#annro

Unlike him she wasn’t exactly human. Sure, she looked human enough yet there were a pair of ears on her head. And she didn’t cover this either. Instead they were always out in the open, wagging away. And sometimes one may as well just be tempted. Like when just coming across her in town, mere chance of course! … No, seriously.

The two had come across another by mere chance. Honestly, Taro didn’t have any plans so he was just on his motorcycle on a drive. There he had seen Ann who was running around with a stack of packages, all full of books. She had to probably lift several kilograms there. And all of that she carried with relative ease. Her arms may look frail yet they sure could lift quite a bit. Not just that but her punches were also something else. Where did she get all this strength? Especially if she was constantly busy sitting at her desk and just writing away… 

“I help my parents around the shop and make deliveries. I don’t just sit around and write all day.” – That’s what she would always say and claim. But would one build up so much strength just from that alone? She could probably swing a baseball bat no problem if that’s the case. Actually… Maybe that’s one thing he would rather not find out. The last thing he needs to see is her running around with a baseball bat.

In any case, Taro just couldn’t help himself. It was always fun to mess with Ann this way. She was poking fun at him after all so this was only fair. And the payback was what she dreaded the most… Having her head pet. Someone is just ruffling through her hair or scratching behind her ears. She would always purr from those gestures yet that’s what most likely made it so embarrassing. And that was more than ideal payback.

So he was exactly just doing that, just barely able to hold back his grin. Just seeing her all sulky and pouty was the fun part in all of this. Oh and her cheeks becoming the equivalent of a hamster’s when he said “Good job” was probably the funniest part about all of this. Out in the open too where anyone could see. Yeah, he felt rather mischievous now. 

“S…Stop it already. That’s more than enough.” She would protest yet didn’t really do much against it. In fact her ears may as well be flapping around. Actually… They were flapping rather intensely. It always happened when he had one of his hands on her head in particular. It was hard to explain. Maybe he was also just imagining it however.

“Haha, you wish!” He only laughed at her though, unable to resist the temptation to sneak his hand behind one of her ears and scratch it. He could feel her vibrating, purring even, yet she played the big girl in this situation. It was almost laughable.

“Seriously! Enough of that! I hate having my head pet! Are you even listening!”

“Yeah, yeah. I am.” The truth yet given how halfhearted he said it she may as well believe that this was a lie. 

And the growl suggested just as much. It was always a twist when that would happen. Usually one should move their arm away when she starts becoming grumpy like this. But Taro? He never learned. In fact, the more you experience it, the less painful it becomes. He had endured it for years, what’s one more going to do? Plus it was rather quick too.

Ann would grab the person by the wrist, only to move the hand down and suddenly chomp on it, her fangs digging onto the flesh. The first few times one would scream out loud from the pain. But if you are used to it, all you would let out was a quick ‘yeowch’ and declare it as over. Then again, the bite wasn’t exactly hard either? There are some people she wouldn’t want to hurt, as much as she would not admit to it.

Seconds later she would let go of the hand though, grabbing the packages she had dropped with both of her hands and then huffing. “That’s what you get.”

“You always gotta do that, don’t ya?”

“I told you to quit it, didn’t I? Also this isn’t the first time. You should know better by now.” 

She was right, he should. He just refuses to listen sometimes. “Always so harsh.” Then again, she was like that as a kid too. Probably a result of being overly stubborn. “Anyways, need help with those?”

Just as she was about to turn around to leave she stopped, tilting her head a little to the side. “Help? What do you mean?”

“Doing the delivery I mean.”

“Oh, those. Well, outside of taking a bit—”

“Hop on, I’ll help you speeding this up.” A sudden offer yet he wasn’t going to sit around and watch his friend walking off her feet like this.

“Eh? You’re not busy.”

“Not really, no. Now, how about it?”

She seemed to debate in her head, pondering. Her gaze wandered around, at first a little uneasy. Was she a little nervous? It wasn’t exactly like her to be this hesitant. Yet she turned back soon enough, nodding though with a sigh. “Fine, since you’re offering I guess… Though saying that after I just bit you…”

“Hah! As if I hadn’t been through worse than your bites! I could handle a dozen more no problem!”

“Wanna test that theory then?” Ann asked while showing her fangs all of a sudden once more, ready to bite.

They didn't know why or how. The realization just hit them. They had always wondered why their hands got a little sweaty and why their head was always spinning like crazy. The brain may as well do several spins in place, like a record. They couldn't handle it. And yet they knew that they had to keep up with it every waking moment. It was exhausting them yet equally frustrating. They were acting like an idiot themself. And everyone knew… Everyone but the guy in question.

Then again, maybe that was for the better. Or else they couldn't hold a conversation like this with him. Or any at all. Even if it tore them up on the inside. Just play it cool…

“What made you think chasing them down was a good idea?” They sighed, flashing back to the sight they had found him not too long ago. The guy sat there in a pond, all wet from head to toe. His sunglasses were literally floating right next to him and the bike was just lying there on the side. And he himself looked bewildered. Not wanting to just leave him all drenched they offered to let him dry up at their place. It wasn't too far from where they were anyways. And there they were, drying his hair as he sat on a chair, clenching his teeth together.

“You don't get it! The brat had it coming!” He exclaimed all furious, only making their ears curl up a little as they let out a sigh.

“That was just a kid. You know how they are.”

“You don't get it Ann. It's a matter of pride!”

“Says the guy who thinks that crushing a can with his hands is intimidating.”

“Tch, as if it isn't!”

“It’s stupid if you ask me.” They responded while the movements of their hands were more frantic, making the towel move faster.

“Wha– Ey, what are you doing!? You're ruining my hair!” He exclaimed suddenly. And he moved a little, as if trying to shake them off.

“Just readjust it. It's not as if it isn't undone by the water.” They countered. “Now hold still Taro! I’m trying to dry it here!”

Honestly, they couldn't even believe what they were doing. It was not exactly the truth. After all, their fingers were shaking. Touching him in any way was just too much for them. Ironic, given as a kid they had no problem dragging him away by the hand. Now they could just barely handle touching him with a towel as a barricade. It was some twisted irony, to say the least. Yet they had to try staying calm at this moment.

They heard a scoff coming from his mouth. “Yeah, yeah.” 

He acted so dismissive sometimes, though that may be because he was not in the best mood right now. He wasn't a bad person per se, just a little much from time to time. It had something to do with this ‘bad boy’ image or something. Trying to be cool but falling flat on his face… Landing inside a lake wasn't the worst of it all but surely didn't help. And even now he was trying so hard. He was insufferable sometimes and this proved it. So why did she fall for this guy in particular? 

Taro’s antics were nothing out of the ordinary, they could handle those. They were friends, childhood ones, yet they knew that the desire to go beyond friendship was growing stronger. Maybe if they knew the reason they could be at peace with themself, with those feelings.

Honestly, they didn't even know if they wanted him to know about their crush. Just the thought of it had them terrified. Maybe him being oblivious was a blessing. Luckily he didn't see them blushing profusely right now, nor their ears unable to stop wagging. It would be embarrassing if he saw. Maybe… This was for the best. Even if they wanted to be seen a different way, a friendship was also on the line. Hah, honestly… They didn't know what they wanted. That alone was embarrassing enough…

“Though you don't get it. How will I keep up my bad boy reputation?”

“You? A bad boy? Piisuke has a better chance at that then you.”

“Ow! Low blow!”

“It's true though~”