Chapter Text
The roof to Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated was covered with the light snow of February. Perry the Platypus hovered over the glass top in his jet pack, the exhaust melting some of the fallen frost. He unstrapped himself and crashed down through the clearance in the paneling. He landed on the floor with a roll, using his front paw to stabilize himself. Dr. Doofenshmirtz, who was standing nearby, turned around to look at Perry, startled by the sound of the shattering glass. "Perry the Platypus? What are you doing here today?"
Perry looked around the room, then cocked his head at the Doctor, confused. "Seriously, Perry the Platypus? It's Valentine's Day! I figured you had the day off or something, you know." He said with a wave of the hand as he went to go pick up a broom. Turning back around, Perry folded his arms at him. "Yeah, your right. I guess you don't even get Christmas off, let alone Valentine's Day. Probably should have... remembered that." After a brief awkward pause, he cleared his throat. "Boy whoever made the phrase 'married to their job' must have had you in mind, amiright?" Doofenshmirtz chuckled and pointed at the Platypus, to which he responded by moving his paws to his hips. "Okay okay, touchy huh?" He began sweeping up the glass scattered across the floor.
"But anyway, I really wasn't expecting you here today Perry the Platypus, so I'm afraid I don't have any scheme or trap for you," Heinz said as he emptied out the dustpan full of glass out the window, causing shattering noises to be heard faintly on the ground below. Perry raised an eyebrow and sat down on his couch, making a curious shrugging gesture at the doctor. "Huh? What was I going to do today? Well... Valentine's Day is usually another day that I wallow in self-pity..." The Platypus frowned back at him. "Oh come on, you've seen half the dates I go on! Do you really think I have a reason to be happy today? Boy, let me tell you..."
Meanwhile, Vanessa lounged in her room, cell phone in hand. She groaned loudly. "Oh come on, aren't married parents usually supposed to be out of the house for Valentine's day?" she whined to Monty on the other line. "And my dad's home right now too... yeah, I know. But I got the DVD specifically for today! We gotta have a house to watch it at." Vanessa turned and dangled her head off the edge of the bed. "I don't know, maybe I can find some way to get my dad out of the house. Though I think I hear Perry over right now, that might be hard." She paused, calculating. Her eyes locked view with a drawer on her desk. "Wait a second... that's it! I'll call you back if this works out Monty, I won't be long." Vanessa hung up and shuffled through the contents of the drawer. "This oughta do it..."
Back in the living room, Heinz was spread out across the couch, lying next to Perry. He grumbled, making large hand gestures. "...And then she didn't even have the decency to offer to hold the door open for me! Like, is your juggling world record really more important than common courtesy?" Perry smirked and rolled his eyes. "And another thing..." he stopped and noticed someone approaching. "Oh, hello Vanessa."
"Hey dad, hey Perry... are you guys busy? At all?" she asked, hiding her hands behind her back.
"No no, not really," Doofenshmirtz sighed. He straightened to a sitting position on the couch. "I-I'm sorry Vanessa, was there something you needed?"
Vanessa tried her best to look casual. "No... I just happened to do some uh, spring cleaning. E-early spring cleaning, yeah." Perry raised an eyebrow but Doofenshmirtz didn't seem to take any notice. "Anyway, I found these!" Finally revealing what was behind her back, she presented a coupon. "It's for that Dishes of Fishes place, it expires soon and but don't really like seafood all that much so... do you want it?" She tried her best to put on a loving, innocent daughter smile.
Dr. Doofenshmirtz inspected the coupons closely. "Well I would love to take it, sweetie. But it says right here that it's only valid for couples! I'm afraid I don't have anyone else to use this with."
Vanessa had to stop herself from snorting. "Oh, I didn't notice that." She cleared her throat and continued, trying not to sound scripted. "Well gee... maybe you could take Perry with you?" The duo quickly turned to look at each other, then suddenly Doofenshmirtz leaped out of his seat.
"That's a great idea! What do you say Perry the Platypus?" Perry's eyes lit up in surprise. Though Vanessa was expecting it, her father's enthusiasm astonished her too. "Oh come on, don't give me that look! Do you realize how expensive this place is? I would never be able to go there without a coupon like this," Heinz said. He held up his hands up in a pleading manner. "Please, Perry the Platypus, please! I'm sure you'd like that much more than listening to me ramble all day, right?" After a few moments of being stared down by puppy dog eyes, Perry let out a defeated sigh, smiled, and nodded his head. "Oh thank you, Perry the Platypus! And thank YOU, Vanessa!" He smiled brightly.
Vanessa placed the coupon in his hand. "No problem, dad. I'm glad I found it... don't leave too late, okay?" She walked back to her room and picked up her pace when she was out of sight. Her phone rang for Monty's number. "Hey, you can head over in a little bit. Everything's taken care of."