Chapter Text
Flying through the sky was the dream. The rushing air, the clouds, the endless crystal waters surrounding the mountains and valleys that created the picturesque scene below. Link flipped through the air, beating his sapphire wings and almost dancing through the sky. He never felt more alive than when he was airborne. He could smell the honeysuckle and jasmine as he approached his lair, a little cave near the shore, but high enough that no one could catch him unawares. Link landed, creating a small cloud of dust as his feet hit the ground. He took another deep breath, and watched the hummingbirds flit from flower to flower as he used his tail to sweep away the dirt that had collected in front of his cave entrance. Just because he was a dragon, he wasn’t a complete animal, and he liked things neat and orderly. His collection of trinkets greeted him as he made his way inside. His hoard wasn’t the typical dragon fare of gold and silver. Link loved musical instruments and pretty bolts of cloth. He had spices and carpets, even a fancy birdcage. He was more apt to raid a merchant ship of its cargo than its wealth.
He curled up on the Persian rug that lay across the floor of the cave, careful not to hit his treasures with his wings or tail, though he had been known to be clumsy at times. He may, or may not, have caught his own tail on fire at one point trying to cook a sheep he had been “gifted” by the local townspeople. Cooking wasn’t his specialty, but he was a joy to be around, if there was anyone ever to be around. The other dragons in the area had moved on when the village grew from a small town to a bustling metropolis with a castle and armed guards. Link didn’t seem to mind the town, as he was curious about all the new items coming in and out on the ships that continued to bring trade to the harbor. He was a creature of habit and liked to be in his solitude, but he did wish he had the opportunity to socialize if he so chose. He was really and truly alone.
The water was warm, and the bubbles tickled his chin as Rhett slid through the seaweed like a snake. He loved a good afternoon swim, but his favorite was in the early morning, when the waters felt almost like ice. It added a burst of zest to his morning, making him feel alive and invigorated for his day. His green and gold scales captured the light filtering through the water as he swam along the sea floor. He had never really given much thought to the people up above. There were more boats lately, so more things to be wary of, but other than the increased traffic above, his seabeds below had remained mostly unaltered by the increase of man on the land. They fished with nets, which he could easily avoid, and they never ventured too deep for fear of the unknown. Rhett, being the unknown, enjoyed startling an adventurous human with his jaw open wide in the depths. His cave was nestled in a rock formation on the sea floor. His hoard consisted of many things, mostly shiny gold coins and interesting things he found in shipwrecks. His favorite find was a grandfather clock that would chime on the hour, even having been underwater for years. He had dragged the clock into his lair, giving it a place of prominence next to his bed of kelp and sponges. It was his pride and joy. He had been alone as long as he could remember. He was sure at some point other sea dragons existed, but he had been too small when they left to find out exactly what happened or why he was alone. He made friends with the fish that were too cute to eat, and he brushed his beard with a coral comb he had made so he always looked his best. One day he would find someone like him. He just knew it.
Today Link decided to look in the water, hearing the call of the ocean like never before. He was sure he could swim if he tried, but he had never even put a claw in the water before. The sun was shining on the ripples, and it lured him away from the safety of his mountain lair and he settled on a giant rock overlooking the water. The seagulls were calling loudly, as if to alert Link to something he wasn’t seeing. He watched them fly around in circles for a bit before turning his head downward and coming face to face with a giant sea serpent. His eyes widened and his heart seemed to stop. This dragon was different. He was made basically the same, but he was in the water like he had been there his entire life. It dripped from his horns and slid down his chest, making Link shake his head and clear all the thoughts that flooded in. He didn’t want to scare the green and gold dragon away, but he just wasn’t even sure what to do at this moment in time. Then he did something that surprised them both. Link reached out one claw and tapped Rhett on the nose. “Boop.”
Rhett startled backwards before bursting into a laugh that seemed to take over his entire body. Link started to laugh too, unable to come up with the reason that he had done something so odd at that moment. He continued to lean over the edge of the rock, looking into Rhett’s eyes as his laughter settled. Rhett reached out and did a “boop” of his own, bursting into another peal of dragon laughter. This went on for quite some time, both dragons amusing each other endlessly simply by being themselves.
As the sun started to sink behind the trees, Link looked over his shoulder at his lonely mountain side, unable to tear himself away from his new friend. Rhett looked around, then seemed to have an idea. He dove below the waves and disappeared. Link was confused, as he waited patiently, hoping that the green serpent would come back. Suddenly, Rhett burst back into view, unaware of the tidal wave he sent over onto Link. Link huffed, dripping from horn to claw, but unable to be angry given the look of honest joy on Rhett’s face. Rhett held out his claws toward Link, showing him something special. Rhett held out a small golden circle. In reality, it was a human bracelet, but for the dragon, it slipped onto one of his clawed fingers like a ring. Link held up his hand, flashing the golden band from side to side, catching the fading sunlight on the glittering object. He had never been given a present before, and tears welled up in his eyes. He nuzzled his snout next to Rhett’s trying to convey all the feelings that overwhelmed him with the gift. He tilted his head back toward his cave, and they both nodded, as if in agreement to meet there again in the morning.
Rhett slid back below the waves, a smile on his face as he settled in for the night. He really didn’t know what to make of the day’s events, but he knew he wanted to see that beautiful blue dragon again who made him laugh and whose smile seemed to brighten every corner of their world. Link curled up in his cave with his new shiny gold band, realizing that he had just made his first friend, and he couldn’t wait to see what adventures they could get up to tomorrow.