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Moon’s scales rippled from the sharp sensation. The stab sinking deep into her muscles, the sensation sending a spike of adrenaline into her system as her mind was ripped from its focus on the scroll in front of her. Her breath caught in her chest as a sinking feeling landed in her stomach. A sensation of dread forced itself into her mind as her pulse got faster to match her accelerating heart. The cold touch of powerful sharp serrated claws sent her body into overdrive.
The fear crept deep into her core as her mind began to rapidly process what she only now heard as a voice.
"BOO!”
Moon launched up from her seat, her wings nearly hitting the ceiling as she let out a shriek.
“AAH!”
She whipped around and began batting Winter on his head with her powerful wings.
“Don’t do that to me!!!” Moon whined, as Winter fell to the floor laughing. Unbothered by the barrage of wing slaps from his mate, Winter struggled to breath as he could not stop laughing.
“Oh Great Ice Dragon! I don’t think I have ever gotten you that good,” Winter said, trying to stop his laughter. The embarrassed look on Moon's face sent him spiraling again. His face broke into a wide grin that even he thought he would never make.
Moon regained control over her breathing, her heart resuming its normal rhythm as the adrenaline began to leave her system. “You know I get distracted when I’m reading! Why do you insist on scaring me like that?” Moon protested as she sat back down, readjusting the scroll.
“I am not sure why I enjoy it,” Winter said as he walked over to Moon. “Maybe I like seeing your perfect scales dance in the light as you nearly put a hole in the ceiling.” He smiled as he gently put a paw on her side, rubbing her shoulder as he looked into her emerald eyes.
“Maybe it’s the way you make such a cute yelp,” Winter said as he let out a light chuckle. Moon blushed in embarrassment.
“Maybe it’s the way your face warms and your dark scales take on a lighter shade as you blush.” Winter gently held her check in his claw before gently brushing her scales in a smooth trail up to touching her silver teardrop scale.
“Or maybe it’s because I can’t get enough of seeing your stunning eyes glow, and I love seeing them wide in surprise.”
Moon’s eyes grew wet from hearing Winter’s admirations. With a warm smile, she replied. “Well, there are a number of ways to see all that without scaring me. Though speaking of surprises, the scroll I was reading was a message from Kinkajou.”
“Again? Didn’t she send one just a few days ago?” Winter tilted his head.
“This one says she is wanting to come visit in a few days,” Moon said while rolling up the scroll. “She finished the meetings with Lynx about trading fruit with the Icewings, and wants to come visit Sanctuary.”
“So she is going to be here in a few days? Knowing Kinkajou and how she likes to hurry everywhere, I wouldn’t be surprised if she shows up tomorrow.” Moon laughed at his statement.
“Neither would I,” Moon said, placing the scroll on a nearby shelf. “I am excited to see her again, though. It’s been a few months since the last time we were all free to hang out.”
“I’m still surprised that Glory made Kinkajou the lead Rainwing diplomat. It makes sense, though, considering how close they are. You’d assume they were raised together at this point.” Winter got up and walked into the kitchen.
“I know she has been doing a great job at it, but I’m still worried about how much the world of backhanded politics affects her. Though Qibli intercepting bad-intending diplomats from the Queendom of Sand makes me feel much better. Are you two still keeping in touch?” Moon spoke loudly so Winter could hear her as she sat down on the cushions in the living room.
“Of course I am,” he called over his shoulder. “I doubt that sand-snorter would take more than a day to break down our door if I didn't respond to his scrolls. He and I were trying to make plans for an excuse to get him out here for a diplomatic meeting so we could hang out with him and meet Azalea. If we can’t make that happen, I am going to fake a paperwork error so we need to go to the horrible desert to fix it. My white scales at least reflect a lot of the sunlight. It’s crazy that you don’t melt faster than I do when we are in the sun.”
“It’s because I was raised in the rainforest and I’m not cold hearted like you.” She gave him a knowing smirk as Winter rolled his eyes.
He appeared from the kitchen entrance carrying a large bowl on his back between his tucked wings. He walked towards Moon, careful to not tip the bowl. Reaching her, he turned so she could take the bowl from him before he sat down next to her.
“What flavors did you pick tonight?” Moon asked, studying the contents of the bowl. There were scoops of two different colored icey mixes of sugar, water, and fruit from around Pyrrhia.
“I thought since Kinkajou is going to demand that I make her some more sorbet, I would try some with pomegranate and some with blueberries. I thought those two would pair well. I know she loves blueberries, but I don’t know how much she eats pomegranates due to them only growing in the Sand Queendom,” Winter said. He put a spoon full of the cold dessert in his maw and took a few moments to appraise how the two flavors mixed and worked together.
His deliberations were interrupted by Moon making her opinion known with an unnecessarily loud “Mmmmmm!”
Winter turned to look at her. Her eyes were closed, spoon still out the side of her maw, a satisfied smile on her face. She opened her eyes and the moment she saw Winter staring, she took the spoon from her mouth and blushed hard, looking away.
“It’s that good huh?” Winter teased.
“Oh hush you. It's excellent and you should eat more of it instead of just staring at me,” Moon retorted.
Without breaking eye contact, he gave a purring growl. “Oh I intend to. I just like seeing how much pleasure you get from cold things. ” Winter’s voice dripped with a smug sassy attitude. At least it did, until Moon used her spoon to flick a smear of the sorbet across his snout, painting a lovely light purple/blue streak across his flawless white and light blue scales.
“ACK!” Winter recoiled and quickly brought a claw up to wipe the dessert from his scales.
“Okay, Qibli , I’d like my Winter back.” Moon joked as she ate another spoonful.
Winter joined in eating some of their nightly treat. Together they enjoyed the cooling world around them in the comfortable silence of their forever home. Winter noticed Moon’s lightly flicking tail and was quick to hold it steady by wrapping it in his own. Moon smiled as she helped coil hers around his before leaning her body fully on his side.
Winter wanted to speak, but was unsure what to say as his emotions had reached a point where he was content with his life. So instead he just sighed and let Moon see his feelings and his thoughts directly.
I really do love you Moon. I never thought this is how my life would end up. But no matter what hell I’ve been through and whatever else we may face, I would go through it all a million times over again and again if it meant I get more time like this with you.
He saw Moon’s ears twitch as she was clearly listening to him silently speak. When she first accepted his advances he was worried her mind-reading would make privacy and self-confidence harder. But now, he knew that her minding meant no argument would be pointless, no desire would be left unfilled or unaddressed, no question unanswered, no worry not cared for. Confiding in one another came naturally and easily. With all this he realized quickly that her mind-reading meant no secrets were needed, no words must be spoken, though he spoke them anyway.
Winter didn’t know when it started, but when he let his mind wander back out of his thoughts, he found himself leaned nearly onto his side and Moon in the same position with his arm over her back and gently rubbing small comforting patterns on her shoulder and massaging the back of her lower neck. The small trills and mumbles of happiness from Moon told him all he needed to know. The moments ticked by and he enjoyed every one of them.
Eventually Winter let out a yawn. “Moon, I think it’s time for us to go to bed.”
Moon mumbled something unintelligible as her eyes slowly opened. Winter realized she had clearly fallen asleep at some point. After letting out a yawn of her own, “What time is it?” Her eyes were still half closed.
Winter chuckled at his sleepy mate, “Clearly time for bed.”
“Fine,” Moon mumbled as she reluctantly sat up from leaning on him. Her body shivered slightly as the coolness of his touch disappeared. “That was good ice cream, though.”
“It’s sorbet, not ice cream; there is no milk in it,” Winter stated, unable to let a small difference like that go unaddressed.
“Oh? Well, I prefer ice cream. So I guess it’s no longer good ice cream, it was just an okay frozen dessert,” Moon said as she stuck her tongue out at him.
“Pfft. Okay, go to bed my little constellation. I'll take care of the bowl and join you in a moment.” Winter said as he shook his head lightly.
“Alright, join me quickly though.” Moon got up and went into their room as Winter walked the big bowl back into the kitchen.
It did not take Winter long to get the bowl washed and put away. However, by time he made it into their bedroom Moon was waiting expectantly for him with a wing outstretched; reserving a small pocket of warmth under the blanket just for him.
He quietly smiled at Moon before climbing into bed and draping his wing over her under the blanket. She was quick to press herself against his side with a content purr. Leaning into his neck she quietly spoke. “Took you long enough.”
“It didn’t take me more than a minute or two–” Winter was interrupted by Moon lovingly nipping the back of his neck. His train of thought lost completely in a breathless fog as Moon let out a low rumbling hum. Her warm breath on his neck spines felt like a bolt of lightning, shocking his system as his mind froze.
“I don’t care if it was just a minute. It was a minute too long tonight.” Moon whispered in his ear before laying her head down on his neck. Avoiding and painlessly resting on his spines with a practiced skill that spoke of her long lived love for the arctic drake.
“What has you so touchy feely tonight, Moon? I mean, I have no complaints, ” Winter quickly continued after feeling Moon's head leaving his neck. ”I love you and can’t get enough of your scales on mine, but if there is something else going on I would like to share it with you.” Moon settled back on his neck, adjusting her head so she could look deep into his eyes.
“It–It’s…It’s nothing really. I just… I really love you, and we have such a wonderful house, and…I…I kinda want to share it with someone else.” Moon looked away with a deep red blush.
“What do you mean you want to share it with someone else? You mean like Qibli or–” He was interrupted by Moon letting out a happy chortle.
“No, you igloo-head. I mean…I- I want to be a mother.” Moon spoke, having turned to look at Winter deep in his eyes. The look of genuine caring and desire was clear to Winter as his jaw opened to speak, but no words came out. His voice, like the air in his lungs, had been pulled away by the premise of sharing his life and his love with not only Moon, but sharing it all with his child.
Moon watched as Winter’s mouth hung open, words failing to leave it. His mouth would close, only to open a moment later and repeat the same failed attempt to talk, his mind running wild. Moon smiled before closing his mouth and planting a loving kiss right on his muzzle.
Winter’s mind refocused with a clear choice. Moon wanted to be a mother, and he knew he could be a better father than the Icewing tribe had ever seen. His choice being made, he leaned into the kiss with no fear of the future, only a bright and hopeful desire to see through it all not just with Moon, but with her and their entire family-to-be.
“Oh Moon, I love you so much.” Winter said as he pulled away from their kiss, holding her close to his chest. “I realized why I love scaring you so much.”
“Why?” Moon wondered as she snuggled herself in his cool embrace.
“That feeling in your heart when you jump. The lack of air in your chest as your brain processes everything.” Winter held her close, leaning down to whisper directly into her ear.
“You take my breath away Moon,” Winter gave her a small loving lick before he continued, “and I want you to feel the way I do every time I come home and look deep into your eyes. The way my heart races, the air leaves my system, and how my body reacts. I love you, and I will love our children. I am sure that the day they enter the world, they will take my breath away, too.”