Work Text:
Pitaya Dragon stumbled in the air as they flapped their wings against it. Despite the wind being completely calm and the sun shining upon them, it had been too long since the greenish-red dragon had tried flying. Moving their wings was instinctive, of course; they would still keep their muscles working—but flying was another thing. Especially when it meant they would have to stabilize their body accordingly for a smooth flight.
And their mate right next to them didn't exactly help, choosing to laugh about their lack of flying skills rather than actually reach out.
They were just a few feet above the ground! They wouldn't even get tickled at this height if they were to fall.
"Could you ssstop laughing out of your assss for a sssecond?" They groaned and landed on the ground, scoffing and crossing their arms.
Ananas Dragon wiped off an imaginary tear and rolled their eyes.
"Don't be a baby. You look quite pathetic for me not to react. It is a legitimate expression."
"I haven't flown in yearsss." Pitaya Dragon growled out, their tail wagging like a rattling snake. "They didn't exactly allow me to spread my wingssss in the chambersss and then ssshot my wing as if it wasssn't enough. Do I have to remind you of that?" They tilted their head and smirked. "Are you too old to remember?"
Ananas Dragon's got caught up in their throat before they coughed and moved a paw up to cover their mouth. They cleared their throat in advance before speaking.
"No need to make this sour." They said with a composed voice. "You currently have your wings. You should remember how to use them as soon as possible."
Pitaya Dragon flapped their wings and slowly flew up again, their feet only rising one meter off the ground as they flexed their tail to stabilize their balance. It had been such a long time since they had had their wings taken away from them. Even while escaping the confinement, there was a balance problem, but their instincts to escape had taken over, and the adrenaline had them flying away. Now, with their wings fully returned to them and no adrenaline to feed from, they sucked up air into their lungs and tried to remember what they were supposed to do. They tilted their head up from where they were looking at the ground and turned to Ananas Dragon, who was inspecting their posture as they were flying beside the greenish-red dragon as well.
"You are much quieter than ussssual."
Ananas Dragon snapped back from where they were focused and crossed their arms.
"I couldn't possibly help you with this. I shouldn't. You'll need to figure it out yourself."
"Why? You alwaysss tell me how to do thingsss."
"Well, this is personal." Ananas Dragon pointed at them with their pointy finger overall. "I do not have any business in this, even if I am your mate."
Pitaya landed on the ground carefully and fully turned to the other, raising an eyebrow.
"That doesssn't anssswer me. What isss the actual reassson? You being quiet issss weird to me."
Ananas Dragon landed as well, curling their wings behind them.
"It isn't that complicated." They hummed. "Every dragon has a different way to fly. Fast, slow, loud, and quiet are some of those ways. You know these."
"Well…" Pitaya Dragon grumbled and rubbed the back of their neck. "It had been a while sssince I sssaw another dragon. And not flying didn't really help me, so I—forgot." They looked at the ground, their eyes suddenly growing distant. "That—doesssn't make me lessss of a dragon, right? Not—again." They didn't mean for their voice to sound so sad, but it still came out pained.
"Is this because I told you that you were not a dragon with that wing when I first got you into my nest?" Ananas Dragon raised an eyebrow.
"I know I ssshouldn't be ssssad over it. I am not sssupposssed to be. I am a dragon—" Their voice was soon cut off by Ananas Dragon's paw on their chin, lifting their head up.
"You are a dragon." They said. "Hold that label with pride, because that is what we are. I remember what I said, but if your prideful spirit is shaken by a proclamation I made, then you'll have to rethink your choices."
"You are jusssst ssssaying that because I am more important to you now." Pitaya Dragon pulled away, scoffing.
"Are you implying that I thought of you as important only after we have become mates?"
Pitaya Dragon shrugged.
"You are mistaken." Ananas Dragon sighed. "I had admitted to caring about you before. And I have spent days and nights taking care of your state. I do not understand how my care only comes through after we had put a label on this."
"I know you care." Pitaya Dragon mumbled, crossing their arms as their tail curled around their leg. "I am trying to not think about it. But—it had been monthssss. Why do I care about what thossse cookiessss did to me sssstill? I am trying to be prideful and—and ssstrong but I feel like they took my pride. I left myssself in that chamber."
"Those are battle scars. We dragons always have them." Ananas Dragon stood there, staring at Pitaya Dragon's state. The way their eyes darkened, this gaze becoming distant as the seconds passed.
"Thessse are not jussst battle ssscarssss. I didn't fight with pride. I just ssscreamed for help and I lossst my dignity. My—what made me, me."
"And no one was there…" Ananas Dragon looked away, their hand tightening into fists as they sighed out. "There is no way for us to fix the past and reverse this, but I know something for a fact."
Pitaya Dragon tilted their head up, looking at the golden dragon. They raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"You are still the most impossible and annoying dragon I have ever met."
Pitaya Dragon opened their mouth, raised a finger as their tail uncurled from their leg, and prepared to yell. Yet, they halted. Then, they slowly crossed their arms again, closing their mouth and sighing.
"I would kick your assss for that, but I guesssss ssssomethingssss never change. And being a pain in your assss issss alwayssss interessssting."
Ananas Dragon glanced up and down at them before they coughed and placed their hands on their hip, looking away as their tail softly moved side to side.
"Well, I did love a dragon whose head is too hot."
Pitaya Dragon was too quiet beside them before the greenish-red dragon leaped and looped an arm around Ananas Dragon's waist, their tail moving to tangle around Ananas Dragon's tail.
"Did you just ssssay you loved me?"
Ananas Dragon grimaced and leaned their body away from Pitaya Dragon for a moment, a low growl coming from the back of their throat.
Or was it a purr?
"You are demonstrating how much of a nuisance you are."
"I don't care." Pitaya Dragon chuckled and patted Ananas Dragon's chin to make the golden dragon look at them, which the golden dragon complied with.
Leaning up, they let your lips meet. Only for Ananas Dragon to fully shift their body and wrap their arms around Pitaya Dragon's waist as well, keeping them close as they deepened the kiss.
When they pulled back, both of their foreheads were resting against each other, softly breathing and allowing a moment of clarity.
"Do you wish to keep practicing today?"
"Hmm, no. I think I would rather ssstay here right now than to worry about my flight."
"We should go to your den, then. It would be comfortable."
Pitaya Dragon hummed and subtly nodded.
"Ssssure. But you'll have to make sssspace for yourssself. Your giftssss kind of filled half of my ssspace."
"I'll do that. It has been a while since I visited your nest."
"Right…About a week."
"Too long." Ananas Dragon said as they leaned in to kiss their mate again.
Ananas Dragon carefully combed their hair and tied it into a ponytail before they straightened up and took a look at their scales. Everything seemed great and shiny. Just as they had always been.
Flapping their wings to fly out, they soon landed on the floor and started to walk towards the top of the mountain, where they knew Pitaya Dragon's nest was. It was weird to have two dragon nests being so close to each other, but they were already supposed to have a nest together if they were mates. The tradition worked quite differently than what they were doing.
Climbing the hill, they landed on top of the mountain and looked around, and their eyes widened.
"I didn't know you renovated this place." They mumbled, taking Pitaya Dragon's attention from where they were placing something into their hoard.
"Well, I did get some ssstuff from your cookiessss." They hummed and opened their arms. "Welcome back to my nessst!"
The nest had actual lightbulbs lining in a triangle shape, allowing light in the middle of the night despite their night vision. Sure, they saw everything in one colour with different shades, and the light actually worked better, but it was still something ordinary that had Ananas Dragon halting in their tracks. There were some big leaves on the floor, clean and brushed as if Pitaya had actually yanked them all paw by paw and cleaned them thoroughly. Besides all of that, the mountain now had little holes in it, and every one of Ananas Dragon's gifts was inside them.
"You got all of these under a week? All by yourself?" They asked, stepping further and standing right in front of what they deemed as the entrance.
"Well, mosssstly. I did go to the mango cookiessss for ssstuff."
Ananas Dragon nodded, suddenly feeling out of place and that they weren't supposed to be here.
"And I am—allowed in? This looks so delicate for me, as I think I'll ruin it."
"You won't." Pitaya Dragon rolled their eyes. "I'll make sssure you don't. Come on in!"
Sighing, the golden dragon followed Pitaya Dragon and hesitantly walked towards their nest, making sure that not even a step disturbed the leaves below them. The lights gave a warm sight, and the nest—
"Did you grab more of my blankets?"
Pitaya Dragon coughed and looked away for a second.
"You have a cave full of them. Ssso, yess."
Ananas Dragon let out another deep sigh and walked up to the nest, carefully climbing in and looking up at Pitaya Dragon.
"You have a lot of my stuff here. Will you bring your stuff when you fly back to your original den?"
That had Pitaya stopping for a moment, and they walked up to the nest as well and sat down.
"Well, about that…" They avoided their eyes. "Remember when I sssaid we'll eventually need to find a nessst for usss? Together?"
"Oh." Ananas Dragon mumbled, crossing their legs under them. "I did change my opinion on that. I would fly to find a new den with you."
"What about the cookiesss here?"
"We'll find our den somewhere close to here. Dragons Valley isn't that far from my island either. We can find a middle space."
"I wouldn't want to be away from what usssed to be my den either." Pitaya Dragon nodded, then slumped on Ananas Dragon's chest. Taking the golden dragon by surprise as they settled there.
"You are eager today," Ananas Dragon said, carefully adjusting them in their hold.
"Don't call me out." The greenish-red dragon rolled their eyes. "I am jusssst getting comfortable."
"On your mate, that is."
"On my mate. Issss there a different place for me to go anyway?"
"No," Ananas Dragon blanketed them around their wings. "No, there is not."