Flying
John and Marlo, the man and psychic drake, are casually flying at sunset with Brian, the Traveler.
The Sun was setting.
It was rather warm for an evening, the sky being panted a smooth and cool bright orange possible only by the great celestial body setting to rest, eventually switching places with the Moon to light the night with the billions of stars and planets within the view of outer space.
It was quiet, with no sounds above the clouds in the great and endless expanse that is the atmosphere of Earth.
The fat and fluffy bodies filled with water floated aimlessly, but with direction, varying in size and shape. However, they all were similar in that they were raised above the planet, always going on without input from those below, sheltering the groundlings from the horrible ultraviolet radiation from the burning yet dying orb in the sky.
They were truly special.
In fact, the entirety of the sky was special.
It was silent for all.
All except him.
A creature flew at incredibly high speed so fast, that it could be seen as fast as light itself. Like the swiftness of a bolt, they moved throughout the sky in somewhat of a spiral shape.
This was Brian, the Traveler, clothed in his usual garb of a bright blue tunic, black gloves, darkened boots with boosters, and a white under shirt and pair of pants, his familiar weapons of his plasma sword and plasma pistol on his left and right hip respectively, fastened with a belt. Around his neck hung the three necklaces he always wore.
One of God, a dark sapphire cross reinforced with gold.
One of Bahamut, a silver dragon with a bright blue gem in its breast, and diamonds as eyes, secured to a silver chain with its wings.
And one of time itself, a golden pocket watch with some enchantment runes carved in.
There was also something over his head with his long golden hair that flowed in the wind as such a high velocity.
With his face looking forward and his arms and body straightened, he flew as fast as light itself like he was on an invisible rail without any wings of any kind.
Yes, he dashed across the sky like his father before, like his lineage would be proud of.
He did his Light Dragonkind proud.
Yes, he enjoyed moving at this rapid speed like it was his calling. Like the dragon race, it was in his blood surging in his veins to master the sky like a lost art.
In fact, he loved it.
While it was so simple beyond belief, it was enormously enjoyable.
It never got old.
As he flew faster than the naked could see, a stream of bright blue came behind him like a trail, a line connecting him to where he was before, like the past.
He then straightened himself and slowed down, his body facing the earth and his back facing the rest of outer space.
Brian moved his right hand to his waist on his right side, feeling the fabric of his clothes that was on the backside of him.
He then felt something else.
Something…manufactured.
Ah, yes…
His Walkman.
What a wonderous human invention.
Brian hated Humanity and Dragonkind with a passion, but even he couldn't deny the fact he enjoyed their art.
One had to admire had they came up with things such as these.
Truly amazing.
The Walkman, despite being rather outdated with the arrival of CDs, which Brian actually preferred elsewhere, it gave off an old timely feel, a time with less issues on he planet which he already considered damned.
Inside was object that held the film that contained the information for music.
A cassette.
Very rugged and something he dislikes sometimes except when recording voices, but novel and unique.
Yes, compact discs held more information in them, were cheaper to produce, and were more durable and less susceptible to malfunctioning, but cassettes were always synonymous with music.
As such, he had it.
Brian felt the clear plastic of the device, feeling for a button, like the location of them was memorized like the back of his hand.
Ah, yes, he found the play button.
He felt the triangle through the glove and pushed it, leading to the rollers within the cassette to start moving slowly.
Within it a song played.
Rainbow's Gold – Iron Maiden
Through an invisible connection that went up to the device made for listening, headphones, over his ears, he heard the deep chanting voice at the start for some seconds before the drums started a beat.
Ahhh…yes…he liked this song.
His friends behind him liked it too.
Brian looked behind him to the left side with a little energetic smile on his face, his bright blue eyes shifting to the space he left.
He opened his mouth to some people hidden.
“C'mon. You guys know you can't beat me.", he said before bolting into the spiral once again at such a quick speed, there was no use in tracking him.
Those people were currently flying through the fleecy and sheep-like clouds.
A pair of whitish horns with a golden and shining ring on the left one showed up, along with where they sprouted from.
Purple scales.
It raised until it revealed a pair of dark blue eyes.
It was the psychic drake Marlo, one of Brian's great friends.
He had his wings flapping when he wished to gain speed or altitude, and just splayed out and wide open when just gliding, maintaining a constant speed. His four three-clawed legs were bent towards the back at the angle, flying in the open air with him.
Marlo felt the gentle wind current on his scales and spines, along with his chest plates, which had his bullet necklace on it, which hung around his neck.
He also felt something else.
On his back, hanging from his neck was another creature.
His mate.
His dear sweet mate John.
His John.
He was in a brown long sleeve shirt and dark blue jeans secured tightly with a belt. His brown hair and light beards flew with the fast-moving air.
Yes, he was holding tightly.
Even though Marlo was always careful not to go too fast for him as to prevent him falling off along with he promise of safety with guaranteed with his dragon mate, it was still something he was always cautious of sometimes, even if he let go with reckless abandon sometimes.
Besides, he was somewhat sitting up straight while holding to the drake who has vowed to protect him upon their union.
Ah, yes…
He loved the drake with all of his heart, and he didn't need to be a mind reader like Marlo to know he felt the same way.
They were flying with their friend Brian, the interdimensional traveler and witness to time amalgamate.
And so far, Brian was easily outpacing them.
While Marlo could fly quite fast, as all dragons do, he wasn't as fast as some, especially electric, wind, and, yes, light dragons.
Given that Brian was part light dragon from his father, Marlo knew he could never hope to win a game of tag with him, let alone catch him.
Still, they flew like this in a little playful manner with him casually, just hanging out in the barebones past time of flying.
It was something he didn't do every day just for simple enjoyment, and with free time on his paws and his mate and friend present, he was happy to oblige.
Even if Brian was always too fast for him.
Ah…Brian.
Such a goofball.
They always liked to bring out the eccentric and child-like side to human light dragon. It was definitely better than the emotionless, blunt, and rigid-belief type of personality they had trouble with sometimes.
And besides, they actually get to see him happy for once.
Marlo, with his long draconic tail straight to help guide him and his neck also stiff, albeit a little bent, zoomed with his wings with he swiftness of a dragon.
He loved this. He was finding great joy in the act of flight. It was his calling along with every drake and dragoness to claim the sky with their mighty wings.
It was simply beautiful.
However, the peaceful flight was going to get a little…interesting.
Not very much, but definitely more so.
The drake opened his maw to speak to his mate on his back.
“John, I'm going to speed up. Ready?"
John looked down upon his mate upon him saying that.
Ah, yes…
This song and dance.
John started to slip more of his clothed upper arms around the drake, feeling the amethyst scales and his whitish chest plates close to his throat with his dexterous hands.
“'kay", John said to the drake, close to his head.
Marlo, upon feeling those smooth and soft fingers of his mate, knew that the human was ready.
Hopefully there was no turbulence. They both hated that.
Marlo, sensing that he was ready, opened his mouth to speak once again to the one riding on his back.
“Alright. Hold on!"
With that, he straightened his neck and flapped his wings.
Now he could be less restrained, now he could let himself go like his instincts and body told him too.
With his mate hanging on his back secured, he flew close to full speed, the air moving so quickly around them.
Ah, they both enjoyed this as well.
Just letting loose on all the stress of daily life to feel truly free with the sky.
Yes…
The two, with Marlo flying for the two, zoomed across the atmosphere, spiraling in the light spirals like Brian has been doing.
It seemed that even though he was from a different timeline, it seemed like something universal for Dragonkind.
Truly magnificent.
It just went on and on like this for what felt like forever. The only thing stopping them was the limited energy reserves that Marlo had and the amount of jostling and holding John had to do to stay attached to his mate.
A corkscrew upwards making John feel a little dizzy later, they were flew straight forward once again, a little slower, but still at a rapid velocity.
Then, raising their gaze, they found him.
Brian.
He was just floating in the air quite a bit of ways from them, his body in a laying position, his arms and legs crossed as if he was casually lounging.
“C'mon guys. You might as just stop trying.", Brian said with a tiny smirk, raising his right open palm to outer space for emphasis.
The two relaxed and started giggling, Marlo closing his eyes and lightly shaking his head.
Ah, they liked this side of Brian very much.
Yes…very much…
Then, with no warning, he sped through the air in front of them, in which they just simply looked at the stream he left behind before it faded.
Eh.
The two just drifted forward in the sky together, giving up the attempt to get to their friend.
They knew they could never get to him regardless of how hard they tried.
And, so, they just glided across the sky, Marlo flapping his wings every now and then to maintain altitude and the casual speed they were maintaining, John more straightened now that his mate has gone slower.
Ah…this was amazing…
Man and Drake, just flying together in harmony.
After a bit of time of just feeling the moving air and each other, John opened his mouth for a proposition.
It was for another change of pace in the usual flight.
“Hey Marlo."
The drake, upon hearing his mate's words go into his sensitive earholes, tilted his head to the left and upwards towards the human, his left eye looking at him as he flew.
“Hmmmm?", Marlo mumbled in response, questioning what John wanted.
John, hearing the noise through the psychic dragon's closed maw, sought to answer.
“I wanna see what's in the clouds. Are you able to turn me for a second or two?"
Marlo, upon getting the request, returned his face forwards and, instead of talking, decided to send some words to his mate's mind with his mental powers.
Hold on.
Upon getting those collection of letters, he snaked his long-sleeved arms around his mate's throat.
With that, Marlo, with a flap of his wings to stabilize himself before the maneuver, lowered himself to the clouds a little below them and, with a quick movement, he turned himself so the top of his body, or his back in this case, was aimed downwards towards the fluffy bodies. It was as if his body, now diagonally, was seeking to push his spine onto the clouds, only to do so for John so he could reach the white objects of the atmosphere.
John, after Marlo turned himself with the human on, after feeling confident and tightened enough around his mate, reached his left arm into the cloud he was closest to, feeling the bizarre matter that flew slower than them.
He felt something…cold.
After a good twenty or so seconds of it, he retrieved arm, which Marlo saw. Upon seeing that his mate got what he wanted, he turned his body swiftly to the right and straight into the natural draconic flying position once again.
John looked at his right arm.
It was covered in many clear shapes that stuck in between the threads of his sleeve and slightly burned his skin.
They were several ice crystals that must have been in the cloud from condensing water inside, signaling what it was supposed to release.
It felt a little soothing against the rather warm evening, the little pieces of precipitate glittering on his arm.
Truly beautiful.
“Hey Marlo. Is it supposed to snow at some point down the week?"
The drake, guessing what his mate had on them, simply tilted his head to the left before opening his maw to move his vocal cords.
“Hmmmm…I think so."
Well, this was unusual.
Snowing into spring.
John realized he would rather not want his hand or arm to be slippery, so he decided to wipe it off on himself. With a quick movement, he bent his arm inwards towards himself. Upon doing so, he felt the fabric of his shirt and without further ado, he moved it up and down to get all the ice off, drying it a little in the process.
After he did that, he resumed his straightened position on his mate carrying him.
And so, they just flew like that together, just enjoying each other's presence and their touch, feeling the other intimately.
This was truly great.
He was great.
John, noticing that they had been doing very little and enjoying himself regardless, pushed his body towards the drake, to feel him more, to feel him better. The drake noticed this and turned his head and shifted his eyes a little upon perceiving the simple, yet tender movements of his mate.
Ah…it was a hug of some sort…
He then heard a quiet voice he had grown to love with the rest of John ever since they first met. It may have been unnoticeable to nearly anybody, but Marlo felt it with his heart and soul.
“Love you…"
Marlo then gained a bigger smile than he already had upon feeling those sounds reach the earholes in his head.
Oh…John…
Yes, John loved the drake very much.
Very much…
Marlo gave a light draconic chuckle at that. He always enjoyed hearing those two simple words. It was filled with truth in every way.
It made Marlo feel nice and warm inside to know he was wanted, that he was needed.
That they both needed each other, like water.
They couldn't exist without the other.
It was simply impossible.
God and Bahamut made it so.
They were two pieces of one whole, to halves.
He was his Sun to the Moon.
He was world.
Yes…
Marlo opened his maw a bit to respond the only way he could with words filled with the greatest honesty as well.
There were no others.
“Love you too…"
That warmed John up too, hearing that simple phase come out of his mouth.
Even though their answers were expected, they were filled with truth.
They loved each other very, very much.
In response to John rubbing against the scales on the back of his neck, he slowly closed his eyes and moved his neck and head upwards to feel John more, to be closer.
While in the air, they cuddled, oblivious to the fact that they were hundreds if not thousands of feet above ground, uncaring about the wind patterns this high.
They felt one another, melting into the flesh of the other.
It was warm and comforting.
It always was.
It felt like a few minutes or so of this tender moment until a sound came out in front of them in that all too familiar spot.
It was a voice.
“Awwwww…look at that! A couple lovebirds straight out of high school!"
It was Brian, back in his usual lounging position as if he was on a couch in the sky, arms and legs crossed once again.
The two mates lifted themselves from their position upon him saying that.
“Brian!", they both said simultaneously in mock annoyance, giving him a fake scowl upon interrupting their quiet and tender moment.
Brian, in usual fashion, just smiled.
Ah…
He liked it when he managed to make them “irritated". It always amused him with how much of a reaction they gave in order to ruin his mood and set of words he just let go even though they could do nothing about it.
He liked goofing with the man and drake.
Brian just responded in his behavior that's been standardized at this point.
“Oh shut the hell up, you know I'm right.", he said, uncaring at their false annoyance, lifting his right palm in the air for emphasis before waving it off..
Brian then gave a little giggle, or some semblance of one.
The man and drake, upon seeing their friend's jest, started snickering, realizing he was just playing around.
Little cackles turned into bigger laughs as they started to go along with their friend.
Oh Brian.
Even though he was the youngest out of the three of them and was the age of a mature young man, he had the youth of a young boy. Besides, having such great powers meant that he could goof around whenever he wanted.
After about a good minute of light laughter, they calmed down with big huffs, smiles on all their faces.
Ah…yes…
They greatly enjoyed each other's presence.
They wouldn't trade each other for anything the universe could offer.
Marlo looked at the human floating in front of them while they flew across the sky.
“You know what? You're the best friend a man and drake could ever have, y'know?"
Brian looked in the drake's eyes, who had a darker shade from his own pupils.
It was nice to hear that he was actual friends with somebody, especially since his life has been filled with death and bloodshed. In fact, he was reminded of it, leading to his smile faltering slightly.
Brian had so few friends, and the ones he had were left behind.
It wasn't his fault, but it had to be done.
He was a tornado of death, dragging others into it through no choice of his own, whether for better or worse.
He was a time traveler. He couldn't stay when his very existence could spell destruction for all.
There were even a few who became romantically interested in him, only for him to admit he truly cares for them as well, but that they have to remain separate due to his powers.
He wasn't even meant to be there in some ways.
It wasn't that he didn't love them, but he didn't want them to see eternal suffering like he has. It would be too much.
It wasn't worth it.
He wasn't worth it.
There was a water dragoness that actually cared for him that way, even though he was seen as a dumb animal meant to only be a pet by many others and that she was the size of a massive office or apartment complex.
Then there was also what he could describe as a sentient pterodactyl, or, well, something like that. He couldn't stay. He was from a time far, far into the future. He would only ruin everything with his beliefs and technology.
There was also a dragoness covered with gemstones that were a part of her. She was from a lost age in her timeline, and actually listened to Brian, but her time was ravaged by warfare.
And the red dragoness similar with the great power of speed akin to a jet plane also had to be left behind for similar reasons. It didn't help anything that the others with a high respect like her wished to kill him after refusing to follow their dimwitted rules.
And...Blu...
No, conflict once ravaged his world too.
That was what he couldn't stand about dragons above all else.
War.
Warfare is a universal constant with intelligence and sentience, but the problem was the lack of ability to learn from it.
Especially from Humanity and Dragonkind.
There wasn't even a point in trying to help any of them
It aggravated Brian to no end.
That and, well…Brian was crazy.
Well, no, that was an exaggeration, but he saw himself as insane.
Who wouldn't?
He saw how many timelines start and end, and the ones that he didn't see all the way through, he became the deadliest creature to roam the planet.
So much hatred, so much anger, so much…
Ignorance.
Brian hated the ignorance of those people, if they could even be called that.
Brian was destined to be a loner, regardless of which version he was. Well, a nihilist for some and a psychopath for others.
Two others…
Unspeakable.
Despite all of that, Brian had a great intellect, and was able to control his emotions like no other.
As such, he resumed his smile and pointed his left hand to himself and raised his right hand upwards, palm open.
He then spoke to respond to the drake.
“Well, it's a great privilege to meet such an exquisite creature such as this.", Brian said while moving his flat hand towards himself, feet to his body, gesturing to all of his body. He also said the words in a very exaggerated and playfully braggard tone, especially those adjectives.
John and Marlo just giggled in response to Brian's childishness even though he was twenty-six, or, well, they thought he was twenty-six.
The two shook their heads to get some of the laughter out of them.
Upon those words being said, they flew, Brian slowly moving to Marlo's and Johns right side, dashing above the clouds at their pace.
It was slower, but he decided to do so after breaking his couching position.
Marlo, moving his eyes towards the human light dragon while facing forward, slowly but surely drifted towards Brian, aiming to touch him to play with him like they were playing tag.
Brian, upon noticing this, raised his left hand, palm facing the drake. It got the psychic dragon's attention along with John's.
“No, don't even think about it. You try to touch me and I'll screw your windpipe out.", he said with a energetic tone with a nearly invisible, but present smile.
When Brian said that, Marlo let out some chortles upon hearing that.
Ah…that was the Brian they knew.
Then, they flew.
For how long?
Who cared.
Nobody.
They enjoyed each other's presence, their friendship.
Because meeting others in the walk of life is one of the best things that could happen to anybody.
“Goodnight guys!", Brian said softly as he walked away from the man and drake's house.
“Bye Brian!", Marlo responded back, waving his left fore paw to wave as he turned towards his and his mate's home.
On his back was a sleeping John.
He must've been all tuckered out from the constant flying. Afterall, humans had less energy than dragons. Holding onto Marlo and feeling the constant stream of winds underneath all that clothing likely took a out of him. He didn't want to wake his peaceful slumber, hence his quiet voice.
With as much silence as possible, Marlo twisted the knob with his mental abilities to the kitchen and primary living room slowly, causing a slight but noticeable sound of metal crunching and shifting. He then pushed the door into the building with a psychic flick, the drake padding on the deck and slipping into the dark shelter.
Marlo, as a dragon, had much better night vision than his mate, so he was sure he wouldn't bump into anything or need to turn on the lights.
He felt the tiles of the kitchen area and he made his way in. Once his whole body was inside, he slowly pushed the door in. He twisted the knob with his powers and meticulously slid the door in before releasing it, creating minimal noise. With another flick, he locked the door before making soft steps with his paws into the polished wooden floors around the long couch facing the television mount on the wall, approaching there open bedroom door.
Once he entered, he effortlessly slid the door shut with the same knob trick as the kitchen door and floated the human off his back and in front of him.
Marlo's body missed his touch, however unconscious it was even though he would feel it later in their bed.
With the sleeping human now in front of him, he slid the long sleeve shirt off with a short-sleeved underneath off and placed it on a chair nearby with his Bahamut-given gift, leaving his mate without a top.
Afterall, they wouldn't be happy with John sweating up a storm into well-cared for article of clothing.
With that, Marlo gently floated the human back first onto the soft bed on the right side, sliding their blanket a little towards the foot of the mattress. Once the human touched down on the sheets, Marlo then gingerly stepped on the bed on his side, feeling the cool and comforting softness he and John grew so familiar with, leaning on his left side.
Ah…yes…
So many memories on this place of comfort, of calmness, of serenity, and, most importantly, love.
So many nights were spent here, or days if either of them felt like their bodies needed to rest, to feel the touch of those iconic and smooth sheets, or to be closer than ever, like when they wished to only embrace, or to initiate the sacred and holy act of mating.
Ah…yes…he remembered when they first mated here and afterwards, on this nice and melty bed.
Ah…memories…
Those were a few of his favorites and the first times for both of them were some of the most important.
Where he became one with John, and John one with him.
To become one heart, one soul…
He slid the blankets over their bodies and slowly dropped the left side of his head onto the heavenly pillow that had his scent on it, Marlo's body feeling the soft fabrics, cottons, and feathers.
So nice…
His dark blue eyes glowed in the darkness from the reflection of the Moon coming from the window on John's side.
Wishing to be closer to his mate, Marlo scooted towards him and took out his forepaws. After he felt the warm and fragile skin of the human, he pulled the two together. This led to the two touching each other on the body, the drake's chest plates and scaled neck touching John's muscled chest.
Marlo then slowly snaked his neck and moved his head to John's right above his head, slipping the pillows towards the middle of the head of the bed where they were.
He heard the calm breathing and heartbeat of his mate.
Now…
Now, Marlo felt it.
Felt John.
He suddenly felt drowsy, the land of dreams wanting to claim him like his mate.
His eyes slowly shut on their own, as Marlo finally fell asleep, the two in each other's embrace.