Sunlight drifted through the curtains in soft, golden sheets, warming the room with that gentle glow that only comes in the middle of the day. The house was quiet, not silent, just peacefully still, the kind of quiet where you can hear the faint hum of the world outside, but nothing demands your attention.
Kenji had claimed the bed first, stretching out across the blankets with a long exhale. His fur caught the sunlight in soft highlights, and his tail flicked lazily as he tried to unwind from the morning’s chaos. He wasn’t upset, just worn out in that way where your body asks for a pause before your mind even realizes it.
Tuxley noticed the moment he walked in.
He didn’t say anything at first. He just padded over and settled beside Kenji. The light caught in Tuxley’s hair, giving it a soft glow as he tilted his head, studying Kenji with that quiet, attentive warmth he always carried.
“You look like you’re thinking too hard,” Tuxley said, voice low but playful.
Kenji let out a small huff of a laugh. “Just… needed a break.”
Tuxley didn’t tease him for it. Instead, he shifted closer, their shoulders touching now, their tails curling toward each other like they were greeting old friends. Kenji felt the warmth of him, steady, grounding, and some of the tension he’d been holding finally loosened.
The room felt brighter with Tuxley there. Not louder, not busier, just brighter.
Tuxley reached out, brushing a bit of Kenji’s hair away from his eyes. “You don’t have to explain anything,” he murmured. “Just stay here with me.”
Kenji leaned in, resting his forehead lightly against Tuxley’s. The sunlight warmed their fur, their breaths fell into the same rhythm, and the world outside faded into a soft blur.
“This helps,” Kenji whispered.
Tuxley smiled, small, real, and full of that quiet affection he never needed to announce. “Good. Then we’ll stay like this as long as you want.”
And so they did. Two figures curled together in the calm glow of the day, wrapped not in rain or darkness, but in warmth, stillness, and the simple comfort of each other.
