Splash!

[M'kel]

((lol, I've never really watched one either… I'm just aiming for something resembling over-dramatic. You all seem to be managing it well!))

Although L'kev brushed off the seriousness of his illness, R'tivor shook his head slightly, still choked by the idea of how close things might have come. Attentive as he was to his friend's reaction and fearing his words would be misunderstood, R'tivor was cheered by the warm smile L'kev directed his way. Only to find it vanishing a moment later, and the other boy frowning off down the beach. The Weyrling gulped slightly, wishing desperately he could somehow read the other's thoughts and find out what had upset him.

But there was Trilia to attend to, as well. R'tivor smiled in her direction then glanced at L'kev once more. He'd thought he'd heard the other boy say something, but it was too faint to make it out. The lad shrugged it off reluctantly; L'kev was probably simply speaking to himself, anyways. Then, his eyes widened slightly as Trilia leaned in to kiss his cheek, attention fully diverted from L'kev now. It wasn't that he was unfamiliar with the custom; it was simply that no one had ever considered him enough of a friend to greet him that way before.

R'tivor was feeling rather overwhelmed at this point. Here were the two people on Pern who mattered most to him. His two dearest friends. He hadn't had a real friend like this since…since a long time ago. His circumstances had changed so greatly since his arrival at the Weyr. The broken boy of a Turn and a half ago wouldn't even recognize the Jr. Weyrling R'tivor who stood beside this Lake.

Out of these melancholic thoughts came a thud of alarm. Trilia seemed anxious; a note of desperation in her voice gave him pause. Had things not been going well for her since she became a Jr. Weyrwoman? She was looking up at him, eyes so beseeching they nearly broke his heart, practically begging for some kind of reassurance. But for what? He reached out, catching her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Trilia, if you ever need to talk, for any reason, you know that I'm here for you, right? No matter the time, have Helennith bespeak Aramunith, and I'll come to you."

Something else seemed to be upsetting his friends. L'kev's quiet greeting and stony face did not go unnoticed on R'tivor's part. His brow furrowed slightly as he looked back and forth between the two. Trilia was perfectly sweet and welcoming as she curtsey-ed her own 'hello', but there seemed to be a touch of reservation in her gaze. Ah, but perhaps L'kev was simply feeling a little shy; he had been locked away in the Infirmary for sevendays. And Trilia was probably just reacting to his hesitation.

Quickly, R'tivor stepped in, hoping to smooth things over. "This is L'kev and his Parith. He's been in the Infirmary since the Hatching; he was the one whose leg was scraped up by that lost dragonet, do you remember?" Now there was a spot of irony. Trilia herself was still healing from her broken leg, when R'tivor had fallen out of the tree on her. His arm had healed quite nicely and was nearly back to full mobility.

When Parith went bounding out of the water to be with his, Aramunith looked a little startled. She stood uncertainly, still up to her knees in the Lake, and looked at the group of three humans and two dragonets now on the beach. She wasn't sure if Parith had left because of her or for other reasons…but Helennith, at least, seemed to still want to chat with her.

I am very well, thanks, she replied warmly. The Queen seemed surprisingly hesitant, not the confident, haughty persona Aramunith envisioned. The green was even more surprised when the gold declined to swim, declaring she wouldn't want to be a bother. You wouldn't be a bother at all! she blurted out quickly. Truly...I am afraid to do it on my own. Won't you come join me?

[Spiffy .th !]

(Lol, glad I'm not the only one x] Let the fun begin xD Rant, rant rant... ;])

The stoney gaze L'kev fixed on Trilia remained thruought her and R'tivors little "heart-to-heart" talk as they hid the simmering that had started up inside him. Who was she to come blustering in on their meeting, L'kev's and R'tivor's meeting, the only chance he'd had to talk to his friend in weeks since and even before the hatching. "They'd hardly gotten a chance to talk," but the shells of his dragons egg that was a sharding site more chance than he'd had! None! Zero, zilch, nil-poi he's had! And she was acting as if she'd had it tough, at least she could sharding walk, broken leg or not! He felt sure that that last comment about people being ill was directed at himself...

"It's not as though many people had much of a choice about being ill, is it?" he said icily, irritated by her presumptions. He bet she'd never had the worst of the flu. He was perversely satisfied to see her face fall into surprise and then regret. Good, so he had struck a chord.

Oh and now she was apologising to him... but about something else. He deflated slightly, but her sickeningly sweet voice (put on, of course!) soon had him riled up again. Yeah, of course she wouldn't know of him, high and mighty goldrider that she was (he wasn't to know that she'd stood many hatchings already) wouldn't know all of the lowly brownriders, especially the most recent ones - oh wait, Auria had Impressed to the other gold hadn't she? Well, at least she had some initiative and sense in her, and she wasn't Weyrborn either (that much he knew). He only just bit back a scathing "No you shall not be honored..." when R'tivor stepped in for him. Bless him, he thought he was helping, so L'kev turned another grateful (or so he hoped) look to his friend. Time to play the part.

The smile turned winning as he looked up at R'tivor from his position on the sand. "R'tivor, dear friend" - rub it in - "Could you help me up? I'm afraid I'll make a fool of myself attempting to do it on my own," he mock grimaced as he reached for his crutch, holding it upright in the sand at the ready.

Back with the dragonets, Parith finally turned from glaring at Helennith to look back at Ara and back again between the two as they conversed. His rider, gleaning what was happening through their mental link, assisted the confused dragonet. Parith, MineHeart, why don't you go back to Aramunith and show her just how good your swimming is? Given the incentive, the little dragonet - not quite as big as Helennith, but close - again spoke up to the slightly perplexed green - but not the gold, his didn't like them so neither would he. Do not fear, Ara! Parith will join you, he is not afraid of the water, he cried as he untangled himself from His's legs with surprising agility for his frame and bounded back into the water, up to Aramunith, somehow avoiding splashing her slight frame, I can swim as well as any fingerling. He nuzzled Ara with his snout, as if to reinforce his point, then padded a little further out before stopping to look back at her expectantly.

[D'gellin]

Oh R’tivor was too sweet for words. Trilia almost felt bad when he spoke so earnestly, assuring her that he’d always be there for her if she needed someone. It struck a chord deep inside her, making her heart swell. Although she’d initially spoken because of the L’kev situation, being assured of someone’s care so honestly, knowing he wouldn’t turn his back on her…it meant a lot. Moving forward had cost her all her friends, being the youngest in the Weyr for almost two turns denied her many new friends. Her father was often busy, Brell kind but difficult to relate to, and her only steady companion before R'tivor was her firelizard (who was now angry with her over Helennith). Trilia looked down at his gentle hands clasping hers, and could only nod her head. What had she done to deserve his kindness? “Thank you R’tivor. Really. I’m okay, but thank you.” She murmured after looking up, smiling tentatively. It seemed evil to even think bad thoughts around him!

At the bite in L’kev’s response to the flu going around, Trilia raised her brows in honest surprise. She’d been more concerned over whether or not R’tivor had been affected by the sickness. “I wouldn’t expect them to wish it upon themselves, no.” She agreed hesitantly, momentarily perplexed. Her brows pulled together as she looked back to R’tivor, wondering if perhaps she’d gone a little too far. But how? It wasn’t as though she were blatantly harassing L’kev! She merely wasn’t entirely…er…nice...hm, maybe she should rethink her approach if she intended to judge L’kev’s character, although he already had a tally of bad points biased against himself so far.

Sensing more than seeing L’kev’s animosity building after her introduction, Trilia found herself bristling again, much to her frustration. R’tivor had said her name more than once already, had he not? It was perfectly logical! Any half wit could have picked it up by now. The relaxed elbow hugging tightened fractionally, eyes tapering, just daring him to make a scene in front of R’tivor; she could see the comeback forming on his tongue! R'tibor, however, saved the day, and Trilia smiled gratefully as the greenrider introduced the other lad, letting slide just this once that L’kev hadn’t spoken for himself. At Helennith’s gentle mental touch, Trilia remembered the startling mauling at the Hatching, and she nodded her head in accent of recalling. It was scary… “I’m sorry; I do hope your leg has been healing alright.” She offered in what were perhaps the most genuine sentiments since her initial introduction. Damaged legs, she well knew, were the epitome of frustrating…

This momentary sympathy, however, fizzled a bit as L’kev looked up at R’tivor. He had that look. That look you make when you’re being purposefully extra nice, that little inclination of smugness knowing someone else was watching. Well…it seemed that way to Trilia in any case. She purposefully held herself reservedly even as he made a show of relying on R’tivor. She had to refrain from rolling her eyes in exasperation…but what was he getting up for…?

Helennith was still nearly clinging to Trilia’s leg, eyes downcast when they weren’t glancing up at Hers. The animosity pouring off of the girl was distressing, though in Trilia’s frustration, and Helennith’s disinclination to make a fuss, the little gold refrained from voicing her concern of both hers and Trilia’s situations. She was, admittedly, quite encouraged by Aramunith’s warm returns, and in her delight she took a brave step towards the lake, but Parith suddenly bounded ahead of her. Perhaps almost as bad as the glare, he didn’t even pay her any mind. It was as though Helennith wasn’t there…this was a nice change, freed from the constant scrutiny of the Weyr, but to be ignored so coldly…Finally Trilia turned away from R’tivor and L’kev, the plight of her dragon more important than her own. For a moment Trilia struggled, certain L'kev had something to do with this. Dragons weren't mean without reason, especially to golds... “I’m so sorry Parith isn’t being nice to you, myheart.” She murmured gently, resting her forehead on Helennith’s, running a hand along the little one’s neck. “But Aramunith invited you, did she not? Don’t worry. Maybe once you spend some time together, Parith will see how sweet you are.” She smiled in assurance, kissing that delicate eye ridge. “Okay?” It didn’t occur to her then that this piece of advice might have been appropriate for herself as well…

((Gosh, gave you guys another chunky post. xD Sorryyy))

[M'kel]

((Wheeee! First attempt at Romance Novel Week!))

Rukbat was climbing higher into the sky as it neared its midday peak, casting soft golden rays down upon the three Weyrlings gathered on the beach. R'tivor turned slowly, feeling the warm, caressing touch of the sunlight on his neck, to consider first one friend, and then the other. He shook out his amber locks, brushing back a strand that lay across one delicate cheekbone, and wondered why such animosity seemed to be brooding in the air. It lay heavy upon him, the tension of his two friends clouding the radiance of the late summer day.

The lad was consumed by his inability to comprehend what was happening, and he cast hopefully about for a means to mend the situation before it worsened. L'kev's face was only darkening, as his retorts to Trilia came with more of a snap in his tone, and Trilia seemed to be wavering between bristling indignation and honeyed attempts to be kind. R'tivor felt helpless and ineffective, with no idea what he should do, and his lips quirked in an expression of confusion and dismay.

Although he smiled at Trilia's warm thanks, gazing into her bright blue eyes with returned warmth, he was still anxious to take action in some way. To do something and fix this.

Thus, when L'kev's plea for assistance, spoken in velvety tones that danced through the air and tugged at R'tivor's soul, made its debut, the lad was thrust immediately into action. "Of course," he murmured. His voice was low, and his face was tilted down, almost demurely, though his sky blue eyes held L'kev's. "You need but only ask. Anything, and I will be glad to assist." Again, he tucked back sun-kissed locks, reaching a slender fingered hand to clasp the other Weyrling's. His gaze shifted momentarily to L'kev's blonde hair, which caught the sunlight and flashed with a golden sheen, then fixed on the strong hand gripping his own. With a steady yet gentle grasp, R'tivor pulled his friend carefully to his feet. Even with L'kev standing, R'tivor kept a careful hand on the other lad's shoulder until he had his crutches securely placed. The lad was very aware of L'kev's proximity, the warmth emanating through the fabric of the other lad's tunic and into his pale fingers.

R'tivor shook his head slightly, as if dazed, and looked back to Trilia. He was surprised to find her crouching by her dragonet, running comforting fingers over the gold's hide. Soft black hair fell across the girl's shoulders and dangled playfully in the air, while his friend's round blue eyes were turned away from him. "What's wrong?" he asked quickly, upset to learn that her dragonet was anxious. Then he clued in to the quiet comment Trilia had made to the little gold, and his eyes widened in surprise. "When was Parith being unkind?" R'tivor didn't realize in the slightest how callous such a question might sound, especially with his hand still resting on Parith's rider - L'kev's - shoulder in a seeming show of alliance.

Belatedly, the Weyrling realized that he couldn't have overheard any comments that might have passed between the dragonets, but a glance to the Lake showed Parith cheerfully bounding into the water's depths, and Aramunith's assurance that the brown was happily inviting her onward rather than being aggressive. "Come now, why don't we all go for a little swim with our dragons?"

Aramunith followed Parith's progression past her with a shy gaze, and hesitantly, the green began to wade deeper herself. She had yet to actually let her toes lose contact with the sand, but she was getting braver by the moment. Especially if hers would be coming to join them soon! You swim very well! she agreed, delighted by his demonstration and prowess. Helennith, don't you think so? Wouldn't you like to try? She didn't understand what was bothering the gold about the bubbly brown but did still wish to assure her that Aramunith was not mean herself. If yours comes, would you feel better?

[Spiffy .th !]

L'kev gratefully accepted his friends hand, usng it gently yo pull himself upright. Ah, but it was so much easier with help, far better than struggling for ages on his own, even with Parith doing his best to assist his rider! "Thank you, R'tivor, and know that I would always be there for you too," he said simply, laying a had on his friends shoulder, all too conscious of how close they were. He suppressed a shudder, for it was somehow inappropriate on a hot day such as this, seemingly coming from nowhere. Just stay here for a minute... He didn't want to move away.

Distracted as he was it was not until R'tivors exclamation that he realised that Trilia was talking to her dragonet and that it was abut his Parith. "Parith?" What did you do? I did nothing!] the dragonet replied, stunned. Haven't you even said hello yet? No, shall I? he sounded uncertain. I think that would e best, MineHeart. You never know when having good relations with a queen will come in handy.

Ceasing his swimming, Parith hesitated, then blurted Will you join us Helennith? The water is warm... he trailed off.

"I think he must just be shy, seeing as Helennith is Gold and all. He didn't mean to offend her in any way." Shame. He said all that without meeting Trilia's eye, instead staring out a the water and the splashing dragonets.

Parith, however was newly distracted, again. Thank you Aramunith. I'm sure if you would allow yoursef in a little further you would swim beautifully too! He paused as he caught the tail end of her speech to Helennith. Yes! Ours should come in too! Swimming would do good for them as well as us. This time he did include Helennith in his conversation, turning his innocent gaze between the two females.

"Yes, let us swim,"L'kev agreed, less enthusiastically than his dragonet. He fumbled with his crutch in one hand, keeping the other firmly but gently clamped on R'tivors shoulder. "Lead the way," he said to no-one in particular.



(ahh, sorry about the cruddy post, I thought it would be better than nothing xD)

[D'gellin]

At R'tivor's response in aiding L'kev, Trilia watched the two like an outsider, feeling shunted. Maybe it wasn't that R'tivor truly cared about her, so much as R'tivor was just so nice a person that his love was distributed without question. The idea made R'tivor sound like a saint, but the notion caused Trilia's stomach to flip. She wasn't special after all then, and maybe L'kev, being the most needy at the moment, was more important. Trilia tucked some hair behind her ear, looking out across the lake, past the splashing dragonets, past the trees, past everything. What was she doing here? Yes, she was invited, but what for if R'tivor cared about L'kev more? Part of her wanted to search for excuses to leave, to not have to look at the heartfelt relationship between the boys. The other part of her though, the emotionally fired up part, wanted to chase L'kev away instead. Why should she have to leave?

It was a relief to have Helennith to distract herself from the lads, her own squabble postponed in favor of the little gold. Helennith's dilemma was much more upsetting then Trilia's. She could understand someone not liking herself, she supposed, people were like that, the dumbglows, but Helennith was all love and a little shyness, so she couldn't understand why Parith was ignoring her. At R'tivor's inquiry, Trilia looked up, first embarrassed to realize she'd spoken aloud, and then stabbed with a feeling of dejection at the sight of L'kev and her friend so physically close. She looked back at Helennith when she replied, distressed at how comfortable and companionable this L'kev was with R'tivor. She shouldn't have spoken aloud, she thought in frustration, for she was surely making this whole scenario worse now. She was glad that R'tivor seemed to have figured the situation out on his own, though to what extent she didn't know.

Oh, um, yes, he swims well.[/color] Helennith replied awkwardly to Aramunith, recognizing the green's attempt to involve the gold, but still wary of Parith. When the brown finally spoke however, inviting her himself to join in, Helennith looked up with hesitant hope, for he certainly did not sound nearly as intimidating as his glare had been. Gleaming Parith's prompt from her link with Helennith, Trilia nudged the gold gently, sending encouraging thoughts. After a moment of indecision, still trying to gauge if Parith liked or disliked her, Helennith dipped her head a little in gratitude. Thank you![/color] She squeaked with a surge of happiness, then mastered herself, afraid of what they might think of her. I would very much like to swim too.

Trilia found herself smiling as Helennith finally joined the green and brown, feeling her heart swell in time with the gold's happiness. She glanced momentarily at L'kev when he spoke, though followed his gaze out to the dragonets as well. She nodded, before realizing, as he wasn't looking at her, he couldn't see it. "No, she wasn't offended. Helennith is shy too." She replied, feeling uncomfortable. That had to have been the most genuine thing he'd said to her since their meeting, but she was glad that it was concerning the dragons. She wasn't sure she could keep her cool if his or his little brown's intents had been unkind to her lovely Helennith.

Helennith was just splashing into the water when R'tivor suggested joining the dragons. Oh! It truly is warm. I quite expected it to be cold.[/color] She was surprised to realize Parith had included her in the conversation, and a little flutter of renewed happiness warmed her up. Maybe Parith wasn't so mean after all...she thought shyly. Trilia smiled unconsciously as she looked back up at R'tivor, Helennith's delight easing the discomfort she felt beforehand. "I wouldn't mind swimming." She replied with a noncommittal shrug, speaking at the same time as L'kev. She glanced at him automatically, but quickly looked away, for once waiting on the lads' queues before acting.

((aahg, sorry guys, I haven't got a very good track record with this RP, do I. >_< Been really busy. I wanted to be ridiculous and actually draw my reply (comic book week, eh? eh? ; ), but I left what I started at home, and I didn't want to keep making you both wait! xP ))

[M'kel]

((*le shame* *facepalm*))

His hand had just dropped back to his side, breaking the contact with L'kev, when the other Weyrling's own hand reached out to clasp his shoulder. Surprised, R'tivor looked to his friend. Seeing the young man fumbling slightly to arrange his crutch most optimally quickly revealed the most likely purpose of the outstretched hand, though it also seemed to serve as a show of gratitude. R'tivor smiled as he met the other lad's gaze, nodding shortly in acknowledgment.

Then, he quickly turned his attention back to Trilia, anxious to determine what had caused the misunderstanding between the two dragonets, for misunderstanding it must be. Although L'kev and Trilia both seemed tense, they also both professed that their dragonets were acting out of shyness rather than malicious intent. "Well that's...good. No harm done," R'tivor commented slowly, somehow feeling that there was more to the situation than the two were revealing.

The silence that fell was more than a little uncomfortable, and once again the Weyrling marveled that things were going so strangely with the meeting of his two friends. They both seemed off-balance somehow, L'kev lacking his usual confidence and Trilia her usual sweet sincerity.

Thus, it was with a bit too much bravado that R'tivor gestured with a flourish towards the Lake. "Shall we, then?" he asked loudly, smile a bit too wide. "No better way to spend the day, if you ask me!" His smile faltered slightly as he hesitated, but then the lad stepped forward, ensuring that L'kev wasn't thrown off balance, and began to stride towards the Lake. He glanced back over his shoulder to make sure that Trilia was following, then promptly waded up to his knees. "You should actually find it easier in the water, L'kev. It'll support your weight for you, so you don't have to rely on your leg as much."

Seeing that his friend was stable, R'tivor pulled off his tunic, tossing it back to shore, and waded in a little bit further. "Are you ready, Aramunith?" he murmured, rubbing at her eye ridge and watching the water trickle down her long mossy neck. Very! the pleased dragonet replied, emboldened by her rider's presence. Then, with R'tivor's guiding fingers only a hair's breadth away, the little green pushed off to a depth where her claws could no longer reach the sand. Her tail waggled in the water behind her, an uncoordinated propellor that moved her forward nonetheless, and her wings spread wide to scoop the water.

I'm doing it![/color] she cried in exhultation to both Helennith and Parith. I'm swimming! Suddenly, her head dipped below the water, and her whirling eyes went wide. Oh no!. Her little legs waggled furiously, trying to push herself back to the surface, as a near-panic began to set in. "It's okay!" R'tivor cried, quickly hoisting her up such that her head was above the water once again. "See?" He cast an amused glance at the other two Weyrlings, wondering how they were faring.