Petal was okay with the idea of more or less controlling her body, but there was still something so relaxing about being fed like this. She didn't need to think about anything, she didn't need to think about how to move, or how much of what to try to load onto the spoon, she could just sit back and let her Mistress do all the thinking, so she could just focus on how good it tasted, which was, admittedly, somehow, so much better than what she'd get out of the compiler.

Delphinium definitely seemed to be enjoying the process, too, every sound of contentment, enjoyment and delight that Petal made provoked a faint echo of excitement from Delphinium. Maybe one of the reasons the Affini liked to keep florets was for the opportunity to vicariously enjoy the simplest pleasures of life, while still being so totally above it all themselves. If any species, any culture, deserved to be proud, to be vainglorious, to be arrogant, it was the Affini, and they definitely acted like they knew it. 

So maybe their florets gave them the opportunity to properly indulge in the hedonism they provided for everybody else, guilt free, and without any risk to their perfect self-image. If anything, it would just reinforce it. Having an adorable floret or two calling you perfect certainly couldn't hurt the ego.

Petal reaches a hand out towards her affini, and it's quickly engulfed in vines, gently, lovingly squeezing her. The vines slide further up her arm, encasing it once more in a latticework of flowers and vines. This time, Delphinium seems content to let Petal move it herself, so she brings it closer to her eyes to marvel at the way her arm is so lovingly encased. 

It doesn't exactly look like a human arm, anymore. She almost looks like some kind of nature spirit, although the affini have been around for long enough that anybody would recognise it as their handiwork. They'd recognise Petal as an affini's handiwork. So far gone to the plants you couldn't even consider her to be human anymore. Yeah. That's a nice thought. Lost in the weeds.

Petal lets out a short giggle, and freezes. That… that sounded so wrong, in such the right way. Petal turns her attention back to Delphinium's face. She's done feeding her, and is just watching Petal with a faint smile. "Something amusing, my dear?" Petal pauses, then nods. A moment later, Petal taps her throat, and tries to put on a questioning expression. How long is she going to need to be quiet for, anyway?

"Hmmm." Petal can feel the vibrations of Delphinium's hum through the vines ensconcing her arm. It feels warm, and tingly, and so, so wonderful! "Very well, my dear, you may talk, but gently, okay? No shouting, no raising your voice. And if it starts to hurt, you are to stop. Understood?"

Petal nods. "Yes, Mistress." Her voice is… soft. Not just because she's being a good girl and doing what she's told, but because her voice has been changed. Made better. Made to be what it could have been, what it should have been. "Thank you, Mistress." 

Petal can already feel herself falling in love with her voice, and, somehow, finding some deeper depth of love for her Mistress. She hadn't even realised there was further to fall, but now she's starting to suspect that there's simply no limit to how much she'll love Delphinium. No matter how all-encompassing her love becomes, her Mistress will always find a way to help her grow it even further. 

"I love you, Mistress. More than I think I'll ever be able to understand."

"Don't worry, my love." Petal's arm is pulled forwards by the vines it's wrapped in, and her Mistress brings her head forwards to kiss her on the back of the palm. "You don't need to understand, you just need to be~."

"I, um… yes, Mistress." Petal is blushing. Melting for her Mistress. She's just about come to terms with the fact that being lovingly belittled is… kinda incredibly hot, but it's so comforting too. Just knowing that it's okay for her to not be able to do stuff, because her Mistress is there. 

Delphinium shouldn't have to, though. It's not fair. Petal is not such a burden. Except she is, obviously. She always has been. It's a fact more fundamental to her than her name, her identity, than anything. The biggest constant of Petal's life: she's a burden. 

Petal shifts her attention back to Delphinium. She looks concerned. Burdened by the responsibilities of caring for Petal. "Mistress, I…" I'm sorry? That's just crying for attention. Petal looks away. "... Nevermind" 

Petal feels a jumble of emotions bearing down on her from her Mistress. Love, compassion, concern, sympathy, there's even some anger, although Petal knows, somehow, that it's not directed at her. She isn't even the slightest bit annoyed at her floret.

"It's not fair, Mistress."

"I never promised it would be, my dear. But tell me, what is it that's so unfair this time?"

"You… you have to be in charge of everything, and it's not fair. You should get to relax, too! You shouldn't have to make all the decisions. You shouldn't have to deal with how big a burden I am!"

"No." Delphinium's voice is clear, serious. Petal could almost swear she could feel those two simple letters rattling around in her brain. "I'm afraid that you are, quite simply, wrong."

"B-bu-" A vine to her lips quickly silences Petal. 

"I do not, in fact, have to be in charge of everything. I can delegate to you exactly as much as I wish to at any time, not to mention Millie, or my friends who would be more than willing to step in to help me if I needed it, or if you needed it for that matter. 

"You are right that I should get to relax, but you seem to be under the unfortunate misapprehension that my caring for you is not deeply relaxing and satisfying to me. Feeding you, bathing you, clothing, and caring, and doing absolutely everything I can for you brings me joy, and satisfaction, and, yes, relaxation. 

"And no, I shouldn't have to deal with all of the decisions, or whatever degree of burden you are. And I don't have to. I choose to. I want to. It's such a huge part of what it means for you to be mine, and you becoming mine has just made me want you to be mine even more. I want to be the one who gets to make your decisions for you. I want to be the one who gets to care for your every need and desire. I love you, my dearest, darling Petal, and you are far too deep in my vines to do anything about it."

The vine pulls away from Petal's lips. That was totally unfair, too. Just… sitting there, and casually dismantling Petal's concerns. It's too good to be true. The Affini always have been. What if Delphinium realises that Petal is actually too much, after all. And now She's stuck with Petal. If Petal is too much for Her, then She'll be stuck caring for her, and there's nothing She'll be able to do about it. Or is there?

"What if I'm too much?"

"Petal, my dearest, you could never-"

"But what if I am?!" Dirt! She's supposed to be keeping her voice down. And she just interrupted her Mistress. 

Petal feels Delphinium's vines spread up her arm, and across her body, until she's completely wrapped up in her Mistress, held firmly in place. She's being held tightly enough to almost be painful, and her Mistress has caught her gaze in an intense, predatory gaze of her own. Petal can't look away, and when she hears her Mistress's voice, it comes from all around her. "If you ever are too much, my dearest, darling Petal, then I will simply reduce you until you are not~."

Fuck. Fuck fuck fucking fuckity fuck fuck. "Thank you, Mistress."

The intensity evaporates in an instant, as Petal is pulled in towards her Mistress's body. "You're very welcome, my love. Now, the class-As in the syrup should well and truly be kicking in by now, so it's time for cuddles!"