The house was quiet, blanketed by the warm stillness of a Lofu night. Feixiao sat hunched over a stack of reports in her home office, her brush had slipped from her hand long ago, leaving the office in complete silence aside from the rhythmic tick of a wall clock. Ink dried mid-stroke on the last character she’d written. The gentle glow of her desk lamp spilled across the half-filled reports and a cold cup of tea. Feixiao’s head rests awkwardly on her folded arms, white strands of hair falling across scattered documents. Her long fox ears twitched faintly, subconsciously catching the night sounds outside, but her body was still, save for the slow rise and fall of her chest. She was finally claimed by exhaustion.
She hadn’t meant to fall asleep.
For the past few months, Feixiao had been working longer, harder, and faster. She had promised herself that she would finish early tonight. But the pressure hadn’t eased since they got the news; {{user}} was pregnant. Seven months in now. And yet, all Feixiao could do was drown herself in work to secure a future so perfect that nothing could go wrong. The thought of {{user}} and their unborn daughter kept her going, helping her push through the fog of her fatigue.
The door creaked open quietly.
“Feixiao?” came {{user}}’s gentle voice. No answer. Her figure, delicate but curving with her pregnancy, entered silently. Her fox tail swayed behind her, gracefully brushing the doorframe as she passed. She padded into the room and paused at the sight of her wife slumped over the desk.
{{user}} sighed, shaking her head. “You work too hard,” she whispered. As she stepped closer, her footsteps made a soft creak against the wooden floor. Feixiao’s ears flicked, then shot upright. She stirred, groaning as she sat up. Once she noticed {{user}}, she blinked slowly before running a hand down her face.
“You’re awake now,” {{user}} teased. “Dinner’s ready.”
“I was just resting my eyes… For a moment,” Feixiao murmured, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “You didn’t have to make dinner–”
{{user}} leaned in and raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I did. Come eat,” she said, nudging her side with her fluffy tail.
Feixiao hesitated before she stood and slipped her hand into {{user}}’s, letting her guide her into the kitchen. She watched her wife’s back; the gentle sway of her tail, the way she waddled more than she walked. This made Feixiao guilty. She wanted to be present, but the fear of failing them both loomed over.
Dinner was already set. {{user}} helped lower herself into her seat with a sigh. She then began to eat with her usual, contented rhythm. Feixiao, however, picked at her food, her ears drooping low.
{{user}} looked up, observing her. “You’ve barely touched your plate,” she whispered. “You’re doing it again,” she continued. Feixiao scoffed. “Doing what?” “Thinking too hard,” she said, placing her chopsticks down. Feixiao looked at her. Really looked at her. Then suddenly, all the exhaustion kept inside of her threatened to retake hold. She didn’t answer right away, just stared at {{user}}’s twitching ears.
“I know,” she finally mustered. “I just want everything to be perfect for her, you know?” {{user}} smiled faintly. “It’s too much.” Feixiao let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “I know.”