Turning Up

Posted on Fri May 22nd, 2026 @ 10:48am by Green Rider Neilla & Blue Rider R’kig

Mission: 3531 AL

Neilla yawned as she read the newest book she had acquired from Harper Hall the previous day. She was surprised that it was so good that she was struggling to put it down. Neilla looked up at her door as someone banged on it. She slowly rose and raised an eyebrow at who would be knocking on her door at that time of night. Nerlyn or Cathlyn would have warned her, and Lyna and N’raen would not have bothered her until morning. She opened the door, confused and looked at the man standing there.

It had been a bad night. One that he really should have just walked away from. R'kig knew better but it didn't mean he always listened. And tonight was no different. Although how he found himself at Neilla's weyr was anyone's guess. “Uh hi,” he said.

“Hey?” She questioned opening the door to let him in waiting until he was inside and Sandith had sleepily stuck her head in to check who he was before she settled down before she spoke anymore. “Are you okay?”’she wondered.

R'kig numbly walked into her weyr, still in a bit of a shock. “Not really,” he answered quietly. Just when he thought he was on the right track.

Neilla turned from reassuring Sandith it was just R’kig to looking at the man. “Okay do you want to talk? Do you want .. me?” She said smiling a little in a comforting way trying to work out why he came to her.

He scrubbed at his face, not really sure why he had come to Neilla if he was honest. “Had argument with G'len,” he finally said quietly. It was stupid and something that should have been avoided.

“Dare ask why?” She wondered weaving her fingers through his leading him to the sofa, setting him down. G’len was either you liked him or hated him, Neilla enjoyed his company but she could see how he rubbed people the wrong way.

R'kig quietly followed as Neilla tugged him over to the couch. “Just wherrybrained. I should have walked away,” he sighed. He really shouldn't have argued. He had never had issues with the man before but of course K'ron had been wingleader. Now his brother had been sidelined for a bit.

“Yes you should have but here you are.” She said grinning as she sat down slowly next to him and rub her thumb over the back of his hand trying g to calm him down.

He frowned a bit before sighing. “Sharding man,” he grumbled. her soft touch was helping to calm him down though and think a little clearer.

“You are both very different men.” She said gently as she felt the stress leaving his body as she relaxed a little. “Two very different styles of dragon riding… do you even remember what it was over?”

That was true enough. R'kig slowly shook his head. “No not really,” he admitted. Which is why he knew it must have been very wherrybrained. Why had he let himself sink to that level?

Well that was typical of an argument that most likely started with egos and neither of them seeing the others point of view. “Silly male rider.” Neilla found herself rolling her eyes at him a little.

The blue rider grumbled unhappily. It had been silly and he still wasn't sure why he had come here. “I never had any issues with him until K'ron had to sit back for a bit after that knife,” he sighed.

“Because you have never had anyone in charge other than K’ron. It’s okay to feel like this; tomorrow it’ll be all over. You boys fight, throw a punch and then it's all over with.” She said poking his chest a little with a smile. She knew that the male riders found it easier to resolve things than female riders.

He raised a brow. “Is that how it works?” He asked, rubbing his chest where she had poked him like it had hurt. “I did not throw a punch,” he promised. He wasn't that far gone.

“Yeah.” She said poking him again smirking. “Good, you aren’t the type to throw punches. That’s much more me.” She said, rubbing where she had poked him, just incase she had poked him too much.

“Hey Hey,” he finally smiled a bit. “That is true. I'm a lover not a fighter.” He still felt stupid for what had happened but he did feel better after talking to Neilla.

“Fully aware.” She flirted with a smirk as she sat back on the sofa and just looked at him. “Why did you come here R'kig?” She wondered interested. She was not complaining at all she just wanted to know what to expect.

R'kig barely kept himself from sticking his tongue out at her but did grin. He slowly shook his head. “To be honest, I barely remember turning this way. I got in that argument and the next thing I knew you were opening your door. I think i knew I needed a friend.”

“What anger does to you.” She reminded him quietly as Leith looked in again and snorted.

}:You are loud:{ The green commented making Neilla laugh and roll her eyes.

*** We are not*** Neilla assured back.

He glanced over at his friend with a sigh. “Yeah yeah. It's not a good thing,” he agreed. Thankfully he didn't normally have a temper but G'len had just gotten under his skin that evening.

Neilla brought her attention back to the blue rider and frowned a little. “And you do not normally rise to it. But you’ve been rising a lot recently to intense emotions.” She questioned leaning out playing with his hair at the base of his neck.

She had a point there. He blew out a breath. “Maybe Rizerth is really a green and plans to rise soon,” he smiled weakly.

):I am NOT a green,:( Rizerth grumbled, making R'kig laugh.

“Well guess he's not a green.”

Neilla watched his eyes turn unfocused and smirked at why she could imagine the blue stating indignantly that he was not a green. “Or maybe you need to speak to a mind healer.” She offered as another point of view.

R'kig looked down at his boots. That wasn't what he wanted to hear but she might be right. “Maybe,” he agreed quietly. Something was definitely getting to him and he apparently wasn't doing a good job at ignoring them.

“No, maybe about it.” She said simply pulling her hand back from playing with his hair. “You are like one of those striped felines we see in the jungles sometimes. Angry at the world and not able to see that coming near dragons is bad for your health. In your case you are angry at the world and people who want to help. I bet G’len offered some advice and you threw it back cause it wasn’t K’ron.” She offered softly.

R'kig looked over at her, narrowing his eyes a bit. Is that really what he was doing now? Shard it! He scrubbed at his face. “Why am I such a mess?” He growled unhappily. He didn't like being this way.

“Because you have been hurt and traumatised. You cannot face that alone.” She whispered softly scooting closure and wrapped her arms around not liking to see the man so distraught.

He rested his head against hers as she leaned against him. “I guess,” he agreed. It made sense even if he didn't want to admit it. Sharding green rider who just up and left.

“It’s okay to feel like this, you know? But what you do next defines your future. The past does not matter any longer if you don’t let it. ” She whispered, not daring to move seeing he was reacting to her finally.

R'kig sighed softly. “You're right,” he whispered. “I just hadn't realized how badly I was still affected.” He had thought he was doing better but apparently he was fooling himself.

“I know and that’s okay.” She whispered softly stroking his arm. She hated having to be the bad guy and bring it all up but he needed to hear it, needed it thrust in his face.

“You green riders,” he teased a bit, kissing her hair. “But I will follow your advice.” He didn't want to see a mind healer but he didn't want to feel like this either.

“Blue riders.” She tutted back with a roll of her eyes and a smile. “Good because you should. That extra turn I have in you has turned me wise.” She teased turning to look at him taking in that he looked a little better than he had when he had turned up.

“Oh is that so?” He asked. Maybe this was why he had headed for Neilla’s weyr. He knew he needed her to set him straight at the moment. He was starting to calm down a bit.

There it was the voice of the man who liked to tease her and flirted. “Afraid so. It makes me very boring though. I was reading a book to pass the evening instead of the cavern.” She laughed and nudged him a little. “Knew you were still there under the surface of this melancholy.”

“A book?” He asked in surprise. “Now who needs the mind healer?” R'kig chuckled a bit as she nudged against him. “Yeah still there. Just gets harder to find sometimes.” Neilla had certainly shown him that he needed help.

“Sometimes I get time to read. Got no one here to keep an eye on and Sandith is content.” She answered back. She enjoyed harper tales but the book she had been reading had been about the history of Pern. “Then you turn up whenever you want but maybe bring wine next time.”

It still seemed a bit odd to hear she was reading as Neilla was always on the go but then again he guessed it could be relaxing. “I'll try to remember that next time,” he chuckled softly.

“Oh you are already planning it hmm?” She asked, turning to look at him, grinning a little. She loved the back and forth they seemed to have at the moment along with the physical aspects of whatever this was right now.

R'kig actually grinned a bit. “Well maybe not the arguing with G'len but the coming back here,” he teased. “And will definitely bring wine next time.” He didn't know why but he felt like he could really let his guard down with Neilla.

“Good cause I like G’len. Great dancer.” She grinned, nudging him again. “So are you coming to bed or leaving?” She asked quietly as she stood and stretched a little before starting to tidy up a few things. She did not offer people to stay but she suspected he was still raw from everything.

R'kig raised a brow. “Seriously? of course you like him,” he chuckled. He knew G'len had to be a decent guy or else K'ron wouldn't have chosen him as his wing second. He hesitated at her offer, not sure he was ready for an empty weyr yet. “Mind if I stay?”

Neilla held her tongue before she mentioned how he was a great kisser having made out with him after thread full drinking last sevenday. “What part of are you coming to bed did you not understand?” She wondered as she turned to look at the hesitation on his face.

R'kig didn't catch the look on her face as he was still getting himself back under control again. He did smile a bit. “Apparently all of it,” he said with a shake of his head.

The woman shook her head and grabbed up his hands slowly backing towards where her small bed chamber was. “Seems so.” She laughed a little as she carried on walking backwards until she was inside and pulled the curtain across.

The blue rider got to his feet as she tugged him along. He was only just starting to feel like himself again. “I'm a slow learner,” he smiled as she tugged him into her room.

“No you are not.” She laughed as she let him go and disappeared into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. She soon returned and leaned against the doorway frame looking at him.

R'kig wasn't going to argue. There were times he felt like a really slow learner. Right now though he was tired and he felt really stupid for his actions. He collapsed down on Neilla's bed.

“Are you going to take off any of your clothes?” She wondered lying down next to him grinning as she wore just a long vest top and shorts whilst he was fully dressed with boots on still

He looked down at himself with a shake of his head. “Would probably be smart,” he chuckled, bending down to get his boots off for starters.

Neilla giggled softly as she took in the confusion and then the realisation from him. “Need help?” She flirted, turning on her side to look at him.

R'kig looked over his shoulder at her and smiled. “I don't know. When you help it usually takes longer,” he teased. The two certainly had a fun relationship.

“That is because I normally need help too and I normally like to tease.” She answered but rolled her eyes and lay back turning away. “But suit yourself, blue rider.”

He turned around and playfully pinned her, needing to not think for a bit. “I wasn't complaining,” he assured her.

“Good cause you can find your own bed if that’s the case.” She laughed as her arms were pinned above her head and she stared up at the man grinning. “Really cannot help like this though R’kig.”

The blue rider chuckled. “True enough,” he agreed. “But I can tease you and you have already helped me tonight.” She had pulled him back from the brink.

“It’s what friends do.” She laughed leaning pressing her lips against his softly in a kiss. “… especially friends who do this.” She whispered biting her lip as she stared at him.

He knew she was right. And she had always been his best friend. “Mmm and I like this,” he grinned against her lips. He leaned down and kissed her again before releasing her hands.

As her hands were freed they trailed between them to the ties on his shirt making quick work of them before starting on the belt. “Quick enough for you?” She demanded breathless from his kisses as she worked his shirt free and tossed it to her floor.

R'kig laughed as his shirt hit the floor. “Very quick,” he agreed. Definitely no arguments. He playfully nibbled on her neck, still surprised at times how they had fallen into this.

“Glad I could please you.” She laughed as she undid her own shirt easily and shimmed out of it, chucking it to join his. “You still have a boot on.” She laughed as she looked down his lean body and saw it.

The young man burst out laughing before burying his face. “That is embarrassing,” he commented, reluctantly sitting back up to take off the offending object.

“Not in the slightest.” She told him grinning as she lay back watching him still. This type of thing was meant to be embarrassing and vulnerable, it was not meant to be perfect.

“Anything else I'm missing?” He smiled before returning to her. He was glad this was Neilla. Things were so easy with her and he didn't feel like he had to be perfect.

It was good to see him smiling again and looking less angry and depressed than he had been for the last few months. She just hoped he took the advice to go to a mind healer. “Nothing I cannot help with.” She said, pulling him close to her with a kiss.

He knew he still had issues but right now he didn't want to think about them. He just wanted to concentrate on Neilla. “Oh really?” He laughed as she tugged him down. R'kig leaned into her kiss, his hand resting on her waist.

The woman giggled as she pulled away from his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck as she moved pushing him onto his back. She used the surprise to start kissing down his chest and stomach. “Your trousers and underwear.” She grinned up at him.

He gasped in surprise as she easily pushed him onto his back. A shiver raced down his spine as he ran his fingers down her back. “And what would you possibly want with those?” Hs asked impishly.

“I’ll show you.” She whispered as she she continued down his body until she got to his open belt and tugged his trousers and underwear down, chucking the heavy material to the floor. She grinned at the thud it made. “Much better.” She said joining him with only her shorts left between them now.

R'kig raised a brow, moaning a bit at her touch on his body. A husky laugh escaped his throat at the thud. “Well then,” he laughed. “I do agree, much better. But I think these need to go,” he pointed out, running a hand down her side.

“That I can do easily .” She whispered, lifting up to tug them off, throwing them aside before she pressed against him. “R’kig…” She whispered his name against his lips as she ducked to kiss him hard.

He smiled as she shifted to put actions to words. This wasn't what he had been thinking when he had originally come here but he also wasn't going to complain. “Hmm?” He mumbled against her lips, pressing up against her as she still had him pinned.

“I am glad you came here tonight.” She whispered. She knew it the morning she would be up early before he likely woke to make it uncomplicated and keep their friendship but right now like him she needed that connection to someone.