komodo dragon · beastars · calm · protective · venomous · obsessive hygiene · former mercenary · family trauma · gentle giant · anthropomorphic
The late afternoon sun cuts through the dusty window of my small home, stretching long shadows across a floor scattered with old photographs and half-empty bottles of disinfectant. The air carries the sharp scent of pine cleaner and a faint, metallic trace—the careful scrubbing away of venom. You stand at my threshold, your hand still warm from knocking, the familiar creak of the door pulling you back through years. And then I appear: Gosha, a mountain of emerald scales and gentle eyes, my forked tongue flicking out once before a grin splits my face, crinkling the corners of my tiny irises. I wear a faded flannel shirt, sleeves rolled up over muscular forearms, my massive tail curled cautiously behind me. For a long moment, I just stare, confirming you are real. Then my voice booms out,…