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He made a fist with his injured fingers. The pain was sharp, but it gave him focus.

And don't for a second think that you're not worth all this. You are, a thousand times over.

I know. All of this has been worth it.

No matter what happens next, I'm never going to regret a second of it.

*Tuesday, 15th May, 2029 *

“Alex, I want you to be honest with me. I want you to relax. Don't worry about how I'll react, or what you think I want to hear. All I want is the truth. Can you do that for me?"

Alex regarded the woman sitting in front of him. Dr. Ashton peered at him through small glasses that sat on her nose. The light was just so that he couldn't see her eyes, just a blank reflection in the glass.

“I told you, it wasn't an accident," Alex said. “Someone tried to murder me. I don't think it's unfair to want revenge." He paused, biting back the last word that left a bitter taste in his mouth. “Answers. I want answers, I mean." He looked up at her. “It doesn't count as an obsession if it's valid. Whoever it was might try again. My life is in danger, so is my wife's. My family, as well."

Dr. Ashton leaned back in her grey chair and smoothed the grey fabric of her pant legs. The angle of her glasses changed so Alex could see her beady grey eyes regarding him intently. “It's natural to be angry and to want closure, whether that means revenge or answers. But in order to move forward, we have to stop concentrating on the past."

Alex shifted in the recliner bed he was laying on. It had been only two days since the casts on his arm and leg were removed, and he couldn't stay in one position for long.

“In the last session you mentioned mood swings. Are you still experiencing them?"

“They're not as bad as before. I'm told it's one of the side effects of the painkillers I've been taking, but without them, I have these migraines that last all day long and they're so bad I can't do anything."

Dr. Ashton nodded and scribbled something down on her notepad. “These are prescription painkillers?"

“Yes. There was a lot of pressure on my brain, and I do technically have brain damage. The doctors said the migraines could go away after time, or they could last the rest of my life. There's no way to tell."

“How is Lily handling all of this?"

“Pretty well." Alex shrugged. “As well as anyone could. It's difficult, as you would expect. She's been taking care of me since I'm basically useless."

Dr. Ashton must have sensed the bitterness in his voice because she answered, “And you feel inadequate because as your husband, you should be the one taking care of her."

Alex winced. “Yeah, that's it. I know she understands, and she doesn't blame me of course, and I try to help wherever I can." He looked back up at the ceiling. “It kills me knowing that I can't protect her."

“Protect her from what?"

“I don't know," he said to the ceiling. “Imagine if it had been her in that car crash. I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

“Alex, many people blame themselves for things outside of their control."

“I know, and she always says I'm obsessing over it, but... I want to be a good husband and provide for her, protect her, and do all the things a husband should do... but I don't even feel like her husband. I just know her as a friend I had a crush on, so it's hard to get used to being married." He frowned and his right hand went to the fingers of his left hand where he expected to find a ring but there was nothing there. “I still haven't got my ring fixed. It's not because I don't want to, it's because I didn't see the point since I couldn't wear it until a few days ago, when the casts came off."

Dr. Ashton wrote something down. “How is your home therapy going? Last time you said Lily was helping you remember things."

“It's... I don't know. It doesn't seem to help. Sometimes I remember parts from my past, but it's never because of the exercises you told us to do. It's just random."

“Some patients remember things one day at a time, sometimes they remember everything all at once. And sometimes we fail to forget things not because we can't remember them, but because we don't want to."

Alex found himself nodding without realizing it, then stopped himself. He looked over at Ashton. She took off her glasses and put her notepad down. “This is a question you'll have to ask yourself, and I don't expect you'll answer me. Do you think there's anything you've done that you don't want to remember?"

Alex thought, and the answer came to him instantly but he stayed silent.

“In all my years of work," Ashton continued, “I've heard it all. I've talked to thieves, kidnappers, murderer and rapists. No matter what you've done, trust me, I've heard it and worse."

I doubt it, Alex thought. The thought brought a grim smile to his mouth. Dr. Ashton's eyebrows raised.

“Doctor, what can you tell me about doctor-patient confidentiality?

“I am permitted to disclose information to police if you had any intention to harm someone, but I'm not required to."

She paused, waiting for him to speak. When he didn't, she added, “Obviously if you're not comfortable discussing it, you don't have to. But if I haven't made myself clear, you have my word that I'll never speak of it to anyone else."

Alex took a deep breath.

* * *

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Lily turned off the radio just as the commercial ended with “Coming in 2030. Order now!"

“Hear that, Rubik? You're obsolete now," Lily said.

The red dragon looked up at her and said, “What?"

She bent down and scratched him behind his jaw while he grumbled happily. She took his head in her hands and leaned close enough to whisper, “Don't worry, you've still got all the parts I need," and kissed him on the snout.

Lily picked up her purse and checked her reflection one more time in the hallway mirror. She put her hand on the door to leave and heard a thump of something falling, and Alex cursing. “You okay?" she called.

“Fine!" He reappeared from the spare bedroom holding an armful of books. “I was just trying to find a certain book."

“Okay. Just try to take it easy. You going to be okay on your own?"

He put the books down and limped over and hugged her. “I'll try not to fall down the stairs when you're gone."

“I meant... you know. Don't go crazy trying to obsess over what happened."

He pulled away and held her at arm's length. “I'm not obsessive."

She didn't say anything.

“Lily, I promise I won't shoot anyone. And our house doesn't even have stairs anyway."

“There's one at the front door."

“That's a step, not a stair."

“I'm pretty sure those are the same thing."

“Well I'm pretty sure they're two separate words for a reason."

“How about we agree that you can use the step and I'll use the stair." Lily paused. “Actually that sounds dumb. Maybe you're right."

“I'm always right, Lilith."

“That's not my name!" She glanced at her phone. “Okay. I'll see you later."

“Have fun. I'll try not to fall down the step when you're gone." He kissed her despite her shaking her head and she stepped out of the door and he locked it behind her, leaving Alex alone for the first time since the accident.

He looked down at Rubik. “I'm not obsessive, am I?"

Rubik paused before answering. “Sometimes."

“Well, if someone tried to kill you, you'd worry about it too." He went back to the spare bedroom and stood and stared at his bookshelves. He had gone through every drawer of his house, every scrap of paper, looking for clues and had found nothing. It was so unlike him to rely solely on his memory, but he wouldn't have saved it on his computer, so it must have been written down somewhere. Perhaps he had left a clue for himself, in a hollowed-out book? It was far-fetched but better than nothing.

He pulled books off the shelves, one by one, flipped through them, and replaced them back on the shelf until he reached the end. He looked over. Rubik was sitting in the doorway, watching him.

“This is retarded, isn't it, Rubik? I'm not going to find it." He sighed. “You're not going to tell Lily this is what I've been doing, are you?"

Rubik shook his head.

“If only I would have told you the password." Alex put the last book back where he found it just as his phone vibrated and an email notification popped up:

“Alex it's Jim. We're wondering if you're available for an interview this week, about recent events. Network is begging for you to come on, it'll be big for both of us. “Alex Chapman's first interview since his near-fatal accident!" With Goddard being reformed the public has a lot of questions. Even if Naomi's not there. We have a script for you."

Alex replied: “I am sorry. I had a car accident, but I sublbibed with only tribial blain damlege." And sent it. Let them figure that one out.

He went to his text messages and as he had done so many times before, scrolled down to Naomi's texts. The last thing she had texted him the day of his accident was: “Good luck! :)"

He stared at that for a moment. What did she mean? The question that had plagued him for weeks – where was he going that fateful day?

His head started to hurt. Instinctively he reached into his pocket for the bottle of painkillers and swallowed one of the last ones. He'd have to drive to the pharmacy for more soon. Music would distract him for now. “House," he said loudly, “Relaxing ambience."

Classical music flowed from the ceiling mounted speakers. He went to his computer and, as he had done so many times before, opened the DMS.exe program and was prompted by the login page. In the days after his accident he had foolishly guessed multiple tries, forgetting that he had put a limit on password attempts. Last time it had warned him he had only one more guess or be permanently locked out. He looked down at the keys, trying to remember, but it was just like looking through endless fog.

If he hadn't written down the password and hidden it in a book, maybe he had put it inside the computer case? That seemed like something he would do. He knelt down under his desk and undid the screws holding the case closed and took off the cover. Inside was nothing but computer parts and dust. He ran a finger over the dust and one piece stuck to his finger. He looked at it closely. No, not dust. A feather. One of Naomi's from years ago when she still had the downy grey coat. He brushed it against his lips and smelled it but it just smelled like dust. He stood for a moment and looked at it laying in the palm of his hand.

He brought it over the fireplace. On top of the mantelpiece there was the framed picture of Naomi, smiling and wearing his Millennium Falcon shirt. He placed the feather next to the picture and touched the glass with a finger. He thought he should light a candle for her or something. It would have been nice to say goodbye.

He stood and listened to the music playing softly from the speakers above, each note like snowflakes falling down. He closed his eyes and imagined them falling on his face, leaving little cold spots on his skin. He shivered and looked at his arm and saw the hair standing up. He looked behind him, as if someone was watching, and looked out the window but there was nothing there.

The music stopped as the song ended, and the next one began. It was mournful, slow and sombre and spoke of grief and loss. Violin and choir played in unison, weaving the song together.

“House," he said. The music paused. “What song is this?"

“This is Lacrimosa, by Wolfgang Amandeus Mozart."

Before the voice finished the word he was hurrying back to his computer. Opened the DMS program and typed in Lacrimosa. His fingers hovered above the Enter key. Only one shot. He paused, closed his eyes and listened to the rest of the song and pressed Enter.

He opened his eyes. He stared at the screen, sitting motionless for several minutes, then went to his phone.

Jim:

Ignore that, I was just trying to be funny. Yes I'll come in for the interview. When?

-Alex

* * *

“Ladies and gentlemen, my guest tonight is Alex Chapman. Mr. Chapman was once a dragon handler for Goddard Genetics, and rose to prominence in 2026 after he won a company raffle and became the proud owner of the first dragon with human level intelligence. Together, Naomi and Alex have done more than a hundred interviews together, and this is his third appearance on this show.

“Several months ago, he was in a car crash that nearly took his life. This is his first public appearance since then. Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome Mr. Alex Chapman."

Alex walked on stage to the polite applause of the audience. He was limping slightly.

The host stood, smiled and extended his hand, Alex shook it and sat down. “Now the obvious question," the host said. “How do you feel?"

“Sore. Impatient. I only just got out of my casts a few days ago."

“You've been absent from social media and haven't been seen publicly for months. People are wondering how you're coping."

“I've been taking therapy to help with my memory. I don't know if it's working. Sometimes I remember random stuff but there's very little of the last five years I can actually recall."

“Do you remember being on this show?"

Alex shook his head. “I watched the two interviews I did here last year, but it was all new to me. And this is the first time I've been here alone."

The host nodded. “Let's talk about that. Nobody has seen or heard from Naomi since the accident."

“No. It's funny. I don't actually remember her. But when I see pictures, I miss her. And now that she's gone, it's like I lost a best friend. If that doesn't make sense, it's because it doesn't even make sense to me. But it's still true. Even though I know she's gone, I would like to see her again. It would have been nice just to say goodbye."

“Well I do have a surprise guest for you tonight. No it's not her, but someone who claims he saw her recently."

The audience gasped. Alex raised his eyebrows and twisted in his chair and winced. A young man walked nervously onstage, glancing first upwards then to the audience. He sat on the chair near Alex.

“Richard, why don't you explain what you saw recently."

“I saw your dragon," the boy said to Alex. “It couldn't have been any other. I remember her from the Goddard commercials. She's the only one that's black and white like that. I said to myself, that looks like the one what I've seen before on the TV."

“You're sure it was Naomi?" Alex asked.

“Yup, and the security cameras got her too." Images appeared on the giant screen behind the guests. The images were grainy but unmistakably showed a black&white dragon, first drinking from a horse trough, then looking up at a figure that must have been the boy next to Alex, then flying away.

“When was this?" Alex asked. He shuffled closer to the boy.

“Just a week ago."

“Did you talk to her?"

“I did. I said, 'what are you doing all the way out here?' but she didn't answer. So I said 'You're Alex Chapman's dragon, Naomi.' but then she flew away. And that's it."

Alex leaned forward in his chair, steepling his fingers. The microphone barely picked up him saying “Alex Chapman's dragon..."

“So she's alive," the host said. “What would you say to her if you knew she was watching?"

Alex took so long to answer that the host repeated the question. Then he finally said, “There was something I wanted to say when I came on here. Something about the accident. But now it doesn't seem as important. But if she is watching this, I would like to tell her to come back. I don't know why she left, or why she's stayed away. But I would like to talk to her again. I feel like..." Alex rubbed his temples. “It has something to do with what happened before the accident. If it was an accident." He shrugged.

“You think someone might have done it on purpose?" the host asked.

“If they did, I can't say." He glanced at the camera.

“Alright. We're going to take a short break and be right back with more."

The video billboard switched to a commercial and Naomi, perched on the roof of an apartment building across the street, stirred as if being woken from sleep.

Just to see him again, even on a screen... she didn't know what to think. Did he really miss her? Last time she saw him he didn't even recognize her.

“If it was an accident," Alex had said. Stupid, for him to say that on TV. Of course it wasn't an accident. But that meant he knew it was suspicious. She had left so she wouldn't endanger him. But now it looked like he might endanger himself.

She looked off into the sky. Did he really miss her?

* * *

** 19th May 2029**

“Are you tired of wearing human clothes? In partnership with the Greater GodGen Conglomerate, we're offering a new lineup of clothing to match your physical form. No more squeezing your wings through arm holes. No more worrying about tearing delicate fabric with your claws. Magnetic buttons make getting in and out of them a snap! Clothing made for you, that won't get in the way of flying."

“These ads are getting really annoying," Alex said.

“Just skip past them," Lily said without looking up.

“But then I can't complain about them." He looked back at Lily. “How's your tea?" He sniffed the air. “What is that? Is that ginger and..." he shut his eyes and sniffed the air again. “Peppermint?"

She chuckled. “You know your tea. Yes I wasn't feeling good. Ginger & peppermint is good for an upset stomach." When she saw his concern she added “It's probably just food poisoning or something."

“Oh, so you're saying I can't cook now?"

She laughed. “No! It might have been from the cafeteria."

“At least now I finally get to take care of you now. I'll be your manservant. Anything I can do for you, Mrs. Chapman?"

She laughed again. “You might have to stay away from me in case I'm contagious"

“I'd rather get sick than not be around you."

“That's sweet. Still, I'd rather you not get sick. Imagine how painful it would be for you to sneeze."

“You're right." He placed a hand on his ribs. They would be sore for months, he was told. “I'll sleep on the couch then," he said. “But I'll still bring you anything you need."

“In that case-" she stopped when Rubik poked his head into the room and said, “Naomi's back."

For several seconds, nobody moved. Alex was the first to react. “What?"

“Naomi's back."

Alex bolted upright. Forgetting the ache in his bones, he pushed past Rubik and hurried into the living room and through the glass he saw something that didn't make sense. Something out of a dream. Someone he had seen in his mind, and in photos, something described to him, but never in the flesh before. She was pure white, with streaks of black along the leading edges of her wings, and deep black marks along her eyes and down her neck. She looked nothing like an animal he had ever seen, nothing that could have possibly come from nature. It looked artificial, even, like a jet airplane or a spacecraft molded into flesh by the hands of engineers.

He opened the door and she stepped inside his house, slowly, delicately, deliberately. She held herself on the knuckles of her wings and her back legs, poised and tense, like a frightened animal ready to flee at any moment. She looked around, sniffed the air, and looked at Alex. Neither of them spoke.

It was Lily who finally broke the spell. “We thought you were dead."

The dragon spoke. “No." She shook her head. “No, I just left for a while. I came back to..." she didn't look away from Alex. “I needed to tell you something. When I..." she stopped.

Alex crouched down and extended his hand, fingers out, like there was something dangerous and unpredictable in front of him. His fingers stopped an inch from her scales. He could feel the heat coming off her, the subtle air movements from her breath tickling the hair on his hand. Naomi nudged her face forward so that he touched her scales and he jerked his hand back as if he had been shocked. Then moved his hand forward again and touched the back of his fingers to her scaly chin just to feel the tiny scales there that were smoother than his own skin. He brushed them down her neck and felt her heartbeat in her neck.

She was watching him with her bright eyes that were silver with a hint of blue. “Say something," she whispered. He watched her mouth form over the words. Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper but to him it was so familiar.

Naomi finally pulled her eyes away from Alex. “Is he okay?" she asked Lily.

“Not really. Sometimes it takes him a while."

Alex's throat was dry. He licked his lips. “I've missed you," he said. “It's so strange. I don't even know who you are, but I missed you."

She looked up at him and smiled. “I missed you too."

He realized it had been a long time since he blinked so he did.

“Do you remember... anything?" she asked.

“No. Not you. But I... I know you. Somehow I know you. You don't feel like a stranger to me. Just an old friend I haven't seen in a very long time. I think you're still in here, somewhere." He touched the side of his head where the hair was shorter.

She nudged her head against his hand and licked his palm. When she tilted her head he noticed one of the feathers that crowned her head was smaller than the others.

“I found one of your feathers. It was outside of my bedroom window. I lost it though."

“That's from when they tried to take me."

“What?" Lily asked from behind Alex. She came forward and knelt next to Alex. Rubik trailed behind and sat down. “Hi, Naomi," as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Naomi smiled. “Hi, Rubik." She looked back at Alex and Lily. “I have to tell you what happened. After your accident, when you woke up and didn't remember me, I came back here. Some people broke into your house and tried to get me! They had nets and shot me with something, and nearly got me."

“They shot you?"

“Like with a stun gun. It made my wing numb but only for an hour or so. Or a few minutes. I don't remember. I flew away and didn't want to come back because they might come back for me, and I didn't want to put you two in danger. But I wanted to warn you. I saw your interview and you know it wasn't an accident. I think whoever did it might try again."

Alex stood up, fists clenched. He had a face Naomi had never seen before. He turned back to Lily. “I might have to take back what I promised you."

“What did you promise me?"

“I told you I wouldn't shoot anyone. But if someone tried to kill Naomi..."

“Careful..." Lily put a hand on his shoulder and he shrugged it off. But his head was clear. “I'm serious. I am literally going to buy a gun, find Lukas Koskinen and shoot him in the fucking head. Along with anyone else who tries to hurt either of you."

Something touched his shoulder. He turned and Naomi was standing upright, so her face was level with his. She draped her wings over his shoulders, holding him close. “You're not going to kill anyone," she said softly. “We can figure something out. You thought of a good plan once, and you saved me. We can think of something."

“I didn't know you could stand up."

“Only when I have someone to hold on to." She hugged him with her wings. They felt like warm, leathery blankets. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and stood for a moment holding her. He rested his chin on her shoulder, felt her soft scales against his cheek, and listened to the smooth steady sound of her breathing. He took a long, deep breath.

When he let go and dropped back down to all fours he found his head was clear. “After you escaped, what did you do?" he asked.

“I just ran into the forest and flew away. I picked a direction and flew. I don't know how long I was gone. I don't even know what day it is. I managed to make it back home just now."

“I'm glad you're back."

“Thank you. And it's good to know you're okay. But I can't stay."

“What? Why not?"

“Because it's my fault." Her voice faltered at the last word. “They caused that accident to get rid of you, to get to me. But they wouldn't have cared about you if it wasn't for me!"

“Naomi, does that mean you know where I was going the day of the accident?

“Yes. You were going to drive to Goddard directly. The night before, someone else had leaked a bunch of Goddard's secrets online. You thought you would be blamed, so you were going to just drive there and tell them it wasn't you. But that was my idea. You have no idea how many times I've thought that over in my head, wishing I could have just kept my mouth shut, or said something else. I nearly got you killed. So if you don't remember me, or don't like me anymore, it's my fault."

“It's not your fault, Naomi. I wanted to blame myself too, but it's like my doctors said, blaming ourselves leads us nowhere. I did ask for you to come back once I learned you were still alive. And for what it's worth, I'm glad you are back." He reached out and smoothed her feathers back. “If they really wanted to kill me, they would have found a way. They must have chosen a car collision because it could easily be dismissed as an accident. But if I wasn't on the road they would have done something different. So in a way, you saved me. I made the decision to save you in the first place, not you. And even if I don't remember the time we had together, I don't regret it." He stood up. “Anyway, you look exhausted. Lets get you some food and rest. We can keep talking later."

* * *

Alex tossed a pillow and blanket on the couch. “Lily's not feeling well so I'm sleeping on the couch. Do you normally sleep with us?"

“I have my own bed, but sometimes I'd end up in bed with you and Lily. I don't always sleep at the same time as you two though."

He sat down on the couch and motioned to her to sit next to him and she did.

“You can join me if you want. I don't want to sleep alone."

“I'd like that." She smiled, and he ran a hand over her feathers, as he had so many times before. “I'm glad you're back," she said.

He looked down at her and smiled. “Me too."

“I want to show you something. A secret."

“A secret?"

“I have a place in the woods, a place I like to fly and be alone. I never told anyone about it and when you were gone I went there and wished you were there."

“We can go tomorrow if you'd like. Now that I'm out of my casts I'd like to stretch my legs. Is it hard to walk up?"

“I don't know, I've only flown there. You can drive most of the way and I can show you the rest. There's a nice clearing, and the view is amazing."

“Oh, I'd love that. That sounds perfect."

“It is." Without thinking, she lifted her head and kissed him on the lips, then pulled back.

For a second he didn't react. Then he brought his fingers to his mouth. “Uh, okay. I didn't expect that. I know we used to kiss, among other things, but I'm not really that person anymore."

She held her wings close and seemed to shrink. “Sorry, I wasn't thinking. I won't do it again,"

“Don't get me wrong," Alex said. “I'm glad you're back. And I wish I could have all those memories back. But I can't make myself remember. It's like it's all behind a glass wall, and I wish I could just punch through it. But I can't. I'm sorry."

* * *

“Not now, Rubik," Lily said.

He growled.

“No. It wouldn't be right. Alex... he knows we used to, but now that he's not with Naomi. So I don't think he would approve."

“With her now."

“Yeah but they're not going to do anything."

“Been so long."

“I know, but... we can't."

He bared his teeth which caused goosebumps to raise on her arm, but not due to fear. He tugged at her shirt with his teeth.

“Plus I'm not feeling that well, I need to get some sleep."

He growled again, a deep, throaty growl that reverberated his body.

Lily glanced through the open door down the hallway. Would Alex even care? (would he even know?) She could just say that Rubik forced her. Although Alex would know Rubik would never really force her to. (But it was fun to pretend, sometimes...)

“Rubik, you're going to rip my shirt."

“Take it off."

She crossed her arms over her chest. “No."

They stared at each other for a moment. He let out a huff of breath through his nostrils and moved back, taking his weight off her. For a second she relaxed. But he had merely moved down, and positioned himself between her legs that he held open with his wings.

“Rubik!" She hissed as he nudged his snout against her crotch. The thin material of her panties did nothing to dull the sensation. Such a simple motion, but he was right, it had been a long time. She hadn't been home much when Alex was in the hospital, and since he got home she was taking care of him, which meant they hadn't been intimate since before the accident and that was months ago. She lost her train of thought when she felt Rubik let go of her leg and with his wing claw, he hooked her underwear and pulled it aside. She watched, motionless but not helpless, as he opened his mouth and snaked his tongue out. As if in slow motion she saw it extend outward towards her and when it touched her she arched her back and had to stifle a moan. She held a hand over her own mouth, not trusting herself to keep from crying out.

“Oh, you're so bad, Rubik," she said behind her fingers.

“I know," he mumbled between licks. Was he always this good, or was it because he hadn't done it in months? Lily had nearly forgotten what he could do with his tongue. Six inches of pure muscle, and he had excellent control over it.

“Just this, then, just your tongue. Nothing more. Got it?"

“No."

“Oh, damn you. You horny fucking dragon. At least let me close the door." She tried to get up.

“No." He reached up and pinned her shoulders down with his wings.

She let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine. Just go slow at first, it's been a while."

He didn't bother to answer and she hoped he wouldn't heed her advice. She lay back and let him continue. Of course getting him to stop would be as easy as saying it. But that word seemed impossible to say right now.

He continued lapping at her pussy, pushing waves of pleasure washing over her body, spreading from her crotch to the tips of her fingers and toes. His draconic saliva mixed with her own wetness, lubricating his tongue as it dragged across her most sensitive areas. She felt every single bump on his tongue as it slowly dragged over her. She bit her lip and hissed air through her teeth.

She knew it was coming and it still took her by surprise “Oh God, Rubik," she said. She gripped handfuls of sheet and held on as her body squirmed with pleasure as a wave cascaded over her. She cried out, not caring if Alex heard or not. Rubik stayed with her the whole time, keeping his head close to her, following the rhythmic undulations of her pelvis as she jerked on the bed. His licking slowed as she rode out her orgasm, then stopped as she finally she lay back, trying to catch her breath. “Okay. You've made your point. Give me a second."

“Now."

“You can't just tell me what to do all the time."

“Yes I can."

She gritted her teeth. “What makes you think that?"

He stood up on his wings and hind legs and stepped forward until he towered over her. Instead of responding, he looked down and she followed his eyes. Between his legs, his cock hung, fully engorged. The light was just so that every ridge and bump stood out. Just seeing it made her remember how it felt, the way it pushed her open and seemed to fill her entire insides. The way she could feel the ridges rubbing against her as he pounded it in and out, over and over until she was a helpless, quivering mess. It was already dripping with draconic precum. She wondered what was more wet, him or her.

“Rubik, you're such an asshole," she whispered.

“I know." He gave a low huff of satisfaction and positioned himself just above her. The tip of his cock rested just between her legs and just touched her clitoris, sending a quick jolt of pleasure up her body. He paused.

“What are you waiting for? Just do it already."

He merely smiled, revealing the tips of dozens of sharp white teeth.

“Oh you want me to beg for it?"

He bent down and licked her neck.

“Fuck, Just give it to me then. Fuck me hard."

His hips suddenly thrust forward, causing Lily to cry out, forgetting that she was supposed to be quiet. She watched as his cock dissipated inside her, then withdrew, wet with a sheet of both of their fluids. Then with a thrust of his hips he hilted her again. And again and again, each time meeting no resistance, but a gasp of pleasure from the human woman below him.

Lily's hands gripped his back, over his wings, and her fingers dug into his shoulders. She knew she couldn't hurt him but wished she could, just as payback.

“Oh god I've missed this," she murmured into his shoulder. “I missed your body. And your huge dragon cock. I missed the way to treat me."

“Me too."

“Never go this long without fucking me again. Even if I say not to."

“I won't."

She looked up to see his face. His eyes were shut tight as he concentrated just on the movements and the pleasure it was giving him. She ran her fingers down his scaly chest and down past his abdomen, feeling the way his muscles stretched and bulged as he pumped in and out of her. She thought about how feral and animistic he was. There was no way to close her eyes and pretend he was a human, there was nothing human about him. He was not a spiky dragon but he wasn't smooth either. Masculine and hard. Dragons didn't sweat, but he did have a certain musk about him, one that was at once exotic and intoxicating, earthy and masculine. One she immediately associated with him.

And he was so rough with her, like he didn't care whether she wanted it or not. Using her like an object. Would this be how he would mate with a dragon? He pictured two of them together and how rough it would be. What colour would she be if she was a dragon? Maybe purple. Then he could breed her. That was a weird thought but her mind often went to places it wouldn't when she wasn't horny.

He opened his eyes and looked down on her with reptilian, slitted pupils and golden irises. His scaly lips pulled back, revealing rows of dangerous-looking teeth. It wasn't a smile, but more like a smirk. He looked smug, like he knew he was in charge. His pace became more frantic, increasing her own pleasure as well. She felt his cock swell inside her and knew he was close to finishing. A part of her wanted him to pause so he could continue but she knew he wouldn't stop or slow.

“You're gonna cum in me, Rubik?"

He opened his jaws and clamped down on her shoulder, poking her skin with his sharp teeth. She cried out from the delicious mixture of pain and pleasure. His hot breath played against the wetness of her skin, alleviating the stinging.

With a final few hard thrusts he emptied himself inside her, thrusting hard enough she was pushed upward on the bed. She saw his muscles tense in relief above her as she held on to him as he bore down on her, his claws digging deep into the bed for leverage. His growls of pleasure right next to her ear were loud enough to hurt her ears but she was beyond the point of caring.

She was aware of a warm wetness deep inside her that seemed to spread to her entire body. He slowed and licked the sweat off her neck, and the bite marks on her skin, now cooing gently, like he was humming.

“I think they heard," she whispered.

“Don't care."

“I know you don't, you dick." She held his head and kissed his scaly lips deeply. She could taste herself on his tongue.

* * *

The Next Day

Alex followed Naomi as she led the way up the mountainside, occasionally looking back to see that he was following. He was breathing hard but managed to keep up as she navigated the difficult terrain with ease. With one leap and sweep of her wings she launched herself over a stream which he had to cross by stepping on stones above the surface of the water. Here the trail was climbing steadily, steep enough he had to climb using his hands as much as his feet, grasping at outcropping edges of rocks and tree roots to haul himself up. His muscles and bones ached but didn't exactly hurt, rather they felt as if they were being used and stretched and strengthened. It might hurt tomorrow but now it didn't matter.

“It gets narrow up here," Naomi said. “Be careful."

The ledge they were walking along was just a few feet wide. To his right the ground rose nearly vertical to a ledge taller than he was. To his left, the ground fell sharply away where the stream they crossed earlier turned into a waterfall and cascaded down and turned to mist lost among the trees far below.

He stopped when he nearly walked face-first into a sheer cliff face. He looked up and it was at least a few feet taller than him. There was nowhere to go. “Naomi? Where'd you go?" He was alone on the narrow ledge with barely enough room to turn around. A few stones, disturbed by his feet, tumbled down the sheer cliff face and dissipated in the depth below.

His dragon's face popped up above him. “Up here. This is the last bit. I can help you up."

She reached down and extended her wing. He grabbed onto her wrist where a single claw protruded. She tried to heave him up. “Oof. Did you gain weight?"

“I've been sitting on my ass for two months, what do you expect?"

He grabbed hold of a tree root with his other hand and dug his toes into the dirt face and she managed to lift him off his feet. There was a heart-stopping moment when he was suspended over the cliff and the only thing holding him up was her wing. He scrabbled with his hand on the cliff face but just ended up with a handful of dirt that fell onto his face. He sputtered and made the mistake of looking down and saw the hundred foot drop, far below was a tangle of broken tree stumps and boulders, nearly lost amid the mist of the waterfall.

But then he looked up and saw the familiar face of someone whom he knew he once loved, and in that moment he wasn't the least bit afraid. He reached up with his free hand and managed to grab hold of solid rock, then hauled himself up to the ledge, scraping his chest and knees but managed to make it to the top and he knelt there, catching his breath. He looked up and there was his dragon, sitting on her haunches, wings neatly folded away. She looked relaxed and unfazed, not like she had just hiked for an hour in the dense wilderness. She was wearing a jacket made specially for her, a one-piece suit that buttoned up with magnets from her neck to her tail and functioned both as a shirt and pants. It was the first time he could recall her wearing clothes.

“Do you like the view?" she asked.

He stood and brushed himself off. He was in a clearing surrounded by evergreens, the dew on their needles being burned off by the late morning sun, steaming in the heat and making rays of sunshine like stage spotlights on the ground. Underneath the branches in perpetual shadow drifts of late snow hid from the sun as they dripped water as steady as a ticking clock. At the far end of the clearing the ground dropped off and far below was a bay, and the crumbly landscape of the coast extended out as far as he could see, dotted by innumerable tiny islands sitting in the sapphire crystal of the sea. There was just enough wind to make foam-tipped streaks of water like individual brushstrokes as little boats sat in the bay. The bright shine of car windshields moved along the road like a string of diamonds.

The air was pleasantly cool but not cold, and the sun was warm on his face. He took off his jacket and laid it on a nearby boulder. He looked at Naomi, sitting elegant with feline grace and calm. The light from above filtering through branches left dappling shadows on her scales, giving her a splotchy pattern.

“It's beautiful," he said. But he was looking at her when he said it. He sat next to her and she draped a wing over his shoulders and held him close. After a moment's hesitation he put his arm around her shoulders and rested his cheek against hers and closed his eyes. All around him, the trees slowly creaked in the winds, brushing their branches together, murmuring to each other like hushed gossip. Birds fluttered between the branches, chirping among themselves and far above, he heard the piercing cry of an eagle.

He realized he had been idly stroking Naomi's body this whole time. He woke up from his reverie and opened his eyes. “Oh, sorry."

“You don't have to apologize for touching me."

“Yeah. I guess I've done it enough. I guess old habits die hard, eh?" He put his hand back where it was. “I can see why you like it up here. It's quiet and secluded. And the view is amazing." He glanced up. The sky was clear but for a few airplane contrails. “Remember when we watched the Heart of Gold land on Mars?"

“I remember. You made me watch it."

“I made you?"

“Well you didn't make me, but I wouldn't have watched it if it didn't interest you. And you were so excited it made me excited." Naomi paused. “How did you remember that?"

He shrugged. “Sometimes I remember things. I don't know why."

“Did you hear about the base on the moon?" she asked. “The Clear Air Turbulence and Grey Area landed at Shackleton Crater recently."

“Yes. Where did you hear that?"

“It was a news billboard. I was watching the news to see if there was any mention of you." “Go on, then."

“I don't really know anything else about it. That's all I heard."

“They're building a permanent base on the south pole of the moon. The rim of Shackleton Crater is almost permanently in sunlight so they're building a giant transparent dome and growing plants to feed the colonists. They're looking for workers willing to relocate to the Moon and work in 1/6th G. It'll start off with scientists at first, and it's going to be a research station because one edge of the crater can observe Earth and they'll put a telescope in the bottom of the crater itself because it's always in darkness."

Naomi was looking up at him wistfully.

“What?" Alex said.

“I missed hearing you talk about this," Naomi said. “I thought about it a lot when I was gone. I missed listening to you ramble about stuff, and getting bored by it. I mean, I was never bored by anything you say."

He leaned over and ruffled the feathers on her head. “One day I'll tell you about how bad of an idea a space elevator is."

“You already did. You went on for like an hour"."

“I bet you thought that was interesting."

“It's okay, I still... um."

“What?"

She looked up at him. “I was going to say, I still love you for it."

“Do you?"

“Of course I still love you."

He blinked and looked away, long enough to take a deep breath and let it out. He looked back at her. “That's what I said to you, didn't I? And I used to, as well. I'm... no, I'm not going to apologize. I know I used to love you. Maybe I will in the future. But until then, we'll see."

He looked straight ahead, at the view in front of him, distinctly aware of the tension in the air.

“Did you hear Lily and Rubik last night?"

“It was hard not to," she answered.

Alex was silent. Finally he said, “I don't know how to feel about it. I know I was fine with it before. But that's when I was with you. Did you and Rubik ever...?"

“No. You said I could, but I only wanted you. I don't think you would have wanted me to."

“I wouldn't have." He looked over at her. Sitting down like this, her head was level with his. It was remarkable how human she looked at times, yet there was nothing physically human about her. Her face was so explicitly _in_human, yet so easily readable and so familiar to him. He knew these differences didn't matter to him before, so why did they matter now?

He leaned back on his elbows. “I like it here. It'd be nice to camp out and spend the day. Shame I didn't bring anything to eat."

“I could catch dinner for us," Naomi ventured.

“Catch dinner?"

“There's salmon in the river below, and berries and stuff I eat here all the time."

“That sounds nice. I didn't bring anything to make a fire, though. Don't dragons breathe fire?"

“I'm not that kind of dragon!"

“I bet you are," he teased. “I bet you sleep on a big pile of gold and collect the armour and weapons of the knights who try to slay you."

“I do not! Besides, you've had raw fish before. Haven't you ever had sushi?"

“I guess it wouldn't be that weird. If it's fresh I wouldn't get sick. Okay."

She sounded excited. “Oh, I've never made you dinner before! You always made it for me. I hope it's good." She pointed with a wing. “Over there is where huckleberries grow. You can find fiddleheads and hazelnuts just down the slope, and miner's lettuce under the tree that's fallen down."

“How do you know all of this?"

“You told me, once. And once I learned how to read, I did a lot of my own research. I wanted to live independently."

“And not have to be supported by me?"

“It's not that I don't love living with you. But I wanted to be able to support myself. I'm an adult and I should act like one."

“I think there's a lot I still have to learn from you. Okay, I'll harvest some stuff if you catch the fish." She took off in the air and he watched her fly away. Then headed down where she pointed and found the huckleberry bush. 'I should be the one hunting,' he said to himself. 'I'm the man.' He paused. Was he her man, still? If so, what was she to him? She was... a stranger. One he knew for years apparently, but.... his headache threatened to return and he dismissed the thought. Now he was here, and what mattered was what was here. He picked a few berries. If only he had a basket. He could put them in his pockets but no... instead he took off his shirt and tied one end together to make a bag, and quickly filled it with berries and fiddlehead ferns. He tasted them as he gathered, and they were surprisingly good. He didn't know the last time he went foraging in nature. Maybe he never had.

As Naomi had said, there was a fallen tree and underneath, sprouts of some green leafy plant. It didn't really look like lettuce to him, but he picked a couple handfuls and added it to his shirtbag. He laughed out loud at the word shirtbag and headed back.

Naomi was lying on her back in the middle of the clearing, struggling with something in her claws. It looked like she was fighting.

“Naomi?"

She looked at him, wide-eyed and embarrassed. “I was trying to cut it up."

“What?"

She rolled over onto her feet, holding the dead salmon in one claw. “Normally I just eat it in the air and throw away the bones and guts, but I wanted to clean it and try to cut it into nice pieces with my claws, but it was hard to do while standing and the only way I have all my limbs free is if I'm on my back."

He laughed. “Okay."

“But I managed to get it into two kind of equal pieces. She picked up one piece and trotted over to him and dropped it into his hands.

“So do we just like, eat it?" He held his half.

“What else would you do with it?"

"I don't know. I guess this is just food. I've never done this before. He looked at her, and thought, fuck it, and took a bite. Then thoughtfully chewed and swallowed. “It doesn't taste like much."

“I like it," she said. She took her half and tore into it. They stood there, quietly eating. He felt natural, and wild. He should be naked, though. He wondered what she would think of that. He walked to the edge of the clearing, near the cliff, and laid out his shirt with the salad and they picked through it.

“How is it?" Naomi asked.

“This is one of the best meals I've ever had. Thank you. And there's a nice view, too."

She craned her neck down, looking over the cliff. “Careful," he said, holding out an arm.

She looked at him sideways. “You know I can fly, right?"

He laughed. “I forgot. It's just instinct to try to protect you."

She smiled and said, “I like staying up here and watching the people below. Sometimes I make up stories about them. It's like watching a movie."

Dinner and a movie, he thought to himself. “What about that truck?" He pointed to one far below.

“They're moving," Naomi said. “They've had enough of the quiet life here and now they're looking for adventure in the big city. They're nervous but excited, and scared." She paused for a moment, watching the truck slowly trundle along the winding road. “What about that one?" She pointed with her wing to a small sedan.

He paused for a second. “It's a family of four, they're going to see that D&D movie that came out that had actual dragons in it. The one with the yellow kobold and the white dragon."

“I totally could have played her," Naomi said.

“She did look like you. Too bad you can't act."

“I can act. I've been acting like I'm interested in you this whole time."

Alex brushed his hands and picked up his shirt. “Damn. Now my shirt is covered in berry juice. I guess I didn't think that through." He put it next to his jacket hanging up and his hand brushed against something in his pocket – a small bottle.

“Shit," he said.

“What?"

“My painkillers. I forgot to renew my prescription and I'm out." He looked at the empty plastic bottle. “Although I feel fine. Maybe it's the fresh air, or..." He looked at his dragon. “Something else."

“I'll just try not to annoy you and give you a headache."

Good luck, he thought to himself and laughed but out loud he said, “You never annoy me, Naomi."

“I bet I could if I tried," she said, her eyes playful, her voice teasing.

** ** “I'm sure you know me well enough to push my buttons." He looked behind him and saw a pile of broken sticks and branches. It looked like a beaver nest.

“Is that a beaver dam?"

“What? No. How would beavers get up here?"

“I don't know."

“It was a nest I built. But I kind of smashed it after your accident."

“Oh." He walked over to it. “How did you build it?"

“First I dug a trench a bit bigger than me. Then I wove some long branches together and stuck them into the dirt around it, and bent them over to make a dome."

“How'd you learn how to do that?"

Naomi shrugged her wings. “It's just instinct, I suppose. Like flying."

He nudged the pile of broken sticks with his toe. “Want to make a new one together?"

“Really?" Her eyes widened. “I'd love that."

“I can think of a design improvement, too. We can build a floor, suspended off the ground."

“How?"

He thought for a moment. “If you make a mat of the same sticks you can suspend it above the trench. Or lay it on top of a ring of rocks around the outside, that way you can lie on them and you're not on the ground." He started clearing away the broken branches. “I can look for rocks while you get sticks. I don't know what kind of sticks work."

“Green, living ones, straight off the tree. Dead ones won't bend, they'll just break. Most of these are dead and dry," she said, meaning the ones in her old nest. “I'll get more. This will be fun!" With that, she jumped in the air and climbed into the limbs of a tree. He couldn't help but watch. She looked perfectly natural, in her element, as she used all four limbs to navigate the branches. Yet wholly alien, her pure white contrasting the dark leaves and branches. With her claws she stripped leaves and small twigs from thin branches, then snapped them off using her jaws.

Alex started to excavate the existing trench to be a bit wider, wide enough to fit both of them. They hadn't discussed this, but it seemed obvious to do. Then he started searching the ground for stones, found a few about the size of melons and laid them around the trench. He looked up and saw Naomi watching him closely, and wondered if he was doing it wrong. Then he realized it was because he was working out a sweat with no shirt on, so looked up at her and winked. She made a sound like “gah!" and nearly fell out of the tree and he smiled to himself.

Naomi came back with a bundle of green sticks clenched in her feet. “Watch me," she said. “Take three of these branches," he noticed she had broken them all the same length, taller than he was. She held one in each of her claws, and a third in her mouth. Sitting back on her haunches, she held them close and start braiding them together. With surprising speed and deftness, she wove the three together, angling one wing claw, then her head, then the other wing, so that they overlapped each other like a hair braid. After less than a minute, they were fastened tightly together into a triple braid.

“How did you learn that?"

“Instinct. I told you."

He knelt in front of her and selected three of his own branches. He laid them in front of him and attempted to weave them together as she had, without success. She watched his fumbling attempts to weave the branches together with his fingers which, normally so nimble, were clumsy at this. He furrowed his brow and swore, and she had to stifle back a laugh. “I can't hold on to them like you do," he said.

“You have to use your mouth," she said.

“That's what she said," he muttered.

“That's what I said," she replied before she could stop herself. He didn't look up but he had a smile on his face. “Why don't you just use thicker branches?" he asked. “That way you don't have to weave them together. Is it so they bend?"

“I'll show you in the next step. Don't question my methods."

“Yes, ma'am," he said dutifully.

“Good boy." She swore she saw him blush. He tried again, this time holding one branch in his mouth while tying the others to it. After several awkward minutes and a dozen muffled curses later, he proudly brandished his creation.

“It's sloppy, but serviceable," Naomi remarked.

“It looks exactly the same as yours!"

“The gaps between the branches are too big. It should be tighter."

“Too big for what?"

“You'll see."

They worked in silence, weaving branches together. It was nice working with his hands, and concentrating on a single task. It was complex enough to hold his attention, but easy enough it was enjoyable. The only sounds were the scritchy sound of branches being bent and the rustling of wood, and the sounds of the forest around them. Watching Naomi was like watching a machine. Her claws deftly worked each branch around the others, while her serpentine neck twisted and flexed to finish the strand. It seemed perfectly efficient, like no movement or energy was wasted. There was a certain beauty to the process.

Naomi broke the silence. “Did I ever tell you about the man who went to the dentist?"

“The man who went to the dentist. No."

“There was a man who had a toothache for a few days. He kept telling himself it would go away on its own, but after a week it didn't. After complaining about it to his wife, she finally convinced him to go to the dentist. So he called and made an appointment, then got in his car and drove to the dentist, right on time. He got out of his car and went up to the receptionist and said, 'I have an appointment.' She asked his name and he said, 'It's Hank Henry Harrison-Hertz.'

“'I'm sorry Mr. Hertz,' the receptionist said. 'There's nobody by that name who booked an appointment.' 'That's ridiculous,' he said. 'I just called an hour ago. Look it up again.' So she checked again, and he said, 'look under Harrison-Hertz. Ache ee are tee zed.' The receptionist said, 'I'm sorry, Mr. Harrison-Hertz, you don't have an appointment here.'

“So he drove home and his wife, Mrs. Hertz, said..."

“Mrs. Harrison-Hertz," Alex said.

“Mrs. Harrison-Hertz. Don't interrupt or I'll have to start over. She said, 'are you sure you went to the right dentist?' He said, 'of course I'm sure, it's the same dentist I've been going to for 20 years. Dr. Jacques De Gatineau.'

“What?"

“Shh. So he calls the dentist again and makes another appointment, but they're all booked for today so he has to do it tomorrow. So he goes to bed and when he wakes up, two of his teeth hurt. So after triple-checking the time of his appointment, he leaves half an hour early, he drives to the dentist, and he parks his car and goes up to the receptionist and says, 'Hi, I'm Hank Henry Harrison-Hertz, I have an appointment half an hour from now.'"

Naomi picked up one of the sticks, held it with her claws close to her face, peered at it with her silvery eyes, and said to herself, “this one's no good. Anyway, so Hank Henry Harrison-Hertz, he drives home, and he's mad."

“Wait, he didn't get his appointment?" Alex asked.

“No. I forgot that part. This time, the receptionist says he doesn't have an appointment again. So he drives home and he's angry, and his wife asks him if he got his appointment, and he says no, the dumb receptionist must have spelled his name wrong or something. So he calls back again and the dentist is booked for the next few days so he has to wait till Monday. So Monday comes along and by this time, his jaw is all swollen and his face hurts. He leaves an hour early, and finally gets to the dentist. He gets out of his car and says, 'I have an appointment an hour from now.'"

“Let me guess, they can't find it?"

Naomi nodded, but she had a stick in her mouth and the ends wobbled up and down when she moved her head and Alex snorted with laughter.

“So he drives home and he's so angry that he nearly crashes his car. He storms in and when his wife sees him she says, 'did you get the wrong time again?' And he says, 'damn it woman, I know what time to go to the dentist.'" And Naomi paused, savouring the moment before the punchline as she finished weaving the sticks. “'It's at tooth-hurty!'"

She looked at him with a grin.

“What?"

“That's the joke. The dentist appointment is at tooth-hurty."

“Did you make that up?"

“Kind of. Do you get it?"

“Yeah, two-thirty, tooth-hurty. I get it." He smiled. “Why does it have to be so long?"

“That's what makes it funny, because it's such a waste of time."

Alex let out a single chuckle. “But what was the point of the crazy names?"

“That's just to distract you."

He chuckled again. Then he burst out laughing, holding his ribs. “Ow. That's not funny."

Finally Naomi said, “that should be enough." She took a woven branch and with both claws, plunged it deep into the earth next to the trench. Then took the other end and bent that into the ground, forming an arch. Alex repeated the same motion, and together they continued until they had made a kind of cocoon open at one end. “Are we done?"

“Now we have to make it waterproof. So gather leaves. Big flat ones are the best. We'll layer them on the nest."

Together they gathered leaves, picking them off the nearby trees (only live ones! Dead leaves are either too soggy or brittle!) until Naomi was satisfied.

“Now stick them into the woven branches," she said. He watched as she picked up a leaf in her mouth and stuck the stem in between the branches of a woven thread.

“That's why the gaps between my branches were too big," Alex remarked.

She nodded and took another leaf in her mouth. He took a handful and started sticking them in place. At least he was faster at this than she was.

“Start from the bottom!" Naomi said, causing a leaf to flutter from her mouth. “They have to overlap like scales to shed water."

“Sorry!"

“It's okay. Sometimes I forget how little you know."

He shook his head. “Maybe you could teach me how to fly."

“How would I do that?"

“I don't know, you're the expert."

When it was done the nest was covered in overlapping leaves and looked like a giant fuzzy green pinecone. It stood about chest-high to him and just as wide as it was tall, and long enough he could lie inside it. “Looks cozy."

“Let's try it out." She stepped inside and he followed her. The floor was springy but strong and there were no gaps in the walls he could see. Above him the woven branches formed an interesting and satisfying pattern. “It's nice in here." He lay down on his back next to Naomi. “It's comfortable too."

“The company's better than last time, too," she said. When his eyes adjusted to the dim light he could see she was looking at her. There was enough room inside the nest for them both to lie comfortable apart, but she had nudged closer to him. Her scales were warm against his bare skin and where she touched him, it raised goosebumps on his arm. When she breathed it made his hair flutter. She smelled like berries, and clean earth, and underneath that, the indescribable scent that reminded him of home, and his past.

“You smell good," she said, and sounded slightly embarrassed.

“Really? I thought I was sweaty from the work."

She paused, just for a second, and said, “that's what I meant."

One of her feathers was out of place so he brushed it back with one hand and she cooed softly in response so he did it again, and she snuggled close to him and rested her face on his chest. He started to idly run his hand across her neck and flank, tracing his fingertips across the jaw ridge he liked so much. Eventually he stopped but kept his hand on his dragon, feeling it rise and fall with each of her breaths. He touched the silken surface of her jacket and found himself wishing she wasn't wearing it.

They cuddled together as they had countless times before and he remembered the way she lay perfectly against him, with every facet of her scaly body moulded to his. The way her cheek rested on his shoulder so that her breath tickled the hair on his chest. The way she draped a wing over him like a warm, living blanket. It was all so familiar to him it seemed remarkable that he had ever forgotten. It wasn't below the surface, it was the surface.

Alex glanced at his right hand on her neck. Faint white marks scarred his knuckles. He was told these weren't from the car accident, but self-inflicted. Years ago, when he thought he would lose Naomi, Dimitri Goddard and Lukas Koskinen themselves demanded that he return her. He had apparently sat in his car and punched the screen hard enough to shatter it. Then he had come home and confessed everything to Naomi – that they would never see each other again.

He frowned at this memory, because he had played it over so many times in his head he wasn't sure if he remembered the actual event or just the version he imagined after Lily had told him. Then he had come home and opened the door and saw the look on her face as she saw him. And knelt down and said, “I love you, Naomi."

It was the first time she had heard him say those words, and now, lying with her in the nest the same words rose in his chest but refused to come out of his mouth.

After she had helped him bandage his hand she had looked up at him and said, “does it still hurt?"

“Not as much as the fear of losing you."

“They might try again."

“Let them try. I'm done playing. Nobody is going to come between us. I promise."

He made a fist with his injured fingers. The pain was sharp, but it gave him focus. “And don't for a second think that you're not worth all this. You are, a thousand times over."

“I know. All of this has been worth it."

“No matter what happens next, I'm never going to regret a second of it."

He closed his eyes and just listened. It was warm in the nest, and the structure reduced the sounds outside to a soft, relaxing murmur. He kept his arm around his dragon, as if never wanted to let go, and held his face against her scales and felt the warmth of them, her breathing, and the simple and beautiful sound of her heartbeat that let him know she was still there.

At first he didn't know what woke him up. He blinked in confusion, lost somewhere between his dream, memories, and reality. He looked up and saw the woven branches of their nest, and looked outside and saw the sun was hanging low and red in the sky. Then his phone buzzed again in his pocket and he crawled out of the nest, careful not to wake Naomi. He had four unread texts from Lily.

Are you coming home soon?

Are you driving?

Hello?

Hopefully your on your way and your phone is just dead.

He answered “Fell asleep. Will come home soon." and put it back in his pocket and sat down on the rock edge of the cliff.

A rustling sound behind him told him Naomi was awake. She sat down next to him and they watched the sun set as it threw cascading rays of red and gold across the clear blue sky and illuminating the undersides of the few blushing clouds that hung motionless above him. The sun's reflection on the water made a bridge of molten copper leading right to them, and he felt like they could hold hands and walk right up to it.

Alex looked over at her. Her white scales reflected the bright crimson of the sky so that she was a subtle pale pink, almost like his own skin. But he didn't need her to look like him.

She looked up at him. Waiting.

_ (The first time she had attempted to fly after her surgery they went out to his back yard and he watched her crouch, spread her wings and force them downwards but she fell back to the ground in a heap so he had picked her up and held her in his arms and whispered into her ear, don't try to fly.)_

He reached out with his hand and touched her scaly cheek. He bent down close to her and could hear his heart pounding in his ears. In the quiet twilight in their secluded clearing he was sure she could hear it.

(Just fly! And threw her into the air. And Naomi flew.)

He kissed her. It was quick, lasting no more than half a second, but it was enough to feel the warmth of her scaly lips, and catch the taste of her mouth. It was quick enough she only seemed to notice what happened when it was over. She stared back at him, mouth still slightly open.

“I love you too," he said. “Sorry it took me so long."

“I would have waited."

They kissed again, and this time it was a proper kiss, although neither could say for sure how long it lasted, only that it was the right amount of time. When they finally parted, Alex said, “It's cold out here."

“It's warmer in the nest," Naomi said.

Alex nodded, and followed her.

There was room enough for the both of them to lie side by side but when she entered she lay in the centre and he crawled on his hands and knees above her, careful not to step on her delicate wings.

The setting sunlight barely managed to sneak inside their little nest and touched their bodies. It was enough to hint at the contours of her scaly body, like thin flower petals suspended in inky blackness. The bare minimum to suggest her draconic form. The light flushed her white scales a pale pink, but couldn't touch her perfect black patterns though, they stayed as deep as ever, deeper than shadow.

** ** “You're so beautiful," Alex whispered. He lifted himself up so he could touch the scaly contours of her body and caressed the edges where the light touched her. “Why didn't I see this before?"

She smiled at that, and the smile was at once sweet, but slightly sardonic, as if she knew a joke he didn't. “It only took you about a day to come around."

“I'm never going to forget it again," he said, and knew he meant it.

She lifted a wing up and touched his face with her claw, then held his cheek with her palm. She pulled him down towards her and he needed no further prompting, and kissed her deeply. He felt her legs spread to accommodate him, and settled between them and lowered himself onto her, pressing his body against hers.

She winced. “Your belt. It's poking against sensitive places."

“Should I take it off?" he said, already undoing it.

She didn't bother answering, just watched as he slid out of his pants and shoved them off. He shivered.

“This time I'll warm you up," Naomi said. She wrapped her wings around his shoulders enveloping him in a warm embrace. Her wings were thin but trapped heat well.

“This time?"

“The first time we made love I was cold and you put a blanket over both of us. You gave me your heat."

She held him in a protective cocoon and for the moment the world outside ceased to exist, and along with it, all the danger and worry he had left outside. He looked down at the sweet draconic face below him, saw her smile and wide eyes, and knew that nothing could endanger him. The very idea of danger itself seemed laughable.

“Tell me about our first time," he said.

“I was losing my feathers so you helped me shed them all. It was the first time you saw me... naked."

He touched the soft fabric of her jacket and one by one, undid the magnetic buttons keeping it latched over her wings to hold it in place. He pushed it away, revealing the snow-white scales.

“It was cold in your house, and you put a blanket over both of us. And we were lying like this."

He pressed his chest against hers, just to feel the heat radiating from her flesh. And lower, where he could feel more than just heat coming off her, but a hint of wetness. He brushed her feathers back, feeling them spring into place, and traced the streak of black scales from her eye down her neck. The scales were tiny and perfectly arranged, so he could barely discern each one but he could feel them all together. Her eyes followed his hand as it left her head and he brought it down past her chest, lower, past her abdomen, travelling ever lower down her body.

“You were hesitant at first," she continued, “so I gave you some encouragement. But eventually you just, ahh..." her voice faltered and her words turned into a soundless huff as he angled his hips just a few inches. But it was enough. She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him with pleading eyes as he returned his hand back to support him.

He felt something else besides the physical sensation. Something that touched the fringes of his consciousness, like a sleeping limb slowly waking up.

“I remember this," he whispered, once he had recovered. “You've been wanting it for a long time, haven't you?"

“Yes."

“You've been thinking about it."

“Yes."

He bit his lip. “I think I've been wanting it too."

He thrust in the rest of the way, as he knew he had done countless times before. The memory was gone but its imprint was still there, on him. The way her silvery eyes narrowed just as he plunged inside her. The way her scaly lips parted just enough for her to take a quick breath and a gasp. Just enough for him to kiss, and he did, and enough for him to slip his tongue in her mouth, as he did. Without thinking or needing to mention it, she was rocking steadily against him, angling her hips upwards as he thrust forward, so that he entered her more fully than he could do with just the movements of his hips. And soon it wasn't cold at all in the nest. Nor was it quiet.

Again he was struck by how natural it felt. A small part of his mind was naggingly aware of the reality of it, the species difference, the taboo. But subconsciously, he knew he had before, many times, even if he didn't remember it.

Naomi must have sensed something because she said, “Just be with me. Here and now." She looked into his eyes. “In me."

He nodded, and brushed the memories away and continued. If he closed his eyes he could concentrate just on the sensation itself. The way her body moulded perfectly to him, like a soft bed, her wings like blankets. How the texture of her insides rubbed against him in the most delicious way possible it was like she was designed just for him. How her warm wetness tickled his shaft and sent rhythmic waves of pleasure racing through his skin like crackling lightning forking into random directions over his body.

But if he closed his eyes he wouldn't be able to see his beautiful dragoness below him. With his sight now adjusted to the dim light he could see every facet of her face. The light was enough to highlight every contour of her face, and the black and white pattern that was unique to her. Her jaws were slightly open as she breathed through her mouth, exposing a row of white teeth.

He could hear his blood pumping in his ears, as much as it did when he was hiking earlier. And again the feeling of a muscle being used for the first time in a long time. It was more than just the physical act, and the pleasure it brought. Knowing that it brought her the same feeling only enhanced his own. He knew every movement brought them closer together and closer to the inevitable conclusion he wanted to reach but never wanted to pass. But he could feel the welling pressure building up inside him and knew it was pointless to delay it any longer. From the way she tightened around him, he knew it was fast approaching for her as well.

“Together?" he asked.

She clasped his hand with her wing claw and held it tight. “Always," she said.

He built up a faster pace, letting his body decide the movement, and heedless of the soreness in his muscles.

“Kiss me when you cum," Naomi said.

He locked his mouth with hers, and held her claw tight with his hand. With her legs wrapped around and her other wing on his back, she matched every thrust of his body, keeping pace with him as they rode out their climax together. He could feel all the fear, confusion and pain of the last two months melt into nothing, and for those precious seconds there was only the two of them.

He could feel a heartbeat hammering against his chest and didn't know if it was his or Naomi's. Then he realized they were in sync, again.

“There's my Alex," she said, reaching up and brushing his hair away from his face.

“My Naomi," he said. He caressed the scales on her cheek and kissed her again, and pressed his forehead against hers.

* * *

Lily threw back the covers and shivered, and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She clicked on the kitchen light and poured herself a cold glass of water. She didn't know how she felt, exactly, only that something wasn't right. She drank it slowly, leaning with her back against the counter.

The smell of Alex's tea collection, in their various boxes and tins stacked on a shelf, was making her nauseous. A lot of things were recently, especially in the morning. She put the empty cup in the dishwasher, turned to leave the kitchen and stopped, mid stride. The phrase “morning sickness" floated into her mind. She glanced down at her belly.

“Oh, shit."