A ray of morning sunlight peeking through the curtains reaching out to Eren’s eyes caused him to stir shortly after dawn. It only takes a moment to remember the two small fluffies soundly sleeping next to him still, happy to see there were no accidents overnight. Carefully getting out of bed, Eren picks up each of the young fluffies one at a time and carries them back over to the beds in their pen.
“Sound sleepers at least.” Eren thinks to himself as he sneaks out of the room. He makes a quick stop in the kitchen to turn on his electric kettle before peeking in on the fluffpile in the living room.
After confirming that all is well Eren returns to the kitchen to prepare a mug of green tea, still keeping to his thoughts, “Well, the first night went as well as I could have hoped for. At least the two who slept in his bed weren’t bothered by his videos…wait…” .
A wave of guilt washed over him as he looks down at his phone, “How did I forget…why did…wait, this is a good thing, right?” After several minutes of sitting quietly as he sips his tea, “Well, I guess they are always there if I need them. No use in beating myself up about it.”
Quietly, “Well, I guess I can get started on the safe room, there is no telling when they will be up.”
The next couple hours were spent bringing in the various items from the car and setting up the safe room. Easy to clean floor and wall padding, a couple litterboxes in one corner near the sink (his wife’s ideas to include one in the nursery), a large and soft bed for the far corner of the room and a couple medium sized beds nearby in case sharing was ever an issue, a food and water auto dispenser along the wall between the sleeping area and litterboxes, a wall mounted tv, various fluffy friendly toys, and lastly, a sizeable play center castle. The castle was made of a soft plastic and included a ramp that lined up well with the window in the room before turning to lead up to the top floor of it, two different slides, some exploring tunnels and several other odd little features in the little rooms.
Eren was most excited to see their reactions to the castle, what fluffy wouldn’t be engrossed by it. He could hear the three colts in the living room playing happily as he moved the final items, a couple sorry boxes and a sorry stick into the closet. As he closes up the door he suddenly hears a loud scream coming from his bedroom.
Quickly leaping over the babygate from the nursery into his room he sees Lillian, a sobbing mess, in the middle of the pen, huddled and wrapped in her blanket with Bucky attempting to console her. “What happened here?”
Bucky shakes his head, “Nu knu, Wiwwian was sweeping while Bucky was makin gud peepees and poops in litterbawk. Den stawted yewwing, fink maybe bad sweepie-pictuwes.”
As Eren approached he could tell by the wetness of the blanket she had at least pissed herself, “Lillian, is everything okay sweetie?”
The sobbing fluffy, in a weak trembling voice, “Daddeh? Is that yu?”
Slowly, peeking out from under the edge of the blanket, “Whewe did meanie mummah gu? Nu wan huwties.”
Reaching his hand under the blanket to scratch behind her ear, “She isn’t here, she can’t hurt you anymore.”
Pulling herself more from under the blanket, sadly saying “Otay daddeh, the bad sweepie-pictuwes was scarie. Wiwwian twy tu run away but nu wemembew back weggies am gun.” Sniffing and noticing the smell, “Wiwwian made bad peepees, am sowwy, am bad fwuffy…pwease nu big hurties.”
In a calming voice, “It’s okay, I know it was an accident. Let’s get you over to the litterbox to let you do anything else you need to and we’ll get you cleaned up.” While Lillian did her business, Eren put away the soiled blanket and moved a handful of fluffy-safe bath products to the bathroom.
Opening up the pen, Eren grabs hold of Lillian in the upsie pose and says to Bucky, “Follow me too, we’ll get you both nice and clean.”, leading the colt to the bathroom.
As Eren turns on the water in the tub to let it warm up, Bucky says, “Am dat wawa? Am bad fow fwuffies.” Followed by Lillian, “Pwease nu cowd baff.” as she trembles again.
Looking back between Bucky and Lillian, “No, this is good water. It will be warm and safe…and we can even have bubbles.”
Bucky gives an unsure look as Lillian perks up a bit, “Bubbwes? Wiwwian wemembew warmsie baff and bubbwes.”
Once the water came to a good temperature, Eren put the stopper in and added some bubble bath before lowering Lillian in. “Does that feel ok?”
Scooting a bit to get closer to the bubbles, giggling happily, “Yes daddeh, am nice and warmsie and smewws pwetty. Wan Bucky come in tu.”
Bucky, shifting around nervously though not as much now hearing Lillian, reluctantly moves to an upsie pose. “Nu ebah hab baff, wittwe scaredies.”
“Well, thank you for being brave. I hope you end up liking it.” Eren says while lowering Bucky into the water.
“Eep…warmsie?” Bucky calms a bit after letting the water soak into his fluff a bit without it rising up too much while sitting.
After giving them several minutes to play and enjoy themselves, Eren got to cleaning the pair up. Bucky is up first, cooing loudly as the shampoo is worked into his coat and mane. Eren is surprised at the toned nature of the colt’s muscles and after rinsing he can see the coat is a flat matte powder blue and Bucky’s mane and tail is a rich, deep mahogany brown with many strands of dark crimson throughout both.
Eren then moves to Lillian, giving her the same treatment but noticing her tense up whenever he rubbed near her barely stump-like remains of her horn and the small, patchy lumps where her wings used to be. After rinsing he was able to see the extent of the damage but also the dark, soft forest green of her coat with a dappled pattern of ivory along her back and rump and a thick, smooth jet-black mane and tail.
After giving them a final rinse after draining the tub of surprisingly dark water Eren bundled each one of them up in a warm, fluffy towel, each giggling happily. “Smeww su pwetty! Fank yu daddeh.”
Once suitably dried and bundled he carried them to the new saferoom, causing both to silently look in amazement. Setting them both down, Lillian on a modified bed with caster wheels, Eren says, “This is your new saferoom, everything in here is for you and the others to enjoy. The same rules apply in here about using the litterbox and all the toys are for sharing.”
Both little fluffies excitedly run up to him and each tightly hug his legs, tears in their eyes, “Fank yu daddeh, dis am bestest pwace Wiwwian ebah see.” “Dis am bestest day ebah…jus wish sissies was hewe tu…”
Giving each a scratch behind the ears, “I know little buddy, but I know they would want you to enjoy just as much.” As Bucky gives a little nod, Eren says, “Go ahead and explore and play, I need to get the others cleaned up so you can meet them too. There is some soft kibble over there if you need a little snack but I’ll bring in some breakfast once everyone is cleaned up.”
Lillian and Bucky quickly began to make a circuit around the room, discovering all the little new wonders for them as Eren made his way over the other baby gate into the hall to the living room.
Making his way into the room, Eren can see all three colts playing together playing something like huggie tag while also chasing the ball. He gives a cursory glance at the litterbox, noticing it has been well used, “Hey there little ones, I hope you have had a good morning so far.”
All three colts rush over, “Yus, fwuffies hab fun britetimes and aww maek good poopies and peepees.”, before shuffling a bit, Jasper says, “Fwuffies hab tummie huwties, wan more tastie sketties nao….Pwease?”
Signing softly, “I told you all last night that it would only be a special treat, so don’t make me regret it. But I did also say last night that you all would need a bath.”
Groans and sobs are let out as Eren follows up with, “But then you will get to see your new saferoom and all the toys in there for you. You can all play while I make you some breakfast.”
After a few seconds the colts begrudgingly agree and Eren scoops them up and makes his way to the bathroom. He sets up things as before and notices Slater get excited as he introduces bubbles into the filling tub. “Fwiends, dem is bubbwewies.”
Eren puts Slater in first and lets him splash and play causing Jasper’s and Breeze’s attentions to peak. “Are you two ready to give it a try too?”
Breeze excitedly approaches first, bouncing around looking for a chance to play. After entering the water and taking a moment to explore he begins to splash happily with Slater.
Finally, Jasper makes his way over as well, “Jaspah wanna knu whad bubbwies am tu.”
Eren can tell Jasper wants to loosen up and play too but keeps checking back to see if Eren is watching so Eren pulls out his phone. He begins checking emails and messages, making sure to peek over occasionally once Jasper embraces the joys of bathtime too.
After about ten minutes, Eren starts scrubbing each of them down starting with Slater since he seemed the most open to a bath out of the three.
After a few minutes of Slater enjoying getting lathered up, making sure to be gentle with the healing wounds on the grey colts backside, Eren gives him a rinse. Slater’s coat was dark, graphite grey and the remains of his shortly cut mane appeared to be a smokey grey. He was rather plump under his fluff and now Eren could really see the scars on the poor colt’s rump including a rather rough one that was likely responsible for losing his tail. Once done Slater happily says, “Fank yu daddeh fow making Swateh free cwean and smeww pretties.”
Next was Breeze, Eren had a hard time keeping a hold of him but he could tell it was mostly because the colt’s still healing burn wounds seemed to be fairly tender. After rinsing Eren got to take a closer look at Breeze. A smooth royal blue coat with fluffy patches of steel grey. His mane and tail were a light, sky blue with clusters of white accents. Lastly, he got a better look at his missing eye, it was sewn shut and heavily burned but it seemed to be healing without issue.
Lastly, it came to Jasper. Eren was surprised how well the red colt did, seeming to really enjoy the individual attention, cooing louder than any of the others had. The bath allowed Eren to get a much better look at the young unicorn’s colors. His fluff was a candy red with splashes that were almost a dark cherry while his tail and mane were reddish orange, very much an eyeful. The colt’s horn was surprisingly small but was dark red with almost a twisting pattern. There didn’t appear to be any real injuries of note other than a couple small, oddly shaped lumps under his skin near the shoulder blades. Eren thinks to himself, “Odd, I’ll have to ask if that is anything to worry about.”
After draining the tub and giving a final rinse Eren scoops each colt into a towel and thoroughly dries them.
Looking at each of the colts, Eren addresses them, “Alright, we’ll be going to the saferoom now. There are a couple of fluffies already in there and they were hurt but are getting better so be nice to them.”
Jasper giving a large smile, “Jaspah wet dem be in hewd tu.”
Smiling back without putting much thought into it, Eren says, “Yes, they are part of our new little family too. Alright, let’s get you all in there and I’ll get started on breakfast.”
Eren leads them to the saferoom and carefully lifts the three colts over the gate. “Lillian, Bucky…Come out and meet your new friends, Jasper, Breeze, and Slater.”
Lillian pulls herself over, wheels gliding across the floor to the group. “Hewwo nyu fwiends!”
Jasper tilts his head and asks, “Huggie fwiend hab wheelies?”
Eren pipes in, “Yup, now she can get around and play with everyone too.”, before looking about for a moment, “Bucky must be in the castle. I’m going to get breakfast ready for all of you, play nice.”
The three colts begin to explore the room as Eren takes his leave, Breeze excitedly following Lillian as she gives him a tour of the room. Jasper stops Slater from following, “Come wit Jaspah, need to tawkie tu nu wumps dummeh.”
The grey colt glances around a moment and nods, following Jasper to the castle.
Bucky looks out from inside the castle, unable to move and speak. His new daddy, the one that has been so nice and given him so much, just put some of the worst fluffies he ever might in his safe place…the same ones that hurt and made his special lumps go away…the ones that helped the monster that killed his sisters.
If he had any poopies left in him he would be making scardie poops, because he was none stuck alone with them and daddy told them where to find you…Here they come.
Bucky hunkers down on to his belly as the two colts get close, his no-no area beginning to dully ache.
Jasper gives a sly grin as he sees the light blue colt, “Hey dere dummeh, wat yu duing in smartie Jaspah’s housie?”
Bucky, weakly, “Nu am dummeh, am Bucky. Nu mowe huwties, nu be meanies.”
Jasper nods to Slater and has him push Bucky around a bit, “Fine, but daddeh say dis am fow hewd and hewd am Jaspah’s.”
Slater jumping in “Yeah, bettah wisten tu smawtie and tuffie.”
“But nu wan. Wuv nyu daddeh and wuv nyu housie.” Bucky says, trying to ignore Slater’s attempt to push him.
Stomping his hoof down, the red solt says “Nyu daddeh nu wuv yu, Why am fink daddeh wan a nu wumps dummeh. Yu onwy get housie tu du wat gud fluffy Jaspah sai and sai dummeh am fow gibbing wickie-cweanies fow hewd when maek poopies.”
Bucky just lowers his head and begins sobbing, feeling everything good left in his life slipping away.
Jasper turns to leave, smugly saying, “If nu du den wose mowe dan wumps next time. Tuffie gib him sowwy hoovies and den come wit smartie Jaspah and see wat nyu toysies hewd hab.”
Slater gives Bucky a couple poorly aimed sorry hooves before moving to follow the red colt, “Dummeh nu talkie or get wowsest owwies.”
Once Eren gets to the kitchen, he turn on the security camera in the saferoom on a small monitor on the counter. He clicks on the electric kettle as he sets out five bowels, filling each with some rolled oats before grabbing some fresh fruit to slice up.
Hearing some of the conversations going on, mostly Lillian and Breeze, “…Wait, is someone crying?” Eren turns up the volume.
It’s faint but he can hear a second conversation going on, as he listens he stands there stunned, not believing what he is hearing.
His phone ringing snaps him out of his daze, noticing it’s the shelter he answers. “Hello?”
“Mr. Franklin, this is Julie. I’m glad you answered. We just got a chance to look over the security footage from the other day and I’m afraid things didn’t happen exactly like we thought.”
Eren, responding back, “I…can you email it to me please?”
Pausing a moment, Julie says, “Yes, we can do that. Just don’t introduce the groups yet.”
“I’ll have to call you back.” Eren ends the call and quickly moves to the hallway with purpose.
Thinking to himself, “This is what could go wrong.”
