Nothing's Changed

Writers: Yvonne, Heather
Date Posted: 2nd September 2025

Characters: V'dryn, Ketlyn
Description: Ketlyn goes to see V'dryn after Varinth's first flight.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 6, day 6 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: R'bain, N'kayden

Later that afternoon Ketlyn found herself lingering outside the door to V'dryn's weyr and trying to convince herself to knock. Varinth's flight was as tender as a bruise in her memory, and she felt like she should... apologize? Make things right? Would he be angry that Zhomoth hadn't won and she'd gone off with R'bain, after all that tension between him and N'kayden? Would he want to see her at all? And what if he wasn't alone?

Her stomach twisted unpleasantly at the thought. **Oh, stop being such a baby,** she told herself firmly. She rapped her fist against the door with more force than she'd intended and immediately wished she could run away like a weyrling prankster. But she wasn't a child anymore. She was a greenrider, and this would become... usual. Varinth would continue to rise, and she'd just have to deal with it.

"Come in!" V'dryn called. He was fishing for a shirt from his trunk and did not look up as she entered.

"Hi. Um." Ketlyn's gaze snagged on the ripple of muscle along V'dryn's back as she stepped inside. She quickly looked away and concentrated on closing the door very, very gently. "I... ah. I wanted to say thank you. For being there, today. With Zhomoth."

He paused to look at her, trying to gauge her mood. "Ketlyn, of course. Why are you thanking me though?" he asked, baffled. He expected some sort of apology that Zhomoth hadn't won, not a thank you.

"It's just... it was really... overwhelming." She wrapped her arms around herself like a shield. "There were a lot of people there. More than I thought there would be. And a lot of them I didn't know. I'm glad that R'bain won Varinth's flight because at least it was someone I _knew_ instead of a stranger. But I... honestly, I wish it had been you."

Some fierce, unnamed emotion flowed through him for a moment. Frustration? Jealousy? No, he wasn't sure if it was either or a mix of something else. He'd have to figure it out later. "Ketlyn," he said, stepping close to her so that his fingers could gently capture her chin. "There's no reason to think that it will never be me," he pointed out. "Varinth will rise again. I highly doubt I could keep Zhomoth away."

"I know." She forced a smile. "I just wanted to tell you anyway. I know it doesn't change anything."

He offered her a small, contemplative smile before leaning forward just enough to give her a gentle kiss. "It doesn't change anything," he echoed.

Relief flooded her veins and made her knees weak, or maybe it was that kiss. Her body responded like she hadn't just gone through her first greenflight and she greedily wrapped her hands around V'dryn's smooth waist without consciously thinking about it. She felt drunk with relief, light-headed with it, and kissed him back hard.

Hope and ease fluttered in his heart at her reaction. "How does," he said in between another kiss that he ended with his fingers capturing her chin, "an evening in with a bottle of wine sound later on? We can catch up, relax, and spend some quality time together."

Later was too far away when his mouth was so close. She clenched her fists and told herself 'no'. "I'd like that."

His smile broadened. "Then after the evening meal. Meet you here." He gave her another quick kiss but ended it with, "I'll be late to practice if I don't hurry now." As much as he wanted to continue their...conversation, he didn't want to be on his Wingleader's bad side so soon.

"All right." It wasn't fair that she'd have to wait. Her afternoon drills were cancelled since there was no way she'd be able to rouse Varinth from her spot nestled next to Brinolth. The remainder of the day was going to stretch into infinity, and the evening couldn't come soon enough.

Last updated on the October 3rd 2025

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Nothing's Changed