𝓢𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓮 (𝓣𝓸𝓭𝓸𝓫𝓪𝓴𝓾/𝓑𝓪𝓴𝓾𝓽𝓸𝓭𝓸)

Chapter 2

Shoto groaned and shifted in place, slowly waking up. For some reason, it felt like something was pushing down on his head. He raised a hand up to his forehead—then stiffened as something scaly yet fluffy smacked the side of his face.

What in the name of—?!
He sat bolt upright and the thing tumbled into his lap with a squeak, flailing wildly. He looked down and his eyes widened.

"There is a baby dragon in my lap." Then, with considerably more panic; "There is a baby dragon in my lap."

Said baby dragon finally managed to right itself and stared up at him with big green doe eyes. He had to admit, it was precious—beautiful jade green scales tinted with ruby at the edges, soft fluffy green fur in a ridge down its back, pearly white horns, and those big innocent eyes—but it was also a baby dragon in his bed.

"Father is going to kill me."

Then he realized something and threw himself out of bed, sending the baby dragon tumbling over itself again. Mentally, he apologized to it, but he didn't pause; running for the closet and scrabbling for the chest. Then he groaned in despair.

The chest was open and thoroughly devoid of either dragon eggs or hatchlings.

This is NOT good.

He ran his hands through his hair and groaned again, casting his eyes towards the ceiling. . .where there was a pink hatchling bobbing around.

You know what, I'm not even going to question it at this point. That's two down, three to go. . .please tell me they didn't get out of my room!

He looked around his room with growing desperation, zeroing in on a twitching lump behind the drapes. He strode over and thrust them aside to reveal a navy hatchling with a silver underbelly.

That's three.

The sound of crunching made him whirl around again, and he sighed in equal parts relief and irritation when he saw a fourth hatchling in the fruit bowl he kept by his bed. Its red-and-gold coloring had camouflaged it; but he could see it now. As he watched, it took a big bite of an apple and cooed with what seemed like delight. It was adorable, he couldn't deny that.

One more to go. Now, where IS it?!

He almost turned his room upside down in search of the last hatchling, but had no luck. (However, he did have the foresight to grab the green, blue, and red dragons and put them in one of his desk drawers to keep them out of trouble.) Finally, he gave up with a sigh and went into his bathroom to splash water on his face before continuing his search.

He pushed the pump for the washbasin, but no water came out.

Huh?

He pumped it harder, but still nothing.

"What is wrong with this thing?" he muttered, pumping it one last time. Instead of water, however, a dark green bundle of scales and fur tumbled out of the spout and landed in the basin. It shook itself out and stared up at him with innocent green eyes. He stared back, blinking twice.

"Oh. There you are."

I just woke up, and I already feel the urge to faceplant once again. How did it even get INTO the pipe in the first place?!

He finally shook himself out of his. . .whatever that was and scooped up the hatchling, bringing it over to the drawer. He thanked his lucky stars that the others were still in there.

"Now what do I do with you all?"

Before he could think of an answer to that very important question, there was a knock on his door and he nearly jumped out of his skin. Swearing under his breath, he gathered the dragons into his arms (catching Pink as it tumbled from the ceiling) and scrambled towards the closet.