No one told me that taming a Dragon was supposed to be like this.

The Hotsuin family have been Dragon Riders for generations and centuries. We have manuals for this process. The watered-down version: we find a Dragon Egg, we take it to the crater in Mount Fuji to incubate, we imprint on the Dragon hatchling, and we train it to do as we say.

The first step was easy enough. Mother brought me to the deserts where the Dragons nest, and I searched the area for several days before I found it. Naturally, it was buried under the sand, and I had to dig it out by hand, but it was the one that called to me. That is why we have to find the Eggs personally — the Rider doesn't choose the Egg; the Egg chooses the Rider.

Next, I brought it to Mount Fuji. Tradition states I have to climb up the mountain to show my sincerity, so I did. It is not a very tough climb, but it did take almost a full day to reach our facility on the summit where I pulled out the stabiliser stake and dropped the Egg into the magma.

Then I settled in to wait. Days passed with no change. There is no set incubation time. Some hatch in a day, some in several, but it appeared that this one saw fit to take its time. After a week, I had to climb down partway to obtain fresh supplies, but I returned to more of the same.

It was the tail end of September, and the days were growing colder. It wouldn't be long before the clothes I brought would no longer be warm enough. Snow started to fall as I stood, gazing down into the crater with my arms crossed.

"Dammit, how long are you planning to make me wait for you?" I complained, deciding I would leave tomorrow before the weather became too hazardous, even if it hadn't hatched. A dead man can't be a Dragon Rider.

I woke to cold hands tightening around my throat in the dark, a beautiful woman with a pale face smiling cruelly down at me. I struggled against her unnatural strength —I had mere seconds before I would lose consciousness— but my fingers passed through her ghostly wrists.

Suddenly, a fierce and thunderous roar echoed throughout the mountain, and she started. In the next instant, the Yuki Jyorou was consumed by flames, and I could breathe again.

A snowy white Dragon hatchling leaped onto me then, landing lightly on four clawed feet despite being the length of my arm. Long tail swishing, it fixed azure eyes on me as it folded its black-tipped wings and nuzzled my neck with its head. It had long, pointed ears, the colour of its eyes inside, and a black and blue keel fanned out along the back of its head and neck.

It looked delicate, pretty even, not at all like the imposing beast I'd expected or hoped for, nothing like my mother's majestic Kohryu or my father's fearsome Fafnir. Definitely nothing I would have imagined as being capable of that ferocious roar I heard earlier.

All of sudden, it glowed blue and flopped onto its side before… changing. And that is how I found myself here, a boy with black wavy hair, snowy skin and bright blue eyes lying unclothed beside me, his unusually warm body pressed up against my own on the waiting room's single bed.

But I'm excited now, my earlier disappointment gone. This one is powerful —shapeshifting is a rare and high-level ability— and there is an uncanny intelligence in those brilliant blue depths.

"I am Hotsuin Yamato," I tell him, indicating myself.

"Ya-ma-to," he repeats, as if trying out the sound. "Yamato." He smiles and wraps his arms around me, then gives me a questioning look, indicating himself.

I think for a moment, then decide on "Hibiki." It is fitting for that resounding roar.

He echoes the name I've chosen, then his smile widens, and he snuggles closer. This is… unexpectedly easy. My clan has shared and passed down plenty of horror stories about earning their Dragon's trust or liking. None have mentioned an instantaneous affection. Perhaps the hurdles will show up when I try to command him.

Gentle fingers caress my neck then, and I fight down the instinct to move away or remove his hand — I need to prove that we can trust each other. He looks sad as he traces the bruises left by the earlier attack.

Then, suddenly, he's touching his lips to the marks, sliding atop me for better access. Our hips meet, and we gasp as one, his eyes snapping to mine. Then he rocks his hips into mine, slow and deliberate, and the pleasure takes us both by surprise. He resumes kissing my neck when I don't object, and it's my woollen yukata falling open that shocks me back to reality.

No, I cannot let it continue like this.

I flip us over — if I allow him to dominate, he will never obey me. He smiles when I pin him down though, like I'm playing into his hands. Perhaps I am imagining it — a new hatchling cannot already be so devious. But his lips part in an 'oh' of pleasure when it's finally skin on skin, and he holds me close, moaning my name. His body is warmer than the heating system, and he's beautiful, all stark contrasts and chiseled features.

I have to wonder if the aesthetic is by choice.

He runs his fingers over my neck again, tilts his head and nudges me to inspect the sides, and I realize that it doesn't hurt anymore — he was healing me.

Oh. "Do you understand me?" I might have misunderstood.

He blinks and tilts his head. "Un-der-s-tand…? Understand," he repeats, but it doesn't look like he deduced the meaning.

I take his hand, squeeze it and smile. "Thank you."

Again, he only repeats after me, but he smiles happily this time… perhaps he understands the sentiment. Then he shifts, nudges me so that we are both sitting up. I suppose I really did misunderstand, and it was mere innocent curiosity earlier. It's cold, so I pull on my yukata, but before I can drape the blanket over him, he's on his knees on the floor, taking me into his mouth.

I gasp his name — it's good. I've never— Has anyone ever done this before? My hips jerk, bringing me deeper into wet heat, and his brows furrow, but he doesn't gag. He sucks harder, and my knees turn to jelly as the pleasure overwhelms me. He's glowing again now —dammit, I've fallen into his trap— but before I can tell him to stop, his tongue presses up, and my vision whites out.

I feel boneless, sated, when my vision clears. He's still licking me gently, and I hear myself whimper — it's still good.

There are tattoo-like markings on his back, I notice now. I don't recognise the sigils between the wing-shaped ones.

"Mm…" He stops. "I see. Well, now I understand you."

Wait. "What?"

He moves to sit beside me. "Now I know you and understand your language. You are welcome for earlier. I'm glad you are safe."

"How did you—?"

"I… 'read' your essence."

My raised eyebrow must have demanded explanation because he immediately elaborates.

"Let's see… When creatures mate, a male imparts his essence unto the seed that contains the female's essence. When the two essences combine, life is created, yes?"

I nod.

"I can 'read' that essence to learn about its owner. Next, you will ask how I know this when I hatched barely an hour ago." He grins, knowing he is right. "It seems to be innate. When I saw the demon, I knew I could breathe fire to hurt it. When I saw you, I knew I could take a similar form. When I saw the bruises, I knew I could take them away. And when I saw the lust in your eyes, I knew that I could coax you into giving me your essence, so that I could know you. I don't really know what abilities I possess per se, but when I see something, I instinctively know what I can do that might be relevant. I have learned much from you though. Thank you."

It is a very useful instinct, and I wonder if all Dragons have it. I couldn't talk to any of the others like this.

"Can you make it work the other way as well?"

He thinks for a moment. "You mean, can I allow you to 'read' my essence to know me? I… Yes, but it will only work in my true form… and I am many years too young to offer you my essence as such." The admission seems to embarrass him.

"I see. But this feels good to you?" I stroke his erection, and he lets out a sound of pleasure.

"Y—yes. This is no illusion. The senses of this form are as real to me as any."

I pull him close with a smirk. "Then I will make you mine."

Hibiki rests his head on my shoulder. "I am yours," he replies, breathless as I continue to stroke him. "We chose each other before I was even hatched. It is how I knew exactly where you were e—ah-ahhn!"

Trembling, he spills on my hand, and suddenly, he's back in Dragon form on my lap. I lift my hand to taste him as he carefully steps off to rest only his head and neck on my thigh, and I run my free hand over his smooth white scales. He nuzzles my groin, and to my surprise, arousal stirs anew within me. At length, after some rest, he glows and returns to a human form.

"Does it taste good?" he asks softly, and I think to offer him a taste, but then, a better idea occurs to me.

I press my lips to his.

He seems to understand my intent, licking my lips and then into my mouth. "Ah," he murmurs, "it is you who tastes good."

In the history of Dragon Riders, I don't know if anyone has ever done this with their Dragons, so on the safe side, "This will be our secret," I tell him.

"I'd like that," he agrees, kissing me again. "There should be things that only we know about each other."

Embracing him, I trace the sigils on his back with a clean fingertip. "What are these?"

"I don't know, but—" His breath hitches. "It feels… intimate somehow, connected to my true form."

I keep going. "Good?" I need some kind of trump card, some means to control him even against his will in case I need to.

"Yes," he sighs, wrapping his arms around me. "Yamato, you have a great destiny. Already, it has begun to isolate you. You may not see it, but no creature in all of Creation can survive alone. If you allow it, my Rider, you never will be. Let me journey with you where no one else can follow."

Again, I have never heard of such instantaneous devotion, and I wonder if it will persist through combat training, if this is a passing phase, the calm before the storm.

"You pledge to obey me then?"

Hibiki laughs, pulling back to show me a sly grin. "No, I pledge to serve your best interests, always. Obedience does not always do that." Before I can argue, he presses two fingers to my lips. "For instance, I will not use my abilities to prank your sister. That's mean and will not serve you beyond a passing satisfaction."

I cross my arms. "What nonsense, Hibiki. As if I would stoop to such pettiness."

He raises an eyebrow, but only says, "Don't worry. I know you are, for the most part, possessed of wise and sound judgement. I will usually obey with pleasure."

I think to protest, and yet, I suppose it is better this way. Loyalty coupled with wisdom is better than blind obedience. If he is indeed as intelligent as he seems, he will be a valuable companion, beyond merely a steed, familiar or partner in combat. I still want a failsafe, but for now, I merely tug him down to the bed with me.

"We have hours yet till dawn. Get some rest."

"As you wish," he answers, twining our legs and pressing close with a smile.

No one told me that taming a Dragon was supposed to be like this, but I'm not complaining.

A/N: So I'm totally late to the party, but happy belated birthday, Yamato and Hibiki! As always, this work is un-beta-ed, so tell me your thoughts, send me your love, comment if this should be a series...you know the drill. Thank you for reading!