He will Bring it Up... Later

It felt comfortable, how strong arms gently wrapped around Tao's waist, pulling him closer. The touch was soft, fingers searching for a place to hold onto - not that there was much area to cover. 

In comparison to the merman, Tao was not short or small, but he was lanky. So when those meaty arms flexed and wrapped around his waist, it made him look thin, almost frail. 

But Tao was anything but, even if he looked weak, his body low on fat, what held it all together were lean muscles and strong bones. He couldn't be broken even from being slammed to the ground by XueYa back on the island.

And what he might have lacked in physical strength he made it up with his powers. It wasn't like he could be easily bullied, but he was more than willing to be handled a bit roughly if it was by this man.