I kept the situation of the rabbit demon to myself when I drove home that afternoon.
It burdened me knowing that I had robbed Lavender of a chance, and it kept her mind free of the torment that was swirling inside me.
I couldn't shake the feeling that I had done something wrong, even through I had the best of intentions.
There was no way we would be able to care for it anyway. A baby was a big responsibility, especially one like me.
I knew what it would have to face in the future. It wasn't a bright one.
Lavender was still blissfully unaware when we scouted out another house and drove the kilometers to reach it.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlByFC9tt8
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I kept everything positive for her so she didn't notice my guilt and doubts.
She had even dressed in her best for the occasion too, despite the overcast weather the closer we got to our destination.
Her pink frilled strawberry dress was the newest addition to her wardrobe. And a large sunhat with a loop of the fabric around the middle of it came part of the ensemble.
It hadn't been cheap either. I had found the cut price tag in the bin in the bathroom when I had accidently knocked it over with my tail yet again.
I knew her parents were still feeding her the money since she still hadn't got a job yet. It had spoiled her, and made me feel bitterly jealous that I put myself through the pain of blisters and old burns of fieldwork each day I went.
I could have lived off the money too, but it felt wrong. I was going to achieve my dreams through honest work.
It was meant to be more satisfying that way. But the temptation was always there when I saw that everything I worked towards could be real in just a few words.
It did sting that Lavender did bypass me to get money from her parents.104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVhVmZL35H
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I worked hard so she could enjoy the things she wanted. And while her two hundred doller dress was a chunk of change from my finances that would take several hours to reaccumulate, it was still cheaper than the real thing celebrities flaunted for six hundred.
She did look good in it, I had to admit. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNFnaK7mg7
104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhowVrjyUdB
It curved with this frilled edges in a nice circle that didn't reveal too much of her breasts. It pinched in at the waist with its tiny twine belt, and left her whole back exposed.
She was going to regret her bold choice; I could see it now.
It made me smile to myself at how silly we both had been not to prepare for anything like this.
I wonder if she thought the same about me?
I still had mutations distorting my features into something more terrifying than what I was. They had altered slightly since when I had got them, but were still mostly on display in ways I couldn't hide.
Fire no longer licked my mouth when I talked, and barely flicked past my lips when my emotions heightened.
The branches on my horns had been dulled and were smaller then they had been. And with the fire within me simmering slowly, my bones and organs were eventually retreating back from the illumination.
It was taking a lot more time than I wanted. I wasn't under threat, and hadn't been since that night River went feral. Only the thought of what had happened still haunted my memories of why I had begged for this in the first place.
It had done its job. I didn't need it anymore.
But, yet, it remained and reminded.
I tried to keep the positivity when I parked up the car next to the others lined neatly beside the home that wondering people were already inspecting.
It sure was a beautiful one too. Even the road winding through the trees and up a slight hill to reach the gravelly area around the wooden home was torn straight from a destination magazine.
And the home itself; I hadn't seen anything like it. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMbo5uKrkg
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The walls were rounded logs that looked like they were torn straight from a graceful white tree and nailed together, knots and all.
The verandah was darker wood that wrapped around the home like ours did. The railing along it was wonky since the lacquered branches that made it hadn't been altered or straightened. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyX4i8Utgp
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Somehow it looked wrong and right at the same time.
"No stairs this time" Lavender smiled over the roof of the buggy when we got out "except maybe three."
She was in a good mood about this house. She had picked it out herself while I had been busy and had kept everything about it secret from me. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn22plCgaQ5
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It added to the mystery and excitement for her when she saw me take it all in.
"Well?" she beamed, slipping her arm in mine "it's nice, right?"
"It's crowded" I smirked back to her and averted my eyes from a couple wandering along the verandah "but you chose well."
I planted a kiss on her forehead that only made her smile widen.
I could see people had take notice of us and our interest in the home they circled like sharks. Eyes watched while mouths waited to chatter out of sight.
There were only three other demons; two of which were here with thier humans. The one by herself was a young woman who was in charge of handing out the information on the home. The other two were interested buyers. Neither of them were mutated, making me very self aware of how things must have looked to them.
Lavander was the abuser. Mutations were a reflection of the life the demon lived with thier human. To them, it wasn't River or Darcy who had caused this, but the bubbly woman who clung to my arm and had no worries.
I felt ashamed she had to face that sort of judgment.
"Ah, you must be the Griffins" the demon approached us, her heels clacking along the wooden verandah we ascended the three stairs to "lovely to meet you both."
Lavender smiled and shook her hand. I made sure my grip was weak when it was my turn. My hands still were imposing compared to her dainty ones.
She looked so kind and held no hate in her white eyes that shone in the light. It was hard to tell where she was looking since it was the only colour there.
Against her black skin, they looked like stars. It seemed that they had barely changed since her fall from the spirits.
She had no horns either. It looked like they had been cut off and were twisted in white silken ribbon tied into bows.
There was barely any hair to hide the obvious altercation with. It was very short, swept up at the top between her ears into a flick while kept shaven down at the back of her head.
I liked her look. It had an edge of seriousness without being too fierce. But something was throwing me off about the woman.
"Please read over these details" she pressed a white nail to the sheet Lavender was given while she hugged the rest against her blue jumper "unfortunately, there are some existing regulations that will hinder some from expressing thier interest in the rental or purchase of this property today."
Lavender nodded and we went back down the stairs to inspect the bordering land to the left of the house's face.
"Existing regulations?" I muttered and glanced back at the woman chattering to another group.
Lavender held out the paper so we could both inspect it properly.
"She did mention that there were a few things that were done through the company themselves that she had no control over. I didn't see anything off when I saw the listing."
Nothing looked wrong there.
The house was listed with its two bedrooms and expressed that there was room to expand. The usual bed, bathroom, and garage details were there too with the added bonus of no noise pollution and being surrounded by nature.
Underneath was the list of things they were looking for in a successful couple want in to move in.
Part time or full time work, or proof of employment. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2Rej0FXiV
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Payslips, bank statements, proof of identity. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNi7Lys0Ecf
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Proof of birth or registration. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3azevFhRD
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Last year of spendings; with the last residence listed beneath it. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5mtSNbJ7v
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Five references; two being for character alone and three from past rentals or purchases. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO64FhRJfNt
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Any demon applying to have Level One or Two mutation restrictions.
"Level One or Two?"
I frowned at Lavender who was equally as confused.
"I didn't even know these things came in levels" I admitted "do... Do you think it'll be too bad?"
"What can they say about it?" she slapped the paper and huffed "I'm sure once they have thier proof and all that, they will understand. It's not like it's going to be like that forever anyway."
I agreed and wrapped an arm around her waist to pull he close.
"Let's forget the paper and just enjoy it" she smiled up at me and leant up to peck me on the lips "dream a little."
I smiled, knowing as well as she did that we didn't qualify for the home after the first line of demands.
"Now, I'm thinking a fence" Lavender swept her arms outwards and along the line of trees only a few meters away "is it too cliche to think white picket?"
"Very" I laughed back "but we will need to cut down some trees for a gate too and a mailbox."
"Gone" she flicked her hand at the trees and giggled "and how about inside?"
"What are you thinking?" I asked when we headed up to the verandah and squeezed our way around the line of people coming out "it's very open."
The floor was covered entirely in slabs of stone. The entire area was open but made it all look much bigger than it was.
The allure of a rounded metal fireplace had Lavender crossing the room to it and it's elaborate wooden logs stacked into its own decor around the area.
I slid in beside her behind the white couch planted on the other side of a coiled jute rug.
"Maybe you should throw the paper in to keep it going?" I suggested cheekily and saw her mouth open in a quick astonished giggle she stifled.
"You know you can't do that!" she nudged my side and tried to keep the paper from me I grabbed for.
"Where is the application form?" I asked when I mamnged to snag it "doesn't it come with one?"
"Usually" Lavender frowned and looked around the room to check on the others; some of who were handing in or filling out forms.
So, they had intended on us not to have a chance from the start. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBn3s8pzZp
104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTJuRCZaYN
If the list of demands we couldn't meet wasn't already humiliating enough, the fact that we were expected to turn up to only drive back home was.
I wasnt going to be humiliated so publically like that.
"I'll get a form" I decided.
"Teddy" Lavender grabbed my arm "You can't!"
"I'll grab a form" I repeated firmly and pulled from her to march over to the demon woman touring the kitchen.
I waited for it to be clear before smiling at her and eyeing the papers she held.
"I think you forgot to attach our applications" I chuckled to break the tension "unless we dropped it somewhere outside."
"Oh" she smiled back and leant over to peer at Lavender who was rereading the paper she held "uh, there was no mistake. All forms are accounted for."
She flicked through them anyway, even though I knew that she knew she had all the ones she needed. It was just a show to make me feel better.
"It doesn't seem fair" I smiled again, despite how uncomfortable I was with the confrontation "is there a chance I can grab one anyway?"
"But that defeats the purpose" she looked up at me then back to Lavender before sliding over to close the door to the kitchen "are you needing to get out of a harmful situation?"
I shook my head and watched her walk back over to me, flipping out a card from her jacket pocket.
"What's this?"
"If Miss Griffin isn't the cause of your mutations, then you need to get an identifyer saying that" the woman spoke quietly "otherwise the government can seize you for isolation."
I laughed at the absurdity of it all and saw that she wasn't finding any of it amusing.
"Wait, you're serious?"
She nodded.
"Isolation?" I lowered my voice now and checked the area that still remained clear "for this?"
Is that where River had ended up because of his? Isolation? That would explain why I had no information on where he was.
"You do not want them coming to your house to check on your welfare and make assumptions" she said grimly "even if you are an adult, you don't have the independence a human does; neither of us do. We are property."
I huffed at the statement and watched the woman cross over to open the door again. She turned on her heels to swipe out a piece of paper and hold it to me.
"I suggest you get some honest work and open a bank account, Mr Griffin" she smiled at me "the more ways to identify you, the better your chances."
I saw the application form she held out towards me and chuckled at it.
"I don't think getting her hopes up is going to do anyone good" I said, to make a small smile form on her lips "thanks for the offer though."
"And thank you for the talk, Mr Griffin" she smiled and stepped aside so I could walk past her "I would suggest some relaxation to give your mutations time to dissappear."
I found myself blushing when I realised I had forgotten about my appearance momentarily.
Now that I was back on show, it was painfully obvious.
"So? What did she say?" Lavender asked when I returned to her side "did she refuse?"
"She was quite helpful" I led her from the room and down a hallway connecting the two bedrooms to it "I have to sort out some things before we can go for our own home. I'm the one holding us back."
Lavender rolled her eyes at me then turned my attention to the bedrooms.
"I think we need a three bedroom house anyway" she spoke when she poked her head briefly into the first.
My gut dropped.
"Three?"
"One for us" she pointed to the first, spinning around to pojnt to the one behind us "one for your flowers, and one for River and Darcy when they come over."
Not one for a nursery? I know Lavender was still set on the idea of being a mother in the future and I knew she would stop at nothing to achieve it.
It made me nervous that she would try something like that again. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaxZPPModd
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I trusted her enough not to, but still had the doubt that her heart would not stay true.
She was just diverting the real purpose so reality didn't sting again.
I sighed and placed a hand around her to rub her shoulder.
"Blue or pink?"
"For the flower room?" she chuckled and went to speak again before I kissed the top of her head.
"For the baby room" I whispered, making her stiffen and look up at me.
"Seriously?" her smile was wide and her eyes pleeded for it to be true.
"Obviously when we have our own place and are stable" I replied "then we can look into adoption."
I had already robbed her of a chance.
"If you had the chance..." I began "...would you adopt a demon?"
The moment of truth. This was going to be the part that hurt the most.
Lavender rested her head against me and continued to look into the room as she pictured her own vision.
"Either" she spoke "but I didn't know you could adopt demons."
"Technically, you can't" I admitted "but if one was to fall down where there were no-one to care for it..."
I let my sentence trial off and saw Lavender understand.
"Well, if that ever happened, I'd take care of it like what I did for you when you fell in that flower field" she smiled and placed her hands on her chest "although my soul will always be yours."
Blissfully unaware and as sweet as always.
"And mine will be yours."
She liked the sound of that as much as i did and closed the door to the bedroom.
"Ready to get out of here? Maybe go grab some lunch? Hot chips and potato scallops?"
"As long as it isn't scones" i snorted back "Able's are killing me."
Lavender linked her arm through mine and passed the paper back to the demon woman who wished us well on the way out to the car.
Once we were within the safe confines, Lavender let out a sigh and slumped back in her chair.
It was exhausting to maintain emotions while under the eye of others. It almost felt like I was keeping up an act while smiling and sharing space with strangers all wanting the same thing.
At least it was all over now. It was time to relax and work towards our future.
The sun still basked over the land when we parked up at a beach scattered with umbrella statues people sheltered under. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIh4q6sIYdz
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It was an amusing piece of artwork that cooled the sand beneath my body when I laid on the blanket Lavender had unpacked from her car.
She sat on my arse, massaging sunscreen into my skin.
I insisted she needed it more, but she was adamant. Besides, once she started, it was hard to resist the wonderful feeling rolling out every knot along my back.
The hot golden chips were drowned in rich beef gravy and chicken salt. The potato scallops sat in the corner of the paper, staining it with its grease.
Seagulls screamed to each other and hovered in the air. Others pattered on the sand to chase each other away for the guarded food.
Lavender had bought her camera too that she used to snap a few photos of the birds. She passed each poleroid down to me with pride, even if it was overexposed or didn't capture the image she was seeing.
I threw some chips to lure them closer. When they gobbled up the food greedily, I got an idea.
"Sprig" I tapped her leg to let her know I was moving "try this."
I grabbed the longest chip I could find and held it in my teeth. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwDdHNR8BA
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The birds eyed it off, testing the limits of thier bravery for the food.
"That will never work" she giggled beside me now but gasped out when the hovering gulls dipped closer.
"Maybe it will" I mumbled back, only to have her shush me and steady her camera.
Having the shade around us would help with the exposure of the photo. The little poleroids were terrible in bright light that other cameras would have a breeze detecting.
I would have to get her another for her as a gift.
A gull dipped down, unsure of being so exposed. I saw it hover then try to find somewhere to land.
I saw it look to my horns and instantly hissed at it to deter it.
But, it was determined. It landed on one of the branching prongs while it's competition glided.
I giggled when I saw a gull power through the hesitant ones and snatch up the chip from my lips in one movement. It landed only a few meters away to try and swallow the thing whole while others battled for it.
Lavender laughed with me and placed another into my lips.
She didn't have to wait long before another snatched it up after seeing that it wasn't a trap.
"Stay there" she snorted when another gull landed on my horns "this is perfect."
"This is humiliating" I joked and smiled anyway when she snapped her photo and went back for more.
"Done?" I smirked when the third poleroid flipped out.
She nodded and I furiously shook my head to send the birds screaming back into the sky.
"My little perch" Lavender teased, swiping loose feathers from my horns.
I grabbed her waist and dragged her into me, holding her close as she screamed out in laughter.
"My delicious snack" I smiled back, grazing my teeth on her dress as I pretended to eat her. She squirmed and pushed but was unable to stop me from enjoying myself.
"No! No!" she laughed, reaching for something to throw at me.
I braced for a handful of sand but felt something thicker smear down my nose.
I paused as she did, reaching up to run my finger on it.
Lavander tried to hold her laughter as I chuckled and looked up at her.
"Ohhh, is that how we are doing it?"
"Is it?" she teased and broke out of my grip to swipe another finger on my face.
I retaliated with my own gravy swipe on her arm when she pulled her face away, gasping in surprise at the attack.
She loaded up a chip to launch at my face so she could take a photo of the mess she had caused.
As it printed out, I pounced and held her to the blanket.
"Give it to me" I laughed at her camera she held up "the only copy!"
"Never!" she declared and held the camera out while trying to keep a grip on the side of my shirt to stop me from grabbing it "you will have to try better than that!"
I looked down at her wide grin and saw it fade quickly when she saw my sly smirk.
"Teddy!" she squealed out when I rubbed my face on hers to smear the gravy over our skin "Teddy! Eww!"
"I win" I grinned and took her camera, planting myself over her hips so I could snap my own photo of her disgusted look "mum and dad are going to love this one."
I tease her with the photo I wagged to speed up the processing while she cleaned herself and tried to reach it with no luck.
She couldn't move at all with me here. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbaF4cY1MR
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I wasn't even putting weight onto her; her body positioned so perfectly under me.
Honestly, it was making my heart race seeing her like that. The foolish expressions were gone in an instant when I felt how it was affecting me.
Not here, Teddy. Even this is a bit too dangerous for the judging public eye.
I leant down to kiss Lavender on the nose before lifting from her and helping myself to some chips.
The distraction of food was a good one.
Something else was niggling at my mind though. 104Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JEDLbFR2k
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As I looked around at the others sprinkled along the beach, I also saw a few demons with thier humans. Some were mutated, others were completely clean.
They all seemed happy with their own circle, despite a few fallen faces. All of them made sure thier human was happy above thier own needs.
I always thought of it as a demon with thier human. Why wasn't it a human with thier demon?
Did Lavender think the same way? What did she think?
"Hey, Sprig."
"Yeah?"
"Do you think of me as property?"
Her smile slid away and she frowned at me.
"Why would I do that? You are a living being, not some thing I can own. Why would you ask that?"
I felt shamed for asking and swirled the chip I had in the gravy.
"I have to go to some place to say you weren't the one who did this to me" I reached for more food "the woman I was talking to said we were property; I could be taken away from you if I don't do it."
"I can't beli..." Lavender fired up.
"It's true though" I cut her off "I am property. I have to be reported from the moment I landed, I don't have the same rights as a human does, I had to wear a muzzle until I was eighteen while he got off, I can't even own anything, get fair work, or look at a house unless I have a literal trail of everything I do. I'm property, Sprig, until the day I take you up to the spirits; then I'll be someone else's property after that."
"Well, I think it's all stupid" she huffed back at me "it's all stupid! I don't think you are anything like that at all! You are my Teddy Bear and that's all that matters to me."
Her hands cradled my cheeks and I savored the gentle touch as her thumbs ran over my cheeks to catch the tears that fell.
"I love you, Teddy" she whispered and kissed my nose "and I wouldn't change that for anything."
"Even if the rest of it is stupid" I chuckled, seeing her smile back.
"Even if it is. We can get through this together."
I nodded back and leant into her soothing touch that continued to run circles on my wet skin.
I was scared of what was waiting for me when I went to report myself for my mutations.
I was scared they were going to pass judgment on me, and on Lavender, without even listening to me. That they were going to blame River and Darcy for the whole incident, or that they were going to blame me for not acting sooner.
That they were going to throw me into isolation to try and cure me, leaving Lavender to wonder why I never returned home, or why I suddenly disappeared.
For the first time, I was truly scared to be a demon and face everything that came because of it.
The only thing I could do was cry quietly; because that's all I was allowed to do.
And so I did. I kept my mouth shut and did nothing else; like a demon should.
Like property should.
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