Same premise, different sacrifice

by SueRose

Summary:

Aziraphale was chosen as a sacrifice to the forest,to ensure his village's safety. He encounteres the dragon Crowley, who tells him about the rules of this old arrangement. Later on,they end up having sex.

Notes:

I am not native in English and there was no beta. I hope you can still enjoy it.
It is not necessary to read the first story, but I do recommend it.

Same premise, different sacrifice

It was a dark and stormy night. It always has to be.  Things like this don’t happen on warm, comfortable midsummer nights. At last not usually. But the reason for this might be, that midsummer would be far too late to offer to the protectors of the village, and not just fitting the mood of any narrator. That was the rule of the ritual.

Said village lies in an usually very quiet valley surrounded by a deep and dark forest that shields it from  intruders and most forces of nature. Except the ones, people decided to rely on ages ago. And over time reliance became dependence, so the people of the village were out of choices, they conveniently liked to believe. They tell themselves and their children, just as they have been told by their ancestors.

It became a habit, one could say. A ritual. A way to protect what they love. To guarantee a rich harvest, to avoid catastrophes, to make sure attackers get lost in the wild without ever reaching their village. It was just a small gift. Just once every three years. A small sacrifice to give for three rich years protected by the forest and it’s inhabitants.

And now in early spring of the third year, it was time again. The One was chosen. The sacrifice to give to the forest, to the mountains around, to their protectors. To the shapeshifters, the fae, the dragons, the mystical creatures that lived among the regular creatures of the wild.

No one had seen them. Not in ages. The old ones had told stories about them. Written them down for him to collect. About their great-grandparents meeting the unseen ones. But it had been more than two centuries, since anyone had ever met one. And was able to tell. That was the point: At least every three years someone met them. Someone saw them. Was taken by them. But no one ever returned. So no one could tell how they looked, who or what they were. What their intentions were. One could only assume they were good. They had to be. They protected the village for more than three hundred years. At least his people believed that. His scrolls had told him that.

This is why he was here now. Why he stood under the large tree beside the cliff. Feet shackled with heavy chains. He could move about two meters, but this would mean getting drenched even more than he already was. Leaving the shelter of the leaves above him. The rain had started some time after he was tied to the large old stem of the… Was it an oak? He was not that good with trees, rather preferred the products  made from their wood.

Anyways, he was glad that the leaves swallowed most of the cold rainwater, so it had taken more than one hour to get him this wet. It was completely dark now. If not for the heavy rain clouds, pushed around by the storm, one would see the cold light of the full moon enlightening the woods and his white robe, but it was impossible right now.

It was the first night of the full moon, that he was certain of. Since it had to be that day. That night. The night of the sacrifice to the forest, which was – as might be obviously to any spectator – him. He had been chosen in the ritual. From a bunch of teenagers and young adults, all unmarried and – of course – untouched. This was one of the things the elders demanded. The rules of the forest. A young one, yet not a child. One that had never been known – in the mythological way.

And of course he had never been! He had had no time for that! And no real desire. He had always been more interested in the written word, than in any actual physical experience. He has always sought shelter in granny Agnes’ library, since he had been a child. She was not really his grandmother, but she had always felt like that. She had taken care of him, after things had gotten difficult with his family. Uncle Metatron had pretty much thrown him out only months after taking him and his older brother Gabriel in, since he had been unable to do the required work properly. He never had interest in deceiving people. Taking their money for a made up blessing. Which more or less lead to him being in this situation now. One should never anger the village’s high priest. Especially not, when he’s amazingly good at cheap tricks.

The election this year had been rigged. Of course. Even without Gabriel telling him right before picking him up, he had had a feeling. It had been pretty much their last chance to get rid of him, the only one who had known about their false practices, now that granny Agnes couldn’t hold her hand over him. She had died only three months before the election. Left her library and all the scrolls and books to him.  And now to a distant relative of hers, who he had written to in the morning before he had been brought out here. So at least the knowledge would be safe. What would happen to him… Well, he was about to die out here for the greater good. For the sake of the village. And he had accepted his fate.

After all, he actually would have been way too old for all of this, it was his own fault, that he never took interest in… In those things. In… Other people. He was responsible for this! Brought it upon himself. Had no right to feel regret.

A shiver ran through his freezing body. He was cold and wet and trembling. He had been out here in the dark for hours, it had to be almost midnight, he supposed. Hard to tell, when one could see no stars, no moon, not even the own nose tip!  And there was nothing he could do! He was tied to this probably scared tree!  And he was desperate! He knew, he would die out here, but his body hurt! He couldn’t bear with this! He was not made for this! He was a bookworm, loving to sit inside, in front of the chimney with a lovely book on his lap and a mug of cocoa beside him.  He wasn’t fit to be outside here. Why couldn’t this… This entity that was about to take him just hurry up?

Patience was a virtue, but he was running out of it. He was cold. Thought that maybe his chubby body were able to keep the warmth longer, but he had to admit, that he was wrong. He felt the cold in his bones. Trembling once more. And then, he finally sank to his knees. He was hopeless. He would die from this weather, before any creature would even consider him as food! And he started sobbing. Crying. Tears ran down his cheeks, fell onto the muddy ground. But he couldn’t care less. Who would see him like this anyways?

“On no, princess, you are crying”, he suddenly heard a voice say. Not far away, but swallowed by complete darkness. He was unable to see it’s owner, but from the sound of it, he was definitely a ‘he’.

“Oh, uh… I am not a princess…”, he explained. Trying to suppress a whimper. He felt pathetic.

“Damsel in distress?”, the voice suggested. Undeniably amused.

“Not at all. I’m a sacrifice to the forest. It’s just freezing cold and wet”, he told the owner of the voice, trying to keep himself together.

“Sounds a lot like you’re looking for someone to safe you…”

“Not at all… Actually I am waiting to meet my fate in a different way”, he sighed. Calming down a little. He breathed in and out and tried to keep the tears from running down his cheeks.

“Fate sounds good. I’m all ‘bout fate. Let’s talk ‘bout fate some more, after I got you outta here”, the voice suggested. He could almost hear the smirk on an unknown face. And he imagined it being nonchalant and… Well, he liked the idea.

“That sounds lovely, but you can’t just break the chains, I’m a sacrifice after all. I am supposed to stay here and wait for the forest to take me”, he sighed. After all this was his duty, and… He couldn’t just betray the village. The people’s safety depended on him!

“Won’t be a problem. Don’t worry ‘bout that…”, the voice laughed. And the sound was not at all unpleasant.

“I am not…”

“Just don’t move for a sec, ‘kay?”, the voice said and then there was a bright red flame, enlightening the area, lighting up the face of the sacrifice and…

With a high pitched scream on his lips, terror in his eyes, the world around him suddenly became white, then dark. He lost consciousness. Just like that.

 

He had a nice dream. He knew immediately it was a dream, since granny Agnes was in it, sitting with him in the library, in front of the warm fireplace  enjoying a hot cocoa. She smiled at him. Set the book she was reading aside on the table next to her. And she told him something. Something important. But he did not hear her. Did not understand. What was his fate? He did want to know. But she didn’t repeat it. What was it, she was saying about faces? He had no idea! He desperately wanted to know! But then the world became foggy. The dream. He was about to wake up. He knew this. He felt it.

Felt his body. The cold. And the warmth in his face. The warmth of fire. Tried to move his limbs. They felt a little numb, but they were there. His to control. More or less.

“The princess is coming to. Great timing”, he heard a voice. At first far away, through thick fog, but he knew that this was because of his still half-dreaming state. The voice was here. With him. And it sounded amused.

“Uhn?”, he mumbled. Moving his eyelids. He knew, he had to wake up. Find out, where he was. And why he was there. He had to open his eyes, no matter how heavy they felt.

“Sleeping like an angel, aren’t we?”, the voice mused. Now very close. And now he felt something against his cheek. Dry, soft and warm. He had no idea, what that was. But he had to know! So he finally opened his eyes. Blinked. Looked into giant gold yellow eyes with slit pupils, right in front of him. A face covered in dark scales. It’s owner had lowered it, to look at him like this.

“Oh bugger!”, he whispered. Suddenly wide awake. His heart beating like he had been chased through the forest. Which… He technically could do. Run and be chased through the forest. But that was unreasonable! This, this thing looked like it would catch him without any effort.

So he just lay still and stared at it with fear in his eyes. So, that was it, then. He was getting eaten by a dragon. A giant dragon. With black and red scales and serpentine yellow eyes. This was his end. Well, he had expected something like that.

“You’re not trying to run?”, the dragon asked, scanning him with it’s eyes.

“I’m the sacrifice. So I assume, you have every right to eat me?”, he tried to explain. His voice was shaking. As if he had to remind himself of his role. But he had chosen to accept it. So there was no need to run.

“That’s right. You were sacrificed to me. So you are mine”, the dark reptile grinned, showing it’s large teeth. He never knew that dragons could grin.

“So. Why did you bring me here? You could have eaten me out there, at the tree…”, he wanted to know. Trying not to be scared.

“Could have. But where’s the fun? Just eating you right away would be boring….”

“So you’re like a cat?”, he asked a little surprised – he guessed he himself was most surprised about this statement. He was getting in an upright position now. Leaning against a rock behind him. Noticing that he had been covered with furs and pelts. To keep him warm. And he couldn´t stop himself from smiling. That seemed nice. A nice gesture he could not explain at this point. But… He liked it.

“A cat? No one ever called me a cat!”, the dragon grumbled. But seemed rather surprised than angry.

“Cats play with their food. So I assumed it was like that…”

“Hm… Sounds not so wrong… But I am not a cat. I’m a dragon. I´m a mighty predator, you know?”, the dragon grumbled.

“So are cats. Cats are carnivores. They are just smaller…”

“I´m not a fucking cat! Name´s Crowley, if you want to call me something. But NEVER ever call me cat! I’m not… Plush!”

“Oh, no! I would never have assumed that, my dear! Please believe me. I wouldn´t compare such a big and strong reptile to a fluffy ball of mischief!”, the man explained. He rather considered himself being plush and soft. The dragon with it´s dark scales and big but slender body really was not anything like that. “Oh, yes. My name is Aziraphale! I totally forgot! How impolite!”, he then remembered almost shocked by his own rudeness.

“So my snack´s called Aziraphale…”, the dragon grinned.

“I guess so…”, the young man mumbled. Still not letting the cat comparison go. But he would not tell the dragon. It did not seem to like this.

“You hungry, ‘Ziraphale?”, the reptile wanted to know after some seconds of silence.

“What? Oh, err… Well, I guess….” The roaring sound of his stomach ended his helpless stammering. Leading to Aziraphale blushing.

“Hunted a rabbit few hours ago. Need to cook it yourself, I guess. I really don’t know how you humans make this stuff edible for you…”, the dragon sighed and pointed its head towards a small bundle of fur lying on a flat rock close to the fire. A knife had been placed next to it.

“Oh. Thank you very much, my dear. This is so very nice of you-“

“Not nice! Never call me nice! Nice is a four letter word! Not gonna have that! ‘m a big bad dragon! Gonna eat you when the time’s up. So no. Definitely not nice!”, the black beast complained growling in a deep voice. It glared at the man and he could not help it, but laugh gently. He didn’t know why. It seemed a pretty stupid idea to laugh at a giant reptile that just confirmed it was going to eat him, but still… He just couldn’t have helped it. It just slipped out. Maybe because the last few hours were a bit much for his psyche? Maybe he was going mad?

“Oh, I’m so sorry, my dear”, he tried to explain, fighting a smile. Trying to stay serious. He was a sacrifice, held hostage by a dragon! He should not laugh!

“Argh, screw it. Just eat that rabbit already. You’ve been out for two sunrises”, the dragon sighed. Stepping away from him, curling it’s long serpentine tail around it’s slender body. It reminded Aziraphale of a snake, somehow. Yes, now that he could see the whole body of his – what was the dragon? His ward, maybe? – he noticed that it seemed rather slim and very long. Not like most paintings and pictures of dragons he had seen so far. This one’s body was not as plump. In fact it was slender,  hard to notice where it’s neck ended and where it’s tail begun. It looked rather like a snake with arms and legs, than a lizard.

Another rather loud complaint of his empty stomach made him snap out of his thoughts. He took a deep breath, then stood up, only to notice that he was completely naked! With an embarrassed gasp he tried to hide his most private parts from the dragon’s gaze. But this only seemed to amuse it.

“You are turning red, angel”, the dragon chuckled.

“Of course I am! You stripped me, you foul fiend!”, Aziraphale exclaimed. Suddenly very aware of himself. Of his exposed body, his… Well, he WAS rather soft, if not chubby. Unlike the slender reptile.

“Your fabrics were soaked. You would have gotten sick, if I let you keep that on. Better be thankful!”, the dragon snorted. Raising one non-existent eyebrow.

“I, err…”, Aziraphale swallowed. Bit his lower lip. Still covering himself with his hands.

“Over there. There’s a chest with those human fabrics. Feel free to use that stuff”, the dragon – wait, it had a name. It was called Crowley, his brain supplied – pointed to another corner of the cave with it’s snout. He followed it’s gaze and was surprised to find an actual wooden chest near the wall.

Turning his back to the dragon, he made a bee line over to that chest, while still covering his lower body with a fur. But then he had to remove one hand to open the lid, then the second one when he found out, it had some kind of locking mechanism. Embarrassed and trying his best to ignore the dragon watching him, he finally opened the chest and took a look inside.

“Could you…. Could you PLEASE stop staring at me?”,  Aziraphale sighed, while squatting down. Still feeling watched. This was so humiliating!

“Why? I find it really amusing. You look funny like that”, Crowley snickered.

“I am naked, for God’s sake! You are not supposed to look at me like that!”, he tried to explain, Almost desperate.

“I see that you are naked. I am not looking because I enjoy seeing you without the false fur, but because you make a fuss about it. Your reaction is so cute”, the dragon told him.

“Could you just look away?! Please! There is nothing to see for you. I mean… I don’t like this…”, Aziraphale mumbled, suddenly noticing that his eyes started burning a little. He really hated to be stared at. He knew that he was… That he had nothing worth showing to anyone. He was plump and soft and far from attractive. Gabriel had told him for years and he was just too aware of it. So he hated being stared at! He had always hated it! This was why he always went to the bath house very early in the morning, when no one else was there. Or he cleaned himself in Agnes’ little bathroom in the flat above the library, so he could be alone. So no one had so see his body. Well… No wonder he just as still untouched (who would, anyways?).

“Hey, are you okay? You’re not about to cry, because of this, are you?”, Crowley asked from behind. Shit. It had noticed. The young man wiped his eyes and shook his head.

“No. Not at all. Sorry. But… Please don’t look at me. I hate it…”, he tried to explain, suppressing the shaking in his voice.

“I don’t really get you humans… What is your problem with covering your body?”, the dragon sighed, but did as it was asked. And finally, as it looked away, Aziraphale felt able to grab into that chest and look for something to put on.

“Well, I guess it’s only natural… I mean, it’s a private thing. You don’t usually show this to other humans like… like…”, the man tried to explain, looking for an analogy while scanning the fabrics, looking for something that might fit him. Something that was not a gown. “Ah, I think I have it now!”, he then exclaimed.

“Huh?”, asked the dragon.

“Animals do not usually wear clothing. Some have fur or feathers to keep them warm…”

“Yes. I have scales…”

“Correct. But I mean… Err… Most animals do not show their sexual organs, unless for mating purposes. I read about that. I mean… You see, you would not want everyone to see your… Your…”

“My dick?”, Crowley supplied.

“Yes. Yes, that…”, Aziraphale mumbled, finally having found a beige linen tunic that would probably fit and some kind of cloth he could use as an improvised undergarment. At least to cover his most private areas.  He got dressed as fast as he could, ignoring another loud sound of his stomach.

“Hm. So you say you don’t want me to see your dick? And you don’t want other humans to see it either?”, the dragon asks.

“Yes. Pretty much this… “

“But you do show it when you’re mating, aren’t you?”

“Pardon?!”, the blonde man exclaimed.

“Your dick. You don’t keep it hidden when you’re fucking”, Crowley repeated it’s question.

“I! I don’t do this! I mean… That’s a rude question! I’m not going to answer this!”, Aziraphale shouts at it, voice about an octave higher than it should have been. Cheeks red as the scales at the dragon’s belly.

“Okay, angel. Got that. No sex questions for you”, the dragon muses. “But now you should really start getting your food ready, or your stomach will start eating you up…”, it adds.

“I won’t starve that fast…”, the man sighed patting his own much too soft belly over the fabric of the tunic. But the dragon was not wrong. He really was hungry. So he started preparing the animal. He had done that with Agnes a few times. He knew the basics of cooking. She had taught him. And there were books. Books about cooking.

 

“So… You will eat me?”, he asked when he sat by the fire, roasting the meat he cut off on some sticks. The dragon lay on the opposite side of the flames, watching him carefully.

“I said so. Yes”, it answered.

“But not now?”

“No. You still have two full moons. It’s a ritual, y’know. Need to keep you alive until then. After that I can eat you and your village will be safe”, it explained.

“Ah, I understand. So I have two months, until I meet my fate?”

“Yeah. Just stay here and be good. Otherwise I will kill you before the time’s up. That’s fine with the rules. You can be good, can’t you?”

“I guess… I mean, I’ve… I am used to doing as I am told, I think… Though my family might disagree…”, he mumbled.

“Not on good terms with your kind?”, Crowley asked.

“Something like that, my dear fellow… It’s a long story…”

“We’ve got some time. You can tell me. Or do you prefer sitting in the corner crying or screaming at me? Could do that as well…”

“Why should I do that?”

“Well…. That’s what the humans usually do. Screaming or not talking at all…”

“Oh… That’s not very polite. Do you enjoy talking?”

“Hm… Don’t have much experience talking with humans. But I don’t dislike talking to you. You are interesting. So? Mind telling me about your kin?”, the dragon wanted to know.

Aziraphale did not mind. So he told the dragon about his life, his family and everything he never told anyone, but granny Agnes. And it was strange. They talked the whole day and half of the night, or rather, he talked. Crowley listened. And he liked it. It felt good to finally have someone to talk to. Someone who was not annoyed by him talking, by his voice, his way of speaking, the things he said and pretty much everything.

He started at the beginning. His birth. Or at least what he could remember. He told the dragon about his parents, the few things he still remembered, about his five years older brother Gabriel, about how their parents had died in an accident and how his uncle Metatron, the high priest took him and his brother in. About how his cousins Uriel, Michael, Sandalphon and Saraqael had been teasing him all along. How everyone treated him. How he spent all his time visiting granny Agnes’ library, ever since he started reading. How she practically took him in, without asking questions, how she gave him things to read, a place to sleep and food. In exchange he had started taking care of the building, sorting books, cleaning up, he even made the laundry! Everything he could to make himself useful. For over fifteen years, just until she had died and left the library to him.

He told Crowley how sad he was because of that. And how his family did not even provide a proper funeral service for her. Not sparing comments on how useless she had been to the whole village, how sassy, how she had always criticized their ancient practices. How they ridiculed him, calling him the chubby stray she picked up from the streets…

“How dare they?”, the dragon grumbled, breathing out a small flame towards the wall, so it would not hurt Aziraphale. It seemed angry.

“They have always been like that, you know? You get used to this…”, he sighed, trying a smile but it did not reach his eyes.

“They really called you fat?”

“Hm… It’s not wrong, though…”

“You’re not fat, angel. Not at all. Don’t let that get to you”, the dragon ensured him. Looking at him.

“Hm…”, the blonde mumbled, not replying to that. He did not know what to say at all. He did not know whether it was serious or not. Did it really mean it that way? Well, it was a dragon. It did not know anything about human beauty standards, did it?

“Not gonna say anything?”, Crowley asked after a long silence.

“I do not know what to say, actually. I mean… That sounded like a compliment. No one compliments me…”

“They better should. You’re quite an amazing human”, it told him.

“Oh, nothing like that!”

“Oh yes. Don’t talk back. I’m a dragon. I’m always right”, it grinned.

“Are you?”

“Of course! So? You’re a librarian? Hoarding books ‘n stuff?”

“Well, I guess, you could say so…”, Aziraphale answered after thinking for a moment. Hoarding books? He never thought of it that way, but probably that was not wrong.

“Sounds like fun. I’m a dragon. I like hoarding stuff, though mostly trinkets and stuff I like to look at. Think, I might also have some books somewhere…”, the dragon explained and the man’s eyes started shining at that moment.

“You have books?”, he wanted to know, staring at it. Smiling like it just offered him a giant cup of ice cream with marshmallows. And cream.

“Yes, a few, I guess…”, Crowley replied. Thoughtful.  As if he tried to recall. “Want me to fetch ‘em for you?”

Aziraphale’s smile brightened even more, but then his face suddenly froze, jaw stiffening. And then a loud and lazy yawn escaped him, so sudden, it took him completely by surprise.

“Tired?”, the dragon asked.

“I suppose… Is it possible to resume this conversation after a good night sleep?”, the man wanted to know. “I mean, if you will have me?”

“You’re welcome, little angel. Just sleep. Take all you need to make a nice and comfy nest”, Crowley chuckled, as the man yawned again, suddenly feeling so very tired.

 

Strangely Aziraphale hardly noticed time flying by the following weeks. He just talked to Crowley, read some of the books the dragon had gathered over time – not many, but each carefully kept with richly decorated backs – went on walks and hunting with him – he started referring to Crowley as ‘he’ somewhere in the process of getting to know him, since, well, yes. He was a male dragon. That much was obvious to a human like him. He just came to get along with him.

“And then Hastur just threw me off that cliff, like I was just some piece of shit! Can you believe that? Good thing, that giant piece of dog shit pissed off ages ago!”, Crowley told him one night. He did not speak about his family very often. About him in general. His past. So Aziraphale felt quite happy when their nightly conversation suddenly took that turn, though he did not exactly like what he told him. That just did not sound very friendly.

“Oh no, poor boy! How could he do that to you? That’s impossible!”, he exclaimed more than mildly shocked. Well, his own family pretty much sacrificed him to a forest beast – no, not a beast, Crowley was far from being a beast, but they would not have know this – but at least they did not try to shove him off some cliff.

“Was very possible. But hey, at least they leave me alone now. All got what they wanted and wandered off to who-knows-where…”, the dragon shrugged. “Finally left me alone about… Fifty years ago or so…”

“Is that good or bad?”, the young man asked, leaning against the scaly but yet unexpectedly soft side of the dragon. The reptile was half curled around him, warming his back, while he sat close to the fire, a book in his lap. But he had stopped reading about an hour ago, when they started this conversation about the story in the book and somehow drifted to unpleasant experiences with family or friends.

“Good, I guess. I’m rather here on my own, than stuck with those assholes”, Crowley explained, slapping the tip of his tail on the ground angrily.

“I think, I do agree on that… So that Hastur was… A friend or family?”

“Nah, never! Wouldn’t call that wanker a friend! My brother, that asshole! The youngest one, before me, I mean…”

“So you have more siblings?”, the blonde asked carefully, not knowing if he brushed a sensitive topic.

“Yes…”

“You do not want to talk about it?”, he assumed.

“Nah, no, not really. ‘m not that close to my family and stuff…”

“I understand. I will not ask any further. But thank you for telling me, my dear…”

“My… Dear?”, the dragon repeated.

“Oh, I am sorry, did I overstep?”, Aziraphale asked, leaning forward, away from the warm flank. It felt strange to lean against an entity who’s personal boundaries he just brushed.

“No, no, not at all. It’s just… I don’t like their attitude and all… Being mighty dragons, rulers of forests and mountains, taking, killing and ravishing all they like, just because they’re bigger and stronger… not so much my style…”, Crowley admitted. “You can… Y’know… I don’t mind if you sit like that…”, he added with a small voice.

“Oh, Okay. Thank you, dear”, the man smiled and sighed in relieve. Leaned back against the warm scales and closed his eyes for a moment. How could a reptile be so warm and soft? The skin felt like fine silk and he assumed the warmth came from the dragon’s fire inside. But he did not know for sure, did not dare to ask.

“May I….”, he started after a while. Dared. But then dropped that thought quickly and bit his lip. The idea that suddenly came to his mind seemed much more of an overstepping than those personal questions.

“May you?”, the dragon asked, tilting his head to look at him.

“Erm, just forget about that, my dear. I was thinking stupid thoughts…”

“Ya don’t look like you’d be capable of thinking stupid things….”

“No, no, I had a rather stupid idea…”

“Tell me?”

“Well, I must admit, I was wondering… You know… You are very warm and I thought that maybe I was a little curious, how touching your skin might feel… Me overstepping again, I assume?”, Aziraphale mumbled, feeling the heat in his cheeks. Why was he blushing? He did not quite understand. He had just gotten curious, thinking about how warm and soft the reptile felt.

“You want to… Touch me?”, Crowley asked slowly. As if in disbelief.

“Just, err… Pat you a little? Maybe?”

“You’re not joking? You really are… You want to touch my scales?”, he wanted to know.

“Yes?”, the blonde admitted. “I mean, I don’t really want to make you uncomfortable… I was just wondering, how those might feel…”, he added. Well, he had only occasionally touched the dragon’s front legs with his hand, when they had been out in the forest. Or leant against him. But he never actually touched.

“No, no. Not making me uncomfy or anything. It’s just… Humans don’t usually want to touch. They prefer to stay away…”

“Oh. I guess…. The others kept their distance?”

“Screaming for two moon cycles straight or curling up in a corner… Some tried to flee. But no one ever wanted to… Touch…”, the dragon admitted. “But, err… Don’t mind. Wouldn’t mind….”

“So… May I?”, Aziraphale asked, turning his upper body a little, lifting his hand carefully.

“Please”, Crowley smiled. Could he smile? Well, his face certainly looked, like this. Not a toothy grin, but an almost shy smile. He tilted his head invitingly.

And the blonde man finally placed his palm on his skin. Soft. Warm. And dry. He could feel the scales under his fingers, as he carefully started to move his hand. Feeling every small scale against his skin. He felt good. There was no other way to phrase it. Aziraphale liked the feeling.

At first very careful and shy he started exploring the dragon’s skin. Fascinated by it. He never knew his own fingers could be this sensitive when carefully examining a surface. And he was so very careful. As if this scaly dragon skin was a rare ancient book he was going to restore.

“That feels… Good…”, Crowley mumbled after a short while. He had closed his eyes, placed his head on his arms on the ground. Obviously enjoying it.

“May I continue?”, Aziraphale asked in a low voice. He was surprised himself, when he heard it. His throat felt a little dry. But he did not want to mind. He wanted to go on. It felt so nice. Calming. Fascinating. And somehow warming. In a good way he could not quite explain. There were no books on this in Agnes’ library.

“Pleassssse…..”, the dragon hissed. The voice send a shiver down Aziraphale’s spine. But he tried to ignore this. Caressed the scales instead. Exploring. Curious. There were mostly soft scales on the dragon’s belly. The red ones. The black ones covering most of his body were firmer. Harder. Some even several centimeters thick. Protecting the dragon like armor. Maybe it was. Those scales he could not move with his fingers. But there were the soft ones. When he ran his spread fingers over them, he could see them giving in under him. Just like the soft skin on his own belly. So soft and delicate. Vulnerable. He was certain, those scales were easily penetrated by any blade – not that he would even consider this!

Crowley made a sound that almost resembled a soft purr. No, he was definitely not a cat. He just enjoyed a good caressing, like any being would. The young man was sure, he himself would enjoy it as well. When had he ever been touched like this? Aziraphale could not even remember. But he imagined, it must feel very good. So he wanted to go on. Because he liked doing so. He enjoyed petting his dragon. Caressing his side, his neck until he felt his arm getting tired. So he changed the side. Turned his body and started stroking the other hand up and down the dragon’s body to his left hand side. He was curled around him, so Aziraphale could reach his long tail, if he wanted to. Or this folded wings. But right now he enjoyed the feel of those very soft, almost fragile red scales. How they were mostly so very small and delicate. But not all, he noticed. There were also some larger scales, right there. He expected them to be firm, like the black ones. But they were not. They were just as silky and soft, as the others.

“Hnn….”, Crowley sighed. Exhaling a deep breath. That sounded good. Like he liked it. And Aziraphale liked him liking that. He wished there had been more books on dragons in the library. He wanted to know more. He wished to know more about Crowley. But he couldn’t just ask, could he? About the scales. Whether Crowley had to shed every now and then, like many reptiles. How it felt. He read about snakes a lot but he had no idea what dragons were like. That they could feel this good. That they could make him feel that warm.

“Feels… Good?”, he whispered. Somehow breathless. But well, he was enjoying this. And he did not really speak in the past minutes. Or swallow.

“Very…. You feel good…”, the dragon admitted, making him blush.

“Thank you…”, Aziraphale mumbled leaning his cheek against the soft scales. Closing his eyes. Caressing every centimeter he could reach. He was really thankful that the dragon let him. That he could touch. Could indulge in a desire he never knew he even had. He never really wanted to touch anything or anyone – which pretty much lead to this situation in the first place. But now he wanted to. He wanted to feel this soft texture under too sensitive fingertips. Enjoy the alien but comforting feeling. He sighed.

“Hhhh….”, Crowley breathed. Aziraphale had not noticed until now, but he could swear, his heartbeat went faster than before. Well, not only his. Subconsciously his own heart must have picked up the same rhythm, beating faster than it should, given the circumstances. He should be relaxed. But he was not. Not just that.

“You… You should stop….”, the dragon sighed after a while. Barely audible.

“Oh… But… Why?”, Aziraphale asked after a moment. He was mildly confused, but did not stop his ministrations. He was enjoying it so much. He did not want to stop.

“This feels… Good…”

“Yes? It does…”, he confirmed. He enjoyed touching those bigger red scales. How they were so soft, but underneath still firm. Like he could feel well trained muscles underneath them. It was fascinating.

“Yes. Very good…. Please stop….”

“Why? You like this, don’t you?”, he whispered putting a little pressure on his fingertips, while sliding them over those scales.

“Hnn… Fuck, Aziraphale!”, Crowley moaned. Moaned. It was definitely a moan. “You have… No idea…”

“About what? Tell me, please. I don’t understand”, the man explained. Sliding his finger over the largest of the red scales. It seemed to have changed slightly, so he opened his eyes to take a look. It had suddenly become some kind of bulky, rising from the body a little. Just a few millimeters. That caught his attention. He was fascinated once again, almost forgetting that he was in the middle of a conversation. Observing what was happening. Was something happening? He just had to touch.

“Ah, fuck! Don’t just suddenly do that!”, Crowley complained. But his voice was neither sharp nor anyhow convincing. Then Aziraphale felt a shudder going through the dragon’s whole body. The big scale rose further.

“You like that?”, he stated. It was not really a question. Rather an observation 

“Fuck, I do! But you don’t… You have no idea, what you’re doing!”, the dragon hissed, as he stroked along that scale again, suddenly feeling something warm. Something soft right under that scale. “Ahhnn!”

“I… What am I doing?”, the blonde wanted to know. He had no idea. He was doing something, yes. Something Crowley’s body reacted to. And his own… Maybe his own body reacted as well. He was almost stunned by this. Had always been curious.

“Touching my… Cloacal sssscale…”, the dragon hissed. He never heard him hissing that much in the past weeks. Maybe he had more of a snake, than Aziraphale would have suspected. Well… That would mean…

“Cloacal scale?”, he repeated, deep in thoughts. That rang a bell. Again he slid his fingers over the scale, towards the warm wet something he could feel.

“Angel! Ssssstop!”, Crowley exclaimed, shuddering. The scale opened further.

“This is…”, Aziraphale whispered, observing what was happening. And then the penny dropped. He understood.

“Fuck, angel! You’re touching my…”, the dragon tried to explain. But did not have to. Not at all, because the part the blonde was caressing was finally fully opened up, presenting a pink and wet something. Just for a moment. Then something emerged from there.

“Hemipenes…”, Aziraphale finished the sentence after a while. Staring at… At this! At exactly this. Directly next to his fingertips, expanding rapidly. Two pink, long, slippery, hard hemipenes. He had read about this. About snakes. About… Oh holy! Some of the slick liquid dripped on the back of his hand. He still did not pull back. Absolutely overwhelmed.

“Fuck, yes. This.”

“They are….”, Aziraphale whispered. Staring at them. He had never seen anything like that. Maybe sketches of animals. But nothing like them! They were large. Pink. Hard. Probably as long as his forearm and each as thick as a cucumber. They were impressive and… “Beautiful….”

“You wot?!”, Crowley asked. And he felt the dragon’s gaze on him.

“May I… Touch them?”, the man wanted to know. Out of a whim. He did not know himself why that thought suddenly came to him. But he was curious. And… Well, he did not feel uncomfortable. Quite the opposite actually. Nothing in his body tells him, to retreat. To flee. To pull back.

“You wot?!”, the dragon repeated. Louder. Voice maybe about an octave too high.

“I, err… Sorry, I didn’t want to, I mean… Just curious…”, Aziraphale mumbled. Biting his lower lip. Did he overdo it? Was that too much? He really shouldn’t ask inappropriate questions like that. Of course he could NOT touch someone’s – a dragon’s – penis! Penises. How could he even ask a question like this? That was… He was impossible! Rude!

“You’re serious?”, said dragon asked. Taking a deep breath. He could feel his gaze literally penetrating the back of his head.

“I… Yes. I was serious…”, he admitted, without moving. He felt hot. Definitely not only out of embarrassment. His own eyes still fixated on the two shafts.

“Whatever… Just, just do what ya want, will ya?”, Crowley muttered. Watching him.

And Aziraphale was surprised. He had not expected this. Okay, if he was honest, he had not expected anything that happened in the last hour, so well. He could just go with it? He really was curious. He wanted to know what those hemipenes felt like. He. Wanted. To. Touch. Those. Hard. Dicks! The realization struck him absolutely unprepared. He had never wanted to touch anyone’s whatever parts before.

Well, to be honest, he had always known, that there were certain features of the human body he preferred. That he liked to look at. In books! Not in the real world! He would never have dared to look at anyone’s parts! God, he had hated this! Because it would have usually required him showing his own! He had always gone to the bath house terribly early in the morning or had used Agnes’ facilities to clean himself, just to avoid seeing people. Or being seen! But yes.

Yes, in general he knew what he liked. Agnes had had books. Forbidden ones, as far as he knew. Books with certain contents. With descriptions of people… Making out. There were even few texts that described men. And men. So… Men who fell in love with other men. Who desired them. And had romantic and sexual encounters with them. He had hidden those books under his mattress. Had read them more than once. Had loved them. Well, yes. He had liked the descriptions of male bodies. Of penises. Sexual intercourse between men. He had always liked penises.

But he had never dated; let alone even dared to actually want to touch one! Except for his own on so many shameful nights. But that hardly counted. And now there were two fully erect penises right in front of him. Only millimeters away from his hand. Covered with slick. Slightly twitching, while he stared at them. Heavens! He stared at them! He shouldn’t stare at penises!

“Can… Can I really…?”, he asked. Carefully lifting a finger. A shaking finger. He was nervous. But the tip of his nail brushes against the hot skin. It looked so terribly fragile. Sensitive.

“Fuck, if you just want to stare, do that! But if you want to touch, well, whatever. Feel free…”, the dragon murmured, moving his tail, like a nervous… Well, he probably WAS nervous, the man realized. Just like him.

So he gathered all his courage and lifted his hand. Turned it around and touched the skin carefully. It felt as sensitive as it looked. His fingertips were instantly covered by this slick substance that surrounded the hemipenes. 

“Hhhhh…..”, he heard Crowley breath. That was an interesting reaction. No. Actually not. Because that was just a very normal reaction to… To getting touched. He should know that. He was familiar with this, wasn’t he? Of course it felt good, to touch an erect penis!

Speaking of erect penises, he suddenly became very aware of the fact, that the fabric of his tunic barely hid a very visible bulk underneath. When exactly had that happened? He had been so into watching his dragon – this dragon! – that he had not noticed his own body reacting to… To whatever.

He had ignored it until now, so he could ignore it longer. There were those two erect dicks right in front of him. And he was touching them! Well, not really. He actually just had his fingertips gently brushing against one of them. That did not even meet his own definition of touching. So he slid them upwards, towards the tip, where more liquid was dripping from.

“Ssssssshit!.”, Crowley hissed. Both penises twitched.

“Can I… Can I touch them however I like?”, the blonde asked, biting his lower lip once again. The thought of doing exactly what he had asked, did things to him. Things he sometimes had experienced when reading those books he did not speak about with anyone. He started to understand something about himself. His body. And he was not sure if he liked it.

“Yessss! However you… Fuck… You really want thisss?”

“If you do not mind, my dearest”, he said. Gulping. That sounded a lot more confident, than he felt. Well, he was determined, but he did not have any kind of experience with whatever that was going to become. He had absolutely no idea, what he was doing. And probably he really shouldn’t DO that. But who was going to tell him not to? Who was going to deny him this? Crowley didn’t seem to oppose the general idea. He actually sounded like he was going to enjoy it.

“Don’t mind. Wouldn’t. But… Fuck, do that again!”, the dragon exclaimed, as he placed his hand over the head of one penis and grabbed it carefully. Yes. Yes, he liked this. No doubt.

“This?”, Aziraphale asked, moving his hand over the slippery glans. It resembled one, at least. He was not sure if this was the correct term, but he did not know what he might call it. It looked different from his own penis. There were two penises, for heaven’s sake! And each looked… Appealing. He liked how they looked. How they felt.  He assumed the other one did not feel that different from the one he was touching right now. Properly touching.

“Yesssss!”, Crowley hissed a reply. And as the blonde closed his hand around the shaft and started sliding it downwards, he felt the dragon’s body shaking.

He was touching a dragon’s penis. One of the two hemipenes. Barely fitting his hand around it. Stroking it down and then up again. This was not scientific curiosity. Definitely not! He was not comparing it to what he knew about snakes. He was not examining it. No. He was rubbing it! He was rubbing a dragon’s hard penis! And he was enjoying it! So very much.

“Ah, oh, fuck, that’sss…. So good”, the dragon sighed, while he was… Well he was obviously pleasuring him with his hand. Getting him off. Was that, what he wanted, Aziraphale asked himself. Did he really want to jerk off a dragon’s cock? With his hand?

To be honest, he just could not deny that. He enjoyed it. The feeling, the sounds Crowley made! It was mouth watering! So very good. He felt those sounds directly reaching into his lower body, making his own prick twitch. How did he end up here? He had no idea. But right now he couldn’t care less. Because he liked it. Because this thick cock in his hand felt marvelous.

With a pitiful look, he gazed at the other penis. It twitched neglected, dripping more of the slippery liquid. He didn’t want to let go of the penis he was stroking, but he also could not bear not touching the other, so he turned his body, got up on his knees, leaned towards the dragon’s lower body, towards the hemipenes and placed a gentle kiss on the tip of the neglected penis.

“Hnnnn!!”, was the prompt response. With rapidly increasing heartbeat, Aziraphale repeated the action. Unable to grasp what he was doing there. Why he was doing this. But well, he had nothing to lose, so he could just give in to whatever desire that was, leading him to do this.

As far as he knew, he was going to die anyways. So he could just do as he pleases, for once in his life? Give in to whatever that was. Indulge in this strange feeling.

He opened his mouth. He was so close to that penis anyways. So he could as well taste it. As long as Crowley did not object. So he slid out his tongue and licked it. Licked the tip of one of the dragon’s hemipenes. It tasted salty. But also a little sweet. He knew of nothing he could compare the taste to. Not at all unpleasant, but… Unexpected. So forbidden. And… He liked it. His body liked it. He felt the wet stain his own hardness left in the piece of fabric that he used as underwear.

“Oh, fuuuck, angel….”, the dragon moaned, as he licked around the glans. This was crazy. Absolute madness! He had no idea why he was doing this! Just… Because he wanted to. Like he had wanted to come back to Agnes’ library, back when he was a child. He had no explanation for this, especially not a rational one. He just did it, because he wanted to. Because it felt right. Because he enjoyed it. Because… God, these were the most beautiful and perfect penises he had ever dreamed of!

“I want to… May I take one in my mouth?”, he asked. Politely. Like this was just a regular question you ask your dragon captor over reading your good-night-lectures. How could something so absolutely wrong feel so right?

“What… Whatever. Do as you pleassssse”, Crowley replied, breathing heavily. He wondered for a moment whether the dragon was more familiar with a situation like this, than he was, but dropped that thought as soon as he parted his lips, to sink them down on the penis he was not stroking with his right hand, giving it the attention it deserved. “Oh, oh, fuck! You were… Sssssserioussss!”, the owner of the penises moaned surprised.

“Hm-m”, Aziraphale mumbled, unable to form words, while he opened up wider, letting more of the dick sink into his soft wet mouth. And he was surprised what that did to him. He had always wondered, why a man would want to suck a penis, when he does not feel anything by doing that. Could not believe the descriptions in the dirty books, but now he had to admit: it did a lot to him. He felt his whole body tremble with pleasure, just for a short moment, but it was unbelievably intense, he desperately wanted to feel this again.

So he continued, what he was doing. Making the dragon feel good. Carefully sucking on one penis he was grabbing, while stroking the other one. Subconsciously rubbing his thighs together  hoping to create some friction for… Well, he was painfully hard and honestly speaking: he wouldn’t mind some relief. But he had no free hand and absolutely did not want to stop what he was doing.

Nothing could have prepared him for a situation like this. His mind was far too innocent for this! Yes, he had imagined some things with a hot stranger – mostly sinful touching in the darkness, where no one would know the other – but THAT was nothing his brain could have provided. An hour ago he had not even known he was into dragon dicks. He was, was he? Well, he was…

“Fuck, angel! Oh holy fuck! Azzzzzzieaphale!”, the dragon hissed and suddenly he felt something warm curling around his tights, shoving up the fabric of the tunic. Scales rubbing over his exposed skin. And he knew without looking, without interrupting his ministrations, that it was the dragon’s long tail.

“Hm?”, he tried to voice, while bobbing his head up and down on the dick, in the same rhythm he was stroking the other. He was surprised. But he did not dislike the feeling. It was as if Crowley was holding on to him. Like he was embracing him.

“Don’t ssstop! Pleassssse”, the dragon hissed, holding him tight. Pressing his tail against Aziraphale’s skin. Against his lower body and the man could not withstand the temptation. He started pressing his still restrained hardness against the scaly skin.

Oh heavens, that felt good! So very good. He wanted more! Why did he want more? This was... This was perverted! Forbidden! And so very hot! He really should not do that! This was against all common sense he ever had possessed. But he wanted to. He wanted to make the dragon come. Wanted to feel the hemipenes twitch and squirt, because of him. Because of his touches. Fuck, he wanted to taste his come. Well, he really was quite perverted, wasn’t he? How unexpected. He sometimes wondered, if other men’s come would taste like his own, but that had been just a vague idea. This was so much more real. So… So close. And he did not have any reason to be ashamed. Who would judge him? He was a dead man anyways, wasn’t he? So he could at least indulge in what he had missed in the last twenty-three years.

“Fuck, angel! You’re sssssso good. Keep sssssucking like sssssat!”, Crowley hissed, constricting him almost painfully tight. Almost.

With a muffled moan, Aziraphale pressed his groin against the scales, moving his hips, like he never tried before, while sucking one penis in as deep as he could, until he felt himself gagging on the massive hard flesh. But he could not care less. It felt good. And he wanted Crowley to feel good. He wanted him to enjoy this. He felt a load of precum leaking from the tip, oozing into his mouth. And it tasted… Well, he did not like the salty, slightly sweet, but little bitter taste in particular, but his body reacted to it in an instant. Like some kind of reflex, he had not been aware of, until now. A shudder went down his spine, directly into his twitching cock and balls. He had never been aware that something could feel this intense! Oh, he desperately longed for some friction. He wanted to touch, to get some relief. He wanted to get off.

“Oh, fuck angel!”, the dragon exclaimed, tightening the grip a little more. And then the man felt his whole body tensing up. Shuddering. The penis in his mouth started pulsing, pumping hot liquid down Aziraphale’s throat. Making him swallow most of it. But it was so much. So god damn much! Some spilled out between his lips, running down the hard shaft. He tried to suppress the urge to gag, but there was just so much! He had not expected that! Well… What had he expected?

“Hnngh!”, he coughed, as he pulled back. Leaving a thread of saliva and sperm on his lower lip. He licked it subconsciously. Trying to catch his breath. One hand was still holding the other erection, but he had stopped moving it, while trying to get a hold of himself. He still felt very hot. Very constricted. And his undergarment was dripping wet, rubbing against his still hard prick. He was exhausted. But he wanted more. Needed more. He had nothing to lose. What should happen? Crowley was going to eat him anyways! So he could just as well try his luck. Try to get what he really desired once in his lifetime! 

“Holy fuck, angel, you….”, the dragon breathed heavily.

“More. I want more, Crowley”, Aziraphale interrupted him, turning around – as much as possible, while a scaly tail still held his thighs. Looking at the reptile’s face. Into his golden eyes, folding his hand in his lap, on the tail.

“You wot?!”, Crowley replied, looking at him in complete disbelief.

“I want more of this. Please. Can I? Would you let me?”

“You… Yer serious? You are… Fuck me! You can’t be serious ‘bout something like that!”, he sighed, still   penetrating him with his gaze.

“Would you… Would you like to, to put it inside me?”, the blonde mumbled, looking up to him with shy puppy eyes.

“Oh fucking hell! You’re trying to kill me here!”, Crowley exclaimed, trying to withstand this… Well, he tried to look not too effected by all of this, the man guessed. But the dragon failed miserably.

“No?”, Aziraphale tried. “So… You don’t want to?”, he added, still looking at him like he was asking for the most delicious dessert, he was trying to deny him.

“Angel! Fuck! No, I… Satan’s bollocks, how can you say things like that? You’re a human! You should not want… Something like that!”, the dragon tried to reason. Which was surprisingly hilarious. At least it made the blonde laugh loudly. Wholeheartedly.

“I want it”, he simply said, after he caught his breath, flashing him a bright smile. “I have never felt this, this pent up before. I, I want it. Really. Please?”, he tried to explain.

“Let me get this straight: You want me to fuck you? You want this? Out of your own free will?”

“Of course! So? Please? Pretty, pretty please?”, he tried the puppy eyes again. While not so innocently pressing a hand on the part of the dragon’s tail that lay curling around his tights, and lower body. Pressing it against the wet bulk under his tunic, searching for friction.

“Fuck! Have you even done this before? Ever? If you haven’t noticed, I’m a dragon!”, Crowley exclaimed with an unusually high pitched voice.

“I noticed. But I still want this. I want you!”, Aziraphale tried to explain calmly. But he was not calm. He was pent up. Horny as hell, as one might say. He usually did not use that kind of language, but desperate times and stuff.

“You want me to fuck you?”, the dragon clarified once again.

“Yes! Please?”

“I’m big. I don’t think you could take me…”

“I want to!”, the blonde said, pressing his groin against the scales.

“You have no idea, what you are talking about! Do you have any experience with this?”

“I have!”, he confirmed hastily. That was not exactly a lie. He did have something like experience. With some of his fingers at least – one could probably call it desperate curiosity, paired with a stinging feeling of shame afterwards. But he had tried that! A few times… Maybe three or four? He felt his cheeks warming up and he knew that he was blushing. But he still tried to hold his gaze.

“You’re an awful liar!”, the dragon sighed, rolling his eyes. But moving his head closer to Aziraphale. Tapping his snout against his forehead.  “You really want me to fuck you?”

“Yesssss”, the man sighed, closing his eyes. Leaning against the warm scales.

“Holy fucking shit… This is absolutely reckless. Stupid!”

“Do it. I want to. Please?”, he begged, looking up, trying to meet his eyes. And then he felt the tail loosening its grip. Uncurling and slipping away. And he instantly missed the tight grip. The feeling against his most private parts.

“Get rid of those clothes. They will get in the way”, Crowley told him. Scanning him with his eyes. As if he was confirming his decision.

“Yes. I will”, the man nodded and started pulling at his tunic, pulling it over his head. Then he started unfastening the fabric he used to cover his private parts. It was in the way now. And it was definitely soaked. Ten he took a deep breath and looked down at himself. Followed the dragon’s gaze. Looked at his round belly, the thick thighs, the plump hard penis peeking out between all this skin, this fat. Oh no, he was so, so… He was so ugly, so fat and plump and round. He hated it. Tried to cover himself with his arms, only to notice, how chubby his upper arms were. He bit his lips, in shame. Pressed his eyes close. Maybe this was a stupid idea.

“You are… Beautiful….”, Crowley whispered tapping his snout against his forehead.

“I am soft. And fat and…”, Aziraphale mumbled, still having his eyes closed.

“You think this is bad?”, the dragon asked. Snorting his hot breath over his face. He just nodded. “Will you stand up for me? Let me look at you?”

“I… Do I have to?”, the man whined. He felt so uncomfortable.

“I want to see you. You’re always covering yourself. I want to see your beautiful body, so I can admire it a little, before indulging in it…”, Crowley explained.

“Oh… Okay…”, the blonde mumbled. Taking a deep breath, before actually standing up. Covering his belly and lower body for a moment. But then he lowers his hands. Eyes still closed he stood still, let the dragon take a look. Let him stare at him. He pressed his lips together, not knowing what he felt in this situation. He felt shame. But also something different. Something that also made his prick Stan it’s ground. Well, he was still hard.

“Hmm… You are… Gorgeous”, the dragon purred. And then Aziraphale felt something sliding up his leg. Something warm and… He recognized the dragon’s tail, caressing his soft skin. When it started to curl around his thigh, he shivered.

“So very beautiful. Your skin is so soft… I want to feel you, angel. I want to spread those lovely cheeks of yours…” the tip of the tail slid between his butt cheeks. Up, until it reached his tailbone, and down again.

“Oh, oh yes…”, Aziraphale sighed. That felt good. Very good.

“Do you still want me to fuck you?”, the dragon asked, sliding the tip of his tail over the sensitive small hole.

“Ahnn…. Yes, please!”, the man gasped. This felt good. And maybe it was okay that the dragon looked at him. Saw his exposed body. Touched him.

“Then show me. Show me where you want to feel me. I want to see your little hole”, Crowley hissed, pulling his tail back. Leaving him feeling unexpectedly lonely. He wanted to feel that touch again. He wanted more. So he turned around, showing his bare buttocks. His thick cheeks. He started trembling.

Heard that the dragon moved. Stood up. So he was no longer curled around Aziraphale. And he felt his stare on him. Breathing heavily, he put both hands behind him and leaned forward. Parted his cheeks. And felt so fully and totally embarrassed. He had never even done anything compared to this! Not even dared to look at himself in the mirror like that! This was so shameful!  But… He had nothing to lose and… Well, it made his stiff penis twitch against his belly.

“Hmm… You look delicious”, the dragon grinned.

And then Aziraphale felt his hot, hard snout pressing against his buttocks.  “Ahhn!”, he exclaimed in surprise.

“I really want to devour your cute little hole…”, Crowley mumbled. “You make my cocky so hard for you…”

“Crowley!”, the man tried to scold him, but then he felt something hot and warm between his spread cheeks. He knew instantly what it was. The dragon was serious! He was sliding his long serpentine tongue over his entrance. And Aziraphale enjoyed it.

“Hmm….”, was the only reaction, before the hot and slippery tongue circled the muscle ring, pressing against it.

And the blonde man took a deep breath. Tried to relax. He had learned that, at least. From the book. And the rare self experiments.

“Oh, holy!”, he sighed, as the tip slid inside. Pushing into him slowly. Licking his insides. Coating his walls with saliva. This. Just this. This was what he has always wanted. What he had been looking for. What he never knew, he wanted. He needed. And he needed this desperately.

The tongue pushed into him, then pulled back. Repeated this action over and over again, deeper each time, until he brushed against a certain part deep inside.

“Ah! There! There, Crowley!”, Aziraphale moaned, trying to wiggle against the tongue, to feel this again. And as it brushed his prostate one more, he let out a small cry. That was good. So very good. Why had he never done that before? Explored this place thoroughly. He should have. He really should have. “Oh please, more!”, he demanded. Greedily.

He usually never let himself indulge in pleasures, and if he did, he at least felt a little guilty, but now he just did not allow himself to feel like this. He wanted this. He wanted to enjoy. To indulge. He wanted to feel this! He wanted it! And his twitching wet penis was proof of this.

His begging seemed to have an effect, because suddenly he felt something else at his entrance. Next to the tongue. And he did not need to think twice, he recognized it. It was the tip of the dragon’s long tail. And it was pressing inside. Opening him up. Making him feel the stretch. A little sting, but then the tail brushed against his prostate and he moaned loudly. That was good. So very good!

“Yes, yes, yes!”, he exclaimed. Leaning in to the touch, the feeling. He wanted it so badly! So he sighed, almost pouted, when the slippery tongue suddenly withdrew. Wiggling his butt, drawing the tail in deeper. “Oh….”

“Greedy thing!”, the dragon tutted. Licking over one of his butt cheeks, fucking him open with his tail. “Oh ssssshit, I want to fuck this gorgeoussss assss of yoursssss”, he hissed.

“Yes, please! Feels so good”, Aziraphale demanded. Oh how he wanted this!

“You sure, you can take one of my cocksss? Fuck, I want to pussssh inssside you!”, Crowley told him, moving his tail inside.

“Yes, yes! Oh, please, Crowley! I want it!”, the man almost whined.

“You beautiful thing…. Ssssshit!”, the dragon hissed, removing his tail. “The rock. Lean over that rock. Then I will fuck your asssss”

Aziraphale needed a moment. Needed to breath. To deal with the sudden feeling of emptiness. To grasp the information that was provided to him. But then he obeyed. He took a few steps on shaky legs. Leaned onto the rock Crowley had meant and waited.

“Please?”, he whispered after a moment of silence. He was so impatient. So greedy.

“Just give me… Ssssecond, angel”, Crowley breathed, but then he heard him approaching. And then, finally, he felt him. Felt his smooth silky red scales on his back. On his buttocks. And then two claws were placed next to his head. He was leaning over him. He was there.

“Oh, Crowley, fuck me!”, Aziraphale sighed.

“Angel, you need to… Relaxxssss”, the dragon hissed as he placed one of his erect penises against his stretched hole. It was so hot and slippery. And it pressed against his muscle ring.

“Yes, oh, yes!”, the man exclaimed. He wanted it! He needed it! He needed that slippery liquid to fill him. This big hard penis. Like he had never needed anything before in his life! If this was his end, he was ready to die. While being split open on this massive hardness! This was… This was unbelievable. It stung, it hurt. But at the same time it felt so damn good! He felt so full and there was still more. So much more!

It took ages until Crowley was finally all the way inside. Until he felt him against his buttocks. Until the other hemipene slid between his thighs, rubbing against his own rock hard dick. And it was wonderful. It was great. Perfection. Everything he ever wanted. Needed. And until now he had never even known.  

“Oh, oh… oh, yes….”, he sighed, completely out of breath.

“You… You’re sssssso tight!”, the reptile hissed, lowering his head. If the man stretched out one arm, he might be able to caress his chin. But his arms were shaking. His whole body was shaking. So he held on to that rock and waited. He did not know exactly for what. For the dragon to move? For him to get used to the stretch, to the fullness. He concentrated on breathing.

“Ahhhh”, he exhaled.

“Sssso wonderful… You feel great”,  Crowley told him.

“Do… Do something. Please, just…. Just…”, Aziraphale stammered. He did not know what exactly he wanted. But he wanted more. More of whatever.

“You sure? Oh, hell, you feel so, argh….”, the dragon moaned and pulled back. Only slightly. Maybe a few millimeters. But it made the blonde breath in sharply.

“Yes, yes, yes!”, he whimpered, as the dragon stilled. “More!”

“Fuck!”, Crowley answered. And did was he was told. He started fucking him. Slowly. Carefully. Building a steady rhythm. Making the man moan with every push and pull. And it felt wonderful. So unbelievably intense. Was this what he had missed on while hiding behind his books? Well, no. Not really. He highly doubted, that he would ever have been able to feel the same with some other man. Some other human. This was… Different. Special. Oh fuck, He loved the dick in his ass! He loved the other one rubbing against his own hardness! He loved the dragon fucking him open! Buying himself deep inside him. He loved this dragon!

“Oh, oh yes! Please! Harder!”, he exclaimed. He never wanted to come this badly in his whole life. He wanted it! He needed it! So he rises one hand from the rock and tried to reach downward. He needed friction. He needed to touch. He was desperate to rub his penis. And the dragon’s. He wanted to pleasure them both. Even if he lost his balance. Dropped his chest on the rock in an uncomfortable way, while being fucked. But he wanted, wanted, wanted!

“Angel, fuck! You are….”, Crowley moaned. But then he wrapped his tail around him. Holding his upper body up and in place, so that he could use both his hands to teach for their dicks. Which Aziraphale did immediately. Oh, he felt so full, so thoroughly fucked, and constricted. He loved the feeling of the scaly tale around his body. The feeling of the penis inside him. The pressure of the other one rubbing against his own. Oh, yes. He loved it!

“I’m… I’m… Oh, Crowley, I am close!”, the man exclaimed. Shivering. While feverishly rubbing both their cocks. Oh this was so much! This was everything he ever wanted! This was so….

“Yesssss, angel! Come. Pleassssse!”, Crowley hissed, ramming one of his hemipenes inside him over and over again, hitting his prostate with every move and making him see stars. This was so amazing! He had no words for this! And then, then he was done. It was over. He was over. He came. Aziraphale felt his orgasm shaking his whole body, clenching every muscle, releasing his cum pretty much everywhere. On his belly on the rock, on his hands, on Crowley’s penis. And then he whited out. Filled with a huge penis and absolute bliss. He almost did not register that the dragon had come as well. That he released deep inside him with one penis, and short after with the other, against the rock. His sperm joining Aziraphale’s sperm.

 

It seemed, in the next weeks the blonde had found a new favorite activity. Cuddling with the dragon, reading to that dragon and getting buggered by the dragon. He had never thought, he would enjoy this so much. He loved it! He loved Crowley! And one day he would be able to take both his penises at one! This was his long term goal, he had decided. Well… When he lived long enough.

With a sigh he looked up into the night sky. The evening had been quite warm so far, so they sat outside their cave. Watching the sunset at first, but now he was looking at the almost full moon..the dragon lay curled around him, dozing off.

“Soon…”, he mumbled with a sigh.

“Hm?”, Crowley replied sleepily.

“The moon is almost full…”

“Hm-m. Is it too bright?”

“What? No. I mean… It’s almost time, isn’t it?”, Aziraphale sighed.

“Time?”

“The two months are almost over. You will eat me tomorrow, won’t you?”

“Er? What?”, the dragon asked in a confused voice. He raised his head and looked at him.

“You said that you will eat me after two full moons…”

“Hm. Yes.. Maybe I said something like that….”, he remembered. “You want me to eat you?”

“I will not fight it. I told you, I was ready to die, when I first met you. That did not change. I am happy, that I have been able to be with you, but I will stand by my word”, the man admitted.

“You… Are happy?”

“Yes. I really enjoyed our time together. Everything. I loved talking to you, touching you, and… and I loved being intimate with you. If I ever had the chance to, I would not change a thing. It was wonderful, being with you.”

“You….”

“I am sorry. I am being silly. I should not be. I will not say any more…”

“Go on. I’m all ears. Tell me more.”

“What? About what? About how much I liked you? That I don’t have any regrets? This would be stupid. I have been so greedy in the last few weeks, so demanding. I made you look for strawberries for me. I made you uncomfortable. You had to listen to me fussing about small things. About my own pathetic life. You really should not want to hear even more…”, Aziraphale laughed sadly.

“So you really want me to eat you?”

“Yes. I need to protect my village. I was ready to die, two months ago and I am more than ready now. Thank you for letting me be selfish once...”

“They don’t deserve your sacrifice, you know? You’re far too good for those people…”

“I want to protect them. And I am truly happy now. So… Do I need to pay attention to anything special tomorrow? I assume, you want me to clean my body properly, before you…”

“Stop. Stop it, will you?!”, Crowley interrupted him, rolling his eyes.

“Yes, okay…”

“Maybe I have not been completely honest with you…”, he admitted then, staring at the ground next to the man.

“Yes?”

“Well, about this eating stuff… It’s all a little more complicated than I described it back then, ya know…”

“Yes?”

“Ya see, This whole sacrifice business did have a purpose back  then. And that’s why there is this two moon cycles thingy. Fuck, why is this so hard?”

“I am so sorry. Am I making you feel uncomfortable?”

“No. No! It’s not about you! It’s about me. ‘Bout my family. Dragon stuff”, Crowley tried to explain. Then he took a deep breath. And started to explain. To tell the story about his family. About his father, the Great Morningstar who came to this forest hundreds of years ago, who had inhabited the area, even before the humans had come there. He told him about the dragon’s and the fact that they went almost extinct. There were so few, they had trouble breeding. Finding other dragons they were not related to.

So his smart father who had hear from his mother about an old legend, about the fact that humans were able to breed with dragons and he had been eager to try this. With this in mind the Morningstar had made a pact with the first humans. With the village. To protect them in exchange for sacrifices. Sealing the deal with the oldest magic. Performing an old ritual. And like this he had been provided with a human very three years, in order to find a mate, at least a temporary one.

What had followed then was cruel, so Crowley skipped most parts of the story, just telling that he had been the youngest of six siblings and that there had been many incompatible dead humans. When his father became sick, they had picked up the tradition, making a deal that whoever found a mate and managed to breed, had to leave the territory. At first his sister Beelzebub – after a few failures –  found a young man, who was able to impregnate her. So she left. With Dragon it had been about the same, just took a lot longer because of a very specific taste. Ligur had been easy. The second human woman was to his liking and since she had not died after two months, he had taken her with him. Shay had also been picky, Crowley told, but she had been satisfied finally and left. Then it had been only him and Hastur.

Hastur had been an asshole. He had enjoyed raping and killing his humans, forcing Crowley to watch. He had he hated it! It had almost been a miracle when he accidentally actually got a female human pregnant an had to obey the rules. Leaving Crowley alone. And then, about thirty years ago, he had started to experiment with the rules. Finding out, he neither had to take the poor humans -yes, poor humans! He took pity on them – nor did he have to actually eat them.

“Well… Just let them go after time was up. Scaring them, so they won’t be too annoying…”, the dragon mumbled and Aziraphale was certain, he was blushing.

“So… I can assume you are not actually eating humans?”

“No! ‘Course not! They taste awful!”

“So you are not going to eat me, are you?”

“I’d make an exception if you were into that kind of thing…”,  Crowley admitted without looking at him.

“If I were… Oh, no. No. I guess, I would not enjoy that at all…”, the blonde explained.

“So, no. Won’t eat you…”

“I see… So? What will happen tomorrow?”

“Dunno… Time’s up. Need to set you free under the tree, then you can go…”

“You… Want me to go?”, Aziraphale asked carefully.

“You should want to go, angel. You’re doing it wrong. You should be happy, that I’m letting you go. Don’t look like that”, Crowley sighed. Finally looking at him.

“I… Well, if you want me to, I will leave….”

“Don’t make it sound like you want to stay…”

“But… Well, I…” The man hated being selfish. He had never really been selfish. He felt guilt deep inside. But the pain he was feeling in his chest at this moment was not only out of guilt. Not at all. He knew, what this feeling was, though he had never felt this before. He just knew it. And he made a decision. If he had to leave, he would. But he would not leave unfinished business. He had to speak up this once.

“What?”

“I know that I am no suitable mate. Not at all! I will never be able to reproduce with you, but… But if you would like me to, I could… I could stay?”, he tried to voice his thoughts. Biting his lower lip. His heart was beating so fast. So loud. He felt fear, deep in his guts. Preparing himself to be rejected.

“You wot?!”, Crowley stared at him.

“I, I… I want to stay. With you, I mean, I… I like you, Crowley”, Aziraphale admitted nervously. Rubbing his hands together. Trying to breath steadily.

“You… Like me?”

“Don’t torture me, Crowley, please. If you are going to reject me, just do it. I am ready!” He was not. But he would never be ready. So he tried his best to brace himself. To be brave. To deal with the rejection.

“You really want to stay with me? Not because you have to? Is it because you don’t have any money? I can send you off with some treasures. You don’t have to stay. Don’t feel obligated!”

“No! Crowley, I like you! I want to stay, because of you! Not because I do not have any other option!”, he exclaimed. He had probably never shouted before. But now he felt like that. He had to make his point! He had to stand his ground!

“Really?!” The dragon stared at him.

“I love you, you goddamn idiot!”, Aziraphale shouted at him.

“Aziraphale!”, Crowley shouted back. “You can’t live me! I am a beast! A monster!”

“Oh, I did notice that you are not a human, my dear! But this does not change anything at all! I have never felt that happy with anyone in my whole life! You are the best that ever happened to me in my whole life, even though you are a sarcastic, mischievous reptile! I love you!”

“Oh fuck! Fuck! I, I need a moment, okay?”, the dragon stuttered. Spreading his wings. And then he just took off. Left. Flew into the dark night.

And Aziraphale stared into the sky. His chest hurt. It hurt so badly. It took him a few minutes to realize, that his face was wet. That he was crying. Oh bugger! That had gone down like a lead balloon, hadn’t it? Well, what had he expected? He was just some chubby, stupid man after all. Useless. He needed to be taken care of! Crowley had had to safe him. More than once, when they had been out, hunting. He had been demanding! Selfish! And absolutely useless! There was nothing he could provide. He couldn’t get pregnant. So why would the dragon keep him company? It would be best, to try again in three years. He should just leave. Pack his things – okay, he did not have any things – and go. Just go. Somehow survive the night alone with his thoughts and feelings and then he set free and go somewhere. Far away. Or just get eaten by any wild animal in the forest. Yes, that would also be an option. Maybe not the worst of all…

He stood up. Entered the warm cave. It smelled like Crowley. Of course. It was his cave. He was just an intruder. A short-term nuisance, the dragon could finally get rid of. Yes, that would be for the best. It had always been the best option to get rid of him.

 

“Aziraphale? You in there?”, he heard Crowley’s voice after what felt like hours. He was lying on the hard ground, curled together, next to the almost extinguished fire. He had not felt the strength to stack some new wood onto the pile.

He remained silent. Did not want to be more of a bother than he already was. He should have left already. But he couldn’t . As far as he knew, he was not yet allowed.

“Hey, You alright?”, the dragon asked, rebuilding the fire without any effort. Then tapping his ear with his snout. “Not talking to me?”

“I, I am sorry. I will not be in your way. Won’t say anything to make you uncomfortable any more…”, Aziraphale finally answered.

“You’re… Oh, well, I guess, I really fucked things up there, didn’t I?”, the dragon snorted.

“Hm?”

“Well… I shouldn’t have just left, right? Damn, we should have talked about…I. I should have talked about that. Not you. You did nothing wrong, angel”, he assured him.

Aziraphale opened his eyes. Looking at the dragons snout, so close to him. But he remained silent.

“Fuck, I was… I was a bit overwhelmed  okay? That was a bit much for me. I mean, no. You didn’t do anything wrong. It was, was good that you said it. Great. I, I just didn’t expect that. I mean, I’m a monster, right? You see, no one loves a dragon. People are afraid of dragons. Big evil creature, me, ya’ know. But we’ll, err… Fuck…”, Crowley told him. Tried to tell him. To assure him that he did nothing wrong. But he still felt, like all of this was his fault. Like he should not have said anything.

“I…”

“No, no! Don’t say anything, okay? I mean, you can. But later. Let me do the talking now. I want… I want to tell you, well… If you want to, like really want to… I, I would like you to stay. Very much. Actually…”

“Hm?” Since he was apparently not allowed to talk he tried it like that.. making a little surprised sound, while trying to put together  what his dragon was trying to tell him.

“I want you to stay, okay? I like you too. Love you, I think. I mean… What can I do to make you stay? Because you want to, of course. Not because you feel guilty. Or something. You owe me nothing. Of course! I just want to… Well, I want you to be happy, I guess?”, Crowley explained.

And Aziraphale’s heart skipped a beat. Only to start bearing Evan faster. That sounded good. So very good. He liked it. He loved it. That sounded so much as if the dragon wanted him, too. Loved him, too. “You… Want me to be happy?”, he asked with a small voice. Well, at least he did not sound like he cried half of the night. That was a god thing, he guessed.

“Jepp. Want you to. Would do anything for you. So, would you….Stay?”, Crowley asked carefully watching him.

“You love me, too?”

“I do. Just told you. If you are happy here, I would love to let you stay!”

“You would do anything for me?”, Aziraphale repeated.

“Yes!”, the dragon answered immediately. “ I mean…I’m a big bad dragon. Got a reputation and stuff, but… I would do my best?”

“Strawberries. I want more strawberries “, the man decided. Sitting up. Looking into the yellow serpent eyes. Dead serious.

“Strawberries? Yes, of course! Right away! I mean… Can this wait until tomorrow?”

“I want strawberries. Now”, he pouted. But could not hide a smile any longer. The dragon noticed.

“Oh, fuck! You’re such a bastard!”, he exclaimed. “I was being serious here!”

“So was I! I’m craving something sweet and juicy”, Aziraphale explained. “Then I will stay here in your… Nest?”

“Oh you… How can you be so irresistible? C’mere, angel!”, Crowley demanded, curling his tail around him. He pulled him closer. Into something like an embrace. “ I love you, you impossible thing!”

“I love you, too, Crowley”, the blonde replied, leaning against the warm scaly skin. Maybe something else would do, until he could get his mouth on some strawberries? Less sweet, but just as juicy…

 

The pact had been fulfilled. Crowley intended to keep his mate, not accepting any other. But he decided to keep protecting the village – mostly because Aziraphale wanted that. He himself did not give a damn about those assholes who had just sacrificed someone as great as his Angel to the forest.

They made a vow under the maybe actually sacred tree and altered the ancient magic a little. Two months later they decided to tell the people. So that they would actually stop sending sacrifices. Crowley demanded, this was his job, so he left his beloved waiting in their cave, their nest, and flew over to. The village.

Causing a lot of trouble, because… Well, people had not seen an actual dragon in several centuries, so when he just landed on the roof of the big temple, people were afraid. Screamed. Ran in panic, until the high priest showed up, to talk to him. That was a high priest’s job, wasn’t it? Though he did not seem very happy with his duty.

“Erm, hello, Honourable Dragon, protector of the forest and our village”, Metatron greeted him, bowing his head to the big creature.

“Greetings to the village in my care. Under my protection”, Crowley answered. He wouldn’t personally greet the guy who had treated his beloved lime that!

“What, err, what brings us the honor of you visit, mighty dragon?”, Metatron wanted to know.

“I am here to tell you, that I will not demand any more sacrifices from you! Your duty has ended, while mine will last. You brought me the most valuable treasure of all, so I will not bother you any further”, the dragon told him and all the people, who were listening  he hated to be so formal. He absolutely despised it. But Aziraphale had made him practice that little speech, so it would sound more impressive. And he couldn’t have said no.

“You… Oh mighty dragon, are you serious?”

“I am. You gave me the most precious thing. How could I not honor your effort? Your village must be in great despair without their shining light. So I accept. I will keep him and you jut don’t send any more people into my forest, will you? You can sacrifice other things. I accept food and clothing and stuff. About once a month seems fine to me!”

“What?!”, Metatron asked in disbelief. But he didn’t dare to talk back to a dragon! A mystical creature the village worshipped for half a millennium.

“Food. Good food. And wine. Some clothing and we’re fine, ‘kay?”, the dragon repeated, looking at the people. “You all heated that? Good. So, I’m off. Behave and you’ll have a good harvest!”, he added then.  This one he did not practice, but his spoiled little angle would definitely enjoy those things. Usually he took them from intruders, but getting those goods regularly would also be nice. Especially for Aziraphale.

“As, err, as you wish, great dragon!”, Metatron nodded. His face was still full of shock and disbelief. But Crowley couldn’t care less. He had enough witnesses who could confirm their deal and he had to get back to his beloved. He was missing him already.

So he spread his wings and off he was, leaving the village behind.

 

A few months later a person in a beige colored cloak sneaked into the village unnoticed. Hurried through the streets, until they reached their destination. Opened the door carefully and entered. Shutting it and locking it, while taking a deep breath.

“This place is locked, Sir!”, an unfamiliar voice explained. It belonged to a woman who hurried down the stairs, looking at the suspicious figure in… Well, suspicion.

“I know, it is always locked at this time. This is why I am here”, the figure explained, taking off the hood, to get a proper look at the woman. She really was beautiful. Long curly dark hair, glasses, slender figure, slightly dark skin. And she definitely looked like she could stab him without further ado, if he decided to make a wrong move.

“Oh, you are… You are him”, the woman said, eyes going wide. “Yes, definitely. You are the man Agnes wrote about!”

“Agnes wrote about me?”, he – the one with the cloak – asked.

“You’re Aziraphale Fell. The boy she took in. The one that had been the last sacrifice to the forest, a month before I arrived!”, she explained.

“That sounds about right, young Lady. So I assume, you are Anathema, Agnes’ great-granddaughter? I think, I was the one who wrote to you, regarding the library”, he smiled warmly.

“That’s me. So… You really are alive?”

“I do think so…”

“So she was right after all…”, she mumbled, watching him with obvious interest.

“She? Did your great-grandmother say anything?”, he asked. He had known Agnes for years. Some people in the village were convinced, she had been a witch. That she was able to see the future. He himself had never experienced anything like this, but he had learned early on that one should not argue with the elders.

“Yes. Agnes left some notes, before her time had come. She send me a package with… Let’s say, some very interesting things…. So, guess you found what you were looking for?”, Anathema assumed.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh, ‘The angel wille find what he was looking for all his life in the depthness of the forest’. Sounds familiar?”, she smirked. Citing something that definitely resembled Agnes’ unique way of speaking.

“Angel?”, Aziraphale repeated.

“That should be you, right?”

“Me? I am not an angel, young Lady”, he told her. But remembered the same time. The nickname sounded familiar. The pet name. The endearment. And blushed. How could anyone know?

“You certainly seem. Here, got the stuff ready already. Been waiting for you for a while now. Genes was not very precise in her assumptions. But she wrote, that you would eventually show up to pick up some of your books”, Anathema grinned knowingly. As if she had been let into a great secret.

“Oh. Oh? Thank you?”, he mumbled, trying to smile but he seemed a little confused by her words. Well, he had known Agnes. So he should not have been surprised. But he was. Heavens, of course he was! No one should have expected him here! And no one should know why he was here!

“I packed a large bag. There is more, so I guess you’ll come back the get the rest? Wait a sec, I’ll get the stuff!”, she explained and hurried away, soon swallowed by the large bookshelves.

He looked after her. Something told him, he should have known.

“Ah, there! Soooo… You’re fucking a dragon?”, she shouted from somewhere in the back.

“What?!”, he replied in disbelief. Blushing rapidly. That was directed.

“’The truest of love found in the arms of a reptile bestie’, sounds familiar?”, she asked, making some noise.

“Oh, well, err… I would not put it that way…”,  he tried to save his dignity.

“That dragon that showed up here, some months ago. That’s your lover, right?”, she asked, finally returning to the front of the shop.

“You could… You could phrase it like that, yes. Probably…”

“Sooooo?”, she wanted to know, dropping a heavy back in front of him.

“So?”

“You’re going to breed?”

“What?!”

“The text Agnes left me suggest that dragons are able no mate with humans. I think that was the whole thing here. The dragon was looking for a mate!”, she explained, like it was the most obvious and natural thing. Leaving him blush even more, nervously rubbing his hand together.

“Well, err… I do not know what you might be talking about, young lady”, he tried to explain. Not very convincing. But he tried. The ‘young lady’ was by the way not very much younger than him, but it seemed to be the most fitting way to address her, and she did not complain. So that seemed fine. Well, he had other things to worry about, he guessed. The most urgent one, not wanting to discuss his relationship with a certain mystical reptile.

“Oh, don’t try this! You’re just so bad at lying!”,  she laughed. Shaking her head. Her dark curls fell in her face.

“I am not! And I am not going to comment on this matter any further!”

“Okay, okay. I won’t say anything more. So? You’re taking those book back with you? Into the forest?“, she asked instead.

“I am planning to.”

“You will take care of those? You know, they shouldn’t get wet!”

“I know how to take care of book. You can trust me on this. I have been repairing most of those here in the library, since I started coming here”, he explained politely. What did this woman think! Of course he knew how to handle books!

“Oh, yeah. I forgot. You did live here for quite some while”, she remembered.

“Almost ten years. You learn a few things over time….”

“You do. My mother taught me a lot. I know how to handle books. She knew all along that I would come here and replace Agnes. You know? She left a lot of notes…”, Anathema smiled.

“Did she? Well, she always seemed to know… Things”, Aziraphale mumbled, rather  glad about the change of topic.

“She did. Was quite a smart old witch. I hardly met her as a kid, but she was always fascinating…”

“Do you really think, she was a witch?”, he asked.

“Well, she was. So am I. But I am not nearly as powerful as she was. She could see a man’s fate in his eyes. I can hardly see their aura…”, she admitted.

“Oh so you are a witch, too?”

“I guess…”

“Then I must warn you. Please be cautious around the high priest, he is…”

“A sneaky old bastard! Scamming people to fill his own pockets. Not hard to notice, really… Wouldn’t get near him, unless I really had no choice…”

“Good idea. Don’t gwt in his way, really. Please!”

“Don’t worry, Aziraphale. I’ll be careful. Granny Agnes left some quit interesting papers for me…”, she said, checking the old grandfather clock at the wall. “You better go now, I’m expecting someone…”

“Oh, you do? I am sorry, I am right on my way. Thank you. For the books. And for everything else. For taking care of the library.”, he smiled and honest smile as he picked up the bag. It really was heavy. But he did not have to carry it far. Crowley would be expecting him.

As he left, hood pulled down deep into his face, he almost ran into a young man.  He was quite sure, he knew him, but did not really catch his name. While the man hurriedly grabbed his glasses, Aziraphale took his chance to get away unnoticed.

In a few weeks he would return for the other books. He was quite certain, Agnes had known exactly, which ones he would need. He had trust in the old lady.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of Of dragons and sacrifices