[PRP] To Cold Nights and New Beginnings (Ishkhara/G'vos)

[Meepfur]

It was hardly the most practical of dresses for a winter evening, but then, practicality wasn't really the point of dresses, was it? And if she was cold, well, then a certain someone might feel compelled to warm her up, which was all the better. She wasn't entirely without sense, however, and did have a fetching wrap she could pull about herself if necessary, but she shouldn't need it once inside. It would be a merry time in the dining hall for the Turn's End festivities, only days after a Hatching Feast, and soon enough there would be another, once Banshidheth's clutch deigned to break shell. Ishkhara had, admittedly, spent little time at the Feast for Anakumath's clutch before retiring and leaving Keyrarath to coo over the babies; though injury and even death were a matter of course at Hatchings, and she had grown up with that reality, she was a sensitive sort (squeamish even), and it always hurt her heart when something terrible happened on the Sands, and she preferred to keep to herself after. And while she couldn't claim friendship with Juhvek, he had been in her same age group, and as such a common enough sight over the Turns, away for many though he'd been. Even that degree of acquaintance was enough to make it more unsettling to her still, so she'd simply made an appearance so as not to slight the clutch or its parents, then gone back to her weyr to sleep - it had, after all, been a full day, and the hour had been getting late, so excuses were easy.

Not that any would take offense to absence of one young greenrider not in the mood to dance, anyway. But today was a different day - a few removed, in fact - and such things had been tucked away where they belonged. A new Turn was soon to begin, and she was eager to celebrate it; after all, last Turnover she'd still been several months away from graduating, so this time she was particularly looking forward to a full celebration...and with a date, besides!

Ishkhara had always been generous with her affections, and enjoyed parties best when on the arm of a beau or belle, though given her flighty tendencies, it was often something of a flavor-of-the-season, as she'd yet to allow anyone a fair chance at her heart. At the moment, it was one of her wingmates, aloof and serious but oh-so-handsome G'vos. They had enjoyed quite a night together courtesy of Anakumath's Flight, and he really was all of the things she liked best, so she'd been all too happy to linger the next day...and on other especially cold nights since. And as it was always a delight to take the serious ones and coax them out of their shells, she'd of course asked him to accompany her. She did so want to test his dancing.

Uta

 

[Uta]

G'vos was not usually the partying sort--but with three celebrations practically back-to-back-to-back, even he couldn't find excuses to avoid them all. Not that the brown rider needed one. He simply wasn't the sort of man to get dolled up for no reason, and wasn't keen on crowds of half-drunken revelers. He had gone to both Hatchings, and enjoyed the for what they were--but outside of a hearty meal or favored drink, he had little reason to stay. Hizulath enjoyed making much of the new weyrlings far more than G'vos did.

They were the future, certainly.... But sometimes, seeing the new beaming faces, reminded him too much of what he'd left behind and what he'd lost. He needed no one but Hizulath, certainly--but seeing others with their loved ones and families; seeing them united and together; or seeing the relief of others who no longer had to return to where they came dredged up feelings he struggled to keep buried. Hatchings were always a joy, but their parties often left G'vos feeling raw.

Thankfully, Turn's End had little to do with hatchings (although there were plenty underfoot). Instead, it was time to reflect on the past, and look ahead to the future. This time, he even had a date of sorts--the young Ishkhara. They were wingmates, but had only better gotten to know one another most recently. She'd invited him out, and he had no reason to say no--she was quite pretty, and they had found a rather pleasant way to pass some of the cold winter's nights. They were friends, of a sort, and neither had any expectations of making it something more than it was.

She'd eventually flitter off to find another arm, and he'd go back to focusing on fighting Thread and keeping Hizulath comfortable. A pleasant arrangement all around, really. No muss, no fuss.

So, G'vos had cleaned up, taken out his Gather Best, and made himself up simply so Ishkhara had someone to show off. Any convincing he had to do get himself to go was immediately silenced as soon as he saw her--with her pale hair framing her pretty face, and her lovely purple dress and wrap... Well. He was all but rendered speechless. "I dare say I'll be the envy of every person in this room," he mused as they entered the great Hall together. The Weyr might have been chalk full of attractive men and women, but surely, Ishkhara outshone them all.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

While he might not be one of the party crowd, nor one for some of the edgier or flashier fashions that were always on view at Feasts, G'vos cleaned up very, very well - not that he wasn't delicious in leathers, which suited him oh so well, but he did look marvelous in his finer clothes. As she appreciated the different look on him, she couldn't help but notice that he was taking her in as well, and most assuredly liked what he saw.

Grinning, she made a bit more of a show of appraising the brownrider, reaching up to trace fingers over his cheek. "You don't look so bad, yourself," she decided, slipping her arm into his so that they might enter the party together. "I'd best keep a good hold of you, lest someone else is tempted to snatch you away."

Not that she'd begrudge anyone giving in to such temptation, nor was she actually so possessive - they were, after all, simply friends enjoying each other's company for awhile, so she was only teasing. But she did very much want her date and her dance, an evening of light and fun. While not the rowdiest of revellers, she did love a party, and she had no doubts that spending the evening with G'vos would be a good time.

Uta

 

[Uta]

Meepfur

The feel of Ishkhara's touch was a surprise--and was followed by a very pleasant sensation. If he was younger and less composed, he might have been put to blush, but instead he decided on a bold move--with a tilt of his head, he offered her wrist a kiss instead. There were worse ways to be greeted, after all... and it was a good reminder of the night they had shared during Anakumath's flight.

As Ishkhara slipped her arm in his, and commented about being snatched away, he gave a small snort--and the edges of his lips almost curled into a smile. "If that keeps you on my arm all night, I won't object to you believing it." Nevermind that it was nothing but a crock; he was on no one's list, and that was just as well with G'vos. He wasn't known to be the world's most romantic man, and didn't tend to entangle himself with others long. But Ishkhara had been, and presently was, fun. There were no expectation, and that made her all the more appealing.

"So what'll it be? Something to drink? Something to eat? Or shall we kick things off with a dance?" Dessert could always come later.  

[Meepfur]

Romantic or not, there was no denying that G'vos was a fine specimen of a man, and this was very much the sort of occasion on which that sort might find themselves sought out before the party ended. Turn's End was a party for a party's sake, even if in this particular instance it was right on the heels of Hatching celebrations, and there always felt less of a need to behave when the festivities weren't focused on the new pairs who very much needed to behave. And since she didn't need to behave, she would prefer to keep her date for the night, at least - after all, she knew very well just how enjoyable his company could be, and she was rather looking forward to it.

A pleased and playful smile lit her face when he kissed the inside of her wrist, and once her arm was in his, she traced her other hand down his arm before letting it rest. "Well then, I suppose that means you don't have to worry about me wandering off just yet. It would be awfully rude, anyway, to drag you out just to leave you all by your lonesome in the cold."

"Mm...a bit of something to eat, I think, or I'm liable to forget altogether," she answered with a little huff of laughter, knowing full well that once they got started on drinks and dancing, food would very quickly become one of the least of her priorities. "With a drink to wash it down, and make dancing that much more fun." While not one to drink to excess, the greenrider enjoyed the warmth a drink or two brought, the pleasantly fuzzy edges and the easy laughter if the steps of the dance didn't go quite right. It was all just a part of the fun.

Uta