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This was pathetic for the Dragonkin, really pathetic.
He was shaking on the snow filled grass, his powers weren't working, it almost seemed like this was the end for him.
But then suddenly, he heard a voice. It was pretty, gentle and warm. Just by the tone of it, it sounded like they were very welcoming. “ Hello? Is someone out there? ” The voice called out, he tried to speak, but he couldn't.
He raised his hand, trembling, his eyes closed. Before his hand could fall, it was catched by warm ones. “ shh, it's okay, it's okay. ” the voice assured.
It was the last thing he heard before passing out.
—
He woke up in a warm bedroom, he looked around. It was filled with books, potions, and a nightstand beside his bedside that had water and a pill on it. It had a note.
He tried to sit up, but his body felt too sore to do so. After a few minutes of just laying, he tried his best to sit up, which he succeeded in doing. He grabbed the note first before the water or the pill and read it.
“ Dear Dragonkin.
Hello! I am Jumper. I am a witch. I offer you this pill for you to digest to heal regularly. If you wish to leave, just go down the stairs, go right and straight for the door. If you want to stay, that is no trouble for me, I just request for you to not destroy anything while you are here. It has come to my attention that you are pretty battered, and more so. If you need my help patching you up, just go to the room next to this room and knock. Do not destroy the door, I can't pay anyone to repair it. Thank you!
From, Jumper. ”
It was a witch. No wonder she had no problem helping him out. If it was any other human, they would've left him to die due to the cold.
He didn't think much of it and grabbed the pill, swallowing it while drinking some water. It felt weird at first, but after a few seconds he felt the soreness go away. He quickly tucked the note inside his travelling bag that was laying next to the bed to keep it safe.
He wasn't at full power like he used to, but he can function properly like a human. He got up from the bed, testing if he would fall, or tremble for that matter, but he didn't. It felt… good to be back into shape.
The Dragonkin just looked around the room, he didn't seem interested in the stuff that was lying around, so he got out of the room to explore more of this mysterious house.
He glanced at the witch's door. It looked like there were no other people that were living in her home other than her. He thought about knocking, he really did. But he felt wary for some reason.
But nevertheless, this human offered him a place to stay, offered to heal him, and saved him from a near-death experience. The least he could do is thank the human for her help.
So with his thoughts collected, he knocked on her door with surprising gentleness. It didn't take awhile for him to hear footsteps. Once he did, he lowered his hand, waiting for the door to be opened by the witch.
“ Hey there! ” She greeted once she opened the door, she looked… proper. Which he didn't expect. Usually, witches were stereotyped to be old, ugly, have like 10 black cats at their disposal. But she was different, she was young, and pretty. She looked around a young adult would, or more so. She had the prettiest heterochromia eyes he ever laid eyes on. One coloring pink and the other purple.
He found himself grow speechless at the shorter woman Infront of him. This was pathetic! He was one of the strongest Dragonkins to ever exist, and he was just rendered speechless by this witch in front of him.
“ Hello? ” Her voice snapped him back to reality, making him jerk away when the witch was close to his face, tip-toeing just to reach him.
“ Do not do that. Without warning me, Witch. ” He hissed in surprise. “ But I did warn you, I called you multiple times. ” She chuckled nervously.
“ Do you need help patching you up? ” She asked, offering a small gentle smile. “ hnn… I just wish to express my gratitude. ” Minute finally spoke.
“ Gratitude? How? And also— there's no need, no pressure! I like helping. ” She stammered, scratching the back of her neck while she still held the door like her life depended on her.
It was obvious that the witch was quite intimidated by the Dragonkin, but she wasn't scared of him. It was as if… she knew a lot about Dragonkins and knew about their capabilities and limits for her to act this relaxed around the Dragonkin.
But he didn't speak much about it. “ Protection. I offer you my guard, and protecting you from other creatures. ” He found himself saying, he himself didn't expect it at all, he was just thinking of offering to hunt for food for her in exchange for a week of stay.
I mean… he wouldn't mind staying with the witch for a far longer time, at all. After all, he was banished from his own kingdom.
“ Protection? ” She muttered, looking quite surprised at the offer. “ No need! No need! The last thing I want is like making you feel like you owe me something! ” She stammered once again.
Minute hesitated.
Not because of fear, Dragonkin did not fear easily. But because the air between them suddenly felt… tight. Like one wrong word might snap something fragile he didn’t yet understand.
“ …Very well, ” he said at last, lowering his head slightly. “ Then I will not insist. ”
Jumper visibly relaxed, shoulders dropping a fraction. “ Good, ” she said, a little too quickly. “ Great. Good. ”
An awkward silence followed.
She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, fingers still gripping the edge of the door. Minute stood there, towering and uncertain, hands stiff at his sides like he wasn’t sure what to do with them.
“ So… uh, ” Jumper started, then stopped. She cleared her throat. “ You… feeling better? The pill usually kicks in fast, but sometimes Dragonkin metabolism is weird. I think. I’ve only read about Dragonkins, never really met one. ”
“ I am… functional, ” Minute replied. “ Which is more than I expected. ”
“ Oh. Good. ” She smiled, small and crooked. “ Functional is good. ”
Another pause.
Her gaze flicked to his horns, then away again, as if she was trying not to stare and failing anyway. Minute noticed. Of course he did.
“ …You may look, ” he said suddenly.
She blinked. “ Huh? ”
“ My horns, ” he clarified. “ You keep glancing at them. ”
“ Oh! I–sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude, ”she said quickly, heat rushing to her face. “ They’re just—uh—very… impressive. ”
That wasn’t the word he expected.
“ …Thank you, ” he said after a beat.
Her smile widened just a bit, pleased. “ You’re welcome. ”
The silence that followed felt different… still awkward, but lighter now. Charged, in a way neither of them quite named.
Jumper stepped back and gestured down the hall. “ I was making soup, ” she offered. “ You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to. Or—if Dragonkin don’t eat soup. I don’t know. Do you? ”
“ I eat, ” Minute replied. Then, after a pause, “ …Soup is acceptable. ”
She laughed softly at that, the sound warm and unguarded.
“ Come on, then, ” she said. “ I promise it’s not poisoned. ”
“ I was not concerned, ” he said.
She glanced back at him, eyebrow raised. “ You should be. I’m a witch. ”
“ …I trust you, ” he replied before he could stop himself.
That made her freeze for half a second.
When she turned back around, her smile was gentler. Quieter.
They walked down the hall together, not quite close enough to touch, but close enough to feel each other’s presence. Their shoulders brushed once, accidentally, and both of them stiffened before pretending nothing had happened.
They made their way back down the kitchen, where soup was being made. It smelt great, warm, and tasty. If tasty was a smell.
“ You can sit if you want, I'll just warm it up a bit. ” Jumper said, gesturing at the chair and table that was near the kitchen.
Minute just nodded in reply, obeying the witch’s offer to sit down. When he did, he watched the way the witch moved, she was clumsy, sure, but she was also comfortable.
He doesn't remember the last time he felt… comfortable. All his life he had to have his guard up… not comfortable, like her.
“ I'm not the best cook — but please, try it out! ” Jumper said with a smile, placing a bowl of warm soup in front of him, and placing another one across him for her. “ Looks good. ” Minute complimented.
“ Thanks! Soups are one of my favorites to eat whenever it's winter. People usually like hot cocoa more, but I prefer soup. Not too sweet for me, I'm not a big sweets fan, — ” The witch started to ramble once she sat down across from him, he didn't mind her rambling if you asked him. Actually, he liked it since it showed how relaxed she was around him. Which was a first.
Minute grabbed a spoonful and tried it out, it tasted good. Not too bitter or too sweet, just right. He liked it. A lot.
“ You talk a lot. ” He simply stated, looking at her with a small smile, Jumper felt her cheeks become warm due to embarrassment, shaking her hands in the air. “ I–I can stop if you want. ”
“ It's okay. I don't mind. ” Minute said, eating another spoonful of the soup. “ Do you like it? ” She asked. “ Mhm. It tastes… good. ”
“ That's awesome! ” She beamed, looking at him with pure satisfaction and pride for impressing the Dragonkin in front of her.
“ So… You live… alone? ” Minute finally addressed the elephant in the room, which caused a quiet scoff from the witch. “ Yes, I do. ”
“ Why? ”
“ I was— banished from my home town due to me being a witch. My mom was a witch and my dad prayed to the gods I'm not, but when he found out I was– he disowned me and threatened to kill me if I didn't leave the town. After that– I found this house in the forest, and I made it mine. ” She practically explained her whole life story to the Dragonkin, seemingly trusting the half human and half dragon in front of her.
“ That's fascinating and disappointing. I don't understand why humans abandon each other just because… they're different. ” Minute replied, his brows narrowing by now.
“ hm? Oh! Yeah, you're right. But that's just how life is… ” Jumper chuckled nervously, looking down on her soup. “ What about you? ” She looked back up to the Dragonkin. “ Why'd I find you outside my door? Creatures as beautiful as you are usually kept in the castle. ”
He felt his chest get warm, beautiful. She thought he was beautiful. Of course, he knew that. But it felt weird when the witch was saying it. She was genuine, sincere, kind… and he was just… well… Minutetech. No redeeming qualities other than being… pretty.
“ I was… exiled. ” His words made the witch jump a little. “ Exiled? Why? ” she looked at him with pity.
“ I was accused of — treason. They thought I would kill the prince. ” Minute said, the words tasting bitter in his mouth.
“ That's — how did that even happen? ” The witch exclaimed, looking confused and annoyed in his behalf. “ There was an assassination attempt against the prince — they thought it was me due to the people seeing a Dragonkin. And the other Dragonkin’s in the kingdom had… alibis. And I didn't. Which is why I was framed. If the prince didn't take a liking of me, I would've been killed by now. ” Minute opened up.
“ I would've actually preferred being killed, instead of… being tortured relentlessly in the chambers. ” His grip on the table tightened, almost as if he could break it. Jumper placed her hand over his, which immediately calmed the Dragonkin.
“ You didn't deserve that. ” She spoke, voice filled with sympathy. “ …You'd be correct. ”
“ Hey, how about you–stay here for the time being? Or stay permanently! I don't mind. ” The witch beamed, giving him a hopeful smile.
He should've said no— he really should've, but the way her eyes shined like.. what was that creature called again? A puppy? Yeah, the way her eyes shined like a puppy had his facade crumbling by the second.
“ I— It would be unfit. ” His voice trembled, if his skin wasn't pitch black, she would've noticed the way he was blushing. “ Unfit? Why? I don't see what's wrong? ”
“ It's already a trouble for you staying in here as a witch, why would I burden you more when I myself, is a Dragonkin? ” He hated the way his voice got quiet. Why did it drop quiet? He hates this. He hates himself for reacting like this Infront of her.
“ I don't mind the company. ” Her grip tightened against the Dragonkin, gentle, but firm. “ If… if you insist. ”
—
It had been a few months ever since the Dragonkin started living with the witch. The witch was… predictable to say the least.
Her eyes always shined bright whenever Minute complimented her, she always yelp rather loudly that it could be mistaken as a scream when she gets scared, the way her hands trembled due to the cold of the winter despite having atleast four layers of clothing.
He had also noticed some of her… odd habits to say the least.
She always stared into space whenever they sat together on the couch, he had his head sometimes laid on her shoulder or her lap whenever they sat next to each other on the couch.
How she always rambled about stuff whenever they ate together, how she would always ask about his opinion on her clothes, how focused she gets when hunting for food, how fascinating her magic is whenever she shows him some spells she learned.
Her schedule consisting of six to seven am of her waking up, getting her clothes ready before showering, by eight she starts making breakfast for the both of them, by eight thirty, they eat, by nine she hunts for their lunch. By eleven, she cooks their lunch, by twelve they eat, she spends the noon learning new spells and when it hits seven she hunts again for their dinner.
Usually whenever she tries to learn new spells or study some stuff, Minute mostly watches her do it and gives her advice and suggestions, when he isn't doing that, he sometimes tests his own powers.
But if you asked Minute what his favorite activity was, it would be them stargazing on her rooftop in the middle of the night. Whenever they stargaze, Minute would always lay his head on her lap comfortably as they gaze into the stars.
She always stroked his hair the way he liked it, often using a calming spell whenever she does. It was one of the moments that the Dragonkin appreciated and adored the witch for.
One evening, they both laid on her rooftop to stargaze once again, Jumper stroked his hair, sometimes bumping on his horns every now and then, but the Dragonkin didn't mind.
“ …Minute? ” She called out, looking down on the comfortably laid Dragonkin below her. “ hm? ”
“ If it ever comes to it, I meant by it– is when I die, promise to take care of my home for me? ” she chuckled, it seemed small at the time, atleast for her, but it felt big for the Dragonkin.
“ I cannot promise that. Due to us being in the same age-range, and my specific kind of Dragonkin dying at the same time a natural human does, I cannot carry out your request since I will die when you do. Unless I die early. ” He spoke, as if just reciting some line he found in one of the books that Jumper had in her room.
“ You could've just said ‘yes sure’ and I'd be happy enough for that. ” Jumper chuckled. “ But that reassures me enough. ”
“ Hnn… Your questions are sometimes ridiculous and pointless. I do not see what's so interesting about them for you to spend your breath asking me about them. ”
“ Oh come on, don't be so cruel on me. ” she let out playful whine, which he replied with an annoyed groan in return.
“ Can I.. touch your horns? ” Jumper asked out of the blue, looking at him with the same puppy-dog eyes she always carried whenever she wanted things to go her way.
“ Knock yourself out. ” The Dragonkin simply replied, not minding her touching his horns at all.
If it was Minute before, he would've been offended that a simple human asked to touch his horns. He always loved his horns, taking care of them delicately and lovingly, as if it was the best thing that ever happened to him. It was his treasure.
“ I read about Dragonkins becoming a lot more territorial whenever it comes to Humans or any creatures touching their horns, tails and other stuff. ” Jumper shared, looking into the pupil-less eyes of the dragonkin.
“ You read a lot, you talk a lot, you walk a lot, you hunt a lot, is there a thing that you are not a lot at, witch? ”
Jumper just let out a short giggle at the Dragonkin's respond, with that, she gently touched his horns, slowly dragging her hand to the delicate part of his body, it earned a quiet groan and a audible flinch from the Dragonkin, but he relaxed anyway.
“ Dragonkin's aren't fond of physical touch. Tell me, Minute, is it just like a preference or is it built by nature? ” The witch asked, still gently stroking her hand through the delicate horns.
“ Built by nature. But some of the Dragonkin's, such as myself, grew fond of it. ” Minute closed his eyes, melting to the feeling of Jumper's touch. She always touched him gently, as if he would break. Something so fragile and delicate.
It should've engared him that she thought of him something as fragile and delicate to touch like that, but rather, he felt worshipped, appreciated. And a word that he always avoided whenever it came to the witch.
Loved.
…
Oh, no.
He felt loved. By the witch of all people.
This is the worst day of his life.
“ Minute? ” Jumper called out for it seems to be the twentieth time, her face so close to his that made the Dragonkin flinch and widen his eyes. They were so close, almost-kissing close! Lips hovering from the other's close! This is the worst day of his life and he wouldn't mind if the gods strucked him down and killed him on the spot.
“ Jumper! ” He yelped in surprise, quickly losing his composure and departed away from her, covering his face in shame and pure embarrassment.
“ whoa! You called me by my name! ” Jumper beamed at that, it was rare to see the Dragonkin surprised, and flustered.
It was the first time that Minute called her by her name. He always addressed her as “ Human, ” “ Witch, ” but never by her name!
“ I do not know what you are talking about. ” Minute felt his face heat up, “ It must be the time where we sleep, I must go down back to my — chamber – bedroom I mean – goodnight witch! ” The Dragonkin quickly stammered, clumsily getting down from the rooftop.
“ goodnight, minute. ” Jumper murmured almost as if she was saying it to herself rather than Minute, she felt herself blush at the thought of them being that close.
—
Back at his bedroom, the Dragonkin felt like the most stupidest dragon and stupidest human both at the same time! He hates this, he hates himself and most of all, he hates her.
He hates how much and how less she makes him feel. How she makes him feel like he actually had to try at stuff just to see her smile or atleast – gain her approval!
The Minutetech a few months back would've been so dissapointed to see his present self. Flustered by a mere-human. Especially that human being a WITCH!
He laid down on his bed, looking up at the ceiling with his face still red as ever. He knew he was attractive, yes, he knew he can charm this witch anytime of day, he knew he's capable of getting any type of creature to mate with him and there was no need for him to feel THIS nervous!
But oh gods, it feels like he was being eaten alive. Not only did he realize that he fell in love with the witch that showed him kindness and offered him a home, she made him feel FEELINGS! like, ew! That was gross — why do feelings exist!? He feels like he was both in hell and heaven both at the same time!
He never felt this feeling before. It all came crashing down, like a meteor!
It all finally made sense.
The way he would slightly shake whenever she got too close, the way he would melt to a smile whenever Jumper got what she wanted, oh gods, he wanted to give her the world. She deserves the world. Back to the topic— he