The Dragon's Treasure (BL)

"What about my story?" Brandon asked as he handed Pan the scale. 

It was one of the most well-preserved ones he still had. A true jewel, something he had polished to an extent, for which even a king would have traded his throne for. 

"This is... I..." Pan took the scale with shaking hands. 

He knew what sort of treasure this was. Could not believe that Brandon had just given it to him like that. 

"Oh, this old thing? I got it off the dragon in exchange for a herbal tea. He had a cold," Brandon joked. 

Actually, there was a story behind this scale, and Brandon was going to tell it to Pan one day.

When the nymph got more comfortable around him. 

"Then I can tell you the story, I guess. I can tell you a story about my grandmother, Theanore," Pan said.

 Most people wanted him to tell them stories about his dungeon core of a grandmother. 

Some even wanted to know stories about Marinus, but mostly they wanted to listen about Theanore and how she healed the world as she traveled it, long after her apple tree sapling had withered. 

"Why don't you tell me a story about Pan the Dragon Slayer?" Brandon said, as he placed a finger over Pan's pendant.

 "There is no such need... I...there is nothing much to me," Pan said. 

Honestly, he had failed as a dragon slayer. The only scale he had gotten was one handed to him out of the dragon's own free will. If he had to be honest, then he really needed help. 

"Then maybe tell me something about yourself? Anything, really. What's your favorite color?" Brandon felt like a schoolboy, but he burned with the desire to know more about Pan.

 To know what he liked, to know what he yearned for. 

"I should be going," Pan said as he placed the scale inside of the pot where his apple sapling was. 

"No, you really must not. It's dark outside," Brandon let go of the pendant as if burned. He had not thought that he was going to pressure Pan so much, that Pan would want to leave.

He just wanted for Pan to feel safe around him. 

"You already gave me so much. I don't know how to pay you back. Perhaps I can do a quest?" Pan offered.

 Brandon had to resist the urge to grin like a wolf. He could get to stay by Pan's side! 

"I don't know, a scale like that is worth a kingdom, at least," Brandon said as he leaned back into his chair. 

Pan looked at his hands. He should have really known that there were no free lunches in this world.

He looked Brandon in the eyes, determined to earn his only chance for survival. 

"I am a healer. Well, I only know a couple of quick heal spells, but it's still something, isn't it?" Pan asked.

Brandon had to really hold the edges of his seat just so he wouldn't lick his lips.

His Pan could save lives! Oh, this was too good to be true!

 "Then I suggest we start a clinic together! Maybe something small for now. How good are you at treating burns?" the burn of the rune had not been easy to treat because Brandon first had to remove the rune.

 But now that Pan didn't have the slavery rune on him, he could easily have healed his own wound. 

"You want me to stay with you?" Pan asked. 

He didn't know why the dragon would choose to sleep in a cottage instead of a cave surrounded by treasure. But what he did 

know was that he wanted something for himself, and Brandon was willing to offer him a chance. 

"The people of the village down the mountain really could use a healer. During the winter, it is very hard for the healers to make their rounds. And well, there are a couple of pregnant women there, and they could really use someone to help them deliver," Brandon said. 

He reached out, offering his hand. Pan took it and shook it. 

"For how long should I assist you?" Pan didn't want to leave the dragon. He wanted to stay with him forever. 

Even this little closeness was already a balm to his soul. He had known that he had a soulmate. His grandmother had told him so. But now that the man was proving himself to be kind and caring, Pan just wanted to trust him. 

But Brandon was a dragon. 

And dragons were possessive, spiteful things. Everyone knew that. 

"Maybe just for the winter? And if you don't like it, you don't have to stay with me. I'd really love for you to, though," Brandon said as he squeezed Pan's hand gently. 

"Then... during the winter, I will help you heal the villagers," Pan allowed himself a slight smile, feeling the warmth spreading from Brandon to him. 

He wanted to lean in. He wanted to capture Brandon's lips. To extract a promise from him. He really should have known that Brandon had already given that promise deep inside his soul. Where it mattered most. 

"And now, I think we really should pack up and go down to the village, don't you?" Brandon asked.

 He patted Pan on the head twice and then stood up. His braid waved back and forth.

Pan looked at the blue ribbon that was wrapped around the perfect braid. Brandon's hair had a fluffy quality to it.

Pan wanted to bury his fingers in it.

 "Wait, I have a little something for you," Pan said as he took a small red ribbon from his pocket and handed it to Brandon. 

"That's an enchantment of, 9999 on the scale. A dual enchantment. My grandmother said I should give it to the one who..." Pan bit his lower lip, being terrified of what he was about to say. 

Theanore had been very strict about this ribbon.

It had an enchantment that was going to give an eternity to the one who wore it. 

Pan didn't know if the dragon realized it or not. If he knew that Pan was going to link their souls together, for the enchantment was made for Pan by his kind grandmother, who had known that he would meet his soulmate one day and be happy. 

"Thank you! It's a very nice rune," Brandon said as he took a hold of his ribbon and untied it from his hair. As his brown hair curled up and pooled around him, he managed a small smile as he looked Pan in the eyes. 

"Would you like to braid my hair?" Brandon asked. It was the instinct of all dragons to want to be groomed and taken care of by their soulmates. 

Brandon had felt that desire for so long but had not known where his soulmate was. 

Pan nodded, getting his wish to feel the soft hair.

Brandon sat on the bed next to him and let Pan's gentle fingers weave his hair into yet another braid.

This time with the red ribbon holding it in place.