FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

“Now you play nice, I'm having a good morning…” Reeva threatened under her breath as she stood in front of the large photocopier and leaned forward to dangle her ID card next to the scanner. The cheerful beep from the machine gave her little confidence, and she took a half-step back to give it space. Looking down at the frustratingly slow and unresponsive touchscreen, she waited as a progress bar claimed to be fetching her print jobs from the server.

The office was abuzz with constant chatter of work life. A phone rang momentarily before someone hurriedly answered it, the clatter of keyboards had become constant white noise, and, despite Fiipanah from accounting being at the far end in the break room, her obnoxiously loud laughing carried across the open-plan floor. A typical Monday morning, yet Reeva couldn't shake the rush of excitement that had been her weekend. So much had happened in the two days that she was still trying to process everything. After their lunch with Kaarif and Miikalah, Reeva had spent almost an hour chatting alone with Meegi outside the restaurant. Conversation had just come so naturally between them, and it had become clear neither had been keen to leave. The morning after, she had been torn as to whether she should send him a message and arrange another date, but had been afraid that she would look too desperate. To her surprise, though, while she had been drafting a message in a separate notes app, Meegi had reached out to her asking if she wanted to get breakfast. Together they had flown until finding a small restaurant on the riverfront that wasn't too busy and he had treated her to a nice meal out.

Another small beep from the printer tore Reeva away from the memories of the weekend and caused her blissful smile to falter. Focusing on the screen, she scanned the list of jobs and felt relieved when it showed everything she had sent from her work computer. Gently tapping at the screen with a talon, she selected them all and told it to print. Whirring to life with a low hum and a series of concerning clicks, the printer began to make what sounded like an unnecessary amount of noise for something so simple. Tilting her head, Reeva waited with bated breath before exhaling softly when she finally heard the swoosh of paper being fed through the machine's complex internals.

Relaxing her wings, she waited as sheet after sheet of paper slipped out of the machine and landed on the output tray. The frequency of the pages being collected, an impression being made, and the chatter of the rollers had a certain melodic rhythm to it, and after the first dozen pages, Reeva found herself lazily bobbing her head to the beat. Craning her neck to see which job was being printed, she hummed in approval and then began to let the rhythm of the printer move her. Every sheet of paper shooting out of the printer was a cue to bob her head; every time it beeped to announce it had completed a copy had her tapping the air in front of her with her wing claw, all while she swayed from side to side.

“Someone’s happy,” came a familiar voice from down the aisle and, without stopping, Reeva turned her head to see her boss wheeling himself down the gap in the cubicles. “Clearly I haven't given you enough work to do,” Tiizome added with a cheeky smile that showed he wasn't being serious.

“Ha…” Reeva said flatly before swinging her head back towards the printer and continuing to dance to the beat. “Nah, I'm just glad that this thing decided to play nice today. I swear they can tell when you're busy,” she added and flicked her gaze back to her boss when he came to a stop beside her. Resting half of his weight on the wheeled brace that cradled the keel of his chest, the drake took the opportunity to let his wings droop down to the floor.

“Mmmm-no, something's got you more cheerful than usual. Had a good weekend?” he asked while looking her up and down as if trying to find clues as to her Monday morning joy.

“Yeah… oh yeah… great weekend,” Reeva started, a broad grin forming on her snout that made the drake raise an eyeridge quizzically. Suspecting he understood, she nodded towards the printer and tried to direct the conversation back towards work. While she considered Tiizome a friend and also her boss, it still felt a little odd to talk to him about her and Meegi, especially when things were still so new. “While I've got you, I've changed the seating plan for the gala. Possible last-minute addition. But it's better this way. Also, I'm gonna need a favour. Wait, before I forget, how did you hear back from catering? They sent an invoice that didn't match the order, and when I called them, they wanted to talk to you about it. It's just I've got Fiionah on my tail and I said I would handle it–”

“Ah, nah-nah-nah. Not so fast,” Tiizy replied before using a wing talon to apply a brake on his wheel brace and then lean back to sit on his haunches. Without forelegs to hold his front up, the brace supported his front even as it leaned at a precarious angle. Like a hatchling caught stealing a cookie and hoping its humour could get her out of trouble, Reeva grinned sheepishly. She knew Tiizome had seen through her poor attempt at deflecting, but was feeling too joyful from the weekend to really care. Shaking his head with a knowing smirk, Tiizome swallowed before drawing breath. “Catering is sorted, I just got off the phone. They reused our last order, which was why they were confused. Changing the layout again? I feel like we have changed it a dozen times now. Let's circle back to that. As for a last-minute addition? Sure, if you think they're worth it. You need a favour? For you, of course. Whatever you need. But!” Tiizy rattled in before holding up a wing claw to punctuate his sentence. “More importantly, what's his name?” he asked with a playful smirk.

“That's kind of the reason why I want to change things… and he is the last-minute addition,” Reeva explained before realising it may sound like she was just bringing a plus one for the sake of it. “Remember I told you I went to school with Meegi? Well, I caught up with him and things… things went really well.” A cheerful chime from the printer signalled that it had completed its work. After collecting the heap of paper, Reeva tucked it under one wing to carry it more easily. “I floated the idea of coming to the gala with him, and, well, he might need some convincing, but I think he could be convinced.”

It took Tiizome a full five seconds to process what she had said, and then he recoiled back in surprise. “Meegi? Wait! You mean Cresties Meegi?! Schoolyard crush, Meegi? That guy?” he asked and opened his mouth in a surprised yet excited smile when she glared at him. Shifting his weight from side to side, the whole drake swayed while his neck undulated in an exaggerated ripple. “Guuuuurlll…” he started, his southern drawl intensifying. “Reeva the diva! Go you good thang. And you say things went off without a hitch?” he asked excitedly before unlocking his wheels and beginning to rock back and forth. When Reeva didn't reply right away and began to walk towards her cubicle with a grin, Tiizome chuckled and lowered his voice. “Oh, that good, huh?! Oh damn, girl, I didn't know you be like that–”

“Oh hell no. Not like that!” Reeva corrected with a laugh and looked back over her shoulder. “I defs ain't like that. He can't be coming back to me and gettin’ all ‘dis,” she continued in a horrible attempt to match his accent. Despite sounding more Texan than from the deep south, Tiizy didn't seem to care and nodded for her to continue.

“Well, spill the tea! Was he a gentle drake?” Tiizome asked, and when Reeva shook her head to try to dismiss him, he wheeled himself closer. “Oh, c'mon Ree-Ree, give a crippled guy some goss. Was he sweet? Did he admit you were his crush as well? Or did you have to pin him down? He wasn't pushy, was he? You know how these stars can be.”

“Oh no, not pushy or up himself at all. He was kinda…” Reeva tried to think of the right word as she stepped into her cubicle and sat down on the low cushion she used as a seat. “Uncertain?” she offered before tilting her head to one side as she contemplated whether that was truly the best way to describe the drake. With a flick of her head, she dismissed her own thoughts and reached under a wing to produce the paperwork. “I don't know. It was weird. I remember him being this confident drake at school. Not arrogant or anything, pretty kind actually. But everyone knew who he was, and he kind of stood out. This was different though. He wasn't like that at all. More grown up... more... real.”

“Ooooh, Reeva has a ‘real’ boyfriend–” Tiizome laughed, earning another playful glare from Reeva. “Hey, that's better than my imaginary one!” he added, making Reeva snort in amusement, then laugh out loud. She guessed the dating scene would be challenging for the two-legged drake, but knew he had the confidence to find someone who looked past his handicap.

“What I mean is… I don't know. I think I kind of expected him to be a bit full of himself. He was a Cresties, after all. But he really wasn't. We went flying together and things kinda came together. Then we caught up again yesterday for breakfast,” Reeva explained before her eyes lost focus and she caught herself thinking of their date again. “He paid, which was a nice thing to do. But I just felt like we could talk forever.”

“Oh, you really have fallen for him, haven't you?” Tiizy asked, already knowing the answer. “And two dates in one weekend, not rushing it, are we?” he asked, sending a wave of self-consciousness through Reeva.

She knew how it looked, but couldn't describe how she felt when she was with Meegi without sounding silly. “Not rushing... no... we just kinda had some spare time together. Besides, it was just hanging out, nothing more–”

“Uh-huh…” Tiizy mused, clearly unconvinced, and his eyes darted towards her frill that had become erect. “Well good on you. You work so hard here, it's good to see you've found the time to meet someone special. I'm proud of you,” he added, his tone becoming more professional. “So. I take it you will be seeing him again? Wait… is that what you mean by a last-minute addition?”

Reeva noticed the drake's tail tip flick in excitement and inhaled deeply before turning completely around to face the drake. “Yes, possibly… we will see. But! This is kind of the favour I need to ask too,” Reeva started and paused to ensure she had the drake's attention. His eyes were wide and she could tell that he was about to say something, but held her paw up to keep him quiet. “I don't think he will be interested if it's going to be a big deal. Okay? I think he would prefer a no fanfare or posters sort of thing, definitely no speeches. He sounds like he is still dealing with not being a Crestie anymore and I don't want to scare him off. So, don't expect him to be in uniform or anything, and he still has a leg in a cast, so if he does come, I'm going to keep him in one zone and maaaybe get him to talk to some senators one on one.”

“Reeva, that is incredible! Well done!” Tiizome exclaimed and sat back on his haunches while locking his wheels. He looked distant for a moment as he thought before tilting his head to one side. “Sure, it would be sick if he could wear his kit. That would be cool. Any ideas why he is against it?” he asked, and when Reeva shook her head he shrugged his wings. “Eh, people will know who he is. That's fine. If him coming means we do it low key, we will make it quiet and special. Go an angle of super casual and nonchalant, like it's totes normal that we have a Cresties player that believes in us. That will work… yeah… that will be good…” He continued, his words drifting off before recoiling back as if he had been stung. “Michigan! The senator drake from Michigan… Taanith, right? He had agreed to come and he is a big Cresties fan–”

“Already moved him to my zone, just in case Meegi says yes,” Reeva beamed before sorting through the paperwork to find a copy of the revised seating plan. Technically there weren't any seats per se, and instead, tall tables were dotted across the hall and the guests were free to mingle. However, Reeva had spent countless hours setting out where each lawmaker should be encouraged to go by the influencers attending the gala. “I'm going to have Meegi in my zone, he said he has done these sorts of events for sponsors and the like, but I want to keep close to him. Not like that,” Reeva corrected herself and shook her head when Tiizy grinned a toothy smile. “Okay, maybe a bit like that. Don't worry, I know it's a work event, but I don't want him to think I'm using him or anything or dump him in a crowd by himself. Besides, I promised I would be a lifeline if anyone gets too intense for him and he kinda warmed to that. I've also bounced the Montana senators off to the outermost zone. Both of them have been heavily against the bills that Taanith has proposed and I don't want to start a debate. So I separated them.”

“That should be fine, Susan still hasn't confirmed, and Teddy is already a big supporter. He won't mind, and I'll make sure the food gets to him first.” Tiizome mused before looking at her with a proud, lopsided smile. “God you're good. Always thinking two steps ahead.”

“Thanks, but it might be all for nothing. He hasn't said yes… but he hasn't said no either,” Reeva said, her frill flattening against her neck. “I'll be catching up with Meegi again tonight, and I'll hopefully get a solid answer out of him today,” Reeva continued before spotting the drake's broadening and knowing smile. “Yeah… the date's in three days. I get it. But he hasn't got a lot going on at the moment, so I don't mind.”

“Didn't say a word,” Tiizy chuckled before glancing towards the pile of paperwork on Reeva's desk. “I'll tell you what, I'll make you a deal. I won't make a song and dance out of Meegi attending, but I need you to do something today,” he began, and Reeva frowned in confusion while waiting for him to elaborate. Her day was already completely full, and with a date scheduled in the afternoon, she couldn't exactly stay behind to catch up. “I want you to take a longer lunch today, okay?” Tiizome asked before relaxing his posture. “Give me any work that doesn't need your skills, and go get your talons trimmed and glossed up, maybe a scale buff too. If you're meeting him after work, you should look your best. I can hold the fort while you're out.”

Lifting a forepaw, Reeva glanced at her talons to inspect them. She hadn't had a professional job done on them for some time now, but they all still looked fine. She had never been one to have them painted flashy colours, or encrusted with glittery on the tips like some ‘nesses did, and now she began to second-guess herself. “You think they look dull or something?”

Tiizome pulled his posture back to sit more on his haunches and relieve the weight on his chest. The green drake shook his head. “Oh lords, no, don't get it twisted. I love ya gurl! Just trying to give you some time to get yourself did and feel all sparkly 'n fine for your big date,” he replied honestly and curled his tail around himself. “Besides, we are a little short on the overtime budget, and if you're gonna be talking shop with him tonight, kinda makes sense to take some time for yourself.” he added in a more professional tone.

“Gonna say, if you're calling me ugly, HR owes me like a dozen favours,” Reeva replied and jerked her head towards the other end of the office. “But thanks, I might just leave early then if it's okay? Get freshened up before meeting him.” Reeva added after remembering she had neglected her chores she had meant to do over the weekend. She knew that she needed to do a grocery shop, and if she was to meet Meegi after work and they didn't go somewhere nice, it would be another night of takeout.

“Fine by me, if you do wanna get your talons did. Claws of Culture, the place near the subway station, did a great job when I split one on that manhole cover. Clipped it back and did the others to make them match. They even gave me a discount,” Tiizy said while unlocking his wheels. Reeva's frill flicked up to full height, betraying her thoughts while she pursed her lips, trying not to smirk. Her reaction wasn't missed by the drake, who glared at her. “Ha-ha... Yes, very funny... what I mean is that most places only charge me half price, but they know what we are all about and do it even cheaper,” he replied and shook his head in disbelief while Reeva wiggled on her cushion in amusement. He didn't seem to take any offence, even when he dramatically rolled his eyes, and when he turned to leave, she caught a glimpse of the smirk on his snout.

Turning around on her cushion, Reeva made herself comfortable and then glanced down at the corner of her screen as a notification popped up. “Ah, Tizzy, someone from that harness magazine is here for you. They're a bit early. Want me to stall them?” she asked while lifting her head up above her cubicle wall. While she had never bought one of the copies, Reeva was well aware of the magazine. Her ex had been an avid subscriber, and while it was full of drakes and ‘nesses holding provocative poses, Bruce had claimed to only be interested in it for the articles. Reeva hadn't believed him for a second. After all, there was only so much a man could really care about when it came to correct pouch placement and leather care. Why the magazine had been insistent on arranging a meeting with Tiizome wasn't exactly clear, but he had agreed to meet them. Judging by the way that the green drake froze in place and slowly turned his head, it was clear that he had forgotten. “I could wave them off if you want–”

“No-no, don't do that. This might be my chance to make it into the centerfold,” he joked, earning a chuckle not only from Reeva but from the cubicles between them. Not one to shy away from the moment, the drake pulled his head up and puffed out his chest. “Handicap is so hot right now, it's finally my time to shine,” he added before nodding towards one of the conference rooms. “Can you let them in and tell them I'll be there shortly, thanks, Reeva.”

“On it,” Reeva replied and rose to all fours. Keeping her tail curled close, she turned around in her cubicle and headed left towards the reception.

Padding across the office at a brisk pace, Reeva bobbed her head in greeting towards the two members of their IT department as she passed by their desk. The small violet-coloured wingless drake, who rarely sat still, was debating something about a superhero movie while hunched over a broken PC, while his partner, a woman with bright pink hair, shook her head. The pair had been with the organisation from the start, and while Reeva had been told there was nothing between them, she had often wondered. Passing by a row of plants that served as a divider between marketing and finance, Reeva made a mental note to water them, as they were starting to look a little dry. When she had started, they had a contract in place for a company to come once a month and replace the plants. However, when she saw the price, she had convinced Tiizome not to renew the agreement and instead took care of them herself. Pausing briefly to step to one side, Reeva gave a man in blue overalls a wide berth as he pushed a trolley full of soft drink cans and snacks down the aisle to refill the vending machine in the break room. Turning as she passed the harness racks, where dragons were encouraged to store saddles or more bulky accessories, Reeva adjusted her wings to look professional as she approached the frosted glass sliding door that separated the reception from the main office.

The small proximity sensor to her left glowed green as she passed, and with a soft whirring noise, the door slid to one side to reveal the organisation's reception area. Serving mostly to accept deliveries and host the occasional guest, the area was only large enough to accommodate two or three dragons, but had still been adorned with comfortable seats and posters advertising their goals.

Reeva tried not to let her surprise show as she spotted their guests. In her head, she had expected a writer for the magazine to look like a sleazy version of her ex: a man with greased-back hair, a gold chain, and an oily complexion. Instead, a slightly small, middle-aged, wingless dragoness stood in the middle of the waiting area wearing a crisp black leather harness with a worn thermos flask that matched her colours. Unlike Reeva, the dragoness was covered snout to tail in thick, lush fur that looked incredibly high-maintenance and very well kept. Her colouring was striking, with the majority of her fur a dark lavender-purple colour, with the exception of her cheeks, throat, and underside, which were a clean shade of white. Judging by the smallest hints of lighter purple-grey fur that framed the dragoness' ears, and the thickness of her horns, Reeva guessed that the visitor must be roughly as old as her mother, if not maybe a few years younger.

Reeva paused mid-step as the wingless dragoness turned and beamed at her with an almost motherly smile. She felt strangely familiar, but Reeva couldn't remember where she had seen the dragoness before. Realising she hadn't said anything, Reeva quickly bobbed her head in greeting and held the automatic door back with a wing. “Hi-ahh, HH magazine?” Reeva inquired rhetorically and jerked her head towards the office behind her.

“That's me, but please, call me Liiria.” The dragoness replied curtly and paused to use a paw to make sure that the main pouch in her harness was done up.

“Reeva. It's a pleasure to have you here.” Reeva started and turned to lead the older dragoness through the office. “Tiizome is just running a few minutes behind, but will see you in the conference room. You managed to get here okay?” Reeva continued to make conversation while wracking her brain to try and remember where she had seen the dragoness. While dating Bruce, she had flicked through a magazine once or twice, but couldn't remember seeing the furred dragoness.

“Oh yes, thank you. Being close to the metro made it pretty easy.” Liiria replied and Reeva caught a hint of an accent that she couldn't quite place. It sounded exotic, and perhaps European, but was well hidden, as if the dragoness had lived here for many years. “This is quite a nice office you've got here,” she added politely while they entered the open-plan office area and passed the cubicles. “Have you been here long?”

“Thanks, we moved here a couple of years ago, as we kind of outgrew our last office.” Reeva explained and extended a folded wing to press open the door to the conference room. Stepping inside, she turned around and continued to hold the door for the dragoness. A strange sense of déjà vu washed over her as the dragoness walked past. Her colours, the small smile, and the bob of her head in thanks all felt eerily familiar, yet Reeva knew that this was the first time the dragoness had visited the office. “I'm sorry, but have we met before?” Reeva asked and was met with a frown of confusion from the dragoness. “I swear I've seen you before, but I can't remember where.”

“Really? How strange…” the dragoness replied and looked her up and down. “If we have, I apologise, I don't remember, honey. Maybe we passed in the street or something? There aren't many of us furs around these parts of the world, and purple is kinda obvious,” the dragoness offered.

“It must be something like that. Your fur is very striking,” Reeva replied but was not convinced. Renewing her smile and glancing across the boardroom table, she noticed the absence of water and her crimson frill flicked up in realisation. “Well, welcome. I will get you some water and give Tiizome a nudge. He shouldn't be long.” Reeva added professionally and gave the dragoness a small respectful bow before turning and leaving the conference room.

---

Flaring her wings wide as she came in for a landing in one of the few open grassy areas of the park, Reeva’s gaze swept across the park while she prepared to drop below the treeline. A westerly breeze had picked up over the course of the afternoon, and her natural instinct was to gently lean into the crosswind while descending. Subconsciously, she took notice of the way the few fallen leaves on the ground weren't moving, and corrected her body as she came closer to the ground. As expected, the tall trees of the park acted as a windbreak, and the sudden transition caused her to wobble in the air ever so slightly. Rotating her wings to drag through the air, she bled off what little speed she had while lowering her hips and extending both hind legs.

Touching down with a small trot, she continued to move with purpose out of the open area and folded her wings. The park was a hive of activity around her, and she saw a wide variety of humans and dragons alike enjoying the greenway that dominated a dozen blocks in the heart of the city. Some were simply commuting home, both wingless dragons and humans walking the many footpaths with satchels and pouches full of work hanging from their shoulders. Reeva paused as she came to one of the footpaths and gave way to a yellow dragoness with a large white sling spanning her left wing. The ‘ness didn’t seem to be in any pain and was talking animatedly with the woman to her left as she strode by, but Reeva paid them little attention. A small smile of joy formed on Reeva's snout as she watched a pack of a dozen dogs walk past, their tongues lolling out in happy panting as they were walked by a winged drake who trotted in the middle of the canine cloud.

The dull thuds of wings followed by a shrill scream from behind Reeva caused her to look back suddenly. A silver drake who looked a few years younger than her had leapt into the sky, with a woman crouched low over his shoulders and holding onto his harness with a white-knuckled grip. The woman's scream turned into one of elation as the drake flared his wings wide and proceeded to glide across the park only a few feet off the ground. Clearly a first flight, or the beginnings of one, Reeva chuckled to herself before continuing to scan the park for Meegi.

In the field opposite the treeline she stood under, she spotted a trio of adolescent drakes and two humans tossing a Dragonball between them. Rather than playing a full game, the humans had been included to kick the ball as high as possible for the trio of drakes to take turns intercepting it. Each time they then bounded across the ground before launching skyward with powerful leaps, then catching the ball with flashy spins and turns before falling back to earth. Every drake seemed to be trying to outdo one another with more elaborate twists and turns mid-catch. Looking just beyond them, Reeva saw why, as the group had commanded the attention of a cluster of dragonesses that lounged on the grass while enjoying the last of the late afternoon sun.

With the dense foliage and interweaving paths, the sounds of the city were almost completely blocked out, and if it wasn't for the towering skyscrapers that framed the park, Reeva could almost believe she were in the suburbs. Turning her head, she glanced towards the four large buildings that made up The Spires apartment towers and confirmed she was where they had agreed to meet. Checking her phone, she confirmed she was also on time and hadn’t missed any messages from Meegi. On both of their dates, he had always arrived minutes earlier than agreed, and while she was half tempted to confirm they were still meeting, she refrained. After all, she didn't want to sound too controlling or demanding. After all, he had just gotten out of a relationship with Tiiphani, and from what little he had told her, it sounded rough. Sitting down on her haunches beside the footpath, Reeva turned to look over the fields and watched the humans and dragons playing ball.

“It’s, Reeva? Right?” a voice asked from her right, and when Reeva turned her head, she saw the familiar purple-furred dragoness padding towards her on the footpath. “I thought that was you, hi!”

“Liiria?” Reeva asked in bewilderment, her frill flicking up to full height in surprise. “What… I mean, hi! Fancy seeing you here.” She quickly corrected herself and bobbed her head in greeting as the dragoness stepped off the path and came closer. “Are you just heading home?”

“Sort of, just clocked off.” Liiria replied and nosed towards the direction she had come from. “The office is just a few blocks away, but I'm meeting the family here. What about you?” The dragoness asked and Reeva's heart skipped a beat. Liiria sounded friendly enough, however Reeva couldn't ignore the fact that she was a journalist, and Meegi might not appreciate her company.

“Oh-umm... just waiting for a friend.” She replied guardedly. Reeva always found this part of the relationship a little strange to label; they weren't mates, and calling Meegi her boyfriend felt as though it broadcast the fact that they hadn't shared themselves with each other yet. Liiria seemed to pick up on her hesitation and her furry eyeridges narrowed slightly. Pushing past the question, Reeva quickly tried to change the topic off of her. “Did the interview go okay with Tiizome? Got everything you needed?”

“Oh yeah, he is quite a character, isn't he,” the dragoness started with a broadening smile. “It's really nice to hear the passion he has for it all. Way better than the usual types I interview.” She continued before shaking her head to dismiss any follow-up questions. Lifting a forepaw, the wingless ‘ness checked the time on her phone before looking out over the field and skyward. “I was running late...”

“Problem?”

“I hope not. My son is coming here after practice and was meant to finish about now.” She mused and double-checked her phone. “They must be going longer...” she told herself before sitting down on her haunches beside Reeva.

“How old is your son?” Reeva asked politely and contemplated sending a message to Meegi. It felt rude to leave the ‘ness, but she didn't want Meegi to feel like she had invited the press to welcome him.

“Old enough that mommy has become mom,” Liiria chuckled and tilted her head towards Reeva. “Not looking forward to the ‘bruh’ phase,” she added, making Reeva smirk. “I take it you don't have little ones of your own?”

“Oh no, I'm good,” Reeva replied quickly before adjusting her wings. “Maybe one day, but not any time soon. You said your son is at practice? Dragonball?” she asked. Of course Dragonball was played exclusively with winged dragons, however she knew that just because Liiria was flightless, that didn't guarantee that her son was as well.

“Oh gods no!” Liiria exclaimed and shook her head while looking out over the field. “He absolutely adores that sport, but Gods above, does watching it rub me the wrong way. Far too brutal for my liking. No, this is just a flying lesson.” Liiria added before glancing towards Reeva's folded wings. “I mean, he can fly just fine, but he really wants to do the aerobatic stuff, and both me and his father are ground-bound. So there isn't really much we can offer other than books and videos. But one of my mate’s employees has offered to take him up and practise flips and things.”

Nodding along with the dragoness, Reeva made a mental note to tell Meegi of the dragoness' situation in hope of adding validity to his desire to teach fledglings how to develop their flying skills. However, when she went to open her mouth, the purple dragoness looked past her and her green eyes lit up. Turning her head, Reeva followed the dragoness' gaze and spotted a portly man walking towards them, wearing jeans and a black polo shirt that sported a coffee mug held between paws. The same feeling of familiarity washed over Reeva as he came closer and Liiria rose to all fours. Reeva had definitely seen him before, and frowned in thought when Liiria moved past her to come and greet the man. She watched as the dragoness came to the man's front and leaned in to kiss him on the lips while he wrapped a hand around her shoulder to hold her. Only when the dragoness parted and turned to face Reeva did she remember where she had seen the pair. “That's how I know you!” she announced suddenly, her frill flicking up and wings parting from her sides. “The cafe! That cafe! Oh wait… what was it called? You're Meegi's boss, right?”

The portly man chuckled a single laugh before shaking his head in mild confusion. “Um, Meegi? No, I'm not his boss. Not for a few years now.”

Liiria glanced between Reeva and her mate for a moment before cocking her head. “You two have met?”

“Yeah!” Reeva replied cheerfully. “Well, sort of. I went to school with Meegi and came to the cafe a couple times. That's who I'm meeting now… wait… of course… that's who is taking your son up, isn't it?” Reeva explained and slid a lopsided smile.

“Ha! Well, how about that,” Liiria replied before leaning into her mate to get his attention. “Reeva works at that foundation I told you about, the mixed marriages one. I interviewed her boss just this morning,” she explained and nodded towards Reeva.

“Reeva, huh, it's nice to meet you… again. Mike, Meegi's old boss,” the man said in greeting and held out a hand. Taking it in her forepaw, she gave it a friendly shake while the man looked at her with a look in his eye that she couldn't read. It was almost as if he wasn't sure whether he recognised her, or was maybe confusing her with someone else. The look lasted a moment before he renewed his smile and looked towards the sky. “I'm guessing he and Siidah are running into overtime,” he added, and when his mate sat down beside him, his arm moved as if on autopilot to wrap around her shoulder and combed his fingers through her soft fur. “I doubt he will put up a fight come bedtime.”

“Oh, that would be good,” Liiria sighed in relief and leaned into the man. “Just as long as he gets his homework done. I know this is good for him, but I really don't want him to fall behind,” she added, causing Mike to hum in acknowledgement.

The man seemed distracted, and when he looked back at Reeva, she could tell that something about her was on his mind. “Reeva…” he started and clicked his tongue while his gaze drifted towards her crimson frill. With a shake of his head, he seemed to dismiss whatever it was bothering him. “That's a very pretty name.”

“Thanks, my folks kinda went the traditional route and just shortened my mother's name. They were going to combine it with my father's, but Reevis is kinda a drake's name. And Neebian just sounds ridiculous.” Reeva started before shrugging her wings. “They joke that they didn't have time to think of anything more imaginative because I was a bit early. But it works,” she added and curled her neck to try and look past the edges of the tree canopy and further up into the sky.

“Ree…vian,” the man said quietly. At first Reeva didn't hear him, but then recoiled back at the mention of her mother's name. “Wait, you're Reevian's kid? The Reevian? Noodle shop in the eastern markets Reevian?” Mike asked and looked at her with a startled expression as a joyful smile made the corners of his eyes wrinkle. Reeva recoiled her head back, but when she nodded the man became elated. “Gods, you look just like her. Well, except for your colour and the frill of course. How is she? I haven't seen her in ages?” he asked excitedly, causing his mate to turn her head and look at him in confusion.

“Sorry, how do you know her mother?” Liiria asked with a wry smile and curled her tail around the man's feet. Reeva too was curious and cocked her head for the man to explain before she answered his question. A flicker of defensiveness sparked in the back of her mind as she remembered how her ex had changed when he learned of their fortune, and was now overly cautious as to what she told the man. From what her mother had told her, she had never dated a human before, but there were entire topics Reevian avoided, such as her parents and extended family.

“Reevian? You remember Reevian, don't you?” Mike explained and looked at his mate as though Reeva's mother was a household name. “Teal scales, ran that noodle shop in the eastern markets I liked, best in the whole city. She helped us out of a few binds while I was with Taalli… Gods, it has been a while, hasn't it. Is she doing okay?”

Reeva saw the purple dragoness frown for a moment before tipping her head up in realisation and nodding along as though the man's explanation jogged her memory. Satisfied that this wasn't an ex from her mother's past, Reeva relaxed her wings and nodded. “Yeah, she is doing good. Her and dad are travelling with my aunt and uncle. I want to say they are in Hungary or something. At least that's where they were last,” Reeva replied and chuckled with the memory of her father's jokes about the country needing feeding.

This seemed to make the man genuinely proud, and he beamed at her with a look of contentment. “That's awesome to hear. After everything she went through, I'm glad she is doing good,” he said and adjusted his arm on his mate to hold her close. “Next time you see her, tell her Mike said hi and she should swing past the cafe sometime. I'd love to hear what she's been up to.”

Reeva nodded in agreement before noticing Liria was now looking over the field with an intense expression. “Is that them?” she asked, and Reeva followed her gaze. Taking a few steps forward to look out from under the tree's branches, she spotted two dragons diving quickly in a wide spiral. They were moving fast, but not out of control, and as they dropped behind the trees at the far end of the park, for a few precious seconds the pair were obscured before they reappeared with their wings level and shot towards Reeva, Mike, and Liiria.

“That's them,” Reeva chimed in as she squinted and recognised Meegi by the way hist cast dangled awkwardly below. The two dragons angled their wings to bleed speed as they crossed the length of the park until Liiria’s son accelerated and shot up into an off-axis but very tight barrel roll. It was clumsy, and when he reopened his wings he had to correct his course with a series of rapid flaps, but it didn't dampen the broad toothy smile that filled the smaller drake's snout. Meanwhile, Meegi seemed to be hanging back to observe the fledgling's performance and angled his wings to cup the air and glide at a more restrained pace.

“Did you see that?” Mike asked rhetorically and looked on in genuine amazement as the pair came closer. Their son had seen them and pumped his wings to build speed before repeating the manoeuvre. This time, however, the young drake had started far closer to the ground and when he reopened his wings, his eyes widened in surprise as he saw how low he had dropped.

With a panicked beat of his crimson, membranous wings, the drake continued to stare at the ground and, despite his best attempts, failed to stop his fall. With a muffled thud and a collective gasp from the onlookers, the furred drake crashed into the ground chest first. In a tangle of legs, wings, and tail, the small fluffy drake bounced once before sliding across the soft green grass and coming to a grinding halt halfway across the open area. His momentum caused his back to arch and his tail to curl over his back like a comically large scorpion before dropping down to the ground with a small thud. The collective gasp from the onlookers was for nothing, as in the blink of an eye, the small fledgling leapt to his feet and shook loose the blades of grass that clung to his fur. His once-black-furred front was now stained green, but it went unnoticed by the fledgling, who began to bound across the field at a breakneck gallop.

Following Liiria and Mike's lead, Reeva stepped forward but kept out of the way as they greeted their child. The fledgling panted heavily as he ran towards them and, with a bound, launched himself at his father with forepaws extended. Mike braced himself and spread his arms to catch the small drake as he crashed into him with enough force to make him grunt. Turning to absorb the impact, the man held Siidah in his arms before dropping to a crouch as his weight became too much to hold. “You okay, Siidah? That looked like it hurt!” he asked but was met with a rapid shake of the drake's head as Siidah stepped back onto all fours.

“Nah, I'm tough!” Siidah retorted between pants. “Did you see my spin, though? Meegi taught me how to do a corkscrew and stall a wing, but spins are more fun! And... and! I didn't get dizzy! Not once!” he explained breathlessly and pulled his neck back into a proud S-shape while refolding his wings restlessly. Standing on all fours while Mike crouched on one knee, the young drake didn't need to look up at his father, and the man didn't have to stoop to brush more grass out of Siidah’s furry chest.

“Not even once, eh?” Mike asked and moved his hand to between the drake’s blunt horns to ruffle the flame of purple hair that spilled down his otherwise white spine. “I guess it does pay to have a good teacher,” he added and looked towards Meegi, who was gliding in for a landing. “Hey quick, watch! watch how he lands. It might save you a bath…”

The group watched as Meegi slowly approached in an impossibly slow glide. With his wings spread wide and tips curled in, it looked as though he was physically holding the air under him to keep aloft as he drifted below the treeline. If it wasn't for his cast and the afternoon sun reflecting off his polished scales, he would have looked almost ethereal as he floated through the sky towards them. At such a slow speed, his hips hung down below his wings, and while he kept one hind leg tucked up to his belly, his heavier, cast-laden leg dangled freely. The posture gave them an unobstructed view of the flight muscles that wrapped his chest and ran through his wing arms. Every few feet, he would make micro-corrections with his wing fingers and adjust his angle of attack to keep from stalling. “So, what caused that crash?” Meegi asked in the tone of a teacher as he came within earshot and looked towards the small fledgling. Now that he was closer, Reeva noticed that the once crimson cast on his leg was now a dark shade of brown, although it looked mottled and streaky, as though he had tried to paint it with a paw rather than a brush.

“I looked at the ground…” replied the drake with heavy defeat in his voice. “And that's where I went,” he added, as though predicting Meegi's line.

“That's right, look where you want to go, and that's where you will go,” Meegi praised and pulled both wings downwards in a final flap as his speed fell off completely, then extended his good hind leg to land. At that slow speed, it appeared as though he simply stepped out of the air rather than landed, and he folded his wings effortlessly as he walked on all fours towards the group. “What else caused the crash?” he asked, and Reeva looked down at the fledgling to see him shrink back with a stumped look. A heavy pause dragged out before Meegi lowered his head down towards the fledgling. “You can go low when…” he offered and waited as the small drake gasped audibly.

“When I go pro!” Siidah chirped and bounced with excitement when Meegi nodded in approval.

“That's right. Now, are you okay?”

“Yup!” Siidah replied cheerfully and reset his wings while standing between his mother and crouching father. “Didn't hurt at all!” he added proudly and wiggled in excitement. “Can we go again? The sun hasn't set just yet! And... and then Mom and Dad can watch! Or you could carry Dad-”

“Siidah…” Mike started and stroked the back of his neck. “Meegi has plans this evening, and you… well, you have homework,” he explained and chuckled as Siidah flopped back onto his haunches and practically went limp with exaggerated displeasure. “Yeah… don't think we haven't forgotten,” he added and rose to stand, then nodded in thanks to Meegi. “Thanks again for this.”

“It's honestly fine, he is a good student,” Meegi replied while using a paw to detach a bright red and much smaller harness with a single medium-sized pouch from the shoulder strap of his own harness. Each of the nylon straps seemed to have been decorated with black pen in complex and indecipherable patterns and letters. “I'm sorry I'm late, we kinda drifted a bit off course,” Meegi added and looked towards Reeva as Mike took the offered harness from him and slung it over his shoulder. The simple glance communicated his apology to her, and she nodded warmly in understanding.

“Not a worry at all, we were just catching up with Reeva here. Turns out we had a few things in common, and Liiria went to her work today,” Mike replied with a chuckle and glanced towards Reeva. “This really is a small city, isn't it-”

“Can we fly again tomorrow?” interrupted Siidah and looked between his father and Meegi with a wide-eyed hopefulness that made Reeva's heart melt. “I think I can do that spin again if I flick my tail more, and if... if we get time, I wanna try a fast dive! Like a really fast dive!” he added in giddy excitement that brought a smile to Meegi’s snout and a look of mild concern from his parents.

“I'll talk to your father tomorrow, and if you have done your homework, then maybe… just maybe I will meet you at the cafe,” Meegi said, earning a shrill squeal of excitement from the fur drake. “But no cheating, okay? School is more important than doing tricks in the air. You hear me?” he added to try and dampen the young drake's enthusiasm, but clearly failed as Siidah took off at a run to gallop a lap around the group with his wings mantled as though he was flying. Looking towards his father, Meegi lowered his voice so they weren't overheard by the running Siidah. “Let me know how he feels in the morning. I don't mind, but if he is sore, I don't want to push him too much.”

“Thanks, Meegi, will do. Likewise, if something comes up, just let us know,” Mike added. Reeva caught the man giving the most subtle of nods towards her direction. Meegi nodded in acknowledgement, and then the man turned to look where his son had run to. “Come on, Buckaroo, time to say goodbye to Meegi and Reeva!”

Siidah's claws dug into the turf as he rapidly changed direction and launched himself towards Meegi to hug his foreleg. “Bye, Meegi!” he said in a loud, whine-like voice before parting and looking at Reeva. “Bye Reeva,” he added, missing the inflection in her name, but didn't seem to care before he took off again at a run, this time running in a straight line while angling his wings to catch the air and tilt to one side.

“Bye, Reeva, and it was nice meeting you,” Liiria said warmly and reached into a small pocket in her harness’ shoulder strap. “Also, if you or your boss ever need to get the word out about what you're doing, hit me up. We only print monthly, but a lot of the people I work with write for actual news outlets as well. I'm more than happy to get you in touch with the right people, find you someone who is also keen for what you do,” she added with a sincerity that gave Reeva pause. “Least I can do for a friend of Meegi and Reevian's daughter.”

“Thanks,” Reeva replied as she took the dragoness' card and looked down at it. It was a simple white rectangle with the letters HH embossed in the card stock and a deep lilac-coloured font spelling out her details. “We are always looking to spread the message,” she added and bobbed her head in renewed thanks.

With a nod and wave farewell, Mike and Liiria left while their child ran a wide and lopsided orbit around them as they walked towards the footpath.

“Sorry again, were you waiting long?” Meegi apologised and stepped closer to her side. There was a brief moment of awkwardness where he leaned his head closer, but not close enough to invite a kiss and instead kind of hovered his snout in the awkward gap between their personal spaces. He seemed to realise this and tilted his head as though he was simply stretching his neck, even going as far as to repeat the movement on his other side.

“No, not long,” Reeva said while glancing across to the other patrons of the park. It was entirely possible that Meegi wasn't comfortable with displays of affection in such a public setting, or perhaps he was second-guessing where they were in their relationship. However, as the drake lifted his wings skywards to stretch, she seized the moment. With a small step and turn of her body, she came alongside him and nudged him with her shoulder. The silky-smooth touch of his scales against her folded wing made her heart flutter, and his whole body jerked in startled surprise. Keeping his wings up for a moment too long, Meegi processed what she was doing and slowly lowered one to rest across her back while exhaling in a hushed chuckle. Like a plush blanket on a cold night, Meegi's wing warmed her body even as the afternoon sun filtered through the tall buildings in the west.

“That's good,” Meegi replied, and Reeva didn't know or care if it was in regard to her answer or her leaning against him. “Have a good day at work?” he asked and nodded towards the footpath that bisected the two fields. Keeping beside him, she began to walk with him and continued to lean against his side with a reassuring pressure. With each step, she felt him trying to hide his awkward gait as he tried not to put any weight on his injured hind leg.

“Hold on,” Reeva said suddenly and pulled away from his side. With a few quick steps, she circled around his front and turned to reposition herself on the same side as his cast. “Here, lean on me,” she added and dipped her body lower to press up under his wing. Meegi didn't seem to need much convincing, and he hummed in thanks as he wrapped his other wing around her. Now, as they began to walk, he didn't wobble as much and used her for support. “Work was good, busy, but good,” Reeva mused and adjusted her wings against him so she wasn't digging into his ribs. “Last-minute changes to the gala that needed sorting, but nothing show-stopping.” Reeva added and felt his body tense at the mention. She had hoped that the mention of the event would have been a good segue into asking if he had thought more on it, but after feeling his reaction, she quickly changed topics. “What about you? Get up to too much other than teaching fledglings how to eat grass?” she teased and was relieved when the drake laughed.

“That was a pretty rough landing, wasn't it? I told him not to do anything too low,” Meegi replied and shook his head in exaggerated disbelief. “I think if I'm gonna do a flying school or something, maybe I'll get them on a tether. Kinda hard to stop them crashing when they go off on their own.”

“That's kids in a nutshell, isn't it? He was doing good up until that part,” Reeva added and flicked her tail to touch against the side of his. “You had fun, though?”

“Yeah, it was good. Great, actually. He learns quickly, and even though he struggled with some of the manoeuvres, he never stopped trying. I think he will be a very strong flier as he grows up,” Meegi added warmly and adjusted his wing to hold her closely. “Though I can't wait to get this cast off. It still feels weird doing rolls and turns with it on. It's not like it's overly heavy, but it's just… awkward.”

“Are you okay walking? We could fly if you would prefer,” Reeva offered, but Meegi shook his head and continued to walk with her. She didn't want to say it, but she preferred walking with him as it meant that she could talk without raising her voice and allowed them to be closer to one another.

“It's okay, walking on grass is better than concrete, though,” Meegi added as they approached the footpath and, instead of joining the rest of the pedestrians, they crossed over and walked across the open grass where the group of dragons and humans were still throwing their ball.

Looking towards Meegi, she had expected his gaze to fixate on the ball being thrown, but instead he remained focused on her or the ground ahead of them. “I noticed that you painted your cast-” she started but stopped when Meegi snorted in amusement. “What?”

“Oh… it's nothing,” he started before chuckling and pausing mid-step. Him holding up a forepaw caused her to look down, and what she saw made her eyes narrow. While the scales on the top of his paw were mostly the same tan-brown colour, a darker mahogany brown now framed the recesses between each scale, and the once plump pink pads on the underside were stained dark. “I didn't mean to paint it, but I kinda had a bit of a stumble,” he continued before putting his paw down and continuing to walk with her. “We have a deck at home that needed oiling, and well… I may have stood in the tin of stain with my bad leg… then fell over,” he added with an embarrassed smirk.

Snorting through her nose, Reeva looked at him to see if he was being serious and then giggled when he nodded. “Wait, so you stepped in it, and then tripped?”

“More like it slid out from under me. But yes… I went full Siidah on a freshly stained deck,” Meegi replied, the imagery causing Reeva's frill to perk up and making her snicker in a failed attempt to contain herself. “I managed to not spill too much, mainly ‘cos my foot was wedged in the tin. But I made the mistake of continuing, and now I can't get the stuff off the pads-” his words halted as Reeva lost all sense of composure at the idea of a blotchy brown drake flailing on the deck with his paw stuck in a bucket. “Oh, shush you,” he added without any sincerity and chuckled along with her.

“Sorry, but what?” Reeva started before tearing her head back. “The mighty Meegi, star claimer of the coastal Cresties, moves through the air like the wind can't touch him… brought down by an inanimate bucket…” she teased and stumbled to one side as he leaned into her with a playful shove.

“Oh my, you and my mom would get on like a house on fire. She basically said the same thing,” Meegi replied and pulled her close again.

Reeva's frill flicked up, and she turned her head to look at him with a quizzical expression. “Oh, so you're already planning on us meeting, huh? Isn't that a bit quick? It's kind of a big moment, after all!” she teased, making him halt mid-step and look at her in surprise.

“Oh no, I wasn't going to– I mean–”

“So you're saying, I'm not good enough to meet your mother?” she countered with a tut and playful glare, knowing full well she was being silly. “Do I embarrass you, do I? I’m sorry that little ol' Reeva isn't as… painted… as what you're used to,” she cooed with a chuckle and pressed her cheek against the side of his neck to make it abundantly clear she was only joking. “Although if your mom has seen you stuck in a bucket… how bad would it be to meet me?” That made the drake blurt a single laugh before chuckling a low rumble that she felt in his chest.

“Oh no, you are more than welcome to meet her any time you want. I just know we have been moving quickly,” Meegi replied with a softness that made it clear he was being completely sincere. “Not that I'm complaining, this has been fantastic!” he added, and Reeva's heart melted when he tilted his head to press the bottom of his jaw over her head and pressed her frill back. The tender stroke felt so incredibly honest, and the fact that he did it while others could see made her heart soar. “Besides, I doubt you meeting her would be anywhere near as awkward as that time I met your folks. Remember?”

“Oh gods… yeah that was embarrassing!” Reeva cooed and shook her head against him as she recalled the moment her father had barged in on their study session. “I guess maybe they did have something to worry about afterall,” she mused, earning a chuckle from him and a tender squeeze from his wing.

Closing her eyes as they walked, Reeva soaked in the moment. She had to agree with him. Things had been moving quickly, but it felt so incredibly right to be with him that she allowed herself to be swept up in the moment. A soft hum, like a purr, came from her throat as she nuzzled him back and enjoyed the feeling of his head against hers and his wing wrapped around her body.

“This is good-” Reeva's words were cut short as Meegi suddenly jerked his head away from hers, followed by a sharp, hard thwack of something hitting the drake. Snapping open her eyes, she looked and saw that Meegi was now looking vertically upwards. With a gentle step into her, he guided her off to one side before rearing up on his one good hind leg. Pressing his tail and injured leg to the ground to stabilise himself, his attention was laser-like focused on the sky. Looking past him, a white ovoid snap ball spun rapidly in the air as it reached the zenith of its trajectory and began to fall back to earth. Its erratic spin seemed to almost intensify as it came down, but with a small lunge, Meegi caught it in one paw as he dropped down to stand as best he could on three legs.

“Sorry!” cried out a voice from their left, and the pair turned to see a dragon half-running, half-flying towards them with an apologetic look on his face. His amber scales looked almost dull now that the sun was blocked by the skyline, but Reeva recognised him as one of the dragons who had been showing off with the humans and resting dragonesses. The drake's expression shifted as he came within a few yards of them both, changing from mortification to one of confusion and recognition, all while his run slowed to a walk.

Bouncing the ball in his paw, Meegi flipped it over on itself before gripping it by one of the tapered ends to offer it back to the drake. “It's okay, it was a good pass,” he replied with a smile and polite professionalism that Reeva recognised as being forced. “Though next time, getting eye contact with who you are passing to is always a good idea,” he added as the drake reached forwards and took the ball with a trembling forepaw.

“You… you're…” he stammered with widening eyes before looking down at the ball and then back at Meegi. “Yes, sir, sorry! Could I- I mean, could you…?” he asked, causing Meegi to bring his wings against his sides. “It would mean the world to me. You were my favourite claimer of all. That claim you made against the Nixies to open the first half, that was phenomenal!” the drake exclaimed, finding his confidence and his words. “I've watched all your games, every one of them. You're incredible!” he continued as Meegi began to pat the straps of his harness as if trying to find a particular pouch.

Momentarily ignoring the fan, Meegi turned to talk to her and made a motion with his paw as if to write something. Nodding in understanding, Reeva sat back on her haunches and reached into one of the few pouches on her harness, retrieving a black felt tip pen. Stepping forwards, she passed it to Meegi as he nodded along with the fan while they recounted a game he had attended in person. Watching the interaction, Reeva felt as though she was a fly on the wall and completely invisible to the enthusiastic drake. Meanwhile, Meegi engaged with the fan in a reserved yet kind way that broadcast that he was busy without being rude. He hurriedly signed the ball, but after passing it back to the dragon, the fan still didn't seem to take the hint.

Reeva noticed Meegi's tail tip flick once in agitation before going rigid, as though he was consciously forcing himself to remain calm. Stepping forwards, Reeva cleared her throat to announce herself, though she still remained unnoticed by the amber dragon until she practically stepped between them. “Um, Meegi, we are going to be late,” she said with firmness and then looked towards the other drake. “Sorry, it was nice to meet you, though,” she added with an overly sweet tone she reserved for encouraging guests to leave.

“Yes, it was nice meeting you. Thanks for being part of the Cresties crew,” Meegi added and looked to Reeva before flicking his eyes towards the sky. The silent communication spoke volumes, and Reeva stepped closer towards the fan to encourage him to take a step backwards to give Meegi room. Spreading and mantling his wings, Meegi gave the starstruck drake a friendly nod of farewell before taking a half-hop, half-jump forwards and pumping his wings downwards.

Circling around herself, Reeva bounded forwards in two lunges to gain speed and then leapt up into the sky. Meegi was moving with purpose, but not fast enough to leave her behind, and after a few rapid strokes of her wings, she pulled up beside him. Looking along her wingtip, she studied the drake's expression and saw what could only be described as pained annoyance. Keeping alongside him, she didn't speak but waited for him to say something. However, as they cleared the buildings at the far end of the park and Meegi still hadn't said a word, she gently brushed her wingtip against his to get his attention.

“Thank you,” Meegi said with a reverence that came from his heart. “I don't really do well with those situations. Not when they're sprung on me like that,” he explained and adjusted his wing to brush his back against hers. “When they're planned, they're okay. Usually someone from the media team moves people along or gives me an out.” Clearing his throat, Meegi shook his head as a shiver ran down the length of his body and then looked towards her with a vulnerability in his eyes. “Sorry, ignore me. It's a bit of a first-world problem, isn't it? Besides, this is meant to be our time!” he continued, and Reeva could tell he was clearly trying to push through the stress of the interaction. “Do you want to catch a movie or something?”

Seeing a movie wasn't conducive to talking openly with him, but after seeing the impact a fan had on him, Reeva began to truly understand his hesitation about joining her at the gala. “How about a movie at my place? There is only one adoring fan there,” she offered and felt relieved when the corner of his lip twisted into a smirk. “Maybe get some takeaway? I'm happy to pay, given you're totes unemployed and all that,” she teased, making him chuckle and nod.

“Actually... that sounds good.”