Prompt - Sweet or Savory? ft. Hutch and Quince

When it comes to training imps, some took a lot more positive reinforcement than others when it came to distributing treats for their behavior. Hutch and Quince had their differences, but both cared just as much for their imps as each other. No matter how hard it was to get them to listen and do tricks, the efforts were always worth it in the end. Both the owner of the imp and the imp itself would feel confident in their abilities by the end of their training…but getting to that point was an individual journey each and every time. 

Hutch’s belief in the color consistency of imps meant that each would receive the same reward no matter the individual’s preference. Not like they could develop one if they only ever ate the same food, right? Hutch wasn’t one to try and sway from traditional practice. It was important to maintain the signature all-black coloring of imps, at least, to him. Yet as confident as he was in his training methods, he couldn’t help but wonder if what he was feeding the imps was up to standard. What if there was something off with the batch of treats? What if it hadn’t tasted good after all, and he was torturing the imps whenever they were ‘rewarded’? Sure, they looked happy enough whenever they received the treats, but how could he know for sure?

The only way to find out would be to try the treats himself. 

With the first bite he took of the treat, it didn’t taste all too significant. It had a mild sesame flavor and a crunch that took a minute to finish. Honestly, to Hutch, it didn’t taste all that impressive. However, as he took another treat out from his bag and popped it into his mouth, he soon realized that two treats turned into seven, and seven into twenty, with the bag emptied in just under ten minutes.

What became a taste test had become a secret indulgence. The sesame flavor, though nothing special, became addicting to savor through the hard texture of the treat. He couldn’t let anyone find out about his habit. After months of doing this and getting bolder and bolder with where he would sneak a bite, he would eventually be caught by none other than,

“Quince?”

Hutch tugged his collar as Quince looked at him with a shocked expression.

“What the heck are you doing?” she asked.

“Um…U-Uh, you know, uh, just..!”

Her face softened into a smile, which turned into a coy grin. 

“You don’t haf’ta explain this one. I getcha.”

As Hutch trembled in bright-red embarrassment, Quince walked closer until she stood before him. She gently tugged the end of his leash.

“But aren’t treats for good boys? You didn’t do anything to earn what you just ate. Aren’t you an imp trainer? You should know that…”

As Hutch shook, his bag of treats fell from his back pocket, spilling on the ground.

“Dang, you’ve got a whole stash back there! Guess I’ve got my work cut out for me.” Quince chuckled.

“N-Now wait just a moment here, you know as well as I that we each have classes starting in just under an hour!” Hutch piped.

“Hm, well, we shouldn’t cancel on our classes…how about we move them to another day? Tell them we’ve got some important trainin’ to do today.”

Without waiting for Hutch to respond through his stuttering, Quince dragged him along as she walked back towards her colorful imps. There’d be a new pet joining in on their group, whether he listened or not. She’d make sure he learns his manners, and give him some of her own treats this time around.