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Scales and Scars chapter 4

Marcus stood in front of the mirror in his apartment's small bathroom nervously adjusting and smoothing out his blue black flannel. He felt so goofy to have given the man's advice about matching his clothing color to Korinthia's scale color.

Though he did have to admit the roses he got had the sort of beauty that he was sure she would appreciate. Himself though, he regarded himself in the mirror with nervous apprehension. He didn't have an inch of what a dragoness might call 'Draconic Masculinty'. He had more of the blue collar working man, who makes his living with calloused hands.

“What am I doing…" he said aloud to himself. He looked back into the apartment at the flowers on the counter and sighed inwardly. Nervous butterflies in his stomach which threatened to make him sick. He took a deep breath, and steadied himself to push down his trepidation. Marcus put on his flat cap, and turned from the mirror and decided to accept his fate with the assurance that it couldn't possibly be as bad as his last tour in the sandbox.

He didn't think he would ever understand how a date could make him more nervous than kicking in doors in the middle east. He heard his phone emit out a loud 'ding!', he leaned over to check it and saw that his Uber was near. He quickly grabbed the bouquet of black roses with blue edges and went outside.

“God I hope this isn't the biggest mistake of my life…." He spoke as he closed his apartment door and locked it. He took the stairs three at a time on his way down. Only to burst out into the late afternoon light as it started to fade, long shadows cast from the buildings as the sun hung low in the horizon. The familiar black Benz idled at the curb, a slow rumble of a V8 engine well taken care of. Marcus was quick to pop the back door of the now familiar sedan and climb into the back seat.

Mr. Eze simply nodded his head to Marcus, and Marcus nodded back as he clipped his seat belt on and cradled the flowers knowing from experience the man's driving habits. Which boarded on the legal in many ways. With a throaty roar of a turbocharged engine, they were off to Marcus's nervous fate.

—

Korinthia was sitting in front of a mirror in her own apartment. Her small pure-white scaled friend Silvahad come over, and the giddy little 'ness was doing little touch ups on Korinthia's scales with small brushes.

“Oh I swear a human won't notice, but surely a decent drake might" Silva said as she worked on her friend's scales with deft talons.

The words earned a snort from Korinthia and she spoke while she starred in the mirror. “Oh because the last three were so good right?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm which got an eye roll and a wing ruffle from Silva. The small dragoness not exactly an advocate for Korinthia's newest… friend?

“Well at least a drake would recognize all the hard work you've put into impressing him." Silva huffed and handed out few final strokes of a fast acting scale paint to sharpen the edges of Korinthia's blue markings. The blue black dragoness turned in front of the mirror to inspect her friend's work. Her scales gleamed in the white artificial light that was thrown down on her from the ceiling mounted lights.

“I'm positive that he could tell the difference too." she spoke confidently while she eye her own form. She spread her wings some and inspecting her lean agile frame while she shifted this way and that.

“He'd be blind not to, but some humans are pretty dull." Silva spoke, her voice dubious as she washed her brushes and started packing her tools up in a briefcase-like box.

“I thought friends were supposed to encourage their friends when they find a male they like." Korinthia said as she turned to look at her friend, and adjusted a silver horn ring with its emerald gemstone gleaming in the light.

“Aye, and we are also supposed to warn you away from bad choices too." she huffed indignantly, and Korinthia smiled, which showed the tips of her canines.

“So what about drakes one to three? You encouraged me into those mistakes?" Korinthia said with a smug look on her face, a look that said she was confident she had won the argument thoroughly. Silva flicked her head dismissively, and picked up her case and hooked it to her silver colored harness. She looked up at Korinthia with a smile, a smile of a good friend who truly meant the best for someone she cared about deeply.

“I hope for the best still, and besides, I met a fabulous drake a week ago who's dad owns a successful engineering firm." she said with a good natured grin, before she made her way to the door. Leaving Korinthia to shake her head in amusement at her friend's desperate counter matchmaking.

She was distracted from her goodbyes by the ding of her tablet, and lifted her foreleg and rolled it palm up. The first thing she saw was the message was from Marcus, her heart jumped with excitement. While an unrestrained smile spread across her snout. Korinthia heard a snort from her friend as the door closed and she saw the small 'ness poke her tongue out at her playfully before the door shut fully.

“Oh hush you! pip squeak!"

–

Marcus sent the text message to Korinthia as he climbed out from the back of the Benz. He gave Eze a polite wave as the man nodded and drove off, leaving Marcus before the grand apartment building that Korinthia resided in. He received a response from the dragoness, saying that she was on her way. Marcus was left to stand a little awkwardly in front of the building. He had the flowers held to his side, the beautiful midnight blue roses still vibrant despite their being a day old. When the front door of the building opened, he turned excited and nervous as he expected to see Korinthia. Instead a white scaled dragoness slipped out, she regarded him with a tilt of her head that suggested interest. Before she turned away away a smile on the small Dragoness's snout, the snap of dragon wings above reflexively drew his attention up. He smiled broadly without thinking as he saw Korinthia as she flared her wings to land. The blue black dragoness dropped to her paws gracefully, and folded her five spined wings neatly to her sides. She regarded him with as much wide-eyed surprise, as he did her.

He was struck into silent wonder as she practically shined compared to when he had last seen her. The edge of each blue marking on her body was sharp and neat, her scales having a luster that was quite stunning even to a human. He was quick to feel the vagabond, his clothing seemed wholly inadequate when compared to a creature who's scales shone as hers did tonight.

He opened his mouth to apologize for not having dressed better. When he was cut off by Korinthia's voice as she spied the flowers.

“Oh my! Are those for me?" she exclaimed happily, not dramatically unlike a human woman might. The question pulled him from his internal beratement, and he nodded his head. Inwardly glad for the distraction before he made more of a fool of himself.

“Yes, I thought you might like them. A really beautiful color… much like your own scales" he said nervously, and Korinthia inclined her head to press her snout into the roses to smell their sweet scent as Marcus held them. Marcus watched and started to raise a hand to rub her snout but he pulled it back just as her eyes opened and looked at him.

“They smell wonderful Marcus, If you don't mind, I'll take them up quickly?" she asked softly and he nodded his head while he held out the bouquet, Korinthia took it in her forepaw gently.

“Of course, why wouldn't I?" He said with a chuckle and in a flurry of wings and gusting air she was gone with mighty flaps of her wings. Back up several stories toward the upper half of the building and onto a balcony. Then Korinthia disappeared from sight, only to return a minute later and drop back down with a flare of wings.

Once she returned he began to walk with her, he guided her along toward the riverside part of town. The Tennessee river bisected the city, and he knew of a movie theater that wasn't too far from a nice restaurant he knew well that overlooked the river. The two walked along, and Marcus found himself enjoying mundane conversation with Korinthia. Her stride was slow, and easy for him to match, and she insisted on keeping close. Her side brushed against his shoulder as they walked while Marcus's hand found its way to rest on her shoulder, and it gently rubbed the scales there. Korinthia gave no protest at this, but instead she let loose a slow happy rumbling purr that seemed to build up as they walked.

Eventually she asked “So where are you taking us?" Korinthia asked softly, her head leaned down near his as they walked. Marcus smiled and gently reached a hand up to pat her cheek.

“To a movie, it's one of the longer ones. I hear it's good though. About a dragon trapped in a dungeon who falls in love with his jailer. It's based on a popular book and I heard the romance scenes are quite adorable." He said with a wry smile at the last part, which earned him a light playful shove from a wing.

“Drakes! Jeez, that's all you males think about these." She said in mock indignation a smile showing off the tips of white teeth. Marcus returned to his pace next to her after the playful wing shove. He playfully leaned all his weight against her shoulder as they walked, a boyish smile on his face as he made such a connection to another. It was something Korinthia had yet to see in him. A small window into the soul of the man that contained a moment of joy and happiness that she hadn't seen in him before. Something to be regarded as the 'real' Marcus. The 'Marcus' that remained guarded and hidden beneath all the trauma trapped for years behind a wall of misery. Marcus himself wasn't amiss to notice the change but ran with it to be simply happy with another's company.

Though guilt did gnaw at his joy only a little, he still smiled happily. His cheeks burned some when Korinthia pulled him with a wing to her side. She firmly nuzzled through his hair before her tongue dragged across his forehead. The action earned himself a few looks as he received such affections so openly, and not from a human.

The odd pair steered as one as Marcus and Korinthia made their way to the entrance of the movie theater. the familiar sight of people bustling too and fro, while they waited in line for the ticket counter. Marcus felt nervous as the noise and sound of the crowded theater lobby seemed to weigh on him. He fidgeted nervously, his head scanned to and fro almost as if on sentry. Only relaxing when a large wing cupped around him, and pulled him in against Korinthia's side. The wing partially blocked his view to the left and her frame blocked some of his view to the right. He could feel his heart rate slow, he had not known it had climbed so high and his hands relaxed from clenched fists, and with her blocking the view of him. There were no stares as he was sure there would have been if she had not done so almost as soon as he probably started to exhibit any outward neurotic behavior.

When he looked up he saw her glance down at him with silent concern, and he reached a hand up to pat her side reassuringly. She bumped her snout against his forehead before The two shuffled forward with the progress of the line. The wing after a moment folded back, and the stress did not return and Marcus let out a breath and waited their turn. Soon they were called forward, and Marcus talked with the young woman. She eyed them with curiosity and interest, though not exactly in the most positive of sense.

“Two tickets for DiD, please" Marcus asked as he held up two fingers while he spoke and the lady smiled kindly and typed away before the ticket machine buzzed and she handed Marcus the tickets and called the next group of customers. He was shuffled away while he read them he frowned, and he tried to turn to go back anger hot in his chest. only for a forepaw to hook itself around his midriff and hold fast. Korinthia leaned down to gaze over his shoulder at the tickets and chuckled. “Don't worry we can still sit together."

The lady had placed him two rows back in a cramped human seating area and Korinthia in the back of the dragon seating rows. “No I can talk to her and-" Marcus tried to say.

But Korinthia snorted at him and he was still held firmly in place before he relented. She watched him intently before she released him after he stopped straining against her paw. Marcus had decided that he would rather follow along with whatever machinations that Korinthia wished to try then argue with some woman a few years younger than him and create a scene. When they passed the snack booth, he also relented to being robbed practically. Anything dragon sized was three times the price, and anything he bought was double what it should be.

All this served to have Marcus silently vow to never again go to a movie theater, but instead he'd find a way to get Korinthia in his apartment and cook dinner for them both. Then pirate a movie just because it would be at this point paid for five times over. He decided to get one dragon bucket of popcorn and a few boxes of sour Gummi bears.

Korinthia carried the large bucket of popcorn by the handle in her jaws and they navigated the dim hallways until they found their Theater. Korinthia lead the way to the dragon seating, which were simply elevated rows like large stair steps. Deep enough for a dragon to settle down on an assigned cushion and a little bit of space between each seating spot. He was nosed down to the far end by Korinthia until she reached her assigned cushion and settled down on it. Before Marcus could protest he was dragged down to sit against her chest between her forepaws. The large bucket was placed in his lap. Her head and neck resting over his left shoulder to steal some popcorn. He took a handful himself and started munching as more humans and dragons packed in.

While no one paid him any mind, a smaller younger dragon with his parents did look him wide eyed from between his mother's forelegs. The sight of a human in a similar position as the small drakeling was in, was probably a very strange sight indeed. As the speaker boomed and the opening advertisements and announcements played the lights dimmed down. Marcus surrendered to the moment and leaned back against the broad chest of the dragoness who surrounded him. Blue scaled paws curled around him in an almost possessive nature. In the dim light, Korinthia's eyes shown a pale blue glow. Almost silver as they reflected light, like a coyote in a spot light.

When she noticed him gazing at her she tilted her head and licked his cheek and he blushed. But almost laughed as he heard soft “ew". from the hatchling who was hushed by its mother, his laugh stifled as a quiet snort. Korinthia too was smiling, having noticed it as well. He rested a hand on top of one of her paws, spreading His fingers wide to let them settle between her digits like he might with a human girl when holding hands. Some people would still to this day flee before being so close to a dragon. Marcus remembered his early years, when his stepfather consoled him on the dangers of winged demons. His step father came from a long line of ancient 'Clippers' a dreaded profession. Though he had been happy to tell the young Marcus of the traditions and history as if it was Marcus's own family lineage. Though Marcus had learned his real family name a month before enlisting. Being required to get family Birth certificates for enlistment, and had laid eyes on his own and his father's.

He shook his head clear of the thoughts that wondered through it and returned his attention to the movie. Which was masterful, no one could say a movie could be as good as the books or better. But having never read Dragon in the dougeon, Marcus found himself silently taking a mental note to grab the book series. It was supposedly one of the best selling books written by a dragon, and he would enjoy reading such a romantic tragedy.

There were a few times where he was almost brought to tears by the sad or happy swing of emotions. Korinthia was not against not against the use of his sleeves to dry her snout during some particularly sad flashback scenes. He was idly popping sour Gummi bears into his mouth when he saw the hatchling look between him and the box of candy in a lull point of the movie. Marcus held out a few to the hatchling who was quick to snatch them up with a happy smile. Then Marcus had to suppress a laugh as the hatchling sucked it's cheeks in, the small dragon evidently not having realized they were of the sour nature.

Though now Marcus and the hatchling were under the amused gaze of the hatchlings mother and Korinthia who shared smiles with each other before returning to the movie. Though romance scenes were both cute and romantic, Korinthia's paw squeezed his hands, he paw easily triple and change the size of his. The hatchling gave another 'ew' when the women kissed the drake in one of the final scenes. He was sure the book held much more but alas movies were short despite their length. He chuckled while his date nosed at his head gently after seeing all the sappy romantics. Korinthia's paws held him tighter, and he squirmed with shyness until the scene ended. He wasn't a prude, but he was very aware of the image Korinthia squeezing him like a her own human stuffed bear might present to the world.

When the movie finally ended after two hours of emotional rollercoasters the lights brightened, the credits began rolling. Happy voices started to talk and Marcus stood up stretching his stiff legs. Many of the dragons stretched like felines before leaving and Marcus left feeling like it had been a good movie. Though he still felt a little robbed by all the costs, plus it might have been less awkward if he wasn't watching a love scene in a crowded theater while a shameless dragoness tried nibble his ear. He was definitely gonna watch romantic movies with her privately.

The two exited out into the early night, the moon had yet to rise above the city scape. Marcus stretched his arms above his head and arched his back popping a few joints and his spine some. His ruck abused knees yelled at him for being in such a confined position without being stretched out.

“What did you think?" He asked as he looked over at Korinthia, who proceeded to hum in thought only for a moment.

“Oh it was pretty cute, and I was just happy he escaped the dungeon and got the girl." Korinthia said with a smile as they walked leisurely toward the river. A park with long winding trails that followed the river, which stretched out far past the theater. Marcus and Korinthia walked along the lit paths as they talked, and he led her toward their next destination. Though he did stop at a few overlooks to watch coal barges and pontoon boats as they moved up and down the river in slow ponderous lumbering motions.

“I agree it was good, it captured the emotions well." He said with a smile as he watched the boats, he heard a rueful chuckle.

“You cried didn't you when he professed his love to her." She said with a rumble a teasing tone to her voice.

“Like a bitch." he said with a chuckle and heard a gasp from her, and he shrugged his shoulders with a smile. “What? I'm not allowed to be a sappy romantic?"

Which made Korinthia laugh musically as she lightly leaned against him now, sitting on her haunches. While he was leaning against the low ancient stone wall. “You are indeed the man who brought a dragoness a bundle of roses that matched her scales, then also dressed to match her too."

Marcus blushed darkly and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, and then tried to make a few half hearted excuses of what made him decide to dress in matching colors. “Well… just seemed… you know-" But he was silenced by a claw to his lips, an odd action but it shut him up pretty effectively. Korinthia lowered her head to bring the horn band she wore into his view, and he saw the emeralds embedded along the sliver band.

“Marcus, what is your eye color?" she asked him with a smile on her snout

“Green…" his voice trailed off as realization struck, and his cheeks colored a deep red barely visible in the low light.

“I had no idea that you noticed." He almost whispered as she watched him with her happy smile.

“Well, we dragons don't wear clothes, the most we can do is use scale paint to change our color or make it pop better. So we notice these things." She spoke with a smile, and bumped his side with her snout.

This revelation brought Eze's advice into clear prospective, with a stunned look he looked down at what he was wearing. And had to stop himself from saying 'oh..' he said it mentally rather then allowed to save some form of dignity at his ignorance. Then his cheeks flushed once more when he looked at the horn ring, and then away back to the river.

There was something strange about having someone who had seen the weakness in him, to view him as attractive. He was weak, his mind was a war of emotions, memories, and loss. Was there even room for another in such a wasteland? In such a no man's land? With a shuddering breath he turned away and said.

“Korinthia… I…" his voice cracked as he tried to speak the words. With a tear in his eye, head averted. So that Korinthia couldn't glimpse his face, which threatened to show all his waring emotions like a billboard with a neon sign. A sign which screamed in bold letters something close to run or flee.

With a gentle yet firm force, he was yanked around, and forced to face Korinthia. Only for his words of dismay to be silenced as the dragoness pressed her lips to his. A startled gasp worked it's way up his throat, and past his lips. Before it slipped into Korinthia's maw, her lips pressed more firmly to his. While Marcus's hands on reflex went to her cheeks with nothing else coming to mind. His back was ramrod straight, and then slowly relaxed as he kissed back. More tears slipped down his cheeks, emotions outpouring without any barrier to hold them back. Through all the will power and tightening of his chest and body, he couldn't stop the tears. They weren't tears of sadness, he knew that though it didn't stop him from trying to hold them back. They were of joy and relief, his mind knowing he didn't need to be alone anymore. The realization hitting him like a hammer strikes an anvil, sparks flying through his mind. Like they were thrown from pounded steel, burning hot against the misery which had so enveloped him.

Marcus couldn't help but be hopeful, he couldn't help it. With that hope followed years of repressed emotions, and he lost himself. Unknown to him, Korinthia had unfurled a wing, and blocked the world from seeing him. The full moon had turned the river into a thread of silver that wound it's way through the stars of city lights. When Marcus finally opened his eyes and blinked away his tears, to clear his vision. Korinthias face resolved into a beautiful blueish silver, the black scales a deeper dark silver.

Marcus pulled back from her lips, he was wordless and could only stare at her. His green eyes searched her face and her blue eyes. He couldn't help but smile as he realized how lucky he was. To see her eyes looking into his as they searched for the same emotion she felt toward him. In his mind he pushed all the teachings of his step father into a mental trash bin.

“Hey Korinthia…?" he asked softly, with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Emotions still thick in his voice as he wiped his cheeks on his upper arms not letting go of Korinthia's cheeks.

“Yes?" she asked as she tilted her head in his hands, an inquisitive look in her eyes. Which drew a broader smile from Marcus before he spoke again, a bit of goofy smile on his face.

“Did I ever tell you how beautiful you look under the moon?" there was a look of relief that showed first on her face. Then a blush rolled across her cheeks and her blue eyes seemed to widen like dinner plates. Before she purred loud and deep and drove her snout into his chest. Nuzzling into him hard enough to almost knock him off his feet, both his arms wrapped around her head as he gave a happy laugh. One of his hands stroked her head and neck, while he held her close as he didn't hear laughter in return, he could feel the tightening of her neck and shoulders as her body shook. He didn't say a word as warm moisture seeped into the front of his shirt, with a soft smile he kissed the top of her head. Marcus made a soft shushing sound as his rubbed the back of her head and neck with both hands leaning against her when she pressed her weight into him.

Korinthia herself didn't even know why she was crying, it could have been the moment. Or the fact that this human was capable of seeing her for who she was, more so than any drake. Where drakes were proud and boisterous, brash and eager. Marcus was quiet and reserved, shy and so far caring. Which was a different world for her, and a stark and vivid reversal from her last boyfriend.

Marcus knew better than to ask why she was crying, and he was happy to just be there. Though it wouldn't have been a lie to say he himself felt tears in his eyes from the emotion of the moment, two hopeful souls who now knew the other felt the same as the other. The man hummed softly in his throat almost like a human version of a purr and he closed his eyes for a few moments. He only opened them when he felt Korinthia's head lift up from between his arms.

Her eyes and cheeks still shimmered with moisture, and Marcus reached a hand up and wiped tears from her cheeks, happy to see she wasn't sad, just overwhelmed by emotions. There was something rather humbling to see a creature that could kill you in an instant show such raw emotions. Emotions so similar to his own, and with a sleeve pulled up into his palm while his other hand steadied her head. He wiped and dried her snout with gentle strokes of his sleeve covered hand. The dark colored cloth wouldn't show the dampness as bad, and Marcus didn't care what some other person thought when they saw him.

“Hey it okay love, don't be embarrassed" he said when Korinthia tried to tilt her head away from him, eyes averted from his gaze. Her cheeks warm under his hand, and he eventually stopped and let out a small sigh.

“The restaurant just at the end of this park has some pretty good food, the lady who owns it is the grandmother of a squadmate of mine." He said, and gently patted her shoulder, and he leaned in whispering. “She makes a killer catfish"

Korinthia stood up more straight and sniffled a little before she lightly head butt his shoulder with a happy growl. “You mistake me for some drake who only thinks with their stomach" she growled with a smile on her snout and her voice no longer cracked with emotion.

“Alright, alright. You aren't one of the boys" he said with a chuckle as he stumbled back from the head butt, and laughed with broad smile on his face. He walked past her and lead the way, he let his hand rub down her side as he passed by. Korinthia didn't pull away from the touch, instead she turned and fell in step with him with two long strides.

“Thooough…. Does she only make fish?" she asked with a big grin showing off her sharp teeth, while Marcus snorted out a laugh.

“God no! Haha, she makes all sorts of southern cooking. Warm fluffy biscuits, and country fried steak for example." Marcus Said, and immediately knew what he was getting, he hadn't had a country fried steak in months. Plus some biscuits, God a good buttermilk biscuit with apple butter was food for the soul.

“Are you… From the south?" she asked inquisitively, her head tilted and her blue eyes searched his eyes for emotion.

Marcus shrugged his shoulders, and told the truth he didn't see how lying might be useful. Though he also got the impression that she might view him differently after his answer.

“Well yea, though my father was from up north, he married my mother after some time stationed in the south. Though he passed away shortly after I was born… meaning I never knew him really, and I was raised by my mother and stepfather in Georgia." He said and looked away from her, he sighed and kicked a rock that had ended up on the paved path they were walking on.

“Never got to meet my real father's side of the family, but the most I know is they ended up here at the start of WWII, a foreign dragon cavalry soldier and their dragon partner." He explained and she brightened a little more, while his chest tightened. While it had not been the full and total truth about his up bringing he was happy to skirt talking about his step-father which would only cause her pain and cast judgement on him.

Marcus led the way along the path toward the end of the park, the park was long and winding as it followed the edge of the Tennessee river. Marcus was a little distracted as the memories of his past, so easily repressed and forgotten, began to nag at him. They clawed to the surface of his mind, and acted on him as 'what ifs'. Eventually Korinthia's voice drew him from his private brooding thoughts.

“so what's the restaurant like?" she asked and Marcus looked across the street from the gate to the park they had just exited. Across the street was said restaurant, and he looked both ways before he quickly crossed despite their being little to no cars on the road. Korinthia bounded across after him, she looked at Marcus with her head cocked to the side. He chuckled and opened the door “why don't you see for yourself?"

Marcus could see the impression the restaurant had on her, the outside was very unimpressive. White washed brick which was common in older buildings in the south. An old weathered outside That left much to be desired. So he saw a reserved and skeptical look on her face, but as soon as her head passed through the threshold of the door. He saw he blue eyes widen and slipped in next to her.

“Yea, it's a lot nicer on the inside." he said with a smile and urged her further inside with a hand on her shoulder. Feeling the warm smooth scales under hand, her scales were much warmer than that of human skin. She stepped alongside him to wait for an older woman to make her rounds up to the front. A few other guests filed in behind the two, and Korinthia sat down and curled her tail around her paws.

Marcus looked over his shoulder to see an older couple eyeing him with suspicion and interest. He smiled and nodded to the older man who nodded back with a slight smile.

“How may I help you?" A familiar older feminine voice spoke up and Marcus turned to see Nina, which was obvious to some since it was called Nina's kitchen. But he had met her shortly after he was sent to his unit. The old woman's Grandson was In their unit, a good guy who was the most southern gentleman you could have found in the modern era. He had been taken out by a sniper during the initial invasion of Afghanistan.

Ever since then anyone who left the unit or was in Tennessee made an effort to come eat at 'Mom's' as they called it. The woman had lost her Grandson but gained so many more, and she smiled when see recognized him. Marcus smiled in return, though his lips were pressed together. It was hard not to think of Scott when he saw her.

“Hey mom, it's been a while" he said and the old woman waved her hand dismissively.

“Oh hun, don't you apologize for live'n your life." she said as she picked up two menus and she looked over Korinthia with an appraising eye. Just like how a mother might look over a woman that her son brought home. Her eyes flicked back to Marcus who squirmed under the woman's stare.

“So who might this beautiful creature be dear?" She asked and Marcus opened his mouth and then closed it before looking at Korinthia with a deep blush. He didn't quite know what to call her. Was she his girlfriend or a really close friend? did Close friends cry on each other? Or was that only lovers?. He opened his mouth to say friend, when Korinthia's sweet voice spoke over him.

“I'm his girlfriend." She spoke softly, a little shy, Marcus could see her Blue eyes look away but they flicked back to fix on Nina's. The older woman held the stare and looked the dragoness up and down humming to herself.

“Mmmhmmm… you don't say, well you better treat my son well, Marcus has been through a lot. He deserves a good woman in his life, lord knows he needs one." Nina spoke with a stern motherly tone which made Marcus blush and cough and clear his through hearing the mutters from the older couple behind him.

“He's treated me better then the last drake I was with, he's taking me on dates and shows he cares about me." Korinthia spoke, while Marcus smiled weakly, trying to hide his embarrassment as he was laid true before the woman that he did actually treat like his mother. Her glare making him swallow, and she looked looked back to Korinthia with a big grin.

“Well if he changes at all and starts being a poor partner you tell me and I'll straighten him out." She said with a big grin before she turned and motioned for them to follow her. She took them over to a table further away from any of the other guests. The table was a low table, the perfect height for most dragons to lay on their bellies and have full access to all the food still. Two large pillows sat across from each other and Marcus took an awkward seat in a manner that he had seen Afghan elders do when sitting on their rugs in a reclined cross leg position.

—

“Corporal relax, we're here as guests. Their culture doesn't allow harm to guests, and they hold honor very highly in these tribes." Sargent Mackintosh said while he glared daggers at Marcus who took off his helmet and plate carrier. He sat down across from a row of tribal elders, to the right of the Sargent. He felt naked without his armor or his rifle which was outside laid up against the wall. Under the Delta's supervision, while a pair of twitchy Afghan youth watched her.

The unit's translator Al'Shaif was sat to Mackintosh's left side, and as Mackintosh spoke in small sentences the translator would translate them to the tribal elders. Marcus was sat across from an older Afghan man with a long redish beard that stretched down past his sternum. Still kept neat and the man had a harsh glare as he stared at Marcus.

—

Marcus was brought back to reality when Korinthia spoke his name in a tone that made it seem like it must not have been the first time she had tried to get his attention. Marcus started and he looked up from the table and menu to see Nina, she looked expectantly at him with notepad in hand, a kind smile on her face. With an edge of knowing worry in eyes that had begun to recently be outlined by deeper wrinkles. The sign of middle age passing, and older years were on their way.

Marcus cleared his throat, and regained his composure. He read out his usual order. “I'll have the country fried steak, with country gravy. With fried apples and cornbread."

He closed up the menu as Nina wrote down the order, the older women nodded her head as she wrote. He held out the menu and Nina took it and passed him, she patted his shoulder gently with a hand. Marcus smiled mournfully, and brought himself back to the present before his mind could slip back to Nina's son and his best friend.

“She's not your mother is she?" Korinthia asked, and Marcus chuckled softly and shook his head.

“No but she treats me better than my own, and everyone from the unit has her as a mother. She lost her son to a sniper on our first tour together. She lost her son that tour and-" Marcus's voice was cut off by the soft southern motherly tone of Nina as she circled back with drinks and a basket of biscuits and apple butter.

“And gained a hundred sons in his place, and you boys gained another Mother." She finished his sentence a she set the basket in the center of the table and larger glass for korinthia, and a normal glass of sweet tea for Marcus. Though Marcus was more fixated on the biscuits and pulled one from the basket bouncing between his hands onto his plate.

“You're a wonderful Mother to all us Marines. Even when we cause you so much trouble" Marcus said and Nina chuckled warmly before ruffling his head as he pulled the steaming hot biscuit apart despite the burning in his fingertips. “You always make the best biscuits too."

“It's a southern thing darling" she said with a smile before she left for the kitchen. Leaving the two alone in their own little nook of the place.

Korinthia smiled at him with a sly look. “Soooo you brought me to meet your mother already?"

Marcus didn't get flustered and nodded his head, and with his trademark snark said “Yeap, so when do I get to meet your mother?"

There was a pause and Marcus looked up from the biscuit halves he was smearing with apple butter. To see Korintha had leaned in close, she eyed him with a cocky grin which made marcus swallow.

“So, next weekend I was going to visit them. Might be fun to show up with a cute human boy to show off since you're so eager." she spoke in low voice, and gave it a sultry growl in the back of her throat. A sound which made a shiver crawl up Marcus's spine and he blushed and cleared his throat before speaking.

“I could be- HEY!" he yelled lowly in surprise as half of his biscuit he had just finished spreading apple butter on disappeared In a flash of jaws. And Korinthia gave him those big innocent bright blue puppy eyes.

“What?" She asked innocently In cute voice, and Marcus narrowed his eyes at her while he held up a finger in front of her snout.

“That is the worst crime of all…. Nina's biscuits are a sacred thing." Marcus said in a mock wounded voice.

Korinthia in response hummed in pleasure, and wiggled her lean frame “Oh yea, tastes so wonderful all buttery, fluffy, and apple-ly."

“That's it! next weekend I'm telling your parents they raised an evil dragoness who steals food from poor wounded veterans." Marcus declared in as serious a tone as he could muster with the dumb grin across his face as he ate the other half of his biscuit. Which he guarded jealously, it never left his hand since not even his plate was safe from the biscuit thiev'n Nesses.

“Oh is that the card you're gonna play, mister? Well, I'll just play the human who manipulated my heart card." She said in a mock prissy voice and tilted her head up trying to strike a regal stuck up girl pose. Which only had Marcus snickering as he watched her, he had to cover his mouth to be polite with some manners as he swallowed the last of his biscuit.

The two were giggling like school girls when Nina brought out the food, and she shook her head smiling at them. Setting plates down in front of both of them, and with that amused motherly grin she left the two alone again. Marcus saw that Korinthia had gotten the fried catfish from the dragon menu, and it consisted of two whole catfish fried like the human filets. But paired with larger sides of collards and Mac and cheese.

“I see someone didn't outgrow being a kid." he made the jest while he pointed at her Mac and Cheese, arguably one of the best sides. Only to have one of his fried apples speared by a claw and snatched away.

Which left Marcus gazing down at his bowl of apples, one of the cinnamon and brown sugar glazed apple slices now gone and he sighed with mock exasperation. “How will I survive at this rate?"

The Dragoness in question merely giggled in her musical voice, a smile graced her snout that showed just the tips of her canines. Marcus watched Korinthia with his own smile forming on his face and leaned back in his seat. His eyes looked over and he then looked off to the side to look over the country diner's inside. His mind worked and his eyes flicked back to Korinthia.

The same question had kept coming up in his mind, and he never had an answer for it. The question was always 'can this work?'.

He wanted it too, he felt happy, content almost. He had found himself looking forward to the next day. He had started to be haunted less by his past, the last few days he had no night terrors. Being a Marine he wasn't good with the expression of emotions. So he bit his tongue and didn't ask the question out loud, doubt was the last thing he needed.

Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome. The unofficial motto of the US military, and it was also a mind set. At that moment, as he looked across at the dragoness before him. He found something new to fight for. In that Diner with the smell of fried catfish in the air, fresh baked biscuits. Life changed for him, not all at once. Not some great shift in Marcus's psyche, but instead a subtle and slow turn. One that would set him on a pathway he never thought he'd tread.

“How's your food?" The question pulled Marcus from his internal muse, and thoughts. Korinthia had a concerned look, and he smiled sheepishly when he realized he had been staring. Immediately he made a polite dismissal.

“Oh sorry my mind wondered." He said as he took another bite of his meal, the food was good as always. Always like he remembered it every time he visited.

“Oh and what things might it have wondered too." She asked with a grin, her mind probably in a much more interesting place than his. Especially with the grin the dragoness sported at that moment.

“Just thinking of the future" Marcus said before he took a sip of sweet tea, that he would most certainly regret.

“The future? First date and you're already thinking long term like marriage?" She teased which caused Marcus to suck in a breath of surprise and then cough up some of his drink. He pounded his chest to clear it as he coughed, and talked between coughs.

“That's… not what… I was thinking about" he said between coughs, and finally got himself under control and breathed a deep sigh. “You really can't do that to a guy, it's mean."

She giggled softly and smiled sweetly, “I could never be mean"

Which only made Marcus roll his eyes as he finished off his plate and watched the last catfish disappear into Korinthia's maw. The dragoness held a paw in front of her maw as she chewed to try to be polite. Since it's harder for dragons to chew with their mouth closed like a human. It was also why he didn't ever go to a rib place now.

Nina made her way around again with that motherly smile on her face, and she looked between them with a knowing grin. One of course that made Marcus a little more squeamish than he liked to admit to himself. But Nina was like a mother to him and the other marines she chose to call her sons.

“You two enjoy your meals? A good first date I hope?" Nina asked as her smile grew much larger into a full blown tooth filled grin when both Marcus and Korintha started to stutter out Yes's.

“yes Mom, it's… yea it's a good date, and you know we loved the food the evidence is easy to see" Marcus finally admitted a little embarrassed to say it out loud, it had been a date from the start he knew that. But to admit it to someone who's opinion meant so much to him was a little difficult.

The older woman chuckled and her grin returned to that motherly caring smile, and she rested a hand on her shoulder gently squeezing it. “Don't worry, I'm proud of you. Ooohhh… I've been waiting for the day you'd bring a woman in here on a date."

Marcus blushed deeply and smiled happily, “I never knew you took such an interest in my life."

Nina chuckled and he handed her his card to pay for the meal. She looked at Korinthia, and then back to Marcus.

“A mother always wants her sons to be happy, even those who aren't necessarily family by blood." She said as she collected the plates, and left for the kitchen.

Marcus looked down at his watch and noticed time had flown by, it felt like no time had passed for him but it had been several hours. He looked up at Korinthia, and took a moment to admire her before speaking.

“I'll walk you home when we are done here, if that's okay with you?" He framed the last part as a question because he didn't know if that was a normal thing for dragons to do. Did they walk each other home? and how much of tonight was a human date and how much rolled over to dragon's type of date? Such questions and ponderings almost distracted him from Korinthia's answer.

“Of course, such a proper gentleman" she said with a nod of her head and smile, holding a paw to her chest as she spoke in a mock posh accent. Which had just happened to be heard by Nina as she returned. The older woman snorted with a chuckle and spoke up as she set the receipts and card in front of Marcus.

“Well of course he is, if he wasn't he wouldn't hear the end from me" which made Korinthia let out a musical laugh and Marcus smiled shyly.

“You two be safe on your way home" The older woman said as the two got up, while Marcus and Korinthia bid her the same. Marcus led the way out, and when they got outside he pulled his flat cap back on, and looked over as Korinthia stepped up beside him.

Korinthia's black hide with its blue vertical stripes, shined softly under the streetlights. Her shoulder a few inches above his head, her head turned to face him. Her electric blue eyes almost glowed in the faint light. The angled head lowered inches from his, nose to nose almost. Her warm breath washed over his face and warmed his cheeks against the night cold. She nuzzled into his cheek and neck in one motion before her head pulled back. Marcus ran his hand along her cheek just as she pulled away, one last fleeting touch.

“Well let's go pretty ness" he said as he started off, retracing their steps, back down the river side park. The faint sound of the Tennessee river in the background. Traffic sounds at that time of night had calmed down.

Korinthia followed next to him, her tail swished the air lazily as they walked. Marcus reached a hand out and gently rested his hand on her shoulder. It was his best attempt at a 'holding hands' moment. After a few moments he heard the soft rumble of a purr from the dragoness.

Marcus closed the distance so he was walking with his shoulder against her, though it was at the same time she did. So he was almost knocked over, and he laughed. The dragoness hooked a wing around him pulled the human back against her warm scaled hide. The deep rumble of Korinthia's purr vibrated out from her hide and into Marcus's body.

The silence wasn't oppressive as they walked, it was a pleasant silence just two people enjoying each other's company. The two soon arrived at Korinthia's apartment building and the wing was pulled from around Marcus. Marcus stepped away from her so he could more easily look at her, standing before her his hands in his pockets now. A happy smile on his face as he looked up into her blue eyes with his own green eyes.

“I hope you enjoyed the night?" Marcus said, and he looked over to see a familiar small white scaled ness slip into the apartment's front entrance. Korinthia nodded her head in answer while she closed the distance, and her head dipped down. Her cheek brushed along his right cheek and she spoke into his ear.

“It was a wonderful night dear, why don't you come upstairs with me…?" Her voice rumbled in his ear deeply, with a sultry tone that sent shivers up his spine. The question rolled off her tongue in a low whisper, almost growled out. A large paw came to rest on the back of his leg, and he felt it hold onto him. Marcus took a moment, only a moment to think. With her so close, with her voice in his ear, and her warm breath washed over the side his neck with each deep breath.

“Only if you really want me too, you're not obligated too just because we went on a date." Marcus said, he didn't want her to feel like she owed him. He didn't want to rush into a situation she would regret, or something he would.

Marcus sucked in a breath as Korinthia gave him an answer to his question, her tongue flicked out and dragged up his neck, jaw, and ended just under his right ear. Her paw squeezed his leg, and then her voice filled his ear again. “Such a gentle-human, you have two choices. The elevator, or I'm flying you up."

Marcus spoke his answer quickly knowing he was definitely going to have a long night. “Elevator!"

The dragoness chuckled in his ear before she pulled away, and released his leg so he could walk. Korinthia started to walk to the door, and looked over her shoulder at Marcus still standing there rather dumbfounded.

“you coming?"

Marcus started and followed her into the large front entry of the massive multi-story apartment building. His mind running a mile a minute and his heart pounding in his chest. The battle hardened Marine, nervous of what was to come. But then he breathed out a sigh as he followed the dragoness into the elevator and the doors closed. Fate sealed, action and consequence have begun to unfold.