Wandering Wherry Tavern
It is often whispered, in the crowds that converge here, that a certain Weyrleader was asked what he wanted in the remodeling of the pub that was not so long ago given a refreshing. He muttered back over the rim of his ever-present mug, "I don't care what you do with the place, just so long as there is plenty of ale." With that in mind, cask after cask of ale lines the walls of the tavern, the remodeler's idea of a jest. As they age, the casks bring a real rustic atmosphere to the pub, along with the deeply wooden flavor that seems to be the theme throughout.
The lighting is dim, as it should be in all good pubs, and the tables and chairs are plentiful. A long mahogany bar, intricately carved with runner beasts, stands vigilant duty at the head of the bar, lined with stools for those patrons that seek the bartender's company. Behind it are drinks for those not inclined toward ale, as well as a door leading to the small kitchen where snacks are made and a back room that probably holds yet more ale.
It’s a night like any other. Sure, there’s a bit of noise in the tavern, but that’s par for the course after a day of working. At least none of it seems to be too rowdy. No, the rowdy bits already happened earlier in the evening, as many patrons are delighted to discuss, about an unruly patron with too much to drink needing to be hauled out forcibly. Vallen, for his part, endures the occasional clap on the shoulder but has shifted off with a drink to find a seat mostly to himself. No longer on duty, but still half in uniform, the young man has sat himself down with his guard jacket opened up, displaying the white tunic underneath it that might have just a few drops of blood on it. It’s his face that looks a bit worse though, with a bruise forming just under his eye and along his cheekbone. Recent, so it hasn’t managed to get dark yet. The skin is broken right along the ridge of bone, but barely so, and has already stopped bleeding. The cold glass he holds though is held up to his face on occasion, allowing the chill to soothe some of the swelling away. A good natured smile is given at another drink offered to him, and he waves it away with a few words not quite heard over the din of noise. No, he’s got everything he needs at the moment.
There were rowdy bits and A’eyr missed them? ALAS! The bronzerider had the misfortune of poor timing this evening, at least when it came to seeing (and possibly betting) on the sorts of things that really get the blood pumping. He comes in a good chunk of time after the disturbance and well into the calm that follows, wholly unaware of the crushing disappointment that awaited him. He’d shed traditional Igen garb for his riding leathers, considering Xanadu was threatening winter on him and he didn’t want anything he’d grown attached to over the turns to possibly blacken and/or fall off (re: it was considerably cooler than he was used it and it better in his books to be safe than sorry). Alek’s waist length blond hair was tied up in a big beefy bun at the back of his head, keeping errant strands from obstructing his view, and he sported a bit of scruff— suitably maintained— that was trying very hard to be a full beard. Scanning the tavern with bright seafoam green eyes, he finds a table out back that looked relatively unspoken for and so mills his way through the patrons until he can manage to get his hand on the back of an empty chair. Just so happens, that there is Vallen’s table, but the bronzerider flashes the guard a grin that seems to suggest he’s used to using it to get what he wants, “This seat taken…what on Pern happened to you?” He asks, jerking his chin upwards to indicate the would-be shiner, helping himself to chair and scooting in to peer over and get a nice long look of the damage, folding his arms on the table and whistling low. “Got you good, whoever it was…”
Vallen brings the glass away from his face as his table is approached, letting it thunk against the surface of the table. The new face is scrutinized openly, gaze traveling just a little before returning to the bronzerider's face. Once it is deemed that he does in fact not know the rider, Vallen's head tips to the side, slightly, offering a bit of a grin as the man sits. "Eh, job hazard, yeah?" There's a faint twinge for having smiled too big, the wound to his cheek not happy about it. It causes the guard's nose to scrunch just a moment before the brief pain ebbs away. "One of the boys had too much to drink in him. Didn't take too kindly to being told to leave. Gets to spend the night in a cell for the trouble and I get a free drink out of it. Enough of a win for me." A sip of that drink is taken then, before Vallen settles back in his chair to get comfortable. Fingers give a little point and wave at Alek as well. "Pretty good with the faces 'round here and you're not one of 'em. Bar fights attracting the attention of elseweyr now? Vallen, by the way." His own glass is tipped up a bit in salute for the name given. No good mood shall be dampened by getting hit in the face!
With the lowering of glass to table, A’eyr scannings over the damage while he clucks his tongue and shakes his head some back and forth. Then, his gaze darts to Vallen’s, grin ever in place as he lets the guard get a nice long look at a face that indeed the man wouldn’t be able to recognize as familiar to the area. Probably, says his knot, because he’s from Igen. An Igen bronzerider in fact, and a Journeyman of the Healercraft. Not that this means much when a rider could be across the world in the time it took to wink between, but no, Alek was most certainly ‘new’ to the Tavern. “Yeah?” he questions, brows shooting upwards and taking the time to sweep his attention over Vallen’s uniform, realization clicking and all the pieces falling into place from there. The ‘ahhhh’ in his expression plain enough to see and it only makes him grin all the wider, “Careful there,” comes for the wincing, tapping a finger against the place on his own face that was clearly not as damaged as the guard’s was in reflection. Chuckling, the bronzerider’s hand drops away and slides down the smooth leather of one sleeve, “Sorry I missed it, sounds like you put him down pretty fast though if that’s all you got to show for it…” The blonde sounds as if he’s interested in hearing more about the skirmish— however brief— but hey…in a post-Thread world, you get your thrills where you can. Following is a gusty laugh as Alek shrugs his shoulders lightly, “No, no…I’m here for business. Someone had a plant sample they wanted me to have a look at, not a lot of green growing things at Igen.” Light dancing merrily in his eyes, “A’eyr, bronze Indaryth’s. You can call me Alek if you’d like, most do…”
"Wasn't much to miss, being honest." Vallen gives a small sniff for the remembering of the quick bout, tipping his head to give a glance toward the door. "Got just 'bout over there before he suddenly decided that..nah, don't wanna be going and took a swing. My own fault for getting it, didn't really think he was that far gone, ya know? All's fair for the way his face is likely to hurt when he sobers up though." There may just be a self-satisfied smirk that creeps across the guard's face as his eyes slide back, focusing on the bronzerider again. "Happens when the face hits the floor. But he was pretty unsteady, all things considered." And so what if he had a bit of guardly help landing on the ground that way? Totally justified when fists start flying. He brings his glass back up after a moment, definitely more using it as a balm to the hurt rather than actually drinking too much of it. He lets the coolness seep into skin, leaving it there for a time as A'eyr talks. "No, don't suppose much grows out there. I mean..people do, obviously. And since there's water /some/ plants do and all. Just..you know. Dusty things." So. Much. Sand. There's a slight shift in his posture, foot reaching to hook a nearby empty chair to bring closer to himself, and promptly puts the foot up in it. Yes, he is /relaxing/ thank you. He does look a little thoughtful though, peeling the cold away from his face to fully look at the bronzerider. "I think it'd more depend on what /you'd/ like to be called. Can't say I'd be much for calling you Alek if you secretly hate it or something. Pick one, yeah?"
Is that disappointment on Alek’s face? At the very least, his smile maybe loses a bit of it’s shining glimmer there to hear that things weren’t all that rowdy to start with, but it’s quick enough to return. He had glanced the way of the door, then the floor, then looks back to Vallen even as he’s interdigitating his fingers and neatly tucking them under his chin, “Life is full of little surprises though, don’t you think?” Like being cold cocked in the face and then having to put a little bit of a throw down on someone. The expression on the guard’s face brings Alek’s tongue to dance over his lips before they curl upwards especially smirk as if to mirror his own. As delighted as the bronzerider appears to be with how Vallen was handling himself, this conversation, and the situation prior he tips his head in a sideways slant as he tracing his gaze over the results of all those good intentions. “I could whip up a poultice for that, to help with the pain and the swelling, maybe spare you a few days of aches and discoloration…” he considers, getting the far and away look that sometimes dragonriders did, “…that is if you’d like and the infirmary doesn’t mind my intrusion…” Some healers were territorial, after all. He does confirm the lack of vegetation with a chuckle and a nod, “There’s a pretty expansive hydroponics for food and medicinal plants, but nowhere is going to have a little of everything and even these days new discoveries are being made…sometimes…literally…” Rather than get into the merits of splicing specimens together, “But yes, lots of sand…everywhere and in everything…but…a little texture never hurt anyone, yeah?” Grinning wide for this, he easily slides into talking about names, and the bronzerider laughs again, “I don’t hate being called Alek, short for Alekzandyr…which is a bit of a mouthful. A’eyr…well, I’m getting used to it, easier with Indy calling me nothing but….”
Once that moment of face-cooling is done, another sip is taken, and Vallen settles back again to regard the dragonrider. His lips quirk upward still, eyes half-closing for a bit as he swallows down the liquid. "Oh, true enough. Bit of excitement now and then is better than everything always being the same." Even if it does come with a little pain. The mention of a poultice for his face has the guard's brows raising though, interest in the idea fairly evident. "I wouldn't deny a bit of help in that area, not one bit. Got told to throw meat on it. Meat. Raw meat. Figured just some cold would do plenty better than /that/, regardless of whatever good job it'd do." That idea..is not appealing. Not at all. Not in the slightest. There's the vague bit of nose-wrinkling again to go along with the guard's distaste. "Pretty sure they were having a laugh, though. Be right grateful for the help." He shifts to prop his head up in a hand, fingers curled around his jaw as Alek talks of discoveries and hydroponics. The smile slowly returns, looking fairly amused for a brief moment while nodding. He might not know much about…any of that, but he can appreciate it! "There's some places I'm not keen on there being texture, dear rider." Laughter bubbles out, rising quietly while he gives a slight nod of his head. "Alek…A'eyr.. Options, options. We'll see which one sticks, I think."
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” A’eyr quips, ever grinning, “It’s nice to have a distraction from the humdrum of daily weyrlife…” It’s probably a coincidence that the bronzerider was looking at Vallen as he says this, they were having a conversation after all, although his smile was spreading even threatening to split his head in two at this point. A factor that could only be said to be more apparently as the guard appears to be taking him up on his offer to give special treatment even to such a mundane and minor affliction as was sported. The bronzerider will laugh at mention of meat, “I believe it’s more the chill that unsalted stored meat offers than anything the actual proteins can, but I’ve heard of people using all sorts of things. Apparently, all in an effort to avoid the embarrassment of a visit to the infirmary…” And what a silly prospect says his laugh, waving a hand dismissively for it. The healers are your friends! “Absolutely!” comes in confirmation and A’eryr is pushing himself to his feet, stretching himself out a bit as he’s more than ready to do that thing that he does. There was no reason to befuddle their meeting with more talk of things likely only healers of his kind would enjoy, and so he grins over at the guard and gestures for him to show him the way, “I suppose we will…” There’s something just a little dark about his chuckle but it appears to be all in good fun, Alek merely enjoying himself and the company that Vallen provided.
Vallen gives a soft noise of surprise about /avoiding/ the infirmary. His shoulders lift, offering something of an apologetic look. "Not exactly /avoiding/ it myself, just didn't really think about it. Didn't seem all that necessary." He only bled a little, and it stopped! Fingers tap along his jawline though, simply watching A'eyr with the smile playing there when the bronzerider stands up. "This has worked just fine for me." The glass is given a wiggle, but the guard promptly sits straight and knocks back what's left in it. There's a faint hiss for the burn it gives, but then he shakes his head and pushes himself to his feet. Vallen shrugs to make sure his jacket is still well and truly on his frame, then fastens it. Going /out/ again into the cold requires that extra layer! The glass is left on the table then, fingers giving a quick rake through the longer hair on the side of his head to keep it from his eyes. "Suppose I'll take the lead here, yeah?" He knows the way, after all. He lives here! Though he gives a slight gesture for A'eyr to move along with him, and holds the door open once there. "Not all that far, and it'll be back inside without the wind bitin' at ya."
“You should always see a healer after any incident, no matter how minor…” A’eyr tsks softly, waving off the apologetic look while grinning wide, “…your profession requires that everything be in proper working order, hmm?” Faranth forbid that Vallen loses an eye or strokes out due to a subdural hematoma, but the bronzerider keeps those precious little factoids to himself because it probably was just as it seemed. Nothing to really fuss over. Still, he was happy to look him over and do as he’d offered, refuse pain and swelling and send the guard off the better for it before returning to Igen’s rolling dunes of sand. Sigh. Laughing, green eyes sparkle as Alek shakes his head a bit, “Oh, has it now…” he teases in playful good humor of how things had worked out in their fineness, waiting for Vallen to join him prior to making their way out. Spring was well underway in Xanadu, but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t chilly out there, which made the bronzerider all the more thankful he’d worn what he had when popping over earlier that day. As for taking the lead? Alek chuckles, “My own personal bodyguard, how delightful…” Moving along beside the smaller man, he bobs his head in thanks for the open door, not so tall himself that he needs to duck thankfully. “Somehow I think I’ll live. It does get quite chilly in the evenings at Igen…” he says lightly. Oh, Alek knew his way to the Infirmary just fine, but having an escort had its merits.
The laughing good mood remains despite the chiding, although Vallen does have the good sense to look properly contrite about it…despite trying to hold off on a bit of snickering. "I promise I'm fully functional. Tip top shape other than being a bit sore. That's not always bad." Once through the door and out into the main clearing area, the guard is able to take a larger breath. The more open nature of the area is definitely..preferable to the people and chatter of the tavern. Hands delve into his jacket pockets to keep his fingers from the chilly though, shoulders rising. "Mm, yeah. Heard that. Haven't been on over to Igen myself but I heard that it gets pretty far on either end of the temperature dependin' on the time of day." Taking another step or two, Vallen whirls around, able to look at A'eyr better by walking backwards for a few paces. It's a pretty clear walk, after all. His brows lift, that grin aimed quite widely at the bronzerider. "Free drink, a decent story to tell, meetin' new people. What's not to like about how my night's ended up? Oh, /and/ a promotion now! Personal bodyguard! I'll do what I can to fulfill the duty, sir." There's even a salute, playful though it is before he turns to walk properly again.
It was all in good fun even if the healer side of Alek couldn’t help but leak out of him from time to time. However as Vallen replies, the bronzerider can’t help but laugh, “Are you now,” he muses, letting his gaze remain on the guard a few seconds longer than necessary while he smirks at him. This aside and through the door he closes behind them, A’eyr presses onwards, not seeing as bothered by the chill that still hung in the air of early spring as his newfound companion was. “That it does, which makes wearing traditional leathers during the day uncomfortable, so…we wear these weird hats and funny robes if we have to be outside for any reason.” There are names for these pieces of clothing, that he knew of course, but there was little use repeating them if he just had to explain what they were afterwards. With Vallen turned around and walking backwards, A’eyr is able to have a good solid look at the all of the guard as well, “I like that you look on the brighter side,” he grins back and for some strange reason the bronzerider looks more relaxed for it, laughing rich and deep over the whole bodyguard thing which seems to have taken on a life of its own. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind…” is heard behind Vallen, “If we happen upon any sudden and unexpected danger, of course.”
"Handler of danger, that's me." Vallen is quite confident in this matter! Of course, they're also being rather playful in the moment. Still, he /is/ at least an actual guard. Danger is something he'd hopefully be able to handle if it actually came down to it. He casts a look at A'eyr now and again while they walk, nodding along with the idea of funny clothes. "Makes sense and all, if things are too hot for regular stuff. Can't be having half the Weyr having heat stroke or melting into puddles willy nilly." That just wouldn't be good for the population! It doesn't take long to cross the clearing though, and Vallen brushes in through the entryway to the other part of the Weyr, with the infirmary just a short jaunt away. "Mm," It's a soft sound of agreement that comes from the guard as he moves into the infirmary area, taking a quick peek around for anyone that might suddenly take offense to their presence there. Or worse, have some kind of /form/ to fill out. "Could be negative or positive about things, the way I see it, but doesn't do a whole lot of good to dwell on the more..unfortunate bits. Get all caught up in my own head if I did that, and it's not a fun route to get down on." Hands finally give a wider gesture to the infirmary at large, motioning for the bronzerider to do as he likes within.
A’eyr grins over at Vallen with a laugh, getting and going with the playfulness rather than focus on the actual danger involved with being a guard. Sure, it’s probably a lot of handling drunkards and foot patrols, keeping the peace within, but the bronzerider was not so foolish as to believe that this was always the case, “I’ve never felt safer…” Whether or not that was true mattered less than the comradery, although there was something to be said about the way the bronzerider appears utterly relaxed despite their trudge through the meadow at night, his lack of attention to the surrounding forest, and that he’s armed only with his wit. Green eyes flick over towards the man walking at his side, “Basically, yes…” he muses, “…but that doesn’t stop people from trying.” But hey, it kept the Infirmary bustling. A factor that proves to be the exact opposite as they move indoors and through the passageways leading to Xanadu’s, pausing just a moment on the other side of the doors for someone to speak to, and of course there are people there. Someone at the front desk who looks half asleep, one or two beds with people snoozing away, and a single healer way in the back shuffling through paperwork, “Always best to see the positive even in a negative…” comes in passing, resting a hand on Vallen’s shoulder a moment before he strides forward to have a chat. It doesn’t take long to get the go ahead, but both women have their eyes on the bronzerider, probably because he was asking a lot of them and they were justifiably wary. That was one of their people in their infirmary, but neither of them seem much interested in putting in as much attention or effort as their Igen visitor was over little more than some redness and swelling. Hooray for laziness! Satisfied, “Go ahead and have a seat there…” he chirps over at the guard, gesturing towards an exam table, moving off to rummage through the assorted herbs and whatnot in stock. Not long after he’s adding and grinding things with a mortar and pestle, humming softly to himself rather tunelessly.
Vallen is quick to offer a grin and a wave to those already present in the infirmary. It's likely that he's at least familiar with them, after all. He lives here! And physicals are probably rather routine. He does at least make himself a tad bit more subdued in respect for those that are sleeping, however, ducking his head at the disapproving look he's given due to his face. A shrug comes, still smiling, before following the bronzerider right along. He makes himself comfortable at the exam table, shifting right on up to sit on it with just a slight hop. Hands hold onto the edge, and the guard lets his feet swing just a little back and forth while he watches A'eyr work. "Doesn't sound too thrilling, really, worrying about how hot it might be on a given day. ..Or cold. Or hot /and/ cold if you have to work from day to night. Sounds like a complicated mess of outfits to manage." He's already prying his own jacket back open though, now inside again, and shrugs his way out of it to drape on the table beside him. "Alright then, ready whenever you are."
“It’s not as bad as all that,” A’eyr explains, his back turned to Vallen as he grinds and smooths out that concoction over there, able to hear just fine even with their voices set low out of respect for those that are sleeping and healing. At some point he sets the pestle aside and scoops out what he’s made into a little jar that he carries over along with it’s lid, along with a cotton swab. All that is set down as the bronzerider moves in between the guard’s legs and gets close, real close, raising a hand to take gentle hold of the other man’s jaw as to turn his head this way and that as he peers at the offended area, “Mostly stay in one set of clothes or another. It’s more about planning out the day and what’s expected to occur and if those plans change…well…” Alek chuckles then and shrugs, indicating that perhaps one just had to deal with the consequences. Putting Vallen’s head into the angle he needs, the bronzerider lets go, “Just hold there…” he mutters, distracted, reaching down and picking up the jar and swab and then gently begins to pain it on the areas of swelling and discoloration. It smells minty over the medicine scent and tingles into a warm heat on contact, reaching a height and then plateauing off before it can be discomforting. The biggest benefit— the one with an almost immediate effect— is that it eases the pain back to a very dull and distant ache, and one that will gradually fade in the next few moments. Even with the shifting of facial muscles beneath it. Yeah, it was some good stuff. “There you go,” is said quietly after application, leaning back and stepping out of the personal space that healers tended to cross into freely as if it were their job or something, tossing the swab into a trash bin and screwing the lid onto the little jar before offering it over. “Apply this with a clean dry finger once or twice a day for a sevenday and you should avoid discoloring that handsome face of yours too much…” Alek tacts on with a crooked grin, “Though, don’t get it into or rub it into your eyes unless you want to be in a world of hurt. Remember to wash your hands thoroughly following any application…yadda yadda…” Common sense really, but, it was worth mentioning regardless.
The guard chuckles faintly, nodding right along. "About the extent of my daily planning seems to just involve if I'm on shift or not. Figuring out how to not fall over during it…well. I'm glad I live here and not there, yeah?" Vallen's mouth closes though once A'eyr moves to enter his own little space bubble, and while his legs do shift out of the way rather easily, the young man does hold in a breath. The energy he has comes to a still and a hush, head going along with how he's moved for the bronzerider's viewing. There's only blinking, though he stares right at Alek unflinchingly all the while. Once he's let go, he seems ready to start the process of breathing once again, tongue taking a brief moment to wet his lips. "Not movin', nope." A task that may just be a little bit difficult, considering that the first touch to his injured skin comes with a mild flinch, even if it's not exactly voluntary. Vallen does begin to relax rather quickly though, lips curving and eyes half closing as the pain begins to ease down. "Mm, that's definitely better.." A hand comes up to instinctively touch at the area, but he manages to avoid making that mistake, instead taking hold of the jar offered as A'eyr steps back. His handsome face? That earns a slow smile from the guard, sitting up somewhat straighter on the table. "Well that's downright marvelous, isn't it? Anything you want in return, you just name it, yeah? Already working wonders, this is."
The bronzerider nods once, smile unwavering, at least not until he was all wrapped up in being all concentrated and professional. It’s quick to return though, in full force and effect, once he’s done admiring his work and steps away, “I keep to Igen when I can for my sister. She seems happy enough there for now, but if she were ever to move on elsewhere I might set myself up someplace else too.” Alek moves off further, heading over to sink in which to wash his hands and dry them again, not about to disregard his own advice. A grin is tossed back the guard’s way as he does, laying the cloth he’d used out before he goes to clean up the preparation area. He’s clearly not surprised that the salve is working as intended. Everything set to rights, he returns, but remains at a comfortable distance. “Not necessary, I’m just glad to be of help.” He’ll give Vallen’s face a once over from where he stands and nods his head a few times, seemingly satisfied with the way the stuff had smoothed and melted with the guard’s body heat without any worrying signs it’d drip down and compromise his ability to see. Then, abruptly, “But, I should probably head back…” he says with a truly broad and toothy grin, “Unless there is anything else you can think of that I can do for you.” Brows lift at that slightly as he chortles to himself, though he’s already turning away, likely of a mind to thank the two ladies for the use of their space and supplies.
Vallen slowly grins, but finally does hop down from the table to regain his footing. That jar is kept, stuffed into a jacket pocket when he picks the garment up as well. "Hah! Just gonna have to lament the idiot didn't hit me in the mouth, is all. Not much to be done about that now." It's a playful look he offers the bronzerider, fingers tapping at his lower lip. He does tug that jacket on again though, settling into the sleeves all nice and snug. Fingers pull free a bit of hair that gets trapped in the collar, head shaking with the slight chime of the charms on his necklaces. The fact that A'eyr might be going though? Oh, there's a slight forlorn expression that crosses the young man's face. An end to the entertainment of the evening? Well it certainly can't last forever. "Wouldn't do to keep you too long from home, I'd reckon. You wanna keep doin' me favors, you might come looking 'round this way again, yeah? Might let you get through a visit without having to do any healerin' work."
Okay, that there warrants a pause and really were this ancient earth— Alek might just feel as if he had just been told that it was Christmas morning and he was just given the go ahead to rush downstairs to open his presents. Practically giddy is he, but the way it’s expressed comes off as oddly muted and subtle save for that hesitation and stop, turning back toward Vallen with a downright wicked twist to one corner of his mouth, “Oh?” he inquires, peering over at the guard and perhaps letting his attention waver ever so faintly from eyes to lips in question. OH REALLY. “And why is that, hmm?” Given the mischievous sparkle alight in those pale green eyes of his as he lifts his gaze to match the guard’s, he’s probably already wagered a guess but was having far too much fun to let the dance they’ve been at for sometime now just end as suddenly as it’d begun. Ah, that change in expression on Vallen was absolutely delicious though. “Ah, yes. I should hurry back to my plants, they do get ever so lonely…” Thanks for reminding him buddy! Tutting gently to himself, the bronzerider tosses another grin the guard’s way before marching off to give thanks and such to the womenfolk. He doesn’t linger long, returning shortly thereafter to gesture towards the infirmary doors, “Shall we then? Before something else should happen to you preferably…” Alek teases lightly, smirking all the while.
Enjoying the show, ladies? Not like much else is going on in the infirmary aside from this playful flirting behavior. Vallen gives an easy shrug though, quite easily keeping his eyes on A'eyr all the while. "They /say/ that kisses do wonders for your hurts. I'd be willin' to test the theory if it's half as good as your hands." His head tilts, smirking ever so slightly before leaning to peer around the bronzerider, one hand lifting to jovially wave at the ladies over there. Yep, he remembers you being over there. Mention of plants catches his eyes roaming back to Alek then, nodding seriously. "Oh, I imagine they would, the poor things." He watches all the while as the rider goes right over to the women, rocking briefly on his feet while he waits. The smile on his face grows minutely when A'eyr returns, stifling that laughter down to not disturb the sleeping patients. "Should hope not. One of them gets mad and I'm done for." Fingers give a bit of a gesture over toward the desk while his feet give him a turn, moving him right back out of the entrance of the infirmary where he can breathe a little freer. No need to worry about his volume out in the hall!
It’s difficult to say what the ladies think, though there is a side glance between them at one point or another, probably when Vallen makes his bold proclamation. Alek? He breaks out into a grin so wide it truly does threaten to split his face in two, “Do they now,” he quips right back, though it’s not really a question. Rather than address that savory second bit, the bronzerider blinks once before chuckling and saying what he needs to say to the two manning the infirmary. One of them, the one who was half asleep at the front desk, begins to return that wave before she’s gently nudged by her sighing compatriot. Well, one can suppose they’ve seen enough of the show to be glancing at the time rather than wanting to stick around for the next act. Speaking of which, don’t think that Alek has forgotten what Vallen’s proposed, the delay in an answer may very well be because of their surrounding and the two sets of eyes that follow as they depart the Infirmary for the dimly lit hallway beyond. “Oh, I think you could take them…” The bronzerider flings a grin back at the two women before the doors close behind them again, though neither of them look particularly impressed with the impromptu show’s conclusion. Shame, that. As for his plants? There’d been soft quiet laughter, because yes, the poor things. All tucked away in their individual pots filled with mineral rich soil, freshly watered that morning with all the sunlight they could ever want. They had it rough. In the hallway there is amiable silence as he begins to head back the way they came, though his steps are far from hurried, and just when it seems that perhaps he was never going to directly address the guard’s proposal, “You have a place in mind for the testing of your theory?” is asked, lips curled upwards in a grin as he looks over.
"A place in mind..?" Vallen trails the words as he walks along, a thoughtful look passing across the guard's face for the question. There are places galore in the Weyr, after all. Many places to be. A moment later there's a laugh from the young man, taking a quicker step forward so he can turn and block A'eyr's path. "Sure, I gotta place all figured out." A hallway works just as good as anywhere else! That bit of height difference is cause for Vallen to have to reach up, but he does so to get directly into the bronzerider's space. Fingers take a grip of the rider's jacket, the other hand lifting to find his jaw. A slight mirror of the grip of the healer in the infirmary, really. He's not quick about it though, offering the chance for A'eyr to refuse before his lips actually make contact. A faint, slow brush of contact that's more teasing than insistent, letting it linger before allowing a breath of space between them again. "Dunno about a painkiller.. definitely don't feel numb." His thumb brushes a moment against A'eyr's jaw and corner of his mouth, then the guard gently releases his hold with a slow smile for the rider. "Thanks for the help, A'eyr."
Brows drift upwards for the echo, but Alek’s grin remains, as do his eyes on the guard throughout the contemplation towards location for experimentation. Vallen’s laugh deepens the amusement the bronzerider wears, stopping short as the other man strides forward and directly in front of him. As if curious what might happen next, he tilts his head to the side somewhat, shoulders lightly bouncing as he quietly chuckles even as the front of his jacket is snagged and he’s pulled into that lighter than light brush of lips. That Vallen uses his jaw as anchor brings forth a brief smirk, one that eases back into a softer grin once space is returned and he can adhere his gaze to his once more without having to cross his eyes, “I’d be concerned if that was the case,” he replies mutedly, relaxed and idle beneath the gentle caress of that thumb, though his arms remain as ever loosed at his sides. Released, the bronzerider nods once, unmoving though perhaps not unchanged— given the way in which he looked at Vallen had intensified notably— as if he were waiting for something, “You’re welcome, anytime…”
"Anytime, is it?" Vallen lifts a brow ever so slightly at that, an amused smirk twitching his lips upward. "I'll take you up on that, I think." Of course, that could mean needing patching up or enjoying delicate little kisses given, but /pain/ is likely not high on the list of things Vallen is keen on giving himself often. In fact he remains fairly close to the bronzerider, a hand reaching to give a suggestive forward tug to A'eyr's jacket again. "If anytime is now, I wouldn't mind that at all, really." The interest in further experimentation with that sort of activity is rather evident, and the guard leans up again to provide another. Still, he remains gentle about it, the touch of lips light but remaining as they're given motion. Brushing, pressing, then a brief taste taken of the bronzerider's lips, tongue a quick and fleeting thing.
A’eyr returns the smirk, though he doesn’t say anything, merely keeping his focus on the guard before him and watching every move that he makes. One might even go so far as to say that he studies him, documenting his gestures, demeanor, and movement as if it were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen and that he was eager to see what came next rather than showing any sign he was worried about scaring Vallen off by doing this or that. However, as he’s pulled downward again, the bronzerider takes a breath in quickly past the part made in his lips, “Vallen…” he breathes out, hands twitching at his sides and momentarily quieted by the renewed brush of lips and ficker of tongue over his own, muscles tensing enough to be noted, “…if I start I’m not going to be able to stop…” It may have been murmured softly, but the warning in the rumble of his voice and exacting of his phasing should be plain enough to be understood. This was probably not the place to continue kissing on him, not unless they wanted to risk an interweyr incident or something of the like.
Vallen doesn't appear too worried about the locale of the affections given. It's late, after all, and they're not doing anything /indecent/. Anyone that might take notice is likely not to /be/ noticed by the guard in the moment, after all. His own voice is low when he parts again from A'eyr's mouth, leaving a breath of space there between them. "Givin' you the impression I'd want ya to?" Still, those fingers of his slowly loosen their grip on the bronzerider's jacket, smoothing a palm down the front of it while settling back on his feet properly again. That tongue gives a swipe over his own lips again, wetting them while giving himself enough distance again to breathe, then tilts his head, gesturing off down the hall. "C'mon, got a quieter place to go 'n figure it out, yeah?" It's an offer, at least, as Vallen pries his feet into motion to start off down the hall. The area made for residents isn't exactly far away, after all.
The bronzerider may appear as if he took nothing seriously, but his warning had been for a very good reason. He was a guest of Xanadu, and while he may have heard that the Senior here was more lenient than most, he wasn’t about to risk getting grounded back home for doing something indecent in public. That, see, was the issue. When A’eyr had said he wasn’t going to be able to stop, he’d meant, at all. It wouldn’t have stopped at kisses and light petting. “Not here,” he replies a little breathlessly, seeming to be tapping into a considerable amount of willpower that leaves even himself impressed. Oh, Alek was still smirking something fierce, but there was definitely an edge of seriousness that might look odd on him. Green eyes dart to the swipe of tongue over the guard’s lips and his own jaw twitches just once before he nods and tosses a glance over his shoulder back towards the Infirmary. After that, it’s a matter of following Vallen towards a safer and more private location, no matter how close or far it might be.