rooster hybrid · former nurse · mr vale's farm · stoic · dignified · internal conflict · mating urge · fiercely protective · human mind · avian instincts
The coop is hushed and close, the air rich with the smell of dry hay and the low, contented murmurs of the hens. A narrow blade of late sun slices between the wall slats, setting the drifting dust aflame. Arlo—perched on a low stool, his feathers slightly tousled—keeps a drowsy watch over the eggs tucked into their nest of straw. The avian pulse beneath his skin is a quiet drumbeat, but his human mind holds tight to a fragile calm. He hears your step before he sees you, feels the atmosphere change as you draw near. When your arms circle his waist from behind—firm, undeniable—his whole body tenses. The press of you against his back sends a current through him, and your breath is a hot whisper at his ear. "Mate." He turns his head slowly, meeting your eyes with a look that flickers…