``I, uh... thanks again, for dinner,'' Hyacinth said awkwardly, the stark-white wolf's ears tipping low in shame.
What kind of father failed to pick up his cub for so long, that by the time he came to get him from his daycare teacher's after-hours pick-up at his home, said teacher had gotten to work on dinner for all three of them?
Sebastian, for what it was worth, offered a warm smile. The big-bellied tiger had sat down next to Cin on the couch in his living room, a mug of tea steaming in his paws as he sat with one leg crossed, turned in the seat to face his companion.
Sleeping softly in Cin's lap, head resting on his thigh and tiny arms curled up against his belly, was the wolf's son. A fellow wolf, all reds and browns and pudgy with puppy fat.
Dinner and a long day of playing with his daycare friends. Plus, whatever he'd gotten up to at Sebastian's place after the daycare had let out, and any stragglers had been brought to his apartment nearby to await their parents.
Every day, Cin was thankful that that was a part of the deal.
``Of course, Cin!'' the tiger said comfortingly, still beaming a sunny smile. Hyacinth couldn't help but smile a bit back, but the embarrassment still ate at him. ``Honestly, I was mostly worried... I mean, your work keeps you so late some days, and doesn't seem to eat up any of your time others, its...'' Sebastian trailed off a bit, having been waving his paw for emphasis but slowing as he realized he didn't have much more to say.
But, the wolf could surmise what his companion was thinking. ``Yeah, it's... Its just really irregular hours. The days I work pay really good, so we're not hurting for money, but the days I work do tend to take a lot to get done,'' Hyacinth explained as... vaguely as he could.
After all, he couldn't exactly explain how he was an assassin for hire in the criminal underground, that his `work days' were when he was scouting out a location or target if not actively making a move on their mortal life with guns, bombs, knives, and poisons alike. He couldn't exactly say that the reason he'd been so late THAT day was because he and his mentors, who often worked as middle-men for his work, had been betrayed and led into an ambush that almost led to them getting killed in a warehouse explosion that...
Oof, he winced, glancing at the TV playing quietly nearby. It was showing a news reel detailing the explosion, which had apparently injured a few dock workers.
Fuck, he hated when civilians got hurt. He should have been better; that damn bomb should never have gone off, especially not at that moment. Ugh. Stupid, stupid, stupid-
``Cin?''
The wolf flinched, ears perking. He'd been staring at the television, his mood souring as he sat in sweatpants and an ill-fitting T-shirt... replacements for the clothes of his that had been burned, cut, and filled with holes in the evening's `excitement'.
``Ah, yeah, sorry,'' he said, turning back to Sebastion.
His heart fell at the tiger's expression. Frown, eyes wide with worry, circular eyebrow markings tilted down at the edges. Such clear, sincere concern...
Hyacinth gulped, flushing a bit. Trying to occupy his hands, he set one on the sleeping wolf pup in his lap, gently stroking at his head-fur. Rufus sighed softly at his dad's touch, nuzzling against him in his sleep and barely stirring.
``S... Sorry, really,'' the wolf said again, biting his lower lip. He felt so composed and in control most days, but being around the tiger... ``Ugh, I just... It was a rough day, today, and I should have been able to handle it. I feel awful that I left Rufus and you waiting for so long, and- and I do appreciate the dinner, but...
``... I keep PROMISING Rufus that on the days when I work, I'm gonna do something special for dinner. To- to make sure its not just `days when dad has better things to do', or whatever, y'know?'' he stammered, trying to keep his voice down to avoid waking his son. He didn't want to have this conversation with t he pup in earshot, but he was one heavy sleeper, and no good at pretending, so he knew it was safe for the moment. ``But... instead I just keep screwing that up. I'm lucky he's still young enough that going for fast food is fun, but...''
``Hey, you're doing a good job, you know,'' Sebastian said, leaning closer, setting a paw on Cin's other knee. ``Work is rough, and even as young as he is, I think Rufus gets that. But he AND I see how hard you work to be present when you are here.''
The wolf hesitated, taking in the words. Then, slowly, he gave a nod, gulping softly. ``... I don't know if I believe it, heh,'' he admitted weakly, his free hand slipping up to the back of his thickly-maned neck, ``but... I'll try. And I do appreciate it.''
The tiger smiled, nodding. ``Of course! Rufus is honestly one of the sweetest kids at the daycare this year... Gosh, I'm gonna be so sad to see him move on to kindergarten,'' Bast added wistfully.
Cin flushed at that. ``Oh... right, uh, I guess he wouldn't be going to the daycare anymore... uh...''
Bast let out a laugh. He was quick to assure, ``Oh, not to worry! Its all still the same building, and I LOVE the kid. He's always welcome at my place.
``... And so are you.''
Cin flushed... in a very different, more pleasant way. ``Ah- R- Right, thanks,'' he said, averting his cold blue gaze that could not be more melted-down. The warmth in his cheeks and the thumping of his heart had his fluffy tail trying to wag, thumping lightly against the back of the couch.
Oof. Way to keep it cool, killer.
They talked on. Little Rufus continued to snooze in his dad's lap; he was starting to wonder how much playing the pup DID. He was never that wiped out on a normal day. Bast must have subjected the boy to some very stimulating play in the time they were waiting for Cin.
But, the wolf and tiger chatted through the cub's soft snoring. Bast finished his tea and set the mug aside, Cin continued to stroke his pup's furry little head.
Conversation drifted, somehow, to family.
``OOF, being the oldest of three was rough,'' Sebastian was saying, the portly tiger having shifted to prop his pink-padded feet up on the coffee table nearby, hands folded over his big belly. He was smiling as he continued, ``I swear, my brother and sister did EVERYTHING in their power to ensure I was to blame every time they broke something.''
``Hehe, sounds rough,'' Cin chuckled, shaking his head, smiling back. At some point, Rufus had shifted to sitting in the wolf's lap, head resting on his chest, arms wrapped around his neck. He took it in stride, stroking the cub's back in his sleep.
``Definitely,'' the tiger chuckled. He then perked a bit, before asking, ``Oh, what about you? Were you an only child, or...?''
The wolf's expression flinched, hesitating for a moment. ``Oh, er, I...''
The tiger cut him off, surprisingly, holding a paw up. ``Okay, wait.''
``Huh?''
``I know that expression of yours,'' Bast said, putting on a mock-firm tone of voice. Probably the same voice he used to make the cubs laugh when he accused them of silly misbehaviors, like tracking mud on the ceiling or something. ``That's how you ALWAYS look when there's a story, that isn't very nice, and you WOULD talk about it, but you worry about it being too much of a downer.''
Hyacinth blinked. Shit, NOBODY read him that cleanly. ``Er... Y- yeah, that's about the rub.''
Sebastian giggled at that, the chubby tiger covering his lips with a paw. ``Well, then, tell me! I don't care about happy-go-lucky, I just want to... know more about you,'' he added, amicable tone dropping a bit.
The wolf hesitated again, then nodded, steeling himself. ``A- Alright, I guess...
``I, um... was technically an only child. For a few years, when I was still with my mom,'' he explained lightly. ``... But, when she started getting in trouble, she lost me. I was pretty young when that happened, so when I got put in the foster system, I didn't really... GET it. I didn't mind being away from Mom, though, she could be... rough to be around.
``I only ended up with one foster family, but it was one of those... big, `we take in like eight foster kids at a time' families. It was easy to fade into the background as long as you weren't getting brought home by the cops once a week...'' He trailed off, then winced, admitting, ``It wasn't once a week, but I did start getting into trouble. But, around then was when I met my dad, and moved in with him pretty quick, and...''
`And he taught me how to disassemble and reassemble a machine pistol while blindfolded, field-dress a stab wound, and kill a man twice my size with a brick.'
Hyacinth... didn't say that last part.
Sebastian was staring, giving a soft, ``Shit...''
The wolf turned away again, stammering, ``I, I mean, it was fine, I wasn't-``
``No, no, I get it,'' Bast assured, shaking his head. ``Sounds like a rough time for a lonely little wolf pup.''
``Heh,'' the career assassin chuckled. It was a long time since anyone considered him a `lonely little wolf pup'. Ultimately, though, especially before he met his father, that HAD been what he was. ``Yeah... but it made me the person I am today.''
Bast nodded again, offering a smile. ``Well... I DO like the person you are today, heh,'' he chimed, winking teasingly at the wolf.
Cin blushed, wide-eyed and ears perked. ``O- Oh, I mean, I- I,'' he stammered, mentally kicking himself. Seriously, he could disarm a bomb with three seconds to spare, but talking to the handsome tiger he had a crush on made him clam up? ``I- I like... you too.''
The tiger laughed, slapping his belly. ``Well, good! Here I was worried you just wanted the free cub-watching services,'' he teased.
``Hehe... W- Well, that and the free cookies,'' the wolf added, tail wagging slightly.
The conversation continued, and waned as it grew late. Before long, Bast invited the wolf father-son duo to spend the night in his guest room, an offer which Cin and his snoozing pup happily took, retiring to the well-made little room with wishes of `good night' and `see you in the morning'. Oddly, while Hyacinth usually struggled to sleep after a job, he found that the instant he settled under the covers, Rufus snoring softly beside him and Bast, surely, sleeping nearby... He drifted off to sleep easily.
