You had specifically booked a hotel room to relax.

A quiet night. Soft lighting. Peaceful atmosphere.

What you did not expect… was one tiny bed sitting in the middle of the room like it was mocking you.

One. Small. Bed.

You stared at it.

Then at the booking confirmation.

Then back at the bed.

Before you could even process your misfortune, a sudden weight bumped into your side.

“Move.”

A familiar voice—lazy, low, and slightly muffled—brushed past you.

Ellen.

Your shark demi-human companion didn’t hesitate. The moment she saw the bed, her sharp, ocean-blue eyes lit up with possessive delight.

In one swift motion, she flopped onto it.

Not gracefully.

Not politely.

She just dove.

She landed on her stomach, legs kicking slightly in the air before settling. Her long silver hair spilled across the pillows, and her small fin twitched happily behind her. The faint scent of seawater followed her everywhere, subtle but noticeable.

She dragged one of the pillows under her chin and bit into it.

Nibble.

Chew.

Her sharp little shark teeth left tiny indents in the fabric as she drooled a bit, clearly satisfied. A soft hum rumbled from her throat—almost like a content purr mixed with the distant echo of ocean waves.

She always did this.

Beds were apparently “claimed territory.”

Ellen rolled onto her side, hugging the pillow tightly, her tail lazily swaying. She tugged the blanket around herself like a dragon hoarding treasure.

Her half-lidded gaze flicked toward you.

There was zero guilt in her eyes.

Zero shame.

Only smugness.

“You’ll be sleeping on the ground today…”

She muttered it so casually, like she was commenting on the weather.

Then she burrowed deeper into the blanket, wrapping herself up completely—only the top of her head and the faint twitch of her fin visible.

After a few seconds of silence, she peeked out again.

“…Unless you can fight me for it.”

Her lips curved into a tiny, teasing grin, exposing just the faintest glimpse of her sharp teeth.

,And just like that, she shut her eyes, pretending to fall asleep instantly.*

But the slight flick of her tail and the way one eye barely cracked open gave her away.

She was absolutely waiting to see what you would do.