The Dragon Lord's Aide Wants to Quit [BL] Chapter 481: A Little Assistance

A tearful reunion.

That was more or less what Riley had expected.

One where they’d all run toward each other, hearts swelling with emotion as they admitted how terrified they’d been and how, even if no one had wanted to say it out loud, there had probably been moments when they genuinely wondered whether they would ever see each other again.

He could already imagine how the whole thing would play out.

His mother would be in tears while simultaneously preparing to scold him for not calling for help sooner, while his father would probably give him far too many head pats despite being all choked up himself.

As for the Dravaryns?

Riley would be lucky if he didn’t get squeezed flat or checked over at least three times before anyone believed he was actually fine.

So yes, the black dragon had already imagined how this reunion might go.

Unfortunately, aside from a little hiccup he himself had caused involving one jebaited but still incredibly handsome golden dragon, any hopes of having such a melodramatic reunion quickly crumbled when Riley couldn’t help laughing at the faces of the two children who came rushing toward him.

He didn’t do it on purpose.

Swear.

But seriously, how was anyone supposed to keep a straight face while looking at those two?

They definitely had the tearful part down. In fact, they were so tearful that Riley suddenly wanted to bite their cheeks from how ridiculously loved and appreciated they were making him feel.

"Auntie was never given permission to die, so he definitely would’ve made it!"

Orien announced this with his little chest puffed out as though that settled the matter entirely, despite still looking visibly shaken himself.

And really, these kids were making it increasingly difficult for Riley to remember all those reasons why having children of his own supposedly wasn’t a good idea.

It certainly didn’t help that his circumstances were considerably different now.

Not that he’d ever actually experienced it for himself, but just like many of his classmates back then, there had once been a period in Riley’s mortal life when he’d worried about what job hunting would be like after graduating from university with such an obscure degree. He and his friends had even joked about how much they’d probably have to stretch every coin just to avoid asking their parents for money.

Now?

He could probably afford to feed more mouths than he could possibly count.

And even if he somehow managed to develop financial problems, scratching a little bit off his mate’s scales would practically print them dough.

Ah... truly, he couldn’t say they couldn’t afford them.

Finding the entire thought far too amusing, Riley could only squeeze the two children tighter against him as they giggled and complained.

Still, even without looking at the increasingly sulky Kael, who’d practically raced back to the Dragon Estate as though the entire continent were on fire only to have his plans interrupted by two children stealing his mate away, Riley could sense something just as concerning.

The anxiety radiating from Orryn and Ilyss Dravaryn.

Because unlike everyone else waiting for their turn, those two most definitely needed to speak with the child currently tucked safely in his arms.

Riley’s clear eyes moved toward them.

Orryn stood practically rooted to the spot, his hands opening and closing nervously at his sides, while Ilyss remained beside him with trembling lips and eyes that hadn’t once left her son.

Unlike earlier, when they’d been so bold, neither of them dared rush forward this time.

They simply waited, patient and terrified all at once. Their reunion had been cut short by everything that followed, and both of them understood where they stood compared to Riley and Kael, who had been there during the moments Orien needed someone the most.

Being this close to their son was already more than either of them had allowed themselves to hope for, so if keeping a respectable distance was what Orien needed at present, then they were willing to swallow every instinct urging them to go to him.

That painful restraint certainly didn’t escape Riley’s notice.

A soft warmth settled in his chest as he cleared his throat and gently patted Liam’s back.

"Alright, how about you two go get some real rest first?"

At the cue, the Hale couple immediately understood.

Renee stepped forward with an encouraging smile, opening her arms to give the children somewhere else to land once they left Riley’s embrace.

Riley nuzzled his face against the top of Liam’s soft hair, breathing in that familiar scent one more time before reluctantly handing him over to his mother so he could clear the floor.

Then he moved to shift Orien, fully expecting the golden dragonling to hop down as well.

Instead, the boy did the exact opposite.

A tiny, stubborn huff escaped him before he wiggled backward and buried his face against the side of Riley’s neck, pressing himself even closer to his auntie. His little hands tightened around the dark fabric of Riley’s flowing robes as though someone might try to pry him away.

The black dragon, suddenly moonlighting as a scratching post, couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at his lips.

Who would’ve thought he’d eventually become one of Orien’s safe spaces?

Not quite in the same way the little dragonling found comfort in Liam, of course, but safe enough that Orien could turn to him during moments like this.

Certainly not Riley, considering what the two of them had been like when they first met.

But here they were.

And as sweet as that realization was, Riley would love nothing more than for the child to have even more safe spaces to run to.

An even bigger family filled with people who loved and adored him.

His eyes quietly returned to the two people still waiting nearby.

Considering Orryn and Ilyss had quite literally fought tooth and nail just to make it to this exact moment, Riley figured there was nothing wrong with giving them a little assistance.