A/N: I am so sorry for the hiatus! There was... a lot. And it didn't help that I could never get the ending of this chapter quite right.
Review Replies:
xxXTryMeXxx: Honestly, I wouldn't say the ninja 100% failed, after all, Lloyd is safer and happier than he's ever been! ;P Yeah, and I couldn't resist throwing in Gren, the two of them are one of my favorite pairs of best friends. As for Skales's reaction, I guess you get to see it now!
GermanShepheardDogGSD: I- um, wow. Man, every time I read this review it sends chills down my spine. I'm really glad you like this story, and I hope I can keep up this work!
IMPORTANT: Words/phrases with an * after them are serpentinian swear words, read with caution! (Note: these are not real-world swears)
Skales had expected a lot of things when he heard Selma's human talking to something. Other humans was top of that list.
He was not expecting to get a brief glimpse of the smallest elemental dragon he'd ever seen, (granted, he hadn't seen many, only the few used in the war.) But that couldn't be quite right, because only the elite of the elemental masters could form them. And, from the couple accounts he'd heard, it required extreme control and was most commonly 'unlocked' in the heat of battle.
How could this child possibly have what it takes?
Lloyd's eyes were wide, almost terrified, as he lept to his feet. Scratch that, Skales had looked into dozens of eyes - part of hypnotizing others on a regular basis - and that was straight up pure terror.
"I- Please-" He stumbled backwards, back almost immediately hitting the corner that the cot was tucked in. "I-"
"You're an elemental massster?"
"Please, just- do what you want with me, okay? Just- just don't touch Gren, okay? He- he's just a baby! I- he's so young- I can't- Just, please, don't force him to train too." Tears flowed freely down the boy's face as he pressed further into the corner.
'Train'?
Well, giant raccoons.*
He'd completely misread this kid, hadn't he?
Of course he had, Selma hadn't been wrong about anyone for years - except Pythor, but she'd never been terribly fond of their leadership system so that was kinda expected.
Regardless, he now had a panicking, likely traumatized, human child trying to melt into the corner, and for once he didn't want to encourage the terror. So... how to comfort a child he'd antagonized?
Slowly, he crept forward, hesitating when Lloyd whimpered ever so softly. Although the boy kept his head down, Skales could see the tears building - the tears that Lloyd was clearly trying to suppress.
Lloyd didn't resist as Skales tugged him into a tight hug, although the boy remained tense. Too tense.
(It was his fault, though.)
"I'm Sssorry. I- you've been through a lot, haven't you?" He started rubbing gentle circles into the human's back, trying to be careful since the boy didn't have thick scales to protect him from Skales's claws. He waited until after Lloyd finally relaxed a bit to pull away, lowering himself to the boy's level and looking him in the eye. "Tell you what, why don't we ssstart over? We can come back to all... thisss... later, when you feel ready. For now, we can just be a normal ssserpentine and a normal human living together, okay?"
The boy was silent, watching him for a long, long time before finally squeaking out, "You won't- won't do anything to Gren?"
"I won't even tell anyone about 'Gren', not even Ssselma."
A tiny spark of hope lit up the boy's green eyes."Really?" All too quickly the spark faded back into wary suspicion. "What do you want in return, then?"
That was a question Lloyd probably wouldn't take 'nothing' as an answer to. "Well... I'd like a sssecond chancsse at that missssion you gave usss, back when we first met in that icsse tomb."
Lloyd blinked before hesitantly squeaking, "sure?"
Skales gave him a small smile - keeping it from getting too big in attempt to not be any more intimidating than he already is - and gently ruffled the boy's hair. "Goodnight, kid."
*The next afternoon*
Lloyd didn't know what to do with this.
He'd been expecting Skales to break his promise, the snake had nothing to gain from keeping it, and yet...
Skales was gone, having left for meetings before the rest of them woke up - something about fangblades. Selma and Skales Jr.'s behavior hadn't changed towards him at all, they both still treated him like he was a person... Like he was precious and his feelings mattered.
Eventually, Skales returned from meetings, interrupting the fun Lloyd and Skales Jr. had been having while Selma prepared dinner.
"Hey, boys. How are you two doing?"
"Da!" Junior exclaimed, while Lloyd sat there confused.
Skales eagerly scooped up his kid, before glancing at Lloyd, soft smile still on his face. "Well, what about you? Lloyd?"
"Uh," Huh... "I'm..."
Maybe, now that he knew, Skales was more accepting because he knew he was cursed, just like him. And that was why he'd changed so much in his demeanor.
Lloyd matched Skales's smile.
"I'm okay."
Sorry for no ninja, I just couldn't find a spot where it seemed to fit... y'know?
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! (And I promise I am trying to write more!)