Content warnings: teenage whumpee, living weapon, dehumanization
The weapon stood at attentionâfeet apart, arms at sides, eyes forwardâas its new master, Mr. Whitlock, cleared his throat and addressed the blond girl sitting at the vanity across the room. âViolet, my treasure, Iâd like to introduce you to your new bodyguard.â
The girl turned and set down her hairbrush, letting out a heavy sigh. âDaddy, I told you, I donât need a bodyguard.â She frowned as she looked at the weapon, and the weapon carefully avoided eye contact. âIsnât she a little young to be a bodyguard?â
Mr. Whitlock held up his hands placatingly as he approached his daughter. âDonât think of her as a bodyguard, then. Think of her as a ⊠a new friend!â he suggested. Violet crossed her arms at him, and he deflated. âPlease, darling, itâs for your own safety.â
The weapon wasnât very good at reading emotions, but it noticed that the young mistress still looked unhappy. It quickly glanced away as Violet turned towards it. âWell,â she said graciously, âI always welcome new friends. Come in, then; we can do each otherâs hair.â
The weapon moved to obey, but Mr. Whitlock stepped in front of it with his hands hovering nervously. âMaybe that isnât such a goodââ
Violet leapt to her feet. âDaddy,â she interjected as she strode past him, âyou said she was my friendâno take-backs.â She reached the weaponâs side and studied it inquisitively. âDo you know how to do a fishtail braid?â
âIâm sorry, that wasnât part of my training,â the weapon replied promptly.
âThatâs alright, I can teach you!â Violet took its arm and led it over to the vanity. âItâs like my tutor says, we should always be learning new things âŠâ
Now Mr. Whitlock was the one who looked displeased. The weapon kept its eyes on him; although Violet was its charge, Mr. Whitlockâs orders were supposed to supersede hers. But the man only threw up his hands helplessly. âWhatever makes you happy, princess,â he sighed, watching the two with anxious eyes.
The weapon sat down at the vanity and watched in the mirror as Violet untied its long, dark hair. This assignment was already much stranger than it had been trained to expect. But, it thought as Violet began to brush its hair, it supposed it could get used to this.