[Who could recoil from such exquisite scales? If they feared a dragon, he could understand such a reaction, but Runyu is...gentle. Xingchen wants to comfort him. His hand rests, warmly, on the scales and he frowns at the sigh.]

You're... [Not only a god, not only a dragon, but...the Heavenly Emperor? He remembers Runyu's earlier request and somehow keeps himself from bowing with his forehead to the floor. But his heart beats wildly against his ribs nonetheless.]

She should have acted as your guardian. If I had one natural son and one adopted son, I would see no difference between them. They would be mine to protect and raise.