Benton walked out into the bzing sun, squinting his eyes slightly from the brightness. His heart was heavy as he stood where he was and continued listening to his parents' lecture.

  "Dragons are a majestic race!" His father started, "We are not like the azure dragons, living under the water and waiting for people to throw themselves into a ke. It's ridiculous waiting for someone to slowly fall from the sky and into their p."

  Benton watched his father's animated face, and his mother off to the side rolling her eyes. "But we are golden dragons! We are fierce and tenacious! We wait for no one, but rather we go out and get it ourselves!"

  At this point, Benton looked away from his father so he would not see his eye roll. When his gaze swept over his mother, he noticed the other trying to conceal her ughter. When they made eye contact, his mother smothered her giggles in a cough, and put on a serious face, trying to urge her child to do the same.

  "... and that is why we go out and kidnap princesses!"

  Va, Benton's mother, spoke quickly before her husband could continue, "Fabulous dear. You really hit all the important notes." She walked over to her son as she continued, "I am going to steal him away for a moment. There are a few things I wish to say before our son ventures out for the first time."

  Darrath, Benton's father looked at both of them incredulously, "I still have more to say."

  Benton and Va stared at the man before them completely dumbfounded, "You still have more to say!" They said simultaneously.

  "Mom, take me away," Benton pleaded.

  His mother practically shoved him out of the room, while turning to her husband, "We should save some for after his first try. He may need more guidance then, don't you think?"

  Benton took this opportunity to escape, running down the crude hallway as far away from the pavilion as he could. He opened his wings as he got closer to the opening at the end.

  He could feel the wind pushing past the thin strips of flesh pulled tight between his bones. Even though the warmth of spring had cut through the cold by te morning, the breeze felt cool as he ran.

  As he came to the end of the hallway, and the steep drop down the mountainside, he opened his wings completely and pushed off from the ground, flying into the brilliant sunlight. He looped around a few times, his wings bringing him higher, gradually.

  He made it a slow process, his mind full of worry. He was scared to go out for his first kidnapping, and his father's speech did not help any.

  He noticed her as he made his final loop, nding on top of the second-highest peak of the Snow Blood Mountains. All golden dragons were roughly the same build, with the only difference coming in through individual variation in the hues of their scales. However, he would recognize those honey-tipped neck frills anywhere.

  "Are you ready?!" Nym asked, barely concealing her excitement.

  "Ugh," Benton grunted. "No. I'm told I am supposed to grab a beautiful princess, but how will I know if she is beautiful?"

  "That wasn't a serious question, was it?" Nym asked her friend, turning to look at him.

  He could feel his embarrassment, and for a moment was thankful he was a dragon covered in scales.

  "I'm just worried," he finally said.

  "You're a dragon. Even if you mess it up, I don't think it really matters," Nym said. "Besides, since I'm a girl, I am not supposed to be kidnapping princesses. I need to look for a not-so-important noble to snatch instead." She could not mask the disappointment in her voice.

  Benton raised his eyes to look at his friend, "Did you want to kidnap a princess?"

  "Yes!" She replied a little too quickly.

  They both ughed at how eager she was.

  Kidnapping princesses was a dragon's right of passage, so to speak. It was an event in every dragon's life that they must go through. But not every dragon got the opportunity, and not only princesses were avaible to be snatched.

  "When are you going?" Nym asked, turning her gaze toward the clouds clinging to the peak of the mountains surrounding them.

  "Probably tomorrow," Benton answered, the slight quiver in his voice gave away his nerves.

  "Meet here tomorrow morning?"

  "Mn," Benton grunted.

  Both dragons left their perch and flew back to their respective homes.

  That night, Benton had a restless sleep. All his worries and anxieties seemed to weave themselves seamlessly throughout his dreams, leaving him feeling exhausted when he woke up.

  He dragged his tired limbs out of his nest, and begrudgingly forced himself down the hall and out into the brilliant sunlight of the morning.

  "Ready?" Nym asked her friend.

  Benton gave a small nod, stretching his wings out as wide as they would go. "Good luck," he said before falling, head-first off the mountain.

  He could hear faintly the sound of her ughter as she fell. It sounded like honey, smooth, sweet, and clear, even reflective of the amber colour that clung to her scales. He could feel some tension leave his body as he listened to her happiness.

  In a grand showcase of varying hues of gold, he spiralled down. Spinning as he went, he could feel the pressure of the wind against his face, running along the length of his back and down his tail. His wings were tight to his body, the wind pressing against them.

  After a few hundred feet of falling, Benton swerved west. He brought his body level and extended his wings. Pushing the air downward as his wings fpped, flying away from the rising sun.

  His pace was not fast, and his wings were moving slowly. He didn't want to miss any potential princesses, lest one of them be beautiful and he should kidnap her.

  After some time, the roofs of buildings began to appear haphazardly. Some were simple and brown in colour, others had straw pstered together, while others were opulent and grand in their creation.

  He could see the tiny bodies of people moving about, some running and others walking, cmouring into their homes.

  Benton swooped lower, trying to get a good look at the people. He was struck with a realization as he flew low over the city, he had no idea what a princess looked like…

  He had just assumed it would be easy to tell, that they would have different markings. Flying over top of the buildings and watching all the various people scrambling, he noticed there was no clear distinction between them.

  He took in a deep breath, feeling the particles travel into his nasal cavity. He focused on his breathing, in and then out. He tried to see if he could tell by smelling, however all he was left with was a cacophony of scents.

  Initially, there was a lightness to the scents, a slow tempo about to build. It smelled like hot pine needles roasted in the sun before the edges got smudged by a smoky, resinous ribbon. When he closed his eyes, the scent seemed to take on hints of lemon, and orange. It was fresh and juicy, however, it was quickly overtaken by the green and bark scent from earlier. It was overwhelming in its determination; it was tenacious and lively.

  As he started to pass over the houses, going towards the wooded area he could smell a honeyed undertone, a sort of dusty floral feel, but it was very subtle.

  He found himself drawn to the smell, flying toward it as all the other scents fell away, eventually leaving it uncluttered, pure and clean smelling. It was sweet, and a little powdery. Its warmth was like a comforting hug, airy and bright feeling.

  It was an easy type of scent and felt friendly - as though the brilliance of the sun had changed states, instead of bzing on the horizon, it was now a gas, floating on the breeze. Benton could feel the ease of the scent rex his body, the tension dissipating from his back, his wings seemingly moving easier.

  The trees eventually gave way to a grand pace - the source of the smell Benton had been following.

  There were so many people scattered about on Benton's first pass. Most of them were wearing a metal outfit, simir to the ones that had made it to the first ring of the dragon's home at Snow Blood Mountain.

  It took three passes for a handsome man to step out into the open field in front of the castle. He was young, with bronzed skin and a well-built physique. His hair was a dark golden colour, almost brown, and his eyes were bright with spirit.

  It was as if Benton had discovered a priceless gem and held his breath.

  He was captivated, and the pure clean scent of a freshly opened rose filled his senses. He couldn't take his eyes off the other, gradually the world around him faded away.

  Eventually, he could feel the ground beneath his feet, nding in front of the handsome man.

  He breathed in his scent, memorizing every detail of his face.

  The other reached out his hand, pcing his palm gently on his nose.

  It felt as if time had stopped, that only himself and the handsome man before him existed. They stayed like that for an undetermined amount of time - he noticed the tiny fkes of green speckled throughout his deep blue eyes.

  He had heard the sounds first, but was so focused on the other that he couldn't pce what was happening around him - that was until he felt it.

  The pain was sharp and instantaneous. The tip of an arrow pierced, perfectly, between two scales along the side of his abdomen. His eyes widened in surprise, then furrowed as the pain from the wound threaded itself around his nerves, flooding his body with panic.

  Seeking comfort, Benton pressed his nose harder into the man's hand.

  The other broke away and shouted something. It had been a few decades since he thought about the human nguage, and the shock of being pierced was enough for him not to comprehend what was happening.

  He stood there and blinked a few more times, before another arrow lodged in between two more scales. This time his hind leg was pierced; a slow dripping of red stained his deep golden scales.

  He could no longer keep his pain inside, shouting out the agony he felt in his soul. His roar originated deep in his chest, venting the pain he was holding in. It sounded passionate and powerful like someone yelling out their strong emotions.

  Then he could hear it - the whizzing as countless arrows being fired at him.

  Benton hesitated for a moment, he didn't want to leave the handsome man but he did want to escape the pain of the arrows.

  He felt his panic spike, and then, without a second thought, he grabbed the man and lifted off. His initial grip on the other was harsh, squeezing him with his back legs as he flew out of the haze of arrows. It wasn't until they were high above the castle that he remembered the handsome man, and loosened his feet, grasping the other as if he was made of gss, scared of dropping and shattering him at any moment.

  The breeze swept under his wings, keeping him in the air. As he flew home, he was contempting what he should say to his parents. They wouldn't mind that his beloved prize was a man… right?

  He was a human - at least one of the criteria was checked off. And, based on the grand pace he came out of, it could be argued that he was close in status to a princess…

  Benton flew through the crude stone pilrs of his house, swerving around a corner. He knew his parents would be on the west side of their house, watching the brilliant colours smear across the horizon as the sun set.

  What little confidence he had talked himself up to very quickly fell away when he was actually in front of his parents.

  He had very gently pced the handsome man before them both and took a step back, watching them expectantly.

  "What is this?" His father asked.

  After a moment of silence, Benton meet his father's gaze, "My kidnapped princess."

  Both his parents were stunned, and for a moment they could only look between their son and the "princess" he had pced before them.

  His mother was the first to compose herself, but still could only state the obvious: "That is not a princess."

  Benton's entire body sank, he knew he should have taken him anywhere else. Why bring him back and suffer the embarrassment?

  Eventually, his father spoke, "Send him back." After a few minutes he continued, "It looks like you need another lesson tomorrow."

  Benton's body sank even further. Without looking at his parents again, he gently grabbed the man and lifted off. The colours had drained from the sky, leaving a grey dusk instead. He flew into the darkening world, only the dulled moonlight left to keep his sadness company.

  He flew the same path back; the only thing he held dear was wrapped gently in his grasp. Stopping on a hill that overlooked the castle, he dropped the man between his cws on the ground with a thud. He nuzzled into the other, breathing deep the faint, yet fresh scent of roses before forcing his body upward.

  The man on the hill watched as the dragon disappeared from view, obstructed by the trees fanning out over the horizon, with a smile on his face.

  Benton took his time flying home. He fpped his wings as little as possible, instead letting the momentum glide him toward his room and the soce he would find there for the remaining hours before dawn.

  His dad did not let him sleep in, waking him up with the rising sun: "We, golden dragons, are a long line of distinguished dragons. We have dignity and are resolute!"

  His father walked around the outside of his nest, "We are not fickle dragons, once choosing our mate we stick with them, unlike those red dragons, overtaken by their passion at any given moment."

  Benton couldn't help by smile, even though he was getting lectured, his father never passed up an opportunity to berate the other types of dragons.

  "Now princesses… They are… the opposite of what you brought home yesterday. They will have long hair, either let down or curled into an intricate bun with beautiful and ornate hair ornaments, or a crown on their head. They will be young maidens, and most of them will be wearing dresses, not pants."

  Benton let out a heavy sigh. Why did he bring that man home yesterday and subject himself to this today?!

  His mother came to his rescue once again, distracting his father so Benton could leave without hearing the rest of the lecture. Their cave was near the top of the mountain peak; feeling defeated, Benton stepped off the cliff. Pinning his wings to his back, he felt the wind rush past his face as he plummeted to the ground.

  This time he turned east, in the opposite direction of the alluring floral scent. He flew around steep mountains, and over top of rge, vast bodies of water. Twisting his body through the eborate and beautiful towers, he breathed in deeply.

  He felt the onrush of the world around him as his lungs infted, pushing against the rigid scales lining his body.

  The smells were different: a distinct and robust spice, accompanied by a sour juiciness and a crystalline tone with salty notes.

  It felt like a csh of hot and cold, simir to a fire not exactly doused by water, but hissing and spitting as droplets hit the warmth. The spice hit first, starting from the sting of ginger and bck pepper, gradually turning more velvety as Benton travelled along the scent. There was a smooth amber glow which continued throughout, a warm earthiness, and little remaining hints and flecks of spice seemed to sparkle around him.

  He followed the scent, watching the ground scattered with people below. They were frantic in their movements, adding a level of difficulty to his search that he wasn't very willing to deal with.

  He tried to find a princess - really. But his eyes caught the sharp curve of a jawline, and the bold colour of their clothing. He swooped, picking up the handsome person who had just caught his eye.

  Dropping the person in front of his parents proved disastrous.

  It was, indeed, another man.

  He tried all the directions: North, South, East again. West, but slightly to the South, to no avail.

  He had yet to bring back a single princess. However, he did manage to capture:The son of a duke from the North.The half-brother and enemy to the Emperor in the East.The cousin of the crown prince from the South.The son of the head of a cn from the North West.… and the floral-smelling beauty from the West.

  The fpping of his wings brought him toward home; each push and pull of his wings, forcing the air around his body to keep him skybound, he felt the crushing weight of his parent's disappointment - or the disappointment he thought they should have.

  He had already sat through 4 talks with his parents, and his father was getting exacerbated. He was unsure what more to say, or how to make the distinction between women and men more apparent.

  The next morning, as he settled on the top of the mountain, Nym ughed. Her ugh was fresh, like wind rustling through long grass. However, it held an edge to it, hinting at deeper emotions.

  "Don't take it too hard," Nym said, nearing the end of her ugh, the hints of happiness still stained her words.

  "It's hard not to," Benton gred at her.

  "You are not the only one…" She trailed off.

  Every year when the newly come-of-age dragons set off into the world, there were always a few who would come back empty-handed, or with a person who was all wrong.

  Benton grunted, "Feels that way."

  "When Thal was East, he grabbed the maid of a princess. He is refusing to send her back, says he took one look in her eyes and had fallen in love." Nym continued, "And Irfel! He has yet to actually grab someone to bring back."

  Benton smiled.

  "… And me," Nym said quietly. "I only seem to be able to grab princesses…"

  Benton was surprised and swung his head to look at his friend. "WHAT?! You like princesses?"

  "Yes," Nym said, unsure.

  "Have you been getting the same talks as me every night?!"

  "Well, my parents aren't as eloquent as yours, mine are more how much of a disgrace I am to dragons."

  Benton was taken aback, "You are not—" Meeting Nym's eyes his words feel short, instead he said, "Well, I guess, let's be disappointments together?"

  "Mnm" Nym grunted, resting her head on his neck.

  Benton chose not to leave the next morning, instead staying on his favourite peak lost in his own thoughts.

  He was starting to forget that enticing floral scent; instead, it had morphed as the days progressed, leaving more than just that man behind.

  The smells he could remember were more woody, reminiscent of a dark forest. It was a rich scent, and a little dusty but in the sense of sawdust that had been ground from their very bones. The powderiness held hints of spice, simir to nutmeg, but was overpowered by the particles of deep, hard, seasoned wood.

  Before a thin stream of ribbony yellow citrus cuts through his memories. It grew rounder and more abundant as the images in his head were filled with the handsome men he had snatched over the st few weeks. They had slowly become a pleasing harmony, like how the scents he had smelled recently were a mix between dry and juicy, but the zing of citrus quickly turned sour.

  Benton sighed; his heart was heavy and his limbs felt restless.

  He pushed his feet off the ground, fpping his wings. He dove off the mountain top, feeling the wind brush past his sleek body.

  His travels were aimless, he told himself. He wasn't interested in trying to kidnap someone today but rather going somewhere so he could be alone. He pointed himself north and flew until the wind got a biting chill to it.

  At some point he had started to turn west - not yet ready to admit exactly where he was going. He circled around the cold air; he could feel the chill sneak between his scales eventually, running along his skin until he shivered.

  As the cold became unbearable, he changed directions, moving his body toward a green hill.

  It took him half a day to get where he really wanted to be. His mind seemed pgued with worries; however, once he was lying on the spot, curled in a circle, inhaling the various scents among the strands of grass beneath him, his mind cleared.

  The smells were elegant; like the chime of a stuck cord on an instrument, resounding with crity. There were no rough edges, only perfect poise and bance, each note gently blurring into the next.

  It smelled fruity, followed by a gentle sense of chakiness like biting into a not-quite-ripe mango. The fruit seemed to stay, morphing into a ripe peach, and then an apricot. The wondrous fleshy fruit did not stay long, however, blown away by the gentle spring breeze.

  It was sharp and sweet, the honeyed blossom scent; there was a hint of a sweet floral that whispered through all the other fragrant smells. Rising and falling quickly, it felt romantic like a rainfall of petals.

  Benton had closed his eyes while he inhaled deeply. Lost in his own loneliness, he didn't realize that the ebb and flow of the scent coincided with the rise and fall of footsteps.

  "You came back," a voice spoke behind him. Benton was startled, less about the person and more so that he was unable to hear them coming. However, their voice sounded like a bright, almost neon rainbow floating in a pitch-bck sky with stars.

  And for a moment, he had convinced himself that it would never be that person. Why would a human seek a dragon out, was it not supposed to be the other way around?

  He could no longer differentiate his facial features - many days and thousands of people had passed by. But he could not mistake the very scent he had been chasing after a moment ago.

  It smelled of abundance, warmth and joy - the pollen-den sweetness of spring; the damp smell after raindrops falling onto delicate petals.

  Benton slowly and gently turned around to face the other. After being still for a moment, his eyes searching the other's face, becoming acquainted again with his features, he extended his nose. Pcing his forehead ft against the other's chest, he breathed in deeply before exhaling, feeling all the stress of the past two weeks leave his body.

  "I was hoping I would see you again," The other said, pcing a hand over the dragon's neck.

  Benton gradually pulled away from the handsome man. He didn't move his body but leaned his weight back so he could look at the other. His eyes were clear and direct, with specks of green amongst the blue, simir to how new spring growth buds against the brilliant blue sky.

  It was the first time Benton noticed the other's brows were sharp across his face, and he wanted nothing more than to trace along the shape of them. To touch the other; what did it mean to feel the flesh beneath his own touch?

  "My name is Vyn Feroy," the handsome man whispered into his scales, the soft flesh of his cheek pressed hard against the sturdy deep yellow pte.

  Benton exhaled in response.

  He leaned against the other's broad chest again, inhaling the sweet scent. With each breath in, the scent seemed to coil around his bones, traversing his muscles and ligaments to find their way to his nervous system. He rexed, and with that, slowly, more of his weight was added to Vyn before he colpsed under the dragon with a ugh.

  The sound was wondrous, and Benton had never wanted something more in his life.

  He left that day feeling as light as the air that carried his wings as he flew home.

  His parents stopped asking about his flights, he had been coming home tely empty-handed. Leaving to fly aimlessly around the globe, and they couldn't deny how that made them worry more.

  At least when he was grabbing the wrong people he was still trying, and out there actively looking. Instead, now, he was morse. His mother was sure it was too many lectures by his father, whereas his father was worried he focused too much on gender. Did it really matter if his son was out there snatching people nonetheless?

  However, despite what his parents thought, Benton slept soundly that night, wrapped in the alluring floral scent that had almost disappeared from his life.

  He woke the next morning, and immediately left, like he did most mornings. But instead of flying around mountain tops trying to avoid his problems, he was flying directly toward it now.

  He spent the next week curled up on that hill, with Vyn leaning against his body telling him all about himself.

  He was the second in line for the throne. His eldest brother was a cruel man - made even more so by his paranoia. Vyn had no ambition for the throne having watched it consume his father completely. He had been raised in competition with his brother, their individual achievements always pitted against each other, but still, he didn't want his brother to end up this way.

  His mother had died when he was young, being raised by two nannies and a governess. His mother had been particurly fond of white flowers, and so he spent his days in the garden tending to the flowers that reminded him of her.

  Benton noticed how animated Vyn was when he spoke. Every time his eyes would light up, and Benton wanted nothing more than to stroke his cheek, to hold his face between two hands.

  He wanted nothing more than to be able to touch the other; then a few days ter, his desire seemed to materialize as his body began to change. The strain on his body as he wished for something different had finally been answered.

  It started with a tingle at the tip of his tail, travelling along his back until it reached his nose. Then, it was excruciating — it was more so, the surprise that his body was changing shape and less about the physical sensations happening on his body.

  His limbs shrunk, the frills on his neck turned into multiple strands of long flowing golden hair; his long face shortened, forming into the round head of a human. Vyn watched on, startled. The beautiful golden dragon who had come to visit him over and over again was shrinking down into the shape of a man. And a naked one at that.

  They both stared at each other in surprise.

  It took Vyn a while before he could form words: "You can change shapes?"

  Benton nodded. He had heard of other dragons having a human form but was never taught what could cause the switch. However, at this very moment, those thoughts were far from Benton's mind.

  On unsteady feet, he took a few steps toward Vyn, who had his arms outstretched in case Benton fell over. He never took his eyes away from the other, his breathing turning heavy. He reached his hand out, ever so gently touching the soft skin of Vyn's cheek.

  The touch was electrifying. The smell of roses was subdued by the change in form, but not gone altogether.

  Vyn felt delicate; he felt different from what Benton imagined, better even.

  He took one more step, bringing his body as close as he could to the other. They had yet to break the gaze they were holding, the only touch from Benton's hand caressing Vyn's cheek.

  "My name… is Benton," He said slowly, his voice surprisingly not as deep as he thought it would be considering he was a dragon after all.

  Vyn smiled, "Benton," he whispered.

  Benton sucked in a breath. The sound of his name hanging off the other's lips, the way the corner of his mouth turned up as he whispered…

  That was when Benton got an idea.

  "Tomorrow," he said, "meet me here tomorrow evening."

  Vyn took a step forward as Benton took a step back, breaking away from the other. "Tomorrow… then."

  Benton turned and tried to move quickly, his new body proving more difficult to deal with as his leg caught on the other and he fell. However, his will to fly away, and the embarrassment of his fall, pushed his limbs to change.

  It didn't take long before his body extended outward, breaking and re-fusing his bones into the golden silhouette of a dragon. He pushed off the ground, his wings pushing him toward the sky.

  He was nervous as he flew home, uncertain how Nym would feel about his idea.

  The next morning he woke up with the sun, sitting on their peak waiting until mid-morning when Nym finally dragged herself out from her nest.

  "Nym! Nym!" Benton shouted before she had even nded.

  "What is it?" She chuckled. It felt like it had been forever since she st saw him so enthusiastic.

  "I have an idea," he looked at her expectantly.

  "Mn," Nym nodded.

  "So, I can't seem to get a princess, and you can't seem to get a nobleman—"

  "What's the point of dwelling on those things…" Nym interrupted.

  "What if I had a nobleman you can kidnap for me, and… I snatch a princess for you?" Benton asked.

  Nym stared at her friend for a minute, "You kidnap a princess for me?"

  "Mn!" Benton nodded very quickly. "Well, that is, if you had a princess you liked already, I could snatch her. Then our parents would be happy and we can switch afterwards."

  Nym eyed Benton, "Do you think that will work?"

  Benton: "Absolutely."

  After a long pause, Nym agreed, "Fine. But I don't know if she will agree. I need to talk to her first."

  "Okay," Benton said, "But I'm kidnapping mine this evening."

  "THIS EVENING?!"

  "Mn," Benton grunted. "I told him to meet me this evening."

  "Ugh, Benton!" Nym whined.

  "Meet here tonight and we can do the switch?"

  "Sure," Nym answered.

  "Can't wait!" Benton smiled at his friend before he fell off the cliff.

  His heart was pounding in his chest, and his excitement felt palpable. He knew that Nym didn't like surprises, but she had to have someone, like him, who she kept going back to…

  He tried to stay away for as long as he could, but his anticipation was too much. Half a day had passed and he was already flying west toward that green hill. All of the snow had melted and spring was in full bloom.

  The smells were energetic, a burst of dry, pressed flowers. There was a warmth to it, hinting at the new growth taking over, with an edge from the bitterness of winter being slowly swept away by the sweetness of a fresh green scent. It was reminiscent of the yellow centres of daisies, with a dryness as though they were surrounded by a dusty field.

  "You are early," Vyn said, smiling at the golden dragon who seemed more like a rge dog at this point, curled around his legs.

  Benton fought every urge in his body, wanting to stay a dragon longer just to smell the other.

  Yet those fingertips running along each scale, slipping from the edge of one onto the next, cascading down his side, was a hard feeling to ignore.

  It became even more difficult as the other spoke, gently against the deep yellow of his scales, "Change for me."

  Benton let out a deep exhale, fighting every urge in his body. He was chasing after the sweet floral scent, yet something burning deep in his core overtook all else. The change was not so painful, nor as long this time. It was quick, and it was Vyn's hands on Benton's skin this time.

  Their bodies were close, and Vyn leaned in closer to ask Benton, "What did you want with me tonight?"

  Benton couldn't take his eyes off the sharp line of Vyn's upper lip, "come with me."

  "Where?" Vyn asked.

  "Back with me," his eyes still lingered on the subtle pink of his lips, "to my nest."

  "Where you brought me before," This time Vyn moved his thumb, caressing the skin of Benton's waist.

  His body reacted to the touch like a dying ember brought back into a raging fire.

  "Yes," Benton breathed. His desire gradually consuming everything.

  Vyn leaned in closer, their lips almost touching, "Will I ever come back?"

  Benton could feel the brush of his lips when he spoke, the feeling of which he had never felt before, "Whenever you want to."

  Vyn smiled, "I'm ready, then."

  Benton took two steps back, putting some room between them. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. It took a few minutes before he could transition back, his body extending painfully, frills and golden scales cut through his flesh to cover his frame.

  Once he was transformed back, he lowered his head, nuzzling Vyn until the other climbed on his head. Once Vyn was settled, Benton pushed off the ground, his rge wings hovering above the other's head as he pushed them down.

  Benton thought this would be easier on Vyn than being carried in his feet, however, it felt worse this way. With every turn and gust of wind, he thought the other would tumble off, falling to the ground.

  His panic spiked, and anxiety flooded his system the entire way there. Once he had nded on the peak of the mountain he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although, it didn't st long. Soon Nym came, a woman clung to her neck.

  "This is Ayanna," Nym said.

  Benton looked at the woman who had just climbed down, nodding his head in her direction.

  "And this is Vyn," Benton responded, introducing the other to his friend.

  Nym grunted in response.

  "Ready?" Benton asked.

  "Ready," Nym said.

  They each looked back at the one they brought, Benton nuzzled his forehead against Vyn and took a deep inhale, the floral notes filling his lungs.

  Then he broke away. He tried his best to keep the wind from his wings to a minimum as he hovered above Ayanna, taking her gently in his feet and flying toward his home.

  His parents were in the pavilion, as he very gently id the princess on the ground before them.

  "I have finally brought you a princess," Benton said, looking more at the floor than his parents.

  He wasn't very good a lying, but since he had just spent the st week messing up every time he went to kidnap someone, his demeanour could be seen as a reflection of that.

  "Ahh— !" Va was at a loss for words. She was unsure if she was happy that he finally managed to bring a princess home, or sad that he had chosen a human he did not desire.

  Whereas his father eagerly greeted him, "Benton! My sweet boy! You have finally brought us a princess!"

  He was genuinely happy for his son — and for the fact that this took all the pressure off of him. He could now confidently go and tell the rest of the astute golden dragons that his son had caught himself a princess, and they could all move on to the next young dragon struggling to fulfill their duty.

  "I am proud of you Benton," His father quickly followed, "Now you can rex inside for a while, there is no need to leave your nest and interact with those awfully proud golden dragons."

  Benton chuckled, his father sure had a way to bring every dragon down.

  "Mn," Benton grunted, looking up to meet his parent's eyes.

  Yet, when he looked at them, all he had ever found was love, with some concern mixed in.

  "I will take my leave, then?" Benton asked.

  "Of course," his parents said together.

  With Ayanna securely on his neck, he snuck down the crudely hallowed out hallway, toward the opening of their cave. He fell off the edge, using as little power as he could to fp his wings, he glided toward the mountain top.

  Nym was already waiting. Once he nded they exchanged people, grunted their goodbyes, and turned toward their nests.

  The inside of his home was crude and sharp, holes dug out from inside the mountains.

  The outer ridge of his nest was created by stacking sticks, simir to how birds make theirs. Before a dragon can go out to kidnap a princess, they are tasked with making their nests soft. It is the final test, if the human they brought back accepts the nest they present.

  In all his life, Benton had never been as nervous as he was at this moment. The flutter of panic running along his nerves was different from the desire that seemed to burn Benton from the inside out but was still enough to force the change.

  Once he had transitioned into his human form, he found his way toward Vyn's side, and his hands were drawn almost immediately to the folds of his clothes. The proximity seemed to calm his nerves somewhat, but would the fabrics he found dangling outside, the cotton from the trees and the straw he brought in be good enough?

  Would Vyn like it?

  "What do you think?" Benton asked eventually when the other still hadn't said anything, just his gaze going over every inch of the nest.

  He could feel his panic spike again, deep in his core, fluttering along his nerves.

  "Is this your nest?" Vyn asked his own question instead.

  "Yes," Benton answered.

  "Is this where you sleep?"

  "Yes." After a few more moments of silence, Benton asked, "Do you mind sleeping here?"

  Vyn turned to look back at Benton and smiled while shaking his head, "Can I touch it?"

  "The nest?" Benton asked a little startled. It seemed fast, to rearrange a dragon's nest was ciming the space as theirs. Was Vyn his now?

  "If I am going to sleep here, I need to pile it up a little more in the corner or I won't find it comfortable."

  Benton's heart was beating rapidly in his chest. Vyn was going to touch his nest?! Trying to py it cool, he said, "Let me help, how do you want it?"

  That night, Benton and Vyn slept under a light green fabric sheet. The pces where their bodies touched were stuck snugly to one another, leaving no space between them. A warm sensation, hard to come by on a cold spring night, was slowly spreading.

  The new blossoms of spring were reflective of the two underneath the bnket. All the unspoken feelings, all the throbs of Benton's heart were like the blossoms in spring, slowly blooming in the depths of his heart.

  He was stuck with a sentimental feeling. In spring, everything was imbued with new life.