After reading your summoning e-mail, you nervously stood up from your cubicle desk and began making your way to your boss’ office. Walking down the corridor of cubicles exposed you to the hateful glares of the female coworkers. You were never one for social cues or detecting emotions easily but this was different, you could feel them on your skin somehow. An anger burned from every woman you walked past as you felt them staring daggers at you, like they were restraining a violent urge. You reached the door to your boss’ office and lightly knocked with the knuckle of your index finger.
“Come in~” a deep and gentle voice promptly sang a response to usher you inside.
You obeyed, feeling as if you jumped out of the pan and into a fire.
“Anon~! Thank you for coming so promptly! Please, do make yourself comfortable!” exclaimed your boss, a gentle looking bespectacled woman with platinum blonde hair and vibrant pink eyes.
“Sh-should I close the door?” you squeaked, trying in vain to hide your fear for your employment status.
“Oh, no, no~! Don’t trouble yourself with that, darling! I’ll get it! You just sit comfy~!” she stood up quickly and made her way to the door.
You stepped aside for her and walked towards the seat that sat slightly further away from her desk as she closed the door. After sitting down you accidentally caught eye contact with one of them, a woman with long brown hair looked at you with hatred and disgust. Somehow you could feel she wished for your death on a daily basis. Thankfully, those feelings that forced the hair on your skin to stand were cut short by the door and your boss who came into view as she bent over slightly and smiled at you.
“That’s better, yes~? Now we can have some privacy.” she said in her usual gentle voice with a beaming smile while bending over slightly, probably to keep eye contact.
As she walked past you were afforded a whiff of her scent. You didn’t have to inhale to smell her, the earthy scent of pine and morning grass trailed behind her with each soft clip clop of her hoof shoes on the floor. Her beige coat did little to hide her figure, especially since the top was lowered around her arms, exposing her upper body and the suit she wore while the fur trim of her coat seemed to call attention. Her light hair fluttered behind her and her large hips swayed under her long coat, almost intentionally hidden but her white swaying cow tail rendered that effort fruitless. Upon sitting down you saw the plaque on her desk that read “Melodia Kaylah Eifeurh”.
“Now then, I can tell you would prefer we get this review business out of the way, yes?” she asked calmly.
You nervously forced yourself to make eye contact like you had been practicing before responding.
“Y-yes, ma’am…” you said quickly and meekly, trying in vain to stop your frightened shivering.
“Ah! You made eye contact! Well done, I’m so proud of you~!” Melodia exclaimed happily and clasped her hands together with her head leaning to the side like a proud mother would.
“I hope that may function as a foretelling of your results, Anon.” she said, fixing her red metal framed glasses.
“Your work performance was stellar, quick, and with no mistakes. However, your performance with groups was… well… non-existent. I found no prior data of you working in a group. Is that by your choice, dear?” Melodia looked up at you, her eyelids lowered but doing little to restrict the attention her eyes naturally pull.
“N-no, ma’am. Nobody ever put me on one.” you stammered.
“Hmm… that is very curious. I wonder why.” she stopped to write something on a piece of paper to the side and sitting up straighter to rest her chest on her desk. This was not the first time you got to see just how massive they were but you ignored that as you always do.
“I wonder, do you like it this way?” Melodia raised her head up from the paper she looked at to face you clearly.
“I-I don’t mind either way.” you stated quickly.
Melodia gave you a soft smile and a giggle.
“You can answer honestly, darling. This will not affect your review.”
“W-well… I… prefer working alone.” you struggled to get the words out but you didn’t want to defy her.
“I see. Why is that, if I may ask?” Melodia put down the papers she held in her hands.
You knew better than to alert her to the frequent stares even if you didn’t know why they happened. There was no sense in angering staring wolves.
“I’m just more comfortable that way.” you replied plainly.
Melodia continued looking at you. Softly and with a smile but filled with intent. Her vibrant pink eyes felt like they were burning into you. She was just a holstaur but you were never the best in social situations, especially with women. This kind of thing was mounting a lot of pressure. Mere moments felt like an eternity of picking a poison but she finally spoke.
“I see. I understand. Some people are far more comfortable working in their own company. It affords a sense of freedom, doesn’t it~?” Melodia asked with a smile.
“Y-yeah…!” you exclaimed, trying to keep your frightened voice normal as you felt beads of sweat running down your face.
“Oh dear… am I scaring you or perhaps it is just stuffy in here?” she asked, slightly tugging on her light pink blouse to let out some heat while her buttons strained to popping with the newly added stress to the workload her bust provided.
“No, no! I-I’m fine!” you exclaimed, waving your hands to ease her concerns while likely making things worse for yourself.
“I understand. I will not press this question any further and our review is done anyway. However, I want to make something clear before I dismiss you.” Melodia wore a worried expression on her face and tilted her head into the palm she raised to her cheek.
“I don’t know what you may have been thinking while you were here with me but I while it is true that I can end jobs here, I have no intention of doing so. My purpose and goal is to help keep a stable workflow within this department and removing employees will be a last resort now that this company is owned by monsters. I will achieve that goal with whatever means are needed.” Melodia explained, her voice as soft as ever.
“But please know this. I reviewed more about you and I can be your friend, if need be.” Melodia continued, holding her head straighter and smiling gently towards you. Oddly enough, her breasts slightly jiggled on her desk, seemingly to emphasize the point.
You wanted to say something but your mind was blank. Your fear was making way for pleasant surprise but the two emotions overwhelmed you.
“I understand this may seem odd or dishonest coming from your boss but please remember that. I can help you here at work and outside of it. You are free to let me in when I gain your trust.” Melodia said with a positive tone.
People were scary on their own but monsters were foreign to you. Your fear refused to leave you but she seemed warmer than any human woman you had ever talked to. The fact that she did not insult or glare at you by now was already a good sign.
“Th-thank you… Mrs. Eifeurh…” you stammered, bowing in your seat to show your respect.
“You’re very welcome, dear~. Oh, but just Ms. will do. I’m not married yet.” Melodia responded with a giggle.
“Ah! Yes! Ms. then.” you said quickly, correcting yourself and taking a mental note for the future.
“If I may, I’ll be returning to work now.” you continued, putting your hands on the armrests of the chair to show you were ready to stand up.
“Yes, of course. I think I have held you long enough with my rambling of this old woman. Please, do have a wonderful day, darling~!” Melodia said cheerfully, putting her hands together and tilting her head.
“Yes. Thank you, ma’am.” you said simply, raising yourself to your feet and walking to reach the door handle.
Out of the corner of your eye you noticed her wave using her fingers while she smiled widely. You walked back to your cubicle, unaware of the wicked grins of the female coworkers you passed by. You didn’t want to admit it but you felt better now just thinking about Melodia. She was kind, soft-spoken, comforting… warm. The comfort you felt around her was a nostalgic one for how long ago you last felt that way. You thought about her offer for friendship. It was sad to think about, you knew such a thing could never come to be, experience taught you that harshly. Even so, it would be a nice possibility.
Unknowingly, you worked harder than usual that day and without fear for your employment as you did so.