We Are Bulletproof

Dragon roared in pain as a reaper's claws raked through his side, through the tough protective hide that lined his inky body. He batted it away with a vicious flick of his tail and climbed into the air to get away from the throng that had gathered. They were far away now, from where Kinley was last. He had taken them toward the edge of town--the opposite end of town from where the master lay waiting, for the reapers to report back to him with their collected souls.

He chanced a look at the injury and saw trails of black, thick blood streaming from the cuts. Dragon winced but there was no time to focus on that. Not when Kinley was in danger! Tim would be all right, he was sure; the reapers didn't want Tim's soul. They wanted human souls and Kinley was a human. He had to hurry back to save him, before something happened to him!

Severing the connection between them--he couldn't divert any more energy or attention--Dragon hastened back towards the center of town. DImly he felt the master's calling, his imperious voice resonating in Dragon's mind. The master was displeased and it showed. Why else would he send a group of reapers to collect Dragon? But Dragon fought him. He fought the master's attempts to impose his will on him because a stronger emotion gave him strength now.

"Kiney!" It came out in his dragon's roar as he streaked through the air, heedless of who--or what--saw him. Dragon didn't know where Kinley was but he could sense other reapers, and he followed that faint beacon to a squat, square building. There was one inside. He hoped it was the right one! Dragon quickly reverted back into his ungainly human form and stumbled inside--naked, just like the first time Kinley found him.

"KINEY!"

The shop was empty.

Or so Kinley thought.

He had been sitting at one of the tables in the darkness by himself for a while, trying to cheer Dragon on and trying to soothe him since he seemed distressed. But in doing so, he hadn't realized that when he entered the building, so did somebody else.

At first, he assumed that it was one of the owners of the shop. Tim's parents. Maybe even that girl who worked there and obsessed over Tim. But when he looked up, the person coming out of the shadows seemed... well, smudgy was the best word he could think of to describe it. The shape was sort of like a human but then... it wasn't. It was like staring at a photograph that didn't come out right. Like the person was not a person but something else. The longer Kinley looked at it, the more he realized that it wasn't human--but unlike the other nonhumans he had come to know, this one really wanted to hurt him.

Kinley tried to reassure Dragon one last time--but that was when the Smudge came at him. Something silvery flashed out toward him and if Kinley hadn't been a student of the dance class in town, he surely would have been hit by it. But his reflexes were fairly strong--he leaped backward and down onto the ground before rolling over and then onto one knee. Wildly, he stared at whatever it was that was swiping at him.

What was it?

He couldn't get a good look at it. It was almost like it existed somewhere else. Or like it was behind a window. Kinley couldn't get a good look at it. And even as he tried, the back door flew open and another form entered the building.

"Dragon!" Kinley cried, startled but happy to see him... right before the Smudge came for him again, this time sweeping Kinley off his feet and coming at his chest with what looked like one, long, jagged claw.

"NO! NO KINEY!"

Dragon lunged at the reaper, over a set of tables and chairs. He leapt with his stupid clumsy human body and he tackled it from the side. They crashed into another table, sending chairs flying and falling. Dragon hit his ribs on the edge of the table and all the wind was knocked out of him--the pain was unbelievable. But he felt a sense of victory, too, knowing that the reaper hadn't gotten its claws on Kinley's beautiful soul. He had gotten here just in time!

Except...

The reaper's claws found him instead, piercing his back. Dragon let out a wet-sounding shout; his lungs felt like it was filling with fluid and he couldn't breathe properly. Gasping, he tightened his grasp on the reaper as they rolled around and around--the reaper trying to dislodge him and Dragon doggedly clinging to it, so that he could buy Kinley time to escape. The dragon on his back swarmed to where the reaper had injured him, to try and repair the damage, but it would take time and time was the one thing that Dragon didn't have--not when he was dealing with another reaper hell-bent on collecting a soul.

No.

It was like the wolf in the forest all over again. All. Over. Again. Everything moved in slow motion and Kinley's heart beat so fast that it hurt. But not nearly as much as it hurt to hear Dragon crash into the thing that was trying to kill him. (Or maim him. It didn't much matter--it definitely wanted Kinley destroyed in some manner or other!)

It hurt even more as Kinley immediately bounded up and onto his feet, only to see that the thing and Dragon--in a frail human body--were tussling with one another. No. Tussle was far too tame a word for what he was looking at. Dragon was trying to do something--he wasn't letting the thing let go of him. Kinley waited for him to just let go but no, he hung on hard.

"Dragon!"

Kinley looked around for the first thing he could find and it was a chair. He picked it up and ran toward the thing, bringing the chair down on what looked like its head, as hard as he could.

"Get away from him!"

"Ki--Augh!" The chair thudded an inch away from Dragon's head, having passed right through the reaper's head. A human-made thing like that couldn't stop it. It was only magic--and magical beings--that could even hope to keep one down, and Dragon was trying his best to stop it from getting to Kinley. He grappled with the reaper, whose claws had sunk in deep at his back, and managed somehow to get on top of it.

Shamelessly Dragon bit it--hard--in the throat and it let out an inhuman gurgle. But that wouldn't kill it; it would only briefly stun it. "Kiney! Go!" Dragon didn't dare let go of the reaper, which was bucking wildly under him. It extracted one hand and raked down his back with the long, cruel nails and Dragon let out a cry of pain, arching his back at the torment.

Blood like black ink ran down his back from the wounds but in the moment, all he could think about was keeping Kinley safe.

"Ki-Kiney! GO!"

OH. His eyes widened to saucers as the chair nearly hit Dragon instead. It didn't even strike the other creature a little bit--it didn't flinch, it didn't even seem to notice that the chair had gone through it. Through it. Like a ghost! Was it... a spirit? Was it some kind of creature that didn't belong in the world? Had it come for Dragon from the other side? Where the card acted as a portal?

His mouth went dry. There were so many questions crowding his head that he could barely think at all. The sound of Dragon being hurt snapped him back into motion. He was an idiot; he couldn't help it. He ran toward the fight instead of away from it, not fully understanding the situation. Dragon always tried to save him and Kinley always tried to save Dragon in turn. Kinley did that sort of thing for his little brother, too. He just... couldn't sit back. After his older brother disappeared, Kinley felt the weight of responsibility hang from his shoulders, suffocating but necessary. It made him more foolhardy than he might have been, it made him braver. Stupider.

But he couldn't run away. He couldn't leave Dragon alone with that thing.

"No!"

He tried to attack it, to kick it away, to do anything but just as the chair had done, Kinley's limbs seemed to pass through it and when they did, they turned cold. Colder than he'd ever felt. Shaking, he stepped back on nearly leaden feet and stared at the thing.

"What is it? What are you?"

"Kiney!" Dragon begged, hoping that his desperate tone would get through to Kinley, if not exactly the words. He wished he could communicate effectively but he didn't know the humans' language. The only new word he learned was "go" and he shouted it again and again, willing Kinley to stop being stubborn--to go, far away from this square building and away from the angry reaper.

Even as he shouted, the reaper was shredding at his flimsy human body with its deadly claws. Dragon didn't dare change into his normal form. He would crush Kinley if he did, with the bulk of his coils alone. He would become trapped inside the building as a dragon, unable to move; there was no room to maneuver in, in such a confined space.

The only thing he could do was cling to the reaper and impede its fatal attack on Kinley, by sacrificing his own body.

No.

No.

NO.

This was not happening right now. This wasn't happening. Kinley felt like everything was happening simultaneously in slow motion and too fast for him to catch his breath. All he could see was that thing tearing relentlessly through Dragon's flesh, tearing at him like a sharp knife through toilet paper. Dragon was being ripped apart, torn into ribbons and Kinley had no idea how to help. And he hated it, he hated that feeling of utter helplessness.

"DRAGON! No!" He had no idea how to help. His heart pounded ceaselessly in his ear. Dragon kept saying to go but with him now in this condition, it would only keep Kinley awake at night, wondering how he could have done things differently. He wished he had the power to stop time, if only for a moment. He wanted more time; time to think, time with Dragon.

He couldn't touch the thing but he could touch Dragon and foolishly, he did the opposite of Dragon's words. Rather than fleeing, he tried to hold Dragon, to keep him together, so that he wouldn't fall apart. In his mind, he kept remembering the card. Why wasn't Dragon there, safe inside whatever realm that card held him in? Why did he have to be here, where everything seemed tailor made to break him down? It just didn't seem fair to Kinley at all, that something, that somebody like Dragon could exist and only receive the worst parts the world had to offer.

"Leave him alone! What do you even want from us?!"

If he died here...

If he died here, he didn't know what would happen to him. His soul might return to the vast realm from whence he had been summoned by the Master, awaiting another chance to become reborn. Or he might become a lost soul, destined to wander without meaning or cause.

Dragon wasn't brave; no more than any other creature of his type. He didn't want to die. When he came back here, his intention wasn't to sacrifice himself to save Kinley but... he couldn't stay his hand, while Kinley was harmed. Knowing what would happen to the souls that the reapers collected, Dragon couldn't let Kinley's soul be stolen from him at any cost.

But his sacrifice was in vain, and Kinley stayed to try and help him. He felt Kinley's hands on him, their warmth, their weight. Dragon turned his head to look at Kinley, with desperation in his eyes. "Kiney... go..." He couldn't hold the reaper for much longer and if Kinley stayed, then they would both die. And every slash and scratch and rip and tear that Dragon had endured for Kinley would have been for nothing at all.

"Go! Go!" He shouted at Kinley with the last of his breath, in a tone that he hoped sounded angry. He hoped it would drive Kinley away. "Go!"

Somebody rushed in then, a blurry figure that Dragon couldn't make out. It reached out for Kinley and grabbed onto his arm and shouted into his ear--Tim. "Kin! C'mon! You gotta get outta here!"

Sheer stubborn will kept him there, trying to pull Dragon along with him. Why did he just keep telling him to go? How could he let things end like this? It didn't make sense to him. Dragon should be running with him. But he wasn't. He was stubborn, too. Hell, he might have been more stubborn than Kinley.

"No! Stop! S-stop! Let go and--"

But Dragon wasn't done. The GO thing kept coming up, angrier. Kinley wasn't angry in response, however. He was desperate. He was afraid. The icy hand of fear threatened to strangle him as he watched the color starting to leave Dragon's face. His eyes seemed just a little bit dimmer. He... he didn't look good.

"Just come with me!" Kinley cried vehemently, but then he was being dragged away from Dragon. He had no idea what had gripped him at first and he swung his arms, trying to get a hit in on the new enemy.

It was just Tim.

Just Tim, trying to drag him away!

"No!" he said helplessly. "Dragon... what about Dragon?"

It just didn't seem fair to him. The whole thing was a spit in the face. No, much worse than that. It was a knife to the spine. Paralyzing. Kinley finally met somebody that made him feel more alive than he'd ever felt in his life. Somebody magical, in every way. He lit up everything inside of Kinley in a way he'd never experienced... and all Kinley could do for him in return was run away? He hated it!

"...we can't just..."

"Dude you're gonna get him killed!" No time for niceties now, or for subtlety! Tim hauled hard on Kinley's arm to get him away from Dragon, whose back looked like somebody had taken a lawn mower to it. It was in shreds and Tim cringed inwardly at the ghastly, awful sight. Blood like black ink ran profusely down his pale skin, pooling on the ground.

"He can't fight with you here, you idiot! You gotta get away so he can change!"

He couldn't blame Kinley for wanting to stay and protect Dragon--knowing how Kinley felt about Dragon, and vice versa--but this was seriously a case of not seeing the forest for the trees. With one last-ditch effort, he yanked on Kinley. "C'mon! This way! Dragon can take care of himself if you don't hold him back!"

Because only one of them was a giant black dragon that could crush reapers with its tail--and it wasn't Kinley the human!

"Wh-wha...?"

Tim jerked him back and away. Pure reflex made him fight back but only for a few seconds. Realizing what Tim was saying combined with his actions, he finally stopped fighting. He let go and allowed Tim to pull him away. What he couldn't shield Kinley from was the inky blood that covered Dragon's body. The thing that had attacked him had really harmed him. Killed him? Heat stung the back of his eyes and then blurred the scene as he stumbled along with Tim. Away... Helpless, he could only watch the light starting to leave Dragon's eyes.

Dragon could take care of himself. Kinley wanted to believe it but it was hard to reconcile those words with the vision before him. He shivered.

"What's happening?" he asked Tim, looking back as they left. No matter what Tim said, it just didn't feel right, leaving somebody behind like that. Especially somebody he inexplicably cared for... and was left in such a painful situation.

"Are you sure he can take care of himself? He... he didn't..."

"He'll be fine! C'mon, we need to get to a safe place!"

Tim slammed the back door open and dragged Kinley outside into the cold, foggy night air. He cast a worried look over his shoulder too, at Dragon who was still grappling with the reaper, but he knew that realistically there was nothing either he or Kinley could do to help. The most they could do was to stay out of Dragon's way.

"I don't know all of it..." Tim grabbed Kinley's hand, just in case Kinley had a change of mind and wanted to run back in there. "Dragon said there was this guy called the Master, and he was taking souls. Human souls. I think Dragon was supposed to be a reaper too but..."

Clearly, Dragon was helping rather than hurting them. (Or just Kinley, since Tim wasn't exactly human.) Inside the building, he heard a sound like a loud crash and cringed. "Aw man! That's my—our cafe!" He didn't dare look back, in case Dragon exploded the building or something. A large, long shadow was falling over them already—Dragon, he hoped, changing back into his more fearsome dragon form. There was a loud roar in the air and Tim jumped. "Yeah see? He's fine! He's all right. Come on, we gotta get back to my house!"

"Agh... o-okay!"

He kept stumbling until he finally regained his balance but he was still sort of half leaning on Tim for a few seconds. When he was able to straighten himself up, he felt a hand taking his, still pulling him along. He almost stumbled again because he was an idiot and he kept glancing back. His heart wouldn't stop beating so hard that he heard the blood pounding in his ears. His stomach roiled in despair. Dragon.

Tim said he could take care of himself and he was a dragon, after all. Despite having seen his exhilarating dragon form on the card and in the sky, Kinley still had a hard time connecting all the dots. Tim wouldn't leave him to die, though. Not after all he'd done to help both Kinley and Dragon. Trying to remember to breathe, he blinked. What...? Oh... The roar. Tim meant the roar. It was Dragon, probably more able to fight back against that... thing back there.

"Where's everybody else?" Kinley asked. "At your house? My brother?"

"Kero's at my place, yeah," Tim said briefly, trying to save his breath for running. Running fast, away from the cafe. His parents were going to kill him, he just knew it. It wasn't even his fault that a giant dragon smashed through the roof of it but man, he just knew that his parents would find some way to pin it on him!

"He came over this afternoon, looking for you. Should be with Andy right now." Briefly, Tim frowned. "My big mouth brother told your brother about us being dragons, by the way." Yeah that was a real hoot, having Kero following him and looking at him the way Evie followed and looked at him. Because Tim needed another awkward gawker in his life, totally. When he left, Kero was gawking at Andy and Tim hoped it made Andy feel as uncomfortable as it made him!

Behind them, there was another roar--not as loud as before, not as powerful. Tim looked back; Dragon was falling through the air. He flailed a bit and then righted himself, and dove at something on the ground, releasing a blast of what looked like black fire out of his mouth. "...jesus," muttered Tim, pausing to stare. Dragon looked hurt, though. Even his giant snake-like body was covered in wounds--similar to the ones his human body sustained, long gashes from which inky blood seeped.

"C'mon Kin. We gotta keep moving." It hurt him a little to turn away too, but his house was just down the street now and he knew that Dragon would have wanted Kinley to be safe.

The last thing Kinley wanted to do was turn his back on Dragon. Every part of his being screamed for him and he kept foolishly looking back. Every time he did, the mist began to obscure his vision. His heart raced, thudded, and beat a harsh rhythm against his ribcage. Dragon! Yet Tim kept moving forward, ignoring what was happening behind them. How could he have so much confidence? It made Kinley feel... lesser somehow, as if he didn't put enough faith and trust in Dragon to be able to handle whatever that thing was on his own.

He didn't think it was like that, though. Logically, he was sure Tim just wanted to save his friend--Kinley--from harm. And he hoped that Dragon wouldn't be hurt in the process but... but... But what? Couldn't he help? No. He said he can't change like Dragon does. A product of being half-dragon rather than a full one, Kinley suspected. And then he wondered which parent was the dragon.

"What if he..." Kinley couldn't finish the sentence; he knew that if he did, the possibilities might just turn him back toward the fray. The very one his best friend was trying to pull him away from. Instead, he swallowed past the thick lump in his throat and tried to change the subject.

"Kero's safe, right?"

What if he needs our help?

It crossed Tim's mind too but he couldn't stop and turn back now. He promised Dragon that he'd keep Kinley safe and promises between dragons were sacred. It wasn't something to be taken lightly. Besides, if they were hurt trying to save Dragon, then Dragon's sacrifice would've been for nothing. Tim grit his teeth and kept on going, ignoring the lump in his own throat as Dragon's cries sounded behind them, growing weaker.

"Yeah, he's safe. Last I saw, he was making eyes at Andy." Tim tried to grin but it came out wrong. It was tight, forced. They were nearly at his house now, though, and he saw the front door opening and the welcome beacon of light spilling out into the dense fog. A figure hurtled towards them, sprinting across the front lawn.

"KIN! KIN! YOU'RE OKAY!" Kero flung himself at Kinley but Tim pulled him off before his arms could make it all the way around Kinley's waist.

"We have to get back inside!" His voice was sharp, strained. They weren't out of the woods yet! Tim hustled both brothers along, into his house, and then he slammed the door shut and locked it behind him.

"We'll just. We can wait here until Dragon kills that thing. He knows where I live so. He'll find his way here later."

Please be safe, Dragon. The sense of loss was real and he didn't want it to happen again. Losing Dragon in one form had been bad enough. Losing him forever... The lump in his throat grew larger and he had to swallow hard and remember to breathe. Dragon was a dragon. He would be okay. Tim thought so. Dragon... must have thought so, too. He'd do anything to protect me, wouldn't he?

Even die.

Stop.

Struggling to keep himself in the present with Tim, he took in another deep, shuddering breath. Then he realized what Tim was saying and he looked up, startled. "Did you just--?"

Andy? Kero's making eyes at Andy? Kinley half wanted to laugh and half wanted to cry for his brother. Then again, Andy was way more accessible than a dragon that seemed connected to their world only through a little card. He didn't have long to ruminate over his brother's possible romantic fate, however--because Kero was throwing himself at him with all the grace of a truck. No time for a reunion. Kinley cast another furtive glance over his shoulder just before he was unceremoniously shoved into Tim's house.

"Sheesh, okay. We're inside." Kinley turned to see Tim securely locking the door. Sliding an arm around Kero's shoulder to half hug him, he continued to watch Tim. "What the hell's going on out there?"

Kero kept a firm hold on his brother and buried his face into the vicinity of Kinley's chest. When Tim and that Dragon guy rushed out, Kero had a bad feeling that something was wrong. That feeling was exacerbated by the creepy weird robed things that swarmed by outside, just barely visible through the fog. Tim hadn't even done a good job of explaining anything—all he said was to stay indoors and to stay quiet.

Kero spent half the time worrying about his brother and the other half of the time staring at Andy. Who was a dragon. Yeah. Kero hadn't gotten a chance to interrogate him before Tim and the Dragon guy made their appearance, and then he sorta forgot most of his questions because he was busy ogling Andy. Maybe that creeped Andy out, he didn't know (but highly suspected that was the case).

It was just...

Andy was a DRAGON!

And so was Tim! And Tim's parents! And the Dragon guy was a dragon too! EVERYBODY was a dragon!

"Something bad's happening." Tim ran a hand over his face, looking tired. "My parents said it was the fog. Things are coming out of the fog and they're... hurting humans."

Kero's grasp on Kinley tightened. HE was a human!! "Kin... what's gonna happen to us?" And their parents? Tim said his parents were over at their house, keeping their parents safe, but Kero wished he could see his mom and dad right now.

"Only humans?" Kinley asked, sounding somewhat skeptical. So then why was it attacking Dragon? Because he was in a human form. No, no. That made no sense. It didn't react to Tim, did it? Kinley found that he couldn't remember. He was so shaken that he couldn't really think straight. Even his limbs were shaking a little, to mirror the jarring rhythm of his heart.

"We're going to be fine," Kinley said, mustering the most confident voice he could. He lightly ran his hand up to Kero's head so he could ruffle his hair. Kero was worried. Tim was worried. Everybody was worried but they couldn't show it in front of their little brothers. Kinley glanced up and scanned the room for Tim's brother, who was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed like a kindergartener, hands pressed against his legs. He wasn't looking at them, just staring blankly at the television. It was on, but it was just static.

Trying not to worry Tim on top of everything else, Kinley asked, "Is the cable out? And the news?"

"Looks like the cable's out. You wanna go check the radio upstairs? Maybe there's some reception up there." Tim frowned at Andy, but didn't say anything about his strange behavior. It looked like he wanted to, then thought better of it.

Kero's head snapped back. "What's gonna be on the news? Is the--are the creepy guys in the fog gonna be in the news Kin?"

Also, what was up with Andy? Kero finally let go of Kinley, now that he knew his brother was safe, and wandered back to the couch. He plopped down beside Andy and nudged him with his elbow. Then he felt a little thrill--because he'd just nudged A DRAGON with his elbow!

"I don't know but we're going to find out,," Kinley said, ruffling his brother's hair one last time before he started up the stairs with Tim. Andy watched them out of the corner of his eye and then stared at the television again. Still nothing but static. Cable was definitely out. He grasped his knees again and then jolted in surprise when a weight plopped down beside him. Finally, he turned his head to face Kero and he felt at least somewhat calmed by his presence.

"What?" Andy elbowed Kero back.

"Ow!" Kero rubbed his ribs where Andy's elbows dug into him. "We should go while they're upstairs!" He leaned in closer, dropping his voice to a low whisper even though Kinley and Tim couldn't possibly hear them now. But Kero didn't know if Tim had super DRAGON hearing! Maybe Tim had all kinds of special powers! (Little brother snooping-on powers maybe!)

"You know. To see what's going on outside! Don't you wanna know? Where's Dragon? Tim went out with him right? We could just... take a quick peek and come back before they come downstairs again!"

Go? Andy stared at Kero without comprehension for a few seconds before realizing what it was that Kero meant. He only realized it a second before Kero explained, but still. Then he cast a look toward one of the windows. Dragon, eh? That Dragon guy that Kero's brother was so obsessed with?

Normally, Andy wanted to go on adventures with Kero but something in him hesitated. Maybe it was the way being outside made him feel. Maybe it was the strange fog. Worst of all, maybe it was the way his brother was acting. Andy couldn't even remember the last time he saw Tim so worked up.

"You just got your brother back inside," Andy said. "Why do you want to go back outside?"

"Because now I know Kin's safe!" Kero exclaimed, in a tone of voice that indicated he was trying very hard to explain something very obvious to Andy. "So now I can go out, because he's here! C'mon! I heard a huge noise earlier, didn't you? You think that Dragon guy's a dragon right now?"

Kero was almost wiggling physically in his giddy excitement. Yes, he was worried earlier, but that was when he didn't know where his brother was. Now that Kinley and Tim were safe, and knowing that TIm's parents were taking care of his parents, the only thing left to do was--well--go see what all the fuss was about! Kero was sure that if there was real danger, they could simply run back home.

Leaping up, he grabbed Andy's hand and tugged hard on it. "If you don't come with me, I'm going out alone!"

"...probably?"

Andy didn't know what else to say. Part of him was a little, well, jealous. He'd always know that he was a blood relative of a dragon and that he had a few extra abilities thanks to that bloodline. But as far as he knew, he'd never been able to actually change into one the way that Dragon guy did. What kind of name is Dragon anyway? he scoffed to himself. Kero was awfully interested in him now that he knew dragons were real! And that the guy could become one.

Andy scoffed aloud, too. Tugging back, he didn't immediately get up. He tried to pull Kero back down.

"Dude," he started, but Kero was excitedly talking over him--about how he was going out alone if he didn't go with him. Andy narrowed his eyes and pulled at Kero again, tightening his hold on him in case Kero really made good on his words.

"No way, man. You can't go out there. You're human, stupid!"

"I know that, dummy!" Did Andy think that Kero didn't know he was just a garden-variety, ordinary human?! That was why Kero needed—yeah, NEEDED, all capitals with emphasis—to get out there, before it was too late to see what was going on! How often would Kero have a chance to see a real dragon?

...he had plenty of chances to argue with an almost-dragon, every day practically. (Like... right now.) But a real dragon?! That was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and Andy was getting in the way of that. Kero tried to wrench his hands free, since now Andy was holding them hostage as he tried to drag Kero back down onto the couch. "That's it! I'm leaving without you!" he declared hotly, twisting his body in the direction of the door.

"Let go! I have to see the dragon!"

"Kero! You idiot!"

Stupid, wiggly dumbass! He was going to get himself in trouble, running off into the mist like that! Yet Andy still got up and chased him to the door because sitting there staring at a static-filled television wasn't doing anything for him. It wouldn't do anything for anyone. But going out... Andy was admittedly apprehensive. There was something out there and both his parents and his brother and even Evie seemed pretty wary of it.

Thinking of Evie, Andy looked up the stairs, where Tim and Kinley had gone. Evie was upstairs, too. She was probably following Tim everywhere. Andy set his jaw. But she might think he was cool if he went outside with Kero and saved him from being dumb!

Sighing, he followed Kero outside.

"They say the stuff out here only goes after humans, you know," Andy said pointedly.

"I'll out-run them!" Kero called over his shoulder to Andy, secretly glad that Andy decided to follow him. He was all gung-ho about going outside while he was inside, but once he was outside with the things that only went after humans, little fingers of fear began to creep down his spine. Still! His desire to see the dragon—a real live DRAGON—was greater than his fear of things that he couldn't see.

Kero ran down the street, looking left and right. Where was the dragon? He looked up into the sky. No dragon there. Was the dragon hiding behind that house? Behind the bush? He rooted around but nothing like a dragon popped out. "Where...? I thought I heard the noise from over here!" That roar sounded close earlier, like it might be only a few blocks away.

"Hey, what's that?" Crouching down, he inspected a pool of what looked like black ink. Kero dipped a finger into it and brought it closer to his face. It was a little thick and it was almost glossy. When he looked up, he noticed other small pools of the black substance. "Did somebody spill paint over here?"

"Whatever," Andy mumbled. Like Kero was some kind of track runner or something. He couldn't outrun everything! Like monsters and ghosts and spirits! Pfft. Andy tried to shake off the weird feeling in the air but it crackled under the skin like a storm raging inside his veins. The feeling was thoroughly unsettling. Frowning and drawing his brows together, he followed Kero as closely as possible. So closely that he nearly stepped on the heel of his shoes a couple of times.

Then he stopped. Andy followed his gaze and immediately grasped onto the back of Kero's jacket and hauled him back, toward himself.

"Don't touch it, stupid!"

"AH-OWW!" Kero stumbled back with the collar of his jacket right up against his neck. His hand flew up to the collar to tug it back, because Andy was choking him to death with it! "Let go! What the hell!" He turned back to slap Andy's arm.

Geez! That was some over-reaction to black paint! Kero had already wiped the paint off his fingertips on his pants, where they left a smudgey smear on his jeans. "It's just paint!" Why somebody would be painting out here at this hour, Kero didn't know, but it was there all around them. Little pools of black stuff. Some of it even draped over bushes, and on houses. Kero frowned. Pranksters? Some of the kids at school would do stuff like this—but with toilet paper, rather than paint.

One thing was apparent, however; the dragon was gone. So where was Dragon, the dragon guy? Did he change back? Kero looked around again, absently grasping on to Andy's sleeve. "I don't see anything, Andy." Not the Dragon guy and not even the things in the fog that went after humans. All he saw was fog, and Andy, and black paint.

"No it's not!"

He stared at it.

"It's not!" He insisted again, even though Kero hadn't argued. It wasn't just paint. Andy could smell it. It was just like the dragon guy. A special sort of ink that made up the creature. Yeah, he was a dragon but not the same kind that Andy his family were. He was something else. Andy reached up and pressed the back of his hand against his nose and mouth, trying not to smell it.

"I think it's what's left of that Dragon guy."

It wasn't paint? Kero didn't argue because he was busy looking around for Dragon, the dragon guy. When he looked over his shoulder at Andy, Andy was covering his mouth and nose and Kero lifted his brows. What was he doing? Kero didn't smell anything weird. He even sniffed the air, but all he smelled was... the air.

"Huh?! What's LEFT of him?!" What did that mean? Did Andy think the black stuff was the dragon guy? Did dragons work like that? Kero was partly repulsed and partly amazed. Amazingly repulsed? He looked down at the smear on his pants and made a half-disgusted noise. He had... dragon guts on him? Or blood or whatever. Puree of dragon.

"But then what got him??" He held on tighter to Andy's sleeve, just as something rustled the bushes close by. They formed a neighbor's hedge, and Kero leapt back like he was shot. The bushes rustled again, ominously, and he stared so hard that his eyeballs hurt. "What was that?!" he whisper-screeched. Was it the thing that got the dragon guy?!

Ugh. Dead dragon. It was totally dead dragon and now he was creeped the hell out and just wanted to leave. Why did he let Kero drag him out here, anyway? It's not like I'm in danger, he tried to tell himself but the truth was, if that Dragon guy got killed and all that was left of him were these inky stains, what chance did Andy have? He sure as hell wasn't as powerful as Dragon!

"I don't know. Maybe it's the thing that's been getting the humans."

But that didn't make much sense, did it? If it went for humans, why would it go after a dragon? Andy was already kinda nervous but with Kero leaping like a man shot, Andy let out a yelp and jumped, too. Damn it! He sounded like such a girl! He grabbed onto Kero and half shook him.

"Bastard," he started but whatever was in the bushes was still moving around. Andy kicked out a leg toward the bush. "Who's there?!"

Kero wasn't really the calm-in-a-crisis type. He was more the get-everybody-into-the-crisis type, with his enthusiasm and adventurous spirit and uncontrollable need to know. He liked the adventure, but not the danger--two things that often went hand-in-hand, unfortunately, living in a backwoods place like Hazleton. When Andy leapt on him, he full on yelled (a little bit like a girl, but not as much as Andy).

"It's not MY faul--" he began, then shimmied back when Andy decided to kick the bushes. "Don't DO that! You'll make it mad!" he hissed violently, dragging Andy with him and onto the road--thereby putting them in more danger. It was sort of a judgement call, really, between getting flattened by a car or getting shredded by the thing that got the dragon guy.

Something dark crawled out of the bushes. Kero screamed, shrill and loud. It was--it was a zombie! "ZOMBIE!" he screeched right in Andy's ear, as the black-covered thing reached out for them, looking 900% like every crawling zombie out of every video game, ever.

"SHIT."

Andy didn't know why the hell he let KERO TALK HIM INTO THIS. The thing coming at them was like something straight out of a horror movie. Seriously! It was like half-dead, crawling toward them with an outstretched hand like it was going to try and infect them! Andy started to raise his foot to kick at it again--despite what Kero said. But then he realized that the stuff covering it was more of that inky stuff. Squinting at the form, Andy lowered his foot and leaned slightly forward.

"Dragon guy? Is that you?"

"WHY AREN'T YOU RUNNING?" Kero shrieked as he turned to run, shortly before the THING spoke.

Kiney... it said--or rather, croaked. Kero paused. Kiney? Dragon guy called Kinley that before... Suspiciously, he turned to look at the dark mass on the ground; it had stopped crawling towards them now.

But it also looked real dead.

"I think it's him!" Kero didn't move forward, though, in case it was a zombie. But he, too, squinted at the figure and he realized that it did look familiar. It was just covered in wounds and black paint--er, black blood, Kero supposed.

"Holy crap! We gotta get him back home!" He inched a step forward.

"BECAUSE!"

He couldn't run if he wanted to. Part of him was rooted in place, too far in shock to do anything except try to kick out. But since it looked like the dragon guy, he couldn't kick it. If it ended up not being him, boy were they both in big trouble. It sounded like it was talking though, and it seemed more  pitiful than frightening. That made Andy relax--slightly--but then came the part where they had to get him back home.

"Uh..."

He was covered in that black slimy stuff, for one thing! And for another, under that slime, he sure looked naked. Andy balked for a moment but still, if KERO was moving forward, Andy didn't want to be outdone. He moved forward to and then dropped beside the dragon guy. He was just a dragon in human form. Nothing to be intimidated by. Andy was one too, after all! Even if he bled blood like a person and not this weird inky stuff that was all over him. Smelled like dragon, though. Inky dragon. Ugh, it really wasn't a good smell.

"Come on," he said. "You grab one end and I'll... er. Grab the other end."

"...okay," Kero said hesitantly, not sure which end he wanted to grab, exactly. The head part? Or the feet? He, too, noticed that the dragon guy was naked but in the moment, with him so injured, it wasn't the most pressing issue keeping Kero at bay. What was, however, were his injuries. Kero wasn't good with open wounds. Then again, was anybody good with them?!

He went to pick up the dragon guy's feet, trusting Andy to hold up his end. "NNNRG! He's heavy!" Heavier than he looked! Kero wondered if they were carrying a whole dragon's worth of weight, stuffed into a human-sized body. For a human, the dragon guy was pretty short too!

"Kiney... no... Kiney... danger..."

He said some other things that Kero didn't understand, but which sounded cool, because Kero just knew that it was dragon-language. "What's he saying?!" he demanded of Andy, as he waddled back toward Andy's house. 

"Kinley's not in danger anymore. He's inside with my brother."

And because he was so busy saying that part, he mostly didn't hear what else Dragon had to say. Yeah, he spoke a language that Andy understood but... like. He was all quiet about it and he was kinda half dead, too. Whatever got Dragon probably thought it had taken Dragon out and was off doing something else.

"I don't know." Andy shrugged. "He thinks that thing that was attacking him is going to come after Kinley. But it would have a better chance to go after you, now that you're out here."

Which... honestly wasn't the most comforting thing to realize.

"Come on. Let's hurry and get him out of here!"

"...GEE THANKS!"

Because, yeah, it made Kero feel SO much better to be told that the thing that almost killed a real live dragon was going to come after him next! If Dragon, the dragon guy, didn't stand a chance, how the hell was Kero going to fare against whatever was out here earlier? He did hasten—but not because Andy instructed him to. He did it because he didn't want to become the next splotch of paint on the ground!

Thankfully, the house wasn't that far away. Unfortunately, Kero wasn't accustomed to carrying a grown dragon around and his arms grew tired half-way back to the house. Kero struggled manfully to hold up his end of Dragon, who kept babbling and murmuring away, occasionally muttering Kinley's name. He was restless, too, making carrying him difficult. Once or twice, Kero almost dropped him, and he was utterly relieved when he saw Andy's house again.

The moment Kero set foot through the door, he bawled out at the top of his lungs, "KIN! KIN COME DOWN QUICK! IT'S THE DRAGON GUY! HURRY!"

"Ugh..."

Kero so wasn't holding his end of the dragon. Andy shot him a look. Well then again, he was a weak little human guy, so. Andy smirked to himself, then let out a relieved sigh when he saw the door to his house. Nothing seemed to be tailing them as they dragged Dragon inside. The couch felt like it was miles away--the one he and Kero had been sitting on earlier. Static still played over the television as they hefted Dragon onto the couch.

Upstairs, Andy heard talking and then the sound of somebody racing down the stairs at top speed. So fast, actually, that Kinley looked like he was going to trip down the last few steps. Somehow, he managed to grasp the banister and twirled on his socked feet before skidding to a halt across the room. Then his excitement turned to horror as the color drained from his face.

"Dragon?"

"We found him in the bushes! We thought he was a zombie and Andy tried to kick him but then he said your name and we realized it was him so we carried him back here!" Kero explained all in a rush, without stopping for a single breath. He panted slightly after he finished, sidling closer to his brother, who looked like he'd just seen a ghost. Or... a really messed up dragon guy.

"Is he gonna..." Kero couldn't finish the sentence, not with how his brother looked. He reached out to squeeze Kinley's hand.

Dragon, the dragon guy, stirred faintly. "Kiney..." he murmured, tossing his head. "Kiney... dan...ger..."

Tim thudded down the steps too, so fast that he tripped and had to hang on to the railing to stop himself from falling. "Holy shi-!"

"How do we help him?" he asked Tim, who also nearly tripped down the steps. Well, their brothers were shouting bloody murder down here--how could they ignore it? And of course, once Dragon was mentioned, Kinley was right on top of it. Despite the fact that Dragon was whispering something about danger, Kinley came over to sit beside him on the sofa. He really looked bad. Paler than normal, with all that inky stuff everywhere. Kinley didn't think he was any kind of healer. Really, he was nothing but a typical human being.

Frowning, he reached up and tried to smooth back Dragon's damp hair from his face.

"What do we do?" he asked Tim again, since he was the only one of them who seemed to know anything. After a moment, Kinley dug around his pocket for the card that he'd found Dragon on. Of course, it was empty now. Nothing on it. "Can he recover if he... goes back?"

"If he goes back, he might not be able to come here again..." Tim frowned as he approached the limp figure on the couch, whose black, ink-like blood was staining the cushions. Damn! He wished his parents were here. Maybe they would know of some way to help the poor guy.

Kneeling beside Kinley and Dragon, Tim touched Dragon's shoulder gently. It looked like his entire body was covered in injuries, from scratches to deep gouges. No guts hanging out, though—at least there was that. Underneath the dark blood, he saw the dragon tattoo moving sluggishly. Where it passed over the lighter wounds, they healed, but the heavier marks remained.

"I think we need a potion." Tim looked over his shoulder at their younger brothers. Kero was hanging on to Andy, in lieu of Kinley. "Andy, you and Kero stay here with Dragon and make sure he stays conscious. Kin and I are gonna have to find a potion for Dragon. You up for it, Kin?" Tim rose, dusting off his knees. He could go alone, but their odds were better with two people instead of one. Plus—and Tim didn't want to admit it—he was scared of that dense fog, too.

"Oh." Kinley looked down at the card before stuffing it back where he'd found it. "I didn't know."

There were like a thousand things that Kinley didn't know. He didn't know what fought Dragon or why. He didn't know why it left him like this or how he bled ink instead of blood. Was he special type of dragon? Who created him? Was he created... or born? How did somebody like Dragon come into existence? Those were questions he'd had since he met him (minus the blood and ink part) but now they were less concerning than: Is he going to survive? and How do I save him? Worse still, Kinley's chest felt stuffy with unexpressed emotion as he lowered his head.

I should have stayed with him. Why didn't I just...

Why did he have to be a boring, useless human with no skills to aid him whatsoever?! It made Kinley feel useless; normally in life, Kinley worked hard enough to keep any feeling like that at bay. He was good at the things he chose to do and it wasn't just talent. It was that stubborn streak, the same one that might have gotten both him and Dragon killed earlier.

But maybe it would keep Dragon alive now.

"A potion?" Kinley drew his brows together. His heart began to beat faster as he sat up a little straighter. His fingers drifted over Dragon's wrist, longing to take his hand. "I..." Was he up for it? How could he not be? "Yeah. But where?"

"There's a guy who brews potions that my mom knows. He might be able to help. It's just... he lives way out in the suburbs so..." Tim trailed off. The suburbs weren't within walking distance and that meant either taking the bus or taking a joyride in Tim's dad's car. He sighed. This Dragon guy was nothing but trouble! But Tim wasn't the type of guy who would leave somebody to DIE right there on his couch.

Briefly, he looked upstairs, just to make sure that Evie wasn't coming out of her room. To get her to stay there, where it was safe, Tim had to--ugh--promise to take her out to the movies. Well, at least it worked! (But he wasn't so happy about having to take her out...)

"Can I come?!" Kero piped up suddenly, leaping forward. "I wanna see the guy who makes potions!"

Tim turned and fixed him with a severe Look. Kero wasn't his little brother, but this wasn't the time to be gawking at witches while somebody was dying! "No. Stay here with Andy. C'mon Kin, we'll take my dad's car." And if they totaled it, well. Tim didn't want to live to be 80 anyway! He turned to grab the keys that hung up on the wall near the door.

"Andy, if anything happens, call me. I have my phone with me."

"Yeah... Okay. Got it. I'll call you if anything happens." Andy was back in that weird mode that he'd been in earlier, when Kinley first arrived. Only now instead of sitting on the couch, he was perched on the arm of it, looking down at Dragon with that weird expression. Maybe this was all too much for him, too. Kinley knew it was starting to implode his own mind. To think, not long ago, he didn't actually believe magic worked and that there were no such things as dragons. Now he had to wonder just what else was out there waiting to be discovered.

Not that he cared right now. Kinley was naturally curious but in this instance, he was too worried about the state of Dragon to think about much else. He fidgeted with his hands as he stood, staring down at Dragon. It seemed he'd stopped murmuring that stuff about danger, at least. But maybe the reason was bad. Maybe he lost his voice. Maybe he was... Kinley leaned forward to make sure that he was still breathing. His hand rested atop Dragon's chest. He still felt a beat there, even if he wasn't made of all the same parts.

"We'll save you," he whispered into his ear before giving his chest a little pat. He wanted to do something more--like kiss him--but the stuff was everywhere and he doubted that Dragon wanted that right now. Stepping back, he nodded at Tim.

"Okay, let's go."

"Hey! What's with you?!" Tim heard Kero pestering Andy as he and Kinley left. He looked back at Andy, wishing that he could do more to reassure his little brother than smile at him, but... dying Dragon and all. Still, Tim squeezed Andy's wrist gently before he took Kinley into the garage, where his dad's car was parked.

"Here's to hoping he doesn't find out I drove it tonight," Tim smiled nervously over at Kinley, after buckling up. He stuck the key into the ignition and turned it, then lifted the garage door and slowly backed out. Tim knew how to drive--he didn't know how to drive in dense fog. So he sorta inched down the street like an old lady out for a Sunday drive, head constantly on a swivel, left and right, to make sure he wasn't going to run anybody over.

"This guy we're seeing. He'll have the right stuff to help Dragon," Tim said reassuringly--he hoped--to Kinley as they made their way towards the suburbs. "And. You know, even if something happens... he'll come back. Cause that's what we are. Andy and me. We're... dragons that died, and came back! So." He wasn't sure if any of this was exactly reassuring, but it was better than nothing!

"I didn't even know you could drive," Kinley said nervously. He made sure he slid his seatbelt on, despite the fact that they were driving at a granny's pace. Personally, he wanted to go faster but he also understood exactly why Tim wasn't zooming along. The fog made it near impossible to see through and if they were careless, more people would end up hurt. Sliding his hands over his legs, he sat up and strained to see through the wall of grey fog.

Kinley only nodded at Tim's words. He knew they were for his benefit but they really just brought up more questions. As they took a turn--slowly--Kinley reached out and held onto the door. He stared through the window. This guy could help Dragon. That was good. But... Kinley bit his lower lip. He stared into the window, no longer at the fog outside but rather, at Tim in the reflection.

"You and Andy... you died?" He wondered if that had anything to do with Andy's weird mood.

"We died as dragons, in our past life."

Boy, he sounded like a crazy asshole right now, spewing shit about dragons and rebirth and dying. Tim wanted to facepalm, but his hands were curled too tightly and nervously around the wheel to do that. Where was that handy manual when he needed it? "How to explain to humans what celestials are without sounding like a crackpot." He'd have to write one, if they got out of this alive.

"The point is! Death isn't the last stop, you know? And if you and Dragon are meant to be together, then... he'll come back." Tim thought that fate had bound Kinley and Dragon together for a reason. Why was Kinley the one who found the card? Why did Dragon pop out of the card to get to Kinley? And why did Dragon show up now, when Kinley was in danger, to try and save him?

It had to be fate! It was meant to be!

They died as dragons? And came back? Kinley didn't know what to make of it. Sure, it sounded crazy. It sounded like something some junkie on the street might mutter to himself. But Kinley had known Andy how long? Like most of his life? He knew he was being sincere. Kinley lowered his gaze, fiddling with the door. Death might not be the last stop for dragons and if Dragon and Kinley were meant to be, then Dragon would come back but... but...

"Wouldn't he... have to be reborn? He'd be like... years and years younger than me."

Even as he said it, he was slightly grossed out. At the same time, he was troubled by what it meant for Tim. So he was reborn? Did that mean he was meant for somebody here now? Somebody a lot older than him? Or was he reborn for something else? Kinley could hardly wrap his head around it.

"I... dunno." Well, Tim wasn't an expert on rebirth! He only knew what his parents told him and so far, he hadn't asked too many questions. Being a teenager was rough enough, without being a reborn dragon on top of everything!

"Just. You know. If anything happens, you'll see him again!" He said it with finality, and because he had no more answers for Kinley beyond what he had been told. Again—where was that manual when he needed it?! Thankfully, they were close to the suburbs now, even with Tim's grandma-speed crawling through the streets. He pulled up in front of a neat house and cut the engine.

"When we get there, just let me do the talking, okay? And you... you just look really sad." Not that that would be hard... Tim reached across and patted Kinley on the side of the arm before sliding out of the car. He marched up to the door and knocked and after a few moments, a man came to the door that Tim didn't recognize. "Uh... hi," he said lamely, peering around the man. "Is... Is Ivy home?"

Being reborn meant starting all the way from the start, didn't it? When he thought about it that way, no matter how destined he and Dragon felt, it seemed weird to fall for somebody who was like just turning eighteen as Kinley was in his mid-thirties. Now that he thought of it, though, he had no idea how old Dragon even was. He could be a newborn for all he knew. Or he could be centuries old. Nah, not with the way he talked and misunderstood the world. Unless he spent those centuries away from this world. Kinley kept forgetting he came and went from another place.

"Deal."

Kinley didn't know what he'd say to some potion maker, anyway. Jamming his hands into his sweater pockets, Kinley followed Tim to a nice looking house and stood slightly off to the side. While they waited, he idly looked around at the garden planted outside. There was even a stray cat lying in a patch of flowers. The cat stared at them but didn't move. Kinley looked away.

The door opened to a tired looking man and Kinley assumed that was the person they'd come for but Tim asked for somebody else. Kinley scuffed his shoe on the ground as another man joined the first one and opened the door wider.

"I'm home." This man looked even more tired than the other one as he pushed his hair from his eyes. Maybe they woke them up.

Ivy looked like death warmed over, and so did the man with him. Tim stared at them both; he couldn't remember ever seeing Ivy look that pale. He looked half-dead, and Tim felt a little bad for waking him up in the middle of the night, until he remembered Dragon. Dragon had all but given his own life to save them; they couldn't just leave him there to die.

"Hi Ivy," Tim said quietly, shuffling his feet a little. "Um. We really need your help. We need a potion to heal this... dragon guy. He's hurt pretty bad."

The man with Ivy had a hand on Ivy's back the entire time that Tim spoke, his eyes on Tim and then flickering to Kinley. He didn't speak but he was watchful in a way that made Tim feel antsy, like he could see right through them and into their thoughts or something.

Vampire. Tim felt the overwhelming aura. He shifted to get slightly in front of Kinley, and the man smiled. 

"Do you want to come in? I can make some tea."

"I... we're in kind of a hurry. Dragon's in pretty bad shape."

Ivy expected them to come inside as well and stepped aside but apparently they were in a hurry. It was just as well, since Ivy was currently dealing with something troublesome. Deep down inside, the repercussions of his actions out there were starting to reverberate. He was nervous, afraid for his future. He looked from one boy to the next. They looked so healthy and whole. And he could feel it--the rhythm of their hearts. The rush of their blood. He could hear it, almost drowning out thought. He lowered his head and clasped his hands around the collar of his shirt before clearing his throat.

Actually, he was relieved they couldn't come inside. He was afraid of what might happen if they did. Never in his life had steadfast Ivy felt so... unstable.

"I'll get you that potion right now." He smiled reassuringly at the boys, glanced at Adrian. He won't do anything to them. Slowly, he stepped back and away from the door and padded over to the cupboards in the green room off the kitchen, where he kept his potions and ingredients. Luckily for the boys, Ivy kept many potions for emergencies just like this. That was how the boy knew about him, after all! Boy. He thought of the boys at the door and a pang throbbed in his chest.

Would he ever be able to go back to work again? There was no such thing as a night preschool teacher. Trying not to dwell on it, he trailed his fingers over the tops of the bottles in front of him, reading the carefully written labels until he found the right one. Plucking it off the shelf, he brought it out and cradled it. Would something like this work on a vampiric bite, he wondered. No time for that. Somebody else needed it at the moment and he had time to experiment later.

When he came back, the boys' faces were still etched in concern for their friend. With another attempt at a smile to soothe their frayed nerves, Ivy handed the bottle over to Tim.

"This should do the trick."

Tim felt his nervousness sharpen into jagged edges when Ivy left them alone with the man--the vampire. Were they dating? The vampire was standing awfully close to Ivy earlier. It was kind of funny because Tim also felt a little something off about Ivy, but he imagined that it was because he was overwhelmed by the vampire's aura. No way Ivy was a vampire--he was a witch, and witches were supposed to have charms to ward off creatures like that. Ivy was gentle, but he wasn't weak.

With everything going on, Tim didn't have the attention span to really think about what he was seeing at the moment. He was worried about Dragon. About his own brother acting like a zombie. About Kero's big blabbermouth, now that he knew that Tim's family were celestials. And lastly, about Kinley, and how he would process all of this craziness going on. Kinley seemed okay now, but Tim was willing to bet that once everything sank in, he was going to have some real problems.

Hopefully dealing with Dragon's death wouldn't be one of those problems.

He gratefully accepted the bottle that Ivy handed him. "Thank you! We'll let you know if it works out!" Tim smiled back--a little tightly--and grabbed Kinley's hand so that they could leave.

"Be careful driving," the man called out after them. When Tim looked back, he had his hand on Ivy's back again, and was speaking into his ear. He looked concerned. That sort of expression didn't seem like the kind of look an evil vampire might have; if anything it was kind of tender. Tim frowned. No way Ivy was a vampire.

Inside, Kinley could just see beyond the man in front of the door. He couldn't see where the one called Ivy went but he could see that the place was decorated by flourishing plant life. A pleasant smell wafted out, fresh and green and flowery. Earthy. Kinley had never seen so many plants in one place before. Not unless it was a botanical garden or something. Definitely not a residential place. It was hard to imagine that this guy was some kind of potion maker. Or was he? While Ivy went to presumably get the potion Tim asked for, the other guy guarded the door. He had soft features but there was something edgy about him.

When Ivy came back with the potion, Kinley gave it a critical stare. If he was imagining something boiling and disgusting, he would have been sorely disappointed. Like the plants, the liquid inside the transparent glass container looked pleasant. It was a calming light purple color and it looked like it probably tasted... delicate. Weird. Everything about the world as he knew it was turning out completely against what he'd imagined.

Kinley also thanked Ivy and left as Tim took his hand. He stared at the bottle in Tim's hand as they left, heedless of the fact that Tim looked back.

"Will it really work?" Kinley asked. Then, "How'd you know to come here?"

"I hope it'll work," Tim muttered as he finally stopped looking over his shoulder--only because he stumbled on an uneven bit of sidewalk. He looked at the glass bottle in his hand and turned it around and around, watching the liquid inside flow from side to side. It looked airy and fluid and had a pretty color.

"My parents know him. He makes potions for us sometimes, for the cafe." Tim paused. "Not to spike drinks or food! Just to help people relax when they come in." They weren't out to kill anybody!

He unlocked the car door after dropping Kinley's hand, and slipped the potion into his pocket. "Hey the fog's thinning!" It was dissipating rapidly now, to Tim's unending relief. That meant he could drive a little faster back to his house, and not be so afraid of killing a random pedestrian.

Sliding into the driver's seat, he started up the engine again and soon they were on their way back to his house. Tim didn't speak much; he was still focused on the road. The drive was shorter going back and when they got out of the car again, he handed the potion to Kinley. "Here. You should give it to him." Dragon trusted Kinley. Plus, it was only fitting for Kinley to save Dragon, after Dragon saved him.

Well all right then! They didn't poison people. That... that was good to know. Kinley half smiled, although his heart wasn't in it. As much as he wanted to joke and say something light-hearted, he was still worried about Dragon. They left him in quite the state back there. Black ink-blood covered most of his body. He seemed delirious, too, since he kept saying something about Kinley over and over again.

He tried not to jiggle his knee too much on the way back but the nervous energy was almost suffocating. This time, his hand remained on the door the entire trip. Every tree and sign they passed, he was counting the seconds. Kinley was out of the car almost the second it stopped. He was lucky he didn't end up getting a foot run over in the process.

"Oh."

He looked down at the potion as Tim handed it to him. Biting his lower lip, he looked back up at Tim, meeting his gaze for a moment. His hands curled around the bottle.

"Thanks, Tim." Abruptly, he hugged Tim. Relief warred with anxiety in those few seconds. This bottle could save Dragon. If he was still alive. Taking in a deep breath, he stepped back and thanked Tim again before half sprinting into the house to find Dragon.

"Is he all right?" he asked, the second he entered the living room.

Hurt...

Dragon hurt everywhere that it was possible to hurt, and in some places where it wasn't possible, too. He drifted in and out of consciousness as he laid on the couch, occasionally muttering--always the same thing. Danger. Kinley. Stay away. Danger.

In his fevered dreams he was still battling the reapers, still desperately trying to save Kinley's life. He was dimly aware of movement around him, and voices, but in his jumbled-up mind, he imagined that it was Kinley and Tim. "Kiney... danger..." he repeated, over and over, as he staved off attack by imaginary foes. The ink dragon tattoo had repaired most of his superficial wounds, but the deeper ones were infected by poison and by the evil, dark energy that the reapers possessed. They weren't mere flesh wounds, easily mended.

Some time later, as a wave of consciousness overcame him, he cracked open his eyes with great effort. Kinley was rushing through the door, looking harried and anxious. Dragon groaned, a throaty, hoarse sound. "Kiney..." He reached out a feeble hand.

"He's hanging in there," said a worried-sounding, young voice. "Did you get a potion? Can I see it?!"

"Yeah," Kinley said, distracted by the way Dragon looked. Strangely, the ink-like blood substance seemed to have mostly disappeared. Did it move across Dragon's skin the same way that tattoo on his back did? No time for questions. He lifted the potion so that Kero could see it but he didn't hand it over for scrutinization. Right now, it was more important that he get that potion inside Dragon. He pulled the cork stopper out, then paused, looking over at Tim.

"He drinks it, right?"

He assumed that was what one did with a potion but for all he knew, he might have to sprinkle it on him or bathe him in it. Kinley knew nothing about magic or potions!

"Awww!"

"Yeah he has to drink it. All of it, so don't spill any!"

"Can I keep the bottle when you're done Kin?"

Voices eddied in and out, sometimes clear, other times faint. Dragon tried to keep his eyes open--if this was it, if this was really the end, he wanted to get one last good look at Kinley.

"Oh. Okay."

No pressure or anything. Kinley looked down at the bottle and tried to keep in mind that it all had to go inside of Dragon. Hopefully it tasted as good as it looked. Experimentally, he took a sniff. It didn't smell bad but... that didn't mean much. Shampoo didn't smell bad but it sure didn't taste good. Not that the potion smelled like shampoo or even like perfume--though it sort of looked like a perfume. It smelled earthy, just like the house full of plants. Hopefully it didn't taste like dirt or anything.

"Dragon," he said gently, trying to hold his head in a way that would comfortably suit drinking. He tipped his head a little forward and held the bottle in the other hand, ignoring his brother's incessant questions. Who cared what happened to the bottle at this point? All that mattered was keeping Dragon's eyes open and keeping him awake so that he could ingest the potion. All of it.

"You have to drink this, okay?" Kinley said, moving the bottle to Dragon's lips. "All of it. Okay? It'll make you better, I promise."

Ah... Kinley... He was coming closer. Dragon tried to shift closer, as much as his battered body would allow. He reached weakly for Kinley's hand with a trembling hand of his own, but couldn't quite muster up the strength to lift his arm. So he laid there, letting Kinley tilt his head and bring something cool to his lips.

Drink, he said. Dragon would have drunk poison for Kinley. He would do anything for Kinley, really--even fight against the Master, tooth and nail. Obediently, Dragon opened his mouth and let the liquid trickle down. He tasted something earthy and something a little floral--not too flowery, but it tasted nice. It was like a refreshing breath of air after heavy rainfall--but condensed into liquid form.

"OOOOOHHH!" gasped the young-sounding voice from earlier. "He drank it! Now what?! Is he gonna be okay??"

"He'll be okay after he rests up a little," Tim said. "I think we could all use some rest, actually... Andy, you and Kero can share your room, right? Kin... I'll help you take Dragon upstairs to my room."

Did it work? Breath stilled, Kinley watched with anxiety building in his chest. Anything was possible when it came to a potion. For all Kinley knew, he had just administered poison. How could he trust some random guy that Tim knew? The thing was, though, that he did. Because he trusted Tim; they were friends. Tim wouldn't steer him wrong. Most of all, he wouldn't go around killing dragons when he said that he was one.

"How long does it take to work?" Kinley asked, as he trailed his fingertips over Dragon's cheek. Poor Dragon. He looked so defeated and beaten. Kinley couldn't ever remember feeling so tenderly toward anybody in his relatively short life. Crazy, knowing that he had only just met Dragon but it felt like somehow there was a lifetime between them. He wondered if that stuff about past lives had any merit. If humans also were reborn or if Kinley was something he just wasn't aware of yet. How did a person know? He had so many questions for Tim but he didn't want to sound like Kero.

He hesitated. "Do we have to move him?" The couch didn't seem like such a bad place to stay and what if they hurt him more by carrying him up the stairs?

"I don't know how long it takes, but I'm sure it won't be... like weeks." Tim sounded doubtful, though, and Dragon was too out of it to assure him that he was feeling the effects of the potion even at that moment. "And I thought you guys would be more comfortable up there but... maybe you're right. It's probably a bad idea to move him right now."

Dragon lifted his head slightly to look at Kinley. He still hurt, but he felt a little better and a fraction more energetic than before he drank the potion. It was strong magic; he felt it coursing through his very human body. "Kiney..." He didn't know many words and he couldn't say what he wanted to say to Kinley before he--if he--passed on.

So he looked to Tim instead, since Tim could understand him. "Tell Kiney... I love him."

Tim stared at him for a beat. "Uh." He cleared his throat. "Kin. Dragon says... uh... that he loves you..."

The young-sounding one gasped loudly. Then-- "Oooooooohhhh! He can't! Mom's gonna kill you guys if she finds out!"

"Yeah."

It would probably be less jarring to just keep Dragon where he was. Kinley totally understood where Tim was coming from--it would definitely be more comfortable upstairs in a bed. But it wasn't like the couch was a hard, stiff one. It was comfortable enough and besides, Kinley was terrified that if they kept moving Dragon around, he was going to end up worse off. Kinley didn't want to think the word itself but it didn't look good and he didn't like the way Tim's tone sounded when he talked about the potion. They ran off to bring it back but they weren't potion brewers here. None of them knew if it would actually work...

And what if it worked too late?

Kinley shifted slightly to make himself a little more comfortable--he felt like he was going to be on the couch for the long haul, too--and he looked at Dragon as he spoke his name, waiting. Except Dragon looked at Tim and said something in a language that clearly wasn't any language Kinley had ever heard before. But he heard his name in it! And he saw the way Tim hesitated.

What? What was it?

He loves you.

Oh.

Oh.

Kero ruined the moment and Kinley shot him a glare and shoved his shoulder. "Shut up."

But she so would. She didn't even trust Kinley spending time with Tim. Kinley could only imagine what she'd say about all this. And... well, Kero was there when his mother caught him in the office with Dragon. She was pissed. It didn't matter in the moment, though. She wasn't here and she quickly faded from his mind when Kinley looked back at Dragon. Resting his head against the back of the couch, he lightly brushed his thumb over Dragon's cheek. He seemed paler than normal but his eyes were still bright. He didn't even bother going through Tim when he said, "I love you, too."

"Okay kids, time to go upstairs," Tim said as he pushed the other two up the stairs--one protesting volubly in the humans' language that Dragon didn't understand. "No, get up there, and stay up there. Let's go."

He wasn't really listening to them, anyway. He was looking at Kinley, and turning his cheek into Kinley's hand, and gazing into his eyes. Dragon didn't need Tim to translate this time; Tim didn't even bother. That look in Kinley's eyes was all the answer that Dragon needed and he smiled, though weakly, in response.

Kinley loved him too.

That knowledge alone filled Dragon with an incredible sense of peace. He sighed, softly, contentedly, despite the aches and pains. "Kiney... beeyootiful." Kinley was the most beautiful human that Dragon had ever met. Granted, Dragon had only met a handful of humans, but amongst them, Kinley was the clear front-runner.

Dragon reached for Kinley's hand and curled his fingers around Kinley's fingers, squeezing a little. "Kiney... kiss?"

Funny how the whole world had a way of disappearing when he looked at Dragon. It did, though. All the sounds around him were dampened, all the colors seemed to dull, except where Dragon was. There, the colors of his hair, his eyes, his skin, they all seemed to stand out. Kinley wasn't the head-in-the-clouds type of person. Between him and Kero, he'd say that Kero was the daydreamer, the one who fantasized about a different world and magic--all those beautiful things. Kinley felt like all that had vanished with Kaiden for him. Instead of feeling young and whimsical and free, he felt trapped by the confines of the real world.

But, to be real, Kinley had never been that kid. He'd always been grounded by reality. He worked hard for whatever he achieved and his head was always there, in the game, in the dance, in the moment. Now, it felt like it had been pulled into the clouds. Every second with Dragon was like a daydream. A feverish, unreal dream. He liked it. More than that, he liked Dragon. Loved him, even. It didn't matter how young he was or how long they'd known each other. Everything slotted into place when they were together. His eyes couldn't seem to move away from him when he was around. He felt restless inside. Fluttery, like thousands of butterflies had set up resident in his chest.

The feeling only strengthened whenever Dragon touched him and he leaned closer instinctively, unconsciously. Kiss. The word never sounded more beautiful than when it came from Dragon's lips. Just like the way he said beautiful. The way he said Kinley's name. It was all so... him. An electric thrill shivered down his spine and he smiled. He was still scared. He still felt like Dragon could slip away any instant. But he smiled because the feeling inside was so joyous that it was difficult--impossible--to ignore.

Instead of answering verbally, Kinley leaned in the rest of the way, so that his lips met Dragon's.

Ah... Kinley. Kinley... There was no one like Kinley, who made Dragon feel the way he did. Love was a powerful emotion that bound two beings but what Dragon felt almost transcended that. The feelings that he had for Kinley, the humans had no expression for them. Love was the closest approximation but Dragon knew, deep down, that it was so much more. It was the intertwining of two souls. It was the joining of two fates, melding into one.

Dragon closed his eyes as they kissed, letting the warmth and the sweetness envelop him. His grasp on Kinley's fingers tightened as something clenched in his chest; an ache, a throb. He loved Kinley far too much to let death claim him and he would try his best to fight to hold on, but... there were no promises. Dragon didn't know if he would make it, even with the potion that Kinley administered. But he knew that it was all worth it. The moment Kinley looked in his direction, the second that Kinley touched him, he had no regrets. He would do it again, and again, and again—no sacrifice seemed too great to get Kinley to kiss him this way.

"Kiney..." Dragon smiled at him as they parted, his voice a low whisper. "Kiney." He breathed the name like a prayer, like a song. It was a beautiful name for a beautiful soul. For a beautiful face, a beautiful smile. Beautiful eyes. Dragon reached up and brushed a thumb under his eyes, as if wiping away tears.

"No." He repeated the motion again. "No, Kiney. If Dragon go..." Don't cry for me.

"Dragon," he echoed, his voice equally soft in response. He felt his cheeks heat up a little as he toyed with some of Dragon's hair. Dragon. What an impersonal sounding name for somebody like Dragon. He was a Dragon, this was true. But... it would be like Dragon calling him Human. I have to think of a nicer name for him. Too bad Kinley was no expert in the naming of things. His last pet--a fat, round hamster--had been named Hammie. Not much better than Dragon but he refused to call him Draggy. That was even worse!

"Huh?" Kinley uttered a sound of confusion. No? What...? What did that mean? His lips began to move, the question right on the tip of his tongue but it was stilled by the way Dragon kept moving his thumb beneath his eyes. Was he... was he crying? Kinley swallowed hard and reached up to slip his fingers over Dragon's. Nothing wet. Maybe his eyes were too emotional. They did feel awfully warm and salty but he swore! He never let a single tear fall right now! He'd been sucking it up like a man.

"You're not!" Kinley said fiercely as he leaned in and let their foreheads touch. Their noses touched, too. For a long moment, Kinley closed his eyes and just breathed him in. When he opened his eyes again, he caressed Dragon's cheeks. "You're not going anywhere. You're staying right here. With me." He kissed the tip of Dragon's nose. "Okay?"

"Kiney... no..." Dragon sighed, tiredly, quietly. There was no mistaking Kinley's vociferous response, or what it meant. Despite the language barrier, they spoke a common language; they understood each other's hearts. The expression of their feelings could be communicated much more eloquently in the touch of lips to lips, in a glance, in the subtle emotions that passed through their eyes.

Although Dragon was no longer fading, he was still so, so tired. He didn't want to let go, but he didn't want to make empty promises, either. Hope could be cruel when dashed to the ground into pieces; saying something to make Kinley feel better now might come back to devastate him later, if Dragon lost the fight and succumbed to his injuries.

He arched his head so that their noses nuzzled gently. "Dragon... l—" Dragon tried to emulate the word he heard Tim saying earlier, his lips working to form the sound. "Loh... Loo..." A crease formed between his brows; he made an impatient sound as he thought back to the word Tim said, and then remembered how Kinley said it.

"Dragon... luv? Kiney." His hand slipped up to touch Kinley's temple, sweeping back the hair there to expose more of his face. Dragon smiled; a simple, happy smile. "Dragon luv Kiney."

Nothing Dragon could say would change Kinley's mind. Nobody was taking Dragon from him this time, Kinley would make certain of it! He watched him with a warm gaze, unable to tear it away from Dragon. The whole world really did melt away when he was around. Kero used to be The Most Important Person in his life. But then Dragon came along and he was trusting Tim and Andy with his brother while he stayed downstairs with Dragon. He needs me more right now. In a way, Kinley needed him, too. If anything happened to him...

"Kinley loves Dragon, too," Kinley said. He made a small heart motion with his two fingers, then put it over his own heart and then moved it toward Dragon's. Or wherever Dragon's might be--given that he was, well, a dragon.

He let his eyes close briefly as Dragon touched him and then he gently brushed Dragon's hair, too. In a soft voice, he said, "We should get some rest, Dragon. It'll help you heal."

"Kiney luv Dragon." He nodded. This, he knew, and it was reaffirmed by the heart that Kinley drew, connecting it to Dragon's. In the human body, he felt it beating, thumping hard in response to the words and the gesture and the tender look in Kinley's eyes. Dragon smiled and arched up to kiss Kinley, no more than a soft peck of the lips.

"Yes," he whispered softly, ready to acquiesce to whatever Kinley wanted of him. Dragon settled back and tried to pull Kinley with him, to lay together on the couch. It wasn't quite wide enough for two people to lay side-by-side but if he wiggled a little, and maneuvered some limbs to wrap around Kinley... "Nnh... Kiney..." Dragon ended up wound around him like a clingy koala. He nuzzled his cheek against Kinley's, too tired to attempt any more acrobatics. For now, this would have to suffice.

"Dragon... luv Kiney..." It felt like the most important thing in the world to say right now, to let Kinley know just how he felt. Dragon murmured the words several more times, each slower than the last, quieter, until finally he dropped off to sleep.