“...Utie, there’s someone at the door for you!”

The sound of the home’s voice wakes me up, too tired to actually put together the context. Something smells really good, too. I’d try to catch some more sleep, but the outside door opens and I hear my name being shouted by two terrans- My friends!!

I climb out of the heavy collection of blankets, I don’t remember Amaryllis ever bringing them – but but but friends!! They’re here! I tumble off the bed, but the floor finds my face before my feet, but I just roll back up and sprint to the living room, tripping over one of the end tables.

Jennifer, who’s Unwaver is actually a bit shorter than me, but her attitude makes up the difference by a lot looks like she winces at me for tripping so hard into the soft carpet! Oh! Her hair’s shorter, pretty dark blonde stuff!

Annie’s already stumbling to me, she’s RattleBattle – AND HAS SOME KIND OF TAIL WITH A RATTLE ON IT, plus some little fangs in her grin! She’s the tallest out of all of us, and her hair’s a pretty black and almost matching Jennies in length!

She’s got some kind of smug energy while she helps me up, and Jennifer is almost looming over us even though she’s shorter.

“Your affini read our dms.” Jenny says while folding her arms in her baggy hoodie.

I was about to defend myself, but Amaryllis cuts in while working on some kind of seasoned meat substitute. “She did warn you that she was talking on a ‘Data-miner’. You also wouldn’t be here right now if I didn’t.”

Annie can’t stop laughing at the two as they go at it, sitting on the floor next to me, her tail’s swishing and making some kind of rattling noise! I join a little less enthusiastically, and just try to watch the two tops of the room fight it out.

“You affini don’t respect privacy at all, do you?? You break into her house, declare she’s your pet and then ‘gently’ brainwash the fuck out of her!”

I’m cuddling with Annie while Amaryllis sets the cooked plant-beef on a big plate, and starts grating some cheese over it!

“Mhm, just like how you demanded you let Enya clean her old hab for her. Enya, sweetie. Did I brainwash you?”

Oh no, I was being pulled into this. I hide my face into Annie’s shoulder, getting laughed at because I’m really cute! Wait a second, that isn’t right. I hold my arm up and my thumb and index finger just a little bit apart, getting an annoyed growl from Jennie and more hugs from Annie.

“You literally did! Stealing a girl from her home because it’s messy isn’t ethical!”

Jennifer shouts, finally making her way to us for hugs! Hugs!! Me and Annie both give her an arm, gluing us into a super gay cuddle pile! Amaryllis ‘awws’ at us because we’re super cute while bringing a giant plate of NACHOS!! I’ve seen those in algorithm movies that my parents loved, but I’m going to be having actual nachos!!! She sets the plate on a tray in front of us, even getting Jennie’s attention.

“Now, now, little one. We don’t value independence at the cost of self harm. Now dig in, it’s early and I’m sure you’re all hungry!”

Annie doesn’t even hesitate, sandwiching some of the cheese and plant meat with some round chips and cheese, I go for the next one! Amaryllis pets all three of us, getting a growl from Jennie before the giant lady goes back to her couch to read. Jennifer just whispers after, “Annie, you consented to being enslaved, but Enya didn’t!”

Jennie gets a poke in the face from Annie, “M’ not a slave. I’ve been learning to carve and have fun doing some contract play with my mistress!”

I stay quiet while the two bicker, just happy to be close to my two friends again! My brain catches the word mistress, and it bounces around in my empty adorable head with pictures of Amaryllis. They’ve always fought since before the invasion, mostly about politics on whether ‘unconditional trust and sharing’ is better, or ‘rebuilding trust with contracts’ is better. Some of the contracts Annie drafted don’t look too crazy, but Jennie says it ‘reduces the value of trust’. Now they fight over our evil overlords, it really doesn’t feel like anything has changed.

“I don’t know, sounds like you’re projecting to me.”

Annie says while taking another scoop of nacho, I have no idea what she’s implying there, but Jennie doesn’t like that answer one bit! Amaryllis talks over her while she tries to rebut that,

“Enya absolutely has seed ‘electricity’, as you say.”

All three of us are stunned into silence by the affini absolutely mangling an expression worse than me and Annie ever could! Jennie speaks up first, getting Annie to laugh more.

“Do.. You mean ‘Energy’?”

The poor girl sounds so defeated, so me and Annie trade our hugs in to give her a bigger one! Nice, melty best friend.

“Mmm, maybe. Tomato Tomato.” She says the fruit the exact same way twice, “Now, ‘Unwave’, you’re always more than welcome to visit our home but I’m going to put my horse down here. No feralist ideology in my hab. Enya is incredibly submissive and I don’t want your poor behavior to rub off on her.”

Annie’s laughing hard enough to almost choke, gasping for breath between her giggles. She raises a hand and tries to utter out, “M drug, please..!”

Amaryllis gives off an ethereally predatory giggle and gets up off of the couch, asking the hab to compile some Class-M’s.

“Sure thing, Miss!”

Less than ten seconds later, my affini pokes Annie with an injector, and her laughter – AND movement stops all at once. All she has is a blank smile, her eyes glossy and completely unfocused.

“What did you DO to her?”

Jennifer shouts, releasing me to hug Annie and tries to shield her further.

“I gave her what she asked for. Annie sent me a private message before coming here that she likes using Class-M’s to solve her problems. They’re short acting, so you’ll have her back soon.”

The affini shrugs before sitting back down with her book, but smiles and watches us instead.

Me and Jennie lean Annie against a night stand and just stare at the girl. Her eyes are incredibly glossy, her smile is like a doll’s vacant expression. She’s the stillest we’ve ever seen her, aside from her breathing. Jennie whispers to me while holding an arm around me, and I lean my head into her shoulder.

“I’m really scared about you. Ever since Annie’s become a floret, she’s been changing so much. And here you are, in an affini’s house, living just like a floret. Taking their drugs, letting them play with your head. Are you seriously going through with this too?”

She almost sounds sad, or maybe mad. I think about the last day and a half while my eyes drift to the floor. Being abducted, dragged around and handled like a small, clingy animal. Amaryllis has been so condescending to me, and every other human I’ve seen around her. I almost feel validated by having everyone else talked to and looked at the way most humans have looked at me when I mention I’m autistic. Some kind of sick strange pleasure, where everyone else is made to feel like they’ve made me.

“I don’t know.. She hasn’t even given me much of a choice.. The affini haven’t given anyone a choice.. If she keeps treating me like this, it might just be easier to fall. Everything’s made me feel helpless my entire life, but.. They don’t act like helplessness is bad..”

I let out a really big sigh and slowly turn back to Jennifer, an expression of shock plastered on her face. I hope I didn’t say anything wrong. Jennifer stays quiet until Annie begins to move again, stumbling onto both of us for more hugs! Hugs!!

“Giiirls!” Annie slurs while her hug her back, still half limp, “What were you talking abouut?”

Me and Jennie both look back at eachother, then turn away. Jennie speaks first,

“Trying to convince Enya to not become a floret..” She chokes out, before Annie drops her back onto my lap. Laying down on me, Annie drunkenly points at me,

“So it’s fair that I try to convince you!”

Annie giggles again, and Jennifer gives a big frown before speaking, “If you both become florets, what am I supposed to do??”

“Become a floret toooo, do J-kitty dates, get lots of cuddles!” Most of the glossiness is gone from Annie’s eyes, but before I can say anything, Jennie squeals.

“I am not doing one of those human cat cafe drugs!”

While the other two bicker, I peek over at Amaryllis with a bit of a blush, but notice she’s been staring at Jennie really hard, her rhythm beating from across the room like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.

***

We spend the next few hours playfully bickering between each other until noon, my friends leaving to go work on the mutual aid center. Amaryllis fed me after, and now we’re back on the couch being lazy and touchy to each other. I’ve used way too many words today, so I’ve got the data-pad stuffed in my affini’s vines for easy access. Even though she’s never been more than a few steps away, her addicting biorhythm hits different when I’m surrounded in it, filling a hole of belonging that I never knew I had.

Some of the stuff Annie and Jennie said are bouncing around in my head, creating those ‘why’ questions that I was trained to stop asking early in my childhood. I try to organize my thoughts, but after the third time my train of thought derails, I give up and try to type some unrefined questions.

“Why do you like me so much?”

Amaryllis looks down at the datapad and gives me a gentle, patient smile, curling me deeper into her chest vines.

“Because, little one. You’re incredibly adorable, energetic and need help. You’re one of the most submissive terrans I’ve ever laid eyes on, and I love toying with adorable minds like your own. If I didn’t take you as a ward, another affini would have.”

I’m left stunned after being showered in an absurd mixture of compliments, condescension and maybe flirting?? I know I’m blushing for sure, but can’t hide my face because I need that for the data-pad typing..! Unfair world! After about a minute of fumbling letters, I finally hold up Amaryllis’ data-pad again.

“Why do affini like submissiveness so much? The Accord mocked and ‘rewarded’ the behavior with propaganda, it never felt good compared to it coming from you.”

Oh no, that was way too forward. Her body rumbles around me, and it feels like her rhythm might consume my entire being again. The scariest part is the urge to let it..

“Oh, sweety. I’m so sorry about how the Accord hurt you.. They can never hurt you for being yourself again. “ There’s a long pause while she rubs my head, and all I can do is knead myself into it! “When sophonts submit, we have a huge urge to pick them up, cuddle them and take care of every need they have. We evolved as caretakers and couldn’t reproduce without pollinators before we had the ability to move without that drive. It’s part of why florets are so important to us.”

I find another pit inside of me, like a piece of me choking for daring to resist the affini. If she’s being honest, that could mean I’m hurting her. Tears run down my cheeks while I hug the plant as tight as I can, earning another predatory rumble from them. All of her behavior is retroactively assigned meaning, all the empathy I would have felt for her hitting at once. She’s right, I am going to end up as her floret..

***