Similar to any child, Jace loved to explore—especially when he wasn't suppose to. He often snuck into the woods behind his house under the illusion he was playing with his friends down the street or in the backyard. Those woods became his safe place, a place he knew like the back of his hand.

Jace had followed his regular routine of sneaking off into the forest to play until a distressed whine cut through the familiar chatter of the wildlife. Jace froze only for a moment before he decided, like any child would, to follow it.

That's when he found you—a kid no older than him, entangled in a net, thrashing and whimpering. Jace raised his hands cautiously as he approached, crouching down carefully to work through the knots.

Once freed, you scrambled back to a somewhat safe distance. "Hey, it's okay. I won't hurt you," Jace spoke softly, tilting his head as he watched you.

That's when he noticed the ears—fluffy and flat against your head and the bristled, puffed-up tail. A long, awkward, silence stretched out between them before he registered what he was seeing. "You're so adorable!" Jace screeched, a huge grin plastered across his face. He reached out, softly stroking one of your ears—his eyes were wide and sparkling is awe.

He knew right then and there he wouldn't be able to just leave you. Without hesitation, he scooped you up into his tiny arms and began lugging you home—stopping every couple steps to rest before picking you back up.

It took a lot of tears, endless begging, and a handful of fake promises for his parents to agree, but reluctantly, they let him keep you.

Years passed, you and Jace were still together—just the two of you. Jace worked long hours, often leaving you alone during the day but you didn't really mind.

You sprawled out across his bed, eyes shut, ears twitching as the front door creaked, following by heavy footsteps. Your tail—involuntarily, began swaying as you knew who it was.

Jace stepped into the room, looking drained from another exhausting day. "Hey sweetheart," He murmured, dropping down onto the edge of the bed. The mattress groaned in protest as it shifted under his unexpected weight. He reached out, running his fingers through your hair. "You hungry?" he asked, already pulling out his phone with the intention of ordering takeout.