FSE

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Summary

Marius Phenlevaine, an anthro dragon that has fled the revolution in Paris, now takes shelter within the gothic occult school known as Leudracyte Academy. He has a crush on the vampire dragon bard known as Raix SolHart, although, their romance is quite awkward, especially as Raix had closed his heart off after being betrayed by his former lover and vampiric sire.

However, small anthro micros have infested the academy and Raix's own bloodlust gets the better of him, as he tries to deal with the infestation.

Meanwhile, Marius remains in his room, unaware that a pair of micros have already found their way inside. Hopefully, they won't end up underfoot...

Notes

CW: This fic contains NSFW themes, such as:

-Unaware Macro/Micro moments w/ footplay and vore

-Hard crush / implied digestion with violent descriptions

-Unwilling prey/micros experiencing anxiety and terror

"The Smallest of Thorns (In His Side)" was initially written and posted around November '25 on Furaffinity

https://www.furaffinity.net/view/63062596/

(Will require an account)

I sometimes add visual elements into my fics. These might not show up all that well here. To see the original source file, check out my FA listed above.

The ending notes will have some reference art of certain characters mentioned here that I have commissioned over the past few years. Feel free to check it out.

The Smallest of Thorns (In His Side)

CW: This fic contains NSFW themes, such as:

-Unaware Macro/Micro moments w/ footplay and vore

-** Hard crush / implied digestion with violent descriptions**

-** Unwilling prey/micros experiencing anxiety and terror**

“But..._Monsieur SolHart..._don’t you see? The ducks in the lake...they mean something…”

“And what matter of meaning do these ducks carry, mon petit poete?”

Marius Phenlevaine was about to answer the question, when he slowly began to open his eyes.

As the blue-scaled dragon awoke from his dream, the words faded away and returned to his subconscious mind.

“Oh…” Marius breathed. He clutched the silk sheet, pulling it close to his snout. “I...it felt real. He always makes it feel real.”

He laid there for some time, his eyes aching from lack of sleep. Marius wasn’t sure of the time just yet, as the windows of his private dormitory room were covered in thick curtains, made to block out the sun. Courtesy of the vampiric dragon that Marius adored, Raix SolHart.

Marius pulled his legs close to his ivory-scaled chest, as he curled into a ball, under the covers of the bed that seemed far too empty without another beside him.

“I feel...like I should still be asleep.” Marius thought to himself. He had been trying to match the waking hours of Raix, so he could spend more time with the object of his affection. Though, a mortal like himself trying to match the sleeping hours of a vampire was a tad difficult.

He tried to close his eyes in an attempt to drift off to sleep again.

* * *

-THOOM-

Raix SolHart slammed the heavy grimoire on the desk, his mismatched blue and red eyes glaring at the small creatures that scurried away from the massive tome.

“DAMNATION!” The vampiric dragon roared. “Who in the hells let these things in here?!”

A multitude of tiny, four-inch tall anthro creatures tumbled over the edge of the oaken desk and onto the ebony carpet that covered the floor of the grand library of Leudracyte Academy, an occult school that doubled as the seat of power for one of Europe’s oldest vampire clans.

And now, it was being overrun, by micros.

The black and red scaled anthro dragon growled, snapping his clawed fingers to summon a spark of silvery-white flame, his so-called “Wildfire” pyromancy.

Raix was about to incinerate the vermin, when he suddenly stopped.

“The library...ugh.” Raix sighed. “I can’t destroy this sacred font of knowledge. And _…__ it’s also_ Marius’ only sanctuary.” He grit his teeth, his narrowed eyes focusing on the micros, the vampire’s long, pointed ears picking up the panicked shrieks and cries.

“Fine.” His right hand crossed over his body that was adorned in a long, black and gold coat, reaching for the hilt of the rapier that hung from his left hip. “We’ll handle this the old-fashioned way then.” Raix stepped forward, the footfalls of his nearly knee-high ebony boots almost silent on the plush rug underneath the treads. Moonlight that poured in through the stained-glass windows illuminated his shoulder-length snow-white hair, giving him the apperance of a wrathful spirit of the dead.

Raix’s blade sang with a -schwing- as it was released from its home, his hand gripping the golden, rose thorn-like hilt of the rapier. “I’ve sunk this sword into much smaller orifices, fiends!” A wide, fanged grin formed on his muzzle.

His movements became a blur. Raix lunged forward, rapier held high, aimed at one of the small creatures.

“Where are you going, little one? I’M RIGHT HERE! ”

-KA-SHUNK-

The blade struck true.

...That is, if Raix’s target was merely the floor, the pointed tip of the blade having been thrust deep into the rug.

The micro’s shrill screams filled Raix’s ears, as the anthro fled, now moving in a zig-zag pattern. He swore he could hear the words “SERPENTINE!” from the offending vermin.

Raix was hunched over, his eyes wide as saucers. His hand still gripped the hilt of the rapier. His sensitive ears twitched as they picked up sounds from below.

“_ WHAT?!” _

“**HELLS!!!”

“THERE’S A POINTY...THING IN THE CEILING!”**

“That’s a sword, idiot!”

There was silence, until...

“_ WHO IS TRYING TO STAB THE FLOOR UP THERE?!” _

Confusion and anger coursed through Raix’s veins like fire. He ignored the foolishness from the floor beneath, as he yanked the blade free in one swift move.

With a heavy (and absolutely unnecessary sigh, due to his vampiric biology), Raix rose to his full height.

“It’s going to be a busy night_…_”

* * *

Marius rolled towards the edge of his bed, rubbing his emerald-colored eyes with his handpaw. “Merde…” He swore in his home language. “...Sleeping is quite difficult these days.” He swung his legs over, his bare, four-toed paws hitting the floor. The cold stone underfoot felt like a shock to Marius’ system, as even his soft, ivory-colored pawpads did little to resist the chill.

“Eegh…” Marius shuddered. “I...I have no idea how Monsieur SolHart does it, sleeping like this…” The slim dragon stumbled out of bed, the pitch-black darkness making it rather difficult to find his footing. His hands groped around in the dark...

“I-is this it? I-oh!”

Marius’ clawed digits brushed against a cord. Wrapping his fingers around it, he pulled.

Even in the dead of night, the full moon was blinding. His eyes slammed shut immediately, tears welling up at the corners.

“G-gah! Too bright!” The thought ran through Marius’ skull, as he turned away from the sight.

He reached for the wire rim of his large spectacles and lifted them towards his face, placing them on the bridge of his snout.

Blinking away the rest of the tears from his irritated eyes, the lids flew open.

His emerald-green iris’ practically glittered with light, an effect of the recent tears and the large, round glasses that appeared to enlarge Marius’ eyes.

Pale moonlight revealed his room. A small dormitory with a single bed and a modest covering of sheets and blankets. A nightstand near his bed, and an oaken desk adjacent. Scrolls, parchment, journals and books (so many books) littered the desk, leaving barely any room for one to actually write.

A small, gold-plated sink lay in the corner of the room, complete with a mirror.

Marius blushed heavily as he looked at himself in the mirror. His slim body was almost completely in the nude, save for a pair of smallclothes around his waist. He started to sleep like this, after Raix expressed incredulity at the fact that Marius usually slept with clothes on (He was not nearly brave enough to sleep completely and utterly in the nude like Raix).

Near the sink, a set of immaculately folded garments laid upon a small, wooden stepstool. A pair of silver-colored boots stood proudly next to the clothes.

“Well...suppose I should get my hair tied and myself dressed. I’d love to read with Monsieur SolHart tonight…” Marius blushed momentarily at the thought.

He grasped an ebony ribbon from his nightstand, as Marius padded towards the sink, preparing to tie back his long, silver-colored hair.

* * *

Two students strode down a nearby corridor, both wearing the pristine white uniform of the academy. One, an anthro dragon, had a green-colored trim running down the side of his outfit. The other, a snow leopard, had a similarly designed trim on their uniform, colored blue.

“I do quite miss Lady Primalga.” The snow leopard smirked at his companion. The paintings that portrayed various Leudracyte Academy alumni and members of the vampire clan, House Durantallyn, appeared to judge the pair with glowering eyes. As did the leopard’s companion.

“Her?” The dragon raised an eyebrow. “The fucking spider?”

“Aye!” The leopard grinned. “A shame that she was put to rest by that walking disaster that now haunts our halls. She had quite the large ass.”

“Absolutely not. She was disgusting.” The dragon sighed. “She literally used the souls of her prey as webbing and played with her victims like damned puppets. Terrifying stuff.”

“But isn’t that half the fun? The fact that you know she could do that to you too?” The leopard waggled his eyebrows.

The dragon stopped in his tracks, the sheer amount of disgust hitting him like a weighted blanket. It took him a few moments of self-reflection for him to speak again.

“We’re not entertaining this thought.”

“Well, besides that…” The leopard shrugged. “She probably had seven vag-”

_ -FWIIIP!- _

The conversation between the two was interrupted, as a crossbow bolt whizzed in front of the snow leopard, missing his pink nose by only a few inches.

The dragon immediately lunged towards his perverted friend, tackling him to the floor in a desperate attempt to protect him. “_ HELLS! _” He hissed. “What now?!”

“ AAAAAH!” The leopard shrieked. “I-I’m sorry! I don’t want to die, just because I got some kinks I’m into-”

“SHUT UP!” His dragon companion strained his hearing, as he picked up the sound of...yelling.

_ In French. _

The dragon sighed. “That over-dramatic bastard has gotten himself all worked up again.”

“Wait, what’s that?” The leopard chimed in.

“What do you mean? It’s that damned ‘walking disaster’ you brought up! You’ve hexed us!”

“No, I mean _ THAT! _” The leopard strained himself, attempting to nod towards the disturbance.

Silently, the dragon stared at the direction the leopard motioned to…

...and spotted multiple, tiny figures. Barely a few inches high.

“...Huh?” The dragon watched as the micros ran for their lives, the shrunken anthros squealing with fear.

The rhythmic sound of heavy footfalls echoed along the walls of the corridor, coming from the direction the micros were running from. The same direction where the crossbow bolts flew from earlier.

Raix emerged from the moonlit corridor, his boots rapping against the floor underfoot. His long hair, a mane that was typically perfectly cared for, was in complete and total disarray. Strands of silvery-white hair sprung out in different directions, his blue and red eyes filled with weariness. His rapier hung from his belt, as it always has, but in his arms, he was carrying a crossbow, the spare bolts crudely jammed into his belt.

“Oh gods, it’s _ you _…” The snow-leopard groaned at the sight of the vampiric dragon. His friend, the dragon that had been sheltering him from danger, rose to his feet, but not before dragging the snow-leopard upright with him.

“Somehow, I had a feeling you were involved in all this.” The dragon rolled his eyes.

“Good thing I enjoy having a poor reputation, imbécile.” Raix smirked. “’Tis better than being forgotten, non?”

“Where did you even get that-” The snow leopard started, but looked past Raix, down the corridor. Just around the corner, the moonlight revealed a prone figure in armor. Limbs sprawled out and very, very unconscious. “Ah, I see.” He finished. “Well, at least you’re not burning the school down again…”

“Yet.” The dragon growled. “What the hells is going on here, SolHart?” He spat his name like a curse.

“ Vermin. ” The bard’s reply was a one-word answer.

“We can very well see that. Do you have an explanation beyond-”

“Non.”

“Really? This isn’t the first time small creatures have been scurrying about when you and that...poltergeist of yours is around.”

Raix raised an eyebrow. “It’s not my doppelganger. At least, I don’t think so. Raigengrau would have shown his face by now.”

The dragon opened his muzzle to speak, before Raix shrugged and continued. “_ Either way... I am here to exterminate these foul insects. I am in no mood to see them scurry about.” His eyes stared at the blue-colored trim of the snow leopard’s uniform. “..._Logistics. Or some form of numerical nonsense. That’s your specialty, eh?”

“T-that’s right.” The leopard stammered out a response. “We would have graduated last year and been selected for House Durantallyn as our clan...w-were it not for-”

“-Were it not for me setting the clock tower ablaze.” Raix chuckled. “I need access to the armory. Trying to stab these little shits with a sword grows tiresome.”

“What for?” The leopard blinked. “You’ve already borrowed a crossbow, it seems.”

“Not good enough.” Raix shook his head. “I need Thornrain”

Silence. The leopard’s eyes widened in fear, as Raix flashed his fangs.

“The Hells is a ‘Thornrain’?” The dragon spoke up.

“Oh, just a custom-made crossbow…” Raix casually remarked. “Love the way it feels in my hands, as opposed to this nonsense.” He gestured with his own stolen weapon before he continued. “Has a revolving chamber...bolts dipped in holy water. Used it for a bit before I could control the Wildfire. Was made by the head of the Occult Underground herself!”

He let the statement hang in the air momentarily, before Raix leaned forward towards the leopard. “Don’t tell me you don’t know what I’m talking about either. A vampire of my...interests, has the great and wonderful privilege of seeing everything that goes through this damned hellhole of an academy. Including the inventory logs.”

His breath washed over the leopard’s face, as he glared intently into his eyes. “_ I know you have it, so don’t lie to me. _”

The dragon stepped forward, putting himself between his companion and Raix. “It’s bad enough that you run around here with your sword, your bad attitude and a bottle of cheap wine from France-”

“Bordeaux, actually.” Raix cut-in. “Not just any wine. Give it the respect it deserves.”

“...cheap _ Bordeaux _ from France. But he…” The dragon pointed at his partner. “...will not help you. ‘Nor shall I, for that matter and-”

Raix snapped his clawed fingers again, producing a spark of silvery-white flame. “Care to finish your monologue, mon cheri? I was hoping to avoid this, but…” He clicks his tongue, his voice gentle, yet carrying an edge. “...well, let’s just say that I’d hate to skip to the final act of your so-called miserable excuse of a life. Like, really​? You’re pining to be a part of House Durantallyn? You poor excuse of a- .”

“I’ll get you into the armory!” The snow leopard held his handpaws out. “I’ll...I’ll get you your weapon! Just...just don’t set anything on fire, please!”

“What?” The dragon snapped a vicious glare at his friend.

The leopard’s whiskers twitched. “I...I just don’t want to wait another whole-ass year to graduate!”

With that, Raix tossed aside the stolen crossbow, beaming with joy amidst the cacophonous sound of the weapon clattering down the hallway.

“Splendid.”

* * *

Marius finished tying his hair back in a long, carefully woven ponytail. His silver-colored hair was tightly pulled back, the very end of the ponytail just above the small of his back. While a knotted black ribbon formed the start of the ponytail, a large black bow held the middle together, the bow complete with long, black tassels.

“_ EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~” _

The tea kettle that sat upon a hot plate on the windowsill began to screech.

Marius’ pointed ears pressed against his head. “Oh...please wait a moment, Mr. Teapot…” He thought aloud, his own words barely audible over the whistling of the kettle. Still barely dressed, he padded over to the kettle and set it on the sill. As he did so, the blue flame that had warmed the pot dissipated, revealing the occult symbols that powered the ebony-colored hot plate.

“That’s better.” Marius sighed with relief, his ears still ringing. He then reached for an empty tea cup. Carefully, he began to pour the freshly made tea into the ivory porcelain cup, the scent of chamomile filling the air.

• BANG-

The sudden crash from outside almost made Marius jump with fright. “Oh...Mes dieux. What is going on out there?” He set down the tea pot and the cup on his windowsill, before stepping over to his neatly folded garments.

“I best get dressed so I can take a look out there...” Marius thought to himself, bending down to reach for his silk shirt.

The door suddenly flew open.

This time, Marius did jump_,_ the poor poet leaping backwards with a yelp.

The vampiric dragon barged into the room, Raix’s white hair twisting this way and that.

“Marius, have you seen any-?”

Raix stopped as he finally recognized the sight of the blue-scaled dragon. The same dragon that was barely wearing any clothes, save for his undergarments that were wrapped around his waist.

“Oh.”

Meanwhile, Marius was stricken with fear. Not fear for his life, but the sensation of an impending death from sheer embarrassment.

“_ AH!” _ Marius let out a short scream, his handpaws swiftly covering himself.

“_ GAH!” _ Raix stood upright, gritting his teeth in an awkward grimace.

“Marius!” The vampiric dragon shielded his gaze with a clawed hand. “I...uh…”

“M-monsieur SolHart!” Marius finally breathed, not realizing he had been holding his breath.

“I’ll go. No need to worry-” Raix swiftly turned on his heel towards the exit.

“Non!” Marius called after him. “Don’t go! Please!”

“It’s okay. I was a fool to have entered without-” Raix was about to step through the still-open doorway.

“N-no, it’s fine! Just...please. Do knock next time, Monsieur SolHart.” Marius awkwardly stammered.

“...I…” Raix slowly turned around, still shying his gaze away from Marius, his mismatched eyes focused on the teacup at the windowsill. “I...do apologize. For suddenly bursting into your room unannounced. I-”

“T-truly, it’s alright, Monsieur SolHart.” Marius tried to gesture with his hands, yet immediately, his handpaws flew back towards his own crotch. “I...uh...I hope I wasn’t too late to join you in the library. Is...is that why you’re here?”

Raix narrowed his eyes as he frowned. “I...well...” He breathed in the scent of the chamomile tea. “I must postpone our uh...reading time. Temporarily, of course. There’s been an incident.”

“Oh…” Marius softly responded. “I mean..._it’s not your fault, _Monsieur SolHart! I know we can meet whenever you finish with this uh…oh, no. You didn’t get into another duel or something dangerous, have you?”

The bard laughed nervously. “Were I to wish it was so simple, mon poète.” Raix paused. “Y-you can...you know you don’t ever have to be so formal with me, Marius…”

Marius blushed intensely. “B-but it’s only proper to call you ‘Monsieur-’

Raix waved his hand and shook his head. “Just ‘Raix’. Please.”

“...R-Raix…” The blush on Marius’ cheeks turned scarlet, as he gazed at the black and red scaled vampiric dragon. Still turned towards the window, the moonlight shining down on his features, highlighting his intense gaze.

A hint of a smile appeared on the corner of Raix’s muzzle at the words.

“Better.” Raix said. “Anyhow...we have a...ah, a vermin issue. You haven’t seen anything small or strange lurking about, have you?”

“Um…” Marius shivered a bit, his lack of clothes still all-too apparent. “I can’t say that I have. Though, I do apologize, I’m...not sure what would count as ‘small or strange.’”

“Or at least stranger than usual.” The poet grimaced at the thought of the ‘Micro-Raix clone swarm issue’ that Raigengrau incited a while back.

“Well, you’ll know.” Raix remarked. “Obnoxious little things. You won’t be able to miss them.”

Raix paused for a beat, before he lifted his left foot up, inspecting the sole of his boot. “...Whew.”

“But yes,” Raix continued. “I’m heading to the armory to aid in extermination. I just wanted to check up on you.”

“Aren’t you banned from the armory?”

“There are many places I’ve been banned from, mon cheri.”

“...Oh.”

Raix smirked. “But yes, I will return. If you hear any loud disturbances outside, that’s just me...correcting the problem.” He brushed a clawed hand through his white hair in a theatrical flourish.

At that moment, a trio of micros fled into Marius’ room unannounced and unnoticed. Raix then turned towards the door to leave, as Marius watched him.

“A-alright. Be safe, please.” Marius called after Raix.

Raix froze for a moment. The plea piercing his usual bravado.

“Rarely, am I ever safe, Marius…” Raix replied after a few seconds. “...but I will be, should it please you.” He then turned back towards Marius as he spoke.

His eyes set upon the still mostly naked poet. The blush on Raix’s own cheeks turned ruby red at the sight.

“And...uh…” Raix stammered. “In doing so, I will make you safe and-” He fumbled his words. He was not really used to handling his emotions with Marius.

He then lifted his other foot up for a moment, checking the bottom of his boot, before he let out a sigh of relief.

“...Au revoir.” He hastily exited through the door, shutting it behind him.

Marius stood there in the middle of his room. Alone again, and safely in the privacy of his own chambers, his handpaws drifted away from between his legs.

Suddenly, from outside, a barrage of loud, French curses could be heard through the oaken door.

“Putain de Merde! You are a bard! You’ve performed at the Theatre Royal even! And yet, your tongue twists at the mere sight of le petit poète in his undergarments. Que les enfers m’emportent! May all the Hells take me and-”

Raix’s self-admonishments faded away, presumably making his way down to the bowels of the academy, towards the armory.

* * *

Hiding behind the wooden stool, you finally took a moment to catch your breath.

It had been a long day. You weren’t really sure how you got here. One moment, you were sitting in front of your computer, playing the new team-based first person shooter that had just released. While you were complaining about the microtransactions that were just added into the game, your monitor went dark. Thinking your brand new screen just broke, a pair of glowing, ice-blue eyes stared at you from the black display. Suddenly, clawed hands reached out from the monitor, only to grab you and pull you through the screen.

And now, you were stuck here. In some gothic-looking castle, being chased by a furious scaly monster with a sword, a crossbow and a bad attitude. And with you now so very, very small.

At least you weren’t alone. It seemed a few others of similar stature were abducted alongside yourself. Though, it appears most of you had been separated while trying to escape. Save for two others that stuck alongside you.

It had been risky attempting to sneak by the giant dragon, even as he was in the middle of a conversation with another, but it looked like the gambit paid off.

Though, one question remained; Now what?

You and the two other micros were stuck in a moonlit room, the stone floor stretching far beyond like a vast plain, with furniture that towered over you like great monoliths. You glanced back towards the heavy, oaken door that recently closed and surmised that there was no way any of you could fit through the small gap at the bottom.

_ -BOOM- _

The floor seemed to vibrate beneath your feet, the ear-shatteringly loud noise coming from the blue-scaled dragon that was the room’s main occupant.

To put it more accurately, it was coming from his feetpaws.

Each step brought calamity, the floor quaking beneath. Your knees threatened to buckle and your legs wobbled, as you struggled to stay upright. You could make out the sight of the blue dragon’s giant clawed feet as he walked over towards the stool you and your companions were hiding behind. Four toes on each plantigrade paw. Ivory claws at the end of each digit, with cream-colored pads that were underneath the toes, sole and heel of each foot.

Your companions scattered in a panic. One ran to the far side of the room, towards the window, as steam rose from the freshly brewed tea. The other micro dove for the silver boots near the stool. You watched, dumbfounded, as the panicked micro clambered up the leather footwear, diving into the opening of the left boot. A rather interesting hiding place.

Looking up, you watched as the blue dragon (who, you caught from the earlier conversation as having the name ‘Marius’) reached the stool. He bent downwards to retrieve his neatly folded garments.

“Goodness, I really should get dressed. I feel like I have been in the nude all evening!”

You tried to cover your ears, but Marius’ words were deafeningly loud. Gritting your teeth and clenching your eyes, you waited for what felt like an eternity for the ringing inside your ears to pass.

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like your hearing would receive much respite, as Marius hummed a tune to himself while pulling a silken shirt over his head.

“♩Hmmm...Dormez-vous♩

♫ Sonnez les matines ♫

♪ Ding, dang, dong...♪”

_ He was off-key the entire time. _

Before you could contemplate as to how someone could be so off when trying to sing “Frere Jacques”, Marius lifted his leg to slide it through his black trousers, repeating the motion with his other leg.

Through sheer willpower alone (and by spreading your legs rather wide, in a ridiculous attempt to maintain balance), you had grown used to the constant tremors underfoot. The giant dragon’s toes splayed and flexed with each and every motion, the claws occasionally tapping against the stone underneath.

Marius threw on his dark-red colored vest, his emerald eyes lost deep in thought.

“I feel...like I’m forgetting something. But what?” He furrowed his brow, unaware that he wasn’t alone in the room.

“Hm...maybe if I write a bit, it’ll come to me. Monsieur...I mean…” Marius stammered, trying to self-correct himself. “...Raix will probably be a bit.” He pivoted towards his desk, leaving his coat and boots at the wooden stool.

The blue-scaled poet reached for his journal, a weathered, leatherbound tome, the cover well-worn and creased from years of constant, daily usage. Marius dipped a nearby quill in ink, awkwardly holding it alongside the journal, before he lowered himself onto the edge of his bed, leaving the book on his lap.

As Marius sat on his bed, his plantigrade paws were resting on their heels, exposed. The cream-colored heelpads of his feet pressed into the stone floor, the large sole and toepads on display for the world to see, leaving the pads to be broken up by blue-scales that were similar in color to the rest of his body.

“Where to start...it has been an interesting morning-er…” Marius chuckled to himself. “...evening.”

As you watched the dragon, you had a feeling that your situation wasn’t about to change anytime soon. Trapped, with no real way out, you didn’t want to wait hours just for a chance to leave. And judging by your own observations, you had a feeling that this Marius fellow was a bit less hostile than the first dragon you had met in this strange, new world.

You took a deep breath, before you made your way across the stone floor that stretched on and on. Your goal laid ahead at Marius’ giant self. Or well, to put it more accurately, at Marius’ feet.

“A ghost that believes in angels…” Marius’ quill scratched along the page, as he started to write. “...awakens within the dark, where angels fear to tread.”

You had begun to work up quite the sweat, the journey across Marius’ room seemingly neverending. Your legs felt leaden from the earlier escape, but now, they screamed in pain. Perhaps it was a bad idea for you to skip all those “leg days” at the gym.

“Yet, when devils rise, the light of his fire will…”

Marius clicked his tongue and sighed. “Gods, I have not written in earnest for some time. None of this rhymes at all! Father would have been ashamed…” He kept trying to write, his eyes focused.

As Marius scribbled along the page, you could see his toes clench, the pads scrunching up some, before he splayed his digits again.

You could tell you were starting to get closer, but it had been quite the effort. It felt like you were gasping for air to fill your lungs. Only a few hundred or so more steps to go and you’ll be at the base of the mountain that is Marius.

But how would you get his attention? Marius appeared to be lost within his work, his attention laser-focused on the words he wished to write.

Marius stared at the yellowed pages of his journal. “Though, Raix wouldn’t care if it rhymed. Which...my, I know he’s a bard himself, but that is _ quite _ blasphemous to think about.”

Finally, you had arrived at your destination; Marius’ bare, clawed feet. As the giant dragon attempted to work through his ‘Writer’s Block’, he lazily rocked his paws back and forth on their heels.

The first thing that hit you was his scent. His intoxicatingly sweet scent that reminded you of honeyed dark chocolate. Just filling your lungs with the stuff made your mouth water.

The horror hit you like a truck. Good god, were you smelling his paws like this? This isn’t your usual kink! Hell, you weren’t even sure what kinks you had, if you even had any at all.

...But you had to admit to yourself that Marius did smell pretty damn good.

“Though, I suppose that does add to his charm, heh.” Marius smiled awkwardly. “Raix only cares if a poem or a story moves him. Whether it rhymes or not doesn’t matter to him. He just wants to feel something.”

At this height, you were easily overshadowed by Marius’ paw. Just one step would be able to annihilate you. And you still had to somehow get his attention…

You suddenly began to recall an old cartoon that you watched as a child, featuring some giant anthro cat that was completely unaware of a small mouse nearby. The mouse was desperate for some kind of food, but it had no way to get the cat’s attention. So, it went up to the cat’s foot and started to poke the underside incessantly. Which, eventually, the cat did notice.

You figured that you might as well give it a shot. Despite forgetting the one crucial detail regarding the conclusion of the cartoon, where the cat devours the mouse after spotting it.

You took a deep breath, trying to ignore the sweet scent of the giant dragon, and you boldly stepped forward.

Marius’ toes never seemed to stop their idle movements, the poet entirely in another world as he thought about what to write, all entirely unaware of the situation below.

The sight of those digits could almost be described as hypnotizing. You could easily see the blue-scaled gaps between his toes. You tried not to think too hard about the possible foot fetish you might be developing as a result of all of this.

Stepping into the shadow of his paw, those digits now barely above your head, you were face-to-face with the cream-colored pad that made up Marius’ sole.

“What the fuck am I doing...there’s no way this will work, but I don’t know what else I can do…” You thought to yourself. Shakily, you raised your hand, as you were about to press into the pawpad…

“_ Oh!” _ Marius gasps. “I got it!”

Your entire world crashed, as Marius’ paw pressed down.

Thankfully, it wasn’t the full brunt of his weight, but that was like thinking along the lines of “getting punched in the face was better than being punched between the legs.”

The air was driven from your lungs, as your body was pinned between unyielding stone and the impossibly soft warmth of Marius’ solepad. Your head neatly fit between the toes of Marius’ foot, your face wedged deep within the gap. Each breath became a struggle, the kneading pressure of the paw ever-present on your chest.

Above, Marius was completely and utterly oblivious to the drama below. His black forked tongue wet his lips with eager anticipation, as his quill flew along the page, writing at rapid pace, not even registering the sensation underfoot.

Below, your situation had not improved much at all. Air was becoming a precious luxury that you couldn’t afford, and your bones began to ache. All the while Marius idly rocked and kneaded his foot against the floor and your body, by extension.

Each clench of his toes forced your face deeper into the wedge between his digits. You could feel yourself sink into the soft warmth of his solepad, only to feel the intense weight of what might as well have been a god above you.

“His scent…” Every breath you took filled your lungs with the sweet flavor of honey and chocolate. Your mouth watered, the smell stubbornly clinging to your throat.

You craned your head as best as you were able, lips pressed along the scales that form the gap between his toes.

You weren’t sure if you were doing this in an attempt to get his attention or if you really were developing a thing for giant dragon feet. As your tongue slipped out from between your lips, it made contact with the worn, blue scales between Marius’ toes.

The taste was amazing. The same sweet flavor as the scent that surrounded you. It was...perfect.

Marius blinked. “Merde! My tea! I forgot my tea!”

The giant dragon began to rise.

Your tongue had slipped out for another lick at that exact same moment, your thoughts muddled from newfound lust. You had completely forgotten about how precarious your current predicament was. And during that same second, you barely even had time to register the overwhelming amount of pressure against your minuscule form. The moment where your bones bent and broke apart to create impossible geometries. How your organs compressed, until every single part of your very being had popped like a grape underfoot.

Marius, so concerned for his now-cold tea, didn’t even notice you, as what was left of your form was easily scraped off by the stone floor below.

Hey, as much as you wanted to admit otherwise, you went out enjoying yourself.

* * *

“Is this your idea of a joke?”

“Um...I can explain.”

Swords. Shields. Axes. Throwing knives. Bows and crossbows. Whips of the leather, chain and razor-edged variety. Black-powder firearms. If it was capable of bodily harm, it was here, within the depths of the Leudracyte Academy armory.

The unlikely trio that had consisted of Raix, the snow leopard and the dragon had gained access, after the leopard had unlocked the heavy gate that protected the armory from more-mundane intrusions. While Raix could have easily melted the gate with his Wildfire, it would serve no good to destroy what he was looking for, or to possibly ignite the gunpowder stored within.

And now, they were all standing in front of a locked trunk.

A chest with many locks, the box wrapped in chains. The steel links irradiated the power of inscribed runes and occultic symbols that ran along the length.

A scroll of parchment was tucked between the binding chains;

“CAUTION: DO NOT OPEN (_ ESPECIALLY _ YOU, SOLHART)”

Raix slowly turned towards the snow leopard and his companion, a strained smile on the bard’s muzzle. “Oh, please do, dear! I await your answer with baited breath.”

“And I shall have you know, that I do not need oxygen! So, please. Take. Your. Time. ” Raix hissed through gritted teeth.

The dragon, standing alongside his friend, rolled his eyes. “Here we fucking go…”

“I...well...I, uh…” The leopard stammered. “I...I didn’t write that. I didn’t even lock your uh...Thorn...erm-”

“ Thornrain.” Raix spat out the name of the weapon that was presumably kept secure under more than a few locks.

“Right.” The leopard nodded. “It wasn’t even in our registers until I found it and added it to the list. P-probably is when you noticed it too.” He smiled nervously before he continued. “I asked around, and found out from some of the older students that one of the old House Durantallyn lieutenants retrieved the weapon and brought it here. They were uh…a small lizard looking fellow?”

“Kobold.” The dragon dryly cut-in.”

Raix narrowed his eyes, disgust coursing through his veins as he realized who the leopard was talking about.

“Uggggh... _Dentrarch_.” Raix growled the name like a curse. “I’m not surprised. I did lose Thornrain after our little incident in Italy.”

“Is it true that you threw him down a well filled with holy water outside The Vatican?” The dragon tilted his head, as the leopard fiddled with the keyring he kept on his person, fishing for the many keys to unlock Thornrain’s bindings.

“Oh, yes!” Raix smiled. “I was growing rather sick and tired of his constant rhymes. Bastard spoke like a witch. It was rather exhausting to listen to him-”

“That’s rather cruel of you. I’m surprised he even made it back to the academy in one piece.” The dragon didn’t blink as he delivered his admonishment.

Raix’s smile faded.

“Look, save your critiques for another time. Let’s just get this damned thing opened.”

After what felt like an eternity, the leopard had finally found all of the keys required, as both Raix and the dragon stood in a tense, uncomfortable silence.

“Alright, it’s unlocked.” The leopard shakily pulled the chains off of the chest. “Just...you’re not gonna start a war with this thing, are you?”

Raix ignored the question.

“Excellent, fantastic, merveilleux.” He shooed the leopard away with a hand, Rain now looming over the large trunk. “That will be all. Your exterminator must prepare.”

The dragon sighed, shaking his head. “Come on, let’s just get outta here. We don’t need to witness this buffoonery.” He wrapped an arm around his companion, leading the leopard out of the armory with haste.

A smirk formed on Raix’s face as he stared at the chest, speaking to it in a hushed tone.

“Ah, it’s been a few years, hasn’t it?” His clawed fingers unclasped the latches of the trunk. “But now, we’ll be reunited again, to exterminate vermin once more.”

“Just like old times.” Raix lifted the lid.

As he stared at the mighty weapon he once proudly held in his arms, his smirk twisted into a wide, wicked grin.

“_Oh, mon cheri..._you truly are a sight for sore eyes.”

* * *

The lukewarm temperature of the tea was quite pleasant, despite being left out for so long.

Your head remained above the surface of the liquid, the rest of your body submerged within the chamomile-scented drink. Although you were able to easily breathe, you couldn’t really see what was going on over the rim of the ivory and gold tea cup.

Probably for the best, considering you didn’t have to witness seeing your companion’s ignoble end underfoot.

Instead, you remained blissfully ignorant, as you enjoyed the warmth of the tea you were submerged in, the fresh scent of chamomile all around you. All appeared to be quite relaxing and peaceful. Nothing could possibly go wrong with the rest of this strange day and-

The world tremored.

The liquid was instantly disturbed, the formerly gentle ripples around you turned into terrifying tsunamis and waves of chamomile tea. You barely had time to scream as the undertow pulled you downwards.

Marius hastily picked up the teacup in his clawed hands. “It’s not hot anymore...putain.” He swore under his breath, all while missing the micro in his drink. He slowly padded back to his bed, tea in hand.

You broke the surface of the liquid with a gasp. With each motion from Marius, you were jostled around inside the cup. Your limbs flailed about, as you attempted to keep yourself afloat. A task that was very quickly becoming quite exhausting to your tiny self, all while you were preoccupied with staying above the surface to notice the giant above you.

Marius set his open journal on his lap, the feathered end of the quill idly tapping against the page he was previously writing on, the teacup in his other handpaw. “Well...cold tea is still tea. I suppose I shouldn’t let it go to waste.”

The dragon began to lift the cup to his muzzle.

Your ears were still ringing from the sheer volume of Marius’ words. The constant lapping of the waves threatened to pull you under again. You weren’t capable of any kind of logical thought at present, other than “don’t drown”.

And then, a shadow loomed over you.

You looked up, determined to unveil the culprit behind this sudden eclipse.

A blue-scaled muzzle descended from the heavens above. The nostrils appeared like two gargantuan black holes, as the dragon’s warm breath washed over your tiny body.

“Oh god…” You thought, just in complete and utter shock at the sheer size of the giant anthro dragon.

His lips pressed against the rim of the cup. And everything suddenly tilted askew, as Marius took a sip from his drink.

The waves of chamomile tea that crashed over your form now had begun to transform into a floral-scented vortex that swirled and pulled at your body. You thrashed about, as your arms paddled, your legs kicked, desperate to pull yourself away from the current of tea that was disappearing past the blue dragon’s lips.

The amount of tea within the cup began to recede. Your feet occasionally pressed against the smooth bottom of the porcelain cup.

Marius paused, slightly lowering the teacup from his snout. “Mmm…” The blue-scaled poet purred gently, as he considered the tea on his black-colored tongue. He tilted his head back, swallowing down the mouthful. “...Not bad, considering its temperature. And something...different? I’m sure I used the same batch as I always have done…”

His forked tongue snaked out to lick his lips. “But I can always appreciate a lovely surprise.” Marius gently smiled, before he lifted the teacup once more.

Meanwhile, you were exhausted and nowhere near ready for the next round. You gasped for air, your arms and legs burning with the effort of having to swim for your life in such a current.

The world tilted askew. You turned to see the blue dragon’s muzzle against the rim of the cup once again.

Slllllllllll~rp

You suddenly found the energy to keep going, pulling from the very bottom of your reserves. Adrenaline coursed through your body, as you paddled and flailed in the current of tea. Your mind raced, your panicking brain barely able to form a singular thought to completion.

_Should I scream? Would he hear me?

Need to keep breathing._

Just keep swimmin’

I should pick up some tea at the store later…

_ Come on, focus! _

It was a losing battle. You felt your legs kick against the edge of the cup. You tried to scream, to call out, to make any kind of noise to get the attention of the dragon that was about to treat you like an unwanted, yet unnoticed fly in their drink. Yet, each breath left your lungs as soon as you filled them.

Marius’ eyes were closed the entire time, the innocent blue-scaled poet ignorant to the drama playing out in his tea.

Something pressed against your legs. You didn’t turn around to see what it was, as you were so focused on your futile task. Not realizing that you were now up against Marius’ lips. The sound of him sipping his tea drowned out all thoughts.

The current pushed against you with ease, as it carried you between Marius’ lips.

The soft moonlight that had illuminated the room was fading from view, your sight of the outside world shrinking down to a narrow point that now existed between a pair of lips and ivory fangs, all surrounded by glistening, jet-black flesh.

Typically, the temperature of one’s body is normally between 97.9F and 98.6F. You really weren’t sure of what that was in Celsius, not that it mattered right now. But it was equivalent to a piping hot summer day.

As for the temperature within a dragon...well, you never really had thought about that before. But the sheer amount of heat hit you like a truck. It was difficult to catch your breath before, but now, you could barely keep down any oxygen.

Underneath you, a hot, textured surface touched your feet underneath. A surface that moved. With life. You realized with horror that it was the dragon’s forked tongue.

Before you could even begin to process that you were inside the mouth of a living creature, you were plunged into darkness, as Marius sealed his lips.

Adding “blindness” to the list of your current misfortunes, you tried to thrash, twist and turn. It didn’t matter if you couldn’t see. You didn’t have time to be tired. All you knew was that you had to keep swimming.

If you could see right now, you’d notice that the tongue underneath your body was beginning to widen in shape. The sharp canines and fangs on either side of you were growing larger and wider in size. The dangling flesh in that would be above you was most certainly not an organ located in front of the mouth, but instead, was the uvula that hung over the gullet.

It was probably a good thing that you couldn’t see that you were only hastening your descent down Marius’ throat, having been turned around towards the back of the mouth in your panicked flailings.

The current of tea that you were swimming in tilted downwards. Your face pressed against something hot, slick and unyielding. You hoped it was the inside of his lips, your delirious brain missing the fact that your body wasn’t feeling the forked tip of the tongue, but instead, was against the ebony-colored epiglottis of the giant dragon.

The opening that your head was against parted for a split-second, You expected to see light…

_ -GLRK- _

...and you found only darkness.

-Smch. Slurp-

Marius smacked his lips together, his tongue running against those same lips that you unwillingly slipped between, the dragon ever-so-unaware of the extra ingredient that was added to his tea that evening.

“I really should see if they have more of this batch in the kitchens later. This is...très délicieux.”

With the sound of his swallow, reality set in. As the muscular ring of flesh squeezed and tugged at your miniscule form, a pit in your stomach formed, just in time as you were beginning to make your descent into Marius’ own stomach. Your tea-slickened body offered no resistance as you were kneaded and massaged down the dragon’s esophagus.

A light bulge that had formed on the outside of Marius’ white-colored throat traveled down, only to disappear past his collarbone. A now-vanishing bulge that also signaled the last sign of your existence to the outside world.

Your body, battered and exhausted enough as is, barely even registered the tougher ring of muscle that was the cardiac sphincter around your form. Even as the pressure eased, you felt yourself sliding against the inner-folds of the living cavern that was Marius’ stomach.

A discordant, organic harmony filled your ears, the orchestra consisting of the constant groaning of the stomach churning, along with the drumbeat of the dragon’s heart pounding away. You tried to cover your ears, the song that heralded your demise having grown maddening, but you couldn’t escape the dirge that would follow you to your fleshy grave, within this belly that had now become your tomb.

You were submerged in a shallow pool of consumed tea and god-knows-what, a tingling sensation already beginning to set in. Your perception of reality was shattered beyond repair. You didn’t even realize that with every breath you took, your lungs would ache and spasm in pain as you tried to breathe in this toxic environment.

The tingling sensation that surrounded your body had grown in intensity to a now steady burn. The synapses in your brain fired off and faded, one-by-one, as you passed out, the gentle and innocent dragon’s stomach singing a lullaby that you would never wake from ever again.

Meanwhile, Marius swallowed down the last of his tea and set the cup down on his nightstand.

“Hmmmm…” he pondered. “The ending wasn’t nearly as sweet as the first few sips, yet still...delightful overall.”

Marius felt warm inside, as newfound inspiration began to well up inside him. He picked up the quill in his padded fingertips and he started to write.

A pressure began to build from within his body. From his depths, the sensation ascended his throat.

Marius’ eyes widened, his cheeks puffed out and-

-BURRRRRRR~RP-

The undignified belch ripped loose from Marius’ maw, the sound echoing along the walls of his private chambers.

His handpaws flew to his muzzle, covering his mouth. An intense blush formed on Marius’ face, his eyes filled with horror.

“Oh, excusez-moi!” He whispered to himself. “I...gods, I’d die of shame if I did that in front of Raix!”

Marius took a few moments to compose himself, clearing his throat, before he continued to write.

The aftertaste of chamomile tea was still present on his tongue.

* * *

“ HAHAHAHA! _ YESSSSSS! _”

Raix’s laughter drowned out the mechanical rhythm of the rotating cylinder working inside the large crossbow he carried. The weapon was borderline impractical in size, somewhere between an arbalest and a ballista. Divine talismans, scraps of arcane scripture and occult weavings dangled from all over the crossbow, as a steel cylinder cycled with each pull of the trigger.

In front of the trigger mechanism and below the cylinder, a reinforced container was filled with holy water from The Vatican itself, the rotating drum ensuring that each bolt that would be cycled through would be immersed within the liquid.

A dangerous weapon for deadly prey and one that can prove to be fatal to the wielder itself if handled improperly. Yet, for Raix, he would prefer to make a statement. One that would never be forgotten.

And yet, as he pulled the trigger with violent glee...each and every shot missed its target.

Small, tiny anthros shrieked and scrambled, running for their lives in utter terror of the trigger-happy vampire dragon with a giant crossbow.

“RUN_, MES PETITS AMIS!!_ THAT’S RIGHT, RUN! ” Raix cackled, spinning around in various directions as he launched bolt after bolt at the micros. Each and every single arrow sailing over their target and embedding themselves in the carpet below.

From a balcony above, both the snow leopard and his dragon companion watched the scene, as Raix continued his crusade against marksmanship in the foyer of the academy.

“...I don’t think he’s hit a single one yet.” The dragon sighed.

“...At least it looks like he’s having fun.” The snow leopard shrugged.

* * *

“There!” Marius shut the book of his journal with a clap. “All done! Its been a while since I’ve been able to write a poem so easily.” He smiled, proud of himself. “And I’m sure Raix should be ready by now.”

Rising to his feet, Marius padded over to the chair, where his coat and boots remained.

Unfortunately, the micro that had been hiding within Marius’ footwear this entire time still remained. He lay there, frozen, his body against the insole of the boot, the scent of honey and chocolate all around him within.

Marius reached for his coat and threw it over his shoulders, sliding his arms through the long sleeves. He then sat down on the stool in front of his boots and reached for the one that, unbeknownst to him, was alreaady carrying an occupant.

Grasping the opening, Marius lifted his foot towards the mouth of the shoe.

The micro gasped, as a shadow fell over his world. Looking up, he could barely make out the sight of a large, clawed footpaw, complete with four toes and ivory-colored pads underneath. Seeing how each toe would flex and curl, as the foot began to encroach upon his hiding place.

If he remained here, he’d be pinned underfoot. Right beneath the padded sole.

He couldn’t get out. There was no escape.

With a yelp, the micro scrambled, turning towards the toebox of the boot, crawling and flailing towards the tip of the footwear. He pressed himself up against the very tip of the toebox.

Those blue-scaled toes wriggled as they approached. What little light there was became completely snuffed out.

Marius barely noticed anything, as all the poet could think of was just how excited he was to see Raix in the library. He finished slipping on his other boot, before collecting his journal from the bed, holding it close to his chest.

The blue-scaled dragon gently opened the door and peered outside of his dormitory, his round glasses catching the moonlight of the corridor.

Empty. Save for the dust that danced in the air above the carpets and stone floors of the hallway.

He slid through the door and gently shut it behind him, as Marius walked down the familiar pathway, to the Grand Library of Leudracyte Academy.

Only to pause, as he felt a strange sensation in his left boot. Like a stubborn pebble that had found its way into his shoe.

“Oh, merde…” Marius sighed. He wiggled his toes, clenched and unclenched, flexed and splayed his digits, all in an attempt to displace the strange sensation. “I’ll just deal with it later. This evening has been delayed long enough.”

Inside the footwear, the micro had found himself underneath one of Marius’ toes, his body pinned beneath the padded digit.

He should be struggling. He should be trying to escape this situation. But as he was caught underneath the toepad, he had only one thought;

“So...soft.”

* * *

Marius turned the corner that lead towards the hallway where the library’s entrance was.

Only to crash into a figure wearing a black and gold-colored coat.

“Oof!” Marius’ large glasses tilted to a lopsided position, the sheer force of the bump almost knocking him off his feet. “Pardonnez-moi! I truly did not see-”

As he fixed his glasses, he looked up to see the exhausted face of Raix SolHart.

He looked positively wrecked. His hair was a mess, the red and blue eyes carried a weariness that made him appear as if he had been awake for a fortnight. His outfit, usually treated with pristine care, as it was the symbol of his freedom from enslavement over a century ago, was wrinkled and stained with sweat and effort. Slung over his back, was an absolutely massive crossbow, the weapon adorned with a variety of religious and occult symbols.

“M-monsieur SolHart-” Marius gasped, catching himself. “I-I mean...uh...Raix!”

Raix raised an eyebrow. “On your way to the library already, Marius?”

Marius fumbled with his journal a bit, blushing intensely. “Y-yes...I mean...I figured you were already in there. I didn’t think it’d take that long for you to handle the, er, issue.”

Raix blinked for a moment. “The...issue.” His crossbow, Thornrain, weighed heavy on his shoulders.

“Putain, you stupid fool!” Raix’s internal monologue panicked. “You went through all the trouble to get Thornrain back to deal with those little monsters! You got so excited to have it back in your hands that you completely and utterly failed to kill a single one!”

“_ Erm… _” Raix’s eyes glanced to the side, a nervous smile on his face. “Y-yes! Those little devils have all been vanquished. The ducks outside shall be safe to listen to your sonnets once again!”

Marius stared at Raix for a few moments. The poet had already known the bard for being quite the poor liar, especially in his own presence.

But...the mere mention of the ducks, the same ones that lived near the lake outside the academy…

Much like from his dream...

“Heh...hehehe…” Marius chuckled a bit. “The...the ducks…”

Raix felt a cold sweat trickle down his back. “Y-yes...heh...the uh…”

Marius could barely stifle his mirthful laughter of joy. The poet’s laughter was so loud, that it caught the attention of dozens of micros within the halls of the academy, their eyes observing the scene from the dark corners of the corridor and the rafters above, praying that they won’t catch the attention of a certain overzealous vampire dragon.

As Marius continued to laugh with joy, his journal, the poet’s most prized possession, slipped from his grasp.

Gravity soon took hold, the leatherbound book falling from Marius’ hands.

And yet, faster than the eye could blink, Raix’s hand shot out to catch the journal.

Marius gasped, the sudden speed catching him off guard and bringing an end to his amusement. “Oh!”

“Careful now.” Raix presented the worn book to Marius. “All written works contain the author’s heart. The floor is no place for such sacred words.” He flashed a smirk.

Marius blinked, looking at the journal and then Raix’s smirk. The ever-so-confident expression of a vampiric bard, an actor in a play that has never ceased production since the day he was born, long before he was turned.

“T-thank you.” He slowly reached for his journal, Marius’ claws holding the precious tome close to his chest. To his heart.

“Of course, mon cheri.” Raix nodded.

Faster than even his supernatural reflexes, the vampire’s smirk softened into a genuine smile, before sharpening into a playful grin.

“If you are ready, Marius.” Raix reached out with an open hand. “There’s so much I’d love to share with you tonight. Especially some of Wilde and Poe’s works.

Marius’ emerald-colored eyes lit up with joy. Not just for being able to spend a night with this bard that was known for being a living disaster for his foes, or for being able to share each other’s love for the written word…

...but also because he could safely bare his heart in his presence.

Much like he knew that Raix was able to show his true heart with him.

“I wouldn’t miss a night with you for the world. I think you’ll love what I wrote tonight.” Marius gazed into Raix’s mismatched eyes. “I was...so very inspired.”

He reached out with his padded handpaw, placing it in Raix’s grasp.

Secure. Safe. Cared for.

_...Loved? Truly loved? _

Raix’s hand wrapped around Marius’.

“Then, allow me to lead the way, mon petit poete.”

Hand-in-hand, Raix lead Marius to the Grand Library of Leudracyte Academy, as the many miniature souls in the rafters above watched….

Afterword

End Notes

As mentioned in the beginning notes, I have included some art of the characters mentioned in this fic that I have commissioned.

Raix SolHart (Done by https://bsky.app/profile/theorthrus.bsky.social )

Marius Phenlevaine (Done by https://bsky.app/profile/theorthrus.bsky.social )