Recently I had been thinking about the ways people implement polls into their work to dictate and decide which way a story/comic should go. So, that’s what I’m gonna do! Vote for which fluffy you think Dave should come home and surprise Demeter with. I’ve also been generally feeling like writing more, so this’ll be quite a bit longer. It feels like this could have been two separate chapters if I’m being honest. If you feel like there’s too much going on, let me know how you all feel, and I’ll try to shift to a different kind of pace.
Rain. Rain rain rain rain rain. It’d been long overdue. It’d been a good two weeks or so since Dave had heard the pitter patter of rain against the house’s old tin roof. It was a little frustrating, to be honest. Back-to-back the past three days, it had just been nothing but rain and the occasional bolt of lightning touching down somewhere off in the distance. If there was one thing Dave hated, it was being cooped up inside. At the very least though, he wasn’t alone. He had his fluffy little companion, Demeter. It was lunchtime, and Dave had just prepared her the usual. Carrot slurry mixed with milk. He’d really wish she’d give something else a chance, but alas. He passed through the doorway from the kitchen to the living room, where Demeter lay waiting. There were some slight discolorations on the kitchen floor and wall from where she shat and he had to clean up. Dave could only let out a frustrated sigh, as he gently placed the bowl containing her meal on the floor.
“Yaaay! Fank yu, daddeh! Demetew wub cawwot nummies!”
Dave sighed. “Yeah, I bet you do.” He said, taking the bottle of cola he’d left on a tv-table infront of his couch. He took a swig, before letting out a tremendous belch and setting it back down. “Daddeh, put on da teebee, pwease!” Demeter squeaked, orange-white slurry dripping from her stained muzzle. Dave rolled his eyes. “You got it.” He said, plopping down and turning the TV on. Dave flipped through channels, none of which caught Demeter’s attention. She had her face down in the bowl, greedily devouring her slurry. “Mmm, maybe I should put on Fluff-TV for her…” he thought, stroking her chin. Suddenly, inspiration struck! “Hey, ‘Meter.” Dave said, his foot bobbing up and down. “Yesh, da—” Demeter suddenly let out a belch. “Heehee! Jus’ wike yu, daddeh!” she said, smiling. Alright. That was kind of cute. “Heh. Yeah.” he said, cracking a small smile. “Wat daddeh nee’?” she asked, standing back up on her hooves.
“Well…I was thinking. Let’s make a deal.”
“Deaw? Wut dat, daddeh?” she asked, cocking her head. “I’ll do something for you, but, you have to do something for me.” Demeter’s eyes widened. “Oooh! Dat sound wike fun! Wat daddeh wan’ Demetew to do?” she asked, trotting closer to the edge of the couch. She stood on her back legs, trying to lean up on the couch. “Demetew nee’ upsies…” she whined. Right. Dave scooched to the other end of the couch, and gently lifted her, sitting her on his lap. She settled in, wrapping her tail around her body. “So, what I want you to do…” he began, and Demeter turned and silently stared up at him. “I’ll let you watch a half-hour of Fluff-TV…” The fluffy’s eyes lit up. She’d never even heard of Fluff-TV, but the very word had gotten her excited. “Fwuff-TV! Fwuff-TV!” she eagerly chirped. “But only if you do just one thing for me.” “Wut? Wut is it, daddeh?” she asked, tail swishing against his leg now. “I want you to try some new foods.” The tail swishing immediately came to a pause.
“Buh…Buh…Buh…De-Demetew teww daddeh dat Demetew am onwy wittew babbeh! Babbeh nee’ cawwot miwkies!”
Dave sighed. He felt like he was in a very shitty position here. He could sternly reprimand her and send her into a sobbing fit like a couple days ago. Or he could play into her delusions. He just didn’t want her sobbing and snotting all over herself like before. “But…” Dave said, his voice wavering slightly. “Don’t you want to be a good…um…baby?” he asked. Demeter’s eyes began to tear up, but, there was no crying. “Buh…Demetew am gud babbeh!” she whined, with only a few tears running down her face. Whew. Seems like the crisis was averted. “Good babies don’t say ‘no’ to daddy. They try new things!” he continued, gently stroking her head. He felt that ‘thing’ on her forehead again. It looked like that thing was a horn all along! Demeter was silent. She didn’t know what to say! Dave felt like he had her on the backfoot now.
“D-Demetew am gud babbeh! Demetew pwomise!”
It all came out like a shriek. He could see the fear in her eyes. He didn’t know what it was about, but perhaps this was some kind of sensitive subject. Her mother did try to use her as a shield to deter him from dousing her with his hose, after all. After all, Dave always crammed his feelings down. Just like dear old mom and dad. “So, does that mean you’ll try other foods?” he asked, moving his index finger down to wipe the tears from her eyes. Demeter subconsciously tried to shift and minimize her body away from it, but ultimately relented when she found that it was a pleasant sensation. “…Yus, daddeh…” she said, her voice low. “Good!” Dave said, smiling. Demeter looked up at him silently yet again. “Daddeh wook so happy…buh wai Demetew hab su much heawt huwties?” she thought, as Dave gently lifted her up. “What do you want to try? Something sweet?” he asked, as he carried her off to the kitchen.
“Uuu…Demetew nu no…”
“Let’s start you off with something sweet, then. Something sweet for my sweetbean. How about that?” he said, gently tickling her side. Demeter did not respond. Dave huffed, before gently placing her down on the ground. He walked over to the fridge, where Demeter watched him retrieve a reddish sphere. She squinted her eyes to try and focus on the image. It looked familiar. Suddenly, she felt another tingle from her horn, that soon sent gentle, pleasing waves of electricity across her brain. “Dat wook wike…sweetie nummie!” Her eyes lit up! She recalled rolling one such half-eaten ‘sweetie-nummie’ to the ‘hewd-mummah’! She shared it with her, and the juice was oh-so sweet. Her tail immediately began to swish to and fro, as Dave reached for a small knife. “Demetew kno’ wut dat is!” she said, the exuberance returning to her voice. “Do ya?” he asked, as he began cutting and and slicing, producing a small wedge of apple.
“Yesh! Demetew wub sweetie nummie! Wub! Wub!”
Well now. That had gotten her excited in a way he’d not seen in a while. “Sweetie…nummie, huh?” he asked, as she rushed over, brushing up and rubbing against his leg. “Demetew wan’ sweetie nummie!” she squeaked eagerly, as Dave chuckled. “Say please.” Dave replied, as he took a bite out of the other side of the apple. “Pweaaase!” she begged, standing up on her hind legs, leaning on him. Dave simply nodded, before placing the wedge at her feet. “Fank yu! Fank yu! Demetew wub sweetie nummie suuu much!” she squealed, before devouring it in a single bite. She closed her eyes, chewing…chewing…chewing…chewing perhaps a little bit longer than necessary as she tried to picture her beloved ‘hewd-mummah’. Her face was becoming more of a blur, but she remembered how soft and ‘pwetty’ her fluff was. Dave looked down, impressed. “Wow! You ate that right up!” he said, reaching down to ruffle her mane.
“Can…Demetew hab mowe sweetie nummie? Pwease? Pwease?”
Dave could hardly say no to that. “Of course. For being such a good little fluffy.” Dave sliced off a few more wedges and placed them on the floor. “But not too much, okay? You just had lunch. I don’t want ya’ gettin’ sick.” Demeter simply nodded. She didn’t like having ‘tummie-owchies’, after all. Dave spent the next few minutes finishing the rest of the apple, before tossing it in a blue trashcan. He covered it with a sheet of cardboard. That was his mulching bin. “Alright then. Why don’t we go watch some Fluff-TV?” Demeter beamed at Dave and did her best to wrap her leggies around his own for a hug. “Fank yu daddeh! Demetew wub yu!” He scooped her up and carried her to the living room. “I love you too, sweetbean. But first, why don’t I take you to your litterbox?” he asked. Hm. He made a good point. Demeter did feel that tightening feeling in her gut. “Otay! Demetew nee’ make poopies anyway!”
Minutes passed, and Dave was standing outside the door to her saferoom.
A sense of relief washed over him. This was a complete change from a few days ago! But it did reinforce something in him. Perhaps it would be a good idea to get a domestic fluffy friend for her to help her through whatever she was going through. His thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of soft tapping on the door. “Otay, daddeh! Demetew aww dun!” Dave turned his head towards the door. “Good girl! Let me come inside and wipe you.” he said, before pulling his tanktop over his nose and mouth. Good god did it reek in here. He’d have to get a fan to blow the stank out. Dave entered and found that Demeter had already dutifully dragged over the little box of disposable gloves for this purpose. “Good girl…good girl…” he muttered, gently scratching her back with his free hand. “Teehee! Demetew am suuu gud babbeh!” she chirped to herself, as Dave grabbed a fluffy wipe.
Now that she was clean, Dave would lead her outside and carry her back downstairs. There, he plopped her down on the couch with him, where he then remembered he had just left the TV on. Whatever. “Do you wanna sit with daddy, or do you want to sit closer to the TV?” he asked, as he flipped through the channels. Ah! There it was. Dave was immediately beginning to regret his decision. It was just like the crap his mom would sit him down to watch when he was a 3-year-old. But a deal was a deal. “Hmm…Demetew wan’ sit cwose to da teebee!” she said, scampering off the couch. She stumbled slightly but landed right on her hooves. She plopped down right in the middle of the rug, tucking her legs underneath herself. Dave groaned as she watched the “Dancy Fluffy Show”, followed by an episode of “Babbehs in Skettiwand”, and finally “Stuffy Time Adventure”. Demeter was absolutely hooked.
“Alright, Meter. That’s enough Fluff-TV for today.”
Dave flipped to another channel, as Demeter rose onto her hooves. “Buh…Demetew wan’ see mowe teebee!” she whined, turning around to give her owner the saddest looking eyes. But Dave was unmoved. “It’s for your own good, sweetbean. Besides, don’t you want to have fun with your toys?” he asked, stretching his legs out. There was another tingle from her horn, that reached her head. The indignity! She had been such a brave fluffy! ‘Daddeh’ should have been thanking her for being courageous enough to try a new food! Demeter’s cheeks puffed out, as she stomped a hoof on the floor. “Nu! Nu wan’ pway wif dummeh toysies! Demetew wan’ watch mowe Fwuff-TV!” she squealed. This was perhaps the first time she had ever been so outwardly defiant towards Dave. He didn’t want to deal with anymore bullshit from her. It was going so well, with the apples, the pets, and now she was getting agitated with him.
“Why don’t we play a game instead, huh?” Dave suggested. “Nu wan game! Demetew wan…heehee…!” she giggled. Dave squatted beside her and began tickling her side. “N-Nu! Stahp!” Demeter protested, as her composure began to slip. “Stop what?” Dave asked, as he noticed her exhale. Her cheeks weren’t puffed out anymore, at least. “S-Stahp! Nu wan…eeeheheheee!” Holy cow. This was working so well! After leaving Demeter on her back and kicking her little legs every which way, Dave relented his tickle attack. “Uuu…h-hewp!” Demeter squeaked, regaining her senses. Oh. Right. Dave quickly scooped her up, and slowly put her right-side up, before ruffling her mane again. “Huu…Demetew am sowwy, daddeh…Demetew just hab su much funsies watchin da teebee!” she said, hanging her head low. “Ah, it’s alright, sweetbean. You just gotta know when daddy says no more, that means no more. Got it?” he asked, smiling.
“Otay! Got it, daddeh!”
“Why don’t we play that game now?” he said, sitting down infront of her, which Demeter would reply with a nod. “Otay! Demetew wub pway wif’ Daddeh!” she happily said. “Why don’t you dance like the fluffy you saw on TV?” The very suggestion made Demeter’s eyes light up so bright! “Heehee! Otay! Demetew am da bestest dancy fwuffy ebah!” she proudly declared, hopping onto her back legs. She certainly had a glimmer of determination in her eyes. But that determination turned to fear as she lost her balance, landing flat on her back! “Oof!” she said, kicking her legs out. Another tingle from her horn later, and Demeter realized she could roll onto her side to get back up. “Come on, try again!” Dave said, clapping softly to encourage her. She would repeat the process, each time lasting longer on her back hooves. Another tingle. She kept her balance! Now, for the hard part. Waving her upper ‘weggies’ around!
“Nnh! Cum awn’ weggies! Wowk!”
She squinted really hard, as if she were focusing on something. She would feel a slight tingle from her brain once more, but it was nowhere near as enlightening as it was just earlier. “Yaaay! Go, Demeter! Go!” Dave said, doing his best to encourage her. But Demeter had other ideas. “Nnnh! Stoopeh weggies nu’ wan wowk!” she grunted, as she sat back down. “Aw! But you were doing so good!” Dave said, scratching her chin. She would lift her head with a coo. “W-Weawwy?” she asked, feeling slightly relieved. “Yeah! You were just like on TV!” Dave said, giving her the fakest smile he could muster. “Waoow! Demetew AM da bestes’ danceh fwuffy!” she said, deeply satisfied with herself. Huh. It’d been about an hour and a half since lunch. The pitter-patter on the roof had stopped. He got up and walked over to the mirror, and saw the clouds had since parted, the sun resuming its vigil high above.
“Hey, Demeter! The rain’s stopped! Wanna go outside?”
Demeter sprang up from where she sat and dashed over to him and began to trot happily around his legs in a circle. “I guess that’s a yes. It’s gonna be realmuddy out there, though. I’m gonna have to give you a bath when we’re back inside, okay?” Dave said, ruffling her fluff. “Otay! Demetew nu scawdy of watew wif daddeh!” she said, following him as he walked towards the kitchen. Next to the back door, were his rubber mudding boots. He put them on and began wading outside. The air was heavy with humidity; it was as if you could take a knife and cut a block out of the soupy air. “Do you wanna follow daddy, or just run around out here?” he asked, looking at the closest row of plants. He was worried that some of them might have drowned in the rain. “Demetew wan’ pway in yawd!” she said, dashing outside. She took a few steps out, before slipping and falling first face into the mud. Dave grit his teeth, stifling a laugh.
“Grr! Stoopid dummeh mud!”
Demeter was taking her frustration out on the mud, stomping it under her hoof. She managed to displace some, which caused her a degree of relief. It certainly wasn’t the first time she had had her face pushed into a thick brown substance. “Pfft! Ptttew!” Demeter grunted. “Dummeh mud, stay outta Demetew’ nummie pwace!” Dave had to turn around to let out a giggle. “Settle down, Meter. Let me go get the rag.” Demeter puffed her cheeks out. “Otay! Demetew wiww be hewe to gib mud da wowstest sowwy hoofies!” she grunted, narrowing her eyes. After a few minutes, Dave returned with a warmed wet rag with which he’d wipe the mud off her face. “Keep your eyes shut, okay?” he said, gently removing the mud. He’d toss the used rag into a bucket besides the little concrete stairs leading into the back door. “Mmmph! Fank yoo, daddeh!” she said, trying to swish her tail in an arc.
Quite a bit of mud had accumulated along her brown tail, so it was a little tough to see how much had gotten on.
Dave sighed. “You sure you don’t wanna just go back inside?” he asked, looking over at the door. “Nu! Is otay, daddeh! Demetew wan’ pway outside!” She was certainly determined. “Well, alright then. I’m gonna check everything then. When I call for you, come back to the back door, okay?” he said, watching her carefully step and maneuver away through the mud. A few minutes had passed, and Demeter was already huffing and puffing. “Uuu…maybe Demetew shouwd haff gone bak inside…feew su hawt an’ stikky…” she groaned. She had found herself wandering, her little ‘leggies’ perhaps instinctively taking her back to where this all began. That spot in the yard, where she had pissed herself in fear. It made her feel sad. Part of her missed her old herd. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been on the receiving end of a ‘huggie’ that wasn’t from ‘daddeh’.
“Huu…Demetew wondew if smawty-mummah am okay…”
She shook her head. It wouldn’t do well to dwell on the past. Especially when she had so much ‘wub’, ‘nummies’, and ‘Fwuff-Teebee’! That was more than she ever had as part of the ‘hewd’. She had wandered closer towards the fence. There was a slight divot in the ground underneath it. That’s how she found this place and lead her ‘mummah’ and ‘hewd’ here! She couldn’t remember just what exactly laid outside the borders of the fence. Perhaps a ‘munstah’ looking to make an easy meal out of her. More reason for her to stay inside. She tried to turn around, but she couldn’t! “Huh? Weggie, nee’ tu go!” she said, trying to lift her leg out of the mud. But it was just too thick! “NNH!” she grunted, unintentionally digging another ‘leggie’ in the mud to try and brace herself. “STOOPI’ WEGGIES! WAI…NU…WOWK…!” she screeched, furious. The more she struggled, the more she found herself getting stuck.
“Huu….DAADDEEEEH!”
Demeter screamed, and screamed some more. But her voice would not carry far. She looked up, her gaze met by the blindingly bright sun. It hung high in the sky, and Demeter could feel the heat of it on her. “DAAAAADDEEEEEEH!” she screamed one last time. But it was for naught. Perhaps it was because Dave was on the opposite end of the yard from him. Or perhaps. Demeter gulped. “D…Daddeh? Daddeh nu wub Demetew nu mowe?” she sniffled. It tracked. Many ‘fowebas’ passed as she reflected on her thoughts. First her ‘mummah’ abandoned her, and now she would never again feel the loving embrace of ‘daddeh’. Never again to supp upo—wait! There he was! “Meeeeeter! Where are ya, girl?!” Oh! That voice! “D-Daddeh?!” Demeter cried, trying to rock and wobble her way in the mud. “DAAAAADEEEEH!” she had nearly screamed herself hoarse but managed to rasp out one last good scream. Dave turned his head to the screams, and jogged over, taking care not to lodge his boots too deep in the mud…lest he trip.
“Daaadeh! Daaaadeh!”
Dave cringed a little. Her voice had gotten raspy sounding. He just hoped she was okay. She’d been out baking under the sun for the past 3 ½ hours, after all. “Let’s get you out of here…” he said, digging and dislodging the mud surrounding her. Demeter immediately began to thrash and struggle now that it didn’t feel like she was trapped! “Hey! Hey! Relax! You’re just gonna get yourself stuck again…” Dave muttered, as she began to settle. “Huu…sowwy daddeh…jus’ wan be out o’ da mud…” she rasped. “Shh…shh…it’s okay. Don’t talk.” Dave said, as he finally unearthed her out of the mud. She stretched her little ‘leggies’ over ‘daddeh’s shoulder, before resting her head on it. She was so very happy to have been reunited with him. “I’m gonna give you a bath, and then get you your dinner, okay?” Dave said, strutting carefully back to the kitchen. Rather than vocalize her appreciation, she merely rubbed and nuzzled his neck.
It was a short trip back to the kitchen.
Without putting her down, Dave removed his boots and placed them on the rack. “Almost there, sweetbean.” He whispered, before making his way upstairs to the bathroom. She was still in his arms, simply focusing on breathing. With his free hand, he grabbed a towel and laid it on the floor and briefly deposited her upon it. She laid on her belly, splaying her legs out. She seemed slightly lethargic. With a flick of his wrist, he turned the faucet on. Water began to weakly spray out of the head, which Dave grabbed and let hang for a moment before grabbing Demeter again. Her ‘leggies’ hung limp as he placed her down into the tub. Anxiety filled her eyes reddened from crying, her head turning to look at the showerhead, and back to Dave, the showerhead, and back to Dave. “Alright, girl. Time to get started.” He said, reaching to grab the bottle of “Sensitive Baby” Fluffy shampoo and placed it beside him for later.
“Uuu…nu feew gud, daddeh…”
Dave sighed. He wanted to tell her that she should’ve just stayed inside, but what would it have done? Nothing. “I know. I’m gonna make it all better, okay?” he said, as the warm water washed over her. Fortunately, she was still splayed out in the tub which made this infinitely easier. He was sure to be gentle with her delicate little legs. He noticed her squirm and moan slightly as the water got on her back. “N-Nu put cween wawas on bak…” she said weakly. Uh oh. Had she somehow hurt herself? He gently ran his index and middle finger along the length of her back, before noticing something. Her back felt much warmer than the rest of her body. Dave’s frustration was beginning to mount. He dragged his fingers gently until he found a spot that made her try to wiggle and crawl away the least and parted the fluff there. Her skin was bright red.
“Tch. Sunburn.”
“Wuh?” Demeter asked, curiously lifting her head. Dave gritted his teeth in a moment of frustration, but soon calmed himself. “Of course, I forgot to put your sunblock on you…” he grunted. Demeter groaned slightly. “It otay daddeh…daddeh nu mean tu gib Demetew sunbuwnies…” she sighed. “This is gonna hurt, but I gotta make sure you’re all clean, okay?” Dave said, squirting some of the shampoo onto her body. “Be brave, and I’ll give you an extra special treat for dinner.” He said, gently massaging the shampoo onto her. By now, most of the mud had washed off, with the remainder being on her tail. After running his hands along the length of it, it was nice and clean. She lay a slightly shivering mess in the tub before Dave scooped her up, wrapping her in the towel and gently blotting her dry. He left her wrapped in the towel as he carried her back downstairs, plopping her down back on the rug.
“I’ll be back with your dinner, okay?”
“Yus daddeh…” Demeter yawned. In all her time as a ‘nummie-findew’, she had never gotten sunburned before. She always kept to the shade, just like the bigger ‘nummie-findew’s had taught her. In fact, she had seen some of the less experienced ones suffering from it. Part of her had wondered what it felt like, but having the answer to that question didn’t exactly bring her much comfort. Her ‘weggies’ didn’t hurt, at least. Just…all along her back and face. Minutes passed, and Demeter was ready to get up and waddle over to the kitchen when Dave returned. He held her food bowl and placed it down in front of her. She crawled over to it and took a great big whiff. “Dis nu am cawwot nummies…” she said, lifting her head and looking at Dave. “No carrots this time. I used something else.” he said, staring expectantly at her. Suddenly, Demeter realized what it was and eagerly began slurping up the slop.
“Dis…dis…dis am sweetie appul nummies!”
Dave smiled and nodded, before taking a seat back on the couch. He watched as she greedily inhaled the mushed apples and milk. “Way she eats, it’s like she’s on the brink’a starvation…” he muttered to himself. Dave flipped through his phone and realized that his own stomach was rumbling. “I’m gonna go get somethin’ to eat myself, okay?” he said, quickly walking away. “MMmmhmhm!” Demeter replied, not even bothering to lift her head. Dave returned with his food. Demeter couldn’t see what it was, but it sure smelled good. But not quite as good as the ‘sweetie appul nummies’. Day soon turned to night, and soon Demeter was having trouble keeping her head up. She’d been taking it easy since the events of the afternoon. Dave scooped her up and took her upstairs into his room. “You can sleep in bed with me tonight, okay?” he said, gently stroking under her chin. He was careful not to touch her sunburned areas.
“Huu…otay, daddeh. Demetew sowwy fow get sunbuwnies…”
“It ain’t your fault, sweetbean.” Dave shot back, undressing out of his clothes, staying in only his boxers. He clicked his white noise machine on and let out a yawn. “Try to get to sleep. And if you need to use the litterbox, just wake me, okay?” Dave sighed, crawling under his blanket. “Mmmh…otay daddeh…” Demeter squeaked, before her head dropped down onto the towel. She was out like a light, her body rising and lowering. Dave, on the other hand, was browsing his phone. “Lessee…the pound is only a 45-minute drive…” he quietly muttered to himself. It was settled. “And they do walk-in adoptions…don’t blame ‘em…” Dave thought, placing the phone on his nightstand. He slowly turned on his side and placed his head down on his pillow, and like Demeter, he was out like a light. His sleep was fitful and undisturbed.
“Uuu! Daddeh! Daddeh! Wake up! Demetew nee’ make poopies suuuu bad!”
Guh. That wasn’t something he was used to being woken up by. Demeter was standing on his chest, poking, and prodding his face with her little hoofs. “Nnnh…’Meter…huuuh…” Dave yawned, before he opened his eyes. Her sea-green fluff looked very bright and healthy, at least. “Alright, alright…” Dave sighed, as he began to rise and lift himself out of bed. Demeter slipped and fell backwards on her back, crying out in pain. “EeeEEEE!” she screeched, desperately kicking her leggies. “Sunbuwnies huwt suuuu much!” she whined, as Dave quickly sprang into action. There had been a few times when Demeter had to be ran to the litterbox in the past. Usually it was too late, but, Dave was determined. He quickly scooped her up, and jogged to her saferoom, his tired eyes flashing wide open. “UuuuUuu! Huwwy daddeh! Nu can howd nu mowe!” she desperately squealed, but Dave was just in time! He placed her down and moved her tail to the side.
Dave felt his stomach do a flip, grateful that he had not yet eaten breakfast yet. The sound of shit being expelled out of a fluffy’s ass smelled like rotten death and sounded like a slightly loud spray-bottle being sprayed. Dave staggered out of the room, his hand clutching his nose and mouth. “Jesus mary and joseph…” he groaned, as he took a breath of fresh air. Just one fluffy’s shit stench was enough to knock a buzzard off a shit wagon. After what seemed like an abnormally long time, Dave heard a series of taps on the door. “Demetew am dun, daddeh…” Dave nodded, and covered his mouth and nose with his hand. Glove on, wipe clean, and done. Demeter’s ass was nice and clean. “Listen, Demeter. There’s somethin’ I gotta go do today.” he said, looking down at her. Still lethargic. It almost looked like she was crawling rather than walking.
“Otay daddeh…wut Daddeh an’ Demetew gon’ do today?”
He felt a little bad, perhaps even guilty about leaving her alone. He’d never been separated from Demeter yet, so, he had no idea how she’d react. “Well…I gotta go somewhere. It’s a surprise for you!” he said, stroking under her chin. “Demetew haf’ go in cawwiew bawks again?” she asked, frowning. Dave shook his head. “You’re going to stay here today, Demeter. But trust me. It’ll be a good surprise.” he said, scooping her up. “H…Huh? Daddeh gon weab Demetew…?” her tired eyes widened slightly as she began to process this new information. “Buh…Buh…Demetew am gud fwuffy! Wai daddeh weab?!” she sniffled, as the tears began to flow. “Shh…sh…it’s okay…” Dave tried his best to comfort her. “It’s just…you have sunburn. I just don’t think it’s a good idea to take you out today. You should spend today resting.” “N—Nuu…Nuuu! NUUU!” Demeter began to sob. Each word cut her heart deep.
“DEMETEW WUB DADDEH AN’ DADDEH WUB DEMETEW! SU WAI WEAB?!”
Dave closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. Maybe he could have been a little gentler with what he said. “I won’t be gone long. Plus, I think you’re gonna love the surprise.” But the little filly was having none of it. “NUUUUU! NU WAN’ SUPWISE! DEMETEW WAN’ DADDEH!” she howled. Fortunately, the sunburn seemed to sap her of most of her energy, preventing her from thrashing and rolling in his grasp. Suddenly, Dave had an idea. “I’ll…uh…let you watch Fluff TV while I’m gone!” he said, looking down at her. The incessant gross sobbing was stymied but didn’t entirely stop. “I’ll make you a big bowl of apples too!” Demeter was starting to relax. “Buh…Buh…Demetew wike doin’ dose tings wif daddeh!” she snorted. He stroked her underbelly, which seemed to help soothe her. “Come on, ‘Meter. Be brave for daddy, okay?”
“Huu…otay…Demetew twy…”
She sounded so utterly defeated. Dave was secretly relieved that she didn’t have the energy to fight back and cause even more problems for him. The two of them were standing in the middle of the living room now, and Dave slowly put her down. “Good girl. You’ll see. You’re gonna love your surprise.” Dave hustled, quickly washed her food bowl, filled her water bowl, and cored an apple. In a few short seconds, he prepared her the apple-milk mush, and retrieved a larger bowl out of the cabinet. He repeated the process, making her a portion for breakfast and for lunch. He carried them out, where he found Demeter slowly crawling towards the kitchen. She didn’t make it far. “Don’t worry, sweetbean. I got your breakfast right here.” Dave said, placing the bowls down. “The big one’s for lunch. I’ll just leave it here with you with your breakfast.” Demeter’s attention was drawn now to the bowls of food. “Wao…nebah seen su much nummies befowe…”
“Fank yu, daddeh…”
Dave turned the television on and placed the bowls on the rug where she’d watched TV before. He scooped her up in a quick motion and set her down. “I’m gonna go get ready now…and I’m gonna bring your litterbox downstairs.” He said, but Demeter paid him no mind. “Waoow! Dat fwuffy su wucky! Hab nice babbehs!” Dave’s eyes widened, and he quickly jogged upstairs before she could turn around and tell him her desires and aspirations for motherhood. He hopped in the shower and after a few minutes, he was nice and clean. After drying off, he strode to his room where he got dressed for the day. Tanktop, gray t-shirt, and his favorite tan corduroy pants, an heirloom from his grandfather. He made his way to her saferoom and grabbed her litterbox. He held it as low as he could to huff as little shite fumes as he could. He took it to the living room, where Demeter sat, transfixed on the TV. “Here, girl. Here’s your litterbox.” He said, placing it beside her. She was unresponsive.
He gave her a gentle nudge with the tips of his sneakers.
“Eeep! Oh! Daddeh…nu weab yet?” she asked, turning her head. “Not yet, but I’m about to. I just wanted you to know that your litterbox is right there.” Dave said, pointing towards it. “I know you’re not feeling good because of the sunburn, but, there’s no excuse for you to poop outside of it.” Dave said, walking over to the dish on his coffeetable, grabbing the keys. “Uhhuhh…otay daddeh…” she said, before immediately turning her attention back to the TV. This was probably a bad idea. The trip could certainly wait, but perhaps having a new fluffy friend would cheer her up. He just hoped that she wouldn’t act too spoiled. “Okay, bye Demeter! I’ll be back soon!” he said, walking out the door. His truck was parked right underneath the tin carport his grandpa had built when they built this house. He hopped in, turned on his tunes, and drove off.
“Wonder what kind’a fluffies they got at the pound, anyway. I’m sure they put only the most well-behaved ones up for adoption…”
The drive into town went by quick, and soon he found himself just a street away from the pound. He had to park about five minutes away from it, though. One short walk later, and he was in. The inside was sterile and white…not the most inviting for a fluffy. At the front desk, sat a rather bored looking man. He looked to be in his sixties, or perhaps even seventies. “Hey…” Dave said, walking up. “Mr. Weston?” he asked, causing the man to jump slightly. “Hm? Do I know you, boy?” he asked, squinting. The slight frown on his lips soon curled into a smile, however, as he recognized Dave. “Oh! Davey boy! You’re Marley Hayes grandson, aint’cha?” he said, getting up from the desk to shake his hand. It was surprisingly firm, considering his age. “How’s the old bat doin’ these days anyhow?” he asked, walking around the desk.
The question caused Dave to frown slightly.
“Grandma had to be put in a home. She needed constant round-the-clock care especially since grandpa passed away.” he said, which caused him to pat Dave’s shoulder. “Sad thing, that.” Mr. Weston nodded. Dave remembered that this place used to be an animal pound, rather than a fluffy one. “So, what can I do ya for today, son?” he asked, crossing his arms. “Oh! Well, I read on the site on my phone that you guys did walk-in adoptions. Mr. Weston nodded. “Sure do! Just follow me into the back here.” He said, leading him. “Whatcha in the market for? Stallion? Mare? Foal? Pillow?” Dave took a moment to think, before replying. “Yeah…a stallion. Preferably with…y’know…uh…his thing intact.” Mr. Weston chuckled. “Sure, we got tons’a those! But there’s an additional fee that we charge ‘fer not snippin’ ‘em.” He nodded, as he began to be shown rows and rows of small enclosures.
“I got a fluffy back home. She’s not a baby anymore, so, I thought I might get her a friend to keep her company.”
Mr. Weston nodded. “Sure! We got three outta the colt pen yesterday. Won’t stop askin’ for their very own “special friend””. He chuckled. He could see into many of the enclosures. Many of them were sleeping, eating, and just carrying on with their lives. They seemed rather content and at peace with their fate. “Don’t be scared to look in. We made the windows one-way only, so they don’t get all squirrely and whiny.” He said, before the two arrived at the final set of enclosures. There was a row of five; two of which were empty. “There’s a little note card here that’ll tell you a lil’ ‘bout their personality an’ all. I’ll give ya time to look ‘em over.” He said, stepping back. Hm. This was gonna be tough. Dave always floundered when it came to choosing, especially like this. They all seemed like fine fluffies.
In the first enclosure, sat a rather sleepy one. He had a cherry pink coat, and a black mane. On his back were a pair of wings. On his rear was a small pair of diapers, with a hole cut out for its tail. Dave stepped closer and read the notecard.
NAME: Rumbles
AGE: 4 Months
RACE: EARTHY
BIO: My name’s Rumbles! I’m a sleepy little fella who likes to take it easy. I’m gentle, slow going, and am looking for a home with people who also like to take life slowly. I was born extra special, so I have trouble controlling my bowels. I’m a bit shy, but, once I get to know you I know we’ll be great friends!
Dave nodded. He did seem like a nice guy, but he wasn’t sure how he’d mesh with Demeter. Those diapers were a bit troubling as well. He took a step to check the second one. It contained another stallion, with a dark purple coat and orange mane. He seemed to be especially preoccupied with chasing his own tail. But unlike the first stallion, he had a pair of wings on his back. Interesting. Dave proceeded to read the next card.
NAME: BRONTES
AGE: 3 3/4TH MONTHS
RACE: PEGASUS
BIO: Hi! My name’s Brontes. I’m a guy who likes to run around and play and explore! I was born extra special, so I have only one working eye. But that doesn’t stop me from having a good time and showering you with love!
Dave frowned slightly. It had to be tough having only one eye. But perhaps his energy would match Demeter’s. He was sure she wouldn’t be mean to him for missing his eye. Now, for the final choice! Dave sidestepped to the final enclosure. Inside, he observed a unicorn stallion bouncing a ball off the wall. He had a dark blue coat and a dark gray mane. Dave found this combination of colors to be most pleasing.
NAME: Biscuit
AGE: 4 ½ MONTHS
RACE: UNICORN
BIO: My name’s Biscuit! My unicorn horn makes me extra smart. My mommy said I was her bestest baby, and I think so too. I have a strong will, so I need a patient owner to take me home and give me the direction I need to be the bestest fluffy I can be!
Dave scratched his chin in thought. “Well, they’d have something in common, at least.” But that line worried him. A strong will and needing direction. It seemed like it would be a lot of work. But perhaps Demeter’s presence would provide a degree of structure. Decisions, decisions…
- Rumbles
- Brontes
- Biscuit