Short Stories

9. Bonding

Jack was pulling at the leash again, and growling at something as he walked.

I told him to stop, but he didn't. So I tugged at the leash myself, and with a thud he landed on his butt on the ground.

The adorable little critter. If only I had taken a picture, that goofiness would have gone viral. Not really. But at the very least, Jack would have got a few hundred likes. If he learned to make machines, then he would go viral, alright. I'll have to train him for that. But everyone knows how the trainers are.

They beat the hide out of your pets in the name of disciplining. I adored Jack's black fur too much to get him trained. Not to mention that perfect skin. It was dark at some places and lighter at others. An incredibly beautiful specimen, he was—and I had to empty a whole vault of looted gold to the Apartment to buy him, too.

He did spend a lot of time grooming himself. So much that I barely ever had to spend any more coins on his looks. He was old enough for breeding, too.

"Cildre!"

I turned around to look, so did Jack.

It was Aro. She landed near the Fountain of Saphira. The background made Aro's blue wings look bluer and softer than it was.

I lifted my wing and waved, Jack held on to a seat to not get blown away— humans were worryingly light— and Aro waved back. She had Julia with her today. Perfect.

If Jack and Julia bonded together then.....well, the possibilities were endless. I had to make them real.

With another leap (Jack yelped and scooted near me) which showed her perfectly in-shape legs and her wide wings, Aro landed beside me.

And when I said 'beside me', I meant right beside me. As in, our wings brushed.

She took a few polite steps back and— was she blushing? Aro Vegha Drayce was blushing?

"Jack is here too, I see. How are you doing, Cildre?"

And instead of asking about Jack's food preferences, as she usually did, she asked how I was doing.

"Cildre?"

"I am good."

"That, you are."

We stood there, soaking in whatever it was we were soaking. Personally, I was drowning in the compliment. And totally enjoying the experience.

Jack tugged at the leash again, but this time he wasn't trying to go and stick his hands in some streetside PetBread store. He was shuffling nearer to Julia.

Julia was the more lively one, she happily yip-yapped about something or the other that made Jack laugh— I wish I could understand what they were talking about, but it's scientefically proven that humans don't have a language. They love some pitches and tunes, and hate the others. Jack loved Julia's voice, so he loved her. It was all part of their animal instinct, really. They say animals have a sixth sense, so maybe it was Jack's sixth sense telling him that Julia was the right one.

"Looks like they are bonding" Aro remarked. I couldn't help but notice that Aro had sidled a wee bit closer while I was watching the two Js. Or was it me who went closer?

"Yeah. Do you mind? If they bond, I mean."

Aro smiled. It showed her pearly teeth. Her canines were sharp, and pressed against her lower lips even when she was grinning. It really made me want to lean forward and—

"Oh look! Jack's trying to hold Julia's hand!" Aro whispered as she grabbed the top of my head with her claws and forced my head to turn to face our pets— away from her face.

And indeed Jack was. Julia was chattering away (or was she singing?) and Jack was trying to slide his hand in hers, discreetly.

Just as he was about to touch her fingers she pulled it away and waved and wrung it as she twittered.

It was quite comical, Jack's dissapointed expression, but then it got determined again. For another ten minutes or so, he struggled to hold her hand without Julia getting a clue. But when she pulled her hand away again to pat her fur on the head to look better, Jack lost it.

He huffed and looked away.

"He gave up?!" I whispered to Aro.

"Seems so..." She whispered back, leaning forward to get a better look of the lovesick hooman. Which, incidentally, brought her face closer to mine. Our cheeks were nearly brushing.

"He hasn't given up, Cil" she muttered.

Cil.

Jack, indeed, hadn't. He was gathering his courage. Boldly, he grabbed Julia's wrist and pulled her closer and trilled something to her, looking very very serious. Julia stopped chirruping. For a second nobody did anything.

"What's happening?" I whispered to Aro.

"Watch quitely, you'll get it" she murmured back, and she had her own grin on her now.

Then Julia grinned and shook her head.

Then she punched his shoulder—

"What the—?"

—and kissed him.

"Whaaat?"

"Hush!" Aro slapped her paw over my snout as she watched Jack and Julia. "It's a human thing. Don't interrupt them! You'll break their magical moment. "

I was having a magical moment, too. Aro's paws smelled deliciously like lions. Fresh lions.

Note to self: Aro likes hunting.

"Mmmmm"

Aro glanced at me and, realising that she still had her paw on my snout, she snatched it back. And there it was, the blush. It bloomed on her cheeks like the juicy blood of an Asian lion, and mixing with her cyan hide, it turned into a pretty shade of purple.

"Their deal is sealed then, right?" She asked, trying to look like nothing happened, but still blushing.

"On one condition."

She snapped her head around at me. "But they are in love."

So am I.

"I know. Hence the condition."

She narrowed her eyes. "Which is?"

That was the question I wanted to hear. I stood on my hind legs and spread my wings wide. They weren't a pretty colour like cyan or red or lemon. They were dull brown. Earthy brown. "Would you like to seal our deal?"

Aro stared.

She grinned.

Then punched my shoulder.

And she kissed me.

~*~*~*~*~12 November 2021*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: I wrote it after reading this tumblr prompt:

"Humans are complex creatures with a variety of needs. They are not a suitable pet for most dragons, but for the right dragons who have time, patience, and proper resources, these animals can make absolutely incredible pets."

I was initially aiming to write on something else, but ended up writing romance between two dragons.

Now, why does that sound so gross?

Your constructive criticism or opinion on any part of the story, is appreciated, encouraged and begged for.

 While you are at it, if you think my fic is good enough, you can press that star button to give me a vote and a reason to try learning how to whistle (I want to whistle when I'm happy. It would make me happier and would look awesome.) *insert toothy grin here*

Stay safe! Masks on!

~Anony