Things Come in Their Own Time (PG-17)

Writers: Devin
Date Posted: 24th February 2025

Characters: N'vanik, Z'kim
Description: Some things can’t be forced, they come in their own time.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 13 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Talryne
**PG-17**
Rating: PG-17

N'vanik

Z'kim

N’vanik paced his weyr. Around the living area, around the dining
table, and back again. }:Why are you so nervous? It’s only Warroth’s
rider.:{

**Because things are different now. Or they might be. Or they might
_not_ be.** N’vanik sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

}:You’ve flown him many times.:{

**But not without your influence.** Had that spark of desire been a fluke?

Loseth bugled a greeting and said warmly, }:Warroth is here.:{

N’vanik hurried out to the ledge and watched them arrive. Warroth
rumbled a greeting as she landed and touched noses with Loseth, her
eyes whirling happily. “Let me get down before you start flirting,”
Z’kim said. The green lowered and her rider slid down.

“Hey Nik.”

“Hey Zeke.” N’vanik gave his friend a hug, and at least that part was
familiar, even if there were VTOLs fluttering in his stomach. He led
the way inside and over to the living area. “Wine?”

“Absolutely.” Z’kim took a seat on the couch and N’vanik felt the
man’s gaze on him as he poured. N’vanik handed him a glass and then
sat on the opposite side of the couch with his own wine. He took a
sip, then another.

Z’kim gently swirled his wine. “Sooo . . . you seem nervous.”

Caught, N’vanik let out a tense laugh. “Kinda.” He took a larger drink.

“If you have to get drunk to kiss me, this isn’t going to work.”

“It’s not that, it’s . . . what if I still can’t feel anything? What
if that was it?”

Z’kim snorted. “You really are the _weirdest_ bronzerider I’ve ever
met.” Then he turned serious. “Whatever happens, we’re still friends,
right? That’s what matters.”

A little smile curved N’vanik’s lips. “Yeah . . . Yeah.” Z’kim was
right about him being weird because N’vanik _wanted_ to want him. “And
if I _do_ feel something . . . what does that mean?”

“It means whatever you want, Nik. They’re not going to take Loseth
away from you.”

“Well, yeah.” N’vanik had been wondering what it meant for them, but
now he was too afraid to say that. “I suppose I should give it a try
instead of gettin’ all caught up in what ifs and maybes.” He took
another sip�"a small one�"and set his glass on the table. Z’kim did the
same and slid closer to him. N’vanik edged toward him on the couch,
his heart pounding.

It was just a kiss. He could manage that, even if it ended up being
weird. He’d kissed Z’kim plenty of times before, it just seemed so
sharding strange to be doing this outside the flightroom. N’vanik
leaned toward him and swallowed.

“It’s all right.” Z’kim tilted his face toward N’vanik but held back,
letting the bronzerider make the first move. “It’s just me.”

}:Kiss him,:{ Loseth encouraged.

N’vanik bent just a little closer, their faces inches away. Why was
this so hard?

Z’kim changed tactics. “Scared little holder boy, afraid to like a man.”

The flicker of annoyance was what he needed. N’vanik pressed their
lips together. Z’kim’s mouth was warm and soft and tasted of wine. It
only lasted a few seconds before the bronzerider pulled back. “That .
. . wasn’t bad.”

“Wow, what a compliment.”

N’vanik chuckled. “Lemme try again.” This time he put an arm around
Z’kim’s waist and he only hesitated for a few heartbeats before
kissing his friend. Their lips moved against each other and N’vanik’s
tongue flicked out, asking for entrance. Z’kim opened for him and
N’vanik might have made a little moan as their tongues met. It _was_ a
little weird because he was fully aware that he was kissing a man
without a trace of dragonlust. But it wasn’t bad. Not at all.

N’vanik smiled as he leaned back. “It’s good, Zeke. It’s good.”

“Yeah?” Z’kim ran his fingers through N’vanik’s hair.

The bronzerider went in for another kiss and it was even better. It
wasn’t the fire that blazed through him during the bonus round, but it
was warm and good and he wanted to keep kissing Z’kim. N’vanik felt
like he stood on the edge of frightening, wonderful possibility.

But kissing was one thing. Could he handle more than that? The door
inside his mind was unlocked and if he pushed he didn’t know if it
would swing open or slam shut and lock again. He reached for the hem
of Z’kim’s shirt and tugged. The greenrider lifted his arms and
N’vanik pulled it all the way off, tossing it to the side. He was
faced with Z’kim’s bare, flat, muscular chest and a spike of
nervousness went through him.

“Something wrong?” Z’kim brushed a thumb along his cheek. “We don’t
have to rush.”

“I just . . . wanna look. To see if . . .” N’vanik shook his head.

“You can look, bronzeboy.” Z’kim smiled and leaned back against the
arm of the couch, his eyes slightly hooded.

N’vanik’s gaze slid over him, heart pounding. He . . . wanted. “Zeke,
you’re . . . sexy,” he said with wonder.

The greenrider laughed, low and warm. “Just noticed that, did you?”

“Yeah.” Reaching out a tentative hand, N’vanik slid it up Z’kim’s
chest. “Yeah, I really just did.” He’d taken baths with other men
before he got a private bathing room, and in tropical Dolphin Cove he
saw fit male dragonriders wearing little or nothing all day long. He
flirted with men sometimes because it was fun, but he’d never had an
interest.

“Forty Turns old and just discovering boys,” Z’kim said.

“Discovering you.” N’vanik leaned in to kiss him again, fingers
roaming over his bare skin. He shifted to Z’kim’s neck, feeling the
other man’s fast pulse under his lips. They spent several minutes
making out and as much as N’vanik was enjoying it, part of him worried
that this feeling would disappear the way it had before �" there one
minute, gone the next.

}:Don’t worry about what might or might not happen. Just enjoy what
you feel now.:{ Loseth’s presence in his mind was warm and pleased.

**I’ll try.** The bronze was right, though. He didn’t want worry to spoil this.

“Can I sit on your lap?” Z’kim asked.

N’vanik didn’t have to think too long. “Yeah.”

They shifted and Z’kim straddled him with a little surprised gasp.
“You’re hard.”

“Uh-huh. So are you.” N’vanik put a hand on Z’kim’s ass and the
greenrider rocked against him. “Mmmm.” His head fell back and Z’kim
bent down to kiss him with another roll of his hips. N’vanik had a
lapful of his best friend and they were grinding against each other
through their clothes and it was so sharding _good_.

They paused long enough for N’vanik to strip his shirt off, and then
he followed the impulse to suck on Z’kim’s nipple. _That_ was good
too, and it was even better when the man squirmed and moaned and
gripped his shoulders. Then they went back to kissing and while it was
awkward in this position, N’vanik couldn’t seem to stop. More, more .
. .

“Bed,” he told Z’kim.

They didn’t make the fastest progress, snogging like teenagers on the
way, but they got there eventually.

*** Fade to black ***

Their kisses grew longer and slower as they caught their breath. Z’kim
pushed him to the side to get his weight off but they didn’t stop.
N’vanik’s fingers skimmed down his back and traced the curve of his
ass.

N’vanik drew back to look at him. “Hey, guess what?”

“What?” Z’kim looked as dazed as N’vanik felt.

“You’re still sexy.” The desire wasn’t gone. It was definitely softer,
calmer, as they floated in the afterglow, but he still wanted to kiss
Z’kim. To touch him.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” N’vanik kissed him again for emphasis.

A little nervousness wormed its way in and grew. “Okay, serious
question this time,” N’vanik said. “Would you like to stay the night?”

Z’kim’s eyebrow went up. “Sure. No.” He sighed and shifted to trace a
finger down N’vanik’s chest. “I mean, that sounded halfhearted, and if
I’m being honest . . . I would love to.”

N’vanik smiled, but his worry increased. “The thing is . . . there’s a
condition.”

“Uh-oh.”

“It’s not bad. You just . . . might not like it. It might be too
awkward for you.”

“Well, spit it out.”

No use in stalling. “If you spend the night, Tal’s going to join us.
Not for sex,” he added quickly. “Just for sleeping. You know we always
sleep together, and I wouldn’t feel right trying to sleep without her,
but I _do_ want you to stay, so�"”

Z’kim traced a thumb over his bottom lip. “Nik, it’s fine.” A little
wrinkle formed between his brows. “I mean, if she’s okay with it?”

“Yeah. We talked about it.” Shards, that had been an awkward
conversation, but Talryne had been so sweet and understanding.

“You asked your weyrmate if she wants to share the bed with your male
lover?” Z’kim smirked. “Aren’t you both holdbred?”

“She’s _hallbred_, and you know neither of us have hidebound notions
about sex.” N’vanik had never been monogamous and Talryne understood
that. “I asked my weyrmate,” N’vanik kissed Z’kim’s neck. “If my best
friend can spend the night with us.” Another kiss. “In our bed.” His
lips moved higher. “For some very serious.” Another kiss. “Adult.” His
mouth reached Z’kim’s ear and he whispered, “Cuddling.”

Z’kim laughed and pushed N’vanik onto his back, rolling on top of him.
“Sounds good.” He claimed N’vanik’s lips.

Relieved, N’vanik laughed, too. “I’ll send a message through Loseth
for her to join us.” He gripped Z’kim’s ass. “But maybe not just yet.”

Last updated on the April 1st 2026

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Things Come in Their Own Time (PG-17)