Chapter 16 - Convalescence
Late Summer, 36thTurn of the Present Pass.
Convalescence was hard for D'min. He was the sort of man who was rarely sick, and as he recovered from the shock of injury the enforced inactivity made him as fractious as a sunburned watch-wher, in spite of his new-found happiness with B'lee.
He desperately wanted to see Aurieth, to check that her wounds were healing. Berchar refused to allow him to walk that far, so one afternoon, ten days after the injury, B'lee borrowed a chair with wheels that was normally used to carry one of the oldest uncles.
"I'm not getting into that thing!" exclaimed D'min when he saw it.
"Well, it's the only way you're going to see Aurieth this side of winter," said B'lee, disappointed that D'min didn't like his brilliant idea. "Berchar can't complain that you're over-exerting yourself if you're sitting down, now, can he?"
"I don't want to look like I can't walk by myself."
"Don't worry, we can tell anyone who asks that it's Berchar's orders. Now do you want to see Aurieth or not?"
Still grumbling, D'min lowered himself gingerly into the chair, and B'lee wrapped a loose piece of linen over the wound to protect it from the dust outside.
"I look like an invalid," muttered D'min.
"You are an invalid," said B'lee. "But you're getting better, and so is Aurieth."
The sunlight was almost painfully bright after so long indoors, and D'min shielded his eyes as they approached the lake, where Aurieth had been bathing. She ambled up and dropped her great head onto his lap, almost upsetting the chair. D'min yelped, but managed to extract himself from the chair and stood up to scratch her eye-ridges with his good arm. Aurieth crooned, and B'lee moved to make a fuss of Margroth, in case he felt that he was missing out.
She's getting a lot better, he commented to his dragon as he smoothed his hands over the iridescent blue hide. I'm glad you've been looking after her.
She needs me, said Margroth, in a gratified tone. And she is happy that you are looking after her rider.
I love him, you know. Does that bother you?
Why should it? He is not a dragon and cannot replace me.
No, he'll never replace you. You're mine forever.
Margroth dipped his head and B'lee scratched the eye-ridges for him, hearing Margroth's happy rumble.
Are you going to oil me today? I am itchy under my left wing.
Oh, Margroth, I'm so sorry! B'lee felt mortified. Although the dragons had reached almost their full growth, they still needed periodic grooming and oiling to keep the skin from going dry and flaky, and since the accident, he'd only given Margroth a hasty inspection before putting on the riding straps. Sure enough, B'lee discovered a flaky patch under the left wing, and hurried off to get some salve.
While D'min sat back in his chair and dozed in the sun, B'lee spent the next couple of hours doing a thorough inspection of both Margroth and Aurieth, and oiled their hides wherever there was the slightest hint of dryness. He was exhausted at the end of it, and resolved to enlist the help of the weyrling class, or at least a couple of weyrbrats, to keep their hides in order while he was still spending so much time with D'min.
Once he'd finished, he refreshed himself with a dip in the lake, lying back in the water and looking up at the blue, blue sky. It was late in the summer, and in a couple of sevendays he'd be 22 Turns old. What a difference the year had made! This time last year he had been just a weyrling, learning to fly between and still getting used to having a bedchamber all his own. S'gan had been with them then, and B'lee felt a momentary pang as he remembered the cheerful blond lad who had made them all laugh with his jokes. Well, S'gan was gone, but D'min was still here, thanks be to all the stars, and D'min would be back fighting Thread in a few months.
He saw the weyrling class appear in the sky above the watch-heights, and realised that the afternoon had passed more quickly than he had anticipated. He ought to get D'min back to the infirmary before he got sunburned, and then - he groaned - it would be time to come back and re-do Aurieth's ointment.
Ah well, he thought, as he gently shook D'min's good shoulder to wake him, with Thread being what it was, there was no doubt that D'min would be doing this for B'lee and Margroth some day, and probably as willingly, so he shouldn't complain.
* * *
A few days later, once Berchar was happy that D'min didn't need all-day care, he was moved to one of the small ground-level guest weyrs, close to the bathing pool and not far from the dining hall. It was a small chamber, intended for one occupant, but B'lee found that there was room in the cot for two, provided that they didn't move around a great deal.
B'lee did everything he could for his friend, including helping him to bathe and eat. D'min was strongly right-handed, and found that he was clumsy with his left, so B'lee helped to cut up his food and made sure that his buttons and lacings were fastened correctly.
It was lucky that the room was warm, in that mysterious way that all the rooms in Fort Weyr were warm, because D'min was unable to wear any shirt yet. Berchar didn't want the slightest amount of pressure or friction on the healing tissue, so D'min went bare-chested day and night. It was comfortable for him, but not for B'lee, who was constantly reminded that although he and D'min had kissed - repeatedly - they hadn't gone any further yet and weren't likely to for some time. He had almost a permanent half-erection these days, and groaned whenever he thought about the many sevendays between now and when D'min would be able to tolerate lovemaking.
A few days after they moved into the guest room, during which time D'min had been more than usually fractious, B'lee finally asked him what was wrong. In spite of D'min's attempts to deny anything, he eventually managed to extract a confession.
"It's just that I really need a wank, and I can't use my hand."
"Oh." B'lee didn't know if he should laugh or attempt to be sympathetic. He could certainly feel some sympathy with D'min - after all, neither of them had had any relief for a while. "Why can't you use the other hand?"
"Because my shoulders still tense up and it hurts. I've tried. Believe me, I've tried." He gave B'lee a speculative look. "I don't suppose you'd fuck me, would you?"
"Berchar would skin me alive. He said absolutely nothing that might damage the wound." Then an idea came to him. "Umm ... I could ... I mean, if you wanted, I ... I could do it for you."
D'min blushed - actually blushed - as he realised what B'lee was offering. "You'd - er - umm ..."
"Well ... yes. If you wanted."
They sat in embarrassed silence for a minute, then D'min cleared his throat and nodded. "Umm ... I'd really like that," he said, shyly, and didn't meet B'lee's gaze.
B'lee leaned forward to kiss him. "I'd really like that, too," he breathed. He sat down on the bed next to D'min. "Move forward," he ordered.
"Now?"
"Yes, now. Unless you'd prefer to wait a few more days."
"No!" D'min, exclaimed, alarmed, and moved forward.
B'lee wriggled around until he was sitting between his lover and the wall. "Lean back against me," he directed. "That way I know I won't hurt you."
D'min leaned back against B'lee's chest, and let his head fall into the natural hollow of B'lee's shoulder. B'lee wrapped his arms around him and started to undo the lacings of his pants. D'min groaned as B'lee's hand brushed over what was already a rock-hard erection.
He slid his hand inside and almost tentatively took hold of D'min's cock. He remembered it being of admirable proportions, but he hadn't held it like this before, and now he was able to appreciate the length and thickness and the way it stirred in his hand.
He gripped a little more firmly and drew his fist up the length, smiling as he heard D'min's deep groan. The sound made him realise that he was hard himself, and he pushed forward slightly to increase the friction he was getting from D'min's movements.
He pushed D'min's pants further down with his other hand and delved down to find his balls, feeling D'min arch his hips up at this new touch. He kissed D'min's neck, and then licked the salty skin, all his senses overwhelmed by the totality of his lover's response.
He tried a few more slow strokes, and was rewarded by inarticulate sounds and curses as D'min squirmed. His other hand crept deeper and deeper until he was able to press the sensitive skin behind D'min's balls, teasing tiny circles with his fingers
"Oh, fuck me, B'lee, please, fuck me."
And that sent a surge of desire through him, making him even harder, and he pressed up against D'min's buttocks. "Soon, love," he managed to gasp, rubbing his cheek against D'min's hair. "Not today, but soon."
D'min groaned and arched and sweated under his hands, and B'lee revelled in the fact that it was he who was eliciting these responses. No matter who D'min had slept with in the past, for now and the future he was all B'lee's, and that thought gave him a deep and profound satisfaction.
He increased the speed of his strokes and in a very short while D'min gave a convulsive arch forward and spilled all down the front of his pants. He rest back against B'lee's shoulder and took several deep breaths.
"Shells! That was fantastic," he breathed. "If it's that good with just your hand, I can't wait to teach you how to suck my cock."
B'lee's erection gave a twitch, as if to indicate its agreement with that, and both of them laughed.
"I wish I could help you with that," said D'min as he pressed back against B'lee. "But I guess you'll have to deal with it yourself. I wish I could watch you. I bet you look amazing when you come."
Now it was B'lee's turn to blush, and he started to move out from behind D'min. "I'll just have to wait until later, I guess."
"Why wait? Why not do it here, in front of me?"
"What? Do that?"
"Why not? You did me. How can it be worse to do yourself?" D'min turned until he could kiss B'lee, holding him with his good arm. "And I really, really want to watch you."
B'lee bit his lip. "I don't want anyone to walk in."
"You weren't worried about that a minute ago."
"That was you on display. This is me."
"Are you really worried? We could bar the door with something. Not that anyone's likely to check up on me at this time of night."
B'lee got up and put a chair in front of the door, then turned back to D'min.
"Come here," said D'min, and reached for B'lee's laces as soon as he was within reach. "Let's see what you've got for me."
B'lee couldn't help gasping as D'min's hand found his cock, and he moved forward without thinking, in order to give D'min better access.
"Take your pants down and kneel on the bed in front of me," ordered D'min.
B'lee complied, though he felt his face going even more red as he climbed onto the bed. The tunic wasn't long enough to hide anything, and he felt awkward with his private parts visible, even if it was just to D'min. He'd never done this in front of anyone before, not even as an apprentice in the Harperhall, and he felt embarrassed.
"Take your tunic off."
He reached down and drew the tunic over his head, dropping it beside him. Now he was completely naked, completely exposed, and he could feel D'min looking at him.
"Touch yourself."
He was reluctant, but he saw D'min's face, and the dark eyes and intense expression made him shiver. D'min wanted this, and he wanted to give his lover the enjoyment of watching him. With that in mind, he spread his knees slightly so that D'min could see him clearly, then reached down with his right hand as he usually did, but more slowly, brushing over the hairs on his chest and abdomen. He took a couple of pulls to get himself fully erect, and then started a regular stroke. He watched D'min watching him, and knew that this was making his lover hard again. It was exciting to see the effect that he had on D'min, the effect that his body had on the one in front of him. He used his left hand to stroke down his inner thigh, adding to the sensory stimulus. Then he cradled his balls, feeling the roughness of the skin at his fingertips.
It was getting easier, doing this in front of D'min, who was certainly giving every evidence that he was enjoying the show - his mouth was slightly open and his eyes were firmly fixed on B'lee's cock, which was now wet and glistening at the head.
B'lee took his hand off the shaft and ran a fingertip over the head, spreading the fluid around. It felt wonderful.
D'min grabbed his hand and brought it up to his mouth. D'min's tongue was hot and wet, and B'lee moaned at the sight and feel of his lover licking the fluid off his finger.
"You taste good," whispered D'min. "I can't wait to suck you off." He licked up and down B'lee's fingers again, swirling his tongue around to catch every inch of skin.
B'lee groaned, and pulled his hand back so that he could start pumping himself in earnest. The wet skin on his cock just made everything worse, and he knew he was about to come. "I want you, D'min," he managed to get out. "Want to feel you, want to be inside you."
"I want you inside me," growled D'min. "Want you hard and fast, shooting inside me."
That was all it took, and B'lee was spurting all over his hand and the bedclothes.
He looked at D'min, and saw how aroused the boy was again.
"Sorry," he muttered. "I think I've just made things worse for you, not better."
D'min smiled. "Don't be sorry for that. It was the most erotic thing I've ever seen." He leaned in for a kiss. "And as soon as you've recovered, you can bring me off again, and then we can go to sleep."
B'lee thought that was an excellent idea.
* * *
B'lee had specifically requested that he not be given any duties on the first day of the tenth month, the day of the Fort Hold Harvest Gather, so that he could spend it with D'min, who was still prohibited from flying and from going between.
At nearly a month after the injury, the wound was still raw in the centre but starting to heal at the edges, and there was a distinct margin of new, bright pink skin. Every day B'lee washed it and re-applied the unguents prescribed by Master Berchar. He made sure to tell D'min how clean the base was looking, and how the skin was growing in from the edges. Once it was all covered with redwort and numbweed again, he generally stayed with D'min until he fell asleep, or until he was called away for Threadfall or some other duty.
D'min was strong enough to take short walks in the immediate area of the lower caverns, and Berchar had agreed that it would be a good idea for him to get out of the guest room for a while. He was strictly forbidden from doing anything that might get dirt into the wound, which meant no exploring the back caverns or sneaking down to the kitchens. Usually the Weyr bowl was off limits, too, because of the dust that was stirred up by the frequent arrivals and departures of dragons, but Berchar considered that it was safe to risk it occasionally for the sake of getting a little sunlight on the wound, providing that it was washed and dressed immediately on D'min's return to the caverns.
Since there was no question of them attending the gather as they had the previous year, B'lee thought it might be a good idea to stroll around the Weyr bowl to the caldera lake and the Hatching Grounds, where they would spend a little time with Aurieth and Margroth. He'd arranged with Seglinder, the Head Cook, to pick up a picnic lunch to take with them, which would spare D'min the necessity of walking all the way back in the middle of the day, especially if, as he hoped, they ended up in D'min's old weyr to take in the afternoon sun.
It was an inspired choice. The wound on Aurieth's neck had closed over, but needed frequent applications of oil to keep the new hide supple until the scar matured. The leading edge of her wing was still raw in spots, but there was no more ichor coming out, so on Moreta's direction B'lee had been applying redwort in wherry-grease, which kept the wound from drying out or getting infected. Aurieth was much happier in herself now that she wasn't in pain, and Margroth had a hard time stopping her from making test flights.
D'min made a huge fuss of her, scratching her eye-ridges and murmuring endearments for many minutes, while B'lee thanked Margroth for continuing to watch her, and took the opportunity to check for any more dry patches. There were none, and Margroth denied any itches, so he relaxed against the iridescent blue hide and waited for D'min to realise that Aurieth was not the only being in the Weyr.
Aurieth is very happy, rumbled Margroth.
So is D'min.
She worries that he will not return to the Wing.
He will, B'lee reassured him. It will be a long time, though - Berchar still says it will be after Winter Solstice, because of having to wear wher-hide.
That is a long time away
At least four months. But he will get better.
Once D'min was satisfied that Aurieth was healing, Margroth took them both up to the ledge of D'min's weyr, and they scrambled off. Margroth hastened back down to Aurieth, but promised to come back for them as soon as B'lee called.
B'lee looked around, and was glad he'd had this idea. He hurried inside and grabbed a couple of chairs, bringing them out on the ledge so that D'min could sit in comfort. The sun was strong and warm, and he knew it would do D'min some good to sit here and watch the comings and goings of the Weyr without being disturbed by dust or by careless inquiries as to his health.
D'min echoed his feelings when he said, "It's good to be up here again, even if it's only for a few hours. I was going mental down in that cramped little room."
"I know. But you'll be back up here soon."
"As soon as Aurieth can fly."
"That will only be a couple more sevendays. But she'll have to take it easy at first - she hasn't flown in a month, remember."
"I know. But weyr to bowl once or twice a day won't hurt her. And I'll do a couple of laps of the rim just to tone her up a little."
"She can do them on her own. You're not flying anywhere for the time being."
D'min made a face at him, but didn't argue, since he'd already been told this by Berchar, Moreta and S'peren.
They sat in companionable silence and watched the activity down in the bowl. There was always something going on - people walking from lower caverns to the caldera lake, dragonets waddling about, small herdbeasts being driven to the feeding grounds - and B'lee was amazed once more at how organised everything was. But then, they had to be - fighting Thread three or four days out of every seven left little time to spare, and the rules and routines meant that the remaining time was used to its fullest extent.
He found that he could identify most of the people down there, even from this height, by the way they moved. Dragonriders were easy, of course, but even the lower caverns staff were familiar to him now after two and a half years at the Weyr. A group of children cavorted in the lake, and B'lee was fairly sure that D'min's brother Dokkerin was among them - he was eight now, and developing a beautiful singing voice. B'lee thought he might make a harper if he didn't impress, and made a note to explore the subject with Curmir, the newly-appointed Weyr Harper who had replaced Willan.
After an hour or so, B'lee noticed that D'min starting shifting around in his seat.
"Is your shoulder troubling you?" he asked.
"A bit," admitted D'min. "I don't want to go back yet, though," he added, hurriedly.
"I wasn't going to suggest it. I thought you might want a bit of a back rub."
D'min smiled at him gratefully. "That would be fantastic."
B'lee moved around until he was behind D'min, and started kneading the tense knots in his shoulders. "Remember the day after the Hatching? You did this for me."
"Mm, I remember that. You weren't used to scrubbing dragons."
"Your hands felt very good."
"So do yours."
Safe in the knowledge that no one would see from the bowl, B'lee dropped a kiss onto D'min's hair and continued his massage.
D'min made a couple of small rumbling noises in his throat, and B'lee laughed. "You sound like Margroth when you do that."
"I do not."
"Yes, you do. Like a dragonling."
D'min snorted, but B'lee could see the smile teasing at the corners of his mouth. Then he had an idea. "Why don't I grab the sleeping furs off both our cots and bring them out here? It would be more comfortable than these chairs."
"Good idea."
B'lee hurried through D'min's weyr and into his own, returning with the promised bundle of furs. He arranged them against the rock face and pulled D'min down to sit in front of him. D'min sat against B'lee's chest and let his fall back into the very convenient hollow of B'lee's shoulder.
"Mmm, nice," he murmured. "I think I'll have a nap."
"You do that." B'lee put his arms around his lover and made sure that he was safe and secure, then tilted his own head back against the rock and dozed. He figured they'd wake in plenty of time to get down for dinner.
"B'lee?"
"Mmm?"
"Thank you for making this a good day."
"You're welcome, love."