Let Me Ruffle Your Fur a Little

Chapter 72

A Shy Little Sea Otter

Translated by boilpoil
Edited by boilpoil

When Mu Mu’er practically confesses, an idea zips through Bai Yao’s mind, quickly enough he fails to suppress.

Why didn’t the boy kiss him on the lips.

Of course, the thought disappears as quickly as it comes.

He thinks about all the different ways he can respond, and his rational side winds out. He asks, “Mu’er, Yaoyao wants to know why you said thanks.”

Mu Mu’er answers without hesitation, “because Yaoyao stops bad people, and gives Mu’er scallops. Yaoyao treats Mu’er very well.”

Bai Yao thinks he understands, then.

‘Like’ is just Mu Mu’er’s gratitude in this case, right now.

However, Bai Yao does not need him to thank him. He likes Mu Mu’er in a way that makes gratitude unnecessary. Only then, can he like him without reservation, the same way couples do; the same way couples don’t need to say thanks. Not for giving him seashells, not for making seafood fried rice, and not even for holding hands and sleeping together. A ‘thanks’ would ruin it.

He wants that, one day, when he kisses Mu’er, the boy would not need to be thankful, but affectionate.

A ‘me too’ threatens to emerge from Bai Yao’s throat, but he stops himself in the end. Instead, he goes with the rational response.

“Not now,” he says, with a slightly more stiff tone, trying his best to avert his gaze from Mu Mu’er’s lips.

Bai Yao believes Mu Mu’er does not yet understand the implications of the words ‘to kiss’ and ‘to embrace.’ He doesn’t understand what a boyfriend is like, what sex is, or what the line between friends and significant others are.

He must wait until Mu Mu’er knows what they are and how they are different, before giving him a good and proper kiss.

“Oh, not now,” Mu Mu’er does not seem too saddened being rebuked.

He simply sees kissing and embracing as a way to express ‘like,’ but if Bai Yao doesn’t seem interested, he can just do it another way that Bai Yao might be interested in.

He is only trying to let Bai Yao know that he likes him, very, very much. The means is not important to him. For example, he’d be happy to leave all the delicious food to Bai Yao if he finds some next time.

A happy Mu Mu’er continues hopping along, undeterred, in stark contrast to a slightly regretful Bai Yao. He knows Mu Mu’er is quite sensitive with emotions, and doesn’t want to hurt his feelings. He has never been an eloquent speaker, and he does not know if anything he says can be absolutely safe. He feels a little stressed and fettered.

When Mu Mu’er gave him the kiss, he felt his heartbeat hasten several times. He was frozen stiff, worried he might scare the soft little sea otter in front of him.

This is, of course, not the first kiss he’s received, but this kiss from Mu Mu’er just felt so special, so priceless to him.

Actually… he wants another.

But he cannot. At least, not until Mu Mu’er understands properly what kissing and embracing means.

There will be a day when Bai Yao manages to teach Mu Mu’er. Then he will offer him the choice, if he wants to actually be a couple with him, or maintain this slightly distant relationship.

His feelings for Mu Mu’er will remain the same whatever he ends up choosing.

Mu Mu’er is looking up the stairs heading back towards the restaurant. He feels too tired to climb up stairs. It’s so much more trouble than walking down.

He suddenly remembers the day when Bai Yao brought him home. He hasn’t transformed yet, and was unable to climb the stairs well. Bai Yao carried him up.

He brushes his hands together, before extending them out open, “Yaoyao, carry!”

The boy doesn’t seem to understand the concept shyness. He wants to be pampered, and says whatever is on his mind. He has opened his arms wide for Bai Yao to carry him upstairs.

Lazy little boy, huh. Bai Yao feels like smiling. His hands remain firmly in his pockets, not moving, and he shakes his head, “Yaoyao cannot carry Mu’er now. Mu’er has become heavy.”

So Mu Mu’er starts reflecting on the amount he’s been eating. Maybe he needs to stop eating the big scallops, or he’ll become even heavier. He frowns, the disappointment quite evident on his expression as he takes a few steps up.

If he keeps eating a lot, he won’t get hugs and carries anymore. That’d be very bad.

Before he walks onto the third step, though, he finds himself rising into the air. He’s held firmly in a warm lap, and he reflexively yelps, before relaxing, looking at Bai Yao, who is smiling right at him.

Bai Yao has swooped the boy up into his arms like he’s actually a boy, with his arm supporting his buttocks, and another firmly supporting his back.

The boy, meanwhile, has naturally wrapped his legs around the man’s waist. His feet, still shoeless, are swinging along with Bai Yao’s walking pace. He has also wrapped his arms around his neck.

Now that he’s exactly where he wanted to be, Mu Mu’er does not question Bai Yao’s teasing at all, but exclaims to himself, “Mu’er is hugging Yaoyao!”

Not the ’embrace’ and ‘kiss’ he was imagining, but basically the same. He’s a very well-behaved boy, and is happy with this.

Bai Yao pats him on the back, chuckling, “the little sea otter really doesn’t let Yaoyao make jokes, huh. Did you know how sad you looked?”

He thinks this is the first time he’s noticed how soft the boy really is. He feels no more difficult carrying him than an actual sea otter. It feels like his own heart is going to soften and melt at this pace.

Bai Yao is quite tall, so Mu Mu’er’s vision has also become higher and wider. Ever the restless adventurer, he tries to prop himself up even higher from Bai Yao’s shoulders to go even higher.

He has never looked at the sea like this before, and as Bai Yao continues moving up the steps, the scenery feels like it is still widening.

Bai Yao is worried the little guy might tumble if he keeps moving about. He locks the boy closer to him, stopping his movements.

“Settle down. You don’t want to fall.”

The obedient Mu Mu’er thus stops trying to get up in Bai Yao’s embrace.

Bai Yao tries his hardest not to think about how suitably small the boy feels in his lap, or how great it’d be if he can just keep holding him like this forever.

Mu Mu’er has also watched the scenery enough. So he turns his head back around and rests his head on Bai Yao’s wide shoulders, “Mu’er, was not sad.”

Bai Yao goes with the flow, “Mu’er wasn’t sad. Yaoyao saw wrong.”

The two are quiet as they ascend further up the stairs and onto the gravel road. When they’re almost home, Mu Mu’er speaks up once more.

“Yaoyao.”

“Mmhm?”

When Bai Yao vocalises, the vibrations from his chest are transmitted right onto Mu Mu’er’s heart. It’s powerful and reassuring. Their hearts are beating in unison.

Mu Mu’er snuggles against Bai Yao’s neck, “Mu’er wants to go to the beach again with Yaoyao, and walk. Can we?”

“Of course. If Mu’er wants to, Yaoyao will always come here with you, forever and ever,” Bai Yao speaks, his mouth getting closer and closer, until it almost touches Mu’er’s earlobes.

“When Mu’er is ready, Yaoyao will also be here. To kiss you.”
“Not just to kiss a rich boy from the Mu family, but to kiss Yaoyao’s little sea otter.”