FSE

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With thanks to Frogsy of ADISC

Chapter I As told by Milo

It was a rainy Thursday evening at the end of August. I had just had dinner and I booted up my laptop. While the screen was still black, I looked at my somewhat vague reflection in the screen. Besides from looking a little scruffy from the rain I had walked through previously, I concluded that my fur did not need brushing yet.

Not that I needed to brush often anyway. Being a Hare Indian Dog, my body does not require very much attention. Apparently, my species economized on maintenance. Too bad we economized on color as well, having to settle with only black and white.

I have lost track of the amount of times people mistook my for an arctic feline at the first sight. Given, my fur pattern does look like that of a tiger without orange stripes, but I see that like soda pop without carbonic acid. It is not a big deal and one tends to learn to live with it.

With a couple of quick moves, I typed in my password and entered the desktop of my operating system. Before going for some gaming, I decided to log onto PuppyNet first. My membership at that website is one of the few things I consider myself ashamed of.

PuppyNet is an online community of which most members are canines, hence the word 'puppy' in the title. However, the common denominator is not species, but... let me phrase it as a form of 'personal preference'. You see, the members of PuppyNet are all, to varying degrees, people that like to pretend they are younger than they actually are and indulge in childish acts like playing with toys for kids.

For the majority of the members, it goes beyond playing with toys. They also use items like pacifiers and baby bottles, and most have a stuffed animal they hold dear. Last, but not least, there are a lot of members that wear diapers as a part of the role they play.

The last category of people are usually referred to as 'babyfurs' and I am one of them myself. After I started wetting the bed at age ten, I grew to like the comfort and security the diapers gave me and I gradually explored some other props. For instance, I share my bed with a plush shark that measures over two feet long. I can still not explain it completely why I like to pretend being a puppy, although I suspect it has something to do with the comfort, peace and relief of stress it brings me.

Most topics on PuppyNet discuss people's interest and favorite brands of stuff they use, like plushies, pacifiers and diapers. Other talk about the playtime activities they partake in and there are some articles about 'how to keep being a babyfur hidden from your parents', along with instructions regarding the inevitable 'what to do if you get caught'.

Personally, I am mostly interested in people showing off their plushies, threads about new shows for kids and the introduction thread. I find it interesting to discover how new members found PuppyNet, especially those with a different reason than my own.

My experience was somewhat unexpected, to say the least. I stumbled upon a PuppyNet thread when I was looking for a good brand of canine incontinence diapers to protect myself and my bed from regular bedwetting.

One thing led to another and I became a member of the community as an unofficial greeter to new members. Greeters are basically ordinary members that help newbies to quickly find their way around on PuppyNet.

Since I had appointed a gaming session with a few people I knew online, I restricted myself to going through the introduction thread. There was only one new member, by the name of PrincessFluffyTail. Shrugging my shoulders, I clicked the link and started reading.

Hey everyone!

I'm Princess Fluffy Tail, a twenty years old BMD from the north coast that's more like three or four inside. I study graphical arts and culture and I enjoy drawing, playing the violin and cuddling with my sheep plushie Pam. She's a girl, just like me ;)

I discovered PuppyNet by accident, actually. Don't know how I got here exactly, but after going through some threads, I liked this place.

While I'm at it, I live in an apartment building for students and there are five other girls on my floor. Now the only way to play puppy without my roommates finding out is to lock my door. I don't want them to find my bottle or my pacifier, or even Pam, but regularly locking my door when I'm in my room seems suspicious to me.

How can I deal with this?

A situation and a question I had seen a couple of times before. Most members needed to hide being a babyfur from whoever they live with. Parents, siblings, roommates - some even their significant other.

Heya Princess Fluffy Tail and welcome to PuppyNet!

I'm Monochromicon, one of our site's greeters. Nice to see that you like this place. Feel free to browse around through the topics.

I suggest you'd read the "Welcome to PuppyNet" article which you can find a hotlink for in the toolbar. It shows you our basic rules and some guidelines for posting messages and images.

Places I recommend for you are the review articles and the Plushie Showoff thread. You might also want to look around in Girl Talk, which contains a couple of topics only female members can access and participate in.

About your question: you indeed might want to keep your door locked when you're using your bottle or pacifier during daytime. The best solution, in my opinion, is to just sleep with your pacifier. That way, you'll get to enjoy it for a long time without having to be afraid that anyone will enter your room, assuming that your roommates won't enter your room at night and uninvited.

Regarding your plushie, I think you can just let her sit on your covers or pillow during the day. Since you're a girl, you can easily pass it off as a cutesy thing or a something you got as a gift from a loved one.

If you have any questions, you can drop me a message ;)

'It's appears like a nice girl, but a typical newbie', I said to myself. For a short while, I wondered what the abbreviation "BMD" might mean, but in the end, it did not matter. Interesting that she was studying somewhere on the north coast, though, as I myself lived there, too.

After hitting the Enter key, I stood up to get my shark plushie from my bedroom. That's the benefit of playing real-time strategy games: they grant you a moment to cuddle your plushie every now and then.

Back in the small living room, sat down at my laptop again and closed my browser to make way for a voice chat application - and Spies and Settlers II, of course. During the rest of the evening, I quickly forgot about PrincessFluffyTail again.

Chapter II

As told by Nina

It was a rainy Thursday evening at the end of August. I had just had dinner and booted up my laptop. While the screen was still black, I looked at my somewhat vague reflection in the screen, concluding that my fur could use some brushing.

The login screen appeared and I entered my password. As my desktop loaded, I remembered that I had posted an introduction on PuppyNet, an online community I had stumbled upon the other day. My curiosity was sparked and I hoped someone had replied to my question.

A few days ago, I had moved out from my parents' place to an apartment building for students near the north coast. My parents live near the west coast of the country and it would take me close to three hours to get to the university buildings if I had stayed with them.

The first week had been a little strange, as I have always lived with my parents. Instead, I share the living room, kitchen and bathroom with five other girls. On the first sight, we appear to get along just fine, although I suspect them to freak out if they find out about my little secret. Emphasis on 'little'.

You see, I share my room with my stuffed sheep Pam and I do not want any of the girls to find her. Furthermore, I like to sleep with a pacifier in my mouth and I enjoy drinking from a puppy bottle every now and then. Not the kinds of activities one would expect from Bernese Mountain Dog at age twenty.

While browsing the web in search of an adult-sized bottle, I stumbled upon PuppyNet. It surprised me that there were a lot of other people just like me, who enjoyed activities associated with puppies.

A majority of them call themselves 'babyfur', but I do not identify with that. Given, I prefer to sleep with a pacifier and I will have a hard time actually falling asleep without Pam, but such behavior is also valid for a child that is no longer a puppy. Details, I guess.

I logged in to my PuppyNet account and saw the notification that someone had responded to my introduction. Without hesitation, I clicked the hotlink and read the message. The person that had written the response called himself "Monochromicon", which I found an unusual name.

His message was short, but clear and very useful. Reassuring, even. He was right, I should not worry about other girls my age finding a cute stuffed sheep. A guy would have a significant problem if one of his buddies would find a stuffed animal in his bedroom, I reckoned.

Merely out of interest, I clicked Monochromicon's name to get some more information about him. His profile showed that he was a twenty-one years old male and lived near the north coast, just like me. He had listed his species as "Canine - Private", which meant he was a canine, but did not want to reveal what exact species. Other profiles I had seen showed people not mentioning their species at all, probably because they wanted to protect their secret.

At 'Interests' he had noted reading, acting and playing Spies and Settlers II. I figured that would be some video game. As for myself, I am not much of a gamer. I enjoy games, but I do not play as much as most guys do.

His favorite show noted 'Roundup Adventures', a kids show I had seen a few episodes of and enjoyed, but never took time to watch more of it. Although I did not expect him to have filed anything under 'Occupation', I read "Studying Theatre Sciences". All in all, enough interesting information to drop him a message.

Hey Monochromicon!

Thanks for your advice, it's really helpful. If you didn't notice yet, I'm not just new to PuppyNet, but to the whole babyfur thing as well, I guess.

I noticed on your profile that you study Theatre Sciences and that you live near the north coast. Well, I happen to live there as well, but I study Graphical Arts and Culture at Northshore University. Could it be that you study there as well?

Huggles,

PrincessFluffyTail

P.S.: Why did you put your species on canine, but on private as well? Just curious ;)

After hitting the Enter key, I stood up to get Pam from her hiding place in my closet. That's the benefit of being a girl, if Monochromicon was correct. I could just pass her off as a cutesy thing or a gift from a loved one.

I spent the rest of the evening working on a digital drawing one of my online contacts had ordered, while listening to one of my favorite orchestral suites. At around eleven, I shut my computer down and undressed to brush my fur. When I was content, I traded my daytime clothes for my pajamas.

From a small locked box in one of my desk drawers, I then took my pink butterfly-shaped pacifier and sneaked it with me to the bathroom, careful to listen if anyone else was there. I was lucky, as the most of the other girls had gone to bed already, leaving the bathroom for me alone.

After brushing my teeth, I cleaned the teat of my pacifier under the water tap and quickly returned to my room. Once there, held the front of the puppy soother towards my desk lamp to charge the glow-in-the-dark front.

With the light off, I blindly found my way to my bed and crawled under the covers. Pulling Pam close, I suckled on my pacifier and let out a contended sigh. Something told me my new life was going to be good. I wondered if Monochromicon was one of my fellow students for a while, but I ultimately fell asleep.

Chapter III

As told by Nina

Two days passed before I got a message back from Monochromicon. Upon seeing the notification, I became curious to what he had written back.

Heya PrincessFluffyTail,

Don't worry about being a bit of a newbie. You'll get the hang of it soon enough around here and there are plenty of nice people that will answer most of your questions.

As of my study, I indeed attend the Northshore University. I'm in the last year of my study, so I'm almost done! We might actually run into each other without even knowing. Classes start next week, so who knows?

Just kidding. The chances of you and me actually ending up in the same classroom are not very high, as I am a year older than you and we do not attend the same courses, right?

Oh, and as of my species: I'm a dog, but there's not that many of my race around here, so I prefer not to mention that. It's my share of being paranoid, I guess. However, since you asked nicely: I'm a Hare Indian Dog. Look it up on the net if you really think you can find me ;)

Hugs,

Monochromicon

He was right. The chances of actually getting to meet him were very low. Northshore University has thousands of students each year. Against all odds, I decided to look up Monochromicon's species on the net.

There was not that much information, aside that it is a rare species and originated from the eastern overseas continent. Judging by the statistics on height, weight and shape, Monochromicon was probably my size or a bit bigger.

Unfortunately, the article lacked actual photos. There were a few sketches that showed the structures of the jaw and how the feet connected to the legs, along with one doodle-esque picture of the markings on the fur.

From all the information I gathered, it was clear why Monochromicon had not put his exact species on his profile. Hare Indians are less than a tenth of a percent of the population, making him really easy to spot should one generally know where he lives.

Another two mornings later. Monday hit me like a straight-line Tetris block that clears away four rows at the same time. I have always at a love-hate relationship with the first day of the week, one that is to be summarized as "hate it when it starts, love it when it's over".

To start this Monday's mess, I missed the bus from my room to the university building. Busses depart every ten minutes, so I was still able to make it if I ran my legs off, which I did. With my tongue dangling from my mouth, I ran the short distance between the university building and the bus stop where I had gotten off.

Although I must have looked like an idiot, my efforts had yielded fruit. The professor was just about to close the door to start his lecture when he noticed me and let me in. While the professor walked to the front of the class, I tried to catch my breath and quietly made my way to a seat on the back row.

The lecture itself was rather introductory, dealing with some basic guidelines and what subjects the professor would cover. The course was called "Graphical imagery in film" and was supposed to be mainly about "the imaginative of the visual", which sounded a bit mysterious at first.

He also explained what skills and knowledge we would be taught and expected to have internalized for the exam. The professor then started the actual lecture, talking about the recent history of film. Before I knew, the one hundred minutes had passes and the lecture was over.

While the students around me got up and packed their belongings, I noticed a guy on the front row of the class. Apparently, he was finishing something up on his laptop, since he was not getting ready to leave yet. What struck me the most was the pattern of his fur, which was black on white.

Could it be? Was this young man a Hare Indian Dog? I ripped a piece of paper from my notebook and grabbed a pen.

If the nickname "Monochromicon" rings any bells, please send me an email at [email protected]

I folded the piece of paper in half, put in my hand and put my notebook on top of it. With my bag over my shoulder, I walked to the front row. Near the professor, I halted, pretending to wait for my turn to ask him a question as he was talking to another student.

After a short while, I put my notebook down on the empty lectern next to the black-and-white furred guy, whom was now getting ready to leave. Just as he lifted his bag, the professor was done talking to the other student and turned to me.

Since I had actually been listening to the conversation, I told him that my question was already answered in his conversation with the other student. He greeted me and I picked up my notebook from the empty lectern, leaving the piece of paper behind.

With my heart pounding in my chest, I quickly left the classroom, hoping that I would not make a fool of myself by fishing at the wrong guy. As I walked to the bus stop, I started doubting myself. What if that guy was no Hare Indian? I had never seen one before and I had deliberately avoided eye contact.

"You shouldn't have done this, Nina," I whispered to myself.

When I got home, I dumped my bag at my desk and flopped down on my bed, grabbing Pam and hugging her close. Why did I always feel so insecure when it came to things like this? And why was it so much easier to talk to guys on the net?

Chapter IV

As told by Milo

The first Monday of the new academic year started out nice and easy. I was one of the first people to enter the classroom. Being late is one of the things that really annoy me, therefore I always try my best to be present a little earlier than needed.

Furthermore, the earlier one enters a classroom, the better the seats one can pick. That principle does not really pay off to me, since I usually sit on the front row and most students tend to avoid the front row like a feral dog with rabies. But, on with the show.

In contrast to the previous years I had spent on Northshore University, this season started with a subsidiary course. Since I have an interest in the visual aspects in both theatre and film, I decided to enroll in "Graphical Imagery in Film". Not a part of my major, which provided another explanation why I would probably be the only person on the front row.

The first lecture was more of the same pseudo-relevant information each student is confronted with at the start of a course. Professors discuss the content of their course, what they expect and what assignments should be handed in physically or digitally.

What caught my attention is that we were expected to watch or visit a theatre play and watch a movie of the same story, then gauge the differences and write an article about that. Having studied theatre for the past two years, this was probably going to be an easy course for me.

My mind wandered off somewhere halfway the lecture. The professor, an energetic lynx in his mid-thirties rambled on about some theatre play that was iconic to whatever he was going to discuss in the next lecture. The play itself was familiar to me; I had seen it for a different course a year prior.

To make a long story short, I more or less unwittingly decided to do anything but pay attention by playing some Spades on my laptop. Of course, I made sure to look at the professor every now and then and typed some lines in an email to make it look like I was actually listening.

Somewhere along the line, time must have decided to run with an acceptable speed again as the professor announced that the lecture was over. I was nearly finished with my game of Spades, so I decided to finish the round while I was at it.

Meanwhile, the professor got involved in a conversation with a fellow student. As the classroom emptied itself, the noise of students packing their belongings grew dumb. The only thing left was the conversation in front of me between the professor, a feline student and a female dog that was waiting for her turn.

In short, my time to finish the round was running out, but I was done anyway. With a faint smile, I shut down my laptop and put it in my bag. Against my expectations, I had finished the game in the same round, leaving my three opponents in the dust on the hardest level.

As I put the power supply for my laptop in my bag, I noticed a piece of paper, folded in half, on the lectern next to me. I took it and unfolded it, expecting it to contain notes from a fellow student. Instead of anything related to theatre, the note was more of a personal message, written in a typical female handwriting.

The message stunned me for a split second, but I came to my senses soon enough to not make it draw attention. I greeted the professor as I left the classroom and made a little haste. Maybe whoever left the note was waiting for me to leave the classroom.

I ran into nobody special on my way to the bicycle storage. Before I unlocked my bike, I read the note again with even more disbelief than the previous time.

If the nickname "Monochromicon" rings any bells, please send me an email at [email protected]

It did not matter. The same feeling crept up my spine as the first time. Someone had found out about my secret and was trying to trick me. Whoever it was knew that I use "Monochromicon" as my nickname on PuppyNet, as I do not use it anywhere else.

Furthermore, the email address read Princess FluffyTail, the girl that had recently become a member of the community. Another confirmation of my suspicions. I was found out, my cover was blown and someone was trying to make the most of it by making me believe he or she is a nice girl of my age and main species.

I shook my head and put the note in my pocket, unlocking the bike lock with the other hand. On the short trip to my apartment, I could not stop thinking about the note. The most reasonable explanation was that someone had found out my secret and maybe even wanted to expose me.

On the other paw, there was a lot of coincidence as well. The usernames, the same university, the course was a main course for Graphical Arts and Culture, the handwriting was female - and only my grandparents knew what courses I had enrolled myself in.

Still, even the thought of someone wanting to expose my secret filled me with anxiety. I started pedaling faster, thinking of nothing but reaching my apartment so I could hide myself from the big bad world.

Within what could have been a record time, I reached the bicycle storage in the basement of the apartment building I live in. A few fast moves and my bike was parked and locked, leaving me to run up the stairs to the fourth floor.

Once inside, I gently dropped my backpack, took off my shoes and hastened to my bedroom. There, on the right pillow of my big bed, a two foot long stuffed shark awaited my embrace. I flopped down on my back, grabbed my plushy friend and hugged it tight.

"You know, Sharra, I just hope this isn't some sort of a sick joke."

Of course, the shark did not respond.

Chapter V

As told by Nina

Monochromicon did not send an email on the same day I had passed the note to my fellow student, contrary to my expectations. I went to the university with a feeling of dejection the next day. On Tuesdays, I attended a course called New History of Impressionism where I did not run into the same dog.

The idea of attending subsidiary courses was familiar to me, so I wrote him off as someone following a different major. When I got home, a little tired from the lecture, I plumped down at my desk and booted up my laptop.

Just as I supposed that it would be too good to be true, the toolbar on my desktop showed a notification. I knew that the white envelope in the blue circle meant that I had new mail, so I eagerly clicked on the icon. A message popped up.

From: Monochromicon <[email protected]>

Date: August 30, 19:51

Subject: Note

To: <[email protected]>

Heya Princess,

Is this real? Did you leave a note on the lectern next to me yesterday? Could it really be that we are closer to each other than possibly any other two members of PuppyNet?

You know what, let's meet somewhere tomorrow after class, just to get to know each other a little. From experience, I can tell that some people you meet online are quite different when you physically run into them.

Do you know where "The Setting Sun" is? It's a teahouse somewhere downtown that I've been to a couple of times before. I have a lecture at 13:00 tomorrow, so let's say... 15:30?

I'll be waiting for you on the first floor until 16:00. If you don't show up, I take it that you've changed your mind and rather keep your identity a secret.

Hope to meet you soon,

Monochromicon

Butterflies filled my stomach as I read the message. It really was Monochromicon and he wanted to meet with me! I navigated to a topographical website for a map of Northshore. Soon, I had found the location of "The Setting Sun". The teahouse was fairly close to the university building.

That night, I went to bed with glee. Hugging Pam, I thought about Monochromicon as I suckled on my pacifier. Chances are I fell asleep with a smile on my face, having forgotten about the tension I felt the other day.

The next morning, I woke in a happy daze. I tried my best to pay attention to the class I had that morning, but as time passed on, I noticed that my thoughts kept derailing towards the mysterious Hare Indian in the front row.

At twelve thirty, my lecture was over and I headed outside to have lunch in the park nearby the university. As I ate, I was not really paying any attention to the nature around me. All my thoughts were with Monochromicon.

After lunch, I went back to the university to do some homework in the library. Fortunately, I became engrossed in my literature that the Hare Indian faded into the background of my mind. The article about our national prized impressionistic paintings was interesting, but it was hard enough to keep up with anyway.

When I had finished reading the second article, I checked my phone to see the time. It read 15:37, which startled me. Monochromicon was at "The Setting Sun" and I was making him wait. I quickly packed my belongings and made my way out of the library.

Once outside, I took a short moment to refresh my memory and remember the route. My photographic memory did not let me down and I was able to find my way to the teahouse with ease. The outside of the establishment was not too special, but the interior of the teahouse looked cozy.

I greeted the barista as I walked in. Remembering that Monochromicon would be waiting for me on the first floor, I ascended the stairs. A quick glance through the room taught me that there was only one guest on the entire floor.

Sitting at a small square table near one of the tall windows, a dog with white fur and black markings stared out of the window. No doubt, this was him. My heart started beating faster as I sneaked towards him, trying to make as little sound as possible.

When I was right behind him, he still did not notice me. Either he had seen me in the reflection of the window and he pretended not to see or smell me, or he was in thought and really did not notice me. With a swift move, I covered his eyes with my hands.

He yelped, so I clearly startled him.

"Guess who?" I whispered in his ear.

"Princess?"

Chuckling, I removed my hands and he turned around.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come," he said relieved.

"Sorry. I kind of forgot the time when I was doing homework."

"It's okay. Oh, where are my manners. My name is Milo."

He offered his hand.

"I'm Nina," I replied as we shook hands.

"Let's order something to drink before we continue," he suggested as I sat down across the table.

Milo pressed a small green button on the wall near the table. I tilted my head with incomprehension.

"That's for the personnel," he explained, "so they know we want to order. It saves us a walk up and down the stairs and it keeps the place organized. Not that we'd bump into anyone at this time of the day."

We waited in silence until a waitress came to take our order. Milo chose tea with orange and honey, while I went with a plain cup of tea. A few minutes later, the waitress brought the cups to our table.

"So, would you like to tell me something about yourself?" Milo opened with a smile, "and why don't you start with explaining what 'BMD' stands for?"

"It stands for Bernese Mountain Dog, silly. Anyway, I'm from the west coast, originally. My parents still live there and so does my brother. You probably read my hobbies and interest on my PuppyNet profile, correct?"

He nodded and I sipped from my teacup.

"Well, I was born in a few towns over. My grandparents still live there and I occasionally visit them, but I spend most of the time in my apartment at the edge of the downtown area."

"Grandparents? What about your actual parents?"

His ears drooped and he put his mug down.

"They... my parents died in a car accident when I was ten years old. My grandparents have taken care of me until I moved out to study here."

Honestly, I did not see that coming.

"I'm so sorry for your loss. Do you miss them much?"

"Some days more than others. There's a reason why I don't like my birthday," he said with a grimace, "but I manage. I'd had a bad time when I hit puberty, but it all sorted itself out when that was over."

"But still, I imagine it hurts."

"Yush. The death of my parents is actually closely connected to how I got involved with PuppyNet."

"How so?"

He took a big, slow sip from his mug. I figured he was trying to find words, or attempting to overcome his tension.

"Shortly after the burial, I started wetting my bed. I'd woke up on wet sheets nearly every morning for a full week. That's when my grandmother had enough of it and got me some cloth diapers to prevent further damage to my mattress."

"Is that how you started to like diapers?"

"Not yet," he smiled, "my grandmother started with cloth, because that is what she knew from when my mother was a puppy. I hated the diapers as they were uncomfortable, even though they kept my bed dry. She quickly got tired of the additional laundry, though."

He drank from his mug again.

"We went to the pharmacy and gathered some information on disposable diapers. Even as a ten-year-old, I was quite a heavy wetter. The pharmacy assistant gave us a few samples, which I tried during the week that followed. The only brand I felt truly comfortable with was K9Care."

"And why do you like disposables better than cloth?"

"Disposables are way more convenient. That, and the cloth diapers came with plastic pants that felt itchy."

"Do you mind having to wear diapers each night? I suppose you'd get tired of it once in a while?"

"I sure do, but when I wake up the next morning in a dry bed and a diaper I certainly needed, I'm all of a sudden not so tired of it anymore," he replied with a faint smile, "the diapers give me the security of waking up in a dry bed. Since my parents are gone, security is what I've been looking for, I guess."

I emptied my teacup in one last sip.

"But enough about me," Milo continued, "tell me about yourself."

"I already did, didn't I?"

He leaned closer.

"Actually, I meant to ask you about your little self."

"Oh," I replied, looking down at the table.

"Take your time, I don't have a train to catch or anything," Milo replied as he sat back again.

"Um, as you have read in my introduction on PuppyNet, I'm kind of new to the whole babyfur thing. I don't even know if I'm really an actual babyfur. I have slept with a plushie for as long as I can remember, though."

"Semantics," he said with an indifferent gesture.

"Maybe you're right, but besides my pacifier, my bottle and Pam, there's not really much I indulge in."

"Is there a specific reason for that? Lack of privacy I suppose?"

I nodded.

"Well, if you'd like, I have an apartment of my own. You could always spend an afternoon or an evening at my place for, um... let's call it 'playtime'."

"Sounds good, but I don't know if I've got enough courage for that. We've only just met and I'm really scared someone else will find out."

He snickered.

"To be honest, when I got your note, I actually thought you were someone that had found out my secret, playing a trick on me to expose it."

"That's okay. You know what? You appear to be a bit more comfortable and experienced with the whole babyfur thing. Why don't we have playtime at your apartment to try it out? You'll be the puppy and I'll take care of you. Would you like that?"

Milo produced a broad smile and wagged his tail.

"I'd take that as a yes. You know, I might even bottle feed you," I added with a wink.

"I'm looking forward to that, even though I'm kinda scared to show you my puppy side."

"You'll be okay, I promise. I've babysat actual puppies for close to three years, so I know a little bit about taking care of little ones."

"Well, you never know if you don't go, I guess."

I nodded and took my phone out of my pocket to check the time.

"Milo, I'm really enjoying myself, but I need to go now. It's my turn to cook dinner for my roommates tonight and I'll have to buy groceries for that."

"Is okay, the drinks are on me."

"Thanks," I said as I stood up, "see you Friday in the classroom."

"Buh-bye!" he replied as waved his paw.

Chapter VI

As told by Milo

Nina and I had agreed to have playtime at my apartment in the near future. To match words with deeds, we made an appointment for Wednesday. We both had no lectures on Thursday, so there was no hurry to finish homework for the next day to jeopardize our playtime.

During the lectures for Graphical Imagery in Film, Nina sat next to me on the front row. It was nice to have someone sit beside me after having spent so much time alone. Even though we had known each other for a few days, it seemed to click between the mountain dog and me.

She made me feel like I was home, a feeling that had been lost in the past for eight years. Something about her reminded me of the scarce memories I had of my mother. It had been a long time since they'd died, but there were a few things I hoped I would never forget.

Wednesday closed in, but each day seemed to pass slower than the previous. Finally, the time had come. We had agreed that we would both go home first to do some homework. Nina would buy groceries and cook dinner, allowing me to regress at my own pace.

Although we did not plan exactly what we would do after dinner, I had some toys lying around, as well as a few movies for kids. Besides, since Nina had experience in babysitting, I trusted that she knew well enough how to entertain a puppy.

At around five o'clock, I decided to put on a diaper for playtime. After all, I did not know whether Nina would be comfortable with doing such intimate things with me. On the other paw, I was insecure about my own state as well, expecting myself to melt in embarrassment if she would see my private parts.

I went to my bedroom and took my toy box from under the bed, taking out the changing mat and a diaper. The drill was familiar to me; I had learned to diaper myself before I turned twelve. Mostly because my grandmother and I agreed that I was already old and independent enough to take care of myself, but I also wanted to unburden her. Even though I appreciated the privacy, I also missed the moments of tender care my grandmother shared with me.

Within two minutes, I had put the diaper on and put the changing mat back in the toy box. My green cargo pants were good enough for playtime, but I thought it best to change my more formal shirt for a childlike cartoonish one. The t-shirt was printed with a portrait of Kody, the black Labrador from Roundup Adventures.

My stomach felt weird as I thought about the upcoming evening. I would be having my first playtime ever with someone watching me all the time. Furthermore, Nina was going to see me in my puppy state, something I had not even showed my grandparents.

Instinctively, I dropped down on my bed and turned over to Sharra. Hugging him close, I laid there for a while, petting the shark plushie and savoring his softness. That is, until I got interrupted by the sound of my ringtone.

I put Sharra back where he belonged and paced to my living room to pick up my cell phone, which I had left on the table. The display showed Nina's name and number.

"Hiya Nina, are you nearly here?"

"Hey Milo. Listen closely. I want you to hang up the phone and turn it off, as you won't need it tonight. After that, you open your front door, okay?"

"Okies!" I responded playfully.

Like a good puppy should, I did as Nina asked me. After I had turned my phone off, I went to the front door and opened it. She stood there waiting for me, carrying a backpack and a plastic bag.

"Come in, I've been waiting for you!" I invited.

"Is your phone off?"

I nodded. "Why the pressure?"

"Well, I suppose nothing would ruin the mood more than a random phone call when you're a puppy," she responded as she came in.

Closing the door behind her, I wondered what she had brought in her backpack.

"Makes sense."

"Nice shirt by the way. Although Kody is not my favorite. I like Hania the most."

"The dragoness? But she's so shy. What do you like about her?"

Nina shrugged as she put her plastic bag with groceries on the sideboard in the kitchen.

"I guess I can relate to her. Anyway, first things first. You got the looks of a puppy, but I'm missing something. Can you guess?"

"Dunno." I replied, tilting my head.

She put her hands in her sides. "Your plushie, silly. Go get it."

I toddled to my bedroom and grabbed Sharra from my bed. Loosely cuddling with him, I went back to the living room. Nina had unpacked her groceries and was sorting out what utensils she needed when she noticed me.

"Come sit at the table, little one," She instructed.

In newfound curiosity, I complied.

"Close your eyes."

With my hands over my eyes, I heard Nina rummage through her backpack, probably take some things out. The next thing that caught my attention was the flat sound of something landing on the table.

"You can look again."

She had put a coloring book and a box of crayons in front of me.

"Now you be a good puppy and color something nice for me while I fix us something to eat, okay?"

"Okies." I responded and I opened the coloring book.

Since I had finished elementary school, I had hardly used a crayon. The concept of a coloring was of course one I knew, but I could not remember the last time I spent time on one. Nina had made a wise choice. While she was making dinner, she was granting me time and opportunity to wind down and truly regress into my puppy state as far as I wanted.

Soon, I forgot about the time as I was concentrating on coloring a drawing of an elephant. I decided to color with my off hand, so the result would be more childish. During this process, I discovered that coloring inside the lines was a lot harder with my right hand than it was for my left hand.

Somewhere along the line, I was genuinely enjoying coloring with crayons. However, it was not meant to last, as Nina interrupted me.

"Milo, dinner is almost ready. Can you put down your crayons and wash your hands?"

"Aw, okay." I said in my puppy voice.

She put plates and silverware on the table while I washed my hands.

"Show me your hands," she instructed.

I put my hands up and she nodded.

"That's a good puppy. Now have a seat and put your plushie aside."

Nina had cooked a pasta dish with a green sauce. I did not recognize the scent, but my brain told me I was going to like it. She sat down as well and dished up a serving for both of us. I wanted to start eating, but Nina held me back.

"Have you never learned that it is impolite to just dig in?"

I whimpered and looked down, putting my fork back on the table.

"What have we forgotten, little one?"

"Saying thankies?"

Nina nodded.

"Thankies for making food, Nina."

"You're welcome, pup. Now you can dig in."

I picked up my fork, the only silverware Nina had given me, and started to eat. My nose had not betrayed me; the food was indeed tasty. I made a mental note to ask her for the recipe later. Nina smiled at me as I was wolfing down the contents of my plate, using the fork with my off hand. She had cooked plenty, but we still managed to eat it all.

"You ate it all up?"

I showed my empty plate to her.

"Good boy. Do you have room for a dessert?"

I nodded and she stood up. Nina took our plates back to the kitchen and returned with two cupcakes. My nose told me there was vanilla cream in it. She offered one of the cupcakes to me and I wanted to take it, but she refused.

"Not so fast, Milo. You'll have to earn it. Hold up your nose."

I followed her instructions and she put the cupcake on top of my nose.

"Now don't move."

Even though I did my best to balance the cake, it fell of within a few seconds. I whimpered and drooped my ears.

"What's up?"

"I's dropped it."

"That's okay. You did your best and you kept it up longer than I expected. Go ahead, you've deserved a treat."

With a happy squeal, I started chewing at the cake. My nose was right once more; the cupcake was filled with soft vanilla cream. Nina had started eating hers before I ate mine, but I was done sooner than her.

"You really like it, don't you?"

"Yush! Thankies, Nina."

"You're welcome. Now you go do some more coloring, while I clean up the kitchen a little, okay?"

I nodded and picked up the crayons. My right hand continued coloring while I used my left arm to keep Sharra close to me. The coloring was almost done when Nina sat down across the table again.

"I'm done. How about you?"

"Almost," I responded, not looking up.

"That looks good, Milo. Have you been practicing?"

I shook my head, still not bothering to make eye contact.

"And don't worry about not coloring in the lines. You'll learn it eventually."

"Done," I replied putting down my crayon.

"By the way, Milo, aren't you left-handed?"

"Yush, why?"

"You're using your off hand to... wait, you did this on purpose?"

"It's more authentic this way, don't you think?" I responded, dropping my childish voice.

"Makes sense. Well, since you're done coloring, go sit down on the floor."

I got up from my chair and sat down next to the table, keeping Sharra close. Nina was rummaging through her bag and I wondered what she would take out this time. A moment later, she had found the fur brush she was looking for.

"Nina, was I bad?"

Chapter VII

As told by Milo

I got up from my chair and sat down next to the table, keeping Sharra close. Nina was rummaging through her bag and I wondered what she would take out this time. A moment later, she had found the fur brush she was looking for.

"Nina, was I bad?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Cause you's gonna spank me," I replied, hiding behind Sharra as far as he could shield me. My tail was tucked between my legs and my ears folded flat against my head.

"Milo, you've been a good puppy since I came here. I have no reason to punish you, let alone spank you."

"Then what's the bwush for?"

"The brush is for brushing, little one. You look scruffy and I'm going to brush your fur."

"Really?"

"Of course," she replied, reassuringly petting my head, "I could never spank you. When you're bad, I will correct you, but I'm not going to hurt you. I'm sorry to have scared you."

"Is okay's."

"Would you be so kind as to put your arms up?"

I tilted my head and Nina rolled her eyes.

"I cannot brush your fur when you're wearing your shirt, silly. Come on, put your hands up."

With my arms up, she could take my shirt off in one move. Nina put my shirt aside, but then stopped as she noticed something unexpected.

"What's wrong?"

"Maybe _I'm_wrong," she said with a smile, "but I think a certain puppy is wearing a diaper."

I shyly nodded.

"Are you still dry?"

"Yush."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know if you're comfortable with it already."

"Milo, there's nothing down there that I haven't seen before. Just let me know if you need a change, okay?"

"We'll see about that," I responded, not being comfortable about Nina seeing my private parts.

"Fine with me. Now let's get brushing."

"Can I hold Sharra?"

"Your plushie? Of course. I'm starting with your back anyway."

Nina started brushing the fur on my back while I cuddled with Sharra, a combination that was pleasant and relaxing. The stress about Nina possibly wanting to spank me disappeared - although I never truly expected her to do such a thing.

When Nina brushed my arms, I held on to Sharra with the other. The closer she came to finishing brushing my upper body, the more nervous I became. Soon, she would ask me to take off my pants, which meant she would get a full view on my diaper.

"Milo, it's only going to take longer if you're fidgeting like this," she said, proceeding to brush my tail.

I whimpered.

"Something wrong? I didn't pull your tail, did I?"

Still not at ease, I shook my head.

"Don't worry, I know just the thing," Nina reassured.

She put the brush down and walked over to her bag. It took her only a few seconds to find what she was looking for. With a somewhat mischievous smile, she turned back to me with a pink butterfly-shaped pacifier in her hand. There was a mat white oval piece in the front, showing a purple star.

"Maybe this will calm you down a bit. Don't worry, I've sterilized it."

I shook my head.

"Come on, try it. Please?"

"Nah-uh"

"Give me one reason," she dared me, squatting in front of me and pointing the teat of the pacifier at my mouth.

"It's pink," I pouted, "pink is for girls."

She rolled her eyes.

"Milo, we're not going to be grumpy about this, okay? You can't say you don't like something if you've never tried it. Those were Kody's words, by the way."

Checkmate for Nina. I reluctantly agreed and she put the teat in my mouth. She finished up my tail and put my shirt back on. Then, the inevitable instruction to stand up came. Nina reached for the clasp of my cargo pants and undid them. With tender movements, she took them off, taking care to guide my tail out of the tail hole.

"Now I know why you were so nervous," she commented as I sat down again, "you were worried about showing your diaper, right?"

I shyly nodded, burying my face in Sharra's side, which felt different than usual with the pacifier in my mouth. Nina gently scratched me behind my left ear.

"It's okay, little one. You're a puppy and you need a diaper. Besides, like I told you, I've taken care of a couple of other younglings before. There's nothing I haven't seen before."

Having calmed down a bit, I released my tight grip on my faithful shark plushie.

"There you go. Now lay down on your back. It's easier to do your legs that way."

With Sharra on top of my chest, I laid down and let Nina do her thing while I suckled on the pacifier. She started at my upper legs, near the leak guards of the diaper, without touching it. Gradually, she worked her way to my feet. Bothersome how I noticed a growing pressure on my bladder.

"All done!" Nina announced, "now let's get your pants back on."

She helped me sit up and get back on my paws, after which she held up my cargo pants to step in them. Carefully, she threaded my tail through the hole and fastened the clasp in the front.

"That's a lot better, isn't it?"

I nodded.

"How about the pacifier? You like it, don't you?"

Looking down with my tail between my legs, I nodded shyly.

"It'f ftill pink though," I lisped around the teat.

"Boys will be boys, I guess. Let's see. I bet you want to watch Roundup Adventures?"

I took the pacifier out of my mouth.

"Can we, please?"

Nina smiled.

"Sure. Why don't you go pick an episode while I sweep up the mess I made?"

"Okies!"

As she went to find a broom, I got my laptop from where I left it and put it on the coffee table. We were done at about the same time. Patting my paw on the empty spot next to me on the couch, I invited Nina to come and sit. She went to the kitchen first, though.

The door of the fridge flung open and Nina took something out. When she came closer, I noticed that she was carrying a puppy bottle filled with what was probably orange juice from my fridge. To my dismay, the bottle was pink as well. But then again, it was her personal bottle, so it made sense.

"Are you going to pout about the bottle being pink as well, or will you behave and have a nice drink?"

"I'd like a drink."

"Good boy," she replied as she sat down next to me, "now lay back over my lap, okay?"

I turned and laid down, her right arm supporting my upper body. With her free hand, she put the teat of the bottle in my mouth. Although I could not remember the last time I was bottle-fed, it felt like the experience was bringing back some memories of my childhood.

Besides, orange juice had never tasted better in my entire life. Somehow, I felt guilty for not trusting Nina. She was kind, caring and she appeared to like taking care of me. The bottle was swiftly drained, and with a satisfied grin, I let go of the teat.

"All empty, good boy!"

She helped me sit back up and switched the bottle for her pacifier. I then hit the space bar on my laptop and the Roundup Adventures theme song played. We enjoyed an episode about Hania's upcoming birthday, while the other four members of the "troop" were trying to figure out what the dragoness would appreciate as a birthday gift.

However, neither of the four younglings had any solid idea on what a dragon would wish for. To make a longer story short, they eventually got the bright plan to ask Hania's mother about general dragon interests. I had seen such an ending coming, since the show was about interracial harmony after all, but still, I expected the troop to find a present on their own.

Somewhere along the line, the pressure on my bladder became unpleasant. Unfortunately, whenever I tried to let go, my body disagreed with me. Nina was still sitting beside me and for some arbitrary reason, I subconsciously kept myself from wetting.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment. With some concentration, I was finally able to release the flow and relieve myself. Ironic how hard wetting myself proved to be with Nina next to me, while on other occasions, I would have the greatest trouble keeping it in.

At the end of the episode, Nina was idly playing with the fur at the back of my head. I laid back over her lap like I had before, still holding on to Sharra.

"You like this, don't you?"

I nodded.

"That was a rhetorical question, little one. I can tell from your muzzle that you're genuinely enjoying yourself."

"But I do!" I said after taking out the pacifier, "you really seem to know how to take care of a puppy, even though I'm older than your usual charge."

"Thanks. There's more, you know."

"What is it?"

"I can also tell that you need a change. Am I right?"

How embarrassing. I did not expect Nina to pick that up. With Sharra covering my face, I did not respond.

"Milo, there's nothing to be ashamed of. You're a puppy, remember? That's what puppies do."

"Okies..." I replied, hesitantly removing my plushie.

I sat back up and Nina scratched me behind my ear again, until I got on my paws.

"I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" she asked, holding my wrist to prevent me from walking off.

"Changing."

"Little one, look at me. Am I a good caregiver if I neglect to change you?"

"Do you mean..."

"Yush," she interrupted, "I can't leave my puppy in a wet diaper, can I now? You might get a rash!"

"B-but..."

She put the pacifier back in my mouth. "Hush, Milo. No need to be afraid. Or would you rather do it yourself? If you don't dare to, that's okay, I understand."

I shook my head.

"I's want youf to fhange me," I mouthed around the teat.

Nina guided me to my bedroom and asked where I kept my diaper supplies. I signed at the box under my bed and she dug around in it, taking out a package of wipes, a new diaper and my changing mat. Meanwhile, I took my pants and shirt off. She put the light blue plastic mat on my bed and instructed me to sit down on it.

Just before I laid down, Nina undid the tape at the tail hole of my diaper. She then gently pushed my upper body to the bed. It was obvious that she noticed my nervousness, as I was almost squeezing Sharra. Nina did not say a word about it, though.

Instead, she hummed a soothing melody as she proceeded to change my diaper. Out of sole embarrassment, I tried to keep my attention to suckling on the pacifier and hugging Sharra. Of course, I listened to the melody, which was only disturbed by the ripping sounds of the tapes being undone.

With eyes closed, I enjoyed the whole experience, even though I did not dare to look. Nina broke my train of thought when she asked me to lift up. I complied and she threaded the my tail through the hole, after which she tapped my hips.

Assuming that she meant that I was allowed to relax again, I let myself drop onto the fresh diaper. From the fluency of Nina's liberal actions, it was easy to notice that she had done this before. Maybe not on a full-grown dog, but at least, she knew what she was doing. Many PuppyNet members really messed up the first time they put on a diaper for grownups.

Another tap on my hips and an inviting hand told me that Nina was done. She helped me sit up and sat down next to me, on the edge of my bed.

"You see? Nothing to be afraid of," she emphasized, taking her pacifier out of my mouth, "did you enjoy it?"

"It was kinda scary, knowing that you'd see my, you know, my private parts. Apart from that, it was nice to have my diaper changed by someone other than myself for once. Thank you, Nina, that was really kind of you."

She smiled. "You're welcome, pup."

"I'd love to do this again sometime, if that's okay with you."

"Sure! We'll have to see how it works out with our work for school though, but we'll figure something out."

I let go of Sharra and hugged Nina with both arms.

"Thank you, Nina. You've made me feel a way I haven't felt in ten years."

"It was a pleasure. Now, I think it's bedtime for a certain puppy, isn't it?

I nodded and we started to tidy up the few loose ends we had lying around. Within a few minutes, we were done and Nina zipped up her bag.

"See you on Friday in class?"

"Yush. I wanted to say that I'd keep a spot free for you, but that won't be necessary. Everyone thinks the first row is evil anyhow."

Nina chuckled and gave me a hug.

"Goodbye, little one. I've had a good time."

"Me too. See you later!"

The Mountain Dog left my apartment, closing the door behind her. With a more-than-content feeling, I went to my bedroom, where I spent the night sleeping like a puppy - literally.

Chapter VIII

As told by Nina

A couple of weeks passed since Milo and I had our first playtime. We planned a few more evenings to play, which we both enjoyed. He seemed to open up more to me each time we played, like it became easier to get into his puppy mindset.

We were becoming good friends and everything went well, both between the two of us and with our workload for school. That is, until halfway through October. I had to do an assignment for New History of Impressionism with two other students.

One of the students happened to be Margaret, one of my roommates, which I had become good acquaintances with. The third student, however, was one of those annoying people that tend to go with the flow of the other members of the group.

The guy did as little as possible for the assignment, resulting in an increased workload for me and Margaret. Despite doing a three man job with only two students, we nearly managed to complete the assignment. Unfortunately, some complications rose during the last phase, which made us miss the deadline for the classical presentation.

It made me feel both angry and disappointed. To my dismay, Milo and I had agreed upon having playtime that same evening and although I really did not want to let him down, I did not feel quite like it. Therefore, I decided to call it off. I took my phone from my pocket and speed dialed his number.

"Hiya Nina, what's up?"

"A lot, I guess."

"You don't sound too happy. Did your assignment end up worse than you hoped for?"

"We got an average score of fifty-two percent for the paper and the presentation. We didn't manage to properly do the latter, by the way."

"A fifty-two? I'd say you should protest against that. You did most of the assignment with Margaret and the other guy barely even showed his muzzle!"

"That's what I said, but the teacher said that was mostly our fault. We should have mentioned our problems with the other student earlier."

"Sounds harsh. You might want to talk to your mentor about this. I think it's outrageous," he suggested calmly.

"I was planning to, yush."

"Good. Say, what are you actually calling me for?"

"Milo... I'm not really in for playtime tonight," I said with a sigh.

"What? Why not?"

"I don't know. I'm not in the mood, I guess."

He remained silent for a while.

"Nina, listen to me. You're going to grab your puppy stuff and you get over to my apartment. Take your pajamas with you as well, so we can have regular evening if you're truly not up for playtime. It's okay if you stay over tonight."

"I'm not in the mood to play, Milo, and I don't need to-"

"Just do as I asked, please," he interrupted, "it'll be good to put your thoughts somewhere else. Trust me, okay?"

"Fine," I grumbled and I ended the conversation.

Twenty minutes later, I rang the doorbell at his apartment, carrying my backpack over one shoulder. Even though I had initially mentioned not to expect to sleep over, I had decided to take Pam with me nevertheless. After all, I felt crappy enough to long for a cuddle every now and then, and for that purpose, a plushie happens to be more practical than a person.

With a smile, Milo opened his front door and invited me in.

"Good to see you, princess," he said, giving me a hug.

"Kinda is, I guess," I replied, my mind being somewhere else.

"Did you bring your puppy stuff?"

I nodded and I hung up my coat.

"Good girl. Come with me to the living room, dinner is almost ready."

Usually, I would cook whenever we would have playtime. Milo appeared to have anticipated the possibility that we would have a regular evening by cooking dinner himself, but on the other paw, he did verify whether I brought my playtime equipment.

I shrugged it off as irrelevant and sat down at the table. Milo came in from the kitchen with a glass baking dish, still hot from the oven.

"I made you my grandmother's specialty. It's a potato stew with bell peppers and roasted chicken."

Looking down at my plate, I noticed that there was no silverware, save for a fork.

"Thanks for cooking, Milo. I didn't really have the lust for that tonight."

"That's okay, princess," he said as he dished up, "be sure not to eat too fast as it's still hot."

We enjoyed our meal in silence. Every now and then, we made eye contact, during which Milo appeared to have troubles suppressing a grin. When both our plates were cleaned off, I could no longer contain my curiosity.

"What's up, Milo? You've been making faces at me during the entire meal..."

He smiled again.

"It'll sort itself out. Why don't you sit down on the couch while I clean up the kitchen?"

"That's okay, I can help you with-"

"I insist," he interrupted, grabbing a small remote control from his pocket and pressing a button.

The remote was probably for a stereo. Gentle piano music filled the room at a comfortable volume.

"Just sit down, lay down if you will. Close your eyes and relax, I'll take care of everything."

"If you say so," I said and I complied.

Laying on the couch, I listened to the music as my thoughts trailed off. In the background, I noticed the sounds of Milo doing his thing in the kitchen, but I was not paying attention to anything in particular.

My train of thought came to a halt when I suddenly felt Milo's hands on my shoulders. With a tender but stable grip, he started to massage my shoulder muscles. Slowly, I felt myself relax as his fingers worked their magic.

"Thanks," I said after a while, "you've made up for quite a lousy day."

"Satisfied already? There's more, princess. Come with me," he invited.

He walked over to his bedroom and I followed him.

"What exactly are you planning, Milo?" I asked, left in the dark about his true intentions.

The Hare Indian put his hands on my shoulders.

"Nina, you've worked so hard in the past two weeks, and during that phone call, I felt so sorry for you. I don't want to have playtime either tonight."

"Huh? But- "

"Not like we usually do, that is."

"Where are you going with this?" I replied with a stern voice.

"Calm down, princess. Everything will be okay. I have a proposal. Either we're going to spend the evening as two ordinary grownups, or I'm going to take good care of my little doggie princess tonight. I'll leave it to you."

"You want to have playtime... but I'm the puppy?"

He nodded.

"You've taken care of me a few times and I really like it, but I think it's time to return the favor."

"Is that why you've asked me to take my puppy stuff with me?"

"And your pajamas," he grinned.

"Milo, you sneaky pup!" I exclaimed.

"Oh no, not tonight. This time, you get to be little. Just sit down on the bed and I'll be right back."

I did as Milo asked and waited for him to get whatever he needed from my backpack. When he returned, the Indian took his "toy box" from under the bed.

"I warn you, though, I'd like to go all the way with you. Is that okay?"

I nodded and he took a white diaper out of the box, closed the lid and put the container back under the bed again.

"Here, fold it open," he invited, giving the diaper to me.

I accepted the diaper and let it slide through my fingers, feeling the soft plastic cover. The garment was folded in three and while unfolding it, I discovered how large the diaper actually was. Fumbling the inside padding, I enjoyed the softness of my fingers touching the white fabric.

At the back of the diaper were two tapes at each side. In the middle, there was a single tape at the top of a hole that was surrounded by elastic. The tape was already closed and could be adjusted after putting the diaper on, which I expected to be necessary for species with fluffier tails.

"I want to wear it," I said, giving the diaper back to Milo.

He put the unfolded diaper down next to me and proceeded to unbutton my pants. My t-shirt followed soon after, leaving me in just my panties and my top.

"Are you really sure it's okay if I, you know, see your girl parts?" He asked shyly.

I nodded with a smile and Milo gently pulled my panties off with both his hands.

"Lay back on the bed and put the soles of your paws on the edge," Milo instructed, taking the diaper from the bed.

I did like that he asked and he slid the diaper near my buttocks.

"Now lift your bottom so I can get your tail."

Like someone who had obviously put an adult diaper on many times before, Milo gently grabbed my tail and quickly shoved it through the tail hole. He then positioned the diaper under my buttocks.

"Good girl," he said after only a few seconds, "you can lower your bottom again.

Relaxing again, I felt the softness of the padding as my buttocks landed on the diaper. Milo proceeded to fold the front of the diaper between my legs, positioning it snugly against my 'girl parts'. The feeling of the soft fabric made me feel giddy.

Milo carefully pushed my legs slightly apart and started to fasten the lower tapes. As I heard the sound of the tapes being pulled loose to be stuck, it dawned on me that Milo was putting me in the first diaper I had worn in a little over sixteen years.

I looked at the front of my diaper as Milo stuck the fourth tape on the front. The tapes appeared to be positioned with nearly mathematical symmetry and the top edge reached up to just below my belly button. A purple line ran in the middle of the diaper, which was probably the wetness indicator. Near the top, the diaper read 'K9CARE', 'MEDIUM' and '7' in small, bold black letters. I recognized it as the brand, size and absorbency and remembered that K9Care was Milo's favorite brand.

"Let me help you up," Milo said, offering his hand.

As soon as I was sitting again, he reached around my back to check if the tail hole was tight enough.

"Now stay right here and be a good girl. I'll be right back."

I nodded and he left the bedroom. Meanwhile, I hesitantly touched the front of my diaper with my right hand. Groping the soft plastic, I heard it crinkle as my fingers moved over the cover.

"Look what I got here," Milo said with a singsong voice.

Apparently, I was so focused on my diaper that I had not noticed him entering the bedroom again. In his left hand, he carried Pam, which he gave to me. While I hugged her and murred with my eyes closed, I felt something touch my lips.

I peeked and saw that Milo was offering me my pacifier.

"Have you been rummaging through my bag?" I asked, looking up at him.

"It's not like you've got anything in there I'm not allowed to see," He replied matter-of-factly.

My response was limited to snapping at the pacifier, effectively grabbing it from Milo's hand with my mouth.

"You're cute, Nina."

"Fankies," I mouthed around my pacifier.

"Get up please?" he asked, offering his hand.

I took his hand and got off the bed, now fully noticing how the diaper hugged my hips. It felt like all my cares had slid off me at the same moment I stood up, leaving only my childish frame of mind to play with Milo. Partly unwittingly, I was slowly wagging my tail, which I only noticed by the tailhole snugly encasing the end of my spine.

"I can't let my little girl walk around in just her diaper now, can I?" Milo said, holding up my two-piece pajamas.

He first took my pants and 'helped' me step into them, then pulled them up and gently shoved my tail through the loop.

"Now you'll have to let go of Pam for a while and put your hands up, okay?"

"Don't wanna," I pouted, just to see what he would do.

"Come on, Nina, you'll get cold without your pajama top."

"Okies," I gave in, let go of Pam and put my arms up.

Milo reached around my back to undo the clasp of my top. Still trying to respect my bodily privacy more than I really needed him to, he quickly grabbed my pajama top and pulled it over my arms, trying to keep his eyes off my chest as much as possible.

When I eventually had my full pajamas on, I took my pacifier from my mouth and gave him a hug.

"Relax. It's supposed to be fun for you as well, Milo. You're doing really good," I whispered in his ear.

"Thanks," he replied as I grabbed Pam from the bed and put my pacifier back in my mouth.

He led me to the living room. During the walking, my attention was caught by the feeling of my diaper between my legs. Just before I entered the living room, I glanced at the door of the bathroom, realizing that I would probably not need to be in there for the rest of the evening.

Chapter IX

As told by Nina

Milo guided me to the couch and took my bottle from the table. Knowing what was about to come, I repositioned so my side was to his chest. He supported me with one arm at my shoulders and offered the bottle with the other.

Eager to discover what surprise Milo had put in my bottle, I took my pacifier from my mouth and put it on the table. He inserted the nipple in my mouth and I started to suckle slowly. Tasting the first drops, I immediately recognized the fluid as fruit juice that I suspected to contain pineapples.

Still hugging Pam with one arm, I closed my eyes and relaxed as I drained the contents of the bottle.

"I see my puppy is enjoying her bottle," Milo commented.

A few minutes later, the bottle was empty.

"You drank it all up? Good girl!" he praised, petting me on the head.

I sat up and leaned towards Milo, hugging him with my free arm.

"I love pineapples. How did you know?"

"I might have kind-of stalked your profile and posted messages on PuppyNet," he said, looking away with played guilt.

"Is okays," I chuckled and I grabbed my pacifier.

"Want to watch a Roundup Adventure?"

From my vigorous nodding, Milo concluded that I probably did.

While he readied his laptop, I made myself comfortable on the couch, snuggling Pam. Before I knew it, Milo was done and the Roundup Adventure theme song played. We watched a double episode and I was so engrossed that I did not even notice that my bladder was getting full. Apparently, I had been unwittingly squirming as Milo noticed that something was wrong.

"What's up, princess?"

"I's need to go potty," I said after I took my pacifier out.

"You want me to take your diaper off, so you can go potty like a big girl?" he asked, probably uncertain if I wanted to go further than just wearing a diaper.

"Nah-uh, I's want to know how a wet diaper feels, but it won't come out," I pouted.

"Well that's something I can change," He replied with a grin.

Before I knew, he pinned me down on the couch and started to tickle me. Being more ticklish than I could remember, I soon burst into laughter.

"It's getting hard to hold it in, isn't it?"

I was too busy laughing to talk.

"Don't worry, just relax and let it flow. You'll like it, trust me."

A few seconds later, I froze and Milo smiled, proving his trick had... done the trick, so to say. He let me go so I could come round from laughing. I repositioned as I felt a spreading, squishy warmth at the front and bottom of my diaper. A very enjoyable sensation that lasted only about half a minute, unfortunately.

"Uh-oh, I think a certain little doggie had an accident."

"I's a bad girl?" I asked with puppy eyes.

"Of course not," Milo reassured, nuzzling me, "that's why I put the diaper on you in the first place. All little dogs need to wear a diaper, just to keep them dry in case they have an accident. Want me to change you, or do you want to have another bottle first?"

"I'd like a bottle first, please."

While Milo took my bottle to his kitchen for a refill, I laid back on the couch and relaxed. Hugging Pam with one hand and exploring the outside of my freshly wet diaper with the other. Inside, the padding was squishy and still a little warm, but it did not feel wet anymore.

"Are you enjoying yourself, princess?"

I shot up as if Milo had busted me doing something strictly illegal.

"You's startled me."

"I'm sorry," he replied as he sat down next to me, "how about that bottle now, hmm?"

That being an offer I could not refuse, I got up and sat down sideways between Milo's legs like I had before. All the excitement from the show we watched had made me thirsty and my second bottle was drained even faster than the first.

"Take it easy, little girl. I don't want you burping now."

I smiled and slowed down my suckling. The second half of the bottle was gone in almost no time anyhow.

"Who's a good puppy?" he asked.

"Me?" I replied, pointing at my chest and wagging my tail.

"You sure are. How about I change your diaper and we watch one more Roundup Adventure before bedtime?"

"Um, can you change me after the show, please?" I said, mentally scolding myself for dropping out of character.

"It's not healthy for puppies to wear a wet diaper for too long, you know that?"

"But I's like it. Feels all nice and warm."

"All right, we'll watch one more episode, but then I'll take your diaper off and we go night-night, okay?"

"You's da bestest!" I replied in my childish voice, having found my role again.

We both enjoyed the episode of Roundup Adventures. The twenty-three minutes rapidly passed and my bedtime inevitably closed in.

"It's time to go night-night for my little girl," Milo said as he got up.

I whimpered and put up a pouty face.

"Oh no, nothing of that now," he replied and before I knew it, Milo had grabbed me by my shoulders and under my knees, lifting me from the couch. He put me down on his bed and proceeded to get his toy box from its hiding spot. Milo took a package of wipes and the changing mat and dropped it beside me.

"Now let's get this puppy clean," he said, gently pulling my pajama bottoms down.

"Do you need to tinkle some more before I take your diaper off?"

"I's don't know," I replied in all honesty.

"You know what? I'll just put you in a dry diaper so you can sleep without having to worry about any accidents while you are in Dreamland. I know you can do it, but it's just in case, okay?"

We both knew what he actually wanted to know, but I found his way of asking to be quite creative. I nodded in response and Milo started to undo the tapes on the front of my diaper. As it became loose, I noticed that it had become thicker and gained quite some mass.

Remembering Milo's instructions from my first diapering, I put my paws in position and lifted my bottom so he could undo the tape at the tail hole and put the changing mat below my bottom. With a few quick moves, Milo cleaned my private area with a wipe and slid a clean diaper under me.

I relaxed again to let him tape the front up, which he finished surprisingly fast. He helped me sit up and pulled my pajama pants up again. As I crawled under the covers, Milo put the wipes and the mat back in the toy box and took another diaper out. It took me a few seconds to realize that he actually _needed_to wear a diaper at night.

"Good night, princess," he whispered in my ear and he gave me a lick on my muzzle.

I wanted to invite him to sleep next to me, but he put my pacifier in my mouth, which I had apparently forgotten in the living room. He turned the light off, slipped out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him, taking the used diaper with him. Snuggling with Pam, the weariness from all the new experiences hit me and I quickly fell asleep.

Chapter X

As told by Nina

The next morning, the sunlight through the curtains woke me up from a pleasant dream. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was Thursday morning, and that I was lying in Milo's bed. The size of his bed, along with the presence of my pacifier in my mouth and Pam next to me soon pushed me back into my puppy state of mind. In addition, I immediately felt the soft diaper between my legs and at my tail when I turned to my side.

Under the cover, I put my hands under the elastic top of my pajama bottoms, allowing me to feel the outside of my diaper. I spent some time cuddling Pam with one hand and fumbling the soft plastic cover of the diaper until I felt the pressure on my bladder increase.

Unaware, I sat up and got out of bed to pay the toilet a visit. When I got there and had locked the door behind me, it dawned on me that I was wearing a diaper and did not need to be specifically in the bathroom at all.

I turned to the mirror and looked at myself, lifting the top of my pajamas. Only the elastic at the waist of the diaper was showing, the rest of the garment was almost completely hidden by my pajamas. Even my tail showed little a sign of any piece of clothing I was at least sixteen years too old for.

My heart started beating a little faster as I took my pajama bottoms off, giving me full view of my diaper. It had wrinkled a bit during the night, but otherwise, it still looked fine. There was no real question whether I would want to use my diaper. First of all, I needed to pee and I was wearing a diaper anyway.

Second, Milo put it on me because 'his little girl might have an accident in Dreamland'. Last, but not least, it felt like a waste to take the diaper off and go in the toilet. Furthermore, I wondered what it would feel like to let go on purpose. I liked the feeling it yielded the day before, but I was mostly busy laughing and it was Milo who made me wet myself.

With my hands at my groin, I fumbled at the leg elastics of the diaper. Even when I moved the front of my diaper around a little, the elastics made sure that everything would stay in place without creating gaps. I took a deep breath and positioned my legs slightly apart.

Carefully relaxing my bladder, I tried pushing a little as well. It did not go smoothly and neither did it feel natural, although the pressure on my bladder was starting to become uncomfortable. The second attempt went more or less the same; I felt like I locked up whenever I pushed.

Taking another deep breath, I told myself it was okay and did my best to relax. Finally, my body responded and the tension lessened. Slowly, a trickle of urine started to escape. I pushed gently and a strong stream left my bladder, which startled me. A split second later, I squeezed my legs together, stopping said stream again.

Three was not a charm this time, but I at least understood the mechanism. I relaxed, allowing the tension on my bladder to lessen again. When the first trickle came out, I pushed again, less intense than before.

As the trickle became a stream, I felt my bladder empty itself. The warm liquid flowed over the padding of my diaper and ran past my buttocks before being absorbed. The feeling sent shivers down my spine and tingles through my fur.

About a minute later, I assumed that my bladder was empty, since I no longer felt anything flow. What remained was the damp feeling of the padding. I touched the plastic cover again and noticed that the diaper had not only grown warm, it had also become thicker, just like the first time.

I sighed contently, partly because my bladder was empty again, and partly because the diaper had managed to hold everything. On the other paw, it was designed to keep adults dry, even overnight. When I looked down at the front of my diaper, I noticed that it had discolored to a faint yellow in the bottom and that the purple line had almost completely faded where the padding had lost its white color. I smiled and pulled my pajama bottoms up again.

During my walk to the living room, I noticed that the expanding of the diaper forced me to waddle a little. Milo was already awake, and busy setting the table. He had prepared breakfast for the two of us.

"Good morning, princess. Have a good sleep?"

I took the pacifier from my mouth and put it down next to my plate.

"Very good, actually."

"Did you manage to stay dry?" he asked with a teasing connotation.

Pretending to be ashamed, I looked at my feet.

"So you were having too much fun in Dreamland to wake up, huh?"

I shook my head.

"I was a big girl when I woke up, but um... I didn't make it to the potty," I responded in my childish voice.

"Aw, that's okay. Good thing I put you in a diaper after all, don't you agree?

I nodded, still looking down.

"Come, breakfast is waiting for you to eat it."

"But what about-" I started, but Milo interrupted me.

"We'll take care of your diaper after breakfast. Filling your tummy is more important, don't you think?"

"Yush, you's right," I replied with a grin.

"And don't worry about your little accident," Milo said, ruffling the fur on the top of my head, "you're still my princess."

We enjoyed our breakfast, talking about our plans for the upcoming week. Our workload for the university was less than the previous week, so we had enough time to have playtime again. We did not decide who would be the puppy next time, as both of us felt that it would probably sort itself out.

After breakfast, Milo took me to his bedroom to take my diaper off and help me clean up. During this, I told him how much I appreciated that he had taken care of me and that he persisted, even though I initially did not feel like playing with him.

In hindsight, I maybe even needed his attention. If not, I would not mind being his puppy again, as I genuinely enjoyed myself. Milo did not reply when I told him that, but the broad smile on his muzzle and his wagging tail gave away that he was just as eager to have playtime again as I was.

Chapter XI

As told by Milo

It was on the Wednesday of the third week of October, the cruelest of all months. I got a phone call just after my class; my grandmother told me that I had to go to the Northshore hospital immediately. She did not need to tell me what it was about, as I already knew what was up.

My grandfather's health had become worse during the last couple of years. For a dog in his early eighties, this was not uncommon, but his decline happened rapidly. Through all this, he remained generally the same loving and upbeat person, even though his mobility decreased.

I pedaled as fast as I could, riding to the hospital on my bike. Once there, I parked it in the storage near the entrance and hastened inside. There was a petite tigress at the reception, who greeted me with a smile. She did not even give me a chance to tell whom or what I came for; my species gave away my goals. The tigress directed me to the third floor.

At the third floor, I noticed a sign that read 'intensive care'. It then occurred to me that whatever happened to my grandfather must have been serious. I knocked on the door of the room I was told they put him in and entered.

My grandfather was lying in a hospital bed, rigged up to various machines. One of them measured his heart rate and blood pressure; the rest of the screens were abracadabra to me. At the head of the bed, my grandmother sat on a wooden chair, holding my grandfather's hand.

"I'm here, granny. What happened?"

She turned to me. Her face showed irrepressible worry and signs that she had been crying.

"He's had a heart attack."

"Is he...?" I started, but I could not get the words out of my muzzle.

"I can still hear you, pup," my grandfather said with a weak voice. He spoke slow, but he appeared to be coherent and awake enough. I walked over to the head of the bed on the side and stood next to my grandmother.

"Gramps, you okay?" I asked, not mentioning him calling me 'pup' even though I was no longer his foster child.

"What does it look like, kid? Well, I've seen bad before. I'm afraid I won't see any worse, though."

"You're not going to... you're not leaving us, are you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from trembling.

"Milo, I'm eighty-three. How long do they plan on keeping me here?"

I shrugged.

"I've had a good life, kid. A long, happy marriage with a wife that I love more than anything in this world. I've had two kids, and even though I had to bury one of them, I have no regrets about the time I spent with them."

He coughed a few times.

"My heart has endured a failure before, but I won't be that lucky this time around."

"But gramps, you can't just leave us, can you?"

"Listen to me, kid. I've lived, laughed, cried, admired, enjoyed... I've done all I wanted. I'm tired, but content. Life has given me opportunities and I have taken some chances. At the end of the day, happiness is something you cannot chase. You cannot put it in a jar or keep it for tomorrow. We can only remind ourselves what it is. Throughout my life, I've done what I can to be happy about myself and my life. Keep that in mind, pup."

"Innes, after all these years,' My grandmother then spoke up with a faint smile, "you always said that you would never leave me."

"It appears a man cannot keep all his promises, darling."

He firmly grabbed my hand.

"Milo, I'll have to go. This body is frail, it won't be able to take me much further. Can you do something for me, son?"

"Anything you want, gramps," I responded with determination.

"When you've found happiness with a girl, don't let her go. There's something inside all of us that tells us when we've met the person we will spend the rest of our lives with. Trust your instincts."

I nodded and my grandfather turned to his wife.

"Here we are, Trisha. When I put that golden ring on your finger, I knew that a day like this would eventually come, although for your sake, I hoped you were in my place. Can you go on without me?"

My grandmother sighed.

"In days good and bad, in health and illness," she started.

"in joy and grief, and until death will part us," they said in unison.

"That's what we agreed upon when we had our bonding, Innes. I wouldn't be wearing that golden ring if I weren't prepared to act on it."

"I believe you, Trisha. Don't worry, you won't have to live without me very long. Something tells me we will be reunited within time."

"We will, and I know you will wait for me."

He turned back to me.

"Son, since I cannot keep my promise, will you take care of your grandmother when I'm gone? Call her, visit her or whatever, but make her feel like she's not alone, will you?"

"I promise, gramps. You've taken good care of me after mom and dad died and I will repay the favor."

"Good puppy," he said, and he closed his eyes.

The monitor next to his bed showed that his heart rate dropped, until the organ finally ceased to work. It felt like hours, but in fact, it took less than a minute for him to pass away. As a persistent beep accompanied the flat line on the heart rate monitor, I heard my grandmother starting to cry.

We embraced each other and cried, while a nurse came in to check upon my grandfather. After a while, the equipment was turned off and she left us alone with our grief.

"I'm going to miss him, granny," I said through my tears.

"So am I, dear, but we'll have to live without him."

My grandmother appeared to be calm during the situation. I estimated that she had said farewell to my grandfather earlier on. She knew that this moment was closing in anyway, but that did not lighten her grief.

A few minutes later, my aunt and uncle from the south of the country entered the room.

"You're too late, dear," my grandmother said to my aunt, "he just passed away."

Her husband embraced and consoled my aunt while she cried as well. Nobody spoke, until my grandmother noticed the look on my face.

"Milo, are you all right?"

I shook my head. "I think... I guess I need to be alone for a while."

Not waiting for a response, I walked to the door and made my way out of the room. I wanted to get out, get away from a picture I had seen before. Although I had not seen my parents die, I had seen their bodies in the morgue for a last farewell.

Now my grandfather was dead, some of the suppressed memories of my parents started seeping into my mind again. I got on my bike and pedaled as fast as I could, in the vain hope that I could outrun the inevitable grief that was following me around.

Once home, I went to my bedroom, dropped on my bed and clutched Sharra with both hands. Hugging him close, I cried. About my parents, about my grandfather - all the grief about the loss I had endured resurfaced.

A while later, my phone rang. Although I initially felt like there was no need for conversation, I answered the call anyway after I saw that Nina was calling.

"Hiya, how's life?" she said playfully.

"Life is not what I'm thinking about right now," I said with a monotone voice.

"Milo, what's up?" Nina replied with a serious voice.

"I... My grandfather... I just got back from the hospital."

"Is he ill?"

"He just died. He had a heart attack earlier today, which left him unconscious. The hospital personnel kept him alive so he could say goodbye."

"I'm so sorry for your loss, is there anything I can do for you?"

I remained silent for a while.

"Dunno. I want to be alone for a while, but on the other paw, all I think of when I'm alone are my parents and my grandfather. I... I don't know, Nina. I feel so lost."

"Hang on, Milo. I'm coming for you. Is that okay?"

"Yush... I-I think I could use your company tonight."

"Okay, I'll be right there," she said reassuringly, then ended the conversation.

Until Nina rang my doorbell, I just laid there on my bed. Phone in one hand, Sharra in the other. It took three times before I realized that the door would not open itself and that I had to get up to let Nina in.

She greeted me with a smile and hugged me as she stepped in. Her trusty backpack, which I imagined contained her usual puppy stuff, was hanging over her shoulder.

"Nina, I don't think I'm in the mood to-" I started, but she interrupted me with a finger on my muzzle.

"Hush, Milo. You did this for me when I didn't feel like it, now it's time for me to return the favor. First of all, I'd like you to change into your pajamas, or a sleeper if you'd like. Can you do that on your own?"

I nodded.

"Good. Then come back to me. If you need anything, just call me, okay?"

With another nod, I went to my bedroom. In a slow daze, I took off my clothes and dug my favorite lime colored sleeper out of my closet. On the chest, I had sewn an appliqué of the Roundup Adventures troop to make it look more cubby.

Estimating that Nina wanted me to be diapered, I opened my toy box and took a diaper out. Even though it was a routine I had performed hundreds of times before, it took me longer than usual to put a diaper on.

After the last tape was secured, I stepped into my sleeper and zipped it up. With Sharra in one arm, I proceeded to my living room.

"There you are," Nina said gently, "why don't you lay down on the couch for a while?"

I did like she suggested and flopped down on my couch, keeping Sharra on my chest to cuddle with him. Nina went to the kitchen.

"You have a nice sleeper, little one. I wish I had one like that," she said, "are you thirsty?"

"A little."

"Thirsty enough for a bottle of juice?" she replied, now standing next to me again.

I sat up a little to allow her to feed me. While I slowly drained the bottle, Nina petted me on my head and scratched behind my ear. When I had drank all of the juice, she replaced the teat with her pacifier.

"You must be tired, right?"

I nodded slowly.

"Take a little nap, if you like. I'll find some small jobs to do around here."

"Fankieth," I mouthed around the pacifier.

Nina was right, I was tired indeed. The emotions from my grandfather's passing had exhausted me; I fell asleep almost instantly. My sleep was not refreshing, though. Nightmares haunted my mind as I tried to run from the images I saw. Eventually, I woke up.

The pacifier must have fallen from my mouth. Not immediately finding Nina or Sharra around either, I became scared. Was this another bad dream? Had everyone abandoned me? No longer being able to contain myself, I started crying, howling a little every now and then.

"Oh Milo," a gentle voice said, coming closer, "are you okay?"

I recognized the voice. Nina had not abandoned me and I was awake. She helped me sit up and embraced me, doing her best to console me.

"You had a bad dream, I guess?"

I nodded.

"Don't worry, you're awake and I'm here for you."

"Thanks," I said and my voice trailed off.

"Do you have any appetite?"

"What time is it?" I replied, tilting my head.

"It's somewhere around six p.m."

"Did I sleep all the time?"

"You did. Now come with me, we're going to have something to eat, okay?"

"I'm not very hungry right now," I confessed.

"That's okay, just eat until you've had enough. I didn't figure you'd have a great appetite anyway."

Dinner passed both slow and quickly. My train of thought kept derailing, and so did my sense of time. I probably spent the rest of the night on the couch, as I did not have the lust to do anything. Nina was there to check on me every now and then, though.

It had started to rain when she invited me to go to bed. In the bathroom, she helped me brush my teeth. I asked her if she would sleep next to me, which she confirmed.

"Does my puppy need a change before we go to sleep?" she asked after she had changed into her pajamas.

I shrugged and Nina zipped down my sleeper. Her suspicion was confirmed and she started gathering the supplies she would need to change me. I hesitantly laid down on the changing mat, which she had put on my bed.

A few seconds later, a loud noise rumbled through the sky outside. Within a minute, it was followed by a bright flash. Usually, I was not the least bit afraid of thunder, but it made me whimper this time. Nina picked up on my mental state and did what she was good at: calming me down.

With Sharra in my arms and Nina's pacifier in my mouth, she began changing my diaper. Meanwhile, she sang a lullaby for me.

Little child, be not afraid though rain pounds harshly against the glass like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger _I am here tonight

_

Little child, be not afraid though thunder explodes and lightning flash illuminates your tear-stained face I am here tonight

And someday you'll know that nature is so the same rain that draws you near me falls on rivers and land on forests and sand makes the beautiful world that you'll see in the morning

Little child, be not afraid though storm clouds mask your beloved moon and its candlelight beams, still keep pleasant dreams I am here tonight

Little child, be not afraid though wind makes creatures of our trees and their branches to hands, they're not real, understand and I am here tonight

For you know, once even I was a little child, and I was afraid but a gentle someone always came to dry all my tears, trade sweet sleep for fears and to give a kiss goodnight

Well now I am grown and these years have shown that rain's a part of how life goes but it's dark and it's late so I'll hold you and wait 'til your frightened eyes do close and I hope that you'll know...

that nature is so the same rain that draws you near me falls on rivers and land on forests and sand makes the beautiful world that you'll see in the morning everything's fine in the morning the rain'll be gone in the morning but I'll still be here in the morning

(Vienna Teng - Lullaby for a Stormy Night)

During the second half of the song, she had laid down next to me, gently singing while she scratched me behind my ear. Afterwards, she turned the light off and crept in bed next to me. Feeling somewhat relieved, I succumbed to a dreamless sleep.

Chapter XII

As told by Milo

October had come and passed. Fortunately, it lasts only for a month. I had cried over my grandfather and dealt with my grief, but I could not ignore his absence. However, the impact of his death is not as life-changing as it would have been if I still lived with my grandparents.

Besides, I had Nina to console me, which I am very grateful for. She was there for me when I was heartbroken, grieved, and too confused to stand up. In the loss of the man I loved most, she was there to show me that I am not alone.

Lately, I have started to realize that she might be more than a friend to me. I could ask her to be my girlfriend, but what would she say? Would she really want a dog like me? One that is still a puppy, instead of a guy that is all grown-up? Do I even dare to ask her?

It was a Tuesday in late November and I was having lunch in my apartment, occasionally watching small snowflakes fall past the windows. Nina and I both had had an exam that day and the day before, and studying to prepare for said exams had demanded a lot of our time.

Consequently, we had not been able to afford having playtime with each other for the past two weeks. Since we both had our second exam on Tuesday, Nina and I agreed to make up for our lost time, starting that same evening.

She would go shopping with Margaret first; they had agreed to spend some time together in case they both managed to get a good grade and participate in the exam. Even though the third member of their working group had interfered, they had worked hard and convinced the teacher that they would still be able to complete all the required assignments. Eventually, the teacher found their work to be sufficient and they were allowed to partake in the exam.

My train of thought was interrupted by the sound of my ringtone. The display showed an unknown number.

"You've got Milo, talk to me."

"Good afternoon. This is the patient register of the Northshore hospital," a warm, female voice said.

A one-second silence followed, which hit me like a brick. Something was wrong, and there was a good chance I knew what: my grandmother had succumbed to her grief over the loss of her husband.

"Are you Milo Larkin?"

"Yush, why are you calling me?"

"It's about a Bernese Mountain Dog, Nina Phillips. Do you know her?"

"She is a good friend of mine," I said, after I gulped, "what- why are you..." I tried, but I panicked.

"Miss Phillips has been involved in a car accident. She didn't have an ICE number in her cell phone, so we called you first, as you were on her speed dial."

A car accident. Where had I seen that before? Oh, that's right! It's what had cost me both my parents. There was a good reason for me to be hesitant about taking driving lessons. I had had a subliminal grudge against cars ever since the day I had become an orphan.

"Sir, are you still there?" the woman asked.

"Yush, sorry. Is Nina... how is she? Did she-"

"It's okay, mr. Larkin. Miss Phillips is alive and conscious. The car her friend was driving was hit on the driver's side, so she only has a sprained ankle and some bruises. Her nose was bleeding when the medics arrived, but it's not broken."

"Can I talk to her?"

"She is resting at the moment, but you can talk to her. Miss Phillips can walk, but only slowly, and she has to support herself to unburden her left ankle. In addition, the doctor gave her a painkiller that might render her somewhat drowsy. Travelling alone is not a good choice at this moment. In fact, I called you to ask about her home situation. Since she is a bit weak at the moment, it'll be good if she had someone to take care for her."

"As far as I know, Nina lives in an apartment building for students. There are other students on her floor, but-," I started, but another thought came up, "wait, I've got a better idea. I live by myself, and there is room enough for her. We both study, but our first period has just ended, so it won't be a burden in any way to take care of her."

"That would be very generous of you, mr. Larkin. Can you come to pick her up?"

"I'd love to, but I can't drive."

"There is a bus stop very close to the hospital, and I'll try to arrange for our shuttle service to drop you off."

"Thank you, madam. I appreciate that."

"You're welcome. Miss Phillips is on the ground floor in zone twelve, in the eastern wing of the building. Follow the green signs at the main entrance to the reception in the eastern zone. They will tell you in which room Miss Phillips is exactly, and they will also have her personal belongings."

"That's all I had to discuss. Do you have any questions, mr. Larkin?"

"It's all clear to me, thank you. I'll be on my way," I replied and I ended the conversation.

Fortunately, the frequency of the public transit is fairly high at noon. I was able to get on the right bus within a few minutes after I had left my apartment. The trip to the hospital was only ten minutes, which was shorter than I had expected.

Once in the hospital, I quickly found my way to the reception in the eastern wing. The receptionist pointed me towards the room in which Nina was resting, and he gave me her shoulder bag. The room she was in had space for four patients, but she was there alone.

Nina did not appear to be awake when I entered the room. I tried to make a little noise as possible and put her bag down next to the chair at the headboard of the bed. Careful not to hit a possible bruised spot, I gently petted Nina on her head.

"Hey princess, you in there somewhere?" I whispered.

It took her a short while to regain her senses.

"Milo?" she whispered back.

"It's okay, Nina, I'm here."

"Did I drift off? I feel drowsy."

"That's because of the painkiller. Do you remember what happened?"

"I went shopping with Margaret. On the way back, a car failed to brake for a red light at an intersection. The driver probably forgot about the snow, or his brakes failed because of the cold. I don't know. He hit us on the driver's side."

"Margaret... I forgot about her," I said, mentally scolding myself for my insolence, "how is she?"

"A nurse told me that she is unconscious for now. Her left leg is broken, she has a few cracked ribs, her tail is damaged and she lost some blood. She'll get over it, but there is a fair chance she won't be able to attend the first few classes of the next period."

"Glad to hear that it's less intense than I pictured. You know why I dislike cars, don't you?"

"I understand that you don't have a good relationship with a machine that took both your parents," Nina responded with a faint smile.

"Do you think you can walk to the exit? I've already got your bag."

"I think I can, if you support me. I can't put much pressure on my left ankle and crutches are a bit overdone. Y-you didn't look in my bag, did you?"

"No, why?"

"I've got a present in there for a puppy I met a couple of weeks ago. I think it's time I asked him to be more than just my friend."

"Wait, what? I'm not the only one you have playtime with?" I asked in confusion.

"I was talking about you, silly," Nina replied, pretending to punch my arm.

"You want me to be your boyfriend? Really?"

She nodded.

"But I... how can I be a good boyfriend? I'm still a puppy most of the time," I said, more to myself than to her. My ears drooped a bit and I felt my tail tucking itself between my legs.

"That's why I fell in love with you. You're a kind dog, not afraid to be vulnerable and not too proud to say how he feels or talk about his emotions. I've dated a few other guys before, most of them were of a tough race, like Western Shepherds and even a Dobermann, but they didn't appear to have space for the little girl in me."

"So you really want me to be your boyfriend?"

"Milo, you dared to show me your puppy side, something I estimate to be your deepest secret. It could have ruined your life if I had bad intentions. Letting another person in on something so personal takes the courage only a real man has. Both in and out of playtime, you let your true colors shine, and that's why I love you. You dare to be yourself when you're with me, and that freedom is reciprocal. The gift in my bag is for you, if you answer a question first."

"Ask me, Nina. I'd tell you anything."

She smiled.

"Milo, can I be your girlfriend?"

Not the exact question I expected, but it filled me with joy. I embraced her with one hand and gave her a lick on the muzzle. My tail had changed its mind and was wagging freely.

"I'd take that as a 'yush', don't you think?"

I nodded.

"That means the present is for you, but I'd like to wait until we're at your apartment."

"You got me a gift for playtime?" I queried.

"More or less. Now if you would be so kind to support me from the left, we might actually make our way out without getting hurt," she suggested as she sat up.

"Enough hurt already, don't you think?" I replied and put my right arm around Nina, supporting her the best I could.

With some effort, she managed to put her coat on. Her shoes remained unworn, however. Since her ankle was sprained, the doctor had taken Nina's shoes off. The nurse handed them to me in a plastic bag. With Nina's bag over my free shoulder, we slowly made our way to the exit.

Chapter XIII

As told by Nina

On our way to Milo's apartment, we stopped by my room so he could pick up some of my belongings. Along with clothes and pair of pajamas, he also picked up my footed sleeper and all my puppy stuff. Once home, he guided me to his big bed and put a diaper on me. Since I would be drowsy and unable to walk properly, he thought it would be best if I did not have to dash for the toilet.

Dressed up in my sleeper and with Pam by my side, I finally settled down. Sitting on the bed, I leaned against the headboard. He then put my bag next to me and looked at me like a begging feral puppy. I understood that he wanted to see his gift, so I allowed him to rummage through my bag. Eventually, he found what he was eagerly looking for.

At first, he did not understand what I bought him, until he unpacked it. A pacifier with a bright lime-colored shield with a dim white glow-in-the-dark front panel that showed a cartoonish star. The pacifier was sized for an actual toddler, though.

I then told him to look for the cubic carton that was in a side pocket. The carton contained a medical pacifier I had ordered online. Such pacifiers are used by a wide variety of patients, actually. Some use them against snoring or grinding teeth during sleep, while some elderly people use them when they are dizzy and about to fall over. Suckling the pacifier should in that case increase the blood flow to the brain, effectively preventing the user from passing out.

After Milo admired his gift for a while, I explained how he had to take both pacifiers apart, then combine the larger medical teat with the shield and front of the smaller one. It took some trying, but he managed to complete the customization without harming himself or the pacifier.

With his new pacifier in his muzzle, he laid down next to me, looking at me with a broad smile.

"I take you're happy to have your own pacifier?" I asked.

He nodded.

"I got you one with a glow-in-the-dark front, so my little puppy would not have to be afraid of the dark anymore."

"I'sh not afwaid of tfhe dawk," he answered, then took his pacifier out, "not when you're next to me, Nina."

"You're adorable."

"Thankies. By the way, I have a gift for you as well."

"What is it?"

"Something I hold dear, but I want you to have it anyway. I've waited quite a long time, because I wanted to give it to the girl I expect to be at least a good friend of mine. Since you're now officially my girlfriend, I think you qualify," he said, digging through a box on the lowest shelf of his closet.

"Why all the mystery?" I joked.

"Like I said, it's something special to me," he then replied, showing me a black refined leather collar.

The collar looked like it was made for a female. It even had two small - yet significant - rubies near the tag ring. My attention was then drawn to the actual tag on the collar. It read "Emily".

"Milo? What is this?"

"This used to be my mother's collar. I've held it as some sort of keepsake, but I'd love to see you wear it."

"No, no, I can't do that."

"Why not?" he asked with a tilted head, sounding a little disappointed.

"Because it belonged to your mother. She... I can't wear the collar of a dead person, I'm sorry."

His ears drooped.

"But... That's just the reason why I want you to have it. I associate this with my mother, and you're my mommy when I play puppy. You're the closest thing to a mother I have when I'm little, Nina. I know my mother won't come back, but I don't want to hold on to her collar forever. And it's too expensive to just throw away either. Are you sure you don't want to try it?"

I sighed.

"Alright then, I'll try it on," I replied, taking the collar from him.

To my surprise, the collar was very comfortable and it fit me perfectly.

"It matches the black color or your fur. And the rubies really look good on you as well," he praised.

"Are you really okay with this?"

He nodded.

"Fine," I said with a smile, "I'll take it, but I don't want the tag."

"Of course not," Milo replied with a denying hand gesture, "It's merely there because I never bothered to take it off."

I took the collar off and handed it back to Milo. He then removed the tag and put it on his keychain, while my new collar was put on the nightstand.

"If you'd excuse me for a minute, princess, I'll be right back," he said with a grin.

Awaiting his return, I wondered why he had ran off. I heard him doing something in the kitchen, after which he entered the bedroom again, carrying a purple puppy bottle with cartoon prints on them. As I looked closer, I noticed that it had pictures of the Roundup Adventures troop on it. In particular, it showed the lynx - whose name I always forget - and Kody, of which the latter was probably the reason Milo bought the bottle.

"I promised myself I'd buy a puppy bottle if my grade for Graphical Imagery was at least 75 points. I scored 78, so that would suffice, don't you think?"

"Good puppy," I praised.

"The bottle is filled with tropical juice. Your favorite, right?"

I nodded and he sat beside me cross-legged and I knew what was coming. He put his arm around me, supporting my shoulders. With the other hand, he brought the bottle to my mouth. I closed my eyes and suckled the nipple.

There, on his bed, I felt truly happy. Given, I was bruised, sore, and I had experienced a car crash, but I had been lucky. First of all, I had no major injuries, but second and more importantly: I had a sweet, trusty Hare Indian to take care of me until my bruises healed.

Not a single care in the world.

Chapter XIV

As told by Milo

The year was almost over. Not the academic year, of course, we were only halfway, but the solar year. It was a Saturday afternoon and I was preparing dinner for Nina and me. She had had a party with her classmates to celebrate Midwinter on Friday, so therefore we had to wait one day longer to have playtime again.

We agreed to spend the entire weekend playing together to make up for it, though. My classmates did not throw a party, or at least none that I knew of, so I had decided to pay my grandmother a visit. She was doing well, even considering the loss of her husband. I expected her to be down, but she was really lively and looking forward to celebrating Midwinter with my aunt and uncle.

Nina was right on time. I had just finished preparing the food, and everything just needed to simmer for a little while when she rang my doorbell. Her trusty backpack hung over one shoulder, as always, but there was something different this time.

She carried a fairly sized rectangular cardboard box that appeared to contain something of not too much, but yet significant weight, judging by how she carried it with both hands. I let her in and she put the box down in the hallway, then proceeding to shake the light cover of snow from her jacket, headfur and tail.

"What's in the box?" I asked curiously.

"A thank-you gift. It's a gesture of my appreciation for how you took care of me after my car crash. I know it's a bit late, but I ordered it online and it was on backorder," she replied as she took her jacket off.

"That's okay. Can I open it now?"

"Such an impatient puppy. How about we have dinner first?"

"Of course. Take a seat at the dinner table, the food is almost ready.

We enjoyed the food I cooked while talking about the party Nina attended. She then asked about the visit I paid my grandmother. During the conversation, I noticed that Nina explicitly tried to keep her present and our upcoming playtime out of it, while she would usually question me on what her puppy would like to do. After we finished eating and we had cleaned up, she put the box on the table and told me to sit down.

"Milo, before you can open your present, there's something I want discuss. It's about us, about playtime... about the relationship we have."

"You're not going to ask me to bond with you already, are you?" I joked.

"No, no, don't be silly. We'd be going way too fast that way. Actually that is what I wanted to talk about. Don't you think our friendship is a bit odd? It sure started in a strange way, right?"

"I've been thinking about it, yush. I mean, we barely knew each other and we were having playtime already."

"It has crossed my mind as well, but I think the answer is simple, actually. When I found out you probably lived nearby, among a couple of other desirable traits, I thought you would be too good to be true. That's why I could work up the courage to slip you that note; I didn't believe you were real in the first place. When I got home after class that day, I cried and scolded myself for being such an idiot. I could have given myself away to a stranger."

"You did, in fact, as I was a stranger to you," I replied with a smile, "and I've told you before when we first met that I believed you to be a trap as well."

"Still, that doesn't really answer my question. Why are we going this fast and neither of us bats an eye about it?"

"It's something subliminal, I guess. When I first saw you in the Setting Sun, you looked different than I had imagined. Most things I had estimated turned out wrong and in the following weeks, you clearly showed how kind and caring you are."

She petted me on the head with a smile.

"I think I have had a similar experience. You might not have noticed, but I was really anxious to meet you - and I still was at our first playtime. It's just that I've learned to mask my anxiety by directing the attention to something or someone else."

"Still, that doesn't really answer your question," I commented, part chuckling and part grinning.

"All right, you got me. Seriously, though, when you showed me the puppy inside you, I felt like I was at home. You make me feel at ease, like I can just be myself in any way I want, big or little."

There was a short but comfortable silence.

"We both took a great risk, though, don't you think?" I queried.

"Obviously. On the other paw, what's life when you never take a risk? You'll have a boring life, possibly a boring low-end job and you'll probably die alone. My father taught me that life is about the risks, about the answers we seek for the questions that are flung at us. I believe he is right about that."

"Well, maybe not entirely. You see, I once read that it isn't all about the answers, but about why we ask the questions in the first place. The reason why we ask a question is what drives us. Apparently, we were both lonesome and wanted someone to be our companion and our friend. Someone with whom we could share our mother of all secrets."

Another short silence.

"So profound for a little puppy," Nina then said playfully.

"I've been on my own most of the time," I said, continuing in an overly dramatic voice. "One tends to ponder the questions and the meaning of life."

I looked at my girlfriend for two full seconds, after which we both burst into laughter. When we had calmed down again, Nina continued.

"All in all, it's nice that we shared our thoughts on this. We did go a little fast, indeed, but that's because we trust each other so well. I think we both showed that our separate secrets have become one shared secret. Something that belongs to us and will be there for us to enjoy."

"And you're calling me the philosopher here?" I joked, "I do agree with you, though."

"Good. Now we've settled the serious part, I believe it's time for a certain Indian to open his present."

I had taken a knife from the kitchen to cut the packing tape. Nina instructed me to be careful with sharp pointy things as it could damage the contents of the box. Within a few seconds, I had opened the box and stumbled upon a plastic bag.

The bag was printed with a colorful font that read "Poochies for boys", "24 pieces" and "Size 10". When I took it out of the box, I noticed that it was a bag of diapers that looked like those for _actual_puppies, just scaled up to fit an adult. Hence the 'size 10' part, I guess.

A picture on the front of the bag showed a cartoonish model of the diaper. There was only one tape on each side, in contrast to the K9Care diapers I was used to. In addition, there were childish prints all over the outer cover, consisting of cartoonish stars, bones, puppy bottles and paw prints. Furthermore, there were two puppy blue stripes parallel to the leg bands.

"I bought the boys kind, since I know how you dislike pink," Nina commented.

"Pink is okay, but just for you, not for me."

"Do you like it?"

"I guess. We've got the entire weekend to find out!" I replied with enthusiasm.

"Yush, about that... would it be okay for you if we'd both be little tonight?"

"You mean having playtime while we're both puppies?"

Nina nodded.

"Why not, let's try something new," I responded with a playful grin.

Chapter XV

As told by Milo

The Poochies were a little different than the diapers I usually wear. For instance, I was used to a fit with five tapes instead of three, which caused a slightly different fit around my waist. The diapers had stretchy sides, however, so even though the fit was a little looser than the K9Care diapers, they still hugged my body and the base of my tail.

Somehow, the cartoonish Poochies made me feel more like a puppy than I had ever experienced before. I mentioned this to Nina, and she confessed that the feeling was mutual. With Sharra and Pam by our respective sides, we snuggled up to one another and watched a few episodes of Roundup Adventures. Between the episodes, we bottle-fed each other until we were quenched again.

Later that night, Nina suggested that she should brush my fur again, since she thought that "her puppy didn't do that by himself often enough". I pouted a little, but she insisted and told me to sit down on the floor like I had before.

This time, however, I was way less ashamed of my diaper being in full view. When she was done, I grabbed Nina's upper body with one hand and started to tickle her tummy with the other. Of course, she begged for mercy, which I gave her on the condition that she would let me brush her in return.

She agreed, and without bothering to put my sleeper back on, I unzipped hers and helped her get comfortable. Even though Nina still wore a top underneath, which she only took off when she was going to sleep, that did not really cut down my workload.

After all, Nina is a Bernese Mountain Dog, which are known not only for the colors and pattern of their fur, but also because their fur is a little thicker. Therefore, it requires some more dedication to keep it brushed. In addition, her tail would require more work than mine, since hers is significantly fluffier.

Just after I was done, Nina spoke up, ending the comfortable silence that had lasted between us since I started brushing her fur.

"Milo, I fink I's need to go potty," she said in her puppy voice.

"Silly girl," I chuckled. "you's got a diaper on, that's what they's for."

"Okays." She responded playfully.

A few seconds later, a broad smile showed on her muzzle as she let go. While the diaper started to discolor from white to yellow, I noticed a set of blue lines in the form of paw prints had started to appear from the bottom to the top, in the spot where one would expect a wetness indicator on a diaper for little_puppies. It struck me as odd, since those indicators are designed to _fade when the diaper becomes wet.

When Nina was done, five paws had appeared on the front. Two in the bottom, one in the center and two in the top, although the upper two had only marginally appeared. She let out a happy sigh.

"I didn't know that Poochies have a wetness indicator." I commented.

"What do you mean?" she asked and I pointed at the paw prints.

"Oh, I knew that. I read about it when I ordered the diapers. What's the problem?"

"Well, the wetness indicators on pull-ups for actual puppies disappear when they get wet. That's to reward young children as long as they keep their pull-up dry, helping them to become potty trained."

Nina chuckled.

"I see, but Poochies are diapers, not pull-ups. I think they swapped how it works, because this way, Poochies are rewarding babyfurs when they have wet their diaper, helping them to become rather_not_ potty trained. Seeing the paw prints after you've had an 'accident' tells you that it's okay to let go whenever you need or want to, don't you agree?"

"That makes sense," I said, more to myself than to Nina.

"Speaking of letting go... does my little one need to piddle as well?"

I remained silent, too embarrassed to speak.

"You drank a whole bottle more than I did, didn't you?"

I nodded. "But I's don't dare to piddle when you's looking."

Nina gently scratched me behind my right ear.

"Please?" she whispered, "do it for me, okay?"

Looking to my right, I immediately fell for the puppy eyes she gave me.

"Okay's..."

Nina smiled and I closed my eyes. Just as I wanted to let go of holding my bladder, I noticed a light pressure on the front of my diaper. Peeking with my left eye, I saw Nina's paw resting on the crinkly plastic, which made my bladder shut and instinctively drove me back behind Sharra.

"It's okay, little one. I went while you watched, too, remember?"

She was right. I closed my eyes again and tried to relax. After a few seconds, I had started a trickle that soon turned into a steady flow. The familiar sensations of wetness and the padding of my diaper becoming warm and squishy spread through my diaper as it expanded. A good minute passed before I let out a contended sigh. Nina then licked me on the muzzle, making me smile.

"Who piddled his diaper like a good puppy?" she asked.

"I's did," I replied shyly.

"It's okay," Nina replied, petting me on the head, "all little dogs need to wear a diaper, just to keep them dry in case they have an accident."

I chuckled at my own comment coming back to me.

"Although it seems you have bigger accidents than I do."

"Why?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Look at you," Nina replied, pointing at the front of my diaper, "you've managed to make all five paws appear completely."

"Then I's been extra-good, don't ya fink?" I replied with a childish voice.

"That you have. Would my extra-good puppy like a dry diaper before he goes night-night?"

I nodded and she took me to my bedroom.

Even though the two of us were a little tired, we managed to change each other quite quickly. Nina liked the Poochies, so I put her in another one of those. I, on the other hand, decided to rely on my K9Care night diapers, just to make sure that we would wake up in a dry bed.

After we had changed each other and put our footed pajamas on, I laid down under the covers and snuggled up to Sharra. Nina switched the lights off and joined me with Pam in her arms, giving me a lick goodnight. I returned the favor and put my glowing pacifier in my muzzle.

"Milo, there's something I almost forgot."

I took my pacifier out.

"What's up?"

"I told my parents that I'm in a relationship, and they want to meet you."

"I wish I could say the same," I replied with a sigh, more to myself than to her.

Nina petted my head.

"So do I, Milo," she replied, "but I'm afraid that's not possible."

"I've learned to live with it," I commented plainly.

"Anyway, my parents don't just want to meet you, they've invited you to spend Midwinter at their place."

"R-really?"

"Uh-huh. Nobody should be alone at Midwinter. I was going to spend the two weeks of our winter break at my parents' place anyway, so they asked me to invite you."

"Thanks, that really means a lot to me."

"You're welcome," Nina replied with a subtle lick on my muzzle.

"So that means we'll have to travel to the west coast by Monday, else we won't be there in time for Midwinter," I thought aloud.

"Yush. We can spend the entire weekend here to play, then pack our bags on Monday morning and leave by train. With a little luck, we'll arrive there at about three o'clock if we leave just after lunchtime."

"That'd be fine for me. C-can I take Sharra with me?"

"Of course," she reassured, "that won't be a problem.. Just be sure to pack enough nighttime diapers. We'll have to leave the Poochies here, though."

"I didn't expect to take them with me. I'll leave all my puppy stuff here, except for Sharra. Strictly taken, my diapers are medical supplies. We'll just have to figure out a way to dispose of them without your parents noticing, I guess."

"Or you could inform my parents. That way, you won't get an awkward situation should you happen to have a leak or anything. Better to tell on beforehand, than having to explain if anything goes wrong."

I shook my head.

"No, no, no. Just no. I'm not going to tell your parents-"

"Of course you can," Nina interrupted, "they're very understanding people."

"But-"

"Hush, pup. If you're too afraid to tell them, I'll do it for you. Or are you too scared to tell it anyway?"

I sighed. "I think it'd be best if you told them. You'd really do that for me?"

"You bet. I take good care of my puppy, remember?"

"Yush, and you give him nice presents, too. How did you even come up with those Poochies?"

"I asked around in the Girls Talk section, so you wouldn't be able to see my posted messages. Since you already have a pacifier, bottle and plushie, someone suggested that I'd buy you diapers that are designed specifically for big puppies."

"Thankies, Nina. You're really considerate."

"My mother taught me to be just that. Now be a good puppy and go night-night, okay?"

"Yush mommy," I replied after giving Nina a lick on her muzzle.

I popped my pacifier back in my muzzle and curled up a little. With my arms around Sharra, I let out a sigh of content. My favorite plushie on one side, my loveable girlfriend on the other side, my life was finally getting better.

Besides, with Nina being this good in picking the right presents for me, I began to really look forward to my upcoming birthday. It would be the first time in ten years.

Mama told me when I was young, said sit beside me my only son And listen closely to what I say And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day

Oh baby

Oh take your time, don't live too fast Troubles will come and they will pass You'll find a woman and you'll find love And don't forget that there is Someone up above

And be a simple kind of man Be something you love and understand Baby be a simple kind of man Oh won't you do this for me son if you can

Forget your lust for the rich man's gold All that you need now is in your soul And you can do this, oh baby, if you try All that I want from you my son is to be satisfied

And be a simple kind of man Be something you love and understand Baby be a simple kind of man Oh won't you do this for me son if you can

Oh don't you worry, you'll find yourself Follow your heart and nothing else And you can do this, oh baby, if you try All that I want from you my son is to be satisfied

And be a simple kind of man Be something you love and understand Baby be a simple kind of man Oh won't you do this for me son if you can

So baby be a simple, be a simple man Oh won't you do this for me son if you can (Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man)

-The end, for now.