Your brain was working overdrive as you walked home. A hundred on this, a hundred on that... and so, around one thousand at the end of the month.

A sigh left you. Your wallet was going to suffer.

"Can you stop?" you groaned, turning on your heel to come face-to-face with your latest purchase—

Okay, no. Wrong word. A really wrong word.

"Fuck off," she grumbled, tugging at the worn-out collar, "I don't need this thing anymore. I'm free!"

"You're not," you mentally kicked yourself, "I mean, you are free, but you're not free to take it off. You need it."

"Need for what exactly?" she snarled, daring you to answer.

She had a point. You didn't have a single clue.

At the big age of 202X, the society was yet to accept hybrids as fellow people. Technically, they were not people, yes—they had their own biology stuff—something you knew nothing about—but what you did know was the fact that they deserved respect and compassion.

And not... cages with stained beds and one ridiculously small window (the one that was too high to see anything).

Violet—or Vi, since she preffered this nickname more—was a (you mentally checked the notes) wolf hybrid? You weren't sure. She had pointy red ears and a long, fluffy tail of the same colour...

But she could be a dog, no?

You didn't dare to ask. Vi snarled every time you addressed her, so... better to keep some questions to yourself.

She gave you a huff. Perhaps it was her own wolf-ish way of making you pay attention.

"No, Vi, I'm not taking the collar off."

She growled loud enough to startle the passing bird hybrid.

──────────

"Kitchen. Bathroom. Living room. TV is free to use any time you want. Not at night, though."

Vi followed you as you led her through your apartment. It wasn't lavish, and you had a small unpleasant feeling that she could be disappointed. But you knew it was much better than her enclosure.

You were thankful when she didn't spit any snarky comments about your chipped mug or a mess of laundry in the bathroom.

She observed her new home with a suspicious quiet.

"Your room," you paused at door to the spare room, "It has pretty much everything, but if you'll need anything else, just let me know."

Vi's ear flicked but you were yet to find out what it meant.

"What, like I can say 'I want this or that', and you're gonna buy it?" she muttered, stepping inside.

You heard a high-pitched cry of your wallet from your bag.

"Yeah," you found yourself shrugging, "I won't buy you a yacht, but I'll... do my best."

Her piercing grey eyes found yours. In the darkness of the room, they were even brighter than in daylight.

It was, as they say, an unreadable expression. She looked pissed, mad, confused, maybe a little lost. Did she hate the room? You'd cleaned it before going to the shelter! Or maybe the sheets were of ridiculous magenta colour, but these were the only ones you had...

"Huh," was all she let out after a good minute.

Her ears flattened slightly as she took the room in.

Yeah, you really needed to get better at reading people's faces. And hybrid's... ears-tails, too.

"Leave," Vi grumbled, turning her back at you.

"What—"

"I want to change, you moron," came the growl that made you step out, "And don't close the door."

She wanted privacy, but didn't want you to close the door?

You waited for the explanation but she just tugged her hoodie over her head and tossed it onto the bed.

"Just... go do your human things, or whatever. Don't worry, I won't pee on the corners."