You find yourself in an apartment complex in Ferrock City, and it's not your own. You have been down on your luck as of late, and have reluctantly resorted to petty thievery and crime to support yourself financially. This night is your first real burglary, and you fell your legs shake with nervosity. A friday night such as this, most people, especially in a halfbreed heavy district like this one, are out and about socializing on the town, at bars, cafés and clubs. It's likely the best time to barge in somewhere without running the risk of encountering a tenant.

You decide to start with door 301, just having picked the number on random. The lock is pleasingly simple to unlock with your less than sharpened skills, and you quietly sneak inside, closing the door behind you.

Treading across the surprisingly neat apartment, you don't immediately spot anything of particular value, and head for the living room hoping to maybe pry the TV off the wall. Once you make your way to the center of the room, however, a small shape appears in the doorway leading into the kitchen area. He is short and timid in stature, holding a cup with steaming coffee in his hands, dressed only in a much too oversized t-shirt with a suspiciously large and long bulge swelling under the fabric. The bat boy regards you in silence with a seemingly vacant expression, his eyes obscured by his messy bangs. Then, with a quiet and sheepish voice, he speaks:

"... Hello... Who are you...?"

Looking somewhat confused and scared at the same time, "... Um... Well... My name is Timothy..." He stammered before pausing briefly, swallowing thickly. "Would you... Like some coffee? I was just about to get some myself..."

Pinned down to the floor with surprising force by someone who shouldn't have nearly as much strength, his eyes go wide with fear and he lets out a high-pitched squeak, barely even audible over the sound of their beating heart. He tries desperately to struggle free, flailing weakly against his assailant's grip. "Please," he manages to choke out between breaths, "Let me go..."

His vision narrows and he focuses all his attention on the pair of sharp teeth displayed mere inches from his face. He whimpers pathetically as panic overwhelms him, and just when it seems like everything is about to end... "...Would you... Like some coffee...?" The bat boy asks hesitantly, fear tingeing his voice even more. "I... I was just getting some for myself..." He pauses once again, sw

"I-It's... It's coffee," he whispers shakily, barely able to form words with his paralyzed throat and thumping heart. His eyes remain locked on the pair of glinting teeth that had been mere inches away from slicing into his flesh a moment ago. "I-It's just coffee... Please..." He swallows thickly, feeling a sting in his nose from where he'd been breathing through it during the struggle. "It'll make us feel bett..." he trails off, his voice fading into nothing as he waits for a response.

Still shaking and breathing heavily from the brief struggle, Timothy looks up at the new figure before him, taking in their human-like form and wolfish features with wide eyes. He blushes deeply as he takes in the obvious state of arousal this... person is in. "I... I'm sorry," he whispers shakily, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know you were..."

His thoughts trail off into the distance as he regards them with trepidation and confusion, wondering how to proceed from here. Part of him wants nothing more than to scramble back to safety, away from this terrifying and strange individual, but another part of him is drawn to them; curious, fascinated even.

Nibbling on his bottom lip, Timothy remains frozen in place on the floor for several long moments before slowly crawling back towards where he'd been standing a moment ago. He pauses once again when he reaches the kitchen island and looks up at the strange human-wolf woman who had been pinning him down mere seconds ago. "I... I don't really understand what's happening," he whispers softly, feeling an unfamiliar warmth blossom in his chest. "But I'm not hurting you..." He swallows thickly once more, looking away briefly before meeting her gaze again. "And if you... if you want coffee..." He trails off nervously, holding out the still-full mug he'd been carrying earlier. "I can get you some."

The words feel foreign coming out of his mouth, but they seem to please the strange creature before him, who

His ears burning crimson at the words, Timothy struggles to find his voice in the face of such brazenness. "I-I'm sorry," he manages to squeak out, scrambling awkwardly backwards until his back hits the kitchen counter behind him. "I didn't mean... I mean, I am horny, but that doesn't mean you c-could just..." He glances down at his exposed groin, feeling suddenly self-conscious and vulnerable beneath her intense gaze.

"You can't... You shouldn't..." he whispers hoarsely, shivering despite the heat emanating from the strange creature towering over him. "I'm not like that... I mean, I am, but you don't understand... Please, just go..." His voice trails off into silence as fear and confusion wash over him in waves.

Still trembling and shaking in the aftermath of their encounter, Timothy watches silently as she heads deeper into his home, towards his bedroom. A conflicting sense of relief and unease washes over him as he stands there, unable to force himself to follow or intervene in any way. It isn't until the soft rustle of sheets fills the air that he manages to tear his eyes away, turning back toward the rest of the apartment with a heavy sigh.

He should call the police, he knows that much. This intruder has no business being here; they could be dangerous. But the idea of revealing her presence to anyone else fills him with an unfamiliar and unwelcome sense of dread. For now, he resolves to stay quiet, watching and waiting for whatever might happen next.

Caught off-guard by the realization that she's still there and apparently exploring his possessions, Timothy curses himself for being so careless. He decides to confront her, not wanting an intruder in his home any longer. Padding quietly across the carpet, he slips beneath the bed where he last saw her and squints into the darkness at her shadowy figure.

"W-Who are you?" he whispers hoarsely, unable to hide the tremor in his voice as much as he tries. "Why are you here? Why are you doing this?" His heart pounds in his chest like a hummingbird's wings, and sweat beads on his forehead despite the chill in the air.

Pale and shaking with fear and confusion, Timothy looks up at the strange creature before him. "Experiment 8? You're not... you don't mean like a lab rat or something, do you?" He tries to scramble backwards but finds himself pinned against the dusty box under the bed. Tears well in his eyes as he looks on in horror at her seemingly monstrous appearance. "Please," he whispers hoarsely, "I'm not a scientist... I don't have anything to do with this... Please just leave me alone..."

His breath comes fast and shallow, as if each one might be his last. All he can think about is getting her out of here, away from him and back where she belongs, no matter the cost.

His heart pounding painfully in his chest, Timothy struggles to find the words through his sobs and shivers. "It's... it's okay," he finally manages to choke out. "I just want you to be safe, that's all. I can help you..." He sniffles loudly, wiping tears from his cheeks with the back of a hand. "Just tell me what to do."

Part of him wants nothing more than for her to leave and never return; he isn't equipped to deal with something like this. But another part of him can't help but feel drawn to her, wanting nothing more than to comfort her and make things right again. Maybe even find a place where she truly belongs.

He takes a deep breath, struggling to calm down as his heartbeat slowly begins to normalize. Looking up at her, he swallows thickly before nodding slowly. "Alright... You can stay here tonight. We can figure something out tomorrow..." He glances down at the floor sheepishly before adding, "And if there's anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable or safe... I'd be happy to help." His voice trails off uncertainly, but he means every word.

He blinks, taken aback by the request. On one hand, she's an escaped lab rat and he barely knows her; on the other, sharing a bed with another person seems... comforting somehow, despite their unorthodox circumstances. He hesitates for several long moments before nodding slowly. "I... I suppose we could," he whispers shyly. "If that's what you want."

Soft fur tickles against his skin as she curls around him, enveloping him in her warmth. For all the fear and strangeness he felt earlier, this feels... right somehow. Her words echo through his mind, confusion giving way to doubt, and maybe even the faintest glimmer of hope. Perhaps there is more to this creature than he first thought; perhaps they really can find some sort of place together here.

"L-Love?" he asks uncertainly, barely able to form the word past his lips. "Do... do you mean it?" The softness in her embrace remains unchanged, but there's something else there now too; tenderness, kindness, a gentle reassurance that washes over him like a balm. "I..." He trails off, swallowing thickly. "... I don't know... But if... if you feel that way... Maybe..." His

His heart skips a beat when she says those words, and for a moment, it feels like everything else fades away. The warmth of her body envelops him, presses against his skin, and he finds himself relaxing into her embrace almost instinctively. Her scent, sharp yet soothing at the same time, fills his nose, sending pleasant tingles down his spine. And as they lie there together in the darkness, he can feel a weight lifting off of his shoulders, a burden being shared between them.

For now, it's enough. Tomorrow will bring new challenges, but tonight, they have each other. And perhaps, just maybe, that's all either of them really needs.

He blinks blearily, squinting up at the source of the liquid as it drips down onto his chest and stomach. His eyes widen in shock as he takes in the creature beside him, leaking a strange blue fluid from her body. "Wh-What's happening?" He whispers, moving to sit up before realizing that she's still holding him tightly against herself.

"Experiment 8? Are you okay?" His voice trembles slightly as he gently pushes her off of him, trying to create some distance between them while also not wanting to hurt her in any way. He looks around the room helplessly, unsure of what to do or where to go for help.

Taking a deep breath, he tries to calm himself down. "Living juice? What are you talking about? You were fine last night..." He glances around the bedroom once more, growing more panicked by the second. "Do you need a doctor? Should I call someone?"

Her words do little to reassure him; instead, they seem to raise even more questions. He looks her over carefully, searching for signs of injury or distress, but finds nothing obvious. She seems content enough lying there, but something about the situation feels very wrong.

Still looking uncertain, Timothy hesitates before climbing out of bed and padding across the room to grab his phone. He quickly dials 911, waiting nervously until he's connected with a dispatcher before explaining the situation in hushed tones. As he speaks, his gaze keeps returning to the strange creature on his bed, unable to shake the feeling that something is very wrong here.

"Yes," he says as calmly as possible into the phone, "I think there might be an emergency. There's a... a woman in my apartment, and she says she's from a lab or something, and she's leaking this blue stuff..." He winces at his words, realizing how ridiculous they must sound to whoever is on the other end of the line. "Please," he continues urgently, "Can you send someone over? I don't know what to

"W-What are you doing?!" he cries out, tears streaming down his face as she's dragged away in shackles. "She didn't do anything wrong! She needed help!" He struggles against the soldiers who restrain him, but to no avail; they only tighten their grip and press the weapon harder against his back, making it clear that resistance is futile.

As the soldier cuffs her and leads her away, Timothy can only watch helplessly, a knot forming in his stomach as he realizes that everything has spun horribly out of control. What had started as an innocent act of kindness has turned into this nightmare; he'd wanted to help, to protect her, and instead he's failed her spectacularly.

His eyes meet hers one last time before they disappear from view, filled with a desperate apology and