#dragon fluff

Or… you're at least guessing it did. You weren't so sure while stuck in the dragon's tower, with all his precious jewels and treasures stacked as high as mountains all around you.

You hadn't been too afraid when he had taken you. In all honesty there was a sense of relief in it. You didn't want to get married, and you certainly didn't want to produce heirs for a man you didn't know. The world around you always seemed to make these decisions for you. And now, you're here. Stuck in a large tower guarded by a fearsome dragon like a classic fairytale the maids would read to you at bedtime to encourage you to behave or else.

Problem was, well, what do you do now? Sure you didn't want to go back, but you couldn't just live here, right?

A strong gust of wind from the tower opening tousles your hair and makes your eyes scrunch shut, the flap of wings resounds in the air before your squinted eyes catch a glimpse of deep ebony dive past into the tower.

Blaire had returned. And with him, he carried a freshly killed deer.

Placing it down onto the stone floor gently, he lets out a deep purr to call you over, "Princess, I have brought you dinner."

"I'm coming!" You call back, sliding down a pile of gold coins to reach him and your meal, "thank you, Blaire, I um…" you stare at the smoking corpse, "I appreciate the hunt, I can take it from here-"

"Nonsense." he snorts out a puff of smoke, muzzle reaching towards the deer as he takes another deep sniff, "You had a difficult time tearing into the bison I caught last time." You watch in wonder as his maw opens, saliva dripping from those ivory incisors as they gingerly tear into the tough flesh like butter, separating the meat as carefully as a jaw the size of your old chest back home could.

Taking a step back to admire his work for a moment, he then pushes the choice pieces in your direction, keeping any burnt parts for himself.

"Here," he gruffs, "This should be easier to eat now."

You pause for a moment before reaching forward, picking up a tender piece of meat the warmth of his flame infused in the cooked flesh warming your body as you took a bite. You could use a bit of seasoning still, but you savored the bite nonetheless.

Swallowing, you look towards your captor, "Thank you…" you say sincerely, "This is more than I could ever expect as a captive, really."

"I can't have you starve." he simply replies, and before you could say anything else, he was gone in another swoosh, soaring away to do who knows what. Before you could ask why you were even here.

That's another thing, why were you in particular captured? If Blaire was after treasure, your family would rather leave you to your fate, and figure out the deal with the other kingdom another way. No one would come get you… but then again, you didn't know the full extent of what your family stood to gain from the marriage if it went through. Maybe you were important, and would be picked up soon to bargain in exchange for riches.

You sigh, once again left to be another pawn in another situation you were forced into. You could take a chance and escape perhaps, but you weren't confident in your survival outside the tower, not to mention the other people you could meet in a forest… who knows what could happen to a princess like you in the hands of other people you didn't know, much less as just a runaway woman. And did you even know where the nearest town or settlement could be? How sure are you that the dragon won't just find you during your escape? With how courteous he's been with you so far, you don't feel like testing his patience.

So once again you fall back to sitting and waiting in this tower. This densely luxurious tower. At least the dragon didn't have any intention of eating you it seemed. Right, you should list down what you know so far.

Cleaning your hands of the grease from the meat with a spare cloth, you stand and start pace around area not crowded with jewels and breathe in the air. It's a tall tower, so there's a slight chill from outside. Most days, the skies are populated by gloomy, gray clouds, making even the slightest peek of the sun look like the heavens opening up above. It also means most days, the air outside smells damp. Peeking out the opening of the tower, you couldn't find much outside, but you could spot some mountains, specks of green below for trees, and the occasional flying bird. But that was all.

You have looked through the treasure before, when the passing days in this tower with nothing to do became so incredibly boorish you thought you might as well use the knowledge you've built up over the years at home, surrounded by other high class ladies who loved to talk fancy about the newest accessory that dangles from their person.

"This must be some an amethyst…" you murmured looking at a necklace, during one examination. Surprisingly, there were many different coins from all sorts of places as well. You were able to distinguish coins from your own country with ones you recognized the symbols of from others. You had fun sorting them until Blaire came to pay you a visit and another flaming hot meal.

"Did you find something interesting from my collection?" he had asked, having noticed your neatly sorted piles a little ways from the entrance way of the tower.

"Just a couple gems I've never seen before." you had replied sheepishly, a little self-conscious at him noticing your piles.

It was a fun way to pass the time, but you weren't sure what it could tell you besides countries Blaire MIGHT have gone to collect his loot.

What could you do with all of this info?

With a groan, you flop back against a pile of coins, staring up at the tall ceiling above. You'll figure it out later…. Maybe tomorrow, when you weren't feeling so sleepy from a full belly. Your eyelids feel heavy as you continue to lay there, curling in on yourself to let the ends of your dress cover your feet a little more. Yeah… tomorrow you could approach this again…

In your sleep induced state, you hardly notice as a hide blanket is tugged over your figure, the new warmth finally bringing your stirring thoughts to a slow pause, as you fall into a deep slumber.

That however, was centuries ago. Dragons, like the rest of us, must conform to modern society, technology too powerful and people too abundant to go around flying and terrorizing just to get one’s hands on a pretty penny.

Your boyfriend, once a ravenous creature with a cave of glittering gems and fine craftsmanship-- that he may or may not have maimed many blacksmiths to steal-- now resided with you in too big of a bedroom. You had argued before buying the apartment; who would need this much space? But his hoarder tendencies clearly made up for the abundance in space. Gaming consoles, silvery granola bar wrappers, aluminum dollar store trinkets, books with glittery covers-- the floor was almost unseeable with his trash and treasure mixed together. He wasn’t necessarily dirty-- in fact every item had its own spot and preferred place, which is why it killed a piece of him any time you threw away something that should not be “decorating” your shared home. 

Though as you practically took care of both of you, it was hard to keep up being the caregiver in the relationship. Especially, on your period. Sunday, what a perfect day, to realize you had a whole work week ahead of mood swings and lower abdominal pain, all mixed with the gory massacre you’d face every time you went to the bathroom. Your cramps didn’t usually come in this early of a start, but it seemed like nothing was going quite right today.

“T’s wrong, darlin’?” Your draconic, crusty-eyed boyfriend mumbled into your back. “Somethin’ hurting…?”

He had been asleep since noon, ignoring the stream of yellow shining down on him from between the cracks of the blinds. But with those poor eyes and slightly above average listening skills, he completely ignored the sun and heard your groans of pain as you curled into a ball. The aching in your lower tummy was like hellfire, crisp burning and somersaults of your organs unlike any other pain than usual. Nothing was helping, no cold rags or medicine, it was like your infinite headache and body pains were destined to consume you. 

“C’mon baby answer me, I wanna help..” He pouted again.

“Just my stomach..” You downplayed, not sure if you could handle his frantic coddling if he realized you’re period started. The last time you made the mistake of doing so, you had pads stacked to the brim in your bathroom cabinets and tampons in your closets, the mass shoplifting endeavor of his creating even less space in your home. Well, atleast you were set for the next fifty-seven or so cycles.

 “I just need to rest n’ I’ll be fine, soon…” 

Another wave of pain came through, head ringing as soft nails raked up and down your sweating back. 

‘When will this be over,’ you wondered. 

Maybe that horrible breeding endeavor your boyfriend was always obsessed with was worth it if it meant you wouldn’t have to suffer through this for nine months. Yeah, just nine months of morning sickness and bloating and growing a whole dragon-human parasite inside of you. But hey… the making part wouldn’t be too bad, and atleast you would be crotch-pain free. 

Man, now the pain was really talking through you.

“Yer period, right?” Your dragon wonders, scratching the back of his head. He’s more awake now, and you wish he was still passed out grabbing onto you, even through the sticky sweat from his body heat. “I’m sorry baby…I know it hurts. What’you want me to do?”

“How’d you even know..” You groan, almost annoyed at how keen he is. Next thing you’d know he’d be shoving some pretty pawn shop jewelry for you to hold to distract you from the pain.

“I don’t think.. You want to know. And well there’s the obvious, I noticed you changed the bed covers.”

Oh lord, was he talking about that split tongue-nose smell-ability ‘dragon thing’ again? Could your embarassment get any worse?

“Does that mean you’ve… EVERY TIME? Every time you knew?”

He sheepishly fell into the new sheets of warmth, those dark eyebrows lifted in innocence.

“Sometimes before you knew, I think.”

Officially, you wish your boyfriend was asleep again. Maybe you’d just strangle him to end this mind-numbing conversation. 

“What can I do?” He repeated. “Get you more pads?” 

“No.” You shut him down as soon as the words left his mouth. 

“What then? A snack, more pillows? Now’s the time to be babied, you know. Unless you’d be okay with me coming to work with you--” 

You groaned, partly to shut him up and to vocalize the squeezing, contracting inside of you. 

His clawed fingers came to cradle your belly, right below your belly button on your pelvic muscle. He rubbed, just gently, back and forth with a slight pressure as your head buried into the sheets beneath you. 

“Just this.. is fine..” You murmur, feeling hot, humid breath exhale against your neck, emerald green slits baring into your twisted expression. He was watching you, the way your body reacted, the little signals of discomfort. 

You heard a slight flutter of his wings as they adjusted, his body fitting against yours like a puzzle piece; it was nice to be the small spoon again, rather than cradling your needy dragon lover like a cocoon as he so often desired. 

The dragon slowly pushed a leg between your bunched knees that stuck together, getting easier access to your tummy. His palm was so warm, as the torso flushed behind you kept a reassuring prresence. You almost turned on your back to get his palm farther against your stomach, the slight pressure and warm temperature soothing the ache in your lower back and groin. 

“You know… I could always breed ya, then you wouldn’t have to--” 

“Don’t try to convince me right now.” you spat, turning into him as his hand worked magic, the other brushing hair off of your neck and cheek. “That’s not an option, especially right now.”

“Well, at the very least I can make you feel good. Might ease up some of the pain, yeah?” He laid back down to lean in closer. 

You sighed; he clearly didn’t understand the discomfort and embarrassment that his oh-so keen intimacy would bring you right now. You loved the sentiment, and maybe you’d be up for it if you weren’t solely thinking about your physical misery, but you barely had the fortitude to look back toward him. 

Your dragon buried his flared nose into the top of your head, lined against you like a perfectly shaped heat blanket. 

“You wouldn’t even have to do anything.. I’ll do whatever makes ya feel better.” His other hand snakes beneath your hip against the bed mattress, pulling you back toward his body even closer, if possible. The warm, spiked fingers tapping alongside your pelvic bone made your skin spark, your lower stomach buzzing with numbed pain and a fullness that made you want to sleep for another week. “I don’t like seeing you like this.” He frowns. “Your face.. You look so, uncomfortable.”

“Wow, thanks.” You jab, feeling a heated tail slither up your knee, to your thigh. It almost flicked in apology. “Mm.. Just stay my heating pillow and I’ll be fine.” 

“I can do that.” The confidence in his voice worries you, knowing he’ll do an unnecessary load of more than you asked for. Your fetal position was gently yanked free, a pounced creature on your back as you’re forced onto your stomach. “I’ll be the best spiky heating pad you’ve ever seen.”

The strong, scaled forearms of your draconic spouse come to wrap around your hips, a burning touch ringing from his skin, worming his way beneath your comfortable pajama pants and shirt, skin on skin as his body temperature rises to accommodate your desires. His forearms seem to ripple against you, fingers tickling your sides as his legs trap against your thighs from above, most if not every length of his body pulsating against yours like a live, scaly cocoon intent on making you his personal plush, and he your sweet, warm monster. 

“Feel better baby…” He kissed at the nape of your neck, sandpapery forked tongue popping out to lick away your sweat. “It’ll be over soon.. I’ma make it all better.”

You leaned deeper into the stuffy mattress sheets, the pressure on your abdomen welcomly encouraged as you push as far as possible into his fiery hands.

“I’m betting on it.” You muffle into the pillows, squirming your hips against his his body, warm chest and carved quadriceps surrounding you. The slight pressure of his inner thighs against your hips was welcoming, his mounted position atop of you seemingly odd to an outsider-- but you didn’t care how weird it might’ve looked, as the calm of your gutted abdomen took over. 

You yawned into the side of the pillow as you turned your head, lifting your hips just a little to soak in the heat radiating from behind you. 

“Awe’d, so sleepy huh? Need a little nap?” the dragon behind you poked. 

Who knew a murderous, millenium-old dragon would be sweet-talking you so gently-- just a few centuries ago he was murdering travelers for stumbling just a few steps too close to his prized hoard. 

“But I just woke up.” You protest, upset at the sleepiness of the afternoon that was rubbing off from your draconic lover on you. “Got too much to do, can’t lay in bed all day..like you.” 

You groan into the pillow as a wave of cramps hit you, only slightly set ajar by the gentle massaging of the skin above your pelvic bone. 

“Hrmm.” Your boyfriend thinks, shoving his warmly snout against your neck. “I guess it’s unfortunate that I’m not going to be letting you go then. Not allowed to get up until you feel better.” 

You laugh, taking one of your dragon’s toasty hands to your chest to hold onto. 

“I’ll be here all week, then.”

It was here you felt the safest, the warmest, the most vulnerable and easily devourable-- well, thankfully dragon’s didn’t particularly have a taste for the flesh of humans. Shutting your eyes, you let the guttural ‘hrmm’s’ of your dragon lull you to thoughtlessness. 

Tairn was exhausted. It had been another long night, just as they all were these days. He groaned as he snaked his neck, loosening the tight muscles. Sgaeyl’s hiss in his mind immediately informed him of his mistake. 

“Really Tairn? I just got her to sleep.” Sgaeyl grumbled as she curled her tail more tightly around a whimpering golden dragon. She was tiny still, barely larger than the egg she’d hatched from merely a year ago. 

The parent’s mental link was stronger these days, forged through sleepless nights, tired days, and the little life they were raising, well, trying to raise, together. Tairn grumbled to Sgaeyl down the bond, “if you didn’t coddle her so much she would sleep without one of us holding her.” 

“You’re the one who held her for three straight months,” Sgaeyl grumbled, curling around the little golden body held in her tail. “Besides, it’s a big day.” 

“I didn’t take you for a sentimental one,” Tairn said as he tried to delicately walk toward the exit of the small cave they called home. Sgaeyl shot dagger eyes at him as even one small step shook the entire cavern.

He lowered his body to the ground carefully, wrapping his head around to stare into his mate’s eyes. For a moment, they both tuned into the small, rapid breaths of the tiny golden being nestled into Sgaeyl’s tail and simply listened. 

Tairn lowered his head to the ground, laying his snout next to Sgaeyl's so their breaths mingled as they stared at their baby dragon.

“I’m glad we did this,” Tairn thought down their bond. 

Sgaeyl responded by lifting her head and raising her eyes at him, “Really.” The word was full of audacious spite and sass as she sent it toward him. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked his mate. 

Huffing out a breath and lowering her head to monitor her baby again, Sgaeyl responded. “You made the decision, but I do most of the work.” 

“That’s not true.” Train snorted back.

“Oh yeah? Did you pick up the sheep for her party like I asked you?”

Panic sluiced through Tairn’s mind and he tried to close his bond before it reached his mate. Sure he could still save the moment, Train queried, “are you sure you asked me to get it?” 

He knew she had, but maybe, just maybe she had forgotten. 

“You’re so lucky she’s sleeping on me right now or I would bite you for that Tairneanach of the Dubhmadinn line.” Sgaeyl’s eyes were fire pure fire as she stared him down, still somehow keeping an eye on the sleeping babe curled in her tail. 

Knowing it was best to back down, Tairn began to slowly crawl out of the cave, keeping his chest and head low in deference to his mate. 

“You have until this babe wakes to retrieve the sheep and alert the elders of her party or so help you the entire Empyrean won’t be able to save you…” 

Tairn knew Sgaeyl’s threat held true, and didn’t take a full breath until he’d exited the cave. Even then he only dared a small sigh before leaping into the sky. 

He hunted down fifty sheep, twice as many as Sgaeyl had requested, and alerted the elders of their feathertail’s first birthday gathering before the babe woke. Lucky for him she’d heard the conversation. 

Andarana might be just a baby, but she still had a favorite. She pretended to sleep until Tairn informed her he’d captured the sheep and the elders were already on route to the field for her party. Then she let out a big yawn and stretched away from Sgaeyl’s tail. 

“I know you’ve been awake, young one,” Sgaeyl’s voice was slightly chastising, but still full of warm amusement when she caught Andarna in her act.

The little golden dragon froze in her stretches only slightly before she continued as if she’d heard nothing. Even kids have favorites, after all, and Andarna wanted to be just like her dad.