Vlad Jr. arrived with the usual elegance of a tiny prince, his little black shirt tucked neatly beneath a vampire cape that swirled slightly as he walked. His caretaker carried a small bag for him, looking almost as regal as the boy himself.
The mont he ca close, Vlad Jr. lifted his chin, a folded napkin pressed delicately to his jaw as if he were wiping away imaginary dust. His lips curved into a faint, aristocratic smile.
"It is early morning. Why must the sun insist on being so intense?" Vlad Jr. sighed, the sound heavy with the weariness of one carrying far greater burdens than a child his age should.
His caretaker, perfectly in tune with his young master’s dramatics, leaned forward reassuringly. "Young master, I have packed two bottles of sunscreen for you, just in case."
Vlad Jr. nodded with solemn grace, as though the very survival of his noble complexion depended on it.
Drake, however, stared at him with wide, fascinated eyes. He tilted his little head, his dragon wings twitching with curiosity. "Vlad Jr.... what’s sunscream?" he asked earnestly, tripping over the word.
Alina, who had been biting her lip to hold back a laugh, nearly lost her composure at the way Drake’s question sounded like so great mystery. Boo, of course, gasped dramatically from the side. "Sunscream? Is that when the sun screams at you? AHHHH!" He flailed and spun in the air, pretending to cover his ears.
Vlad Jr. rolled his eyes ever so elegantly, as if enduring the company of fools. "It is sunscreen, not scream, you simpletons," he said with a patient, princely sigh. "It is a lotion that protects delicate skin from the sun’s cruel rays."
"Lotion?" Drake wrinkled his nose. "Like... sli?"
Boo leaned close to Drake, whispering loudly enough for everyone to hear. "Maybe it makes you sll like flowers so the sun does not eat you."
Alina could not hold it back anymore. She burst into laughter, her shoulders shaking as she looked at the three of them. "Oh, you little rascals," she said, wiping the corner of her eye.
****
Alina accepted Vlad Jr.’s little bag from his caretaker with a polite nod, the fine leather strap feeling almost weightless in her hands. She placed it neatly inside the travel vehicle with the others, turning back just in ti to see another small drama unfold.
Drake had tiptoed close to Vlad Jr., puffing out his cheeks mischievously. With a sudden laugh, he tried to rub his soft, chubby face against Vlad Jr.’s pale one like a clingy little brother.
Vlad Jr., however, did not even react. He simply adjusted his cape with exaggerated dignity and angled his jaw away as though Drake were nothing more than an annoying breeze. His aristocratic silence spoke louder than words, utter dismissal.
Drake pouted, his golden eyes widening. "Hey! Don’t ignore ! My cheeks are soft. Everyone loves my cheeks!" he said, rubbing them with both hands before shoving his face forward again.
Vlad Jr. calmly dabbed at his jawline with his napkin, still refusing to acknowledge Drake’s antics. "So of us," he murmured loftily, "prefer not to have sticky cheeks sared upon them."
"Sticky?" Drake gasped, clutching his face in horror. "Teacher! Did you hear that? He called my cheeks sticky!"
Alina, biting back laughter, shook her head and crouched down between them. "Drake, sweetheart, Vlad Jr. just likes his space. Why don’t you save your soft cheeks for soone who wants them, hmm?" she teased gently.
"Like !" Boo shouted dramatically from behind, though he had not even been there five seconds ago, making everyone jump.
Alina burst out laughing, while Vlad Jr. pinched the bridge of his nose as if he had already given up on life.
Kelpie ca next, his little steps light as his caretaker guided him forward.
Today he looked especially striking. His pale skin glowed faintly, making the blue of his shirt stand out even more. The shirt itself was embroidered with a delicate silver thread that ford the word Lifeline across the front, shimring under the morning light as if it had been woven from water itself.
Drake’s jaw dropped the instant he saw him. His amber eyes practically turned into stars as he grabbed Boo’s arm. "Shiny, shiny! Boo, look! Kelpie is wearing shiiiiny clothes!" he squealed, bouncing in place.
Boo squinted dramatically, tilting his head upside down. "Hmm... it is not as shiny as teacher’s hair in sunlight," he declared.
Alina felt her cheeks warm. Oh my god, Boo is the most flattering child I have ever t.
Kelpie’s pale cheeks flushed pink under their attention, and he shuffled closer to Alina, tugging nervously at the hem of his shirt. His caretaker gently handed over his little bag, which Alina took with a warm smile.
"You look very handso today, Kelpie," she said softly, crouching to et his shy eyes.
Kelpie gave a tiny nod, his lips curving into the smallest of smiles. Drake, however, leaned closer to inspect the embroidery with such seriousness that one might think he was studying treasure. "Teacher, I need this shirt too! Mine should say BIG SHINY BOY!" he announced.
Alina chuckled, patting his head. "Maybe soday, Drake."
Kelpie finally smiled wider, a drop of confidence blooming in his expression, though he still walked quickly past to sit near Sable, hoping to escape Drake’s endless sparkle-obsessed comntary.
Drake, of course, was far too dazzled by Kelpie’s shiny embroidery to notice anyone else. He kept circling him like a little puppy, tugging at his sleeve and whispering, "Kelpie, let just touch it once... just once, please... it’s glowing... sooo shiny!"
Kelpie’s pale cheeks grew redder with every step. "N-no, it is just a shirt..." he muttered, trying to wriggle away.
Across from him, Vlad Jr.’s crimson eyes narrowed. He sat very straight, adjusting his tiny cape as his lips pressed into a thin, irritated line. Drake is cheating again, he thought bitterly.
Vlad sniffed and looked away, feigning disinterest, but his little fangs peeked out as he pouted. "Hmph. Disloyal dragon," he muttered under his breath, so softly that only Sable, sitting beside him, heard.
Sable blinked in confusion, not really understanding what Vlad ant, but he tilted his head, shadows flickering faintly around his hands. Vlad just crossed his arms, cape swishing dramatically as if to shield his bruised pride.
anwhile, Drake was still pestering Kelpie. "I will trade you a shiny pearl from my hoard! One shiny for one shiny!" he declared proudly. Kelpie only shook his head.
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