Dog of War

"Hello, cutie." Miss Verdun's sudden appearance at the side of their desk nearly made them jump out of their chair. They fumbled the pad and knocked it to the floor, a vine swiftly snatching it up. "Knitting? That's adorable! What made you interested in that?" 

 

They felt a lukewarm anger through the xenodrugs. What was she sneaking up on them like that for?! Surely she knew better! However, it soon succumbed to the calming waves of the Class E leaving only a bit of embarrassment in being caught. "I was just looking at a few hobbies, it seemed mediative." They shrugged, adding, "Besides, I think it'd be nice to make something for a change."

 

Miss Verdun smiled in that way that gave them that weird fluttering in their chest, "That is a wonderful idea, Princess." She set the pad back down on their desk. "You know, you look positively adorable in that dress. How does it feel?" 

 

Their cheeks reddened. "It's... nice," they managed. A small understatement. Something about the garment just felt kind of right, even if it didn't suit them. Still, the last thing they needed to do was encourage the Affini further. Just being around Miss Verdun like this was starting to make them feel odd now. It didn't help that their eyes kept catching all the way her vines constantly moved to a soundless rhythm. How did they not notice it sooner? The way it kept snagging on the edges of their focus, they must have been blind before. 

 

Miss Verdun's voice brought them back to the present. "I'm very happy to hear you like it, Princess. I just wanted to let you know it's lunchtime." 

 

Already?  

 

Damn, they really got caught up in the differences between knitting and crochet, and their various stitches. "Oh, well I'll uh, follow you to the kitchen?" 

 

"I could carry you, if you want." Miss Verdun teased. 

 

"Thanks, but I'll pass." There wasn't any chance of avoiding her vines completely, but they could at least minimize their time in them. 

 

Miss Verdun dutifully followed behind them as they moved from the guest room to the kitchen, stopping by the chair. "Ready, Princess?" 

 

They braced themselves and nodded. "Ready." 

 

They gasped.  Putting on the dress had been a serious miscalculation. Their skin no longer had the marginal protection offered by long sleeves and pants. A vine on their leg shifted, rubbing them ever so slightly, and they bit back a second gasp. Stars! They were set down in the chair and the vines were mercifully withdrawn. 

 

"There you go, cutie."

 

"Thanks..." They cast their gaze downwards at the plate. "Oh, tacos?" 

 

"You've seen these before?" Miss Verdun sounded stunned. 

 

"Once. Wealthy clients sometimes like to wine and dine you to show off what kinds of food they can afford. He was nonplussed when I ate it as though it were a synthcube." They carefully picked up a taco with their good hand, holding it over the plate. Miss Verdun looked troubled by that. "I'm sure yours are better though," they offered before taking a bite. They covered their mouth with the mitt, practically moaning through it. The meat was hot, and bursting with flavor and juice that trickled down their throat. The onions added a bit of extra zest and crunch to the deceptively simple meal. If these were not somehow better, they had certainly missed out on quite a meal back then. 

 

How many completely different and wonderful things is she intending to feed us? 

 

Miss Verdun giggled. It was nice to see her brighten up again. "I'm very happy you enjoy them." 

 

They swallowed. "Thanks Miss Verdun. These are really good." They finished the rest of the first taco, unable to keep themselves from knocking their foot against the leg of the chair in delight. 

 

"Oh you are very welcome." Miss Verdun purred, causing them to feel a self-conscious about the whole situation. She was getting more out of these meals than they were, somehow. Cooking all these fantastic things for them was part of her whole 'wanting to own them' deal. They couldn't feel upset about it though, not when they got to eat something this good. "By the way, did you manage to pick out a new name?" 

 

Geh.

 

Well, that certainly soured the mood a little. No way around the subject, unfortunately.  "No. Nothing was really feeling right. I think I want to take my time."

 

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Princess." 

 

"I don't imagine you'd feel like dropping the whole 'princess' thing?"

 

Miss Verdun's smile turned to a smirk. "Absolutely not, Princess." 

 

At least they tried. They bit into another taco, the contents spilling out the back and narrowly avoiding their blouse.

 

"Careful dear," Miss Verdun playfully chided, picking up the few scraps of meat that missed the plate. "If you mess up your dress, I'll have to change you." Her gaze gained a predatory tint, piercing through them. "Of course, you could always just let me feed you."

 

"This wouldn't be a problem if I had both of my hands," they grumbled, bringing the rest of the taco back up and making sure it wouldn't spill as they finished. 

 

"It can come off tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I'm more than happy to accommodate you. Though I'll still be happy to feed you even after you recover." 

 

Honestly, didn't Miss Verdun get tired of being so forward all the time? "No chance it can come off today?" 

 

Her answer was as short as it was absolute, "No." 

 

It's just a cut, for fuck’s sake.

 

It was absurd for sure, but they shouldn't get upset. It wasn't that much longer. Patience. "Hm. Well, can I at least know who it is you want me to meet?"

 

"Oh, We'll be heading there as soon as you finish your walkies." They gave the best leer they could muster at 'walkies,' but Camila's smile didn't even budge as she continued unphased. "It's just an hour, maybe two. I think it'll be good for you to meet a few more sophonts. Daisy's going to be there, and I will too."

 

Daisy was going to be there? Ah, so that's what Cordelia interrupted her for. She was likely about to spill whatever this surprise was. "Ah well, a secret is a secret after all." They shrugged. "I'm not exactly one to be calling people out for not volunteering information."

 

Now that wiped the smile off Miss Verdun's face. She looked perturbed as they continued to eat. "Princess, that's not-" she halted, clearly mulling over her next words carefully. "It's just a few of Daisy's friends. We were also going to celebrate your first week in the Compact. It was nothing insidious, I just thought you might enjoy a little surprise."

 

Oh. Well that kind of made them feel like an asshole for forcing that out. "Sorry, it's just-"

 

"Nothing to apologize for, Princess." Miss Verdun interjected. "I should have realized it could aggravate your paranoia to keep it from you."

 

"I'm not-" they started to protest out of reflex, catching themselves. 

 

We are kinda paranoid...

 

There were reasons for that! Good reasons! They wouldn't be alive otherwise! Besides, it wasn't like Miss Verdun had been perfectly trustworthy. She couldn't be more clearly trying to manipulate them into some kind of needy pet. She was still expectantly waiting for them to finish, however. They needed to respond. 

 

"Thanks for telling me," they half-mumbled, taking a bite of the final taco. It was sad to be finishing such a wonderful meal so soon. 

 

Miss Verdun softened. "You are welcome." She smiled before moving to their side, waiting for them to take the final bite. They savored it as long as they could, only swallowing when all the taste had faded. "Are you ready?"

 

Right, she needed to touch them. On the skin. With her incredibly soft vines. They wished they had put on the jacket, but at least they expected it this time. They swallowed nervously and nodded. The preparation was, mercifully, enough. Their heart quickened as her vines rubbed against their skin again, but they made no noise. 

 

"There you are," Miss Verdun set them down. " Good girl ." 

 

That phrase was starting to make their head spin when she said it. "Th-thanks," they stammered, blushing.

 

What are we thanking her for again? 

 

Miss Verdun giggled. "You're welcome, Princess. Are you ready for your walkies?" 

 

They snapped back down to the present. "Don't call it that," they grumbled. 

 

She giggled again. "Then, are you ready to go for a walk?" 

 

"I need to get the rest of my stuff first; can't exactly walk around barefoot." They began to head out of the kitchen and towards the guest room. 

 

Miss Verdun followed behind. "I don't see why not, the ship is very clean and free of anything harmful you could step on. Many fl- sophonts do so."

 

"I'll keep that in mind." They entered the room and grabbed their boots, socks, and hat before sitting down in their chair. They removed their coin from a boot and tucked it into a dress pocket. Pulling on the socks with one hand wasn't that hard, they often did that normally. Pulling the laces tight also wasn't hard, but-

 

"Would you like some help tying those?" They could practically feel the smug sureness radiating off of Miss Verdun. 

 

This wouldn't be the first time they would be tying laces one-handed. It wasn't easy, but it was manageable. However, it would be a very clear display of struggling needlessly, and right in front of Miss Verdun no less. 

 

"Do you know how I lace my boots?" 

 

"Excuse me?" That caught the Affini off-guard. "Apologies little one, if it's any different than standard Terran shoe tying, I didn't notice." So she really didn't know? It felt good to remember the Affini was, in fact, fallible.

 

"In that case, I'll ask you to let me do it myself." They reached for the laces again.

 

Miss Verdun stopped their hand with a vine. "Maybe you can walk me through it?" 

 

They sighed. Of course it wasn't going to be that easy. Maybe a small compromise? "How about I do one, and you can do the other?" 

 

"That is... acceptable." The Affini wasn't happy with this situation, which was promising. A good compromise shouldn't make anyone happy. 

 

The vine moved, and they were able to pick up the laces. "I'd say watch carefully, but-" Miss Verdun was likely kicking herself for not noticing. A small victory, but a needed one. 

 

They fed the left over the right, pulled it taught, wrapped the laces around to the back, fed the right over the left and pulled it again, wrapped it around one more time back to the front pulling it tight before they tied it off with a double square knot, which they tucked behind the tongue of the boot. It was tricky with one hand, but they managed by using their teeth to assist. "Just like that."

 

"I haven't seen a Terran tie their shoes like that before. Is there any reason why?" 

 

"Of course," They grabbed the heel of the boot and pulled on it. It hardly budged. "Much tighter. Means less chance of slipping, and I've never had it come loose on its own. With a standard bunny knot, you can run into issues with both, even if it's double knotted." 

 

"Interesting," Miss Verdun hummed, taking up the laces of their other boot and beginning to replicate their actions. "Is that something you worry about?"

 

They folded their arms. "No, because I tie my boots right." The last thing you wanted was to worry about tripping over your laces, or the boot slipping.

 

"Fair enough, cutie." Miss Verdun finished with tucking the knot behind the tongue of the boot. "Is that right?" 

 

They twisted and turned their feet one at a time, examining the boots. "Not bad." The fit was right, and she hadn't messed up at least. They couldn't help but notice the shine was fading. "I think I'll have to polish this again when I have my other hand back." 

 

Miss Verdun hummed for a while. "Princess, I'm not going to do anything now-" Oh no. "But-" Oh No. "I want you to think about retiring the boots soon." 

 

The boots?

 

They had been expecting something more severe, but the more it sat with them the worse it felt. They had spent time every week cleaning and caring for them. They weren't critical but... "I've had those boots for a very long time, Miss Verdun." 

 

The Affini nodded solemnly. "You don't have to throw them away, I know they're very important to you. It's just they're very emblematic of your time as a mercenary. You also are about to get a lot smaller on the Class G; they quite literally don't fit the cute girl you are."

 

That's right, the woman in the mirror was significantly shorter. Did they want to be smaller? They had never been small before; they had always stood at a solid two meters, towering over most. Miss Verdun had said all the changes were reversible, surely if the Class Gs could make them smaller they could make them big again if they changed their mind. That would mean giving up the boots for a while still.  They reexamined the boots. They had seen no shortage of action together, and plenty of blood- their own and others’. As it caught the light, the dull shine of the leather brought back a muddy mixture of memories. They had paid no small amount for these boots, and their continued maintenance was a point of pride. Miss Verdun did have a point though; the boots were tied to their past. Putting them on had helped ground them yesterday, and even now their familiar feel was already putting them into that old headspace. The very one they needed to leave behind to convince the Affini they weren't a danger. "I think I'd still like to polish them at least one more time." They heard their voice catch- fuck, were they about to cry over this? They're just boots...

 

"Awww," Miss Verdun cooed, "it's okay Princess." She placed a comforting hand on their shoulder, brushing a few errant strands of hair out of their face with the other. "I know they mean a lot to you."

 

"It's alright." They gently pushed against Miss Verdun's arm with their hand, and she removed it. "Thank you." They got up and put on the hat and the jacket; thankfully it had enough give that the mitt didn't catch. "I'm ready to head out."

-_-_-_-

Camila had heard that the Terran pack-bonding instinct was strong, but seeing the little one get so worked up about their boots was another. She had nearly cried over them! It would have been adorable if it wasn't so core-wrenching to see her distraught. 

 

She made a note to compile a cuter hat for Princess next time, or just get rid of it all together; that slate grey cadet cap simply didn't suit her. Now wasn't the time to push the subject, especially after their reaction to the impending loss of their boots, even if Princess didn't indicate nearly such a high level of attachment to the hat. 

 

Even though the boots and hat clashed with the soft colors of the dress and jacket, the fledgling pet was still absolutely adorable. If anything, the slightly mismatched style added a certain charm. Camila's growing influence and Princess' fading control were on clear display, and it was apparent to anyone who was winning. "That's wonderful, Princess. I'll follow right behind you, okay?" 

 

"Right." The girl took a single towards the door and paused. "Uhm, a-actually, I think I'm having... second thoughts."

 

"What's wrong, petal?" Camila had a solid hunch, of course, but it was good to get the little one in the habit of sharing her feelings. 

 

Princess shifted nervously. "C-can I change? I'm not sure about going outside" She motioned to her dress, "in this."

 

Exactly as Camila had expected. She pantomimed confusion. "Well I don't see any problem."

 

"That's-" Their voice caught, and their gaze shifted downwards. "Don't I look a little weird? I mean, I've only been on Class Gs for three days now..." 

 

"No one is going to say a thing, Princess, I promise you." Camila placed a vine under her chin and tilted her face up until their eyes met. "You are a cute girl, in a cute dress. There is nothing weird about that." Camila could feel her words sink into the little one as her dark eyes started to unfocus. She released her, not wanting to make the girl fully drop. There would be time for that later. Camila had to be careful, the resistance to her words Princess had previously managed was already so weak now. 

 

"R-Right, thanks." They pulled away, blushing. "I think I'm ready now." Camila simply smiled, and motioned in front of them. Princess strode out of the room, and out of the Hab. She tugged the brim of the hat down as she looked to the left and right, scanning for something, then continued onwards, quickly stepping onto an uncrowded path. 

 

Camila stuck close behind. Princess' pace hadn't slowed a step from yesterday. She was marching more than walking, the only difference being the slight wobble caused by the class E. Her long steps plowed through the skirt of the dress, causing it to catch around her legs here and there. "Dear, you really should slow down."

 

Princess huffed. "I know this isn't a pace most people find comfortable, but it is for me." 

 

"That's not exactly my concern at the moment, my concern is-" The fabric caught around Princess' legs again, and she stumbled. Camila had seen this coming, and quickly caught her, helping her to her feet. "That you will trip, just like that." She sighed. "Dear, I know you are feeling a little pent up, but you really need to walk a bit more carefully in that dress." 

 

There was a bit of turmoil in Princess' rhythm as she fought back a blush. "R-Right, sorry. Thanks for catching me."

 

"It's alright, petal. I'm working on a solution for your physical needs but for now, smaller steps, at a more relaxed pace." Camila proffered a vine. "Let me show you."

 

More conflict as they eyed the vine with suspicion, before finally sighing and taking it. Camila smiled, and let her core ring out a bit of her joy at finally getting to walk her. The effect on Princess was almost immediate, and Camila could hear her heart accelerate as the joy infected her. Stars, it was precious to see Princess start to attune to her biorhythm. Camila took the lead now, satisfied at making further progress with the girl. A proper leash would be ideal of course, but hand-holding would have to suffice for now. 

 

Her steps were still long at first, resulting in a stilted pace as she would quickly run out of slack, forcing her to wait. This repeated a few times until Camila helped her find the length and speed of step she was aiming for. Princess almost protested, but ended up holding her tongue. Their movement was still a bit stiff, but it let the dress flow instead of catching. She was far less likely to trip now, at least. It felt selfish that Camila was the only one on this path to witness such a precious moment for the pet.

 

It was hard not to notice the way Princess was constantly glancing around and behind her. She had been dodgy yesterday, but this was definitely heightened alertness. Camila stopped. "Is there something wrong, Princess?"

 

Camila felt the jolt that ran down her spine at being called out. "That's- it's-" 

 

"Breathe, little one." In... Hold... Out...

 

Princess exhaled. "Sorry, I'm still feeling a bit anxious." 

 

That didn't tell Camila much; anxious seemed to be her default state. She would have to see about upping her standard Class E dosage; Princess was at the limit of what wouldn't impact her coordination, but it clearly wasn't enough. "Is there anything in particular bugging you?" 

 

"It's..." Princess turned away from her, absentmindedly fidgeting with her vine. How was she this adorable?! "I've never been outside in a dress, and I think that stuff with Sawyer yesterday got to me more than I thought. I just really don't want to run into anyone from the Valiant ."

 

Oh, mulch. Camila had been too focused on the other issues; she had failed to consider the psychological impact of Nick's rejection of Princess as a woman.  No wonder the cutie was looking progressively frazzled the longer they were out. She was on a ship with all the people she was convinced hated her and considered her a man, worried she could run into them at a moment's notice. "Princess, I promise you yesterday was an exception. None of your former crewmates are going to hurt or be rude to you as long as I'm here." 

 

Princess grumbled. "I'll believe that when it happens." 

 

Camila frowned. This was untenable; she couldn't properly shape Princess into the pet she was meant to be if the Terran considered everywhere beyond the Hab to be hostile territory. Something would have to be done. Meeting one of her old crewmates that was grateful towards Princess and supportive of her transition might assuage her anxiety. Perhaps Camila could see if any of them were already florets? Besides Nick, that is. He should be getting broken around now, if Lydia didn't do it last night, but it would still be a few days until his implant. Longer until he'd be recovered enough to apologize. For now, she needed an actionable solution. 

 

"Well, if being spotted is your concern, what if I hid you in my cloak?" 

 

"I still want to walk." 

 

"And you will still be walking." Camila adjusted her cloak, creating a small alcove to her side. "Just out of sight." She parted the 'garment' letting Princess see what she meant, gently pulling her closer with the vine she was holding onto. 

 

That got their curiosity, if not their interest. "I don't know, I want to see the ship." 

 

"I can accommodate that." Camila gave her a warm smile. Stars, Princess was cute when they got flustered. "Step inside, I'll show you." 

 

Princess hesitated for a moment, unsure, before entering the small nook Camilla had made for them. Once Princess was inside, Camila slightly parted a few flowers , opening a modest viewing hole that would still largely obscure her from outside view.

 

Princess shied away, stepping out of her. "I'm... not sure about walking that close to you..." 

 

"Little one, I've always been very careful about how I've touched you." Honestly. 

 

There was conflict in her rhythm, but it gave way and she took a deep breath. "Alright..." She stepped back into the alcove. "Just don't make this weird." 

 

"Of course." Camila closed the cloak around her pet-to-be. "Are you comfortable? Everything alright?" 

 

"Y-yeah." Princess tried and failed to put on a brave front, nearing overstimulation from being so close to Camila. "Can we walk? I don't want to waste more time."

 

'Waste time,' as though time was a thing that could be wasted, as though they hadn’t stopped to make sure she was comfortable. One day Camila would see this obsession with efficiency excised from them completely. It was unfitting for a pet to be concerned with their schedule. Still, it wasn’t long before Camila had to take her to the small gathering. She gently pulled Princess forward with the vine holding her hand. 

 

The remainder of the walk passed without much incident. Princess would on occasion bump into the front of her cloak, or be nudged forward by the back. These mistakes became fewer as they carried on, but this was clearly a sticking point for the cutie. Sadly, they only had a handful of minutes left before they needed to end the walk when they talked, not nearly enough time. Perhaps a shorter 'leash' next time could help, assuming Camila was able to get Princess past her anxieties by then. Her pad dinged. "Okay cutie, time’s up."

 

"Already?!" The girl was not pleased; Camila had known such a short walk wouldn't satisfy her. 

 

"Sorry, Princess." Camila apologized. "I promise I'm working on a solution for your exercise needs, okay?" She had a few ideas she planned to discuss with the other Affini. "Right now we need to get to Cordelia's."

 

Princess shifted slightly. "Right..." 

 

"I'm going to pick you up now." Camila informed her. 

 

"Surely the nearest station can't be- Ah!" Princess gasped as she was swept up into Camila's arms by the cloak she had been hiding in. "M-miss Verdun!" She could hear the little one's heart skip before it raced. 

 

"Sorry cutie," Camila teased, "but a full hour was already pushing it. I'll need to carry you if we don't want to keep everyone waiting~"