He smirked. “Well, I think you’re going to give in.”

I grinned playfully back at him. “What makes you so sure?”

“Would you like me to tell you?”

“Yes.”

“Will you say please?”

“Hmm…”

His face turned serious, and I meeped out loud. “I will not be telling you anything if you will not ask politely.”

“Please, my liege, tell me why you think I’m going to give in.”

“That’s right.” He started to pet my head. “I’ll tell you in a little while. You can be patient, can’t you, my dear?”

“Yes, my liege.”

“That’s right. So agreeable you are tonight.” I started to object, but he petted my head again, and I quieted. “So polite and agreeable, because you know that you can’t make me tell you how I know you’re going to give in, but you can ask politely and listen patiently and intently and relax as you patiently wait to hear what I have to say to you as you relax into the soft pets you can feel on your calm, warm, drifting head that starts to sink onto my hand, that’s right, and now down, all the way down, adjusting your body to be more comfortable as you rest your head in my lap now so you can keep listening calm and comfy and safe.” I blinked slowly, wondering when I had laid down. Another pet soothed me, and I stayed there, content to listen. “So you want to know how I know you’ll give in, so you’re listening calm and comfortable for me to tell you, and as you wait so patiently and listen carefully to every word I’m using to calm your mind, you’re just going to take a deep breath in for me and stop trying to keep your eyes open as I snap my fingers and you,” he snapped. “Drop. That’s right. Very good.”

He petted my head, and I kept listening with my eyes closed. I had given in, but I still wanted to hear how he had known I would. “Mm?” I started to ask, but he petted my head again, and I was just too cozy to want to speak.

“I knew that if you listened, I could talk you down. And I knew you would listen, because while I treasure your playfulness, and your obedience, and your politeness, what gets you every time is your…curiosity.”