(>_<)
The atmosphere in the floating pavilion had shifted from a structured political summit into something far more chaotic and volatile. The announcement of the engagement hung in the air like a thick, suffocating smoke, and the Dragon Lords were still reeling from Kaelan's lethal vow.
The Lord of the South, the one with scales like obsidian ash and eyes full of ancient prejudice, rose from his seat. He moved with a slow, heavy gravity, stepping toward Kaelan as if he were approaching a stray animal he intended to put down ,or "rescue" for his own ends.
"Consort," the South Lord rumbled, his voice a grating sound like stone on stone. "Ignis is blinded by his own obsession. He has forgotten that a King's blood must remain pure. You do not belong here, and I suspect you feel the same. I offer you a 'solution.' There are ways to dissolve a Draconic engagement before the soul binding occurs. A quiet exit, a return to your human world without the King's shadow... if you cooperate with me."
Kaelan turned his head slowly. His panther ears were still standing straight, his slit pupils sharp and unforgiving. He looked at the South Lord,this ancient, bloated creature of ego, and felt a wave of deadly contempt that washed away even his exhaustion.
"A solution?" Kaelan repeated, his voice dripping with venom. "You think I want your help? You think I'd sit here and plot with a dinosaur who looks like he's made of burnt toast and bad intentions? I don't want your fat ass in my business. I don't want your advice, and I certainly don't want your 'solution'."
The South Lord froze, his mouth agape. No one had ever addressed a High Lord of the South in such a manner.
Kaelan didn't stop. He turned his gaze to the rest of the table, his words becoming mean and evil, cutting through their divine dignity like a serrated blade. "And as for the rest of you—you're all the same. You sit around this obsidian table smelling of your own arrogance and sulfur, acting like you're the masters of the universe while you can't even handle a student with a short temper. You're not gods; you're just lizards with bigger chairs. You, North Lord, you're as cold and useless as a freezer burn. And you, East Lord, you've got the personality of a damp rock. I hate your realm, I hate your politics, and I hope your 'High Court' sinks into the sea."
The Dragon Lords were speechless. A heavy, stunned silence descended upon the pavilion. They were the architects of reality, the masters of fire and stone, and they had just been verbally dismantled by a boy in silk robes who looked like he wanted to spit on their carpet.
Kaelan turned his back on them, his fluffy black tail lashing with a rhythmic, furious power. He looked at Ignis, who was still wearing that manic, beautiful smile, his eyes glowing with a triumphant desire that was only growing stronger.
"Ignis," Kaelan commanded, his voice sharp and unyielding. "Bring me back. Now. I have three chapters of Macroeconomics to catch up on, a stack of course notes that won't write themselves, and I am sick of the smell of dragon breath. I'm done with this circus."
Ignis didn't hesitate. The command, given with such fierce spirit and total indignation, sent a jolt of excitement through his blood. He loved it. He loved the way Kaelan didn't care about the power dynamic; he loved the sharp tongue that dared to lash out at the most powerful beings in existence.
"As you wish, my Consort," Ignis murmured, his obedient side appearing once more as he wrapped an arm around Kaelan's waist.
With a snap of Ignis's fingers, the pavilion vanished, replaced by the familiar, slightly dusty air of the university apartment. Tamsin and Marcus were nowhere to be found, likely still hiding from the fallout.
Kaelan immediately pulled away, stumbling toward his desk and clutching his laptop like a shield. He felt the dragon earring buzzing, broadcasting a constant stream of Ignis's manic thoughts: He's so magnificent when he's hateful... I want to see those slit pupils when I'm deep inside him... I want to hear that sharp tongue moan my name...
"Stop thinking!" Kaelan shrieked, slamming his hand on the desk. "Go sit in the corner and be quiet!"
Ignis sat on the edge of the bed instead, his legs crossed, watching Kaelan with an unyielding, possessive focus.
Kaelan looked at him, his irritation reaching a boiling point. "Don't you ever get tired?" Kaelan asked, his voice a mix of bitterness and genuine curiosity. "Don't you ever get tired of the hunting? Of the... the constant inter-coursing? You've been at it for days. Don't dragons have a recharge period? Or a nap schedule?"
Ignis let out a rich, melodic laugh, his golden eyes sparkling with manic amusement. He leaned back on his elbows, the silk of his shirt straining against his chest.
"Tired?" Ignis asked, the smirk returning to his face. "Kaelan, I am the sun. I am the core of the mountain. I could spend weeks, months, years doing that with you without ever feeling a moment of fatigue. My stamina is as endless as my obsession with you."
Kaelan stared at him, a look of pure exhaustion and horror crossing his face. "Days? Without getting tired? You are a biological nightmare."
"I am a Dragon," Ignis corrected, his voice dropping to a low, predatory purr. "And you are the only thing I have ever found that I want to devour and protect at the same time. Now... are you going to study, or are we going to see if I can make you forget how to count to ten?"
Kaelan's internal monologue was a dark, deadly vow: I am going to find his weakness. I don't care if it takes the rest of my life. I am going to find the one thing that makes this monster stop smiling.
"I'm studying," Kaelan snapped, opening his textbook with a violent flick of the pages. "And you're staying on that bed. If you move an inch, I'll find a way to make your 'endless stamina' a very painful memory."
Ignis just smiled, his obedience holding for now, but his excitement vibrating through the very air of the room. He could wait. He had forever, after all.