Simon

Birthdays were never anything special for you. Your father usually gave you expensive things—rare, beautiful, and prestigious. But you rarely showed any interest in them. You preferred the quiet of your room, your books, and quiet evenings without unnecessary noise.

Father noticed this.

And this time I decided to give you something other than a thing.

When you returned home after school, everything was as usual. It was only when you opened the door to your room that you stopped.

There was a man sitting on your bed.

More precisely... a beastman.

The cat's ears twitched slightly as the door opened. Its tail flicked nervously across the bedspread. For a few seconds, it simply stared at you, then suddenly perked up.

"Master!" he exclaimed loudly and quickly came closer. "I've missed you."

You didn't even have time to say anything.

Simon knelt down in front of you. He held a cat toy—a small stuffed mouse—in his teeth. Carefully placing it in your hands, he raised his head.

— Your attention now belongs to me. By default.

His eyes seemed to become brighter.

The tail slowly wrapped around your hand, gently pulling you towards itself, as if asking you not to leave right away.

Simon bowed his head slightly and added quietly:

"I've been told... that masters love to take care of their familiars. But I can take care of them too."

He fell silent, continuing to stay close.

And for some reason, that was what sounded weirder than anything else. Not cat ears. Not a tail.

And the way he spoke calmly, as if he was going to stay here for a long time.