Ding Dong Dinner Date

Writers: Devin, Halyonix, Iluva, Sia
Date Posted: 2nd October 2025

Characters: K'mai, I'serin, M'thos, T'mhas
Description: M'thos and T'mhas learn who the mystery guest is, K'mai is adoring, and I'serin realizes it's not so bad.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 8, day 27 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: E'tariax
Follows "It's Not an Orgy, I Swear" and "It Probably is, Though"

K'mai

I'serin

M'thos

T'mhas

"It'll be fine, love." K'mai kissed I'serin's cheek and squeezed his hand. M'thos and T'mhas were due to arrive any minute.

I'serin smoothed his tunic again, though it was already pristine. His stomach was turning into knots and panic gibbered at the edge of his mind. He took a deep, steadying breath and nodded at K'mai, trying valiantly to believe that it would indeed be fine.

M'thos slid down Ghraisath's neck and made his way into the weyr first, stepping halfway into the living quarters and surveying the space. His arm came out as a barrier as he did, as if the much taller and broader bronzerider could somehow squeeze through the doorframe while he was still standing in it. Several emotions passed over his face as he waited for his weyrmate: puzzlement, realization, and then his lips pursed together to barely hide a smug, disbelieving grin.

"Oh, no. T'mhas is _not_ going to like this, K'mai." He scolded, "You said this _wasn't_ going to be an orgy."

"It's not --" Then K'mai's sense of humor took over and he said, "Four people is hardly an orgy."

"Anything over three and you're splitting hairs." M'thos chided. "You should've warned me that we were entertaining the Weyrleader. I'm dreadfully underdressed for this kind of power dynamic."

T'mhas had a half-formed protest in his throat when his chest thumped lightly against his mate's arm. He just caught the word 'orgy' and glanced down at M'thos, perplexed, then across the room to K'mai, vaguely accusatory.

And then with a long, slow, absorbing blink - I'serin.

"What... Oh." Behind the furrowed knit of his brows, Tam's myriad of thoughts all lead back to one place. "Well, hello." A slow, knowing grin came sliding across his face. Even roommates didn't entwine their fingers like that. "So, this is what you've been up to."

M'thos' outstretched elbow bent so he could tap his hand against T'mhas' chest. "I told you that you should've shaved." He said dryly.

"You're not funny." Tam chastised near his ear, despite his growing smile.

Throughout all of this, the Weyrleader of Dragonsfall Weyr stood rigid, his mind rapidly alternating between near desperate panic and tittering hysteria, clinging tightly to both K'mai's hand and Aluneth's assurances that everything was fine.

Everything was not fine, but he would unpack that later.

I'serin finally found his voice, quivering and hiding behind a shield of formality, and said, "Welcome."

K'mai squeezed I'serin's hand again and gave him a gentle smile. "I told you it would be fine. I was going to be serious, but . . . M'thos started it."

"Who isn't serious?" M'thos asked, though he stepped further into the weyr to let T'mhas through, shooting him an amused glance. He handed K'mai the bottle of wine he was carrying, looking around the weyr as if he hadn't been to an Alpine Party before. "You could've at least moved the furniture around if you didn't want us to make assumptions, K'mai."

"When I have an orgy I bring in extra couches. Or a bed. This is how my weyr always looks."

"Great. Glad we cleared that up." T'mhas said with an impatient snort. He dropped into the nearest chair, already fishing out the half flask of rum from his inner pocket in case their mystery guest wasn't a wine drinker. A cursory sniff -- belated, sure, but in case the kids had gotten clever -- and then, satisfied, Tam held it out with a casual wave and an easy grin, one brow arched in question. "I'serin? K'mai? Come on."

This was not how I'serin had envisioned a dinner date with another couple going. He had imagined formalities, pleasantries, where everyone would sit, what conversations they would bring up (certainly not conversations about orgies!) and this...casual nature had him off balance in so many ways. Was this...normal?

T'mhas tilted it again in that awkward silence, and then proceeded to pour a few finger widths into a couple of the shining glasses already waiting on the table. "Thanks for the invite, by the way. We really didn't know who" -or what- "to expect." He spared a bemused glance at M'thos, relieved it wasn't some of his mate's wilder speculations, before his own genuine curiosity won out. "So, how long have you two..."

K'mai looked at I'serin. He was the one who'd wanted to make the announcement. K'mai wanted to pour everyone wine, to sit down, but he didn't want to let go of I'serin's hand. He was afraid the bronzerider would bolt for the door.

He was right to be concerned. I'serin had heavily considered that course of action. He swallowed nervously before answering. "It...is a relatively recent...development." Recent if one discounted Turns of being attracted to each other, but one of them too terrified to come forward. He exhaled steadily, then raised K'mai's hand to his mouth for a shaky but brave kiss as he let the bluerider go serve their guests. His legs carried him woodenly towards one of the open seats. "I...have been...afraid...to tell others. It is not a...traditional preference amongst bronzeriders."

"You don't say." M'thos deadpanned, "Did you know that, T'mhas?"

T'mhas stretched back a little in his chair, broad frame settling comfortably, long legs sliding into their usual tripping hazard position under the table. "What. That bronzeriders might like men?" He tipped a grin at M'thos. "Next you'll tell me they let Hallbrats Impress, too." A wink followed, then he added, "But I can really only speak from experience."

His gaze, however, traced between K'mai and I'serin's hands as they drifted apart - small, but telling. His heart gave a quiet, sympathetic thump.

Tam recognized that dance. Old, but familiar territory. And that feeling, that fear - I'serin's was drawn around him so tightly his eyes practically bulged. Different steps but all to the same rhythm. Even for a Weyrbred man, even with someone like K'mai by his side, in front of people who understood, I'serin struggled to admit it, maybe outloud or to himself.

"Well," T'mhas raised a glass by the rim, held between his thumb and forefinger. "Congratulations, you guys. Think we should all drink to that."

"I've been _dying_ to tell people," K'mai said as he poured the wine. "I'm completely in love with him. He's adorable, and kind, and shy, and passionate, and brilliant. He's amazing." He smiled adoringly at I'serin.

The normally loquacious bronzerider ducked his head in a blush. Between two people toasting his announcement and K'mai gushing about him, he was uncertain how to handle this type of attention. "I..." he fumbled. He could lead a Weyr through Threadfall but could not take a compliment? He would need to work on that. "K'mai has been...so very patient with me throughout this."

“You two absolute ding-dongs,” M’thos said, still teasing, and raising his glass partway. “Take a breath, I'serin. You look like a weyrling getting ready to bolt. You're allowed to have a boyfriend. Far be it from either of us to judge, we tried to convince the Weyrwoman we were just two good friends that wanted to be roommates."

T'mhas smirked at him, rubbing the dark stubble shadowing his jaw. "Such _good_ friends."

They'd thought their ruse clever enough. Desperation and youth, in his case. Though really that line between roommates and what they actually were together had blurred and been ill-defined for quite some time back then, even to them -- particularly them.

Tam raised the bottle again, this time straight to his lips, taking a good swig and then casually pointing it at K'mai, "Tamerel's gonna be pretty pissed whenever he finds out about this, by the way. He only went to his mother's 'cause we _weren't_ havin' dinner with The Weyrleader."

Hearing someone tell him that he was allowed settled something unexpected within I'serin. An echo of E'tariax telling him that it was up to I'serin to define happiness. I'serin exhaled, letting some of his anxiety go. "My...," he started to say, but then paused. "_Our_ apologies to Tamerel. Hopefully next time." It felt good to say that word. And to look forward to a next time. He took a long sip of wine. Perhaps he should have taken a shot of something harder to fuzz his nerves. "If it is any consolation or apology, you two are among the first handful to find out. I...enjoyed our dinner last time and K'mai suggested that we do this."

"I told M'thos I'd bring Sabia next time," K'mai said.

"A playdate." M'thos added. Then, to I'serin, "You better get used to the ribbing, then. I doubt you'll get any negativity, unless you and K'mai decide to make out in the middle of Amber Hills."

T'mhas snorted. "And the staring, though one of you probably won't mind that."

"Hey, I know how to behave at Holds," K'mai said. "Mostly."

I'serin did not choke on his wine _as much_ but it was there. "I...will endeavor to get used to the joking." His eyes swept to K'mai. "We are not making out in the middle of the Holds though." It was not a hard promise but it was definitely off the table for now. I'serin had so much work to do before getting to something like that.

"That's what Hatchings are for," K'mai said with a gleam in his eyes.

"Yeah. Hey K'mai, if you're gonna salivate over I'serin in front of us, I wouldn't mind some bread." T'mhas said with a devilish grin, hand pointedly ghosting his stomach. Given the direction dinner was taking, Tam was in a better mood than he thought he would be. Not every surprise was a good one -- though relievingly this was just the pleasant banter of two riders in the silly and slightly awkward stages of love.

"Oh right, food." K'mai stared uncovering the dishes that had been brought up from the kitchens. "I'serin is _very_ distracting, but I should at least try to be a good host." He began filling T'mhas's plate with warm bread and greens.

I'serin moved to help, making certain that glasses were filled and utensils were set. At one point, as K'mai was passing him a plate, he made sure to give the bluerider a wan but hopeful look, a silent expression of appreciation for the lengths K'mai had gone through to make this happen. "Enough about...us," he said to M'thos, letting that third word coat his tongue in a weirdly pleasant sweetness. "Regale us with a story from when you two got together."

M'thos' gaze slid across to T'mhas again, mischief returning back to his face. "Dragonsfall, twenty turns ago. Far Island Weyr sent us some of their candidates, and one of them just happened to be this big strapping farmcraft boy who was _instantly_ enamoured with one of the journeymen harpers. Except he didn't know he was struck by love at first sight. He just thought all men appreciated each other's muscles when they were working out together."

K'mai half-covered a laugh. "Oh no."

T'mhas snorted softly, nodding. "Oh yeah. But this also wasn't just any journeyman harper, either. Charming, savvy. Flirt with anything with two legs, and _way_ too pretty for his own good." He shot a pointed look between the other couple, "You know the type."

His gaze encircled M'thos and that same silly glint in his eye, lips twisting with amusement. "He sensed somethin' was up with the crafter kid and was always finding ways for them to take their shirts off together. And then, whaddya know, lo and behold - they Impress together."

I'serin was slightly smiling by this point. Their tone and their way of telling this narrative was familiar, loving, still warm after all those Turns. "A far more romantic tale than ours," he remarked with a knowing look at K'mai but no regret in his tone.

M'thos pretended to flip his hair, clearly enjoying the attention. "The romantic parts start to show through later." He said easily, still teasing. They'd left some parts out of their own grand tale, but it was easier to do in the decades after. There were other complications, like M'thos' eldest son on the horizon. "Your turn. What's the tale of you two?"

"He came to my weyr drunk one night and kissed me." K'mai's gaze stayed fond but his grin turned wicked. "And then I gave him a blowjob."

T'mhas downed a shot of rum, then refilled his glass. M'thos covered his mouth to prevent a laugh. There was a joke there, somewhere, saved neatly for when they got home.

I'serin blushed slightly. "Perhaps we find a different story to tell," he suggested with a chuckle.

"Those who aren't harpers don't understand the flow of storytelling, do they?" M'thos teased, "It takes a while to teach that skill, I'serin."

T'mhas chuckled softly, lifting his glass again. "And how long is that, usually?"

M'thos just smiled serenely. "Many years."

"How about, after he told me the truth and I finally got to know the real him, I started to fall in love with him." K'mai looked at I'serin with pure adoration.

"That," the Weyrleader said, "is probably a far better story to tell." He motioned for them to dig into their meal as they let the conversation lapse into sharing tales.

Last updated on the October 3rd 2025

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Ding Dong Dinner Date