[For Sam] Healer & Dragon

[carrythetorch]

It had all gone wrong this time. In retrospect, Lio thinks maybe he'd been going too hard. He was on the brink of exhaustion, and his latest raid on livestock had been met with more resistance than it should have, almost as if someone had known he was coming.

He'd gotten away, thankfully, but not before he'd taken a number of blows -- arrows shot from crossbows with enough power that they'd pierced even through his scales. He'd ripped them out in flight and set the better part of a fallow field on fire before he'd flapped high enough to disappear into the cloud cover. That had been what saved him. It wasn't long before he couldn't keep himself aloft any longer, too much pain, too much blood lost.

Even maintaining his full draconic form is too much, and as he plunges to the Earth and tries to slow his descent with his wings, he fizzles back into his human shape, a lithe, slender man. His clothes are dark enough that the blood soaking them isn't obvious from a distance. He lands in a crumpled pile not far from a road through the woods, just off the trail in the underbrush. And that's the last thing he knows.

...

When he opens his eyes next, he's warmer than he expects to be. There's soft blankets beneath him and over him. He can smell something clean and earthy, herbal maybe, and light spills in setting the whole room in a comforting brightness and-- wait. He's in a room. The last thing he remembers is falling, and, oh.

He sits up all at once, hissing at the way his body protests the movement. Where is he? Has he been captured? Except no, if he'd been captured he'd be bound. Or dead. Maybe staked through to the ground. Not wrapped in soft blankets and tended to. "Where am I?" He asks the question mostly to himself as he blinks against his bleary vision willing it to clear, willing his eyes to focus.

Comments

[barenakedspirit]

He lingers in the kiss too, "Love you too." He breathes as they part from the kiss and rests his forehead against his. Galo takes care as he cleans Lio out. He doesn't want to accidentally stir him up a third time.

They do need to be leaders of the flight tomorrow. If not later this evening. Depending on if Gueira and Meis come back to talk to them or not. He presses another kiss to his lips and lingers with a soft little hum.

They can cuddle up tonight and deal with everything else in the morning.

[carrythetorch]

Lio is exhausted -- oh so pleasantly exhausted -- and he thinks he may sleep better tonight curled up with Galo than he has ever slept in his life. He breathes shakily and lets Galo clean him out, melting back into that kiss again and then again.

The flight can wait until tomorrow. The rest of his people had come a long way today already, and they should be allowed to settle in and rest for the evening.

Lio leans back enough to settle his hands on Galo's chest. "We should probably make sure Meis and Gueira have everything they need for the night, but then..." A smile and he steals another kiss. "Then I'm stealing you for the rest of the night. Just us and the kids."

[barenakedspirit]

“Just us and the kids,” Galo agrees. He draws his fingers out and takes a moment to let water run over Lio. Then he gathers Lio to him and stands up. The water runs down his back and his wings.

He breathes a ring of smoke and walks back to their bedroom. He can feel their fire, hear the eggs. He’s so tired.

Now he’s moving he can feel it. He sets Lio on his feet by the edge of their nest. He needs to get clothes on. “Hope they don’t check with us early tomorrow. I’m gonna actually sleep till past sunrise.”

[carrythetorch]

And here he is being carried again. He really ought to fuss about this, but he's in no hurry out of Galo's arms. Once he is set on his feet though, he lingers back to watch Galo -- pretty view, okay? one he'd very much like to get used to -- and doesn't bother with clothes before settling himself into the nest.

He probably ought to dress, but he's exhausted, sore and worn out, even if he's thoroughly thrilled about it. "Everyone needs the rest, I think. And they have what they need for food and safe rest. So we should have the morning at least before they check with us."

That said, he opens his arms to Galo, for once in his life allowing himself to be selfish enough to think of what he wants, and what he wants is Galo and those arms back around him and to spend the night cuddled close and asleep with their eggs safe and sound.

[barenakedspirit]

Galo snorts as he decides clothes can wait until morning. His wings fold up against his back as he slips down into the nest. He settles over Lio and into his arms. He wraps his arms around him and presses his face against the top of his head. His wings fan out over both of them.

He reaches out and pulls the furs over them both. “Better be late morning they check on us.” Galo grumbles but it’s good natured. So much has changed already. He can feel the difference the flight living in the forest is making.

The balance...is a little better. He shifts to lay them on their sides and tucks a wing around Lio.

[carrythetorch]

There's his mate. He folds his arms around Glo in turn, burrowing himself right up against Galo's chest, his own wings tucked close against his back. There. This is perfect. He touches a kiss to Galo's chest, taking just a moment to appreciate how outright gorgeous his mate is.

Lio laughs at the grumbling, tilting his head so he can nuzzle at his jaw. "Mm. No official business first thing. That seems fair, at least for a day."

Lio shuts his eyes. "We should at least get to eat breakfast first."