a queen was rising. "I think she was right."
"I might," Genevieve admitted, letting Jensen take her hand and lead her down the rest of the stairs. Rubieth had started to attract attention, and Genevieve felt at least five or six bronze and brown dragons around Rubieth out among the rock formations to the north of the Weyr. Rubieth was too lost to recognize any of them, but felt sure there wasn't any dragon strong enough or fast enough to catch her.
You say that now, Genevieve told her. You won't mean it for long.
To Jensen, she asked, "did the queens get away?"
"Yes, Annath told Deanoth that the last pair in danger left a moment ago. Do you know why she's early this time?" Jensen said it with curiosity, not censure, and Genevieve laughed again.
"No clue," she admitted, letting Jensen take most of her weight as they reached the hallway leading to the rooms. He got her settled inside the first one, a small chamber filled mostly by the very large bed. Genevieve sat down on the bed and watched as Jensen checked the bedside table to make sure it was properly stocked with water, lubricant, and other supplies. He stood, and smiled wickedly at her on his way out the door.
"Have fun," he said. "I'll go tell your suitors you're ready for some company. Or is Adrianne already on her way?"
"Just you wait til your next flight," Genevieve threatened, but it didn't have any heat behind it.
Jensen's smile turned sickeningly dreamy. "I don't have to wait until my next flight," he said. "I'm about to go find my weyrmate and enjoy the psychic byproducts of yours."
"Ewwww," Genevieve said. "I don't want to know that you and Jared get off on my mating flights!" It was an unavoidable fact of life in a weyr that most male dragons got worked up by a queen rising, and thus affected their riders, even when they weren't participating in a particular flight, but that didn't mean she needed reminding of it now.
"Sorry," Jensen had the grace to say, wincing at himself. "I'm going."
"Good!" she yelled, throwing a pillow after him, which hit the door as it closed behind him, and fell to the ground. She was too dizzy to retrieve it, and then she had bigger worries as Rubieth broke her hold momentarily and dropped down on a wherry in one of the feeding pens with her sharp claws.
Blood only! Genevieve sent as strongly as she could, and Rubieth drained the carcass dry with a resentful grumble, leaving the meat untouched.
"One more, darling," Genevieve said, the stress of remembering to only think her commands too much work to handle along with Rubieth's hunger. "Just the blood, and then you can fly, I promise. You'll go higher on blood alone, you know that."
The door to the room opened, and Genevieve's focus split between Rubieth exulting in the blood of her second wherry, and the figure slipping inside the room. It was Adrianne, and Genevieve felt it as Rubieth recognized Jesranth at the same time, the largest bronze circling around her. Rubieth's contempt that any dragon would try to catch her was tinged with a flattered feeling Genevieve would laugh at her for later. Perhaps Genevieve wasn't the only one with a crush.
Adrianne was flushed, wearing only her breastband and what looked like a hastily donned pair of shorts. "Did I get here first?" she asked, looking around as if expecting the room to be full of dragonriders. Her hair was wildly disheveled, looking very different from her usually tamed golden curls.
"She's early," Genevieve said, trying and failing to keep her eyes off Adrianne's heaving chest and glowing skin. "I didn't have a plan for this flight yet, and I think everyone was caught by surprise. I - I didn't think you'd come, you - " Genevieve stopped, trying to find the right words when all she wanted to do was pull Adrianne down on top of her.
Adrianne ignored her for a moment, her eyes far away as she spoke to Jesranth.
"He's very insistent," she told Genevieve, a rueful smile on her lips. "I wanted to do this properly and wait for a real date, but I'm afraid he wouldn't hear of letting anyone else fly Rubieth." Her eyes darkened as she focused on Genevieve, roving up and down her body. "And I wasn't protesting much," she added.
"You're both assuming he'll catch her," Genevieve retorted, feeling Rubieth's pride as if it were her own.
Adrianne came closer, and ran a hand down Genevieve's cheek and neck. Genevieve shivered and leaned into the touch despite herself as Adrianne sat next to her on the bed.
"I think we have a good chance of that," Adrianne whispered, before kissing Genevieve on the mouth, demanding and sweet at the same time. Genevieve couldn't argue with that, not when she wasn't even considering letting anyone else into this room with her. They kissed for a long moment, until Genevieve felt anew Rubieth's insistent demand to fly, and pulled away to concentrate on her dragon.
Okay, love, she sent to Rubieth. Go!
Rubieth launched herself into the sky, and Genevieve felt the rush of air against her own face. Adrianne kept kissing Genevieve's neck, and the dual sensations kept Genevieve feeling as if she were floating. Adrianne's hands moved to her thighs, but didn't go further, and probably wouldn't until Rubieth had been caught.
Rubieth shot straight up, counting on her larger body size and strength to push her higher than the dragons following her into the sky. When she'd gained some altitude, Genevieve felt her twist suddenly, spiraling up on an air current, moving away from her pursuers even faster. The thrill of the flight was all Genevieve could feel for a moment, but then Adrianne's face came back into focus before her, and she could feel her cunt begin to ache with need. She was so wet she could feel slick starting to run down her thighs, and she was sure she couldn't wait for Rubieth to be caught. She needed to be fucked, as soon as possible
"We don't have to wait for them, you know," she told Adrianne, who laughed at her delightedly.
"Yes, we do! If you give up now, the flight has less chance of producing a clutch," Adrianne replied. "Not that I'm particularly concerned about that now."
Genevieve felt the weight of Adrianne's eyes on her, and turned to lie on her back on the bed. She started to wriggle out of her nightshift, and Adrianne's eyes darkened.
"Stop," Adrianne said in a rough voice. She moved, and was suddenly sitting astride Genevieve's thighs, one hand pushing away Genevieve's to use her own long fingers to pull the thin fabric up and over Genevieve's head. "This is mine, tonight."
Genevieve's stomach twisted, her cunt still aching, and Adrianne threw the nightshift to the floor before tossing her own clothes to join it. She was a bronze dragon as much as a woman now, and Genevieve took unadulterated pleasure in her possessive voice, even as Rubieth's determination not to give in just yet kept Genevieve from doing much more than that.
Rubieth was still pushing upward, her joy in the flight too great to give much thought to the joy that would come at the end of it. She caught glimpses of the bronzes and browns following her in the distance, and scoffed at their attempts to outthink her.
Adrianne licked Genevieve's neck, her fingers finally beginning to touch Genevieve's mons, inches from where Genevieve really wanted her.
"You're not as fast as you think you are," Adrianne said, speaking as herself and her dragon.
"You're not as clever as you think you are," Genevieve managed, trying not to moan as Adrianne rubbed her hand in slow circles, moving lower and slipping between Genevieve's folds. Genevieve couldn't help it any longer, she had to touch Adrianne. She reached up and rolled Adrianne's left breast in her palm, watching with delight as the skin of the areola crinkled. Adrianne's nipples were already as hard as her own, and she lifted her head to suck one in between her teeth, which made Adrianne gasp and push one long finger into Genevieve in retaliation.
Outside, Rubieth was beginning to slow, feeling safe in the high reaches above a cliff, having lost sight of her pursuers. But just as Adrianne moved to slip a second finger alongside the first, Jesranth twisted down from above Rubieth, riding an air current, and twined their necks together.
"Fuck," Genevieve moaned, her legs spread wide as Adrianne used three fingers, pushing relentlessly into her cunt, thumb pressing on her clit. "Oh, fuck, please - "
Rubieth twisted away at first, but she was well and truly caught, and now she knew what she wanted next, and she and Jesranth began to fall, connected to each other and unaware of anything but their lust, with Adrianne and Genevieve caught in the same feeling. Genevieve nearly shrieked with the pleasure-pain of four fingers stretching her open, her first orgasm sparking quickly through her body, and Adrianne kept talking in between kisses to her throat, calling her sweetheart.
"You're so perfect, such a gorgeous, hungry thing," Adrianne murmured, almost to herself, her voice low and scratchy. "I know what you want, darling, and I'm going to give it to you."
"More, please," Genevieve begged, as Rubieth's pleasure built and built, spilling over through their bond, the division of their minds completely gone now. Adrianne bit Genevieve's neck and pulled her fingers out to tuck her thumb against them, then pushed her hand inside Genevieve. Adrianne moaned just as loudly as Genevieve, rubbing her own cunt against Genevieve's thigh and feeling the same high as their dragons continued to fall together.
"God, yes, fuck me." Genevieve couldn't find any other words, and she let herself go, her pleasure peaking as Adrianne fucked her, feeling the feedback loop between all four of them begin to overwhelm her. She threw her head back and pushed her hips up, taking everything Adrianne had to give, and they came together and didn't stop, falling and falling and falling.
+++
Genevieve woke tangled with Adrianne on the bed, her mind clear and her connection with Rubieth back to its normal low buzz. She yawned and rolled slightly, extricating herself from Adrianne's embrace. Standing and stretching made her aware of the soreness in her limbs and she smiled, feeling very satisfied with herself.
Adrianne didn't wake up until Genevieve returned from the attached washroom and climbed back into bed with her.
"Good morning," Genevieve said, kissing Adrianne's neck softly.
Adrianne made a noise Genevieve supposed could be construed as a reply.
"I see, you're not a morning person," Genevieve teased. "That explains why your wing always has mid-afternoon practice."
"'m awake," Adrianne mumbled, her eyes still closed. "I just have to adjust."
Genevieve kissed Adrianne's neck again and pulled her closer, tucking their bodies together tightly and settling in to rest for a while. Usually at this time of day she'd be down in the training grounds, running morning drills with Julie and the rest of their wing, but she wouldn't have to go today. Riders got a day of enforced vacation after a flight, and she was very grateful for it. She might even be able to talk Adrianne into going on their date after all.
Adrianne woke up bit by bit, and eventually rolled over to look at Genevieve, their legs still entwined.
"Jesranth says the other queens are back, and that Rubieth is bragging about their flight like a weyrling who's just learned to go between," Adrianne said, chuckling softly.
"I heard some of it," Genevieve admitted. "I'm trying to pretend I'm above the human equivalent, but I might not be." She studiously didn't look at Adrianne's reaction to that, preferring not to know if Adrianne thought she was silly. It hadn't been just another mating flight, not for her, but she still wasn't sure what Adrianne truly felt about it.
"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Adrianne said, surprising Genevieve enough that she let it show on her face. Adrianne smiled at her dangerously, moving her hand down to grip Genevieve's bare hip. "I want everyone to know how well we fit."
Genevieve blinked. "Okay," she said slowly.
"I'm sure you've heard the stereotypes about bronzeriders," Adrianne murmured. "We don't like sharing and we always mark what's ours, even after a flight is over."
"I see," Genevieve replied, and flipped them both so that she was sitting astride Adrianne on the bed. "I think maybe you should show me exactly what you mean by that. Slowly."
"Are you sure about that?" Adrianne asked, looking pleased and ravenous.
"Yes," Genevieve said solemnly. "After all, we have to make sure our sexual compatibility wasn't a mating flight fluke."
Adrianne grinned and kissed her, pulling Genevieve down against her own body and stealing her breath away.
It definitely wasn't a fluke.
+++
In her weyr, Rubieth rested, snug against Jesranth and enjoying his warmth. They listened to their riders coupling in the human way, and felt very happy with themselves.
Dragons always know best, Jesranth told Rubieth privately.
Especially queens, Rubieth replied, and received a soft bite on her ear in reply.
Especially you, Jesranth said. Rubieth acknowledged the compliment, and they sat together in silence, watching birds fly outside, and remembering their own flight.
[the end.]
Author: exmanhater
Fandom: SPN RPF, CW RPF
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Genevieve/Adrianne (background Jared/Jensen)
Word count: 5,700
Content notes: dubcon of the "my dragon is going into heat" variety, but the characters are very much consenting, even if the timing wouldn't be their first choice.
Summary: Genevieve is happy being a junior queenrider in Benden Weyr, with lots of friends and few commitments, until a transferred bronzerider named Adrianne makes her think about wanting a more lasting connection.
Notes: Written for Trope Fest 3 with the prompt SPN RPF, Gen/Adrianne, Pern AU. This should be readable by folks who haven't read the Pern books, but if you want a primer: basically, dragons and riders bond psychically and together they fight a menace that falls from the sky (called Thread), while living and training together in a place called a Weyr. Dragon biology leads to mating flights where the riders are caught up in their dragons' passions. It's like a sex pollen + soul bonding match made in trope heaven! Also, klah is Pernese coffee, a wherry is just a fancy cow, and gold dragons (also called queens) fight each other to the death if one of them rises for a mating flight too close to the time when another will rise unless one of them hauls ass away immediately. Gold and green dragons are female; bronze, brown, and blue dragons are male; all dragons can teleport by going through nonspace called between. Golds are the biggest, followed by bronzes, browns, blues, and greens. That is also their social pecking order. There, Pern in a nutshell!
For those of you who do know Pern, this is ostensibly set in the second-to-last Pass before the last Long Interval that precedes Dragonflight, but I've handily ignored any sexism or homophobia that might have been expected at that time, and have not incorporated any Pern characters who have been referenced as living during that time period. Also, in this AU, dragons Impress riders of whichever gender and orientation they want, regardless of the dragon's color/sex (because let's get real, McCaffrey's "ideas" about gay people are vomit-worthy).
Characters & dragons:
Genevieve, rider of gold Rubieth (Ru-bi-eth)
Adrianne, rider of bronze Jesranth (Jes-ranth)
Jared, rider of brown Samenth (Sa-menth)
Jensen, rider of green Deanoth (De-a-noth)
Julie, rider of gold Annath (An-nath)
Misha, rider of blue Casteth (Cast-eth)
Felicia, rider of blue Charilith (Char-i-lith)
Sandy, rider of green Demonith (De-mo-nith)
Danneel, rider of bronze Rath
Stop fussing, Rubieth told Genevieve, her mental voice louder than it needed to be for Genevieve to hear from across the Weyr.
"I'm not fussing," Genevieve protested. Jared, from across the table, looked confused for a moment, then smiled at her.
"When are you going to stop talking out loud to your dragon?" he asked. "You know, the dragon you impressed four years ago who has a direct psychic connection to your brain?"
Genevieve raised an eyebrow. "Maybe when you stop mocking me about it?"
"Where would be the fun in that?" he replied. "Anyway, why are you fussing?"
"I'm not!" Genevieve repeated. "That's the whole point, and I don't need you to lecture me about it, too. Rubieth's bad enough."
Jared was her closest friend in the Weyr, but that didn't mean she needed to tell him everything, and certainly not anything about his Wingleader. She especially didn't need to tell him about her crush on his Wingleader, because if she did, she'd never hear the end of it both in her head and outside of it, between him and Rubieth, and she didn't need that kind of hassle. And there was always the chance that he would tell Adrianne or let it out accidentally.
So you admit there is something you are fussing about, came Rubieth's satisfied voice.
NO, she thought back, as firmly as she could. No matter how annoying Rubieth's insights into her mental state could be, she loved her dragon fiercely and with a tenderness she'd never thought possible.
Jared had grown tired of waiting for her to focus back on their side of the conversation, and was busily filling his plate with wherry meat and bubbly pies. Thread was due again the next day, and Genevieve knew she should follow his example. They'd need their energy, with so many riders and dragons grounded with injuries. The last Threadfall had not been kind to Ruatha Hold or Benden Weyr. The Pass had just started, and even though the entire Weyr had been practicing and drilling continuously, it hadn't made actually facing Thread for the first time less frightening. They'd learned hard lessons already.
Genevieve shook her head to clear it - breakfast was no time for thinking such depressing thoughts.
"I'll get it out of you eventually," Jared told her. He tossed a strip of meat at her head, which she caught and threw back immediately. Jared bit into it with a grin. "I mean it, you can't hide from me, Gen. Or maybe I'll tell Jensen to have Deanoth girltalk it out of Rubieth."
At the entirely ridiculous image of Deanoth and Rubieth gossiping like teenagers, Genevieve laughed and almost choked on the sip of klah she'd just taken.
"You're evil," she finally managed to say. "Samenth needs to repudiate you immediately!"
"Well, I never," Jared said, his prim expression sending Genevieve into another fit of laughter.
Jensen sat down next to Jared with a full tray, Felicia and Misha behind him with their own trays, and looked at Genevieve with mock sympathy.
"I'm sorry," he said. "Is my weyrmate behaving like the uncultured lout he is?"
"What does that say about your taste in men?" Felicia asked, and ducked when Jensen swatted at her head, before sitting down on Jared's other side.
Genevieve scooted over to make room for Misha, and focused on her breakfast, happy to be out of the spotlight as the conversation moved on to new topics.
Adrianne wasn't a problem she wanted to share just yet, not even with her friends.
+++
Adrianne had transferred from Fort Weyr two months ago, bringing a few bronze- and brownriders with her. Benden had a relative surplus of queens, and not enough bronzes to face the start of the Pass, so Fort sent some younger riders who wanted a chance to make a name for themselves in exchange for goldriders who wanted the opportunity to stand out of the crowd. It was, Genevieve thought, one of the smartest ideas the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman had used to plan for the Pass. It brought new blood into the Weyr, and gave everyone something to focus on besides the looming threat of Thread.
She just wished it hadn't thrown her whole world into disarray. Dragonriders were generally work-focused, without much drive to create permanent relationships with any individual except their dragon, and Genevieve loved the freedom the Weyr had given her. She didn't have to think about her reputation, even if she spent every night in a different rider's weyr, and Rubieth and her friends provided her with all the emotional support she could want.
But Adrianne made her want more, made her want slow, human sex without the need of her dragon ramping up the ecstasy, made her think about the possibility of permanence. There were dragonriders who took mates - Jensen had never let anyone fly Deanoth except Samenth since the first time she rose, and Jared would never even think of trying for a queen the way everyone thought he should, since Samenth was the largest brown in the Weyr and might be able to catch a gold. Genevieve admired their love and their partnership, but she had never been envious of it before.
Genevieve usually made quick decisions, and when she wanted something, she thought about how to get it, and immediately put the plan into action. All her best thinking, however, didn't give her any good ideas this time. Holders went on dates, or courted each other if they were from the higher classes. Dragonriders - didn't. The dangers of their lives had always seemed to call for living in the moment.
Dragons live in the moment, and we still have mates sometimes, Rubieth interrupted helpfully, breaking Genevieve out of her own thoughts.
"You're biologically wired to live in the moment, dear," she replied. In the privacy of her own weyr, she could speak to Rubieth however she wanted. "I'm not quite so lucky."
You don't try hard enough, Rubieth sent. Maybe you should speak to them. Jesranth is quite brave and his rider is as well.
Genevieve frowned. Dragons didn't generally take much notice of humans who weren't their rider - and when they did, it was hard to find out why.
"Do you like Jesranth?" she asked, and received the mental equivalent of a shrug.
He is very large, but he always shares his sunrock.
"The highest compliment!" Genevieve laughed. "Sharing the best sunbathing locations!"
He does not wait for me to ask, Rubieth stated. He offers before I even know that I want to sun myself.
That, Genevieve knew, meant something. Dragons of any color would obey a queen, even over the objections of their own rider. For Rubieth to say Jesranth offered was an interesting choice of words.
"And what do you think of his rider?" Genevieve asked, not expecting much of an answer.
She is very large as well. For a human. Rubieth's mental voice sounded a bit like muffled laughter, and Genevieve smiled.
"I deserved that," she admitted, and let Rubieth's smug self-satisfaction wash over her. Adrianne was a problem that would keep for later, and they had a drill in just a few minutes. "I'll meet you outside in a moment, love."
Luck was not with her - Adrianne was just leaving the training grounds when Genevieve arrived, and she slowed down when she saw Genevieve checking Rubieth's gear. She was dusty, and looked tired, but Genevieve still wanted to do unspeakable things to her thighs, which were wrapped in tight leather pants and looking especially delicious.
You're like a green in heat, Rubieth commented loftily, while angling her head for a scratch. Genevieve's face flamed, and she avoided Adrianne's eyes as she focused on her dragon.
"Gen," Adrianne called, tugging on Genevieve's arm to gain her attention. "Your turn for torture? It's so warm here compared to Fort. I keep overdressing for practice and then sweating like a pig."
Genevieve turned to look at Adrianne, and flushed again, thinking of other ways to make Adrianne sweat, but managed to reply. "Yes, Julie's not convinced we've made enough progress with our formations, so it's extra practice for a fortnight."
"You should see what the Fort Weyrleader considers enough practice!" Adrianne said with a laugh. "It makes this look like easy fun." She paused, sobering. "But they've had even worse losses than Benden so far this Pass."
"I heard," Genevieve replied, treading softly. "Five dragons gone between. I'm sorry."
Adrianne looked off into the distance, then shook herself and smiled at Genevieve. "All in the past now," she said. "Have a good practice, Gen." She turned to Rubieth and executed a flawless bow. "My lady," she told the dragon, and Rubieth's eyes swirled with pleasure.
"Don't inflate her ego!" Genevieve protested, but she was secretly just as pleased as Rubieth.
Adrianne brushed a hand down Genevieve's arm as she walked away, calling over her shoulder, "she deserves every bit of ego she has."
Rubieth looked smugly at Genevieve. Genevieve sighed.
"Yes, you're a pretty, pretty princess," she told Rubieth, walking out to join the rest of her wing. "But right now you're a princess who's going to get dirty."
+++
During the next Threadfall, Genevieve was grateful for all the extra practice Julie had been putting the queenriders through. Riding a very large dragon while wielding a blowtorch and ducking Thread took skill and practice, and since Genevieve felt she lacked much skill, the practice was even more important. She sometimes envied other riders, who got to forgo the flamethrower because their dragons could breathe their own fire, but she tried not to think that very often. Rubieth had once asked, very sadly when she was just a year old, if Genevieve wished she was another color, and Genevieve never wanted to make her dragon feel that away again.
She wouldn't trade Rubieth for anything. She just wished queens could breathe fire like the other colors.
Left! Rubieth called out to Annath, warning her away from a thick clump of Thread that had made it through the wings above them. Genevieve watched with relief as Julie and Annath swerved out of the way, then burned the clump to ash with her flamethrower.
Rubieth suddenly dipped her head, then sent a quick flash to Genevieve of a green dragon falling from above them. Demonith needs help, she told Genevieve. Annath says to go now! She will follow.
Do you know where? Genevieve asked. It was dangerous for any dragon to go between without a clear picture of where they wanted to end up.
Deanoth told me where, Rubieth sent, and Genevieve said "Go!" They blinked between, four seconds of complete sensory deprivation, before appearing some distance beneath the falling dragon. She was small, one of the younger greens, but Genevieve knew she and Rubieth wouldn't be able to break her fall alone. Other green dragons were running Thread interference below and above the falling dragon, making sure no one else got hit, so at least Genevieve didn't have to worry about that.
She is not conscious, Rubieth told Genevieve worriedly. Her rider is calling for her, but she does not hear. She went between to kill the Thread that scored her wing, but when she came back, she lost control.
We'll catch her, Genevieve said, sending Rubieth a mental picture of what she wanted her to do as Annath appeared beside them. Can you tell Annath?
She sees, Rubieth told her after a moment. She will help us.
Annath and Rubieth flew downward ahead of Demonith side by side, gaining momentum so that they could break the green dragon's fall safely. They'd practiced this drill many times and they flew smoothly together, timing their movements so that Demonith landed lightly on and between their backs. Even with their precision, the impact jolted Genevieve harshly, and for a moment she didn't think her straps would hold. But they did, and once she knew she was safe, she scrambled to see what had happened to Demonith's rider. The tiny figure was upright in her saddle - she was awake and appeared unhurt, though Genevieve knew she must be frantic with worry for her dragon. Demonith's wing was badly scored, large tears running down the length of it.
The two queens continued down, not daring to go between with an unconscious dragon, and Genevieve felt her adrenaline begin to fade.
Waiting to tell Adrianne about her feelings was stupid, she thought in a flash as they landed, healers taking over to tend to Demonith and her rider. Maybe dragonriders didn't often have permanent attachments, but if she wanted one, she shouldn't let anxiety stop her from trying. There was always the chance that she wouldn't make it through the next Threadfall, and she didn't want to have any regrets.
She and Rubieth rejoined their wing once they could - Threadfall was only half over, and every able dragon was needed. They were both exhausted by the time they had flamed the last bit of Thread and were able to land.
Genevieve cleaned and oiled Rubieth, murmuring sweet reassurances to her the whole time, then sent her off for a meal while she went to get herself clean before heading to the dining hall. It was time to do what she did best - take action.
About time, Rubieth said approvingly. Genevieve didn't dignify that with a response.
Adrianne was sitting with Jared, both of them unusually sober. They looked up when she sat at their table.
"Good work out there," Jared told her. "Jensen said you and Rubieth kept Demonith from dying."
Genevieve shuddered, thinking of how devastated Demonith's rider, Sandy, had been over the injuries Demonith had sustained. She'd had to be forcibly dragged off Demonith so that the healers could do their work.
"We all did well," she said. "Jensen and Deanoth kept Thread from hitting us on the way back, and Annath and Rubieth did all the hard work. I'll never complain about Julie's rescue drills again, though. We knew what to do because we'd practiced." Genevieve took a drink of warm klah. "Is Demonith okay? We couldn't stay to see what happened after the landing."
Adrianne gave her a reassuring smile. "Jensen said Demonith won't be able to fly for quite some time, but she will heal. He said Sandy is finally starting to believe everything will be okay."
Genevieve sighed. "Good. The thought of losing another dragon - I don't know if we could bear it." Then she remembered her earlier resolve. "Jared, can you give us a moment? I need to talk to Adrianne alone."
Jared gave her a strange "what are you doing?" look, but got up nonetheless, hugging Genevieve briefly and whispering "you'll tell me later," into her ear. "Bye, Adrianne," he said, walking over to join Misha at the next table, who was sporting a bandaged arm and appeared to be bragging about it to a captivated group of young greenriders.
Adrianne's mouth was open with surprise when Genevieve turned back to look at her. She closed it quickly, but still looked concerned.
"Have I done something wrong?" she asked. "I'm not always sure if my Fort habits are acceptable here, but I don't want to - "
"No," Genevieve interrupted, horrified. "No, no - that's not it at all!"
Adrianne slumped back and drew a hand across her forehead dramatically. "Well," she said. "That's a relief! So what's going on?"
"I - " Genevieve felt herself flushing, and forced herself not to look away from Adrianne. "I wondered if you - if you wanted to take our dragons on a daytrip on our next Threadfree day? I know we're not supposed to play favorites, but I want to get to know you better, and I thought maybe you weren't opposed to me," Genevieve swallowed hard and kept going. "Uh, opposed to me, romantically?"
Adrianne's mouth twitched at the corners and Genevieve started twisting her hands together in her lap.
"Gen," Adrianne said, her smile widening. "Are you asking me on a date?"
"Yes?" Genevieve said. "Uh, only if you'd like to? Do Fort riders even believe in dates?"
"You're so adorable," Adrianne told her, shaking her head and biting at her bottom lip.
Genevieve's stomach flipped. "That's a yes, then?"
"Definitely a yes, on all counts." Adrianne reached over to take Genevieve's hand in hers, her thumb rubbing smooth circles on Genevieve's skin. "It's a date."
Genevieve smiled widely, her heartbeat returning to normal. "Good," she managed. "Rubieth and I will surprise you, take you somewhere new."
"We're going somewhere new?" a voice asked, and Genevieve turned to see Felicia standing behind her. Genevieve looked to Adrianne, not sure what she should say.
"Gen and I are," Adrianne said. She lowered her voice and added, "on our own," giving Felicia a very self-satisfied smile.
"Oh, I see how it is," Felicia replied, ignoring Genevieve's embarrassed groan. "Good for you, ladies."
"Thank you," Adrianne beamed.
Genevieve pulled her hand away and stood. "Can I go die of embarrassment before Jared comes back and proceeds to make humiliating jokes at my expense?"
"Did I hear my name?"
Genevieve jumped, and turned to glare at Jared. "No, no you didn't!"
He smiled widely. "I live to please. What can I humiliate you about today?"
Felicia ratted them out before Genevieve could stop her. "Gen has a date," she sing-songed. "With a certain bronzerider. Tall, blonde, stacked."
And that was that - Genevieve had a date, and absolutely no privacy. But, watching Adrianne's pleased smile as Jared and Felicia continued to try to one-up each other with bad innuendo, Genevieve rather thought it was worth it.
+++
Genevieve woke up suddenly before dawn several days later, her heart racing for no reason she could see. She stood up unsteadily and reached out for Rubieth, whose presence in the back of her mind seemed duller than usual. When their minds met, Genevieve fell back against her bed as the force of Rubieth's lust and hunger slammed into her consciousness.
Rubieth was rising for her mating flight, when she wasn't due for it until at least a sevenday from now, if not more. Genevieve knew it wasn't rational, but she felt resentful that Rubieth had chosen this day, of all days. The day of her planned date with Adrianne.
Shaking off her feelings as Rubieth's mind surged into hers, Genevieve fought for control and raced out of her room in her nightshift, yelling for Julie.
"Rubieth's rising early!" Genevieve panted, when her Wingleader appeared in the hallway. "There's at least three other queens who might be close - you've got to tell the Weyrwoman and send them away!"
Julie's face paled, but she didn't lose her composure. "Okay," she said calmly, taking Genevieve by the shoulders and turning her toward the lower caverns, where there were rooms set up for the human part of mating flights. "Get to a safe room, and make sure Rubieth is under control for as long as you can keep her that way. Annath is sending the golds in possible danger away. Do you have a partner picked out already?"
"No, I - I thought I had longer, but I'll be okay," Genevieve said, and Julie hugged her quickly.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Yes, there's no one who would try for Rubieth who wouldn't be kind," Genevieve said firmly. Rubieth was a very junior queen, and hadn't clutched more than five eggs in any of her previous three flights, so she wasn't going to be hugely popular. Genevieve should have asked someone sooner, but she'd hoped that maybe Adrianne would - Genevieve cut herself off. Now was not the time.
Julie gave a smile and a nod, pushing her towards the stairs again, then ran in the opposite direction. Genevieve stood still for a moment longer, still dazed and flushed with Rubieth's consuming need, and focused on her, feeling her anger at Genevieve's refusal to let her rise just yet.
I am hungry, Rubieth told her. I need, need, and then she was past using words, and sent rolling waves of conflicting feelings directly to Genevieve's mind. Rubieth was still on the ground outside - Genevieve had maintained enough control for that - but she knew it wouldn't hold for much longer.
You're not hungry for food, love, and you know it, she replied, fighting to be calm and affectionate, to keep her mind separate from Rubieth's as she ran down the stairs to the lower caverns. This isn't your first flight.
Rubieth sent her a flash of their last flight in reply, and Genevieve stumbled at the stab of lust searing through her. That flight had been with Danneel's bronze Rath, and although it hadn't gone beyond the flight itself, Genevieve still sometimes fantasized about Danneel and her extremely talented mouth. Genevieve concentrated on breathing, and laughed at herself. "Not fair," she protested out loud, and jumped in surprise when a human voice replied.
"Julie said you might need help getting downstairs," Jensen told her, his hands steady and safely non-sexual on her shoulders. Greenriders were the only unaffected people around when a queen was rising. "I think she was right."
"I might," Genevieve admitted, letting Jensen take her hand and lead her down the rest of the stairs. Rubieth had started to attract attention, and Genevieve felt at least five or six bronze and brown dragons around Rubieth out among the rock formations to the north of the Weyr. Rubieth was too lost to recognize any of them, but felt sure there wasn't any dragon strong enough or fast enough to catch her.
You say that now, Genevieve told her. You won't mean it for long.
To Jensen, she asked, "did the queens get away?"
"Yes, Annath told Deanoth that the last pair in danger left a moment ago. Do you know why she's early this time?" Jensen said it with curiosity, not censure, and Genevieve laughed again.
"No clue," she admitted, letting Jensen take most of her weight as they reached the hallway leading to the rooms. He got her settled inside the first one, a small chamber filled mostly by the very large bed. Genevieve sat down on the bed and watched as Jensen checked the bedside table to make sure it was properly stocked with water, lubricant, and other supplies. He stood, and smiled wickedly at her on his way out the door.
"Have fun," he said. "I'll go tell your suitors you're ready for some company. Or is Adrianne already on her way?"
"Just you wait til your next flight," Genevieve threatened, but it didn't have any heat behind it.
Jensen's smile turned sickeningly dreamy. "I don't have to wait until my next flight," he said. "I'm about to go find my weyrmate and enjoy the psychic byproducts of yours."
"Ewwww," Genevieve said. "I don't want to know that you and Jared get off on my mating flights!" It was an unavoidable fact of life in a weyr that most male dragons got worked up by a queen rising, and thus affected their riders, even when they weren't participating in a particular flight, but that didn't mean she needed reminding of it now.
"Sorry," Jensen had the grace to say, wincing at himself. "I'm going."
"Good!" she yelled, throwing a pillow after him, which hit the door as it closed behind him, and fell to the ground. She was too dizzy to retrieve it, and then she had bigger worries as Rubieth broke her hold momentarily and dropped down on a wherry in one of the feeding pens with her sharp claws.
Blood only! Genevieve sent as strongly as she could, and Rubieth drained the carcass dry with a resentful grumble, leaving the meat untouched.
"One more, darling," Genevieve said, the stress of remembering to only think her commands too much work to handle along with Rubieth's hunger. "Just the blood, and then you can fly, I promise. You'll go higher on blood alone, you know that."
The door to the room opened, and Genevieve's focus split between Rubieth exulting in the blood of her second wherry, and the figure slipping inside the room. It was Adrianne, and Genevieve felt it as Rubieth recognized Jesranth at the same time, the largest bronze circling around her. Rubieth's contempt that any dragon would try to catch her was tinged with a flattered feeling Genevieve would laugh at her for later. Perhaps Genevieve wasn't the only one with a crush.
Adrianne was flushed, wearing only her breastband and what looked like a hastily donned pair of shorts. "Did I get here first?" she asked, looking around as if expecting the room to be full of dragonriders. Her hair was wildly disheveled, looking very different from her usually tamed golden curls.
"She's early," Genevieve said, trying and failing to keep her eyes off Adrianne's heaving chest and glowing skin. "I didn't have a plan for this flight yet, and I think everyone was caught by surprise. I - I didn't think you'd come, you - " Genevieve stopped, trying to find the right words when all she wanted to do was pull Adrianne down on top of her.
Adrianne ignored her for a moment, her eyes far away as she spoke to Jesranth.
"He's very insistent," she told Genevieve, a rueful smile on her lips. "I wanted to do this properly and wait for a real date, but I'm afraid he wouldn't hear of letting anyone else fly Rubieth." Her eyes darkened as she focused on Genevieve, roving up and down her body. "And I wasn't protesting much," she added.
"You're both assuming he'll catch her," Genevieve retorted, feeling Rubieth's pride as if it were her own.
Adrianne came closer, and ran a hand down Genevieve's cheek and neck. Genevieve shivered and leaned into the touch despite herself as Adrianne sat next to her on the bed.
"I think we have a good chance of that," Adrianne whispered, before kissing Genevieve on the mouth, demanding and sweet at the same time. Genevieve couldn't argue with that, not when she wasn't even considering letting anyone else into this room with her. They kissed for a long moment, until Genevieve felt anew Rubieth's insistent demand to fly, and pulled away to concentrate on her dragon.
Okay, love, she sent to Rubieth. Go!
Rubieth launched herself into the sky, and Genevieve felt the rush of air against her own face. Adrianne kept kissing Genevieve's neck, and the dual sensations kept Genevieve feeling as if she were floating. Adrianne's hands moved to her thighs, but didn't go further, and probably wouldn't until Rubieth had been caught.
Rubieth shot straight up, counting on her larger body size and strength to push her higher than the dragons following her into the sky. When she'd gained some altitude, Genevieve felt her twist suddenly, spiraling up on an air current, moving away from her pursuers even faster. The thrill of the flight was all Genevieve could feel for a moment, but then Adrianne's face came back into focus before her, and she could feel her cunt begin to ache with need. She was so wet she could feel slick starting to run down her thighs, and she was sure she couldn't wait for Rubieth to be caught. She needed to be fucked, as soon as possible
"We don't have to wait for them, you know," she told Adrianne, who laughed at her delightedly.
"Yes, we do! If you give up now, the flight has less chance of producing a clutch," Adrianne replied. "Not that I'm particularly concerned about that now."
Genevieve felt the weight of Adrianne's eyes on her, and turned to lie on her back on the bed. She started to wriggle out of her nightshift, and Adrianne's eyes darkened.
"Stop," Adrianne said in a rough voice. She moved, and was suddenly sitting astride Genevieve's thighs, one hand pushing away Genevieve's to use her own long fingers to pull the thin fabric up and over Genevieve's head. "This is mine, tonight."
Genevieve's stomach twisted, her cunt still aching, and Adrianne threw the nightshift to the floor before tossing her own clothes to join it. She was a bronze dragon as much as a woman now, and Genevieve took unadulterated pleasure in her possessive voice, even as Rubieth's determination not to give in just yet kept Genevieve from doing much more than that.
Rubieth was still pushing upward, her joy in the flight too great to give much thought to the joy that would come at the end of it. She caught glimpses of the bronzes and browns following her in the distance, and scoffed at their attempts to outthink her.
Adrianne licked Genevieve's neck, her fingers finally beginning to touch Genevieve's mons, inches from where Genevieve really wanted her.
"You're not as fast as you think you are," Adrianne said, speaking as herself and her dragon.
"You're not as clever as you think you are," Genevieve managed, trying not to moan as Adrianne rubbed her hand in slow circles, moving lower and slipping between Genevieve's folds. Genevieve couldn't help it any longer, she had to touch Adrianne. She reached up and rolled Adrianne's left breast in her palm, watching with delight as the skin of the areola crinkled. Adrianne's nipples were already as hard as her own, and she lifted her head to suck one in between her teeth, which made Adrianne gasp and push one long finger into Genevieve in retaliation.
Outside, Rubieth was beginning to slow, feeling safe in the high reaches above a cliff, having lost sight of her pursuers. But just as Adrianne moved to slip a second finger alongside the first, Jesranth twisted down from above Rubieth, riding an air current, and twined their necks together.
"Fuck," Genevieve moaned, her legs spread wide as Adrianne used three fingers, pushing relentlessly into her cunt, thumb pressing on her clit. "Oh, fuck, please - "
Rubieth twisted away at first, but she was well and truly caught, and now she knew what she wanted next, and she and Jesranth began to fall, connected to each other and unaware of anything but their lust, with Adrianne and Genevieve caught in the same feeling. Genevieve nearly shrieked with the pleasure-pain of four fingers stretching her open, her first orgasm sparking quickly through her body, and Adrianne kept talking in between kisses to her throat, calling her sweetheart.
"You're so perfect, such a gorgeous, hungry thing," Adrianne murmured, almost to herself, her voice low and scratchy. "I know what you want, darling, and I'm going to give it to you."
"More, please," Genevieve begged, as Rubieth's pleasure built and built, spilling over through their bond, the division of their minds completely gone now. Adrianne bit Genevieve's neck and pulled her fingers out to tuck her thumb against them, then pushed her hand inside Genevieve. Adrianne moaned just as loudly as Genevieve, rubbing her own cunt against Genevieve's thigh and feeling the same high as their dragons continued to fall together.
"God, yes, fuck me." Genevieve couldn't find any other words, and she let herself go, her pleasure peaking as Adrianne fucked her, feeling the feedback loop between all four of them begin to overwhelm her. She threw her head back and pushed her hips up, taking everything Adrianne had to give, and they came together and didn't stop, falling and falling and falling.
+++
Genevieve woke tangled with Adrianne on the bed, her mind clear and her connection with Rubieth back to its normal low buzz. She yawned and rolled slightly, extricating herself from Adrianne's embrace. Standing and stretching made her aware of the soreness in her limbs and she smiled, feeling very satisfied with herself.
Adrianne didn't wake up until Genevieve returned from the attached washroom and climbed back into bed with her.
"Good morning," Genevieve said, kissing Adrianne's neck softly.
Adrianne made a noise Genevieve supposed could be construed as a reply.
"I see, you're not a morning person," Genevieve teased. "That explains why your wing always has mid-afternoon practice."
"'m awake," Adrianne mumbled, her eyes still closed. "I just have to adjust."
Genevieve kissed Adrianne's neck again and pulled her closer, tucking their bodies together tightly and settling in to rest for a while. Usually at this time of day she'd be down in the training grounds, running morning drills with Julie and the rest of their wing, but she wouldn't have to go today. Riders got a day of enforced vacation after a flight, and she was very grateful for it. She might even be able to talk Adrianne into going on their date after all.
Adrianne woke up bit by bit, and eventually rolled over to look at Genevieve, their legs still entwined.
"Jesranth says the other queens are back, and that Rubieth is bragging about their flight like a weyrling who's just learned to go between," Adrianne said, chuckling softly.
"I heard some of it," Genevieve admitted. "I'm trying to pretend I'm above the human equivalent, but I might not be." She studiously didn't look at Adrianne's reaction to that, preferring not to know if Adrianne thought she was silly. It hadn't been just another mating flight, not for her, but she still wasn't sure what Adrianne truly felt about it.
"I'd be disappointed if you didn't," Adrianne said, surprising Genevieve enough that she let it show on her face. Adrianne smiled at her dangerously, moving her hand down to grip Genevieve's bare hip. "I want everyone to know how well we fit."
Genevieve blinked. "Okay," she said slowly.
"I'm sure you've heard the stereotypes about bronzeriders," Adrianne murmured. "We don't like sharing and we always mark what's ours, even after a flight is over."
"I see," Genevieve replied, and flipped them both so that she was sitting astride Adrianne on the bed. "I think maybe you should show me exactly what you mean by that. Slowly."
"Are you sure about that?" Adrianne asked, looking pleased and ravenous.
"Yes," Genevieve said solemnly. "After all, we have to make sure our sexual compatibility wasn't a mating flight fluke."
Adrianne grinned and kissed her, pulling Genevieve down against her own body and stealing her breath away.
It definitely wasn't a fluke.
+++
In her weyr, Rubieth rested, snug against Jesranth and enjoying his warmth. They listened to their riders coupling in the human way, and felt very happy with themselves.
Dragons always know best, Jesranth told Rubieth privately.
Especially queens, Rubieth replied, and received a soft bite on her ear in reply.
Especially you, Jesranth said. Rubieth acknowledged the compliment, and they sat together in silence, watching birds fly outside, and remembering their own flight.
[the end.]