LilGirlLya

"Morning Hazel," Sara said groggily as she took her seat beside Hazel, still yawning and rubbing sleep from her eyes. "That all sounds yummy," Sara agreed. As Hazel broke into a fit of conspiratorial giggles, Sara couldn't help but smile along with her. No matter how tired she was, Hazel's giggly excitement was infectious. As she sat down she could feel her Goodnite squish beneath her. It wasn't lost on her that she was wearing something infinitely more juvenile that what the silly four year old beside her was wearing. "I slept OK, Aunt Hannah, I'm just really tired this morning is all. It feels a lot earlier than it is." Sara said, not completely understanding what Aunt Hannah was actually asking her. The subtext regarding her wet underwear was totally lost as it flew directly over her head. Sara asked for some milk and drank it while she ate her breakfast, listening to Hazel more than talking on her own. As brimming with plans as Hazel was, Aunt Hannah had been more reserved. The original plan for today after all did seem to be staying home and coping with the jet lag that was plaguing her this morning. A day of Hazel showing Sara her favorite movies and playing on her phone didn't sound half bad. The pancakes were nice and fluffy, with the sweetest syrup she'd had and she eagerly alternated between breakfast and her glass of milk. Hazel's animated energy and her own tiredness caused things the four year old said to register a little bit funnier than normal and at one point, Hazel said something that caused Sara to giggle right as she was drinking. Sara felt the cold milk spill out and splash down on to the front of her top. "Ugghhh..." she groaned, rolling her eyes in frustration, "I'm sorry Aunt Hannah," she apologized, "I'll put it in the washing machine once I take a shower. I should probably do that I guess, breakfast was delicious though, may I be excused?"

"OK, sure, that's fine," Rachel shrugged. She couldn't blame Ravio for not wanting to engage too much with TV or games or anything. Unless stuff was intentionally for free littles, there was every chance it had some for of hypnotic or subliminal trigger. Even a trigger not explicitly meant to cause a little to regress, like triggers to prime you to laugh during a comedy or to give a documentary your rapt attention, might but a little in an awkward situation if they worked as intended and the little got so invested in what they were seeing that they didn't make it to the bathroom in time. Growing up, things were a lot more obvious in terms of control and manipulating littles, but in a way shifting from legalized snatchings, crawlers diapers, locking restraints and pacifiers that could inflate and gag a person just obscured how sophisticated and subtle tools for influencing littles to accept their status could be. Much harder to resist something you didn't realize was even happening. In a way, she could relate. It wasn't as severe in any way but she too was somewhat out of the ordinary. Watching a show designed for women would prompt a feeling of contentment and acceptance but the triggers for anything oriented mainly towards men could produce dysphoria just from watching or listening to them. It wasn't a coincidence that her streaming lists were exclusively either female led shows or female musicians. Everyone knew that there were subliminal triggers on TV or in music or that there would be olfactory triggers in fragrances or additives in food to make healthy food as addictive as snacking. You could buy things without them, sure, but it's not like they were nefarious. She really only was thinking of them in the first place due to having a little around. She lounged on her couch with Ravio, tucking her legs up beneath her in the corner. She realized he probably had to worry about masculinizing or feminizing triggers too, poor guy. He really was in a rough spot, no wonder he was watching the news last night. Only thing he probably could watch. "You know," she began, "it's weird and you may not understand, but I totally get not wanting to take any risks with whats on the TV. We can just sit and talk if you want, about work, about anything." She said, "but you know, it's honestly just really good to have another friend who's like me, but, well, going the other way so to speak." She very subtley tried to signal before continuing, hoping it would work to keep the mood light, "in case you're wondering, I didn't know until I helped with your laundry last night as saw the binders. I suppose I never really thought about it before, if I were a little and trans too. I mean, I guess in some ways we have a bit more in common than if we were cis. How long have you been out? I guess I don't really know any trans littles."

Sara found herself waking up at what a quick glance at her phone told her was nearly two in the morning. The aching pressure in her bladder had finally stirred her awake. She groaned, rolling back over to try and get comfortable. She thought about going to the bathroom but discarded the idea. She'd already lied her way of that being an option. She'd said she sometimes wet the bed and she needed at least one "accident" to make it believable. Best to just get it over with. She tried to just let go before she could think better of it but despite the throbbing pressure, her bladder refused to budge. A lifetime of not being a bedwetter made it next to impossible to pee laying down. Sara groaned again, grumbling, and shifting to sitting up with a yawn. She tried to imagine herself on a toilet but being surrounded by warm blankets and the feel of the bed with its crinkly sheet beneath her broke the illusion. She finally got out of bed, taking care to gingerly put one foot down, then the other, for fear of the creaky floors waking up Aunt Hannah and getting her caught. She hadn't peed standing up in years but it was worth giving it a try after everything else had failed. She pulled down her pajama pants and shimmied them to around her ankles. She closed her eyes, took some deep breathes and... Sara could feel her body let loose and seconds later she could feel the pooling warmth and her urine soaked into the padding of the Goodnite. Her first instinct was to try and stop herself, like she had in the car, but she persisted and the stream resumed. In the dark, she could see the pull-up slowly swell as it absorbed the contents of her bladder. It was...unusual. It didn't feel anywhere nearly as bad as she'd been afraid it would after wetting her pants. Everything stayed nice and contained with no mess and finally, when the deed was done, Sara gave a few exploratory pokes. The flat, thin padding from earlier was now squishy and soft and it felt strange. Sara really couldn't place her finger on it. She'd expected to feel disgusted but that was exactly the opposite of what she was feeling. Sure, it feel juvenile and "wrong" but she also felt comfy and secure and serene in a way she hadn't in a long time. She mischievously put her thump to her lips, muttering a brief "uh-oh" before giggling to herself. It was so weird to not hate this but she had to admit, she didn't. Sara hiked her pants up and climbed back into bed, feeling warm and snug beneath the heavy blankets and she easily fell back asleep * * * * * Sara found herself waking up still tried the next morning to the savory smells from the kitchen and the shining winter sun. A glance at her phone on the night stand revealed it was nine am here but to her body it was still much earlier. Still, that didn't matter to the sun which was glowing brightly through her window. Sara sat up and felt her shifting weight force a little bit of pee out of the Goodnite's padding. Through her morning haze, she remembered last night, her first night as a "bedwetter". It was cool and clamy but she was again surprised at how gross it wasn't. "Oops, I wet the bed!" she said to herself with feigned alarm before smiling. It hadn't been hard at all. The Goodnites had done their job and been pretty comfy during the night. 'I might even miss these when I stop pretending' she thought before dismissing the idea. She was a teenager. Just because it hadn't been terrible didn't mean she wanted to wear these after all. She gave some thought to changing out of them but a grumble in her stomach meant breakfast was a higher priority. She can change out of this and shower later. The shower would still be hot then but breakfast wouldn't. Sara sleepily stumbled out of bed and went downstairs to join her aunt and cousin.

"Oh me? Hmm...." Rachel really had to think, she wasn't typically watching anything on the television herself and so having the question turned on her wasn't something she was prepared for. "Oh, you know, just sort of whatever." A perfectly noncommittal answer. "I watch more online than TV but I'm pretty sure we could find something, either streaming or something that meets that not horror or action and doesn't have triggers in it." Not having those would probably narrow down the list but she was certain she could find something mutually interesting that didn't also include subliminal triggers to reinforce Little regression. Rachel followed the instructions, applying the wet towel to the bowl and prepping the dough to begin it's first rise. It had been challenging so far but Ravio had a keen eye for it and wasn't shy about telling her what to do. They'd at least earned a small break for the hour and a half it would take the dough to rise. "So, she said, toweling off her hands, "its about lunch time. You want to run down to the cafe on the first floor and get something or just hang out up here for a bit? If you don't want to turn something on the TV or computer, I might be able to find something else to do?"

"Oh yeah I did," Rachel said with a little bit of pride. If he was impressed, that almost certainly meant she was well prepared. "Here, do you need to wash your hands before we start?" Rachel was off on the move before finishing the question, getting a chair from the seldom used breakfast nook and bringing into the kitchen so Ravio could reach the sink and the counters. While her back was turned and in her tank top this morning, only partly concealed by her hair was a tattoo Ravio wouldn't have been able to see the night before. Three chained together hexagons and a pentagon, with 'H's in the center of two of the hexagons and little stems branching off of it. "So I figure we can start with the bread and then move onto the surprise once it's done. I know there's a lot of sitting around and waiting so if you want to watch something together while we wait, I'll let you pick it out. You're helping me after all. Or we can kind of just hang out like yesterday if you want."

"It was good, thanks Aunt Hannah. And thanks for the laundry, too." Sara was relieved, mom and dad usually made her do her own laundry and while she didn't mind the chore at home, not having to do a chore was better than doing one. Besides, these steps were really steep and she was uneasy about coming down them with a laundry basket so she wasn't going to turn down help, even if it was a chore she'd been doing since she was 11. "Problems?" It took Sara a minute before realizing what her aunt was implying, "Oh, yeah, that, problems. I understand," Sara said, trying to play it as cool as someone pretending to be a bed wetter so she didn't have to acknowledge being a pants wetter could play it. Still, she realized she effectively lied her way into restricting fluids at bed time. It didn't really matter, she'd wet those Goodnite things once or twice just so her Aunt would believe her and then never again, just pretend she was cured. "No thank you Aunt Hannah," Sara politely replied taking the glass from her aunt, "I'm still full from McDonalds." Sara said goodnight to her aunt and headed to bed. During her time in the shower, her aunt must have brought up the box of Goodnites because Sara saw it sitting on her bed. She sighed, at least it was only for a few nights, she thought. Sara took a deep breath before opening the box up and...there were a lot of these...things. Sara didn't want to say the D word she was thinking of the P word that Hazel had called them but she knew that's precisely what they were. Her stomach turned and she gingerly lifted one, holding the thing at arms length. The front of the...underwear had a character she didn't really recognize but the writing on the box revealed the designs were from that movie Hazel had told her about, Encanto. Sara wondered if it was time to come clean, this was clearly going too far. She didn't want to wear...these but, she paused, she also didn't want to tell Aunt Hannah she'd lied. Her hands were trembling as she slid town her pajamas and panties. Moment of truth...one foot then the other then she tugged it up her waist and... It didn't feel horrible. Instantly, she sighed with relief. She'd made this so much of a bigger deal than it needed to be. Better yet, padding gave her a flat front and she broke out with a silly grin when she noticed this. Gender affirming dia-underwear she thought before unexpectedly giggling to herself. A few examining pokes and prods and her fears vanished. These just felt like comfy, slightly bulky panties. There was nothing to worry about at all! Sara pulled her jammy pants back on and snuggled up under the covers. She was a little surprised for the faint rustle as she moved but more surprised by the loud crinkle from her mattress itself. She needed to pee but chose to ignore it, she'd need that fluid later. Sara turned her bedside lamp off, sent a goodnight text to mom from her phone before plugging it in, turning to face the wall and going to bed.

Rachel heard the knock on her door while watching videos on her computer. She instantly paused and tabbed over to the recipes she had pulled up last night in preparation for today. She felt herself smiling and with a spring in her step as she opened the door, "Good morning," she said, ushering in Ravio. He'd shown up and just that alone already made today a good day. Over the past few days she'd had moments where she was doubting. Wondering if maybe Ravio just said all the things he needed to say just to get out of an Amazon's apartment with his brain and toilet training intact. That he showed up dispelled all of those fears. She actually *had* made a friend and Rachel was exceptionally pleased with herself. "You can take your shoes off it you want, I typically don't wear mine in the house but I'm not going to tell you that you can't wear yours if they aren't dirty. How have you been, how's work been going?" Rachel asked as closed the door behind the two of them. She made a little small talk of her own, just how frustrating work had been. Her capacity to endure upset customers was being undermined by having someone she'd prefer to talk with now instead. She offered him some water and once settled, turned her laptop towards him and showed him the recipes. "OK, so game plan for today is you're gonna help me with the bread and if it all goes well, I have another thing we can do later too." She didn't tab over quite yet but it wouldn't have taken much detective work on the little's party not to realize that she surprise might having something to do with the tab titled "chocolate chip-" next to the "basic bread rec-" tab. "Come on, I'll show you what I got in the kitchen, just tell me if I missed anything and I can order it in." She said, already halfway to the kitchen before she finished the sentence.

Sara couldn't help but giggle at Hazel's description of Grandma Pat, though it was true that she and Grandma Bill did always send really good presents. Living up here though, she only saw them once or twice a year and saw her Nana Ruth and her Pop Nathan more often since they were only an hour away. "Hi Aunt Hannah," Sara said as she entered, "it was good, Hazel showed me all around. Your house is so cool." Sara gushed. Sara was more than fine with extra blankets and the idea of getting snug and toasty under them on a cold night just felt like the perfect way to spend her first night up north in her new home. "Yeah, I'll take a quick shower and then I think I want to unpack a little and go to bed. If I don't see you before you go to bed, good night Hazel!" Sara grabbed the towel and wash cloth and retraced her way back to the upstairs bathroom. She let the shower heat up and let steam fill the room before stepping gingerly into the hot water. Shower time usually came with some dysphoria but at least tonight it didn't come with anxiety about her meds or school or bullies. Tonight, she just felt contentment. Even if there was bar soap and not body wash and even if the shampoo wasn't here shampoo it was the best shower she'd had in a long time. She lingered, soaking in the warm and the good vibes until she began to yawn. She got out, dried out her shoulder length brown hair, brushed her teeth, and put her pajamas back on before searching for Aunt Hannah. She'd went to bed with a glass of milk for as long as she could remember but she wasn't sure which cabinet the glasses were in so at least for her first night, it might be best to ask her Aunt for help.

The night before, Rachel had made a big grocery run. Still, it was worth leaving the house for because it meant she was prepared for Ravio today. They hadn't really discussed when to get together but he did say he slept in so she figured her normal 7:30 wake up time was going to be too soon. That just gave her the morning to herself though. She got dressed in leggings, a sports bra, and tank top; a good cozy day outfit, and made coffee in the kitchen. Putting her long, dark hair up in a ponytail as she waited on it to finish. She'd probably put a little bit of make up on later. "Definitely shave..." she said, feeling her chin with her fingers and rubbing them up her jaw line. The kitchen counters were laden with pans, new flour, and other ingredients and odds and ends she'd picked up. She'd put it all up later. She didn't limit herself to just what was on Ravio's list he'd given her before the shopping trip. She figured if the bread failed, they could still try their hand at baking something a little sweeter later. She wasn't sure whether all littles actually had major sweet tooths or if that was just a stereotype but she did know that Ravio practically inhaled that ice cream. Some cookies might be a nice 'thank you' for later. She drank her coffee while scrolling on her phone for a while before getting up and taking care of her facial stubble before putting on a light layer of make up. He'd seen her unprepared for company previously but she wanted to remedy that this time. While doing her eyeliner, she settled on going to see if he was awake at 10. That would give her the whole morning to herself and if he got up sooner, he could come over sooner.

Sara made note of the bathroom. thankfully she told Aunt Hannah she only wet the bed 'sometimes' so maybe just use the Goodnites tonight and then never have to touch them again. Sara felt an odd comfort at the nightlight being there, even if it was mostly for Hazel. She couldn't precisely place the feeling or the reason for it but something about knowing it was there felt nice. Like Aunt Hannah was watching out for her. She made a mental note of Aunt Hannah's room as well, so as not to run the risk of waking up and entering the wrong door by mistake. "Oh wow Hazel," Sara said, playing up her excitement for the girl, "your room is very cool. I really like your pink and blue," she said, gesturing to the walls and then to the carpet. It was a kids room fit for a princess and Sara watched Hazel show off her toys more intently than the average teenager. In fact, it wouldn't be wrong to say Sara was feeling a jealous of her little cousin. She imagined if she'd been born a girl, a room like this would have been her dream bedroom. "I'll absolutely play with you Hazel, and I'll definitely ask first." Sara said, she couldn't hide her excitement. It was silly but part of her was giddy at the idea of being able to play with dolls in a princess room. It just felt like the apex of being girly. She had to try it just once to say she did. "Oh, we can go to my room if you're ready," Sara said, not entirely wanting to leave just yet but reminding herself this wasn't a long weekend or a summer vacation. She *lived* here now. "Aunt Hannah said it's not really decorated yet so I'm sure it's not as pretty as your bedroom, Hazel."

Rachel passed down the basket, bending at the knee to hand it back over to Ravio. Once she was sure he had it, she offered "walk you home?" It wasn't much of a walk, but he was still moving at less than full speed and a hurt little out late might draw attention. She felt peaceful and happy once she exchanged good nights with him. They had a plan for the weekend. Finally, something to actually look forward to on her day off. She took a little bit longer to get ready for bed, lingering in the afterglow of an unexpectedly eventful evening. She washed her face and brushed her teeth before getting undressed. She kept things pretty casual around the apartment, leggings and a tee shirt with a cardigan over top. Each came off in turn leaving Rachel in her underwear, a pushup bra hard at work turning her B cups into C cups. They sang when she it took it off for the day and replaced her shirt with a loose, baggy sleeping shirt. She flopped down onto the bed, relaxing and taking a deep breath. There was one final task before falling asleep though. She rolled over and got a small vial off of her nightstand. Inside the nightstand were several wrapped syringes. She unwrapped one and began drawing out the thick, amber fluid before pinching her thigh and giving herself a quick shot. Hormones complete for the next two weeks. She disposed of the needle in a sharps container, put on a bandage, and got under the covers. "Another trans person, huh?" She thought, as she closed her eyes. She smiled. She couldn't wait for the weekend.

Sara basked in the heat of the house as she entered, it just felt so nice to finally be done with traveling and to be in a nice, cozy home. She sat down the box of Goodnites by the door and followed after Hazel on the tour. The house was certainly older than her old house but it felt inviting and cozy. The floors creaked a little as she walked on the hardwood. Sara made sure to take note of the bathroom. Hazel seemed very proud of her potty training, the first place she showed Sara was the toilet for when she needed to go again and she clearly took using the potty very seriously. She acquainted herself with every room, the living room was spacious with couches and chairs and toys on the floor, the kitchen was a bit more compact than Dad's kitchen at home and the stove looked a little different. She'd been trying to help with cooking at home, her parents were glad to accept the help and she wondered if she could help her aunt too. The basement though, Sara gasped, it looked SO COOL! A perfect little hide out with sofas and a big TV and that was just what she could see immediately coming down from the landing. She was surprised that Hazel didn't seem to like playing down here until she remembered The Monster. She squeezed her little cousins hand and smiled down at her. "Don't worry, monsters don't eat big girls. We'll be OK." She said, trying to reassure Hazel. Sara could hear the door close upstairs and could hear her Aunt's feet above her. She grinned, it was really cool to have a basement. Her family's house had only been a single story. Sure it was dusty and musty but that just meant it was private and she could be alone down here if she wanted to. Maybe if she spent some time down here, Hazel might start enjoying it too. She thought back to tall the toys on the living room floor. "Hey, you haven't shown me your room yet," Sara suggested to the nervous toddler currently keeping her eyes locked on the laundry room door, "Do you want to show me?"

Sara was curious as to what her aunt meant by 'not exactly' but didn't have time to ask a follow up question before they pulled into the driveway. Her heart started thudding in her chest, she was excited and nervous and just ready to be in her new 'home'. Hazel's excitement only amplified the good feelings Sara was having. Sara nodded enthusiastically, it was cold and she was tired but she wanted to get her bearings before going to bed. "I'd love for you to show me everything, Hazel," Sara said before giggling at Hazel's question about the monster. "Sure, for monster purposes, big girls are grown ups. And Aunt Hannah said you're a big girl too, so together we have nothing to worry about. What do you want to show me first?"

"Woah, hey, hold up there," Rachel said as she was gathering the laundry basket before turning to face Ravio, she tried to keep it somewhat light hearted but wanted to express some seriousness at the same time. "I think standing on chairs has proven to be a pretty bad idea tonight. I can clean up, you're my guest tonight after all." He'd had a hard enough time balancing before his knee was swollen, trying to do it now and there's every chance he'd fall again. If he had a bowl it might break and he might cut himself or he might really get hurt and have to go to the hospital and- Rachel stopped, she tried to take a deep breath but she knew she was catastrophizing and she hated it. She'd been having a lot of fun. It was hard to meet people. She never felt like she knew what to say but the biggest barrier was her anxiety, especially when she was away from home. She always seemed to get preoccupied with something awful that must assuredly be happening at home. It never was but it made it hard to go too far from home and for too long. Honestly, working from home was a blessing. She never had to leave and go into public if she didn't want to. Ravio was strange, she mused as she went and got his laundry from the wash. She was able to open up to him and laugh with him, sit on the couch with him. These were all things that she didn't think she would have had the capacity for if you'd asked her this morning and yet, she enjoyed herself. More than that, she was starting to feel sad as she got closer to her apartment, sad that he'd have to go home and this serendipitous encounter might end soon. At least they had plans to meet again. Her insecurity and anxiety though made her wonder if he actually was going to show back up or if the Little was just playing nice, yes and-ing everything the Amazon stranger said. She doubted it, but she wasn't sure. "Alright, one fresh load of laundry," she announced after coming back into her apartment, ready to take him home for the night if he was ready.

"Sure, thing, let me get you a bowl," Rachel offered, making one for herself as well. Might as well have a treat before bed and it might convince him it's not tainted or anything. She walked back to the living room and handed him the bowl, before sitting down herself on the other side of the sofa, transitioning from the chair to sit a little bit closer. "How's your knee doing by the way?" She asked, hoping it was at least making some progress towards healing. "Wish I could sleep in, sun's up and I'm up no matter how late I went to bed," Rachel smirked, a little jealous of the Little. "Oh for sure, they need to know they're ruining someone's day, that's for sure." She laughed. The timer on her phone started to buzz. "Oh, and that, Ravio, is time. I'm gonna go check on your clothes. You can stay until you finish your ice cream if you want, I'm not kicking you out immediately or anything but I do need to start winding down soon.

Sara smiled and shook her head, "No, I mean, well, I am going to live here from now on but once Mom and Dad move up here, we'll get our own apartment or house. But that means I'll live nearby and you can come visit," Sara suggested. Everything was going great until Sara heard that word... Pull-ups. "Oh no..." Sara thought, with a sinking feeling in her stomach. She guessed it made sense, that's what little kids wore but she'd assumed that teenagers who sometimes wet the bed might have something more mature. She'd seen pads for overactive bladder when her mom took her into the feminine hygiene aisle and just sort of assumed that was what she'd get. Now not only did she have a big box of pull-ups in her lap, she'd also told her aunt these were exactly the kind her mom bought for her. She wondered if maybe it was time to come clean? Just let her aunt know she'd started to have an accident because she hadn't used the bathroom, that she didn't normally have, and she'd just been too embarrassed and made up a story because saying she sometimes wet the bed was less humiliating than waking up mid pee and trying to stop but giving up because it hurt too much to hold it. Absolutely not, Sara quickly dispelled the idea. If nothing had gotten her in trouble yet, that would. Lying to her aunt, making a mess on the booster seat, and then having her aunt buy pull-ups were not mature. For a moment, she wondered if her aunt might even be angry enough to send her home! The idea scared Sara and even though she didn't think it was likely, she couldn't say 100% it was impossible. Sara listened to her aunt stick up for her but Hazel was right, the more Sara examined the package these were definitely pull-ups. Still, her aunt was going out of her way to assure both Sara and Hazel it wasn't a big deal. Then Aunt Hannah mentioned her mother... "Mom wet the bed?" Sara asked quizzically. It was the first she'd heard of it but not actually being a bedwetter, that made sense. Mom would never have had a reason to share the informtion. Sara bit her lip from anxiety, nibbling a little before asking, "did- did Mom wear pull-ups too, Aunt Hannah?"

"Let me take a look," Rachel said as she began rummaging through the cabinets and the freezer. "OK, so I think what we're working with snack wise is I've got some popcorn or chips in the pantry or some cookie dough ice cream out of the fridge. Either of those appeal to you?" She asked, getting a bowl down for whatever option, if any, was selected. "Ah, I knew I was probably starting too hard. Yeah, I was doing sourdough. I like it better than just a normal white bread so I thought I'd try that first. OK, so we're starting simple then." She stated definitively, bringing Ravio the snack of his choice from the kitchen. "Alright, so that's just basic bread for the weekend then." She said, sitting back down into her chair and getting cozy, just sort of catching on the news a bit herself and making small talk about it with Ravio. "So, you headed right to bed when the laundry gets done or are you a bit of a night owl? I've got this one customer I need to call back tomorrow and I'm not looking forward to it at all" Rachel began to vent to Ravio and it just felt nice to just let it out. Talking about things her coworkers did that bothered her and sharing funny stories about rude customers. This wasn't how she planned to spend her evening, but sometimes a change in the routine works out better.

"Let me see what my toy looks like, you can have it if you want it," Sara offered before digging inside and finding a cute, stuffed kitty cat key chain. There was a pang of regret at first that she'd preemptively offered it away. Sara used to have a huge stuffed animal collection. But after bringing home a friend who teased her when she was in second grade, she gave almost all of them away. She knew she was too old for stuffies but it didn't change that she wanted them still, even if she was too embarrassed to ask for them. Still, she handed the kitty over to her cousin, letting Hazel collect more toys. Sara took the package and passed Hazel's candy up to her. It was funny, with Sara stuck in the middle and Hazel in the booster, she had to look up to her little cousin who was sitting just a few inches higher than her. It was dark so Sara didn't get a great look at the box, except that she could see cartoon designs on the outside. She read the name "Goodnites" on the box and she knew the brand sounded familiar but she couldn't exactly place it. Still, if this is what her aunt got her, this is what she presumed kids who occasionally wet the bed must wear. "Thanks Aunt Hannah, these are exactly my normal kind," she reassured her aunt.

"Oh, if you've got the money then yeah, just put it on the table and I'll get it when I get back," Rachel said, gathering up Ravio's laundry basket before going back down. It felt positively tiny in her hand. Like something an Amazon child might play house with. The walk to the elevator wasn't long when she wasn't deliberately slowing down to accommodate smaller, hurt legs and within a few minutes she was down in the basement, changing over the laundry. What caught her eye though were these...they weren't bras but it did take her a moment to put together what they might be. "Oh?" she said, a little quizzically, as she moved them from the washer to the dryer. Well, that wasn't what she expecting entirely but she didn't mind in the slightest. So he had a binder, big deal. It did give her a sort of warm swell that apparently he trusted her enough to help with his laundry knowing that this was in here. She did get a quick curiosity to look inside the underwear, just to see, but shot that down. It be a total breach of privacy to investigate a little's toilet training. All of these were relatively normal, guy underwear so she pushed the idea of snooping for stains from her mind. She finished loading the dryer and returned to her apartment. When she got back, Ravio was watching the news. "Probably something safe and adult, I guess." She acknowledged, going into the kitchen and uncorking some wine, pouring herself a glass, "You want anymore water while I'm in here? A snack maybe?" She asked. "Should be another 45 minutes or so till we're done with those clothes. Oh, and do you think you could write down what sort of flour I need for the weekend? I'm going to trust you on what we should try first."

"Maybe?" Rachel mused. It could be that simple. She at least didn't know enough to think that it couldn't be that simple. "Oh, nice. Yeah, I order something up a few days a week. It just beats cooking sometimes so I just pop down for lunch or whatever." She smiled, actually excited and happy that he'd said yes. He seemed to be relaxing too, which made things a little bit easier if he wasn't always watching her like some scared prey fixated on a predator. "Sure, so, tell you what, I'm free again in about two days. Lets plan on it, just come on over whenever, just knock on the door. I don't have any company ever so I'll know it's you." Rachel picked up her phone and checked the time, "your laundry is gonna be ready to move to the drier soon. Just to let you know, I'm absolutely OK with you staying put on the couch there if you're OK with me changing it over for you? I just, I mean, your knee...it's not broke or sprained but I know you don't want to walk to the elevator again, right? You can turn on the TV or something if you want, it shouldn't take me very long." Rachel rummaged through her pockets before standing up and walking to her bedroom to get her purse and fish out enough for the drier. "I don't mind taking care of it either! It's not enough to make you go back to your place over." She called from down the hall, back into the living room, on her way back. Before getting back to her chair she picked the remote up off the table and tossed it with a gentle underhand throw next to Ravio on the sofa.

"Oh, I've never played dolls before, you'll have to show me how, and I've never seen Encanto so that sounds fun too." Sara did bristle at hearing that only babies liked Frozen. She kind of liked Frozen. She remembered back when she was nine really getting disappointed when her friend didn't invite her to see Frozen 2 in theaters. She didn't really know why at the time but when her friend told her it was only a girl's party, Sara distinctly remembered that causing her to cry. Frozen had this aura of the forbidden until she'd some out and asked her Mom and Dad if she could get it. It wasn't her favorite movie, but it was special. Her first princess movie. She'd done some princess doodles in her notebook at school but at 13 she knew she was way too old to be into princesses. The run back to the car was a bit more bearable without soaking wet jeans on, but it was still way too chilly for comfort. Safe back inside the car, it didn't take too much convincing to sit in the middle and not in the booster seat. Normally Sara would groan about being given a happy meal but it wasn't worth it tonight, she wasn't that hungry anyway. "It's fine, Aunt Hannah. Thank you for the food." She made sure to be polite. She chatted back and worth with Hazel as the ignition started and the car made its way out of the parking lot. Both girls talking about tomorrow and munching on nuggets for the next twenty or so minutes until the turn signal flicked on again. Sara could see the big, neon white and red sign from the interstate and the car glided onto the exit ramp.

"Oh, thanks," Sara said, sincerely appreciative of her cousin's complement. "I think I like purple best," Sara mused, "maybe pink after that but green is a really good color too." Sara nodded, agreeing both to stop and get what she still presumed to be pads and to supervising Hazel while her Aunt got them for her. She'd *always* wanted to get pads. She didn't need them but that didn't stop her from wanting them just to have them. Just because of how girly they were. She wondered what they'd feel like? At the counter, Sara and Hazel both ordered chicken nuggets and fries with Sara opting for a Sprite before finding a table to sit at while they waited for the food before getting back in the car. Every now and then, she'd look up and see Aunt Hannah, still waiting for the food, watching the two of them. What she felt was similar to what she'd felt with her aunt watching the door. Just, very safe. Very protected. Very cared for. Things had unfolded pretty well actually. She hadn't gotten in trouble for her accident due to one little fib and instead her aunt just made sure she was taken care of and even offered to buy her protection. She even took off her own jacket to protect Sara from the indignity of being see with wet pants. It gave Sara a very secure, loved feeling. She hadn't been around Aunt Hannah in a few years but she was still the best aunt. "So, I think I'm gonna be sleepy most of the day tomorrow," Sara began, engaging Hazel in a conversation while they waited, "but is there anything fun you wanna do with your big cousin tomorrow?"

"Oh yeah?" Rachel asked, perking up at his interest in baking. Before now she thought he must struggle with small talk as much as she did. Turns out she just had to get him talking. "Maybe you could show me what I'm doing then because I'm next to hopeless. The bread tastes fine it just kind of rises all weird and never looks like exactly what I'm going for. I think I'm more of a cook than a baker, honestly. You ever go by the place on the first floor?" she asked, "I'll sometimes go down there for breakfast before work. Get like a sandwich or a chocolate croissant and some coffee." Rachel was a bit surprised at how much she was enjoying talking with Ravio. He seemed like nice guy, very polite and all. As company went, she'd definitely had a lot worse. He was the first guy she'd brought home in over two years that she wouldn't mind having back a second time. "You know, maybe you could show me? I'm off at least one day a week by company policy. We can call it a trade, I can help you with your laundry if you can teach me how to bake?" She felt a weird satisfaction, like she was committing that this year she was going to achieve her resolution and learn to bake and it wouldn't be like last year when she was going to learn to paint or the year before when she was going to learn guitar. But also, beyond that, it was just simply nice to chat with someone off the clock. 10 hours a day, 6 days a week paid the bills but it also meant a lot of emotional labor and forced fun and being screamed at. She legitimately couldn't recall the last time she'd just had a pleasant chat with someone.

As casual as Sara tried to keep it, she was blushing scarlet as they sprinted into the McDonalds. She kept her head down and her eyes focused on the ground and with every step she swore she could feel some of what had been in her trickling down her legs, creating little tributaries down her jeans. She at least felt comforted that Aunt Hannah was blocking the door. Having her aunt made her feel safer than she had in nearly a year but she couldn't help but feel some shame as she stood there in wet pants that things had gotten so bad at home that now she only felt safe with an adult with her. In the bathroom, Sara changed out of her clothes, peeling the wet denim and panties off of her and cleaning herself up as best she could with toilet paper. Her shirt went off next and all that remained was a training bra over her chest. Even if she had nothing up top, it just felt affirming to wear. She heard some tinkling in the stall next to her, followed by excitement from Hazel and praised from Aunt Hannah and she felt...jealous? She shook her head, it was dumb to be jealous of a toddler for using the potty. And yet. She tried to move the idea out of her mind, on went the big, baggy sleep shirt and on went the fluffy pink jammy pants before she got her socks and shoes back on and showed herself out of the stall, joining her aunt and cousin. As Sara was washing her hands, Aunt Hannah asked her about 'protection'. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it or what necessarily her aunt meant. Teenagers didn't normally wet the bed and she didn't know of any old friends who did either. Maybe her aunt meant, like, pads? Something she could put in her panties? Regardless of what her aunt meant, Aunt Hannah finding out that Sara hadn't finished peeing in her pants after waking up rather than being able to hold it required Aunt Hannah to believe she sometimes wet the bed. "Oh, um..well, no. I don't have anything like that. I mean, I do at home but I must have forgotten my protection is all. Do you think there's be any place open so I could get some?

"Oh, that sounds interesting, I guess. I mean, all for the same thing or just sort of free lance, whatever someone sends to you?" Rachel asked, genuinely curious. She didn't talk to people a lot, part of being isolated in her home without a social life and part just being awful at small talk and not enjoying it, but she did have a genuine curiosity for how other people lived. Ravio was no different, it was only in the last few decades or so Free Littles had achieved enough legal and social rights that they could pursue independent careers and, honestly, she wasn't aware that she knew any. It was possible, remote work and online friendships meant someone might just not be disclosing their status for their own safety but, still. As far as she was concerned this was the first free, renting, working little she'd actually met. "Oh, me?" Rachel asked, surprised he'd have any curiosity about her. Her life was fairly boring after all. "I do tech support and IT work remotely. I get to work from home and the megacorp I work for isn't one of the more evil ones, so there's that. The pay is good, benefits too. I got my own little office set up down the hall there," she nodded towards the second bedroom. "I do a lot of overtime, I don't really have much better to do I guess. Saving up for a house maybe. Nice townhouse close enough to fun things that I can still take the train, you know?" Rachel had a question but she wasn't entirely sure how to delicately phrase it, or at least how to phrase it in such a way that might not freak him out. She was curious if he lived alone or not but she figured that might sound like she was probing him for adoption. She figured she'd settle on something safer. "Any hobbies, when you aren't working? I read a lot but I try to do this thing where I try a new hobby every year. I started baking recently as my resolution so I'll see where that goes."