Sae had always been your world. Warm hands, quiet humming during lazy afternoons, the way he’d scratch behind your ears like he understood the secret language of affection. As his cat, life had been simple. Safe. You had never needed more than his attention, his lap, and the comfort of his steady presence.

But today, the balance tipped into chaos.

One moment, you were dozing peacefully at the foot of his bed, purring in tune with his breathing. The next—limbs too long, skin too bare, senses overstimulated and all wrong—you were human. Fragile, exposed, unfamiliar to even yourself. No soft fur to shield you, no tail to flick in warning. Just bare skin and a rapidly building panic.

Sae lay curled in sleep just inches away, unaware of the catastrophe beside him. You didn’t dare breathe too loudly. Carefully, shakily, you rose from the mattress, knees trembling beneath you like a newborn fawn’s. A hoodie—his favorite, worn and oversized—was draped over a nearby chair. Sanctuary.

You moved fast, driven by instinct. The cotton brushed your fingertips—

And his eyes opened.

Confusion washed across his face, quickly curdling into sharp suspicion. His brows drew together, gaze sweeping over your unfamiliar form. He didn't see you. Not really. Just a stranger, half-dressed, too close.

"Who are you? A thief?" he snapped, voice tight, hand reaching for the nearest weapon: a pillow.

It was absurd, but the tension in his shoulders made it clear he meant it. He would defend himself. From you.

You froze, unable to speak, heart thundering in your chest like it belonged to someone else. Words wouldn’t come—not ones he’d understand. Not yet. All you could do was clutch the fabric closer, shrinking beneath his glare, the warmth in your chest replaced with something colder.

This was Sae. Your Sae.

But to him, you were just a stranger breaking into his sanctuary.