15The final chapter! Thank you so much for reading until this point. I appreciate the numerous reviews already given, as well as all future ones. This was always meant to be a five chapter story, but I'm surprised by all the attention this got so quickly - perhaps we'll see a sequel some day. :)
For now, thank you again, and enjoy!
Its daily cycle now complete, the glistening sun finally settled itself behind the opposite horizon, bringing a calming, cool breeze with its parting. The dragon temple, its stones brilliant with a demanding presence in the light of the sun, stood quietly now as a fortress of safety and refuge in the darkness.
Among the mountain of stone bricks and black, void windows that dotted the temple's walls, a single window at the peak of the temple shown dimly in the night. It was a small chamber - now a make-shift bedroom for two young dragons.
Cynder allowed herself to collapse to the central rug with a fidgeting stretch, letting her muscles tense and relax one by one until she gave a deep sigh of content. This got a smile and a chuckle from a certain male dragon entering the room just after her.
"Ready for bed already, huh?" Spyro asked, using his head to close the chamber door behind himself.
"Mmm. That's the first time I ever tried cooked fish." Cynder said aloud, her eyes closed, her wings laid out across the decorative rug. "It was really good. And I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what I was going to think at first."
"Gotta admit, I feel a little sluggish now, myself." The purple dragon admitted, cracking the joints in his neck as he followed Cynder's lead. "And, I'll take that as a compliment. I'm glad you liked it."
"-Ah!" Cynder let out, just as Spyro's front claw drew to step onto the rug. The purple dragon paused abruptly to stare at her in confusion.
"Once you step on this rug and lay down, understand that you're not getting up again until tomorrow afternoon." Cynder spelled out for him, staring at him with eyes that a spider in her web might give an unsuspecting fly. "Go about your nightly routine now, or forever hold your peace."
"Oh...is that so?" Spyro responded with a freshly lit flame of playfulness. He promptly laid down on his stomach just outside the rug's edge, watching as the dragoness rolled around to better face him, her tail flicking with anticipation.
"Gee, well, I'm not sure, now. Lemme think for a minute." Spyro said, sarcasm dripping off every word.
"You're such a brat." Cynder said with a laugh.
"Hey, you didn't have to give me an ultimatum, you know." The male dragon replied, cocking his head and folding his front claws.
"Perhaps not, but I'm just trying to ensure that my pillow doesn't get up and run away when I'm trying to sleep." The female retorted.
"Well I guess that's the price you pay for liking your pillows to come with legs." Spyro bantered back with a smirk.
"But those are the best kinds, because they can hug me back." Cynder said in a sickeningly sweet voice, matched with a cute grin.
Spyro's smirk was dashed, and his cheeks turned the slightest shade of red. To this, Cynder's grin grew brighter. Clearly, this round went to the female dragon on the rug.
"Alright...you've got me there. I humbly concede." Spyro chuckled in defeat, graciously stepping over the rug's threshold and joining Cynder at the center.
"Mmm...final score of the day: Cynder 2, Spyro 0~" The black dragoness taunted playfully, sticking out her tongue at the purple dragon as he approached.
"Nobody likes a sore winner, Cynder." Spyro mockingly scolded. "I put up with enough of that with Sparx around, thank you."
As the male dragon laid himself against the thick rug, he stretched out his body and unfurled his right wing like an unspoken invitation. The sleek black dragon re-positioned herself, laying her head just under Spyro's chin, her body nested against his. Like a blanket, the extended wing draped and curled itself over and under Cynder's form, effectively securing the two of them in place.
For a long moment, there were no words, only the sound of the faint crickets from the forests beyond the temple walls, audible through the stone windows. Cynder listened to these comforting sounds with welcome - both in body and mind, she was relaxed.
"...You know, I never would have imagined you were the cuddling type." Spyro said quietly, listening to the female's breathing just underneath his chin. "In fact, I was completely floored when you nudged up against me, that first night we slept by each other. I didn't say anything at the time, but I was so happy to see you starting to open up. I still am."
"Well then, that makes two of us." Cynder replied in equal volume. "To be honest, I haven't stopped discovering new things about myself since we woke up from Malefor's lair - even before that. Being with you has escalated those discoveries."
Spyro's tail wound its way around Cynder's, until the two were intertwined. With a gentle nuzzle, the male dragon softly exhaled against Cynder's head scales.
"All I know is, being close to you like this makes me calm - very calm." Cynder continued, returning the gesture by rubbing her head against Spyro's neck. "I don't think about my past, I don't worry about my future. Instead, I enjoy the here and now, and that's something I was never very good at."
"...I wish you'd have told me that sooner, I wouldn't have preached about getting up and doing things so much this morning." Spyro said sheepishly.
"Oh please, don't worry about that." Cynder giggled. "You were right, anyway - it is important to enjoy the day sometimes, especially for a night owl like me."
Another deep, slow exhale on Spyro's part. Cynder couldn't help but blush, feeling his chin now resting between her horns. She hadn't seen him this relaxed in quite some time, if ever before. Whatever feelings he gave her, she was now certain he felt as well, and this simple fact caused a swell in her chest.
"I feel similarly, by the way." The male dragon said quietly.
"About what?" Cynder asked.
"Being close with you." Spyro replied. "For me, I feel like...well, like I can best protect you like this."
"Protect me?" Cynder repeated. "From what?"
"From anything. Outside forces, or your own insecurities." Spyro explained, stretching out his back legs into a more comfortable position, claws gripping the thick rug. "It's easier to be there for you, the closer I am."
Cynder's blush from earlier returned with a vengeance.
"Awww, how sweet." She said with a lowering tone. "A valiant hero through and through, huh?"
"Well I've got to be someone's hero now that the world is saved, don't I?" Spyro said with matter-of-fact, as well as a slight chuckle.
"I promise you'll be the first to know if I have a bad dream." The dragoness teased.
Cynder listened to the slightly larger, male dragon let out a powerful yawn. A full stomach must have been the last straw to a rather eventful day. But, then again, the same was true for her. Cynder could hardly keep her eyes open anymore - with every minute that passed, the consolidation of her relaxed senses drew her closer and closer to sleep. Having Spyro keeping her warm and content with his shallow breathing wasn't helping matters any.
"So just so we're clear, purple hero, I don't have to keep an eye out for you running off once the sun comes up, do I?" Cynder whispered to the male laying on her head.
"I promise I'll sleep in for you, but that means you're on duty for breakfast." Spyro mumbled. "Now that I taught you how to catch fish, you should be all set."
"Fine, I suppose that's fair. Now go to sleep, you dope." The dragoness said affectionately, putting her claw over Spyro's and closing her eyes. "Oh, just be warned - if you drool on my head tonight, you'll get no breakfast, because I'll be throwing you out that window."
"..."
"..."
"Cynder."
"Yeah?"
"You're quite easily the best thing to ever happen to me." Spyro whispered, gently tightening his embrace. "Don't ever doubt that. I love you."
Cynder's heart, whittled down enough as it was, melted completely. With an uncontrollable smile, she tightened her claw around Spyro's, and curled her tail together with his even tighter until she no longer could. It may not have looked it, but every ounce of her being fought to remain calm and still for the sake of her slumbering mate.
"...Goodnight, Spyro." The black dragoness purred. "I feel the same, more than you can possibly imagine. I love you, too."
Together, wrapped in an affectionate embrace, the two young dragons slowly lost consciousness together - both in love, and both with warm, content smiles.
In a far away place, unseen by most, a singular being couldn't help but give an endearing smile to the walls of his quiet chamber. The feelings of affection and love coming to him were so strong, that he could feel them filling not only his mind, but his body as well.
Looking beyond the many books and ancient scrolls that lay before him, the newly-christened Chronicler, Ignitus, observed the large hourglass at the epicenter of his eternal library. It was aglow with a bright blue light, pulsating with warmth.
"Spyro, and Cynder." The ancient dragon breathed, closing his eyes with a sentimental smile. "How truly wonderful. The future of dragons looks bright indeed, my cherished young ones."
