The living room lights glowed soft and golden against the late twilight filtering through the blinds, casting long, clean stripes across the hardwood floor. The news played at a low murmur from the mounted television, something about the Mexico and United States Little Database expanding to Canada. This would allow a little and guardian registered in any of the countries recognized legally and officially in all three countries. The anchor’s voice was flat and cool, rehearsed to perfection. Dayton barely heard it.
She stood straighter, but her fingers itched with shame. Was it shame? Or anticipation? one hand gripping the railing hard enough to feel the ridges in the wood bite her palm. Her bare feet were still tingling from the walk home, from the energy thrumming through her limbs. This was it. Now or never.
She moved down the stairs, each step measured. Her mom sat curled up on the couch with one leg tucked under a fleece blanket, an opened manila envelope balanced on her knees. She didn’t look up at first, just kept sorting through papers, checking numbers against a notepad, mouthing something to herself.
“Mom,” Dayton said, steady but soft.
Her mom didn’t look up. “Hm?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“That usually means I’m not going to like what I hear.”
“It’s important.”
With a sigh and the rattle of paper being folded closed, her mother set the stack aside. She removed her reading glasses, rubbed her temples, and fixed Dayton with that same unblinking stare that could slice through steel. “Let me guess. This is about having your ears double pierced?”
“No, I want to file a claim,” Dayton said. Her voice didn’t waver.
There was a pause, brief, sharp, surgical.
Her mother’s eyebrows arched. “Of course you do. We’ve talked about littles before.”
“This one’s different.”
“They always are.”
“No. Listen, he’s a teacher. At my school. A Little.”
That did it. Her mother’s head tilted, eyes narrowing slightly, mouth twitching somewhere between disbelief and disgust.
“A teacher,” she repeated.
“He’s unclaimed. No collar. No Guardian. Teaching full size students like it’s perfectly normal.”
Her mother leaned back, crossing her arms, her voice heavy with disdain. “Let me guess. He gives lectures. Assigns homework, Wears a tie.”
“His name’s Mr. Rhys. And yes, he wears ties. He also undermined me in front of the whole class, called me by my first name. Didn’t acknowledge my Guardian certification. Treated me like a child.”
“You are a child.”
“I’m thirteen. The legal minimum is twelve. I’m a legal Guardian for littles.”
“Certification doesn’t mean readiness.”
“It means capability,” Dayton shot back. “It means I passed Generitech’s temperament checks, handling drills, ethics modules. I earned my title.”
Her mother’s expression didn’t shift. “And you want to spend fifty thousand dollars of my money on a four inch talking rodent.”
“He’s not a rodent,” Dayton snapped.
“No,” her mother replied. “Rodents know they’re prey.”
Dayton’s hands clenched at her sides. “You’re always saying they’re not people. So why does it bother you that I want to own one? They aren’t dangerous.”
“Because pretending makes them dangerous,” her mother said. “Because it tricks gullible children, like you, into thinking they’re equals.”
“He embarrassed me.”
“I’m sure he did. Because he still thinks he has a voice.”
“He doesn’t just think it, he uses it. Loudly. And people listen to him. Even the other students. They think it’s funny. Some of them are starting to treat him like he’s legitimate.”
Her mother exhaled. “Which means it won’t be long before someone corrects the mistake.”
“Exactly,” Dayton said. “So let it be me.”
There was a long pause. Her mother reached for the tea cooling on the side table and took a slow sip, her eyes never leaving Dayton’s.
“You’ve filed an ownership claim packet already?”
“No,” Dayton said, jaw tight. “Because I knew you’d say no unless I came to you first.”
“You were right.”
“I’m not asking you to pay it all at once.”
“Of course not. Just co-sign for a $50,000 commitment. That’s not parental involvement; that’s bankruptcy with extra paperwork.”
“There’s a youth incentive grant,”
“That covers a fraction.”
“I have savings-”
“From birthdays and allowances.”
Dayton stepped closer, her voice lowering. “I can get a job. A real one. Generitech has Guardian apprenticeships, ”
“Stop.” Her mother’s voice cut through the room like frost. “You think this is about money. It’s not.”
Dayton blinked. “Then what?”
“It’s about bringing that thing that underbred into my house.”
“You mean a Little.”
“I mean an animal that thinks it’s still human. And worse, one that other people are encouraging to believe it.”
“I wouldn’t let him talk back to you.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is the point, Mom?”
Her mother set the cup down and looked directly at her. “I don’t want one of them here. I don’t want to listen to his high-pitched lectures, or watch him scamper across counters, or pretend he’s earned the right to a real chair. Littles are not people. They are domesticated animals. That’s what the science says. That’s what the law says. That’s what reality is.”
“Then let me own him.”
Her mother blinked. “What?”
“Let me collar him. Register him. Train him properly. Let me bring him under the roof you want, one where he knows what he is.”
Her mother’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t want to protect him. You want to punish him.”
“I want to fix him.”
“Same thing.”
Dayton’s shoulders shook as she fought to stay composed. “You think this is a joke, but it’s not. He walks into that classroom and acts like he belongs. Like he’s the teacher. Like I’m the one who should sit down and take notes. And I can’t, won’t, let that go unchecked.”
“So, this is pride.”
“It’s about structure,” Dayton hissed. “It’s about reality. Littles are pets. They can be trained to assist, they can be taught skills to help people, but they are pets who need our help and guidance. He needs our help mom. We can give him a good home, structure, i can guide him and train him.”
Her mother stared at her a long time.
“You’d feed him?” she asked quietly. “Clean him? Wash his bedding? Clip his nails? Care for him when he gets sick?”
“Yes.”
“You’d hear him cry?”
“Yes.”
“You’d still keep him?”
Dayton’s eyes burned. “Yes.”
Her mother picked up the envelope again, tapped it against her palm. “You’ll bring me the full filing packet. Itemized fees. Regulatory compliance. Training milestones. Social integration modules. Bond insurance options. Everything.”
Dayton exhaled.
“I will.”
“One more thing,” her mother said, her voice suddenly softer, but no less sharp. “You’ll handwrite a letter. One page. You’ll tell me why you want this one. Why you want him. Not just a Little. Him.”
Dayton nodded.
“And if I decide it’s not good enough, ”
“I’ll find another way.”
Her mother’s eyes glittered for a beat, not with anger, but with something colder.
“I know you will.”
Dayton turned and walked back toward the stairs, her legs heavy but unshaking. Each step sounded louder than the last, echoing against her ribs. In her mind, she could already see him, Mr. Rhys, kneeling beside her bed, collared in satin, voice no longer smug but obedient.
It wasn’t about cruelty.
It was about clarity.
And she would give it to him.
Even if it took everything. Thomas had learned. Mr. Rhys could, too. They always did, eventually.
they have to be distant cousins of Cindy or something lol
This duo is making Cindy almost look like saint and that’s saying something
I bet Mrs Harris donates to Cindy’s causes
the difference to me between them is that Cindy actively was trying to shape the way littles are percieved and shaping laws. Dayton’s mom may not like littles but she isnt trying to make anyone else hate them or make other people believe what she believes. She just doesnt think they are people but also doesnt want a little.
Dear god please lord let this not happen fuck Dayton fuck her mom fuck that whole family I don’t know how Sara or her mother can be friends with this family or even consider themselves close dear god and even if they had a regular dog I would never let it be near them
Jordan was right to have Sara keep Dayton away from him at all times o don’t care what Sara or anybody says fuck her ! It’s making that Christmas special where he even had the courage to be near this brat again worse
God lethal help roast this little tyrant to oblivion cause fuck this hopefully not future scenario from happening!
ikr? I was thinking about sarah’s mom after this and the only thing i can think of is that A: she’s pretty much distanced herself from Littles cause of work and B: even if they disagree on littles, they’re still best friends so this is probably not something that Mrs. Reeves wants to throw that away over.
that said, Dayton and her mom suck. like seriously, i get really really bad vibes from Dayton lmao like the desire to exert that much control over something that she is showing is extremely unhealthy.
this is another tale with Dayton’s dad not really involved and Dayton’s mom becomes a little and her dad pays for Dayton to be her guardian and works more and leaves all her care and ownership to Dayton. Now that would be fun to see lol.
To be fair to Daytons mom. As i havent seen anyone mention it. She may not like littles but also isnt trying to own one, or interact with them or have anything to do with them.
Its not like shes a person who hate dogs and then is trying to get a dog. She actively doesnt want a litlte also doesnt think they are people but are whatever i dont even want one and just goes about her life.
Its really her daughter wanting one bringing things into focus.
I knew Mrs Harris hated Littles, but damn, a one-page paper as to why Dayton wants Mr. Rhys is nuts.
Interested to see where things go from here.
The idea behind the paper is to make her prove she wants a little/underbred and is ready for the commitment by making her validate the want. As its a lifelong commitment not a well i’m not really feeling this anymore.
Dayton’s mom also doesnt want to get stuck having to do things for the little kidn fo like when you parents get a dog for their kid who begged for one promising to do everything and then teh parent gets stuck doing everything
That makes sense.
“…four inch talking rodent”
I like this family.
lol
Daytons mom is defintely not pro little.
Littles getting their guardians ready for Christmas lol
More little Christmas prep
Humans try to use cute little Santa’s lol
Wouldn’t Littles as Evles make infinetly more sense?
i was guessing he was a jolly elf like the story lol, but they would max great elf’s also
Is this better lol
1) “Mexico and United States Little Database expanding to Canada. This would allow a little and guardian registered in any of the countries recognised legally and officially in all three countries” I love the continuity
2) “Her bare feet were still tingling from the walk home” Did she walk home barefoot? Is that why her soles looked like that in 13?
3) “I need to talk to you.” “That usually means I’m not going to like what I hear.” “It’s important.” Pretty Norman mother/daughter dialogue
4) ““No, I want to file a claim,” Well I wanna reach through the monitor and slap Dayton around, but we don’t always get what we want, do we?
5) “He’s unclaimed. No collar. No Guardian. Teaching full size students like it’s perfectly normal.” and one day, it could be
6) “You are a child.” “Certification doesn’t mean readiness.” Dayton’s mom’s off to a surprisingly good start, but my spider sense is tingling.
7) “He’s not a rodent,” that’s right, he’s a hominid
8) “He embarrassed me.” If a Little can make you feel small, that says more about you than them
9) “He doesn’t just think it, he uses it. Loudly. And people listen to him. Even the other students. They think it’s funny. Some of them are starting to treat him like he’s legitimate.” it really does seem that Dayton;s the only one who has an issue with it. (and her friends but they may feel different if Dayton wasn’t there)
10) “You’ve filed an ownership claim packet already?” “No, because I knew you’d say no unless I came to you first.” Sounds like she’s tried before
11) “It’s about bringing that thing that underbred into my house.” – “You mean a Little.” Been a while since someone’s dropped the word “underbred, I’m not surprised it was a Harris. Dayton correcting her was a surprise, though I could see it just being
12) “I wouldn’t let him talk back to you.” I doubt Mrs Harris would let a Little talk o her in anyway shape or form.
13) “Littles are not people. They are domesticated animals. That’s what the science says. That’s what the law says. That’s what reality is.” Science changes it’s answer depending on a scientists wishes, Laws are madde with bias, you’ll say reality is what ever you want it to be
14) “You think this is a joke, but it’s not. He walks into that classroom and acts like he belongs. Like he’s the teacher. Like I’m the one who should sit down and take notes. And I can’t, won’t, let that go unchecked.” Man’s just doing his job.
15) You’ll handwrite a letter. One page. You’ll tell me why you want this one. Why you want him. Not just a Little. Him.” “And if I decide it’s not good enough, ” Sounds like Mrs Harris is setting up a way to say no that looks liek
16) “It wasn’t about cruelty. It was about clarity. And she would give it to him.” It’s about control, and she wants to take in from him
17) “Even if it took everything. Thomas had learned. Mr. Rhys could, too. They always did, eventually” Always? How many Littles does she know? Did Kinsley learn? Gavin? Jordan? does she know Kelli?
18) “It means I passed Generitech’s temperament checks, handling drills, ethics modules. I earned my title.” Damn you, guardian training
18) lol, I picture you like the villians in scooby doo at the end. Damn you crazy kids and your dog
17) Dayton has for sure met kelli. Im not sure if that would constitute knowing as its not like hse is hanging out with kelli on the regular.
16) dayton adn control are like peanut butter and jelly. But she can also provide clarity as a secondary benefit. She isn’t saying all benefits are equal.
15) its not gauranteed thats for sure. She is making dayton do teh work fi she is going to give in.
14) its hard on the streets.
13) well you can make data say alot of things. I would more agree with taht in that regadrd then science. as science is generally if you do these steps this happens.
12) I feel like it wouldnt matter if you were a little or a person she is not going to let someone talk back to her.
11) I like using it sparingly so it has more of an afffect.
10) Well she would need file a claim for any little. Sara had to file one for Jordy..Dayton wants a little. she ahs defiantely tried her mom doesnt want a little. She thought guardian training would have shown dayton how much work it is, and how its not all fun and games. its not like getting a puppy or cat. But it had the opposite affect much to her chagrin.
9) I wouldnt say she is the only one but she is by nature one to speak up abotu things she doesnt like and be vocal where others are more followers. So iw ouldnt say she is th only one but others arent as willing to be first to say something. They will complin behind the scenes and never actualyl do anything. That is not Dayton.
8) Well size wouldnt have a relevancy in regards to if he coudl or coudl not embarass her. As he is intelligent and human. with critical thinking skills he can speak. Words and actions do hurt. He is in a position of power even as a little. So he has a level of agency to embarass, harm and hurt her.
Jordan could hurt sara’s feelings as a little. It doesnt matter your size if you know someone and are open to them on any level you are also opening yourself up for hurt, embarassment, pain, and the goodthings of love, happiness etc. but you cant ever feel teh good without teh possibility of the bad and vice versa. Size wold have no bearing on that.
7) I feel like that was Daytons internal monologue but she knew what should be a thinking thought and a verbalized thought.
6) Mrs Harris character is a good parent. She just doenst like littles and doesnt want littles. But she isnt a bad parent or in herently a bad person overall.. when it comes to little rights she definately diverges from the readers comment section.
5) coming to a future near you.
4)Its a shame i cant sell passes for that. I’d make a fortune.
3)it was pretty tried true. I wantd to make it feel real
2)no i got a dirty feed texture set that only works with gen 8 models and i never havea chance to use it. Because of her pose i had the opportunity.
1) trying to keep that worldbuilding lore throughout.
18) lol, not too far off
17) SO she’d know multiple Littles who never learned
16) But it isn’t clarity, its her controlling his view.
14) Harder in some homes for littles.
12) Valid
11) I remember when Underbred was treated like the default term,
10) I meant filing a claim behind her mother’s back
9) I hope we see more students giving their opinion.
8) I think it would add to it, like yes he could embarrass her at full size, but she’s more embarrassed because he’s a Little
Jrdan could (and has) hurt Sara, but that’s because Sara put him in a position where she is more emotionally vulnerable around him. A random Little wouldn’t be able to.
6) I can see that.
5) hopefully
4) I’d buy a season ticket, pay extra for Mia, Sara, Mal, and Maddison too.
I feel like like Dayton’s mom is the kind of parent that would want to make sure their kid’s Little is fixed to ensure good behavior.
I agree with you, Chi.
I don’t disagree with that. I like the idea overall. I will probably incorporate it into a story at some point. As dayton will at some point get a little. Its yet to be seen if its in this speciic season.
Well I’m just saying, if they are truly seen as animals and pets, then they really should be spayed or neutered. At least the males. For their own health and to make them more docile.