SMOOTH OPERATOR • AMERICAN DRAGON: JAKE LONG

01 | MACK DADDY DRAGON OF THE NYC 🐉

JAKE'S POV:

"jake wake up! just because you graduated and then decided to not go to college doesn't mean you can sleep all day and party all night! go to your grandpa's!" mom woke me, i groaned.

okay yeah, i party but i'm grown! however, i'm not that much of a bum. for the past six years that's all i've ever been doing is going to grandpa, wait- the man has been there my whole life but it's more these past years because he's been training me. if anything, by now i'm more confident with my abilities and i've had many successful missions and rescues in recent years compared to when i first started. pretty sure i don't need to go to gramps anymore.

"jake!"

"alright, alright i'm up!" i heaved myself to the edge of my bed sitting there for a moment. maybe i'm a bum, maybe i'm a loser for working at my grandpa's shop but it's whatever. i stretched real good before picking out clothes for the day.

"ja-" mom cut herself off as she walked by my room trying to catch me doing nothing, "good boy get ready... and put a shirt on it's cold!"

"it's the spring time, mom?"

"well it doesn't mean it's a guarantee that the day will be warm, especially in the morning!"

"imma have a shower soon though?"

"why do you always contradict me?"

"fine i'll put a shirt on..." i said defeated, she then nodded at me sassily before walking off. i began to mumble to myself, "ill put a shirt on only to take it off in a lil bit."

"jake you better not be questioning my logic!"

"damn dragon hearing!" i whisper yelled to myself.

i showered and prepped myself for the day at the shop with grandpa and fu dog. i then stroppily walked down the stairs.

oh, maybe i should introduce myself. well my name is jake long, i'm nineteen and since i was young i am part dragon. in my preteen to mid-teen years my grandpa and his dog fu have been training me. seeing as i'm really skilled now they no longer teach me but help me with rescues. like a guy in the van or at the computer if you will.

"honey, are you okay... settling for this?" mom asked as i jogged down the stairs.

"what? settling for what?" i asked in confusion.

"well... jake, i'm sorry but i just anticipated more for you. and i know you're working, but you're working for free with grandpa. i think i'll have a talk with him, to let you go." she suggested. wait this doesn't sound right?

"you can try but i like working with grandpa."

"i know you're not serious." she's right. "you're nineteen. a year and a bit has gone by since you graduated. trixie is at college, spud is working in trades and he is going for carpentry. i'm proud of that boy i gotta admit and- and you're at my dad's shop. i mean, you're doing great with being a dragon but is there really a need for your grandfather?" hmmm? points were made. i thought to myself taking in what mom had just said.

"honest mom! i'm fine with it. i'll pick up another job on the side or something, but i am doing something since having finished school." i tried to reason but as much as i did i was still getting confused. something was off about mom. sure she made me think about things but regardless something doesn't seem right.