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Luke's body felt strangely sluggish as he walked down toward Teeba's barn. It was as though he were on autopilot, each footstep falling heavily, and he was glad the dragoness was beside him to help. He carried his rifle in one hand and held the wrist of her folded wing in the other. Having just watched his father and mother make it abundantly clear that he was no longer a part of the family—his mind was in turmoil over what it all meant for him.

Teeba had left the large barn doors open, and he paused briefly to place his rifle against the door. With its bolt open and safety on, it posed no real risk, but he still felt it was rude to bring it inside her barn, especially when she had been so opposed to him having it. He braced himself against the door frame as he kicked off his boots and pulled off his socks. The air inside Teeba's home remained warm and stuffy, despite the wide open doors.

“Beer? Or something stronger?" Teeba asked, as she closed the door behind them. While he had been living with her, he had noticed that she often kept her door open, and Luke wondered if she was now shutting the door for privacy or perhaps she needed to feel safer. The more he thought about it however, the more tangled his mind became and he eventually had to dismiss the thought as he tried to focus on what she had asked him.

“Um… yes, beer, no… I don't know," he murmured, the argument with his father tearing at his concentration. Despite hating his father for threatening Teeba, he still felt some small attachment to the man. After all, he was his blood, and while they didn't agree, Luke had felt obligated to support him and his mother. Now, however, he felt a mixture of disappointment and a strange indifference toward his father. He wasn't angry; instead, he was disappointed that they wanted to cut ties with him completely. A small part of him had hoped his father might one day overcome his prejudices toward dragons, just as Luke had, but now it was painfully clear that the man was too stuck in his ways.

Having work to distract him had been welcome, but with that gone and the realisation that he had become ostracized by his family, he felt somewhat lost as he considered what he was supposed to do with himself. In silence, he stood and watched as Teeba moved about the kitchen. The large dragoness retrieved some big glasses and then reached for a tall glass bottle on the top shelf of her liquor cabinet. Her eyes flicked to him as she held the bottle in her jaws, and he could see the concern etched into her face.

“Maybe something stronger than beer," he corrected, earning a small smile.

The dragoness opened the tall bottle of brown liquid and poured until a quarter of each glass was full. Then, she fetched a large bottle of cola from her fridge and filled the rest of each glass. “Couch?" she asked, nodding toward her large lounge.

Luke hummed in acknowledgement and quickly realised she would need help with the glasses. Each glass reminded him of the jumbo cups he'd get at the cinema, albeit with a much wider mouth. Even at arm's length, he could smell the strong scent of whisky, but he felt he needed it and picked both drinks up. Teeba dipped her head toward the bottle, seeming to consider putting it away, then lifted her head and left it on the counter.

With two large glasses in hand, Luke walked to the couch and noticed a message on her TV saying that she had been disconnected for inactivity. Lying on her couch was her deck-like controller and headset, along with a towel that he didn't quite understand the purpose of. It looked different from a normal towel, and with one corner folded over, he noticed that it had what looked like a waterproof backing. For a brief moment he thought it was for her to place her glass on to stop the condensation from seeping into the fabric, however he frowned as he wondered why she would buy a towel that only worked on one side. After all, most dragons he had seen never used a towel at all. Instead, they would shake and then drip dry in the sun. His curiosity was answered when Teeba stepped up onto the couch and sat her rump down on the towel. His cheeks burned at the sudden realisation, and he quickly sat down while pretending he hadn't noticed.

Luke waited for Teeba to lie down before placing her glass between her front paws. Taking a deep sip of his own drink, he felt the alcohol burn his throat, but he forced himself to swallow before coughing. His reaction made the dragoness smile, and she paused before taking a sip of her own. “You said you wanted it strong." She sipped her drink and, to his surprise, didn't seem bothered by the potency of the alcohol.

“Well… I think I need it," he said, taking another sip. He wasn't sure if his mouth had become numb, but the second swig was much more enjoyable, and he could actually taste the whisky. It was smooth, with a strong cinnamon flavour that strangely complemented the cola. Shuffling back into the sofa so he could lean against the backrest, he remembered how small he felt on her couch as his legs stretched out along the base.

“Can we…" Teeba started, and Luke saw her lip twitch in a small sad frown. “Can we talk about what just happened? Your mic kinda broke up a little, but I got that your family doesn't want anything to do with you, is that right?" she asked, and Luke closed his eyes while taking a deep breath.

He kept his eyes closed as he nodded and slowly exhaled. The simple act, combined with the alcohol, helped calm his emotions and allowed him to think more clearly. “Yup, they made it quite clear that I'm no son of theirs and don't want anything to do with me," he said calmly, taking a small sip of his drink. “They just came by to tell me that they wanted the business back. My cousin is going to take over and support them, and they don't want my help anymore."

This made the dragoness's eyes widen, and she pulled her head back in surprise. “Wait, so they don't even want you paying for their house?" she asked, and Luke shook his head. “They won't even take a handout, like at all?"

“Nope!" Luke replied while running a finger along the facets of his glass to draw stripes in the condensation. “Dad don't want anything to do with someone who likes dragons, and mom, well… she ain't much better." he added before taking a sip and realizing he misspoke. Swallowing, he shook his head as Teeba looked at him with a smirk. “Not like that! Oh, you know what I mean. Someone who doesn't hate dragons like they do! They can't wrap it around their thick skulls that someone could actually enjoy hanging out with a dragon and being friends with one," he vented, leaning further back against the couch to look up at the ceiling. “Even if it is their son," he murmured.

In the corner of his eye, he saw Teeba dip her head down to take another sip before relaxing her wings. “Their loss—they should be thanking you," she stated after swallowing and looking down at him with sincerity. He was sure she was just trying to make him feel better, and he waved his hand to dismiss her remark.

“Nah, I mean it!" Teeba retorted quickly, adjusting her posture so she was less sprawled across the lounge and more upright. “You're a good dude, Luke. Like, even though your parents are fucked in the head, you still tried to help them. Even after they started making something out of nothing, kicking you out, you still tried to help them with their mortgage… not many people would do that. Hell, I wouldn't do that. If my folks didn't like you, ain't no way I would be paying their bills! You are truly extraordinary."

Luke nodded before taking a healthy swig of his drink and winced as he tried to swallow too much too quickly. “Well… I guess I'm more ordinary now," he said, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. “Cos, fuck 'em. If they don't want my help, then I won't give it. If they want the business back, good on them, let my cousin Marty fuck it up for them. Can't say I didn't try."

Teeba nodded with sympathy before tilting her head. “Did the business mean that much to you? You could probably start a rival company, given that you know what you are doing—"

“Nah, I wouldn't do that," Luke said, looking down into his drink. “The whole irrigation thing was dad's idea; I was just doing it to help," he added. Truthfully, he didn't hate the job and found satisfaction in working on something that had a tangible outcome. Even though the work was sometimes backbreaking, hot, and messy, it was honest work, and he enjoyed the autonomy.

“So what will you do now?" Teeba asked, and when he didn't reply, she lowered her voice. “Would you go back to the Marines?" she asked, making Luke blink in confusion. “You seemed so much more relaxed with the guys the other night."

Luke thought in silence as he contemplated the idea for a few seconds, but dismissed it when he saw how concerned she looked. “No. That boat has sailed," he answered, catching the visible look of relief in her eyes before she took another sip of her drink. “Nah, I could probably re-enlist without too much drama. But the squad was what made it good, and most of them are out now too, so I would probably be dropped in with a bunch of randoms," he explained while rolling his ankles until he felt them click. The sound made the dragoness smile, and he knew exactly what she was going to say. “And no, this body still has a few good years left in it."

“I never said it didn't," Teeba said with a growing smile. “So, not irrigation and not Marines. What does Luky boy really want to do with his life?"

Taking another deep breath, Luke shuffled against the couch and thought about what options he had. It was a pleasant distraction from thinking about his father, and he tried to imagine what he could do to earn a living. “I don't know, I joined the Marines to get out of this town because there isn't much going on here," he explained, and looked at her as he saw her jaw clench and her wings tighten against her sides. It took him a second to realise why, and he gently reached out to place his hand on her forepaw. “But don't worry, I'm not going to leave."

Teeba's smile made his own grow, and he stroked her paw before retracting his hand. The dragoness nodded gratefully and relaxed her wings once more. “That's a relief. I would be mad if I had to sell this place just to stalk you around the country. And there are only so many times I could just 'randomly' move in near you before you got sus."

Luke chuckled before pausing and turning to look up at her. He was sure that she was joking, however when she looked at him with an overly sheepish smile, he began to have doubts. “Wait, you didn't move out here because of me… did you?"

Snorting with amusement, Teeba's sheepish expression turned to one of merriment “Oh no!" she corrected and shaking her head quickly. “I legit didn't know you lived out here when I moved," she added, and Luke was inclined to believe her. Even after years of playing online together, he had never told her where he lived. The dragoness shuffled on her couch as she leaned to one side and dragged her controller closer. Both of them looked toward the screen as she exited the game, opened her browser of choice, navigated to a tab that was playing a stream, and then made it full screen with a few taps of her claws.

Even with the sound muted, Luke and Teeba momentarily became mesmerized by the flashing particle effects whizzing across the screen. Two futuristic robots raced across it, unloading impossibly large magazines' worth of ammo at one another. Luke wasn't familiar with the game but welcomed the distraction as he sipped his drink.

“Don't stress about the whole job thing," Teeba mused as she rolled to one side and made herself more comfortable. “I've got plenty of work for you right here," she added with a playful smirk. “So, I'm not gonna kick you out anytime soon."

“Thanks, T," Luke murmured, rubbing her paw once again to show his gratitude. She let out a soft croon of approval, and Luke found his fingers softly tracing over her larger knuckles. He could feel the effects of the alcohol, but he didn't care as he relaxed further into the couch and watched the screen with his hand resting in hers. The battle between the two robots on the screen was chaotic, but it was very clear that one of the players was outmatched. Almost every match ended the same way: with the streamer claiming victory via either a well-placed salvo of rockets or a slice from their comically large sword.

Luke's mind wandered from the screen ahead of them and instead focused on the dragoness beside him. Despite how conflicted his feelings were toward her, he knew he enjoyed being around her. The more he thought about Teeba, the more he felt like he could actually be with her. Unlike the few partners he had dated in the past, she shared many of his interests, and he felt incredibly comfortable around her—albeit in private.

“I can't get over the fact that they don't want to see you happy," Teeba stated suddenly, and Luke felt his chest tighten at the abrupt shift back to his parents. “Like, isn't that a rule of parenting or something?" she added, still staring at the screen. Luke was grateful she wasn't looking directly at him, since he wasn't sure he could hold her gaze. “I'm not an expert on raising little ones or anything, but isn't it like: feed your kid, make sure they don't die, make them happy?"

Luke couldn't stop himself from chuckling at her very broad overview of parenting and tried to take a sip of his drink. His chuckle turned into more of a laugh when she turned her head to look at him with an exasperated smile. “I don't think they read that parenting book," he added, managing to take a swig as she shook her head in dismay.

“Well, fuck 'em, I'll make you happy," Teeba said while looking at the screen. Luke wasn't sure exactly what she was implying and was conscious that her cycle might be affecting her decision-making. Thankfully, though, she elaborated. “Food, movies, ice cream, whatever you want. I would take you flying if it wasn't for this damned heat," she said, looking down at him. “You name it, we'll do it."

Looking up at the dragoness, Luke felt a genuine warmth seep into him and found himself struggling to find his words. “Thank you, Teeba," he said finally and rubbed his hand over her paw. “You're a good egg," he added, feeling as though he had sold his appreciation short.

The dragoness gave him a warm smile, as if she understood, and then placed her drink on the ground. Shuffling further back on the couch, she adjusted her towel and settled a bit away from him. “Oh, I don't know about a good egg…" she started as she made herself comfortable. Luke was confused as to why she had moved further away until she lowered her head until it lay across his lap and her chin was resting on the armrest. “After all, eggs get laid, right?" she added with a snicker.

“I… I guess…" Luke stammered, stunned as his legs became pinned under the dragoness's head. He couldn't find it in himself to complain and allowed himself to be her pillow as she angled her head so she could continue to watch the screen. The reassuring pressure and warmth of her across him were incredibly comforting, and he found his hand drifting to the top of her head to stroke between her horns. “You are great, though. I mean it. Thank you," he admitted, and was rewarded with a small rock of her head in an attempt of a nod.

“I promise, though, just 'cos you are living in my 'domain' and helping with the house, I won't go all evil dragon overlord on you," she said with a playful tone that made Luke chuckle. “So call me out if I start calling you my minion or anything."

“Will do," Luke chuckled and continued to stroke the silky smooth scales on the top of her head. “I guess I'll get started on the house tomorrow, if that's okay."

“If you want to," Teeba replied softly, and Luke noticed her hind legs shuffling against one another. “But how about you take a few days off and just relax?" she asked, turning her head in his lap so she was no longer looking at the screen, focusing on him instead. “I think you've earned a break."

“I think I would rather just get on with it, if you know what I mean," he said, though he knew he could do with some time to process everything. Unfortunately, he knew that after having worked under his father as a kid and then enlisting in the marines, he would only feel guilty if there was work to do and he was neglecting it.

“Once this heat is over, I'll help. I can probably hold tools for you or something," Teeba offered, and he smiled at her eagerness before his stomach sank in realisation.

“Fuck… My tools were in the truck," Luke said through gritted teeth. Technically, the tools were his father's, and Luke knew he really had no claim to them even if he wanted to ask for them back. Mentally, he considered how much he had in his personal bank account and if he could afford to replace them. He knew he wouldn't be able to buy everything, but could probably borrow some of the more specialty tools from someone in town. “I'll get the basics. I can get a fair bit done with just a drill and a hammer."

“Nah, get what you need. I'll pay for it," Teeba said cheerfully, and with her head still in his lap, she looked up at him with her bright amethyst eyes. “We can make a day of it."

Luke was taken aback by her continued generosity and stroked her cheek. “It's fine. I don't need much, and I can borrow some tools from the Bronsons. Actually, I think they have an old Ford pickup I can probably borrow if it's still running," he explained, noticing her look at him with an expression he couldn't quite place. “I'll need it to get supplies from town and stuff. I think some of the sheetrock in the living room needs pulling down and redoing."

“Yeah, it's all wavy, isn't it? When I bought it, the inspector said as much," she said, lifting her head to his eye level. “But I'm not having you borrow things from people. You are gonna get new tools and a new truck to go with them," Teeba said simply and smiled at him broadly. “Think of it as a starting bonus."

Luke looked down to see if she was serious. Her smile was still as playful as ever, but as he studied her eyes, he realised she wasn't joking. “No, Teeba. That is too much," he started, and as much as it pained him to see her smile droop, he didn't feel comfortable accepting such generosity. “I'll buy what I can, and I'm sure I can–"

“Oh gods, Luke! Let me help you!" Teeba exclaimed with a smile and a look of disbelief. “It's my fault you are in this mess; at least let me fix it!" she added, tilting her head slightly as she looked him square in the eyes.

Luke's expression tightened, and a wave of guilt washed over him upon hearing that she thought she was responsible in some way. “It ain't your fault, T. My parents are–"

“Your parents wouldn't have kicked you out if it wasn't for me," Teeba said flatly, and Luke felt his rebuttal die in his throat. “And you wouldn't be in this situation if I didn't move here, if I didn't like you– I mean, if we weren't friends," she said, quickly correcting herself.

Luke saw that the scales on her snout became ever so slightly darker, and when she went to turn her head away, he quickly reached out to place his hand on the side of her jaw. “Teeba, it is not your fault in any way. I like hanging out with you, and there isn't anything wrong about us being together. Yet they chose to do all this because they think we are something. You hear me?" he said, gently guiding her to look at him.

Her eyes were glossier than before, and she still averted her gaze, focusing on his shirt. “Sure… but you still don't have your truck or your tools, because I invited you inside to play games, and also cos I tossed you in the pool," she murmured, leaning into Luke's touch as he stroked his thumb across her scales. “Please just let me do this? Let me help you?"

Luke still wasn't comfortable with how she felt she had to pay anything for his parents' mistakes, but he also knew this was something she wanted to do. “You really don't have to do this," he said, and his heart sank as her eyes narrowed.

The dragoness clearly wasn't convinced and slowly lowered her head into his lap again with a soft huff. Her eyes didn't meet his as she continued staring at his chest before they finally widened slightly. “Well, how about this then," Teeba said, lifting her head to his height. “What if the farm buys the truck and tools? That way I can write it off as a business expense. You can then use them as an employee, likewise the tools," Teeba explained with a growing grin, as if she had found a loophole in his argument. “Yeah! Let's do that. You show me what we need to buy, and I'll buy it!"

Luke knew he wouldn't be able to say no to her and took a deep breath before nodding. “Fine, but they are yours," he said, taking another sip of his drink as she nodded enthusiastically.

“Yup-yup! Deal!" the dragoness said with a cheerfulness that warmed his heart. She seemed genuinely excited to help and wiggled her whole body before lowering her head back into his lap. She looked up at him and crooned when his hand returned to her cheek, resuming its stroking across her scales. “I get to pick the colour though."

Luke paused stroking her cheek and looked down at her in astonishment. “You might be disappointed. Most trucks are white out here. If we're lucky, maybe we'll find a black one."

“What? Can't you just order a pretty coloured one? Why does it have to be boring?" Teeba asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

“I was thinking of a second-hand one; it doesn't have to be fancy," Luke explained, realising her misunderstanding. “For the work we're doing, it just needs to have a bed big enough for a full sheet of ply, and maybe a ladder rack for anything longer." He could tell by her expression that she didn't agree.

“Nah…" Teeba said dismissively, shuffling again on the couch. “My minions don't roll in some second-hand hoopty; they have the best tools and the flashiest trucks," she added in amusement. “Ain't no way I'm letting you drive some boring, white, rusty bucket."

Luke chuckled and shook his head, knowing he wouldn't be able to convince her otherwise. After all, it was her money, and he would insist it was her truck. “What did you tell me to do, if you went all dragon overlord?"

“Hmmm, I wasn't specific," Teeba said, leaning her head into his hand more. “But 'minion' is fitting," she added with a small giggle. “After all, friends don't really wash one another like we did, do they? But the mighty Teeba needs a minion to keep her scales polished and shiny!" she added, and Luke saw her grind her thighs together.

He wasn't sure if it was her heat making her so playful, but he still found himself wanting to indulge her. “That's fair. I think we are more than just friends, aren't we?" Luke said, feeling his cheeks burn as she regarded him curiously. Combing his fingers through his hair, he knew she wanted to hear what he thought they were, but truthfully, he didn't know himself. “Minion it is, then, ma'am? Overlord? Overlady—no, Over'ness? What's the right term?"

For the briefest moment, Luke saw a flicker of disappointment cross her features, and he realized she had hoped for a different response. Her disappointment was short-lived, however, as she snorted in renewed amusement. Teeba tried to reply, then shook her head with a wide, toothy smile and laughed quietly. Finally, she calmed her emotions and looked at him, tilting her head in an almost sultry way. “Well, minion Luke… you should know that minions call their rulers… Master," she explained, accentuating her new title. She tried hard to keep a straight face, but when Luke glared at her, she began to giggle once more.

“Yeah… I'm not calling you Master," Luke replied, taking another deep sip of his drink. He was surprised at how much he had already consumed and made a mental note to pace himself. “Maybe 'minion' isn't the right word then," he said, glancing up at her for input. “What would you say we are?"

“I don't know." Teeba shrugged her wings and rolled onto her other side so her back was to the long-forgotten computer screen, focusing exclusively on him. Her playfulness dropped as she regarded him seriously, taking a deep, steady breath. “I know what I want us to be, and… I think you know that by now," she said softly, folding her wings tighter against her sides. “But I don't want to ruin what we have right now. So… maybe… besties?" she offered hopefully, though Luke could see the pain in her eyes.

He knew she wanted more, and it hurt him to see her bothered by his indecision, but he still couldn't bring himself to admit that he felt more for her than anyone else. With a reassuring nod, he accepted her proposal and forced a smile. “I can do besties," he said, rewarded by a small smile. “Besties is nice," he lied, lifting his hand as she lowered her head back into his lap. Stroking the scales on her forehead, he was certain that even besties weren't as close as they were. He maintained a gentle rhythm, tracing her scales with his fingers, knowing she understood too. He was deeply thankful she didn't push him harder for the truth; he didn't want to ruin what they had, and a small part of him feared he would regret it if his feelings were mistaken. “Thank you… bestie," he added finally, taking another sip of his drink. “But I'm gonna pay you back for the tools, or buy them from you or something."

“Eh, if you have to. But I'm gonna pay you for the renovations, so it's kinda not really an issue," Teeba said, leaning her head into his touch. “But I'm serious about the colour of the truck," she added with a smirk.

Thankful for the less serious topic, Luke paused his affectionate strokes on her scales and looked at her quizzically. “Can it please not be pink?" he asked, rolling his eyes dramatically when her whole body shook with stifled laughter. “Please, the town already thinks I'm a bit odd. Let's not add driving a flaming pink truck into the mix."

“Flames! Yes!" Teeba exclaimed, lifting her head from his lap in excitement. “That's perfect. I was gonna suggest grey or silver, but with pink flames! That would be sick!" she teased enthusiastically. “Oh come on! It would be awesome!"

“Grey or silver, those are both great choices. Let's leave it at that," Luke said and took another mouthful of his drink. Swallowing, he smiled and shook his head as Teeba pouted dramatically. “I ain't driving anything pink. Sorry, T, but that's too much."

“Gah, it won't turn you gay or anything, and besides, flames are pretty manly, aren't they?" Teeba asked with a growing smile. “It would be funny!"

“Maybe in the city," Luke retorted, then tried to change the subject. “I'll get started on the house tomorrow though—"

“Oh, can it wait?" Teeba said with a hint of desperation in her voice. “I want to come tool shopping with you, but I can't because of… you know… my condition," she said awkwardly and rustled her wings against her sides.

“You want to go tool shopping?" he asked in disbelief. “Really?"

“What? I used to like shopping, and honestly, after being cooped up in here for the last few days, I would kill to go to a mall or something," Teeba explained, looking up at him with pleading eyes. “I want to be a part of this. Is that okay?"

“Of course, yeah. That's fine, although… the main street will have to do, mall-wise, I mean," he said, then realized it would mean either they walk to town again or he rides on her back. With everything that has happened, he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to be seen riding Teeba into town. “Maybe it would be better if I walked into town, or maybe see if the Bronsons could pick me up or something."

“You didn't like flying?" Teeba asked, and when Luke shook his head, she rolled her eyes. “It's no big deal. I don't mind doing it, and who cares if people see us?" she said, adjusting her head on his lap. “If they think we're sleeping together, how could it get any worse by us flying into town?"

Luke tried to think of a rebuttal, but the more he thought about it, the less sense it made to hide anything between them. It was strangely liberating as he realized nothing could get any worse. “Nah, you're right. My family has disowned me, and the rest of the town is gonna think we're an item anyway, so fuck it," he said, lifting his drink to his lips. “Let them think I'm a tail chaser. I actually don't care," he added and took a refreshing swig.

“Well, let's be real, you kinda are one," Teeba mused, causing Luke to choke on his drink. While he struggled to swallow and beat his chest with a closed fist, Teeba lifted her head from his lap and waited for him to clear his throat. “Oh, so you do care! Sorry… fine, honorary tail chaser then," she added, looking around to see where she had left her drink. Leaning to one side, she reached down to the floor and picked up her glass before placing it on the armrest and lowering her snout to take a sip.

With flushed cheeks and a sore throat, Luke was finally able to speak. “What is… what is an honorary tail chaser?" he asked, switching the glass to his other hand, then reached to stabilize hers on the armrest so she could drink more easily. Despite how large the dragoness's mouth was, she managed to seal her lips tightly enough to dip her snout into the liquid and suck through its tip. He watched as her cheeks hollowed and her throat pulsed with a deep swallow before she lifted her head again.

Licking her lips, Teeba shrugged her wings and looked at him with a wry smile. “Oh, come on, Luke, you know what I mean. You're besties with a dragon, having drinks with one, gonna watch a movie and have dinner in her barn…" she said, then took another deep sip of her drink. She grunted as she swallowed, as though she had more to add, then grinned. “All while she is in heat, no less. Most normies would run away, most tail chasers would kill to be on this couch."

Embarrassed but unable to deny her observations, Luke simply shook his head. “Well… you've got me there," he murmured, finally tilting his glass to finish the last of his drink in one large mouthful. The burn of alcohol stung his throat, but it paled in comparison to how warm his cheeks felt. Maybe it was the alcohol, or the massive release of emotional pressure from his family disowning him, but he found himself agreeing with her. He wasn't the same man he'd been when he enlisted in the Marines, and he couldn't think of a place he would rather be than here with Teeba. Looking down at her, he saw her looking up at him with a happy smile, and he continued to stroke her cheek. “Honorary it is then," he admitted, more to himself than anyone else. Changing the subject before she could press the matter, Luke glanced toward her half-drunk glass. “Hey, the other night when we were at Bishop's place, you weren't drinking 'cause of your meds, right?"

The dragoness blinked slowly as her smile wavered slightly; she likely wanted to continue their original conversation but didn't correct him. “Yeah, but I'm not on them now," she explained, lifting her head again to take another sip. Luke tilted the glass for her so she could drink more deeply, watching as she sucked up more of the liquid. Finally, she swallowed and laid her head back down on his lap before continuing. “I only need them in stressful situations, like meeting new people or going out."

“My folks coming here wasn't stressful?"

“Yeah, but I didn't have time to take them. I was kinda just listening in and sorta… froze," Teeba said, adjusting her position on the couch. Luke wasn't sure if she was genuinely making herself comfortable or if she felt ashamed for freezing under pressure. “Besides, it's over now, and I've got alcohol!" she added with more merriment in her voice.

Glad that she made light of the situation, Luke nodded and caressed her cheek. “And you've got your minion to take care of you," he said warmly, much to her enjoyment.

“Yussss!" she hissed happily and wiggled her head further into his lap. “What more could a dragoness need than a cute minion and a good bottle?"

Glancing out the window on the south side of Teeba's barn, Luke saw the sky beginning to darken and guessed it was close to dinner time. “What about a minion cooking for her while she relaxes on her couch?" he asked, smiling as her eyes lit up.

“Oh, that sounds good… but how about helping me? I kinda want to nail Reevians recipe," she explained and lifted her head. When Luke nodded, the dragoness grinned cheerfully and glanced toward the window. “Alright, let's get started then. Then you can do my claws while we watch a movie," she said.

“Of course… my master," Luke teased, blushing as her mouth parted in an excited smile. The flicker of genuine desire that shot across her face made him uncomfortable, and he quickly became unable to meet her gaze. Shaking his head and shuffling forward on the deep couch, Luke regretted saying something so provocative. “Okay, nope! That was silly," he backpedaled as he began to get up.

“Awwwww!!!" Teeba whined but sat up on her haunches to let him rise. “It was cute!" she added and giggled as he shook his head in embarrassment. “As my minion, I command you to call me master," she added without any sincerity in her voice.

“Nope!" Luke retorted as he got to his feet. His legs felt sluggish under him, and he had to grip the armrest of the sofa for balance. Between the potent alcohol and having the dragoness resting on his legs, he stumbled briefly like a newborn deer. Glancing toward her, he smiled at her wide grin. “That's the last time I call you master; you like it too much." He found himself stifling a laugh as she giggled wildly.

“Awwww…." Teeba pouted as she got to her feet. “Maybe I have to punish my minion to get him in line," she added. To her and Luke's embarrassment, the towel she had been lying on clung wetly to her scales. Lowering her wings to shield her hindquarters from Luke's view, Teeba reached back with a paw and pulled it off.

Luke's eyes went wide, and he felt his face burning as he quickly turned around and pretended he hadn't seen anything. Walking with both his and Teeba's glasses in hand, he headed to the kitchen without a word and began washing them in the sink.

“I'm just gonna have a quick shower," Teeba said meekly, and he heard her trot across the tiles toward the bathroom. He simply grunted in acknowledgment and continued cleaning the glasses much longer than necessary.

Luke noticed the water pressure in the sink drop as Teeba turned on the shower, so he quickly turned off his tap to help her. Searching around the kitchen for a towel to dry the glasses, he quickly realised that there wasn't one to be found. Not wanting to rummage through her cupboards, he placed the cups upside down on the drying rack and idly began tidying the counter while he waited.

After only two minutes, Teeba turned off the shower and then eventually emerged from the bathroom with a look of embarrassment still on her snout. “Sorry about that," she murmured, and made a beeline to the fridge to begin pulling out ingredients.

“Don't be. It's a normal thing after all, right?" Luke said, trying to sound engaged but not prying. Hearing her hum a small acknowledgement, he guessed she didn't want to talk about it and quickly changed the subject. “So, dinner. What do you need me to do?" he asked, and was rewarded by a small smile as she continued to pull things out of the fridge. The countertop was quickly becoming littered with an assortment of vegetables and bags of chicken.

“Can I get you to dice the onions?" Teeba asked, gesturing towards the drawers with a folded wing. “Second drawer."

Following her direction, Luke opened the drawer and found a collection of knives, most of which were the size of his forearm. However, it wasn't the length of the blades that caught his attention, but the curiously shaped handles. Unlike the knives he was used to, each handle was significantly thicker, with large swoops moulded into the plastic for a dragon's digits. “Do you have any… human knives?" he said, catching himself as he almost said “normal."

“Ahhhh… sorry," Teeba said sheepishly as she closed the fridge. “Are they too big for you?"

Shaking his head, Luke wrapped his hand around the blade and twisted his wrist to see how it felt. “I can make them work," he mused. It was very unbalanced in his hand, but serviceable. Spotting a chopping board resting against the backsplash, Luke collected it and set about chopping the vegetables. In the corner of his vision, he saw Teeba collect the glasses from the drying rack and begin to make them both new drinks.

“How many of these do you need?" Luke asked as he chopped off the ends of an onion and looked at the collection of others on the bench.

“Yes," Teeba said flatly, as she screwed the lid back on the bottle and set it on the counter. Luke looked over to her for an explanation and waited as she began unstrapping her phone from her wrist. Once it was free, she tapped at the screen before scrolling and then tilted her head as she read the recipe. “Onions… onions… Six!" she announced cheerfully. “Here, this might help," Teeba added, walking over to him on three legs while holding her tablet-like phone in her other paw.

Luke nodded in understanding as she placed it down on the counter with the recipe filling the screen, then moved past him to collect a wok from a rack above the stove. To Luke's surprise, unlike so many others in the country, Teeba's stove was electric rather than gas. At first, it seemed strange; even with solar power, the draw of an electric stove would mean she was tied to the grid unless she had a battery. A gas stove, where bottles could be purchased as needed, was far more common. He was about to ask why she didn't choose gas before he remembered how her previous home was destroyed by a supposed gas leak. Focusing back on preparing the onions Luke realising how many other vegetables he had to chop and knew he needed to work faster if he was to keep up with her heating the wok.

He could feel his eyes beginning to water as he sliced the onions, and, as he sniffed back his now runny nose, he noticed Teeba crane her neck to look at him with genuine concern. “I'm okay, promise," he sniffed and turned to flash her a smile. “Just someone's chopping onions here," he added with a chuckle and set the knife down to look for a bowl to transfer the diced onions into. Next, he tapped on the now-dark screen of her phone to wake it and found that it needed a pin code to unlock. “Heya, sorry, it locked itself," he said and picked up the tablet to give to her.

“Five, eight, five, three," Teeba said casually as she took a sip from her drink with a knowing smile.

Luke wasn't sure exactly what was so funny, but he tapped at the buttons in sequence and unlocked the phone. He had never used a dragon's phone before and was briefly surprised that each key press had to be made with some authority. He guessed that was because the screen was designed to withstand talons rather than fingers, making it less sensitive. Applying firm pressure with his thumb, he scrolled up the recipe to find out what to cut next. Reaching the top of the list, the app nudged in another list on the edge of the screen. He almost ignored it until he saw one with his name, a single line with the words “Luke stuff."

He stopped what he was doing upon seeing his name and became curious what the dragoness had written about him, but as Teeba rose to her feet, he released his finger from the screen and quickly scanned the list of ingredients. “Bok Choy… what's that?" he asked innocently and looked up at her as she collected the bowl of chopped onions.

“Oh, skip them, they're gross," Teeba protested and emptied the onions into the pan. The sizzling sound against the hot pan filled the air, and Teeba immediately began to stir. “But extra cabbage makes up for it," she added while focusing on the pan.

“Extra cabbage it is," Luke repeated and scrolled down on the phone to see how much was normally required. Spotting it, he was about to set the phone aside when he glanced at Teeba and saw she was focused solely on the wok. It felt wrong to go through her phone, but seeing his name as a separate note made him too curious. After collecting the first cabbage, he did a quick double check to make sure she wasn't looking, then switched notes within the app. A list filled the entire length of the screen. He instantly realized he wouldn't have time to read it all, but tried to make sense of as much as he could before he had to stop.

Movie night

Gift Dragon wash simulator 2010

Rooftop noms

Favourite food?

Cosplay - no

Buy controller

Night flight - full moon on the 12th

Favourite colour - red?

Watch Dragonball? Favourite Team?

Buy truck wash

Grow beard?

Bed shopping

Help paint talons - maybe too forward

Leena's mom's number for Keenis

Saddle?

Get jacket size

Cushions for truck

He flicked his thumb across the screen to scroll up, and his heart melted as he caught a glimpse into his friend's mind and saw how much she had been thinking of him. The further he went up, he saw things like 'take Luke flying' crossed out, as well as mentions of what he had ordered at the bakery when they had visited Crestmead together.

“I think two cabbages should do it," Teeba said, causing Luke to almost jump out of his skin. “Any more, and it will soak up the sauce," she added as Luke quickly changed notes and brought up the recipe once more.

Placing the phone back down on the countertop, he nodded and picked up one of the large cabbages while averting his gaze from her. “So just like chopped?" he asked innocently, and began peeling away the softer outer layers to reveal the plant's firmer core.

“I think shredded is what it says," Teeba replied, moving the onions around the pan. There was a brief pause, and then a louder hiss as she added the pre-cut chicken to the pan and moved the wok back and forth to keep it all in motion.

He wasn't exactly sure how to shred a cabbage with only a knife, but Luke began cutting the first cabbage in half and then into quarters to make it easier to manage. Flipping over one of the segments until it was steady on the chopping board, he cut it down the middle, then repeated the process to make smaller and smaller pieces. “Do you mean like this?" he asked, once he had cut the pieces so small that the layers began to separate.

“Ummm…" Teeba said hesitantly as she looked over and judged his attempt. Immediately, Luke knew he hadn't done it right and glanced down at the pieces of cabbage. “Can I show you?" she offered, and when he nodded, the dragoness gave the wok another quick stir, then dropped to all fours to walk over.

Luke took half a step to the side and held the knife in a way that she could take over. However, to his surprise, Teeba didn't take his place and instead corralled him with her wing back in front of the chopping board. Then, she moved behind him and sat on her haunches. With a small shuffle, she tucked herself in so that her chest was against his back, then held the knife and his hand with one paw.

“You don't have to cut them into chunks…" she mused, but Luke found himself struggling to concentrate as he felt her almost completely encompassing him. With her other paw, she took his hand and placed it on top of one of the halves of the vegetable he hadn't butchered. “You can just cut little slivers off…" she added, guiding his knife hand to begin shredding the cabbage into fine ribbons.

Luke got the idea instantly, but he couldn't find the words to interrupt her as she continued to help him cut the cabbage. Between her warmth against his back and her delicate paw pads against his hands, it felt incredibly intimate, but… he liked it. More importantly, he didn't feel uncomfortable as he looked up at her head while she looked down and continued to puppet his hands.

With her neck curled to look down at him, she smiled warmly before it flickered in a moment of self-consciousness, and she let go of his hands. “Sorry, that was maybe a bit…" her words drifted off, but she continued to sit behind Luke as he placed down the knife.

Between the large dragoness and the kitchen island, Luke had no way of escaping, yet he didn't feel trapped at all. Turning around to face her, he felt the edge of the countertop against his buttocks as he placed his hands gently on her shoulders and looked up at her with a gaze his parents wouldn't approve of. He wasn't sure what to say, or if he should say anything, as he looked into his friend's large amethyst eyes. Her focus darted between his lips and his eyes as she lowered her head to his level. He noticed her nostrils flare slightly in excitement as her racing heart matched his own, and he gently stroked his thumbs over the large grey scale plates lining her front.

Once her snout was within inches of his lips, she paused, and Luke caught a glimpse of an almost pained expression flash across her features. He knew she wanted this, and all reservations in his mind melted away as he lifted his hand from her front and placed it just behind her jaw. The butterflies in his stomach felt as though they were on speed; a giddy uncertainty dominated his emotions, and the hair on his arms lifted as adrenaline-fueled goosebumps washed over him. He could feel the warm air of her breath against his face as she tilted her head ever so slightly. He knew all it would take was for him to lean forward and press his lips to hers—committing to something he wouldn't have dared consider not that long ago—and he hesitated.

For what felt like minutes, he gazed into her beautiful amethyst eyes until she closed them, and then pressed her lips against his.