((Y/N)'s POV)
When I woke up this morning, I was buried in fur from Carmelita's tail and she had her arm over me while she was asleep still. It felt nice and cozy for a while, but then it started to get too hot and made me sweat a little. I didn't want to sweat on her because she might get madI slipped out of bed to look around her room and there were a few pictures on her dresser and somewhere that raccoon guy from Daddy's game covers. He looked happy with his two friends, but then I saw something that looked like it was super important, so I left it alone on her desk.
(Y/N)-... Fluffy.
I heard Carmelita yawn, so I turned back to see her get up, but then she looked scared and looked around the room until she saw me. I guess she had a nightmare or something and I hate those.
I got back into bed with her to see if she was still scared, but she looked better to know that someone was with her. That makes me feel better.
Carmelita-What are you doing up so early?
I looked out the window and it was still mostly dark outside.
(Y/N)-I just woke up, I guess. Are you ok? You looked scared.
Carmelita-I was... It doesn't matter. Let's just get an early start because we have a long day. It starts with asking you a couple more questions.
(Y/N)-Oh... Will there be time to play today?
Carmelita-... I guess, but first... A bath and breakfast. Do you know how to bathe yourself?
(Y/N)-Rivet told me how and... I think I remember.
Carmelita-Ok... How?
(Y/N)-Ok, so I put conditioner in my hair first and then the shampoo before I wash my body with the soap.
Carmelita-It's shampoo and then conditioner... I will show you which bottle is which.
(Timeskip 10 Minutes)
(Carmelita's POV)
I left him alone for 5 minutes and he was crying in the shower because he didn't know how to work the hot and cold water. I got in with him to help him and checked to see if some parts of him were red. I felt somewhat responsible for this and he is my responsibility. For the whole shower, he was a bit nervous about the water whenever I reached near the handles to grab soap and such. I got him cleaned up first before he sat at the end of the bath to splash his hands in the puddles while stealing glances at my tail in disappointment.
Carmelita-What is it? It's rude to stare... Especially at someone's tail.
(Y/N)-It's... just not fluffy anymore.
He was clingy to my tail when we slept together last night, but to hear what he said... It oddly hit me harder than it should have and in a different way. We continued the shower and I used towels and a hair dryer to dry us off. When my hair and fur were all dry he looked at me in awe and happiness which made my heart flutter and got me to blush over how cute he looked.
(Y/N)-IT'S FLUFFY AGAIN!!!
He helped himself to grab my tail and hug it again, but I just picked him up and took him to my room to get dressed. I had to tell myself to not get too attached because this was just a job and he was not going to be around forever.
Carmelita's mind-He's cute, you can give him that. As for you, you are an Inspector of Interpol and don't have time to care for a child. The Cooper Gang is still at large, criminal scum is at every corner of the globe, and... and... He looks so adorable nuzzling into my arm when I carry him... STOP IT!!!
I had to get this job moving again. I started by making breakfast and having (Y/N) tell me more about himself to see if I could find anything interesting. I made us pancakes with eggs and bacon and he wanted to sit next to me while we ate. Normally kids would be intimidated in this situation, but he was super friendly and verbal. I got no clues of his home other than what sounds like more humans as he calls them, but that means there has to be something else at play here. I still suspect some form of mistreatment or neglect since he was very hurt.
Carmelita-Tell me more about Rivet. She sounds like a good friend if she saved you.
(Y/N)-Yeah! I think she was a white fox or something, but she also has a cool robotic arm!
Carmelita-Well, here is what is going to happen. I am going to lock up my home tight for you to stay here while I take care of some things at work really quick and then we will go out searching.
I need to keep the public eye off of him as much as possible since he is someone new to this world and criminals might take an interest in him. He went from smiling to looking a little sad which tugged at my heart a little.
(Y/N)-But... I don't want to be alone. Can I just go with you or you can call?
He gave me a pair of puppy eyes, but I looked away to avoid falling prey to them. When I got up and started getting ready to go, he just sat on my couch doing nothing... I felt bad, but I don't have anything for a kid to do here... I guess I have pencils and spare paper in my drawers for him to draw. I ook him to my filing cabinets, but that's when he saw one of Cooper's marks he leave after robbing safes and other big scores...
(Y/N)-Hey, I know that picture! That was on the controller that hit me before I met you!
Carmelita-What?!
I took it and held it out in front of him. There is no way he could know what this means, especially if nothing was stolen from him.
Carmelita-This picture. Are you sure?
(Y/N)-Yeah, it hit me.
I thought his parents threw this at him, so I thought of something that made more sense... Cooper stole something and left his mark on something to be more creative for some reason, his parents got mad and threw it at him in anger before he got knocked out... It sounds crazy, but it makes the most sense from what I can see. Unless there is something in Cooper's sights and this somehow plays into it... Why would he rope a child of an unknown species into this unless this species is a target...
Carmelita's mind-Cooper.
I looked outside the window for any sign of him before I locked up my house and picked up (Y/N) to put him in my bed.
Carmelita-Change of plans. Stay here and I will be on the phone in the next room. If you see anything weird or even feel scared, you call me right away.
He looked at little scared right now and to be fair, I did make it perfectly clear that something was wrong and we were on lockdown. I just can't risk Cooper getting away with him or if something else was going on... Nobody can take him from me! He's my responsibility, so that means he has to stay with me! I just got into bed and gave him my tail to cuddle and he looked a little better.
Carmelita-Hey, it's going to be ok. I just need you to stay put and do what I say. ~
(Y/N)-A-And then I can go back home?
Carmelita-... I will do what is best for you. ~
He looked happy about that answer and snuggled into me. I was on guard for him, so I don't see the harm in staying with him until I ease him into a nap. I stroked his head, rubbed his belly, moved my tail in his grasp to make him giggle and play with my tail, and when I bopped his nose...
(Y/N)-*Giggles* *squeek*! ~
My heart was beating faster and faster for him. It took an hour or so, but I eased him into sleep all on his own. The hardest part was slipping my tail out from his grasp before I left my room to call Interpol with new and big information that this 'human' child could be a victim of The Cooper Gang. I will even go as far to say that I will put this child in my full custody until everything is settled... Even if it means the search is on hold.
(No POV)
(Y/N) was sleeping soundly in bed for a few moments until his body started moving from discomfort... His arms felt empty and it even caused him to whine a little in his sleep. He was looking for something fluffy to cuddle. Suddenlt, a portal opened in the room and out popped a controller that landed next to him on the bed.
His wandering hands ended up pressing a fewbuttons and a portal opened directly under him to let him fall. Leaving behind the warm blanks, the soft bed, and the controller for Carmelita to find. He landed in a dessert on the sand to wake him up and in the meantime... Someone found a huge surge of energy on radar. Meanwhile, creatures of the desert soon heard...
(Y/N)-*SOBBING* CAMELITA!!! *SOBBING* *echo*
(Timeskip 10 Minutes)
(???'s POV)
Thanks to Keira's new invention, I could pinpoint that source of energy that came from the dessert outside of the city. When I got there, I didn't find anything that looked like a power source, but clear signs of metal-head activity and a lot of it. I followed the tracks and it led me to a cliff where I saw 4 desert metal-heads cornering someone. I pulled up my aiming sights and saw my reflection in the screen a little.
Ashelin-How about no.
I used carefully aimed and single shots from my ship that took each metal head down in one headshot. The rest turned their sights on me, but I was out of their reach. I made quick work of them and any others coming for us while I heard crying coming from down there. When I landed and climbed over the bodies I saw a child with deformed ears cowering in the corner of this place.
He kept on crying and he must be so scared and confused right now. I put my weapons away and looked as non-threatening as possible, but thanks to my father, I was given this scary face. Good for commanding authority, but bad for offering comfort to scared children... I should've brought Tess or Keira if I knew this would happen. I can look for that huge source of energy later.
Ashelin-Hey kid, it's ok. I just saved you, but we really need to get you out of here.
He only kept on crying and looked around, so I picked him up to take him back to my ship. I put him in the passenger seat before we took off. Next, I radioed HQ.
Ashelin-This is Ashelin. No sign of the power source, but I found a child alone in the desert. No injuries from what I see right now, but I want someone ready to check him.
Keira-Copy that. I'll wait for you at the landing zone. Jak is out on a supply run with Daxter.
I hung up and the little boy stopped his crying a little and just curled up in his seat.
???-Wh-Where am I?
Ashelin-Um... We're going someplace safe.
???-Where's Carmelita?
I have no idea who that is or what happened to him that got him alone in the desert, but he gives me a name and nobody is around... Sounds like he got dumped out there and he looked tired with a case of bedhead.
Ashelin-I... What's your name?
???-(Y-Y/N).
Ashelin-Well, I'm Ashelin. We can talk more when we get back to the city and get you checked out.
(Y/N)-*Whimper* B-But I was in her bed and we were already in a city... Carmelita must be looking for me to help me find my home still! I wanna go back and find her!
Sounds like this kid has been through a lot in such a short time. I tried to offer as much comfort as I could, but my attention went to his ears which must be a birth defect. I didn't want to jump to conclusions, so I did my best to settle him down, but he only looked in the side mirrors to look back when tears fell from his eyes.
Ashelin's mind-Poor kid... What did his messed up world do now?