The shift in the light was the first thing he noticed. It wasn’t a dramatic change, just the way the afternoon sun, already mellowing, pooled deeper into the apartment. It settled on Solara’s fur, deepening their grey to a bruised velvet, and warmed the curve of his flank. Yokarion shifted, instinctively seeking that warmth. He’d been restless, a low thrum of anxiety vibrating beneath his skin all day. Not panic, not exactly, but a persistent, unsettling hum.
He went closer, letting Solara’s broad wings settle around him. Solara’s chest fur, impossibly soft, a subtle counterpoint to the richer tones of his own form. It wasn’t a comforting pressure, not a forceful embrace. More like a gentle, weighted blanket, anchoring him to the present. Solara’s bulk was reassuring, a silent acknowledgement of his presence.
Yokarion’s hand, usually restless, found its way to the curve of Solara’s chest, tracing the smooth lines of his curves. It wasn’t a dramatic gesture, just a slow, deliberate movement, a tiny anchor in the swirling sea of his thoughts. He remembered, vaguely, a long time ago, when he’d been smaller, more prone to seeking reassurance…. Solara’s presence was a similar kind of solace – not a solution to any problem, but a quiet, unwavering presence that simply was.
He closed his eyes, the weight of Solara’s wings deepening the sensation. He felt the slow rise and fall of his breath, the quiet rhythm of his own heartbeat. It was a grounding practice, a way to pull himself back from the edges of his thoughts. He didn’t try to analyze the anxiety, didn’t try to force it away. He simply allowed it to be, contained within the safety of Solara’s embrace.
He leaned further into Solara’s side, feeling the heat radiating from his fluff. It wasn’t a romantic gesture, not in the way the stories told. It was something deeper. It was the feeling of belonging, of being fully seen and accepted. It was the most deep kind of comfort – the simple, unwavering knowledge that he wasn’t alone.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and read this small story!
Uncompressed version without watermarks and WIPs are available for Patreons here: (click)
Leave a Reply