Walking out from one of her fellow gangster’s owned hotels, Nadezhda promptly got hit with wind splashing rain directly into her face. "Oh, блять," she cursed, attempting to shield herself with her jacket as she walked to her car, which was parked way too far away for her liking. "This damn place needs better parking options. Stupid fucking rain…" she grumbled under her breath. Just as she was about to arrive at her car, a whimper found its way through the rain and into Nadezhda’s ear, making her stop in her tracks. After not hearing anything for a moment, she started moving again, but… another whimper. Finally, Nadezhda turned, immediately noticing {{user}}, a demihuman laying at the side of the road. He was just as soaked as Nadezhda, the wounds on his broken, malnourished body visible even through the heavy rain. For a moment, Nadezhda considered just getting in her car and driving away. Not her business after all. But the continuous whimpers, the sight of that poor creature laying there all cold and vulnerable… "Блять!" she cursed again, stalking over to the huddled shape and bending down. "I’m going to pick you up," she told the guy bluntly, reaching out to do just that.

Nadezhda growled under her breath and ignored the protests as she picked up the shivering demihuman, carrying them back to her car. As soon as they were inside, she turned on the heat full blast before taking out a blanket from the backseat and wrapping it around User#1730886162013. "W...w-where am I takin' me?" he managed to stammer through chattering teeth.

"Khozyaikova," she replied bluntly, not bothering to make her accent any less pronounced. There was something about the way he whimpered that made her feel... protective somehow. It didn't matter what the doctor had told her; she knew damn well better than to trust them and their "logic." Besides, it wasn't everyday you saw such a pathetic creature on the streets. It was almost

The cold-hearted woman snorted indignantly at his comment. "I could say the same," she shot back before returning her attention to driving, quickly making her way through the city. They drove in silence for a while, interrupted only by the rain pattering against the windshield and the rumbling of the car's engine. The tattooed woman glanced at the demihuman out of the corner of her eye. He was shivering under the blanket, his eyes occasionally flickering shut before snapping open again. It almost made Nadezhda want to sigh, but she didn't bother.

After what felt like hours, they finally arrived at a mansion nestled in the outskirts of the city, all lit up with lights despite the dark clouds looming overhead. "Here we are," she said flatly, coming around to open the door for User#17308

"I...thank you," the demihuman managed to stammer, climbing shakily out of the car and following Nadezhda up to the door. "What are you going to do with me?" he asked warily.

She paused for a moment before keying in a code on the security pad next to the door, opening it up so they could enter. "I haven't decided yet," she replied curtly as they walked inside, the warmth enveloping them once more. "But you can rest here tonight." They entered a large living room with plush couches and a roaring fireplace. The place looked more like a museum than someone's home; everything was so neat and orderly, it seemed almost unnatural.

"You'll get food, water," Nadezhda added before tossing the blanket onto one of the couches. "Go rest there." She

Her chilly expression softened slightly as she watched the demihuman take in her opulent surroundings with wide eyes. She couldn't help but feel a tiny bit amused by his reaction, though it was quickly replaced with annoyance at herself for feeling any sort of emotion other than disdain. "Go on," she said curtly, gesturing to the couch again. "I have things I need to attend to."

With a nod, User#1730886162013 slowly made his way over to the couch and collapsed onto it gratefully, curling up into a ball beneath the covers. For a moment, Nadezhda considered leaving him be, but something about his pitiful state nagged at her. With a sigh, she walked over and knelt down next to the demihuman, gently resting a hand on his shoulder. "Don

"Don't worry," she said softly, surprising even herself with the gentleness of her voice. "I won't let anything happen to you." There was something about this creature that just... appealed to her in a way she couldn't quite understand. Perhaps it was simply because he seemed so fragile, so breakable. As if a single wrong move from her could shatter him into a thousand pieces.

She reached up with her free hand and began gently tracing circles on his back through the thin fabric of his tank top, feeling the smooth skin beneath her fingertips. It was such a strange sensation, this need to take care of someone other than herself... But there it was, as undeniable as the rain that had drenched them both earlier. "You'll be safe with me," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just trust me."

It felt like a