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It’s been a long couple of decades since Seokjin has last seen his mountain– his home. Even though in dragon years it feels like it has only been a couple years. As a dragon shifter, time passes differently. Right now, he cannot wait to sleep in his own nest again, to look through his hoard.
You see, Seokjin is a connoisseur of rare items, specifically jewels. He has hundreds, if not thousands, of jewels that he has collected over the years. However one jewel in particular keeps eluding him– the Jewel of Legend.
The Jewel of Legend belonged to the first ever dragon shifter, a legendary warrior. It was a gift from the Warlock clan to Choi Juhee after she had defended them against evil forces. Upon receiving the jewel, Choi Juhee retired to her hometown, marrying the love of her life. She became the mother of all dragons. The Jewel of Legend was passed down through her family for centuries, until her family line died out and the jewel went missing. Never to be seen again.
Not for lack of trying– however. Seokjin had searched high– and low. Traveling the world for this jewel, only to end up empty handed time and time again. Now, frustrated and desperately missing his bed, Seokjin finally made the long trek back to his mountain. There is no place quite like home.
Seokjin can see the peak of his mountain in the distance, which only spurs him on to flap his wings even quicker. Home is in sight– at long last.
Imagine his surprise, however, when he gets closer to his mountain and sees a plume of smoke rising? Confused, he swings his large head around assessing his surroundings. Yes– this is his mountain . As Seokjin nears the peak he can see the plume of smoke coming from a small cottage.
That’s odd.
When Seokjin selected this mountain, he made sure it was far from any civilization; that it was inaccessible. Dragons were extremely protective of their hoard– and Seokjin’s hoard was quite impressive. So the question is– how did a tiny cottage end up on his mountain?
However, at this moment Seokjin is too exhausted to think about it more, and his nest is calling his name. He can investigate the cottage further on a different day. Right now he’s a dragon on a mission to rest! Seokjin makes a beeline to the dragon entrance to his cave, sighing in relief as he lowers himself down to the ground. Stomping over to his dragon’s nest, he spins around a couple times, making sure that everything is just right before sinking down onto his belly, laying his snout on his folded front legs and promptly passes out.
𖣂𖣂𖣂
Seokjin is unsure how long he slept, he thought as he arches his back like a cat as he stretches out. Finally feeling thoroughly rested after being away from home for so long. Mid stretch he shifts into this human form. Stumbling like a baby dragon, learning to walk after being in his dragon form so long, as he made his way through his cave. Seokjin cannot help but grimace at himself as he catches his reflection in the looking glass, he looks a little rough. Covered in dirt and grime from travel, along with a scratchy, scraggly beard. He is in desperate need of a shave and a bath.
Walking deeper into the cave, taking the necessary turns through the winding cavern, Seokjin arrives at the cave pool. It’s still the clearest water he has ever seen. He inhales briefly before letting out a burst of fire towards the water, effectively heating it up. The water is scorching hot– just how Seokjin likes it, as he slides in. Resting his head back against the smooth rock as he luxuriates in the warmth. And eventually, his thoughts turn back to the little cottage he spotted on his return yesterday.
Who in the world is on his mountain? Seokjin cannot help but wonder. He very purposely set up his home to be far away from humankind– but then again, time passes differently for humans, so what feels like nothing to Seokjin can literally be decades for them. It just doesn’t make any sense. His mountain has nothing to offer humankind.
After thoroughly scrubbing himself clean and removing his beard, Seokjin beats the dust out of some of his old human clothes he’s had stored away, deeming them clean enough to be worn. It feels odd to be wearing cloth on his skin after being a dragon for so long. Seokjin walks down the winding paths of his cave until he comes out a small hidden entrance.
At first he thinks nothing of it, as his eyes adjust to the sunlight, but then he starts to notice the abundance of flowers around him. Seokjin cocks his head to the side, the flowers are all similar but of different colors. He takes a step closer, reaching his hand out to stroke the soft purple petals. They– the petals, they almost resemble a dragon’s face. Interesting.
Scanning his surroundings, he notes that they cover the entrance of his cave and the area surrounding them. The better question to ask though is– how did the flowers end up growing up here? Seokjin’s keen eye can tell that these are not just wildflowers, but rather flowers that were planted here with a purpose. He just needed to figure out why?
Shaking his head, Seokjin turns and starts down the overgrown path, but not as overgrown as he thought it would be. The trees are all quite a bit larger than when he last left, which he expected, but what he didn’t expect was the amount of flowers– everywhere. All different types and colors, blanketing the sides of the path.
Continuing down the path, his eyes take in all the changes to his environment as well as noting the things that had not changed. The large rock shaped like a heart is still in its place. The willow tree is even larger now, its long branches hanging down to the ground. The stone bench is still next to the small lake. But perhaps the biggest change (besides all the flowers) is the cottage that Seokjin spotted yesterday. It’s surrounded by flowers, herbs and various plants. And there’s a steady plume of smoke coming from the chimney.
Wanting to keep his distance, Seokjin ducks behind the large rock to observe. He uses his heightened senses to take everything in. From the direction of the cottage he faintly hears singing, then a man clad in a gray robe bursts through the front door, a large basket in his hands. The man has curly brown hair, skipping light heartedly around the garden, singing to the plants as he fills his basket with various cuttings.
Seokjin watches, entranced.
When the sun is high in the sky, the man finishes his work in the garden and returns to his cottage, disappearing from Seokjin’s sight. Startled, Seokjin looks around, surprised to find how much time has passed. His thoughts are plagued with the curly haired man as he makes his way back to his nest. Just who is he? How did he end up on Seokjin’s mountain? Why is he here?
The questions just keep piling up the more Seokjin thinks. Frustrated that he doesn’t quite have the answers– but he’s sure that he will get them soon enough.
Arriving back at his nest, Seokjin makes a beeline for his hoard, now having the time to inspect every nook and cranny. He confirms that everything is still right where it needs to be, before adding his newest treasures to the hoard.
Seokjin’s neck is stiff by the time he is finished with his inventory and inspection. He stretches his long neck side to side, working the kinks out. Then, leaving his hoard, he moves the stone back over the entrance before making his way to his living quarters.
After dinner, the rest of the night Seokjin’s head is plagued with thoughts of the curly haired man.
𖣂𖣂𖣂
Over the next couple of weeks, Seokjin spends his time cautiously ‘gathering intel,’ on the curly haired man. It’s best to ‘know thy enemy,’ right? The more he knows, the better Seokjin can prepare. And so far, he is able to safely say the man is some type of witch. The man keeps to himself, and his cottage, tending his gardens and cooking delicious smelling meals– so it doesn’t set off Seokjin’s defenses. He can infer the man isn’t after his hoard. But a dragon shifter could never be too careful. His home is sacred to him.
One sunny day, Seokjin is keeping watch from behind the large boulder (like he normally does) when his ear picks up the witch’s voice. He’s used to hearing the man singing, but this almost seems like he’s talking to someone?
“Are you ever going to come say hi to me? Or, are you just gonna keep watching my every move?”
Seokjin keeps silent, his eyes wide. How was the witch able to sense him from this far away?
“Okay– be that way,” the witch singsongs, “My name is Taehyung, if you ever decide to change your mind. I promise I won't bite.” Seokjin remains mute which causes the witch, Taehyung, to laugh before he continues singing to his plants, not paying Seokjin any mind.
But, being ‘found out,’ apparently isn’t enough to make Seokjin stop his spying. He still continues to return day after day to watch the witch. Taehyung must have a second sense when it comes to Seokjin, he always seems to know when the dragon-shifter is near. Speaking or singing to Seokjin like he is standing right beside the witch.
“The sunflowers should be blooming soon, their yellow petals are good for so many uses.”
“It looks like rain tomorrow, make sure you don’t catch a cold? Can you even get a cold? Hm? I wonder.”
“I really like the color purple, there is just something about it that I love.”
“Did you know that the purple flowers hold a certain mysticism to them? They are almost magical in a way.”
“I don’t really like spicy food. Do you like spicy food?”
“Sometimes it is lonely all the way out here, so it’s nice to have someone to talk to, you know?”
“The lavender and chamomile I’m drying out are almost done. I’ll be able to make tea with them soon.”
“You are going to break down and talk to me eventually. Just you wait and see…”
Seokjin holds strong and silent as he continues to watch Taehyung, day after day. He still is not sure why the witch was on his mountain or how he even got up here. But the witch doesn’t seem bothered by being away from civilization, content with life on the mountainside and his garden.
One day when Seokjin goes to leave, something is different. It’s probably the basket he trips over as he exits his cave. Confused, he picks the basket up off the ground, carrying back inside to inspect it.
Inside the basket he finds various satchels with tea. All have a tag with neat handwriting attached to them, detailing the ingredients and the tea’s various uses. Also in the basket are jars of salves – primarily ones that treat burns – along with various other things and a bouquet made of camellias, baby’s breath and aster. It’s an extremely thoughtful gift, but at the same time confusing.
The witch has approached Seokjin’s cave multiple times, yet the dragon shifter feels no need to defend his hoard. It’s almost like his inner dragon has determined that Taehyung is not a threat. Maybe today he will actually talk to the little witch and ask why he is here on Seokjin’s mountain. The dragon shifter takes the flowers and finds a vessel to keep them in, filling it with water. The flowers add a pop of color to the cave, one that he didn’t realize he was missing.
Second time's the charm, Seokjin thinks as he leaves his cave, this time with a determined step in his gait. Seokjin makes it to the giant boulder, where he stays, waiting to hear the witch. After a couple minutes, his brows furrow in confusion, where is he? He doesn’t hear Taehyung moving about, talking or singing– which is odd, because this is normally the time that the witch is out in the garden, speaking to the berries and talking to the butterflies.
Seokjin moves from behind the rock, his keen eyes scanning the area. Off in the distance, he hears a faint crunching of leaves underfoot, so Seokjin takes off in that direction. As the dragon shifter gets closer to the sound, he starts to hear the witch faintly humming to himself. He ducks behind a tree.
“You know… you are not as sneaky as you think you are, Mr. Dragon . I’ve been wondering when you were finally going to approach me. Don’t be scared.” Taehyung spins around, hands on his hips.
“How do you know that I am a dragon?” Seokjin asks as he moves out from behind the tree. Something about the witch just keeps drawing him in, he doesn’t know how to explain it. He knows deep down that this man means him no harm, but it still doesn’t explain why the witch is here.
“Pfft, why wouldn’t I know that? So what is your name, Mr. Dragon? ” Taehyung asks, rolling his eyes.
“You didn’t answer my question. Why would I give you my name?”
“But I did answer your question. You just didn’t listen.” Taehyung takes a couple steps closer to Seokjin. “Wow, you are even prettier up close.” The witch cocks his head to the side, a boxy grin on his face. Seokjin can feel the tips of his ears start to redden. “ So, I take it, you got the gift that I left you?”
Seokjin debates on whether or not to say anything, but with those eyes on him, he finds himself caving. “I did get it… Thank you.” His inner dragon is keen to be near the witch, Seokjin barely understands it himself.
Taehyung beams at him and Seokjin feels his heart quicken.
“See, was that so hard? Next thing, you’ll be telling me your name in no time. But for now, I guess, Mr. Dragon will have to do. Stop by for dinner sometime.” That last part is a statement, not a question. Taehyung reaches for the basket at his feet, he gives Seokjin another boxy smile before strolling past him, humming to himself as he does so.
The dragon watches in stunned silence as Taehyung takes his leave. Only when the witch is finally out of sight does Seokjin come to his senses. The witch must’ve put a spell on him or something because nothing else explains why he is so obsessed with watching this man every day.
Feeling the need to get away, Seokjin takes off in the other direction from Taehyung until he reaches an open clearing. There he shifts, and once in his dragon form, he flaps his wings and takes off. Flying is the time when he does his best thinking, and as much as he doesn’t want to admit it, his mind is filled with nothing but Taehyung. With his boxy smile, those beautiful eyes, his magical voice, Taehyung is something to be desired, to be wanted.
Seokjin is flustered to realize that this is the same way he feels when he finds something that he just has to have for his hoard. It’s almost a compulsion– one that doesn’t typically leave him until he satisfies it. Seokjin huffs, smoke leaving his nostrils. He mentally berates himself– Taehyung is not something that he can keep. He just needs to find out why the witch is on his mountain, then once he does he’ll know what to do next.
𖣂𖣂𖣂
Seokjin continues to stop by the witch’s cottage day after day. Taehyung does most of the talking, but he still skirts around the question of why he is on Seokjin’s mountain. Oftentimes he puts the dragon shifter to work in his garden. Seokjin won’t ever admit it out loud, but it’s actually quite relaxing. But, at the end of the day Seokjin always makes sure to return to his own home before dinner time, not wanting to accept the witch’s offer until he gets the answer to his question.
Today, the dragon shifter is in the middle securing some flowering vines to a trellis, while Taehyung is behind him carrying on about something. Seokjin has learned to tune him out for the most part, focused on his task, but something the man just said causes him to pause.
“What did you just say?” Seokjin pauses, turning around to face the witch.
“Jumping spiders?”
“No, before that? Did you say the name Juhee ?” When Taehyung nods, Seokjin asks, “How do you know about her?”
“Well, everyone knows about Choi Juhee! She is the savior of my clan! She defended our entire warlock clan against the evil forces that were trying to destroy us. Without her– well, I wouldn’t exist, my clan would’ve been destroyed. That’s why from a young age, I knew that I wanted to give back to the dragons, to serve them. So when it was time, I left home.” As he speaks, Taheyung’s hand continues to move, caressing the flowers and pruning away the leaves. “But, it’s hard to find dragon shifters, they keep to themselves as I’m sure you know. Then one day I heard of a dragon that made his home on a mountain, one where no other humans lived. So I took my chances.” Taehyung gives Seokjin his full attention now. “Traversing the mountain wasn't easy, I’ll have you know. Building my cottage was even tougher– bringing things up here, piece by piece. But I was determined. you were gone for so long. I was beginning to lose hope, just a little I swear, but something told me not to leave– so I stayed and you finally returned home.”
Seokjin is stunned, it never occurred to him that Taehyung would be on the mountain for him , to try to aid him. That Taehyung was descended from the clan that his own ancestor had protected all those years ago. Seokjin was so used to being alone , it never occurred to him that he didn’t have to be any longer. And as far as humans go, Taehyung doesn’t seem all that bad, what with his flowers and his tea and such…
“I am called Seokjin. Uh– does that offer for dinner still stand?”
“Of course,” Taehyung replies with a boxy smile.
For the rest of the day they work as a team in the garden, and once they finish up Taehyung beckons Seokjin to follow up into the little cottage. Inside the cozy home, Seokjin looks around, noting the different furnishings, all the colors and how everything seems to not match, but at the same time everything fits perfectly together.
Seokjin attempts to assist Taehyung with preparing the meal, but the witch just waves him off, claiming it’s not too often he gets a guest up here, a smile on his face as he devolves into giggles. The dragon shifter takes a seat and watches Taehyung move about the kitchen with practiced ease. Soon, appetizing smells fill the small area, making Seokjin’s stomach rumble. He smiles sheepishly about the noise when Taehyung glances his way.
The dragon shifter cannot recall a time when he has ever felt so at peace; so at home in a place other than his cave. There is truly something special about this Taehyung. Seokjin found himself wanting to know everything.
Taehyung served a truly wonderful dinner, seeming to know something of a dragon’s taste, even pairing it with a lovely wine as they sat together at the table. Seokjin opened up a little about himself, sharing some stories of his travels. Seeing the light in Taehyung’s eyes as he listened to the tales and the way his laughter followed just did something to Seokjin. He was actually disappointed for the night to come to an end.
And, so what if he returned home and happened to dream of a certain witch with beautiful eyes and pretty giggles. That was between Seokjin and himself.
𖣂𖣂𖣂
After sharing a meal with Taehyung that first time, Seokjin found himself over at the witch’s cottage most nights. Sometimes he even did the cooking, sharing spices he had brought back on his previous journeys. He was careful to take note of the witch’s reaction to each one.
But tonight after dinner, Seokjin had something special planned. He was going to reveal his dragon form to Taehyung for the first time, on this night of the Dragon’s Full Moon. In the past, Seokjin had always celebrated by himself, but now– things were different.
Seokjin lets Taehyung know ahead of time to dress warmly, and the witch obeys without question, however Seokjin can’t fail to notice there’s a gleam in the young man’s eyes. Together they walk side by side to the nearby clearing, their fingers brushing against one another; neither brave enough to take the plunge and reach for the other’s hand.
When they reach the clearing, Taehyung finally asks, “So why did you bring me out here? Are you planning on having your wicked way with me?”
Seokjin snorts. “You’ll see, wait here.” He steps away from Taehyung and further into the clearing. Soon the shift is upon him, and he can feel his body changing, his senses becoming sharper. Vaguely, he hears Taehyung’s gasp, but doesn’t pay it any mind. Then, once fully shifted, he shakes himself, almost like a dog, settling everything into place.
Opening his now reptilian eyes, he notices Taehyung staring at him with a hand over his mouth, eyes wide. Seokjin links their minds together, ‘You keep bugging me about riding a dragon and now that you have the chance, you are just standing there? You can come closer, ya know?’
“Oh– I didn’t realize you could talk to me in this form.” Taehyung takes a tentative step closer and then another, until he is standing right beside Seokjin. “Your coloring– it’s just so beautiful. Such a dark purple it almost looks black.” The witch runs his hands over Seokjin’s side. “Your scales are so smooth, too– I thought they would be rough?”
‘I take care of myself. They can get rough.’ He leans into Taehyung’s touch slightly, he didn’t realize that having Taehyung’s hands on him would feel so good. ‘Climb on.’
“How in the world am I supposed to do that?”
Seokjin sinks down onto his belly, stretching his wing out, creating a ramp of sorts. ‘Just climb on up.’ Taehyung’s jaw drops in wonder, but he doesn’t hesitate to scurry up the wing. ‘Sit behind my front spike.’ The witch settles into place. ‘Perfect, hold tight.’
The dragon clambers back onto his feet. He squats back down before jumping up and flapping his wings, taking flight. Taehyung’s hands clutch onto his spike as a scream leaves him. Once Seokjin knows he’s safely holding on, he continues his upward ascent until they are way above the treetops. Then he begins to soar, the light of the moon illuminating the entire valley below
Getting over his initial fear, Taehyung begins to whoop and holler. “This is amazing!”
Seokjin lets out a snort, tendrils of smoke escaping his snout. He continues to coast around the mountain. “It’s so beautiful up here, I don’t know why you would ever want to be on the ground. So many stars and the moon! It’s so bright– so big.”
‘Of course it is. It’s the Dragon’s Full Moon, afterall. It symbolizes strength and transformations.’
“Ah…so as a dragon shifter, this full moon holds a special meaning for you.”
‘It does. When I was younger, I used to go to a festival with my parents. It was a time when dragon shifters from all over our land gathered together. But with our numbers dwindling– that tradition– it’s been lost. Everyone just celebrates in their own way these days. It’s been like that for at least a hundred years or more– time moves differently for dragons.’
“I bet that was truly a sight to see. All those dragons, together.” Taehyung sighs wistfully. “Thank you for sharing this with me. Maybe this can be a tradition for us to continue. I’m not a dragon, but I’d be happy to share this time with you.” If Seokjin was in his human form right now, he knows that the tips of his ears would be red.
In contrast to Seokjin’s blushing warmth, Seokjin can feel Taehyung starting to shiver from the cold, despite all the layers of clothing he wore. So, the dragon shifter made one final loop around the mountain before settling back down in the open field. Crouching down, he lays his wing out flat once more, so Taehyung can dismount. And once the witch is safely on the ground, Seokjin shifts back to his human form.
“Huh– I didn’t realize that your clothes shifted with you. How does that work?”
“Dragon magic.”
Not feeling so shy this time, Taehyung takes Seokjin’s hand as they make their way back to the witch’s cabin, interlacing their fingers together. The dragon shifter leaves Taehyung at the door, bidding him a fond goodnight with a squeeze of their hands.
Seokjin cannot help the smile that appears on his face as he walks back to his cave; his fingers graze over the petals of the many snapdragons adorning the place– the snapdragons Seokjin now knows Taehyung had placed for him.
𖣂𖣂𖣂
One evening after a delicious dinner, they are out in the garden admiring the stars. Taehyung had laid a blanket on the ground and pulled Seokjin down beside him, cuddling into his side. The witch was chattering on about everything and nothing at all, as Seokjin’s fingers trailed up and down his arm, his eyes closed in contentment.
“Jin?”
“Hmm.”
“Do you have a hoard?”
“Hmm– Most dragons do.”
“I will take that as a yes then,” Taehyung says, “Is it very big?”
“Well… a dragon’s life is long and I’ve gathered various treasures over the years.”
“Is that why you were gone for so long?” The dragon shifter feels Taehyung prop himself up on Seokjin’s chest, those eyes staring at him.
“I know that I have said it before, but time passes a lot differently for dragons. I didn’t even realize how much time I’d been away, until I arrived back at my mountain and saw how different it was.”
“Did you come back because you finally found what you were looking for?”
Seokjin sighs. “No, I came back because I didn’t . I searched all over, following various leads, but I was unsuccessful. Then I decided I had been away from home for too long and made my way back.”
“Tell me about it– the treasure you were searching for.”
“Well, being a part of the Warlock clan, you already know about Choi Juhee, the first dragon shifter. I was looking for the jewel she was gifted by your people– the Jewel of Legend .” Seokjin doesn’t notice how Taehyung freezes on top of him, lost in recalling memories of his search. “Ever since I heard the story, the legend, I knew that it was a jewel that I needed to possess. It went missing years ago, some speculate that it isn’t even real. However something deep down inside of me calls out for the jewel. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“Are you going to go out and search for it again?”
Truthfully, Seokjin doesn’t know how to answer Taehyung. A small part of him wants to find the jewel, but another part of him is perfectly content to stay here with Taehyung, who is a treasure in and of himself. He brings light to Seokjin’s world, a light that he didn’t even know that he was missing. And the more he thinks about it, the thought of leaving Taehyung behind– it doesn’t sit well with the dragon shifter.
“Only if you come with me.”
Taehyung pulls away from Seokjin slightly, propping himself up. “Do you really mean that? You would take me with you?”
“I– I don’t like the idea of leaving you behind. You– you have become important to me.” Seokjin is startled when he feels a pair of warm lips press against his own. Soon he recovers, threading his fingers through Taehyung’s hair and pulling him in closer.
That night under the stars, surrounded by the smell of flowers they joined together as one.
The next day Seokjin found himself glued to Taehyung’s back, not wanting to be away from him for even a second. The bond– it was still fresh. He nuzzled into the witch’s neck, causing him to laugh.
“You know you will have to let me go at some point today.” But Seokjin just clung to him harder, making Taehyung giggle. “I mean it. The garden will be fine without me for a day, but there are some things that I prefer to do alone– like relieve myself, for one. Do you think you can let go of me for a moment?”
Reluctantly Seokjin let go of Taehyung, but the man rewarded him with a kiss to the cheek before he scurried off. He really wanted to follow after the witch, but holds himself back. Wandering over to the window, he stares mindlessly outside as he waits for Taehyung to return.
Taehyung soon returns and Seokjin wraps him up in his arms. “Do you think I could see your cave sometime? I mean– you don’t need to show me your hoard or anything, but I would love to see your home. Only if you are okay with it, of course.”
“I would love nothing more. I want to share my home with you. Maybe we can even take a bath in the cave pool. The water– it’s magical.” At Taehyung’s nod, Seokjin links their hands together before pulling him out of the cabin down a well trodden path.
Arriving at the cave entrance, Taehyung smiles at all the flowers, running his fingers along the petals. “Gosh– they really do look beautiful here. Like I knew – but they just seem even more beautiful now.”
“Why did you plant them here?”
“These ones symbolize protection and strength. I wanted to make sure your cave was protected no matter what.”
Seokjin pulls Taehyung into a kiss– his witch is so thoughtful.
“Let’s go.” The dragon shifter takes pride in showing Taehyung around his cave– his home. Leading the witch down the winding caverns to the cave pool, he shows Taehyung how he breathes fire to heat the water to just the right temperature.
“ Oh–” Taehyung murmurs before turning around to smack Seokjin in the arm. “I can’t believe that you kept this hidden from me! This water has actual magical properties!” Not a shy bone in his body, Taehyung strips his clothes and eagerly enters the pool, sighing at the warmth. “I can already feel all my aches and pains leaving me. This is great.”
Chuckling, Seokjin strips off his clothes and sinks down beside Taehyung, letting his head relax back against the rocks. Taehyung’s hand finds his under the water, interlocking their fingers. Together they relax in the water, words not needed between them, just contented sighs.
When their fingers are sufficiently pruning, they leave the water, drying off before donning their clothes. However Seokjin’s hand searches for Taehyung’s as soon as he’s dressed, he doesn’t like it when they are apart . He likes keeping the witch close.
Seokjin doesn’t return to the main area of the cave however, instead leading them down deeper through twisting caverns, taking various turns to the point that Taehyung made the statement that he was never going to be able to escape Seokjin now. After some time Seojkin stops them in front of a large boulder.
“What’s this?”
With his inhuman strength, Seokjin rolls the boulder out of the way, revealing an entryway. He beckons Taehyung forth before breathing a small stream of fire, causing the room to light up. Resulting in a gasp from the witch, as his hand flies up to cover his mouth. Seokjin grabs ahold of Taehyung’s other hand, pulling him deeper inside.
There are piles of gold clear up to the ceiling of the cavern, various piles of gems, jewels and precious metals sorted by color. Organized chaos. However, Seokjin knows where everything is located, heading straight towards the emeralds, sorting through the different pieces until he finds the one that he wants.
“Aha,” he mutters under his breath, pulling out a golden necklace with an emerald teardrop attached. “Turn around.” Taehyung does as he is asked without question. Seokjin places the necklace around the witch’s neck, carefully latching the clasp.
“I– this is too much.” Taehyung says as he spins back around to face Seokjin. “I–”
“I knew you would look beautiful in it.” Seokjin’s fingers stroke Taehyung’s cheek, trailing down his neck and running his fingers over the chain, until he cups the emerald in his hand, “Green looks good on you.” The emerald falls back down to Taehyung’s chest.
“But– I can’t accept this. It’s from–”
“My hoard– I know. I want you to have it. I am giving it to you.”
“But dragons don’t share their treasures with anyone–” Taehyung’s eyes widen with realization. “They only share them with their–”
“It’s okay Taehyung– you can say it.”
The witch’s mouth opens and closes a couple times with no sound coming out. Seokjin smirks in response.
“Dragons–” Taehung says slowly. “They only share their treasures with their– mates .”
“So that makes you...” Seokjin raises his eyebrows.
“Your mate .” Taehyung’s hand comes up to clasp the gleaming emerald. “We’re mates.”
Seokjin cups Taehyung’s head, pulling him in for a sweet kiss, before peppering Taehyung’s face with more kisses. Before wrapping Taehyung up in his arms, rocking side to side slightly as they cling to one another.
Taehyung pulls back just enough to look up at Seokjin, the front of his shirt still clasped in Taehyung’s hands. “Jin– I have something to tell you.” Seokjin’s brow furrows. “Well, more like show you. It’s not bad, I promise. I was planning on doing this anyways.”
The witch reaches into his robe pocket pulling out a simple silver chain with a multicolored gemstone attached. In the light it currently looks blue-green, but if the legends are true, the color will change to more of a reddish purple as the day goes on.
“Is that–” Taehyung nods, holding the jewel up. Seokjin reaches his hand up to touch it but then quickly pulls it back. Noticing his hesitation, Taehyung reaches for the dragon shifter’s hand pulling it towards him before placing the jewel in it. Seokjin can feel the power coursing through the stone. He brings it to his face, staring at it mesmerized.
“It’s been in my family for ages. When Choi Junhee passed, she had the gem returned to my family for safe keeping. She didn’t want it to end up in the wrong hands. So my family has been safeguarding it for centuries. But when you spoke about your travels, and how you were looking for it– something inside of me knew that I needed to give it to you. That the jewel was destined for you.”
“So we were always destined to meet?”
“I like to think so. The universe works in mysterious ways.”
“I know the perfect place we can keep it.” Seokjin grabs Taehyung’s wrist as he navigates around the various piles of gold, stopping once he reaches a pedestal. Seokjin places the Jewel of Legend on top of the pillow sitting there before stepping back to admire it. A sense of fulfillment overcomes him– his collection is complete, there is no need to search anymore.
And it’s all thanks to this magnificent witch— his mate. Seokjin never thought returning home after all those decades of searching would lead to this. Wrapping Taehyung up in his arms again, pressing a kiss to his lips, before linking their hands together and leading them back out to the main living area of his cave.
That night they truly became one. Linking their life forces together so that they never needed to be apart. They mainly kept their mountain, content with their life together, but they did travel out on adventures from time to time. Seokjin wanted to show Taehyung the world, because he was his greatest treasure after all— he was his home.