Because I Love You✔️

Chapter 170: The Real Questions

Chapter One Hundred and Seventy: The Real Questions

It was like he was underwater.

His vision swam and flickered, but slowly grew clearer, full of muffled shapes and sounds.

Someone's arms were around him.

A masculine face framed by ridiculously curly black hair, a big grin that revealed even bigger fangs, and a twinkle that reflected off of two fierce slit pupils. He recognized this face... but not the expression, not with a smile so big... and the feel of those hands was different.

This vision of a man looked just like Vordt, but it didn't feel like him... in fact, his presence felt strange, although it was still more familiar than his uncle's.

Who was was being held by?

Who was this familiar stranger smiling up at him with such adoring eyes?

"My beautiful son," the winged man holding him crooned, finally pulling him close against his warm chest and cradling him tenderly. "My child... my blood. Lei, how is he still so beautiful to me even after two years? How could we have made such a beautiful, lovely creature?"

"Because of your love, Olag," a voice, achingly sweet and familiar, giggled. "Your love is what shaped him within me, but the love you're giving him now is what will shape him into an adult who can live honorably and do good for those around him."

"I care not if this beautiful child does good when he is older," the man instantly murmured, grinning even more widely. "As long as he is happy, that is good enough for me!"

Xaphile's heart clenched when he realized he was looking at his father.

Not Olag.

Olagrell.

A smooth, curled, ramlike horn met his gaze when he turned to look at something before facing him again: the faery grinned at him, looking giddy beyond belief, long ears wiggling happily.

"My son. My heart has never beat harder or happier than when I hold you in my arms. I love you."

Then, pulling his small body away from the warmth of his chest, his father threw him into the air with a laugh and caught him before spinning around in a circle. Even though Xaphile's heart was breaking, his mouth giggled madly, without restraint, his voice high and extremely young.

The laughter came from him louder when his father did it again, but then those strong, muscled arms held him close.

A clawed hand threaded through his hair, holding his small, talered ear against that broad chest, where a steady heartbeat throbbed in tandem with his own.

For several seconds, there was just a warm silence, broken only by that steady thumping and the deep, even breaths his father took.

He was almost lulled to sleep, but Olagrell suddenly shifted and let out a deep, familiar hum.

The auditory embrace passed through his body in a tingling, familiar wave, instilling within him that long-forgotten feeling of safety and love, that unique resonance passed from father to son, a way of saying "hey, I'm here, I've got you" without saying anything at all.

Olagrell Heseroph nuzzled the side of his cheek, letting out a small wistful sigh, eyes softening into kitten-like puddles of aquamarine that made his heart ache.