You wake up to the faint sounds of a city... cars, shuffling crowds, birds.
The first thing you notice is that you are in a strange room.
Everything looks about like an average apartment bedroom, but the furniture is much shorter than you expect.
You try to get up, but you find your arms and legs (which were hanging off the end of the bed) were tied to the frame by rope.
You try to pull yourself out, but the ropes are tied on tight, the bedframe creeks, but doesn't give at all.
A few more attempts at struggling, and you hear a thud coming from the other room.
Somebody was coming...
...
The door creaked open to reveal what at first was a short woman, but as soon as her head came into view, this was obviously not the case.
The creature seemed to be female, but it had tentacles hanging from their head.
Panic came back, tenfold as you struggled against the ropes.
"Hey! Hey! It's okay." The female squid thing spoke in gargled annunciation.
You were stunned by it speaking English, so your thrashing halted for the time being.
The squid girl pushed her fingers together as a blush appeared on her cheeks. "I bet you have a lot of questions, but I assure you, you are not in danger."
You ask why you are tied up then.
"Y-you see... You might be safe here, in my room... But, there are people out there that would just love to strap you to a table and dissect you. You are the only living human found in a long time!" The squid girl moved closer to your frightened form. Her hand coming to cup your cheek. "I needed to make sure that you didn't run off the moment you woke up..."
You pull your head away and ask how she can speak English.
"Oh, so that is what you call your language!... English... Huh. I have always been fascinated by humans. Their complex history and mysterious end. I spent a lot of time online watching tutorials about how to speak human, which isn't that many, it is kind of a niche community, but a dedicated one. I would love for you to meet some of them." 'Though some might be a bit too enthusiastic...'
You ask if you can be untied.
She grimaces. "You see... I am going to have to say no to that."
You start to struggle again.
"L-let me explain!" She sees you give her a shot, even though you are scowling. "I know that humans like to be free, but I also know that they are curious beings. If I untied you right now, your curiosity might get the better of you, and you might wander away from the apartment. Remember what I said about dissection?" She looked away and picked up a book from a shelf. It didn't take long for her to find the page. "You aren't the only human to be found." She showed the image to you, showing a picture of a person cut open like an autopsy. "There was another about 30 years ago in some kind of freezing tube. The scientist thought it would be better to study the biology before it became old, since there was no viable way for it to give offspring."
You dryly swallowed. The words on the book was illegible to you, but the pictures was enough to tell you she wasn't lying.
You ask if you can have some water.
"Of course! Be right back." She ran off, but poked her head right back. "My name's... Well, translated, it is Chee, but in actuality, it is (Mess of inkling gargles). I am an Inkling." She ran back off before you could give her yours.
Chee came back with a cup of water. "Here, let me help you." She held the cup to your lips, but one sip and you spit it out. "What's wrong?"
You gag and say the problem.
"T-too salty?... Oh dear." 'That was from the tap... What to do...' "Um, I don't have any non-salty water, but I do have some other drinks that shouldn't be. I will get you one of those, and I promise, I will find a way to get you proper water." She ran back off, with the cup in hands. "Oh no... I expected the human would have some dietary differences, but what do I do about salty water..." She shook those thoughts back for a second. "I will find a solution, but first..." Opens the fridge. "What can substitute for now?..." She eyeballed the contents for a second, but her eyes drifted to the glass in her hands. 'The human took a sip of it... Would be a waste to not...'
You looked around at the room, seeing what looked like band posters, and a C.R.T. like tv sat in what looked like a bookshelf/closet. it would be pretty cozy, if it wasn't for your legs hanging off the end and your calve being tied down, so you can't even cross them to fit on the bed.
Chee run back in after a couple of minutes. Holding a new glass. She wiped something off her mouth and presented the new glass. "Might not be the most thirst quenching, but I got some milk. That is mostly water. Here you go." She tilted the cup towards you.
You took a hesitant sip, but it tasted just like milk, so you downed it. You thanked her.
Chee blushed. "Y-your welcome. I will make dinner in a bit, I am sure you are hungry. You wouldn't happen to be allergic to shrimp or birds, are you?"
You answered her.
She sighed in relief. "Oh, good. At least we got some options for what to feed you."
You realize you didn't tell her your name.
"Huh? Oh, of course you would have a name. Be weird just calling you human."
You told her your name.
"Hmm... That is a a pretty name, but I don't think I can pronounce that... Mind if I just call you 'H' for human?"
You shrug.
"Okay then. I will start dinner, need anything? Besides being untied, cuz, sorry, I can't, in good conscious, do that at the moment." 'Not until that collar and chain come in the mail.'
You ask they had any music to play or if they could turn on the tv.
"Right, it would probably be boring, being strapped to my bed and all, sorry for it being so small for you, by the way. It is a queen for Inklings." She walked over to a personal radio/cd player and popped in a cd. "These are Off the Hook. Their music might be a bit odd to you, but give it a chance. If it isn't your style, you can call out and I'll change it."
*random Off the hood music plays quietly, but loud enough to be heard clearly.*
Chee was busy starting dinner and browsing Inkbay to see if there are any large clothes and items that would fit her new permanent guest. She decided to make simple fried avion. It crackling in the hot oil. "I still can't believe it... I get a human all to myself!" She hush-yelled. "Ooh, just think, I get to come home after a long day of Turfwars to a human partner, just like those fics we would share in the group chat." She hugged herself in glee, almost forgetting the fried seagull. "Should I even tell the group?... I bet they would want to bother them nonstop, asking questions... taking their attention... and I bet that Splash will want to try 'get close' with them..." She let a growl bubble in her throat. 'They are mine, I found them first!' She stabbed the dead bird cutlet with a fork. She shook those thoughts down. "Breath... I don't have to tell them about them. I don't have to worry. I just need to keep them here, keep them afraid of the outside, and they will surly fall for me. Just give them time and love."
The cd made one loop around when Chee came back with a plate full of food, enough for both you and her.
"I thought it would be a waste to dirty up two plates, since you can't exactly hold one right now." Chee sees you deadpan. "I promise, when you get accommodated more, and the stuff ordered for you comes it, I will untie you from the bed. Shouldn't be more than a few days."
You try to argue about just letting your arms free to eat.
Chee ignores this. "Come on. Open wide." She stabs a chunk of meat with a fork and motions it towards your face.
It hits your lips a few times, but the smell is enough to make you give in and let her feed you.
"See. There you go." Chee sees a smile creep up on your lips. "It's good, isn't it? I tried my best."
You said it tasted really good.
"Thank you. Now, how about some mac and cheese?" She stabbed a few noodles and fed them to you. She saw that some cheese was on your lips, so she brushed them off with her thumb and licked it off her hand.
For some reason, your face felt warm.
'Oh my Cod! They are so cute!' "I might have made the mac and cheese a bit too runny." Chee tried to play it off like nothing happened, getting another fork of food. "Open wide. I want to make sure you eat plenty. You are nearly two feet taller than me. You need your energy."
(Sounds of fork hitting plate and chewing.) You continue to eat and she would take some bites herself, not bothering to change the fork, but you were too flabbergasted to say anything, plus she would be right back at your mouth with food to be eaten.
When you were both finished, Chee took the plate to the sink. When she got back, she grabbed some clothes and walked into the bathroom that was just outside the bedroom. She came back in a light blue nightgown.
"*Yawn* Dude... Today has been an exciting day, but I am ready for bed, you?"
You say that you are a little tired, but not that comfortable.
"Oh... Is it your legs? Here, let me do something." Heads into the closet and shuffled around for something, bringing back a pillow. "I use this pillow for sleep overs with my friends, but I guess you will be needing it, given you are a permanent sleep over buddy."
You didn't like how she said it, but she was busy lifting your legs, the best she could.
"There. I put the pillow down there, so your legs aren't just laying against the metal frame. Sorry for not doing that earlier." Chee rubbed the back of her head. "I promise to try and find a bigger bed in the morning, but I don't know if Inkbay will have anything." Chee flicks the light switch off.
You thank her for the pillow and try to relax. That is until you feel something get in bed with you.
"I know we just met, but you are kind of in my bed, my couch would leave me stiff tomorrow, so I guess we are bunking." Chee snuggles up close to you and drapes an arm over your midsection. "Sorry, if I am so close. My bead is meant for two Inklings, not an Inkling and a human. I am not bothering you, am I?"
To be fair, her body is pretty cool, so it is comfortable against the warm bed, since you have been laying here for who knows how long. You say it is fine.
Chee let out a little happy gurgle. "Ooh, thank you. I promise, I won't be too bothersome, I don't even snore, and if you do, I won't mind. My dad was able to shake my nightstand back home, and he was two rooms down!" She laughs for a second, but she quickly quiets down.
The two of you lay in silence for a about a minute. Nothing but the quiet city noises in the background.
That is until Chee pipes up. "H-hey... Listen... I know that this is all new to you, and I am sure that you are very confused and scared about what might happen to you... But, I promise, I won't let anything hurt you." She doesn't here you respond, but she knows you are still awake. "I know that you can't just put your trust in somebody right off the bat, but... I want you to see me as a friend." 'Hopefully more, later down the line.'
You think about that for a moment, and you quietly thank her for not turning you in to the authorities.
"I would never turn you in to those heartless scientist. A human, like you is too precious to do that to you." She gently rubs her hand up and down your chest. "Listen... It is getting late. I need to get up early to make cash to pay for stuff. I will be gone for a few hours, so if you wake up and I am not here, don't freak out. I will be back around lunch. I'll even leave the T.V. on for you, so you don't get bored." She squeezes you a bit harder.
You ask what's wrong.
"Oh, nothing is wrong... I just am happy to have met you, and I am a little worried you will disappear when I wake up." Chee let out a quiet unsure hum.
You tell her you aren't going anywhere.
She giggles. "You're right. Not like you can just slip out of the rope. I made sure to do strong knots." She lays her head on your chest. "Good night, H. *yawn*"
You say good night. Looking up at the ceiling, coming to terms with your new life.
'You will be mine, H...' her mind drifted to sleep. Her dreams filled with her and the human doing average couple things. 'My human...'
