Beshiro sighed. “I know, but it’ll be good for you both to have a break and see some family. You’ve been gone a long time. Come home, rejuvenate, and then you can get back out there with fresh eyes.”
“Yeah… yeah, you’re right.” Oakley offered him a small smile as they leaned on the counter across from him, Jed, and Phae. “It really will be good to see everyone.”
“Pretty sure Ker’s throwing you a party,” Beshiro said, smiling again.
Jed elbowed his brother. “Dude, you weren’t supposed to tell them.”
“What?” Beshiro looked alarmed. “No one said it’s a surprise party.”
Phae raised an eyebrow. “Even I knew it was a surprise.”
“Are you serious?”
Phae nodded. “Yep.”
Beshiro made a horrified face, then buried it in his hands, groaning. “Oh my Mother, Ker’s gonna kill me!”
Jed gave his brother a side hug. “He probably will.”
Beshiro snorted and tried, unsuccessfully, to shrug him off. “Thanks a lot, ass.”
Oakley said, “I can pretend I don’t know. I’ll act surprised.”
“Your acting skills aren’t that good.”
Oak gasped in horror at Jed. “I’ll have you know I’ve convinced several douche canoes to take me home by acting like I was interested. They believed me.”
“They were also drunk and don’t actually know you. There’s no way you’re fooling your best friend, of all people.”
When I glanced at Oakley, I saw them frowning and looking genuinely offended, and maybe a little upset. They’d been doing really good work here and had been working so damn hard to get to get to this point too, so I wasn’t surprised that Jed’s comment had hurt them. Even though I knew he’d only meant it as a joke.
My body was moving before I realized it. I threw my arm around their shoulders, rubbing their biceps as I spoke. “I beg to differ. Oak’s acting skills are top-notch.”
Oakley sent me an appreciative expression, but Jed rolled his eyes. “Of courseyouwould think that.”
Beshiro elbowed Jed this time, giving him a look I couldn’t interpret, then turned to Oakley. “I’m sorry I ruined your surprise.”
They shrugged, and the movement made me realize I was still holding onto them. I started to pull away, but to my surprise, Oak leaned into me. So of course, I didn’t move. I didn’t want to risk discouraging any type of touch from them. And I definitely didn’t want to take away any comfort they sought out, whether they needed it or simply wanted it.
If they’d let me, I’d offer comfort to them every single day, all day long.
The thought made me hold back a small grin, and I refocused on the conversation around me.
Oak said, “Seriously, Shiro, it’s no big deal. None of us will tell, Ker, right?” They looked around at Phaeron, Jed, and me. “Right?”
I shrugged, Phae took a sip of his blood, staring at the other dragon, and Jed grimaced, saying, “I won’t tell him on purpose, but if he asks me directly, I won’t lie to him.”
Beshiro nodded. “Fair enough.”
Oak grinned at him, then leaned their head on my shoulder for a minute while I held them against me before they stood and pulled away so suddenly, I still had my arm out while I blinked at them.
My head tilted to the side as I stared at them. “Um, you good, Oak?”
“Mhm. Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” They headed out of the kitchen, calling out, “I’ll be back in a few minutes to eat!”
I stared after them for a few seconds. Had I… made them uncomfortable?
Why else would they have run away like that?
