FSE

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Inspiration I find comes from the strangest places. I've not written in a while due to personal issues that have since been moderately restored, though I flatter myself that anyone has been hanging out for more writing from me. Anyway, yeah, it's a story. Woo. Based loosely on events of my own life, though the characters and situations are VERY different. I, for example, avoid the beach like the plague. NOTHING convinces me to go!

Anyway, just read the story dammit! I thought I might just write a little single story with some nice characters, telling a nice story. I can only hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I feel it's one of my better stories, personally...but I'll let you judge that.

Though there is no yiff in this story, you WILL get something next time. Promise.

• Faora

A Dragon's Love

Love Revealed

With a quiet grunt, the blue dragon collapsed into his chair, sighing with relief as he let his body go limp. His bright blue scales shimmered from the lights above him as he reached towards a small end table, grabbing the TV remote, pointing it and hitting the "On" button.

Though he would deny it, Zac was a fine example of his species, if a little short. His entire six foot eleven body was covered in scales of deep blue that seemed to shine no matter what he did. He wore a light blue shirt and a pair of long black pants, the clothes appearing well used and starting to look well-worn. The silver chain of a necklace could be seen around his neck, the ring-set sapphire dangling from the bottom hidden in his shirt.

Zac stretched his wings and yawned lazily, sighing again, eyeing the TV warily as a busty vixen proceeded to tell him of the fantastic female-pulling powers of some deodorant or other. He rolled his eyes at the stupidity of the commercial and flicked it to AV, getting up long enough to slide a DVD into the player.

No sooner had the main menu come up than another scaled head poked out from around the front door of his apartment, smiling wide. "Hey, aren't you sick of that one yet? You watch it nearly every day!"

Zac turned his head to face his roommate and shrugged, smiling faintly. "It's a favourite," he replied dryly, "You can never get sick of your favourite. Tis a scientifically proven fact, Jase."

'Jase' rolled his eyes and pulled the rest of his lean body around the corner, dropping down next to his friend. The other dragon, Jason, looked vaguely similar to Zac, save for his lack of wings. His scales didn't shimmer as much as Zac's, but they were a deeper, more attractive blue than Zac's scales. He wore only a pair of board shorts, his body dripping slightly.

Zac eyed his friend up and down, taking in his wetness. "Go down to the beach again?" he asked, his smile widening a little.

Jason nodded, smiling right back. "You bet I did. Excellent surf there today, you should have seen it!" He gave a coy wink. "And there was this lovely dragoness taking quite an interest in me too..."

Zac's smile thinned slightly, his face tightening so little that only someone that knew him very well would notice. "Good for you, man." It had become a common action lately, one that he felt he could cover up. But still, those that knew what he was like could see through that mask.

Jason was, sometimes unfortunately, one of those people. "You're on your vacation, Zac! Get out of the house, live!" He tried a cheerful tone and a smile that threatened to split his face, but the other dragon wasn't buying it.

"I don't need to go anywhere yet," he replied slowly, his voice flat, "We've got plenty of food, we're both on vacation, and I have everything that I want right at my clawtips." He shrugged. "Why would I need to go anywhere?"

Jason raised an eyeridge. "Because you've not left the house for anything but shopping and work for the last three months."

Zac cocked his head in surprise. "Three months?" he echoed, frowning. "Has it really been that long?"

"Yeah..." Jason hesitated, then sighed. "Three months. Almost to the day now."

Zac didn't respond. A surge of emotion rushed to the surface, loss and pain...terrible pain. He struggled to keep it from showing on his face, putting on a smile instead. "Yep, three months since I got the new stereo. By the way, I have your 2 Gryphon CD, it's in the disc tray. Funny bastard."

Jason just rolled his eyes and sat down on the wooden floor, to keep the couch from getting wet. "Don't change the subject Zac, you know what I mean...you've barely done anything since...since she left."

Again the surge of pain, and again he suppressed it. He'd gotten good at that. "I've not had as much to do since she left," he replied, turning back to the TV and bringing up the scene selection.

The other dragon reached over to take the remote in both hands, covering Zac's hands and the buttons of the remote. "I can see it in your face, dammit. You can't hide these things from me." He sighed and bowed his head. "You still care about her, don't you?"

Now the pain was getting harder to hold back. "Of course I do. We're still great friends after all. Spoke to her last night, and guess what? She's found a fantastic mate, someone perfect for her." He smiled again. "And she wouldn't have gotten together with him if she was still with me. So some good came of it all."

"At your expense." Jason sighed and gently pried the remote from Zac's hands. "Dude, you can't keep going on like this, you have to GET OUT. Dig yourself out of the hole you're in, man, you can't stay like this." His normally bright blue eyes were dark with concern for his friend. "I can see you're hurting, please. Come out with me tomorrow...do something, anything."

Zac gazed back, still struggling to hold all of his emotions back, before trying another weak smile. "You know I HATE the beach," he said, resigned.

Jason's eyes seemed to brighten, his back straightening slightly. "Well, you'll just have to suffer it then. There's going to be some great surf tomorrow, and I'm not missing it. You're going to come, and you're going to have FUN, got it?"

This time Zac let out a genuine laugh and nodded. "Sure thing, fine. Go beach, have fun. Got it." He smiled wider and turned to gaze down at Jason's hands. "Now can I have my remote back?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Long after the movie finished and Jason went to bed, Zac still lay awake. He lay on his own bed, a single flimsy sheet draped over his semi-naked form, the only covering on his bed during the boiling summer.

He merely lay there, staring at the ceiling silently, as he did every night. Thinking, as he did every night. About his life, his choices, what he could and could not do.

Strangely though, tonight his thoughts kept coming back to Jason. His friend had managed to actually get him smiling for real, something all of his other friends had failed to do since his mate had left. It wasn't the first time that he'd lay awake and think of his friend, wishing he had the words to thank him for being there.

Zac had known Jason for years, meeting him just after he'd finished school. Where Zac had just finished his course, Jason was in his final year. Jason had always been the youngest member of his group of friends, the baby, the one to look out for and look after.

He found it ironic that it was Jason that was now protecting him, looking out for him. Personally, Zac didn't see why he needed to try. I mean, I'll be fine in time...why does he need to try to fix me?

The answer was simple when he thought about it. He cared. He was a good friend, and he really, genuinely cared about how Zac was. He didn't want to see his friend suffer through the pain he felt, he wanted that pain to go away. And where Zac's other friends had resigned themselves to letting his pain fade with time, Jason had stuck with it.

Until tonight, when he watched his favourite movie with his best friend, where he'd actually felt happy. Happy, for the first time in months.

It was a good thought to drift to sleep on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jason made sure to wake Zac up bright and early the next day, coming into his room at six in the morning and shaking his friend awake. He laughed and continued to brave Zac's sleepy slaps at his arm, before the other submitted and pulled himself out of bed.

While Zac moved into the kitchen to get some breakfast ready, Jason moved immediately to the shower. It was a routine they'd worked out the day they'd moved in together, one that worked very well for them.

By the time Zac had finished eating his breakfast Jason was done. He turned to see his friend dressed in a similar pair of red board shorts as the ones he'd worn yesterday. His lack of a shirt showed off his clearly defined, well-built body. All that time in the surf had only helped him, the lustre of his scales and his attractive form certainly assisting him in his search for a female. And he's very outgoing, fun loving, he's the whole package. He'll make someone very happy.

The younger dragon smiled wide as Zac placed his bowl into the sink. "How do I look?" he asked, twisting this way and that, showing off his form. Even Zac couldn't help but admire the grace his friend could exhibit at times.

Zac merely raised an eyeridge. "About the same as every time you wear next to nothing: drop dead gorgeous." He winked at his friend. "Seriously, if I were a girl, I'd do you."

Jason laughed and gave Zac a shove towards the bathroom, fully expecting that response, the same they'd had for ages. Every morning he'd ask that question, and every morning Zac would answer the same.

Zac showered quickly and dressed himself, wearing a pair of black board shorts and a small, white shirt. He was thankful for the shirt, since he'd neglected to leave the house as often as he used to, he'd started to put on a little weight, just enough for it to start showing. He carried a big blue towel over his shoulder, and wore a pair of black sunglasses with blue-tint. "Ready to go?" he asked.

Jason nodded, his own towel draped over his shoulder, and a small carry bag full of chips and drink in hand. A bright blue cap rested on his head, his horns poking through two holes in the top designed for them. "Ready anytime you are, slowpoke."

Zac just laughed and grabbed his keys, leading the way out the door. Jason kept walking to the car, catching the key he was thrown by sheer force of habit as Zac locked the door.

By the time Zac made it down to the car, a slightly sporty-looking little silver two-door number, Jason had already placed the bag and his towel in the boot, one hand outstretched to catch the towel Zac threw to him. It still surprised Zac sometimes, how well they both knew each other's actions, almost before they themselves knew them.

Jason threw the keys back over and Zac caught them, opening the door and sliding into the driver's seat easily. He frowned as Jason slid into the passenger side, reaching down to fumble with the seat controls, before giving a mock-glare to his passenger. "You moved the seat again. I told you not to move the seat again. Why did you move the seat again?"

Jason just shrugged and smiled. "I have longer legs than you." He laughed slightly, until Zac's wingtip lanced out to smack him in the muzzle. A quick yelp and twin laughter could be heard in the car over the sound of the engine turning over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trip was fairly short, their apartment pretty close to the beach Jason liked to frequent. The two stepped out and closed the doors...and promptly ran to the nearest patch of grass they could find, their bare feet burning on the tarmac.

Zac turned to his friend, extending his hand and offering the car key. "Here's the key, go get the bag and stuff."

Jason however, shook his head vehemently and growled back, "No freaking WAY. Your car, YOU get the bloody stuff out!"

"Ah, but I've got you here," Zac retorted lightly, pulling his towel out from its resting place over his right wing. "I already have my towel, I don't need to get back to the car. You, on the other hand, do. Your stuff is still inside. And I know you can't go without your chips."

For a second the two stared at each other, before Jason muttered a curse and grabbed the keys, literally hotfooting it to the boot, working it quickly open, grabbing the bag and his towel and running back, slamming the boot closed. He dropped the things at Zac's feet and ran to the nearest open shower, turning on the nearest tap and running the cool water over his burning feet with a sigh of relief.

Zac walked over with the bag and towels, smiling wide. "That'll learn ya for not bringing some sandals or something, Jase."

For a second the other dragon shot Zac a look of pure venom, before bursting out laughing and nodding. "Yeah yeah, rub it in like the good friend you are." Zac just bowed his head and raised his hands, as if to say, 'Please, stop! You're embarrassing me!'

A few minutes later they worked their way down to the beach, Jason's face bright, smiling ear to ear. "Oh yeah...THIS is a good day."

The sand was practically white, the water crystal clear. Waves twice their size reached up and crashed down at the shore, showering the swimmers with spray. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the sun shone brightly down on the beach.

Even Zac whistled appreciatively. "I've got to admit Jase, this looks stunning. Perfect day indeed. Should have brought your board."

"I can pick 'em all right, but I didn't expect THIS. Come on!" With that, Jason started to bound down the beach towards the water. Smiling, Zac followed with the bag and the towels.

They didn't take long to get set up, Jason opening the bag once he found a prime spot and laying out a huge towel on the pristine sand, easily large enough for the two of them to lay and still have plenty of room. He set the bag at the side of the towel and grinned wide at Zac, before turning tail and running right towards the surf.

Shaking his head and smiling, Zac followed more sedately. He watched Jason slam into the water full-tilt, nearly bowling over a surprised fox-cub on a body board in his rush. When he was in up to his knees he leapt forward, right over the head of another cub, and dove headfirst into the water.

Zac paused at the edge of the water, letting the cold water wash over his feet for a moment before slowly starting in. He saw Jason surface a little further out, bobbing up and down on the full waves, waving jauntily to him.

A sudden spray of icy water to his back caused Zac to yelp and turn around, revealing a nearly teenage skunk male wearing a very cheeky grin, an oversized water gun in his paws and a bright blue Hawaiian shirt on his back. That grin soon vanished at the dark growl Zac released, born deep in his chest. The skunk's eyes widened and he fled, leaving Zac to continue to wade into the water slowly.

Finally he moved in up to his waist and it happened, a huge wave rising up in front of him. The dragon only had time to mutter, "Oh shi-" before the wave crashed over him, sending him tumbling under the water.

He poked his head up and spat out the salty water, looking up and around, spying Jason laughing in his general direction. Eyes narrowed and a demonic grin on his face, Zac ducked under the water again, and drove himself forward with his powerful wings.

Poor Jason never saw it coming. One moment he was nearly doubled over laughing, the next there was a powerful figure slamming into his stomach at high speed. He went under with a surprised gurgle, surfacing immediately as the something released him. After a moment he saw Zac surface, smiling wide.

For his part, Zac just shrugged. "You were asking for it, really." He quickly turned his face away, laughing at the spray of water splashed in his face. "Hey, come on, you deserved it!" He started to splash back.

Before he knew it a shadow spread itself across his body, and Zac looked up to find the sun blocked by a leaping blue dragon, a dragon that slammed full tilt into him. The two went under, Jason pushing Zac deeper as he trailed bubbles.

Zac propelled himself back to the surface with an evil smile and threw himself at Jason, grabbing the other's arm while the other vainly splashed water at his face, yanking it down under the water. Jason followed his arm, his face going under as he twisted the limb instinctively.

He surfaced a moment later as Zac pulled him back up. One look into the other's face and he laughed, Zac joining in. They just sat there, treading water and laughing for a good minute, long after the humour of the situation had died away.

Finally though the laughter slowed and stopped, and both dragons looked down to find Zac's hand still gently clasping Jason's wrist. They exchanged a single quick glance, and Zac slowly released his friend.

He gave a boyish smile. "Race you to the shore!" he cried, ducking under the water and swimming away fast. Jason though stayed where he was, a little surprised with himself at his reaction to the lingering touch. No...I can't. I know he doesn't like...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Half way through the day, the two dragons left their bag and towels on the beach. They headed up along the beach for a while, walking along the sand. The moved up to a small kiosk and, with some of the money Zac thoughtfully brought along, the two bought some ice creams before continuing.

"So, what are we doing after this?" Zac asked, his long tongue extended and lapping at his ice cream.

Jason turned to face him, his lips and chin covered in chocolate ice cream. "We're going to go back to our stuff," he replied, "Get back in the water, have more fun, and keep doing that until we can't do it any more."

Zac just laughed. "I like the way you think." He kept laughing for a moment, before frowning. "Hey, Jase?" he asked, looking over, "I have to know. After she left...why did you keep trying to cheer me up?"

The younger dragon just laughed and punched his friend in the shoulder. "Because you were a miserable little thing that left sadness in his wake." He paused while Zac gave a derisive snort.

"No, really. I've known you for a few years now, Zac, and I know you well. You're a good friend, you're my best friend, and I can't stand to see you hurt." He paused and looked down and away for a moment, hiding the temporary blush that started to show. "I hated seeing what you'd become, that sad creature...I had to get you back."

Zac's eyes had been studiously on his ice cream all this time, running the answer through his head slowly. "You tried everything," he pointed out, "It didn't work."

Jason could only shake his head. "No, it didn't work." A faint smile crossed his features as he finally lifted his face back up, the blush now absent. "You were too stubborn. You needed time. But I tried to keep your spirits up through it all, keep you in a place where you knew you were still loved." He almost clipped off the end of that last, biting his tongue. Did I just say that...?

It was Zac's turn to shake his head now. "It wasn't the same, Jase. Hell, you're like family to me, and I love you like a brother. But not you, and not my other friends...you aren't a lover or a mate."

I wish, Jason's mind screamed at him. "I guess not," were the words he reluctantly uttered aloud, "But it's a matter of perspective. Like you said, I'm like family. And family isn't meant to let family down. I wasn't going to let YOU down."

Zac surprised Jason then by leaning over and wrapping his friend up in a brief, tight hug. "Thanks, Jase. For everything you've done for me." For a moment it seemed Zac was going to let the hug linger, before pulling back and continuing to walk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two dragons spend the rest of their day there, talking and laughing on the beach, or swimming around and wrestling in the water. Zac surprised both Jason and himself by the way he was enjoying his time there.

But it wasn't all perfect. He could tell something was wrong, something was off. The problem wasn't him, not this time. And what the problem was exactly he didn't know, but what it was bottled inside however, did.

It was Jason.

There was something strange about him, something different that had been slowly growing in him. Zac could see it, a slow crawl over his friend, changing him slowly. The glint in his eyes, and way he smiled, even his stride seemed different. He wasn't his normal, relaxed self, he was tense, tight.

It wasn't until the sun was about to dip behind the horizon that it even occurred to Zac to ask about it. They were laying on the oversized towel, staring out at the city beyond the beach, watching the sun sink down behind the hills to the west. He didn't even turn to his friend as he spoke. "Jason, is something wrong?"

Jason turned to Zac, the faint moment of hesitation before he spoke confirming it even before the younger of the two even opened his mouth. "How could something be wrong? We've had a great day, it's a magnificent sunset, and you're here too. What more could I possibly ask for?"

Zac laughed and turned his head, watching Jason turn back to the sunset. Avoiding eye contact...all right... "Well, you didn't see that cute dragoness from yesterday. I s'pose I could've scared her off, but hey."

Jason just gave a quiet snort. "Meh, she was all right. Don't know why I was so interested, really." He turned back to his friend, still not meeting his eyes. "Maybe I thought I could introduce her to you, you know? Get you back in the game."

With the way Jason was acting now, Zac thought he was starting to put the pieces together. He raised an eyeridge and turned away, looking out over the ocean. Let's see if I'm right about this... "Well, it's a good thing you didn't, Jase. I wouldn't have been interested."

Jason just sighed and shook his head. "You can't stay alone forever, Zac. You've got to find someone, and I know there's many out there who'd want you. You're just trying to avoid it, so what happened last time doesn't happen again."

"I never said I wanted to stay alone," he replied quietly, keeping his gaze on the ocean and working hard to restrain the huge laugh that wanted to burst through his control. For a moment he felt guilty doing this to his friend, but pushed it aside. "What I meant was that I think I've already got my eye on someone else."

THIS gave Jason pause. His body froze for a second, and Zac knew he'd hit a nerve. That was the reflex, that was the response he'd expected. "Well, it's good to see you're still looking at least," Jason said, now meeting his friends eyes and smiling. "I know the lucky female?"

Zac just shook his head and smiled. "No, you don't. But never mind that now." Slowly he stood and smiled, jerking a thumb back towards the car. "Come on, it's getting a bit cool out here, and I'm hungry. What say we get a couple of burgers and see where it goes from there, hmm?"

Jason smiled softly and nodded, looking up at Zac, shimmering in the orange light of the sunset. He couldn't help but stare for a moment at the sight, before quickly standing himself and dusting the sand off himself. "Sounds good to me, I'm famished. Come on, I know just the place."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Just the place' was a small fish and chip shop not too far from the beach itself, just a short run across the still smouldering road. Jason leapt from foot to foot on the other side, growling quietly to himself. "And there is the ONE downside to this place," he snarled, "Getting across the fucking road is HELL."

Zac just laughed and petting his friend on the shoulder. "Bah, it wasn't too bad. After all, the sun's down and it's cooling, and it IS just a short run..." He laughed harder, remembering the last moments before they'd run across the road.

"Come on, it's smart!" he'd said, dousing his feet in water from the same tap Jason had used earlier that day for his own burned feet.

Jason had just waved a hand and tapped his foot impatiently on the grass. "It's not THAT smart," he retorted, "The sun's down, it's cooling. Besides, it's just a quick run across the road. It's not going to burn!"

"Told you it was a good idea," he said, grinning, before walking into the store. Jason growled after him, before reaching into the bag he held and withdrawing a small bottle of water, sitting down and pouring it over his feet with a relieved sigh.

Zac poked his head out from the door of the shop and raised an eyeridge. "Come on, that water was good! You're feet'll be fine, get your arse in here!"

Still growling quietly, Jason followed Zac into the shop. It was nice and small, a few tables scattered around inside and a pair more out front. Jason walked right up to the counter and left Zac to ogle the full drinks fridge while he ordered their food.

He walked back over to his friend and swiped a claw gently just under his lower lip. "Stop drooling, last I heard you can't marry fridges."

Zac just turned and laughed. "You got drinks too?"

"Nope, not yet. You bring them up when you get your food, you dickhead." Jason laughed. "You've really got to come out with me more often. Don't worry, we'll get you up on everything soon. 'Doctor Jason Bax's Guide to Beach Food: all you ever wanted to know but were afraid to eat.'"

Zac just shook his head and laughed, walking over to a table and falling into the chair. Jason followed and draped one arm over the back as his friend settled in, tucking his wings in close to himself. "So Zac, tell me about this little love interest you've got there. I want details, dude!"

Quickly, the older dragon adopted an expression of contemplation. Dammit! I didn't expect this...quick, think of something... "Well...ahh, what do you want to know?"

Jason rolled his eyes and leaned back. "You're too easy, mate. I told you, I want details. Everything! Come on, spill!" He leaned forward, watching Zac closely. "I want to know who could be making you happy...so out with it!"

Zac started to shift a little in his chair under this close scrutiny. "Well...uh, we met a while ago...lives fairly close by...umm..." He looked around for a second, then laughed. "You KNOW I don't talk about my interests! That's your job!"

Jason raised his hands modestly. "I'm very open, you know that. And I know that sometimes you aren't." He winked and leaned back. "So I'll wait until you bring her home before I play the father and give my permission."

He saw it then, a perfect opportunity to continue his earlier line of questioning. Zac smiled faintly and sat back in his chair, relaxing visibly. "So how about you, Jase?" he asked casually, "Besides that cute little dragoness, who you apparently only wanted for me - thanks for that dude, in case I never said it before - anyone that you have YOUR eye on right now?"

This time, Zac was surprised to actually see the blush spread across his friend's face before he ducked his head away. "Yes, actually, I do," he replied quietly, looking down.

"Oh?" Zac crossed his legs under the table and smiled wider, adopting a dark voice, toned like a classic evil villain. "So, it would appear that now the tables have turned, Mr. Bond. You will tell me everything, or you will DIE!"

The joke seemed to put Jason a little more at ease, though he still looked tense. "All right," he said slowly, "But only if you promise not to mention it to anyone else...OK?"

Zac just waggled a finger in the air. "Ah, but Mr. Bond, you have not yet given me what I have asked for!" He pointed his fingers at Jason like a gun. "Tell me the location of the woman!"

His friend looked up slowly, worry written across his face. "I...can't exactly do that, Zac," he replied quietly, "It's not what you think. And I'm scared of what you'd think anyway..."

The older dragon whirled in his seat, looking around. "Jase, I don't know about you, but thought is never a strong suit of mine," he said, joking to ease his friend's mind, "Look, if you don't want to tell me, fine. You don't have to. I just want to have a reason to be happy for you."

A soft smile crept slowly across Jason's face, and he nodded. "All right...first things first." The smile slipped a little, some of the earlier tension showing through. "First of all...she isn't a she...she's a he."

For a second Zac just sat then, before he leaned back and smiled wide. "Oh, is that all you were worried about?" he asked, grinning, "Dude, it's fine. As long as you're happy. So, do I know the guy?"

His friend's acceptance seemed to put Jason more at ease, his words seeming to flow easier. "Actually, yes, you do know him. But I don't really want to go into who he is right now." In his mind, Jason sighed. I can't tell him that yet...

Zac just smiled and nodded. "Like I said, mate, you don't have to tell me! Hell, I'm just glad that there's someone you're looking for seriously." He winked. "And I promised I would tell no one, but Sam's gay too."

Jason just shrugged. He'd already known that Samuel, a wolf slightly older than Zac, possessed that orientation, though the wolf never had held any allure for him. "I already know that." He blushed slightly. "And besides, I'm not gay, I'm bi. Cute dragoness yesterday, remember?"

"Hey, a word's all it is." Zac opened his mouth as if to say more, before the fox behind the counter announced their burgers ready. He turned to Jason and smiled, tossing his wallet to his friend. "And get me a drink while you're there."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They decided to take their burgers and sit once more at the beach as they ate, setting their bottles of drink inside the bag. This time across the road, Jason was smart enough to get his feet a little wet first.

By now the sun had completely set, leaving little more than a faint orange glow across the horizon. Their draconic eyes however, made vision in the twilight fairly easy, allowing them to find their way through the growing darkness back to their towel.

They ate in silence for a moment, neither one really saying anything. Jason fidgeted as he ate, afraid that despite Zac's protests, his friend's thoughts of him had changed. Zac on the other hand, was growing more confident in his belief that it really WAS he himself that held Jason's attentions.

Finally, halfway through his burger, Zac found himself possessed by a sudden explosion of boldness. "Jase? That guy you have your eye on, is it me?"

In the darkness, he saw his friend freeze completely. Jason stopped his chewing at once, his entire body going rigid. For a long while, all that could be heard around them was the crashing of the waves on the shore.

Finally, motion crept back into Jason's mouth. "Wha...what? What do you mean?"

Zac turned fully to face him for a moment, before looking down. He felt that temporary burst of daring leave him, but he pressed onwards anyway. "You said...that there was a guy that you had an eye on...I'm asking if he's me."

Another moment of silence, and Jason looked away as well. For a split second all of the various options flickered through his head, lying, denying it, running away...

"Yes...it's you."

The older dragon brought his gaze back up slowly, locking his eyes on the face of his friend. "Jase...c'mon Jase, at least look at me..."

"I...I can't..."

Zac sighed softly and reached over, gently tilting Jason's head up with a single finger. The other's eyes continued to stare down for a second, before slowly looking up, unshed tears glistening brightly in the moonlight. "Jase...why me?"

It took a moment for Jason to reply, using all his strength of will not to look away again, to keep his eyes locked on Zac's. "I just...I've known you for so long...I know so much about you. I know who you are, better than everyone but you...but most of all..."

His gaze finally dropped down a little. "Most of all...time let my feelings for you grow. I love you, Zac...I just haven't realised it until now."

HA! Bet you didn't expect me to leave it there, did you? DID YOU?! Ha. You'll just have to wait for the next part. And don't worry, you'll get your yiff. Promise. Just as long as you send your comments to [email protected], or post your comments on the forum using the link below.