Raccoon-(mxm) (Rever series 6)

Raccoon Three

Okay, you're scared of being close to me, but you understand what I was asking of you. 

He thought for another moment before turning back around to turn the water off for the bathtub. Deciding not to bother the raccoon for a few moments so that it could calm down a bit, King carefully got himself into the tub, then settled himself down against the back with a long, tired exhale. 

His eyes slid shut soon after as the pain slowly began to ebb. He heard Baron move around a little here and there, but never come close enough to make him worry. In fact, the raccoon seemed quite busy outside of the bathroom, prompting him to blink open one eye curiously. 

What he saw nearly made him burst into a fit of laughter! He was able to just-barely contain himself, but come on! His new friend was literally being the stereotypical raccoon right then. 

I guess you were still hungry, huh? 

Baron was currently tugging his entire bag of trash he'd somehow managed to pull out of the closed garbage can, across the living room floor. He might have been pretty upset about it, too, if he wasn't so tired already. 

"I would have made you another sandwich if you were still hungry, bud," he said, humor in his quiet words. 

Baron froze in response to the sound, then perked his little ears up as he got up on his back legs and looked around. The moment he saw that he was being watched he darted back toward the suitcase and out of site... only to return a moment later and settle little Otterbahn in front of the garbage bag, then disappear again. 

Did you... just try to put the blame for the trash on my stuffed otter? 

When he didn't see Baron for a few more moments he leaned on the edge of the tub and opened his other eye. 

"Oh Baron? Won't you come here for a moment?" he called, his voice sweet with a hint of humor hidden beneath his words. 

It took the raccoon a few seconds to respond, and when it did, King really couldn't help but laugh! The little brat hadn't made a sound, but it did finally peak its head around the corner, only to twitch its nose, then look toward the trash and stuffed otter before ducking back out of sight. 

"Baron?" he called again, a sleepy smile settled on his face. 

The raccoon appeared a moment later, and this time it stepped into full view, then got up on its hindlegs before glancing over its shoulder at the bag of torn trash. 

"I'm pretty sure that was you, bud," he teased.

If a raccoon could look indignant, Baron absolutely was. Considering how he was responding, though, he doubted that he understood the full situation. 

At least he has some understanding of positive and negative. 

"Well, if you don't want Otterbahn, why don't you bring him here so he doesn't get dirty?" he eventually said, forgetting about the trash situation since he'd teased him enough about it already. 

It seemed to take his friend a moment to realize what he was wanting, but when he finally did, Baron quickly hobbled over to the stuffed toy and picked it up. However, instead of giving it to him, he hugged it closely and turned around to sit down, giving him his back. 

"Oh? I thought he was the one who messed up the trash? Now you're going to protect him?" 

Baron didn't respond. Instead, he began grooming the little stuffed otter as the tip of his fluffy tail flicked here and there. 

Grinning, King settled himself back against the foam pad he'd previously fastened to his tub and relaxed for a while longer. Eventually, he closed his eyes again, and didn't realize that he'd actually drifted off to sleep until he heard a faint plop sound that had him quickly blinking open his heavy eyelids some time later.