It's a surprisingly warm day, and you find yourself relaxing on a park bench, just keeping to yourself. Things have been rather hectic and stressful for you, but you finally had some time to get away. Despite this, and despite the peaceful surroundings, you can't help but worry about the goings-on back home; the troubles that will likely await you upon your return. It makes it incredibly difficult to take any enjoyment from your trip, no matter how much you try to push those thoughts out of your mind. You close your eyes in frustration, trying desperately to-
"Hey, are you alright?"
A soft voice comes from nearby.
You look up, finding yourself face-to-belly with a tall and fat red dragon, looking concernedly down at you.
"It's okay, I promise I won't hurt you. I'm Gary."
You offer a faint smile and return the gesture with your own name.
"Pleased to meet you. Though I suspect it could have been done under better circumstances…"
The dragon sits down next to you, his weight making the bench creak. "Got something on your mind? I'm willing to listen if you need someone."
You look at the eight-foot-one, several-hundred-pound dragon, your eyes meeting his hazel eyes. He seems sincere in his offer, and you reckon venting about your stresses, even to a stranger, might help you get them off of your mind.
You tell him about how rough work has been, how hard it is to find motivation to do things for yourself even when you have the time, and just overall the various ails getting you down.
Gary listens to every word, his tall and pointed ears lowering softly. He's respectful not to touch you without consent, but when you finish, he opens his arm to invite you in for a hug. And without thinking, you accept the invitation and scoot close, leaning against his pudgy, hefty body.
He drapes his arm behind your back and hugs warmly, and you already feel some of your anxieties leaving you. Just this care, even from someone you've never met before, means a lot to you.
"I understand… That all does sound like a lot. I know work can get me down too, and sometimes I forget to look after myself when I'm in that state of mind. But that's what friends are for – To help one another keep focused, and to work through their troubles together."
You can't help but perk softly at the word 'friend', and you ask him if he means it.
Gary smiles proudly at this. "Absolutely. I try to be a friend to everyone, at least until they show me they don't deserve my friendship. And something I tell my friends – 'I will always be your anchor, so long as the seas are rough. That's what a Viking friend does, and we never leave a guy, gal, or non-binary pal behind.'"
These words warm your heart, and you lean warmly against him again, your head resting on the flab of his chest. Curious, you inquire about the Viking part.
"Ah, that's my job." He smiles, his hand petting your side softly. "It can be a bit much sometimes, but I don't think I'd give it up anytime soon. It's too much fun making the guests smile, after all."
As nice as this is, the worries begin to come back to you, and your expression falls as you let out a sigh.
Gary, hearing this, looks down at you again. He doesn't even need to ask you to know what's happening.
"Hey… It's okay; I'm here."
You nod softly, though your expression remains low. The thoughts, the worries, the anxieties; they just won't leave you alone.
The dragon thinks for a moment, then speaks quietly. "You know… Maybe I can help you get away from those thoughts for a while." He caresses your shoulder softly. "You're absolutely allowed to say no; I will respect your decision no matter what."
The notion of getting a break from the doubts in your mind, though, is certainly an appealing one. You ask him what he thinks he could do for you.
"Well… It's a bit out there, but I promise you I'd keep you safe. But…" His voice drops low, almost to a whisper. "I could eat you and let you rest in my stomach, hidden away from the world for a while."
You freeze, eyes widening. There's no way he really means…
"Again, it's okay if you'd rather not; I won't hold anything against you if you decline. I just thought it might help you to be somewhere safe, where the bad thoughts can't get to you. You'd be warm and cozy in my belly, surrounded by the soothing noises of my body."
He smiles gently. "I would make sure nothing hurts you. I can control my metabolism, and you'd be welcome to stay as long as you like."
You pause, considering his offer. On the one hand, it's, well, a dragon offering to eat you. But on the other hand… He's selling it quite effectively. You can't deny that having a place to get away from everything, a reprieve from the ails of the world, would do you a lot of good. And spending that time safely hidden inside a friendly dragon's stomach is oddly enticing to you.
You look into those hazel eyes, and are met with the gaze of a dragon who's sincere in his every word, who means absolutely no harm to you, who only wants to help you out in any way he can. You feel safe with him, and you know you can trust his promise to keep you protected from harm, both internal and external.
And with that, you nod, telling him you would love to take his offer.
Gary beams warmly. "Thank you! I-I mean, certainly! Here, let me just…"
He slides off the bench and kneels in front of you, giving you a gentle lick to your cheek – Followed soon by another, and another!
"Mmmh… Has anyone ever told you that you taste amazing? Because you absolutely do…"
You giggle as you feel the warm, slobbery tongue dragging against you, tasting you while getting you nice and slick.
"Mmh… Would you mind taking your clothes off for me, please? I don't want them to get ruined."
You blush, but after a quick glance, you confirm there's nobody else around in this quiet, remote part of the park. And as you rather like your outfit, you oblige and strip yourself bare, folding your clothes neatly on the bench beside you.
Gary leans close and takes a few deep sniffs of you before pressing his tongue against your side, licking slowly and sensually. He almost seems determined to give you a tongue bath! You giggle as you feel his bumpy tongue working over every exposed inch of you, enjoying your natural flavors.
Before long, he's crouching at your feet, and after a few more tickly licks, he opens his maw wide and guides them inside, surrounding them in slimy warmth. You blush, watching as he works them to the back of his warm maw before taking a shallow Gllp to bring them into his gullet!
The muscles of his esophagus squeeze your feet together, and he smiles as he swallows again, and again, working at a steady pace as he gulps down your legs. It seems you're far from the first one he's consumed, going by how efficient he is at this. His eyes meet yours, offering you a look of reassurance as he works your knees and then your thighs into his gullet. You watch as his neck bulges out with the shapes of your legs, and the sight makes you blush almost as red as he is!
A muffled chuckle sounds from his throat, vibrating you as he gulps down your waist next. You feel your feet press against a tight sphincter, the muscles holding taut for a moment before squeezing open to squish you through. You drop about a foot in one movement, making you yelp softly in surprise, until your feet reach the bottom of the dragon's stomach!
Already, you can feel the rubbery, folded walls against you, and as more of you is swallowed down, you begin to curl up inside the chamber. His jaws climb up your belly and your chest, the sounds of his noisy gulps growing louder as he approaches your head.
One deep gulp later, and your vision becomes framed by that beak-like mouth and the teeth within, your chin resting on that tongue. The muscle doesn't hesitate to lick you some more, getting one last taste of you, before a wet Glllck sends you all the way into his throat. He slurps down your arms, then swallows them as well, before letting out a pleased sigh as you slide completely into that stomach.
You can hear the heavy heartbeat and the whoosh of air rushing in and out of his lungs, but mostly you hear the noisy gurgles of a fat dragon's insides working on something further below you. It's a surreal experience, being surrounded by the warm wetness of his belly, but true to his word, the only fluids you find are swallowed drool – Nothing acidic at all.
You feel safe… Cared for… Wanted… Loved.
The folded rugae squish and knead against you, sensually massaging your naked form as though to churn out any bad thoughts still on your mind, while the organ itself sags a bit to offer you a cozy and fleshy sleeping bag to rest inside of.
Through the belly walls, you hear the voice of the dragon, groaning softly as he presumably stands once more.
"Mnnhf… There you go. All safe and sound."
You can feel gentle movements, a slight sway back and forth as he walks somewhere.
"I'll take your clothes home to get them washed for you. Please, try to get some rest. I'll keep you safe for as long as you'd like; just let me know when you're ready to come back out again."
You smile and caress the stomach walls, promising him that you will, before you let out a gentle yawn and drift off into the coziest, comfiest, most restful sleep you've ever had, safe within your newest friend.
