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Chapter Text

Avocato grumbled as he made his way through the rain. This weather has been raising hell on the locals around here...

The Ventrexian was already in a bad mood from having to work late, now he's walking through this damned rain... He was not stopping for anything.

Except for that whimper he just heard...

’the hell..?’ He perked his ears at the sound, beginning to follow it. Reaching a dark alley, with many dumpsters in it, what caught his attention though, was what was digging in one of them...

It was a small human child, who was rummaging through the trash. The Ventrexian stood there a bit shocked... What was a little kid like him doing alone out here..? He stepped forward, before softly saying, ”Hey kid..?”

Despite the quietness of his voice, the child nearly jumped out of his skin, falling off of the dumpster and onto the concrete. He scrambles to his feet before looking up at the Ventrexian, terrified.

Avocato knelt down slowly, trying to look less frightening to the boy. “Hey, it’s alright little fella... I won’t hurt you..!” the child didn’t move, only continuing to shake in fear. He stays kneeling down, getting a better look at this kid. He was covered in scratches and bruises... And he looked as if he hadn't eaten in days...

He had to do something... He couldn't just leave this little guy out here..!

”Hey, little guy... Why don't you come with me..? I can help you out...” the child backed up in fear. This wasn't working well... ”C’mon lil’ guy... I promise I won't hurt you..! I just wanna help you.” He finally stopped backing away, looking up at the other.

”Yea... That's it..! Come on out so I can get a better look at you...” the boy slowly begins to do as the Ventrexian said.aThat was when he noticed the limp...

Looking down at the child's left leg, he noticed the dried up blood... It looked as if this little guy had been shot or something..!

”Okay, little guy... I'm gonna take you back to my place and I'm gonna help you out... Alright..?” the child looked up at him, a hint of fear still present. But, he seemed to finally be gaining his trust. The boy continued to come closer, wincing a bit from his leg.

‘Poor kid...’

The boy’s leg suddenly gave out from under him, making him fall towards the hard ground. Avocato reacted and caught him before he could hit it. “Woah Bud, it’s okay. I gotcha.” The boy whimpered softly from the pain. Avocato lifted him up slowly, wrapping his arms around him to protect him from the rain.

“Alright little guy... Just hang in there a little longer...” he whispered, the boy whimpered softly as he was carried out of the alley.

Chapter Text

Avocato slowly opened the front door, the child still in his arms.

“Baby is that you?” A voice came from the next room, “Yeah Katniss” he replied. From the other room came two other Ventrexians, “We were starting to worry about you Bab-“ she stopped, seeing the human in her mate’s arms. The younger Ventrexian child with her looks at the human in confusion, ”Dad? Is that a human?”

“Lil’ Cato, go to your room.” He says to him, the kit does as he says and heads off. Leaving the adults to the situation. “Baby, what the hell-“

“Katniss. I found this little fella on my way home... He was in an alley digging in the trash, I’m guessing it was so he could eat... But he looks like he was shot or something...” he explained, the female sighs. “Baby... It’s alright, I’m glad you brought him here. Bring him to the couch, I’ll get the first aid.” He nods as she rushes to the bathroom.

Avocato brings the child into the living room and gently lays him on the sofa. The boy whimpers as his injured leg touches the surface. “Shh... it’s okay kiddo... We’re gonna help you out...” He shushes. Katniss rushes back in.

“Thank you Baby.” He prepares to tend to the child’s wounds, “Okay Katniss... I need you to keep him calm while I do this, Okay?” She nods, as her mate continues to get ready.

“Hey Sweetheart...” She said softly, stroking the child’s hair gently. He looks at her with tears in his eyes. “Hey... it’s gonna be alright Honey... We’re gonna take the hurt away alright..? You gotta be brave, okay..?” the boy whimpers, nodding slightly.

“Okay Babe, I’m gonna start now. Keep him calm for me.” She nods, turning back to the human. “Okay little one... don’t pay attention to what he’s doing... just focus on my voice...” she spoke softly, stroking the boy’s forehead.

Avocato began inspecting the boy’s leg, it wasn’t a pretty sight. The bullet hole was surrounded by mostly dried blood, and since the wound looked to be a few days old, and given the conditions the kid was in those days, it looked like it was infected, making the boy’s skin around it a sickly color.

Avocato winced a bit at the look of it. He began by cleaning up the dried up blood around the wound. Thankfully, the human only reacted when he did this closest around the bullet. Katniss continued petting his head softly. “It’s alright Sweetie...”

After it was cleaned a bit, Avocato needed to see if the bullet was still in there somewhere. He leaned toward his mate before whispering, “I gotta look for that bullet Katniss, try to keep him still.” She nods. “Okay Sweetheart... I need you to try and keep still for us okay..? We don’t want to hurt you more...” the human nods before burying his face into the couch.

Avocato carefully searched for a good few minutes, all the child would do was whimper a bit from pain occasionally, but he wouldn’t flinch. “Any luck?” The male Ventrexian shakes his head. “I don’t know if it’s actually in there or not... but if it is, I gotta get it out.” Katniss sighs before looking down at the child again, only to find that he had somehow fallen asleep. Though, it wasn’t too surprising considering what he’d gone through.

She gently stroked the sleeping boy’s hair, who was whimpering softly in his sleep. Clearly he could still feel what they were doing. “Poor little fella... wonder where his parents are..?” Avocato froze for a moment before sighing softly. Katniss noticed this. “Baby... I don’t think he has parents to take care of him anymore...” she raises an eyebrow in confusion, “What makes you think that Baby..?”

“Look at him Kat... who does he remind you of..?” She looked at the child. It took her a moment, but she finally realized it... “Oh my god... John Goodspeed’s boy..!” Avocato nods, Katniss slowly lifted her paw to her mouth in shock, “Avocato if... that’s true... and the explosion happened a month ago... he’s been out on the streets that long..!”

“I’m afraid so...” He sighed, afterwards returning to his operation.

~~~~

After a long forty minutes, Avocato had finished tending to all of the child’s wounds. He was now putting everything away while his mate knelt next to the sleeping human. “So what now Baby..?”

Avocato stopped, sighing. “Avocato... he has nowhere to go..! We can’t just throw him back out in the streets..!” He turned to her. “Well... We at least keep him here until he’s well... then we figure it out from there...” with that, he walked off. Leaving Katniss with the blonde.

She gently rubbed his arm, whispering softly. “Don’t worry Sweetie... We’ll take care of you now...” she smiled.

“Mom..?” The quiet voice came from across the room. Katniss turned to see the small Ventrexian peeking around the doorframe. “Hey Lil’ Cato... You can come in now. Just be quiet...” with that, the kit slowly approached, his gaze glued to the human. “Where’d he come from Mom?” the kit asked. “Your father found him on his way home from work... poor little fella was in rough shape.”

“Yeah...” the kit sighed, looking at him. “So what’s gonna happen to him now..?” Katniss inhales looking down at them. “Well... he’s gonna live with us... at least until he’s better. We’ll see where we’ll go from there when it happens.” The two orange Ventrexians stayed there by the human, unaware that Avocato had been watching the whole time...