Sequel: Beauty and the Dragon ›
Captive Dragon
Chapter 8
The most difficult thing for Ace to get accustomed to was sharing a bed.
She was just so used to being alone during the night that this change was uncomfortable for her insomniac tendencies.
Chase noticed almost instantly; the way Ace would constantly shift around for hours, and then, with a frustrated sound, climb out of bed to sketch or read a book until morning.
It was understandable, really.
As the Dragon of Lightning, she was a fountain of unlimited energy, making it difficult for her to slow down and sleep.
But Chase only had so much patience.
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Staring at the wall in an attempt to bore herself to sleep, Ace sighed in frustration, knowing it wouldn’t work but trying anyway.
After two weeks of insomnia, she was already feeling rundown…
Giving in to the prospect of another long night, Ace started to climb out of bed-
An arm clamped around her waist, pulling the startled girl back against Chase.
Putting both hands on his forearm in a futile attempt to free herself, Ace frowned.
“Chase, let me go.”
“We’ve been through this before.”
Ace repressed the instinct to flail as she was tugged onto his chest and face-to-face with taunting gold eyes.
“No.”
Her frown had slipped for a moment, but was quick to return.
“Chase.”
Raising an unimpressed eyebrow, Chase started petting her hair.
“You really shouldn’t frown, Acacia. It doesn’t fit on such a pretty face.”
Slowly relaxing under his ministrations, she ignored the heat creeping up her neck at his comment and barely managed a glare.
“Are you going to keep me here all night?”
“It crossed my mind.” Chase admitted, pressing his hand against the back of her shoulders.
“But I am trying to help. Just relax.”
Giving in, Ace turned her head enough to press her ear against his chest, still looking up at Chase skeptically.
“And how’s this going to help me sleep?”
“Listen.”
Figuring she wasn’t going to get out of this anytime soon, Ace closed her eyes and listened.
The steady beat of his heart (and wasn’t it a surprise, finding that Chase Young still had one?) drummed softly against the shell of her ear, and she relaxed fully, lulled by the rhythm.
Without realizing it, her breathing evened out to match the constant rise and fall of his chest…
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Eyes fluttering open at the sudden intrusion of light on her lids, Ace turned away from it with a groan, curling further into the warmth surrounding her.
Looking down at the girl burrowing into his chest, Chase found her futile attempts at evading consciousness hopelessly endearing.
Who would have thought Ace would be such an affectionate sleeper?
Chase was willing to let her sleep-
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
But Jack seemed to have other ideas…
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Ace glared at the sniffling albino who was nursing his injured head on the floor.
“Now, what have we learned about waking me up?”
“N-Not to…” Jack answered softly, lower lip quivering.
“And what am I going to do the next time you come in here screaming like an idiot?” She growled, threatening the boy with a clenched fist.
“Y-You’re gonna gut me a-and use my intestines to hang me fr-from the top of the mountain…” He repeated, scooting away and trying to make himself appear smaller.
“Good boy.”
Chase, watching from his throne, made a mental note to never wake up Ace before she was good and ready…
Well, unless Jack was nearby…
She was just so used to being alone during the night that this change was uncomfortable for her insomniac tendencies.
Chase noticed almost instantly; the way Ace would constantly shift around for hours, and then, with a frustrated sound, climb out of bed to sketch or read a book until morning.
It was understandable, really.
As the Dragon of Lightning, she was a fountain of unlimited energy, making it difficult for her to slow down and sleep.
But Chase only had so much patience.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staring at the wall in an attempt to bore herself to sleep, Ace sighed in frustration, knowing it wouldn’t work but trying anyway.
After two weeks of insomnia, she was already feeling rundown…
Giving in to the prospect of another long night, Ace started to climb out of bed-
An arm clamped around her waist, pulling the startled girl back against Chase.
Putting both hands on his forearm in a futile attempt to free herself, Ace frowned.
“Chase, let me go.”
“We’ve been through this before.”
Ace repressed the instinct to flail as she was tugged onto his chest and face-to-face with taunting gold eyes.
“No.”
Her frown had slipped for a moment, but was quick to return.
“Chase.”
Raising an unimpressed eyebrow, Chase started petting her hair.
“You really shouldn’t frown, Acacia. It doesn’t fit on such a pretty face.”
Slowly relaxing under his ministrations, she ignored the heat creeping up her neck at his comment and barely managed a glare.
“Are you going to keep me here all night?”
“It crossed my mind.” Chase admitted, pressing his hand against the back of her shoulders.
“But I am trying to help. Just relax.”
Giving in, Ace turned her head enough to press her ear against his chest, still looking up at Chase skeptically.
“And how’s this going to help me sleep?”
“Listen.”
Figuring she wasn’t going to get out of this anytime soon, Ace closed her eyes and listened.
The steady beat of his heart (and wasn’t it a surprise, finding that Chase Young still had one?) drummed softly against the shell of her ear, and she relaxed fully, lulled by the rhythm.
Without realizing it, her breathing evened out to match the constant rise and fall of his chest…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eyes fluttering open at the sudden intrusion of light on her lids, Ace turned away from it with a groan, curling further into the warmth surrounding her.
Looking down at the girl burrowing into his chest, Chase found her futile attempts at evading consciousness hopelessly endearing.
Who would have thought Ace would be such an affectionate sleeper?
Chase was willing to let her sleep-
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
But Jack seemed to have other ideas…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ace glared at the sniffling albino who was nursing his injured head on the floor.
“Now, what have we learned about waking me up?”
“N-Not to…” Jack answered softly, lower lip quivering.
“And what am I going to do the next time you come in here screaming like an idiot?” She growled, threatening the boy with a clenched fist.
“Y-You’re gonna gut me a-and use my intestines to hang me fr-from the top of the mountain…” He repeated, scooting away and trying to make himself appear smaller.
“Good boy.”
Chase, watching from his throne, made a mental note to never wake up Ace before she was good and ready…
Well, unless Jack was nearby…