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Here be dragons to be slain, here be rich rewards to gain;
If we perish in the seeking, why, how small a thing is death!
DOROTHY L. SAYERS, Catholic Tales and Christian Songs
In the olden times, dragons ruled the world. They were perilous and people feared them. Each dragon had different features, no two were alike. But out of hundreds of them, there were three dragons that were worshiped and revered. They were called the Wandering Gods and controlled three regions of the Earth; the sky, the seas, and the forests.
The sky dragon was by far the most peaceful. This dragon has thick, unreflective scales that were the color of ivory. It has membranous wings that stretch between its forelimbs and the end of its tail with a row of tendrils running down its back. The dragon has deep-set eyes that are the color of the skies. Every day the dragon flies through the sky and the only time the sky dragon doesn’t take flight is when an oncoming storm is nearing.
The sea dragon was reclusive and can only be seen once a year. This dragon has fine scales that are charcoal-colored all over its elegant body. This dragon has powerful limbs with three splayed digits on each foot. It has no wings. A row of tendrils runs from the base of its skull to its shoulders. The dragon's head is blocky and it has a small mouth with irregularly shaped teeth and hooded faceted eyes that are brown as the color of murky waters. It is believed that when you see the sea dragon, a bountiful harvest of fishes await you.
Out of the three, the forest dragon was well known. The dragon's thick scales are the color of valuable emeralds. It has an elegant, long body with a slender neck. On either side of its tail are sharp, bladelike extensions. It has limbs with four closely-mounted digits on each foot that end in long claws. It has strange, frill-like wings. Two rows of bony plates run from the base of its skull to its shoulders. This dragon has a tiny mouth and has large oval nostrils located close together. This dragon has almond-shaped faceted eyes that are forest-green. Wing like bony plates project from the back of its head. A hornlike projection juts straight out between its nostrils. The forest dragon was famed since it was known to visit villages to enrich its land in exchange of sacrifices; be it gold or young maidens.
The three Wandering Gods were the most powerful beings, feared and glorified by those around.
=
There was a young boy standing in the middle of the woods when the forest dragon opens its eyes. The boy shuffles closer, fidgeting like he has no clue what to do with his hands. The forest dragon blinks again and growls lowly making the boy flinch as the sound echoes throughout the forest.
“CHANGE” the dragon bellows, the branches of the trees sway harshly around them. “ I asked for a maiden, not a dirty kid. You brat should head home, I didn’t call for you”
“I cant go back” the boy says, lifting his head, looking at the dragon with his hazel brown eye. The boy, no, young man was attractive albeit the long scar running down his right cheek. He wore an eye patch concealing his other eye. The scar looked to neat to be something done as an accident. It looked like someone did it on purpose to disfigure his beautiful face.
The dragon shakes his head. “Go back, send a girl” it says, puffing smoke out of its nostrils. True, the dragon finds the lad attractive but it was such a dishonor that the villagers gave it a reject as a sacrifice.
“There are no more women in the town.” The young man replies. “A wandering god like yourself came all the way down here so the townspeople wanted to give you a sacrifice that’s why I came here”
The forest dragon narrows its hooded eyes on the young man. The young man was shaking with his tiny hands balled into a fist. He’s shaking, it was clear and the dragon can feel the fear emanating from him. “Have mercy” the dragon hears the young man whisper.
“That doesn’t make sense. What do you mean there are no girls?’’ the dragon questions. It knows that the village has hidden the women. The dragon growls furiously at the young man behold him. “Then who accompanies the men in this town?”
“I do” the boy says and the dragon shakes its head in disbelief. “There are no more women in this town. That’s why I came” He swallows dryly and the forest dragon stares at hims, transfixed at how the young man's adam's apple bobs in his throat.
The dragon stays silent.
“I came here by my own. Our town will fall soon because of the heavy winter. Please, You are the forest dragon, help my village.” The young man squeaks at the dragon, masking his fear with his confidence, albeit rather poorly.
The dragon comes closer and scans the boy’s face. Beautiful, it thinks. “I understand, poor child.”
“Would you like me to take my clothes off” the boy says and the dragon furrows its hairy brows.
“What for?” it asks the young boy. “Just go inside the shrine. Night fall is near, it’s getting colder”.
It’s now the young man’s turn to be confused. He fidgets and mumbles something that the dragon couldn’t hear. He looks up and swallows. “uhh, uhmm” the young boy stutters. “Aren’t you going to eat me?”
The forest dragon opens its mouth baring its sharp fangs and inches closer towards the young man. He closes his eyes and hopes even though he knows the worst is yet to come. He wishes he could have said goodbye to his family and friends. He wishes that his village would thrive once again after his sacrifice.
He is surprised when he feels a nip his back and sees that the dragon has bit his shirt. The dragon throws him inside the shrine with a loud thud.
“I wont eat you” the dragon says as his head enters the small opening of the shrine. “I just want someone to talk to. What is your name, child?”
“Seokjin...Jin” the young man stutters his reply.
The dragon smiles, fangs baring with a glint. “Jin, tell me how long it’s been snowing”.
=
So that’s how their life together started. In the circle of life, everything repeats; the days, the months and even the meals but for the Wandering gods everyday was a new beginning.
The dragon, Taehyung, as what Jin would call him became the other lad’s guardian, always keeping an eye out for the fragile human.
Jin, Taehyung finds out is a very bubbly and energetic lad. He remembers one time when Jin caught a huge fish when they were out fishing, smiling at him proudly as he carries the fish and hands it to dragon with his nimble fingers. The dragon bellows a laugh when the fish struggles to escape Jin who was using all his might not to let go. The fish won and jumps out of Jin’s grasp back into the river. Jin pouted at him as Taehyung nudged his sides with his nose to cheer him up.
That night when Jin had finished cooking the fishes, Taehyung couldn’t help but admire the lad as his features were illuminated by the bonfire. Jin hands the dragon one of the fishes but he politely declines. Just seeing Jin smile was enough for him.
=
Jin is all smiles as he leads Taehyung towards the deeper part of the forest where his father used to take him. There was a beautiful lake at the center and he cant help the memories flooding his mind. This was his favorite part of the forest. He remembers being a child and bathing here. Everything was far more simpler when he was young. He takes off his clothes and jumps in the body of water. He splashes the dragon who huffs and whips his tail around to splash Jin with water as well.
When he’s done he puts his clothes on and snuggles with Taehyung who was crouched near the lake. Its surreal how happy the dragon makes him, how safe and comfortable he is with it. He closes his eyes and stretches. He feels someone looking at him and sees Taehyung staring. Jin smiles at the dragon that looked flustered and looks away.
The silence is broken when Jin speaks up. “I came here thinking I would be eaten, but spending everyday like this is so fun. This was so different from when I was back in town, Tae.”
The dragon hums in reply.
“Tae, I hope the people in the village are happy as well” Jin looks up at Taehyung and snuggles closer.
“Yeah, I guess” the forest dragon mumbles his answer.
=
Taehyung thought Jin was just some dirty brat who had wandered deep into the forest, he doesn’t know why but he feels strangely attached to him. Taehyung cant seem to keep his eyes off the young lad. Jin evoked an urge to protect in him. He doesn’t want anything to happen to his precious Jin. He would rather die if someone laid a hand on the lad.
So its only natural that whenever Jin was off to get firewood, Taehyung would secretly watch him to make sure Jin was safe. But today was a different day.
Taehyung was seeing red, baring his teeth as he quickly flew to where Jin was. A loud growl echoes through the forest startling the men who were forcing themselves to Jin who was on the ground crying.
“I told you no” Jin screams as the men tries to force him to the ground. The men scrambles away from him when they saw the forest dragon with smoke coming out of its nostrils.
“Tae” Taehuyng’s heart broke as Jin struggles to get up.
“I wont forgive them” Taehyung bellows and whips his tail towards the men. The men crash towards the trees with a thud. He roars again with all his might as Jin hobbles on his feet to calm him down. “Tell me how you want me to curse them”
“No. Forgive them” Jin soothes the dragon with his voice. "Calm down, please."
Taehyung thrashes around and whips his tail once more. “Is this the town you wish to be enriched? Filthy villagers”
“Tae, don’t”
“WHO? WHO LAID A HAND ON HIM? WHO WAS IT” Taehyung roars loud as Jin covers his ears. “WHO DID IT?”
“Tae, please stay calm” Jin places his hand on Taehyung’s gigantic paw, rubbing circles on it to soothe him.
The dragon looks down at Jin and sees tear tracks staining his face, tears running down his scar.
No. Cute Cute Seokjin. Please don’t cry
The dragon shakes his head and crouches beside Jin. He turns his gaze towards the man and snarls. Filthy humans laying a hand on his beloved Jin. He shouldn’t have let Jin wander off alone. He wouldn’t dare do that again. “Explain”
One man shuffles towards them and bows his head. “In the mountain up north, there is a lord in a castle. He has taken all the women there. And sometimes those women who cant be used anymore are sent back to the village”
Taehyung growls low in his throat. These young men are as filthy as that lord. They wanted to use his Jin’s body. Lust is such a laughable human trait.
“I understand” Taehyung stands on his limbs and uses his tail to keep Jin close to him. Taehyung turns his attention back to the men and bellows “BUT YOU KNOW, Jin IS OFF LIMITS”
He pulls Jin to him and place him on his back. “Let’s go back” Taehyung says and he smiles as he sees the boy’s cheeks flush a deep shade of pink.
=
“The man back there also has a scar on his face” Taehyung says when Jin is seated comfortably inside the shrine. The dragon crouches and nuzzles his nose on Jin's lap.
The boy nods at him. “This was punishment for when we try to rescue the women”. He says shielding his face from the dragon.
“Let me see closely” The dragon says and inches closer towards the young man. “What did they do to your eye?”
Jin feels a hand slowly grasp his, lowering his hands from his face and he sees a man infront of him with wild locks and brown eyes. The man leans in and places a lingering kiss on his lips. Jin blushes and pushes the man away from him.
“ I can turn into a human but only in rare cases” the man says with a familiar voice before turning back into his dragon form.
There was an awkward tension between them and Taehyung fears he messed up big time. He clears his throat and sees Jin blushing once more. “But really, there are terrible people out there” he says to try to ease the tension.
“I- Im gonna go catch some fish” Jin mumbles and runs towards the river, not even bothering to look back.
The one who stole those beautiful eyes is out there and Taehyung's blood is boiling just by thinking about it.
Later that night when Jin was asleep, he sneaked out and flew towards the north mountains. Jin never has to know what happened there.
“I will devour your rotten soul” Taehyung bellows at the frightened Lord.
Jin should never know what happened.
=
Taehyung watches Jin wake up every day. Its become a habit of his. He shifts into his human form and caresses Jin face tenderly. Jin opens his eyes and smiles at him. Taehyung thought Jin would push him away but the other man just blushes innocently.
“Good morning” Jin says rubbing his eyes from his sleep and see Taehyung has reverted back to his original form.
“Its kinda loud isn’t it?” Jin states scratching his chin. ”What happened to the village”
“Go and find out” the dragon answers nudging Jin with his nose to the direction of the village.
=
“Tae, Tae. Did you do something?” Jin exclaims as he runs towards the dragon who was perched on a big rock. “The women are back, Tae”
The dragon smiles at him. “Jin, now you wont have to be another man’s companion” Taehyung beams proudly just as Jin’s face fell.
The realization dawned on Jin. Didn’t Taehyung want a girl in the first place so now that the women are back, Taehyung might want a woman to replace him.
“Whats wrong?” the dragon questions him, seemingly worried at the sudden change of emotion Jin exhibited.
“I.. I will go find a girl” Jin mumbles softly. “I will go find a girl to replace me” he continues too quietly, Taehyung almost didn’t hear it.
The dragon smiles again at the young boy. “Jin, would you want to be my companion?”
“Um” Jin blushes at that. He turns his back and dashes away. ”I have to go take a bath” Jin says, feeling humiliated as rose tints his cheeks.
He stops when he feel arm enclose him in a warm embrace. He feels curls tickle the sides of his face and he relaxes.
“Jin” Taehyung whispers in his ears. “I want you”
Jin gasps and squirms to get out of Taehyung’s grip. “Im dirty, you don’t want me. Im so dirty, forgive me” Jin sobs but Taehyung holds him closer to his chest.
Taehyung turns Jin so that they are facing each other. Jin feels so weak and filthy as he looks back at Taehyung’s expressive eyes and boxy smile. “Then let’s go wash together” the man says and pecks Jin on the lips.
He carries Jin effortlessly and the smaller man blushes. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because, I want you Jin. We're going to make a child” He says and he sees Jin's brows furrow in confusion. "I could turn human for this reason"
“But”
“You want me too, Jin. I can feel it. You make me feel this way as well”
Jin looks up at Taehyung and lunges at him, lips colliding for a kiss.
=
The forest dragon is perched, high and mighty, on the cliff over looking the village. Taehyung sees the children laughing about and running with their friends. He cant help but think that his child is still the cutest. It brings joy to the forest dragon and he smiles to himself. A lot has changed since last winter, changes that he had never thought might come his way but here he is now. He hears footsteps behind him and turns his body around to see his beautiful Seokjin running towards him carrying their little bundle of joy.
"Big news, Tae" Jin runs towards him and stops for a breath. "Puff..He spoke"
Little Puff looks a lot like Taehyung in his dragon form, same emerald scales, same frill like wings but Puff inherited Jin's beautiful eyes. He has yet seen the dragon child in his human form but Taehyung thinks Puff is as beautiful as Jin. He cant believe they made this beautiful creature. Taehyung shifts to his human form and crouches to where Jin was. He takes the dragon child from his lover's arms and holds him tight.
"Come on Puff, let me hear it" he says as Jin coaches with "Puff, one more time for daddy please."
"What did he say?" Taehyung asks Jin. His lover was about to answer when they hear a small squeak from the dragon child.
"Jin" The child says as flowers bloom by Jin' feet. Puff stretches his arms towards him and Jin beams. He takes Puff from Taehyung and hugs him tight.
"I guess I say it too much" Taehyung spoke as Jin blushes, cradling the young dragon closer. He looks at the two. He cant believe how lucky he is to have them.
They say in the circle of life, everything repeats; the days, the months and even the meals but for the Wandering gods, everyday was a new beginning.
But for Taehyung, Jin was always his beginning and his end.
-Always draw a circle for the one you love. Never draw a heart because hearts can be broken but circles are never ending.-