The dancing began later that night. A square had been cleared in the dirt, and wooden panels laid down. Tables and chairs were spread out around the square, radiating outwards. Glowbaskets were set up around the square, but not around the tables, so the back tables were cloaked in darkness.

Joseph and Justin sat back there, in the shadows, and watched those gracing the dance floor. Music was provided by Harpers who rotated their duties as they grew tired or new arrivals came to take their place.

Joseph leaned toward Justin, covering his hand on the table. "Joshua has arrived. He has a song for you."

"For me?"

"Yes, listen."

Justin turned his hand in Joseph's and wove their fingers together, tightening his grip on Joseph's hand until their palms touched. Joseph turned to him and smiled, whispering, "Look" as he lifted their joined hands to his mouth and kissed Justin's.

Justin smiled and turned in time to see Joshua step to the front of the stage and wave those playing instruments silent. The dancing figures stilled, looking up to find the reason for the sudden silence. They were reassured by Joshua's easy smile as he began to speak.

"Tonight, I offer to you a work in progress, as the subjects of the story haven't yet finished telling their own tale yet."

He began the song, and within the first several lines, Justin gripped Joseph's hand so tight his knuckles whitened. The song Joshua sang was about him and Ayleth. That's what he meant when he said it wasn't done. He and Ayleth weren't finished living yet.

The song began with Joseph's Search and Justin's subsequent rescue from the dark road in the middle of the night. Justin had the fleeting thought that Joshua sang very much like he spoke, with a rhythmic cadence unusual to most.

Tears sprang to his eyes when Joshua sang the story of Ayleth's Impression.

You are happy.

Are you listening?

Yes, it is a good story.

Justin laughed, making Joseph turn to him. "Ayleth," he whispered.

Joseph nodded and brought his other hand up, so he held Justin's hand in both of his as the song continued.

Joshua ended with a flourish, right at the point that Justin and Ayleth joined the queen's wing to fight Thread.

Those in the audience clapped their hands and stamped their feet in approval of the song. Joshua bowed and smiled his appreciation before turning to the Harpers still behind him. After speaking to them briefly, he left the stage and made his way back to Joseph and Justin's position.

He sat down across from them and smiled. "I'm sorry for the state of your song. It isn't quite finished."

"No, no, it's wonderful," Justin said as Nick approached and sat next to Joshua. "I liked it a lot."

Justin watched curiously as Nick slipped an arm about the Harper, who leaned back against the brown rider. Justin raised his eyebrows at Joseph, who nodded slightly in confirmation.

"So, Joseph," Joshua said, turning to the man. "Your turn to get up."

Joseph turned incredulous eyes to Joshua. "My turn?"

"Yes, they're waiting for you."

Joseph looked from Joshua to the Harpers still on stage. Donnie had joined them, and all looked back at Joseph, smiling patiently. "Oh, no. No, I haven't in years."

"You sing?" Justin asked.

"And very well," Joshua answered.

"Go, Joseph," Justin urged, nudging him with his free hand.

Joseph sighed heavily and stood. "I'm going," he said with an exaggerated sigh, and walked slowly toward the stage.

He stepped up on the platform and turned to speak briefly to the Harpers up there.

"How long has it been since he's sung?" Justin asked Joshua.

"Oh, years I'm sure. Unless he still sings for Narith."

"He sings for Narith?"

"Music is in his soul, his very heart. The dragon that chose him would feel the same. Narith loves music as much as Joseph does, and used to make Joseph sing to him all the time. I'm sure he still does."

Justin turned back to the stage and watched with rapt attention as Joseph addressed the watching crowd.

"It's been awhile, so forgive my rusty voice."

The crowd cheered encouragingly as the opening chords were played. Joseph opened his mouth and began to sing.

Justin sat, mesmerized for the entire song. Joseph's voice was deeper and richer than his speaking voice. He listened so closely to it's levels and cadences that the words of the song escaped him for several moments.

When he did start listening to the words, he gasped loudly in shock. The words spoke of love unspoken and unaware, but still true, still present. There was no doubt as to who the song addressed, as Joseph never took his eyes from Justin's.

New tears joined the remnants of those left from Joshua's song, spilling onto his cheeks as Joseph sang.

Answering tears sprang to Joseph's eyes; Justin could see the beginnings of the glistening moisture.

The song ended several minutes later, and for a long moment, the entire crowd remained silent, lulled into a respectful, awed silence by the beauty of the song.

Joseph smiled and stepped back and his movements broke the trance he'd placed over the crowd. They broke into loud cheers and whistles, stamping and clapping their overwhelming approval.

Joseph left the stage and made his way back to Justin. Upon reaching the younger man, Joseph pulled him up and further into the shadows behind him.

Joseph stopped behind an empty tent and pulled Justin into his arms, held the man tight against his chest. Justin buried his tear-streaked face in Joseph's neck and wrapped his long arms around the other man's back, gripping him tightly.

He felt Joseph's lips move near his ear. "I'm sorry, for telling you this way. I didn't know how else to do it."

"Telling me?" Justin murmured into the skin of his neck.

"I love you, Justin."

Justin pulled back to look into Joseph's eyes. He could barely make out his features in the dark, but he could feel Joseph's arms, tight around him, and the fact that he held his breath, waiting for Justin's response.

"I love you," Justin told him, tightening his arms around Joseph and pressing their lips together.

Joseph's arms tightened even more around Justin's waist, and he moaned quietly into Justin's mouth. Justin felt Joseph's tongue on his lips and he parted them, twining their tongues together in the dark.

Justin pulled back several moments later, and rested his forehead against Joseph's, panting lightly. He felt Joseph's short breaths across his lips as he spoke. "Joseph, I've never..."

Joseph lifted a hand to lay one finger across his lips. "I know."

Justin's mouth quirked in a slight grimace. "Is it obvious?"

"Somewhat painfully so."

Justin moved his head down to press his face into Joseph's shoulder. "I'm not scared. Not really. Nervous, I think. Is it going to hurt?"

"It might, but you won't feel it."

"Why?"

Joseph ran warm hands up and down Justin's back in long, smooth caresses. "You'll be too interested in your own pleasure. It's not like ordinary sex. Everything is heightened. By that time, your dragon has just mated with the bronze..."

"Narith."

Joseph cuddled Justin closer. "Right, with Narith." He kissed the top of Justin's head. "You'll be too concentrated on achieving the same sensation for yourself to notice any pain."

"But I don't... don't even know how it works, Joseph."

Justin almost didn't recognize Joseph's voice when he replied. It had dropped an octave, become more like a velvety caress than a sound. "I can show you."

"Please," Justin whispered.

"Not here, back at the Weyr." Justin nodded and followed Joseph in the direction of the gathered dragons.

The next Thread free day was bright and peaceful. The Weyr moved about lazily, riders used to having a purpose and a mission for each day slept in, took longer in the simple tasks of the day.

Justin rose and dressed in the late morning, after Ayleth had already risen to the fire heights to nap in the sun. He made his way down the ramp to the dining hall for the morning meal. Others of the queen's wing were there, and he ate with Jessica, who was radiant and anxious at the same time, results of the imminent Hatching of Nemoth's clutch. He looked around for Joseph, but was told that the rider had left on Search earlier that morning.

He lingered over breakfast and conversation with others in the dining hall that wanted, as he did, to have the most relaxing day possible. Justin was about to leave when Howard ran in the room, shouting, "Get the queens away!"

Justin's head snapped up as Howard jerked on his arm, trying to drag him from the room. "Ayleth's rising!" Howard shouted, by way of explanation.

The queen riders in the dining hall rose from the table and made hasty exits toward their weyrs.

"Why do the others have to leave?" Justin asked as they slowed down outside.

"They'd try to rise and fight Ayleth." Howard said quickly, looking up towards the fire heights.

Justin followed his gaze and sucked in his breath at the sight Ayleth presented. She was a color gold he'd never seen before, brilliant and shining. She slept at the moment, so he couldn't feel her mind or her thoughts, but he saw her stretch in her sleep in a way that could only be described as sensual, tempting.

He looked around him, and saw the bronze riders all joining Howard in a circle around him, with one notable exception. "Where's Joseph?" he asked.

"He's been called," Howard answered. "He's on his way."

Ayleth still hadn't woken up, and Justin was staring nervously at the bronze dragons gathering on the rim of the Weyr when a new dragon joined them, one familiar to Justin, and Joseph joined the circle of bronze riders around him.

"Trying to start without me?"

Justin, near tears in anxiety, shook his head. "No!"

Joseph laid his hand on Justin's shoulder. "Calm down, Justin. You need to be level headed for this."

Justin nodded and sucked in his breath as he felt Ayleth wake up.

"Remember," Joseph said. "Don't let her eat! Make her blood it!"

"I know!" Despite himself, he recoiled from Joseph, from all the riders surrounding him. He resented them for looking at him the way they did, for the fact that he was an object to them right now. He knew, had been told, that it was what their dragons felt, but he didn't care right now. He backed away from them, pressing himself up against the wall of the Weyr. Sweat pored from every pore on his body as a strange sensation began to develop deep in his guts.

About this time, Ayleth woke and Justin felt the mental link with his dragon. Chris and Joseph had told him about the mating flight, but nothing they said could equal his experience. The depth and strength of the emotions racing through him were frightening. Ayleth woke with a thirst and a hunger indescribable in it's intensity and he felt the same through his link with her.

Justin felt his reluctant but inexorable response to her lust. He'd never felt this close to her, had never felt so much a part of his dragon since the day he Impressed her.

Ayleth glowed in the warm sunlight, strongest at this time of day, and the bright light reflected off her hide so she was almost painful to look at. Aware of the interest from the bronze dragons lining the rim of the Weyr, she turned and stretched, flapping her wings and preening before them. She extended her neck to its fullest reach, showing off the strong line of muscle. Stretching out her hind legs, she arched her back in a sensual stretch and display of flexibility.

Suddenly, she seemed to contract on herself, and then extended again as she leapt from the ground, making powerful down sweeps with her glittering wings.

Three beats of her wings and she hovered over the animal pen before gliding down near the terrified beasts.

"Remember, blood it!" one of the bronze riders said.

"I know!" Justin hissed, wrenching himself away from whoever grabbed him.

Ayleth chose one beast, and gripped it tight in her talons, lifting it off the ground and taking it to a rock ledge overlooking the pen.

Blood it, Ayleth. Don't you dare eat.

If she ate the flesh of the animal, she wouldn't be able to fly as high as she needed to. The meat would weigh her down, make her sluggish. The height she would achieve would be minimal, and she and the bronze that caught her would crash to the ground before they ever completed the flight.

Ayleth tossed aside the blooded carcass and threw herself aloft again, flying low over the pen. The animals inside ran from her, but there was nowhere to run. They hit the fence on one side and fanned out to either side of the pen, still running. As they ran back in her direction, she descended on one of them, a larger beast than the last one, and carried it back to the ledge.

Blood it! You have to fly high! Blood only!

Though they were the entire length of the Weyr apart, Justin couldn't tell himself from Ayleth. He felt that he was there with her, drinking the blood of the animal she'd just killed. He felt her appeased hunger, her driving lust. With a smirking glance over her powerful, winged shoulder, she threw the animal aside and leapt aloft. Instead of swooping down over the pen again, she flew high into the air, ever upward.

Justin gasped at the suddenness of her flight, though he was connected to her with an immediacy they hadn't experienced in awhile. They bronze dragons lining the rim were surprised to, and they all threw themselves aloft in pursuit.

To Justin, the bronze dragons were just blurs, because he was Ayleth more than he was himself, increasing the distance between him/herself and those that would catch her.

The earth fell below her quickly, the Weyr no longer distinguishable from the mountains surrounding it. Thin air cooled her heated body, put in that state by blooding and her overwhelming sexual drive.

She caught a thermal and rode it, allowing it to take her even higher. She spared a glance over her shoulder, saw the pack of bronze dragons far below her, unable to keep up. She saw the ground even farther below her. She'd never been this high.

She felt, rather than saw, the shadow of another. A bronze that had followed her to this height. She beat her wings faster, trying to draw away, no one could catch her.

She sensed the presence of another right before strong talons gripped her shoulders, and a strong neck wrapped around hers. She tried to pull away, but her struggling only gave the bronze a tighter grip, and she gave up, giving herself over to experience.

Justin was no longer aloft in Ayleth's mind, he was in his weyr, spread on his stomach on his bed. A rider hovered above him, both of their bodies straining towards the orgasm their dragons had just experienced.

"Justiiiiiiin!" the other rider released a hoarse shout, slamming himself into Justin. The discomfort was minimal; Justin could feel the slick glide of the oil the rider had coated himself with. The forceful thrusts were welcome in his quest for release. Any hurt was overpowered by the need rushing from unexplored and unexpected depths within him. He felt the rider's hand come around his body, find his erection with a slick, oiled hand. He groaned, thrusting into the hand pumping his cock. The dual sensations, fueled by the sexual stimulation of his dragon's orgasm, proved too much for Justin. With a final shout, he felt all that released from him, pored from his body as he came.

He felt more than heard the cry of the bronze rider; it echoed in his own chest as the other man fell across him, spent.

Justin didn't know who'd caught him, couldn't see the face of the body draped across his back. He could hope, he could wish, but he wouldn't know until he turned around.

As he moved to do so, displacing the man on his back, he felt a light kiss placed on the back of his neck, felt warm, strong hands run up his sides. Hope sprang in his chest and suddenly, he didn't have to move anymore. He knew.

"Joseph."

At the quietly murmured name, he felt strong arms slip around him, tightening across his waist. A warm face buried in his neck, placing kisses up and down the strong line of muscle and flesh.

"You had doubts?"

A wide grin split Justin's face, and he surged upwards, dislodging Joseph, rolling the other man onto his back so he could spread himself above the bronze rider. Justin pressed himself against Joseph, delighted to feel the smooth tingle of skin against skin, hypersensitive in a post orgasmic flush. He rubbed his arms up and down Joseph's sides, feeling warm skin and puckered scars from Thread and Weyr life.

Justin pulled back slowly and laid his head on the shoulder beneath him. Joseph brought his arms up about Justin's waist, and rested his clasped hands in the small of his back.

"You hit the thermal right off, didn't you?"

"Of course."

"So smart."

"I couldn't let another rider get you."

Justin felt a quiet thrill sweep through him. "I wouldn't have let anyone else catch me."

Joseph laughed and pulled Justin closer, his hands making broad sweeps up the younger man's back. "Good to hear."

"Can I close the flights from now on? Now that Narith has flown her?"

Joseph stopped the small movements he'd begun moments ago. "Yes, you can. If you're sure you want to."

"Of course I want to!"

Joseph raised his hands to Justin's face, lining it up to his so he could look in Justin's eyes. "I just need to check, Justin. I'm sorry. I know. I've been working toward this end since Narith pointed you out at that Gather."

"That long?" Justin propped himself on his elbows, his hands buried in Joseph's hair.

"It had to be obvious, after awhile."

"Well, yes, after a certain point. But back then?"

Joseph smiled, and the love in his eyes made Justin's breath catch. "Yes."

"How did you know, back then, that we'd end up here?"

"My heart. I knew it in my heart."

Justin's eyes met Joseph's, blue to warm brown, and he smiled. Joseph lifted a hand, quietly, to trace the smiling lips before he pulled Justin's head down, pressing their lips together in a promise made and fulfilled.

[end]

for Nemo

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