Let Me Ruffle Your Fur a Little

“We had a promise. Half an hour. No further from that rock. Mu’er, did you forget?”

Mu Mu’er also realises he is in the wrong now, and seeing Bai Yao’s grim expression, he apologises, “sorry… Yaoyao, sorry. Mu’er did not have a watch, and didn’t know the time…”

Bai Yao is actually furious this time. He does not speak at all with Mu Mu’er for the rest of the afternoon.

Mu Mu’er is also reflecting on his mistakes. He does not try the puppy eyes or sticking next to Bai Yao, but has gone to sit on a rock with his head hanging low between his knees.

Bai Yao’s temper has mostly flared down when sleep time rolls around. Ignoring Mu Mu’er for the whole evening is probably punishment enough.

After sitting in the tent alone for a while, he becomes a little worried when Mu Mu’er is still not coming in. He’s probably already sad he was yelled at, not to mention he needs to hold hands to sleep.

He sighs, and makes his way out in order to coo him back in.

Mu Mu’er has been sitting on a big rock on the beach the whole night, but Bai Yao doesn’t see him there right now.

The beach is dark at night, with the light from the campfire of the tent only extending a few metres out. He’s going to call out when he notices a ‘rock’ near the coastline move.

He squints his eyes. Mu Mu’er is sitting on the edge of the beach, atop the soft sands. He’s practically buried half his legs in there. His silhouette appears so small and pitiful.

Bai Yao walks over, and before he says anything, notices the large pile of seaweed Mu Mu’er has in his lap. He’s rolling them over his body, having already completed the task for his arms. He’s burying himself in them.

He realises something.

Sea otters hold paws when sleeping to stay together in the lashing waves; mother sea otters would tie their babies in long seaweed like a seatbelt for them.

Mu Mu’er isn’t planning to come back to the tent to sleep. He’s going to sleep like this for the night.

With his anger already subsided, and only hoping for Mu Mu’er to simply reflect on the danger of his deeds, Bai Yao is quite shaken and is regretful.

He caresses Mu Mu’er’s head, “why not come back in to sleep?”

Mu Mu’er didn’t even notice Bai Yao coming up from behind. He’s really sad and wants to cry, and even his hair is soft and drooping down like he is.

He doesn’t say anything for a moment.

“What are you doing?” Bai Yao changes the topic, and asks Mu Mu’er, pointing to the seaweed.

“Mu’er will float away…” Mu Mu’er says quietly, not raising his head still, “if Mu’er floats away, Yaoyao cannot find Mu’er anymore…”

A few teardrops later, the little guy holds the seaweed more tightly, and says, “… Mu’er does not want to.”

Bai Yao feels his chest tightening in pain. It’s pressing on his heart; he’s suffocating.

Once again, he feels that he is not treating Mu Mu’er good enough in the year they’ve been together. He wonders if he could have done better for him.
How in the world could he have hurt his feelings so much again?

Bai Yao crouches to wipe the tears for Mu Mu’er, and gives him a gentle kiss on his tearful, wet cheeks, “it’s ok. Come, let’s go sleep. Yaoyao will hold hands with Mu’er.”

When he tries to unravel the little guy from the seaweed, though, Mu Mu’er shrinks a little, mumbling, “but Yaoyao is still angry.”

What are you to do if your darling is unhappy?

Well, what else but carrying him away and singing gentle praises and cheers until their mood improves.

He carries the little guy back into the tent. He’s a little cold having sat outside for so long, so Bai Yao wraps him up in a proper towel, and then stuffs him into the sleeping bag directly.

Mu Mu’er puts up no resistance, while blankly staring up at the starry skies.

Bai Yao thinks he’s still really sad, and so squeezes his earlobes a little, while wondering if he should apologise, “what’chu thinking about?”

“The Moon looks so round and bright, and tasty. It must smell so nice.”

“…?”
“Hey, it’s our anniversary. So let’s not fight anymore, alright?” Bai Yao pokes the boy on the chin to get him to look at him, in order to plant a kiss on his lips.

Mu Mu’er’s eyes are still quite distracted.

Bai Yao can’t help but feel like Mu Mu’er is going to ask ‘what is ‘a-ni-fer-sa-ri’? Is it tasty?’

“Definitely don’t go so far out next time, ok? What if Mu’er really got carried out by the waves?”

“No more. Mu’er will not go far anymore,” Mu Mu’er holds hands with Bai Yao, who immediately pulls the hand close to his chest, like he is never going to let go once more.

On their held left hands, there are two matching silver rings. They sparkle in the starlight, as proof of their love, as witness to their promise.

When Bai Yao put the ring on Mu Mu’er’s finger, he gave him a single word of promise, spoken with a volume only Mu Mu’er could hear.

‘Forever.’

When the two are together, whether they’re by the sea, or in the mountains, or anywhere else, it is home. Home is where the other person is, for they are the shelter they can always retreat to.

The seasons pass, and every day they spend together from now on, the distance between them will be no further apart than a trip to the general store in the town buying a bag of limes, and telling the owner, “please hurry. I’ve got someone waiting at home.”
And when Bai Yao returns, Mu Mu’er will hand a cup of coffee at just the right temperature to him, before squeezing into a hug to say, “Yaoyao, please be quicker next time. Mu’er waited for so long.”

The tent is much warmer inside than outside, but even so, Mu Mu’er unwraps the towel around him to give it to Bai Yao, in order to move into his lap.

“Yaoyao is not angry anymore?” Mu Mu’er asks, looking up at him with the most genuine trust and love, “Mu’er loves you. Mu’er will always love you.”

Bai Yao lowers his head for a deep kiss, mumbling into his mouth, “yeah, I love you too.”

Love you, whether you’re in the north or south, whether it’s spring, summer, autumn, or winter.