The slight, brown-haired girl tapped a charcoal stick to her cheek, ignoring the sooty stains it left on pale skin. Bright green eyes peered out from under incredulously cocked eyebrows.
"Really, Cassie? Really?"
The small green dragon hovered in the air, disgruntled. He huffed, or as near as he could manage, the sound resonating in the girl's mind. "I have a name, Celeste, use it," he said grumpily to the girl. "Don't just go shortening it."
She snorted. "But, Cassiel, really?" She stressed the sound of his name as she poked the dragon on the belly with the charcoal stick, nodding at the paintbrush clutched in the dragon's claws. The dragon squeaked in a very undignified way, spiraling away out of the girl's reach, but remembering to grip. The paintbrush scraped over the littered surface of the table.
The girl laughed, withdrawing the offending stick. "I can never get why you always spend your allotted one hour a week of human form in the bazaar of all places," she said, returning her attention to the sheet on her table. "It's just a bunch of shops."
The dragon approached again cautiously. When it became apparent that the girl had no intention of attacking him again, he returned to her side, flying around the girl's head. "You should try out this paintbrush," he said, changing the subject. "I would say it's powerful. Heard from the merchant that it can change the color of the paint at will, and bring the drawings to life, which are among assorted other abilities he didn't remember."
The girl rolled her eyes at the dragon. "And you bought it? With such spotty recommendation?" She sighed in exasperation.
The dragon waited, looking expectant. He hovered right in front of the girl's face.
"And you should know better than anyone that I don't have an ounce of magical ability in me." The girl flicked her eyes at the small dragon and the paintbrush in the dragon's grip, something like yearning shining in her eyes. She took a deep breath, dragging her eyes away from the dragon. "I won't be able to operate any type of magic tool. Besides," she smiled, eyes glittering with forced amusement, "I don't really draw in color." She brandished the charcoal stick like a weapon.
The dragon winced at the longing and bitterness hidden carefully in her voice. "Personally, I find the way you draw is magic enough for anyone," he said lightly.
The girl just gave the dragon a look. "That's not magic." She turned away resolutely, swiping the charcoal across the sheet with more force than necessary. She scowled at the overly dark line it left, reaching for a eraser. "Anyway, I'm not going to use that thing."
The dragon suppressed a sigh. "Okay, okay." He flew to the girl's desk, setting the brush down carefully, just unobtrusive enough not to annoy her but obvious enough that it tugged incessantly on her attention. The girl pursed her lips, evidently understanding the dragon's motives, but chose not to say anything.
The dragon whizzed back to the girl, choosing to perch on her shoulder this time, wrapping his tail loosely around her neck, one forpaw resting lightly on the shell of her ear. Iridescent eyes studied the piece of paper resting on the table. Under the girl's skilled fingers, a scene had already started to take shape: a quiet lane in a small town, bushes of well-trimmed flowers lining the walls, a cat peering around the corner. A man in expensive clothes stood in the middle of the lane, turned sideways, his face tilted so that it faced the viewer. His right hand rested on the pommel of the slim sword sheathed at his side. His face was blank, none of the features yet etched in.
The girl shifted to accommodate for the weight of the dragon on her shoulder. She glanced at the enraptured dragon. "So?"
The dragon blew out a soft breath. "It's stunning, Celeste." He paused. "Thank you."
The girl smiled broadly. "You're welcome." She nuzzled her head affectionately against the dragon, before straightening again. "But the face isn't done yet. Ready, Cassiel?"
The dragon straightened as well, fanning his wings out behind him before folding them back. "Whenever you are. Celeste?"
She nodded, and rotated the wrist of her right hand. "Yup."
"He had blue eyes. Luminous under the moonlight, always shining with some knowledge that only he knew. And..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Hey, Celeste."
"What? If it isn't important, don't bother me. The cat's tail..."
"One day, promise me you'll color in the picture for me."
"..."
"One day. I'm not saying now. One day."
"......Okay. One day."
"That's enough for me."
