It's time to wake them up! A catgirl, with short grey hair, yellow-brownish eyes thought. She snuck into a small home— one she was familiar with.
The living room, a small area where only a rug and a table sat was to her right; to the opposite side was a kitchen, a clay stove, just small enough to cook soups on, sat. Beside it were two cabinets, doorless revealing the barren wastelands of ingredients.
Ah, geez… what am I going to do with them? She shook her head disappointedly, slightly frowning at the scene. They bug me about not eating enough…
She crept along the spotless floorboards, trekking over the ones that squealed at the slightest weight. Just across the entrance, merely fifteen meters away was a hallway, left of her was a bedroom.
Looks like they're asleep…
Strewn across her lips was now a smile, just after poking her head into the room. Their room– a young man, human as can be, and a foxgirl— or in other words a demi-human sat on a small bed.
The young man was on his back, shifting in his sleep. His unkempt brown hair was natural, she had seen him many times try to fix it to no avail.
As for the foxgirl, she was curled into a ball. Her white hair with purple tips was strewn about, but much neater next to the man next to her. The catgirl was always curious about one thing, the cut ear she had— it was rough, and uneven but Fei never mentioned anything.
She asked the young man if he knew, Lucian responded with a slight nod, yet never explained or attempted.
As she took one step in the room, Fei's ear slightly flicked; but that was unnoticed, she took another step- and another, Fei let out a yawn, and pushed herself up into a sitting position.
As for Lucian, he silently slept away. Not feeling the shift of the weight, nor hearing the slight audible steps of the catgirl.
Fei turned to her, rubbing her left eye and watching the catgirl take a fourth and final step. Her ocean blue eyes, with purple surrounding her pupil, were filled with confusion.
"A-Aiko?" Fei stuttered the catgirl's name. Her voice was soft, a slightly higher pitch than a normal voice. Aiko brought a finger to her lips, additionally making a shushing noise.
As a response, Fei fell silent, removing the finger from her eye. Afterwards, Aiko raised her arms into the air.
"It's time to wake up!" She exclaimed, her hands turning into harpoons, slamming against Lucian's stomach.
Naturally, Lucian's eyes shot open, a bellow of air left his mouth. Immediately, he started coughing and sat up in a nanosecond.
His lungs were on fire for the next few minutes, hacking, spitting saliva out. Furthermore, clutching his stomach, all the air had left his body from that one smack.
Eventually, it had ceased, causing him to look over with a slightly lowered head. Once it clicked that Aiko had pummeled his stomach, he questioned her.
"Why the heck did you do that?!"
"Well, " Aiko stood straight up, a ginormous grin formed on her lips. "Do you remember what day it is?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh c'mon~ you don't remember? You've been hounding me like a little kid for over a week!" Aiko responded with a slight, fake annoyance in her voice. Whilst his hounding was incessant, she felt joy enter her heart.
Lucian looked at her, then to Fei, and once again back to her. His eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement.
"What are you even talking about?" He inquired once more. Just afterwards, a realization clicked on his face; his hands shot to his head, and his eyes widened in shock. "How the hell did I forget?!"
"Now, now get ready, I'll wait for you both outside… Oh, one thing."
"What?!"
"Make sure you eat properly you two! If I find your cabinets empty the next time I come over, I'll force you two to buy groceries!"
As her proclamation rang in their ears, she ran out of the bedroom. Lucian and Fei stared at the bedroom door.
"She's… Well…" Lucian muttered, letting his head hang. "Anyways! Let's get dressed!" Lucian exclaimed, shooting up from their bed. Then, nearly jumping out of the bed, and dashing towards their dresser that was just right of the door. His rush almost causing him to fall over.
Fei watched as he rummaged through the dresser excitedly. With each passing second her heart paced higher, she felt helpless, she never hoped this day would come.
Ever since they were kids, she was full of fear from his dream— her ears lowered, looking down at the bed.
"I'll meet you outside!" Lucian called out to her, in his arms was a brown long sleeved shirt, and a same colored pair of pants. "Or well, err Aiko and I will!"
He slammed the door shut, leaving Fei to herself.
I don't want to…
After a minute, repeating this to herself, she got up from their bed. She kept her head low, eventually wandering to the same closet.
Within a few minutes, she dressed herself; a simple white dress, covering her scarred chest with a blue shirt. One look back into the room, and a small sigh, she left looking down at the ground.
"Are you ready to go?" Both Aiko and Lucian asked as soon as she stepped out.
"Y-Yes…"
She held her hands together; all around them were people, staring, giving them nasty looks. Day to day, this was their usual; demi-humans were hated, despite the welcoming from the King of their land.
As her confirmation left her lips, Aiko started ahead of Lucian and Fei.
As they strolled along a dirt road, they were surrounded by homes. All tiny, barely able to fit a family. Their windows were covered with cloth, blocking out the cold winter air.
As they continued, the accumulated scowls increased. Even kids, who were half the age of Lucian and Fei glared. Everything multiplied, as stalls started popping up.
Lucian, with Aiko, never got affected. They just bounced off the calloused skin they grew. Contrarily, Fei shrunk her presence, balling her fists, shrinking her stride length— and holding her arms close to her ribs.
Fortunately, the two near her noticed. Lucian slowed his speed, standing by her, and whispered to her.
"Ignore them, okay?"
"O-Okay…"
"They're just jerks." Aiko said in a slightly louder tone, just enough so others can hear her. Without missing a beat, she grabbed Fei's hands, and held them out. "Now, c'mon I'm taking you two somewhere."
"Um, we actu-"
"Now, now, I know you have somewhere to be; you need breakfast to fill your belly." Aiko intercepted Lucian's words, wagging her finger in the air. Her tone sounded like a mother scolding a child, turning her finger at Fei and him. "You two will be skin and bones by the time you do your first request."
"A-Aiko, I need to go somewhere… it's, urgent…"
"Oh, c'mon that blacksmith can wait!"
"..." Lucian's body seized up when he heard those words. "H-He can, but… can we go? It shouldn't take us that long…"
"And soo what? You already made a deal with hi-"
"Yes! But it's urgent and we need to get going! We'll meet you at the tavern!" Lucian interjected, his voice had a hint of panic and slight fear. He managed to get a hold of Fei's hand and shook off Aiko's. "We'- we'll meet you at the tavern, I promise!"