[Dragon AU] Once more into the breach

[bloodyashes]

Military work. An obligation to any dragon who wanted to live peacefully - to have even a chance of living to old age. Most humans regarded it as a way for adolescent dragons to burn off their hormonal urges relatively safely, especially the males.

The dragons themselves knew that the reality was a bit more complicated. Young dragons had a need to claim territory, but with their own populations dwindling and human populations surging, there was very little territory left they could claim. And with most matings chosen by genetic matches, there wasn't a need to impress potential mates anyway.

So they sent their young to defend human territory instead. It had the side benefit of making the humans think they were tamed, safely under control, and so it protected their kind as a whole. Human technology, quick to develop, could easily spell the end of dragons entirely if their kind was seen as a threat, instead of allies.

By the time they hit puberty, most dragons knew this. It didn't mean they didn't chafe under it, especially those with more stubborn and independent personalities. The dragon seated in a human chair, trying to ignore how his shoulders itched under the shape-changing magic, was a particularly magnificent example of that.

The flight commander's office was small, especially for a facility designed to accommodate dragons, and even though his human shape fit inside perfectly well, Asch couldn't help but feel caged in. Part of it, he knew, was the lack of windows, which itched at him more than it would even most other dragons. Claustrophobia and large creatures didn't get along well.

Military dragons were appointed flight partners for their term of service; sometimes it was more than one, depending on how lucky the human was. Dragons could restore themselves with magic and recover from injury much better than their human counterparts - a benefit to shapeshifting, certainly - but sharing that healing outside of a pair bond was difficult. And true bonds were rare these days.

All the better, as far as Asch was concerned. He wanted this section of his life over with as quickly as possible. Not that he hated humans - just the opposite. He found them endlessly entertaining and innovative... Outside of the rigid structure of the military.

Inside of it, well, he'd already had a face-off with the commander about the length of his human form's hair. The bright crimson, at least, had gone un-commented-on, as many humans knew that bold colorations were critical points of pride, but being forced to keep it short as well...

Well, it simply wasn't happening. He was already going without his ornaments and usual loose clothes, not to mention going along with the polite cultural requirement of maintaining an entirely human form. For this, the first meeting with his assigned partner, he could manage polite, even if it chafed.

And did it ever chafe. Asch flicked his eyes up at the commander before returning his attention to his dull human-shape nails. He'd at least made a good impression by being early. And he was good at most of the actual tasks the military required of their dragons - a fast, strong flier who could easily bear a rider, skilled at magic, not afraid of violence. For his skill, they were willing to let some things slide.

But not everything. And one of the things they weren't going to slide on was 'no solo operations.'

He really hoped that whoever came through that door was tolerable, or the next couple of years were going to be hell.

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[power_of_dominance]

With a few minutes to spare before the appointed meeting time, there came a knock on the commander's door. Once the order to enter was given, the door swung open and a strikingly pale young man stepped inside, standing at attention halfway between the entrance and where Asch sat. Something in the commander's face twitched when he saw who'd been sent to partner with the crimson dragon, a mixture of disdain and cold amusement.

"So you're the one they picked," the commander growled. "I think you two are perfect for each other."

"That's what the profiling software says, sir," the new rider said smoothly, his voice just a hair too quiet for a military reply.

That made the commander "hmph" and shake his head. "Introduce yourselves and get out of my office. Orientation is at 0600 tomorrow."

The young man relaxed from attention and approached Asch, actually offering a soft smile and an extended hand with no hesitation. "Airman First Class Soma Cruz. I look forward to working with you."

[power_of_dominance]

It turns into more than just a nap. Soma sleeps deeply until reveille, though even with the din of the morning bugle he's slow to wake. He groans, his eyes cracking open the barest sliver, but it's a while longer before he raises his head. There are red marks on his cheek where the folds of his sleeve pressed into his skin.

"Nnh... A-- Asch...? Where... oh... yeah, that's right...." He rubs his eyes and coughs, clearing his throat. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sleep here all night...."

[power_of_dominance]

The weeks have gone by, and the new recruits are starting to become a cohesive unit. But among all of them, one pair stands out as exemplary: the two misfits. Their maneuvers are spot-on, their combat skills superb, their teamwork beyond reproach. Despite their eccentricities, none of the training instructors have any real reason to discipline them. In fact, the continued attempts of the other dragons and riders to sabotage the pair earns the offenders disciplinary measures rather than the targets of their pranks. It's not earning them any friends among their squad, but they don't seem to care.

Soma has fallen asleep in Asch's hammock multiple times, each time while they're relaxing and talking about whatever interests them. Most of the time, Soma asks about dragon culture and history, wanting to know everything the few books don't detail. This is one of those nights, and though he's tired after a long day, Soma can't help feeding his curiosity as always.

"You know, I appreciate you telling me so much. I don't want to be annoying, but when nobody writes about you, or if they write inaccurate crap, it just feels like they see you as little more than equipment or livestock. You know that makes me sick."