Description: Dragon Hoseok! You're spelunking when you come across a dragon, and suddenly your life is a lot more complicated as he adds you to his hoard.
Tags: Dragon!Hoseok, Shapeshifter!Hosoek, Hoseok X Reader
A/N: I know y’all still want a second part to Different Skins, we’re honestly lucky I’m getting any writing done so. Have this instead!
As if being trapped in a dragon’s den against your will wasn’t bad enough, this one also didn’t seem to know what humans needed to survive, or understand why you were upset that he wouldn’t at least get you your own belongings from the house you were renting.
“You don’t need those things anymore!” Hoseok frowned, huffing out another plume of smoke.
You choked before you could respond. You’d been arguing with him for over an hour, already. If you didn’t die from lung cancer, it would be a miracle. But you needed to make some sort of hyper-logical point or he would never listen to you.
“I can get you anything you need, and more. You’re part of my hoard now, after all.”
“Just…” You sighed, then let your gaze snap up as you thought of the appropriate words. “It’s a human’s own special sort of hoard. Yes, we can part with it, but those things hold importance to us! I have family photos and relics that I can’t bear the thought of losing, and clothes that would work much better for in here than what you’ve been getting me because they’ll actually fit me!”
He looked thoughtful now. “I suppose that does make sense. My mother usually had things that she guarded possessively, I suppose I always thought it came from when she would shift into a dragon.Will…will it make you happy—to have your hoard?”
“Yes,” You answered, shrugging a little. Not that you minded wearing clothes that were too big, but it got a little chilly at night, and you didn’t even have your pictures or anything that had sentiment to you.
He straightened and smiled. “Alright, I will retrieve your hoard, but you must stay here. I’ll not risk my treasure.”
You groaned. “Fine. Here’s the key to the house.”
He took it, examining it carefully, then nodded. He shifted as he walked away and some wind buffered your face as he took off.
You sighed and went back to the kitchen-like area, making a face at the food he’d brought you. Sure, you’d been there a few days now, so you were partially used to him bringing you very fresh meat, but you couldn’t help but wonder what that meat actually was before he’d skillfully butchered it and brought it to you.
But he’d also ‘collected’ a wood-burning stove for you to use after he noticed you struggling to cook over a tiny campfire you’d managed to make the day before, and the face you made when he cooked your meat to a char the first day. He’d been waiting outside the cave designated as yours (which he’d filled with lush cushions and blankets—something he appeared to have an abundance of) that morning, pulling you excitedly to where he kept his food to show you the stove. He’d even gotten a ton of firewood for you and piled it nearby, and made sure the chimney part of the stove was high enough to catch the smoke and be pulled out with the rest—a phenomenon you still couldn’t quite explain.
You had found a knife sometime during your first day, and you used it to cut the meat into smaller pieces. As you cooked (with one pan that you’d found laying in a corner collecting dust), you could hear him coming and going, and you barely held yourself back from going to make sure he got everything. Wondering if he’d clean out the house or leave things behind. You’d just gotten groceries…
“Okay, I have retrieved your hoard,” He said, sounding very proud of himself.
You glanced back and smiled, washing your hands and following him out.
Your eyes widened. “Oh…you brought the fridge?”
“Yes, and I realized it used that electricity so I also asked my mother for a power source and she has given it to me. Where should I put this…fridge?”
“Uh, same room as the stove. Do you…know what a refrigerator is?”
He shook his head, blinking at you.
“It keep food cold. This one also has a freezer, which—”
“Freezes things?” He guessed, looking pleased.
You nodded. “Yeah. Oh, good, you didn’t bring the cabinets.”
“Wooden boxes attached to walls.”
“No, they were much attached to the den, so I removed their contents, but left the wood. You have a strange way of organizing your hoard, and your den did not seem very secure. I did not realize that humans used magic so much.”
You tilted your head, a little confused. “We…don’t…?”
“But your water goes up pipes?”
“Oh, just because we found a way to use pressure to push the water. But I suppose it would seem like magic. Um, thank you, for retrieving my, um, hoard.” You patted his arm, then noticed the pile of pots, pans, and food. You went over to it, grabbing some seasonings and oil, heading back to the kitchen to cook properly for the first time in a few days.
“You are pleased?” He asked, trailing after you.
“Uh, yeah. Pleased.” You frowned as you measured seasoning by sight, trying to decide if it was too much or too little. You’d organize your kitchen stuff later. Maybe see if he had a chest or something you could use. Or use one of the bookshelves.
You looked back and saw him holding a photo album. “Um…why?”
“It has many likenesses of you, and you smile in them. You must have been more than pleased,” He said, opening it and looking down at the photos.
You stood there, blinking as you gazed at him, remembering his question about whether having your hoard would make you happy. Asking you if you were pleased.
You giggled before you could stop yourself, and his gaze snapped up to your face, eyes getting huge. “Come here and start the fire in the oven.”
He hurried over, opening the door you pointed to and blowing fire into the wood until it caught.
“Thank you, and no, you cannot have that, it is part of my super-special hoard.” You took the album and hugged it to yourself.
He looked disappointed, but nodded. “I see. Best not to fight my treasure over her hoard.”
“Now, about the pile of stuff out there,” You gestured toward the entrance while you waited for the stove to heat up more.
He blinked a few times. “You wish to organize your hoard?”
You nodded. “I don’t think it looks quite right piled in the middle of our living-area. If you can move the big pieces of furniture, I’ll organize the rest.”
He nodded in agreement, looking up to release a puff of smoke so that it wouldn’t go into your face. “Okay, shall I start with the fridge?”
You nodded. “That would be nice, yes.” You graced him with a smile and he suddenly smiled back and you just about died. That was a fantastic smile.
He jogged off and a while later the fridge (plus a couple dents) was pushed through the cave entrance, then he shifted again, coming in and moving it against the cave wall and then plugging it into the strange-looking power-source his mother had apparently given him. It looked like a strange blue box with smooth sides, but the plug seemed to fit right in.
You gave him another smile, nodding when he looked over at you for approval.
His grin came easily, and he almost skipped off.
You started laughing to yourself. You’d thought he was a little strange when you first met him, but this was just…adorable. He was so eager to please you, and you honestly weren’t sure why, but it was very endearing. It made you feel welcome in the cave, not that he hadn’t been welcoming before, he’d made sure you were comfortable and provided everything you needed, but it gave the stone walls in which you lived a certain sort of warmth that the magic lights didn’t provide.
You turned back to the stove and put the pan on the stove to heat the oil.
He grunted behind you and you jumped as a clatter followed, turning to see a bright red, antique baking cabinet.
You looked at Hoseok in surprise. “That’s not part of my hoard.”
He shook his head. “It’s part of mine. But it looked like the wooden boxes in your cooking area so I thought you might want it here. You have many food items. Do you hoard food for winter like squirrels?”
“Um, sort of? Did your mother not…nevermind, she probably summoned her food if she’s a witch.”
“Okay, well, normal humans can’t do that. So, as a collective we sort of gather food and make it last. Ship it all around the world. You don’t get out much, do you?”
“Okay, let me rephrase that, you don’t interact with humans much, do you?”
“They hunted us. We don’t want that to start again,” He said, but there was a nervous quality to his tone.
You tilted your head, suppressing a smile. “You’re scared of them.”
You nodded. “You are. Which story did it? Beowulf? Or St. George and the Dragon? Or was it an Arthurian tale?”
He kicked at the leg of the cabinet with a scowl. “St. George.”
You giggled outright, earning a hurt look from him. “You realize humans honestly think those are just folk tales, right? Legends? Told with awe and wonder but not believed? You could completely pass as human. I mean, you’d get yelled at for smoking in a public place, but most people wouldn’t even notice that you didn’t have a cigarette. They’re oblivious that way.”
“I didn’t say that, I just meant humans as a whole are pretty stupid. Heck, I bet some people saw you flying today and those people are probably already getting called lunatics and drunks, or the kids’ parents are laughing and telling them that they have such vivid imaginations. And there are a lot of publications that write good things about dragons nowadays. Like Eragon, or Dragon Slippers, and so many others that I can’t even think of right now. I’ve got a few in my hoard. I’ll lend them to you.” You turned back to the pan and started carefully adding the meat to the pan. It was strange how easily you switched to referring to your belongings as your hoard.
“Oh…thank you…” He seemed a little flustered.
“Only if you want to, though, I mean, I understand if you don’t. Not everyone likes reading,” You quickly amended, wondering if you’d crossed some sort of line.
“No, no, I just…most dragons don’t share their treasures.”
“Ah, but I’m technically part of your hoard, so technically, my hoard belongs to your hoard, you just have to respect it and my decisions of how to use, share, or not-share my hoard.”
He looked at you blankly, then looked absolutely gobsmacked once it set it. “Wow, you’re really smart. You’re one of the best treasures I’ve ever collected for my hoard.” His gaze shifted to the stove, and you noticed him lick his lips.
“Would you…like to eat with me when I’m done?”
He nodded. “I would very much like that.”
You nodded. “Alright. I’ll call you when the food is ready.”
He nodded and slowly slunk away, as if reluctant but wanting to respect your space.
You loved the way he always referred to you as a treasure, but everything else just seemed to be part of his hoard. You were pretty, and you were his treasure.
You were also his prisoner, but something told you he was a sucker for your smiles and might be worked on. You just needed to get to know him better, and let him get to know you better. You honestly kind of liked it here. It was better than that creaky house you were renting that had been built and decorated in the seventies and never escaped it. He was good for conversation too. Not to mention you actually felt safe, despite being trapped with a dragon, because he had added you to his hoard.
“Um, you can call me Hobi. My family does. And my friends. I just…wanted to tell you that you could as well.”
“Okay, Hobi,” You answered easily. Very cute.
You smiled when you could tell he was hovering in the doorway. “Did you want to taste test this with me? See if I have the balance of spices right?” You pulled out a smaller piece of the meat and managed to separate it into two pieces.
He was by your side in a hurry, easily opening up like a little chick and taking the piece of meat from the chopsticks you held.
You watched his face for a reaction.
He grinned. “Oh! That’s good!”
You tasted it and nodded, adding a little more pepper. “Very. What kind of meat was that?”
“Cow. My father had some leftover and I’d already had a tasty deer, but I thought you’d like some since he was taking some home to my mother.” He shrugged, eyes on the pan. “How did you think to cook it like this?”
“Well, I only had one pan when I started cooking and I want to wash my pots and pans and stuff before I use those. This seemed like the best option.” You put more meat into the pan, then turned and went to the fridge, grabbing some veggies and such to cut up and have with your meat since you hadn’t had veggies since before you were trapped here. Hoseok didn’t seem to think of anything other than meat.
He was hovering over your shoulder, watching. “Smells…fiery.”
“Peppers. Bell peppers. I’m not really going to cook them, probably just eat them with the some veggie dip,” You shrugged and went back in the fridge to grab the previously chopped veggies and the veggie dip.
He was tasting the peppers already, looking pleased. “Mmm. Nice heat. We should have more of these.”
You nodded. “Well, this is all I have aside from my hot sauce and salsa. Actually, I probably have some habanero sauce. Somewhere.” You shrugged.
“Maybe I’ll make something spicy tomorrow.” You shrugged, not looking to him.
He nodded, then suddenly he was very close, his nose booping your cheek before he was gone. Slipping out of the room with a grace you didn’t know a dragon could possess.
You just hoped that one day the sunshine dragon would actually let you see the sun shining again soon.
Masterlist ~ Hoseok Masterpost
