The shrill beeping of the alarm causes a matted head to pop up, abandoning that wonderful foot-pillow in favor of howling at that loud noise. After all, every pup knows the solution to noise is more noise.

It seems to work, for seconds later an arm emerges from among the blankets and flails in the air before slamming down against the top of the plastic, brightly numbered box. A small click and the noise stops. Not that last little howl though, that last little howl keeps going, petering out until the lack of other sound filters and it comes abruptly to a stop.

A happy whine, a wagging butt, and that little pup is up and about. A yawn, a stretch, more excited wagging as she makes her way towards the head of the bed; barking happily and slathering that sleep flushed face with kisses.

The occupant tolerates the slobbery tongue admittedly well, but when a trail of drool is oozing down her chin and along her neck, she knows it's time to bring the happy love to an end. For now at least.

"Easy, girl. Down. Down." One last lick. Then two and she's wobbling away to flop down onto the empty bed space to pant happily.

The human on the bed goes into motion after spending a few minutes blinking blearily at the ceiling. Covers are thrown aside and a young brunette sits up, scratching blunt nailed fingers through tangled, shoulder length hair. She sweeps a hand through, pushing the strands back and out of her face. After throwing her legs over the side, she pushes off to stand on her own two feet and stumbles into the connected bathroom, closing the door behind her to prevent the inevitable canine follower.

Sure enough, the moment the door clicks into place, a paw is scratching at the painted wood and a muffled whine comes through shortly after.

A quick use of the facilities, a washed face, brushed teeth and combed hair, and the human is a little closer to being ready to greet the day. When she opens the door the tiniest bit, it's pushed the rest of the way open and a whining puppy is circling her feet, nosing her knee and licking the fabric of her pajama pants.

"No, Tani. No. Stop that." A brief smack to the nose creates a louder whine, but the licking stops and the pup edges further into the bathroom. An affectionate pat to the head soothes the aching soul though and already the pup's behind is wagging with great delight. "Go potty, puppy. I'll get your breakfast ready."

At the promise of breakfast the pup almost bolts for the kitchen, but the insistent pressure on her bladder reminds her that going potty in the bathroom would be much better than going on the kitchen floor again. A shiver of weary joy climbs her spine at the memory, a flat palm repeatedly landing against the cheeks of her ass and a phrase murmured firmly in her ear, 'Rewards are so much funner than punishments. Rewards are so much funner than punishments.'

By the time she blinks out of her revelry, the bathroom is empty and she can hear the faint echo of a metal pan on the stove. She makes quick use of the pad laid out on the bathroom floor for her then trots off to the living room, rubbing her nose and side against the couch and dipping her chest to stick her rump and curled tail in the air.

The young woman hums to herself as she covers the pan of rice, letting it sit on low on the back burner to cook. She pulls out the necessary items for the rest of breakfast: eggs, spinach, tomato, cheese.

The sight of the cheese has the puppy popping up once more, wagging her butt happily as she makes her way into the kitchen and noses around the human's feet, nostrils flared as she sniffs and sniffs in search of small dropped pieces. Nothing yet. No matter. The morning was still young.

She lowers her body to the floor, stretching a little and resting her shoulder against the cabinet nearest her, head tilted up and watching with anticipation for any little morsel to fall her way.

The silly human spends an obscene amount of time fixating on the strange green and red things though rather than the wonderful delight that is the cheese. She remains silent yet attentive while her companion goes about the task of preparing them both breakfast and perks a little higher when she grabs the block of cheese.

The brunette watches the excited puppy from the corner of her eye and bites the inside of her cheek to stop the smile that threatens. She cuts a few extra slivers of cheese then wraps it back up, placing the knife in the sink and returning the leftover cheese and tomato to the fridge. Tani's head dips but she doesn't whine.

The cheese once again becomes ignored by the brunette as she focuses on preparing the rest of breakfast. She can’t resist that adorable little face for long though and soon she caves. Subtly as she can, she reaches over to snag a piece of the cut cheese slices, holding it over her pup’s head by two fingers. She waits a beat, two, then lets it go. Tani snaps at the falling clump of dairy and just manages to catch an edge of it between her lips. A quick backwards jerk of her head and pop of the chin and the cheese flops onto her tongue and she chews away at it happily.

A happy bark is her thanks and her chin falls to her forepaws, resting comfortably as she waits patiently for the meal to be ready.

The human finishes her omelet and sets it aside on a plate. A moment later she cracks the last egg into the pan and stirs it up with a spatula, carefully breaking the egg into smaller pieces once it's almost cooked then adding it to the now cooked rice.

She spoons the rice and egg mixture into a ceramic bowl, tan with little black paw prints all around it. The puppy perks at the sight of her bowl and she watches with panting tongue and wagging butt as her human heads for the microwave. Once the door pops open the little pup smells something she hadn’t noticed before. The remainder of last nights chicken cut into little squares and wafting small trails of steam. The brunette pours it over the top of the rice then places the whole bowl into the fridge for a few minutes to cool, it wouldn’t due to burn her poor pup’s mouth on the hot food.

While the bowl sits in the fridge the human moves about the kitchen, pouring a glass of orange juice and cleaning up a little. She grabs a jug of filtered water from the fridge and pours it into a matching ceramic bowl that's already on the floor.

Once the meal is ready she retrieves the puppy’s dish from the fridge and moves to stand beside the water bowl, looking to her lazing pup. "Come on, girl. Come, sit."

Her pup goes into action, popping up onto all fours to make the short trip from the stove to the edge of the kitchen where it pours into the dining room. Instantly she settles back on her hind legs, paws raised into a pose of begging and a small excited bark escaping her throat.

"Stay, girl. Stay." She watches Tani, making sure the little pup doesn't break pose. The dear pup has learned well though and she doesn't budge, but her eyes trail the path of that dish as it lowers to the floor. "Not yet."

The little pup whines lightly but maintains her upright pose, eyes darting from the bowl a mere six inches away to the face of her human, watching her to make sure she remains in place. A hand reaches to the counter and comes away with another little piece of cheese. "Wait, girl." She lays the piece of cheese across the puppy's lips then sinks her fingers into the short crop of hair atop her head, scratching gently and bringing her hand around to cup Tani's jaw. "That's my good girl." A kiss to the nose and she leans away, "Dig in, baby girl."

That prompt is all she needs. She parts her lips and uses her tongue to draw the cheese in, savoring it before she leans down to lick into the bowl and snag a piece of chicken.

With her puppy eating happily, the human grabs her juice, her plate, and a fork and heads into the dining room to eat. For several minutes the only sounds in the apartment are those of the two occupants eating. Puppy slurps and the clang of a the fork when it meets the plate to scoop another bite of omelet.

When the human finishes her food, she turns to watch her puppy eat while she drains the last of her juice. Another couple of minutes and that puppy head pops up, licking around her lips to find any stray bits of rice. "Come here, baby. Come clean your face." Exchanging her empty glass for a clean napkin, she cups it in her hand and holds it level with her puppy’s head who happily plods up and pushes her face into the napkin, turning back and forth to clean her maw and receiving a pat on the head for her good behavior.

"Go grab a toy and I'll meet you in the living room." Tani gives a happy bark and heads for the living room, the human patting her wagging ass as it passes by, earning another bark.

The human smiles and grabs her dishes, pausing as she enters the kitchen to grab the puppy's dish as well. A quick rinse and everything but Tani’s bowl goes into the dishwasher, now full when added to the previous days dishes. Adding some soap and closing the door, a simple button push starts the cycle and she can leave the utensils and plates to do their own thing.

Upon entering the living room she finds the pup with her head in the toy box, still nosing through the selection. The human slides to her knees on the carpet and pats it a few times to get her puppy's attention, "Come on, baby girl. Pick a toy and come play."

When next that popping head pops, there's a squeaky toy clutched in her jaw. She holds her head high as she approaches, almost prancing like a predator having made the kill. So brave.

Once she's in reach, the human leans forward and grabs at an edge of the toy, prompting a growl and a tug from the young pup. Within moments a game of tug o' war ensues. Playful growls fill the room from both parties, some more canine while others remain distinctly human. In the end, the pup claims victory and settles down on the floor, leaning against the couch to chew and gnaw at her spoils.

The human smiles and pats her on the head, giving her a quick kiss before moving to her feet and disappearing into the bedroom. When next she emerges she's no longer in her pajamas but is dressed for a day of work, her usual business casual attire. Spotting the familiar garb the puppy whines and abandons the toy, jumping up on the couch and whimpering at her human.

The brunette walks over towards the sad pup and leans down to grab the toy, placing it at the puppy's paws and leaning in to place a peck to her lips. "I'll be home later, baby girl. You be good and I'll give you a treat later, okay?" She doesn't wait for a response of any kind, she doesn't need to. Another little pat to her head and she’s heading out, pausing in the kitchen to refill her puppy’s dish so she has lunch for later. She grabs her keys from the bowl beside the door and locks it behind her as she goes.

Tani sits in the silence, listening, waiting. She doesn't know how long she waits but it feels like an eternity. The squeaky toy can only distract her for so long. Repeatedly she circles to the door to sit and wait, head on her forepaws and eyes fixed to the door. At some point she laps up at her water dish. She revisits the bathroom to find a fresh pad laid out for her.

She naps on the bed.

She howls at the front door when she hears steps down the hall.

She naps on the couch.

She chases her tennis ball around the kitchen floor and almost spills her water.

She naps on the rug in the hallway just past the front door.

She snacks on her refilled bowl.

It's when she's nodding off for the second time on the couch, squeaky toy beneath her cheek as a makeshift pillow, that she hears the sweet glorious sound. The sound every canine longs for.

A key turning the lock.

She's off the couch and bolting for the door, barking happily and bringing her paws up beneath her chin. Begging for love and affection that she feels like she hasn't had her whole life. In reality, it was merely nine hours. The longest nine hours she's ever felt.

Until tomorrow, that is.

But tomorrow is a day away and right now is wonderful. Right now her human is home and scratching under her chin and cooing with that baby talk about how much she missed her sweet, beautiful girl.

That's her. Her sweet, beautiful girl.

She whines and pushes up the best she can, licking and lapping at the woman's cheeks and chin, causing her to laugh softly. The brunette leans away a moment to close the door and drop her keys in the bowl where she retrieved them when she left. Her human makes a beeline for the bedroom to change out of the work clothing and into something more comfortable, Tani at her heels.

It takes her a few short minutes to shuck the unforgiving work attire and exchange it for a baby doll shirt and a pair of shorts, releasing her hair from the bun then pulling it back to a low ponytail at the nape of her neck. Once she's comfortable, she flops onto the bed, "Okay, baby. Come on."

She opens her arms, inviting that wagging puppy butt and hanging tongue. The little pup flops her body onto her companion's, attacking her face with licks and the occasional nibble in all her excitement. All the while, the human rubs her back and shoulders, pets her head and curls her fingers to scratch her scalp, urging happy whines.

Eventually she settles though and just lays there in her human's arms, happy to just share this time with her. The middle of the day was always the loneliest but she knew it was necessary. Knew it was important to her human and no matter how much it saddened her, she supported her hardworking companion. After all, isn't that what puppies do?

A gentle pat to her bottom has her perking up, "I saw your bowl was empty. I bet you're ready for dinner?"

A happy yip and she's up and bounding for the kitchen. Her human goes much slower though, taking her time sitting up and stepping into the bathroom to clean up after her little pup and lay out a fresh pad after taking care of her own business.

When she returns to the kitchen her pup is sitting in front of her bowl, staring almost forlornly into it, almost as if the food will just materialize if she concentrates hard enough. It takes her roughly fifteen minutes to prepare them a dinner of green beans, mashed potatoes with chicken gravy, and leftovers of the steak from two nights prior.

This time the bowl is taken to the dining room and placed beside the human's chair, allowing them to eat their dinner together. They take their time and the human pauses periodically to stroke a hand down her pets bare back, occasionally patting her bottom or stroking her tail.

It almost seems a struggle for the pup to finish her meal, so much of her focus redirecting to her human every time she feels that soft hand against her body. But she manages it, knowing her treat will be at risk if she doesn't behave and finish her dinner.

Once they’re both done she scoops up the puppy's bowl and her own dishes. "Go play, girl. I'll only be a few minutes." The puppy gives a bark and follows the human long enough to give her knee a lick before bounding back into the living room.

Her human works to the squeaking of the toy in the background, putting the clean dishes in the dishwasher away before adding the new ones. She doesn't add the puppy’s bowl to the washer, opting to clean that by hand before adding it to the drying rack. With her little chore done she heads into the living room, leaning down to card her fingers through her pup's short hair. "I believe I promised you a treat, didn't I?"

This causes her puppy to perk up and look at her with wide, excited eyes, prompting a small giggle from the human. “You were such a good girl today. Went potty in the bathroom, didn’t tear anything up, and ate all your food. I think that’s deserving of a treat. Don’t you?”

Her puppy gives a happy bark and her whole butt starts to wag in delight.

The brunette hums softly and lightly pets her girl on the head as she considers her options. “It’s only Wednesday. Too early for a big treat. But if you behave the rest of the week, I’ll give you something special on Saturday. For tonight, I think….cheesecake is in order.” Another happy bark. Good choice.

She heads back to the kitchen and pulls a half-eaten cheesecake from the fridge. She cuts two slices and places them each on a plate. Adding a dab of whipped cream to each one. She returns to the living room in short order and moves to sit on the floor, placing her plate in her lap and the other in front of her for her pup. “Go for it, baby girl. You earned it.”

An excited bark, a lick against her chin, and Tani is almost shoving her face onto the plate in her excitement, taking more bites than licks as she quickly cleans the plate of creamy, dairy product. She finishes long before her human companion and spends the next five minutes eyeing the disappearing dessert on the woman’s plate. She may utter a small whine. Or two. Or four. But she never tries to steal any. She had her treat and she’s looking forward to what the weekend will bring if she continues down this road.

When the brunette finishes, she grabs both plates and kisses her pup on the forehead. “Go get ready for your bath.”

The canine knows instantly what that means, it’s time to come down and come out. She disappears into the bathroom and starts to remove the meager bit of attire she’s sporting. Leather ears are clipped into her short hair and are the first to go, placed on the bathroom counter where they perk up on their own. The next piece to go is her leather cuffs and shortly after is the modest black bra that supports her chest. Paw shaped boots are slowly unbuckled then set to the side, leaving imprints behind from the extended wear, imprints she knows will sadly be gone come morning.

With only two pieces left she takes her time. A hand dips between her thighs and brushes through the fur at the base of her tail before she grasps it, curling her fingers around a firm rod that seems to run a few inches up through the tail’s basel. Carefully, oh so carefully, she starts to pull and wiggle, exhaling and relaxing her muscles a little as she does so. It takes a little time, a few stop and starts, but before her human enters the bathroom, she’s removed the plug with attached tail and added it to everything on the counter.

All that’s left is her collar but she doesn’t dare remove it, can never bring herself to take that last piece away on her own. So she sits and waits in silence, her mind still running high on squeaky toy euphoria and head petting.

When her human enters she heads for the bathtub, leaning over to twist the knobs until the water is the suitable temperature she knows her dear pet loves. She seals the drain and lets it fill, moving to the plug on the counter and disconnecting the furry tail from the plug with great care before placing the metal bulb-shaped item into the sink, adding soap and hot water and letting it soak.

It takes the tub a few minutes to fill and the human gently guides her pup into the waters, keeping her shoulders above the clear liquid so the leather of her still buckled collar doesn’t get wet. The brunette lays a towel down on the floor right beside the tub and sits, it doesn’t provide much but it offers enough comfort to allow her to remain there for a short while. She grabs a rag and dips it into the water, letting it soak up the hot liquid before folding it, wringing out some of the excess then stroking it down her pup’s arms, first one then the other.

“That’s my girl. Such a good girl for me today. My beautiful little pup.” Her dear pet gives a small, happy sigh at the praise and lets herself relax into the water, closing her eyes and pushing her toes against the far end so she doesn’t slip any lower.

The next thirty minutes are filled with tender words, murmurs of comfort and gentle caresses that slowly draw the little puppy out until only Tania remains. It’s that moment when the brunette reaches over, unbuckling the collar on her redheaded pup, taking away the last instrument of her canine persona, causing a small shudder to race through her body. Once the collar is set aside, she leans in and places a kiss to Tania’s lips, lightly bringing her fingers to her cheek and stroking tenderly.

Tania smiles softly at the brunette, raising a hand from the water and gently grips the woman’s wrist, her throat a little raw from disuse and emotion, “Thank you, Sara.”

Sara smiles, rubbing her thumb along the rise of her puppy’s cheek, just beneath her eye before planting another kiss to her lips, “You’re welcome, sweetheart. Did you have fun?”

The redhead smiles, bobbing her head a tad before leaning her cheek into the other woman’s palm, eyes drooping some, “Yeah, that was wonderful. Do you think, maybe next time, we can play with the squeaky toys more?” Her smile turns shy before she draws her lower lip between her teeth to nibble with slight nervousness over her request.

“Of course, hon.” Another kiss before breaking contact and leaning away, “Let’s get to bed, baby. You look just about ready to drop off.”

Tania nods and slowly stands, taking the offered towel once Sara follows suit. The brunette holds her steady while she climbs from the tub and takes control of the towel to rub her dear sweet pet down, clearing away the lingering droplets of water.

“Put something on and get into bed, I’ll be along in a minute.” Tania doesn’t argue, she’s already yawning as she wanders naked into the bedroom and digs a pair of panties and a shirt from her side of the dresser drawers.

Sara stays in the bathroom to hang the towel and drain the tub, emptying the sink as well and cleaning up the plug before drying it. She carries all the gear into the bedroom, placing it on top of the dresser to be put away in the morning. Now was time for curling up with her puppy, for holding her through the night and praising her for being such a good girl.

The brunette climbs into bed beside her little pup and once she gets settled on her back, Tania is curling into her side, pillowing her cheek on her shoulder and draping an arm across her belly.

Sara reaches over to turn off the bedside lamp and runs her hand along the back of her pup’s head, occasionally scratching at the scalp and earning a sigh of content for her troubles. She murmurs until sleep claims her, things like ‘Good girl’ and ‘So brave’ and ‘Can’t wait for next time’.

It doesn’t take long for Tania to follow her part-time owner into the land of dreams, comforted by the day’s events.

It’s good to be a pup.