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Neil couldn't see out of his left eye. It was fine, actually it was more than fine; today might be the best day of his life.
His exceedingly short life, as the man restraining his wrists shoved him forward with a gruff, "Move."
Neil went limp instead. It wasn't hard to do, his entire body was aching and exhausted. The gash on his forehead that was still streaming blood into his eye was only one of many. Not one from his father though, the thought brought a smile to his face, and he was too exhausted to force it away.
Nathan died quick, quicker than he deserved. Surprisingly, Neil didn't mind too much; years of planning went into the sword that he slowly plunged through Nathan's sleeping throat. There was only a second of life in those eyes, wide with shock, before Neil extinguished it himself.
Mad King Wesninski, Invulnerable King Wesninski, wrapped in magic so dark not a living soul could make him bleed. Neil hadn't known it would work even then; it was a gamble born more of desperation than trust in his own power, and his body had fallen beside his father's cooling corpse in absolute relief.
Eight years since his mother's death; eight years subjected to Nathan and his inner circle, while being paraded as their beloved princess in the streets. Neil wasn't half the mage Mary had been, but reverse engineering her work from the few scraps of notes he'd saved as a young grieving child was no small feat.
The injuries came when he threw Nathan's head down on the floor of the court. Neil hadn't expected to survive; Neil never expected to make it to eighteen. Luck and desperation had carried him through the altercation; Neil hadn't believed he won until Lola's body finally dropped.
He laughed himself hoarse, a touch hysterical, hands still wrapped tightly around the hilt of his sword. The mob found him like that, loyalists to his father, or common folk who feared what could kill the unkillable.
One of the men slapped him, hard enough that his face whipped around from the force of it, "Fucking cunt."
Neil glared in his direction, a loyalist no doubt, before spitting at his feet, saliva tinged pink with blood. He hadn't heard what they were planning to do to him; it hadn't mattered in the face of what he accomplished. Neil won; Neil was breathing air that would never reach Nathan's lungs again, death to an idiotic mob wouldn't change that.
He walked when prompted, stumbling along was less of a choice and more of a necessity with exhaustion blurring his vision. The words of the crowd floated around him, but none of them penetrated the fog of his mind. It very well was a matter of life and death, but Neil couldn't bring himself to care. It was over, everything was over, every breath of air was one he'd never expected to get.
The scenery around them changed gradually, from the streets of Baltimore to gently sloping hills to a large imposing forest. He squinted up at it, largely confused, unsure as to how long they'd been traveling to reach here. At first he expected a hanging, perhaps burning at the stake if he was unlucky, but were they really letting him go?
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind before he was unceremoniously dragged to a lone pine, separate from the dense tree line. His hands were tied to the trunk with a coarse rope, already digging into his skin. Neil struggled for a moment, but there was no give. He sighed, resting his head back against the trunk and closing his eyes.
"Dragon!" A voice bellowed to the trees. Neil's head shot up against his will.
There was only one dragon who claimed territory close to the Kingdom of Baltimore. The Monster was reclusive, but brutal when seen by human settlements. There had been rumors of the common people performing sacrifices, choosing a young virgin maiden in some misguided attempt to win his favor. Neil, unfortunately, fit the bill.
"We have brought a treasure for your hoard! Or perhaps a meal for your stomach!"
Neil wanted to hiss at the loud mouthed asshole to shut up, but he was too busy trying to struggle out of his binds. No dragon appeared, but the townspeople continued to talk, glancing at Neil's struggling form as they went. Probably deciding how they wanted to kill him now that the whole living sacrifice thing wasn't working out.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood straight; it happened so abruptly Neil froze unwillingly. No one else seemed to have realized, and a quick look didn't reveal the hulking form of a bloodthirsty dragon. Neil trusted his instincts more than his sight; it was the same feeling of danger that had arisen during that last dinner with his father, right before he announced Neil's impending engagement to the Moriyama's second son. His wrists were starting to bleed now; he could only hope the added slickness would allow him to slip the rope.
He strained his ears for the sound of wing beats, grounded his feet in an attempt to feel for the vibrations of a heavy tread. There was nothing. Nothing. He couldn't even hear the sounds of the birds in the trees.
Neil's heart dropped to his stomach. He looked to the treeline again. A flash of gold caught his eye, it winked out in the next second before returning.
Not winked, Neil realized, blinked. Neil held the dragon's stare; he had been looking at his oncoming death for as long as he'd been alive, the few hours where his sword was painted with the blood of his tormentors had been the only outlier.
None of the idiots who dragged him out here had even realized the danger they were facing. Maybe Neil didn't either, he'd never met a dragon before, but living under Nathan Wesninski's roof must surely be comparable.
Neil struggled despite himself, unable to bring his eye away from that reptilian gaze until it disappeared completely. It was soundless. The sun that was beating down on his neck disappeared, replaced by the warm breath of a predator. Neil was stupid to think he could've heard him coming.
"What is this," His voice was so deep Neil felt the vibrations through the soles of his boots. The crowd screamed, some falling to their knees in misplaced worship, others shakily drawing out their weapons.
"An offering from the people of Baltimore," The idiot from earlier spoke, "She's a devilwoman and a traitor. She killed the king and his court just last night."
"May they rot in hell," Neil muttered under his breath.
"A rather poor offering," the dragon hummed. Neil ignored the slight offense he felt at that.
"S-she's also a princess! The king was her father, and she is not yet wed!" A quivering voice spoke out from the edge of the crowd.
A stillness fell, one that racketed the tension in Neil's shoulders even higher. His body knew what was coming before his mind, it was only a second later that a blazing heat encompassed those in front of him. Neil did not blink or look away, listening to the crescendo of screams that pitted out as abruptly as they started.
Maybe Nathan had destroyed more than just his body; he could not remember the last time he felt warmth like this. He stared into the flames, mesmerized, they were as gold as the gaze he'd caught earlier. It was a better last sight than he ever expected to get. Except Neil felt the imposing presence start to withdraw, even as his heart still beat in his chest.
"You are leaving?" Neil didn't turn to look at him; he felt more than saw the dragon pause.
"Many would be glad to escape with their life from the Monster of Baltimore."
"I slew him yesterday," Neil said faintly, "And you are right. I did not expect to survive it. There is nothing left for me now."
Neil stiffened as a claw gently traced his bound wrists. The rope fell away; Neil immediately brought his hands to his front. He didn't turn to look at the dragon.
"So quick to throw your future away, no loving suitors for a princess such as yourself?"
Neil opened his mouth to reply that he had no future, but somehow, between his father, and angry mobs, and a fucking dragon of all things, Neil was going to live. A weightlessness overcame him, a lightness that Neil had never felt before.
"I am no princess," he settled on, a grin he'd normally wipe away stretching from ear to ear.
The dragon growled what could've been a laugh, "So they were liars as well as idiots. A better ear would've told them that it is my brother who accepts maiden offerings."
"I didn't know dragons had families," Neil said, before shaking his head, "And they were right, somewhat, they simply do not know the truth."
A shift, somehow silent even as the air was displaced around them. The dragon was smaller than Neil expected, as he stood before him, but no less intimidating. His golden eyes pierced Neil to the bone, sharper than the claws that drew his own stare, or the teeth that flickered into sight as he spoke lowly.
"Tell me the truth then," his serpentine tongue tasted the air. He was terrifying, but Neil was no less terrified than he'd been his whole life.
"I am my father's heir, but I am no princess," he had never said it aloud before, it was wondrous. Neil caught the gleam of an unknown emotion in the dragon's eye before it died.
"A prince," the dragon said.
Neil nodded slowly. He fell forward in the next second, adrenaline fading alongside his vision. He could only hope the dragon would not care to eat his unconscious body.
His room, cell more like, was strangely warm today. Neil didn't want to open his eyes, basking in the unfamiliar softness of his blanket, the heat that lapped gently at his face. It was so different from the cold that buried itself in the stones of his home, too different.
Neil shot up with a hiss, injured body protesting at the sudden movement. He was in a cave, but close enough to the entrance that he could see the light of the stars. There was a large fire going, and his body was covered in a multitude of fine fabrics and pelts.
Despite what his common sense was telling him, which sounded awfully like what he remembered of Mary's voice, Neil didn't bother standing. He moved his attention to the walls instead, taking in the glimmer of gold and gems that lined the walls, but it was the beauty of the interspersed murals that took his breath away.
When he turned his attention to his body, he found that not only was he warm, his wounds had been wrapped with more care than he would've afforded them. There was a pair of new clean clothes, men's clothes, laid out at his side. The sight of it filled Neil with an emotion he could not name, so he didn't bother, relieved to be out of the dirtied and bloodied clothes he'd been wearing for who knows how long. It would've been nice to bathe as well, but his legs didn't seem to want to cooperate.
A dark shadow landed in front of the cave's entrance, and Neil stiffened, recognizing the dragon from earlier. He stalked inside, barely sparing Neil a glance.
"This is your home," Neil murmured.
"A man of observation, you are," the dragon replied.
"Why?" Neil asked.
The dragon paused, as if searching for an answer within himself, "You would not have made it another mile in either direction. You can heal and rest here; I don't need the stench of your death permeating my land." It did not sound like a lie, but Neil saw the weight of whatever truth he was omitting land on the dragon's spine.
"It is customary to know the name of the person you give gratitude to," Neil said, a slight smile in his voice.
The dragon froze again, more obviously, "Many would call me Monster and be done with it."
"Clearly," Neil responded, "I am not one of many." There was silence, long enough that Neil nearly fell back asleep as he resettled into the blankets.
"Andrew," an answer finally came out of the darkness.
"Thank you, Andrew," he said, "My name is Neil."
He woke again in the morning, alone, but with the sun caressing his face.
He learned quickly there were rules to living with Andrew, a routine that shaped their lives. Andrew spent most of the time patrolling his territory or hunting. When he was in the cave, he spent his time checking over his hoard. There were swords to sharpen, armors to polish, gems to twist in a pattern Neil couldn't understand. It was undeniable how well cared for everything in sight was, and yet it wasn't at all like the performance his father put on in Baltimore. No, Neil could see how genuine Andrew's actions were in his home, and it helped calm the unease in his mind.
There were tunnels that led to further, more well defended caves, storage Neil suspected, or whatever passed as a dragon's personal chambers. Neil had been given free reign of the entrance cavern; Andrew had shown him where to bathe and find food if he was hungry, but no further.
The first few weeks saw Neil treading carefully, unwilling to lose his life to a stupid mistake now that he truly had it for the first time, but Andrew didn't seem to care what he did, and there was always the lands beyond. Despite his injuries, they both knew Neil could've left whenever he wanted; it wasn't like he hadn't survived worse. Truthfully, Neil didn't know what held him there.
There were the simple comforts, the ones Neil had been denied for the eighteen years he spent with his father, but they could've been done without. It was the curiosity burning in his chest that he couldn't sate. He didn't understand Andrew and his actions, but he desperately wanted to.
The first change came when Neil had used one of the many swords strung up in the back of the cavern to cut through his hair. It was profoundly messy, but it looked well enough when he checked his reflection.
Andrew stared hard when he returned to the cave that evening. Neil blinked at him from where he'd been studying the various swords.
"Are these all from knights?" he asked.
The dragon seemed to shake himself out of whatever stupor had befallen him, "Most are from the Ravens." Neil snorted, even here he couldn't escape from Riko's influence.
Andrew did the dragon equivalent of raising a brow, "You know them?"
Neil laughed, "You didn't wonder why I killed my father? Of course, I'd been planning it for years, but he promised my hand to Riko Moriyama."
Andrew's disgust was evident even with the limited expressionism his draconic face allowed for. Neil hummed in agreement, "I was desperate, and running out of time. It's why the mob got the drop on me."
Andrew huffed, a burst of flame landing within the fire pit, "I stole something precious from him once. He sends his ravens here a few times a year to try and kill me, too cowardly to come himself."
"Sounds like Riko," Neil agreed, before moving closer to the fire. They sat together by the fire until Neil's eyes drooped closed. He woke the next morning covered in blankets he hadn't put around himself.
Andrew spent more time in the cave after that; it was obvious that he was as curious about Neil as Neil was about him. They traded stories, truths, but Neil found himself always aching to know more. He wanted to learn about Andrew's seldom mentioned family, about how he came to stay in Baltimore, about what he spent his days doing. He wanted to learn about the murals that painted the walls, why he chose certain gems over others, why he still hadn't sent Neil away.
Andrew checked Neil's wounds on the first day of every week, and it had been long enough that he was near fully healed, but Andrew hadn't implied anything about Neil overstaying his welcome.
Andrew returned after a shortened patrol, a pattern Neil had been noticing recently.
Neil hopped up, trying not to look too eager for a distraction. Andrew huffed, clearly seeing right through him. His claw was curled at his chest, before he placed it gently in Neil's hand. When he pulled away, there was a sapphire in Neil's palm.
His eyes widened, "Andrew, this is-"
The dragon shrugged, "It's nothing."
"Still," Neil said, cradling it in his palm, "I've never been given a gift before."
A low rumble escaped the dragon's chest, before he turned away from Neil abruptly, "How are your wounds?"
Neil deflated slightly, placing the gem alongside the blanket which had slowly become his, "They're almost healed. This is probably the last time you need to check over them."
Andrew nodded, moving towards the small side cavern that held a pool. Neil followed, uncertain why he felt so despondent. Andrew's claws were as gentle as ever, tugging lightly through Neil's hair as he looked over the healed gash on his forehead.
Neil had been tense the first few weeks they'd done this, but Andrew, despite his larger size and claws, had never hurt him. Normally, Andrew's claws would find their way underneath his shirt, checking the bandages that way before retreating.
In a moment of stupidity, or bravery, Neil tore his shirt off before Andrew's claws could reach his skin. Neil heard a sharp inhale, felt the shock in Andrew's stillness, but he didn't dare look over.
"I know you've felt them," he said, "But I get it; it's still a shock."
His torso had taken the brunt of his father's treatment: burns, lacerations, and chunks of scarred flesh covered it entirely. His breasts hadn't been granted mercy either; Nathan had taken a cleaver to his right one, and it'd grown in deformed. The bandages from his injuries barely covered any of the scar tissue, so Andrew could see it all clear as day.
Andrew growled, and then the sound of bones cracking echoed along the walls. Neil whipped his head to face him in horror, before his jaw dropped at what he was seeing. Andrew's relatively small dragon form had morphed, becoming a fairly tall man, still covered in scales, with a matching snout and tail, before finally transforming into a human man smaller than Neil himself.
Andrew blinked at him, squinting and running a round tongue against newly blunted teeth. He had pale hair and pale skin, but despite his short stature he easily dwarfed Neil in sheer size. Only his eyes remained the same, as gold as the treasure that lined the walls.
"You-" Neil gasped in shock.
Andrew reached towards him with blunted hands, arms covered in scars invisible in his dragon form. His hands hesitated before making contact with his skin, belatedly, Neil realized he was waiting for permission. He nodded, still in shock.
Andrew growled, remarkably similar to the sounds he made as a dragon, only with less bass. "Tell me no, Neil," Andrew said.
"I don't want to," Neil said softly, "It's okay. It's a yes."
Andrew waited another moment before nodding, human hands pressed against the scarred skin along Neil's shoulders. He shivered at the touch, watching Andrew's eyes get caught on the action. He ghosted his hands along each past injury, spending the most time on the stab wound that took up the right side of his stomach.
"I nearly didn't survive that one," Neil whispered.
Andrew said nothing, but his hands clenched tightly in the air. Neil motioned to grab one with his own, before stopping, unsure if his touch would be welcome. Andrew bridged the gap between them, placing his curled fist in between Neil's palms.
Neil sighed, "You didn't have to shift just because I showed you my scars, you know. I wanted to."
Andrew shrugged.
"You didn't have to worry about your claws hurting me, either," he continued.
Andrew scoffed, but in this form Neil could watch the way his ears turned red.
Slowly, Neil brought Andrew's fist up towards his face, placing a small kiss to the back of it in gratitude. Andrew brought his hand back abruptly, turning so that Neil was faced with the broad expanse of his back. His ears were a fire red that Neil couldn't turn away from.
"You can take the bandages off. They should be all healed," Andrew said roughly, voice low.
Neil nodded, doing so without taking his eyes off of Andrew. He pulled the rest of his clothes off next, before slipping by his still form and into the pool of water. Neil enjoyed the shock of the freezing water, tipping his head back and closing his eyes as he leaned on the edge of the pool.
"Will you join me?" he could feel Andrew staring, even with his eyes closed.
"Not this time," Andrew answered. Neil shrugged, accepting the answer easily. It meant there would be a next time.
After revealing his human form, Andrew didn't leave the cave for the first time since Neil arrived. He didn't transform back either, and Neil kept jumping in surprise each time he caught sight of another human in the vicinity. Andrew parked himself in front of an empty stretch of the cavern's wall. The paint which Neil had found on his third day finally came out of hiding.
Neil figured if Andrew didn't want him to watch, he wouldn't be doing it in the middle of the day where Neil could see. So, he brought his blankets over and set up beside Andrew, losing himself in the masterful way he brought the colors to life, the sureness in his movements as he applied them to the wall.
It took until sun down for Neil to realize why the landscape looked so familiar. "That's where you saved me," he blurted out.
Andrew turned his face to him, raising a brow, "Not many would call that saving."
Neil rolled his eyes, "We've already had this conversation, besides, what else could you call it?"
Andrew turned back to his work, "Thieving, kidnapping, preying."
Neil couldn't help the laugh that escaped him, "Preying? What, you think you're some big bad dragon preying on me?"
Andrew's silence spoke for himself.
"Andrew," Neil said in disbelief, "No one has ever treated me as kindly as you do. I would-" Neil stopped himself, looking towards the sunset.
"I would stay here forever if you let me," he said quietly.
There was a clatter, and Neil turned back to see Andrew had dropped his paints to the ground.
Neil watched as Andrew opened his mouth to speak, before closing it, his arms trembling at his sides. It took several minutes for him to try again, and when he did, his voice was closer to the deep booming thing of his true form, "Then stay."
Neil jolted, he hadn't expected a response, but the smile that bloomed on his face was joyful, a far cry from the jagged painful thing he'd worn when they first met.
"I'll be back at sunset," Andrew said. After neglecting his territory, the day before, it was clear to Neil that he was itching to escape.
Neil nodded, turning away as the crack of bones signaled his shift. Neil was nearly relieved to see the familiar form he'd come to know again, though he liked all forms of Andrew.
He raised a hand to his brow, watching as Andrew thought, before tilting into the palm Neil offered him. Neil's smile was bright as he drew his hand down Andrew's snout, wondering at the smoothness of the scales there. He didn't know what came over him, but he pressed a small peck to the very tip of his nose.
Heat bloomed across his face near immediately, but he didn't bother to hide it from Andrew. He only shrugged, confused at his own actions, and grateful when Andrew let it pass by without comment. It was only when Andrew wasn't even a speck in the sky that Neil headed for the cave's entrance.
"I'll definitely be back before Andrew," he said to himself.
There was a village not far from the cave, Neil knew because Andrew mentioned how they were the only people he could loosely tolerate. Something about some foxes? Neil hadn't quite been paying attention because Andrew had let him shine his scales while answering.
He knew the village was close though, and the weight in his pocket weighed heavily on his mind. It was a two hour trek in total, but Neil felt that he made good time. It had been calming to be in the forest, and a necessary break from the walls of the cave.
Neil never spent much time surrounded by people, outside his father's, but the streets weren't as crowded as he feared. He spent a few minutes asking around for the blacksmiths, before finally getting the directions from a very bright looking man.
"One moment!" A voice yelled out as Neil landed in the door frame. He looked up to see an extremely tall man juggling what looked to be half a set of armor.
He disappeared from sight, only for a loud crash to sound, before returning like nothing was wrong, "Hi! I'm Matt, part time blacksmith, part time knight, what can I do for you?"
He was eerily cheery, Neil thought, but he was also here on a mission. He pulled the sapphire from his pocket, unwilling to part with it as he watched Matt's eyes zero in.
"I want to be able to hang this around my neck," he said.
Matt whistled, "That sure is fine. You sure you don't want it in the hilt of a sword? Maybe a knife? Chain necklaces are a little more delicate than we commonly do."
Neil shook his head, "No swords, or knives."
Matt hummed, "Let me take a closer look?"
Neil stepped back automatically, before forcing himself to come closer, letting Matt see the gem in all its glory.
"It is beautiful, give me about a week and we'll get back to you. Can I take some measurements? You can hold it the whole time."
Neil nodded hesitantly, letting Matt measure the gem and his neck, which took quite a bit of trial and error. It'd been at least an hour when they were about finished, and Neil was already missing Andrew's cave and his presence.
"You wouldn't happen to be staying in town, would you?" Matt asked.
Neil shook his head, "No, I'm…not a fan of village life. I'll be around in time for the chain to be done."
Matt nodded, "Right, you know you look a little familiar though, have you ever been through Baltimore? Apparently, their royal family got wiped off the map recently, except for the missing princess, crazy huh? At least here in Palmetto-"
Neil felt his ears start to ring, Matt's voice fading out as if he was drowning. He jerked away, probably cutting him off mid sentence.
Neil stumbled out of the shop, letting out a hurried, "I have to go."
There might've been a shout, or maybe it was from another corner of the market, but Neil felt the panic rise in him before he could tame it. He ran through the streets, barely dodging the village goers and their stands before bursting back through the tree line. His heart was trying to beat its way out of his chest, and he doubled over, curling into himself as he tried to stop the panic clawing through his system.
His father was dead, Lola was dead, even Patrick was dead. No one could force him to go back there; Andrew would stop them in a heartbeat. He dropped his forehead onto the trunk of a steady tree, taking deep breaths as he repeated that to himself until his heart returned to normal.
He sighed, opening his eyes as he stared down at his shaking hands. His empty shaking hands. Panic of a different kind swamped through him. He reached for his pockets, combing through them frantically, but the sapphire was gone.
"Fuck!" Neil yelled out, slamming his fist into the truck of the tree. His knuckles stung, and he hissed. He couldn't go back to Andrew without it. What would he think? That Neil was so careless as to lose the only gift he'd ever been given? That Neil didn't care about Andrew? Would he throw him out? No, Neil shook his head, he'd just find it.
He traced his frantic pace through the village, trying to spot any sign of the bright blue gem. He couldn't ask anyone, for fear that they'd steal it, but Neil felt desperate as he made it back to Matt's shop. It wasn't yet sunset, but it was sure to reach it before the two hours it would take Neil to make it back to Andrew.
Matt perked up when he saw Neil come back through the door, "Hey! Sorry if I freaked you out earlier, I-"
Neil cut him off, exhausted and frankly irritated with how well meaning he was, "Did I leave the sapphire here?"
Matt didn't even look annoyed to be cut off, "Oh yeah! You totally dropped it when you took off earlier. I kept it behind the counter here, figured you'd come back for it."
The naked relief Neil felt was overwhelming as he rushed for it. "Thank you," he breathed out.
"No problem. Hey, come back next week, alright? Even if we don't have the necklace finished, you can take a look."
Neil nodded absentmindedly, "I need to get back, but thank you. I will."
He rushed the trip back even more than he had earlier, keeping a strong grip on the gem this time. There was a chance he could make it back before Andrew; he'd always been fast. That sliver of hope was dashed when a roar shook the forest floor, loud enough that Neil's bones trembled despite the fact that he was still thirty minutes out.
He practically sprinted the last few miles, panting desperately for breath when he finally reached the cave entrance. He was speaking before he even saw Andrew, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I really didn't think that was going to take so long, I-"
He was cut off by a claw wrapping itself around the entirety of Neil's waist, dragging him inside and pushing him down onto the mess of blankets Neil called a bed. Neil went easily, unprepared for the force Andrew applied, even as none of his claws came close to breaking skin.
"Forever," Andrew growled. His entire body was hovering over Neil's while his claws pinned Neil's torso to the ground.
"You said you would stay forever, and you left." His voice set the very air between them trembling, for reasons Neil didn't quite understand his knees felt weak.
"I didn't-" Neil wheezed, still trying to catch his breath from the dead sprint he'd pulled after a long period of inactivity.
Andrew pulled his claws back in horror, as if he'd accidentally pressed too hard on Neil's lungs. He dug them into the ground instead, cutting through the stone like a sword through flesh.
"Andrew that's not- You didn't- I just had to sprint because I was running late and-" Neil dropped his head back to the floor with a curse, "I want you to touch me."
It was only as the words left his lips that he knew them to be true, "I want you to touch me, and I want to touch you, and I want to stay. Forever."
He looked into Andrew's eyes as he said it, watching as they dilated, gold nearly eclipsed with black. Andrew's claws were back on him in an instant, cradling his waist and running over his torso, holding him entirely. Neil sighed, melting into the sensation, the totality of Andrew around him.
He tilted his head up, closing his eyes as he waited. He didn't know exactly what he wanted, but he wanted Andrew, and he trusted Andrew. They couldn't kiss like this, Andrew didn't exactly have lips, so Neil was surprised to feel the dragon's tongue licking at his lips. He opened them in surprise, gasping as it immediately slipped between them. Andrew’s tongue was long, much longer than Neil's own. He groaned as it explored his mouth, curling around Neil's own in the process.
Andrew only let up when it nearly slipped into his throat, making Neil choke. When he pulled back, Neil felt like he'd never even caught his breath. His face felt hot to the touch, and there was spit dripping down his chin.
His eyes slipped open, taking in Andrew as he looked down at him. His eyes were like another presence, worsening the heat in Neil's face til he was sure he was as red as his hair.
"Staring," Neil whispered hoarsely. This time Andrew's growl reverberated the ground beneath them, and Neil shuddered at the feeling.
"You're mine," Andrew said, bullying his snout into the space between Neil's neck and his shoulder.
He licked at the skin there, a long slow line that made Neil feel like he was boiling from the inside. He groaned, wordlessly tilting his head to the side to give Andrew more space to act. Andrew's claws had started to move as well, stroking softly at the skin underneath Neil's shirt, counting each rib as he passed them. He didn't bite, which left Neil feeling relieved and disappointed in equal measure, but he painted Neil's skin with the impression of his teeth.
"You're mine," he repeated, when Neil started to whine as Andrew pulled away.
"I'll take care of you," Andrew promised as he ripped Neil's shirt off with his teeth, "Like I take care of all my things."
His pants went next, leaving Neil fully bare beneath him. He felt delirious at Andrew's words. He wanted it so badly, wanted to be one of Andrew's things, he felt that desire ache deep between his thighs and in his chest.
"Yes," Neil panted, "Yes, yes, I want that. I want you, Andrew-"
His voice cut off with a gasp. Neil had never thought much about Andrew's tail. He could move it consciously, but often kept it tucked out of the way inside for fear of knocking something over. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to get it off his mind as it made its way in between Neil's thighs.
He keened as the thick scales rubbed over the center of him. He was wet, something he didn't have much experience with, but it made the friction even better as Andrew rubbed against him. Neil's hips wanted to buck up into it, but he couldn't get any leverage with Andrew's claws holding him down. Andrew's pace was deliciously slow, but it wasn't enough.
Neil whined, trying to wiggle his hips to make Andrew move faster. It only worked to invite Andrew's tongue back in his mouth, which was just as good. Neil cried out as Andrew's tongue worked its way into his throat, not stopping this time, thrusting in and out like he was fucking it. At the same time, his tail kept rubbing against him.
He couldn't escape the sensation, it was as all consuming as Andrew's presence, a pleasure that burned through him before he realized what was happening. He moaned around Andrew's tongue, back arching as much as it was able as, his thighs shaking as he clenched around nothing, still chasing after the pressure of Andrew's tail. He gave it to him, and soon Neil's hips were stuttering to get away. He couldn't though. There was no escaping Andrew, he was Andrew's. He felt his body go limp at the realization. Andrew would take care of him; he simply needed to take it.
Neil's hips twitched every few seconds, uncontrollable even as the rest of his body melted into Andrew's hold. His second orgasm built faster than the first, though Andrew never sped up his pace. A few tears slipped from his eyes as the pleasure took hold, a silent gasp escaping his lips. Andrew's tongue left his mouth to lick softly at his tears, tail still pressed against him but no longer grinding.
"That's it pet," Andrew crooned, Neil felt the endearment like a shock to his heart, his hips jerking up as he shuddered. When Andrew's tail pulled away, the absence felt physically painful. Thankfully it returned in the next second, the tip of it pressing against his hole. Neil's eyes went wide, he'd never-
Andrew shushed him, pressing his snout to Neil's curls, then his neck, "Relax, Neil. I've got you."
Neil did his best to follow instructions. Andrew's claws had wrapped themselves around his thighs this time, stroking and rubbing them as his tail pressed slowly into Neil before immediately pulling out. Neil sighed, tilting his head back as he focused on relaxing.
"You're going to fuck me, right?" he murmured.
Andrew's movements slowed, but they didn't pause, his tail made it a few more inches before he pulled back. This time the growl Andrew let out was so loud he's sure the people of Palmetto could hear it.
He opened his jaw wide and brought it around Neil's neck in a lunge, the motion so fast Neil only barely saw it with his eyes. He inhaled sharply, but there was no fear to be found in his chest, even at the ease with which Andrew could crush his windpipe or rip out his throat.
"I hate you," Andrew growled out with Neil's neck still trapped between his teeth. "You're so fucking-" Neil pressed into the hold, moaning as Andrew's teeth pressed in harder to the skin of his neck. “Yes, I’m going to fuck you,” he hissed.
A few more inches of tail slid into his hole. He choked, clenching around it as he tried not to cum for a third time. He already felt so full, his eyes rolling to the back of his head, he didn't know if he could handle Andrew's full dick.
Andrew groaned this time, different from the growls and roars from earlier. Neil forced his heavy head up, taking in the slit he'd never noticed between Andrew's thighs. He couldn't take his eyes away now, as Andrew's dick unfurled from between them.
"Andrew," Neil whined, "Let me, let me put my mouth on you, Andrew p-"
Andrew pulled back, using a claw to shush Neil before he could finish, "Not that word pet."
Neil nodded easily, "Okay, but your dick, let me, let me?"
Andrew hummed, before repositioning so that Neil was still being stretched on his tail, a now extremely understandable necessity, while also putting his hands and mouth on his cock. It was large, maybe even as big as his torso, and Neil wanted it.
He put both hands around it, it was warmer than he thought, the skin softer. When he stroked at the base, a groan Andrew couldn't hide echoed in his chest. When he traced the veins on the side, Andrew's hips twitched forward. When Neil licked shyly at the head, Andrew's claws left red imprints on his skin.
Neil appreciated the chance to explore as he grew accustomed to the stretch of his tail, at some point Andrew hit a spot deep inside him, and Neil's whole body jerked, his grip on Andrew's dick tightening. He clenched around him before Andrew did it again, as a claw just barely brushed against his clit.
Neil's muscles clenched as he came so hard he lost sight of the world around him, eyes rolling to the back of his head as he cried out. He sobbed for breath as Andrew pulled out of him, a deep aching emptiness that Neil needed to be filled.
Andrew shushed him, using soft words Neil didn't care to understand. He was still on his back, but his legs had been wrapped around Andrew's much wider hips, his whole body once again pinned by his claws. Neil sighed as something nudged against his hole.
There was pressure, so much pressure, and then Andrew slid in with a groan of his own. Neil's mouth was wide open, he couldn't get enough air, Andrew's length felt like it was compressing his lungs. His eyes were wide but saw nothing, and then Andrew pulled back before thrusting forward.
Neil came just from that, body spasming as Andrew started to really thrust, chasing his own release. Neil was drooling, hiccuping little sounds left his mouth as Andrew fucked him. His hands scrabbled at the ground, and then at Andrew's arms. He might've been speaking, but words had escaped him as soon as Andrew's dick met his hole.
Andrew was speaking too, he could feel the vibrations through the ground, through his skin, but it only overwhelmed him further, "-so beautiful pet, so good, so gorgeous, you're mine, no one else gets to have you, you're mine, Neil, Neil, Neil-"
There were tears leaking from his eyes that he paid no heed to. "Andrew-" A garbled sound left his mouth.
He was burning up inside, he was going to break, he was going to- He came again, his body too weak to do anything but clench weakly. It must've been enough because in the next second he felt Andrew thrust deep and stay there, painting Neil's insides with wave after wave of cum.
Neil hummed, more content than he'd ever been, as his body fell limp and his eyes remained closed. He felt Andrew nuzzle into him, over and over again, rubbing over his body and making that same cooing sound from earlier. Neil had never felt more cared for, but Andrew was always raising the bar. Neil woke what must've been a few hours later, clean and covered in a multitude of his favorite blankets, wrapped in Andrew's arms and wings, a total embrace.
He sighed happily, turning so that he could bury his face into Andrew's chest. He mumbled into the scales there, rubbing his cheek on them when he felt the amused rumble build in Andrew's body, "What was that?"
Neil groaned, forcing himself to pull away, "I wasn't trying to leave you, wanted to get a necklace made for the gem you gave me, had to go to Palmetto for the chain." Neil blinked his eyes open, still blurry with sleep, but Andrew was looking at him in a way Neil had never seen before.
"I'm never gonna leave you," Neil repeated.
Andrew sighed, pressing his snout to Neil's forehead in an approximation of a kiss, "Sleep, pet. I know you won't."