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Aurora’s talon hovered lazily atop the empty parchment, a quill was clutched in between her claws. She tried shifting her into a comfier position, shift her tail, rest her head, but there was no solace as her eyes still gazed upon the empty sheet of paper; a testament to another night of no results.
Frustration, perhaps a diluted form of her helplessness, plagued her every tought as she laid her writing utensil to rest. She breathed in and stretched her lungs in an atempt to appease her nerves and untense her muscles.
This is a waste of time, she wailled to herself as the air escaped her chest in a single defeated sigh. Aurora reached her pen-nib to wrap up for the day as she felt herself instinctively crumple up the paper just as she did with countless others, except this one was still blank. And of paper, she thought bitterly before introducing it to the rest of the family: A large, ever growing pile of paper, ink and sorrow.
The dragoness spent the past week trying to write something for her new song but not even Borealis’ help was enough, no matter how much she put her mind into the process, nothing came out of it. Aurora grabed a pillow and put it against her snout as she muffled a high pitched scream of sheer frustration. She honestly felt like crying, but the mental image of that scene made her cringe.
Crreeeaaak.
She lifted her head in time to catch the door outside creak open as a cold breeze invaded her room. The sound was off putting, for a moment she felt like a dragonet again, afraid of being alone in the dark— scared she may not be alone in the dark. Get it together, Aurora told herself with a few reassuring slaps to her temples, drooping her weight off the bed and stepped towards the balcony, what would your fans think of this mess.
Her talons lingered on the mahogany handle, moonlight poured in trough the stained glass door, painting her light scales a cooler shade o blue. Aurora looked outside for a moment and twisted the wooden knob, she reasoned a breath of fresh air could only do good...
The cool night wind swept trough her scales, her nostrils flared as she took in a breath of the arid air of the Dungeon Isle. The sky was especially bright, the stars dotted the vast blue above, illuminated by the two moons that stood side by side. She looked down at her talons, a warm uneven light rose and fell as the torchlights flickered, the railing of her deck on the other talon, was a unusual tone of green, faint but, uncanningly familiar, almost as if— Wait…
“You are glowing, by the way.” Aurora said curtly, shooting a side-glance back the way she came, just in time to spot a peculiar yet intimate acquaintance of hers.
“Ack! You are the WORST!” Platypus exclaimed, clawing lightly at the floor. “Why are you even paying attention to what’s behind you? Were you taking lessons in paranoia with Snakeroot or something? Gah you are SO annoying!”
“Yeah yeah, I love you too, Plappy,” Aurora said, giggling as Platypus bolted towards her, trying to smack her snout. “I’m just messing with you, dork, c’mere!”
Aurora ducked around one of her blows and pulled Platypus into a tight hug. “Do NOT call me that again if you wish to keep that pretty face of your poison-less,” she said before touching her forehead with her friend’s. “Long time no see, I missed you.”
“You say that everytime we see each other,” Aurora pointed out, chest vibrating as she cooed silently.
“It’s true every time,” Platypus said, flicking one talon at her nose. “Dork.”
“Ow,” Aurora said unconvincingly. “Can’t say I feel the same after such and egregious offense, it’s no wonder Beryl wanted a menace like you behind bars.”
“Ha! That cranky old hag wanted me beyond the grave,” Platypus claimed triumphantly as she put one talong to her chest in a dignified manner. “But alas, Platypus of the wildwings lives and plans to keep doing so! Take that, Beryl!”
Platypus’s ironclad performance somehow managed to get a chuckle out of Aurora’s gullet, her spirit is truly indomitable, she thought.
Aurora was most pleased by Platypus’ surprise appearance, she loved having her around, especially after the past the gruelling tribulations of the past few days.
Her icy spines lowered as her new guest put her wings around Aurora’s back. She’s warm, she thought, unconsciously leaning more into her, not by much, tough, Platypus was strong but nevertheless slightly smaller than the icewing-skywing hybrid, a difference hard to spot at first glance, expecially with how large Platypus’ felt with her chaotic energy.
Something weird was taking a piece of Aurora’s mind though, the tension she felt just a while ago returned for seemingly no reason; it was weaker, yes, but still present. Except this time it felt… diferent, the sensation reminded her of flying really high in the sky, and a memory from her time as a dragonet invaded her thoughts. It was of when she and Borealis used to sneak out their parent’s room to soar trough the night unsupervised; one time, they were competing to see who could get higher before giving up, oh how much of a sore loser Aurora was, by the time she realized her brother have given up, she was already high enough to see the borders of the island.
The sight was breathtaking, at first figuratively, but quickly turned literal as she started feeling lightheaded, moments before her limp body started loosing altitude. To Aurora, this moment felt like that one, except it thankfully fared on the lower end of the “near death scenario” scale.
“You alright over there?” Platypus asked with a concerned tone, suddenly taking notice of how erratic her breathing was. Her talon was also on top of Platypus’ own, clutching it as if it searched for solace in her dull brown scales. “We talkin’ or you want me to rattle an answear out of you?” she continued, tapping one of her claws in Aurora's forehead.
“Oh dear, please don't mind this ragged old brain of mine,” She said, distancing the wildwing's talon. “Just… thinking, nothing to worry.”
“Well I have NEVER worried for nothing, if I'm worried it's always within reason so you better start talking,” Platypus said. “And by the way, you are NOT old, because if you are old I'm old plus one, and if you think so we are gonna have a BIG problem right now—”
“Noted,” Aurora said, putting a talon over her mouth, wich she immediately pulled back as Platypus tried to bite them off, much like a wild animal. “Freak.”
Aurora fell silent for a heartbeat trying to recall the subject, slowly she opened her mouth but hesitated. She felt so warm in her friend’s embrace, and her scales were just so… tender, soft, caring.
Aurora’s thoughts raced to catch up as the silence got more and more ankward until her gaze feel on Platypus’ eyes for a long, unending while. The moment she saw Platypus’ brigh green eyes extended far beyond reason, she felt caught in a trance, trapped under her dazzling glare. By the sparrow of the wilds, her mind stammered, she is… that path of thought never found an end, she felt like wandering for just a bit longer.
Much to Aurora’s dismay, however, the dragoness had to quickly stash that unusual though for later unpacking as a gust of wind closed her eyes shut and multiple specs of dust and sand tried to make their way past her eyelids.
“Ack! Alright balcony time is over, let's go inside.” Aurora said teary-eyed, hushing her friend inside with her wings before going in herself and promptly closing her doors with a noticeable thud. “Wild stars, wind-epoch arrived more spiteful than ever”
“Heh, yeah, I taught it a thing or two, not that a pacifist like you would get it.” Platypus said.
Aurora roled her eyes, trying to hide the shy smile that crept up her cheek. Platypus’ only answear to the exagerated display of annoyance was an intense scowl, followed by hurried talonsteps as she crept up to Aurora’s bed and made herself very comfortable among the cushion, almost relishing in the fact they did not belong to her.
“Ahh, much better,” Platypus said blissfully. “I should totally steal your bed sometime.”
“You should get a job,” Aurora stated, tossing a pillow up her snout. “I will confer with the triuvirate sometime tomorrow or the day after, I believe they’d be eager to give you a small token of gratitude. You did a lot for them after all.”
“Excuse me, are you paying attention? I want your bed, not some random and uninteresting queenly sleeping spot,” The wildwing answeared after perking up to catch the pillow and setting it aside. “And don’t act like you are the only one with influenec ‘round here, Monarch loves me so much I’m pratically her right-hand dragon slash royal advisor, and talking about Royal, he is totally hooked on me as well so get of your high perch.”
“Pfffft! Royal? Hooked on you?” Aurora raised her eyebrows, amused, before lying on the ground next to her bed. “What’s next, Taipan is madly in love with Mulberry?”
“I’m serious dammit!” Platypus branded, ruffling her wings in annoyance. “DEAD serious! You should’ve seen the stupid in his face when we are in the same tower, no less in the same room! It has DOUBLE the usual stupid, wich is already too much I’ll tell you that much.”
“Alright alright, even if Royal really did manage to become even more pitiful than he already is, what is your plan here? Marry the numskull to get princess treatment?” The hybrid asked teasingly, she was sure the dragoness would divebomb the barrier more times than she had talons before even thinking about dating any of the drakes from Taipan’s old gang. “If you want my bed so bad we can share y’know, no need to humiliate yourself like that.”
“I am NOT marrying that long-snouted fly for brains piece of—” Platypus cut herself mid sentence, using the moment to take a deep breath, the angry kind of deep breaths, her talons clutched the fabric so hard Aurora heard a muffled tearing noise. “Not at all interested in dating that newt, and I most certainly don’t like him.”
Platypus looked away as she finished that sentence. Aurora wasn’t one for bragging but if there was something she considerend herself an expert in was voice, and it was nigh impossible for her to miss the slight emphasis on the “him” part.
They know each other for as long as they remember, she was clever, but terrible at keeping secrets. Aurora’s eyes narrowed her way. “Him?” she blurted quietly. “So there is someone you like?” The wildwing looked back for just a second, face lit in an almost-pink reddish hue.
“What are you TALKIN’ about— WHAT? What are you even LOOKING at!” Platypus stumbled over her words and hid her face in a pillow. ”Look elsewhere you weirdly— weird— j-just shut up already!”
An uncomfortable silence lingered…
…
“Wild stars, you do.”
Her only answear was long drawn-out groan, refusing to meet her friend’s gaze. It wasn’t a no, so Aurora guessed it meant a yes of some kind
“By the northern lights you have to tell me everything.”
She groaned again but with a much raspier intonation, that one was definitly a no.
“Aww come ooon, Platy,” Aurora said, bounding up the bed and laying besides the wildwing, she nudged her back and forth trying to get some kind of reaction. “You know I won’t tease you— Actually, no, that’s an ugly lie, but I promise I’ll keep it between the two of us! Just give me something to work with, is it a he, she or they? Do I know them? Moons above, it’s not Borealis, right?”
“Absolutely not!” Platypus squeak as her voice cracked, finally looking up from her snout prision while panting silently.
Aurora didn’t press on, it’d be wiser to let Platypus speak by her own means, everyone knew trying to coerce her was a fool’s errand.
They both looked at each other’s eyes again, wich they would stay on for longer if Platypus hadn’t manage to shift her gaze away to a loose string behind her, she covered her snout behind the green glow of her wings.
“No offense to Borealis, anyway…” She hushed.
“None taken,” Aurora said, touching the wildwing’s wingtip with her own. “If it serves you well, I’m pretty sure he isn’t into dragonesses anyway.”
Platypus snickered a short giggle deep in her throat before falling silent again.
“She.” Platypus blurted.
“Hm?”
”You asked me if it was a he, she or they,” she continued. “It’s a she, happy?”
“Very much so,” Aurora said, smilling. “Not so hard, is it?”
“Don’t test your luck, miss,” Platypus hissed and reached her tail over to Aurora’s, who glady twined them.
“You know I love testing boundaries.” She responded with the sweetest tone she could muster. “Have you asked her out yet?”
The wildwing shook her head. “Nay… I-I have no idea how to bring it up, I’m afraid it will mess things up— I’m afraid I will mess things up.”
Aurora let out an amused breath. “Girl, your whole deal is making a mess everywhere you go. If you two are friends already then you need to mess up exceptionally hard to scare her away, like ‘treat her like Beryl’ hard.”
“Sheesh, you really think so?” Platypus said
Aurorareached over and cupped her head with one of her talons. “Wholly sure.”
A shy smile washed over Platypus’ phosporecent scales, which radiated a comforting warmth. “Even if she likes my messy nature I don’t think my, uhm… ‘lack of experience’ is part of the package, chaotic is one thing, but I have zero idea of how to do anything related to dating, what am I even suposed to do if she realizes I don’t know how to do all that sappy ramance things like… Holding talons or kissing and stuff, I’ve never even done that.”
“That’s not a problem, you’ll learn it as— wait, you never what?” Aurora blinked, mouth agape.
“Ye’ you heard me alright, Platypus the wildwing has zero game, who would’ve thought.”
“I actually wouldn’t,” Aurora offered. “That counts for something, right?”
Platypus sighed. “I guess so.”
“Hey, no need to get all miserably, it’s not that big of a deal.” Aurora begun, shifting into a more comfortable position.
“For starters, all of this lovey dovey sappy stuff is the kind of thing you learn by stumbling trough, and that’s fine! There’s a first time for anything, I’m sure this dragoness of yours will understand.” She continued, shooting Platypus’ an encouraging glare. “And if she doesn’t then that’s on her, because you, my dear friend, is the most awesome phosporecent dragon this whole island has ever fucking seen, never forget that, you dork.” Aurora finished, hitting her on the shoulder with a afective talon bump.
“Heh, aight’, look in the mirror and remind myself of how awesome I am, got it.” Platypus said, rubbing the spot were Aurora hit her
“That’s the spirit.”
“So, I guess that means I should stop worrying about kissing as well…?” Platypus asked.
“I would say so, yes...” Aurora answeared, a bit unsure. She meant it, no one had be a decent kisser for the relationship to go well, being a good partner was obviously more important, but she also knew how unpleasant a bad kiss was, and the first was almost by definition bad. Doing it for real in your first time, her mind echoed, yeah, that sounds scary alright.
Suddenly, the best of ideas popped in her head, and Platypus noticed an idea was brewing on her head and perked her ears up, curious.
“…Or… you could learn it right now!” Aurora exclaimed.
“What? Now?” The wilding tilted her head, looking confused. “How?”
“You can practice it with me, airhead—”
Platypus tossed a pillow right up Aurora’s muzzle before she could properly finish her sentece. “Not by the falling skies!” she thundered out loud.
“Ah, Platy, come on now,” Aurora started, grasping the pillow against her chest. “I’m just trying to help your ass out, no need to offend my honor.”
“You can’t just tell me to kiss you and not expect me to freak ou!”
“Well, I wasn’t expecting you’d be of the prudish type, by your reaction you’d think I said we should go to town on each other and— AW— ‘Ay! I’m just messing wit’ya! Cut the violence at once!” The hybrid managed to blurt while laughing and shielding herself from Platypus, who was almost completly red and repeatedly trying to whack her (she guessed the red meant more “angry” than “flustered” this time around.)
“You— are— SO— lucky— I’m— not— allowed— to— POISON— ANYONE— anymore!” Platypus said as her rampage slowly faded. Promptly after, she turned her spiky back. ”Else I’d bite your face off right now.”
“You know you can bite someone’s face off without injecting your venom, right?” Her only response to that information was an indignant huff, if she had firebreath she’d certainly have filled the whole room with smoke already
“Hey now…” Aurora said as she aproached Platypus and hugged her from behind, nuzzling her neck. “Sorry for making you uncomfortable, I didn’t mean to make things weird.”
Platypus sighed, still mildly flushed. “You didn’t, it’s just I… you caught me very off-guard, that’s all.”
“Yeah, I figured that much.”
They stayed that way for a while… Aurora wasn’t sure how much time had passed, most likely just a few minutes, she reasoned, but up there it felt a lot longer, like the air got viscous, almost honey-like. It wasn’t really ankward as much as it was tense, something just beneath the surface neither dared to address, and so silent they remained. Aurora didn’t mind it as much as she hoped she hadn’t gone too far, maybe that was why her legs felt like jam.
“Aurora…?” Platypus asked solemly with the softest of voices. Aurora hummed and lifted her head to meet Platypus’, who glanced back reluctantly. “…I think…” She didn’t finish, looking unsure of her next move.
The wildwing took a look around the room, like she was searching something, and took a deep breath. “I-I think I want to try i-it.” She managed to blurt out with a voice crack right at the end.
“Okay, but… are you sure?” Aurora asked back. “I’m still down of course, but I want to make sure I’m not pressuring you.”
Platypus seemed to hesitate for a moment, but continued.
“Yes,” She said. “I’m sure”
“Turn around, then.”
She did so immediately, no longer maintaining eye contact, Aurora never saw her friend behave in such a timid manner, wich she found quite… endearing. Platypus’ striped wings radiated a cold but vivid verdant glow that, aided by the warm torchlight, illuminated her sinuous body.
Aurora reached her talons to cup her face and trailed it all the way to Platypus’ chin as she lifted her head ever so gently, and they shared another drawn out gaze. Out the corners of her view, Aurora noticed the wildwing’s scales shifted from their usual brown hue to a slightly warmer shade of pink. The fire reflected off her eyes and danced around her turquoise iris.
Her whole figure, from the tail that twined her own, the wings and stripes that brushed Aurora’s, and her beautiful, beautiful face a mere talons-lenght away… Aurora tought the only moment in her life she would fill as much awe as she felt that moment was when she stared down an Aurora Borealis with her two on eyes. And she was right, except her Aurora Borealis stared back.
“R-Ready…?” she managed to blurt out. Platypus didn’t respond, instead she gently laid one claw where Aurora’s neck meet her shoulders and another besides her cheek. With half opened eyelids, a last exchange was made, and Aurora felt herself closing in, Platypus followed.
Time appeared to stop while she still felt her heart pound and pound and pound and… She felt the contact of their, oh how soft they were, like being embraced the woven silk. Aurora didn’t think while her wings went around the dragon in front of her and pulled her closer, the moment she did her tongue parted the chasm between the two dragonesses and made it’s way inside.
Platypus didn’t appear to fully grasp what she was doing but neither could care less as Aurora explore every nook and crany of the dragonesses mouth, who sloppily did the same inside Aurora’s own. Her hands trailed all around Platypus’ leathery but tender chest wich grumbled as she moaned slightly in mouth.
By the stars, were it not for Aurora’s breath that runned thin, that moment would have lasted for the rest of eternity. Feeling her lungs asking for air, she reluctantly parted ways and let her tongue leave Platypus’ mouth as both gasped for air in heavy, humid breaths. A single string of saliva trailed from one mouth to another
Aurora could not BARE to break the trance she felt stuck in, there was nothing that could make her leave the state she found herself in when she looked down at the wildwing’s face and her tongue lolled in the air before going back inside as she shuddered in another breath and tried to speak. “S-So…” she blurted in between her pants, wich Aurora felt in the rising and faling of her chest. “D-Did I do w-well?”
She didn’t respond, instead, she lifted her talons from her chest, held the sides of her face and pulled her in for another kiss. Her mind barely registered her actions, every move felt instinctual, how her tongue danced inside, the rocking they did back and forth, the way her body shivered as Platypus’ explored her body just like she just moments ago. Wild stars, Aurora thought in a small burst of conscience when she pulled away for an instant, just to catch her breath, before she went back in again, her senses overrun by all the heat built up inside her, I think…
I think I’m in love.
The morning after...
Platypus looked over toward the sunlight that refracted all around Aurora’s room, trying to catch a glimpse of the sun itself, managing to do so but only barely. It was not too long past sunrise, the signature orange shades from the morning faded and allowed hints of light blue to shine through.
She looked down at her long time crush, her forehead rested on her cheast along with one of her talons, the other had it’s claws interwined with Platypus’ own. She is so cute, she tought with redded cheeks, pulling her just a bit closer with her wings. She felt her tail still interwined fervously with hers.
If she had to bet, Platypus would have said this was the happiest moment in her entire life.
“Hmmmm.” Aurora grumbled as her chest vibrated and she sifted slightly, but never once pulling away.
“What is it, beautiful?” Platypus asked softly, craning her neck towards her head and licking her affectivelly.
Aurora giggled in the cutest way possible, the wildwing was sure she would melt on the spot if she did that again.
“You just gave me the best inspiration of my entire music carrer.”