The Human Pet

Chapter 9

I don't sleep.

No, it's more of a daze than actual slumber. Dissociation. I am aware of the rising sun, of Alistair's breathing next to me. But there is no rest. There are no thoughts that plague me. Only stillness.

He shifts next to me. My eyes flutter shut as he wakes. And when his footsteps fade away they open again.

I could take this moment to escape. I honestly could. But where to? I have nowhere to go, no one to turn to. I'm not even at full health and I don't know what they did to me.

So I just lie there until Alistair comes back. He seems shocked that I'm awake. And disappointed that I barely react to him.

The morning routine is uneventful. Some pellets are put onto the tray for me to grab. But I ignore them. My owner has to feed me himself.

After breakfast I'm taken into the living room. Alistair sets me on the couch and leaves. In the time it takes for me to scoot myself against the armrest he's back with the stuffed cat I had picked out a few days ago. With tentative hands I reach for it, getting a sigh of relief and a ‘good girl’ in return. The giant kneels in front of me, running his fingers across my arms and face in what's supposed to be a comforting way. He says something. Praises over and over, along with my name and some other stuff I can't make out.

It takes me a while to get it. From the somber look in his eyes to the gentle rubs and the way he sounds like he's pleading. He's apologizing…..I think…

And I don't know if I should forgive him. For all I know he's trying to butter me up so he can do something else to me.

‘But he wouldn't need to. He can already do whatever he wants and you wouldn't be any the wiser.’

I don't know if he's trying to manipulate me or if he's really serious. But I'm tired, I'm scared, and I don't have anyone else.

With a shaky sigh I reach up and rest my hand on one of his. My vacant eyes look right into his tearful ones. He says my name in question. And I nod.

I don't think he really understands. With a soft exhale I pat on the couch cushion next to me. After a moment of hesitation, Alistair joins me.

I can't pretend like his movements don't scare me. I squeeze my eyes shut until I feel him stop. But it's easier to deal with him sitting down, even if he does tower over me. As I open my mouth I wish, not for the first time, that these giants spoke english.

~~~~

I didn't expect having a human to be this hard... Yes, I had expected Layla to be scared of me after she woke up. But what happened was way worse than what I had imagined.

Layla had been just so….broken when she calmed down. No movements, no eyes following me, just the sullen face of someone who was traumatized.

She shook, too. All through the night. I thought she was cold at first but then I realized.

She has no idea what happened to her.

I had grown up around domestic humans. And every wild human I've seen either knew commands already or knew enough to get by. With them it was easy. Domestic humans understood us. We could explain to them that they would be okay, and they would trust us. Layla had no such luxury.

She doesn't understand why I let the vet sedate her. Or that she wasn't in any harm. Hell, she probably doesn't even understand that she's safe here!

When I saw her all huddled on that couch it took everything in me not to rush over and gather her into my arms. I had almost cried tears of joy when she accepted my apology, and when she offered for me to sit next to her.

Yes, the couch is mine. But having her invite me into her space was a sign of trust for a human. I didn't expect it so soon.

That was all a few days ago. And I still remember Layla trying to voice her frustrations out to me in what little of our language she knew. Trying to tell me that what I did was bad and asking me not to do it again. Basically just pointing to her bandages and repeating the words ‘no’ and ‘please’ over and over. It took me copying her actions to calm her down again. If I could help it, I will never let Layla be sedated ever again.

Layla is slowly starting to trust me again. Her appetite is growing. She seems to willingly eat the pellets now, as long as she gets to eat at her own pace. And although she flinches every now and then, she lets me pet her without much fuss.

….sometimes.

Right now I'm in the kitchen. I told my father that I would call him as soon as my human was settled in. He had scoffed and told me to call sooner. But, for the most part, Layla was settled in.

Unfortunately, he decided to invite himself over. And his wife. And her kids….

With a sigh I get up from the table and walk over to the living room. I had put on some cartoons for Layla. At first she refused to look at the screen. I don't think she knows that it's not real. But since she learned that the programs were teaching her words she was instantly attached.

It always puts a smile on my face when I hear her muttering along.

With my watch I pause the show. The pout I get in return is just too cute. I don't attempt to hide my amused smile.

“Layla. Listen.” I say, tapping my ear. This is the second command I've taught her. She follows it more easily than she does the others. I like to chalk that up to her curious nature.

“Dad is coming.”

It's always fascinating to see her slowly understand what I'm trying to say. I can see her thinking, pairing the words to something familiar, her eyes lighting up when she understands.

“Alistair dad come?”

I smile and reach over to put a hand on her cheek, my thumb running along it gently. That's another thing I noticed. While Layla didn't always like being pet, she never says no to a gentle cheek rub.

“Yes. Good girl. My dad is coming.”

She pauses for a moment. There she is with that thinking face again. “Layla stay Alistair?”

I can't help but chuckle. God, how adorable could she get?

“With. Layla stay with Alistair.”

She parrots it back in that cute little voice of hers.

“Layla stay with Alistair?”

I hum softly and nod, praising her. Yes, she could stay with me as long as she behaved.

Over the next few hours I clean the house, bathe and feed Layla, order take out, and change my clothes into something more presentable. I couldn't very well have guests over in just my pajamas now could I. After everything I wait with my pet on the couch.

I can see that Layla is growing nervous. Her gaze shifts from the tv to the door multiple times. All I can do it put a hand over her shoulders and hold her close.

At the sound of the doorbell Layla goes stiff. She tries to bury her face in my side but I have to get up. I leave her with a soft command to ‘stay’, watching her curl up around her wolf as I go to answer the door. With a deep breath and a semi forced smile, I swing the door open.

“Hey, Dad..!”