Chapter 45: 38.1

Chapter 38.1

Why Do You Hide in the Closet Every Day?

Translated by boilpoil
Edited by boilpoil

 

Over the next few days, Bai Yao would transform when he’s not busy in the mornings so that Mu Mu’er can play with his beloved snow leopard. Neither the heat generated by his thick coat of fur nor the instinct to maintain his apex predator dignity can stop him from fulfiling the boy’s little wish of hugging the big fluffy cat.

Mu Mu’er is always excited beyond words whenever the fluff is here, with his eyes glowing like the Sun. He would hug Bai Yao’s snow leopard form gently, like he’s worried he’d hurt him.

Bai Yao finds this adorable. His sharp teeth and claws are much more destructive than a soft little boy like Mu Mu’er can ever be, even if compared to Mu Mu’er’s soft, plushy sea otter form.

Mu Mu’er couldn’t hurt him even if he squeezes as tight as he could, or chomped down on him. At best, he’d get himself a mouthful of fur.

Transforming into snow leopard, though, does carry with it one inconvenience – He wants to sleep a lot. Snow leopards generally spend 18 hours every day asleep. Bai Yao becomes drowsy almost as soon as he transforms, and wants to do nothing but turn on the fan and then nap on the sofa.

On Friday morning, Mu Mu’er is already asking where the big fluffy cat is as soon as he’s awake. Bai Yao can only go transform in another room, and resign himself to the role of large cat plushie for Mu Mu’er.

Less than half an hour in and he’s already sleepy. Maybe he should sleep in a little. Sauntering towards the sofa, Bai Yao leads Mu Mu’er along with the tip of his tail which Mu Mu’er is holding in his hand.

Next to the sofa, Bai Yao curls to jump, only to be heavily startled by a bang right behind him.

His body reacts before his brain does, and Bai Yao leaps three feet into the air as all his fur puffs up to appear bigger. His tail blows up to that like a squirrel’s.

Shit.

The feline body is far too sensitive to noise.

Bai Yao turns around slowly, his fur still on edge.

Mu Mu’er is crouching down to look at the ashtray he accidentally knocked over, then back at Bai Yao, all his fur standing on end from the shock. “Did I scare big floof?” He asks, and pets Bai Yao on the head, “it’s ok. Mu’er will pet you.”

The floor is thick with carpeting, so fortunately, the ashtray didn’t shatter.

Then Bai Yao sees Mu Mu’er fall into thought and then sits with his legs crossed in front of Bai Yao. Then he picks up one front leg of Bai Yao, and pulls the paw towards his lap.

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Bai Yao wonders what he is doing, and allows him to pull, while ensuring his sharp, crescent-shaped claws are tucked neatly inside his meaty pads. Then he allows his paw to settle between the boy’s palms.

Mu Mu’er, with Bai Yao’s big paw in his lap, smiles wide.

“We hold hands now. Yaoyao said, if you are scared, you can always hold hands,” he tells Bai Yao, gently, “Mu’er will hold hands with big fluffy cat.”

Bai Yao’s heart has melted into a puddle of water, rippling, sending warm shivers all across his body from the tip of his heart to the tip of his fingers.

Mu Mu’er has survived in harsh environments out at sea with other sea otters, bullied all the while, but he still finds it in him to care for others.

The boy is truly an angel. He remembers the smallest, most insignificant goodwill from others, and would do his utmost to repay the kindness. He has nothing material he could offer, and so offers the small but resilient benevolence still remaining hidden inside the soft part of his mind.

Mu Mu’er must genuinely believe he is offering solace for Bai Yao, as he looks satisfied and almost smug holding the big paw between his hands.

Then, to give Bai Yao a complete soothing experience, Mu Mu’er begins to hum a tune, one that sounds like a lullaby.

There isn’t a particular rhythm or melody, but the sounds are gentle and warm, like the first ray of sunlight in Spring that melts away the winter snow.

The snow leopard’s paw is big enough that Mu Mu’er cannot envelop it even with both hands. He ends up leaning forward a little, sinking into the leg, that the paw is hugged from all directions.

He then feels his way about Bai Yao’s paw, and squeezes the meat pad a little, until finally, the sharp, curled claw emerges.

Bai Yao is concerned Mu Mu’er may slash himself, and tries to retract the claw again, but Mu Mu’er seems unwilling to let go. He makes some hasty vocalisations as he squeezes Bai Yao’s big paw more.

Then he turns the paw over and puts it on his lap, and starts to count.

“One, two, three, four…” Mu Mu’er counts very diligently, and tilts his head, “and a very big five.”

Bai Yao then realises what he’s counting – his meat pads.

The boy has finished counting one paw, and starts eyeing his second paw, only abandoning the thought when he sees Bai Yao giving him glares.

He mumbles something as he squeezes the thick but soft meat pad already in his lap, which Bai Yao’s astute hearing picks up perfectly clear, “mine.”

Bai Yao doesn’t even know what to say. Oh great, his paws are not his own anymore.

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