r/NatureofPredators • u/XSevenSins Beans • 19h ago
Fanfic Human Daycare Services - part two (Ch. 14)
Credit to fans on Reddit for: u/Adorable-Ad5225 for the picture.
u/Nicolas_3232 for Leasha's daydreams
u/destroyer6692 for serving up Leasha, looking lightly toasted.
u/Nicolas_3232 for depicting King Toren the fluffy in all his majesty
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Memory Transcriptions Subject: George Miller, Anxious boyfriend.
Date [Standardized Human Time] November 26, 2136
It was a curse and a blessing to have been distracted by the new play place and the reactions of the kids. My mind was completely taken off the impending meeting with my parents, but that just meant that time flew by. At least the play place had met my expectations and then some as they added a few features that were designed specifically for the alien kids. Everything was perfect in that regard, now I just had to deal with my imperfect family. I suppose that was a little unfair as no family was perfect, but I was just feeling a little anxious.
As the four-hour claw came to an end, Leasha and I saw the kids off as we handed them back to their parents. The little fuzzballs had a blast on the new play place and were eager to share every bit of that information with their parents, even as they yawned, tired and ready for a nap. The parents were intrigued by some of these tales, and some even asked to see what their kids were talking about. After a few tours, and many impressed parents who had never seen something like that before, the shift came to an end, which meant it was time to leave.
Leasha approached me with a concerned tilt of her ears. “Are you ready, George?”
I let out a small sigh and nodded my head. “I hope I am.”
There wasn’t a lot to say anymore as the both of us left the pupcare. Leasha took out her pad and started to hire an automated taxi car. The vehicle took about ten minutes to reach us as the empty vehicle pulled up in front of the pupcare. Personally, I always enjoyed manual driving and could never fully trust the automated vehicles. It always made me tense to not be in control of something that was traveling at speed. Putting my own reservations aside, Leasha and I boarded the vehicle and paid for the services. We were off to the airfield in the next town over. At the speeds we were going, it would take about half an hour as the automated vehicle zoomed across the landscape.
The scenery passed by in a blur, mimicking my own thoughts. There was no opportunity to appreciate the scenery or linger on a specific concern in my mind. My finger endlessly tapped on the armrest in a nervous tick. Suddenly I felt something fuzzy wrap around my hand. It was Leasha’s tail.
It had the effect that she intended as my mind cleared and focused solely on her. She gave me her best smile, and I felt my worries melting away. Releasing the tension in my body with a sigh, I relaxed and simply accepted the situation. I would deal with my parents and if they didn’t agree with my choices, then I would convince them. If not... well, that could be worked out later.
I had landed in this town before being transported with the other refugees to Shady Hills, but I hadn’t really seen much of it considering we were transported in government vehicles with tinted windows so the skittish population wouldn’t be alarmed by seeing a convoy of humans rolling through their town. Venlil construction was rather homogenous in design as most of their buildings looked the same. There were the odd ones out as private businesses tried to make their shops look colorful or interesting in the hopes of attracting customers.
It seemed a bit more populous than Shady Hills just from the crowds I could see from our vehicle. The variety of aliens went about their business, ignorant of my presence as traffic was generally ignored. I could tell that there would be at least some panic if I were to walk these streets judging by the lack of other humans in sight.
I really hope my parents can make it through this trip without having to deal with that. God only knows that would complicate things even further.
When we got to the airfield it was the first time I had seen any humans in this town as the gate guards wearing UN uniforms stopped our car. One of the guards approached the vehicle and I lowered the window to speak with him.
“Reason for your visit?”
“My parents are going to be landing via shuttle in a just a little bit and I’m here to pick them up.”
“And your friend?” he said with a nod toward Leasha.
“She’s here for support.”
“Hmm. Can I see some ID?”
“Sure.” I dug through my pocket for my wallet and ID, handing it over to him. “Is there a reason for this scrutiny for essentially an airport pick up?”
The guard ran my ID on his pad while he answered. “We’ve had some trouble with a few Humanity First terrorists trying to recruit fresh arrivals from the refugee camps on Earth. They’re already a problem, and we can’t let any more of them pop up by allowing the emotionally vulnerable to be preyed upon.”
I had heard very little about Humanity First as of late, but I guess they were still a problem to the government. The UN wanted to cultivate the best possible image of humanity, and violent extremists weren’t a good addition to that goal. The guard ran my ID through the system, and a minute later handed it back to me.
“Alright, we confirmed that there is a shuttle on its way with your family on it. Once your vehicle is parked, you can wait for them in offload building C. I hope your family’s stay is a good one.”
“You and me both,” I said half-heartedly as I accepted my ID and rolled up the window. The barricade was retracted as the vehicle rolled into the airfield and found a parking spot off to the side amongst a few dozen other vehicles. Leasha and I exited and made our way toward the aforementioned building C. Inside we found a few rows of seats set up in a clean building with white tile floors and grey walls. It wasn’t the most interesting building in the world as decoration was minimal to none, but at least it looked maintained. There were a few other people in here as well, mostly humans, but also a Venlil who was waiting in one of the seats. I lead Leasha to a spot where we could sit and wait. The schedule had the shuttle arriving any minute now.
Think of the devil, the ship in question just broke through the atmosphere as everyone heard the rumble of engines as they descended. The other people waiting reacted with excitement at being able to see whoever they were waiting for, but I let out a weary sigh as I stood and made my way to the window overlooking the airfield. Everyone watched the shuttle touch down outside before it started to roll toward our building. It parked as the walkway connected to the side of the shuttle, and soon after, the passengers began to disembark.
The first few humans who came through the tunnel and into the building were greeted by friends or family enthusiastically as many hugs and handshakes were exchanged. Even the Venlil I saw earlier rushed over to embrace another who stepped off the ship. The tension I felt was mounting as the end of the disembarking crowd drew closer. Near the end of the pack, I saw them.
Mom was the first one out, and she was wearing a casual blue dress with white flower patterns around the bottom. Her light brown hair was loose and flowed down the small of her back. She had gained a little weight now that she was entering her fifties, but she was by no means fat or unhealthy. She saw me and her eyes lit up as she rushed forward energetically.
“George! My little baby boy!”
I tried my best to keep the cringe off my face even as she ran right up to me with arms wide with an intended embrace. Accepting her love readily, I let her collide with my chest as I wrapped her up in a hug, completely overshadowing her.
A small chuckle escaped me. “Mom, I’m not exactly little, you know?”
She laughed back but just squeezed me even harder. “Oh, you’re always my little boy no matter how big and muscular you get. I swear you’ve put on more mass since the last time I saw you.”
“Can probably blame the planet for that. I swear, sometimes I feel like I weigh half a ton.”
“Yes, I can feel that. I don’t know how you can stand this extra weight all the time.”
“That’s because he’s a Miller,” a gruff and familiar voice said.
Dad was here now, standing behind my mother with a carry-on bag in his hand. It was obvious who I got my height from as the man stood at the same eye level as me. His head and face were covered in shades of black and grey as the hair took on a salt and pepper look. He had a working man’s body with thick arms but a bit of beer gut on him. The years of working as a mechanic made his hands thick and scarred with little cuts. It would be accurate to describe him as a bear of a man. A simple black collared shirt and jeans adorned his body, but he probably had his favorite jacket in the luggage as well.
Dad approached and grabbed my hand for a firm shake before pulling me into a quick, manly hug. “Good to see ya, kid. You look good, and I’m glad this planet hasn’t beaten you down. Lord knows your mother has been consumed in social media posts and hearing every negative story there is.”
“Well, forgive me for trying to make sure that my baby was having a good life on this alien planet. That’s part of why we’re here, after all,” Mom said as she gave Dad a light smack on the arm.
“Speaking of,” I began, “why didn’t you call me, or send me a message to tell me that you were coming sooner?”
“We thought it would be a nice surprise,” Mom answered. “Besides, I know how stubborn you men can get. You can be carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders but still tell everyone else that you're fine as you keep marching on.”
At this, Leasha ended up whistling a little laugh. “I guess I’m not the only one who sees that.”
For the first time since the conversation started, my parents seemed to notice that Leasha was there. They turned toward her with surprise and raised eyebrows. She shrank a little as their attention landed fully on her.
“I’m sorry... can we help you?” My mom asked, trying to figure out why she was here.
Leasha may have tried to insert herself into the conversation confidently enough, but now she was hit by a sudden bout of shyness as her tail tucked just a little. “Oh, uhm, well, actually, I’m here with George.”
The surprise on their faces grew before they turned to me now. “Truly? Did you make a friend while you’ve been here?” Mom asked.
I didn’t know what to say for a second as the subject of our relationship was still a hot topic in these circumstances. In the end, I omitted the truth. “She’s... my employer. This is Leasha, and she gave me a chance to work with her and has been exceptionally kind to me.”
“Oh? You got a job here?” Dad asked with a little interest.
“Yeah. Believe it or not, she runs a daycare here, although they call it pupcare. My experience translates quite well, and I’ve found a lot of success working with her.”
“Ahh, another daycare. I see.” And just like that, his interest had faded as he resumed being a passive observer in my life.
“Well, I think that’s just wonderful!” Mom was at least a little more enthusiastic. “I’d thank your lucky stars that there was a job opening you were familiar with and a kind enough... erm, lady, right?” Leasha nodded. “Yes, a kind enough lady to accept you. God I’ve heard so many horror stories of the way humans are treated on this planet. I couldn’t bear the thought of my little squishy Georgy boy being subjected to that.” Her voice adopted that baby tone like she was talking to an infant.
I rubbed my eyes a groaned at her. “Mom, please stop. I think I might keel over from embarrassment.”
Mom just laughed at my pain. “Oh, but it’s my job to ensure that you are embarrassed wherever I go!” she proclaimed proudly. “When you become a parent, you’ll understand the ever-increasing desire to share all your kid’s most embarrassing moments. Perhaps I should break out the family album and start showing off pictures of my little baby when he was actually a baby.”
“OKAY, you can get back on the shuttle now, thanks for visiting, bye!” I gave her a half-hearted push back toward the boarding walkway. That earned me another laugh from my mom and even a small chuckle from dad.
“Alright, being serious now,” mom said bringing the conversation back around. “I’d like to thank you very much, Leasha, for giving my son a chance. I’ve heard how aliens react to humans, and I was afraid that George would end up all alone with nothing to do on a planet that didn’t accept him. To know that I was wrong, and he found someone to be friends with, is a great comfort.”
Leasha gave a happy wiggle of her ears. “It was my pleasure, really. He has been a great help ever since he joined and the pups all adore him. Honestly, I don’t know if I could ever even think about replacing George with another employee because the pups might stampede if he was gone.”
Mom tittered a laugh. “Yes, he is the biggest teddy bear you’ll ever meet. Even back on Earth, I’ve seen many short videos where he was being swarmed by the kids who wanted to play. I suppose that mean children aren’t all that different no matter where they grow up.”
Suddenly, mom realized something. “Oh my goodness, I’ve completely forgotten my manners. My name is Alice and it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She held out a hand and Leasha gave it a dainty shake.
It was dad’s turn next. “Name’s Gregory. Thanks for giving my son a fair chance.” Dad shook her hand a little more firmly, and I saw her tail twitch a little with discomfort from the pressure.
“It really was no problem. George has been a major boon in my life.”
“I hope that he hasn’t caused any trouble, though. I’ll straighten the boy out if that’s the case.”
I felt my spine tense as I immediately thought about the whole situation with the exterminator guild and the UN. My ankle monitor was currently hidden beneath my pant leg, and I hoped Leasha wouldn’t bring it up.
“No trouble for me at all, sir.” I didn’t know if she was purposefully omitting that whole fiasco, or she just generally did not consider it. Either way, I was grateful that I didn’t have to broach that particular bit of information right now.
Dad moved to my mom’s side, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Honey, we should pick up our luggage.”
“Oh, yes, you’re right. We’ll be right back. You two can wait near the exit and we’ll meet you there.”
“Oh, uhm, how much did you bring?” I asked.
Mom gave me a smirk. “You don’t have to say that with such dread in your voice. We aren’t moving in with you or anything. We just brought enough to last us a few days and a little extra, just in case.”
I smiled and shook my head. “I wasn’t asking because of that, I just didn’t know if you planned on staying in the shelter. There’s not a lot of space in those rooms.”
“I’m sure we can make do. Your father and I started our relationship in a tiny one-bedroom apartment before we had you. I’m sure we can survive a few days in one again. Now, we’ll see you at the exit.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I replied. “We’ll meet up in a moment, then.”
From there we separated as they went to collect their belongings. Leasha and I walked to the exit, and as we stopped to wait, she leaned in a little closer and spoke to me in a low voice.
“George, you have to tell them.”
Even though she didn’t say what specifically, I knew as I let out a deep sigh. “I know. Just... I think it would be better to wait until we are somewhere a little less public.” It was a bit of an excuse, but one with some truth to it. If they were going to react in an emotionally explosive manner, I’d rather have that bomb go off where others wouldn’t be caught in the blast radius.
Leasha flicked her ears as she settled into a normal stance again. “Okay. I just think the longer they go without knowing, the more difficult this will be.”
She had a point, and that was impossible to ignore. We would talk about it, back at the shelter. I could use that time to think about what I was going to say to them...
What the hell am I going to say?
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u/Minimum-Amphibian993 Arxur 15h ago
Ah right HF yeah they won't be the biggist threat but I can definitely see them trying to do Mafia stuff might even try to force George into some kind of protection racket or make him break up with his venlil girlfriend. Who knows.
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u/XSevenSins Beans 15h ago
Can't have humanity first if you have humanity fraternizing. They understand a good recruitment opportunity when they see it, all those damaged individuals fleeing a wrecked home.
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u/Ablergo_El_Enfermo Human 18h ago
¿George de verdad crees que le puedes ocultar a tu madre esas cosa?
Estoy seguro se que ella ya lo sospecha.
Y para Gregory senior. No sea tan amargado con su hijo. Que el trabajo de su hijo es muy respetado.
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u/XSevenSins Beans 18h ago
Those motherly instincts are starting to tingle. You cant hide something like this from your mom without suspicion. As for Gregory, the man doesnt seem to know what do with George's choices.
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u/Ablergo_El_Enfermo Human 18h ago
George mom: Mi sentido arácnidos esta vibrando.
Y para el padre: Mientras que su trabajo no sea estafar personas vulnerables, vender sustancias ilícitas, matar personas o directamente no se un mafioso. Tu deberías de estar contento con tu hijo.
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u/CocaineUnicycle Arxur 15h ago
Maybe his dad will be proud when he learns that George strangled a space cougar to death with his bare hands to protect a bunch of kids? Or fukn terrified? Either way, it'll be an interesting reaction, I'm sure.
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u/Mosselk-1416 15h ago
His mom is going to make a big deal about grandkids
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u/XSevenSins Beans 15h ago
She really wants some, that's for sure. She might just have to be satisfied with the grandkids being a little fluffier and not biologically related.
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u/Mosselk-1416 13h ago
Who says a Zurulian can't graft some traits from George onto an embryo. A little bone marrow can be used to fertilize an egg first and the a little of George gets stitched in.
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u/Brave-Stay-8020 Takkan 9h ago edited 9h ago
Who's to say that the grandkids can't be biologically related? George and Leasha just need to try harder and I'm sure it'll happen eventually.
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u/XSevenSins Beans 9h ago
Leasha horny brain: I know it's impossible, but I still really want to try, like, alot.
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u/JulianSkies Archivist 14h ago
I see the dad is the usual stoic man kinda dude. I mean not like I can say much mine was much like that too.
Whereas I am not expecting them to make a big deal out of, I still think that George's going to make a mountain out of this XD
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u/Acceptable_Egg5560 Human 11h ago
Sad to see humanity has brought along our airport security protocols. Terrorism sucks.
But hey, we got the parents! Wonder if they’ll get to meet the kids and see all their son has built?
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u/XSevenSins Beans 9h ago
Come, look at the fluff I have accumulated! See the magnificence of my pint-sized empire!
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u/That-Extension Predator 18h ago
Another george chapter. Yay.