Blackfeather Woods Sell your soul, not your whole self

It felt weird sometimes to have someone else give a shit. It had been so long that something like that had been in his life that he wasn't quite sure what to do with it. His childhood had consisted largely of his mother only ensuring that he didn't get too fat, rather than worry about his overall well-being and safety. There were others since then, but none had been consistent figures in his life. Takiyok gave a damn while also being perfectly capable herself, and did it for the sake of ensuring their continued joint existence rather than mothering him. Taikon voiced none of this. Instead, he merely nodded, embarrassed that she would even have to tell him.
He pressed into her touch, not knowing if these days could be among their last. He tried not to worry about any of the things that could happen — the anxiety didn't serve him well, so he tried to ignore it. This was much more difficult to do with Taki echoing such thoughts back at him. All right, fair enough, he said, I appreciate that. He smiled thinly. She was a perfectly capable hunter, and if she thought it wouldn't strain her too much, he was grateful to have her step forward. If... if they were going to be parents one day, this kind of cooperation would ensure their success.
The thought excited him, and he couldn't help but grin wider as they walked. He stopped for a moment to rub himself on another tree, securing the borders of Ivory Rose.