Sea Lion Shores don't ask me why

he wasn't sure how it was meant to work. his parents had not required them to address them formally ...but they were his parents. from atausiq's mind, she was empress first, wife second and not obligated to allow him to address her so casually. yet, it appears that is exactly how she wants him to address her. casually. huāzhen, he repeats her full name, not wanting to be like everyone else. he wasn't like everyone else; wasn't meant to be, was he?

he watches as her face lights with her idea as it comes to her, ears cupping forth to listen as she speaks again, this time teaching him a word. baobei. it sounds easy enough but he assumes with a small quirk of his lips that she makes it sound more effortless than it actually was; a perk of it being her native tongue. bao-bei, he tries it out on his tongue; slowly. testing the syllables. baobei. he tries, stringing the term of endearment together as he looks to her for confirmation and hope that he hasn't entirely butchered it.