“...this PET is actually my dad. I think this might've been a mistake, actually?" Riley had seen something very similar to this happen at least half a dozen times. It might not have been you being accidentally made a PET but you had been smashed onto cushions and sometimes smeared on socks so it wasn’t that much different and you had been rather focal about having wanted out of those situations. While she was explaining she actually pulled you out of the shoe, not that you were at all recognisable after the pounding you had just received but you got right to work on reforming.
The coach really didn’t want to accept that Riley was correct and proceeded to second guess her on every point she brought up. First on how she knew it was you and then again on why she thought you hadn’t volunteered to be a PET until you finally reformed enough to talk on your own. “Riley is correct Coach Sandra. I was only here dropping Riley off and got grabbed in front of the door.” Of course your intervention completely deflated the coach who made a weak but hopeful pass at actually asking you to sign up as Riley’s PET which you declined and finally got to leave for home with your daughter.
You figured that was actually the luckiest you’d been in a while on one of your daughters being able to remember where you went after a few hours. You barely noticed Riley going on about how practice went and how helpful her ‘temporary PET’ had been to energizing her. Putting the incident behind you and resolved to not walk all the way to the girl’s locker room before leaving next time.
____
It was a peaceful week or so with only minor incidents and you were once again set to spend the day with Riley. Normally your athletic daughter was excited about the time you set aside for her but today she seemed overly nervous like she had something on her mind. You had just finished watching some newer movie that Riley had heard about, it was okay the premise of an affected somehow competing in a dance competition against unaffected was interesting but ultimately it was a little predictable. Riley was still fidgeting so you sighed and decided to just ask her what was up.
“Something on your mind sweetheart.” You chuckled a little when she jumped as if she was so deep in thought she hadn’t expected the noise.
“N-no dad, it’s silly…” She trailed off looking to the side in that way that told you it was eating at her.
“I’m sure it’s not. Come on, you can always tell me anything Riley.” You said reassuringly.
“Well… okay. You know how you accidentally ended up being my PET last week?” She flinched a little expecting a bad reaction but you were more confused.
“What? Is school making some kind of fuss about it? I can call Jenna-” You started but a sudden burst of motion flung you off the arm of the couch as Riley shouted.
“NO! Sorry no that’s not it.” She leaned over and scooped you up to put you back on the couch. “It’s, well, so I know you don’t really like that stuff but I wanted to try out another PET to see if you know. Maybe it was just a weird day or something but… The team only has so many and no new Volunteers have shown up. Nobody else wants to lend me theirs so I just wanted to… well… um… ask if, if maybe you would do it?” She squeaked out that part and immediately exploded into excuses, reasons and bargaining. “Just the once, like there’s a big game coming up and I wouldn't tell Coach Sandra and I’ll super clean my cleats and…” She would have continued for quite a while but you Shouted to stop her.
“RILEY!” it was loud enough to overpower her voice for a second and you coughed to recover before continuing. “That’s kind of a big ask you know. I’m not going to let you use me as an Insole young lady.” You tried using your stern father's voice but the effect was killed somewhat by the content of the conversation.
“But Daddy, Please, Please, Please.” She collapsed backward and started begging like she did when she was twelve and wanted ice cream. The issue was that you had not a single time been able to deny either of your daughters when they got even a little bit pouty. Despite what she was asking of you the iron resolve to not go back into those shoes had a huge spiderweb of cracks across it.
“Don’t think that’s going to work, you’re not twelve and you’re not just begging for a new soccerball, you’re asking to stomp on me for a few hours.” Your voice was much weaker than you wanted it to be and Riley responded by cranking up the hurt in her voice quivering her lip as if she was about to cry.
“Does that mean I’m not your little girl anymore.” She whimpered and you felt almost like a physical two ton anvil had just dropped on you and you nearly caved right at that moment. There was a tiny voice in your mind that said that she was playing it up to get you to do what she wanted but you could barely hear that voice over a much louder one screaming that you couldn’t let your little girl cry.
“Alright Riley….”
1. "Just this one time." You breakdown completely and agree to act as her PET for the big Game
2. "Ask your mother..." Unable to refuse her yourself you try to rely on Mari to turn her down, though that's not foolproof
3. "I'll find someone..." You try to get out of it by saying you can convince another affected to take your place. Now you just have to figure out how to do that.
4. "If you finally ask that Persephone girl on a date." You bank your continued space from Riley's soccer socks on her being too embarrassed to actually act on her crush.
5. "Not a chance, you're always my little girl but there's no way you're getting me in those shoes willingly."
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