The boys share a look, oddly enough, they are sure. They voice their opinion to Dr. Faunis, who shrugs and smiles warmly, “Claro, if you’re sure you’re sure. I’ll have Sarah print a list of what you’ll need to make a suitable environment for this little one. And don’t worry about the fee, consider this a preview for all the times I’ll be seeing this one in the future forroutinecheck ups.” She says gesturing to the snoring fluff ball. The boys share a laugh and nod in agreement.
The next little while won’t be easy, adapting to life with a young raccoon in the apartment, but they are sure they want to go through with it.
Wendy was more than happy to go shopping for the new apartment pet, at Jackson’s expense of course. Eddie insisted on grabbing items off the list as well, at least ones that Wendy deemed didn’t require her eye for aesthetics. Jackson dreaded what she’d pick, but the idea of Hakeem and Eddie doting over a raccoon with him in their apartment warmed a deep part of him. Hakeem wanted to contribute as well but was promptly shut down by both Eddie and Jackson saying he already gave up his jacket to offer comfort when the little raccoon was hurting.
As they head to the vet clinic to pick up the raccoon, they bring with them a shiny pink collar picked out by Wendy, with the name Princess Bandit engraved on the tag. The name was picked at random from a list of names the boys spent the previous night after work writing down. It was a mixture of a name Eddie and Jackson had entered into the pile, the combination instantly winning Hakeem’s approval. That was more than enough for both of them.
The raccoon is full of life when they arrive, far more active than Dr. Faunis imagined she’d be. As if recognizing the three men who saved her, she scurries into Hakeem’s arms, holding on tightly. A trill comes from her that makes Hakeem melt, he’s lost to the furry creature. She has a cleanbill of health, all cuts healed and no parasites. Eddie offers chin scratches and the raccoon swoons at his touch. As Jackson slowly approaches, she jumps out of Hakeem’s arms onto the top of his head.
“Fuck!” Jackson yells as he falls onto his back, the raccoon landing on his chest with a thud, knocking the air out of him. She stares down at him curiously, and waves. “Did she just wave at me?” asks Jackson, craning his neck to stare at his assailant. Eddie and Hakeem can’t hold back their laughter, neither can Sarah and Dr. Faunis. “Don’t make me regret this, Princess.” Jackson grumbles, as he gets onto an elbow and holds out the collar.
As if understanding, Princess Bandit lets the collar be placed around her neck. Jackson holds her in his arms, still on the floor but shifted into a sitting position. “For a miscreant, you are oddly accommodating.”
She squeaks in agreement.
Jackson hands her off to Eddie and accepts Hakeem’s hand in getting up. Princess curls up in Eddie’s arms and clings to him tightly like a child to their parent.
“Raccoons are usually solitary creatures after they fully mature, but this one might get clingy if she treats you three like this from day one.” Dr. Faunis shakes her head as she chuckles to herself at the sweet scene unfolding before her. “Maybe that spell did more than we think, but she’s healthy and I expect to be notified of any change in her demeanor and come in for a check up in a few months. Usually it’s every six months but I want to be safe considering the state Princess Bandit was in just recently.”
The boys thank Sarah and Dr. Faunis for their help once more and leave to bring Princess Bandit to her new home. They have a cat tower set up, it was more like a miniature castle in fact. They got the recommended food for a raccoon of her age and a litter box and pee pads for the first couple of weeks that are bound to be stressful and messy. Wendy even got a plush pink dog bed, truly too big for the small creature, that she insisted would go perfect with the rest of the apartment.
Jackson’s originally mostly black and white apartment. But he doesn’t care, he’s oddly excited to welcome Princess Bandit into their home.
In the week that follows a few things became apparent.
First was that Princess Bandit is extremely clever. Litter training was a breeze and she learned how to reach her snacks by climbing on the handles of the kitchen drawers.
Second: she could and would nap anywhere she could get comfortable, which was everywhere. The island, the terrace, the boys bedrooms and even their bathroom sinks.
Third: how she treated each of them. While affectionate to all three men, Princess Bandit was calm as she watched Hakeem work on his research. Was extremely cuddly and demanded scratches from Eddie. And most of all, she was hyperactive when it came to Jackson. She would jump from the top of high places (much to the boy’s horror), land on his head and wrestle him to the ground for cuddles. It was as though he was a walking jungle gym for the small creature. She has learned to NOT do that while he was holding things, which didn’t spare him from her surprise love tackles.
Princess Bandit seemed to be adapting to life as a pet rather well, almost too quickly. Concerned, Eddie and Jackson ask Hakeem if there was any after effect on Princess from the spell in the park that saved her, since Dr. Faunis assured her the small critter was healthy.
Hakeem shifts through grimoires for an appropriate spell. A wish could do the trick, but he enjoys the process of finding what he needs himself. Jackson lends him some mana before he whispers a spell in an ancient tongue and waves the wand, coating Princess in a gentle silver glow.
“Well, that’s curious.” Remarks Hakeem.
Eddie and Jackson stand by his shoulders as he examines Princess. Eddie tilts his head, “What is?”
Hakeem removes his glasses, wiping them with a cloth from his pocket then returns them to his face. “It would seem a faint mana signature is radiating off our dear Princess Bandit, potentially affecting her growth. But that’s not the most curious part.”
This time Jackson leans in, “And that would be?”
“The signature seems to resemble an amalgamation of all three of ours, and it’s tied to her.”
“What does that mean?”
Hakeem ponders the question, scratching the stubble along his soft jaw, Princess mimicking the motion with her paw. “Technically, it resembles the type of signature a child would share with their parents. Almost as though Princess Bandit was our… well, our daughter.”
All three boys tilt their heads to the side, Princess copying with a tilt of her own head. Only one word came to their minds at the diagnosis: “Huh.”
Princess chitters happily in response, not a care to be had. She just seemed happy with the idea of three doting dads.
Chapter 19
March 11th, Gregorian year 2030
Eddie rides his bike back to the Alexandria building after his visit to his family’s physician, Dr. Gob Lin. (Yes they are a goblin with green skin and a small stature. Yes they’ve heard the jokes. And yes, they find them hilarious much to their associates dismay). He’d gotten a clean bill of health but his mind still dwells on what was discovered.
