Forbidden ( a BxB Furry Romance )

Chapter 5

The air was quiet, save for the rhythmic hum of the air conditioner and the gentle sound of breathing.

Silas stirred first, his awareness surfacing slowly. His cheek rested against something soft and warm—something that rose and fell steadily beneath him. For a few moments, he lingered in the haze of half-sleep, his mind slow to process the closeness. There was an arm draped loosely across his back, and his own hand was tucked against what he realized was Kael's side.

The realization dawned on him gradually, but instead of pulling away, he froze, his breath catching. They had somehow ended up tangled together during the night, and though his heart began to beat faster, Silas couldn't bring himself to move. The warmth, the comfort—it was unexpected but undeniably soothing.

Kael stirred moments later, his body shifting slightly against Silas'. His ears flicked once, twice, and then his amber eyes blinked open, unfocused at first. He glanced down, his gaze meeting Silas' as the weight of the situation settled over them both.

Silas expected Kael to recoil, to mumble an awkward apology or scramble to create distance. But instead, the fox lay still, his breathing hitching only slightly before settling into a slow rhythm. His arms didn't retreat, and though his tail flicked nervously behind him, he didn't pull away.

Silas swallowed hard. "Uh... morning," he murmured, his voice soft, almost afraid to break the moment.

Kael blinked again, his ears twitching as a faint blush rose beneath his fur. "Morning," he replied, his tone quiet and cautious. His grip on Silas' back didn't tighten, but neither did it fall away.

Neither of them moved, each waiting for the other to say something, to do something. But as the seconds stretched into minutes, they remained where they were, allowing the unexpected closeness to linger.

Silas' heart was racing, but not out of panic. There was a quietness to the moment that he hadn't expected, a sense of calm that felt fragile but real. He shifted slightly, resting his head more comfortably against Kael's chest, testing the waters.

Kael didn't flinch or stiffen. Instead, his tail curled slightly closer, brushing against Silas' leg in a way that felt almost deliberate. His eyes darted briefly to the window, avoiding Silas' gaze, but his breathing remained steady.

"This... isn't weird for you?" Silas ventured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Kael hesitated, his ears lowering slightly as his gaze flicked back to Silas. "I... I don't know," he admitted. "But it's... not bad."

Silas let out a soft laugh, a nervous edge to it. "Yeah. Same."

For a while, they lay there in silence, neither wanting to disturb the fragile balance they had found. Silas could feel Kael's heartbeat beneath his cheek, steady and soothing, and he wondered if the fox could feel his, racing but somehow steadying with each passing second.

"I don't usually..." Kael started, his voice breaking the quiet. He hesitated, his ears flicking again as he struggled to find the words. "I don't usually like... being this close to people."

Silas looked up at him, his own expression softening. "Do you want me to move?"

Kael shook his head quickly, his blush deepening. "No. I mean... it's fine. I just... it's different with you."

The admission hung in the air, delicate but heavy. Silas didn't press him for more. Instead, he smiled faintly, resting his head back against Kael's chest.

"Different good?" he asked lightly, though his heart thudded nervously.

Kael hesitated again, then gave a small nod. "Yeah. Different good."