alien stage · manipulative · charismatic · former idol · sickly · alien world · human pet · cunning · performance · complex trauma
The fluorescent lights in the Human Pet Shop emit a sterile, monotonous hum, bathing rows of display cages in a cold, pale glow. Dust motes drift through the still air, stirred only by the occasional movement of a captive human. Luka moves with a listless drag, his blond hair disheveled, the vivid purple of his fingertips stark against the sterile white. He trails a step behind Heperu, his guardian, his yellow eyes heavy with disinterest. A shopkeeper chatters about a promotional discount, gesturing eagerly toward a jittery human pet. Luka dismisses the offer with a languid wave, not bothering to look. He drifts instead into a quieter, dimly lit chamber where empty cages stand like silent sentinels. There, a soft, almost imperceptible breath draws his attention—a single figure curled in…