I smiled instinctively as I woke up, enjoying the comforting weight behind me. Kris' arm was draped under my arms, his hand wrapping around my opposite shoulder, and his left leg was thrown over my hip to tangle with my legs. His nose brushed the crook of my neck and his breath tickled me slightly, stirring the hairs at the nape of my neck. 
    My alarm clock started blaring and I groaned, reaching over to shut it off before it woke Kris. I wondered briefly if I could skip work to snuggle with Kris all day, but I had just asked for yesterday off for my birthday and my boss had been very generous. I sighed and began to untangle myself, standing slowly. Kris mumbled sleepily and groaned, tightening his arms around me and pulling me closer to his chest. 
    "Kris?" I said. A sleepy grumble greeted me and I smiled softly. "Kris, I have to get up."
    "Why?" Kris muttered grouchily, his lips tickling my ear. I flinched quietly, still trying to get up slowly. His grip was like iron and I flailed uselessly. 
    "I have to work." I said, reaching back to brush my fingers against the bare skin of his side. 
    "Are you going to let me up or do I have to tickle you?" I asked. Kris squeaked and buried his face in my back, shaking his head. 
    "No." Kris pouted. I laughed and flexed my hands, flipping around to tickle him mercilessly. Kris finally let me go and rolled over to face the other way, pouting sullenly. 
    "Awww, is little Kris upset?" I teased, smiling at his back.    
    Kris flipped over immediately and glared at me, his gold eyes burning holes in my face. I gulped and he moved faster than I could see, lunging forward to climb on top of me and straddle my hips. His legs wrapped around mine and he leaned forward, grabbing my wrists and pinning them above my head. I gasped when he leaned forward, his lips drawing back to reveal his white teeth as he snarled, two inches away from my face. Kris stayed like that for a few seconds, my chest rising and falling rapidly beneath him in fear, before smiling. 
    "Gotcha." Kris laughed, flashing his teeth in a smile and crinkling his eyes cutely. I released a shaky breath, not wanting him to know how much he had terrified me. 
    "Y-yah! Get off, you're heavy!" I said, pushing weakly against his hands. He let me go and slid off me, standing up and stretching with a yawn. 
    "I'll make us breakfast and then grab a shower, okay?" I said, standing up and walking to the kitchen. Kris nodded, padding after me and running his hands through his shaggy hair. 
    "What do you usually eat for breakfast?" I asked, shuffling through my cabinets quietly. Kris cleared his throat awkwardly, leaning forward to brace his forearms against the counter, his biceps flexing quite distractingly. 
    "Ummm...I've been a bracelet for like a hundred years..." Kris reminded me with a small smile. 
    "Oh!" I said, feeling like an idiot for forgetting. He just seemed so...normal, it was hard to picture him as a dragon. "A hundred years? How old are you?"
    "I'm about...2,100 years old, I wanna say. You lose track after a while." Kris shrugged, walking over to lazily thumb his way through a book on my coffee table. 
    "Wow." I whispered. He nodded, turning his attention back to the book. 
    I started mixing my usual eggs, staring at Kris while they cooked. He looked like some kind of sleepy, y god, with his tousled hair and his sweatpants dragging a little low on his hips for my comfort. He turned his back to me, letting me run my eyes over the defined muscles of his back and broad shoulders before the smell of burning eggs made me return my gaze to something more appropriate. 
    "Here we are~" I smiled, setting a plate of eggs, fruit, and bacon before him after a few minutes. 
    "Thank you, Taozi." Kris smiled, sitting down and digging in. I checked the clock and swore, shoveling more food into my mouth as fast as I could. 
    "I'll be in the shower, bye!" I yelled, dropping my plate in the sink and racing towards the bathroom. I stripped hurriedly and the water, taking five minutes tops to rinse off and dash out. 
    I toweled off hurriedly, pulling my pants on over my still-wet calves with a grimace and throwing on a loose v-neck that stuck to the wet patches on my chest and neck. I raked my hair out of my eyes and ran to the entryway, slipping into my shoes. 
    "Where are you going?" Kris asked, giving me a confused look before standing up and walking to me.     
    "I'm late for work. I'm sorry, I'll be back in a few hours." I said, standing and wrapping a scarf around myself. 
    "Can I come?" Kris asked. I frowned, shaking my head guiltily and turning to twist the door handle. 
    "I'm sorry, I work at a restaurant. We aren't allowed to wear bracelets or rings in case they get caught on things or damaged." I said regretfully. 
    "Oh." Kris said, looking crestfallen. "I understand."
    "I'll be back before you know it, okay? I can't wait to talk with you more~" I smiled, giving him a quick hug and turning to go. 
    "I'll make dinner!" Kris called after me as I started to walk down the street. I nodded and waved at him, flashing a smile as I started to run down the road. 
    I dashed into the restaurant out of breath, sliding into a booth to rest for a second. I mentally cursed when my boss' voice cut through my thoughts, turning to see him giving me a playfully stern look. 
    "Tao, you're late." Suho said, crossing his arms with a mischievous smile. I sighed and stood, letting him follow me to the back. 
    "Sorry, Suho. It won't happen again." I said, setting down my coat and tying on my apron quickly. 
    "Alright, Tao." Suho smiled, disappearing back into his office. I sighed, shaking my head to clear it before turning to smile at Yixing. 
    "Hey, Yixing." I greeted, stepping over to the help the Yixing cut slices from a block of meat. He was the head chef and I helped him out a lot, in between washing dishes and cleaning floors. 
    "Morning, Taozi. How's Kris?" Yixing asked conversationally, turning to mix something on the stove. 
    "He's good." I said, waving at Luhan when he breezed through the doorway. His bow tie was off-center and I beckoned him over, straightening his waiter's uniform carefully. 
    "How's Xiumin?" I asked Luhan. He shrugged and I smiled, shaking my head at him. "Give the poor guy a break."
    "Hmph!" Luhan snorted, turning to pick up two plates of food and carry them outside. Yixing and I looked at each other and chuckled, falling back into the easy rhythms of the day. 
    My thoughts kept wandering back to Kris, wondering how he was doing at the apartment. His very existence still surprised me, but it was a good kind of surprise. It also made me wonder just how much the ahjumma who sold him to me knew. I vowed to go see her after work quickly, and try to find out more about Kris. 
    "Tao? Are you listening to me?" I snapped myself out of my thoughts, looking into Suho's annoyed gaze. 
    "Say again?" I mumbled quickly, blinking and giving him an apologetic look. Suho sighed and patted my shoulder, giving me a concerned look. 
    "I asked if you wanted to take the rest of the day off. You look like you have somewhere important to be; why don't you go ahead and go?" Suho asked gently. 
    "Thanks, hyung!" I exclaimed, untying my apron and checking my watch. It was 4:00...if I hurried, I could talk to the ahjumma and get home with plenty of time to help Kris cook. 
    "No problem, Taozi. Have fun, okay?" Suho smiled, watching me grab my coat and wave goodbye to everyone.
    I hurried along the street, stopping in front of the shop with a triumphant sigh. I opened the door and wiped my feet on the mat, ducking inside and looking around.  
    "Ahjumma?" I called, stopping in front of her wooden counter. A sound from the staircase made me turn, and the ahjumma walked down it slowly. 
    "Huang Zitao?" The ahjumma said with a smile, stopping in front of me. I bowed at her even as my eyes widened in surprise.
    "You know my name?" I asked. She cackled and nodded, taking a seat behind the counter and beckon me forward. 
    "I know many things." The ahjumma smiled. "So, how is he doing?"
    "You know about...about Kris?" I whispered, leaning in closer. She nodded, holding her arm out and pulling her sleeve back. There was a dragon tattooed on the skin of her wrist, shimmering in the light from the small lamp on her counter. 
    "I wasn't surprised when he chose you. He's been waiting for you, you know that?" The ahjumma asked.
    "But, ahjumma—"
    "Halmoni, please. Call me halmoni." Halmoni interrupted, smiling at me. I nodded distractedly, continuing on. 
    "What am I supposed to do with him?" I asked, an edge of fear entering my voice. She sighed, reaching out to absentmindedly start folding a pile of scarves on the desk. 
    "Kris, as he said his name was, has not had an easy existence. Most dragons wait many many years and choose one master, and that master is their soulmate." Halmoni said, giving me a meaningful look. 
    "Kris chose his first master about 150 years ago. Kris' master was a fire Mage, the ideal master for every dragon. Sadly, Kris' master fell for a mortal woman, and cast him away. Kris was heartbroken, and took his inanimate form, a bracelet. The only thing that could