"The Dragon Smokes"

"The Dragon Smokes"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

The rooftop was particularly quiet this time of day as everyone was busy on the lower floors with the days routines and trainings. V was in a corner and he took a drag out of the cigarette he had lit up moments ago. He let go of his breathe and sighed a little bit deeper than he thought.

"You smoke?" It was Jinyo who had the habit of showing up when he was feeling a bit off. Most people would welcome her company if they were going through something but V felt differently. He was one who never wanted to be seen as weak or affected by anything. For most of the world he was the aloof dragon who never seemed to need anything. Jinyo had a different opinion about that as well.

"I do. From time to time." V answered , crushed the lit end of the cigarette with his fingers and threw it at the nearby trash bin. "Do you need me for something?"

"I always need you for something." Jinyo answered as she moved closer.She grabbed at V's jacket sleeves and dusted off some ash that had gotten on it. "But I think right now you need Me for something. Should I wait for you to tell me or would you volunteer to tell me?"

V knew that he made it easy for Jinyo to find out about his moods and she made it a point to ask whatever it was. There were times that he would meet that question with silence.Or an excuse not to talk about it but he felt a little different today.

"I think I already failed everyone of you here." V said as he looked away and stared at the Blue neon lighted cross of the church that was in front of MW entertainment. "I maybe the last of the Creation dragons but I have made too many mistakes to even be worthy of Ascension."

Jinyo hugged him from behind and for a moment he felt a little better but the things stirring up inside him were still there.

"Mistakes are a constant in life but it doesn't mean that you are judged by all of those." Jinyo seemed amused at what he had said and he knew that she was in her own way trying to cheer him up.

"The Magistrates seem to think so. They seem to be too forgiving of me." 

Jinyo began laughing hysterically and it took her a full minute or 2 to  stop. 

"What is so funny?"

"You."

"Why?"

"Since when did you give a damn about what the Magistrates think?"

V joined in her laughter because she was right.When was the last time that he had followed anything that the magistrates told him? 

Jinyo kissed him on his right cheek. "You are so adorable when you are brooding like this.I know something that can take your mind off your troubles" , the visual said as she caressed her long neck. V involuntarily swallowed.The human side of him waking up to this provocation. As much as he had trained himself to resist these things he simply could not.

Jinyo laughed even more at V's discomfort but cupped his hands and kissed him on the lips all the same. She did not mind the slight taste of the cigarette , this was V and she would do anything for him.