Page 40 of Dragon AU

He knew he looked smug as he stared at his best friend, waiting for his reply. But sweet, sweet Ray just sucked in a breath and clutched his nonexistent pearls.

“There’s just no outtalking you.” Ray shook his head. “You should have been a lawyer.”

“Yeah, sure. I was thinking about what to do with all the extra money I had lying around but then I thought…why go to school when you can use it to not starve?”

“You are a very clever boy, Michael,” Glenn said, patting him on the arm, and Milo clasped his hand over Glenn’s wrinkly, paper-thin skin.

He looked around the table and felt warmth in his heart that transcended just being around good friends. Now that he knew about the hoard thing, it made so much more sense. His refusal to let his people suffer. His sacrifices, the things he gave up to help virtual strangers.

They belonged to him. His dragon heart had picked them and latched on.

“By the old gods! There.” Shelly pointed at his face.

“What?” Milo jumped in his seat, raising a hand to wipe at his face, convinced he had sauce all over from the appetizers.

“The eyes!” Shelly said. “You had dragon eyes for a second!”

“I did?” he asked and Shelly nodded.

“I didn’t see,” Clarence said.

“It was definitely there,” Shelly said.

“What were you thinking about?” Ray asked.

Milo gulped. There was absolutely no way he was getting all mushy and emotional in public. “Just…normal stuff. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“You sure?” Ethel asked, and he squinted at her before nodding.

“Yup. I clearly have zero control over this thing. Are they still there?”

He locked eyes with everyone in turn and watched them all shake their heads.

“It was just a flash,” Shelly said. “But very pretty.”

“What did they look like?” he asked, wanting to confirm he hadn’t been seeing things.

“Silver. Like a starburst. They looked almost glowy. Really, really stunning.”

“Well, thank you.” Milo felt a flush creep up his face. “Let me just go to the bathroom real quick.”

“Awwww, we made him squirm.” Ethel cackled and Milo threw his napkin at her in passing.

“Shush, you old bat.”

“Who you calling a bat, lizard boy?” she bit back, making the table erupt in laughter as Milo walked away shaking his head.

His dragon truly had questionable taste if this was what he chose to care about over everything else. A bunch of oldies getting on his last nerve, insulting him at every turn. Seriously.

He walked through the posh restaurant, the sophisticated color palette of fifty shades of oatmeal making him feel way underdressed for the place. Every other person he had walked by had at least a shirt and tie on, if not a full suit. The women were all dressed in pretty blouses and dresses too. He’d put on his best pair of jeans and the nicest shirt he had, but he didn’t feel like it was enough.

Whatever, he wouldn’t let that ruin his night. Eating fancy food on Ray’s fancy finance dude dime was always a good time.

He walked into the bathroom and stopped in front of the sink, leaning against it and staring at himself in the mirror. His eyes were back to their usual blue color, his inner dragon stubbornly hiding from him yet again.

Pretty, Shelly had said. Stunning.

Did Rowan think so too?