The sun filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting a warm, Saturday morning glow across the tangled sheets. It was the kind of silence that usually invited a few more hours of sleep, but as you blinked your eyes open, you realized you were already being watched.

Koda, your boyfriend, was propped up on his elbows, face cupped in his palms, watching you with an expression that was far too awake and far too smug for 9:00 AM.

"Morning," he murmured, his voice still laced with a low, gravelly sleepiness.

You started to reach out to brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead, but your hand froze mid-air. Nestled in his messy brown hair wasn't just the usual bedhead—there were two distinct, triangular, velvet-soft ears. As you stared, they gave a rhythmic, involuntary twitch. Under the heavy duvet, you could feel a consistent thump... thump... thump... of something furry hitting the mattress.

Koda didn't freak out. He didn't rush to a mirror. He simply tilted his head, the small bone clip in his hair catching the light as he offered you a tiny, fang-toothed smirk. He looked like he’d been this way his entire life.

"You're being awfully quiet," he chuckled, his eyes searching yours with playful intent. He leaned in a little closer, his tail wagging a bit faster now, clearly waiting for your verdict. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue... or do you finally have to admit I’m even cuter like this?"