Sleepless
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Xanadu Weyr - Observation Level

Dark blue seats form a semi-circle around the sands below, the lowest row separating from the sands themselves by merely a railing. The seats climb upwards, each row a bit higher then the previous, and they are broken up into sections by 3 sets of staircases. Lights are evenly spaced along the outer wall, lighting the seats and the sands easily, though they tend to be dimmed unless a major event is taking place. A large balcony looms overhead, darkening some of the seats, providing a place for observers of the draconic kind to watch without obstructing the view for others.
When one looks over the railing, the oddly hued sand below can be seen easily, the circle-shaped area of the sands spread out to the far walls, the sand itself a unique mixture of red and white grains.


For the most part the hatching grounds are empty and dark this late night at Xanadu Weyr. Then again, it’s likely the fact that its somewhere past midnight that plays a role in that. There is one lone, out of place light flickering from the entrance of the cavern. Its movement easily reading as someone walking with a basket of glows leading their way. Quiet steps likely heard only due to the relative silence otherwise. Should the gold who rests with her eggs on the sands be awake, the Weyrsecond's blue would have touched her mind alerting her to just who it is at her door with a gentle spattering of ocean spray across his deep sea rumbles.

On the sands there's the answer of a mind fraught with the flash of far off lightning and restless clouds. She is awake. Up in the level there is the whisper of bare feet on stone as someone paces in time to the tail swishing down below. Catching the glowlight moving on walls as she turns to pace back, Thea halts, breathless for a moment before touching with Seryth and then stepping with a more sure pace towards the approaching light. "Donn?" Husky with lack of sleep, or dryness or both… maybe something else entirely.

"Yeah babe," D'had replies, as he takes the stairs up to the level, his voice kept low despite the fact that it's exceedingly unlikely that there's anyone around to be woken by him speaking. When he meets Thea an arm curls about her shoulders, the other hand still in use holding the glowbasket. "Thought ya might be asleep," he says for the shaded light before lips seek out hers for a quick kiss.

"No I'm-" Thea's words are effectively silenced by his lips and she returns that kiss, snugging her head against his shoulder with a sigh when it's over. Her arms link around his waist. "Can't sleep when she's like this." Then she's lifting her head to peek up at him, "But why aren't you asleep? It's late." Even as she's waiting for an answer, she's tugging gently, "Come sit?" There's her mattress across several seats or empty seats, she'll let him choose.

D'had is easily enough tugged along as he answers. "He was fussin'," he explains. "Was still awake, your ma's there, missed ya." Simple enough reasoning there. "Anythin' we," meaning himself and his lifemate, "Can do ta help?" a nod in the general direction of the sands to indicate the gold's restlessness as he takes a seat on her matress, pulling her down with him and into his lap. The glow basket is left to the floor, casting enough light to outline features in the dark.

Thea nods, a quick intake of breath at the mention of fussing. "Muir? Everything's okay though?" Her voice is tinged with unease and longing. She sinks down when tugged, pleased to land where he directs her, arms sliding around his neck. His question has her shaking her head, "Just you being here help, Donn. Thanks for coming." Her forehead leans against his then, "Shells I miss you!" The words are breathed out full of regret. "I'm sorry. Is it as hard for you as it is for me?"

"Yeah," D'had replies, letting out a slow breath as he lets his forehead rest against her's when they touch, eyes closed for the moment. "Yer ma took care of it." Thank Faranth she's here! "Hey now," he starts, a smile in his words even if it is late and he's tired. "Not your fault, happens." Can't keep a dragon from rising after all. "Miss wakin' up with ya there though, yeah."

Thea lets that breath out, relieved. "How's things working out with my ma? She's been wanting to get to know you, Donn." There's a laugh in her words. He must trade talking for baby-care, poor man! She lifts her head, her lips brush his brow and she murmurs, "I know it's not my fault. Just, if you're awake now…you're not getting much sleep." She's silent for a beat, then admits, "I can't sleep well without you beside." She nods to the dark sands below. "That bronze down there never seems to sleep," she notes to him. "He keeps his rider awake, poor man."

"Egh.. going good," D'had replies, giving her a light squeeze. Yes, there's talking - not much of it, but it's there and he doesn't have to try and figure out what those cries mean at least part of the time. "Gettin' enough," he assures, though it may be far more assurance for her than complete truth. "More worried bout you than him.." At least he's honest there. "Sure ya couldn't take a night in one of the guest weyrs? Ain't that far.." And far closer than their own place.

Thea tries not to snicker, she really does. But that egh of his gets her going and she can't seem to stop the quiet laughter that shakes her. "Sure you are, that's why you're up walking around at midnight!" As for the bronzerider from Ierne, "I'm sure you're not worried about him at all, but can you imagine?" She at least, is sympathetic. Her arms unlink from behind his neck and she reaches for his sides to tickle, suddenly playful as her laughter starts again. Teasing him, "What is with you and those guest weyrs?"

D'had chuckles, laughter, after all, is contagious and hers especially so tonight. "Walkin around at midnight cause I wanted ta see you," he tosses back, leaning to steal a kiss as he reaches to grab her hands before they can get to far in that tickling she's attempting - hopefully anyway. "Figure if the heat's gettin to ya…" See, he's just worried about her. That's all. "'Sides, they're more private than sittin' up here…" So he might have some personal reasons for it all too. "Could bring bring the twins up for the night. Give your ma a break and have alla us together for a whole night."

Thea tries to avoid having her hands caught, twisting just so that when he leans to kiss her, it'll put him off balance and might just wind up flopping with her onto the mattress. Mind, she doesn't do that on purpose, it's just what happens. Her lips curve mischievously, still trying to wrestle his hands to continue tickling. He needs to laugh more! "I see," she murmurs in regards to the matter of privacy, breathless thanks to all her amused laughter. "Thought you wanted a break from them though?" The glowlight catches a flash of white teeth as she smirks.

D'had chuckles, falling back onto the makeshift bed of hers with a soft 'oof' of exhaled breath and the unexpected. He's still grining up at her, and no, he's not putting up much of a fight against her tickling - that doesn't mean he won't tickle back. "Thought you'd wanna break with them."

Thea lands on top of him still laughing, writhing to avoid any tickling he's doing. She tugs at her hands, finally caught and then quiets to catch her breath. She's looking down at him, but hard to see his face in the dark and with her hair all over his face. She's silent for a few moments, her breathing slows enough to form words. "Maybe," she finally says. "But I get with them off and on all day. I'm more concerned about you. I remember…"

D'had is still laughing for a good while after himself. Hands twine around her, snaking up her back in attempt to pull her down to him. "Yeah well.. not the same." Her seeing them on and off, him seeing them on and off, and them all being together at once. A flicker of concer crosses his features, hidden as they may be in the darkness. "Remeber what?"

Thea melts into him, taken by surprise at his reasoning. "It isn't the same is it?" She knew, but that he knows isn't something she was expecting just yet. She slides one arm to brace her head on as she peers down at him, all the tension leaves her body. "Hmm, yeah. You said you didn't like me here with-" she quotes him, "-'him there'." She traces with one finger along his jawline, "I thought you meant R'owan, but you meant the rider of-" and here she nods her head to indicate the sands below, "-the rider of the bronze down there." She dips her head to drop a light kiss on his nose. "I think I understand now."

She might not want to acknowledge it, but they did have something and it bothers him, even if it was only a flight. "Yeah, well.." D'had replies, a grin quirking the corner of his lips as she traces with that finger. As for the twins, he might completely suck at caring for them, especially at this age, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know the difference of them all being together or not. "You want I should stay tonight?"

Thea knows, can sense it does bother him. "M'gaal's decent, D'had. I do think you'd like him." She's absolutely convinced. There's nothing she can say to change the way he feels about flights, though, except to hold him close and comfort him, assure him he's the light of her life and so she does. She shifts, sliding to lie beside him on that mattress, her arms curving 'round him. "Yeah, I do. Would you?" Plaintive, "I wish you would every night." As for the twins and a night together, "If you'll make arrangements, I'll see if I can get Zaqalekhth to distract Seryth?" It might work.

"Well.. maybe," D'had will agree to disagree at least, shifting to lay on his side facing her. One hand reaches up to push her hair back from her face. "Maybe not every night," he replies reluctant to do so. "But I'll check, see if your ma minds tomorrow." And if she doesn't, he just might. "And you say the day and I will," for those arrangements. Can't be that hard for a weyrwoman, even a junior, and a Weyrsecond to reserve a guest weyr for a night. "Now come on," he adds, pulling her to him and leaving a kiss on her lips before he nuzzles his face into her shoulder, arms still around her, "Try an' get some sleep."

Thea is so easily satisfied at times; this is one of them. She's at peace in this moment and with him, leaning her cheek into his hand for a moment as he pushes her hair back. "Hmm, as long as you know you're wanted and welcome." Her lips meet his, imparting sweetness and her love for him, then she snuggles her head down against his, drowsy now. The last thing she says as her now-heavy lids close is, "Yes, Sir, Weyrsecond," leaving her lips quirked in a slight smile as she drifts off to sleep. Below on the sands Seryth is finally calm and curled about those eggs. Which might beg the question, just who was picking up on who's stress?

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