I posted this excerpt in the forums, in one of those "Rate-My-Stuff"-threads, but it was far too long, so I removed it again.

Reposting it here, since it's already 'public' anyway ;)

( To give you a rough idea what is going on:

the MC, Katinka "Tinka" Crnčević has developed a bit of a phobia for bears (because of reasons ;3 ), but suddenly keeps encountering them everywhere (similarly, because of reasons).
Her 3 new flatmates and fellow students - Joko, Sebastian and Mika - might be a bit magically inclined.

[You'll learn all of this fairly early in the story, so this isn't really a spoiler, don't worry.] )

Just then, Joko rounded the corner. He waved at me cheerfully, and made his way over.

Oh god, yes!

Joko!

Drop-dead-sexy, always stylish Joko, waving at me, coming over to talk to plain old me, right here in public.

I mean, he probably just wants me to take over his cleaning duty or something, but still.

I saw fairly little of him or Sebastian at home, and a girl's gotta take what she can get.

I was about to wave back, but my hand froze mid movement, when I noticed the juvenile BEAR lumbering after him.

Oh god.

''Hey there Tinka!'', he said, beaming his 1000 watt smile at me as if nothing was wrong.

There's a bear with you.
There's a bear with you.
There's a bear with you.

''Bear!'' I managed in reply.

I can be eloquent like that.

''Sorry?'' Joko asked, all innocent, as if he hadn't noticed the pony-sized mountain of shaggy fur following him around.

I considered just screaming at him wordlessly, but settled for ''Why is there a bear following you around, Joko?''

''What bear?'' he asked, looking at me questioningly.

What bear?
WHAT BEAR?!
Are you shitting me?

"THAT BEAR!", I shouted, pointing.

"Oooh, that", he said, raising his hands to calm me.

"That's just my sisters dog."

''That's a bear.'' I observed.

"No it's not. It's a dog. I'm taking him for a walk. See?''

Joko held up a leash. I could have sworn it hadn't been there before.
The bear was now wearing a dog collar. It said ''Mr. Snuffles'' on it.

Oh god.
Oooh god.
A bear.

It's staring at me.

Go away.

"That's still a bear"

"It's my sisters dog. It's called Mik- .. ...key. Mickey the Dog."

"Who calls their dog Mickey? Besides, the collar says 'Mr. Snuffles' on it."

"Well?" he asked, shrugging. "That's his last name, obviously. Mickey Snuffles. Mick and I are on a first name basis, you know."

It's a bear.
It's a bear called Mickey Snuffles.

Why must all the sexy guys in my life be weirdos?

It's still staring.

I glared at Joko, mouthing the word 'bear'.
Joko smiled and tugged at the leash.

"Very bright animal, my sisters dog. He listens to commands, too. Here: Mickey, say 'Woof' "

The creature gave Joko a long look, then it turned back to me.
I could have sworn I saw it roll its eyes.

"Woof. Woof.", the bear said, without much enthusiasm.

"See?"

I stared. The bear hadn't barked. It had actually SAID the word Woof.
Just as I was about to point that out, the bear sneezed.

I blinked.

The bear was gone.

In it's place now stood a boy, maybe 10 years old, who looked oddly familiar.
He was wearing jeans and a green t-shirt.
It had a picture of a grizzly on it.

"What the..?", I managed.

That did not just happen. Nope.
Not possible.
Not happening.

"Hm?", Joko asked, all innocent smiles again. "What is it?"

"Where is your bear? I mean dog! No- wait I.. whatever! Where is it?"

"My what? Are you quite alright Tinka? Would you like us to take you home?"

"But your dog! You said you where walking your sisters dog!" I wailed at him, helpless in the face of so much crazy.

"I said I was on a walk with my sisters kid. Did you just call my nephew a dog, Tinka?"

"No, I- .. but.. there was- hey, is that kid wearing a leash?!"

Joko raised his eyebrows at me and gave me the cheerful smile usually reserved for the clinically insane.

"No, he's not."

He wasn't.

I felt like sobbing.
It was there! I'd seen it!

I'm not going crazy.

Right?

It was all that damn bears fault anyway!

I'm not crazy!

(It was the bear, Officer, I swear! The bear made me do it!)

The bear- .. I mean do- ... I.. the ..er .. the boy- .. (uh, let's try that again..)

The BOY (who wasn't wearing a leash, because that would be crazy, right?) stared at me silently for a moment, then turned to Joko and tugged at his sleeve.

"Uncle Joko," he said in a stage whisper, "can we go now? That weird lady is creeping me out."

Oh god, now I'm already scaring the kids.
Next, the doorbell will ring, and a shipment of fourty cats will arrive.
I am doomed.

Mortified, I buried my face in my hands and moaned.

Bloody bears!
Bloody bears everywhere!

"Tell you what, Mi- um Mike, why don't go on ahead to.. auntie Saskia, while I take my friend here home, since she.. isn't feeling well today. I'll meet the two of you later."

The boy shrugged.
"Alright. But don't be too late, Uncle Jo."
For a second, there was murder in his eyes, as he looked at Joko, but it was gone again in an instant.
"There is something I want to talk to you about really bad. I'll tell Auntie Saskia you said 'Hi'."

Yoko swallowed nervously.

"Yeah.. you do that.."

With that, the boy wandered off. I heard him mutter to himself, and I could have sworn I caught the words "Mickey Snuffles, my ass"

Yoko put his arm around my shoulders as we watched him go.

He smelled nice, and having him so close to me would have been very distracting under different circumstances.

Alright, so I was living with them, but that didn't mean we were very close.

I was usually too shy to talk to them much at home, and receiving what basically amounted to half a hug from one of the Hot Threesome would usually have me blushing in 50 shades of pink.

Right now, however, all I could feel was tiredness.

I kew scores of girls who would happily sell their soul to have Joko put his arm around their shoulders, and here I was, his strong arm wrapped around me, almost drowning in his delicious aftershave, and couldn't even appreciate it, because I'm being stalked by bears.

My poor brain was worn out from all the bears.

Bloody bears.

I tried to at least make some use of my fortunate (and slightly awkward) position by trying to engange him in conversation.

"Joko?"

"Ya?"

"Why does your nephew look so much like Mika?"

"You need to ask my sister that. Although you better wait until her husband isn't around."

"Mika had a kid with your sister?"

Wait, how did that even work?

That kid was at least 10!

Did Mika have a kid when he was only 12?

"Katinka?"

"Ya..?"

"I was joking."

"Oh.."

Did I mention I'm not good at talking to good-looking guys when my brain is full of bear?

There was a pause.

"Joko..?"

"Mh?"

"Your nephew isn't secretly a bear, is he?"

"Well, that would be a pretty crappy secret identity to have."

"I guess so."

"Now, if he were secretly a superhero or a badass wizard, that would be cool."

"Maybe your nephew is a badass wizard who is also secretly a bear.."

Joko patted my back.

"Come on Tinka, let's get you home."

He helped me up from the swing and, his arm still around my shoulders, holding me close, he led me down the street.

"There aren't any bears at home, are there?"

Joko chuckled and mussed up my hair.

"No bears", he said. "I promise."

Liar.

https://youtu.be/K1S748kZRb0