Archive of Our Own

Techno, contrary to what his former blaze might have told you, wasn’t stupid. He had known that taking a nap in an alleyway wasn’t the best idea. He had thought through his hesitance on the matter, knowing that he needed to lie down for a little longer and let his fire build, but didn’t have a place to go at the moment. He’d thought he could wake up before he was in any form of danger, he had plenty of times before in his old den.

This time, he only woke up when pressure curled around his throat.

His senses heightened to an impossible degree, allowing only his eyes to shift and cut through the dark with accuracy far beyond human capabilities. He kept himself quiet, still, assessing the situation before leaping into the fray of battle— one so familiar to him.

He saw nothing. The alleyway was empty and silent. That pressure around his throat felt like a rope, tightening dangerously around a sensitive part of his pathetic human form. There was nothing but a wall in front of him, and nothing but a dark crystal sky overhead.

Tentatively, he reached a hand up to his neck. The cord was rough, plated in some hardened material. He ran a finger down its length, picking at it with dull nails just to get an outline. His fingers caught beneath chinks, causing the rope to tighten.

Or… twitch.

His fingertips traced over a leathery part not uniform to the rest of it, and the cord jerked and shook, curling in until Techno had to let out a cough to keep his airway under his control. He pulled until it unraveled just the tiniest bit, allowing Techno to look down at—

Scales.

Bright red scales, twinged with a yellowish orange similar to the gold of sunset. Tiny wings fluttered just at the corner of his vision, delicate in all of the worst ways. The part Techno held out in his palm trembled, trying to curl in again, fighting his hold.

A dragon. A hatchling. It couldn’t have been more than a few years old. Even the most unwanted of hatchlings didn’t leave until nearly grown. Techno couldn’t believe it. Not only had he found a hatchling outside of a nest, but it had just come up to him.

The hatchling’s tail trembled again, causing Techno’s instincts to finally kick into gear. Alarm bells went off in his mind, with little whispers asking if this was a new sibling in Techno’s blaze of just himself.

Techno didn’t care about the whispers. The hatchling was cold.

He brought in heat to his fingertips, pushing his fire to rumble through him just below the film of his human skin. The dragon practically rolled into his hand, pressing their underbelly to the burning touch. The hold around his neck released, letting Techno take in a deep breath.

The hatchling was mainly red, with only a yellowish-orange at the tip of their tail and the detailing of their head. They— he, it seemed like, from the bright colors— curled into themselves on Techno’s palm, trying to press every scale to his skin.

“Blazes above…” Techno murmured to himself, and then to the sleeping dragon. “Why are you so cold? What are you doing out here?”

The hatchling seemed to have no interest in waking up, just lounging there with his body cradled like a cinnamon roll. He had stopped shivering, at least.

This was a tough situation to be put in, especially with Techno’s lagging brain due to the nap. This hatchling should have still been in the den with the hoard, which meant someone had to be looking for him, and whoever found him with Techno would not be pleased. In the meantime, Techno now had the responsibility to care for him to make sure he didn’t die in a cold, human town.

A human town that had certainly had its fair share of dragons and did not look kindly toward them. Techno would know.

He believed this tiny red creature was a fairly common phoenix dragon, a species known for its fire. They would easily settle in almost any area, being able to survive drastic temperatures in either direction.

Why was this little hatchling cold?

He had to get him to safety. Somewhere away from where the humans could easily spot him, somewhere that would keep the heat in… maybe where Techno could shift. He hadn’t in a while.

Techno nudged the little dragon into the top pocket of his shirt, heating up his chest so that the warmth stayed pressed to the dragon’s scales. He easily slumped into the soft fabric, just his little head poking up.

Techno then went in search of someplace that could house the two of them, leaving no option unturned until the hatchling would be safe in a proper den. He didn’t care what it would take to get there.

---

The house he broke into was now empty, with frantic footsteps still running down the streets outside the front door. Techno slammed the door shut and bolted it twice over, breathing heavily as he tried to blink away the stars that swam in his vision. It had been a while since he had done something like that, and it seemed he was a bit out of practice.

He looked down at the tiny form in the meantime, watching the hatchling chase off the chill from the outside world and snuggle in closer.

Techno got to work sealing all of the doors and windows, covering every little crack with the heavy drapes the human that lived there had so graciously left behind. He dragged every pillow, blanket, and cushion from the living room and respective bedrooms before settling into the largest one, covering the mattress and the floor with dozens of fluffy fabrics. He piled whatever food that wouldn’t perish into the corner before flopping down into the center of the den and taking out the sleeping dragon.

He stared blankly for what seemed like hours, wondering what the next step was. He’d been taught how to build a proper den, he’d been taught that dragons need warmth and company when they’re vulnerable, sick, or young. But he didn’t know anything about a hatchling. He’d never thought he’d ever have to take on in.

“This is temporary,” he reminded himself before his thoughts could progress. “Temporary.”

However temporary it might have been, he still had no idea what to do next.

He set the tiny dragon on the fluffiest pillow he could find and let him curl up. He seemed rather discontent with that, making grumpy noises as he maneuvered himself sleepily. Techno’s hands hovered over him, like the dragon was a hot stove ready to burn him.

The hatchling made the tiniest noise, something between a whimper and a call for a protector, and finally, Techno’s instincts broke.

Sounds were just dull buzzing in his ears compared to the roar of voices that rose to his brain. Techno only had a second to look at the walls and confirm that they were far enough away before they forced him to shift, his limbs growing and prying at themselves, skin stretching and thickening to scales. He felt the fuzz that poked between them, his extra coat as a present from his icy origins.

He was so much bigger than the hatchling in this form, feeling so cautious as he curled himself around the pillow, worried he’d accidentally crush the fragile dragon.

But the hatchling rumbled contently, letting out a single spark before resting his head against Techno’s scales and drifting off again.

Techno’s instincts only calmed when he let himself drift, his mind going as blank as he could make it.

---

Crash .

Techno’s heart jumped. Immediately he was on his feet, curling his armored tail around the pillow that held his— this is temporary, Techno— hatchling.

He should have expected this. It wasn’t his house, after all, and human police were like flees in this place.

Unfortunately for them, Techno was a dragon. 

Unfortunately for him, houses were flammable.

He wished he had a choice before dosing the police force in flames, but his mind was on a straight track towards protection and he was barrelling down the rails at dangerous speeds. Fire wouldn’t hurt him, even if he was an arctic species, but it did mean his den was gone.

Are hatchlings fireproof?

The thought made him spin into a frenzy. Techno tried to scoop up the hatchling but he was just too small. And Techno was too big.

The flames licked the walls and devoured sheets and pillows. Techno wrapped around the little dragon as tightly as he could, shielding him from the flames and keeping him circled.

The fire died eventually, running out of things to char. Techno slowly unraveled, nudging desperately at the little form, hoping that he didn’t make a mistake, hoping that the little phoenix was still breathing. Blazes above, let him be breathing.

When he caught sight of the little one, he met two stunningly blue eyes.

The shock of it caused an almost seizing feeling in Techno’s chest. He shifted into a human form far too suddenly, leaving messy patches of bright white scales on his peach skin. The dragon looked up at him with a fond rumble, puffing out his wings in an attempt to move up toward Techno’s face.

Techno scooped him up in his hands, brushing a thumb over unblemished scales. The kid was perfectly safe, even… better than he had been before. The flames must have brought his heat back.

“Hi,” Techno whispered but cleared his throat at the unfamiliar fondness that had crept into the singular word. “I won’t hurt you. I’m here to help.”

The tiny dragon rattled at him, a little spark igniting in the air. It seemed playful over anything else, not that Techno was familiar with how dragons spoke. He’d been deprived of that, only knowing what his instincts told him and the context of everything.

So, Techno huffed back, a little spark crackled in the air before it dissipated near the hatchling, who seemed to laugh.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Techno brought him closer. “How did you get here?”

And the kid shifted.

Techno wasn’t ready for the weight change. The kid went toppling backward, much heavier than he had been two seconds ago. Techno managed to catch him before he fell onto the hot ashes, his heart already pounding as he looked over the suddenly new features he’d been allowed to see.

A human form is too vulnerable this young. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be seeing this.

His human form was no older than four, chubby in all of the places he’d yet to grow into. His hair was a pristine, shimmering gold that caught and held Techno’s attention like a bear trap.

“Hi!” The kid practically announced to the world, loudly proclaiming his greeting. “Are you a snow dragon?”

“Uh,” Techno startled. “Yeah?”

“That’s cool!” He threw his hands up almost like he was celebrating. “My dad likes the snow! We visit the snow dragons all the time.”

Techno came to his senses at the reminder. “Where’s your blaze? How did you get here?”

“Flew!” the kid cheered. “I can fly now! See?” He made a motion like he was going to start concentrating but then seemed to realize that he didn’t exactly have wings like this. “Oh. Where’d they go?”

“You’re in your human form,” Techno explained as slowly as he possibly could. “We don’t have wings in this form.”

“Right, I forget,” he shrugged off. “Do you like mountains? My blaze lives on a mountain. It has snow! You should come join us!”

“Kid—” Techno started. He was overwhelmed. This was too much. He couldn’t absorb all of this information right now, even if it was said to him in simple, four-year-old-type speech.

“I’m not a kid!” The kid shouted before Techno would get his thoughts together. “I’m a dragon! And my name is Tommy, I don’t like being called a kid.”

“Ah,” Techno blinked. “Tommy. I apologize.”

“You’re welcome! Oh, wait…” Tommy thought hard, a crease forming between his eyebrows as he stared almost threateningly at the floor beneath them. “No, that’s not what you say…”

Nope. Techno could not do this at all.

“Which mountain do you live on?” He asked after ignoring Tommy’s confusion. “I’d like to take you home.”

“I dunno,” Tommy shrugged. “Just a mountain.”

“...did you fly far?”

“Really far!” Tommy cheered. “I flew for so long that my wings started to get cold. I didn’t know I could do that, I’m always warm.”

There was so much to unpack all at once. Techno had a feeling Tommy didn’t live very far away, especially since it seemed like he just started flying. He probably got swept up in an air current from one of the closer mountains. There were a few just to the south.

“Would you be able to recognize your mountain?” Techno asked with mentally crossed fingers.

“Nope! I’m not supposed to be out of the den yet, I don’t know what my mountain looks like.”

Techno at least knew Tommy wasn’t supposed to be out here, but this was beyond believable. “So… why are you out here if you’re not supposed to leave the den?”

Tommy looked around as if he was realizing he was outside of it for the first time. “Oh… Dad’s gonna be pissed.”

Techno let a shocked laugh escape him, only to be cut off by a roar that shook the very ground they knelt on. Techno covered Tommy with his body as best as he could as ash fell loose from the rafters that stood, with wingbeats stirring the black grain.

“Dad!” Tommy shouted, trying to get past Techno’s hands. Techno didn’t dare let go, not until he knew for a fact that this was Tommy’s family and that they were nice to him, and cared for him .

He didn’t get a chance. Techno was tackled from behind by a smaller blue dragon, even if it was plenty larger than his human form. He failed to switch back, not that Techno’s hindbrain would allow it, having separated from Tommy.

The larger green one descended next to where Tommy was separated from him, shifting as soon as he was on the floor. “ Tommy, ” the man whispered as he hugged him tight. “I was so worried.”

The blue dragon on top of Techno growled deeply, just enough to be unsettling, a low threat.

“Wil!” Tommy paid his father no mind. “He helped me! Be nice!”

“You aren’t hurt?” The blonde man asked instead, trying to shift Tommy’s attention away, going as far as to block Tommy’s view of Techno. His heart began to pound. “Did he hurt you?”

“No, I just woke up! We were on some very nice pillows and there was a big fire. He kept me safe from the evil humans.”

The blue dragon considered him, seemingly now just noticing the white patches of scales on Techno’s skin. He backed off before shifting into a body similar in age to Techno, with brown curls and a lanky body.

“You kept him safe?” He asked, his voice a perfect imitation of a human, nothing like the rumbly tone Techno always had about him.

“I tried,” he answered, his throat had closed significantly. “He was so cold when I found him— or he found me. I tried my best but I don’t know anything about— about that. ”

The father laughed. “Mate, hatchlings aren’t that hard. You did a good job.”

Techno breathed in relief. He hadn’t pissed off a bunch of dragons. Everything was ok. Tommy was safe, he wasn’t about to die.

“If you were human we’d have some problems,” the brother, or that was what he looked like, told him with a heavy stare.

“Back off, Wilbur,” the blonde waved him off, setting Tommy on his hip. “He’s already scared to death.”

Techno hadn’t thought it was that obvious.

“Now, Tommy, mate,” the father kept his attention on the kid. “Where the fuck have you been?”

Tommy pouted, but it looked more taunting and annoyed, “I was practicing flying. You said I could!”

“ In the den,” the older dragon scolded. Techno’s heart tightened even from the littlest correction. “I said you could practice in the den, not fly down the bloody mountain.”

“But I did so good!”

Tommy finally wilted at his father’s stern gaze. Techno took in a breath, thankful Tommy backed off while he had the chance.

“You’re not leaving the den for another week after this heart attack.” The man picked him up off the ground. “Maybe I’ll confine you to the hoard.”

“ No… ” Tommy whined dramatically. “It’s so boring in there.”

“Then you need to behave,” he continued to chide. Wilbur left to join his side with one last piercing look thrown at Techno.

To Techno’s horror, the elder dragon walked right up to him.

“Thanks for keeping him safe, mate.” He held out his hand in a human gesture of greeting. “There were probably way worse people that Tommy could have ended up with. I’m Phil, and you are…?”

Techno couldn’t respond. He wanted them to leave, but his heart was beginning to ache from the separation from his— dammit, Techno, he’s not yours— hatchling.

“He’s a snow dragon,” Tommy answered for him. “And kind of fluffy.”

“Excuse me?” Techno coughed out. Wilbur began laughing.

“No need to be ashamed of a winter coat,” Phil assured. “Are you just visiting here, then? It’s not exactly cold enough here for an arctic species.”

“Oh… uh,” he choked on his words. “I don’t… I haven’t settled yet. Trying to find a place to go.”

“But you’re my age,” Wilbur nudged forward. “You should still be with your blaze.”

Phil shushed him almost immediately, and Techno couldn’t suppress his flinch. His eyes darted back to Tommy, who seemed plenty content and comfortable in Phil’s arms, even as a human child.

“Some blazes don’t work that way,” Phil tried to explain in the most gentle, reassuring, not at all traumatizing way he could. He turned back to Techno without any warning. “If you need a place to stay for a little while, I owe you a favor.”

“Yes! Come stay with us!” Tommy cheered. “I love snow dragons!”

Wilbur was eyeing him warily but backed away.

Techno couldn’t do that. He couldn’t intrude. Not even for a night. He was fitting in as best as he could in this town as a homeless runaway, waiting for human pennies to fall and for stalls to be turned away from. Techno’s destiny was to be cast out from any blaze he intruded on, even if it wasn’t his choice to be there.

“I… no. No, thank you,” Techno shook his head, backing up several steps. “I can’t.”

Tommy pouted. It was enough to make his instincts surge up again.

“Then thank you for your help, mate,” Phil smiled kindly before turning to his son. “Now, let’s get you home.”

“But I want him to come with!” Tommy reached out to him. “He should come back to the den! He was just sleeping in an alley— with no hoard!”

“Tommy—”

“ No! ” Tommy yelled. “I want him!”

Techno’s heart was seizing again.

“You can’t tell people what to do, Tommy,” Phil had dropped his voice stern again. “He’s welcome, but we can’t force him.”

Tears were rolling, a trivial action that meant nothing when faced with a stern rumble from the elder. Tommy went silent, even as he was still reaching out toward Techno.

Techno remembered being separated from his siblings for the first time. Techno was clawing at the walls, wailing to be brought back to the nursery. He tried to shift in every way he could think of, but nothing happened. When he was thrown into a dark part of the cave with no visible outlet, he felt a part of his heart shatter.

They were just making room for the newest hatchlings, siblings of his that he hadn’t known for even an hour, but something in him severed. He was never the same. He was quiet, timid, and emotionless in his ways.

Hatchlings were fragile in more ways than one.

Techno reached back.

Their hands connected, and Tommy softened immediately. He melted like butter against Phil’s shoulder, smiling happily as he clung to the ends of Techno’s fingers.

Phil was staring at him like he had grown two heads. Wilbur looked absolutely furious.

“Well.” Phil kept his expression hidden, but the tension was clear in the air. “This was unexpected.”

Wilbur started forward, his mouth opened to protest whatever plan Phil had yet to announce. Phil turned him down without even saying a word, Wilbur’s mouth snapping shut with a hostile glare.

“I think you’ll be staying with us until further notice,” Phil said with a frustrated but determined gaze. “Breaking an imprint is… difficult on hatchlings. I don’t think we should risk it.” Phil looked at Techno for one moment. “You don’t have anyone looking for you, do you?”

He doubted his old blaze had ever thought about it.

Without too much of a choice, Techno followed them into the air and to their mountainside home.

---

It turned out that none of them were related.

Phil had taken it upon himself to collect the abandoned hatchlings he found on his extensive, though now slowed, adventures. While it had started out as a necessity for a shivering, starving Wilbur, he’d decided that anyone who needed help would be welcome in his mountainside labyrinth.

It meant that Phil, a dragon more suitable for forests and mountains, was taking care of all kinds of dragon species. Wilbur was more suited for ocean sides and cliffs, while Tommy was the complete opposite— a spitfire. Phil had plenty of other alumni under his metaphorical wing who Techno was told visited occasionally, old friends at this point, who didn’t need a full caretaker like Wilbur and Tommy.

People like Techno, though the other dragons didn’t seem to have the predicament he did.

It was a hazy few days. Techno would sit with Tommy in a room close to the hoard under the intense guise of either Phil or Wilbur. Tommy would be overjoyed in these moments, no matter what form either of them were in or what they were doing. Phil explained it was because of the new bond, it usually came with feelings of euphoria.

Techno just felt paranoid. Every second he would be worried about Tommy’s health, or how far he was, or how much he’d eaten. His mind was spinning and he was exhausted but didn't dare voice it to Phil.

At night, he curled up in the corner of an open cave and tried to ignore the faraway feeling of so many things being missing.

“Why don’t you look happy?” Wilbur asked him one time, Tommy was asleep in Techno’s top pocket just like that first night.

“I don’t usually look like anything,” was Techno’s answer, but if he was being honest, it was because he wasn’t. He was relieved whenever he was near Tommy, but not happy. This bond was not doing anything but hindering his efforts of becoming self-sufficient.

And the kid was sweet. Techno would go as far as to say he enjoyed being around Tommy, but it wasn’t right. This was forced out of necessity, and while it might have worked if Tommy was a newly abandoned hatchling, now it was a hindrance.

Techno was not Tommy’s blaze, and he didn’t know how to be.

“Can he come to the hoard tonight?” Tommy whined a different night. “Just this once? He’s fuzzy.”

Techno would have protested that comment if there hadn’t been another question already on the floor.

“I don’t think so, Tommy,” Phil shook his head. “Techno’s not part of the blaze, remember?”

“Why not? ” Tommy whined in return, leaning back into Techno’s chest. Techno’s hindbrain lit up, a little chant forming in his ears. “He lives here too!”

How was Phil going to try to explain Techno’s predicament? That he wasn’t supposed to be here but Tommy’s accidental attachment was keeping him around? That he’d end up like Techno if he left?

Techno only stayed because he wouldn’t wish this fate on anyone.

“Let’s get to the hoard,” Phil held out his hand, ignoring the question completely. “You’re tired.”

“I want Techno!” Tommy demanded louder, grasping Techno’s arm. “He needs a better place to sleep than this!”

Techno had a wonderful setup going. Phil had brought him pillows and blankets, which was more than he’d had for a while. Still, he could see Tommy’s thought process. When Techno was just a hatchling, he too would have thought that a room without gold was an insufficient place to sleep.

“Then why don’t you ask Techno?” Phil let out a sigh. “Techno’s choices are his to make.”

Oh no. Blazes above, this was the wrong move. Did Phil have an expectation that Techno would turn him down? He shouldn’t— couldn’t — intrude on another blaze’s hoard. That was bordering on unethical.

But Tommy was begging him. The ringing in his ears wasn’t fading, but he could hear the words in his own brain. Tommy wanted him there, and how could he deny a hatchling that was so attached to him?

When was the last time he’d seen a piece of gold?

When would he ever get the chance to again?

“Ok…” Techno breathed. “I’ll join you.”

Tommy cheered. Phil balked like he’d been expecting something totally different. He didn’t look mad, just… surprised. He waved Techno over anyway, through the doorway he was standing near. Tommy dragged him to his feet.

Techno couldn’t remember stepping into the room. He could barely even remember the room, but waking up was a dream. The fog of his instincts settled enough to realize that he was surrounded by a cushion of gold, curled around his— not again, Techno— small hatchling, but also resting between a bigger emerald-colored dragon, and a just slightly smaller blue one.

It was warm and peaceful, and for the first time, Techno felt warmth blooming in his chest. Not that artificial kind that he’d conjured up to keep Tommy warm, but real fire.

Strength. Protection. Security. And… care.

Techno healed.

---

“Hold still,” Phil said with his tongue slightly poked out of his mouth. He was beyond the point of concentration, so far in the zone that Techno could have said anything and Phil wouldn’t have even heard it.

With only a slight breath in, Techno felt the stinging spot in his right ear. It didn’t hurt as much as he expected it to, just felt a little odd with the sudden weight that pulled at it.

Tommy cheered from where he was being coddled by Wilbur, already rambling about when he would be able to get one, to which he was given the same answer every time: eventually.

It didn’t seem to mind him too much. When Phil let Techno go, Tommy ran over to him to bat at the earring, the swinging emerald on a chain that matched Phil’s. Wilbur had his gem hanging from his ear too, though he didn’t have a piercing, just a clip and a chain from a higher-up point.

“You don’t look half bad,” Wilbur commented, to which Techno rolled his eyes. He got far too many of those now, just the soft bite comments that didn’t mean anything but banter and friendly rivalry. Tommy was already picking up on way too much of it, he was going to be a gremlin in a few years.

“Oh, be nice,” Phil scolded, though it was immediately canceled by the laugh that followed. “He looks wonderful.”

“And now you’re our blaze!” Tommy shouted with a smile that rivaled the sun. A spark left his mouth accidentally. “We can be a family now!”

Techno laughed and ruffled Tommy’s hair, that little fire in him growing by the day. Family was a strange word on his tongue. He knew its definition, but it didn’t feel like a word anymore. Just sounds and scripture waiting to be recited.

But it had more meaning today than it had yesterday. He believed that just that was an improvement.

“Welcome to the blaze,” Phil smiled, hugging him quickly so as to not intrude but still trying to get his own outlet for feelings. “I think this might have been the best mishap that’s ever happened to us.”

“You can say that again.” Wilbur’s smile was somehow genuine, full of admiration and care. The look held Techno’s heart in its hands.

He was far behind Wilbur in the family department, but he was learning fast.

“We’re going to the hoard!” Tommy demanded. “I want to cover Techno in all of the gold!”

“Here here!” Wilbur joined in. “If you don’t suffocate by the end of the night it will be a tragedy.”

Techno huffed. “You can try.”

Phil rolled his eyes in tandem. “Alright, to the hoard, but be nice to your brother!”

Techno didn’t think it was possible for them not to be.

He kept his hatchling close to his chest all night and thanked the blazes above that he had found him.