Chapter Text
It was supposed to be simple, really. All they had to do was sneak into the houses (in their human forms, as it was easier-) nearby, and then fly back to Talyn and sort through everything and buy food and shit. Easy.
It should be.
Joan and Talyn were extremely young dragons, around the age of a human teenager or young adult. They live alone, with each other, in a small cave near a small - but thriving- town. They both were the best of friends, happy and all. They ran out of food, and it was getting colder... so this was their only option: Theft.
It had been going swell! Joan had filled their bag halfway with blankets and pillows and items of gold and silver, and they hid it under a bush next to the window of the next house they entered. The dragon carefully slithered through the window, which was cracked like all the ones before it, and slowly shifted into their human form. The room was bare, as in not much was here, but it didn't stop Joan from looking. They entered to next room, a bedroom, where a woman and a man slept peacefully, seemingly undisturbed by Joan's entry. Joan was quick to take any blankets they saw laying about, and slipping small golds into the folds of them. They stole a necklace, a vase, and a pocket watch. They went through every room until they reached a room with a baby blue door. They opened it carefully, shuffling inside. The room was decorated in a... parental manner. Children's toys- though scarce- on the floor, a closet full of small clothes, and a crib in the corner. The dragon couldn't help their peaking curiosity, so they looked into the crib. A little boy, around 3 or 4 human years, was sound asleep inside. His brown hair tuft and short, small face contorted with a tiny frown. He was covered in a purple blanket that had four symbols on it; But that wasn't what caught Joan's eye. The boy was so... small. There were bruises on his chest and arms. He was pale and shivering, despite his blanket.
Joan came to a, surprisingly, fast conclusion. The sleeping couple rooms down, why isn't their baby with them? Why weren't they with their young? Do humans just, abuse their young?
They decided that, no. Humans don't hurt their kind often. They came to think: They did this on purpose! Evil skanks. Not even dragons harm their young!
Joan made a decision that the young dragon would never thought they would. They ran to the window, shoving the loot in the bag, then ran back to the baby blue room. They opened the closets and grabbed some of the clothes, as well as a small rain cloak that matched the boys blanket. They shoved that in the bag too. The last time Joan entered the room, they scooped up the little boy, wrapped him in his blanket, held him close, and ran.
____
Joan had taken to the skies, not fully shifting, as to keep hold of the little boy and their nearly over-flowing bag. They allowed their wings to shift, the orange scales glinting in the moonlight, and shot up and toward the cave.
The cave was nothing much, just a hidden one in a small valley, open-mouthed and near a river that went into a forest. The inside was sparkly, rocks mixed with quartz, and blankets and pillows covered the cold hard ground.
Joan landed at the entrance, startling Tayln who had been looking through last night's gold loot.
The pink and blue haired dragon shot up, basically bouncing over to them, before stopping abruptly.
"What the fuck!?" They shouted, pointing at the boy that Joan had yet to let go of.
Speaking over, the young shifted at the loudness of Talyn's voice, before Joan gave Talyn their bag and shushed them.
"He was in the last house I scoured. He was alone... and hurt. And he's so... small Tally, look at him."
Tayln took a minute to look the boy over. Their friend was right. The young was small for a human toddler and blueish-brown splotches covered its skin.
"I- I want to protect him, Tal. Please. He can live with us! We can teach him stuff! And he'll never have to be hurt again."
Joan's plead was sincere, and when Talyn saw the soft brown eyes open, they sighed.
"Fine. But, he needs a name. We can't just call it 'him' or 'boy' all the time, y'know?"
Joan beamed, making Talyn smirk.
____
"How about.... Jon?"
"No. It's nice, but it's so overused in so many species."
Joan and Talyn had been sitting in their favorite blanket pile, the little boy had been maneuvered to Talyn's lap, sleeping, and they had been coming up with as many names as they could. The sun began to rise and the boy would wake soon.
"Hm."
"I got it!" Joan said, excitement coating their voice, "Tom!"
"A bit simple... What about Thomas?"
"Perfect! Welcome home, Thomas!"
Sunlight filtered into the cave and Thomas opened his eyes.