FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

“See? I told you that would feel better,” Viina mused as she stood over the drake’s head with both forepaws firmly pressed into his shoulders. She could feel the corded muscles ever so slowly begin to soften as she pushed down and across his back in the direction of his silver scales. Their sanctuary paled in comparison to a proper massage parlour, however she had managed to make their shared dorm as intimate as possible by unscrewing the crude fluorescent light and scattered a collection of cracked amber glow sticks to light the room. Propped up on the corner, her tablet-like phone played the soothing sounds of water trickling through reeds and some sort of gentle string instrument. It was the best she could do with what she had available, and had even played extra to have an ad free music experience.

“I never doubted you,” mused Riimack with a slur in his words as he lay belly down on the two beds they had moved against one another to form one larger space. After a series of long days flying separate missions, both of their rosters finally aligned to give them some much needed time together. Together, alone in their billet, they could almost forget that they were stationed on a forward operating base if it wasn't for the occasional scream of a jet taking flight or the resonate thuds of rotor blades.

Moving down the drake's muscular back, Viina worked along the area where his dark blue wing membranes joined his scaled body. It was slow going, but she was in no rush as she helped ease the tension throughout the drake's back. Adjusting her hind legs until they bracketed his head, Viina continued until her paws were on his rump and laughed when a low resonant groan rumbled out from below her. “So you have really had no one do this?” Viina asked and felt his head move between her hind paws. Curling her neck and lifting a wing to look under her, she smiled as she saw the look of bliss on the drake's snout.

With his eyes closed and his tongue occasionally flicking out when she reached a sensitive area, Riimack leaned his head into the inside of her hind paw as a gentle gesture of thanks. “No, most of the drakes weren't really into this sort of massage,” he mused and Viina felt a sudden tension in his body and realised he was referring to his time incarcerated.

“Well, hang around with me and I'll take care of you,” Viina replied and felt him relax once more. Shifting her pressure to his right hind leg, she smirked when the drake slipped his leg out from under him and let it stretch out alongside his tail. Due to the size of their beds, there wasn't room for his entire tail to lay on the bed and instead of curling it, the drake had simply let it slide off the end. “Is it normal to feel all… melty?” Riimack asked, making the dragoness snort in amusement.

“Yes Riimy, that's normal,” she coo'd and continued to work down his thigh until reaching the first joint in his hind leg. Even though they had spent much of their time flying, their legs were not spared from fatigue as tucking them up against their bodies was still taxing over a full day's flight.

“It feels good,” Riimack mused and groaned in relief when she used both paws to try and grip around his calf muscles. Being stretched out over him, her forepaws pressed down with her weight to aid in the pressure and after slowly working down his leg, began to walk her paws back up to work on his other. Taking a series of steps with just her hind paws so that she stood over his neck, she was then able to apply more pressure with her forepaws. “Where did you learn how to do this?” He asked once she had begun on the other side of his hip.

“Oh, a ‘ness never reveals her secrets,” she replied with a smile and backed up a few inches to re-do a particularly tight group of muscles. “But this is the first time I've done this to a drake.” she added and felt more than heard him rumble in acknowledgement.

The resting drake lay content until she had made her way down to his other knee before jolting slightly, “To a drake?” Riimack asked and moved a forepaw to her ankle. Curling her neck, Viina glanced under herself once again and she saw the drake looking up towards her head with a look of genuine confusion. Before she could reply though, the drake seemed to give up on his question and began to knead his digits against her ankles to reciprocate her efforts.

“Okay, I haven't done this to a ‘ness either. You are my first,” Viina mused with a coy smile and felt him shudder with a stuffed laugh. Focusing on his hind leg, she took the time to inspect the scales for any chips or blemishes, other than a few cosmetic marks that would probably disappear when the scale shed, the drake’s scales were otherwise in good shape. “I watched a couple videos, kinda stumbled onto a how to,” Viina added nonchalantly and began to work her way back up his leg.

“Oh?” Riimack asked after a moment and curled his neck to one side so that he could look back at her. “what elsere was in this how to video?” he asked, making Viina's frill flick up to full height. “Oh?! Was it that kind of video? I didn't think we got them out here.”

“No, it wasn't like that…” Viina mused and carefully began to turn herself around over the drake so that her body stood over his. “I was looking at a scale paint tutorial and then the next video was about how to tend to your drake,” Viina explained and put a paw on his shoulder while her hind legs straddled his hips. “Trust me, the title was a bit click baity, It wasn't porn or anything. Roll over, I'll do your front,” Viina added and smirked when Riimack’s eyes widened and he glanced back at her with a growing look of embarrassment.

“Um… I'm kind of good like this,” Riimack replied too quickly to be believable.

Chuckling softly, Viina shook her head in amusement and used a forepaw to guide one of his wings closed. “It's okay Riimy, it's nothing I've haven't seen before,” she mused and lowered her head until it was just inches from his ear. “Besides, I’m not going anywhere…” she added before gently nibbling the smooth scales on the side of his neck. The contact of her teeth against his scales sent a shiver through the large drake's body, but he didn't protest and slowly began to roll over. Starting with his head, he tilted it around to bring his snout to hers and then rotated his neck, shoulders and then finally his body and hips.

Widening her stance further to give the drake room, she hummed in appreciation as Riimack pressed his lips to hers and angled her head to deepen their kiss. The sensation of his tongue pressing against hers and exploring her mouth sent a wash of warmth through her body, and before she knew it, she had placed her hind paws ahead of his muscular thighs and her forepaws onto his chest. Slowly lowering herself down, she felt his length brush against her scales but instead of angling to take him fully, she shifted her hips so that she squared down over his lap with most of her weight still on her compressed hind legs.

Parting their kiss, Viina's lips remained partially agape in a soft pant and looked down the length of drake's snout and into his brilliantly blue eyes. They weren't the same shade as the vibrant royal blue of his wings, instead they were like pools or clear weathered sky on a cloudless summer's day. Safe, warm and endless, broken only by his deep black irises that remained locked onto hers. Moving her forepaws to his muscular chest, she gently kneaded her digits against the firm muscles while leaning in to nuzzle the side of her snout against his. She could feel his length twitch against her underside and smiled when the drake let out a soft groan of enjoyment when she gently rocked her hips against him.

“You're beautiful,” murmured the drake in a low, sensual voice as he nuzzled her back. “And I'm not saying that just because of… well…” he continued and curled his neck further to press the bridge of his snout up under her jawline.

His words and affection caused the dragoness' heart to melt, and when he brought his forepaws up to her shoulders to embrace her in a secure, warm, loving hug, she failed to find her words. Instead, a soft croon or acknowledgement left her lips and her hips rotated on their own to rock her vent against the underside of his shaft. The friction was almost nonexistent as she slid effortlessly across him, aided by her own excitement and fact that his length was devoid of any barbs or harsh ridges. Instead, his length was a long, sweeping taper that started at a gentle point and then expanded to a satisfying girth, only at the base did his tool become more intimidating as the bulges of an unformed knot lay waiting to tie her to him.

Shifting her weight forwards, Viina dragged her slick vent along the full length of his shaft before lifting her hips and then pressed her lips against his in a passionate kiss while his tip lifted and brushed against her folds. They didn't rush, instead they tilted their heads and deepened their kiss until Viina needed to come up for air. His paws weren't idle as they roamed over her shoulders and he looked up at her with a hungry look in his eyes, he was content to wait, but Viina could tell that after their long week being apart, he needed this as much as she did. Taking a slow lungful of air, Viina dipped her head down and buried her head into his neck while she pushed backwards and gasped as his firm tip parted her vent. Under her, the whole drake's body jolted and the muscular drake let out delicate whine that didn't match his physical appearance. She took her time and slowly exhaled as she leaned back into him and felt him stretch her in a comforting, familiar way. Pushing all the way back until the lobes of his knot pressed against her vent, Viina paused before pining briefly as she took them as well. Lifting her head from his neck, she smiled warmly at the sight of the drake under her. His expression one of almost pained desire as he took in the sensation of her warm slick passage tightly gripping him. She could feel his pulse in his length as it twitched and throbbed deep in her core, and leaned down to kiss the side of his neck.

“We don't have to rush,” Viina said in a reassuring voice before nuzzling his cheek. “We can stay like this all day, the captain knows we need time off,” she added and felt him relax under him. Their relationship was no secret amongst their squadron, and after the rapport that Riimack had quickly established with the group of humans and dragons, no one intruded in their space without knocking.

“I don't think I can last all day–” Riimack gasped and cut himself short as his hips involuntarily rolled up to grind deep inside her. “Sorry,” he added through clenched teeth and briefly closed his eyes. “Its been a while,”

Giggling softly, Viina nuzzled into him while dragging her forepaws in a circle on his chest. “It's been what…” Viina started before her words drifted off as she counted back the days since they had been together. It was difficult to count as their rosters often had them flying at all hours of the day, leaving at dusk and only returning in the early hours of the morning when another of their flight took over. The last week had become a blur of poor sleep, eating whatever meal was being offered at the mess hall and getting on with their work. Often she had woken to find him asleep by her side, and other times she had returned back while he was asleep. The few times they had been awake together, they had been occupied with briefings and other duties on the base that had kept them apart.

“Twelve days,” Riimack groaned and flashed her a weak smile. “Technically thirteen, but I wasn't really sure what time it was last time,” he added before stroking his forepaws down her shoulders and under her wings. “So, sorry if I don't… last.”

This made Viina laugh, which in turn made the drake huff and tense under her as her vagina clamped down around his hard length and swelling knot. It wasn't a rapid process, but the gradual stretch she felt emphasised the drake's need and she briefly considered pulling off of him to delay the tie. Pouting in exaggerated sympathy, Viina tried to contain herself and lifted her head away from his neck to look down at him. “Has it really been that long?” She asked and when he nodded quickly, tilted her head in confusion. “You knew we were having today off, did you… take care of yourself before now?” She asked while trying to be delicate.

“Umm… no,” Riimack replied with a vulnerability in his voice that made it clear that he was telling the truth. “I didn't think I was allowed, you know… because we were mates…” his words drifted off as Viina's smirk grew into a wide smile. She could see the embarrassment in his eyes, and the innocence made her heart swoon and she dropped her head back down to press it under his jaw.

“Oh Riimy, you sweet, sweet innocent egg.” She coo'd before laughing and lifting her hips up so that his forming knot slipped out. “I didn't mean you couldn't enjoy yourself if you need to,” She added before going to lift kiss his throat scales, pausing only as another fit of giggles threatened to overwhelm her. “Just don't do it with someone else!” She explained and traced a series of small nibbles along his jawbone.

“Well… that would have been good to know,” Riimack said with a small scoff and whined as his hips jolted upwards to thrust on their own accord. “Well… I'm sorry then, I know you put a lot of effort into this–”

“Oh don't worry your pretty little horns,” Viina mused and lowered her chest down so that she lay atop the large drake. Feeling the pressure or his body against hers, the warmth of his scales and the way that his paws idly dragged against her scales all made her relax and press back until his knot slipped past her vent’s entrance once again. “We have all day, and this is just about us and we can take things as slow as you want.” She added and lay her head down beside his.

“Mmhmmm. Yup, we can take our time–” Riimack groaned with a slightly pained sound that made Viina grin. It was clear by his voice and the way that his paws held her tightly, that he was trying desperately to not move and was doing everything he could to ignore the sensation of being buried knot deep inside her.

“You're really that pent up, huh?, Viina asked and nuzzled his cheek when he nodded. “My poor Riimy.” She added with a soft coo and rocked her hips against his. The feeling of his shaft grinding deep inside her made her own breath hitch, and the drake's body to lurch. “What would you have done if our rosters didn't line up?” She asked, hoping that the slight change of subject might help the drake.

“I would have waited,” Riimack gasped and shifted his tail so that it coiled around hers. “Waited until we did get a chance.” He added breathlessly.

His dedication made Viina swoon and without thinking, she rewarded the drake with gentle circular motion of her hips. “You gentle drake,” she replied softly before sitting back up so that she had her forepaws braced on his chest. “But what if something happened to me? What would you do then?” She asked and watched as his eyes flicked to hers with a hint of pain.

“Don't say that. I don't want to think about that,” he added with more conviction in his voice. Realising that it was a topic that could help curve the drake's arousal, and also something that she had been meaning to ask him, she tilted her head to one side and gave him a look that said she wanted an answer. She could feel the drake's powerful lungs rise and fall in a shallow pace and could feel his pulse in her core, but still she didn't relent until the drake finally sighed and leaned his head back in defeat. “Well, up until now, I was thinking I would be a celebrant monk. You know, one or those drakes that doesn't do this. Because we are mates, and I thought I couldn't.” He explained with a small smile.

“You mean a celibate monk, not a celebrant.” Viina teased as her heart warmed and she shifted her paws to behind his shoulders. Lowering herself back down into a hug, she crooned as the drake's paws wrapped around her and pulled her tight. Laying on top of him once again, she coiled her neck so that she could continue to lick and nibble at the underside of his exposed throat.

“That's what I said,” Riimack chuckled and hissed as his whole body twitched in an attempt to stop himself from humping. “But now? I don't know, two good options just became available!” He added and flexed both of his forepaws against her shoulders.

Snickering briefly at his joke, Viina lifted her head and waited for him to curl his neck to meet her gaze. However, the drake didn't seem capable as he looked down towards her wings and shoulders. “Riimack, I'm serious though. It's something that we should probably discuss.” Viina explained but could tell by the drake's expression that it wasn't something he was comfortable with. The relaxing music from her phone filled the silence that grew heavy in the air, it's mockingly soft and soothing tones betraying the importance of the moment between them.

“I didn't know, I like this,” Riimack started and became serious before finally looked up and held her gaze. “Before I met you, my life was… difficult. But with you? Its so much better and I don't know… I don't want to go back to how things were before,” he admitted finally, causing Viina's lips to tighten in a sympathetic smile. His words resonated in her mind and she nodded in understanding, as she knew exactly what he meant. Both of them had a troubled past before enlisting, and while the Marines wasn't exactly how she had imagined finding her mate, she wouldn't want it any other way.

“Me neither,” Viina remarked and tilted her head down to nuzzle under his jaw. Feeling that her question was at risk of souring the moment, she gently nibbled on his scales before placing a gentle kiss on his throat. “I like this too, please, forget I said anything–”

“What if it was the other way around?” Riimack asked and lifted a forepaw off or her shoulder so that he could drag the top edge of a talon across her scales in an absent minded gesture. “What would you do if something happened to me?”

Lifting her head from under his jaw, she looked down into his bright sky-blue eyes and felt her voice tighten at the idea of him not being with her. “What would you want me to do?” she asked and held his gaze even when the sounds from her phone changed slightly. The gentle noises of water and string instruments slowly shifted into a familiar piano melody. The change caused the muscles throughout her body to tighten and as she briefly broke eye contact with the drake, she noticed that their room was fading from the warm amber glow to one or a faint blue hue. Twisting her neck, the bare walls began to morph and shift as shadows of fixtures and paintings began to form, “Riimack?” She asked and whipped her head back to see the drake looking back at her with a pained expression. “What do you want? What do I do now?” She begged and squeezed her paws tightly around her mate. His body felt less firm and began to lack the comforting mass she longed to hold, pressing her head down into his neck, her breath faltered as she no longer could smell his scent, and instead the smell of clean cotton sheets filled her nostrils.

“I just want you to be happy,” Riimack's words resonated in her mind as the sounds of her alarm began to dominate her mind. The harder she tried to cling onto her dream, the faster it faded from her mind. She could have been trying to catch a fog between her claws for how futile it was and as her phone briefly paused, she inhaled deeply before letting out a groan.

Two notes into the repeating melody, Viina's head lifted out of the mass of pillows she had created. Stacked in a crescent shaped line that formed a poor imitation of her mate, the pillows were tucked tight against her chest and between her legs as she curled herself around them. Bleary eyed, Viina trying to get her bearings, and looked around the dark room. The space was familiar yet strange and caused her to frown in confusion. It was laid out like the many hotel rooms she had stayed in, but at the same time the room looked completely foreign to her. Spotting the flashing screen of her phone on the bedside table, and hearing the alarm become increasingly more insistent, she reached over and snatched up the device. Silencing her alarm, another wave of confusion washed over her as she noticed that its charging cable wasn't the dirty white she was used to and instead a braided black cable she had never seen before connected it to an equally different charger. The minor detail was quickly forgotten however as a shooting pain from between her horns caused her to hiss and scrunch her eyes closed. Shutting out the world did little to ease her pain, and as she slumped back into the bed, the movement of her head sent another sharp pain through her body. The pain was a deep throbbing ache, like a kettle drum being beaten on in a marching beat. Every half a second, more pain that blotted out almost every other thought. Her mouth felt like ash, dry and with a horrible taste clinging to the roof of her mouth. Forcing herself through the throbbing pain in her head, she squinted one eye open and looked for her harness, praying that she still had some water left in its water bladder.

The sun hadn't risen yet, but through the large balcony doors, Viina could see that the sky was a dark grey. Dawn would be soon, and she groaned at the idea of finding a good place to watch the sunrise, not because she didn't want to, but because she knew she had to see it and the pain in her head would fight her every step of the way.

Tapping at the screen of her phone, she unlocked the display and swiped to turn on the camera flash. The single point of bright white light would have made her hiss in pain if she didn't turn it away from her and shone it at the wall. Allowing the light to bounce and diffuse off of the wall, she could look across the room and make out the details without hurting her eyes and head. What struck her as odd at first, was that she was laying in an incredibly large bed. Most of the hotels she had stayed in, she had picked the cheaper single occupancy rooms, or in some cases rooms with two human single beds she could put together. However now, she was laying in a large circular bed that was large enough to have two or maybe three dragons sleep in comfort. She didn't pay it too much though as she squinted and searched the room for her harness and for something to drink. Her search was cut short, as she spotted pure heaven on the bed side table. Next to where her phone had been charging, and where the wrist holster for her phone had been folded nearly, three large, plump drink bags stood nestled against one another. Without hesitating, or questioning why they had been placed there, Viina reached out and picked one up. Using her mouth to open the spout, she greedily gulped down the liquid and hummed in enjoyment as the cool refreshing washed away the taste and dryness in her mouth. Closing her eyes as she drank, she could feel the pounding headache begin to ease with each sip of the hydrating water. Squeezing the bag tightly, she finished the bag and gasped for breath.

Slowly opening her eyes, she discovered the pain was far more tolerable now and slowly turned her head to survey more of her room. Instantly, she knew things weren't right. Towards the balcony doors, her toiletries bag was now sitting proudly atop a writing desk with her harness neatly folded across it. She always kept her bag near the bathroom, and despite her drill instructors repeated instructions, she almost never folded her harness. Not through any sort of laziness or rebellion, but unlike the heavy nylon rigs that she used to wear, the lightweight and stretchy fabric had an annoying habit of never laying across itself neatly. Yet now, she, or someone else had taken the time to fold it up into a neat triangle.

Wracking her mind back to the events of the previous evening, her memory became fuzzy after spending time with Keekzee on the rooftop garden. She remembered drinking, and enjoying it, but she couldn't remember ever leaving the rooftop and her heart skipped a beat at the idea of someone carrying her to a room. Shuffling her hind legs against the pillow that was still trapped between her thighs, she didn't feel any soreness, or any of the telltale signs that she had taken a drake. Sniffing the air however, she didn't smell any lustful scents, but could most definitely smell the fur drake's scent hanging heavily in the air. Lifting her head further, she double checked that she was alone in the bed. However she froze when she saw something in the corner of her vision that made her realise she indeed wasn't alone in the hotel room. In the reflected light of her phone, it at first looked like there was a black void in reality across the floor. A singular and irregular black mass stretched out across where the floor met the wall and spilled out across the ground like a liquid ooze. Confused at what she was seeing, she gripped her phone tightly, she angled the light so that it shone directly at the shape and realised it was Keekzee.

Nestled up against the wall and blocking the door, the drake was stretched out on his back. Tucked close to his chest, his forepaws hung limply at his wrists while his thighs were spread wide with gravity helping them hang open. Focusing her eyes, she traced down his neck to see that he had his head turned away from her and buried into the corner of the two walls. Judging by the way his chest slowly rose and fell, he was likely still asleep and hadn't been disturbed by her early morning alarm.

Not wanting to wake him, Viina angled her phone back towards the wall so that it wasn't as blinding. Checking the time, she realised she had some time to find somewhere nice to see the sunrise and slowly went about getting ready. First she collected the holster for her phone, and ever so delicately unfolded the straps, grateful that the Velcro hadn't stuck itself together too much. Pulling it snug around her foreleg, she didn't put her phone in it just yet and let it lay on her bed as a dim source of light. Taking care to be as quiet as possible, she slowly stepped off of the large bed and padded silently to where her harness had been folded. After placing it down on the ground and unfolding the garment she stepped through the leg holes and brought it up over her shoulders. Opting to not do up the zipper until she was out of the hotel room, she let the elastic harness drape over her loosely and turned around to collect the remaining water bags on her mouth. Finally, she slipped her phone into its holster, but slid it in backwards so that the phone’s light shone outwards and illuminated the room.

Stepping towards Keekzee, Viina made sure to walk on the heels of her paws and kept her talons from clicking against the marble floor. The closer she got to the drake, she began to detect subtle hints of sulfur in the air and remembered the drake mentioning he would shower in the morning. A pang of guilt swelled in her mind at the knowledge that she had slept in the drake's bed and as she looked down his length and saw that he didn't have a single pillow or cushion to rest on, she contemplated turning around and getting one of the many plush pillows from the bed. Ultimately, she chose not to, not out of any malice, but purely because she didn't want to risk waking him and having to explain why she was leaving so early. Additionally, the large drake looked completely relaxed and carefree despite sleeping on the hard floor, and she spotted his duffle back near his head that he was no longer using as a pillow.

Creeping closer to the slumbering drake, Viina came to the base of his tail and extended her neck over his stretched out tail and towards the door handle. Due to the way he was sleeping, his hind paw was dangerously close to the handle and she had to angle her snout so that the water pouches she was carrying didn't touch the drake's sensitive black paw pads or flop against the door. Nosing the door handle downwards, she pressed into the door with the bridge of her snout and paused when the door didn't move.

Of course it opened inwards, every hotel door opened inwards.

Unfortunately for Viina the opening edge of the door was right up against where his tail met his haunches and it would be impossible to open it without moving his rump. Hoping to see if she could perhaps roll the drake to one side to make room, Viina lifted her paw and phone strapped to it so she could shine the light down the length of the drake's underside. What she saw however made her frill perk up in surprise, although she quickly rationalised that it probably wasn't all that surprising. Sprawled lazily along the drake's abdomen, Keekzee's wine coloured shaft had emerged in his sleep and lay half flaccid across his soft black underfur. Even in its relaxed state, it was substantial. Starting with an almost flat tip which boasted a crown of small nubs before his length continued in an even girth for a foot and a half, the drake's shaft was broken only by a medial ring two thirds from the tip and a significant bulge within the drake's furry sheath that suggested he boasted a knot. Having his legs spread so welcoming, Viina couldn't help but notice that unlike many scaled drake's, his testicles weren't internal and instead lay nestled in his groin in the shape of a furry sack holding two baseball sized testes.

Viina didn't mean to stare, and quickly tore her attention away from the drake's exposed underside and looked up the length of his body. Judging by the way his thick barrel-like chest slowly rose and fell, he was still fast asleep and when she looked further, she saw that his head was upside down on the ground and tucked against the skirting board. Angling her phone away from the drake and back towards the door, she gave the entrance one last look up and down before giving up. Turning around herself, she made sure to keep her tail from brushing against the drake and made her way towards the balcony. If she couldn't leave via the door, she figured she might be able to climb out of the hotel room.

Using her snout, Viina drew back the floor to ceiling drapes to reveal the split balcony door. Its heavy timber frame and faded paint looked old and weathered, but in a way that made it look handsome and rustic rather than tired and neglected. Complete with ornate brass hinges and handle, the doors framed two large sheets of glass that revealed the view from the balcony. In the predawn light, it was hard to make out the details of the city, but judging by the way that the dark skyline silhouetted against the grey sky, Viina guessed that she might get a good view of the sunrise from just outside. Lifting a paw and holding the handle, she carefully turned the handle and heard the mechanism click open and went to open the door. After pushing the door open just an inch, she tensed as the hinges let out a shrill protesting whine. The sound renewed the pain that throbbed in her skull, and she hissed in agony as she whipped her head around to look back over her shoulder. Looking back towards Keekzee to see if she had disturbed him, her heart beat heavily in her chest and in time with the throbbing headache. She had thought she was in the clear as the drake lay motionless, and then tensed when Keekzee's tail lazily swept to one side and thudded against the hotel room door. She felt awkward enough that they had shared a room together, and the idea of getting caught climbing out of the balcony window made her snout scales burn. Finally after what felt like forever, the drake's hind paw twitched restlessly and he let out a long, slow exhale as he continued to sleep.

Satisfied she hadn't woken him, she gripped the door frame with one paw and tried to lift it slightly as she pushed it open once more. She had hoped that she would be able to ease the strain on the hinges and let it open more easily, but she stopped once more and tensed as it continued to creak open. In the silence of the early morning, the noise felt like it was almost deafening. It was as if the door was mocking her, or protesting her departure. Regardless how gentle and slowly she tried to open the old door, it seemed to scream back in protest. Feeling her frustration build, she half contemplated just shoving the door open in one swing to be done with it, but instead took a moment to breathe and then pressed on the other half of the door to see if it opened any quieter. Swearing under her breath as a groaning, honk-like noise came from the hinges of the second door, Viina quickly stopped it from swinging any further.

“Nnnnwhat are you doing?” A deep, sluggish whine came from across the room. Her heart sank in her chest as she looked back and saw the Keekzee blearily opening his eyes with his neck curved so he was now facing her. Albeit still on his back with his horns on the ground which meant he was looking at her while upside down. Under the reflected light cast by her phone, the drake's yellow irises appeared like pale discs as they captured as much light as possible. Before she could answer, the drake's jaw opened and his pupils narrowed and in a sudden scramble, the drake flipped over onto his side. Closing his legs and extending a wing to cover himself the drake's head whipped between looking at her and himself to make sure he wasn't revealing himself. “Gods, Viina I’m sorry—”

“Don't be,” Viina said after she used a paw to quickly snatch the water pouches from her mouth. “I didn't mean to wake you, these hinges seem to be a bit sticky,” she added and looked back towards the doors as if she hadn't seen him half erect. Although dragons didn't wear clothes like humans would, it was still considered rude to flaunt one's gentiles so openly and Viina didn't want the drake to feel any worse than he already did. “Please, go back to sleep,”

“You're not leaving, are you?” Keekzee asked with a sadness in his voice that made it clear that he didn't mean temporarily. The worry in the drake's words tugged at her heartstrings and while he was now awake and could be moved from blocking the door, she found herself not wanting to really leave the room.

“No Keekzee, just want to watch the sunrise,” Viina replied softly and pushed the door open with her shoulder. The tired hinges wailed yet another shriek in protest, but this time it was swift and over quickly as she moved the door quickly. Unlike the large rooftop garden, the balcony looked quite tight and only offered enough room for a pair of dragons to sit and enjoy the view. Additionally, the perimeter was framed by an ancient looking stone railing that would make it difficult for a dragon to land on, but wouldn't be much of an obstacle for a dragon to launch off of. Turning her head to look back towards the black drake, Viina found it hard to tell if he was still concerned or simply processing what she was saying as the dim light made his dark features almost unreadable. “I'll just be outside, sorry I woke you,” she added when he grunted in acknowledgement, the pale dragoness stepped out onto the tiled ledge.

Opting to leave the balcony door open so as to not make any more noise, Viina walked on three legs and with her drink pouches tucked against her chest, squeezed her way between the railing and the wall of the building to sit in the corner of the balcony. Looking over the edge as she made herself comfortable, she quickly realised that there wouldn't have been a safe way for her to scale the building down to the street level. The entire fascia of the building was littered in detailed geometric and patterns and sculpted arches, although none looked safe for her to grip onto and one false move would send her falling four stories down to the hard cobble stone street that ran parallel to the watery canal below. Her idea of leaving the hotel to find a good view of the sunrise was fading rapidly as she looked across the canal and towards the lightening sky. She was already in a good spot to see the sun rise behind the large church like structures across the water, as the dark outlines of its multiple domed roofs and crucifixes began to contrast against the morning sky.

Placing the drink pouches down on the stone railing, she made sure they wouldn't fall before curling her tail around herself and leaned into the corner of the hotel walk and the railing. Her head still ached, however the cool morning air seemed to help and she took the moment to close her eyes and took in the scents and sounds of the city as it began to stir. Salt and damp filled her nostrils, the scent of the lagoon stirring beneath the city, layered with the mineral tang of wet stone. Below, the canal lapped lazily and a soft, rhythmic knock of wood against wood drifted up as a boat shifted in its moorings. Farther off, the muffled rumble of a boat engine broke the stillness, then faded, leaving only the whisper of water folding over itself.

The more she relaxed, the more scents she discovered. A hint of coffee, sharp and bitter, lingered in the air from one of the many cafés that were opening their doors. Yeast and sugar from the first baker’s oven. She drew another breath and felt her headache ease, the ache dissolving into the quiet. Behind her eyelids, the world unfolded in scent and sound. From far across the water, the bells began to stir, one, then another, their tones overlapping in slow, uneven waves. They were not the joyous clanging that would be heard in the day, but a slow muted beat as if they had to be rung, yet the one who struck them knew it was a disturbance.

A sudden hiss of running water behind her made Viina open her eyes and with a tilt of her head, confirmed that the sound was coming from the hotel room. Her lips tightened as a pang of guilt pulled her mood down, she hadn't wanted to disturb the drake, but clearly he was now very much awake. Picking up one of the drink pouches, Viina fidgeted with it by squeezing it between her forepaws. The thoughtfulness of the drake taking care of her and placing the drinks beside her bed fueled her regret for making so much noise. Likewise the fact that he had made sure that she had somewhere to sleep after getting so intoxicated, and letting her sleep on the bed while selflessly sleeping on the floor all made her chest tighten in a torment of mixed emotions. She found the drake's care and attention to detail both incredibly sweet, and also painful. Not because he had done anything wrong, but because of the heavy uneasiness she felt about having a drake other than Riimack look after her. Thinking back to the events of the evening, she vaguely remembered laying on a balcony with the drake's wing over her, something that she shouldn't have done. She remembered how warm he had been, how soft his feathers had been and lush his fur had been against her scales. Laughter… she had laughed with him, joked with the drake and let her guard down. Scrunching her eyes closed, she tried to remember more of the evening and fought against the foggy haze that obscured much of the details. She had explored his wing feathers, praised him, flirted with him…

Hearing the sound of the shower continue, she knew she could leave via the hotel door and disappear out onto the streets. Run from her mistake and vanish into the city. It would be easy, far easier than facing the drake and apologising for her behaviour. However, as regret built in her mind and threatened to force her to her feet, a voice that asked a question gave her pause.

Why?

It was a simple question that tore at the back of her mind. Why should she regret it? Afterall, nothing happened. It was a friendly gesture between friends, and while she had only just met Keekzee, she needed comforting and he had done so in such a friendly and respectful way. Sure, she would have preferred it to have been Riimack holding her close, gods she wished it had been. Keekzee wasn't Riimack, and he never could be, nor did she want him to be. No one could ever replace the kind and gentle silver drake who she fought alongside, held her at night and made her feel giddy with just a smile. But was it truly replacing if he was gone and was never going to come back to her?

Like a tendril of an oily black ooze creeping through her mind, the sinister reminder that Riimack wasn't there because of her actions wormed its way to the front of her mind and burrowed its way deeper into her consciousness. However, she didn't fight the chilling feeling and instead swallowed in painful acceptance. Regardless if it was her fault or not, the answer was meaningless compared to the reality that what had happened, had happened and there wasn't any way to change that.

The certainty of the knowledge was equal parts harrowing as it was grounding. A foundation for her to accept the fact that she had enjoyed last night, or as much as she could remember. Allowing herself to relax with the large black drake by her side was something that she hadn't thought she had needed until today. Talking to him openly and honestly had been refreshing, and not at all like the sessions she had with Doctor Prin. Her therapy sessions always felt as if she was being assessed for flaws and inspected for damages that must be fixed. As aposed to Keekzee who seemed genuinely warm, kind and helpful. Not in a way that suggested she needed help, but a strong balwalk of non judgmental honesty she could open up to without any risk of pushing him away.

Looking out over the city of Venice, the sky was beginning to develop an orange hue behind the buildings, and she knew it wouldn't be long now until the sun became visible. The darkness had softened to deep blue, that in-between shade that belonged neither to night nor morning. The early morning light caught the mist that blanketed the canal like a collection of long, ghostly silver ribbons. Across the canal and towards the rising sun the clustered silhouettes of domes and bell towers were becoming more visible with every minute, rising like islands above the low fog.

The giant church stood at the center of it all, its outlines both jagged and yet graceful in an ancient way. The marble arches were washed in pale indigo, while the gilded mosaics above the great doors caught the first suggestion of dawn, turning from dull brass to the faintest whisper of gold. The air shimmered faintly where stone met sky, a thin haze of warmth beginning to collect around the highest spires.

The sky behind the structure was no longer blue but a layered tapestry of color, slow and deliberate in its unfolding. Along the horizon, a thin seam of orange pressed against the rooftops, bleeding upward into coral and rose. Higher still, the remnants of night hung on in streaks of violet deepening into gray. Wisps of cloud floated like brushstrokes, their edges tinged with fire as they caught the sun's rays.

Viina’s gaze traced the line of the Grand Canal below, its serpentine course catching the first glints of light. The fog was beginning to lift and in the stillness of the morning, water reflected the blue of old glass, and the muted bronze of the lamps that still burned along the quays. The palazzi that lined the water seemed half-awake, their facades veiled in shadow, ornate balconies and carved lions just beginning to emerge from the gloom.

As the light grew, color began to seep into the world. Terracotta roofs shifted from black to rust, marble facades drew warmth from the east, and the gilt weathervanes high above the domes trembled with faint points of brightness. Even the air seemed to change with the morning sun, turning the cold damp of night into the soft warmth of morning. Viina let the scene unfold in silence. Every surface, every edge of stone and water, caught a new shade with each passing moment. The city did not wake so much as it revealed itself and she watched in silence, still and unblinking, as Venice was painted anew beneath the first breath of dawn.

The golden glow of the sun had began to peirce through the gaps between the buildings when the sounds of Keekzee's shower stopped and after a moment's pause, changed to a dull hum that Viina mused was probably the drying vacuum that he had spoken of. Reaching a paw into her harness, Viina extracted the picture of Riimack she kept inside the chest pocket and looked down at his smiling face. His image made her chest tighten and lip shudder as she held back her emotions and forced her lips to contort into a sad smile. “So this is Venice,” she said under her breath before tearing her gaze from her mate's face to look over the city once more. “It's beautiful, isn't it?” Viina asked, knowing she wouldn't get a reply. “He’s asked me to help him out with some security work. Not that they need it, but he is being helpful.” She added before curling her tail tighter around her paws and glancing down at the photo she held between the digits of her left forepaws. “It could be good. At least a good way to travel. But I don't know what will happen when we finish in Rome. He said that he never knows where he is going next, kinda sounds familiar doesn't it,” she mused and briefly thought back to the varied missions they had flown. It was frustratingly common for missions to get cancelled, brought forwards or delayed. The uncertainty of what the day would bring was the only certainty they could count on, and now it seemed that the real world might offer something similar.

Stroking the laminated photo with the pad of one digit, she had to imagine what it would be like to touch the silver drake's smooth scales. “Keekzee is a good egg, but I don't want you to be upset, okay? I still love you Riimy, I really do, I always will–” her voice became hoarse and she snarled as she blinked back tears. A sense of self-consciousness brushed against her consciousness as she knew she was talking to no one, and the fact that it was helping her made it all the more ridiculous. Shaking her head, she inhaled sharply through her nose and let the cold morning air sting her nostrils. Holding her breath to calm her nerves, she slowly exhaled between clenched teeth. “I’m pretty sure he is looking for more than just friends. But he isn't pushy, and… I don't know,” she added under her breath while looking towards the rising sun. “Maybe in time, hell, I only just met the drake. But maybe we will see what happens– I miss you Riimack, and I am so sorry for what I did. It's just…I know we can't be… not anymore.” She continued and felt the weight in her chest heave her down as battled her emotions. Saying the words out loud felt like crashing once again, but as much as it hurt to admit it to herself, she knew she had to push through. “I promise though, I will take you everywhere, everywhere we said we would– And Reevian, I will see her. It's the least I can do after what I did. You have my word–” Viina's words choked as she heard the full hum of Keekzee's drying vacuum being turned off.

Wiping her snout with the back of her paw, and then using her paw pads to dry her eyes, she composed herself while listening to the soft clatter of Keekzee coiling up a hose or a cable of some sort. Clenching and unclenching her jaw, she looked out towards the east. As much as it had pained her to say the words outloud, hearing herself admit that she couldn't be with Riimack now felt as if her wings had caught the air after the longest dive and a hint of relief grew within her. It wasn't a joyous feeling, nor did she allow herself to welcome it, but it fortified her nerves and for the first time in the longest time, she felt ever so closer to being at peace with herself. Looking down at the picture of Riimack, she smiled weakly at his silly expression and stroked his chin once more with a digit before a gentle tapping noise startled her from her thoughts. Whipping her head around to the source, she saw Keekzee’s head emerge from within the hotel room and she recognised the tapping sound as that of his talon against the glass. The dark fur on his snout was glossier than usual and clung together in damp streaks and Viina knew that the cleaning vac hadn't been able to get all of the moisture out of his coat.

“Mind if I join you?” Keekzee asked in a quiet voice. “I’m just a little damp, and the sun–” he added and nodded towards the rising sun. Without hesitating, Viina nodded and focused on slipping the photo of Riimack back into her harness. “It is beautiful, isn't it?” Keekzee mused as he stepped out onto the balcony and sat down on his haunches.

Making sure that the photo was secure, Viina looked back up towards the sunrise and grunted in acknowledgement before something unusual in the corner of her vision made her eyes flick towards the black drake. Despite the shorter fur on his muzzle and cheeks laying smooth against his head, the rest of the drake's hairy coat was now a frizzy mess that obscured most of his curves and made him look larger, thicker, and much fluffier. Gone was the dignified and regal look of the fur drake, and instead sat a mass of wild frizz that looked like something found under a washing machine. Turning her head slowly towards him in bewildered amusement, she caught the drake's yellow eyes flick towards hers before he curled his neck back into a relaxed ‘s’ shape and continued to look out over the cityscape. “Not a word–”

“I didn't say a thing!” Viina replied with a hint of a smirk pulling at her lips. Looking him up and down, Viina could struggle to tell where the drake's leg joints were amongst the floofy ball he had become and when he curled his tail around himself defensively, he inadvertently completed the image of a fluffy mound of dragon. The only exception were his inky black feathered wings and horns, which protruded from the furball like black wafers on the side of a rich desert. The sight alone of the drake lifted her mood, and when he turned his head to look at her with a half hearted glare, she found her smirk curling into a full blown smile.

“Turns out, their vac is pretty rubbish and of course I only find that out after I shower…” Keekzee protested with a look of accepted shame. “But at least I don't smell like… Satan's tailhole, I believe you put it,” he added and looked back towards the church across the river. “I should be dry by breakfast, maybe sooner if I take a quick flight. Although, it will be pretty cold.”

Conscious that breakfast may still be for another hour or so, Viina felt guilty for waking the drake so early. “Sorry I made so much noise, I just have this thing I have to do.” She said but was dismissed with a small shake of the drake's head.

“It's fine, I needed to get up anyway,” He replied before stifling a yawn. Try as he might, it was still obvious by the way his jaw clenched and his nostrils widened. Opening her mouth to protest, Viina was given another shake of the drake's head and a wave from his paw. “Hhhhonestly, I needed a shower and I still have to read up on what we are doing today.” He explained and sat back further on his haunches as he slipped a forepaw paw under one folded wing. Extracting his tour guide booklet, the drake placed it down in front of him and opened it to a page he had marked with a small brown paper bag. It was a curious choice of bookmark, and Viina noticed that it wasn't completely empty as the pressure from the closed book had created an outline of whatever the drake kept inside. “How are you feeling after last night?” Keekzee mused as he lifted a page and flicked backwards to see if he had missed anything.

“I think I may have drunk too much,” Viina replied and nursed a water pouch in her forepaw. “Thankyou for this, not just the water, but… everything,” she added with a thankful dip of her head. Viina knew that she had done a poor job articulating her thanks, but always felt unsure of herself when thanking others. Especially when the drake had done so much for her without asking anything in return. “Although, I must say, I don't remember a lot of last night. Just that it was a good night.”

“You did drink an awful lot, almost as much as Daazuh although that drake is on a whole other level.” Keekzee chuckled and looked up from his work. “After he helped get you back here, he went back to the party to keep going–”

“He carried me?” Viina groaned, the thought of her laying unconscious over the raucous stranger sent a shiver down her spine and was only slightly put at ease when the drake shook his head.

“Oh no, I did. I hope that was okay. You fell asleep against me and I couldn't just leave you on the rooftop garden. Dazzuh just helped with the doors and may have stopped you falling off my back once or twice. You were pretty… floppy.” Keekzee explained and shrugged his wings. “I'm used to carrying people though, but the harness I wear on the slopes had straps across the back for that sort of thing as I can't always fly someone out.”

“Well… thanks,” Viina replied although her snout burned in embarrassment for being black out drunk in public. “I didn't throw up or anything did I?” she asked and breathed a sigh of relief when the drake shook his head with a small chuckle. “Good, I wouldn't want to be known as the ‘ness that made a mess of herself.”

“No, you were good. I think you needed a drink, and I really didn't mind.” Keekzee replied warmly and combed a forepaw through his furry chest absentmindedly. “How much do you remember?”

“I remember bits and pieces, you asked me if I wanted to work for you as security, right? Or did I imagine that?” Viina asked and was surprised when she felt herself being hopeful at the idea.

The black drake nodded while looking down at his booklet before pulling his head up and turning to her with a look of concern in his eyes. “I don't think you agreed to it though, did you want to? Or do you want some time to think about it?” he asked with a quickness in his voice. “You don't have to if you don't want to, it was just a thought I had–”

“Yeah?” Viina replied with an inflection in her voice that made the drake cock his head. “I mean, if that was still an option?” She continued with only a fraction more conviction. Her nervousness made her frill flatten against her neck and a pang of annoyance flash through her mind. Afterall, she was a marine, a warrior, one who had flown missions over hostile territory and engaged enemies in the air, and now she sounded like she was being invited to prom and felt giddy.

“Well yeah! That would be great!” Keekzee enthusiastically replied, his eyes lighting up and his ivory teeth revealed in a delighted smile. “It might mean that we get some funny looks from Dazzuh and Kooa, but you can always put them in time out. Being security and all that,”

Scoffing as she shook her head with a renewed smile, Viina found the idea of telling the fully grown pair to sit in a corner surprisingly appealing. “I could, could I?”

“You're head of security, you can do whatever you want! Who's going to stop you?” Keekzee joked and extended a folded wing to give her a playful nudge. “I do ask though that you don't kick them off the tour. The reviews are everything afterall.”

“Head of security? Did I just get a promotion did I?” Viina asked and was met with a shrug from the drake. “I like that, head of security. Even if it is until Rome,” she added and tried not to let her voice sink at the thought of parting ways at the end of the tour.

Try as she might, her words had an effect on the drake who turned more to face her. “Does it have to just be until Rome?” He asked and looked at her with a lopsided smile. With his fur still ragged and fluffy, he looked almost comical, but Viina kept herself composed. “If you want a job, like for real. I could ask the company.”

Viina's expression warmed at the drake's attempts to help her further. “Keekzee, I appreciate that but I don't think they would believe you need security for every tour. People would start to think Europe wasn't safe.” She explained, although a small part of her liked the idea of being paid to see more of Europe with someone like Keekzee as a guide. “And I really don't think I could actually do the whole tour guide thing,”

“I don't know, Viina, I reckon you could.” Keekzee mused and looked down at his booklet before lifting it up and placing it between them. “Like I said last night, this book does the heavy lifting and I'm not quitting any time soon. So you could be my assistant.” Keekzee explained with building enthusiasm.

Looking down at the booklet, Viina read a few lines on what was expected for the day. Unlike many of the mission briefings she had reviewed, this seemed a lot more prescriptive and detailed. Occasionally in the margins of the text, someone had scribbled extra notes of things to watch out for and it became increasingly clear that this book was more of a collaborative piece from the many tour guides who had done this trip before her. Scanning down the page, she used a paw to move the brown paper bag that Keekzee had used as a bookmark to the other side of the booklet to continue reading. “Maybe I'll just stick with security for now, besides, there are probably a few things like visas and background checks to do before I could actually be employed, right? Like, I'm guessing there is an induction or paperwork I would have to do, a hiring manager or something?” She asked and looked up when the drake didn't answer her right away. “Right?”

The deep throated chuckle from Keekzee made her frown and tilt her head in confusion. “I think you overestimate how organised this company is. I sent them an email asking if they had any jobs and was sent back a welcome kit. We might need to work on your visa because I'm guessing that's a tourist one. But my old boss could probably help, her family has a long history of helping dragons get legal bits and pieces squared away.” Keekzee added and shrugged his wings. “How about we see how it goes? You can let me know by the time we get to Rome and if you want to keep with it, I’ll make some calls.” He added in a clear attempt to make it sound like he wasn't pressuring her. It was yet another kind gesture and she couldn't help but feel valued that the drake would do all of this for her.

“Alright, I'll let you know. Thanks Keekzee.” she replied and gripped one half of the booklet to pass it back over to him so he could study. In doing so however, the small brown paper bag slipped out and landed on her paw with a soft thud. “Oh–”

“Oh, that's for you,” Keekzee said at the same time. “I wanted to give it to you for helping.” He added and dipped his head in a small bow.

Viina looked at him skeptically as he looked down and focused on his book as if the gift was a token gesture and inconsequential. Picking up the small bag with a forepaw and sitting further back on her haunches, she squeezed the contents with her digits to see if she could work out what it was. It felt quite thin and flat, yet clinked slightly as she moved it. “What is it?”

“Open it, it's for you. Think of it as a signing bonus!” Keekzee replied and glanced across to her to try and gauge her reaction.

Truth be told, Viina didn't know how to feel, laydays were almost always a solemn day growing up, and hatch days passed without much fanfare. The only gifts she had ever received were during Christmas and even then it was usually just fresh eggs from her neighbours chickens.

Using a talon to separate the top of the bag, Viina tilted it upside down and let the contents fall into her paw. Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she looked down at the black leather square that was only just smaller than her pawpad. With a brass rivet in the corner that a similarly coloured ring wove through, it was clearly a keyring. However, when she curled her toes to turn it over, her breath hitched and her emotions threatened to show. Sewn into the leather with golden threads, yellow dyed diamonds of leather had been sewn into the keyring to create an array of sunflowers on a lavender colored leather backdrop that made it look like the morning sky. Even the placement of the brass rivet reminded Viina of the sun rising and the morning that she had met Keekzee.

“Keekzee, I–” Viina tried but her voice became uncooperative and she was forced to swallow past a growing lump of emotions in her throat. “Where did you–?” She tried to ask but had to sniff quickly to stop herself from crying.

“I found it in the markets, do you like it?” Keekzee asked as he turned to give her his entire attention. Nodding quickly, Viina didn't trust herself to speak and tried to give the drake a smile of approval. “Here, pass us your harness, I'll put it on for you.” He added and extended a paw. “I noticed one the pull on your zipper was pretty worn, and you said you don't like to carry trinkets. So I hope this will help.”

With trembling paws, Viina slipped her harness off her shoulders and stepped out of the leg holes before passing it over to the black drake. “It's beautiful Keekzee,” she croaked and cleared her throat. “How much do I owe you?”

“Nothing, it's a gift,” Keekzee replied as he navigated her harness to hold it by its zipper. Taking the keyring back off of her, he used a talon to separate the coiled ring that would normally be used to hold keys and sipped it through the end of her zipper. With a twist of his wrist, he wormed the rest of the ring through the opening and then gave it a small tug to make sure it was secure. “I saw it in the markets and thought you would like it,” he added, making Viina cock her head.

“Wait, as a signing bonus. Were you going to offer me a job back then? You made it sound like something you just thought of last night,” Viina asked and was relieved when the drake simply shrugged his wings. She had expected him to become sheepish as if sprung, but instead he seemed so genuinely nonchalant about her question. “What if I said no?”

“Well, I was going to give it to you as a parting gift. But as a signing bonus is better,” he explained and flashed her a smile as he passed her back her harness. “There you go, one easy to pull zipper.”

Taking the harness from the drake, Viina stepped through the leg holes before pulling it up her front and tossing the top half over her shoulders. Sitting back on her haunches, Viina gripped the two halves of the elastic material and hooked the start of the zipper together. True to the dragon's word, it was much easier to hold the palm sized key ring than the original zipper pull, and with a gentle tug the two halves came together without any fuss. “That is easier,” Viina remarked, still unsure exactly what to say. Curling her neck, she looked back at the neck of her black harness and rolled her shoulders to make the keyring sway. With her harness being made to look sleek and hug her form in a sophisticated yet athletic way, the dark fabric made the coloured sunflowers pop on the keyring and she found herself admiring the small gift once again.

“Watch out, I've seen that look before…” Keekzee started and looked back at his book when she whipped her head around. “That's the look of someone about to start a snowglobe collection,” he teased and glanced towards her with a playfulness in his eyes that made her frill flick up.

“I’m…” Viina started but found her rebuttal die in her throat. Her harness only had one zip, but she was already thinking of her toiletries bag and perhaps a collection of keyrings would be nice to have. They were small and light, which wouldn't inconvenience her even if she didn't have keys to put on them. “Okay, maybe…” she conceded and shook her head when the drake laughed. “What have you done?”

“Yup, I've created a hoarding monster,” Keekzee replied with joyful sarcasm. Flicking her tail around to swat at the drake's foreleg, the gesture made the fluffy black drake laugh a deep, genuine laugh. “Hey, there are worse things to hoard, especially if you are travelling as much as I am,” he added and Viina wasn't completely sure if he was trying to gauge her thoughts of joining him, or simply just remarking on her future travels alone. However, before she could think about what he meant, a gentle bell tolled out from across the city. “Oh, it's breakfast time,” the drake added with an enthusiasm that made her shake her head in amusement.

“Well, I should probably have a shower before then. I still feel a little gross from drinking that much,” Viina mused and shuffled her wing arms under her harness.

“I'll meet you down there then, I'll try and fly the rest of this damp off.” He replied and partially lifted his wings to take off from the balcony. “And because I don't have a little helper to brush me, I'll have to make do with the wind,” he added with a toothy grin.

“Well I ain't gonna do it,” Viina retorted with a nod towards the open air. “And if I decide to be your assistant, don't expect me to either,” she joked and laughed when the drake pouted dramatically. She knew he wasn't implying that he wanted her too, but the friendly banter reminded her of the comradery of her old squad. Watching as the drake rose to his feet, her eyes naturally drifted to the overly frizzy coat of the drake and she tried hard not to laugh at how ridiculous he looked.

“Gah, you saw right through my ruse!” Keekzee countered while ruffling his wings and placing a paw on the hand rail that framed the balcony. “Not even a little comb?” He asked with mock hopefulness in his voice that made Viina giggle.

“Nope! You're a big strong boy, you can brush yourself,” Viina replied and nodded towards the city skyline. “Now shoo, this ‘ness needs a shower.” she added and shook her head in amusement when the drake puffed his chest out.

“Tall, dark, handsome, sweet and now strong!” Keekzee replied and mantled his wings before looking back at her with an attempt at a serious expression. “I’m sorry Viina, but I'm sort of your boss now. It just wouldn't be appropriate,” he added as his smile betrayed his tone.

“That isn't what I meant!” Viina exclaimed while her frill perked up suddenly and her blood ran hot.

“Good! Just because I shared my bed with you, I don't want you getting the wrong impression–”

“Oh my god!” Viina cried with an exasperated smile. “Please don't ever say it like that!” She added and shook her head in disbelief as the drake chuckled with a cheeky expression that made it impossible to take him seriously, especially when combined with his fluffy appearance. “Besides, you're a four, the difference is just too great between us.”

“Yup, it's just not meant to be,” Keekzee said and pretended to look crestfallen. While their banter was drifting close to flirting, the drake's playfulness made it clear that he was just joking and put her mind at ease. “But real talk, now that you are security, there is something you are gonna have to promise me, okay?” he added as he readied himself to take flight. It was hard to see his muscles bunching up in his hind quarters as he crouched closer to the handrail and loaded up his hind legs to launch himself off of the balcony, but his body dipped down and his fore paws gripped the hand rail tightly. “You can't be stealing towels anymore, okay? The days of the Viina the linen larcenist are over–” His words were cut short as Viina lunged at him to give his side a playful swat with her forepaws and he took to the sky.

Catching nothing but air with her friendly strike, Viina was momentarily surprised at how quickly the large fluffy drake had surged away from her. His merry laughter broke the morning calm as he fell a few feet from the edge and then extended his large wings and heaved them downwards. With a muted snap, the feathered limbs caught the air and carried him out across the canal and over the ancient city. Viina watched him for a moment until he began to beat his wings in quick succession and climbed higher and higher. Considering his size, he climbed surprisingly gracefully and effortlessly. Every stroke of his wings brought with it no unneeded movement and as he pitched upwards, Viina lost sight of him as he disappeared into the sun's bright light.

---

“Well… that's a development…” Viina muttered under her breath with a refrained smile as she looked into the ballroom at the tangle of wings, tails and frills on the stage that still sported the karaoke machine. Its lights were still flashing, even though someone had stopped the music and placed the microphone on top. Sniffing the air, Viina smelt the telltale scents of a carnal activity and could do nothing to stop her frill from rising to full height as she looked between Kooa and Daazuh who now slept in each other's embrace.

A flurry of hushed Italian broke out beside her, and she turned to see Keekzee nodding his head sympathetically while a man in a crisp waistcoat talked at him with a stern expression. Every sentence was punctuated by the man gesturing either towards the black drake, the general direction of the rooms and the two drakes on stage. Viina didn't know any of the words that were being said, but grasped the meaning very clearly. Looking back towards Kooa, the corners of Viina's lips curled into a smile as she looked at the blissful expression on the aquatic drake's snout. Nestled under the larger drake's wing, with Dazzah's forepaws wrapped around his chest and hind legs tangled around his, Kooa was almost completely consumed in the other drake's passionate hug. Even his tail was intertwined with the other drake's in a gesture that was far more intimate than that between friends.

“Provvederò immediatamente a far intervenire la mia responsabile della sicurezza, Viina, affinché gestisca personalmente la situazione.

La ringrazio per avermelo segnalato e per la sua cortese comprensione.” Keekzee replied to the man when he paused to draw breath. The mention of her name caused Viina to quickly turn her head to look at the drake and watched as he slipped a paw into his harness and extracted a folded bill to give to the man.

Shaking his head in fuming frustration, the man had no reservations about taking the money from the drake and gestured with his hand towards the pair of cuddling drakes and gave a final word of disapproval. Spinning on his heels, he left the black drake who turned to pad towards Viina.

“What did I do?” Viina asked and was met with a knowing smirk from the drake. Unlike before, his black fur now lay close to his body, albeit much more glossy and bounced with each step.

“Oh nothing… yet,” Keekzee mused as he came beside her and nodded towards the pair of sleeping drakes. “That was the night manager of the hotel. Apparently our guests got quite inebriated last night and decided to make their own entertainment once everyone had turned in.” Keekzee added while shuffling his wings against his sides. “He said he had no issues with guests getting busy in the rooms, but this room is used to serve food and… well we do have children on this tour. Thankfully everyone had gone to their rooms by the time anything nasty happened. So, I told them that my head of security would deal with them. That seemed to smooth it over.”