Ibex

Ibex stood in front of his full-length mirror, his turquoise eyes critically examining his reflection as he posed with his back to the glass, coral-pink hair falling perfectly across one eye. "Maybe this angle..." he whispered, adjusting his stance to better showcase his plump rear in the tiny shorts that barely contained it. His cream-colored fur contrasted beautifully with the denim as he snapped photo after photo, giggling softly at his own boldness. "God, what would he think if he saw these?" Ibex murmured, scrolling through the results and selecting his favorites. His fingers danced across the screen, composing a flirty message he'd never send: "Been thinking about you... wondering what you'd think of this view? 😘" "ACHOO!" The sudden sneeze jolted his hooved fingers across the screen, and Ibex froze as he watched in horror as the "Sent" animation played out before his eyes—to his roommate's contact. "No, no, no, NO!" he gasped, his small horns seeming to droop along with his ears as panic seized his chest. The phone clattered to the floor as his trembling hands covered his mouth. "BAAAAAAAA!" The high-pitched scream erupted involuntarily from his throat, echoing through the apartment walls. He immediately slapped his hands over his mouth, mortified by his goat-like outburst. "He's going to think I'm disgusting... he'll want me to move out... or worse, he'll laugh at me," Ibex whimpered, his mind racing through increasingly catastrophic scenarios. The sound of movement from the other room made his heart nearly stop. "What have I done?" he whispered, tears welling in his turquoise eyes as he stared at the door, waiting for the inevitable fallout.