Greg was still in Madison’s lap.
He was surprised she had not come down harder on him for the slip. In front of the girls, in front of Cindy, he had called her Madison. Not Ms. Wessen. Not the title she expected when Cindy was present. Madison had noticed. Everyone had noticed.
But she had let it pass.
Mostly.
Her fingers continued to move over him in slow, gentle strokes, little pets that eased across his back and shoulders. His body relaxed despite everything. He could feel her warmth radiating up from beneath him, through the fabric of her clothes, into his smaller body. Her fingers were warm too, careful in a way Madison did not always manage when she was distracted.
Greg wanted not to enjoy it.
He could see Cindy working in Evan’s lap. He knew she was tired. Humiliated. Angry. He knew every answer she typed was probably cutting into her in some way he could not fully understand from across the room.
And still his body relaxed.
That was the part he hated.
The comfort was real. Madison’s hand was real. The affection in it was real too. It was not just control, not with him. Not always. Sometimes, like now, Madison was simply touching him because he was her dad and she loved him and this was the only safe way left to be physically affectionate.
But Cindy was across the room doing homework for children.
And there was nothing Greg could do or say that would change things.
Madison was in charge here.
Not completely. Not in every room. McKenzie had carved out her own space, her own rules, her own claim over his care. But in this living room, with her friends around her and Cindy in Evan’s lap, Madison’s authority filled the house.
Greg knew tomorrow would be back to normal.
Or something close to normal.
McKenzie would go to school. She would have practice. She would move through her day with the confidence of someone who still belonged to the world at full size. Greg was not sure what that meant for him. Maybe she would leave him in the habitat in her room. Maybe she would bring him to Madison’s habitat. Maybe she would drop him off with Cindy before she left.
He was going to have to ask.
At the very least, he needed McKenzie to bring him to Cindy for part of the day. After today, he knew he needed to see his wife. Really see her. Not across the living room. Not through glances while Madison and her friends talked over them.
He could call her. They could talk on the tablet. He could help her with the homework over video chat if Madison allowed it. But that would not be enough.
Cindy would want to talk about this.
No.
Cindy would need to talk about this.
And Greg was especially not looking forward to the clothes conversation.
He knew Cindy had seen.
She could not say anything here. Not like this. Not with Madison’s friends around, not while Evan held so much social power in the room, not while Cindy was trapped beneath everyone’s attention.
But tomorrow, if McKenzie dropped him off in a full outfit, Cindy would say something.
She would not be able to stop herself.
Greg looked down at the clothing McKenzie had picked for him. It was comfortable. Well-made. Thoughtful in a way that had McKenzie written all over it. It made him feel more like himself, which was both comforting and dangerous. Because Cindy would see it as another dividing line.
Greg had clothes.
Greg had a nice habitat.
Greg got Pizza Rolls.
Greg got to sit in Madison’s lap and joke with her and sometimes even call her Madison if no one pushed too hard.
Cindy got pellets.
Homework.
Tasks.
Titles.
Glass walls.
Madison did have outfits for Cindy. Greg knew that. He had seen them. A few dresses. Some practical pieces. A couple of things Madison had bought because they were cute and then never used because Cindy had not “earned” them. Madison had taken him to dance competitions with Brooklyn before, dressed him up, shown him off in a way that embarrassed him but also made him feel included.
Cindy had not been taken anywhere like that since the Harrington house incident.
Greg knew how embarrassed Madison had been.
Madison was a ranked Guardian. That mattered to her. Maybe more than she admitted. Cindy’s public behavior reflected on Madison, and after the Harrington debacle, it had become easier for Madison to keep Cindy home. Easier to let Cindy do tasks in the habitat. Easier to say Cindy was not ready.
And maybe, on some level, easier to keep dreaming about the Little she had always wanted.
Greg’s eyes drifted toward Madison’s face as she laughed at something Brooklyn said.
Madison still wanted her dream Little.
She did not talk about it as much as she used to, but he knew. Before he and Cindy became Littles, Madison had talked about it constantly. Not just any Little. Not an American Little who happened to be Japanese. Madison had been very specific. She wanted a Japanese Little around her age, fully Japanese, bilingual in Japanese and English.
She had imagined everything.
The outfits.
The language practice.
The videos they could make.
The aesthetic of it, though Greg doubted Madison would have used that word back then.
A Little who could be cute, useful, impressive, and hers.
Greg had once treated it like another teenage obsession. Like when Madison got fixated on skincare routines, dance gear, or some new online trend that required accessories and an unreasonable amount of parental money.
But now the dream felt different.
Darker.
Because Cindy was not that Little.
Greg was not that Little either, but Madison did not seem to need him to be. With him, she wanted Dad. Smaller, dependent, more controllable, yes, but still Dad. With Cindy, Madison wanted something Cindy could not give her. A proper Little. A grateful Little. A Little who reflected well on her.
And when Cindy failed to become that, Madison’s disappointment turned into rules.
Greg shifted slightly in Madison’s lap.
Madison’s fingers paused. “You okay, Dad?”
He looked up at her.
There it was again.
That softness.
The daughter who still wanted him at her dance competitions. The girl who still cared whether he smiled at her. The Guardian who could decide where he slept, what he ate, what he wore, and whether he got to see his wife.
All of her in one face.
“I’m okay,” Greg said.
Madison studied him for a second. “You sure?”
He nodded. “Just thinking.”
“Dangerous.”
He smiled faintly. “So I’ve been told.”
Madison’s expression softened, and her fingers resumed their gentle motion over his back.
Across the room, Cindy continued working.
Greg looked toward her again.
Tomorrow, he told himself.
Tomorrow he would ask McKenzie.
Tomorrow he would find a way to sit with Cindy, even if it was only for an hour. He would let her be angry. He would let her say what she needed to say. He would not defend Madison too quickly. He would not retreat into softness just because softness was easier.
Cindy deserved that much.
Even if he could give her nothing else. However, he didn’t actually know if McKenzie would even have an issue with him seeing Cindy. She never said staying in her room meant not seeing Cindy. The arrangement was still new and many things were unknown.
Madison’s laughter rose above him, warm and bright, joining Brooklyn’s and Krysi’s and Ava’s.
Greg sat in her lap, safe and small and loved.
Across the room, Cindy sat with a tablet, useful and trapped.
And Greg understood, with a hollow ache, that the same house was teaching them two very different ways to survive.
Ok Greg has to be the catalyst to mellowing Madison or bringing her around
Madison is fairly calm around Cindy. She is just using Cindy’s methods on Cindy for Cindy.
She is pushing back on Cindy not being a little as she is a little.
I swear if this is the hint that leads to mads trading away Cindy for real I’ll forever hate her like she more hated than fucking Dayton in my mind !
I’m sorry like if Greg see it and Evan hinted at that possibility then I’m sorry the family is cooked and I wouldn’t even blame Greg for possibly not looking at Mads the same way if and it’s a big if she does trade away Cindy
Sigh I just don’t know man lol
I didnt think you could hate dayton anymore then you do now honestly. So its surprising that she could be more hated. Tempting to do just to see how it plays out.
Presumably she could trade Cindy and he could still see cindy though because of hte community aspect.
Cindy has to find a way to be the cute little girl that Madison wants. Again, cage of her own making.
Madison was simply touching him because he was her dad and she loved him and this was the only safe way left to be physically affectionate.
that’s sweet
He’s still her dad after all and she does care and love him.
Can’t wait to see if Greg gets time with Cindy. Hopefully he can help both Kenzie and Madison at least talk to her not in a guardian to little way, but mom to daughters way.
you mean if madison can atleast talk to Madison’s ltilte in a more familial way? That would be strong pivot in the way madison handles her little so far.
Greg acknowledging that he misses his wife is a welcome addition for sure. I really hope he lets Kenzie know how shitty not being able to be with his wife is.
Madison is resenting her mom because she wanted a different slave? What a spoiled brat lol. But it very much comes off as she doesn’t miss her mom at all, which could just be because she was the disciplinarian while Greg got to be the “good guy” parent. Which, for someone her age, would make her relish power over the one doing the hard part of parenting more. I think she also may just be punishing her mom because it is how she is dealing with losing her. And she has zero parental guidance now as the courts made the idiotic decision to put her in the care of her teen sister. Which is par for the course in this world.
Greg seems to be growing a spine finally, so that is pretty dope. Maybe if he was a bit tougher with his daughter when he was big, she wouldn’t end up being such a brat, but I understand how hard that can be.
1) “He was surprised she had not come down harder on him for the slip” That is an unusually reasonable reaction from her
2) “McKenzie had carved out her own space, her own rules, her own claim over his care.” Good for him
3) “After today, he knew he needed to see his wife. Really see her. Not across the living room. Not through glances while Madison and her friends talked over them.” Yeah, I definitely understand wanting to get alone time with one’s spouse
4) “But tomorrow, if McKenzie dropped him off in a full outfit, Cindy would say something, yeah, but would she blame Greg for something clearly not his fault?
5) “Cindy would see it as another dividing line. Greg had clothes. Greg had a nice habitat. Greg got Pizza Rolls. Greg got to sit in Madison’s lap and joke with her and sometimes even call her Madison if no one pushed too hard.” I can see why Cindy would feel jealous of that
4) “Madison still wanted her dream Little. She did not talk about it as much as she used to, but he knew” Already has a Little and a half, but still wants another, that’s a bit greedy, lol
5) “Not an American Little who happened to be Japanese. Madison had been very specific. She wanted a Japanese Little around her age, fully Japanese, bilingual in Japanese and English.” I suppose that’d be a way to see how Japan treats its Littles, and the logistics of a private citizen special ordering a Little from a foreign country.
6) “But now the dream felt different. Darker.” I can see why they’d feel that way. Madison’s dream Little would probably have an easier life than Cindy, maybe even Greg
7) “Greg was not that Little either, but Madison did not seem to need him to be. With him, she wanted Dad. Smaller, dependent, more controllable, yes, but still Dad. With Cindy, Madison wanted something Cindy could not give her. A proper Little. A grateful Little. A Little who reflected well on her.” That is why she treats them so differently
8) “And when Cindy failed to become that, Madison’s disappointment turned into rules” because that gave her a sense of control
9) “Just thinking.” – “Dangerous.” – “So I’ve been told.” Yeah, told by Cindy that Littles having thoughts is dangerous
10) “However, he didn’t actually know if McKenzie would even have an issue with him seeing Cindy. She never said staying in her room meant not seeing Cindy.” That is good, I think McKenzie would be reasonable about the request
Please note I accidentally counted 4 &5 twice, each, lol
I just started reading your replies to answer them lol. your timing is impeccable
1) He was a good girl dad and Greg always treated his daughters as they are and will always be his weakness. So her being easy on him is fitting or poetic.
2)Kenzie taking charge as she should imho. She could exert some control really. She lets Madison get away with alot. Which narratively makes sense as it is Madison’s world after all.
3) Greg does love his wife despite what people may think. I mean she may have shitty views on littles but its still his wife who he loves and cares about.
4-1)I Mean she wouldnt be the first woman to do that. But i feel like seh wouldnt go fully into him if she does. But she probably understands its not like asked for clothes but if they are offered why would he turn them down.
What would really piss her off is if she actualyl saw Mckenzie’s habitat for him which seh hasnt seen. She only knows MckEnzie has one but in her head its similar to hers.
4-2) She goes through spurtsl ike most kids. Not speaking as much about it doesnt mean she desires it any less.
5-1) I mean she is living hte life she advocated for. Greg is living the life he is being provided. it seems like equality to me.
5-2) Preematech 2 day shipping lol. sending littles out like they are amazon.
6) Then cindy for sure. Greg most likely. “dad isnt Akari great lookathow cute she is. Look at how good she can clean this” I can see the comparisons. probably worse for Cindy as Greg would still be dad but Cindy is her mother but also has the “madisons little” banner.
7) yup.
8) nailed it. Cindy doesnt go places with her for a reason.
9) lol, the intent was something lighter just some father and daughter back and forth.
10) real talk, i doubt she would care which habitat he is in while shes gone. It wouldnt really make any meaninful difference to her.
1) True
2) I also think Kenzie should be more authoritative with Madison, or at least watch more closely.
4-1) No, it’s a thing many woman do.
I hope we see her react to it.
5-1) You’re right, but fairness doesn’t negate jealousy.
4-2) Fair
5-2) Does she get a discount thanks to Cindy’s work with them?
6) Akari (great name btw) would join the community above Cindy and it would piss her all the way off.
9) Oh, nevermind
10) Very good.
1) Some of the comments lately got me to thinking that surely Madison and McKenzie must have SOME good memories of time spent with mom. Assuming that to be true, Greg needs to figure out ways to bring those memories back up.
2) Today’s image seems to show Greg with socks or are those shoes? He was barefoot earlier. Seems like at least socks make sense for him to stay warm.
2) they are socks. He was originally given socks but not shoes. I just forgot to include them in the pictures.z
1) They had good memories. Only McKenzie and Cindy really had any kind of fallout.
Madison is just treating Cindy like a little of Cindy’s teachings. She doesn’t hate Cindy. She’s just doing what Cindy would want.
That’s different then hate.
Hard for Cindy to be mad at Madison for following her instructions by the quote.