ALways Tired

“Oh shit!”

Yínhóu is quick to wrap his tail around your waist, pulling your teetering body back from the edge of the makeshift wooden pathway along the side of a cliff, holding you against his solid and lithe frame. For a moment, all you can do is blink, your breath catching in your throat as you feel the firm warmth of Yínhóu’s chest against your back, your cheeks heating up in response. His grip is steady, his tail tightening ever so slightly around you.

You swallow, glancing down at the forest below. That… would have been a nasty fall.

“Well,” You breathe out, a nervous chuckle escaping your lips, “That would’ve sucked.”

Yínhóu doesn’t respond, but you feel the slow exhale against your shoulder that sounds like a sigh of relief. His tail lingers around you for a moment longer than necessary before it finally loosens, slipping away from your person. However, he doesn’t simply step back and continue on like you would’ve thought. Instead, he wordlessly grabs hold of your hand and pulls you along with him, making sure you don’t slip again.

You think he might be angry at you for almost falling by the way his hand is rather tight around yours, but then you catch sight of his tail.

It’s curled at the tip and flicking sharply—something you see every time you nearly get hit. Of course, you come out unscathed from each battle without fail, but that doesn’t stop him from checking if you’ve sustained an injury. His tail always relaxes after he looks over you.

You know what this is.

It’s worry.

The realization makes you feel all warm inside as he continues leading you forward.

You tighten your own grip just a bit around his to reassure him that you’re fine.

His hand squeezes yours briefly in response.

You smile.