bun’s best beast (affectionate)

“You are truly a detestable creature,” Klaus said, shortly after entering his apartment to see his prized imp tearing into one of his sofa cushions. Pookie stopped abruptly when she finally spotted her owner watching, eyes wide and horribly sad, as if she had any chance of understanding what Klaus had said about her.

She didn’t understand… right? Klaus’ dried up, bitter heart, which normally only swelled around his singular sweetheart in the Burrowgatory, felt tight at the thought. Perhaps he took for granted the way Breakfast understood his typically sharpened words and dulled them with a smile or dismissive wave.

Oh, damn it all. Was he hurting his imp’s feelings?

As though to put all fears to rest, Pookie bounded over from the couch foam and cushion cover carnage to approach her owner, her little front paws touching his leg as she jumped up and down in excitement at his arrival. No more sad, puppy look. Just an imp ready to play after a day alone.

“Ah—” he began, still unused to these unsolicited, thrilled displays of affection, despite having Pookie for nearly a month and dating Breakfast (who was the spitting image of the imp she’d gifted him) for even longer. “You are…”

Klaus looked around for some apartment intruder, surely lurking just to humiliate a bun showing his imp some affection, before reaching down to rub behind her fluffy ears. “You are a wretched beast, aren’t you?” he hummed, the same inflection a regular imp owner would use when telling their imps that they loved them or something similar.

Pookie placed her paws on his shoulders, prompting a sigh from Klaus before he scooped her up in his arms and stood up straight. “Yes, yes, you’re a damnable little critter,” he said, rocking her like a baby while he absentmindedly reached down and picked some couch foam from her fur. “Does my favorite little critter want some mochi?”

The stroodle yipped, certainly recognizing one word in that sentence. “Let’s go, Pookie,” he said, carrying her now to the kitchen to retrieve the promised treat.