Stone, scales, skin.

Six.

Much to her surprise, Domitius left her to bathe alone. With her head down, she followed behind his large frame as they walked into a small cave with a pool big enough to fit a dragon (ironic) and a smaller pool for a person.

Milee felt embarrassed, that was all there is to it. Women in her society only lay with men once marriage has been officiated with a ceremony or to scrape together some coins to eat. None which applied to her. Although both men voiced they will always stay together due to the bonding, Milee couldn't help but to fear she appeared to needy. As though she turned them off her.

Honestly, Milee didn't know if that were a good thing or not.

"What is your issue?" Domitius all but growled as he shoved Kyaneous with enough force to fall back into the cave wall.

Kyaneous rolled his eyes, not saying a word. He just looked at his hatcher with a blank face, no indication on what he was feeling.

"We have to make her comfortable, not scare her off." Domitius mocked Kyaneous messages from earlier when he had been toying with his hatcher. Domitius made fun of Milee and sparked reactions and emotions only because his dragon loved to see her raw emotion. The shy, fearful girl cowered into the comfort of his hatcher which gave off fake comfort which stirred his dragon. He knew she is comfortable with Kyaneous. Was comfortable with Kyaneous. But he may have just blown that.

"Fuck off." Kyaneous spat, anger simmering beneath is stone face.

"No." Domitius spat, shoving him back into the wall and pinning him there as he tried to muscle away.

"You've been stone for 300 years hatcher, you're weak." Domitius spat. He knew that was a lie, his hatcher was still fucking strong. But Domitius had the edge.

"Let go of me." Kyaneous growled, nostril flaring and eyes hardening over.

"Why? So you can go emotionally terrorize our bonded even more? Fuck no." Domitius growled. "I know you're pissed about what happened but it wasn't her fault. She fucking begged you for forgiveness and we even fingered the girl."

"Let me go."

"You know she's not in the wrong. She's submitted."

"I said, fuck off." Kyaneous spoke through gritted teeth.

"Get over yourself. It was a mistake and both us will be dammed if we let this happen again." Domitius was fuming, breaths leaving in angry huffs as he stood face on to his hatcher. When he could see Kyaneous relax slightly, he released him.

"I don't have control." Kyaneous said after a moment's silence. "No control in that matter to go on that fucking quest. No control once I was a fucking statue. No control over the fact our hatchling almost died."

His confession came as a shock to Domitius. Their whole existence flying this planet and he had never seen Kyaneous so vulnerable. Not with the passing of his parents, not once returning from a statue. Never once.

"Brother,"

"No, don't sympathize for me." He bit back, but make no attempt to remove the confronting hand on his shoulder. "I'm just itching to turn, I'm itching to see our hatcher and itching to claim her as ours. But I can feel I just don't have the control, I don't have the restraint I used to."

Kyaneous hated feeling this way. He felt weak, he felt vulnerable but he didn't feel judged by Domitius. They grew together and they shared their most sacred individual together. He was still just pissed off.

"Go for a fly. Exhaust yourself." Domitius said. "You're training every morning, seeing our bonded every other time. It's like being a hatchling again. The next few weeks will suck but you'll be in more control than ever."