"No, no, not at all," Shiro reassures him quickly. He flops back on the grass so he can rub the sleep sand from him eyes. "I'm glad you did. 'S nice."

He streeeeetches, arching high enough that his tee shirt creeps up past his navel and his tail vibrates. When he relaxes again, it's to roll onto his side and curl up around Matt's knees. (Shinryu shakes his little head and flits off up into the tree canopy and out of sight.)

"How're you doing?" Shiro asks softly, ears attentively pitched forward.