And that makes almost everyone glad
Who: T'rev, Rhodya, Winston, and Phara
When: Evening on day 19, month 11, turn 18 of Interval 10.
Where: Living Cavern, Fort Weyr
What: A handful of people run into each other at dinnertime, and the group chats and jokes. A couple of jokes go over Rhodya's head.
Dinnertime. It's a busy time. Lots of people eating. And some already relaxing. T'rev would be among those relaxing, leaning back in his chair and eyeing the game in progress a couple of chairs down: two riders and two lower caverns-workers playing poker. Flint's wingleader though, is not playing just now, but watching with great interest.
"You never quit, do ya?" Dessert plate in hand - and stacked high with just about every sweet thing she could find - Rhodya's managed to sneak up on T'rev and the poker game he's observing. She nods to one of the caverns workers, whom she already knows, then shoots Flint's wingleader a grin. "You'll be dreaming inside straights if you're not careful."
T'rev lifts both hands, notably free of cards and smiles up at Rhodya. "You see any cards in my hands? I'm takin' a break. Just watchin' tonight." Brown eyes shift to Rhodya's plate and his grin widens. "And you'll be dreamin' of bakers. Did you make any of all that, or are those other folks' handiworks?"
In from the lower caverns saunters Winston. His swagger earns him a look or two right away, but he's more intent on food right now than the company of any of the ladies who appear to be admiring him. Or mocking him, he doesn't right care. When he reaches the food he fills his plate with no real concern about what goes on there. A bit of this, some of that, more of this, none of that. Finished with a mug of ale he winks at one of the kitchen workers and nearly makes her drop the empty dish she's carrying back to the kitchen.
Phara comes into the caverns in a swirl of color, a purple buttondown belted around her waist with a wide white sash. The top two buttons are undone to allow another shirt, this one lacey and light pink. It's finished with a pair of black leggings tucked into fur-lined boots. Over it is her riding jacket, snug against the cold. She prances to the dinner spread and begins eagerly picking things to eat until her plate is threatening to overflow. Then she looks for company.
"That's what I mean," Rhodya insists, though her words are a little muffled. She couldn't help it - while he was talking, she started munching on a cookie. "Even when you're not playin' poker, you're watchin' poker. That'll get ya a little crazy," she suggests, pointing the cookie at her temple, "up here." She holds the rest of the plate out for T'rev, in case he'd like a cookie of his own to gesture with. "These ain't mine, but they're good anyway if you want to try."
"I do plenty of other things," T'rev notes with an amused grin. "Could go flyin' again sometime soon if you like, for instance. Could be though that I am a little bonkers around the edges." The offer of baked goods is duly accepted, the bronzerider nodding. "Didn't hop up for dessert yet. What kind're these?"
He misses Phara being on his way away from the food when she arrives to it. But Winston does spot someone else he knows and he saunters over to where Rhodya and T'rev are. "Well, if it isn't the most beautiful woman I've had the pleasure of speaking to in some time," he says before dropping his plate on the table and having a seat. T'rev gets a grin as well. "Hello, there. Nice to see you again."
Phara is nosey, and by now she's spotted T'rev and can eagerly spring into the conversation. "He's definitely already a little crazy. Nobody'll notice a little extra." Grinning, she brings her plate with her and gives Rhodya a nod. "Hey there." She glances at Winson as he converges on the table as well, her head tipping slightly.
Beset on all sides by people, Rhodya does her best to keep up, shooting a smile all around. "It is, and I am," she tells Winston with a laugh, planting her plate down on the table T'rev's claimed. There, now it's accessible to everyone. "And hello to you," is directed at Phara. "I know he's kinda crazy, but I figured I'd do what's in my power to take it out of him. Distracting with cookies, for example - I've got klah fluff over here, peanut butter, sugar cookies, and if you dig underneath 'em I picked off some muffins straight from the kitchen. Anybody's welcome to 'em," she adds, gesturing to take in the distracted poker players as well as the other new arrivals.
T'rev gestures magnanimously to some of the empty chairs at the table, just a few down from where that foursome plays poker. "Hey Phara," he greets his wingrider with a slight lift of his chin and smirks as Winston delivers his line to Rhodya. "And that makes almost everyone glad t'see everyone else, yeah?" He leans back in his chair a little, looking very much at his ease as he chooses a sugar cookie and munches a big bite out of it.
Plate before him Winston begins to eat his dinner rapidly. Swigs of ale get taken between bites and he doesn't say much right now. Maybe because he's eating or maybe because there was quite possibly a slight frown when Phara nods to him. If there was it's gone quickly enough to just have been a bad bite.
Phara slides gleefully into a chair, hooking the leg of the next one out with her foot so that it swings around towards Winston. "I'm Phara, by the way!" She tells Rhodya, extending her hand across the table to the other woman. "Not sure we've met before." Or she doesn't remember if they have. "Why aren't you playing?" She asks T'rev curiously, gazing down the table at the poker game.
Rhodya takes the handshake with a grin. "Not that I remember, but good meeting you anyhow. I'm Rhodya." She takes her seat next to Winston, but she inches a little ways away from him. At the rate he's going through that dinner, there could be casualties, and she doesn't want to be any part of that.
"Phara's in my wing and a good friend," T'rev tells Rhodya. "And Rhodya here has both mean leatherworking and newfound baking skills." He eyes the various looks sent Winston's way. "And I am guessin' we all know everyone's friend Winston now." Grin. As for Phara's question: "Like Rhodya says, too much poker'll drive a man bonkers."
More likely the awesome is so much she can't handle being so close. Winston's used to this and he gives her a wink for it. He's eating quickly, but not without manners! "Pleasure to see everyone tonight," he says with a charming grin shared with everyone. "Friend to all that's me. No day is complete without a little of my attention."
Phara chuckles under her breath. "Real friendly, our Winston," she agrees, picking up a piece of bread and tearing it apart with her fingers once she's released Rhodya's hand. "Leatherworking, eh?" she asks with interest. "What kind of leatherwork do you do?" As for T'rev. "That must be what's wrong with me. Too many cards to the brain."
Rhodya chuckles, modestly redirecting her gaze to the cookies while her leatherworking and baking skills are praised. "Shoes, mostly. I'll do the other stuff if I've got to, but that's where my heart is. Speakin' of. Winston," she gives him a light nudge with her elbow, "I'm still waiting for you to drop by about those boots. That's a whole lotta my days that's been goin' by incomplete." Her eyes sparkle with mirth as she bites into her next cookie.
"Very nice shoes," T'rev notes further around bites of cookie. "Though I ain't never heard of a woman keepin' her heart in her shoes." Deadpan humor. "And I'll keep that in mind, Winston. Man can't have enough friends, really," he notes thoughtfully and stuffs more cookie in his mouth giving himself chipmunk cheeks as he chews.
"Now, darling," Winston tells Phara with a wink, "Ain't no our here. Think you made that clear. But if you're looking to apologize I would be happy to discuss it later alone." He's not even trying to not be over the top. He's just acting like a thirteen turn old at his first gather. Turning his head to Rhodya he taps the table by her, but doesn't touch her. "Now I am hurt to have hurt you. I promise to stop by tomorrow when duty allows it. I'll make it up to you, I will." He winks slowly and under the table stretches his legs out. "Happy to be friendly with everyone I meet," he informs T'rev. "And if you think her shoes are lovely you should see her feet."
Phara lifts an eyebrow at Winston. "Well if that's how you're going to be, then there's clearly nothing to apologize for." And that's all she has for the dark cavern worker. "If you can wear your heart on your sleeve, why not in your shoes?" she challenges T'rev playfully and then announces, "I like shoes. Do you happen to work in bright colors?"
Rhodya goes awkward for a few moments there. Feel the tension! But that's what cookies are good for, giving her something to focus on while Phara and Winston have their (to her) baffling exchange. She's relieved to be able to jump back into the conversation with something cheerful, that is, shoes. "Well, my feet ain't nothin' special unless you're Winston, who I don't think has ever seen something he didn't think was special." She chuckles. "Now, as for bright colors, well. Faranth knows I love 'em, but tell you the truth I don't dye my own leather, so if you're in the market for something bright then I'll admit, it might be cheaper for you to seek another leatherworker. For the extra buck, I make 'em feel good and last forever, bein' full of heart and all."
"Nice feet too," T'rev agrees with Winston readily, maybe, just maybe continuing to tease Rhodya. "Especially in sandals." Continued humor on the bronzerider's part. "There's wearin' and then there's keepin'," he points out to Phara, eyes twinkling merrily. In a good mood tonight, T'rev. seems. "Or get the leather and bring it," he says to both ladies.
"Oh, please, ladies, keep talking about leather. Makes a man want to swoon it does." Winston says between bites of his dinner that is rapidly disappearing. Phara just gets a wink and a grin for her reply. Unflappable no mater how she acts. "Now, Rhodya. I bet any man who's got to put his hands on your...feet would agree with me." And yes, he has to include that pause there and then wink when he's done. "You have to let me get my hands on you again."
Phara grins in spite of herself and winks back at Winston, spearing a greenbean on her fork and nibbling on it. "If I found the leather, then? Well, something to ponder. Without clothes to spend my marks on, I have to find something else." Because who really wants to save? "Well, I have to admit, keeping one's heart in their shoe sounds a little squishy."
"Nuh-uh," Rhodya answers Winston, shaking a finger at him. "None of that." T'rev gives a piece of that finger-shake at the tail end, too, since he was teasing her feet. "All you nasty folks makin' fun of my metaphor. I'm startin' to think that not one of you deserves to have the nicest shoes you ever set foot in, with or without your actual hearts bein' tucked in the sole." A pun? It would seem so, or at least an attempt at one, since she giggles a bit to herself as she says it. Trying to cover up that slip of laughter, Rhodya stuffs a cookie into her traitorous mouth.
"Sir, you got some very busy hands," T'rev doles the teasing out Winstonwards this time, then bursts out laughing outright at Rhodya's pun. The remnants of his cookie have to be set down in fact, he's laughing that hard. Eventually he catches his breath and beams sunnily at the leatherworker. "Point to the lady." And he winks across the way at Phara. "Good boots. Can't do without 'em."
Winston's mug is raised in a salute to T'rev. "A man's hands that are not busy will just get up to mischief. That's what my mother always said and so I have taken her words to heart. My hands are always as busy as I can make them." Right now they're busy setting his mug down after a drink and picking up his fork once more. "I promise to behave if you take good care of my feet," he tells Rhodya as he winks at her.
Phara shrugs and grins. "Poker players?" she offers Rhodya by way of excuse, unrepentent for her teasing. "Good boots will take a man(or a woman, in my case), far indeed!" She glances around and sighs. "Forgot klah. Nobody steal my food!" And she pops out of her seat to go get something to drink with her food.
Rhodya lets her grin loose as soon as T'rev starts laughing at the joke - see, it's not just her now. But the side effect of using her cookie as a gag is that she's now finished her cookie, so she sticks her hand into the mountain of sweets and is the first to emerge triumphant, muffin in hand. "We'll guard it for ya," she promises Phara, of her dinner. Then she shoots the men a warning look: "And don't you dare try stealin' something because I said that." Just to make certain-sure, she takes Phara's plate and hauls it to her side of the table, keeping it safe beneath her looming presence.
"Unless of course, what they're up to /is/ mischief," T'rev says breezily, a new smile playing about the corners of his lips. "As for food, don't worry Phara, I'm more after what Rhodya's got to offer." The last bite of his first cookie is popped into his mouth and playful fingers walk across the stable's surface towards the plate of goodies.
"Not gonna touch your food, sweetheart," Winston assures Phara. His grin grows as he turns to Rhodya and winks. "Now I'm all kinds of tempted to get that plate away from you." He reaches a hand over like he's going to try to snatch the plate moving slow to dare her to take action. "Sure you mean food?" he asks T'rev with a barking laugh.
Phara isn't too long, fetching her klah, just in time to catch T'rev's last comment and hear Winston's reply. "I'm with Winston!" she agrees cheerfully, snickering against the back of her hand. She flops down into her chair again and extends her hand for her plate. "Thanks, Rhodya." The cookies are eyed and one is stolen with her second hand. "Ah, it's marvelous to be my own woman and eat my dessert before and with my dinner."
Even though Phara's arrived to reclaim her plate, Rhodya gives Winston's hand a sharp smack anyway. Then she points a warning finger at him. "You keep makin' dirty jokes like that, it's gonna be your cheeks next time. I don't sit with that." She lets her stiff tone hold only a second, then judging her point made, she returns to her muffin. "Ain't dessert wonderful? I met a fellow here who said his dragon always get on his case for eating sweets. Poor man." She tsks sympathetically and shakes her head.
Success! T'rev scores another cookie, this one looks like peanut butter. He gets in a bite before Phara and Winston are ganging up on that maybe-innocent-maybe-not remarks of his. His poker face speaks of innocence. But it is a poker face. Rhodya's sharper words to the stores worker, tip up one corner of his mouth though and T'rev wisely doesn't disabuse anyone of the notion that he meant anything more than 'I want dessert, not dinner.' He nods vigorous agreement with Rhodya. "Dessert is the best."
"I do love a fierce woman," Winston tells Rhodya after she slaps his hand. He pulls the hand back to him and when Phara is reseated he holds it out to her. "Kiss it all better for me?" he asks with a pout and twinkle in his eyes. Then he looks at T'rev and laughs loudly again. "Dessert is definitely the best." And he makes no bones about what he means. Go on, Rhodya, slap him for it since he looks at her and then Phara.
Rhodya narrows her eyes at Winston. His meaning didn't escape her this time, but her course of action needs to be debated. She doesn't even take a bite out of her muffin while she's thinking, so serious is this train of thought. "Now, I'm serious, Winston. I don't like that, and it ain't all that funny to me gettin' my honest principles poked at." Turning away from him, she refocuses solely on the muffin. "Y'ain't gotta be clever all the time," she mutters before taking a vicious bite of the thing. Poor berries, what did they ever do wrong?
Cookie. Cookie good. T'rev eats more cookie. T'rev does not interrupt Rhodya's warnings to Winston. He swallows eventually though and grins around the group. "Well there's clever n' then there's clever. Better to be amusing than not, right?" The bronzerider holds up his half-eaten cookie though. "These are mighty good. Chewy. I like 'em. Who'd you say made 'em, Rhodya?"
"There you go," Winston tells Rhodya. "Be firm. Tell a man what you want. That's what separates the girls from the women." It's not exactly backing down now is it? But he shrugs his shoulders and finishes off his dinner. "Clever is what I do, darling. Can't help it. I blame my parents." But he grins as he says it so is still taking nothing seriously.
Phara rolls her eyes good naturedly, scooping up Winston's hand and smacking a very chaste kiss to the back of it. "There, you see, Winston? I'm not the only one put off by your 'charm'," she gloats smugly. "Good cookies!" She choruses, polishing hers off. She's content then to lean back and watch the exchange, making inroads on her plate and sipping her klah when she needs a break from eating.
"I don't mind clever so much, but clever at somebody else's expense ain't really clever no more. Mean is what it is." She shoots Winston a baleful sidelong look, but the issue starts to slide off her platter. Once again, point made, the sweetness can return. Literally in this instance, and she leans forward to take a peek at just what cookie T'rev's got there. "Now that'd be Farah. She's the one who's been teachin' me to bake, so heck yes, they're good cookies." She smiles, almost proud, as if Farah's skill were somehow a point in her own favor.
"Don't think he meant it mean-like," T'rev notes causally as he takes another bite out of his cookie. Chew. Swallow. And beam again. "Farah huh? And shells, Rhodya, if you learn how to make 'em like this, you oughta think about goin' out for a different craft." Phara's smooch-to-Winston earns a blithe chortle and the bronzerider leans back in his chair.
"Not a mean bone in my body. You want to give me a full examination to check just let me know." Winston, unstoppable. He finishes off his dinner, but doesn't reach for any cookies or muffins. "My wounds are all better," he then tells Phara before blowing her a kiss. "And now, lovely ladies, charming T'rev, I must bid you farewell. There is someone waiting for me and she hates me to be late." He stands and picks up his plate as he empties his mug and sets it on the plate to leave a free hand.
"If you make cookies like this, you can come live with me. Shards, you may have to become my personal cookie-slave." Phara says cheerfully. And speculatively, "Maybe I can get Farah to be my personal cookie-slave. Phara and Farah!" She laughs at sharing a name with the baker. "Night, Winston, say hi to your Mommy for me." Snigger. "Try not to get jumped by any angry boyfriends on your way to see her."
Rhodya shrugs. "I'd rather not make a thing of it, and long as we understand each other, I ain't even mad about it." Just to prove it, she summons up a smile to send Winston. "Well, off with ya, then. You be good." Not that she expects him to, but it works as a pleasant send-off, right? "Phara and Farah, you two'd be quite a team. Quite a pudgy team if you're not careful, Farah bakin' as good as she does. Folks like me can only dream, work real hard, and maybe get half so good a sense for baking as she's got naturally."
"There y'go," T'rev says with a little laugh for Winston's claim followed by a nod. "Never keep a lady waitin'," he agrees and gives the stores-worker a casual, non-regimental salute. "Clear skies wherever you're headed, Winston." His head drops briefly at Phara's quip and he shoots her a wide-mouthed grin. "You'll get there someday, I bet," the bronzerider tells Rhodya. "Even if it don't come natural."
"Be rude to say whose mommy I was on my way to see," Winston tells Phara with a wink and a smirk. "And a man don't kiss and tell so no trying to wheedle it out of my later. No matter what you do to me I'll never tell!" Rhodya gets a grin that comes right after the smirk so is not quite polite. "Always a pleasure to see you. I cannot wait to get my hands on your feet again. Evening, T'rev." Whistling a tune he heads off to deposit his plate and go meet someone.
Phara says with fervor, "I dream of being pudgy. I'd be the happiest fat girl in the world." Not that Phara is destined for fatness, not with her lifestyle. She pats her flat stomach, as if imagining it full of sweets and sighs lustily. "Ah, never ending cookies." Winston is just smirked after. "He's such a faker."
"Oh, that's all right," Rhodya answers T'rev, smiling at him. "Can't all be the best at all things, else there'd be no flavor in the world." Winston's parting comment, and Phara's take on it, earns a headshake and a wry, twisty smile from her. "He's too pretty for his own good, is what he is. Makes him weird."
T'rev finishes off his cookie and brushes crumbs off his fingers. "Phara, you're lovely just the way you are. Dunno why you're always wishin' for pudge," he says to the bluerider candidly and fondly. "Dunno that Winston's a faker, neither. Just very y'know, of the moment. He's sincere. In the moment he's speaking." Which it's possible T'rev might know something about. He grins, long and slow, chin propped on hand though and regards Rhodya thoughtfully. "Hm. Too pretty makes a man weird. Duly noted."
Phara curls a short lock of hair around her finger, grinning. "Couldn't have put it better myself. Too pretty and he knows it. Makes him cocky. Just because he means what he says doesn't make him disgustingly overconfident." She sets her chin in her free hand and chuckles. "Don't worry, T'rev, you're just pretty enough."
Rhodya answers T'rev's thoughtful regard with a bemused expression, and Phara's interpretation - that he's just pretty enough - brings a chuckle out of her. "Yeah, it ain't the bein' pretty per se, it's that it took somethin' already in him and blew it up big with ego. Well." She shrugs, eyes turning to her muffin as she picks out tender little pieces of bread between her fingers. "From what I've seen of him, he's generous and open-hearted in his way. I respect that, even if I don't agree with his way of showing it." She looks up, tilting her mouth and shrugging her shoulders. What more can you do?
"Is it really like that," T'rev asks Phara, nothing but curiosity in his tone as he drops his hand, plucks out one of those hidden muffins. Nimble fingers then pick at some of the berries, freeing one to pop into his mouth. Her remark about his own prettiness just draws a smirk and the muffin is abandoned so he can make much of tugging his collar upward and winking broadly at Phara in an overstated manner. "Never much saw the point in hammerin' the flirtation over the head, myself. I figure, a woman wants what she wants an lets it be known. So if there's equal wantin', someone makes the offer, and yes is yes and no is no and that's all there is to it. Don't have to be chasin' after it." His eyes lift to Phara though as he says this, some undercurrent that's not fully expressed in his gaze.
Phara nods her head a few times in easy agreement, just grinning at both of her tablemates. "See, T'rev don't have the same ego. Might be all kinds of different if he did. Doubt I'd be half as fond of him. Not that I don't like Winston, just prefer him in small doses. Can only take so much good nature and flirting all at the same time. Not nearly natural for one man to be so unflappable." And she grins narrowly at T'rev. "No, you never did have to chase. Most of the time, it's the girls chasing you." Her smile falls and she looks away from him to Rhodya, confusion at that look making a small v form between her eyebrows.
Rhodya's eyebrows, in response, simply go up. She's new, she can't help. She clears her throat lightly, though, to try and burst the latest awkward bubble. "T'rev's got plenty of ego, but his is all wrapped up in poker and his wing, so it ain't half so noticeable. Doesn't wear on you nearly at all." Was there a teasing emphasis on the word 'nearly'? Maaaybe. Rhodya just shoots the bronzerider a wink and retreats to finish her muffin.
"Not so much about not havin' to. Don't really cotton with it much," T'rev notes and then rolls his eyes a little at Rhodya's teasing. "I try to stick with facts, not so much braggin'." Another berry is picked free and popped into his mouth, followed rapidly by an actual bite of muffin. Whatever that look meant, it's gone now and the bronzerider seems utterly unbothered by any teasing, back to enjoying the banter.
Phara clears her throat and pushes back from the table a little. "I'm going leave you to it. Do... something." She sweeps a look around the room and rises to her feet. "Enjoy the rest of your evening. Nice meeting you, Rhodya. T'rev." She nods her head to her Wingleader and pushes her chair in, taking her plate and wagging her fingers as she heads off.
"Nice meetin' you, too!" Rhodya answers cheerfully, giving Phara a wave. Once the other woman's gone, she turns to T'rev with a bright smile. "She plays poker, too, huh? And in your wing and everything. Imagine me not meetin' her before this!" After a considering pause, she grins. "Or maybe I did, but was too busy botherin' F'sen to remember properly." F'sen is that bluerider she sat down next to on her very first time playing poker with the wing, and has become something of a favorite for her.
That pushback earns a slightly-longer-than-average look from T'rev, but all he says is: "See you later Phara." More muffin disappears in the interval and the bronzerider answers Rhodya's question with a nod first. "Yep. We used to watch them play at Telgar when we were Candidates. We go back a long way, Phara n' me. She got Searched same time I did, but didn't Impress in the same clutch." He laughs a little at mention of F'sen. "Yeah well, he's an interestin' fella."
"He's a /nice/ fella, and I almost feel bad for beatin' on him so. Ya know, I can never tell if he's laughin' with me or if he's just secretly gettin' angrier and angrier, but somehow I just can't keep myself from beatin' on him some more." Rhodya shoots T'rev a guilty look. "Wouldn't it just be twisted if he was angry, and here's me lecturing Winston about his mouth?"
"Don't think he's angry, Rhodya," T'rev says sincerely. "He ain't the type. Though y'know, sometimes lettin' a body win can net you more than actually winnin' yourself." The rest of the muffin vanishes and the bronzerider considers the plate of treats. "To eat, or not to eat, that is the question." A look is tilted Rhodya's way again. "Worried you're flirtin' with hypocrisy?"
"Yeah," Rhodya admits with a discontented sigh. "A little. Always am, when I scold somebody. It's not somethin' I /like/ doing." She plucks a cookie off the top of the pile, moving quickly before T'rev can hone in on the one she wants for his next treat. "But I don't know a much better way to get the point across. Never been subtle."
"If he won't listen ..." T'rev trails off, one side of his mouth pulling up in a sympathetic grin and he's aiming for one of those klah fluff cookies, apparently intent on 'one of everything' tonight. "Not sure that subtle'd help you out there," he says with a little shrug. "Mostly believe in the plain speakin' myself."
"S'pose I do too," Rhodya admits, biting into her cookie. Turns out it was safe all along, since it's a peanut butter cookie and T'rev's already had one. "Mostly as the least of two evils. Tell you the truth, I don't like confrontation much at all, but if you're gonna have one I guess you'd better have it out in the open. Least you both know what you're fighting about."
"Yeah," T'rev agrees, tilting that cookie towards the light, looking at the layers inside it then focusing beyond it and on Rhodya's face. "Rather have things peacable m'self. But when there has to be a clearin' of the air, yeah. Like that. Open and honest and all the cards on the table."
"Guess we're all set if we ever get in a fight, then," Rhodya replies. She shoots T'rev a grin and brandishes her cookie at him in her most threatening manner. "And I'll make sure we fight it out right here in the center of the living cavern, so you better make sure you stay on my good side unless you want the whole Weyr to hear what a jerk you are. Hypothetically," she adds reassuringly, allowing her cookie to relax and stop threatening him.
"Faranth willing though, that won't need to happen," T'rev says with a sudden laugh. "I'll do my level best to stay well on that good side of yours," the bronzerider vows and brandishes his own half a cookie back at her playfully. Threats dismissed, it's the cookie that's being threatened with imminent destruction. T'rev breaks the half in half and pops each quarter in his mouth. "Good stuff," he says with a happy sigh once the pieces are gone.
"You're tearing through those sweeties fast enough, I can tell you like 'em. I'll make sure to mention it to those that made 'em so they'll keep on makin' more in that direction." Rhodya prances her own, Farah-made cookie in front of her before popping it in for a bite, as well.
"Please do, talent like that shouldn't go without proper appreciation," T'rev replies and settles back in his chair again, looking over towards the poker game which seems to be coming to an end. "Want to come to Nerat with me sometime? Learn how to bake gingerbread from my grandfather? Farah might even have a thing or two t'learn from the old man."
Rhodya spreads her hands, palms out, and her grin spreads with 'em. "I don't think she'd argue with that. Farah's the type of person who's always lookin' to improve her know-how. Now, as for me," she taps her chest, "I'd sell an arm /and/ a leg to get to Nerat. Don't let my tough take on the weather fool ya, I'm freezin' my buns off here and I'd love to get back in the warmth." She pauses, though, and leans forward to wag a playful finger at him. "Don't think that means I forgot about my tour of Fort. You're gettin' yourself in for quite a lot of dragon rides, you know."
"S'good then, teacher who doesn't stop learnin'," T'rev nods approval and flashes Rhodya one of his trademark bright smiles. "Don't got to sell a thing, just say yes or no," he says with a laugh. "And I hear you on freezin'. So. Tomorrow. Nerat? And I don't mind. If y'ain't noticed, when I don't have duties, I like to get about. Not much for holdin' still too long. I've got my obligations to see to, too, but I've time to swing by. Besides, for me it's visitin' family which I try to do at least once a seven or every other, depending."
"It wasn't gonna be my arm and leg, anyway," Rhodya confesses, now that she's off the hook anyway. "But tomorrow, you got it. Yes." Just to make it official. She chuckles over that. "And it's a good thing, if you got restless feet, letting them take you to see family. Putting your kinks to good use."
"No? What /was/ it gonna be?" T'rev questions teasingly, grinning over at Rhodya with merriment in his eyes. "Tomorrow," he confirms. "Right after drills. It's a big time difference from here to Nerat, so just before lunchtim should work out." He laughs at her last outright. "I go other places too. Lots of 'em. We explore. But my family's important to me."
Rhodya lays a finger alongside her nose, all wily. "Not what - /whose/. I hadn't picked a victim, but you were gonna get /somebody's/ arm and a leg." She chuckles, letting her hand fall back down to the table. "Good thing you mentioned the time difference, 'cause I'd've forgotten it otherwise. Even coming here from Igen, which I should've been warned for, I kinda had this moment - 'Ohhh, yeah,'" she says, imitating (one may assume) her own wide-eyed wonder on arriving in Fort and looking up, only to find that the sun had moved.
Laughter again from T'rev and his head bobs. "Gotcha. Why pay yourself, when you can get someone else to do the donatin'?" he says with a wink for Rhodya. "And yeah, Igen's halfway between and Nerat's a few more hours ahead of that. Have to stay up late here to catch morning there. But we'll be aimin' for late afternoon, early evenin'."
"Right when the sun's going down and the breezes're warm, if it's anything like Igen," Rhodya says wistfully. Then she pauses, and quickly pops a grin. "Which it's not, bein' more jungle than desert, but I don't think you can go much wrong with the end of the day. Weather's calmer and so's everybody affected by it."
"Wetter'n Igen," T'rev notes. "Jungle and all, but yeah, pretty time of day that and not quite as humid over near the ocean. Waystation is right up in the hills n' trees though," he explains about where he's from. "Yeah. Kinda peaceful."
"If it weren't for all those cookies earlier, you could lull me to sleep with that kinda talk. I won't let ya, though." Rhodya winks, getting up from her chair. "I was planning to stop by the kitchens and get back to work on my baking. And I'll bring word of your approval to the cookie-makers," she adds, nudging the plate. "I leave it to you to finish these, or hand 'em out as you like. I'll see you tomorrow, T'rev, noon-time." With a happy little wave, she turns to go.
"I'll remember that," T'rev says with a warm smile and lifts a hand to wave as Rhodya rises. "Will do. Think I'll pass these around to the wing. I'm full." So saying the bronzerider gets up too, picks up the plate to go pass out treats. "We'll be in the Bowl, just outside," he calls after the leatherworker/baker and moves between tables to dispense cheer in the form of sweets. Laughter and thanks follow in T'rev's wake until there's only crumbs left and he slips away to tell Ella her bedtime story.
When: Evening on day 19, month 11, turn 18 of Interval 10.
Where: Living Cavern, Fort Weyr
What: A handful of people run into each other at dinnertime, and the group chats and jokes. A couple of jokes go over Rhodya's head.
Dinnertime. It's a busy time. Lots of people eating. And some already relaxing. T'rev would be among those relaxing, leaning back in his chair and eyeing the game in progress a couple of chairs down: two riders and two lower caverns-workers playing poker. Flint's wingleader though, is not playing just now, but watching with great interest.
"You never quit, do ya?" Dessert plate in hand - and stacked high with just about every sweet thing she could find - Rhodya's managed to sneak up on T'rev and the poker game he's observing. She nods to one of the caverns workers, whom she already knows, then shoots Flint's wingleader a grin. "You'll be dreaming inside straights if you're not careful."
T'rev lifts both hands, notably free of cards and smiles up at Rhodya. "You see any cards in my hands? I'm takin' a break. Just watchin' tonight." Brown eyes shift to Rhodya's plate and his grin widens. "And you'll be dreamin' of bakers. Did you make any of all that, or are those other folks' handiworks?"
In from the lower caverns saunters Winston. His swagger earns him a look or two right away, but he's more intent on food right now than the company of any of the ladies who appear to be admiring him. Or mocking him, he doesn't right care. When he reaches the food he fills his plate with no real concern about what goes on there. A bit of this, some of that, more of this, none of that. Finished with a mug of ale he winks at one of the kitchen workers and nearly makes her drop the empty dish she's carrying back to the kitchen.
Phara comes into the caverns in a swirl of color, a purple buttondown belted around her waist with a wide white sash. The top two buttons are undone to allow another shirt, this one lacey and light pink. It's finished with a pair of black leggings tucked into fur-lined boots. Over it is her riding jacket, snug against the cold. She prances to the dinner spread and begins eagerly picking things to eat until her plate is threatening to overflow. Then she looks for company.
"That's what I mean," Rhodya insists, though her words are a little muffled. She couldn't help it - while he was talking, she started munching on a cookie. "Even when you're not playin' poker, you're watchin' poker. That'll get ya a little crazy," she suggests, pointing the cookie at her temple, "up here." She holds the rest of the plate out for T'rev, in case he'd like a cookie of his own to gesture with. "These ain't mine, but they're good anyway if you want to try."
"I do plenty of other things," T'rev notes with an amused grin. "Could go flyin' again sometime soon if you like, for instance. Could be though that I am a little bonkers around the edges." The offer of baked goods is duly accepted, the bronzerider nodding. "Didn't hop up for dessert yet. What kind're these?"
He misses Phara being on his way away from the food when she arrives to it. But Winston does spot someone else he knows and he saunters over to where Rhodya and T'rev are. "Well, if it isn't the most beautiful woman I've had the pleasure of speaking to in some time," he says before dropping his plate on the table and having a seat. T'rev gets a grin as well. "Hello, there. Nice to see you again."
Phara is nosey, and by now she's spotted T'rev and can eagerly spring into the conversation. "He's definitely already a little crazy. Nobody'll notice a little extra." Grinning, she brings her plate with her and gives Rhodya a nod. "Hey there." She glances at Winson as he converges on the table as well, her head tipping slightly.
Beset on all sides by people, Rhodya does her best to keep up, shooting a smile all around. "It is, and I am," she tells Winston with a laugh, planting her plate down on the table T'rev's claimed. There, now it's accessible to everyone. "And hello to you," is directed at Phara. "I know he's kinda crazy, but I figured I'd do what's in my power to take it out of him. Distracting with cookies, for example - I've got klah fluff over here, peanut butter, sugar cookies, and if you dig underneath 'em I picked off some muffins straight from the kitchen. Anybody's welcome to 'em," she adds, gesturing to take in the distracted poker players as well as the other new arrivals.
T'rev gestures magnanimously to some of the empty chairs at the table, just a few down from where that foursome plays poker. "Hey Phara," he greets his wingrider with a slight lift of his chin and smirks as Winston delivers his line to Rhodya. "And that makes almost everyone glad t'see everyone else, yeah?" He leans back in his chair a little, looking very much at his ease as he chooses a sugar cookie and munches a big bite out of it.
Plate before him Winston begins to eat his dinner rapidly. Swigs of ale get taken between bites and he doesn't say much right now. Maybe because he's eating or maybe because there was quite possibly a slight frown when Phara nods to him. If there was it's gone quickly enough to just have been a bad bite.
Phara slides gleefully into a chair, hooking the leg of the next one out with her foot so that it swings around towards Winston. "I'm Phara, by the way!" She tells Rhodya, extending her hand across the table to the other woman. "Not sure we've met before." Or she doesn't remember if they have. "Why aren't you playing?" She asks T'rev curiously, gazing down the table at the poker game.
Rhodya takes the handshake with a grin. "Not that I remember, but good meeting you anyhow. I'm Rhodya." She takes her seat next to Winston, but she inches a little ways away from him. At the rate he's going through that dinner, there could be casualties, and she doesn't want to be any part of that.
"Phara's in my wing and a good friend," T'rev tells Rhodya. "And Rhodya here has both mean leatherworking and newfound baking skills." He eyes the various looks sent Winston's way. "And I am guessin' we all know everyone's friend Winston now." Grin. As for Phara's question: "Like Rhodya says, too much poker'll drive a man bonkers."
More likely the awesome is so much she can't handle being so close. Winston's used to this and he gives her a wink for it. He's eating quickly, but not without manners! "Pleasure to see everyone tonight," he says with a charming grin shared with everyone. "Friend to all that's me. No day is complete without a little of my attention."
Phara chuckles under her breath. "Real friendly, our Winston," she agrees, picking up a piece of bread and tearing it apart with her fingers once she's released Rhodya's hand. "Leatherworking, eh?" she asks with interest. "What kind of leatherwork do you do?" As for T'rev. "That must be what's wrong with me. Too many cards to the brain."
Rhodya chuckles, modestly redirecting her gaze to the cookies while her leatherworking and baking skills are praised. "Shoes, mostly. I'll do the other stuff if I've got to, but that's where my heart is. Speakin' of. Winston," she gives him a light nudge with her elbow, "I'm still waiting for you to drop by about those boots. That's a whole lotta my days that's been goin' by incomplete." Her eyes sparkle with mirth as she bites into her next cookie.
"Very nice shoes," T'rev notes further around bites of cookie. "Though I ain't never heard of a woman keepin' her heart in her shoes." Deadpan humor. "And I'll keep that in mind, Winston. Man can't have enough friends, really," he notes thoughtfully and stuffs more cookie in his mouth giving himself chipmunk cheeks as he chews.
"Now, darling," Winston tells Phara with a wink, "Ain't no our here. Think you made that clear. But if you're looking to apologize I would be happy to discuss it later alone." He's not even trying to not be over the top. He's just acting like a thirteen turn old at his first gather. Turning his head to Rhodya he taps the table by her, but doesn't touch her. "Now I am hurt to have hurt you. I promise to stop by tomorrow when duty allows it. I'll make it up to you, I will." He winks slowly and under the table stretches his legs out. "Happy to be friendly with everyone I meet," he informs T'rev. "And if you think her shoes are lovely you should see her feet."
Phara lifts an eyebrow at Winston. "Well if that's how you're going to be, then there's clearly nothing to apologize for." And that's all she has for the dark cavern worker. "If you can wear your heart on your sleeve, why not in your shoes?" she challenges T'rev playfully and then announces, "I like shoes. Do you happen to work in bright colors?"
Rhodya goes awkward for a few moments there. Feel the tension! But that's what cookies are good for, giving her something to focus on while Phara and Winston have their (to her) baffling exchange. She's relieved to be able to jump back into the conversation with something cheerful, that is, shoes. "Well, my feet ain't nothin' special unless you're Winston, who I don't think has ever seen something he didn't think was special." She chuckles. "Now, as for bright colors, well. Faranth knows I love 'em, but tell you the truth I don't dye my own leather, so if you're in the market for something bright then I'll admit, it might be cheaper for you to seek another leatherworker. For the extra buck, I make 'em feel good and last forever, bein' full of heart and all."
"Nice feet too," T'rev agrees with Winston readily, maybe, just maybe continuing to tease Rhodya. "Especially in sandals." Continued humor on the bronzerider's part. "There's wearin' and then there's keepin'," he points out to Phara, eyes twinkling merrily. In a good mood tonight, T'rev. seems. "Or get the leather and bring it," he says to both ladies.
"Oh, please, ladies, keep talking about leather. Makes a man want to swoon it does." Winston says between bites of his dinner that is rapidly disappearing. Phara just gets a wink and a grin for her reply. Unflappable no mater how she acts. "Now, Rhodya. I bet any man who's got to put his hands on your...feet would agree with me." And yes, he has to include that pause there and then wink when he's done. "You have to let me get my hands on you again."
Phara grins in spite of herself and winks back at Winston, spearing a greenbean on her fork and nibbling on it. "If I found the leather, then? Well, something to ponder. Without clothes to spend my marks on, I have to find something else." Because who really wants to save? "Well, I have to admit, keeping one's heart in their shoe sounds a little squishy."
"Nuh-uh," Rhodya answers Winston, shaking a finger at him. "None of that." T'rev gives a piece of that finger-shake at the tail end, too, since he was teasing her feet. "All you nasty folks makin' fun of my metaphor. I'm startin' to think that not one of you deserves to have the nicest shoes you ever set foot in, with or without your actual hearts bein' tucked in the sole." A pun? It would seem so, or at least an attempt at one, since she giggles a bit to herself as she says it. Trying to cover up that slip of laughter, Rhodya stuffs a cookie into her traitorous mouth.
"Sir, you got some very busy hands," T'rev doles the teasing out Winstonwards this time, then bursts out laughing outright at Rhodya's pun. The remnants of his cookie have to be set down in fact, he's laughing that hard. Eventually he catches his breath and beams sunnily at the leatherworker. "Point to the lady." And he winks across the way at Phara. "Good boots. Can't do without 'em."
Winston's mug is raised in a salute to T'rev. "A man's hands that are not busy will just get up to mischief. That's what my mother always said and so I have taken her words to heart. My hands are always as busy as I can make them." Right now they're busy setting his mug down after a drink and picking up his fork once more. "I promise to behave if you take good care of my feet," he tells Rhodya as he winks at her.
Phara shrugs and grins. "Poker players?" she offers Rhodya by way of excuse, unrepentent for her teasing. "Good boots will take a man(or a woman, in my case), far indeed!" She glances around and sighs. "Forgot klah. Nobody steal my food!" And she pops out of her seat to go get something to drink with her food.
Rhodya lets her grin loose as soon as T'rev starts laughing at the joke - see, it's not just her now. But the side effect of using her cookie as a gag is that she's now finished her cookie, so she sticks her hand into the mountain of sweets and is the first to emerge triumphant, muffin in hand. "We'll guard it for ya," she promises Phara, of her dinner. Then she shoots the men a warning look: "And don't you dare try stealin' something because I said that." Just to make certain-sure, she takes Phara's plate and hauls it to her side of the table, keeping it safe beneath her looming presence.
"Unless of course, what they're up to /is/ mischief," T'rev says breezily, a new smile playing about the corners of his lips. "As for food, don't worry Phara, I'm more after what Rhodya's got to offer." The last bite of his first cookie is popped into his mouth and playful fingers walk across the stable's surface towards the plate of goodies.
"Not gonna touch your food, sweetheart," Winston assures Phara. His grin grows as he turns to Rhodya and winks. "Now I'm all kinds of tempted to get that plate away from you." He reaches a hand over like he's going to try to snatch the plate moving slow to dare her to take action. "Sure you mean food?" he asks T'rev with a barking laugh.
Phara isn't too long, fetching her klah, just in time to catch T'rev's last comment and hear Winston's reply. "I'm with Winston!" she agrees cheerfully, snickering against the back of her hand. She flops down into her chair again and extends her hand for her plate. "Thanks, Rhodya." The cookies are eyed and one is stolen with her second hand. "Ah, it's marvelous to be my own woman and eat my dessert before and with my dinner."
Even though Phara's arrived to reclaim her plate, Rhodya gives Winston's hand a sharp smack anyway. Then she points a warning finger at him. "You keep makin' dirty jokes like that, it's gonna be your cheeks next time. I don't sit with that." She lets her stiff tone hold only a second, then judging her point made, she returns to her muffin. "Ain't dessert wonderful? I met a fellow here who said his dragon always get on his case for eating sweets. Poor man." She tsks sympathetically and shakes her head.
Success! T'rev scores another cookie, this one looks like peanut butter. He gets in a bite before Phara and Winston are ganging up on that maybe-innocent-maybe-not remarks of his. His poker face speaks of innocence. But it is a poker face. Rhodya's sharper words to the stores worker, tip up one corner of his mouth though and T'rev wisely doesn't disabuse anyone of the notion that he meant anything more than 'I want dessert, not dinner.' He nods vigorous agreement with Rhodya. "Dessert is the best."
"I do love a fierce woman," Winston tells Rhodya after she slaps his hand. He pulls the hand back to him and when Phara is reseated he holds it out to her. "Kiss it all better for me?" he asks with a pout and twinkle in his eyes. Then he looks at T'rev and laughs loudly again. "Dessert is definitely the best." And he makes no bones about what he means. Go on, Rhodya, slap him for it since he looks at her and then Phara.
Rhodya narrows her eyes at Winston. His meaning didn't escape her this time, but her course of action needs to be debated. She doesn't even take a bite out of her muffin while she's thinking, so serious is this train of thought. "Now, I'm serious, Winston. I don't like that, and it ain't all that funny to me gettin' my honest principles poked at." Turning away from him, she refocuses solely on the muffin. "Y'ain't gotta be clever all the time," she mutters before taking a vicious bite of the thing. Poor berries, what did they ever do wrong?
Cookie. Cookie good. T'rev eats more cookie. T'rev does not interrupt Rhodya's warnings to Winston. He swallows eventually though and grins around the group. "Well there's clever n' then there's clever. Better to be amusing than not, right?" The bronzerider holds up his half-eaten cookie though. "These are mighty good. Chewy. I like 'em. Who'd you say made 'em, Rhodya?"
"There you go," Winston tells Rhodya. "Be firm. Tell a man what you want. That's what separates the girls from the women." It's not exactly backing down now is it? But he shrugs his shoulders and finishes off his dinner. "Clever is what I do, darling. Can't help it. I blame my parents." But he grins as he says it so is still taking nothing seriously.
Phara rolls her eyes good naturedly, scooping up Winston's hand and smacking a very chaste kiss to the back of it. "There, you see, Winston? I'm not the only one put off by your 'charm'," she gloats smugly. "Good cookies!" She choruses, polishing hers off. She's content then to lean back and watch the exchange, making inroads on her plate and sipping her klah when she needs a break from eating.
"I don't mind clever so much, but clever at somebody else's expense ain't really clever no more. Mean is what it is." She shoots Winston a baleful sidelong look, but the issue starts to slide off her platter. Once again, point made, the sweetness can return. Literally in this instance, and she leans forward to take a peek at just what cookie T'rev's got there. "Now that'd be Farah. She's the one who's been teachin' me to bake, so heck yes, they're good cookies." She smiles, almost proud, as if Farah's skill were somehow a point in her own favor.
"Don't think he meant it mean-like," T'rev notes causally as he takes another bite out of his cookie. Chew. Swallow. And beam again. "Farah huh? And shells, Rhodya, if you learn how to make 'em like this, you oughta think about goin' out for a different craft." Phara's smooch-to-Winston earns a blithe chortle and the bronzerider leans back in his chair.
"Not a mean bone in my body. You want to give me a full examination to check just let me know." Winston, unstoppable. He finishes off his dinner, but doesn't reach for any cookies or muffins. "My wounds are all better," he then tells Phara before blowing her a kiss. "And now, lovely ladies, charming T'rev, I must bid you farewell. There is someone waiting for me and she hates me to be late." He stands and picks up his plate as he empties his mug and sets it on the plate to leave a free hand.
"If you make cookies like this, you can come live with me. Shards, you may have to become my personal cookie-slave." Phara says cheerfully. And speculatively, "Maybe I can get Farah to be my personal cookie-slave. Phara and Farah!" She laughs at sharing a name with the baker. "Night, Winston, say hi to your Mommy for me." Snigger. "Try not to get jumped by any angry boyfriends on your way to see her."
Rhodya shrugs. "I'd rather not make a thing of it, and long as we understand each other, I ain't even mad about it." Just to prove it, she summons up a smile to send Winston. "Well, off with ya, then. You be good." Not that she expects him to, but it works as a pleasant send-off, right? "Phara and Farah, you two'd be quite a team. Quite a pudgy team if you're not careful, Farah bakin' as good as she does. Folks like me can only dream, work real hard, and maybe get half so good a sense for baking as she's got naturally."
"There y'go," T'rev says with a little laugh for Winston's claim followed by a nod. "Never keep a lady waitin'," he agrees and gives the stores-worker a casual, non-regimental salute. "Clear skies wherever you're headed, Winston." His head drops briefly at Phara's quip and he shoots her a wide-mouthed grin. "You'll get there someday, I bet," the bronzerider tells Rhodya. "Even if it don't come natural."
"Be rude to say whose mommy I was on my way to see," Winston tells Phara with a wink and a smirk. "And a man don't kiss and tell so no trying to wheedle it out of my later. No matter what you do to me I'll never tell!" Rhodya gets a grin that comes right after the smirk so is not quite polite. "Always a pleasure to see you. I cannot wait to get my hands on your feet again. Evening, T'rev." Whistling a tune he heads off to deposit his plate and go meet someone.
Phara says with fervor, "I dream of being pudgy. I'd be the happiest fat girl in the world." Not that Phara is destined for fatness, not with her lifestyle. She pats her flat stomach, as if imagining it full of sweets and sighs lustily. "Ah, never ending cookies." Winston is just smirked after. "He's such a faker."
"Oh, that's all right," Rhodya answers T'rev, smiling at him. "Can't all be the best at all things, else there'd be no flavor in the world." Winston's parting comment, and Phara's take on it, earns a headshake and a wry, twisty smile from her. "He's too pretty for his own good, is what he is. Makes him weird."
T'rev finishes off his cookie and brushes crumbs off his fingers. "Phara, you're lovely just the way you are. Dunno why you're always wishin' for pudge," he says to the bluerider candidly and fondly. "Dunno that Winston's a faker, neither. Just very y'know, of the moment. He's sincere. In the moment he's speaking." Which it's possible T'rev might know something about. He grins, long and slow, chin propped on hand though and regards Rhodya thoughtfully. "Hm. Too pretty makes a man weird. Duly noted."
Phara curls a short lock of hair around her finger, grinning. "Couldn't have put it better myself. Too pretty and he knows it. Makes him cocky. Just because he means what he says doesn't make him disgustingly overconfident." She sets her chin in her free hand and chuckles. "Don't worry, T'rev, you're just pretty enough."
Rhodya answers T'rev's thoughtful regard with a bemused expression, and Phara's interpretation - that he's just pretty enough - brings a chuckle out of her. "Yeah, it ain't the bein' pretty per se, it's that it took somethin' already in him and blew it up big with ego. Well." She shrugs, eyes turning to her muffin as she picks out tender little pieces of bread between her fingers. "From what I've seen of him, he's generous and open-hearted in his way. I respect that, even if I don't agree with his way of showing it." She looks up, tilting her mouth and shrugging her shoulders. What more can you do?
"Is it really like that," T'rev asks Phara, nothing but curiosity in his tone as he drops his hand, plucks out one of those hidden muffins. Nimble fingers then pick at some of the berries, freeing one to pop into his mouth. Her remark about his own prettiness just draws a smirk and the muffin is abandoned so he can make much of tugging his collar upward and winking broadly at Phara in an overstated manner. "Never much saw the point in hammerin' the flirtation over the head, myself. I figure, a woman wants what she wants an lets it be known. So if there's equal wantin', someone makes the offer, and yes is yes and no is no and that's all there is to it. Don't have to be chasin' after it." His eyes lift to Phara though as he says this, some undercurrent that's not fully expressed in his gaze.
Phara nods her head a few times in easy agreement, just grinning at both of her tablemates. "See, T'rev don't have the same ego. Might be all kinds of different if he did. Doubt I'd be half as fond of him. Not that I don't like Winston, just prefer him in small doses. Can only take so much good nature and flirting all at the same time. Not nearly natural for one man to be so unflappable." And she grins narrowly at T'rev. "No, you never did have to chase. Most of the time, it's the girls chasing you." Her smile falls and she looks away from him to Rhodya, confusion at that look making a small v form between her eyebrows.
Rhodya's eyebrows, in response, simply go up. She's new, she can't help. She clears her throat lightly, though, to try and burst the latest awkward bubble. "T'rev's got plenty of ego, but his is all wrapped up in poker and his wing, so it ain't half so noticeable. Doesn't wear on you nearly at all." Was there a teasing emphasis on the word 'nearly'? Maaaybe. Rhodya just shoots the bronzerider a wink and retreats to finish her muffin.
"Not so much about not havin' to. Don't really cotton with it much," T'rev notes and then rolls his eyes a little at Rhodya's teasing. "I try to stick with facts, not so much braggin'." Another berry is picked free and popped into his mouth, followed rapidly by an actual bite of muffin. Whatever that look meant, it's gone now and the bronzerider seems utterly unbothered by any teasing, back to enjoying the banter.
Phara clears her throat and pushes back from the table a little. "I'm going leave you to it. Do... something." She sweeps a look around the room and rises to her feet. "Enjoy the rest of your evening. Nice meeting you, Rhodya. T'rev." She nods her head to her Wingleader and pushes her chair in, taking her plate and wagging her fingers as she heads off.
"Nice meetin' you, too!" Rhodya answers cheerfully, giving Phara a wave. Once the other woman's gone, she turns to T'rev with a bright smile. "She plays poker, too, huh? And in your wing and everything. Imagine me not meetin' her before this!" After a considering pause, she grins. "Or maybe I did, but was too busy botherin' F'sen to remember properly." F'sen is that bluerider she sat down next to on her very first time playing poker with the wing, and has become something of a favorite for her.
That pushback earns a slightly-longer-than-average look from T'rev, but all he says is: "See you later Phara." More muffin disappears in the interval and the bronzerider answers Rhodya's question with a nod first. "Yep. We used to watch them play at Telgar when we were Candidates. We go back a long way, Phara n' me. She got Searched same time I did, but didn't Impress in the same clutch." He laughs a little at mention of F'sen. "Yeah well, he's an interestin' fella."
"He's a /nice/ fella, and I almost feel bad for beatin' on him so. Ya know, I can never tell if he's laughin' with me or if he's just secretly gettin' angrier and angrier, but somehow I just can't keep myself from beatin' on him some more." Rhodya shoots T'rev a guilty look. "Wouldn't it just be twisted if he was angry, and here's me lecturing Winston about his mouth?"
"Don't think he's angry, Rhodya," T'rev says sincerely. "He ain't the type. Though y'know, sometimes lettin' a body win can net you more than actually winnin' yourself." The rest of the muffin vanishes and the bronzerider considers the plate of treats. "To eat, or not to eat, that is the question." A look is tilted Rhodya's way again. "Worried you're flirtin' with hypocrisy?"
"Yeah," Rhodya admits with a discontented sigh. "A little. Always am, when I scold somebody. It's not somethin' I /like/ doing." She plucks a cookie off the top of the pile, moving quickly before T'rev can hone in on the one she wants for his next treat. "But I don't know a much better way to get the point across. Never been subtle."
"If he won't listen ..." T'rev trails off, one side of his mouth pulling up in a sympathetic grin and he's aiming for one of those klah fluff cookies, apparently intent on 'one of everything' tonight. "Not sure that subtle'd help you out there," he says with a little shrug. "Mostly believe in the plain speakin' myself."
"S'pose I do too," Rhodya admits, biting into her cookie. Turns out it was safe all along, since it's a peanut butter cookie and T'rev's already had one. "Mostly as the least of two evils. Tell you the truth, I don't like confrontation much at all, but if you're gonna have one I guess you'd better have it out in the open. Least you both know what you're fighting about."
"Yeah," T'rev agrees, tilting that cookie towards the light, looking at the layers inside it then focusing beyond it and on Rhodya's face. "Rather have things peacable m'self. But when there has to be a clearin' of the air, yeah. Like that. Open and honest and all the cards on the table."
"Guess we're all set if we ever get in a fight, then," Rhodya replies. She shoots T'rev a grin and brandishes her cookie at him in her most threatening manner. "And I'll make sure we fight it out right here in the center of the living cavern, so you better make sure you stay on my good side unless you want the whole Weyr to hear what a jerk you are. Hypothetically," she adds reassuringly, allowing her cookie to relax and stop threatening him.
"Faranth willing though, that won't need to happen," T'rev says with a sudden laugh. "I'll do my level best to stay well on that good side of yours," the bronzerider vows and brandishes his own half a cookie back at her playfully. Threats dismissed, it's the cookie that's being threatened with imminent destruction. T'rev breaks the half in half and pops each quarter in his mouth. "Good stuff," he says with a happy sigh once the pieces are gone.
"You're tearing through those sweeties fast enough, I can tell you like 'em. I'll make sure to mention it to those that made 'em so they'll keep on makin' more in that direction." Rhodya prances her own, Farah-made cookie in front of her before popping it in for a bite, as well.
"Please do, talent like that shouldn't go without proper appreciation," T'rev replies and settles back in his chair again, looking over towards the poker game which seems to be coming to an end. "Want to come to Nerat with me sometime? Learn how to bake gingerbread from my grandfather? Farah might even have a thing or two t'learn from the old man."
Rhodya spreads her hands, palms out, and her grin spreads with 'em. "I don't think she'd argue with that. Farah's the type of person who's always lookin' to improve her know-how. Now, as for me," she taps her chest, "I'd sell an arm /and/ a leg to get to Nerat. Don't let my tough take on the weather fool ya, I'm freezin' my buns off here and I'd love to get back in the warmth." She pauses, though, and leans forward to wag a playful finger at him. "Don't think that means I forgot about my tour of Fort. You're gettin' yourself in for quite a lot of dragon rides, you know."
"S'good then, teacher who doesn't stop learnin'," T'rev nods approval and flashes Rhodya one of his trademark bright smiles. "Don't got to sell a thing, just say yes or no," he says with a laugh. "And I hear you on freezin'. So. Tomorrow. Nerat? And I don't mind. If y'ain't noticed, when I don't have duties, I like to get about. Not much for holdin' still too long. I've got my obligations to see to, too, but I've time to swing by. Besides, for me it's visitin' family which I try to do at least once a seven or every other, depending."
"It wasn't gonna be my arm and leg, anyway," Rhodya confesses, now that she's off the hook anyway. "But tomorrow, you got it. Yes." Just to make it official. She chuckles over that. "And it's a good thing, if you got restless feet, letting them take you to see family. Putting your kinks to good use."
"No? What /was/ it gonna be?" T'rev questions teasingly, grinning over at Rhodya with merriment in his eyes. "Tomorrow," he confirms. "Right after drills. It's a big time difference from here to Nerat, so just before lunchtim should work out." He laughs at her last outright. "I go other places too. Lots of 'em. We explore. But my family's important to me."
Rhodya lays a finger alongside her nose, all wily. "Not what - /whose/. I hadn't picked a victim, but you were gonna get /somebody's/ arm and a leg." She chuckles, letting her hand fall back down to the table. "Good thing you mentioned the time difference, 'cause I'd've forgotten it otherwise. Even coming here from Igen, which I should've been warned for, I kinda had this moment - 'Ohhh, yeah,'" she says, imitating (one may assume) her own wide-eyed wonder on arriving in Fort and looking up, only to find that the sun had moved.
Laughter again from T'rev and his head bobs. "Gotcha. Why pay yourself, when you can get someone else to do the donatin'?" he says with a wink for Rhodya. "And yeah, Igen's halfway between and Nerat's a few more hours ahead of that. Have to stay up late here to catch morning there. But we'll be aimin' for late afternoon, early evenin'."
"Right when the sun's going down and the breezes're warm, if it's anything like Igen," Rhodya says wistfully. Then she pauses, and quickly pops a grin. "Which it's not, bein' more jungle than desert, but I don't think you can go much wrong with the end of the day. Weather's calmer and so's everybody affected by it."
"Wetter'n Igen," T'rev notes. "Jungle and all, but yeah, pretty time of day that and not quite as humid over near the ocean. Waystation is right up in the hills n' trees though," he explains about where he's from. "Yeah. Kinda peaceful."
"If it weren't for all those cookies earlier, you could lull me to sleep with that kinda talk. I won't let ya, though." Rhodya winks, getting up from her chair. "I was planning to stop by the kitchens and get back to work on my baking. And I'll bring word of your approval to the cookie-makers," she adds, nudging the plate. "I leave it to you to finish these, or hand 'em out as you like. I'll see you tomorrow, T'rev, noon-time." With a happy little wave, she turns to go.
"I'll remember that," T'rev says with a warm smile and lifts a hand to wave as Rhodya rises. "Will do. Think I'll pass these around to the wing. I'm full." So saying the bronzerider gets up too, picks up the plate to go pass out treats. "We'll be in the Bowl, just outside," he calls after the leatherworker/baker and moves between tables to dispense cheer in the form of sweets. Laughter and thanks follow in T'rev's wake until there's only crumbs left and he slips away to tell Ella her bedtime story.