diversified | you look like you're having fun. [ psl ]

Entry tags:

you look like you're having fun. [ psl ]

WHO Casey (

dragonaught) / Gabriel (

cozykindler)
WHAT Magicpunk/modern setting where a young human is courted by a dragon who believes the human is their one and only special person. Adorable dates ensue.
WHEN Casey is 21, Gabriel is ??? who knows with dragons, man...
WHERE Between a museum and a restaurant.
WHY because we're tired of s6 Leo being shit and wanted cute

The museum had been fantastic. Casey was still getting over how educated and charming Gabriel was, even in the midst of breathtaking art both magical and mundane, they just couldn't take their eyes off him the entire time. It was embarrassing, being caught more than once, but it was hard not to look and be in pleased wonder every time he was still there. This was real and it was all for Casey, and that was something they were going to cherish for a very long time. This was one of their first dates after the fateful party where they'd met and yet... walking down the road, hand-in-hand, making their way to dinner as the sun gave way to dazzling stars and galaxies residing beyond...

It felt only natural.

Thoughts going into far too sappy a direction, Casey raised their free hand and covered their mouth to prevent the smile trying to blossom. Oh, Gabriel was definitely going to think they were going too far, too fast, too swept off their feet. They had to be missing something somewhere. If they could just keep following the right steps a little while longer before Gabriel caught on to how clueless they were about all this, then... then maybe they could make it real. Fake it until you make it.

"I'm having fun," they said, more of a murmur considering their hand was still trying to stifle the smile. "I hope you are, too. Are you?"

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The longer the petting went on, the more Gabriel just relaxed into Casey. He was making a soft humming noise of content, perfectly happy to just be here with his dragonaught for the rest of the day if he was allowed to. It was nice how everything seemed to be fitting into place with them and Gabriel vaguely wondered why he was so worried about telling them about him being a dragon.

"Of course dragonaughts," he confirmed as he opened one eye to look up at them. "Cities as big as this one tend to have a handful of them, whether they're aware of their status or not."

That humming noise was relaxing in and of itself. Almost like purring, but something more conscious and perfect. They had the entire day in front of them, yet Casey just wanted to stay right here in bed with Gabriel cuddled up against them. It was still a huge mental shift, something that hadn't completely sunken in, but Casey knew that it would only take time for this to become the normal state of affairs and they didn't particularly mind.

Casey didn't notice Gabriel looking at them from their angle, but tilted their head regardless. "I'm not even from here," they said. As if that would have anything to do with their supposed status as a dragonaught. That part was still difficult to believe, that they could be something so special.

"That doesn't change anything," Gabriel said as he stopped his humming and nudged under their chin lightly and playfully. "Dragonaughts are drawn to places where it's most likely to meet their dragon."

He gave them another lick and started to hum once again. It was nice that they were together like this and while Gabriel was tempted to coil around them properly, he wasn't ready to move from this position just yet. He didn't want to move away from Casey even an inch just out of fear that they might change their mind.

Casey brought their chin down to nudge Gabriel back, shifting enough to bring their arms around more fully. The shape was definitely different from holding a humanoid, yet at the same time it was just as good. Warm and solid and the texture was soft and velvety where they encountered fur, smooth and giving where scales rippled over muscle. Then sighed.

"I guess I just don't see myself as being something that extraordinary," Casey admitted. It was still difficult to voice some of the more negative thoughts they had, but this one was a little easier when it was on-topic and they really didn't want to mess anything up just in case Gabriel's true soulmate was someone else out there. That thought wrenched something painfully in Casey's heart, but it was one they couldn't help but probe at. What if, what if.

"Trust me when I say that most don't believe that they're extraordinary when they actually are," Gabriel said as if he had some idea what he was talking about, which he did. Being the reincarnation of an ancient dragon hero meant that he knew exactly how Casey felt about the reveal that they're a dragonaught.

He huffed in amusement and leaned into their arms, glad to feel that they were at least getting a feel for the differences between his dragon and human forms. "You know, being a dragonaught by itself doesn't make you extraordinary. It's what you do with the knowledge and abilities that makes you extraordinary. Take some time to think on it and start training with me for your magic and you'll get more comfortable with the idea."

"Training with you," Casey repeated, knowing what Gabriel meant and yet just now understanding what that meant. There was a definite and practical way to confirm someone was a dragonaught, via the very meaning of the term outside of draconic religion. Dragonaughts were the ones who could use magic not belonging to their people. If Casey really was one of them, then they would be able to use fire like any other dragonaught could... "You think I could learn fire magic from you?"

More than anything, it was a question of whether or not they could handle having their life turned on its head. Being a dragonaught was like being a legend, or suddenly a celebrity. Even if they weren't obvious about it, life itself would be different. They'd be using magic no regular humanoid should, and suddenly living in a world they had no understanding of. "I don't really want to be anything or... or do anything with all this," they said slowly. "I just want to keep being with you, dragon or human or whatever else you might be under all this. Is that okay?"

"I think so, yes." He nuzzled against their neck as if to comfort them. "It'll be difficult because it isn't your natural element, but from what I've seen of you, I have complete faith in you learning how to harness fire just as well as you would earth."

Ah, so it was them having trouble handling this. Well, that's what he was there for. No matter what, Gabriel would be there for them and he needed to make sure Casey knew that. "That's more than okay. I'm going to be with you no matter what, even if you'd prefer me to stay as my human form."

"What you are isn't what I care about," Casey said, leaning forward into Gabriel as if to hug him even more than they already were. The communication was difficult, if only because Casey was unsure how to be honest about the issues they were having over this. Even though everything was weird and sideways right now, all Casey needed at the end of the day was to know Gabriel would still be there. Nothing else was as important as that. "Just... will you stay, even if I can't be the dragonaught you think I am?"

There. That was closer. Casey doubted their own abilities, doubted that they could reach the heights such a title implied, yet that didn't mean they wouldn't try their hardest. It was just an impossible goal, one they could keep reaching for even as they fell short. Of course, that was what life was about for a lot of people. Casey knew that. Facing it was never easy, though. "It's okay if you don't want to answer that. Just—forget I said it for now. Please? I shouldn't have asked."

"Oh you beautiful child, even if you weren't a dragonaught, I would never leave you," Gabriel replied and took his forelimbs and gave them a hug back. If that's what they were worried about, then they didn't need to because Gabriel had fallen head over heels for them. He wasn't going to leave them as long as they loved him back.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I love you. Not being a dragonaught wouldn't change that." Not that he believed that it was the case. He knew, deep in his heart and soul, that Casey was not only a dragonaught, but his, the one whose soul was intertwined with his own throughout the different lifetimes that separated them by species. "Don't ever think that I wouldn't love you. You're stuck with me for good."

There was a long silence and stillness from Casey after that reply. Taking it all in was monumental and they weren't sure what could possibly be an appropriate reply after their heart began to soar for the confirmation. It was so much said in so little and it helped soothe the raw, aching nerves that were Casey's psyche. Sometimes the world was just too much and there was nothing to do but fight through it; with Gabriel, it felt more like a journey than a war. Nothing, it seemed, would change that.

"We should get out of bed," they eventually muttered. Change of subject, something much less pressing and confusing and world-changing. They both had the entire day before them and things that probably needed to get done. Lounging around in each others' company and ignoring responsibilities would only go so far.

Gabriel wasn't going to push them into dealing with it and instead let them take their time, laying on them and taking in the feeling of his soulmate with him like this. When Casey finally said something, Gabriel could help but laugh. It was a good subject change and unbelievably normal compared to their discussion.

"You're right, but all I want to do is lay here with you since you're right where I want you," he said as he let go of Casey and pushed himself up on them so that he could attack their face with his tongue. It may have seem undignified, but he just wanted to show them how much he loved them.

Casey uttered a startled sound, the abrupt shift taking them by surprise, before they started to laugh. Moving to shove Gabriel away, Casey wiggled and rolled themselves out of the bed where Gabriel would have to follow if he wanted to keep assaulting his dragonaught with so much affection. Dressed in nothing but the briefs and tank top they had gone to bed in the night before, Casey was rather on display for Gabriel there and not even remotely shy about it. Not with Gabriel.

"As good as that sounds, I've got animals to feed and a job to get to later," they said with a fingerwaggle. That was ignoring the fact that Casey had plenty of opportunity to call out sick or otherwise take the quick detour to care for the pets. It was the principle of the matter. "Besides... I need to get a shower first, anyway. I always feel gross waking in the mornings."

It wasn't even a surprise that Gabriel followed them, uncoiling as he used his forelimbs to hop off the bed and reach Casey, still around their height when on all fours. Now that he was mostly uncoiled, it was obvious just how big Gabriel was compared to most species. Not so much in bulk, but in the length of his body. It was difficult for him to uncoil completely in the bedroom since there really wasn't much space for his full body length.

"A shower, huh? Mind if I join you?" As he said that, he started to change back, one step a dragon and the next, he was a humanoid again, coming up to them and giving them a hug. "Though if you say yes, it'd have to be in this form. I don't think any humanoid has a shower big enough to fit a dragon."

Seeing Gabriel stand and uncoil really made it sink in. Their boyfriend was a dragon, and a completely stunning one at that. His coils shone, glistening in the half-light of the bedroom where the curtains were cracked open, and his body long, sinuous, moving with intent and majesty despite how silly it should have been. This was a dragon, and this was a dragon who had moments ago been coiled up and giving Casey a lick-bath in the silliest manner they could think of. It was breathtaking.

Casey melted into the hug happily, arms coming around to hold Gabriel close. "Mm," they said in a fair amount of distraction. "Now I finally understand why you're so warm all the time. Is it comfortable for you like this?" Which didn't really sound like an answer, but Casey didn't want to force Gabriel into a small space like that if it wasn't going to be a fun experience for them both.

Dragons were incredibly majestic despite their sillier moments and enjoyed showing off for their dragonaughts, though Gabriel was content to be human to stay close to Casey. He kissed their cheek and smiled at being held close. Being a dragon was great, but being outside of dragon territory made him uneasy to be one, so the change back to human was a nice one.

"I've been shifting into a human since I was your age. I'm comfortable like this," he answered before kissing him properly on the lips. This was the upside of being human, kisses. Dragons couldn't really kiss and had to rely on their tongues to give the same effect as a kiss could. "And when I'm not at home, I prefer it."

It was interesting how Gabriel in human form was taller than Casey, while in dragon form he was slightly shorter. Differing heights for the same person was probably one of the weirder parts of him having two completely unconnected forms. His length as a dragon more than made up for it, yet it was going to be strange to look up to him half the time and down or equal to him the rest.

"Relative terms or literal?" asked Casey. They knew dragons were the longest-lived of all the species and that their lifespans made it necessary to judge each other by equivalent ages rather than years lived. Mental maturity and proper recognition of adults in different races and species was still a hotly debated topic in the legal world, one Casey had taken advantage of seven years ago. It still made for an interesting realization that Gabriel must have been much older than Casey in the literal sense of years. "So this form is like... a comfy coat where people can't tell what you are. Okay, I get that. I mean, uh, if that's that... then—you can if you want to?"

"Literal, dear. Dragons start training to change into human forms when they're in their early twenties and are expected to perfect it by the time they reach a hundred," he explained, wanting Casey to understand just how dragons worked so that they could be even knowledge-wise compared to Gabriel and his knowledge of humans.

"You don't ever have to worry about my comfort in this form," Gabriel said and just kept hugging him. "I'd love to share a shower with you. It'll be interesting, for sure."

Those relative ages said a lot for dragon culture, Casey noted. Early twenties for dragons was incredibly young and definitely thanks to the fact that dragons were born with their aptitude for magic whereas the majority of races had to grow into it. They had different expectations than Casey was used to and the dissonance was certainly interesting. Eighty years of practice for a single skill spoke of its importance and difficulty. If all dragons were expected to learn that the same way most others were expected to operate lights, phones and other tech, then dragons were definitely much more devoted than they were already given credit for. "It must be complicated," they eventually surmised.

"Hm, then I guess we should get ourselves squeezed into the bathroom." Casey started to shift, not quite letting go of Gabriel but leading him to the shower all the same. Being an apartment already a bit full for one person and three-and-a-half animals, it wasn't the most spacious. Hopefully that would only make things more fun.

"It's like trying to put both of your feet into the same sock and then walking like that." That wasn't really much of an explanation, but it was hard to explain how changing forms really worked to a race that couldn't do it themselves. Gabriel wasn't even going to try and explain it when they were still dealing with the reveal that he was a dragon.

"I guess we should," he murmured as he was lead towards the shower and he was focusing more on being affectionate with them than any sort of space issues with the bathroom. He was aware it'd be a change from a dragon's bathroom no matter what the size, so it wasn't like he was going to care about that.

"Do all dragons learn how to do it?" Casey assumed so, but they wouldn't be surprised if there was even more to the culture and their norms than they were taught in school. A lot of those facts were getting blown out of the water considering there was a real, live dragon here answering all of Casey's questions no matter how silly or stupid they were.

Cozying up to each other was definitely still on Casey's priority list. However, they wanted to get maneuvered into the shower so they could at least get clean while doing it. The idea that Gabriel had never bathed in a shower before hadn't even occurred to them and they were working on the idea that it was a shared experience that they were about to experience together. "Then we'll have to find you clothes afterward," Casey said, not particularly perturbed by Gabriel's state of undress. Naked bodies were one of the few things that didn't fluster them thanks to their interest in the medical field. Perhaps a bit contrary to their personality, but that was part of what they liked about being accustomed to it; sometimes it was nice to take other people by surprise instead.

"We do. Only those with any interest with interacting with non-dragons keep up with their practice as much as I do." Gabriel was definitely happy to explain just to clear up all the weird thing humanoids and the other species have made up about dragons over the years. He still thought it odd that they were so off about dragons, but he didn't mind so much in the long run, just when it involved his dragonaught.

"You don't have to worry about that. I can just wear what I wore last night home and change there." There was a slightly embarrassed look as he peered down and noticed his state of nakedness. "Well, aside from the underwear. Those I'm pretty sure only exist in scraps hidden among the sheets of your bed."

"That doesn't sound like a whole lot," Casey noted. It made sense, considering the fact that most dragons likely kept to themselves unless they had reason to be out in the world. From what Casey was understanding, there weren't a whole lot of those. Clergymen or spies and not much else.

Brow raised for the look, Casey stood up on tip-toe to give Gabriel a kiss on the nose before finally turning away and trying the knobs of the shower. It was just a stall, no tub to relax in on bad days, but the water heater worked wonders and Casey started it up with a splay of their fingers over the rune inscribed underneath the showerhead. "Will you be staying for breakfast, or...?" Considering the state of dinner the night before, they couldn't really blame Gabriel if he wanted something cooked properly rather than just acceptably — that was about the limit of Casey's skills in the kitchen, after all.

"It's more than you'd think," he answered vaguely, his attention more on Casey than the conversation. They'll see eventually just what Gabriel meant by all of that, but for now, all Gabriel wanted to do was be with Casey and try out showers for the first time.

At the idea of breakfast, Gabriel turned his attention towards the shower and how it was compared to the familiarity of a bath. He thought it was like a waterfall and he cautiously poked his hand into the stream of water, finding it to be far warmer and gentler than a waterfall. "I think I'll grab something at home, but I do appreciate the offer."

Although Casey did have an interest in the conversation, they could tell Gabriel wasn't quite as into it and let it fall to the wayside for now. There would be better times to poke their nose into dragon culture and what it meant that common knowledge really was very off from the real state of affairs. Not only was it fascinating in its own right, but it had a much more immediate bearing on their life now that their boyfriend was revealed to be a dragon and, tentatively, themselves as a dragonaught.

"Good choice," Casey said with an obviously entertained tone. Gabriel was poking around like he had never even seen a shower before and it was certainly endearing. They slipped off their tank top and stepped aside briefly to grab the towels from under the sink. "You probably have the better options there, anyway. You can get in if you want, you know."

"And there will be enough food to fill me up too." Even if Casey could actually cook better, Gabriel still would have to stop off for a proper meal, as dragons needed far more food than a humanoid could eat in one sitting. After all, they usually had at least one whole farm animal per meal to fill them up enough to have the energy to work and do something other than sleep.

"I can?" He looked over at them to confirm and once that was done, he stepped into the shower and jumped a little bit at the spray of water hitting against his skin. Making a noise between a yelp and a laugh, he spun around, trying to get used to the sensation on his skin before stopping and looking over at Casey. "This is so weird. It tickles. Does it always feel like this?"

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you look like you're having fun. [ psl ]

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