Collared Chapter 22: The Future
By TerraMGP
Justin wasn’t happy with Ryan. Hui knew that. She also understood why, in hindsight. It felt strange seeing her beloved reject the man who had for so long been a role model. It had dashed Justin’s idolizing image of the bear and worse left him feeling betrayed by Hui for her part in things.
But Ryan was still his family. Which meant he would one day be her family. He and Naqi were still young parents, and while they had access to all manner of family there were still times when it was hard to find a sitter. Fortunately, Hui found that she loved babysitting their little Tootie. The nine month old mouse girl was very active and well behaved. Not that Hui had much of a point of reference. She was sweet, though. Plus she hardly ever cried for Hui which the red panda girl assumed was a plus.
As such she’d taken to watching the girl after school some days. Occasionally it’d be at their house, but usually they actually brought the girl over. This had formed into something of a routine. Hui would pack Tootie up in her stroller and, weather permitting, take her for a walk around the neighborhood. Getting the girl some sun and fresh air while they passed by the woods and over to Justin’s house. Or, to be more accurate, his parents’ house. It was a trip that allowed Hui to kill two birds with one stone. Justin’s mother was reaching the point where she’d likely be ready to have her baby soon, and so it was nice to be there and offer a bit of help if she could.
As usual Hui favored the garage door over the main one. Mainly due to how hard it was getting the three-wheeled stroller into the front door and its awkward side-stair porch. She stopped short of ringing the bell at the sound of the front door slamming open. Familiar voices screaming at each other just out of sight.
“Don’t walk away from me, John! We need to talk about this.”
“I’m gonna be late for work, Mar. We can talk about it on the phone”
“No, we can talk about it now! John! Fine, just get the fuck out of here, asshole.”
Once again the door slammed and Hui watched as Justin’s father stormed his way into his truck and pulled out. She offered a small wave. It wasn’t quite clear if he saw her or if he was simply too upset to respond. Either way the question remained. Should she go in or turn around and take Tootie back to her own house.
Concern for Mrs. Flannery soon overcame the anxiety and Hui hoisted the stroller and its precious cargo over the pair of cement steps and into the kitchen. She then slipped off her shoes and made her way as quietly as the stroller would allow towards through the kitchen and towards the living room.
“That stupid man.” Meredith slumped into the couch. Her whole body was trembling at this point. Dark tearstains on her cheek fur left dark rivets as she rolled breath after deep, calming breath though herself.
Hui pushed the stroller part way in to the living room and poked her head out. “We’re not interrupting, are we?” She took a glance back at the door leading out to the garage, then down to Tootie. The small rodent, at least, seemed utterly oblivious to the simmering tension still roiling in the air.
Meredith looked up and sighed. She gestured Hui in and put her feet up on the coffee table. It was an act that she’d scolded Justin for god only knew how many times. His dad too, a few times. Then again neither of them had ever been pregnant and Mrs. Flannery looked like she was about to pop.
As had become her habit, Hui pushed Tootie up beside the couch and pulled her free of the uncomfortable looking straps. Also as was tradition by this point the little bounce mouse promptly snatched her pacifier out of her muzzle and tossed it as far as her little paw could across the room. That thankfully was not far at all. But the giggle from the small girl always made it feel to Hui like her charge knew exactly what she was doing and took some form of pleasure in being difficult.
The ritual continued for a few moments. Tootie was set up with her back against the couch to help her sit upright. Then the basket of duplo blocks resting behind it was dragged out and put in front of Tootie. The nine month old flailed her paw and snagged hold of a block to try and throw it. The best she got was knocking a few around while rocking hard in place. It was still enough to draw a snicker from both women present, though.
“Sorry if we’re intruding.” Hui sighed “It seems like things are really chaotic today.”
Meredith shrugged off the apology and wiggled herself back into her seat. She made a small reach for the Switch controller sitting on the coffee table by her feet. Hui took quick note of it and snagged the device up for her. Meredith smiled warmly at the gesture, but it did little to hide the tear streaks running down either side of her muzzle.
In truth, Hui’s better judgment told her not to ask. Hell, it told her she should probably simply pack up and leave. She’d only been coming around this often as a way to help keep Mrs. Flannery company when her husband was out. A way to ensure someone was there in case of an emergency or should the contractions actually start. Not that a teenager without drivers ed under her belt really had much of a shot at helping with that. Especially not when she had a fragile baby here to care for on top of it.
“Is everything ok with you two?” It was a stupid question for Hui to start with. As usual her mouth got away from her in the dumbest way possible.
Meredith shrugged and heaved an overly exaggerated sigh. “I’m just sick of that asshole. First I tell him to get Justin a reliable car and he buys the boy something that’s still nearly twenty years old. Then he’s trying to tell me I should consider shifting to an office-based position or move to something that will have fewer hours. As if we have the fucking money on hand to afford me taking any sort of pay cut. Now I find out he’s going out after work to work on that damn car. Probably because he thinks I’m a bitch who won’t stop nagging him.”
“S-sorry.” Hui muttered dumbly. “But Justin did tell me the new car runs a lot better if that helps at all.”
“The Corvette was a shitbox. A dangerous one. He never should have had it in the first place. I mean I’m glad he and his dad got to build something like that but a teenage boy doesn’t need some kind of sports car. He needs something big and chunky that can’t do more than 30 unless its’ to escape a dangerous situation. But that’s my John. Always has to do what’s ‘cool’. Can’t be the disciplinarian. I’ve always gotta be the one who yells around here.”
The very pregnant and very tired looking otter reached down to the floor beside her and hauled up a large jug of what looked to be chocolate milk. She unscrewed the cap and downed a rather sizable portion of it in a few solid gulps before wiping her muzzle clean and glancing over to the still stunned red panda beside her. “Instant Breakfast mix. With Justin it was cheese. Just cheese. On its own. Don’t ask me why. I also couldn’t even be in the same room as ranch dressing for most of that pregnancy.”
“And yet you live in Michigan.” Hui sighed.
Things fell rather silent for a few moments. In part due to Meredith returning to her massive font of dairy again and again. She finally shifted her weight a bit and reached over to pat Hui’s hand. “I’m sorry you had to see that. If it makes you feel any better, we’re not getting a divorce. This is just something that happens when couples are married for a while. Or when one is pregnant. Or both, in this case.”
“Really?” It seemed so unbelievable. The idea of screaming at someone you love like that. Of tempers getting to that point. Could she and Justin ever end up going though something that horrible? Then she remembered they had. She was still dealing with the fallout of that. Once again he’d been wounded. And she’d helped. Intentional or not she was a part of it. She gave Mrs. Flannery’s paw a small squeeze and then leaned forwards. Her fingers offered up for Tootie to grab as she so often did when she wanted to rock back and forth.
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about, Hui. My boy has his problems but deep down he’s a good kid. And if it turns out he isn’t then I’ll just have a little talk with him. Though it does seem like he’s finally trying at least. If nothing else he’s taking his damn meds.”
That was true. Though it only made it hurt worse. Even if Meredith was joking about it she still seemed to assume Justin would be the one to fuck up. Not like Hui could tell her, though. Not about the pain he felt. Not about how she made it worse. None of it. She had to carry that weight.
“Ryan and Naqi stick you with the baby again?” Meredith spared a small glance at her little distant cousin before turning her eyes back to Hui.
The question caught Hui off guard. Still she managed a nod that was enthusiastic enough to avoid looking as guilty as she felt. “Naqi is working on some art again, I think. Real art, instead of just painting minis for cash. At least that’s what she told me. I don’t mind, though. Little miss bouncy is good company. It gives me something to do besides schoolwork”
The older woman snickered to herself and glanced Hui over once more. “Really? Are you trying to tell me you’re actually bored for once? Dear, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without some kind of project or hobby going on. All the sewing and costume thing you kids do. The writing. That time you tried doing pottery.”
“Tried being the operative word.” The wah sighed “Even if I wanted to do any of that I don’t think my parents would have let me build a kiln anyways. It can’t be good for fire insurance.” The teen turned her attention to the tinkle of plastic bricks against each other and watched as Tootie struggled to grab hold of one. Hui gingerly snagged up a four dot one and guided it into Tootie’s frantic grip. The baby then responded by tossing the thing as far as she could, which put it just outside the woven green basket of bricks.
“Careful, Tootie. Those are Uncle Justin’s blocks. Cousin Justin? Well, whatever. You really shouldn’t lose them.” Hui cooed
Meredith’s smile turned bitter sweet. “They were my brothers, actually. A lot of Justin’s legos are too. I have them all saved up in tubs in the basement for when you two have kids. I figured those would be some good heirlooms.”
“They’re that old?” Hui picked up a few of the blocks in her hand and began to stick them together. She thought about the blocks scattered all around the fenced off part of Ryan and Naqi’s living room. The brand new, fresh tubs of pink Duplo blocks that somehow still looked exactly like these ones. That were sitting here now, decades old and still in good condition.
That thought was soon supplanted by another, though. ‘When they had kids’. Hui felt herself fidgeting and her elbow nervously popping in and out of joint. She didn’t dare look at Mrs. Flannery. Suddenly there were ideas in Hui’s head. Ideas of marriage. Of children. Wonderful, terrifying ideas. Ones that also included her pretty mole. And just like that, Hui felt a skeletal hand grasping her heart.
“Mrs. Flannery. I, uh. What do you think about people who aren’t exactly straight?” It wasn’t the question she wanted to ask. Internally the teen was frantically searching for some kind of magical ‘undo’ button. A way to unsend it like on Discord. But this was real life. Hoping and praying to put that genie back in the box did absolutely nothing.
“So where’d this come from?” Meredith turned and quirked a brow at Hui.
The small seed of futile hope evaporated just like that. Hui sighed and scooped up a few more bricks. One she handed to Tootie, who quickly gummed at it and tossed it to the side. The others she began to build. A four-dot block with four more of the same on top, one corner connected to make a square of four. Then another brick on top to secure it. Just idle fiddling. Something to keep her from popping joints and squirming around too much.
“If I tell you, could you promise not to tell my parents? I promise it’s nothing bad. I just don’t really know who to talk to I guess.”
Meredith nodded solemnly “If it’s not anything bad, I think I can let you vent. I will say I don’t mind gay people, but I don’t think I know that many. There’s that girl, or guy, or whatever at church who is trans, I think? Seems nice enough. But I’m guessing that’s not who you’re talking about.”
“The truth is, and I’m kind of scared to say this, but I think my brother is bisexual.” And just like that Hui had railroaded someone she cared about once more. She felt guilty about it, sure. She was a shitty person for doing it. All of the things building up inside of her, threatening to burst out of the seams. Something had to give, and it seemed the horrible little ball of selfishness at the core of her being had chosen to screw Xiulan as a way to vent.
“I’m assuming this isn’t just random speculation if it has you so upset?” The statement had secured Meredith’s full attention. She didn’t seem shocked, or mad, or even disgusted. But she was utterly focused on Hui now.
“It’s a lot of things. A lot of it I feel like Chen should be the one to tell people when he’s ready. It’s more just the fact that, well, I’m worried about how our parents will react. You and Mr. Flannery are a lot more open than them on these kinds of things. I feel like I’m lying to them every time I talk about him. And I worry that I’m going to slip up and end up hurting him.”
“And you slipped up a bit bringing it up to me, right?” Meredith sighed. “I can kinda tell. This wasn’t something you came here planning to talk about.”
Hui nodded. That much was true at least. She should have just kept quiet. But how? Becky was too busy to give her any advice. Esme was clearly uncomfortable with the subject from the getgo. Every day with her parents felt like walking though a minefield. Between her sex life and her two partners and keeping all of Xiulan’s secrets to make sure her elder sibling didn’t end up penniless on the street if their parents turned out to be bigots.
A paw rested on Hui’s shoulder. Meredith giving it a small squeeze and then looking back at the TV. “I don’t know.” She muttered finally “It’s not really something we talk about. I know they love you kids. I don’t think they’d ever do anything to hurt either of you. But I think if Collin brought a boy home it’d end pretty badly. Maybe I sound like a bad mom for saying this but I’m pretty glad I never had to worry about that with Justin.”
“You don’t.” It was a half lie. There was some objective part of Hui which was a bit put off by that. Some part of her which was irrationally let down by hearing this woman admit to some small concessions to homophobia. Or maybe it was just fear knowing that one day she and Justin would have to face that. Only worse. “It was that obvious, though?”
“The way you two were growing up? Just about everyone knew you’d end up together.” Meredith snickered “You certainly didn’t do anything to hide your feelings. Honestly, I think I’d like to imagine I’d get over it if Justin brought a boy home, though. I’d still pray for him. I still don’t quite know how I feel about gay people when it comes to the bible. But I’d still love him. He’s still my son. That said.” Meredith held up a finger to silence Hui’s expected questions “I don’t think either of us should bring this up to your folks. I’m not going to ask what you know or what you suspect. Your brother is in college and things might end up being a phase anyways. But it is nice to see you’re worried about him. God knows I had my problems with that growing up. When I was your age I think I would have told on my brothers out of spite.”
“T-that seems a bit harsh, ma’am.” Hui whimpered
“I don’t think you realize just how close you and Collin are. Yeah siblings fight, but you two are about as tame as you can get. Now Justin gets to find out what that’s like, too. Just as soon as little miss soccer kicks decides to get her butt out of me.”
“Do you want me to get you anything? I mean since I’m here and you seem like you’re already settled in.”
Meredith held her arms up and Hui scooped up Tootie, passing her to the very pregnant otter woman. “I think a couple of ice cream sandwiches from the freezer. And maybe the bundle of coupons on the fridge. I should probably order some takeout to make up for yelling at John.”
Hui nodded and scampered herself off to the kitchen. She did her best to smile, but unfortunately the conversation had only left her more anxious. Some day their parents would have to meet Gretchen. That was the real fear. She’d reflexively used her sister as a shield to keep from blurting that fear out to the one person she simply could not. But she needed to find some way to deal with it before she slipped again.
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Hui could feel her gut churning a bit. Anxiety wasn’t really a familiar feeling to her. Not the way it was to so many of her friends it seemed. Sure she had her moments. A spat of irrational anger here and there. Worry about tests or sometimes that Justin would do something stupid and get himself hurt. Plus there was that one time she thought he was cheating and ended up crotch-punting her elder sibling.
This wasn’t quite so bad. It was certainly less rational. She stood by a cubical wall set near one of the small staff offices crammed up in one wing of the community college. Her face and much of her bushy tail the only things poking out while she looked on, trying like hell not to look conspicuous.
In the office were three figures. Mz Peterson sat at her desk rummaging though piles of junk in search of something. The normally calm and put together woman looking far less intimidating and far more flustered than she normally did. That alone was a bit unnerving for Hui. To see the woman she idolized acting like a normal person.
Of the two other figures, the taller one was likely the main source of Hui’s nervousness. An chipmunk woman with a toned but athletic build only barely hidden under some tight jeans and a leather jacket. Her dark red headfur tinged with a swatch of purple at the front. She also had what appeared to be an empty gun holster just barely poking out between her pants and the slightly-too-small jacket whenever she moved. Everything about her radiated cool confidence, and Hui could easily guess from anecdotes who this was.
The other figure was far less intimidating, though she held herself with a good deal of the same confidence as the chipmunk woman. She was, likewise, a chipmunk. Though one who showed quite a few mouse-like features. Softer tawny fur and a more spindly build. That along with the yellow dress the girl wore made her come off more like a stereotypical princess in some anime. That was if not for the out of place denim jacket she wore to combat the steadily dropping temp outside.
“Mother. There‘s someone staring at us”
The little girl’s voice. As composed and regal as the stereotyped assumption would lead one to expect. It was distracting. So distracting, in fact, that Hui didn’t quite realize at first that she was being referenced. She just stood there dumbly while the two adults in the room both turned their eyes on her. When the realization finally did hit, it was all she could do to stumble out from behind her hiding place and offer a small wave and a nervous laugh.
“Yes, Susan.” the Professor nodded “It’s just one of my students. I think she’s waiting for a chance to talk to me.”
The chipmunk woman snickered and rolled her eyes. Without a shred of warning she leaned in and kissed her wife firmly on the muzzle. The normally composed teacher melting into a quivering pile in her seat as she was subjected to the sudden and forceful affection.
Their young daughter giggled a bit. Apparently she was quite acclimated to her parents being affectionate with each other in this manner. So much so that she barely missed a beat when the chipmunk released the professor and turned to take the girl by her paw, the two walking out of the office.
“Mother, can we get Dairy Queen on the way home?” The cub chirped. She cast a small glance in Hui’s direction that the teen was sure had to be this girl judging her.
“We’ll ask mommy when she gets to the car.” The munk nodded in affirmation. She, too, turned her attention to Hui as they passed her. The poor red panda squished herself back-first against the cubical wall until the two passed, and then half collapsed on herself when the crushing sphere of raw intimidation finally abated.
“Well, that was one hell of a debuff.” Hui sighed. She took a few more moments to get herself straightened up. Brushing imaginary stray hairs back into place and adjusting her tee shirt as if it would do absolutely anything. It was only a few steps into Mz Peterson’s office. But that was all it took for the mouse to go from the quivering mass of personified subspace to a carved Celtic statue with smoldering emeralds for eyes. The expression on her face giving Hui the dire warning to be careful what she said about what she’d just witnessed.
“Professor?” Hui cracked a very fake smile and glanced around the office a moment. It was really more of a small workspace. A fact which made more sense when one considered that the teacher was technically employed by WMU and probably had a real office of her own up there. Or maybe she didn’t. Maybe this was just what teachers had for offices. Maybe every movie showing a professor in a big wooden room full of books was lying to her.
“Can I help you, Ms. Sang?” Mz Peterson’s words were ice cold. It took all Hui had to nod a few times, then shake her head, words refusing to fumble free of their anxiety induced chains.
“It’s nothing much, ma’am.” The wah finally blurted out. “I just kinda sorta-”
The professor rolled her eyes and yanked herself forwards in her seat, elbows on desk and chin propped up on folded paws. “Out with it, Ms. Sang. Is this about what we discussed last time?”
It took a moment for Hui to process the question, once she did she shook her head violently “N-no ma’am. Not about that. I mean I appreciate your confidence in me but I really don’t think I could write a book. Not unless people are ok publishing super messed up fan fiction. Though I guess that might work for light novels? Maybe? Do people put out light novels in the US?”
“Hui, focus.” The mouse snapped “In case you hadn’t noticed I have places to be today.”
“R-right.” Hui eyed the chairs set out for students or other visitors. She shifted foot to foot a few times before walking up behind one and leaning on it. It was as close as she dared get to sitting down, considering the rush her teacher was obviously feeling. “I don’t mean to bug you or anything. I can wait until next week if you want. But I have something kind of personal I am worried about and I, uh, I don’t know who else to ask about it.”
There was some clear annoyance on the mouse matron’s face. A small streak of contempt, or perhaps simply exasperation, tucked just under the surface. “I can assume this isn’t about your classwork then?”
The question was more of a statement, and it left Hui’s muzzle feeling suddenly parched. She offered up the best smile she could and tried to giggle a little. It was the only way she could think to lighten the mood. It didn’t work. “To be honest I actually wanted to ask you some relationship advice. I mean, I know that’s probably not appropriate or anything. But It feels like it’s something serious and you’re the only one left I could think to talk to about it.”
“Well that’s, odd.” The professor leaned in a touch now. Her bright green eyes quickly flicked over the poor teen.
“I know. I tried to think of someone else, I really did. Long story short I can’t go to the people I usually go to without upsetting my, my Master. Plus I can’t really talk to my parents. Or his parents. Or my friends. It was this or asking for help online.” Hui pulled her laptop case up to her chest and hugged it with crossed arms in the hopes that it would keep her whole body from just curling into a ball on its own.
Professor Peterson glanced out of her window. Down towards the parking lot a floor below them. When she turned back to face Hui her stern face had softened a bit and if one looked closely they may even notice the hint of a smile on it. “Fine then. I suppose you’re one of the few students I don’t want to subject to Exterminatus after all.”
“B-but I’m a Tau player. I don’t think you’re allowed to say no to that!” The stupid line was enough to make Hui cringe. It also seemed to make the Professor relax and laugh a tiny bit more. So it was good enough for the moment.
The teen took a few deep breaths. Then a few more. She just had to open up. It would be ok. She simply kept telling herself she could trust this teacher. Reminding herself that none of this was bad.
“My Master and I have a slave. It’s this girl I met at summer camp. Another counselor, in case you’re worried about ages. I really think I… I think I love her. I know I like her a lot. I think Master likes her too even if she’s a bit hard to get along with. We could all be really happy. Except…” She bit down on the tip of her bag. Her tongue traced the course wave of the material and balked at the plasticy taste. Behind her she could feel her poofy tail flailing and twirling around this way and that. “Our parents are… well kind of conservative. Mine more than his. They aren’t bigots or anything. I don’t think they’d throw me out if they found out. But lately I’ve been wondering what’s going to happen. I mean we can’t exactly tell them Gretchen is one of our partners. But I would want them to be at our wedding. I want to marry both of them. A-and kids! How is that even going to work? Not to mention kids. How are we supposed to-”
“It’s ok, Hui. Calm down.” Ester sighed. “Just breath. Relax. Look, I don’t know your parents. I don’t even know you that well yet. But you seem like a nice girl and I get the worry. This isn’t the kind of thing you can just magically solve overnight though. Just take a few deep breaths and try not to rush things.”
The breaths Hui took were neither deep nor particularly calming from the sounds of it. If anything they bordered on hyperventilation. Eventually she quieted down and slumped back into her seat offering a small nod. A weak dam against the flood of intrusive thoughts waiting to gush forth.
“Good.” The professor sighed “Now listen. I don’t know that I can help you solve all of your problems, and I sure as heck can’t solve them all right now. But I do know they are problems that can be solved. Maybe not the way you want, but they can be solved.”
“I guess you did say you have to go soon.” Hui pushed her face down into her bag once more and glanced up at her teacher “I’m probably rushing things, huh?”
“Just a guess here, but this has been bugging you for a while, hasn’t it?” Ester sighed gently
Hui nodded and went from biting her bag to biting her lip. A more lateral move than she really expected.
“Well if it’s any consolation I can at least tell you that polycules can and do work. But it is a lot of work and effort. Honestly It’s not something I can advise you about in one sitting. But if you’re just worried about it I will say I have some friends who have been in them. I’ve even been in one once or twice, though not long term.”
“A-and your parents didn’t mind?” Hui’s voice growing a bit hopeful
Ester shook her head and sighed “That’s not really a fair assessment, dear. My mother was technically in one before she decided to adopt me. And before you ask my wife’s adopted parents were the other two members. That’s not really a story I’m comfortable sharing with just anyone. But it is why I have to warn you that it can be difficult. Not everyone has parents who are that understanding about things.”
“Oh. I see.” The hope Hui had a few moments ago now dashed on the rocks as she slumped down in her seat.
“I will say, though. In the end you do have to worry about your own happiness rather than just what your parents want. If you genuinely love this girl then hopefully they will understand. If not, though? Well, do you really want to let love slip away because of fear?”
“That seems a bit dramatic, Ma’am.” Hui whimpered
Ester nodded. “Well I am a writer. It comes with the territory.”
“I’d really rather not alienate my parents, though. Especially not if we end up having kids. I mean I ‘want’ to be a mom some day. I think that’s really my biggest worry. What if I screw up their relationship with their grandparents? Or if they get picked on for having two moms and a dad? What if people try to take legal action against us because they think just being in the lifestyle means we’ll end up crossing a line somewhere?”
Hui‘s wave of crushing panic was met with a bemused little chuckle. Professor Peterson glanced out of her window again and gave a wave of her paw. “Did you notice anything ‘odd’ about my daughter?” A softer smile slid across the teachers lips. Her eyes darting for a moment to the door where her wife and daughter had stood only a moment ago.
“I, er, uh… Well no, ma’am?” It was a bad lie, and Hui knew it. The professor did as well. A fact that only made Hui fidget and squirm under the expectant gaze. Years of deeply instilled politeness grinding up against lessons about honesty. “Ok I guess we both know that’s not true. I’m sure she’s a nice girl. But she did seem kind of, I guess formal? For her age.”
“Imperious is the word we use.” Professor Peterson snickered. She held up one long, slender digit. The finger bent ever so slightly from years of typing away at a keyboard. “You see, Susan is named after my wife’s favorite character from her favorite author. She fell in love with Discworld during senior year. Susan Sto Helit in particular.”
“Wait, Her favorite author isn’t you?” The poor trapped teen bit her tongue even as she uttered the words.
Ester seemed to actually crack a chuckle at the comment. “I mean she’ll say I am. Sure. But I can still tell. Not that it’s a bad thing. She’s hardly obligated to like my work the most is she? But I think you’re missing the point here. Susan knows where we got her name. Mistress would even read her the books before bed. Still does sometimes, though now that school is a factor we can’t really afford that as much thanks to the idiocy that is giving a child homework. And really, what is even the point of that? A full day work schedule is already too much for someone not even in their teens yet, then they want to make them sit down and do the work they should be doing in school. It’s one thing with you kids since you’re adults and you have the ability to manage your time properly. Plus it’s not like college classes are anywhere near as many hours. Though I suppose that doesn’t count for you as much since you’re still in high school. They probably make you way up way outside of your cicadic rhythms on top of everything else. God I remember those days. Eating half a dozen energy mints and downing protein Nesquik back before I knew how bad that stupid company was.”
“Um, Professor?” Hui was, by now, pressed firmly against the back of her seat. The false smile on her muzzle a not so subtle scream for some sort of help
“Oh, uh, right.” The older woman fixed the big round spectacles back up her muzzle and let her interlaced hands thud on to the cluttered desk “My point is, if someone knew about my wife’s status as our Mistress, or mine as her slave, then I’m sure plenty of prudes would get all up in arms assuming we were somehow ‘grooming’ our child. The small, everyday acts of dominance or submission turning into something vile even though none of it is sexual and none of it comes in a form our child could even understand. They’d point to the toys we keep in our room as irresponsible even if they are secured properly. Insist that our play partners past and present were all ‘bad elements’ to have around her, even if she simply knows them as friends of her Mommies and the closest anyone has ever come to ‘corrupting’ her was the babysitter accidentally starting to explain a sex joke from an Adam Sandler movie.”
Hui bit back a giggle-snort “You let your kid watch Adam Sandler movies?”
The Professor shook her head ruefully. “We do not. We also don’t let her eat a whole heaping bowl of blue moon` ice cream with birthday cake magic shell. But sometimes Babysitters like to be ‘cool’ when parents are out.”
“I, uh, I really don’t think I’d ever do that with Tootie. Er, the girl I babysit that is. Especially since she’s Master Justin’s… uh, is the child of your cousin still your cousin? I think that’s how that works, right?”
“Well it depends on if it’s his first cousin or not. As I recall the children of cousins tends to get into the ‘removed’ category and… look, we’re already way too far off track here. Ms. Sang, the point I am trying to make here is that my wife and I are fully able to live our lives as kinksters and also be parents without the two aspects intermingling. Susan doesn’t know that I call her Mother ‘Mistress’. She doesn’t need to know her favorite babysitter outside of her grandparents is my little abuse toy on the side. She doesn’t need to know about collars or slave positions or the rubber body suit in the attic or any of that. What she does know is that she has two mommies who love her very much, that one of them is getting a show like Steven Universe and She-Ra made out of her books, that the other one does jobs that stop bad guys, and that nobody has the right to be mean to her simply because neither one of them is a daddy.”
“A-and you can keep that from her successfully?” Hui’s nervous laugh creeping in a bit more
“At least until she’s eighteen. I mean I don’t see a reason to just tell anyways but I’d imagine if she’s twenty and ‘finds out mom is cheating’ it’d make more sense to just explain the dynamic her parents have as opposed to making her freak out like a bad sitcom.” At some point during Ester’s diatribe, the shell she had worn as a teacher had been chipped free. She seemed more relaxed to Hui. More at ease. Or maybe Hui was just imagining things.
Whatever the case, Hui was suddenly aware of a deep fatigue weighing her down. Worries she hadn’t even known about had eased, perhaps just a little. She offered the teacher a half hearted smile and nodded. “I really am sorry to keep you, ma’am. Especially for a talk this personal. I realize it’s kind of messed up to talk with one of your teachers about this kind of thing.”
“I think the word you’re looking for is ’fucked up’, Ms. Sang.” The mouse giggle-snorted and pulled herself up from the desk. “Lucky for you, I think you’re a sweet girl. I think you mean well, too. Your Master is a very lucky boy.”
Her Master. Being unable to call him that had been hard enough on Hui. But this? It was the first time someone so unfamiliar had called him that since, hell since Naqi. Hui fought hard to suppress a tittering, dorky giggle and failed utterly. She found herself gripping her tail childishly and nodding dumbly with all the composure of some infatuated schoolgirl. Which she was, but it was still embarrassing.
“And listen. If something else comes up and you don’t feel safe talking to anyone else, I’m ok with you coming to me. Just so long as you are respectful of my time and can follow a couple of rules.”
Hui nodded wordlessly and bit down on the corner of her lip. She felt the mouse woman’s slender paw grip on to her shoulder, an act which required the short rodent to lean in past the point where one could consider her posture ’confident’.
“First and foremost I want you to swear you won’t go blabbering about my personal life all over the internet. No bragging that you know me or telling everyone I’m a kinkster. I mean I am, obviously. I don’t really go out of my way to hide it. But I don’t really need a boycott right now from bible thumpers who don’t even know their own holy book. Being an author sadly means living a life where you are perpetually semi doxxed anyways. I don’t need that to get any worse.”
“Um, does a pen name help with that, ma’am?” Suddenly vicarious waves of Gretchen’s crippling social anxiety began twisting around in Hui’s stomach.
“It depends.” Professor Peterson shrugged “Probably not a bad idea, though. Though that does actually bring up the second point. I want you to give some serious consideration to your writing going forwards. By that, I mean I want you to actually start thinking about a novel you want to write.”
No sooner had Ester said the words than she began walking around the table and out of her little cubby hole of an office. Hui followed along wordlessly. It was very clear she wished to say something. That much was written all over her face. She stopped and looked back at the office a few times to ensure her laptop wasn’t left inside before the teacher locked it. Even that was a force of habit, though.
The mouse seemed to pick up on this and offered one more reassuring smile. “Something wrong?”
“I, uh. Are you sure I can’t just give you more fan fiction?” Hui muttered
“I am.” Ester nodded “I already told you the first day of class that it’s valid fiction. But I think you could do a lot more. The trick is that you have to make yourself do it. You’re never going to just magically make a novel one day on a whim. The sooner you start putting real thought into it, the sooner you’ll get results.”
“So I, uh, I don’t have to actually turn it in?” She whimpered
“Technically you don’t have to even do what I’m asking. This isn’t an assignment or anything. But if you want me to offer up some advice now and then I think this is a good form of ’payment’. Plus if it helps, drafting the outline for a novel is typically one of the projects I have in one of my more advanced classes. So just think of it as getting a jump on your homework next year.”
And with that the tawny furred mouse strolled her way towards the main hall leading out of the building. Hui was forced to stand there dumbfounded. Her mind raced with everything she’d been told, unsure of just what or how to feel.
