Published: September 6th 2022, 12:01:02 pm
With as much time as Cassie spent in the playpen, it was a little shocking how long it took her to notice it. Or, rather, to realize what it was... She saw the teddy bear there what seemed like right away, but, cute as it was, she had way better toys to play with, so she never bothered with it, and didn't even really look at it that closely, for what must have been weeks before she toddled over and picked it up, shocked to discover how heavy it was... Or was she just getting weak from not exercising for so long, or doing much of anything other than sitting in her playpen?
That couldn't be it, though, not when she had stuffed animals that were definitely bigger, and that she could pick up easier. She frowned, sitting down, diaper squishing damply beneath her as she poked around at the beat, surprised again when she found a battery compartment. Why would a teddy bear need batteries? Did it talk? Play music?
She continued her investigation, poking and prodding everywhere that seemed like it could be a trigger, but, in the end, she came up with nothing. As much as she hated having to admit she didn't know something in front of Lara, who loved being able to prove she was smarter than her, that was less scary than going to Cassie, so, once the maid made her way into the living room, she brought it up.
"Umm... I don't know how to use this," she said, holding up the bear. "Can you show me?"
Lara took one look at it, then smirked. "You must have broken it, then. Cassie's gonna be so mad at you!"
"No, I didn't!" Tiffany pouted with a huff. "I-I didn't mean to, anyway..."
"Fine, let me see it," Lara rolled her eyes, taking the bear and looking at it. "Oh! Duh... This is just her camera."
A confused frown began to cross Tiffany's face. "Camera?"
"Yeah," Lara said. "For her scrapbook." Tiffany still seemed confused, so she walked over to the bookshelf on the other side of the room, pulling down a large book. "Haven't you seen her showing her friends when they come over?" She carried the book to the playpen, holding it up so Tiffany couldn't touch it, as if, by doing so, she'd instantly destroy it, and began to turn the pages.
Tiffany almost didn't recognize the person in the pictures at the beginning, with her shorter hair and her baggy jeans and t-shirts, and no hint of any padding... The more pages Lara turned, however, the more that changed, letting Tiffany see her own transformation being carried out, seeing her in her maid uniform, in her new outfits, and, of course, in her diapers...
"Sh-She takes those pictures with this?" she looked at the bear, blushing as she thought of all the times she'd used her diaper in front of it without a second of hesitation... Not that she had much say in the matter anymore. Lara flipped a few more pages, and, sure enough, there were some shots of her in the playpen that definitely seemed to have been taken by the bear, or something on that level. There were also some from higher up, and Tiffany looked around, spotting another teddy bear on a shelf outside the playpen, looking down at her.
She wasn't certain how, at first, she was going to bring that up, what she could even say about it. She almost didn't, she was so nervous, but finally, as Cassie was tucking her into her bed for the night, she spoke up sheepishly. "Umm..." she started, squirming under her covers.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Cassie asked. "Did you use your diapers already? You know you don't get changes until morning after you get into bed..."
"I know," Tiffany pouted, also aware that this proved, yet again, how much more immature she was than Lara, who never talked about the condition of her diapers, or let any discomfort they might be bringing her show. "But... I-I need to talk to you..."
"You so?" Cassie smiled, sitting on the edge of Tiffany's bed. "What's wrong?"
"Well... I-I was playing today," Tiffany said, "and I... I noticed something weird..." Cassie sat and listened, nodding, as Tiffany told her story, then, when she was finished, the other girl pulled out her phone. "I-I guess it's okay if you want to take pictures," Tiffany continued, a bit annoyed at the response, "but I wish you'd have let me... What is that?!"
Her eyes widened as Cassie turned her phone towards her, showing her a cheery looking website with lots of pink and purple, plastered with pictures... of Tiffany. Tiffany's head swam as she sat up, taking a closer look, then glancing around her bedroom, too, spotting another hidden camera, realizing from another photo that there must be one by her changing table... "Wh-What is this?" she repeated, a bit dazed. It had been one thing to see all that in a scrapbook, but having it on a webpage, out for anyone to see...
But not just anyone, exactly. Towards the top of the page, she spotted a price, and a link to purchase access. "I'm sorry, Tiffany," Cassie told her. "I assumed you knew... Now that you aren't working, or even cleaning the apartment, I thought this would be a good way for you to help out."
"H-Help out?!" Tiffany squeaked. "B-By letting a bunch of strangers see me like this?!"
"It's like a job," Cassie cooed. "It's a good way to prove that you really are a big girl after all, don't you think? Or is that not the case anymore?"
"I-I am," Tiffany nodded slowly. Cassie admitted that she was a big girl so rarely that she had to rethink her protests... There must be something to this. She did wish she'd known about it before this, but she did like knowing that she was contributing in some way... If this was what it took to get back her maturity, then she should be grateful Cassie had been helping her with it all along, even when Tiffany herself hadn't been aware of it. "You're right... Thank you."
"You're welcome," Cassie kissed her on the forehead. "Now, get to sleep... You have a big day of playing ahead of you tomorrow! Now that you know, you're going to have to be extra cute! Can you handle that?"
Tiffany giggled, snuggling back up under her covers. "Uh-huh," smiled. "Leave it to me..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She supposed she could say it was nice while it lasted... There were parts that she'd enjoyed, anyway. In a weird way, knowing about the cameras had made it both easier and harder, as she could tell herself she was doing it all for her audience, even though the thought of a bunch of people she didn't know seeing her act like a baby still sometimes weirded her out, no matter how mature it might make her look.
By now, she'd surely proven that she was ready to be a grown-up again, that she was ready to get off of her rest and relaxation. It was hard to keep track of time, but it had definitely be a few months now, at least... Maybe Cassie would decide that Lara was the one who needed a break next, Tiffany thought with a giggle, imagining them switching spaces.
She didn't know for sure if that was what would happen, though, so, instead of teasing the girl about it, she waited until Lara was done cleaning for the day and returned to the living living room to casually say, "You dud such a good job! And all by yourself... I'll be glad when I can help out again."
"Oh, please," Lara instantly replied, not even turning to look at her. "You're too much of a child to help."
"No, I'm not!" Tiffany sulked, feeling especially insulted to be told that by somebody walking around the apartment in only a diaper, a new habit she'd started lately, after Cassie had suggested it would help keep from making more laundry for herself, since Tiffany was such a messy baby that she was sure to get Lara's clothes dirty while she was looking after her... And that it was still the more mature option; at least she wasn't wearing baby clothes like Tiffany. "I've been a big girl with my website for a long time now, and..!"
"You mean the website where you show off your diapers?" Lara teased, wiggling her bottom, the sight of the girl's own diaper, and the realization that it was messy, only making Tiffany more annoyed to be getting mocked by her. "Yeah, sounds like you're suuuuch a big girl..."
"I am!" Tiffany insisted. "And you wear them, too, you know!" How could she not, when the seat of hers was so big and lumpy? How could she still think she was so much more grown-up than Tiffany?!
Lara spun around, hands on her hips. "I wear mine to help out," she lectured. "It's just quicker and more convenient this way... You wear yours because you can't control yourself. Because you're a little baby!"
"No, I'm not!" Tiffany sniffled, wishing she hadn't brought it up at all. Why had she even bothered trying to talk to Lara? Let her be surprised by it when Cassie sided with Tiffany... Especially if they did swap places. That would serve her right!
Tiffany wanted to wait until bedtime for this conversation, too, since it was one of the few times she knew for certain Lara wasn't likely to stick her nose into her business, but she couldn't help herself. She was sitting in her playpen, of course, in nothing but an oversized plastic bib - pink, as so much of her wardrobe was now, despite how it had, at one point, been her least favorite color - and a messy diaper of her own, concentrating hard on the picture she was finger painting, when she heard Cassie walk in.
"Cassie!" she squealed, scrambling to her feet. "Listen, I've been thinking..."
"Lara told me," Cassie said. "Sweetie, I'm sorry, but you just aren't ready for this yet."
"B-But..." Tiffany whined.
"Just look at you," Cassie chuckled. "You haven't used a toilet in I don't even know how long, you take naps every day, you drink out of a bottle, you need someone to feed you - and, judging by how much of a mess you've made with that paint, it's probably a good thing you do, - you spend all day playing with baby toys... You just aren't ready to help out with any big girl stuff yet... So, please, just worry about being the best baby you can be."
"B-But..." Tiffany repeated, frowning in confusion. Wasn't it Cassie who had convinced her to do all of those things? Wasn't she doing them for her website, to prove that she was a big girl? It didn't make any sense! She fidgeted, the mess in her diaper shifting as she moved, nibbling her pacifier uncertainly.
In the end, though, she knew that Cassie must be right; she hadn't steered her wrong yet, so why should she start now? Tiffany smiled, plopping back down on the floor in front of her painting with a squelch, determined to do exactly as Cassie had told her, and be the best baby she could be... And one day, surely, Cassie would let her be a big girl again, as soon as she proved she was deserving... No matter how many infantile things she had to do, or diapers she had to fill, to do it, completely oblivious that Cassie had her trapped in an endless loop, that, to the rest of the world, she was only showing how unworthy she was of reaching her goal, and providing more ammunition for Cassie to say no the next time she thought to ask if she was ready...