Male Reader (cis) x Female Monster (technically nonbinary)
The following day I was working on Nadione’s box. I had taken off most of my clothes, as it was getting hot and exhaustive, brushing and scrubbing between each stone, rinsing, polishing, washing everything inside was exhaustive.
Nadione sat nearby, watching me as I cleaned what was essentially her home. She looked tense, but she wasn’t saying anything.
I stepped out at one point, wiping my brow and sighing heavily. “You’ve done some good work in there. Very nice layering. I’ve never seen a crust so thick in one of these.”
Her brow pinched.
“I mean it,” I chuckled. I pointed inside. “Lots that I've taken care of form clusters in the corners so everything has to move to the middle of the box.” I smoothed my hand over her opal crusting. “But you’ve made these sheets, these levels that bring you room all around. Very smart.”
Nadione pressed her lips tightly together. “Thanks.” I noticed her look over me, her eyes resting on my chest before she looked back into her home. “That's all I’ve got.”
I patted the side of the iron container. “What else would you have?” I asked.
Her eyes flicked back to me. “What?”
“What else would you want?” I smiled, picking up the water to splash over the wall to clean it off.
“I uh-” she looked pensive and confused. “I’m not…I would-”
“A cave somewhere?” I tossed the water inside and the grimy suds and dirt washed away. The opals were still dull, but they were much brighter than before. “I’ve seen dugouts that were nice too.”
Nadione is silent while I finish up the cleaning, picking up my tools and washing them by hand.
“Somewhere near the mountains,” she said as I came by her again. “Like here.” I followed her gaze up towards the volcano.
I looked back at her, her pensive stare but soft eyes. “Who knows,” I replied, “-maybe there are elementals in that volcano hiding. Have you ever seen one?”
“One,” Nadione’s voice choked as she said it. “A long, long, time ago.”
I sat down near her on the bench and rubbed my bare chest, scratching off some dry scales. “I never have. I’ve been told all of them have gone into deep hiding, into places where mortals can’t even breathe.”
She nodded. “That’s good.”
“How did you see one?”
Nadione looked away from the mountain and stood. She went to her box and stepped inside. It was still wet, but she sat down and curled up against the wall. Her fingers stroked the opals inside, and she looked at peace.
“I was little then. Young and still being watched over by my mother.” She pulled her knees up to her chest. “He burst in and took me and my mother.”
Every fiber of me went still and quiet. The tension in the air was like razors that were pressing against my flesh, cold and hungry for blood.
“I woke up in a box.” her hand kept stroking the wall. “No one would talk to me. No one would look at me.”
I stood at the door of her box leaning there. I reached inside, placing my hand atop of her head.
“Even though I was young, they put me to work soon after that.” Nadione pushed my hand away, but kept a hold of it.
“I understand,” I murmured.
Nadione squeezed then released my hand. “I know you do.”
We received word the Baron was on his way, in a few days he’d arrive and Nadione’s fate would be decided. My stomach churned, making me a mix of nauseous and irritated. I laid in bed, thinking about what would happen if he decided to take her. It was my least favorite thought. I much preferred to think of what would happen if the Baron didn’t buy her. The idea of keeping her swelled in my chest, but I could never afford to pay for her on my own.
I fell asleep, but I was woken by someone shaking me. I swatted, rolling over so my back was turned to them.
“Bram. Bram!”
“Arcus, stop, I told you I’m not into that anymore,” I grumbled.
My shoulder was shaken once again. “It’s not Arcus.”
I rolled back over, looking at Nadione kneeling on my bed. “What?” I sat up and rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. “Nadione, what are you doing here?”
It was still dark out, but the moon was powerful in the sky. “I want to go to the mineral spring.”
I grunted, rubbing my eyes as I was still waking up. “It’s late.”
“I know.” Her intense whisper made the back of my neck tickle. “Please? Can we go, Bram?”
I yawned and stretched. “Fine I suppose.”
Nadione hopped up in excitement, rushing outside ahead of me then running up the path as I followed sluggishly and sleepily behind. The moonlight reflected off her opals in a way the sun didn’t. She looked brighter and far more lustrous than before. I smiled, content with the scene ahead of me, even if I was woken unceremoniously.
“I prefer the night,” Nadione said.
“Do you?” I yawned.
She stopped and turned to face me on the path. “It's quieter. Colder.”
I scratched at my face, feeling some scales come loose. “Is that why you wanted to come out now?”
“That and-” Nadione went still. She gazed into my eyes then looked away only to look back again. “And I didn’t want anyone knowing where we were.”
I chuckled. “Why? Are you going to kill me and run away?”
“No!” She snapped, offended. “Never.” She stepped up close to me. “I want to be alone with you, Bram. Very, very alone.” She placed her hands upon my chest.
“Why would you want to be alone with-” It clicked. “Oh!”
Nadione put her arms around me, resting her head upon my chest. “You asked me what I wanted.”
I slowly put my arms around her in return. “I’m stunned.”
She nuzzled her cheek to my chest and sighed with relief. She then smiled. “Your heart is going so fast.”
I chuckled. “Well, yeah…of course it is. I have an amazing beautiful girl holding me and taking me out to be alone at night.”
Her laughter was beautiful, I had never heard it before. She stepped back from and knelt down onto the ground. She plucked my scales from the earth and blew the dirt from them. The opal armor on her chest opened up, revealing a cavity inside. There I saw brilliant gemstones and gold, and several of my scales. She tucked them away inside, closing her armor back.
My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears. My throat tightened up and my gut twisted as she returned her gaze to me. “Ah, I see, you have a special hiding place.”
Nadione took my hand. “Even though I’m worthless, you’ve still treated me like I am priceless.” Nadione shook her head. “Your Baron is not going to buy me. And I will die before I go back to my old owner. I would rather go to the mines and work off my debt there. I will buy myself. My powers may not be as strong as they used to be, but I can still make beautiful gems!”
I squeezed her hand tight. “You are beautiful.”
The moon shone off the tears on her cheek.
I touched Nadione’s cheek, wiping away her tears, and she shivered as a response. “We would have to keep a close eye on you if you did that.”
Nadione’s eyes fluttered and she closed her eyes. “That’s your job, is it not?”
I knelt down, placing a small, soft kiss upon her lips. She grabbed hold me, forcefully keeping me in place. She kissed me, desperate yet earnest with her desire. Gemlings, as hybrids between elementals and humans, usually did not mate and were not known to reproduce. But I had heard stories of Gemlings taking miners as lovers during their work. Although most were bawdy rumors, my father had once told me a Gemling from his mine and a friend of his took on as lovers, only able to meet in the deepest parts of the mine.
Nadione led me to the springs where she removed my clothes and brought me into the water with her. The moonlight made the water glow, much like Nadione’s own opals. She took hold of me, kissing me and pressing herself to my body. My scales began to float on top of the water as they came off. The more Nadione polished me, the more that arose.
“You don’t have to do this,” I panted.
“I want to. I never get to do what I want!” Nadione stood up over me in the water, spreading her legs slightly so I could see between. Her mound had a line of opals, leading to one that jutted out from between, a drop of viscous liquid plopped into the water from the tip. I pulled her in closer, having her stand more over me. I smoothed up her thigh, cupping between her legs. Nadione moaned, and placed her hands upon my shoulders.
The protruding gem at the top led down, fading inside her where her opening was dark purple, inside she was moist, dripping that viscous fluid that shimmered upon my fingertips. I tugged her even closer, pressing my mouth against her. She cried out, shivering as my tongue lapped around her and my finger pressed inside.
“Bram-” she whimpered. “Keep touching me. Only touch me.”
I moaned against her, knowing the vibrations would feel good. She tasted like fresh water from a stream, earthy and delicate. I pressed deeper, wanting her to feel more, to have my touch all around her.
Nadione yanked away, falling back into the water. We looked at one another for a moment until Nadione paddled back to me. She sat upon my lap, kissing me hard while reaching underwater. She gasped, pulling her hand back once she found me.
“What?” I asked.
She grabbed hold of my cock again, looking confused.
A pit formed in my belly. “Is everything alright?”
“You’re huge,” Nadione whispered. “Like a dragon.”
I chuckled, taking hold of her hand around me and moving it slowly. “If I’m too big, you don’t have to force yourself.”
“It’s not that. I’m just surprised.” Nadione looked into my eyes. “You’re so sweet, I wasn’t expecting it.”
I laughed. “What does being sweet have to do with my size?”
“Most are too proud, at least, from what I have seen.” Nadione rose over me, straddling my lap. “I should be able to take you though.”
She eased my tip inside and I felt small bumps already. The opals inside her would be small and smooth, but they would work towards my own pleasure. At least, from the rumors I had heard.
“Have you ever done this before?” I breathed.
Nadione looked down bashfully. “Never with one so…big-” She gasped loudly as she took me inside. “Never a dragon.”
I was shaking all over, pleasure, nerves, and happiness were fighting it, overwhelming my body. Nadione felt so good, I was worried I would blow at any second.
Nadione whimpered, sitting still and clinging around me. Her eyes were glazed over, almost hazy as she tried to think her way through this.
“Are…are you okay?” I breathed.
Nadione looped her arms around my neck, kissing me lovingly while swirling her hips. “Did you know, when dragons created the world, they made the elementals as their first lifeform?” She kissed me again. “The elementals worshiped the dragons and believed mating with them would make their kind more powerful.”
I swallowed and took a breath to center myself. “Are you saying we were made for each other?”
Nadione smiled and continued to move, bouncing up and down upon me, each thrust easier than the last. I can’t tell you how long we were there, or how much I indulged Nadione in what she wanted. But it became our routine, our new version of polishing if you will.
When the Baron arrived my certainty that he would deny Nadione had weakened. I now worried he might buy her and take her away. My feelings for Nadione had grown, and all this time I had fallen for her.
I fetched Nadione from her box that morning in order to prepare her for the appraisal. We were both silent, both going through the day as we had when I first started taking care of her. I polished her and bathed her, making extra sure to touch every inch of her I could.
I rested my head upon her shoulder and she touched the back of my head. “I have your scales beside my heart,” she whispered. “I will keep them there as long as I live.”
“And what do I have of you?” I asked. “Besides my memory.”
Nadione stood to face me. She opened up her chest and from within took out an opal so brilliant it glowed with the radiance of the sun. It was warm as she placed it into my hand.
“My first creation. My most brilliant work. A piece of my soul.” She folded my hand around it. “If I am taken-”
“Lets hope you aren’t,” I hissed. “You were so sure before. What’s changed?”
Nadione rested her head upon my chest. “A lot.”
There was a ruckus from outside as the Baron arrived. I took a deep breath as fear poured through my limbs like cold water. I put Nadione in the center of the room and stood aside as the Baron walked in.
“Well let's see what you lot have brought me this time!” He said with a laugh and smile. He then saw Nadione there. His expression changed and he took out his glasses. “You’re an older one.”
I frowned. Older? What did he mean older?
The Baron took Nadione’s arm and extended it out. “Quite small, means you’ve been around for a long time. Worn out, aren’t you?” he said with a playful laugh.
Nadione remained quiet.
“Just an opal,” the Baron tutted. “Seeing more and more of those these days.” He lifted up Nadione’s chin and opened her mouth. “Good teeth at least.”
My guts churned with nerves and spite. I didn’t like the way he was touching her so casually!
“You fellows usually do a good job. This one is a rare one for her age, but that comes with a lot of caveats and limitations.” The Baron stepped away from Nadione, giving her a once over. “I’m afraid she won’t suit my collection.”
I was relieved, but with that brought on a new wave of stress over what the rest of the group would agree to do with her.
“I would suggest keeping her though,” the Baron said thoughtfully. “She may be old, her powers limited, but she can still produce in the mines where her powers would be strongest.” He nodded as if agreeing with himself. “And having that dormant volcano so close by, you could probably get the most of her powers. Have her work for her keep.”
I stepped closer. “Are you sure?”
The Baron shrugged. “You won’t get much for her I’m afraid. And I have more opal Gemlings than I know what to do with. She could at least bring you in some form of money from whatever she can mine herself. Not much, not worth my time.”
My heart was sputtering fast while the rest of the crew whispered and talked amongst themselves.
“We’ll take her to the mine tomorrow and see what she can do,” Arcus spoke up. “If she can produce something worthwhile we’ll make her part of the crew.” He glanced towards me and gave me a wink. That idiot knew this whole time!
That evening, I stole Nadione from her iron box and took her to the spring. The water glowed as she approached. She smiled at me, prancing happily as she reveled in her newly gained freedom.
“The gemlings you have taken care of told me all about you,” she said. “But I had to wait and see for myself if it was true.”
My brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
Nadione reached into the water and when she pulled her hand out it was full of gemstones. “They left these every time you brought one of us here. We communicate through them, leaving messages we can translate. You could never see them through the foggy water.” She handed me the gemstones. “I can deliver the message in person from now on, so you can keep these.”
I placed the gemstones onto the ground then wrapped Nadione up in my arms. “You’re all I wanted.”
Nadione held me back, nuzzling her face into my chest. “You’re not worried I am so old?”
“No. More surprised than anything.” I looked down at her, cupping her cheek into my palm. “I thought you were young.”
“Gemlings are taller the older they are. They wear away over time.” Nadione smiled up at me. “But I can still take my dragon.”
I kissed her, not worrying anymore about where she will go or what will become of her. In the morning, she ran into the mine to greet the miners who celebrated. They had heard word of her kidnapping and had been wracked with grief. She had saved many of them, given many of the best gems she found to them. She was happy in the mine, and I was happy to spend each day there with her.
“You don’t mind it down here?” She asked me one day.
I shook my head. “Dragons enjoy their caves.”
Nadione smiled, handing me some of the gems she had found in the earth. “I can’t give you a hoard.”
“It’s not what I want anyways, Nadione,” I chuckled, packing the gems away with the others. “I don’t need gems to sleep upon. Nor do I need gold to be fulfilled.”
Nadione’s eyes glowed in the depths of the cave and I could see her smile inside. She gave me a kiss, which was all I really wanted anyways.
Chelsea Norris
2023-05-17 19:50:14 +0000 UTC