A Visit on Nightwatch

Writers: Devin, Halyonix
Date Posted: 21st November 2025
Series: Bronze and Blue Entwined

Characters: K'mai, I'serin
Description: I'serin pays a visit to K'mai during his nightwatch shift.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 16 of Turn 12

K'mai

I'serin

Notes:
~*~

I'serin allowed himself to sleep until dawn was a few hours away, though he did not feel rested in any sort of way. His conscious gnawed at him. It was the right decision, he told himself, but why was making the right decision the one that hurt K'mai?

}: Sebeth's rider acted irresponsibly, :{ Aluneth grumbled sleepily as his rider woke him. }: It put you in a difficult position as Weyrleader. You could not condone his actions. You did the right thing. :{

And hopefully mending the harm now, I'serin thought quietly as he tucked the thermos of klah against him. He thumped Aluneth's shoulder so that the dragon knew to take off, soundlessly winging towards the Heights where Sebeth and K'mai were. }: Be quiet, :{ Aluneth hushed Sebeth before the blue could give their approach away.

Sebeth tilted his head, but obeyed his leader. }:Is yours going to scold mine more? He is already sad. He is doing what he was told.:{

Aluneth did not answer but I'serin eventually did. "I brought klah," he said as he removed the thermos and offered it to K'mai. In the darkness, it was near impossible to see his expression unless Aluneth's glowing eyes leaned lower, but his tone was unmistakably apologetic and tender.

K'mai's heart leapt. "I'serin!" he said as he got to his feet. He wrapped his arms around his lover, the thermos of klah pressed warmly between them.

I'serin's form did not relax like it usually did but it did not remain so stiff. "I...am not here as Weyrleader," he said, hoping that K'mai would understand that the difficult conversation that had happened earlier was because of his rank but that the reason he was here now was to be at his lover's side. Though, he would have to be Weyrleader soon enough when the dawn rose."Earlier, I...you understand..."

He exhaled, words failing momentarily. "I dislike when my duties and my heart do not align," he admitted as he rested his chin on K'mai's shoulder. What had once been a comforting distance of formality, I'serin now realized what difficulties he would have to navigate in order to have what his heart wanted. He hoped that K'mai would understand.

"You thought you had to be tough," K'mai said, still holding him close. "I thought we'd gotten through the hard part and . . . then I was worried you were still mad at me." The past several candlemarks had been fairly miserable.

I'serin leaned back just enough to capture K'mai's chin with his hand. "I was never upset with you, not in the traditional sense. What you did, while understandable coming from some points of view, put me in a difficult political position, which was where my conflict lay. I...did not expect to ever have such a thing happen. Mostly because I did not ever expect to be in a relationship where my lover felt the need to defend me. So, anger was not the emotion I felt. It was conflict." He paused and then added, "Had I not been Weyrleader, I imagine that I would have felt...pride...happiness...at having someone so willing to defend me."

K'mai smiled softly at his lover and then suddenly laughed. "I wonder what N'vanik would think if he knew I was defending his honor?"

I'serin's expression was one of amusement. "I do not know. I will be certain to mention it to him the next time we meet though." He gently kissed K'mai, then looked up at the sky. "One of these nights, we should go stargazing somewhere. I believe we have some old star charts in the library that I could borrow." It would not be the most exciting of dates but it would be different. The idea of bundling up and sharing a bottle of wine while naming the stars sounded romantically quaint to I'serin.

"I would love that." K'mai pulled away and resumed his seat against Sebeth's flank. He patted the spot next to him as Sebeth watched the Weyrleader with gently spinning blue eyes.

He told himself that he would not stay long. Visiting already felt like he was doing something errant but so long as he did not let himself be distracted by K'mai...

I'serin sat but did not relax. "I cannot stay long," he said. Definitely not until dawn. "You are on watch. But I did not want you to go too long thinking that I was upset with you."

K'mai wrapped an arm around I'serin's waist and laid his head against the Weyrleader's shoulder. "Thank you." He leaned into the warmth of his lover, breathed in his scent. "When I think about people hurting you, I . . . feel so protective. Angry. I got into an argument with your father in the hall over you. I threatened him."

Conflicting emotions surged through I'serin. There was surprise over hearing again how quickly K'mai had come to his defense, especially against his tyrant father. There was...endearment? Yes, that must be it. But there was also fear over hearing that K'mai had threatened A'len. "I cannot imagine that went over well with him," he said carefully, trying to think about how A'len would have responded to a threat from a bluerider.

"He was stomping away when I said it. I don't know what he would've done if he hadn't, well . . ." Died. "But if he had tried something, he would've found out just how many friends I have." K'mai had been ready to turn the entire Weyr against A'len.

The tiniest of smiles quirked I'serin's mouth. "I have no doubt that you could have made things...difficult for him." Perhaps it was a good thing then that A'len was gone. I'serin would not have to hear him rant about that as well.

There was a silence for a moment, with I'serin just enjoying the moment of K'mai's head resting on his shoulder, before he broke it with, "K'mai, while I am Weyrleader, you do not need to defend me from the Holders." His hand slipped to find K'mai's so that he could kiss it lightly. "Their ignorance and insults...will not diminish _this_." This moment, this togetherness. I'serin was used to not being understood. But now that he had a slowly growing circle of people who did, he found that those that did not understand him were losing their hold on him.

K'mai smiled and snuggled closer. I'serin was so wonderfully romantic. "I want to make the world a little better for you. A little kinder. I know throwing wine on people probably isn't the way to do that."

I'serin let out a small huff of laughter. "No, I do not think it will have the results you desire," he deadpanned. He rubbed his cheek against K'mai's hair. "I must go," he said regretfully, "I must begin my day." Even though dawn was still hours away, there was no way I'serin would be able to nap now that he was awake. And if he stayed longer, he would just be distracted by K'mai and distract him from his duties more than he already had. His Weyrleader knots felt heavy on his shoulder.

The bluerider made a small unhappy noise. "Oh, are we still on for your birthingday? You didn't ban me from parties." He winked.

The Weyrleader of Dragonsfall Weyr considered this for a long moment. "So long as we celebrate in the earlier evening hours. You will not use me as an excuse to be late," he answered with a small, fondly scheming smile towards the bluerider.

"Of course. _Your_ birthingday doesn't include an orgy, so we can wrap up early." K'mai grinned.

I'serin exhaled slowly as a relieved expression crossed his face. "Thank Faranth for that."

Last updated on the November 28th 2025

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A Visit on Nightwatch