Dragon!Reader x Hunters!Nordics - (5/?)

Dragon!Reader x Hunters!Nordics - (5/?)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note: A little shorter than normal, but only slightly. Hope you enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Chapter 5:  A Powerful Bond

After Lukas had discovered your secret, he had been a bit hesitant to speak with you.  The others noticed this as well, but didn't say a word.  Matthias assumed it had something to do with you, which he was right, but Lukas denied it.  He was keeping his promise about not telling anyone about your secret.  That you were thankful for.  

Other than that everything seemed to be going like normal.  Rose kept near you to make sure you didn't bump into anything, or anyone.  You told her she didn't need to do this since you had already mapped out the village by memory, but she insisted.  She didn't want someone to accidentally pull of the bandage.  Although, she was fine when Lukas wished to speak to you.  She even seemed more accepting of Lukas than before.  Probably since he knew of your secret, and the fact he didn't tell anyone made her respect him a bit more.  

Hans was another story.

And honestly, that's what you were dealing with at this moment.  The second he found out that Lukas had found out about your secret he went crazy.  He shook your shoulders and demanded why he wasn't informed.  Rose had to pry him off of you.  Literally.

"We were planning on telling you as well as everyone else when the hunters were asleep, or scouting.  We didn't want anyone to become suspicious," you tried to tell him.

"What if he tells the others?  Then they will cut you down!" he shouted.

"He hasn't told anyone yet.  He promised me he wouldn't."

"How do you know he wasn't lying?"

"I saw it in his eyes," you whispered, "His eyes held no lie.  Only truth, and curiosity."

Hans continued to stare into your eyes with his own blue ones.  They were pleading for you to tell him the truth and you did.  He saw no lies.  Sighing in defeat, he let his body relax some and lowered his arms.

"Fine.  I'll let the others know.  You can let me go now, Rose," He said.

"You really are being a little too protective of her, Hans.  I know you care for (Name), but what you are doing is only making things more difficult," Rose scolded lightly.

He didn't say a word and just left the house to inform the other villagers of the news.  The hunters were currently away at the moment.  Matthias forced them into a scouting expedition around the village, much to Lukas' dismay, so now was the perfect time to inform everyone.

You watched him leave with sorrowful eyes.  You hated doing this to him, but you knew what you were doing would make up for everything in the long run.  At least you hoped it would.  You gave out a sudden sigh and fell back onto the bed with a small thud.

"Why does he have to be like this?" you groaned in partial frustration.

"He just cares about your well-being, (Name).  Cut him some slack," Rose answered.

"I know he means well, but he's taking it a bit too far.  At least I think so."

"True, but he's just being a protective big brother."

"You say that every time."

You both laugh at that.  Even when he was a child he was a bit like this, but you always found it cute.  You started up at the ceiling for awhile, thinking about what the next step would be.  You had already heard Lukas' and Emil's story, and you kind of knew what Matthias' was since Lukas had mentioned it to you.  

'I could talk to Tino once he gets back,' you thought.

"What are you thinking about?" Rose asked.

"Was thinking of talking to Tino or Berwald when they get back.  I want to know their story too."

"That would be good.  Why don't we get the bandage on your eyes and head outside to walk around till they return?"

You nodded in agreement and allowed her to place the bandage over your eyes.  Once again there was darkness, but at least it wasn't permanent.  She then led you outside without much difficulty since by now you had basically memorized it.  You could already hear the bustle of the village before the door was even opened.  The light immediately shone through the cloth, making you squint a bit.

"(Name)!" you heard the children's voices call out in delight.

"Are you alright?"

"Does it hurt still?"

"Now, now, one at a time.  Yes, I'm alright, and it doesn't as much anymore.  Are you all behaving for your parents?"

"Yup!" they all chanted at once.

"Good.  Now, why don't we go play in the fields?  We can sneak up on Marcus and give him a little fright," you said in a mischievous tone.

They all giggled and agreed at once.  They loved to play pranks on the others, but their parents didn't like it so much.  They especially didn't like it when you helped them, but what was a small prank or two every now and then?  You found it fun and entertaining.  

The children grabbed your hands and guided you away from Rose towards the fields.  Along the way they told you Marcus was working in the potato fields again.  Probably eating a few more potatoes when John wasn't around.  You told the children to get specific items and they were quick to obey.  Moments later they came back with extra feathers and a small bucket of honey.  It wasn't that much of a problem since you had stocked more than enough to last awhile.

"OK, I'm going to distract him and when I say (random word), you drop the honey then the feathers on him.  Alright?"

"OK!!!"

You then walked your way in the direction of Marcus, and you already heard the familiar sound of crunching.  The children had told you there was a tree nearby, which was perfect for your plan.

"Marcus~?  Didn't you say you would stop eating the potatoes?"

"WHA?!" He jumped a mile high, "(Name), don't scare me like that, lass.  I know I'm still young, but you keep doing that I might just die of fright.  And how do you know I'm eating anything when you can't see anything?"

"I can hear you munching on the potato," stating it matter-of-factly.

"Oh...um...Don't tell John."

"Hmmm...maybe."

"What do you mean 'maybe'?"

"(R/W)!!"

In one smooth motion, honey was poured over a startled Marcus, followed bay a wave of feathers.  You heard Marcus sputter and slightly curse frantically as he tried to get the feathers off of him.  However, they stuck to him like glue, and every time he tried to pry one off, it clung right back to him.

"It's so sticky!!! Get it off!" he shouted.

"Sorry, Marcus, but this is your punishment for not listening to me he last time~," you giggled out.

The children burst out laughing one by one, and you were quick to follow suit.  Rose, who was watching from afar, was on the ground laughing.  It lasted for several minutes until John had to come out and help Marcus get all the feathers and honey off of him.  

"You guys are having fun," a chipper voice suddenly stated.

You wheeled around at the voice, immediately recognizing it as Tino, and gave him a wide grin.  You hadn't been expecting them back so soon from their trip.

"I thought you were scouting the area," more of a statement than a question.

"Lukas got mad at Matthias and we all decided to head back early.  Haven't seen any sign of that dragon for a couple days though.  We're starting to think the dragon isn't going to come back at all, honestly," sounding slightly annoyed.

"Why are you so upset that you couldn't find it?"

"Because!  If we don't you all will be in danger again.  I don't want anything to happen to anyone here, especially you!" he reasoned.

"But it never hurt us before, so I'm sorry but I don't see this as a good thing."

"You say that now, but deep down they hold no mercy," he said in a low shaky voice.

You gave him a quizzical look, wondering what could have upset the normally cheerful man.  You stood where you were, not being able to see his face, but knowing something must be wrong.

"If it's not too much to ask, could you tell me why you hate the dragons so much?" you asked carefully, not wanting to upset him further.

Both of you stood there in silence for a moment as Tino pondered your question.  Soon enough you heard a sigh and someone grab your hand gently.

"I'll tell you, but why don't we go back to the inn?  I don't want others to know."

"Whatever you need to do to feel comfortable, Tino."

With that he led you to the inn, helping you up the stairs to the room he and Berwald shared.  He guided you to sit on the bed since it was more comfortable than the chair, which was the only other source of comfort.  Once he took a seat, he took a shaky breath.

"I haven't told anyone about my past, expect the others in our group, so it's a bit difficult for me."

"Take your time, Tino.  You don't have to force yourself to tell me if you are not ready."

You heard him hum in acknowledgement, and quietly waited for him to start.


~Flashback Tino’s POV~

I was only around 13 when the dragon came to our village.  Berwald was 2 years older than me, but we were inseperrable.  It was another day like any other, but it would not end the same.  I remember running through the grassy fields behind our houses, trying to catch Berwald in a small game of tag.

“Berwald!  Slow down!  You know that you’re way faster than I am,” I panted as I tried unsuccessfully to catch up to him.

“Then it wouldn’t be a challenge,” he smirked back at me. (Sweden is OOC here lol sorry, but I thought this would be good as a before he went emotionless)

I just groaned and tried harder to catch him.  About 10 minutes later I finally caught up and tackled him to the ground.  We both landed with an ‘oof’, and couldn’t stop laughing. We were laughing so freely that everything seemed so right and perfect at that moment.  However, that moment was soon crushed by a ear-piercing cry.  A large shadow whizzed over us on the ground.

The next thing we knew the village was set ablaze.

Fire and smoke reached up to block out the sky.  Screams of panic and terror filled the once calm and peaceful streets.  We both ran back to the village, trying desperately to save anyone and everyone we could.  The dragon was not done with us though.  It curved into the sky and banked down towards the village again.  It opened it’s massive maw to unleash a a gout of flame.  

“Watch out!!” Berwald cried, shoving both me and himself out of the way of the flames.

He hissed in pain as some of the fire latched to his back, but I quickly helped him put it out.  We then turned our heads at the frightened sounds of our parents.  They were trying to seek shelter from the dragon by running to the forests that lay just beyond the fields.  We cried out in vain, telling them not to run that way, but it was too late.  Right in front of our eyes the dragon came back down and torched them all.  Their screams filled my ears as they flailed around to try to get the flames off of them.  Mere moments later they dropped to the ground, dead.

“NOOO!” I shouted, rushing over to were they fell, but Berwald’s arms securely held me back.

“Don’t be a fool!  You’ll only get yourself killed!” He shouted over my wails.

I fought him for a few moments until I began to give up.  He noticed my struggling had begun to cease, and hugged me to his chest.  Tears filled my eyes and I turned to embrace him like a lifeline.  We heard the dragon roar as it flew over the village once more in search of survivors.  Luckily we had hid under some of the rubble, so it obscured us from it’s menacing eyes.  With one final roar it took off towards the mountains, leaving the burned and charred remains of the village behind.  I clutched onto the front of Berwald’s tunic tighter as more tears spilled from my eyes.

It was at that moment that I swore revenge.  To avenge not only our parents, but all those who had fallen to the flames of dragons.


~End Flashback - Reader’s POV~

“We met up with Lukas, Emil, and Matthias about 2 years later.  It was so nice to make new friends,” Tino stated thoughtfully, but his eyes held a deeper sadness.

You couldn’t see the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes, but you knew all too well that they were there.  You hesitantly reached out a hand to where you thought his face was and let it come to rest on his cheek.  You let your thumb glide over the skin right below his eye and felt the dampness of tears.  You wiped them away silently, but gave him a sad, yet knowing smile.  He must have started to break down because his sobs became audible.

He got up and then threw his arms around your torso, and held you like a child would to their mother.  He was mindful of your wounds, but held onto you tightly.  He buried his head into your good shoulder, and you could feel it growing damp.  Your heart ached at this, and you wanted to say something.  Although, silence would probably be best right now.  You stroked his back comfortingly and patted his head as he let everything out.

“Shhhh~,” you soothed as his cries began to calm down slightly.

He was still hiccuping a bit when he began to pull away.  You knew his eyes were probably red and swollen, but you still said nothing.  

“Thank you, and sorry about getting your shoulder wet,” he whispered.

“It’s not a problem, Tino.  Do you feel a little better now?”

“Yes, and sorry, again.”

You just smiled and shook your head as to tell him it was nothing.  You felt him shift slightly and then feel a pressure on your shoulder.  You felt your cheeks heat up, but you did not push him away and began to relax.  After a few minutes, you could hear faint snoring and deep breaths, signaling that Tino had fallen asleep.  

‘He must have had a long day, and remembering the past must have tired him out,’ you thought.

You wish you could have seen his face.  It was probably really cute when he slept, but you did not take the bandage off.  You then felt a heavy hand grip your shoulder, making you instinctively look up in the direction of it’s owner.  You already knew it was Berwald, since his hold was strong yet gentle.

“Thank you for watching over him,” he said in his deep voice.

“Not a problem at all.  He must have been tuckered out.”

“Matthias dragged us all around the area, and Tino has been restless as of late.  I’m glad he’s sleeping now.”

You had never heard Berwald talk this much, but he probably trusted you since you took care of Tino.  You could only nod with a smile as you felt Berwald pick up Tino’s unconscious form and walk into the room they shared.  After a few moments he came back and offered to take you back to your room.  You happily agreed and held his hand while you carefully took each step.  It was already late into the night, so you both hurried to your home to avoid the chilling winds.

Once at your home, you told Berwald you could handle the rest by yourself.  He seemed reluctant, but let you go.

“Thank you,” he said before you closed the door.

“For what?” you asked curiosity, opening the door a little wider.

“For talking with Tino.  You’re the first person besides the others he has told about his past.  I think it relieved him somewhat.  For that I’m grateful.”

“I’m glad I was able to help then.  I hope he feels better tomorrow.”

You heard him grunt in approval as his footsteps receded from the door.  You smiled to yourself and closed the door.  You sighed as the heat from the fireplace hit your exposed skin.  You went to take the bandage off your eyes, blinking a few times to adjust your eyes to the light.

“You all right?” a voice asked from you left.

You squeaked in surprise and jumped back in fright.  You then locked eyes with Hans, who was leaning against the wall.

“You almost gave me a heart attack, Hans!” playfully smacking him in the arm, “And yes I’m fine.  Just a bit tired is all.  What are you doing here anyway?”

“Was making sure you came back safely.  Did everything go alright?”

‘He seems a bit different,’ you noted.

“Y-Yeah.  Why do you ask?"

"I'm just making sure you're okay.  That's all.  I thought it over a bit, and I think you and Rose were right.  I was being a bit overprotective, and not trusting you enough.  I'm sorry."

"You are forgiven, but I know you meant well."

"Thanks.  So...what did you and Tino talk about.  I saw him take you to the inn, so I figured he told you something."

"Tino told me his and Berwald’s past.  I really can’t believe what happened to them. Their whole village was burned to the ground, and they saw their own parents perish in flames.  I can't place what made the dragon do so, but with everyone wanting to kill them, it only makes sense that they are fighting back.  Makes me think I’m not really a dragon sometimes,” your voice drifted off.  

“Why do you think that?” he asked, taking a seat on the bench near the fireplace.

“Just all these stories that I hear about my own kind, the devastation and havoc they cause.  It's like the total opposite me.  Why am I like this?  Why am I different?  I just want answers sometimes," you whispered.

You curled into a ball on the bench and hugged your legs close.  You just wanted to be normal.  Not in the killing way, but...you just wanted to be human.  You wouldn't have to worry about putting others or yourself in danger.  But then, what would happen if another dragon came and attacked the village?  You wouldn't be able to protect them as a normal human.

A sudden weight on your shoulders brought you out of your thoughts.  Looking to your side you saw Hans wearing a sympathetic smile.  He then pulled you closer to have you head rest on his shoulder.

"Because you are unique.  You decided to befriend us, and we chose to befriend you.  You are one of us now, but at the same time a dragon.  A caring dragon with a big heart."

Your eyes watered and you smiled.  Everyone here cared for you so much, and you couldn't ask for anything else.  You are who you are, you made that so.  And nothing was going to change that.

"Get some sleep, big sis.  Leave the worry for another day, and enjoy the peace of a dreamless sleep."

You nod and drifted to sleep.  You let the worries fade away, and just focused on what would come tomorrow.  






To be continued~