Reunion (4/4)

"Heh, at least she's calmed down more," She chuckled, shaking her head affectionately at the idea of the usually patient Rivia being more argumentative.

 

"Should we go check on them? They might need some patching," She finally asked after a few beats of silence between them.

 

~**~

 

Malakai blinked at that, before he nodded. 

 

"Yeah.. we probably should..." he sighed, tensing as he went to try and get up as best he could with his stick.

 

"I doubt they've hurt themselves much... I can't feel anything."

 

~**~

 

Almost immediately once Mal moved to try to get up, Fi quickly moved to help him, her hands ghosting over his back and arms to get him up steadily. It had been instinctual that she hadn't even realized what she had done until she was already behind him, her hands on him. Her cheeks burned at the realization and her ears flicked back a bit.

 

"Ay, that's good. And Akee can heal them," She finally replied, trying to hopefully break up any awkwardness that had appeared.

 

~**~

 

Malakai really didn't seem to mind the gentle touches, letting out a soft breath as he finally did stand. He gripped his stick a little tighter and gave her a grateful look, smiling gently. 

 

"Thanks..." he murmured, but paused at the healing comment, twitching his ears.

 

"Ah. Right. I...  kind of forgot ocean dragons can do that. They'd probably appreciate it," he started, before he trailed off, blinking.

 

"... Rivia, will appreciate it" he amended.

 

~**~

 

Fidelia relaxed a bit at seeing that Mal seemed to not mind her touching him. Why was she so worried about it? He hadn't minded her hugging him before? Her heart seemed to be beating too loud for her and she nodded at his words. She was acting so foolish right now, getting worried over simply helping him up.

 

"Akee should be pretty good at it by now," She hummed, stepping away from him and back over to Akeem, who by now had noticed the increased anxiety in his rider. 

 

With a chirp, he nuzzled against her, tentacles raising in concern before laying back when she gave a rub to his snout.

 

"I know Rivia will," She laughs out. "Maybe Monti will surprise you."

 

~**~

 

"I dunno... they did seem to be working as a team for a while there..." he mused, watching them with half closed, gentle eyes. Even his metal one, somehow, blue light gleaming weakly in the sunlight. 

 

"Do... you think he'd mind if I rode...?" he hesitantly asked, painfully polite, even if they had been friends for a long time. Like admitting it grated on him, but... he had no choice. 

 

He could walk short distances, sure, like from his house to the cave and then to his caravan, but... all the way to Leshen? That was a long way there, and back, for Malaki's healing leg. 

 

~**~

 

"That's true," She hummed.

 

Her attention was still mainly focusing on petting Akeem's snout, running over his smooth scales that was helping calm her nerves. Her ears bolted up at his next question and her eyes flashed with shock as she turned to fully look at him once more. She hadn't expected Mal to ask that, but, with a quick glance towards his healing leg, it would make sense why. 

 

"Akeem wouldn't mind," She quickly answered.

 

She already knowing Akee's answer, feeling the glee that was coming off him in infectious waves. She didn't know which glee was hers and which was his, but her heart pounded excitedly at the idea. It would be a quick flight, but still, a flight. Something so personal for her and she never thought she could expand that experience over to Mal, who seemed to have zero interest in it. 

 

She paused though, darting a look over to Mal as Akeem laid down to allow them to better get up onto his saddle, especially for Mal.

 

"Have you...ever flown though?" She asked as she carefully gripped onto Akeem's saddle, one foot on his side, careful to not press down too hard, and one hand reaching out to help Mal up.

 

~**~

 

Malakai seemed to freeze up a little bit at the 'flight' question.

 

Flying? 

 

Who mentioned flying?

 

Is that what she thought he meant?

 

Oh no.

 

"U-Uh.. I..." he floundered a little bit, running his fingers over his stick a little. 

 

"I've... never flown. I thought... walking...?" he mumbled, before he added in a sputtered tone, seeing the happiness in her face and not wanting to crush it. 

 

"I... I'm a little scared of heights. Is all. M... Maybe another time. Before you leave again."

 

~**~

 

Fidelia's ears gave a flick before slowly pinning back a bit. That...that made more sense now that she thought about it and she raced back over his words. Oh carajo, her estupido excitement! He never did say he wanted to fly, he had thought they would ride, a walk. Anger at herself flared up, but disappointment had also settled in despite her wishes against it. Why had she gotten so excited over the idea of them flying together? 

 

She made sure though to at least keep the disappointment off her face, but her eyes did flash some of it, her tail flicking behind her. Her ears perked up at his offer and she tensed up, biting her cheek to stop herself from smiling like an idiota. 

 

"I - of course. Sorry, I got too excited, amigo," She apologized, her ears pinning back once more in embarrassment before she nodded. "Well I won't be leaving again in a long time soon. I mean - leaving again to visit my familia."

 

She wanted to pinch the bridge of her nose, annoyed at herself for being back to becoming a flustered mess. Instead, she offered up her hand again for Mal to take.

 

~**~

 

Malakai seemed to relax a bit at that, and after taking a small breath to steady himself, he moved over and took her hand gratefully. 

 

He was going to struggle getting on and off of Akeem, that was for sure, but... it was worth it. 

 

Especially since, apparently, it meant getting closer to Fi then he'd really expected to, feeling his fur twitch slightly as heat flared across the left side of his face.

 

"I'm not used to saddles, either..." he admitted softly. 

 

"I've... never really needed one with Rivia. My family, we um... our caravan taught you to ride with the dragon itself. I think it was because most were born Naki, so... it was easier than custom making saddles for every disability and artificial part..."

 

~**~

 

Fidelia's own face heated up as she held Mal's hand in hers and how close they now were. It seemed they were closer than they had been when they had been hugging. And well, it was going to be a bit difficult to help him up, she had never done it before and it wasn't helped by the fact that Akeem was tall, a struggle to get up unless you were agile and weren't injured. 

 

"That makes sense, it would be difficult to do that," She replied as she carefully adjusted herself so she could hopefully help him up more. Akeem twisted his head around to help out, giving a soft push against the shell of Mal's back.

 

"Saddles aren't that confusing. This is pretty standard other than it makes sure you don't fall away from your dragon if they crash or flip upside down."

 

~**~

 

Mal resisted a little squeak as he was pushed up, but it did seem to help.

 

He reached back, giving his snout a grateful little pet as he winced and settled himself, resting his stick in what lap he did have and stared at the back of Fi's neck a little shyly. 

 

He cleared his throat. 

 

"Thanks..." he mumbled. "And.. yeah, I guess so. Flying dragons were pretty rare where I grew up, so... if they did lessons for those, I never saw them... I used to see travelers and visitors with them, but... I've never actually sat in one until now." 

 

Reaching down, he touched at the leather, blinking at it. 

 

"Doesn't it feel weird not to..." He paused, trying to think of how to word what he wanted to. "To feel their muscles? Know where they're going to move before they do?"

 

~**~

 

Once Mal was finally settled, Fi relaxed more, giving a little pet to Akeem, who gave out happy chirps from the affection he had received from the two riders. Slowly, the ocean dragon stood up, his wings fluttering next to his sides, but no sign of him actually preparing to flight, instead folding them right back to his sides. 

 

"I've never seen dragons until I came here," Fi admitted, moving her hand up to carefully stroke Akeem's gills. "I practiced flying with Akeem honestly."

 

She looked back at Mal as Akeem started walking, which was a bit of an odd sensation for her as she was more used to him flying than actually walking. She paused to consider his words, going herself to touch the leather.

 

"Not really. I don't always wear a saddle with Akeem, but," She paused, looking back up at Akeem to try to find her words. "My bond with Akee is...I've flown with him so much that I already do know without even feeling him. Flight between us, it's like we're connected as one. We're one entity, us separate limbs in a way, but connected. We know what the other will do. It's hard to explain."

 

~**~

 

Despite Akee clearly not getting ready to fly, Malakai still tensed up, moving to wrap his arms around Fi's middle.

 

He didn't know Akeem, like he knew his dragons. And that wasn't a bad thing. But the wings were making him a bit nervous. He trusted both of them, with his life even, but they still made him nervous. 

 

Being a predominantly earth rider, he liked the ground. He wanted to stay on the ground. Wings meant no ground. And he was far too used to seeing both Grim and Akeem crash into the trees around the camp to feel 100% confident that wouldn't happen again. 

 

Not to mention the saddle was making it difficult for him to judge the dragon's movements, to know which way to lean and where to brace. 

 

He wasn't even totally aware he was hugging her until her warmth filtered through his brain and he... didn't let go. Partially because it was nice, and partially because he was genuinely a little scared he'd fall.

 

"I'm... I'm sort of the same with Rivia, but... even though her back is shaped weird I've just, never used one. And she's the only one I've ridden for a long while."

 

~**~

 

Immediately once Malakai's arms were around her, Fidelia tensed up, her cheeks heating as she felt the other against her, pressed closer than what she had expected. Her mind went blank at the unexpected feeling, before relaxing, a quiet purr escaping at the hug - though it was quickly cut short when she had noticed it. Hesitantly, she gave a little pat to his hands. Not to tell him to stop but to show some comfort for him.

 

She didn't know if Mal had meant to hug her or not, sure they had done plenty of hugging before today but he was in a new situation, one where she doubted he would be willing to show he was vulnerable. It made her feel...happy to know that he trusted her a bit, even if the hug was likely so he didn't fall off. And Akee was tall and the fall would not be the best feeling - trust her, she knew from plenty of experience. At least the ground would be a smoother fall than a one from the air.

 

"I feel it comes with the bond...To understand what the other is doing," She replies, her ear twitching to show she was listening. "I honestly use the saddle because I don't need to be separated from Akee if he wants to crash on me. Lucky for you, Riv isn't like Akee here."

 

~**~

 

"That's true..." he murmured, hugging onto her a little bit tighter. 

 

Without a bond, he was just floating aimlessly, which was pretty damn unfortunate for him. But not much he could do about it either. 

 

All he could really do was hold onto her and hope Akeem didn't throw him for whatever reasons he might have. 

 

"I would love to see you try and ride Rivia, in that case," he half chuckled.

 

~**~

 

Her cheeks heated up again at him hugging her tighter, but she gave his hands another reassuring pat, them lingering a few moments longer than needed. 

 

Lucky for Mal, Akeem was quite affectionate to the vernid and did like him. And considering the tension that was still in the air, even if faint, he wasn't in a playful mood to try getting up into some antics and end up accidentally tossing the poor male off him. Plus Fi was there and she wasn't going to risk having Mal fall off and hurt himself even further because her dragon wanted to be an idioto.

 

"Oh gods...I don't know how I would handle that since her and Akee's builds are different. And I'm used to riding Akee," She chuckled out, musing over the idea of Rivia actually letting her ride her. Maybe if Mal was there so she could get adjusted to what it was like to ride the Earth-Dark dragon.

 

~**~

 

He chuckled himself at that, finding the idea pretty amusing to think about, but. He was serious. It’d be fun to teach each other things like this.

 

"I think you'd be a natural once you found your grip..." he hummed, giving her a reassuring little squeeze.

 

"It's just about balance. Given time I could probably learn to ride Akeem the same way. But I very much doubt you could convince Riv to wear a saddle. She gave enough fuss at being fastened to the caravan to move it."

 

~**~

 

"You're right," She agrees. She knew that balance was key after having flown with Akeem so many times. She chuckled at the idea of trying to convince Riv to wear a saddle and she affectionately shook her head at that notion. "I doubt I would even need a saddle for Riv unless she decides to buck me off."

 

She wouldn't mind Mal teaching her to ride Rivia, even if the occurrence likely wouldn't happen considering she had Akeem. But Riv had been odd with her this morning, who knew if the dragon would actually want her to ride her, even if Mal encouraged it. She would have to figure out how to mend whatever issues that had popped up before she could even think about it, but she didn't want to put Mal down by saying no to the idea.

 

~**~

 

He nodded softly, before he let out a small sigh. 

 

"We should go... make sure they're okay still. I don't hear anything but that can't be a good judge with those three."

 

~**~

 

"At least they aren't fighting anymore," She speaks up, trying to stay optimistic but she gives Akeem a pat on the neck to tell him to hurry up. Gently, she placed her hand onto Mal's and gave them a squeeze, a little warning that Akee was going to speed up.

 

~**~

 

He seemed to catch on and tense himself up a little more, trying to lean a little more on Fi to account for his injured leg not being able to grip as well as the other without hurting.

 

"Yeah, there's that..." he hummed, a little nervous at how high they were still.

 

"Feel like I'm riding Monti..." he murmured, but did pause a little. 

 

"Monti would probably need a saddle."

 

~**~

 

"Probably be a bit different since Monti is bipedal, you would likely have to lean forward more," Fi notes before chuckling at the idea of Mal wanting to try to ride Monti. Would the serpiente pollo grande even let Mal try to ride him? Who knew...

 

After a couple of more minutes, Akeem finally reached the destroyed area, trees and rocks scrambled around the ground from the vicious fight between Rivia and Monti.