A/N:: Why hello! Hope you are happy to see the update show up! It's been a while, but whoa-and-behold here is the next chappie! Things start changing for Ace, but the challenges are far from over!
Hope you enjoy!
Izo had included some of that numbing herb to the cream and, with Marco's passings off, I had begun feeling almost to my best—physically anyways. I was still mentally exhausted, they never left me out of sight as bathroom trips they made sure to stay near the door for when I come out. Sabo always slung his tail over me as he would be typing, and I would curl into him most times. If Marco was in the cushion taking a break, I would curl in his lap while petting through his wings.
When Marco had to go back to work, he was reluctant, but I had reassured him that I was okay. My emotions were stable enough for him to leave, especially as Sabo would be home with me. They reassured they would be here and for any reason if they weren't then a family member would come over. It went on like this for a yule, me growing more comfortable with no pain lingering physically and became more outgoing once more. They were happy to see this, and I still couldn't help cuddling into them.
"Just for a few, I will be back around the time Marco will." Sabo says with soft huffs as we are in the kitchen and I try not to show my stress of him being away. There is a knocking to the door and he moves to go answer it with a low whine to me. "It will be fine, Ace." He says while I follow. He opens the door to show Izo smiling while coming in and then Haruta right behind her.
Haruta runs over to hug me with a cheer and I take it in before she pulls away to show that grin. "Marco told me you had the Sleenball! That thing is really cool! We could pass it around in the backyard while Izo basks!" She goes on and I could only nod in mild shock of being bombarded with her excitement.
"Calm down, Haruta. Let's get you something to drink and snacks for the porch." Izo claims as I look over to see Sabo being held back by a vine hand and I calm myself. I could tell he was on edge the most of leaving me, even if I was with the family.
"Right, you got your bandana? It's always safe to have the seal on when playing in the yard." Haruta comments while lightly pulling on a hand to the kitchen. I carefully follow, now knowing why Sabo brought that thing out to the table.
"It's on the table, ready for when we go out." I explain as I try to relax more, and she lets go of my hand to go in the fridge and I hear little huffs. I turn as Sabo came up to hug onto me with nuzzles to the side of my head.
"I will be back soon. Let Izo know if you feel overwhelmed or anything, okay? Don't push yourself…" He states. I turn my head to nod before pushing for a nuzzle and giving a few feathered kisses.
"Okay," I can only agree as he soon pulls away, my body tensing a little as I try not to ache.
"Thank you, Izo. Marco or I will be back in a few."
"Oh, everything is fine. You know I love having the chance to plant the little darling." Izo says while Haruta brings a water to me and begins drinking her own.
"You know, you guys have a big yard, even for being in a community area. Pops is huge, you should come see it sometime. Oh! At Pops' house we wouldn't have to wear the seal since its secluded and fenced! No one could see us! It would be so cool and some of the others would be there!" Haruta is going on as I follow her to the table, where she set her water down.
While still talking of the family, she pulls out her bandana and ties it around her neck like a badge of honor. I look to mine on the table with a frown and carefully grab it. Though it is cloth, it feels like a hundred pounds in my hand with my emotional state of what this symbolizes. I carefully pull it on to begin tying it securely around my neck, but not too tight. As it rests, I am just glad no collar is involved with it and grab my water once more.
"The sleenball is really cool and we could pass it pretty far with the yard you guys have," Haruta is chattering while we move to the deck and leave the door open as Izo shortly follows.
Gathering, the deck is lowered to the ground and I carefully move to the grass after Haruta grabbed my water to put on the table. The sleenball is already on the deck, her grabbing it happily while moving to the—well—grass. I step along the lush feeling of little root like tendrils that act like grass, but thicker. I never really knew as from a distance it looks like our grass from Earth.
"Come on, Ace!" Haruta is grinning while lightly bouncing the item in her hands. A smile pulls on my lips as I nod and move along more to be across.
We start off slow before I get more into it, having me grinning as we pass it around with silly moves. Since the house rests in the sky, we could somewhat pass under the home as well, but stayed close to the deck. More of a caution for Izo to keep an eye, and I felt nervous being too close to the sidewalk as I would notice creatures walking along. On a few occasions, I noticed sneers our way from the creatures as we were laughing and having fun, but that also brought hopeful eyes from humans. Any 'pets' being walked would stare in desire for what we had, and I understood how they felt.
"I got it!" I holler as I back up some before catching the wiggly ball—not quite like that splatball with the machine—and have it in two hands.
"Watch it, pest!" I am startled, glancing back as I am not close to the sidewalk, but a creature with more tendrils than I can count glaring to me sharply with four yellow eyes gleaming. This stuttering breath left me as I stare at the fact they were yelling at me when I am five feet into the property still. "Stop staring, disgusting filth!" It happened too quick, the burning and quick snap to my face over eyes startled me.
"Ace!" Haruta shouts as I sprawl back onto my butt while grasping to my face in whimpers.
"Excuse me! What do you think you are doing?!" Izo hollers as I feel hands on me, pulling, as Haruta wants to get me away more. I crawl away with Haruta helping and I hear Izo spatting. "You are on personal property! He is in my yard, how dare you attack him!" The vicious tone comes out, hardly giving the other creature room to talk. "I will be sure to press charges for attacking him on property!"
"It's just a human, what does it matter?! Have it know to look away from beings higher than it!" The other creature lashes back, but Izo makes a noise of tightening vines.
"Say that all you want, but you are on personal property and assaulted him with no reasoning!" Izo snaps as Haruta finally gets my hands away to view at my face.
"Can you open them, Ace?" I slowly try to, blurry vision and only whimper while closing them back. They are sore, and she gasps lightly. "I-Izo, he needs to be seen. He's bleeding from the eyes." Haruta tries to quickly says, while I hunch shoulders and try to control my trembling frame.
"… what?" Izo asks in anger before getting the creatures credentials as she promised to press charges and to get it where they would pay for any of my bills. Once it sounded like the creature went off in a flurry of curses, Izo is going to the home to get it all locked up while contacting Marco. Haruta helps me into their vehicle, different than my lovers.
When Izo drove us to the clinic, I had been so nervous as I hardly knew the two with me and neither Marco or Sabo are close by. They called me back promptly due to the blood and I am on a table while the other two had to leave, owners only allowed. It made me nervous, trembling as another creature is in the room with me gathering some things and I can't see.
"Calm, sweetie. We will get you to feeling better in no time." The creature is soft with their words, maybe a female tone to it? A small reassurance is there, but I am still rattled with nerves. She checks my vitals, commenting lightly on them to keep me known on where she is and possibly to soothe me. Knocking is made on the door, "come in." The door hardly makes it open before I know who it is by the cooing and then arms are around me.
"Sshh, I'm here, yoi." I tremble more with a sniffle as I grip to Marco, finally quelling some of my fear. "My sister told me what happened, how bad is the damage?" Marco asks the doctor immediately and I hear a small scruff noise, like clearing of a throat.
"I have yet to examine his eyes, I was waiting for the owner to be present as he was scared." A nod leaves Marco, feeling it slightly before he pulls away with hands gripping to one of mine.
"It's okay, Ace, I am not going anywhere." The reassurance brings me to relax more with hand gripping one that I can.
The doctor checks over my eyes, light shining before she makes a cracking noise once again. "I will administrate some healing spray, but he will need to wear a blindfold for the rest of the passing and probably until the suns rise." She comments while I feel one eye split open and a burst of a cool type gel goes into my eye. I jerk with whimpers, pulling away wanting to rub, but my other hand is grasped to keep it down. It brings a quacking as it is the doctor, but Marco gives soothing noises. "You cannot rub your eye, it needs to settle on its own." The tone is stern this time, having me freeze in place and noticing a small grip from Marco. "Now the other," she mentions while pulling her hand away and opening my other eye. It's spritzed once more, having me jerk away and closing it. "There, now, I will provide a bind to help prevent movement and such."
The doctor then proceeded to put a blindfold around my head that is secure, like a bandage, and won't move. She told Marco all the things I cannot do and mentioned that binding my arms is always acceptable and most helpful. The mentions have it bring back the fact that I am just a pet, at least seen by everyone but the family. It would always be like this, I would never be able to be a lover out on a date with them, I will only be a pet out on a walk with their owner.
Leaving the place, Izo was happy to see me better and gave rubs and hugs with promises to plant me next time. It's nice to hear, but I was still upset over the fact of how I truly am. The car ride had been with Marco, him giving coos of worry with small questions and rubs to my head. I merely stayed quiet, hunched in my spot with hands between my legs. Marco still gave coaxes all the way home before we had pulled in as I notice the motion go sideways.
"Ace?" Marco asks as we made it inside and I find the wall to lean into with hands gripping to my sides. "What's the matter, love?" Feathers linger as he moves closer to huddle into me with nuzzles to my head.
"I… I will never be more than just a pet…" I whisper, not able to cry as the gel has clogged the pores from doing so.
He stiffens before giving wispy cooing while gripping me in a tight hold. "No, no you are not a pet, yoi…"
"Is that what you thought when you first picked me up?" The question startles him, I can tell by the way arms tremble and he gives low cooing. "You wanted me to keep Sabo company…"
"As a being, as a friend once we got you comfortable…" Marco fills in, worry lingering as he presses face to my head with ragged coos. "Becoming lovers had been the best thing to happen… We love you so much, yoi. I'm sorry everyone on this planet treats humans differently." A choked noise leaves me while trembling, throat tightened as I let out sob noises even though I can't cry. "Ace… please don't let them get to you…"
"I wasn't wanted on Earth a-and it just feels the same…" I cough while shaking as I feel heavy and Marco is moving to pick me up to keep me close. I'm afraid to grasp around him, confused on if I should even be more than just a pet. If I should even be treated so kindly as they have. Nothing will ever change outside these walls or if someone were to come within.
The creaking brings my attention that we are in the nest and he gets me bundled into blankets. I still shake as he gets me comfortable and I let out more sobs. The fact that he starts to coax with 'I love you' feathered in only brings the ache. Treating me like a lover is too much of a risk and society would never be kind to the fact. It's not worth the risk… I'm not worth it…
-o-o-o-o-
I have no clue when I had fallen asleep, but I was woken later by hushed talking and the tightening around my abdomen. Ears twitch to start listening more to realize it is Vista that is speaking with Marco the most. Nuzzles begin to the top of my head and I begin to notice that I am pulled into a body. Knowing by the soft growls and tail over my waist, Sabo gives huffs with fingers brushing through my hair.
"It's assault," Sabo says lowly with anger in his tone and keeping a grip to me.
"The best I can do is damage to property, you know how the system is." Vista speaks, a light whistle to his tone caused by the hair over his mouth area. "They are ridiculous when it comes to humans…" The comments have me realize that they were talking about what was done to me. When mulling over the fact, it makes me tense as I was property and not a being, making it feel worse to my aching heart.
"Sshh, Ace…" Sabo whispering lowly while gripping around me with soft growls.
"I want him charged with anything you can, Vista. He's done enough damage to our household, not just physically, yoi." Marco gives a slight screech to his tone of displeasure, creaking noises and shifting near my feet.
"I will do what I can," Vista mentions as I hear the clack of his hooves along the floor.
"It's okay, baby…" Sabo whispers with an airy whine, tone turning to a gravelling of worry. "I love you so much…"
"But you shouldn't…" I whimper, huddling more with hands to my chest and I hear a gravelling from Sabo. Marco is creaking through the nest to come onto the other side of me.
"We can love whoever, no one will stop us from loving you." Marco starts as I feel feathers lining along my side and I tremble.
"I ha-have to wear a collar, I have to a-act like a pet, I am a pet and always will be…" The words leave me with broken sobs, feeling as my eyes are able to let out tears, probably staining the bandages.
"No, shh, please baby…" Sabo is rattling with choked noises and trying to nuzzle to my head as best as he can.
"I'm just… j-just a pet…" Sobs wrack my body, not able to stop as the feeling fills me.
It was such a nice thought to be something more, not just a piece of trash in my last world and not a pet in this world. I would never be anything higher, a lowly being that is scarred and use to abuse. I wonder sometimes if it had been better to become a fighter, to never let myself bow down, so I could feel something else than this pain. The pain of wanting love as an actual lover, only for it to be thrown in my face several times that I would never reach that.
Maybe I was never supposed to.
-o-o-o-o-
I could tell they were affected by my sudden mood change, always huddling and finding areas to squeeze into so I could cry. The vet actually had someone come check on me, yanking my head forward and gripping chin tightly. The orders to open eyes, I wanted to cry even harder as they mentioned of possibly needing another round of the gel if the redness didn't clear up. Though, I knew the redness in my eyes was from crying.
When the creature had left, I tucked away into a cabinet to tremble with quiet sobs. Marco and Sabo tried coaxing me out, but it was useless as I didn't budge. The words of love and baby brought a heavy ache, just wanting them to realize. Just realize how much I wasn't worth having as a lover and to go back to the thought of company for Sabo. That was what I was originally here for, and it should have stayed that way. If it did, then I would never had fell in love with them. Would have never wanted so much of that love they returned.
"Baby, you need to eat…" Sabo tries as I am curled under the extra room bed near the wall. My back is to him as I don't respond, staying in my spot as the ache is blossoming.
"N-not hungry…" I whisper hoarsely.
"Ace, please…" Sabo lets the plea linger, a soft airy whine lingering as I can tell he was hurt over my isolation.
It didn't help that I heard his editor, Koala, come by to scold him for not giving anything more. This, of course, led to Sabo growling that he had more important things to worry about. When he said my name, Koala mentioned that pets do that sometimes, and I had cried again. Sabo had scolded her and actually admitted that I was their lover. Koala had been quiet, seeming to process it all before asking if he was insane. This started an argument that had Koala leaving and not talking to him until he was more sane about his choices.
Clacking is heard before it stops by the door, "I changed his paperwork, yoi." I hear Marco start, confusion leaving me on what he is talking about.
"Did it go through?" Sabo asks softly, sounding worried.
"Vista found a judge who did… Ace is no longer a pet." The words surprised me, stiffening at the fact they went through the trouble of getting my status changed.
"R-Really?! This… we need to celebrate!" Small scraps are to the ground and I hear huffing under the bed. "Ace, come on, baby. Come look at your document! It's got an approval seal and everything!" The mentioning has me slowly move to be on my stomach and gazing over to Sabo as he is grinning wide with excitement. Curiosity lingers in me, slowly scooting before reaching closer and he helps me out from under the bed. I am brought into arms and Marco comes over with a smile. A paper rests in his hands while he crouches and holds out the paper towards me. I carefully grab to it and notice the highlight over the circled word Free Being and a signature at the bottom and everything related to pet is gone. I swallowed thickly as I noticed the pressed seal and quiver as I can't believe it. Fresh new tears linger as I pull it to my chest with and give small laughs with sniffling.
"I'm… I can be…"
"You have always been our lover, Ace." Marco mentions and I meet his gaze with blurry vision. His hand moves, claw scrapping as he wipes tears away and giving a soft smile. "We want you to be happy…"
"We dropped the charges on that one creature," Sabo continues and I lean more into him. "Only because it would have held off the approval of status change." A huff lingers before a soft growl happens as nuzzles are to my head. "We wanted you to be free as soon as possible." The whisper has me nuzzle up into him while holding out a hand to let Marco grab.
"Thank you… Th-thank you so much…" I say, the last part coming out hoarse as I was so happy and wanting to cry again, but this time of joy.