Alejandra could feel tiny tremors through the pads of her fingers. Her Patrona balanced carefully in her palm, a trembling, tense little bundle of silk hair and false pride, soft enough to crush if she so much as closed her fist.
She stood at the front of Renata’s family stall, feeling the warmth radiate up from the heated countertop. A thoughtful touch her best friend’s parents had insisted on, it calmed skittish Littles, made them easier to handle during feedings. Smart, practical. Just like the Perez family had always been.
Renata’s laughter, that bubbly sing song that had carried Alejandra through so many late shifts and heartbreaks, rang out when she finally got a proper look at Charity.
“¡Ay, Ale! She’s tiny! Look at that face. She’s not giving you trouble, is she?” Renata teased, dark eyes sparkling under her heavy bangs as she leaned close, inspecting Alejandra’s trembling treasure with the easy confidence of a girl raised around Littles her whole life.
Alejandra’s thumb brushed deliberately along the line of Charity’s collar, an idle caress but also a silent warning: Stay calm. Obey. She felt Charity’s tiny chest shudder under that touch. Good.
“She’s learning.” Alejandra’s voice was steady, almost bored. She didn’t need to brag. The proof sat in her hand, soft and breakable. She let her palm tilt just slightly, just enough that Charity had to shift her balance, clutching at the base of her thumb to stay upright. That helpless flinch made Renata snort with delight.
“Bring her closer. Ándale,” Renata murmured, half command, half coo.
Alejandra lifted her hand to hover just above the warm counter and felt Charity’s tiny fists press into her skin, a silent plea not to drop her, not to let her go too fast. Another lesson: She needs me for everything now. She’d savor every small reminder.
She lowered her palm until Charity’s bare feet brushed the heated countertop. The moment her little ward stood solid, Alejandra kept her hand right there at her back, a living barricade ensuring she didn’t so much as think of bolting.
Renata rummaged in one of the clear jars near the front, delicate nails clinking glass and paper. Alejandra didn’t miss the subtle shift in her friend’s posture: all warmth for her, all patient authority for the trembling Little between them. Renata knew exactly what this was. A friend sharing her new trophy.
“Alright, sweetheart,” Renata purred, her Spanish accent thickening on purpose, knowing how it curled around foreign ears like silk and steel at once. “Let’s have you try out some pellets, see how your tummy likes ‘em, ¿sí, mi amor?”
Alejandra watched the way Charity’s shoulders stiffened at the word tummy. So childish. So perfect.
She bent forward slightly, breath ruffling Charity’s hair. Answer her. Obey. The collar’s ID tag caught the light, Patrona. Alejandra Jiménez, Guardian. All legal. All hers.
“…Yes, Miss Renata,” Charity whispered. The words slithered out like poison swallowed the wrong way. Alejandra almost laughed, this girl used to bark orders at me about streaks on the baseboards. Now she begged for permission to eat.
Renata’s grin softened only a fraction. She plucked one of her family’s homemade pellets, not the fancy Generitech ones Charity’s father would’ve insisted on, but the humble Perez blend, pressed by hand in their shop behind the market. Cheap. Reliable. Perfect for spoiled mouths that needed humbling.
“Open up, baby girl,” Renata crooned, thumb brushing Charity’s chin. Alejandra felt a small flicker of pride at how Charity obeyed, lips trembling apart, lashes fluttering shut like a scolded puppy. She couldn’t help herself: she rubbed a small, affectionate circle between Charity’s shoulder blades. Guardian training from Mexico drilled it in early, always reward compliance. Even a king becomes a dog when he learns where the treats come from.
The pellet vanished past pink lips. For a heartbeat, Alejandra waited for the gag, the defiant spit. She wanted it. She wanted to see the fight one more time so she could crush it lovingly. But then… the chew. The pause. The flicker of surprise behind those lowered lashes when taste flooded her tiny mouth.
Alejandra’s grin spread slow and hungry. Ah… so it works on you too, princesa.
Renata glanced up, mischief sparkling. “Did she try pellets before?”
Alejandra tilted her head, dark braid swishing against her hoodie. “Once. Said it was like chalk. Spat it out. Thought it was funny.”
Renata chuckled, fingers tapping her digital ledger as she logged the sample. “Not so funny now, huh, chiquita?”
Charity made a soft noise, a whimper more felt than heard. Alejandra felt it in her palm, where she still rested her hand firm and possessive on Charity’s back. She pressed her thumb deeper, enough to remind her who owned this moment.
“There we go. Good girl, Patrona,” Alejandra murmured low, Spanish rolling lazy off her tongue. She almost purred the nickname now, half mockery, half brand.
She watched every swallow. Every tiny twitch of shame. When Renata’s screen beeped with the log entry, Alejandra tapped the counter lightly, a silent signal. Done. Lesson learned. Back to your place.
Charity hesitated just half a breath. Then she crawled obediently back toward Alejandra’s waiting palm, her tiny collar jingling once. Beautiful. Humble. Perfect.
Renata leaned over, pressing a sisterly kiss to Alejandra’s temple as she handed her a fresh pouch of the same pellets. “No charge. First bag’s a gift. You take care of her, ¿sí? Make her eat. Good bones, good skin, good Little.”
Alejandra laughed softly, the sound rumbling through her chest. She tucked the bag into her new backpack, then curled her palm tighter around Charity’s middle, a gentle but unyielding cage of warm skin.
“Trust me, amiga. I’ll take very good care of her. She’ll never forget her place again.”
With that, she lifted her new treasure back to her shoulder, feeling the slight weight settle into the hollow near her collarbone, right where everyone could see who she belonged to.
Patrona. A word dripping irony and victory all at once.
And when Charity shifted, trembling, breath brushing her neck, Alejandra only smiled, her thumb brushing once more over the delicate curve of a silk soft knee.
A: Once. Said it was like chalk. Spat it out. Thought it was funny. – How’d Al know about that?
B: She’ll never forget her place again – That’s ominous af
A:) Alejandra did work at the house. There are a number of ways she could have found out, over heard or seen evidence of.
B) possibly, it really depends on Alejandra’s full intent. But on the surface Charity is still asking for Kira which tells a person she doesnt accept the reality or her place in the world or in life yet.
B: that’s true. goes back to yesterday that it probably sounds ominous because of charity’s pov but maybe it was more playful than anything. Granted, Al is still enjoying the change, but she probably will be more receptive when the novelty wears off
it seems like charity has learned her lesson and now new episodes are just Al being a bully until hopefully charity is acquired by Sara or Kira with more stability.
I’m pretty sure Asuka has given the impression that will not happen (Sara or Kira, I mean). I just hope that at some point Sara becomes aware of her fate.
I personally hope Sara never finds out, let that bitch never get the closure on that chapter of her life, lord knows Sara’s victims won’t.
Everyone should have a chance at redemption. I think Sara has become a loving guardian with influence from Chole and I think closure with charity would be good for both. Giant Sara saving little charity would be great and then giving her to Kira.
Is she going to level her with her in shot time or after a mouth or something like training pets ?
I’m not sure what you mean
I think like is there going to be a heart to heart or a real talk instead of how Al has been handling it thus far. cause she really hasn’t talked to her too much, though that could be the culture of mexico to not really communicate with their littles.
Well I think there is a culutral difference I think some may not be taking into account. In america little and guardian relationship is more fluid and defined by the guardian and little.
In Mexico, its not fluid its very much defined. People aren’t questioning what a little is or how act, or what role they play or what rights they have. Littles in mexico aren;t people, don’t have the rights of people, arent thoguht of as people and its not even really questioned.
its decided at a birth are you a person or little. If you’re a little you immediately get put into the system without hesitation or question. Its just the law to the point of it being just the way of life. Its like getting a speeding ticket. People don’t question if the police have the right to give a speeding ticket. They either have evidence ot prove you were speeding and ticket you accordingly or they don’t and you get off free
This is very much the same thing in that you are either a little or not. If you’re a little mexicans and littles don’t question what that means as the rules of engagement or set. Its like Alejandra said earlier. In mexico you would have never been given the illusion of freedom. Which is what america does when you come from the mexican viewpoint.
As america allows you to live a life as if nothing is wrong. Sets expectations as if this is how you function and then takes it away when you are infected.
Mexico establishes from the jump this is who you are and from birth you live within the confines and rules and laws that govern a little just like people live within the laws, rules, etc that govern human society.
So i think that fact causes a bit of a strife as while the mexican way can be viewed as wrong that is there culture, government and societal view. Just like i can view some of the laws China or the middle east has and not like them. But thats their laws, their culture,
My wrong can be their perfectly acceptable. Its not on them to conform to what i view as right or what my culture views as right.
Thats kind of the viewpoint i took with condtructing mexico in this world.
makes sense to me. i think a lot of it right now is we’re still way early in their relationship too. is the madisons world effect. it looks like a lot’s going on but it’s barely even been a full day, if it’s even been that long. We haven’t actually seen what a relationship between a little and guardian from Mexico actually looks like just yet. For all I know Al could be leaning way more into the fact of who her little is and who charity represents to her and that’s more the forefront of the situation.
For all we know, Alejandra could be a highly ranked guardian and have a genuine affinity for caring for a little, and the relationship between a guardian and little in Mexico isn’t very far removed from how it is in the united states, it’s just that they don’t have the transitional period due to the defined lines you mentioned. We probably just won’t know about that until Al has had her fun, cause initially Al didn’t seem like she had the intent to be cruel to a little or even feel a bit of sympathy for someone in the United States that suddenly became a little, it’s just because it’s Charity that she’s behaving in a way we as readers aren’t happy with. which i htink is fair for her, as i’ve never been an illegal immigrant forced to do whatever is necessary just to not be reported to authorities and sent back home or worse taken advantage of with that over my head.
Is three going season 2 of step monster novel? Is been long time since then
No step monster is its own thing. Season 2 of step monster would be after I posted all of season 1 and the season 1 Ezra episodes.
Then I would post season 2 of step monster.
Ezra Episodes? new story drop WOOHOO!
ezra was typo i sent it via mobile. my phone auto corrected. It was suppsoed to say extra episodes as there are mini stories that take place between 1 and 2.
Then when season 1 episodes will be updated ?
Not for awhile. I have projects well into 2026.
Oooh a new story, can’t wait to see it in the future.
Is step monster connected to smallara world too ?
And what is Ezra ?
I wrote stepmonster before Smallara ever existed. There are touchstones i took for step mosnter in crafting Smallara. Step Monster and a unreleased story i wrote called Parvus Homunculi were foundations that I used when creating Smallara.
Ezra is a typo meant to be extra.
0) I see Renata has studied at the Sara Reeves School of Disappearing Eyebrows.
1.1) “The heated countertop. A thoughtful touch her best friend’s parents had insisted on, it calmed skittish Littles, made them easier to handle during feedings. Smart, practical” It is a good detail.
2) “Alejandra’s thumb brushed deliberately along the line of Charity’s collar, an idle caress but also a silent warning: Stay calm. Obey. She felt Charity’s tiny chest shudder under that touch. Good” non-verbal intimidation seems to be a favourite of Ale’s favourite methods
3) “That helpless flinch made Renata snort with delight.” Renata’s enjoyment of fear is a red flag
4) “Another lesson: She needs me for everything now. She’d savour every small reminder.” good
5) “a living barricade ensuring she didn’t so much as think of bolting.” Bolting where?
6) “Alejandra didn’t miss the subtle shift in her friend’s posture: all warmth for her, all patient authority for the trembling Little between them. Renata knew exactly what this was. A friend sharing her new trophy.” They know each other so well.
7) “Alejandra watched the way Charity’s shoulders stiffened at the word tummy. So childish. So perfect” Infantilising Littles is another common form of dominance. I like the consistency.
8.1) “Open up, baby girl,” cute
8.2) “Guardian training from Mexico drilled it in early, always reward compliance. Even a king becomes a dog when he learns where the treats come from” Mexico seems cruel, but they sure know what they’re doing.
9) “Did she try pellets before?” “Once. Said it was like chalk. Spat it out. Thought it was funny.” “Not so funny now, huh, chiquita?” Gotta love it when Karma comes knocking
10) “Charity hesitated just half a breath. Then she crawled obediently back toward Alejandra’s waiting palm, her tiny collar jingling once. Beautiful. Humble. Perfect” Charity is breaking very quickly.
11) “No charge. First bag’s a gift. You take care of her, ¿sí? Make her eat. Good bones, good skin, good Little.” Renata’s a good friend.
12) “Trust me, amiga. I’ll take very good care of her. She’ll never forget her place again.” Oooh, ominous I love it.
(Sorry I’m late, I just really needed teh extra time in bed)
Infantilizing Littles is a good way of bonding a little to a guardian because a guardian is a littles parent and everything else because they need their guardian for love, protection and food and shelter.