[PRP] Daily Distractions (Nashwa/Matotoka)

[Meepfur]

Some days it was hard to believe just how much time had passed since Ilaorunth had hatched, at least until she took a look at her ever-growing gold. Other days, it seemed like weyrlinghood was lasting forever, though that was rarer now in the month since they'd moved into their own weyr - or hut, rather, since Ilaorunth preferred the beach. It was good to have their own space, and, given that Ilaorunth was Ilaorunth, good that they were less one restriction in particular.

Nashwa had never been disinterested in boys, and was no stranger to indulging herself now and then, but Ilaorunth's obsession had certainly notched up Nashwa's own, previously quite casual, interest in the subject. While her bonded was surely a long, long, long way off from actually having her claws in a boy, that didn't dampen her enthusiasm in the least, leaving Nashwa to deal with a certain amount of bleedover of such interests. Six months of Hers trying to push her to look at and think about boys hadn't helped, either, taking her from 'boys are fine and occasionally enjoyable' to distractingly...well, not obsessed, but far more interested than she had been previously.

She found it rather irritating, in some respects - she had things to do, thank you, and far more important things to focus on! And she did keep her focus where it belonged, with certain stray thoughts reined in and pushed out of the way as necessary, but all the same, she got to feeling a bit antsy and unsettled from time to time. Not that she lacked for an outlet when she needed one, as the reputation of Weyrs in certain matters weren't entirely undeserved, but she still found it frustrating that such thoughts were so frequently on her mind these days.

Restdays were worse, with no lessons, drills, or chores to focus her attention on. Ilaorunth was far from helpful, since she outright encouraged it with no shame at all, and would have been all too happy to 'help' her by suggesting what she considered the most handsome available (or unavailable) specimens. On this particular day, Nashwa was over it by lunchtime, and had finally...affectionately but strongly encouraged her bonded to go and find a sibling to cuddle with so that she could have a bit of quiet to herself. She picked up a spot of lunch - oh look, fried fish! - and took it back to her weyr, settling on the steps to her hut to enjoy both her food and the view.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

The occasional chore of fishing, now much less desperate in tone, was still not one that many jumped at the chance for after how disastrous their previous goes of it had been. But Matotoka found it a mostly ignorable task - keep an eye on the rod, sure, but it wasn't as though looking away from it for a few minutes would make for the entire task being set ablaze. One of the more trained fishercrafters amongst their ranks had even been so kind as to teach him the art of 'mooching' - which is why he'd been appraising his (rather meager) catches thus far with only half a mind as to what a certain bundle of trouble was about to get into.

Prrrrrrrrrr?

Heist's little brown head was fortunately not an entirely unfamiliar sight to be poking over Nashwa's knee to sniff (with great interest) at her plate. The flit had a way of knowing who had acquiesced to his previous attempts at begging and while the human were perhaps less enthusiastic about the fish, his taste for them hadn't gotten old yet. The only thing that had gotten old was that His wouldn't allow him to steal fishing bait to eat.

A small look up at Nashwa with hungry eyes and a honk - the image flashed to Matotoka who only now, in the middle of all of his stock-taking, realized the bundle of mischief had wandered off after the first good smell he could find.

Which was about when he started his own venture down the beach to figure out where exactly his trouble child had gone off to.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"Hello there," Nashwa greeted the flit in a level voice, never having been one to coo and baby-talk at the creatures. She was fond of them, yes, but wasn't wont to baby them much at all, even if she didn't mind doling out a snack here and there. She liked to think that had something to do with how well-behaved her own brown was, though she did know that they each had their own personalities regardless. Food-obsessed did seem to be a common enough trait, as Heist was hardly the only begging flit she'd ever met the eyes of.

"Looking for lunch, hmm?" The weyrling nibbled at the piece of fish in her hand, biting off one end and then the other, before offering her guest the reasonably flit-sized tidbit that remained. "No one ever feeds you, I can tell, which must be why you've abandoned that awful person of yours."

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Oh yes, Heist was absolutely skin and bones (despite his actual excess of weight) and he made a point to put on a show of it when Nashwa seemed amicable to his unfortunate plight. He had kids to feed, after all - though they were being fed by their owners now and he'd all but forgotten them.

Still, he looked covetously at the offered piece of fish before gently reaching out to take it with his teeth - there was no desperate chomping to be had when the woman had been all but indulgent with him previously, after all.

"Oh, am I just starving him to absolute death?" Matotoka asked, clearly joking as he spotted the familiar sight - though it wasn't one that had repeated more than the one time. "I dare say he is looking like naught but skin and bones now."

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

The little brown was at least polite when taking food, which played no small part in her willingness to share; if he'd been one to n** the ends of her fingers in return for her generosity, she'd have been much less inclined to offer any nibbles ftom her lunch.

"Oh, there you are!" Nashwa said as Matotoka arrived, pointedly offering the flit another small morsel. "We were just talking about you, and how you've not given him any cookies in months. It's borderline neglectful."

Not that cookies had been in abundant supply for anyone of late.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Heist was just as gentle, yet eager, to take the next morsel that was offered. It was an absolute feast for Lord Holders as far as the little brown, who had no concept of such things in all actuality, was concerned.

Matotoka laughed at the supposed exchange that had taken place. "Is that so? What other nasty things has Heist had to say about his food situation? I'm sure he has regaled you with how I don't feed him for sevendays on end and when I do it is only what meager scraps I can get away with."

As if understanding this concept, the little brown let out a cheep of confirmation. Yes! He was absolutely starving always.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

"Mm," she confirmed, "He's even considering leaving you, you know. Not nearly enough cookies, he can't even remember the last time he had wherry, and have you even looked at his hide lately? Practically covered in cracks. It's a wonder he hasn't scratched it right off."

Heist was very obviously in no such state of neglect, being both well-fed and well-oiled, even if he had been capable of conveying such detailed complaints. Finishing off her last piece of fish - no juicy morsel this time, Heist, sorry! - she looked up from her small visitor to her human one. Matotoka was looking well himself, evidently no worse the wear from all the fishing exploits they'd been set to not so long ago. Nashwa was glad she'd managed to convince Ilaorunth to go and visit a clutchmate, or the gold would surely have been detailing all of the young man's fine traits to her; not that she hadn't previously, after Tianxiath had stumbled upon him at the Hatching Feast and thought him quite fetching, a sentiment Ilaorunth had shared.

Yes, she had heard all about Matotoka...and Rahimar, and Amahno, and practically every other male she'd ever made the acquaintance of at the Weyr. Most continued to be brought up quite cheerfully as options by a dragon who had apparently been keeping a mental list all this time. Which was not to say she disagreed with her bonded's assessments, but the young Queen could be a bit much. People could just be friends or acquaintances, thank you, with neither romance nor benefits involved.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Heist may have been as impolite as to give a peep of protest when he wasn't given another scrap of Nashwa's fish - but not before he was scooped up by Matotoka who held him belly up for effect; "Look at all this skin and bone. You can practically see his ribs!" Which, given the browns begging tendencies, was absolutely not the case. It was clear this part of the game was much less exciting, however, and also not as understood because the firelizard gave a wiggle of protest at being held in such a way before scrambling up the young man's shoulder.

"I should hope his begging wasn't too intrusive? He's not as interested in fishing if he's not allowed any of it." And for a little effect, Matotoka made a point to look off towards where he'd set up in doing said chore. Not one he could stay from for long, less the pole go missing, but it wasn't as though all the fish in the ocean would swarm his line because he was chatting with her, right?

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Nashwa might have felt a tiny twinge of guilt when Heist peeped about not getting one last morsel as she finished off her fish, but in spite of all the talk to the contrary, he was hardly starving. Not that she was either, technically, but she did still need her lunch a bit more than the flit did. She popped a sliver of fried tuber into her mouth even as Matotoka subjected his firelizard to being scooped up for emphasis of his pitiful state.

"Not at all," she assured the Candidate. "He's downright polite, compared to a lot of flits." Perhaps a touch forward or dramatic, but it wasn't as though he'd lived up to his name and stolen her food. "Honestly, I can't say I blame him for not being into fishing. I think most of us are over it by this point, after everything." Near-drownings, severed fingers...though she'd not had a bad go of it herself, she was glad it now accounted for much less of their time.

When he looked off to the side, she followed his gaze. "Not going to get you in trouble for shirking your chores, am I?"

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Looking down at the oversized brown, Matotoka raised his brows- "You hear that, you little beast? You're polite!" he laughed after he said it. He'd seen a few of the more testy firelizards that were more inclined to simply take, than ask, and on many days Heist was very much that brown. But Nashwa had revealed that if he asked, he would receive - and that required much less running away once he had his prize.

Glancing back over his shoulder to where he'd left his chore at the ready, he shrugged. "I mean, most of fishing seems to be waiting so...not really?" sure, he'd probably miss a good catch or lost the pole if he didn't pay attention, but that was something he could deal with later surely. "I mean, if anybody is getting me in trouble, it's this one," and he held up Heist for effect.

Heist just hwenked and attempted to scramble from his arms.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Altan, who'd been napping inside on a pillow he'd trodden and kneaded into the perfect shape, finally reached a point where he just couldn't resist that there were goings-on outside, and heaved hinself from his comfy spot in favor of the windowsill. He stuck his head out the open window with a peep of curiosity, surveying the scene before flitting down next to Nashwa. The smaller brown offered their visitors a polite cheep, and soon found himself presented with a piece of tuber for making an appearance.

Why yes, he didn't mind if he did, thank you!

"Just watch, someone else will bring in a deepfish while you're away," Nashwa teased. She wouldn't chide him, though - Candidate or no, Matotoka was an adult, and what he was choosing to do instead of keeping a constant eye on his pole was his own business. Even if what he was doing was chatting with her. If she were Ilaorunth, she'd have been absolutely thrilled, but as she was not, she was more amused than anything. "What punishments befall such wayward flits, I wonder? Mandatory training? No treats for a month?"

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Heist saw that tuber and immediately was a writhing mess of peeping distress. He needed to be set down! There was food happening over there!! Peep! PEEP!

"Hey, it'll make me bringing in nothing look better - not that I plan to bring in nothing," Matotoka added in innocent defense. "Besides, if there's a deepfish to be caught I'm sure Killakeeth's brood will descend upon it like they did at their feast." That clutch in particular seemed enamored with fish in general from what he'd recalled.

"I dunno. Probably no treats - seems the most suitable. But he may just go begging elsewhere then."

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Altan had the grace not to look smug even when the other brown started pitching a fit; he just munched his piece of tuber, then sat primly next to his and began to clean his claws. Nashwa, meanwhile, obviously couldn't help but notice that Heist was upset - it would be impossible not to - and smiled knowingly as she raised another piece towards her lips. "Still hungry, are we?"

Maybe she shouldn't tease so, but...it was entirely too tempting to resist.

"Everyone will be so excited about the deepfish that they won't notice you coming back empty-handed? Not a bad plan." Assuming there was, in fact, a deepfish caught. "Mm, maybe. Casgar would probably have their hides for it, though." Though they were in a better state than they had been, a deepfish was still a lot of food..for people, anyway. Less so for the dragons.

"Maybe put a little sign on him, so that everyone knows his shame. Not that it would deter all of them."

demon_pachabel