Just in case? (Attn: Tr'cev)

Teagan was bone deep tired when she finally walked into her weyr. She'd have fallen off Ensieth if not for the riding straps when they'd first seen Yllaveth. She had thought they'd messed up, and just reappeared where they'd disappeared, until he gave them the brisk command to follow his coordinates directly.

The Weyrsenior had promised to explain things more fully after they'd slept. But, as he had explained, she would be spending the next five Turns in this time, a full five Turns from when she had woken up that morning.

Her mouth fell open in shock when she looked around her weyr. Or what had been her weyr. A different bed, with luxurious bedding. A new wardrobe, and to her surprise her own clothing was in it, the clothing she had picked through that morning.

The entire thing was making her head spin, and she felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes. All it took was one croon from Ensieth and she rushed to the shadow, arms thrown around her slender neck and face buried against her hide.

"I'm scared," she whispered between sniffles. "I'm really scared."

Ensieth shifted until one wing covered her tiny rider, keeping up the gentle croon. You never need to be scared when I am with you, the shadow assured her, love and comfort flowing through her words. I will always keep you safe, my rider.

Tr'cev wasn't sure what he felt, to be honest. It didn't seem fair, not in the slightest, but... that was the cry of a child. If "fair" were a consideration, he never would have had to leave High Reaches as a kid. His Da would still be alive and he...

He would likely never have Impressed the world's first Tungsten dragon. So. Who gave a wher's arse for "fair"?

But it sucked. It really did. He'd spent the last five Turns knowing someone at a certain age, and this morning he woke up and she was all of a sudden five Turns younger? He'd known it was going to happen, of course, but that didn't really make it easier. He'd loved her. He'd known her inside and out, and now, all of a sudden, she was a child again. Not his lover, not his friend, not the rider of Elhuyath's favorite eligible queen... a child. One who barely knew him... but one who seemed to care.

His fingers curled around the note in his pocket. Much creased and faded, that one, but she'd said it had helped. She'd said that he had helped, and if he could help her, then, well, help her he would. For herself, the stunningly brave little girl who took her queen between times to save the planet. But also for the beautiful and equally brave woman he knew she would become. His Da had always told him that queenriders were the bravest women on the planet, because the safety of Pern rode entirely on their shoulders. Teagan had proved his Da right once again.

After getting the 'come ahead' call from Eniseth through Elhuyath, Tr'cev walked down the outer stairs to her weyr. He almost walked right in, as he had done yesterday and many days before, but he remembered in time and paused at the threshold.

"Teagan," he called out softly. "It's Tr'cev. Do you remember me? May I come in?"

Well, and if that wasn't a stupid thing to say. She'd left him that note earlier this same morning-- for her. He shrugged, though, and thought it best to let it pass.

"Tr'cev?" Her voice shook slightly, but she'd managed to stop the tears and presented a brave face. That facade faltered when she stepped away from Ensieth and back into the light of the weyr, able to see him better. She could tell it was him, the face was sharper and more mature, and he was taller, but it was him.

"Your hair is different," she said numbly, unable to think of anything else to say while silent tears started to fall again.

"Yeah," Tr'cev said, brilliantly. This exquisite example of eloquence resulted from the maelstrom of confusion that hit him when she stepped forward into the light. She was younger, yes... but it was Teagan. Moreover, it was a Teagan that he remembered from so long ago. Slenderer at hip and breast, perhaps, but still unmistakably her.

He rubbed a hand over his stubble-short hair and shrugged.

"I started keeping it shorter at some point during training," he said. "It just got easier that way. You look exactly how I remember you," he added with a little laugh that may have sounded a bit breathless.

"Anyway," he said, shaking himself as if trying to come out of a trance. "I... ah... though you could maybe use a friendly face. We're great friends, you know." And more. So very, very much more, but he couldn't tell her that now. That would be tantamount to coercion, and that was something Tr'cev would never, never do. So he smiled, and shoved his aching heart down in his chest, and held out the much-folded note he'd kept in his pocket.

She was noticing the smaller changes now. The deeper voice, the smile lines around his eyes, skin that had been weathered by Turns of flying. "I do?" she asked, suddenly feeling very shy and aware that the boy she had a crush on had grown up.

She raised her eyes when he continued, her eyes widening in surprise at his words. They were great friends? Then she saw the paper in his hand and her heart practically leapt from her chest.

Very slowly she crossed the space between them, feeling painful awkward and immature even just doing that, and plucked the note from his hand. She unfolded it and made a noise somewhere between a giggle and a whimper.

"I really did want to dance with you again," she said quietly, running her fingers over the creases. "You kept it all this time?" Finally she looked up at him, willing herself not to cry. He'd gotten taller, but not too much, she thought with a tiny smile.

"Well, yeah," Tr'cev said, with a little laugh. "I used it to con you into dancing with me the first time after you... you know... came back."

He walked further into her room and dropped into his usual chair. Then he stiffened and grimaced.

"Shards, I'm sorry. I should have asked. Is it okay if I come in?"

Her smile deepened to a grin, and she dropped her eyes as she blushed. She held onto the paper and stared at it, feeling a connection to home finally. So he'd claimed a dance from her, and cared enough to read the note so often. A little hint of her future, she thought, the fear in her easing just slightly.

She looked back up when he spoke, blinking because she had been lost in thought. "Sure," she stuttered, wondering if she'd done something wrong to make him suddenly go so rigid. "I don't think I'll be able to fall asleep anytime soon," she admitted, crossing to the bed. "I'm tired but I'm thinking so loud I know it'll keep me up."

She looked around and finally perched on the edge of the bed. She wasn't quite ready to call it her bed yet. She pulled one of the blankets up around herself, tucking her legs underneath her so they wouldn't dangle. All around were hints of the woman she would become, she thought, looking around the weyr. The paintings, the hangings, the furniture...

"I did all this, didn't I?" she asked, a hint of wonder in her voice. "Or I will do it? It's so confusing... ," she trailed off, then looked back at him. "Did you help with any of it?"

Tr'cev grinned.

"That one," he said, pointing to a hanging. "I bought that one at a Gather for you a Turn ago. To celebrate..." he trailed off, and he could feel his face heating up.

"...one of Eniseth's clutches," he finished, wondering if she'd figure out what he wasn't saying. "And the decanter," he added. "For when you want your fancy wine instead of the honest liquor of your birth." He winked then, realizing that she wouldn't get the inside reference, but hoping she'd appreciate the phrasing nonetheless.

"And a few other things," Tr'cev finished with a shrug. "Like I said, we're close friends. And you enjoy presents. I imagine that's still the case, isn't it?"

She jumped off the bed immediately and went to the hanging he indicated, reaching up and just barely touching it. "It's beautiful," she said, grinning brightly. Her eyes flitted to the decanter, and she couldn't help but giggle.

Ensieth would have clutches. She would keep wine in her weyr

((Ahem, someone dropped their phone and hit send when they caught it lmao I can't edit so just gonna continue))

Ensieth would have clutches. She would keep wine in her weyr. She looked around with renewed wonder, trying to imagine the woman who had left this weyr behind for her. Five turns seemed like an eternity to her, but Tr'cevs smile as he described the items was like those times had just happened the day before.

Her smile deepened, and she blushed again. Good friends, indeed, she thought. Was that hanging special because Elhuyath had flown Ensieth? And the delicate decanter, it seemed like such an adult item to have in her weyr. Br'son and Ashrah had strictly limited her wine intake before.

"No one ever really gave me presents before," she admitted, that shy, flattered and blushed expression on her face when she turned to him. "Avidian gave me presents growing up sometimes... I think he felt bad that my mum died. But, this feels a little different, wasn't it?" She was almost afraid to ask that question, but she wanted to know more about Her.

Tr'cev got very quiet. His green eyes looked steadily at the girl in front of him.

"Yes," he said softly. And no more, only that.

Because how did you tell a fourteen Turn old girl that the 22 year old version of herself would initiate the 16-turn old version of you in the mysteries of love? You didn't. You couldn't. Especially not when she was looking at the (now older than her) version of you with eyes wide as dinner plates.

"You probably need to get some rest," he said then. "I should go."

She wanted to ask more, but she could see the curtain being pulled down. He wanted to see Her, she realized, heart sinking a little. She'd seen some of that look in Br'sons eyes.

Suddenly, she realized that this was the look everyone would be giving her. She swallowed hard past the lump in her throat. "Of course," she said, dropping her eyes to the paper still in her hand. Part of her wanted to hold onto it, something that was so tangible and fresh in her mind, but she knew that was selfish.

She carefully refolded it along the lines he'd made over the Turns, and pressed it into his hand. "Thank you," she said softly, meeting his gaze for a moment. "Maybe I can claim a dance next time... I don't want to wait five Turns for you to ask," she added, smiling hopefully.

Tr'cev took the note, and he couldn't help but let his fingers brush against hers just slightly.

"Any time you want, queenrider," he said with his usual easy grin. Only the slight darkness in his green eyes betrayed the presence of something deeper, some buried pain.

The tungsten rider stood up and took a step toward the doorway, and then turned back to face her.

"I'm really glad you're here, Teagan," he said. "Get some rest, and if you have Eniseth call Elhuyath tomorrow when Br'son is done with you, maybe we can go fly for a bit... get out of here. I can show you a bit about what's changed in the last five Turns. Bring Z'ash if you want. Or not. Your call."

She smiled again, and would have blushed again, if she'd ever stopped in the first place. "I would love that," she said shyly, playing with her hands to have something to do aside from looking up at him. "Elhuyath was such a big guy, I can't wait to see what he looks like now...," she gave a grin, remembering the happy dragon. "And I had kinda wanted to show you my favorite place, as soon as he could fly. It's where Sidran took me when Aliseth rose."

She stopped, realizing she had been babbling. It was just hard to believe, that the boy who she'd had a crush on just this morning was now a very handsome man.

He grinned. He knew the place. He wouldn't say so, though, and would let her show him all over again.

"I look forward to it. Until tomorrow, then, Queenrider. Welcome home."