Disclaimer: I do not own Spyro. I just play with him from time to time. Please don't sue me.
It was one scorcher of a day in the Dragon Realm. The sheep in Artisans had all gathered in the shade to chew grass and doze. The dragon elders had followed suit, and were currently sipping whiskey and swapping war stories under the trees.
The younger dragons, however, were soaking up the sun and taking advantage of the last few days of summer. The day found Spyro the dragon sunning himself on a stone archway. He sleepily looked on as five or six hatchlings played tag below him. A sudden flash of copper caught his eye. It was Elora; or her hair, rather. He watched as she politely waved to the elders. He was amazed at how readily they had all accepted her. Dragons were not known for their tolerance. She was staying in Stone Hill with him while she was on vacation.
Spyro smirked and stood, stretching his toes. After a few minutes of working out the kinks, he pushed himself up on two legs and caught the wind under his wings, gliding down to the soft grass below. The little ones bid him a fond farewell. He winked and galloped off after his faun.
"Hey! Elora, wait up!"
Elora turned and smiled. "Hey! I've been looking for you all day! Where were you?" Spyro shrugged.
"Eh, watching the kids. Making sure they don't kill each other. Where are you off to?"
Elora held up a towel. "Over to the bath." Spyro grinned.
"Ooh… can I tag along?"
Elora rolled her eyes. "Only if you behave." Spyro fell into step beside her.
"Yes, ma'am."
The bath was really just a freshwater spring cut into the side of a hill. It was rarely used, as dragons weren't exactly water-lovers. When they reached the pool, Elora set her towel and shampoo bottles at the water's edge. Spyro flopped down in a patch of clover nearby.
"Okay, you be the lookout. Tell me if you see anyone coming," Elora said, glancing around nervously. She still wasn't accustomed to the idea of a public bath. Dragons, and most other creatures, on the other hand, couldn't have cared less who saw them bathing. Fauns were funny creatures, in Spyro's opinion.
Elora turned her back to the dragon and began unlacing the front of her tunic. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Spyro flexing his wings. It gave her an idea. "Hey Spyro? Could you… you know…" She made a flapping gesture with her arms. Spyro rolled his eyes. He stood behind her, facing her back, and spread his wings.
"Creatures of the Dragon Realm," he boomed majestically, chest puffed out, "Fear me! For I am Spyro, the mighty changing screen!" Elora giggled.
"It's just until I get in the water. You're such a whiner." Spyro frowned.
"Well, wings cramp up if you hold them in a certain position for too long." Elora turned her head to give him a look. At his teasing smile, she smirked and went back to undressing.
"I just don't want to give anyone a free show." Elora gave a frustrated growl. "Ugh, these laces kill me! They get knotted so easily…" Spyro tried to peek over her shoulder.
"I could, ah… help you out there…" Spyro waggled his brows enticingly. Elora laughed.
"I think I've got it. Shut your eyes." Spyro winced and shut his eyes.
"Ooh, shot down," he murmured. Cautiously, he opened one eye. He gave a little chuckle at the sight before him. Elora let her tunic slide down her arms. He admired the gentle curve of her back and the soft blond hair that began where skin met fur.
"Spyro? Are you peeking?" Spyro quickly clamped his eyes shut.
"Never, precious," he said with a smirk.
Elora waded into the water up to her shoulders. She turned and looked over at Spyro. She stifled a giggle with her hand. He looked so ridiculous, standing there with his wings spread and his eyes screwed shut.
"You can open your eyes now."
Spyro opened his eyes and folded his wings. He scanned the area, hands on his hips. "Look, not a soul in sight. You worry too much."
Elora ducked under the water. Spyro watched her lazily breaststroke just below the surface of the water. Lowering himself on all fours, the dragon tucked his legs under his belly and curled his tail around his thigh. Elora broke the surface and gasped for air.
"C-cold…" she sputtered. Spyro chuckled.
"No geysers in Artisans. You have to go to Beast Makers for hot water." Elora wrinkled her nose.
"With all the peat bogs and compost pits… no thank you. Could you throw me that shampoo? No, the green stuff; yeah." Spyro tossed the said bottle into the spring. Elora grabbed it as it floated past her.
"So, what are we doing tonight?" Spyro asked, examining his claws. Elora lathered up her hair. "Well, Fracture Hills is holding a lunar festival tonight." Spyro cringed.
"No offense, but the bagpipes give me a migraine."
Elora laughed. "Yeah, I know. The only reason I was considering going was to see Krista and Spinner. They were going to be there."
"Eew."
"Hey!" Elora giggled and splashed the dragon. Spyro blocked the tidal wave with a wing.
"Those are my girls you're 'eewing' about!" she pouted.
"I mean, ooh! Spinner!" he said, a fake smile plastered on his lips.
Her poker face slipped as she burst into laughter.
Spyro sighed and rolled over onto his back. "I'm sorry. If you want to go, it's okay with me." Elora soaped up her arms and neck.
"No, I want to do something together, that we both like. And I know how tough Spinner is on you."
Spyro picked a daisy and set it in the water to float. "If it's any consolation, I like Krista."
A stray lamb wandered to the spring's edge. Elora held out a wet hand and beckoned the creature to her. "I can't believe you guys torch these things. They're so sweet." She made a soft clucking noise and the lamb nuzzled her palm.
Spyro stared up into the clouds, chewing a flower stem thoughtfully. "Sparx and me gotta eat." Elora smiled sadly and looked into the lamb's eyes.
"I could never do it." Spyro looked over at her.
"Do what?"
The lamb trotted off after his mother. "Kill another creature," she said quietly.
Spyro felt a wave of annoyance pass over him. There were times that Elora would look at him like how someone would look at his or her dog after it killed a rabbit. The love for the dog was still there, but the sick realization that the thing you loved could take a life… that never passed.
Spyro tilted her face toward him. Her usually brilliant green eyes were clouded over. "Elora… when we started this, we knew that there would be differences. More than just physical ones…" Elora slid her arms around his neck.
"I know… I'm sorry," she whispered, kissing his mouth. "I know, Spyro." She looked into his dark blue eyes. "Kiss?" she whispered. He pressed his lips to hers.
"I love you," he mumbled. Elora pecked his mouth once more.
"I love you too," she said. With a smile, Elora pushed off back into the water. "Seriously though, where are we going tonight?" Spyro thought for a while before answering. "Let's go to Summer Forest. We can pop in Colossus, lay out in the Zen garden, watch the stars go by…kiss each other senseless…" Elora laughed.
"Senseless is good."
Spyro nuzzled her cheek. "Yeah, it's worked for me all these years," he said. Elora giggled and reached for her towel.
"Okay, I'm starting to prune. Stretch your wings so I can get out."
"That's all you keep me around for," he huffed, stretching his wings to full span. He held out a clawed hand to help her out. Blushing, Elora took it. He pulled her up and handed her the towel.
"Thank you," she whispered. Spyro watched as she wrapped the towel around herself and picked up her clothes.
"You're beautiful, 'Lora," he said. She blushed even darker and touched his cheek.
"I love you. I'm going to go get dressed. Pick me up at Bianca's around six, okay?" Spyro kissed the top of her head.
"Will do." Elora squeezed his hand and started off up the hill.
Spyro watched her form disappear into the distance. Spyro sighed and took off into the air. Perching up on a ledge, his thoughts drifted off to a time last week when he was talking to Elder Lindar. The older dragon was lecturing him about his relationship with Elora.
"She's not your kind, Spyro," he had said. "She will never understand your ways, just as you will never understand hers. She'll want a family. You can't give her that. She'll find another faun, and there you'll be empty handed. I know that you love her, but sometimes it's not enough. Let her go, son."
'Lindar was wrong,' Spyro thought. 'I love her, and she loves me… and it's enough.'
FIN
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