FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The sight of the familiar city brought mixed feelings to Taalli's mind, every beat of her wings brought her closer to Mike, every surge forwards another step closer to his arms around her neck, his tender kiss, his smile.

She tried not to look at the large spires that dominated the skyline, the lavash apartment buildings that she used to call home now filling her with dread. As she flew, her imagination began playing tricks on her, the thought of her father's stern gaze out from one of the windows causing her heart to beat faster and a shiver to run down her orange body.

She shook her head, pushing aside doubts and tried to rationalise her fears, "it's a big city, full of dragons, there is no way he would see me." She told herself out loud. Her brow furrowed as she ran through her plan, "go to Ben's bar, find Mike. Hug Mike, hold Mike, tell him why, tell him you love him." She muttered and repeated. As she flew over the outskirts of the city. "But don't forget to deliver Riimack's letter and pick up some snacks. You should get them first as Mike probably won't want to let you go." She added, her voice quickly snuffed out by the wind, "you won't want to let him go" she thought to herself. A smile pulling at her snout as she remembered the list of snacks Riimack had asked for, with a paw she gently squeezed the small pocket on her harness where his money was kept, just to make sure it was still there.

The twinkle of the city lights caught her attention, rows of cars all trapped in the web of the evening gridlock. Meanwhile white lights flew through the sky, dragons making their way home after another day's work. Her chest tightening as she flew over a dark patch of the city, glancing down she spotted a billboard advertising the development of the new Drag'n'Drop facility. Her jaw clenching as she spotted the logo of her father's construction company in the corner.

The scents and sounds of the city reaching her as she powered through the sky, the pungent odour of rubbish and exhaust fumes stinging her sensitive nose. She craned her head under her to look to her paws and made sure the nav light she was clutching was still illuminated, the white light shining proudly on her underbelly scales. A film of mud from the pit was still clinging to her scales but she just shrugged. "Mike said he liked a bit of life on my scales" she joked to herself.

Despite growing up in the city, she couldn't shake the feeling like she was intruding, a stranger in the land she used to call home. With a paw she gently touched the pouch that held her evening pass, a reminder that she was allowed off base. But doing little to dispel her feeling of unwelcomeness.

Scanning below she spotted an all hours convenience store and did a quick shoulder check to make sure she wouldn't hit any other dragons before tucking her wings and swooping down to the street. With a slight twist of her tail, she redirected herself towards an area marked on the street for dragons to take off and land from.

Her black wing arms spread wide as she flared out, her speed quickly evaporating as she then reared back with hind legs stretched out, as soon as her hind paws touched the ground, she gave her wings a final flap to ease her landing as she then dropped down to all fours. She caught a few glances from the pedestrians walking home, their silent looks making her suddenly feel self-conscious. One person looked to her while talking on a phone and she quickly averted her gaze, trying to shake the feeling that they knew who she was.

She padded down the pavement and approached the brightly lit store, its vibrant colours advertising the hoard of snacks and treats that awaited her. Smiling to herself as she entered the innocent store, a forbidden place according to her mother, the rows and rows of snacks and sweets causing her smile to broaden.

The bored looking attendant sat behind a clear Perspex barrier, his brown eyes tracking her as she entered the harsh white lights of the store capturing her filthy appearance as she picked up a basket, holding the handle in her jaws while she padded down the aisles. Reaching into the pocket of her harness she pulled out the piece of paper which Riimack had made a list on. She placed the basket down in front of a long aisle and squinted as she tried to decipher his handwriting. "Oh Riimack, you could be a doctor with this scribble." She muttered to herself.

Looking at the list she chuckled as she read "bacin jerky" and grabbed a large bag of the dried meat. Her smile disappearing as she realised his poor spelling was a result of his childhood. The thought of his abusive upbringing causing her stomach to tighten and with a shiver she tried to bury her feelings. She added a second bag just for good measure and continued to go down the list.

"Trial mix... Close enough." She mused and added a container of trail mix to the basket, moving to the next aisle she added a few freeze dried ribs to the basket, the individually sealed ribs covered in sticky sauces caused her mouth to water, the memories of the ribs Mike had made on their first real date caused her to speed up.

She paused in the breakfast cereal section, the familiar orange face of her mother catching her attention and caused her heart rate to increase. The all-orange dragoness smiling from the box of cereal caused her jaw to clench. The box showed a superimposed image of her mother relaxing on her back in a bowl of cereal, her body partially submerged in the milk for what little modesty she had, a strategically placed puffy piece of cereal floating above her groin. Taalli's eyes glanced up to the name of the cereal and cringed, "Seelena O's, get them wet, enjoy the frosty goodness."

"You are going to pay for all that, right?" Called the attendant from behind the counter, his brown eyes fixed on the filthy dragon who was looking so intently at a box of cereal. His words shaking her out of her thoughts.

"What? Yeah, of course, why wouldn't I?" She said, flashing a nervous smile to the human who was giving her a stern look. Picking up the basket in her mouth she trotted over to the counter and placed it down.

His eyes glancing to hers as he reached for each item and scanned them one by one. Taalli reached into the slim pouch of her harness and retrieved the cash Riimack had given her and placed it down on the counter.

While she waited for him to bag all her items her eyes wandered to the shelf of cigarettes and other valuables that were behind the attendant, her gaze traveling upwards to a monitor that hung from the ceiling next to a security camera. Her filthy appearance startling her as she barely recognised herself, her once pristine scales were still covered in patches of mud, grime and dirt from the pit and obstacle course.

The attendant sliding her change across the counter with a white grocery bag caused her focus to shift from her image. With a weak smile she quickly put the change back in the pouch and strapped the bag to one of the many loops on her harness. With a silent nod of thanks, she turned and left the store.

Stepping back out onto the street she quickly made her way to the launch area. As she was about to step into the area she paused, the fluttering of a leaflet taped to a street sign catching her attention. The rain had caused some of the ink to smear, but her face was unmistakable. Her old name and Mike's contact details emblazoned across the paper. Her stomach tightening at the thought of what Mike must have been going through in her absence, the ever-present reminder that she was also wanted by the police causing her heart to beat faster.

She quickly stepped into the launch area and took to the skies, guilt filling her mind that she had taken so much time shopping for Riimack when she could have been with Mike. Her bag of snacks thumped against her side as she put all her strength behind her wing beats, looking to the spires as a reference point she angled herself to head towards Ben's bar, hoping that Mike would either be there, or Ben would know where he was.

---

---

"I really hate it when you have them." Complained Geevin, his voice layered with concern as he sat next to Ben in the alleyway behind the bar. The light above the door the only illumination in the dark alley, "Your mouth tastes like ass afterwards." He added, causing Ben to snort a laugh on his cigarette, a puff of smoke coming from his mouth.

"Oh, shut it you." Ben dismissed, "this is my only break for the day, let me enjoy this." He said and took another drag, the orange tip brightening as he did so. The stern look from his new dragon friend causing him to give him a guilty smile.

"I know you are busy, but I'm sure I could find other uses for those lips of yours." Geevin said with a smile as Ben spluttered a cough. "Oh, come on, don't say you haven't thought about it. You, me, this alleyway. I have done worse in worse places." He chided and chuckled as Ben blushed. "Don't pretend like you don't remember that night in the van..." he added, his words trailing off with a knowing smile.

The sounds of four footsteps coming down the alleyway caused them to turn their heads, the neon lights from the buildings across the street reflecting off the wet ground to silhouette the dragon approaching. Geevin gave a few deep sniffs and perked his head up, the scent of a muddy dragoness causing him to stiffen, "hey, we don't allow homeless back here. Go find somewhere else to sleep" He called out firmly.

"It's me, I'm looking for Mike." Taalli called back, emerging from the shadows, Ben's eyes widening, his lit cigarette dangling from his bottom lip.

"Leena?" Ben asked and smiled as his eyes adjusted to the darkness and took in her amber eyes and broad smile, the dirt on her scales masking the vibrant orange he remembered her being. "Holy fuck, it's really you!"

"The one and only. Is he here?" She said as she approached and stood under the light. Ben was speechless as he looked up at her and gave a weak nod.

"I'll go get him," he said and flicked his smoke to the wet ground, standing in the doorway he turned back to her, "it's really good to see you." He added with a smile. Taalli giving him a polite nod and he ventured inside. The kitchen still a bustling battlefield from the evening rush as the kitchen staff worked, but Ben slipped through and made his way to the bar with a spring in his step.

Mike was finishing up a pour of beer, the amber liquid sparkling in the tall glass as Ben approached with a big smile, "what?" Mike asked looking at his boss's broad grin, "what have I done?" He added when Ben just smiled more.

"I'm sending you home." Ben said flatly, "I'll be home around 2am. Make sure you have cleaned up." He said cryptically and started to pull a trash bag out of a can and tie a knot in it.

"But I finish with you, wait? what happened?" Mike said while frowning as Ben passed the trash bag to him.

"Take this outside, will you?" Ben said, enjoying the confused look on Mike's face. "Come on, chop chop." Ben said and grabbed Mike by the shoulder, turning him around and marching him from the bar and through the kitchen.

"Ben! What's wrong?" Mike asked, his boss's firm hand guiding him to the back door. Mike's trembling hand opened the door as Ben pushed him through the aperture. The body of a dragon quickly filling his vision, firm paws quickly wrapped around his back and pulled him tightly against its firm chest. "What the! Let go of me!" Mike shouted and thrashed.

"No." Taalli said flatly, her warm voice causing him to freeze and look up, her smiling face and amber eyes looking down to him as she sat on her haunches, front paws pinning him to her chest. "No, I'm not letting you go. Not again." She said, her eyes glossy and lip trembling.

"Leena? Leena!" Mike said and wrapped his arms around the base of her neck. "Tell me this is real, please, tell me it's really you." He whimpered, his voice breaking as he held her as tight as he could, her strong muscles firm against his cheek as he clung to her like his life depended on it.

"It's me, I'm here." She said, her voice choking up as she held him close.

"Come on Geevin, let's leave them to each other." Ben chuckled and held the door open for his dragon friend to squeeze through. "2am, I'll knock first." Ben said with a chuckle and saw Mike nod as best he could in her embrace.

The pair hugged in silence, the pressure of each other's bodies comforting while a million questions ran through Mike's mind, yet somehow unable to find the words for any of them. His hands gently stroking her spine as he continued to embrace her.

"The police, they are looking for you." Mike whispered. Gently pulling away but still holding her shoulders, her large paws moving to the ground. "I got a cheque, did you enlist or something?" He asked, looking up into her deep amber eyes a twitch of a smile pulling at the corner of her lips.

"I did. I'm sorry I didn't call." She said her voice wavering, she cleared her throat and smiled, "they don't allow phone calls." She explained and lowered her head down to his shoulder, pressing her snout against his neck and taking in his scent. Her lips tenderly kissing his neck, causing goosebumps to flare over his delicate skin.

"But you're here? Did they kick you out or something?" Mike asked, moving his hands to her shout and holding her against his cheek, her warm scales against his skin causing his heart to swoon.

"I'm on an evening pass." She said softly, her eyes opening to stare deeply into his. "I needed to see you, I wanted to explain everything." She added warmly.

Mike's heart dropped, his embrace weakening, "so you are going back?" He asked, his crestfallen expression causing her to press her snout into his hands further.

"I will. But not until the morning." She said and closed her eyes, not wanting to see his pained expression as she wiggled her snout in his hands for further hugs. Her lips curling into a warm smile when he hugged her tightly, his hands moving to behind her jaw and gently scratching her scales like she loved. For those precious few moments, nothing in the world mattered.

Mike sighed and kissed her between her eyes, the taste of dirt quickly causing him to splutter and pull back. "Bleh, where have you been?" He said and rubbed his hands where he had kissed before inspecting his fingers and seeing them dirty.

Taalli smiled, "mud wrestling, and not the kinky kind." She said and chuckled as he blushed. Moving her snout down to his neck she tenderly kissed him, "I was thinking," she said between gentle nibbles on his skin, "noodles... Shower... Snuggles... just like we were going to, before... " She said her words trailing off as she pulled back to look at him, his promise to her on their fateful first day working together not forgotten by either of them.

Mike beamed up at her, his hand rubbing over where she had nibbled, and he chuckled as he saw his now dirty palm. "How about shower first?" He said warmly, Taalli smiling in return and giving a nod before laying down on the wet ground for him to climb on. "My bag! I'll be right back." He said quickly opening the door to the bar, pausing with his hand on the door frame he turned back to her, smiling for a moment as he looked at her before heading through the kitchen and back to the bar.

As Mike crouched behind the bar he grabbed his bag, but paused as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Slowly rising up from the bar, he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched, scanning the room he saw a dragon who had been frequently dining at the bar staring at him, alongside a formal looking human. Their gaze lingered on him for a moment too long before they both glanced away.

Mike's gut churned, Leena was still a wanted dragon by the police and his mind reeled as he realised her parents more than wealthy enough to hire private investigators to tail him around the clock. He kept his bag low, trying to keep it out of sight from the pair as he picked up some plates and inconspicuously took them into the kitchen, trying to not look suspicious as he quickly dropped them off and carefully made his way past the kitchen staff. Quickly opening the back door, he made sure to only open it enough for him to squeeze through, as soon as the door was closed, he ran to Leena. "We need to go! Now!" He cried and raced to her shoulder.

Her eyes widening in panic at his tone, she quickly helped him onto her shoulders with a paw and bolted down the alleyway, Mike trying his best to cling into her harness as she ran. "What's wrong?" She said as she emerged onto the footpath, scanning around for a launch area she threw caution to the wind and leapt to the sky, Mike's hands quickly gripping her neck as she shot up into the sky. Her strong wing muscles effortlessly carrying them above the skyline, her eyes darting around the skyline to make sure she wasn't going to collide with any other dragons.

Mike didn't respond until the bar was well behind them, looking back he squinted to see if they were being followed. "I- I don't know. It could have been nothing, but there was a dragon and man in the bar that gave me the creeps." He said finally. "Sorry, I may have imagined it. I just... If they were cops, or working for your parents, I... I don't want to lose you." He added, his voice wavering. He felt her use a paw to gently hold onto his leg, her toes kneading his calf muscle through his black work pants.

"You won't," she said and offered him a weak smile. "Shower, noodles, snuggles. Okay?" She said, the plan solidifying in her mind as she said it out loud to him, her focused eyes reassuring him.

Mike nodded and breathed deep, his thin cotton shirt offering no resistance to the cool evening air as it rushed past him. Leaning forwards he wrapped his arms around her neck, her warm body against his comforting him. "Oh, sorry, I forgot I shouldn't lean forward as much." He said and straightened up.

"Oh! It's okay." She said, realising that her flying wasn't affected as much by him holding her. "Please, can you hold me again?" She said, glancing back at him with a warm smile.

Mike leaned forwards again and held her tight, he could feel the strong muscles under her scales shift and move as she beat her wings, "you sure this is, okay?" He asked while wrapping his arms around her neck so he could rub her softer throat scales.

"I'm sure. I've been working on carrying things around my neck, so it's honestly not an issue."

"I can tell, you're not as.... Squishy?" He said with a smile. Laughing as she flicked her head to glare at him.

"You saying I was fat?" Her smile betraying her offended tone.

"I'm saying you are beautiful." Mike said warmly, "better once we get you scrubbed up." He added and gave her neck a squeeze for good measure.

"I thought you liked a bit of life on my scales?" She teased, closing her eyes as she flew, enjoying his embrace.

"Oh? Don't you want a shower? A nice hot shower, with your Mike tending to your scales?" He retorted, looking ahead he saw that she was flying to the university that they attended together. "Oh! I don't live here anymore." He said and let go of her neck to sit up straight.

Taalli slowed down and turned slightly, "oh, I just assumed... Of course, you aren't a student."

Mike nodded, "I live at Ben's place now, but the shower isn't exactly dragon sized." He said with a hint of sadness.

Taalli's eyes scanned the city below while she thought, "well, do you know if they close the university's showers?" She said and smiled as he shrugged. "One way to find out!" She chuckled and with a sway of her tail she adjusted her trajectory back towards the university.

---

---

Ben was cleaning a glass while chatting across the bar to Geevin, when two patrons approached the bar, "what can I getcha?" He said with a smile as his eyes glanced to the dragon and human who stood before him.

"Hi, we were wondering if that other chap was here. I think Matthew was his name?" Lied Jim as he pulled up a chair at the bar.

"You mean Michael?" Ben corrected, raising an eyebrow at the pair.

Jim clicked his fingers, "yes, Michael, I told you that was his name." Smiled Jim to the dragon who gave him a flat look.

"Yeah, I told you his name was Michael." Teeslah said with a confused look at his friend for forgetting such a vital piece of information.

Jim noticing his friend about to say something turned to Ben, "yes, Michael. Is he still working?" He asked with a smile, seeing Ben frown at him he elaborated, "He gave us such good service, I just wanted to have a quick chat." He said politely.

Ben put the glass down and reached for another, "sorry, I let him go for the night, too quiet to keep him on. But I'll let him know." He said and saw the two making no moves to leave. "Can I get you anything though?" He asked nervously and saw them glance to one another.

Jim pulled his wallet out and placed it on the table, "any chance you could let us know where we could find him?" Jim asked and stared into Ben's eyes, years of experience had trained him to know when someone was lying.

Ben swallowed, "is he in trouble?" He said, his voice wavering while trying to remain calm.

Jim opened his wallet to reveal his badge, "we just have some questions. We would be grateful if you could point us towards him." He said firmly, the panicked expression on Ben's face told him that he knew something he shouldn't. "It's in regards to a missing dragoness." He added with a reassuring smile.

Ben placed down the glass that he held in his shaking hands. Trying to think of what to say, he opened his mouth but was interrupted by Geevin's voice, "you looking for Mike?" He asked politely and all three turned to him. The two police nodded while Ben took a step further away and shook his head while out of view from the police.

"Yes, do you know where we could find him?" Jim asked and stood up from his chair, his attention focused on Geevin.

Geevin glanced at Ben who was still frantically shaking his head and looked back to the police. "He said he was going to some concert or something across town." He said confidently, holding the gaze of the two police, "I think he said he was meeting some friends or family, I can't remember." He said, ignoring Ben's wide eyes, "Wouldn't shut up about it." He held the large empty glass in between two claws and held it up for Ben.

"Thank you, you have been most helpful." Jim said and glared at Ben before nodding to Teeslah and they both turned to leave.

Ben waited until they had left before exhaling loudly, turning to Geevin he grabbed the dragon's empty glass. "A concert?" Ben said in a low whisper.

Geevin pretended to be offended, "what? I thought it was good! Better than standing there with your mouth open!" He teased.

Ben scowled and filled up the large glass, "how do you know there is a concert?" Ben asked while waiting for the glass to fill.

"There is always a concert." Geevin chuckled, "and I doubt Mike had booked tickets." He added with a wink and reached out his paw for the tall glass.

---

---

"Wait, so do I call you Leena or Taalli?" Mike asked as they touched down outside the university's biomechanics lab, the large building designed for the teachings of how a body works also served double duty as having showers large enough for the dragon students to use on its ground floor.

Taalli lowered herself down to the ground and turned her head to watch Mike swing a leg over her neck and slide down from her shoulders. "I don't know, what do you think?" She asked before standing back up, Mike walking alongside her into the shower block with a hand on her shoulder.

"I- I don't know," Mike confessed. "I've only known you as Leena, but it's probably better if I call you by your new name." He added and gave her a smile. "Taaaaallli, Taalli, why Taalli?" He said, testing out her name.

Taalli gave a chuckle, "oh, I panicked and that's what I landed with." She mused, "you don't like it do you?" She said and looked to him as they walked on the smooth tiled floor of the shower. The Damp smell of the showers and the familiar smell of cheap soap making her nose twitch, a smirk crept at her snout as it dawned on her that the academy and the university had the same tastes when it came to affordable scale soap.

"No! I didn't say that, it's just... Different. I'll get used to it." He said and reached up to one of the buckles of her harness as she came to a stop. "I love you, regardless of what name you have." He said and struggled with the buckle, only seeming to make the harness tighter.

"Here, let me." Taalli said and smiled as she slid a claw into a slot in the buckle, with a quick tug the buckle came free. "Did you just say you love me!?" Taalli said suddenly, her whole body jolting with realisation.

Mike stepped back and looked up at her smiling face, "of course I love you!" He said and chuckled, "why, did you forget or something?" He teased and moved around to her other side. Taalli's heart soaring with excitement as she watched him try to undo the other buckle. He inserted a finger into the slot she had used a claw on and tried to tug but couldn't make it budge. "Okay, I am clearly not cut out for the military." He chuckled and gave up, seeing a bag of shopping hanging from a loop he undid it while Taalli slipped a claw into the problematic buckle and unlatched it with ease.

"It's okay, it took me a while to work it out," she lied and rolled her shoulders to let the harness slip to the ground with a thud. With a paw she collected the limp harness and hopped on three legs over to the wall where a sturdy hook was mounted and hung the harness up. Turning she saw Mike holding the shopping bag of Riimack's snacks with a quizzical look.

"I was thinking something more substantial for dinner." He teased and passed the bag to Taalli's outstretched paw for her to hang up out of the way next to her harness.

Taalli smirked, "oh, those are for my battle buddy. It seems he has a bit of a sweet tooth." She said softly, turning back she saw a flicker of a frown on Mike's face before he gave her a smile.

"Making friends I take it." Mike said, his mind thinking of what it must be like for her to be surrounded by strong dragons, a pang of self-consciousness running through his mind. Unable to hold her gaze he moved over to the taps and turned on the water. The large shower head gurgling for a moment before it spluttered to life and water began gushing out.

"Only one," Taalli said, trying to reassure him. "But I'm not his type." She said and moved behind him before lowering her head down to his shoulder and watched the water flow with him.

"Oh, he's gay, is he?" Mike said hopefully, resting a hand on her snout and gently running his fingers between her eyes, the deep rumbling purr that escaped her body while closing her eyes making a smile spread across his face.

Taalli rocked her head slightly to press against his cheek before sighing and lifting her head up, she could feel the warmth of the water filling the room and her eyes opened suddenly. "Hot water!" She said, not realising she didn't answer his question.

Mike watched in mixed amusement and a bit of shock as she surged past him and stepped into the stream of hot water, a happy smile on her snout as she angled her head up towards the showerhead. The streams of hot water gently washing away the mud and grime from her scales as she rocked from side to side slightly.

"I take it they don't give you hot showers?" He mused from the dry safety of the shower's edge. His smile flickering as she shook her head.

"Lukewarm at best" she replied, "they also don't have humans to help scrub your scales." She hinted and opened an eye to look back at him, her smile broadening as he started to undo his shirt.

Mike realised that he didn't have a towel but didn't care, stripping off his clothes and throwing them into the furthest corner of the shower block where they would hopefully stay dry. Leena's gaze never leaving his form as he stripped down to nothing, a slight blush on his cheeks as he turned and saw her watching him. Stepping into the shower he flinched as the scalding hot water touched his delicate skin, pushing his discomfort aside he stepped up to her, the pressure of the water instantly soaking his hair and he slowly felt his body get used to the hotter temperature.

The squirting sound of the soap dispenser caught Mike's attention, the large paddle under the box mounted on the wall was being pressed by Taalli's black paw causing a large blob of soap to coat her toe pads. He absentmindedly stroked her shoulder as she used a paw to spread the soap across her chest and neck before taking over from her, his small hands running tenderly across her smooth scales.

Looking down he could see the water pooling on the floor was distinctly brown as the mud and dirt was cleaned off her dull orange scales. Taalli couldn't help but let out a croon as he ran his hands over her neck and throat, the dedication and care he showed was a far cry from the hasty scrubs she would give herself on the base. He slowly worked his hands up her neck, guiding her head down to rest on his shoulder as he worked his way to her head. Smiling as he felt her shiver when his fingers scratched behind her jaw, the sensitive spot making her whole-body quiver.

"I love you." Taalli murmured with her eyes closed, the feeling of his fingers moving around her jawline and the soft area under her mouth. Her eyes flicking open as she felt his lips press against hers, she watched as he turned his head slightly one way and gently guided her in the other, opening her mouth slightly she felt his tongue slip its way between her lips and across her teeth. Her heart racing with excitement as she pressed her tongue against his, she took a few steps forwards while curling her neck in a tight S shape, moving closer so she could reach a front paw to wrap around the small of his back.

Gasping Taalli broke their kiss, opening the eyes she didn't know were closed. "I missed you." She whispered, her voice barely audible over the rush of water. "I missed you so damn much." She added and pressed her snout against his bare chest, his hands holding her snout close as he kissed between her eyes.

"I missed you too." His voice warm and tender as he held her close, the soothing hot water running over them as they stood together in the shower. "When I saw your father with the slash on his face, I was worried he had done something to you." He said and relaxed his grip so she could lift her head to look at him, her amber eyes filled with pain. "I don't know what I would do without you." He added softly and gave her a tender kiss on her nose.

"I wish I could have called sooner, I-I wasn't thinking straight after I spoke to the recruiter. I wanted it to look like I went missing, the longer I stayed, the bigger the risk of being spotted." She said sadly. "I thought I could call from the academy," she added before letting out a weak chuckle, "it's silly, but for some reason I had it in my head that I would have a phone in my room. Like a hotel."

Mike chuckled, "it's okay, you're here now." He murmured and gave her another kiss. "What is the plan now? You're not thinking of staying in the military, are you?"

Taalli slowly pulled her head out from his grip and turned in the shower for the water to wash her rump. Her body now shielding Mike from the torrent of water. "If Kaarak stops looking for me, I'll come back. But the more I think about it, the less likely that will be." She said sadly, her father's name sounding strange from her tongue, "I've thought about it, and I think it's best if I become Taalli for real. I'll go through the training, get some certificates, get enough pieces of paper with the name Taalli on it. Slowly build a new identity, then I'll quit, come back and I'll be yours. We may need to leave the city, but we can cross that bridge when we get to it." She added hopefully. Noticing his crestfallen look she gave him a nudge with her nose, "but for now, I was planning on getting clean, then getting dinner with my Mike." Smiling as she heard him chuckle softly.

"Well, I like that plan." He said softly and turned to the soap dispenser, squirting some into his palms before turning back to her. Lifting her wing up she exposed her side and took a couple small, excited steps towards him to let him run his hands down her, a soft croon escaping her maw as his gentle hands traversed her scales, smiling as he used his fingers and palms to wipe away the stubborn dirt. "I got your pay cheque by the way."

"Keep it," she said without hesitation, the feeling of guilt pulling at her mind as she watched him work, "after everything I've put you through..." She added, her words hanging in the air as he moved his hands down her flank, her tail twitching as he stroked the soft scales where her strong thigh met her body.

"You didn't need to do that." He said as he worked his hands over the curves of her rump, the smooth scales shifting slightly as he dragged his hands across her hide. "I would do it all again." He said and saw her looking to him, "maybe a few things differently though." He added and smiled when a smirk crept onto her snout.

Returning to her hind leg, his hands drifted lower, tracing the outlines of her firm muscles under her smooth scales. Kneeling down on the tiled floor he gripped her paw and guided it off the ground, her weight shifting slightly to the other side as he ran his fingers over her rough paw pads. Her body twitching slightly as he pressed a finger between the pads to clean out any dirt, "your paws are different." He stated, "I take it they don't have carpeted floors on the base?" He mused and placed her paw back down before tracing his hands up the trailing edge of her leg.

"Everything is coarse, dirty and rough." Taalli said softly, feeling self-conscious at his remark before stepping around and lifting her wing to rinse off the soap. He collected more from the dispenser and moved to her other side, his tender hands a far cry from anything she had felt in the last few weeks.

"Well, how about next time I see you. We give these paws a good polish hey?" Mike said and looked to her as she laughed loudly. "What?" He asked as she glanced to him, a smile on his face as she continued to laugh.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a nickname someone gave me." She mused and moved her rump closer to him to continue his caress.

Mike continued to stroke and rub her flank, working his way down her other hind leg. "Just because my big, strong, fire breathing dragon is being all tough and heroic, doesn't mean she should go without the softer things in life. I will buy a box full of dragon stuff and sit down with you and make your scales sparkle. I promise." He said and heard her croon. "When will I see you next?" He asked while standing up from her leg, his hands tracing up the inside of her thigh.

"After graduation we get a day before heading to specialist training." Taalli said with her head lifted to the shower, she felt his hands move from her tender thigh and when they didn't return, she pulled her head out of the stream, blinking away the water on her eyes to see him staring at her longingly. "I know-"

"A day?" Mike said loudly, "after all these weeks we get a day?" He added in frustration, looking up to her face he saw her concerned look. Sighing he returned to rubbing the base of her tail firmly before moving his hands slowly further down her long orange tail. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said it like that." He added sadly.

Curling her tail around she made him take a few steps backwards, bringing him within reach of her forepaws. Sitting down on her haunches she gripped him with both paws and pulled him into a tight hug, curling her head down she buried her snout into his shoulder. "I know.... Trust me, I know." She said sadly, her voice wavering. "This is temporary though. Just a few shitty months and then it will be better. Between tours we will have more time." She said.

"Tours? You're actually going to deploy?" Mike exclaimed, trying to pull away from her but her firm paws kept holding him close.

Taalli sighed deeply, needing to feel him close to her, "I don't know, okay. Hopefully not, I just don't want to get your hopes up, is all." Her voice pained and full of longing. "The alternative is worse." She added weakly, her lip trembling.

Mike could hear the pain in her voice and wrapped his arms around the base of her neck and squeezed tightly in a tight hug. "A day then, we will make it count. Or maybe I sneak onto the base and come visit you." He said and felt her stiffen, "what? How hard could it be?"

Taalli let him go and sat up, a smile on her face. "Oh, it's not that. Just when I first arrived, they thought I was sneaking in. I got pinned hard by one of the dragons on guard duty and copped a yelling at."

Mike stroked her neck tenderly, "what a dick!" He said and felt her chuckle.

"Oh, Riimack is great, he is actually one of the nice ones. I was kind of responsible for his wing getting injured."

"You fought him off?" Mike said, his voice confused and showing hints of his concern.

"Oh, no. Sorry. First day he pinned me down thinking I was an intruder. And then recently we were paired up to fight other dragons and his wing got hurt because of me." She said and could see the look of concern on his face, "we are all good, the snacks are for him." She said and gestured with her snout towards the bag. Turning back to Mike she could see the concerned look on his face. "It's okay, it's just training." She said, trying to downplay the scenario.

Mike's chest tightened at the thought of her fighting other dragons, his soft smiling Leena turning into a snarling weapon of war. The water running cold shook him from his thoughts, Taalli glanced up at the showerhead with a sigh, "I think our time is up." She mused and quickly turned around to make sure her rump and tail were in the stream. "I can finish up here if you want to get dry." She said and pumped a few more squirts of soap into a paw before running it down her belly and groin. Her wings mantled to collect the water before sitting back on her haunches to run a paw across the delicate membranes.

Mike quickly took a few steps back to retreat from the cold water. Using his hands, he ran them down his arms and legs before flicking off the water, regretting not getting a towel, he grabbed his canvas bag and tried to use that to get the last of the water off of him to limited success. The air that had been warmed by the shower quickly turned icy cold and he shivered slightly, turning he watched Taalli clean the last of the soap off of her, her strong body seeming at ease under the cold water.

As she finished up, he pulled his pants and shirt back on, his damp skin quickly making the fabric cling to him. He was slipping his shoes back on when Taalli turned the taps off, the water still running down her large orange body, creating small trickles from her wings and underside. "You might want to step outside, I need to shake off." She warned with a smile, her wings partially mantled.

With a smile and a nod Mike grabbed his bag and stepped outside, the flutter of her wings inside causing him to turn back, catching a glimpse of her body shaking the water off her scales, all of the muscles under her scales tensing and relaxing as she shook, giving him a glimpse at what her body was becoming.

Mike waited patiently outside, shivering slightly as the evening chill cut through his clothes and making his teeth chatter. The sounds of claws on tiles caused him to turn to see her emerging from the room, her scales glossy but missing the vibrant orange colour he remembered her having. She held the bag of snacks in her mouth while giving an awkward hop on three legs, her other paw tightening the last buckle on her harness.

Lowering her head down to him she offered him the bag to take, "cheers, there is always one that never goes in the first time" she said while turning her head and lifting a wing to inspect the problematic strap. With a satisfying click, it engaged, and she gave a soft sigh. "Could you strap that to a loop?" She asked and turned her side to him, reaching up he saw the row of webbing that ran down the harness under her wing and tied the bag off to it, giving it a small tug to make sure it would hold. A jealous thought creeping into his mind as he looked at the bag full of snacks for the mysterious male dragon she was spending more time with, he swallowed and pushed aside the dark thoughts and turned back to her with a smile.

"Okay, now food!" Taalli said with a warm smile, lowering herself down to the ground for him to climb onto her shoulders, "Do you mind if we go to the eastern markets? I need to do something for Riimack." She asked cheerfully.

"Well, that's where the noodles are." Mike said with a hint of sadness in his voice and heaved himself up onto her shoulders. His mind nagging at him about who this Riimack was to Taalli, hating himself for the jealous thoughts pulling at him. 'She can have friends, even if they are male dragons.' he tried to reason with himself.

His concerned expression and tone not missed by Taalli who had her head turned to look at him. "All good?" She asked and tilted her head slightly, not truly believing him when he gave a nod and weak smile. "We will get some noodles in you, that will warm you up." She said with a smile before standing up and spreading her large wings, taking a few steps into the courtyard of the university. Glancing back at Mike, he gave her a nod and she leapt into the sky, her powerful wings sending them surging into the sky with ease.

The sudden rush of cold evening air caused Mike to hunch over and fold his arms, his damp clothes quickly becoming like ice as the water was chilled by the wind. "Hugs?" Taalli asked and glanced back at him, smiling when he leaned forwards and wrapped his arms around her neck. Lifting a paw up she pressed it against the hands that were clutching at her strong neck, his small hands quickly wrapping around a toe as she carried them through the sky.

Mike's worries started to wane as he felt the warmth of her neck soaking through his thin shirt and warming his chest. Renewing his grip, he held her neck close and looked down at the city below, the twinkling lights of streetlamps creating a web of light. The memories of how terrified he was during their first flight causing a smile to creep at the corners of his mouth.

Taalli smiled as she felt him hold her tight, it was only a short flight to the markets, and she adjusted her wings for their descent. He felt the shift in her wings and regretfully let go of her paw before sitting up, stroking a hand on her neck slowly as she circled down to a landing area. Looking down he saw other dragons and humans on the ground coming and going and held on tight to her harness as she glided down to the ground, a single flap used to arrest her fall and land elegantly.

Taking a few steps, she moved them away from the landing area and lowered herself to help him slide off. Mike couldn't help but notice a few judgmental glares from other dragons as his feet touched the ground, "what are you looking at!" Taalli snapped at one of them, causing them to quickly look away and keep to themselves. Turning to Mike, she saw him trying to remain inconspicuous, "ignore them, If I didn't want to give you a ride, I wouldn't give you one." She said firmly, her round pupils tighter than usual.

Mike rested a hand on her shoulder and walked with her, he knew that riding a dragon was highly frowned upon in dragon culture, for millennia dragons had been subjected to harsh treatments and were considered nothing more than property. Only in the last hundred years or so dragons had won agency over their lives, and for a human to ride a dragon was still considered an affront to their newfound freedoms.

The marketplace was bustling as they made their way across the courtyard, "So, you have to do something for Riimack?" Mike asked as he walked closer beside her. Taalli paused for a moment and used a paw to fish out a folded piece of paper from her harness.

With it held between two toes she passed it to Mike, "it has an address for one of the stalls, but I'm not sure which one it is. Let's get our food and ask." She said and moved through the crowd keeping a wing particularly lifted over Mike to make sure he was kept safe.

The smell of food wafted through the courtyard making Taalli's stomach growl and mouth water. They lined up at the stall that they visited on their unofficial first date and waited, Mike wrapped an arm around hers while he leant against her, his soft hand gently stroking the smooth scales on the inside of her forearm.

As they waited, Mike could tell she was tense, despite his hand tracing the scales on her arm, she kept turning her head, eyes forever tracking and watching the other patrons around the courtyard. "Everything okay?" Mike asked warmly and squeezed her arm to get her attention, turning her head to look at him. He could tell something was wrong as he caught the nervous look in her eyes.

"I- I'm just afraid I'll get spotted," she said, and he saw her lip quiver. "I keep expecting to turn and see him." She added weakly and shivered at the thought of her father's sinister smile emerging from the crowd.

Mike held her arm tightly, "hey, it's okay. He wouldn't come here, would he? A bit too cheap for his tastes, right?"

Taalli gave a weak smile and sighed, "no... No, he wouldn't come here, but maybe someone he works with." She replied and he felt her tense, her muscles like steel under her scales.

Mike glanced around the courtyard before turning back to her, "hey, without looking. Who is in the market stall behind us?"

Taalli focused on Mike, "the yellow dragon?"

Mike glanced behind them, not expecting her to have noticed. "Yeah, do you know who he is?"

"No" Taalli said flatly.

"Exactly, no one cares about anyone else. Everyone thinks they are the main character, and they are in their own little world." Mike said, "you are not in the news anymore, so as long as we stay away from talking to police. We should be good." He added but could tell she wasn't convinced.

Taalli tried to relax, the chaos of the markets that once brought her calm, now eating away at her resolve with every glance from strangers passing by.

"How about we leave and get a pizza delivered or something?" Mike asked as they moved forwards in the queue.

Taalli glanced at Mike and then back at the yellow dragon she had spotted as they first approached, the yellow dragon wearing an ugly yellow tie while he continued to peruse the wares of the stall, her amber eyes noticing that the yellow drake was not purchasing anything which caused her chest to tighten.

"Taalli?" Mike asked after she remained silent, a gentle squeeze on her arm shaking her from her thoughts. "Do you need to go?"

Taalli looked back to Mike, his kind eyes causing her to relax slightly, "sorry, no. I-I really want noodles." She said finally, "if we could get them delivered that would be nice... But your right, no one will notice us." She said and gave a weak smile to Mike.

"Well look who it is!" Called Reevian as the pair stepped forwards, the teal dragoness who ran the middle stall practically bouncing with excitement as she looked at the orange dragoness, "With your friend as well!" She added and looked to Mike.

Taalli's smile was so tense it was close to a snarl and gave a polite nod, her eyes silencing Reevian with a firm stare. Leaning forwards, she whispered a few words just loud enough for Reevian to hear before pulling back with a stern expression. Reevian's smile faded and gave a wink in understanding, "I'm sorry, I must have mistaken you for someone else." She said politely. "What can I get for you?"

"Two bowls of your best noodles, and also I was wondering if you could tell us which stall this needs to go to." She said and gestured to Mike to hand over the note to the teal dragoness.

Reevian sat on her haunches before wiping her paws on a cloth and taking the letter from Mike. "Oh! Well, you are in the right place." She said with a smile, opening the letter with a claw before either could protest. Her eyes lighting up as she read the note, "well isn't this a small world." She mused to herself and glanced back to Taalli, "so you're with Riimack are you?" She asked with a hint of disbelief.

Mike's eyes flicking to Taalli to gauge her reaction, Taalli's eyes going wide as she realised who Reevian was, "wait, he mentioned an older sister!" She exclaimed and smiled when the teal dragoness grinned back. Looking at Reevian with this newfound knowledge she noticed that they did share similar features, albeit Riimack being a lot more muscular and larger.

"Yup, he is my bigger-little brother." Reevian said and folded the note back up. "This is crazy! Could I get you to deliver some food to him? If you're seeing him that is." She asked and moved into the kitchen to start tossing ingredients into the woks. When she saw Taalli nod she added, "yours are on the house, consider it your cut for delivering it to him."

Mike watched in silence as the dragoness shook the woks and added spices, flames licking up the sides of the metal pan as she worked. Taalli however was still scanning the courtyard for familiar faces, the yellow dragon wearing a tie was still lingering at the other stall occasionally glancing towards their direction but not making eye contact with Taalli. Mike's voice shaking her from her thoughts, "So, Riimack hey?" Mike asked, his voice betraying his concern. "Nice guy?"

Taalli wrapped a wing around Mike and pulled him against her side, "oh it's not like that..." She said, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "He is way out of my league." She added with a weak chuckle, glancing back she could see Mike was still not convinced. "Oh, don't give me that look. We are battle buddies, that's all, okay?"

Mike gave a smile and a nod before holding her arm tightly. "Sorry, it's just, I've missed you, and I... Gah, sorry, my brain is just doing stupid things." He said and when she turned to look at him he gave a weak smile, her amber eyes holding his gaze before the sound of Reevian dishing up the noodles shook them from their thoughts.

Mike let go of her arm and stepped forwards, the teal dragoness finishing up making a takeaway box for Riimack and putting it in a bag. "Thank you, I really appreciate this." Reevian said warmly.

"No, thank you!" Taalli said while Mike collected the two bowls, the takeaway bag hanging from his wrist. Glancing over the courtyard, they spotted a table in the corner and moved over to it. As they left the stall, Taalli's chest tightened as she saw the yellow dragon put down the produce he had been inspecting for the last few minutes and started to move towards Reevian. Taalli turned her head to track him as they walked across the busy courtyard. Breathing a sigh of relief as she saw the yellow dragon approach Reevian and lean over the counter to give the teal dragoness a kiss. Reevian reaching up and tugging on his yellow tie to deepen their kiss, Taalli's whole body relaxing as she saw the pair, "good for her" she said warmly.

Mike heard and followed her gaze before his chest tightened, seeing the two dragons tenderly locking maws with one another, wishing he could provide the same level of affection to Taalli. With a frown he tore his eyes away from the scene, placing the bowls down on the table, he took a seat across from Taalli, the smell of the noodles just as good as they were when they first came here.

Mike chuckled as Taalli placed her nose just an inch away from the noodles and breathed in deeply, a smile forming in her snout and eyes closed in bliss. "I take it they don't feed you anything this good?"

Taalli's eyes flicked open and saw him staring intently at her. "No, trust me. There is nothing at the base that is anywhere near as good as what I have here." She said and leaned forwards, catching him off guard for a kiss, his hands quickly moving to her snout as he returned the kiss. Smiling as she pressed her tongue against his much smaller one, her warmth and taste bringing back the memories of their times together, the tender embrace washing away his traitorous thoughts for now. The deep growl of her stomach caused him to pull away with a laugh, her chuckle warming his heart as they turned to their meals.

"Thank you, for everything Leen-" he said and caught himself, "Taalli." He added while using a fork to collect the noodles.

Taalli's smile flickered slightly, her guilt swelling up in her chest, "Mike, why are you thanking me for? It was my fault it all went to shit."

Mike finished his mouthful before replying, "no, it was your dad who fucked us, not you. But I mean the video and all the rest. I never would have thought you the killing type." He said with a smile and saw her frown before her eyes darted down to her food. "So, thank-you for your service." He said with a smirk, her eyes flicking up to his and a smile creeping on her snout.

Taalli took a big mouthful of noodles, closing her eyes and letting out a blissful sigh as she ate. "So, are there many other dragonesses in your squad?" Mike asked while collecting more noodles.

Taalli shook her head gently and swallowed, "it's called a flight, and no. Just me!" She said and saw him focus on his food. His expression as easy to read as an open book, "Just me, surrounded by dozens of strong fit drakes." She said, seeing him blush slightly still focusing on his food, gripping his fork tightly. "We share showers too, and our barracks are just big open areas, so I see everything. The last thing I see is a bunch of drakes, and the first thing in the morning too-"

"Okay! I get it!" Mike exclaimed, his heart beating faster. Looking up to her he was surprised to see her smiling broadly. "Please, can we change the topic."

Taalli moved her head closer to him, whispering just so he could hear. "Mike, tonight was the first evening pass they had ever given out to our flight. I fought other dragons and hauled my battle buddy through an obstacle course to win this pass. I could be anywhere, with any of them." She said before resting her snout on his shoulder and kissing his ear, "but I am here with my Mike. There is nowhere else I would rather be than sharing a meal with the one that I love." She added softly before kissing him again on the cheek, followed by another and another until he chuckled and turned his head to meet her kiss.

Mike blushed as she pulled away and returned to her noodles, "sorry, it's just been a day and a half." He said and collected another forkful of noodles. "Your mother came to the bar this morning." He said and saw her look to him with a mouthful, "I was this close to using my taser on her ass." He added and smiled when she snorted a laugh.

Forcing a swallow, Taalli chuckled, "what did she say?"

"Oh, standard, 'you know where my daughter is, give her back' sorta stuff." Mike said and saw Taalli's jaw clench, "I told her to fuck off, told her I didn't know where you were." He added and saw her relax slightly.

Taalli gave a nod of approval as she ate, finishing off her noodles by picking up the bowl with two paws and licking it clean, much to the amusement of Mike. "That, that hit the spot." She mused and placed the bowl down and looked around the marketplace as he finished his meal. Mike's reassurances seemed to ring true as no-one looked familiar in the courtyard, the yellow drake and Reevian still talking while she packed up her stall.

Mike placed his fork in his empty bowl and looked up to the sound of Taalli yawning, lips curled back to reveal her sharp teeth. "Long day?" He asked and she nodded slowly. "What time do you need to get back?"

"0600," she said with a sad smile, "6am, it's about a two-hour flight, if I don't get lost again." She added.

Mike glanced at his watch, "well, my mattress is at Ben's, shall we continue there?" Mike said hopefully, his smile broadening when she enthusiastically nodded and stood up slowly, placing the bowls inside one another which Mike then collected and returned to Reevian as she cleaned the dishes by herself while the yellow dragon standing on the other side of the counter watched.

The chaos of the markets was starting to die down as they made their way to the launch area, a small queue of dragons lined up to depart. Mike waited next to Taalli, his arm around her forearm as they slowly moved up the queue. He tried not to notice the glances and glares they received from the other dragons as they made it to the launch area, with her help he quickly climbed into her shoulders and held on tight as she leapt into the air. Riimack's snacks and noodles swaying against her sides with every beat of her wings.

Mike struggled to get his bearings while in the air, the city looking so different from above and at night. He had to rely on giving Taalli rough landmarks to find their way to Ben's apartment. He could feel her body tense under him as they came closer and closer towards the spires apartment. "It's okay. They don't know you're here." He said loud enough for her to hear over the wind.

She glanced back and gave a weak nod before clipping her wings and lowering them down to fly just above the rooftops.

"There! That's it" Mike said as he caught a glimpse of the small apartment building that Ben and himself lived in. Cropping her wings, Taalli swooped down to the building, "ours is the one with no chairs on the balcony." He added as they came close.

Taalli flared her wings and sized up the tight balcony, slowing down to almost a hover before gingerly stepping on the handrail with her hind paws then tucking her wings in tight and twisting to step down onto the small outdoor area. Mike slid off her side and pulled out a set of keys, flicking through them as he tried to find the one for the sliding door. Taalli looked over the city from the confined area, the large spires she used to call home dominating the skyline and looking down upon where her Mike now lived.

"Ah-ha!" Mike exclaimed as he found the right key and slid the door open, "welcome to our humble abode!" He said with a pompous voice before he stepped inside, bowing and giving a dramatic gesture with his hand for her to enter.

Stepping inside, Taalli ducked her head under a ceiling fan, careful to make sure her horns didn't clip the stationary fixture. Ahead of her she saw the couch and coffee table pushed back against the walls to make room for Mike's mattress that dominated the living room floor. Mike turned a light on, and she unhooked her harness, letting it slide to the floor at her feet. Looking around the room she noticed the sheets had been thrown back on his bed from when he got up and she spotted a familiar crystal dragon sculpture on the coffee table which he was now using as a nightstand.

"You kept it!" Taalli said and padded her way over to the bed, stepping onto the soft mattress and lowering her head to look at the semi-transparent orange dragon, the sharpie where Mike had coloured in its paws and wing arms was starting to fade, her throat tightening up as she remembered their time together.

"Of course!" Mike said and closed the balcony door, "I wouldn't leave my little Leena behind!" He mused before correcting himself, "Or I guess, tiny Taalli now." Taalli turned to him and even in the dim light could tell she was on the verge of tears, "hey now." He said and moved over to her with his arms out, quickly stepping onto the mattress and holding her neck tightly. "It's okay." He added to try and reassure her.

Taalli sniffed back a tear, allowing him to pull her down to lay on the mattress, his tender embrace holding her close as they sat down. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me." Taalli whimpered and her voice right with pain.

"Come here, it's okay. My big dragon is allowed to cry." Mike said and moved her head down to his chest before laying on his side on the mattress with her pressed close against him. Her teary laugh against him caused him to smile slightly and hold her close. "It's just you and me here." He said softly, stroking his hands behind her jaw just how she liked it. "No shitty family, no military, no police. Just you and me." He said softly before placing a kiss between her horns.

A croon escaped Taalli's mouth as she nuzzled against him, her eyes closed as she breathed in his scent, the soft mattress under her a welcome change to her canvas covered bed. For the moment, she was happy to stay with him nestled around her head. "Thankyou" she whispered softly and felt him squeeze her gently in their embrace. "I mean it. Without you, I don't know where I would be." She added softly before pulling her head out from his arms so she could look into his eyes.

Mike smiled, "without me? You would probably be up in the spires, eating caviar and gossiping over who is doing who, being treated like a princess." He said softly.

Taalli's grin widened, "a princess trapped in a tower more like it," she chided, "waiting for her knight in shining to come rescue her." She added before kissing him on the forehead. His hands moving to her snout to guide her down to kiss his lips. His lips pressing against hers with his eyes closed as he enjoyed her affections.

"I think... you have been reading too many stories." Mike teased between kisses.

"Maybe..." She softly replied before reaching with her forepaws to his legs and sliding him down to her chest, "maybe this princess just needs their knight to hold them." She said warmly and curled her body around him, pressing him close to her chest and neck. The warmth of her body quickly enveloping him like a heavy blanket, her paws pressing against his back in a tight hug.

Mike blushed and kissed her throat tenderly before wrapping his arms around her neck and moving a leg up under her wing. "Maybe this knight should check the dragon's cave for her treasures." He said in a sultry tone, his cheeks burning red as a roar of laughter blurted out from his dragoness and her whole body shook in merriment, Taalli snorted mid laugh that then caused her to laugh harder. Mike joining in while holding her close.

Eventually Taalli's laughter subsided, and she gave him a reassuring squeeze, "I missed this." She said warmly, "I haven't laughed that hard since.... Since before graduation." She said finally while stroking his back through his shirt with a paw. Glancing around the room before she nuzzled her head against his back while she was curled around him. "Would it be okay, if we didn't?" She said softly, it took a while for Mike to realise what she meant, the whole time she waited with bated breath for his answer.

"Oh, yeah, of course." He said and adjusted his embrace, so he wasn't holding her so close.

Taalli could hear his disappointment and felt her stomach tense. "It's just, it's been a really long day, and I just think-"

"No, yes, it's fine. Really." Mike said and rolled over in her embrace to face her head, her big amber eyes looking into his to gauge his reaction. He gave a weak smile before continuing, "besides, I doubt Ben would be happy if I made you set the place on fire."

Taalli smiled and shuffled so she could kiss him, "my knight does know how to plunge his sword in just the right way." She teased and they both giggled, their laughter only silenced when he pressed his lips against hers.

Pulling back from her, he gave her a gentle kiss on the nose before looking into her eyes. "Well, I think I have some ice cream in the freezer." He said and smiled as her eyes lit up. "And then we can maybe watch a movie if that's cool?" He offered and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I would love that." She said softly and lifted her head so he could untangle himself from her limbs. Her eyes watching him as he made his way to the kitchenette, opening the small fridge and retrieving a small tub of ice cream.

"Should Riimack's food go in the fridge?" He called as he unhooked the bags from her harness that still lay on the floor.

"Please! Thank-you."

While she shuffled on the mattress to make room, he opened the ice cream and went to pull out some bowls before shrugging and returning to her with just the tub and single dessert spoon. "What did you want to watch?" He asked as he retrieved a remote from the coffee table.

Taalli's eyes glanced over the tv stand and spotted a green disc case laying on top, "what's modern wingfare 2?" She asked and craned her head to try and get a better look. The image showing a dragon in a complete military harness walking towards the camera with the number two in green boldly behind the serious looking dragon.

Mike chuckled and held up the case for her, "this? It's a game Ben and I play. It's the remastered version."

"So, wait, you play as a dragon? That's kinda funny." Taalli said, her mind going to what Mike would look like as a dragon, chuckling slightly when she came to the image of a silver dragon with Mike's kind human face.

"They make controllers for dragons." Mike retorted, "But they give you so much aim assist, it's kinda cheating." added.

"Maybe the dragons are just better than you?" She teased, smiling wide when he glared at her sarcastically. Taalli's eyes looked over the dragon on the case, her gaze narrowing as she looked at the harness. "That harness is wrong." She said flatly, her eyes flicking up to Mike's as she explained, "there should be a loop here" she said and pointed to her chest to where her harness would have a tethering point. "It's used for carrying injured out of battle." She added as he turned the case around to take a look for himself.

Mike shrugged and put the case down, "to be honest, the original was better. They kept adding mechanics and now it's not as good. The stealth missions are good fun though." He said while looking at the cabinet of DVDs Ben had. "Not gonna lie, most of the movies we have here are war movies."

"Eh, chuck one on. I'll probably fall asleep anyway." She said, wiggling to make herself comfortable. "This bed is nice and soft." She added, kneading his blanket with her paws.

Mike pressed a few buttons on the remote and slid a disk into the DVD player before sitting down with the ice cream in front of her. Looking up to her face before scooping some ice cream out for her, gently offering her a spoonful as the movie began to play. "I remember you saying my bed was firmer than what you were used to." He chided as she ate.

"Well, it's softer than what I'm used to now." She retorted softly and watched the movie while he scooped out another lump for her. The screen showing an academy for military dragons where a drake was attending, the similarities between Aurelia Academy and the one on screen captured her attention.

"Boop!" Mike said as he touched her nose with the spoon full of ice cream, her focus pulled away from the screen as she looked at him and opened her mouth for the sweet dessert. Her heart swooning as he leant forwards and kissed her nose to clean the smear of ice cream off her.

Glancing back, she smiled as she saw the recruits performing the same exercises and drills, she did, the drill sergeant barking at the young dragons with the same enthusiasm as her sergeant. "Accurate?" Mike asked as he ate some ice cream.

"Very." She stated and glanced to the almost empty tub before focusing back on the screen. "My drill sergeant screams like that." She added and lowered her head down onto his lap. Mike scraped the last of the ice cream off the walls of the tub and held the spoon to her snout for her to finish off.

Setting the tub aside, Mike's hands drifted to her head and neck gently stroking and caressing her scales as the cadets on the screen went through their training, the movie showed its age when eventually the cadets were partnered up with humans riders, each of the dragons stood next to their riders and repeated a well-known verse known as the dragon riders creed. "They don't still do that, do they?" Mike asked and Taalli lifted her head, her eyes half closed. It took her a moment to focus on the screen before turning to him with a smile.

"Well, some of the branches still use riders, but it's super rare these days as it's not that practical." She said as she remembered the lessons she had been taught, once humans rode dragons into battle, but as the applications of helicopters became more dominant in the theatre of war, the usefulness of a dragon rider was lessened.

"It's still kinda cool, flying over the battlefield on the back of a dragon." Mike mused, his words trailing off as he thought of the countless stories growing up of knights riding dragons.

Taalli glanced to the tv and then back to Mike with a smirk. Clearing her throat, she caught his attention and shuffled closer, placing a paw on his lap.

"This is my human, there are many like it, but this one is mine.

Without me, my human is useless. Without my human, I am useless..." She said, her eyes focused on his as she repeated the lines spoken in the movie, ending with bringing her head close to his for a kiss.

Reaching up with both hands he pulled her close and kissed her deeply, beaming as he pulled away from her and looked her in her eyes. He could tell she was serious, the warm loving eyes of his dragoness washing away any doubts he had about her and other drakes. "Fuck you're adorable." He whispered and she blurted a laugh. Before nestling her head back into his lap, crooning as his hands resumed their stroking of her smooth scales.

They watched the movie in silence, his soft hands forever tracing the lines of her scales until a low growl came from her throat. Mike's head turning down to hers and smiled as he saw her eyes closed and lip twitching slightly as she slept. Ever so slowly he reached for the remote of the tv and turned down the volume, until the low rumble of her deep sleep were the only sounds in the apartment.

Leaning back against the wall he smiled as he watched her sleep, her eyes flicking underneath her orange eyelids as she dreamt about something. The steady rhythm of her breathing was comforting as he knew she was safe. His eyelids began to feel heavy as he set an alarm on his watch for 3:30am, in order to give her enough time to fly to the base, and he turned off the television, not wanting to disturb her he leant back against the wall and closed his eyes, the weight of her head in his lap more comforting than any blanket.