Give Them Something to Talk About

Writers: Devin, Halyonix
Date Posted: 27th August 2026

Characters: K'mai, Nirian
Description: K'mai visits Nirian at work
Location: Vintner Hall
Date: month 3, day 13 of Turn 13
Notes: Mentioned: N'vanik, Z'kim, I'serin

K'mai

Notes:
~*~

"Nirian, love! It's been too long!" K'mai grinned as he headed up to the bar. He was, for once, early, and his friends hadn't arrived yet.

She planted her hands on her ample hips. Saucily, she yelled, "And here I thought you had forgotten about me!" When some of the patrons muttered at her volume, she waved them off. She set her cleaning rag aside as she leaned forward, elbows on the bar, creating that lovely little triangle framing of her cleavage. "Where have you _been_?" she asked.

"I've been by, I just haven't been here when you were working." He blew her a kiss. "Of course I haven't forgotten you." Though he realized he hadn't been to the tavern as often in the past few months.

She wrinkled her nose impishly at him but went to get him his favorite drink. "You're such a little liar," she teased with no bite. She slid the drink to him. "So, update me. Give me all the stories. Gossip. Parties I've missed. Don't you still owe me one?"

"I do! There's a Hatching coming up at Dolphin Cove, and hopefully N'vanik and Z'kim will put on another little show for us. I'll take you -- timezones and Thread permitting, of course," he said.

"People are _still_ talking about?!" Nirian asked, though she had heard a few people talking about again recently in hushed, unhappy whispers at the same event. Holders definitely had a different, boring idea of fun. Her grin was mischiveous though. "Maybe you and _I_ can give them something to gossip about at the next one. I'm not _that_ bad a dancer." She shrugged her shoulders in a way that pushed up her breasts enticingly. "And, I have way better boobs," she pointed out.

"That you do." K'mai laughed, shamelessly admiring them for a moment. "I'd love a sexy dance with you. And if you still want that dance with N'vanik, we're friends now so I can probably just ask."

Her eyes lit up. "Deal!" She settled into the stool across from him. "I haven't seen your nameless friend here much either lately," she remarked. "Did you finally ditch him? He seemed a little boring for you."

K'mai bristled and struggled to fight down his emotions. "He's not -- I enjoy his company very much."

Unware of how much she had needled him, Nirian joked, "Really? I mean, I'm sure he's interesting to you but he's never been anything more that formal with me. Please tell me he has a personality or something. I can't imagine you spending time with anyone droll."

"He's shy." K'mai's tone was an odd combination of defensive and fond. "He puts up walls and it's hard for him to be open. But I've known him forever and he's different with me, in private."

"Well, seeing that he _still_ hasn't told me his name, I'll agree with you on the hard nut to crack bit," Nirian pointed. But if he was different with K'mai, well, that was interesting and she could understand why he would hang out with the other rider then. "I'll get there though," she said with a saucy wink. She wiggled her hips. "Haven't met a man yet that's immune to my charms," she joked.

"Haven't met many greenriders then, have you?" K'mai joked.

"I know _two_ of them and one of them is Zariah!" Nirian replied. Her hand waved towards some of the more frequent patrons in one of the corners. "I'd know _more_ if they didn't get chased off by some of these womanizing idiots. Have you heard some of their pickup lines? Completely unoriginal."

"Terrible," K'mai agreed. "I'd charge them for lessons, but I'd need to teach them how to properly treat a woman first, and I simply don't have time for that."

"Neither do I," Nirian agreed. "I'm waiting for them to hit on the Hallmaster's wife or something and then get kicked out. That would be rewarding." She rolled her eyes dismissively. "Anyway. Enough of that. What have _you_ been up to?"

He thought for a moment. "I had dinner with my foster mom, who I also haven't been seeing as often as I should. It is harder, after the . . . well, when we all had to leave River Bluff. She went to Vista Point, which certainly has better weather than the frozen cliff I ended up at."

"You could always move to somewhere nicer, you know," Nirian pointed out with a knowing grin. But it folded a little as she said, "Which is far more options than I have."

"Because of your family," he said quietly. "I'm sorry you're stuck with a life you don't want."

Nirian bristled a little, mostly because it was a sore subject, but she wasn't as snappish with K'mai as she was with others. "This is why I keep bugging you to take me places!" she said crankily. Then she pouted prettily. "Sorry. I know it's not your responsibility. I just get so _bored_ being stuck here."

"I'm meeting friends soon, but later I could take you to a beach. Or maybe I could see if one of my friends could join us for some fun, if you're into that sort of thing." K'mai wiggled his eyebrows.

Her breath caught at the latter statement. She furtively looked around to see which patrons were near. Thankfully, not close enough. Biting her lip, Nirian leaned forward. "You and that hottie you brought by a few months ago?" Nirian licked her lips suggestively. Call her wanton, she didn't care. A girl could dream about being between two hot guys!

K'mai tried to remember who that was. "I have a lot of hot friends." He pitched his voice so it wouldn't carry. "I'm sure I could find someone to share you with me."

Nirian wrinkled her nose impishly as she went to go fetch another drink. There was a wiggle to her hips as she served it to the patron that approached the other end of the bar. When she returned to K'mai, she said, "Promises, promises. Don't let me down, K'mai."

"When do you get off? I'll make arrangements." If one of his friends here tonight wasn't available, he could reach out through Sebeth.

She pouted. "Late. And then, I have to take care of _him_." There was no doubt who "him" was but her tone was less resentful and more remorseful. Nirian let out a groaning sigh. She tried to come up with a win because she really, really wanted one. "Two nights from now? I get off early, that gives me time to switch some of my other responsibilities around."

K'mai tried to remember if he already had plans then. No? "I think I can do that. And that definitely gives me time to find you another hot man." He was already making a list. "And if I'm still here when you get off, maybe we can sneak in a little making out to tide you over?"

That immediately brightened her expression. "You know," she teased as she bit her lip suggestively. Her eyes flickered to the table of patrons in their cups. "I can always kick them out early." She wouldn't, not really, but it made for fun to flirt and fantasize.

K'mai glanced over at them as well, then turned back to her with a smile. "Hmm, send the holders home, maybe let my friends stay and watch?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

Nirian's jaw dropped flirtatiously. "You scandalous man!" she teased. Oh, that would have been the dream! Too bad she couldn't. She'd get in way too much trouble if she closed up early. But it was fun to suggest and see what reaction came about. "You think about that two nights from now when I _do_ get off early," she said with a waggle of a finger.

The bluerider laughed. "Oh I'll definitely think about it . . ." He wasn't sure how serious Nirian was, but it was fun to tease in any case.

She went off to serve a few more patrons and came back, rolling her eyes in frustration. "I'm really glad you came, K'mai, because some nights this place really gets under my skin." Without another comment about it, she topped off his drink and poured herself a small one. She wrinkled her nose impishly as she said, "Don't tell the Masters that I'm drinking on the job."

He put a hand to his heart. "I would never."

Her sultry smile returned, accompanied by a wink. "And this is why you're my favorite."

Last updated on the October 28th 2026

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