Chapter Text
I couldn’t remember what I was doing before seeing a blinding bright light engulf me or what happened afterwards.
Now there was some footsteps approaching me as I began to wake up. Completely confused and disoriented.
“Hm? Finally waking up?” A strange voice asks.
My head aches a little and I couldn’t process what was said. At least I think he said something? Maybe he just mumbled it?
But I was with someone. Someone I didn’t know. I should’ve been scared yet I didn’t have the strength and energy for it. I barely had any to open my eyes. I tried to move my hand to my head but quickly became aware that something is keeping them tied down. Only then did my eyes shoot open.
I start to panic as I struggle to get out of the bindings keeping me tied to a chair. Then a large figure stepped into view. I looked up at him to find a large alligator that was standing on his hind feet and seemed more human than gator.
A whimper escaped my throat as I begin to shake.
“Easy there, rockstar! I won’t bite. Yet.” I can’t understand his words but I know he said something again.
Which makes me shake harder. What is he?! Where am i?! I can’t understand his language so he’s clearly not from earth.
The gator that I’m at crotch level with leans down and puts a hand on my head. Petting it gently. Almost like he was trying to comfort me.
“That’s it. Calm down. Once I find out what you are I’ll be able to learn your language and talk to yah! Can’t take samples if you’re too afraid and could hurt yourself.” He says in his alien language.
“W-Where am I?” I finally get out.
His hand goes down to stroke under my chin.
“Such cute little noises. I wonder what you said. Just sounds like barking to me. Maybe that’s all you do.” He wondered. “Perhaps i should just eat you. But I’m still curious since I never saw anything like you before. Maybe you’re what I’m looking for after all..”
“Can’t you understand me?” I glance down to his clawed hand.
“Poor thing. I must be as new to you as you are to me.” The gator said.
“Guess not.” I decided since I couldn’t make out his words but he clearly spoke.
“Well, let’s make this quick. Sooner I get samples, the sooner I’ll be able to learn what language you use. Then we can talk while I figure out what to do with you. You look tasty but so cute too!” Gator says before pulling a hand away.
I looked him up and down and saw he was definitely shirtless aside from the purple sleeveless jacket with a hood. He wore gator print pants and black belt. He had spike bracelets on his wrists and what seemed to be purple gloves. He wore yellow star shaped glasses on top of his head. He had a red Mohawk and even a weird yet cute purple lightening bolt on his snout.
“Let’s do fur sample first.” He showed me tweezers and a little baggie.
I watched him, strangely curious, as he takes the tweezers to my hair and grabs some with it. Then puts them in the baggie. The gator was happier seeing me less freaked out and more curious.
“Next your claws.” He says and picked up mail clippers and a new bag.
Gently, he took my fingers and began cutting some of the nails off. Sticking them into the baggie as well. Then putting it in the basket with the hair bag.
The next tool, I couldn’t quite figure out until he was scraping my face with it. Since it didn’t cause any cuts, I assumed he was getting samples of my skin. For what reason, I didn’t know.
Like the other two, it also went into a baggie and then in that basket.
I quietly watched him as my breathing hitched in my throat when he reached out to cup my face. His claws trailing along my cheeks while he looked at me intently. His hands trailed down to my neck, shoulders, and stomach.
Claws never leaving a mark since he wasn’t dragging them along my skin.
I watched him pick up a flashlight and shine it into my eyes. Then gently took hold of my jaw to force my mouth open. Shining the light into it too.
He seemed pleased as he shut it off. Putting his hands on my ears and rubbing them for a moment. Even scratching behind them.
The gator must’ve been done since he took the basket over to a work station and sat down at the desk to start looking them over. And running them through the computer-like machine that he has.
———— Sometime Later ————
I continued to watch the gator work for who knows how long since I didn’t have anything else to really look at. I wondered what else he had planned. Were those just the beginning of him experimenting on me?
Then he suddenly wheeled his chair back and got my full attention again.
“Human? So that’s what you look like! I’ve heard you taste amazing yet go for a lot as pets and toys!” Gator sat back in his chair, looking at me with a hand under his large jaws.
I tilt my head at him in response. Curious to know why he was looking at me like that and seemed happier.
“Well, let’s learn your language then! Hmm looks like there’s a lot. Let’s do this one since it’s supposedly the most spoken.” Gator rolled back to his desk and put something on his head over his Mohawk.
A few minutes later, he was taking it off and standing up. He walked back over to me and leaned down to make eye contact with me. I looked at his red eyes as he stared back into mine.
“Now what should I do with you?” He says and I gave him a surprised look.
“You just talked!” I said, shocked.
“I’ve been talking this whole time. You just couldn’t understand me. Like how I couldn’t understand you. Seems I found the perfect language on the first try since we can talk to each other now.” Gator replied.
“How?” I asked.
“Figured out what you are with those samples. Picked a language. And here we are talking to each other!” He answered.
“Okay cool! So uh…w-where am I?” I end up asking.
“On my ship. Picked you up as a possible snack on the way home and decided to learn more about you instead. Humans go for a lot of money in space. I could sell you instead of eating you myself.” He smiles with a laugh.
He puts a hand on my head again and pets me when he sees I’m about to panic.
“Calm down. I’m not eating you. Not right now anyway. Humans are food, toys, and pets to other species. I could always just keep you alive for other reasons. Besides, if I did eat you…you wouldn’t be chewed up or anything like my teeth would suggest. I like eating my food whole. The full feeling for a couple of days is always nice.” He continued.
“So…what are you going to do with me?” I ask, still fearful of the big guy.
“Haven’t decided yet. You’ll be staying right here until we land though. Don’t want you gettin’ hurt or stepped on by accident. If I do decide to keep yah, I’ll probably eat you to make it easier to transport you to my car. I don’t have a crate or leash.”
“Oh. Okay. I guess being a pet wouldn’t be so bad. At the very least it’s better than being fully eaten.” I said, wondering if I actually wanted to go home.
“Surprised you’re not begging me to take you back to your planet.” It was his turn to tilt his head.
“Honestly…I think I’d prefer living as a pet than that. Why worry about bills and work when I can lay around and just exist as a companion?” I replied.
“Yeah. That’s fair. I’d treat you well too! You’ll have a comfy bed and cage, I’ll take you for walks and play with yah, and make sure to love on you!” He chuckled.
“What’s your name?” I ask, strangely liking the idea and feeling myself calm down with his petting.
“Montgomery Gator! You can call me Monty! Though I should warn yah, folks on my planet don’t like pets talking let alone saying their owners names. Most get their vocal chords clipped. So you’ll have to call me Master in front of others. There’s some, like my friends, that you don’t have to. I’ll point them out when you meet them. And no, I won’t clip your chords. Why go through the trouble of learning your language just to do that?” Monty asks.
I processed that for a second.
“Wait…does that mean that you were never going to eat me?” I asked curiously.
“So you caught that huh? Guess humans are smarter than they look. Except to transport you…no. I wasn’t going to.” Monty replied.
“So humans are pets on your planet?”
“Humans just became pets while I’ve been exploring space. So we don’t know much about you little guys yet. Just what we know from other planets. Which is why I didn’t recognize your species. Haven’t had the chance to actually interact with one yet.” He explained. “Then I came across the planet humans are getting picked up from. And well, I couldn’t help myself! Picked up what I thought was a human from the descriptions I’ve heard and had to know what the big deal was!”
“Huh. That explains a lot of mass disappearances…” I trailed off.
“Doesn’t change that most see you as a dumb animal that should be seen not heard like most other pets. Or food. Speaking of, supposedly there’s some kind of diet to ease you into the human food a company back home makes. So just a heads up if I have to stick a syringe into your mouth.” Monty added.
“Good to know…” I nod. “…So humans are pets despite clearly being a dominant species too? And you have the technology to learn our languages?”
“On your planet maybe. Since you’re so much smaller than us, my kind sees you as an animal. I mean, if you were standing up right now you’ll be what? At my waist? If not shorter than that? Despite the technology, most either clip your chords like I said or just don’t bother learning your language. It sounded like you were barking and whining to me. And yes I have seen canine creatures before.”
“Sounds cruel.” I muttered without even thinking about it.
“I know. That’s why I won’t do that to you. You didn’t choose to be picked up. Plus I think it’ll be nice having a pet that can talk and have conversations with. Won’t be as lonely. Yah know?” He asks.
“Yeah.” I nod. “I understand that. Thanks for not taking my voice away.”
“Don’t mention it!” He ruffled my hair up. “The last thing I want is for you to be unable to tell me when something is wrong. Like you’re sick or hurt. So I can take you to the vet. Destroying your voice would make it harder to figure out what’s wrong so this way you can just tell me.”
Monty stood back up straight now.
“By the way, what should I call your friends then? Since it’s okay to say your name? And other people of your kind?” I decided to ask, appreciating the fact that he’s not super cruel like expected. At least right now he seems chill and friendly. Doesn’t sound like he’ll hurt me. “You brought up taking me to the vet.”
“Probably sir or miss/mrs. My friends can be their names too. Just don’t talk unless spoken to. Makes things easier that way. Obviously you can talk to me or my friends whenever.” Monty says.
“So…about the vet…” I trailed off, curious to how that will go down.
“That I can’t answer. I have no clue what the average appointment looks like or what all they’ll do. I think you need some shots but that’s it.” He said.
“God I’m gonna get spayed aren’t I?” I whispered.
“Hm? What do you mean?” Monty tilts his head.
“I mean they are going to remove my chance of having babies and take my period away too. Which I can’t complain too much about but still.” I then explained what periods were to him after seeing his confusion.
“Oh. So basically you go into heat every month, bleed for a week, and then repeat the next month. Yeah. They will probably…what’s the word you used? Spayed? Just to make sure you don’t bleed everywhere. Don’t exactly have supplies to deal with that.” Monty confirms.
I went silent as I processed that. What have I gotten myself into? Do I really want this that bad? Surely there’s enough time for him to turn this ship around! Not that I could do much tied up.
“My turn to ask questions. What are you? Female? You go into heat and bleed like most female creatures I’ve seen or heard of.” Monty breaks the silence.
“Yes.” I nod. “I’m a female.”
“What’s your name then, babe?” Monty says, realizing he doesn’t know it yet.
“Y/N.” I answer.
“So I got myself a little lady rather than little guy! Your name is pretty cute I suppose! Guess I could keep it as that name!” Monty chuckles.
Well, that’s reassuring.
Then a voice came over the intercom. I tilted my head into his gloved hand since I couldn’t understand the words. Then Monty basically answers my silent question.
“Almost home! Gonna land this ship first, get my stuff together, then be back for you and like I said…I’ll probably eat you for transport. Just easier since I got a bunch of stuff and I don’t want you getting hurt or lost. Can’t have you holding my tail like a baby gator either.” He then stared at me for a second. “Wait. You aren’t a baby right? Like, you’re an adult? I didn’t abduct a child?”
“I’m an adult. Don’t worry.” This gave him some comfort.
“Good! Good! Was worried I took a poor kid from their family. I mean, technically I took someone’s child from them. But you said you’d prefer being a pet. And I’ll take an adults word over a child’s.” Monty sighed in relief.
“Yeah. You’re good in that case.” I shuddered at the thought of being eaten.
“Well, I’ll be back soon.” He patted me on the head before leaving the room.
——— After landing ———
The ship sounded like a plane hitting turbulence as it began landing. When it stopped moving, things got quiet.
Eventually though, Monty returned to the room I was in.
“See? Told yah I’ll be back!” Monty says as he walks up to me.
In one quick motion, he cuts the rope with his claws.
“I got my stuff together in the main area. But even with a cart, I just can’t take my chances of you getting hurt. I also work here and some guys are assholes that will hurt you cause they think it’s funny. Some people genuinely think animals are dumb and don’t have feelings. Even when fully capable of verbalizing it. So…that means I have to eat you for safety and transport reasons. I’m sorry. I’ll try and get to my car quickly.” Monty said as he picked me up.
“Your co workers suck.” I stated completely ignoring what he is going to do, wanting to keep it out of mind for as long as possible.
“I know. But they are much older than me and stuck in their ways. I’m sure you have humans that are similar?” He asks and I nod.
“Some things really are universal.” I replied. “How old are you?”
“In your language, I’m around 28 years old.” Monty answered. “I’ll try to make this quick for you, Y/N.”
“Okay.” I said quietly, feeling myself tremble in his arms.
He gives me a comforting smile and quick kiss on the head before opening his jaw and revealing all of his sharp gator teeth.
A million thoughts ran through my head as he started moving me into his mouth. Like what if he’s lying? That he won’t let me back out? Or he’ll death roll something off? I whimper as his tongue runs along my face and covers me with saliva while I get closer to his throat.
Even if I managed to get out of his grasp, where would I go? Surely the ship is closed and I’m definitely on a new planet now. And if he’s telling the truth, someone out there would definitely eat me themselves.
I’m now half way down his throat. So far so good. He hasn’t chomped on me yet and he’s clearly being careful to keep his teeth from puncturing me.
Monty grabs my feet and force me down the rest of the way. Sighing as I drop into his stomach. Rubbing it for a moment.
Fortunately his food will take days to digest if he eats them whole. So he has plenty of time to get to his car and throw me back up. Figuring I could stay in the backseat while he drove.
Heading towards the exit, he opens the door to find someone waiting with a cart for all of his stuff. He thanks them as he packs his stuff up onto it.
Quickly, he leaves the outdoor part of the facility and goes to the employee parking lot. Thankful not many of the guys and some girls stopped him to ask how things were on his work trip.
Meanwhile, I was feeling cramped and gross in the dark and tight space. Yet at the same time, strangely safe and comforted. It was certainly a very weird mixture of emotions and feelings to say the least.
Finally at his car, Monty began putting his things away in the trunk of his car and pulled a towel out of a bag. Then he began coughing and I felt myself being pushed back up his throat.
He caught me right before my face hit the pavement and put me on the edge of his trunk while he wiped his face. After he wrapped a towel around me that was big enough to be like a blanket.
I looked at someone from across the parking lot as he cleaned me up. The dog making motions like he was going to eat me next.
“See? Told yah I would be quick! Don’t worry, I’ll give you a bath at home. This will work for now.” He notices my attention isn’t even on him.
He turns and sees who I am looking at.
“Ignore that blue dog. He’s an asshole to all little critters. I won’t let him hurt you.”
I quietly nod as he picks me up and shuts the trunk. Then he opens the back door and sets me down.
“Lay down. We’ll go to the pet store later after your bath. Maybe get a pet seat belt and harness while there.” Monty says softly. Making sure I’m completely wrapped in a towel burrito before shutting the door.
Hopping into the drivers seat, he puts his own seatbelt on and starts the car. His tail starting to thump against the seat as his excitement grows.
I sigh and relax as he plays some music. I couldn’t understand the words but it sounded like Rock n Roll music. Fitting with the way he looks.
After a while, I hear ringing and see on the car’s screen that someone appeared to be calling him. Him answering shut the music off but I couldn’t make out what was being said since it was in his native language.
“How was your trip? Seems like you got back later than planned?” The male sounding voice spoke through the car’s speaker.
“Yeah…I made a detour. Supposed to be for a snack and ended up with a pet human.” Monty replied.
“No kidding? Roxy and I just got two pet humans while you were gone ourselves! Cute little cubs. Poor things were a bonded pair since they cried every time the shelter tried to separate them. They don’t think they are siblings though.”
“Well, they are lucky to have you guys.” Monty said. “We’ll have to set up a play date sometime. But it’ll be a while. Wanna get my girl settled in and comfortable before introducing her to anyone.”
“Of course! We understand!” His friend responded. “I know you’ve been gone for a while. So let me know if you need anything. I’ll even meet you outside so I won’t scare your own little superstar.”
“Thanks, Freddy, might take you up on that offer.” Monty says, realizing he’ll need to go grocery shopping for himself. “But I’m gonna head home, give her a bath, and run to the pet store before anything else.”
The conversation continued but all I could make out was noise rather than talk.