Archive of Our Own ^beta

Heavy was the cost of being seen as a prodigy, it wasn’t quite the compliment that many seemed to think it was. All they saw was the admiration you were showered in, they never seemed to notice how shallow it ran. Conditional love, that’s what your village offered you, and it would only last for as long as you continued to succeed in your line of work. Passed down from generation to generation, this burden was placed on you from the time you were old enough to wield a sword, and you carried it all your life without complaint.

You were a dragon slayer by trade, among the most infamous in the entire region. Your surname was practically synonymous with slaying, it had been the family business for as long as anyone could remember, and your path was no different from those that came before you. Aside from the remarkable prowess you’d shown since you were little more than a child, that is.

For whatever reason, the stars had seemingly aligned for you, and you soared to heights far greater than anyone had ever anticipated. By the age of 15, you’d already killed your first dragon in cold blood, and your career was only just beginning. It was set in stone from then on, being a slayer was your calling, and the people of your village depended on you for protection. That was your one true purpose, your reason for existing, it was the only life you’d ever known.

Welcome to the Dragon Slayer’s Guild— the place where everyone treats you like a grand gift to mankind, but they’ll never really see you for who you are. A new dawn brings your next job assignment posted to the quest board, you’ll be afforded only your own sword as an ally. Danger awaits, and duty calls.

-

You clutched the parchment tightly in your hands, looking over the details of your mission for the hundredth time. The dragon illustrated was larger than any you’d slain in the past, with a regal appearance that commanded respect.

Royal blue scales gave way to a yellow underbelly, extending into a spiny tail with a sharp, pointed tip. A narrow snout with menacing fangs that peaked out from beneath his upper lip, mouth drawn into a mean snarl. Majestic golden horns extended from the back of his head, matching the soft gold shade of his inner wings. His eyes bore the typical slitted reptilian pupil, but one was a soft blue while the other was milky white— he was noted to lack vision in that eye, if your intel was correct.

Most notable of all, though, was the prominent scarring across the left side of his body, distinct from the usual slashed battle scars that were more common to see on dragons. The fire breathing reptiles’ scales were more or less immune to fire itself, but they weren’t impervious to explosions. If you had to guess, a previous slayer must’ve attempted to kill him with explosives, causing the blooming scar tissue that started around his blind eye and trailed down his neck and chest.

According to legends dating back a couple centuries, the dragon’s name was apparently Sabo, and he’d supposedly killed off every slayer who’d ever tried to take his head. You didn’t doubt it, based on the urgency with which your help was requested and the generous bounty placed on him by the Dragon Slayer’s Guild. They’d made it abundantly clear that you were their only hope of defeating this formidable beast, so failure wasn’t an option. It was either him or you, one of you would need to die.

Sabo’s lair was nestled within a cavern on the side of a mountain, and you spent most of the daylight trekking up the steep incline to the gaping mouth of the cavern. He didn’t live particularly close to any human settlements, but he was still on the Guild’s radar because he was known to wreak havoc on castles in nearby kingdoms. It seemed like an oddly specific hobby for a dragon to have, but you would trust your superiors when they said that he was a serious problem.

With your trusty sword in hand, you cautiously made your way through the entrance of the cave, halting when you caught a glint of blue scales in your peripheral vision. Although the dragon was nearby, it wasn’t quite clear whether or not he’d noticed you yet. He hadn’t turned his attention onto you yet, so he either somehow didn’t know you were there, or he was so unconcerned with your presence that he didn’t even bother with you.

Upon further inspection, he was settled on the ground with his legs tucked under him, as though he was merely relaxing. However, when your gaze traveled all the way up to his head, you realized that you were approaching on his blind side. His instincts and hearing should still be sharp enough to notice you, but even the mere chance that he might be caught unaware due to his bad eye didn’t sit right with you. There was no honor for you in defeating an opponent through underhanded tactics, it was your personal code to win with only your own prowess.

It was sort of a point of contention between you and other slayers, most thought you incredibly foolish to not take advantage of every tool at your disposal. That was the difference between you and the average dragon slayer, though. Others tended to see hunting dragons as no different than hunting deer or wild boars, they were just bigger and stronger animals in the eyes of your peers. With your lifetime of experience, though, that outlook had never quite sat right with you.

You’d been doing this since your early teens, and one thing that was abundantly clear to you was that dragons were incredibly intelligent beings. Honestly, most of the dragons you’d traded words with in the heat of battle seemed much smarter and wiser than any of the humans you knew. A lot of them had lived for centuries, it would be arrogant to assume that humans have them beat in terms of knowledge.

You really didn’t understand why your point of view was so unpopular among slayers, but it shaped your personal methods and made you stand out from the crowd. In your opinion, it was also the reason that you were so damn good at what you do. You never underestimated your opponents because you respected them, you were never caught unaware because you took the time to get to know each dragon you brought down. They were your equals, and that was why you challenged them the same way you would challenge a fellow human to a duel. It was unconventional, but it had never failed you before, and your victories were so much sweeter when they were earned fair and square.

With a deep breath, you held your sword out in front of you and assumed a fighting stance, but you didn’t yet make a move to strike. “You must be the dragon known as Sabo, yes? I’ve come to challenge you.” You declared boldly, which made the dragon finally turn to acknowledge you and rise to his full height. He lowered his head to inspect you, as though you had piqued his curiosity.

“Well that’s a surprise, little slayer…Yes, I’m Sabo. I noticed your presence long before you entered my lair, but it’s quite interesting that you didn’t try to catch me off guard when I didn’t react, that’s a first.” He told you, which didn’t exactly surprise you. You knew most of your peers would’ve jumped at the opportunity to take advantage of a perceived weakness.

“I did think it would be rather odd if you somehow hadn’t noticed me. I may have been on your blind side, but you still have other senses…Still, I always initiate a dual when I’m going to fight a dragon.” You replied, taking the brief conversation as an opportunity to size your opponent up. He seemed even more massive in person, but you wouldn’t have made it this far in your career if you were intimidated that easily.

“You’re quite an impressive beast, but I must slay you now. You should know that I’ve never lost a fight, and I don’t plan to lose today either…” With that, you lunged, aiming your blade for his throat while it was still within your reach.

Sabo narrowly avoided the slash, extending his neck up and out of your reach at the last second. His spined tail swung towards you, aiming for your legs to knock them out from under you, but you jumped and tucked your legs up high enough to avoid it. You could feel your heart pounding in your chest as you fell back to the ground and adjusted your stance, the fight was on.

-

While weaving between blows, Sabo couldn’t help but admire the technique of the sword wielder in front of him. A warrior who actually had a code of honor, a novelty that seemed so rare to come by these days. You were clearly very skilled at your craft, he had no doubt that many dragons had fallen by your hand, just as many slayers had fallen by his.

Sabo always tested slayers who came to his lair, but you were the first one who’d ever actually managed to pass. He did the same thing every time, pretending not to notice them sneaking up from his blind spot, and every time a human made the boring choice and went for it, he killed them without a second thought.

This little slayer, however, challenged him to a duel, and oh boy was he interested. How long had he waited for someone to give him a good, honest fight? It had been decades, maybe even a century, since someone had intrigued him this much, and he felt alive for the first time in ages.

Sabo hardly felt the sting when his opponent managed to land a hit, he was just utterly thrilled to have found someone who was capable of hitting him at all. He’d grown so strong over the centuries that his life had become terribly dull and boring, he’d waited ages for someone powerful to show up and remind him how exhilarating it was to fight and actually be challenged.

He loved every second of it, and he didn’t hold back one bit. He’d almost forgotten what it was like to go all out, and now that he’d remembered, he never wanted this fight to end. It was everything he’d been longing for and more, which he never expected to find in a human of all creatures, but what you were didn’t change his opinion of you in the slightest. You were the perfect battle partner, and he was positively enraptured.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and his new favorite human eventually started to slow down, evidently running low on stamina. He’d roughed you up pretty good, and he could tell from the amount of blood you’d lost that your duel had come to an end, whether you’d realized it or not.

Sabo was victorious, and he cherished this win that took actual effort, but even more so, he cherished the discovery of a rare gem to be coveted. Even as he watched you collapse from hitting your limit, covered in blood and sweat and looking like a mess, he still thought you were a beautiful treasure that he certainly wouldn’t mind keeping for himself.

-

Your chest heaved with every breath taken through gritted teeth, your entire body aching and on the verge of collapse. You squeezed one eye shut to block out the drips of blood that steadily trickled down from a gash above your eyebrow, and you were sure that you had countless more littered across your body. It was hard to get a solid assessment with the adrenaline still coursing through your veins, the only thing you knew with certainty was that you were in no condition to fight any longer. For the first time, you’d suffered a complete and utter defeat. You fought tooth and nail, but it wasn’t enough in the end, not this time.

With your other eye, you still glared defiantly at the enormous dragon that loomed over your battered form. He could break your body, but he couldn’t break your spirit. If you were going to go down here, you wanted it to be known that you went down with fire in your heart, a warrior until the end. With one trembling hand, you wiped the blood from your mouth, the metallic taste still clinging to your tongue.

“Go on then, get it over with. You defeated me fair and square, now finish me off and let me perish with honor.” You growled out, having already come to terms with your inevitable death by the fearsome claws of Sabo. You knew your job was dangerous, and you’d always known that it would someday be the cause of your demise, you accepted the possibility of that outcome a long time ago.

A low, rumbling laugh echoed off the cavern walls, and you furrowed your brows. Was he mocking you? You failed to see what was amusing about your impending doom, but perhaps dragons had a rather morbid sense of humor. Or maybe he knew something that you didn’t?

“I think not, little slayer…it would be a terrible waste to kill you.” Sabo told you, to which you scoffed with frustration. It felt insulting, why would he leave you alive after killing every previous dragon slayer that made an attempt on his life? Did he think of you as less of a threat than them? It didn’t make sense to you.

“Since when do dragons place value on the lives of humans?” You questioned pointedly, your knuckles turning white from how tightly you clenched the handle of your sword. The dragon’s lips curled upwards in what you could only assume to be an amused smile, and there was a glint of something you couldn’t quite recognize in his good eye.

“I couldn’t care less about what your species is, a good fighter is a good fighter. It’s been a long time since anyone- other than my brothers- has given me a real challenge! I shall let you leave here with your life, so that you may come and challenge me again when you’ve healed.” Sabo told you, his tone almost delighted in a way that only served to rub salt in your wounds. Of course he thought it was fun, he’s not the one who got his ass kicked. He even turned his back to you and ambled off deeper into his lair, clearly not even remotely concerned that you might try to strike him again, it was utterly humiliating.

Still, you had to be grateful for the chance to live another day, a chance that you knew was not given to the dragon slayers before you. Although it stung your ego, you had no choice but to accept Sabo’s mercy and stumble out of the cavern, leaving a trail of blood behind as evidence of your defeat. You would be back, and you were going to find a way to kill that dragon, you had to find a way. Too many people depended on you, giving up on your mission wasn’t an option, it never was and never will be.

-

The second time you challenged Sabo, he was there ready to greet you the moment you stepped into his lair. He seemed to regard you with more acknowledgment this time, engaging with you more than he did the last time. He let you take the first strike again this time, and from then on there was a flurry of blows where your blade met his claws with equal fervor.

If Sabo’s demeanor had been curious the first time, it was almost playful this time. There was an exhilarated gleam in his good eye, and his mouth was curled upwards to reveal a grin full of fangs. His stance was almost doglike at times, leaning forward on his front legs with his haunches in the air, tail swaying back and forth as he taunted you.

“Is that all you’ve got, little slayer?” “Ooh, you almost got me that time!” “Still think you can win, human?” Again and again he toyed with you, though he wasn’t exactly running circles around you. You may not have been winning, but you certainly got some hits on him that you hoped would at least leave a mark. Unfortunately, you took far more damage than you dished out, and the ending of this match started to seem like an inevitability.

No matter how grim the odds looked or how cocky the dragon got, you didn’t back down, fighting with every last ounce of your strength and stamina. Sabo didn’t ease up, though, he had seemingly endless energy, and it was only a matter of time until you were on the ground heaving for air, your blood trickling slowly into a puddle beneath your feet. Once again, you were rendered unable to fight any longer, and the dragon, although battered, looked just as lively as ever.

You muttered curses under your breath, shame and frustration washing over you as Sabo continued to patronize you, like it was all just a game. “You fought well, little slayer, but I’m afraid you’ll have to do better than that if you want to kill me!” He lifted a hand, tracing one sharp talon along the curve of your cheek, and then he disappeared further into his lair. You’d get him next time, you’d make sure of it. You wouldn’t allow this to be a blemish on your otherwise perfect reputation.

-

The third time you challenged Sabo, you found him waiting for you, his talons leisurely tapping a rhythm on the cold, stone floor. You did not return his casual attitude, your livelihood rested on your ability to take this dragon down. Already, there were whispers among the Guild about how long this mission was taking you, you could physically feel the doubts that were beginning to fester with your previous two failed attempts. This had never happened before, and everyone had their eyes on you, waiting impatiently for you to pull off the impossible, just like you always did.

“Welcome back to my humble abode, little slayer, it’s always a pleasure.” Sabo teased you, his voice syrupy smooth in a way that drove you a little crazy. You didn’t understand how he could be so nonchalant about you literally wanting him dead, he acted like that part didn’t bother him in the slightest, like you were just a guest coming to visit him. It would almost be comical if you weren’t so damn exasperated with him and this entire situation.

This time, the dragon was apparently in a strangely supportive mood, he truly was an enigma to you. How he could think anything positive about you while you were trying to slit his throat was a mystery to you, but it felt damn near insulting given the context. Here you were fighting harder than you ever had in your entire life, and he had the gall to complement you as though you were friends. It had to be meant in a condescending way, right? Who in their right mind would genuinely praise someone who wanted them dead?

“You really are damn good with a sword, you know that? Better than any other slayer I’ve fought, at least.” “You’re an agile little thing, I’m impressed you managed to dodge that!” “Shit, that was a good hit! You’re quite strong for a human, aren’t you?” Again and again he praised you like you were the greatest thing since sliced bread, and you were just as confused as you were exhausted from trying to defeat a seemingly unbeatable foe.

You gave it your all, maybe even more than your all, but it still wasn’t enough. You could barely stand straight, your head was pounding, and you had to resist the urge to sob in sheer frustration. The claw marks scored over your skin stung, but they were nothing compared to the knowledge that you’d have to go back and report another failure. You felt the dread build up deep in your stomach, you could already picture the faith disappearing from the eyes of everyone who believed in you. Having to come home empty handed a third time was like watching your ambitions curl up and die right in front of you, you felt like your world was decaying around you.

“Better luck next time, little slayer, you were wonderful today. I look forward to seeing you again!” Sabo chirped in a cheerful tone that made it so damn hard to hate him. You wanted to despise him for ruining your life, but then he turned around and treated you like someone worth having around, and it only made it all hurt worse. The dragon dipped his head down and touched his snout to the top of your head, a gesture that struck you as almost affectionate. You shoved him away, but he only laughed and left you to drag yourself back home, where scrutiny and growing impatience awaited you.

-

The fourth time you showed up, Sabo’s tail swished back and forth excitably, pleased that his favorite slayer had returned to challenge him once again. It was quickly becoming a highlight of his life, and he grew more passionate each time he clashed with you, but it seemed to be the opposite for you. Each time you faced him, he noticed the spark in your eyes that he loved so much fade just a little more, and he loathed it.

The dragon kept hoping to reignite that flame that had burned between you at the start, but nothing he tried seemed to lift your dampened spirits. Sabo tried taunting you to see if he could bait your competitive side. He tried teasing you to see if he could lighten the mood. He tried complimenting you to see if he could rebuild the confidence you seemed to be losing more and more. He tried fighting more aggressively to see if he could trigger your slayer’s instincts, and he tried fighting more casually to see if he could get you to treat it more like a friendly spar. Nothing helped, and he was beginning to worry.

Sabo didn’t want to lose his little rival, he’d die of boredom if you became too burnt out to fight him anymore, but he didn’t know what to do. He was at his wit’s end, and today was the final straw.

He’d been thrilled to see your face again, but you hardly gave him any acknowledgment. You hardly seemed to acknowledge any of your surroundings, hellbent only on defeating him by any means necessary. You no longer fought him like a proud warrior, you fought like a desperate animal lashing out. The swings of your sword, once so methodical and precise, were now hasty and laced with frustration. The passion for your craft had dwindled out, everything Sabo had come to admire about you was nowhere to be seen in this frantic onslaught, and he couldn’t stand it any longer.

Although you might consider him your enemy, Sabo had grown rather fond of you over your battles. He cared, and he wouldn’t stand by and watch you deteriorate into a mindless beast who only cared about getting the kill. He had to put a stop to whatever this horrible downward spiral was, he wouldn’t let you fall any further.

When you charged forward again with reckless abandon, Sabo was quicker. He sidestepped you, causing you to stumble from the momentum of your own swing. With careful precision, he reached out with one large hand and pinned you to the ground with his talons, being sure not to harm you, aside from knocking the wind out of you. You squirmed under his hold, but he wasn’t playing around this time, and he didn’t intend to let go of you until he got answers.

Sabo lowered his head to look you in the eyes, searching for any hint of your former demeanor beneath your obvious unrest. “You are not yourself, little slayer…what’s troubling you?” His tone was far gentler than you’d likely ever expected from a dragon, he was doing his best to handle you with care, but it only seemed to make you more agitated.

He watched you seethe silently, the frustration rolling off of you in waves, but he waited patiently until you were ready to speak. Your jaw was clenched, your brows furrowed, and he thought to himself that he wished to see you smile, even just once.

“What’s troubling me?” You echoed with exasperation, and it struck Sabo that it seemed like the concept of anyone asking about your wellbeing was foreign to you. “Everything I’ve worked for is falling apart, of course I’m bound to act differently!” Your voice sounded afraid- not of him, but of something that went far beyond the walls of his cavernous lair.

Sabo’s snout wrinkled, face pinched in confusion as he tried to make sense of your distress. “What do you mean by that, dear human? Has something happened in your village? Is there a problem..?” He tipped his head to the side, inquiring but trying not to be too pushy.

“You’re the problem!” You blurted, sounding more distraught than truly angry. “I’ve failed to slay you too many times…The Dragon Slayer’s Guild is losing their patience with me, and the people are losing their faith in me. If I don’t kill you soon, I’ll lose all their respect, and I’ll be nothing to them!” Sabo’s breath hitched as he noticed your eyes starting to water, he didn’t like this one bit.

The dragon’s mind reeled, he’d had no idea that you were facing this kind of scrutiny each time he won against you. It was completely unfathomable to him, you were obviously an extremely formidable dragon slayer, it should be impressive that you even managed to hold your own against him at all. Sabo was undefeated even by other dragons, and none of the previous humans to come after him had lasted even a minute, so it was ridiculously unfair to expect you to be able to take him down on your own.

Those humans had no way of knowing that he liked you too much to kill you, they thought they were possibly sending you out to your death, and they couldn’t just be glad that you came home safe? How were they so quick to forget about all of your extensive successes, in the face of one itty bitty failure? It made Sabo’s blood boil, just thinking about how fragile their opinion of you was, about how little it would apparently take for them to discard you as though you were a disposable tool. A growl rumbled in his throat, raw and angry at the people who failed to see your worth.

“Don’t you see that they’re only using you, little slayer? They don’t truly care for you, they only like you when you’re useful to them!” He bit back a snarl, not wanting to come across as too intimidating. He stared down at you hopefully for a long moment, silently pleading with you to recognize that you were being drastically undervalued by your own people.

His hope faded, however, when you merely rolled your eyes, and his heart sank at your response. “Of course I’m being used! You think I don’t know that? That’s my purpose, I’m a weapon that’s only good for killing dragons.” Your tone was so matter-of-fact that Sabo was taken aback, it became all too clear that this was normal to you, it must’ve been all you’d known. The dragons’s tail lashed, and he itched to eviscerate everyone who had ever made you believe that your worth was no more than that of the average sword.

Protectiveness flared up within Sabo, his instincts screaming at him not to allow you to return to such ungrateful rats. Someday they would drive you to an early grave if you kept going like this, but he wouldn’t let that happen. He was a dragon, it was natural for him to want to guard treasure, and you were the greatest treasure of them all.

His good eye hardened with resolve, he knew what he must do to protect his favorite human. Sabo bent his head down and, as delicately as possible, gripped the back of your shirt in his maw, effectively scruffing you like a kitten. You hurled protests and obscenities at him, but he carried you further into his lair kicking and screaming.

He effortlessly hauled you down a dark tunnel, all the while you continued to frantically flail around to no avail. “Sabo, please- I don’t know what I did, but I don’t want to die!” You finally resorted to begging, and the dragon’s heart clenched at the growing fear in your voice. He didn’t want you to fear him, but he might have to give you a little scare for your own good. He just hoped you’d come to understand why he was doing this.

“You’re not going to die, I’m making sure of that.” Sabo muttered, voice muffled by the fabric of your clothing held in his mouth. That was a promise, he was going to ensure that you lived through the full duration of your human lifespan, possibly even longer if he could find a way to extend it.

On the other side of the tunnel was another room of the cave, just big enough to fit the massive dragon with room for him to shift around and get comfortable. The floor was lined with animal pelts, ornate quilts and soft pillows, all stolen from various corrupt human nobles he’d robbed in his younger years— back when he was a growing hatchling with something to prove. This was Sabo’s nest, a dragon’s most secretive and vulnerable space, and he’d elected to share it with you.

Humans knew very little of nests, given how few had ever seen one and escaped with their life, and dragons generally preferred to keep such things private. Sabo was grateful that you’d be ignorant of his species’ nesting habits, it meant you wouldn’t yet recognize the significance of him bringing you here. A fellow dragon would’ve immediately clocked that the only one allowed in a nest is the dragon’s desired mate, a fact that he definitely wasn’t ready for you to know. He’d tell you someday, though, once he’d sorted out his feelings and managed to win you over.

He gently set you down in the middle of a pile of pillows, settling himself so that his body blocked the only exit. He half expected you to attempt to climb over him, but it seemed that you were smart enough to recognize how futile that would be. Either that, or you were too intimidated to try. Instead, you scrambled backwards until your back hit the wall of rock behind you, putting as much distance between the two of you as you could, which wasn’t a lot given the limited space.

It stung to see you retreat from him like that, but he elected to let you have your space until you calmed down enough to realize that you weren’t in any danger. He laid his head down, trying to make himself seem less threatening, but you didn’t seem to get the message.

Sabo watched you draw your sword and prepared to defend himself, but to his surprise, you didn’t point it at him. Instead, you merely clutched it close to your chest while you took deep breaths, seemingly trying to calm yourself. It was like you took some kind of comfort in holding your beloved sword, and the dragon found himself even more endeared to you than he already was.

You stared at him for a long moment, and he wished so badly that he could tell what was going on in that pretty little head of yours. Then again, he was sure that you probably wished to read his thoughts too, even if only to understand his intentions.

When you finally spoke, the usual confidence had been drained from your tone, you sounded like you were lost and didn’t know what to do. “I won’t make any more attempts on your life today, so can you let me go? I know I’m a mess right now, I’ll be better next time, I swear it. I just..I just need to get back to the Guild as soon as possible, they’re expecting a report from me.” Sabo sighed, if only you would feel such dedication to him, rather than a group that only saw you as a tool to be used. He would never treat you like a mere weapon, and he wouldn’t let you view yourself that way either.

“I’m sorry, little slayer, but I can’t let you go back there. They do not care for you the way I do.” He told you, his voice quiet but firm. He watched confusion flash across your face, before it was quickly followed by a wash of anger and frustration. He didn’t like seeing you upset with him, but he had no intention of backing down.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” You demanded, though you didn’t really give him a chance to answer, even as an explanation was on the tip of his tongue. “The Guild considers me a hero, they saw my potential and trained me to be the protector that our people needed!” For as harsh as your tone was, Sabo couldn’t help but look at you with sympathy, you really didn’t understand just how much they’d taken advantage of you.

“They saw a child interested in swords and took it as an opportunity to create a new pawn. I’ve looked into your reputation, ‘prodigy’, I know the story. You were good at it, but was it what you really wanted?” He had a feeling you’d probably never even gotten to think about what you wanted to do with your life, it must’ve all been decided for you.

“Well, of course I wanted to continue the family business, I was next in line-“ Sabo didn’t even let you finish that time, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut when you gave that dreadful excuse. All this bullshit about carrying on legacies and having your life decided by the family you’re born into, it was everything about the world that he loathed. “I’m not asking what you felt obligated to do, I’m asking what you would’ve wanted to do! If your family’s reputation wasn’t there to influence you, would you still have chosen to become a slayer?”

He watched your eyes widen, watched your hands fidget with the grip of the sword. For a moment, you were speechless, which only confirmed to him that you weren’t used to being asked about your own desires. Finally, you lowered your head and conceded. “No…It’s not what I would’ve naturally gravitated towards. When I was a kid I wanted..I wanted to be a bladesmith, because I loved swords so much.” You admitted, your voice low like you hardly dared to voice your own ambitions. “But it’s not like the Guild forced me into anything! It was still my choice to push that dream aside in favor of following this path.”

You were stubborn, but Sabo could tell that his words were reaching somewhere, perhaps resurfacing all the doubts you’d probably buried in your lifetime. “And did the Dragon Slayer’s Guild appreciate that sacrifice? Did they ever sacrifice anything for you in return? They didn’t, did they? They take and they take, but they never give a thing back to you, you still have to earn everything.” The silence that followed was deafening, and the dragon knew he was getting through to you.

You curled in on yourself, dropping your sword to the side in favor of holding your knees to your chest. Sabo knew that the truth was difficult for you to hear, but he needed you to wake up to the reality of your situation. The dragon extended one wing, draping it over you like a blanket.

When you spoke again, all the anger had drained from your voice, replaced by a more somber tone. “I know that I’m disposable to them, I’ve always known that the love I receive from the village is conditional. But it’s better than nothing, isn’t it?” The way you’d so thoroughly resigned yourself to this kind of treatment killed Sabo, you didn’t even realize that you could be loved and appreciated with no strings attached.

“You cannot live like this forever. Someday, you will fall short of their expectations. And what then? You cannot kill me, little slayer. I think you’ve realized that deep down, haven’t you?” Though the gesture was somewhat reluctant, you nodded. It made sense, you were falling apart at the seams because you’d realized that this was a fight you couldn’t win, and that wasn’t acceptable in the world you lived in. From your perspective, your entire life must’ve seemed like it was over.

“That’s why I won’t let you go back, there’s nothing worthwhile for you there. I don’t want you to throw your life away in a futile attempt to earn back love that was never real. You should stay here, at least until you’ve figured out what you really want to do with your life.” Sabo explained, his tone gentle as he used his wing to gently pull you against his side, as though he could shelter you from the outside world. He knew he probably couldn’t, but he could certainly try.

“Why do you even care? All I’ve done is try to kill you, why would it bother you if I wasted my life on people who don’t care about me?” Oh, you had no idea. You had no idea how special you were to Sabo, his precious little slayer who wielded a sword like it was a form of art. The courageous human who’d captured his attention, who he couldn’t get out of his head, no matter how hard he tried.

“Because I like you.” His feelings ran a whole lot deeper than that, but the word ‘like’ would have to do for now, he knew you weren’t ready for anything more. “I told you the first time I spared you, I appreciate a good fight, and you are a strong opponent. If humans won’t value you properly, then I will.” There was so much more he wanted to say, but the sappy details could wait.

“So…you’re going to keep me here because you, a dragon, think you can value me more than my own community?” Sabo huffed at your skeptical tone, not appreciating the insinuation that his species played any role in his ability to care for you. He also had to refrain from scoffing at the fact that you still called that group of rats ‘your community’.

“Precisely.” He nodded, not shying away in the slightest. “I’ll show you what it’s like to be truly appreciated. Although your swordsmanship drew me in to begin with, I will not place any expectations on you. I will not demand anything of you the way that they do, you can do as you please here.” It would be somewhat disheartening to lose such an enjoyable opponent, but if you were to spar again, he wanted to make sure that you were doing it solely because you wanted to. If you chose to put down your blade, he’d have to respect that too, though he couldn’t really imagine you doing so.

“I can ‘do as I please’ but I’m not allowed to leave? Just what would you expect me to do in a damn cave?” You challenged, but Sabo had already thought about it, he was way ahead of you on this. He turned his neck to look at you, the edges of his maw curling up into a slight smile. He was starting to see that familiar fire within your eyes again, and it thrilled him.

“Well, if you decide to change paths to pursue your dream of crafting blades, I will gladly light your forge with my fire.” Sabo swore he could see your eyes shine at the thought, but you quickly extinguished it and shook your head. “That’s..surprisingly supportive of you, but I don’t think I could just throw all my training away and start anew like that.” A part of him wanted to protest that you absolutely could do that, but he bit his tongue for now, he suspected you might come around to the idea again on your own, if given enough time. Sabo was a patient dragon, he didn’t mind nurturing your flame until it burned bright enough to stand on its own.

“Then just focus on learning to live for yourself. I will you keep you here until you gain some self respect and realize that your so-called ‘Guild’ doesn’t deserve you.” He only hoped that by then, you would want to stay with him of your own volition. You didn’t seem to know how to react, which was honestly fair enough. Sabo knew that this was probably all very confusing from your perspective, he didn’t expect you to understand his motivations.

“Whatever…it’s not like I have a choice, if I’m trapped here.” You finally sighed, slumping against the dragon in defeat. He sighed right back, he didn’t want you to think of yourself as trapped, but he knew that it wasn’t exactly unreasonable of you. He was preventing you from leaving his lair, and he intended to keep doing so until you no longer wanted to return to the people who used you, but he was doing it to protect you. He just hoped you would understand that someday, that you wouldn’t hold this against him forever.

For now, though, he just appreciated the feeling of your warmth against his scales, pleased that you let him keep you close. It seemed to be more out of a sense of exhaustion than anything else, but he would take it if it meant that you’d lay against him like this. Sabo curled his much larger frame around you, laying the end of his tail over your lap. He felt your hands shift to rest on top of it, and he relished in the physical contact, no matter how minor. He dared to be hopeful that things would turn out alright for the two of you, he just had to wait.

-

The next few days were rough, to say the least, but you supposed it could’ve been a whole lot worse. You would wake up nestled against the side of a massive dragon, you always ended up that way by morning, no matter how you feel asleep. It felt horribly domestic in a way that should be wrong, given your profession, but a part of you sort of liked not having to sleep alone. You tried to fight that part of you, you really did, but there was ultimately no point. Sabo would keep you tucked under his wing regardless, so did it really say anything about you if you didn’t hate it?

Being a dragon slayer had never meant despising dragons in your book, it just meant that sometimes you were tasked with killing them. It was no different than a mercenary for humans, when you think about it, and mercenaries can still enjoy the company of others. So you tried to tell yourself that sometimes appreciating the company of a dragon didn’t mean you were turning your back on your career, it just meant that you were terribly lonely. Right?

Sabo was surprisingly friendly for a dragon you’d attempted to kill, so conversations with him weren’t entirely unpleasant. He was quite knowledgeable about a wide range of topics, though that part didn’t exactly surprise you. Perhaps in an attempt to placate you or even just humor you, he told you all about various cool swords and daggers he’d encountered over the years, and you’d be lying if you said it wasn’t working at least a little bit.

He told you stories about himself, too, which admittedly make it difficult to stay emotionally detached. Getting to know your target on a personal level always made it so much harder to go through with what had to be done when the time came, and he most certainly knew that. You wanted to believe that you were too experienced to be swayed by his anecdotes, but the evidence was undeniable— you had yet to raise your sword against him in the time he’d kept you here.

You told yourself that it was just because you were biding your time, waiting to see what would come of this, but the truth was that you were starting to worry. Although Sabo had always been eager to fight you before, he was now unnervingly gentle with you, both physically and emotionally. This was quite a sizable problem for you, because your moral code demanded that you should only fight a willing opponent. It had never caused you a problem before, because every dragon you’d ever invaded the lair of had immediately been ready to fight you, they saw you as an intruder and wanted you dead just as much as you wanted them dead.

This target had been no different initially, but now he was starting to regard you as though you were a guest in his home, albeit an unwilling one. It went against every principle you held to kill someone who only wanted to peacefully coexist with you, how could you feel like a hero if you went around killing people who treated you with such warmth?

The sweeter Sabo was to you, the more it tore you up inside, the more wrong it felt. You couldn’t like being here, you needed to be doing everything you could to get back to where you were supposed to be. Your duty was more important than any pleasantries a dragon could offer you, wasn’t it?

You tried sneaking past him many times while he was asleep, but the damn beast had an uncanny sixth sense for your little escape attempts. You tried to make him see reason, you even stooped to pleading with him to let you return to your village, but to no avail. It seemed that he was even more stubborn than you were, your iron wills clashing against each other.

Each day that passed you grew more anxious, knowing that the Guild would be harsher the longer you went without reporting back to them. You started to imagine how they’d react if they thought you betrayed them to live with a dragon, and you felt sick to your damn stomach. They were already disappointed in you for failing, you already had so much to make up for, and now this! Would they even want you back at this point? The thought of being tossed away scared you more than anything, and you started trying to escape when the dragon went out to get food for the two of you.

-

It nearly worked once, you almost had it, but you ran into him on your way out of the cavern, and he dragged you back inside with him. You tried to dig your nails into the ground beneath you, but your attempts were almost laughable compared to Sabo’s strength, and it was utterly crushing. There was nothing you could do, was there?

Time was ticking, your chance of repairing your reputation was slipping away, and you just wanted to scream. But instead, you seethed quietly, unable to fight the hot, frustrated tears that welled up in your eyes, unable to stop the trembling of your body as cold dread consumed you.

You hated that you were letting him see you like this. That you’d let your mask of composure slip and shatter into pieces this way, but you couldn’t act like you were fine when every opportunity you had to fix things was slipping through the cracks while you were stuck here. Beneath the sound of your own muffled sobs, you listened, anticipating the sounds of laughter and mocking jeers, but they never came.

Instead, you were met with warmth— not in the literal sense, Sabo was cold blooded as a giant reptile, but he offered you comfort. Not just the awkward wing holds you’d become accustomed to, though, this time the dragon changed, shifting forms before your very eyes.

His figure warped and began to shrink in a ray of light, trading scales for flesh as he took on a strikingly humanoid appearance. He was still taller than you by a good margin, but he no longer loomed over you, his size was much more comparable to a human’s.

His golden horns now curled out from a head of blonde hair, and he’d somehow managed to balance a top hat perfectly between them. His eyes remained the same, as did his scarring, though most of it was now hidden underneath his surprisingly formal and well tailored attire. From the angle he was turned at, you could see a small pair of wings sprouting from his back, and he also sported a sized down version of his tail. He looked far less monstrous than he typically did, but there was still a powerful aura that radiated from him, reminding you that he was still a dangerous dragon.

Before you could even process what the hell you’d just witnessed (because none of the books you’d read had ever mentioned dragons being able to do this), Sabo was already kneeling at your side. With gentle, clawed hands, he reached out and wiped at the tear streaks running down your cheeks. You flinched, but you couldn’t bring yourself to pull away, no one had ever treated you so tenderly while you were vulnerable. For someone like you, crying was a sign of weakness, but this dragon didn’t seem to agree.

He didn’t look at you with judgement or condescension, he didn’t seem to think any less of you at all. You risked a glance up at his expression, but all you saw there was genuine empathy, something you thought had practically gone extinct in this cruel world. He wasn’t human like you were, but somehow he held more humanity than most of the humans you knew.

How did he still manage to feel compassion over your distress, after all you and your kind had done to him? His scars were proof of all the attempted killers that came before you, and yet he remained gentle once you sheathed your sword around him. You knew, in that moment, that you’d never be able to turn your blade on him again in good conscience. That meant you’d never be accepted back by the Guild, and the finality of it sinking in only made you cry harder.

Cautiously and slowly, as though you were a frightened animal, Sabo reached out for you. When you didn’t retreat from his approach, he carefully pulled you into his arms. Although he wasn’t that much bigger than you in this form, he still moved with the carefulness of a giant beast who had to make a conscious effort not to crush you beneath his might. You realized he must’ve been putting in a constant effort not to accidentally hurt you before, and it only made his tenderness all the more remarkable.

You knew firsthand just how capable he was of tearing you apart, and yet he made the active decision not to cause you any harm now. It occurred to you then how much precision and thoughtfulness it must’ve taken in the past, to render you unable to fight any longer without killing you. He had pushed you to the brink every time you’d fought, exhausting you past your limits, but he’d always pulled back just in time to make sure he wouldn’t leave you with anything more than some scars to remember him by. He spilled your blood plenty, but he never gave you a wound that couldn’t be healed with time and rest. He really did care in his own way, didn’t he?

You slumped against Sabo’s chest, giving in and just allowing him to hold you as you slowly came to terms with your new reality. His wings moved to envelop you in a comforting cocoon, and for once, it didn’t feel suffocating. The dragon slowly rocked you back and forth until your tears finally subsided, and you were left with only a quiet sense of emptiness.

“I’ll never be able to go back to the Dragon Slayer’s Guild now.” You admitted, both to yourself and to Sabo. The reality had finally settled in, but that didn’t mean it would be easy for you to accept. You felt like you’d just lost a part of yourself, one that you could never get back.

“No, you won’t…” Sabo agreed as gently as possible. “But you don’t need them anymore, someday you’ll see that. You have me now, I’ll take care of you better than they ever did. You’ll be just fine without them, I promise you.” You didn’t quite believe it. Not yet, at least, but you were starting to wish that you could find reassurance in his promises to you.

-

From then on, your escape attempts ceased entirely, there was nowhere else for you to even go at this point. Learning to live with that was crushing sometimes, and there were many days where you just sat in silence, overcome by a sense of loss.

Sabo never stopped talking to you, though, he talked enough for the both of you. He started opening up to you more, and you did listen, even if it sometimes seemed like you didn’t. You didn’t always have it in you to react or respond, but on the roughest days, you appreciated the sense of normalcy that the dragon’s conversational nature provided.

You liked the stories he would tell you about his brothers, you even remembered their names— Ace and Luffy. Once or twice, you even huffed a subdued laugh at the tales of their antics, and Sabo had seemed delighted by this, eagerly telling you more, as though he was hoping to hear you laugh again. You weren’t sure why he tried so hard, but his efforts didn’t go unnoticed by you.

For a dragon who’d formerly seemed so intimidating, it was almost astonishing just how friendly he’d become. Sometimes he reminded you more of a golden retriever than a giant reptile, especially when he tried to make you smile. You’d think he was the world’s first emotional support dragon, with the way he was always by your side, attempting to lift your spirits in any way he could think of. It struck you as odd, but you could admit to yourself that it might be just a little bit endearing.

-

Unbeknownst to you, Sabo wasn’t just friendly. If humans knew anything about dragons beyond how to kill them, you might’ve realized that his affectionate behaviors were far from platonic. At this point, it was safe to say that he was smitten, and he didn’t exactly do a very good job of hiding it. It was only by pure luck that you were too oblivious to notice. Or perhaps that was unlucky, when he really got to thinking about it.

He honestly wasn’t too sure how to go about courting you, since this wasn’t exactly a traditional relationship. Although you’d started to accept his presence and let your guard down around him, there was no telling how you’d react to finding out that he had romantic interest in you, so he had to be strategic about when he’d play that card. For now, he’d just continue to toe the line with your obliviousness, flirting while maintaining plausible deniability. It was sort of a fun little game for him, seeing how far he could push it without you realizing how he felt.

He knew you wouldn’t recognize it, but him telling you about his family— his real family, that is, was a strong sign of trust coming from him. Sabo was showing you a piece of his heart, sharing something with you that he held dear. You definitely didn’t understand the deeper meaning behind his stories, but they seemed to cut through the tension and keep you entertained, and that was enough for him.

He wanted you to be content with him, and he was working on that one step at a time. He learned which foods you preferred over others, and he always returned with your favorites when he could find them. He inquired about your fashion sense, sneaking off and stealing the finest noble clothes he could get his hands on that suited your tastes. Anything you even remotely mentioned wishing you had access to, he was rushing off to get it for you, never leaving you wanting.

His most successful venture yet, though, was getting you to ramble about your interests to him. He learned that all he had to do was ask you a couple unassuming questions about swords or daggers, and all the information would just come spilling out of you. He didn’t even have to fill the awkward silence by himself anymore, he’d finally figured out how to get you to talk when you were feeling low.

As a dragon, Sabo was naturally equipped with fangs, claws and fire, and thus he’d never had any need for weapons. He’d never really stopped to think twice about them before, but he loved hearing you talk about them for hours. From your favorite steel alloys to the intricate carvings of decorative handles, he never tired of hearing your voice, especially when it was filled with so much passion. He could only hope that, one day, you’d direct that passion of yours towards him.

In addition to the exchange of words, Sabo was constantly leaving lingering touches on your skin, he just couldn’t help himself. Even when he brushed against you on accident, he took far longer to pull away than he really needed to, he was drawn to your warmth like a lizard drawn to a sun-soaked rock. He always sat just a little too close to you, savoring the feeling of your limbs brushing up against his. Then there was nighttime— his clingy habits always came out in full force when he was asleep, and he thanked his lucky stars that you hadn’t told him whenever you woke up with him pressed as close to you as physically possible.

The more time he spent around you, the more certain he became that you were his perfect match, you just didn’t know it yet. He adored every little thing about you, and he was in way too deep to turn back now. He just had to get you to feel the same, and he remained hopeful that it would be possible given enough time.

You didn’t seem entirely uninterested in him, and he swore he’d caught you staring a little longer than usual at his human form, which always made his heart beat just a little faster. Although you didn’t really initiate any physical contact, you always relaxed into his touch after adjusting to the closeness, and he wanted to believe that you enjoyed it too. You didn’t exactly seem off-put by the fact that he was a dragon, either, so it seemed like you didn’t entirely dislike his species. He just had to keep going slow and being gentle with you, and he felt like things really could work out between the two of you, regardless of your differences.

-

Now that you were beginning to come around, Sabo spent most of his time in human form to bond with you. He no longer felt like he needed the beastly size of his full dragon form to keep you with him, so he instead appreciated the opportunity for closeness that a form more similar to your own provided. Though you weren’t exactly afraid of him before, he could tell that you were more comfortable being near him when he wasn’t like fifty times your size, which was honestly fair enough.

It was way easier for him to touch you without having to worry about accidentally hurting you, too, which was perfect for a dragon who hoped to court you. Progress wasn’t as quick as he might’ve hoped in his fantasies, but things were going well enough that he felt ready to take a big step forward.

Sabo wanted you to meet his brothers. Getting along with them was crucial for any prospective mate of his, and he believed that it was finally time to see if you could be a fit for his family. Of course, you didn’t know that this was his reasoning, he’d only told you that it would be an opportunity for you to get used to coexisting with dragons other than Sabo himself. It was a partial truth, he did want to broaden your horizons and get you to see dragons as a whole in a different light, he just happened to have another motivation that you didn’t need to know about yet.

Sabo went out without you first, flying off while you were still sound asleep. He trusted you not to leave if he left the lair for short periods of time at this point, but he still couldn’t help fretting about leaving you alone, he didn’t ever want to overestimate your attachment to him and wind up hurt and alone. He just felt more comfortable when he had at least some level of control, it eased his mind when he was able to plan things out. He was a lot more methodical than most dragons, but it’s what worked for him and his mind.

His brothers, on the other hand, were wild cards who went with the flow and hardly seemed to use their brains sometimes. They could be a bit of a handful for anyone who didn’t know them well, which was precisely why Sabo wanted to give them a preparatory talk before he let them meet you. He wanted this to go well so badly, and he was going to pull all the strings he could to make sure it worked out alright.

After being practically tackled by Luffy in greeting, Sabo got right to business and laid out some ground rules, eager to get back to you. For starters, he was adamant that all three of them should stay in human form for the duration of the meeting. Taking a form similar to yours had done wonders to make interactions with you easier and smoother for him, so he figured it would help you get used to the other two as well.

The second rule was that they weren’t allowed to tease him about his feelings while you were around. He tolerated plenty of playful ribbing about his not-so-little crush when it was just the three of them, but he wasn’t ready for you to know just how deeply his interest in you ran. He couldn’t afford to scare you off by bringing up the subject of mates too soon, and he needed his brothers to cooperate with him on that.

Third, you had to be allowed to carry your sword on you. Sabo knew it sounded like a colossal misplay to let a slayer come armed to a meeting with dragons, and any normal dragon would’ve protested, but Ace and Luffy agreed without a second thought. He didn’t even have to go through the trouble of explaining that he’d noticed your profound attachment to your weapon, and recognized it as something that brought you comfort in unfamiliar situations. They probably would’ve just teased him about being whipped for you anyways, knowing them.

Finally, all Sabo asked was for them to handle you with care. Your whole life had basically been turned upside down, and they had to remember that your instincts were honed to hunt their kind, which was something you still had to consciously push aside. As much as he was certain the other two would love to spar with you, he didn’t think you were far removed enough from your work to engage in a friendly battle yet. He couldn’t help it, he’d been worried about you ever since you broke down under the pressure you were under, so you’d have to forgive him if he was a little overprotective.

-

Sabo led you up deeper into the mountains, across steep ledges and rocky outcrops. You sort of regretted rejecting his offer to fly you to the meeting place when you accidentally looked over the edge, head spinning at the realization of how far you’d fall if you slipped. You weren’t going to turn back on it, though, the idea of being suspended in the air within the hold of a dragon sounded even worse.

You were beginning to trust Sabo, you really were, but there were still some things about dragons that you hadn’t quite come around to yet. For example, you weren’t sure if you’d ever be entirely comfortable with the whole ‘fire-breathing’ thing. You didn’t really like fire to begin with, and you certainly didn’t like it when a giant reptile was spewing it at you. Maybe someday you’d be able to see the beauty in the flickering of flames, but that day was not today.

You glanced ahead at Sabo, who was traversing the cliff-side with an enviable ease. He’d elected to stay in human form for this, but it honestly didn’t make him any easier to keep up with. It made the disparities in your capabilities all the more obvious, and you felt foolish for ever being convinced that you had what it would take to bring him down. Insecurity lingered in the back of your mind some days, but mostly you tried to just remind yourself that someone as strong as Sabo acknowledged you as a worthy opponent, that had to be worth something.

At long last, you finally reached a peak that flattened into a plateau at the top, hosting a lush meadow that extended across the mountain range. You could see forests dotting the distance, and there was a large pond not far from where you stood. The trek might not have been the most enjoyable, you weren’t really a hiker, but you could see why Sabo’s brothers apparently liked to meet here.

Movement out of the corner of your eye caught your attention, and you finally noticed two large dragons grappling in the air. They were just as big as Sabo, which meant they’d lived a long time and accumulated a lot of strength, and you knew now that you’d never be a match for creatures like them. One of the dragons was a striking primary red with a yellow underbelly, and the other was a burnt orange with silver accents, and they twirled around each other in the sky almost playfully.

Beside you, Sabo cleared his throat loudly, causing both dragons to cease their tussle and snap their heads towards you. They seemed to race to see who could land on the ground the fastest, but it was so close that it was impossible to tell who won. With that, they both shifted into their human forms, which was honestly a relief, since it meant you wouldn’t have to crane your neck to look up at them.

The red dragon turned into a younger looking man with shaggy black hair and a straw hat on his head, which his horns stuck through awkwardly. The orange one looked closer to Sabo’s age after transforming. He also had black hair, though it had subtle waves to it, and an orange cowboy hat that matched the color of his scales. As always with these transformations, their tails, wings and horns remained as a reminder of their true nature, as well as the telltale reptile eyes.

You’d kind of just assumed that Sabo wearing a top hat in this form was an odd quirk that was unique to him, but apparently his brothers had their own iconic hats too. You weren’t sure if that was a general dragon thing, or if it was just a thing for this particular trio, but it definitely made their appearances more memorable.

Once both men had made their way over, Sabo turned to you and pointed at both of them. “The orange one’s Ace, and the red one’s Luffy. Now, both of you say hi…” He gave them an expectant look, and Luffy was the first to step forward and great you.

“Oh hey, you must be Sabo’s-“ He was abruptly cut off as Ace clamped his hand over the younger brother’s mouth, and you didn’t miss the pointed look Sabo was giving him. What could he have been about to say that would’ve been so bad?

“Attempted murderer..?” You finished with a questioning tone, offering your best guess as to what Luffy would know you as in relation to Sabo. Ace pulled away from Luffy and appeared to be stifling a laugh, only further adding to your confusion. “Sure, let’s go with that…Anyways, it’s nice to meet you!” He responded between snickers, to which you raised an eyebrow. Were they really so unconcerned with the fact that you’d tried to kill their brother multiple times?

Meanwhile, Luffy came closer and bent down, his eyes inspecting the trusty sword sheathed at your waist. You stiffened, fearing that he would be suspicious of you due to your weapon. Sabo had told you that it would be fine for you to bring your sword, but a part of you was still concerned that his brothers might think of it as a threat.

When the youngest dragon finally spoke, it was not at all what you expected him to say. “So, you like swords, huh? That’s a pretty cool one you’ve got there! My buddy carries 3 of them, you should meet him sometime. He’s a human like you, you guys could be sword bros!” You weren’t sure which part you were more hung up on, the fact that he was totally chill about you carrying a weapon that had previously killed many dragons, or the fact that his friend apparently walked around with three of them. You’d met a couple slayers who dual wielded before, but how the hell did he hold the third one?

“Oh. Uh, yeah, I’ve had this sword since I was a kid, so it’s pretty important to me. It’s my preferred weapon, but I guess you could say I fancy sharp things in general.” You shrugged, it was all too easy to talk about your blade with just about anybody. Although it was a little strange as a conversation starter, it was honestly one of the best things he could’ve asked about to break the ice with you in particular.

You turned to Ace, trying to think of what to say to bring him into your talk with Luffy. “So…you got any interesting friends, or does your little brother have you beat with the triple swords guy?” You tilted your head to the side, watching Ace’s expression slip into a lazy grin and noticing for the first time that he had freckles in this form.

“Well, one of my best friends is a phoenix, so I’d say that’s pretty interesting.” He replied, and your eyes widened with awe. You knew phoenixes existed, but nobody you knew had ever had the privilege of seeing one before. “Ok, that one definitely wins.” You admitted, not even going to pretend that you weren’t impressed.

“Yeah, well my bounty’s still higher than both Ace and Sabo.” Luffy piped up with a challenging grin, clearly the competitive type. Your mouth opened to respond, but you ended up just staring at him somewhat incredulously. Was he..bragging about the price the Dragon Slayer’s Guild had placed on his head? You knew they were strong, but were they really so completely unconcerned about slayers coming after them? And wait a minute, his was higher than Sabo’s? You’d never seen posters for Luffy or Ace before, they must be better known in other regions, but Sabo had the highest bounty you’d ever seen in your career.

You turned to look at Sabo, thinking about every time he’d bested you and just how impressive of a creature he was. When did you even start thinking of him so positively? “Your little brother’s got a higher bounty than you?” You asked in disbelief.

Sabo’s face flushed, evidently embarrassed about being put on the spot by you, and he floundered to form a response. “Well- Luffy pulls all kinds of crazy stunts, so naturally he draws more attention to himself. I just do things more on the down low…” You raised an eyebrow, amused by the dragon’s defensiveness.

“On the down low, huh? If I recall what the Guild told me correctly, didn’t you torch an entire castle recently?” You questioned skeptically, remembering the general panic that had caused your help to be enlisted in the first place. Something about a castle in a nearby kingdom being burnt to the ground and a king going missing in the fire, it had really caused quite the ruckus.

Sabo only scoffed, his tail flicking behind him in annoyance. “And I bet they conveniently forgot to mention that the king was a dictator who hoarded wealth while his people were starving…” Your eyes widened, the Guild had most certainly neglected to mention that part to you. Probably because they thought you’d be more motivated to kill him if you thought he’d targeted an innocent man. How often had they done that? Only told you whatever bits and pieces would get you riled up to do the job? You really were nothing but a puppet to them, weren’t you?

“Oh. Fair enough then, I guess.” You mumbled, realizing that practically everything you knew about Sabo was information filtered by someone who wanted to paint him in a certain light. You’d have a lot to talk about when you both got back to his lair, apparently. He seemed to appreciate you revoking your hasty judgement, though, and you shared a small smile of understanding with him.

At the mention of the Guild, Ace pointed out something you weren’t quite prepared for. “But you’re done working for those guys now, aren’t you? So you don’t have to worry about stuff like bounties anymore.” Although the sentiment should’ve been freeing, to know that you would no longer be pressured by numbers printed on posters, it almost gave you too much freedom.

The choice had sort of already been made for you, going back would be out of the question at this point, they wouldn’t welcome you anymore. You’d failed your mission and then disappeared in disgrace, that life was over now, whether you were ready for that or not. It shouldn’t bother you, since you honestly didn’t want to work for the Guild anymore after all the reflection you’d done, but it didn’t change the fact that it was daunting to suddenly lose the authority you’d worked under your whole life. That was the only way of life you’d ever known, even if it was a shitty one. The truth was that you were lost without someone telling you what to do, you didn’t know how to decide your own path.

“Yeah…I guess bounties are meaningless to me now, huh?” You tried to sound lighthearted, though your voice came out hollow and more uncertain than anything else. If Ace noticed, he didn’t call you out on it, which you were honestly grateful for.

Luffy, who seemingly had a penchant for always saying the things no one else dared to, cut straight to the root of your dilemma without even meaning to. “Yeah, you’re free now! So, what’re you gonna do?” His sunny smile was a sharp contrast to the brewing storm you felt inside you. Why did being free bring you so much dread?

You cleared your throat, trying to pretend like you weren’t in the middle of the most confusing time of your life. “Well…Sabo’s letting me stay with him for now, until I can find another way to support myself, I guess.” You shrugged, though you were sure you were failing miserably at acting nonchalant. Sabo was good to you, but you knew from experience that you had to provide something if you wanted to be kept around. That was just how the world worked, wasn’t it?

Luffy gave you a look of confusion, scratching his head like you’d said something utterly perplexing. “Eh? But you don’t have to do any of that, ‘cause you’re gonna be Sabo’s-“ Once again, he didn’t get to finish his sentence, as Ace was quick to cut him off. “I think what Luffy’s trying to say is that Sabo will happily support you for however long it takes to figure out what you wanna do!” That didn’t really seem like what Luffy had been about to say at all, but you honestly didn’t have a clue what his next word would’ve been if he’d been allowed to say it.

You’d have to ask Sabo when the two of you got home. Wait a damn moment…did you just think of the dragon’s lair as home? Was that even a possibility? You had so much to think about, and it was beginning to make your head spin. Something in your expression must’ve given away how overwhelmed you were growing, because Sabo seemed to notice. He always seemed to notice little things about your demeanor, didn’t he? It was a strange thing to get used to, after a lifetime of having others overlook your feelings.

From there, he had the courtesy to wrap things up quickly for your sake, and it wasn’t much longer until you were saying your goodbyes to the other two dragons. Luffy and Ace promised to come see you again soon, and although you were somewhat mentally exhausted from this visit, you found that the idea wasn’t exactly unpleasant. It really was astounding how far you’d already drifted from your dragon slayer roots, but you felt…light. Lighter than you had in years, without grim responsibilities and asinine expectations weighing you down.

-

On the way back to Sabo’s lair, he caught you staring over the steep ledges with clear apprehension written across your face, and he noticed that your steps were more hesitant than before. He doubled back to return to your side, laying an arm over your shoulders reassuringly.

“Don’t overthink it, my treasure, I would never let you fall. I can fly, remember?” He told you encouragingly, and it was only when you blinked at him in confusion for a moment that he realized he’d let the term of endearment slip out. It was true, you were his treasure, but he wasn’t sure if you were ready to hear that. He waited with bated breath for a negative reaction, but after a moment, you simply shrugged it off and nodded along at his reminder. He breathed a sigh of relief, trying to keep the giddy smile off his face now that you’d accepted his affectionate little name for you.

Encouraged by that acceptance, Sabo slid his hand off of your shoulder and down your arm, his hand seeking refuge in yours. You stared down at his hand grasping yours for a long moment, just enough that he began to worry he might’ve overstepped, but just before he could pull away and apologize, you hesitantly intertwined your fingers with his. His breath caught in his throat, and it took all of his willpower to suppress and excited squeal. You reciprocated! You wanted to hold his hand too!

You didn’t make any comment on the contact, so neither did he, but he gave your hand a little squeeze, careful not to graze you with his claws. The walk back was mostly silent after that, but as the cavern finally came into view, you spoke up. “Sabo, there’s something I need to talk to you about…” Your voice trailed off, and you almost seemed a little nervous.

“Hmm…there’s something I should probably talk to you about too, but I’ll let you go first.” He replied carefully. In reality, what he told you would drastically depend on what you had to say, and he would just feel things out based on your words. With that being said, your nervousness seemed to be contagious, as Sabo found himself anxiously awaiting your response, not knowing what to expect. There were so many things you could be about to say, ranging from terrible to amazing, and you really gave no indication of where on that spectrum it might fall.

You seemed to be struggling to piece together your words as the two of you entered his lair, which didn’t help him in the slightest. There was one notable thing, though, and it was that you didn’t let go of the dragon’s hand, even after the both of you settled yourselves comfortably on the cave floor. He could only hope that was a good sign, and he clung to that hope just like he clung to your hand. Never before had he been so bent out of shape over a simple conversation, the effect you had on him was a powerful one that you weren’t even aware of.

Sabo watched you look down and fiddle with his fingers, your thumb tracing over each of his claws with a gentleness no one would expect from a slayer. His heart swelled, the gesture was both adorable and slightly soothing to his frayed nerves. He took a deep breath, doing his best to remain patient.

“Well…When Luffy asked me what I wanted to do now, I sort of realized that I just can’t imagine myself living anywhere other than here, now that my old life is out of the picture. Is there..is there any way you’d let me stay here like, permanently? I could find a way to be useful, I promise.” You finally spoke your mind, and all of Sabo’s worries immediately melted away.

Oh. This was so much better than he thought it would be. You wanted to stay. You wanted to stay with him. Of your own accord this time. Sabo felt like he’d just been set ablaze, but it burned in the best way possible, and he never wanted this feeling to be extinguished. The dragon dropped your hand in favor of lunging at you and pulling you into a hug, cradling you against his chest. He couldn’t resist the urge to nuzzle your hair with his nose, breathing in your familiar scent as his spiky tail excitedly wagged behind him.

You made a startled noise, which he found quite adorable, but you slowly moved to return his hug, albeit much less confidently. Oh, how very long he’d waited to feel your arms around him, to feel you finally showing affection back to him. He didn’t mind that you still hesitated every time you moved closer to him, all that mattered to him was that you were willingly touching him with care, and it meant the world to him.

“Of course you can stay, my lovely treasure! Oh, you have no idea how pleased I am that you want to live here with me, I’ve been hoping that you would…” Although Sabo was more than happy about your desire to stick around, he didn’t like the fact that you still felt the need to prove your usefulness, to show that you could provide something that would make you worth keeping around. He could see exactly how your mind worked, and he understood very well where the philosophy had stemmed from for you, but he didn’t want to perpetuate it for even a second. This was one thing he refused to humor you on, it was for your own good that this should stop here.

“Oh. You..already wanted me to stay? Was there something you needed from me? I’d be more than happy to-“ Sabo cut you off, he couldn’t stand to hear you finish that sentence. He pulled back slightly to look you in the eyes, silently pleading with you to understand that you were welcome here without any repayment necessary.

“No, no, no. I do not need you to do anything, precious human. All I ask for is your company, that’s more than enough all on its own. I just want to take care of you, that’s the only thing I want.” He explained gently, though he could easily tell from your expression that you didn’t comprehend where he was coming from. You were confused and cautious, and he couldn’t exactly blame you for that. This probably went against everything you’d ever learned in your old life.

“But how would that be an equal exchange at all? I’d just be leeching off of you, I can’t do that!” You paused, the look in your eyes growing distant for a moment as you seemed to be remembering something. “Luffy tried to say something like that too, didn’t he? Except he said that I wouldn’t have to do anything because I’d be something. What was he going to say I would be before Ace cut him off?” Your tone was beginning to grow wary, and Sabo tightened his hold on you, suddenly worried that you might try to break away from him.

He silently cursed his idiot little brother for his slip-ups, he should’ve known that you’d start to put the pieces together. This could go wrong very fast if Sabo didn’t give you the right answer, and his wings twitched behind him as he tensed up. He wasn’t ready to tell you yet, he was supposed to have so much more time to ease you into it! But at the same time, lying now would only cause distrust to fester between you, and he could risk losing all of the progress he’d already made. He was backed into a corner here, and it seemed like his only choice was to rip off the bandaid and hope for the best. What other option did he have?

“You would never be a leech, you’re worth more than my entire hoard. I mean it when I say that your company is worth more than any good or service.” He started, his voice soft but with a slight undertone of anxiety. His tail subconsciously began to curl around your leg, his body was desperate to keep you with him.

“Now…I plead with you to listen when I tell you that I would never pressure you into anything, alright? What I’m about to tell you is something that I would love to happen, but not something that is mandatory for you to stay here.” Sabo took a deep breath, regaining a bit of his confidence when you stayed put and didn’t seem opposed to hearing him out. He could work this out, couldn’t he? Damn, he sure hoped he could.

“Luffy was referring to a desire I’d previously confided in my brothers about, one that’s been building since the first time we met. He was being far too presumptuous, but if he finished his sentence…he would’ve referred to you as my mate.” He could already feel his face flushing just from saying the word aloud, but he dared to take a glance down at you.

Your eyes were very wide, but you didn’t look upset or afraid, just shocked and perplexed. That was alright, he could work with that. He watched your mouth open and close for a moment, as you seemingly struggled to form coherent words. After a moment of awkward silence, you finally responded with one incredulous word. “Mate?”

Sabo sighed, realizing that you would need further explanation, which would only make this all the more embarrassing for him. “Yes. That’s what dragons call our romantic partners, except we usually stay with them for life, so it might be more like what humans would consider to be a spouse.” Never before had he felt so shy, so uncertain of his words, he only ever tripped up this way around you.

There was another painfully long silence, and Sabo squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for an outcry of rejection, but it never came. “You want me, a former dragon slayer who tried to kill you, to be your romantic partner?” You sounded so thoroughly confused, and he couldn’t blame you one bit for that. He slowly opened his eyes, but he quickly averted his gaze to the floor.

How could he even begin to explain all the reasons he was so thoroughly in love with you? How could he even begin to put all of these complex feelings into words? “I do, very much so…I’ve been fond of you since the first time we fought, and that feeling only grew as time went on. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done because I love you. You don’t have to love me back, but you deserved to know why I want you here so badly.” Sabo finally returned his eyes to yours, brimming with emotions that words couldn’t possible encapsulate. He vowed to accept your feelings, no matter what they were. But oh, how he hoped with all his heart that you might love him too.

Your face shifted, and you looked almost thoughtful for a moment. It wasn’t the immediate and enthusiastic acceptance he might’ve dreamed of, but he was just glad that it wasn’t anger or disgust. “That…actually makes your actions make so much more sense. I think I’m starting to understand it now.”

So far so good, but internally his stomach was tying itself in knots as he waited for you to give him your final verdict. “You’ve done a lot for me, more than anyone else who’s ever claimed to care about me, so I’m inclined to believe that you really do have pure intentions.” Oh please, please put him out of his misery and just tell him how you feel, he needed that answer like he needed air to breathe.

“I’ve never been in love before, not really, so I don’t exactly know what it feels like…but I know I feel something for you, and I think maybe it could be love.” Sabo held his breath, a tentative hope welling up in his chest as he waited for you to continue. “I think it might be nice to be your mate, if you really mean what you said about taking care of me. It might take me a while to get the hang of being with someone, though, could you be patient with me?”

The dragon nodded vigorously, his eyes shining like the sun as he rushed forward to nuzzle his cheek against yours affectionately. “Yes, yes, yes! Of course, I’ll be so damn patient, I swear it!” He knew he was being a little theatrical, but he couldn’t help it, his dreams were literally coming true right in front of him. He felt almost lightheaded, like he was floating in the clouds, and it only got better when he heard you giggle at his over enthusiasm. Oh, how he loved that sound, he wanted to hear it every damn day.

“Alright…I guess I can live here and be your mate, then. But-“ You didn’t even get to finish that thought before Sabo’s self restraint burned out and he leaned in to pull you into a kiss. He eagerly moved his lips against yours, and when you began to kiss back after a moment, his tail thrashed back and forth as he practically bursted at the seams with excitement. You had no idea how damn long he’d dreamed of this, practically every single night since the first time you’d met. It felt so good he could almost cry, but instead he just kissed you harder, gently nipping at your bottom lip with his fangs.

He had to hold himself back from letting out a disappointed whine when you pulled away, but he settled down when he realized you were only catching your breath, and he moved to tuck his face into the crook of your neck, one of his horns brushing against your cheek. It was only then that he finally registered that you’d been about to say something when he kissed you. “Oh..sorry, what were you going to say?” He asked sheepishly, his lips brushing against your neck with each word spoken.

You laughed a little, and Sabo swore it was the most wonderful sound he’d ever heard in his life. “I was going to say that I still want to do something with myself, even if it’s not necessary. Remember when you said that you’d light my forge if I ever wanted to become a bladesmith? Does that offer still stand..?”

The dragon grinned, fangs on full display as he internally celebrated you finally finding the motivation to follow your lifelong dream. It made him feel so very warm to know that you felt supported enough by him to try something you’d previously dismissed as impossible. “Hell yes. Let’s do it!”