She stood in the room, starring at the ground. Her yellow pearl necklace laid cold against her neck, reminding her that this wasn't a dream. The male, Ariko, sat in a tall backed leather chair, starring daggers at her. He smirked, his tail swaying against the floorboards.

"Now, my dear. Do you know why I've asked you here today?" He asked, clasping his clawed paws together and leaning forward on the desk. Azure swallowed. 

"No, I don't know what you're talking about." She said, swallowing the fear she nearly let slip. She kept her eyes on the ground. She heard a thud, and the clicking of claws on the floor, and her chin was yanked upwards. She gasped, eyes widening as she starred right into Ariko's. Rage engulfed his features, and a low growl rose from his throat.

"You know I always get what I want in the end, correct?" He asked, pinching tighter on her chin, his claws nearly drawing blood. She whimpered, her ears pinning. She'd been only a child when she'd met him.

~~~

Azure looked along the stalls of the open air market, smiling and stopping occasionally to view the various objects and wares of the merchants. She stopped at one stall in particular, a strong scent of lavender hanging thickly around it. She stood in front of the counter, where a dragoness was counting coins. 

"Can I help you, miss?" The dragoness asked, smiling warmly and tucking the coins away. Azure nodded. She was carrying some spare coins her Father had given her 'to buy something nice' with. She fished them out, pointing at a small vile of lavender shampoo on the shelf.

"I'd love to purchase that, please. How much?" She asked, holding the coins in her palm expectantly. The dragoness pondered this, walking towards the vile and bringing it back. She shrugged.

"I'd take five for it, if you can spare it." She said, a sad look hiding behind her bright yellow eyes. Azure frowned, sad. She knew that many merchants pretended to be poor to make more money, but there was something comforting about the dragoness that Azure felt she should trust her. She slid ten coins across the counter, to which the dragoness' eyes widened and her ears lifted.

"Oh, no ma'am you gave me ten by accident!" She said, going to give them back. Azure put her paw over the dragoness', and they met eyes.

"Don't worry, I don't need them." She said, smiling at her. Tears welled in the dragoness' eyes, and she bowed her head.

"Thank you miss." She said, and with that Azure said a brief goodbye and started back down the road. Small dragonets played around a large fountain, with multiple fish spouts spraying water into the main collection area. Millions of coins sat at the bottom, practically begging to be stolen. But nobody in this town would dare take them. They told stories of this fountain, how it was cursed by a mermaid and anyone who took coins from her fountain would have bad luck for their entire lives. 

Azure didn't believe this, but she was willing to adapt to new beliefs. This town was her home, and she would believe that aliens existed if it meant living comfortably. She eventually reached the inn, where she worked as a maid. She pushed through the door, spotting her boss Nuka at the counter. Nuka sighed in relief, her tail flopping to the floor. 

Whenever poor Nuka was worried, she'd curl up her tail until whatever it was was resolved. Azure smiled sheepishly, stepping through and door and putting her stuff into a locker. She tucked the little shampoo bottle farther inside, hoping the smell would be masked somewhat. She knew Nuka was sensitive to these kinds of things. 

"Hurry up, lazy legs! There's a tenant in room 604 who needs more towels!" She shrieked, shoving a pile of them into Azure's arms. She nearly dropped them. She adjusted, and stepped back towards the stairwell. She stepped carefully, since she couldn't see the ground very well from over the towels. She reached the room finally, knocking softly.

The door creaked open when she touched it, and she blinked in surprise, stepping through quietly.

"Uh...hello? I brought the towels you wanted?" She called into the dark, her eyes slowly adjusting. She spotted the shape of a dragon sitting by the window, moonlight tracing his face. He turned, green eyes burning into hers. He blinked, crossing the room and pinning her against the wall. She was about to scream when the lights switched on and the dragon stepped back.

"My apologies, you were standing in front of the switch." He said, crossing his arms with a smirk. Azure swallowed, feeling the heat in her cheeks. 

"Excuse me? You can't get that close to people!" She shouted, hurrying to the side and dropping the towels on an empty chair. She stepped back and felt fur against her back. She squeaked, surprised.

"You mean like this?" He purred against her neck, and a shiver ran down her spine. She lurched backwards, and she heard him grunt and fall backwards. She whirled around, standing over him, growling. 

"Don't touch me, creep." She hissed. He raised a brow, eyeing her. She cleared her throat, stepping back and letting him up. He brushed himself off, his tail flicking, sending little clouds of dust mutes spiraling. Azure watched him curiously. She had to admit he was good looking, but she wasn't about to get involved with anyone, that how she'd gotten stuck working her in the first place.

"Do you usually do this?" He asked, smirking at her and taking the towels from the chair, stepping into the bathroom and closing the door. She heard the lock click, and let out a sigh of relief. She sank into the chair, her tail twitching. 

"What? Defend myself from pervs? No, not usually." She hissed, closing her eyes and leaning her head back. She heard a shower start, the water pattering against the stone floor of the bathroom.

"No, I mean't work in a hotel. And ouch, don't throw the blame to quick. You were the one who walked in on me." He said, the sound echoing through the room. She gasped, putting a hand on her chest.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. And from working here this long, I can tell you all our room doors are mean't to be locked when the tenant is currently inside." She said, quoting the employee manual she'd read front to back, just to be sure she'd get the job. She heard him chuckling and her eyes flew open, annoyed.

"Nerd." He quipped. She rolled her eyes. 

Who does this guy think he is?

"Fine, good luck getting your own towels from now on." She said, standing and going out the room door, nearly slamming it behind her. She stood in the hall for a second, half expecting him to follow. The thought made her cringe at herself. She hurried down the stairs, reaching the lobby, where Nuka was fast asleep, face pressed against the guestbook. Ink stained her cheek, and Azure chuckled softly. 

She went to her locker, getting her things and stepping back into the cold night. She pulled the scarf she'd been wearing today around her tighter, her breath visible in the air. The dragonets were gone, warm inside their homes. The merchants had tidied up their stands, tying down anything that could be blown away in the sharp wind. She smiled softly as she passed by the stall where she'd bought the lavender earlier in the afternoon. She stepped through the door of her house, immediately greeted by her Father.

"Hello darling, how was work today?" He said, taking her scarf and hanging it up. She sighed, the warmth of the heater in the corner warming her to the skin. 

"It was just another boring day." She lied. She wouldn't easily forget the strange dragon who'd gotten close to her.

For the next 6 months, the dragon would come to her door exactly at midnight, and they'd sneak off to be together. They'd hide behind whatever abandoned building, or sometimes in his room to make sure they'd have privacy, and no peering eyes to bother them. Her Father had always stressed that he'd kill any guy she every dated, but she knew to keep a secret from him, she'd been doing so nearly all her life to save her own skin. The pair now huddled under a large tree, hidden behind a tall stone wall. His cloak was draped over her, as the snow fell softly around them.

"Ariko?" She asked softly, nearly asleep. He nuzzled her shoulder, and a smile pulled at her lips.

"Yes, my dear? Are you warm enough?" He asked, kissing her neck softly. She purred, turning to face him, cuddling into the thick fur of his neck.

"Yes." She said, going silent for a moment, "Ariko?"

"Yes?" He said with a chuckle.

"Do you love me?" She asked. Ariko blinked, surprised. He wasn't sure how to answer that. They'd been together for a long time now, but they'd never really said that to each other. Ariko was always calculating, thinking ahead. He did care for Azure, but he wasn't sure he loved her. He knew what she wanted to hear though.

"Of course, why would you ask such a thing?" He said, keeping his hear trate low and steady. He knew that something like a crazy heart could give you away when you were trying to hide something.

She kissed him suddenly, and he blinked before his eyes fluttered closed and he kissed her back. She pulled back, inches from his lips. She laughed breathlessly, a happy, joyful sound. He smiled.

"Why don't we run away? Then nobody can tell us we can't be together." She suggested, sitting up on her elbows and smiling up at the snow clouds. Ariko's brow furrowed. He had a business here, one he couldn't afford to leave behind.

"You want to leave? But I can't. Not ever." He hissed.

"W-what?" She said, meeting his eyes, confused. He got to his feet, the cloak billowing in the wind. He turned away from her, growling.

"You heard me. If you're leaving, then we have no reason to stay together." He said, stepping off into the snow, hidden within seconds. Azure sat there silently, the wind pulling at her ears. Tears pricked her eyes, and froze on her cheeks. She put her head on her paws, shivering. She soon was sobbing, her first love gone with the wind.

~~~

She now starred into his eyes, once full of love, now flaming with rage. She felt tears in her eyes, and she hated herself for it. She hated being seen weak, especially by someone like Ariko.

"You know you owe me now, dear." He growled, dropping her chin, and her head dropped slightly. Azure had worked for Ariko during their short togetherness, and had been sent to kill someone. She'd loved Ariko enough go through with it, but when she looked into the eyes of the dragon she had been sent to murder, she couldn't do it. She'd hidden them away, and they'd soon fallen in love themselves. He'd mended her shattered heart, and they'd gotten married shortly after. 

Then Ariko had finished the job for her. She'd come home to his body, his blood soaking through the carpets. She'd dropped to her knees, sobbing like she'd done when Ariko had left her that day, shaking in a snow storm. His eyes still held the same chill they did then.

"I have nothing to give you, you've taken everything from me. Don't you realize that?" She said, her voice thick as she held herself together.

"Oh, I think surely you have something more I can take, dear." He said. Her eyes widened. She knew what he meant. It was the one thing she still had as a reminder of her husband, the one thing she still loved.

"No, please! I beg you!" She pleaded, dropping to her knees like the weakling she was. Ariko peered down at her, smirking.

"I'm sorry, you know the rules." He said all negotiations over. He nodded towards the room's doors. Two large dragons stepped through, grabbing Azure under her armpits and dragging her backwards.

"No! Ariko! Please! Don't take her!" She screamed, thrashing around and trying to bite at the dragons pulling her. The little dragonet that had been standing beside her the whole time watching in confusion.

"M-Mama?" They chirped, stepping after her, nearly stumbling over her own small paws. Ariko stepped forward, his leg blocking the small thing's path.

"No, dear. You'll be staying with me from now on." He purred. 

"We're going to have so much fun together, just you wait."

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