Daddy's Precious Little Girl

Unease

I stare at my reflection, my fingers fumbling over the buttons of my uniform. My hands won't stop shaking. I know why, but I don't want to think about it. Today's the day I'm supposed to go back to The Sanctuary, and all I can think about is how much I don't want to.

Two days of safety with Ethan felt like a gift, like I could breathe without worrying about Marcy or anyone else. But now... now I have to face it again. The memory of Marcy's smirk, her lies, and the way Ms. Crawley grabbed me, rough and careless, keeps flashing through my mind. The bruise still aches, even though I never told Ethan about it. It's small, but every time I touch it, I remember her fingers digging into my arm, how she didn't care that I didn't do anything wrong.

I didn't tell him about the bruise. Why didn't I tell him? Maybe I thought it would go away, or that if I said something, I'd make it real. But it is real. I can still feel the ache under my sleeve. What if it happens again?

Ethan said Marcy's a bully, that sometimes Littles act out to feel powerful. But that doesn't help. Knowing she's just mean doesn't stop the fear twisting in my stomach. What if she lies again? What if Ms. Crawley or someone else believes her like before?

Ethan's voice echoes in my head. "You're not alone, Ashlynn. I'll always be here to look out for you." I know he means it, but... he can't be there all the time. He can't stop everything from happening. The bruise proves that.

I should've told him. Should've shown him the mark Ms. Crawley left on me. But I didn't. And now I have to go back to that place, back to her, and face everything alone. I feel tears prick at my eyes, but I swallow them back. I don't want to be weak. But I'm scared—so scared that I'll freeze up again, that I'll let them hurt me like before.

I can't stop thinking about my mom and how I could never stand up for myself then. What if this is the same? What if I can't handle it?

A knock on the door pulls me from my spiraling thoughts. I blink, trying to shake off the unease, but my hands are still trembling. Before I can say anything, Ethan's calm voice comes through the door.

"Sweet girl, it's me. Can I come in?"

I swallow hard, still feeling the anxiety from earlier. "Y-yes," I manage to say, though my voice is shaky.

The door opens, and there he is, standing tall and calm, like nothing in the world could shake him. His presence fills the room, and even though I'm still anxious, I feel a little bit of that tension ease just by seeing him.

"Good morning, precious," Ethan says softly, walking in and closing the door behind him. His eyes immediately fall on me, and I know he can see it—the trembling in my hands, the worry in my eyes. But he doesn't rush me. He takes his time, walking over and crouching down so we're at eye level. "How are you feeling?"

I shrug, unable to put into words the storm of emotions swirling inside me. My fingers tug at the edge of my uniform skirt, twisting the fabric. It's a nervous habit I haven't been able to shake. I know he can see I'm not ready to talk, not yet.

Ethan reaches out, his hand brushing over mine, gentle as ever. "One step at a time, precious," he says quietly. "We don't have to worry about anything else right now, okay? Let's get you ready, and we'll take it from there."

His voice is so steady, so sure. It makes it a little easier to breathe. I nod, letting him guide me to the mirror where I finish adjusting my uniform. I notice my onesie is already snapped, but I fumble a bit as I straighten my tie. Ethan notices right away, his brow creasing slightly with concern.

"Here, let me help," he says, stepping in without hesitation. His hands, always so sure, work the tie into place with ease, and I can't help but feel a wave of relief wash over me. It's always like this with Ethan—he knows what I need, even when I can't say it.

"Thank you," I whisper, feeling a bit more put together now.

"Of course, precious girl," he replies, giving me a warm smile that sends a small spark of comfort through me. As I stand there, trying to breathe a little easier, I catch myself slipping my thumb into my mouth. I freeze, embarrassed, not realizing I'd done it.

Ethan notices but doesn't make a big deal of it. Instead, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out something—a soft, purple pacifier. "Here, sweet girl," he says gently, holding it out to me. "Why don't you use this instead?"

For a moment, I hesitate, feeling that familiar wave of shyness. But the way he offers it to me, so calm and understanding, makes the anxiety ease just a little. I slowly take the pacifier from him, placing it in my mouth. The soft, familiar comfort of it immediately soothes me, and I feel my shoulders relax.

"Good girl," Ethan murmurs, his voice full of warmth. He brushes a hand over my hair, the gentle gesture helping me settle even more. "You don't have to worry about anything right now. Just let yourself feel safe."

As he finishes helping me adjust my uniform and checks that everything is in place, I feel myself slipping deeper into that comforting headspace. It's not overwhelming, but it's enough to make the world feel a little smaller, a little quieter. Being with Ethan like this makes everything else fade away, and I feel a lot safer.

"There's my precious little girl," Ethan says softly, his eyes full of understanding. "Let's get you ready for the day, hmm?"

I nod, feeling lighter than I did before. With the pacifier resting comfortably in my mouth, I take Ethan's hand as we head out the door. Breakfast is just a background detail now. All that matters is that Ethan is here, and with him by my side, everything feels less overwhelming. I know he'll make sure everything is okay today.

Ethan's POV

As Mr. Delas began his lesson, I knelt down next to Ashlynn, gently guiding her toward the play area where the other Littles had already gathered. Markie, her only Little friend, was already there, happily arranging his toy cars on the play mat. I could feel Ashlynn's hesitancy from earlier fading slightly at the sight of him.

"You see Markie over there?" I said, pointing toward her friend. "He's waiting for you. Why don't you go say hi? You can play with him while I sit right here."

Ashlynn's fingers tightened around mine for a moment, her eyes searching mine for reassurance. I smiled, giving her hand a little squeeze. "I'll be watching you the whole time, sweet girl. You'll be just fine, and I'm right here if you need me."

She nodded softly, releasing my hand. I watched as she walked slowly toward Markie, her pace picking up the closer she got. By the time she reached him, I could see the shift in her demeanor, the anxiety melting away as she sat down next to him. Markie greeted her with a bright smile, holding out one of his toy cars for her to play with, and just like that, she was immersed in their little world.

It was a relief to see her relaxing, even if just for a little while. She was in her safe zone with Markie, in an environment that didn't feel threatening like the Sanctuary had. But still, I knew this was just a small reprieve. Eventually, she would have to face the Sanctuary again, and I wanted to ease her into it, make sure she felt confident and safe before we got there.

While I sat back at my desk, keeping an eye on her, my thoughts drifted. I watched as she played happily with Markie, laughing as they rolled the toy cars back and forth. It was a simple joy, something that I hadn't seen in her much over the last few days, and it warmed my heart. But it also reminded me of the responsibility I had to her—her safety, her comfort, her growth.

Maybe if she slipped into her Little headspace more fully during the day, it would make going to the Sanctuary less daunting. I wasn't sure yet, but I had to try.

As I watched her giggle with Markie, I began thinking of subtle ways to help her ease into that space, giving her the comfort and safety she craved without overwhelming her. I could see her glancing back at me occasionally, her smile soft, as if she just wanted to make sure I was still there. Each time, I smiled back, giving her that silent reassurance.

But I knew that I couldn't let her just coast through the day. She needed to feel confident on her own, too. The question was, how could I help her get there without pushing her too hard?

As class went on, I decided that I'd take those small moments—each look, each smile—as an opportunity to build her confidence little by little.