'Azure's here.'
Florian's arms tightened around the little dragon, his tears soaking into the cool shimmer of Azure's sapphire-blue scales.
His chest ached, every sob tearing out of him with the force of someone who had been holding in too much for far too long.
The sound of his own crying seemed too raw, too fragile, echoing faintly in the quiet of the room.
"I missed you," he whispered hoarsely, pressing his cheek against the tiny creature's warm body. His voice cracked as if the words themselves had been buried for years. "Gods, I missed you so much."
"Kraaa… Kraa…"
Azure answered with a soft trill, the little chest vibrating against Florian's palm. It tilted its head and leaned forward, licking the salty trails off his cheek.
The rough, ticklish sensation startled a broken laugh out of Florian, though his breath still hitched with each sob.
The sound came out jagged, like he couldn't decide whether to cry harder or smile through it.
