[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.

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[carrythetorch]

"Flight," Lio answers, entirely unable to hide how charmed he is by Galo. He's a genuinely good person, isn't he? Human, dragon, no matter what shape he might be, he's still Galo. It's about here Lio realizes just how smitten he is.

He finishes his own breakfast as well, nodding. "Medicine would be good. We take care of our own, but we've had to make do in many cases."

And now they can take care of them better, really look out for their people. "Do you think your forest could babysit for us? I feel like stretching my wings."

[barenakedspirit]

The trees rustle and Galo grins. “Forest says yeah and the kids aren’t in any danger of hatching without us around.” He cleans up what is left of their breakfast and stands up, stretching his arms.

“We flying in half or full dragon?” He asks. Roots and vines curl round the edges of the doorway, ready to fall in a screen once they leave. He can feel the slow and ever present thoughts of the forest. It’s eager to protect its fiery family.

And not just because a healer exists in this clutch. Galo blinks at that knowledge, glancing back to their bedroom. He turns to Lio and steps in, reaching for his chin a d tipping his head up to steal a kiss from his lips. “I’m happy with either way.”

[carrythetorch]

They'd better not hatch without them around. Lio wouldn't miss it for the world. But since they have time and a very effective babysitter in the forest, a little sky time should be just fine.

He sets a hand one one of the vines at the edge of the doorway, a silent sort of thanks, for keeping their eggs safe, for allowing Lio to call this place home too.

The hand at his chin stills his thoughts and all he can focus on is kissing Galo back. "Half," Lio answers, with the sole reason being that half will make it easier for him to steal a mid-air kiss should the impulse arise. Another quick peck of his lips to Galo's and he steps outside before shifting into his half form, wings unfurling and stretching wide.

[barenakedspirit]

Galo watches him go with a dreamy smile on his face. This is his life now. Lio is his mate and they have kids on the way. The forest vines curl gently around Lio's hand then let go. Galo walks past them as he changes to half form.

His full dragon form has no wings, but half his wings colored like the sunset sky spread out. His staff that he has carried since he first truly became a healer takes on the shape of a necklace of wooden beads around his neck. He stretches his arms up over his head then runs his hand along the edge of Lio's wing. "Let's go!"

He calls then launches himself into the sky. He won't get over how good it feels to fly. No wonder Aina loves it and all creatures of the wing so much. He circles over head while waiting for Lio and catches the sight of dragons far off in the distance. They can have a flight before the dragons reach them. He makes a soft sound of awe. "Wow, so many!" But not as many as the glory days.

In fact, not even a shadow of that. He knows that as he hovers in the air, nodding to himself. "Soon enough to be way more than this." He promises the empty air.

[carrythetorch]

Lio allows himself just a moment to watch Galo take to the sky on his new wings, smiling softly to himself before that smile turns downright mischievous and he springs into the air to chase after his mate. A few beats of his wings and he's up on a level with his mate.

He sees the rest of the flight in the distance. "Looks like everyone is coming to meet you," Lio informs him, reaching out to snag Galo's hand in his own and urge him higher. "And the kids."

But for now they have the sky to themselves for a few minutes, and Lio wants to make the most of it.

[barenakedspirit]

“Literally meeting the family.” Galo remarks as he squeezes Lio’s hand and follows him up. The sky overhead is clear and filled with fluffy clouds.

It might rain later but right now he lets out a laugh and grins with open glee. Dragons can fly like this any time they want now. That is a thing to celebrate. He catches up to Lio and steals a mid air kiss before moving back with a sly grin.

“We got to do more flying like this.
Love it.”

[carrythetorch]

"Well, you've already met Meis and Gueira. They're the ones you really had to worry about," Lio assures him with a laugh of his own. Watching Galo discover the sky on these new wings is magical.

The healer was born for this, he thinks -- though thoughts are interrupted by the quick stolen kiss. His eyebrows lift. Oh. That's the way it is, is it? Lio feels giddy, a young man enjoying a moment with his mate, without the weight of his people's fate on his shoulders.

Galo gave him that. He'll spend the rest of his life trying to repay him for that. This seems a good start. "You're a natural. I'm pretty sure you were always meant to be a dragon."

[barenakedspirit]

Galo laughs, "Maybe! My soul's always been burning so..." He glances to the west the north with a faint smile on his face. He points to the mountain rising up in the distance. "I used to live there at the base of that mountain. Can feel it."

He's never been there but he was born in the shadow of dormant volcano. Maybe the earth prepared him as a vessel of the fire he would one day hold. It moves in ways he can see but can't always read. He lets those thoughts go and turns in the air, grinning at Lio. "If that's so maybe we've always been two halves of the same fire!"

They got a few more minutes. Galo climbs higher and holds his hands out to Lio. "And I'm looking forward to discovering all the stuff you have to teach me."

[carrythetorch]

Lio glances off before looking back at Galo. "That mountain is sleeping, but it's full of fire." So yes, Galo has been a child of the flame as long as he's been alive. No doubt about it.

But for now Lio focuses on that grin, about to grin back before those words really sink in. It sets something rushing through him, a warmth and an electricity that is near overwhelming. Oh. His expression softens and he looks away, a faint almost shy smile on his face. "Maybe we have been."

He'd believe it, given how he feels since he's met Galo, how a yearning he's never allowed himself to acknowledge is finally free and filled. A few steady beats of his wings brings him up to Galo's height and he takes that hand. "We'll teach each other. I've never been a healer -- not one like you anyway -- but I can learn to help." So he can be there for Galo too.

[barenakedspirit]

“Of course you can!” Galo says as he threads their fingers together and brings their joined hands to his mouth. He kisses the back of Lio’s knuckles. “You were a quick study of what I taught you last time. You’ll do fine and help a lot!”

He beams at him. “So thanks in advance for all the help!” Then he ducks his head and coughs, “And I’ll do my best to help you lead all of us. Not used to being on top so, gonna stumble a bit.”

[carrythetorch]

Galo is so sweet that Lio has no idea how to deal with it. He believes that his people care about him, like he cares for them, but being the dragon lord has meant holding himself separate, apart. There's none of that with Galo, there's only this new and burning thing between them.

So Lio blushes. Like some dragonling with a first crush. It's a giddy, sweet feeling. And he likes it. And he likes the way Galo smiles when he beams like that.

It's Lio's turn to lean in closer and press a kiss to Galo's cheek. "You're kind, and you care about helping people. You've already got the main parts down pat."

[barenakedspirit]

Galo rumbles in a low purr that fills the air. Just a little more time. “Good to know.” He draws Lio in for another kiss. It feels like he has a fire in him that’s burning every time Lio touches him. He loves it. He loves Lio utterly and completely.

He nips at his bottom lip but the flight is too close to turn into the kiss he wants to go for. He keeps it sweet and loving, before drawing back just as Gueira gets close enough to call out, ‘Boss!’

Galo has an idea what is expected here and sheds his half form as easily as one tosses off a coat. Gueira’s eyes widen. Any doubt he had that Galo is now a dragon are gone. The blue sunset colored dragon is vast and dips his large head to brush it against his mate’s with a low rumble.

The healer looks to his mate to take center stage. He isn’t the lord of dragons. And while he leads with him now, it’s important the flight know that too.

[carrythetorch]

Lio murmurs a soft, needy little sound because yes please thank you he would like to take that kiss quite a bit further, but the flight is close. He knows it. Still, he draws back, offering Galo a brief wistful little sigh. Later. He'll get him alone again later.

For now he turns to Gueira as he feels Galo shift beside him. For the moment, Lio keeps his half-form, in part because it makes the mating mark still healing on his neck that much more obvious. "Gueira," He greets and then, "Meis," as the other arrives as well at the head of the flight. "Everyone."

With that he shifts forms as well, unable to stop himself from more or less twining around Galo as he does before addressing the other dragons.

"Everyone. Welcome. I know you've heard, but Kray Foresight will not be a threat to us anymore. The truth is, he was one of us, and still twisted the truth to see our people hurt and killed. But Galo helped me expose him, and the elements themselves put things right. Kray is no longer a dragon, and now Galo is one of us."

A breath and he continues, voice ringing clear and bright. "There is a lot of work before us now, but we have hope for the first time in a very long while. Galo will stand by my side, as my mate, and as a protector of this flight, as we start to put things right."

Meis listens silently, but he glances at Gueira at the word 'mate' because that was fast, wasn't it?

[barenakedspirit]

Gueira blinks but he doesn’t seem surprised. They had clung to each other before and acted like mates already. Galo rumbles, “Hey, for too long dragons haven’t had healers.” He flashes his bright teeth in a smile.

“That changes today! I’m a healer and I’ll teach what I know to those that feel the call. Any I train will work together with the human healers of Burning Circle.” There is a rumble from other dragons but Galo continues. “Healers serve the balance!” He calls, “The only way to do that is to work together with other elements and that includes humans! We can’t change their minds about us without interacting with them.”

The rumbling subsided as he blows out smoke. “We can change their minds. So the hatchlings to come have safer and happier lives.” Silence and shocked faces. Galo hums, “I got some places I need dragons to settle to balance out the world but we can work on that over time. This forest will always be open to you. Here you are safe! By my word as a healer,” He rubs the side of his face against Lio’s in obvious affection.

“And as a leader of this flight.” He says, softly. Gueira notes the way he watches all of them. ‘Where you want us to rest?’ He asks and below them the forest parts fo expose a clearing at the edge of a lake. “Here,” Galo says.

“Hunt as much fish as you like. They’re over breeding.”

[carrythetorch]

Lio rubs his cheek to Galo's in return, no hesitation at showing affection in front of the rest of the flight. Galo is his mate, and he's proud of that fact. More than that, he's proud of who Galo is, as he listens to him speak to the others as well.

"Galo is right. Humans and dragons are both part of this world, and we'll need to learn to live together in it again."

But now that the forest has cleared a space for them, Lio will flap his wings up to gesture. "Land. Fish, rest. You're safe here."

Meis will take that cue to begin leading the others down to the clearing. As the dragons start following, Lio twines himself around Galo again, murmuring softly. "My mate. I'm so proud of you." His. His his his.

[barenakedspirit]

The dragons stream after Meis and Gueira with relief on their faces. A safe place for the first time in so long. Some glance up to see Galo the other leader of their flight and respect shines in their eyes.

He hasn’t been a dragon long but he is providing shelter and food. “I’ll be along later and see who needs a healer’s help to recover.” Galo says as the forest closes up above them leaving a dragon sized hole to let them keep a scout or fly freely out.

He says once the dragons below can’t see them. He runs his claws gently down Lio’s sides. “I’m yours and you’re mine. My mate.” He breathes and glances back towards home. “How about we head back. They need time to settle, right?”

He can imagine they need some privacy for that. Their lives just became as protected as they have always wanted them to be. They can eat and just be. It’s a clearing so not as much privacy from each other but.

It’s something. And Lio can have what he didn’t before, someone to share his burdens and just be himself around. Galo hums as he returns to half form, running a hand over his mate’s scales.

[carrythetorch]

"Yours," Lio agrees, quite pleased by this. A place to belong, a man he loves to belong to, a family to raise and keep safe, they're things that he's only ever dared to consider in his wildest dreams.

"They do. And Gueira and Meis will help get them sorted."

Safety and peace for the first time in some of their lives.

He takes a moment to more or less circle his way around Galo when the other changes back before Lio shifts into his half form as well. There's no denying that he'll be happy for the time alone with Galo. He holds out a hand towards him in invitation. "We can check on the kids too."

[barenakedspirit]

“Yeah.” He grasps Lio’s hand and squeezes it. “I don’t think they’re going to hatch any time soon but, I feel better just checking on them.” The more they check on their eggs the more it sinks in how real everything is.

Galo spreads his wings and when Lio flies for home he is right beside him. The cave has fully converted to a dragon cave in their absence. The vines part and fall back over the entrance when they enter. Crystals light up along the walls to shed more light as Galo turns to Lio and grins. It’s a wide and vast cave that shields the sleeping areas in walls of stone and curving tunnels.

“Nice!”

[carrythetorch]

"Me too." It's the same for him. It's still sinking in that this is real, not some dream he's going to be torn from by the sound of battle. Lio lands in front of the newly changed cave, wings flaring before he shifts into his fully human appearing form.

He glances back at Galo in time to catch that grin, a smile rising on his own features. "Home sweet home," Lio notes quietly, like that isn't the most amazing thing he's ever been able to say.

Turning back to face Galo, he holds a hand out towards him in invitation. Hold his hand? Come closer? Come with him?

[barenakedspirit]

He takes Lio's hand in his. He squeezes it and steps in close, his other hand sliding around his waist. "Mmm, yeah. Home." He says the word just to say it as he tugs Lio closer.

His deep rumbling purr rolls through the air as he leans in and kisses Lio. It feels like flying with how light he feels. Home. They're mates and this is real. He draws back after the brief kiss and tugs on Lio to follow him inside. "Forest made us a lounging nest away from the kids for fooling around."

Galo winks. "Want to break it in?"

[carrythetorch]

Home. That arm slips around him, and he steps in until he's pressed up against Galo, the perfect position to tilt his chin up to meet that kiss with a soft, contented sound. His mate. His family. His home.

He keeps a hold of Galo's hand as they head inside. His people are nearby, settling in to be safe and rest and heal. For once the weight of their safety isn't on his shoulders.

For once he can be himself in addition to the dragon lord.

His eyebrows lift slowly. The forest made them their own love nest, huh? Well, who is Lio to turn down such generous gifting. Especially when Galo winks at him. Stupid sexy mate. How dare he. "Of course I want to break it in."

[barenakedspirit]

Galo blushes and it paints pretty across his face only broken up by the patterns of scales. “Okay.” He leans down and kisses him one more time then tugs on him, leading him down a side hall away from their bedroom.

It’s far enough away no sounds will escape and no hatchlings can wander in. A place away from them and everything else. There’s a much smaller nest inside the room. Crystals cast a soft glow inside, and the fire pit at the center of the room is already lit.

The heat of it bathes his side as he tugs Lio in and down to the stone floor by it, partly softened by grass and leaves. “You should lay down, because I want to put my mouth on you so bad.” He is honest with himself and might as well be honest with Lio.

[carrythetorch]

Privacy. Lio glances around with a silent and grateful thought to the forest. They've gone about a lot of this backwards, having eggs and becoming a family before any sort of courting. But that hardly matters. He already knows he wants Galo, knows the other man -- now dragon -- wants him too. And that is such a precious thing.

His eyes scan the room. The gentle lighting, low and soft, the play of the flame along the walls. He's distracted enough that what Galo says catches him off guard and he lights up in a blush that is only partially disguised by the firelight.

"Oh." Yup Lio is so very on board with that, and maybe he hurries a little to set himself down, reaching out his arms towards Galo, beckoning and welcoming. "I want that too. Please."

[barenakedspirit]

He sinks down to his knees and wraps his arms around Lio. He buries his face against his neck and kisses it, scraping his teeth against the underside of his jaw.

Galo presses Lio back into the bowl of the nest with a hungry male noise of want. They had messed around this morning but it hadn’t been enough. They’re safe and can just be. “Lio...” He growls but it’s full of longing. He wants him so badly.

He follows the line of his neck, tugging at his shirt to pull it down off one shoulder and bite at the junction between neck and shoulder.

[carrythetorch]

Lio's head lolls back, fingers running up the back of Galo's neck, up to tangle through his hair, tugging. That noise runs through him, pulls something taut low in his stomach, his own voice leaving him in a low needing sound.

The world outside seems far away, and there's no fear of attack, nothing but Galo, and Lio thinks they've earned this, this moment alone to just enjoy each other.

"Galo..." he moans back, voice low and breathy. Those teeth on his skin threaten to burn him to cinders from the inside out. "Please?"