Log: Foot Rub
Who: P'draig, Phara
When: It is a summer night, 20:03 of day 19, month 9, turn 20 of Interval 10.
Where: Beach, Ista Weyr
What: Phara swings by and there's drinks and some light chat and a foot rub.
The wet summer season oppresses the island with high humidity and sweltering temperatures. Tonight, clouds interrupt the dark, star-strewn sky and a nice, light breeze carries the scent of sea air.
It's still hot and sweltering at Ista though the evening brings a breeze that breaks up the heat. P'draig sits perched in a lounge chair down on the beach a little ways off from the Sandbar, barefoot and barechested, enjoying the very last light of sunset. The brownrider's got a tall, cool drink in hand and Jekzith plays out in the water.
Bennath's a dead giveaway as usual, swooping down towards the beach. His mind touches Jekzith's as soon as they emerged from Between over Ista, so his touchdown onto the sand isn't completely unexpected so much as impromptu. Phara is dressed sensibily for the weather here with her riding jacket on over her light clothing, and this gets unbuckled as soon as her feet hit the ground.
Jekzith's relay sees Paddy sitting up a little straighter and waving as the pair land. "Hey Phara!" he greets her brightly. "Drink? I can get you something without any liquor in it," the brownrider offers and pushes to his feet to come over, hand held out in welcome.
Grinning like a madwoman, Phara takes his hand, using it as leverage for the most part to leap enthusiastically into a hug. "Hi!" she greets breathlessly. And at the offer, relief. "Ah, you've read my mind."
That enthusiasm sees Paddy laughing and he wraps an arm around the bluerider, hugs in return. "Hey, good day?" he asks with a grin and offers her his arm. "Walk you over to the chair there and I'll pretend to be a cabana boy and get you your drink and a palm frond? Or do you want to walk to the bar with me?"
Phara mms and nods. "I saw something at drills today and it gave me this really good idea and I can't wait to run it by G'fry or T'rev or both or whoever!" Yes, very enthusiastic. "But! I'll walk. I think I can still do that much." Laugh.
"Hey, that's great," P'draig says and gives her another squeeze. "Come on then. And it's not so much about being able to, but you know, taking advantage and taking a load off," the brownrider says teasingly. "So what kind of idea?"
Phara chuckles. "One thing you'll come to learn rather rapidly about me, my dear, I have a hard time letting other people do things for me." She's more than happy to trot along with him though. "Besides, I didn't come out to make you pamper me. You just happen to be an extremely valid excuse to get the heck out of Dodge." And happy to natter about wing stuff, she turns her head enthusiastically to see his face. "Oh, there's this one formation we do and it occured to me if we just changed the angle on the leading edge maybe about twenty degrees.-- " Drawing up short with a huff, she waves a hand at him chidingly, "Oh no! /No business/."
"I'll keep that in mind, surprise you when you're not expecting it more often," P'draig teases. "Speaking of which, they've started moving into weyrs, the weyrlings here, so I've mostly got my evenings back." He laughs about being a good excuse, then playfully makes like he'd pick her up. "Watch it or I'll carry you around like a sack of potatoes, just to make a point," he teases. "Is it really business?" he asks. "Besides, it made your face light up." He winks over at her.
Phara pouts. "What does surprising me have to do with being self-sufficient?" Then she nods. "Oh, I was going to mention. I met one of your weyrlings the other night. He tried to talk me into taking my clothing off, I think." Pause. "And then at some point I think he managed to get me to invite him to my weyr when the dragons are old enough. It was sort of amusing, actually, once I made it clear any trips to my weyr were to see all my nifty things, and not my....nifty thing." Giggling to herself at that and especially when he pretends he's going to grab her she swats at his arm good naturedly. "What kind of point will you prove? Besides your undoubtedly strong muscles? Sure it's business, and probably not even business I could help you understand without some pictures and stuff."
P'draig just grins. "I told you, I like taking care of people. It makes me happy," the brownrider answers merrily still then laughs. "Ch'son?" brows up. "He's been chafing under certain rules which are ... lifting." P'draig's arm winds around Phara's waist comfortably instead. "That sometimes it's fun to get carried around," he points out. "And hey, come on, I'm a Weyrlingmaster, give me some credit for being able to follow a formation idea. But -- what kind of drink do you want?" Because they're almost to the bar.
"If it makes you happy, I think I can let you spoil me a little. I think I might like it, I just don't want to get used to it." The unspoken going there that she doesn't expect or think it will last. "Oh, I don't doubt you could follow a formation idea, just don't know what kind of flying happens down here. I think Flint's a little crazier'n most though." She tucks her head into his shoulder and smiles dreamily. "You can carry me around if you like, but I'll squeal, and people around bound to look. Uh, something juicy, huh? I like juice."
"Depends on the wing," P'draig says with a grin and gives her a little squeeze. "You're ... sort of part of the family now you know? So I think it might be safe if you get used to it," he tells her in a mild enough tone of voice. "Would that bother you?" Paddy asks curiously, tilting a look down at her. "Okay, we can get you a virgin something or other ... tropical type juice or berry?" He steps up into the bar where lights are being lit and it's getting busier as more residents and riders turn up after dinner and duties.
Phara can't help it, the look she lifts up to him is outright disbelieving. "Would it? No, but people are bound to think you're getting set to ravish me right there on the bar." This ranks safe on her list of things to talk about and brings her smile back. "Uhhhh, berry. Yep, berry."
"They've seen a lot worse, and they're used to me half-ravishing Mic, so it wouldn't be anything new," P'draig says, laid back and leads on up to the bar itself. "Berry it is. Hey Kip!" he waves towards the barkeep and orders something with a very ... fluffy name and the instruction not to put any alcohol in it. "And a Feisty Girl for me." Even though he hadn't finished the drink he left back at the chair.
Phara tips her head, just a little. Off-handedly. "Owe T'mic an apology, one of these days, I think." She lets him order for her, glancing thoughtfully at the rest of the Sandbar and then laughs shortly. "A Feisty Girl, huh?"
"Howcome?" P'draig asks about Mic, leaning against the bar while they wait for the drinks. "Yeahhh - one of the bartenders, Tam, she made the drink up for me and she's a feisty girl so ..." he winks over at her. "It's rum with cinnamon liqueur in it," the brownrider explains.
Phara mms. "Because I wasn't very nice to him, I don't think, after Bennath caught Aath. Cuz...he likes men. But that seems a little frivolous now, I think, as a reason to not be nice to some one, or be their friend." She looks over P'draig almost meaningfully. "I love my brother, don't I, even...though." She chews her lower lip. "But it seems dumb to apologize, even though I mean it. He probably wouldn't even remember." She turns her back on the bartop, resting elbows against it. "You know you just ruined my joke, right? I was going to next ask if you liked your girls feisty, but I think that's shot to shit now."
"He likes both," P'draig answers with a little tilt to his grin and his shoulders lift. "Could just come talk to him sometime and just be relaxed around him. He's a pretty fun guy, Mic is." Paddy laughs at the quip anyway. "I guess you could say I do." He winks at her and turns as the drinks arrive, passes her berry fruity and keeps the brown stuff in the short glass, a tip left behind. "Don't worry about paying, I cook for Kip on the side."
Phara nods her head. "I know he does." She chews her lip. "Could. But... feels awkward to just turn up. Know what I mean?" Hoping he does. She sticks her tongue out after his wink though and accepts her drink with a grateful smile. "I'm beginning to think you cook for everyone. How many jobs do you have, anyway?"
"Mm, meant the three of us," P'draig notes with a grin. "You know, ease back into it. He doesn't really hold a grudge but he doesn't like to make people uncomfortable either." He takes a sip from his glass and shrugs. "I like to cook. Down here I mostly stick to Kip's menu, but I throw in special dishes now and then and he lets me use the kitchen when it's not too busy to do my own stuff so I don't have to beg up at the Weyr. As for jobs ... Weyrlingmaster, sometimes cook, always dad, weyrmate ..." he tilts his head back outside. "Want to wander or stick here?"
Phara nods. "Three of us would work," she agrees, just a little leery still. Her lips press together thoughtfully, looking up at him. Fingers trail over her glass, picking up a bead of condensation. "Don't suppose cinnamon rolls will ever be on the menu." She pushes away from the bar though. "Outside. The water's pretty to look at when the moons come out."
"Here? Hmm. Could ask Kip. On your personal menu? Definitely. Speaking of which - when is your birthday, Phara?" P'draig pushes away from the bar too to head back outside and pad back towards his abandoned chair.
Phara gives P'draig a sly look. "Could see it clear to look the other way on a little spoiling if there were cinnamon rolls involved. Jaeyi told me they were a lot of work though..." The look on her face is a little sad at that. "My Turnday? Uh, 17th day of the second month." She makes a face. "I'll be ready to pop any day by then."
"Can be, depends on the recipe you're using," P'draig counters with a winning grin. "We'll just see what we can do." He reaches the chair and sets his drink down on the arm. "Want to sit against the back? I can perch on the end here," he offers, nods about her birthday. "Right around Palia's turnday too. So hers and yours and this new little one's turndays will all be right around the same time. Good excuse to have a big party every turn."
Phara shrugs her shoulders limply. "Sure. Or could lean against you, I really don't care." But she sits down without much more preamble, tucking her knees up against her chest and cupping the bottom of the glass with one hand. "Well. Due about the 5th of month 3. So maybe it's a little optomistic to hope the baby will come 2 weeks early, right? I don't know." She lets her head fall against the back of the chair, looking up at the sky. "You know...when Benny and I were weyrlings, we used to sneak out of the Barracks at night and stare up at the stars for hours. I think he still stays up all night to look at them. Especially if Chielyth's awake."
"Sure," P'draig agrees readily about the leaning, starts to move forward, grins as she sits and waits instead, then swings one leg over to straddle the end of the lounge chair. He takes a sip from his glass, sets it down again, watching her. "Yeah? She a special friend of his? And do you go out there with him sometimes?"
Phara smiles at him. "Didn't think you'd actually agree," she admits quietly. She leans forward to toussle a hand through his hair and then lets her hand fall to rest against her knee again. "I think Chielyth is /everyone's/ special friend, she's just that kind of green. But Bennath has this thing for a green who can keep up with him. There's maybe one or two greens I know I couldn't talk him out of going after. The only one that really comes to mind was one of his clutchmates, Amiyuth." She considers his last question, and then admits guiltily, "Not as often as I should. Not as late as I could. We're always up so early for drills. But I have a rest day, it wouldn't kill me to stay up with him some night and sleep in."
"I'm a cuddly fellow," P'draig claims with a humorous, winning expression on his face. "Ahh yeah, Jekzith likes girls who like to really go for it too, though in the end, he just likes girls." Laughing a little, he tilts his head as Phara goes on. "Why feel guilty? Why should? I mean if you enjoy doing it together for fun, that's great, but ... I'd think that wouldn't be something to push yourself on."
"I'm not sure where to draw lines with you," she admits cautiously. "Like, what's too much touching." Phara edges one foot out to nudge playfully at his knee. "I like doing it with him, us time. I feel like I don't schedule him in much us time."
P'draig picks up that foot and draws it into his lap. "How about, try whatever you feel comfortable with and if I'm not, I'll tell you, okay? I guess part of it is that ... when you're in a weyrmating like mine and Mic's, some of this kind of closeness, can be closeness just for its own sake. It can still be friendly and fond, but it doesn't have to carry any extra weight," P'draig explains as he sets to massaging the sole of her foot. "And yeah. Us time with your dragon it's nice."
Phara takes a sip of her drink, watching him over the rim. "Some people just don't like to be touched, is all. Some people...assume a person touches them because they want something. But...yes. Closeness for the sake of being close. Sleeping in someone's bed with them for the company. Not everyone...understands." She lets her eyes drift close, her entire leg relaxing against his lap with a content sigh. "It's easy to take it for granted, having that much love, when you know you'll never lose it."
"I'm not one of those people," P'draig says candidly. "I'm touchy feely, I'm affectionate. I usually have the problem with people making more of it than I'm actually intending. Though I think I said I have a bad habit of crushing too." His fingers move strongly over the sole of her foot still and he looks up at her, taking in the expression on her face. "Is it? I guess it's not something ... well I've never felt that way. The urge to spend time with Jekzith is just natural and happens no matter what.'
Phara nods her head slightly, accepting that. "I won't worry too much then, so long as you tell me when I get carried away." Her expression is, for the most part, blank. Just the subtle hint of an upturn in her mouth. "I always spend time with Bennath, of course, but I don't...give much thought to what I would have to do to keep him loving me. He'd never /not/ love me. It's not like with poeple. Even family you can grow apart from."
"There you go. Just roll with it," P'draig says with a little nod and finishes that first foot up with a slide of hands up and down her calf, then reaches for the other. "Yeah, that's true. Though I don't have much basis of experience for growing apart from family. Mine just keeps getting bigger and fonder all the time," the brownrider says with a chuckle, takes a short pause to reach for his glass, downs a mouthful.
Phara lets the first foot dangle off the side of the chair, toes digging into the sand. Her second leg stretches out and she shifts her hips to make this new position comfortable. "I don't either, personally. I don't see much of my mother's family though."
"No? Just not close with them?" P'draig asks, applying the same level of attention to this second foot. "Sometimes it can be hard to keep up with all of my family. It's a very ... spread out family tree."
"They never really approved of who she married. It made tension. I think that's why she wanted me to be a good daughter and marry properly. Probably why I grew up and realized I wanted skirts and a man to love and children. You...learn the value of things, especially after you've turned your back on them." Phara wiggles her toes a little, just for fun. "I can't remember the last time someone's done that... Well. That's not true. I remember. I just try not to."
P'draig listens, nodding now and then to show he's doing so, while his fingers continue to walk along places on her foot where soreness tends to gather. He pauses when she wiggles her toes though to waggle one playfully between two of his fingers. "Parents -- have all sorts of interesting expectations for their kids," Paddy says slowly and cocks his head to the side. "You really want the whole traditional, skirts and a weyrmate and a lot of kids kind of relationship?" His hand runs along the back of her foot and there's a quiet: "No?"
Phara has to think about it. Then: "No. Probably not. Unless it was like...with you and Mic. Because I like the idea of having someone to come home to. But I like... my options. And I like kids. I've wanted one for... a very long time. The timing was just never right." There's an unsteady breath. "I remember it for...the wrong reasons. It's not a bad memory, it's just one I don't want."
"Mm. Yeah, some stability but without a lot of expectations," P'draig says with a nod. "It can take some getting used to, to be honest. If you're more inclined towards being faithful. But it definitely has its up sides, a set up like ours. Of course, anything /other/ than this wouldn't work for Mic, but that's Mic," Paddy says with renewed humor. He smiles at her warmly and bends to drop a kiss to the top of her finished foot, then scoots forward on the chair, drawing her legs up over his thighs. "Well, here's hoping that's a good memory just made, one to keep," P'draig says sincerely and he leans in to kiss her gently. When he draws back he chuckles softly though. "I was going to ask you up, but Jekzith's telling me Mic's home. How about we have dinner next seven, the three of us, casual-like? Jek'll let Benny know about days. And I'll stop by Fort at least once too. "For now though, thanks for the company and enjoy the moon on the beach and the stars with Bennath. I'll see you soon Phara." The brownrider pushes back then, disengaging carefully and gets to his f eet to s ling his shirt back on, find shoes and ultimately head home.
When: It is a summer night, 20:03 of day 19, month 9, turn 20 of Interval 10.
Where: Beach, Ista Weyr
What: Phara swings by and there's drinks and some light chat and a foot rub.
The wet summer season oppresses the island with high humidity and sweltering temperatures. Tonight, clouds interrupt the dark, star-strewn sky and a nice, light breeze carries the scent of sea air.
It's still hot and sweltering at Ista though the evening brings a breeze that breaks up the heat. P'draig sits perched in a lounge chair down on the beach a little ways off from the Sandbar, barefoot and barechested, enjoying the very last light of sunset. The brownrider's got a tall, cool drink in hand and Jekzith plays out in the water.
Bennath's a dead giveaway as usual, swooping down towards the beach. His mind touches Jekzith's as soon as they emerged from Between over Ista, so his touchdown onto the sand isn't completely unexpected so much as impromptu. Phara is dressed sensibily for the weather here with her riding jacket on over her light clothing, and this gets unbuckled as soon as her feet hit the ground.
Jekzith's relay sees Paddy sitting up a little straighter and waving as the pair land. "Hey Phara!" he greets her brightly. "Drink? I can get you something without any liquor in it," the brownrider offers and pushes to his feet to come over, hand held out in welcome.
Grinning like a madwoman, Phara takes his hand, using it as leverage for the most part to leap enthusiastically into a hug. "Hi!" she greets breathlessly. And at the offer, relief. "Ah, you've read my mind."
That enthusiasm sees Paddy laughing and he wraps an arm around the bluerider, hugs in return. "Hey, good day?" he asks with a grin and offers her his arm. "Walk you over to the chair there and I'll pretend to be a cabana boy and get you your drink and a palm frond? Or do you want to walk to the bar with me?"
Phara mms and nods. "I saw something at drills today and it gave me this really good idea and I can't wait to run it by G'fry or T'rev or both or whoever!" Yes, very enthusiastic. "But! I'll walk. I think I can still do that much." Laugh.
"Hey, that's great," P'draig says and gives her another squeeze. "Come on then. And it's not so much about being able to, but you know, taking advantage and taking a load off," the brownrider says teasingly. "So what kind of idea?"
Phara chuckles. "One thing you'll come to learn rather rapidly about me, my dear, I have a hard time letting other people do things for me." She's more than happy to trot along with him though. "Besides, I didn't come out to make you pamper me. You just happen to be an extremely valid excuse to get the heck out of Dodge." And happy to natter about wing stuff, she turns her head enthusiastically to see his face. "Oh, there's this one formation we do and it occured to me if we just changed the angle on the leading edge maybe about twenty degrees.-- " Drawing up short with a huff, she waves a hand at him chidingly, "Oh no! /No business/."
"I'll keep that in mind, surprise you when you're not expecting it more often," P'draig teases. "Speaking of which, they've started moving into weyrs, the weyrlings here, so I've mostly got my evenings back." He laughs about being a good excuse, then playfully makes like he'd pick her up. "Watch it or I'll carry you around like a sack of potatoes, just to make a point," he teases. "Is it really business?" he asks. "Besides, it made your face light up." He winks over at her.
Phara pouts. "What does surprising me have to do with being self-sufficient?" Then she nods. "Oh, I was going to mention. I met one of your weyrlings the other night. He tried to talk me into taking my clothing off, I think." Pause. "And then at some point I think he managed to get me to invite him to my weyr when the dragons are old enough. It was sort of amusing, actually, once I made it clear any trips to my weyr were to see all my nifty things, and not my....nifty thing." Giggling to herself at that and especially when he pretends he's going to grab her she swats at his arm good naturedly. "What kind of point will you prove? Besides your undoubtedly strong muscles? Sure it's business, and probably not even business I could help you understand without some pictures and stuff."
P'draig just grins. "I told you, I like taking care of people. It makes me happy," the brownrider answers merrily still then laughs. "Ch'son?" brows up. "He's been chafing under certain rules which are ... lifting." P'draig's arm winds around Phara's waist comfortably instead. "That sometimes it's fun to get carried around," he points out. "And hey, come on, I'm a Weyrlingmaster, give me some credit for being able to follow a formation idea. But -- what kind of drink do you want?" Because they're almost to the bar.
"If it makes you happy, I think I can let you spoil me a little. I think I might like it, I just don't want to get used to it." The unspoken going there that she doesn't expect or think it will last. "Oh, I don't doubt you could follow a formation idea, just don't know what kind of flying happens down here. I think Flint's a little crazier'n most though." She tucks her head into his shoulder and smiles dreamily. "You can carry me around if you like, but I'll squeal, and people around bound to look. Uh, something juicy, huh? I like juice."
"Depends on the wing," P'draig says with a grin and gives her a little squeeze. "You're ... sort of part of the family now you know? So I think it might be safe if you get used to it," he tells her in a mild enough tone of voice. "Would that bother you?" Paddy asks curiously, tilting a look down at her. "Okay, we can get you a virgin something or other ... tropical type juice or berry?" He steps up into the bar where lights are being lit and it's getting busier as more residents and riders turn up after dinner and duties.
Phara can't help it, the look she lifts up to him is outright disbelieving. "Would it? No, but people are bound to think you're getting set to ravish me right there on the bar." This ranks safe on her list of things to talk about and brings her smile back. "Uhhhh, berry. Yep, berry."
"They've seen a lot worse, and they're used to me half-ravishing Mic, so it wouldn't be anything new," P'draig says, laid back and leads on up to the bar itself. "Berry it is. Hey Kip!" he waves towards the barkeep and orders something with a very ... fluffy name and the instruction not to put any alcohol in it. "And a Feisty Girl for me." Even though he hadn't finished the drink he left back at the chair.
Phara tips her head, just a little. Off-handedly. "Owe T'mic an apology, one of these days, I think." She lets him order for her, glancing thoughtfully at the rest of the Sandbar and then laughs shortly. "A Feisty Girl, huh?"
"Howcome?" P'draig asks about Mic, leaning against the bar while they wait for the drinks. "Yeahhh - one of the bartenders, Tam, she made the drink up for me and she's a feisty girl so ..." he winks over at her. "It's rum with cinnamon liqueur in it," the brownrider explains.
Phara mms. "Because I wasn't very nice to him, I don't think, after Bennath caught Aath. Cuz...he likes men. But that seems a little frivolous now, I think, as a reason to not be nice to some one, or be their friend." She looks over P'draig almost meaningfully. "I love my brother, don't I, even...though." She chews her lower lip. "But it seems dumb to apologize, even though I mean it. He probably wouldn't even remember." She turns her back on the bartop, resting elbows against it. "You know you just ruined my joke, right? I was going to next ask if you liked your girls feisty, but I think that's shot to shit now."
"He likes both," P'draig answers with a little tilt to his grin and his shoulders lift. "Could just come talk to him sometime and just be relaxed around him. He's a pretty fun guy, Mic is." Paddy laughs at the quip anyway. "I guess you could say I do." He winks at her and turns as the drinks arrive, passes her berry fruity and keeps the brown stuff in the short glass, a tip left behind. "Don't worry about paying, I cook for Kip on the side."
Phara nods her head. "I know he does." She chews her lip. "Could. But... feels awkward to just turn up. Know what I mean?" Hoping he does. She sticks her tongue out after his wink though and accepts her drink with a grateful smile. "I'm beginning to think you cook for everyone. How many jobs do you have, anyway?"
"Mm, meant the three of us," P'draig notes with a grin. "You know, ease back into it. He doesn't really hold a grudge but he doesn't like to make people uncomfortable either." He takes a sip from his glass and shrugs. "I like to cook. Down here I mostly stick to Kip's menu, but I throw in special dishes now and then and he lets me use the kitchen when it's not too busy to do my own stuff so I don't have to beg up at the Weyr. As for jobs ... Weyrlingmaster, sometimes cook, always dad, weyrmate ..." he tilts his head back outside. "Want to wander or stick here?"
Phara nods. "Three of us would work," she agrees, just a little leery still. Her lips press together thoughtfully, looking up at him. Fingers trail over her glass, picking up a bead of condensation. "Don't suppose cinnamon rolls will ever be on the menu." She pushes away from the bar though. "Outside. The water's pretty to look at when the moons come out."
"Here? Hmm. Could ask Kip. On your personal menu? Definitely. Speaking of which - when is your birthday, Phara?" P'draig pushes away from the bar too to head back outside and pad back towards his abandoned chair.
Phara gives P'draig a sly look. "Could see it clear to look the other way on a little spoiling if there were cinnamon rolls involved. Jaeyi told me they were a lot of work though..." The look on her face is a little sad at that. "My Turnday? Uh, 17th day of the second month." She makes a face. "I'll be ready to pop any day by then."
"Can be, depends on the recipe you're using," P'draig counters with a winning grin. "We'll just see what we can do." He reaches the chair and sets his drink down on the arm. "Want to sit against the back? I can perch on the end here," he offers, nods about her birthday. "Right around Palia's turnday too. So hers and yours and this new little one's turndays will all be right around the same time. Good excuse to have a big party every turn."
Phara shrugs her shoulders limply. "Sure. Or could lean against you, I really don't care." But she sits down without much more preamble, tucking her knees up against her chest and cupping the bottom of the glass with one hand. "Well. Due about the 5th of month 3. So maybe it's a little optomistic to hope the baby will come 2 weeks early, right? I don't know." She lets her head fall against the back of the chair, looking up at the sky. "You know...when Benny and I were weyrlings, we used to sneak out of the Barracks at night and stare up at the stars for hours. I think he still stays up all night to look at them. Especially if Chielyth's awake."
"Sure," P'draig agrees readily about the leaning, starts to move forward, grins as she sits and waits instead, then swings one leg over to straddle the end of the lounge chair. He takes a sip from his glass, sets it down again, watching her. "Yeah? She a special friend of his? And do you go out there with him sometimes?"
Phara smiles at him. "Didn't think you'd actually agree," she admits quietly. She leans forward to toussle a hand through his hair and then lets her hand fall to rest against her knee again. "I think Chielyth is /everyone's/ special friend, she's just that kind of green. But Bennath has this thing for a green who can keep up with him. There's maybe one or two greens I know I couldn't talk him out of going after. The only one that really comes to mind was one of his clutchmates, Amiyuth." She considers his last question, and then admits guiltily, "Not as often as I should. Not as late as I could. We're always up so early for drills. But I have a rest day, it wouldn't kill me to stay up with him some night and sleep in."
"I'm a cuddly fellow," P'draig claims with a humorous, winning expression on his face. "Ahh yeah, Jekzith likes girls who like to really go for it too, though in the end, he just likes girls." Laughing a little, he tilts his head as Phara goes on. "Why feel guilty? Why should? I mean if you enjoy doing it together for fun, that's great, but ... I'd think that wouldn't be something to push yourself on."
"I'm not sure where to draw lines with you," she admits cautiously. "Like, what's too much touching." Phara edges one foot out to nudge playfully at his knee. "I like doing it with him, us time. I feel like I don't schedule him in much us time."
P'draig picks up that foot and draws it into his lap. "How about, try whatever you feel comfortable with and if I'm not, I'll tell you, okay? I guess part of it is that ... when you're in a weyrmating like mine and Mic's, some of this kind of closeness, can be closeness just for its own sake. It can still be friendly and fond, but it doesn't have to carry any extra weight," P'draig explains as he sets to massaging the sole of her foot. "And yeah. Us time with your dragon it's nice."
Phara takes a sip of her drink, watching him over the rim. "Some people just don't like to be touched, is all. Some people...assume a person touches them because they want something. But...yes. Closeness for the sake of being close. Sleeping in someone's bed with them for the company. Not everyone...understands." She lets her eyes drift close, her entire leg relaxing against his lap with a content sigh. "It's easy to take it for granted, having that much love, when you know you'll never lose it."
"I'm not one of those people," P'draig says candidly. "I'm touchy feely, I'm affectionate. I usually have the problem with people making more of it than I'm actually intending. Though I think I said I have a bad habit of crushing too." His fingers move strongly over the sole of her foot still and he looks up at her, taking in the expression on her face. "Is it? I guess it's not something ... well I've never felt that way. The urge to spend time with Jekzith is just natural and happens no matter what.'
Phara nods her head slightly, accepting that. "I won't worry too much then, so long as you tell me when I get carried away." Her expression is, for the most part, blank. Just the subtle hint of an upturn in her mouth. "I always spend time with Bennath, of course, but I don't...give much thought to what I would have to do to keep him loving me. He'd never /not/ love me. It's not like with poeple. Even family you can grow apart from."
"There you go. Just roll with it," P'draig says with a little nod and finishes that first foot up with a slide of hands up and down her calf, then reaches for the other. "Yeah, that's true. Though I don't have much basis of experience for growing apart from family. Mine just keeps getting bigger and fonder all the time," the brownrider says with a chuckle, takes a short pause to reach for his glass, downs a mouthful.
Phara lets the first foot dangle off the side of the chair, toes digging into the sand. Her second leg stretches out and she shifts her hips to make this new position comfortable. "I don't either, personally. I don't see much of my mother's family though."
"No? Just not close with them?" P'draig asks, applying the same level of attention to this second foot. "Sometimes it can be hard to keep up with all of my family. It's a very ... spread out family tree."
"They never really approved of who she married. It made tension. I think that's why she wanted me to be a good daughter and marry properly. Probably why I grew up and realized I wanted skirts and a man to love and children. You...learn the value of things, especially after you've turned your back on them." Phara wiggles her toes a little, just for fun. "I can't remember the last time someone's done that... Well. That's not true. I remember. I just try not to."
P'draig listens, nodding now and then to show he's doing so, while his fingers continue to walk along places on her foot where soreness tends to gather. He pauses when she wiggles her toes though to waggle one playfully between two of his fingers. "Parents -- have all sorts of interesting expectations for their kids," Paddy says slowly and cocks his head to the side. "You really want the whole traditional, skirts and a weyrmate and a lot of kids kind of relationship?" His hand runs along the back of her foot and there's a quiet: "No?"
Phara has to think about it. Then: "No. Probably not. Unless it was like...with you and Mic. Because I like the idea of having someone to come home to. But I like... my options. And I like kids. I've wanted one for... a very long time. The timing was just never right." There's an unsteady breath. "I remember it for...the wrong reasons. It's not a bad memory, it's just one I don't want."
"Mm. Yeah, some stability but without a lot of expectations," P'draig says with a nod. "It can take some getting used to, to be honest. If you're more inclined towards being faithful. But it definitely has its up sides, a set up like ours. Of course, anything /other/ than this wouldn't work for Mic, but that's Mic," Paddy says with renewed humor. He smiles at her warmly and bends to drop a kiss to the top of her finished foot, then scoots forward on the chair, drawing her legs up over his thighs. "Well, here's hoping that's a good memory just made, one to keep," P'draig says sincerely and he leans in to kiss her gently. When he draws back he chuckles softly though. "I was going to ask you up, but Jekzith's telling me Mic's home. How about we have dinner next seven, the three of us, casual-like? Jek'll let Benny know about days. And I'll stop by Fort at least once too. "For now though, thanks for the company and enjoy the moon on the beach and the stars with Bennath. I'll see you soon Phara." The brownrider pushes back then, disengaging carefully and gets to his f eet to s ling his shirt back on, find shoes and ultimately head home.