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Scott has been through a lot in his life, hell, he’s dealt with a lot in the last few months. His father has passed, he’s been a monarch, he’s advanced his magic and staff, been ill with something kind of similar to the plague, had to fight basically a demonic possession inside of a member of Red Kingdom to get rid of said plague, his crops and flowers have been trampled (by that same member he collectively helped, if he may add), fought with the Creaking King, and almost had his best friend (?) die. Yet, somehow, he’s grown to love this place and all it drama. Love the Blue Kingdom. Love its inhabitants. Even love one of the knights. If someone were to tell Scott three months ago about how much he’d change, he doesn’t think he’d believe them.
And Blue Kingdom has changed a lot as well (and Red too), mostly thanks to 4c of course. It no longer feels like an abandoned settlement and more like…well more like a home.
It’s beautiful from where Scott sits at the blacksmith, seeing the buildings surround him. It probably looks better from his house, but he’s not here to sight-gaze, though he’d be a fool not to. It’s like looking at the mountains from the dip of a valley, sure the height lets you see more, but the ground lets you appreciate how grand the place actually is.
“Scott?” The voice is rich and deep in tone, now losing its raspy, creaky edge and sounding very distinctive to the blonde. It fills every inch of the his body with warmth, like a budding flower blossoming in the spring after a harsh winter. Upon hearing it, he whips his head around to find an oh-so familiar knight.
A smile overtakes his face, and a smaller, but still there, one mimics his on the brunette’s. Because he’s almost entirely brunette now, only a few small strands of ashen gray in his hair. Scott almost grew used to the other look but he’s always preferred this one. The healthy one.
“Hi Nom.” The conversation feels so familiar yet this time, Scott doesn’t feel like he’s one bad comment away from breaking. This time a grin spills over his face, and he runs towards the knight throwing his arms around the dragon’s neck. It’s almost weird he’s wearing normal clothes so Scott doesn’t have to worry about his uncomfortable armor jabbing him in odd places.
The other almost stumbles as the mage buries his head in the crook of his shoulder, holding him close, a thing he could never do with the armor in his way. Soclosetodying you’reherenow pleasedon’tleavemeagain.
“Oh” Nom breathes, slightly surprised. Tentatively the man’s arms finds the half-elf’s waist, gentle as if scared to break him. Scared to do something wrong. Doesn’t he know that he can do no wrong in Scott’s eyes? “Are you okay?”
Jerking his head up, the blonde levels him with a glare. “Am I okay? Are you kidding me Nom? You literally sold your soul to the Creaking King, and, by some miracle, are still alive.” Sure, Scott now has a few new scars and bruises but that’s expected. There were a few times he was close to death, but he never was like Nom. He never got his eyes turned a startling amber, or have the natural flush of his flesh drained to a deathly pale, or have his bones start creaking when he walked. He never had voices of an ancient and powerful being constantly in their head, telling them dreadful lies and persuasive propaganda. He never got forced to cough up the resin he ate, vomiting into the late hours of the night. He never had to make peace with the decision of dying so everyone else would live. He never had to feel the entity inside of him being ripped apart from him, along with a little bit of his soul. And he never would because Nom made the choice to kill the Creaking King so no one else would suffer. Scott doesn’t think it’s crazy for him to be concerned.
“Fair point. I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“I swear Scott I’m fine. We’re honest to each other now remember?”
The mage buries his head into the other’s shirt again. The now comforting smell of metal and fire and smoke and Nom fills his nostrils. It’s so different from the floral smells he’s used to and yet he could drown in it.
“What happened?” His words are slightly muffled but he can’t bring himself to care. You’rehere don’tdieonmeagain
“Well, we broke the creaking heart, and then I, y’know, told you all about the thing he’d said, the whole ‘so that’s supposed to kill me too’ ordeal, and I’m pretty sure it was. I felt like my soul was just slowly leaving my body. Then the strangest thing happened. I heard the Creaking King’s voice, which is weird considering he’d already been defeated, but I guess like final words of a dying man and all that. He had said something along the lines of ‘You have freed me from my confines. For that, I release you.’ I really wanted to go to you first, but, in case it was another lie, I didn’t want to get your hopes up. So, I went to Graecie, who immediately got me out of there, away from the new bit of fighting going on between Owain and Apo, grabbing the healer mage on the way. She thought about grabbing you but… Well, in the scenario it didn’t work, I didn’t want you blaming yourself for my death, can’t be having that on your conscious—”
“Idiot” The blonde murmured, flicking him on his forehead.
“Rude! Anyways, so turned out the Creaking King said one true thing in all his time of knowing us, and I stopped feeling like I was one second from deteriorating. We went up to the Red Kingdom mage tower, and I guess almost dying due to something trying to take over your soul really takes it out of a guy. So I slept for like, what, 78 hours? Cam did have to cast some healing magic because apparently at points in that time my heart stopped beating for a minute? He also said that it reminded him of a body fighting off an infection of some sorts? Which I guess is true in a way. Also told me Graecie wouldn’t let me have any visitors. Um, and that’s kind of it. I woke up feeling a bit groggy and such, and afterwards I bumped into 4c, Katie, and, strangely enough, Mae. We had an emotional conversation—well emotional on their part, there were a lot of tears shed and punches thrown that I had to take. But that’s all that’s happened so far. Sounds crazier than it really was.”
“You are the dumbest, luckiest person alive right now.” The half-elf glares at the knight. He’s downplaying the whole thing, and they both know it. (Though, he’s proud of Nom for finally talking to Mae, 4c, and Katie. Only took a month and almost dying.)
“Oh, but I’m alive, aren’t I?” The dragon’s tail twipped from behind him.
“Yes, thank the gods.” His voice softens as he rests his jaw upon the other’s shoulder. “I don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t.” The words are quiet, almost like a secret, except they’re not. They’re a fact that almost everyone knows. Scott would be a wreck without Nom. He was a wreck without Nom, and worried himself sick for three days straight when the knight was healing (ironic, right?). The mage is sure that many people in the both the kingdoms would be fine, but he wouldn’t, and neither would 4c, or Katie, or Mae, or even Graecie.
It always pains Scott how little the knight thinks ahead. Always relying on luck. Well, how much longer until that luck runs out? How many more times does he have to lose a risky gamble for the brunette to get it?
And, the blonde knows he’s trying to be better, they all are, he just hopes that Nom gets it in his head that he’s cared for, and making those split second decisions affect more people than just himself.
“If I had died, which I didn’t, your life would continue. You’d still be every part of the person you were before.” The dragon states this simply, as if it’s a fact he’s known for a while now and accepted. But he’s so, so very wrong.
“No it wouldn’t.”
Gently, so gently, his touch featherlight, Nom tilts the mage’s chin towards him, just so he can look Scott in the eyes, as if that will make the statement true. “Yes, it would. You’d still be a florist. You’d still light up a room when you walk in it. You’d still be witty and sarcastic and wonderful. You’d still be you at your core.”
The dragon holds so much conviction swirling in his amber-brown eyes that Scott almost finds it hard to disagree. He does it anyways because he knows in his heart of hearts that the brunette is very wrong.
He shakes his head. “No, maybe I’d look the same and act the same, but I’d have a suspiciously Nom-shaped hole in my chest. Do you really think you have had no effect on me? That if you’d died, I’d just move on? Is that what you’d rationalized in that head of yours? I care so much about you Nom, and imagining life without you is painful. Almost having that be a reality hurts even more.” The three small words are at the tip of his tongue, but he refuses to say them. At least not now, not yet. He doubts the brunette has the mental capacity at the moment to deal with that, if the many emotions blooming across his face are any indicator. Confusion, doubt, befuddlement, and another emotion he can’t quite name but seems similar to passion or devotion. The blonde’s gotten quite talented at reading the knight, even when he believes his face is blank.
“Huh.” The knight looks at the mage as if he never truly saw him before. Scott can’t help but feel a little self-conscious. No one has ever looked at Scott the way Nom does. Like they’re trying to understand him rather than change him. Like they’re trying to figure out exactly the type of person he is. Like they’re taking his words and treasuring them in a place that no one can ever touch. The dragon smiles a crooked grin, slightly baring his sharp teeth in a way the suggests mirth. His dimples have been such a rare sight recently, and Scott’s glad to be able to see them once more. “Ditto.”
The half-elf raises a brow. “Really? All you have to say is ‘ditto’?” And somehow that was attractive. Does he have a type? No, you can’t think those thoughts about your maybe, sort-of situationship.
The brunette rolls his eyes, including his whole head in the motion. “You know I’m not good with words!” Not for the first time, Scott notices the small, black birthmark on the other’s neck. The amount of things cataloged into the box labeled “Nom,” is overflowing now, yet he can’t help but add more every day (sometimes the same thing). The way his ears flush when Scott says something slightly flirtatious, the way his brows twitch when Mae or Katie teases him, the way his tail wags much like a dogs when he thinks he said something clever, or thuds when he’s content. There’s a million things that are just distinctly Nom’s that Scott can’t help but relish now that the knight is here, and is not going anywhere. The mage wouldn’t let him if he tried.
“So then show me since your such a man of action.” The words are meant to be playful, but they come out as more of a challenge, leaving Scott to only realize in horror how they sound. What if Nom thinks he’s gross and creepy? What if he recoils from the very thought? What if—
The dragon’s gaze is suddenly intense as it flicks down once. Twice, his ears going a shockingly bright red. The air between them seems to dissipate, leaving the blonde holding his breath. Scott hadn’t realized how close they were before, and any bad thoughts quickly erase themselves at having those eyes so close to him.
They’re almost the brown that Scott has come to cherish, holding one question in the warm depths of them. Can I…?
The mage very slightly nods, tilting his head to the side as he smiles, the world around him growing to a soft hum as petals unfold at his feet, pushing through the cracked stone.
His heart begins a rapid rhythm the moment Nom leans down. His breath is hot against Scott’s skin, and the mage feels like a flower being watered, sensation after sensation trickling into the roots of his stomach.
And then he blooms. Nom’s lips are slightly chapped and have a small divot in the corner which Scott makes it his mission to commit to memory. Despite that, he’s warm and eager, and it’s everything and yet nothing like he’s imagined. It’s so much better.
The dragon presses the blonde ever closer to him, like an all enveloping hug, wrapping one arm around and up towards his ribs, and the other resting on his hip. Scott responds by burying his hands in the other’s hair.
It’s so much and yet not enough, never enough. The lips against his seem to agree, and the blonde’s breath hitches (not like he’s breathing much anyways). The knight happily swallows the noise, seemingly trying to make more as his fingers dance across Scott’s back.
The half-elf will never admit he succeeded.
Someone shrieks nearby. Scott barely flinches, despite his ears ringing horribly at the sudden intruding noise. When they part, Nom gives him a strange look as if to say we’ll continue this later. The mage shivers, then turns his attention to the perpetrator of the loud sound, taking a step away from the brunette despite his clear reluctance to part.
“I—YOU—EEEEKKKKKK” A familiar redhead bounces around them, seemingly unable to form full sentences. Or words for that matter.
“Hi Mae.” Scott sounds tired and breathless, and he’s pretty positive his face is a deep red. Whether from the kissing or Mae, he’s unsure. What the blonde is sure of is that he’s going to hear all about this later.
“Hiya Scott~ hi Nom~ I’ll be on my wayyyyy, wouldn’t want to…ah disturb you two.” The rogue says very calmly, as if she’s not secretly—or not so secretly, it’s quite obvious actually— two seconds from combusting.
The redhead skips back from the way she came, and the mage turns around to Nom coming to the same conclusion as him.
He says it before the half-elf gets a chance. “She’s going back to Red to tell Katie and 4c, isn’t she?”
Scott nods, “Yep.”
Nom sighs, staring at the slowly retreating form of Mae before turning his attention back to Scott, his eyes swirling with too many emotions to name. “We should probably take this inside, hm? Just so no one else does that?”
“Yeah,” Scott feels like he’s gotten the wind knocked out of him, and his voice reflects that.
Nom ushers him inside of the blacksmith, up the stairs into his small, cramped bedroom. There’s not a lot of room, nor things to look at, which makes him feel all the more like every movement he makes is being watched attentively by a certain dragon. Feeling almost too bright against the gray walls, and minimalistic bed, the small flower pot with the purple and red flowers Scott gifted the brunette a while ago the only thing that somewhat matches him. He doesn’t have long to look though before he’s being cornered onto the bed, filling his vision of Nom, and only Nom.
Not like he has anyone else he’d rather see.
The mattress is softer than he expected as Nom climbs on top of him, setting his glasses on the nightstand, and so is the kiss the knight plants on the corner of his lips, chaste and teasing, like fire dancing across his skin. Then another down his jaw. Then trailing back up as if he’s changed his mind. Scott giggles and Nom pecks around his smile, though the mage can tell he’s holding back his own smirk of satisfaction.
Nom’s mouth eventually finds his own, and it’s so much more. Filled with the passion and certainty it was lacking before. Like the growth of new plants after a wildfire, it blossoms into something beautiful and new, something Scott could get used to.
The dragon’s teeth are sharp under the blonde’s tongue, and they nip his bottom lip, causing a startled sound out of him. In revenge, Scott lightly yanks the other’s hair, who has a similar reaction.
Nom’s hands travel downwards, gripping at his waist, his touch sending a shudder down the mage’s spine.
Eventually, the knight leaves his mouth alone, leaving Scott gasping for air he hadn’t realized he needed. The half-elf is sure he looks like a mess, his hair falling randomly around him, flower crown askew, face a shade of pink he wasn’t aware existed, breathing heavily, but Nom just…purrs? Do dragons purr? (He wouldn’t be surprised if someone told him Nom was really just a big cat; guarded and likely to whack you at first, and then won’t leave you alone once they get to know you. Sound familiar?) Whatever it is, it resonates deep in his chest at the sight of Scott, making him feel a whole new level of warmth flood into his cheeks.
“Pretty treasure.” The brunette murmurs before continuing his self imposed job of leaving kisses down the side of his face, leaving a burning path across his jaw and down to his neck.
A new wave of heat floods Scott’s face at the compliment, which is shocking, isn’t it? One would think he’d blush at the fact he’s has a whole body on top of him rather than a few silly words. Still, they sit deep in his bones, dancing across the wild thumping of his heart.
Then the feeling turns sour. It doesn’t go away, he still feels warm and happy and like he’s truly living for the first time, but a new emotion enters his stomach; dread would be an accurate descriptor yet it’s not quite that. Something awful churns inside of him as Nom’s hand dips lower and lower, teasing his waistband.
“Nom,” Scott’s voice is broken and breathless and lacking any of the seriousness it so desperately needs. The dragon just purrs into his chest as his lips move around his collarbone, the sensation now almost cold. The hand on his hips slides down more. It feels freezing against his flesh.
Breathe. Nom won’t do anything. He does that and takes another try at getting the other’s attention. “Nom.” His voice is better, but is still quite raspy. Still, the knight’s head shoots up, his eyes a dark shade that suits him wonderfully. Then he sees Scott’s face.
Within an millisecond, he scrambles off of the blonde looking almost frightened as he backs away from the bed as if it personally offended him. The dreadful feeling goes away, replaced with utter fondness for his strangely cat-like…friend? Boyfriend? Weird situationship? They’ll need to talk about that later.
“Are you okay? Did I hurt you? I should’ve asked, I’m so sor—”
“Nope, none of that. I was having a good time I just… well, it’s difficult to explain.”
The brunette visibly relaxes, taking a seat on the very edge of the bed as he watches Scott readjusts himself against the headboard, finally sitting up. His brows furrow before stating softly, “I’ve got time.”
The blonde smiles at that. They have all the time in the world now. “Okay, well, I guess I don’t have feelings for you like that?— or anyone really. I’ve never had the desire for that type of intimacy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very much attracted to you, it’s just…I didn’t even know people felt for others like that until I was like sixteen and my friend started talking about it.”
“So you don’t have any sexual attraction?”
Scott’s face flushes once more. “Well if you’re going to put it candidly, yes.”
“Huh.” For a moment, the half-elf thought Nom was going to leave, and the idea that the knight would abandon him so easily rots his heart. But no, he just slides further onto the bed next to Scott, nuzzling his head into the blonde’s shoulder, draping an arm across his waist. It’s comforting almost, despite one of the dragon’s horns digging into the side of his neck. The other shifts anyways so the slight pain goes away. “Is this okay?”
“Perfect.” Scott sighs, the warmth from the other’s body like a comfortable blanket. Nom’s tail thwacks against the nightstand, leaving the mage to giggle slightly, resting his head onto the other’s.
“This?” Nom presses a kiss to his shoulder like he just can help himself, making Scott giggle. He does it again as if just to hear the blonde’s laugh.
“What happened here?” The other touches his cheek, along where Apo’s spear had slashed him. Scott just hums, a small dark cloud of anger washing over him before he remembers where he is. In Nom’s arms. He’s safe. He’s okay. The war is on hold for now. His crops are safe.
“Apo happened. I’ll tell you about it later.” Because they have a later now. A tomorrow. Black dots fade in and out of his vision and the Nom nods, and presses a soft kiss to his collarbone.
“Later.” The vibrations of his chest rumble through the blonde, like a melody to a song he doesn’t know the lyrics to. Slowly, all noise besides the breathing of the dragon so close to him fades away.
As the tiredness from a day that feels far too long wears on the half-elf, for the first time in a very long while, Scott feels truly safe. A comfort that can only come from the brunette that has created a new place for Scott to call home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Scott?” Nom grumbles into his neck, and the man in question stirs slightly out of his nap, yawning almost immediately.
“Hm?”
“Will you go sailing with me?”
The blonde smiles sleepily, “Of course. I’d follow you anywhere.”