Hoarding Housemates
#152 of Patreon Reward Vignettes
Seventh vignette for FA: Ashgar~! Similar to last month, Ashgar asked me for a continuation from the month before last...
Our secret dragon protagonist has to deal with his housemates coming down to see him in his true form.... they're taking it really well...
Contains: Lots of Dialogue, Size Aptophilia, Flustered Dragons, Big Decisions and Wait you Want What?
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The sable descended the basement stairs, looking over the grand beast sprawled over the mound of treasure. He frowned at the precious things' barest protection against the poured concrete slab floor: a layer of corrugated cardboard and a king sized bedsheet.
Turning his head down into the mass of precious metals and gemstones, the dragon grumbled with quiet frustration.
"I thought it was strange such a skinny deer ate four pizzas on his own." The mustelid said aloud as he reached the bottom of the steps.
"Shyt." The beast that had called himself 'Drake' muttered, before raising his head and addressing his internet correspondent and now housemate. At least he hoped both of those were still accurate descriptions. "I really was hoping to avoid this confrontation, Auric."
"Till when?" Auric raised an arm back towards the door he entered. "Until Jewel came to check up on you? You know she's a morning person and she would just barge right in."
"Admittedly..." 'Drake' turned his head to one side, avoiding eye contact. "I may not have thought... that far ahead."
The sable planted both his fists on his hips, brow furrowed in a stern expression.
Something clicked in the beast's mind. "You.... You're taking the fact that I'm a dragon very well, I have to say."
"I'm more upset you didn't tell us!" Auric stomped a foot for emphasis, an odd thing to see such a small creature doing when addressing a far larger being.
"Would you have believed me?" The dragon arched his muddy-green brows, causing the scales to bunch up above the bridge of his snout.
"Jewel and I have seen some pretty wild stuff since we moved into this place." The mustelid's ears perked up as he heard footsteps approaching the basement door.
The cat peeked her head in around the doorframe. "I was right, he's a dragon, right?" Jewel gasped and started down the steps, bouncing a bit on her paws. "Ooooh! He is!"
Auric faced her and gestured back towards the beast. "Yeah, he can't even stand up down here!"
The eager, almost casual acceptance of his impossibility was no longer just confusing to 'Drake', but causing a blush to rise in his cheeks, showing through his scales.
Jewel danced past Auric to step towards the hoard. "Wait, you just have cardboard? We would have gotten you foam rubber, at the very least! I have some from a sculpting project I can bring down."
The sable nodded. "That's a good idea for the short term. We need to get on the horn to some contractors, though."
That snapped the beast out of his gobsmacked state. "Wait, why?"
The cat was nodding excitedly. "Oh, for making the house more dragon-accessible!" Jewel jittered in place. "Ooh, I can go open CAD and start designing that." She perked and looked towards 'Drake' and pointed. "Measurements!"
"What?" The dragon was blushing again.
"What are the dimensions you feel most comfortable walking through, hallways-wise?" Auric was tapping something on his phone screen.
"Turning radius. Wingspan. How high does his head rest when he's seated and standing?" Jewel started listing off factors to account for, counting off her fingers.
"Wait. Wait. Renovations?" The dragon was still having trouble keeping up.
"This place is in my name, I can renovate if I wanna." Auric declared. "You were pitching into mortgage, not rent."
"Were?" Jewel tilted her head with a quiet mewl.
"Well, I think that he could probably pay off the whole house and pay for the renovations out of that hoard if he wanted." The sable responded.
"I could quit my job, too!" The cat grinned.
"You think I'd look good in a collar to match his scales?" Auric asked.
"W-what are you two talking about?" The dragon stammered, eyes wide and his mind torn in several different directions by how rapidly the topic shifted tones. Pay out of his own hoard? Well... if he was in charge of renovations he could make himself a permanent bed that was more comfortable than one... but... what was this about a collar?
"Being part of your hoard, silly!" Jewel giggled. "Oooh, I should totally design something slinky I can lounge on cushions in, like a proper pet."
The dragon fainted.