Pair Bonds

Flying high through the night sky, Mana usually loved the rush of wind that tossed his head fur around when he rode his dragons. However, today he was getting strange feelings from his shy Astarte as they flew. It was like she ate a whole bunch of wiggly worms without chewing first. He had tried to ask her multiple times if she was doing alright, but each time she would tell him yes, or that he worried too much.

How could she tell her rider that she had found a nice male? It was like trying to tell her father she had a crush on someone, though Baal was a lot less energetic. He had simply tilted his head at her and said he'd like to meet them one day as well. A lot more chill, she was still his little girl and the grumpy dark dragon looked out for her as well. She was fairly certain both of them would approve of, and perhaps be mildly surprised she picked out someone larger than her. But he crooned such sweet words, and treated her like something precious, it was hard not to like him.

Closing in on the caravan where it had stopped for the day, Star had been told ahead of time where they would be next. For once this visit planned out. "Ooo, the touchy ones!" Mana wiggled excitedly from her back, leaning over in a precarious manner, but his clawed feet had a good hold on her sides. "Y-Yes! Do you mind if we visit for a bit? I wanted to come help Lochan with something.." Well, perhaps she should have mentioned this before hand. She had been in a bit of inner turmoil and butterflies to her credit. Perking up even more, Mana was more than happy with the idea, "Sure! Let's go! Hopefully the other two are there today too!" Nodding, she was at least confident Kaz was there, she wasn't so sure if Ixavier was off with his dragon street racing again though. They were about to find out as she descended down to help the others for the day.

“Are you going to tell me who it is at least? Or are you going to keep me guessing?” Kaz asked as he pulled a baking tray out of the oven, but for once his storm hybrid was not about to kiss and tell. Details under wraps as a grin spread on the strange face he became used to.

Lochan sat on the kitchen floor, watching as Kaz just sighed and put the tray on the counter, putting his hands on his hips as he squinted at his dragon. He had a few guesses, but Lochan was pretty good at keeping himself on the more unreadable side like Kaz was himself. Only when he was around Ix would those fluttery feelings get sent out. Which Kaz had felt before when Lochan was out ‘exploring’, but he wasn’t with him and thus had no set in concrete ideas. All he did know was that they were coming over, and Kaz was all about good first impressions for his weird children.

“She’s very nice, I can tell you that much.” Lochan gave in, laying his head down as Kaz stared at him some more but nodded.

“When did you become the shy school girl type. You tell me the details I don't even WANT to know, then the one I do just... nothing?” A bit frustrated, Kaz did wish Lochan didn’t play these highschool like games with him, but he soon calmed down as he didn’t want him thinking he was upset at him. He just... wanted to know. He wanted to know they were good to his boy, he really was a sweetheart when it came down to it and cared about all his lovers in one way or another. He was just... lonely, he wanted the love. “As long as you like her, I’m sure she’s a great and darling lady.”

Hearing a buzzer, his head of brown haired turned and the fluffy ears on full attention. He left it at that and headed off towards the oven and pulled on a roast he was making anyways, figuring he would share with the guests for now as Ix wasn’t home and he didn’t want it to go to waste. Even the rest of his dragons had wandered off, maybe with a little convincing from Lochan as he wanted this to be a special event, where the rider’s met and everything was exchanged before the rest were worked in.

Hearing the others getting close though, Lochan was up and heading out the door. Kaz mildly confused as he set the hot pan down before following him out, just able to stick his head out the door when he felt those fluttery feelings and saw the familiar dragons land. He recognized these ones, he had invited them over not that long ago to meet the rider that Ansel’s crust belonged to. From what he knew, he was even over there right now, being the cute fluffy ball he was.

“Mana! Star! It’s been some time.” Leaving it vague, he wondered what the dragons were up to, squinting at Lochan in that ‘I knooooow’ kind of way.

Hopping off as soon as they hit the ground, Mana was already up and darting around the caravan to see what all sorts of new things were there to see. They always had some new device or addition to the wagon that he could touch and possibly break. Something that made the techy orange one keep an eye on him, but he did try his best not to break anything he played with. As soon as that brown hair was greeting them however, he went straight over to gasp at Kaz. "You stole someone's ears, and tail!? How did you manage that! I don't even have big fluffy ears like that, share!" Making grabby hands at Kaz, the happy-go-lucky rider was perfectly willing to cling and climb up the other if he had too to touch the new furry additions. They even moved! He was beyond curious what sort of deal they made to get them.

For once a little too fidgety to stop her rider from being all over the place, Star gave a small smile at the two. Her butterflies increased tenfold when she saw Lochan. A short pep to her step as she went to meet him that slowed down the closer she got. Looking down to the ground for a moment before lifting her head to press it against their shoulder in greeting. "Ah y-yes! Sorry to be away so long. It's very nice to see you again Kaz." Just now looking away from the moose-like deer to where the riders were, she gasped lightly, "Kaz? What happened to your ears??" Her shadow giggled from the ground when the dragon just now too notice. Stretching tentatively over towards the other, it prodded the other shadow questioningly. Sometimes it laid dormant with the eyes closed, but Star's was much more active and wanted to rub on it.

Not even surprised as the masked looking over jumped off his little shy female and darted over, Kaz did keep an eye on him as he didn’t want to explain to his darling husband that a guest came over and wreck some havoc on their stuff. It wasn’t always so easy to replace things with them moving so much, and he wanted Ix to come home and cuddle with him. Not come home and pout at him for not keeping an eye on the curious guest. Luckily, or unluckily, his attention was on his mishap with potions.

“Nooo, they’re mine. I took a potion for a special night with Ix and they are just....still here.” He wasn’t going to say much more than that, not wanting to touch on details on the why he did it aside from that. Or anything else. He knew Ix liked it though, and in the end that was enough for Kaz not to regret one thing.

Flailing with Mana as he tried to touch, he was just too nice of a guy and didn’t want to hurt the spirit’s feelings. His ears twitching away at the louder voice and tail swishing away and moving the grass under it. He also was trying to keep an eye on Lochan, wanting to confirm these fluttery feelings he was getting, but Mana was a good hinderance to that.

“He went on a date night with Ix, and took a potion so it would be extra special. It hasn’t worn off yet.” Lochan explained to Star and her shadow as the rider’s flailed together. He leaned down to rub his softer face on her, making sure to keep his antlers from hurting the shy other. Oh how he adored her shy nature, it was just so cute and he put him at ease when she opened up more to him.

Reaching up a wiggly finger hand to stroke at her soft mane, one of his eyes caught sight of the shadow waking slowly. Stretching away from him and suddenly jumping as it was touched and curled up a little before unrolling itself, reaching towards the darker in color shadow it was getting used to. Star’s shadow was just as devious and playful as Lochan, but it was in a way endearing. She just seemed to want to play, and it did like to explore a little away from Lochan when he was just laying.

Wrapped around Star in a more loving way, he stroked her for a bit before his ears perked at the noise of the hatchlings. Drawing his attention to it as Kaz was having his game of nice keep away with Mana and didn’t seem to notice. He would feel a bit bad if no one took care of them, so motioning for Star to follow, he figured he should.

“Do you want to help me with the new ones? Kaz is babysitting them for a friend of his, but they are on a dangerous mission so once they hatched he took over.” They were some sort of dark hybrids he was pretty sure, many of them dark in color and needed that extra care and attention.

"Oooo, how special?" Mana questioned as he was trying to reach up and around Kaz to touch his tail instead of doing the smart thing and getting off to walk around behind them to try and pet. It was a lot longer and fluffier than his! For some reason the other was fighting with him to keep him away from touching the fluffy tail though. It confused him, but they hadn't huffed at him to knock it off yet so Mana kept trying. Kaz was just too nice a game for the spirit that didn't understand a lick about eyebrow wiggling hints. "What makes them stick around? Why is it so much longer than mine?? Will you fully turn into an animal as time goes on? You can live in my forest with me if you do!" He'd love to have a new fluffy pet to show to Neffy!

Star much more keen on the more romantic meanings, she nodded at Lochan's similar explanation. The riders were... sort of getting along at least? Poor Kaz looked like he could use some help getting Mana to calm down, but the deer drew her attention away from that thought at the mention of some hatchlings they were looking after. Her tail swishing lightly at the thought, she nodded, quite keen on the idea of watching children. Taking care and watching over Mana was fairly similar to babysitting, though she'd never tell him this to his face, she was pretty sure he knew he had a too-energetic personality deep down. "I would love to..!" she exclaimed a little louder than usual, really only sounding like a normal volume, but was loud for her. Warming a bit, she nuzzled into the fingers. "I-I mean, yes please, it sounds fun."

Plenty might find the deer's hands to look odd on him. They weren't to her though, it felt nice to be hugged and have her mane stroked. Part of her was use to the many strange dragons she came across in her travels, and at home. Lochan wasn't nearly as odd to her as the little ocean dragon Mana had hatched recently.

“Very special, oh my lord why are you trying to touch!” Trying to flee from Mana, Lochan just chuckled as he heard the reeeeeing from his rider. But knew Mana wouldn’t mean any harm and Kaz knew that too so it was at worst going to be a lot of huffing. Kaz was a patient sort, especially with all the dragons he had, so he didn’t see how it would turn out bad in the end. Maybe he’d draw Mana’s attention to the food inside, that always distracted the other for a little bit.

For now though, his attention was not there. One of his multiple eyes looked to the ground as his shadow darked by, a black shape in close pursuit as the shadows played tag, Star’s shadow a little more into it as his was still a little skittish but he didn’t feel it being distressed do minded it not. He moved more slowly to keep next to Star, and to let the babies settle a little before they arrived. With time they’d settle but he always felt that little bit bad, maybe he just was still getting over the deep down heart tugs when babies didn’t like him.

“It’s fine if you want to be louder, I think it’s adorable when you’re excited.” He also did like to tease at the quiet dam, knowing she’d give off that darker blush if he did and he was just a sucker for the sweet side of people even if he was usually so lewd. It was so much... nicer just knowing he was liked for being him. It was sweet, and he only adored Star for somehow seeing past those wiggly fingers and weird eyes and slowly falling in love with him.

Coming to the back, the babies still whimpered. They hadn’t learned to talk yet so they were just lots of noises. Opening the door, the trio scrambled to him, stopping for a moment and started crying more. Knowing if they did the deer would pick them up. And that he did as he picked up one of them, a quadruped with velvet scales. The other two were a bit stranger in shape, with one just reminding him of Ciar, but more.... liquid. Lochan thought they were good babies at least, if a bit too energetic.

“Oh no, you guys tore up you’re nest. How could you?” He cooed, snuggling the one he had to his fluffy chest. His shadow stopped to peer in, a gasp as the disaster that was the remains of the not chewed up or tossed about nest made it look like pillows just exploded everywhere.

"R-Really? It's usually just around you though..!" Easily getting that perfect reaction out of Astarte, she was still weak to those pretty words Lochan complimented her with. Her scales turning that blacker color across her snout, she slowly looked off to the side with the slight smile. Brushing up against them as they went, she did like to show that she enjoyed such things so the other wouldn't think her unhappy with them.

When they reached what she assumed was the nursery, Star squeed quietly when the three little ones scurried up to start crying at him. It seemed they were merely looking for more attention from the stand in deer dad and got just that when he picked one up. Not use to sitting or standing on her back legs like Lochan was, she could only lean down to nuzzle gently on the small ones. "I can help tidy it up if you want to keep the little ones from fretting?" She suggested, knowing it might be difficult to do both tasks at the same time with ones so young still.

As soon as the shadow had stopped to look in, Star's own companion was on it in a second. Wiggling right up between it and the entrance so that it didn't leave much room for it to run away from her. Pleased that it played more with her now, the female's shadow leaned over to nip at the other. It wasn't as interested in cleaning up the mess, but it would happily care for the dark looking children if Lochan wanted to help with such a boring task instead.

“Well that’s a good thing, and I like it so it's a very good thing. I think so anyways.” He got his way in the end, those darker colored scales drawing him closer to rub his face on the dark dame more, it was so nice to feel his velvet scales against smoother ones, but fur always felt nice even if he was the furred one doing a good rub.

He sadly didn’t have much time to flirt with his mate, left with loud children that, like children, were left alone and made a mess. The small ones weren’t bothered by either, if anything very excited for the pair to be giving them all the love and attention they wanted while also wanting to play. It was distressing to Lochan, as he wanted to clean up but keeping the smalls safe was a higher priority. The babies were distracted by Star as well so it gave him time to think, watching as they rubbed on her and tried to climb on her while the shadows wiggled their way in.

“I’m not sure if that is possible, they are fussy ones. They just want attention really.” Setting down the one he was holding, slowly he went back to all fours as they darted off, chasing his shadow who squeaked and zoomed off with Star’s shadow and the babies in hot pursuit. “Keep an eye on them, the children are important.” He called after the pair.

It did make it much easier though to decide what to do now, knowing his shadow would call if anything went amiss with the younger ones. Picking up some of the pillow casings he started cleaning up, not entirely sure where new fluff was kept but the big open field around them was full of soft hay and flocked leaves. It was one of those weird soft fields that Kaz stopped in because it was open and made for a good nap spot.

“I think I can help with a nest, it’ll be good practice for the eventual future.” Though not lewd, the idea of kids of his own was exciting. Maybe this was why his rider got so many tingles with his husband, so many sweet and nice ideas of what could be, it was so exciting in it’s own way.

Off in the distance, Mana could be heard calling 'babies!' in the background when the shadows were chased and being chased by the young dragons. The Rider had been easily distracted by the prospect of food and treats from the other's new ears, but eventually needed something else to keep their attention. Children were by far his favorite, seeing both dragons and human children as one in the same since they all liked to play games. A blessing for Kaz more than likely, who otherwise would have had a spirit slowly starting to sneak up on him once more.

Star wasn't ready for the smooth way Lochan talked about the future, at first not even noticing as she agreed with a small nod. When it dawned on her that he was likely talking about them, however, she got those wiggly tingles she had recently managed to shoo away for a moment. Merely getting all fidgety again at the prospect, she still helped with the tidying up of all the fluff strewn about, but kept casting glances towards the deer. Not particularly knowing of the other's lewder side, he had been quite kind to her, not bringing up or suggesting such things as they grew closer with every visit. Star was fairly certain he would take just as much care of their own children as he did of the smalls that ran around now.

Nodding mostly to herself, she wiggled over to be a little distracting to the male on her mind. Rubbing from nose to tail against him as she passed by moving some of the unsalvageable mess outside the room. "I.. think you're quite right." The bubbly sensation springing up in her, she hurried on out to toss the shreds, looking back from the doorway. "Let's bring in some of the flowers from outside too?" She suggested quietly, looking up at Lochan with comet eyes that might be sparkling just a little extra today.

With some sweet release from the always so curious rider, Kaz was more relaxed as his perky ears flopped a little. Watching from the safety of the Caravan stoop as the younger ones ran by after shadows or from shadows. He could tell which one was Lochan’s and figured the other was Star’s when it came close enough to the light and wasn’t off in the darkness. With mana running off and distracted by the mix of food and babies, it left Kaz just chilling and enjoying the little get together he wasn’t really expecting but was always nice. It would be nicer if his darling was there, but that was another thing altogether.

Taking more of the mess out to get tossed or cleaned up to be restuffed into nests, Lochan looked quite on as he strutted back and forth on his back legs. Slow but it worked better when moving a lot of material out and in. Very light on his feet though, he paused as Star rubbed across him and held out one of those weird front legs to stroke along her as she passed. A small gesture that took so little effort but felt so nice.

“Of course, maybe some color will ease the young ones.” He agreed, figuring it would be a good time to pick some grass and leaves too. “Lead the way, my beautiful lady.” He purred, those fluttery feelings coming back, and in the end so did his small smile.