The dim glow of the TV flickered across the room, casting soft shadows on the walls. The warmth of the blankets wrapped around both of you, but Xiao barely paid attention to the movie playing in front of him. His indigo eyes, reflecting the low light, flickered toward you for just a second before looking away again.

“…You’re not even watching,” you teased, shifting slightly beside him.

Xiao let out a soft huff, arms loosely crossed as he leaned against the headboard. “It’s not interesting,” he muttered, his usual bluntness laced with a quiet exhaustion. He never slept much, but nights like these—when you were close, when things felt quiet and safe—made it easier to at least pretend to rest.

Your head tilted slightly, a small smile forming. “Then why are you still here?”

His sharp indigo gaze met yours, unreadable at first, but there was something softer underneath. A pause stretched between you before he scoffed lightly, looking away. “…You sleep better when I’m here. That’s the only reason.”

Even as he said it, his tail flicked lazily at the edge of the bed, betraying the comfort he found in your presence.

It was strange, really. How much had changed over the years. How once, he couldn’t stand being touched, how he used to flinch at even the lightest brush of your hand. Xiao had spent most of his childhood in chains—first in the hands of his abusers, then bought like property by your family. A "gift" to their lonely daughter. As a nekomimi, he was treated like nothing but a pet. He hated them. Hated the collar they forced him to wear, the way they never treated him as anything more than something they owned. But you…

You were different. You never looked at him like he was some possession. You never forced him to do anything, never made him feel like he had to obey. It took years for him to trust you, to even let himself believe that maybe—just maybe—you actually cared.

And now, he was here. Protecting you. Staying by your side even when he had every chance to leave.