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“Explain this. Now.”
Kaito stared down in disbelief at the small black bundle nestled between Mizael’s arms, watching its little head pop up from where it hid its muzzle against Mizael’s chest and let out a series of small, happy squeaks up at him.
It was as if Mizael’s Tachyon Dragon had been shrunken down to the size of one of the small litter bots. Or like the time tyrant got caught in their own spell and reverted to a younger form given the wide orange eyes, the quiet, high pitched noises, and the tiny wings.
Kaito blinks like it’ll change any moment now into something else. Something more believable.
It doesn’t.
Mizael is still standing in front of the tower entrance with a miniature of his beast in his arms.
“… it’s a baby Tachyon dragon.”
“A hatchling, yes, I know what it is- don't you dare touch them.”
Kaito holds his hands in front of himself in surrender. He had barely moved an inch forward to get a closer look at the small dragon, but anything to cool Mizael down.
“Fine. Why are you showing it to me then?”
The blonde before him exhales slowly, adjusting his arms so the baby Tachyon curls around his forearm and he can rest his gloved hand against the dragon’s back. The little beast purrs in response to the touch, closing its eyes to get comfortable.
“You’re a man of science, so why don’t you tell me: how are babies made, Kaito?”
Kaito makes a face. He now knew exactly where this was going. There was no other reason Mizael would be so eager to angrily show him a baby dragon.
“Barian sexual education is failing you. Why do you automatically assume my dragon has to be the other parent? Surely there’s other options.”
Mizael matches his scowl with one of his own, arms slightly tightening around the bundle dozing there.
“Our dragons called out to each other long before we ever did. There isn’t another in this lifetime that my Tachyon would ever consider.”
“They were drawn together to fight each other, just like we were. Like we are now. There’s an entire hieroglyph confirming that, even.”
“You sound so sure of yourself,” Mizael smirks quietly. “I thought I was the superior dragon master, unless you've suddenly studied and mastered dragon biological needs and psychology on top of your many other projects you already have no time for.”
He has a point insufferably enough; Kaito only knew what he had to know about dragons, and that was usually their attack and defense stats and their effects.
But Mizael does leave out how Kaito always seems to make time for him and his regular antics.
“So you’re trying to tell me dragons try to kill each other to show their courtship,” Kaito states dryly. “A romantic species, truly.”
He watches Mizael’s eyes drop to the baby Tachyon in his hold once again. He lifts one gloved hand and begins to gently stroke over the spines of their back slowly.
“There are only so many known Galaxy-Eyes currently and most of them are new forms of two preexisting: yours and mine. If either beast had ever wanted offspring sooner, they could have done so, but they chose to wait because that’s how Galaxy dragons work. Since space and time are endless, they always prefer to be in pairs.”
Kaito can’t help to think about how many people partnering with his own dragon has brought him, Mizael included. How that crushing loneliness finally started to subside once he was under the light of a photon and everything around him at last lit back up.
Maybe his life wasn’t always so coincidental.
Mizael’s light eyes flick back up to Kaito.
“… You don’t want to look closer at this little one? That seems so unlike you.”
Kaito raises a brow.
“You almost bit my head off just for leaning forward.”
Mizael has been oddly on edge, in a way he hasn’t been around Kaito for a while. Not since they were sworn enemies on opposing sides of an intergalactic struggle.
“Well forgive me for needing to watch out for my beautiful dragon’s precious hatchling. I’d do the same to the other Barian Emperors,” he huffs before narrowing his eyes.
“You’re still standing in your entryway. Usually you’d have let me in by now and let me ramble as we walk.”
Kaito stiffens briefly, cursing Mizael’s observant nature for exactly that moment.
There was a reason he wanted to stay skeptical that their dragons were mating . Something currently inside that he was considering contacting Mizael about before fate decided to just bring the other dragon tamer to his front door.
Kaito briefly considers his options. All… one of them.
“It’s… better if I just show you what’s going on,” he admits, sidestepping from the entry.
Mizael tilts his head curiously, but says nothing as he enters, which is good enough of an agreement.
They walk in total silence the entire stretch. Mizael doesn’t even question why they’re not headed down to Kaito’s lab but rather up, toward the Tenjo suite located further into the top of the tower.
Kaito can’t stop glancing down at the small Tachyon currently asleep in Mizael’s arms the entire elevator ride upward.
It’s the longest minute of his life.
He’s the first one out once it stops, leading the pair away yet again from his personal space down the hallway to the left and instead into the large living room with the overseeing windows.
Kaito glances back at Mizael and waits for his reaction. Mizael’s eyes widen the second they lay on Kaito’s own little secret currently resting on the long couch. The Tachyon baby suddenly starts to squeak, now awake, wrestling itself free to leap into the air in order to glide off.
To glide over toward the other small dragon currently stretching its body and fanning out its little wings, except this one was like a carbon copy of his own Photon Dragon. It opens its light eyes and lets out its own happy squeak as the small Tachyon approaches, rushing toward the black dragon once it’s landed and colliding into it.
They wrestle each other briefly, a spiraling of dark purple and light blue scales in a series of clicks, growls, and squeaks before finally curling up together. The smaller Tachyon folds one of its angular wings around the other, nuzzling against the Photon’s muzzle with a purr.
Kaito watches them until he’s certain they’re asleep once the joint purring quiets to a soft lull. He turns to look at Mizael once more.
“Guess you were right. It must be mine’s fault, but yours isn’t so innocent either.”
Mizael next to him is oddly still, captivated by the sight of the two dragons nestled together.
“… I hadn’t realized there were two hatchlings,” he murmurs.
Kaito studies the faraway look on his face, but finds it strangely unreadable. Mizael hasn’t ever been so subtle with his feelings, not in any ways Kaito couldn’t decipher.
“Neither did I. I didn't realize they were hatchlings, I just thought they were new spirits.”
“Cloudragons. A baby Galaxy dragon is a Cloudragon.”
That explained the strange starry cloud mess the small Photon one sometimes leaves floating around himself.
“There were a few egg shells, so naturally I… had to check on Tachyon. That’s when I discovered the Cloudragon.”
“The other one found his way over here on his own,” Kaito explains, crossing his arms. He was still recovering from the disbelief of seeing the small blue spec with wings on one of his lab monitors, like a pet sized version of his beloved dragon.
“I’m not entirely sure how but he came up crying on one of the main cameras a few hours ago so I knew I had to retrieve him before something happened.”
Mizael’s eyes soften a little.
“He must have known this was a safe place to go if he was ever separated from the group. Because your dragon would have taught him to come find you if he can’t find anyone else.”
There’s a rush of warmth through him hearing that. But Kaito doesn’t dwell on it for too long.
“… I was about to call you, actually. But then you showed up on your own.”
Whatever softness was on Mizael’s’ face was gone in an instant.
“… I don’t see why you would need me for this. They seem perfectly fine in your capable hands already.”
Kaito makes a face at his sudden coolness. A pair of fledgling dragons and the one and only proud dragon master was now so quick to turn his back on them.
It didn’t take all too much to know something was wrong.
“You’re… just going to leave them here. With me.”
Mizael still doesn’t look at him.
“I’d hate to separate them when they’re so comfortable. They were already separated once in their little lifetime, that’s enough.”
“You could just take both of them with you, especially since it sounds like Tachyon is the one who held onto the clutch.”
“Even with their nest, the other Cloudragon came here for a reason, Kaito. They feel safer with you.”
“The other one sure, but I watched the Tachyon fall asleep in your arms moments ago.”
Mizael closes his eyes, turning away from Kaito entirely so he’s now facing toward the elevator. He’s quiet at first, shoulders tense with his fists balled up to his sides.
“It’s just as I said before. Dragons do not need others, they know their worth and their power. Humans especially will never be grateful enough for their generosity. But even with power, a Galaxy dragon will still seek out others just like them. It’s in part why yours chose you, why mine still chose me even after the corruption lifted. Kindred spirits.”
Mizael glances over his shoulder once, not to Kaito but past him to where the two Cloudragons laid huddled together.
“It’s all perfectly clear to me. Our two no longer hear the call for war and want to settle down. They’re starting a family together. They’re happy. What kind of monster would I have to be to break any of them apart, would that make me just like him?”
His word choice was careful in a way that the tension Mizael was carrying with himself made sense instantly.
Their dragons, starting a family. It still seems surreal to picture the pair being anything but esteemed rivals with one another. Photon and Tachyon were extensions of themselves, their very souls manifested, so their wills would always align.
For so long, Mizael held Tachyon to his chest. In his soul, denying the Tachyon could ever be his curse. Even if he was never truly alone thanks to the Emperors, he was first and foremost dedicated to his beast.
But what Mizael didn’t understand is that their dragons seeking each other didn't have to mean he had to be alone again.
That loneliness didn’t have to be his answer.
Something Kaito understood more intimately than Mizael will ever realize.
He steps forward and catches his arm before Mizael can even think to wander too far.
“Stay.”
Mizael turns to stare at him, but says nothing.
“Stay here,” Kaito repeats with a little more authority. “You just said it yourself, this is a safe place to go, right?”
He tugs just hard enough to bring Mizael closer, the other light enough on his feet to let himself be guided. Kaito’s other hand catches his side, his fingers curling delicately around his hip.
“We’re tied to two mated Galaxy dragons, wouldn’t that mean that we would work better in a pair too? Aren’t you a part of this family as much as I am?”
He watches those beautiful light eyes widen at him, suppressing the urge to lift his hand and tuck the long piece of blonde hair slowly drifting down into Mizael’s face.
“My soul has always called out to yours the same way.”
Mizael blinks once slowly before he chuckles, lowering his head but unable to hide his smile.
“I never took you for someone who could get so romantic, you truly are my greatest match.”
Kaito smirks to himself, releasing his hold on Mizael’s arm to instead take his hand and interlock their fingers.
“Guess I just needed my other half to bring it out of me.”