collaborative_daredevil | Slavery RP Post XVIII

"Single pet household." He smiled to hear Toffee giggle at the question. "Rehabilitation Specialist's a career for free people, not one Danny follows."

Oh? Why can't pets have that career? Matt asked, only half-teasing, and added, but do all pets have to go through organizations?

"Rules about ownership." Matt answered, but Toffee didn't pay much attention, frowning at Golubushka in confusion.

"Go through organisations for what?"

(OOC: Golubushka tends to pressure people to help other pets more than they're ready for or really capable of I've noticed, does he do it with his friends in his world, or just the ones he meets through the wizards?)

For helping other pets, Matt said delicately, I just don't know official processes. Not my kind of bureaucracy.

(OOC he is very passionate about helping pets and encouraging his friends to get involved. To be fair, he honestly has no idea if Toffee feels put upon by it.)

"You can't help when you'd be hurting yourself by doing that." Matt repeated something Danny had told him before firmly. At least they couldn't expect Toffee to hurt himself to help other pets.

(OOC: Yeah, Toffee saying that he wasn't ready to think about it obviously wasn't a firm enough no for Golubushka - but it's honestly the closest Toffee can get to a definite no if it isn't built into a question right now.)

Of course not, Matt said, puzzled by the direction, and switched tactics, pivoting to give Toffee a reason to talk about the happiest things, have they taken you out to nice places yet, pet-parks? Which ones are good around here? Your favorites?

"I'm only allowed to go out to pet parks with them twice a week, because before Master Erik put that restriction in place Ivannya was taking me out two or three times a week and so was Jamie, but not together. My physiotherapist suggested that as I get stronger he could increase the limit to three times perhaps. But right now I'm going to the private pet park he enrolled me in once a week and the public one once a week. Jamie takes me to different public pet parks, but my favourite's the one on ____th Avenue. The cafe there's set up with nooks where you can hide away and craft if you want to." And speaking of crafting...

"Wonder if I could get Jamie to fetch Hendrik's sweater down to work on instead of my lopapeysa. While he's out at work. I can take it back when you have to go."

Nooks sound good, hiding away and listening, Matt said warmly, filing away other signs Toffee was backsliding, had to be kept to rest enough, and quipped, Would go get it myself, but I don't think I'd spot it in time.

"And Master Erik wouldn't be happy with you going up the stairs alone either." He tried to tease back. "Instructor Marnie's working on helping me learn to say no again. Among other things."

She is very helpful, understands the truth beneath things, Matt agreed emphatically, and is good at teaching. Is going well or too terrifying impossible?

"I can usually manage an indirect no, but..." He trailed off, not wanting to offend.

"Doesn't help when can't recognise it." Treacle Matty put in, softly.

"Can't?" He couldn't hide his skepticism, he'd believe a free man couldn't, but another pet?

"Had to go back and take remedial classes on it." So it had to be true, or Matt wouldn't admit to it.

Matt raised an eyebrow in the way that made liars squirm in his office and said, Toffee, stop dancing around it, say what you mean, very very firmly.

"I said I wasn't ready to think about helping other pets yet." Hadn't that been enough of a hint to drop the line of conversation? He huddled against Matt a bit, asking silently for comfort, comfort Matt gave him with an arm around his shoulders.

Matt kept his eyebrow raised to be sure, but when all that got was sharp spike in heartbeat he dropped it and hugged Toffee quickly to reassure him, encourage saying no.

He brought in a tray with his pierogie, finding Toffee cuddled up with their two visitors again.

"Take as many as you want Golubushka." And he explained where the condiments were as he handed out plates, just taking one for himself.

Thank you so much, Matt murmured daintily, then picked up a fork and forced himself to use it, dipping one in every sauce and devouring it in two or three bites, then pausing to allow the others to have some too, sometimes Foggy joked gently Matt could take very quickly and not let others have some too.

He took a few of the pierogie for himself, and put some more on Golubushka's plate, leaving two thirds to split between the rest of them.

"You need to eat more than we do."

Matt chortled at that as he took a bite more delicately, and after he'd swallowed, said, excuse me, I get fed lots. And have actual meat and fat on my bones. Would take weeks and weeks to starve.

"And your master would never leave you hungry." He added to ease Toffee's sudden anxiety. "But you need it more right now." He took a third of the pierogies left onto his own plate.

Matt nodded and kept it a little slower, explaining to Toffee gently, my Foggy cares lots and lots about eating enough, will make sure even on a terrible stomach day I have soup, crackers, honey tea. Wouldn't ever let me go hungry long.

"It's hard to eat enough to put on weight, and doing it too fast is bad. But Jamie always makes sure I've got the right sort of snacks."

"It's not like you're hard to cater for as far as food goes." Jamie added, teasingly.

Good, picky is bad, Matt said approvingly, stupid to ever turn down food. Especially in kitchens like here, smelling fresh delicious homely. Grow your own things here?

"Some of the herbs, yes. There isn't really enough outside space to grow much more, and there's a good farmer's market on every weekend that I go to." He explained with a smile. "And it's not bad to have some things you can't eat for trauma reasons, as long as it's something you can work around."

"Like supermarket sandwiches." Toffee added softly.

Matt hummed, telling it would be painful to argue, and told Jamie with happy charming smiles, your home is beautiful, keep it lovely, all smells fresh and crisp.

"Thank you. The whole household helps out, and that makes it easier." He smiled at Golubushka, not quite charmed, but willing to go along with it.

Treacle: Visiting and Helping

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Toffee: Visiting and Helping

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Treacle: Visiting and Helping

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Treacle: Visiting and Helping

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Toffee: Visiting and Helping

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Toffee: Visiting and Helping

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Toffee: Visiting and Helping

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Jamie: Visiting and Helping

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Toffee: Visiting and Helping

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Treacle: Visiting and Helping

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Toffee: Visiting and Helping

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Jamie: Visiting and Helping

Re: Jamie: Visiting and Helping

Jamie: Visiting and Helping