Hunter

Dragon Bracelet
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  The sound of the front door opening and closing quietly made me sit up and mute the tv.
   “Alright, where were you?” I said, my arms crossed comfortably and my brow furrowed. I was curled up on the couch, a blanket tossed around my feet and a steaming cup of tea on the table next to me. 
   Kris walked slowly into the room, toeing off his shoes and shrugging off his jacket. He rolled out his neck painfully and cracked each knuckle, plunking down next to me on the couch.
   “Sorry I’m so late.” Kris said softly, checking his watch and rubbing his face. I frowned but plopped my feet in his lap, reaching down to drape the blanket over both of us.
   “Where were you? Kris, it’s one in the morning, and you promised years ago that you would never hide anything from me.” I said, taking a gulp of tea and then offering him some. Kris drained the mug, setting it down with a muted clink and ing the collar of his shirt.
   “I went to go meet with Zhoumi. We were trying to figure out who the hunter was.” Kris said. I nodded, leaning back into the cushions and exhaling slowly.
   “Well, you missed him. He was here a few hours ago…and he knew Ryu’s birthday.” I said. Kris frowned, puzzled, and I recounted the swordsman’s visit.
   “This is getting weirder and weirder.” Kris mumbled, running his fingers through his hair. It was freshly cut, gleaming a dull gold in the half-light cast by the lamp on the table next to me. 
   “Could it be someone from the foster care system? Maybe Ryu and the hunter lived together.” I said, wracking my brain for any possible suspects. Kris shrugged, standing up slowly and walking towards the kitchen.
   “There’s no way to know now. Is there any dinner leftover?” Kris asked, opening up the refrigerator hopefully.
   “I saved you a plate.” I said, pulling a covered plate of food from the refrigerator and sliding it into the oven. Kris poured himself a glass of water and settled himself on one of the barstools surrounding the island.
   “Thanks.” Kris smiled when I slid the plate over, adding a fork and a paper napkin. I nodded, sitting down next to him and leaning into his shoulder.
   “Snake and Ryu are asleep.” I said, glancing up when Aoi came padding into the kitchen.
   He nodded to me sleepily, focusing on cutting a bag of blood open with the kitchen scissors and squeezing the thick red liquid into my favorite mug. I closed my eyes in despairing acceptance, opening them to find him looking at Kris’ meal hungrily.
   “Did you eat dinner?” I asked, frowning. Aoi shook his head, nose twitching, and withdrew the mug from the microwave.
   “I can’t leave him.” Aoi said firmly, selecting a spoon and blowing on the steaming contents of the mug delicately. 
   “I’ll fix you a plate and bring it up.” I said equally firmly, beginning to pull leftover beef and pasta from the fridge.
   “Alright.” Aoi said, nodding to me deeply and then turning towards the stairs. I began fixing more food, turning on the stove to add a panful of bacon to fry.
   “He’s going to make himself sick again.” I worried, glancing after Aoi’s retreating figure. Kris sighed, nodding, and then reached out to curl an arm around my waist.
   “Hey, do you still have a tux that fits?” Kris asked abruptly, glancing up at me before forking another bite of baked potato into his mouth.
   “Yeah, I think so. Why?” I frowned, reaching out to take a sip of his water. Kris chewed and swallowed, finishing off the glass and setting it down slowly.
   “I was planning on going to a supernatural club tomorrow night to see if anyone had any information on the hunter. It’s rather high-end, so you need to wear a tux if you want to come with me.” Kris said, setting his plate down in the sink and turning with a surprised smile when I hugged him tightly from behind.
   “Thank you.” I smiled, squeezing him softly before letting go.
   “For?” Kris asked, placing his hands on my hips and curving his face close to mine.
   “Wanting me to come along.” I said quietly, closing my eyes instinctively when Kris rested his forehead against mine.
   “We agreed you would be part of this; it’s your life too. Ryu’s your son too.” Kris murmured, kissing my forehead softly and then backing up.
   “I love you.” I smiled, fitting my head into the perfect little curve of his neck. Kris wrapped his arms around me tightly before squeezing me gently, making me look up.
   “I love you, too. You’re going to burn that bacon.” Kris pointed out casually, making me yelp and rush to flip the tender pieces of crisping meat.
   Kris laughed loudly, the sound rumbling up from deep in his chest, and I reached out to smack him with a wooden spoon from the canister by the stove. He pulled back, feigning hurt, his eyes still dancing with laughter.
   “Oh, shut up.” I grumbled, heaping the bacon onto a plate and adding the pasta and meat. I grabbed a fork, knife, and napkin, handing Kris a glass and instructing him to fill it with water. He did, still chuckling, and I rolled my eyes.
   We walked up the stairs, delivering the food and water to a very sleepy looking Aoi. He mumbled his thanks and waved us off to bed, gesturing quietly to the sleeping Yoichi in the guest bed. Kris and I waved and padded away to our own room, brushing our teeth together.
   Once we had finished our nightly ablutions, Kris rested his head on my shoulder and kissed my neck softly.
   “Come on, let’s go to bed. We have another big day tomorrow.” Kris said, making me nod and kiss his forehead.
   We settled in next to each other but I stayed awake for a few minutes reading, listening to the rhythm of his snoring. It was oddly soothing and I soon found myself drifting off, closing my book and turning off my light to snuggle into his side and sleep.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


   “You actually look pretty good.” Ryu said, eyeing my tuxedo critically. I raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. Ryu was perched on my bathroom counter, watching me tie my black bowtie and fiddle with my silver earring.
   “So you’re going to go find information on the hunter?” Ryu said, his feet dangling in lazy circles. I nodded, looking at the bags under his eyes.
   “Did you find anything in the journal?” I asked, checking my cuffs and leaning forward to carefully smudge a thin line of black liner around my eyes.
   “It’s hard; it’s written in some kind of code. It takes me forever to read it.” Ryu said, shrugging.
   “Promise me you’ll get some sleep tonight.” I said sternly, pausing to look at him. Ryu nodded, picking up my foundation between slender fingers and reading the back absentmindedly.
   “Ryu…when I asked before, you said you didn’t have any living relatives other than your mother and father. Do you happen to have any dead ones?” I asked. Ryu was quiet for a moment then nodded slowly.
   “I had an older brother, but he died when I was four. We had a funeral and everything.” Ryu said, looking sad. 
   “I’m sorry. It can’t be him then.” I said, resting a comforting hand on Ryu’s shoulder. Ryu nodded, shrugging and then sliding off the countertop.
   He followed me out of the bathroom as I pulled on my jacket, feeling awkwardly overdressed. Kris was standing by the bed, turning with a smile when he noticed me.
   “Looking good.” Kris grinned, wrapping an arm around me and squeezing my playfully. I laughed, kissing him softly and ignoring Ryu’s exaggerated gagging noises in the background. 
   “Come on, let’s go.” I said, pulling back to scoop my wallet and phone into my jacket pocket.
   “You’re in charge of the house. There’s blood and food in the refrigerator; lock the doors and windows after us. If anything bad happens, call me or Tao, and Alek’s number is on the fridge with Calum’s.” Kris said, leading all of us downstairs while he talked.
   “I got it, I got it.” Ryu rolled his eyes, walking us to the front door. Snake walked up behind him, draping an arm around his shoulders and giving us a reassuring smile.
   “Make sure you get some sleep!” I repeated, smiling when Snake nodded in a way that told me Ryu would be in bed by 9:30.
   “Have fun and be careful.” Snake said, closing the door when Kris and I walked onto the porch.
   It was chilly and my breath clouded in front of me, both of us hurrying through the carpark and towards the escalade. Kris started the engine, turning on the heat and pulling out of the driveway carefully.
   “Now, I’m hoping some of the regulars will be there to give us the information we need, but if they’re not, we can always talk to the bartenders. They know everything.” Kris said. I nodded, watching him drive through the old part of town.
   It was easy to daydream staring out at the illuminated town at night, and it took me several seconds to realize Kris had come to a stop.
   “Here we are.” Kris said, stepping out of the car to open my door for me. I stepped out carefully, looking at what could only be the club.
   It was fairly nondescript on the outside, a three story black building that looked just a tad abandoned. Kris opened the door for me and followed me inside, walking up to a large desk labeled Check-In.
   “One Dragonkind and one human.” Kris said quietly, arm wrapped possessively around my waist. The winged woman at the table glanced up from her magazine and waved her hand passively, returning quickly to whatever riveting article she was reading.
   Kris turned us towards a hallway to the left, walking past a flight of stairs that surely led to the second level. The carpet was rich and we passed several other people, all noticeably supernatural. There was a man with gold eyes, a woman with fire for hair, and a satyr that waddled by looking rather drunk.
   I tried not to stare, focusing instead on Kris’ arm linked firmly with mine and his shoulder brushing mine. We came at last to a cream-colored door with a golden handle at the end of the hall and Kris opened it for me slowly, letting me walk in first. He appeared next to me a second later, linking arms once again and letting me look around.
   The entrance to the room was right next to the bar and the bartender glanced up, busy drying glasses and replacing them in cabinets above his head. He nodded to Kris and I, turning away when he realized we weren’t immediately asking him for a drink. I continued looking around, trying to absorb everything at once.
   The wall across from us was painted a soft cream and decorated with dreamy landscape paintings, gauzy curtains draped from the high beams of the ceiling. The floor was hard stone and my shoes clicked across it until Kris pulled me to a halt just inside the doorway. I looked around, my gaze drawn to the exquisite chandeliers that dripped shimmering stalactites of crystal towards my head.
   The room was almost deserted, just a few couples lounging at tables spread with white tablecloths and delicate crystal and china. The women wore exotic outfits of shimmering colors and the men wore everything from tuxedos to flexible suits of armor that moved fluidly when they did. A few people looked over to nod at Kris and I, quickly returning to their meals and conversation. There was a man sprawled out at the bar directly to my left, glancing occasionally at his phone and selecting drinks from the large wall of bottles behind the bartender. 
   “That’s Jay Park. I’ve known him since he was born.” Kris whispered subtly in my ear, nodding to the man and guiding me over to the counter. Jay looked up when we walked over, eyes sparking with recognition when he saw Kris.
   Despite the white collar atmosphere of the room, Jay was dressed simply in a short-sleeve black button down and black jeans. Tattoos ran up his arms and were visible where his shirt gaped over his collarbones, another black mark showing up behind his ear. 
   “Jay, how’s it been?” Kris smiled widely, reaching out to clasp the man’s hand and pat his back. Jay returned his smile, incisors a little longer than normal, and waved down the bartender.
   “What’re you having?” Jay asked, waving Kris into the barstool next to him. Kris sat, leaning back to signal me into the stool next to his and draw Jay’s attention to me.
   “Nothing for me. Jay, this is my mate, Zitao Wu.” Kris said, looking between us. Jay extended a tatted hand with a warm smile, eyes crinkling at the edges.
   “Nice to meet you. I’m Jay Park.” Jay said, resting his elbows up on the bar and ordering another glass of something dark blue and bubbling.
   “Just call me Tao.” I said, straightening my collar uncomfortably and wishing I could take off my jacket in the hot room.
   “What brings you here?” Jay said, raising an eyebrow at Kris. Kris explained about the hunter very briefly, omitting most of the story, and then ask if Jay had heard of anyone similar.
   “The katana sounds like the Kira clan of hunters. They’ve been here for years; a Japanese family that always accepts volunteers. They might’ve trained your swordsman.” Jay said, gulping down his drink and checking his phone.
   “The Kira clan?” Kris said. Jay nodded, leaning over the bar to grab a pencil and a pad of paper. He scribbled something down and handed it to Kris, tapping the paper.
   “The address of their commander. Don’t go poking around there alone though, she’s brutal.” Jay warned, standing up and stretching.
   “Thank you, Jay.” Kris smiled, hugging the man again when he began to wave goodbye.
   “Sorry I have to leave so soon; I’ve got another appointment tonight.” Jay said apologetically. I waved off his apology, standing up when Kris did.
   “I guess we’ll head home too.” Kris said. He began to walk towards the door when a waiter caught up with him, guiding him instead to a table and pouring him a glass of wine in ten seconds flat.
   I settled into the chair across from Kris the waiter pulled out, leaning back instinctively when he dropped my napkin neatly in my lap for me and poured me a glass of wine.
   “Dinner?” The waiter asked, clasping slender hands together and looking expectantly at Kris.
   “Just something quick before we go.” Kris said, the waiter nodding and bustling away. Kris tasted his wine, relaxing back in his chair and I copied his lazy posture.
   The waiter was back moments later with large plates of vegetables and lean cuts of red meat, setting them before us and nodding to Kris.
   “It’s on your tab, Mr. Wu.” The waiter said, walking away briskly. 
   “Thank you!” Kris called after the waiter, shaking his head with a smile at the man’s retreating back. Kris motioned for me to eat, smiling when I commented on how fast the service was.
   “The food is incredible here, too.” Kris said, cutting into his meat and waiting for me to follow. I helped myself to a small forkful of steamed vegetables and smiled, the flavor truly exquisite. 
   Kris took a bite of meat, eyes closing in bliss. I did the same, genuinely enjoying the quality of the food, and looked up to meet his eyes over the table.
   “Jay was nice.” I said with a smile, wishing the man hadn’t had to go so early.
   “I found him when he was a cub. His mother and the rest of his litter was killed and he was wandering on his own, half-feral. I found him a family.” Kris said, eyes softening fondly as he obviously relived finding Jay.
   “What is he?” I asked. Kris had just taken another bite and took his time chewing, setting down his fork to take a sip of wine. He opened his mouth to speak, interrupted abruptly.
   The back wall exploded suddenly, clouds of dust and debris hurtling towards us and

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Comments

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Krease99
#1
Chapter 71: Congratulation on your book! I hope it sells well!
Also welcome back! I've missed this fic ;-; <3
nakita #2
Chapter 70: Glad you back. I'm waiting for this story.... Thank you...
Missanion
#3
Chapter 10: Cute. I don't have more to say haha
Missanion
#4
Chapter 8: Well, Tao does have such a good friends for them to gift him that!!! Or well, this is how to have a rich friend is like ?
Missanion
#5
Chapter 7: Poor Kris. He is enduring so much pain for his wings.
Missanion
#6
Chapter 6: Wow! What a good chapter ❤.
I have one thing to say. If Tao called Luhan and Luhan put him on speaker, so that Yixing could listen him too...how is it possible for them to wiped Tao's tears? ?? I think that is an error.
Missanion
#7
Chapter 5: Kris woke up when he left and was searching him? ?so CUUUUUTE
Missanion
#8
Chapter 4: So sad that there are a lot of people like her around the World. Just live and let live
Missanion
#9
Chapter 3: Why is everything cute here? ??
Missanion
#10
Chapter 2: Owwwwww tiny dragon Kris is the cutest in the whole world!!!! I want a tiny dragon, with tiny claws and horns too ????