First Words
It had been a couple days since she had visited the stores, and Nessa was lounging at home. Not really having much money to go out, she was pretty happy to stay in for now anyway. Her new shirts were cute, but she could always show them off some other time.
She had planned out a few cute outfits to add the bandana to, too! Outside of the fact she’d already briefly misplaced the large plush a couple times, she was pretty satisfied with her purchases. After a nice big lunch, she found herself upstairs in her room, in need of a good nap.
Entering her room, she grabbed the plushy from her computer chair, where she had left it earlier, and carried it to her bed. Hopping up alongside it, she put her arms under its arms, wrapped her legs around its legs, and curled her tail underneath. Nuzzling the super soft, cozy, and slightly warm fur, she rolled over so the plushy was lying on top of her.
“I really wish you could, like, talk to me and stuff. You’re so soft and comfy, I’d give anything to be able to chat and hang out with someone so cuddly... so cozy…” The comforting weight, soft fur, and pulsing warmth the girl felt all over, combined with her full tummy, saw her soon drifting off to sleep.
A few hours later, she awoke. Pulling her phone out of her pocket to check the time, she realized it was already seven in the afternoon. In a slight panic, she hopped down, somewhat put off by all the time she had lost. Straight down to the kitchen she went, and straight to the oven, turning it on. Rummaging around in the fridge she grabbed something quick to make, and got it ready on the counter.
After climbing up, carefully, onto one of the tall bar stools that surrounded the island in the middle of the kitchen, Nessa sat and absent-mindedly scrolled through her phone, responding to messages she missed while napping. Once the food was done, she hopped down and put it on a plate, carried it over to the island and set it down, before hopping up again to eat it. It wasn’t too good, but it wasn’t too bad, the food just did its job and filled her tummy.
Once she was done, a rounded paw from behind her took the plate, and another one reached forward with a soft cloth to wipe down her mouth. Nessa, still groggy, managed to mumble out a “thanks.”
“No problem dear,” the voice belonging to the paws said, putting the dishes at the counter, beside the sink.
Nessa blinked for a moment, sitting there. Looking down, she confirmed her plate was gone, and turning around saw the large Red Panda plush, standing there, running water to do her dishes. As the plushy turned around and smiled at her, Nessa practically fell off her seat - only to be caught by those same, large paws from before.
“Goodness me, careful dear! Oh goodness, goodness, goodness. You’re lucky I was here to catch you!” The bear said. Upon seeing the confused, shocked, and slightly scared look on Nessa’s face, it set the girl down. “I suppose you could use some kind of explanation… and introduction! Hi, my name is Claire!”
Awestruck is a word. Gobsmacked is another one. What Nessa was feeling was somewhere between the two, and likely would be called ‘awesmacked’. “My name is Claire?” She repeated to herself a few times, eyes wide, trying to come to terms with what she was seeing and hearing.
Turning the tap off, Claire put a paw up to its mouth and giggled. “No dear, your name is Nessa. My name is Claire. I’m Claire, you’re Nessa.” Claire motioned to each of them as it said their respective names, then put a large paw over Nessa’s shoulder and led her to the living room, sitting on the sofa and having her sit beside it.
“A-Are… who… what… what… are… who… Claire…” Nessa muttered word after word, starting to feel genuine fear for her own mental state, taking out her phone. Before she could do so, however, Claire hugged her.
The soft fur. The warmth. The weight. The comfort. And now? The faintest scent of lavender. This was the same plushy, but… different. As scared as Nessa felt she should be, as shocked as she would normally be? This loving embrace immediately calmed her. Hugging Claire back, Nessa sat there a few moments soaking in its comforting hug before pulling back.
“So, uhm… what exactly are you?” Nessa asked. “You were just a plushy just earlier, so, have you always been able to talk and stuff…?”
“Oh, no, no, Nanny hasn’t. Well, Claire used to be able to, but some things happened and it couldn’t for a while. You made a wish, a lovely little promise, and now Claire can speak again! Thank you so much, dear! And to answer your other question, Claire supposes now… Claire must be your nanny! Given how you toppled from that chair, and the mess you made while eating, I’m sure you’ll be happy to have me!”
Blushing at this, Nessa hugged it again. “What, so, just like that? Now I have a living plushy to do, like, all my chores ‘n stuff?”
Claire nodded. “Cleaning, washing, tidying, dusting, changing your bum, taking out the trash, grocery shopping, anything and everything you need! Don’t worry though, Nanny is more than happy to. Nanny owes you,, and even if Nanny didn’t, Claire simply adores taking care of cute little girls! The more they need their nanny for, the better!”
Tilting her head, Nessa sized up Claire. “So, like, you’ll do whatever I ask?”
Shaking its head, Claire gently patted the girl on her head. “Not just anything, but there are plenty of things Nanny Claire will happily do. You don’t even need to ask, for most!”
Nessa sat there, thinking, blushing a little, before a disappointed look crept across her face. “So, I’m dreaming?”
“Hopefully not!” Claire said, putting a paw around the girl to pull her closer again.
“Well, what happens when I wake up and you’re not here? Or you’re just another inanimate stuffed animal again? Or you are real, this really happened, but you’ve left me…”
“Maybe there’s something Nanny can do to put you at ease. Just ask, Claire will be happy to oblige, pumpkin!” With a wink, Claire smiled again at the girl and tugged her into yet another loving embrace.
Pulling back after, again, letting herself soak in the warmth of Claire’s hug, Nessa spoke. “Okay, how does this sound: From now on, provided this isn’t a dream, you will do everything you can to be with me when I wake up, cuddling me. I don’t care what anyone else says or does! We can cuddle for as long as you want after, but we have to be doing it when I wake up! No exceptions, remember that! You have to be cuddling me when I wake up, so if you don’t know when I’m gonna wake up you gotta cuddle me!”
A massive grin spread across Claire’s face. “Quite demanding already, but understandably so! Alright, that can be easily done, my dear Nessa. Now, by ‘cuddle’ do you mean like we did during your nap earlier?”
“I mean, I’ll leave the details up to you, just so long as we’re cuddling.” Nessa said, trailing off. “I can do the dishes tonight though, they’re mine, you don’t have to, but I want you to be nearby while I do them, okay? I don’t want you to leave my sight, not when I’m doing chores. If you can’t see me, I can’t see you.”
“You want Nanny to supervise? Hmm, nanny supposes that nanny can let you do some chores on your own, with supervision, sure. Whatever makes my little girl happiest.” Claire said, standing up with Nessa.
“Sure, whatever, yeah, so long as you’re still around. I dunno how long this dream will last, so I wanna enjoy it… wait, actually, this is a dream. I don’t think I’m gonna do the dishes ‘tonight’. Why spend such a lovely dream washing dishes that aren’t even real? I wanna sit in your lap while I play games, while you hug me loads!”
“Okay, that’s a can-do as well! Not very greedy now, are we? If this really is a dream, and you really could just do whatever you please, all you want is to play video games in Nanny’s lap?”
“Yup! I’m a simple girl, make note of that! A simple girl, and I like simple things, and don’t you forget it!” Nessa said, nodding. “Now, let me just turn it on and we can get to work!”
“Noted! Simple girl, Nanny won’t forget!” Claire reached its paws around Nessa’s tummy and began to gently squeeze, hugging her, and keeping her comfy and secure. “If that means what Claire hopes, then Claire wants to never let Nessa go.”
Leaning forward to grab it off the coffee table, Nessa picked up the remote and flicked on the TV, then picked up a controller. She spent the next few hours playing her favourite games, just enjoying her comfy hug. Eventually she became tired again, despite her long nap earlier, and was ready to head to bed.
Still not sure whether she was dreaming or not, she looked up at Claire. “I’m sleepy.”
“Oh, does Claire's little dear want to go to bed?”
Nessa nodded, clinging to the bear. “Get me dressed and ready for bed, okay?”
“Anything for my little dear, love.” Claire said. Flicking off the TV with the remote it had seen Nessa using, Claire then led her to the kitchen. Getting the girl a quick drink of water, which she gulped down happily, Claire refilled it and carried it upstairs while leading the sleepy girl.
Setting the water on her bedside table, Claire then led Nessa into the bathroom. Basic hygiene soon finished, it brought the girl back into the room, stripped her of all her clothes, and put her in the cutest pyjamas it could find in Nessa’s closet and drawers.