FSE

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Glancing briefly at the screen of her computer before looking down at her notes, Doctor Prin hastily brought herself up to speed, all while holding herself with an air of professionalism. “Well… I must say, when I saw your name on my schedule, I was quite surprised,” she said and looked back up to focus on the dragoness. “And if I'm honest, I was a little worried. This time of year can be quite challenging for my patients,” she added while studying the dragoness' features for any sign of distress.

The days leading up to Christmas were always a chaotic time, with the stresses of the season compounding with conflicting commitments and family drama. Her schedule had been a mess, with a mix of patients cancelling at the last minute because they had been invited by friends or family to events, and others who desperately needed to speak to her and seek guidance. After all, a season meant to bring family together was often a painful time of year for those without anyone to be with. Her afternoon had looked like it would have a short ten-minute break before the receptionist team had slotted in the dragoness for what was described as an urgent session. Adjusting her glasses as she saw the dragoness fidget with her paws, she doubted that ten minutes would truly be enough to help her, especially after how long it had been since their last session.

“Oh, I wouldn't worry about me, doc. I'm doing just fine,” Viina smiled while looking around herself absentmindedly. Despite her nonchalant tone, the dragoness' paws weren't idle and picked at the stitching of the leather digitless gloves that she wore on each paw. They looked worn, and what was once a padded sole to help protect her paw had been eroded down to not much more than a quarter-inch-thick pad.

Leaning back in her chair, the doctor made sure not to focus on the dragoness' eyes and instead scanned down the harness she wore. Gone was the thin elastic activewear-styled harness that hid her wings; instead, the dragoness wore a more traditional leather-strapped harness that would have left her broken wings exposed if it wasn't for a section of pale silk stitched between the shoulder and rump straps. Close up, the doctor could see the bulges of the dragoness’ wing arms; however, with the collection of pouches and bags that bulked out her rig, she could almost pass as a wingless dragoness when viewed from a few paces away. Curiously, none of the pouches had the traditional buckle-like clasp that was more accommodating for a dragon's paw, and instead each one used a zipper to seal its contents and sported a small keyring. No two of them were the same, and many looked worn from where the dragoness had tugged on them to open the pouch.

“It's my job to worry, Viina,” Doctor Prin smiled and held her pen a hair’s breadth away from the page. “And after all these years, I wasn't sure if I would ever see you again,” she added and noticed the dragoness stifle a small scoff. “You're not the first patient who has stopped attending their sessions and responding to my emails. Most of the time it's because they feel they don't need it. But when I saw your name, well… I thought you might be in crisis. So forgive an ol’ girl for worrying.”

The dragoness didn't seem to take any offence at this and simply nodded in understanding. “No, nothing like that. I’m doing just fine. I've just been busy, that's all,” she added before looking at her with an expression that was a mixture of pride and uncertainty.

“Oh? Care to tell me about it?” Doctor Prin started and looked down at her notebook. It had been so very long since she had scribbled her chicken scratch that she almost struggled to read what she had written. “Last time we spoke, you were in… Denmark, and you weren't doing things in order anymore.”

Glancing up to see if the dragoness showed any signs of regret, she caught a glimpse of a sad smile on the dragoness' features before Viina coiled her neck back and shielded her expression. “Has it really been that long?” Viina asked rhetorically before shaking her head. “No, I stopped visiting the countries in order… it just wasn't practical. We sort of go where they tell us. But I've done them all.”

The smallest slip in the dragoness' words caused the doctor to scribble a quick ‘we’ with her pen, but she continued with the dragoness' choice of conversation. “Oh really? You've visited all the countries in Europe?”

“Yup, every single one,” Viina said with a hint of pride in her voice. “Even the boring ones.” She added this while using a paw to adjust the tension in her shoulder strap. It was a tell the doctor knew well, as many dragons struggled to keep still when uncomfortable or feeling pressured. Scanning back through her notes, the doctor saw an unanswered shorthand question she had written and circled to emphasise her point: ‘What happens when seen everything?’.

“That's impressive! I don't think there are many people who could say they've done that,” she started with perhaps an obvious attempt to bolster the dragoness' self-esteem. Judging by the dragoness’ reaction, Viina had seen through to her attempt, she changed tactics to something more casual. “What was your favourite?”

Chuckling and rolling her eyes with a smile, the dragoness didn't seem to be caught off guard and instead bobbed her head ever so slightly. “I think there has been a guest on every tour who has asked me that exact question,” she said with an amused yet somewhat defeated tone. “I like them all for different reasons. Spain is truly beautiful, especially the south. The pale buildings and the blue water are spectacular, and their wine is really good, but it's so often overshadowed by France, which is also pretty incredible to visit in the fall. But Italy will always hold a special place for me. The food, the sun… it's just really hard to beat that.”

Writing ‘Italy’ under ‘we’, the doctor was already organising her thoughts and connections to help her in future sessions. Looking up from her notes with a smile, the doctor crossed one leg over the other to rest her notepad on her knees. “You know, as I was shoveling my car out this morning, I was thinking I could do with a break. Somewhere where my knees don't feel like they are freezing solid would be good. Care to be my guide?” she asked, keeping their conversation casual while also probing to see where she stood in the dragoness' comfort zone.

To her surprise, Viina simply smiled a lopsided mischievous smirk. “Be careful what you wish for, doc. That would mean I get to tell you what to do and boss you around for a change,” she said as her frill lifted to full height. “Are you sure you want that?” she added, and her smile grew as she tilted her head.

“Oh Viina, do you think that's what I do?” the doctor replied while pretending to take notes. The simple act of the pen dragging close to the page made the dragoness' smile waver and helped confirm her suspicions. Viina was still looking at deflecting questions rather than answering them directly, a trait she used when uncomfortable. Whether it was because of the request or simply their relationship was still yet to be seen, but the doctor persisted regardless. “Remember, Viina, I mostly deal with dragons. I can’t make them do anything they don't already want to do themselves.”

“Yes, but you are quite good at getting people to want to do things, aren't you?” Viina replied, making the doctor chuckle. She said it in a way that made it clear it wasn't an accusation, but more of a pointed observation. But before she could reply, asking for proof and guiding the dragoness toward some of the objectives they had been working on, the dragoness tilted her head. “And you didn't answer the question. Would you really want to be bossed around by me?”

“Oh, I think it would be refreshing to be bossed around for a change. As long as you told me stories of the land and we visited some good restaurants…” Doctor Prin explained before leaning back in her chair and smiling at the dragoness. “I think I could hold my tongue.”

“Then hit me up. I make no promises that you will get me, but I will see what I can do,” Viina replied with a surprising warmth in her voice. It sounded genuine and filled the doctor with hope that the dragoness had indeed been making good progress since the last time they had spoken over video conference.

“I’d like that, seeing you do what you do best,” she replied before looking down at her notes and then at the corner of her computer's screen. Their time was short, and she hadn't even gotten to the root cause of why the dragon had needed such a last-minute booking. Of course she could outright ask, but the dragoness had a tendency to become defensive, and she wanted to ease her way into the reason as much as possible. “Last time we spoke, you were an assistant tour guide. Is that still the case, or are you leading tours?”

“Well… that kind of depends. You see, we alternate, Keekzee and I, as it really depends on the guests. If they are mostly English-speaking, I take point. But if they are more comfortable with another, Keekzee usually runs the show and I back him up,” the dragoness explained with a hint of pride in her voice. “I am trying to learn the languages, but because we go to so many different places, it's hard to focus on learning just one. Keekzee is trying to teach me, but most nights we are pretty exhausted from herding cats.”

Dotting her pen against the word ‘we’, Doctor Prin tried to read the dragoness' expression, but Viina was talking so casually about the drake that she couldn't deduce how important he was. “Keekzee, huh?” she asked, her gaze focusing on the dragoness' eyes as she briefly looked away. “How is that going?”

“I don't know what you mean,” Viina replied, returning to fidgeting with her gloves. When the woman continued to look expectantly at her, a small knowing smile began to creep onto the dragoness' snout.

“Oh, I think you know what I mean, Viina. It's been, what, eight? nine? years now?” the woman asked while flicking back through her notes. “Is he just a colleague or…?” she added, letting the words hang in the air like an extended hand. Watching the dragoness, she read her expression like an open book. The fact that her tail twitched yet didn't curl around her paws was a good sign that she wasn't being defensive. The way her frill dropped half an inch and her nostrils flared indicated that the dragoness wasn't surprised she would ask such a question.

“According to our company's file, we have been mates all along. That was the easiest way for us to stay together on tours. They were happy with that, as I think it meant it's less likely for someone to suddenly quit,” Viina replied, but Doctor Prin continued to look at her expectantly. Waggling her pen between her fingers, she showed the dragoness that she wasn't writing that down and was still waiting for the actual answer to her question. Over the course of a dozen seconds that dragged out to feel like minutes, the dragoness eventually looked away and her snout wrinkled for only a moment. “I still miss him,” Viina added softly, her frill flattening down against her neck. “Riimack, I mean… no one will ever replace him… but…” she continued, and the doctor could hear the pain in her voice resurfacing.

“But?” she asked softly, making a show of placing her pen down on her book to focus exclusively on what the dragoness had to say.

“But Keekzee and I are more than just colleagues,” Viina admitted, her eyes briefly darting to the doctor's as if trying to gauge her reaction. “We have been for a few years now, and well… it's kind of nice,” she added before focusing on her glove again. Laying down on the cushion she had chosen for their session, the dragoness fidgeted with the zipper that ran down the upper edge of her paw, slowly unzipping it an inch before sealing it back up again.

“What makes it nice?” Doctor Prin asked softly, without judgement in her voice. Her question lingered as the dragoness continued to toy with her gloves, before her whole body jolted slightly with a small snort of amusement.

“Keekzee,” she replied with a hint of a playful smile. Lifting her head skywards, the dragoness inhaled deeply and held her breath before continuing. “I don't know, he really cares for me. He is great to be around and… well, when everyone I know is gone after a week or so, it's nice to have someone constant. You know what I mean? He knows about Riimack, about the crash and the shit I've been through. And he wants to help, but not in a pushy way. Does that make sense?” she asked, and when the doctor nodded in encouragement, she continued. “He is sweet, funny and a real gentle drake. Never once did he think I was broken—”

“You're not broken, Viina,” she interrupted quickly, but was dismissed by a wave of the dragon's paw.

“You don't count, sorry,” Viina countered before shaking her head softly. “It's your job to be like that, but I'm talking about those on the street, the people that aren’t therapists. The looks, the questions… Keekzee, he… he never thought of me as any less. Hell, he has admitted he prefers wingless ‘nesses. So I don't know… I guess we make a good match.”

Smiling as she reclined in her chair, the doctor scribbled a note to send some information on self-image and affirmations, which she knew the dragoness would likely ignore. “People do have a habit of seeing our flaws before anything else. But you are still here and doing brilliantly by the looks of it, so I think you can ignore the glances of a few judgy pricks, right?” she offered, and caught a smirk from the dragoness at her unprofessionalism. “So, Viina and Keekzee, huh? A… few… years…” she added while taking notes. “Are you two sexually active?” she asked without looking up from her notes. However, when the dragoness recoiled and looked at her with a wide-eyed expression, she quickly clarified. “It’s a big step! Not just in a relationship, but also for you.”

“Yeah, I get that, but you make it sound like I'm lifting my tail all the time.”

“Fine. You two be fucking on the regular then?” the doctor replied, and smiled as the dragoness' crimson frill shot up to full height. “Slapping scales on Sunday? Doing the ol’ hump and pump? Scaling the mountin’? Is that any better?” she added, and chuckled as the dragoness rapidly shook her head with a look of mortification on her snout.

“Please don't say it like that again!” Viina retorted and sat up straighter. To the doctor’s surprise, Viina's tail didn't coil around her paws, and when she continued to look expectantly, the dragoness answered her question. “It's not like we are doing it every night, but yes, we have— I mean we do. Like, not constantly, but often; really depends on the tour schedule,” she added with a mixture of shame or embarrassment in her voice.

“How did that start?” Doctor Prin asked and placed her notepad on her desk before straightening her blouse. Seeing the dragoness looking at her with an eyebrow raised, she shook her head. “I don't need details of the act, but walk me through what led to that decision.”

She waited as Viina tilted her head up slightly and looked towards the ceiling as she recalled the event. “I think it was probably our tenth or twelfth tour together. We had a shit group and a bit of a double-up. Some of the guests were meant to be on a previous tour but had cocked up their flights, so they got bundled with us. So the bus was cramped and Keekzee and I spent most of the trip breaking up stupid, petty disagreements over who should sit where,” she explained before shaking her head. “Anyway— sorry. Spain, we were in Spain. The tour finally ended and we got everyone to the airport. Both of us were pretty wrecked, and our driver knew of this little bar on the outskirts of Gibraltar. It was nice, in a cosy yet dingy sort of way. Lots of cushions, candles in jars and really good wine. The sort of place that only locals know of, and being off the clock, we could both drink. Well… we got a little buzzed and started talking honestly. He knew about Riimack and made it clear that he was open for us to be something more, but didn't want to pressure me or ruin what we had. He is a good egg like that— honest and… well…” her words drifted off before she smiled a small, nervous smile. “I wasn't exactly honest in the bar. By then I had already started to see him as more than just a work friend, but… I don't know why I lied. I told him we should just stay as friends and he was surprisingly okay with that. I was kind of expecting him to act differently but he didn't. We drank a bit more and then went back to our rooms,” she added before drawing breath and turning her head to one side to look at something to distract herself. Doctor Prin waited patiently and watched the dragoness' throat ripple with a deep swallow. “I regretted telling him we should be friends. That was what did it. I didn't sleep much and once the alcohol had worn off, I found that I hated myself for pushing such a good drake away, so I decided to fix it,” she admitted and shrugged her wing-arms, causing her harness to shuffle. “So I got up and I knocked on his door… and that's all you need to know.”

“So you took the leap, huh?” Doctor Prin asked and clasped her hands together when the dragoness nodded. “How did you feel afterwards?” she asked, studying the dragoness’ features for the truth.

“Honestly?” Viina started, tilting her head to one side. “Surprisingly… okay. I thought I would feel shitty, but I didn't. In the morning, it kinda felt good to be held by him. It helps, of course, that he is a good cuddler. He says that fur dragons instinctively cuddle for warmth, but I think he just likes it,” she added with a small chuckle. “It didn't feel like Riimack though—”

“It's good that you say that,” the woman quickly added in encouragement. “And you have made fantastic progress. I've had patients take that same leap too early and feel guilty or hate themselves afterwards, setting themselves back entire years sometimes. Others pretend it is their mate, which is often even more dangerous. Like I said, it's a big step, and you were clearly ready to make it.” She nodded as the dragoness curled her neck back a few inches in a proud ‘s’ shape. “So you two are a thing now?” she asked, deliberately avoiding the word ‘mate’ to put the ’ness at ease.

Nodding, Viina remained silent before tilting her head from side to side. “But if I'm honest though, I still carry Riimack's photo with me,” she said, looking at her for what felt like some sort of validation. “And every morning I go see the sunrise with him. Keekzee knows and calls it my special time. Although if we are staying somewhere we have been before, I try to find somewhere new to see it from. Or even from the roof of the hotel if I can.”

“Keekzee sounds like a good drake. Some might find that strange, but it's good to honour Riimack like that. As long as you are not letting it get between you and Keekzee, and are getting enough sleep, that is,” Doctor Prin warned gently and leaned to one side to collect her notepad. To many, the slim book was just a record of sessions, but to the doctor it was a tool to compartmentalize her patients and prevent their lives from overwhelming her. In reaching for Viina's book, she saw that their time had almost come to an end and she still needed to take notes before seeing her next patient. “Was there anything I can help you with? Our time is almost up, but I can see about booking you another session after Christmas Day—”

“I might need that,” Viina said and began tugging on the straps of her harness to make sure it sat tightly on her body. With a subtle glance to her wrist, the dragoness saw that her time was up and nodded. “I appreciate you being able to fit me in at such short notice, Doc. I had to come back to get my residency papers squared away.”

“Residency papers? You're emigrating?” Doctor Prin asked in genuine surprise. “Where to?”

“Technically Poland, although that is just so that I can continue to work. Keekzee's old boss is helping me out and giving me an address. However, their government wants a ton of ID, and my passport is too close to expiry to count for some reason. Then, when I tried to renew it, our government fucked it up.” She explained while she leaned forward and rose onto all fours. “Because it was issued by the corps, the passport office can't renew it unless I was still active, and because I'm not… things get fucky. Turns out ‘always a Marine’ isn't how everyone sees things,” Viina explained with a chuckle.

Placing a hand on the arm of her chair and holding her notebook with her other, Doctor Prin lifted herself up. The difference in height between her sitting and standing was almost negligible, but she stood confidently in front of the much larger dragoness. “And you're trying to get this done now? The day before Christmas?” Doctor Prin asked and looked up at Viina with a look of surprise. “You wouldn't catch me dead in the shops this time of year, let alone a government agency.”

“Oh, don't get me started. I practically spent all of yesterday in a queue with Keekzee, only to be told I needed some other piece of paper signed by the VA. If it wasn't for Grubwyrm delivering food to the building, I would have torn the whole place down,” she explained while smiling down at the doctor.

“Your dutiful mate didn't fetch you food?” Doctor Prin asked with a playful smirk. She was tempted to lift the phone on her desk and ask reception to reschedule her next appointment, as she felt like she was making some real headway with the dragoness. However, it was clear that Viina wasn't a risk to herself or others, and there was never any guarantee that her next patient was in such a stable state.

“Oh, he offered, but I needed him with me to keep me sane,” Viina explained and then glanced towards the closed door. “But… that isn't why I might need to see you again,” she added, her voice losing any sense of humour, and her frill drooped so low it collapsed to a thick red line down her neck. “I'm going to do it, to see her. Reevian, I mean.”

“Riimack's sister?” the doctor replied, more to remind herself than anything else. It had been so long since she had seen Viina she had almost forgotten that the dragoness had considered making contact with the sister of her old mate. Noticing that the dragoness’ tail flicked once and her snout angled down more when she nodded, she could tell that the dragoness felt guilty.

“I've been meaning to write to her, but work has just been so busy, and I don't know where she lives. This is the first time I've been back, so it's the only time I've been able to–”

Holding a hand up to stop the dragoness' spiral, Doctor Prin waited for her to stop, and then longer until she had taken a small breath. “Then now is the right time to do it. It's not really something that can be put in a letter anyway, is it now?” she added to soothe the dragoness, who gave a small nod. “I'm proud of you, Viina. I really am. You have grown so much… and without my help, mind you.”

“Well… thanks, I think,” Viina replied with an awkwardness that broadcasted she still wasn't used to receiving compliments.

“Do you know what you are going to say?” Doctor Prin asked, but before the dragoness could respond, a small knock came from the door to her office. “Yup, we're good,” she called back and motioned with her hand for the ‘ness to answer.

Swallowing, Viina couldn't seem to hold the woman's gaze as she scratched at her foreleg absentmindedly and looked around the office. “I’ve rehearsed it probably a million times, thinking what she would say, how she might react,” she mused before shaking her head. “I have a plan, although plans rarely survive contact with the enemy,” Viina added and refixed her gaze on the small doctor.

“They rarely do, so I guess it's a good thing she isn't the enemy then,” Doctor Prin countered and turned slightly towards the door. “You will do fine. You will have answers to many of her questions, and for that I'm sure she will be grateful,” she encouraged, earning a small smile of thanks from the dragoness. “Do you know how to find her?”

“I know where she used to work. I was going to start there and see where it takes me. I have a couple of weeks until we need to be in Paris, so I just hope that she hasn't gone away for the holidays,” Viina replied and took a half-step towards the door. There was a reluctance in her posture that made it clear she still had much more to say.

“I’ll talk to the girls on the desk and get you in for another session. You can tell me how it went, and what happened to the Viina I once knew,” she smiled and placed a hand on the door handle. Looking back at the dragoness, she chuckled at the look of confusion on her face and dipped her head in return. “I remember her as a very angry ‘ness who was twisted inside out with grief. Not this put-together, fine dragoness,” she added and opened the door halfway. That made the dragoness' frill pop halfway up and a small smile form on her snout. “Although, I have to ask. If you are here for a few weeks, any thoughts on talking to your parents about your sibling?”

“I think we are out of time,” Viina replied with a hint of coldness in her voice despite the knowing smirk she wore. Padding towards the door, she halted mid-step when the doctor closed it until it was almost sealed shut.

With her hand resting on the handle, the woman looked up at the dragoness with an expressionless face. “Oh, I can make my next patient wait if you need more time?” Doctor Prin replied and kept herself composed for just enough time to make the dragoness’ eyes widen in shock. “But maybe we should talk about it next time,” she finally relented and reopened the door once more. Returning the dragoness’ restrained, playful expression, she gestured with her hand for the dragoness to leave and then began to follow Viina down the narrow hallway that separated the waiting room from the treatment rooms.

“It was truly nice to see you again, Viina,” she started as they reached the threshold of the hallway, coming to a stop while the dragoness continued out into the waiting room. Almost every second seat or cushion was occupied, reminding the doctor that her work wasn't done. Even as the snow fell outside and the cold winds made it unwelcoming for her patients to visit, they still needed her help. She genuinely did care about the dragoness, like she did for all of her patients, but she had to say farewell and hope that she would return again or at least join her for a video session. “You take care of yourself now, Viina. And try to stay warm, it's getting pretty cold out there,” she said and nodded as the dragoness curled her neck to look back and give her a respectful bow of her head.

---

Looking back at the woman, Viina could see the honesty and care in her eyes more now than she ever had while looking at the screen of her phone. “You too, doc,” she replied thankfully and swept her gaze over the other patients before focusing on the door. So many of the patients sported missing limbs or disfiguring scars, reminding her that she wasn't alone and that, although she was forever grounded, there were many far worse off than her.

“Doctor Keenis, come on down,” Doctor Prin called out from behind Viina as she began to walk towards the exit. In the corner of her eye, Viina saw a leaf-green drake quickly put down a magazine he had been flicking through and rise to his feet. Passing with nothing more than a flicker of an acknowledging smile, Viina continued past the drake and stepped up to the automatic doors. She didn't notice any physical injuries on the drake but frowned and looked back when she processed his title. In all her travels, she had only met a few dragon doctors, and those that did practice often worked in physical therapy or other less-dexterous fields.

Her curiosity towards the drake ended as soon as the two glass doors whirred open and a rush of icy cold air washed over her. Clenching her jaw and hissing between her teeth, Viina surged forward and out into the cold. With quick strides, she moved out of range of the door sensor so that it would close as quickly as possible and spare the others inside from the winter air. The snow was falling steadily now, restricting visibility to only a few blocks and forming a two-inch layer of white over the pavement and the cars parked in the centre's small car park.

Looking to her right, Viina spotted a large black mass leaning against the wall near one of the many car parks reserved for disabled veterans. Why he had chosen to wait outside was beyond Viina as she approached, and she felt bad that Keekzee now wore a layer of white frost over his body and folded wings. “You know, you could have waited inside,” Viina started as she came within earshot.

“Nah, it was nicer out here. Besides, look,” Keekzee replied and turned his head to look over his shoulder. His yellow eyes glinted with amusement and pride, and his mouth parted slightly in a playful expression. Nodding back to between his forepaws, he invited her to come closer. “It’s a snow Viina!” he added before rising to his feet to move to one side and make room on the pavement.

It took Viina’s eyes a moment to understand what she was looking down at where the drake had been laying, but when she did, she found herself smirking. Clearly made by his large paws, the drake had created a dragon-like figure out of the snow. Its body was made up of a round, foot-long ovoid ball of snow, with smaller ball-like paws nestled on its perimeter to create the image of a dragon lounging. Sweeping around itself, a long sausage-like tail captured a content posture, and its coiled back neck balanced precariously. The neck was lopsided and looked like it could crumble at any moment, especially with the small uneven-sized pebbles he had used as her eyes. However, what made her break out into a small chuckle was the fact that he had used a crushed red soda can to create the crimson neck frill. He had even taken the time to fold parts of the crushed can over itself to create the right shape.

“Snow Viina…” Viina chuckled and looked between the statue and the drake who was clearly impressed with his accomplishment. “I love it,” she added and stepped to come beside him. Without hesitation, the drake lifted his snow-covered wing and extended it over her back. Even though he had been sitting in the cold for the entirety of her session, his body was significantly warmer than hers, and she leaned into him as he tightened his embrace.

“How did it go?”

“It went well,” Viina replied honestly and leaned her neck into his, bringing her head closer and nuzzling just under his jaw. The sensation of his thick fur against her scales soothed her nerves and caused her to let out a small croon of contentment. “I might do a follow-up session after Christmas, but we will see how we go,” she added and tilted her head so she could admire the drake’s handiwork. “No snow Keekzee?”

“Keekzee is already a snow Keekzee,” the black drake mused and reaffirmed his wing around her. “And I didn’t want to work with dirty snow,” he added, curling his neck just far enough away from her so that he could turn his head to face her. “Are you sure you want to do this today? It’s Christmas after all, we could do something you really want to do,” he asked, his powerful yellow eyes searching her face to see if she really wanted to, or perhaps to see if he could do anything to help.

“No, I want to do this… need to do this,” she corrected herself and inhaled deeply while looking across the carpark. It would still be a few hours’ walk to reach the eastern markets, as unlike their tour bus, the ones in the city weren’t the most accommodating for dragons of Keekzee’s size. Keekzee could possibly fly with her harness hooked onto his, but with the visibility limited thanks to the snow, it wasn’t ideal. “Although, all I know is that she used to live and work at the markets, and that was so long ago now. She might have moved–” she started before cutting herself off as she felt the beginning of a rising tide of anxiety swell in her mind.

Curling his neck tighter to press the tip of his snout against the bridge of hers, his warm breath ghosted her cheeks as he murmured a few words that fueled her confidence.

“If she isn’t there, then we will find her.Together.”

---

Sitting at the threshold of the centre for broken veterans, two patients not on their schedule watched on as Viina and her mate began towards the crossing. Keekzee's black wing reassuringly draped over the pale ‘ness in a way that reminded them both of a woman wearing her man's jacket for warmth. It was a heartwarming gesture and warmed the hearts of the two dragons who seemed to be unaffected by the cold snow falling all around them.

“I think it's finally going to happen,” Riimack mused, an edge of excitement lingering in his voice. The silver drake's dark blue wings shuffled nervously at his sides as he tracked the couple stepping around a frozen patch of water in the carpark and making their way towards the main road. “I didn't think this day would ever come. Viina, my sister, her mate, they are all going to finally meet!” he added with growing enthusiasm. When he glanced at his partner, the drake's smile faltered, and his eye ridges furrowed into a frown when he saw that the dragoness didn't seem to match his excitement. “What’s wrong?”

His question didn't seem to register in the orange dragoness’ mind as she continued to look in the general direction of the departing pair. “Nothing,” she lied after inhaling and flashing the silver drake a small lopsided smile. “It's been a long time coming, hasn't it?” Taalli mused and nodded in the direction of the city. “Do you think it will go okay? How do you think your sister will react?”

“I hope it goes well. She only stopped blaming Teeslah a couple of years ago. I doubt she will start blaming Vii.” Riimack explained, his nostrils momentarily flaring as he kneaded his claws against the frozen pavement. Despite his words, Taalli couldn't help but feel as if the drake wasn't so certain. “I do kind of wish she had written to Reevian first. Finding her on Christmas Eve is kind of a bit abrupt, don't you think?”

“Well…” Taalli started and tilted her head. She wanted to reassure the drake and tell him that everything would be okay, but she also didn't want to give him false hope. “Writing would have been good, but I’m not exactly the best person to give advice on these things. I don't exactly have a good track record with reunions. The last one I went to was with my father. Before that was Mike, and that didn't end very well either.” Taalli explained before tilting her head. “Reevian blamed your brother? What for?”

This question momentarily silenced the drake, and his eyes remained focused on his old mate and Keekzee. The couple had made it to a crosswalk and were waiting for the lights to change, even though traffic was almost nonexistent. “I told you that he helped me get out of prison, right?” Riimack asked, and Taalli remembered the drake explaining how his brother had put his neck out to work on shortening Riimack's time in prison in exchange for serving in the Marines. The drake hadn't talked much about his time in the prison system, but the few times he did it had sounded grim. Claustrophobic rooms, no access to the sky, and very tasteless gruel; it was no place for a young teenaged drake.

When Taalli nodded, Riimack pulled his neck back into a tense ‘s’ shape as he inhaled through his nose. Holding it for a beat, he slowly exhaled through his mouth before continuing. “Well, after… you know…” he started before clearing his throat. “Reevee was in a bad way, and she took it out on Teeslah. Thought it was his fault, and that he shouldn't have worked to get me out,” he added before clenching his jaw and curling his tail around his paws. “Practically tore the two of them apart.”

“Why am I only hearing about this now?” Taalli asked, taking a half step closer to her friend so she could lift a wing and drape it over his back. The knowledge that the drake would have been there to watch his two siblings fight, and be unable to do anything, tore at her heart. “That must have been horrible to see, I could have helped you–”

With a small shake of his head, the drake silenced her and then turned to look at her with glossy eyes. “No, you couldn't have. You were still on tour at the time,” he explained, pulling his wings tighter against his sides. “Besides, I'm a drake. Sharing my problems is a sign of weakness," he joked with a hint of a sad smile that died as quickly as it formed. Shaking his head with a small twitch, he dismissed his own remark and looked away from the orange dragoness. “By the time I could talk to you, the damage had already been done. She wouldn't talk to him, and he didn't understand why. Likewise, he isn't the kind to apologise unless he believes he has made a mistake, and he really isn't the type to start a conversation unless it's about something he is fixated on,” Riimack confided before inhaling deeply and letting out a slow, stressed sigh. “But they are back as a family together now. I just wish it hadn't had to be the marketplace bombing that did it.”

“Reevian said he was a big help to her during the investigation,” Taalli remembered from what they had overheard at her friend’s farm, where Riimack's sister had learnt more about her brother's final mission.

“He helped more than she knows,” Riimack mused and looked back towards Viina and Keekzee, who had crossed the road and had almost disappeared out of sight. He wasn't in a rush to follow them, as he already knew where they would end up, and he would be there waiting for them. “Teeslah helped with the investigation as much as he could. Being a brother of a victim meant that he couldn't get too close to things. But when Reevian woke up and explained what they'd done—what had actually happened… well, he made sure they weren't targeted again,” he added while fidgeting with his paws.

Taalli could tell that there was far more to what the drake was saying, but the truth was something that he wasn't comfortable with. “What did he do?” she asked, and was met with a passing glance from the drake's sky-blue eyes that unsettled her even more. “Riimack? What did Teeslah do?” Her question only seemed to make the drake withdraw into himself, and she withdrew her wing as he rose to all fours.

“Perhaps a story for another time,” Riimack mused before shaking his body in a full-length shiver as if the knowledge haunted him. “After all, it's Christmas. It's meant to be a happy time. Too much food, family gatherings, and gifts, right? Let's not ruin it with what my brother did,” he added, taking a few steps toward the direction Viina and Keekzee had gone. Looking back over his shoulder, he paused when he saw Taalli hadn't risen. “Coming?”

Clenching and unclenching her jaw, Taalli was torn. She thought she knew everything about her friend, and she guessed he would likely cave if she pressed him. However, there was more to her being here than just the silver drake, and she had been neglecting her duties for too long. Glancing over her shoulder toward the large building behind her, she shuffled her wings against her sides. “I might catch you up,” she promised while rising to her feet but angling her body further toward the building. “Keenis is having a session,” she added and saw the drake's head turn between her and where his mate had gone, clearly undecided if he should stay with her. “But you should go walk with them, make sure they find her okay.”

“Is everything okay?” Riimack asked, his paws rooted in place and making it clear that he was invested in her problems as much as she was in his.

Nodding automatically before pausing and shrugging, Taalli avoided the silver drake's gaze and looked up toward the sign above the building. “Probably. He comes here every two weeks. Sometimes I wonder if he is just too polite to cancel the appointment, but I like to listen to them. He is honest with Doctor Prin, and it's nice to hear how he is really going. He has Meg now, and they are really happy together,” she continued before dropping her gaze to the automatic doors and the lack of her reflection.

“What about you, are you happy?” Riimack asked softly, in a voice layered with genuine concern. It should have been a simple question, one that should have been easy to answer, yet it gave the dragoness pause.

“Are you?” Taalli countered, curling her neck to look back at the drake. She knew she hadn't answered his question, and the look the drake gave her shifted from worry to understanding. It was a silent exchange that spoke volumes to how well the drake could read her. However, when he nodded, she too could see a hint of pain in his blue eyes and relaxed her wings by her side. “Are you really?” she asked again and waited for an answer.

The drake didn't reply right away and looked toward the city, to where his brother, sister, and mate would all be. After a pause, he nodded with a sense of finality. “I will be,” he mused, looking back to Taalli with a reassuring smile. “I think today I will be. Viina has Keekzee and he is a good egg, Reevian has a family now, Teeslah… well, he was always hard to read, but I think he is doing well. So… yeah. I don't think there is anything I would rather see than all of them together.”

“You better get going then, you wouldn’t want to miss it,” Taalli said with a look of understanding, although a pang of uncertainty tugged at her chest. “If they do meet and I don’t get there in time, can I ask a favour?” Taalli asked as the drake loosened his wings to prepare to take off. “Don’t go fading out on me, not just yet. I’m not ready to go this alone, okay?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”