I make a quick excuse to leave the room. Though the two men don’t look terribly happy about it, neither says anything that would otherwise keep me back. No “I want to speak to your manager” or “I have questions only you can answer” sort of thing. I hear them purchasing their tickets as I slip into my office. From there, I can watch them while also getting some work done, though I feel bad leaving Beth to the likes of them.

Thankfully I don’t have much to worry about. The two take their tickets and go through the gate without a fuss. Both Beth and I keep an eye on them, though I have the better advantage with access to all of the cameras on my computer monitor. By all means they were normal guests, and my rising panic eased down into an unsettled feeling in my stomach. It was a feeling that could easily be ignored, but always reminded me that it existed with the occasional bout of nausea. It wasn’t great, but at least there may be a chance that they really were just a couple of odd guys and I could go back to living my life and playing with rocks. At least, for the most part things could go back to normal.

If I wasn’t worrying about one thing, of course my mind would find something else to worry about. As I went back and forth between the camera footage and drafting an email to The Council, my mind wandered to the male in my home. He was probably still there, although I showed him where the spare key was. What would he be doing though? What does he do, as a job? Exactly how long would he deem it necessary to stay? Would he just leave after-

My attention snapped when I caught sight of the two men poking around the area between the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Exhibits. That was exactly where the door to the basement was. The door was locked, and clearly labeled “employees only” and yet their interest in it was less than subtle. I groaned inwardly. I very quickly adjusted my email, sending out a request for aid. While they might not be Hunters themselves, this could prove to be far worse than a couple of bumbling footmen.

One of them, the second of the two men, went so far as to try the handle on the door. The first one gave him a hard swat to the head, pointing to the obvious camera, and the two fell into what was clearly an argument. With a heavy sigh I rubbed my face with one hand, pulling some of the stress away before I pushed away from my desk. Quickly and swiftly I left my office and strode down through the exhibits. The closer I got the louder they became. Not just because I was closer, they were actually getting louder as they continued to argue. When I arrived around the corner, neither of them noticed me at first.

I cleared my throat with enough effort that I think even Beth could have heard it. The two froze, slowly turning to face me. I had heard enough buzzwords to know exactly what they were here for. Even one mention of the word “dragon” was enough for me, and I was going to do everything I could to get them out of here.

“I’m not sure what your argument was about,” I lied. “But I think I may be of some assistance.” The two quickly stumbled to come up with some excuses but I simply held up my hand to ask them to wait. Surprisingly, they complied. Perhaps being caught in the act made them more compliable.

“You may have seen our plate on Dracorex hogwartsia, and I’m sorry to disappoint you but any mention of dragons in fossils is simply that; a mention, or a reference.” I explain, pointing towards the display that compared Dracorex, Stygimoloch, and Pachycephalosaurus. “While many centuries ago people did believe in dragons because of these fossils, that has since long been disproven.” I do my best to say this in a tone that sounds like an educator and not someone with a thinning patience. The two mumble something that sounds like a thanks before turning tail and leaving. They barely even glance at the Cenozoic Exhibit before they leave, taking themselves out of my museum and hopefully out of my hair.

I follow out much slower, blowing air out of my puffed up cheeks. This whole thing is becoming more complicated by the minute, and I almost want to tell the Council to ask someone else to do it. Except I can’t, I simply can’t give up on this. I’m willing to work on this once in a lifetime chance, even if that means I’ll fall under the suspicion of trained killers. Okay, maybe that makes it sound bad, and maybe I don’t like that part at all, but it’s really hard to give up on a dream come true.

“They sure left this place in a flash, huh?” Beth asked, laughing a little as she did so. “What did you say to them?” She tilted her head in the question, her hair spilling over as she did so. I tried to smile, to laugh, but it came out flat and almost bitter.

“I didn’t say anything.” I explain to Beth. “I caught them in the act.” I say with a shrug. Beth looks shocked, her face paling a little.

“You mean they really were…?” She trails off, her voice going quiet. I nod solemnly, my face going flat.

“Hopefully it was just some sort of recon mission, given how painfully obvious they were.” I saw with a grimace. “I’ve already notified the Council, but chances are we might not get the mummy after all.” I know it’s a hard truth, but it’s the practical truth.

As much as I would hate to lose it now, if it’s found out what we’re doing here then we’ll lose the museum entirely. It’s just too big of a resource to lose, or so I’ve been told before. I might not feel all that valued, but at least I was valued enough that they would risk buying and setting up a whole new base of operations should they need to. It’s happened before, dragons who worked in the field being relocated with plenty of resources left to spare. Of course, I got the feeling they would just send the mummy elsewhere and pick someone else to work on it. It wouldn’t surprise me.

“What if-” Beth started to ask but I put a hand up to stop her. I swiftly shake my head, and that’s enough to tell her not to worry about it. We’ve been over it before, the plan to leave should something like this happen. Unfortunately, it was kind of a Scorched Earth policy. If it couldn’t easily be taken and transported in whatever short time we had, it was to be destroyed. Any knowledge of dragons could be used against us should it fall in the wrong hands, and right now it was an arms race to either protect or destroy what was left of magic.

With that in mind, I returned to my office. My emotions were a little more glum now, the reality settling in like a weighted blanket on my shoulders. I practically fall into my desk chair as I return to my computer, my heart kicking up a notch when I see that my email has received a response. I waste no time in opening it up and viewing it, reading the lines carefully so I don’t miss a single detail.

To my surprise, the email details a careful plan that includes my staying and working here. I had already planned to put the construction under a disguise as a storage upgrade, but now I’m told to really play into that. The council is going so far as to locate and provide a fossil specimen to explain it away, likely something such as a Cryolophosaurus ellioti or any array of bivalves, gastropods, or plants that have been found in the colder temperatures. While they didn’t need to be kept cold - and no one actually knew the exact construction plans save for the construction crew - it would seem the Council didn’t want to take any risks and kept things somewhat believable.

The email also detailed a long plan on what I should do in case none of that worked. The entire plan was supposed to throw them off track, from hiding the mummy in with whatever fossil - or fossils - they provide to making a public show of the big expansion and everything that comes with it. Should this all fail, the plan is exactly as I thought. Escape under the cover of the night and burn everything. It was a hrd reality, but reality nonetheless for dragons in any field of study, or even work. It’s why more and more dragons have been going rogue lately, dismissing the Council entirely and hiding in the few pockets of untamed wilds left untouched by man.

With that tucked away in the back of my mind, I continue on with my day as normal. It goes by as casual as just about every day does. Beth took down the signs for the field trip, just in case someone read it, and just in case that the someone who did read it would follow it. A few people wandered in, including a few of the older and family regulars who enjoyed the place.

Eventually it’s time for closing, and Derek still hasn’t shown up. I make a note on my desk to post a job listing tomorrow first thing, or even tonight if I find the time. I usually like to keep home life and work life separate, at least when it comes to actual management work. Research was almost like a hobby to me, a hobby that paid the bills.

I make my way through the motions of closing, my mind switching to autopilot for such mundane tasks so that it can simultaneously process the events of the day. Every thought feels jumbled, tightly woven between one subject and the other. It can’t be just the mummy, just the construction, or just Kenji and our “business only” relationship. My mind is restless, and I feel bad as I hardly give Beth a farewell before I go. She doesn't seem to mind, at least from as far as I can tell. Then again, I’m lost in thought as I hop in my car and make the half hour drive home.

I try to think about easy things, like what I plan on doing for dinner, but even that leads back to my worry over Kenji. What has he been doing all day? Did he make something for us both to eat again? Is it going to be awkward? It is definitely going to be awkward, I mean I barely even know him. My mind continues to chew through this questions all the way home, my anxiety building up with every new question that comes to mind.

After what feels like forever, I pull up my driveway and into my garage, using the remote on my car’s dash to open and close the door of the garage. After turning it off, I just sit there for a moment. I don’t feel like I’m decompressing exactly, but I definitely need a minute to collect myself. I take one more moment just to breathe before heading out of the car and into my home, pushing through like it’s just another normal day. Except it’s not.

The first thing that hits me is that scent again, like an old forest fresh after the rain. The very second thing I noticed was him, sitting on my couch, working away on his own laptop computer. He turns the moment I walk in, his face carefully neutral as he greets me. I try my best to make a small and polite gesture back but it comes out stilted and awkward. Kenji gives me a tiny smile before getting up.

“I’ve prepared dinner,” Kenji starts, setting aside his laptop. “I hope that’s alright with you?” He asks, as if I would somehow hate the fact that he’s made food for me, again. They say food is the quickest way to a man’s heart, but somehow I think it’s even faster to my heart. I can’t help but grin at just the mention of food, and that was when I noticed the smell of it. It was almost hidden under Kenji’s uniquely male scent, but I could definitely smell the warm food in the kitchen now that I was in the living room.

“Of course that’s fine, it’s very kind of you.” I tell Kenji. “What did you make?” I ask him as I set down my work back next to the long couch.

“Some veggies, rice, and tonkatsu.” Kenji joins me as we walk into the kitchen, and I feel his presence beside me like a dark cloud. There’s nothing malicious about him, but it’s hard to miss him. What kind of power does his magic hold if being around him makes me feel like this? Or perhaps it’s because of… other things.

Before my thoughts can wander too far down that route I’m in the kitchen where the food has been set out. The spread was simple and clean, the food covered with tinfoil to keep it warm. He had even brought out bowls and utensils in preparation for dinner. It was all very thoughtfully laid out, I was honestly surprised. It’s been well over a century since I’d ever lived with someone, let alone someone so carefully precise in their actions.

“I hope it’s not too much.” Kenji stated as he took the foil off the food. My stomach had a way of answering for me, an unwarranted rumble making itself known. Kenji lifted a single eyebrow, to which I smiled sheepishly.

“It’s perfect, really. You’re too kind.” I tell him. “This is certainly more than I expected.” I say as I get up to the kitchen island.

“Then whoever he was gave you some poor expectations.” Kenji states this plainly as he starts to place food on our plates. I’m not sure what to say, or even how to take it. Is it an insult, or something else? It may have been true that mated dragons were a lot like mated birds of prey, the two in a lifelong relationship that cared for each other, but as I said earlier dragons didn’t often do that anymore. Obviously I had never experienced it personally, the former husband who’s name I still bore had cared for little else beyond the possibility of offspring.

“Is that enough?” Kenji’s question pulls me out of my swirling thoughts and back to the present. He’s holding a plate of food in front of me, and I take a moment to process that he’s asking if I want any more.

“Oh, no that’s fine.” I say with a quick wave of my hand. I note that he’s placed a fork on my plate, but not his. I quickly glance at Kenji to see the faintest look of amusement on his face. I don’t even have to ask the question before he answers it, it was clearly on my face.

“I figured you’d appreciate a utensil you’re familiar with,” he starts to explain. “Unless you’d like to try again?” He asks, cocking an eyebrow. I’m not sure if I should say yes, most definitely not wanting to repeat last night.t wanting to repeat last night. Was it really only last night that I met him? It already felt like ages had passed between then and now.