Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

dream was 10 when he first saw them. the mighty beasts that flew threw the skies as if they were a small bird. some of them seemed agile and others seemed to be sluggish near the end of the large flock. he count help but admire the beauty of the creatures, flying just across the sea towards the horizon. just above the cliffes that his village hid themselves within. scaling the massive mountains with such ease, it made him almost jealous. they where able to go just abought anywhere they wanted, yet he couldn't get 3 feet from his mother with out being scolded.

"whoa...." he let out, holding an out streahed hand. almost as if he believed hard enough he could hold one of the creatures inside in palms, maybe even go beond the valleys and rifts of his village.

his mother chuckled, pulling the small boy closer in her lap. admiring the wonder lust that gleamed across his features. green eyes gleaming in the last of the sunlight bathed them both in a golden light. dirty blond burls shimmering as if made of pure gold, gently patting his head.

"come on mister, its time to go back." she gently chuckled at the hurt face her son out on. "don't want the mobs to get you, help me carry the basket?"
the small boy gave a small pout, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. "i don't wanna go!" he cried out moving from his place in his moms lap to stand, stomping his foot.

his mother rolled her eyes, moving a small strand of lose hair away from her face. "come on dream, if you stay who will help me carry the basket?"
she gently giggled as she poked her sons sides playfully, "i don't think you have much mule, maybe ill simply have to carry the basket"

dream giggled as his ribs where poked, 'i do! i do! i do!" he squealed, wiggling away further and picking up the woven basket. standing proudly as he wobbled a bit off center. "see see i can do it!" he cheered happily. smiling up at his mother well she put her hair into a low ponytail. letting it hang over her shoulder to the side.

(AN-mother dream do be choosing the wrong hair style for a mother figure...)

his mother also got up, gently folding the picnic blankets. "why yes you can!" she giggled, gently guided the stumbling boy home.

dream was 10 and a half when he saw the beast again. the beast flying threw the sky, only these ones seemed different. the last group was scattered all over the place, like the flocks of birds he would spook on the road. these dragons weren't scattered around at all, they seemed to move in a more orderly fashion. with small groups fallowing...he couldn't really tell.

he looked back towards his mother, she was talking with some old merchant abought the price of fruits. agusting her grip on the sleeping bundle in her arms .he yawned, he found the market boring and often very crowded with all the people walking by, or selling there goods. he looked back towards the horizon and was curious as 2 of the small groups seemed to leave the cluster forming there own small flock.

he looked back towards his mother as she paid for a few apples putting them in the small basket. "ready to go dear?" she asked sweetly.

"there's dragons. look look!" he pointed towards where he last saw them. his mother frowned at him, he was taken off guard as she gently nudged him the woven basket.

"there are no dragons silly, they all migrated last week. come on we should get going before the place gets more crowded." she smiled as she turned around to walk nudging dream again.

"mom mom! but they where really there! pinky promise!" he gently grabbed a fold in his mother dress, walking along side her as he stumbled to keep up well talking.

"they where heading this way to! like birds and them these few left that way" he used his hand as he spoke, making large gestures as he spoke. looking up towards his mom, she wasn't paying much attention to him. simply walking down the street, smiling to the passing strangers. the small boy huffed annoyed, continuing on there way threw the plaza.

dream continued to walk, angry that his mother didnt take him seriously. he know what he saw was real...was it?
he was torn out of his thoughts as he heard screaming over the sudden roar of fire. spinning on his heal as he come to a full stop along with his mother, the market they where at a mere 5 minutes ago was up in flames. the colorful karts bathed in Smokey ash, and the blazing oranges of the fire.

"dream! come on we gotta run" he felt his wrist be grabbed. he didnt start to move till he saw a dragon emerge form the flames. no that wasnt right the dragon itself was covered in them, roaring loudly as people fled the once crowded markets. the sharp tug pulled him back from his fear, stumbling as he turned to run with his mother.

his vision became blurred, ash make him tear up as he struggled to keep up with his mom. many others had joined the massive stamped as they fled, pushing and shoving to get away faster. he used his free hand to cover his mouth and nose, coughing into his sleeve feet pounding against the cobble. from the corner of his eye he could see as multiple iorn golems made there way threw people.

the iorn giants moving as if they where one, never going over the running people, swiftly going to fight the dragon in the fire. dream wasn't able to see what happened to them, being tugged to run faster.

"mom! whats happening!" he called out coughing as he inhaled more of the smog. it was hard to think that not even 5 minutes ago the sky was merely cloudy, letting speckles of light peak threw.

"just keep running! everything's gonna be ok if you keep running!" he mother called to him, looking back towards her son her face paled. she yanked her son towards his left. he gasped as the fire ball let out hot embers burning the hand that held dreams wrist. the force combined with the pain was enough to make her one tight grip falter.

dream no loner had the support to keep him moving forward. he started to fall to his left, instinctively closing his eyes as a bright flash was left off at his right. grunting as he rolled on the pavement. crashing into a stack of wooden crates, the sound of braking glass filled his ears. he felt the glass as it fell onto him, making sharp pinpricks over his back and legs. only then did he open his eyes, moving the arm that wasn't pinned down by crates in front of himself reaching out for his mom.

"M-MOM!" he watched with tears in his eyes, pinned under the weight of crates. screams muffled out by the rage of the fire around him.

"DRea-" he mother called to him, she want able to turn around the crowds still stampeding forward dragging her along with them .dreams ears felt as if they where ringing, the sound of fire muffling what his mother was screaming. he felt tired, the smog filling his lings, cries drowned out by both the ringing and roars of flames.

slowly his vision went hazy with the smoke around him, closing his eyes against his better judgment. he curled his arm back to his chest. he wanted his mom back, she would make him feel batter and safe.....maybe dragons aren't so beautiful after all. that was his last thought as he drifted off into sleep.

Chapter Text

"are we there yet, are we there yet are we the-"

a gloved hand stops the small bot from saying any more. the unhappy grumbles from the older male behind him.

"if you ask me that on more time, ill throw you off this dragon myself"

"awwwww come on bad!!" the smaller took the hand off his mouth, leaning back into his older sibling.

the older sighed, fixing the reigns for his dragon. they had been flying since sun rise, and the smaller had been getting restless. there was only so much you can dur to keep a 7 year old happy flying over the ocean. grumbling he pointed just above the horns of his monstrous nightmare.

"see that little dot just over there," he waited for a reply, with a small head nod form the boy he continuing. "that little dots gonna get a lot bigger, and then were gonna land and make camp"

"but thats sooooo farrrrr" the young boy said as he shifted to the side slowly falling off the saddle. bad not even batting an eye as he simply grabbed the boy the hood, placing him right side up again. looking threw the other riders slowly making his way towards the front of there small squad. the squad leader flying diagonal to there main leader. a mysterious man atop a titan monstrous nightmare, it made his seem tiny in comparison, even the titans scales shimmered brighter.

it had been a glorious 50 seconds of silence before the smaller was asking the same question once again. "are we there yet are we there yet-" even his dragon, muffins, grumbled as they flew. bad sighing in annoyance, when all else fails bribery works best.

"ok sapnap, ill let you watch the fire show IF you keep silent for the rest of the ride" he looked down to the small boy between his legs. the shine in his grey eyes as he calculated his options, carefully thing threw his options.

"i want your pack of matches aswell" the small grin of defiance across his features as he looked up towards bad.

sighing bad reached into his pocket keeping the matches just above his younger brothers reach. "if i give these to you, do you promise you'll be quiet tell we arrive?"
gently tilting his head as he looked down.

"badddd, yes ill stay quite, just mad me the matches!" the small boy nearly climbing up just to reach them, a fire in his eyes.

"ok ok, no need to get handsy" he gently handed the small box over "and sit down, your gonna fall."

"ya!" sapnap said as he took the object from bad happily. sitting back down with his new prize, taking out a signal match to light on his boot. simply watching as it burned in his finger tips, head empty, but eyes filled with a calm fury.

bad just wondered what kind of monster he had created. the 7 year old was obsesed with fire, and being honest he often feed into the bad habbit. hell there whole clan did, pillaging villages or burning others, often gave the small piro must joy. he is pretty sure the 7 year old doesn't notice there groups veering off towards the right, not that they have gotten above the cloud bank. maybe it was bad to hand a 7 year old matches, thousands of feet in the air, but at least he could fly in peace.

it had been only 15 minutes since they had landed. bads clan was always set up camp first thing, they moved swiftly and stealthy. they always had just exactly what they need and never more, all combat for easy pick up and speedy travel. and within those 15 minutes bad had managed to dismount, take his materials off muffin, and build a tent. really he was only just now putting the last nail into the soil, the brunet tugging as his sleeves made it a lot harder tho.

"come onnnnn, baddd they already started, com on!!!" the smaller tugged with all his might, trying to get bad to move even an inch. taking to punching his brother whe his tatcis seemed to fail. "COM ON! were gonna miss everything"

"ow! ow ow OW!" bad yelled getting the nail firmly into the ground. looking back to the young brunet, clear disappointment across his features.
"ok ok were going! forgive me for wanting to have a place to sleep later" bad got up mocking the younger who simply stuck out his tounge. which bad happily did back crossing his arms as he waited. watching as sapnap grew even more impatient and demanding they would move. going as far as getting a running start before tackling bad.

"OOF" was all bad said as he tumbled to the ground, rolling with his brother, as it was now a proper fight with sapnap going feral. only stopping as they where yanked to there feet by there hoodies, before being dropped on to there butts, looking up to see the woman who grabbed them from there scuffle. she was an older member of there clan, she looked towards the to rolling her eyes. she shifted her weight as she started to walk just behind the 2.neither daring to move out of fear of getting scolded.

"for the love of god, just take the boy to see the fire" she said gently guiding bads dragon towards them "save us all the headache of dealing with sapnap."
her words where sharp as she tossed the reigns to bad, hitting him in the face. she calmly walked back towards her tent, not even carrying for the dumb found boys she left behind.

bad just groaned picking up sapnap and placing him onto muffin, hopping on himself. flicking the reigns as he took off, sapnap hanging his head low as he wiped a small tear from his cheek. "mm sorry" he muttered as they claimed in height.

bad just sighed patting the brunets hair, as much as he joked and fought with sapnap he could never really be mad. "its ok, i forgive you....just don't punch me next time." he smiled as he heard a small giggle from below him. making funny sounds with his brother as they approached the raid.

Chapter Text

sapnap ran threw the once torched streets, the fire that brought a city to its knees now mere embers and clusters of smoke. it hadn't taken long for the raid group to finish there jobs, finishing there great escapade in a mere 2 hours. his older brother just barely allowed him to wonder alone. his fellow clan mates going threw what remained of the rubble, searching for valuables and anything else they wanted to get there hands on. sapnap talked to few of them, mostly abought the fire and how there raid went. soon he grew bored of the adults and wondered further down the winding streets.

bad watched as his younger brother wondered about. taking to a few of the adult in the are feeling a little nervous as he watched him walk further down the road. something told him he should maybe follow the other, Irene knows what that boy could get up too. a gentle hand on his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts, gently spinning around to see another boy. he was only slightly older than him maybe 16 however they rarely spoke, well not many people spoke to begin with, he was gently singed and covered in dust his voice slightly raspy.

"leader wants you to help Katlin with the deadly nadders...." he nodded to bad simply turning back around and walking away. that was how life simply was no one truly talked unless they needed to. sure there where friend groups and small families within the larger clan, but everyone was mostly cold to everyone else. sighing he turned to muffin, receiving a puff of smoke to the face.

"oh come on muffin" he gently scolded the dragon, quietly as to not destined the eerie aura, swatting at the smoke in the air giggling "what you say to helping the raid pary for a bit?" his dragon just grumbled shaking there head in slight annoyance, bringing there head down to bad. the male just giggling as he gently hugged the dragon, moving back to pat there head. "i know, i know i don't wanna leave him either, but I promise well be fast come on" he said as he climbed onto his dragon, quickly flying off to help.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

sap had been wondering down the streets, dodging past sniffing deadly nadders, clan mates who wondered or ran in different directions. looking up from the ruins he could see the giant that was 'theriace' wrapped around a cobble bell tower. the titan class dragon, with scales almost as black as soot its stripes a murky grey. the slowly setting sun bounced off its scales, sapnap could almost imagine it was made of obsidian. just looking at the dragon he felt intimidated, the red streets of paint adding another air of "danger." watching the beast turn it head in his direction quickly looking away.

'theriace....galactic for..flire? no it has a ce at the end' no longer feeling eyes on him he looked back up tp the tower. chewing the inside of his cheek as he thought, bad had tried to teach him galatic for years. it never came easy to the younger nights spent struggling in a small tent, letters illuminated by a small lamp. "theriace....beast it ment beast!' he cheered to himself silently. allowing his eyes to wonder further down the tower, spotting there leader. the mighty rider of theriace, sitting just inside the bell room. the terrible terrors' sending and receiving messages for him. the evening sun barely illuminated the figure in dark robes threw the window of stone.

getting a bad feeling as he wanted the leader turn his head towards the streets, staring directly at him. he cant make out the figure at all, only the basic outlines of robes illuminated by the sun to his back. but the feeling of being watched didnt leave him as he looked away. he felt like a small rabbit staring up at a mean and nasty wolf. shifting his feat as he slowly started to walk pat the street closer to what he believed to be the center, sleep waling er...gently running away from the menecing aura of his leader. taking a small stumble over a pile of rumble not daring to look back for a second as he still felt eyes on him.

the rubble made a noise, a soft whimper like sound. 'it made a noise!' he quickly got up and looked around. looking just under the pile of rubble, he saw brown lock of hair. he gently crept closer picking up a stick and poking there arm from a distance. "are you alive?" he poked them again this on there cheeks.

"ithurts" the small being strangled there words, just barely above a whisper. a cough shaking there shoulders, the brunet grimacing at the sudden movent. breathing labored as he gently opened his right eye. sapnap took a large step back, he didnt expect to find some one, especially not half head. panicking he looked around for someone who could help. "they needed help right?' his panic only elevated as he watched the boy start to slowly close his eye.

"if you ever find someone really hurt, you have to call for help and don't let them fall asleep." his brothers words rang threw his head, and he quickly knelt down towards the brunet. "h-hey...umm big brother says you ummm..cant sleep. no sleep" he said a bit loudly panic filling him as he looked around seeing no one there to help. gently poking the boys shoulder again he spoke to them "hey hey hey, no sleep its bad for you, stay awake look im awake" he said gesturing to himself "so you stay awake to" he gestured to the boy. he took a gentle sigh as he saw them flutter there eye back open.

he took a moment to slightly cheer in victory as he continued try and keep the boy awake as he looked around. growing slightly more panicked as no one appeared thew the rubble and the other seemed to be getting sleeper by the second. ' you have to call for help' he thought to himself and took a deep breath.

"BBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. looking at the brunet who winced at the sudden loudness. there eye going to close agin drifting off. sapnap grabbed the hand they had out screeched in front of them, bringing it to his chest. "no sleep, i here and awake, so...stay awake a bit longer?? please?"
he felt sad at the gesture, remembering the time bad got badly hurt and the nurse had called him into her tent. explaining to a much smaller child that there brother may not wake up shushing said child, gently placing there hand to bads chest.

it wasn't used often but the gesture still meant a lot to his clan. often meaning "farewell" but it had a second meaning "im here." and as sapnap looked towards the boy he couldn't help but think of his brother who was surely on his way by now. "its ok, i-im here, a-and bads comming...s-so awake please?" it was a quiet plea as he small the boy nodded his head looking at sapnap "o-ok" he mumbled.