Chapter 16: Of Socks and Dragons

"Last card," Cyilume snapped down a five of spades. Shar thumbed through his hand, finally, he folded his cards and placed them face down on the table,” You win." Cyilume blinked,"Oh, come on, Shar. Don't just give up." Shar shook his head,” You have an eight, Cyilume, nothing I could put down would allow me to salvage the game." Cyilume's eyes widened,” How did you...?" She shook her head and snapped down the card, eight of spades, over her previous one,” I don't know how you do it, Shar." Shar grinned,” Simple process of extrinsic deduction, Cy, I would be happy to-." The door clicked open. "Welcome back, Jeff-" Cyilume's mouth snapped shut. McKale was with him. She looked red about the eyes, as if she'd been crying, but she was smiling through the mess on her face, clutching something round and gold to her chest. It took Cy a moment or two to realize it was the watch, but when she did, she took no time at all to shoot Shar a glare. "Cy, Shar,"addressed Jeffrey, ushering McKale toward the couch,” Miss McKale has been kind enough to return to us. I trust you will welcome her appropriately?" Shar nodded simply in greeting. Cy frowned. "Cyilume?" Jeffrey's brows arched authoritativly. Cy let out a sigh,” Fine, fine...welcomebackMcKale." "Cyilume...." "Welcome back!" "Thank-you." Cy snapped her eyes back to Shar,"He's turning into a totalitarian dictator, isn't he, Shar? Just like that French-fellow you were telling me about." "Robespierre?" "Yes, that one,"Cy shook her head,” I don't know where you learn this stuff." Shar's eyes flickered upward toward the bookshelf. He flicked his ears back, but chose not to say anything, directing his attention, instead, on the cards. McKale let out a hiccupped chortle of laughter,” What-ho to you too...ah...Cy, is that right?" Shar nodded for her,” And I'm Shar'voras Tah, pleased to meet you." "Jeffrey says you’re the one who found the watch, what?" Shar nodded. McKale's eye flickered toward Cy,"And you're the one who bit me?" Cy frowned, but nodded none-the-less,"Yeah." McKale grinned. "Miss?" McKale turned to Jeffrey,” Yes, Jeffrey?" "Shall I return to your room and continue packing your things, miss?" "Oh, yes, Jeffrey. Please do." Jeffrey nodded, bending in a slight half-bow, and slipped out the door. There was silence all around, except for Shar's shuffling of cards. He dealt them out between he and Cy, eyes cast downward at the deck. McKale squirmed on the couch. The silence was somewhat...unnerving. And, dash it all, this was her apartment. She had no need to get uncomfortable in her (albeit temporary) home. "What are you playing?" she asked, finally. "Crazy eights,” replied Shar, snapping the last card down in front of Cy. "Ah. Not one for cards, myself,” she said. Neither dragon replied to her, so she shifted her gaze to her bare feet and wiggled her toes a little. An idea struck her then, and she gasped, her eyes snapping back onto the unusual forms of her two new housemates. She coughed into her fist, clearing her throat, and the pair glances over their table at her. She licked her lips,” How do you two feel about...socks?" Shar and Cy exchanged a look, and put their cards down. .:.:.::.:.:. "Jeffrey is never going to approve of this,"Shar's lip curled upward at the Cy of sigh slipping out of McKale's bedroom, mismatched socks on all four feet and one hanging off the end of her tail. Shar prodded the tail sock as if it were some amorphous puddle of sick. Cy rolled her eyes,” You really do disapprove of everything Jeffrey does, don't you?" Shar looked away, flicking his ears back. He said nothing, which was, of course, customary, and didn't really mean he was guilty of Cy's accusation...but Cy grinned triumphantly none-the-less and waddled back to their cards. Shar shuffled after her, feeling distinctly uncomfortable in his four pairs of socks, but at least he chose matching sets. "She's being rather nice to us, isn't she?" Cyilume wrinkled her nose and picked up her cards, clasped between her two paws in order to keep them upright. Shar gave a little shrug, barely repressing his smirk. It didn't matter, though; Cy caught the barest flash of it and furrowed her brow. She knew. "You knew Bress and McKale would break it off if he knew she wore pants." Shar nodded. "The watch didn't even need to play a part, did it?" Shar shook his head no. Cy's brow furrowed further,” Why the watch, then?" Shar grinned,” To get her to like us." "To like you, you mean. I didn't have anything to do with the watch." "No, to like us. She wouldn't have appreciated the break up unless Bress had done something to her, such as steal her watch. Because you initiated the break-up, but putting that mark on her ankle, she would become...thankful for your actions." Cyilume frowned,” What if I don't want her to like me? I was perfectly fine with everything before." Shar cocked a brow at Cy's socks. Cy colored slightly, rouge spreading over her chrome-like silver skin,” I’m not saying it's a bad thing! It's just...we were fine before." "Jeffrey wasn't." Cy rolled her eyes,” Is it always about Jeffrey?" "He is my bond, Cy,"Shar slapped down a deuce of diamonds,” Last card." Cy put a deuce of clubs on top of that, which was quickly topped by Shar's eight. He stuck his hand out over the table, grinning, and”Good game." .:.:.::.:.:. McKale looked up as the door swung open. Jeffrey's eyes locked onto hers and he jumped, turning his around to leave,” I apologize, miss, I had forgotten-" "No, no, Jeffrey, come on in, old chap. Have you finished packing my things?" Jeffrey nodded, sliding into the room with two suitcases in hand. He set them down beside the armoire and proceeded to empty their contents back into their proper places. McKale watched him intently, snuggling down inside her covers. "Sorry to have pipped off to bed so early, Jeffrey, but I'm feeling I might bit of...of..." "Somnolence, miss?" "That's not quite the word I'd use, but I trust your judgement,"she nodded, yawning, and rolled onto her side, propping her head up to watch him better. He produced a roll of socks from the bags. "Oh! What-ho, Jeffrey, don't worry about those,” she jerked her chin upward,” I’ve no intention of ever wearing socks again,” she kicked the covers off her feet, revealing bare feet and happily wiggling toes,” There’s something dashed wonderful about bare feet, Jeffrey, old chap." Jeffrey glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. Sighing, he dropped the socks back in the suitcase,” Very well miss. I trust this is why my dragons are sporting footwear unaccustomed to their species?" McKale nodded, grinning,” Indeed, Jeffrey, indeed. Trying to heal the rift, and all that." "Very...good...miss,” he turned away to hide his frown. She was trying, though, he'd give her that. But if McKale intended never again to wear socks, Jeffrey would simply have to remove them all from the premises. Except his own, of course. Poor Shar... "They're really not that bad at all, are they, Jeffrey?" "Pardon, miss?" "The dragons...your dragons,” she sat up, and Jeffrey moved toward her to prop a pillow behind her head,” They like you well enough, don't they?" "Yes, miss, I believe they do,” he smiled warmly. It was like having children, like having someone closer than children. Jeffrey turned back to his task with the clothes. "I don't think I'd...mind...bonding." That came as a bit of a shock. Jeffrey craned his neck to look at her as he finished hanging a suit jacket,” Indeed, miss? May I remind you that to bond a dragon is to make a lifelong commitment? It is not something to merely 'not mind', if you are thinking about doing it, miss." "Yes, yes, Jeffery. I know. I've thought about all that." "And what of the matter concerning your...gender, miss?" "They won't very well go about shouting my secrets from rooftops, Jeffrey. Besides, I won't bond anyone that doesn't suit me. Doesn't work that way. Weren't you the one who told me that?" "No, miss, I regret to say I have no recollection of the conversation." "Ah, well, doesn't matter, Jeffrey. Fact still stands. I am right, aren't I?" "Indeed, miss." "Well,” she said, straightening up a little,” I’d like to do it then." Jeffrey resisted the urge to bite his lip,” It would mean staying in Star City for a considerable amount of time, Miss. I believe the next clutch is not due for bonding until after Christmas." "After Christmas?! That's a dashed long time, Jeffrey." "Over a month, miss." McKale tapped her chin,” But no, it doesn't matter. I want to do it, Jeffrey. And that's all there is to it, what?" "Very good, miss." McKale laced her fingers over her breast,” Besides, we have to wait for a confirmation from Mr.Winquist." "Miss?" Jeffrey's brow arched quizzically. He finished hanging the last dressed and moved to stand beside the head of her bed,” Why would that be, miss?" "Why, Yaidom's been shipped off to him, of course!" she beamed,” Didn’t think it would matter, much, with the watch gone and all, but now that you've found it." Jeffrey's brow furrowed,” Indeed, miss." "So,” she looked up at him brightly,” Where do I go to sign up for this bonding thingummy?" "I shall bring you to the DRM once you've rested, miss, if that is agreeable." "Quite agreeable, Jeffrey, thank-you." He moved toward the door,” Do you wish me to wake you for supper, miss?" "What are we having?" "Chicken Creole, miss." "Ah,"she wiggled back under the covers, dragging the pillow with her,” Wake me up, then, Jeffrey. Can't miss that. One of my favorite dishes, you know." "Indeed, miss, I had made the assumption,” he opened the door and slipped through it,” It is a particular favorite of Cyilume as well." "Well,” said McKale, grinning,” Dragons really are rather pleasant, aren't they?" "Indeed so, miss,” he flicked off the lights and shut the door, leaving her to rest.