"Humans don't wear these kinds of dresses?" Adrien gaped at Nino in horror, as if the slayer's words were not only shocking, but dream crushing.

"Not everyday." Nino replied, shaking his head. Or this century, but no point in telling Adrien that or he'd probably want to buy expensive women's clothes and there was no way Nino could explain that to nosy shopkeepers. "Most clothes are a bit more simple. You need to be able to move and work in them, not worry that they'll be irreparably damaged or horribly stained."

"Oh." He frowned down at his makeshift ruffled skirt, the lithe muscles of his stomach tensing as he swiveled his hips and set the fabric of the skirt swaying. "But I like this one."

Adrien was going to be the death of him someday. Nino wasn't sure what would do him in first: His insatiable curiosity or his beauty, and while Nino was well-aquatinted with swords and shields, today his weapon of choice for staving off death would apparently be a pair of trousers.

Nino cast his eyes up and prayed for mercy before turning to the chests piled up against the wall.

"I trust you not to dress me like a fool." Adrien sniffed, eyeing the plain brown paints and the white linen shirt with thinly veiled disgust.

Nino rolled his eyes and held up a moderately embroidered vest - it was slightly over-the-top for a simple trip through town, but at least Adrien would only look like a pretentious fop and not a cross-dressing madman.

"Oh, believe me," He replied, deadpan, as Adrien reluctantly took the pants from his grasp, "you were doing that well enough on your own."

After ten minutes of sulking, the former-dragon was finally dressed, and Nino could once again safely look at his friend without his heart rate spiking and his blood rushing south. He felt bad, it's not that Adrien didn't look good in a dress, (quite the contrary in fact) there just wasn't anyway Nino could take him into a human town dressed like a crown-princess and not draw unwanted attention to them both.

"So," pressed Adrien, slinking up to Nino's side and rubbing his head affectionately against the slayer's shoulder, "when will I be allowed to wear one of my dresses?"

He swallowed and tried not to be moved by kitten eyes, "when I take you to a royal gala."

"Will you take me to one of those next week?" Adrien did not seem to understand human personal boundaries, and was treating Nino the same way he would have as a dragon.

It was quite the experience to have an attractive blonde young man, rubbing up against him. "Those don't just happen all the time, Dude. You'll have to wait till the royals throw one, and I need to be invited."

"So when you get invited, you will take me?" He finally backed off much to Nino's relief and stumbled on the gold, still adjusting to his new human legs.

"Yeah sure, man. As soon as I get an invitation, you and me, we'll totally go." Nino pulled off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose, and exhaled. I'll get that invite like, never.

0000

Taking a dragon in disguise to a human town proved to be its own adventure.

Adrien was certainly friendly enough, and much to Nino's surprise, he respected the personal boundaries of complete strangers. Most of them at least. Adrien shook their hands, waved, and smiled at everyone, but never once did he rub up against them the way he so frequently did to him.

Nino was proud, albeit a little confused and endeared that Adrien's affection seemed reserved exclusively for him.

The dragon was careless with his money, spending it like a noblemen, and sparing a gold coin or two for every beggar that approached them. Not that he didn't have the wealth to do so, Adrien was richer than almost any King this side of the mountains. But his generous and frivolous nature was starting to draw attention, and attention would undoubtedly draw trouble.

It was well after lunch when Adrien's odd behavior finally caught up with them.

"Look Nino! Chickens!"

Before Nino could even comprehend what Adrien had shrieked, he was off scattering a flock of live chickens through the streets, under the hooves of horses, and between the startled passerby. A cloud of feathers filled the air, that had Adrien sniffling, and sneezing despite himself.

"Adrien!" Nino hissed, trying to discreetly reign in the dragon. "Stop that."

His cries were completely ignored, and Adrien was now crouched with his sharp teeth bared, closing in on a cornered and very angry rooster. Every few seconds he would sniff, and blink oddly, but continued to inch closer to the enraged fowl.

He must be hungry. Nino noted that they hadn't eaten all day. A dragon, who had never eaten at a tavern, would assume that food was collected by hunting.

Already seeing the owner of the chickens charging them with a broom, he grabbed a fistful of Adrien's clothes and hauled him back before he could pounce on the clearly out-matched rooster. If Adrien slaughtered someone else's chicken in the streets... with his mouth, Nino wasn't sure that even he could talk them out of that one. Their only hope would be money at that point. Lots and lots of money.

"Eeep!"

Nino hugged Adrien to his chest, using his thick muscled arms to trap the smaller man safely against him. "We are so sorry," he nodded to the woman with the broom. "My elven friend is new here and very excitable."

"I've never met an elf as unrefined as him," spat the woman. She shook her broom at the men in warning.

"He's a special elf," Nino assured, and held Adrien a little tighter.

Pleased to be called special, suddenly Adrien began rumbling in Nino's embrace. Just plain rumbling, his chest vibrating so intensely that he could feel it in his own. Luckily no one took notice aside from him.

"A very special elf," Nino mumbled to Adrien, the angry woman was already gone and out of earshot. "And we are going to get dinner because I bet you are hungry."

Adrien sneezed and then his strange purring intensified.

0000

They had almost managed the whole day avoiding the woman's clothing shop.

Almost.

"Nino! Look at those dresses! I don't have any like those!"

So close.

Even wearing gloves, Nino could feel Adrien's claws digging into his arm when he pulled him along. Both men were stumbling through the front door of the clothing shop before he could so much as protest.

"They're beautiful!" Wide-eyed and full of wonder, Adrien stumbled into the shop like a child in a candy store. He gave everything about him a wide berth, and although he was eager, he tip-toed around like any wrong move could dump over the displays. Clearly in his own mind Adrien was a lot bigger than he actually was in the moment.

He reached a hand out to touch one of the fabrics, and scowled when the gloves prevented him from feeling the texture. Nino came up behind him, realizing what the dragon was about to do and placing a hand over his before he pulled off the glove and exposed his claws in public.

"Dude, we talked about this. You have to wear the gloves," he whispered.

"Can I rub them on my cheek?" Adrien asked and pressed back against the slayer almost on instinct.

Don't be cute with me! That's not even fair. Nino felt his ears grow hot from the dragon's nearness and had to fight back the temptation to hug him. "No, that would be rude. Your face could be dirty."

"But these dresses are so lovely I want to know what they feel like before I buy them," he huffed, and eyed the garments with a forlorn expression.

"I could touch them, and tell you what they feel like," Nino offered.

Adrien wrinkled his nose. "With your calloused hands, you would tell me they all feel soft but catch on your fingers. The nuances of fine silks are lost on you."

Damn dude, ouch.

"You like silks?" a woman's voice cut into their conversation. Both men turned to see the proprietor approach them, a shorter woman with glossy black hair, tied back into pigtails. She appraised them with intelligent bluebell eyes, and a welcoming smile.

"I love silks," gushed Adrien, finally glad to have someone to share his love of clothing with. He peeled away from Nino's chest and the slayer was surprised at how much he wanted to pull him back. "I love these dresses. They're beautiful and so well made. Do you make them?"

The woman blushed under Adrien's curiosity and praise. "I made all of them," she mumbled loud enough for them to hear.

"I'll buy all of them!" he declared, and made a sweeping motion around the shop.

"W-what!?" The woman was practically floored, stumbling back and catching herself on a display. She looked about thirty second from fainting. "Really? Want you of them all!?"

"Dude!" Nino hissed at the dragon through his teeth. "No." He made a grab for his shoulder, hoping that physical contact might reign in his over enthusiastic friend.

"Yes," Adrien dismissed him with a wave of his hand, swatting Nino away and fixing his attention on the proprietor/seamstress. "What's the name of such a talented seamstress?"

Talk about being a lady-killer. Nino didn't think Adrien even realized his behavior was borderline flirtatious. He was simply trying to be friendly.

"Uhhhh..." the proprietor seemed to have lost all brain function. She gesticulated about while her cheeks burned a fierce crimson below a spattering of freckles. "I'm a Marinette?"

Adrien seized one of her wildly flailing hands and brought it to his lips like a dandy gentleman. Like a stunned lady, Marinette began to swoon.

"Adrien don't you dare li-" Before Nino could finish his warning, Adrien's long tongue rolled out of his mouth and caressed the back of Marinette's hand leaving a glistening trail of saliva.

Nino knew from experience that that tongue felt like getting scrubbed with a hair brush.

Marinette's face dropped, a shiver working its way down her whole body and color draining from her face. Adrien smiled up at her winningly, flashing a full set of fangs under distinctly inhuman eyes. And Nino just buried his face in both hands, praying to the gods for a quick death.

If you like this story please don't hesitate to say so. If enough people enjoy this I might write more.