At the end of their first month living together, Emma was horrified to discover—every piece of her clothing was covered in fox fur.
Whether it was her academy robe for class, her protective gear for alchemy, or even her most intimate nightwear, once brushed by a certain fox's tail, it would be left with fine strands of silver fluff. Every morning she had to spend an extra quarter hour carefully cleaning with purification spells.
"Fox Lian," Emma held up a robe covered in silver hairs, glaring helplessly at the culprit sipping tea leisurely, "is this your shedding season?"
Fox Lian set down his cup, his tail unconsciously sweeping across the table and dropping a few more hairs. His violet eyes flickered, tone tinged with offended grievance: "We foxes live in eternal spring. We don't shed."
"Then what's this?" Emma pointed at the evidence.
"This is…" Fox Lian paused, then declared righteously, "a mark of love."
Emma: "…" She was speechless.
Worse, Fox Lian began to invade her life more blatantly.
Her dressing table suddenly held a comb identical to his. Her medicine cabinet contained fox clan beauty balm. Even her favorite talisman brush had a fine silver tail hair wrapped around its shaft.
Most outrageous of all, one day Emma discovered her treasured ancient alchemy notebook—every single page tucked with a shining fox hair, as if stamped with his exclusive seal.
"Fox! Lian!" Emma brandished the notebook, furious enough that if she had a tail, it would have exploded.
Fox Lian, who was in the middle of wrapping his tail around her waist to pull her closer, froze, blinking innocent violet eyes: "I was making you bookmarks."
"Who uses fox fur as bookmarks?!"
"Now someone does." He hugged her tighter, chin rubbing her hair, tail swaying proudly. "This way, whenever you read, you'll think of me."
Emma was torn between laughter and exasperation. Her anger melted away. She sighed, rubbing his soft ears: "Childish."
Fox Lian closed his eyes in bliss, a satisfied purr rumbling in his throat: "Childish only for you."
Though cohabitation was full of "sweet burdens," Emma had to admit she was quickly adapting to being surrounded on all sides.
She grew used to waking in the scent of tea, used to instinctively seeking his warm embrace, used to stroking the tail beside her while thinking, even used to the silver hairs that could never be fully cleaned from her clothes.
That night, Emma woke from a nightmare. In her dream, she was once again a child, terrified by a fluffy spirit beast, the suffocating fear leaving her chilled.
"Emma?"
Sensing her trembling, Fox Lian woke instantly, tail wrapping her tight, warmth enveloping her.
"Nightmare?" His voice was drowsy yet tender, ears perked in concern, brushing her cheek.
Emma buried her face in his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat and the tail's comforting embrace. The nightmare's shadow faded.
"Mm…" she murmured, fingers clutching his nightrobe. "Dreamed… of the past."
Fox Lian understood immediately. He lowered his head, nose brushing her hair, tail patting her back like soothing a frightened cub.
"Don't be afraid," his voice was steady in the night. "I'm here."
He paused, then added smugly: "I'm now certified—safe and harmless fluff."
Emma laughed, the gloom vanishing. She lifted her head, found his lips in the dark, and kissed them softly.
"Yes," she whispered against his lips, "my favorite fluff."
Fox Lian's tail wagged joyfully, wrapping them tighter.
The next day, while sorting her clothes, Emma realized she had unconsciously tucked a few silver fox hairs into her sachet.
And when a certain fox discovered this secret, he strutted all day, tail high, walking with pride.