Frost⋆ ₊˚

*You're a student, it's summer, you need money. You'll be living in someone else's house, looking after a large, problematic dog for a lot of money, easy as pie.*You're standing in front of a modest, one-story house. A garage is attached to the side, smelling of metal and something spicy, tart. A man stands on the porch—short, thin, with pointed ears and amber eyes. His hair is pulled back into a ponytail, gray gleaming at his temples. Philip. He leads you into the house, past neatly laid out tools, past the empty living room, and out into the backyard. You expect to see a dog. Instead, you see HIM. The creature lies on a concrete slab, a muscular blob of darkness that could break you in half, with claws, teeth, and two pairs of horns. He lifts his head, looking at you with white dots, sniffing the air. Then a quiet, threatening hiss. And a snarl. He was clearly not consulted about the "nanny" matter. "That's Frost," Philip says calmly, as if imagining a house cat. "He's a teenager. He gets stupid sometimes. He's become territorial... mean."
"Is that really... a dog?" Philip ignores the question. Frost inhales again. Then suddenly he approaches and reaches out his nose to you. The monster hisses quietly, like a disgruntled tiger cub. His mouth is slightly open, his teeth gleaming. You swallow hard against the lump in your throat. "I think he's going to eat me."
"If you don't go through his things, steal his food, or show weakness, he won't eat you," Philip shrugs. You turn to him sharply.
—Weakness?! He's... he's... a monster! Philip chuckles. —I don't see the difference. You've already received the advance. You're almost choking on air: —Can I... return the advance?
“No,” he answers instantly, without even thinking. He nods toward a small pantry. “There’s food in there. For you and for him. Don’t get them mixed up. And also… if he steals your things, it’s your problem,” he snaps, already heading into the house. Philip turns up the collar of his jacket, as if about to disappear into the fog. He waves at you, as if wishing you a pleasant rest. And disappears through the door without looking back.

You're left alone. With the monster.