Chapter Text
It occurs to Phichit, watching Guang-Hong check Yuri Plisetsky’s vitals, that he’s never seen a dragon look this...broken. This occidental dragon, golden scales stretched across sharp bones, wings limp on the stairs of the lecture hall. His scales are dull, the thin skin of his wings pale. Even his talons look fragile. One moment he’d been sitting, taking notes, the next, he’d collapsed, human form shattering to his true one.
“He’s alive, but he needs rest.” Guang-Hong states.
Oh, that’s not so odd. Plenty of students push too hard, take one too many all nighters, end up passing out. For the creatures who change their form, it’s just more severe.
Some werewolf and woodland spirit with the same thick Russian accent Yuri has help Guang-Hong and Phichit carry the exhausted dragon to his residence hall.
A small herd of cats greet them at the door to Yuri’s room. 7, Phichit counts. They refuse to allow the Russians or Guang-Hong into the room. Phichit hears the words under their hisses and meows.
Wolves.
Wolves!
Dragon.
Another dragon.
No wolves in our lair.
No other dragons in master’s lair!
Keep them out!
Only the fae may enter.
Phichit has to beat his wings to give him enough strength to drag Yuri’s limp, bulky form into the room. The cats aren’t much help, but they do direct him to the pile of wild-cat-print blankets, body pillows, and stuffed animals he can only assume is the dragon’s nest. He pushes away the biggest blanket to reveal...every color and manner of crinkly, squishy cat toy.
“Does he sleep on these?” He asks aloud, not really expecting a chorus of, “Yes!” from the feline peanut gallery. Well, alright, then.
He pulls Yuri up onto the - bed? - nest and tucks him in. His scales are chilly, he needs it. It strikes him again how odd it is to see such a formidable beast looking so, well, frankly, weak. He’s skinny and vulnerable. A strong enough wind could be an equal foe.
Guang-Hong calls him out of the room after the other Russians have headed off.
“Can you stay with him? The cats trust you.”
“Sure, but why? He’ll wake up after a good nap and kick me out. You’ve never -”
Guang-Hong cuts him off, “I know. He’s not just exhausted. He’s malnourished.”
It takes several moments of silence for the meaning to hit Phichit. When it does he nods, glancing back at the lump on the bed.
“Make him eat when he wakes. A granola bar and some orange juice - just something to his sugars up. I’m going to have to talk to the head of Healing, see what can be done. A faerie close by will help his mood, too.”
“Guang, you’re a -”
“Faerie Dragon . He’ll attack me. And the familiars won’t let another dragon in, no matter how small I am.”
Phichit sighs, “You’ll have to bring me my stuff and have the head Healer email my professors about why I’m gone.”
“Of course.”
Guang-Hong leaves quickly and Phichit is alone in the lair of a depressed, self-destructive dragon
Well, at least the cats make good company.
Phichit wakes to a large draconian face inches from his, sniffing and then nudging at Phichit’s wings with his snout, “Hello to you, too, Yuri.” He chuckles lightly.
The dragon starts, tripping back onto his haunches. He recovers quickly, “It’s not every day that I wake up tucked in with my cats telling me that the ‘pretty fae’ conjures up catnip for them.” There’s pops as he stretches, “What are you here for? Did I promise something drunk?”
“You fainted in bio. Healer made me stay with you to keep you content since I need to make you eat.”
Blue eyes go wide.
Phichit does his best to soothe the sudden, obvious fear pouring off of Yuri, “I’m not going to force-feed you, darling. We’ll get your sugars up, and then work on stuff slow from here on. I’ve got a sandwich, a banana, and protein bar, but if you don’t think you can get those down, I’ve got a nutrition shake. I’m not here to be the enemy, Yuri, I’m here to love you and to help you feel better about yourself.”
His voice is tiny, “Okay, Phichit.”
“How do you -”
“You sit next to me. I’ve watched you mess around on Instagram instead of taking notes.” There’s cracks as the 8 foot dragon shrinks himself back down into a scrawny 5’9” teen with hair to his waist. He’s wrapped in a thick sweatshirt and fleece leggings. When he pulls off his Docs, he’s in fluffy socks, too. His nails are peeling, the skin behind them faintly blue.
He’ll give him a manicure, a hair mask, have a proper spa day and make him feel beautiful. Maybe he’ll braid all that hair up into a crown and weave flowers in. His lips would look gorgeous painted wine-red and his long lashes would flutter even prettier with a coating of mascara.
“Phichit?”
“Oh, sorry.” Phichit smiles when he’s roused from his daydream, “Imagining things again.”
Yuri’s pale cheeks are dusted pink, “You looked all dreamy. And your aura was all...yellow and pink?”
Phichit hums, “Mhm, happy. Do you wanna sit up in your nest to eat or would you prefer the floor?”
The dragon gets up, seemingly a bit dizzy, and flops down into the nest, then clearing a spot of the toys for Phichit.
A wave of warm fuzzy feelings settle into Phichit’s stomach, “I’m very honored to be invited into your nest. It looks very cozy and I’m sure your hoard is just as grand.”
Yuri stutters, blushing all the way down his neck, his smile sweet and slit pupils dilating. They look almost round.
“I - I bet your collections are really nice, too.” He manages, not making eye contact and flexing his hands in the blankets almost like a cat making biscuits, but still grinning.
Phichit drops a kiss on the top of Yuri’s head, eliciting another surprised sound from the dragon, and tucks his wings closer to his back as he sinks down into the space that had been made for him. It is very soft and comfortable. The mattress underneath is likely memory foam, or maybe it’s a pillow topper. Either way, Phichit can see himself spending more time in this nest.
“I have lots of old coins and bells and broken jewelry that I fix and sell. I try to get glittery makeup and such to quench the attraction to shiny stuff, though, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a container full of paperclips and old windchimes and other sparkly bits.” He breathes out as he digs in his bag for the lunch-bag Guang-Hong had delivered while Yuri was still sleeping.
“I have bells!” Yuri looks up at him, now, “Lots of cat toys come with bells and so do collars. One of the boxes I try to keep the hoard to is filled with bell toys. Would you like some?”
It’s Phichit’s turn to flush, “Oh, oh dear I mean, I don’t want to take stuff from your hoard, Yuri.”
“Yura.” The dragon corrects him, chewing at his lip with one fang, “It’s friendlier. And it’s no big deal, really. I have tons of them and I...like showing off.”
Phichit pulls out the lunch bag, “Well, then, maybe tomorrow we can exchange some things. Dragons like shiny things, too, yeah? It’ll be fun!”
The bag holds a peanut butter and jam sandwich, a banana, a chocolate protein bar, and an Ensure, vanilla flavor. Yuri pales.
“You only have to eat as much as you can keep down.” Phichit tries to assure him, “I’ll be happy as long as you finish one of these things. I will be just as proud of you if you only drink the shake as I would be if you finished it all, okay, dear?”
“Okay.” His voice goes small again. His eyes scan over the food. He takes the Ensure and uncaps it, hesitantly taking a drink.
Phichit’s answering grin seems to encourage the dragon. He sips at it in silence for a few minutes.
“You know what they say about fae?” Yuri says, glancing over to where Phichit has begun playing with his phone.
“That we’re all actually manipulative and don’t have emotions and would as soon slit your throat as kiss it, and we use our powers to force people to do our bidding?” Phichit answers without looking up.
Yuri chokes, “N - no! That’s not - I wasn’t -” He stops, searching for words, “I was going to say that people say fae are the most dangerous species because you’re all so sweet and pretty that it’s hard to say no to your kind. Your beauty could start or end a war, that kind of thing. Like Helen of Troy.”
Phichit chuckles, “She was only half-faerie. Imagine what a cutie like me could do.”
Yuri goes red again when Phichit winks at him.
“We can’t actually change people’s emotions, by the way.” Phichit continues, “We just open the capacity for an emotion, usually happiness. I like to say we’re like anti-depressants. We don’t give people fake happiness, all we do is give you the ability to tap into your own happiness. The only times we can hypnotize is if we’re fearing for our safety and we’re reluctant to do it even then.”
He hears crinkles as Yuri moves and then the tap of the drink being set down on the nightstand. He then yelps when a sudden force leaps on him.
“Hypnotize me, faerie.” The dragon’s voice is teasing, edging on flirty. Phichit’s shoulders are pinned down, Yuri’s claws just brushing at his collarbones.
“Think you’ve got me, blondie?”
“I think I do, pretty boy.” Yuri smirks, pupils dilated again.
Oh, baby, I’m gonna play you like a fiddle.
Phichit cants his hips up a little and bares his throat, “You’re right, oh mighty dragon. I’m just a weak little flower fae. Practically a butterfly. You should teach me my place, hmm?”
Yuri stiffens, eyes going wide. Phichit knows he makes a pretty picture, all soft and demure underneath the dragon.
“I - you - are you -”
While he’s spluttering, Phichit flips them over, pressing his knee between Yuri’s legs and pinning his wrists above his head with one hand. He uses the other to tickle the taller boy’s ribs.
Yuri shrieks, the sound turning to giggles as he tries to squirm away, “Phi - Phi - chit! Phichit let me go!”
“Are you ever going to challenge a faerie again?”
“No, sir!”
“Good boy.” Phichit drops another wink as he rolls off of the breathless blond. He can hear sly comments from two of the cats.
Like kits!
I know!
Should we be singing that love song from that lion film Master likes so much?
“Your cats think you have a crush on me.” Phichit singsongs, poking Yuri’s bony side gently. He watches Yuri blush once again. The dragon sits up and gets his drink to occupy his hands and mouth.
He does!
“Ooh, Kishka outed yoouuu.”
“So what?” Yuri’s tone is suddenly sharp and angry, almost a growl.
Phichit frowns, backing off of Yuri and getting quiet.
“I’m sorry.” Yuri whispers after a while of silence, “You came to help me and here I am acting like a wyrmling and making you uncomfortable.”
“Fae are affectionate and playful - how are you acting like a baby if I fool around, too? Nevermind that I already thought you were cute.”
“Well, I mean I - “ Yuri pauses, “Wait, you - I’m - you think I’m cute?” His mouth twists up into a smile again.
“No, I just sat next to a hot blond dragon on the first day and have never sat anywhere else because I didn’t want you to rail me the second I saw you.” Phichit rolls his eyes and lays back in the nest, letting his lower stomach show.
Yuri looks like he’s about to pounce.
“Finish your meal and maybe I’ll let you touch.”
“Half of it.” Yuri counters.
“Finish the Ensure, too?”
“Deal.”
Phichit reaches for his phone, texting his roommate, Yuu-kun, I won’t be home tonight ;)