The sensation of his tail resting on her arm was too real. Too overwhelming.
Emma could feel the warmth beneath the plush fur, even the faint pulse of its owner in a relaxed state. This was no longer a lifeless "sample"—it was a living, breathing part of Fox Lian.
She froze, forgetting how to breathe.
Fox Lian remained facing away, seemingly savoring her stunned silence. His tail even nudged her arm gently, sending a sharper, spine-tingling itch through her skin.
"So," he said, voice openly amused, "Emma seems… satisfied?"
Emma snapped out of it, trying to pull her hand away like she'd touched fire—only to realize her wrist was now gently held in his cool fingers. The grip was light, but firm.
"L-Lord Fox Lian!" she stammered, cheeks burning. "Please let go!"
"Let go?" He turned slowly, violet eyes gleaming with mischief under the dorm's dim light. "Weren't you just staring at it with that 'researcher's gaze'?" His eyes flicked toward the tail still draped over her arm.
Emma was speechless. She couldn't deny it—she'd been coveting it for far too long.
"I… I was just…" She tried to explain, but words failed her.
"Just what?" He stepped closer, trapping her between himself and the door. His breath brushed her forehead. "Just curious? Or…"
He leaned in, voice dropping to a seductive whisper by her ear:
"Emma… have you fallen for me?"
!!!
A direct hit. No warning. No mercy.
Emma's brain short-circuited. Fallen for him? For this cunning, calculating, maddeningly fluffy fox?
She wanted to deny it—but the warmth on her arm, the magnetic voice in her ear, and that impossibly beautiful face inches from hers… made it impossible to lie.
Her silence, to Fox Lian, was answer enough.
He chuckled softly, the sound rich and intoxicating. Releasing her wrist, he gently took her hand, guiding her fingers back to his tail.
This time, it wasn't the tail reaching for her—it was him, offering it.
"If you like it," he said, voice tender, almost promising, "you can touch it anytime."
Her fingertips sank into the soft, silvery fur, feeling its warmth, its texture, and the heat of his palm. The last of her resistance crumbled. She looked up into his violet eyes, now filled with laughter and something deeper—and her heart melted.
Fluff phobia? Her best friend's crush? Her divine restraint?
None of it mattered anymore.
She bit her lip, made a decision, and whispered:
"…Yes."
Fox Lian's eyes lit up—brighter than stars. He pulled her into a gentle embrace, his tail curling naturally around her waist in a warm, intimate hug.
"Good," he murmured, brushing his chin against her hair.
Emma leaned into him, cheek against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. His scent—cool and alluring—wrapped around her. His tail—soft and alive—rested in her arms. A wave of comfort and happiness engulfed her.
She had, somehow… caught herself a very dangerous fox.
Meanwhile, outside the dorm, Gu Liang stood frozen, having come to deliver Emma's late-night snack. She heard muffled voices… and Emma's unmistakable "yes."
The food box slipped from her hands with a loud clatter.
The dragon girl stared at the closed door, stunned, with only one thought in her mind:
We were supposed to simp together. How did you secretly level up?!