No More Rules
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Devin
Date Posted: 12th September 2025
Characters: N'vanik, Z'kim
Description: N’vanik and Z’kim perform another scandalous dance and N’vanik makes a decision.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 15 of Turn 12
Notes: Follows “Rain-Washed Wings”. Musical inspiration is “Hungry Eyes” by Eric Carmen. Caution for swearing.
Mentioned: Nidre, Talryne, A’kades
The Hatching had a few incidents " the near-disaster when two hatchlings collided, and that one new weyrling would likely have scars on his face " but it had mostly gone well. There was the surprise of a bronze choosing someone from the Stands, Nidre’s son had Impressed, and that sweet Holdless kid had gotten a blue. Yes, it had been a good day. N’vanik tried not to think of the disastrous Fall a few sevendays ago. Of the pairs they’d lost, and the fact that A’kades might never . . . But no, tonight was about celebrating and he meant to have a good time.
N’vanik excused himself from a chatty minor holder and went to go refill his glass.
“I thought I might have to rescue you.”
He turned to Z’kim with a smile and almost, _almost_ put an arm around the greenrider’s waist before he caught himself. Touching him while they were dancing could be interpreted as part of the show, but touching him like that otherwise would be harder to dismiss. But . . . why did it matter? Why did N’vanik care what other people thought or what they guessed? Why was he still clinging to plausible deniability? “The downside of bein’ Weyrleader is how many boring people want to talk to me.”
“Heavy is the shoulder that wears the knots.” Z’kim said with mock solemnity. “Mm, your shoulders are very nice, though.” He admired them and how well the vest fit N’vanik. All their outfits had turned out perfect, and for all that N’vanik had whined about the pink shirt and hibiscus embroidery, he’d smiled the first time he tried them on.
“Yeah?”
Z’kim made a face. “Don’t fish for compliments.”
N’vanik chuckled and stepped closer. “How about if I tell you how good your ass looks in those pants?” he said quietly.
The greenrider couldn’t help a smile. “I’d say that’s a good start.”
“Now who’s fishing for compliments?”
Z’kim just smiled and sipped his drink.
Shards, he was so hot. A familiar song started and N’vanik seized the opportunity to touch Z’kim. He took his friend’s hand and said, “I like this one. Let’s dance.”
“Giving them another show?” Z’kim asked as they stepped out onto the dance floor.
“Yeah.” N’vanik put his hands around Z’kim’s waist and they started moving to the beat. This song was more about desire than outright sex, but that wasn’t going to make their dancing any less steamy. He turned Z’kim to press the man’s back against him and brought the greenrider’s hand up to his head. Then the Weyrleader slid his hand from Z’kim’s wrist all the way down to his waist and rested it there for a moment, daringly low.
Z’kim rolled his hips and gripped N’vanik’s hair. “I can feel everyone’s eyes on us.”
“Does it make you hot, knowing how many people are jealous of you?”
The greenrider turned around and met N’vanik’s heated gaze. “It makes me _so_ hot.” And all those men wishing they were in his place didn’t even know that half of it.
N’vanik sent Z’kim for a fast spin " one, two, three times around and then dipped him. Z’kim kicked a leg out and N’vanik laughed as he supported his friend’s weight. “Still got the moves.” He eased them back upright.
“I’ll show you moves.” Z’kim went down to the floor and then slid a hand up N’vanik’s body, from his calf to his chest, and then all the way up to his neck. The greenrider leaned close and murmured in N’vanik’s ear, “My knees aren’t thanking me for that one.”
N’vanik laughed. As they swayed to the music, he slid a hand down and squeezed Z’kim’s ass. A holder couple nearby stared at them with their mouths open. He winked.
N’vanik should probably care about what this was doing to his reputation with the holders, but some of them already hated the Weyr, so flame them. This was his _home_, this was a _party_, and he wasn’t going to stop himself from having fun because of what _they_ thought. So he put his other hand on Z’kim’s ass, too.
“I used to worry becoming Weyrleader would make you serious,” Z’kim said. It was just as thrilling as last time, having a Weyrleader touch him like this in public.
“I’m serious when I need to be. I’m just not _boring_.” Their banter was familiar. So much of their relationship was the same, and yet so much had changed. He loved having sex with Zeke. He loved sleeping curled between Tal and Zeke on the nights his friend stayed over. And he loved this, dancing with Z’kim, showing off in front of a crowd. Showing _him_ off, hands all over Z’kim while some primal part of N’vanik thought, **_Mine_**, the way Loseth did when claiming a mate.
“If you keep looking at me like that, people are going to guess what we’ve been up to.” Z’kim’s lips brushed N’vanik’s ear. Did that count as a kiss? Oops. Oh well.
“That’s part of the game, remember?” N’vanik pulled Z’kim a little closer, hips nearly pressed together as they moved to the throbbing beat. “Makin’ them guess. Makin’ them wonder.” And it was fun, the whispers and the rumors, some people insisting they must be involved, others just as sure a bronzerider couldn’t possibly be attracted to a man. But was it enough to keep letting people assume what they wanted? To keep . . . well, ‘hiding’ wasn’t exactly the right word for it when N’vanik was currently sliding his fingers down Z’kim’s chest and looking at him like he wanted to rip the greenrider’s clothes off.
There was something . . . edgy about N’vanik tonight. At first Z’kim thought it was about that terrible Fall, and that was certainly part of it, but there was definitely more going on here, like the bronzerider was wrestling with something. Maybe he could get Nik away for a moment and ask him about it.
Z’kim took the lead for a bit, spinning N’vanik out and back, enjoying the smile on the Weyrleader’s face. He pulled N’vanik’s back against his chest, nudging him down so they were more on a level. Z’kim rested his chin on his shoulder and pressed their cheeks together even as his greedy hands clutched N’vanik’s hips. “Green catches bronze.”
“Bronze surrenders.” N’vanik slid a hand into his hair.
Z’kim’s laugh was a little breathless. Public foreplay with a Weyrleader was a heady rush.
Near the end of the song, N’vanik dipped Z’kim again and held him there, staring at his lips. He wanted to . . .
}:Do what feels good,:{ Loseth told him.
“Fuck it,” N’vanik said, and kissed Z’kim.
The greenrider froze in shock. They were standing in front of the whole Weyr! But in the next second he was kissing N’vanik back, long and deep, both of them making it clear this was a declaration.
After a long moment, N’vanik brought Z’kim back upright. “No more rules?” Z’kim heard himself ask in a dazed voice.
“No more rules,” N’vanik said, and kissed him again.
The music had stopped, and all around them there were murmurs. N’vanik ignored the voices and the stares, taking Z’kim’s hand and leading him off the dance floor. His heart was pounding and there was a nervous flutter in his stomach, but mostly N’vanik felt relief. Really, he’d waited too long for this.
Z’kim was absolutely eating up the attention. “So, does this mean I can tell everyone how much you like sucking my"”
N’vanik whirled, clapping a hand over his mouth. “You,” he growled, “are the _worst_.”
Z’kim smiled against his hand.
Last updated on the September 18th 2025