This is part two of a commission where I draw images for someone else's story. Characters and plot belong to Trout.

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"O-oh," the dragon said, jolted into awareness. "Um-- uh--" Dirine stammered. Their conversation continued like that for at least a minute. Managing to upright herself, Dirine said, "I-I'm sorry about that," slowly backing away from the dragon. She could tell that he was just as shocked as she was. "It's, uh. It's fine," the dragon replied. "Wait... have we met before?" Memoies of the day before flooded back to Dirine. "Oh-- oh, yeah! You're one of those two dragons that snuck up on us yesterday. I don't think we'be been properly introduced. I'm Dirine," she said. She held out a hand to offer a handshake but quickly retracted it. "Oh, um, my name's Boaga," said the dragon, somewhat uncomfortably.

A minute of awkward silence passed. "So, uh... where's your ladyfriend?" Asked Dirine. "Oh, she's... around here somewhere. She said that she was going to go look around and told me to stay here. Where's your, uh, guy friend?" Dirine bit her lip and looked away. "We had a... disagreement." Boaga tilted his head out of genuine concern and understanding. "He just didn't feel the same way that I felt about him." Boaga nodded and said, "Yeah, I... I know how that feels. My friend-- uh, Grentonis-- just wants to be friends with me, but I want something more..."

Dirine looked into his eyes. "Is this kind of this common?" "I really hope not," Boaga replied. Dirine felt glad to have found someone in the same situation, but she also felt something... else, something warmer and more pressing. "You know," she continued, taking a step toward the dragon. "We don't have to be alone. I mean, look at us, two people with the same problem." Boaga scooted back a few steps, visibly blushing. "I-- uh-- that's very kind of you, but--" Dirine interrupted him. "We could solve each other's problems, you know," she said, taking more steps toward him and laying a hand on his scaled shoulder. "N-no, that-- that's perfectly okay," he stuttered, leaning away.