Seven

"My strength?" Roman repeated in disbelief. "Why my strength?"

"The sword is powerful," the voice explained. "It will take a powerful force to destroy it. It is a task not for the weak, young warrior and you are anything but that."

Roman narrowed his eyes. "Come into the light so I can see you."

A creature - no taller than three feet - crawled out from behind the tree. Its skin was beige and wrinkled with bumps, eyes yellow with black pupils wearing a hoodie.

"What… are… you?"

"Stay away from my boyfriend!"

Roman found a furious looking Dean coming up behind him.

Immediately the creature bowed its head. "Your Majesty."

Dean stared at the creature before turning to Roman. "What the hell is that?" he asked.

"I am a brownie, Sire," the creature answered.

"Name!"

"Pin, Sire." The brownie cowered. "We have been waiting for you and your true love for a long time to visit these parts."

The brownie's words hit close to what Vera had said, Roman noted. "Dean, remember what I had told you about you being the Chosen King?"

"Yes!" Pin added. "Sire, it's your destiny to be King but the sword… Sire, the sword must be destroyed."

"But without my strength, how can I protect Dean?" Roman wondered aloud.

"What strength?" Dean wanted to know. "You have to give up your strength?"

"To destroy the sword."

As expected, his boyfriend shook his head. "No."

"But, Dean-"

"No. I am not standing by and watching you throw that away-"

"The choice lies in your hands, young warrior," the brownie said, "but you will have to make a decision when you find that sword. Destroy it before it destroys your beloved and everyone in this world."

"Roman is not sacrificing anything for you or me or this whole damn underworld." Dean frowned at him. "Don't even think about it."

"If it means your safety-"

Both men turned around only to find the creature gone.

As their journey continued, Dean and Roman walked a distance behind Drew, Jon and Leakee. They were now making their way to Woodlands which was about ten miles away from where the castle was located.

"I will not have you giving up that, Roman," Dean declared. "I don't care how much pouty sad faces you pull."

His boyfriend laughed before pouting at him, eyes pleading.

"Roman…" Dean warned lightly.

"Dean…" Roman mimicked.

"Babe, have you given any serious thought to what that creature had said?"

"Yeah. I'd do anything to keep you safe, Dean."

The auburn haired man linked his fingers with his boyfriend. "Well now we're in a dilemma because I too would do anything to keep you safe, Roman especially since I near damn lost you."

"But I'm here now. I came back to make sure you were safe, Dean."

"So long as we're together, Roman, we'll always be safe. I'm your shield the way you are mine. That's all." Dean's eyes flew on his darling's boots and he stopped him. "Wait a second. Your shoelace is untied."

"Dean-"

But Dean was already on his knees, helping to secure the laces tight.

"What is this?" Jon whined. "We don't have time for romance."

"It's called care, moron," Dean retorted. "Not that you would know that."

Jon - the diva - had complained he was tired and wanted a break. "Come on, Dean! I'm tired of walking. Why can't you just zap us there instead of making us walk?"

Dean smirked. "I don't know. Should I?"

"Damn you!"

"Damn you back twice."

Leakee smiled. "Jon always did not like hard work but even then he normally did it without complains. But now..."

"Why are you speaking about me like I'm not here?" Jon asked. "Look I've made a mistake and I apologise."

Dean snorted. "I wouldn't call chasing away someone's love away a mistake. That was underhanded and you know it."

"Mind your own business."

"Nah. I think I love meddling in yours."

Leakee laughed. "That seems appropriate."

"And just like that you forget us." Jon was staring at him in disbelief before his attention was on Dean. "And look at the two of you being cosy with one another. I mean, hey, why use Roman for your warfare, right?" Then he redirected his tirade back to Leakee again. "And you-"

As Jon rattled away to his former love, Dean focused on Roman who was frowning at Jon. "Babe," he said discreetly. "I know you wouldn't have approved going into this war. But this is about consolidating power to show them who I am."

"Yeah, I understand," Roman replied.

This was a surprise to Dean. "You do?"

"I mean I don't understand why you want to go into it so badly but I understand it's something you desire."

Dean knew he should be happy hearing those words but his soul seemed to be the opposite. "What-"

"I'd watch out if I were you, brother," Jon taunted, distracting him for a bit. "Someone could steal the love of your life from you too."

Dean didn't hesitate to connect his fist to his face causing Jon to yelp. "I warned you. Strike two. One more strike and I'll kill you."

Jon rubbed his jaw.

"Drew!" Dean hollered. "We're taking a break." Their last break, he added mentally. Any more breaks till night and they'd reach there next week.

Roman and him sat a bit further from the others where to Dean's amusement, his sweetheart was pressing a finger each into his dimples.

"Hoping it'll go deeper?" Dean teased.

A cheeky smirk spread on Roman's handsome face. "Nah. Something else will go deeper in you later."

"I'll bet."

They met one another's lips halfway, basking in their love under the red and black sky. No. Roman and him were their own people who adored one another deeply… would sacrifice for another another in a heartbeat.

"Get a room," Jon quipped.

Dean broke the kiss and frowned at his brother. "No. We'll kiss wherever we want; we'll make love where we want too and there's nothing you can do about it." Mentally he told himself to let it go. Now was the time to woo Roman and show him affection. "You know I am ruggedly handsome."

"Uh huh," Roman responded dryly.

"I've been told I'm a good lover as well."

"Really."

"I've always been told I'd make a good boyfriend too."

"You don't say."

"Make love to me now."

"Demanding, are we?" Roman chuckled, spearing him gently on the ground. "I'd love to - I mean I'd really love to - but we still have a long way to go before we reach the castle."

Dean's breath hitched as he stared into his lover's eyes; they were so beautiful. "So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying…." Roman paused. "Wait for it."

"Fine. But you owe me a blowjob."

"Pretty sure it's you who owes me one."

"No way."

"Yes way."

"No way."

"Yes way."

"We'll sixty nine later."

"Deal."

Pulling Roman down to him so that he can claim his lips, Dean felt warmth spread throughout him and it wasn't the sun.

It was the feeling of knowing that he'd always have Roman and Roman would always have him.

"Can you believe these two?" Dean heard Jon complained as his kissing with Roman deepened. "They make me gag."

Tearing his lips away, Roman sighed. "Way to ruin the mood-"

"He's going to pay for that," Dean growled before his darling helped him to his feet. "He's got issues."

"I think he's upset that I brought Leakee back."

"Well, dude had to know, right? Come on. Let's go. Break time's over."

The lovers made their way back to their three travelling companion.

"We're not walking any longer," Dean announced loudly. "The faster we retrieve this sword, the better and maybe I can slay my brother with it."

"Will we be expecting trouble?" Leakee enquired when they both reached his side.

"Not to my knowledge.".

"Dean, I need to find that ogre," Roman reminded him softly. "I promised her I would seek her son first."

"Her?" Leakee quizzed.

"Roman's promised a witch to help free her son from an ogre," Dean filled him in.

"Why are you helping a witch?"

Roman exhaled. "Because she needed help."

"Yes but she's a witch," Leakee countered.

"So?"

Jon was up on his feet. "I'm with my brother on this. The faster we get the sword, the better."

Staring at his boyfriend, Dean decided to follow him first with his quest. This meant a lot to him. What was important to Roman was also important to him. "We'll help Roman with his deed first before heading to the castle. It'll be ogre before we know it. Get it?" the dark lord laughed at his own joke.

Roman grinned.

"The witch gave me a leaf," Roman revealed to Dean as they walked ahead of the rest this time towards Firestone a while later. "She said whatever I wished for would come true… well whatever anyone wishes for."

"Yeah?" Dean asked. "Why don't you wish for the kid to be saved?"

"I'm saving it for something bigger."

"Bigger like…?"

"Well I was hoping to wish for Afa and Leakee to reunite-"

"Trust your boyfriend to make stupid decisions," Jon whined from behind. "Now the rest of us has to suffer and follow-"

"Jon, be quiet," Leakee shushed him. "If Roman has belief in her, I suppose the rest of us should too."

"Roman has horrible beliefs."

Jon was one to talk, Roman thought. "You mean like you?"

Dean raised an eyebrow as he turned around. "Care to back your statement?"

Jon stretched his arms. "I mean he believes you love him and everyone knows how wrong that is."

Before Roman could stop him, Dean lunged at Jon almost immediately. "You son of a bitch..." Hands around his brother's throat, the Samoan man watched in horror as his boyfriend choked him.

"No, Dean!" Leakee pulled Dean off Jon. "You're hurting him!"

"He's the reason why we're all in this situation-"

Just then, Roman found darkness looming over them.

"...so don't tell me that he doesn't deserve it because he does!" Dean finished his rant, ready to obliterate his brother in dust.

On one hand, he could not believe Leakee was defending Jon after all that he had done and on the other, he reckoned it was out of nostalgia.

"Babe, let's-" Dean turned around and noticed his boyfriend staring up in shock at the sky. Following Roman's gaze, the dark lord's jaw dropped too.

A dragon - one with green and gold scales and yellow eyes with black pupils - stood in front of them, its tongue slithering. "Who dares to come into my town?"

"The hell is this?" Jon panicked, hiding behind Roman. "Do something!"

"Your town?" Roman wondered aloud. "This is your town? We're going to find the ogre-"

"Aaah the ogre," the dragon boomed, his breath blowing at them like a strong gust of wind. "You want the witch's son."

"I do."

"And I seek the heart of the white phoenix."

"What?" Jon snapped. "We are not going hunting for all these damn creatures. Dean! Tell your boyfriend to stop accepting tasks from them."

"It is not a task, my Lord," the dragon explained to Dean, "but a favor."

Dean cocked his head. "A favor?"

"I need the heart to give my father; he is ill."

"Where is your father?"

"In the cave ahead. You will have to pass it to go to Firestone."

Dean nodded. He'd cure the dragon's father first himself before continuing their journey… without the white phoenix.

"Kill the dragon!" Jon declared. "Slay its heart!"

"Shut up," Dean informed his brother plaintively before he noticed Jon gripping Roman's arm; his boyfriend was staring up at the dragon, eyes running up and down. "And get your hands off Roman or I'll smack your face off."

Roman - whom upon Dean's snapping - noticed that and shrugged Jon off. "What the hell, Jon!"

"You never asked the dragon what his needs have to do with us," Jon pointed out.

"I will assist you in your quest against the ogre," the dragon promised Dean before nodding at Roman who had the warmest smile on his face.

This man, Dean thought fondly. He was always able to see past the ugliness, scars and more just to see the beauty or the good. And if he didn't find any, he still tried to sought it.

"I just can't believe it," Roman breathed. "I always wondered about dragons as a little boy and I… now that you're here…"

"Tis we who are grateful for both your presence, young warrior," the dragon shared. "You both hold the key to restoring good in the underworld."

"Uh Dean's evil," Jon piped in. "Dean started a war with the Irish and Seth-"

"Do you ever shut up?" Dean asked. His half brother reminded him of those Duracell commercials where the bunny went on and on and on...

Leakee laughed hard while Jon scowled.

"Dean, it's a dragon," Roman said when the blue eyed man held his hand. "It's… it's a dragon."

"Just realised that after you spoke to him, babe?" Dean teased before giving a quick kiss. "Yeah. It is."

"Maybe I'll ask him later if I can touch him. I wonder what his skin feels like… a snake? Not that I've touched one before."

Dean chuckled, Oh Roman, never change. Helping the dragon would have its advantages, he supposed. Plus he'd been around Roman long enough to be influenced to lend a helping hand when it was needed… well, really needed.

Besides it wasn't dragons he was worried about; they'd straight up destroy you if needed. No. That was the least of his worries.

The biggest one was Jon.

A/N I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I thank you for reading. Once again if it's not the story for you, then it's fine. That's your right. Please don't say anything at all. Thanks.