uisgeannan | Some kind of dragon au

[ Ven's good at worming his way into tiny heart-niches like that. Even outright rejection from Vanitas doesn't necessarily deter him for long; the harshest scolds and snarls only have him in retreat for a couple hours at most before the goldscale's back. But as he grows the number of times he manages to inadvertently get on the blackscale's nerves decreases.

He gets better at reading the other's moods and being less of a bother in general. He's still terribly energetic and a bundle of energy on the calmest of days, but he minds how much he pesters the older dragon with it and learns quickly to give the other space when he needs it. Adapting to fit Vanitas' moods and routine are probably where he tries to make the biggest improvements.

Because he isn't doing nearly as much as Vanitas is size-wise. He's still the runt of his clutch regardless of age, and while he he puts on some healthy weight and gains a bit of muscle it's abundantly clear he just isn't going to be a large hulking specimen. If anything he grows length-wise, gaining a bit of a sleeker form in place of his whelpish, rounded butter-ball self.

But he does get claws, not long but tough and sharp. He manages to go through several boulders every couple of years with them. Teeth too, once his adolescent ones start to come in. He's sure he chewed through practically ever log he could find when those came in. It was awful.

Having his big-boy scales come in is almost as bad because while they don't ache, they're itchy and Ven's had about enough of it. The process has only just started that season but he's already miserable, rubbing and brushing up against anything he can find to rid himself of the pup-scales so that his new ones can grow in. And those ones? Are definitely not the faded tin colour he'd been born with.

They're a bright, dazzling gold when the sun catches them right.

AND THE SUCK SO MUCH WHY IS IT SO ITCHY??? Ven practically whines (the sound more of a beastly bellow by this point) as he pushes his muzzle into the dirt and pushes it forward, dragging his face, neck, and shoulder across the ground in an attempt to alleviate some of the itch. ]

[He'd gone through the same thing with his scales, so when the smaller dragon begins to 'molt', he can sympathize to an extent.

...But when he sees the brilliantly rich gold of his emerging scales, Vanitas almost does a double-take the first time he lays eyes on them. Of course, he's seen golds from afar before, but never up close in such brilliant clarity, and well.

Gold is his favorite color. He's managed to amass a bit more treasure in his lair, and all of it has been shiny and of the yellower variety. But nothing nearly as shimmering as the other dragon's scales were when they caught the morning or afternoon sunlight. And for that reason, he'd suddenly turned extra attentive if not doting, catching Ven extra food and not minding the least when he paws and crawls on him when they're settling down for sleep.

And at the moment? He's simply watching the other with idle curiosity, paws flexing into the dirt and grass to rake his claws into shallow furrows. Because all he wants to do is reach out and touch that hint of gold peeking through the other's hide.]

Still itching?

Yes! [ He whines again, coming to a halt as he turns his head almost completely upside-down on the ground to grind his head against it. It's short-lived because not a moment later he's just rolling onto his side and back to wriggle and scratch against it for several restless moments.

When he's back on his feet again he's left behind even more of his duller, murkier older scales in favour of brighter ones. It's still patchy at best. If anything he looks like a clump of gold that's still mostly covered in dirt.

A sad lump, because he's going to be shaking himself out before trying to rub his face into the ground again with a miserable groan. ]

This is the worst... How did you survive??

It wasn't easy.

[Honestly, he'd almost been driven mad from the discomfort, but it'd only lasted a few weeks. A few weeks of torture, but at least it had finally ended, and he'd come out more handsome because of it.

Or at least, by his standards.]

You might try rubbing up against some trees. Works better, from what I remember.

It does?? [ Finally, some hope. Ven's head lifts and perks up with renewed vigour despite the dirt falls off of it from his latest coping method, right before he turns quickly to the treeline nearby. Honestly he couldn't look more excited to try Vanitas' suggestion as he all but bounds over and sniffs around for what seems like the sturdiest, widest tree he can find.

Really he doesn't spend too much time looking before he just picks one that looks like it has exceptionally thick bark and brushes up against it not unlike a feline would.

Older scales scatter to the ground like flakes. ]

[Yes, good, make yourself prettier 8>

Vanitas takes his time in following, letting the slight wind ruffle his wings as he stretches. It's a nice day out--the chilled morning dew already burning off in the warmer sun. Big puffy clouds dot the sky, slowly making their way east in the higher air currents.

And when he finally catches up with the smaller dragon, he takes a moment to sharpen his claws on another tree, and using it at the same time to mark his territory.]

Better?

[ He's working on it!! The sooner his pup-scales are gone, the better. Ven's practically bent in half to rub up against the tree as he is, chirring and grunting happily as it rakes more of the old scale off and alleviates some of the impossible itch. ]

Uh-huh! Way better... [ A wheeze of relief, and he slides his back up against it until he can roll fully onto his side and lie down for a moment, tail thumping lightly against the ground. ] How long does this take??

About a week or two.

[Sorry goldie. Ven might remember when Vanitas' were coming in, and how irritable and unpleasant to be around he was. He's glad it's over for him at least.]

The itching gets better after the fourth day, though.

[ Yeah, he remembers. It was the surliest week and a bit of Vanitas' life. You'd think Ven had gone and mucked with humans again, the way he reacted to most things. Luckily for both of them Ven hasn't quite hit "irritable" yet, just huffing noisily and thumping his tail a few more times. ]

It's only been two days... [ GRUMBLE....which really sounds more like a whine than anything else, and like a brat Ven rolls belly-up and grinds the top of his head into the dirt. ]

[And provides him a good view of the other's belly, and the patches of bright scale tips beginning to emerge from his hide. Vanitas stares, mesmerized for several seconds as the light catches them, before he shakes his head and himself out of his distraction.]

You're halfway through it.

It feels like it's taking forever... I hate it. [ Ven remains blissfully unaware of the other's staring as he wiggles a bit more, but eventually he has to stop and just chuff. His life is hard and no one understands ): ] Doesn't anything besides scratching help??

Bathing in the river. But it only lasts a few minutes.

[The water soothed the itching for a while, until it would inevitably come back with a vengeance.] They'll keep itching until they've all broken through your hide.

[ Whiiiiiiiiiine and there he goes, rubbing his head into the dirt again until he sees fit to roll over into the tree and get a little...stuck. But some squirming and kicking, and he's back on all fours with an unhappy ruffle of his wings.

Just so he can flop his chin (and the rest of him) down on the ground with the saddest expression ever at the other's feet. ]

I'm done. [ No more moulting, please. ]

[in response, Vanitas cranes his neck down at him and makes a rumble close to a laugh.] Already? I don't think you get to choose.

[But, he has mercy on him. Or rather, he's unable to stop himself from reaching out to touch those gold scales. His claws catch lightly at the patches of duller scales, scratching carefully to help him rid of a few more.]

Yes I do. [ Which he says very matter-of-factly right before a happy little chirped rumble starts off deep in his chest and both the membrane covering and his eyelid close and Ventus relaxes into the ground. Much better than desperately rubbing himself on everything in sight. ]

...Thanks. [ He purrs it out happily as the tip of his tail taps left and right, wings lifting and manoeuvring out of the other's way to give him room. He doesn't usually get special treatment like this--so he's going to soak it up like a sponge. ]

[When the other relaxes, Vanitas shuffles a bit closer and continues to run his claws lightly over the other's skin. More scales flake away, scattering onto the ground and revealing the beginnings of those much more intensely metalic ones.

Turning his paw forward, he rubs along the golden tips, pricking the softer skin along them as he rumbles in approval.]

Uh-huh.

[ It's also almost leathery to the touch, smooth and sleek under the other's claws. It won't turn into a rough coat like Vanitas' but it'll tough up some. Right now it's just raw...but an instant relief the moment his old scales are gone.

Ven rumbles again when the other's claws prick the fresh scales, flexing the muscles underneath with a small snort. You be nice to those mister >: ]

[He's being careful, don't worry. He knows the skin is sensitive and fresh, and strokes along it with the back side of his claws in the direction the other's scales run, smoothing over it and watching the sunlight catch.

Then, he moves to the other side of the other's body, scratching at another patch of skin with light plucks that free another dozen or so scales.]

[ Vanitas will be rewarded with another happy croon when he switches places, even more so when Ven feels those old scales flake away. Now if only that was the case all over the rest of him.

He'll manage to hold still for the first half hour or so of this at least. After that he's going to wind up not-so-subtly trying to suggest where Vanitas should pluck at next. Because they iiiiiitch :c ]

[Vanitas goes with the subtle shifts, scratching at each patch to loosen up the other's scales and help him shed them. At this rate it may not even take the other days for him to be free from them--they might all fall out by the next morning.

But with the shedding of his adolescent scales, it's like something is triggered in the bigger dragon and he starts to feel more playful. His scratching is joined by soft shorting, in which his head dips down and nudges at the other's side and wings, nostrils flaring a bit as he chuffs and fusses over his scales. His own, long tail starts to thump back and forth as he works on efficiently ridding him of the itching things.]

...?? [ At first Ven doesn't really get it. Vanitas never solicits play, it's always him who darts around and tries to cajole the other into darting around and wrestling for a round or two. Usually they're short-lived because Vanitas can't be bothered to entertain him for extended periods of time.

But enough of those bumps and chuffs around his sides and Ven's head will rise off the ground with his earstalks lifted and pupils round. It takes a few thumps before Ven's haunches start wiggling his weight around and his claws to press and furrow into the ground, but once he gets it Ven turns his head quickly left and right, snuffling and barking until he rolls onto his side suddenly and bats at the other. ]

[Which is a very submissive gesture, to be honest. But Vanitas doesn't seem to mind, and just lashes his tail back and forth in response, front limbs bending as he lowers his head further towards the ground and gives a chuff back.

Then he darts forward, nipping at the other's exposed belly carefully so his teeth don't actually penetrate, just slightly scrape against his hide.]

[ Of course he barks and squawks at the blackscale for it, but the noises are playful and at worst, over-the-top exaggerations fuelled by his own excitement at play. The first few nips have him flailing and wriggling all over the ground until he rolls all the way over back onto his feet.

He'll rise up on them so that he stands almost entirely on his hinder legs and brings his paws up over his head in a silly waddle-pounce, coming down to the other as close as he dares with this "counter" ]

[Vanitas backs out of it, but delays so that Ven just misses him by a few inches. Then, he raises up and pushes the other dragon back with one paw, shoving him again without too much force behind it.

The gold was still half his size, after all, and he was aware of his own strength. At worst it'd just send him tumbling again, before he could right himself.]

[ At worst, and naturally Ven bleats with delight as he stumbles back a few steps and crouches, tail swishing quickly behind him until he does a little wiggle and gives hop, pounce, flap and he flares his wings out in a single pump he he can try for a better little tackle.

"Tackle." Because it's still juvenile in nature and he's more interested in rolling around in the dirt and faux-kicking his legs at the other anytime he can get them grappling and wrestling. ]

rude hdu decide how much cuddling ven gives grumpybutt!!

because I'M THE BOSS B)

talk to corporate like a boss approve memos

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always the creepiest icon possible wow

of course |3

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PUT THAT ICON AWAY YOU'RE A BAD PARENT

HE'S NOT YOUR PARENT HE'S YOUR SENPAI

...wow holy cow the cutest senpai ever 9u9

shhh shhhhhh

never shushes 9u9

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