The university was slowly emptying out.
"This lecture on hierarchical pacts was pure torture," Jaël said, adjusting his glasses as his long red strands slipped over his oversized sweater.
Daki burst out laughing, her orc fangs glinting.
"Seriously, who wants to spend three hours learning how to legally submit a beast-man?"
Sarah walked ahead, hands stuffed in her pockets.
"You're exaggerating. It was just boring."
Jaël and Daki exchanged a look.
"We're going out."
"To a club."
"No," Sarah answered immediately.
But an hour later, she was getting ready anyway.
The club was loud. Purple lights. Heavy bass.
And behind the bar, beast-men.
Ears lowered. Forced smiles.
Lower class. Officially "domesticated."
Sarah hated the system.
She pretended she didn't care.
But she couldn't stand the empty looks of the ones who served.
Daki shouted over the music:
"Loosen up! We're here to have fun!"
And that's when it happened.
A jolt.
A tray tipping over.
A frail body stumbling.
Sarah caught him before he hit the floor.
Their eyes met.
Dark ears. Trembling tail.
Golden eyes, panicked.
"S-sorry… sorry ma'am… I… I'll clean it up…"
His voice was shaking.
Sarah frowned.
"Calm down. I'm the one who bumped into you."
He seemed more scared of her tone than of the accident.
She helped him pick up the pieces.
Jaël murmured:
"He's cute…"
Rhym blushed violently.
Later, Sarah bought a bottle.
"Come drink with us."
He hesitated.
Servers weren't really allowed.
But he obeyed.
Two glasses.
His body wasn't used to it.
He laughed louder. Too loud.
His ears twitched uncontrollably.
And then…
He passed out on the booth.
Silence.
Daki stared at him.
"We can't just leave him here."
Jaël nodded.
Sarah sighed.
"We'll take him home. That's it."
At their place, they settled him in Sarah's room.
"No way he's sleeping with me," Daki declared.
"And I could rip his arm off in my sleep," Jaël added.
Sarah rolled her eyes.
"He'll sleep here. Anyway… I would never touch a beast-man."
She draped a blanket over him.
He mumbled something incoherent.
His fingers unconsciously clutched the hem of her t-shirt.
She froze for a second.
Then gently pried his hand away.
And left the room.
Morning.
A strange warmth.
Too close.
Sarah opened her eyes.
Her brain took several seconds to process.
She was in her underwear.
And Rhym was lying on top of her.
His head resting against her chest.
His tail wrapped around her thigh.
They were both bright red.
But they had both been fully dressed the night before.
He opened his eyes at the same moment.
Silence.
"I… I'm sorry… I must have moved in my sleep…"
His voice was tiny.
Sarah stayed still.
Her heart was racing too fast.
She gently pushed his shoulders back.
"Get up."
But her voice wasn't cold.
It was shaken.
Deeply shaken.
And for the first time…
she didn't feel like she was above someone.