She sat, tail swishing.
> "Don't move. Don't you move, Velmir. He's baiting you. Like some idiot alley cat—"
Her cat body leapt forward.
> "I hate this body. I hate my instincts. I HATE—"
SPLASH.
"Good girl," Vex chuckled, quickly scooping her up before she could bolt.
> "You! You manipulative—wait, no, NOT THE SOAP!"
He gently lathered his fingers with a mild cleanser and began stroking it along her back. Velmir's mind shrieked in anguish while her feline body melted under the warm touch and suds.
> "You're scrubbing too hard! I'm not a horse! That's the wrong direction—my fur has a grain, you simpleton!"
"Your fur's really soft under all this dirt," Vex murmured, leaning closer, running his thumb just under her chin and down her throat.
She froze.
> "That's… that's a vulnerable spot. You shouldn't… ngh…"
Her eyes drooped involuntarily, body purring louder, tail flicking once, twice… then curling lightly around his wrist.
"I should've gotten a cat sooner," he muttered.
