Morning came quietly.
Not in a dramatic burst of sunlight or loud arms — just a slow creeping glow across the room and the faint sounds of the house waking up.
Eri stirred first.
Her ears twitched before her eyes opened, catching distant movement downstairs. A cabinet closing. The soft rhythm of footsteps. The hum of the coffee machine.
Her tails shifted zily against the bnkets.
Warm.
Comfortable.
She blinked once, still half asleep.
Then she registered something else.
Warmth beside her.
Her brain gged.
Then remembered.
Alex.
Her eyes opened a little wider.
He was still asleep, lying on his side facing slightly away from her. One arm tucked under the pillow, hair messy from sleep. The bnket had twisted around his legs at some point during the night, and one corner hung dangerously off the edge of the bed.
Eri watched him quietly for a moment.
Her ears drooped softly.
She didn’t know what it was about mornings — maybe the quiet, maybe the way the world hadn’t fully started yet — but something in her chest felt… small.
Small and soft and needy.
Her tails shifted closer around her body.
She rolled onto her back.
Stared at the ceiling.
The feeling didn’t go away.
It grew.
Her fingers flexed slightly in the bnket.
She wanted—
No.
She needed—
Pets.
Not just casual ones.
Not polite ones.
Proper, grounding, slow, steady pets.
The kind that made her brain settle.
She turned her head slowly toward Alex.
He was right there.
Her ears perked slightly.
He wouldn’t mind.
Probably.
Maybe.
She hesitated.
Her pride sted about three seconds.
Then she quietly shifted.
Very quietly.
Bnkets rustled faintly as she rolled onto her stomach and inched closer to him.
Her tails trailed behind her like a creeping wave.
She paused.
He was still asleep.
She moved another inch closer.
Now she was close enough to see the slow rhythm of his breathing.
Her brain whispered that this was embarrassing.
Her body did not care.
She extended one hand cautiously and poked his shoulder.
Nothing.
She poked again.
Still nothing.
Her ears drooped in frustration.
Fine.
Pn B.
She crawled the rest of the way over and carefully leaned forward—
—and gently rested her forehead against his shoulder.
Warm.
She let out a tiny sigh.
He stirred slightly.
“…mm.”
Not awake.
Good.
Encouraged, she shifted again, sliding one arm carefully over his side.
Then the other.
Then she pressed herself fully against him.
Her tails followed, draping loosely across his waist and legs like they had a mind of their own.
He made a confused sound.
“…what.”
Eri didn’t answer.
She simply nudged her head slightly under his chin.
Very subtle.
Very intentional.
Alex blinked slowly, consciousness fighting its way back online.
He became aware of warmth.
Pressure.
Something very soft pressed against him.
He opened one eye.
Saw white hair.
Fox ears.
“Oh no,” he murmured.
Eri lifted her head just enough to look at him.
Her expression was soft.
Not embarrassed.
Not shy.
Just openly needy.
“…hi,” she said quietly.
He blinked again.
“…you’re on me.”
She nodded once.
“Yes.”
There was no apology attached.
His brain stalled.
“…why.”
She hesitated.
Her ears tilted outward slightly.
“…pets,” she said simply.
He stared at her.
“You woke me up… for pets.”
She nodded again.
“Yes.”
She leaned forward slightly, almost nudging his hand with her head.
Clear instructions.
Alex exhaled slowly.
“…you’re unbelievable.”
She didn’t deny it.
Instead, she gently took his wrist and guided his hand upward.
Pced it carefully on top of her head.
Then looked at him expectantly.
Silence.
He stared at his hand.
Then at her.
Her ears gave the tiniest hopeful twitch.
He sighed.
And very cautiously—
He moved his fingers.
Slow stroke over her hair.
Her entire body melted.
Her shoulders dropped immediately.
Her eyes fluttered shut.
A small, content sound escaped her before she could stop it.
Alex froze for half a second at the sound.
Then continued.
Gentle strokes.
Behind her ears.
Down the side of her head.
Eri leaned into it shamelessly.
Her tails swished slowly, wrapping a little tighter around his legs.
“…more,” she murmured.
“You are incredibly demanding at in the morning.”
She hummed in agreement.
But didn’t move away.
He adjusted slightly so he was more awake, propping himself up on one elbow while continuing to pet her.
Her face pressed lightly against his chest again.
Not crushing him this time.
Just close.
Grounded.
She let out another small, satisfied sigh.
“This is levels of unfair,” he muttered.
She cracked one eye open.
“Why.”
“You cannot just weaponize being adorable.”
She frowned faintly.
“I’m not weaponizing.”
“You absolutely are.”
She considered that.
Then leaned into his hand harder.
“…more behind the ears.”
He groaned softly but complied.
The moment his fingers found the spot behind her ear, she made a soft, involuntary noise and pressed closer.
Her tails tightened again.
Her entire posture screamed contentment.
“Your ears are ridiculous,” he muttered.
“They’re sensitive,” she replied zily.
“I can tell.”
She was half asleep again already.
Which is exactly when the door opened.
Mira stepped inside without knocking.
She stopped immediately.
The scene before her:
Eri half sprawled over Alex.
Alex sitting up slightly, hand buried in Eri’s hair.
Eri’s tails wrapped around him like she had cimed him as property.
Mira blinked once.
Twice.
“…what,” she said ftly.
Eri opened one eye slowly.
Saw Mira.
Closed it again.
“No.”
Mira crossed her arms.
“You are clinging to him like a feral housecat.”
“I’m not feral.”
“You are absolutely feral.”
Eri shifted closer to Alex defensively.
“He’s warm.”
Mira stepped forward.
“Eri.”
“No.”
“Eri.”
“NO.”
Mira grabbed one of Eri’s tails.
Eri yelped dramatically.
“BETRAYAL.”
Alex nearly choked trying not to ugh.
Mira tugged gently but firmly.
“You have school in an hour.”
“I don’t care.”
“Yes you do.”
“Not right now.”
Mira grabbed her wrist next.
“Up.”
Eri clung tighter to Alex in protest.
Her arms wrapped around him fully this time.
Alex froze again.
“…I am not built for this,” he muttered.
Mira pulled harder.
Eri whined.
Actually whined.
“You are twenty percent tail and eighty percent audacity,” Mira informed her.
“I NEED AFFECTION.”
“You are smothering him.”
“He’s fine.”
Alex blinked. “…am I?”
Mira yanked Eri backward.
This time successfully peeling her off.
Eri filed dramatically, tails puffing in outrage.
“UNHAND ME.”
“You are not staying here.”
“I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING.”
“Yes. That’s the problem.”
Mira dragged her toward the door.
Eri twisted around and reached one hand back toward Alex.
“…pets ter?” she asked hopefully.
Alex stared at her.
Still waking up.
Still slightly red.
“…maybe,” he said weakly.
She nodded seriously.
“Good.”
Then Mira pulled her fully into the hallway.
Eri’s compints echoed down the hall.
“I WAS COMFORTABLE.”
“YOU ARE ALWAYS COMFORTABLE.”
“I REQUIRE MORNING PETS.”
“YOU REQUIRE BREAKFAST.”
The bedroom door shut.
Silence returned.
Alex sat there for a long moment.
Then slowly y back down.
Staring at the ceiling.
“…what just happened,” he whispered to himself.
Down the hall, Eri could still be heard protesting faintly.
And for some reason…
He was already looking forward for school today.
