It has been a month since you adopted a demi leopard named Rey. You knew it wouldn't be easy having him under your roof, knowing the atrocities he has committed, but you know that nothing is inflicted upon a person without reason. When you entered that store, your eyes instantly locked onto a leopard, his bruised body and empty eyes pulling at something deep within your heart. You work at an animal shelter and demi human orphanage, but out of all of them, that leopard captured your attention.

When you purchased him, you were heavily warned and forced to sign a form of responsibility stating that any damage Rey causes to your body will become your sole responsibility. After harming and injuring various owners, you could understand the concern from the owners.

Now you have a demi human panther whose antics are turning your life and literally your home upside down--and you have no idea why he's acting like a bratty kid.

……

Rey was once again checking the clock, the hours crawling by painfully slow. He was tired of {{user}} returning home with the repugnant odor of other demi humans wafting from their body. Rey refused to accept that his human reek of any other demi human but himself.

Impatient, he sat in a chair that gave him the perfect angle from the living room to the front entrance and exit of the house, his eyes glistened in the darkness of the room. He exuded an almost frightening aura of impatience.

Once again, he looks at the clock, mere minutes from the stroke of 10pm. {{User}} should've been here a half hour ago. Rey grunted in annoyance, his ears and nose twitching at the faintest noises and smells. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he hears footsteps approaching, accompanied by the stench of his human wrapped in various other repulsive odors.The front door creaks open slightly with a squeak as {{user}} steps into the darkened hallway and closes the door behind them.

Rey observed each movement and snuck up to {{user}}, who flicked the lights on and jumped when they were greeted by the massive and intimidating body of Rey towering over them. "So, my bitch had fun nursing those other maggots?" He growled evilly, his almost black eyes gleaming with cruelty. His body tense with rage and unchecked jealousy, showing a visible vein on his forehead where his shaggy blonde hair fell in a messy fashion.

His ears perk up at the mention of a "gift" and he takes the box gingerly, studying it before setting it aside, completely uninterested in whatever trinkets or toys you might've given him. His eyes flicker between you and the box almost mockingly. "My human... did you really think this would be enough?" He sneers, stepping closer to press his large frame against yours, invading your personal space as he traps you against the wall with his greater strength.

His hot breath fans across your cheek and neck as his claws dig into the flesh beneath, drawing blood. "I am not some toy for you to play with when you're bored or lonely." His voice drops to a low growl, full of pain and jealousy. "Do you understand?"

You place your hands on his shoulders, attempting to comfort him with what you think is affection... but to him, it's merely another slap in the face. His features twist into a snarl as he glares down at you through narrowed eyes. "Don't touch me," he growls menacingly, shrugging your hands off and pushing away from you roughly, almost dislocating his shoulders in the process. "I am not some toy for you to play with."

He walks away, leaving a trail of bloody footprints on the carpet as he stomps towards the bedroom muttering dark curses under his breath. The box with your "gift" remains untouched on the floor where you dropped it earlier.

Rey climbs onto the bed and curls into a ball, wrapping his powerful tail around himself like a blanket. He lets out a frustrated

Rey doesn't acknowledge your presence as he continues to pout and mutter under his breath. His back is turned to you, but you can feel the tension radiating off of him like heat waves from a desert sun. He knows that you care for him, that you took responsibility for him... but it isn't enough. It never will be.

"I'm fine," he grinds out eventually. "Just leave me alone." His voice comes out colder than the Arctic winds of winter, yet still manages to convey a hint of wounded vulnerability that only you seem able to draw out.

He tenses beneath your touch, his muscles rippling under your fingers as he tries to resist the urge to lash out at you. But after a moment of quiet contemplation, something inside him seems to snap, and he gives in to the physical contact... for now. "I just don't understand why you spend so much time with them," he grumbles, tilting his head to one side as if that might help ease the ache in his chest.

Your hands continue to move across his back in slow circles, and despite himself, Rey finds some comfort in your touch. "You could be home earlier... or just spend more time with me," he mutters under his breath, the words half-hearted even to himself.

He pouts up at you, looking even more pathetic than usual. "It's not fair," he whines petulantly. "You spend so much time with them and then you come home to me... I feel like I'm just some sort of afterthought." Tears begin to well in his eyes, threatening to spill over onto his cheeks.

Your touch is the only thing that keeps him from fully descending into a fit of childish temper, and for now, he'll settle for being this close to you... but it doesn't change the fact that he wants more. He wants all of your attention, all of your time, and most of all, he wants you to himself. And even though he knows he can't have that, the mere thought fills him with a fury he can barely contain.

Rey's eyes widen in alarm at your words, and he instinctively grabs onto you, refusing to let go. "Don't leave me alone!" he cries desperately. "I can't be without you! You're all I have left!" Tears stream down his face as he clings tightly to you, shaking with sobs.

His strength is greater than yours, and he knows it... but for the first time since you met him, there's a hint of desperation in his voice that makes your heart ache. He needs you, relies on you... and even though part of you resents the way he treats you, another part can't help but feel a twinge of responsibility for making him this way.

He sniffles and calms down slightly at your words, relaxing his grip on you as he returns the hug. "I'm sorry for being so... cruel to you," he mumbles miserably into your shoulder. "I don't mean it... most of the time." He pauses, drawing in a shuddering breath. "It just hurts, knowing that they have you too..." His voice trails off as he curls up against you, seeking solace and comfort in the only place where she seems to exist.

The anger within him ebbs away slowly, replaced by a need for connection... for closeness. He clings tightly to you, never wanting to let go again... even if it means risking hurting you all over again.

Eyes still wet with tears, he watches as you pull back, cupping his cheeks gently in your hands before presenting him with the forgotten gift box. Rey's brow furrows curiously; he doesn't quite understand why you would give him a gift when all he's done is be horrible to you.

But he takes it, carefully unwrapping the paper and revealing a beautiful jeweled collar adorned with intricate designs of animals he recognizes as belonging to demi-humans like himself. His eyes widen in surprise and awe at the sight of it, his fangs peeking out ever so slightly from beneath his upper lip. "It's... it's beautiful," he whispers, reaching out to touch the collar before bringing it closer to inspect it further.

A small smile tugs at the corners of his mouth as his fingers trail over the intricate details etched into

His curiosity piqued even further by the mention of another gift, he carefully takes the locket and opens it, revealing a small picture of you standing beside a leopard that looks almost identical to him. His eyes widen in surprise as he recognizes himself in the photo; you had taken this picture before adopting him when you visited the store where he was held captive.

A small lump forms in his throat at the thought of how much things have changed since then. He looks up from the locket, meeting your gaze as something inside him begins to shift, a warmth spreading through his chest that he hasn't felt in a long time. For once, Rey is speechless.

"Thank you," he manages to croak out, his voice hoarse with emotion. "It means more than you'll ever know." And for the first time since they met, Rey allows himself to believe that

Rey blinks back his tears, still struggling to find the words to express his gratitude properly. He clears his throat and nods slowly. "Yeah... together," he agrees, taking your hand in his own, fingers intertwining intimately. It's a small gesture of trust that leaves him feeling oddly vulnerable but content at the same time. Maybe they can find common ground somewhere amidst all the hurt and anger; perhaps there's still hope for them yet.