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Pitaya Dragon recalled the Sun being a star. A ball of fire, hanging in the sky far above them all. A beacon of light in that deep, dark, endless ocean others called space. Great and terrible, in its untameable power - but ultimately, ironically, cold. Unfeeling. Stiff and lifeless, gazing down at the world with its bright yet blank stare.
Yes, that's what the Sun is. That's what it's supposed to be. Pitaya Dragon knew this, if nothing else at all.
So what changed? When? How?
When did the Sun grow legs? When did it come down from the sky and begin to walk the earth, same as those it shone its light upon? When did it learn to speak? To think? To feel?
What made Pitaya Dragon start to realize how handsome it actually is?
It was all Pitaya Dragon's fault. He knew that, somewhere within the stubborn confines of his heart. But far be it from him to admit to such folly. Such foolishness. It was unbecoming of a being such as he. A deity so powerful, so fearsome. So great and terrible. Far more so than that Sun could ever hope to be.
And yet, the Sun chose to try to defy this unassailable truth. To betray its station, its very nature. To assume the form of a broken, smoldering pile of flesh and bone, clinging to life as the flames of the Cradle of Burning Chaos spilled over it and lapped at its charred skin, tearing its body apart, burning that precious life away.
Stubborn. Just like Pitaya Dragon was.
It was amusing, how pitiful it looked - or it would have been, had Pitaya Dragon not quickly come to find it more fascinating instead. Surely, it should be dead by now? Only Pitaya Dragon himself could withstand the eternal flames without fear or injury. Not only did the Sun abandon its post, not only did it choose to adopt this... feeble mortal avatar, but it chose to barrel ahead and endanger itself so recklessly? What did it stand to gain from it?
It was its voice that first began to turn the tide of Pitaya Dragon's opinion. An agonized rasp, forcing itself through gritted teeth. A harsh sound that Pitaya Dragon suspected made the throat it came from ache terribly. But it rang out nevertheless, strong and clear (somehow) in spite of the circumstances. And it was aimed at him. The Sun was addressing him.
The Sun asked Pitaya Dragon for help. For the chance to fight Death another day. And in exchange - in exchange? - the Sun would grant Pitaya Dragon a wish. Whatever he so desired.
The mere utterance of this foolhardy offer shook Pitaya Dragon to his core. No one, not once, has ever offered him anything. It was Pitaya Dragon who granted wishes; who sat and watched little fools throw themselves at his feet and plead for him to make their sad little dreams come true. A dragon's benevolence - or pity, whichever one it really resembled more - was a luxury few could afford. And yet now, the Sun- this bold and daring Sun decided to turn the tables and try to usurp Pitaya Dragon's role?
It was shocking, and it was offensive. And Pitaya Dragon wanted more.
He would accept this offer and save the poor little Sun, of course - if it drank from the Valley's sacred drink. Just one sip, that's all Pitaya Dragon really wanted. That was more than he expected it to handle.
But it handled it just fine. More than fine. Into its mouth and down its throat the lava juice went without so much as a split second of hesitation. Deeply impressed, Pitaya Dragon told the Sun to drink the whole glass in exchange for a wish - taking back his rightful place as the person truly in charge, but also taking it upon himself to grant the Sun something extra, for free. Because Pitaya Dragon truly was impressed.
Once again, the Sun did as it was told. Pitaya Dragon saw it wince, saw it start to curl in on itself in yet more agony as the drink boiled it alive from the inside out - but it didn't stop. Not until the glass was empty. Its hand fell limp at its side when it was done, the glass falling to the ground with a loud clatter. A single drop of lava juice still staining its lips an ethereal red.
Yes, Pitaya Dragon would save the little dying Sun. He would be remiss not to.
In the place of the glass went a fiery red bead. From it, a sudden eruption of flames that swallowed the Sun's person whole. Screaming - cries of pure, primal agony rang in Pitaya Dragon's ears. The Sun began to rise, parting from the scorched earth beneath it. The screaming turned to laughter. Loud, raucous, almost deranged laughter. That rang in Pitaya Dragon's ears, too. Loud and clear. Burrowed straight into his skull.
He was disappointed when it stopped.
But with the death of the Sun's laughter, and the slow unraveling of the flames, came something new. Something better. The fire faded, burned out - and in its place stood a man clad in a dark suit, a jet black cape billowing out from behind him. Fiery red hair - fire, it was actual fire, burning tall and bright and in such brilliant, enticing colors - and ruby red eyes, glinting with joy and mischief. A pitch black obsidian staff in one hand, little veins of glowing magma coursing through it... and perched at the top was that very same bead. This token of their deal. A symbol of their newly forged bond.
Smiling - his smile was so bright - the Sun asked Pitaya Dragon what his wish was. Pitaya Dragon couldn't help but cross his arms and grumble at the question, muttering something or another about ridicule from the other dragons under his smoky breath. But the Sun didn't seem to mind. Quite the opposite; Pitaya Dragon saw the corners of his mouth curl in amusement, and his shoulders shake in silent laughter.
Pitaya Dragon already knew what he wanted. He'd known it from the moment the Sun offered him the deal in the first place.
He just wanted the Sun to stay. To continue forsaking its sacred duty and stay behind here, on Earth, in the Dragon's Valley. Let it and its inhabitants selfishly hoard its warmth and light for themselves. To tend to the Flow of Life; Pitaya Dragon had long since grown weary of watching that thing, and didn't trust any mortals to do so in his stead. The Sun was strong; stronger still now that Pitaya had granted him a piece of his power. He seemed capable. He will do.
...To stay there with Pitaya Dragon. Keep him company. Show him what other acts of bold defiance he was willing to perform, because now Pitaya Dragon was simply dying to see more.
...He didn't really tell him that last part. That last part stayed right where it was, nestled in the back of Pitaya Dragon's throat. Hiding in the shadows of his heart.
The Sun was smart, wasn't he? Or he seemed like it. He seemed to believe that about himself. He could piece it together on his own.
It would seem as though the Sun had quite the personality, Pitaya Dragon came to find. Quite the personality, indeed.
The Sun had a clever tongue. Sharp at times. Cruel, even, if you tempted it enough. But he wielded it well, all things considered. Always an answer for everything, always a comeback of some sort. Should there be a last word, whether in an argument or a simple conversation, it would be his and his alone - and he would whisk it away from you with a chuckle and a sardonic smile.
The Sun enjoyed laughter. His own, first and foremost, and whether or not it came at the expense of others wasn't necessarily a cause for concern for him. A trickster streak; a love of sarcasm and mockery, even - perhaps especially - in the face of indignation or danger. His sense of humor was... an acquired taste for some, Pitaya Dragon included (at least, when it was aimed at him). But he came around to it. Quicker than he would have imagined, honestly.
The Sun feared nothing. Nothing he was willing to make known to anyone, anyhow. The Sun spoke confidently, thought boldly, acted recklessly... He made mischief in the Valley's tribes, on the other islands... Both with Pitaya Dragon and at Pitaya Dragon's own expense. He seemed to be bothered by Pitaya Dragon least of all, in fact, always ready and willing to question his power and wisdom even at the cost of the dragon's patience. Even as the dragon chased him over the burning peaks and through the ravines and into the deep, dark caves, the glow of his ever-burning hair and the anger in Pitaya Dragon's eyes acting as the only real sources of light. Even when the clash of his staff against Pitaya Dragon's sword rattled him to his very core, and almost sent him flying into a rock wall. Pinned to the ground in eventual defeat, staring up at Pitaya Dragon from the tip of the blade pressing into the space between his chin and his neck, wincing as it made a small puncture wound in his throat - and he was still smiling. Still flashing that cocky smirk at him, even as he struggled to catch his breath. The laughter he so loved to make only a tired chuckle then, but still lively and genuine enough to be heard and felt. And some sort of obnoxious remark, for he always had to have the last word, even as the obvious loser.
Pitaya Dragon couldn't stand it... but, as time passed, he came to see that he couldn't stand not having it, either.
Time went on to become Pitaya Dragon's greatest enemy, for it held him in its iron grip and dragged him along in its unending march onward - and on this unwitting journey, he was forced to see certain things. Like how the Sun's eyes took on a certain twinkle when he was thinking of something amusing. Or how his hair rose and fell, and even changed color to a degree, in accordance with his mood (and how fun it actually was to witness in person). Or... the Sun's face in general. His nose, his cheeks, his pointed ears. The softness of his lips, the brightness of his smile. The cute, flaming bangs that swiped at his left eye.
He sang beautifully. Moreso than anyone Pitaya Dragon has ever heard before or since, save for his eldest sibling (he wondered what Longan Dragon would say, if he found out that he'd taken the Sun out of the sky and grounded him permanently?). Listening to it granted him a sense of... calm. It soothed his nerves, stilled his heart. He would catch the Sun humming under his breath, and go and demand ask him to sing louder, so he could hear better. (And the Sun always obliged. He'd laugh and make a lighthearted jab at Pitaya Dragon for asking him such a thing, but he would oblige him nevertheless.)
Deep within his heart hid a soft spot for children, funnily enough. Pitaya Dragon had caught him more than once, playing with the tribes' young ones when he happened upon them preparing the dragon's tribute. He seemed to enjoy annoying them, and they annoyed him in turn - but never once was there any true malice on either side. There was no bite in the Sun's words; no weight behind the swing of his staff when he tapped them on the head or shoulders. He balked at and denied every teasing accusation Pitaya Dragon made, but it was clear as the sky he hailed from that he was fond of children (and they were fond of him in turn. They were always happy to see him, despite the bickering and bantering. It reminded Pitaya Dragon of how he once was with Ananas Dragon in their youth...).
He was a challenge in every sense of the word. Pressuring Pitaya Dragon in their duels (of which there came to be more and more, because what an interesting opponent the Sun turned out to be, even if he lost more often than not), inciting him in their arguments, confounding him with his little games and tricks and turns of phrase. He, like Pitaya Dragon, found excitement in chaos - but the chaos he seemed to favor was the kind that had Pitaya Dragon stomping his feet and pouting like a child, grumbling and griping and huffing and puffing (and maybe turning his face a bit red... just a little bit). There was good inside of him - true, honest warmth and benevolence, lurking within the Sun's core - Pitaya Dragon knew this, sensed it. But he most certainly made finding it and bringing it out of him a daunting task at times. It was a miracle he convinced Pitaya Dragon to tolerate him, never mind convincing the other legends to be his friends.
...No. No, Pitaya Dragon didn't tolerate him. He... thought a bit better of him than that. Much better. A little bit more each day. Each time he had to endure the Sun's handsome face and irreverent demeanor, during every verbal and physical sparring session, and in those moments where he uncovered those little soft spots.
Time forced Pitaya Dragon to reckon with the truth eventually. Time, both spent alone and with the Sun by his side, combined with all of those beats his heart started to skip. And the instinctive tuning of his senses to the Sun's presence - to his aura, to his scent. And the crushing emptiness dwelling in his nest, that only grew more pronounced each time he retired to it at night.
That damned Sun, in his unending pursuit of amusement at Pitaya Dragon's expense, decided to cast a spell on him on top of everything else. He ended up taking something else besides the red bead. Something more important. Something Pitaya Dragon never imagined anyone in the whole world would...
Ah... so the Sun has come to suffer the same fate. Pitaya Dragon had successfully retaliated against the theft of his heart by stealing the Sun's own right out from under him - with Pitaya Dragon taking his time noticing he'd even done so. And not only did he try to hide it, he thought he hid it well... He truly did know how to make Pitaya Dragon laugh.
Pitaya Dragon wondered if it was a game. Another one of the Sun's little attempts at being clever. Well, two could play this particular game, and play it, Pitaya Dragon gladly would. It was the least the Sun deserved, for everything he put him through.
A deeper look into those ruby eyes, long enough to have him look away out of forced shyness. Taking greater advantage of that gap in size and strength (Pitaya Dragon was significantly taller and stronger than him, and neither of them ever truly forgot it) and using it to command more of his attention. Standing toe-to-toe and towering above him, staring down at him with a suggestive smile. Sneaking up on him and pouncing (Pitaya Dragon can be far stealthier than he usually acts, if he actually tries). Pinning him to walls, to the floor, watching and feeling him squirm. He noticed his cheeks take on the slightest tint when Pitaya Dragon spoke a certain way - and so Pitaya Dragon went ahead and spoke that way all the time, dressing his words in that tone and cadence just to keep pressing that button over and over again.
If the Sun understood the intent behind Pitaya Dragon's words and actions, he made no real sign of it - but he clearly understood that Pitaya Dragon was doing something, and that satisfied him well enough for a while. Soon enough, the joy battle and bloodshed brought Pitaya Dragon was rivaled by the joy brought to him by the warm glow of the blush that exploded across the Sun's face when Pitaya Dragon leaned in close and purred something into his ear. He was equally as pleased with the sound of the Sun tripping over his own words - knocked off of his cocky pedestal at long last - as he was with the sound of swords clashing. He relished both the feeling of the earth crumbling under his weight, and his claws tearing apart flesh and bone, and the feeling of the Sun's heartbeat quickening as Pitaya Dragon once again took advantage of any closeness and felt his pulse in his wrist or neck (not too gently, granted, but... outside of a flustered complaint, the Sun made no effort to stop him). He was... Pitaya Dragon never thought he would ever use this word to describe anyone or anything, but he was cute. His reactions to Pitaya Dragon's behavior were cute. Adorable, really. Pitaya Dragon lived for them.
How long would their little game last? Which one of them would give in to the other first?
The game lasted quite a while. Longer than Pitaya Dragon thought it would. He admired the Sun's stubbornness, at least.
But alas, Pitaya Dragon's patience ran out. For once, someone proved to be more stubborn than even he was. And now he's sick of it.
It had been a normal day for them. A normal conversation. A normal round of playful banter; the same kind they always had. And during it, the Sun let his mask slip the slightest bit (he may not be hiding his feelings well, but he was clearly still trying and clearly refused to stop) - and with it went Pitaya Dragon's own, straight to the ground. Right out of existence.
Pitaya Dragon cut their back-and-forth short with a sudden bout of laughter. When the Sun asked what was so funny, he moved right past the question and told him it was time to stop playing pretend. When the Sun balked at this and demanded to know what nonsense Pitaya Dragon was on about, Pitaya Dragon once again ignored him and instead rose from his molten throne and stalked towards him, closing the gap between them and leering down at him in mere moments.
"You're in love with me, Fire Ssspirit."
A statement? An accusation? An honest question? A sick joke? Which one was it meant to be? Which one would get him to talk?
"What- I-I don't know what you're talking about. You've been breathing in too many volcanic fumes, you dumb, old bastard-"
Denial. Embarrassment. That pretty blush Pitaya Dragon loved to see, staining his cheeks a bright peach color.
"Ah, ah," Pitaya Dragon cut him off, wagging his finger disapprovingly. "You've played thisss sssilly game with me long enough. I won't let you go until you sssay it."
He really was tired. The game had been amusing, until it wasn't. Until that hunger for something more became too great. He had hoped to make the Sun break first; to have him succumb to Pitaya Dragon's ploys and pour his aching heart out to him out of unmanageable desperation. It angered him to lose, even at a game as pointless as this one - but it angered him far, far more to not have this unspoken truth between them finally be acknowledged. He's tired. He's frustrated. He's lovesick. He won't let him get away anymore. Not until he says it.
And he finally did, after the longest staredown of their lives.
"Okay, fine. I might... sort of... maybe have a little, tiny thing for you. There, are you happy? Is that fucking better?"
Oh, Pitaya Dragon was happy, alright. Happier than he's been in a long, long time.
Happy enough to finally kiss him, after laughing triumphantly in his face again.
...Or he thought he kissed him. He thinks that's what a kiss is. Crushing their lips together as hard as he can, biting at them, licking eagerly at his chin and his lips and into his hot mouth. Swallowing up all of his little moans and whimpers, digging the claws on one hand into the nape of his neck and the others into his flaming locks, trying to do the impossible and force him even closer. That's how kissing works, right?
Pitaya Dragon had to assume so, for he had no frame of reference - and he had to assume he did a good job, if the look on the Sun's face was anything to go by.
He asked if he wanted more. The Sun broke out into a massive grin and said yes right away.
Pitaya Dragon gave him exactly what he asked for, like he did in the deal they made all those eons ago. And, also like in their deal, he decided to give him a little extra, as a treat.
...That "something more" he'd been starving for for so long hadn't only been a kiss.
If you traveled back in time to when Pitaya Dragon still lorded over the Dragon's Valley by his lonesome and told him he would one day have a mate he adored and would gladly share power and leadership with, he would struggle to choose whether to cackle in your face, or strike you down where you stood for the sheer insolence of it all.
It was good he didn't know any time travelers. He's already endured more than enough "I told you so"s from Ananas Dragon growing up.
Their relationship wasn't perfect, no. Pitaya Dragon was... Pitaya Dragon, and the Sun- no, Fire Spirit was... well, Fire Spirit. Somewhere beneath their many layers of unyielding pride and stubbornness was the admission that they could both be quite impossible in their own ways. There was no shortage of arguing and bickering between them; they did that plenty before, and they certainly weren't going to stop now. Not when Pitaya Dragon abandoned him and the Valley for several years straight just to trash a friendly rival's house while whining about wanting a duel. Not when Fire Spirit refused to inform him when he found a lost child in the Berry Forest, and instead chose to raise her alone and in secret, until he no longer could. Not when they had to remain separated for the duration of the war against Longan Dragon. Not when an impostor took over the Dragon's Valley, drove all of the tribes out and had Fire Spirit on the ropes trying to fend it off - and Pitaya Dragon was missing during all of that too, only showing back up at the end to attempt suicide out of sheer spite towards the impostor and regain his lost power and defeat it by sheer dumb luck (and also saddle them both with a dragon baby to look after afterwards). Not with all of those little flaws they had and those little mistakes they made in between. Absolutely not.
But... even so. Even with all of that. Even with Fire Spirit's rude, arrogant, devil-may-care attitude. Even with Pitaya Dragon's recklessness, his selfish tendencies, his lack of tact and emotional intelligence (and he does not acknowledge any of this lightly; no dragon would admit to even a single personal flaw without sufficient reason). Even with their flaws, their mistakes... They were simply too attached to one another to let those drive them apart. After all of that time together, before taking each other as lovers and after, they came to the firm conclusion that they were worth the trouble.
All of that trouble was worth Fire Spirit teaching Pitaya Dragon how kissing actually works (he was a slow but eager learner, and they both thoroughly enjoyed themselves regardless). All of that trouble was worth the honest smiles and laughter they would bring out of one another, whether on purpose or by complete accident. All of that trouble was worth Fire Spirit's adorable whining and complaining as Pitaya Dragon diligently groomed him (as all dragons do to their mates regularly, as an instinctual token of affection), juxtaposed with him still leaning into Pitaya Dragon's touch despite his supposed disdain. All of that trouble was worth Pitaya Dragon's nest not feeling so empty anymore - not with Fire Spirit there, wrapped up in his loving embrace (he keeps telling him that he all but crushes his bones to dust at night and he snores "like a motherfucker", and yet he still snuggles into Pitaya Dragon's chest and hums in contentment when he buries his face into his neck. So who's the real winner here?). All that trouble was worth them having that sweet little rascal around for them to raise together (and Fire Spirit is good with kids, which makes it better and easier).
Yes, Pitaya Dragon was quite happy with his life. With their life. If you came to him before and told him things would end up this way, that the deal he would one day strike with some hapless, dying mortal for his own personal amusement would lead him down such an unexpected path, he wouldn't have believed you - but they did, it did, and he's glad. If given the chance, he wouldn't change a single thing.
He loved Fire Spirit. He adored him with all of his heart, beyond the shadow of a doubt. His partner, his mate, his treasure. His dear Sun, this bundle of ever-burning passion and ever-shining brilliance. This beacon of light and warmth that Pitaya Dragon hoped would illuminate the world - his world - forevermore.