Morning arrived slowly.
The soft sunlight filtered through the tall curtains of the room, scattering golden hues across the still-warm bed. Kael awoke slowly, first aware of the comfortable weight on his chest… and then the warmth.
Inari slept in his arms.
Her white hair was spread across him, a few strands possessively wrapped around his waist and one leg, as if even in her sleep she refused to let go. Her face was relaxed, serene—nothing remained of the intensity of the previous night.
Kael observed for a few seconds.
Then he chuckled softly, so as not to wake her.
"Sleeping like this you're even cute…" he murmured. "You don't even seem like the crazy woman who decided to test every possible limit last night."
Inari mumbled something unintelligible, her nose wrinkling slightly before she snuggled even closer. A soft sound escaped her throat—almost a purr—as one of her tails twitched on its own, reacting to the touch.
Kael couldn't resist.
