When you might have maybe given a diety your numbr

It wasn’t often that they all decided to go somewhere together; least of all somewhere so far from the high mountains they resided upon, and for such an extended period of time like they were planning with this trip to the beach front.

It wasn’t that Orrin was particularly opposed to the idea, in fact the Dasher had been intrigued by the plans since his two housemates had informed him about them; Duelek had phrased it as little more than something to do to really enjoy the summer months for once while Mihal had more described it as an excuse to get their twin out of the constant, unchanging cold of the dense forests and high altitudes, thinking that somewhere between the warmth of the sun, the salt of the ocean and the sheer difference between it and what they’d all grown accustomed to, it would help to ease at least some small amount of the aches the Weaver was cursed with on a near daily basis.

And with Duelek’s… companion of the re-living nature on board with the idea to make the trip to the beach-front they had the majority vote and there was quite literally very little Duelek could do or say otherwise, not if he didn’t want to be dragged there by a combination of his Robber and Orrin himself.

It was a pleasant difference, a new experience, being this close to such a wide, open expanse of water for what was the first time in his existence, and quite a bit unnerving if he were to be honest. Orrin had first been used to the dense, imposing woodds and the featureless stone of the household he’d been enslaved to, and then to the chill of the forests’ embrace on the high mountain tops with the two Weavers that had taken him in, he’d never known warm sand and endless waves, it was… new. In a good way.

He felt a tap against his shoulder, bringing him back to himself standing at the edge of where the beach-front gave way to the more built up parts of the area, the bars and food places, the lodging areas and everything in between that one could need in order to stay comfortably in the area. A resort the twins had explained to him, groups and clusters of establishments made with the direct purpose of giving people places to stay and the necessities needed to visit a place like this one.

Another new experience to add to the numerous the trip was giving to him.

He blinked down at Mihal, the masked Weaver cocking their head in a silent question before they signed an inquiry with long thin-boned hands.

“I am perfectly fine, I assure you,” his voice sounded distracted even to his own ears and Orrin cleared his throat, ears flicking back against his head in response to Mihal’s fond look. “I am just… observing things whilst I have the chance. It is all very, very new.”

‘No hurry,’ they signed to him, ‘we aren’t going nowhere in a hurry. Enjoy it.'

“But do we not need to unpack before-” he started only for Mihal to wave their hands in a firm motion.

‘You enjoy the place, we can be handling the unpacking.’

“I do not think that the other two will be nearly as helpful as you wish them to be.” Orrin pointed out gently, not wanting to seem like he was purposefully finding faults in their wants for him to enjoy himself, but wishing to point out his worry all the same.

Mihal started to respond to him but was quickly cut off by the voices of the two said others behind them.

“Cuh-come on, you’re b-buh-being so slow.”

“I’d like ta see you try walkin’ round on this fucking sand with a crutch without fallin’ over yaself! Ya the one that was sayin’ I needed ta be using the thing!”

“You nuh-need it so you don’t fall o-o-over like a fucking’ d-d-duh-doll!”

“It ain’t being much in the ways a helpful now.”

“Then I’ll juh-just carry you.”

“Wait no, what a ya- being ta put me down right now, please!”

“Nope. Now sh-shut up and I’ll carry you t-the r-rest of the way.”

“Evander you fucking asshole I ain’t needin’ it ya-!”

Orrin raised a brow at Mihal and they nodded slowly, reluctantly agreeing with his point, the other two could definitely be a handful at times. It certainly didn’t help that they were in a new place where Dueleke wasn’t able to move as well as he usually did, as poorly as that could be.

“I can wait until after we have finished settling in before exploring,” he restated, Mihal continuing to nod as they turned towards Duelek and Evander, rolling a visible set of eyes at their antics and starting towards the lodging building, Orrin following after them with a final glance towards the expanse of blue stretching out from the shore to the horizon beyond.

There would be time to explore and enjoy himself later, they were planning to stay at least a week to make the journey worth undertaking.

Settling into their rooms was an odd sort of experience, a single suite with two separate rooms was more than enough space for them all, it was familiar to all three of them, but that didn’t stop it from still feeling odd and new to Orrin. Somewhere new to sleep was not something he dealt with often, he’d had one sleeping area for the good majority of his life and from there he’d had the one room at home that Mihal would often share with him at the end of the night if they decided they wanted to be particularly cuddly that day. 

It was almost unnerving, the fact that he’d be sleeping in this unfamiliar room.

The only thing currently alleviating his nerves was that he had the familiar figures of Mihal, Duelek, and even Evander there to make things a bit more normal for the Dasher. They were safe, familiar, easy to recognize the figure out what they were thinking.

Everyone else was a bit more difficult.

Orrin and Mihal took one of the rooms to share while Evander deposited Duelek in the other one, leaving the sulking Weaver there to start unpacking what supplies they’d brought with them for the trip.

They spent a bit of time resting after their days long journey before gathering their supplies and leaving the room to take in the beach for the first time.

The beach was exactly as foreign to Orrin as he had thought it was going to be, large and open, stretching out for miles in either direction and positively filled with other StarDragons going about their day enjoying the sun, sand and surf. The sand was loose and shifting under his hooves, unsteady and not exactly ideal for someone of his size to stand on, his inexperience with the ground not helping the situation at all.

“Where are we going to set up our things?” His question was dulled by his contained breathing, gaze trained forward and muscles locked stiff in the face of so many new and unfamiliar strangers.

Duelek shrugged next to him, leaving on the crutch that Evander had demanded he bring with him until he had fully recovered from their several days of travel. “I don’t real be knowin’ can’t ya see any place outta the way a the crowd from up there?”

Orrin found himself making a strangled, surprised noise that might have once been a laugh, high in his throat, having not quite expected that from the Weaver next to him, though he probably should have. “I will have to look a bit better, will I not?”

“Exactly!” Duelek hummed, whiskers twitching contently, and his tail spreading out behind him in furls of wispy mist. “Once ya find a good place ta lay out we can be-”

“Th-there’s one.”

Duelek froze as Evander cut him off, he and Orrin turning their gazes to the Robber to see him pointing towards a relatively empty patch of sand.

“-Or he could being findin’ one” The Weaver finished with a shrug, flicking his gaze down to the sand under him with a heavy sigh. “Ya’ll go on ahead and get things set up, yeah? I’ll be gettin’ there soon ‘nough.”

“Y-you can a-a-ask for help.” Evander pointed out at Duelek’s shoulder, drawing the Weaver into another series of sharp exchanges while Orrin and Mihal went ahead of them to claim the spot on the sand

Their beach blankets were large enough for someone of Orrin’s size and in a variety of bright colourful designs, spread out they offered a welcome barrier between the sun-warmed sand and their own skin Mihal had also brought a large parasol with them, ‘rented’ they’d signed at Orrin when the Dasher had questioned exactly where it had come from, and set it in the sand to give them a bit of much needed reprieve from the sun’s rays.

“So,” Orrin started once they had seated themselves next to him under the parasol, folding their legs underneath him. “What are we supposed to do now?”

Mihal shrugged at thim which wasn’t the answer he’d wanted from them signing a few things at him. ‘It’s a vacation, just do whatever you want. Go swim, take a walk, be finding yourself a beach boyfriend.’

Orrin felt his ears press to his head, his eyes dropping to the pattern of the blanket beneath them. “Do not be so silly, I have told you repeatedly that I am not suited for something like that.”

‘I know ya think that wrong thing but here’s a nice place to just be trying things out.’ They signed back at him, eyes soft and kind now that they’d taken off their mask and set it to the side. ‘Don’t gotta being jumping straight into being marrying material, you can just ease into dating all slow like, have some fun, enjoy someone else for they company a bit.’

“I… will consider it.” The words were quiet, nervous in a way that Orrin didn’t usually didn’t showing he could be, and Mihal reached out to hold his cheek, turning him towards them so they could lean up and press their forehead to his own, the gem sitting there warm against his fur.

It’s a peaceful moment, comforting and reassuring.

It’s broken quickly by Evander dropping Duelek unceremoniously on the beach blanket, following the Weaver with a much more contained grace, setting the crutch next to them.

“We’ve a-arrived.” Was the Robber’s only statement.

“You’re the worst,” Duelek grumbled, lifting themselves off of the sand to lean into Evander, huffing at him when all he got for a response was a raised brow. “Ya being all kinds a lucky I like ya. Dropping my shattered ass like that, all kinds a rude.”

Orrin watched them a moment more, the easy way they took up each others’ space even though they were bickering with each other, heatless and fond in a way that he’d never really experienced before Evander had followed Duelek home, an odd newness that had slowly become familiar.

He shifted so that his form blocked his and Mihal’s hands from view of the other two, signing slowly as to get the words right. ‘I do not think I want what they have.’

‘Then get something different,’ the assurance was accompanied by a shrug, as if it was something so simple. ‘What we wants is being all kinds a different for all a us, ain’t no clear cut way a love. Just take shit easy and find what ya like, go at whatever pace ya be needin’, ok?’

He paused, turning the words over in his own head, and nodded, finding the argument sound for the moment. Yes it did sound silly to expect different individuals to want the same thing out of their relationships, didn’t it? After all look at the two of them, very little of their own relationship was the expected norm. ‘Ok, I will try.’

A bit later perhaps, for now he wanted to take a bit of time to rest and enjoy the afternoon, build himself up to being open to the whole notion of romance and fleeting summer enjoyment.

~

He meets the Dasher a bit later into the afternoon, closer to the evening. The sun had started it’s descent into the horizon and the sky above had turned a series of lovely shades of red and purple above him, turning the ocean a vivid array of colours as well.

He was alone on their blankets, looking out at the ocean and enjoying the scent of salt on the breeze. 

Evander and Duelek had disappeared off down the sands some time ago and Mihal had taken off into the waters, leaving Orrin to look after their spot and possessions on his own. Though he was well aware that he wasn’t required to and that things would be fine if he decided to do something else with his time, he couldn’t quite bring himself to leave the safety of the patch of sand that they’d claimed.

He hadn’t planned on moving, hadn’t planned on anything at all really, but then again the others kept telling him that interesting things happened when you didn’t plan for them so perhaps he’d been inviting the odd occurrence in without his realization.

One moment he was alone. The next there was a Dasher of warm brown and red fur standing next to him, bent down to address him.

“Hey there! What’re you doing out here all alone and staring at the sea? It’s a wonderful evening, you should be making the most out of it!”

He’s older than Orrin himself is, though he sounds nothing less than lively and energetic, a wide, warm grin on his face and a curious but welcoming warmth to his eyes.

Orrin has to make himself look away, else he stare too long, a habit he’d long established as being nothing short of rude to do to an individual that was not aware of his certain oddities when it came to social situations.

“I am… waiting.”

“Waiting for what? Do you want some company for a while? Let me join you!”

Orrin’s stunned into quiet as the Dasher sits next to him, settling on the sand easily with his wide grin still in place. He can’t help himself but to stare for a long moment, until the unknown Dasher’s face slowly starts to fall into an awkward twist of a smile.

“Do I smell?” Got something in my teeth maybe? Or is it my horns? Are they looking ok?” As the Dasher speaks one of his hands roses to fuss with the rising strands of his hair between his large, standing antlers.

And look what he’s done now, oh dear this wasn’t what he wanted at all.

“Oh no, no!” Orrin rushed to say, blinking back into focus and waving his hand in a dismissal. “No it is nothing of that kind, I was simply… surprised is all. Stunned might be the better descriptor? I just do not know… how to properly react to this situation.” He paused, directed his gaze back to the ocean and cleared his throat. “My apologies.”

“Oh! In that case,” the wide, cheerful grin returns to the Dasher’s face, radiating warmth and a welcoming openness. “We should start with introductions!” A hand is present to Orrin, large with sharp fingers. “I’m Raz, it’s a pleasure to meet you!”

“Orrin,” he returned after a moment, placing his own hand into Raz’s and shaking it, a firm, steady grip, not too hard else he break the other’s hand and not too soft as to be limp, the correct amount of pressure. Just as he’d practiced. “The pleasure is all mine.”

“Now that that’s out of the way,” Raz shifted in the sand, Orrin finally noticing that he was garbed in a pair of khaki shorts, an open shirt, and little else, leaning back on his palms and stretching his back out. “What’s got you looking so gloomy on an evening as lovely as this one?”

“Is that what I…? My apologies, I am not necessarily meaning to appear as such.” He pressed his fingers together to fidget with his hands, tapping them in sequence to give himself something to do to distract himself from his nerves with the conversation. “I was merely… thinking.”

“Waiting and thinking?” Raz hummed, a gem brow rising in an amused line. “My sister would say those are a dangerous combination.” One hand lifts from the sand, the Dasher shifting all of his weight onto his other one, and he pitches his voice into an odd sharp tone that must’ve resembled the sibling in question. “‘Idle thoughts with too much time to think them, surely you can find something better to do with your time, can’t you? Don’t fill your head with whatever nonsense you’re thinking of’,” he rolls his eyes in a fond manner. “Siblings, am I right?”

“I would not know,” Orrin’s answer is plain, simple and to the point of the matter. “I do not have any siblings of my own.” He sees Raz’s expression twist into something apologetic and continued before the other Dasher could say anything. “Though from what I’ve seen with my housemates I believe I can adequately recognize the meaning behind the sentiment.”

“I suppose that’s the important part,” Raz chuckled, a deep, pleasant noise rumbling deep in his chest. “Sorry you missed out on the sibling experience though, I can’t imagine what growing up in a house that empty must’ve been like.”

Orrin wisely decides not to say anything about that, and simply hummed a soft response.

They lapse into a quiet then, silence filled with little more than the distant noises from the rest of the beach-goers and the sounds of the waves breaking on the shore. It’s peaceful, a pleasant experience in a bit of new company in the face of this new experience and Orrin’s promise to try to step out of his shell and enjoy the whole situation for the freedom and opportunities it offered him.

“Is it your housemates?”

“Hmmm?” Orrin blinked, turning to focus on Raz, startling slightly at the two pale eyes focused on him.

“Who you’re waiting on?” Raz expanded, straightening himself out of his lean and setting his palms on his knees. “You mentioned them, are they who you came out here with?”

“Ah, yes, yes they are.” He turned his head towards the rest of the beach, not seeing Mihal in the surf nor Evaander & Duelek on the sands. “We come from the tops of the Mountain Pass, so we decided it might be enjoyable to spend a bit of the summer somewhere a bit warmer.”

“A good decision!” Raz nodded to his explanation. “It gets cold up there, take the chance to enjoy the sun for a bit. Which means you should come and enjoy the rest of the beach a little bit!”

“I do not think I should-”

“Ya should go stretch ya legs, bro.” His head snapped to the voice behind him, concern knitting his brow at the sight of Duelek leaning heavily into Evander’s side, his crutch held tightly in his other hand, and the Robber focused on him with a tight expression. “I wanna be gettin’ my rest on a while ‘fore we head back, yeah? Just meet us back at the rooms when ya finished having a wandering.”

“Are you ok?” Orrin asked instead, concern in his voice he stood to help Evander lower the Weaver to the blankets, Duelek giving Raz a curious look as he shuffled beneath the shade of the parasol.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired s’all,” he waved off the concern, settling himself and tugging Evander down with him until the Robber was curling into his side, ignoring both the Dashers. “Go have a fun time, don’t worry ‘bout me none. ‘Vander’ll keep me looked after, won’t ya.”

“You s-should ha-have let me carry y-you, you s-stuh-stubborn i-idiot.”

“See?” Duelek grinned, gesturing towards the Dasher watching them with an amused expression. “Go have fun, we’ll being alright.”

“... if you are sure?”

“I-if y-y-you d-d-don’t leave I’ll b-buh-bite you.”

That startled a snort of laughter out of Orrin, though he doesn’t know if the Robber would actually do it or not. Best not to test it out.

“Alright,” he said, shifting on his feet. “I will see you both later then. Could you please inform Mihal where I am if they ask?”

“You betcha.”

“Right.” It looked like he was free to take a walk along the beach as he wished to now.

“Great!” Raz was standing before Orrin was fully aware of it, one of his hands on Orrin’s shoulder, a heavy, warm weight. “I’ll make sure he gets back in good shape. In the meantime, come on I’ll show you a fun time!”

“Ok.” Orrin’s sure he sounds as hesitant and nervous as he feels, there’s no doubt of that, but he wants to go anyway, he does. It’s new and a little terrifying but he wants to all the same, just to try things out while he could.

Maybe it wouldn’t be very much to start with but it would be a good building block to launch himself off of.

He followed Raz, the other Dasher moving with an ease over the sand that Orrin wasn’t able to match quite yet but it gave him the hope that he might be able to with a bit of practice. And it seemed that Raz was intent on ensuring he got just that.

The beach was quieter due to the day starting to wind down in full, those that had been enjoying the sand and surf starting to pack up and return to their rooms ro prepare for whatever they wanted to do with their evenings. There was probably something being held by the resort but Orrin wasn’t aware of anything of that nature yet, nor was he particularly interested in whatever that might have been.

Orrin found himself able to relax much easier with less StarDragons around him, less eyes that might have been watching and less chance of encountering someone he wasn’t able to handle, which was most anyone if he were to be quite honest.

It was nice. The breeze coming off the ocean was fresh, brisk and tinged with salt, filling his nose and chest with an odd sensation, something both gentle and striking at once; the duality of the ocean’s temperament affecting the very winds that swept over it.

“Have you ever been to the sea before?” Raz’s question was a calm, open one, genuinely curious and actively wanting to engage and listen to Orrin’s answer, something that had the Dasher’s ears flicking back against his head and his hands pressing together to fidget with them.

“No, I have not had the opportunity to before now.” He tries to answer as best he can without falling into his nervous habit of talking too much and filling in information that hadn’t been asked for. “I have mostly been kept to forests and woodlands over my life.”

“An in-land dweller then?” Raz if anything seemed more excited at the notion. “That means I’ve got so much to show you while you’re here! We’ll have to make the most of it while we can!”

Raz directs another wide, excited grin at Orrin and he finds himself nodding without really thinking about it. “Yes I, I suppose you do.” He paused, realizing what he’d said and rushed to add onto it. “As long as you wish to of course, I would not want to take up more of your time than you are willing to give.”

“Don’t worry!” Raz laughed, a loud, bombastic sound that echoed across the beach. “Just enjoy yourself! I’m going to show you a great time, you just have to let me introduce you to everything we’ve got to offer here, alright?”

Orrin felt heat rise to his face at that, and he cleared his throat past the odd stiffness in it. “I will endeavour to do my best.”

Raz opens his mouth to say something more but stops himself suddenly, darting forward away from Orrin with a sure swiftness, leaving Orrin to stare after him, confusion and worry pinching his brow he watched the other Dasher come to a halt, hooves digging grooves into the sand nad making clear divots in the shifting substance. He watches as Raz bends over to pick up something Orrin wasn’t quite able to see before straightening up and trotting back over to him, hands cupped gently around whatever he’d spotted.

“Look,” Raz’s voice had taken up a soft quality, fond and gentle. “It’s a hermit crab.”

Cupped in his palms was a small creature, claws and feelers moving over the surface of the Dasher’s hands to properly investigate them whilst most of its body remained safe and secure with the shall it was carrying. “I have not seen one before,” odd little creature, to find a home in something that had already been discarded. “It is a cute little thing.”

“They are!” Raz’s voice grew more animated, still fond and wondrous but energetic, sharing something of great importance and interest to him. “It’s been said that they were a gift from Raziel to Lenus; a creature of his creation to her domain, like other crabs and crustaceans. Though no one ever says anything on what she thought of them.”

“That is an interesting origin story.” Duelek and Mihal would certainly enjoy it, he would have to tell them later, after the night was over. “Are you interested in the pantheon?”

“Something like that.” Raz laughed, something in it that Orrin couldn’t quite discern.

Another secret trapped behind social familiarities he just wasn’t in possession of.

“I have to admit to not having much of one, unfortunately.” He said instead, watching the other Dasher carefully place the little hermit crab back onto the sand beneath their hooves so it could scuttle off in whatever direction it wished to head off in. “I tend towards keeping my head in the here and now, and the immediate future” as well as every single occurence of guilt and regret he’d built up over the span of his lifetime “instead of such subjects.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” the assurance was delivered as they started down the beach again, the sand beneath their hooves slowly starting to lose its heat as the sun disappeared from the sky above, the resort’s employees starting to light torches to add a bit of illumination to the night, flames sending flickering light down the sand from where they stood, staving of the dark if only just a little bit. “There’s all kinds of thinkers out there and we’re all needed to make the world, aren’t we? As long as we’re ready to listen and accept each other and live harmoniously together then we’re pretty set, no matter how we think.”

“I suppose you are correct, yes.” It certainly sounded correct, other than the matter of including the Shooters’ Empire in that statement but Orrin would prefer not to think of them if possible, he’d even seen it in action with his own household; greatly differing personalities coming together to live peacefully and help each other with their weak points. “It makes things easier in some ways and more difficult in others perhaps, but I have learned that is the reality of life, is it not?”

“You sure do speak very properly don’t you?” Orrin pauses mid-step, blinking at Raz as the other Dasher stops a bit ahead of him, noticing his stall and turning to look at him, a quizzical tilt to his head and smile. “You alright?”

“Is that an issue?”

Pale gem brows furrow over warm eyes. “... what?”

“The manner in which I speak.” The clarification was stiff in his throat. “Is that an issue?”

“What?” Raz recoiled visibility, his hands rising palms up towards the Dasher. “No! No, of course not! I think it’s something that sets you apart, yeah, but not in a bad way.” He paused, lowering his hands and fixing Orrin with a searching look. “Has… have you had trouble over it before?”

“It hardly matters.” Orrin tries to wave off the question, forcing himself to relax, trying to brush the whole thing aside as unimportant.

“I think it just might.”

Orrin found himself considering Raz, the other Dasher’s arms were crossed over his open shirt and his expression was flat as he waited for Orrin to say something other than his attempts to push aside the hiccup.

He bit into his cheek, fangs pricking at his skin, and lowered his head, brushing a hand over the braided strands of his hair. “I do not like to discuss such things.”

“Sorry, I’m making things difficult aren’t I?” Raz’s sigh is a heavy thing that drops his whole form, shoulder slumping and ears falling with the breath of it. “Sorry, sorry, do you want me to go? I can do that if you’ve had enough of me after that.”

“You… are asking me?”

That stops Raz in place, focusing on Orrin with wide pale eyes. “Of course I am! I don’t want to force you to stay if I’ve made things uncomfortable.”

“I… see.” Not quite but he was going to say that he understood the notion, he didn’t think he could stand where the conversation might go if he said otherwise.

Raz seemed to accept it though, nodding to himself before focusing on Orrin.

Waiting.

It took him a beat too long to remember the previous question. “If…” It takes him a beat longer to figure out an answer that sounded acceptable to his ears. “If you would like we can return to the lodgings building together? Then part on our separate ways from there? But only if that is agreeable to you. I… have enjoyed the company so far.”

“Yeah that’s cool with me.”

“Wonderful.”

It really is a nice way to end the evening, regardless of the little mishap during it.

Orrin hadn’t lied when he said he was enjoying himself.

He wouldn’t mind doing this again. It’s very fortunate that Raz returns the sentiment when he says as such before they part ways.

~

‘So?’ Mihal signed at him after he got back to their suite, setting a plate of stir-fried vegetables and rice on the small table in the room for him. ‘Did you have fun with your new hot buck?’

“Please do not call him that,” Orrin chuckled, reaching forward to pull the Weaver into an embrace, more to comfort himself with their familiarity then for Mihal. “It was… good. I enjoyed it, even though I might have had a few hiccups along the way.”

That makes Mihal pull back from him, looking him over intently by running their hands over the worried pinch in his brow before signing. ‘You sure you alright, deer? You want to be talking about it all?’

“Perhaps a bit later,” he answered, taking one of their hands in his own. “But I am sure it is all fine, he did not seem too put off by anything that happened so I believe it will be alright. He proposed we meet each other again tomorrow if I found the idea agreeable.”

Signing is a bit difficult with only one of their hands but Mihal manages a simple word easily enough, not wanting to stop the contact Orrin had initiated quite yet. ‘And?’

“And I said I would very much enjoy seeing him for lunch and perhaps a dip in the ocean tomorrow.”

Mihal’s ears perk up and their whiskers bob in a content line of motion, ‘sounds fun’, then they’re ushinger him to the table and his dinner, encouraging him to eat so they can talk after before moving over to the large open balcony, settling themselves out there with the other two so the Dasher could eat in peace.

He listened to them chat amongst themselves as he ate, letting himself relax the last little bits of tension he’d been holding onto with the familiarity of Duelek and Evander chatting in the odd way they had, trading sharp-fondness and gentle affection as easily as one traded pleasantries with a neighbour, intermittent with periods of silence from Mihal signing something at one or both at them. It’s a comfortable white noise, reminding him that he’s not alone and there are individuals that genuinely want him around.

An odd sort of family, one that he had never dreamed of for himself but one he held dear to his heart all the same. He was glad to have them as well, that they wanted him regardless of what he’d done previously in his life, before meeting the two Weavers.

“Orrin!” He paused mid-chew, attention snapping to Duelek leaning back in his seat, looking back into the room at him. “Tell Evander I ain’t gonna be fallin’ over dead the moment he takes his eyes offa me!”

He swallows before answering. “It is very unlikely that he will perish the moment you take your eyes off of him, despite his best efforts he is not quite that fragile.”

“Sh-shut up,” Evander huffed, jabbing his elbow into Duelek’s side. “See if I-I e-ev-ever worry ah-about you again.”

“You will.”

Orrin smiled at them and their odd dynamic, returning his attention back to his dinner and turning out their voices back into white noise.

~

He spends the next morning exploring some of the tide pools with Mihal, the masked Weaver leading him around rocks wet with ocean spray and showing him the numerous different creatures that lived in the small bits of ocean trapped between rocks and boulders.

Orrin appreciated the change the rocks pools offered, the chance to get his hooves on firmer, steadier ground instead of the shifting sands. Mihal didn’t seem to care either way of it but then again they rarely seemed to care about much of anything at all, adapting with an ease he couldn’t imagine experiencing for himself to literally anything they could put their focus on.

They moved from stone to stone, sea-salt soaked rock to sea-salt soaked rock, as if they were walking across open ground with nothing to worry over, their tail twisting and ebbing in their wake while they searched for new things to point out to the Dasher, signing the name of each of them at him until he was able to repeat it back to them.

A lovely way to spend the morning, just exploring with the Weaver. It easily takes his mind off of worrying over his plans for later in the day, at least until the sun was close to reaching its peak in the sky and Mihal started to push him off to make his way towards where he’d said he’d be meeting Raz for lunch.

‘Tell me all ya details after!’ They signed at him, ears perked up and eyes scrunched up at the corners. ‘Have fun! See ya later!’

At least they were getting some kind of enjoyment out of pushing him to try out this maybe-dating thing, he wasn’t sure what else they were doing with their time but as long as they were happy doing whatever it was Orrin wouldn’t worry over it too much.

He had an appointment to keep after all, there would be time to ensure that the Weaver wasn’t languishing without someone to actively engage with after.

He reached the outdoor bar and restaurant before Raz does, not seeing the warm browns and reds of the other Dasher anywhere amongst the tables, bar counter or the other patrons scattered around the establishment. It was momentarily disconcerting; he couldn’t help the quick thought that perhaps the other wasn’t coming at all, but he forced himself to push the thought from his head, breath slow and deep to keep himself in the here and now, and find somewhere to sit and wait for Raz to arrive.

The other was just a little later, or Orrin himself was just a little early, nothing to worry about at all. The other Dasher would arrive soon enough.

The view was a beautiful one no matter where he sat; the ocean was clearly visible and the salt of the breeze wafted over the beach up to the restaurant’s tables and the patrons sitting there, looking the other way showed palm trees and bright, vibrant flowers in more colours than he could put a name to. It was a beautiful sight, a beautiful area and with the sun shining down from the clear blue sky it was every bit the paradise the others had told him it would be.

He was still distracted by observing the plays of different shades in the greens of the trees when Raz sat across from him, dropping heavily into the chair with a rush of breath and a sheepish grin.

“Sorry, I didn’t keep you waiting did I?”

“No,” Orrin promised, recovering from his startled shock at Raz’s sudden appearance. “No, I only recently arrived. I was just enjoying the scenery.”

“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” There’s a warmth in the Dasher’s voice as he turned to look at the palm trees that had held Orrin’s attention, something that sounded similar to pride in Orrin’s ears. “How well everything’s grown out here? All of the plants and trees thriving on the land, they’re all so beautiful.”

“It is,” there’s a simple beauty to nature, easy to understand and appreciate. A flower was pretty as long as his mind decided it was, nothing that could change the fact of the matter, no second meaning to interpret and change the context of it. Just nature existing to its fullest amount in wild, untamed abandon.

“But!” Two sets of blue snapped back to Raz as he stood from his seat. “I said I was going to treat you to the best the local cuisine had to offer, didn’t I? I better get on that before we lose all the hours in the day!”

“I can pay for my own meal,” Orrin started, the other Dasher waving him off all the while. “You do not need-”

“I want to.” Raz stated, firm and unyielding, leaving Orrin with little space to argue. “Let me show you a good time while you’re here.”

“... That’s very generous of you,” Orrin conceded, releasing the tension from his shoulders and letting himself settle into the notion of being treated for once.

“Generosity’s my middle name!” Raz grinned before walking away to order whatever he had in mind for them both.

It takes Orrin a second to realize that he more than likely hadn’t meant that in a literal manner.

He followed Raz with his eyes, watching the other Dasher easily weave through the others around and exchange conversation along the way. It’s always a wonder to watch those comfortable with talking with rangers at work, there’s a certain spark to them as they exist within their element, it’s always a pleasure to behold just how different they were from how Orrin himself-

Raz turned back to look towards Orrin, waving cheerfully at him from the bar counter.

He ducks his head, breaking eye contact as heat filled his face and his ears pressed against his skull. He took a moment to breath before lifting his face again, offering the other Dasher his own wave and shaking, awkward smile

Je was not doing so well at this social thing, was he? Was he making a fool of himself? Oh dear, he probably was, wasn’t he? What a situation he’d found himself in, he didn’t know what he was doing, he-

“Here we are! I bought us drinks while we wait.” Raz sets down two drinks on the table, one in front of Orrin while he keeps the other for himself, sitting in his seat once more. “Another local specialty! They’re made with fruit juices grown in the area, a way to help bolster the local economy.”

“I see,” he hummed, carefully taking the glass in his hands and bringing it closer to himself, tapping one fingertip against the little umbrella sitting in the bright orange and gold coloured drink. “How much did this-?”

“Nope,” Raz’s voice was a sing-song, the other Dasher leaning back and taking a sip of his drink. “You don’t have to pay me back for anything. I wanted to and that’s the end of it.”

Orrin blinked at him, “If you are sure?”

“I am. Go on, try it! Tell me what you think.”

“Alright.” He picks up his glass gingerly and under the eager eyes watching him, he takes a sip.

It’s sweet, he can taste a number of different flavours on his tongue, a number of them that he didn’t recognize and completely masking the bitter taste of the alcohol within. It’s a pleasant drink, Orrin could see himself if regularly.

He takes another, longer sip before focusing back on Raz, the Dasher’s pale eyes watching him with a pleasant crinkle, obviously deciding that he’d made a good choice even before Orrin spoke to confirm it.

“It is extremely enjoyable.”

“I knew it would be!” Raz grinned, setting one of his elbows on the table and turning himself to view the ocean waves lapping against the shore line. “Just stay with me and I’ll show you the best we’ve got to offer.”

“I am confident that you will.” The other Dasher shoots him a grin, the gems resting where his brows would be raising in a suggestive arch that had Orrin clearing his suddenly thick throat with a cough, turning his face away from Raz and letting himself hide behind his dropped ears. 

He hadn’t meant it like that.

~

There’s supposed to be a bonfire party the next night Raz told him after lunch, the two Dashers sitting at the bar part of the restaurant and sharing a few drinks before going their separate ways for the rest of the afternoon. Music, dancing, a bit of fun fit for a flock of Tropical Sweepers, in his own words.

Orrin had been hesitant about accepting the invitation to meet Raz there if he and his housemates decided they wanted to attend the fire-side festivities, he wasn’t one for crowds and the sentiment was generally similar amongst the other three; Duelek he knew didn’t enjoy large social gatherings, Evander was a bit more adapt to them and tended to be able to tolerate them more but it was hard for him to say whether the Robber actually enjoyed them or not and Mihal, well, as much as the Weaver enjoyed interacting with others the fact of the matter being that they couldn’t ‘talk’ to strangers very easily often left them feeling disconnected in a way that Orrin didn’t enjoy bearing witness to.

In the end he’d promised to think on the offer and if he did end up attending he would see Raz there.

He didn’t expect Duelek to immediately agree to the idea when he told him about it, the Weaver being the first one he saw as he must have decided to return to the room to rest for the afternoon while the other two went on their own separate ways for the day. He’d been lounging out on the balcony when Orrin opened the door to their suite, curled up on a reclining chair with a pillow tucked under his arm and head, eyes half-lidded and doze-heavy as he lifted an ear to acknowledge Orrin’s presence.

He hadn’t meant to bring up the party when the Weaver asked him about how the date had gone, it had just slipped out of him.

He hadn’t expected Duelek to shrug and say they might go check out the party if he wanted to, that it might be fun to go and enjoy a night out, that he could probably convince the other two to come out with them as well.

It had been a surprise to say the least. Even more of one when Evander had agreed with a roll of his eyes when Duelek called the plan out to him upon his return closer to sundown, and then again when Mihal got back to their room long after the moon had risen to the sky.

Apparently it was easier to get them all to agree to the idea than he’d originally thought it was going to be.

But that was how the four of them found themselves out on the beach after sunset around the large, built-up bonfire, listening to the rhythm-heavy music and the sounds of the other StarDragons at the party chatting and laughing amongst themselves.

Orrin was lingering at the edges of the party with Mihal, exchanging slow conversation with the Weaver, hands moving through silent signs with an ease born of practice.

Duelek and Evander meanwhile had taken off closer to the fire and the music playing, the Weaver dragging the Robber off to come and dance with him before it got too crowded and neither of them really wanted to bother with it anymore. Orrin could see brief glimpses of them on the other side of the bonfire, they seemed to be enjoying themselves for the moment, giving him a moment of relief that they weren’t going out of their way by coming to the party with-

“Hey Orrin! Glad to see you made it!” Raz appeared at his elbow and caused Orrin to jump in surprise, the other Dasher’s grin wide and genuine as he focused on him. Offering a wave to Mihal standing next to Orrin, he continued. “You enjoying the night?”

“It has been… a different experience,” and perhaps he’d had a drink of three before Raz had appeared and it was helping him relax. “I like the music, we do not hear sounds like these ones in the mountains.”

“Yeah, we definitely know how to make a good rhythm down here,” Raz laughed, a deep, booming thing that had Orrin’s soft smile broadening the smallest amount. “But you haven’t experienced the best part of it yet!”

Orrin’s brow furrowed over twin sets of blue eyes, flicking his gaze between Raz and the rest of the party. “I have not?”

“Nope!” Raz only continued to grin at him, not telling him what exactly he meant which had Orrin’s brow furrowing further. The other Dasher only ducked around him, focusing on Mihal to address them quickly. “Do you mind if I steal him for a bit?”

Mihal blinked, their eyes snapping to Raz from the rest of the party they’d been observing, pausing a moment to register exactly what he’d asked them before nodding eagerly, waving them both off with a pair of thumbs up towards the rest of the party.

“I still do not understand what you mean.” Orrin rushed to say as Raz hooked an arm around his own, tugging him gently away from the edges of the party, towards the bonfire proper.

“We’re going to dance!” The other Dasher laughed, his warm colours made only brighter by the firelight from the roaring bonfire. “It’s not something too difficult to learn, come on it’ll be fun!”

“Oh,” Orrin didn’t really know how to dance, he’d never been taught before. It seemed that was going to change now. “Alright?”

“Don’t worry. I promise it’s easy.”

“I will believe you.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

He leads them to an empty space on the floor and then turns back to Orrin, resting one hand on his waist and keeping the other clasped in Orrin’s own.

“What am I supposed to do with my hand?” He doubted he was supposed to copy Raz’s own placement, that seemed like an incredibly awkward and personable place to put his hand, resting over the gems embedded in the other’s side, he wasn’t able to see how Raz was able to do it with such ease.

“You can put it on my shoulder,” the other Dasher told him, smile turning teasing as he added “or a bit lower if the fancy strikes you.”

Orrin couldn’t help himself but to snort a laugh at that, pointedly resting his hand on the other Dasher’s upper arm, feeling the radiating warmth bled through the fabric of his clothes from the play of muscle and flesh beneath. “I do not think that we are at that point quite yet.”

“I like how you said ‘yet’ there.”

“Well,” Orrin started, trailing off and unsure of how he should answer exactly. “Hush you.” His ears tucked against his head, his eyes flicking away from Raz’s teasing chuckle.

“Don’t worry I’m just teasing,” the assurance is a soft one, accompanied by Raz’s hand squeezing his own. “We’re going to start now alright? Just simple stuff, follow my hooves and we’ll be dancing before you know it.”

“Alright,” it certainly sounded easy enough, Orrin could appreciate a simple set of instruct-

“Ah!” “I am so sorry!”

“No, no!” Raz rushed to reassure, shaking the hoof that Orrin had so clumsily trodden on. “You’re new to this of course you’re going to make a few mistakes, it’s natural there’s no need to apologize.”

“I… am still extremely sorry that I caused you any harm, even unintentionally.”

Pale eyes rolled, the Dasher’s words dismissive and easy. “Don’t be. I knew what I was getting into. Now,” Raz set his hoof back onto the ground, retaking the hand that had flown from hiss as if he’d been burning hot to the touch, and resettled his other hand at Orrin’s wsit, thumb rubbing in small, pleasant circles over the gem beneath his shirt. “Let’s try again, ok?”

“... If you are sure?”

“Definitely! It’ll be fun once you get the hang of it.”

It takes another two painful missteps before they fall into something resembling those around them, if far tamer for individuals of their size. Naturally a pair of seven foot Dashers weren’t doing anything as fancy as the set of shorter Sweepers spinning each other around with an easy familiarity, but it was nice. Orrin enjoyed it, even if he felt particularly stiff as he followed Raz’s lead, unable to replicate the easy motion of the other Dasher.

“What if I dipped you?” The question was unexpected enough to nearly cause Orrin to misstep, attention returning to Raz’s cheeky grin from where he’d been focusing on getting the footwork correct.

“You would drop me.” A certain fact.

“Alright. What if you dipped me?”

“I would drop you.” Another certain fact.

“Fair.” Raz laughs in response, a warm, genuine sound radiating from his chest outwards. “What about something else then?”

Orrin’s brow raises, curious to know what the other Dasher was thinking of. “Oh?”

He doesn’t get a verbal response, instead Raz pulls him impossibly close on the next step and then, slow enough for Orrin to pull away if he wanted to, Raz leaned forward to kiss him.

It’s a gentle thing, a simple press of lips to lips, curious, questioning, testing the waters. Orrin’s the one to take it a step further.

Raz tastes like fire.

Like smoke and sparks and something warm and earthen on Orrin’s tongue. It’s unfamiliar, new and exciting in the way most things are in their unknown, unplannable way. But safe in the security that he was the one to take the extra step, and that he could stop this if he wanted to.

He didn’t really want to.

A nip of teeth has him shivering and pulling away, eyes wide on Raz, the other Dasher looking at him with something soft, fond and something Orrin couldn’t quite recognize.

He cleared his throat, his own tusks biting into his skin. “That was… huh.”

“Good?” The suggestion is a single word but Raz’s voice is heavy, deeper and it makes Orrin shiver again, nodding an affirmation.

“Better than good.”

“Good,” Raz takes half a step back, keeping them both pressed close but with a small bit of distance between them. “You want to finish this song?”

“I would love to.”

It really is a lovely tune.

~

Orrin returns to their suite long after the party had drawn to a close and the others had already gotten in ahead of him.

He hadn’t expected to see the three of them curled up on the lounge together; Mihal’s back pressed to Duelek’s side, their eyes closed serenely as their head lolled against their twin’s shoulder, while Evander was stretched out over the length of the couch, his arms wound around Duelek’s waist and his head resting against the Weaver’s thigh, body rising and falling with a subtle, barely there motion. Duelek was between them both, one of his claws combing through Evander’s hair, his other holding a book that he was reading by the burning torch light nearby, one he seemed befuddled by if the confusion on his face was anything to go by.

He looked to Orrin as the Dasher entered, raising a teasing brow at his free hair and disheveled clothing. “Ya look like you had a fun night.”

“I did.” There must have been something odd in his voice because Duelek lowered his book slightly, the hand in Evander’s hair halting its continuous movement. The stop had the Robber grumbling in his sleep, turning his face further into the Weaver’s thigh and nipping at his skin.

“Greedy,” Duelek chuckled, dripping with fondness and a soft affection as his hand restarted it’s motion and Evander relaxed back into a peaceful sleep under warm, glowing purple eyes. “I’m bein’ all kinds a glad ya had fun though, I worry ‘bout ya sometimes, ya know?”

“I know you do,” Orrin hummed, carefully stepping into the room and moving to the side Mihal was sleeping on, gazing down at the resting Weaver warmly. “I’ll take them back to our room for the night, I am sure you will manage just fine with Evander on your own.”

“I think we might just being ta chill here a bit,” Duelek shrugged but helped shift his twin enough for Orrin to pick them up. “Sure ya wanna tell ‘em all ‘bout ya night, don’t ya worry ‘bout us none.”

Mihal weighs as little as they ever have when he lifts them up, easily cradling them in his large, strong arm, the Weaver curling up into him. “Are you unable to sleep again?”

“Little bit,” Duelek shrugged, shifting so he could recline along the couch, Evander grumbling in his sleep again at the shifting but quickly falling silent once the Weaver was settled again, his back against the side of the couch and a pillow offering a bit of support for his back. “Ain’t no thing ta being worryin’ over. Think on the date ya just finished how hot ya think he is.”

“Duelek!” Orrin exclaimed at a soft volume, equal parts startled and amused by the other’s lack of tack.

“Hey, ya gotta enjoy him while we’re here,” the Weaver shrugged, giving the Dasher a sharp grin. “Unless ya get his info so ya can be making yaself some fun visitations, yeah?”

“You are awful.” Orrin declared before turning and heading to his and Mihal’s room, leaving the other two out on the couch. 

Perhaps, he just might have gotten some contact information from Raz before he’d left the other Dasher for the night, between plans for breakfast.

There was no need to inform Duelek of that though, not before he’d told Mihal about it at least.

He had so much to talk to the Weaver about when they woke up next.