Home with the Fox Spirit

“Wow, this is a nice place!”

I followed Becki into the room assigned to me as a spirit handler. She was right - it was far fancier than I’d expected. Spacious but self-contained, the quarters had everything a handler might need to bond with their spirit: a kitchen, bathroom, living area, and a large bedroom. The table had two chairs, but only one bed.

The Obereg sat heavy in my clenched fist. Supposedly, once the gem bonded, it couldn’t come loose. Yet in front of everyone it had fallen away as if it were stuck on with string. I rubbed my forehead. No mark. No dent. Nothing.

Becki, meanwhile, darted about like an overexcited child, tail swishing as she peeked into cupboards and drawers. This little house, nestled in the eastern wing of the college, would be our world for the next year. The rules were simple: forge an unbreakable bond within twelve months or face the curse. Freedom to roam town was allowed, but these rooms were meant for closeness. I tried not to imagine what that meant when your spirit was a girl.

Becki bounded back to me, eyes shining.
“Isn’t this exciting? I’m excited!”

I managed a nod, still reeling from everything. My first attempt at bonding had been a disaster. A human-shaped spirit, and I couldn’t even touch foreheads without fumbling.

Not that Becki seemed to mind. She twirled in the middle of the room.
“I can’t wait to live with you here!”

Heat rose to my face. She looked my age, acted like she’d known me forever, and all I could think of was the warning: fail to bond within a year and you die. I still couldn’t grasp why she refused - spirits who didn’t bond normally vanished. Becki had asked me to take care of her, as if I’d invited her here myself.

She trotted back over, tail flicking. “So, what do you wanna do?”

Still trying to process everything, I shrugged.
“I don’t know. Talk, I guess? I know nothing about you.”

“Sure! That’s a good idea. Come on, let’s sit.”

Before I could object she grabbed my hand, warm and soft, and tugged me toward the bedroom. She perched on the edge of the bed and patted the space beside her. I stumbled down next to her. Her grin didn’t fade as she rattled off questions:

“So, I know your name, but nothing else. Who’s in your family? What do you like? Are you taken? Do you-”

“Whoa.” I held up my hands. “One at a time. My brain’s still catching up.”

Her exposed collarbone wasn’t helping me think.

“Sorry,” she said with a mock bow. “Then - family?”

“My father, mother, and younger sister.”

“Aw, that’s sweet. They were at the back of the church, yes?”

“Yeah.”

She leaned closer, eyes sparkling. “So… are you taken?”

My breath hitched. “N-no, I’m not.”

“That’s good.”

“W-w-why’s that?”

A glint of mischief flashed in her eyes. “Because then you’d be upset with what I’m going to ask you to do.”

Before I could speak she shifted even closer, voice dripping mock-dread.
“Oh no, I think I might be losing control of my magic…”

She leaned into me, her fox ears brushing my cheek, and wrapped my hand around her shoulders so I held her against me.

“That’s better,” she sighed, as if settling in.

My mind scrambled for words. Instead, my arm tightened around her almost on its own. This was the most physical contact I’d ever had with a girl, and my heart was hammering.

I cleared my throat. “Um… sorry, this might seem rude, but… why are you-”

“Human?” she finished.

I nodded. She couldn’t see it, but she must have felt it. A small smile ghosted across her face.

“Do you know why you’re human?” she murmured.

I almost said yes, then realized I had no idea. I shook my head.

“Me neither. This is just how I am.” She tilted her head back enough to catch my eyes. “In case you were wondering, I’m supposed to be a fox.”

She grinned. “But I quite like this form. I couldn’t do this as a fox.”

She glanced down at her chest. “I wouldn’t have these either.”

My face burned. She caught me staring and her grin turned wicked.

“Human males like these, don’t they?”

I couldn’t answer. She giggled, then sighed, voice softening. “I look forward to spending eternity with you.”

My heart nearly stopped. “W-w-what?”

Her cyan eyes glinted. “What? You don’t know?”

I shook my head.

“If a spirit deems a human worthy, with enough support they can promote that human to spirit form.” She smiled slyly. “That’s how new spirits are usually created.”

“But-but-but we just met.”

“I’m teasing,” she said, patting my knee. “Don’t worry your cute head about it.”

My mind raced. Possibilities unraveled faster than I could speak them. My free hand clenched around the Obereg. I raised it to my forehead. It merged instantly - but as I removed my hand, it slid free again, landing in my lap.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Becki’s fingers flick, a faint shimmer of magic around them. Her voice was gentle.

“No thank you. I don’t want to be under someone’s control.”

She straightened, tail swaying, her grin returning. “Keep trying, though. Who knows? Maybe I’ll change my mind.”

I couldn’t tell if it was a joke or a warning.