Debajirin wanders in, making a bee-line for the tray of fruit, and selecting quite the delicious-looking, nearly rancid it's so ripe, redfruit, and pulling a handkerchief from his pocket in preparation of the feast. Yulianna's commenting drifts in one ear, and manages to avoid the other for long enough for him to realize that she's talking to no one. This brings on the biggest of grins, and he meanders to a chair at her table, flopping in it, digging his teeth into the plump little fruit, and asking, through trickles of juice, "Were you now?"

Never missing a beat, Yuli continues to peel her tubers and talk, "Aye.  None of the darned fools could ever figure out where ta stick what.  I practically had to /show/ them...do it for 'em no less.  An' when they /did/ learn what to pull an' what to push they were never any good at it."  She tosses the tuber into the 'done' basket and picks up another, heaving a forlorn sigh.  "None of 'em were ever good enough."

Debajirin nods slowly, licking at the juice that's managed to dribble down his chin, and then wiping what he can't reach with his tongue with the handkerchief. After all, if the proper steps aren't taken after every bite, the little beard-thingy gets sticky. "Oh, didn't they? That's sort of sad... I'm sure one day you'll find someone who's good enough." He's an innocent at heart, this Deba. "At what?"

Yulianna snorts and opens her mouth, shooting Debajirin a look and getting as far as, "A--" before gasping and proceeding to choke.  She bends double, coughing for a long moment, obviously from having breathed down the wrong pipe, then sits up, blinking back tears and peering at Debajirin.  "When /did/ ya' show up?  I thought ya' were that fellah that was wonderin' around..." she glances past him, then returns her attention to the tuber in her hands.

Debajirin starts reaching out a hand towards her, then pauses, wipes it on his shorts, and goes back to reaching out to pat her back, should she need any help in the choking area. "Oh, just a few minutes ago," he says with a shrug, raising his redfruit to her in a kind of toast. "There was a 'fellah' around was there?" His tone carries a bit of that 'ooh la la, ho ho' colouration, an eyebrow raised suggestively towards her. He turns as she glances past him, attempting to see whatever it is she'd been looking at, and then turning back, leaning his elbows on his table, and falling into 'gossip mode.' "So who was this 'fellah' of yers?"

Yulianna quirks an eyebrow, accompanied by a look that just /oozes/ 'I am /not/ amused' before rolling her eyes.  "Aye, there /was/ a fellah around...too bad there aren't any /now/."  Ahem.  "Never met him 'fore." she answers, her reply clipped and pointedly shorts.  Her fingers, however, seem to increase in their speed, and she tosses another tuber aside, snatching up another.

Debajirin deflates, leaning back in his chair and taking another huge bite of fruit, accompanied with the same dribbles of juice (well, not the same, but similar) as before. Another bite, the fruit is gone, and he's left with cleaning his face with an already juice-soaked hankie. "Oh, well then... So, y'want me to give you a hand with those tubers? Not to change the subject." He scoots his chair closer to hers, and then furrows his brow a bit. "Actually, yes, to change the subject."

Yulianna looks mildly amused at Debajirin's inflation, and gives a careless shrug.  "Ya' don't have to.  I'm nearly done, ya' know."  Okay, so about half-way done.  "What's the matter?  Ya' look like ya' don't feel so good." In reference to the deflation, of course.  Snerk.

Debajirin wilts, folding his arms on the table and resting his head on that, so that he might peer up at Yulianna somewhat pitifully. "Well, if you're sure... Y'know, I don't mind tubers, so if you think you might need help ever..." He's feeling un-needed. "So, anyway, what was it you were talkin' about earlier to that guy that wasn't here?" Of course, not to be swayed from his original curiosity by simply not being wanted.

Yulianna shrugs nonchallantly.  "Nothin' much.  Just...well...what ever."  Heh heh...yeah.  She /does/ notice his canine pup glances, but chooses to ignore them.  She's good at that, too...and not nearly so predatory as one might first believe.  "Actually, we were talkin' about barmaids."  Her eyes flicker to catch his expression, though her hands keep right on with their peeling.

"Oh, surely it's gotta be more than just what ever to have been so interesting sounding," Debajirin prods, a bit of pleading tossed in with his look for good measure. He scowls slightly at the comment of barmaids, eye flashing momentarily, and then back to the good-natured fisherdude. "Were you? And how did the conversation go, exactly? Any barmaids in particular? Why not bartenders?"

Yulianna retains her non-challant, even aloof expression, and shrugs slightly. "Why shouldn't we talk about barmaids?  'Sides, they're /much/ more interesting than 'tenders.  Incidentally what I was talkin' 'bout when you came in was tradin'.  An' all those incompetents down at the hold.  Collin's one o' the only decent traders."

Debajirin raises an eyebrow, accepting the answer with a nod. "I suppose they are in general. Though you have to admit, in some of the pubs they have some not bad lookin' 'tenders too..." Course, that's just his professional opinion. "Oh, trading, right. Should've guessed, eh? I'll take your word for it. Never met a Collin." He perks, however, to have been added to the 'circle of knowledge' as it were, concerning Yuli's subject of choice. "Who're the other decent traders?" Hangin' off her every word, ahem.

Yulianna shakes her head.  "Aren't any."  Thus, she proceeds to peel her next tuber before going on.  "An' I hadn't noticed whether there were any good lookin' 'tenders or not."  And that is the honest-to goodness truth.  Or so it would seem, as she proceeds to peel the tuber in her hands and toss it into the other basket, reaching for another.

Debajirin frowns, lifting his head from his arms to tilt it to the side curiously. "Not even you? I would've thought you were a good Trader. Or I would've hoped to think. My personally belief is that you could do anything," he admits, exercising the power of thinking out loud. "You hadn't noticed 'bout the bartenders? Well, maybe after the Hatching we'll have to go pub hopping, and we can oogle at all the cute ones, if you're willing."

Yulianna rolls her eyes, "'Course I didn't mean myself!  I'm the best trader on the island!"  And she sits up a little straighter and puffs out her chest some and smirks.  "But why would I wanna go ooglin' bartenders?" she asks in all seriousness.  "There's no real use for them...I'm not so big a drinker.  My pop liked ale, but I never really cared for it so much."

Debajirin grins, nodding, all too pleased that his estimate of her abilities would be proved right. There's always room for his ego in everything he does, even when it involves complimenting others, after all. "Well, cause ooglin' good lookin' people isn't always a bad pass time? Y'know," and here his voice jumps to a sing-song quality, "considering the possibilites of those lovely men or women, admiring their butts, flirting a bit," and now back to normal deep Deba-Voice, "all the good stuff that it's hard to do when stuck in a Weyr. Cause bartenders are hard to find in a Weyr. And Bartenders are for sure the best."

Yulianna gives Debajirin the most puzzled look she's ever worn, probably in her entire life.  "I guess it's just somethin' that the fisherfolk do...so I should probably leave it up to ya'."  And she continues to look puzzled as she sets to work on the next tuber, finally huffing, "Why would ya' wanna just stare at someone?  If yer gonna sell 'em somethin' ya' gotta /talk/ to 'em, at least!"

Debajirin pffts, waving a hand dramatically in the air. "Only fisherfolk? Oh, no! Oogling is a thing almost everyone does, everywhere, at some point... Can you honestly say you've never sorta looked at a guy, or girl," he's opened minded, he's the one wanting to look at other guys' butts, "who you've found attractive? Tsk if ya haven't." He rolls his eyes at the tuber, shaking his head quite emphatically. "You aren't /trying/ to sell them somethin', Yuli! It's just flirtation!" Some kids...

The light comes on, and Yuli immediately waves a hand dismissively.  "Oh, /that/.  Heh.  Well, I don't suppose there's any reason for me to wanna oogle someone then."  She shrugs, finishing off the tuber and reaching for the next...she may be fast, but you'll never be able to accuse her of being easy! "I've got no use for that type of flirtin'.  Counter-productive." she states, making a face at the recollection of that /one/ kid who chased her around a hold for three days.

Debajirin slumps back in his chair, still quite disbelieving of the whole situation. A 14 Turn old who doesn't want to flirt. Shards. "So, how's it counter productive?" His interest is perked again, despite the fact that he doesn't understand in the least. Probably why the interest is perking. "I mean, meeting people can't honestly be considered counter-productive, can it? Cause that's really what flirtin' is, right? Well, generally."

Yulianna shakes her head, "No, flirtin' is tryin' to get a fellah interested in ya'.  Or a girl.  Either way, it's just trouble, 'cause ya' can't 'fast 'em, 'cause they'd just be in the way on the road, an' ya' can't really /stay/ with 'em, 'cause ya' have to get yer load to the next hold."  She shrugs, again, "It's just not practical.  'Sides, I haven't found a fellah good enough for me, yet."  Ironically, the statement is made in the most matter-of-fact tones.  She really means it.

Debajirin hrmms, rubbing at the back of his neck as the first response to her somewhat different idea. "I suppose, kinda... But if you met a person of sorta that you really got on with quite well, wouldn't you give up the Traderin' for 'em? I mean, I travelled, but I'd stop if I met someone. Did a couple times, actually." Different priorities, even the thought of them, have the poor Candied Fish absolutely baffled. "And I suppose if you've not met anyone you've liked, but still... Although yer still younger, aren't you?" He's gotta keep that in mind.

Yulianna shrugs, her expression flat as she peers at him, "Ya' know, ya' may be older than me, but I /think/ older'n you."  She shifts her gaze back to her peeling.  "Never met anyone I'd want to stop for.  'Sides, if I quit tradin', I couldn't do all the things I /want/ to do.  An' there's a /long/ list." she assures him, tossing the tuber into the basket and reaching for another.

Debajirin hrmms, whuffling a bit. "Well, so far I've managed to find things to eat. I've found places to hide from the Thread if I'm between holds, and I do the work to get the money, that's easy enough, take doing things like that for granted. I don't need to actually /look/ for them," he explains. and nods a bit at her next comment, going silent for a moment to think over a good answer to that. "Well, for the past few Turns there's not been much else to think about. I travelled alone, I worked alone, I cooked my own meals unless someone offered 'em for me... Rootless existances, as my mother will often refer to it," and he does when commenting on his lifestyle, "don't really involve anyone else. And when someone else does come in, well," he snorts, "just cause I don't talk about 'em doesn't mean I don't think about 'em."

Yulianna listens to about the first half of Debajirin's monologue, before hasitly turning back to her peeling, keeping her eyes steadily on her hands and the tuber as she peels.  Once he stops, she waits a moment before soflty murmuring, "Well, I didn't mean it to be mean.  I only meant...I'm not used to that.  Where I'm from everyone takes care of everyone."  She continues peeling in silence for a moment, her face growing more and more red by the second before she coughs slightly and says, her voice a little too loud and a little too high-pitched, "An' ya' sound like ya' really need someone to take care of ya'."

Debajirin rouses himself from his reverie at the lack of a reply, re-focusing on the Girl with the Tubers, and leaning in a bit, curious as to her reddened face and half-done chores. "You alright? I didn't mean it in any bad way or something like that..." He frowns, propping his elbow on the table and leaning in to attempt a closer look at the Trader Candidate's face. "What is it, that you're like..." he grimaces, not quite able to dig up a good word, so waving his hand in a circular motion, "that?" Blunt and not all that tactful, but his tone is soft enough to express sincere worry for his friend.

Usha smiles at the candidates, a friendly nod heading their way, "Hello... umm, hello. How are you?" she grins, grabbing some nice klah for herself-ahh, klah! and sitting down with a groan.

Yulianna just attempts to duck her head more.  She's really not red, she's just...focused.  "What do you mean?" she mutters, "Like what?  I'm just peelin' tubers like I'm s'posed to be."  She offers Usha a quick nod, but hardly riases her eyes at all, tossing the second tuber aside, it slightly speckled, as well, and reaching for another.

"Well, like..." the Fisherman Candi trails off, once again at a loss for a descriptive word, and finding himself sidetracked by waving to the drudge half-heartedly. "'Lo," Debajirin offers, and then attempts to regain the conversation with Yulianna. "For a second there you seemed like, embarassed, or sad, or something," he near-whispers to her. "You're alright though?"

Yulianna just sits, her lips pursed tightly together, staring down at her hands as they work, almost feverishly.  Finally...after a very long moment, she suddenly turns to /glare/ at him and /loudly/ proclaim, "I'm /not/ red, an' I /wasn't/ gonna say anythin' about /me/ takin' care of ya', okay?"  She huffs, settling herself more firmly in her chair and continuing to peel the tubers, so viscious about it, that she practically slices off chunks of the roots.

Debajirin is at first a bit in shock by the other candidate's reaction, then, by the time she's done her rant, is holding both hands up rather protectively and sinking down in his chair to reduce his height above the table by a good twenty centimeters. "I never said that, or meant to say that, or-" he bites his tongue, cutting off his rebuttle part way through, and trying not to let his face betray his intrigue at the reaction, though part of that emotion does manage to show through. He raises himself back up, re-taking his position of head-propped-on-folded-arms-on-the-table and sliding the closest elbow a bit closer to Yulianna, as if this could be considered comforting. He hopes, at least.

Yulianna continues her viscious hacking away at the tuber and, in the end, drops a few chunks into the basket, reaching for another tuber.  And does she say anything?  What else is there to say?  So she continues to look angry and hack away at the tubers and, to the best of her ability, ignore the older man.

Debajirin is starting to feel a bit hurt by the time the tubers have been hacked a bit, and turns his head so that he can face her and not get up. Best to cower for the moment. "So..." He pauses in his attempt at a conversation starter to rub his ear against his shoulder. Amazing how a person's head can get itchy in awkward moments. "How've you been recently?" It's as close to changing the subject as he can get without forcing himself to change the subject, if that makes sense.

Yulianna's hands fall still once again, and she, very slowly, turns and looks at Debajirin, practically gaping and looking as disbelieving as anyone could imagine.  After staring at him for a long moment, she snorts, just once, and gives an incredulous shake of her head.  "Ya'...ya' can't be serious."  That's all there seems to be to the matter.  She states it so matter-of-factly that it leaves absolutely no room for argument.

Debajirin opens his mouth, and closes it again, repeatedly, rather fish-esque, really. "Well, I... Err... Sorry, I guess, I- I've just been managing to say a whole bunch of wrong things of late haven't I?" is his final observation, and he turns his head the other way, befuddled. Of course, he can hardly bare to be not lookin' at her for that long, with this innate feeling of 'I've done something wrong, let's make it better' and is soon looking at her again. No willpower on the boy. "I really didn't mean to do anythin'..."

Yulianna shakes her head slowly, obviously the disbelief not yet having dissipated.  "Y...you..."  She chokes on her words and, after a long moment, snorts again...the precursor to a long bout of laughter which gives one the impression that Yuli is either choking to death on a very large piece of rotten tunnelsnake meat, or about to wet herself.  She goes so far, in the end, as to fall out of her chair.

Debajirin blinks at the girl again, bottom lip starting to quiver. He's bein' laughed at. Whuffle. And then she falls out of her chair, and he, being the Fisherdude in Shining Armour that he is, jumps from his own seat and rested head (though the head remains attached) and performs a mighty leap to the floor, landing in a kneeling position and resisting the urge to say 'huzzah' as he leans down to peer at the fallen friend. "Are you alright?" And may she not flame him for this.

Yulianna continues to clutch her stomach and roll on the ground for another moment or two, before peering up at Debajirin, tears inching past the corners of her eyes.  She blinks at him blankly for one moment, then bursts into another round of laughter.  When it's all over, she sort of flops limply, blinking up at him and attempting to supress the occasional giggle.

Debajirin has replaced the hurt/worried look with his 'this is pathetic' look, as it can best be described, and settles back on his haunches, blinking right on back at her. "I see. Well then." With a bit of a groan, he gets to his feet, offering her a hand should she want to get helped up. "Forgive me for my fumbling. My morals and priorities have tied themselves in knots aga

Yulianna makes no move to accept Debajirin's hand up, but does manage to wipe the tears away from her eyes and shake her head.  "Eh, ya' didn't bumble so much as ya' think.  An' yer too sensitive 'bout people laughin'."  The last bit if criticism is offered with a big grin and a little shake of her head. "I'd say ya've got a gift."  And she snorts again, giggling softly and peering up at Debajirin, very amused, indeed.

Debajirin shrugs, stuffing the recently offered, and refused, hand into a pocket as casually as he can manage. "No, not about everyone laughing. Just you," he corrects her in an fairly serious and innocent tone. "A gift, do I? For what? Making people laugh at me?" He shakes his head, quite unsure how to take that last comment.

Yulianna props herself up on one elbow, looking /very/ interested, and raises an eyebrow, "Oh?  It really bothers ya' when I laugh at ya'?  Why would that be?"  She flutters her eyelashes innocently up at him and grins brightly, certain that she's just going to /love/ his answer..

Debajirin shrugs, looking down at her (feel the power) and smiling a bit. "Sure it does. I'd hate to be taken as a joke by you. Because..." His brow furrows as he attempts a good explanation for why that won't land him in more trouble. Or being laughed at. "Because, let's say, I think you're special." And then he points barrackwards. "And now before you have anymore questions, I've gotta run." Brutally honest. And he actually does run.