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Seeing a dragon charge at him would forever be an unforgettable experience for Luke. During his training, he had participated in exercises alongside dragons and was well aware that they could cover a dozen yards in just two bounds. Yet, he was still surprised at how quickly Teeba had closed the gap between them and recoiled instinctively. While the grey dragoness’s shoulders were at a similar height to his own, her overall mass, including her tail and neck, meant he had a snowball's chance in hell of remaining upright as she drove into him. The world lurched and spun as Luke was tackled off his feet and was sent crashing towards the ground with her atop him. Thankfully, her purple forepaws wrapped around his back and cradled his head to protect him from injury as they landed heavily on the gravel driveway. Even with most of her weight supported by her forelegs, the impact of landing on the ground drove the wind out of Luke's lungs, and he found himself completely restrained by the slender dragoness’ full-body hug.

“Fuck them all!” Teeba whined, her voice breaking as she held him tightly against her chest, to the point that Luke found breathing difficult. Shuddering tremors ran through her large frame as she hugged him, and he surprised himself when his strong arms wrapped around the base of her neck. At first, his hands hovered awkwardly just off her scales, before he pushed his reservations aside and stroked his hands across her shoulders softly, trying to comfort her. “Fuck your family, they can think what they want, I don't care. If they are going to kick you out because I’m a dragon, then fuck them all, you didn’t do anything wrong and you….” she added, and Luke looked up as best he could, only to see her long neck curl tightly around so she could look at him upside down. Her larger amethyst eyes were on the verge of tears, and the lips of her tapered snout quivered as she smiled weakly. “You are like the only friend I have here.”

Running his fingers across her smooth scales, Luke found himself matching her smile until he realised what he was doing. His smile faltered as the heat of her body began to creep through his thin shirt, and while he was sure none of Teeba’s neighbours could see them where they were, he still felt awkward and exposed by their closeness. “Teeba…” His words failed as he became torn on whether he wanted the embrace to end. She clearly needed this more than he did, and although his cheeks flushed with embarrassment at being embraced by a dragoness in such an intimate way, he found himself renewing his grip. “I'm not going anywhere,” he said in a strained voice as his emotions bubbled up. “Not that I can,” he added with a mock attempt to escape her grip and smiled when she blurted a laugh, feeling her whole body shake.

“No, I won't let you,” she mused, and Luke tensed as she rolled onto her side and curled her body around him. His eyes widened as she lifted a hind leg just enough to wrap over his feet and pull him tighter into an embrace. Now lying side by side, their difference in anatomy was very much apparent to Luke, yet he didn't relax his grip as he tried to comfort her. Only when she wrapped her tail around them and curled her neck around to press her jaw against his shoulder did he try to protest.

“Teeba, I… this… I mean… this isn't...” he said, but his words failed as she partially extended a wing over them to shield them from the world.

“Isn't what?” she replied, her paws tensing on his back and her body stiffening.

“Staying. This is just temporary, until I get my own place,” he added. Having been kicked out of the family home because his parents believed he was a tail chaser, he was genuinely grateful for the dragon’s offer of staying in the old house on her property. The opportunity would allow him to continue his work without having to start again in a new town, at the expense of perhaps being the topic of conversation in town for a while.

“You have found a place,” Teeba said, with a sense of finality, and gave him another squeeze. Under her lavender wing membranes, the world felt unnatural as the light was tinted in a pinkish hue. “The house is basically yours. I can't fit in the hallways anyway,” she added. Windsoar Farm, the property Teeba had bought, was a sprawling rural plot with the original old home—which was falling into disrepair—a pool, and a barn that the dragoness had renovated and now called home.

Luke sighed and gently relaxed his grip, but paused as her paws remained locked around him. “Tea…” he started and felt her soft toe beans knead his back. “Teeba, that is very kind of you. But–”

“But nothing. You can stay in the house and make it how you like it. I'll pay for anything you need,” Teeba interrupted and stroked his back with a forepaw. “It's the very least I can do.”

Luke knew it was pointless arguing with the dragoness and slowly exhaled. “Teeba… thank you,” he finally said and patted her shoulder to encourage her to release him, but she seemed to take no notice as she continued to cradle him.

“You’re welcome, besides this would be good for both of us. The house needs a little work, and you get to hang out with me, win-win.” she said and extracted her head from under her wing to look up at the old house. Having braved the elements for decades, much of the paint had already peeled off and swaths of dark green moss had been left unchecked under the eaves. “Okay, maybe it needs more than a little work,” Teeba mused, causing Luke to chuckle.

“Well, you're gonna have to let me go if you want me to take care of it,” Luke said and moved his hands to her chest, but even still, her paws remained stubbornly around his back. Feeling her holding him so close and almost intimately gave him pause. Besides falling asleep beside her the previous night, he had never been so close to a dragon, and while his upbringing told him that this was wrong, there was something quite satisfying about being held by the dragon’s large paws. With her pressing him against her chest, he could hear and feel her breathing become less ragged and more relaxed with every breath. “Tea, the rumours are going to hold some weight if you keep holding me like this,” he added as he tried to push away from her, only for her to chuckle and give him a warm squeeze.

“In that case, I'm not gonna let go of you,” Teeba giggled, only to be interrupted by a musical chime from the tablet-like phone she had strapped to her foreleg. Luke felt the vibration of the device against his back and looked up at her with a small smirk. “That sounds important,” he said and saw a smile forming on her snout. Both of them knew that she would have to release him to check the message, and she simply tilted her head from side to side in contemplation.

“It’s probably just spam,” she said simply, but her smile wavered slightly. Unbeknownst to Luke, Teeba could count on two paws how many people knew her new and private number, and of those that did, most knew not to send an SMS unless it was something urgent.

“Are you sure—” Luke didn’t even finish before the dragoness sighed and finally released him from her embrace. Keeping still, he tried not to be in the way as the large dragoness gently slipped her foreleg out from under him and rolled away with some reluctance.

Once she was clear, Teeba righted herself and lifted herself up to sit back on her haunches. As she craned her head down to focus on her phone, Luke watched her claws dance on the screen before he began to get to his feet. The sudden lack of her warmth around him made him feel strange, as if he was somehow more alone. “Is there a problem?” he asked as Teeba’s eyes flicked from the screen to him, and she gave him a look he couldn’t quite place.

“Umm... not a problem... no,” she said, her voice a slightly higher pitch than he was familiar with.

“What is it?” he asked as he dusted off his pants.

“This is awkward... I’ve fucked up. Some friends are coming over tonight,” Teeba said, her gaze focusing back on the screen as she re-read the message. “I’ll tell them not to come.”

Luke couldn’t help but feel that he was somehow causing an imposition and quickly replied, “You don’t have to do that. I can make myself scarce.”

“No—” Teeba said and shook her head before shuffling her wings. “I just... you know how you have online friends and in-person friends?” she asked, and Luke nodded in understanding as he too had set boundaries between his Marine buddies and his other friends.

“Like I said, happy to stay out of the way. I’ve got some unpacking to do anyway.”

The dragoness rocked her head from side to side before shaking it once more. “No, that would be weird. You should probably meet them anyway, they come ‘round all the time.”

Luke could tell that she was nervous by the way her pupils narrowed while she tucked her wings tight to her sides and curled her long tail around her paws. “They aren’t, like, anti-human or anything, are they?” he offered to diffuse the tension, and was surprised when she stiffened further.

“Not exactly...” Teeba said, her nostrils flaring slightly as looked at him with her large amethyst eyes.

Luke felt uneasy as her words drifted off. “Not exactly?”

“It will be fine!” she said with a forced smile that did little to quell Luke's uneasiness. “It's just... one of them is a bit traditional, and I don't know. He can be a bit weird around my human friends. But he isn't like your folks. Everything will be fine, it will be fine.” she added, her chest began to expand and contract with quick shallow breaths.

Luke’s stomach tightened; he was well aware that some dragons in the rural town of Crestmead didn't approve of mixed-species relationships, but it surprised him that Teeba would be friends with one of them. “Maybe I should go. I don't want to make it weird.”

“No! You are staying!” Teeba almost shouted, her pupils narrowing to slits with an almost panicked expression. Whipping her head to one side, she looked away and forcing herself to calm down. It was clear that she was stressed and Luke couldn’t blame her, after the reception his own parents gave her, and the rollercoaster of him possibly leaving, he knew she was feeling overwhelmed. “No, please stay. Everything will be fine,” she said, and Luke knew it was more for her own reassurance than his.

Seeing the strain and uncertainty wracking the dragoness’ frame, he slowly stepped forward and held out his hand, pausing as he became unsure how to reassure her. “Okay, I'll stay,” he said softly and opted to place his hand on her wing wrist. He felt a gentle shiver run through her as her whole body trembled with anxiety, and he stepped closer to her side. “I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here.”

His words seemed to have an effect on the dragoness as she inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled. “I’m sorry,” she said softly, gradually relaxing her wings. “The last few days have been nuts, and I just wasn't prepared for this. I promise, they’re not like your folks.”

Luke nodded in understanding and gripped the small, talon-tipped finger protruding from her wing wrist, giving it a comforting squeeze. “It will be fine. These friends of yours... They’re friends, right? Good friends?”

“The best,” she said, looking toward the south.

“Then everything will be fine,” Luke said, offering her a small smile. When she finally turned her head to look down at him, he met her gaze. “What do you need me to do?” he added, feeling her wing slowly relax.

“Thank you, Luke,” she said warmly, glancing around the front of the property. Having mown the lawn and trimmed the trees, the grounds were more than presentable, but her gaze lingered on the remains of the bonfire they had lit the night before. “We still have some time before they arrive. If you want to start unpacking, I'll clean up from last night,” she said, nodding toward the empty bottles and cans of alcohol they had shared. “Then, I could use some help getting the barn organized. They’re staying the night, and the blow-up mattress can be a real mission to inflate.”

“Teeba, missions are my specialty,” Luke said with a smirk, letting go of her wing to give her a mock salute.

Rising to all fours, Teeba chuckled and shook her head in amusement. “Then let's go to war, army man—”

“Marine,” Luke corrected, pointing a finger up at her, only for her to grin broadly. “With a capital M,” he added for good measure.

Lifting a folded wing as high as she could, she still had to curl her neck downward so that her clawed wing finger was near enough to her eye ridge to give him a mock salute. The awkwardness of the gesture made Luke laugh and shake his head, as the correct salute for a dragon in the military was to unfurl their wings enough to then simply snap them closed against their sides to create an almost crack like sound. “That… That's not how dragons salute” he chuckled and when she tilted her head inquisitively, knew that he was now going to have to explain. “You’re meant to kinda slap your wing against your side, like this,” he said and stood rigidly at attention while using his hands to imitate wings. Lifting his arms out a foot from his sides, he slapped them against his thighs and looked to her to repeat the gesture.

The snort of amusement from the dragoness caused his lips to purse in an attempt to hide his smirk, but he waited as Teeba adjusted herself to stand regally and repeated the action for her when she focused on his hands. Teeba shuffled her wings and held them out while keeping them folded and then closed them tight against her sides. The soft sound was neither as crisp or as defined as what he remembered coming from the dragon’s he served with, and her attempt made him chuckle. “Hey, don’t laugh. You’re meant to teach me.” the dragoness pouted and shuffled her wings.

“Oh, a drill sergeant would chew you out so hard if you talked to them like that.” Luke snickered and paused as she repeated the salute to little improvement. “Try clenching your wings fingers, it's meant to be like a clap.”

Lifting her wings higher, Teeba folded her wing fingers tight together before slapping her wing arms closed, the sound was distinctly louder and Luke nodded in approval. Stiffening her neck and standing on the balls of her paws, she looked down at him with a mock stern expression. “Alright you soft clawed ape, let's get this place in order! On the double, no– on the triple!” She said with a growing smile, “See? I could totes be a Marine drill captain person.” Teeba said with a playful smirk.

Luke shook his head in amusement at the idea and towards his truck. Opening the passenger door, he heaved out the first box of his effects and looked down at a framed photo of his former unit. His smile faded as he looked down at their faces and focused on the dragons he served with, specifically one who didn't come home.

---

As a Marine, Luke had learned the value of traveling light, and, as such, it didn't take him long to transfer the contents of his truck to the main living room of the house. While Teeba tidied up the remains of the bonfire, he set about exploring the old farmstead home to work out which room was the most comfortable. With much of the wallpaper either peeling or bubbling away from the walls and the tired wooden floors creaking with every step, the state of the interior was a mixed collection of old and even older. Not that he was complaining, as anything would be more comfortable than sleeping in his truck. With the ground floor comprising most of the shared spaces such as the kitchen, bathroom, and living areas, he ventured upstairs to investigate the bedrooms. Despite the stairs being carpeted, every tread protested loudly and sank slightly under his boots. Gripping the rickety handrail to put his mind at ease, he continued his climb while testing each step with a gradual press of his foot. “Just a little bit of work,” he mused to himself, repeating Teeba's remark. Reaching the top of the landing, he pushed the doors open to each of the bedrooms and looked around the spaces. The bedrooms appeared to have been given more love by the previous owners, but as he looked up at the flaking ceiling and the crown molding already separating itself from the architraves, he knew he would still have his work cut out for him to bring the rooms back to their former glory.

Turning around, he made his way back down the unsettling stairs and began moving his gear from the corridor to the living area on the ground floor. One by one, he lined up the boxes in order of importance and made a mental checklist of things he had forgotten to collect from his parents' place and would need to buy again. Placing a box stuffed full of clothes down on the ground, a movement at the back window caught his eye, and he looked up to see Teeba's head peering through the dirty glass. The dragoness was standing in the paved pool area, wearing a confused expression. Upon seeing her, he moved towards the door that connected the living area to the outdoor space but quickly found the deadlock bolted and without a key. Jiggling the handle, he hastily moved to the window. The window’s latch had seized, but with a firm strike of his palm and a grunt of pain, he managed to unlock it and slide it upward.

“Are the bedrooms that bad?” Teeba asked self-consciously, glancing toward the neat pile of his effects.

Shaking his head, Luke tried to reassure her. “No, they’re fine. But they need a little bit of work. I figured I’ll set up here, and then once I fix up a room, I’ll move there,” he explained. Having spent many summers helping his father with various DIY projects around the house, he knew it was easier when the room was not cluttered with furniture or junk.

“Oh. That makes sense,” Teeba mused, and when she spotted his computer, she pushed her head in through the window to get a closer look. While the window was larger than her head, her two horns flared outward at their tips and only just slipped through the frame. “That's the beast, is it?” she grinned mischievously. “Nice case, although… I didn't have you pegged as one for RGB,” she added as she spotted some of the components.

Luke found the scene quite humorous as the dragoness pushed her neck further into the room until her shoulders, pressed against the exterior wall, stopped her. “Oh, you can't buy much without it being RGB. May as well make it look like unicorn vomit, am I right?” Luke chuckled and turned to extract his gaming keyboard and trusty mouse. He realized quickly that he didn't have a surface to set them on yet, making a mental note to pick up a folding table next time he was in town.

“Please don't tell me you have it all set to rainbow spam?” Teeba chuckled and lifted her head until her horns came close to striking the ceiling. Luke felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment, something the dragoness noticed immediately, and she broke into laughter. “Oh my god, you do, don't you? Big, tough, scary Marine, callsign Raider, likes his princess sparkle computer! What is your wallpaper? I bet it's cute–”

“Hey!” Luke retorted but couldn't keep a straight face as she roared with laughter. Looking at her amethyst eyes and remembering the color of her paws and tail, he put his hands on his hips. “I've seen your PC. It isn't any better! You made it match your scales. How vain is that?!”

“Yeah, but I'm just a dainty gamer ‘ness! Matching colors or rainbows are expected!” she retorted, causing Luke to chuckle. “I'm not Luke the badass, the ex-Marine who kicks ass and takes names–”

“Still a Marine!” Luke corrected, finding her laughter infectious. “I’ve done my time, So I think I've earned the right to have a ‘rainbow spam’ PC.” he added, but despite the dragoness’s attempt to calm herself, her neck still trembled with stifled laughter. “Fine, I'll turn them off if it makes you happy.”

“Oh no, I think it’s cute!” she giggled and spotted his keyboard. Lowering her head, she looked at it curiously. “How do you live with only one row of macros?”

Luke shrugged and plucked the keyboard away from her inquisitive stare. “Skill?” he said simply, smiling as he pressed a few random keys to enjoy the clicking noise.

Recoiling in mock offense, Teeba tilted her head to look down at him from the corner of her eye before a smile worked its way along her lips. “Alright, you’re on. One v one, Riderfall Two. You can pick the map; it won’t make a difference.”

Luke chuckled and nodded. “Alright, once I get a table and set it up,” he said, looking around at the rest of his gear. He was hesitant to unpack further until he bought furniture to store it in, and he glanced back at Teeba. “But you have company soon. Need help in the barn now?”

“Thanks, that would be good. I can put stuff away, but I'll need help with the–” her words were cut short as she glanced around the room briefly. “You don't have a bed, do you?” Teeba said suddenly, her pupils narrowing as she realised that she was about to ask him to help set up the air bed for her friends while she did not have one for him.

Waving his hand to dismiss her, Luke stepped over to his row of boxes and reached behind them to retrieve a thin, olive-green bedroll. The foam was no thicker than a gym mat, and Teeba’s eyes narrowed at its utilitarian appearance. “I'm all set. On tour, we would sleep on these when we weren't in the base.”

Teeba’s head pulled back slightly as she glanced between him and the bedroll, trying to work out if he was joking. “Really? That?!” she asked, and when Luke nodded, her eyes narrowed further. “Fuck that.”

“Oh, it's not that bad,” Luke said, unbuckling the strap that kept it rolled up. Freed from its binding, the foam ‘bed’ unravelled itself but kept a noticeable curve as he laid it on the ground. “It's not as comfortable as an actual bed, but it will make do for now–”

“I'm buying you a bed,” Teeba said flatly, but grinned before he could retort. “Or you can share mine, and really give your folks something to bitch about,” she added and snickered as Luke glared at her with a smirk.

“I don't need a handout, Teeba. You are already doing so much for me,” he said and nudged his bedroll with his foot to straighten it against the wall of the room. “Besides, it's really not that bad. I've used it a few times when a job has run late into the night and was too wrecked to drive home.”

“You make it sound so comfortable,” the dragoness mused sarcastically before frowning. “So you actually slept on that while you were in the trenches?”

Luke shook his head at her ignorance and smiled. “There weren't any trenches, Teeba. It wasn't World War One. And not this exact one. I picked it up at a surplus store, cheaper than any camp bed.”

“I believe you,” Teeba said flatly before stretching her neck so she could inspect the bed further. “You actually spent money on it?” she said and smiled awkwardly when he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “I'm just saying, it looks uncomfortable as hell.”

“It's fine–”

“After tonight, I'm lending you my air mattress and we are throwing that thing out. It's gotta be a war crime or something to call that a bed,” she announced, nodding towards the bedroll.

Sensing she wouldn't take no for an answer, Luke relented and nodded. “Alright, fine. Speaking of, let's get your barn squared away.”

Luke paused as Teeba went to retract her head from the window and flinched as one of her sharp horns caught the edge of the window frame. The old timber trim split with a cracking sound under the sharp points, and Luke quickly stepped forward to help. “Hold on, shit. Maybe tilt your head?” he offered, as she tried again but overcorrected, pulling back only to drive her other horn through the plaster wall. “Whoa, stop!”

Freezing in place, Teeba held her head still as Luke placed one hand under her jaw and used the other to grip the base of her right horn. “Okay, forwards,” he said, and with a small twist freed her from the drywall. Cradling her head, he paused at their closeness and felt his cheeks burn slightly. Slowly and gently, Luke rotated her head a few degrees so that her horns cleared the sides of the opening, then guided her out of the house. “There we go,” he said once she was clear, letting go of her snout to inspect the damage to the wall.

“I’m sorry. Is it bad?”

“Don't be sorry, it's your house. We’ll add that to the list of things to fix,” he said, noticing the guilty look on her face. “Although maybe it's a sign that you need a bigger window here,” he added, rewarded with a small smile and a nod.

---

The amount of work that Teeba had put into renovating the interior of her barn was truly exceptional. Even if the work was performed by qualified tradespeople, Luke was still able to see that the dragoness had played a key role in the design by the way the trim around the door frames matched her purple paws and the floor complemented her body's grey colour. The barns he was used to were often just empty areas, perhaps with the occasional stable for livestock or a storage area for tools and farming equipment. But Teeba’s was something else entirely.

The floors had been concreted and tiled with a mixture of faux wood flooring and large slate-grey tiles, resulting in a complementary blend of industrial and organic textures. The walls, at first glance, appeared to be simply the back face of the exterior walls; however, Luke quickly came to realise that they were actually a second wall allowing for insulation to keep the barn warm at night and cool during the day. Strung between the thick wooden beams hung rows of exposed-looking light bulbs on stainless steel cables, high enough not to be in the way of her horns, yet low enough to bask the whole space in a comforting warm glow.

The layout of the barn was mostly unchanged, remaining completely open plan with the exception of an area Luke assumed was the bathroom. Nestled in the corner of two walls was a sizable kitchenette and a liquor cabinet, the latter stocked full of bottles of colourful drinks and curiously shaped glasses. He remembered her saying that she helped pay for her friend to renovate their bar and then used the excess to renovate her home, and it showed. The space reminded Luke of what he thought a swanky bar might look like, other than the fact that her bed was at the far end of the barn and the singular deep sofa that had been pushed back to make room for the bed he was inflating.

Even though the couch had been moved, it still faced the very expensive-looking flat-screen TV that hung on the wall ahead of it, and Luke didn’t want to guess how much the dragoness had paid for such a monster of a display.

Crouching awkwardly on the floor of Teeba’s renovated barn, Luke felt he wasn't doing much to help her tidy as he held the nozzle of the air pump to the large air mattress. Considering the size of the mattress, and the fact it boasted a heavy, claw-resistant canvas cover, he was surprised it had such a small valve, which would be troublesome for a dragon to operate. The loud whirring of the cheap corded air compressor made conversation nearly impossible, but Luke didn't mind as he watched Teeba prowl around her living area, picking up objects and tidying her home. Judging by the fact she had relocated the same bowl of fake fruit from the dining table to the low table at the end of her sofa and back again, Luke could tell she was still stressed about having company over.

He watched the large mattress slowly take form and frowned. Flicking the compressor's switch to pause the incessant noise, he held the nozzle firmly against the valve to stop the air from escaping. “Teeba, why didn't we use this when we had the bonfire?” Luke asked, noticing her pause mid-step as a sheepish smile tugged at the corners of her snout.

“I… kinda forgot,” she said with a slight shrug of her wings. “And I think if I had suggested it, you would have thought I was trying to share a bed with you or something, and left.” She resumed cleaning her kitchen countertops, piling everything into a bowl and stashing the offending vessel at the back of a cabinet.

With a click, he re-engaged the compressor and nodded. She was right—if she had given him an excuse to leave, he probably would have, but he was glad he hadn't. He had genuinely enjoyed spending the evening with Teeba, talking the night away; however, his mind began drifting toward the idea of waking up pressed against her. Thanks to the open-plan layout of her renovated barn, Luke could see her large bed and the collection of pillows she had arranged. Unlike a nest, the cushions were lined up in the center with indentations where her legs would hold them close as she slept. It was clear she liked to clutch something at night, and Luke felt his cheeks warm as his traitorous mind imagined being in their place.

The sudden whoosh of air snapped his attention back to the air mattress as he realised that the nozzle of the compressor had slipped from the valve, and he quickly shoved it back into place. “Oh good! It's not just me!” Teeba said loud enough to be heard over the compressor and frowned slightly when she saw his red cheeks.

Quickly averting his gaze, Luke focused on the nozzle and valve until the dragoness returned to cleaning. Giving the inflating mattress a press to see how firm it was becoming, he began to wonder if dragons preferred their beds firm or soft. In the military, the dragons were given a flimsy bedroll the same thickness as his own, but the foam pad would often be left at base when the dragons were to spend a night out past the wire. He never once heard the dragons complain about sleeping on the ground, and while his back was still stiff from the previous night, Teeba seemed to show no signs of discomfort.

As the mattress became almost a foot thick, he turned off the pump and while holding the nozzle firmly against the valve, gave the bed another test with his hand. It was still quite soft, and as he pressed down, the bed deformed and his hand came dangerously close to the ground. “How firm do you normally have this?”

“Keep going. It needs to be pretty plump,” Teeba replied after glancing over at the bed. The dragoness now had a large feather duster tucked inside the strap of her harness, and as she approached an almost barren shelf, she gripped the duster in her maw and swiped it over the surfaces. The way her rump swayed from side to side as she cleaned was hypnotic, and it took longer than he would care to admit before he could tear his eyes away from where her slender tail intersected with her thighs.

Quickly shaking his head to clear the image, he clicked the pump back on again. Slowly and steadily, the bed continued to grow, and the wrinkles in the canvas cover became taught. After a few minutes of focusing exclusively on inflating the bed, he found his attention wavering and his gaze lingering back at Teeba as she fussed about her home. It always surprised him how coordinated and deliberate such a large creature could be, even as she spun around to fetch something from across the barn, her tail would whip around to counter her body’s mass, yet she managed to never hit any of the furniture with it. Additionally, she seemed confident in carrying things while walking, often using one forepaw to clutch an item to her chest, or hold them against her sides with folded wings. For things she either didn't seem to care about as much, or were more durable, she would carry them delicately in her maw.

The frequency of the compressor changed as it started to struggle and the bed began to reach its capacity. Squishing the corner of the bed down a few more times under his palm, he felt it still have some give in it and kept the compressor going as Teeba extracted a collection of pillows from a cupboard. With a flick of her head, she tossed them one by one across the barn and onto the new bed. Each pillowcase felt like it was stuffed with two soft pillows, making a firmer, cushioned lump.

“Do all dragons like so many pillows? It’s just, I’ve never seen a dragon use so many,” Luke asked as he leaned over to pick up one that had bounced off the air mattress. “Most of the dragons I knew seemed comfortable enough on the ground.” Looking up, he saw Teeba giving him a look of disbelief and shrugged. “Hey, don’t give me that look. You slept on the ground last night too, and you don’t look stiff. My back is still a bit tender—”

“That’s cos you’re getting old, Raider!” Teeba chastised with a giggle before smiling broadly as Luke opened his mouth to retort. However, his words failed him when he realised he didn’t actually know how old Teeba was. He would have guessed she was his age, if not a little younger, but he didn’t want to risk offending her. “Every dragon prefers something under their head. Even if it’s just their own tail,” she added before tilting her head from side to side in contemplation. “Although, I think a pillow is better. Sure, you always have your tail, but sometimes that means waking up in the middle of the night with a numb tip. Also, if you are with a partner, rolling over in the night cos your tail went dead is kinda rude. It’s just better to have a soft thing under your jaw.”

Nodding in understanding, Luke continued and looked over the size of the bed. He was surprised to see that it was almost a foot larger than the dragoness’s own bed in each direction, and her bed looked big enough to sleep two dragons if they were snuggled up against one another. “Exactly how many friends are you having over tonight?” he asked.

“Oh, just the two. Both dragons. Oh, and their hatchling.”

“Hatchling?” Luke asked, turning the pump off, content that the bed could take no more air. Withdrawing the nozzle, he fought briefly with the valve before sealing the pressure inside and standing up with a groan. When her head snapped towards him with a knowing smile, he simply held up a finger to silence any further remarks about his age.

Teeba still chuckled before shrugging as if she wasn’t going to say what they were both thinking. “Hatchling, yeah, their little one will probs claim the sofa though. She is already getting pretty independent,” Teeba mused with a smile before seeing the look on Luke’s face. “What? You don’t like kids?”

Luke scratched the back of his head in uncertainty. “Human kids? Nah, too loud and demanding. But I’ve never really spent time with a hatchling,” he said as he began to coil up the compressor’s hose and power lead.

“Aww, you will love Reeva. She loves humans, especially biting their fingers,” Teeba joked and cackled when Luke paused with the cord still in hand.

Realising she wasn’t serious, Luke shook his head and continued to put the air pump in the corner of the room before returning to the bed and admiring his handiwork. Having spent the last few nights without the comforts of a proper bed, he found himself compelled to test the mattress and fell forwards onto his chest, much to the amusement of Teeba. Laying face first, he felt the whole mattress jiggle under him before it steadied out and he was left with the blissful feeling of a soft bed under him.

“Having fun?” Teeba asked and Luke simply grunted in acknowledgement. He knew there was still more to be done around the barn, but couldn't bring himself to get up again just yet.

Rolling over onto his back, Luke felt the tight muscles down his back begin to loosen and closed his eyes to enjoy the feeling. “Is there anything I need to know about hatchlings? Like… I don’t know,” he asked genuinely. Sensing that these dragons meant a lot to Teeba, and knowing at least one of them already didn’t like humans, he didn’t want to risk offending them in any way.

Teeba paused while placing another bowl of odds and ends away in the back of a cabinet. “Umm… don’t feed her after midnight,” she said with a straight face until his expression dropped.

Using his elbows to support himself, he lifted himself up and turned to look back at her. “I’m serious, Tea—”

“I don't know. She is a hatchling, just treat her like a dragon. She will probably pass out after dinner anyway,” Teeba retorted and closed the cabinet quickly. There was a small crash from inside that made her tense and slowly release the cabinet door. When the door stayed closed, she breathed a sigh of relief and trotted toward a large box of choc-chip cookies she had left out. “Unless she spots these, then she will never go to sleep,” she added and began to check each of the cabinets above the stovetop.

Even from across the room, Luke could see that each one was stuffed with various clutter that Teeba had been tidying up, and he smiled as she placed the box of sweet snacks precariously atop another and quickly closed the door again. “If you want me to help—”

“No, it's good! See!?” she said and quickly slammed the door closed again as it began to open on its own. “See?” she repeated as she removed her paw from the door and kept it close. Once it stayed closed, she finally relaxed and looked around the barn. “There, I think that's everything,” she said, mostly to herself.

“As long as they don't open a cupboard, they will never know,” he chuckled and shared a smile with Teeba. “Do you need help preparing dinner?” he asked. It was still a few hours until dinner time, but cooking for three dragons and a hatchling couldn't be an easy feat.

“Oh no. That won't be necessary, you just stay in that bed of mine.” Teeba said before grinning. “Besides, Reevian loves to cook and is bringing everything,” she continued, turning her head toward the open barn doors.

Luke found it strange that a guest would be tasked with cooking, but before he could offer to get something from town for them all, he was silenced as Teeba held up a wing claw for silence and began to prowl toward the door. Concentrating, Luke thought he was imagining it at first, but he heard the distinct beat of leathery wings getting louder and quickly got up from the air bed.

“Speak of the devil,” Teeba said and looked back at Luke. “They are here,” she added and gave him a small nod to join her outside.

Walking by the dragoness’s side, Luke wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. He had, of course, seen young dragons riding atop their parents' shoulders as they ran errands in town, but he wasn’t sure at what age a young dragon was expected to outgrow such privileges. Seeing Teeba’s folded wings lift slightly and her tail flick from side to side in excitement, he followed her gaze to the south and saw two distinct silhouettes of dragons approaching.

Luke found himself standing awkwardly, unsure of what to do with his hands as he waited for their guests to come closer. When they were less than half a mile away, he saw one of the dragons rear its head back and lunge forward again. There was a brief moment of confusion before the sound reached him, and he felt the dragon’s deep baritone roar in his chest. Even at their distance, the volume was impressive, yet nothing prepared Luke for the sight and sound of Teeba replying. Lacking the deep resonance, her roar still startled him, and he looked at her in surprise. “You know, most people just text when they arrive,” he said and was glad she broke out into a light chuckle and wasn’t offended.

“Yeah, well, it's traditional. It's not really done in the cities because you lot bitch and moan all the time,” she said with a smirk and nudged him with a folded wing to show she meant no offense. “But out here, we can be ourselves a bit more.”

“Teeba, I grew up here. I've never heard dragons roaring ‘I’m at the gate’ before,” he said, stifling a laugh at his own joke.

“It's more than just ‘I’m at the gate,’ you bald monkey,” she teased, nodding towards their guests. “It's a sign of respect. Like they are announcing that they are in my domain, and are here in peace,” she added before stiffening slightly. “You probably haven't heard it often because most of the farms around here aren't owned by dragons, and a dragon that works the land but doesn't own it doesn't really care who comes and goes, so a call isn't necessary.”

Luke thought over what she was saying and nodded in understanding. “I still think a text does the same job,” he said, as the pair of adult dragons cropped their wings and began their descent over Teeba's farm.

“Like I said, Neebis can be a bit traditional,” Teeba said out of the corner of her mouth. “But he is a good egg.” Side by side, the two dragons stretched their wings and glided the last hundred yards before rotating them and beating them to flare out. With each flap, freshly cut clippings were sent rippling across the grass, and Luke had to avert his gaze to protect his eyes. Their footfalls were muffled by the lawn, but when the flapping stopped, Luke looked back to see Teeba's friends folding their wings and walking towards them with friendly smiles.

One of the dragons was clearly male, with chiseled features, powerful muscles rippling under his pale white scaled hide, and a striking crimson frill that began at his forehead and ran down his long neck. Shuffling its large wings against his sides, the drake twisted his neck from side to side in a stretch and Luke noticed that both of the dragons wore matching silver bands at the base of each of their right horns. The drakes amber eyes darted between Teeba and Luke, causing the broad smile on its muzzle to waver slightly, before the male tore his gaze off of him and continued to approach.

Meanwhile, the other dragon’s features were softer and more feminine—a dragoness with teal-coloured scales covering her whole body. She wasn't as lithe as Teeba; instead, her shoulders and thighs had the curves of a mother, and as she came closer, Luke noticed an ugly scar across her eye. The injury didn't look fresh, but must have happened recently and it was clear that the scales were not healing well around the curves of her cheekbone and eye ridge. Between the dragoness' shoulders was a curious cardboard box, lashed to her harness, and as Luke focused, he thought he could see signs of green vegetables through the handle cutouts.

“Reevian! Neebis!” Teeba said and trotted towards the pair. Luke stood his ground and watched as his friend partially spread her wings and lowered her head in front of her. “Annnnnd…” her words built in pitch as she came closer, and Luke saw a sky-blue blur leap from behind the drake's shoulders and latch onto Teeba's neck.

“Reeva!” squealed a joyous, small voice as a tiny dragon no larger than a spaniel scrambled up Teeba's neck. The dragon's scales seemed to be a blend of both its parents’ colours, and while she lacked horns, her neck was adorned with the same red frill her father had.

“Gods! You are getting so big!” Teeba announced as she pulled her neck back into a graceful ‘S’ shape when the hatchling climbed its way up between her horns. “Auntie Teeba is gonna have to do some neck exercises if we are going to keep this up!” she added in an exaggerated tone.

“Nah-uh! You said you would carry me until I'm big!” the small dragoness exclaimed and leaned over the top of Teeba's head to crane her own around and look into one of her eyes. “You promised!”

“That I did! Gods, you have a good memory, don't you?” Teeba said and shared a glance with Neebis and Reevian, who simply chuckled knowingly.

“I'm loving what you've done with the place,” Neebis said, looking around the farm and breathing in the scents of freshly slashed grass. “The city is nice, but there is something quite freeing about being in the country,” he added, and Luke noticed that the dragon’s gaze flicked to him for the briefest moment. When Teeba looked his way and gestured with a wing for him to come, he began to walk as Teeba explained what they had done to the property over the last week.

“...and it really wouldn't have been possible without Luke here; he has been a huge help,” Teeba added when he came to stand next to her. “He managed to get me a pull-behind mower and show me how to use it. And the pool! That is actually usable now, thanks to him.”

Looking up at the dragons, Luke said a brief hello, but he found himself feeling very much outnumbered as they all looked down at him with their large eyes. The muscular male, Neebis, didn't look at him with disgust as he had expected, but with a curious look he couldn't quite place. Meanwhile, the teal dragoness Reevian seemed more concerned with his presence and stared at him with a troubled expression. “Well, it would be rude not to” said Luke, finding himself flustered under their scrutinizing gaze.

“What are the odds indeed,” mused the teal dragoness, her eyes still focused on Luke. “Say, Luke, was it? Have you ever come to the eastern markets? In Liberty Scales?”

Luke frowned and shook his head. “I don't think so. I've only been in the city a few times. Why’s that?” he asked, and saw the dragoness's features shift as if she was trying to recall something.

"It's probably nothing," the dragoness said finally and forced a smile. "I’m glad you are helping Teeba. We were quite surprised when she bought this place. Quite a change from her last one, that's for sure."

"Indeed!" chimed Neebis, nodding towards the barn. "Although her barn is way better than any I grew up in," he added as they all began to walk towards Teeba's home.

"Teeeeeebah!" said the small hatchling on Teeba's shoulders. A cheeky smile formed on the small dragon’s snout as she said the name in a silly way. "I like your pool," she added, and Luke could tell by the way she pulled her neck into a proud 'S' shape that the hatchling was secretly saying more than the words she spoke.

Teeba seemed to be in tune with the hatchling as she turned her head to look back with a sly smile. "It is really nice, isn't it?" she said simply, but it was her growing grin that made the hatchling bounce from paw to paw in excitement. "If your parents say it's okay–"

"Mom?!" Reeva crowed, whipping her head around at breakneck speed. Luke couldn't help but chuckle as the small dragon's frill flicked up to full height and her eyes seemed to become impossibly large. "Can–I–Can–I–Can–I?"

"Yes, if your father watches you," Reevian said, nudging her mate with a folded wing. "We will get started on dinner," she added, rocking her wing shoulders to adjust the heavy box of ingredients she carried.

Not needing to be told twice, the small wyrmling leaped off Teeba's shoulders with little care for her own safety and crashed to the ground in a flutter of wings. Still too young to fly or glide, the dragoness seemed unharmed as she picked herself up and scampered to her father's heels to look up at him imploringly. "Come on, Dad! Let's gooooo!"

"Of course, of course," Neebis said with a chuckle, looking towards Luke. "Care to join me? I wanted to pick your brains about that mower you got for Teeba." he said.

While the drake's words and tone were polite, Luke could tell it wasn't really a question and was an excuse to separate him from Teeba. Feeling unable to refuse without offending Teeba’s friend, he glanced to the dragoness who gave him a reassuring nod. "Of course."

"Us ‘nesses will be gossiping in the kitchen then. Where we belong," Teeba joked, letting out a soft "awww" as Reevian leaned into Neebis.

The pale drake gave his mate a lick on the cheek before the dragoness turned her head to whisper, "Make sure she stretches her wings in the water. The doctor said it would do her good to build some strength. But make sure she gets hosed off; chlorine is bad for her frills," her voice was hushed, but even Luke heard the words and looked down at the small hatchling. He couldn't help but notice the dragon's wings seemed quite spindly compared to others he had seen. Not that he'd seen many, but he wondered if her wings were developing poorly.

"Yes, dear, will do," Neebis nodded and gave her a final lick goodbye. "Alright then, to the pool!" Neebis announced, and as they turned to walk up the hill, Reeva went scampering ahead. “Hold up, little egg. You can't go in until we get there!” he added. With a huff, the hatchling turned around and trotted back to walk beside them. Her small paws moved quickly to keep pace with her father’s strides, and Luke had to move at an uncomfortable pace between walking and jogging to keep up.

Scaling the hill with the hatchling between himself and the white dragon, he couldn’t help but notice the small dragon focusing on his pants, her questing snout drifting closer as she tried to take in his scent. When he looked down and locked eyes with her, the dragoness gazed at him and giggled. “You smell like Teeba!” she announced loudly, causing Luke’s cheeks to flush. Looking up at the white drake, Luke caught Neebis glance at him with a raised eyeridge and felt like he was about to relive the same questions his parents had asked.