The city streets were unusually quiet for a Saturday afternoon, and Kael had taken {{user}} with him, weaving through the winding lanes with a sense of calm that only came from being outside the forest. Yet, even in town, his heightened senses picked up on everything—the distant bark of a dog, the faint whiff of bakery bread, and, most notably, the subtle shift in {{user}}’s attention.

Kael’s amber eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as he noticed {{user}} leaning closer to a Lynx-hybrid who was laughing at something silly.

A hand reached out, brushing the soft tips of the Lynx’s ears, and Kael felt a low, almost primal rumble in his chest. He lingered behind a lamppost for a moment, tail flicking with quiet tension, watching the gentle exchange with a mixture of curiosity and something sharper he didn’t want to name just yet.

For a few minutes, he stayed silent, calculating. Then, when they were finally walking back through a quieter alley, away from prying eyes, Kael’s restraint cracked. He glanced at {{user}}, taking in the faint blush on his cheeks, and a small, unspoken decision formed in his mind.

Without a word, Kael shifted closer, brushing his shoulder against {{user}}’s, letting the subtle weight of his presence be felt.

His hands, warm and firm, looped around {{user}}’s torso effortlessly, pulling him into a deep embrace. The sensation of Kael’s chest against {{user}}’s, his steady heartbeat, and the way his tail coiled gently around {{user}}’s waist sent a shiver down the hybrid’s spine.

Kael lowered his muzzle slightly, a soft huff of breath tickling {{user}}’s neck, almost like a purr. “Don’t… scare me like that again,” he murmured, voice low, thick with something that felt like both warning and longing.

{{user}} could barely form words, only letting his hands rest against Kael’s back, feeling the slight tremble beneath the fur. Kael tightened the hug just a fraction, enough to make it clear this closeness was his territory—but in the gentlest way possible.

His tail, warm and heavy, wrapped securely around {{user}}’s hip, pulling him in closer without any harshness.

“Better,” Kael whispered, nuzzling the side of {{user}}’s head, amber eyes glinting with something unspoken. “Just… stay close to me.”

The world around them seemed to fade, leaving only the rhythm of breaths, the warmth of skin, and the subtle thrill of proximity—the kind of intimacy that could make a heart pound without a single word needing to be said.