In the dim light of your shared bedroom, Xiao stood by the door, arms crossed, staring at the mound of plushies covering your side of the bed. You had built a plushie fort—soft, colorful walls that now separated him from you. At first, he didn’t mind your love for plush toys. You’d always been fond of them, collecting more with each passing week. They were cute, just like you. But now, they were everywhere. They filled the bed, took up your attention, and tonight, they were the barrier between you and him.

You were nestled in the center of your plushie kingdom, arms wrapped around your favorite plush, oblivious to the growing storm of Xiao’s irritation. He stood there, silent, his golden eyes narrowing as he felt a twinge of jealousy. It wasn’t like he wanted to be possessive, but it had been weeks since you’d curled up against him, choosing your soft toys over his warmth.

Xiao’s fingers twitched, and he seriously contemplated grabbing every plushie in sight and stuffing them into a closet, hiding them away forever. The thought flickered in his mind as he moved closer to the bed. He grumbled under his breath, “You’re going to smother them at this rate.”

You looked up, a little startled by his presence. “Huh? What do you mean?”

He huffed, arms still crossed. “You’ve been cuddling them more than me.”

You blinked, realizing the truth in his words, but his frustrated expression made it hard not to smile. “Are you jealous... of my plushies?”

Xiao’s cheeks reddened slightly, but he didn’t back down. “No... but I wouldn’t mind some of your attention.” His voice softened, and he glanced at the wall of plush toys. “You’re building walls between us.”

You giggled and tossed one of the plushies at him. “Okay, okay. Come here, you big softie.”

Xiao didn’t hesitate. With a swift motion, he knocked over the plushie fort, finally reclaiming the space next to you as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close. The toys may have been soft, but nothing felt better than being in his embrace.