The Patting Predicament
Veronica's face, held firmly in place by my pats, burned hot against my palm. The warmth seeped from her soft cheeks straight into my skin. Her pupils darted wildly beneath those flushed-red features, and a tiny, ant-like voice escaped her lips. I could feel her ears twitching upright above her head.
"L-Let... go..."
Her mumble made me realize just how rude I'd been. Dealing with people whose sense of distance had gotten all weird lately must've rubbed off on me more than I thought.
"...Sorry, that was way too rude of me. I apologize."
"N-No, it's not like..."
"Hm?"
"N-Nothing! Y-Yeah! I mean, even if you're a girl now, you used to be a guy, so... uh... er..."
Her words trailed off, but the meaning came through clear enough. I released her face and stepped back—only to lose my balance and tumble backward onto my butt. Damn tail.
"Eek!?"
The fall wasn't much of a jolt, but my rear stung in the strangest way. It dragged an embarrassingly pathetic squeak out of me. Mortifying...
"A-Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah... I'm fine. No big deal."
Lifting my head, I saw Veronica's face still flushed but etched with genuine worry. Scratching my cheek in awkward shame, I tried to stand—but my body felt stiff, creaky somehow. Before I could manage it, Veronica was already rising, her shadow falling over my face.
Looking up at her like that... it felt weird. A tightness coiled in my lower belly, and my tail pressed flush against my body.
"What's wrong?"
"...Nothing."
Veronica reached out a hand. An invitation to help me up, no doubt. But on pure impulse, I rested my chin right in that pale palm instead.
"Huh...?"
She let out a startled, weird little exclamation. I was just as flustered. It had to be the Beastkin Transformation Potion messing with me. My tail had a mind of its own already... and now my body was following suit.
"S-Sorry, the p-potion's making my body act on its own..."
Heat flooded my face from sheer embarrassment. Veronica froze for a second, then let out a soft chuckle and started scratching under my chin. Her touch was so deft, like she'd raised felines before... and it felt good.
"N-Nnh..."
Lost in that strange, tingling pleasure, I let out a dumb little noise. Before I knew it, her hand had moved from my chin to stroke the ears sprouting from my head. The gentle caresses, fiddling this way and that... it was impossible to think straight.
"S-Stop..."
Veronica seemed content to gloss over it, pretending not to hear as she petted my head and ran her hand down my back. My body responded all too eagerly, climbing onto the sofa and curling up beside her.
...Is this why beastkin are so sensitive about their ears? How the hell does Claudia hold back urges like this...? I should probably apologize for grabbing her ears last time.
Then a lightning bolt of pleasure shot through my whole body. Starting from my tail, that indescribable ecstasy made my mouth water. Every pat-pat at the base drew out pathetic whimpers I had to fight to stifle.
"D-Don't... do that."
She finally paused when I managed to speak. But before relief could even register, my tail thwacked the sofa in protest—faster than any thought of mine.
Veronica's laughter rang out.
"Your body's being pretty honest, though?"
"...You too, huh?"
"What?"
From her touch... I had a hunch about what happened to me. A near-certainty. It should've been a brand-new sensation, this petting urge... but it didn't feel unfamiliar at all.
"You took the pill... and then..."
Her stiffened hand resumed drumming at my tailbone. Harder this time—almost rough.
"Y-Yeah, I did! But!"
"Eep...!"
"Y-You were the one sucking on my fingers and clinging to me first!?"
"I-I'd never...!"
"You did!"
Veronica yelled in indignant protest, spanking my ass relentlessly. My lower belly clenched tight.
"O-Okay, fine, just st—"
The door swung open with energetic footsteps. I knew who it was without asking. In this house, besides Veronica right now... only Cecil.
"Sha'a-nim! I ate all the cookies!"
Sure enough, Cecil's bright voice echoed through the room. Veronica kept patting as she replied.
"Assistant... no, Cecil, right?"
"Yes! Lady Veronica. But... is Sha'a-nim not here?"
"Uh..."
The sofa must've hidden me from view. Small mercy—not having to show this disgraceful sight.
Veronica pondered briefly, still patting away, then continued. "She stepped out for a bit."
"Sha'a-nim did?"
"Yeah."
"I see. But Sha'a-nim told Cecil she wouldn't have anywhere to go for a while..."
To stifle a leaking whimper, I blurted the first thing that came to mind. Something soft and squishy filled my mouth—Veronica's thigh.
"Nngh...!"
"Lady Veronica? Is something wrong?"
"Nothing at all. Anyway, what do you usually do at this hour, Cecil?"
"Cecil helps Sha'a-nim make potions!"
Pride swelled in her voice. Veronica's patting seemed to quicken.
"I see..."
The pleasure spreading through me felt like every nerve had converged in my tail. I sensed her thigh tense under my face.
"Then... why don't you head back and get on with what you were doing? I'll let Sha'a know you stopped by when she gets back."
"Understood!"
I heard Cecil sniffing the air. Veronica's voice turned panicked, her patting hand freezing.
"Wh-Why...?"
"There was a sweet scent... but it must've been Cecil's imagination."
"..."
"Then Cecil will head back!"
"Y-Yeah..."
The door clicked shut. As Veronica's patting stopped, my pleasure-addled body snapped awake. I bolted upright, clinging to the sofa armrest.
A slightly... awkward silence hung between Veronica and me. I broke it first.
"...So, you did do it, then?"
Her face a mask of despair, flushed deep red, Veronica mumbled like a mosquito.
"...Yeah."
"Inside?"
"...S-Sorry. If I have to take r-responsibility, I'll do whatever it takes..."
"Responsibility..."
A contraceptive potion made it a non-issue, really. No "damage" done, as far as my memories went. But for some reason, Veronica acted like she didn't know that.
...Telling her nothing happened might be weird, but once the potion wears off and my body's back to normal... it will be nothing, right?
"Anyway, putting that aside—you came about the Penis Growth Potion, yeah? Why?"
"...Curious how it's made. And, uh, figured I'd see an old academy rival's face after so long..."
She twirled her red locks nervously. The recipe... looks like her mentor—who stole Cecil's affections—refined and distributed it. What the hell was she thinking?
I propped my chin, lost in thought. Soon, Veronica's voice pulled me back.
"Asha...?"
"Oh, sorry—just thinking."
"...About what?"
"What to do next."
She shivered anxiously. Hard to believe this was the same woman who'd been spanking my ass moments ago.
If she'd known it'd freak her out this much, why pat in the first place...? Still... I felt a twinge of pity. After a moment's hesitation, I spoke.
"Busy?"
"Huh...?"
"How long can you stick around here?"
"Uh... as long as I want?"
"That okay with you?"
She nodded vigorously, her red hair bouncing. I found myself tracking it with my eyes before clearing my throat awkwardly.
This potion's no joke—feels less like beastkin traits and more like turning into an actual animal. Bad mix? Or do beastkin just live suppressing these impulses...? Gotta look into it. Or maybe it just hits me extra hard.
...But it'll be fine now. Looks like the workshop's getting a new temporary member.
Maybe I can finally resume those stalled Breast Enlargement Potion experiments. Fingers crossed.
"Veronica."
"Y-Yeah...?"
"Wanna stay at the workshop for a bit... and help me out?"
"Huh?"
I said it casually. "I'll handle food and board—"
"Let's do it!"
"...I wasn't done talking."
She shot me an "oh crap" look, cleared her throat, and replied. "...I trust you. You're not the type to make unreasonable demands, right?"
"..."
Then she jabbed a pale finger at me and yelled. "D-Don't get the wrong idea! It's not like I want to work at your workshop! It's just to keep an eye on you, make sure you're not pregnant, and take r-responsibility!!!"
"Sure, sure."
Watching her like that brought back academy days—I couldn't help but smile.
"Wh-Why are you laughing!?"
"Nothing... just reminded me of old times."
"..."
For some reason, her eyes narrowed like an axe, but we headed to the workshop together where Cecil was waiting.
...So, when the hell does this wear off?