9
Draco awoke, blinking against the soft morning light that streamed through the window into the room. His head felt foggy, a pleasant heaviness in his limbs, and a warm weight rested on his chest. Still half-asleep, it took him a moment to realize that the warm body he was lying on was Charlie. In that moment, he remembered that after the events of the previous day, he had simply gone home with Charlie—but everything was so blurred. He could feel Charlie’s quiet, steady breathing, his heartbeat resonating like a calm rhythm through Draco’s own body. A strange sense of familiarity rose within him, and for a fleeting moment, he felt as though he had truly found a home.
But before he could lose himself deeper in these thoughts, he heard a soft rustling and clattering from the kitchen. The familiar aroma of fried bacon and freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, and he slowly sat up, drawn to the delicious scent. Charlie had sneaked out of bed and was obviously busy making breakfast. Draco had to smirk. The idea that this chaotic, impulsive man had any kind of morning routine was oddly reassuring.
He stepped into the small kitchen, where he saw Charlie standing at the stove, concentrating as he swung a spatula over the pan. When Charlie noticed his gaze, he smiled—a warm, genuine smile that threw Draco off balance for a moment. This smile seemed to wash away all the worries and fears hidden within Draco, and he felt a strange warmth rise in his chest.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” Charlie said with a grin, setting a steaming cup of coffee on the table in front of Draco.
Draco sat down and took the cup in his hands, letting the warmth seep through his fingers. “I hope you didn’t burn the eggs,” Draco grumbled, unable to suppress a grin.
Charlie pretended to be offended but just laughed, shaking his head. “Just because you’re a snob about food doesn’t mean I can’t manage.”
Draco watched as Charlie skillfully finished preparing breakfast and set the plates on the table. They began eating, and it wasn’t long before the conversation shifted to a familiar topic: dragons. Charlie’s eyes sparkled as he spoke about his past adventures at the reserve, about the wild beauty and untamed nature of these majestic creatures. Draco listened intently, fascinated by the passion that resonated in Charlie’s voice as he spoke about the different dragon species he had encountered.
They discussed the challenges and the fulfillment that came with this work, and Draco felt his heart beat a little faster with each story. It was rare to find someone who truly shared his fascination for magical creatures, and in Charlie’s presence, he felt as though he could be his true self.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and Draco looked up in surprise. Charlie stood up and opened the door to let in Lea and her wife, Anna, both already dressed for work. “Morning, you two sleepyheads,” Lea said with a grin, winking at Draco. “Ready for a new adventure?”
Charlie raised an eyebrow, glancing between Draco and the two women. “What’s going on?” he asked.
Anna, who seemed quieter and more thoughtful, stepped forward and explained that an older dragon had been injured in a territorial fight and needed urgent care. Without hesitation, Draco grabbed his things, and together they set off for the spot where the injured dragon awaited.
Their path led them through the dense, mist-laden undergrowth of the reserve. Leaves rustled under their steps, and the distant calls of birds mixed with the muted sounds of the forest. The deeper they went into the woods, the more intense the feeling of wilderness became around them. Finally, they reached the clearing where the dragon lay—a massive creature with deep black scales that shimmered like liquid metal in the sunlight.
Draco held his breath as he looked at the injured dragon. The power and grace that emanated from him were breathtaking, even in his weakened state. Together with Lea, Anna, and Leaf—an experienced caretaker at the reserve—they began tending to the dragon’s wounds. Draco could feel Charlie’s gentle hand resting on his shoulder, giving him a quiet reassurance that encouraged him to work with care and respect.
As he tended to the dragon, Draco thought about his own, unusual gift—the ability to transform into a creature that felt both familiar and strange to him. The thought of one day becoming a dragon himself filled him with a mix of fear and fascination. What would it feel like to have wings that soared across the sky? To breathe fire, to embody the pure power and wildness of a dragon?
But suddenly, they were snapped out of their thoughts as an owl circled above them, dropping a message with a loud cry. The letter bore the seal of the reserve’s chief warden, and the caretaker’s face hardened as he read the message.
With worried expressions, they made their way to the chief warden’s cabin. Draco’s heart raced as they walked the short distance back. He sensed that something terrible had happened, even if he couldn’t yet put it into words.
Inside the cabin, the chief warden awaited them with a grave expression and gestured for them to sit. The air was tense, and Draco could feel the ominous expressions on the faces of everyone present. “As you probably already know, Vulcan, the oldest dragon in the reserve, has been killed,” the warden began, pausing as the silence became so thick you could hear a pin drop. “And you surely know that he was poisoned.”
Draco hissed in frustration—they already knew. The memory had haunted him ever since he’d heard the news. Vulcan had been a legend at the reserve, a symbol of strength and wisdom. That someone had murdered him so cold-bloodedly was unfathomable.
The warden continued, his voice heavy with sorrow. “We have discovered that an organization called the ‘Ash Phoenixes’ is behind the attacks. They claim to want to ‘free’ the dragons from the ‘captivity’ of the reserve—even if that freedom lies in death.”
Draco felt his hands clench into fists. Anger and helplessness rose within him, and he saw that Charlie beside him was just as shaken. It was as if someone had betrayed the reserve’s most sacred values, and the thought choked him. “What are we going to do about it?” Draco asked, his voice trembling with suppressed rage.
The chief warden sighed deeply and shook his head slowly. “We don’t know yet,” he admitted. “The Ash Phoenixes operate in secret, and so far, we’ve found no way to track them down.”
Draco’s frustration grew, and without another word, he left the cabin. He could barely bear the feeling of powerlessness and needed air to clear his thoughts. Outside, the pale light of the full moon fell on the ground, illuminating the darkness. The moonlight seemed like a comforting veil over the landscape, but inside Draco, a storm was raging.
Suddenly, he sensed a presence beside him and turned around. Charlie had followed him and now stood silently next to him, his blue eyes gleaming in the moonlight. “We’ll do everything in our power to protect the dragons and stop those responsible,” he said quietly but determinedly.
Draco felt his suppressed anger slowly ebb away, replaced by a deep, consuming fear. He looked into Charlie’s eyes and admitted to him softly, almost whispering, “I’m scared, Charlie. I finally found a home here with you, with the dragons. A family… and I’m afraid of losing it all again.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Charlie gently pulled Draco into his arms. The warmth of Charlie’s body and the familiar feel of his presence gave Draco an unexpected sense of security. For a moment, all doubts and fears disappeared, and he leaned into Charlie, allowing himself to accept the comfort he offered.
“We won’t let that happen,” Charlie murmured softly, his voice like a gentle promise. “We’ll prevent this together. I won’t let anything happen to you or anyone here.”
Then, almost imperceptibly, Charlie leaned down and kissed him gently, their lips meeting like a silent promise under the moonlight. Draco closed his eyes and let himself fall into this kiss, feeling the warmth, the tenderness, and the unspoken affection pulsing between them.
In that moment, he felt as though he had truly found a home. Here, in Charlie’s arms, under the endless sky, he sensed a connection he had always wished for but never dared to hope for. And as they stood there, arms entwined, Draco felt that something had changed between them. A boundary had been crossed, a new chapter had begun.
Draco looked up at Charlie and wondered if he really loved him. Was this the beginning of something new? He couldn’t deny the desire within him, and when he looked into Charlie’s eyes, he saw the same longing. Here, in this embrace, Draco found the answer he had always sought.