“Son of a bitch!” Jumping up and trying to dry himself off from where he was now soaked, the area was filled with more rapid-fire swears and curses, the hood falling away to reveal a young man who couldn’t have been past his twenties. “Ugh! Master, I am blaming this on you!” Grumbling and complaining, the man dragged himself to a little building that looked halfway to becoming a hill, the stone arch offering clear refuge from the rain. “Freakin’ dragon-slaying- Do I look like a dragon-slayer?!”

Even though he expected no answer, he knew what it would have been. With his cloth clothing and multiple pouches and bags - as well as his staff - he looked all the part of a mage. And the three cuffs hooked around his ear only proved that he had completed the training of a mage, and was a master in his own right. In all due honesty, he really shouldn’t have taken on a dragon-slaying request, but, well...it had come from his Master.

While his Master was very many things, Daniel - or Danny as he prefered - knew the man would have never led him into something that would hurt him, or end in his death. And Danny was confident this was no different, after all, the time mage he had studied from had to have seen something important for him to be here.

Still didn’t mean he couldn’t be upset. He loved exploring, sure, but not in ancient, dragon-infested forests where it was raining and everything was muddy. Even with the rain, extreme heat and humidity was in the air, a sure sign of the dragon that resided not too far away. With this much heat in the rain...the creature was a powerful one.

Sighing, and brushing himself off one more time, Danny pulled his hood back up before continuing on his way. He still had a ways to go before he reached the broken down castle, and he had promised to deal with the issue at hand. He just hoped he was lucky and the dragon was a young one…

::

Vladimir did not like the land he lived in.

As a dragon it was expected of him to explore the world before settling down to rule over his own domain - whether humans be there or not was a dragon’s decision. Vladimir found he didn’t quite like company. Still, though...perhaps he had been hasty in exiling and killing all the humans who had lived here… The land was well enough, and prey bountiful, he supposed, but the heat.

He was from a land of ice and snow, where shimmering snow fields stretched on for further than even a dragon could see, and ice-capped mountains towered towards eternity. He was a creature born of fire in a land of snow, and now...stuck in a humid, constantly raining wasteland that was so boring. The rain had been a nice change at first, but after a while it was just so dreary. It was all he could do to muster up the strength to even go hunting anymore.

The idea of returning to his homeland was an interesting one...but the possessive part of him vehemently denied ever going back there. He was a mature dragon who held centuries of experience, and a domain with treasures that the younger striplings wouldn’t hestitate to take. No, he loved adventure as well as the next, but he was nothing if not stubborn. It would take an act of the old gods to get him to give up his land.

At the sharp breeze and sudden scent that crossed him suddenly, however, he figured that the old gods had a sense of humor. It had been a very long time since a human had been here - the occasional dragon hunter had stopped long ago. Perhaps with the recent human wars for land that had started up, they had turned their eye to his nice little property. It would make sense, the forest was an old one, with an excess of wood and prey. They would be foolish not to try.

And even more foolish to attempt.

At hearing the the sounds of grumbling and complaining and irritation, Vladimir’s amusement rose even more. A single, lone human? And not even bothering to approach cautiously? Why, this would be nothing more than an idiot human who was unaware of his presence, still...it would be nice to spread a few more rumors about his power. Might as well as have some fun with it, at the same time.

A large, serpentine body slid off of the uppermost towers of the castle, disappearing into the stone fortress as magic rippled across the skin, scales starting to retreat. It was time to have some fun with his human… It wasn’t long before a grunt was heard, the young fool stumbling into the fortress and across the threshold, just barely catching himself with the aged stick he was holding in his hands, looking exhausted.

“Ugh, that’s the last time I take directions from him.” A groan and the man was sinking to the floor, a hood covering his head from where he had tried to escape the rain. Vladimir only chuckled, amused as the man’s head darted up at the sound, a flash of fear crossing his face. “He-Hello? Is...is someone th-there?” The man was back on his feet, slightly shaking as he stumbled with the stick in his hands, as if unsure what to do with it.

“My, my, you seem to be a long way from home.” As Vladimir stepped out from behind a pillar, he noticed the shock on the other’s face, followed by a slight blush and oh, very lovely. He had so hoped his human illusion would cause an effect like that. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“Co-Company? I- I was just- I was trying to get home. I heard that if I crossed through this forest I could save a few days- I didn’t know anyone lived here, or anything...I was just trying to get out of the rain.” The story looked to be proven true, judging by how soaking wet the other was, masking all scents around him besides the vaguest hints of things.

When Vladimir easily slipped down to land on the floor - a good twenty feet from where he had been - he rolled his eyes at the whimper and step back the other had taken. “Come now, little mage. You fool no one.”

“Wh-What- What are you-” Another step back, Vladimir’s expression sharpening into a glare. A tense silence passed between them before a laugh was heard from the young man, all traces of fear vanished. The dragon was unsurprised to see an illusion fade from the other to show well-made clothing, the stick now an intricate staff that could have only been made with powerful magic. “My apologies for underestimating you.”

“Oh, no, quite the opposite. I’m almost impressed. If it had been a stripling, I’m quite sure it would have worked.” The human was barely into his twenties by what he could tell, bright blue eyes shining in amusement while a strip of white worked it’s way into deep black hair. At the sight of three cuffs on the ear, Vladimir couldn’t stop a laugh. “A master, hm? And here I thought you would be an apprentice trying to accomplish a task.”

“I suppose we both underestimated the other, then. The name’s Danny, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Danny gave a mocking bow, grinning at the flash of annoyance on the other’s face. “I take it you must be Vlad?”

“...What.” The hiss was prominent, full of rage and fire that showed he was not the human he appeared as. Danny didn’t even seemed bothered, only smirking.

“Vladimir just seemed a bit of a mouthful. You know, you are very good at illusions yourself. In fact, if I didn’t know the signs, I would have said you were a lord.” Appeased at the comment - if only slightly - Vladimir tilted his head.

“Quite a pretty compliment. I’m glad to see my shapeshifting skills remain so well polished.” Ah...now there was the powerful mage he was teasing. Dragons who could use magic were common, but for it to be refined into shapeshifting, and to such a degree...it was nice to know he was being taken seriously. “I assume you’re here for some reason, then? To steal a trinket, I presume?”

“Quite the opposite, I’m afraid. You see, I’ve been tasked to take care of you.” That got a rather boisterous laugh, Danny narrowing his eyes at the spike in power he saw. It was enough for humans like him - those who thrived off of magic - to see the wings and horns that seeped through.

“You?! Kill me?! You are but a child who wields power like a son who found his father’s sword. You have no hope. Perhaps if you flee now you might even survive.” His goading words got no reactions besides a smirk, Danny tilting his head.

“Isn’t there a saying about pride coming before a fall? I wonder if I’ll be the one to make you fall, dragon.”

“I’d certainly like to see you try, mage.”

That was all the warning given before a beast made of scales, fangs, and claws was flying towards the human, a beast of terror and fear that would have made others freeze and beg for mercy. Instead, however, it seemed that the dragon was the one to freeze. One moment the human was there, and the next Vladimir was bunching up and piling against the aged and worn wall, trying to keep his momentum as he snarled in rage at the human that was now a dozen feet from where he had been.

“Tsk, tsk, no wonder you don’t get any visitors. Don’t you know anything about hospitality?” This time when Vladimir attacked, he saw a flicker of power flow from the man’s hands and into the staff, the teen looking to be leaning to one side before he was suddenly there. A snap of his tail and the move was repeated, the dragon snarling again. To stop time and flee two attacks in succession, with no pause...no ordinary mage.

“Only as much as you seem to know about honor, it seems! I believe there is something about facing an opponent head on, hm?” Danny had to work at hiding the shudder at the dragon’s voice. No longer was it smooth and inviting like it had been - he wasn’t going to lie, the dragon’s human form was hot. But now, however, in his true form...it was far too beastial. A growl echoed throughout each of the words, and the roar and crackle of fires starting and raging were hidden in each noise made. This was a dragon...a dangerous beast who could slaughter thousands before being brought down.

He was just one mage.

“Really? Gonna be honest, I didn’t much take you for one of those ‘honor’ types. More like the kind who uses whatever tricks he can to win.” At the sharp-toothed grin he was given, Danny couldn’t help but give one of his own. This...was going to be fun. And in a way, it was.

Neither were using their full power, that much was obvious. It was more like testing each other, getting a feel for the battle, a game of cat and mouse where each tried to decide who was who. It was exhilarating. It was the most fun Danny had managed to have in a long time - he was a bit of an adrenaline junkie, he could admit, but still. The battle looked like it would have stretched on for days if it wasn’t for a sudden crack that had him and Vladimir both stumbling, the two looking surprised.

The ruins were ancient, and old. That had been well seen. The floor starting to fall out from underneath them, though, hadn’t been something expected… Danny looked up to see that it was just as surprising to a startled Vladimir, who tried to get his wings to work in the confined space. He didn’t get a chance before a blast of pure magic was slamming into him and throwing him back against the wall, the dragon looking over in shock to see Danny’s hand outstretched - a clear sign of where the magic had come from. A moment later and he was gone, falling through the broken floors that stretched on for dozens of feet.

Danny was aware of a panicked roaring as he swore and fell, trying to call on his magic to do something, and, really, what a pathetic mage he was. Instead of saving himself he had saved a dragon. He was so- So… Well, what could he say. He never could stand to see the loss of life.

As the pressure of falling increased and his staff was ripped out of his hands by the fall, the last thing he remembered was overly warm breath, and a throaty chuckle.

::

“Ah, so that explains it…” Vladimir - buried deep within the dungeons and treasure rooms of the castle - looked in amusement at the medallion around the young mage’s neck. “Clockwork was your Master. How amusing.”

The young man was resting on a seat of soft and warm furs, breathing quietly and looking perfectly at ease. The stress and panic of falling - and vertigo - had knocked him out, and Vladimir couldn’t help but be amused. Saving the little human that had saved him...how strange. Still, he was curious, and had nothing much else to do. Besides, this was turning out to be interesting, if the child had studied under Clockwork. At hearing a groan, he looked over curiously, amused to see the man had settled back down and was looking to be peacefully asleep, a light mutter leaving him as he relaxed.

“You are very good, Daniel, but not quite good enough to fool me.” Danny’s eyes were fluttering open at once, a childish pout on his face that had the disguised dragon - once again in his human form - laughing in amusement. “I can see where you get your skills! That medallion...you were an apprentice to Clockwork.”

“...Depends. Are you going to kill me if I agree?” At the amused shake of the head, Danny gave a nod. “Then yes, Clockwork was my Master. Why?” He didn’t take dragons to much know the names of humans.

“I knew Clockwork long ago, back when he was near your age.” At the disbelief, Vladimir couldn’t help his laugh. “Hard to believe with how old he must be, now.”

“Not gonna lie, pretty sure he’s immortal.” At the silence, Danny blinked in shock, darting up and looking curious. “Wait- Is he- Owowowow.” Rolling his eyes, Vladimir pushed the other back down gently, more amused.

“You fell quite a ways, little mage. I would relax a bit more before moving around.” A small, hesitant nod, Vladimir grinning sharply, a bit of his draconic nature slipping in. “Excellent. Now, as I was saying, I knew Clockwork from long ago. We fought a time or two, but I never expected him to take on an apprentice.” The old time mage had been far too sentimental and distant to take on an apprentice who he could - and most likely would - outlive. Still, he supposed he must have seen something very special in this young one.

“So, ah, not that I’m complaining, but what kind of dragon can’t even kill a sleeping mage?” A laugh was his answer, Danny rolling his eyes. For being a ‘scourge of the land’ this dragon seemed very easily amused.

“The kind who wishes to know why a mage would save the life of a dragon he was tasked to kill.” A shrug was the answer, Danny looking amused himself.

“Hey now, I never said I was tasked to kill you, just take care of you. I figured I would just...chase you off.” At the look, Danny gave yet another shrug. “Killing...isn’t really my thing. I don’t like death, human or dragon.”

“What a strange little mage you are.” Danny only gave a beaming smile, Vladimir shaking his head. It was a few minutes of peaceful silence before Danny was lunging for the area when he saw his staff laying, Vladimir tackling the man to the bed of furs and easily settling down on him. “I’m quite impressed with how well you hid your intentions.”

“I’m a very good actor,” Danny winked, trying to struggle out from under the other. “Vlad, come on. I know I’m pretty gorgeous, but it’s not like you need to sit on me.” Vladimir only raised an eyebrow at the words, Danny smiling back.

“Hm, perhaps I will kill you…” At the pout, Vladimir was bending down and kissing it away, amused at the bright blush that took over every inch of the other’s face. “You mages are so shy with anything regarding physical affection.”

“Well, uh, guess you could say I don’t get kissed by dragons very often. Kind of- Yeah, kind of a thing what the hell why?!” Vladimir only raised an eyebrow, looking amused as the struggles were increased.

“To see you suffer.” At the blushing pout shot his way, the grin grew more sharp. “You enjoyed it.” It wasn’t a question, and the human’s response had the dragon laughing quietly. “I think I’ll be keeping you for a while yet, Daniel. You are quite interesting.”

“Oh, great. I’m part of a dragon hoard.”

::

Apparently the fall had done a little more damage than Danny had first assumed. As proven by the fact he kept stumbling around the area and running into walls and mountains of gold and treasure. After the tenth time, Vladimir took pity and curled his tail around the human, lifting him back onto the bed of furs. “Everything hurts.”

“You fell with rocks, Daniel. I imagine a fair few hit your head.” That had Danny feeling around his head, hissing as he felt over a few bumps. “You will heal in the next week or so, I am certain.” At the pout, the dragon was rolling his eyes and curling back up, continuing to watch the man attempt to get back to his staff. Again.

Each time Danny got a bit too far away, or a bit too close to dangerous areas, he noticed Vladimir was pulling him back onto the furs, or into safer areas. It was almost amusing how protective the other was starting to become, and how...affectionate, he was. The first kiss he had been given hadn’t been the last, Vladimir giving him little pecks and kisses in his human form whenever he could. His dragon form was no different, the man being given licks and nuzzles in their place. It had only been two or so days and he was already feeling smothered in affection.

At the tail once again wrapping around him, Danny was sighing dramatically. “Jeez, man, how attention starved are you.” He took the nuzzle he was given as an answer in itself. “When was the last time you actually spent time around someone that wasn’t trying to kill you?”

“Hm...two centuries ago, I believe.” Vladimir was giving small licks to Danny’s head, cleaning up the dried blood from the wounds the rocks had given him. After a hiss and a bit of squirming, Danny settled down well enough. Besides, he knew dragons to have healing properties, and it did feel rather nice. The affection wasn’t bad, either. “I certainly don’t see you against it.”

“Yeah, well, I’m an overly cuddly person who has no boundaries and hasn’t been shown attention like this in ages. I’m weak.” At the lick to his cheek, Danny was wrinkling his nose and huffing. “Dork.” Such a strange dragon, truly.

The next few days passed in much the same manner, Danny trying to get his staff back - it was a game at this point - with Vladimir continuing to show him affection. While Danny never returned it, he never pushed the other away, either. Besides, he saw no harm in it, really. The dragon’s company was nice, besides, the creature always having stories to tell and entertain him with - except when he was out hunting.

It was when he was getting back from one such trip that Danny was caught up a bit in staring at the other. If he had thought his human form was pretty, his dragon one was gorgeous. Now that he had time to notice, he was nothing like the dragons he had studied in books, no...his body was sleek and graceful, like that of a graceful serpent, similar to those he had seen in pictures from faraway lands. The wings, though were what always caught his attention, leathering and pure black they stretched out for what seemed like ages, the color perfectly contrasting the mane of pure white fur that flowed down his back. It tied in perfectly with the scales, which were all the color of a winter’s sky.

He may have been a bit caught up in his starring since when he next noticed Vladimir was in front of him and looking amused, tail loosely curled around his body, and wings curled against his back. “And here I believed it’s rude to stare.” At not getting a sarcastic response, the dragon was tipping his head down and nudging the man, a bit curious when he felt a soft hand gently brush across his snout. “Daniel?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry, just...you’re kinda gorgeous.” And, alright, dragons were vain and vapid and Vladimir could easily admit the words had him preening in pride a bit. “I’ve never seen a dragon like you before.”

“Hm, no, I suppose you wouldn’t. My homeland...is very far from here.” Danny blinked as the dragon was suddenly sitting in front of him in his human form, warm arms pulling him into his lap as his cheek was kissed. Danny only absently tilted his head into the affection, looking curious.

“You don’t talk about it much.” And, right, getting a bit tricky to string words together, what with the kisses that were being trailed against his skin, and, wow, yes. Danny was weak to kisses. Goddamn dragon probably knew it, too.

“I don’t have much reason to. It was a life I left long ago.” As was usual, Vladimir pressed a soft kiss against the mage’s lips before he was leaning away, surprised when instead of pulling back, Danny was pressing forward, and that...was new. Usually, at this point, Vladimir would have set Danny back down and let him do as he wished, but the pressing back...well, this was new enough to require a bit of an investigation.

Danny, who really had no idea what he was even thinking let alone doing shuddered at the swipe of tongue he felt across his bottom lip. Instead of backing off and blushing and trying to flee - like he should have - he was only giving a pleasant little hum and pressing closer. As the kiss deepened even further, he just vaguely registered the fact that he was being pressed back against the furs, a warm hand - with sharp nails - slipping under his shirt and lightly clawing at the skin.

As the actions continued, Danny was just barely remembering how Clockwork had once told him that dragons sometimes had a peculiar effect on mages. With their large amounts of magic, dragons could sometimes make mages a bit intoxicated with their extended presence. The more powerful the dragon and the mage, the more powerful the effect.

Not that Danny really cared, at the moment, considering how everything felt very nice. And oh, alright, that was his shirt now gone. Somehow he was kind of perfectly okay with that. And- That- Okay.

At the breathy moan Vladimir heard the man make at the bites to his neck, he couldn’t help but feel a bit amused. This mage, at least, was very unused to magical highs. He seemed to be even more unused to ‘affection’ like this in general. And, really...the dragon may as well as have a bit of fun with the other. “I-Isn’t there a thing about courtship, or something.”

“I have a feeling, little mage, that you might not quite like the idea of dragon courtship.” With that, nails were being torn down the human’s side, a sharp gasp leaving the man as he squirmed in the sharp pleasure it brought. Raising an eyebrow in amusement, Vladimir couldn’t help but repeat the action a few times in different places, pausing at hearing a particularly loud reaction when it got to the spine.

At this point, Danny was a limp pile of bliss, moaning and cooing at the touches and bites he was given, thoughts completely clouded and hazed over as he felt the touches get bolder. At some to a particularly...sensitive place, he was loudly groaning, the dragon’s name stuttering past his lips as he shook. A quiet laugh was his response, a soft kiss betraying the sweet nature of the dragon he had been tasked to get rid of.

He was finding it a bit hard to focus on that, however, when Vladimir continued giving him sweet touches, and, oh, apparently he had no clothes on, at this point, judging by the tongue that was sweeping lower. And, no, yeah, he was completely fine with how things were going. And, alright, maybe he wasn’t going to chase off the dragon just yet.

A few hours later and Vladimir watched as the human peacefully dozed, mumbling occasionally in his sleep and curling up to him. The dragon only shifted closer and inspected the young mage’s head, distasteful expression on his face at seeing it was near completely healed. Daniel would be able to leave soon, it seemed…

A shame. He had quite liked this little mage.

::

Which was why a week later he wasn’t surprised to see the mage standing in front of him, staff gripped in his hands and determined expression on his face. “Ready to ‘chase me off’, then?” There was a moment of silence, Danny only stubbornly sitting against him and settling down. “...Daniel-”

“Shut up, just- Shut. I am thinking.” Vladimir flicked his tail but watched in amusement as the mage silently seemed to debate things, finally giving a nod. “Alright. Thinking over. We’re leaving.”

“‘We’.” It wasn’t a question, but Danny was grinning anyways.

“Hey, I have a job to get rid of you, and I’m going to keep to that. Just so happens I also might have started getting feelings for you and I don’t quite want to let you out of my sight, yet. So, yeah, we’re gonna leave and go somewhere not here and then probably come back in a few decades.” At the look, Danny gave a cheerful grin.

“You have a way of working yourself into other’s lives, it seems, little mage.” As Vladimir stood up and flexed giant, leathery wings, Danny only gave a pleasant little hum.

“Yeah, it’s a gift.” Speaking of gifts, he’d have to drop by the castle to thank Clockwork for ‘recommending’ this quest to him, the know-it-all bastard. Maybe scare the royals with Vladimir while he was at it. “So, hey, if you had the chance to scare the King and all that…”

“Already planning on it, little mage.”