Main Beach - Ista Weyr(#44RJa$)
     Hilly dunes slope down from the foot of the jungle, slow angles that soften as they greet the flat expanse of the black beach. Ebony sand stretches out in all directions, clinging to the coastline as the slow roll of incoming waves beat tirelessly against the shore. A few stubborn trees with great leafy fronds insist on growing here, providing meager shade that further darkens already richly dark sands. This breathtaking tableau, tucked against the wind-protected base of the Weyr, opens onto the sapphire sea, capped here and there with the white lace of curled breakers.
     It's a handsome cove that the Weyr's beach is nestled within, long and curving to form a definite if somewhat broken crescent that slows the tumult of waves to a more pleasant lapping. Curled between to sandbars that reach black fingers out into the blue sea, there's a fair amount of room here for any manner of seaside activity: Napping, swimming, picnicking, and playing are all frequent and viable passtimes. Just to the northwest, the sandy path that creeps back up through the dunes to the clearing of the jungle is visible. Due west, beyond another layer of sand dunes, the beaches continue with less protection than this little inlet offers.
Contents:
Q'rin

** Kerelth doesn't seem to be about, though Q'rin is most definately placed underneath a tree. As the green lands, he raises a hand in greeting. "Yari..Nediath.."

** Nediath alights upon the beach with a neat twist of apple-green wings, adding a show-offy flutter before laying them against her sides as she settles to allow for dismount; T'yari just rolls his eyes. "Hey," the greenrider calls out cheerily as he clambers down from Nediath's neck.

"Hey, Yari..come here a sec. I have something to ask you," Q'rin invites. There's a bottle by his side, but it doesn't appear to have been opened and there isn't a slur to the bluerider's voice in the least.

T'yari accepts the invitation blithely enough, leaving Nediath all by her lonesome to approach the bluerider. The bottle is eyed rather cautiously, however, and the young man thinks to query, cautious, "You're not going to make me drink that, are you?" One never knows, and it's best to be prepared. In Yari's case, he's usually prepared to flee.

"No. I'm not about to waste good Benden white on you," Q'rin replies with a wink. "I have a question to ask you..and I'd like an honest answer, without your usual hemming and hawing. Think you're up for that?" he inquires with a friendly grin.

"Good," T'yari replies with relief. Nevermind if that negation included the jibe that Yari's not good enough for it -- the fact remains that Yari doesn't have to drink it, and that's all he's concerned about. Eyebrows quirk, then, and he replies, "Sure." A moment later, he thinks to warily inquire, "Why would I answer untruthfully?"

"It is women you're attracted to, right Yari? I'm just curious, because I know I've never seen you react well to their presence," Q'rin asks, ignoring the greenriders question. "If it's not, that's fine too. In fact, I know a guy who you'd probably get along with.."

"What?" Disconcerted, T'yari eyes the bluerider for several moments of silence; he obviously wasn't expecting that sort of question. Nor does he want to answer it. "Um." He stalls, just like it was expected of him, and scuffs the toe of his boot in the sand. "Um. I hadn't really thought about that."

"You're serious? Does that mean..you're not attracted to anyone?" Q'rin asks, clearly surprised. "Haven't ever had one of those dreams...or become..excited?" He didn't think it was possibly to be asexual.

That sand-scuffing turns into a subdued kick with Q'rin as its target. "I didn't say that," he replies defensively, aiming another spray of sand towards the bluerider. "Why should I tell you, anyways?" T'yari directs a half-hearted scowl at the other man, then adds, "Why do you want to know?"

Q'rin easily ducks most of the sand. The rest is simply brushed off. "Because I'm your friend..and I'm curious. And it'll end all those jokes at your expense about women," he notes. "Why don't you have a seat, Yari? I'm not going to bite you."

T'yari isn't so sure about that, and eyes Q'rin dubiously. Neverless, the greenrider refrains from vocalizing that suspicion and carefully folds his legs, seating himself. "What makes you so curious?" T'yari questions -- forming his own inquiries is safer than answering another's. The next sound out of him is something that resembles a 'hmph.' "I don't hear any jokes," he informs Q'rin, frost edging his tone. "Who's saying things about me?"

"I do," Q'rin remarks with a wink. "I told you what makes me curious. I met a guy who, if you like them, would probably be perfect for you." It's all quite simple.

"Yeah, but you're different," T'yari replies dismissively with a shrug. "You'd say things about me no matter what." And Yari's learned to expect that after having known Q'rin for Turns upon Turns. Simple or not, he's not entirely certain if he wants to know, or give out any information. But curiousity gets the better of the greenrider, and he glances sideways at the other man. "Who's that?" he wants to know.

"W'ris, a greenrider at Fort," Q'rin offers the information easily enough. "I can introduce you if you like..but..I'd like to know for my own information..well, who or rather what do you like?"

"You," T'yari states with considerable embarrassment, "are awful. Do you just scour Pern, now, for people you think I should meet?" The greenriders' cheeks have, by now, flushed to a nice shade of red. But that's to be expected. "I don't want to fly over to Fort." A rather irritable look is shot at Q'rin, and he rouses from his typical timidity long enough to snap, "What makes you think that I need someone to find a...romantic interest for me? Faranth -- between you and Catriona..." He trails off, rolls his eyes, and starts up once more. "/If/ --" T'yari pauses to stress the first word. "-- I wanted...something, don't you think I can do it myself? Has it occured to you that maybe I'm perfectly happy with Nediath?" The greenrider doesn't exactly say that that's the case -- more is always better, right? -- and neither does he provide Q'rin with an answer to his original question. But maybe that'll be overlooked.

"Yari..you're a virgin. Don't try to deny it. And that's not good, because Nediath will fly someday..and soon..and you shouldn't be a virgin when that happens," Q'rin states firmly. "Cat is right..and we're both just concerned about you."

"Fine," T'yari snaps back. "Fine, I don't deny that. But I don't see what that's got to do with me and greenriders from Fort." He glances towards Nediath, eying his lifemate, who unobtrusively listens in and, for once, offers no comments of her own. T'yari's embarrassed enough as it is. Or will be, once his vexation dies down. "That's just for girls," he counters. "Not for me."

"No, it's not just for girls. Do you even know /how/ to sleep with a woman? Or what if a man's dragon happens to catch? Yari..her maiden flight can't be the time you lose your virginity..it's too hard," Q'rin continues.

T'yari's scandalized. "I'm not /that/ stupid, whatever you might think." The greenrider continues to peer over at Nediath, obviously wishing that she'd discover an itch that requires his immediate attention. "Whatever happens, happens. I'm not worried about it." Right. "What do you know about?" he inquires, sarcasm tainting his tone. "Did you get to find that out first-hand?" A moment later, Yari flinches at some inaudible monologue and, abashed, mutters, "Sorry."

Q'rin only raises an eyebrow. "I've never slept with a man," he notes without embarrassment. "But I know what sex feels like, I know what it does to you. And you don't, and it's important that you realize the difference between lust..and dragon lust."

"I am not," T'yari states firmly, "going to fall for whoever happens to win Nediath's flight. It's just a flight. Not that exciting. Greens rise everyday, and you don't see their riders moving in right afterwards. It's not that big of a deal."

"That's not my..our..concern. It's that you'll avoid people for a long time. Dragon lust can be a painful experience. Literally..pain. We don't want you to have to go through that," Q'rin disagrees.

"Who's we?" T'yari wants to know, instantly distrustful. Then, sniffing, he thinks to protest Q'rin's assumption. "I will not. You don't know that." The guess is informed, however, and it's very likely that that's exactly what the greenrider's behavior will be.

"Kel and I. He's smarter than he looks," Q'rin informs the greenrider truthfully. "Don't lie to me, Yari. I know you. I know what you'll do. And I know you'll refuse to believe me until it's too late, and then you won't come anywhere near me."

"Oh." T'yari is appeased for the moment. At least there's not dozens of people who're in on this plan of getting Yari laid. The greenrider quirks a brief smile, just to be irritating. "So if you know that, then why're you even trying?" he can't help but question. "If you think I'll refuse, then what's the point?"

"I wouldn't be a very good friend if I didn't try," Q'rin remarks with nod. "And it is for your own good." Finally he grins. "And shells, man, it's fun!"
Sulky, T'yari grumbles, "Is not." He argues for the sake of arguing, more than anything else. "And you'd be a perfectly good friend if you didn't. I don't know what you're talking about. Kerelth's addled what little brains you didn't drink away." Then, glancing back towards Q'rin, he spitefully intones, "What? Driving me crazy?"

"Sleeping with people," Q'rin corrects with a laugh. "And my brains aren't addled, by Kel or drink. I'm not my father, Yari."

T'yari didn't want to hear that. It just adds on to the trauma. The young man pulls a face and gripes, "I wonder which you prefer more -- that, or making me as humilated as possible." Yari knows enough not to pursue the father-comment; he does have some tact, even when he's irate.

"I most definately prefer sleeping with women to teasing you, Yari," Q'rin grins. "My purpose in life isn't to make yours uncomfortable."

"I don't believe that," T'yari states, rolling his eyes. He lets it go, though, resorting to silence; he's out of properly good jabs at Q'rin. Instead, the greenrider sifts sand through his fingers and refuses to look at the other Igenite.

"Are you going to take my advice?" Q'rin knows the answer to that question, but he can hope, can't he?

"What -- go up to Fort just for the purpose of convincing some greenrider I've never met that he wants to sleep with me?" T'yari reiterates the facts as he sees them, disbelief sliding across his expression. "Seriously, Rin -- you know me better than that. I'm not going to get into bed with someone I don't even know just because you say it's okay."

"Then sleep with a friend. And I don't mean me," Q'rin chuckles. "You're not ugly. I'm sure there's a friend, male or female, of yours who'd sleep with you for fun."

"Hmph." That's T'yari's eloquent response. "Yeah, right." The sand-sifting is abandoned as the greenrider throws up his hands in a gesture of exasperation. "Maybe I don't /want/ to sleep around for fun."

"I think you have to. At least once. Before Nediath rises," Q'rin advises. "This wouldn't be necessary if you'd done the normal thing and slept with someone before this."

"I do not." Watch T'yari not follow that advice just to spite Q'rin. Then, glowering over at the bluerider, he icily informs, "I'm perfectly normal. /I/ think it's not normal to sleep around for no reason." So there.

"Fine, Yari. Do what you want. I just hope the experience doesn't scar you as badly as it probably will," Q'rin relents with a shrug. What more can he do? Slowly, he gets to his feet, not forgetting to grab the bottle.

It's simple: T'yari's in denial. "I'm not going to get scarred. You're making this into a bigger deal than it is." Likewise, the greenrider clambers to his feet, fasticiously dusting off the sand that clings to his attire.

"I don't think so, Yari," Q'rin warns before offering his childhood friend a wave in farewell.

"I do!" That's T'yari's parting shot, friendly enough. He, too, flicks his fingers at Q'rin in the semblence of a wave and hastens towards Nediath.