[ He reads that silence as confirmation, at first, imagines some stiffness, before he's simply confused. Say what to him how? When hasn't he? Shino lifts his head again, finally loosening his hold, brow furrowed in confusion.

He'd thought (erroneously) his awareness of the B-cube was an indication of what he'd dealt with. Instead, there's this. ]

Is there something I haven't said? That whole B-cube thing got me stuck as a deer-jinba. Konoha helped.

[ He finally does let go, still visibly confused, though he wipes the confusion away after, damp hair clinging to shoulders and part of his face. He takes an uncertain step back, suddenly less sure of the ground he's standing on. ]

Iris can be bad. Really bad.

[ And if he's getting stuck as a deer-jinba more and more often, if that happens again... he hadn't hated the moment, hadn't hated chasing the heat away with someone he cares about, and also hadn't thought of doing the same again with Konoha, or anyone, really. It's confusing enough for him when she's the second person he's been intimate with, and it's shifted a small thing between them, but not changed the way they felt, or how he felt for others in a far more intimate manner. He's in love with Shi Qingxuan, he's in love with Xie Lian, and...

And nothing, apparently. He'll have to figure out Iris on his own. He'll figure out whatever he needs to, because it's his stupid moon burden to bear. ]