#non-mc reader

he was going to uphold a similar attitude as emcee and deprive her of his full attention, purely out of spite. thus, his gradient orbs remained fixated on the canvas before him, hand flawlessly dabbing the brush onto the bluish paint blob and shaping another foamy wave into the painting.

but the brush moved too easily. too fluidly. as if every stroke only sought to distract him from the pull deep inside his chest.

the bond mark burned faintly beneath his skin, pulsing in quiet resonance with her presence. every time she entered a room, it was the same — that faint ache that reminded him they were tied, that his heart was shackled.

and every time, the same truth dug its claws in deeper: she wasn’t his in this life.

 “ah, rafayel, you know i’m busy and there’s been this case–”

“yeah, yeah, whatever. you’re just like a shiny lure — attracting all the work in your association.”

rafayel huffed and puffed his cheeks as he dipped his paintbrush into a muted shade of blue, standing his ground against her excuses. the high parts of the waves looked great, but the lower sections could use more contrast and–

“attracting lemuria too.”

huh?

an irritated laugh immediately followed her words. “haha, very funny.”

attracting lemuria as in attracting him? was emcee shamelessly pointing out how he was also captivated by her glimmer and fell prey like a dumb fish? annoyance creeped up the back of his neck, strangling him slightly.

rafayel tried his best to remain composed, but his precise hand betrayed him and trembled over the canvas.

making the darker depths of the ocean spill over the shinier peaks.

“you–”

“there’s a new case i need to investigate and it is connected to lemuria.”

that’s when rafayel finally turned away from the ruined painting. and looked at her fully.

“what?”

he slipped off his painting chair as fast as possible, making sure not to fall like he did during their first official meeting. his color palette remained nicely propped on one of the steps as rafayel finally made his way to the couch. to emcee.

“tell me what you know, cutie.”

his demeanor completely changed. his playful and sassy behaviour was nailed down and covered by a thick layer of seriousness and palpable interest.

everything related to lemuria did that to him.

because lemuria was not just a word, not just a place. it was a wound carved into the marrow of his being — a reminder of the things he’d lost and the chains he still carried. and hearing it fall from her lips, careless and unburdened, made his chest ache again.

as if the bond between them wanted to remind him: lemuria has no meaning for her.

activating a holographic screen on her hunter’s watch, emcee started explaining her new mission. “in the past two weeks, three esteemed and well-known public figures have taken their own lives. we suspect something similar to raymond’s case happened here as well.”

“and why’s that?”

“all of those victims had one thing in common. they all possessed something called lemuria’s blessings, conchs that were acquired during a private gathering of elites.”

rafayel leaned forward, elbows on his knees, gaze fixed on the flickering hologram. his expression softened for only a breath, but then he chuckled — brittle and sharp, the kind that didn’t reach his eyes.

“lemuria’s blessings?”

“rings any bells?”

“never heard of that. no way they’re from lemuria.” he clicked his tongue, almost offended by such a claim. “it’s probably a hoax.”

“that’s what we thought too. but the conchs… the watch reacted like it did to raymond’s painting. your painting.”

rafayel tilted his head, strands of purple hair spilling like silk away from his forehead as he studied her serious expression, the slight amusement gone from his eyes.

“really now? are you sure you aren’t just letting your little hunter imagination run wild again?”

emcee shook her head firmly, fingers gliding over the holographic display to bring up the image of one of the conchs. its surface shimmered faintly, like moonlight bending under the ocean waters. the pattern was unusual, indeed, but… it wasn’t that special in rafayel’s eyes.

yet, next to it was a complex diagram, showcasing the reaction the watch had to the conch.

abnormal.

“this is serious, rafayel. i’ve never seen something like this. every victim claimed it made them feel whole… until they broke apart.”

rafayel’s gaze flickered briefly, betraying something he refused to name. whole. the word clung to him like a sea urchin. he tore his eyes away and let them fall back onto the ruined waves of his painting. a small, crooked smile stretched across his lips — forced, hostile.

to be whole... wasn’t that the lie his own soul whispered every time the bond throbbed beneath his ribs? that, if only she turned towards him, if only she chose him, he would finally be complete? the irony carved into him like an expert sculptor into marble.

“funny, isn’t it? people desperate to feel complete will chase anything, even if it kills them.”

emcee’s voice softened, guilt glimmering in her gaze. “rafayel…”

“don’t.” he cut her off too quickly, too sharply, all too familiar with her stance. “don’t look at me like that, cutie. you’ve got enough pity stored up for your cases. i don’t need any.”

the following silence between them was heavy, filled only by the faint hum of the rotating diagram. at last, emcee exhaled, pulling the screen away.

“i came here because i thought you might know something. lemuria is part of your world, not mine.”

emcee’s voice carried that quiet urgency she reserved for moments she couldn’t afford to lose. she reached forward, resting her palm briefly against the back of his hand before pulling away.

why?

did she do that inattentively or on purpose?

her touch seared him. not with heat, but with absence. because every time she pulled away, the mark flared, as if it mourned the distance. his chest ached so badly he almost pressed his hand into hers, almost begged her not to move. but he only smiled instead.

enduring.

“there’s going to be another high-end gathering soon. the owner — dean sullivan — flaunts these artifacts to his rich connections despite what happened to the other three. i need to investigate before someone else falls victim.”

her pause carried weight, the kind of silence that begged to be noticed.

“and i… need you to come with me.”

rafayel’s head tilted, his lips curving into that dangerous half-smile that was equal parts mischief and defense mechanism. “of course, you’re asking for help.”

what did he expect? for emcee to stop by for him? for her to understand the bond they share and reciprocate his feelings?

obviously not.

“don’t make me repeat it.” she muttered, her eyes sharp, her resolve unwavering. “i can’t explore those conchs alone. if something’s hidden inside them, you’d… you’d notice it. you see what others can’t.”

the compliment lanced straight through him, more cruel than kind. rafayel laughed again, softer this time, though his voice caught at the end.

“careful, cutie. flattery is an anchor, quite heavy. and it drags people down.”

but he didn’t refuse.

he couldn’t.

because when it came to emcee, he never really could.

and that was the tragedy — to carry lemuria’s fall in his veins, with a bond engraved into his very being. only to remain forever an afterthought in her story. unrequited, unseen, undone.

©pearlescenthoney 2025. do not copy, translate, or claim any of my writings or works as your own.

“My, what do we have here? A stray puppy?”

That voice is as smooth and deep as melted chocolate. You want to thank God, Buddha, Satan and all other powerful entities for letting you witness this moment. 

He stares down at you, assessing everything. If you had known you’d end up here you would’ve taken a bath and worn something better. 

“How odd. You have no magic power and you lack any muscle that most assassins and warriors have. It’s almost as if you’re an ordinary person.”

Okay, ouch. But he isn’t wrong. 

You raise both hands. “You’re right, I’m as average as they come.” 

“Then tell me what an ‘average’ citizen such as yourself wanted with me.”

You tilt your head in thought before answering, “I wanted to meet you.”

“Surely, you’re joking.”

“I’m perfectly serious.”

“You must take me for a fool.”

“No, I truly did want to meet you.” 

“Why are you here? Surely, you didn’t come here to die.”

“No.” Though you were prepared. “I just wanted to see you.”

The fiend watches you closely. His eyes can pierce through any lie, but your gaze is as clear as a cloudless sky and without a trace of deception. He is unsure how to feel about this.

“You’re quite bold. But an ordinary person wanting to meet me for the sake of it feels too odd to be true. Quite stupid, even. Did it ever occur to you that I may not be so polite and just end up taking your heart?”

You raise your head, steady and unfearful as you ask, “Will taking my heart make you happy?” 

You want to tell him that every part of you belongs to him now, but even you would cringe at such cheesiness. You decide to be normal about this. “If my organs will make you happy then take them, but I do have a request.” You wriggle closer. “When you take my heart, please look into my eyes until I die.”

You’ve met your favorite, your savior. In a way, Sylus gave you a second chance at life. It seemed only fitting to perish with him being the last thing you see. 

Sylus stares at you with guarded curiosity. “I’ve never met someone so eager to die before. Either that or you are an excellent liar.” Some humans are trickier than others, they will say anything to get the upper hand. 

“Don’t get cocky, human.” His tail tightens around you. “I don’t know what you’re planning but it’d be all too easy to kill you.”

He expects you to resist, to scream or cry or seduce him. 

Instead, you cover your mouth, the edges curling upwards despite your efforts to appear serious. But it’s not your fault, he’s so cute when he tries to be menacing! You have no doubt that he’d just kill an NPC, but he will always be attractive to you, even as he threatens to rip your heart out.

“This is no laughing matter. Dragons are territorial, you should’ve thought twice before trespassing into my domain.”

“Sy—ahem, Mister Dragon, please remember my request when you end my life.”

“... I’m really going to do it.”

“I know!” You nod your head vigorously, the grin you try so hard to suppress looks ridiculous to him. Compared to throwing yourself in front of a train or overdosing on pills, this is your ideal way to die.

“...” 

“...”

“... tsk.” He releases you and you can’t help but miss the feeling of his tail choking you. Oh, well. 

“Mister Dragon?”

He returns to lying on his treasures, back turned away from you. 

Not wanting him to think that you were going to backstab him, you get down on all fours and crawl towards the fancy bed. “Sir Dragon?” 

He remains silent.

"Amazing, extraordinary, most handsome and venerable Lord Dragon—”

"Enough. Don't call me those embarrassing titles." He sighs and proceeds to give you his name. In the game's canon, the MC couldn't pronounce his name properly and called him Sylus instead. But the MC and Sylus have yet to meet.

Before you are two choices: 1) use his proper name, or 2) pretend that you can't pronounce it and ask to use "Sylus" instead. With the first option, there would be a connection between the two of you due to being the only person alive who knows his name. With the latter, you'd be stealing a defining moment for the heroine. Either way, the consequences will result in you forming a bond with Sylus.

The dragon waits for you to reply.

There is no need to complicate things, so you beam stupidly. "Your name is kind of hard to pronounce... can I just call you 'Sylus' instead?"

"Do what you want."

"Thanks."

“This is the part where you tell me your name.” He can’t believe he was teaching etiquette to a human.

“Er, right.” You give him your name. Though with that voice, he can call you whatever he wants.

“I won’t stop you so go back the way you came and leave me be.”

“I can’t.”

“This isn’t a request. Get out while I’m still being patient.”

“I mean, I literally can’t. I’m not from this place and I don’t know how to get back home.” To be frank, you have little interest in returning. Aside from the next LADS update, you aren’t going to miss anything. No friends, no family, only superiors who took advantage of you and a cold, barren apartment with a rent that was two months due. 

Sylus sighs and rolls over. He lays an arm over his torso, looking gorgeous as he looks at you with eyes full of disdain. “Trying to get me to pity you, isn’t going to work.”

“I’m not.” You don’t need his or anybody else’s pity. You are simply tired, and you were sick of pretending that you aren’t. When Sylus does lose his temper, then at least you could be honest in your final moments. 

CHAPTER 2: Enticing Offers Main Masterlist

sylus has spent hours mounting you, thrusting his cock in and out of you as you became a bit dazed in response. as you made your slow descent into madness, (your mind and body so drunk off the pleasure sylus had given you), you take a moment to admire this devastating man.

a light sheen of sweat was seen across his powerful body, letting out gasps and grunts of your name as his eyes hungrily look down at the area where he remained connected with you. just seeing the way you take in his cock so well was enough to make the onychinus leader tremble, the sheer amount of pleasure he felt coursing through his veins being immeasurable.

as if spurred on by your moans and the way your pretty, manicured nails grip at the sheets, sylus lets out a growl of your name, tossing one of your legs over his shoulders, pumping his cock with fervor in and out of your slick heat before stilling his hips completely just moments later, forcing your cunt to take in all he had to offer the moment he shoots his seed inside of you.

you moan at the sudden sensation of sylus filling you to the brim with his cum, feeling it mixing together with your own juices, leaving you panting. sylus places a chaste kiss against your cheek before landing against your body. he places the entirety of his weight on you, leaving you aching and breathless as you writhed beneath him.

“sy… please, you’re too heavy for this.”

his tired and weak chuckles were heard against your ear, and you felt the way he gently bites down against the lobe of your ear. “aw, my poor kitten, did i wear you out?”

you let out a huff in response, refusing to answer him, (yet the heat felt against your cheeks and the notable ache between your legs were more than enough proof of sylus’s relentless lovemaking). with a shake of his head, your lover gently holds down your hips before pulling out of you, earning a deep sigh from you.

knowing that you had been thoroughly rendered unable to walk by him, sylus gently takes you into his embrace, humming as he saunters toward your shared bathroom. your eyes take in the marble onyx tub, watching as sylus turns on the faucet, filling it with hot water before pouring a bottle of your favorite scented bubbles into the mix.

once your bath was prepared, sylus gently places you inside of the tub, earning a content purr from you as you were surrounded by the waters. once you were settled inside, sylus joins you, allowing your back to meet with his chest when his arms automatically wrapped around your front. you giggle upon seeing the bath waters fall onto the marble floors with sylus’s added weight. letting out a rich chuckle of your name, sylus busies himself with washing your hair, threading his fingers through them as he massages your scalp in the process.

once your hair was washed and thoroughly rinsed, sylus helps you further by spreading your legs, earning a soft moan from you when you felt his thick fingers exploring the depths of your core, cleaning you of the respective evidence of yours and sylus’s release. your meek whimpers fill at the air, feeling sylus lean down to gently bite down against your shoulder.

“hmph, the sounds you’re making are truly difficult to ignore. you’re making it hard to resist you, but i know how tired you must feel… so i’ll behave.” he admits with a grunt, with you visibly relaxing in his embrace, allowing your lover to further spoil you with his massages as he spends a copious amount of time in the bathtub with you.

zayne was simply admiring the way you gently rode him, gasping as your legs trembled in response to each painstaking thrust made against his cock. it takes him a herculean effort not to climax with you riding him so passionately that you were practically bouncing up and down his aching shaft.

filled with a desperation to be the sole cause of your release, zayne places both his hands on your hips, purposely speeding up your bounces against his cock. your eyes end up rolling to the back of your head, the pleasure almost too intense for you to handle. your back arches in response to the way zayne slams you up and down his dick, with the palm of your hands settled on his chest to help you with maintaining your balance.

“you are… magnificent. i will never get enough of you…” zayne admits to you in a breathless whisper, making you gasp as your walls sweetly clench around zayne’s cock. as your cunt grips at his dick in a vice grip, you felt every pulsating vein from zayne, making the doctor grunt before thrusting his hips upwards, his cock twitching wildly inside of you before completely releasing himself into you. your walls were coated in white, making you moan as you felt your respective releases flowing out of you and down the length of zayne’s softening cock.

with you becoming out of breath coupled along with the ache you felt all across your body, zayne’s eyes go wide before quickly pulling himself out of you. you were left moaning at the sudden loss of him, yet zayne was too distracted with his desires to take care of you for you to notice.

“you shouldn’t have exerted yourself. despite how-“ zayne cuts himself off with a cough, “despite how pleasurable it was for both of us, i should have known better than to keep pushing you. and for that i’m sorry.”

“it’s okay, z-zayne. i… it felt really good. i don’t regret it at all.” you reassure your beloved with a satisfied smile on your face, making the cardiac surgeon blush an even deeper shade of red.

zayne lets out another cough, flushing a noticeably in response when he leans closer to you, giving your lips a quick kiss before hurriedly disappearing into your shared bathroom. in his rush, zayne had forgotten to put on some clothes, giving you the perfect view of his backside as you grinned at the sight.

the sounds of running water were all you could hear, and it wasn’t until several minutes later that zayne reappears into the bedroom, picking up your pliant form with ease before taking you into the master bathroom with him. with your arms wrapped around his neck, you watch as he carefully settles you within the bathtub. the lingering scent of lavender fills your senses, and you couldn’t stop yourself from letting out a moan the moment you felt the warm waters surrounding your aching body.

with you practically melting into the bathtub, zayne places one last kiss against your hair. “enjoy your bath, my love. and i’ll return once everything is ready for you.”

you frown, wanting him to join you, too. but his sudden departure from the bathroom makes you pout a bit. but alas, your lover had always been like this-

becoming a complete and total mother hen when it came to caring for you. knowing it was best to not argue with zayne when he became so passionate, you decided to wash yourself, cleansing your body of the sweat and fluids that remained as evidence of your copulation just moments ago.

losing track of time of how long you had been in the bath, you end up feeling a bit startled when zayne reappears. he smiles back at you, now dressed in a pair of sweatpants and shirt. with a plush towel in hand, zayne sweetly beckons at you to stand up for him, allowing him to dry you completely as he begins to drain the bathtub of the water.

once he was satisfied, your lover wraps you in the towel and carries you out of the tub. not allowing you to lift even a single finger, zayne rids your damp body of the towel, choosing instead to don your form in a comfortable robe before carrying you once more. with you clinging to him, you gently place kisses against his jawline, eyes trailing toward your shared bed when you realize that zayne had completely changed the sheets and blankets. you become flustered at this fact, feeling embarrassed at being the reason why zayne had switched out the bedding with something fresh and new.

zayne senses your embarrassment, yet doesn’t comment on it. as he settles himself into bed with you, you saw that he had another surprise up his sleeve. watching him with love filled in your gaze, you notice the way he brings over a tray filled with your favorite foods over from the nightstand, picking up one of the utensils as he cuts a piece of it off for you, hand feeding you the morsel as you let out a dreamy sigh, feeling overjoyed that you were able to call the king of aftercare as your own.

xavier didn’t hold back when it came to his quick pounds deep inside of you, holding up your leg as he kept fucking himself against you. your mind was void of all coherent thoughts, becoming filled with the delicious friction caused by xavier’s cock nestled so deeply within you.

your moans and constant cries of his name makes a surge of confidence go through him. your sweet mewls and the sensation of your walls gripping him so tightly was enough to make the young hunter lose his damn mind. his eyes had long been eclipsed by darkness as evidence of the way they had remained dilated at the mere sight of you. there was something achingly addicting to the sensation of your walls squelching in response to each of his heated thrusts, filling him with the need to make you lose all control for him.

“hah… fuck… you’re squeezing me so much…! you’re practically milking me.”

the pleasured phrases falling from xavier’s lips makes you cry out even further, sobbing into your pillow while he slams his hips even deeper into you. the man had become obsessed with having your walls gripping him oh so tightly, and he briefly wondered if he could make you spill your juices onto him.

his darkened eyes focus on your swollen bundle of nerves, watching the way your pretty pussy practically devours his cock. with a grunt of your name, xavier reaches forward to give your swollen pearl a gentle pinch, earning a gasp from you. he was relentless in taking you now, gently rolling your swollen clit between his fingers while continuing his movements. with his cock continuously disappearing and reappearing, you lost the last bit of your control, letting out a hiss as you came.

feeling the increase in moisture surrounding his already sensitive cock, xavier stills his hips with his eyes clenched shut, already shooting the rest of his seed deep inside of your womb with his balls tightening in response. a low string of curses manages to escape from xavier, basking in the sensation of his cock emptying everything that it had as he kept on pumping his seed inside of you.

by the end of it all, you were too drunk and exhausted to say a single word, eyes going a little hazy. xavier wasn’t faring any better, but manages to pull out of you all the same.

you had your eyes closed, ready to doze off when you felt a strong hand suddenly spread your legs. a soft whine escapes from you, and you manage to look down to see xavier himself placing his face between your legs. the sensation of his wet tongue cleaning at your entrance makes you shiver, yet you lost all the energy to protest. instead, you allow xavier to spread your legs even further for him, placing your hand against his golden strands of hair to help with guiding him against you as he utilizes his hot mouth alone for the sole purpose of cleaning you.

not wishing to forget your every expression, rafayel decided to make love to you in the missionary position. with his hair covering his face in tune to his every thrusts, the young artist couldn’t help but admire just how responsive you were to his every touch.

each time he rams his cock back inside of you, your breasts would bounce beautifully, your gaze becoming even more filled with lust and adoration for him.

your moans were nothing short of being absolute music to his ears, and he basked in the way he was able to play your body like a symphony, using his cock for the purpose of your pleasure alone.

the mere sight of your gorgeous face twisted in absolute and utter pleasure was almost too much for rafayel to bear, making him insane as he leans down to capture your hardened nipples within his hot mouth. the sensation of his tongue licking a stripe up your aching breasts makes you gasp, hands already delving into his soft strands of hair. you lightly pull against those strands, earning a grunt from him as he began to shamelessly suckle on your nipples.

your climax was quickly approaching, and the moment rafayel felt your walls clenching around him so tightly did he lose all sense of control. stilling his hips, he pumps the rest of his seed inside of you, fully emptying himself with a low hiss of your name.

you were practically sobbing beneath him, hands clenching at the ruined sheets below you as you took in all that he had to offer. the lemurian’s gaze looks down at the spot where you remained connected to him, becoming filled with pride at just how well you managed to take him in.

“such a good girl for me… you’re my sole princess.” rafayel admits to you with a soft smile, pressing lingering kisses against your damp skin. when both of your respective releases simmers down to a manageable level, rafayel remains buried deep inside of you.

knowing that your body was aching, he spends a good amount of time massaging your shoulders and hips, applying the right amount of pressure on them. still feeling a bit naughty, the artist ends up wrapping his arms beneath your back, picking up your form, ensuring that your heaving breasts were settled before him as he spends yet another good chunk of time littering them with kisses all while gently sucking on your sensitive nipples.

he continues to chuckle at how responsive you still were, finally ceasing with his almost hedonistic massages against your skin. realizing just how tired you were when you let out a yawn, rafayel makes sure his limp cock was still connected to your slick walls (despite how much of a challenge it was to place you both beneath the covers without breaking such an intimate contact.)

seeing the way your lover struggled makes you giggle weakly in response, earning a playful glare from him that was certainly not a pout. you listen as rafayel huffs before placing your face within his naked chest after managing to pull the comforter over both your forms.

“sleep, my princess, and i’ll be sure to treat you to something nice when morning comes.”

his gentle voice was all the urging you needed to succumb to your exhaustion, allowing your eyelids to grow heavier before falling into a deep slumber…

end notes: it is so easy to thirst for the lads boys and i am just so shameless at this point 🫠

Waking up is a constant effort in your life—it always has been, and this time was no different. The real question was *how* it happened. You opened your eyes slowly, feeling every part of your body anew, and a tired sigh escaped your lips. Even though you had been asleep mere seconds ago, the exhaustion was overwhelming, and your head throbbed so badly it made you nauseous when you tried to sit up in bed.  

The room around you was, at the very least, peculiar. Even though you couldn’t focus perfectly on your surroundings, you could still sense the strangeness this place carried.  

The windows stretched from floor to ceiling, revealing a dense, dark forest outside. A sliver of sunlight hit the glass, showing that this place was in a clearing, but even so, the ground was hard to see beneath all the foliage. Beside the window, a shelf was attached to a desk cluttered with monitors, computers, and other equipment you wouldn’t even know how to name. Some looked like printers, others like devices—maybe tracking systems—along with keyboards, mouses, tangled cables, connectors, servers, desktops on the floor, and a few laptops hooked up to extra monitors. What stood out the most was that there were only two chairs around the long L-shaped desk.  

The bed you were lying on was enormous—big enough for three people. The blanket you clutched was soft, warm, and wide, perfect for a freezing night. To your left, another desk was pressed against the wall, and next to it, a door. On the desk sat a plate of food, seemingly prepared recently—the smell of fried fish was strong and, frankly, mouthwatering. As simple as the meal looked—some vegetables, rice, and fried fish—the aroma was irresistible.  

Before you could even think about the door beside the desk, your stomach growled, a clear signal that you needed to eat. At that moment, your body moved on its own, but when you tried to place your left foot on the floor to push yourself up, your support gave way, and you found yourself falling, eyes wide.  

THUD. Your heart raced, arms trembling. You looked down to where your left foot should have been… but there was nothing. Just a stump ending at the knee. Panic seized your thoughts. You frantically looked around, your throat releasing an inhuman, terrified, broken scream. There was no controlling it—your body screamed inside, fear and despair the only emotions you could process. With your hands clutching your head, you barely heard the sound of the door opening or the footsteps—much larger than yours—rushing toward you. Only when someone knelt in front of you did you realize there was someone else in the room.  

Like something out of a horror movie, your eyes slowly traced the figure before you. Two muscular, wet legs kneeling, a towel draped around his waist, barely covering halfway down his thighs; a sculpted abdomen where veins were faintly visible. The guy’s chest was broad and toned, completely hairless, his arms thick and strong—yet he held your shoulders as if you were made of glass. Finally, your gaze landed on his face, and if not for the panic of realizing your missing limb, you might have been mesmerized.  

Violet eyes and a youthful face with dark brown hair parted to the side stared back at you. As familiar as he seemed, you couldn’t place where you knew him from.  

Something in your expression must have tipped him off to your confusion because his demeanor softened, and a smile spread across his lips.  

“Easy, Cookie. Don’t worry. It’s me, Caleb. I put your breakfast—well, lunch—on the desk. That was insensitive of me, huh?” As he spoke, your body kept shaking. His presence didn’t exactly calm you—everything was wrong, and the worst part was that you couldn’t even *feel* your knee, like you were drugged. “There, it’s okay. I’ll put you back in bed, alright?”  

His voice was light, almost playful. Despite your obvious distress, he kept smiling, moving slowly as he lifted you effortlessly and placed you back on the bed. Faster than you expected, you scrambled backward, hitting the headboard and curling up.  

“It’s fine. I was taking a shower—didn’t think you’d wake up so soon… I’ll bring the plate over, okay?” He spoke like you were a cornered animal, and honestly, given the size difference, maybe you were. He stood, grabbed the plate with utensils, and brought it to you, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Here. Eat as much as you want. I can make more if you’re still hungry.”  

Your eyes flicked between the food and him. He still wore that gentle smile, his body radiating calm—even if it wasn’t helping much.  

“W-Who are you? W-Where are we?” were the first words out of your mouth. Your body trembled, tears streaming down your cheeks. Those questions were painful, but worse was the way he looked surprised. *Of course* you knew each other—why else would you be in pajamas in a stranger’s bed in the middle of a forest?  

The last thing you remembered was being with friends, a game night playing tabletop RPG. You hadn’t even drunk that night—just a snack, some fries, and soda. Waking up like this was… terrifying.  

“You don’t remember me, Cookie?” His voice carried… confusion. “It’s me, Caleb. We’re in our room, inside Facility 033-Alpha.”  

Your head throbbed, your throat dry. *Facility 033-Alpha? Our room?* What did that even mean? You couldn’t recall *anything* about either.  

Caleb, sensing your hesitation, sighed deeply. Leaning closer, he handed you the plate, then brushed his fingers against your cheek.  

“Here’s what we’ll do… I’ll stay right here for whatever you need, okay? Eat a little, I’ll finish drying off, and then I’ll keep you company, alright?”  

With no choice, you nodded. Holding the plate with shaky hands, you started eating, closing your eyes briefly just to savor the taste—it was, without a doubt, the best food you’d ever had.  

Caleb watched every movement, as if missing a second of you would be catastrophic. Finally, he stood, carefully taking the plate from you and placing it under the desk.  

“I’ll be right back, okay?” he said, waiting for your nod before leaving through the same door he’d come from.  

It didn’t take long for him to return, now wearing black sweatpants and a smile. It was impossible not to notice how sculpted his body was—broad, muscular, yet covered in scars, some downright frightening.  

What you *hadn’t* noticed earlier, in your panic, was his mechanical arm. His right arm was a literal prosthetic, and it made you curious—it was incredibly advanced, movements flawlessly fluid.  

Noticing your stare, he chuckled and stretched the arm out, sitting beside you on the bed, much closer this time.  

“Curious about my arm, Cookie? Feel free to look… And I’m sorry I couldn’t get you a matching leg yet.” He sighed, looking uncomfortable. “I know you’re confused, but… what *do* you remember?”  

You swallowed hard, avoiding his eyes, staring at the blanket instead, your voice barely audible.  

“The last thing I remember… was at a friend’s house playing RPG.”  

The silence was so heavy you had to look at him. When you did, something in his demeanor had shifted—like he was calculating, planning. A thousand thoughts raced through your head. His reaction could only mean one thing: you’d forgotten *way* more than he expected.  

“H-How much did I forget?” Your voice shook more than you wanted—any semblance of composure was gone.  

Caleb just smiled and shook his head, saying it was only a few months. But something inside you *screamed* that it was a lie. More than anything, your gut told you his face was a perfect mask hiding something huge. He averted his gaze, clearing his throat and scratching his head. “It’s fine, you’ll remember everything, I’m sure. Anyway… want to take a shower?”  

Back to that easygoing tone, like nothing had happened minutes ago. Standing calmly, he offered his hand, helping you up—well, hop—toward the door he’d come from.  

On the other side was a windowless room with a small kitchenette and another door leading to a bathroom with a tub and shower. You assumed the other door in the room was an exit. The bathroom had no windows either, just an exhaust fan, a mirror so high you could only see from your chest up.  

Leaning against the wall, you took a deep breath, trying to process everything. Months of missing memories, waking up in a strange place in the middle of a forest, a giant man with a metal arm serving you food, the weirdest room you’d ever seen—but just as you started pulling off your shirt, you realized Caleb was still inside.  

“Hm?” He tilted his head, smiling like it was the most normal thing in the world to stay while you undressed.  

“Can you leave?” you asked, incredulous.  

“Ah… But I… fine. Sure.” Like a sad puppy, he lowered imaginary ears, tucked an invisible tail between his legs, and left as if it pained him.  

Finally alone, you started slowly undressing, something caught your eye—your body was covered in small bruises, and between your legs, something you hadn’t noticed before: bite marks and what looked like… dried cum.  

With wide eyes and feeling your face heathen entirely, you tried to look at the small mirror the bathroom had. It was quite high for your normal size, probably working well enough for Caleb, but even so you could still notice more love bites and hickeys he had left on your body. 

“Is everything ok?” he asked still outside, but close enough to the door to be heard. 

“Y-Yeah!!” You shouted back and decided to open the sprinkler. No matter what had happened before, you still couldn’t picture yourself really sleeping with him.

No matter, you would figure everything out eventually so you decided to just shower like normally. When you finished, there were fresh clothes and panties for you, Caleb got inside the bathroom and changed your stuff, leaving a nice note too. 

Hey cookie! I’m heading out, gonna grab some stuff for us to eat. Just wait for me ok? I’ll be back soon =)

You dressed yourself and moved towards the bedroom, still feeling far too shy about what you found between your legs. How could you forget this type of relationship with someone? Thinking about those things, you moved to the bed and laid a bit, feeling tired from all the amount of information that had fallen on you that day. 

.  

.  

.  

Your eyes were closed until a bright light forced them open. The bedroom door was ajar, and no one was inside. You crawled out of bed, carefully using the walls to hop on your right foot without falling, making your way to the main room—its door also open.  

Freedom! you thought. Finally, you could escape this hellhole, return to your friends and family. It was so close—just one step away—until a hand yanked you backward.  

There he was, smiling that unsettlingly calm smile. He pulled you against him, arms trapping yours, his face leaning into your ear.  

“Trying to run, Cookie? Why would you do that, hmm?” His voice was sweet, but his grip was like steel. “How?”  

He asked again, silkily mocking, “How do you plan to escape? Crawling?” You could almost hear the laugh in his tone.  

“You don’t have a leg… How will you get out like this?” His hands slid down, pushing up your shirt, fingers tracing your ribs while the other slipped into your shorts.  

“P-Please…” You started crying, trembling, powerless against someone so much bigger. “P-Please don’t touch me…”  

“You know, I do feel a little sad. I regret it a bit.” He kept going, pushing you onto the floor, a satisfied smile on his lips. “I really do love your legs. It’s so pretty. That’s why I left you one.”  

With you pinned, his body covered yours, his hands gripping your right leg as he nuzzled against it. “But you still want to escape… What should I do, hmm?”  

“P-Please… S-Stop,” you begged louder, panic surging as his tongue dragged up your heel. “P-PLEASE STOP!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!”  

Then, ignoring your pleas, he bit down and ripped out your tendon, blood spraying everywhere. Your skin is nothing more than something to be feasted upon while you cry and scream, trying to squirm away. 

You jolted awake, heart pounding, tears flooding, body shaking. Before you could take notice of your surroundings, you heard two male voices coming from the living room. One of the voices was quite familiar, it was Caleb speaking, he seemed to be discussing something important with another male, until you heard the name “Zayne” leaving his lips. 

“I’m serious, Zayne” he said, his gentle tone now sounding so angry, Caleb was almost growling. “I went out and locked everything, but watched the cameras and she simply went to sleep. This is the first time. I need to know if she truly lost her memories or if it’s just a trick.

The other man sighed as if he had heard that many times and was forced to take care of all the tantrums Caleb threw his way. 

“I can only tell you that if she’s taken to my laboratory, I can run an examination on her. Besides that, I can only check superficially if she’s ok. You complained about nightmares, right?” 

“Yeah… She’s been having an awful load of them. I’m worried this stress might affect her.” 

“Right, let’s get it on with it, then. Show me the way and I’ll check if there’s any condition that you should be aware of… Although, I’m serious when I tell you to bring her to the lab.” 

You closed your eyes quickly as possible, nervous, but trying to look like you’re sleeping as best as you could. You still wanted to know who that Zayne was and if there was a lab… Maybe you could gather more information about this whole place and what was going on. 

They opened the door, but never turned the light on, you felt cold hands touching your left wrist and so you complained. You whimpered, very softly, moving gently and doing your best to act like you were truly sleeping —it seemed like it was working quite well. 

“Be careful, I don’t want to disturb her sleep.” Caleb complained to Zayne, but kept quiet otherwise. 

The doctor seemed to work feeling your pulse and even looking for anything on your body that could look like a spot or any indicator you felt pain, but as he kept evaluating you, he couldn’t find anything. You were satisfied that it seemed he was leaving until your leg started hurting and the only problem in this? You did not have a leg anymore, not that one. 

The phantom limb syndrome. You tried to not move too much, but at the same time, tried to keep the fake acting that you were sleeping, maybe having an issue during sleep with your leg or anything similar. They fell for the trick and you heard Caleb complaining something again to Zayne. 

“It’s normal in patients that have amputated a limb. Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do. If the pain becomes unbearable, please let me know, I’ll try to assist in the best way possible” the other man sighed after making sure the problem was your missing leg and not anything else. 

He excused himself not much longer after saying that. You, on the other hand, kept turning around and whining due to the pain, even sobbing. At least you were about to put an act to Caleb. 

“Ay, Cookie, it’s okay.” he whispered in your ear after taking a few clothes articles off, sitting on your side of the bed and pulling you to his chest. “I’m telling you, it’s okay. I’m here, I’ll take good care of you, ok?” 

His voice was gentle while his hands started to roam around your body. Softly you started to open your eyes, as if you had just woken up, the pain still clouding your judgment. 

“Hey Cookie. Good morning to you too” he cooed, kissing your forehead, his hand big on your belly, caressing you there. “I’m going to make the pain go away, ok? Just trust me.”

He traced from your forehead to your cheeks and then neck, earning a few whimpers from you. Caleb’s hand started to move under the elastic of your shorts and you started to panic, trying to move him away. 

“P-Please stop… S-Stop Caleb!!” You whined a bit louder this time, maybe the other guy could come back and help you out in this situation. You tried to push him away, moving your face to the other side. 

“It’s okay, Cookie. I’ll make you feel better, ok? Don’t worry, I never hurt you before, not going to do that now.” he whispered in your ears, gently caressing your thigh before moving his fingers under your panties as well, finding your softest spot. “This way you won’t have to fake that you’re sleeping in front of me again” 

Hearing his words caught you out of surprise. Your eyes wide open and you started to tremble, trying harder than ever to squirm away, crying louder and louder, trying to push his arm to the other side. 

“No no, you’re not being nice now.” He sighed, laying you on your stomach and before you could pull away from him, he dragged both of your hands to the front and opened the nightstand, getting something out of there. “Be good, I’ve been taking care of you and you’ve been lying to me…” another sigh while he got your handcuffs and ‘tied’ you to the headboard. 

You were in panic, not only not knowing who this man was but now he was even tormenting you, abusing your body in a way you could not handle, not even being able to kick him without losing your balance. You were almost screaming, muscles completely contracted in fear.

“See, it’s ok. I’ll always forgive you in the end, but I gotta help you with the pain, I know you’re not faking this one at least.” His voice came from behind you, kissing your lower back while he took your shorts and panties away, his face going directly to your most intimate part. “Look at you, being difficult now huh? It’s ok, cookie. I’m going to kiss you better and make you feel that nice way again” 

And with that, he started kissing your cunt, making out with your folds, licking long stripes from your clit to the back and although you were scared, afraid and nervous, your body started to answer to his caresses. Little by little you felt yourself becoming dizzy, your pussy more wet not only with his saliva, but with your slick too. 

A traitor's body indeed, giving in to the sensation of his tongue and making you feel like this was good after all. 

“Hmm… You’re doing wonderful, Cookie” he talked you through it a bit, his right hand holding your right leg so you wouldn’t fall while he ate you out like a starved man. “You’re doing so well, princess, I’m going to make the pain go away, ok?” 

He kept licking you, using his free fingers to prepare you better, moving them slowly inside of you. Caleb fed from your essence as if it was a delicacy of the gods, a given blessing, his fingers hitting a spot that made you see stars. 

“You’re doing so good for me, cookie.” He whispered against your clit and made you clamp hard on his fingers. Your eyes were star crossed, your body trembling to each one of his touches, until your body gave up and came, that white hot feeling that got you limp, only being held by the handcuffs and Caleb’s hands.

The brunette kept licking you, making you ride the high of your release, until he finally left your hips to rest on the bed. A chuckle that came from deep within him made you shiver, your face completely flushed, body heat emanating from him. 

“You’re always so dramatic with these things, cookie. Acting all pouty and spoiled like you don’t want it and at the same time melting on my hand…” he said softly and you wished you hadn't heard him, your body was tired, your mind exploding, but then, you heard him shuffling his clothes. 

Fear made you aware again, looking behind to see what he was about —even though you already knew, deep inside of you. Caleb had the body of a god, his muscles bulging under your attention, he had that lazy smile in his face as if your panic meant only a plaything to him. As if you were acting cute and he was just giving what you truly wanted. 

The worst part was when your eyes caught the sheer size of him. His member was enormous, huge and girthy, veiny and twitching in anticipation. You started to cry again, tears falling down your face as you tried to squirm away from him, to close your legs somehow. 

“Shhh shhh… It’s okie, Cookie. Why do you need to act so difficult right now, hmm?” Caleb gave you a gentle slap on your ass cheek, aligning his shaft to your core. Slowly and carefully, he started to penetrate you, sinking inside of you, inch by inch, centimeter by centimeter. 

You felt like you were being speared in the middle, your tears falling copiously from your face and when you tried to pull away again, he held your hips tight. You whined and whimpered, complaining how big he was, that he was hurting you even if that wasn’t true —since it seemed your traitor’s body was somehow used to his advances, to his touches, to his intrusion. 

Slowly you gave way to him, until Caleb bottomed out and shivered. He exhaled slowly, his big hands gently holding your hips, fingers tracing circles on your skin as if the brunette was trying to calm you down. He moved, his chest touching your back when he started whispering to your ear and kissing your neck. 

“Cookie, you are so fucking good to me. I promise I’ll make you feel so good” He whispered, his hips moving slowly. 

With each thrust, you tried to hold back any noise you could make, only tears spilling out from your eyes as you wanted to run away, go back to family and friends and wake up from this terrible nightmare, but Caleb was relentless and when he noticed you were not making noises on purpose, he started pinching your clit. 

His fingers were playing around with you, moving in a way only he knew, in a way your body couldn’t deny him any longer. Closing your eyes shut, you tried your best to stay still, to be controlled, to not moan, but Caleb was dedicated to making your body go against your commands. 

Moans spilled out from your mouth, your body acted on its own, slick leaking from your weepy cunt, making the way he slid in so tortuously delicious that you couldn’t stop the clamping. 

“F-Fuck… You take me so well, cookie… I-I’m so close” he whispered in your ears, making you shiver purely from his voice, his hips hitting your ass and his balls hitting your clit from behind. 

You closed your eyes once more, before you could bite down your own lip to hold on a moan from your imminent release, you felt Caleb’s hand pushing against your mouth. His bionic arm was strong enough to keep touching your clit and supporting your weight. 

“B-Bite me, Cookie…” He whispered, his voice was so thick with desire you could almost see hearts in his eyes, his face dusted with pink. “Y-You’re such a good girl for me…” and so you did. You bit Caleb with all your strength —which wasn’t much at that moment, but enough to draw a little bit of blood.

He kept slamming against your pussy, his climax coming not long after yours, as if the fact you bit him made him come even harder. Long and thick ropes of cum coating your womb while he rode his high for a few more minutes. 

You were truly spent, exhausted to the bone, eyes dropping close when he freed your hands and finally pulled out, hissing from the loss of contact. He closed his eyes for the last time and sighed, seeing your poor body giving up and falling on the bed. 

Caleb pushed with two fingers, his cum inside of you again, sighing happily, kissing your shoulders and whispering sweet nothings to your ears. Before darkness took you, your wish was to wake up from this terrible nightmare, hopefully this was all it was. A nightmare.

“You see, even from a young age I liked to read books, some were fairytales and love stories, others were meant to scare me or take me into a journey beyond the stars. At some point, I developed… affection for certain characters.”

“Affection? Are you speaking of romantic love?”

You smile. “Something like that—rather than outright love love, I think it’d be fairer to call it infatuation. It’s silly. I became obsessed with these figures of imagination to the point that I would get angry when they fell in love with other characters.”

You expect him to say something mocking, but instead, he drops a sugar cube into his cup and says, “I don’t think it’s silly.”

“That’s surprising. Most people would call me crazy, after all, what’s more insane than loving something that doesn’t exist?”

“I’m not most people. Desire is simple, humans make it more complicated than it needs to be. It’s far more foolish to lie to ourselves about what we feel.” He shrugs.

“You’re right, it is simple,” you laugh wryly and poke the strawberry on top of your cake. 

He watches you. He then sets down his cup and looks at the street. “Fictional people aside, have you experienced true love?”

“No.”

“Huh.”

“Shocked?”

“Yes.” He meets your gaze. “You struck me as a hopeless romantic.”

You laugh for real this time. “It’s precisely because I am a hopeless romantic that I have never experienced that kind of love.”

“I don’t follow.”

“I told you, I like to read. Love that transcends time and space is a common theme for a lot of books.” You stab the cake. You spent most of your life admiring the stars so now, no earthly gem can ever compare. “One would have a higher chance of meeting a mythological creature than finding true love.”

He chuckles. 

“What’s so funny?”

“Well, from what you’ve told me about your reality, don’t I qualify as a mythological creature?”

The cake crumbles and you push the pieces apart. “That’s true.”

Ruby eyes fall over to your sulking form. 

Sylus clears his throat and looks at the stores. “It’s truly fascinating how much this place has changed since I last remembered.”

Your ears perk up. Since you’ve met him, Sylus has barely shared anything about his childhood or his life a thousand years ago.

“What was it like?” You ask.

A little girl passes by the street with what looks to be her grandfather; her twintails bob with each step she takes. Her head turns and she sees Sylus. Without missing a beat, she offers a toothy grin and waves her arm in greeting. 

Sylus weakly raises his hand, the faintest smile evident on his lips.  

Satisfied, the girl continues dragging her grandfather around the town.

“It was a little village, barely big enough to house more than maybe 300 people. There used to be a town square where this very tavern stands.” There’s a far off look in his eyes, mind somewhere you cannot see.

Heart aching, you say playfully: “I bet you were a cute kid.”

He snorts. “I was small.”

“I have a hard time picturing that.” The Sylus you came to know is a big guy, not just physically, his presence has a way of enveloping you. When he’s in a room with you, you can’t help but look at him.

“I was a tiny thing,” he continues, “it was ridiculous, really, even the human children were taller than me. My horns and tail and wings used to be much bigger than my body. They feared me, but because I was smaller they still had the guts to throw rocks.”

You hum, watching him reminisce. 

After a while, he exhales and looks at you. “Anyway, is there anything you’d like to do today?”

“I’m going for a job search.”

“...what?”

“You’re already letting me live with you for free, not to mention paying for my meals, I figured it’s about time I earn my own money.” You sip on your tea. 

“You don’t have to do that.”

You hated your job back on Earth, and you fantasized about living a carefree life without having to worry about rent or food. But you soon discovered that life as a homebody is no fun and games either. As much as you enjoy annoying—ahem, admiring and praising Sylus, staying alone with him for too long is making you feel things. Things that have no place in your heart. 

“You can’t—you don’t have to work,” he insists. “I have more gold than I know what to do with, you can use them all you want.”

“As tempting as the offer is—” who doesn’t want to be a handsome dragon’s sugar baby? “—I’ll have to decline for, let’s say, ethical purposes.”

“But—”

“Sylus,” you cut him off, the soft clinking of your teacup on its saucer sounds sharp, like a warning bell. “I’m doing this.”

He is about to protest, but then he catches sight of the bruising on your wrist, so he purses his lips and folds back on his chair. “I’m sorry.”

The Sylus in-game is the epitome of a perfect man: confident, secure, respectful and devoted. But the Sylus sitting in front of you is basically Rapunzel. Over a thousand years spent alone in his tower with no human contact may not have broken his mind, but the gaps in his emotional development are evident. He’s growing too attached. You knew of the consequences of staying with him and you selfishly let it happen. You don’t know how destiny works, but you know that somewhere in the future, there is a world where Sylus can be happy, truly happy with the woman he loves. And you love him too much to rip that away from him, so you will do the right thing and leave before either of you can make a mistake.

***

Sylus doesn’t understand. 

Humans work to make money, so they can buy things. From what you told him, you always worried about money, that’s why, even though you loathed your job, you did not stop until you died.

But his cave is full of treasures already. He has enough money to last him for eternity, enough to last the both of you for as long as you live. 

He hates that he does not understand. He hates that small trinket shop that hired you, and he hates that human boy—no, the young man who looks at you like… like you just told him really good news and now he can’t stop smiling.

It’s infuriating. 

He would never admit this to you, but sometimes—not all the time—he wishes you were a bird. You would be a very adorable bird, he thinks. A loud and cute thing. If you were a bird, he would build you the biggest, most intricate, most beautiful golden cage. Only the best bird seeds and fruits would be given to you. You would never want for anything.

If you were a bird, you could stay with him.

If you were a bird, you wouldn't have to leave ever again.

***

“Everything’s been running more smoothly since you came along,” says Orson as he carries the newest delivery of antiques inside the store. He’s the grandson of the owner and an incredibly polite eighteen-year-old. 

“Well, I’m glad you find me satisfactory.” This place isn’t so bad. Compared to your old nine to five, this is easy money. The people are also nice enough. No one calls you an idiot every second and the only other employee, Orson, knows how to pull his weight. 

“You don’t give yourself enough credit. We used to lose a lot of the smaller stuff, but your—what do you call it, inventory? Your inventory makes it easier to keep track of everything.”

You laugh and help him unload the crates. You fish out the usual knicknacks that are sent to this store: silverware, secondhand books, old toys, a kettle—no. 

You rub your whole face.

Orson peers over from his crate and teases, “Dust in your eye again?”

You ignore him and look back at the contents of the box. This can’t be. 

He calls your name as you reach inside and carefully pull out a lamp, its gold sheen nowhere to be found under layers of dust and dirt. Wrapped around it is a small, black and red dragon.  

@phisen @leryg0 @capribun @sinnamon-bunn @wegottastayfocus @erisnxxi @syyyy4ever @limerenceisserenity @shiorihoshino @poptrim @jeleryyy @serenity-loves-red @vigtore @imagineblaqkttv @calverkeys @malleus-draconias-rose @traumaramacenter @tak3yourpill @lucifers-silhouette @lanxianschoenheit @anixx1 @cupid-gene @animechick555 @lostpsycho13 @roselleviennesstuff @athanasia-day @nazifa613 @multisstuff @shadowqueen09 @sleepykittycx @perla-drg @codedove @mentaltrouble2201 @seris-the-amious @alyssac9 @kira-loves0905 @yutterfly @nerrivm @sharlinna @sleepykittycx @huuvu

Sorry if I missed /repeated someone in the tags, Tumblr doesn’t exactly have the best commenting system.

a/n: How’re you guys liking the verb tense change? I know I originally wrote everything in the past tense but since this is set in an otoge I went with the usual present tense used in such games. Or does it feel too awkward? ALSO PLEASE NO SPOILERS ABOUT THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE MAIN STORY. I have been busy with finals so I still haven't played them.

CHAPTER 7: Fingers Crossed

“Found anything good?” Orson calls from his spot.

“Yeah. The silverware looks fancy,” you answer as you close the box, keeping the forbidden item inside. “We may be able to sell them at a good price, I’m not sure about the books though, they’re all atlases.” 

“No worries. We can donate the paper for the festival decorations.” His boyish face lights up at the mention of their town’s founding anniversary.

“Right,” you answer before lifting the box with your knees. 

“Oh, just leave that, I’ll carry it.”

“No!” You clear your throat. “No, I can do it.”

The box feels heavier than it should as you carry it in the storage room. For now, it’s best to hide the contraband. 

***

Ever since your arrival, Sylus has read over a hundred books in the past three months, from nonfiction and biographies of royalty, to fairy tales and romance novels. You claim that it’s for his own sake, to help educate him about humans, but considering how many times you’ve asked to borrow every book you’ve gifted him, your reasons may be a lot more self-serving.

(He doesn’t mind, if anything, he thinks you could be a little more selfish.)

According to those romance books you’d fawn over—as well as “The History of Beauty” encyclopedia—if not for his draconic features, people would fawn over his long limbs and symmetrical face, but you seem to see and love more than what most humans value. 

“Sylus, when are you going to let me touch your tail?”

“Sylus, can I polish your horns?”

“Sylus, your smile is radiant as the moon.”

You would spout these inane ramblings without an ounce of shame or a slither of deceit—all while making heart gestures, sometimes with just your thumb and pointer finger, other times with your arms bent above you.

He now understands that you mean every word, and yet, he can’t sense any lust. When you compliment him, it’s as if you’re praising a masterpiece. Or a pet. 

Either way, your sincerity is better than the contempt he’s received from the rest of the world, that’s what he tells himself. He should be grateful for what you give him, even if it were mere scraps of affections, he should be satisfied. An existence such as himself shouldn’t covet more from something as pure as you, he repeats in his mind.

But to be admired as a work of art feels hollow. As days pass, the heart that he’s kept closed off for over a thousand years now craves for more.

“Hey! You’re early.” You step out of the store, holding the cloak he gave you. He still hasn’t quite grasped why you choose to work again (especially since you’ve told horror stories about your former job) when his collection of treasures is more than enough to buy this whole city—the continent, even. However, you do seem to enjoy your new responsibilities, so he stopped bringing up his displeasure. When he first met you, you were an anomaly, a hyperactive bird or pup that’s too affectionate—too reckless for its own good. He’s grown fond of that side of you, but whenever he sneaks glimpses of you at work, he finds himself unable to look away when he sees your serious face. It’s a different type of adorable that he can’t criticize.

You approach him with a teasing grin. “You couldn’t wait ten minutes to see my lovely face?”

“Yes.”

His answer catches you off guard; you fumble, causing the cloak to fall from your fingers. 

He wordlessly catches it and drapes the fabric over your shoulders. As he secures the gold clasp over your collar, he takes a moment to look at you. Everything you are wearing right now, from this fur cloak to your undergarments and your boots, are all from him. There is no denying the delight he feels when he sees you covered from head to toe with his gifts.

“It’s getting colder,” he states the obvious, fingers hovering over the gold near your neck. “You’re going to need thicker coats.”

“R-right.” You turn your head away from him and he chuckles.

“What’s the matter?” 

“Oh, nothing.” You cough and then face him again. He’s learned to tell apart your different expressions, and it amazes him how smiles can vary so greatly. You’re smiling now, but it’s so clearly forced. “So you missed me, huh?”

“Yes.”

“You’re going to give me butterflies.”

“You said that I always give you butterflies.”

“I was slowly building up an immunity but now you show up early to pick me up from work and tell me you missed me? If you keep teasing me like this I might throw up from happiness.”

“I’m not teasing you,” he says, then he stops. He looks at you, smirking ever so slightly. “Okay, maybe I am teasing you just a little.”

You shake your head, preparing to exaggerate a pout and walk away, but then he adds, “But I meant it.”

His eyes bore into yours as he continues, “Lately, I find myself dissatisfied with everything unless I’m with you.”

He expects you to laugh it off, or—more hopefully—to acknowledge his feelings, but instead, something akin to terror flashes over your face. 

It’s gone instantly and you cover it up with a chuckle. “I feel the same way.”

You love him, you adore him; Sylus knows this for a fact, so why do you look so sad when you say those words? 

Unaccustomed to such circumstances, Sylus denies the gnawing desire to ask you what’s wrong and changes the subject as you two start walking down the street.

“So, what are you going to wear?” he asks.

“Huh?”

“There’s going to be a festival next week, correct? Your regular clothes are nice, but I know that people like to dress up during special occasions.”

“I’m not sure. I’ve been so busy I haven’t had the time to think about what to wear.”

“Well, I’ve been choosing your outfits for you since you arrived here, I don’t see why I should stop now.”

You finally give him a joyful smile. “Only if I get to choose yours.”

His hand almost moves to touch your face, but he keeps it by his side. “Whatever you want.”

***

You can’t forget the important item that you’ve hidden, but you decided to enjoy your moments with Sylus until whatever happens happens. 

“You’re going to bore a hole in my chest if you keep staring at it,” Sylus says as you two make your way towards the town square. 

“I can’t help it, you look sensational.” Yesterday, you spent the whole day perfecting Sylus' outfit. The tailor in charge of his clothes was very happy to design a suit for someone like him. 

He’s tall and…well, himself, so there was no need to worry about using red, which, on the wrong person, runs the risk of looking childish or flamboyant. 

“You’re going to make me blush.” 

“You look rather pleased from where I’m standing.” He doesn’t look the least bit embarrassed, even as the villagers around you begin whispering and staring. They must think he’s a foreign prince or some nobleman. “I think everyone here agrees.”

“I don’t really care what they think,” he mumbles. “If you say that I look handsome, then that’s all I need.”

“...” You laugh and elbow his side. “I guess those romance books are paying off, huh?”

“What?”

You half-run away from him, pretending to have been lured in by a little girl with a basket of paper flowers.

“Hey, kid, how much for the flowers?”

“These aren’t for sale, silly!” She shows her basket, which is full of flower crowns. “We make these at school so that we can give everyone a crown.”

“In that case, can I have two?”

“Sure thing! Here you go.”

You put one over your head and then turn to Sylus. “Here’s yours.”

Instead of taking the crown, he bends down, eyes closed.

The girl giggles and you hide your surprise as you crown him, too. 

“Mister, you’re very pretty!”

Sylus lifts his chin and smiles at the girl. “You look very pretty as well.”

She covers her mouth, still giggling. 

He turns to you. “You too.”

“I know.”

Even a cesspool like Taurus City can have its moments. Thanks to volunteers, the streets have been swept clean for the founding celebration. The many statues of former heroes and nobles who have contributed in building the city were decorated with paper flowers. The stalls that usually sell Wanderer meat now sell savory pastries and hot drinks. With a parade of dancers and papier-mâché floats and music filling the air, this place almost feels like a normal town. 

Day turns to night and everyone gathers at the square, where a giant bonfire has been lit.

You rub your hands together, which does not go unnoticed.

“Is the cold finally getting to you?” Sylus removes his scarf and wraps it around your neck. 

“And my sweet tooth,” you confess. 

“Wait right here.” 

He doesn’t wait for you to reply before Sylus disappears into the crowd, leaving you alone to enjoy the fire. Little children chase each other between the legs of adults and couples huddle together.

A perfect evening.

Out of nowhere, a powerful gust of wind blows into the square, knocking off your crown, but as you reach to grab it, your knees buckle.

People gasp around you as your body sways sideways and into the giant flame.

“Look out!” 

You are shoved onto the ground, saved just in time, but your flower crown is no more.

“Are you all right? You didn’t get burned, did you?” your savior inquires. 

You say nothing, the shock is fresh, but not because of what almost happened.

Hovering above you, with a waterfall of white hair that captures the moonlight, is the woman you’ve been waiting for; the Heroine of this world, the soulmate of the man you love.

She repeats the question and you reflexively bob your head. 

“I’m not hurt—thank you.”

She pulls back and pats the dust off her dress. “That wind sure was something, huh? You were almost roasted alive!” 

“...”

“I-I’m sorry, I was hoping to make you laugh.” She gives you a once-over and then offers you her hand. “Are you sure you’re not hurt?”

“...yes, I’m okay,” you reassure her as she helps you up. 

“I hope you don’t let this ruin your night.” Someone calls her from a distance and she waves at you. “You take care now.”

“Yeah, you too.”

When Sylus returns, you ask that you two sit. 

He obliges and leads you to a vacant bench far from the crowds surrounding the bonfire.

“Let’s come back next year,” he says as he hands you a mug of hot chocolate. 

You don’t look at him as you reply half-heartedly, “If it’s possible, why not.”

His fingers brush the back of your hand before they settle on your wrist. “Next year, we should definitely come back.”

“...” Your expression remains impassive as you stare at the bright red flames licking the sky. 

Sylus reluctantly lets go, afraid that he has done something wrong. As he prepares an apology, you lift your head and give him a familiar grin. “Sure.”

He smiles, relieved.

The two of you soak in the festive atmosphere. You focus on the warm mug between your palms and pretend not to notice how he keeps sneaking glances at you. 

You finish your drink and, as if he’s been waiting for you to sip the last drop of chocolate, Sylus speaks up, “There’s something I need to show you.”

Sylus leads you outside the gate, which has been left unattended by the guards, and then scoops you up in his arms before launching into the air.

His wings remain invisible even as he flies through the cloudless sky.

You don’t have to ask where he’s taking you; you recognize the route immediately.

He lands on the same meadow again. Compared to last time, there is not a single flower anywhere because of the approaching winter. 

He gently puts you down before backing away.

“You’re not going to leave me here, are you?”

He chuckles. “Just stay there for a moment.”

He closes his eyes and inhales. The air stills with his breath and then, with the flick of his tail, a thousand black dots floated from his armor, carried by a crimson mist that dances around him until it becomes a sphere. The gentle breeze on the meadow transforms and tornadoes around him. 

“Sylus!”

You step forward, but the glittering red ball grows bigger and bigger until it rivals a house, with each swirl, the winds howl more loudly around you.

You shout his name again and this time, the mist dissipates. A few specks of sparkling red floats in the air before disappearing completely.

A shadow towers over you, blocking the moon from view. Your Sylus has been replaced by a dragon. His flower crown sits awkwardly over one horn. 

You blink several times and then rub your eyes. 

“Stop that,” the dragon before you scolds, “you’re going to hurt your eyes.”

“Did you just—what in the—what are you—”

Sylus lowers his head until his gigantic snout is right in front of yours, then he puffs out a warm breath, much to your annoyance. 

He lets out a sound of amusement.

“You said you hated being in your dragon form, why are you showing this to me?”

His jewel eyes focus on you and then, he repeats a familiar line: “‘To me, you are still nothing more than one who is just like a hundred thousand others. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than one like a hundred thousand others. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world.’” [1]

“I can’t believe you remembered all that,” you say, impressed. “Just how many times did you read that book?”

“I would like it very much.”

“You’d like what very much?”

“To be needed by you.”

It’s your turn to hold your breath.

He calls your name.

You sigh and look at the stars. “That would be nice.”

[1] The actual quote is: “To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world…”

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ATTENTION, DEAR READERS: It's been a while since my Mister Dragon update; I tried my best to check for those asking to be added to the taglist but I may have missed/repeated a user. If you wish to be added, please leave a comment on the series masterlist. Also, how do you like the divider? I think they help clean up a post, don't you? I'm gonna incorporate them now hohohoho~

I wish you all an advance Happy New Year and that you get your man this upcoming anniversary update! 🧡💙🍎🍏✈️

CHAPTER 8: Coming Soon.

Disclaimer: The image of Sylus used in this post does not belong to the writer, it is an official image from the game itself. The line divider was made with Photopea.

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