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[sweetsleuth]

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[sweetsleuth]

[The smol fox chirps and pulls back to look down at the screen, his tail twitching behind him. But then--]

[He flaps his little wings and waves his front paws, letting out a very distinct: "Hi! Asucchi!"]

[HE SPEAKS. Compared to the last time he saw him (icly just a few days ago because future-dating), his speech is already notably better, having only just been able to babble or poorly parrot words.]

[Of course, he's also very loud, and in the background, Atsushi will be able to hear Ranpo mumble in his sleep as he shifts around.]

[tigerpoet]

[Atsushi would die for this fox.]

Shhh, don't wake up Papa. He's resting.

[sweetsleuth]

[The little fox immediately starts to mimic Atsushi, making a soft ssshhhhiii noise, before echoing some of his words. Ranpo lets out a tiny snore, and the fox is back at it, hoping on the screen with his front paws. Through sheer luck, he misses the hang-up button every time.]

"Asucchi... tiny! Very tiny!"

[He gives the phone a very authoritative sniff and nod. Yep, there's a tiny Atsushi in there. That's how these devices work.]

"Play! Come play!"

[tigerpoet]

[oh no this is the cutest goddamn thing]

I can't, you're all the way over there and I'm over here.

[sweetsleuth]

[The little fox lets out a very smol sound of frustration, sniffing the camera again, and then bolting around the bed -- which is unseen, but heard, seeing as the phone is face up on the bed next to Ranpo.]

[He might catch a little white blur pass by the camera before he stops again.]

[And then--]

[HE YELL]

[Which has Ranpo flailing as he bolts awake because his smol child is very loud??]

Wah-- Watson! What was... eh?

[And he picks up the phone. His bed-head is legendary rn.]

Atsushi?

[tigerpoet]

[Atsushi has to cover his ears when Watson screams, but.]

You're a real father now, you've been woken up by a screaming child.

[sweetsleuth]

If that's an important milestone, then I think I crossed it a few days ago... did you call, or was he playing with my phone again?

[He's not mad tho, lifting up his squirmy fox baby and letting him burrow in around the collar of his shirt, so he can see the screen.]

[tigerpoet]

He was playing with your phone. Did you know he can say my name?

[Almost his name. Close enough.]

[sweetsleuth]

Really? He ca-

["Asucchi!"]

[...]

Asucchi.

[tigerpoet]

It's close enough.

[sweetsleuth]

Hey Watson! Can you say "Tiger"?

["Ta... Taiga."]

Taigaaaa.

[He's using these names now.]

[tigerpoet]

He's completely charmed by Watson. I can tell.

[He doesn't have to exchange notes to know for sure.

After all, Tiger is as much a parent as Atsushi is.]

[sweetsleuth]

Wait-- is he really?

Can I talk to him? I've never seen "completely charmed by cute things" Tiger before!

[He must see this gap-moe phenomenon??]

[tigerpoet]

...don't treat it like it's some fascinating phenomenon.

[Tiger covers his face. The fact that he switched upon request is more telling than his grumpiness.]

He's cute. Anyone would think so.

1/2

[sweetsleuth]

[M... MOE...]

[sweetsleuth]

Well, of course they would! He's adorable!

Ah, but does that mean I don't need to come over right now so you can have a chance to meet him and pet him, too?

[For all that he can't speak too much yet, Watson understands a lot. And he immediately starts wiggling more, his tail wagging. "Play! Plaay! Taiga!"]

[tigerpoet]

[Way too quickly for any plausible deniability:] I didn't say that.

[He's so weak to this tiny furball. Weaker than he is to Ranpo already.]

1/2

[sweetsleuth]

[justaskeikaku.jpg]

We'll be over in a little bit.

[sweetsleuth]

[And true to his word, he comes over -- letting himself in without an ounce of restraint.]

Did somebody order a tiny ball of fluff?

[--and of course, fluttering with his tiny wings just over Ranpo's shoulder is the smol fox. He's still not completely used to flying yet, so his body kinda awkwardly hangs as his wings flap. "I'm fluff!"]

[tigerpoet]

[It's so cute, he's gonna die.

Hesitantly, Tiger reaches out to pet Watson's fluffy, fluffy fur.]

You're so soft. Did you know that you're so soft and tiny?

[If Ranpo ever tells anyone else he acted like this Tiger will be forced to kill him, sorry to say.]

[sweetsleuth]

[Watson chirps in reply, his wings fluttering as he swings his body so he can cling to Tiger's hand and nuzzle it.]

[...meanwhile Ranpo has absolutely whipped out the camera to take pictures and/or take a video while pretending to take pictures, because this is the cutest twilight zone shit he's ever seen.]

[tigerpoet]

[Pictures are acceptable. No one can tell how cute he's being from still pictures, right? Right. It's just more petting.]

Good boy. You're a very good boy.

-Don't gawk, Ranpo.

[sweetsleuth]

How can you tell me not to gawk when you're being so cute? I almost can't decide who's cuter!

...he might be in the lead, though.

[He's moved from nuzzling to instead walking up along Tiger's arm, aiming to rest on his shoulder and sniff around his hair... and maybe chew on it, if he isn't stopped.]

[tigerpoet]

He's obviously the cute one. Get your eyes checked.

[...that said, Tiger will let him climb all over him and chew his hair if he wants, so...]

[sweetsleuth]

My eyes are just-- well, I guess I do actually have to wear glasses, but that's annoying to do all the time.

[The reason he squints, revealed.]

Come on, let's sit down! That way both of us can cuddle up with you!