[PRP] Remembering To Breathe (Nadry/Ichta+Dragons)

[Meepfur]

Prior to becoming a weyrling, Nadry had never been especially quick when it came to getting ready - generally efficient, yes, but not quick. When it came to any days but rest days, she had had to cut away some of the fussier bits of what had been her routine: only simple and practical hairstyles, for one, and no wavering back and forth between outfits and accessories, putting something on only to make a face at it because something about it just wouldn't do, and digging for something that suited better. Not that she'd had all that many clothes to begin with, having been restricted to one trunk of belongings like everyone else, but it had still been enough for indecision on fussy days. Weyrlinghood had chased some of that out of her by necessity, as she simply didn't have the time to fuss about every little thing as she'd been taught to.

Give her an occasion, though, and that fussiness all came rushing right back. Give her a date and- shells, there was more fretting than ever before! At the very least, though, she didn't have the dilemma she'd had at the winter party, when she'd been so dismayed to discover that her slim selection of rarely-worn special occasion clothes had no longer fit right. She still counted her lucky stars that her dress hadn't ripped that night! Thank Faranth for Ichta - her beautiful, wonderful, most perfect, talented friend, who'd been able and willing to help her with the old things where possible, and perhaps a new one or two. She would be lost without her, in so many ways. The bluerider was among her best and dearest friends, and as the rest were all boys, well...Ichta occupied a very special, vital place. As a friend, as a sister, as a shoulder to cry on, as someone she could talk to about anything and everything - most certainly including the results of the Flight - and would always listen to and support in turn. With a Feast to get ready for, with- with boys to get ready for, was it any wonder they were going to do it together?

Out on his ledge, Menankith hummed to Aurinkoth. Mine is ready to...get ready, if Yours is, he remarked with some amusement. What a process it was! Not that he was necessarily one to talk, as he had been freshly scrubbed and oiled. He had needed it, on an emotional level as well as the physical. The brown had had a rough several days of extreme highs and lows, new and many emotions, and it was just now beginning to even out for him. To sit with his brightest, happiest blue brother on his ledge while Theirs did their 'girl things' would be a welcome return to normalcy, and he looked forward to it.

demon_pachabel

hope this works?? <3

 

[demon_pachabel]

There had never been much to get ready for in Ichta's life - at least, on the getting dressed end of things. The Hall had plenty of rushes this way or that way for fabric or thread or a garment for some lord or lady. It had made telling when something fantastic was happening easy - because it would all start in one big hurry and die off all at once. It had particularly been that way with weddings and she could recall many an evening sat out with several others counting out beads or checking to make sure shimmering threads had the same amount of sparkle to them.

She'd always been tagged in for picky projects to pull at the basics and there had been a lot of pride in that.

But dressing herself up was a different fiasco. She hadn't necessarily outgrown her last dress, but it had been old and Aurinkoth had been quite keen on the idea that she deserved something new and nice. She'd just not found the time for it in months and it had lived in various states of uncompletion. A large portion of the day had been devoted to finishing up edges here and there - though it sounded as if other's were a bit more eager to get ready.

You can work on it in Menankith's weyr! You're almost done, aren't you? Aurinkoth looked at Ichta's handiwork which to any untrained eye would have looked done enough. She smiled wryly. "It's....still a bit off, but I guess company wouldn't be bad," she relented as she rolled up the dress as well as her sewing supplies into a satchel and threw it over her shoulder. At least she'd had the common sense to bathe before delving into her project. "Let them know we're coming, then."

The blue trilled with delight as Ichta climbed up onto his back - though it was such a short glide away they chose to neglect the riding straps this once. Mine is not quite ready, but she is coming anyways! he announced to Menankith, along with a huge surge of his personal brand of sunshine. Once his rider was comfortable, he dropped from the ledge, circling the lines of other ledges easily before he landed on his brother's. He barely waited for Ichta to dismount before he greeted him with a gentle bump of his head.

Ichta, on the other hand, moved to greet her dear friend with a hug. It would be nice to have a little girl time.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Menankith bugled with delight at his brother's arrival - regardless of the fact that he saw him every day, that familiarity and proximity never diminished how greatly he enjoyed the blue's company. He returned the headbump with waves of deep affection, with which he was perhaps a bit more effusive than he had been in the past; not because it hadn't been there, but because he'd rather taken for granted that his dearest siblings knew how he felt about them. He was beginning to see that he might need to be...more overt. Aurinkoth's, too, received a fond croon, before he shifted into a position that invited cuddles. Are you excited to see all the babies together?

Menankith had seen their junior weyrlings about here and there, but had never approached them, although he was very intrigued by them. It would be interesting to also see the ones that had gone to Western, and all the other guests from Western besides. From what little he knew of the place, they had a far better system than High Reaches, and he would very much like to speak to dragons from there.

Nadry had been standing to the side of her bed, arms crossed and staring at the assortment of clothes spread across it with a frown. Two dresses and several skirt-and-top combinations were laid out for consideration, and there was also a neat pile to the side where the rejected options languished. Already feeling like she'd been looking at them all for far too long, she was quite happy for Ichta's arrival, and returned her hug with a gentle squeeze. Once they'd parted, her eyes went immediately to the satchel, and she flashed an excited grin. "How's it been coming?"

Oh, she wanted to see!!

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Aurinkoth had been receiving a lot of sunshine lately, and he perhaps was overcompensating when he sent another tidal wave back to Menankith. What was he to do with so much joy and happiness besides give it to everybody? With more received, he had so much more to give! Oh! It worked out so nicely!

The shift in his brother's posture easily welcomed Aurinkoth to lay down next to him, stretching out before he rested his head on the brown's back with a series of cheeps and trills. Oh! I am very excited to see all the babies! Ichtamine told me I couldn't play with them when they were too small, but now they are big enough to come here, so maybe they will play with me! He was very fond of the idea. MyIchta won't admit it, but she is enjoying an excuse to dress up for Elzebuth's. he added, as if it was a conspiratorial secret, and not something anybody with two eyeballs would be able to guess.

"It's been... I didn't sleep much last night because I finished up the bulk of the little things. I have some hemming to clean up still, but...." she unrolled her satchel carefully across Nadry's bed and lifted up the mostly-finished dress to hold it to her chest. It was a very lovely shade of green - though she often saved this particular shade for the garments she made for G'ran. It was a color that very much made her think of him.

"What do you think? I wish I had a little more time before the Feast, but...." she could have had months to work on it and she would have nitpicked it and still not been satisfied entirely. But it was only for her and not someone more important.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

The brown thrummed with fond happiness for his dear brother, perfectly content to be rested on. If Aurinkoth was comfortable, then so was he! I am sure they will play with you. You know all the best games! Had it not been for him, Menankith very likely wouldn't know any games, and that would have been sad indeed, though he supposed he'd not have known to be sad over such an absence. It is good, they should enjoy themselves! Mine is very excited, but also nervous? But it is better now that Yours is here. He could already feel her anxieties settling a little, and it made him all the happier. There were very important things happening for hisNadry.

"It's a good thing there will be tea and klah then, hm? No one should have any trouble staying awake!" Even without something so important to do to keep her up, Nadry had been restless, a growing bundle of nerves before such an important first - nevermind that eveything was happening laughably out of order.

Fingers lacing together, she watched with obvious anticipation as Ichta unrolled her satchel, and there might have been a quiet little 'eee!' when it was revealed. "It's beautiful!" she gushed. It was not an idle compliment - Ichta's handiwork was marvelous, as far as Nadry was concerned, far beyond the plain and basic things she'd learned from her mother. "You're going to look perfect in it."

demon_pachabel

have a girly squeal because pretty things.

 

[demon_pachabel]

Aurinkoth was the sort of dragon that would have laid in an absolutely uncomfortable position and been happy for it. So if he was comfortable or not was anybody's guess. I'll be gentle! Oh! I just want to show them all the games I know so they can play with each other and have fun! the blue practically vibrated as he spoke. At mention of Nadry, he lifted his head from Menankith's back to glance into the weyr at the two women. He didn't understand dresses, but it was apparently very important. Good! They are good for each other and I am glad every day that they have each other. His Ichta held onto less company than Nadry did - mostly out of her own choice, but....

"It's maybe a bit more than suits me, though..." Ichta admitted sheepishly. It was a very fine dress and she...was a rather plain woman to wear it. "Too late to change that, though." She managed a laugh as she laid it out across the bed, trying to not let her eyes linger on what she saw as flaws in her stitching. Oh, she didn't have time to fix that now!

"Which of these are you thinking you'll wear?" she turned her attention instead to the dresses that Nadry had spread out over her bed. The young woman certainly had more to pick from than she did, but they were all very nice too. Hmmm. "Will you be wearing any jewelry or the like?" Ichta had a matching ribbon to go with her dress, but that was it.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

I am sure that there are plenty of safe games, and that they could not have a better teacher for fun! No, there was not a better example of fun and sunshine in all of Pern. I am glad that they have each other, too, he then agreed warmly, And also that we have each other. While he had siblings somewhat more like-minded to him in Basanuth and Elzebuth, Aurinkoth was special. Their riders' closeness had put them in more proximity than they might have been otherwise, and he had found a fast and dear friend of his own as a result.

"Not at all," Nadry assured her earnestly, "You're going to look wonderful, and I'm sure someone will notice." A very certain someone! And quite possibly some others, but only one that really mattered.

"I can't decide," she confessed, as though that weren't obvious from the assortment under consideration. "I hadn't realized just how many of my clothes are blue! But I...probably shouldn't wear blue for this, so maybe the purple one?" She knew why she had so many blue and blue-accented clothes, as she liked it both as a color and because it looked nice on her, but that long-held preference now left her with quite a dilemma. With jewelry brought up, she dragged a hand down her face and laughed. "I hadn't even thought about accessories yet."

Something for her hair, certainly, but...she'd figure that out once the clothes problem was sorted.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Of course we do! I am also very glad that you and Cynosuth are better. he offered up. He had poured a lot of sunshine into the pair over their journey of turmoil and it had, fortunately, paid off. Though I really don't see why any of the boys are going to care about the colors of their dresses. Did Menankith understand any of that?

Someone was feeling very excited. It tickled along the edges of their bond and Ichta couldn't help but smile. Aurinkoth simply had that effect on her. "Maybe. Though I think he'd notice me anyways," not that Nadry had specifically implied she'd meant G'ran, Ichta was more than willing to make the leap, apparently. It seemed at times like she was the only one he noticed. Not in that he ignored the others, but...she felt a little special was all.

Looking over the dresses Nadry was debating between, she couldn't help but smile at the idea that she didn't want to wear blue. "Blue would be fine...unless you're worried it would look like a show of status to someone," it was as close to teasing as Ichta usually got, nudging Nadry's shoulder. She was happy for her, though. Goodness knew that at least someone had to be finding happiness with how much Aurinkoth had been radiating out over the last handful of days. He hadn't been inclined to gossip as to what he was about, though.

"I think the purple is lovely. If we'd been able to plan, I would have made you something in red, even. It would look very nice on you." And it would compliment the shades in Menankith. Oh, now she was thinking about that.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Thank you. You are always there when any of us need you. I could not ask for a better brother or friend. He had more than once 'felt' the equivalent of those words at Aurinkoth, but not found it important to speak them as well. I don't see why, either! I think that they could wear anything at all, and they would be beautiful.

...some of the nice things are very pretty, though. I mean, what?

"I know he would," Nadry asserted with a wink, "But it doesn't hurt to really make an impression." She had no doubt that Ichta could, and would, although she was also quite sure she didn't have to. As their dragons were currently noting to each other, what they wore probably mattered more to the girls than anyone else.

The brownrider laughed, and retaliated against the nudge by gently elbowing her friend. "I am!" she admitted, fully aware that she was probably overthinking it, and yet she couldn't help the concern. "I mean, I haven't known R'shahar nearly as long, and I don't- I don't want him to think..." That he was second? That she wasn't as interested? It was hard to put words to it, especially since it wasn't the case at all.

"Red? Really?" Nadry looked genuinely surprised by that idea, though not unreceptive. "I don't think I've ever worn red in my life." It was a very noticable color, which was...probably why she didn't have anything at all in it.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Menankith was answered with a good dose of delighted cheeping - though it was clear that these words held no special strangeness to him, as if he had never felt their meanings in other ways and was being give a rare dose of appreciation. I'm sure you could, if you wanted! it was almost as if in his eagerness to give some positive affirmation he didn't even realize what he'd said. Is it pretty? Humans have a funny definition for pretty and I don't know if I understand it.

Ichta laughed as she was nudged back by Nadry for her comment. "That's fair. It's not like they've told you what they're wearing so you could match it either." Which meant it was entirely about matching Nadry to herself. If she didn't want the blue, the purple it was!

"Yes! I think your natural skin tones would look lovely in some warmer colors. I could find some swatches to show you after the Feast, if you would like." Ichta was practically up to her knees in fabric samples between her own projects and a few she'd somehow been roped into. "But I should..probably finish up that hem before I start anything new," it was a nice pipe dream to actually finish one thing at a time. She didn't wait for a comment on it before she sat and began threading the single needle she had brought with her to clean up that rough edge.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

I suppose I could ask, but I'm sure it is a request that could not be fulfilled, Menankith chuckled fondly. From what I can tell from Mine, 'pretty' is a little different for everyone. But some of the colors, and the patterns, and the sparkly things, they are...nice.

"Faranth, if we get to the matching point, I'm going to need more clothes than I already have." And they had definitely multiplied some once she'd gotten her own weyr and wasn't restricted to just what would fit into a trunk. "You've seen the way C'lusi dresses - that would be hard to keep up with!" Though it was a rather lovely thought, and one that might be getting ahead of things, but she could hope.

"I would like that," she admitted with a faint hint of the shade they were discussing to her cheeks. There could be certain implications to red, and while she didn't object to them, well. It was unfamiliar territory, posibly associating any of them to herself. "But yes, definitely the hem first!" While Ichta set to work on that, Nadry set to neatly putting away everything that had been decided against. "Have you thought about how you want your hair?"

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Looking between the two girls, Aurinkoth wasn't quite sure he understood Menankith's meaning. His Ichta was lovely, certainly because he loved her and if any would fault him for that bias he would laugh in their face. Nadry was also lovely, though not because Aurinkoth loved her, but because he loved his Ichta and Menankith, and they both loved her as well. The things - the sparkles and the patterns and the colors - didn't really do much for him. But if Menankith enjoyed them, he could as well. I see. There is certainly some lovely things, I guess. Maybe he would try to be a better judge of such things.

"A casual and a less casual tunic or dress of each color, and a lot of accessories in various tones at the minimum. You may need more closet space," Ichta considered it for a moment, "I guess you could always use mine." It wasn't like she had a lot of variety. Though she wasn't certain she wanted anybody seeing the tunic she was working on for herself. It was a very bold color, but it was so striking next to Aurinkoth. She didn't look up from her sewing as she spoke. "Or a blue dress with bronze embroidery. A dress for all occasions." Oh, but perhaps that was for much farther in the future.

Her hair, hmm? Ichta looked up for a moment. "I have a ribbon to match my dress, but really just...out of the way. It will do whatever it wants if I try anything too much with it." Even in her usual braids and ponytails she had clumps of hair running for freedom and she'd had to fashion a headband for underneath her riding helmet to keep even from more escapees. "What about yours? Were you waiting to decide until you picked a dress?"

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Mine has been practicing to make nice things for me to wear, Menankith shared. Maybe when she is ready, she will make you something, too! And Elzebuth, and Macuith, and Cynosuth, and... Everyone should have something special!

"A lot more closet space," Nadry agreed with a laugh, pausing to look around her weyr. There was probably room...somewhere, if she got a little creative. She wasn't one to collect a lot of assorted 'stuff,' just clothes and accessories and the like. "I think I could manage it without taking over yours, but I'll keep it in mind!" She scooped up the last of what needed putting away, only to uncover her pair of blue flits, who blorted at her in offense. Excuse! So she rolled her eyes and re-covered them, rather than risk an upset. "That would...be a lovely dress."

It would be lovely to need such a dress. It was early still, but oh, she couldn't help but hope, no matter how carefully she tried to manage her expectations. She wanted, desperately, for everything to work and this to last. What might happen if it didn't certainly worried her, when her thoughts strayed that way.

"Mind of it's own, hm?" Nadry looked between the dress and her friend with a quiet 'hmm.' "I might be able to help with that, I have a hair creme that's good for taming strays, long enough to get through a party at least." She brushed a hand through her own hair as she considered her options. "Just a nice braid, I think. I don't want to pile it all up or have it all full of pins." She spent enough time with it up and pinned to between and back to keep it under her riding helmet!

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Oh, she should make you more nice things if she has the time! Aurinkoth deflected the offer gently - not because he didn't want them, but if one looked at his rider, she clearly was a girl of simple tastes. Some of those had rubbed off on him over time. Plus, why didn't his brother deserve many nice things! A nice thing to match all of yourNadry's nice things! Oh! You two would match! That would be quite fun!

The pair of blue flitters caused Ichta to smile. "I wish mine was so....well behaved," it surprised some to see how actively aggressive Naughty Boy was, keen to huff, puff, and cause a little chaos here and there. How many fingers had that little brown bitten? At least hers AND G'ran's (though his more repeatedly. Fight me!).

"Certainly not something that I could have ready on such short notice, though," she agreed on the idea of the dress. She'd started her own months ago and there she was, barely finishing it up. Free time was definitely an illusion of the past to Ichta, who quietly lamented the lack of progress on her tapestry. Someday, maybe. Though devoting her life to such a thing was now a thing of the past. Not when a blue boy had dictated her future.

"If you think you can tame this mess, I'd be all the happier for it. If I don't treat it just right before bed, having anything presentable the next morning is absolutely not happening," Ichta laughed at the idea, though it sounded as though Nadry was going to keep things simple. "I definitely think that will put a bit more oomph on your dress," she looked up from her sewing to glance at said dress again.

It was a nice one, really.

Meepfur

 

[Meepfur]

Menankith hummed thoughtfully over Aurinkoth's deflection and suggestion. I would need a lot of things, to match all of hers! But it would be fun, wouldn't it? She wouldn't have to worry about matching Macuith's or Viandarth's, just me. Yes, that would be an excellent solution! Or maybe they could all match? Or would that be too much? Hmm, hmm.

"If I hadn't covered them back up, they'd be having a fit about it," Nadry said with an exasperated shake of her head. "Sir's gotten better as he's gotten older, but Sneaks is trouble. I'd really appreciate it if he'd stop bringing me dead things! I swear, if anyone tries to give me another one, I'm saying no!" She was very fond of Sir Moustache, and...begrudgingly fond of Sir Sneaks, but two was more than enough, thank you.

"Certainly not, no. I wish I was better at it myself, but it's hard to find the time to practice, with everything else." She'd never been taught or needed to know how to make truly nice clothing, only simple, modest things to keep herself and her eventual - ugh - family clothed. Thank Faranth for Menankith, and before that, the blue who'd Searched her. Her dragon could take up every last second of her day, and she'd have no complaints. It was far better than her alternatives without him.

"Ugh, I hate that! Morning hair is the worst, right up there with squashed-under-a-helmet hair." Squashed, damp, and just hopeless.

demon_pachabel