Fantasy Misconceptions FaddedFox X StatusUndead

[FaddedFox]

Lu'ean, or just 'Lulu' by most friends, sighed as he finally made it home. The wait at the maternity hospital took forever. As per usual. Everything here took fricking forever. But he supposed he couldn't complain. At least he was getting care. He very nearly could have been one of them poor people he saw on the street. Organization High Hopes was one of the few agencies trying to help and provide the things that people needed who didn't have family or community supports, but everything had waitlists and they couldn't help everyone. He'd someone managed to get his name in before their closing and so they were helping him. Without them, he wouldn't have a home or prenatal care. He was lucky in his misfortune. He chuckled at the thought and shook his head.

The young Aluei took his shoes and coat off by the door and remained in his black long sleeved shirt. It was a touch too small so as he moved, it rid up on his skin and showed the tiniest of bumps. He wasn't going to balloon yet, but it was getting ready to. There were going to be a lot of physical changes over the next few months and he had to get prepared for that. As with most of his people, Aluei at first glance looked more feminine. He had a softness to his sharp features, full lips, and slightly more curved outline. The fact that they all sported long hair in various fashions, certainly led one to believe they were dealing with a 'woman'. But such was not the case. Lu'ean was not female, or male for that matter. He was something blended in between. Upon closer inspection, an Adam's apple could be seen. He was lean, obviously taking his health seriously, but not focused on body building or mass. He did not have breasts, though those would grow for the baby in his belly. His sense of style leaned more towards masculine. He absolutely hated dresses. His dark skin was a hue of dark blue-purple, a stark contrast to the pale blue strands he sported. Unlike many others of his people, his hair was just tied in a messy bun. Still, it didn't look half bad, if not elaborate and obviously indicated someone who had others things to worry about than hair styling.

Lu'ean looked around the little apartment then. It was small, but he adored the absolutely homey feeling. He knew it was going to be small once his roommate moved in today. It made him nervous. He'd grown accustomed to his being 'his' home. The apartment itself was just a small little family room that doubled as a dining room and then the kitchen. The kitchen was separated by just a little wall with a window in it. It also connected to a tiny little balcony that housed their stacked washer and dryer. He found that quite fortunate; not many had a personal washer and dryer. He was looking forward to not having to go down to the communal laundry room with piles of baby clothes. To the left of their family/kitchen were two bedrooms facing each other, and a small bathroom at the furthest end. He did not like the idea of sharing a bathroom with a stranger. At all. But he had to count his blessings. At least, since he was given the apartment first, he'd taken the liberty of selecting the bedroom that was just a little bigger than the other. He was going to need the extra room for when the baby came.

The apartment was clean too, he made sure of that. He was a neat and tidy person, especially knowing someone else was going to be coming. The agency had provided the basics for them but he did hope to eventually start making this a real home with their own flare and style. All in good time. But, since he didn't have to worry about cleaning for the new arrival, he decided to make dinner. What better way to welcome someone than to have dinner made for them? And he wanted to try and make friends with his roommate. They were going to be together for a while and they both would have enough stress as it was. Maybe they could bond over a meal. He didn't know what kind of person would be arriving so he decided to make a modest meal of chicken, fried potatoes, baked asparagus, and salad. That would cover everything, he hoped. He wondered if another Aluei would be rooming with him. Would they be like him, with a child? Or maybe it was someone else entirely just down on their luck. Regardless, they were going to have to make this work. The agency had been clear; no tracebacks allowed if they wanted continued assistance with their basics. That, for one, was something Lu'ean could not afford to lose.

 

[StatusUndead]

Drakonomar Dragostroyer had lived a rough life. Despite this, he's always kept a positive attitude. Or rather, what passed for a positive attitude for a Telekinetic Dragon-kin. One thing led to another and no he's found himself at the mercy of OHH. Organization High Hopes was an organization that attempted to better the lives of those in need. Due to a series of unfortunate events, Drakonomar Dragostroyer found himself being one of those in need.

OHH wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, though. They had rules that had to be followed. Firstly, beggars couldn't be choosers. You took what they gave and that's that. They had limited resources, so had to make them work as best they could. That means they couldn't accept everyone. They offered many services, though the only one Drakonomar Dragostroyer required was living arrangements. Though that also came with some basic amenities, which were a plus.

OHH required their properties be maintained properly. Damage and filth would not be tolerated. Though Drako had no issues with that. He was a superior race, after all. Though he was worried his roommate, whom they gave no information on, would be a slob. Most members of the lesser races were absolutely disgusting. His best bet would be if his roommate was another Dragon-kin. Anything else would be fine, as long as it wasn't an Aluei. He thought they were the worst! Disgusting creatures that whore themselves out. Vile in every sense of the word. Drako had no idea why they were even allowed in civilised society. Though, unfortunately, OHH did not allow fighting your roommate and beating them until they left, among other rules that essentially just said to play nice.

The multi-race city of Corvire was rather massive. Despite it's size, it still felt like people were packed in too close together. Streets were busy everywhere one went. That's why Drako breathed a sigh of relief when he found out his new home would be down a quiet alleyway away from the busy streets. After double checking the address, Drako stepped in. He was followed by a floating sac of clothes and a few other items. It was all he posessed. He was greeted by the sight of an Aluei. Without even waiting for them to speak, Drako said, "Oh, hell no!" his voice carried a slight hint of regret and disgust. With that, he turned around and left, slamming the door shut.

He stood in the doorway, ready to leave. But as he looked down the alley way, at the way he came, he was reminded where he came from. He sighed and resigned himself to his fate before reopening the door and stepping through. Once more, not allowing the Aluei to speak Drako said, "Listen here, I ain't got a choice but to live here, so I'm going to lay down some rules," his regal sounding voice carried throughout the building.

He continued speaking as he walked back towards the bedrooms, "Firstly, keep your disgusting whore shit out of this house. I expect the place to be spotless at all times," Drako had noticed the house wasn't dirty, though he just assumed it was only a matter of time, and he certainly was not going to compliment a disgusting Aluei for keeping up with the standards of the superior Telekinetic Dragon-kin! Drako continued as he reached the hall that connected their bedrooms and the bathroom. As he passed the Aluei, he noticed their belly. He commented, "Ew, and you're a fat slob," Drako emphasized his statement with a retching sound.

Drako quickly became distracted by his reflection from the bathroom mirror through the open door. He took a moment to admire it, as such a superior being ought do. His hair was well kept and healthy. One could tell because there was a slight shine to it and you can see all the details of each corded rope-like strand of burgundy hair. Dirty hair looked more like smooth rope, and that was a big no-no! A freshly pressed white button-up shirt and a pair of dressed pants, just as white as the shirt, adorned his beautiful skin with its varying shades of sand and brown.

After accepting his appearance, he glanced into each room. He was horrified that the Aluei would deign to take the larger room. It wasn't much larger, but it was clearly more fittng of a Telekinetic Dragon-kin than the slightly smaller room! Drako could not allow this to continue! He barged in, his sac of clothes dropping to the floor just outside.

He shouted out the room, "How dare a lower lifeform think they deserve the larger room! I'll fix that immediately!" With that, he began using his telekinesis to fling things out of the room. His telekinesis was on the lower end of power. It could only reach a single arm span out and only exert about the same as their own body. Though this did little to hinder his mission.

 

[FaddedFox]

Lu'ean hummed to himself as he was finishing up. He wanted everything to be hot when it was time to eat so he did everything strategically. The scent of the yummy lemon and garlic and cooking veggies and chicken filled the home. He did so love cooking. Maybe if he was lucky enough, he could finally get his foot in the door to learn to be a chef. It was a pipe dream, but he did want to own a restaurant eventually. But oh, did he want to learn from various masters. His food was pretty good, if he did say so himself. People didn't complain at least. He currently was just bussing tables at a fast food joint. There wasn't much experience needed, but he wanted to make sure he could start trying to save money to get all the things he needed. He didn't want to be caught dependent and unawares again.

He heard the door then. Oh, his roommate was right on time! Perfect. He started to smile, but then he heard the shout and the slamming of said door. He frowned and looked through the little window in the kitchen. The roomie was gone. What the heck? That was odd. He hesitated a moment before he finished getting the baked and spicy asparagus on its dish on the table. At least the table was set. He heard the door again and looked up. His eyes widened probably as big as the plates in front of him. A Dragon-Kin!? No. This had to be a mistake! The OHH knew his history with the dragons and why the hell would a Dragon-Kin need services like this? They had everything on a golden plate! Resources should be given to those who needed it far more than these spoiled little assholes.

Part of Lu'ean said to be terrified of this man, especially with the way he was shouting and posturing. It certainly made him tense and he did not want that creature anywhere near him. It made him think of that night and how helpless and hurt he was. He didn't want that to happen again. He was alone here with him. But then the dragon started slinging insults and he found himself far more indignant and angry than scared. Besides, the stupid dragon couldn't hurt him or else the man would lose his assistance. And just how dare he act like this? How dare he assume anything about him? He knew absolutely nothing about his life and yet he would spout these horrible lies and act like he owned the whole damn house! How could this have happened? Why would they ever place Lu'ean in a house with him? So much for 'home sweet home' and 'make nice with roomie'.

And the man was a whirlwind onto himself! Storming around the way he was! "Now you wait here, just a minute!" he growled back at him even as the dragon began to head towards the bedrooms. His normally soft voice was harsh and full of ire with each lilt of his speech. And dang it the dragon just kept walking, ignoring him like scum on the bottom of his shoes. "Why you-" he growled. Unfortunately being on his heels, he got a fist full of clothes thrown into his face. He stumbled back a moment before he threw the clothes off, fire in his deep, dark eyes. This would not stand! This was his apartment too!

"HEY!" he shouted, more of a snarl this time, "Stop! That is my room! I was here before you and I need the space, you prick!" he snapped. "You didn't even ask me why! I am not some 'lowly' life-form!" He walked right up to the dragon, which was kind of comical considering the dragon was taller than him and didn't need to be close to hurt him. His blood was absolutely boiling. "I am not your servant, and I am not your plaything! In case you forgot, you are in the same boat as me, which means we need to compromise!"

 

[StatusUndead]

"Hey," was the first word Drako heard from the Aluei. He could not believe his ears. Hey? HEY!? How dare anyone address a Telekinetic Dragon-kin with hey, let alone Drakonomar Dragostroyer! This caused him to stop moving. His muscled tensed with indignation. Slowly, he turned around to face the lesser life-form. He stood stock still as Lulu finished their useless ramblings. It wasn't quite anger that burned in Drako's eyes. It was fury. Righteous fury.

Drako didn't even need to tilt his head upwards to look down on Lulu, though he did so anyways. Drako figured they weren't even worthy of that.

"First of all," Drako said with a dangerous calm to his voice, "you will address me as Drakonomar Dragostroyer." The venom flowed from his voice as his took a step towards the Aluei. "I am a Telekinetic Dragon-kin," another step, "who are you to tell me you need the bigger room?" His next step brough him within range of using Telekinesis. Which he proceeded to do.

He started with just a little force. He pushed Lulu downward, gently, for now. "Without my people," another step, along with a little more force, "the Telekinetic Dragon-kin," another step. This time the increased force seemed to be enough to cause the Aluei to start backing up. "You lesser beings would be consumed by war." Another step, this time the movement was mimicked by his roommate, almost like a choreographed movement. "You would have been enslaved, if not for our benevolence!" Another step. "So, tell me, creature, why you deserve the bigger room?"

Drako's speech ended with a final step, bringing the Aluei to the wall, no where else to move, and Drako looming over him. His chest heaved in and out and his shoulders raised and lowered with their menacing breathing. If Telekinetic Dragon-kin were actually related to dragons, he would probably be breathing fire right now. The look in his eyes was one of pure disgust. He still hadn't made up his mind. He wasn't sure if it was worth the assistance, or if he should just crush the Aluei right here and now.

 

[FaddedFox]

Lu'ean continued to glare up at the dragon, even as the man turned to face him. The other's eyes were intimidating but he had to stand resolved. This was his home too. He didn't want to simper around and cower in his own home. This was supposed to be his safe place; a place he could hid from people and their stupid assumptions. And now he had to contend with the worst creature imaginable. Just like all the stereotypes about the Dragon-kin, this one was arrogant, selfish, and had the attitude of a porcupine. The only saving grace what that he was direct in his confrontation and didn't try and weasel around.

Still, Lu'ean was the weaker of the two. He was acutely aware of how big the man was as he approached. He felt the pressure on his body and that immediately sent a spike of fear through him. Unbidden memories of his recent... event, came flooding back. It made his heart race. He felt cold and hot as he began to sweat in his immediate fight or flight response. He wanted to run and hide. Instead he fisted his hands and tried to withstand the pressure. Each step the other made towards him, however, the more he felt the pressure of Drakonomar's telekinetic power. He swallowed hard, his fear now drying out the saliva in his mouth. But he continued to stare at the man, not wanting to show how scared he was becoming. He took a step back with each one Drako made towards him until he was up against the wall. His heart was hammering in his throat, seeking escape. His body shook just a touch. The close and aggressive display amplified his fear, and he was anger at letting this happen. He couldn't live his life in fear of the Dragon-kin but it was hard to forget.

Lu'ean stared up at the furious man before him and at first, he said nothing. He just stared at him, fists clenched and turned his knuckles white. His emotions warred inside of him. He had to do something, say something. Did he even dare tell him he was pregnant? What if that made it worse? What if something more happened? If he was already pregnant, then the dragon could get away with things, not worry about bearing a child. Lu'ean didn't want to be forced into becoming a play-thing again. Tears threatened but he refused to let them fall. What if the Dragon-kin didn't care if he lost the assistance and hurt him anyway? In that moment, he couldn't even be angry at the stupid things the bastard said.

"I'm pregnant," he finally managed to say between clenched teeth. It was a gamble, but he wasn't a liar and the man was going to find out anyway. If there was one thing he learned, it was that showing weakness led to more people taking advantage. He had to at least stand his ground. So as scared as he was, he would stand in defiance. Otherwise he invited fear to rule everything in his life and break everything. He had to teach his child to be strong and that started here. "So I need the room for the baby." The other probably wouldn't even care, but it was the reason all the same.

 

[StatusUndead]

Pregnant... That was the reason the Aluei gave for needing the bigger room. Drako didn't say a word. Didn't change his demeanor in the slightest. He stood there, still looming over. Yet, the air seemed to cool. His eyes were still angled in anger. Nothing changed. Yet, the malice seemed to drain. His breathing was still heavy, as though he may just start spitting fire. Yet, he seemed to calm. Drako was many things, and certainly all great, so that meant he wasn't a monster. Though he wouldn't admit it, being pregnant was an excellent reason for needing extra room.

The pressure he exerted would alleviate as he turned away without a word. His hair swayed behind him as he casually exited the room. He telekinetically lifted his bag as he traversed the hallway towards his room. He tossed his bag onto his bed, which was already neatly made, before taking another moment to admire themselves in the mirror. Of course, being the perfect being he was, his bag landed about as neatly as could be possible. No one would be able to accuse them of being unclean. There wasn't even a single wrinkle created upon the bedding.

Drako had a lot he had to think about. He thought that the gods may be playing pranks on him. To be forced to share a home with a lesser species, but then to make them pregnant so that using force would be cruel. What a sick joke, Drako thought. He was hungry, so he decided now would be a good time to go get something to eat. As he walked past the myriad items littering the floor on his mission he called out, "Clean this shit up! You're a fucking slob!" Though there was the usual pompous tone, the seething venom was nowhere to be found.

As he contemplated his current dilemma, the food, not the Aluei, he started to mentally scroll through his options. He had a few friends he could go to for food. There were many options. His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the smell of delicious food that wafted towards him. How could he have not noticed it before? It was lovely! Where was it coming from? That's when he found himself face to face with a wonderfully plated dish. The chicken and potatoes smelled devine, and the salad and asparagus added vibrant color. It looked delectable. He was stopped in his tracks, all he could manage was to stare, his mouth practically watering as his stomache growled its longing.

 

[FaddedFox]

Lu’ean very nearly held his breath as the seconds ticked by with the dragon bearing down on him. It felt like they’d reached a stalemate. Slowly, he felt the pressure lessen until he was free of it. The dragon’s demeanor changed slightly. It was very nearly imperceptible, but it was there. Lu’ean swallowed the lump in his throat and watched the dragon pulled away from him and stalked away, preening in the mirror as he went. Lu’ean couldn’t believe it. He quite literally wanted to drop to the ground. His shaking was more pronounced now as the adrenaline started coming down. He swayed for a moment.

‘Breathe…’ he reminded himself mentally. He slowly ran a hand up into his hair, making more of his long strands fall free from the bun he’d put it in. He couldn’t break down out here. He needed to get to his room. Drako actually went into the other bedroom, not the big one he’d claimed. He didn’t know what god was watching over him in that moment, but he wasn’t going to question it. He hurried to the clothes that the man had tossed around and started to pick them up, even as he was yelled at for being a slob. He grit his teeth but said nothing. Drako was the one who had tossed all his things onto the ground as if it was trash! He had everything neatly tucked away in his dressers before he came along.

Lu’ean sighed and managed to get his things in the room and quickly shut the door and locked it. He didn’t think the lock would really keep him out. He didn’t feel safe. He glanced around until he decided his nightstand would at least help him gain some semblance of safety. He slowly dragged it to the door and blocked it. It probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do. He was trapping himself in the room too, after all. If there was an emergency, he’d have problems getting out or getting help. Still, in that moment, it felt necessary.

With distance and safety established, he backed away from the door until he ended up against his little bed. He dropped down then and hugged his pillow to himself. Now alone, he allowed himself to break down and review what had happened. He was lucky indeed that Drako had stopped. He cried into his pillow, muffling any sound that might try and escape as he relieved the instant stress and anxiety the whole situation had brought up. What was he going to do? How was he going to live here with that arrogant, self-righteous, and dangerous man? A Dragon-kin had no business being here. After a moment of just letting himself feel the emotions, he quieted. He felt marginally better, but he knew he couldn’t just sit and wallow. If he went on feeling sorry for himself, he would start a cycle that was hard to break, and he didn’t want to end up in a depression again. It was hard to keep out of it.

So, instead, he started to fold his now rumpled clothing to put them back in their place.

 

[StatusUndead]

Drako found himself making his way, to his friend, Dragonmeister Meistermeister. He was, as his name would suggest, of the superior Telekinetic Dragon-kin race. He was also the master chef and owner of the illustrious Draconic Stomache. It was the most famous restaurant in the city. Unfortunately, it served all races. That was understandable, though, since his food was outstanding.

It was a large building, adorned with a variety of draconic imagery, as the Dragon-kin are wont to do. People showed up not just for the food, but the spectacular shows Dragonmeister would put on. He had double arm spam reach, so he would use his telekinesis to wield a variety of cookwear and tools to make multiple dishes simultaneously. This was all done in an open kitchen so people could see his skill. He had chefs that worked for him too, though they often handled prep and cleaning unless they were having a rush. They also handled everything on his days off.

Drako had made his way here because the food that was left out at his home reminded him of the food served here. Drako hadn't seen Meister make such a simple dish before, but figured it had to come from here. There was no way an Aluei was capable of creating such a delectable dish. Upon seeing Drako, Meister gave a few orders and handed over control of the kitchen to his second.

Drako walked to the back. An action not normally allowed, but he was a regular visitor of his friend, Meister, so everyone know he was allowed to go where he pleased. Meister greeted him with a hug. Like Drako, Meister wore all white. Wearing all white was a common choice for Dragon-kin. White was very easy to get dirty. It's one of the many ways Dragon-kin showed their superior cleanliness, for no other race would be able to pull it off, especially in a messy profession such as cooking. Though Meister had not a single speck on him. The same couldn't be said for the non-Dragon-kin races he had working for him. Luckily, even though Meister hired a variety of races, no Aluei worked for him.

As they parted from their hug, Meister said, "I heard what happened to your family, Drakonomar Dragostroyer. I... I'm so sorry..." A moment of silence past as they exchanged looks of sadness and compassion.

"Thank you, Dragonmeister Meistermeister. Fortunately, the O H H was able to help me find lodgings." Drako told Meister. He continued on, incredulity in his voice, "Can you believe they roomed me with an Aluei?"

Meister's voice matched Drako's incredulity, "No!" Meister winced with cringe, taken aback by the gall of the O H H. Meister's eyes took on a look of cautious curiosity, "Are the rumors true?"

"Absolutely," piped Drako, "Total whores! This one's already pregnant, and there's no father, or, mother? I don't know, they're fucking weird!" Drako threw up his hands in frustration. Meister shook his head, saddened Drako had to deal with that.

"Anyways, I had to come grab some food. I could think of no other place to eat than here. Your food is unequalled. It's taste is such that only royalty should be allowed to eat it. The armoa is worthy of the gods." The conversation continued in this manner for some time. Dragon-kin culture included a lot of flattery. Generally, a Dragon-kin would never flatter someone they didn't like. Though, just because they don't flatter someone doesn't mean they dislike them, either. It's also common knowledge that using flattery to butter up a Dragon-kin is very effective.

After their social rituals had concluded, Drako had asked for some food. "Oh, and can I get an extra plate, to go? It's obvious that my roommate can't care for itself. Plus, I feel bad for that poor child. It's going to have to grow up as an Aluei." This was received by Meister as a grand gesture of kindness. He praised Drako for his kindness with a shower of compliments describing as such.

Drako departed the Draconic Stomache after a warm goodbye with Meister, and he made his way back home. As he rounded the corner, he noticed a couple of shady people huddled together at the end. They wore cloaks, so he wasn't sure if they were elves of fairies or something else. Either way, they quickly shuffled off.

Drako opened the door to his home. He was greeted by the unsightly presence of the Aluei. They were sitting, reading. Drako found himself slightly surprised the creature could even read. Drako automatically tilted his head upward so he could look down at them. Though there was no awful smell, Drako couldn't help but imagine an unclean stench wafting from them. It caused his nose to crinkle.

He walked up to them. He wordlessly held out the togo bag, which was neatly adorned with the Draconic Stomache label, at the tip of their telekinetic reach. He could have placed it on the table, but anything offered should first be accepted, according to Dragon-kin culture. Drako would also expect thanks. He would settle for groveling. Draconic Stomache's prices matched their fame, and there was certainly no way that this lesser race could afford it. Not that Drako could, either. He was just fortunate enough to be good friends with the owner.

 

[FaddedFox]

Lu'ean finished reorganizing the things that Drako had thrown about and made sure everything was in its place again. He was a little afraid to go back out of the room at the moment, so he remained in his room for an hour. But eventually, his stomach reminded him he was hungry. He'd had a long shift at work and had come home to make lunch. Which hadn't been eaten. He'd forgotten all about the food and had just left it all on the table. Mannnn. It would have been so yummy, nice and hot and fresh out of the oven and pan. Now it was probably soggy. Oh well. He'd just reheat it in the oven and try and get some of that pep back into the dish. It still meant he had to leave the room though. That thought alone made him groan. He reallllyyyyy didn't want to see the Dragon-kin again.

Lu'ean pressed his ear against the wall and listened. They had paper-thin walls so pretty much everything could be heard. But, everything was silent. Was the Dragon-kin not home? His heart fluttered at that thought. That would be fortuitous. He pushed the nightstand away from the door and peeked out when he opened it. Silence. He exited the room and shut the door quietly. It was getting dark outside and none of the lights were on. He gave a sigh of relief as he relaxed. Alone. Good. He turned on their main light and looked to their kitchen table. The food was right where he had left it. So the Dragon-kin hadn't just eaten the food either or thrown it away. He'd be worried the man had tossed it. He could afford to waste food like this. He was keenly aware of budgeting with the little salary he got. There were so many things he needed to save for: The baby, cooking lessons eventually, furniture, the future for himself and the baby.

The Aluei shook his head to get his mind off of that for now. He put away the excess food in the fridge and just heated up a plate for himself. He enjoyed the meal he prepared and cleaned up before he settled on the couch to relax a little, de-stress with a good book. They didn't have a TV, after all. That was something they'd have to get themselves if they wanted one and right now, it wasn't high on his list of priorities. Lu'ean snuggled in for a nice, quiet evening. He didn't know when Drako would be back, but he would enjoy the quiet while he could. He had planned to return to his room shortly, but as he got engrossed in his book, hours ticked by without him realizing. He startled when Drako suddenly returned home.

Lu'ean tensed, already expecting another shouting match to ensue. He swallowed hard and made a very good impression of a deer in headlights. He didn't know what to say or do. He reallllyyyyy didn't want another fight today. The man walked towards him and Lu'ean immediately closed his book and straightened, all but ready to bolt for his room. He'd smack himself later for his immediate fear induced response. But then, the man stopped before he got too close and extended a bag of food with his telekinesis. Drako didn't say a word. Lu'ean stared at the food and then at Drako in confusion. Why would he go and buy him food? The label on the package told him immediately he'd been to the Draconic Stomach.

The Draconic Stomach was always packed and pretty expensive, not that he blamed it. He'd only eaten there once and it had been inspiring. The dishes were exquisite. The cook a true master; someone Lu'ean had one day hoped to be like or learn from. He doubted that would ever actually happen though. The chef was a Dragon-kin after all and they held the worst opinions of the Aluei. Regardless, someone in their position didn't have money to buy something so expensive so how the hell had he gone there for dinner? He hesitantly reached out to accept the package. He'd already eaten but food was food and he wasn't going to turn it down. He'd just eat it later. "Er.... Thank you?" he replied and questioned. He still didn't understand why a Dragon-kin would buy him dinner, especially when they'd been at each others throats earlier.

 

[StatusUndead]

"Thank you, Drakonomar Dragostroyer!" Drako offered a correction to Lulu, though he immediately sighed in defeat afterwards. Shaking his head he said, "Why do I even try? I'm pretty sure creatures like you stopped learning at the age of five." Drako turned towards his bedroom, and without allowiing time enough to interject he added, "I better not see a mess when you're done with that."

His hair swung back and forth in a graceful, rhythmic manner. Telekinetic Dragon-kin were known for being the most graceful assholes on the planet. In fact, there weren't many times they wouldn't be graceful. They could be in a losing fight for their life and they would still move gracefully. Drako took a moment to admire himself once more in the bathroom mirror through the door. The momentary pause caused his hair to swing forward with momentum, before swinging with him as he turned to his room.

The room was rather bare. There was a small bed, dresser, night stand and lamp, as well as a small closet. A single window looked out into the street. People walked by busily, completely unaware of the greatness they were passing by. The room passed Drako's inspection. It was OK that it wasn't grand, as long as it was clean.

As he approached the bag on the bed, he began using his telekinesis to open it and remove the items. He would then go on to use a combination of his hands and powers to neatly and deftly put away his meager possessions. His hygiene items would be kept in his room, for the Aluei was not worthy of being in their presence while in the shared bathroom. He would do this all the while softly humming a melancholy tune. He didn't intend for his roommate to overhear his lamentful song, though if he were to pass by he may pick up on it. Thoughts of his family were still fresh in his mind.

 

[FaddedFox]

Lu'ean stared at the man. Was he talking in third person now? What the heck was he-oh. He was 'correcting him'. He rolled his eyes at the other as the man continued on his way, commenting all the way about how lowly and stupid. Did the dragons even realized that their whole damn society was built up on the backs of the 'lower' races? The dragons didn't build shit. It was the working class that ran most offices, businesses, construction? They were all so arrogant. Drako just reminded him how stupid he'd been to believe a Dragon-kin would ever see him as a person; anything other than a whore. They were so full of themselves, they couldn't see past their noses. Lu'ean sighed to himself and shook his head. He didn't need to think about DragonScorcher Dragovein. He was history and someone he never ever wanted to see again.

The Aluei took the food that Drako brought him and set it in the fridge for later. He tip-toed towards his own room then and paused for just a moment. Drako was singing? He hadn't often heard the Dragon-kin singing. It was melodic, though he'd never say it to his face. It sounded... sad. Normally, he might have knocked and asked how the other was doing, but Drako wasn't a normal person. He was insane. The last thing he needed was to be scolded for asking him anything. So, instead, he entered his own room and locked the door. He didn't block it this time. Lu'ean returned to his bed and got himself ready for the night. He had to be up early in the morning for work.

A couple of days passed since Drakonomar Dragostroyer came to live at the apartment. The two of them certainly still had their fair share of squabbles. Drako always had something to stay to Lu'ean and of course made it clear what he thought about everyone else and Aluei specifically. After the first two days though, Lu'ean realized that most of it was just common boasting and put downs. There was no real malice or aggression in the words and that made him relax a little more. Especially since there was no further actual physical oppression or intimidation tactics. It was mostly just annoying.

Aluei hadn't had too many sick days, but being pregnant, things were going to be coming and going. In the middle of the night, the young Aluei was hit with morning sickness. They really needed to change that name. It hardly ever came in the morning. Lu'ean barely managed to scramble out of bed and rushed into the bathroom. Lu'ean was sick several times before his stomach let up for the moment. He slid down the side of the tub and just sat there, shuddering lightly from his most recent activity. Ugh. He hated that so much. He hoped that Drako hadn't heard it. Hopefully it was too early in the morning for the man to be awake. He didn't want to hear him yelling at him from his room about being a 'wretch'. Now his head was pounding. Wonderful.

 

[StatusUndead]

In the coming days, Drako and Lulu's interactions went seemingly without a hitch. To Drako, that is. Drako believes that due to his roommate's lesser race, he still struggles with remembering his full name, so he has to occasionally correct them. Though, Drako was proud that he was able to teach the Aluei to pick up after themselves. Even though it was Drako that tossed all their items about that first day, he still believed it was their fault for not informing him of their status earlier. Therefore, it was their mess that needed to be cleaned up. Though he was pleased that there were no further incidents since then.

Drako still hadn't realized that Lulu actually had a name. So he had thought about giving a name to them. Though he wasn't sure what to call it, or if it would even understand and respond. Dragonmeister Meistremeister had suggested calling it Shitface. Drako gave it some serious consideration. He eventually decided against it, thinking that their child should have a better mother than 'Shitface'. Father? Drako wasn't sure, and thinking about it hurt his head.

Outside of caring for his hapless roommate, since they couldn't care for themselves, he spent quite a lot of time out in the city. Some of that time was spent with Meister or other friends, though he spent most of it working towards the eventual restoration of his family business. Pretty much all the best artisans were Dragon-kin. It was hard to rival an equally skilled craftsman that could create details with microscopic accuracy, not having to deal with shaking hands or range of motion issues. Similarly, Drako's family had been artisans. Though the family business had suffered the same fate as his family.

Drako and his family had been master glassworkers. They weren't really glassblowers, since they didn't have to do any blowing. Telekinesis was very helpful in that regard. No one else could compete with his family. It was hard to when they could mold and shape molten glass with perfect precision. Temperature was no barrier for telekinesis. As for Drako's work, it was largely spent trying to work out permits and licenses, as well as doing odd jobs around the city to save up money for tools and materials. Although Drako still hadn't mourned his losses, his work had to get done. That was absolute. He would deal with his feelings later.



Drako was asleep when he heard what seemed to be wretching noises. Like a cat coughing up a hairball. It was uncouth. Even though Drako sometimes provided meals for the creature, he assumed it probably wasn't enough and it was eating from some dumpster and got sick. Drako figured it would be best if he got up to take care of the sick creature.

Dragon-kin have powerful digestive systems filled with bacteria that fight infections. That means that no matter what they eat, they don't get sick. Though Drako was familiar with other creatures not enjoying the same benefits. Though Dragon-kin are susceptible to sickness by absorbing bacteria and viruses through their skin. It's one reason for their high levels of cleanliness. Even though they come off quite arrogant about it, it's actually a survival mechanism.

To that effect, Drako would prepare a special bath for the Aluei. He made his way to the bathroom, entering without knocking. Drako, being the perfect Telekinetic Dragon-kin that he was, would not look like he had just gotten out of bed. He would ignore any protestations from their roommate, since it was clear from their state that they had no idea how to take care of themselves, as he made his way to the tub that they were leaning against.

Drako made a sound of disgust at the toilet and the mess that was made, "Disgusting! This is why you shouldn't eat out of the trash!" He turned the knobs telekinetically as he used his hand to make sure it was a nice, cool temperature. The lower temperature helps fight fever, as well as kicking the body's immune system into gear. Not that Drako had any idea how animals' bodies would react. For a second he considered calling a vet, but decided to see if his remedy worked first.

Continuing to ignore Lulu, Drako let the water run as he returned to his room. Dragon-kin are known for their hygiene. This was another side effect of being susceptible to sickness through skin absorption. Therefore, Drako had a plethora of lotions and soaps and other skincare products. One such product was was a lavender mixture. It was used to relax the body and boost the immune system. He grabbed this and headed back, where he met his roommate, still in the same position on the floor. What a mess, he thought to himself.

Simultaneously, Drako physically began pouring the mixture into the bath, letting off a pleasant aroma, while also telekinetically shutting off the water and picking the fussy creature and placing them, very gently, into the bath.

"This bath will be good for you. It'll help with the sickness," Assured Drako in a chidding Lulu, much as a parent would chide a child, "Just relax, you'll feel better." Drako spoke as one would to a pet. You know they don't understand, but you speak to them regardless, in the vain hope that they'll understand.

After making sure the sick one would stay put, Drako left once more. Though he returned shortly, wearing an apron and a head scarf covering his hair, along with rags, cleaning supplies and gloves. Though it would be a simple task to clean things telekinetically, it was more thorough to use elbow grease. Telekinesis had it's advantages, but it could not feel. Though that made it all the more impressive that Dragon-kin could use it with such skill, cleaning was best done when you could feel. Although things may look clean, you could sometimes feel dirt you couldn't see. So Drako got on his hands and knees and began to cleanse the toilet of the mess his roommate made, shaking his head all the while.

 

[FaddedFox]

"Oh no," was his first thought when he heard his roommate open the door without knocking or any common curtesy really. Great. Now he had to deal with him too? Couldn't he just go and mind his own business and leave him in peace? He didn't look up at him at first and just pressed his head against his knees. At his words however, he lifted his head and glared at the asshole.

"I don't eat out of the garbage, Drake," he answered, intentionally shortening his name in his displeasure. "Leave me alone." He dropped his head again and hugged his stomach. He frowned when he heard the water turn on. What was he doing? Was he making a bath for him? He arched an eyebrow at him even as Drako left the bathroom to do whatever he was doing. He sighed and flushed the toilet. His stomach still felt like a seesaw. He ran a hand through his hair and tied it into a quick bun just so it was out of the way. He was sure he was going to be sick again and he didn't want to get his hair in the bowl. He'd almost dipped it twice the last time. He glanced at the water and turned the hot water nob a little to get more warm water rather than cold water before he settled on the floor again, waiting for the tub to fill. Maybe a bath would be good for him.

Lu'ean heard him re-enter and sighed. He couldn't take a bath if the man kept barging in here. He frowned as the dragon put something in the bath. It smelled like lavender? Before he could question him or react to what was going on, He suddenly felt himself being lifted. He gasped and immediately tried to grab something to gain control over his movement. "H-hey!" he cried out. "What are you dong?!" was the man going to strip or something? He hugged himself tightly, refusing to let any sort of thing occur. But Drake didn't even try. He just... put him down in the water, clothes and all. He sat there, surprised. What was this? Why was he being nice? He narrowed his eyes, watching the man warily. Even his words weren't cutting this time. How did Drake know lavender was good for an Aluei's system? Regardless, what did Drake want out of this? The dragons always wanted something in return.

He slowly unraveled himself and leaned back to let the water roll over him. The scent and feel instantly were relaxing, though he kept an eye on the dragon a little too close for comfort. He was cleaning now? "... Thank you. Drakonomar Dragostroyer." He said then. Mint leaves were a great way to help with morning sickness too. The lavender for helped and it was healing for his body after the stress of purging. Still, the mint leaves were the better stomach settler and would prevent him from throwing up again tonight. He hesitated. Should he ask him to grab him some? Was he going to turn mean again? But he really did want the mint leaves. "Could you pass me a mint leaf on the shelf?" he asked then.

 

[StatusUndead]

"Thank you, Draconomar Dragostroyer," came the voice from the tub. Drako continued scrubbing as he turned his head to acknowledge Lulu. He tilted his head upwards as he regarded them. He gave a "hmph" and returned back to his task. It was literally the nicest thing Drako had ever said to his roommate. Though not from Drako's perspective, as he did nothing but give sage advice.

Drako beamed at the mention of the mint leaves. Mint was an excellent medicinal herb for Dragon-kin, whether it was used in a bath or mixed into a topical cream. "Ah, so you ARE capable of making good choices! Brilliant! Mint is a great medicinal herb!"

Drako had done enough physical work on the toilet that he could finish telekinetically. The rags kept scrubbing even as Drako turned his back on the task, a testament to his multitasking abilities. Drako never bothered to look at the various items his roommate kept in the shared bathroom. It never seemed to matter. Though, perhaps they were making themselves sick with something among them? He thought it'd be best to sort through them later. For now, he telekinetically grabbed a small jar containing mint leaves from the shelf. He gave a small mental praise to his roomate for being sensible enough to stock some.

As he made his way to the tub, he telekinetically grabbed another rag. A clean one, not one used to clean the toilet. He took off his gloves and placed the rag in his hand and knelt besides the tub, at the same time placing the jar on the edge. He reached his hand out to grab the Aluei's face. Noticing their reaction, he sighed. What a fussy animal, he thought. If he had to, he would use telekinesis to hold him in place and swat his hands away. Otherwise, he'd scrub at his face, around his mouth and anywhere else that might have gotten dirty, much like a parent cleaning their helpless child. Similarly like a parent, he chidded Lulu again, "You are such a slob." He would ignore all his protesting, finishing his task diligently.

Drako backed away, taking a moment to mentally congratulate himself on taking such great care of this stray creature. He turned to gather the cleaning supplies before turning back to Lulu one last time to give him some final instructions. Several things happened in that moment. He dropped everything he had in his arms. He immediately grabbed them all, mid-air, with his telekinesis. He get what could be described as a masuline shriek as he saw his wet, sick patient trying to eat the mint leaf.

Drako quickly dropped to his knees and physically yanked the leaf out of his mouth while admonishing them, "Spit that out! Bad! You don't eat! It's for crushing and mixing into the bath, like this!" Drako demonstrasted by twisting the leaf between his fingers until it crumpled into small pieces. He then dipped his hand into the water and mixed it around before taking out his hand and flicking the water off his hand.

He looked back at Lulu, his head still taking its signature upwards tilt, though there was a tone of worry in his voice, "Why would you do that? It's probably why you got sick in the first place!" While nothing can poison a Dragon-kin through ingestion, including mint leaves, mint is poisonous to some of their commonly chosen pets. This caused Drako to worry that his roommate was poisoning themselves.

 

[FaddedFox]

Lu'ean ignored the praising backslap the man gave him for 'making good decisions'. It was just the dragon being a dragon. He was never going to get a real compliment or any sort of 'decent' conversation out of him. He would just... pretend he was some kind of prickly pear. It certainly made him fear the dragon less. Either way, he was glad the Dragon-kin was at least going to bring him the leaves. That and the bath would be perfect and then he could go back to sleep and try and get some rest before he had to get ready for work. At least he had a later shift today. He didn't like that they kept changing the hours he worked and he hated working later. He didn't want to get off in the evening or at night since it was far more dangerous for him after all. Not that the management seemed to care. For now, he was taking what the could get. He knew that when he eventually had to go on pregnancy leave, he would probably get fired. Of course, they wouldn't say that was the reason, but he knew what was going to happen. That is what made every penny all the more valuable.

Lu'ean was startled out of his musing when Drako actually grabbed at his chin to turn his face towards him. Lu'ean instantly thought the dragon was going to try and kiss him and force himself on him now. He jerked away but Drako grabbed him again. He gasped and started to try and pull back harder, his hands going up to try and block anything else. "Stop!" he cried with little hope that he would. Drako used his abilities to get him to stop and then - wiped his mouth? He had to close his eyes as Drako moved on to wipe at the rest of his face. What the hell was all of this? Why was he trying to bath him and just... do all of this? This was strange! Dragons didn't do this for people! It was stressing him out, trying to figure out what was on Drako's mind all of the time. He didn't need stress. Especially with the baby. "Please stop touching me," he said then. Every time the man surprised him with touch, it brought back bad memories. He sniffled and ran a hand through his hair when the dragon finally let him go.

He curled up a little more, feeling a little more insecure and vulnerable than he wanted to be. Lu'ean sighed and grabbed the bottle of mint leaves. He took one of the leaves gently into his mouth so he could suck on it and take in its healing affects. He was about to to TRY and relax when he was assaulted again. "Ah!" he cried when the dragon suddenly grabbed at the leaf in his mouth and started to scold him. "What the hell!?" He cried at him. He hugged himself as he stared at the dragon and what he was doing. "You need to stop that! You are bringing up very bad memories for me every time you touch me unannounced or use your power on me!" he snapped then. The Aluei hugged himself then and took a steadying breath. "I suck on mint leaves to help with my morning sickness," he answered. "I am not actually sick. Throwing up is symptom of early pregnancy," he explained then. "The leaves was given to me by my doctor."

 

[StatusUndead]

Drako had completely ignored all of the Aluei's complaints, entirely unphased. He looked at it as no more than the fussings of a child throwing a tantrum. Drako considered himself to be quite good with children and animals. So, he gave himself a mental pat on the back for cleaning up this one despite their poor attitude. Though Drako did tune in when Lulu started talking about the mint and his sickness, since that was actual useful information.

Drako looked away for a moment as he contemplated what that meant. He turned back towards Lulu with his ever present uptilted head, "So, you didn't get sick from eating out of the garbage? Well, that's good, but you should stop eating out of the garbage. If you're not eating enough, I can get you more food." On that note, Drako wasn't even sure what Aluei ate. "What do you even eat? Some sort of kibble, or grain? There's a feed store not far from here, I can pick something up." Drako let out a smile, though it was aimed at himself. He was proud of himself and figured he'd make a great father some day. He also entertained the idea of starting a ranch, since he was so good with animals.

 

[FaddedFox]

"Do you even hear yourself?" He growled. "I am not a dog. I eat what you eat and not out of the garbage. I cook my own food." He sighed. Was there even a point to this conversation? He was sure the dragon would continue on the way he was anyway. They were too stubborn to listen to anyone else and too arrogant. The audacity of him acting like he was an animal! At least he was trying to help. Sort of. Why the hell was he getting involved in his care anyway? He'd leave that for later pondering.

Lu'ean grabbed the bottle of mint leaves again and took one out to start nibbling on it, wary the man would try and take it again. "Thanks for the bath," though his clothes were now soaked through, "I will be okay from here. I'll be going back to bed before I have to go to work. You can go back to bed." He really wanted to finish the bath alone so he could actually relax and enjoy it.

Lu'ean leaned back in the tub again hoping that would be the end of this awkward conversation. At least the lavender at eased away his headache and most of the tension in his muscles.

 

[StatusUndead]

Drako thought it was odd his roommate mentioned he wasn't a dog. He figured that was obvious. He's also not a cat, or a monkey, or a troll. Drako thought perhaps it was because the Aluei was telling him that they don't like dogs? Drako wasn't sure. Though that was of little concern to him right now. He just learned something revolutionary.

"You can cook?" Drako exclaimed with surprise, "Huh, I never knew Aluei could cook. Or perhaps you're just an exception?" Drako was intrigued. He was learning so much! He never really cared to learn about Aluei. He made a mental note to check the local vet to see if they had any literature on taking care of one. Drako snapped out of his musings as he remembered their request for finish up themselves.

Drako stood up, "Right, right. Don't forget to clean up after yourself. I know you struggle with that sometimes. Don't worry though, you'll get the hang of it." With that, Drako telekinetically picked up everything he had brought in and headed out to put it all neatly away. He would then prepare himself for bed. He would think to himself, as he drifted off to sleep, that taking care of an animal was hard work, but it was also rewarding to see them grow.

 

[FaddedFox]

Lu'ean sighed and shook his head at Drako as the man finally left him alone in the bathroom. He ran a hand through his hair and enjoyed the warm and soothing bath as his symptoms faded. When he was done, cleaned up like always, regardless of what the dragon said about his hygiene. Still, things could have been worse. Lu'ean was still surprised at the care the dragon had tried to provide and couldn't understand why he would. He'd take that over aggression any day though, so he wasn't going to complain.

The coming week brought more annoyances and strange interactions. Drako hovered over him. Constantly. Incessantly. Lu'ean had no idea why the dragon was fussing over him but it was getting ridiculous. Drako was practically on top of him when he cooked. He asked a million questions about the spices and the food he was eating and half the time he took over whatever it was that Lu'ean was preparing so he could finish it himself. Lu'ean hated that in particular, since he did enjoy cooking and wanted to continue cooking until he couldn't walk around as easily anymore. But the dragon ignored him as usual. Sometimes Drako would even go so far as to bring him home food frequently. Still, a doting and annoying dragon was better than an aggressive one.

It did leave the poor Aluei rather confused though. A dragon had never treated him this way. Not even his ex. His ex was arrogant but he was a good liar. He'd learned what other races liked and did those things until he got good and close so he could use and abuse them and get what he wanted. This... didn't feel like that. It felt like he was actually trying to be helpful and care for him. Was it because Lu'ean was pregnant? Did the dragon feel like he needed to watch over him? But that didn't make sense. Why would Drako take an interest in an Aluei's child? Regardless, Lu'ean had a obsessed dragon on his hands.

Lu'ean pulled his coat around himself a little tighter. It was a bit chilly this evening. Again, his boss had given him the night shift and now it was near midnight and dark outside. "Man..." he murmured to himself and made a dash for the bus stop close by. He was anxious and glancing around at everyone, taking stock in what they were doing. Every movement caught his eye. He probably looked a shifty character himself with the way he was so jumpy, but he had to be cautious. Nighttime was dangerous. The apartment wasn't exactly in the best part of town, either. He just had to make sure not to dally long and keep himself covered up.

It was nearly one in the morning when he finally made it to his block. He hurried through the streets, his apartment the only thing on his mind. He heard a few steps behind him and tensed. He tried to glance back without making it obvious he had heard something. There were two people following behind. They could live in this area too, but he didn't like them so close at hand. He picked up his speed to get home quickly and so did they. Shit, shit, shit! What was he going to do? Maybe he could get to the apartment before they got to him. He started running. They pursued. He was just about to get to his home when another jumped out from the alley just before it and grabbed him.

"Let me go!" he snarled and tried to fight the man off. The bastard was strong and let Lu'ean struggle himself into a knot against his chest. Lu'ean couldn't move his arms. "Stop!" he yelled. The other two caught up then, panting lightly.

"Good catch." One of them complimented. He walked over and caressed Lu'ean's cheek. Lu'ean tried to bite his fingers. The man just laughed. "It's got a bit of fight. That should be fun. You do realize that the more you fight, the more you entice? It will end up being more painful for you in the long run, Beautiful."

"You know how this goes," the other said then and patted Lu'ean's stomach.

"Don't touch me!" he growled.

The man grabbed his jaw and applied pressure. "You keep calling out like that and we'll break your jaw," he warned. He kept up the pressure even as his other hand moved to the Aluei's clothes.

 

[StatusUndead]

The captors were what's known as Feraline. They were cat people, though they took on more of a cat's appearance than a human's. There were stereotypes about them being criminals, since their sharp claws could be used as knives, lockpicks and such. It wasn't true, as stereotypes often weren't, but this group wasn't helping to change that.

The man doing the inspecting lifted Lulu's shirt to get a better look at their belly. He gave a delighted purr as he said, "We may have a buyer for one in this state, but if it falls through, we can always kill the baby." This statement caused Lulu to struggle, which only seemed to annoy the trio. The inspector lashed out with his hand, striking Lulu across the face, leaving a few lines scratched into their cheek, "Shut up! Struggling is pointless!"

***

Drako was out late. He was doing a job for a friend of a friend, painting the outside of their home. It wasn't the most dignified work for a Telekinetic Dragon-kin, but Drako needed money if he wanted to rebuild his family business. Due to his perfectionist nature, it took him longer than anticipated. He finished sometimes early in the morning, before the Sun had even started to light the sky.

His client had already gone to sleep. Drako figured it was best not to wake them, so he decided to return the next day to collect payment. He admired his work on the house, which was now painted a beautiful blue color, done with perfect strokes. Then he made his way home, tired and ready for bed.

As he approached his home, he noticed a group of people hanging around right outside the door. As he closed the distance, he noticed his roommate was among them. They were making a lot of noise. As he got even closer, he noticed two of the black garbbed men holding the Aluei tightly as another explored their body with his hands. This pissed Drako off to no end.

Drako exploded, "I fucking told you not to do your whoring around here! If you want to fuck people in the alley..."

The three men turned their heads towards Drako. He stopped shouting when he saw the streaks of blood dripping down his roommate's face. He then saw their eyes, wet and filled with fear and anger. Drako didn't know much about Aluei, but he knew that look didn't mean they were having fun. This caused Drako to explode in anger all over, but this time, for a different reason.

The inspector ordered one of the others to knock the Aluei out so they didn't escape while they dealt with their new friend. As the subordinate prepared to swing, thus completing their order, Drako acted. His first move was to telekinetically launch a nearby rock towards Lulu's attacker. It had promptly smashed into their face, leading to the release of Lulu from their grasp.

Though he was no warrior, fighting in close-quarters hand-to-hand was a relatively simple matter for most Dragon-kin. Telekinesis came in very handy in a fight, and he used this to his full advantage. The Feraline tried to gang up on Drako, swiping with their claws, he launched a multitude of simultaneous telekinetic punches. Each attack came from a different direction, targeting specific parts of their body.

The first one experienced an upercut, while two more invisible punches targeted the backs of their knees, causing them to fold backwards and smash the back of their head against the ground, instantly knocking him unconscious. The second one received a hook to their jaw. They stumbled sideways. As they attempted to reposition their feet to keep balance, another attack launched their leg to the side, causing them to spin sideways, slamming hard into the ground. A final punch bashed their head against the ground, meeting a similar fate to the first. The third one suffered the worst fate of all. Drako just kept launching telekinetic kicks to their balls. Even when they tried to block, the invisible attacks just kept piercing through. Eventually, they passed out from the pain. This was all done while Drako stood there, graceful as ever, as though it took no effort at all.

With his foes dispatched, he gave out a hmph, disappointed in the scumbags. Then he turned to his roommate, only to find he was no longer there. Drako scanned his surroundings, trying to figure out where they went. That's when he noticed the open door to their apartment. He stepped over the body of one of the ruffians as he made his way inside.

Drako followed the sound of crying, finding Lulu in their room. They were curled up on their bed. Their body wracked with their sobs. He wanted to get closer, so he could inspect their wounds, but was afraid. He wasn't sure if his roommate had contracted rabies from the Feraline. Drako also wasn't very knowledgeable on Feraline.

"Ah, fuck. I gotta take you to get checked out. Come on, there's a vet just down the street."

Without waiting for approval, since it wasn't a question, Drako then used his telekinesis to pick up the wounded creature as he made his way towards the door. He was disappointed in himself for allowing this to happen. He's seen those men before. He berated himself for not confronting them sooner. He also had to find a better way to care for the animal that lived with him. Perhaps, he thought, he should get a collar for them. One that had sensors and could allert him when they got attacked. It was a question for later, though.

 

[FaddedFox]

Lu'ean couldn't believe this was happening again. It felt like after it had happened, he had a neon sign that read 'up for seconds'. And now his child was in danger on top of it all. He was angry, frustrated, and terrified. It sounded like these bastards had bigger plans in store and Lu'ean had no desire to be in any part of it. He glared at his offender when the man scratched him. Tears had filled his eyes but he didn't let them fall, even as his whole body shook. He didn't think he was going to be able to get out of this. He was just one person against three who obviously knew how to fight and hold a person down. There was no guarantee that he and his baby would survive if he stopped fighting. The better chance was to keep on fighting and hopefully get away. Still, if he did, what then? He couldn't get into the apartment before they jumped him again.

And then he heard Drako. He'd never been so happy to hear that dragon's voice. He looked to him then and saw the dragon's demeanor change when he realized that Lu'ean was not a willing participant in all of this commotion. Then everything changed. Drako hit one of them with his power before the cat could hit Lu'ean. As soon as the Aluei felt the grip slacken, Lu'ean pulled away and ran to the door. He didn't look back twice. He needed safety and walls. He struggled a moment with the keys in his shaky hands but he finally burst into the apartment. He tried to shut the door but he thought it bounced. In that moment, he wasn't really paying attention. He beelined for his own room and shut the door. He immediately crawled into bed and hugged himself tightly. He curled up and finally let his emotions through. He was shaking. Badly. He cried into his pillow as the fear overwhelmed him. He had been so close to having his life taken a second nose dive. The touches, the sneers, it all came back.

When he heard Drako, he looked up at him. The dragon had saved him. He couldn't even be mad at the words or the sudden use of the telekinesis to lift him. A dick he could be, but at least he was trying to be kind. Lu'ean sniffled and wiped at his eyes and shook his head. He couldn't seem to get control over his shaking. "I go to a doctor, not a vet," he said softly. "I don't need one, right now. It's just a scratch. A little alcohol and antibacterial ointment will do," he explained. "Drakonomar Dragostroyer. You saved me. I am in your debt. I.... I couldn't live through that if you hadn't come." Just the thought made him start crying again. "Why does everyone assume they can just do that to us? It is not fair! I am not a fucking toy! Why should I have to live my life in fear of being jumped every five seconds?" He knew the dragon didn't have answers but in that moment, he just needed to vent and get his pent up emotions out.

 

[StatusUndead]

Drako gave a moment to ponder the revelation that Aluei see people doctors and not vets. It seemed strange. He hasn't been to a doctor often, and the times he has gone, he doesn't remember noticing the other patients. He made a mental note to pay attention next time he went. He also gave a short moment to wonder about other races, such as the Feraline or Orcs.

Drako also found himself quite pleased that the Aluei knew how to properly thank someone. Though, he thought, it could use a bit of work, still. He was going to leave to grab some ointment and bandages, but stayed to listen as his wounded roommate vented. Luckily the apartment being small was a boon in this case. Drako was able to back up against the wall and reach into the bathroom with his telekinesis. He also knew exactly where everything was, despite not being able to see, since he had previously gone through to make sure the Aluei wasn't poisoning themselves.

Drako brought the necessary items for treatment around the door and onto the bed near Lulu. He grabbed their face so he could turn it to get a better look at the wound. Lulu flinched, but did not resist like Drako had come to expect. He mentally praised his own efforts in training the Aluei to accept their touch and care.

Drako gently cleaned the wound and applied ointment to keep the wound from being infected. He took extra care, since Dragon-kin are prone to infections and other illnesses through their highly absorbent skin. On the upside, their skin doesn't excrete any type of oil or other substance like most creatures. This meant their hands tended to be more sterile than even gloves.

Drako felt more assured than ever at Aluei's lower intelligence as his patient spoke. So he decided to correct them, "It seems you are misinformed. Allow me to correct you. The question, "Why does everyone assume they can just do that to us,' is based on a false premise. I am proof that not everyone assumes as such."

Drako worried that his reasoning may be too advanced for lesser creatures, such as Aluei, to understand. He second guessed his decision to speak to Lulu as though they were an equal. Perhaps he should have dumbed it down? He figured a follow-up question would help resolve such a query.

"Why would you assume that," asked Drako inquisivitely as he applied a bandage to the wound, "also," he continued, "why would anyone think you were a toy? It is easy to see you are not. You're like a dog. A lesser creature that requires someone to take care of them."

Living their life in fear made sense to Drako, and required no further follow-up. Though he already started making mental notes on ways he could alleviate that for them. No one under his care should ever live in fear. That's an insult to his strength and superiority.

 

[FaddedFox]

Lu'ean looked up and flinched when Drako grabbed his chin, startled by the touch. This time, he didn't try to pull free. Drako didn't seem like a danger anymore and this... this was just how the dragon cared for him. If he could call it care. It was still strange and he didn't understand why Drako was doing this. He winced when the cuts stung, but he let Drako clean the wounds and apply the ointment. He sighed and wiped at his eyes again. He hated feeling like this. Just when he thought he was starting to get over things, something happened and he was back to square one. Lu'ean had loved to comfort and receive comfort through hugs but now it felt like he was asking for something that he wasn't. So instead of hugging Drako - which he was sure would be met with disdain - he hugged himself.

When the man reprimanded him for his assumptions, he offered a little grin. "I suppose you may not, but I meant it as a generalization. You do assume I am a whore, which I am not. Most races assume it and with that assumption, make the excuse that it is okay to violate us, haunt our steps and when we try to say anything, tell anyone, it is assumed we were asking for it or tempted them to do it. So no matter what, it is our fault. Other Aluei have started to believe it too. I've seen peers become whores because they can't find jobs as anything else and might as well get easy money from those that would use them anyway. It is a viscous cycle." He wondered how much Drako was actually listening. The dragon usually ignored him. At Drako's return question, he looked up into his eyes.

"Why wouldn't I assume anything else? The man I thought I loved and loved me... he was pretending and lying and when I didn't give him what he wanted, he.... I was raped," he answered quietly, his voice breaking a little. "And then he left me. My own family didn't even believe me and sent me away, pregnant. I don't have good experiences with most people and you saw what just happened. It almost happened again. I am not a toy, but again, people assume it is okay to come onto and force an Aluei to do what they want as if we were sex toys made for them to do whatever they please and get off. That is the treatment we get. And you just said I'm like a dog, 'lesser'. Do you even realize how hurtful things like that are? It's that thinking that leads people to treat us like this" he whispered.

 

[StatusUndead]

"You aren't a whore?" asked Drako, astonished. It caused him to wonder how he came to that assumption in the first place. Then he nodded as he remembered. He often sees Aluei on street corners offering their bodies for money. Drako felt like he still had a correct assumption of Aluei, though he allowed room for exceptions, such as his roommate. After giving his musings a moment, he continued, "Well, even if you were a whore, it doesnt mean anyone should force themselves on you."

Drako grew angry at the mention of the rape. Dragon-kin didn't tense their muscles or ball their fists when they got angry. Instead, the exerted a general pressure around them. Sometimes it was directed at people, such as Drako's first encounter with his roommate, other times it's just outwardly directed in all directions. In that case, it's not a strong force on any individual, since it's evenly distributed everywhere, though it's still noticeable.

Drako let his anger subside, momentarily, as the Aluei continued. He would return to that. For now, he addressed his last comment, "Well, you are a lesser creature. Though not compared to others, just compared to Telekinetic Dragon-kin. So, it is silly for anyone else to think less of you for being Aluei. On that note, no one should feel they have the right to use you without consent. So, what was this person's name?" With Drako's question, the angry aura of pressure returned. He planned on tracking them down and teaching them a lesson.

 

[FaddedFox]

Drako was... surprising. That was the best word he could come up with in that moment. He didn't know how to interact with him. His discourse with other dragon-kin had been very different. He half expected the man to continue to treat him the way he had when they'd first seen each other but that wasn't the case at all. Drako actually seemed to care. In his way. In his strange way. Even demeaning him and caring for him in one breath. It was the strangest thing he'd ever encountered. He found it almost silly and he felt like he could laugh off some of the odd things he would say. How strange that Drako didn't seem the same. He'd have to think about that later.

Lu'ean offered a small smile. "Thanks. You're right. No one should force themselves on another. It isn't right" He pushed his messy hair away from his face and sighed. He looked down at himself and gently rested his hand on his belly. He never would have said half the things he'd said to Drako if he hadn't protected him. It was strange to talk about it now; to someone who wasn't family or a doctor. It was hard to believe that Drako believed him when his own parents had not. The thought made him sniffle and he had to look away as he blinked rapidly. He was over this, he reminded himself. It was the past. It didn't have value for him in this moment, just pain. He didn't need it and he didn't want it in his present.

Lu'ean felt the pressure Drako was exerting and shifted a little. It wasn't a hard pressure, but it was a weight nonetheless. At his question, he debated. Should he tell him who it was? It was another Dragon-kin. Would Drako know of him? He didn't want any more issues to come down on either of them. It was best to keep that information tucked away. If he said it, it would only bring that man back into his life somehow. He shook his head. "I don't want to talk about him right now. He's gone. Regardless, here we are. Others think I am mad for carrying his child but what happened isn't the baby's fault. Why should I fault it for what its father did? The fates gave me this child from my pain. There is a purpose in it. At least I like to think so. So I'm going to do my best to be a good parents for it," he mused.

The Aluei hesitated a moment before he leaned lightly against the dragon. He was so tired. "I owe you my life and the child's life, tonight. Thank you, Drakonomar Dragostroyer," he mused again and closed his eyes. The emotions were draining. "Cake... I'll bake you a cake. What kind of cake do you like?"