Music to my ears - Zhuo Zhi

Cat. (Noncanon)

"What is it?" Zhihao's whisper was barely audible. Zhuo Zhi was beginning to make her feel a bit nervous, with how uncharacteristically serious he was being right now.

Zhuo Zhi shook his head before throwing a protective arm in front of her.

As sweet as the gesture and sentiment was, Zhihao really wanted to know what she was going against so she could determine whether or not to run.

Unsure if she should risk asking again, Zhihao bit her lip. If Zhuo Zhi really wasn't pulling her leg right now, then it would probably be for best if she didn't make any unnecessary sound. After all, that's how you end up dead first thing in the movies.

Deciding against speaking up, Zhihao squinted at the bushes, willing for it to move so she could too, when it did.

Well, crap.

Zhihao didn't know what she was expecting, but whatever that thing was wasn't it. Since it was pretty dark out by now, Zhihao couldn't quite make out what it was, but it was definitely bigger than a rabbit. Which was a giant nope in Zhihao's standards.

She grabbed Zhuo Zhi's sleeve, prepared to run.

"Wait!" Zhuo Zhi instinctively cried out, before slapping a hand over his mouth with wide eyes.

Zhihao froze, slowly turning to stare at Zhuo Zhi who was staring right back. Slowly, the two turned their heads to stare at the giant shadow in the bushes.

They watched as the thing moved again, growing taller and taller.

"Run, run!" Zhihao abandoned any and all attempt at subtlety, yanking Zhuo Zhi's hand hard. Maybe a bit too hard.

Zhuo Zhi fell to the ground, his hands held out to lessen the impact.

Zhihao cussed under her breath and scrambled back to Zhuo Zhi to help him up, all too aware that the thing in the bushes was now moving OUT of the bushes.

Seeing how Zhuo Zhi had seemed to suddenly lose all effective motor function, Zhihao shoved her hands underneath each of the man's armpits from behind, grunting as she struggled to drag him away instead.

So much for protecting me..

If this was a horror movie, Zhuo Zhi would be the first to die.

"Wait what are we running from?"

Baiyang's head poked out from the bushes, an unimpressed eyebrow lifting when he caught sight of the entirely rendered useless Zhuo Zhi.

"Oh." Zhihao immediately dropped Zhuo Zhi's arms.  "You're the thing??"

Baiyang fully stepped out from behind the bushes, revealing that he was hugging a cat to his chest. "What thing?"

Zhihao chuckled to herself, her nervous laughter turning hysterical as she doubled over. "I can't believe you're the thing! So much for being scary!"

Baiyang frowned. He had absolutely no clue what Zhihao was on about, but it sounded like he should be offended by it.

Zhuo Zhi seemed to finally snap back to reality as he picked himself off the ground. "Baiyang, what are you doing here?"