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Modern Magic
Leander shifted carefully with a wide yawn. Sharp white teeth glinted in the moonlight as the grey dragon moved. He'd looked much like a rock before. Scales were a natural disguise for him, one which had probably saved his life in times past without his knowledge. Wings extended elegantly from his back as the long necked, sleek, dragon scrambled to his feet to stretch languidly.
Claws dug into the ground much like a cat, kneading the earth of the cavern floor. Soon Leander felt awake enough to amble out of the cave to peer at the night sky, though for some reason stars dotted the ground. Wait, stars did not shine with yellow or red lights, nor did they zoom across the ground like a dragon in flight. This was not the peaceful mountainside he'd chosen to practice his spells quietly upon. Snorting a little, the blue eyed dragon forced his usually dream filled mind to clear a little so he could think upon the present situation. It was with great trepidation that he shifted into his pale skinned, strangely grey haired, human form. A youth, slight but well muscled, clad in a brown tunic, dark leggings and leather boots, stood where once the dragon had been. He moved purposefully trough the forest, noting how sparse animal life had become as branches cracked beneath his carelessly placed steps. Leander ambled along like that, thoughts drifting in the breeze, until the scent of humans and gases, dirty things, polluted his nose. Not a clean scent remained. Noises assailed his ears in a way that made Leander cringe away. There had to be a place of safety in this stone city of humans! Quickly he moved, avoiding the brighter parts of the place instinctively until he arrived in a blessedly almost silent part of town. There only seemed to be one tavern open with bright flashing contained fire spelling strange writing above the building. It had to be magic containing it all. Taking a deep breath, the tall young dragon moved across the black street and pushed the glass door open. Inside was a riot of colors, of scents and confusing sights. Nervously Leander moved to settled down at an empty table, obviously uncomfortable. There was gold in his pocket, something he knew humans coveted. Surely the owners of this strange place would let him rent a room. For some reason, the lights darkened and a hush fell over the room. Everyone seemed to be staring at the front of the room. It was actually quite close to where he sat, strange... It almost seemed like a player's stage, but no instruments of props that he recognized lined the area. |
Talis moved, fluid like water as he stepped onto the center of the stage. The dragon in human form regarded his audience with a cold, calculating stare for a few moments before he began to dance. Twirling and thrusting his body in vulgar motions that seemed second nature to him. Other dancers, male and female danced behind him, as if they were nothing but a moving, living, dancing, stripping background. Golden eyes half slitted as that lithe body moved and swayed.
He was the star of the show it would seem, and the only one that did not strip. He seemed to flow like water, working his way to the pole on stage, twisting and wrapping around it in the most seductive of positions. The thin black harem skirt he wore moved around his legs with every motion of his body, and it was a wonder the long fabric didn't end up tripping him. For nearly an hour or maybe a little more Talis danced. He never came close enough to the edge of the stage for anyone to slip money in his clothing and never took any of his clothing off. He just danced. Now, Talis danced his way off stage. He didn't even give lap dances. No, all he did was dance on stage and then go sit behind the bar, drinking water while the bartender kept a close eye on him. The club was large, the stage was big. It usually held a lot of dancers/strippers at once. The music was loud and the alcohol was expensive. It was a club that catered to all types. Men, women, whatever preference. After all, money was money. There were tables, there were couches, there were rooms secluded with curtains for some of the more expensive lewd acts. Being a club was just a front, most people knew. This place, it was just an expensive brothel disguised as an expensive club. |
Blues eyes peered curiously as someone moved forward to take up everyone's attention. It was horrifyingly fascinating to watch as the stage filled with writhing dancers, if what they did could be called that. Then again, Leander had never danced in his human form, much preferring the silky feel of air against his scales to the pounding of feet against the earth.
One person caught the dragon's attention, moving with fluid grace and skill which couldn't be disguised even by vulgar movements. He wondered about what could possibly drive anyone into such a profession. Of course Leander had no idea what the club truly was, or that it was even a club. The notion of a brothel was quite foreign to him, he simply thought the entertainment of this particular Inn was quite vulgar and nearly tasteless. Curiosity drove Leander to stand and move towards the bar where the only dancer he deigned to call that sat. Red stained his cheeks as he sat, eyeing the dark haired man with innocent nervousness. His voice, when he spoke, was surprisingly deep for one who seemed so young. It rumbled about like something from deep below the earth, smooth and strong with uncertain power, each words was carefully pronounced. At least the language was recognizable. "E-excuse me, but I just wanted to say that I thought your performance w-was, well, ... Really quite enthralling." Embarrassment stained the dragon's cheeks even more at his stuttering. He wasn't used to his human mouth anymore, he was out of practice. At least that was the excuse Leander gave himself. It didn't cross his dream filled mind to ask about this city sprung from nowhere. |
Golden eyes met those blue ones almost boredly, as the other man sat down at the bar, sat down right in front of him. Talis finished his glass of water rather quickly and stood, he stretched, arms reaching high above his head. Such a simple action but when he did it, it was somehow seductive and lewd. The bartender watched him for a few moments, but Talis was used to that, and right now, he only had eyes for the blue eyed beauty in front of him. "You and every customer here thought that." As he said that, his eyes flickered quickly to take in the surroundings. Nearly half the club was watching him with hungry eyes, and the ought to. He was the star, the main attraction and so very expensive.
Talis brushed aside forgotten drinks and leftover napkins before he placed his hands on the bar top and lifted himself up. Bringing his long slender legs over and resting his butt on the bar. A leg dangled, long and tempting, one on each side of his new 'friend'. Talis moved forward until he was sitting on the edge of the bar, and he was very close to the other male. There was something off about this young man, other than the curious way he was dress, which Talis took in without expression. It did remind of the clothing from long ago, he leaned forward, reaching out to place a hand on each of the other's shoulders and bringing his lips very close to the other man's ear. "So then, can you afford to spend an entire night with me?" Talis inhaled deeply, for a fraction of a moment his body had tensed and he inhaled deeply again. This man couldn't be, could he? Talis was sure it was possible, but it had been a long time since he'd seen or met other dragons. He had thought most were extinct, no, he knew they weren't extinct. They couldn't be. Maybe just hiding, sleeping while the humans took over and dominated the world. Talis leaned back, letting his hands trail down from the other's shoulders to run down the man's chest and then back up in a slow, almost teasing manner. |
Leander didn't quite know why, but for some reason he couldn't tear his eyes away from the man as he stood. Each movement held such grace that the dreamer couldn't help but stare and wonder. Would a cloud taking human form move like that? No, more likely a wave or some water spirit would be able to capture everyone's attention so easily.
The dragon froze when Talis sat before him, so very close. It was too close really. Blood pounded in his ears and rushed to his face, even more so then before if that was possible. Mouth opening and closing wordlessly, the grey haired man managed to make a strangled sound. His hands gripped his stool so tightly that the skin turned white with strain. Panic filled Leander's eyes when hands pressed against his shoulder and lips hovered near his ear. This wasn't an Inn! Itt was probably one of those horrible human places he'd heard of once, where they did frightening things. "A-a-afford?" Why did he need to pay to ask someone questions? Leander wasn't so innocent as that, he simply didn't want to believe the situation. Trembling he grasped a few golden nuggets and lifted them up. He bit his lower lip, eyeing the people around nervously. Gold made people do very cray things. Even so, he did really want to talk with this graceful human and find out more about him. |
Talis regarded the other very carefully, not quite liking the panic that had risen in those pretty blue eyes. Talis slid forward, sliding off the bar top and onto the man's lap. Straddling him, those hands on that man's shoulders again, and Talis brought his head down to nuzzle at the other's neck so he could inhale deeply once more of that scent. It was distinctly dragon. The shadow dragon murred softly for a moment and then slid gracefully from the other's lap to stand lightly on his feet.
"Come with me, my love." Talis reached out and grasped the other male's hand gently. Talis gave him a soft tug, but he would wait for the blue eyed male to stand before he tugged him gently along behind him. He led the other past the bar and deeper into the club, pushing past a few people standing in the way and then they slipped past a velvety black curtain and entered a long hallway. Rooms on both sides lined the hallway, with names plastered on the doors. Talis led the male down the hallway to the room with his name on the door. He opened the door, and pulled the other inside, then shut it quickly. Locking it, finally he released the other man's hand and moved to sit on the middle of his bed. Tucking his legs under him as he just stared at the other for a few moments. The room was a bit bland, the walls were painted black with lots of white splotches as if someone had just tossed white paint all over the place, the carpet was plush and soft. Also black and white. There was the bed, a four posted thing with a canopy. The sheets silky and black, the sheer curtain that hung from the canopy were black as well. There were no windows, a closet, a dresser and a vanity with a mirror. "Alright, tell me who you are, where you come from and why you haven't kept up with modern fashion." All traces of the seducer had left Talis. He was curious, almost eager to know about this dragon, but he hid that eagerness well. |
The blue eyed man froze when an unanticipated weight and warmth filled his lap. Instinctively hands moved to steady Talis, even as the rest of his body froze in place. The world seemed to have gone mad during his sleep! Then the other man doing something to his neck, making Leander wonder why his attention sharpened and focused on just that one spot. Nothing like that had happened to him before.
He was almost disappointed when the golden eyed man slipped away to tug him along. Willingly, docilely, he followed with silent questioning in his eyes. He'd drifted away in his sleep, that had to be it. The undigested gases that allowed him to flame had made him float into the sky. That didn't explain the cave though. It was one he knew very well. If Leander hadn't been so preoccupied with such thoughts he would have noticed the crowds more, and wondered about the endearment used so easily by the other man. He only came back to himself when the distinctive sound of something locking snapped trough the air. He stared at what seemed to him a sumptuous room. Such patterns, he'd never seen before! It took a moment for the stranger's words to sink in, and their import to turn Leander's expression serious. "My name is Leander. My clan, they live in the mountains near here. We practice magic, and sing to the stones ... Well at least I did. In fact I was practicing some of the spells for sleep when I ... I ... fell asleep." He blushed again with his earlier nervousness, and made as if to sit upon the bed. This wasn't his place, and certainly not his territory. This all belonged to another dragon, it was his hoard. Biting his lower lip, Leander settled upon the floor with a sigh and saddening of expression. The others his age would amuse themselves at his expense as usual once they found out he couldn't even recognize a fellow dragon in human form. |
Talis watched the other almost carefully, but honestly he was just interested. He listened and shook his head slightly when the other decided to sit on the floor. Talis pat the bed softly. "What are you doing? Sit up here." Talis found that dragon's actions rather curious, he shook his head again. This room might be his, but nothing in it truly belonged to him, Talis hadn't had a hoard in a very long time. "You must have slept for a very long time then, judging by your clothing." His golden eyes never left Leander. "I'm called Talis." He gave the other dragon his name, but no mention of his own clan. Talis didn't plan on mentioning his heritage, not so soon anyway. "There haven't been any dragons in a very long time. They're either all dead, or hibernating." He spoke those words with a solemn tone.
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Cautiously Leander moved to settled down on the soft bed. It was unlike anything he'd sat on before. Curiosity made him test the material by bouncing in place a little. Such a strange way this bedding had of moving with him, molding and shaping to every contour of is body! The dreams one could have on it ...
Leander smiled a little upon hearing Talis's name, and would have stumbled into questioning about his earlier actions, save for those last words. Breath catching in his throat, he stared with shocked blue eyes at the dark haired dragon. "D-dead? You lie, it cannot be so!" But everything had changed so much that doubt and the seeds of belief were already in his mind. "Please tell me it's not true," murmured Leander plaintively with tears welling up in his eyes. |
Amusement flickered across Talis' face as Leander bounced a little on his bed. That amusement fled quickly and for a few moments Talis couldn't meet Leander's gaze, then he steeled himself. Shrugging and seeming almost disinterested. "I said dead or hibernating, so calm down." Talis ran a hand through his black hair and sighed softly. "It doesn't matter anyway. Not really." For the briefest of moments he had frowned, then it was gone. Golden eyes watching Leander carefully. "I'm sure there are others though, in disguise, or hiding. You can't blame them for wanting to hide. Humans can be rather frightening." He was only saying such things to calm the other down, the blue eyed beauty looked ready to cry, but Talis had become a master at hiding his true emotions. It was something he had learned quickly in his long life.
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A hint of despair flickered trough his eyes. To hide it, Leander turned away to stare at the strange walls. "I ... I need to go and see what happened to my clan." He knew where they would go to hide, knew that it would be deep in the mountains surrounded by their precious jewels. His own meager hoard had probably been stolen away by now, but it mattered not one bit now.
"But if they're awake and hiding, maybe you've heard something?" Hope flickered to life as he turned quickly to peer at the other dragon. Surely he would know. People seemed to be ever chancing in this kind of place, where pleasure was business. Someone would have heard rumors and murmured it to someone. |
When Leander mentioned leaving, Talis reached out and grasped the other's wrist tightly. As if to hold him there on the bed, to keep him from leaving, the expression on Talis' face, the look in his golden eyes was one of pleading. A deep need to be close to another dragon, even in human form, for just a little longer. Then it was gone, and Talis let Leander go with a mumbled apology and a shake of his head. "I've heard nothing." It was the grim truth. "I've heard nothing. So they're either dead, or sleeping. Or hiding in some very good hiding places."
Talis waved a hand as if to dismiss the conversation entirely. "Does it really matter? Do you really need to go and see?" But Talis knew Leander did, Talis had felt like that for so long, he had wanted to see what had befallen his own clan. In the past few hundred years though, that need, that desire had faded. Talis was sure they were dead, and if they weren't, it didn't matter. They would probably never welcome him back among their ranks, they wouldn't know him. He hardly knew himself. Talis had found another dragon and once this one had slipped from his sights he wasn't sure he'd see him again. "At least, stay the night with me?" |
A startled sound escaped his lips when a strong hand caught him. Leander glanced at Talis, catching an unexpected glimpse of emotion in his golden eyes. Breath caught in his throat at the sight. He couldn't imagine what it might have been like for Talis, awake far longer then he without his clan. It had to be that, why else would he be dancing for the entertainment of humans?
Leander forced himself, for once, to tuck away his feelings. It was rather hard to put the panic, the sadness, away into the far corners of his soul. Some of the emotion seeped trough with the sigh he let loose. "It matters ... But yes, I'll stay. Just tonight." Though he said that now, Leander wasn't sure if he could leave the other dragon after hearing about what had befallen their kind. The thought of never seeing another dragon again made him shiver and shift closer to the other man. |
When Leander agreed to stay, Talis gave the other an easy smile and when Leander shifted a little closer to him, Talis' arms reached out to wrap around the blue eyed male. Pulling him closer and then pulling him back so that the two laid side by side, with their heads on the big fluffy pillows of Talis' bed. Talis shifted, onto his side, his elbow on the pillow and his head propped up by his hand. His other arm went softly around Leander's waist, but Talis wasn't trying to seduce the other dragon, not yet anyway.
"Tell me more about yourself and your clan. I would hear everything you have to tell me." Talis said that, but it was an unfair thing. He would hear everything about Leander, but if Leander asked him questions, Talis would do his best to evade answering the ones about his clan, about himself. Golden eyes were soft as he stared into Leander's blue ones, he seemed eager. Eager to know more about the dragon next to him. |
Lips lifted up as some of the sadness he'd been beginning to feel was lifted, at least for a little while. It wasn't exactly unexpected when he was pulled close. Leander actually welcomed it, and welcomed the arm across his waist as he snuggled down into the comfiest pillows he'd ever come across. Briefly he wondered about what feathers were used before lifting his blue eyes to stare up at Talis.
The other dragon was just a little dazzling when all his attention rested on one person alone. At least it seemed so Leander. "We sing the stones to their most brilliant. Humans cut and maim them, but we shape them into beautiful clusters that sing along with our voices. I was practicing to shape turquoise when I fell to sleep. Perhaps not the most precious or brilliant, but it's robin's egg colors have so many hues! I was just learning, being one of the younger dragons of my clan. An apprentice of the craft really. Things are only taught to us when we've just passed the threshold of adulthood, the truly important things anyway." And now there was a chance he would never learn everything he so wanted to know. Sadness crept into his eyes once more at the thought. It seemed he couldn't hide from the knowledge Talis had given him. At least the discovery hadn't been made after he'd gone of searching. That could very well have ended in disaster. This way Leander was certain he could prepare himself somewhat for whatever things he might eventually come across. |
Talis listened intently, focused on the other dragon as if there were nothing else in the world. Nothing but him and Leander, he listened as the other dragon spoke of singing to the stones, of shaping them. Surely his clan had watched them at their craft, as they had watched nearly everything. The watchers in the shadows, watching and often never interfering. Talis pushed the thoughts away, almost frowning at the sadness he found in his new friend's eyes. The arm that was around Leander's waist moved, so that hand could come up and caress the other dragon's cheek softly. "There is hope, your clan may still be alive. Hiding amongst their precious stones and singing still." He had spoken the words gently, sounding sincere, but truly Talis didn't believe his own words. He was sure the dragons were extinct, or turned to stone. Hibernating maybe. Talis didn't let that show on his face. That hand left Leander's cheek, so his arm could go around the other's waist again and pulled the dragon a little bit closer.
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No one had ever paid attention to him like this before, realized Leander. Not once had he ever felt like someone's focus rested entirely upon him and no one else. It eased his sadness just as much as the imagery, the hope, Talis painted in the air with his words. A flicker of a smile crossed Leander's features at the soft touch, and a warmth spread trough his heart. "Thank you," murmured Leander. Slowly he moved to pillow his head against Talis's shoulder. A friend, he'd found a friend at last.
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Talis shifted slightly, getting more comfortable with Leander resting so close and against him like that. Talis certainly wasn't making any money tonight, but that was alright. That was alright, because he was laying next to another dragon. He held Leander close, almost protectively and nearly possessively. He knew, when the sun rose he would have to send Leander on his way, this place. This building, this city, it was no good for a dragon, especially one not used to life among the humans.
He had made a friend and in the morning he would have let that friend go. That was alright, Talis was used to letting things go and losing people. Talis closed his eyes and breathed in deeply of Leander's scent, he could almost get lost in that scent. He was undeserving of Leander's gratitude. All he had done was plant false hope in the dragon, at least, in his opinion it was false hope. Talis honestly didn't expect Leander to find his clan, or if he did it would just be remnants. Remains, fossils. A light sigh passed his lips and Talis tried to pull Leander even closer. |
The grey haired man let himself be pulled tight against the other. It crossed his mind to wonder about what Talis's intentions had been before. Surely he could have found other ways to survive, some with more dignity.
Of course it didn't matter, not truly. A soft sound of contentment left Leander's lips as he cuddled against the other dragon. He felt safe and like he was wanted. A rather novel feeling for him, that was certain. "You know, no one has ever even wanted to hold me like this before." "I've always been the runty studious one, clumsy in flight and over protected by his elders. Seeing you dance captivated me because that's the kind of grace which always eludes me, which I want to be able to call my own someday." But there was really no point if there was no one to fly with. "I apologize for this," ended Leander rather lamely. He'd gone of on a tangent he found embarrassing. With a tilt of his head he hid his features in Talis's shoulder. His scent filled Leander's nose, making the dragon breathe in deeply. He didn't want to forget him. |
"Every dragon should be treasured by someone." That was Talis' simple reply, his only reply. His arm remained tight around the other dragon, tight but gentle. Talis held to Leander almost as if he were afraid the other would slip out of his grasp, but Talis knew he would. When morning came he would have to let the other go. Go and see what he could find out about his clan and perhaps even the other dragons. Talis was in no hurry for morning to come, was in no hurry to release this dragon from his hold.
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Sapphire blue eyes lifted to peer at Talis with confusion and silent questions. They trembled in Leander's mind, unspoken words he couldn't grasp to make real. "Is there someone to treasure you?" The pale dragon shifted about until he lay atop Talis, a situation which would normally have had him stuttering and blushing like a fool. Not now though, when he wanted to ease some of what he'd caught earlier in this man's golden eyes.
"Would you let me come back after I search for my clan, Talis? " Leander didn't want to leave the dark haired man alone in this place with it's foul smells and gawking humans. Surely he could at least come and visit, to ease some of the loneliness he'd thought to have seen briefly. Daydreams, wandering thoughts of what the future might hold flickered trough his mind. It clouded his eyes and his heart with something Leander couldn't name, a longing to be needed by someone. |
Talis grinned lightly, an easy grin. "Of course, everyone out there that watched me dance, treasures me." It was easy to say such a thing, easier than the truth. It had been such a long time since anyone had treasured Talis. "I have a lot of adoring fans." Leander's next question caused him to shrug. "It's a public place, you can here as often as you like. Though next time if you want to spend the night with me, you'll have to pay for my time." He said those things, but he knew if the blue eyed dragon ask, Talis would let him spend as many nights as he wanted with him, free of charge.
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It didn't seem like the same thing to Leander, but he let the matter drop. He frowned at the mention of payment. "B-but I don't know how to get the currency of this time..." It had to be those slips of material and metal coins the inn keeper had been accepting from customers so easily earlier. Then there was the fact that Talis had acted like his time was expensive indeed. "And I might not be able to afford it, even so." The dragon didn't argue how strange it seemed because the thought of his friend starving, or finding himself in lack, to spend time with him was horrifying.
The thought of leaving Talis seemed frightening all of a sudden, if only because there was an all too real chance of never seeing him again. If he found his clan, Leander didn't know if he would have it in him to leave them. Yet it was so tempting when balanced with another night spent with the other dragon. Leander's arms moved to wrap tight around Talis, a sure sign of his thoughts. |
"You have a lot to learn about this world of humans." Talis spoke the words softly, with a hint of laughter in his voice. Though that voice got serious again. "Not very many can afford me, I'm very expensive." Talis snuggled against Leander a bit more. "After you go look for your clan and you return to me, I'll explain all about the human currency and how to acquire it." The way he said it, it sounded almost like Talis was trying to entice Leander to return to him or maybe to not even go at all, but Talis wouldn't truly stop Leander from going.
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Leander frowned, but bit his lip before letting anything offensive slip from his mouth. He just couldn't understand what drove Talis to sell himself to people, when in his eyes the other dragon had so much more to offer to the world. "You aren't going to be punished for tonight, are you? I-I do have gold ..." The blue eyed man leaned his head forward to hide his face in the crook of Talis's neck. He didn't want the other dragon to see just how worried the thought made him. For him it was like yesterday, the first time he set foot in a human city with it's slave markets, marketplace, and horrifying slaughter houses. They killed more then they would ever need, ripped the world apart for their greed, and they could only have gotten worse with time.
"You're free aren't you, Talis? No one forces you to do what you do, right?" Leander was nervous, and afraid of saying the wrong things. Something in him had to know though, that his friend wasn't being coerced or wouldn't be harmed in anyway. A part in the back of his mind reminded him that this level of action wasn't something most friends shared, a thougt which tore resolutely at his resolve to find his clan as quickly as possible. He shifted, brushing his lips against Talis's skin unintentionally. Leander froze as if shocked with wide blue eyes and a startled expression. |
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