Lunch Interruption

Writers: Halyonix, Devin
Date Posted: 28th January 2025
Series: Bronze and Blue Entwined

Characters: I'serin, K'mai, A'len
Description: K'mai brings I'serin lunch but someone else interrupts
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 19 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned Saibra, L'val

I'serin

K'mai

K'mai pushed open the door, carefully balancing a full tray of food. "The kitchens said you skipped lunch again." He gave the Weyrleader a look and sighed. "Honestly, you'd waste away if I wasn't looking out for you." He would rather I'serin remembered to eat meals, and on time, but K'mai kind of . . . liked taking care of the bronzerider.

"K'mai!" I'serin said, surprised. He looked at the tray, then looked at the timepiece nearby, then looked down at his notes. Again! Where had the time gone? He would need to pay more attention to that. He could not continue to miss meals. "I...thank you," he said, sheepish. He began clearing a single space on the desk for himself. "You can leave--" It was then that he got a second look at the tray and realized that K'mai would be joining him for said meal. His heart did a momentary lurch -- partly in panic, partly in...excitement? He recovered his speech, though he would spend later processing that moment. He began clearing more space on his desk. "I will have a place for that momentarily."

K'mai slid the tray onto the Weyrleader's desk, gently nudging things aside. "I hope you don't mind company." Then he hopped up to sit on the edge of the desk and reached for a strip of fried potato on I'serin's plate.

I'serin eventually decided that having company would force him to eat. He did not doubt that one of the reasons he and Saibra met at least once a sevenday for lunch was so that both of them took that moment away from their duties. Once he felt he had cleared enough away, physically and mentally, I'serin focused on the meal at hand. "Tell me about your day so far," he asked of K'mai as he selected his first bite.

K'mai dipped fried potato in sauce and savored the salty goodness before replying. "Wing meeting this morning, which I used to find so boring, but they're so much better now that I get to enjoy the L'val eye candy. And thanks to you I can't help wondering if I might have a shot."

The Weyrleader nearly choked on his food.

There was so much to unpack in such a short reply but I'serin eventually chalked it all up to K'mai being...well, K'mai. "Incorrigible flirt," I'serin muttered as he recovered his voice.

"I know. I'm terrible," K'mai said with a teasing smile. He dipped another strip of fried potato in sauce, but this time he leaned over to offer it to I'serin. There was a pause, a moment of consideration, before the Weyrleader took the proffered bite.

As he chewed, I'serin remarked, "Your day sounds delightfully less busy than mine. I was away this morning to discuss the latest issue with the firestone shipment with one of the Holders. After that, I had to make a stop at Opal Cove to review a complaint with one of the Wingleaders. And there is still practice to be had with my own Wing this afternoon."

K'mai had gotten plenty of people to eat from his fingers in situations ranging from playful, simple friendship to sultry preludes. Yet someting about I'serin taking that offered bite made his heart clench. Probably because he'd more than half expected the bronzerider to refuse. "No wonder you forget to eat. But it turns out, I like feeding you." He held out another salty offering.

What was it about K'mai's way of putting things that sent equal parts panic and wicked delight through I'serin? As the bronzerider took the offering, his mind raced through half a dozen scenarios where K'mai feeding him in dark places could end in other nibbles and--

The door to I'serin's office abruptly swung open and in walked his father, A'len. "What do you mean the Holders had an issue with S'lahr?" the older man demanded to know, as though he was Wingleader and S'lahr was not. As though he had every right to demand answers of a situation that did not involve him in any way.

And to add to that, he took one look at K'mai feeding I'serin a bite and glowered. "What are you doing here?"

K'mai froze. "I . . . brought him lunch." Shouty bronzeriders made him nervous, and A'len had always been a huge asshole.

A'len stalked forward a step. "That's what drudges are for. Don't you have sweep or something?"

K'mai slid off the desk. He didn't cower, but he did make himself a little bit smaller. "No, sir. I have free time this afternoon and I thought I'serin could use some company."

"Company? You think a _Weyrleader_ needs company?" A'len snapped. He opened his mouth to further berate K'mai, intending to remind the bluerider of his place and how he was wasting I'serin's precious time, when there was a sharp slamming of a fist on a desk that caught his attention.

I'serin had risen from his seat, eyes locked on A'len with increasing anger that had now blessedly pushed away his initial panic over being caught in a potentially compromising moment. Once again, his father was overstepping his bounds. Once again, his father was telling him what to do. Once again, his father his ambitions, his agenda, his way of doing things upon a son that had long ago reached manhood and now sat at the top of the Weyr hierarchy. "I do not know how many times I must remind you to knock before entering, nor how many times I must remind you that you have no rank either than the one given to you by Tirenth," I'serin said in a low tone that heralded a coming storm, "but weyrlings fresh out of the shell remember the rules better than you and I will not have you acting as though this is your Weyr to lead, A'len."

A'len's expression darkened dangerously. "What did you call me?"

"I will not repeat myself. How I choose to spend my time and how I solve the Weyr's problems are _my_ decisions, not yours. Now, get out."

"Boy, you need someone to take you down a peg or two if you think--"

"Get. OUT!" I'serin roared with another slam of his fist on the desk, rattling the utensils and plates.

A'len glared at his son for a long moment before saying, "You always were a little snot-nosed brat. I'll remember this for when you _do_ need help. And then, well..." He looked at K'mai. "Guess you'll have the likes of lowly blueriders to save you. For whatever that's worth." He turned on his heel and left.

K'mai let out a shaky breath and tried to get his heartrate back under control. "Well that was fun," he managed after a moment.

There was a long silence in the room until I'serin, his head lowered as he tried to reign in his anger, said softly, "I think that you should go, K'mai."

K'mai's heart sank. But I'serin probably wanted to be alone after that. Maybe he blamed K'mai for angering his father. "Oh, ok," he said quietly.

"I thank you for bringing me lunch," I'serin said, hoping that his gratitude would assuage some of the hurt he was causing by asking K'mai to leave.

"You're welcome." K'mai forced a smile. He walked slowly to the door, the scene replaying in his mind. A'len had been belittling I'serin for as long as he could remember. "Standing up to your father like that, I know it must have been hard. It was . . . kind of hot." K'mai flashed him a real smile before stepping out.

I'serin closed his eyes, letting out another sigh that K'mai was being...K'mai. It should have warmed his heart a little to hear that but instead, worries flocked to his mind and unfortunately, the rest of the meal went cold.

Last updated on the February 11th 2025

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Lunch Interruption