FSE

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Closing the door to his recently cleaned truck, Luke caught a glimpse of his reflection in the window. He hadn't slept well and kept his baseball cap down low with his dark, gas station sunglasses tight against his face. Having parked outside Crestmead's main farming supply shop and spotting the old neon sign advertising guns and ammo, he made a mental note to visit once he had finished his other errands. Walking through Crestmead, he moved quickly without trying to draw attention to himself. Having been caught with his literal pants down by one of the town's most notorious gossipers, he feared that everyone would have been told of his activities with Teeba. Not that anything unbecoming had happened, but even he felt his excuses had been weak when they explained to Liirahn why his shirt was off and his pants were around his knees. Despite the older dragoness's nod of acknowledgement, he had seen the joyful glint in her eyes and, given that she had been so uncharacteristically eager to leave, he knew she was just itching to tell everyone what she had seen. Or rather, what she thought she had seen. Or hoped.

Everyone knew the old dragoness's tales were always exaggerated, but he was sure that many would love to believe the scandalous take of him being caught with a dragoness in a compromised position. As much as he told himself that he didn't care what they thought, his dreams had been haunted by the image of his father, shotgun in hand, wanting to 'set things right'. When he had risen just after dawn, he tried to dismiss the idea that his father would seek her out. He wanted to believe that was wrong, but he waited until Teeba was awake before he left for work, just in case.

Thankfully, none of the jobs were a repeat of yesterday: just a faulty solenoid in an automatic tap, a water pump that had tripped its breaker, and a routine pressure test of an irrigation system. The work had provided him some distraction from his thoughts, but the drive back to the town centre had given him plenty of time to dwell on the events of yesterday. If he was honest with himself, he didn't regret wanting to get in the pool with the dragoness, afterall he knew that they were doing nothing unwholesome. The regret he now felt was solely driven by the possibility that the rumours would come back to hurt Teeba in some way. Now, he knew for certain that he couldn't leave the town. Prior to being caught with his pants down, his paranoia was around what others would think of him being with Teeba. Now however, his nerves were on edge at the thought of his father wanting to hurt her. It might be an irrational thought, but not one he was willing to leave to chance.

On his journey to town, he had racked his brain for anything he had been taught that he could use now. Asset protection had been a brief and mostly theoretical lesson he had attended, and if he was honest with himself, one he hadn't scored well in. He remembered how he had told his classmates that he “joined the Marines to be a killer, not a babysitter." However, he recalled a few elements that he found useful—mostly breaking down the enemy's wants and resources, their motivations, and what elements he had to work with. His jaw tightened and his teeth ground together as he thought of dealing with his father like a hostile target in some sort of military engagement. The idea made him uneasy, afterall his father had been there for him his entire life and helped raise him, but it was what he knew and was what he had been trained for. Even though he had no intention of escalating the fight with violence, he knew he had to cover all bases and make sure that he protected his assets. Time was something he couldn't control, and he knew that eventually his father would hear about what allegedly happened, so instead he focused on what he could control. After all, standing watch over the dragoness 24/7 was impractical and he still had a job to do. He briefly considered talking to the local Sheriff, a large and lazy man who 'Could have been a Marine, if it wasn't for his family,' but he dismissed the idea. As ridiculous as it sounded, he felt as if he went to them, he would only be adding some sort validity to the rumour that he was caught being indecent with Teeba.

The rational part of his mind told him he was likely overreacting, and that the best idea was to wait and see how the dust settled. His squad's barbecue was this evening, and not only would it provide a good opportunity to get Teeba out of town, but it would also allow him to ask his squad leader for advice. Shane, callsign Scarecrow, had always kept a level head in the heat of battle, and Luke respected him immensely. If anyone knew how to tackle such a delicate engagement, he would.

With his head tilted down, Luke still tried to remain inconspicuous as he walked down the main street that bisected his hometown. Glancing left and right, he caught sight of others going about their day, and for a fleeting moment, he thought maybe the old dragoness had kept her mouth shut for once. Any hopes were dashed, however, as he walked past the bakery and one of the patrons noticed him.

A dusty red-coloured drake with scars that ran down his shoulder sat inside the bakery while waiting for his order. Turning his head, the large dragon tracked Luke, his eyes scanning him with a look of disgust. With a sneer and a snort, the drake didn't stop Luke, but the man heard it grumble something about a waste of a good vent.

Now, with his suspicions confirmed, Luke walked more quickly towards the general store. A minor detail that he hadn't thought of was how the dragons would receive the rumour, as there were still some—mostly male—who believed that what few dragonesses the town had shouldn't waste their time with a mixed relationship. Curiously, the same males seemed not to care about the few drakes that found the company of a woman. He considered turning to correct the drake but decided against it. He needed to get his shopping and leave; the sooner he returned, the sooner he could put his mind at ease.

A tired, electronic chime rang out as he stepped into the general store and gave a customary nod to the shopkeeper, who was restocking the cigarettes behind the counter. Picking up a basket, he turned down the first aisle and opened his phone to find Teeba's shopping list. Having mentioned that he needed to get something from town, the dragoness had asked him to pick up a few things she had run out of. Scrolling through the list as he walked the aisles, he snatched up each item quickly. Paper towels, dishwashing liquid, microwave popcorn, and before long, a collection of other miscellaneous items filled the basket. Working his way down the list, he paused and frowned. “Southpaw horn brush…" he muttered under his breath.

Standing in an aisle that had the most dragon hygiene products, he blinked at the collection of brushes and files that hung neatly on hooks. To his surprise, the shop carried three different brushes that all boasted various claims of being the best brush for cleaning horns of all shapes and sizes. Not unlike the long-handled brushes that some used in the shower, the head was somewhat curved to contour to a dragon's horn. One of the brushes claimed it was specially designed for horns that curled like a ram's, so he instantly dismissed it and instead picked up the remaining two to compare. Turning them over, he scanned their descriptions for anything that identified them as being southpaw or left-handed, but when he found nothing, he simply tossed both into the basket and checked the list.

All that remained was one simple line that read 'snacks for road trip' and an emoji of a happy dragon. A flicker of a smile formed on his lips before he realised he wasn't sure what she liked. Turning down the candy aisle, he scanned the treats for anything with a dragon on it but realised that, just as the sweets he ate didn't have pictures of humans on them, there were none that pictured dragons. Instead, almost all of the sweets were in generic yet colourful packaging with rainbows or cross-sections of their products. Still eager to get out of town, he quickly snatched a variety of sweets and biscuits from the shelves and made his way to the checkout.

“Clipper Junior, how's your day going?" asked the shop attendant cheerfully as he began scanning each item. Luke kept his answer short and polite as he retrieved his wallet from his back pocket and took out his debit card. With his hat low and sunglasses on, he felt he was making it abundantly clear that he wasn't interested in idle chitchat with the shop attendant. Yet that didn't seem to deter the man as he pulled out the two horn brushes from the basket and smiled. “Ah, so it is true. I heard that you were up at Windsoar Farms with that new 'ness," he added as he bagged the brushes. Due to their length, their long handles protruded from the top of the bag.

“She is just a friend," Luke corrected shortly, and gently tapped his card against the counter. His gesture wasn't missed by the man, who ceased any attempts at conversation and simply nodded while bagging the items. Finally, everything had been rung up, and as soon as the icon appeared on the card reader, Luke tapped his card and reached for the bags. With a curt nod, he took his and Teeba's groceries and left. However, he'd only just made it out of the door when he heard a voice that made his jaw tighten.

“Oh look, there he is! Go ask him if ya don't believe me," came the polite, yet painfully familiar voice of the old dragoness who had caught him with Teeba.

“You know what, Liirahn, maybe I will! Luke!! Oh Luke!!"

Looking around for the source of the voice, he spotted both Liirahn and her partner in crime, Daarneh, across the road. Both dragons were decades past their prime, and as they crossed to intercept him, Luke could see that their gait was more uneven and laboured than most dragons. Seeing them walk with purpose towards him, Luke's chest tightened, and a part of him was tempted to abandon the rest of his errands and head straight back to his truck. Instead, he reluctantly stayed and waited.

“Liirahn tells me that you are getting with that new 'ness, is that true?" Daarneh asked, her expression sceptical as she looked between Luke and her friend. “'Cos you know how the old hen's mind is. A few too many days in the sun, got her eyes all cloudy and mind a bit stale–"

“Stale!?!" exclaimed Liirahn, the blue dragoness looking absolutely mortified at her friend's remark. “And I said he was shacking up, as in living with her; you make it sound like he is getting under her tail," she added, shuffling her wings closer to her body.

Judging by the dragoness's body language, Luke suspected that she had indeed been embellishing the facts and now found herself at risk of being called out. “I'm living with her, yes. But we have different buildings. She has her barn, I have the house," Luke explained and glanced toward Liirahn, who smiled sheepishly.

“Ohhhh I see, you put her in the barn, didn't you? See, he is still a clipper after all," Daarneh said and prodded her friend in the side with her folded wing. “I wonder what other lies this ol' broad has been spinning."

“Lies—?"

“Hold on, it's not like that," Luke started, holding up a hand to stop them from bickering. “Her barn isn't really a barn; it's actually nicer than the house. It's all renovated, with tiles and lights," he said, though even as he spoke, he felt like he was doing a poor job of explaining his friend's home.

“Oh, she has tiles, does she? And lights? Fancy," Daarneh remarked, sharing a look with her friend. “So, you've been inside, have you?" Liirahn asked, a knowing smile on her snout. “I told you, Daarneh, that 'ness is a friendly one. Letting a Clipper into her nest—"

“It's not like that at all," Luke retorted quickly, though he felt his cheeks redden as he remembered sharing the couch with her. “We are just friends, nothing more," he added, trying to hold Liirahn's gaze. Thankfully, his sunglasses hid the fact that he couldn't, and he instead focused on the old dragoness's snout.

“Just saying she is a good egg, that's all," Liirahn chuckled, moving her forepaw in a dismissive wave. “Not many dragons around here would do that, given your family's history and all. Ain't that right, Daarneh?" she asked, turning her head to nod at her friend.

“Oh, my wings are too tired to hold grudges these days," she lied and smiled politely. “But Luke-y boy here seems like a good one, breaking the trend, ain't ya? About time we get some good apples from that tree," Daarneh added warmly.

“Thanks, I guess," Luke mused, adjusting his grip on his shopping. He nodded curtly and went to leave; however, he paused when he noticed both dragons looking down at his grocery bags. With the long-handled brushes protruding from the bag, it was clear he had purchased some items for Teeba, and he quickly tried to dismiss any further judgment. “She asked me to pick up a few things, as a friend," he added, possibly more defensively than he intended.

“Awww, ain't you a good… friend," Liirahn said with a brief yet deliberate pause. “But why does that 'ness need two brushes? She knows she doesn't have to scrub them both at the same time?" she added, extending a forepaw to tug at the edge of the bag with a dull and chipped talon.

Not wanting to pull the bag away and risk tearing the thin paper, Luke let the old dragoness look inside. “I mean, I don't think that was what she was going to do. But she asked for a left-handed one… I mean, I guess that's what she meant." Saying it aloud, he quickly wondered if Teeba had been serious, and judging by the growing grin on the pair of dragonesses' snouts, she hadn't been. “There isn't such a thing… is there?"

“No, honey," Daarneh mused while her friend released her grip on Luke's bag and cackled in amusement. “I think your friend is pulling your tail. What else did she tell you to get? Horn straightening cream?" she added, bringing on another wave of laughter from Liirahn.

Blushing in mild embarrassment, Luke shook his head and extracted the two brushes from the bag. “No, this was the only thing I wasn't sure about, so I got both," he explained and turned them over. Being just outside the general store, he still had an opportunity to return one, but as he noticed a difference in the bristles, he wasn't sure which one Teeba would prefer.

As if reading his mind, Daarneh reached out and tapped one with her claw. “That one is a good one, a bit more expensive but the bristles won't go flat after the first month," she said and firmly nudged her still-giggling friend with her wing. “Oh, grow up, he is just trying to help. Ya just wish you had a man who would do your shopping for you."

Composing herself, Liirahn wiped a tear from her eye with a folded wing and shook her head. “Oh, I do have a man to do my shopping. Don't I, Josiah!?" she replied loudly, directing her voice toward the door of the general store. Upon hearing his voice, the shopkeeper emerged in the doorway and looked between the group. “Josiah, honey, Luke here has made a mistake. Can you be a dear and return this for him?" she asked, taking the unwanted horn brush from Luke's hand and passing it to the shopkeeper.

Thankful for the advice, Luke quickly reached into his shopping bag and pulled out some of the snacks. “Hey, this may be silly, but these are okay for dragons, right?" he said and immediately felt self-conscious when they tilted their heads in confusion. “I mean, I'm guessing it's not like chocolate is to dogs, but she just said snacks and I don't know if this is what she meant."

“Oh, bless my horns, that's adorable. But no," Liirahn chuckled and shook her head in disapproval at the brightly colored candies. “They won't do, they won't do at all," she said, then caught the shopkeeper's attention. “Josiah? Do you mind getting Luke here some proper treats?" she asked, and when the man nodded, the old dragoness sat down and began rattling off a range of foods that Luke hadn't considered. “I'm thinking… a dozen sweet ribs, pork, the fat ones too, none of those anemic ones. Does she like spicy food?" she asked Luke, and he hardly had a chance to nod before she smiled and looked back at the shopkeeper. “He'll take three packs of those air-fried, fire-breathing chicken necks if you've got some—"

“Oh, those are good!" chimed in Daarneh before sitting alongside her friend. “Don't forget a few yards of smoked kabana chain. The paprika one is my favorite; really hits the spot—"

“Ehhh, sure, why not! And if you have some of those bacon-wrapped wing nibbles, give him a pound of them. No, wait—make it two. They aren't as good as my ol' dame used to make, but they will do." Liirahn added and peered down into Luke's shopping bag to see what else he had bought. “And Josiah, he's gonna want a smoked tenderloin, the bigger the better—"

“'Cause we all know you're a minx for something big and tender in your loins," Daarneh said with a cheeky laugh, shoving her friend again with her wing. “I remember how you used to pine for Jaagal… or was it Kaavick? I keep losing track of your drakes," she teased, causing Luke to blush.

“Oh, you say that like you weren't a starry-eyed 'ness who would lift her tail for the first drake that offered her a hot meal," Liirahn retorted, shaking her head. “Where was I? Yes, snacks. Josiah, hook Luke up with a punnet of strawberries, a bottle of caramel dressing, and some cream—"

Luke tried to protest, feeling that strawberries and cream was a bit too romantic for a car ride, let alone messy, but before he could interject, the dragoness kept going.

“Oh! And some of those maple bacon strips. I'm thinking two pounds of the really crispy ones. That should do it, don't you think?" she asked, directing her question more towards Daarneh. Her friend seemed to ponder for a moment before finally nodding.

“That should keep her going for a bit. If she likes those flaming chicken necks, the roasted lamb throats with mint stuffing are actually very nice," Daarneh added cheerfully.

Luke balked at the idea and looked down at the heavily processed sweets he had collected. It was a little strange that the long list of chemicals, artificial flavors, and sweeteners—most of which he couldn't pronounce—was more appealing than a bit of an animal he would normally have no issue eating. Regardless, he mused that dragons were built differently, and that eating some of the less desirable bits of an animal mustn't be that abnormal to them. “Thanks, yeah, that should do it," he said, extracting his wallet to give the shopkeeper his credit card to cover the difference. Josiah then disappeared into his store and began collecting the items as he would for a dragon customer, demonstrating a surprisingly good memory for the long order.

“So, what's the occasion for all the snacks? Is it that time of the year?" Liirahn asked with a coy smile, earning a swift swat on the shoulder from her friend's wing. “Oh, don't be like that, Daarneh. You saw the 'ness— not an ounce of fat on her. Surely she isn't the snacking type."

Luke placed the bags on the ground and shook his head. “We're heading out of town for the night. I'm catching up with a few Marine buddies of mine," he said, keeping his answer short but not cryptic in case the dragonesses decided to fill in the blanks with their own version of events. “These are just for the drive."

Liirahn raised an eyeridge and glanced at her friend. “Oh, she is riding with you, is she? Not flying by herself?"

Luke's cheeks burned slightly as he tried to shrug it off. “It's a bit of a drive, and she doesn't know the way," he said, looking between them to gauge their reactions. When they looked at each other with an expression he couldn't quite place, he quickly added, “It also didn't feel right for her to carry me all that way. Even if she had a saddle, which she doesn't."

“And good riddance that she doesn't. Nasty things, those saddles, never did sit right," Daarneh added, shivering as if a cold chill ran through her body. “My grand dame used to go on and on about how they put a kink in her neck. Poor thing, she carried her master until she was as old as I am now. Horrible, nasty times they were."

“Gave her a kink, did it? So what's your excuse?" Liirahn chortled and took a step to the side as Daarneh playfully snapped her jaws at her shoulder. As she did so, Luke caught a glimpse of the older dragoness's fangs. Unlike Teeba's, which narrowed to fine points, Daarneh's were incredibly blunt, more like large bony nubs. “Gah! You savage!" Liirahn retorted, though there was no malice in her voice. “I'll set the Clippers on you, though I don't know if they would bother with your craggly horns," she added before straightening and looking down at Luke with a sheepish expression. “Oh my gods, I'm sorry! It's… Ah… it's just a figure of speech."

“It's okay. I get it," Luke replied, waving his hand to dismiss the off-hand remark. Growing up, he had heard the phrase on more than one occasion and had learned not to take offense at it. Thankfully, Josiah the shopkeeper emerged from the store with two bulging paper bags of shopping.

“What's all this hooliganry going on out here?" Josiah chastised with a smirk. “The youth of today just don't know how to behave!" he added with a chuckle as he passed the bags to Luke along with his credit card. His remarks made the two elderly dragonesses completely forget their bickering, and they giggled like much younger dragons.

“Oh Josiah, you are sweet. If I were in my prime… mmmrrrufff," Liirahn replied with a smile, pulling her neck back into an elegant 'S' shape.

Daarneh, ever the one for an easy jab, just laughed before shaking her head when they all turned to look at her. “Liirahn, if you were in your prime, he would have to get in line," she chuckled, then let out a soft grunt when she received a wing in her side from the other dragoness.

“Thank you, Josiah," Luke said as he put away the credit card and took the bags from the shopkeeper. With a nod, he bid the man farewell and turned to the pair of bickering dragonesses. “And thank you, ladies. I appreciate it," he added politely.

“Oh, it was nothing at all, sugar," Liirahn replied sweetly. “It's just nice to see a Clipper taking care of a 'ness for once. Really stokes the fire in this ol' bird," she added, giving him a small nod and warm smile. “And Teeba is a good egg; she deserves someone to look after her, doesn't she?"

“She sure does. Well, I must be off," Luke mused, then went to leave, only for Liirahn to take a half-step to intercept him.

“Just… one more thing, Luke," Liirahn said sweetly, despite blocking his path. “I know you're a bit new to a dragon's company, even if you are just friends. But there are some little things you should probably be aware of. Only minor things, mind you, but you don't want to offend your new friend," she added, glancing toward Daarneh for support. The other dragoness seemed momentarily confused before smiling and nodding.

“What… what sort of things?" Luke asked. His mind began searching for anything he might have done, or hadn't done, that was different from what her friends had done when they were visiting. However, aside from her friends roaring to announce their arrival, he couldn't think of anything he had been doing differently.

“Well, if you are staying with her, there are just some things that we do differently—quirks, if you will. For instance, when eating, she should be the one to eat first. It is her home, after all," Liirahn said, nodding for her friend to chime in.

“Oh yes, it's really quite rude when a guest just dives into your food before you," Daarneh added with an exuberant bob of her head. “I dumped a drake because he did that. Really disrespectful."

“See?" Liirahn said with a whimsical expression. “And you've gotten her a trinket, right? Oh, please tell me you've gotten her a trinket."

Luke swallowed and frowned in confusion. Since meeting the dragoness, the most he had given her was an invoice for the work he did around her property. Suddenly, he became very self-conscious under the dragoness's widening eyes. “Um… no—"

“Oh, by the skies!" Liirahn replied, quickly moving to Luke's side to wrap a folded wing around him and guide him down the footpath. “Tsk, tsk, we must fix this, right now," she added, glancing over her shoulder at Daarneh.

“Oh yes, a trinket! How she has put up with you, I'll never know," Daarneh added, with a hint of confusion in her voice that made Luke wonder if he was being led on.

“What is so important about a trinket?" Luke asked, but he wasn't able to stop as the dragoness continued to nudge the small of his back with her wing. He was skeptical of the dragoness's behavior; however, the idea of buying something for Teeba to say thank you had been on his mind. He just didn't know what to get her.

“What's so important? Gah! Everything!" Liirahn replied confidently. Further down the road stood a small gift shop full of overpriced imported knickknacks and figurines. Luke had passed the shop on many occasions but had never understood why anyone would want to buy any of the overpriced junk. “See, it all comes back to the days of old, when we dragons used to fly free and have territories. Anyone visiting was expected to offer a tribute. Nowadays, it's less about fresh kills and more of a token gesture, but it's still polite! Now tell me, what does Teeba like?"

Luke chewed on the inside of his cheek as he thought quickly. He knew that she liked gaming and would probably appreciate a figurine or statuette from one of the games they played. Unfortunately, Crestmead was not exactly known for its retail prowess, and the chances of finding something gaming-related were near zero. “I'm not sure. Most of the things we do are around gaming–"

“Oh, isn't that sweet. But a trinket should be a bit more timeless than a silly game she won't play one day," Liirahn remarked and guided him toward the front window of the gift shop. Placed neatly in rows was a collection of overly stylized porcelain dragons performing mundane activities, each painted in a wash of whites and greys to match an aesthetic Luke couldn't see Teeba liking.

“I don't know–"

“What about a tail bag?" Daarneh offered cheerfully and trotted over to a tired, crooked clothes rack that had been placed outside the store. Hanging over the rusted metal rail was a bunch of leather bags, pouches, bands, and straps, most of which Luke wasn't sure how to use. “I bet a 'ness like her would appreciate a good leather tail bag–"

“Oh heavens no!" Liirahn retorted loudly and shook her head disapprovingly. “A proper dragoness like her shouldn't have to burden herself with her effects. A gentledrake should carry them! Or… gentleman," she explained and tutted loudly.

Daarneh didn't seem too put out by her friend's rejection and continued to rummage through the bags while sitting back on her haunches. “What about paw balm? I bet a city 'ness like her would appreciate a good paw balm–"

Luke opened his mouth to interject but was swiftly cut off when Liirahn hissed. “Please, why doesn't he just write her a card that says she has craggy feet! No, that won't do at all. I would suggest scale polish and help her use it, but I don't think he is up to that just yet," Liirahn added as if Luke wasn't standing next to her.

“A scarf then? Every 'ness likes a good scarf," Daarneh offered, putting down a large black leather pouch she had been inspecting.

“Do they sell them here?" Luke asked before Liirahn could protest. He still wasn't completely sure if a gift was as much of a formality as the dragonesses made it out to be, but with the drive ahead of them, he was sure Teeba would appreciate it, and he wasn't against getting her something to say thank you for all she had done for him.

“Oh, I'm sure they have some hiding out back. Almost anything is a scarf if you try hard enough," Liirahn chuckled before pushing her head through the doorway to the store and clearing her throat loudly. “Excuse me, Margaret, could you be a doll and show us your scarves?" she asked the woman behind the register. After glancing between the two dragons and Luke, the woman nodded and disappeared further into the store.

Waiting patiently, Luke placed the heavy shopping bags on the ground and flexed his fingers. Upon seeing Margaret emerge from behind a shelf with a large basket of coloured cloth, he realised that he would have to pick a colour. “What colour goes well with grey? I don't really know her favourite colour."

“Oh, Luke, sweetie... We dragons aren't that complex, although maybe a little vain. From when we hatch, we tend to think our colours are the best, except for some browns, but can you really blame them? Either way, you will do well with either grey or purple. Anything else is just a stab in the dark. She may like it, but she may not, so stick with the obvious," Daarneh explained. Once the woman had come close enough, Daarneh began to search through the pile with a weathered paw before pulling out a long scarf. “Here we go! What do you think, Liirahn?"

“Oh, that is perfect!" the other dragoness said before Luke could offer his suggestion. “It's a little darker, but it will get lighter as it ages. I bet she will love it!" Liirahn added, nodding in satisfaction. “Helping a Clipper buy a dragon a trinket—who would have thought I would see the day."

Pulling his wallet from his pocket, Luke caught a judgemental look on the shopkeeper's face that quickly vanished as he passed her his credit card. “Well, I hope she understands that this is just a friend thing," he said, emphasising the word “friend" to make sure the shopkeeper understood. “I don't want her to get the wrong idea—"

“Oh, nonsense! Friends do this too. It's completely normal," Liirahn retorted and glanced at Daarneh, who quickly nodded in agreement. “It's just a nice thing to do, so don't get your horns in a twist… or… ears?" she added with a smirk as the shopkeeper disappeared inside the store with the unwanted scarves and Luke's credit card.

Taking the scarf from Daarneh, Luke took a moment to fold the long garment over itself again and again until he could fit it inside one of his now very full shopping bags. He realised he had spent longer in town than he had anticipated and was running out of time to finish the rest of his errands. He still had one last item to collect and looked towards the farming supplies shop near where he had parked his truck.

Shopping with the older dragonesses had interrupted his spiralling paranoia, but now, as he noticed the glowing neon sign in the window advertising guns and ammo, he was reminded why he needed to come to town. When the shopkeeper returned, he thanked her, put away his credit card, and lifted the heavy bags once more. Glancing up at the pair of gossiping dragonesses, a cunning idea began to take shape. He knew he didn't want things to escalate to violence with his father; however, he needed to ensure the old man knew not to come after Teeba, and he realised that perhaps the dragonesses could be of further use.

With a nod of thanks toward Liirahn and Daarneh, he smiled and chose his words carefully. After all, he simply wanted to send a clear message that Teeba was not to be messed with, and he knew the two 'nesses would quickly spread his message among the townsfolk. “Thank you, ladies. You have been a massive help. After that whole thing with my father shoving a gun in her face, she's been a bit shaken up. She will hardly leave the house unless I'm with her, and, well… I just hope my father leaves her alone," he explained, noticing them glance at one another before looking back at him. “Anyway, I'd best be off. I just need to pick up a rifle and then I'll be heading back to Teeba's place. I doubt my dad will do anything stupid, but you know… better to be armed than sorry," he added, giving the pair a final nod of farewell before leaving.

---

Approaching Windsoar Farm, Luke could see Teeba gliding lazily high above her home and gave a friendly honk of his truck's horn to herald his arrival. Even though it lacked the drama of a dragon's roar, he felt it was an adequate substitute, and he smiled as Teeba acknowledged him by performing a joyful barrel roll. As he pulled into her drive and passed through the trees they had trimmed, he looked up in awe as the dragoness corkscrewed and pirouetted through the air, as if gravity had no hold on her. Only when he emerged from the trees did she fold her wings and plummet down towards him. She kept her wings tucked close to her body until she was a dozen feet from the treetops before once again flaring her large wings. Instantly the thin membranes caught the air and became taught, with a twist of her tail she banked to one side and bled her speed off in a high-g turn around the main house. Luke was transfixed as she whipped around the property and as he looked along her slender body, he spotted a new addition to her harness. Nestled at the base of her tail, clung a plump looking pouch he hadn't seen before. Tearing his eyes away from her as she circled around, Luke noticed the large inflatable mattress beside the house and realised she was probably planning to use it as a cushion for her ride to the barbeque. Pulling up alongside the bed, he put the truck in park and switched off the engine as Teeba landed at a gallop.

“And what time do you call this?!" Teeba exclaimed in a playful, scolding voice as she folded her large wings against her sides. “I thought you wanted to be gone by two?"

Luke glanced at the dash to where his phone was mounted, and chuckled—it was only quarter past. “Sorry, I got chatting with Liirahn," he said over his shoulder, then busied himself with the bags on the passenger seat. From the corner of his eye, he made sure the second-hand bolt-action hunting rifle was covered by a towel. Grabbing the long-handled brush, he opened the door and stepped out of the truck, holding it up triumphantly. “But I got you your brush. Turns out there isn't a southpaw one," he added, shaking his head at her sheepish smile. “But you already knew that, huh?"

Coiling her neck back, Teeba tilted her head down to look bashfully at him as she reached out for the brush. “Maaaybe. But thank you!" she said, taking it and sitting back on her haunches to hold it in one forepaw while using the other to test the stiffness of the bristles. “What did Liirahn want?" she asked with a sincerity that made Luke's smile falter.

“Nothing much, just her being nosy," Luke mused, pulling his toolbox out of the back of his truck. He had emptied most of his gear out to clean the truck yesterday, so he had only taken enough tools and parts for his morning jobs. “She had Daarneh with her, and they helped me with some things," he added while placing the toolbox around the corner of the house, out of sight. Now that his truck bed was empty, he moved to the large inflatable mattress. Even while deflated and folded, it was still quite large, and he paused at one end while Teeba tucked her brush under her harness strap and came over to help. Keeping her lips over her sharp fangs, Teeba gently held onto one end of the bed with her mouth and gave him a small nod when she was ready.

“But… I think she's told people we were doing something… when—" Luke paused as he heaved his side of the air bed, lifted it over the side of his truck's bed, and let it thud down. “When she caught us at the pool," he finished and dusted his hands off.

A low, angry hiss from Teeba startled the man, and he was surprised to see her suddenly look away. “I'm sorry, Luke, I shouldn't have dropped you in the pool. I didn't think anyone would know, let alone her–"

“No, it's not your fault, it's just bad timing," Luke quickly countered, trying to reassure her. “Although, I think I got it through to her and her friend," he added and stepped closer. When she continued to look toward the town, Luke gingerly placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. “But hey, maybe we should get out of dodge and lay low at my buddy's place," he said and chuckled as she snorted in amusement.

“It kinda does look like we are guilty, hey?" Teeba mused and turned her head to look down at him with concern in her eyes. “Maybe I should stay–"

“No," Luke said hastily, taking his hand off her shoulder and combing his fingers through his hair. “I mean, you can if you want. But I bought snacks for the ride," he added and forced a smile before remembering the gift he had bought. “Oh! And something else!"

Opening the passenger's door to his truck, Luke reached into the shopping bag and retrieved the long, folded scarf. “I didn't realise it was customary to give a dragon a gift when you were staying with them," he explained and turned to show her. Her expression shifted from surprise to confusion as she lowered her head to inspect the garment. “So I got you a scarf, because, well… I didn't know what to get you."

“Umm… you didn't have to, but… ah, thanks," she said and gave the bundle of knitted cloth a small sniff. “And… wait… customary? Says who?"

Feeling self-conscious, Luke quickly unfolded the scarf and stretched out his arms to show its length. “Liirahn told me that dragons give each other trinkets when staying with them, something about territories or something," he explained, but his expression dropped as he realised the old dragons had been teasing him. “It's not a thing… is it?–"

“Oh, Luke…" Teeba smiled and shook her head. “It's polite, like bringing a bottle of wine, but it's not a tradition or anything," she said before stepping closer. “I like it though! It looks warm!" she added, and Luke couldn't help but feel like she was just being polite.

Feeling silly, he lowered his arms. “If you don't want it, it's okay. It was silly–"

“No! Sorry, I do like it! It just caught me by surprise. I've never really been a scarf person, but please, let me try it on," she said and lowered herself down to her belly so that he could reach around her neck more easily. “I might need a hand though, do you mind?" Teeba added with a genuine warmth in her voice that made him smile.

Unfolding the long garment, Luke stepped closer and reached around her neck so he could wrap it around her slender neck twice before folding it under itself. “I think that's how it goes. Is it too tight?" he asked as he gave it a gentle tug.

“It's perfect. Thank you, Luke," she mused and lifted a forepaw to wrap around the small of his back and pull him into a hug. “I wasn't expecting this, but I love it," she added, and Luke felt her digits knead and caress him.

Unsure what to do with his hands, Luke kept them on the scarf and let her hug him. He quickly began to feel her warmth through his shirt and against his skin, before clearing his throat and gently patting her politely to ask her to let him go. “Well, I'm glad you liked it. Even if it's a bit silly," he said and took a step back as she rose to all fours. With her scarf wrapped around the base of her long neck, he doubted it would actually keep her warm, but he smiled as she caught her reflection in the window of his truck and became visibly enamored.

“I love it. Sorry—sorry if I sounded ungrateful, I just wasn't expecting it at all," she explained and turned from side to side to check how it hung around her in her reflection. Lifting a paw, she inspected its colour against her own and grinned happily. “I don't think I've had a mate buy me anything like this before," she said before freezing and whipping her head around, her eyes wide with embarrassment. “Friend! I mean, I've never had a friend give me anything—"

“I knew what you meant," Luke said as he quickly busied himself with the passenger side window of his truck and kept his bright red face away from her. Holding the door open with one hand, he cranked the handle with the other until it was fully open. “I got you some snacks too, Liirahn helped with them as well," he added and then shuffled the contents of the bag so that the strawberries were at the bottom.

“She didn't tell you to get me a freshly killed deer as an offering, did she?" Teeba asked with a wide smile. “'Cause that's what the dragons of old used to do," she added with a playfulness in her voice that made him chuckle.

“Oh, I thought that was more of a mate thing," he countered and poked his tongue out when her snout darkened in embarrassment. “So I stuck with friend-level snacks."

“Friend-level snacks are fine by me… friend." Teeba giggled and gave him a curt nod before glancing at the back of his truck. “Oh! Can you have this up with you? Saves me laying on it," she added and curled herself around to reach the base of her tail. With a click of a buckle, she removed a bulging tail bag the size of a small pillow and passed it to Luke before fishing out the long-handled brush she had tucked under her harness.

“Of course!" Luke mused, unzipping the bag so he could tuck the head of the brush inside and keep everything together. Just as he gripped the zipper to seal the pouch, he noticed that among the paw balm and a collection of files lay an orange cylindrical container of large pills. Not wanting to pry, he zipped up the pouch with the thin handle of the horn brush protruding and placed it on the passenger seat. “Alrighty then, shall we?"

“We shall!" Teeba grinned and trotted behind the truck as he made his way to the driver's side. The whole truck lurched as she climbed up into the bed and set about making herself comfortable. Curling her tail around herself, she lay down on the folded air mattress and shuffled again and again until her back was pressed against the edge of his truck's tray. The little air that remained in the folded air mattress helped dull the bulge of the wheel well, and after rearranging her paws, she finally got comfortable. Luke knew she was cramped and was beginning to have second thoughts, but he smiled as she extended her neck alongside the cab of the truck and inserted her head through the window. “There we go!" she said as she rested her head on the windowsill and eyed the bag of snacks in the passenger's footwell. “I may need you to pass me snacks, though."

Closing the door with a thud, he chuckled and then turned the key. With a hearty growl, the engine roared to life, and he nodded. “I think I can do that."

---

“They look disgusting," Teeba retorted, looking skeptically at the unwrapped parcel that Luke had laid out on the passenger seat. Thankfully, most of their journey was on the highway, so Luke could drive with one hand on the wheel, feeding Teeba a steady stream of snacks as they talked. “But they taste pretty good," she added, opening her mouth for Luke to give her another. With her head blocking most of the window, the wind noise wasn't as loud as Luke expected, allowing him to talk to her without raising his voice too much.

“You can thank Liirahn. Chicken necks are what we used to feed the dog, not something I would have bought for a dragon," Luke replied, gingerly holding another piece between two fingers and placing it on her tongue. “Although, they were raw, not fried like these ones, and they weren't covered in… whatever they're covered in," he added, wiping his hands on the paper to get rid of the bright orange flavouring beginning to stain his fingers.

“It's good, whatever it is," Teeba mused as she savoured the treat. “So, you said it was just your army buddies at this barbecue. What are they like?" she asked, opening her mouth for another fried chicken neck. Luke picked one up but kept it just out of reach of her long tongue. “What?"

“You know what," Luke teased as he glanced between her and the road ahead. “I've told you before…" he added, waggling the snack to emphasize his point.

“Fiiiine," Teeba groaned dramatically. “Your Maah-reeen buddies then," she corrected and giggled as he brought his hand closer. With as much of a lunge as she could manage, she snapped her mouth closed on her prize and tugged it out of his hand. With a sharp snap of her jaws, she reminded him just how dangerous her mouth could be, then smiled as she chewed on the chicken neck.

Glaring at her playfully, Luke considered wiping his hands on the wrapper again, but instead rubbed his fingers between her nostrils and smeared the brightly coloured flavouring on her grey scales. Despite her whine of protest, he chuckled and glanced over as she extended her tongue, trying to clean her snout. “If the guys hear you call them army, these snacks will be all you get for dinner," he said and laughed when she pursed her lips and looked up, as if deciding whether that would be so bad. “But yes, it's just Zulu squad and maybe a couple of plus ones. I know Keenis is bringing his mate, and well, it's Bishop's mother's place, so she'll be there. Then it's just Scarecrow, Kodiak, and Joker," he explained, counting out the names on his fingers.

“Why doesn't Keenis have a cool nickname?" Teeba asked, swallowing the last of her snack. Luke frowned in confusion, which she misread. “I mean, Bishop, Scarecrow, Kodiak, and Joker are all cool names. Raider is mid, but I'll let it slide," she added with a playful smile, giggling as Luke glared at her. “But Keenis is just Keenis… why's that?" she asked, and when Luke didn't answer, she tilted her head. “Is it a race thing? Do dragons not get cool names?"

“No…" Luke said quickly, focusing on the road ahead as he thought. “I don't really know. We called him Doc, but most of the time a callsign is because of something funny about you. Usually not something 'cool,' per se."

“Oh? What's so funny about the others?" Teeba asked, tilting her head toward the packet of chicken necks for him to feed her another.

Passing one to her, Luke shifted in his seat to get more comfortable and checked his mirrors. “Well, Kodiak's wasn't too funny at first. He's from Alaska, so naturally, we called him Snow Cone, Snowball, Ice Cube—stuff like that—for a while, but it never really worked. Then we heard him snoring! Geez, it was like a subwoofer and a trumpet had a baby, but Joker said it best. He said it sounded like a bear getting fucked, which we found hilarious at the time 'cause he's built like a brick shithouse," he said with a small chuckle as he remembered the conversation. Clearing his throat, he continued, “Joker—well, that's pretty obvious. If he has something funny to say, he says it. No filter at all. He got us put on so many useless patrols because he talked back to command. As for Bishop, well… nah, I can't tell you that—"

“Oh?" Teeba said gleefully, looking at him with excited eyes. “Come on! Is it embarrassing?"

“Ah… probably not something you should know," Luke said, glancing at her from the corner of his eye while focusing on the road. “But how Scarecrow got his name is pretty cool—"

“Oh, come on, you can't leave me hanging! Why is Bishop called Bishop? I bet it wasn't because he was in the chess club," she said, and Luke looked at her with a growing smile.

“Not quite," he mused but finally relented. “Fine. But you have to promise me you won't tell him I told you, deal?" Luke held up another spicy fried chicken neck for her. When she nodded, he glanced over and could tell she was listening to every word. “Well, during training, he kinda got caught in the middle of a… solo mission."

“A solo mission?"

“Cranking one out," Luke clarified, smiling as she gasped quietly. “We all got called to attention, and, well, it was one of those times you don't have time to put pants on, and he didn't exactly point straight." He glanced at her to see if she followed. Judging by her shocked expression, she understood, and he simply nodded. “Yup, the drill sergeant made some remark about how he can only fuck diagonally. Then one thing led to another, and he became Bishop."

Teeba's laughter filled the cabin, and Luke chuckled along until she finally composed herself. Reaching across to the passenger seat, he got her another treat and held it up. “But you have to promise me you won't tell him I told you that. He's a bit sensitive about it." He focused on the road again as she hummed in acknowledgment, taking the food from him.

“So…" Teeba said, chewing on the tough, meaty snack. “Scarecrow. How did he get his name?"

“His is actually kinda badass," Luke said, checking how many fried chicken necks were left. There were only two remaining, but he knew there were more snacks in the grocery bag. “We were on a training exercise with paintball rounds, trying to evade capture from another squad that was hunting us. Most of us had already been hit—mostly because we were fucking around. But he took it seriously and managed to become the last one left. Toward the extraction, there was this large open field with waist-high grass and fuck-all cover. I wasn't there, but what the other team said was that they found him standing in the field looking lost as fuck. They hit him with a few paintball rounds, but he didn't call his hits—which is kinda a dick thing to do. If you get hit, you're meant to call out. But he didn't. So, they kept shooting him, and when he didn't move or do anything, they came down from the treeline to chew him out," Luke explained, passing her another snack.

“But it wasn't him, was it?" Teeba asked before taking his offering. “It was a scarecrow."

Luke nodded with a smile. “It sure was. He dressed up a pile of hay and grass in his uniform and rifle, then let it take all the shots. By the time the other team came close enough to realize, he had them in his trap. The dude apparently schwacked them all in their backs and managed to win the exercise."

“That's pretty sick," Teeba said before frowning. “But hold on… if he dressed up the scarecrow in his clothes, what was he wearing?" she asked, giving him a skeptical look.

“Sweet fuck all," Luke replied with a chuckle. “Dude was as naked as the day he was born, sidearm in hand, lying in ambush like an absolute psycho," he said and turned on the headlights. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon and while he didn't need the lights just yet, he knew it wouldn't be long before he did

Teeba nodded in approval at his explanation, then snorted in amusement. “Your Marine buddies tend to get naked a lot in your stories. Have you noticed that? Like no one wears underwear?" she asked, giving him a cheeky smile as he shot her a sideways glance. “Is there something you're not telling me? Do you find big buff army dudes more appealing than dragons?"

Luke laughed at her attempt to rile him up and shrugged. “Maybe you're onto something. We did shower together a lot, and well… what happens on tour, stays on tour," he added, passing her the last fried chicken neck as she chuckled softly. “But no. The guys are more like family than anything else."

“I think I get it. They're like your brothers, but like… stepbrothers? Right?" Teeba asked, and Luke started to nod before catching the look in her eye.

“No—"

“Help me, step-Raider, I've fallen into this dryer and can't get out!" Teeba said in an obnoxiously high-pitched yet seductive voice. “I need your big, strong Marine arms to get me out—"

“I hate you," Luke laughed, much to Teeba's amusement. She cackled joyously and continued as he shook his head until finally, she relented. “No, forget I said family. They're just buddies—buddies who went through hell together," he explained, becoming more serious. “They're a bunch of misfits and last picks, but I'd trust them with my life. Just… just expect them to give us a bit of shit for being together."

“Oh, you think we're together now?" Teeba asked with a smirk. “Finally, we can admit it to each other and make it official," she added, poking her tongue out at him when he glanced her way to see if she was serious.

To his surprise, Luke didn't feel the familiar burn in his cheeks as he resumed focusing ahead. “You know what I mean. The guys, well… how do I say this… they knew me from a while ago, so I expect they'll make some jokes about me bringing a dragon to the party. Especially a dragoness." He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “So, just, you know, be warned. They won't mean anything by it, but their humor can be a bit crude, that's all."

Teeba hummed in acknowledgment as she fidgeted with her paws in the back of his truck. “I'm sure it will be fine. Besides, I can always hang out with Keenis's girl, Meg, right? She wasn't a Marine, was she?"

Shaking his head, Luke used his finger to flick the indicator stalk as their exit off the highway came into view. When he looked in his mirror, however, he paused as he saw something hanging out of the bed of his truck. It took him more than a moment to realise the fluttering shape was the tip of Teeba's wing, the dragoness having unfurled it just enough so that her wingtip caught the air. Focusing once again on the road, he couldn't help but notice her wingtip now lifting and falling as she absentmindedly played with the wind. “Nah, I think she is a nurse or something. Keenis said he met her at work. He is a surgeon in one of the fancy hospitals in Liberty Scales."

“That's impressive, I don't think there are many like him." Teeba mused and licked her lips. “Speaking of not many like them…. are there any more snacks?"

“You're going to ruin your dinner," Luke chastised her but smiled. Leaning to his right, he reached down into the footwell to retrieve another packet of food. “We have… bacon strips. I think I can eat them too," he said, pinning the packet to the seat cushion. Using one hand, he fumbled with the label until he managed to separate it from the paper and unwrapped the contents.

“I'll fight you for them," Teeba teased and sniffed the air. “They smell good too! Wait, Keenis! You never said. Why doesn't he have a cool name?"

Luke shrugged as he picked up one of the crispy dried bacon strips and put it in his mouth before getting another one and feeding it to her. “I don't know, he just never really did anything embarrassing."

“I doubt that. Most of your Marines got their names because they were naked, and Keenis is naked all the time. Surely there was something he did that was embarrassing or funny," Teeba said while sucking on the crispy bacon strip to enjoy its flavour.

“Not really, hey… we got put on a stupid mission because he and Taalli hooked up. But we don't really talk about that," Luke said, trying to change the subject. “Taalli got a nickname for a while; we called her tally-ho. It was a thing on some shitty recruitment flyer, which was weird 'cos it's more of a British saying. But when Keenis joined our unit, we kinda stopped calling her that."

“So, it's just Keenis then… just Keenis… that's kinda boring," Teeba mused before swallowing her bacon and flicking her eyes from him to the packet again to ask for more.

Even though he was still chewing, he reached over and fed her another. “Yeah, he is a good egg though. He uses magic to heal people and managed to save a few Marines' lives with it too. Including Kodiak—the dude took a round to the neck and Keenis managed to stop him from bleeding out," he said and cleared his throat as he felt it become tight.

“Magic is pretty rare, especially if you can actually use it for something useful," Teeba said when Luke went quiet. “I remember when I was little, Mom and I locked ourselves out while Dad was on a business trip. We had to get a locksmith out, and it was a dragon. He just touched the lock with a talon and, after a few seconds, the lock popped open. Charged us like a hundred bucks, and Mom was a bit paranoid after that. I don't think she liked how easy it was for him to get in." Teeba explained and then chuckled. “Little Teeba spent the next few days trying to see if she had magic. Mom told me I had to be really quiet and focus to see if I had the gift, but I think that was just to get me to shut up for an afternoon."

Luke smiled at the idea of a younger Teeba focusing intently on a doorknob, trying to make it open by itself. “I take it, it didn't work?" he asked, nodding sympathetically when Teeba shook her head.

“Nope, no magic in my blood. But can you imagine if I did? That would be so cool," Teeba said happily, and waited until he had fed her another strip of bacon before continuing. “I would…" she started before moving the bacon in her mouth “I would totes just lie in bed and have breakfast come to me, or change the TV just by thinking about it! Hell, I wonder if I could use it to type on a keyboard faster—"

“Who knows, maybe your aim will improve," Luke teased and laughed as she stared daggers at him. “Although, if you need magic and aim assist to win, are you actually any good?" he added, sticking his tongue out at her as she briefly curled her lip into a snarl.

“I distinctly remember whooping your ass on the gauntlet, thank you very much. Without magic!" Teeba countered before she huffed through her nose. “And don't give me that spiel about not using your favorite keyboard—"

“All right, let's swap then. You can use my keyboard and mouse, I'll use your aim-assisting controller deck thing," Luke retorted and smiled as she quickly closed her mouth. “Deal? I bet you'd do great with a mouse the size of your finger."

“Nah… that's not fair," Teeba said and refused to elaborate before opening her mouth for another strip of bacon. “But we really need to get you off using Dragnaught as a crutch. Her missiles are still way too OP."

“Uh-huh," Luke mused and spotted his next turn ahead. He had visited Bishop's home only a few times before, but after years of navigating to various farms, he had developed a knack for remembering directions. “But real talk for a moment, the guys are probably going to think we're a thing, 'cause you know…" he said, bobbing his head.

“Because why?" Teeba asked with a knowing smirk. “'Cause I'm pretty?"

“Yes, Teeba… because you are pretty." Luke sighed and picked up another strip of bacon, but even though she opened her maw for it, he put it in his own mouth. Glancing toward her, he smiled as she pouted dramatically, and he rolled his eyes. Separating another strip of crispy bacon from the packet, he gave it to her and wiped his greasy fingers on her snout again.

“Meanie," she said simply as she licked her snout and then continued to suck on the bacon. “So… if they think we are a thing, what are we going to tell them?"

Rolling his hands on the steering wheel, Luke chewed the inside of his cheek before shrugging. “That you're my landlord?"

“Really? Do you always bring your landlord to parties?" Teeba asked, using her tongue to maneuver her treat to the other side of her maw. “How about… star-crossed lovers, with the world trying to pull us apart, but our undying love keeps us together—"

“I think you've been reading too many books."

“Okay, then what?" the dragoness asked, looking him in the eyes. “Just friends? 'Cause that's gonna raise a few questions. You know, me being the only dragon friend you have and us living together now…"

Glancing between the road and her, he tried to give her a reassuring look. “Let's just stick to the truth. Online friends who lived near each other. I'm staying with you because my family are fucktards and you gave me a place to live."

“Boring," Teeba retorted with a scoff. “I like my version better. It's too silly to be believable… you know, keep them guessing." She explained and adjusted her head on the windowsill so she could rest her chin on the dashboard. The sound of wind buffeting through the open window changed pitch but was manageable, as the window was almost completely plugged by her head.

“I don't want to lie to them, T. They're the only group I can be really honest with," he said and pulled out another strip of bacon. Seeing her eye follow the piece of meat, he leaned across and, while keeping his eyes on the road, fed her the fried meat. “Let's just stick to the truth. We met online, etc."

“Dating apps are online. Maybe we met on one of them?" Her playful smirk made him shake his head and lean back in his chair. “You got curious one night and discovered there was a fiery hot single in your area—which was totes surprising, since we both live in the middle of nowhere. You weren't sure about it, so I asked you out," she continued and glanced toward him with a broad grin. “We met under the water tower in town, then we got something to eat. You were a gentleman and didn't try to kiss me on the first date—"

“Okay, that's enough."

“What?! You said to tell the truth; that's what happened!" Teeba retorted, turning her head again to look directly at him. “We can gloss over the fact that you were hoping for some red-haired number with big boobs—"

“I can turn us around," Luke threatened with a smirk. “Right now, we can go back home and I'll come back without you," he added, while she laughed.

“Nah, do that and I'll just follow you back here," Teeba said, poking her long tongue out at him as he realised she could easily track him back to the party. “But fine, we will tell the truth. Luke Clipper, the hot Marine that little ol' Teeba can't corrupt with her wicked wiles."

Luke glared at her but couldn't stop himself from smiling. “You are gonna make me regret bringing you, aren't you?" he joked while looking ahead. One thing that had become very much apparent to Luke, was that he genuinely enjoyed spending time with Teeba. Regardless whether it was online, or at a dinner table, or driving in his truck, He loved how she could make him laugh. They had begun passing houses that were built within a few dozen yards of one another, and their path was now lit by the amber glow of streetlights.

“That depends on a few things," Teeba said, waiting for him to look back at her before continuing. “How many more snacks you have, and how much longer I have to be bounced in this truck."

“Well, you've almost finished the bacon. I have some strawberries though," he said, swallowing when she looked surprised. “Don't get your hopes up, though. They were for Bishop's mother."

Teeba's lips pursed, and when he glanced between the road and her, he could tell by the flare of her nostrils that she had a joke in mind. “What?"

“Nothing," Teeba lied and snickered. “Does she have red hair?" she blurted, then cackled as Luke realised what she was insinuating. “I mean, older ladies need love too, but damn—"

“No, Teeba, I am not into Bishop's mom. Geez!" Luke retorted and combed his fingers through his hair as he chuckled. “Now behave. We're almost there."

“Oh? Really?" Teeba asked, the playfulness vanishing from her voice. “Ummm. Can you do me a favour? In my bag…" she said, tilting her head to gesture with her snout. “I need to take a tablet."

“Sure," Luke said as he reached down into the footwell, blindly fumbling for her bag. Peering over the dash, he kept his eyes on the road and felt Teeba's breath against his cheek as he leaned closer. Finally, he caught hold of the bag and pulled it into his lap. “What are they for?" he asked, unzipping the bag and fishing out the pill container. Each pill was larger than he'd like to take—about as long as his thumb and almost as thick.

“Oh, it just stops me from getting gravid. You know, in case I get hit on by some sexy Marine dragon and can't control myself," she said and grinned when he whipped his head around. “I'm kidding. It doesn't sound like that kind of party." She opened her mouth for him to place a pill on her long tongue.

After dropping it onto her tongue, Luke glanced down at the label, trying to catch enough light from the streetlamps to read the text. “So what is it really?"

Teeba closed her eyes and swallowed the tablet with a gulp, then smacked her lips. “Ecstasy," she said with a straight face, but when he looked at her in alarm, she rolled her eyes. “Fine, it's not really. It's something I can't really pronounce. I get a bit anxious sometimes… especially around new people. This just helps," she admitted with a note of vulnerability in her voice.

Luke guessed that this was not something she told many people, as he couldn't think of a time he had seen her take the pills. Wracking his mind, he mused that she must have taken them while visiting the bathroom. “Oh, I didn't know–"

“That's because I didn't tell you," Teeba said with a forced yet wavering smile. “It's fine though. My doctor prescribed them when I broke up with my ex, and I'm on a much lower dose than I was back then. But lately…" Her words drifted off, and Luke nodded in acknowledgement.

Her opening up to him and sharing this piece of her life did little to stop the rising tide of guilt that washed through him. After everything she had been through in the last few days, including having a gun pointed at her, it was no surprise that she needed help. “It's okay–"

“Is it?" Teeba asked sharply, causing Luke to swallow and turn to face her. He nodded and briefly tried to give her a reassuring look, but pursed his lips when she looked away and stared out the windshield. Clearly, she didn't think it was okay, and Luke swallowed as he struggled to find something to say that could change her mind.

Looking back at the road, he drove in silence before nodding again with more confidence. “Yes. If you're not popping them like candy, it's okay—or as much as it can be," he explained, reaching out to stroke her snout but felt her pull away slightly. Turning his head, he could tell by the way her eye ridges almost seemed to furrow that she didn't appreciate his attempt at lifting the mood. “What I mean is, Doctors are pretty smart and know what's best. If they have prescribed it, and you were honest with them. Then I just see it as medicine to help you get better. Right?" he said and while he was relieved when her expression softened, the way that she looked away from him made him feel like she was somewhat ashamed of her situation. “Between you and me… It's pretty brave to get a bit of help after they've gone through shit. Hell, probably most of the guys at this barbeque are on some form of medication," he added and gave her a reassuring smile as she pushed her chin into his palm. “And they are trained killers who signed up for it. No offence, but you are a muggle. You weren't prepared to have a gun pointed at you, so the fact that you can leave the house means you're pretty strong." He gently caressed his fingers along the softer section of her underjaw. “Honestly, I was kinda surprised that you were so chipper afterwards. I've seen Marines become completely shell-shocked after their first mission, and become really quiet and withdrawn. Considering firefights are usually at a bit of a distance, it's kinda a bit less personal than what you went through. So, what I'm trying to say is, I think you've been doing really good."

Glancing briefly toward her, he was relieved to see her smiling softly. He finished stroking her chin to hold the wheel with both hands. “Thank you, Luke," she said warmly, her voice just audible over the sound of the wind. “...Muggle? Because I can't do magic?"

“It's just what we call civilians."

Teeba hummed in acknowledgement and turned her head as much as she could to look ahead with him. Now that they were passing through the suburbs, they came to the first set of traffic lights they had seen on their journey and came to a stop. It seemed pointless to wait, considering there were no other cars on the road in this quiet neighbourhood, but together they sat in silence and waited.

Luke drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and contemplated running the red light as they continued to wait for an obnoxiously long time. “Are you on any drugs?" Teeba asked, startling him with the directness of her question.

“What?"

“You said most of the guys in your unit are on meds of some kind," Teeba explained, turning her head back to face him. “So, like… do you take anything to keep calm?"

“Nah…" Luke said, slumping back in his seat as he stared up at the red traffic light. Looking left and right across the intersection, he tried to work out which lane might have a green light but frowned when he couldn't see any. “Nope, I'm just out here raw-dogging life," he said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“Really? How do you do it?" Teeba asked with a smirk. “You could write a book and make bank."

Luke chuckled and checked his mirrors to see if anyone was coming up behind him or if there were any cops around. “Nah, writing books is more of a Navy SEAL thing," he mused. He was very tempted to let off the brakes and run through the red light, but realized that he wasn't in any rush to get to the barbeque and was enjoying talking openly with Teeba. Seeing that she was still looking to him for an answer, he shrugged. “I don't know. I still get anxious and worried. Hell, I lost a bit of sleep when my folks kicked me out, but I've just tried to power through it."

“Just power through it, huh?" Teeba said with a huff. “Why didn't I try that?" she added, but when Luke looked over at her, he could tell she wasn't being completely serious. “But, like, don't you worry that things could get worse?"

“Oh yeah!" Luke said, nodding. Pressing his feet firmly against the footrest and brake pedal, he stretched his legs and pushed himself up in the seat while yawning. “A hundred percent—it's why I got a…" he paused mid-sentence as he realized what he almost let slip. “Precaution," he added cryptically.

“A precaution?" Teeba asked with a heavy frown of confusion. “What do you mean? You got a precaution?"

Giving up on any hope that the lights would change, Luke ignored the red light. After double-checking left and right one last time, he released the brake and accelerated with some authority to clear the junction. “It's nothing, sorry. Forget I said anything," but even as he said the words, he realized his vagueness made things sound worse.

“Luke? What do you mean? What have you done?"

“Nothing," Luke retorted, but as he began to cruise at the speed limit, he looked over and saw her staring at him with an intense expression. The worry in her eyes drove a knife into his stomach, and he realized he was only making her anxiety worse. “Look, I don't want you to worry about it. But I also didn't want my father doing anything stupid," he said, reaching behind the passenger seat to lift the towel covering the rifle he had bought. “It's just in case. That's all."

“Luke! You bought a gun? What the fuck?" Teeba exclaimed, looking between him and the rifle with fear in her eyes.

“Hey, it's just in case. I don't want to use it, alright?" Luke retorted, covering the rifle again with the towel before placing his hands back on the wheel. “Like I said, it's a precaution. I don't want my father doing something stupid or thinking he can pull that sorta stunt again."

“Luke–"

“Also, if I'm going to be living out on your farm, a rifle comes in handy," Luke said, hoping the practical aspects of owning a rifle would win her over. “Like if a coyote or something comes sniffing around, you know? A rifle is just something farms have for that sort of thing." Looking over at her, he could see she was still not convinced. “Maybe it's for my anxiety–"

“That's not funny, Luke." Teeba snapped, her nostrils flaring as she looked him up and down like she was seeing him in a new light. “I don't want one of those things in my house. You hear me? Not on my farm, or anywhere near us."

Luke gripped the steering wheel tighter and sighed. “It's just in case, okay?" he said, louder than he expected, then paused to take a deep breath. “Sorry, it's just… my father. I didn't think he would do it. But… after seeing him… seeing you, with a gun aimed at you… I'm just don't want to be unarmed next time." He found each word a struggle to say. “I hope there isn't a next time. But if there is… I just don't want you to get hurt because of him… or me."

Teeba snarfed a dismissive huff through her nose as she turned away from him as much as possible and placed her chin on the dashboard. With her nostrils so close to the cool glass, small patches of condensation began to expand and contract in time with her breathing. Seeing her upset with him sent a wave of guilt through his mind. He knew that he was causing more stress to the dragoness, but he stood by his belief that the gun was a necessary precaution and hoped the rumor of him buying it would be more of a deterrent than anything else.

After what felt like an hour of silence, Teeba took a deep breath and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “It stays in the truck," she said finally, but Luke could see her jaw clench tightly as she spoke. She was clearly not thrilled at the idea, though he believed she understood he meant well.

“It can stay in the truck, that's fine," Luke said, and slowly extended his arm towards her. His fingers stayed just a few inches away from her jawline and after a moment which felt so much longer than it was, she moved her head so that he was touching her. The feeling of her smooth scales against his calloused fingers seemed to ease the tension between them, and after a minute, she moved her chin completely off of the dashboard and turned back to face him.

“Would you use it… if you had to?" she asked solemnly, looking at Luke like she was seeing right through him with her deep amethyst eyes. “If your father came back…" her words drifted off, and Luke knew what she meant.

Truthfully, he wasn't sure. His silence hung in the air, giving them both an answer in its own way. Spotting the familiar driveway of Bishop's family home, he flicked the indicator stalk and slowed down. In the corner of his eye, he could see Teeba was still looking at him for an answer, and he pursed his lips.

“We're here."