Rising Like a Phoenix

He looked at the size. It was large, terrifyingly so. He'd seen dragons while with Newt but somehow Tom was larger than even them. Still to prideful though for his tastes.

"It is easier said than done, Tom. While I said it was easier, it still will be tough. Not impossible but just will take a while. The idea is finding someone similar to your guise, copy them and make it come as an illusion that can come and go without error or you leaving giant footprints behind you with each step. An illusion is simple, a guise is complex."

He also had a bargaining chip in hand. "In return, I would like a favor, a favor I can call on at any time. And yes, I know that it's madness to bargain but.. well, we both know I am at death's door, I probably smell often more like poison than a person. I help you and you help me and it will either benefit you as well or just be another day for you."

"Indeed~," Tom's voice reverberated from somewhere deep within his core. "What do you know? Death has never been the end. It is transformation and that is exactly where I'm standing now."

Hot smoke steamed from his nose as his impenetrable large black scaled body nearly blended within the shadows. He would need a guise before daylight. "I have until dawn," he rolled in statement. "That is if you want this city standing and not a place of history beneath my fire's ashes. You know I will be seen in my natural body. I'm bigger than three of these buildings all together and you know I will not go down easy. If need be I will burn everything. I'm sure you don't want that to all these innocent people."

Of course he had a favor in mind. Selfish humans who only cared about control. Tom was not one for open-ended favors and the thought of someone being able to control him on a word. That could become a very deadly game on both behalfs.

He sighs a long sigh. "Well, looks like I have to actually temporarily change you back into a human until I can gather the ingredients. Wish I was buying time but even the Polyjuice Potion is insane to make...

A guise? Maybe longer." *He looked at the dragon's eyes.* "If you want complicated, take the potion mentioned. I'd need fluxweed... picked during a full moon, would have to stir it for eighty minutes.. then leave it to brew for 24 hours. Starting to see the complication in your demands?"

Aurelius wondered if they passed each other sometime, or if they were strangers. The question made his stomach turn at the idea that Cain would think he was thirsty. "I.. I just don't get how you can do that so simply is all. Sorry for staring."

He reached up slowly to grab his shirt at his neck to pull him down with a force that made Aurelius stumble and fall in his lap. Cain chuckled quietly.

He shouldn't be afraid, but his inner trauma hinted even when pushed down. That this being was dangerous and could probably tear Aurelius in half and not give a second thought.

"A new guise? Hmmm I guess your guise became permanent while in human form. Fascinating." He rolls his eyes. He knew how to make one's self appear as another for an hour or so, but that was human not a dragon to a human. "I mean, I suppose I can learn. I know how but that is human to human, not a whole different species change." He pondered, slowly remembering the different spells he can use to help the dragon.

"I think .. you forget who I am," Tom's voice rolled in it's inhuman Dragon tone. "Did you really think death could stop me?" he asked, letting the tip of his talon tap against the delicate stone area of which they were standing. The talon alone would be longer than the human's entire body, razor sharp, just as the long exposed teeth.

Tom's horns, black as his scaled body almost glistened against the dim lighting, the only bit of camouflage to hide the enormous ancient creature from the world around it. Perhaps they would think he were part of the building.

His size would be deceiving, given it's almost awe inspiring limberness to crawl along that surface, shadowing what little light there was over Aurelius. Tom's core burned and rumbled deep, a sound as if the Earth was waking up and Aurelius might feel the ground beneath him begin to shake.

To Tom, this form felt fantastic; a freedom of who he really was .. after nearly two years. His wings itched to expand, take its needed flight and to light up the evening sky with a shower of flame.. but this was not the time nor the place. Tom had a million years on his age, he knew well how to wait and plan his future stake.

He looked at the size. It was large, terrifyingly so. He'd seen dragons while with Newt but somehow Tom was larger than even them. Still to prideful though for his tastes.

"It is easier said than done, Tom. While I said it was easier, it still will be tough. Not impossible but just will take a while. The idea is finding someone similar to your guise, copy them and make it come as an illusion that can come and go without error or you leaving giant footprints behind you with each step. An illusion is simple, a guise is complex."

He also had a bargaining chip in hand. "In return, I would like a favor, a favor I can call on at any time. And yes, I know that it's madness to bargain but.. well, we both know I am at death's door, I probably smell often more like poison than a person. I help you and you help me and it will either benefit you as well or just be another day for you."

Maybe if this was Tom as a human still, he'd have just walked off and ignored the 'former' dragon for his own sanity. He didn't move nor turn his head, he could see the snout out of the corner of his eye alone to know this was the dragon and sure as hell wasn't Devrim who was smaller snout wise at least. He felt the heat, that alone was a reminder who this was and he tried not to grimace at the breath. "So, looks like you finally became a dragon again."

"A new guise? Hmmm I guess your guise became permanent while in human form. Fascinating." He rolls his eyes. He knew how to make one's self appear as another for an hour or so, but that was human not a dragon to a human. "I mean, I suppose I can learn. I know how but that is human to human, not a whole different species change." He pondered, slowly remembering the different spells he can use to help the dragon.

"Greeting, Aurie~," Tom's deep voice rolled in his Dragon form, as he leapt down keeping his back and wings as low to the ground as possible as he tried not to be seen by others other than Aurie.

It felt fantastic being back in his dragon body, but it has apparently erased the magical spell that had originally been put on him to be able to have a human guise and in this day and age, especially with nuclear weapons, that really wouldn't do... not yet, anyway.

Tom turned his enormous scaled head right next to the witch's shoulder, so close the heat would almost seep onto the young man's shoulder. Tom licked his teeth, the scent of the human tantalizing to his famished brain.

Maybe if this was Tom as a human still, he'd have just walked off and ignored the 'former' dragon for his own sanity. He didn't move nor turn his head, he could see the snout out of the corner of his eye alone to know this was the dragon and sure as hell wasn't Devrim who was smaller snout wise at least. He felt the heat, that alone was a reminder who this was and he tried not to grimace at the breath. "So, looks like you finally became a dragon again."

𝗮𝘄𝗸𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 / 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲

"So... about last night."

"Do you remember anything, or should I start from the top?"

"We said it wouldn’t mean anything. Did that change?"

"You can sneak out, or we can talk like adults."

“Did we make a mistake?”

 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 / 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲

"I could get used to waking up next to you."

"You drooled on my arm, just FYI."

"I made coffee. Thought you’d want to talk before the world comes back in."

"Let’s stay like this a little longer."

"Your hair’s a mess. It’s cute."

 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝘆 / 𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱

"Okay, whose sock is this?"

"I thought that was a dream. It wasn’t, was it?"

"Is this the part where I apologize or make breakfast?"

"I swear I’ve never done that before."

"Please tell me I didn’t cry over pizza last night."

 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗳𝘂𝗹 / 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹

"We shouldn't have done that."

"I still love them. I'm sorry."

"I wish it could be more than just this."

"You deserve better than a night I can't remember."

"I don’t know what happens next."

 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘆 / 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹

"Mmmph... Five more minutes."

"You’re hogging the blanket again."

"Coffee or cuddles first?"

"Your alarm’s been going off for ten minutes."

𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 -

01. avoids eye contact or looking at the floor. 02. wringing hands together in silence. 03. fidgeting with the hem of their shirt, unable to stay still. 04. looking at receiver in long silence before looking away. 05. silently leaves a folded note on the table in front of the other. 06. touches the others arm but pulls back out of guilt.

𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 -

01. slams fist onto a table without saying a word. 02. exhaling sharply through their nose and clenching their jaw. 03. throws an object across the room. 04. crossing their arms tightly, digging fingers into their own skin. 05. pacing the room with heavy steps. 06. glares at the other with a clenched fist.

𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 -

01. gently pushing stray hair behind the others ear. 02. resting their forehead against the others. 03. cups the others face with both hands. 04. pressing a kiss to the others forehead in silence. 05. lingering touches against the others face. 06. wraps their arms around the other from behind and rests their head on the others shoulder.

𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 -

01. wiping their eyes before someone can notice. 02. pressing their face into a pillow to muffle sobs. 03. pulls the other into a desperate hug and wont let go. 04. silently reaching for the others hand, needing comfort. 05. walks into the room with red-rimmed eyes and no words.

𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 -

01. spins the other around without warning in a hug. 02. links arms with the other and tugs them along happily. 03. provides the other with a handmade gift. 04. tackles the other in a sudden and joyful hug. 05. kisses the others cheek unexpectedly and grins.

𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫 -

01. backing away slowly and looking for exits. 02. hiding behind the other and peeking around. 03. flinches at sudden movement from the other. 04. presses their back against the wall with eyes darting around the room. 05. jumps at a noise and instinctively grabs the others hand.

𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠

01. tucks a blanket gently around the other person's shoulders. 02. applies a bandage with slow and deliberate care. 03. brings them food and water and watches to ensure they eat. 04. runs fingers through their hair in efforts to soothe. 05. rubs soothing circles on the others back while they cry. 06. stays silently by the others side in support without saying a word.

𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠