Chapter Text
Dew drops on the skin
of gold. Light shines brightly for
tomorrow's embrace.
The sun shone through the trees, lighting the forest in the warmth of midday as Katsuki hung his cloak out to dry from the limb of an old gingko tree. The red cloth was soaked in sweat and ash, and in need of washing. The birds sang their twittering songs from the canopy overhead, filling the forest with music, and a tired Katsuki sat below. His muscles were sore from practicing a new spell he had been working on mastering, his palms blistered from excess use of his fire magic. He shoved his hands into the cool water of the spring that flowed by where he had set up camp. The chill was soothing, and he sighed contentedly, flexing each digit within the ebb and flow of the current.
Katsuki hummed to himself, something he rarely did, but he was in a good mood despite how much his body hurt. He was so close to mastering the spell and each blister was proof of that. A good workout always raised his spirits, and his spirits were currently very high.
When the stinging in his palms began to subside, he wiped them on his pantlegs to dry, moving back to his camp where the campfire burned. The kindling crackled as the flames licked at the air, spitting embers every so often. The boar he had roasting on the spit above the fire sizzled as grease dripped into the flames. The spices he had slathered onto the meat were fragrant and made his stomach rumble. Katsuki had timed his training well, ending just as the meat finished cooking.
Katsuki dug through his bag, pulling out utensils for his meal, and shoved a large knife into the side of the boar’s stomach. He ripped off a flank of meat and set it on his plate. As he ate in silence, listening to the sounds of nature, a heavy-footed snapping of twigs caught his attention. Katsuki set down the plate, reaching for the blade at his hip, readying himself for battle. He had spent enough time isolated in the forest that he knew to always be on guard.
The bushes rustled as a large figure stepped out from behind a tree. He froze at the sight of the sound. His fingers twitched against the hilt of the blade. What he had thought would be a large animal was instead a towering man with massive red wings large enough to block out the sun. Katsuki’s knuckles turned white as he tightened his grip on the blade. He’d fought plenty of monsters over the years, but never one quite like this. The whispers he had heard on his many travels were more than enough to tell him exactly who stood before him – the tyrant dragon king. Those unmistakable red wings and tail stuck out in the dense forest. The situation Katsuki had found himself in was deadlier than any wild animal; no one survived an encounter with the dragon king.
The dragon king sniffed the air, then his crimson-eyed gaze settled on the boar roasting over the fire. “Ah, so that’s where it was coming from.” His voice was a low rumble that sent a shiver down Katsuki’s spine.
“Leave!” Katsuki shouted at him. He hoped he could remedy the situation without losing his head.
Those red eyes snapped from the campfire to Katsuki, looking him up and down. There was something unreadable in the way he examined him, and the dragon king took a step forward. Katsuki stepped back, poised for battle. “Is this your meat?” asked the dragon king.
Katsuki nodded slowly.
The dragon king’s stomach rumbled. “I would like some.”
“I’m not giving you my food.” He’d worked too hard to kill that boar, planning to sell part of it when he reached the closest village.
“I could take it myself,” said the dragon king. There was something deadly in the look he gave Katsuki. Those eyes said, “share with me or I will take it myself.” Katsuki’s life would surely be taken along with the boar if he continued to protest.
“Fine.” Katsuki relented, not wanting this to be his last day on earth. He moved aside, watching as the dragon king made his way over to the fire.
He had large hands with long talons for nails. Just from a glance, they were at least double the size of Katsuki’s hands, maybe larger. The dragon king didn’t bother using a knife. He raked his nails across the tender flesh of the boar, cutting a slab of meat loose. He used no utensils, and the heat must not have bothered him, as the dragon king held the meat with his bare hands, tearing into it with his pointed teeth. Red scales peppered his arms, legs, and chest, fanning out across his body like freckles kissed by the sun. Massive black horns protruded from his forehead, and his hair was tied loosely to the side in a braid. He was scantily dressed, but the rich red fabrics he wore around his hips and shoulders were of high quality. With those red scales of his, armor was of little use.
He was beautiful, breathtaking even. The artist renditions Katsuki had seen over the years across the continent did not do him justice. They were crude in nature, and it was clear none of them had ever seen the dragon king up close. The ones that had never came away with their life intact. The gold that adorned his shoulders, hips, and ankles shined against his tanned skin. How could someone known for being bathed in blood be so beautiful? The red loincloth at his hips hung from a golden hoop around his waist, dipping so low it barely concealed his cock below. His hip flexors peeked out from beneath, drawing the eyes south.
“Your meat is delicious. What did you season it with?” asked the dragon king.
Katsuki quirked a brow, eyeing him suspiciously, wary of the casual conversation. “Some herbs from the neighboring kingdom. I always keep them on me.” He always stocked up on the seasoning, never going anywhere in his travels without them. His hand was still on the hilt of the blade, though he relaxed just a little. For now, it seemed the dragon king was not out for blood. That didn’t mean he could fully let his guard down, though.
He stared at Katsuki the entire time he ate. Juice from the meat dripped down his chiseled chin, and he licked it away with his long tongue. His gaze fell to the abandoned dish on the ground, and he nodded to it. “Are you going to finish that?”
Katsuki followed his gaze and scowled. He relinquished his grip on the blade to reach for the plate, being careful to keep his eyes on the dragon king the entire time he did so. They were several paces apart, but given the intruder’s large stature, he could clear the distance in the blink of an eye. He was now regretting having strayed so far from the safety of the Todoroki family’s kingdom, but their king Enji was equally ruthless. So much so, that the queen hadn’t left her bed chambers in more than a decade and the crowned prince abdicated his birthright. Katsuki felt pity for the youngest prince Shouto, whom he had grown close to over the last few years, but his melancholy attitude always grated on Katsuki’s nerves.
He should have listened to Shouto. If he had, he wouldn’t be alone in the woods with the deadliest person on the continent. Katsuki loved a good fight, thrived off of it even, but even he knew this was one fight he would not win. Despite his casual behavior, the dragon king radiated power. Katsuki’s magic did not come close to it. Hesitantly, he began to eat his food once more.
“What is your name?” asked the dragon king in a low rumble.
“What do you care?”
Crimson eyes narrowed at him, and Katsuki gulped. “I asked you a question.”
“Katsuki.”
The dragon king hummed, looking satisfied with the answer. “You’re a magic wielder?”
Katsuki cocked a brow. “How can you tell?”
“You smell of magic. What kind?”
He really didn’t want to answer. Sharing his strengths with the enemy would make it easier for them to figure out his weaknesses, but something told Katsuki he had no other choice. “Primarily fire magic, though I am proficient in most other forms.”
“Hm.”
The dragon king licked his fingers clean, his long tongue snaking around each digit, then wiped his hands on the blood red loincloth. As he rose to his full height once more, his thigh slid between the open ends of the fabric, and he towered over Katsuki by at least three feet. Katsuki gulped and dropped the plate on the ground as the dragon king strode over to him. One of his large fingers came to rest below Katsuki’s chin, forcing him to look up into those fierce crimson eyes.
“I’ve been in search of something for a while, and I believe I have finally found what I was looking for.”
“Boar?” asked Katsuki with a glare.
A smirk tugged at the corner of the dragon king’s lips. “No. I can feast on boar whenever I please.” He ran his thumb over Katsuki’s lips, sending a shiver down his spine. “What I seek, I need alive.”
“What does that have to do with me?” asked Katsuki, his voice barely louder than a whisper. Blood pounded in his ears as fight or flight instincts screamed for him to run.
“You are bathed in the warmth of the sun and filled with power. I shall take you as my consort.”
“Excuse me?” Katsuki choked in disbelief. “The fuck you will.” Some of his initial vigor had returned and he would rather fight than give himself up like that.
The dragon king nodded, looking satisfied with his decision. “Yes. You are a fine beauty and will make the perfect bride.”
“I’m not going to be your fucking bride or consort or whatever else!” Katsuki tried to push away from him, but the large hand that had been lifting his chin locked onto his jaw firmly and the dragon king’s other hand wrapped around both of Katsuki’s wrists, keeping him from fleeing.
“You have fire in you, Katsuki. You are perfect.”
He would like to have fire out of him, preferably in the asshole’s face. The fucker wouldn’t listen. With his hands restrained, Katsuki attempted to kick the dragon king to free himself but was hoisted over the man’s shoulder with ease. Large wings beat against the air and then they were off the ground. One arm was wrapped firmly around his waist to keep him in place as the green grass of the forest floor grew further and further away from him. Shit. He couldn’t let himself just be captured. Katsuki was already in enemy territory, if he was taken to the castle, who knew what would happen to him.
“Let me go!” Katsuki flailed, kicking and punching at the dragon’s back to no avail. How could he let himself be captured so easily by a monster such as the dragon king? A spell! He needed to use a spell, but if he wasn’t careful, he could go plummeting to his death. Katsuki started quietly whispering an incantation, his hands pressed firmly against the dragon king’s back. Sparks shot out of his hands, aimed directly at the skin beneath his palms.
The dragon king shuddered, then beat his wings harder. “Tickles,” he said, and tightened his grip around Katsuki’s waist. “Do not do anything reckless, lest you risk me dropping you.” But that’s exactly what Katsuki wanted. “You shall come with me to my horde. It is the finest in all the land. I am sure you will not be disappointed.”
“I don’t want to go to your fucking horde! I want to go back to my camp where all my stuff is.”
“Those are useless things. I have many things in my castle.”
“Fuck you!”
“I intend to,” the dragon king growled loudly against Katsuki’s hip. “You shall be my consort and bear my offspring.”
Katsuki’s eyes shot up through his eyebrows. “Are you fucking blind? I’m not a woman! I can’t bear offspring.”
The dragon king hummed again. Katsuki was already fed up with that hum. “That’s fine. I need not an heir as long as I have you as my bride.”
Katsuki was seething, but before he could do anything else, they were descending. He hadn’t realized just how close he had been to the capital. Large walls surrounded a bustling city, and in the center stood a massive castle. It was even larger than the one that belonged to the Todoroki family.
They landed atop one of the many high towers on the castle and the dragon king folded in his wings. However, he did not let Katsuki down from his shoulder.
(Character concept sketch of Dragon King Eijirou)