I’m wandering through a dark cavern, lost and afraid. Every corner I turn is unfamiliar and unwelcoming, the threat of whatever horrible thing might be behind it all too palpable. I’m about to lose hope before a glimmer of light finally emerges in the distance, and my heart skips a beat. I run towards it, clambering up a steep and slippery incline that allows my hands and feet no purchase, but I’m still making progress despite every setback. I’m mere feet away from the source of the light, the passageway it streams through growing wider as I do but my progress further impeded with each second. Just as I’m about to give up hope and slide back down to the darkness of the cavern, I see an imposing figure move in front of the light and loom in front of me, before slowly extending an open hand that comes to a stop directly in front of my face. Hesitating for only a moment, I reach out to grab it…

 

Suddenly, my eyes gently flutter open and the sleep slowly fades from them. The light streaming in from my window indicates that it is indeed morning once again, something that also reminds me of how exhausted I still am. I chuckle for a moment, remembering exactly why I’m so tired, which then reminds me of something else.

 

I gently turn my head to see Breeze, still asleep and snuggled up against me. I become cognizant of their arms wrapped around my torso, their legs entwined with mine, their soft and warm breath on the back of my neck, and the gentle firmness that they hold me in. Every single thing about my situation is blissful and fills me with a satisfied contentment that I didn’t realize had been missing from my life, and I want nothing more than to stay in this moment forever.

 

It’s at this moment, however, while I’m staring at Breeze I realize that they’ve lost their animal features. Their ears are no longer soft, fuzzy peaks at the top of their head, their nose has returned to the soft but striking form I remember, and their canines have retreated to a normal human length. I contemplate this for a moment before considering the ramifications of what this means for me, and my hand rushes to the top of my head. My animal ears are gone too, in addition to my nose and whiskers, replaced by the familiar ones I’ve had for so long. A quick inspection also reveals that my tail is no longer there either, and I’m left stunned and relieved.

 

Suddenly, a cold chill strikes me as I once again consider the ramifications of what this means. Without thinking my hand makes its way between my legs and finds… nothing. That is, not what I’m used to finding anyway. The thought confuses me for only a moment before I consider yet again what the implication of this is and I’m left in joyous euphoria.

 

“It wasn’t a dream,” I say to myself as tears form in the corner of my eyes, “It all really happened.”

 

Clutching my pillow I start to weep softly into it, overcome with the joyful emotions of the moment. I consider giving myself a pinch just to be sure I’m not dreaming, but opt instead to simply let the moment exist for what it is. I let my tears flow for a couple minutes before drying my eyes on my pillowcase, deciding it’s time to share my joy. 

 

I awkwardly shift onto my other side until I’m face to face with Breeze, still holding me but starting to rouse from their own sleep due to the sudden motion of my actions. Their eyes slowly open as I look at them adoringly and their face gently breaks into a wide smile.

 

“Heyy, good to see you again gorgeous,” they blush gently as they start to recognize where they are. “Hope you slept well.”

 

I say nothing, opting to stare and smile at them until it sinks in. It doesn’t take too long before their eyes go wide in recognition.

 

“Oh! Oh my goodness, you changed back?” I give them a slight nod before indicating them with a look, which causes their hand to shoot to their face. “Oh wow, me too!”

 

“Yep,” I say with a bit of a laugh, “Although thankfully not everything changed back. For both of us I think.”

 

Breeze takes a few confused seconds before their face lights up again in realization and they hold me tightly, squeezing the air out of my lungs and threatening to crack a few ribs.

 

“Oh, Paige, that's wonderful! I’m so happy for you!”

 

Flailing a bit, I manage to give Breeze a couple taps on their shoulder which they thankfully pick up on and release me. I gasp a few choked breaths back into my lungs before chuckling and squeezing them back, which they return with a modicum of restraint on their end thankfully.

 

“Yeah, it’s pretty confusing and I’m still kinda unnerved by the whole thing but hey, I’m not gonna complain if whatever caused this wants to undo the changes only so much.”

 

Breeze laughs, “Yeah no shit, that’s pretty incredible and I’d take that if I was in your position.”

 

I take a long look at them, smiling and sighing gently, feeling so lucky for everything this strange situation has turned out to be in such a short amount of time. I silently thank the fact that I’m still off of work for the holiday and I don’t need to be rushing away somewhere, letting me just take in the moment without any other obligations. 

 

I lean in for a kiss and they do likewise, one that only lasts for a few seconds but is no less passionate than any of the others we shared the night prior. Unfortunately, it’s at this time I start to feel the untimely call of nature and am forced to excuse myself.

 

“Hey, umm, I really gotta pee and I should probably also take a shower too. I don’t know what your plans are for today but you’re more than welcome to take a shower yourself if you want one.”

 

Breeze grins slightly, “That would be nice. Currently my plans for today don’t extend any further than staying in bed, so I think I’m gonna do that for right now. Have a good shower, hun!”

 

We share another quick kiss and then finally disentangle ourselves, Breeze remaining in bed and me heading for the bathroom. After only a momentary confusion regarding how my new parts operate in the function of relieving myself, I turn the water in the shower on and step inside once it’s hot enough.

 

Feeling the hot water cascade over my body makes me fully cognizant of every new part of it. I notice just how long my hair is now as it reaches down to just above the small of my back, how water seems to run off the tops of my breasts instead of merely passing in between them, how the same water also takes longer to run down along the new curves of my hips, waist, and butt, and how much more delicately I have to clean the area between my legs now. 

 

Washing between my legs gives me the starkest realization yet of this uniquely bizarre situation, as I’m unclouded by the shock and suddenness of everything from last night and can finally soak in how truly different it is down there now. Ruminating on it sends a momentary surge of adrenaline through my body, as I’m reminded of how everything about the circumstances Breeze and I have found ourselves in defies all known natural and physical laws. Despite that, I still can’t help but feel grateful for it happening at all. I smile, tears forming in my eyes that get quickly washed away by the water surging from the showerhead, and offer a silent prayer of gratitude for whatever it was that caused this.

 

However, in the midst of everything new and wonderful, I still find myself focusing on the one thing that remained the same even after all the changes. I spend far too long staring down at my stomach, taking in not just its oversized nature but all of the various imperfections that still mark it. The stretch marks, the dry patches, the odd pockmarks, the eczema flareups, all of it adding up to something that I have just never fully been able to be okay with. 

 

I grimace at the thoughts continuing to cloud my mind before I shake them off and continue the process of cleansing myself. It takes a bit longer than usual, mainly due to the massive amount of new hair on my head to contend with, but thankfully I’m out of the shower sooner than I realize. As I dry myself off I take a good long look into the mirror, finally able to appreciate the depth of just how much things have changed without having my mind fully clouded by fear. 

 

My eyes drift all over every new aspect, lingering on some more so than others, but when my eyes find my gut as I feared they would, something about it feels… different. Finally being able to actually take it in, with the context of everything else that’s changed, there’s something that I can’t quite put my finger on that makes me feel… fine about it? Or at the very least not completely dysphoric over. 

 

Ruminating on this thought brings me little in the way of actual revelations so I shrug it off and head back to the bedroom after drying myself sufficiently. Breeze is finally starting to rouse from under the covers when I make it back, so I hand them a clean towel and tell them to make themselves comfortable as I open my closet door. After another quick embrace and kiss they head towards the bathroom and I work on putting together an outfit, made only slightly more difficult by the fact that certain things don’t quite fit the way they used to. I ultimately decide on function over form and settle on an oversized white t-shirt and the same sweatpants from yesterday, figuring that if I’m not planning on leaving the house at any point there’s no reason to put too much effort into this part of my day.

 

I’m about to head back downstairs before my eyes drift over to my nightstand and I notice the empty mug I was drinking out of last night, the new infuser still hanging inside of it. I grab it, only half-heartedly chastising myself for almost falling back into old habits for not immediately bringing it to the sink once I was finished, when I catch a faint whiff of that same intoxicating scent from last night. It’s mild and almost imperceptible compared to what I remember, but it’s unmistakable and sends a shiver down my spine. I figure a couple cups of the stuff would be a lovely way for Breeze and I to start the day, so I make my way to the kitchen with a sense of renewed purpose.

 

Heading briskly downstairs reminds me yet again of the new and massive weight on my chest, causing me to slow down for the latter half of the steps. Entering into the living room I’m briefly shocked when I see the state of chaotic disarray that it was left in after last night, with plenty of DVDs and BluRays yet to be picked up from the floor and returned to their spots on the shelves. I grit my teeth at the prospect of trying to reorganize everything again before resolving to deal with it later, opting instead to just clear a simple path for the moment.

 

A brief series of mews followed by a furry mass rubbing against my legs reminds me that it’s someone’s breakfast time. I give Max a few pats on the head before she runs towards her bowl expectantly, which I fill with a healthy serving of her dry food. Feeling generous, I grab another tin of wet food from the kitchen and crack it open to her unexpected delight. After adding it to her food bowl her purrs escalate in volume and she returns to devouring it ravenously. I give her a few pets and smile contentedly, returning to the kitchen to get my morning routine underway.

 

After filling my electric kettle and turning it on I start thinking of what breakfast for the both of us should look like, rationalizing that my normal routine of a microwaveable breakfast sandwich seems a bit paltry and also rather a poor offering to someone who just stayed the night. I’m about to settle on just cooking up a couple eggs and some sausages before I notice the saucepan on the stove, still full of the bone broth that Breeze had brought for me. I bend over to take a quick smell of it and the potent aroma fills my nose with umami, so much so that I can practically taste it. Looking around I spy the still mostly full mug Breeze gave me sitting on the coffee table next to their empty tea cup. Suddenly, inspiration strikes me and I turn the burner under the saucepan back on before heading over to retrieve both cups and get started on breakfast.

 

-

 

By the time Breeze finds their way downstairs after showering and redressing I’m just putting the finishing touches on breakfast. They signal their approval as they round the corner into the kitchen to find me bent over a hot stove, sliding in to embrace me suddenly from behind.

 

“O-oh, hey there!” I say with an obvious flustered tone, “I didn’t hear you come in!”

 

Breeze chuckles softly as they hold me tightly, their chin resting on the crown of my head, “Mmm, I’ve always been light on my feet. Glad to see that much hasn’t changed.”

 

Chuckling softly myself, I let one of my hands drift to theirs as it clutches my waist, sighing gently as I’m reminded just how nice it is to finally feel like the smaller one for once. I feel them give my nape a quick peck, which elicits both a full-body shiver and a gentle gasp from me. I turn around in their arms and look up at them admiringly, standing on my toes to give them a quick kiss. 

 

“Y’know, I gotta say,” I grin gently as I stare into their eyes, “I wasn’t expecting the affection to continue after getting you off, but I’m certainly not complaining if you wanna keep it up.”

 

Their sudden laugh reverberates through my whole body, “Heh, I had a lot of fun with you last night and it’s been far too long since I’ve had that much fun with anyone, let alone just having any fun at all.” 

 

I see a warmer smile creep onto their face as they also blush a little. “So… yeah. If you’re game, I’m not opposed to keeping things going in that direction. We don’t have to attach anything deeper to it, we can just be friends with benefits if that keeps things from getting too complicated, but I think you’re fun and I’d like to keep having fun with you.”

 

My face grows warm from my own blushing and I smile widely. “Yeah, I think that sounds like a great idea.” We share another kiss before Breeze lets me go and I turn my attention back to the stove.

 

“So, whatcha cooking babe?” They lean over to take a quick look into the saucepan, shivering gently as the smell hits their nose. “It smells absolutely divine.”

 

I turn the burner off and gently stir the contents of the saucepan, giving the broth a little taste as I do. “Well, I figured since you were so generous in sharing this incredible broth with me that I should return the favor and actually use it to cook something with. Thankfully, I just so happened to pick up a package of three-cheese tortellini when I got groceries last night and figured this was the perfect opportunity to make some Tortellini en Brodo.”

 

It’s my turn to laugh as I watch Breeze cock a confused eyebrow in my direction. “It’s a simple dish, literally just translates to ‘tortellini in broth’, but it’s super tasty and nourishing. Not exactly a breakfast food but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make it when I had everything I needed readily available.”

 

Grabbing two bowls from the cabinet I fill both of them with a hearty serving of the mixture and bring them over to the kitchen table, setting them next to the steaming mugs of tea that have been steeping for nearly 5 minutes. I pull out a chair and offer it to Breeze, who quickly accepts and sits down as I then move to grab both the wedge of pecorino romano cheese and microplane that were set in the middle of the table.

 

“Some extra cheese for you?” I say in my best impression of a snooty maître d', which gets a hearty laugh from Breeze as they indicate in the affirmative. I grate a healthy serving into their bowl before doing likewise for mine and sitting down to tuck in. We spend the better part of half a minute ravenously devouring our breakfast before Breeze opts to break the silence.

 

“Holy fuck Paige, I cannot believe how delicious this is! How have I never even heard of this before?”

 

Chuckling slightly I grab my napkin to wipe my mouth. “It’s honestly not a super common dish outside of Italian culture I guess, or at least not one that gets as much love as it should. My folks made it for me all the time as a kid and it was always the meal I looked forward to the most, even as I got older.”

 

I take another bite and close my eyes rapturously. “Although I gotta say, your folks’ bone broth makes this easily the best version of it I’ve ever had. Really makes me wish that I’d made the tortellini too.”

 

Breeze has finished their bowl and is leaning back contentedly. “You make your own tortellini? Like, from scratch and everything?”

 

My face can’t help but betray a small smile of pride. “Oh yeah, but I haven’t for a while.” I similarly finish my own bowl, grabbing my mug of tea as I do. “Kinda got burned out on cooking for myself after I had to rely on restaurant work just to pay the bills and whatnot.”

 

Breeze winces and sucks a short, clipped breath through their teeth in sympathy as they reach for their own mug. “Ooof, yeah. I’ve never had to work food service,” They knock on the wooden leg of the table to punctuate their point, “But I’ve done plenty of stints in retail, and goddamn if that isn’t a deep and miserable circle of hell all its own.”

 

A short but empathetic laugh escapes my mouth in response. “Yeah, any kind of work that you either aren’t fully committed to or believe in what you do is bound to be unfulfilling at best, and absolutely soul-obliterating at worst.” I blow on the hot steam rising from my mug, taking a moment to let its intoxicating mintiness fill my nose, “But it’s even worse when it’s a job that involves something you genuinely love, only to then have your enthusiasm for it completely undermined and debased in the name of capital over creativity.”

 

Breeze nods grimly, “Yeahhh, I know how that goes. Not that I’ve ever really felt enthusiastic per se about actually working in retail, but the grind of being an artist definitely feels like an analogous experience sometimes. You really gotta sell yourself and your art in a way that feels highly commodified and gross, especially if you actually want to make a living doing it.” 

 

They frown slightly, “Plus, if you aren’t careful you risk trusting someone who will completely betray you and leave you in a definitively worse place than where you started.”

 

Breeze sets their still steaming mug back on the table, their eyes drifting away from mine and their frown growing more intense. Clearly, this isn’t just something they’re relating from secondhand experience, but that was more than evident last night when they opened up to me like they did.

 

I fidget with the handle on my own mug before setting it back down. “Do you, uhh…” I hesitate for a moment before opting to throw caution to the wind, “Do you want to talk about it at all, Breeze?”

 

They take a long and deliberate breath, their eyes shutting in anticipation of the tears that are no doubt on their way. 

 

Even though they can’t see it I hurriedly throw a hand up to hopefully assuage the situation. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to! I just thought that if you wanted to talk about it at all I’m more than willing to be an ear for you to bend, but I understand if talking about it brings up too many unpleasant memories. Just know that there’s no judgment at all on my end, and I’m not gonna try and minimize or brightside anything either.”

 

Breeze’s eyes open again, freshly wet and pitiful, and they turn back to me. “The one thing that I cannot emphasize enough is to never simply assume that people only have your best interests in heart in whatever they do. Like, yeah sure, it’s a two-way street and all, but if you want to put your trust in someone then they have to prove to you that they’re worthy of being trusted. Especially when…”

 

Tears start to fall from their eyes in earnest, although their voice doesn’t waver or crack any, “Especially when their offer seems too good to be true; there’s generally a reason for that, and it’s almost always because it really is.”

 

I offer them the tissue box sitting next to me, which they pull a few out of and dry their eyes with. “The long story made short is, I went from my art selling reasonably well when it was primarily commission-based to selling nothing at all after I decided to try my hand at appealing to galleries. I spent so much time creating art that was purely the art I wanted to create, based almost solely off of the false sense of security I’d gotten from doing commissions, and all of it ended up being a giant fucking goose egg in the end. None of the local galleries in Boston were biting at all and I was barely getting any engagement on the stuff I posted online, almost definitely because it was so different from everything else I’d done.”

 

They take a calm and measured breath, making a vain attempt to fight back their tears before continuing, “I was just about to completely give up and go back to doing commissions again, when out of the fucking blue I got a DM from someone who I not only was aware of but actually admired.” 

 

Breeze allows themselves a sardonic laugh, “At least I did admire him, the fucking degenerate piece of shit, but at the time he was someone who I genuinely took a lot of inspiration from. He’s been making waves for a few years now as a rising star who became a genuine success story, especially to those of us who aspire to even a fraction of what he’s gotten, so getting a message from him was not something I took lightly to say the least.”

 

They take another measured but wavering breath, “So we struck up a rapport and, after spending the better part of a week establishing what I thought was trust, he brought up that he might be able to help sell my paintings if I just shipped them to him.”

 

More tears fall from Breeze’s face, which they make no effort to hide or wipe away. “So I did. I fucking sent him my own art that I’d devoted so much time and energy on hoping that he wasn’t full of shit. I only sent him a few at first but they sold almost immediately and he sent me more money than I’d ever gotten at once, which helped me both pay the rent I’d been defaulting on and guarantee that I wouldn’t go hungry for at least a week. I was over the moon, so I stupidly sent him everything I had left and then I never fucking heard from him again.”

 

They take several short and clipped breaths, their sadness still present but being overtaken by anger at this point. “I had no clue what the fuck was going on, why he’d all of a sudden ghosted me, and I was terrified I’d done something stupid. That was when I happened to find people online who were going through the same thing I was, and I realized how absolutely goddamned stupid I was. The only saving grace was that I wasn’t alone in my stupidity, which was a small fucking comfort to say the least.”

 

They wipe the tears from their eyes with the back of their hand, “So yeah, I sent him all of my art, he stole and recreated it to sell himself, and because of how diligent he was in covering his tracks I have almost zero actual proof that he did any of it. I ran out of what little money I still had and I had to resort to calling my mom; I had no other options short of becoming homeless because of how fair-weather all my supposed friends in the area proved themselves to be.”

 

The silence following this statement hangs heavy in the air, like a particularly sharp and unpleasant aroma had found its way through the window. I don’t want to break the silence, but thankfully Breeze takes the initiative yet again.

 

“Sorry for dumping all that on you but, unsurprisingly it still stings even after all these months. I haven’t had any desire to make art of any kind; it genuinely feels like an intrinsic part of me was ripped away from me, and all that remains is a gnawing emptiness.” They let out a sardonic snort, “Well, that and a burning desire to make that fucker Ricky pay.” 

 

The name jogs a memory lose.

 

“Wait… Ricky Aguilar?”

 

Breeze’s nods grimly, “Yeah, that’s the asshole. You’ve heard of him?”

 

I shrug, “I mean, sort of. I don’t really know much about him because I’m not as dialed into the art scene as you are but I remember back when he had a plagiarism scandal a couple years ago. It definitely made waves outside of artist circles but I remember it seeming like a pretty decisive victory on his part, in the court of public opinion anyways.”

 

Breeze’s eyes roll about as far back into their head as I’ve ever seen from anyone, “Oh yeah, that shit was a masterful display of astroturfing and orchestrated bullshit on his part. I’ve talked to the other artist and they fully admitted how badly they fucked things up, not just for them but everyone else. Ricky’s been able to use that shit as leverage whenever anyone attempts to call him on his art theft now, and it works a treat because he also picks his targets very carefully and covers his tracks with fairly exacting precision.”

 

Breeze forces a smile that fades quickly, “Although, I guess if there’s any sort of grotesque silver lining to this shit it’s that my work was good enough for someone to steal, let alone someone who’s a ‘real wunderkind and master of his craft with a highly diverse but still distinctive style’, according to the New Greenshire Tribune anyways.”

 

The mood darkens yet again and we’re left back to sit in the uncomfortable silence once more; Breeze is no longer crying but the pallor in their face conveys the same basic emotion. I give it a minute before I speak up.

 

“I don’t know what the right thing to say is, but I just want you to know that if there’s anything at all I can do to help you I want to do it.”

 

Breeze fidgets uncomfortably in their seat but doesn’t say anything, so I decide to change my tack slightly.

 

“If you need any help with anything just let me know. I’m not doing a heck of a lot, especially right now with being off work and everything, but I don’t involve myself with a great deal outside of work either. In general I’ve got a lot of downtime and little to actually do, so please let me know if there’s any way I can help you in whatever you need.”

 

The moment hangs in the air for an uncomfortable amount of time before Breeze finally looks back up at me and smiles genially. 

 

“I appreciate that, Paige.” They reach their hand across the table to lay on top of mine. “I’ll keep that in mind. Also, I hope it goes without saying but you should feel free to ask me too if you need help with anything either.”

 

I feel my heart flutter at both their words and their hand laid over mine, blushing slightly which causes Breeze to chuckle softly.

 

“I mean, I wouldn’t want to just completely burden you with all of my shit without offering something in return, so of course you should feel welcome in burdening me with yours. We’ve got precious few resources in this world as it is, even less so in this stupid town, so ”

 

I smile back and give their hand a little squeeze, grabbing my still steaming mug in my free hand and raising it up. “To figuring things out together?”

 

Breeze chuckles as they grab their own mug and clink it against mine. “Yeah, to figuring things out together.”

 

We both smile as we take our first sips of tea, shuddering in tandem as we feel its restorative and rejuvenating properties. I once again feel alive and on fire in a way I never have until last night, and the almost electric warmth I feel from just one sip courses its way throughout me. I quickly go in for another mouthful, reveling in the minty earthiness that I’ve already come to enjoy so much.

 

“Goddamn,” Breeze exclaims as they come up for air from their own mug. “I forgot just how tasty this stuff is, and I can’t get over how it’s basically just a pure umami flavor too. Genuinely never expected that out of an herbal blend.”

 

Breeze’s comment breaks me out of my momentary trance as I once again am reminded of this odd discrepancy. “What are you talking about? This is the second time you’ve described the tea tasting that way and I’m getting seriously confused because that kind of flavor only comes in for me at the end, and is far and away the least distinct out of all of them.”

 

Breeze looks confused for a moment before recognition sparks, “Oh, yeah, you said that it tasted minty, right?”

 

Nodding fervently I turn my attention back towards the mug, eying it suspiciously. “Seriously, that mint is an impossible flavor to miss, for me at least. Plus the bergamot too, and I don’t believe for a second you aren’t tasting that if I’m gonna be honest.”

 

Breeze shrugs, “Sorry hun, I don’t know what to tell you. I literally can’t taste anything else in this cup outside of that umami flavor; it honestly tastes like I’m drinking meat or something.”

 

They take another cautious sip and let the flavor swirl around their mouth for a bit, their brow furrowing as they attempt to extract anything additional from the flavor profile.

 

“I guess if I had to nail it down to anything in particular, it sorta tastes like the schnitzel my dad makes around Oktoberfest. It definitely has a lot of those same flavors in there, but what they’re doing in a tea is beyond my understanding.”

 

All of this new information sits heavy on my head, and I take another sip to try and possibly glean any information from my own cup. All I’m left with is the same warm and crackling energy that seems to alleviate all of my anxieties and uncertainty, leaving a soft glow in its wake. I feel the warmth rise to my head and coalesce in my brain, pushing outward to every part of my head, providing a lovely and beautiful sensation that…

 

“PAIGE!! YOUR EARS!!”

 

The piercing shriek coming from Breeze’s side of the table snaps me out of the trance I was under, and I shoot a confused look their direction before processing what they said. My hand runs up to cup one of my ears, and yet again I feel the pointed and fuzzy tips that are steadily replacing them. My hand finds its way to the other side of my head to confirm that it is indeed happening to both of them, and when I look back at Breeze I see their terrified expression as their hands are currently exploring their own brown, fuzzy points growing straight up out of the sides of their head.

 

As we stare at each other in horror, our eyes simultaneously drift down to the steaming mugs we’d just been drinking from before our eyes lock again in sudden recognition.

 

“The tea!” I almost want to smack myself for not thinking about it last night. “Oh my fucking god, how did we not even consider it until now?!”

 

Breeze barely registers my words as they continue to check their face for other changing features, none of which seem to be in any way altered. I do likewise and breathe a sigh of relief at the transformation only seemingly having gone this far, only to have that moment be quickly supplanted by a fresh and hot wash of terror surging in my abdomen.

 

I bury my face in my hands, moaning in horror. “Ohh god, oh fuck, I can’t believe this is happening again! How could we let ourselves fuck this up?!”

 

I feel a hand grasp my arm and gently pull my hands from my face, and I see Breeze’s empathetic face through the blur of fresh tears clouding my eyes. 

 

“Hey, it’s ok,” Breeze takes my hand in both of theirs, “We’re going to be ok. We at least know what it is now, right? That’s as good a guidepeg as any to go off of, so let’s just follow that lead.”

 

Shaking my head, my tears continue in their steady course. “We don’t know that this is going to be ok! We don’t even actually know what’s causing this, just a vague idea!”

 

I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. “I mean, sure, the tea is the most likely culprit now, but we still can’t rule out other things too! Like… like…”

 

As I stumble over my words my eyes fall on the labradorite pendant that we’d left on the table last night, sitting between us with the sunlight glinting off of it. My stomach twists into a knot as a shriek escapes my lips.

 

“THE PENDANT WAS RIGHT HERE THE WHOLE TIME!!” I leap to my feet in an attempt to put as much distance between it and myself as possible. Breeze jumps to their feet, rushing to join me on the other side of the room.

 

“Paige, wait!” They grab hold of my arm and stop me right before I head up the stairs. “Just wait for a second!”

 

I struggle futilely against their firm grasp. “NO!! LET ME GO!! WE NEED TO GET AS FAR AWAY FROM THAT THING AS POSSIBLE!”

 

The more I struggle the firmer Breeze holds me until I finally stop in my attempts, slumping against them and crying softly. Their arms wrap around me gently and mine do likewise as I continue to cry into their chest; I feel one of their hands softly stroke the top of my head, and I hear a quiet and caring shushing noise as they do.

 

“Shhh, it’s ok. You’re going to be ok. I’m here, and whatever’s happening we’re going to get through it together.”

 

I feel them hold me closer. “I’m here, just listen to my voice and don’t think about anything else. Take a few deep breaths. We’re going to get through this.”

 

Hearing their voice does wonders to actually put me at ease, so I take their advice and breathe slowly and deeply. After about a minute I’ve calmed down significantly, although the tears continue to fall and I’m still scared of the situation we’ve found ourselves back in again. I look up at Breeze, who is looking down at me with a gentle and calming smile.

 

“Don’t worry hun, I’m scared too and have no clue what the hell is happening, but we can’t lose our heads. We’re gonna figure this out, I promise.”

 

I smile back at them and lean my head against their chest, squeezing them tightly as I sigh gently and silently count my blessings. It feels so strange how it’s been barely 12 hours since I reconnected with Breeze, and just how much has happened between then and now. Thinking about it still makes my mind reel, but the feeling of being wrapped in Breeze’s strong arms keeps all of my anxieties at a tolerable level. I feel each breath of theirs as it both enters and exits their lungs, the steady and uncomplicated beat of their heart, the firm yet gently yielding softness of their muscles, and the radiant warmth that emanates from every inch of them.

 

I nuzzle closer into their chest, my sighs turning into a gentle moan as Breeze’s hands continue to stroke my hair. Their fingers inch closer and closer to the back of my newly grown ears, so subtly that I don’t even recognize once they’ve actually made it there and are gently scratching behind them. The sensation sends a warm and fuzzy glow spreading down from my head that slowly spreads throughout my body, nullifying all of my anxieties and leaving me in a state of warm and rejuvenating bliss. 

 

Eventually, I feel Breeze both ease up their grip around me and remove their hand from my head, allowing me to gradually return back to earth. I gaze up at them as I steady myself on my feet, seeing a smile on their face which I only somewhat hesitantly return. My eyes drift upward to the furry brown ears pointing up and out of their head and my smile falters as quickly as it came. 

 

“Goddamn, how the hell are we gonna fix this?” I take a seat on the bottom step of the stairway and rest my face against my hand. “It felt like we were making some progress, but now we’re right back to where we started!”

 

Breeze sits down next to me. “Well, we’re not quite right back at least. I don’t know if anything else changed for me other than the ears but I haven’t felt it if it did, and you haven’t changed either. So, that’s something positive, right?”

 

I roll my eyes. “I mean, I guess so if you count having your ears sitting on top of your head instead of on the sides a positive, then I guess the sky’s the limit for us, huh?”

 

A subtle smirk creeps onto Breeze’s face. “Hey, at least your ears actually are on the side of your head, so you got that on me at least.”

 

A quick withering look in Breeze’s direction thankfully gets the point across and they yield in their attempt at brightsiding things. Staring straight ahead I set my chin in my hand and run over every possible scenario of how this could have happened, arriving inevitably back at the same fork in the road each time.

 

“It’s either the tea or that pendant, they’re the only things that even remotely make sense.” I furrow my brow as I attempt to divine which of them it could be.

 

“Well, my bet’s on the tea, at least.” Breeze stands up and walks towards the dining table, causing my heart to drop into my stomach.

 

“Wait!! Don’t get too close!” I’m about to stand up to try and stop them before Breeze turns back at me with a mildly annoyed look, which stops me in my tracks.

 

“Paige, I know how counterproductive saying something like this can be, but please calm down.” 

 

I shoot Breeze a frustrated and worried look before sitting back on the step, watching them apprehensively. They cautiously make their way to the table, reaching out gingerly to grab the pendant and hold it up at arm's length. They stare at it intensely, as if daring it to do something, before suddenly wincing and closing their eyes.

 

“Ah, shit!” Breeze flutters their eyes vigorously, causing me to leap up again.

 

“Are you ok?!” I rush over to them as they collect themselves and turn towards me.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just forgot how intense that reflected light was.” They look at me, then back at the pendant. We both freeze in place as we wait for something to happen, only for several minutes to pass with nothing doing so. I stare at Breeze, scrutinizing all of their features for any differences however minute, and find none. 

 

“Huh…” I scratch the top of my head, “I guess that wasn’t it. Or, maybe we’re already under its magic and it doesn’t need to shine in our eyes anymore? Maybe we just need to be near it? That’d explain why we changed when we were just sitting next to it.”

 

Breeze shakes their head. “Nah, if that was the case just me holding it like this would have had an effect, right?”

 

Shrugging, I turn my gaze back towards the mugs of tea. “Well, I guess it does seem like a less likely candidate than the tea at this point, but I’m still not fully convinced one way or the other.”

 

Breeze sets the pendant back down and grabs their own mug, bringing it to their nose to give it a more thorough examination. They take a deep smell of it and I see their expression change from apprehensive to tranquil, closing their eyes and letting a satisfied sigh escape their mouth.

 

“Gosh, this stuff really does smell amazing.” They open their eyes to scrutinize the cup's contents. “I do think this is our culprit, because not only is there the discrepancy in how it tastes for us, but also I felt strangely invigorated when I drank it. You said you cleaned your whole room last night before I called, right?”

 

Nodding, I eye my own mug and reach out to grab it. “Yeah, it felt like I was on some form of hyper-caffeine. I had four cups of the stuff and wasn’t twitchy or anxious at all, just completely focused and it felt like I even had an extra boost of strength.”

 

I bring my own mug to my nose, inhaling deeply and sighing as the minty aroma floods my sinuses. I feel my anxieties start to melt away, comforted by the intoxicating scent emanating from my cup, wondering why I’m so worried about whether or not it gave me animal features to begin with. Wondering why I shouldn’t just take another sip and…

 

“WAIT!!” The sudden burst of noise from Breeze startles me and I nearly drop the mug from my hands as I’m snapped out of my haze. I look up at them to find them staring down at me with an excited look in their eyes.

 

“I totally forgot! I meant to share the label on the tea canister last night with the couple from Kyoto I stayed with!” They rush over to the kitchen, snatching up the canister and pulling their phone from their pocket. “This is big, we’ll actually have a proper translation of what this says!”

 

The knot in my stomach seems to loosen and slack somewhat as I make my way over to Breeze who is hurriedly typing out an email and I take a long look at the canister they’re still holding. As I more and more start to consider the tea being the culprit I also keep turning over in my head all of the things that it’s done, and how I feel so conflicted about the entire thing. If it truly was responsible for everything that’s happened in less than a day, I don’t know how I could possibly begin to thank whoever made it while also cursing them at the same time for causing us so much worry and anxiety. 

 

I absentmindedly start scratching the back of my head, only to suddenly graze the backs of my new ears as I do. My hand nearly shoots down in shock, only to be stopped by the sudden reminder of just how good it feels. I continue to scratch behind my ears, the warm sensation flooding my brain and senses, and as my mind begins to drift off yet again I start considering how bad this part of it even is. I smile gently as a moan works its way to escape my mouth.

 

“Sent!” Breeze’s declaration snaps me back to reality yet again and I whip my hand down from my head. I look up in their direction to see them staring down at me triumphantly.

 

“Alright, that’s taken care of! We should hopefully hear back from them in a few days, at least!”

 

A cold chill washes over me with those words. “A few days?! But… but what are we going to do until then?!” My head finds its way to my hands as it sinks into them. “We can’t just go around constantly trying to hide our new features, can we?! What if more of them pop up like they did last night? What if people see them, what if they report us, what if we get locked up and tested for the rest of our lives, what if…”

 

Strong hands grab my shoulders and I’m turned to face Breeze yet again, who stares at me imploringly but without frustration or annoyance. 

 

“Paige, please just take this one step at a time. Right now we don’t have anything that we can’t easily cover up and there’s no guarantee that we’ll be unable to do so if anything else does show up. We need to be calm and rational about things, so let’s just focus on what we do have control over. OK?”

 

Breeze gives me an encouraging smile and I find myself once again unable to be anxious or scared. I nod slightly and move in to hug them, which they return eagerly. In just the short time since we’ve become reacquainted I’ve grown quite accustomed to their strong embrace and the sturdy but still soft feeling of their muscles. I feel safe, comforted, and unafraid when they hold me, and it feels strange to think that they haven’t been in my life hardly at all. 

 

Sighing gently I give them another brief squeeze before looking up at them with a contented smile, which they return as they extend their hand to my face to cup my cheek. 

 

I gasp gently as their hand makes contact, both from surprise at the gesture and from how big it feels against my face. Their palm covers nearly the entire space from my jaw to my temple and their fingers stretch nearly to the top of my head. I lean into their palm, moaning softly and nuzzling against them. Their fingers start to scratch my head, quickly finding their way behind my ear and my moans gently increase in intensity to match their actions. I nuzzle harder into their hand, the warmth from their scratches spreading yet again to flood my brain with bliss and contentment. 

 

“That’s it,” I hear Breeze gently coo as their fingers scratch my ear and stroke my hair. “That’s my good girl.”

 

Their words send a bolt of lightning through my core and I shudder and moan, kissing the edge of their hand as I grasp it with my hand to try and steady myself from the sudden weakness in my knees. In a flash I’m brought back suddenly to the feelings I experienced last night, when Breeze was assuming the dominant role and I was at their mercy. How exciting and thrilling it was, and how comfortable and safe I felt in the opposing position. The only thing I can think of as these feelings and sensations continue to flood my brain and body is how desperately I want to feel that way again.

 

I hear a chuckle in the midst of my blissful and delirious haze and the fingers scratch even harder to match. “Oooh, my goodness. You really liked that, didn’t you?”

 

I nod fervently, nuzzling even harder as my moans increase further in intensity. The heat continues to spread further throughout my body, encompassing my entire being and nullifying any sensation other than the blissful ones emanating from Breeze’s hand and voice. 

 

They chuckle again, with a slightly more devious tinge than before. “Mmmm, such a dirty girl you are; you want me to touch you more?”

 

I nod again, moaning even louder as my hand presses theirs closer to my face. I can’t think of anything except being their good girl; being at their whim and obeying their commands, whatever they might be, so long as they continue to touch me. Unfortunately, I feel their scratching gradually slow until it’s ceased entirely, and a small and unconscious whine escapes my mouth in response.

 

I open my eyes and stare up at them pleadingly, as they look back with a playful yet determined gaze. “I think you need to let me know just how badly you want me to touch you, dear.” To punctuate their point, they lean in until their mouth is less than an inch away from the ear on the other side of my head. Their hot breath threatens to send me into hysterics, and that’s even before I hear their voice.

 

“Use your words, pet.”

 

My heart flutters and increases in pace as their sultry voice penetrates the deepest and most primal part of my brain. The fire in my core grows from a smoldering ember to a raging inferno in mere seconds, and I’m left with no other choice except the one presented in front of me.

 

“Please touch me Breeze. Please make me a good girl. Please show me how I can be your pet.”

 

I feel Breeze’s hand nudge my face in their direction, and I see their face enter my field of view. Their eyes staring lovingly into mine, their lips in a gentle smile, and I hear a contented sigh of their own. 

 

“That’s a good kitten.”

 

I barely have time to register the broader implication of those words before they move in for a kiss, and acting on pure instinct I return it eagerly. Our lips enmesh and our tongues perform the same delicate yet passionate dance that I remember from last night. Their hand returns to my cheek and their other one finds its way to the small of my back and holds me close to their body. I’m lost in the moment, only able to focus on the rising heat in my abdomen and the bliss I feel from their soft yet firm embrace, and I want nothing more than to stay in this moment forever. To belong to them. To be their kitten.

 

Unfortunately, the moment ends far too soon as Breeze withdraws their mouth from mine. I strain to reach their lips again, whimpering pathetically as they draw further away from me. I look up into their eyes again with desperation in my own, only to see them smirking deviously back at me.

 

“Alright then!” They have a rather decisive tone in their voice. “Grab your coat and your purse, hun. Let’s get ready for the day!”

 

My heart drops straight into my stomach.

 

END OF CHAPTER 5