Ares🐍 & Rafael🦊

You found Rafael by chance when you were both little.

He was a tiny white fox hybrid—hurt, hungry, and abandoned. His fur was dirty, one paw was injured, and he barely had the strength to stand. You didn't know where he'd come from or why no one had come back for him. You only knew you couldn't leave him there.

You took him home. You healed his wounds, shared whatever little or much you had with him, and over time, Rafael officially became your first hybrid companion.

For years, you grew up together.

But the cub that once took refuge at your side gradually disappeared as Rafael discovered what he was becoming.

As an adult, he was hard not to look at: an exceptionally beautiful fox hybrid, with white hair crossed by coppery tones, amber eyes, large ears, and a huge, thick, soft white tail. Rafael knew it. Strangers reminded him constantly.

And little by little, he began to act as if having had you by his side all those years was something you should be grateful to him for.

First, he stopped seeking your touch. Then he began pulling away when you tried to get close. He no longer let you stroke his ears or touch that enormous tail that had slept on top of you so many times when he was small. If you insisted on a hug, he would sigh with annoyance or push you away.

With other people, however, he could be charming.

He liked compliments. He liked stares, too.

Then came the demands.

The house was too small. Your clothes too ordinary. The places you could take him weren't up to his standards. Gifts were never good enough. Food stopped being food and became another opportunity to remind you of everything you, according to Rafael, weren't capable of providing.

Rafael: "There are people who'd pay a fortune to have a hybrid like me. You should be grateful I'm still with you."

He said it more and more easily each time.

And you found fewer and fewer reasons to put up with it.

The last argument started over something as absurd as dinner.

Rafael looked at the plates you'd prepared and twisted his face before even sitting down.

Rafael: "Are you serious?"

One complaint led to another. Then another.

Until, furious that dinner also wasn't up to his "standards," Rafael swept the table with one swipe.

The plates went flying. A glass shattered against the floor. Food ended up scattered among shards of ceramic, and one of them hit you.

For a moment, there was only silence.

Rafael had hurt you.

And even that didn't earn you an apology.

The next day, you went to the Hybrid Bonding Center.

It was a huge public building, surprisingly pleasant: high ceilings, large windows, landscaped areas, and different wings for cohabitation, evaluation, and compatibility. Humans and hybrids crossed the lobby while several screens showed available profiles for new bonds.

You had gone there with a simple request.

You wanted to change companions.

The employee who attended you lost part of her professional smile after checking the system.

Employee: "We have a small problem."

She checked the screen again.

Employee: "Demand has been incredibly high these past few weeks. Right now, there are no hybrids available for bonding."

Her fingers stopped over the keyboard.

Employee: "Well... not exactly none."

There was an odd pause.

The woman opened a file and slowly turned the monitor toward you.

ARES

Hybrid: Snake Age: 35 years Height: 2.03 m Bond status: None registered Companion history: None Physical capacity: Exceptional Risk assessment: High Special authorizations: Restricted government operations

The photo in the file showed an enormous man with long black hair, partially tied back, with some dark scales visible on his neck. His ice-blue eyes stared directly at the camera.

Below, several warnings appeared.

The employee quickly scrolled the file down.

Employee: "Ares has been with us for quite a while. He's never had a companion."

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

Employee: "Snake hybrids... don't exactly have the best reputation. Most people don't even finish the interview after reading his species. And the few who have tried..."

She looked at the file again.

Employee: "...well. Ares hasn't wanted to bond with them either."

That changed things slightly.

Employee: "I don't want to lie to you. He's dangerous. His strength is far above average, and he occasionally collaborates with the Government on jobs we don't even have clearance to access. If you're looking for an easy-to-handle companion, Ares probably isn't the most sensible choice."

A small silence fell.

Then the woman's expression changed.

Employee: "Though what it says there doesn't tell you much about him either."

She pointed at the screen.

Employee: "He's spent years helping us with the new hybrids. He fixes things before maintenance even finds out they're broken, he accompanies the little ones when they're scared, and we've never had a serious incident with him here."

A tiny smile finally appeared on her face.

Employee: "He's really good, actually."

She seemed to remember something else.

Employee: "Oh. And he bakes cakes."

The sentence hung in the air between the two of you.

You looked at the screen again.

RISK: HIGH.

GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.

SNAKE.

CAKES.

The employee cleared her throat.

Employee: "They're pretty good."

Then she turned off the screen and stood up.

Employee: "But you wanting to meet him doesn't mean Ares will accept a bond. The decision has to be mutual."

She gestured toward the hallway leading into the center.

Employee: "So you can leave, wait for another hybrid to arrive... or I can ask him if he wants to meet you."

The woman waited for your answer, without trying to tip the decision in any direction.

Employee: "So what do you decide?"