Curses! - Ch.13 - (Not) Taking Advantage (Patreon)

Tabby and I ended up hanging out in her bedroom after her parents left us alone. She went through all her clothes again, to get a closer look at how everything had changed and to get a feel for her new style. 

She didn't seem too surprised by anything, but I figured she probably knew what to expect since it was all supposedly based on a character she created for the story she was writing. Which I was still very curious about.

"Hey Tabs?" I asked as I slouched across her bed while she was looking through her underwear drawer. "Are you sure you won't let me read your story? I'm super curious to see what you've written."

Her cheeks started going pink again as she shook her head, "It's too embarrassing Cheryl."

"Aww," I pouted. "Can you at least tell me about it? Like does your character join the crew of the original story? Does space-Tabby make friends with the foxgirl and her girlfriends? Oh! Does space-Tabby join the polycule?"

My friend's cheeks were bright red as she shook her head, "No. The original story's characters get a little cameo eventually, but my story is set on a different ship with a different crew."

"Oh cool! So it's basically all original stuff then?" I asked. "Set in the same frontier sector though right? It'd have to be, if you have the foxgirl and her girlfriends show up for a cameo."

She didn't respond so I kept talking, "Is space-Tabby captain of her own ship? Oh, and do your characters get one of those regeneration tube things too? And do you have an AI in your story as well?"

Tabby slid her underwear drawer shut and sighed, "I really don't want to talk about it Cheryl. It's embarrassing, ok? I'm sorry I even mentioned it."

I pouted, "Aww I'm sorry Tabs. I'll stop bugging you about it. For now."

"Thanks cutie," she smiled as she sat next to me on her bed.

We ended up talking about other stuff for a bit, until Mrs. Gardner eventually called us both to talk about dinner, like was I going to stay and eat with them. I was tempted, but I figured Avery ought to be home from work by that point and I should probably get home to see how she was doing. So I thanked my friend's mom for the invitation but let her know I was going home for dinner. 

There were lots more clouds out as I walked home, in fact it looked like it might rain or even storm before long. If I'd stayed at Tabby's place for dinner I probably would have got caught in it when I left.

Our car was in the driveway when I got to our place, so I knew Avery was back from work. I let myself in the front door then called upstairs, "Hey sis, I'm home!"

After a few seconds delay she called back, "Hi Cheryl! Come up and see me when you have a sec please?"

"Ok Avery," I called back as I hurried up the stairs to the top floor. 

Avery's bedroom was the biggest one, it was at the back of the townhouse and her window had a view down to our small backyard, and all the other small backyards of our neighbours. It used to be mom's room, but my sister decided to move in there last year. 

That's when I got her room, which was the second biggest. Mine was at the front of the house, over the kitchen. I had a view of the little street and the townhouses across from ours. Which was an upgrade from my original room. That was the smallest of the three, at the front of the house next to my current room.

"Hey sis, what's up?" I asked as I got to her bedroom door.

She was still in her work clothes, black slacks and a white blouse. The comfy flats she wore to work were on the floor next to her bed, and her jacket was laying across the comfy chair she had next to her window. Avery was sitting crosslegged on her bed, with a couple of her college books spread out next to her and her laptop open in front of her. It looked like she was studying or something, which made sense considering exams were only a couple weeks away.

My sister looked up at me then did a double-take. She stared for a second or two before finally asking, "Are you actually wearing a dress? You went out in a dress today?"

"Yeah," I shrugged. "I never knew how comfy dresses were, but it's pretty nice."

Avery seemed surprised as she continued staring at me. "And are those another pair of leggings?"

I shook my head, "Nope. Thigh-highs. They're nice too. Why, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," she responded, "I'm just surprised to see you in a dress. So you're doing ok? I was worried when I got home and you weren't here. After everything that happened last night, I just wanted to know you're ok."

That made me smile, "Aw, thanks Avery! And yeah I'm fine. I went over to Tabs' place, she asked me to be moral support while she came out to her parents as a catgirl."

"Oh crud," Avery facepalmed. "And that really happened too. So how'd it go, is Tabby ok?"

I nodded, "Yeah it's fine. Her folks were surprised and stuff, but they're cool. They didn't freak out about me either, like the fact that I turned into a girl and everything."

My sister smiled, "I'm glad to hear it."

"Was that everything?" I asked.

Avery shook her head, "Nope. You left some dishes in the sink and the coffee machine full of old grounds and cold coffee. You know the rules Cheryl, you need to clean up after yourself. I also saw you left yesterday's clothes on your bedroom floor. And this is your weekend to do the laundry, in case you've forgotten. Plus I'm sure you have homework to do, unless you've already done it? Or studying? I know you have exams in a couple weeks, same as me."

"Sorry sis," I grimaced. "I did some homework though! My tutor was here this morning and we did math stuff for like an hour or so."

She seemed surprised at that, "Really? She didn't freak out about you?"

I shrugged, "She was surprised and stuff, but once we got past that she didn't seem to mind?"

"Huh," she frowned. Then she shrugged and added, "Anyways you have some chores to do sis, and some studies. Kitchen, laundry, and homework Cheryl, so get to it."

"Ok Avery," I nodded.

I went into my bedroom to pick up my clothes from yesterday. I dumped them in my little hamper, then took that with me as I went back to my sister's bedroom door.

"Want me to wash your work clothes?" I asked. "And do you have anything else for the laundry?"

She nodded, "Give me a couple minutes to get changed and I'll have it all ready to go."

"Ok Avery," I replied as I took my clothes downstairs to the utility room and loaded them into the washing machine.

Then I headed all the way back up to the top floor and waited outside my sister's closed door while she finished getting undressed. When she opened it again she was in a pair of track-pants and and old t-shirt. She handed me her hamper full of clothes, and I went back down to dump that into the machine as well, and finally got it started.

I knew that would take a good forty-five minutes, so I went back up to the kitchen and got started there. It didn't take too long to wash all the dishes and clean out the coffee machine, then I spent the rest of the time cleaning the counters and sweeping the floor and stuff like that. At the same time I noticed out the kitchen windows that the rain had finally started, so it looked like I made it home just in time.

As I finished up in the kitchen the washing machine buzzed, so I went back down to the utility room and transferred everything into the dryer and got it going. That would be about an hour, so I went up to my bedroom and sat down at my desk to take care of the homework I was originally planning to leave until the last minute Sunday night.

I managed to get most of my homework done before the dryer buzzed, then I went back downstairs to empty it out. It took a bit more time than usual sorting Avery's and my clothes into our separate hampers. It was easier when it was just guy clothes versus girl clothes. Now it was all girl clothes so I had to look closely, and some stuff I actually had to check the label to see what size it was before knowing if it was mine or my sister's.

After I got it all sorted I hauled the two hampers upstairs, then stopped at my sister's bedroom door and knocked as I said "Hey Avery, your laundry's done."

She was crosslegged on her bed again but she looked up and smiled, "Thanks Cheryl. How about the kitchen?"

"I did that while the clothes were in the washer," I replied.

She seemed surprised, "And homework?"

"Just about finished," I said. "It should be all done in another ten or fifteen minutes, I just had to stop because the dryer buzzed."

By that point my sister was frowning, "Seriously? You've done all the chores and your homework? And you didn't complain once? No procrastinating either? Are you sure you're my sister?"

"Uh, yeah? Pretty sure?" I replied. "Why, what's the big deal?"

Avery shook her head, "You're not usually this cooperative. Not when it comes to chores and stuff."

She was still staring at me, but her eyes narrowed and I was positive she was trying to figure out if something was going on. Then she said, "I'm kind of thirsty, how about you get me a drink?"

"Ok Avery," I replied. "What would you like? Cola, water, juice? Or I can make you coffee, or tea or something?"

"Cola," she stated. "In a glass, with a straw. And some ice."

I nodded, "Ok Avery."

I left my hamper full of clothes in the hall just outside my bedroom door then went back downstairs to the kitchen. I had to stretch to reach the shelf with the glasses, but after that it only took a half minute to get her drink ready. I carefully carried it up the stairs to her bedroom and knocked at her door before offering it to her.

"Thanks Cheryl," my sister said as she accepted the glass. She was frowning again though as she watched me, and before I could get back to my room to put away my clean clothes or finish my homework she asked, "What's got into you exactly? Because I know something's up, and considering what happened last night I can only assume there's curse magic involved."

I grimaced, "It's no big deal sis. I'd rather not worry you with it."

She frowned, "I'm already worried Cheryl. So tell me what's going on."

"Ok Avery," I sighed. 

Then I told her about the thing with my math tutor, how I showed her the curse book as I explained how I accidentally turned myself into a girl and everything. And I told her about Miss Holly testing it out by cursing me with the compliance thing. I stressed that she didn't take advantage of me, and how she mostly just had me focus on the math lesson. And how it was actually helpful since it meant I didn't get distracted or bored.

"Actually it's been kind of useful when you look at it like that," I added. "Look at how much I've achieved since I got home this afternoon, right? It would have taken me all evening to get that stuff done, because normally I'd have dragged my feet and procrastinated."

Unfortunately my sister didn't see it that way at all. She looked and sounded angry as she stated, "It's immoral and wrong and next time I see that tutor of yours I'm going to... Where's the curse book? I don't even have to wait until next Saturday to get back at her for messing with you!"

"Please don't," I shook my head. "I don't want to do revenge stuff Avery. I don't want to use the book to hurt people."

She frowned at me, "How do you know she didn't do something to make you think you don't want to get revenge? How do you know anything you've thought or done today is your own choice?"

"The curse didn't make me a slave or anything," I replied. "It won't make me do stuff I don't want to do. You can talk to Tabby about it if you like? She wanted revenge too but I asked her not to."

My sister was still frowning at me for a few more seconds, but she finally sighed and relaxed a bit. "Ok sis. I'm still worried about you, and I'm still pissed off at your tutor, but I'm glad you don't want revenge. I'd still like to see the book though please? I want to read about this compliance curse for myself, so I know exactly what it says."

"Ok Avery," I replied. "I'll get it for you right now."

My sister started to thank me then winced and muttered, "Crap I have to be careful how I talk to you, or I'm going to keep taking advantage of you."

I just shrugged as I went into my room and got the book out from under my mattress. Then I returned to her bedroom and handed it over as I told her, "Don't worry about it sis, you're not taking advantage. I trust you, and like I said, you can't make me do anything I don't want to do or I'm not comfortable with."

She watched me for another second or two, then smiled. "All right Cheryl. In that case, thank you for the drink. Now go put your laundry away, then finish your homework. After that you can have some free time."

"Ok Avery," I grinned. "And thanks for the productivity boost."

She just rolled her eyes while I headed back to my room. It only took me about five minutes to get all my clean clothes put away, instead of the usual hour and a half. It was honestly kind of cool working without distractions and stuff. Then I sat back down at my desk and got to work on the last of my homework. 

That was done in another fifteen or twenty minutes, and just like that I'd finished all my chores and everything. Suddenly I had some truly free time, instead of the kind where you felt guilty because you weren't doing the stuff you were supposed to be doing. So I grabbed my phone and lay back on my bed. 

I figured I knew enough about Tabby's story that I had a good chance of finding it based on the few things she'd already told me about it. Like I was already familiar with the story she said it was based on, and I knew my friend's main character was a catgirl named 'Tabby Gardner'. And she said she'd posted it to a fanfic site, which maybe narrowed it down even more. There were a few sites like that where I'd found lots of trans and gender-bender stories. 

So I opened up a new tab in my browser, then tapped all that stuff out in the search bar and gave it a shot. And sure enough it came right up. 

"The Captain's Pet" sounded like exactly the sort of story I'd be interested in reading. 

According to the synopsis it had some similarities with the original work, like the main character was a trans girl who got an unexpected sci-fi transition that included fuzzy ears and a tail. Only instead of a foxgirl she ended up with the kitty enhancements. 

The story was on one of the sites that tended to feature smuttier stuff, which gave me a hint as to what sort of story it was. And maybe that's why Tabby was embarrassed about it, like maybe she didn't want me to know she wrote that kind of thing. I didn't have a problem with smut though, and either way I was excited to read her story.

I figured I had enough time to get through at least one chapter before dinner, so I tapped the first one and dove right in.