Chapter 4: Warm Blood, Cold Blood

Then both of them finally sat at the table with whatever scrap they had as their meal: pot of boiled instant ramen as well as boiled potatoes.

Not the most glamorous of meals but a meal that fills the stomach nonetheless.

"The ramen is really nice," said Yura while slurping another mouthful of noodles. Saigo did not want to be rude but just by how Yura was eating with both of her arms on each side of the bowl, she seemed to be putting up a barrier as if someone was going to steal her food.

Oh wait, she did steal some food!

"It's not much but it does warm you up on a cold night like this," he snorted. "So Yura, if you don't mind, how old are you?"

Yura wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "I'm twenty-five actually. How about you?"

"Thirty-seven."

He was worried when he heard Yura choking before she gulped down her glass of water. She bowed her head, clearly embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I thought you would be younger. When you saved me back at the Black Market, I got a good look at your face before I passed out."

The caiman couldn't help but have a mischievous grin. "Yeah? If it makes you feel any better, I thought you were old."

He was met with a playful slap on his snout. It didn't hurt him due to his hard scales. Yura's dark brown eyes held humour. "Never tell a lady that she is old."

Saigo only laughed before eating one of the boiled potatoes. He had never tasted something that's so simple yet so good. A bit of salt and he mentally noted to himself to buy some butter if he happens to make boiled potatoes.

However, the expression from the human woman changed to downfall when Yura stared at the water in her glass as if it were a valuable treasure. He has so many questions to ask her about where she came from and if she has a family.

"What's in the little pouch bag?" Yura's question made him froze up from his sitting position. Yura noticed the Caiman's posture and raised her hands. "Don't worry, I'm just asking. I wouldn't dare double-cross you after what happened."

Saigo touched the pouch bag for comfort. "Well, it contains my teeth. I pulled them out to get pawned at a shop here."

This made Yura confused. "Pawned?"

"I needed the money to pay off my debts," he shook the bag, the sounds of his teeth clacking inside. "You know how valuable crocodile teeth are to some animals?"

Yura gave him a sympathetic smile. "Current job is not doing good?"

Saigo swallowed another boiled potato whole. "Try being unemployed for a year now and trying to make ends meet to live in this shithole. But it's my shithole."

Yura reached out a hand and held his claw. "I'm sorry. I've I would've known your current situation, I could leave you alone."

The caiman stood up before sending his bowl into the sink. "You didn't know. Hell, I don't even know you or the fact that your kind does exist. They'd probably wonder why you're not home yet."

There was silence before Yura had her head down, holding her hands together. "I have my own home. No one but me."

Saigo was impressed. Someone as young as her living a dangerous life of being alone was something he did not expect. From what he recalled in his class as a young caiman, he remembered that humans are resourceful despite lacking any instincts compared to the rest of them.

"Thank you for making dinner," Yura got up from her seat and bowed to him. "I will help wash the utensils and bowls."

Saigo wanted to protest but the human insisted. It was her way of telling him that she appreciates his hospitality. He decided to lounge at his battered sofa, watching his guest clean up. He may not have sharp hearing but her humming while washing the bowls was very soothing.

He shook his head. She's a human while he is a reptile. Both of their bloods are different and so are their lifestyles. Yet, he enjoyed her company even if it was for a little while.

"There, all done!" Yura announced triumphantly. "I think I will go back now. You look like you need some time alone."

"It's okay. I want to escort you back. You'll never know if other carnivores might want to make a roast out of you."

Yura giggled. "Alright, since you have been so kind to me after all I have done."

Saigo flashed her his toothy grin before finding a shirt to put on.

...

"Do you read any stories?"

Yura was holding onto Saigo's arms as they walked to the direction where the human's home would be. Saigo found it odd that she was guiding him towards a row of factories. He has seen some of them before.

Was her home inside or close to one of these factories?

"Well, some when I was a kid and I rarely read nowadays," he admitted. "Gotta pay for the internet as well."

Yura only nodded before she halted him. "Okay, here's my home. It's not much but it's very cozy."

Saigo's expectation of this human's home became low when he was introduced to the state of it. It was just a pile of cardboards, a raggedy blanket and an old bin with fire which he assumed provided enough heat.

"You live here," his voice was nothing but a whisper. "I thought humans lived underground or have a hidden kingdom we don't know about."

Yura rolled her eyes. "Oh, your mother told you about that? No, we live pretty much like you all except we have to be careful about our appearance. After all, if society sees you different from their little circle, they will hunt you down."

Saigo sighed and patted her back. "You ran away..."

"Of course!" Yura crossed her arms before laying out the cardboard boxes. "The best decision I have ever done. No responsibilities, no debt, no conformation to societal pressure."

"But you have to hide who you really are," the caiman argued, realising that those brief moments with this human gave him a sense of happiness.

"Well, you gotta pay the price for something you need in life, right?"

Saigo's shoulders sagged. Who was he to judge about anyone's decision of living their life? "Yeah...something like that."

I'm pretty sure there are people that chose to be homeless or was forced to be for the same reason

After all, we are seeing the dark aspects of Beastars in this fic which is different to my fluffy cute story about my OC in "Music of the Night"!