Chapter Text
Rocksteady couldn’t help but stare at his porcine partner.
That was nothing new of course, he often loved staring at Bebop. His affection had grown large over the years of working together and even after getting together and seeing every intimate part of the purple loving punk he always found something new to be enamored with about the other. His latest obsession was with the other’s weight.
As bad as that sounded to the outside ear, he wasn’t obsessed in the ‘I want him to loss weight so he looked like he did before’ way. It was a ‘I want to touch every new inch that he’s gained and hold him and if anyone had anything negative to say about his new weight would have to deal with a 600 pound rhino who could easily throw them across the Hudson River’ way.
He was honestly surprised this didn’t happen sooner after their mutation but with the constant work and missions from the Shredder he supposed that was how Bebop was able to keep off the weight. Now, they were in a pause for work with Shredder in his coma and only being assigned to watch over Saki’s almost corpse.
He first noticed the change in their room, Beebs was getting dressed for his watch shift, a few grunts and groans before a heavy, annoyed squeal came from the warthog.
“Ey yo Rock, you got some pants I could fit, the ones you had before mutation.”
Rocksteady looked away from his book to glance at his partner who stood with his black leather pants just barely creeping past his thighs. He had to swallow the spit that quickly accumulated in his mouth staring at the other. The waist of his tight leather pants squeezed tight against his thighs, not even making it to his hips. The hair didn’t help the situation as the more Bebop tried to lift them up and the angrier he got, the more his hair bristled. Rocksteady was quick to find the pair of black pants that definitely would not fit him in his current shape and helped Bebop remove the leather pants.
“We gets you new leather pants, да?”
He pulled the tight material off of Bebop's legs all while admiring the change. Petting his thigh to smooth the rough hair worked to calm Bebop.
“Baby Ivan, be honest here. Did I get..fat?” Bebop is almost scared to say the word in a whisper like if he said it any louder something worse would happen. Rock dropped the pants in his hand to grab onto Bebop’s hips and hold him to his chest. He was sad they didn’t have a mirror so he could show Bebop what he saw but he could do without.
“Yes but why you make sound bad tsvetok. ” Flower. Bebop was still coming around to that nickname but Ivan could feel him relax more in his embrace.
“You are comfortable and fed, is a good sign.”
“Not when I gotta work like this, Xever is gonna say some slick shit and I already know it.”
Ivan was fully aware of Xever’s slippery mouth and the comments that could easily fly and while Bebop was fully able to protect himself he refused to let anyone make Bebop feel less special than what he was in his heart.
“Do not worries, I has it covered.”
“...What does that mean?”
Xever heard the sliding door of his and Bradford’s shared room open and sighed exasperated. He had told Tiger Claw he would be at Shredder’s door for relief on time and to show up 10 minutes before to check on him like a child was a step too far in his mind.
“Amor de Deus! Are you truly that attracted to me you must see me before work?”
“Is probably fish smell that he likes.”
A Russian accent is the last thing Xever is expecting. Turning around to see Rocksteady watching from his open door. Xever squinted in confusion of seeing him there and went back to attaching his robotic legs.
“What do you want Steranko?”
“I has a message for you.” Steranko steps deeper into the room, Fishface does not hear or if he does he is ignoring the other. Makes no difference to Ivan as he looms over the burgundy colored fish.
“Let me guess, Tiger Claw?”
“ Nyet. It come from me.”
It’s at that moment Xever chokes and coughs, unable to breathe. He grabs at the breathing apparatus attached to his gills but sees nothing wrong. When he looks over his shoulder he sees Rocksteady holding tight onto the tubes that supply him the oxygen circulated water that kept him alive. His face is not what it was when he entered. His calm exterior before made way to a dark cloud that loomed over the toxic fish and fear entered his heart. When he tries to reach around to grab at those hands he is pushed against the smooth metal wall. He gasps for air while Rocksteady talks behind him.
“I keep this short for you since you are short on air. Whatever you has to say about Bebop, less than shining compliment, I will smash and put you back in that tank. Permanent watch over Shredder in bed. Stockman may rebuild but I will make it drag, you understands?”
Xever is quick to nod, grabbing at his throat as his eyelids slowly start to close when a rush of oxygen filled water meets his gills and he can take in a big gulp of air. He catches his breath while Rocksteady walks away without a touch of guilt in his eyes.
“Pass word to Bradford, he may lose few bony spines for me to make jewelry for us.”
Xever can only stare in shock and fear as Rocksteady leaves as quickly as he had shown up. The message was clear in his mind but for what reason would he have for a warning like that ?
Bebop hopped and bopped to the music in his single earbud. He was glad Stockman had found the time to make special earbuds for his new ears so the night wasn’t full of nothing between him and Xever. Or it was nothing until the other spoke up.
“Your boyfriend is an idiota.”
Bebop looked over to his ocean smelling coworker who looked less happy than usual. They had relieved Rahzar and Stockman from watch frowning even more than was the norm to be seen on his fishy face. They sat for half of their shift in silence before Xever said that.
“I knew that but what did he do?”
“Threatened me from making fun of you.”
Bebop can’t seem to compute the thought as he turns his head with his visor slid down his snout and an eyebrow raised.
“What?”
“I am guessing this is about your recent eh, weight gain. How rude of you not to mention we talked about it first.”
Bebop whines and squeals low in his chest as an attempt to hide the laughter right under it. He coughs and pats his own chest to soothe himself.
“Oh yeah, it seems I left that out. Outta curiosity, what did he do?”
Xever says nothing, only mimicking grabbing at the tubes attached to his breathing apparatus and squeezing. The frown on the fish’s face deepens hearing the warthog cough before unleashing his squeals of laughter as he holds onto his gut, bent forward. He had to lift his shades to his forehead to wipe the tears that streamed down his snout.
Xever’s frown sunk in more and more the longer the pig laughed until he snapped.
“Is this about me ridiculing you over your stupid new jacket?”
“It sure is, but you’d think twice to do that now won’t ya?”
Xever was going to curse him in several ways in his mother tongue but felt genuine fear over what would happen if Bebop took what he said back to his giant oaf of a boyfriend. Bebop was the only one that understood him when he switched languages and even the thought of Rocksteady squeezing the air from him made him shut up. He could only hope Bradford made the fatal mistake of insulting Bebop so he saw the ramifications from it.