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Deal of a Lifetime

Chapter 8

The doors behind Aston slammed shut with a heavy, booming thud. The sound reverberating through the air as harsh winds kicked up and swirled around the very confused farmer as he stood there. The thin fabric of the knee-length nightshirt he had on fluttering lightly in the breeze as he peered out into the darkness before his eyes.

Like last time, Aston had no clue where he was or how he'd gotten there.

Hell, he didn't even know if he was anywhere.

The pitch-black void that seemed to be all around him so dark that he could barely see his own hand in front of his face.

But also, like last time, there was this feeling that there was something important he had to see. Had to do. A strange, deep-down sensation in his heart of hearts that he couldn't ignore or turn away from no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. Almost as if some part of himself were trying to say something that he was far too dimwitted to understand.

With a flash of blinding light, the room he was in finally came into view. The entire area lit up for a moment to reveal that he was standing in the entryway of the Eternal Hearth Tavern. The brightness then just as quickly receding until only a single spotlight remained. A luminous shaft that fell upon the well-stocked bar between the twin staircases leading up to the wrap-around balcony serving as the bar's second floor.

“Well, well, well! What do we's gots ourselves here?" A gruff voice asked from seemingly everywhere all at once. “Youse stop by fer a drink or sumthin boy?"

Unable to see who was speaking at first Aston recoiled in fear. Vision frantically shifting around as he inched his way backward toward the exit. But before he could leave Aston caught sight of a familiar figure appear behind the bar's polished countertop. Tulion's uncle Bruzki. The rotund orangey drake regarding him with a friendly look, arms folded over his chest, as he eerily rose upwards into sight.

“Well… youse gonna answer me or not?" Bruzki asked, voice somewhat distorted. “I ain't gonna stand here all damn day waiting for youse ya'know."

Though unsure as to what was going on or why he was even there at the Hearth so late at night Aston dumbly walked forward. The journey between where he'd been standing and where the bar lay all the way across the room traversed with only three steps when it should have taken him several dozen at least.

Looking to Bruzki as he slipped onto a stool Aston giggled nervously. Fingers tapped lightly against the oaken wood of the counter as he settled into place. “I suppose I can have a drink." He said, mouth suddenly going very dry.

Bruzki smiled at that. “What can I's get fer ya then?" He asked. “Got some pretty good stuff if ya got da coin ta spare."

At the mention of coins, Aston's own smile fell. His hands going down to pat his sides for several moments before he realized something unfortunate. "Oh!?" He winced. "I-I don't have any money with me right now. No… pockets."

“Is that so?" Bruzki said, a deep rumbling chuckle coming after he spoke. "Well, don't ya worry 'bout it that then kiddo. Youse just enjoy yerself a good drink and we'll work out da payment afterward."

As soon as Bruzki said that Aston felt a mug materialize between his hands. The tall glass container mysteriously filling to the brim with something Tulion had told him once was called a "Bruzki". A thick, frothy, golden-hued concoction loved by many and named after the very drake who had invented it.

“There ya go!" Bruzki exclaimed cheerfully. “Bottoms up boy!"

Not questioning how the miraculous feat of his glass being filled without any source had been performed Aston brought the mug up to his lips and started to drink. Its unique, spiced flavor popping and fizzing pleasantly over his taste buds with each large swallow of it he took.

“That's it, kid. Drink'er right down." Bruzki encouraged. Reaching out he helped Aston drink by tipping the bottom of the mug up. “Nothing beats a good ol' Bruzki when yer good 'n' thirsty."

Aston hummed back in the affirmative as he continued to drink, which confusedly took him quite some time. The contents of his glass seemingly endless as gulp after gulp went down until, at long last, it was all gone. The young farmer left huffing and panting for air by the time he returned the mug to the counter with a heavy thud, the last few drops dribbling their way down his goateed chin.

Retrieving the mug now that it was empty Bruzki smirked. “Looks like ya enjoyed dat." He said. “But now dat youse got yer fill we gotta figure out how yer gonna be paying fer all that."

“All what?" Aston asked. “I only drank one…" Looking to his left and then right he was stunned to find that there were now several empty mugs on the counter around him. “Wait? How much did I drink?"

Cleaning the mug in his hands with the end of his apron Bruzki clucked his tongue a few times. “A whole lot I'm afraid." He hummed. “An youse racked up one helluva bill to boot! Nearly a million platinum."

Aston's eyes went wide in horror. “A MILLION PLATINUM!" He shouted, nearly sliding right off his stool in shock. “I'll never be able to pay that off!"

“Then you an' me gots ourselves a problem here kid." Placing the mug down Bruzki leaned over the bar, horned nose mere inches away from the panicked Aston's freckled one. “That is unless youse are up to paying off yer tab some other way."

Relief flooded through Aston hearing there was a way to get out of the tremendous debt he now found himself in. “I'll do whatever I need to pay you back sir!" He said earnestly. “Honest! Just tell me!"

A long amused chortle shook Bruzki's entire body. “That's a good boy! Now let's see… … …" He tapped his chin a few times deep in thought. “Hows about since I gave youse something a drink youse repay da favor!"

“You… want me to pour you a drink?" Aston looked over to the numerous tapped barrels behind the bar. “But, how will that repay you? You own all the taps here."

A wicked, dangerous smirk appeared on Bruzki's grizzled face. One that sent a chill down Aston's spine as he sat there staring at the older man. “Oh, I weren't talking about getting a drink from one of my taps kid."

In an orange blur, Bruzki vanished from Aston's sight. The large man then magically reappearing right next to him. His presence barely registering to Aston before he was roughly spun around atop the stool and made to face the large Dragkin again.

“Nah... I was thinking I's could get a drink from dat sweet little spigot youse got down below," Bruzki explained, both his heavy hands landing on Aston's shoulders. “And I ain't gonna be using a mug either. Ol' Bruzki prefers it right from da source!"

Without warning Aston found himself hanging in midair. Clawed hands suddenly sliding under his arms as Bruzki proceeded to effortlessly lift him up and despot him onto the now barren bar counter without a word. The sensation of his bare bottom making contact with the chilly surface causing Aston to let out a startled gasp as he was made to sit there, completely naked.

'Wait!? Since when was I naked!?' Aston asked himself, examining his naked torso and chest with his hands. 'Wasn't I wearing my new nightshirt a moment ago?'

Whatever the answer to that question might have been Aston ceased to care when Bruzki stepped in front of him. A roguish grin upon his stubble-covered face as he gripped both his knees and firmly separated them. Aston forced to expose his most private of areas to the Dragkin's hungry, almost predatory gaze.

“Now ain't that just one helluva pretty sight!" Bruzki rumbled, low and huskily. Staring down between Aston's legs he growled and licked his fanged lips. "Youse got yerself a nice little tool here, kid. More than enough ta make this ol' drake's mouth water."

Aston made an unsuccessful attempt to close his legs, face burning at the way he was on display. But no matter how hard he tried Bruzki's grip was firm and unmoving.

“It… it can't b-be that great." The young man desperately said, hoping he could convince the Dragkin to stop staring at his cock and let him go. “I bet you've seen plenty bigger ones."

Bruzki slowly shook his head. “Nawh, this here fella you got is a real work of art!" He insisted. “Ain't that right Tuls?"

“Tuls…?" Aston drawled back distracted. Then, with sudden clarity, he gasped and frantically began to search the darkness still surrounding them. “TULS! Y-You mean Tulion is here!?"

Another bright spotlight turned on a short distance away. The new glow revealing a smiling Tulion who was seated at one of the many tables in the room. “That's right Uncle!" Tulion said, answering Bruzki's question. “That's why all of us showed up to get a look at it!"

Even greater panic ran through Aston's mind. “ALL OF US!?" He repeated fearfully.

“Yeah! Wut I'm about ta do youse… heh, people are gonna wanna see!" Dropping down into a squat Bruzki dragged his tongue up the length of Aston's flushed and full maleness a few times and before shockingly taking it into his mouth. Suckling on him in earnest with hot, heavy huffs of air coming from his muzzle.

Aston's reaction to this unannounced fellatio was immediate and vocal. With a moan ripping free from his throat that reached high into the rafters he shuddered, panted, whimpered. Any and all coherent growing fuzzy and unfocused as he experienced Bruzki's hot, greedy mouth sucking him with such vigor and intensity that it actually brought tears to his eyes.

And as Aston was going through this world-shaking event more spotlights started to turn on around the room. One after the other. Each unveiling another occupied table where even more observers sat. Their numbers quickly adding up to form a rather large audience that happily watched every pitiful whine and weak willed whimper that came out of Aston while Bruzki noisily continued to slurp down below.

The first to appear had been Caspian and Harriet. The older man and woman at their own table right next to Tulion's as they calmly smiled his way.

Next was Pazzel and their numerous assistants. The lithe, white Dragkin leaning forwards, chin resting upon both hands as all their accord-mates sat around them, intently watching the show.

After that, the three owners of the tailor shop made an appearance. Sahstra reclining back in her seat, smoking her long elegant cigarette with both her orcish lovers on either side of here, heads resting one each of her voluptuous bosoms.

More and more spotlights kept appearing after that. Each of them revealing more tables where even more people sat. Haddish and the other passengers he'd come to Kelston with, those surly men at the Bloody Hatchet, that toothless man who'd given him directions, and everyone else he'd seen that night at Reveler's Row. An endlessly building crowd that silently observed as he sat there naked, panting and sweating, atop the counter as Bruzki enthusiastically continued on between his spread legs.

Finally, one last light came to life in the dead center of the dining hall. This one shining down upon a stone faced Oxtun who, contrary to everyone else, was standing. The slightly hefty Holy-kin staring directly at Aston as he started to walk towards him, the spotlight following with every step he took.

Locking eyes with the furry drake as well as he padded closer Aston felt a shiver run down his spine. The way Oxtun was staring at him with those bright, crystal-blue eyes of him unnerving and exciting him all at the same time.

What was with this Dragkin? Why did he feel strange every time he thought about him? And why was there a feeling as if something were missing every time too!? That final inquiry only becoming more prevalent when Aston suddenly noticed a shadowed figure standing where Oxtun had been. A Sky-kin who was shrouded in darkness just enough where Aston couldn't at all make out his finer features.

It was only when Bruzki doubled his efforts down below that Aston pushed aside all of those burning questions and returned to the present. Bruzki's bald, horned head bobbing up and down over his hard and aching length with such enthusiasm that Aston couldn't remain still any longer. Hands coming down with twin slaps to clutch the back of the reptile's skull and thrust up into the hot, sucking maw giving him so damn much pleasure

Still, even as he became lost in this frenzy of blind lust, Aston didn't look away from Oxtun. The Holy-kin returning his gaze with a smoldering one of his own. What little distance still between them lessening at a snail's pace.

Never once did he speed up.

Nor did he slow.

Always the same steady pace as he came closer and closer and closer until… … …

Oxtun suddenly faded away like smoke.

“What the hell!? Where did he…" Aston started to say. But any further words died instantly on his lips when he suddenly felt his fingers become entangled in thick, luscious hair. Something which, given that Bruzki was bald, confused him quite a bit.

Curious as to what had happened Aston peered down at the man between his legs and gasped. Shocked to see that it was no longer Bruzki's scaly lips wrapped around his cock but Oxtun's. The bluish-green drake picking up right where his predecessor left off.

The only thing was though, was that Oxtun was far, far better at the task than the bar owner had been. Every move he made, every up and down moment, every moment of hard suction, somehow even more intense than before. Aston quickly finding himself racing towards the brink of climax far sooner than he would have liked.

“S-Stop!" Aston pleaded desperately. “If you… if you don't I'll end up… s-shooting it into your mouth."

At the plea Oxtun mercifully withdrew. A wicked twinkle in his eyes as he looked up into Aston's flushed face. “Cum." He growled. “Cum… cum… cum… cum…"

Suddenly everyone within the tavern began to join in on Oxtun's perverse chant. “CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM!"

Dragkin thumping their tails against the floor. “CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM!"

Humans clapping their hands in time with the beat. "CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM!"

Orcs and Dwarves and Elves pounding their fists against the tables. “CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM! CUM!"

Windows clattered loudly in their frames. Walls and floorboards groaned and creaked. The entire world rumbling around them as the filthy chorus grew ever louder until the point it became deafening. All other sounds drowned out as they commanded Aston to climax.

And in the center of the tempest of noise and shouting was Aston. Entire body all hot and excited as Oxtun dipped his head back down to took his cock into his mouth once more. Thick undulating tongue gently massaging the sensitive underside of the organ and mouth clamped down firmly around the hairy base as he single-mindedly suckled upon it with even more energy than before.

With this new, intense oral attack Aston realized that he wouldn't be able to last much longer. Toes curling and his eyes rolling back into his head as he fell back onto the counter. Head left hanging over the other edge as he let loose a series of hard, breathless moans.

All it would take was a few more moments and he'd climax. A few more brief seconds of his cock being sucked on. Of being stroked and teased by Oxtun's wicked tongue. Of feeling those warm, padded paws of his caressing his bare legs.

Just a little more….

Just. A. Little. More….

He was about to… about to… about too… … …

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Letting out a shout, Aston sat up in his bed suddenly wide awake. His face hot as fire and breath short as he looked around in a panic, trying to figure out where he was and what had happened to him. An answer that came quite quickly as the room around himself slowly came back into focus.

Gone was the darkened tavern he'd been occupying mere moments ago. Its shadowy recesses and high ceilings replaced by the simple dorm he'd been living in for over the past week. Dull beige walls and the pleasant scent of floral soap and laundry filling his senses as he began to calm.

“Good morning sunshine!" A dressing Hector said from his side of the room.

Blinking against the sleep still in his eyes Aston glared over at the other man huffily. “What's do damn good about it?" He grumped.

Snorting back at the moody response Hector finished slipping on his boots and went over to his still half-asleep friend. “Well, for one… you seem to have been having a really good dream before you went and woke yourself up." He said, waving down to Aston's lower half.

Almost too afraid to look Aston took a peek down at himself and cringed at the sight of the rapidly deflating tent still visible under his bed sheets. The wetness he could also feel under the blanket only adding to the embarrassment he was feeling.

“Not again!" He groaned weakly. Both of his hands coming up to scrub his face.

“Yes, again, you lucky bastard!" Hector said, always the good-humored smartass that he was. "I wish I had your luck when it came to having those sorts of dreams! I'd never leave bed again!"

“Trust me when I say they're not fun." Bringing his knees up to his chest Aston sighed. “It's all your fault too! You just had to tell me what “fellatio" meant!"

Hector's eyes went skywards with a hard, derisive snort. “Hey, you're the one who kept pestering me about it until I told you!" He accused. “You're lucky I didn't tell you about “eating out" too!"

“Eating out? You mean like at a restaurant?" Aston asked, brows furrowing. But then, just as Hector opened his mouth to respond he frantically waved his hands for him stop him. “NO! No, don't answer that! I don't need another one of your weird sex lessons!"

“Hey! Watch what you're calling weird Country Man," Hector said with a grinning laugh. "Some people would pay good money to hear about my vast sexual repertoire! You should be thanking me for giving it away for free."

'Yeah, Aston… be thankful!' The Voice encouraged. 'Without your pointy-eared friend over there, you wouldn't be having all those wonderfully sinful dreams.'

“I'm not thankful!" Aston grumbled. More in response to the Voice's taunting words than to what Hector said. “I shouldn't know about things like that. It just leads to all those… awful… disgusting things I've been thinking lately."

“Yes, yes disgusting, horrible, downright awful!" Hector said, one hand clutching at his chest as he put on a face of utter woe and sorrow.

An exaggerated act of scandal that lasted all of three seconds before he dropped the pretense and leaned in close. An eyebrow waggling ostentatiously at Aston as he asked him what he saw as the most important question ever.

“So who was it this time?" He demanded to know. “Tulion again? The guy Marcia's seeing? That delivery drake that came by yesterday!? By the goddess did that one have a bulge in his uniform! Had to be what? Twelves inches of hard and dripping—"

“STOP! Just stop!' Aston said, face going red yet again because of something Hector had said. Why did he always insist on saying things like that! “It doesn't matter who it was about! I just want it to stop before…"

Two big, doey puppy dog eyes pinned Aston down with what felt like a ton's worth of guilt. Hector laying it on thicker than the frosting he loved on Tulion's delicious sweet rolls. “Ugh… It was Bruzki." Aston mumbled, giving Hector what he wanted. “Him and um, Oxtun. T-That Holy-kin guy again."

“Ha! A two-for-one!" Hector cheered as if it was the most wondrous thing in the world. Standing up straight he snickered. “I just knew Bruzki would make an appearance eventually! You know, I had a bit of a crush on him when we first met too."

“I don't have a crush on him!" Aston insisted, firmly and quickly. “I just… wait… Bruzki? Really? Him!?"

Hector chuckled at Aston's shocked expression. “Hey, I was a whole two years younger back then and hadn't experienced his lunch rush general persona!" He defended, smiling the entire time. “I'm soooo over it! Bruzki's like my uncle now. A loud, always grumpy, kind of sweaty, smelly, hairy uncle."

Pausing for a few moments Hector smirked and eyed Aston with mischief. “Let's forget about that old grouch though…" Another chuckle. "I'd much rather discuss that Holy-kin you're stuck on. Ob-tan, was it?"

“Oxtun." Aston automatically corrected. When Hector smugly grinned over at him Aston scowled, realizing what he'd done. “You're an ass, you know that?"

“And you're deep in denial Country Man!" Hector countered lightly. “Come on Asty! Those dreams you keep having? The way you blush when either Tulion or Caspian ruffle your hair. You like men! Just admit it already and forget what those damn bigots from the Sun God temples say."

After giving his triumphant speech Hector had expected Aston to finally give in. The reasoning he presented made perfect sense to him after all. However, instead of seeing the light, the older man sniffled and turned away from him. Shoulders shaking slightly as sat there holding back tears.

The reason why Aston was about to break down was that he realized just how right Hector was. There was no denying it. He was stuck on that strange drake and that scared him. What would his family think if they found out? What would their neighbors back in Ebonhill think!? If word ever got back to anyone he'd probably be disowned and go down in local history as the town pervert.

All the more reason why he had to find a dame to make a Hallarian accord with. So he could occupy himself with her and push away all those other unwanted thoughts that were mercilessly hounding him every moment of the day. Being with a female Dragkin would still be seen as bad by many. But at least it wouldn't be as bad as him being with another male.

“Hey… Aston?" Hector's voice came softly. It drawing Aston out of his own head. "Never mind what I just said. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

For several long, quiet moments Aston peered up at the other man. The earnest look he gave him helping to calm the upset he had felt. Despite all his teasing, Hector wasn't entirely insensitive. He knew how to be a good friend sometimes.

“Thank you…" Aston said finally, voice barely above a whisper.

Hector offered him a quick, sympathetic smile before getting serious. Well, as serious as someone of his nature could be. “Alright, time to start the day!" He said cheerfully. “You have laundry duty so you better get to it before Tulion's socks start to marinate. Can't have you fainting on the job now, can we?"

Aston gave a watery laugh at the mention of his assigned chore that morning, mood lifting a little thanks to Hector's teasing tone. As part of the agreement for him to stay at the dorms, Aston was expected to help out around the Jade House. Not too different than when he was back on the family farm really.

The problem was that laundry duty was the least coveted task out of every other. The reason being entirely Tulion's fault thanks to just how smelly his clothes tended to get. The jolly giant liked to go out on walks around West Kelston nearly every day. A new development apparently according to Harriet.

Whatever he had worn during the outing ending up sweaty too and in need of a thorough cleaning once he returned home. It wasn't the most pleasant of tasks, doing his and everyone else's laundry, but Aston wasn't one to complain. A least it beat out working at Ebonhill's terrible bar. And who knew, maybe he'd grow used to the stench of Dragkin sweat eventually. Not that he truly wanted to grow used to such a thing mind you.

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“So you're really not going to keep seeing him?" Aston asked as he removed another bundle of clothes from the dryer. Another wonderful invention he'd only heard rumors before coming to Kelston. An electric box that got hot and dried clothes!? His mother would have sold him or one of his siblings for one in a heartbeat

Standing nearby Marcia did the opposite, another load of dirty clothes dumped into a machine he'd been told was simply called a washer. “I'm afraid so." She said, hand going back to brush away some of her red hair from her face. “Don't get me wrong, Mr. Swipeclaw was really nice, but we just weren't connecting."

Aston nodded in response to Marcia's explanation though couldn't comprehend her reasoning. From what little he had seen himself and heard about Swipeclaw from Hector – The Jade House's resident gossip apparently. – he was a very wealthy Dragkin. A business owner and kind to a fault so the perfect match for someone looking to make a beneficial Hallarian accord.

'Does being compatible really matter that much?' Aston wondered for a moment.

Aston certainly didn't think he'd be able to "connect" with whatever dame he managed to sell himself to. He'd be nice to her, of course. Be affectionate whenever she insisted. He did have to find some way of convincing his potential accord-mate to keep paying off his family's debts until they could get their feet under them.

But even so, Aston didn't think for a single, solitary moment that whatever "relationship" he would have with the woman would be anything more than a transactional affair. He didn't even want to contemplate anything more than that.

“Anyway, there are plenty of other Dragkin out there to get to know!" Marcia continued on. Closing the lid of the washer she turned the crank on the side a few times until it sprung to life. “What about you Aston? Still holding out hope for a dame?"

“Of course I am! Why wouldn't I?" Depositing the last of the dried clothes into the basket Aston picked it up and began heading for the exit.

Picking up a second basket of finished laundry and following him Marcia sighed. “Well, for one it's going to be hard as hell to find one!" She reminded him. “Harriet told me that dames rarely become Suitors. There's so few of them so they're usually more focused on having children with drakes."

“There has to be at least one looking though, right?!" Aston argued back, the two of them entering the hallway. “All I have to do is find her and then I'm set!"

Marcia had to suppress the urge to roll her eyes at him. “If you say so, Aston. If you say so…"

The sounds of people coming down the stairs interrupted the two dorm mate's conversation. Aston and Marcia looking over to see Hector and Laurel bickering like children as they made their way down to the Jade House's bottommost floor.

“Come on Lorry! Tell me what you bought!" Hector begged. The look on his face conveying just how much fun he was having pestering the other man.

Unamused at being harassed, Laurel sneered back. The small brown bag in his hands clutched tightly against his chest. “For the last time, stop asking!" He huffed. “What I buy is my business and my business alone you pointy-eared nuisance!"

“Awe come on!" Hector whined dramatically. “Just let me have a little look. I'll be your best friend!"

The derisive snort Laurel made when that was said could have been heard from miles away. “Having you as a friend, best or not, is a recipe for disaster!" He snapped. “So sod off and leave my bag and I alone!"

Making one last ditch attempt to get what he wanted Hector slipped around Laurel and made a mad grab for the mystery item inside the bag. Laurel wasn't going to give it up without a fight, however. Grip quickly tightening on his purchase as if his very life depended on it.

Eventually, the pair ending up tugging the paper sack back and forth between them for several embarrassing moments until they stumbled and tumbled down the last remaining step. The bag they'd been fighting over sailing high into the air before landing right in front of Aston and Marcia who unfortunately had been witness to the entire immature battle.

“Ugh… what is it with men," Marcia said with a long, tired sigh while the two men groaned in pain at the bottom of the staircase. “Always fighting over the stupidest of things."

To Aston though, the whole display had been utterly hilarious. The argument reminded him of how he and his brothers fought over every little thing. A small, grinning snicker coming from him as he lowered his eyes to the object they'd been fighting over.

“Fantastic Phallus Boutique?" Aston said out loud, still laughing as he read the logo on the side. “What's a phallus?"

Gazing around the hallway Aston suddenly stopped giggling when he noticed that everyone was now staring at him. Each of them either looking stunned or embarrassed.

Hector was quick to recover though. The cheeky, trouble-making grin he gave the farmer so wide that it was slightly unnerving. “Well, it's sort of " Hard" to explain Asty, my man." He started slowly. Special emphasis placed on one certain word. “Some might even say “ Rock hard" if you can believe it!"

“Hector…" Marcia growled in warning.

Hector, per usual, paid no mind to the threat and continued on. “But if you're willing to have a “ Long" – and judging from the thud that sucker made when it landed – “ Girthy" conversation on the matter, I'd be happy to go on in “ Length" about what the word means."

Only becoming more bewildered with Hector's drawn-out and cryptic explanation Aston turned first to Marcia who quickly looked away with a suspiciously nonchalant whistle, then over to a beat-red Laurel who raced over and retrieved the bag from the ground with a very displeased frown.

“Never any of you mind what it means Bakson!" The ex-noble shouted, flustered. “As I told that miscreant over there, what I bought is for me to know and for you… all of you, to never find out! So kindly cease your heckling and do shut up!"

His peace said Laurel quickly retreated into his room and slammed the door behind him. Its heavy bang making everyone still present in the hallway flinch as they were left to stare at the sealed chamber.

“That wasn't nice Hector." Marcia chided firmly after an awkwardly long moment of silence. “You really upset Laurel just now."

Shoulders slumping Hector nodded in agreement. “You're right. I was being mean." He replied back. “I'm really going to have to make it up to him later. Maybe convince Tulion to give him a few extra sweet rolls tomorrow morning at—"

“What's a phallus!?" Aston impatiently asked again. Usually, he was more calm but after seeing how upset Laurel had gotten he needed to know why. “Is it a tool? A weapon? A sword?"

Shaking his head amused, Hector chuckled lightly at the older man. "Well… it certainly is something you can thrust at someone like a sword." He said, the dirty look he got from Marcia either ignored or unseen. "But to put it simply Country Man, Laurel bought himself a long, hard toy di—"

Thankfully for Aston's fragile psyche, something came along just in the nick of time to save him from Hector's lurid reveal. Tulion's dulcet voice suddenly came from somewhere above the group. “Little Guy!? Cute Guy!? Brave Gal!? Any of ya home!?" He called out. “If ya are I got ya something that yer gonna like!"

Treading his way down the stairs the head of the Jade House smiled as soon as he saw his collected human clients. “Ah! There ya all are!" He said giving a chuckle. “Everyone's here except for... Cute Guy? Anyone seen him?"

“Lorry's in his room tending to some important business." Hector quickly explained. Going over to the larger man he gave him a timid smile which was returned with a soft look from Tulion.

“So, what do have for us?" He asked the Dragkin. “Is it more of those amazing cookies you like to bake sometimes!?"

Tulion winced when Hector asked him that. The hurt expression he made quickly covered up with a halfhearted huff. “No. My cinnamon chocolate chip is a yule time treat only Cleaver One." He reminded.

“Besides, what I got is a heck of a lot better!"Holding his hands out Tulion showed the group a stack of papers that he had been carrying. “See… when I was out today I stopped by the N.H.A. and managed to get ya all the latest suitor forms!"

Dropping her basket with an excited shout Marcia wasted no time in racing over to Tulion. “What!? Already!?" She exclaimed. “But I thought they didn't hand out new ones until the end of the month!"

Quickly handing the papers over to Marcia, Tulion chortled merrily. “Usually, but with the Mixer Ball tomorrow they're releasing them early!" He said. “Lots of suitors looking fer partners this season so they want ya seekers ta be well informed."

Looking over to the forms himself, Aston hummed thoughtfully. He'd heard about the N.H.A. a few times during his stay at the House. It an anagram for the “Negotiator House Authority". The ruling body that oversaw all the negotiator houses in the Draterran Empire. They were the ones that performed background checks on the Dragkin looking for accord-mates and investigated any kind of funny business or complaints anyone made.

Placing his basket down Aston approached the others. “Are there any dames in there?" He asked timidly while motioning to the papers.

Taking a moment, Marcia flipped through the collected forms, only stopping at the very end with a small frown. “There's one." She said, handing over a single piece of paper to Aston. “All the rest are drakes. Very handsome ones at that!"

“OOH! Let me have a look!" Hector pleaded, making a grab for the bundle.

However, unlike Laurel, Marcia was quicker to deflect his attempt. An elbow quickly meeting Hector's stomach as she turned away with an annoyed sniff. "You'll wait your turn!" She said firmly. "After being so rude you can look through them after both me _ and _ Laurel are done."

Looking down at his singular form in his hand and then over to Hector and Marcia as they argued over the two-inch thick stack they had Aston sighed worriedly. Apparently everyone was right about how hard it was going to be for him to find a willing dame to take him after all.

“You alright over there Little Guy?" Going over to Aston, Tulion peered down over his shoulder at the document in his hands. “Something wrong with that suitor form?"

“Ah, n-no," Aston said, pushing aside the small twinge of jealousy he felt. "Just… kind of wish I had more than one of these."

“Hey, don't let it get to ya!" Tulion said trying to cheer him up. "Who knows! Maybe whosoever this form belongs to will be your destined Dragkin!"

Aston nodded, thinking that he had a point. “You think so Mr. Jadescale?"

Tulion chuckled warmly. “Ya sure bet I do!" He affirmed. “Let's take a closer look."

Drawing in closer, Tulion placed his arm around Aston's shoulders. The large man hugging him gently from the side as he leaned in closer to examine the suitor's form. Their physical closeness and the feel of his heavy arm around him making Aston's cheeks heat up.

This was something about Tulion that he hadn't gotten completely used to yet. How physically affectionate the man was with everyone. Always eager to give a hug. Always willing to pat someone on the shoulder or ruffle their hair. Be it human, orc, dwarf, or another Dragkin. It didn't matter who or what they were. Everybody eventually ended up on the receiving end of one of his friendly gestures after meeting him.

“Let's see…" Tulion began, completely unaware of the blush that his platonic embrace had caused. "Says here that her name is Lezanne Quiverclaw! Hey, I think we helped her brother a few years back find his human! They're a good family!"

'Well, that's good to hear I guess.' Aston reasoned. Drawing his attention to the picture next to the name he saw a rather beautiful sky-kin dame. 'She's not bad too bad looking either I suppose.'

Continuing to read the form Tulion began listing off several different things. “Silver scales, dark hair, likes to cook and read, looking for a nice… oh!" He made a face. “Looks like I was wrong Little Guy."

Reading the form himself Aston sighed when he saw what Tulion had seen. Under the "Looking for…" header of one section were the words "A nice human girl to spend my life with.". A simple sentence that dropped him out of the running for that particular dame's attention.

Handing the paper back to Tulion the auburn-haired man sighed in defeat. “Well so much for this one." He groused.

“Awe don't get too down now." After giving Aston another quick squeeze Tulion stood up straight with a small grunt. “Maybe you'll find a nice dame at the mixer ball! There's usually one or two there." He chuckled nervously for a moment. “Um… sometimes."

“Yeah, there's always that." Aston absently said, though not fully believing what Tulion had just said. In the week he'd been at the Jade House he hadn't heard of one single female Dragkin stopping by, the suitor forms Tulion had brought only convincing him more of how doomed he was.

Seeing the downtrodden expression on the younger man's face Tulion patted Aston's shoulder one more time. Offering a small sympathetic smile before he was drawn into mediating the heated conversation still going on between Hector and Marcia about who would look through their suitor forms first.

Watching the blue Drake gently try and defuse the argument from the sidelines Aston was once again reminded of how nice and gentle he was. It was no wonder why Caspian and Harriet had chosen to become his accord-mates. Tulion was the perfect partner in a lot of ways.

'If only I could find a man like him.' Aston thought for a moment. A small spark of panic blossoming within him when he realized what he just said. 'I_-I mean a w-woman like him_!' He corrected. 'Yeah… a female dragkin, a dame! N-Not a man like him… or Bruzki… or… or… … … Oxtun.'

But, even as he tried to convince himself that was what he meant, Aston felt as if he were lying to himself. That same strange, deep down, all-encompassing feeling of wanting something he knew he shouldn't rearing its ugly head. A burning feeling he tried his best to snuff out. Yet… no matter how hard he stomped, the embers left behind stubbornly refused to go out.

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