#this time though

Their heart was beating fast, and tears were streaming down their face, both from the shock of what was happening, but also from happiness. To see Flynn like this, to hear the words, it filled him with an elated feeling, which meant the tears just kept coming.

Flynn: So… Elarin Millar, Emil, will you do this young, annoying boy -he winks- the honor of marrying him in a very human fashion? Will you stay with me?

Emil swallowed at the last words, they remembered that day when they had asked him the same before he left, and then again over on the other side... If they would stay with him, and come home. They had said yes that second time, and although it was hard to see him through all the tears, they could see that same man there, with the same uncertainty in them, and the hope of a positive response.

Emil: Yes. 

It was the only thing he could manage to whisper, before they found themselves pulled into those strong familiar arms of Flynn, which made him cry and laugh in a mix Flynn had never heard before. Kissing the top of Emil’s head, he just stood there for a while, just waiting for him to calm down again. Sitting down on the bedroom floor together, they looked at each other, Flynn reaching out a hand to once again clear some tears off Emil’s face.

hugs for everyone too tired to even hug back 

The dragon blinked, looking at him with what he could only see as a mix of hope, fear, and sadness all in one. He could sense it though, it was still on edge, and the slightest provocation would probably trigger another anxiety attack. The only safe way he could do this was to leach its energy, and hope it would be like Vy, having an avatar that it could turn into.

River: I’m not going to hurt you, I just want to help. This will feel a little strange, but I hope it can change you back.

He noticed the look once more, and what he could interpret as the smallest move of the head as if the dragon was nodding. He started draining magic, slowly, hoping something would change, but he could sense the lurking anxiety it was building faster than he could drain the energy without basically overdosing himself on it. He would need to work faster, and binding the dragon to himself as a familiar was the fastest way.

River: Will you trust me?

There was another small movement he could interpret as a nod. With that he stopped his spell, changing it to the calming one for just a bit, to help calm it down again. Then he cast the binding spell, the large dragon, unlike Emil, did not fight him, his form shrinking until a small golden-colored dragon was lying in its place, River picking it up gently.