Laamik, a lively four-year-old with untamed curls, races ahead, his laughter ringing out. Alfi, three and always at his brother’s side, toddles after, dragging a stuffed bunny. Suddenly, a soft, peculiar chirp comes from a patch of tall grass. "Did you hear that, Alfi? Something’s hiding!"

Alfi crouches low, eyes wide with wonder, his stuffed bunny dangling forgotten. Laamik gently extends his hand, palm up, and the dragon sniffs it with a huff of warm, sweet breath. "Is it a lizard?" "No, it’s a dragon! Let’s keep him. We can take care of him, right?" The dragon lets out a hopeful trill, curling around Laamik’s wrist.

Each night, Laamik sneaks scraps of bread and bits of cheese for their secret pet, while Alfi hums lullabies to soothe him. "He needs a name. What about Emerald?" "No, he looks like a Sparkle. He sparkles in the sun!" They giggle, eventually agreeing to call him Sparkle, their magical, hidden companion.

Sparkle[/@ch_3] grows, his wings stretching wider, scales deepening from emerald to sapphire blue. The room fills with the scent of warm hay and the sound of fluttering wings.] Laamik invents games where Sparkle pretends to fly between pillow mountains, while Alfi builds forts for him using building blocks. "Raarrr! I’m a scary dragon!" "Don’t scare him, Alfi! He’s our friend. He protects us!" Sparkle puffs a tiny smoky ring, making both boys burst into laughter.

Sparkle[/@ch_3], now too large for his shoebox, stretches to his full size, scales shimmering with electric blue.] Alfi buries his face in Sparkle’s side, and Laamik grips his tail for comfort. "Don’t be scared. I’ll keep you safe." With a gentle roar, Sparkle curls his body around the boys, shielding them from the thunder, his warmth steady and strong.

Laamik and Alfi run outside, hands clutching Sparkle’s scales, beaming with pride. "He’s our dragon now, Alfi. He’ll always protect us." "And we’ll always take care of him, even if he grows bigger than the house!" Together, boy and dragon greet the new day, bound by a friendship that will last forever.