Tortoise and Fox [BL]

2.4

"Understood, alright."

With a voice as soft as a passing dragonfly, Li spoke to his plants one by one. He tilted the bottle carefully, watching as the soil darkened with moisture.

"Evenin' Dajie, how was your day? Not too cold?"

The tall fern did not respond. It was a fern.

Li moved on, unfazed. A clear voice cut sharply through the carefully cultivated atmosphere.

"Why is your speech directed toward plants, whom my database has yet to upload information regarding living conscience or vocal cords? They are just things."

Li felt a tinge of annoyance, as he finished watering Sanjie with easy words. Suddenly, the voice repeated itself in Li's ear, the low timbre vibrating in the air.

"Li? Did you hear me?"

"Ah..!"

He naturally jerked away in surprise, spilling some water onto his own lap. Li's eyebrow twitched. He surveyed the wet patch on his clothes, eyes dark.

"Yes, I heard you, damn Tincan."

He placed the water bottle down and stood up with a sigh.

"Tincan, my precious plants are more than just 'things.' It's my hobby to raise 'em, watch 'em, and keep 'em growin' big 'n strong."

"Hobby? But what does a recreational activity have to do with attempting futile communication with organisms unable to think for themselves?"

"It's 'cause I believe that makin' small talk to my plants lets 'em grow faster. You know, treat 'em with love 'n stuff. And don't you dare fact-check me on that with your database, it ain't somethin' I wanna know if correct or incorrect. It doesn't matter none."

"Understood. But why expend so many resources on them to begin with? It is not beneficial long term for yourself."

"It's a hobby, Tincan."

"But what does a recreational activity-"

Li slammed the bathroom door loudly, blocking off Ume's words. He shouted passed the door.

"But, but, BUT! But nothing, Tincan, I'm taking a leak. So piss off for a minute before I piss on you!"

The silver-haired angel went mute. Ume reflected carefully, at a loss regarding his current investigation method via communication with Li. He observed several spikes of impatience, concurrent to when Ume was around to ask about Li's routines.

Of course, Ume was an angel that lacked expertise in humans, despite his plethora of objective human data. He wouldn't know that a person like Li, unused to a secondary presence by his side after so long, had difficulty acclimating to the clingy and talkative angel. Human emotions are complicated, after all.

Compared to Yu's special treatment and Li's close attachment to the fox, Ume concluded there was a disparity. Ume exchanged an empty glance with the fluffy fox that, despite being in its winter coat, was all bundled up in a blanket.

"He treats you with significantly more patience."

"Ao."

Yu's barks rang out softly, giving off the impression of laughter. Li stepped out of the bathroom after calming down and doing his business, only to see Ume's scrunched eyebrows aimed at the fox laying innocently. When Ume occasionally strayed off his neutral, icy expression, Li felt that he looked a lot more human, in a way. His almost angry eyebrow pinch was kind of adorable to Li, reminding him of an upset child that had candy taken away. When Ume caught wind of the short-tempered youth's sight, he called out.