The moment the small drake left his hands, it was like someone took a spoon and started scooping and hollowing out his heart until nothing was left.
The Mad Dog caught the beast easily, almost lazily, one hand wrapping around the trembling creature as if it weighed nothing at all.
"…Heh."
He chuckled, voice rough and filtered, sounding a bit more like a breath than an actual chuckle. "You're smarter than you look."
Aren didn't respond. He had no energy to open his mouth, not after what happened.
His hands were still half-raised in the air, like it was a self-conscious attempt at punishing himself for giving the drake away.
The Mad Dog weighed the beast in his hand before looking at it closer. The drake trembled with every movement, cowering as it used its paws to cover its eyes, as if doing so would make the man disappear.
But he didn't.
He backed off, satisfied before giving Aren a grin. Even if he couldn't see it, he felt it.
"I can see why she likes you."
