Lemonade with Extra Ice By: Monica Vix The barbecue was kicking off in the early evening just as the autumn air grew crisp. A bubbling party that surround a budding campfire grew louder as the party patrons started to eat and chat, a cacophony of fur patterns and hues shifting about in the complicated dance of social interaction as the backyard bash surged in activity. Scarlett, standing by the growing fire safely contained within the fire pit, took a deep breath. The white and black speckled bunny crossed her arms over her faded red graphic tee with an image of a pumpkin barely visible, a set of black skirt-alls draping over the top and down her slender, muscular legs. Scarlett's brown eyes gazed at the growing flame, watching as embers drifted up and ash grew under the firewood, her thoughts drifting away like like the smoke as she wondered why she agreed to come to a party with this many people. It was Scarlett's first time going to any massive social event in a long time. The self isolating rabbit finally convinced to come out of her shell and attempt to go to a gathering larger than five people by her mommy dom Taylor, who was chatting up some of her friends at the half empty buffet table. Even if it was a party full of various kinds of diaper lovers, well within her newer interests thanks to the care of her mouse mommy, it was still stressful to be around so many. Words caught in her mouth like pebbles in the grooves of a shoe; none of the syllables felt natural coming out her mouth. When she tried to talk earlier when there were fewer people, the pressure of their watching eyes silenced her. Her thoughts were wandering down those same confusing roads as she tried to make sense as to why it was so hard to be around people, even ones she's met before. Her attention was stolen away by a brown furred hand on her shoulder, pressing into her flesh with a nice firm grip as if trying to snap her out of her own thoughts. Scarlett turned, her brown eyes with a cold steely gaze, before she locked eyes with Taylor; her intensity softened and eyes grew alight. The blue eyes of the rodent made her feel safe, the familiarity in her gaze sending bubbles through her chest and throat and made it hard to talk. The simple yellow to white ombre sundress along the slender, shorter body of the mommy dom drifted around in the gentle breeze of the early autumn wind. "Hi, sweetie." The mouse spoke softly, sliding her arm over Scarlett's shoulder in a soft side hug. "You okay? You haven't even looked at what they brought out to eat. Got an upset tummy?" She spoke to her little play partner in a genuinely concerned motherly tone. Taylor's voice had a soft brevity to it, but contained the undertones of genuine concern. Scarlett shook her head. She sighed softly and nestled into the soft warmth of the brown mouse, nestling her head against the neck of her motherly dominant. "Not hungry." The rabbit lied through her teeth. Her stomach growled, giving her away. "Mm... not... I don't know." Scarlett scoffed softly, more towards herself than to the questions of concern from her mommy dom. "Feeling like you're losing your words, honey? Maybe you'd want your paci?" Taylor tempted Scarlett to loosen up, offering the gift of an oral stimulus to help her unwind with her hand hovering over her purse. "If it would help, I could hold you and feed you in my lap again. Even pop out a boob for you to have your favorite drink. I don't mind showing off a little to my friends, so long as you don't mind me chatting while you drink." She smiled a warm and cozy smile, like the gentle orange-y glow of an old lamp full of nostalgic comfort. "But you got to eat something, Scarlett. Afraid you'll upset your lil tummy, dear? Maybe we can head out early and get you takeout if that's the case. Something small; some of your favorites?" Taylor tugged Scarlett down just a little, making the taller rabbit crouch so she could hold the lapine's head to her chest. A soft whine escaped the white furred lips of the black speckled white rabbit as she was yanked down to rest against the soft mounds of Taylor's chest, trying to block out the possibility of others watching her. "I-I think I'll just get a drink and see how I feel." Scarlett spoke as steadily as she could, talking at a volume louder than a bare whisper being hard for her. She tried to stand without pulling away from the soft grasp Taylor had on her, half standing up with the rodent's arms draping over her shoulders. Smiling at Scarlett, her mommy dom captured all of her attention. Those big blue eyes lulled the bunny into forgetting about the world around them for a moment, the noises of the crackling fire and the loud conversations fading into the crisp autumn air. It was a moment of pure love between the two. The thoughts of how funny their unlikely meeting was bubbled up in Scarlett's head, how the two were forced together under court ordered therapy and now... they were bonded closer than anything she felt before. That smile worn on the pretty, earnest face of Taylor needed to be protected, needed to flourish. A pang rang through Scarlett's chest as she felt selfish for being overwhelmed, wanting to do better for the mouse she called a lover and a dominant and make her feel happier than anyone else in the world. It was hard for Scarlett to stare longingly into the vibrant blue eyes of the mouse she had way too much affection for. Although, that connection was broken as Taylor's attention was stolen away by one of her friends calling her name, those pretty blue eyes fixating elsewhere. The white rabbit pulled away a little, letting the arms drape from her body. The crinkle of her dry diaper between her thighs rose through the air as she stepped to the side. It drew no attention, but Scarlett's widened eyes would say otherwise. She adverted her gaze from Taylor as she started to make her way over to the buffet table, looking for a moment at the collection of people loitering around the food and drinks. Ten or so people. A few dominant daddies and mommies chatting up and even more littles in diapers trying to vie for their attention. From behind there was the sound of cheering as someone brought out marshmallows, a collection of other diaper and baby-themed enthusiasts getting excited over having smores as a dessert before the BBQ dinner. It was a lovely scene. Chaotic, noisy, and overstimulating; lovely none the less. If only Scarlett's mind could calm down from the seemingly endless barrage of senses that flooded her sensitive lapine ears. She walked up slowly to the congregation around the buffet table, keeping her back straight in faux confidence. A tall white tiger by the table heard the rabbit approaching, turning to face her with a smile. Layla, a friend with benefits of Scarlett's mommy dom, was someone the white bunny wasn't all too familiar with. Just two or three meetings before. Her taller form was adorned with a black tank top showing off her well formed biceps and chest, a pair of khaki shorts leaving little to the imagination with her defined thighs and calves. She was in the middle of fixing herself a plate of chicken as the bunny approached. "Heya, Scarlett, long time no see. How's my favorite niece?" Layla spoke in the same sort of voice a cool aunt would, leaning over just a little to be at eye level with the slightly shorter rabbit. "Need me to get you some numnums? Or want do you need a change and your mommy's busy?" She asked half serious, a quiet laugh on her lips. Layla leaned hard into the baby talk with Scarlett. Scarlett tensed up. She could only shake her head as blush filled her cheeks, feeling embarrassed with the concept of having to run to someone else for a change, especially at such a lively party. "L-lemonade. Please." The lapine forced the words out of her mouth, speaking as if she was out of breath after a long marathon. "Alright, you got it, big girl." The white tiger reached out and pat Scarlett on her head, paw resting right between the erect rabbit ears. "Do you use sippy cups? Bottles? Aren't you a little too little for big girl cups?" Layla asked, teasing just a little more, completely oblivious to how the rabbit she teased was feeling. With a soft, quiet whine, Scarlett closed her eyes as she was pet. Her arms tensed around her slender stomach as if she was holding an invisible plushie, wordlessly wishing she had one to hold right then and there. "Cup, please." She once again spoke very curtly and quickly. "Not really all that talkative tonight, huh?" Layla commented as she scooped a red plastic cup through a cooler of ice. "That's alright. I know you're a pretty quiet girl. It's just nice to see you out and around." The white tiger reaffirmed the feelings of the bunny, saying it was okay to be quiet in a roundabout way as she poured lemonade into the cup. "Talking's not for every little bunny like you." The soft splashing of the lemonade against the cool ice rose through the air, the soft crackling of the ice accenting the loud and chaotic noises behind Scarlett like the bass guitar to an erratic song. "Need anything else, kid? Your mommy want something, too?" Layla said, offering the cup to Scarlett. Her black and white paws clasped around the red cup, the plastic warping with a soft crackle between her fingers. "M-more ice?" Scarlett held the cup out still, forcing her eyes up to meet Layla's gaze. "Please?" She tacked on at the end. "Thank you." She whispered out as the cup was taken from her hands once more. "Of course, Scarlett. Almost anything for you." Layla kidded as she scooped a little more ice into the cup. "And you're so polite when you talk, too! God, I bet I've heard you say please 'n thank you more than anything else in all the time I've known you. You're adorable, bun." The white tiger gave the speckled rabbit her cup back. "Let me know if you need anything else." She flashed one last smile at Scarlett before turning her gaze back to other patrons of the party, returning to a conversation they left off on as she continued to fix her own plate. Holding her drink, the white rabbit took a step back. The warmth of the moment she shared with Layla got her to smile a little, turning to walk away back to the rest of the party. Scarlett watched as the heat of the fire was warming a collection of marshmallows and hotdogs, adding more food to the feast the group of twenty or so people were having. So much noise and chatter buzzing about, busier and more active than a Black Friday mall. She watched as Taylor was sitting on a chair by the fire, fixing herself a smore on a stick. The whole scene looked inviting, looked like a whole lot of fun, but the idea of walking up and sitting next to the people she barely even knew the names of was such an off-putting and nerve wracking idea for the rabbit. Instead, Scarlett turned her attention a little further, trying to seek some peace and quiet to recenter herself. One foot ahead of the other, her diaper crinkling under her skirtalls in a way that rustled and stimulated her overly sensitive ears. Scarlett walked away from the backyard barbecue to the fence; she reached, opened the gate, took two steps out of the yard, and closed the gate behind her. The noises still rose over the fence like a roaring fire, but the slight muffling of distance made it easier on the quiet bunny. Scarlett walked to the front steps of the home and seat on them, her diaper crinkling against the sturdy wood step. With a long, drawn out sigh, she raised the cup of lemonade to her lips and took a big sip of the slightly sour beverage. The stars in the sunset kissed sky glistened ever so faintly against the reddish orange hue of the horizon, her brown eyes lost in exploring the vastness of the world around her. It felt funny to be more at peace alone than with the hustle, bustle, and fun the rest of the party was having; especially since it sounded like, from the faint sounds, that they were starting a movie as well. It sounded like an older Disney movie by the opening theme and quality of the audio. With a deep breath in, Scarlett sighed. The scent of the closing of summer was on her nose as she looked out over the back lit trees of the quiet suburb. Feelings of nostalgia bubbled up like soda in her head as she reflected, being drawn back to when she was younger and more naive. When she got roped into trouble about this time of year as a kid and had to skip school, thoughts of her old friends stirring in her mind and what has happened to those rambunctious kids she knew. The crisp autumn air with the changing of the seasons brought back a wellspring of emotions, accented by the sweet and sour taste of lemonade and the distant, jovial cacophony of her new acquaintances. Scarlett slumped over, huffing as she rest her arms on her knees and continued to stare off, lost in thought. The rabbit didn't notice the gate of the backyard fence being opened and squeaking ever so slightly, drowned out by the noise beyond it. Scarlett slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, following the same relaxing meditation like breathing that Taylor had taught her a few months prior, attempting to focus on the calming sensations. It was hard to without the guidance of the mouse next to her, hand in hand, and feeling each other's warmth. As she thought about her breathing, Scarlett's mind wandered to meeting Taylor. Just over the course of the long, long summer, the brown mouse scooped up the mottled rabbit and whisked her away to such a calm, safe environment; Taylor was nothing but a good influence in Scarlett's life. In that moment she realized that the mouse who took her in, who helped her more and more, took over a spot in her life that was once dominated by her aggressive childhood. She hasn't thought about her old friends since getting into the loving care of the mouse. As Scarlett opened her eyes, she got startled. The brown mouse she thought of was standing right in front of her! Arm outstretched, offering a roasted smore with the crispy marshmallow overflowing from the crunchy graham crackers that held it in place, chocolate dripping off the creamy dessert. She was chewing on her own sugary delight, swallowing it down before flashing a chocolate and marshmallow stained smile at her lovely partner and play daughter. Deep brown eyes looked up from the treat to the lake like eyes of the rodent holding them, Scarlett and Taylor locking eyes. The gentle smile worn on the mommy dom's lips could melt an iceberg. "Hey, honey, you okay? I brought you some dessert." Taylor said calmly, as if nothing was out of the ordinary as she sat down next to Scarlett. "I know I try to keep sweets away from you without dinner, but... thought it was okay tonight. Looks like you need it." The mouse rest shoulder to shoulder with the lapine, her bare arm pressed to the sleeve of the taller rabbit. "You don't need to talk. Just didn't want to leave you alone." She spoke softly, with a silent undertone of concern in her voice. Words caught in Scarlett's throat again. She couldn't even attempt to say a single word to the mouse that was so close to her; the warmth of Taylor's arm made her heart flutter. The rabbit slowly opened her mouth and leaned over the supple chest of the shorter mouse, closing the gap between herself and the lovingly prepared sugary treat. With a single bite she ate half off it, pulling away while chewing the gooey and delicious little smore, savoring it as if it was a full five star restaurant dessert. The silence between the two of them was comfortable as Taylor finished off the last of her own smore. "Thank you. I love you." Scarlett finally spoke. She strained to get the words out, the delivery coming off and stiff, but the words meant more than how she said them. With a sigh, her fingers wiggled into the newly idle hand of the mouse, entwining fingers and holding hands. "How's... the party?" She asked earnestly. Taylor shrugged. "I love you, too, honey. The party's fine. I didn't think anything all that crazy would happen and... well, nothing yet at least. What about you, baby? Enjoying your first big girl party?" The mouse kept her softer tone as she asked, rubbing her thumb over the back of Scarlett's hand. "N... not really. I only went because I wanted you to enjoy it." Scarlett felt so much shame as she admitted that she didn't want to go by her own interest. "It's... loud. Don't know people. Don't really... like the ones I've met." She closed her eyes and tensed up, squeezing the paw in her grasp as she admitted her disinterest in her mommy's friends. Expectations of frustration boiled up in her head, her other fingers warping the plastic of her lemonade cup as she tried to stay calm. The mouse nodded and shook her head, chuckling to herself. "That's okay. I thought you said yes only for me. But, even then, you're a brave girl for going so far out of your comfort zone for me. I'm proud of you." Taylor spoke as bluntly and straightforwardly as she could to quell the bonfire of doubts eating up Scarlett's mind. "Do you want to go on home, darling? Or do you think you need a change before we go?" She offered, turning to face Scarlett more directly while sitting next to her. "You don't have to leave just to take me home." Scarlett spat out as quickly as she could, perking up and splashing the lemonade over her shirt and skirtalls. "It's something you wanted. I can... be uncomfortable for a few hours if it means you enjoy yourself." Her voice sounded stoic and even at the start and gained a subtle, noticeable warble and desperation to it. Vibrant blue eyes of the mouse gazed into the deep brown eyes of her mottled play daughter. Taylor breathed in deep and sighed, shaking her head nice and slow as she pushed the remaining half of Scarlett's smore into her mouth. "Sweetie. I enjoy a lot of things. I enjoy parties, but I enjoy being with you and making you feel safe. Don't say what you think I want you to say, Scarlett." Her tone was firm yet compassionate, her gaze stern and concerned. "You're the world to me. I want you to think about what you want and we'll talk about it, okay? You don't have to give into my every demand. Even if I am your mommy. Okay?" Scarlett's mouth was too full of the sugary treat to even refute the firm parenting of her adult baby self. With a huff, she backed off just a little, looking down at her shirt and skirtalls covered in lemonade and chunks of ice. She looked back up to Taylor, who was already pulling herself up to her feet. "I'll get a few napkins." The mouse said, "Stay here, sweetie. And think about what you want, okay?" Taylor gave her bunny a smile, pushing her hand down and ruffling the short fur over Scarlett's ears. "No rush if you can't decide. Little girls like you need some time for those little brains to work~" She tried to diffuse the tension with a little joke and rustle of her head. As the bunny finished chewing and swallowing her smore forced upon her, ready to refute what Taylor had to say, the brown mouse was gone. Scarlett huffed and turned back to the evening sky, steadily turning a navy blue over the course of the short conversation. She felt her face heating up from blushing, feeling defeated by the overly affectionate and gentle words of her mommy dom. It was hard for Scarlett to truly internalize how seemingly unconditional Taylor's love for her was. The warmth of her blushing face continued down into her heavily beating heart. Scarlett pulled her legs up to her chest, not worrying about the lemonade staining her skirtalls more or pooling up in her tummy area. The comfort of simply holding onto herself made it ever so slightly easier to think, to process, to try to come up with some answer for the infinitely patient and passionate motherly mouse. After barely a minute, Taylor reemerged with a collection of paper towels in hand, walking down the stairs to stand in front of Scarlett. The rabbit stretched her legs out again, letting her limbs push under the ombre sundress the mouse wore and present her lemonade soaked clothing. Soft, gentle breathing escaped Scarlett's nose, hesitating to move as the paper towels yellowed as they soaked up as much of the sweet and sour beverage as they could. Every slow, firm swipe of the paper across her denim outerwear got tingled to run up the mottled bunny's back as if she was getting tickled. "There you go, all clean." Taylor nodded as she balled up the wet paper towels and tossed them into a small trashcan on the porch. "And I got a peak at your diaper while cleaning you up. Your clothes are wetter than you are, sweetie." The mouse smiled and chuckled at her own teasing, petting the exposed and dried cloth covered tummy of her little bunny. "Did you decide, darling?" She asked. Scarlett looked away and shuddered, tummy tensing up as she felt the pet to her slender belly under two layers of cloth. "I-I can stay a little. Just... for the movie, at least." She said softly, crossing her arms over her relatively flat chest. "I can't remember the last time I saw a classic Disney movie." Scarlett spoke softer, speaking more to herself than the mouse looming over her. "Oh? I have a collection of them back home, honey." Taylor chuckled. "We can stay here and watch, just for a little. Would you like me to carry you back to the party, sweetie?" The mouse leaned over, pressing her arms to the stairs underneath Scarlett's armpits, but out in the air. "Then, when we get home, I can coddle you with all your favorite plushies, cuddle up with a movie marathon, and feed you chocolate drizzled popcorn all night~" Her soft words were accented by her wide grin and eager eyes. Taylor slipped, her paws pressing against the lemonade slicked driveway, falling down onto Scarlett. The strong arms of the mottled rabbit pushed up and caught the brown mouse from falling, supporting her by her shoulders. "Please don't hurt yourself." Scarlett whispered out in a concerned tone. She slowly stood up herself, helping Taylor back to her feet as she stood. "That... sounds nice. Just being around you sounds... comforting. It was hard to leave you to talk with your friends and try to talk with others." Scarlett sighed out. She leaned forward and practically fell into Taylor's arms, her head resting on top of the shorter dominant's head. "You know... if you have your paci, you don't have to respond to anyone more than a nod or gesture, right?" Taylor teased. Her paws rolled against the back of the bunny, caressing Scarlett and holding her close. "Maybe finish your drink first. Then we get you your paci and go watch the movie, until you wanna go home. Sound good, sweetie?" Taylor's lovely voice spoke soft as a cloud in the ears of the taller lapine, filling the larger girl up with love just from her words alone. Scarlett nodded along. She turned around and slowly bent over, blushing as she heard and felt the crinkle of her diaper against the crotch of her mommy dom. Quietly, as if trying to pretend the lewd action didn't happen, she stood up straight with the half empty cup of lemonade gripped tightly in her hand. A soft whine escaped her lips as the hands of the mouse rolled over her front, rubbing the wet spot on her tummy and just a little further down against her dry diaper through the skirtalls. Both of the gentle, groping hands turned into a sweet squeezing snuggle, encouraging Scarlett to finish the rest of her drink while being lovingly held from behind. Gulping down the rest of the barely savored drink, the mottled bunny huffed as she leaned back into Taylor's grasp. "Good girl! Now hold onto your cup, don't want to leave trash anywhere. Going to pick you up now." Taylor gave a brief warning as she crouched down, stretching the dress a little as her arms rest against Scarlett's body. With a huff and a surprising amount of strength, the shorter mommy dom picked up the taller rabbit bridal style! "There you go, up in mommy's arms. You know, if we brought your sippy cup, you wouldn't have gotten all wet and made such a mess~" Taylor teased, holding Scarlett close to her chest as if she would drop out of her arms and run. The speckled bunny whined quietly as she was teased. "Y-yea, you're right." She acquiesced to the mouse's teasing. "May I have my paci, please?" Scarlett asked as the two of them started moving back towards the partially open gate to the backyard. "Please... mommy?" She corrected herself. "As soon as we sit down, sweetie. Such a good girl for asking so politely!" The brown mouse lavished over her baby bunny girl, nuzzling her nose to nose. "Now, hold your tongue and be quiet, honey. Lets try not to interrupt the movie." She chided in a whispery voice. Taylor carried her larger baby bun into the backyard to continue the get together that calmed down a lot for the movie. Scarlett nodded along, arms squeezing tight around the neck of the mouse to keep herself as close as possible. Their return to the party was met with a few looks, but never lingering too long as a plethora of eyes fixated back onto the movie playing. The Sword in the Stone was much more interesting for a lot of the little brained adult babies in the audience to the projector displayed movie than the sight of a small mouse carrying a larger rabbit. Taylor awkwardly shuffled to an open seat on the sidelines and sat down, huffing as the weight of her 'little' bunny rest against her lap. Even with the cushion of a dry diaper and the skirtalls, it was still slightly uncomfortable for the mommy to hold her baby bunny. Breathing out a sigh of exhaustion with the little excursion of carrying the larger rabbit, Taylor reached into her purse and pulled out a black pacifier! The oral fixation aid had a short pink clip on it, which was attached to Scarlett's shirt collar before the soft, silicon nipple was placed against her lips. With no hesitation, the adult baby resting in Taylor's lap took the pacifier into her mouth and started to suckle on it as if it was second nature. Feelings of warmth and comfort radiated between the pair snuggled up on a chair that was only meant to fit one. Taylor's hand gently caressed the curve of Scarlett's butt as she held her close and tight, encouraging the taller lapine to rest her head on her shoulder to have a comfortable spot to watch the movie from. There, cuddled up with the soft glow of the fire pit behind them and a movie in front, the bunny and mouse enjoyed the rest of the party. Or, at the very least, the rest of the movie.