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It... wasn't that Okassis didn't like Nan. Quite the opposite - she was fun, knew interesting stuff, and was indispensable to his schemes. But why did she have to show up now? It was probably his own fault for not having this talk with S'van sooner, but damn it....

Okassis inhaled, then exhaled. As his lungs emptied, his tenseness rushed away; seconds later, he was only just shy of his usual self, cocky and grinning and energetic.

"Aren't you in the wrong quarters, Nose?" he joked, waving her to join them. It was a bit crowded in the alcove with the three of them, plus the dragonet, but that didn't mean much to Okassis. Bumping his satchel under the bunk, he looked curiously to what she held. "A present, huh? What's the occasion?"

A somewhat stormy expression came over S'van's features as he realized just where Nan was intending to plop herself down and settle in. "Naaan! That's my bunk," he complained, completely outraged that she had decided that his cot was up for grabs. He was, in point of fact, so very wound up that he did not attempt to try to see what Nan had given Okassis. Honestly, where were her manners? Just settling down wherever she sharding well pleased? No, he was not having any of that! "Either you share the bunk with me, or it's the floor for you," he threatened, trying and failing to sound firm. It was hard to seem stern when one's dragonet was falling all over himself to skitter to one's target's side for pettings. S'van, why are you upset? the brown inquired, somewhat confused by his rider's behavior.

A lot of people asked themselves where Nan's manners were. We're not quite sure where they went, but they seemed to make cameo appearances every now and then whenever they are needed. Unfortunately for S'van, now was not one of those times. "What, so you mean I can stay here with you guys? Thanks S'van! You're a real pal!" She grinned cheekily as she crossed her legs on his cot. "And why does it have to be you or the floor? Gall and I can share this bed. You share with Okassis." Honestly, didn't S'van think about his dragon from time to time? Dragons had needs too!

She was distracted from her affronted brownrider friend by Okassis's expression, which had her in barely muffled fits of giggles. Nan had one upped the Trader! She had surprised the normally smooth-talking young man who had fit so well in the little potato peeling circle! And who would have thought all it would take was S'van's naked behind? She should have thought of this sooner. "Oh I think you're worthy, Okassis! More than worthy! How can you not appreciate the detail on this? It's even captured his beauty mark!" She held the picture up beside S'van. "S'van, turn around and lift your shirt so we can compare."

Okassis could barely control his laughter now. As if the gift weren't bad enough, now S'van was really giving them a chance to compare to the real thing? "Shards, Nose, I still don't know!" Okassis gasped, struggling to make words through his wheezing laughter. "Such a, a fine piece of art, it... it deserves an audience! Bigger than this little alcove can contain!" Unable to imagine S'vans's reaction if the piece were shown around, Okassis broke out into helpless guffaws.

A sleepy shout for them to shut up gave Okassis the reason he needed to stifle his mirth, but not stop it. The poor Trader doubled over, hiding his face in his knees, shoulders shaking with unstoppable laughter.

Grumpily, S'van picked Nan up and deposited her on Okassis' bed. "Here. You sleep with Kas. Out of my cot." Then, before she had the opportunity to return to it, he spread out on his bunk, and encouraged Galliath to come sleep on it. But I am not sleepy, mine, the dragonet complained, settling in despite the slightly petulant words. Crooning, the brown hatchling peered at the image. You are brown too! he said, the petulance giving way to excitement. "... Yes, Gall, I am brown as well." Silly, silly dragonet. I am not at all silly! Again, that protest. S'van did not deign to answer. "Kas if you try to find somewhere else for that..." the weyrling left the sentence hanging, not bothering to supply an appropriate threat.

"Aaaaaaw, S'van you're mean," Nan protested verbally as she was physically removed from his cot. "How come you can't just share with Okassis? Does he snore or something?" Alas, it appeared that she would have to be stealing the Trader's bunk tonight, seeing as he probably wouldn't be so willing to volunteer to share with her. She was near positive he wouldn't do anything, buuuut nah. Better him on the floor. If she took up permanent residence here she'd steal S'van's cot later.

Thus, with a somewhat apologetic look on her face she tossed Okassis one of the blankets off the bed. They were really lucky that they lived in Ista and the nights didn't get too cold. Nobody further north would have been able to afford sleeping on the floor. She was forced to return her attention to Galliath when S'van repeated what the dragon had said. "He is brown isn't he? You guys match! If you're not careful you'll have girls flocking into the Weyrling Barracks looking for him!" And his nicely bronzed tush.

"You doubt the word of Nose, S'van?" Okassis asked, amused, as he set himself up a nice little bed. It wasn't exactly comfortable - the stone floor radiated enough cold that it was really more worth it for him to lay his blankets on the floor as a makeshift mattress than to lie on it, and even with the padding, he could feel the hardness of it beneath him. But, he reasoned philosophically, at least he, as a Trader, was used to uncomfortable beds. Of their group, he was probably the best suited for the ground. And besides, it would only be for one night!

'They'll flock all right." Getting situated, the youth grinned. "A whole mess of them will come en masse during the night, staring in through your window, making sure that you're asleep before they sneak in, slowly, so quietly that not even Gall will hear. And then...."

... That was a truly, truly terrifying thought. S'van actually whimpered. "W-would... would they really?" he asked, a plaintive tone to his voice that suggested that he was desperately hoping that Nan was joking-- that Okassis was joking as well! "Th-they w-wouldn't really, would they?" Eeeep! Fingers everywhere? Eyes wide with horror, the young rider covered his head with a pillow. "Women are terrible." He was whining. He was very definitely whining. Oh Faranth, the fingers! The prodding fingers, and...! It was terrible, simply terrible! "Nan, if I let you share my cot... will you keep them away?" He could but hope. The word of Nose indeed.

"... Wait. Wh-what do you mean about sleeping p-positions?"