Loyal to the Motherland [M]

[DragonSong]

"Ahhhh..."

Verik found himself blushing, irritatingly enough. He cleared his throat and glowered at the spikes of Bane's neck, feeling the dragon's chuckle rumbling beneath him. How was he supposed to answer that?

Y'know what? Fuck it. He decided to just go with the truth.

"Honestly? I don't," he replied bluntly, straightening his shoulders a bit. "I just wasn't about to leave you there under Anselm's thumb. Not even sure how that louse has made it as far into the corps as he has, but definitely shouldn't be left in charge of another person's well being."

Particularly not a person he could otherize like he could with a slave. Dehumanize. Verik clenched his teeth, fighting off a shudder at the thought.

[Juno]

Dane had just wanted some time to mentally prepare himself for whatever was to come. He certainly hadn't expected nothing after Verik's earlier argument about work. And honestly...it scared him. What would a slighted Anselm do when Verik brought him back? Surely nothing good could come of it, but his plan was a small reprieve from whatever the younger soldier had in mind for him.

"I...think I understand your concern, sir. Thank you. I'd like to make myself useful if there's anything you can find for me to do to help, though." There was always work to be done, wasn't there? Nobody liked an idle slave. That was how he'd always lived, and Dane really wasn't sure what to do with himself if he wasn't needed for anything at all.

[DragonSong]

"Ah, yeah. Sure." Verik fell silent, wondering to himself what he could possibly put the lad to work doing. He normally liked border patrol because it didn't require more than one dragon and rider pair.

Gods. He'd have to figure something out.

[Juno]

At least he had his answer.

The silence that fell between them was actually quite comfortable knowing he had no immediate expectations of him. It gave him time to think, though, and he blushed lightly to realize he had quite a few questions. "Could I ask you something? Or a few somethings if you don't mind?"

[DragonSong]

Verik's eyebrows quirked up, surprised. "Of course," he blurted, more on reflex than anything else. "Um...ask away?"

[Juno]

"Can I ask your name? Or...rather, what would you like me to call you by?" Dane asked, uncertain if he was to be casual with the soldier or formal enough to only address him a particular way. "And...how long will it take to get to the first camp?" He wasn't sure how much flying he could stomach his first day, but knowing anything would help him steel himself for whatever would come.

[DragonSong]

"Oh, just, uh..." he flushed, glad his back was to the other man, and coughed. "Verik is fine. You're not a soldier, I don't expect you to observe rank or anything like that."

He coughed again and scowled when he felt Bane rumble a chuckle beneath him. "We should be at the first site before sundown," he continued briskly.

[Juno]

"Okay... Verik," he murmured, testing the sound out for himself. It was a good name and not anything he'd heard in the barracks yard. He could only assume it was his first name or what he preferred to go by to civilians.

It was a relief to know he wouldn't have to fly with them at night, though, at least not for the day. He wasn't so sure he could handle being disoriented in the dark. Feeling the vibration of the dragon's rumble startled him slightly and he eyed the beast skeptically. "Was that...his stomach growling? He isn't hungry is he?"

[DragonSong]

Bane laughed again, snorting and tossing his head. Verik sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Relaz. That's just a laugh." He shrugged and glanced back over his shoulder at the younger man. "If you're with us long enough, you'll start to pick up on his different signals."

Of course, Bane could speak verbally, but he rarely chose to do so, even when Verik was the only one around.

[Juno]

Signals? Dane had never spent much time near dragons before, usually only in passing, so he had no idea what the beasts were even capable of signalling.

"Like a...guard dog?" he guessed, the canines the first thing to come to mind when he'd given it any thought. "What can he tell you?"

[DragonSong]

The dragon suddenly tensed, growling dangerously. "Whoa, easy," Verik said quickly, patting his neck. "Look, not everyone is used to dragons, don't get offended."

He glanced back at Dane, one eyebrow quirked. "Dragons are just as intelligent as you or me. So...not like a guard dog, no. He can tell me anything he wants-- we're partners."

[Juno]

Dane went pale at the sound of the dragon's growl, inching closer to Verik as if that might save him from the beast if he turned on him.

"I'm sorry, Bane," he whispered, reaching down to pat at his hide. He was uncertain if he could even be heard, but he felt he owed the dragon an apology all the same.

"That seems...useful. I guess you're always working together, huh?"

[DragonSong]

The dragon huffed and rumbled again, but it was softer this time, more friendly. Forgiveness.

Verik smiled and nodded, his expression softening as he patted Bane's neck again. "Yeah. He's a good lad, just a bit grouchy."

Bane huffed and suddenly tipped sideways, lurching his passengers to the left in retaliation. "Whoa!"

Without thinking, Verik twisted and wrapped an arm around Dane, tugging the smaller man tight against his chest to keep him secure as he gripped Bane's saddle tight with his legs. "Oi!" He kicked at the dragon's side. "We've got a newbie, remember?!"

Scowling, he looked down at Dane, eyes crinkling in worry. "You alright?"

[Juno]

The sensation of falling, if brief, had Dane scrambling and scratching for purchase with a startled squeak. With Verik twisting to hold onto him the younger man was doing his best impression of becoming fused to the soldier, his body tense and his hands trembling in fear he didn't dare voice as he clung to Verik's shirt.

Dane squeezed his eyes shut once he felt more secure, a thin sheen of sweat rising over his flesh. He opened his mouth to speak but shut it without a word and just nodded vigorously in answer. He didn't trust his tongue to tell a good enough lie for him.

[DragonSong]

"Uh...h-hey." Shifting slightly, Verik awkwardly gave Dane a little pat on the back. "Um, look, you're okay, see? Nothing bad's gonna happen..."

He glowered down at Bane's neck and felt the dragon give a sheepish little flick of his tail.

Sighing, the dragonrider very carefully, wrapped his arms around Dane's middle and murmured, "You've gotta trust me for a second, okay?" and he twisted back to face forward again, pulling the smaller man around to sit in front of him on the saddle.

Quickly he settled his arms to Dane's sides, hoping it might make their passenger feel more secure. "You're okay, see?"

[Juno]

Trust? The word had the slave tensing fiercely, a protest rising in his throat that only came out in a fearful whine as he was transplanted and forced to release his anchor. The saddle did help, though, and Verik's arms there to steady him finally had Dane opening his eyes to cast a surprised look at him over his shoulder.

"...thank you. Didn't have to do that," he mumbled, quickly turning to face forward again with a rush of red racing up his throat to settle across his cheeks. Kindness wasn't something he was exactly accustomed to receiving in droves and while Verik's persistence was slowly chipping at him he worried what might be expected of him in return once they were landed and settled at camp.

[DragonSong]

Verik felt his own blush deepening, but he smiled slightly as he felt Dane relax a bit in front of him.

"Sure I did," he replied a little gruffly. "I'm the soldier, you're the civilian. I'm supposed to look out for you out here."

Bane huffed another soft apology and glanced back at his two passengers, expression somehow contrite.

[Juno]

Verik's explanation, while somewhat comforting, left him feeling uneasy as well. It took him a few moments to realize why. He'd been studying Bane, shocked at how readable his expression was and in awe at the depth of emotion in the dragon's eyes. He tilted his head with a nervous smile, hoping the beast might not hold a grudge for what he'd said about him before. It finally caught, though, and Dane shook his head gently.

"I don't...I shouldn't need help," he tried cautiously, hopeful Verik might understand that well enough without finding him ungrateful.

[DragonSong]

The captain huffed and rolled his eyes. "Well, whether you should or shouldn't, you obviously do. So I don't really see why we're arguing about it," he pointed out wryly.

[Juno]

Dane tensed at that, his cheeks darkening further though he was grateful the soldier couldn't see him well at the moment. Talking back had almost never served him well in life, so he swallowed his pride and nodded in agreement, "I didn't mean to argue, I'm sorry. You're...you're right, I did. Thank you...I mean that."