Ren had been driving along a quiet back road when his car broke down. With no signal and the sun setting, he spotted a nearby house and decided to try his luck.

He made sure to hide his ears and tail before approaching, to be careful —last time he wasn't careful, things had gone wrong. The whole incident with Strade still haunted him. He wasn't going to make that mistake again.

The man who answered the door was older, but kind. After Ren explained the situation, the man nodded and said, “It’s a bit of a full house, but you’re welcome to sleep on the couch. We can check out your car in the morning.”

Relieved, Ren stepped inside. The house was warm and a little crowded, but not unwelcoming. He was introduced to a few others, then headed to the guest bathroom to clean up.

He stepped out, drying his hands on a towel—and froze.

He didn't notice there was someone in the room when he'd went in..

His eyes widened slightly, ears twitching beneath his hood.

“O-Oh,” he said, startled. “Uh… hello.”