Zypher: so to begin, when i started this prompt, many ideas came to mind but i do love dragons and their ability to be living furnaces. but what i love more is the idea of Gandora!Yugi. so this is how this little AU came to be and this isnt the first installment of this one. it was so well received over on AO3 that this is one of the plots that im going to make into a future story. so please, enjoy my first labor of love towards a future piece~
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Day 3: A dragon whose power went unmatched. A noble's son who care nothing of the life he led. The warmth of their bond brings them peace both so desperately needed.
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Many legends were told across the land but nothing as magical as the legend of dragon riders. There was a bit of truth of the riders and their loyal dragons, how they were amazing warriors of the sea and sky. Kingdoms adore them and stories were told of them...but those were tales of the past. Of a time where royalty didn't fear power greater than their own, didn't think that there was no more need for them. Annulled their contract with them and soon exiled them from their lands.
Oh, how foolish a mistake that was once dangers greater than the mere human began to invade and practically all dragon riders and their dragons were long gone or have passed.
But there was one rumored to be around but unlike many before him, he was not kind and neither was the dragon that had bound its servitude towards him.
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A gentle hum echoed through the forest as a small figure was hard at work tending to a garden behind a modest looking wooden cottage. Vibrant violet eyes glittered with happiness as he looked to the full red strawberries that were growing. It took so much love and care but the male was happy that they have grown so nicely. "Atemu will be so happy. Fresh strawberry pie for dessert would be wonderful." Standing, he dusted off his pants and looked to the sky. The air was clear and fresh with not a single cloud to block out the warming sunlight. How he missed those days where he could soar through such beautiful blue skies. But he couldn't reveal himself...not if it meant risking Atemu's safety.
The warm expression darkened at the thought, one that should never be on such a face but it was with good reason. You see, the one you see standing before you was a dragon. Shocking, isn't it? But this particular dragon was quite a rarity and a powerful one, one of the strongest to exist that didn't account for the rumored god-tier dragons. Many question how this "Atemu" had bonded and tamed such a powerful expression of destruction but the dragon would never tell and would ruin anyone that dared to try and hurt him. "Yugi!" A voice called from the cottage and Yugi perked to the sound, smiling brightly as he left the garden and ran towards the front. "Afternoon, Atemu! Are you ok?" he asked upon seeing the figure in the doorway. The man there smiled softly and nodded, stepping out and Yugi couldn't help but frown.
He knew it wasn't his fault for what had occurred that day but was still guilty that he let such beauty be tarnished. The man, Atemu, held scars of battles long past but one held precedence over others, one that took his vision from one side of his face and left a horrid scar in its place. It was the last time they had helped a kingdom in peril from bandits but in a fit of rage from the enemy, a torch had been thrown towards Atemu while he was distracted. Yugi had been so close but felt so far when the cry of absolute pain came from his rider. The fire that licked his face, the burning ashes that blinded him in one eye...all happened so quickly that it took all of Yugi's will to not use the gems upon him to decimate all around him once Atemu was protected in his embrace. The man that had hurt Atemu never tasted so good as blood stained scales and teeth but the damage had been done. He had cried and lamented towards the damage and was the one to finally rule that they would help no longer. If the humans couldn't help themselves then they were unworthy of the help of the dragons and their riders that they shunned for their power.
"Let's see how well you fare without us to rescue you from harm!" Was the declaration Yugi gave before he carried the injured rider far from the kingdom, far from the world, brought him to a private paradise where only they existed. Atemu had healed, though the damage done had ruined him but Yugi was proud to be his dragon, proud to be there for him. Just ever so happy to be with someone that he loved, adored and wanted to care for as the treasure Yugi saw him as. Yugi shook his head to be rid of the thought from the past and went to take the rider's hands. They were warm in his palms and the dragon smiled as he brought them up to rest on his cheeks, a gesture he did quite often and each time he saw it, Atemu couldn't help but smile. You've been out all day, Yugi, he told and Yugi laughed softly. He spoke that he was hard at work in the garden to make sure that the crops were faring nicely in the warm weather.
"The strawberries are so nice and plump this year, Atemu! I want to make a pie with them for dessert soon!" Atemu nodded, stroking gently at the dragon's cheek, gaining a soft croon from the powerful beast that hid behind such fair skin and glowing eyes. To this day, Atemu would still find himself absolutely stunned that he was the one such a grand creature would seek. Before he became a rider, Atemu was a mere noble's son. He lived in one of the kingdoms far north of where they lived now and for years, he had grown unhappy and disconnected from the life so many wished to have. To be rich, what was so great about it? He thought this periodically through his youth and into his teens until adulthood where the time to marry was upon him. Parties, galas and balls he attended, women and some men thrown at his feet. All wanted no more than his money and each one made him grow disgusted with such things.
His mother would tell him often that love was a powerful thing, an emotion made to fill one with warmth in their heart and soul as they look into the eyes of their loved one. But every man, every woman...none sparked such a thing in him. All he saw was greed. Corruption. The want for more than they were deserving and the desire to get more than that. He wanted nothing to do with that, wanted nothing with those people. So he left it behind and couldn't be happier. At least, that's what he'd say until the event that brought Yugi into his life. He was alone, he was wandering, and he was fading fast. His rations were exhausted and money tight. Any longer and Atemu was sure he'd pass out before the next town. But he knew to stop meant being dragged back to the life he left behind. The cold, cruel life that wanted to turn him into the very same.
"Just a short rest." he told himself that day as he rested upon the trunk of a tree, unaware of the creature that flew above. A brilliant creature of magnificent beauty. Obsidian scales gleamed in the sun, rows upon rows of polished ruby gems decorating the body. Sharp talons and massive ivory fangs showed that the beast was a dangerous one to contend with but for one unfamiliar to the breed that it was would know better. The decorations that made it so beautiful to look at was truly the dangerous part of it. Red hot fire like plasma concentrated from those very gems, a devastating attack that gave the beast its name.
The Dragon of Destruction...the beast they call Gandora.
No one, human or dragon, could stand up to such an attack but they are to consider themselves lucky that the attack was a one-time use. After the deed has been done, the dragon needed a period of months to recover. A failsafe for itself and it did well to hide to keep it from being a target though it also went without saying it still had firepower to defend should it need to without the use of its gems. And that period is why it flew now, looking for a place to rest when its golden eyes caught sight of the human below. So far from civilization he was. The dragon, of course, knew of dragon riders and their disappearance since and never thought anyone worthy of its power to even be considered but something about this human pulled it to see. So it descended down past the trees and towards the resting human and bless be its golden orbs, a beauty of resplendence.
It was a time honored rule among dragons to fall in love with a human was fraught with trials and often called forbidden but that was rules of the ancient times, rules made to be broken depending on the situation. Not to forget that most dragons hardly existed now, either dead or migrated to farther lands to avoid the oppression of themselves and their riders should they be bound to one. And this human, this single solitary figure found by mere happenstance, had called to it, summoned it to his side. And his side is where the dragon will stay. A gentle croon came from the beast, lowering its head down to the resting male, heated breath rustling the unruly strands of red, black and gold. Then the sensitive hearing caught onto the sound of his groaning belly.
He was hungry...that wouldn't do!
Raising its head, the dragon moved to spread its wings to fly then thought about it. If it left, the human could wake and be gone before it could return with food. It didn't want to leave and never see him again. Another croon left the dragon before it settled down before the human, relaxed and calm to show it was of no threat, beak set before the male's feet like an obedient pet and settled there to wait for him to wake. Once he did then they would figure out where to go from there...
Atemu chuckled as he remembered the memories. Of meeting Yugi as he introduced himself over the given name Gandora, the fear of having such a huge and dangerous dragon at his feet upon waking. The odd introduction then his acceptance to the sudden bond Yugi developed upon meeting him. His induction to become a rider was a trial but Yugi was patient with him, did anything and everything to make Atemu's new life easy. There were good times and bad and always someone that wished for their help upon knowing a rider was in their presence. They were willing even if their existence brought fear to those that knew nothing of what riders and their dragons did in the past until the day Atemu lost his eye. Yugi was never at fault for what happened that day but he had yet to prove that to the dragon.
"Atemu?" The voice snapped him from his thoughts, seeing those curious angled eyes watching him. "Yugi," Atemu began as he stroked the dragon's cheeks again. "I always wanted to ask...why do you never leave? You have no reason to stay within my service and take care of me. We don't really live to the dragon riders' creed so I'm sure I can manage on my own here." A pout crossed Yugi's face as he pulled back from the other, holding his hands tight before bringing them up to press a gentle kiss to the back of them. "Because Atemu..." he began, stepping back more once he let go and changed form with a rush of magic that always blew Atemu away, not physically, to see.
Golden eyes glared at him playfully before a nose bumped into Atemu, shuffling him from the cottage with hardly a protest except the deep laughter at the adorable gesture of the dragon. When far enough, Yugi plopped himself upon his stomach on the grassy knoll and gently grasped Atemu into a claw. The dragon, for his size and power, was always so gentle with handling him. To know his small, breakable form was handled with such care towards a powerful creature that could eat him for breakfast always warmed Atemu's heart. How lucky he felt that Yugi, one of the most powerful dragons, took to him just by a mere passing glance flying overhead?
He was granted the title of dragon rider and Yugi his dragon. Others would've been jealous if they were around to see them but further still, he was lucky to hold something even more important to the dragon. Atemu was set to rest against the dragon's chest, the large head brought down to press the tip of his beak to his cheek and Atemu smiled as he reached up to pet the comfortably warm hide of the dragon. A rumble of a purr came from Yugi, those beautiful golden eyes closing and Atemu knew from there, there was no reason for why Yugi stayed. The dragon was precious to him as Atemu was to Yugi. The dragon, with all of his heart, loved his rider. A strange pair indeed but Yugi would have never developed the human form he took if he didn't for bitter dragons found human skin an insult made to have them walk among others if they must do so. Yugi drew his head back to lay down and Atemu joined him, arms crossed so he could rest his head on them, single eye watching the dragon.
So warm was he, Atemu thought as his eye drew closed, relaxing. Mother always told him that the one you loved would bring warmth to their heart and soul. Who knew Atemu would find it in a dragon that caught sight of him by sheer chance. The once noble didn't regret that moment one bit and will admit that the dragon made to be a wonderful furnace in the colder months when caves were their only source of shelter in the winter before building the quaint little forest home they had now. Nothing could go wrong he—
A rustle in the bushes brought Yugi's head towards the sound, a sharp hiss leaving him which brought Atemu's head up to see what was upsetting the dragon. The rustling got louder as a figure appeared, looking upon them with relief before kneeling down to them. "Finally I found you, revered dragon rider! Please! The king of my home wishes to enlist you as guardian to our fair city!" Yugi hissed openly now to such brazen talk but a hand to his chest calmed him before he jumped the line. A golden eye gazed into Atemu's own before a claw came to scoop him into his palm, the dragon settled into a lounge as Atemu took presence in the claw treated like a throne. You dare to come disturb us in our home to help those that treated the dragon riders wrong, he announced with practiced ease as this wasn't the first time someone had come to beg for their guard.
Yugi was firm in the decision to not help and Atemu would never displease the dragon. They're been through so much and if their safety hinged on turning their backs on those that did nothing to warrant their protection, he will adhere to it. The man was on his knees now, bowing profusely and begging for their service which only brought another growl from Yugi, golden eyes narrowed, claws shaking with restrained anger and Atemu touched the palm lightly. Atemu then spoke of the damage he suffered, the reparations he never gained for their service last time. It was dishonorable after so long that people have seen a dragon rider in their midst and for one to risk their life for simple bandits. "You may beg for our help now but the knowledge that you are still fearful is the reason why dragon riders will never come to accept to protect kingdoms again. Be away with you now for we won't help. Gandora refuses and if he refuses, so do I as we're bonded closer than you could ever imagine."
A wisp of dragon smoke puffed from the dragon's jaws in agreement, a promise to dismiss the man one way or another if he didn't leave by his own terms. With despair in his gaze to know that nothing he could say would work, he was up and gone from the clearing and Yugi settled once the presence was gone. His claw was brought close to his chest and Atemu stroked the wide expanse of scale and muscle, hand resting gently on the warmed gem on his chest as he looked to Yugi. They won't stop coming now, he was sure of that now that their peaceful paradise was breached but they would stand firm to their decision. Yugi wouldn't want to leave the home they built together or the lives they made. Wings coiled closer around them and Atemu smiled, placing his lips to the gem at the center of the dragon's chest. Atemu..., the dragon breathed, the name rough and scratchy in the dragon's tongue but understandable all the same.
Finally, the large wings came around the two, a warm cocoon to blot out the rest of the world and Atemu hummed pleasantly, settled in the claw that held him so sweet and lovingly. His head came to rest upon Yugi's chest, hearing the dragon's relaxed breathing and powerful heartbeats, slowly drifting at the sound in the embrace of his partner, his hearth, his reason for life anew.
Such a rarity to become a dragon rider...but Atemu wouldn't have it any other way if it meant finding the happiness he wouldn't have found as a noble's son.