No Darkness in Your Arms
By Draconicon


The snow swirled around the lampposts along the street, the already cold night air made colder by the unpredictable gusts of wind that blew down the streets. Gray clouds above blocked the stars and moon, leaving only the light of the lamps to guide the way of those on the street at night.

Few people were outside at this hour, in this cold, but there were two making their way home. One a dragon, the other a horse, near equal in height and both wrapped up in layers of scarves and coats to keep out the cold. Even so, an occasional shiver ran down their spines as they walked along, side by side, stepping from light to darkness to light again as they passed each post. Both carried small plastic bags in their hands, signs of their recent purchases from a shop a few blocks back, carefully held closed to keep the snow from getting in and soaking the contents.

They were quiet, not saying much as they walked through the ever-growing piles of snow along the sidewalk. Hooves and boots left prints behind them that were quickly filled up by the falling snow, obscuring their path almost before it could be noticed. The whistle of the wind, the crunch of the snow, the puffs of their breaths in the icy air; they were the only sounds to be heard, as even the city traffic had seemingly abandoned this street for the moment.

Both came to a stop at a small intersection, the street lights blinking softly above them, the sole lamppost on the block dark, the bulb burned out. The horse turned his head to the left, the dragon to the right, each looking down the street they'd now walk alone, forced to split for hours, if not days. Neither wished to part, but both knew it was unavoidable until things changed.

Broad shoulders shook as the horse held back a tear, his head lowered and his chin against his chest. He didn't want this to end, didn't want the dragon to leave. Didn't want his dragon to go. But he had to; until they had their own place, he had to.

A hand pressed on his shoulder, and he turned. Moist eyes met his own as he looked at the dragon, at his dragon, and he tilted his head to meet the dragon's hand as it moved up his shoulder, along his neck to his cheek. A thumb brushed away the tear that slipped from his eye, wiping it away. 

He opened his mouth, but a finger brushed it, silencing him. Their eyes met again, and he could see that the dragon was just as sad, that he wished just as much as he did that they could just go to one home together, that he wanted this to never end as well. He saw that he wasn't alone in those thoughts. 

They came together, arms around each other, chins on each other's shoulders. The dragon's arms shook around the horse, and the horse's arms did the same, their trembling, their shudders having nothing to do with the cold, and everything to do with the time they'd be apart. 

Arms tightened until it hurt, and further still, both trying to deny that they had to be apart. Neither knew how long they held the other in the cold and the dark, but eventually their endurance gave out. Their arms dropped at the same time, and they pulled back slightly, almost nose to nose as they looked at each other again. Lips moved, words half formed dying before they could be said; nothing could be said that would equal the moment.

Slowly, the horse turned to the left again, his head falling slightly as he took a step past the lamppost. 

Just one step, just one, before he felt a scaly hand grab his. He gasped as he was turned around, and lifted up, his back sliding along the lamppost, the chill metal only just felt through his layers of clothing. His dragon held him off of the ground, hands beneath him, supporting him. A fire in those eyes warmed him in a glance, a glance that turned into a kiss, a kiss that he eagerly joined.

His arms draped over the dragon's shoulders, eyes closing as lips pressed against his. His fingers locked behind his dragon's neck, and he panted softly as he felt warm, felt darkness fade. 

The dragon pressed against him, holding him up, joining the kiss between them with everything that he had, and the horse returned it. They held each other, touched each other, loved each other. In each other's arms, they had all they needed. 

And above them, the lamppost flickered, sparked, and glowed, banishing the darkness for their moment.