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"These clothes are absolutely ridiculous," Blade grumbled and tugged at the collar to his color-dyed tunic. It felt like a size too small and squeezed uncomfortably against his black and gold feathers, but what he absolutely hated were the long sleeves rubbing against his arms. The leggings he wore were also too tight for any male dragonkin his size, though most of his problems stemmed from the fact that his feathers were too fluffy. "This plan of yours better be worth it."

Akir bared a smug grin and looked Blade up and down before bumping an arm into him, teasing, "You're quite handsome, you know." They stood outside the door to a clan house, where a party for the upper-class was being held. The hot, desert sun beat down upon them. Having lived in the desert all their lives, they were used to it, but standing directly under it was quickly becoming unbearable, especially in these clothes.

Blade shoved him back and couldn't help but grin. "At least your clothes fit you. I bet they're tailored-fit and you've been hiding them all this time."

Blade's dragonkin brother wore the same type of clothes he did, except they seamlessly fit his blue and purple-scaled body. If he had to guess, Akir took his time stealing those--he probably made sure they fit before swiping them from some unsuspecting clan-member. A dark, navy-blue hooded shawl wrapped around his shoulders over a loose blue and gold tunic--the colors of the Endoral clan, from a distant southern land. Baggy, linen leggings stretched down to his open, leather-strapped shoes that were made for a dragonkin. A hole was cut specifically for his tail so its length poked out from his back. Around his waist was a sash with the Endoral emblem of a wyvern pinned in the center, holding it to his body.

"Just because I enjoy the finer things in life doesn't mean I have expensive suits hiding in my wardrobe." Akir adjusted Blade's shawl so it was straighter and checked him over. "Where are your shoes?"

Blade looked down at his bare , golden footpaws and shrugged. "Must have lost them. They wouldn't have fit, anyway."

Akir shot him that stare Blade hated, like he was being scolded. It pointed right down his purple-scaled snout and glared deep into Blade's soul. Sure, Akir was older than him by six years, but that didn't give him an excuse to boss Blade around.

"You expect to walk into this clan party without shoes? You know the dragonkin here are very pretentious, and not a single one of them would be caught dead dressed like a street-rat. The other two-leg races wear shoes too."

"Then it's a good thing I'm wearing these gaudy clothes! I am not some queer beast that wears shoes like a human," Blade whispered loudly. "Let them think what they will. We already have everything we need."

Akir rolled his eyes. "The whole point of dressing up is to make it look like we belong here. We don't want to get caught, now do we? Remember your character?"

Blade sighed and crossed his arms. "Yes, I remember the pompous ass I'm supposed to pretend to be, but this is ridicu--"

The door opened as the bodyguard from earlier stepped forward and gave Akir back his invitation. He performed a brief search for any weapons on their person and stepped aside. "You may enter."

Akir dipped his head and Blade followed behind him, keeping his head low. "Just don't draw attention until we're finished. I'll figure out where the gem is being kept, and you figure out an escape, distraction, or something for when the time comes."

As they stepped into the foyer, light, musical strings were being plucked from overhead. White, marble columns stood high above them and held a gilded ceiling with fanciful, crystal lights dangling below. Two winding staircases led to the second floor on either side of the hall. Art and decorations hung on carved walls that were etched with intrinsic designs. People were all over, chatting and drinking, and to the room on the left was a banquet hall with a long, full table of food and people--mostly humans. The majority of the colors around were red and gray of the Derah clan.

Everyone here played a role in Derah, a wealthy, mercantile organization whose territory stretched from the western coast to nearly half the desert--they were the largest clan of the desert, so most called the area the Derah Desert. The clan's capital was called Hato, where Blade and Akir grew up, and also the location of this giant party. It was far north in a milder temperament from the rest of the desert, nestled against the Rinn River.

Each guest was dressed in the finest linens and furs, coming from every region and race of the world, at least whoever Derah was allied with. It was the biggest party of the year, and everyone of importance was invited. Humans typically dominated much of the upper-class, especially in Hato, but other beast-like species added a small variety to the otherwise bland supremacy.

As Blade looked around, he felt like he could have been anywhere else in the world and not have felt as foreign as he did here. As soon as he stepped through that doorway, it was like he entered a portal to another dimension. He could have been in the snowiest, most mountainous region and felt more at home than this clan-hall. Not a single soul at this party looked like they had seen any sort of hardship once in their lives--at least from a poor man's perspective. Even the servants looked well-fed and healthy. To come from the streets of Hato to a party such as this was a drastic change. Unsettling.

Thank the gods I'm not here permanently...

He went to bump Akir and point out a funny-looking person he saw, but he was already gone. Blade caught him in the next room, sifting through the crowd of people until he disappeared from sight. With a sigh to himself, he walked around to look for the source of wine. Might as well enjoy my time here.

Blade received funny looks and curious glances as he weaved through the party. The gathering was large enough that not everyone would know each other, but seeing a new face, a dragonkin face, was oft a topic of conversation; according to what Blade overheard as he walked past, at least. But Blade wore the golden medallion at his chest, the symbol of the Derah. It was one of the requirements to attend the party as well as a hand-written invitation. While Blade was here, and to anyone that asked, his name was Den-Iniri, an emissary from Endoral in the southern, summer territories.

And yes, many of those interested looks he received often ended at his bare paws, which their faces would then contort with disgust. _Where I'm from, people don't wear shoes,_he mused to himself.

After wandering through a few different rooms, he found a table to himself in the corner where he could sip and enjoy his sweet wine--the best he'd ever tasted. He sat down and politely curled his tail around to his front so it didn't stick out from his chair. Though the conversations were loud and the music barely audible, he found his own place where he could somewhat relax while observing the party. He studied his surroundings and tried to map out the building in his head, searching for exits and places to break line-of-sight.

It was going well until a golden-scaled dragonkin noticed Blade and walked over with a smile on his snout. "May I?" he asked politely.

Blade raised his brow before realizing what was being asked of him. "O-Oh yes, of course." He lightly coughed and patted his chest at an attempt to work himself into character. "My apologies, friend. I was a bit uuhh... lost in my thoughts."

It's almost painful...

The dragonkin nodded and chuckled as he took a seat across from Blade. "I quite understand, kin. Perhaps your beverage is partly at fault! I've before found myself to lose sense of where I am, if I partake too heartily."

Blade wore a small smile and gripped his cup a little too tight. All that was required of him was to wait until Akir returned so they could make a plan, so he needed to play it cool. While we starve and struggle every day, here you are, kin, enjoying your extravagant life.

Dragonkin or not, Blade hated any noble's guts. They had it so easy and never made an attempt to improve the lives of others. Nobles were selfish and only cared about themselves, their image, and their popularity. While Blade and Akir struggled to survive, they were given a life of luxury. Most of them only inherited their wealth because of their family. Dragonkin like Blade and Akir didn't even have a family.

"From what territory do you hail? To be truthful, I do not recognize you or your hide. I'm quite familiar of the world's cultures and races, yet yours escapes me."

"I'm from the southern territory, Endoral. Even there I am a rare breed, I admit," Blade recited with a forced laugh. "I never met my parents, so I never had the opportunity to ask them!" he said more truthfully.

Even more truthfully, Blade had no idea where Endoral was except that it was south of the Derah Desert. He had no idea what the culture there was like, how the people were, or anything except that apparently dragonkin were more common there.

"My sincerest apologies, kin. My name is Callum--I am a high-council member here. I tend to make an effort to acquaint myself with kin at these gatherings," he said and offered a hand.

Blade took his hand and gave it a firm shake, though he realized it was maybe too firm for a noble. "Den-Iniri," he responded. "A pleasure." Blade could hardly believe that he, a low-life, street-bum like him, was speaking to one of the high-councilmen for the clan.

"Ah, a traditional name, I hear. I do have a peculiar question for you, Den-Iniri." He looked around and tapped his claws on the table, seemingly embarrassed. He leaned in a little closer and asked, "Would you allow me to feel your hide?"

Blade drew his head back in a curious tilt, the feathers cresting the top of his head perking a little. "I uhm... If... If you want to, I guess." For a moment, he lost sense of his character, so taken aback by such a strange request that he forgot he could deny a noble's wishes if he was a noble himself. He was used to being ordered around by nobles and obeying them unless he wanted his head removed from his body.

"Apologies, I do know it's a tad strange; however, I'm intrigued by your feathers. They belong to an akro, yet my kin wears them as his own." He held an open palm and waited for Blade to roll up his sleeve and place his arm there. Reluctantly, Blade offered his arm to be inspected.

"Oh, you carry many scars..." He noticed the nicks and cuts where feathers were missing on Blade's arm and carefully touched away from them. "Hmm, yes--quite similar. Respectfully, I do not intend to speculate, but perhaps your parents were of dragonkin and akro blood? A rare anomaly indeed, but your feathers are undoubtedly similar in every fashion while you are, in fact, a kin."

Blade shrugged his shoulders and then spotted Akir turning the corner. "I-I suppose that is probable, though I've not heard of such a thing being possible." He pulled his arm away after Callum finished inspecting him and smiled awkwardly at his brother.

"You've made a friend, Iniri?" Akir asked as he approached the table. The golden drake turned his head to the well-dressed, blue and purple dragonkin, who looked much better suited for this environment than Blade. Akir extended a hand and said, "Greetings--I am Tar-Jei, King's-Eye of Endoral."

A bright, excited smile glowed on Callum's face. "I am honored! My deepest pleasure to make your acquaintance, Tar-Jei. I am High-Councilman Callum." He turned his head and gestured to Blade. "I was speaking to Den-Iniri here of his kin."

Why does he get the cool title? And why does he seem to fit it perfectly? Blade wondered as he watched the two of them interact. Akir didn't miss a step in his character; he even held himself higher, straighter with his shoulders cocked back, like he was born and raised a noble. It made Blade's stomach twist.

"Ah, yes, my friend tends to receive a considerable amount of interest for his beautiful hide." He laughed warmly and said, "Wherever I take him, he quickly becomes the center of attention!"

Callum chuckled with him and nodded. "He certainly caught my eye in an instant. How are you enjoying the party?" he asked Akir, seeming to be genuinely interested. "I am proud to call this hall my own, and I sincerely hope it suits you well."

Blade sat back and drank his wine while the two of them talked on and on for quite some time. He had no idea how Akir could keep up such a clever façade for so long. Unlike Blade, he definitely did some research on his character, the identity he stole. The real Tar-Jei was still in Endoral, far, far away from Hato; he had never received the invitation to the celebration.

Boredom quickly overtook Blade as the conversation turned to politics. Akir had grabbed a glass of wine for each of them--Blade's second now--and sat down to talk with Callum for a while longer. Other guests occasionally approached them, mostly other dragonkin, but their conversations rarely reached Blade. Most of it went over his head, anyway.

Aren't we supposed to be stealing a gem? Blade thought as he picked at the wooden table with his claws.

The evening wore on until night had settled. It was late and most of the guests were beginning to depart, so Blade wondered if they were ever going to initiate their plan or not. Akir seemed too enraptured in Callum, and Callum was as equally interested in Akir. It seemed like having titles and fancy clothes had an effect on people after all.

"Unfortunately, it appears that the night has crept upon us," Callum said, glancing out the glass window. The moonlight shone in to the crystal-lit room, sparkling in the panes. "Would you like to continue our conversation in my quarters?" he asked Akir quietly. "Den-Iniri may join us, if he so wishes."

Akir smiled widely and noticeably reached forward toward Callum, but Blade couldn't see what he was doing from his side of the table. "That would be most excellent." He turned his head to Blade and said, "We'll depart on the new day. It's a long journey home."

"Of course." Callum continued to grin at Akir, his full attention directed away from Blade now. "My servant will show you the way; I will be following promptly. Do make yourself at home."

Blade and Akir followed a human servant to the back of the hall and up a flight of stairs into a long corridor, with elegant doors lining up and down it. It was long and spacious, the ceiling standing three times as tall as him. Art and tapestries hung from the walls, leaving not a spot empty.

"You may use these two rooms. Feel free to ring the bell if you need anything at all," the servant said and opened the doors before leaving them.

As soon as she was out of ear shot, Blade grabbed Akir's arm and whispered, "What are we doing?! What happened to the plan?"

Akir shook his arm free and answered, "We're getting more than what we came for. Just try to get some rest and enjoy the luxury--I'll come get you tomorrow." Blade opened his mouth to speak, but Akir cut him off. "No worries, Blade. I'll handle it. Take the other room; I'd hate to bore you with more--uhh--conversations."

He went to his separate room and shut the door behind him, leaving Blade with a head full of dizzying questions: the first one being why they were sleeping in separate rooms. Should he join them for conversation to keep the appearance of a polite noble?

But the more Blade thought about it, the more he didn't care--he was pleased to escape the pleasantries required of a noble. He closed the door and looked around in awe; he had all of this to himself for a night. Not only did he have a bed fit for a king, the largest bed he had ever lain eyes on, but he had his own wash-area, complete with a tub, and his own restroom. Pillows filled the top of the bed and soft, downy blankets awaited him, tucked neatly.

What excited him most of all was to be able to escape the tight clothing he wore. Relief washed over him as he took them off, leaving him in just a loose linen undershirt and silken underwear. He felt free, and his squished feathers puffed out and thanked him for it.

Blade plopped down on the bed and snuggled up extra cozy for the night. This was the first time in very long time since he slept alone--normally he and Akir would have to share a bed. It was the softest, most comfortable bed he had ever lain on. With the lull of alcohol warming his chest and stomach, he quickly felt the day weigh him down until he fell into slumber.

Blade woke from his deep sleep to being gently shaken. His eyes adjusted to the dim light pouring in through drapes hanging in front of the windows. Morning already? he thought, disappointed. If there would be anything he missed from pretending to be a noble, it would be the luxurious bed.

Akir was next to him, naked as he rifled through a leather bag, presumably a noble's that he stole. His bare scales were exposed, revealing a pattern of purple hues striping across his muscular back, embedded in his deep-blue scales. It wasn't unusual for Blade to see his brother in the nude, but he was surprised to see him naked after sleeping in a clan-house.

"Why are you naked?" Blade asked and stirred from his bed, rubbing his head and eyes.

"It's uhm... easier to sneak around," Akir answered and grinned. "I've got the gem and a parting _gift_from Callum."

It was in the back of Blade's thoughts all night, but he could hardly believe it. "You slept with him, didn't you?" All of the facts lined up, yet he never thought Akir fancied other males.

Akir looked up at Blade and didn't know how to respond. "I... Yes, Blade, we slept together. What's it matter? I had a fun night."

A warm blush tinted Blade's cheeks as he thought about his brother being gay. It never occurred to him to think about Akir's sexuality, but now he couldn't help it. It wasn't entirely uncommon for the same gender to lay with another, but it was still surprising. He clenched the bed and furrowed his brow. "You're really enjoying being a noble," Blade observed. "I wish... I wish you weren't stuck with me."

Akir frowned and set down the satchel after he pulled out his clothes. He looked to Blade and sat down beside him, still naked from his night with the High-Councilman. After spending their lives together, they were comfortable with their bodies around each other, so Blade normally didn't mind his nudity. Akir's body was only slightly different from his aside from his lack of feathers; instead of having a sheath and external balls, he had just a slit.

"Blade... What's wrong?"

However, right now it just reminded him of the fact that he had sex... with a noble, and not even a pretty female, but a male of all things! Blade turned his head away, partly embarrassed and flustered as well as feeling upset. "You enjoy this life more and I feel that I've been holding you back... I didn't know you liked all of these things."

For Blade's entire life, he always had Akir by his side, so he thought he knew everything about him. They were both orphaned at young ages, but Akir was older and Blade's watchful protector. Blade was four when they found each other. Akir being the oldest at ten made it his duty to protect his younger sibling, which was why Blade always looked up to him, even now as adults. Forever and always, as they used to say.

Akir chuckled and patted Blade on the back. "It's fun to play pretend every once in a while, but this type of life would quickly become an absolute drag. Believe me, Blade: I would much rather be a thief than a noble. It's far more exciting."

Blade turned his head and peered at his brother curiously. "But we have to scavenge every day for food and water. Some days we have to go without food... What kind of life is that? Here you can have anything you want."

Akir shook his head. "Not lately, Blade. We've been doing really well ever since we joined the Guild. And with this," he said and patted the satchel, "everyone will be enjoying their lives for a few months. Deji will be thrilled."

Deji was their guildmaster, an older dragonkin with exceptional criminal skills. For about a year now, Blade and Akir were a part of a guild with other dragonkin--they each had their own set of duties and skill sets.

"Yeah... Sorry," Blade apologized and wiped his snout.

"There's nothing to apologize for," Akir said and nuzzled Blade softly. He curled their tails together like he would do when they were younger. "You did great yesterday. Really good thinking to grab the attention of a high-councilman."

Blade grinned and leaned into Akir, his solid rock and firm foundation. "You seemed to really enjoy your time with him. You're the one that seduced him, after all."

He could tell Akir was a little flustered by that and at a loss for words. "I-I did like it, surprisingly... He was... enjoyable." To help ease his embarrassment, he started dressing, so Blade did too.

A bigger grin stretched Blade's lips. "So you like other males, then?"

Akir quickly put on his clothes and faced away from Blade so he couldn't see his blush. "I suppose so... I guess I do. I just kind of went with it and ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would."

Blade chuckled and finished dressing, squeezing into his tight clothing once again. He watched Akir look longingly at a ring in his palm before curling his hand around it and shoving it in his bag. Very rarely did Akir have an expression like that. Blade cared deeply about him and wanted nothing more than for Akir to be happy, so he decided he would never tease him about it. Whatever Akir enjoyed was his business alone, but if Blade could help him find that enjoyment in any way, then he would do his best to help.

So, Blade walked over and grabbed the bag, tucking it over his back. When Akir turned to question him, Blade said, "Why don't you say goodbye to him. I'll take this back home so you can enjoy your time."

"Blade..." Akir's sullen expression lifted as a glow warmed his icy-blue eyes. "You won't tell anyone?"

Blade shook his head and walked to the door. "Just don't take too long... Don't want anyone to get suspicious and catch you."

Akir smiled warmly and nodded. As they separated, Akir returned to Callum's bedroom and Blade snuck out through a window with a bag full of clinking goodies and expensive linens. The gem they were after was tucked neatly in a folded, linen square. He wondered how Akir effortlessly stole it; perhaps it was kept in Callum's room? Or maybe Akir had already swiped it during the party and waited around just to enjoy feeling rich?

This gem better be worth as much as Deji said it would be. Akir may enjoy the luxurious life, but I certainly can't stand wearing a monkey-suit. I would have preferred fighting for it.

As Blade escaped the Upper District, he loosened his clothes and tried to make them more comfortable, but until he took them all off he would have to deal with the tightness. He wandered down the usual path he took, weaving between the buildings like an expert pathfinder. Wandering the city alone was always dangerous, which is why he walked at a brisk pace and followed a shrouded path.

Hato was built on one of the few hills in the desert that had a solid foundation. Most of the residential houses toward the top of the hill were built out of wood. The lower Blade went, the poorer the people were, so most buildings were made out of sandstone bricks. After the Upper District, there was a drastic change in wealth to the point that two levels lower was poverty. The lowest level, the district next to a giant river and outside the city's protective walls, was the slums, where Blade and Akir lived. Almost all of the buildings there were made from recycled wood, stone, and sandstone. Those with the knowledge crafted their own mud buildings, which were typically close to the river.

Patches of green fronds and trees brought hints of life to the otherwise arid desert. Though the sun was hot and the air was dryer than bones, Hato managed to maintain a milder environment than the rest of the desert. It was thanks to the water flowing from the mountains far off in the distance, obscured by a dusty haze and heat waves.

The slums were filled with the poorest, sickliest inhabitants, and because of the unjust social structure of the clan, most of them were dragonkin. It was hard for kin to find decent jobs, and any available ones were physically tasking. There were other common beast-races here, too, like the akro, an avian race, and the ssek, a lizard race much like snakes. Typically the furred beastmen lived in cooler places.

After Blade walked through the northern gate outside the wall protecting the city, he entered the slums. A meager market filled with beasts dressed in tattered clothes was the first to greet him. Blade immediately felt out of place as many different sets of eyes stared him down. Quickly realizing he was still wearing his fancy clothes, he cursed and ducked down an alley.

To them, he was just a lone, helpless noble that would be easy to rob or worse. If he wandered into the wrong group, he was bound to be attacked and mugged. Unfortunately, even if he wasn't wearing an upperclassman's clothes, he still stood a high risk of danger by himself. Akir always said to never travel alone unless absolutely necessary.

Blade ducked around corners and briskly walked through the slums. He kept an eye out for any sort of threat--having grown up in this district, he was well-versed when it came to where and who to avoid. Gangs had territory all over, and if he stepped into the wrong one it was probable he would be attacked. Some of them wore specific colors or clothes so they were easy to recognize; Blade was on decent terms with most of the gangs in the slums, all except for one that was out to get him.

And of course that would be the one he would run into at the least opportune time.

An infamous ssek named Creed stepped out of the shadows, his snake-like fangs bared in an evil grin. The lizard had dirty, earthen-colored scales and stood a foot shorter than Blade. He wore an open, leather jerkin and leggings with a sword at his waist and a black, skull bandana around his neck.

"Well, well, if ya featherss weren't sso eassy t' recognize I would have guesss't ye'r a losst noble." He sneered and stepped toward Blade, standing between him and the end of the narrow alley.

Two more sets of footsteps approached from behind. "What do you want, Creed? I have business to attend to, so I don't have time for gamessss," he teased.

The ssek laughed. "Businesss alright. Lookin' like ye'r goin' out for a nicce dinner with yer boyfriend." His slitted pupils stared Blade up and down before stopping at the satchel Blade carried. "Where iss Akir? And what'ss in the bag?"

Blade quickly scoped out the alley for an escape. With three armed opponents and no weapon to use, he was sure to lose. There were only two directions he could run, and they had him cut off. A dragonkin and a human were behind him while Creed, a notorious fighter, was in front. The only way out was up.

As Blade clutched the bag close to him, he sprinted forward and leapt onto a broken cart and pushed off of it to grasp the roof to a stone building. He slung the bag up and tried to pull himself next, but the taller dragonkin grabbed his leg to pull him down. Blade hissed and kicked him square in the muzzle and fended them off so he had just enough time to climb up to the rooftop.

Dashing toward the street, he gained enough momentum to jump across it to the next building. In the slums, nearly all of the buildings were crafted from crude, square-ish slabs of stone, and everything was tightly knitted together so Blade could run from roof to roof while Creed and his goons chased close behind.

Dark, cloth tarps hung overhead many of the streets and alleyways to protect the citizens from the harsh sun. Sometimes Blade would find himself in the shadow of a blanket, and sometimes the heat of the sun would beat down on him. Even with his feathers absorbing most of the blazing light, it was exhausting to run in the intense heat of the desert. Fatigue was quick to catch up with him, but he pushed on and ran as fast as he could.

Even though there were people everywhere below him, none of them paid his peril any attention. Crimes happened all around the slums; it was either eat or be eaten. No one dared cross the gangs or interrupt in their business, not even the clan's guardsmen, so until Blade found an ally, he was on his own.

Thunk! A bolt whizzed by and embedded itself in a wooden beam in front of Blade. Creed had a hand-crossbow aimed at him, and Blade heard the string thrum with the release of another bolt that thankfully whizzed by and clattered against a stone wall ahead.

Seeing a crowded street, Blade leapt down and merged with the people, hoping Creed wouldn't fire with so many innocents around. He bobbed and weaved, but the three of them gave close chase.

If it weren't for these stupid clothes, I'd have already escaped them by now!

"Gaahh!" Blade cried out as a bolt pierced his thigh--he was wrong. It stuck into him, solid and sending pain shivering up his entire leg as his muscles clenched and tried to get rid of it. He clutched his bleeding wound and hobbled along, still trying to move as quickly as he could, but he was slowing down drastically. His vision swirled and he about fell down.

As Blade was about to pass another alley, a black-scaled arm reached out and grabbed him, forcefully tugging him into the shade between two buildings. He yelped and hissed with pain as he hurt his bad leg, leaning back against a wall as that mysterious hand held him there. He heaved and groaned with pain. Beside him was a dark-scaled, leather-clad dragonkin with a hood over his head. His two white horns poked out the back of his cloak, and he stood at the opening and waited for Creed to turn the corner.

"Deji..." Blade felt relief wash over him as he stared at his guildmaster. Deji was here to save him.

The stoic dragonkin glanced down at Blade's wound and frowned. Wordlessly, he withdrew a small blade from inside his clothes, its razor-sharp edge glinting as he held it out. Hurried footfalls came around the corner, and in a flash, Blade watched that knife slice right across Creed's neck with impressive, lethal accuracy.

Horrified, Blade stepped back as the ssek's body collapsed in front of him, blood spewing from his neck and forming a puddle in the sandy dirt. He watched Deji swiftly stride forward and stab the human in the chest, close to his heart. With the twist of his knife, he let it go and deflected the dragonkin's overhead attack, the last goon to come around the corner. The human tumbled over, dead.

Another knife, another slice, a pivot, and Deji had the dragonkin shoved down on his knees, clutching a severe gouge on his weapon-arm. It was bleeding and dripping, but unlike the other two, he was left alive.

Blade stood back with his heart pounding heavily in his chest and disbelief painted on his face. Deji's primary doctrine that he taught all the guild members was to never kill unless absolutely necessary; he had never seen Deji kill anyone before. Blade had never taken a life, and Akir only had once to save his life.

Deji stood tall over the remaining gangster and growled, "If I ever see any of you after one of my family again, I will eliminate you. Tell the others."

He whimpered and nodded, keeping his head down in submission. A small crowd of people had stopped to see what happened, but it quickly dispersed once all the action was over--it was just another day for them. The dragonkin hurried away, tail tucked in defeat, and left a trail of blood.

Deji turned to Blade with glistening splotches of red splattered across his clothes. He looked down at the corpses and sighed before searching through their personal belongings. "Are you okay, Blade?" he asked and glanced up at him.

Blade nodded but could feel the warm blood seeping down his leg and soaking his feathers. "You... killed them." He stared at the bodies and felt that image burn into his head.

He wore a blank expression and continued looking for anything of value. "They were a waste of life, anyway." But the quick glance at his injured leg told Blade all he needed to know.

"It was to protect me."

Deji found a rather large coinpurse on Creed's person and snatched that for himself but left the body to rot. "I did what needed to be done, but I am glad you're alright. Where's Akir?"

Blade gulped. "He uhm... uh... He stayed behind to try and find other things to steal," he said and squeezed around the sharp bolt stuck in his leg, feeling burning hot razors cutting up his thigh. It was embedded in his thigh just above the knee, barely missing bone.

"No, leave that in. You'll bleed more if you take it out. Let's get you back home to patch you up."

And what Deji meant by that was, 'let's take you to prison,' because their guild hall, home, or residence--however one preferred to call it--was an ancient, deteriorating jail. It was underground beneath an abandoned and boarded-up stone building with no roof; the only entrance was a hole they had to crawl through that led into the back, and then they had to carefully step down a flight of crumbling stairs.

A key was required to enter, and the creaky, wooden door grinded against the stone to open. Inside was a warm, dusty jail with small beams of sunlight peeking through the cracks of the wooden floor above. To the left was an open area with a table and several chairs around it--that was typically where they ate their meals and talked.

To the right were the jail cells, otherwise known as their bedrooms. There were eight cells, four on each side of the wall, and about twelve guild members. Blade and Akir as well as Deji and Vespera--Deji's mate--shared two different cells, leaving two of the remaining eight members taking turns sleeping with someone each night. With how closely-knitted everyone was, that usually wasn't a problem. As Deji had said, they were a family.

Blade limped to his cell and winced as he sat down on the cot. The cells were cramped with barely enough room for a single, small bed, but it was the best place Blade and Akir had slept since they were little. It was their home, and it was all they needed. Curtains hung overhead to give them privacy when necessary.

Deji walked over with healing supplies: linen bandages, medicine, and a bucket of water. "This is going to hurt," was Deji's only warning before he deftly grabbed the bolt sticking out of Blade's leg and yanked it free.

Blade cried out and clenched his teeth and muscles, shuddering as he blinked in and out of consciousness. "Gods damnit, Deji! That hurt!" Deji moved Blade's bloody hand out of the way and quickly covered up the hole now in his flesh. Crimson seeped down his leg and stained his expensive linen clothes as well as his feathers.

With a bleeding leg, Blade quickly slipped out of his soiled leggings and threw the blood-stained linen off to the side so he was just in his underwear. Deji soaked a rag several times and tried to clean Blade's wound before applying an herbal salve that stung horrifically. Blade pinched his eyes shut and tried to ignore it, but a soft whimper escaped his lips.

"You're fine," Deji stated and continued working to clean the injury. "You two should have stashed a change of clothes somewhere..." After he finished doing what he could, he tightly wound the linen bandages around Blade's thigh and tied it off. "We'll have to change that in a couple hours. It'll hurt to walk on for a while, but it doesn't look bad. It missed the bone but tore your muscles. For now, just rest."

Blade took a deep breath after it was all over, feeling a tingling numbness in his leg. It certainly didn't hurt as much as it did, and for that he was thankful. "Did you want to see what all we got?" Blade asked with some excitement now that the worst was over.

"Did you get the gem?" Deji looked down at the bag Blade went through.

Blade nodded and grinned. "More than that!" He pulled out the gem and went to unravel it, but Deji stopped him and grabbed it from his hand.

Deji felt the weight of it in his hand and smiled widely. "Perfect, Blade. That's all I need--the rest is yours and Akir's." He turned his tail to him and stepped toward the table that was in view from his cell. Now that Blade was fine and he received what he wanted, his attention to Blade fell short.

Blade's eyes went wide. "R-Really? I mean... thank you, but we brought the rest of this for the guild. That's what our mission was about, after all." The guild was wealthier in its recent years with two expert thieves on the job, but typically most of that money was spent on improving the slums. Last year they had spent most of their stored money on the construction of a building for the homeless. Unfortunately, that was hardly enough to mark any real improvement to the district--it would take them their entire lives to do any real good, but at least it was a noble cause.

In a way, they were vigilantes. The slums didn't see them as a problem, but the other districts certainly held a distaste for them.

Deji sometimes tended not to speak unless necessary, so he sort of ignored Blade for a moment.

"What's so special about the gem?" Blade asked curiously and poked his head out so Deji could see him.

"It's a crystal that an old client is very interested in and willing to pay a lot of money for." Deji gripped around the crystal in the cloth and toyed with it, seeming to want to take it out but unwilling to for whatever reason. Blade tried not to question Deji--everything he did was for a reason.

"An old client?"

Deji nodded but didn't add anything more to the conversation. Blade sighed and laid his back against the hard wall in his cot, turning his attention away from the crystal, or gem, or whatever Deji wanted to call it. Instead, his thoughts dwelled on Akir. He hoped he would be back soon, safe and sound.

Blade had expected Akir to be home only a couple hours later at most , but noon had already past and the sun was on its way into the western horizon. Worry gnawed at Blade's conscience; what if Akir ran into trouble like he did? Deji didn't seem too concerned. He idly chatted with his mate after she returned and a few other guildmates that had come back from their daily tasks.

Finally, he heard the creaky door to the prison open again and then Akir greeting his friends.

Leo whistled and said, "Fancy clothes! Did ya swoon any ladies?"

"No, not this time," Akir answered with a lot of truth behind his words.

Blade was relieved to hear his deep voice again--he worried about his brother any time they were separated. It was rare for them to part longer than an hour.

Blade softly groaned as he stood up, his leg aching terribly with every step he took. He limped and babied it the best he could, but without a crutch it was difficult.

Akir's smile faded as Blade hobbled into view. "Blade..." He rushed over and took a look at Blade's fresh bandage he put on an hour ago. "What happened?" he asked with concern, having forgotten his conversation with his guildmates.

Deji, Vespera, Leo, Saxan, and Falia were gathered at the table and turned to look. Blade chuckled and waved off Akir's concern with a pat on the shoulder. "Just Creed being Creed. He uhh... He won't be a problem anymore," Blade said and glanced at Deji. He sat back with a footpaw up on the table, rocking his chair while he sharpened his knife--probably one of the knives he used earlier.

Worry lines etched into Akir's muzzle as he inspected Blade's bandage. "How bad does it hurt?"

"I'm fine, Akir. No worries."

"He's taken harder hits before," muttered Vespera as she took a big drink from her flagon.

"Even mom thinks so," he teased which received him deathly glare from her. To describe Vespera's personality, she was basically a female Deji--serious and cunning. But Blade enjoyed bantering with her and treated it like a game, to try and get the deadliest, 'I'm going to kill you,' stare.

"Watch your tongue, Blade, or she'll smash your head in with that mug," Deji added, still focused in his work.

"Right aft'r she guzzles t' rest down," Leo said and laughed. "Ya wouldn't waste a drop o' that, would ya, momma?"

She bared a toothy smirk and shook her head. "Not on his fuzzy ass."

"I prefer the term fluffy, thank you," Blade retorted, half tempted to moon her. If it wasn't for his leg, he probably would have!

Vespera grunted and returned to her drinking.

Akir still wore his fancy outfit, and he didn't seem like he was in a hurry to take it off. "Why don't you hop out of that monkey-suit and help me go through our stuff?"

"Our stuff?" Akir asked curiously and followed the injured Blade to their cell. Their guildmates returned to chatting amongst themselves.

Blade nodded and grinned widely. "Deji said we can keep everything else. I figured we'd sell whatever we didn't want... Which mostly means you can pick out any of the expensive clothes, if you want to keep them. I don't want any."

A soft smile stretched Akir's lips. He closed the curtain to their cell to give them some privacy as he undressed. "I don't know if any of it would fit me. It wasn't Callum's, so it's all suited for a human."

"Oh, I see." Blade nodded and sat on the bed, wincing as he had to kneel down. In a lower voice, he asked, "Did you have fun? Took you long enough to get back."

Akir pulled off his clothes one piece at a time down to his bare, dark scales, but his nudity wasn't what made him blush. "Sorry... We uhm... I really enjoyed my time, yeah. Sort of lost track of it..." A regretful frown replaced his smile. "Shouldn't have stayed--I let you get hurt. Should have been there to--"

"No," Blade stopped him and grabbed his wrist. "I'm happy you got to enjoy yourself. We don't get many opportunities like that. It's just a small wound and it'll heal within a couple weeks, so don't beat yourself up over it."

Akir looked at Blade and down to his leg, obviously not listening very well. "It's my job to protect you, and I wasn't there. You could have died..."

"I'm not a whelp anymore, Akir," Blade stated firmly. "I can handle myself. It was just an unfortunate circumstance; I didn't have my weapons and those stupid clothes made it hard to run. Deji helped me out and took care of the problem."

Akir's sullen expression hardly abated, but he let it rest for now. "Creed's dead, then?"

Blade nodded, and in an even quieter whisper, he added, "I'm pretty confident now that Deji is a Shadowscale."

There was a rumor floating around in their little guild about Deji being a Shadowscale, an expert assassin. The Shadowscales were a secret, underground group of dragonkin that stretched from clan to clan all across the world. Their allegiances were only to themselves and what benefited their group, so they were basically just another clan. From what the rumors said, they had more power in the ongoings of politics than any of the clans or alliances--supposedly they controlled everything. Each member was a highly-trained killer, the best of the best. The only way into the organization was to be exceptionally skilled or born into it and raised to its standards, and even then whoever didn't make the cut was killed.

After Blade witnessed Deji flawlessly kill a trained, ssek fighter, a human, and purposefully maim a third dragonkin, all within a few seconds, he was sure that he was a Shadowscale--even though he had always taught not to kill unless necessary. Blade knew Deji was somewhat of an elitist when it came to his kin, but it would make the most sense if he was a Shadowscale: a dragonkin-only organization.

Blade described the way Deji moved and easily cut down that trio, but Akir only rolled his eyes. "What would a Shadowscale be doing here, Blade? I know Deji is the best fighter here--he's the one that trained all of us, after all--but I sincerely doubt he's good enough for the Shadowscales."

"That's just training and fighting. You've never seen him kill anyone, have you?"

Akir shook his head. "I'm surprised he did, honestly. They must have made him pretty angry."

By now, Akir was fully naked next to Blade in their cramped cell just big enough for the both of them. Like before, Blade didn't mind it, but those strange thoughts from earlier crept in the back of his mind, making it seem... different. For a moment, he caught himself staring at Akir's slit and quickly turned his head away.

"Yeah..."

Akir searched through a box of his clothing under their bed to find what he would wear, paying little attention to Blade. "I am curious why he wanted that gem specifically, though. There were dozens all around in locked boxes that I didn't have time to get to. That one seemed... dull in comparison. It had a neat glow to it at first, but I think that was just the light hitting it."

"Apparently it's a crystal, so maybe it's got some sort of magic or something? Like the light-crystals." Light-crystals were simply that: crystals with a magical light inside, often used indoors instead of fire to illuminate the night. From what little Blade understood of magic, some sorcerer or magical craftsman stored energy inside receptive crystals, and that light would shine forever unless the crystal shattered.

"It did feel... oddly magical. I had this strange sensation when I picked it up..." He looked thoughtfully at his clenched hand and furrowed his brow. "Maybe you're right."

Blade perked his ears and grinned.

"About the crystal, not that Deji is an assassin," he quickly added and shot Blade's hopes down. "If he was a Shadowscale, why would he trust us to steal something so valuable? He could have easily done it himself."

"I don't know... 'Cause he's lazy?" Blade chuckled.

Akir laughed a little too and finished putting on his clothes, a loose, ragged tunic and baggy pants just for relaxing. "We all know Deji is anything but lazy."

Most of their guild members were returning home for the night. Blade heard them all loudly talking and laughing in the hall.

But like their childhood, Blade and Akir chose to relax together, just the two of them. Blade grabbed their bag full of goodies and set it down on his lap. Akir plopped on the cot next to Blade and leaned back against the wall. Blade carefully moved back with him, smiling at his brother. They went through their spoils and picked out anything that they didn't want to sell.

Akir liked jewelry and shiny things as well as clothes--he had his own stash in his box of belongings. He found a golden ring studded with sapphires and slipped it around the base of his white horn. He already had a sapphire earring in each ear, so all he needed was another one for his other horn.

Blade usually went for necklaces, but this time he found a golden hoop that he could put around his ankle that he really liked. It hung loosely before his heel above his footpaw, like how he saw other dragonkin wear it.

Aside from a few other things, like nice shawls or hoods, everything else would be fenced off for a large sum of gold coins or bartered with. Akir estimated they had at least a thousand gold pieces worth of luxuries, which was a considerable amount even for someone in the upper-class. That was enough to buy a home in the Lower District or a few in the slums.

Blade and Akir talked excitedly together about things they could spend it on for the rest of the night until they fell asleep together, typically what they did when they weren't exhausted from a hard day of work.

For the next several days, Blade had to stay and rest his leg while Akir went out and helped the guild with various tasks. Each day Deji would assign a guild member to a certain job, typically something to help out the poor and less fortunate. Today, everyone was working together on rebuilding an old well for fresh water, then providing a quick, easy means of access for the citizens.

The guild was dedicated to more than just criminal activity; the purpose for its existence was to help the misfortunate, and in return to its hardworking members it provided food, water, and shelter. But because of the difficulty of the tasks, some of which were unlawful, only hand-picked dragonkin were allowed to enlist. Most of what the guild did was take something from the upper district and trickle it down to the slums. The guild's only income was from thieving--something Akir and Blade excelled at.

Although no one really knew who they were, the guild was steadily becoming infamous in the Upper District, a thorn in the clan's side. Merchants were wary and often hired bodyguards to protect them and their merchandise. The clan was hiring extra guards for the upper districts and arming them with lanterns and lights. Streets in the upper districts were illuminated at night, making it harder for any thieves to sneak around.

Blade couldn't prove it yet, but he was sure there were inquisitors roaming around in the slums, searching for them. Deji was careful and precise and trained everyone to cover their tracks and hide their identities when on the job, but if they continued growing a reputation, it wouldn't be long before they would be exposed.

"How did it go today?" Blade asked Akir as he returned. After doing nothing all day for several days, Blade couldn't have felt more bored. He spent the majority of his time cleaning and fixing what he could around the guild, like their leaky roof on the rare chances that it rained.

"Good. We're almost finished, I think," he answered and looked at Blade's bandaged leg. "How are you?"

"Feeling a lot better... I'd like to try and go out tomorrow. It's still really sore, but most of it has scabbed over and I can walk on it well enough, if I'm careful."

Akir studied Bladed for a second and nodded. "I won't leave your side."

Blade grinned. "I'd expect nothing less."

Akir smiled at him and sat down beside him. "Once we finish this, Deji is going to leave to trade in the crystal. He said he'll be gone for a week or so to meet up with the client."

"What are we supposed to do while he's gone?"

Akir shrugged his shoulders and leaned back. "I guess we're supposed to treat it like a vacation and enjoy ourselves until he gets back. He portioned out 'spending' money for everyone, and we have our own pool of gold to spend, so it'll be a well-deserved break. The money he brings back will supposedly last us a whole year, and the extra will go to repairing some of the houses in the area.

"I like the sound of that," Blade said and picked at his claws. "I don't think we've ever been able to relax."

Akir nodded and let out a comfortable sigh. "We should be finished tomorrow."

Blade looked forward to being able to relax, even though it's all he's been able to do the last few days. But he would feel a lot better about it if his other guildmates were relaxing too--it didn't feel right for him to be doing nothing while everyone else was working hard.

"Maybe we could... go to a brothel?" Blade suggested timidly. "I've uhm... been thinking about that lately..."

Akir perked his ears and looked at Blade curiously, his attention focused on him. "Oh, have you? What's gotten you in the mood for that of all things?"

Blade couldn't meet his brother's eyes and turned his head shamefully away. "It's just... You know... I've never really... done it. I've never been with anyone." It was somewhat embarrassing for Blade to discuss that he was still a virgin. Everyone else in the guild had sex before, now including his brother, Akir. Blade felt left out when they talked about it, and sometimes they would poke fun at him. They never teased Akir so much, even though he was older.

Akir chuckled. "And you want your first time to be with a whore?"

Blade squeezed his hands together. "W-Well, I mean... No, but I don't have much of a choice, do I? And I thought we could both go and enjoy ourselves and stay a night or two."

Akir rumbled and curled his tail around Blade's. "It would be fun, I guess. I've never thought about actually staying at one, but I don't see the harm in it."

That lifted Blade's spirits a little. "Yeah? And I'm sure there will be plenty of uhm... guys there for you," he finished in a quieter tone.

With a smirk, Akir playfully punched Blade's arm. "You're not going to let that go, are you? Maybe you should try it with a guy and see how you like it," he teased.

But that teasing made Blade's golden crest of feathers perk a little; he hadn't thought of that. He'd always assumed he was attracted to females because that's how it was supposed to be, but he never thought about being attracted to males too. Not once had he considered it, so he never looked at another guy like he looked at girls.

He shifted with an awkward laugh in his throat. "What's it like?"

Akir's looked at Blade with more interest. "With a guy?"

Blade gulped hard and scratched his head. "W-Well, I mean just sex... in general?"

"We've talked about it before, Blade," Akir said and giggled. "I suppose I didn't have the experience I did then... But now I know it feels as amazing as they say--what more is there to tell?"

I've known him my whole life so why is it hard to talk to him about sex? We've talked about everything else...

"Yeah, but like... How do you know when to do it? Or like what to do... Things like that?" Blade's face felt hot as he thought about the things he's only heard about. Once or twice in his life he had caught lovers in the act, and a few more times he has heard it, but aside from what Akir taught him, that was all he knew about mating.

Akir's grin couldn't have been any bigger. "That's cute, Blade. I'll tell you what: we'll find a nice brothel and we can share someone for your first time. I can give you pointers and show you what to do, but it's pretty self-explanatory."

Blade felt something squirm inside his stomach as he thought about it, and he didn't know if that was a good feeling or a bad one. "Share? Like... we both have sex with the same person?"

Akir patted Blade's back. "What, you're afraid of seeing me naked?" He chuckled and added, "People do it all the time at those places. Maybe we could both have someone different and you could watch us instead."

Blade was starting to regret bringing this up because nothing but heat filled his face. His feathers were sticking out everywhere as his hide shivered. He didn't know if he felt embarrassed, ashamed, or excited about Akir's ideas. "That could work, I-I guess... We could have one girl and one guy and... and at some point I could see if... you know..."

Akir cocked an eyebrow at him. "If you like males or not?"

This was probably one of the most embarrassing conversations Blade had ever had. He slowly nodded and squeezed his hands together tighter.

But Akir only smiled widely, finding humor in Blade's embarrassment. "I think you'd know if you did. It's cute that just because I'm gay you think you might be gay too."

Blade flushed and nodded, baring an awkward smile. Akir shoved him and tried to shake Blade back to his senses while ruffling his already puffy feathers. "C'mon, Blade, it's just sex. We've talked about more embarrassing things than that."

Blade hit Akir's arm away and petted down his feathers to flatten them. "Yeah, I guess so. We're old enough now..."

Akir nodded. "I'd say it's about time you've experienced it for yourself. We should find you a mate, though. Can't have you going to a brothel all the time!"

A mate... We've been so worried about each other and surviving all this time that I've never had the chance to think about that. Now that Blade and Akir didn't have to struggle with the basic necessities of living, he had more time to think about sex and consider a mate. That must have been why things were so strange to him now, and why he was feeling confused. Up until the last year, all he ever thought about was Akir's well-being and his own. He didn't have time for luxuries.

"Let's get some sleep, Blade. I'm exhausted," Akir said and dressed down to get ready for bed. Blade nodded and scooted close to the wall, where he usually slept. When Akir lay down with him, there wasn't any extra room on the bed at all. Their backs touched as Blade squished into the wall to make room for his brother.

Sometimes they would just cuddle without a care in the world, and it was very comfortable, but right now, Blade was feeling a strange, sexual tension as his thoughts roamed to the brothel and what that would be like. That warm feeling stirred in his loins, and he struggled to fight off an erection, so he spent the next while controlling his urges while Akir slept beside him.

What if we... Blade shook his head and clenched his hands. No... No, no, no.

It was hard for him to find sleep, but he eventually passed out with his worries forgotten.

Like Akir said, the guild finished their work on the well the next day, and Deji packed for his journey and hastily left as soon as he was done. He said to expect his earliest return in about one week, but it was a long journey and it was possible for there to be many bumps in the road.

Until their guild-master returned, the entire guild had a week off with nothing to do but relax.

For the first few days, Blade's leg was still in enough pain that he couldn't do much else than walk around the city with Akir. Dragonkin tended to heal much faster than the other species, but with a wound like that, Blade expected another week before it didn't hurt so much, and then it would be sore and tender for a while after that. They spent a lot of their time browsing goods in the big market in the Middle District. Never before had they had enough money to simply shop.

The Middle District was between the Upper and Lower residential districts, home of the middle-class workers. These were shop owners, merchants, traders, craftsmen, and other trade-skills that brought in a modest profit. The main road from the bottom of the city to the top cut through all of the districts, but halfway up the hilltop was a large, open space for merchants to set up their stalls. Many buildings surrounding the market ring were shops, too.

Veils and banners hung over the area and flapped in the wind. It was a decorated, social hub, with races of all types. Many traders that set up here were from other desert cities nearby, but there were also some from distant lands. Their stalls contained exotic goods to sell and were usually more popular.

Blade had a wonderful time trying different foods that he never had before. Most of what his diet consisted of was meat, the same as the other guild members, so trying fruits and vegetables was new and exciting. Akir was happy to share in the experience with Blade.

And Akir took Blade shopping for new clothes, too--he said that all of Blade's clothes were getting tattered and gross, so it was time for new ones. Reluctantly, Blade agreed and found some new things to wear. His new clothing fit perfectly and made him feel clean.

After all of that, they still had hardly made a dent in their funds. Admittedly, it was somewhat hard for them to spend their money simply because they weren't used to it!

Once the week was nearing its end, Blade's leg had healed very well and didn't need bandages anymore. He was able to walk on it with a slight limp in his step. It felt stiff but it only ached a little bit when he wasn't using it.

So, Blade's idea of the brothel became the topic of conversation again.

"How does the day after tomorrow sound?" Akir asked, smirking. "We can spend the night, but I want to be on lookout the next day for Deji. It's the earliest he could be back."

Blade nodded and held his tail as he sat on their bed. "D-Did you still want to share or should we have our own?"

"We have plenty of money left, so we can each have our own," he said and leaned in closer to finish, "That way you can have your curiosities satisfied."

Blade swallowed and squeezed his tail tightly. "How do you know for sure if you're... gay?"

Akir tilted his head at him. "What do you mean? If you like it, then you like it, Blade. It's not that hard."

Blade couldn't meet Akir's eyes again, and he stared at the floor between his footpaws. "I mean... What do you like about guys? What made you attracted to Callum?"

A small smile stretched Akir's lips before he giggled. "What makes you attracted to females? I don't know, Blade. I like cocks, I guess. They're fun to play with. Males have certain qualities that I enjoy."

Blushing, Blade nodded, somewhat understanding. "Like breasts?" He was happy Akir was being more open about his sexuality with him. When Blade first found out, he seemed really uncomfortable talking about it, much like how Blade was now.

"Yeah, like breasts," Akir said and pushed against Blade's chest. "I bet you would be a bottom if you were gay."

Blade yelped lightly and shoved him back. "What's that supposed to mean?"

A devilish smirk curled Akir's lips. "It means exactly what it's supposed to mean."

"Which one are you?" Blade asked curiously in spite of his embarrassment.

"I like both," Akir answered. "Though I think I prefer being top."

Blade nodded even though he didn't understand any of it. They talked about things of a sexual nature for a while before they turned in for the night. Again, Blade had to fight an erection, but this time he was almost positive Akir had one too because of the way he carefully shifted and covered himself, though he couldn't prove it for certain.

Some part of him really wanted to see it and feel what it was like, but the majority of him denied that curiosity. Would Akir even let me? It's just a part of our bodies. We're like brothers... We've always been together.

Blade softly sighed and hugged around Akir after his erection went away. Sometime during their sleep, Akir turned and hugged him back, and that was how they woke up: in each other's arms.

They spent all of the next day together again, like always. Blade found himself feeling rather bored of not having anything to do, but he had the next day to look forward to. Most of their day was spent wandering around the hot, desert city, and toward the evening they chatted and wrestled with their guildmates.

Blade was careful of his leg to not injure it again and fought through the pain, but it felt good to expend some pent energy!

Finally, it came time to retire, so he and Akir turned in for the night. After they closed their curtain to their cell, both of them undressed to their underwear and sat on their bed together to unwind.

Thoughts of tomorrow swam in Blade's mind, and Akir could see that.

"Excited? Nervous?" Akir asked and ruffled the feathers between Blade's horns. They kept their conversation as quiet as possible so the others wouldn't hear them.

Blade grumbled and tried to fix them now that they were all out of place. "A little of both."

"What's there to be nervous about? I'm sure we'll enjoy our time--all you have to do is relax. Don't think about it so much."

"Yeah..."

Now that he knew all about Akir's interest in other males, Blade wondered if he had ever been curious about him. For nearly their entire lives they slept together and clung close to each other for warmth during the cold nights when they were shelter-less.

How many times had both of them woken up with an erection after snuggling closely with one another? It was a natural thing for males, and Blade knew he had plenty of hard-ons in the past, but how many of Akir's were natural and not from deviant thoughts?

I've thought about him before in my adolescence... Just never desired to pursue such an unnatural thing. But if Akir is naturally attracted to males... then am I too? We've always been so close that I thought that's just how we were supposed to be. I love him.

"You're still thinking about it," Akir said and bumped his hips with Blade's, their tails curling together. "When I was with Callum, I didn't think about it. I stopped thinking and simply went with what felt good to me."

Blade looked at him and nodded but interlocked his fingers and squeezed his hands together. "I just... don't know what I like. I thought I did before..."

"Before what?" Akir asked. Blade met his eyes and felt his heart racing. "Before I slept with him?"

Blade didn't want to answer, but he swallowed and nodded. "Made me think about things..."

Akir smiled and squeezed Blade's leg. "You'll find out tomorrow, Blade. Let it rest for now. You've got all sorts of crazy ideas in your head when you just need to relax."

If it was only that easy...

"Hey," Akir said softly. Blade turned his head back and met his loving gaze. It made all of his insides feel warm and fuzzy when Akir looked at him like that and bared his gentle soul to him. In that moment, he felt like he should follow his heart and embrace Akir--no, that he should kiss him.

A passionate battle sundered Blade's coherent thoughts, splitting them into a two colliding waterfalls of emotion as he stared into Akir's gaze. His lips quivered, uncertain, his mind leaning from one side to the other. He was thinking too much, exactly what Akir said not to do, but if he didn't think about it, he was going to do something he might regret.

Whatever words Akir spoke were lost. Blade saw his lips move, but he didn't hear a word of it. Instead, all he heard was that little voice in the back of his mind encouraging him. Their curtains were closed. It was just the two of them and no one would be the wiser.

A puzzled expression formed on Akir's muzzle as he witnessed Blade's hesitation. "Blade?"

Blade swallowed all of his inhibitions and leaned forward, placing his lips on Akir's. Akir grunted and was taken by surprise, surely, but he only hesitated for a small moment before he kissed Blade back. His hands wrapped tightly around Blade and pulled him close as Blade's body flushed with an intense warmth that he had never felt before. It started off soft and pleasant, weaving its way throughout his body like a song to help him relax.

He felt Akir's hands caressing him, the warmth of a tender embrace as their maws locked. Their tongues curled together and their lips mouthed at one another's, a constant back and forth expression of physical love.

But then those feelings tightened in his loins and made him feel queasy as he kissed his lifelong friend: a male. As Blade's thoughts returned, he felt discomfort pushing him away, so he pulled his muzzle apart from Akir's and caught his breath. His heart hammered dissonantly in his chest, just as confused as he was.

Their eyes met, blue and gold. The swirl in Akir's gaze resembled love and affection while Blade's were filled with a cacophony of uncertainty. He dug his claws into the bed so tightly that he tore holes. Akir held Blade and squeezed him tightly before letting go.

Blade turned his head away and broke their gaze and wiped his lips, now feeling the consequences of his actions falling on his shoulders. Neither of them spoke for a long moment, each caught up in their thoughts.

I just kissed Akir...

"Was that... what you wanted?" Akir asked softly. He saw the uncertainty attacking Blade and chose his words carefully.

Blade gritted his teeth. "I-I don't know..."

He placed his hand on Blade's thigh and caressed it, sifting through his soft feathers. It lightly felt the scar on the side of Blade's leg closer to his knee. Usually, Blade welcomed the affectionate touch, but right now it made him feel weird. His nethers felt unusually warm and aroused, and Akir's hand wasn't far from them. Now that he kissed Akir, he had a choice to make--did he want to continue following his unusual thoughts and feelings or should he stop and leave this tangible awkwardness between them?

"I don't know what's going on inside that head of yours, but I liked it, Blade." Akir smiled warmly at him and idly stroked his thigh up and down. "It's okay if you didn't. We don't have to speak of this ever again if you don't want."

But Blade didn't want to forget that feeling. No matter how fleeting it was, he felt it: that warm, fuzzy, intense sensation that made his feathers quiver in delight. "I just... I wasn't thinking... Like you said..."

Akir squeezed his leg and nuzzled him the same affectionate way he always did, nothing more and nothing less. "It was cute."

Blade clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he felt tears of frustration threatening to spill. He hated that he couldn't decide what to do. He hated that his mind and body were torn in confusion. All he had to do was relax and accept the fact that he was gay and that he wanted more from Akir, but is that what he actually wanted or was it just his lustful urges? Did he make a mistake in kissing Akir? He didn't want to lead Akir on and then break his heart if he didn't share the same interests...

That was the worst thing he could do.

Akir only tried to comfort Blade as he saw his thoughts spiraling out of control. "It was just a kiss, and it was quite flattering, honestly. I didn't know you felt that way about me," Akir said and chuckled. "Don't worry about it. I won't tell a soul."

Blade pinched back his tears and nodded with a sniff. "Sorry..." Akir's words were comforting and helping him feel better about the whole ordeal.

"I love you, Blade," he said. "This doesn't change anything, okay? If you feel like you want more... don't be afraid to ask."

He slowly turned his head and gave Akir a small, shy smile. "You... liked it, then?"

He nodded and chuckled as he hugged Blade tightly. "I know you love me enough already. We don't have to do anything you're uncomfortable with."

Blade swallowed his emotions and rested his head on Akir's shoulders. More than anything, he just wanted to be held right now, and Akir was more than willing to do that. Blade closed his eyes and felt an unusual calm to his storm as his brother's arms wrapped around him. Right here and now was all he ever wanted, to have someone to hold him when he needed it.

Akir had always been there to do exactly that.

"Why don't we get some sleep? You'll have tomorrow to figure this out."

Blade nodded and lay down with Akir. Warm scales pressed into his body as he embraced Blade from behind. Both of them only had their underwear on, so their almost-naked bodies rubbed intimately together as they cuddled on their small bed.

The more Blade thought about it, the more he realized how much of their relationship revolved around intimacy. Was it so wrong for him to share a kiss with someone he loved? Sure, it may be a little strange to someone who didn't understand them, but that didn't matter as long as both of them enjoyed it...

Right?

Blade doubted he would ever figure it out. He lay there with his back to Akir, unable to sleep as these thoughts nagged at him. He was tired and growing more aggravated that he couldn't rest. He heard and felt Akir's steady heartbeat against him and focused on that, shutting his eyes and following the rhythm of Akir's heart. Slowly, he calmed down and drifted away into a dream, his eyes closed and his body relaxed.

But his sleep was interrupted as Akir pressed firmly against Blade's back. Blade opened his eyes and blinked a few times, unsure if he was still in a dream. Before he could ask Akir what he was doing, he felt a hand at his soft chest. It sifted through his golden feathers as Akir leaned into Blade and nestled in against him. His naked body was warm and comforting. It wasn't anything unusual for them and Blade enjoyed their snuggling, but after what happened earlier Blade knew it was more than that this time.

Blade froze. That hand caressed Blade lower, sliding down his stomach, moving to his flanks to feel the curve of his chest to his hips, and then it curled around and rubbed his lower belly close to his groin. Those claws ever so softly grazed his feathers and sifted through them right above his waistline, giving him shivers. He worried that the other guildmates would see them, but the curtains hanging around their bed kept them hidden.

Yes... Please keep going...

He really liked what was happening, and he could vividly imagine where it would lead to, so Blade didn't want to stop it. He relaxed and tried not to think about it, following what his instincts told him. Anticipation formed a knot in his guts as he clenched his toes; that tantalizing touch dipped between his legs and bumped against his sheath on its way to rub his inner thigh.

Confusing, arousing feelings muddled Blade's mind. In only seconds, his flesh was growing, pushing against his linen underwear as he let his mind roam to thoughts of sex while enjoying Akir's touch. He felt it firmly pressing against his cloth, struggling to grow. He was going to let it happen this time. He wasn't going to worry about it like before.

Akir's touch was delicate and provocative, purposefully causing Blade to experience pleasure and warm arousal unlike anything he had ever felt. His claws traced up Blade's thigh toward his groin before sliding back down again. Blade wanted that hand to touch him, so his legs instinctively parted. It was like Akir was testing the waters and making sure Blade consented before going any further.

Without saying a word, Akir moved his hand to grope Blade and was surprised by a hard cock. It bumped into Blade's erection on its way down to cup Blade's squishy orbs. He rubbed and squeezed Blade's most intimate area through his underwear, rousing a soft gasp from his lips--the only sound either of them made. He worried someone may have heard him so he kept quiet after it. That hand gripped and squeezed Blade's stones before pulling back to Blade's hips to grab his underwear. Akir tugged it down to his thighs to expose Blade's nakedness and returned to curiously caressing his fluffy balls. With a thumb and a couple fingers, Akir rolled around his orbs and massaged them before finally curling his digits around Blade's flesh to stroke it back and forth.

Blade was lost in a sea of bliss. Out of all the people in the world, he never imagined Akir would be the first one to give him sensual attention like this. He was Blade's brother, or so he thought--now, it seemed like they were more than that. They had spent almost their entire lives together, and not once did he think they would be willing to do this.

Akir rubbed against Blade, seeming to be enjoying how soft his feathers felt against his scales. Blade loved it. He loved the intimacy, he loved how Akir massaged his flesh, and he loved how warm and relaxed his body felt as they spooned. Akir's digits danced up and down Blade's sensitive length, exploring each ridge on the underside of it as well as rubbing his head in circles. It was easy to lean back and melt into Akir's embrace, giving his body to him. Soon, Akir shifted behind him, and a hard, wet member pressed firmly against Blade's hind end and made his face flush with an intense, arousing warmth like he had felt earlier when he kissed Akir.

Blade had never touched a penis other than his own. He had seen Akir's a few times, but those were all surprises and he quickly looked away so he didn't seem like a pervert. But right now, he wished he could see it just so he could satisfy more of his curiosities.

As Akir rubbed his hard member against his naked rump, Blade pushed back into his lap and firmly grinded against his cock--he wanted to show Akir he was willing. Without thinking or worrying about it, Blade relaxed. Raising his tail slightly, he let Akir's flesh slide under it and squeeze against his hind end which caused Akir to approvingly rumble in his throat.

Akir rolled Blade onto his stomach, and still neither of them said a word to each other. He was careful of Blade's injured leg and made sure it was okay before he climbed over him, his weight pressing Blade into their bed. Gentle hands guided Blade into position, moving his legs slightly apart after tugging his underwear off and lifting up his tail-base. Knowing what would happen next, Blade prepared himself for it, although he could hardly believe it was happening!

They were naked and aroused together, unlike anything they had ever done before. Blade quivered under Akir as he felt his hard, warm cock sliding between his cheeks. They were about to have sex in the same vicinity as all of their guildmates. Blade tried to relax, but there was no way for him to calm himself down--there were far too many different sensations, feelings, and emotions swelling inside him like a dam about to explode as his heart thundered in his chest.

That firm tip pressed against Blade's tailhole as Akir guided himself inside. Slowly, it stretched Blade's muscles apart until he felt Akir's flesh slip into his passage and spread him wide. Blade bit his tongue and held back a pained groan as he clenched the bed. He laid spread out on his stomach, arms above his head and his legs kicking out to fit Akir between them. Akir's chest fell onto Blade's back as he secured his penetration and sank inside his body.

Akir moaned softly next to Blade's ear, and that was all he needed for encouragement. Nothing else mattered other than Akir's pleasure. Blade ignored the discomfort he felt and let Akir use his body how he wanted. Slowly, Akir pulled out and pushed back inside, deeper this time. Blade wanted to groan, but he held his tongue in fear of someone hearing him. That thick, hard cock stretched his muscles and walls apart, squeezing against his soft insides, and then it tugged out and dragged against Blade's passage. It made him feel full as it rubbed his sensitive tunnel. Blade had never had sex before, so he had no idea what it was supposed to feel like, but he knew this was a weird feeling.

Akir's body spread out over Blade's and steadily rocked into him. Blade tried to keep his breathing under control, but that was proving too difficult. The longer Akir's shaft stretched him, the less discomfort he felt and the more pleasure came bursting deep inside him. The tip of Akir's cock bumped against a firm button inside Blade that made his toes curl and a hot breath escape his lips.

Blade wanted to moan out his pleasure to Akir, but instead of moaning, he huffed hotly with every thrust. Akir's length delved deep inside him and grinded against his prostate, igniting hot, blissful, cock-throbbing pleasure that made pre ooze onto the bed.

The small bed creaked with Akir's steady thrusts, and along with Blade's heavy breaths, it was obvious they were having sex right next to everyone else. He hoped everyone was fast asleep and would be none the wiser. But the longer they went, the more he didn't care--the more hazed his mind was. Occasionally Akir would let out a quiet moan next to Blade's ears to let him know how much he was enjoying it, and that made Blade's heart leap in his chest.

Over and over again Akir's flesh slid in and out of his tight rump, smoothly gliding against his slippery walls. Each thrust brought Blade a bout of pleasure, and he was starting to feel full in his loins. He had never felt something so hot stirring inside him before--it almost felt like he was about to piss, like he couldn't hold it in. The deeper Akir delved the more that feeling pushed at his insides until Blade felt warmth seeping into the bed sheets against his hard cock.

Blade knew what an orgasm was like, but this was nothing like what he had experienced with himself in the past. He wasn't prepared for the overwhelming sensations of bliss to throb inside him and make him suddenly spill copious strings of his cum. He wanted to cry out his ecstasy to Akir, but he held it back, feeling like it was trapped inside him until a quiet whimper squeezed out of his throat.

Blade's seed drizzled onto the sheets like a stream, his body shuddering beneath Akir as he continued humping Blade into the bed. He couldn't stop it and he didn't want to either. Lewd moans threatened to spill from his lips as he reached the pinnacle of bliss. His orgasm bloomed in the back of his head, trickling up his spine from his loins. Unlike his previous climaxes, his whole body was experiencing pleasure on a new level, and it was prolonged by Akir's repeated thrusts inside his tight, quivering passage. His muscles squeezed and clenched around Akir rhythmically as he spilled his cum.

Finally, Akir pushed all the way inside Blade, his slit pressed firmly against Blade's hind end. He sucked in a deep breath and held in a moan as he came, spilling his warm seed inside Blade with the powerful throbs of his cock. Blade's face was hot and his body even hotter. He lay there after his orgasm, completely spent and unable to think about anything other than the fact that he just had sex with Akir, who was finishing inside him.

Blade's sore muscles lightly squeezed around Akir's hard spire. It didn't take much longer before Akir pulled out and left a weird, empty feeling in Blade's rump; his walls were drenched in Akir's cum and stretched much wider than before. A sticky pool of Blade's seed soaked into the bed sheets and Blade tried to wipe it away as he shifted.

And still, neither of them said a word. It was too dark to really see what Akir's face said, but Blade heard his steady breathing as he lay on his back to relax in the afterglow. With a warm blush, Blade turned to his side facing Akir and scooted closer until their bodies touched. He rested his head against Akir's chest and hugged around him with one arm after he nestled in close--intimate and tender.

A deep purr vibrated Akir's chest as he grasped Blade's soft back and held him against his naked, scaled body. Blade smiled.

I guess I'm gay too...

Even after all of those strange, mixed emotions he felt, at the end of it all he was happy and content. He couldn't think of anything to really say; he had a million questions he wanted to ask Akir, but now wasn't the time or place. Now was the time to just relax and get comfortable with Akir, and it felt right to lie against him.

Akir had always been Blade's strong rock to lean on, and now he was realizing that he was also the perfect dragon to snuggle against. Finally, he was realizing that all of his troubles and worries were just plain silly. There wasn't anything to think about after all--he just needed to relax and enjoy the moment. Sweet dreams found him shortly. His eyes closed as he was swept away.