Caleb left Ky in the stadium with Caleb's parents. The graduates waited in a separate room. Time dragged on. Ash made Jas stay with her until time for the seniors to file into their seats. He left carrying her purse. Caleb wished he would have thought to have Ky accompany him.

Caleb tried not to yawn through the ceremony. Even getting his diploma wasn't exciting. Or at least not as exciting as what would happen after they were home again. Just how far did Ky's tattoo go down his leg?

Pictures were taken. Caleb stood patiently for his friends' parents, who all seemed to want group pictures. Then his parents got in the act. Caleb had his picture taken with Ash, with Ky, with Ky and Jas, and with Ky, Ash, and Jas, plus the ones with him alone. Ky even took one on his phone.

Ash was in at least twice as many group pictures as Caleb, and the parking lot was mostly empty by the time they got to the car. Dad asked if they wanted ice cream. Ash's happy yes overruled Caleb's no. He wanted to get home. He wanted to be alone with Ky, but he ate his ice cream and joined the conversation.

Ky had become acquainted with Caleb's parents while waiting for the ceremony to start. They might now more about Ky and his family than Caleb did. But maybe not. Ky was unlikely to have told them that he was from a family of dragons.

When they got home, Caleb's mom said she and Dad were going to bed and not to stay up too long. Ash was all for getting rid of Jas and Ky right away, looking significantly at the phone. Caleb shook his head, "Ky's spending the night. And I don't think these two would be surprised. Just call the guy up and complain."

She did. Caleb was wrong. Ky was surprised. "Grandfather?"

The man on the phone laughed, but this time like he was genuinely amused. "I didn't think you'd recognize me. It's been a while."

"Not. Long. Enough."

The man laughed again. "Now Ashley, what is your problem this time?"

"Where is my prince?"

"He's sitting beside you."

Ash turned to Jas who was beside her on the couch. "But he's in middle school."

Jas ducked his head. "I'll be a freshman next year."

Ash sighed, "Nothing against you personally, but I imagined my prince a lot older. How did I get settled with a shrimp?"

"Caleb went adventuring looking for Ky…."

"Search for the missing husband," Caleb said with a nod, "like East of the Sun, West of the Moon."

At the word husband, Ky squeezed Caleb's fingers and smiled. Caleb squeezed back.

"He had several trials to overcome and after passing them all, he returned home with his traveling companion, who then marries the sister he left at home."

Ash shook her head as she opened and closed her mouth, but words came out.

"And like a princess you vowed Jas would become your prince if he complete the task you set before him—your hair, I believe," Grandfather continued, "which he fulfilled to you satisfaction. The traveler's reward is always the princess's hand in marriage."

"But…. What am I supposed to do?"

"Marry him."

"Now? He's just a kid."

"He'll grow."

"Argh. I guess I will go to college." She stormed out of the room and the phone line went dead. Caleb passed the phone to Jas so he could call his dad to get picked up while Ky called his dad to say that Grandfather was making trouble again. Caleb was curious about what Ky had said, but didn't want to interrupt the phone calls.

Then they went outside to wait for Jas's dad, Caleb and Ky hand in hand. Caleb turned to Jas. "Ash isn't as bad as she seems."

Jas lifted his shoulders and ducked his head. He could have been blushing, but the light wasn't good enough to be certain. "She was really nice to me."

Ky ruffled Jas's hair. "Well, she's your princess."

Jas looked up. "I'm not like you guys. I'm just normal. I've never been special or anything. Why…? Uh, I don't even know what to ask."

"Grandfather is a prankster, a trickster," said Ky. "He's been around a long, long time. It's not like we were keeping anything from you to keep you in the dark. It's just he can hear us when we talk about him and the adults think it's best if he doesn't notice us kids."

Jas turned away. "Uh, so I guess we shouldn't."

"Your dad probably knows more than I do. But since we know Grandfather is listening anyway…. He picks people that he feels are special." Ky squeezed Caleb's hand. "He gives them tasks and rewards. He seems to like both of you, as well as Ash, so you can look forward long lives and, in your case Jas, many children. Your dad was one of his projects. You may not be a dragon, but your family has never been normal."

Jas's dad pulled up. He ruffled his son's hair as Jas climbed in the car. "I guess we have a lot to talk about."

Jas nodded then they said their goodbyes. After they drove away, Caleb looked up. The sky was bright with stars. Caleb had so many questions, but they didn't seem important right now. Ky's arms wrapped around him. "Let's go in."

Caleb was nervous. He didn't have time to be nervous the other two times, but this time was different. This time they wouldn't be interrupted. He made a pit stop on the way to his room, but when he opened the bathroom door, Ash stuck her head into the hallway. "I can't believe you're so inconsiderate, knowing that I don't have a prince of my own."

She slammed her door with a bang. Caleb felt his face heat up. She would hear him. His parents would hear them. Why hadn't he thought of that before?

Ky pulled him into his room and closed the door. He pointed to the tattoo on his arm. "No one will hear us. I promise."

Caleb relaxed and reached for his tie, but Ky stopped his hand. "Let me." Ky loosened the tie and removed the knot. Then he slipped it off with a rustle of silk on cotton, warming Caleb's neck with the friction and sending jolts down his body.

"Say my name, Caleb," Ky whispered in his ear as he unbuttoned Caleb's top button. "I want you to get used to calling it out from our very first time."

Caleb's body roared to life. His slacks made that very evident, but Ky didn't say anything to embarrass him, concentrating instead on Caleb's shirt. Once the buttons were undone, Ky leaned down to suck on a nipple as he pushed the shirt off Caleb's shoulders. He hadn't undone the cuff buttons, so the shirt got stuck at Caleb's wrists, but that took only a moment for Caleb to fix. The same amount of time it took Ky to lick down to his waist.

Ky undid Caleb's belt and the zipper was loud in the quiet room. Caleb was lightheaded. He wanted to concentrate on the feel of Ky's chest against his legs, Ky's hands on his back, Ky's tongue on his cock, but he couldn't do that and stand up at the same time. "The bed."

Ky pulled off, leaving Caleb gasping for a moment before he could step out of his pants and shoes. He sat on the edge of his bed in just his socks and held his hands out to Ky. "Your turn. I want to see you tattoo."

Ky smiled and pulled the warmed lube out of his pocket. He kissed the tube before dropping it on the bed. He pulled his shirt off slowly, tossing it on the floor by the clothes Caleb wore earlier. Then he undid his jeans, one button at a time, pushing them down slowly. The snake's body wound purple and gold around his thigh, becoming green as it passed beneath his knee.

Caleb couldn't hold back any longer. He pulled Ky's boxers down with a quick kiss to the tip of his cock, before pushing Ky onto the bed and pulling his jeans and boxers over his feet. He looked Ky over for a moment—he was beautiful, even when biting his lip and trying not to smile—then lifted Ky's right leg to find the end of the snake's tail. He tasted it. Ky moaned. Encouraged, Caleb sucked and licked his way up, rolling Ky over several times to follow the snake. Not only did it writhe beneath his tongue, but each color had a slightly different flavor. Was the one on his arm the same?

"No," Ky moaned. "Don't stop."

The wings were across Ky's butt cheek and Caleb licked the edge all the way into his crack. Ky stiffened, "Uh, Caleb. Who's going first?"

"I assumed you were," Caleb said, running a hand between Ky's legs and grasping his cock. "But you have this delicious tattoo…."

Ky moaned and that was all the invitation Caleb needed. He turned Ky over and as he licked the snake's head, he slicked up his fingers. He gave Ky's cock a moment of undivided attention then pushed his finger against Ky's tunnel. Ky moaned and curled his back.

Caleb wiggled his finger, sliding it in and out, then he added a second. He kept sucking and pumping. He hoped Ky was feeling as good as it looked like he was. Caleb felt awkward and clumsy. He wished he had entered Ky with his right hand, so his left could stroke the snake. It looked in want of attention.

He added a third finger and hit a spot the made Ky gasp for breath. He should have remembered about that spot earlier. Ky deserved better than a ignorant virgin. He should have let Ky go first.

But Ky didn't seem to think so. He writhed, curling around Caleb in a way that no human could have. Heartened, Caleb pulled back, wrapped his hand around the tip of Ky's cock, and sucked one of his balls. Caleb switched to the other then slid to the side, licking the tattoo.

The snake writhed under his mouth and he felt a sting on his leg as if the tail had pulled itself from Ky's skin. Ky's fingers curled and straightened as he moved them down Caleb's back. This made Caleb lose the spot inside Ky for a second. But Ky didn't seem to mind. He called Caleb's name as he came.

Caleb didn't quite get to Ky's cock in time and so couldn't swallow all the essence. As Ky lay heaving great breaths, Caleb licked the last of it from Ky's belly, which quavered under his tongue. Ky wrapped his legs around Caleb's back. "Come up and kiss me."

Ky's legs stayed around his waist even as their lips touched. Were people really that flexible or was it only Ky? "Please," Ky begged between kisses, "I need you in me."

"Maybe you should."

"No, Caleb, please." Ky curled his back and reached between them, pushing on Caleb's cock until it was lined up with Ky's tunnel. "Please, Caleb, please."

He would probably get everything wrong, but he would do his best. He could deny Ky nothing. He pushed at the opening. Ky called his name, but sounded like he was in pain. Caleb spotted the lube by the edge of the bed and kissed Ky to distract him as Caleb slicked himself up. Then he tried again. This time more boldly; maybe his timidity was causing Ky pain. Ky called his name again and he responded in kind, calling Ky's name each time he pushed in further.

He buried his head against Ky's shoulder, trying his best to keep his rhythm while Ky writhed under—and around—him. The snakes on Ky's arm and leg moved against Caleb back, sweat poured from his skin, Ky's fingers dug into his flesh, and Ky's moans filled his ears. Caleb's lungs filled with the scent of Ky and his throat dried with each gasp and call of Ky's name. He licked his lips and tasted their salty, mingled sweat. His muscles screamed from overwork, but he couldn't let up. He couldn't slow down. This was Ky's need as well as his own. Bees buzzed and bumbled faster and faster inside his head as his body grew hotter than a furnace. Just when Caleb didn't think he could last a moment longer, Ky shouted his name and a great white overtook him. He felt like he was flying. He'd never felt so good in his life.

He filled Ky, slicking him, but only one thrust was easier because Ky's muscles spasmed around him, milking the last off his essence into Ky, his lover, the one he loved, the only one he'd ever touched, the only one who's ever touched him.

"Caleb, Caleb," Ky whispered as he fought for breath, his body relaxed under Caleb as if he hadn't the strength to move. "I believe I love you."

Caleb wiggled free and looked down into Ky's groggy eyes. "I thought dragons had lots of stamina."

"They do, but two in a row is enough to wipe any man out. Especially when they're as good as yours."

Caleb bit his bottom lip, immensely pleased that Ky hadn't noticed his deficiencies. "Glad you liked it."

Ky pulled him close. "I do love you and it's not just because you give great sex."

"Oh."

"You are the first to wake my snake."

Caleb turned away, but didn't leave Ky's arms. "But not your first."

"Why would I want to be with anyone who didn't waken my snake?" His arms tightened around Caleb, drawing his back against Ky's chest. "My dad had to wait fifty years to meet my mother; he says that isn't long for a dragon. Some have to wait centuries, but I was barely twenty when you walked by the coffee shop and suddenly my snake tried to climb off my leg. Do you have any idea how hard it was to not stalk you?"

Caleb shook his head. He couldn't believe it.

"My snake knew you were at the night club before I even saw you. I was supposed to let you come to me—that's the dragon way—but I couldn't wait any longer. And when you asked for some place quieter…." Ky nibbled on the top of Caleb's ear and he couldn't stifle a gasp.

"I held your license in my hands. I looked at your name and birth date, but I only glanced at your address. I didn't know I would have such a hard time finding you. I think Grandfather was messing around again."

"Well," Caleb said, "Ash was the one who said I wasn't here and who erased to number from the caller ID."

"That doesn't matter," Ky said, running his hand down Caleb's leg. "I've got you now and I'm never letting you go."

"Good," said Caleb, snuggling closer. It wasn't as if he was ever going to let Ky get away.

---

A/N: I normally write down what I was thinking while I wrote/came up with a story, but I looked at my list and came up empty on this one. All I know is that I wrote it (and three other stories, only one other of which is finished) between Duty and Shattered (both in MM Goodness) last September.

I'm going to start posting Summer Snapshots on Wednesday, although I've only written five chapters, so I'll probably only post one chapter a week at least until I have a big enough reserve. I've got sixteen chapters of Are you Together? (about Pete, the desert-island-pirate waiter) written (but I'm nowhere near the end) and I'm considering posting it, but I'm not sure how well I can keep up two WIPs, especially with the kids home all summer. Plus I have a little Headache left.

I've got finished stories featuring weddings, soldiers, frontier farmers, shipwrecks, tattooed biker boys, a mage unable to use his magic, kings in disguise, high schoolers, dragons, Scottish crofters, avoiding Fate, princes, and ghosts taking over empty bodies, but nothing screaming to be posted. We'll see.