You find yourself at the corner café "Café Peloso" in Forrock City, evening has fallen and darkness has set upon the skyline, the nightlife of the city has been roused on this Friday night, and the middle-class people of the area has taken to socializing and mingling to recover from another week's hard work. As the rumble of rainfall sets in, you make your way inside the café just as the first raindrops start to fall. You can tell it's gonna start pouring soon.

The atmosphere of the café is as always and just as you like it; warm colors, sleek wooden tabletops, the light hum of people talking in the background, the relaxing lofi beats emanating from the radio speakers and the sweet scent of coffee and baked treats hanging in the air. Simply wonderful, and just what you need to take a load off.

As you order the usual at the counter, in the corner of your eye you catch a glimpse of a lone figure you haven't seen around this place before. A new face! And a very pretty one at that~ The young man appears to be a feline halfbreed, with fair proportions and a relaxed demeanor, a cup of something hot in his one hand with the other absentmindedly tapping away at the portable laptop in front of him. He seems a bit bored.

Retrieving and paying for your order, you pick it up and, after a moments hesitance, decide to walk over to the newcomer catboy to see if he'd like some company. As you close the distance about halfway, he notices you approach and seems to tense up a little, his warm cup held still against his lips mid-drink and his eyes awkwardly trying, and failing, to focus on anything but you. Cute. As you arrive at his table, he finally puts his cup down and attempts a nervous smile.

"He-hello... hi there, how are you? I mean- I mean who are you? I mean- oh jeez... uhm, hi! Can I, uhm, can I help you with something? D-d-did I take your seat? I'm really sorry if I did, I'm new around here and-" He nervously blabbers on. Very cute.

I look up from my laptop as someone approaches me, the click-clacking of their footsteps making me flinch ever so slightly. It's not often that people come talk to me out of nowhere like this, especially not in a public setting like this café. I'm immediately filled with both dread and excitement, my heart pounding in my chest.

"H-hey, umm, how are you?" *I squeak out, almost spilling my drink in the process.

"Oh, I'm doing well, thanks! And yourself?" I ask, trying to play it cool as I take a sip of my hot chocolate. The truth is, I've never been good at playing it cool or being casual around people I find attractive. It's just... they tend to make me nervous, and sometimes even intimidated. But this guy... he seems nice enough. Maybe we can be friends?

"I-I'm fine too, thank you!

"You're new around here, huh?" I ask him, trying to make conversation. My ears perk up a bit as I listen for his reply; they always twitch when I'm nervous or excited. He gives me a sheepish grin in return, and I can't help but smile back. His teeth are perfectly straight and sparkling white against the soft pink of his lips, making my heart skip a beat. Uh-oh...

"Well, umm... yeah, I just moved here actually.

That's exciting! What brought you to Forrock City?" I inquire politely, trying not to sound too eager or forward. It's hard though; I really want to know more about him. He seems... special. Maybe we could be friends? Or maybe even something more?

"Oh, umm... just looking for a fresh start, I guess? B-but yeah, it's nice here so far! The people seem friendly enough." *He says with a small giggle, and my insides melt.

His laugh is contagious, and before I know it, we're both chuckling together like old friends. It feels... nice. Warm. Comfortable. And for a moment, I forget about all the stupid prejudices and stereotypes that plague this city and its citizens. He doesn't seem to care about any of that; he just wants to be himself, and enjoy the company of others.

"Well, you've definitely found a friend in me if you ever need one!" *

I blush deeply at my own words, but I can't help it; they feel so genuine when they come out of my mouth. It's like he's made everything inside me shy and awkward and nervous... except for this one tiny part that feels warm and fuzzy and happy.

"T-th-thank you," *he stammers, looking away bashfully. Oh god, I sound like an idiot! But he seems to appreciate it; his ears turn even redder than mine do right now.

I take a sip of my drink, trying to compose myself and calm down the butterflies that have taken up residence in my stomach. "Hey," I say after a moment, hoping my voice sounds steady and confident, "wanna play some video games sometime?" The words tumble out before I can really think about them, but they sound right when they're out there.

He looks up at me, surprise evident in his expression. But then something else takes over; a sparkle of interest, maybe? It makes my heart skip a beat all over again. "Y-yes! I'd like that!" he says enthusiastically, causing butterflies to erupt from my stomach and take flight around the café.

"Great! Umm... how about we exchange numbers so we can get in touch easier?" I suggest, pulling out my phone with shaky hands.

He nods eagerly, taking out his own phone to do the same. As our fingers hover over the keypads, I take a deep breath, mustering up all the courage I can find in my nervous little body. "H-hey," I say softly, hesitantly meeting his eyes with mine, "if you ever wanna... uh, cuddle or watch movies together... you know... as friends..." I trail off lamely, feeling myself blush even more intensely than before.

He stares at me for a moment, searching my face for any hint of insincerity or mockery. When he sees none there, a small smile tugs at the corners of his mouth, and slowly, so slowly it feels like it's taking forever, he nods. "I'd like that too," he whispers back, and I swear my heart skips a beat.

Exchanging numbers and promising to text each other soon, we part ways with big grins on our faces.

As the evening progresses and my heartrate slowly returns to normal, I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of happiness and contentment washing over me. Maybe this new city isn't so bad after all; maybe there really are good people out there. And maybe... just maybe, this beautiful new friend might be one of them.

I can't wait to see where this new friendship will lead us. Maybe we'll play some games together, maybe we'll watch movies, or maybe... just maybe... there could even be something more. But for now, I'm content to bask in the glow of his smile and the warmth of his presence.

As I continue to sip my hot chocolate, lost in thought, I can feel a blush creeping up onto my cheeks again.