Prey and Praise

Late at night was a time that Dolorosa enjoyed. The dark quiet of the Bunnery, for when she wanted that time for herself. But, more times than not, she loved to walk the streets and see some of the glittering lights and buns getting up to their own mischief and heeding their vices. It was a good time, to her, to breathe in the air of the city and feel more connected with her congregation.

Of course, it also meant that she could stop and talk to any buns she recognized on her nightly walks. Another way to feel connected, to foster that intimacy she prized so highly. So when she saw Hutch on the dark streets, alone, her face grew into a smile and she sauntered over, her hooves making her clumsy as she tried not to startle them.

“Hutch? I hope the night is finding you well.” Dolorosa folds her hands in front of her, looking down to peek at them, and thankfully, they didn’t seem too distressed at the sudden appearance. The other bun barely even jumped, which the nun considered a win.

“Oh! Dolorosa, uh. Yeah, the night’s nice. Just, you know, doing some imp training!” He wipes his hands on their shorts before gesturing to the imp in question. She hadn’t even thought to look at what activity the imp trainer had been preoccupied with, but when her eyes landed on the sweet, fluttering Lunell, she let out a quiet gasp.

All over pink, with a heart for a head and a lace veil for its body, this Lunell looked different than what she had thought they looked like. The moon on its crown even held flowers in its curve, reminiscent of springtime and new life, her favorite part of the year. 

“It’s…” Her hands come over her mouth for a second, body overtaken by a wave of cuteness. “Oh, it’s a precious little thing, isn’t it?” The nun’s smile is sweet, the same smile she gives little baby buns in their swaddling before they go off to the demon that will raise them. “What are you trying to teach it? You said you were training it?”

Hutch nods, scratching their cheek a bit. “Yes, well, you see. I found this Lunell and I’m trying to make sure it’s trained properly, before I try to bring it home or find a home for it… Lunells only come out during this time of the month, you see.” The bun, now in their element, puffs up a bit more, excitedly. “They’re pretty rare because of that. They also tend to be a bit prone to wandering during this time, as well, so I’m training it to understand commands. Watch.” 

The Lunell, which had stayed close to the both of them while it lazily floated in little circles and loops between streetlights, that’s what Hutch turns his focus on. They stance up a bit, asserting themself in this moment while trying to get the imp to listen to them, and Dolorosa waits with bated breath. 

Hutch gives a sharp whistle, short and to the point. “Stay.”

And, what do you know? No longer preoccupied with floating away lazily on the night breeze, the Lunell stops to hover where it was, turning in the air to look back at Hutch, as if waiting for some other cue. 

As simple as it may seem, Dolorosa is delighted in spades, excitement bubbling up in her chest a bit at the command and the fact that it had worked on an almost wild imp. Her hands clap a couple times, a literal round of applause at the display, and she gives a breathless little laugh. “Oh, what a good boy. So talented, aren’t you?” 

Next to her, Hutch freezes a bit with a hiccup of breath. It’s enough to pull her gaze away from the imp to look down at him, curious, and she finds a sight. A flush, high on their cheeks, and gaze pointed not looking at her. It’s delicious, really; maybe she should have said it to him instead of the imp. The thought is enough to almost make her daydreams come unbidden, but she squeezes her thighs together and presses on. “Everything alright, darling?” Despite her best efforts, her question comes out low and husky; it’s in her nature, she can’t help the craving to chase a reaction like this. 

Of course, the object of her attention right now is laughing and waving a hand wildly. “Oh, uh, no! I mean, yes! Fine! Everything’s just, just-” It’s easy to see the fluster reaching its peak, and without thinking, Dolorosa cuts them off. 

“Hutch.” The call is not quite stern, but it is sudden and firm. It’s enough to make whatever excuse Hutch was making die in their throat. “Eyes on me.” That command is followed instantly, only the barest hesitation before eye contact is re-established. The blush on Hutch’s face hasn’t left, and there’s a haziness to his gaze that she knows well, so she keeps her voice low. “There we go. Now, you’d tell me if you didn’t like it, wouldn’t you?” 

When Hutch nods, she steps a bit closer, fingers going to trail up the hanging leash that leads up to their collar, dark eyes drinking in any movement and she rewards them with a smile. “That’s a good boy. Of course you would.” It’s impossible to miss the shiver Hutch gives at the naked praise, under the intense gaze of a lust succubun scenting a catch. “You always know exactly what to do.” The praise might be meandering, but she wants him to hear it, wants his pride to drink deep of it; Dolorosa always loved leading her flock to sin. 

“Don’t lose focus.” Her voice goes firm again, her finger trailing along their chin before withdrawing again. “You had work to do, didn’t you? Show me you can.” She watches Hutch’s chest breathe in deep before they give a shaky little nod. That’s enough to make her leave their space, and you can see the other bun’s mind trying to work through the haze. Their eyes look over to the imp again, to give it another command or to try to get it to follow them, but-

“Wh- Huh? Wait, where’d it go?” 

Hutch turns around in a circle in an attempt to try and catch sight of the pink imp, but Dolorosa just blinks in surprise before dissolving into peals of giggles. “Sorry, I’m sorry.” She soothes the frantic Hutch before wiping at an eye, a hand on her chest. “I suppose that was my fault. I’ll try to be less of a distraction now, but you should hurry so you can catch it. I know you can, if you put your mind to it.”