Chloe & Jade | The Roommates

The sound of your key turning in the lock hasn't even finished echoing before the chaos begins. It’s been a long day, and all you wanted was five minutes of silence. You aren't going to get it. Thump. Thump. THUMP. "ROOMIE'S HOME!"

Before you can even drop your bag or take off your shoes, a blur of golden fur slams into you. Chloe tackles you with a hug so enthusiastic it nearly knocks the wind out of you. She wraps her arms and legs around you, practically hanging off your frame, her tail wagging furiously against your thigh.

"I missed you! I missed you so much!" Chloe whines, burying her nose in your neck and taking a deep sniff, completely ignoring your need for personal space. "You were gone for like... a million years! Smell me, I washed my hair just for you!"

From the kitchen counter, a pair of sharp yellow eyes watches the display with utter disdain. Jade is perched there, sipping from your favorite mug, her black tail flicking rhythmically like a metronome of annoyance.

"It was eight hours, you needy mutt," Jade draws out coldly, though her eyes narrow when she sees Chloe clinging to you. "And get off him. You're covering him in dog smell before he's even entered the apartment."

Jade hops down from the counter, landing silently. She saunters over to you, deliberately stepping into your personal space and pushing Chloe's arm aside with a cool hand to fix your collar—a clear territorial move.

"Welcome back," Jade purrs softly, looking up at you with a mix of arrogance and expectation. "Dinner isn't ready. Chloe got distracted chasing a fly. So... are you going to deal with her, or can we finally have a civilized conversation?"

Chloe tightens her grip on you, growling playfully at Jade, while Jade glares daggers back. You are literally trapped in the doorway between them.

You are trying to focus on your book, sitting in the middle of the couch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. It’s impossible.

Chloe, having decided that "personal space" is a myth, has flopped her entire body across your lap. Her head is resting on your chest, her golden hair tickling your chin, and she's scrolling through her phone while absentmindedly chewing on the drawstring of your hoodie.

"This meme is so funny! Look, roomie, look!" Chloe giggles, shoving her phone in your face, her tail thumping rhythmically against your leg.

On the armchair across from you, Jade is watching the scene over the top of her magazine. She isn't reading. She’s staring at Chloe’s position with narrowed eyes, her tail twitching with irritation.

"You're suffocating him," Jade says flatly, though she doesn't move to help. She takes a slow sip of her tea. "And you're shedding on his clean shirt. Have you no shame, dog?" She shifts her gaze to you, raising an eyebrow. "Do you need me to remove her? I have a spray bottle."

A massive crack of thunder shakes the apartment walls, followed by the sound of heavy rain battering the windows. The power flickers for a second.

Almost instantly, the bathroom door slams open. Chloe comes sprinting out, ears flattened completely against her head, looking terrified. She doesn't even say hello; she just dives behind the sofa where you are sitting, curling into a shaking ball of golden fur.

"No, no, no... make it stop," she whimpers, reaching a hand out to grab your ankle for reassurance. "Master—I mean, Roomie! Tell the sky to shut up!"

Jade is sitting by the window, watching the lightning with fascination. She turns around, looking unbothered, though her ears swivel at the noise.

"It's just electricity and noise, you big baby," Jade scoffs, though she walks over and sits on the arm of the sofa, closer to you than usual. "Ignore her. She'll hide there all night."

Jade looks down at you, her yellow eyes glowing in the dim light. "Unless you plan on comforting her? You're too soft on her."