When Tao received his position from the Order of Monks, he was given one job—protect the Heart Stone with his life. The Heart Stone was a national treasure to the country, given to them by the Goddess as a token of her protection. If it went missing, it would send the people into a panic. Tao had never wanted to be Monk, but he was an orphan who had been raised by the Order and he had no choice. He owed them his life, so he would repay them with it, even if every day his stomach rolled with nerves at the thought of having to die defending the Stone.

Tao grew to resent the Heart Stone, thinking of it as the bane of his existence. It was beautiful, there was no doubt about it, but so were the diamonds in the King’s crown, and those stones were bigger than this thing. The Heart Stone was so called because it was shaped like a heart. Nobody knew what it was made of, but it didn’t seem to be a diamond. When the light struck it at different angles, it would change color—red, blue, pink, purple, yellow, any color imaginable. It about half the size of Tao’s thumb, it sat on a velvet pillow under a glass case, and Tao stood guarding it in the Goddesses temple, from sunrise to sunset, when another guard would come to take his place. He would spend all day standing in front of the case, fighting not to fall asleep as nobody attempted to take the Stone. Or that was the case until the damned Dragon showed up.

Dragons coveted treasure of all kinds, if they caught wind of any priceless object, they would take it. The Order knew this, and it was why they had given Tao the command to protect the Stone with his life. When the rumors reached them that Dragon fire had been spotted in the distance, the Order went to great lengths to remind Tao of his job. At nineteen years old, Tao was by no means ready to die to protect an overly polished rock, but he couldn’t very well say that, so he kept his mouth shut as his mind raced with ideas of how to protect the damn thing.

The rumors turned out to be true, of course. There was a Dragon nearby, it wanted the Heart Stone and it came to get it. A calm morning turned into the day from hell when the beast flew over town, landing in front of the Goddess’ temple. It struck the door down with its tail, exhaling black smoke into the room. The Monks fled, some of them trying to fire arrows at the creature or strike it with swords, but all weapons bounced off its skin. Tao slammed the door to the treasury shut and flung the case off the Heart Stone, scooping it up quickly. For a brief second Tao thought the Stone was warm, but then he realized that he must have imagined it. He frantically searched for a place to hide the Stone, all the while hearing the Dragon’s thundering footsteps and the cries of the Monks as they ran.

Finally, Tao decided the only thing to do was play dead. He hid the stone and then lay down on the floor on his stomach, eyes shut and breathing as shallowly as possible so the beast wouldn’t see him breathing. He just hoped it couldn’t hear his heartbeat.

The treasury door was flung open and a shadow fell over the room, Tao could see it through his eyelids and he felt the Dragon’s hot breath on the back of his neck. He stayed very still even as his heart hammered in his chest and his instincts screamed at him to run. He rather thought he heard the Dragon sigh, and then the shadow fell back. Tao almost relaxed in relief when he felt himself being scooped up and lifted. When he opened his eyes he saw the ground getting smaller and smaller below him, and he realized that he was trapped in the Dragon’s talons as it carried him off.

Tao almost screamed but managed to hold it in, and decided that the best thing to do was continue to play dead. He made himself go absolutely limp and forced himself not to cry from fear. It was so cold and he had to fight not to shiver as the wind whipped past him. He had no idea how long they flew for, but after a while he felt the dragon slow and eventually it swooped, dropping Tao to the ground—gently he supposed, but he still rolled several feet before he came to a stop. His eyes were still shut so he didn’t know where he was, but the air felt damp and cool and the ground cold, so Tao guessed the dragon had taken him to a cave, probably it’s nest. The ground shook as the Dragon landed and Tao barely managed not to shiver from terror. Once more he felt the Dragon’s breath as it sighed on the back of his neck, and he held his breath.

‘I know you are alive, human.’

The sound was like a growl, the voice deeper than any human’s. Tao’s eyes flew open and he scurried backwards, away from the snout of the great beast in front of him. It was huge, large enough to have to stoop to avoid hitting the roof of the cave they were in. The place was illuminated with a few torches, and Tao could tell that the dragon was silvery-blue in color, and it’s large eyes were golden. The dragon inched closer, inhaling deeply. Tao flinched away and whimpered in fear, biting down on his lip.

‘Where is the Stone?’ The Dragon grumbled. ‘I know you have it. Tell me where it is.’

Tao said nothing, backing away even more. His hand knocked something and he screamed—his mouth still clamped shut—he thought it was a skull, but when he looked it turned out to be only a goblet. When Tao looked back at the dragon, it had an amused look in its eyes. It made the sound from before, but Tao now realized that rather than a sigh, the beast was laughing.

As Tao watched in amazement, the Dragon shrunk in size. It groaned as it’s scales shivered and disappeared, it’s claws retracted, snout shortened. In a matter of seconds, the Dragon transformed into a human male. He was clothed in a loose silvery robe, which matched the light color of his hair. His eyes remained gold, and the irises were long, narrow slits like a reptile’s.

The transformed Dragon laughed again. “Of course,” he chuckled, his voice less deep but no less powerful. “You hid it in your mouth.”

Tao’s eyes widened as the creature knelt and held his hand out, wriggling his fingers. “Spit it out,” he ordered.

Tao shook his head, wondering if he’d gone mad.

“Give me the Stone,” the Dragon/Man hissed, his eyes narrowing, “And I will release you.”

Again Tao refused, biting down on his lips.

“Fool,” he murmured, and his hand shot up to grip Tao’s jaw. He squeezed his fingers tightly and Tao cried out in pain, and that was all that was needed for the creature to slip his narrow fingers on his free hand into Tao’s mouth and scoop out the Heart Stone.

“No!” Tao screamed as the Dragon stood and smiled, admiring the Stone. Tao stood up, seething. “Give it back!” He hollered, and the Dragon rolled his eyes.

“Let me think. No,” he said with a grin, turning and walking away.

Tao stepped forward, almost grabbing the Dragon/Man’s arm and then thinking better of it. “It’s not yours!” He cried desperately. “Let me take it back, we’ll give you something else in return, I promise!”

The creature whirled around, his eyes blazing. “If I had wanted something else, I would have taken something else.” He walked back over, grabbed Tao by the arm and dragged him across the cave, throwing him out at the entrance.

“Go home,” the creature ordered coldly, turning and walking back inside.

Tao stared after him in disbelief, finally collapsing on the ground after a few minutes. He covered his face and screamed in frustration and fear. He couldn’t go home, he would be killed if he went back without the Stone! He couldn’t run either, there was no place nearby that he could go to—all towns in the area were under the same King, the same set of laws. Tao would be a fugitive in any one of them. He was stuck.

Tao spent the night curled up on the cold ground, alternately crying and screaming. He didn’t want to die, not for a stupid rock. This damn Dragon, what was so special about the stupid Heart Stone anyway? Tao wished the thing had never existed, it was just a useless rock.

Tao finally fell asleep at some point during the night and woke up when the sun rose. He stretched and rubbed his eyes. Trying to figure out a plan of action. When he rolled over he nearly screamed, finding himself face-to-snout with the Dragon, back in his original form.

‘Why are you still here?’ The Dragon rumbled. His mouth didn’t move, and Tao wondered how he could speak.

Tao decided that honesty was the best policy in this situation. “If I return without the Stone, they’ll kill me,” he explained hoarsely. He cleared his throat and stared up at the Dragon. “I promised…they made me swear to defend it with my life.”

The Dragon huffed. ‘That’s stupid,’ he sighed.

“I know!” Tao shrieked, starting to cry. “Do you think I want to die?! I never wanted anything to do with that stupid rock! I hate it! Why do you want it?!” He broke off panting and hiccupping, wondering if he was about to be fried and eaten.

The Dragon seemed rather amused. ‘Why do you care what I want from it if you hate it so much?’

“Because my life depends on that thing!” Tao cried. “You’re…you’re sentencing me to death! Over a rock which our goddess supposedly gave us! I don’t even know why she gave it to us, it’s not like it does anything! But we have better rocks, we have diamonds, can’t you take those?”

‘I don’t want to take diamonds,’ The Dragon explained, lifting one giant hand to examine his claws. ‘I wanted the Heart Stone, specifically because it should have been mine.’

Tao gaped at the Dragon. “What?” he deadpanned.

The beast sighed heavily, nearly blowing Tao over. ‘Your Goddess was my mother. In her human form, that is. And she didn’t so much give the Stone away as surrender it to prevent your people from killing me. It was hundreds of years ago, and I have simply reclaimed what should have been mine. It is a very special stone, you just don’t know it.’

Tao looked down and wiped his eyes. “I’m sorry that my people threatened you and your mother.”

‘It wasn’t your fault,’ The Dragon chortled. ‘All has been set right now,’ his eyes took on a sinister gleam, ‘I have my treasure, that’s all I care about.’

Tao shivered and bit his lip. He looked up hesitantly. “Is there a…fake stone somewhere?” He asked.

The Dragon laughed. ‘No, human. And even if there was, it wouldn’t trick your Monks.’

Tao resisted the urge to scream. “What am I supposed to do?” He groaned.

The Dragon got to his feet. ‘Not my problem,’ he said lightly as he turned around.

Tao stayed at the mouth of the cave for the rest of the day, not even moving when the Dragon went out in the evening. The cave was unguarded, but Tao had no idea where the Heart Stone was, he had no idea where his home was, and if he stole from a Dragon…well the beast had come for the stone once before, what would stop him from doing it again?

The Dragon returned at nightfall, giving Tao an exasperated glance as he walked by. Tao averted his gaze quickly, not sure if the Dragon was getting annoyed enough to eat him for dinner. He got his answer a few moments later when the Dragon returned, this time in his human form. He held out a bowl full of cooked meat.

“You haven’t eaten in two days now,” he said gruffly. “And don’t worry, it’s sheep.”

Tao tool the bowl. “Thank you,” he mumbled. “And…I wasn’t…I mean…” he trailed off, setting to work picking at the food.

The Dragon chuckled. “I don’t eat humans. Most Dragons don’t, contrary to what you might think. Seeing as we can become human and all, it would feel a little weird.”

Tao looked up, swallowing a bite of meat. “Yet you retain your wings,” he remarked.

The Dragon smirked and spread his wings, smaller when he was a human but still impressive. “A personal choice,” he practically purred. “I’m very vain about them.” He then sat next to Tao and watched him while he ate. “What are you called, human?” He asked after a few moments.

“Tao,” he answered quickly, almost choking in the process. “I’m nineteen years old.”

“Practically a baby,” the Dragon sniffed. “Well, I am called Yifan, and I am nearly two hundred years of age.”

Tao gasped. “How…how long can Dragons live?”

Yifan shrugged. “I don’t know, I have never asked. I assume forever, if we are not killed.” He looked Tao over critically. “You are filthy, hu—Tao. Would you like to bathe?”

Tao bristled and resisted the urge to fling the now-empty bowl in Yifan’s face. “Of course I would,” he grumbled. “But there’s no water.”

Yifan chuckled and stood up, holding out his hand. “There is. Come with me and I will show you.”

Tao didn’t take his hand, but he did stand up. Yifan led him into the cave, and Tao paid attention enough to look around at the piles of treasure that Yifan had collected. Most of it seemed dusty and ignored, but it still gleamed impressively in the torchlight. At the back of the cave, Yifan led Tao through a small opening in the rock, something a Dragon certainly wouldn’t have fit through. They walked through a narrow tunnel, Tao reaching out to hold Yifan’s shoulder so they wouldn’t be separated. After a while Tao could hear the sound of falling water, and when they rounded a bend Tao’s jaw dropped as he saw where the sound was coming from.

The cave’s ceiling was nearly a hundred feet above them, and near the top was a small underground waterfall, cascading down to a series of small pools. The pools themselves seemed to glow with a blue light, and Tao realized that he’d heard of this happening when a certain type of rock was submerged in water, but he’d never seen it happen. Tao turned to look at Yifan, who was smiling at him.

“Would this be a suitable amount of water for you?” He asked pleasantly.

Tao quickly hid his amazement and scoffed. “I bet it’s cold.”

“I can fix that,” Yifan said easily. “Get in.”

Tao stared at Yifan. “Look away.”

Yifan huffed but closed his eyes. Tao walked to the edge of a small pool, quickly removing his dirty Monk’s robes and slipping into the water, yelping when he felt how cold it was.

“Oh hush,” Yifan muttered in his ear. Tao yelped again and backed away. Yifan rolled his eyes and stuck his hand in the pool. At once the water began to bubble and heat up, and Tao realized that Yifan was boiling the water.

“Warm enough?” he asked after a moment. Tao nodded and Yifan sat back, watching intently as Tao washed his hair and scrubbed the dirt from the destruction of the temple off his skin.

“Why were you working as a Monk?” Yifan asked. “You clearly didn’t want to.”

“I was forced to,” Tao muttered. “I’m an orphan and the Monks raised me, so I had to pay them back with my life. It belonged to them anyway, since without them I wouldn’t be alive.”

Yifan’s eyes glowed silver in the light, and they narrowed to slits as he hissed. “They told you to die for the Heart Stone?”

Tao nodded, keeping his eyes on the water. “That’s why I can’t go back without it,” he said quietly.

Yifan closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. “Tell me about your childhood,” he ordered. “Was it happy?”

Tao launched into tales of wandering the Temple halls late at night, of Monks who taught him constellations and numbers, fellow children who taught him how to play. He tells Yifan about the stray dogs who followed him around town and how he used to go to an abandoned bench on a hilltop to watch the sunset.

“When did you become a Monk?”

“When I turned seventeen,” Tao confessed. “Then…I stopped doing all that, I had to grow up.” He looked up at Yifan. “The water is cold,” he said quietly. “I should get dressed.” He didn’t even care when Yifan continued to stare at him as he got out of the water.

“I’m not giving you the Heart Stone,” Yifan said suddenly. “Not if you intend to take it back with you.”

“I would like to go home and not be killed,” Tao countered. “So yes, I do intend to take it back.”

“Then you are out of luck,” Yifan insisted as he started to walk off. Tao ran to keep up with him, swearing he heard Yifan muttering about stupid mortals as they went off.

For two weeks Tao stayed in the cave with Yifan, sleeping during the day while Yifan was out hunting and waking up at night when he came back. Yifan always made sure Tao ate enough and even began to bring back fruits and vegetables for him. Yifan had piles of blankets in his cave, but he started to bring back new ones for Tao to sleep on. When Tao needed to drink or wash up, Yifan would lead him to the underground pools. When Tao got bored, Yifan would pick pieces out from his piles of treasures and tell Tao how he came to own them and what their history was.

“Funny thing about Dragons,” Yifan remarked as he twirled a five hundred year old ruby in his hands, “We can know the history of any object as soon as we touch it. Makes it easy to know if something is fake, but also makes for very interesting stories.”

“Do Dragons meet up to brag about their treasure?” Tao asked.

“Yes,” Yifan laughed. “It’s called mating season.” And he laughed even harder at the expression on Tao’s face.

At night when it got cold, Tao would inch closer to Yifan until finally Yifan would sigh and pull Tao close, wrapping him up in one of his wings. Oddly enough, Tao found them not to be scaly but covered in feathers. They were very warm and comforting, and Tao often fell asleep wrapped up in them and woke up sleeping on top of a Dragon.

But after the first two weeks, Tao began to get homesick. He found himself wanting to see if the village would accept him, seeing as he had tried his hardest to get the Heart Stone back. And he couldn’t stay with Yifan forever, no doubt the Dragon was growing tired of him. In the end, he decided the best thing to do was probably to leave.

“Yifan?” Tao called.

Yifan looked up from where he was polishing an emerald-studded goblet. “What is it?”

“I think I want to go home.”

Yifan dropped the goblet in shock. “Are you mad? They will kill you, you said so yourself!”

“But it’s my home,” Tao whispered.

Yifan stood up, his eyes blazing with anger. “You still call that place home?” He demanded. “After all that they did to you? They took your life out of your own hands, threatened to kill you! Tao, you will die!”

But Tao refused to be swayed, and Yifan grudgingly let him go the next day, pointing him in the direction of home.

When Tao reached the village gates he was brought to the King instantly. His legs shook as he bowed low, the Monks watching in interest.

“Where is the Heart Stone?” The King thundered.

Tao’s voice shook. “I tried to get it back, but the Dragon was too powerful. He refused to part with it.”

The King growled. “We have lost an ancient treasure, given to us by our Goddess, and it was taken on your watch!”

Tao looked up in anger. “What would you have me do to fight off a Dragon?” he demanded. “And it wasn’t our Goddess who gave it to us, our ancestors stole it from a Dragon!”

There was a gasp from the court and the King stood up. “You speak treason!” He roared. “And you have failed in your duties! I sentence you to death!”

Tao didn’t even have a chance to panic, because in that instant the roof was swept off the Palace and there was a great roar as a Dragon swooped down, snatching Tao up in his claws and carrying him off.

Tao looked up, squinting as the wind stung his eyes. The dragon was silvery-blue in color, with golden eyes.

‘I told you so,’ Yifan sighed. Tao looked away, not bothering to fight the tears any more.

When they got back to the cave, Yifan deposited Tao gently and quickly transformed into his human form. “I hope you learned a lesson,” he sniffed.

Tao looked away, wiping his tears. “I learned that I mean nothing to my people,” he muttered.

Yifan grabbed Tao’s chin and turned his head back. “You’re right, you don’t. And that is because they don’t see you for what you really are worth.” He smiled, Tao’s cheek. “That’s why you’ll be staying here now. Forever.”

Tao’s eyes widened. “Forever?” he repeated weakly. “With you? But why?”

Yifan’s grin widened. “Why? Because you are a treasure, Tao. And I don’t let any of my treasures go.”

Tao’s heart pounded and he swallowed nervously. “I’m…I’m not a treasure.”

“Yes you are,” Yifan purred, his fingers through Tao’s hair. “You are beautiful and brave, you have a just heart and a kind soul. You are every inch a treasure. My treasure.”

Tao never once looked away from Yifan’s eyes, and he could tell that Yifan was telling the absolute truth. He laughed softly and closed his eyes. “Is this real?” He asked quietly.

Yifan held Tao’s face, his breath ghosting over Tao’s lips. “It is real. It will always be like this, you’ll never have to worry about being unwanted again. You can count on a Dragon to do two things in life—chase after treasure and remain honest and faithful to those who matter.”

“And never break their promises?” Tao asked.

“Three things, then,” Yifan amended. “And never break their promises.”

Several weeks later Tao was sitting at the mouth of the cave watching the sunset when he felt a pair of hands cover his eyes. He laughed softly and touched the backs of Yifan’s wrists. “What is it?”

“Close your eyes,” Yifan commanded. “I have something for you.”

Tao obeyed, and when Yifan felt the fluttering of his eyelids closing he removed his hands, settling behind Tao. Yifan wrapped his arms around Tao’s waist, pulling him back to lean against his chest. “Alright, you can look,” he breathed.

Tao opened his eyes, seeing nothing at first, but then he looked down. “Are you serious?” He asked as he saw that Yifan held the Heart Stone in his hands.

“Very,” Yifan laughed. “Take it.”

Tao sighed and picked up the Stone, and at once it grew so hot that Tao nearly dropped it. It flashed brightly, and when the glow faded Tao couldn’t hold back a gasp. The Stone wasn’t clear anymore, instead a multitude of colors glittered from the surface. Red, blue, pink, yellow, orange—every color Tao had ever seen in the Stone was there, all at once. The Stone wasn’t cold like an ordinary gem either, instead it was warm as though it had been in the sun for hours.

“What did I do?” Tao asked, turning the Stone over in his hands. “How did that…wait, did you know about this?” He demanded, looking over his shoulder at Yifan, who grinned back at him.

“I did,” Yifan said happily. “This proves what I had suspected.”

“Which is?” Tao prompted.

“This Stone,” Yifan explained, “Is not the only one of its kind. Heart Stones are found around the world, but in places only a Dragon can get to. Volcanoes, cold mountain tops, the bottom of the ocean, and so on. Dragons take them and give them to mortals that they suspect to be their mates. If the Stone changes to show it’s true colors, it means that the match is true.”

Tao turned back to the Stone, staring at it in disbelief. “So…we’re…”

“Mates,” Yifan finished happily.

“But…I’m mortal,” Tao protested even as he thought his heart would burst from happiness. “Dragons mate for life!”

“Yes, that’s what else the Heart Stone does,” Yifan said patiently. “There’s a reason it only shows it’s colors after being given to a Dragon’s mortal mate is this—it swears allegiance to the mortal and gives him or her eternal life.”

Tao gaped. “That…that’s impossible!”

“After what you just saw, can you really believe that?” Yifan laughed. “This Stone doesn’t lie, love. It will always belong to you, even if you lose it or it is stolen from you, it will not change its allegiance. You’ll always have it, just as you’ll always have my heart.”

Tao felt like he was about to cry and he resolutely tried to keep calm. “That is the sappiest thing I’ve ever heard,” he choked.

Yifan laughed, brushing his lips over Tao’s neck. “Sappy but true, my treasure. I love you.”

Tao started to cry for real. “I love you too,” he managed. Then he laughed. “I never even liked this Stone,” he said through his tears. “It’s so weird!”

“Humans don’t know the true story of the Heart Stones,” Yifan said as held Tao closer. “But now that you know, how do you feel?”

Tao wiped his eyes and turned around. Yifan was looking up at him curiously, but Tao could see a bit of hesitation in his eyes.

“What are you nervous about?” Tao teased.

“You running away screaming,” Yifan retorted. “I’m afraid I might have overwhelmed you. I would hate to have to chase you down this mountain you know.”

Tao leaned closer and kissed Yifan lightly on his lips. “I said I love you, dumb Dragon. That means I’m not going anywhere,” he promised. “Why would I leave my mate?”

Yifan grinned widely and Tao turned back around, holding the Stone up to the fading sunlight and watching the colors dance across the surface of the Stone. “It’s so beautiful,” he sighed.

“You’re beautiful,” Yifan said happily, kissing Tao’s neck. “That stone pales in comparison to you.”

“And you,” Tao fired back. “You’re a very good looking Dragon, you know.”

Yifan sighed and leaned back against the cave’s walls, pulling Tao with him. They watched the sun set together, staying as they were long after the moon had risen. Yifan rested his hands in Tao’s lap and they passed the Heart Stone back and forth, admiring it for a long time.

“Are you cold?” Yifan asked after a while.

Tao thought about it for a minute before he shook his head. “You’re very warm,” he said softly. “I’m not cold.”

Yifan leaned forward and Tao yelped at the sudden movement. “Well I am uncomfortable,” he growled playfully. “So I say we should go inside.” And then he scooped Tao up and carried him into the cave, settling him down on the piles of blankets. Tao scooted over and gestured for Yifan to sit next to him, an order which he had no trouble obeying.

“You know,” Yifan remarked lightly, “I told you before that Dragons brag about their treasure during mating season, because we collect treasure for our mates. That means that everything here is yours.”

Tao looked around the cave at the piles of treasures. “What am I supposed to do with all of it?” He asked incredulously. “I’m not even sure where I’m supposed to keep this!” He cried, holding up the Stone. “I don’t want to keep it in my pocket forever!”

“you could keep it in your mouth,” Yifan teased, grunting when Tao elbowed him in the stomach. “I can make you a crown and set the stone in it,” he amended. “Or a necklace or ring.”

“Maybe a ring,” Tao said thoughtfully. “I want to be able to hold it. And what would I do with a crown anyway? I’m not a king.”

“You would be if I gave you a castle,” Yifan said. Tao laughed until he realized that Yifan was serious.

“Where would you get one of those?” he demanded.

Yifan grinned. “They’re all over, love. There’s one recently abandoned castle that I think you would find particularly comfortable.”

“Why was it abandoned?” Tao asked.

Yifan was trying not to smile. “Something about a Dragon who was terrorizing the town.” Tao gave him a confused look and Yifan stopped trying to hide his grin. “Interesting story. Apparently the beast made off with the town’s historical treasure and one of its monks, and then it kept flying over the place every time it went out to hunt.”

Tao gasped and then burst out laughing. “You chased everyone off?” He cried, mock-scolding.

Yifan held up his hands. “I did no such thing! They left on their own.”

Tao couldn’t help it, he started to laugh. Yifan joined him, and it was a long time before they stopped.

“Can we really move into the castle?” Tao asked breathlessly.

Yifan nodded and leaned over kiss him, more insistently than before. “We can, we can do whatever we want,” he whispered against Tao’s lips. “Just name it and I’ll make it happen.”

They kissed again and Tao wound the fingers of his free hand into Yifan’s hair, pulling him closer. He clutched the Heart Stone in his other hand, rather thinking that he could feel it beating.

“Then let’s move in,” Tao gasped when they pulled away. “It’ll be our home.”

Yifan smiled and held Tao close. “Our home,” he echoed. “I like the way that sounds.”

Tao hid his grin in Yifan’s neck as he hugged him tightly. “I like it, too.”

This was very easy to write, practically wrote itself in a 24 hour period. The thing about the Stone being for mates came to me last night and I was fangirl squealing alone in my room at midnight and...actually that basically describes my whole life.

Anyway, this was my sister's reaction when she proof-read this for me 

I CANNOT

She literally typed that out, in that size (72) at the bottom of the page. I think that basically sums up my reaction too.

I really feel like the Kris-is-a-dragon thing is overused. So is the mating thing :| I love this fic but I think I like my one where Kris was a Dragon tamer more...though this one was infinitely fluffier. Maybe I'll go back to that someday. WHEN I FINISH THE 2PM AND U-BEAT FICS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR LIKE EVER >< 

Look at me talking to myself. TALK BACK TO ME