Patience and Reward

Writers: Devin, Yvonne
Date Posted: 4th March 2025

Characters: Z'ku, Reyela
Description: Z'ku and Reyela figure out what's next after Brandith's flight.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 20 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: Pierka, T'nom, Meledei

Z'ku

Releya sighed and relaxed against the body beside her own. She was sleepy, sated and a little sore-- and Brandith's flight was fresh in her mind. Foremost in her thoughts was the lucky man beside her: Z'ku.

**Stay still,** she thought, letting herself melt against his length. He was weyrmated and she knew that he'd probably run away from her because of it, but she'd been lusting after him for so long-- she'd treasure the memory of the weight of his arm around her middle, his hand pressed flat against her stomach and his thigh nestled between her legs.

The bronzerider's mind was foggy as he rose toward awareness. Xemroth had caught a green, but who . . .? Z'ku blinked and slowly focused on the woman beside him. "Ah, Wingrider Reyela." He withdrew his arm and leg but didn't pull completely away. While he'd shared flights with wingmates many times before, he still hadn't gotten used to finding himself in a mating cot with ones who now served under him. "Thank you for a wonderful flight."

Her body followed his like he was a magnet. **_Wingrider_?!** It was a less-than-subtle reminder that she was just... somebody replaceable. She didn't want to be replaceable. "Just Reyela, please. And I'm glad that Xemroth caught Brandtih. I had a good time. Did you?"

"I . . . did." He considered her. She was young, but not _very_ young. Weyrbred. And she was pretty, in a way.

"Are you sure?" She said it lightly, so that he'd know that she was teasing. It had certainly been good. And enthusiastic.

He realized he was being rude, possibly hurting her feelings. "I very much enjoyed it, Reyela," Z'ku said in a warmer voice.

Relief rushed through her; she hadn't thought she'd been tense after the flight, but apparently having him so close was making her nervous. She rolled to face him with a shy smile. "Oh good. I was worried. I suppose that this means that my absence from drills this afternoon won't go on my permanent record?"

That made him chuckle. "It will be an excused absence."

"Thank goodness for that." She peeked up at him from beneath her eyelashes. "I do want to make a good impression..."

Dragonlust really was very inconvenient because he found himself wanting to touch her. "I wouldn't let this impact my opinions on your Wing performance in any way."

**Why did you have to chase Brandith?**

}:Because I wanted to,:{ Xemroth answered sleepily.

"That's a relief." How much more obvious would she have to be? "What about your opinions outside my Wing performance?"

Ah, her comments were becoming less subtle. "Reyela . . . I'm very dedicated to my weyrmate."

She felt herself go red. "I understand. I do." Disappointment made her want to curl up and bury her head under the covers. What was so special about his weyrmate that he didn't want to stay, even for just a little while? What did she have that Reyela didn't?

Z'ku took a breath. "However . . . I might not be opposed to a bit of time with you as long as it stays strictly within the flight room." The after effects of dragonlust were becoming harder to ignore.

"I underst-- wait, what?" Reyela looked up, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Pierka and I have an understanding that choosing to . . . engage with your flight partner is still part of the flight." When Pierka's ex-lover T'nom had won her flight, they'd had another round of sex and it had led to a disastrous breakup between T'nom and his then-lover Meledei. When Z'ku and Pierka got serious about their relationship, they'd discussed things and agreed that anything in the flight room didn't count. Neither of them wanted it to cause jealousy or have it destroy their relationship.

Her heart fluttered like a flit's wings. This was actually happening. Was this actually happening?! "I think that's a very healthy choice. Not that I have a say in anything, of course. What would I know? Of what you and your weyrmate say. Decide. I mean, I'm just... here. Now."

Still, he was reluctant to start anything. "What do you want, Reyela?"

She laughed breathlessly. "You silly man, I have been hinting this entire time that I would very, very much like you to stay a little longer with me."

"Then touch me," he said in a low voice.

Reyela didn't need to be told twice. She sat up and straddled Z'ku's thighs, relishing the way that he felt beneath her and the hungry look in his eye as she slowly, slowly leaned forward and kissed him. She was going to take her time. She had waited long enough.

Last updated on the March 5th 2025

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Patience and Reward