Lucky was only half paying attention to his surroundings during his walk to the apartment complex, with most of the trek spent with him staring down at his phone screen, continuously rereading the address Cole had sent him. He repeated the string of numbers and letters in his mind incessantly, until he'd finally arrived at the apartments.
After walking in and taking the elevator up to the appropriate floor, Lucky let his gaze slide over the gilded numbers plastered to the surface of the doors he passed. His attention was constantly dribbling between the address on his phone screen and the addresses on the doors, wary to not miss the appropriate apartment.
His pace slowed as the numbers on the wall grew closer to the one he was searching for. Just three numbers away and he could feel his heart grow heavier in its beating. Two numbers away, and the hands holding his phone were beginning to shake. One number away—Was it hot in here, or was it just Lucky? And now, standing right in front of Cole's door, never before had Lucky felt such a strong urge to walk away from something. He couldn't explain it, and he most certainly couldn't rationalize it, but the anxiety he felt in that moment was screaming at him to do the exact opposite of what he was doing right then. Even as he pushed through the worry and forced his hand into a fist, which he used to knock on the door, there was still that nagging unease lingering in the back of his mind. Despite this, he forced a tight-lipped smile for when Cole would greet him and waited patiently for his knock to be answered.
Cole had just set out a kettle to warm water for tea or coffee or something when the knock sounded. He scrambled to open the door, grinning brightly at the other male as he came into view.
“Right on time, Lucky.” His voice was warm and inviting. He opened the door wider and stepped aside for the other to enter. The space wasn’t too impressive and resembled a college dorm space really. The walls had been repainted a light creamy shade of white to make it appear a little brighter and larger. There were no decorations and nothing adorning the flat surfaces except for the occasional book Cole had missed or left while cleaning. The only things that seemed to have been put up by Cole were the three bookcases. He never decorated or made a place too homey. He never knew when he’d have to move suddenly to escape his own kind. They had been actively pursuing him since he had been born, though recently it seemed they had started to give up and leave him be until some other creature or being alerted them of his location.
He pushed those thoughts from his mind and gently shut the door behind Lucky. “I hope you’re not too terribly uncomfortable. You’re welcome to sit or do as you please.” He purred, gesturing to the couch and small, matching loveseat.
"Oh, thank you," Lucky said in greeting, slowly advancing into the apartment at Cole's invitation. He spent less than a second absorbing his surroundings, seeing as there was hardly anything for him to absorb. While Lucky wasn't completely off-put by the lack of decor, there'd always been something unsettling about minimalism in his eyes. It felt artificial. Like a house on display, or a room in a museum; Not the type of place someone would call their home.
"Your place is tidy," he said, an impish hint of surprise in his voice. He'd honestly been expecting Cole's place to be… messier. Though, that was most likely his own standards for "tidy" being so low. He hadn't seen an actually clean floor in years. "Certainly not uncomfortable. Very nice, actually. I'd say I'm a little jealous."
Disregarding the offer for him to sit, Lucky remained standing near the edge of the couch, his right hand fidgeting with the phone in his pocket. Despite this hesitancy, he truly hadn't been lying before: he really wasn't uncomfortable. A more fitting word would be awkward, but even that wasn't entirely accurate. It was more so that Lucky didn't feel entitled to sit in one of Cole's chairs, at least, not yet. As such, he continued to stand, with both his hands in his pockets, and a soft smile swept across his face.
(Sorry for the wait! I'm on a vacation of sorts)
Cole watched Lucky with his piercing amber eyes as he himself moved about the apartment, picking up random items and papers and books. He placed them on his table, nice and neat as he really didn't want to hear the Lesser soul he hosted complain about disorderly actions. Shihiro always was really strict when it came to studying dragon culture and literature. Probably because he knew Cole couldn't get it any other way.
"Tea? Coffee? Just a hot drink? I have some warm apple cider mixes around here somewhere. Nonalcoholic apple cider of course. Can't do the alcohol stuff, not good for the days you need something warm for comfort but also a sound and clear mind." Cole mused, tilting his head as he pulled two mugs down regardless of what answer the other gave him.
"Also, how much do you know of the mythical and magical world? Met anyone else who's knowledgeable?" A sly and subtle way to ask if Lucky knew of creatures like Cole. If he knew he wasn't the only one with magical properties.
(No worries! Besides, I've been pretty slow to respond too lol.)
Lucky responded to both questions from Cole in a similar manner. The first, about his choice of beverage, was met with a quiet hum and the scratching of his chin. After less than a few seconds, and a few subtle nods as he weighed his choices, he spoke. "Hot tea sounds good. Shame you don't have any alcoholic options, though. I'd be all over that." His hand almost immediately jumped up to cradle his cheek, an instinctual, unknowing smile shifting onto his lips "Not really, of course. I'm kidding. Alcohol is disgusting."
The second question, about the "mythical and magical world", was also met with a quiet hum and the scratching of his chin. However, he seemed far more stumped by this question, with an almost excruciatingly long silence swaddling his consideration. His expression seemed to constantly transform with his thoughts. His bottom lip would jut out, go back into place, then jut out again, almost like he was mocking a fish. "I mean, a lot of my friends, actually, are pretty smart with that kinda stuff," he began hesitantly. "Like, I have a friend who's into Chinese mythology, a friend who's into… like, European nature mythology, and one who's into Greek mythology. Unfortunately, I'm not super smart with it, 'cause they rarely share that kinda stuff with me. Not like I beg them to or anything, but…" Lucky trailed off for lack of a better finish, letting a slight shrug cap his sentence for him.
(You’re good you’re good!!)
“Alcoholic? No. I don’t keep anything of that sort here unfortunately. Not much of a drinker myself.” More like he couldn’t really drink because none of it ever really affected him in a good way. The hangovers were worse when you were a halfbreed it seemed. Anytime Cole had tried alcohol (mostly those times were with Atlas as the other was ruthless in regards to his drink) he always ended up incredibly sick. He told people he was allergic to it to keep their questions and inquires at bay.
Cole shook the thoughts off once more as he prepared the other a tea, offering him a large variety of herbal and green and black. Cole liked tea when his throat was sore from fire breathing.
“Have you ever seen anything magical?” Cole asked nonchalantly, wondering which way he should take this. He could always just flat out tell the other but would that backfire on him? What if he got caught because someone had squealed on him?
Lucky didn’t seem the type to do that. Maybe he should just outright tell the other he knew? Then what?
Taking a mug of black tea into his cupped hands, Lucky stood quietly for a moment, processing Cole's words. He looked as though he was trying to solve a difficult equation in his head, with harsh lines giving weight to his apparent confusion. "What do you mean, 'magical'?" Lucky asked, his head inclining upwards slightly, a bemused and nonchalant smile having been forced onto his face.
Really, what was he expected to say in response to a question like that? It was a question he managed to find both vague and specific; It was nearly impossible to answer, and the cold suspicion creeping up Lucky's back made him no more receptive to the other's words. They implied a knowledge of something Lucky hadn't mentioned: A knowledge of himself and his own irregularity, or, perhaps more likely, a knowledge of one of his friends and their mythical nature.
"Like, a magic show?" he continued, tapping his fingernail against the side of his cup. "Or…? I dunno. I've never been to a magic show if that's what you're asking about. Or," he paused, fixing Cole with a soft expression that hid his newfound suspicion, "Are you being poetic and using 'magical' to describe something beautiful?"
Cole picked up on the suspicion rather quickly, silently cursing himself. Well then, it'd be best to let the other understand he wasn't a threat either. Seemed Lucky had his own reasons to protect his secrets. Easy enough to strike a deal or a vow of secrecy or something. He turned to take the kettle off of the heat and move it to another burner to cool for a moment.
"No, not one of those silly human magic shows though I guess they're impressive for not really having any sort of magic. And not anything poetic, I'm not the type for the poetic stuff. It's never been my strong suit. I'm asking flat out about mythical and magical beings. You smell of them. Of magic, that is. So I know you at least know of something magic if you don't have something yourself. You happened to walk into a Sphynx's cafe today, you know. Not all of us are completely human." Cole was starting to feel incredibly stupid and dumb at this point. If the other really was human, Cole was going to sound like some sort of psychotic person. Regardless, he continued, flashing the other a toothy grin.
"Did you ever wonder why I know so much about dragons and why I'm so interested in them?" He questioned, undoing the first few buttons on his shirt. He hoped he looked and seemed nonchalant even though he was silently panicking on the inside. It was bad enough Shihiro had to step up and silently calm the other. Once he got the courage to, he revealed the shiny red scales that replaced patches of skin across his throat and neck. They disappeared down his shoulders and back and front, hidden by the rest of his shirt. "You're not the only one with magic, Lucky. Though that's not the entire reason I decided to talk to you. I was curious to what you knew… I'm trying to learn more myself."
Lucky seemed frozen by the heavy words coming from Cole's mouth, with a blankness falling over his delicate expression like a veil. The only part of him that moved was his eye, which slowly traced the path of the scales on Cole's neck as they were displayed, searching for any signs that they may be fake, nothing more than makeup, but coming up empty. He also eventually managed to move his lips in an effort to form the words which were grappling in his head, but the explanations and questions he intended to speak were trapped within his defiant throat. All he managed were a few strained, uncertain mumbles.
He wanted to ask the other more questions: How did you smell the magic on me? Why are you telling me this? How, in the ever-loving fuck, could I ever help you learn more about yourself? Almost nothing Cole said made sense to Lucky, a man who had familiarized himself with the mythic and unusual. He took a long drink from his tea, stalling his response for as long as he could by completely emptying the mug. Then, when he was ready to finally speak, he began with a not-so-revolutionary statement:
"Well, I'm human." He took a moment to set his cup on a nearby end table, using this pause to prepare the next words in his mind. It was clear that Cole knew something was amiss, and that playing it off wasn't an option. Resigning himself to the truth, Lucky slowly continued. "But…" he trailed off, drawing his hand up to his chest and using his other hand to prop up his elbow, letting a long silence hang over both men. "Yeah. I have— Well, shit, it sounds goofy when I say it like this, and it isn't even super accurate anyway, but… I guess I have magic powers?"
At this, Lucky chuckled awkwardly, unsure as to whether or not he should elaborate. He figured that Cole would ask about it if he didn't share, but he continued to hold his tongue. It felt almost presumptuous for him to continue unprompted, and besides, he wasn't eager to elaborate if he didn't have to. He was perfectly content with leaving his connection to the magical world at nothing more than a vague half-answer.
Cole could hardly breath. The crimson splatter of scales felt like they were constricting around his throat each time the other’s eye scrutinized them. Though he always kept his cool and held his expression rather well, the panic that bubbled up into his chest was undeniably one of the worst he had felt. It had been years since he last told another magic being of his species purely out of his own violation. His co-workers were warned by Nancy before they were hired. He never got to explain his own side of the story. And for good reason at that.
Then Lucky was speaking those words he didn’t want to hear. ’I’m human…
Human meant no knowledge of dragon kind. They forbade it regardless of what magical powers any human ever possessed. Well. There was one exception of the witches, but they were their own weird classification and it was hard to define them.
A soft, sad expression flitted across Cole’s face, a soft nod of understanding his only reply for a good chunk of time. Now it was his turn to be curious.
“How so? I can’t tell what it is but it’s almost… metallic in smell? No that’s not right… not metallic in the least…” he went off mumbling to himself for a moment though the words didn’t seem to have any coherent sense to them at all.
Eventually his golden eyes lifted to Lucky as he settled himself back into his chair. He left his shirt unbuttoned, grateful for the air. Long, hot shifts made his scales itch “What can you do then? Is it inherited?”
As Cole sat down, Lucky felt compelled to mimic the movement. He shifted his posture slightly, his knees tensing and his shoulders lowering, as though he were about to sit on the sofa. However, a lingering doubt plucking at his mind kept him standing, staring down at Cole with his best attempt at a neutral frown.
"Uhm, yeah. Yeah, it was inherited," he said cautiously. "From my mom. She could do it. Never told me about it, though. Wanted to 'protect' me from it… I think she thought that I would never discover it if I didn't know about it." He bundled his arms around himself, gripping either arm with his hands, as though he were cold. "She was… uhm," he chuckled, shaking his head, "crazy."
Sensing that he was divulging too much about his personal life, Lucky began drawing it back out. He'd already stalled answering the question of interest for long enough, and he worried that making a dragon needlessly wait might incur some sort of wrath. Scratching at his arms and leaving faint, pale streaks where he did, he quickly began formulating a way of explaining his "power" without making him sound like an unstable nuclear bomb.
"My mom always said that we could… create explosions. And, basically, yeah… I guess so. I mean, it's more like an implosion that then results in an explosion, but that's basically the same thing… Kinda like a supernova, but nowhere near as grand." As he was speaking, Lucky seemed unable to look away from his shoes, his head intentionally inclined away from Cole. After all, Lucky dreaded having to look up and meet the other's scrutinizing stare. "Not sure how the hell that would smell," he mumbled.
If Lucky ever looked up he would realize that Cole wasn’t scrutinizing him in the least. His eyes were wide in curiosity and interest, as if he hadn’t met anyone quite like Lucky. He hadn’t. He had met all sorts of beings but never anyone like Lucky.
“My mother was a little crazy too. She was human, hid me from the world. It was understandable though. I’m not exactly supposed to be alive.” He chuckled half-heartedly at his words, shrugging away the statements to instead focus on what Lucky had to say about his power.
“Sounds grand to me. A miniature version of a super nova is still impressive.” He praised, picking at a loose scale absentmindedly. Shedding season was coming up and he wasn’t excited for it. It was itchy.
“Smells like a supernova would I guess. Whatever that smells like. I can’t explain it myself. I don’t even know how I can smell them though I guess it’s one of the dragon traits I inherited. Useful at times, as I can avoid certain people.”
As Cole's words met Lucky's ears, he seemed to perk up, his gaze traveling from his old, worn shoes up to the eyes of the other. Their striking color suddenly made much more sense to him. The lack of judgment in Cole's gaze allowed Lucky to relax, his tense frown loosening slightly as he allowed himself to finally sit down.
"Wait," he began, sweeping his hair backward out of his face. "Your mom is a… human? But, aren't you a dragon?" he asked, pressing himself against the back of the sofa. Had Cole lied to him about being a dragon? Sure, he'd never said it outright, but it'd been more than implied, and given what Lucky knew, it wasn't absurd for him to make that assumption. He pressed the base of his palm against his forehead, grimacing in thought. However, upon registering the rest of Cole's words, one sentence was brought to the forefront of his mind. I'm not exactly supposed to be alive. "Wait," he repeated slowly, massaging his temples. "I don't… I guess I don't understand. Are you not a dragon?" He drummed his fingers against his forehead, as though trying to coax an explanation out of his own head. "Sorry if this question is impolite, but… what are you?"
Cole's sharp-toothed grin returned when Lucky relaxed enough to sit down, his shoulders sinking into the couch when he wasn't yelled at or looked at in some disgusting way. Lucky didn't think any lower of him, or at least if he did he didn't show it like the others did. It made him feel much much better about this whole 'making friends' business.
A low, rumbling laugh left his throat as he watched the other male try to make sense of it all. He wasn't laughing at Lucky to be mean, though, he was just amused that for once someone didn't know immediately he was some sort of abomination of life. "It's not impolite. You're actually much more polite than others I've met. Yes I'm a dragon. Only partial though. My mother was a human, my father was a dragon. I don't know how much you know about the colony of dragons that live here in the Western Kingdom but let's just say humans are not welcome beings. Halfbreeds like me are even less wanted. So if it's not clear quite yet, I'm half human half dragon in a way. Sounds dumb, doesn't it? Like some sort of stupid children's book except none of my bodily functions work correctly and I'm wanted dead in every place I travel." He snickered at his words like they didn't secretly sting him on the inside. They were truth. He wasn't supposed to be alive, he wasn't wanted, and he was hunted. He hadn't lied about any of it.
Cole let his eyes wander to Lucky, a soft sight leaving his lips. "Sorry, that was unneeded information. I'm still interested in being a friend if you're still willing to be. Or you can leave. I wouldn't mind that either. Happens more often than not." Was he trying to get the other to pity him? Maybe a little. It was the only way he knew how to get someone to stay, as usually most were already gone at this point. It was cruel of him to use manipulative tactics but he was desperate. He understood how awful it was. He made sure to remind himself of that fact daily. He wasn't good in anyway, but he was still partly human and conscious. He was a social creature and needed someone else to talk to. And he liked Lucky so much already he couldn't fathom giving up so soon.
Lucky was, admittedly, taken aback. This is what he considers polite? Fumbling over your words like an idiot while talking to someone you hardly trust? That's polite? Lucky pinched the bridge of his nose, concentrating as he tried making sense of all this information.
"So you're… kinda like one of those ligers. Except with a human and a dragon," he mumbled, saying it mostly for himself to better reason the concept. "No, no, that's not dumb at all. Sounds more like those dragons are dumb for wanting you dead, honestly," he said, nodding steadily, as though agreeing with himself. "And, I'm sorry that I can't really sympathize with you about… like, having an entire species wanting me dead, but I get the bodily functions thing." He rested his shoulder against the arm of the chair, tucking his slight frame further into the corner of the sofa. "It's not what you think. It has nothing to do with the implosion thing. Don't worry, I can control that fine," he fibbed. He, most certainly, could not. "I'm just lactose intolerant." This, however, was true.
"Hey, no worries. I love hearing about other people and their lives. It's super interesting… enriching, even," Lucky said, kicking his shoes off and pulling his legs up onto the sofa, his knees bundled up at his chest. He certainly made himself at home, there. "Besides, no information is unneeded… Except for, maybe, that lactose intolerant comment. Looking back on it, that felt super unneeded," he laughed, dropping his knees and sitting cross-legged.
"Wait, I totally wanna be your friend. Why would I leave?" he asked, leaning his head against the sofa's back cushion. "Because you're a dragon? That's silly. One of my other friends is a dragon, so that's hardly reason to…" Lucky paused, beginning to trail off as he made the connection between what he was saying, what he probably should've said instead, and who he was saying it to. "Dragons… They want you dead… I forgot about that," he muttered, letting the embarrassment he felt out on his lower lip, which he continued to worry at. "Sorry, that was dumb. I shouldn't have said it."
The entire situation made Cole laugh. It was a bright and bubbly sound that wasn’t often heard but it suited his frame and his soft eyes.
“Yeah. Like a liger but with different species.” He hummed softly, settling down into the couch. He was happy to see that Lucky was getting comfortable, it meant he wasn’t too bad of a host.
“Lactose intolerance might be a good way to think of it. Except my body can’t really process the entirety of my fire gland. Which is rough at times. At least I got lucky and have the fire resistant throat and mouth. Else I think I’d be dead by now.” He mused, sticking out his tongue with a playful air. “But yeah, it is interesting to learn about others. In a strange way it’s almost enchanting. And you don’t have to worry about saying unneeded information around me. I don’t mind it. Say whatever you’d like.”
The halfbreed brought his own arms close to his chest, rubbing at his throat softly as he thought over Lucky’s mention of another dragon friend.
“Don’t worry about it. Maybe don’t mention me to this friend of yours, but it’s nice to know you can at least make friends with my kind. What’s this friend like? Where are they from?” He asked curiously, something sparkling behind his eyes. “Is there any chance they’d lend some sort of knowledge to me?”
Cole's laugh coaxed a smile onto Lucky's lips. The vibrancy in the sound was warm and comforting, loud enough to be present but soft enough to be soothing. It erased any doubt remaining in his head.
"You can breathe fire?" Lucky asked, clearly awe-struck. He leaned forward on the sofa, clutching his knees with whitened knuckles, his smile turning giddy. "That's super cool. Holy shit. Wait… It doesn't hurt, does it? To breathe fire?" he asked, a sudden flash of concern flickering across his face.
"My friend can't breathe fire, but that's probably 'cause she's a Chinese dragon. She does more like, water stuff," he explained, his hands gesturing about the space before him as he spoke. "I won't tell her about you if you don't want me to, but she's pretty chill. At least, she's chill enough to have a human friend. I dunno what kinda knowledge she has to lend, really, but if she has anything, I'm sure she'd be willing to share." Lucky tilted his head to the side, as though further investigating Cole while also speaking to him. "I didn't even know dragons weren't supposed like humans or half-breeds until you told me. It just seems so… silly."
"So, do you have any friends? Other than me, of course," he said, beaming at Cole playfully. One of the major communicative drawbacks of only having one eye was that you couldn't wink, and it was times like this where Lucky really, really missed the ability to do that. "I wanna see what kinda expectations I need to meet to be a quality friend, y'know?"
Cole nodded, grinning and letting a stray trail of smoke curl up and around his teeth for show. “I can indeed. It only hurts when I don’t breath fire for a long time and when I use it too much. But that’s normal for my race of dragon.” He hummed in thought, thinking over his risks and such.
“Chinese are much more open with humans. It’s different with each region. The dragons here in my region where I was born dislike humans enough to not care if they are killed or not. I don’t know much about other races or regions of dragons because I’m barred from knowledge of the other races - most likely to keep me away from leaving my region and finding a place I’m accepted - but I do know that Chinese are really chill and they usually don’t mind much. She sounds like she wouldn’t mind. Just be careful around it, if you would please.”
Cole chewed on his tongue for a moment, studying his bright-expressioned company. He smiled in return and shrugged slightly, a low rumble leaving his chest. With the information that Cole was a half breed, the rumble made sense in the way it sounded like the happy rumble of some sort of non-human being.
“I don’t really have any other friends. Nancy is more of a mother-figure though I guess we’re friends in a sort of way. And then there’s-“ he cut himself off suddenly and huffed audibly. A look of annoyance and something like veiled amusement crossed his face. “There’s Atlas. I’m begrudgingly his friend though. He’s the only human who works in the cafe and he’s very adamant about knowing everything about me. Good guy but he’s infuriating.” He laughed. Atlas wasn’t so bad even if he worked up Cole past the point of murder.
“Other than that, there’s no expectations. I’m not sure of what a friends supposed to be.”
"The only human?" Lucky echoed, his eyebrows inclining upwards and his lips puckering, as though this revelation was particularly shocking to him. It wasn't, but the expression he bore certainly lent itself to that belief. "So, nobody else at the cafe is human?" He blinked slowly at Cole, a semi-incredulous smile occupying his face. "So, is the cafe a sorta hotspot for non-humans, or are non-humans just more common than I thought they were?"
Lucky swept a strand of hair out of his face, gently running his fingers over the hair as he thought. "I'm surprised you don't have more friends. You seem like a very friendly person. Y'know? Just, like, the kinda guy people would gravitate towards." Lucky tapped the joints of his fingers against each other, the movement faintly resembling an unenthusiastic clap.
Frankly, Lucky couldn't help but get a certain impression of Atlas as Cole described him: That of a clingy boy who means well but often fails to recognize social norms. Lucky remained quiet about this, though, knowing better than to offer outward opinions about other's friends (or, in Cole's case, begrudged friends). Instead, Lucky responded with a soft hum, which was followed up by, "Atlas sounds like he'd be fun." He said this genuinely, an easy smile sitting contentedly on his lips as he leaned back on the sofa.
Cole’s fingers moved nervously to the collar of his shirt, it seemed as if he were going to button it back up but some thought had stopped him from doing so. A habit of his was to always check they were hidden. He wasn’t used to showing them freely though the air felt nice on them.
Ah wait.
He needed to make sure his kind didn’t wander too far off. “Well, many of the customers are. Us workers are not. We’re kinda the creatures that aren’t technically ‘registered’ or wanted in our species or governments or whatever group or clan we come from. Outcasts in a way. Atlas is special ‘cause Nancy thinks he’s good for business and human customers or what not. The cafe is a hotspot for non-humans at night though. After 8 we close it to normal customers and it becomes a safe place for beings like us. I don’t usually work those shifts for a few reasons…” his voice trailed off into a nervous grin. He adverted his eyes with a sheepish nature and shrugged gently.
“Regardless of my personality I’m sorta an abomination. Some don’t mind it but there’s a lot of other beings who realize quite quickly I’m pretty much a disability and something rather… gross? I’m not sure. Dragons aren’t supposed to be compatible with humans. It’s sorta the same strangeness or wrongness of the kid of like distant cousins you know? Like it’s on thin ice.” Cole didn’t know how to describe it to someone who hadn’t experienced it. The strange looks and disgust and overall hatred towards him was because he was regarded in the same way a deformed child to nobles back in the 1800’s would have been. That didn’t feel quite right either…
“It’s a cultural thing I think. The ones who don’t mind are usually the ones who come from places where mixes of human and magics aren’t too uncommon. They still think I’m weird or strange but they’re not rude or anything about it. But humans who know about me are ecstatic to meet me. It’s a little funny at times. Atlas isn’t an exception to that. He loves learning about the dragon world and about me and all sorts of stuff that regard my existence. He’s more of a curious puppy than anything weird or creepy. So yeah, I guess he’s kinda fun. You might like him. He’s too full of energy for me.”
As Lucky noticed Cole's fingers dancing around his collar, he slowly turned his gaze downwards, scared of finding himself staring at the scales decorating the other's chest. He forced himself to stare at his thumb's nails, which were resting atop his clasped hands. It seemed impolite to stare, but it also seemed impolite to intentionally avert his gaze. Unsure as to what the custom was for dragons, Lucky felt relief at the ability to distract from his uncertainty by speaking.
"So, is Atlas a bit of a PR stunt? Or, not a PR stunt, but a marketing strategy?" The rhetorical question was accompanied by a coy smile, which was barely detectable with his head still inclined downward. "That seems almost sad. But kinda funny. Well, actually," he paused, bringing his attention up; far too up, in fact, as he looked above Cole's head. "That's kinda like most hirees. After all, you wouldn't hire someone if they weren't good for marketing, or whatever," he muttered, taking a moment to mull over his tangent, before donning a dissatisfied expression and pressing his knuckles against his forehead. "Whatever. I don't know what the hell I'm saying."
Lucky stared at the wall behind Cole, seemingly infatuated with the edges of the corner, his eye tracing the angle. He imagined the color painted on the wall, rolling it around in his brain like someone might test a word on their tongue.
"I admit, I'm guilty as charged," Lucky said, raising his right hand slowly. "I think the whole half-dragon half-human thing is cool as hell. The only people who'd be able to be unimpressed are, like, actual dragons… or, like, non-humans in general, I guess? But, c'mon, what human wouldn't be fascinated by it? Humans are boring. We've got nothing going for us, so why wouldn't we find a bit of excitement in fire-breathing creatures from myths? I can't blame Atlas."
A low, rumbling sort of a snort left the half breed's throat. It tumbled into laughter, the sound smooth and light in the quiet of the room. He pulled at a loose scale as he thought about the irony of having Atlas and a marketing strategy. The male was built large, with wide shoulders and muscular arms that were nearly completely covered in tattoos. He always had dyed hair that was some sort of vibrant warm color like orange or yellow or red and it was cut so that it was short on the sides and long on the top. His face and ears were full of piercings, most of which he took out for the sake of looking somewhat professional and Cole had to admit the guy looked intimidating as all hell. It was all too funny to find that the kid was a gentle sort of giant with a bad teenage history with the law that wasn't all his fault.
Cole gave a thoughtful rumble after his laughter had died down, giving Lucky an amused grin that showed off a row of sharper-than-normal teeth. "I get where you're going. In a way he is a marketing strategy. He's mostly there because Nancy found him after he had been introduced to magic rather violently. An issue with a drug-addicted elemental he was selling drugs to. He's quit doing that now. He lives in the apartment down the hall. Almost all of us here on this floor aren't quite fully human and have some connection to Nancy. We're the… outlaws of the mythical and magical world. A lot of governments require all of us non-human's to be registered as magical but us here aren't in any systems really. I only exist to the dragon community legal wise. Which is why I work in a cafe instead of using my firebreath or other magical abilities in some field of actual work. I don't have papers, I don't exist to the humans. No social security, visa, international papers, nothing. Not to mention if I walked into any normal magical business to work at I'd probably either be killed on the spot or tied up and returned to my kind to be executed." It was a rough situation, but he was lucky enough to find Nancy.
"Mm, I can't blame him either. It must be strange to a human to come across something unnatural or magical. Lots of us are written off as cryptids or deities or 'sightings' but I could imagine they'd be interested in beings like me. But as much as they might wonder at me, I can't admit I'm too sold on the idea of just living with humans. No offense to them or you or any other more human thing. I'm determined to prove I'm like any other dragon. I have to prove to them I'm not an abomination or wrong. My existence needs to be something other than a freakish mistake of nature."
A contemplative hum climbed up Lucky's throat, the palms of his hands hugging his knees. "That sounds really rough. I mean, all of it. Like, a drug-addicted elemental sounds terrifying… And your situation sounds like it… well, it sounds like it kinda sucks ass," he said, a light smile playing at his lips. "I mean, no offense. Just sounds really, really scary. Like, how the hell do you live with that kinda weight, and not go insane?"
Lucky pressed himself against the back of the sofa, his hand twirling thoughtfully in the air. "Oh, yeah. I remember when one of my friends first moved here, she had the shittiest time trying to get all that magical registration. It was like they were intentionally making it harder than it had to be." He rolled his eyes at the image his words conjured in his head, the sigh that escaped from his lips laced with exasperation.
"Oh, I'd say certain people are more than 'interested' in magical beings," Lucky muttered, twirling an erumpent strand of hair around his finger. "Some are obsessed. Have you ever met a conspiracist? They're fucking crazy." He pouted his lower lip out, a pause settling over his words, before continuing with, "I mean, they're not always wrong, but they're still crazy." He chuckled softly, the sound more heavily resembling an airy breath than an actual laugh. "I get it, though," he began, tendrils of sobriety slipping into his tone. "It feels good to be accepted by the kinds of people you look up to. But, I don't think you're a freak at all. Just because your parents are different species… well, that doesn't mean jack shit. My mom had magic powers, but my dad doesn't! Hell, I can't even be sure my mom was even human, but I'm not a freak… at least, I don't think I am."
Cole had started to anxiously pick at a loose scale on his throat. He didn't exactly comment on the words about his situation, but nodded along gently and offered a small: "None of it's really ideal…" instead of something profound or different or more interesting or whatnot. "I've only managed to keep my sanity because of Shihiro, my sort of 'fixed companion'." He added quietly, a small smile tugging at the edges of his lips when the said companion seemed to raise his hypothetical head in disbelief and huffed indignantly at Cole.
He was thankful for the topic change and took it up rather quickly, more to keep the focus away from Shihiro and any probing questions about the whole ordeal. It was hard to explain that he had another soul hosted in his body and that it could actively talk to him and worked as a sort of 'mentor' figure for his entire life. It was how his region of higher dragon kind was able to move away from the broods of normal 'civilian' dragons and live for so long in solitude.
"They do make it harder. I'm fully convinced they do." He huffed, narrowing his eyes at the opposite wall. "It's run by humans with the 'guidance' of magical beings. I think they do it just to feel like they have some semblance of power over us beings who could easily get rid of them." Cole glanced back at Lucky, his features softening for a moment.
"Conspiracists are pretty crazy, I've met a few in my short lifetime and they are… special." Something like a giggle left him. He quickly covered it up and moved along with the sobering tone. He appreciated the mix of tone, preferring it to being completely serious the entire time. He finally managed to get the scale he had been picking at free, holding it between his fingers and sighing deeply as he felt along the space it had occupied. There was a little bit of blood but not enough to be worried about it. Cole could smell the tang in the air from it.
"I don't think you're a freak either. I think you're really interesting." He replied coolly, looking over at Lucky with a firm expression. He offered the other the scale just in case he wanted to look at it, and sighed deeply. "It's less of that my parents were different species and more of the idea that I'm kinda… not right? I'm not sure how to describe it… I know I'm the problem here, and I'd rather not be. So I'm trying to prove that I'm not an issue at all, just another subspecies or mix like a half demon or half fae and that stuff."
As Cole spoke, mentioning something about Shihiro and a "fixed companion", Lucky couldn't help but speculate inwardly as to what the hell that was supposed to mean. Was it dragon-talk for a familiar? Or a significant other? He was about to inquire further about the term when the conversation carried on to the topic of registration, and he was prompted with the feeling that it'd most likely be best if he didn't ask. Besides, he reasoned, it's probably something boring anyways. Totally.
"Ah, the… humanarchy. Honestly, I find it fascinating that humans are somehow the most influential species. Like, we're only one step above literal animals in terms of how advanced we are… Most humans are weak enough to get pummeled by a giant and stupid enough to get tricked by a fae. How the hell are we at the top? We need a species-war to knock us down a few pegs, I think," he said confidently, crossing his legs in self-satisfaction. After a moment of staring pleasantly at Cole, his contentment turned to amusement as he, waving his hands in front of himself, said, "I'm joking, of course. War blows."
Lucky watched with a mixture of morbid curiosity and dismay as Cole plucked one of his scales from his chest, eye fixed on the bead of blood which sat in its place. "That—That doesn't hurt?" he asked, wincing. He'd honestly imagined the scales to be something akin to a fingernail; Flamingo was always complaining about her scales, how much it hurt when they got caught on something or were tugged off. Although, Lucky had to admit she'd always been quite the melodramatic.
"Huh," Lucky mumbled, slowly taking the scale as it was offered to him. He examined both sides interestedly, watching with childlike wonder as it caught the light at different angles. "Right." For a moment, he stopped moving completely, as though lost in the amber glisten of the scale he held. In truth, he was thinking, rifling through his brain for a response to the words which have been set out before him. Condolences danced on his tongue, but he failed to speak any of the sorries he'd imagined. Words of advice sat in the base of his throat, but the more he considered them, the more basic and unthoughtful they seemed. At last, as he slowly extended his arm to offer the scale back to Cole, all he could manage was a strained, "I'm… uh, sorry."
Cole looked a little surprised at the other male’s casual mentioning of war. From what Cole himself had gathered, war was unpleasant and rather violent. Though he himself had seen many horrors and had fought many battles, he didn’t ever want to get caught up in war and found the idea a little morbid overall. But he still chuckled when Lucky revealed it as a joke, his eyes sparkling in amusement at the idea of humans learning they were not quite the top of the food chain in this world. Not anymore at least.
“I admit you caught me off-guard with that one, but yeah… humans do need a little bit of a reminder they’re aren’t as strong as they think they are. Funny beings they are.” It was always ‘they’ with him, as if Cole tried to purposefully reject his human heritage for whatever twisted reason stuck in his head. Shihiro was actively trying to fix that thought process. The humans weren’t all that bad and Cole deserved better than his kind had treated him. Shihiro thought Cole was much better off here in the city.
His thoughts were interrupted by Lucky. He stared down at the scale for a moment, his eyes wide. “Oh! Yeah, it does. It’s the same concept as a fingernail, and hurts like hell when it comes off, but I’ve got a high pain tolerance. Been through worse too, better to get rid of them or they itch badly. For me at least. Don’t know what it’s like for other dragons.” He explained, unbothered by the other’s fascination with the pretty, nearly iridescent scale. He had many of the loose buggers and honestly the wonder he felt towards them was nonexistent. He despised them, found their sheen unbearable even. Though there was a small proud emotion rising in his chest at the wonder the other gave his scale. He couldn’t help that, it was a dragon quality for his specific species of dragon. Pride ran deep in his western, fire-breathing blood.
“No need to be. It’s the lot I was given. Can’t do much about it now.” He stared at the scale for a bit before pushing it back into Lucky’s hand. “Keep that, to remind you that you talked to Cole Sparks.” He mused, winking at the other. “Remember his awkwardness and awful self-pity,”
