Warnings: Light coercion– no actual coercion but within the roleplay
Summary: While cleaning out his office, Tony noticed that his omega student hadn’t quite earned his grade yet.
Peter looked away from the box in front of him – it was filled with books and couldn’t fit anything else. Thankfully, they’d put the last of Tony’s things in there, so he went over to the desk Tony was sitting at.
Folding himself onto his mate’s lap was easy, and he took a deep breath as his scent enveloped him, “Hey, Daddy.” Tony smelled like home, like a mix between old books and his favorite whiskey.
“Oh? So now that finals are done, you have time for me again, babe?” Tony teased, running his hand over the skin of Peter’s thigh.
“Don’t be like that, you had shit to grade too you know?” He murmured into the skin of Tony’s neck. His cheeks felt flushed and he’d been nesting a bit more than usual, so at least his heat had a semi polite timing. They were trying to clean all of the necessities out of Tony’s office in preparation for his first summer off in years. It wasn’t really a tedious process, but there were a surprising amount of takeout containers in random places.
“Well, I think it’s time you give Daddy the attention you denied him, hmm?”
Goosebumps broke out on the back of his neck, right where Tony’s breath had fanned over. Peter was straddling the alpha’s lap and looked up at him shyly.
“Here Daddy?”
“Course baby,” he cooed, one hand sliding under the hem of Peter’s loose shorts and the other coming up to cup the back of his head, “you’re already getting wet for me, might as well.”
They both knew it was only the onset of Peter’s heat that had him slicking so quickly, but the look in Tony’s eye said that he didn’t really care. Peter didn’t either but-
“What if someone comes in?”
“Then they’ll know that you’re just getting your ‘A’ Petey, we’ve all gotta pay our dues.” Peter jumped when he was suddenly lifted and slid onto the newly cleared desk, his hold on Tony tightening. He’d thought that the alpha would go a little slower, but Peter supposed it was his own fault for admitting to that teacher-student fantasy a while back.
“How ‘bout I just have a taste? Would that be alright, kid?” At Peter’s slow nod, Tony stood and leaned forward, forcing Peter onto his back. His skin erupted into goosebumps as Tony’s hands trailed up his thighs, soft kisses following in their path. It was easy for him to pull Peter’s shorts down, and with no underwear on, he found himself bare from the waist down atop the office desk.
There was no cool draft to startle him, only the warm feeling of the alpha’s breath on his heated skin as he began kissing the apex of his thighs, and the feeling of pulsing need that had gathered in his core.
When Tony’s slow, teasing kisses reached his slit, Peter’s hand flew to his mouth in a feeble attempt to muffle his gasps. He could only be thankful that Tony didn’t seem to be trying to draw anything out further.
He licked and kissed his dripping hole in a way that had Peter writhing atop the desk, legs wrapping around Tony’s neck in an attempt to bring him closer. One of Tony’s hands came up to pull Peter further toward the edge of the desk and the other came to rest between his legs.
“Your little cunt tastes like heaven Pete– got me wondering, you think I could get that baby cock to squirt for me?” Peter groaned at Tony’s words, breathless and barely holding his moans in. They’d seen a few of Tony’s coworkers on their way in, and he couldn’t risk being heard.
Then Tony moved, fitting his mouth over Peter’s cock and sliding a finger into him.
He was able to take the entirety of Peter’s small cock into his mouth, and he used it to his advantage, hollowing his cheeks and adding another digit to Peter’s cunt. A slight twist had his fingers brushing Peter’s g-spot, and the omega came with a shout, hips bucking up and into Tony.
The alpha let his body be used to ride out Peter’s orgasm, humming around his cock and pushing his fingers into his g-spot more forcefully. He only pulled away when Peter’s excited thrusts turned into halfheartedly squirming away from the stimulation.
When Peter opened his eyes, he found Tony’s face smeared with slick, bits of his beard shining with it.
“I know I said I just wanted a taste,” he signed, wiping his wet fingers on the inside of Peter’s thigh, “but you got me all hard sweetie. Isn’t it fair you take care of your favorite professor now that he’s taken care of you?”
Peter didn’t respond, still breathless and his core pulsing from aftershocks.
“Don’t you want your ‘A’ little boy?” Peter slid his legs closed, batting his lashes in an attempt to look shy – playing into the role they’d set.
“Mister Stark, you’ll start my heat too early, I don’t–”
“If you wanna stop now you’re only getting a ‘B-’ I don’t give ‘As’ to quitters Peter.” He sniffled, sitting up on the desk and ignoring the emptiness he felt at the sight of his mate. Tony’s hair was mussed, his lips swollen and red like he’d just been kissed, and the air around them was filled with the scent of lust. That alone would have had Peter ready and willing, but he’d never done something as risky as this, and there was a chance that one of Tony’s coworkers could walk in. Then there was the risk of his heat starting before they left, but the more he thought about all of the risks, the less he cared.
“Will you promise to pull out Sir?“ He asked anyway, "I really can’t afford to take off from work if my heat starts early.”
Tony gave him a once over, probably scenting how Peter’s heat was already fast on its way, “Fine, but I want you over the desk. I already got you off.”
His cheeks heated at the suddenly dismissive tone, but Tony still steadied Peter when he got up, and he helped him gently fold himself on the desk with a firm hand and a kiss to their mating bite.
The head of Tony’s cock pressed against his wet slit, and one of his hands went over Peter’s mouth. They stood like that, Peter arching backward and Tony silently observing.
“I’m not gonna stretch you any more, you’ll just have to take it for me if you really want that grade, Peter.”
His alpha’s hand pressing tightly over his mouth was the only thing that stopped Peter from shouting when Tony pushed his hips forward, seating himself inside Peter in one hard thrust.
“You’re so fucking perfect around me baby boy, you’re tight and soaking.” Under them, the desk was rocking unsteadily in a way that should have made Peter worry, but all he could do was try and steady himself atop the desk. His legs had turned to jello the second Tony bottomed out, and he was lost in the sensation of rightness combined with the building tension in his core.
It was a dirty, nasty fuck. Tony’s thrusts were hard and quick, and Peter felt his second orgasm approaching while the knot was starting to inflate.
“Mister Stark, you don’t–” his protests were cut off by his own gasps, words unintelligible with Tony’s hand still pressed firmly over his mouth.
“Change of plans,” Tony grunted, knot just barely catching, “gonna knot you, I wanna feel you cum on my knot Petey.” When Peter started flailing a second later, fueled with fake protests, he continued, “You’re taking my class again in the fall right? How about we start you off with a ‘B,’ that sound good?”
The hand over his mouth moved and Tony stopped thrusting, just grinding into him in an imitation of what would happen when the knot locked.
Peter moaned, too overwhelmed to speak, and without the barrier of Tony’s hand, it echoed around the room. Tony took it as an answer and planted one hand on each side of Peter’s head to leverage himself.
The alpha was close, and his knot locked quickly, sending Peter hurtling toward another orgasm. Tony’s hand quickly came back to cover his mouth again, but it was too late and Peter’s whimpering moans were easily heard in the small office.
Tony maneuvered them back into the chair with a curse and swapped his hands for two fingers that he slid into Peter’s mouth. The taste that hit his tongue was salty and unfamiliar, “There you go baby, you can’t leave a mess in my office.”
The fingers pressed hard into his tongue before swiping up his stomach and coming back, coated in quickly cooling cum that Peter lapped up with a halfhearted moan. He felt Tony press a soft kiss to his cheek, a juxtaposition to how they’d been acting earlier.
Peter leaned into the contact, rocking on the knot inside of him. He could feel his heat creeping up on him, and he’d probably be in a full heat by the end of the day.
“Tony,” he whined around the alpha’s fingers, unable to properly form any words.
Peter had moved in with the team months ago, and as the only omega on an alpha dominated team, it was pretty clear what would be happening.
But. It. Had. Been. Months.
So, he took it into his own hands, started working out shirtless, wearing more crop tops and shorter dresses, and after waiting a week to see if his plan would work, he stopped taking his scent suppressants too.
The reaction he got wasn’t what he’d expected.
Bucky was the first person he saw that morning, and before he could react, he was being manhandled over the island and Bucky’s metal hand was yanking his dress up.
“We were trying to be nice and not give you what you’re not ready for, but you wanna be a slut? Wanna strut around just begging for it?” Peter gasped, a denial on the tip of his tongue when he heard the loud crack of Bucky’s hand meeting his ass, followed by the bright burn of impact a second later.
“You’re gonna get a spanking, take your meds, and put on some real fucking clothes. If you’re good, we’ll take turns with you when your heat hits. If you’re bad you’ll have to make do with toys. Do you understand?”
“Y-yes”
“Yes what?”
“Yes alpha”
After that encounter Peter had been dressing how Bucky told him to his meds were taken on time every day. All the alpha’s spent more time with him fussing him realizing that’s just what this omega needs attention.
Now almost a month later when his heat actually hits and Peter is laying in bed mostly naked humping a pillow sobs leaving his throat as the entire team was away on a mission and there was no one to call. Friday sent an alert to Tony in his suit to say Peter was in heat.
He informed the rest of the avengers and they were home bad guy dealt with in 10 minutes give or take. Peter feels a hand on his arse and he looks over Tony Steve Bucky Thor Bruce and even Clint were in his room. He whimpers softly and instantly moves spreading his legs for them.
They trail there hands down his body slowly kissing and just pleasuring him. Peter shudders they’ve never dealt with an omega before really but such a sensitive omega definitely not. Within a few pumps of Tony’s fingers inside him Thor kissing and biting his neck and Bucky flicking his nipples he came for the first time in that very long night.
They decided seeing as this is their first heat together they’d all take him one at a time. Clint would go first so he could sit to the side and watch as he just preferred it. He had Peter below him whimper with every thrust hands gripping the pillow under his head tears in his eyes from the sensitivity when he cums a second time and is filled up he closes his legs.
“Alright slut legs open” he finds hard to not listen to Tony so his legs fall open wide and Tony fingers the cum back in before himself slowly pushing in. Peter looks helplessly up at him he strokes his cheek “Your so fucked senseless by one of us already and your sensitive it hurts but it feels so good and you don’t know what to do right my poor helpless baby”
Tony fucks him a lot harder than Clint did he had Peter sobbing dark red marks in Tony’s back from long nails moans of pure overstimulation filling the room the pleasured gasps mixed in with hiccups letting everyone know he’s okay.
Steve puts him in doggy position but Peter can’t support himself so he just lays chest to the bed holding the pillow arse only up cause Steve has a tight grip. He gasps as he slides in so much bigger than the other two he hits deeper and Peter shudders. “no” he manages to mutter ad Steve moves. “no what darling” “adjust” he breathes out. Steve rubs his back and is soon enough pounding into him Peter gripping the pillow screamed moans. Bucky catches his hair and lifts his head up laughing at his face tears pouring down it red mouth hung open drooling.
After being filled up by Steve Bucky’s turn but Bucky said “No Steve stay in let’s see if we can get him to take to” with some semi-painful stretching and a lot of lube later a sobbing shaking Peter had both Bucky and Steve inside him. “please so good” he manages to mutter they smirk and chuckle and start to make him see stars as they pound him Thor strokes through his hair and then kisses him gently Peter smiles happily into the kiss unable to kiss back his brain completely fried at the minute.
He cums for the 7th time that night before they cum inside him they pull out and it takes them a sec but they decide on Bruce first save Thor for last. Bruce sits him in his lap bouncing him letting Peter moan into his neck and grip his shirt chuckling as his thighs tense and relax below him as he lifts him up and down.
He cums on Bruce’s shirt and then he fills him up trying to take him off is hard for them cause he shakes his head hiccuping “Comfy” “Come here baby you want one more?” He nods and slowly slides off him Thor picks him up easily and props his legs up on his shoulders.
Thor slowly pushes in and starts to rock his hips as Peter whines and bucks down against him everyone watching the buldge in his stomach Thor presses down and slightly and speeds up Peter whimpers in pain as he is pushing the cum around as well so he stops. He carries on pounding Peter who lays his head back moaning his eyes hazy.
The next day waking up cuddle up with all of them he heads to the bathroom or tried to hitting the floor and whimpering as he curls in on himself Bruce wakes up lifting him up “Bathroom darling” Peter nods “Ignore the plug it’s just to keep the cum from dripping everywhere I assume you want a bath though seeing ad that didn’t happen last night”
“Can you go get the others awake I’m sure you forgot something” soon enough Peter was in the bath and talking to the others who were fussing him “You didn’t wear condoms I’m not on birth control” Everyone freezes in their actions “The chances of you getting pregnant in heat with all that cum is insanely high” “It’s over a 80% chance” “O-oh”
SIM Tony used one of those databases to find his soulmate, and after years of searching a hit finally came up. But, the boy was young and he didn’t have the patience for a newborn. So he waited, and when Mary and Richard Parker died suddenly, he took his chance.
It helped that “Mr. Superior, where are we going?” sounded sweeter on his soulmate’s lips than anything he’d ever heard before
Friend. FRIEND.
Peter had been devastated when his parents died. Not that he didn’t love his aunt and uncle, but there was a hole in his heart that felt like it couldn’t be filled and he was just sad all the time. The therapist his aunt had taken him to said that it was normal. That he would feel better in time. But Peter didn’t feel like it was going away as he stood in front of his parents graves. There had been no bodies to bury, so it was just names on a stone but it was all Peter had.
Tony had been out of country when it happened dealing with a sensitive matter so it’s been 3 weeks since his soulmate’s parents died. A quick check shows the therapist visit and the diagnosis of possible depression triggered by grief but the only treatment was time. That wouldn’t do.
Soulmate bonds were said to cure or at least lessen numerous mental health disorders, so clearly the best thing to do is take custody of his little mate. The aunt and uncle are inconvenient but he tries to play nice. Explains who he is and what he intends to do. Promises they can see Peter as long as they don’t try to keep the boy from him.
They argue with him though. Tell him to stay away from Peter as if they could somehow stop him. It’s a simple matter to fake a car accident which makes him the next of kin automatically. Peter is late coming home so Tony fixes in on the drone that is assigned to Peter and flies to it, finding his boy sitting at the grave of his parents.
“Peter,” Tony said softly, trying not to startle the boy. “It’s time to go, Peter.”
The boy looked at him, confused. “Mr. Stark?”
“Come, Peter. It’s time to go,” Tony said again.
“But, what about my Aunt May and Uncle Ben?” Peter asked, clearly uncertain about the whole situation.
“I’m sorry, Tesoro. They were killed in a hit and run,” Tony said, projecting a false sympathy. Then he started folding back the sleeves of his shirt, revealing a mark and showing it to Peter. “As your soulmate, that makes me your next of kin.”
Peter’s face crumpled and had he been standing, Tony suspected he would have fallen. The older man walked swiftly to the boy and picked him up, holding him in a tight hug and kissing the top of his head.
“I’m so sorry Tesoro. I know they must have been important to you but you have me now, and I promise I won’t ever leave you alone.”
Peter clings to Tony as the man flies them carefully back to his penthouse in Stark Tower. It was a beacon to the world, one meant to lead the way and represent hope. But it was coming to represent power too, as Tony forced the people to join him in the future in his terms.
Peter knew nothing of his behind the scene workings though, and the boy was just grateful to not be alone. For months after, Peter refused to leave his side, going so far as to sleep in Tony’s bed because he was too terrified otherwise. But eventually things settled down and he moved into his own room.
Tony insisted he still do school but allowed Peter to be tutored privately so it wasn’t unusual to see him sitting at a small child’s desk in Tony’s office or lab while they both worked. It was endearing, and also made it safer. Everyone knew Tony would allow no physical or mental harm to come to his tiny soul mate, so if you had less than favorable news, you prayed Peter was around.
As Peter got older, Tony waited and watched. Their soul bond drew them closer together and it wasn’t long before he had a lap full of a cute Twink who still looked at him like he hung the moon. Tony made him wait though, insisting that Peter be legal so no one could accuse either one of them of doing something untoward. Peter pouted but he always bowed to Tony’s will, and that hasn’t changed as he got older.
When Tony finally claimed his throne, it was with Peter at his side, his gentle queen.
When Peter had first arrived, he was a quiet little thing and he clung to Tony like the man was a walking security blanket. Most nights he could be found either in Tony’s bed or curled in his lap while he was in a meeting, playing on a tablet, or just dozing.
Years later, when Peter grew old enough to stay awake throughout the meetings he’d always have a tablet with him, though Tony would occasionally stop and ask him questions – one time he’d even shot a man because Peter said he was acting funny.
Then, after he turned 18, it was like an invisible switch had been flipped. Tony would keep a hand between his boy’s legs the entire time, most nights languidly opening him up before seating him on his cock for the rest of the meeting.
Times like those were common, and it became common to walk in on the boss and his boy, the men were forced to get used to it. The only time one person had commented, Peter had taken the gun from Tony’s holster and shot him with a flawless aim.
SIM Tony used one of those databases to find his soulmate, and after years of searching a hit finally came up. But, the boy was young and he didn’t have the patience for a newborn. So he waited, and when Mary and Richard Parker died suddenly, he took his chance.
It helped that “Mr. Superior, where are we going?” sounded sweeter on his soulmate’s lips than anything he’d ever heard before
About this: same age Starker, high school AU. Bad boy Tony and goody two shoes Peter. Features: breathplay, daddy kink, smoking, mentions of drugs and alcohol, violence (not between Tony and Peter), and a homophobic slur. 8.9k.
-
MJ stops talking in the middle of her sentence.
Ned, who has been dozing by her side for the last ten minutes of their lunch break, notices the silence and perks up, blinking sleepily.
“What is it?” Peter asks.
“Tony Stark,” she says. “He’s looking at us.”
All the breath gets sucked from Peter’s lungs. Suddenly his heart pounds. Is this what a heart attack feels like? He might be having a heart attack. The nurse who occupies a tiny room beside the counselor’s office isn’t going to be able to handle this cardiac episode. “What kind of look?” Peter asks. “Assess his look MJ. Does it say, ‘I want to pound your guts’? Wait, should I look? No—you should stop looking—”
“It’s a look Peter,” she says. “See for yourself.”
Anxiety wars with curiosity. Somehow, curiosity wins, and Peter (be cool, Pete, be cool and casual) glances over his shoulder. There’s nothing casual about the expression on Tony’s face. It’s apathetic, that’s true, but it is fixed and unflinching even as Peter’s entire lunch table stares back at him across the grassy quad. Around him are his friends—other seniors who have reputations for delinquency—and they laugh and joke raucously but Tony isn’t joining them at all. At the edge of his lips, a cigarette rests.
Peter swallows. Smoking on school grounds is forbidden.
MJ throws up both of her hands, mouthing What? She’s the only one with the balls to do that. Peter’s never heard of Tony Stark hitting a woman, but the true depths of the older senior’s depravity are unknown. Unfortunately.
Tony takes his cigarette out of his mouth and points with it.
“Oh my god,” Peter says.
MJ points at herself. Tony shakes his head, points again. MJ points to Ned. Tony’s eyes roll noticeably even from this distance. He points one last time. “He wants you, Petey,” MJ mutters.
Peter turns to her, glad Tony can’t see the expression on his face. He hopes it’s terrified—because terror is explicable at least. But god forbid the other boy see the pounding of Peter’s heart in his throat, the way his palms have started sweating, the nervous-anxious-excited energy that makes his stomach feel like it’s twisting inside out. “What does he want with me?”
“He won’t. When I bring you home in 3 months time, spinning some story where I found you helpless in a fifty foot tall cage, your father will be heralding me as a hero and you will be nothing more than the captive prince who couldn’t manage to escape his cell, let alone run a kingdom.”
“I-“
“Accept it. I’ve won. And you, dear one, are my trophy.”
My second entry for the @starker-bingo2022: Dragon AU. Thanks a thousand times to @king-of-kaoss for betaing and support, you’re amazing sweety!
A dragon’s tale
Stomping of hooves echoed through the grove.
The horse panted with the high speed it was forced to maintain, jumping between small birch trees. The young man who held fast on the saddle prayed to the Almighty that his ride would not trip on the uneven ground. His locks hit against the sides of his head when he turned around to take a quick look over his shoulder. Prince Peter rode as fast as he could.
It had not been supposed to become this way!
The young prince had been traveling back to the kingdom of his father, riding in a convoy of ten soldiers who were supposed to shield him on the way.
But they had not.
Betrayed he was, alone and without friends, fleeing for his dear life. He bowed low over the horse’s neck and continued his prayers, giving his life into the hands of the Almighty.
***
Peter’s existence had been a slow and peaceful one for the last four years, living in a secluded cloister in the care of his uncle Benjamin, a man of the church, in order to exist only for his faith. As a third son this was meant to be his way since his oldest brother was to be king after his father and his second the advisor of battle and war. Peter had been content with it, thankful for the time he was allowed to spend with his family before they sent him away to learn the ways and rites of the faith in a small and quaint place.
The cloister was located at the border of the kingdom at the foot of the mountains that separated the land from its neighbors. But this - to live the life of a monk and become a man of faith the future king could confide with - was apparently not what destiny had in store for him!
One day the message had arrived that his parents and his older brothers alike had been fallen to murder by poison! All of them had vanished from god’s earth with one strike of a ruthless traitor that had not been found yet. And he, Peter, at the age of barely seventeen was to be the heir and new king.
Silence had fallen over the small cloister with the shock. Father Benjamin decided to send Peter on his way as fast as possible, to prevent a usurper to get a grip on the throne in the heir’s absence. All fear that might have been rising had to be pushed down and Peter had made preparations for the journey into a new life. His last visit at court had been three years ago, but he had spent his whole childhood there and was confident to settle back in soon. The responsibility to be a proper ruler however, was something he tried to not think about.
A delegation arrived shortly after the messenger to guard him on the way back.
In the aftermath it had been naïve to just follow along while his family had fallen to murder. But his uncle and himself, used to a peaceful and honest lifestyle in the eye of the Almighty, had trusted the royal banner and the leader with the kind and polite attitude.
A bad decision that could have ended even worse for the young prince.
Somehow he caught on the strange atmosphere that rose between the men on the second day of the journey and thus stayed alert. So it was only a shock but not a surprise when half of the warriors suddenly stepped up against the others.
It had been early in the morning, even before sunrise and Peter had been up and out of the tent to pee – this was a usual time to get up at the cloister. His full bladder had been a heaven sent because on his way back to the tent he saw the traitors murder the good men in their sleep, to enter the royal sleeping place with ropes and cuffs, looking for him.
Without thinking at all he got on a horse and rode as fast as possible, unknowing the direction, without food and water and no friends at all, right into the forest, ready to give his life and safety into god’s hands.
***
Peter rode fast as long as the horse was able, only slowing down when he feared to injure the poor creature. It was quiet around him, the woods deep and full of shadows. He looked around, trying desperately to confine his labored breathing, his eyes darting back and forth between the barks, but there was nothing. Slowly he continued, keeping as quiet as possible and listening to the sound of the birds to be warned when a group was coming.
He paused by a small stream that murmured through the grove, letting the horse drink and looked around. He had no idea where he was or which direction he had to go. On top of that he knew only a few people at court and had no idea who the traitor might even be. Only that he, Peter, was the next on his list was obvious.
The boy sat down, exhausted, frightened and hungry, pondering on what to do. He had no chance than to move on, trying to reach a village to somehow make it to the capitol city from there. He pondered how he should do this without money or supplies but he had no other chance than to try. Better to not talk about his heritage he thought when he drank some of the water and then led the exhausted horse alongside the stream through the wood.
Somehow he had made the escape from the clutches of the thugs it seemed, because he didn’t meet a single soul on his way through. The thicket was almost impenetrable and he stayed close to the water to find his way.
In the early evening the trees grew lighter and then he stepped out of the woods and found himself between fields and meadows on the foot of the mountains. The tall and blueish structure of the towering rock caught the setting sun between the peaks, making it seem like molten gold that dripped on the country below.
It seemed that his flight had brought him far away from the right path since the kingdom enfolded to the other side but maybe that was what had saved him. The thugs had chosen the opposite direction for their search and lost him.
In a slow pace Peter rode down a small path between the fields, following along to a tiny village that laid secluded between trees and hills. It appeared tiny and somewhat rundown to the eye. This was apparently not a place where the mountains could be passed, so that no merchants and travelers came through. A perfect place to stay the night and make plans if the young prince found a way to get food and shelter without money and without showing his true identity.
Surprisingly the villagers welcomed him warmly in their midst. Peter presented himself as a merchant’s son who had been ambushed while on the road with his family and goods, and barely made it out alive. In fact, the villagers seemed not really to care about his made up story, which relieved him. The less questions, the better.
They asked to tell some stories from the roads since for a long time no traveler had found his way to them and that they were more than happy to exchange some simple food and a place to rest for some news from afar. Peter gladly complied and told them that the king was dead and the youngest son on his way to the castle to be crowned and rule over them all, more he had not to share since his own life had been so secluded. But that was enough apparently, the settlers satisfied and his belly filled with earthen food.
Peter went to bed in a barn, sleeping on the hay. Exhausted as he was, his eyes closed as soon as his head rested on the rough wool of the blanket he had been given, hope for the future in his heart.
***
Peter woke suddenly, in the middle of the night, to people grabbing him on wrists and ankles.
‘The thieves, the traitors! They found me!’ was his first thought but when he fought the relentless grips and glared at the pursuers he saw the townspeople surrounding him. Their faces were stern and the atmosphere tight but with purpose and Peter knew that their agreement to let him rest in their midst had been a pretense to get him into their grasp. But why?!
“What do you want? I have no money and no goods! Take my horse if you must, but let me go!”
But no one answered to his demands and pleas. They dragged him out of the barn and to the village’s border, onto a meadow that was crowned by a large rock in the middle.
Peter’s eyes went wide and his limbs shaking when he saw the ropes that were prepared, to bind him to hooks that were screwed into the rock’s surface. Dark blotches on the rough surface indicated that this stone had seen helpless bodies before and what had happened to them. His blood ran cold and he fought against the hands that pulled him nearer but it was to no avail. Without further ado they bound him to the rock, his hands above his head, his feet together, ignoring his desperate curses and pleas and questions.
Peter felt cold sweat run down his back at the sight of the villagers. Their faces showed no triumph or madness, but determined focus. They didn’t do this because they liked it, they didn’t want to hurt him, but apparently they were dead serious in what they were trying to accomplish.
Somewhere a bell banged loudly for a couple of minutes but then it became quiet. The villagers had left him here for good. The frantic beating of his heart was all Peter could hear.
Dawn started to roll over the fields, painting the sky in bright pink and orange, while Peter was tightly secured to the rock, helpless and alone. The villagers had left without any explanation. Was he to be eaten by wolves or bears? But why lure them to the village like this? It made no sense! He pulled at the ropes, wriggled as much as it was possible but he was not able to free himself and all that he accomplished was to raw up his wrists. His breath was quick and in panic when he watched the sky turn silvery and then blue with the slowly rising sun.
The village was quiet behind him, but it was not the only thing that held its breath. No bird, no insect – nothing stirred. The people had retracted into their houses and except for Peter’s breathing it was quiet.
And then… he heard it.
A rushing and flapping like leather that was thrashing in the wind. It was quiet at first and he only noticed because his senses were pulled tight to a breaking point. But it soon grew more prominent! The sound neared from the mountains and when he looked up he felt his blood run cold as if someone was pouring ice on him.
From the mountains a creature neared the village. A long and slender body, covered in gleaming red scales with strong legs that ended in claws, leathery wings flapping with loud thudding sounds, the head of the beast crowned by majestic horns and glowing golden eyes.
A dragon!
Peter started to pull on the ropes, now aware that this was indeed an altar of sorts to sacrifice people to the beast that was coming nearer with each second. But he could as much free himself as before, doomed to watch his fate closing in on him while his whole body was gripped tight by fear. If he had not been scared out of his mind, he might have found it in him to admire the beauty of the creature. The dark red scales reflecting the sun, speckled with golden dust that made the beast almost look like clad in noble armor. In the middle of its chest rested a blue diamond that shone in the morning sun. But despite power and beauty, to be confronted with such a beast was a nightmare and all Peter could do was hold on tight to his consciousness.
The dragon arrived in front of the bound prince. It landed with a loud thud, his wings flapped one more time to regain balance. The strong wind pressed Peter to the rock but even if not, he would have not moved an inch, he was frozen in place by the pure sight of the majestic beast.
The dragon moved on four legs, his claws gripping into the earth. He slowly neared the rock and his prey. Large nostrils twitched when he took in the scents, while he looked around for a possible threat with his big golden eyes. Deciding the situation to be safe, he came closer, his large and strong body moving with an elegance such a massive beast should not be able to possess. His tail lashed from one side to the other while he sniffed some more.
Peter felt tears well up in his eyes. This was to be his end. Not to be king of his father’s land, or even falling to the hands of the same traitors that had murdered his family, but to please a cruel beast in this godforsaken place. His body trembled in place in the face of death, but he did not move an inch and did not look away for a second. If he was to die here, bound to this damned sacrifice rock, he at least would end his life upright and with the eye to the nemesis ahead.
The dragon tilted its head and blinked. He sniffed again and came closer, now towering above the helpless boy that was tied up like a present. He bowed low and moved his muzzle over the trembling form, inhaling the human’s scent. Then he lifted his head again, looking around for a moment as if he was thinking why this person was presented to him.
Peter felt the body heat of the dragon, saw every gilded dot on the beast’s head while it came even closer, sniffing him all over. The gleaming eyes held not the gaze of a beast however. The young prince saw intelligence there and an old soul.
Maybe… there was hope?
“Please…” he whispered with trembling lips, begging for his life but also for his lineage’s future and his kingdom’s destiny.
The dragon straightened up. The eyes of the boy followed his movement and become so very wide when the beast raised his clawed paw.
The sharp talon cut through the air, aiming for the bound form. Peter closed his eyes, preparing for his death…
… that did not come.
The claw cut through the ropes on his ankles and then on his wrists, freeing him from the stone. Peter sagged forward but was caught by the paw that closed around his torso with no difficulties.
The dragon pulled back before he launched himself into the air, dragging Peter with him like he was nothing more than a puppet. The young prince however, felt his body hauled upward in a tight grip, his legs dangling helplessly beneath him. Flapping sound around him grew stronger with the powerful movements of the dragon’s wings, pulling him and his prey away from the village, leaving into the light blue morning sky.
Frozen with shock Peter stared at the creature that had decided to not murder him on the spot but to take him away to an unknown future.
Oh gosh I’ve been gone for a bit ._. sorry about that ya’ll!! I’ve been wrapped into the Harry Potter fandom recently and it’s got quite the hold on me ha
I do plan to work on the next chapter of After Hours soon tho which is fun :)
But in the meantime, I drew this lil 2 frame animation recently— and thought it was kinda cute (the anatomy/lighting is iffy but yknow,, it’s okay, it’s the feeling that counts XD)
Definitely has a *Peter realizes he has more than a hero worship kind of attraction towards Tony after he follows the older man outside for a break from whatever is going on inside*
