Chapter Text
Sunlight through leaves traces patterns onto the floor of the inn room. Chirping and skittering drift in from the window along with a refreshing berry-scented breeze. At the foot of my bed is extra weight, vibrating in a steady rhythm whilst emitting heat. My eyes open to an empty bed beside me where previously there was a dragon.
They must've gotten up already , I think in no certain words through a groggy mind. Wiping my eyes from sleep, I sit up in bed and freeze.
Laying at the foot of my bed is the aforementioned dragon, face-down fast asleep. Did.. did they come here last night when I fell asleep? Are they here fresh this morning? Despite the fact half of them is still on the floor, they look comfortable.
…what am I supposed to do? Do I wake them? Go back to sleep? Sneak around them?
While my mind draws a blank on protocol for when a dragon falls asleep in your bed, Pitaya Dragon stirs from their slumber. They stretch in a similar catlike manner to yesterday’s beach encounter—back arched, wings spread to an enormous size, fingers trembling as their shoulders pull back. Even their ensuing yawn is like a cat, their long green tongue curling up as their mouth closes.
Nope, stop looking at their mouth .
As soon as they open their eyes I make eye contact with them, blinking in sheer astonishment. “What are you doing there?”
Pitaya Dragon blushes a pale green. “..sssleeping near you wasss more comfortable.”
“It's a dragon thing, isn't it.”
They say nothing, but in a way, that itself says everything. I stretch myself, leaning in towards Pitaya Dragon.
“What’s the plan, dragon fruit? Hungry?”
“I could eat,” they reply, “then we could continue your venture to the kingdom.”
“It’s our venture now, as long as you're traveling with me.”
I hop up out of the warm, cozy bed to get more clothes on—not as many as yesterday, just enough so the rest will fit in my backpack. All Pitaya Dragon needs to do is re-don their helmet and they’re ready. They stick close behind me as we make our way into the inn.
What was previously a vivacious dining area is now a calmed version of itself. Adventurers chatter quietly amongst themselves, bards awkwardly skirting dates they had gathered the night before, biddings of farewell as friendships formed late into the eve separate until next they meet. Food is discounted for last night’s tenants, so I send Pitaya Dragon to get a table while I get the food—they hesitate to leave my side but do as I say anyways.
I set the room key on the counter in exchange for two plates of omurice. Beside me, a bard snickers.
“A little thing like you is traveling with a dragon? That thing would eat you in a second, darling.”
The day shift innkeeper scowls at the bard. “It's too early for your antics, Passionflower.”
“I'm just saying,” the bard chimes in a sing-song voice, strumming their mandolin, “if you need a travel partner, I'd be happy to accompany. I’ll keep you safe from that ravenous dragon.~”
“Uhm, thanks, but we’re fine.” This food cannot come sooner .
Passionflower scoffs at my decline. They finally quit plucking at their instrument’s silver strings to wave a hand at the surrounding room. “‘We’ who? It appears your dragon had better humans to snack on.” The bard looks over the apparently dragon-free dining area, an unpleasant smirk covering their whole face.
A whiff of fruit floats in, silent as the bearer, who draws close behind me. Laced in the scent is something dangerous, something that reminds me of why dragons are feared. Everyone else around appears to not notice—or at least, they don’t react.
Passionflower finishes their snide chortling and returns their attention to me, readying to play their mandolin when they freeze. Eyes wide with terror, their gaze stutters up past me, up to a looming shadow standing a head above. I can only imagine the look the sleazy bard is getting to justify the look of absolute helpless panic painting their naturally alluring features.
A hand lands on my shoulder from behind, subtly pulling me towards the dragon. “It would ssserve you right to keep your mouth ssshut, puny human. My prey doesss not ssso easssily get away.” When Pitaya Dragon speaks, each word comes out a snarling hiss, almost akin to when they would speak of the puppet which stole their power.
Despite the sheer power and hostility behind me, I stand tall with it on my side. I give Passionflower the most stern look I can, resting a hand on top of that which holds me close. The bard presses their mouth tightly shut, very quickly nodding their understanding. Pitaya Dragon lets out a hot puff of steam, taking my other shoulder to turn me away from them. I take the plates of freshly made omurice off of the counter and follow Pitaya Dragon to the table they set aside for us.
Once we’ve sat, I breathe a sigh of relief. “Thanks for that, Pitaya Dragon. That dude did not have very comfy vibes.”
“Pleassse, no mortal sssuch as them will bother you in my presssence. Ssslimy humansss like that aren’t even worth sssnacking on.”
“Hehe, are you my guardian dragon?”
Pitaya Dragon lowers their flushed face to the omurice in front of them, inhaling it in a second as if to stuff a response. They don’t know how to use silverware, as it turns out. Perhaps I could teach them sometime.
Eating half of my own and placing the rest into a container for later, I stretch and smile wide at Pitaya Dragon. “All good?”
The dragon returns a subtle grin. “Yesss. Let usss go.”
With thanks to the innkeeper, Pitaya Dragon follows close behind as we step out of the pocket dimension of the inn into the jungle once more. Hot, humid air hits us instantaneously, the breeze doing little to help. Cicadas continue to fill any silence in between the birds and beasts of the wild yet remain unseen.
I squint at the brilliant sun in a sky as clear as water. “Geez, it’s almost noon already. I think the Hollyberry kingdom is tha— whoa—”
A tug on my arm yanks me from my thoughts. Pitaya Dragon takes hold of my arm to drag me behind the inn, putting my back against the wall and standing directly over me. They look down at me with a predatory look, venomous eyes staring into my very soul. Yet their hold on my arm is gentle, not there to hold me in place with force, but to keep my attention on them.
“P-Pitaya Dragon! What is it? What….”
The hand on my arm falls to my wrist with that same delicate touch, their other hand tracing my jawline to tilt my head up. My breath hitches in my throat. I’ve never been quite this close to them before. With this proximity, I can feel their hot breath on my face, line of sight completely absorbed by them, their perfect facial structure, enrapturing eyes. Blown-out white pupils flit down to my parted mouth as they dip their head just an inch closer, a single claw brushing the edge of my lower lip. They then move to cup my face in one hand, keeping my face towards them. With a mutter of one spine-tingling word, they close the gap at last.
The feeling of Pitaya Dragon’s lips on mine burns. The inside of my mouth tingles and sparks in a magical way. They release my wrist to brace against the stone wall, so I grip their shoulders to pull them back with me until there is hardly space on either side. Whatever searing pain was left in my chest explodes into a million dancing embers throughout every nerve in my body, burning brighter the longer I’m in their grasp. A rhythmic breeze kicks up with a quiet flutter of wings.
All too soon, Pitaya Dragon breaks the fiery kiss, leaving my lips smoldering for more. My hold on their shoulders loosens as I gradually become aware of just how hot my face has gotten. Pitaya Dragon looks down on me with an almost smug look, all too proud of themself.
“I never thought a human sssuch asss you,” they mutter, “could be ssso.. amusssing.” Their thumb strokes the side of my face gently.
“What..did you do?” My voice wavers just a little, barely above a whisper out of speechlessness. “What you said.. that was Dragontongue, wasn’t it?” Their cheeks flush slightly at my notice.
“Let’sss jussst sssay that from now on, you’ll have my protection.”
“Your protection?”
“Yesss. No matter where you are, where I am, I’ll do anything to keep you sssafe.”
“Anything…?” Not shy with grandiose gestures, are they? I give an awkward chuckle. “You make me feel like I’m special or something. Not that I mind, especially from a dragon like you.”
They press one more sizzling kiss to my lips before pulling us away from the wall again, turning us to the direction of our destination. “Thisss way isss the Hollyberry kingdom.”
Eyes sparkling in love-struck awe, I step close to my dragon to bump my shoulder against theirs. “Let’s go, then.”