Lou

  Lou barely slept at night. He stared restlessly into the shapeless darkness. Harper slept next to him under the warm bnket. There was something comforting about the warmth of the other boy. Harper had never y comfortable under the covers before, but that night was different. Lou had already slept next to him. Still, this arrangement, together under one bnket, felt different.

  Intimate.

  Strange.

  Harper had his arms wrapped around Lou. He felt his friend's warm breath against his neck. The heat tickled. His entire body tingled. Every movement of the other boy made him shudder. Harper's arms, his legs, his breathing...

  Lou felt things he had never felt before. And which he could not cssify. What was going on? He was hot. His heart raced. Should he free himself from Harper's arms? But in the boy's embrace, it was pleasantly warm. It was warm under the bnket.

  Confused, tears rolled down his cheeks.

  In the st few days, Lou had cried a lot. More than usual. Was it made of nothing but tears? After they stayed away for years? As if they were finally free after Lou had locked them deep inside himself for a long time. Sobbing, he clung to Harper's arm, which was on top of him. Harper smelled good. Not human, no. Different, foreign, but good. Very good.

  "Huh?", the dragon murmured, blinking and opening his eyes. "Lou? You're awake?"

  Lou nodded, sobbing.

  "Are you crying?"

  "No."

  "No?" Harpers stroked Lou's cheek, then sat up. Immediately, Lou missed the warmth. "What is it? Why are you crying? Was I too close to you? I’m sorry."

  "No?" Lou didn't know if Harper was too close or not. "It... I..."

  "Should I sleep somewhere else?", his friend asked, moving even further away from Lou. "Excuse me. I didn't want to harass you."

  Of course, Harper hadn't crawled under Lou's bnket without a word. No. Since Lou was a little cold, Harper had offered it to him. So that Lou would have it warmer. "No, no!", he excimed. Lou reached for the hem of Harper's tunic. "Don't..."

  "Don't?" Harper took one of Lou's hands in his. "I'm allowed to stay? Under your bnket?"

  Lou nodded.

  "Fine. If you're sure?"

  "I am! You're warm."

  "Am I?" Harper sounded pleased.

  Someone snorted angrily. "Stop flirting! I want to sleep!", scolded Ross in a thunderous voice. At the other end of the cave, Harper's family slept cuddled up to each other. In dragon form. Lou couldn't see them in the dark. He didn't see Harper either. It was just too dark.

  "Then go to sleep," Harper replied to his brother. "I flirt when I want!"

  Flirt? Lou clutched Harper's hand. "What?"

  "Hm?"

  "What are you doing?" Lou asked uncertainly. "What is... Flirting?" Lou had never heard the word before. Or had he? Maybe he just didn't remember. It was definitely nothing that would have ever concerned him. He was sure of that.

  "For heaven's sake!", hissed Ross in the background. "The boy is too innocent. Let him sleep, Harper. Please! You're ruining the innocent child! Be good and keep your ideas to yourself!"

  "Shut up!", scolded Harper. Then he let go of Lou's hands, y down next to him again, wrapped his arms around him, and pulled Lou close. "Better?", he asked quietly. His voice tickled so close to Lou's right ear. Lou blushed.

  ?Yes?“, he mumbled awkwardly.

  "Good."

  And then, he felt Harper's lips against his cheek. It wasn't the first time the dragon had kissed him suddenly. Kissed his cheek. But Lou was surprised. "Oh."

  Harper ughed softly and unperturbed. "Do you like that?", he whispered in Lou's ear.

  Lou got all the hotter. It tingled everywhere. "I..."

  "Yes? Or no?" Harper asked again. Close to Lou's ear. His hot breath brushed Lou's neck.

  "I." It was burning. It burned everywhere. The heat was driving him crazy. What was going on? Lou trembled.

  "May I take that as a yes?" Harper smirked and kissed Lou's cheek again. "May I?"

  "Yes?" Lou answered faster than he could think. "Oh!" A blush of shame rose to his face. Presumably, it was glowing red by now. Could they see him glow even in the city? "Hm." He shook his head, which only made Harper ugh all the more.

  "Lou?", he murmured softly. Quietly, as if he were telling him a secret. "You can kiss somewhere else too!"

  Lou caught his breath. "Wha… Where?"

  "Harper!!" Ross's voice thundered furiously through the cave. "Close your eyes and sleep! And leave poor Lou alone!"

  Harper chuckled.

  "Hm." Trembling, Lou pulled the bnket over his head and hid on Haper's chest. What's that? And where did Harper want to kiss him? Why did he want to kiss him? And why did he like it?

  sasi