Caught in His Grip: Unmasking the Cephalopod

I froze. My gaze dropped. My hands shook as I yanked my pants open. The next second, I let out a shriek loud enough to shatter glass.

I scrambled and stumbled my way straight into the ER. "Doctor, help!

I grew a male organ that doesn't belong on this planet!" The doctor took one look and immediately booked me for removal surgery.

But when I finally crashed that night, a bizarre dream hit me. A little octopus hovered in the dark, fat tears rolling down its face.

It lifted one of its tentacles toward me—a limb noticeably missing a large chunk at the end. A tearchoked voice echoed in my head. "That's my arm!

It ran off to cuddle with you, and now it abandoned me!" Seriously, who the hell taught it to cuddle like that? Chapter 1 I crossed over into the Beastman realm a year ago.

At first, I didn't notice anything wrong.

I've always been terrible with faces, so after stepping off the plane, I headed straight to the corporate headquarters to deliver my project report.

That is, until the executive sitting across from me scowled.

He got so pissed that two flamingred fox ears popped right out of the top of his head with a soft poof. "What the hell kind of report is this?" My laptop screen was pure static.

My phone had zero bars. I stared blankly at him, my heart slamming against my ribs. Cold sweat slicked my palms.

I forced my breathing to steady, swallowing the lump in my throat before anyone could notice the cracks in my composure. My brain went into overdrive.

I slapped my thigh, faking a look of sheer frustration. "Damn it, didn't HR CC you guys on my resignation email?

I don't even work for the company anymore!" Before they could process the confusion, I packed up my stuff and marched right out the door like I owned the place.

And just like that, I spent the next year walking on eggshells, desperately hiding my human identity in this world. Until a quiet afternoon, half a month ago.

I felt a weird itch down there, so I scratched it. And then… I froze. My gaze dropped, my hands shaking as I pulled open the waistband of my pants to stare down. My brain flatlined.

Five agonizing seconds ticked by before I squeezed my eyes shut, blindly reaching down with trembling fingers.

A bizarre sensation shot through my lower body, making my stomach tighten. An inexplicable, fiery heat flared up inside me instantly.

Right then and there, my entire worldview shattered into a million tiny pieces. I let out a shriek loud enough to shatter glass.

I scrambled and stumbled my way straight into the ER, sobbing hysterically. "Doctor, help!

I grew a male organ that doesn't belong on this planet!" I gasped for air through my tears, shutting my eyes in pure despair. "I am a hundred percent, purely female in body and soul!

I cannot accept this extra freaking organ, cut it off right now!" Bizarre. It was too freaking bizarre.

I clearly remembered checking—even though this was a world of Beastmen, the genders were strictly male and female. There had never been a case like mine! But there it was.

An extra piece of hardware physically attached to my body. The realization pushed me right to the edge of a breakdown. The doctor finished the examination.

She looked at me, hesitating, carefully chewing on her words. "Are you… feeling extremely uncomfortable right now?" I buried my face in my hands, letting out a reluctant, muffled grunt. "That's normal," the doctor said. "Here's what we'll do.

Take care of it yourself first. It'll make the followup exams easier." With that, she walked out, leaving me entirely alone in the exam room. I looked down.

After staring blankly into space for two seconds, I silently pulled the privacy curtain shut. One minute later, all the intense pressure and discomfort left my body.

What replaced it was a cold, hollow wave of regret and a vague sense of total exhaustion. I felt like a celibate nun who had just taken a vow of absolute purity.

That night, an article titled "Human Female Experiences Bizarre Mutation Due to Beastman Realm Culture Shock" skyrocketed to the number one trending topic across the interstellar net.

The headline was paired with a photo of me clinging to the doctor's pant leg in the ER, sobbing in absolute despair. I was completely dumbfounded when I saw the news.

In my old world, humans loved to obsess over cats and dogs. But here, the dynamic was entirely flipped. Beastmen were absolutely obsessed with humans.

The main reason I was terrified of exposing my identity wasn't just because humans were incredibly rare.

It was because, to Beastmen, humans were these adorable, fragile creatures with no fur and no hard scales. They wanted nothing more than to pet and coddle us.

But what the hell did any of that have to do with me suddenly sprouting an extra organ? My jaw tightened as a heavy dread settled in my gut.

Chapter 2 The surgery was scheduled faster than I could blink. I closed my eyes, ready for peace.

And then… A crowd of doctors surrounded me, staring at the blinding holy light radiating from my nether regions.

A collective, sharp intake of breath echoed in the room. "Whoa," someone murmured.

Another voice chimed in, "Maybe we can pickle the severed piece in formaldehyde and put it on display at the Smithsonian." Heat rushed to my face. I snapped my eyes open.

A tiny octopus hovered next to the bed, fat tears spilling from its eyes.

It thrust a shortened, suctioncupless tentacle high in the air. "That's my arm!" its tearchoked voice wailed. "It ran off to cuddle with you, and now it abandoned me!" Seriously, who the hell taught it to cuddle like that?

I glanced down, only to see the thing multiplying. One became two, two became three, three became a terrifying forest of… A beat of dead silence passed.

Then my horrified shriek tore through the roof. It was just a dream. I jolted awake, cold sweat slicking my skin. I frantically grabbed at my crotch. Flat. Empty.

No alien appendages. My lungs finally dragged in a breath. My hands shook so hard I spilled half of the two glasses of water I downed just to ground myself.

It was true that I'd crossed over into the Beastman realm a year ago. But the whole "hiding my human identity" thing? That blew up on day one. The reason?

I bolted out of the corporate office looking so frantic and suspicious that a patrol guard tackled me hard to the pavement, shoving the cold muzzle of a Taser right against my spine.

The heavy impact pinned me flat to the pavement. My skull cracked against the concrete, sending a sharp ring through my ears.

The metallic scent of blood instantly bloomed in the air, carrying the distinct, unmistakable scent of a pure human. The guard holding the Taser froze.

He scrambled back, his chest heaving as his pupils blew wide open, a cracked, breathless sound tearing from his throat. "A human?!" He carefully brushed a thumb over my bruised cheek, then immediately whisked me off to the Beastman police precinct.

Since I had just been slammed to the ground and hit my head, my faked amnesia and "I don't know anything" act worked perfectly.

The cops surrounding me looked at me like I was a fragile glass doll. Just like that, after filling out a basic incident report, they set me up in a temporary safe house.

The next day, the officer in charge of my case showed up with dozens of plushies. He asked me to pick my favorite. A whole row of different animal plushies sat on the table.

My eyes landed on the fluffiest, most perfectly groomed cat right in the center.

I didn't get it, but seeing a grown Beastman show up with an armful of stuffed animals felt exactly like a toddler bringing Barbies and toy planes for a playdate.

It was… kinda cute. The young officer averted his gaze. A flush crept up his sunkissed, tanned skin. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.

His thick, heavily muscled arms flexed tight, like he was violently suppressing some kind of frantic, desperate craving.

He shifted his weight, suddenly looking shy. "Uh… I think the cat is the prettiest." I nodded. "Yeah, it is." Then I casually picked up the little octopus plushie next to it. "But why is this octopus so dirty?" The officer froze.

The muscles in his jaw ticked as his teeth ground together. He stared at the dirty toy in my hands, his chest heaving, looking like a man who had just played himself.

His eyes darted between the pristine cat and the grimy octopus, pure agony flashing across his face.

He stepped closer, refusing to give up. "If you could only keep one… which one do you want?" I dangled the little octopus by its tentacles, giving him a halfjoking smile. "I'll take the octopus." I gestured to the others. "The cat is adorable, and the rest are cute too, but they're completely spotless.

They look like someone's treasured comfort items." I tapped the octopus's head. "This one looks like a stray nobody wanted. I'll take this one." His face crumpled.

He looked like he was a second away from bursting into tears. He gathered up the rest of his plushies and practically dragged himself out of the room, looking utterly devastated.

Chapter 3 I figured the plushie parade was just how Beastmen handled victim compensation. But a few days later, a man showed up at my door.

He had faint, bruisedlooking shadows under his eyes and a face carved from ice. He stared down at me, his posture screaming exhaustion and absolute zero interest. "I'm Julian.

That little octopus you grabbed?

That's my Beast form." He leaned his forearm against the doorframe. "You picked me, but let's get one thing straight—I have zero interest in you, and I don't do humans." "Under the InterSpecies Coexistence Act, I'm legally obligated to live here for a month.

That's it. Don't expect anything else." I blinked, my hand halfraised in a totally awkward reflex. "Uh… okay.

I'm Tessa." He completely ignored my hand, slipping past me into the apartment with his duffel bag. I stood there staring at the empty doorway.

My fingers flew across my phone screen, frantically googling what the hell was going on. I wasn't from here, and my knowledge of local human privileges was literally zero.

The search results loaded, and my jaw hit the floor. [Under the Federal InterSpecies Protection Act, due to official security negligence resulting in injury to a precious human, the government will mandate the assignment of a toptier elite Beastman as your personal bodyguard and life assistant.

During this period, all of the Beastman's assets and unlimited black cards will be at your unconditional disposal.] Staring at the screen, a hysterical laugh bubbled in my throat.

Most Beastmen treated this "punishment" like winning the lottery. To them, giving up a month's salary to cater to a human was the ultimate flex.

But obviously, not everyone was a fan. Especially marine Beastmen. They were biologically wired for dark, freezing depths.

A warmblooded, walking space heater like a human was their worst nightmare. Julian… an octopus. Yeah, it made perfect sense why he acted like I was radioactive.

As far as roommates went, Julian was a ghost. He kept the place spotless, knew his way around the kitchen, and operated on a strict schedule.

Thanks to our clashing work shifts, we practically never crossed paths in the daylight. The best part? He made no secret of his disgust for my species.

I took the hint and kept my distance. Honestly, his antihuman vibe was the biggest safety net I could've asked for in this crazy world.

I'd lost count of how many TikToks I'd seen of massive Beastmen completely losing their minds over a human doing something basic, like tying their shoes.

They'd creep around, acting like obsessed stalkers. Back home, humans treated stray kittens like that. Here, we were the kittens—except we could talk and pay taxes.

After landing a new job, my mornings became a frantic rush. I quietly accepted the fact that Julian left a perfectly plated breakfast on the counter for me every day.

In return, I started leaving dinner in the fridge for his night shifts. It was a perfectly balanced, zerocontact arrangement. Until a massive thunderstorm ruined everything.

I was sprinting home under my umbrella, completely blind to whatever was on the wet porch. By the time my boot came down, a squishy squelch sounded under my sole.

I yanked my foot back to find a translucent, palepink little octopus flattened on the mat. Its two distinct, winglike "ears" drooped backward.

Its tentacles curled up miserably, wrapping over its tiny head like it was shielding its face. I froze, then gave it a gentle poke with the tip of my umbrella. It tilted its head.

Two incredibly small, sharp eyes blinked at me. A pathetic, highpitched squeak slipped out of it. "An octopus? Still kicking." I narrowed my eyes, leaning closer. "Wait.

The head looks like a squid, and it has those Dumbo octopus ears.

But the tentacles are totally separated at the base, no webbing… and they're way too long." I swear to God, the little thing just rolled its eyes at me. Perfect.

This rebellious little cephalopod had officially grabbed my attention. Come hell or high water, I was taking it inside.

Chapter 4 I unlocked the door, grabbed a dustpan, and tried to sweep him inside. The little octopus thrashed wildly.

He scrambled to climb out, his tiny tentacles gripping the very edge of the dustpan, desperately arching away from the plastic surface. "Wait.

A germaphobe octopus?" I arched an eyebrow. The translucent, palepink creature furiously waved his tentacles at me. "Squeak!

Squeaksqueaksqueak—" He jabbed a tentacle at me, then pointed straight at Julian's bedroom door down the hall. A sudden realization hit me like a freight train.

I stiffened, looking down at the octopus—who was now turning a literal shade of angry red. "Julian?" I asked, my voice hesitant. The little octopus nodded frantically.

He crawled onto my palm. Two of his palepink, semigelatinous tentacles slowly stretched out, wiggling against my skin like he was mimicking something.

I frowned, staring at his movements. "What are you trying to say?" He nodded, then immediately shook his head, getting increasingly agitated.

Finding me totally oblivious, he used the tiny suction cups on his bottom tentacles to latch onto my skin and pull.

He wiggled his upper tentacle again, dragging it across my palm in a scribbling motion. "Writing… A pen!

You want a pen!" I hurried to grab a notepad and a Sharpie, slapping them onto the coffee table.

The little octopus extended a tentacle, grabbing the hem of my shirt and furiously wiping himself back and forth.

Once he was satisfied his limb was bonedry, he smacked the TV remote, flipping to a breaking news channel and tapping the screen to make me look.

The news anchor was reporting on a breaking story: a heavily armed cartel had raided the downtown hospital, attempting to hijack the boss of a rival crime family.

A doctor in a white lab coat had singlehandedly tanked the incoming fire, buying precious time for the evacuation.

The footage was heavily blurred, but the chaotic, bloody aftermath was unmistakable.

Julian struggled to grip the heavy Sharpie, shakily scribbling a jagged line of text on the notepad. [Took a bullet covering the VIP's extraction.

My energy bottomed out, and I devolved. Gotta lay low here for a few days.] [Just toss me in some water. Remember to feed me.

As long as I don't starve, it's fine.] [I'll make it worth your while.] After finishing, he curled his tentacles tight over his face, cautiously parting them just enough to spy on my reaction.

A sudden, violent crack of thunder shook the apartment. The palepink octopus violently flinched, shooting across the table and plastering himself against me.

He tried to burrow his tiny head right into my palm, his tentacles wrapping around my fingers in a death grip.

Realizing he had lost his cool, he slowly loosened his hold, acting incredibly nonchalant, like nothing had just happened.

Completely unlike his icecold human form, the little octopus was practically bursting with emotion—highly skittish, easily embarrassed, and undeniably curious. It was wild.

The exact same guy, but shifting forms gave him a totally split personality.

Driven by some impulsive instinct, I reached out and gave him a gentle squeeze. "Squeak!" His tentacles quickly coiled around my fingertips, trying to lock my hand in place.

He glared at me with those tiny, beadlike eyes, radiating pure annoyance. Holy hell, this palepink little guy was cute.

I had completely stopped viewing him as the imposing guy living down the hall. He looked delicate, and it was obvious he hated physical contact. But he was just too damn pretty.

Whenever his soft, slippery tentacles brushed my skin, those microscopic suction cups would instantly contract and latch on. The kicker? His color.

That translucent, palepink aesthetic made him look incredibly vulnerable and easy to bully. It bizarrely hit every single hidden soft spot I had.

Chapter 5 One night, I got up to grab a glass of water and found myself wandering over to the glass tank in the living room.

I'd completely messed up the dimensions when I bought it, so the tank was way too small.

A palepink ball of squish was huddled dutifully inside, with a few tentacle tips spilling over the edge. I stealthily reached down and gave one a squeeze.

The tentacle whipped around my finger the second I made contact. I froze, terrified to even breathe.

After a long minute of absolute silence, I realized it was just an unconscious reflex. It felt incredible.

Like an absolute creep, I couldn't stop myself from whispering in the dark. "Damn, so soft." "Who's a good boy? Just a soft, sweet little octopus." "How are you this freaking cute?

I just want to scoop you up and take a bite…" If I drenched him in hot butter and lemon juice, and dusted him with some Cajun spices before tossing him on the grill, he would taste absolutely incredible.

But this was the Beastman realm. I hadn't even seen baby squid in the seafood aisle, let alone octopus. I thought I was whispering. I even audibly swallowed.

But right before my eyes, the translucent, palepink octopus I thought was fast asleep flushed into a scalding, feverish red. My eyes went wide.

The little faker was pretending to sleep! I panicked and immediately let go of the tentacle I'd been playing with.

I was so guiltridden I completely missed the fact that his tentacle was actively chasing my fingers, the tiny suction cups desperately clinging to my skin.

I hurried back to bed, a hot flush burning my neck as the weight of my boundarycrossing behavior sank in.

I immediately pulled out my phone and rushordered a giant squishy stress toy. I needed a distraction before my weird obsession caused serious problems.

The next day, the little octopus was weirdly shy when I fed him. He ate way more delicately than the night before, and shockingly, he didn't flinch away when I brushed against him.

I genuinely thought we were making major strides in our roommate friendship. When the package arrived, I practically tore the box open, thrilled to show him my new toy. "Look!

A stressrelief squishy!" I held it up. "Now you don't have to worry about me poking you anymore." His tiny eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

He launched himself across the table with terrifying speed, headbutting the squishy toy right out of my hand.

Then, he practically threw himself into my palm, aggressively using his tentacles to drag my fingers across his soft body. "Here, squeeze me!" I stared at my empty palm, my brow furrowing at his sudden tantrum.

Then, my brain caught up to reality. I gasped. "Wait! You can talk again!" His squishy body pressed flush against my skin.

The tentacle wrapped around my finger was sneakily pulling my hand deeper into his grasp. "Hold on, what exactly are you doing?" The little octopus looked dead serious. "Seducing you into squeezing me." Something felt extremely off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what it was.

Julian recovered way faster than I expected. That morning, sheer rage had jumpstarted his vocal cords. By the afternoon, he had managed to shift back into his human form.

Well, halfway, at least. His top half was completely human. His bottom half was a mass of translucent, palepink tentacles.

He frantically grabbed at the writhing limbs, desperately trying to shove them behind his back.

But the tentacles had a mind of their own, aggressively stretching out and trying to slither their way over to me.

Even though I knew what he was, this was my first time actually seeing a cephalopod Beastman in his semishifted state. It was definitely a shock to the system.

They were so pink, so clean and glassy. God, I just wanted to touch them.

I hesitated for a second before pretending to casually look up at him. "Your tentacles are gorgeous." I offered my most polite, innocent smile. "Do you mind if I give them a squeeze?" I pointed. "They look like they really want to cuddle." Julian pressed his lips into a tight, thin line.

He looked utterly defeated, like a man surrendering to the inevitable. "If you don't find pink tentacles absolutely disgusting… knock yourself out." Chapter 6 The second the words left his mouth, I lunged.

I grabbed one tentacle, squeezed another, and let out an embarrassingly satisfied groan. "So soft!" "Who in their right mind could hate squeezing palepink, translucent tentacles?

Because it sure isn't me." The damp, incredibly soft and agile appendages brushed against my bare skin. They clearly froze for a split second.

The second I didn't pull away, their restraint snapped. They writhed and slithered, vibrating with a hungry, restless energy.

Realizing he was losing control over his own limbs, Julian pressed his lips into a tight line. A dark flush crept up his neck.

Desperate, he just reached out and slapped a hand over my eyes. "Sorry… stop looking at them.

I can't control it." His voice was tight, strained. "I didn't expect to only shift halfway.

Looking like this… it's a goddamn eyesore." Through the gaps in his fingers, I could see his chest heaving. The friction snapped their restraint.

The tentacles surged forward, seeking skin, mapping my wrists and crawling up my forearms to drag me into the suffocating weight of his shadow.

I pried his hand off my face, frantically grabbing at the writhing limbs. "Forget about how they look!

Your tentacles are losing their minds!" They were swarming me, wrapping around my wrists, my waist, my calves.

I was drowning in pink suction cups, frantically trying to peel them off. "I can't hold them back