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Zhao Yunlan was chasing the Dixingren that’d been his headache for the last few weeks when it happened.
He had just rounded the corner of the building and immediately ducked to the side as a blast of dark energy roared by a little too closely. As Zhao Yunlan popped back up, he pulled his revolver out and took aim at the perp.
Three things happened in quick succession.
First, another blast came hurtling toward Zhao Yunlan much faster than he anticipated. Second, the Dixingren’s eyes went wide and he turned white as a sheet. Now, Zhao Yunlan liked to pride himself on being an intimidating guy, but that reaction seemed a little excessive. Especially when criminals had the upper hand. Which led to the third thing. A dark blur flew past his shoulder colliding with the dark energy before it slammed into Zhao Yunlan’s chest causing him to stumble back.
The blur in question materialized into what couldn’t be anything but a dragon. It was about as long as Zhao Yunlan’s arm from palm to elbow, its scales were iridescent, shifting between void black to a deep midnight blue, two beautiful branching antlers sat atop its forehead, with wispy fur running down the line of its back before ending in a tail.
The dragon scrabbled and clawed its way up to Zhao Yunlan’s shoulder. Bright pinpricks of pain were subdued under the realization that a dragon had just crashed into Zhao Yunlan.
A large, luminous eye appeared in the periphery of Zhao Yunlan’s vision, staring intently at Zhao Yunlan. His breath froze. He turned his head minutely so as not to startle the dragon. Zhao Yunlan watched as the dragon blinked then titled its head, neck stretching out to press its nostrils to his cheek. It sniffed briefly before rearing back, a small shiver running through its body.
In their distraction, neither noticed the SID team roll up and apprehend the Dixingren.
Lin Jing rushed over with his medical kit but when he got too close the dragon hissed, droplets of blood dripping down Zhao Yunlan’s shirt.
At the same time Zhao Yunlan snapped, “Don"t touch it.”
Everyone froze at his tone. Lin Jing stopped with one foot still in the air, his eyes wide behind his crooked glasses. Zhao Yunlan surprised even himself, but he wasn’t going to take it back. This dragon seemed to trust him and he wasn’t going to throw that back in its face.
Zhao Yunlan stood still, shoulders slightly hunched. He could hear the ragged wheezes as the dragon breathed through its pain, claws digging into Zhao Yunlan’s shoulder. It took that second hit for him and now it was wounded. It emitted a low growl as it stared at Lin Jing. And while Zhao Yunlan could relate he needed the dragon to calm down. He made a chopping motion at Lin Jing with his hand. Lin Jing dutifully backed away slowly.
When Lin Jing was far enough away to the dragon’s satisfaction, the growl stopped. A pained whine started up in its stead before it collapsed on Zhao Yunlan’s shoulder.
Worried sparked in his chest. What could he possibly do to help this creature that risked its life for him? Zhao Yunlan hadn’t even known dragons existed until a few minutes ago. But he owed it to the thing to try at least.
“I’m going to take this pretty girl—?” Zhao Yunlan intoned with a questioning tilt of his head. He wasn’t entirely sure if the dragon would understand him. The answer was a rough coughing sort of sound. “Ah.” He said, nodding amiably. “I’m going to take this pretty boy home and bandage him up.”
His team suddenly came alive. Their voices were loud in the silence following his outburst earlier.
“Zhao Yunlan! Are you crazy?!”
“Uhh, Boss, I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”
“Don’t expect me home tonight then.”
“Th-that seems d-dangerous, Chief.”
Zhao Yunlan rubbed his forehead in frustration. As if he ever required their permission to do anything. Besides, he was the one who approved their paychecks.
“Hey! It’s not up for discussion. Clean up the scene. Get the paperwork started at HQ. Put the suspect in holding until we get a hold of Hei Pao Shi. Xiao Long and I are going home.” He said with finality. “Bye-bye.”
He turned and walked away, lazily waving his hand in farewell.
Once Zhao Yunlan closed the door to his apartment, he slumped back against it with a heavy sigh, his body protesting the rough treatment. An indignant, hollow bark from his right preceded a sharp nip to his earlobe.
“Ow! Okay! Sorry, I didn’t mean to squish you,” Zhao Yunlan said with a mildly annoyed huff. He reached up to cautiously caress the dragon’s head, fingers hesitantly rubbing against rough skin and fur, glancing across what he assumed were his antlers. He got a quiet trill in response and an apologetic nip.
Zhao Yunlan should probably be more careful about petting a dragon but hey, he seemed friendly enough. Well, he seemed to like Zhao Yunlan, in any case.
Shaking his head, he levered himself up, grunting at the twinge his arm gave. All the muscles in his body screamed in agony. Now that he wasn’t running on adrenaline and caffeine, Zhao Yunlan was reminded that running around Dragon City and getting slammed against various surfaces was not the ideal treatment for one’s body.
The only thing Zhao Yunlan wanted right now was a hot shower and a very stiff drink or two—or three. But he could probably only swing one of those considering he had a guest to take care of.
Carefully making his way across the minefield of his apartment floor, Zhao Yunlan walked into the bathroom and flipped the light on. One look in the mirror was enough to tell him he looked like shit. Not that he expected any better. He sighed and turned on the faucet.
Face minimally rinsed of dirt, Zhao Yunlan contemplated how he was going to remove his clothes when his little passenger seemed disinclined to budge. Any attempt aimed towards removing the dragon had been met with tighter coiling around Zhao Yunlan’s neck and a deeper burrow into his coat collar, the odd texture of the scales tickling his neck somewhat.
He couldn’t help smiling at the dragon’s antics. But his shirt had to come off, so he had to deal with it.
“Alright, Xiao Long, I need to clean my cuts and for that my shirt has to come off.” He waited for a response and huffed when none came. His unyielding scarf remained still.
The coat was simple enough to get off his shoulders—during the process, Xiao Long pressed his chilled nose into the hollow of Zhao Yunlan’s throat when his face was uncovered, his antlers slightly digging into Zhao Yunlan’s jaw—until shifting his left arm from the sleeve shot a searing pain through his bicep. He hissed a breath and eased the coat off as gingerly as possible.
Inspecting his arm informed Zhao Yunlan that the blast he was sure he dodged from their Dixingren suspect had not in fact missed him. The wound looked like the kind of scrape he would get when he was a kid going down a hot slide. Zhao Yunlan frowned. Could dark energy wounds be treated the same as regular ones? Suppose I’ll find out, he thought with a mental shrug.
Taking off his shirt proved to be a bit of a challenge with Xiao Long refusing to help by moving out of the way, but he managed to get the shirt out from under the tightly curled body and claws. Claws which flexed into the skin of his shoulders reflexively once the shirt was tossed aside. His jeans and boots soon followed until Zhao Yunlan was in nothing but his underwear.
Upon further examination of himself, Zhao Yunlan found claw marks that wrapped over his shoulder down to his chest. Likely from when Xiao Long had dug in his claws to find purchase.
As he scratched his chin, Zhao Yunlan reached into the cabinet and pulled out the first aid kit. There wasn’t much in ways of aid but he had enough to cover what wounds they had.
While Zhao Yunlan was rummaging through the supplies, Xiao Long hesitantly lifted his head. Zhao Yunlan gave him an encouraging smile as he poured disinfectant onto a cotton pad.
He delicately dabbed at the scratches on his chest, squeezing one eye shut as the sting sunk into his skin. Xiao Long made a low whine that brought Zhao Yunlan’s attention to the mirror, eyebrows raised, just in time to catch the reflection of his small dragon friend curling back into himself and hiding his face under his tail.
Zhao Yunlan laughed lightly. “Don’t worry about it,” he soothed, applying some antibiotic ointment once the disinfectant had dried. He looked up and grinned at Xiao Long. “You were upset, so it’s understandable. Da Qing would have reacted the same way.”
Xiao Long blinked at Zhao Yunlan a moment before nuzzling his face into Zhao Yunlan’s neck fervently. It tickled enough that Zhao Yunlan laughed and tried to escape the sensation.
“Aiya!” He said around a laugh. “Mercy, please.”
The cuddles subsided but Xiao Long remained pressed up against him, eyes closed. Zhao Yunlan wondered what the dragon could be thinking about. Or what dragons in general thought about.
He caught the slight tremor that shivered through Xiao Long and the levity drained out of Zhao Yunlan. Xiao Long was hurt because of him. Only a slight glimpse of the injury was visible from this angle, a stark contrast amidst the dark scales, but he knew it had to hurt. The best thing he could do for Xiao Long was to clean it and wrap it so he could rest.
Twisting slightly sideways to see Xiao Long’s side, Zhao Yunlan didn"t even think twice as he swiped the pad across the wound on Xiao Long’s side. Xiao Long yelped and sprung off Zhao Yunlan–he hissed slightly as the claws dug in again–to hover briefly in the air before crashing to the floor on the rug.
Zhao Yunlan crouched down and winced in sympathy.
“Sorry, sorry. But we have to clean your wounds.”
Xiao Long let out a pitched howl in the back of his throat that reminded Zhao Yunlan of Da Qing when he was cornered, his back curved slightly in much the same way. Zhao Yunlan held up his hands. He wanted Xiao Long to keep trusting him, so he slowly put the disinfectant swab down.
“Okay. No disinfectant, I get it. I’m not fond of it either. At least let me clean you with soap and water.”
The howl petered out as Xiao Long eyed the pad dubiously. Zhao Yunlan risked reaching forward to run his index finger between those wary eyes and down his snout. Xiao Long’s eyes crossed as he tried to follow the finger, and once Zhao Yunlan reached his nostrils, they closed with a quiet sound. Something fluttered in Zhao Yunlan’s heart at the sight and he smiled softly.
With easy motions, Zhao Yunlan got up to get a bowl and a washcloth, filling it with warm soapy water before he dipped the cloth in and wrung it out. Xiao Long watched his every move with half-slitted eyes.
Situating himself on the rug in front of Xiao Long, he wiped at the cuts he could see along the scaled torso, scrubbing as lightly as possible while still hopefully getting dirt out. Xiao Long took to kneading the rug as he worked the large wound along his ribs, a continuous rumbling, growl vibrating through his small body.
“Sorry,” Zhao Yunlan murmured as he rinsed out the wash cloth, the water turning pink.
When he deemed it clean enough, Zhao Yunlan wrapped gauze around it, winding it around and around until he was satisfied it was covered before tying it in a messy bow over Xiao Long’s back.
Zhao Yunlan couldn’t help the snort that escaped him. The sound startled Xiao Long enough to throw him what could only be interpreted as a withering look. In apology Zhao Yunlan petted the scales not obscured by the bandaging. Those large eyes slid closed and a softer, contented rumble started up. If asked, Zhao Yunlan would dare to call it a purr.
Leaving the dragon to himself for a moment, Zhao Yunlan turned to his own body and hummed as he stuck bandages to his cuts and scrapes and smeared a salve on his arm. They weren’t too bad and they would heal.
When he turned to look at the rug, Xiao Long was gone. Panic rushed through Zhao Yunlan as he looked around the bathroom. There weren’t many places for him to have gone, but it was still a concern with the state he was in. He choked on his breath once he caught sight of a bristled tail.
Zhao Yunlan’s shirt had landed in the space between the toilet and the vanity. It was there where Xiao Long had disappeared to and was now fussing with the folds. Nosing and pulling it to his liking, Xiao Long then began to turn in half circles.
Zhao Yunlan resisted cooing at the very feline behavior, but it was a close thing. He was, after all, deeply humbled by Xiao Long’s presence and patience with Zhao Yunlan’s–everything. In addition to the cuteness, he also noticed Xiao Long was listing from side to side, so he took pity on him and scooped him up. Xiao Long squeaked in protest. Zhao Yunlan placed Xiao Long along the length of his forearm, his chin resting easily in the palm of his hand, and cradled him against Zhao Yunlan’s chest. Xiao Long’s tail seemed instinctively to wrap around the crook of Zhao Yunlan’s elbow, as if it were an everyday occurrence for him. Something warm settled into his chest, and once again he’s struck by the amount of trust Xiao Long afforded him. Zhao Yunlan wasn’t sure what he did to earn it but he’d do his best to honor it.
“Hmm. I don’t really have food in my apartment. But I can offer you some water.” Xiao Long trilled in evident judgment. While he made his way to the kitchen, he brushed aside some takeout containers to make space to place Xiao Long down on the counter. Xiao Long snorted at the mess and pointedly kept his tail wrapped around his feet.
The only clean cup Zhao Yunlan could find happened to be from a fancy tea set his mother had gifted him back when he moved out on his own. He filled one with water and placed it down in front of Xiao Long. “Be right back.” Zhao Yunlan said on his way past. Backtracking to the bathroom, he grabbed some painkillers and made his way to the living room.
He shook out a few tablets onto his palm, briefly wondering if he shouldn’t also grab his stomach meds. Thinking better of it, Zhao Yunlan went to the fridge, ignored all the suspicious containers and grabbed the pill bottle in the door. Rather than wait to reach the sink for water, he swallowed the handful of pills dry. Refilling the cup for Xiao Long, he reasoned he might as well drink something too.
“I could really use a cigarette right now,” Zhao Yunlan sighed as he leaned against the sink with his cup.
Xiao Long’s head snapped up and he let out a bark. The tone harsh and reprimanding.
Zhao Yunlan blinked to see the fur along his back standing on end. He huffed and shook his head. “You sound just like my mother,” he muttered. “Don’t worry. I won’t smoke while you’re here, my lord.”
Seemingly appeased, Xiao Long settled back to lap at the water some more. His eyes blinked slowly, the flicks of his narrow tongue coming more and more spaced out. Zhao Yunlan laughed at the stubbornness of this curious creature.
A yawn interrupted Zhao Yunlan’s amusement, his own eyes feeling gritty. Didn’t look like he’d make that shower tonight. He made to stretch before remembering that probably wasn’t a good idea.
“Well, time for bed.” He announced suddenly as he clapped his hands together.
Xiao Long let out a warbled chirp in agreement and acquiesced easily to Zhao Yunlan handling him.
He ambled over to the bed tiredly, switching off the apartment lights as he went, the wear on Zhao Yunlan’s body weighing down his limbs. Depositing Xiao Long onto the pillow opposite his, Zhao Yunlan left to dig around the piles of clothes on the floor by the faint glow of the street lights. His search turned up a faintly clean sweatshirt and a long sleeve that he promptly slid on. The sweatshirt might not be the cleanest but at last it wasn’t covered in crime scene grime and blood.
Zhao Yunlan dropped himself into bed with an undignified bounce and grinned at Xiao Long’s drowsy, bewildered stare. “Got you something.” Zhao Yunlan whispered, the dark of the apartment demanding the intimate hush. He balled up the sweatshirt and placed it on the bed, near enough that Zhao Yunlan could reach out if Xiao Long needed anything through the night.
Xiao Long stood up abruptly and began to nestle into it just as fastidiously as he had tried with the shirt earlier. A small cloud of cool air escaped through his nostrils in a deep sigh as he melted into the makeshift nest. A deep purr reverberated through the dark.
Zhao Yunlan swallowed a laugh. Xiao Long was too cute.
There were a million questions swirling in his mind, but as Zhao Yunlan laid his head down on his pillow and watched Xiao Long’s breaths slow, his eyes growing heavier by the second, he figured they could wait until morning.