Puppy Mode: A FC/UC Short

Free-Jones Apartment

New York City

United States of America

September 2120

Elena peeked down from her tablet, looking at the male who had his arms wrapped around her. She shifted a little on the bed. This only made him bury his face into her side more. “…tiring day, Free?”

Ansel, who could only nuzzle his face into her side, gave an incoherent answer. Merely nodding, Elena managed to pat his head and look back at her unfinished drawing. He mumbled quietly, “Are you still drawing?”

“Mhm. It’s for my magazine portfolio.”

“Just stay in that position,” he asked. His voice was soft and tired and many shades of sleepy. Smirking a little bit (and amused at his current demeanor), Elena followed and stayed exactly like that: a pillow propped under her legs and against her back while Ansel cuddled into her side like the puppy he was.

When they entered into the relationship, one of Ansel’s first warnings was that he was a very affectionate person. Elena merely laughed it off and told him to be as affectionate as he needed to be, not expecting that he was indeed serious about it. A couple of nights later, she ended up wide-eyed and pink-faced as Ansel curled around her, burying his head into her shoulder and hugging her arm while she read something on her phone.

Shit, she thought. This is what he means?

She had to consult Jae-Hwang and Marion a couple of weeks later, when she was already getting used to it. Jae-Hwang confirmed it and Marion could only give her a sympathetic grin. While the Korean listened and drank his tea, Marion told her different stories of how Ansel could be.

“He’s a very touchy person, depending on how close you are. He’s touchy with me – we high five a lot, Ansel punches my arm – with Jae, he goes as far as fist-bumping.” Jae-Hwang gave a lazy wave. Seeing the confused look Elena gave, Marion continued with her explanation. “It also varies from person to person. I’m okay with physical touch so he goes for it. Jae isn’t a fan, so Ansel takes care to keep his touch short. Since you’re his girlfriend…” Marion trailed off.

Jae-Hwang continued from there, “Since both of you are a couple now, he’ll be much more affectionate and definitely touchy unless you tell him that it isn’t your thing. Which will break his heart,” he added jokingly. “But – you are okay with it, right? Guys don’t usually do that. But Ansel keeps smashing the norm,” he snorted. Elena shook her head.

“I don’t mind, really. Affectionate guys are more…assuring,” she finished carefully. Marion nodded.

“I understand that. Kyle’s a fucking dead stick,” she deadpanned. Jae-Hwang snorted into his drink.

“Kissing him is like kissing a wall. A cold, flat, dead wall.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

The conversation turned to Jae-Hwang making fun of Kyle and Marion insulting his lack of partner back. Despite that, their words rang in her mind: that an affectionate Ansel really was a normal kind of Ansel.

With that, she began to reciprocate.

She observed that Ansel would tend to gravitate towards being affectionate when the day was harsh. Exhaustion and affection seemed to have a direct relationship; the more tired he was, the more it was probable that he would wrap himself around her and stay like that. When he wasn’t as tired, he was still pretty affectionate – only, it would usually just reach handholding and cheek kissing.

With that, Elena slowly fell into her own motions and her own way of giving back affection. When she and Ansel were having good days, she would squeeze his hand and gently run her fingers through his hair. When he was stressed, she would squeeze his shoulder and stand on her toes to kiss his nose. When he was tired, she would let him stay and occasionally rubbed his back, silently coaxing him to sleep.

The more she did that, the more he relaxed around her. It was an obvious change. In the initial days where he let himself be more affectionate, he seemed stiff and jumpy to any kind of movement she would make. The more she returned his affection, the more he relaxed.

It may had been odd at first, but it soon became something sweet and intimate between the both of them; it was something they shared with each other and each other only.

Admittedly, Elena wasn’t quite as affectionate in her early years. When it came to Flynn, they were very cool with each other, not so much into PDA. The farthest they would go in public was a quick, tight embrace or a pinch on the cheek. In private, they would go a little more sensual (Elena still had her limits), though never really could be classified as ‘affectionate’.

With Ansel, it was different.

He liked touch – sweet, playful touch. He liked touch that could reassure and that could comfort. He liked the presence of other people (especially Elena) and liked that he had the permission to be as affectionate as he wanted.

There weren’t much people who were open to that, unfortunately.

Perhaps that was why he let his inner puppy out whenever he could. Thinking of Ansel and his love for affection made Elena remember her Shiba, Apple, who was back at Connecticut under the care of her sister. Apple would always launch herself at Elena whenever Elena would come home. Apple would also always sleep in Elena’s bed than in Amelia’s. Apple the Shiba was the type of dog who would do anything to be held or given attention; she always curled up in Elena’s lap and would tug at her shorts with her teeth if she wanted to play.

Hence what she called Ansel’s affectionate mode in private: his puppy mode.

For her, it was incredibly endearing.

“…Lena?”

“Hm?” she paused and looked down at him; the image of a crumpled piece of paper shone on the white screen. “I thought you feel asleep, Retel?”

“I almost did.” He managed to pull himself away from her side. She watched as he moved awkwardly around the mattress, grunting quietly and soon leaning his head against her stomach. She blinked. “Couldn’t breathe.”

“Figures,” she chuckled. “Are you going to sleep now?”

“I might…nap while lying on your stomach.” He pulled the extra blankets around himself, which made her smile. “Is that okay?”

“Mhm. Feel free to get some rest.” She reached down and ruffled his hair, making the brunet chuckle despite his sleepiness. “Sleep well.”

“Finish that soon,” he mumbled before closing his eyes. Elena turned back to her drawing of a crumpled paper and resumed shading. When she was nearly finished, she could already hear him snorting quietly.

“What a dork,” she murmured to herself.

With that, she saved the file on the tablet and opened a new one. Selecting her default pen for just sketching, Elena studied the sleeping male for a couple of seconds before starting to do a rough outline of his face.