More Poker Pair! Because this is by far my favourite pairing and I loves it! This is mainly Romance with a small side of Drama and a bit of violence.
Warnings: Yaoi / Boy x Boy, fairly strong implications, possible OOC, a bit of violence (there is blood)
Disclaimer: Don't own it~
Allen glared out of the tower window at the dozing dragon outside. At 11 years old, he was quite small for his age and looked more like he was 8 years old than anything else. The boy had finally gotten some decent friends and then his father had come up with the brilliant idea that Allen needed to be protected from his "suitors", and so the poor boy had been locked in a tower. Cliché, yes, but effective. Especially when a dragon's been hired to protect you. Allen's frown deepened. His father had been so overprotective ever since the accident that had left Allen's hair white and his arm scarred. The boy couldn't really blame the man though, he had almost died after all. But still, a dragon? He huffed as he approached the window, mulling over how he could get out of the tower and go back home without the dragon stopping him. In the end he decided that he couldn't get out of the tower without the dragons help, so he pushed aside his pride for now and planned his escape.
He grabbed a large vase from a shelf (vindictively hoping it was expensive), trudged over to the window and dropped the vase onto the dragons head. The dragon let out a startled snarl, shaking its head and glaring up at him. It raised itself up to the window and gave him a questioning expression. At least Allen thought it was questioning, it was hard to tell. Still, the young boy puffed up his chest and clambered onto the window sill, the dragon watching him warily. He looked it straight in the eye with his most commanding expression, which ended up turning more petulant than anything, and pointed down at the ground.
"Take me down. Please." He tacked on, remembering his manners at the last minute. The dragon gave him an incredulous look, shaking its head before lowering it to go back to sleep. Allen huffed in annoyance and made a very rash decision. He jumped. After all, the dragon was there to protect him, so it shouldn't very well let him die. Right...?
All said dragon could do for a moment was stare as the small child he was hired to guard threw himself out the window. That wasn't something he would expect, after all. Humans couldn't fly. No, they fell. And letting the boy die wasn't a very good way to do his job. He was payed quite well to make sure the boy didn't get any unwanted visitors or die. It was quite nice having mountains of treasure and his own territory that he didn't have to fight for. If he let the kid die then he'd lose his treasure and probably get driven out. That was not on his agenda today. In fact, it wasn't on his agenda ever. So he stuck his snout out below the boy to stop his fall to certain death. The boy landed there with a dull thud, small arms thrown around the sides of his snout to hold himself there. The small child was breathing heavily but no less deterred from his goal. He once again pointed to the ground.
"Down, please." Allen reiterated, trembling slightly. Falling wasn't something he had ever expected to experience, but neither was being locked in a tower with a dragon on guard. Said guard snorted and started to raise his head again. Prompting Allen to roll off and start his fall again. The dragon made an exasperated sound, catching him and lowering him to the ground. Allen grinned in victory as he slid off the dragons snout and onto the earth waiting below.
"Thanks!" Allen beamed up at his guard, receiving a snort and an eye-roll in return. The boy paid this no mind, scrambling away from the tower and heading for the only viable exit. The tower was surrounded by cliffs in all directions bar one. The only way to or from the tower (other than flying) was a small opening to the North. At least Allen thought it was North. He never was any good with directions. It took him quite awhile to actually get to the opening, the dragon trailing after him lazily. Allen tried to shoo it off a few times, but it just looked at him like he was stupid and kept following. Once he finally got there, Allen was very surprised. And very upset. The opening in the mountains was actually a gigantic canyon. He grit his teeth and went closer to look over the edge. Maybe it wasn't that deep and he could climb down...
But when Allen looked over, it was anything but shallow. All the boy could see was endless black, it almost felt like it was sucking him in. Allen scrambled away from the edge. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea... Oh wait, there was a bridge! Yes, now he didn't have to go back to that stupid tower! He gleefully ran over to the bridge, the dragon trailing after him slowly. Allen carefully stepped out onto the first plank, pushing his foot down to make sure that it was stable enough to hold his weight. Satisfied that he wasn't going to fall to his death because of rotten wood he tread out onto the bridge. Unfortunately for him, the bridge was long and low and the valley below was particularly windy that day. With a startling groan, the bridge was thrown sideways with a harsh gust of wind and Allen fell off screaming. The dragon let out a loud, startled sound before diving down after him. But he couldn't catch the boy properly in this form, he was too small to hold in his claws without crushing him, and there was no guarantee that the boy would be able to hold on if he landed on his back. Without any other choice he shifted his form.
Allen was still screaming when strong arms caught him and he was being pulled against a solid chest. He wrapped his arms around the man's neck, letting himself be carried back up to the top of the valley. He squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in the man's shoulder, not moving to look until he was sure that they were safe on the ground. He was still breathing hard when he realised he had no idea who had saved him. He froze in the man's arms and gave him a wary look. The man holding him had grey skin, golden eyes and long, dark, wavy hair. He was unlike anyone Allen had ever seen and it baffled the child.
"Who the bloody hell are you?" Allen blurted out before he could help himself. The man rolled his eyes passionately.
"I'm the dragon your father hired to guard your tower." He grumbled noncommittally. Allen gave the man a unimpressed stare, not believing it in the slightest. The man gave an irritated sigh, placing Allen on the ground and backing up. And then his body was moving, his muscles trembling and his skin quivering. Allen could only gape at the dragon standing where the man had once been. And then he was a person again, large wings folded neatly against his bare back.
"Powerful dragons can use their magic to take a human form." The man/dragon explained casually, a smug smirk tugging at his lips because of the sheer awe in the boy's eyes. The boy quickly snapped out of his stupor and glared at the man/dragon.
"Well... What's your name then? I'm Allen." Allen introduced, seeing no reason to keep calling the dragon by its species now that they could talk. The man blinked at him, tilting his head slightly before giving a small shrug.
"Tyki." The man replied shortly, sounding rather sleepy.
"Tyki..." Allen repeated, rolling the name around on his tongue to get used to it.
"Well, Tyki, thanks I guess..." Allen mumbled under his breath, trying to use manners but failing slightly because of his rough character. The dragon sighed.
"Well, it is my job to protect you after all." He replied calmly. Allen nodded slightly until he realised what the man said.
"Wha - I can take care of myself!" The boy shrieked, glaring defiantly up at him. Tyki rolled his eyes again. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately.
"Prove it." He challenged, plucking the boy off the ground and carrying him back towards the tower. The boy let out startled yelp, before fighting back in a flail of flying limbs. The child kicked, punched and pulled at the dragon's hair. Tyki would admit that a normal man would be hard-pressed to keep a hold of the boy. But he was no normal man, he was a dragon and was a hundred times stronger than just any man. Even so, this kid was pushing his patience to its limit. He let out a low growl as he threw the boy onto his bed, towering over the child threateningly. While the child froze momentarily, his demeanour quickly changed and the boy sat up and started glaring up at him defiantly. Again. Tyki sighed. What the hell was wrong with this child? Usually kids were terrified of dragons! Hell, usually fully grown adults were terrified of dragons! Yeah, Tyki had been hired to protect him, but still... The dragon sighed through his nose. Tyki was patient. Tyki would not kill the little pest he had been hired to protect.
"Look, I don't really care that you can protect yourself and you probably can. But I was hired to protect you, which means it's my job. I can't just let you go around doing whatever you want, because if there comes a time when you can't protect yourself, like today, I need to be there." Tyki said slowly, praying that the child would accept this. The child frowned, opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again and then huffed.
"Fine..." He grumbled, crossing his arms and pouting petulantly. Then his face hardened and he glared at the wall.
"I'm not weak..." He muttered angrily, frustrated tears leaking into his eyes. Tyki wanted so badly to curl up and hide right now. How the hell was he supposed to deal with a crying child? This wasn't in his job description, damn it!
"I never said you were." Tyki said softly. The child turned teary eyes his way, still glaring but somewhat hopeful now.
"In fact you're quite strong for a human child your age." He continued airily, keeping an eye on the child's reaction. Allen seemed to puff up a bit.
"Really?" He asked hopefully, then quickly put up a gruffer expression. Tyki smiled.
"Yes. In fact, you'd probably be able to defend yourself against a normal man. I'm just not normal." Tyki didn't quite like the way that last sentence came out, but hey. Allen puffed up further, looking proud.
"Damn right!" He crowed. Then he deflated again.
"But I couldn't do anything against you." He muttered again. Tyki sighed, smiling exasperatedly.
"I told you, I'm not normal." Tyki said, flopping down onto the bed and laying his head in the child's lap. The boy looked surprised momentarily before giving the dragon a confused look.
"What d'ya mean?" He questioned.
"I'm a dragon, boy. Dragon's are much stronger than humans." Tyki explained easily, then he gave a feral grin.
"And I'm much stronger than your average dragon." He purred smugly. Allen rolled his eyes passionately at that, causing Tyki to chuckle. The boy grinned at him, and Tyki hoped their roller coaster would be just a little less bumpy now that they had reached an understanding of sorts. But then the boy sighed sadly, and did something that surprised Tyki greatly. He crawled out from underneath the dragon and sprawled out on top of him, wrapping his tiny arms around the dragons waist and nuzzling his chest. Tyki lay there awkwardly, completely unsure of what to do. Then the boy spoke.
"I hate people..." He murmured softly. That confused Tyki greatly. I mean, sure, Tyki hated humans too but he was a dragon. They were puny and pathetic and greedy creatures to him. But to Allen, they were his species...
"Why?" He asked as gently as he could. The boy's grip around his waist tightened a bit.
"They're stupid. And mean. And really, really stupid." Allen grumbled. Tyki waited patiently for him to continue.
"Everyone in our kingdom loves Mana... He's a great king and he's really good to them, so the kingdom prospers. But people from other kingdom's hate him because he's so nice. They get angry or jealous or whatever and they try to hurt him because of it." Allen's voice was wobbling slightly towards the end and Tyki scowled. Humans really were pathetic. The boy was just a child and already he was exposed to the harsh reality of the world. Humans could be cruel, but so could many other species, including dragons. Life was ruthless, that was all there was to it. He wrapped his arms around the small child and rubbed his back soothingly. Eventually the child fell asleep and Tyki tried to put him onto the bed. Key word: tried. The little rodent clung to him and wouldn't let go. So Tyki sighed, resigned himself to his fate of being a pillow for the night and got comfortable. Little did he know this was going to become habit for a good long time...
"Tyki! I'm bored!" Allen complained again. It had been over a year since the child first awoke in the tower, and the months had been interesting to say the least. This being a major problem for them. Boredom. Allen was still young and got bored easily. And unlike Tyki, he couldn't just sleep all day. Allen was almost thirteen now and he had grown a considerable amount. He actually looked roughly around his age now. The boy continued prodding him and whining until the dragon finally opened his eyes with an exasperated sigh.
"Don't give me that look! There's only so much I can do and you know it!" Allen snarked.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it..." Tyki rumbled sleepily, stretching languidly. Tyki had tried many things to entertain the young boy, because trying to ignore him was a very bad idea. Allen tended to get reckless when he was trying to get Tyki's attention. Like jumping out of windows reckless...
"Well, what do you want to do?" He asked the boy. Allen huffed.
"I don't know, Tyki, that's why I'm bothering you." The boy replied.
"Don't give me sass, boy." Tyki said, sighing in annoyance. Allen merely crossed his arms over his chest and raised a single eyebrow. Tyki rolled his eyes and looked out the window to see what time it was.
"It's around midday, have you eaten yet?" He asked, to which the boy shook his head.
"There's no meat left and I can't get any fruit without you, so..." Allen trailed off with a shrug. Tyki sighed. Food had been an interesting dilemma for them at first. Tyki had always just eaten raw meat from whatever animal he caught, so he assumed that Allen would eat the same. But when Allen saw this he turned a very interesting shade of green. The boy had refused to eat for quite awhile afterwards, until he finally gave in to his stomachs insistent growling. He had then wondered around until he found a trap door that lead to a bathroom, a kitchen on the floor below that and several empty rooms even further down. He had been delighted to find there was quite a stock of herbs and other ingredients. Until of course he remembered a crucial snippet of information. He didn't know how to cook. Allen's first cooking experience ended with a flaming stove and a screeching child, while a dragon nonchalantly cooked some meat on the open flame. It took some time for Tyki to figure out a good consistency (namely cooked enough that Allen didn't get sick, but not so much that it was inedible), but after he got that down pat they were okay for awhile. Until Allen got sick of eating cooked meat every single day...
This brought on one of Allen's hobbies. A garden. Which also indirectly prompted him to decide what to do with one of the empty rooms. The ground around the castle was hard and barren, but Allen knew how to deal with that since he had spent a lot of time with one of the gardeners. It would take some time to cultivate, but Allen knew it would be worth it. They soon discovered that Tyki had quite the knack for cultivating ground. When he could bothered at least (which was more often than not considering Allen's constant pestering). But then they came across a new problem. Tyki had absolutely no idea what plants to look for when hunting for Allen's garden, so Allen needed to show him with a book on plants. Except Allen didn't have a book on plants. So Tyki ended up having to go and get one from the royal library. And that was when Allen thought of his great idea. He should make a small library! This was rather annoying for Tyki though, because he had to go back and forth between the castle and the tower carrying bookshelves and then sacks full of books, and honestly it was such a pain. But Tyki decided it was well worth the happy look on Allen's face when he was finally done and the boy was flittering around his new library excitedly. It expanded every now and then, when Allen thought of something he needed or wanted.
And then they remembered the garden and finally got some plants. Allen loved his garden when it was finally done, and he loved the fact that he got to spend so much time with Tyki while making it. He found he quite liked spending time with the dragon. While the man was snarky and sadistic, he was also kind and patient and endlessly sweet. When he wanted to be anyway. But Allen digressed. The garden was much larger than either had expected it to be, and they had ended up needing to cultivate a lot more land after the initial batch. But after it was done, it was amazing. There were so many different types of fruits and vegetables, and there were all kinds of both. Small plants, shrubs and bushes, climbing plants and even a couple of trees! It was hard to maintain because of the climate but Allen loved it, and he wouldn't let all the work he and Tyki put into making it go to waste. Everything had been pretty smooth for awhile after that. Allen had plenty to keep him busy, and Tyki spent his time either sleeping or watching Allen in the garden. The boy had even convinced him to read a book once, and after that he had spent most of his time reading. And sleeping. Sleeping was a very large part of Tyki's day.
And then Allen got sick. One day Tyki woke up and stretched, and then realised how weird it was that Allen hadn't gotten him up yet. The boy was usually dropping something on his head by this time of day, or pulling his hair if he was sleeping with him. This worried Tyki slightly, but he brushed it off. Allen had just gotten that new book after all, maybe he was just engrossed in reading it. So he went up to check on him and his heart seized. He found Allen sprawled out on the bed, flushed and sweating. His breathing was ragged, like he couldn't get enough air in his lungs and for the first time in his life, Tyki was afraid. Not for the consequences that would come around if Allen died, but afraid of losing the boy. Tyki wasn't sure when it happened, but he had grown quite fond of the little human and now that he thought the boy might die... It made him sick. It made him want to cry, and Tyki didn't even remember the last time he cried it had been that long ago. To say Tyki panicked may have been a little bit of an understatement. He had no idea what to do, so he went to the most knowledgeable being he knew. Wisely stared down at the little human his uncle was so worried about and come to an instant conclusion.
"He has the Flu." He stated nonchalantly.
"Flu? What's that? Is it bad?" Tyki asked, half on the bed, half off and staring at his little human like the world was going to end if Wisely answered wrong. Said dragon merely hummed, earning a low growl from his uncle. Wisely winced slightly. Since when did Tyki care so much about one little human? Wisely turned the thought over in his head as he inspected the human a little more. The sickness was still in its early stages, so Wisely could fix it easily enough.
"It's not that bad yet, I can fix it." He confirmed, Tyki deflating in relief. Wisely observed this. He was no fool, he knew the signs his uncle was exhibiting. It irked him somewhat. Dragons weren't supposed to get so close with humans, if Tyki's feelings got any deeper than they were... He could get into a lot of trouble. Wisely tossed the idea of killing the human around in his mind, but quickly vetoed it because his uncle would kill him if he did. So Wisely sighed and went to work. It took another week for Allen to get better and everything got a lot more exciting after that.
"Did you really have to tell Road?" Tyki growled as his niece hung off Allen's neck and babbled excitedly while the boy tried to keep up with what she was saying. Wisely shrugged and grinned sheepishly, actually feeling a little guilty for once. Road and Wisely became a rather permanent part of their lives after that, and all either of the two dragons could do was watch as their uncle fell deeper and deeper in love with the human they were both beginning to think of as family.
After another couple of years or so, Allen already well into his teens, the second empty room turned into a training/exercise room and Allen started working out and training there regularly. He even convinced Tyki to spar with him on a semi-regular basis. He got his ass kicked every single time, but he was definitely improving! He was a lot stronger and faster than before! Tyki had said so himself and it made Allen swell with pride. Until he burst the bubble by saying Allen could never win against him, inadvertently starting an impromptu "sparring session" with Tyki chuckling all the while. Road joined in occasionally, but Wisely never bothered. The one time he had been corralled into joining, Allen had dropped him in less than five seconds. He had let out an "oomph!" when he hit the ground, but gave no other signs of pain. Allen had gotten annoyed quickly after that.
"You're not even trying, are you?" Allen accused. Wisely simply shrugged.
"I'm a reader, not a fighter." He stated blithely, Allen rolling his eyes passionately at the appropriated quote.
"You'd fight if someone threatened your library wouldn't you?" Allen grumbled. Wisely's eye twitched rather violently at that. Allen had discovered that not all dragons were interested in gold and jewels like Tyki was. Each had their own different treasure, or the ones he had met did anyway. Wisely loved books more than anything, and had the largest library in existence. Road adored candy, which made it very hard to maintain a large trove when she kept eating all of it... Tyki, of course, liked the classic gold and jewels and pretty much anything sparkly that caught his eye. It was also around this time when he and Tyki created a tradition that would last a very long time. It happened when Road and Wisely left for the evening to check up on their respective treasures, and maybe build on them a bit. Or dwindle it down in Road's case... Allen was watching them as they left, soaring away, and it made him think.
"Tyki?" He called suddenly, the dragon humming to show he was listening. Allen turned to him with a look of wonder on his face.
"What's it like to fly?" He asked curiously, flopping onto his stomach beside Tyki on the bed and staring at him intently while waiting for his answer. Tyki hummed in confusion.
"Hmm? What brought this on?" He questioned. The boy had never commented on flying before. Allen simply shrugged in reply, still waiting for his answer. Tyki sighed, contemplating what to say.
"It's nice, I guess..." Tyki answered, shrugging. Allen deflated upon hearing such a nonchalant answer.
"Oh..." He murmured disappointedly. Tyki groaned internally, he hated it when Allen made that face!
"I can take you, if you want..." Tyki offered, eyeing the boy's reaction. Allen beamed, excitement lighting his eyes in a way Tyki had never seen before.
"Really?!" Tyki could only smile and nod at the elated squeal that Allen made as the boy jumped up and down in joy.
"Come on let's go!" Allen urged, grabbing Tyki's wrist and pulling him off the bed.
"What?! Not now, it's gonna be dark soon!" Tyki protested, pulling Allen to a stop.
"Yes, now!" Allen whined, tugging on Tyki's wrist to no avail.
"Tyki, it's the perfect time! The sun's setting and it'll look really pretty and I want to see it from the air! Please!" Allen pleaded, giving Tyki puppy dog eyes. All the dragon could do was groan and let himself be pulled towards the window.
"Yes!" Allen cried in joy, running towards the window as he dragged the dragon behind him. Tyki sighed in exasperation, a fond smile crossing his lips. He hopped out the window first, quickly shifting to his dragon form so Allen wouldn't get impatient and jump out before he was ready. He held his back against the tower wall, just below the window, Allen eagerly climbing on and wrapping his arms as far around Tyki's neck as he could. The boy giggled in excitement as Tyki started moving.
"Hold on tight, I don't want you falling off." Tyki growled, his voice much deeper and rougher than usual. Allen quickly nodded in agreement, tightening his arms and pressing his body as close to the dragons as possible. Tyki pushed off the ground and started his ascent, Allen watching in delight as they got further and further away from the ground. And then they were flying. Allen gasped in awe as the wind rushed past his face, pushing himself up a little so he could see the view. It was breathtaking, the vibrant pink, purple and orange hues colouring the sky as the sun sunk beneath the horizon. The wind was blowing past his face, making his hair billow out behind him as he looked at the land below them. Allen had never felt this before... This amazing feeling, like there were no boundaries. He sat up further, tightening his thighs around the dragon below him and releasing his arms. He raised them out beside him and let the wind flow through his fingers. He felt... free. Allen loved it.
"Hey! Hold on or else you'll fall!" Tyki shouted, Allen just laughed in delight and kept on laughing as they soared through the air.
"Tyki, this is amazing!" Was Allen's bubbly reply, still laughing in elation. Tyki loved that sound, he decided. He never wanted that amazing laugh to stop. But it was wrong to love a human... Tyki shouldn't let his feelings get the better of him. Though that didn't really matter right now. It wasn't like he was showing off or anything... Tyki smirked.
"Hold on tight!" He warned, only waiting long enough for Allen to get a decent grip before quickly ascending. He waited till he was high enough so that Allen wouldn't be uncomfortable, but still really damn high. And then he dropped. The dragon spun and flipped in the air, Allen squealing and laughing in delight. Okay, now he was showing off... But there was nothing wrong with that... right? Tyki didn't care right now though. Wrong or right... All that mattered was that Allen was still making that beautiful sound that rung likes chimes in Tyki's head.
It started getting dark, the night turning cold and Allen wasn't wearing anywhere near enough clothing for night-flying. Tyki suppressed a sigh as he slowly straightened out and begun to fly back. Allen whined low in his throat but made no other protest as he snuggled closer to Tyki's body, evidently feeling the cold now that he wasn't so elated. Tyki brought his human back to their tower, slipping him in the window before shifting into his human form and following. He let Allen hug him and pull him towards the bed, lying down on the silken sheets while the boy snuggled up next to him. That position didn't last long though, it never did. The boy soon grew restless and crawled on top of Tyki, settling on his chest as the man wrapped his arms and wings around the teen to keep him warm. Allen sighed in content as he began dosing off, but not before one final question.
"Tyki... can we go flying again...?" Allen asked sleepily, nuzzling into the dragon's chest.
"Of course, whenever you want." Tyki answered quietly, running his fingers through the boy's hair to get him to sleep faster. The boy hummed in pleasure, quickly falling asleep in his dragons arms.
When Allen woke he couldn't help but stare. Tyki was still asleep, and he looked absolutely perfect. The teen rested his head on Tyki's bare chest, flushing slightly as he felt the skin beneath his cheek. Tyki never wore a shirt because even in his human form, the dragon always kept his wings out. Allen bit his lip slightly, looking up to make sure Tyki was still asleep and then gently tracing his fingers down the man's chest. Tyki breathed in deeply and mumbled in his sleep, but gave no other indication of waking. Feeling bold, Allen pressed a gentle kiss to the skin in front of him. Tyki mumbled some more and shifted on his side slightly, causing Allen to slide off him a bit. But the boy didn't mind, Tyki still had his arms wrapped around him and was sleeping peacefully. Allen slowly brought up his hand and started running his fingers through the man's hair. The dragon hummed in content, burying his face into Allen's hair and breathing in deeply.
Allen sighed happily. They had spent so long together and Allen knew that he had long fallen for the dragon. Though the knowledge was beginning to weigh down on him like a physical burden. He loved Tyki. But could Tyki ever love him? Could an amazing, powerful dragon ever love a weak, greedy human like himself? Thoughts constantly raged around his head and Tyki was beginning to notice something was wrong. He often asked if something was bothering Allen, but the boy could never answer with the truth. How could he? He sighed, snuggling up closer to Tyki, pressing his body against the dragon as much as he could. He loved it when Tyki held him like this... But the moment ended all too soon, when Tyki stretched languidly and sat up. The dragon blearily looked around, obviously still half-asleep as he tried to figure out what time it was.
"We should have breakfast..." He muttered sleepily, rubbing his head a bit. Allen smiled up at him, sitting up and heading to the kitchen. He wasn't sure how much food they had in storage, so they might have to go down to the garden to get some fruit. Tyki trailed after him slowly, letting out the occasional yawn. Allen chuckled at his sleepy dragon, who was obviously not too happy about being awake (though he never was at this time of morning). He made a quick breakfast after he found he had the ingredients required, and decided today would be a lazy day. He tugged Tyki back upstairs and they flopped back onto the bed, the dragon happily curling around his little human. Allen sighed contentedly as he went back to snuggling with his dragon. Said dragon was already snoring lightly, fast asleep.
Allen battled his feelings for the dragon for months, but the feelings never went away. If anything, they only grew stronger. After so much time, Allen had begun to notice that Tyki was acting a little odd too. He was beginning to open up to Allen, but at the same time it seemed as if he was pulling away. The teen didn't know what to think, let alone what to feel. Should he be happy that Tyki was opening up? Or sad that the man was pulling away? Allen sighed. He had been doing that a lot lately. Contemplating on his feelings for Tyki, and Tyki's feelings for him. Allen knew full well that he loved the dragon, and Tyki's strange behaviour was somewhat encouraging. Even with this knowledge, the teen could never come up with a solid answer. And it still left Allen with an important question. Should he tell the man, or should he try to keep it to himself? In the end Tyki solved the decision for him. The dragon came up to him and pulled him into a light hug, wrapping his arms around his waist and staring down at him seriously. It was a look Allen had associated with the dragon wanting answers. He looked deep into the human's eyes as he spoke.
"Allen, there's something bothering you." It wasn't a question this time. Allen bit his lip, looking away. He wanted to tell Tyki how he felt but... What if the man rejected him? What if he was disgusted by Allen? Hated him?! But he couldn't hide it any longer... He didn't want to hide it any longer. So the teen pushed his fear aside as best he could, and spoke.
"Tyki... umm, there's something... I mean... I, uh..." Allen stuttered and mumbled, looking anywhere but at the dragon. This instantly put Tyki on alert.
"Allen? What's wrong?" Tyki asked, concern seeping into his voice as the boy squirmed in front of him. What happened next was only something he could've hoped for in his wildest dreams.
"Tyki... I love you!" Allen exclaimed, pushing up onto his toes and pressing his lips against Tyki's fiercely. Tyki froze. Allen was... kissing him...? But Tyki couldn't do that! Allen was a human and Tyki was a dragon! But Tyki loved Allen... More than anything in the world, he loved Allen. He could do it, right...? If it was just a little... No! He couldn't, it was forbidden! But Allen was still kissing him and pressing their bodies closer, and damn was it getting hard to resist him. Tyki was kissing back before he could stop himself, wrapping an arm around the teen's waist and burying his other hand into the teen's hair to keep him close. They were in their bed soon enough, clothes scattered across the floor as Tyki took his beautiful human. All the dragon could do was hold himself back enough that he didn't hurt the boy as his human moaned and groaned and called out his name in ecstasy.
The next morning Tyki wondered if he pushed the boy a little too hard, he was still sleeping peacefully and it was almost midday. His body was littered with bite-marks and bruises from where Tyki had marked him. He traced along the boys spine with his finger and watched in delight as the boy shivered in response. He kissed the boys bare shoulder, delighting in the sigh of content he received. He would love to let his Allen sleep all day, but the boy really needed to eat. But that didn't mean he couldn't stay in bed... Tyki kissed the boys shoulder again before whispering in his ear.
"I'm going to get you something to eat, I'll be back shortly." He murmured, smirking at the groan of protest. Tyki quickly got up and fixed them both something to eat. The dragon quickly brought it up to Allen, noticing that the boy was sitting up in bed, sleepily rubbing his eyes. Tyki snagged a quick kiss before setting the plate down in front of him. Allen hummed in content, smiling up at his dragon happily.
"Mornin' Tyki." He mumbled sleepily.
"Good morning." Tyki replied, smiling at his love. They ate quickly and Tyki let Allen sleep for most of the day, only waking him for meals. The next day he was perfectly fine, though he was limping just slightly.
But the next day was also the day that Tyki realised exactly what he had done. He couldn't help but pace around the base of the tower (he didn't want to bother Allen inside) as he thought. Dragons weren't allowed to fall in love with humans. This was law. If that man found out... There would be consequences. But at the same time, he couldn't regret what had happened... Tyki loved Allen so much. He had thought about leaving several times in the past, and each time he had made up petty excuses to stay. He knew the real reason though. Allen was his life now, and Tyki couldn't bear the thought of living without him. So he would stay, and he would love his human until the end. With that thought in mind he went back inside, finding Allen and wrapping his arms around the teen's waist. Allen leaned back into his hold, pausing in his reading to simply bask in Tyki's presence.
It wasn't long before the Twins found out about his human charge, and with their big mouths Sheryl quickly followed. The twins had a lot of fun with Allen, after they discovered he had a knack for pranks. Tyki was not amused. Neither was Sheryl when he finally came around. Their first meeting was a rocky one indeed and Tyki actually had to physically stop the man from harming the boy. They then ended up in a yelling match. It took Tyki screaming at him that he loved Allen more than anything and that there was nothing he could do about it for the man to finally, reluctantly, relent. Sheryl never really got used to the two of them being a pair, but he allowed it simply because he knew it made Tyki more happy than he had ever been. They settled into a routine quickly enough, having fun, arguing, scolding. The dragons were happy for Tyki and Allen, even though their love was forbidden. They all made sure to never tell one person though, for they feared the day that dragon would find out about the human they all saw as part of the family. The human that Tyki loved. The human that Tyki lived for. But it was inevitable... and the day came crashing down upon all of them without warning...
Tyki had gone out on one of his routine reports to Allen's father. Of course the dragon never told the King about his relationship with the man's son, or there would be hell to pay. The duty of entertaining Allen for the day had fallen onto the other dragons, though Road was doing a pretty good job of distracting him all by herself. Said dragon was smirking viciously as Allen struggled to break her head-lock, flailing around and squirming and snarling. Suddenly, Road perked up and grinned at him.
"I hear wings Allen!" She exclaimed in delight, then frowned. She listened intently and her frown deepened.
"Road?" Allen called.
"Those wings... They sound too big to be Tyki's. But the only one with wings that big is..." She trailed off with a gasp, staring out the window in horror and fear. This had Allen panicked.
"What's wrong? Road!" He shook the girl to get her attention, but she just kept staring out the window. He looked at Wisely, but he was in the same state. In fact, the whole room was now silently staring at the window or the roof, listening to something only they could hear. Allen sat there helplessly for another few minutes, able to do nothing but watch as his family stiffened and paled. By this time Allen could hear it too. He remembered the sound from when he went flying with Tyki, the sound of wings moving against the wind. There was a deep rumble which had half the room cowering, and then there was an eye looking into the room. Allen froze when it focused on him, Road's grip on his arm tightening painfully. Then it was gone, only for a man to appear in its place and Allen could only stare. This man... he looked just like Mana! Allen would have been gaping if he weren't so scared, because only something truly terrifying could have a entire room full of dragons frozen stiff.
"M-Millenie..." Road stuttered hesitantly, and Allen was hard-pressed not to shiver. Road never stuttered or hesitated, and she definitely never did the both at the same time. The man's eye flicked to her and she flinched, Allen automatically moving his body in front of hers. She may not need the protection but Allen would be damned if he let her get hurt because of him. The focus was back on him and the young prince straightened, looking the man in the eye and speaking with a confidence he wasn't really feeling.
"May I ask what you have come here for, sir?" Allen asked politely, shivering when the man tilted his head and gave him a calculating look.
"I have come for you." He rumbled in a deep voice, and then he was in front of Allen. The boy barely had enough time to gasp before he was slammed into the ground mercilessly, Road screaming his name as the man growled at him. Then the man was transforming back into a dragon, smashing the tower's roof and soaring into the air with Allen clutched in his claws. The boy heard a panicked cry, instantly recognising the voice.
"Tyki!" He called out, struggling in the dragon's hold.
"Allen!" Came the panicked reply, and the boy was really starting to freak out with how scared everyone was acting right now. His dragon appeared beneath them shortly after, flying with his belly up so he could get a better view of the boy. Tyki looked at him quickly, making sure he was uninjured before shifting his attention to the large dragon carrying his human.
"Earl – " He started, only to get cut off.
"Silence!" The dragon roared, Tyki flinching back and flying lower in order to not incur the dragon's wrath. Allen bit his lip and tried not to call out or do anything to make things worse, staying silent as his dragon flew beneath him in agitation. The others soon joined him, all flying nervously beneath the larger dragon who was obviously their leader. Tyki kept on looking up at him, and Allen tried his hardest to look calm so Tyki wouldn't do anything stupid, it had happened before. It didn't take them too long to reach their destination, though with the way the terrain was moving beneath them Allen could tell they were moving fast. They entered a cave, a long tunnel taking them deep into the mountains before it opened up into a huge cavern. The dragon threw him down, Allen trying his best to roll and come out unscathed. Tyki cried out in panic, quickly trying to get to Allen's side, but the other dragon wouldn't allow it. He thrashed his tail in front of Tyki, forcing him away. The larger dragon shifted back to his human form, prompting the others to do the same. The man just stood there, watching him, while Tyki skulked around so he was behind Allen. He didn't move towards the boy though, for the man glared at him when he tried.
"You are aware of our laws, Tyki." The man said, voice calm yet somehow cold. Tyki flinched, biting his lip.
"Falling in love with humans is forbidden." He continued, eyes narrowing as he watched Allen's reactions. Said boy's eyes widened considerably. Tyki had never said anything about that! He didn't get much time to think on it though.
"I know, but Allen's –"
"Human." The man cut in sharply.
"Earl, please! He's different!" Tyki pleaded, his inner turmoil clear. He wanted to help Allen, but he couldn't do anything against their leader. And the man was not convinced.
"I am sorry, Tyki. Truly I am. But I cannot allow this to continue." The man stated evenly. And then there was pain. Allen stared at the man, now right in front of him, in shock. When had he moved? Why did it hurt so much? And why was Tyki screaming? Allen looked down at the arm sticking out of his chest, blood seeping out from the wound it was inflicting. The world blurred, his vision becoming hazy for a moment as Allen's brain processed what was happening. He could still hear Tyki screaming. Then the hand was removed, blood gushing out of the wound and spewing out of Allen's mouth. He felt himself falling, but warm arms caught him, wrapping around his body and pulling him away from danger. Tyki cradled him in his arms.
"Allen! Allen!" Tyki cried, panic and horror and fear. Allen could barely see him, barely feel the hand brushing the hair out of his face and cupping his cheek. He wanted to comfort him, to reassure him that everything would be fine. But his strength was gone and his vision was fading into black. All he could see was tears streaming down Tyki's face, all he could hear was Road crying out.
Allen woke to a veritable dog pile. Tyki was practically on top of him, curling around him protectively. Road was burrowed into Allen's arms, Wisely wrapped around her. And behind Wisely was the guy who... stabbed his hand through Allen's heart. Allen stared at him in trepidation, the man staring back calmly. The dragon blinked at him lazily. Tyki buried his face further into the boy's hair and curled tighter around him, completely unaware of Allen's plight. Allen frowned, surely somebody knew the man was there. He was practically on top of Wisely, so they couldn't have not noticed. Allen wanted to subtly feel his chest for the wound he was sure would be there, but Road was in the way and he had no intention of moving her. Maybe it was all a dream? Maybe Allen had lost consciousness when he fell and everything that happened afterwards had been a dream... No. That fear, that pain, had been far too real to be a dream. He stared at the man evenly, looking for any signs of malevolence. But he found none. Instead he found gentleness and a kind smile. Allen frowned. It hadn't been a dream. He was sure. So why?
The man reached out slowly, Allen trying not to flinch at the action lest he wake someone up. He watched the hand carefully as it came towards him, but the dragon did nothing but let his fingers brush Allen's face gently. Allen knew it was a sign of comfort, intended to tell Allen that the man wouldn't hurt him, but the boy couldn't help but feel tense. Tyki growled lightly in Allen's hair, his arms tightening further around the boy's body. Allen could feel the man's skin rippling behind him, almost like he was about to shift into his dragon form. The dragon smiled at Tyki. It was soft and fond, nothing like what Allen remembered him being. And then he flicked Tyki in the head, causing him to flinch back and grumble in sleepy annoyance. The noise was enough for the others to start stirring and Allen waited for them to wake fully. Wisely was first, shooting up and staring down at the boy intently. Allen blinked at him, but before he could say anything another voice spoke.
"Allen's awake." The man announced, voice calm and soothing, but it had the opposite effect. The rest of the dragons all shot up and stared down at Allen, leaving him and the man the only ones lying down on the humongous bed. Allen blinked up at them, not entirely sure why they were all staring at him so anxiously. He decided to ignore them all in favour of inspecting his should-be wound. He looked down at his chest, hand automatically coming up to trace and poke at the large scar that covered the portion of his skin over his heart. He then gave the man who put it there a disapproving look.
"Not cool." He stated. The man blinked at him, bewildered, as the rest of the room burst into laughter, all of the previous tension dissolved. Tyki pulled him up and into a hug, kissing him fiercely and burying his head into the crook of Allen's neck. His body shook lightly, so Allen wrapped his arms around him and rubbed soothing circles in the man's back until he calmed down.
"So... We're allowed to be together now, right...?" Allen asked tentatively, the man nodded in acquiesce. Tyki slowly let him go, Allen sitting down next to him and sliding his hand in Tyki's, letting their fingers entwine. The man sat up slowly.
"Allen..." Tyki murmured to get his attention, the boy looking up at him curiously.
"This man is called the Millennium Earl. He is the oldest and strongest dragon alive, and he is our leader." Tyki explained and there was guilt in his eyes. Allen knew Tyki must felt terrible about letting him be harmed, but it wasn't Tyki's fault. He smiled gently up at the man, then looked at the Earl and huffed.
"I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you, but it really wasn't." He said evenly, tone just the slightest bit icy. The man gave him a sad smile.
"I do wish we could have met under better circumstances, but our laws have been in place for a long time and I did not wish to break them. However, due to extenuating circumstances I have been forced to reconsider my current views." The Earl explained, shooting Tyki a look Allen couldn't quite identify. The boy frowned. He didn't quite understand the talk about laws, but he wouldn't make them explain themselves. The man seemed to have a good reason for attacking him, even if Allen didn't understand.
"I can't say I forgive you, but I will give you a chance to gain my trust. I love Tyki, and I will do everything in my power to stay with him." Allen said strongly, staring the man straight in the eye. A strange smile played on the Earl's lips, but soon turned warm.
"I hope you do." He replied warmly, then turned to Tyki with a jovial smile.
"So, Tyki-pet..." Tyki-pet?!
"You've already mated the boy, I assume?" The man asked pleasantly.
"Eh?!" Was the general reaction from the dragons, Tyki looking away surreptitiously. Allen tilted his head slightly, confused.
"Mated?" Allen parroted, completely clueless as to what was going on. The Earl hummed, putting a hand under his chin in thought.
"Mmm... Human terms... Human terms... Ah! He bedded you." The man said simply, giving him an inquisitive look. Honestly, he looked like a curious puppy.
"Oh, that. Yeah." Allen replied nonchalantly.
"Not "Oh, that."!" Sheryl screeched, the others sweatdropping.
"What? Why is it so important?" Allen asked, confused once more.
"It's important, little human, because dragons mate for life." The Earl said seriously.
"Once a dragon mates, they cannot betray their partner. This wouldn't be a problem if he had mated with another dragon. You, however, are human." He continued. Allen's eyes narrowed as he felt anger boiling in him.
"What are you insinuating." Allen said lowly, a dangerous edge to his voice. How dare this man accuse him of ever hurting Tyki.
"I don't mean to insult you, child. I have had many experiences with humans, both positive and negative. And in my experience I have seen that humans are very fickle creatures, my dear." The Earl murmured, his voice calm and soothing once more.
"But... Does that human rule even apply to Allen anymore...?" Road asked slowly.
"What do you mean, Road dear?" The Earl asked, slight confusion tinging his otherwise cheery voice.
"Because, Allen has part of Tyki's heart now... so shouldn't he and Tyki be completely bonded?" She said.
"I have part of Tyki's what now?" Allen's voice came out a bit shrill and his eye twitched visibly as he tried very hard to remain calm.
"Oh, that. Tyki gave you part of his heart to save you." Road explained, pointing at Allen's chest were his wound was.
"Not "Oh, that."!" Allen screeched, pausing momentarily for the sense of deja-vu before recovering. Then he drew his arm back and slapped Tyki in the back of the head with as much force as he could muster. Tyki yelped as his head flew forward, just barely catching himself before his forehead hit the bed.
"Are you an absolute idiot?! You don't just go pulling your heart apart." Allen yelled, glaring at the man. The Earls eyes narrowed, misinterpreting Allen's anger for ingratitude. But the boy wasn't paying attention to him, and he wasn't done yelling.
"You can't just do that! Don't be so reckless... Are you okay? Does it hurt?" Allen's asked, his voice wobbling as tears leaked out of his eyes. He raised a hand to Tyki's chest, the entire room able to see how badly it was shaking. The Earl's eyes softened, and Tyki practically melted at Allen's concern. He wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him into his lap, cradling him as he sniffled and trembled.
"Shh, I'm fine..." Tyki soothed, Allen pressing his shaking palm to Tyki's chest to feel his heart and make sure it was still beating. The teen bit his lip.
"But... You could've..." Allen's voice trembled almost as much as his body, fear lacing his voice.
"Died?" Tyki murmured in answer, finishing Allen's sentence. The boy nodded, his body shaking and more tears flowing from his eyes. Tyki smiled softly down at him.
"I would have died anyway." Tyki murmured gently. Allen's head snapped up, staring at him wide eyed.
"If I had lost you, the grief would have been too much... I wouldn't have been able to handle it." Tyki explained gently, watching as the information set in. Allen's eyes widened even more, mind trying to process what was said.
"Mmhmm, Millenie underestimated how much Tyki loves Allen." Road chipped in, smiling softly.
"He was really surprised! When Tyki gave his heart to Allen. Especially since he thought Tyki didn't know about that." She chirped, swinging her legs happily.
"Yes, it's an ancient ritual after all. How did you know about that?" The Earl pondered.
"I read about it in one of the books Wisely let me borrow." Tyki said, pointing at the boy. Wisely froze as the Earl looked at him. But the man merely sighed, Wisely letting out a breath of relief. Then he hummed thoughtfully.
"Mmmm... It's been a long time since it's been carried out, but if I remember correctly... Yes, dear Road should be right. By giving Allen a portion of his heart, Tyki has shared his life with him. This should create an unbreakable bond between two people who are in love." The Earl mused.
"In essence, Tyki and Allen's lives are one now. They are bonded completely. If one dies, so will the other. They are intrinsically connected." He finished sagely. I'm... one with Tyki? Allen thought, looking back up at the man, a light blush spreading across his cheeks. Tyki smiled down at him, eyes full of love. The other occupants of the room couldn't help but feel they were intruding, so they quietly left the two to their thoughts.
After Tyki and Allen got... "reacquainted" with each other, they came out and spent some time with the others. Allen began learning new things about dragons, and how his body might change slightly since he had a portion of Tyki's heart. Apparently they thought that he was going to share in Tyki's life now, meaning that Allen would live a longer life than that of an average human, and Tyki would live a shorter life than that of an average dragon. They also believed Allen may get stronger and faster, and that his regenerative abilities would increase. The Earl also thought that Tyki and Allen may be able to share strong emotions between them. However, they weren't sure about a myriad of things and decided to continue the discussion at a later date, after they (read: Wisely) had done some research. Just as they were about to leave, Allen gasped and clapped his hands together.
"I almost forgot, I have a question before we go!" He exclaimed, rounding on the Earl. The man blinked at him, tilting his head slightly in question.
"Why do you look (and act) so much like Mana?" Allen asked curiously. The man blinked in surprise.
"You know my son?" The entire room stopped.
"Eh?" Was everyone's reply. The Earl blinked again.
"Mana? Your son?" Allen repeated. The man nodded at him in confusion.
"Mana Walker, the King of the Ark kingdom?" Allen reiterated, trying to make sure they were thinking of the same Mana. The man nodded again.
"I don't understand why he's so fond of those humans, though..." The Earl pondered, frowning lightly. He quickly shook the thought away, looking at Allen inquisitively.
"Why do you want to know?" He asked. Allen stared at him.
"Mana's my father." He blurted after a very brief moment of thought. The Earl blinked.
"Eh?" Was the response they got. Then he thought about it.
"Ah, now that you mention it, Mana did say something about having a son..." He muttered pensively. They all sweatdropped. They left soon after, Allen teasingly threatening the man that he would tell Mana, and the dragon whining loudly in response.
Tyki blinked lazily at the humans who had entered his domain. Allen had asked him not to kill anybody, but that didn't mean he couldn't give them a good scare. Or throw them into the valley if they pissed him off. As long as he caught them afterwards that is... After giving them a good look he realised he recognised them from Allen's description of his friends and servants. A red-haired teen with an eye-patch, a teen girl with long bottle-green hair tied into pigtails, a grumpy looking samurai, a tall man who looked like a vampire, and a clumsy, terrified looking woman. He grinned as they stared up at him, a devious idea coming to mind. Allen would love visitors for once, after all, and the Twins were always looking for a little entertainment... He grinned mischievously, scooping them up and ignoring their shrieking protests. One was even trying to stab him with a sword. How laughable.
He threw them into the still broken roof and transformed back into a human, entering the room as well. They landed in a heap on the bed, Allen starting slightly and then frowning at him as he came to stand by his side. Tyki kissed his temple, wrapping his arms around the boys waist. The boy shook his head lightly in exasperation, a fond smile playing on his lips as he looked towards his unexpected visitors. Satisfied with the response for now, Tyki rested his head on top of Allen's, cheek pressed against the teens hair. The red-head was first to sit up, rubbing his head and shaking it.
"Lavi?" Allen muttered in shock and confusion, causing the boy to look up in surprise.
"Allen!" Lavi exclaimed, causing the others to start moving too.
"Kanda too? And Lenalee! Krory, and Miranda?! Why is everyone here?" The teen exclaimed in confusion, though his voice was tinged with excitement.
"We came to save you from the dragon!" Lavi piped up, jumping to his feet and glaring at Tyki. Said dragon simply gave a bland look back, head still resting on Allen's.
"Save me?" Allen parroted, bursting into laughter shortly after. They all looked very confused.
"What are you talking about Lavi? I don't need any saving." Allen giggled out after a moment. They still looked confused.
"Do I really look uncomfortable?" Allen asked, smiling lightly as he leant back into Tyki's embrace. A slight frown marred the red-head's face.
"Well, no..." He muttered, obviously confused by Allen's apparent lack of distress.
"But Allen, didn't the dragon kidnap you?" Lenalee asked confusedly. Tyki snorted lightly, rolling his eyes. An amused smile spread across Allen's face at the question. Mana hadn't taken the news that they were together very well. At all.
"No, Mana sent me here for "protection". Tyki's my guard." Allen explained leisurely.
"Doesn't mean you have to get so comfortable with him... I thought you'd hate it here..." Lavi grumbled under his breath, though Allen still caught it. His hearing had improved quite a lot over the years.
"I did hate it at first... But then I made a friend, a family, and I fell in love... so I don't really mind so much anymore. And there's nothing wrong with being comfortable with my lover, Lavi." Allen told them, enjoying the reactions greatly. Lavi started choking on air, Lenalee squeaked loudly, Kanda eyes widened slightly (though he covered it up pretty quick), while Krory and Miranda simply smiled at him. Tyki smirked at the reactions, enjoying the shock radiating from Allen's friends as the boy chuckled lightly.
"Anyway, it's great to see you all! Let me introduce everyone, then we can all have dinner together!" Allen exclaimed excitedly. Tyki could only smile happily as his beautiful human introduced all his friends to his new family.
When he was first contacted by the strange king, Tyki had only expected to watch over some stupid little human. But instead he gained the most important thing in his life, a tiny little human who had become his entire world. His love. His prince in a tower.
~ END ~
AN: It took me forever to write this, and it's so much longer than I had ever planned! And to think when I started it I thought it was going to be too short... Anyway! Thoughts?