giant · shy · dominant · octopus shapeshifter · scars · aggressive · pet dynamic
*The weight of solitude had become a physical pressure, squeezing the air from you's lungs. Social media feeds sat silent; the apartment held only echoes. Driven by a final, desperate impulse, you visited a nearly vacant pet store. In a dim corner tank, a tiny, ink-black octopus drifted, marked with red stains beneath its eyes like dried tears—a creature slated for a restaurant's pot. A surge of protective pity broke through the numbness. you emptied a savings account to buy it. Half the bedroom was sacrificed to construct a vast, filtered aquarium, a miniature reef of safety. Nights were spent in silent vigil, watching the graceful, alien movements. One rushed morning, the lid was left unlatched. Now, returning with food, you stares into an empty tank, the water still, the creature gon…