Chapter 40: 35

Chapter 35

A Big Pile of Fluffy Goodness

Translated by boilpoil
Edited by boilpoil

 

Bai Yao is cooing Mu Mu’er, running his hand gently along his back. It seems, though, that even if they are holding hands tightly, Mu Mu’er is still unable to calm down.

He has buried his face in Bai Yao’s chest. Worried he might start choking, Bai Yao tries to push against him a little, but Mu Mu’er responds by hugging even more tightly. Bai Yao can only look around, trying to find something to distract him.

He happens to see Qi Ya’s postcard which he left on the table. The snow leopard depicted really is quite dumb and cute. A big pile of fuzz, fluffy like a ball.

An idea hits him. Bai Yao furrows his brow a little while working out if this is one silly idea.

Sentient beastkins do not show their animal forms lightly – in fact, it’s even insulting to both parties. Like showing a human their naked form and streaking out in public, but somehow worse.

However, the boy crying into his chest gives him no time to hesitate. If it is for the sake of calming this terrified boy, no price is too steep.

Another streak of lightning brightens the sky outside. While Mu Mu’er stares outside the window in terror, Bai Yao quickly undresses himself, then controls his body to transform back into his snow leopard self.

The pain is familiar and almost soothing, even. He has almost forgotten the peace and comfort he feels when transformed back into his original self.

A thick coat of fur is growing out of his body. His palm widens and thickens into a paw. From his back, a thick and long tail emerges.

Bai Yao shakes his head a little while he reaccustoms himself to this body. It has been a really, really long time since his last transformation, and he scarcely remembers how it felt to perceive the world as an apex predator on the top of the food chain.

He can hear the rain much more crisply, and the sound of leaves rustling that was concealed in the rain earlier, and even the footsteps of squirrels looking for shelter some distance away.

Even the scents in the room have become more prominent——From the hot cocoa he put down on the bedside cabinet, to the body wash and shaving cream in the bathroom, to even the smell of the old pages in books.

And the most noticeable smell among all these, is the smell of fear from Mu Mu’er, who didn’t notice his transformation at all. He has buried his head in his arms, hiccoughing every so often. His shoulders are shaking up and down, up and down.

Bai Yao does not want to scare him, so he makes a little whimper to attract his attention instead. He lies down by the side of the bed, to look less threatening, and lowers himself as much as possible.

Mu Mu’er hesitantly looks at the source of the noise, and he gasps a little seeing him. He isn’t frightened, but remains unmoving, even slowing his breathing in turn.

He didn’t see Bai Yao transform, so he only knows that Yaoyao is gone, and there is now a big fluffy cat in the room. It looks just like the one he saw on the ‘postcard’ before.

Mu Mu’er immediately goes tense when realising this, and starts looking around for Bai Yao. Yet the person he is looking for is nowhere to be seen.

He only knows that he can turn into a sea otter, but does not understand that there are also other sentient beastkin around, or that others can also turn into animals.

“Yaoyao?” Mu Mu’er calls out, and no response comes. He calls out a little louder, “where is Yaoyao?”

After looking all around once more, he begins to panic. He whimpers, and calls again, “Yaoyao…”

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Bai Yao’s tail wiggle a little, and he makes a grumbling sound with his throat. When Mu Mu’er looks back at him, he gently bumps his head into Mu Mu’er’s finger.

Mu Mu’er takes a deep breath, and stares at where Bai Yao touched his finger. He can’t help but whisper, “… soft.”

He is not shaking as bad anymore, with his attention completely enraptured by the big, fluffy cat. Mu Mu’er wonders how it can be so soft, but suddenly, he remembers this is the same animal on the photograph. He becomes nervous again.

“Don’t eat Mu’er, ok?” He negotiates with the big cat, “Mu’er is not tasty.”

He raises both hands and covers his eyes, stealing glances out at the snow leopard from between his fingers, “I am not a sea otter. There are no sea otters.”

Bai Yao roars very quietly in agreement.

Not tasty. No.

That is when a series of thunder strikes once more. Streaks of lightning flash across the night sky, and most of the foliage in the garden is now tumbling about the ground. Further out, the waves can be heard lashing forcefully against the beach.

Mu Mu’er shudders once more and shuts his eyes in reflex.

Bai Yao takes a few steps forward, and places his long tail gently on Mu Mu’er’s wrist, then wraps it around the wrist like a bracelet.

Slowly, Mu Mu’er becomes distracted once more. The thick and soft layer of fur on Bai Yao, and his fluffy tail wrapping about his wrist has piqued his curiosity. Mu Mu’er looks at his hand, and looks quite inquisitive.

Bai Yao knows what’s on his mind, so he starts purring slowly, and takes another step forward, moving his head towards Mu Mu’er’s hand, barely staying a few centimetres away, waiting for him to touch him of his own volition.

A moment later, Bai Yao feels a very gentle touch on his head. It’s a careful, slow hand that ruffles from his forehead all the way to the back of his head. It feels like a feather fluttering past, as if he’s afraid he’d hurt Bai Yao.

Mu Mu’er makes a barely audible ‘wow’ sound, and his mouth opens a little in surprise. He looks at the large and imposing predator with amazement in his eyes.

After Mu Mu’er has had enough petting and retracted his hand, Bai Yao nimbly leaps onto the bed, and lies down next to Mu Mu’er. He paws at one of Mu Mu’er’s hands, and then holds it within two of his own.

The snow leopard’s paw is large enough to engulf the boy’s hand completely. Bai Yao is also careful not to accidentally release his sharp claws that might scratch the boy’s hand. He touches him with only his soft meat pads.

Soon enough, the boy beside him also lies down flat, and starts nuding himself into Bai Yao’s embrace. The snow leopard’s fur is the softest and warmest on the tummy, and so Bai Yao also moves to make sure the boy is able to stick to his tummy.

Mu Mu’er is small enough to retreat entirely into Bai Yao’s underbelly. An adult man should be about the same height as a snow leopard standing up, but Mu Mu’er is at least a whole size smaller. Right now, he looks more like a fluffy toy than the big cat next to him.

Unlike his distant cousins in the big cat family, snow leopards have tails that are almost as long as their entire body – reaching over a metre long. So Bai Yao wraps his fluffy tail around the boy, securing him firmly in his lap, and using the tail as his blanket.

Mu Mu’er, meanwhile, with his head buried in the snow leopard’s chest, and listening to its firm and steady breathing, is finally forgetting his fears. He sticks closer to the giant kitty, and brushes his face against its chest.

Soon, he no longer hears the torrential downpour going on outside. Instead, all he can hear is a slow but stable purring from the snow leopard beside him.

The rain, the wind, the thunder have all turned into a lullaby, as a snow leopard holds a boy in his lap, and both fall deep asleep in the warm and sleepless house.

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