Page 7 of Myths and Shifts

It was hard but I was going to be a good guest and I was going to help Daddy too. That was really hard for dragons, so I was going to be Daddy’s good helper.

“You are a wonderful helper.” Daddy’s lips finally turned up at the corners. “In a variety of ways.”

Cake ways.

People ways.

Napkin ways.

“Thank you.” I was amazing and I was going to tell everyone at the diner next time I saw them. “Where should we sit?”

“Somewhere…quiet.” Daddy looked like he was going to say something naughty but he caught it before it escaped. Sometimes stuff escaped but we had to try to be polite. “I think I saw some tables outside. How about we see if one is free still?”

“Yes.” I liked outside. “I’m patient too.”

Daddy scrunched up his face then nodded. “I appreciate that. We have an audience.”

A big one.

And they giggled.

“It’s not rude to say they’re nosy because they already know that.” Everyone already said it, so it wasn’t mean. “See? They nodded too.”

“It’s nice that they understand their…trouble spots.” Daddy glared as a lady dragon giggled. “Yes. Outside is a good idea.”

Oh. I could be a good helper.

Pay attention to the people.

Make sure no one got in my bubble.

Make the bubble.

Make the bubble quiet.

“I did it, Daddy.” I made a quiet bubble. “Now they can’t listen, so I can call you Daddy. You’re my Daddy. Did you know that?”

Daddy snorted. “Yes. I’d figured that out. Now I have a question of my own, little mage. Do you know you’re my mate?”

“I’m a good mate. I’m smart and I didn’t call you Daddy until I made it quiet, so they can’t be nosy and now I can ask if I can call you Daddy around people. Not everyone likes that. I don’t like that around my family but they’re not here, so it doesn’t count. Nothing counts here because everyone knows about littles and they don’t care.” They didn’t understand it but they didn’t care. “What’s your Daddy rule, Daddy?”

“That’s a very good question.” Daddy pushed open the door with his shoulder and let me go first. “Firstly, yes. Everyone in this town knows about Daddies and littles and a variety of other interesting lifestyles.”

The ponies.

The men at the diner liked the pony people.

“So there is no way to keep them out of our personal life.” Daddy was frustrated but smart, and he kept us going and going with my bubble keeping the people out. “So here you may call me Daddy wherever you like or need to. If someone around here doesn’t like it, well, then we’ll have words.”

Oh, Daddy would be dangerous.

Dangerous Daddy Dragon.

Oh, that could be Daddy’s superhero name.

“Around my family we pretend everyone is boring, but like I said, I have a cousin here who’s a little and several other fun things have popped up with different relatives.” Daddy shrugged as he set our cakes down on the table. “So I wouldn’t worry if it came out, but I’d rather not talk to my family about that sort of thing. Wren aside, of course.”

Little birdie cousin.