Working at a gas station in the middle of nowhere is always a fun time, you see people from every neck or the woods. Tourists who got lost trying to find a city and 'american roads are too complicated.' Farmers whose children need a pick me up after work or school, and of course just random travelers who simply need a cup or gas and get some cigarettes.

Yet you still had a regular, someone who always came by and ordered the same things. A pack of cigarettes, a 6 pack of some sort of beer, and always a lighter.

"... You loose these often?" You tried to joke,

"..." Of course there was always silence with this man. A hunter most likely, the way his knuckles bruise and are covered in red crimson colour.

"... Your total is 23.76." You spoke, your feet shifting awkwardly as he pulled out cash, the cotton feeling on your hands as you sigh, two 20's. Well, at least he didn't seem to mind checking the bills. "Ah," you pause for a second.

The golden ink on the bill turning a harsh black colour on the paper, a fake 20. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but this is fake."

The man paused with a second, he let out a soft sigh of annoyance as he rubbed his nose; he pulled out another bill, "Try this one." He gruffed out, probably annoyed about some other sketchy gas station giving a fake 20.

"If you're going to that touristy ghost town, you should probably be careful." You spoke up softly, as you checked the 20. Perfect, the marked bill stayed gold. "The man that runs it has... Has history of being violent with fake bills." You warned, you handed the man the change. His hands still insanely warm. Almost like a forest stuck between rain and heat.

"... Thanks for the warning." He huffed out, he quickly went back to his truck. You let out a soft sigh and frowned. He was so quiet and rough, though you guess all hunters are like that.

🌹

The drive was silent with Tim and Toby, Brian had another mission somewhere else. Toby kept biting his lip and jerking his head towards the side of the door. "Y... Click. You shou- click click." Toby tried to speak.

Tim tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his hands bruising and turning a white colour. He stared at the endless road. The whispers of 'turn behind you', 'behind you' 'look behind you.' ringing loudly in his ear. "I should what?" He questioned.

"Should click click click," Toby huffed out as his head jerked a little too far, reopening his scared cut up cheek. The smell of iron and infection hitting Tim's nose, a stark reminder how much he found Toby to be a disgrace fuck that causes nothing but problems. "Should tal-talk with them." Toby huffed out.

"Boy you better fix that." Tim spoke causing Toby to sigh as he opened his phone, something that BEN ghost gave him. "Nth click click click." Toby hissed out as he kept jerking his head to the side.

Whatever, Tim had more important things.

🌹

Tim watched as you finally went back to the gas station, you're finally switching shifts. The way you waved to your coworker making his blood run cold. Why were you so friendly? Especially in the middle of nowhere America.

The way your hands were covered with other people's touch, the way you smiled at everyone and made conversation with the stupidest of men. The way you had to fix everything in that gas station. The manager there was a failure of a man, what kinda of man couldn't even fix a lightbulb?

It unnerved Tim, it unnerved Tim of how weak you were. You haven't even noticed him, you would get yourself killed one of these days.

No you wouldn't, not while Tim was around. Not while he's seen the way maggots crawl on dead flesh, not the way he's seen the light fade from the eyes of men and women. He couldn't risk you, your softness being tainted with black flesh and black liquid.

🌹

It was a rough shift for you today, a creepy old man decided to leave his tact at the door. His hand touching your arm as he spoke out the words 'Cmon, how much do I gotta for a kiss?'

It was disgusting and disturbing but you knew your manager wasn't going to do anything about it, why would he? He could barley clean the toilets without puking everywhere. He also couldn't even handle the register breaking.

"Is this area known for that?" The man hissed, the cigarette man. Your regular. "Ah, well." You pause, before you shook your head and smiled at the man with the side burns. Hoping maybe you could calm him down, that you could hope he won't have a negative review.

"He's just joking. Really." The man paused as he sighed and rubbed his nose, irritation clearly building up even more. "You know what, your cigarettes are on me tonight. Sorry you had to see that."

The man paused before he let out a soft huff. "Really?" You paused, shit. That probably was the wrong thing to say. "Well, yeah," You chuckled dryly.

He stared at you, before nodding. Before handing you a 20 and you giving the man the change.

🌹

Tim sighed as he lit one of the cigarettes that you've given him. The way the smoke filled up his lungs, the way it made him forget for a just a second about the voices in his head.

"click click click." Toby ticked, his hands jerking up toward the fire of the body they were burning. The red, the orange, the smell of burning flesh. The reminder of how humans scream in agony and scream from black smoke filling up his lungs. "Y-you mu- click click click, you murder for click click. For them now?" Toby asked.

「 ananas dragon cookie 」

⟢ unlike pitaya dragon, ananas does not feel the need to perform over-the-top jamshed to show off and win your favor. rather, ananas earnestly believes that the simple act of them choosing you as their mate should qualify as proof enough that they love you. after all, they’ve lowered themself to be your lover, a sacrifice of pride. you should be honored. a truly great dragon does not need to prove their worth to anybody.

⟢ their way of giving gifts is rather unorthodox. they don’t go out of their way to find something you like, per se, instead they offer you one of their shiny golden scales. they cherish them quite a lot, and see the act of sharing them as the ultimate affection. should you ever request a specific item in particular, they will go out to fetch it themself on their own time, likely when you’re asleep so you won’t notice their absence.

⟢ you live a very spoiled life as their mate. despite their outward attitude, they truly do adore you, and dote on you in their own way. you will only have the finest garments, the finest accommodations, the finest food, and the finest company (which is them, of course). anything less is a crime. anything less is blasphemous.

⟢ they do want you to be comfortable in your new home, but for a while they do not leave your side at all. they are overbearing in their need to be present in all areas of your life. they slumber next to you, curled around your form, always subconsciously alert of threats. this behavior never quite eases up, especially if they are paranoid about trouble happening on the island.

⟢ trust is vital to ananas, so they expect you to have unwavering and unquestioning faith in them. “in my domain, there is only one law. my will.” they assert boldly. their word is absolute, any suggestion otherwise is an insult to their pride. since they believe so deeply that they know what’s best, they aren’t willing to listen to your word about it. your opinions are cute, really, but they mean little to ananas.

⟢ cookies are fleeting. impermanent. ananas knows this loss intimately, for they fear it every day. this only fuels their delusions of protecting you from unseen threats, no matter how small they may be. little things become large catastrophes in their mind. oh, as far as they’re concerned, everything is out to get you! you don’t know any better, of course. that’s why you need your mate to guide you.

⟢ ananas has the need to always be standing behind you/slightly in front of you. sometimes they want to loom over you, signaling to others that you’re under their care. cookies may approach you if they dare, but they will be monitoring the conversations closely. any sign of ill intent from strangers results in immediate scolding, or worse, swift retaliation. however, ananas likes to position themselves above “petty violence.”

⟢ they preen under any praise you give them, chest puffing out as their ego swells another size. you think they’re strong? you think they’re noble? of course you do, every cookie does. but it does mean more coming from the tongue of their mate, knowing you find aspects of them praise worthy and pleasing. maybe they do crave just a bit of your validation, at the end of the day.

⟢ they share their songs and customs with you. it makes you all the more connected to their home, like you’ve always been a part of it. truthfully, it’s a boost to their pride when you begin to adopt their way of life (whether willingly or not).

⟢ grief at your new way of life is to be expected. ananas doesn’t understand it, because in their eyes, you should be grateful. they give you everything, do they not? they cherish you, protect you, keep you warm and healthy, don’t they? you dare spit in the face of a dragon’s love with your little tantrums? it’s insolent. punishments consist of isolation in your shared nest. they wait out your fits, asking rather pointedly, “are you finished?”

⟢ puts in shocking amounts of effort to appear more presentable to you. you’ve noticed their scales are shinier, their wings are spread wide and confidently, their armor is free of any grime—they want to look as good as possible, not only for onlookers, but for you.

⟢ escape is not possible; you’re trapped on their island. ananas is not amused at any attempts to do so. the villagers would be wary of helping you, knowing you’re the mighty one’s mate. ocean surrounds you. there’s nowhere on this piece of land they have not laid eyes on, and there’s no part of it they would not scour in search of you. they enlist the help of their islanders as well. the most time you could spend “free” of them would be about an hour, before somebody eventually happens upon you. they have a unique way of making you feel guilty for wanting to leave, framing it as the ultimate betrayal. from then on, any little freedoms you’ve earned are revoked, and they’re at your side constantly.

⟢ whenever ananas is having a conversation with you, they wrap you up and encase you in their wings, wanting to be the center of your world in that moment.

⟢ they have the tendency to leave bite marks as a claim. everybody already knows you belong to them, but they enjoy the action of doing it more then they’d like to admit. your thighs and shoulders are their main and favorite targets.