I hate everything about this

He turned and looked down at the smaller wolf as she nudged into his cheek, and offered her another smile. His face was free of the grimace it had displayed earlier, as her presence chased away the migraine that came with being in such a large gathering of wolves. He liked that he had both found a quiet spot by the lake, and that she had joined him here. Needing a break from the noise, did not mean distance from her.

Zee had something to say about his fishing style (what a surprise) and he shook his head at her, there was fondness in exasperation. “And if I fall in now, and everyone sees that the Empress of the Ashen Empire’s protector has one tiny little flaw?” he ventured. Not saying exactly what the flaw was, but then it was rather obviously. Almost teasingly spiteful, the giant pushed another paw into the lake in another attempt.