Not Entirely Traditional

Writers: Devin, Shawna
Date Posted: 25th April 2026

Characters: N'kevyn, N'vanik
Description: N'vanik questions N'kevyn about his attraction to men.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 10 of Turn 13
Notes: Mentioned: Aydhara, Aydhan, K'mai, Z'kim, Q'vettan, Talryne, V'maran

N'kevyn

N'vanik

Avicath burst into the air above Dolphin's Cove with a loud bugle of welcome, as if his presence there was more than a mild nuisance. Leaving his rider to stroll along the beach, the bronze went to flirt with some greens playing in the waves.

The sight of N'vanik at his 'beach office' brought a chuckle this time. "I see we both had the same idea to appreciate the weather today."

"Wanna join me?" the Weyrleader asked, setting a rock on top of his hidework so the breeze off the ocean wouldn't blow it away.

"Oh, I won't say no to that," N'kevyn said. "I do love the sound of the ocean. The lake back home sometimes gets little waves, but nothing like this; I hope you don't mind me dropping by."

"Nah." N'vanik shifted to stretch out his legs. "How's Aydhara doing?"

"Excellent. She's got her hands full with Rath, but he's a charming little thing," N'kevyn fondly. "He went on a little adventure and broke into our weyr while she was busy with lessons one day. It was not baby-dragon proof."

N'vanik chuckled. "Oh no."

"Avicath didn't have the sense to call anyone or shoo him away," N'kevyn chuckled, "so we'll be doing some redecorating." Lowering his voice, as if she might be hiding around a corner, he added, "I may be hiding from my wife, who wants my opinion on rugs, but alas, the opinions are all wrong."

That got another laugh out of N'vanik. He remembered Aydhan mentioning they still called each other husband and wife. He was about to make some comment about Talryne being a weaver and having final say on any rug decisions, but there was something else on his mind. "So, uh, don't take this the wrong way but . . . K'mai said you and Aydhan shared him one night. Is that something you do for her entertainment or, uh . . .?"

N'kevyn laughed out loud, "You know, you're the first person to come to ME on the subject. A pair of Dragonsfall riders accosted Aydhan in search of K'mai's mysterious couple, but not a peep has been said to me. I'd started to think the rumors were painting me in a negative light," from the smirk on his face, he didn't actually believe that.

"But to answer your question- no. I like to think everyone was entertained, but that was my choice. I wouldn't expect you to judge me- I've heard the rumors from your last hatching."

N'vanik was relieved N'kevyn seemed so casual about it. "So you like sleeping with men too? Well, for me it's just the one, but . . ." He shrugged.

"Sometimes. Would have made Avicath's rampant green chasing when he was younger a lot more awkward if I didn't." N'kevyn shrugged, "You know how it is, sometimes you want something a little different."

N'vanik shook his head. "I don't -- didn't. Z'kim's the only man I want outside the flight room, and even that didn't start until last turn. I was only attracted to women before."

"Really? Huh." N'kevyn thought about it for a moment, then said seriously, "Sounds like I've had more fun than you."

N'vanik laughed. "Maybe so. I do wish I could've felt like this before, but it wasn't something I could control. If dragonlust wasn't involved, I didn't have any interest."

"Interesting. So maybe just a special someone won you over. Well, better late than never. I've always been interested in trying new things," N'kevyn said. "Avicath might have made it worse."

Z'kim had always been special. "Don't know why it took so long. Our flights were always sharding _spectacular_, and believe me, I tried to make something happen outside that and it didn't work." N'vanik shook his head. "People assume -- _insist_-- that bronzeriders can't be into men. And that was true for me for most of my life. But now I can't keep my hands off my best friend, and you've always liked men, and . . . well, we're not the only ones."

N'kevyn laughed outright, "Of course we're not the only ones. Q'vettan promoted his secret boyfriend to Wingleader. He just keeps it where the Holders can't see it, unlike certain people." The look he gave N'vanik was pointed but not unfriendly. "I don't know that I've always liked men- I was rather focused on a particular girl as a teen... but fun's fun. I don't need a greenflight to enjoy a good tumble."

"I, uh, might like a little attention," N'vanik said. "And Z'kim is just as bad. Probably worse. So yeah, I made a big public show of it. Not the greatest idea for holder relations, but I can't say I regret it." Even if he had to deal with a few nasty comments about his sexuality. "Q'vettan, too, huh?" That was a surprise.

"I'm shocked you like attention," N'kevyn said, deadpan. His eyes twinkled in delight to be sharing gossip that hadn't made it here yet, "That's the rumor. They've been taking meals together. Though I also heard that might be because the kitchen keeps burning or over-salting Q'vettan's meals. He's not the worst weyrleader," he sounded like admitting that pained him, "but I gather he's not winning hearts."

"Seems real serious," N'vanik said. "But the idea of him sneaking around with a man sure makes him more interesting."

"Too serious. I've never met a man with less sense of humor," N'kevyn said, "You know he gave Aydhan my mugs in the divorce." It was clearly a ridiculous but sour memory.

"Divorce? When was that?"

"Oh, right after Aydhan Impressed. Someone got their panties in a twist about a married gold rider. It was all just charades and meaningless hidework, but Q'vettan took it very seriously. He did not appreciate that I did not, so he gave Aydhan my things." That was clearly a very biased recounting of events nearly 20 Turns in the past. "I had Avicath eat my copy."

N'vanik snorted a laugh. "So you got married, then divorced, then weyrmated? And you still consider yourselves married, right?"

"Technically I just never moved out and kept the ring," N'kevyn raised his hand, with its worn gold band. "We had two toddlers and a young gold to wrangle, no time for more formalities." Shrugging one shoulder, he said, "Aydhan is still my wife, when she hasn't annoyed me." She rarely annoyed him.

"Technically, Tal and I aren't weyrmates. She has her own weyr. We just live together mostly in mine." He shrugged. "Sometimes I hide out in her weyr. Everyone knows where the Weyrleader lives, fewer people know where she does."

"Extra closet space that way, that's smart," N'kevyn quipped. "You two don't have any children together? That's when it's worth it to share a weyr. Strength in numbers."

N'vanik made the slightest involuntary wince. He kept thinking he was over it, but it still stung once in a while. "No kids. We don't . . . maybe if it just happens. But . . . we aren't trying."

"Sorry," N'kevyn said sincerely, "I should have considered that might be a sensitive topic. Not the first time my nosiness has come back to bite me," he sounded apologetic enough, but clearly he had not learned to mind his own business yet and was unlikely to suddenly change.

N'vanik waved a hand. "It just hits me sometimes. Tal was pregnant, and ended it. We . . . had a terrible miscommunication about it. I made it all about me and my own stupid bullshit and I ended up hurting her. Everything's fine now, but when I think about what I put her through, what I _said_ to her . . ." He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I can imagine that was an awful situation. At least you were able to work things out," N'kevyn shook his head. "And that's the important thing, right? Making things work out for the two of you, even if it's not entirely traditional." Weyrmates in different weyrs. His own marriage slash weyrmating.

N'vanik nodded, trying to shake it off. N'kevyn wasn't here to listen to him dig up old wounds. "Definitely not traditional. I'm a very lucky man. We both are." And alike in more ways than he'd thought.

"If I had a drink, I'd drink to that," N'kevyn joked. "Do you ever leave the weyr? We should get a beer sometime where you won't be the center of attention."

"Haven't been to the Vintner Hall tavern in a while," N'vanik said with a smile.

"Let me know when you have free time, my schedule is much more flexible than yours, I imagine," N'kevyn said, "I'll arrange something."

Last updated on the May 3rd 2026

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Not Entirely Traditional