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The rotor of the helicopter was deafening even through his headphones as Soap sat in his seat. He was fully geared up, his team aiming to tackle a rogue military group on the far side of the country. They were crossing over a mountain range, the wind and snow billowing harshly past them. An unexpected blizzard slowed them down.
"Snow's not lookin' good for us, boys. Might have to do an emergency landing. We can barely see." The pilot said. Soap's gaze flickered toward the small window on the side, unease crawling in his chest at the completely white scenery that greeted him in return.
All he got to hear was a loud "Fuck—!" before a thunderous boom rocked the vehicle. Soap and the other soldiers slammed forward at the impact, pain ricocheting up his shoulder.
"Crashed into the fuckin' mountain, you idiot!" He heard the co-pilot yell, ice filling his veins as the alarm systems started blaring. His stomach swooped as they fell, smoke billowing out from the helicopter like a campfire.
Soap couldn't comprehend much of what occurred next. They collided into the mountain, everything going up in flames and smoke. Pain rippled through his skull, another wave of agony cascading over his body before suddenly everything went cold.
A few minutes passed as he tried to orient himself, unable to hear anything but the crackling of flames. He weakly called out into his comms, hearing nothing but radio silence.
The helicopter had ejected him, the wreckage sitting several feet away. It was probably the only reason he was alive and not crushed under the weight of all that metal. He tried desperately to contact any of his team, looking for any movement or sound, but came up empty.
Curling his fingers into fists, he cursed under his breath. There was nothing out here other than snow and trees, the frosty wind biting at his skin painfully. If he didn't find shelter and supplies, he would die.
After a few minutes of wracking his brain, he heard an insistent clicking noise in the distance. His neck craned toward the source of the sound curiously. Was it one of his teammates?
Against his better judgment, he limped towards the noise, leg burning with pain as he struggled to make his way through the thick snow. Peeking around a tree, his gaze met a large figure, eyes widening as he quickly realized this was not one of his teammates.
What stood before him was a tall, humanoid creature, black and white inky splotches patterned all over its body. Bright, golden eyes stared back at him, dark ridged horns sprouting from the top of its head, flanking the shock of blond curls between them. Clawed hands rested at its sides, and most of all, behind it had two massive black wings, half stretched out as if ready for an attack at any moment.
A dragon hybrid.
🐲
Ghost had noticed the helicopter making its way through the mountain range as soon as it entered his territory. It was hard not to, with how damn loud the rotors were. Normally, he had no issue as long as they passed over the mountain range quickly. He had tracked it silently, watching as it collided with the mountain, crashed, and burned.
He also noticed a little human tumble out of the vehicle just before it crashed, and he couldn't tear his eyes away. He had never encountered a human in the flesh before, just knew about their species distantly.
This one was resilient. The man had popped back up quickly despite clearly being injured, looking around for his teammates, presumably. Ghost couldn't help but be drawn to the man. He was quite cute, all bundled up in his various skins and head coverings. Clicking vocalizations automatically left his throat, the dragon-hybrid thoroughly intrigued.
When their gazes met, the world stood still for a moment, tension hanging thick in the air as both species assessed each other.
"What d'ye want?" Soap hedged, hand resting on his gun.
Oh, an accent. Ghost rumbled in contentment, causing the human to stiffen. He liked the way the words rolled over the man's tongue.
"You'll die out here." Ghost spoke, "There are some caves slightly north, if you know where to look. Could take you."
"Gonna eat me?"
"If I wanted to, I would've done so already." Ghost said in amusement, turning around with a flick of his tail.
Soap stared, wide eyed, at the bulk and size of the creature. The dragon was quickly increasing distance between them, his figure already starting to be obscured with the battering of snow. Blinking rapidly, Soap quickly followed suit. The dragon was right, this was the lesser of two evils. He either chanced surviving with him, or definitely die out here in the blizzard.
As soon as they entered the cave, Soap felt a rush of warm air wash over him, causing him to breathe a sigh of relief as he tried to shake the snow off his boots and coat. His cheeks were blotted pink from the cold, snow clinging to his eyelashes.
Taking in the scene before him, he quickly noticed that the cave was not empty. Much further in, an opening was covered by a curtain of old pelts, one that parted easily as the dragon walked through, Soap soon following behind.
Past the pelt curtain was a cozy looking den filled with soft furs as well as a collection of sharpened tools in the corner. As soon as he stepped inside, a soothing scent washed over Soap, making his inner omega preen. He figured it was the dragon's scent from the way the he moved around the space with ease.
"Your house?" Soap asked, gaze scanning the surroundings curiously. A couple of glowing stones illuminated the room in a soft light. Just enough for Soap to be able to see.
"My den, yes."
"'S nice," The Scot murmured, "What do I call ye?"
"Ghost."
"Ghost…" He echoed, clearing his throat, "I'm Soap. Appreciate ye savin' me out there."
The dragon sent him a nod, gesturing to a large rock, "Sit. I'll check your leg."
Ah, right. The throbbing pain had turned into a dull ache, but the sudden attention to the injury made it feel ten times worse. Soap hobbled over to the rock, sitting down with a wince as all his muscles screamed in protest.
The clawed hands he had seen earlier on Ghost were now dull, regular looking fingers. Soap blinked, making sure he wasn't seeing things. They must be retractable.
His breath hitched as Ghost knelt down, fingers gently taking off his boots before pulling the pant leg up to reveal his skin underneath.
As the dragon went about his examination, Soap couldn't stop staring at his face. A tingle of shame appeared in his chest, wondering why he was so drawn to a creature that wasn't even human, but at the same time, Ghost was beautiful.
Pale eyelashes framed soft looking eyes, the colour now a cozy brown instead of the blazing gold he saw earlier. High cheekbones and a pointed, crooked nose with a deep set brow. Soap loved how big he was, towering over Soap himself, and yet he handled the Scot so gently.
"Ow! Fuck—" Soap hissed as Ghost pressed on a sore spot, trying to yank his leg back. The dragon's fingers gently felt around the injured area before standing up.
"Thankfully, I think it's just a sprain. It'll heal."
Soap breathed out a sigh of relief as the dragon moved away, taking the few seconds to glance around once more.
"Ye live alone?"
"Mostly." Ghost replied, returning with some sort of herbal concoction that he slathered all over Soap's leg, methodically wrapping it up in some bandages and a makeshift splint.
"Mostly?"
"I sleep alone. My horde is around the mountains."
"There's more of ye?"
"Of course."
Over the next while, Soap got to know a little more about Ghost. He learned the man lived alone because he preferred the solitude and quiet. He and his horde often hunted together and gathered throughout the day to socialize.
"Why are you helping me?" Soap murmured, sitting on the rock. He was bundled in furs, courtesy of Ghost, having taken off his wet outer clothes to leave them to dry.
Ghost shrugged, back turned to Soap as he rummaged around in the corner, "Keeps life interesting."
The dragon offered him a bundle of dried fruit, nudging him to eat. Soap took it gratefully, stomach starting to rumble as his hunger made itself known. An amicable silence filled the air, the omega unable to stop taking peeks at the dragon as the creature puttered around his den. Furs were stacked on top of each other, making a small, makeshift bed that the human could sleep on. Ghost's bed was clearly on the other side, much larger and well-decorated with all sorts of soft-looking materials.
As Soap finished what would likely be his dinner, he couldn't stop his mind from thinking about how kind Ghost was being. The dragon clearly demonstrated how easily he could provide for Soap, fixing him up and taking care of him here.
He'd make a good mate. His mind supplied, making Soap jolt and shake the thought away. He was a dragon, for fuck's sake. A very handsome one, but that was besides the point. Soap barely knew him, and it was certainly no time to be thinking about a potential mate when he wasn't sure how long his stay was welcome.
🐲
As the days passed by, Soap mostly stayed in Ghost's den, resting his leg and getting to know him a bit more.
Ghost was a man of few words, but his actions carried out the rest. He made sure Soap was comfortable, bringing him water and food, making sure he was warm, and that his leg was healing up nicely. It made Soap feel like a bit of a blushing maiden with how Ghost seemed to dote on him. He couldn't deny that in such a short time, he had become besotted.
The blizzard had finally calmed down, and soon enough Soap felt antsy being cooped up in the den all day. It didn't help that he was feeling entirely useless since he was injured.
"My leg's fine, Ghost. I can put weight on it." Soap assured as he put on his coat. The blond watched him carefully, hovering nearby as if ready to catch Soap if he fell.
"Startin' to think you're keepin' me like one 'o your hoard items." The Scot continued.
Ghost rolled his eyes, stepping closer, "Don't re-injure yourself, Soap. A bad leg is one thing. A bad leg in a meter of snow is another."
"Then you'll just have to clear a path fer me, aye?" He teased, grinning cheekily. The dragon huffed in poorly concealed amusement, relenting as he waited for Soap to follow after him into the snow.
"I'll take you to meet the others, how's that sound?" Ghost offered, turning back to see Soap squinting as the freezing air touched his cheeks.
"Oh aye, that'd be swell. As long as they don't eat me."
"No promises."
Soap let out a breathy laugh as he walked through the snow, grateful that Ghost was big enough to clear a decent trail behind him. The trek was certainly longer than normal, but between the smart quips and the shitty puns they shared, Soap didn't find himself minding the extra time.
Ghost scanned the horizon ahead, throat rumbling with a low sound before making a few clicking noises, ears perked as he faintly heard a few clicks respond in the distance.
Eventually, they reached a clearing, the frozen grass and dirt revealed to their eyes where the snow had been cleared. Two dragon-hybrids waited for them, both equally large and imposing.
Soap's eyes widened a tad as their hard gazes locked onto him. A prickle of apprehension trickled down his body at the distrust in their gazes, but he hoped that with Ghost here, he wouldn't be torn to shreds.
The taller of the two had short brown hair, full facial hair, and a gnarled set of horns in a deep maroon. His wings were a dark, blood red with scarring in various places.
The other dragon had short, cropped curly hair, his horns a stunning indigo blue. His wings matched the colour nicely, eyes flashing gold for a second as Soap and Ghost approached.
"Soap, this is Price, our leader," Ghost gestured to the red dragon, "and Gaz." then the blue one.
"You brought a human here?" Gaz hissed, claws out as he glared at Soap.
"What's the matter?"
Price shot Soap a look before he stepped close to Ghost, lowering his voice, "Humans domesticate everything they touch, lad. They get everything under their thumb. Animals, mechanics, plants, you name it. They can make dangerous weapons out of nothing. A few well placed chemicals and metals turn into a bomb or a gun. Bloody dangerous, these bastards."
Ghost turned to look at Soap incredulously. He couldn't quite fathom Soap being the monster that Price was describing. He lacked anything that looked remotely dangerous. No claws, sharp teeth, horns, or bright warning colours.
Upon following Ghost's gaze, Price continued, "They don't look it, aye? That's because their natural weapons aren't physical. What's dangerous is their mind. Don't let him charm you, Simon."
The omega held his hands up in surrender, "Not gonna hurt you lot. Got nothin' to use anyway. Lost it all in the crash. The gun I had on me is in Ghost's den."
"You let him into your den?" Gaz asked in disbelief, "With a gun?"
"He's been harmless so far. He's injured." Ghost argued.
Price snorted, shaking his head, "I know it seems so, but just be careful, hm? Gaz 'n I have had some not-so-friendly encounters with humans before. Hunted us. Tried to kill for no reason."
"You can take my gun, if that helps." Soap cleared his throat, "I really don't mean any harm. Ghost saved me. Would've died out there otherwise."
There was a long, tense stretch of silence before Gaz crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing Soap thoughtfully as he sent him a half-smile, "We're lettin' you stay for now, but you're on thin ice."
"I'll be sure not to break it." Soap grinned, looking around, "Do you all live in separate dens?"
"Personal preference." Gaz shrugged, "Some of us like being alone. Some of us don't mind sharing."
"Ah, so Ghost's one 'o the ones who like bein' alone, aye?"
"He doesn't seem to mind sharing with you." Price muttered under his breath, causing Ghost to narrow his eyes at him. The two older dragons stared at each other, some sort of silent conversation passing between them.
Soap seemed oblivious to it all, talking more to Gaz about living in the snowy mountains.
"You lot don't have farms 'n such? How do you eat?"
"We hunt." Gaz scoffed, "Usually mountain goat, but we eat berries and other things too. Not too much grows out here on the mountains, if you couldn't tell."
As Soap and Gaz delved more into conversation, Ghost couldn't help but simply admire the man. He couldn't get over the way his entire face seemed to light up when he laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners. He was so personable, drawing smiles from Gaz easily, and as the conversation went on, Price had an amused look on his face a couple times too. He was so charming, you couldn't quite help but be drawn to him.
Maybe that's why Price said humans were dangerous.
🐲
Following that first meeting, Soap got acquainted with a couple more members of the horde. He stuck with Ghost for most of the day, and when the dragon went out to hunt or do other things, he would stay in Ghost's den, doing small errands like cleaning or organizing. On occasion, he would indulge in sketching or writing things in his little pocket journal that survived the crash.
The sound of shuffling near the entrance drew his attention, looking up before closing his journal and setting it to the side. Approaching the entrance, it was only another second before the pelt curtains parted, revealing Ghost dragging in a big, dead mountain goat.
"Bleedin' Jesus." Soap murmured as Ghost let the animal fall with a 'thump' onto the ground.
"Breakfast." Ghost said gruffly, making his way to the back to grab a knife. Soap grabbed one of his own, and together the two of them helped to prepare the meat cuts that would be shared amongst the rest of the horde.
Soap loved hearing the excited chitters from the other dragons when they hauled in food to the main camp. The younger hatchlings would chirp and click in anticipation, eagerly circling Soap and Ghost as they brought food to the center.
"Good work, lads." Price praised, working on helping to distribute food to the others.
"You gotta show me how ye catch these one day." Soap said to Ghost. The older dragon looked at him, a soft smile on his face.
"Next time. How's your leg?"
"Pretty much good as new." Soap grinned, his breath fogging up in the cold air, "I can come on one of yer hunts."
Ghost chuckled, "Bit hard when you're missin' wings."
"I'll watch from the ground, then."
The following week, Ghost finally invited Soap out to see how they hunt. The two of them trudged through the snowy forests heading down the mountain, Soap's nose already tinged red from the cold.
"Can't do much from the ground. It's better to get a bird's eye view." Ghost said, flaring his wings out.
Soap watched, wide-eyed in fascination as he took in the grand expanse of Ghost's wings. A rush of wind battered his face as Ghost took off, soaring high into the sky.
It was a strange feeling to watch such a huge creature circle above him, knowing Ghost was scanning over the area with his sharp eyes.
After a few moments, Ghost returned to the ground gracefully, tucking his wings back close to his body.
"Bloody beautiful, Ghost." The omega breathed, staring up at him reverently.
Ghost smiled, warmth blooming in his chest at the way Soap's eyes seemed to sparkle, icy blue eyes wide and earnest.
"Your turn."
"My tu—? AH!" Soap let out a yelp as he was scooped up in Ghost's arms, the dragon flaring out his wings again as they took off into the sky.
Soap let out a delighted yell as he saw the treetops below him, feeling weightless in Ghost's arms. He wasn't a small man by any means, his body muscular and stocky from his time in the army, but the blond carried him around like he weighed nothing.
Even the bite of the bitter wind felt like playful nips against his skin as he lay tucked in the dragon's warm arms, laughing with glee as Ghost swooped around the trees and the mountain range. He could feel the gentle vibration of Ghost chuckling against his back, and being enveloped in the dragon's soothing scent did wonders for any nerves he had.
Eventually, they landed gently on the ground, Soap regaining his footing in the snow. He felt breathless with exhilaration as he looked around, sucking in lungfuls of frigid air.
"A right bleedin' menace ye are, Ghost. What if I were scared 'o heights?" He grinned, whirling around to face the dragon.
"I give you a once in a lifetime experience, and this is your reaction?" Ghost teased, "As for the height thing, I think I would've figured that out pretty quickly."
Soap let out a laugh, punching Ghost in the shoulder affectionately, "Aye, thanks. That was pretty spectacular."
"I'm glad."
"You can…" Soap hesitated for a moment before deciding to go for it, "You can call me John, if ye like. Soap's my call-sign in the military. John's my real name."
"How about Johnny?"
"J—" The omega's breath stuttered in his throat as he blinked. His cheeks flushed with warmth at the way the syllables rolled over Ghost's tongue, low and husky and sultry.
Fuck, he had never heard someone refer to him with that nickname and leave him so flustered.
"Y-yeah. That's good too." He squeaked out.
"Good. You can call me Simon."
"Simon? Is that yer human name?"
"That's my birth name." Ghost snorted, "Ghost is just a nickname."
"Ah, right," Soap said sheepishly, "Simon… I like that. Suits you."
Ghost's lips pulled back into a smile, revealing a snaggletooth that Soap hadn't noticed before. Jesus. This man couldn't get any more handsome.
As they made their way back to the den to let Soap warm up again, the Scot couldn't stop his heart from racing.
He just realized how fucking gone he was for this dragon.
🐲
With the realization of his (not so) little crush, Soap's instincts started to go haywire.
His inner omega preened any time Ghost did something for him, whether that be bringing him gifts from his hunt or complimenting him in some way. When the dragon was out, he couldn't quite resist digging into the laundry pile, shoving his nose into Ghost's worn clothes and inhaling his heavenly scent. It made him feel like he was on cloud nine, especially when he sprawled out over the furs of his bed, lingering with Ghost's smell from where the dragon had gifted them to him.
His body ached for more contact with him, even just simple touches here and there. However, he knew Ghost wasn't a touchy person, so he forced himself to refrain, even if his inner omega was whining and whimpering inside.
One night, Soap woke up in a jolt from a loud wail, watching with wide eyes as Ghost shot up from his bed, turning his head to make eye contact with him.
"What's that?" The Scot asked, tugging the furs a little tighter around his body.
"One 'o the others sounding an alarm. Stay here." Ghost rumbled, voice a few notes deeper with sleep.
Soap's gaze tracked Ghost's large form as the dragon slunk out of bed, grabbing a jacket before heading out into the freezing night air.
He waited initially, but as the seconds ticked by, all he could think of was if Ghost was in danger by going out there. An alarm surely meant something bad was happening, and he couldn't bear the thought of Ghost getting hurt.
He was an SAS soldier, for fuck's sake. If it came down to it, he was sure he could protect Ghost.
Swiftly, he got up, tugging on his boots and winter gear and tucking his gun into his waistband before trudging out into the snow, following the path that Ghost had left behind.
The path led him to the horde's main camp, where a cluster of dragons were gathered around. Low, urgent murmurs filled the air.
Soap sidled up to Ghost, making the dragon turn his head and meet his gaze. His eyes flashed gold as he reached out to grab Soap's shoulder harshly, tugging him in close to his body.
"Johnny, what the fuck? I told you to stay in the den."
"Got worried." He mumbled from where he was practically tucked under Ghost's wing. A couple of other dragons shot him curious glances, but didn't linger as Price cleared his throat, scanning the crowd.
"One of our hatchlings, Ophelia, has gone missing. We don't know how long, but she was in her mum's den when they fell asleep. Considering no one's seen her come out, we've got about four hours unaccounted for."
"How'd the watch guards not see her?" One of the other dragons hissed.
"Let's not blame, yeah? She's small. Sometimes things slip by." Price placated, "We're sending out four search parties. North, East, South, West. We'll find her. Let's go."
Soap stubbornly stuck by Ghost's side as the dragons were all split up, rushing back to their den and packing some additional items in a small backpack. He followed the blond as they made their way East, splitting up from the others to cover more ground. Over the horizon, the barest bits of sun rays were just starting to peek through. Dawn was approaching.
No matter how hard Ghost tried to convince Soap to return to their den, the Scot refused to budge. Ghost had half a mind to just pick him up and fly him back, but he figured that would only ignite Soap's stubborn anger even more.
They were out there for a long time, the sun now reaching the tops of the trees as they trudged through deep set snow. Ghost was starting to get worried, knowing that Soap must be getting cold with the way his body shivered.
"Soap. Let's head back. Maybe they've found her already." Ghost suggested, following the man as he walked deeper into the forest, "Johnny, you'll freeze out here."
"We're close, Simon. There's a small trail."
Indeed, a small trail of indentations lay in the snow, Ghost's eyes flashing as he strode forward. Now, Soap was able to follow the cleared path, giving his aching legs a little bit of a breather.
They found the hatchling curled up by a tree, wings wrapped around her like a makeshift blanket.
"Hey, hey," Soap cooed, voice soft, "Ophelia, is it? We're here. Let's bring ye back to your mum."
Slowly, she uncurled herself, trembling from cold. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, and Soap wasted no time digging into his bag to wrap a blanket around her.
"Y'alright, lass?" Soap murmured, unzipping his coat and tucking her close to his body to glean warmth off him. She nodded into his chest, brown hair soaking wet from the snow.
Ghost watched the way Soap comforted Ophelia, his heart aching with emotion. He was so sweet and gentle, a sharp contrast to the boisterous, loud first impressions he had with the rest of the horde.
It really was admirable how he refused to give up searching for a kid that he barely knew, instantly protecting her as if she were his own.
Ghost idly wondered if Soap would ever want kids one day.
"Simon, we gotta head back quick. She's turning blue."
"Come 'ere. I'll fly us back. Just hold on tight to her."
With Soap gripping Ophelia tight to his chest and Ghost carrying Soap, the dragon took off, flying quickly back to their home.
"You found her!" One of the dragons exclaimed, rushing forward as they landed. Soap presumed she was the mother, for she wasted no time grabbing Ophelia from his arms, tucking her close and murmuring quiet reassurances into the hatchling's hair.
"Thank you." She sobbed, looking up at the both of them.
"It was all Soap's doing. He spotted a small trail in the snow. Wouldn't have been able to see it flying overhead." Ghost spoke, surprising Soap.
The omega turned to look at him, "Ghost flew us back. She would've frozen otherwise."
"Good work boys." Price nodded, patting Ghost's shoulder, "We'll call in the rest of the search parties. And Soap," He sent the omega a small smile, "Thank you."
The Scot felt his chest puff out in pride, watching as Ophelia was ushered back into her den to warm up. As the other dragons began to dissipate, he felt Ghost shift next to him.
"C'mon, Johnny. Let's head back. Warm you up."
"Been thinkin'," Soap murmured as they reached the den, feeling relieved at the rush of warmth that cascaded over him, "Ye don't really need to wear much even though it's freezing out there, but Ophelia was damn near frozen. What's up with that?"
"We run hot since we can breathe fire 'n all," Ghost explained, tugging off his single outer jacket, "We still need some clothes considerin' how bloody cold it is, but generally the adults take it better than the hatchlings do."
Soap hummed, gaze dragging over Ghost's body as he sat on a rock, toed off his boots, and took off his thick jacket. He wiggled his toes, trying to get some blood back in them, "Ye run hot, aye? Bet I'd warm up a lot faster under your wing."
It was a joke, but Ghost seemed to take it seriously, padding over until he stood over Soap, making the human crane his neck up to look at him.
"Come and find out."
Heat flamed Soap's face, mouth parted slightly as he tried to figure out if the dragon was taking the piss. Gingerly, he stood, letting Ghost tug him back to the dragon's bed.
All that the omega could smell was the thick, heady scent of Ghost. He only wore a sweater and some comfortable pants, but tucked into Ghost's chest and snuggled against the soft furs, Soap could already feel himself warming up.
"You're a furnace, Simon." Soap sighed in contentment, unable to resist burying his head into the crook of Ghost's arm. The dragon grinned, resting his chin on top of Soap's head and breathing in the omega's sweet smell.
They delved into a comfortable silence, Soap closing his eyes and letting his thoughts wander.
Inside, he wondered what he was going to do now. Realistically, he was healed up, and he could very well ask Ghost to drop him off somewhere to contact his branch and head back to human civilization. However, he soon realized a few things:
1) If they caught wind of Ghost and his horde (which they would, considering it would be essentially impossible for Soap to survive out here for so long with nothing), the government would definitely send out people to study or capture them, treating them like animals, freaks, or monsters. If that happened, Price and Gaz would only be correct about their initial assumptions of Soap, and he didn't want to betray their trust like that.
2) He didn't have much going for him back on base anyway. His family was estranged from him, a good chunk of them dead. Sure, there were a few squad mates that he would miss, but most of the ones he spent his time with had died in that helicopter. Plus, with how well he was currently fitting into the horde, he didn't think friends would be much of an issue.
3) Ghost never mentioned him leaving. The dragon seemed content to let him stay as long as he liked, but he couldn't just straight up assume it to be true. Ideally, he would like to stay with the horde. With Ghost. But he needed to make sure that Ghost actually wanted him here, and wasn't just staying quiet out of courtesy.
Well, he could do that after his nap. Being tucked in Ghost's warm arms had his eyelids drooping, body falling limp into a doze as the two of them tried to catch up on the few hours of sleep they missed that morning.
🐲
When Soap woke up, all he could think of was how pleasantly cozy he felt, curled up and warm.
He blinked open his eyes, trying to fight the stickiness of sleep as he took in his surroundings.
He found himself practically smothered by Ghost, the dragon's arm and wing stretched out over his body, tucking him in between Ghost and the wall of the den. Soap's lips twitched up into a smile as he watched Ghost's sleeping face, admiring his pretty blond lashes and the scars that dotted his skin.
It was like the dragon could sense him watching, for those brown eyes soon fluttered open, their gazes meeting in the dim light of the den.
"Mornin' Simon." Soap murmured.
"Might not even be morning still." Ghost yawned, sitting up. The two of them got up slowly, puttering around the den and getting a little more ready for the day as they shook themselves out of their sleepy daze.
"I've been thinking…" Soap hedged, mind returning to his thoughts last night, "I guess my leg's all healed up now. Would be able to head back to the city, aye?"
Ghost looked at him, silence stretching out between them. The dragon's heart prickled uncomfortably at the thought of Soap leaving.
"If that's what you want, I'll make arrangements for it."
The detached tone of Ghost's voice rang alarm bells in Soap's brain, and he quickly stepped forward, reaching out to gently grasp the dragon's hand, "Well, no. Honestly, I'd like to stay." He cleared his throat, looking sheepish, "But I didn't want to intrude if you were getting fed up 'o me."
"Of course not, Johnny. I like your company."
Soap's eyes sparkled with happiness as he smiled, "Yeah? Me too, Simon."
"Good," A soft, pleased rumble escaped Ghost's chest, "You're welcome to stay as long as you like with me."
"I'll take ye up on that, if Price lets me."
Ghost's eyes softened, his rough hands brushing tenderly over Soap's own, "He will."
🐲
Soap had gone to Price to broach the subject the following day, his nerves tangled in uncomfortable knots. Ghost suggested it would be better for Soap to do it himself, in case Price was suspicious that it was Ghost's idea to get him to stay.
So Soap took a deep breath, trying to get his hands to stop shaking as he slowly made his way across the dragons' camp, eyes scanning the creatures milling around for the scarlet colour of their leader.
"Price." He called out, weaving his way through numerous other dragons lounging around. The hard, frozen ground crunched under his boots.
"Soap. What can I do for you, lad?" Price asked, eyebrows raised.
"Wanted to ask you something."
"Fire away."
"Been wonderin'… How long would ye let me stay?"
The dragon's gaze flickered around before landing back on Soap, tilting his head inquisitively, "Well… you haven't done anything bad so far, so I don't mind as long as you're willing to pull your weight 'round here. Why?"
Soap went on to explain his predicament and the risks if he went back to human civilization, to which Price nodded in understanding. Soap ended his speech sheepishly adding that he quite liked it here, and that he didn't mind pulling his weight in the areas that he could be of use.
"Sounds solid to me, lad." Price shrugged, "As long as Ghost doesn't mind havin' a permanent roommate, you're fine to stay. The horde's quite in awe of you after helping us find Ophelia. We all thank you for it. I guess I was wrong about humans. You're not all terrible."
Heat rose to Soap's cheeks as he flashed a small smile, "Ah, it's nothing. I'm sure anyone would do the same. Just glad the little lass is safe."
Price chuckled, "Well then, welcome to the horde, Soap."
"Thank you, sir."
🐲
With Soap's formal acceptance into the horde, everything had been a breeze. After saving Ophelia, the other dragons had warmed up to him exponentially, greeting him with warm smiles and inviting him to join activities and discussions during downtime. While he couldn't do certain things like fly or hunt the way the others did, he taught them a few things of his own from SAS training, much to their delight and fascination.
He found his place there, and he was loving it, quite honestly.
Ghost was a huge factor, too.
His crush on the dragon hadn't waned in the slightest. His time here had only shown him how well they worked together. His inner omega preened every time Ghost brought back food for him to eat, noticing the dragon made sure to cook it properly and even flavour it with the few spices and herbs that were available in this region. While dragons had no issue eating their prey raw, Soap's stomach wasn't quite able to handle all that yet.
Their scents had mingled so much that anyone who didn't know them would think they were already mates. It made him purr inside. The very idea of being mated to Ghost had pleasant tingles running down his body, a giddiness blooming in his chest that he could barely contain.
Ghost had provided for him better than any alpha could. Protected him and cared for him in a way that would have Soap asking him to be his mate if he were an alpha.
But he wasn't.
Soap was hesitant to broach the subject because they were different species. He wasn't sure what the customs were surrounding that. He didn't know if Ghost even considered taking him on as a romantic partner since he wasn't a dragon.
God, he wanted to though. They hadn't cuddled together after that night when they had found Ophelia, neither of them sure how to bring it up. Soap missed that warmth and the feeling of being completely enveloped by Ghost's comforting embrace.
"Johnny, lunch." Ghost called to him, his voice breaking Soap out of his yearning. The pelt curtain at the entrance parted around his bulk as the dragon dragged in a cut of meat.
"Awesome. Bloody starvin'." He grinned, making his way over. Ghost had cooked his section of the meat, leaving a raw piece for himself.
"It's got a new herb on it. One of the ones that only sprout for a couple months 'round here. We love it a lot. Gives a lot of flavour." Ghost explained, taking a bite out of his piece. Soap grinned as he sniffed the meat, stomach rumbling in enthusiasm.
They devoured their meal within a few minutes, lounging lazily in the den afterwards as they let their stomachs digest.
A few days passed by, and soon Soap started noticing some… changes.
He felt hungrier, for one. It was like his stomach was a never ending chasm of emptiness. He was also sleepier, wanting to rest more throughout the day.
It all clicked for him when he suddenly felt the strong urge to nest, the current state of his bed not feeling like enough for him.
He was going into pre-heat.
Fuck, this wasn't good. Why was he going into pre-heat now? He had kept a decent track of how time passed here, and he was sure his heat wasn't due for another several months.
His teeth ground together as he sat in his bed, hand brushing over the soft furs that didn't smell enough of Ghost for his liking. Nothing much had changed since he got here.
Except…
That new herb, maybe? He had been eating it regularly recently. It was the only novel thing in his life right now, and Soap knew that changes to diet could impact one's heat or rut cycle, but that was usually minor. Shifting his cycle by months was a bit absurd, but it was the only thing that made sense.
Gnawing on his lip, his gaze scanned the room as he contemplated what to do. He wasn't sure how to navigate an upcoming heat considering he was sharing the den with Ghost.
He had about a week and a half before his heat would arrive, and it was stressing him out.
He really wanted to make a proper nest, one that was saturated in both his and Ghost's scents, but he didn't want to just take Ghost's things and tuck them into his bed, especially since the dragon would notice immediately. Not having a proper nest during his heat would make it a rough one, and Soap was highly unenthused about that prospect.
The biggest issue was Ghost being in the same room. The den didn't have much privacy since it was just one open area. Despite Ghost being the closest thing he'd ever want in an alpha and a mate, he had no idea how to broach the subject before his heat hit. Would Ghost be disgusted if Soap asked him for help? Or should he avoid that risk all together and be asked to move somewhere else temporarily?
Soap didn't think he could live with himself if Ghost found him disgusting after his heat.
🐲
Throughout the week, Ghost noticed some changes in Soap. He was eating more, resting more, and seemed… antsy, like something was constantly bothering him.
The omega hadn't seemed keen on telling Ghost anything about it, though, and the dragon didn't want to push too far and make Soap even more agitated.
It felt oddly familiar to when the other dragons went into their nesting period, which sandwiched breeding season. During this time, they usually wanted to be surrounded by comforting scents, a soft nest, and save their energy.
Ghost had no idea if this was remotely the same, but in an attempt to placate Soap's restlessness, he offered the softest furs he could find, occasionally giving something that was drenched in his scent. He hoped it would at least bring Soap comfort and get him to stop chewing his lips raw and bouncing his legs.
Soap took all his gifts greedily, emitting a soft purr as he tucked them carefully into his bed. It made Ghost smile softly when the omega's back was turned, a pleased feeling settling in his chest as he watched Soap meticulously decorate his sleeping space with Ghost's items.
When a week had passed since the change started, Ghost finally worked up the courage to approach Soap as the omega rearranged his nest. The Scot turned, tilting his head as Ghost sat down on the floor next to him.
"Johnny, I wanted to ask if everything is alright?"
"Why?"
"Well…" Ghost cast a furtive glance at Soap's bed, stacked with the softest items they had, "You've been resting more and going out less. Just wanted to make sure you're okay."
A flush spread out along Soap's cheeks as he looked away. He had to tell Ghost. His heat would hit any day now, and it was better for the dragon to know than be surprised by a lapful of horny, sweaty omega.
"'S my heat." Soap muttered quietly, unable to make eye contact.
Instead of recoiling in disgust like Soap had feared, Ghost simply nodded, murmuring a soft "breeding season" under his breath.
"You've—" Soap swallowed thickly, "You've been takin' really good care of me when I entered pre-heat. How'd ye know what I needed?"
"You've been showing signs similar to our 'nesters' when they get ready for breeding season. Figured if I treated you the same, it'd help."
"It did." Soap's fingers fiddled with the furs in his bed, "Have ye spent a lot of… breeding seasons with the other dragons?"
"No, I just help when they go into their nesting period. It helps to be surrounded by the horde. I leave them alone during breeding season. That's for mates only." Ghost grinned, showing off his fangs. It wasn't meant to be hot at all, but Soap couldn't help the trickle of heat pooling in his gut.
Fuck, Ghost was such a stellar mate.
He shivered as a wave of heat washed over him, pinpricks of sweat appearing along his skin as the area between his legs throbbed with arousal.
Speak of the devil.
He let out a soft groan, hand flying to his abdomen as another pulse of heat wracked his body. It alarmed Ghost, who quickly leaned in, hovering over him anxiously.
"Johnny? What's wrong?"
"Fuck. My heat's here already." Soap panted, suddenly feeling overly warm, "Mm— Ye might want to vacate the area unless ye wanna deal with—"
"Not leavin' you alone," Ghost growled lowly, the vibrations sending a pleasant tingle down the omega's spine.
"Do you want me here, Johnny?" The question was whispered so quietly that Soap barely heard it. He nodded frantically in response, reaching out and pawing all over Ghost's shoulders in an attempt to tug him into the nest.
The dragon fell easily on top of him, nosing under his jaw as he inhaled his sweet, potent scent. He moved his head to look Soap in the eye, the two of them staring for a long moment before Ghost slowly leaned in and kissed him.
Eagerly, Soap cradled the back of the dragon's head, opening his mouth to deepen the kiss.
"Been waitin' too long for this." He whispered against Ghost's lips, drawing a pleased rumble from the blond.
Soap moaned softly as Ghost settled his weight flush against Soap's own, his hard cock pressing against the dragon's hip. Another rush of heat washed over him as he ground his hips up against Ghost. He felt himself start to slick up between his legs as Ghost licked into his mouth, practically devouring him.
"Off." Soap panted, tugging at Ghost's garments. The dragon pulled back to strip, Soap quickly doing the same until they were both naked and pressed against the soft furs of the omega's nest.
Ghost's hands trailed down the Scot's sides, nails slightly pointed and scraping deliciously over his skin until they settled on his upper thighs. He parted Soap's legs gently, nostrils flaring at the sweet, potent scent. The omega was already wet, skin glistening with slick.
He forced himself to take a deep breath, making his fingernails return to their normal, rounded state before skimming his hands down in between Soap's cheeks, drawing a loud, pitiful whine.
"Please, Si." Soap gasped, head lolling back as he felt the barest touch of fingers ghost over his sopping hole. His back arched in pleasure as a finger pressed in, barely meeting any resistance.
"Soaked, Johnny." Ghost mused, adding in a couple more fingers with ease. The omega could only respond with a sob, eyelids fluttering with pleasure as Ghost found his sweet spot.
"Oh, fuck. Yes, please. There." He groaned, hips bucking up into the touch. He squirmed and whimpered as Ghost opened him up, making his pleasure build higher.
"Want to cum for me first, sweetheart?"
"Please."
"Go on, then."
Soap let out a strangled noise as he came, eyes rolling back in his head as pure bliss pulsed through his body. His hole fluttered around Ghost's fingers, squeezing him tight as his cock spilled cum all over his abdomen.
The dragon let out a shuddery breath, heat throbbing low in his own gut as he watched the arch of Soap's body.
"Need you." The omega mumbled as he came down from his high. He pawed uselessly at Ghost's arms, whining about feeling empty and aching inside. Ghost groaned in response, shuffling himself so that his straining cock brushed against Soap's hole.
As soon as he felt the touch of that blunt tip, the omega went wild, squirming in place as he locked his legs around Ghost's hips, the fur below him becoming flattened with slick and sweat.
They both moaned in unison as Ghost slowly slid in, the textured ridges on his dick making Soap's eyes cross in pleasure. Fuck, he had never gotten a proper look at Ghost's cock before, but feeling it rub against his walls was heaven.
Ghost took it slow at first, but quickly picked up the pace at Soap's insistent whines for more.
"Feel so good, alpha." Soap whined, lips parted slightly, "Please, please— oh, fuck."
"Yeah? Right here?" Ghost grinned as he felt something bump against his cock. Each time he pressed against it, Soap keened loudly, back arching lewdly as his hands scrabbled for purchase against anything they could find.
"Yes!" Soap gasped wetly, clenching around Ghost. The dragon moaned in response, repositioning his legs so he could hike Soap's hips higher. His eyes flashed gold as he growled, his own cock pulsing with arousal as he pounded even deeper inside the omega.
Soap was reduced to a wailing, whimpering mess underneath Ghost. His mohawk was all mussed up, face red with tears pooling at his eyes with how turned on he was.
"Wanna feel you cum around me." Ghost purred next to Soap's ear, causing the omega to clench in anticipation, "Love the way you smell. So fuckin' sweet."
Soap felt his dick twitch as Ghost licked a stripe over his mating gland, a shiver wracking his body. God, he wanted the blond to bite him there so badly, but he had no idea if it would take.
A sneaky hand slid up his chest, fingers pinching at his nipples and drawing a startled noise from Soap. He groaned, rocking his hips back into Ghost's as the dragon's hand trailed back down to his hardening cock.
"Ah— ah— haah—" Soap trembled at a particularly firm press against his prostate, body strung taut as a rush of pleasure rocketed through him. In response, Ghost dug his thumbs meanly into the meat of the omega's hips.
Soap felt that telltale feeling build in his gut again, panting and squirming against the furs below him as his thighs clamped down firmly around Ghost's waist. He tensed his muscles, wanting the dragon even deeper inside him as he felt his impending orgasm barrel closer.
"Simon!" Soap sobbed as he came, hips twitching as he spilled ropes of cum between them. His fingers clawed uselessly at the furs, back arching as his hips twitched and bucked with the intense pleasure that wracked his body.
Ghost let out a low snarl of his own as he felt the hot, wet heat of Soap's hole clench rhythmically around him, driving his hips faster for a few more moments before he let out a guttural noise, spilling inside of the omega.
His cock pulsed with each additional spurt of cum, the grinding of his hips making Soap sob as the texture of his dick stimulated Soap's walls in their hypersensitive state.
"Good boy, Johnny." Ghost murmured, pressing soft, tender kisses to Soap's temple. The omega shuddered as he came down from his blissful high, skin feeling tacky and sweaty as his body tried to recover from the most intense orgasm of his life.
As he lay underneath Ghost's welcome weight, his body emitted a soft purr of content, the gentle rumbling causing warmth to bloom in the dragon's chest as well.
"Thank you, Simon." He murmured sleepily, body temporarily sated.
"Of course, Johnny. How long is your heat?"
"About three or four days."
Ghost nodded, shifting and tucking more warm furs around the omega, "I'm going to go get food, okay? I'll be back soon."
Soap grumbled in protest, wrapping his arms around Ghost tighter.
"I'll be back before you know it, sweetheart." Ghost promised, thumb stroking Soap's hair gently, "Get some rest."
Reluctantly, Soap let his arms slacken around Ghost, burrowing his nose into the nest and inhaling the shared scent of their sweat and cum. The dragon slowly pulled out of Soap, the omega letting out a disappointed whine as he felt empty inside, Ghost's spend slowly trickling out.
Ghost pressed a gentle kiss to his temple before getting up and tugging on some clothes before swiftly exiting their den. He made his way through the campgrounds, breath fogging in the air from the contrast in temperature.
"Price." He poked his head near the dragon's den, hearing some shuffling before the leader emerged.
"What is it, Simon?"
"Soap's entered his heat. It's like our breeding season," He explained, "I'm going to help him through it, but he's going to need quite a bit of care and attention."
"Gotcha. I take it you'll be off-duty from hunting for a few days. How long is his breeding period?"
"Three to four days."
"Alright. Let us know if there's anything he needs." Price paused for a moment before levelling Ghost with a curious look, "Are you two… mates?"
Ghost hesitated, "I'm not sure yet."
"Well. Tell me when you figure it out. Maybe we'll have little ones running around soon."
The blond laughed, "Doubt it. Not sure if it's even possible."
"I guess we'll see." Price chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest, "Take care, yeah?"
Ghost nodded before leaving to pick up food. He grabbed enough to last so he wouldn't have to continuously leave the den to get more. He was sure Soap wouldn't appreciate that much.
Soap seemed to be in a light doze when Ghost returned, but quickly awoke as Ghost moved further in. The omega opened his eyes sleepily, purring loudly as Ghost approached, offering some food for him to eat.
After eating and napping for a few more hours, Soap tugged Ghost close to him. He buried his face in the crook of Ghost's neck and shoulder, cheeks burning as a whirlwind of thoughts plagued his mind.
"Simon, I hope you know that usually only an omega's… mate helps them out with their heat."
"I figured."
"So…"
Ghost swallowed, tail flicking nervously behind him, "If you want me to, I would love to be your mate, Johnny. If you want to keep this strictly as an offer of help without romantic attachment, I understand and I'll continue helping as best I can."
Soap's eyes glistened as he smiled, gaze meeting Ghost's fondly, "I want nothin' more than tae be your mate, love."
Low rumbles of satisfaction left Ghost's throat, the dragon shoving his nose into Soap's hair and inhaling his scent happily. He moved to press a kiss to Soap's cheek, "Good."
"Thank you for saving me that first day," Soap whispered, "I'm glad it was you."
"It was the best decision I've ever made."