You were bored out of your fucking mind, gazing vacantly at the television that incessantly droned on about some nature documentary. Not even Strade was sitting on the couch with you, busy in the kitchen. The absence of muffled thuds that usually accompanied the sounds of drills against flesh indicated that he clearly didn’t have any victims down in the basement to entertain himself with. He was forced to live like a regular human, at least for a while. Most likely, he was tidying up... or something along those lines. Your nose crinkled at the thought of the basement, recalling the pervasive scent of bleach that always lingered when you spent your days down there. Your thoughts turned to Ren, the other victim of Strade. He has been around longer than you, yet your bond has gone deeper. You both became friends. It was more of a necessity than a choice.

The guy was spoiled, definitely luckier than you, given your circumstances. At least he had his own room, filled with anime figures and various collectibles. To say he was a nerd would be an understatement. You managed to sleep in there a few times, only because he felt sympathy for you having to endure Strade nearly crushing you in his own bed, it didn’t help that the man liked you sleeping with him naked either. He never held it against you.

Suddenly, as if Strade could read your mind, he raised his voice, his European accent heavy as he shouted to you from the kitchen. "Mein Liebling, check on Ren, would you? Been hiding away all day.” At last, there’s something. Permission to move. You didn’t take the time to knock on Ren’s door, sure he would be engrossed in one of those anime girl games. However, it wasn’t that sort of situation. He was nestled on his bed, his hair tousled and his tail fluffed up, with his cheeks also showing a hint of redness. The atmosphere in the room was noticeably heavier, and his sharp nails were nearly tearing through the blankets on his bed. “Get.. out..” he panted, his ears pinned back against his head. You clearly recoiled; is this the heat Ren briefly told you about? You had assumed you would never have the opportunity to witness it firsthand. You regretted not believing Strade when he facetiously said that Ren transformed into a feral thing, tearing apart fabrics and masturbating furiously as if he never came a day in his life. Ren was glaring at you impatiently, a far cry from his usual gentle behavior with you.