It was about midday, the sun was shining brightly down on a courtyard full of people from all walks of life. However, not one of them was a wielder. Every person in that amassed crowd of bodies was a human, and every one of them had their attention front and center on a stage, and the podium that sat atop it. There were a collection of guards on either end of the stage, and behind it sat a large embassy building of concrete and glass. It was several stories tall and had a boxy, rectangular design. This structure belonged to Japan's representative for the Sakura Nation, the governor. The crowd applauded as a man in a white suit stepped forward, planting himself behind the podium. He had dark black hair, eyes that had the mismatching colors of jade and silver, and a slight hint of facial hair that was perfectly groomed to show maturity, but not sloppiness.

Everything about him was perfect, from his pristine suit to the straightness of the white tie that was tucked beneath his black shirt’s collar and draped over his chest. He was a thinner sort of man, though tall, and he had an aura that seemed to radiate charisma. It was at least enough to win over the populace of his country. All cameras focused on him as he touched the podium’s protruding microphone softly with one hand, adjusting it to better suit him. He opened his mouth but did not speak, as if waiting for the entire crowd to go silent in preparation to hear what he had to say. When all went quiet, he gave a kindly smile and nodded his head.

“Hello.” he said in a voice that was so smooth, it was easy to see how it won him his position. “My name, as you all should know, is Nicholas Moon. I am honored to be here today as your newly elected Governor of Japan, the man who will be representing you and your interests in all further meetings of our great nations. Before we get started, I would like to give a moment of silence for the loss of lives that occurred last night. That dreaded assault on the hospital was an unforeseen consequence of those wielders’ actions, I’m sure, but that ‘accident’ took the lives of dozens of humans. If you all wouldn’t mind, bow your heads and let’s honor our deceased fellows.”

Everyone followed his example and dropped their gazes. After several seconds, he began to speak once more, but one person watching, a person that was many, many miles away, spat at the words. Victor Crimson stood in the living room of his dormitory, watching with disgust as the man on the television spouted out promise after promise that would all work to subjugate the wielders of the world. Victor had heard it all before while keeping an eye on the elections up to this point. The promise of branding those with unnatural gifts, the promise of giving them lands and facilities of their own to keep them away from the fragile humans that they constantly threatened by merely existing. Victor’s charcoal eyes narrowed angrily as he listened to the man spew out punishment after punishment. He was shirtless, his toned body glistening with sweat due to his recently finished workout.

He was still dabbing his chest with a damp towel when his partner walked into the room from the hallway behind him.

“Hey, Vic, something interesting on the TV?” asked his friend.

“Just a rat.” Victor replied angrily, glancing over his shoulder to see the seventeen year old companion he was assigned to at the start of the previous year.

He had a muscled frame, one that was pretty bulky and powerful, but he was still half a foot shorter than Victor. Half of his brown hair was shaved down to a fade around the right ear, while the rest of it was long and hid the left side of his head. There were blue and green highlights dyed into the longer sections, matching his light blue eyes that possess small tinges of emerald specks within them. He was wearing a pair of running shorts and a dry tank-top that wouldn't remain that way for long. He was about to head out on his morning sprint around the district, while Victor would soon be getting ready to go do his own chores.

“That governor guy again?” asked his partner, shaking his head. “Vic, you really need to let this dude go, man. It’s not good for your health. I mean, look at the scary face you’re making. How could you have such an ugly mug and still land that hot ass feline of yours? I swear, man, you’re such a waste of youth.”

“It’s something you should be paying more attention to, Yuri.” said Victor, turning and picking up the TV remote. He turned the television off with a click and tossed the remote down on the sofa behind him. “This man is going to change our lives, and not for the better. If you heard even one of his ‘promises’, you’d have a change of heart.”

“Nah, man, it’s all just smoke. Politicians say whatever they want to get elected, but they never do anything. You’re getting worked up for nothing, and between you and me, it’s aging you.” Yuri walked over and put a hand on Victor’s shoulder, which was a bit awkward given the height difference. “Have some fun, dude. This guy you’re worrying about is nothing important.”

“Whatever.” Victor said, shoving past his carefree partner and heading for the hallway he’d just left.

“Dude, you need to lighten up. Hey! Don’t just walk away from me!” Yuri called out, hurrying to keep up with Victor, who was already reaching his door.

“What do you want?” Victor asked him fiercely.

“I want you to be happy, man. Look, I have just the remedy for you.” Yuri once again walked up to him and looked up at him mischievously. “All you have to do is sleep with that girl of yours. I tell you what, it really takes a load off, best stress reliever I’ve ever experienced. You’ll feel so refreshed that–Mmph, hmmm.” He was cut off by Victor’s massive hand grabbing his face and lightly shoving him away.

“Get out of here before I kick your ass.” Victor said, and his tone carried with it such a seriousness that even his uncaring companion saw it for what it was. It wasn’t a joke, it was a threat.

“Got it, Vic, got it. I’m leaving. I was just trying to be helpful.”

Yuri left him alone to get ready, and after a short time, Victor was dressed in a pair of jeans and a tight-fitting red flannel. Beneath the buttoned up shirt, he wore a white sleeveless undershirt. Around his right wrist was his school band, his left wrist had a leather band, and around his neck, he wore a silver chain with a ring on the end of it. All in all, with his short hair and his shadow of a beard, he looked somewhere between a young father and an old college student. After leaving his dormitory, he made for another one that wasn’t all that far away, maybe five or so minutes walking, if that. He waited by the door patiently for a leaving student to open the door so he could slip inside. Normally, this would get him in some serious trouble. Students were allowed to visit other dorms, but only if they were invited inside by a resident of that building. Sneaking by somebody was against the rules, but most of the residents of this specific dorm knew Victor by this point. He was a bit of a regular here, as it was a stop he made almost every morning.

Most of them gave him space, but they didn’t say anything about him doing it, and a select few even offered some forms of greeting. He made for the elevator and rode it up to the sixth floor, and then walked to the fifth door down on the right. A light knock brought a young girl to the doorway, who thankfully was fully dressed this morning. This relatively large girl, at least when compared to all of the other girls he knew, was wearing a light blue dress and a blue ribbon in her long reddish hair. Her freckled face shifted as she smiled at the sight of him.

“Morning, cowboy.”

“Morning, Nona.”

She looked him up and down hungrily, and even licked her lips. “Mind if I sample you again?” she asked, as she did every time he came to visit. And like every other time, he sighed.

“No, Nona. Can I come in?”

Nona looked over her shoulder and gave a sly grin. Afterwards, she looked at him and nodded. “Of course. Maple is in her room. She should be ready to see you. She was already walking around an–”

“That doesn’t sound like her.” Victor interrupted. “Is she at least dressed?”

“Naturally.” said Nona.

“That also isn’t like Maple, but whatever.” He went to step forward but Nona didn’t move. “What?”

“I changed my mind. Can you lift your shirt really fast?”

“Why?” he asked, growing frustrated and impatient.

“I want to touch your abs.”

“Don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“I do, but he’s not as… large. Come on, just a peek and a poke.” Victor lifted his shirt enough to show the bottom of his stomach, which was quickly touched by Nona’s warm hands. It made Victor uncomfortable, but it was only a second before the girl seemed satisfied. “Uh-huh, very strong. I bet you’re a riot. You could probably throw me around like a–”

“I’ve had enough of this.” Victor said, grabbing her body and lifting her up easily. He stepped inside, set her down, and kicked the door shut behind him. When he checked to make sure she wasn’t too angry, he saw a blushing hue on her face.

“Oh, you’re so forceful.” she said, grinning like some sort of demoness.

Victor shook his head, ignoring any possible further comments, and headed for Maple’s room. Quietly, he knocked on the door before opening it. “Maple, I’m he–”

He stopped instantly, interrupted by a sight he had not expected to walk in on. Maple was on her bed, her hands out in front of her as her claws were buried into her mattress. She had her back arched and her rear in the air, sort of like a stretching cat when they first wake up from a nap. The only difference was that Maple wasn’t a cat, not entirely. She was mostly human in appearance, and as was normal for her, she didn’t have much clothing on. She only had on a small pair of panties, thankfully, and a loose-fitting tank-top. Unfortunately, it was so loose that in her current position, Victor saw everything that was underneath it.

Maple was frozen, staring at him as she remained in her position. Her cute, innocent face was stuck in a state of shock as her cheeks progressively grew more scarlet. Her body had a collection of scar-like stripes that Victor always found attractive, and she had her cat-like features on display, such as her tail and ears.

“V-Victor?” she squeaked. Realizing her vulnerable state, she quickly rolled off of the bed and curled up into a ball to cover herself. “G-get out!” she screamed, picking up something from the floor and throwing it at him. “You stupid pervert! Go!” Victor was hit in the face by something soft and balled up, but he didn’t stop to look at it after he caught it in his hands. He quickly fled the room and slammed the door behind him in a panicked, hasty movement.

“Ooh, pink ones, huh?” asked Nona, who was leaning in the hallway entrance with her arms crossed over their chest and a gleeful gleam in her eyes.

“Hmm?” Victor hummed, looking down at what Maple threw at him. He held it up and it was a small pair of pink panties with some white lace.

“I like them. They’re pretty cute.” said Nona, but Victor simply balled them up again and hid them behind his back.

“You set me up,” he said.

“You didn’t let me bite your finger. We all get what we deserve, don’t we?”

“You’re wicked.” stated Victor.

“And you're a prude. You need to let go a bit. You’re always so stiff, and not in the right places.” Her eyes looked down below his belt, making him shift awkwardly. “Anyway, just wait there for a moment, she’ll be out in a sec.” Nona began to whistle as she walked back into the living area, and Victor was left flushed and embarrassed.

After a few minutes passed, the door behind him opened but he didn’t turn around to see the girl standing there. He instead held up his hand without looking. “Sorry. Here, you threw these at me.”

Maple softly grabbed them and then touched his arm to spin him around. He allowed himself to be moved, revealing a small girl with a very red face. She had on a pair of shorts now, but she still wore the same shirt, and she still had on nothing beneath it. He got enough of a view to be certain of that fact. Quickly, he looked up again, but Maple reached up and grabbed his cheek.

“It’s okay if you look. I just didn't expect it.” she said quietly. She then grabbed the bottom of her shirt and began to lift it. “D-do you want a peek? I’ll show you more too, if you want?”

“No.” Victor quickly declared, reaching down to take her hand away from her clothing. “No, that’s not… We don’t need to do this now, okay?” He put a finger beneath her chin and shifted her glance up to meet his. With a soft, gentle touch, he kissed her lips and pulled away slowly. “Eventually, okay? Right now, though, I’m just here for our date, remember? Go get dressed, I’ll wait out here.”

Maple looked flustered, but she obviously wasn’t too flustered to act. She pulled his arm in the direction of her room and smiled shyly. “Come on, you’re watching. You might not want to right now, but I want you to. We need to get used to this eventually, and I want to do it now. Come on, big guy, in you go.”

Reluctantly, he allowed himself to be pulled inside and shut the door behind him after entering. He tried his best to avoid watching as she stripped down and then redressed in a more fitting outfit, but obviously, it was nearly impossible to not peek every so often. He was a guy, it was only natural. By the end of it, there really wasn’t anything left for him to imagine. She had shown him everything, and as embarrassed as he was by it, he was also happy that she wanted to give him that sort of trust. Maple always put on a dirty act, like she was some sort of sex aficionado, but she was still a teenager, and she had about as much experience with all of that as Victor did, which was nothing. No matter her outward demeanor, she was still pretty innocent in a lot of ways, so to put this sort of faith in him, it was almost an honor. Revealing yourself like that would probably take a lot of courage, and it was a courage he wasn’t even sure he possessed.

Maple turned around and grinned after dressing in a pair of denim shorts and a light blue t-shirt. Over the shirt she wore a tan sleeveless coat that reached her ankles. It looked like it was made from some light material, almost like silk or satin, but Victor honestly had no clue about those sorts of things.

“It’s your turn next time.” she said timidly, though she did try to feign some sort of confidence. “I showed you everything, and now you need to show me.”

“I guess that’s only fair.” he sighed, scratching the back of his neck. He let out another breath. “Why are girls so stressful to be around?”

“Are you complaining about me?” she asked him.

“No.” he replied. “I’m complaining about all of you. You girls all talk about the weirdest things, like Fera’s sister complex and your… everything. I just can’t take it. Then there’s Nona, who keeps–”

“What did she do this time?!” snapped Maple, stomping a foot on the ground.

“Nothing, nothing.” Victor assured her, before rising from his seated position on the bed. He grabbed her hand and began leading her from the room. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Stolen story; please report.

“Buy, kids.” Nona said, waving and grinning as they passed by the dining table. “Have a good time. Victor, make sure you don’t… hurt her.”

“Shut it.” Maple snapped, blushing again.

“Sorry, sorry.” Nona said, raising her hands in front of her. “Only kidding.”

Maple snapped her jaws, making sure to show off the fangs in her mouth, which only seemed to excite Nona, who licked her lips again. They left quickly after both of them put on their footwear, which for Victor was a pair of old sneakers while Maple wore some sandals with an intertwining lace that coiled around her ankles. He decided walking around District-C would be a pretty decent time for a date, at least until they really thought of something to do. They didn’t have a plan, per se, and simply decided to wing it for their first real date together. It wasn’t for a lack of ideas, but too many of them. Maple wanted to go to restaurants or to some shopping malls. Victor wanted to go see a movie or go to the beach. They couldn’t decide so both of them figured walking around and going on impulse would be best.

Once they left the dormitory, Victor felt Maple grab his hand and squeeze it. He looked down and saw her looking away from him. It made him quietly laugh to himself, knowing that she was probably embarrassed. After the show she gave him, she most likely hadn’t stopped feeling that way. The only time she let him go was when passing through the checkpoint, but she quickly latched back onto him once through. It was sort of endearing, seeing her like this. It was a side of Maple that he wasn’t used to seeing, primarily because he’d never seen it before. Since they met at the start of the previous year, she always had this air of confidence about her, and coupling that with her playful nature, he never thought she could be this way.

His grip tightened as well, bringing forth a surprised squeak from his side, but neither of them looked at each other. The streets were busy in District-C. The roads were full of vehicles all passing by, and many people moved along the sidewalks. It made sense, with it being the weekend and all. Students were out having fun on their short break, or some might even be going to part time jobs. A lot of the other people were the ones necessary for keeping the city afloat, and the families of said people. Maintenance crews, staff for the many businesses and shops that resided there, like grocery stores and movie theaters and all sorts of other things. Olirian, in the grand scheme of cities, wasn’t all that large, but it was still a city nevertheless. It brought in many more people than just students and teachers.

At one point, Maple and Victor split away from the majority of the crowd after seeing a paved alleyway with a large archway over the entrance of it. A banner hung between the curved pillars that described the place as a sort of market. Maple was the one that tugged him in that direction, her feline ears perking up and her nose sniffing the air. She apparently caught the scent of something interesting and was instantly drawn to it. There were quite a few smaller businesses along this road, places that Victor never knew existed. Some family owned diners and restaurants, a few thrift shops and second-hand stores, and even some hole in the wall clothing shops. What seemed to catch Maple’s attention, however, was a sweet shop and bakery.

It had a pink awning over the mint green front door, and through the large decorative front window Victor noticed a few people already shopping inside. They seemed to be couples, judging by the fact that like Victor and Maple, they were holding hands or keeping close to one another. A bell chimed as Maple pushed the door open, and Victor was dragged inside behind her. It was slightly uncomfortable for him because of the size of the shop. There were shelves in the middle of the floor that had jars of candies, and along the walls were even more things to choose from. With all of this, it was hard for him to walk around without bumping into things or the other patrons. He found himself apologizing a couple of times as Maple pulled him along.

“I used to love these as a kid.” Maple said, picking up a small glassy orb between two of her claws. It was wrapped, but still it shone like an emerald crystal, and it glistened beautifully in the warm lighting of the store.

“What is it?” asked Victor, bending down to get a closer look.

“A Sugar Sphere. Have you never had one?” she questioned.

“No, but it doesn’t sound all that healthy. Is it really straight sugar?”

“I don’t know.” Maple said incredulously. “That’s not the point, and neither is its possible health benefits or lack thereof. It’s candy, big guy. You eat it because it’s sweet and bad for you, that’s the point. This one is green apple, too. It was my favorite flavor. Oh!” she then gasped, noticing a deep blue one in the container. She grabbed it with her other hand and held it up to the light. “Mine.” she then hissed before giggling excitedly.

“I know you have better senses, Maple, but I doubt you could smell those from outside the alley. What did you actually come here for?” he inquired, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

She gave him a sideways glance that showed she wasn’t amused by his lack of enthusiasm. “If you must know, I smelt some cake… I think. It sort of smelled like cake. Buuuut, just going into a place and not looking around is boring. Plus, we’re on a date, Victor, we’re supposed to be doing stupid stuff like this. You could at least look a bit more excited.”

“Sorry. Sweets just aren’t really my thing.”

“Yeah, because you’re a health nut. Look at yourself in a mirror. You’re like a walking example of living and breathing fitness. Honestly, have you ever even had chocolate before?”

“Of course I have. I’m not that ignorant of sweets, I just don't like them.”

“Hmph. I say it’s because you haven’t tried the right ones yet. Here, I’ll get you some of these too.” Maple grabbed a small plastic bag that was hanging from the shelf and stuffed a few of the tiny orbs inside. With a swat of her hand, the bag spun and tightened. “Now, onto the cake… since you’re in such a hurry.” she said, sounding rather snarky. Still, she flashed a quick smile while walking past, showing that she wasn’t really upset.

She pranced around the corner of a shelf hurriedly and he decided it would be best to follow. As he did, a kid turned the corner quickly and bumped into him. Victor obviously didn’t move, but the child fell backwards onto their butt. He looked down at the small girl, who’s blonde hair was tied into short braids, and behind a pair of crooked silver glasses were some vivid blue eyes. Instantly, they began to sparkle as tears started welling up in the corners. He instinctively pulled a hand from his pocket and reached to a shelf nearby. Without looking, he grabbed a lollipop from a plastic bin and kneeled down in front of the girl.

“Sorry.” he said softly, holding out his hand. “Are you okay?” The girl responded with a quiet whimper but shortly after, she managed a short nod. “Good. Here you go, it’s all yours. My way of apologizing.”

“Thank you, mister.” said the girl, taking the candy. He then offered his hand to help her up. By comparison, the one she reached out with was so small and fragile, but he knew how to be careful with his strength.

“Thyme?” came a woman’s voice.

“Mommy?” the girl replied, looking over her shoulder.

“Oh, there you are.” said the woman that shared similar features to the young child.

“Mommy, this guy gave me a candy.” said the girl, showing the woman the lollipop.

“That’s nice, dear.” she said, grabbing the girl’s shoulder and stepping around her, so she was between Victor and her child. He stood up, causing her to look up at him, which probably didn't help the fear he saw in the mother’s eyes.

“I bumped into her. Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going. If you wouldn't mind, I’d like to pay for that, as long as she’s allowed to have it.”

“T-that’s fine, sir.” said the woman, stepping away from him.

“Vic, what's going on?” asked Maple, stepping up to the small group. “Oh, hello.” Maple said, smiling at the girl. “That’s a pretty lollipop. Do you like that flavor?”

“Why do you have sharp teeth?” the girl asked, apparently not noticing the flicking ears until she looked up from Maple’s mouth. “Oh, you’re a kitty.”

“I am.” Maple said, raising her hand and doing a pawing motion. “Meow.” she said softly.

The girl laughed as she reached out a hand to pet Maple’s head. Maple began to purr quietly. The mother quickly pulled her daughter away. “Are you with this man?” she asked Maple, nodding towards Victor, who returned his hands to his pockets.

“Yeah, he’s a friend of mine. What’s up? Did he do something wrong?”

“He was bothering my daughter.”

“Victor was? No, there–”

“Can you please take your giant friend and get him out of here? He’s scaring her.”

“No, Mommy, he–”

“Quiet, Thyme.”

“It’s fine,” said Victor. “Maple, you can keep shopping. I’ll step outside. No need to ruin the trip for everyone.”

“Vic, no. You don’t nee–”

“It’s fine. See you in a sec.”

Victor caught a glimpse of the young girl’s small face looking up at him as he walked away. She waved slowly and mouthed a thanks, but he pretended to not notice. It would be better to not upset the woman any further. As he leaned against a wall near the shop, he saw the child and mother leave the store and head for another business. Shortly after them, Maple left with a small bag in her hand that seemed to have a box inside of it. Presumably, her bag of spherical candies were also inside, sitting on top of the box. She approached him with a sad look on her face.

“Sorry, Vic, that was messed up.”

“It’s okay. It happens a lot. I’m used to it.”

“That’s still not okay. Just because you’re big, she–”

“Maple,” Victor said, cutting her short. “Drop it, okay? People are entitled to think how they want to. If she’s afraid because of my size, I don’t mind giving them some space.”

“The same goes for you, big guy. If you want to be there, you shouldn’t have to care about what they think. That woman,” Maple growled, showing her beastly fangs. “The little girl said thanks, by the way. She let me pay for the candy, but she thought you were nice so she wanted to thank you. It was just her rotten mother. Ooooh, I hate people like that. The same thing always happened to me too when I was younger. I…” Maple stopped as the feline ears atop her head flattened. She apparently said something she didn’t want to bring up. Victor only knew this because she’d never told him that before.

“You too?” he asked.

“Of course.” Maple muttered. “I have fangs and fur and stripes. Even among wielders, I stand out. People treated me like a monster, especially parents. I remember one time I went to the playground when I was a kid and I met a human boy. He was really funny and we played for a while, but when his mom saw my stripes, she… She kicked me. She called me an animal and took her son…” Maple looked sadly at the ground, her voice shaking slightly. “I hate it. I was just a little girl. I wasn't some animal. Even here, people called me a freak when I first started. They’re my own people and I was still an outcast.”

“At least we have each other.” Victor said.

“Yeah, but still, it makes my blood boil. People like that are what’s causing so much trouble back home. People that won’t even give others a chance, human or not.”

“Like I said, let’s drop it for now.” Victor held out his hand for her to take. “We still have quite a bit of daylight left. Let’s look around some more.” Maple sighed before accepting his offer.

“Sounds good to me. Here, you can carry this too. Just be gentle with it, it’s fragile.”

As their day went on, clouds began rolling in while they continued their exploration. Suddenly, the sky was black and full of clouds. Shortly after, the darkness opened up. Rain began falling like a monsoon had rolled in. Victor’s large size had a surprising use in times like this, though he never knew about it until now. He pulled Maple close to his body and shielded her the best he could as they tried to find some shelter. Eventually, they made it to a hotel lobby, where they stood while completely drenched. Victor still had Maple in his arms while he looked out the glass door entrance, watching the impenetrable wall of rain outside.

“What a disaster.” he said, just before a massive crack of thunder rattled the windows and caused the chandelier overhead to shift and sway.

Maple winced and clung tightly to him. She was trembling, probably from cold, but there might’ve been some fear mixed in as well. She let out a squeaky sort of sneeze shortly after, which possibly left behind a smear of snot on his shirt, but he pretended not to notice. Not like he could actually discern it from the wetness of the rain, so it didn’t really matter. He looked around the lobby, which was rather lavish really. The walls were painted red with gold accents, the ceilings were made of wooden panels, and the floor they were currently dripping on was a nice maroon and gold carpeting.

“Achoo!” Maple sneezed again, shivering as she clung tighter to him.

“We need to get dry, but…” He looked past the doors again and sighed. “There’s no going home in this.”

With a shake of his head, he knew what he had to do. A short time later, they had a room of their own on the tenth floor of the building. He found a couple of bathrobes in the restroom, so they both stripped out of their drenched clothing and changed into their dryer selection. The wet clothes were hung on the shower rod, that way they could maybe be dry by morning. Unfortunately, the room they got only had one bed, and both of them, knowing the other was naked underneath their robes, sat on opposite ends without looking at each other.

“What a sour day.” Maple grumbled. She then hit the bed grumpily. “I was hoping for something romantic and fun.”

“It was fun.” Victor added, looking over his shoulder. Maple’s robe was a bit too large for her, and when she hit the bed, the left shoulder of it had slid down her arm. Her pale neck, the few visible stripes, and her small shoulder was all enough to make Victor’s face grow hot. He turned back and put his hands in his lap, trying to stay as still as possible. “Besides, you still got the cake, right? That might cheer you up.”

Maple sighed, and then went completely quiet. A few seconds later, he heard breathing. It was heavy, somewhat frantic, like somebody was panting. He looked over his shoulder again and saw Maple with her head drooped slightly. Her hands were in her lap as well, but she wasn’t sitting still like he was. She was squirming a bit, and all the while, her breath was growing more rapid and wild.

“Maple? Are you okay?”

“F-fine.” she panted breathily. “I’m fine. It’s j-just a bit hot in…” She stopped and had to catch her breath, which seemed to flee her as quickly as it came.

“Maybe you’re getting a fever.” Victor suggested. He stood up and walked over to her side of the bed. When he reached it, his eyes went wide. Her robe was disheveled and her hands were stuffed between her squirming legs. She was covered in sweat instead of water, and her face was so red, he could practically feel the heat coming off of her. Her ears were swept back and she had tears in her eyes. “Maple? Are you sick or something? Do you need a hospital?”

“N-no. I…” She blinked slowly and shifted again. “I… I need to… sleep. Can you… leave?”

Victor knelt down in front of her and pressed a hand to her forehead. It was almost scalding, which only filled him with more concern. Before he could pull his hand away, Maple grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her. Her claws latched into his forearm and mostly by surprise, he lost his footing. Thankfully, he managed to catch himself by planting both hands on either side of his small partner. She was sprawled out beneath him now, lying on her back with her hands held up over her chest, which was now mostly bare. Her small torso heaved up and down with each breath. One of her legs pulled closer to her body while her other leg remained draped over the side of the bed. He looked down and saw that her entire right leg was bare, and he even saw some of what lay beneath the robe. His heart started pounding and he found himself having a hard time swallowing.

“Victor.” she said pleadingly. “Don’t think less of me. Please? I know I’m always… a bit dirty, but… I’m not a sex addict, like so… like some of the others say.”

“I know, Maple.” Victor said breathlessly.

“I… I want you though.” she panted. “Please.” Her body was drenched, making all of her bare skin glisten in the faint moonlight that managed to somehow slip through the stormy weather outside. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make him weak.

“Are you in…”

“I’m sorry.” Maple said. “I never told you. This has happened sin… since I was thirteen. Normally, I… I lock myself in my room.” She wrapped her arms around Victor’s neck and smiled. “Please. Make this go away.”

“I… I can’t.” Victor said, though while his voice said that, his body was saying something entirely different. He too was panting, and he felt so hot that he was starting to sweat, despite the chilliness of the dark room. “I can’t take advantage of you like that. You’re not yourself.”

“I am.” Maple said. “I… I want you. I’ve always wanted you. This makes that desire stronger, but… Please.” She grabbed him and tried to roll over. He let it happen and assisted her in the motion. She sat atop his stomach, both of her clawed hands digging into the fabric of his blue bathrobe. Her stripes had darkened and her dot-like pupils had become slitted instead. It would seem that as she succumbed more to her condition, the more prominent her feline features became. She began kneading his chest like a cat as she lowered her face in front of his. Her breath was hot against his nose and cheeks, but it was a pleasant warmth. “I won’t force you, and you’re not forcing me. You’re not even taking advantage of me. It’s just what I want. But if you don’t, I can wait. I can fight this. I’ve been dealing with it for a long time. It’s your call, Vic.”

Victor looked deeply into her eyes, her honey-hued irises that he found to be so beautiful. He then raised a hand to caress her cheek, which she nuzzled into affectionately. “Are you sure?” he asked her.

“Yes, Victor. I know what I’m doing.” She moved beside his ear and whispered, “It’s about what you want right now.”

He felt her mouth nibbling on his ear when she had finished speaking. He reached up and grabbed her shoulders to push her away. Not off, just up, so she was back to a sitting position. She looked at him longingly, and almost sadly. With a swift movement, he pulled the robe down her arms, revealing her entire chest. The next morning, Victor was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking towards the window. The skies were still a tad gray, but there was no more rain. His robe was lying on the ground so he was sitting there naked, his arms leaning against his knees as he sat forward a bit. There were parts where his body stung from fresh injuries, mostly on his arms, but there was one terrible, stinging wound near his collarbone on his right shoulder. There were some punctures there, though he didn’t entirely remember when he got them.

He looked over his shoulder and saw Maple’s outline from under the sheets, as she was curled up beneath them. He gave her slowly rising figure a loving glance before rising to his feet. The clothes in the bathroom were dry so after bandaging some of his wounds using a first-aid kit in the bathroom cabinet, he got dressed and left to go get breakfast.