Dancing in the Dark (J'dol)

[Wish]

It had been good for Ara to get away from the group for a while. The memory of J'dol kissing another still stung in the back of her mind, but it had worked itself out of her heart for the most part at least. That wasn't to say that it hurt any less though. In fact, if anything it hurt worse, just in a different way. I'm sorry AraMine, but you did say you were okay with it. The greenrider ignored her dragoness, something she had been doing more and more with the passing few candlemarks.

Night had fallen in a steady shadow now, and the dance floor was lit by only candles and glows. It gave it a mysterious atmosphere, and the dancers were happy about it nevertheless. After all, people did look best under dim light. Swinging around to meet anothers hand, Ara allowed her body to do the talking, getting closer and closer to the person who had caught her attention this time around. It was a rider, his shoulder knots said as much, and the colors were of Ista. He seemed....familiar.

"Do I know you?" She narrowed her eyes, trying to understand why for the love of Faranth she felt like she knew him. He laughed, a smile widening across his face. "I stood at the same hatching you did. I think we used to play together in the creche too. I'm K've...used to be Kireve?" Ara's eyes widened with the realization, nodding her head happily. "Of course, how could I forget." He had been a good friend, and had impressed a brown...brown....brown....Thath.

"Yes, how is Thath...how are you?" The conversation flitted around pleasantries, and the more Ara talked, the more she relaxed and the closer she got. Her blush wasn't just from the wineskins anymore, but now it was from the comments as well. The brownrider's blonde head fell down close to her ear, and he brought her close to him. "How about we go somewhere else, talk somewhere more private?" She could feel his hand at her back, and she'd be lieing if she didn't consider it.

"I'm sorry...I...I can't." Her contact broke off as her hands left his shoulders and she backed away and shook her head. Just because she was aloud to have open relationships didn't mean she wanted them. "I see....well, I'll see you around then sometime." With that the brownrider left, and Ara held an arm around herself. Am I going to regret that Avi? The green for once didn't have an answer.

[Zirin]

"Well well well," J'dol's voice was like liquid chocolate as he snuck up behind Ara and moved to drape an arm around her shoulder, "I do believe a certain greenrider is looking much too down in the dumps for a gather. I think that needs to be remedied hmm?" He had been watching for a while, off in the corner with a small skin of wine to wet his throat. Her soft blushes and the way she had drawn so close to him. In all honesty he had been shocked to see them part ways. Just his luck, he supposed, he had been rather interested in stealing a dance from the lovely lady.

He held out a hand as the band struck up a new song. He would be lieing if he said he didn't feel guilty about the kissing booth. In truth, he simply had no skills worth selling, short of selling himself. He had hoped Ara wouldn't be offended by him flirting with others, she had promised to keep their relationship open, but he hadn't expected her to look so hurt over a stall; especially since it was the same stall he opened ever Turn. Well, perhaps they would get a chance to talk if she would have some fun with him.

"Feel like honouring a humble man with a dance, beautiful?"

[Wish]

Avirith was about to tell her, she really was.....but J'dol got there first.

Sorry Mine. I didn't see him until he had already come over. The green shuffled her feet, curling in and outward on the ledge she had chosen. It's fine. I wanted to see him anyway, but I can't just tell him that now can I? What's a better reason for being happy he's here? The firelizard in your purse? Right the firelizard in my purse......FARANTH I FORGOT ABOUT THE EGG!

Avirith crooned as Ara stiffened at the thought, probably making the young man behind her assume it was in response to his question. Turning around, she took a breath, she'd give it to him after the dance. After all, she was getting paid by the dance, not the candlemark. "Of course, and I even have a present for you afterwards." She smiled tenderly, letting him pull her in to the dance. It was a slower song, the first one to play in a while and she found herself moving through the steps with ease.

"This is the first song Kierah taught me to dance to....I miss her, I miss Leotie too, though she is here somewhere. She came home to visit from the Harper Hall." It was small talk, and it was to keep J'dol as far away from the topic of the brownrider she had been with as possible. She didn't want him to ask why she even now seemed melancholy, and she hoped he hadn't seen her dancing before. There was no reason to go over that, to confront those uncertainties and fears. Ara just couldn't go there, that would admit that she was afraid.

Everytime she saw him flirting with someone else, or the booth had come up in some conversation due to a curious rider, she had fought the urge to flinch. In her mind, Ara was only good for him for a while, there wasn't anyway that she could keep him satisfied and despite their agreement to see others as well, she doubted that he would keep her in his inventory for long. So, she held on tighter to him, and she let her body do all the talking. The rider let her body come closer to his with each pass they made, she let her hands linger on his chest and shoulders, even hips whenever they changed position in the dance, she did anything and everything to keep him entertained all because of one reason.

She was afraid of loosing any part of him she still had.

[Zirin]

He felt her tense, but lets face it, J'dol was used to dealing with a twitchy Ara, so he paid it little mind. He was a man on a mission after all. Luckily, it seemed to be more surprise than anything else, as she soon turned and accepted the dance invitation. With a smile, he led her to the dance floor and was quick to get himself into position, leading the steps where he was supposed to and adding slow twirls when the music allowed it. He may not have been on Ara's level of dancing, but he could hold his own.

He smiled each time Ara drew closer, leaning into her touches when the dance steps allowed it, there were even a few moments where he hummed along to the music, though quietly enough that she might only hear it when she was really close. He finally pulled her into spin and drew her closer, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"You know..." He mumbled quietly, "You never cease to be cruel to me. I never knew your jealous expression would be so haunting." He followed the dance steps some more until he was able to draw close again his lips pressing gently against her neck as he spoke. "I couldn't get you off my mind all day..." There were so many things he wanted to tell her, like how he was trying to stop himself from flirting too hard with people, and how he had made sure not to bed anyone else in a while. He hadn't been perfect, and he couldn't stop himself from flirting, but considering he was a flirt by nature he was doing pretty well (at least in his own mind).

He liked her, he liked her a lot. With her it wasn't just a one night interest like with all the people he had been with in the past. He wanted to be good to her... but he wasn't ready to completely make that commitment, not at all. He hoped, for the time being, that she'd be able to tolerate him.

[Wish]

She let him lead for a bit, happier than she had been in a while when he pulled her in close against his body. His words were perhaps cruel themselves making the greenrider wonder what he could mean, but they sent a certain thrill down her spine however that she couldn't shake. When he pulled her in again to kiss her neck and he whispered those words though, she couldn't help it. She lost her footing and fell into him. " I'm sorry....I....I....." She started laughing, the bubbling noises coming through her whether she wanted them to or not.

Her lips reached up, searching, and her eyes drifted close as her laughter died down to a quiet chuckle. "I've thought about you too." Her hand moved to twine her fingers with his, enjoying whatever closeness he gave. It was hard to hide the happiness that had suddenly shown in her eyes at his words, oh those reassuring words. He cared, he did. He wouldn't be disinterested if he had said that. So that meant he still liked her, it had to mean that!

"I have something for you...come on." She pulled him back toward the tables, into a corner where her purse hung off one of the chairs. Her hips still swayed to the music, her fingers lingering over his skin as she tried to pull him into the darkness with her. "I promise you'll like it, and you'll probably be a bit surprised. I bet it's not what you're thinking." Her voice was a low murmmer, and then she started to sing with the song. It was more than a humm but not entirely an actual melody, just something in between on a soft second soprano just for him. "Don't worry J'dol, I won't bite....unless you ask."

That's my girl dancing the night away with the one she loves! Aren't they just so romantic Kayath?!? Huh, huh, what do you think?

Hush with the "L" word Avi. He's never heard me say it since that night we all got drunk so long ago...and I don't want to scare him off.

[Zirin]

There were many things he had expected could happen after he spoke. Blushing perhaps, or pulling away. Laughter, however, was not one of the possibilities he had thought of, so he couldn’t help the quick look of surprise as he caught her. Soon enough though, his confusion was wiped away as she moved in for a kiss. He was only too happy to oblige, his fingers twining with hers as he deepened the kiss.

As she pulled him towards the dark corner, J’dol couldn’t help but smirk, wondering if she had drunk a bit too much again. Of course, then she had to go and move her hips like that and J’dol found he couldn’t quite keep his mind on much else. He quirked an eyebrow as she started singing. Well, singing wasn’’t quite the right word as she wasn’t using the words… but it wasn’t quite a bland hum either. It was pretty, that much was certain, and after her teasing comment he didn’t need any other excuse to move closer.

“I might just have to ask later then.” He was quick to wrap his arms around her from behind, pulling her close and resting his chin on her shoulder so he could listen up close. He stood there with her, swaying to the music and the sound of her voice and before long he was also humming along. The tuning wasn’t as good as hers, but there was some skill in his baritone voice nonetheless.

Kayath had spent most of the day sleeping on her ledge most of the day and apparently Avirith had woken her from her beauty sleep. Her head shot, eyes tinged with the reds of annoyance. Do I LOOK like I care what a couple of stupid brats decide to do? No doubt my wherrydung of a rider will screw things over between them. She shifted angrily You know what? I just don’t care tonight so leave. Me. ALONE! Seriously, she needed her sharding sleep! She was too tired to deal with their stupidity. Her anger though, shot through J’dol and he couldn’t help but tighten his grip around Ara possessively. Though after a moment his grip loosened and a look of surprised shock shot across his features.

“I... Sorry Ara, I don’t… I don’t know what came over me…” His voice held just as much confusion as his expression. Kayath? The orange dragon didn’t answer.

[Wish]

Avirith jerked as the mind voice of the angry Sub-Queen filled her mind. Keening she curled inward, her eyes alight with oranges and yellows. I am sorry for disturbing you. You shouldn't be so mean though.... The green crooned then slid off the edge of the heights, flaring her wings open to catch a breeze and glided to her own cave. Think I should take shelter for this one. Folding her wings tenderly against her side the milky green dragoness watched the skies for the shape of the Topaz dragoness.

Back on the ground Ara was leaning into the rider's touch, letting him hold her and sway her body to the song. Her voice was low, matching his melody for harmony, weaving up and down in a series of notes as she closed her eyes and finally just stopped. She could stay like this forever. Just. Like. This. At J'dol's sudden out of character pull, well okay out of mood not out of character perhaps, she tensed not understanding. Had the movement been possessive or something else? She wasn't quite sure.

She turned her head to look at him, concern in her eyes as he tried to apologize. "It's okay...." Did she want to ask how Kayath was? She had noticed the signs, had he? "How....how is Kayath? Do you think she may be close to rising? She has been showing the signs lately. Sleeping a lot, irritability....you being even more extroverted than usual..." She listed them, and it it weren't for the seriousness of the matter she'd be blushing for how much she sounded like a teacher. Avirith?

A storm is coming, and not the good kind.

[Zirin]

Kayath didn't respond with anything more than another push of angry emotion. She curled about on her ledge once more, ruffling her wings and fidgetting before falling back into her restless sleep. For all the world it looked like she hadn't woken in a crazed anger only moments before.

J'dol blinked stupidly at Ara for a moment before planting a gentle kiss on her cheek. "She's fine. She's just grumpy because I've been spening all my time here instead of with her. You know how possessive she can be." He ran a hand through his hair, and gave a chuckle as if to clear the sudden tenseness. The look in his eyes held a hint of worry though... what if she was right? What if this was all leading up to that moment? It wasn't the possibility of the flight itself that worried him, it was the way Kayath was acting.

"She's always been grumpy," He denied with a shake of his head, and as far as he was aware, he hadn't changed much, if anything he was tamer than normal! He paused, frowning as he tried to call out to Kayath. Once again he was receiving only a cold nothingness from her. She didn't seem to be awake or lusty though, so it seemed more like a false alarm.

"There see, nothing to worry about. She's just going through a jealous fit. My princess doesn't like that I spend so much time thinking of you." He smiled at Ara and held his hand out. "Now, what say we go get some nice cool fresh air?" Had the dance tent always been this warm? He couldn't recall, but he did know he wanted to be outside.

[Wish]

Ara nodded her head, Avirith's words ringing through her head. Something was off, and she would stick by his side no matter what. Kissing him back, though on his lips instead of the cheek, she let him lead her away from the tent, waving goodbye to a Harper apprentice she had been dancing with before. "Yeah...right." Her voice wasn't certain though and she couldn't hide that from him. Deep down, or to be honest quite forefront in her mind, Ara knew what was about to happen and unlike J'dol she wasn't denying it.

Would she be able to handle him twining himself with someone else? The thought sent a little pang through her but she quickly pushed it down. The time she had had to do the same with Avirith's last mating flight he had been okay it seemed with her bedding another. It was flight lust, nothing more. Letting her hand smooth circles against his back, Ara pulled J'dol in for a small hug. "Don't worry....Im here if you need me." Though she hoped it wouldn't be for the reasons she was predicting.

[Zirin]

The fresh air did wonders for calming the man down, even if Ara's voice wasn't helping him believe Kayath was alright, he let Ara pull him in close again, forcing himself to be as gentle as possible. He was feeling awfully wary about that possessive streak he had felt before. She was asleep now though... she had no reason to wake any time soon.

"Oh come now Ara, I'm no stranger to how these things work, as you very well know." He kissed her again, "But thanks." He was truely thankful for the offer and nuzzled into her neck. "Sunset..." He mumbled quietly, taking in the sheer beauty of the view. That was when everything changed.

He gasped suddenly as a shudder shot through him, his eyes shooting open in surprise, and a little fear. He had dealt with Kayath's mood swings before but this... this was something else. "Shards!" He backed away from Ara, one hand clutching his head.

[(To be continued in ze other thread...)]