A Paperweight?

Writers: Halyonix, Heather
Date Posted: 23rd November 2025
Series: Bronze and Blue Entwined

Characters: K'mai, I'serin
Description: I'serin's birthingday party is a bit disappointing.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 17 of Turn 12

K'mai

I'serin

While K'mai's idea of a great birthingday was a huge, wild party that ended in an orgy, that was definitely not I'serin's style. So when K'mai planned his lover's birthingday he kept things small and simple. A few guests, dinner, and wine.

A hum of conversation filled K'mai's weyr. He sat close to I'serin on the couch, legs pressed together, but nothing more. No fingers intertwined, no arm around his waist. K'mai wondered if things might be different next Turn. Hoped.

"Presents now?" K'mai asked.

"That sounds like a fine idea," I'serin answered. Outwardly, nothing seemed amiss. His Weyrleader mask was in place. The guests were used to him being this reserved, calm self as he had been at nearly every Wing party he had attended. But inwardly was another story. Something...chafed. Awkwardly. Like he was a canine and someone was rubbing his fur the incorrect way. Like the mask he was so used to wearing now fit too tightly.

He realized that he loved the idea of a small party like this but he would have wanted to have it with a different set of people.

K'mai grinned and leaned forward to grab a gift from the table. "Me first." He handed I'serin a slightly heavy, rectangular item.

I'serin hoped it was a book and not something more...outlandish.

He began unwrapping it slowly, his mind going over all of the embarrassing things it could be before the cover tossed all of those possibilities aside. "An...atlas?" he wondered with rising curiosity.

K'mai nodded. "A new one, with better detailing, the printer said. I remember what you said about maps, and I wanted to give you . . ." The world.

Delighted wonder appeared on the bronzerider's face. Just as he was about to unashamedly thank K'mai for the gift, someone piped up, "Oh, that's just perfect for a book boy like him!" And I'serin was reminded that there were others that did not know their relationship and that he did not want them to know. Not yet.

Reserve reappeared. "You are correct," he agreed politely but with a smile, which was then directed at K'ami with a grateful nod of his head. "This will be a treasure in my library."

K'mai returned the smile, but watching the brightess in I'serin dim made his heart ache. It was old I'serin, public I'serin, not the freer, happier I'serin he'd gotten to know over the past several months. He understood I'serin hiding their relationship, hiding his sexuality, but he didn't have to hide . . . himself. Or maybe it was all one and the same. "We can look at it together sometime. I'd love to hear you talk about it."

"Don't lie, K'mai," someone teased before I'serin could say something. "Everyone knows you like books with pictures but not those types of pictures."

K'mai arched an eyebrow. "I like hearing people talk about things they enjoy. The more passionate, the better. I like listening to your weyrmate talk about a new smithcrafting technique she learned, or H'gram being excited about the new Healer Hall." He gestured to one of the other guests.

Growing eager to have the conversation shift to something less awkward, I'serin asked of H'gram, "Have you been to the new Healer Hall yet?"

"Once or twice," answered the bluerider. "Mostly to deliver plants. They've got a big greenhouse with all sorts of growing things. Master Laithan is a bit of a wherry's asshole but he seems ot be getting the job done!"

"I hear that it is quite the premiere Hall," I'serin remarked. He had only been there a few times himself, never longer than a few minutes, but he enjoyed hearing news of the Hall. He began unwrapping the next gift but then paused, obviously puzzled. "I...do not know what this is."

K'mai frowned at the half-covered present. "I think it might be a paperweight?"

"Heard you needed one after that...uh...incident," said the gifter, who seemed pretty proud of himself that he had found something to replace what was lost but truly not realizing the eggshells he had just run roughshod over.

I'serin's hand, the one that had been cut and stiched that night, closed reflexively but there was a polite mask of a smile on his face. "I do indeed," he answered. It was neither his style nor meaningful in any regard but he would put it on his desk because it was a gift. "Thank you."

How could people who had been going to parties with I'serin, having conversations with him, for Turns not know anything about him or what he liked? A paperweight? That didn't even have anything harper related or book related or even a bronze dragon for Faranth's sake? K'mai had a little stash of last-minute generic gifts in case he was invited to a birthingday with little notice, but they weren't _this_ generic. K'mai thought about I'serin's birthingday last Turn, and the gifts had been similar then, too. It just seemed so much more stark now.

"You're welcome!" the gifter said, brightening as he thought he had nailed the assignment.

}: You are not having fun, :{ Aluneth remarked to his rider.

**I am not. They mean well but...**

There was a pause from Aluneth. }: The jacket no longer fits, :{ the dragon said. And I'serin instantly understood the analogy. Whatever life he had led before this Turn, where this had been the norm, it no longer fit the person he was now. But, for the sake of appearances, he could stomach it a bit longer, knowing that future birthingdays would not be this...bland.

"I heard that the kitchens made tarts?" I'serin asked of K'mai with veiled hope in his eyes.

"Especially for you." K'mai smiled, although his mood was still dampened. He got up and went to retrieve the tray from a side table. Was he really the only person who . . . paid attention to I'serin? K'mai had thought these people were I'serin's friends, that's why he'd invited them. But they were just acquaintances. He offered the tarts to I'serin. "I hope you like them." A brief hint of apology crossed his face.

I'serin caught the look. **Tell Sebeth that his rider and I can celebrate in a more proper fashion another night,** he relayed through Aluneth. He took a tart off the tray and bit into it. Humming his appreciation, he motioned for everyone to join him by taking one. "Delicious as always," he remarked.

When he got the message from Sebeth, K'mai's smile brightened. He couldn't help giving I'serin a warm look, but he quickly looked at the tray to cover it. "Let's see what else you got." **The next gift better be more thoughtful than a sharding paperweight.**

Last updated on the November 28th 2025

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A Paperweight?