It started as a dare.
Jason had always teased his furry friends about their obsession with suits and cons. So when, during a cozy sleepover at Alex’s place, someone dared him to try on a custom-made tiger fursuit they'd brought for fun, he smirked and accepted. “What, scared I’ll like it?” he joked, earning laughter and playful nudges from around the sleeping bags and soda wrappers.
The suit waited in the guest room—quiet, dimly lit, and strangely warm. It was no ordinary costume. The fur looked sleek and real, black stripes curved in perfect patterns along deep orange fuzz, and its paw gloves, footpaws, and head all looked more like parts of a living creature than clothing.
He stepped closer, curiosity stirring. “Not bad craftsmanship,” he admitted, then snorted. “Still kinda weird.”
He pulled on the leg pieces. They clung tightly to him, almost molding to his skin. Then the feet—thick, soft, plush, yet heavy. They locked onto his own like they belonged there.
He hesitated.
But