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Flop Dugong had been having a rough time as of late.
From marriage issues to losing his sister to the god of death, things hadn't been easy, and Flop felt like he was slowly losing a part of himself to the stress and grief of it all.
And yet, despite that, he was determined to make it all work.
He was determined to put his family back together.
Which is why, when he hears the faintest whimper from one of the bushes outside Beaverbush - having gone to drop something off for his husband when he finally brought himself out of the mountains - Flop goes over to investigate.
It is why, when faced with the smallest murder kitty he's ever seen - big blue eyes doleful looking up at him as it struggles to move - he doesn't hesitate before grabbing a blanket and swaddling the injured kitty in it. He then places the kitty in his Explorer, and heads off to the vets in Paleto, calling Balto on the way.
The head vet is of course surprised to see Flop bringing in a wild animal that is known for being a literal murderer, but he nevertheless sets up an IV and some blood, and gets to work on scanning, fixing and setting the cat's broken leg, and checking for other injuries.
The cat's fur is matted with blood from the open leg wound, but Flop stays by its side, a single finger stroking slowly over its head while the cat resides in an induced slumber.
"You know, they're kinda cute up close." He mumbles.
Balto chuckles. "Now don't go getting attached."
"Ziggy does." Flop shrugs.
"He's Ziggy."
And he's my husband , Flop wants to say, mind already whirling with an idiotic, completely stupid idea.
Yet… he feels like he can do it.
So when Balto calls a day later to say she's made it through but needs to rest and recuperate before being let out, Flop tells him that he's taking her home and nursing her himself.
Balto's eyes practically bug out of his head at first, but then he smiles, because he knows why, and surrenders the cat into Flop's care.
It isn't easy.
Flop never expected it to be.
And yet there's something so rewarding about watching the cat gain its strength, watching her eyes brighten and her energy return.
There's something so perfect about the way she stays by Flop's side, comforted by his presence and warmth, that he knows he's never going to be able to let her go.
And so he names her, and he buys a tiny little pink collar so that she would always come home if she ever got lost, and he just hopes that Ziggy isn't going to find him ridiculous.
He hopes that Ziggy will be able to see why.
Ziggy Buggs does not expect to return home after a three day undercover operation catching poachers to find his husband curled up on the floor of their living room.
He certainly doesn't expect to find him with a tiny, bandaged murder kitty curled up on top of him.
Ziggy blinks, wide eyes matching how Balto's had been.
And then Flop stirs, gritty eyes blinking open "Zig?" and the cat stirs with him.
"It's me, babe." Ziggy responds, but he's still frozen to the spot, disbelieving.
Flop rubs at his eyes, pets the cat for a second and then adjusts himself so he's sitting up against the couch. "How'd the op go?"
"Six caught." Ziggy responds. "So as good as we hoped for."
"That's good." Flop yawns loudly. "I'm sorry. I wanted to stay awake for you."
"It's fine." Ziggy's eyes are still on the cat. "There… uh… there something you wanna tell me?"
There's an awareness that returns to Flop's eyes then, and he gasps. "Oh!" Then he points at the little cat with a grin. "Ziggy, this is our new child, Sandal."
He speaks with every ounce of seriousness. The little murder kitty growls in response, but it's small and weak; more like a rumble. Flop smiles down at it and gently strokes it's fur, happiness filling his eyes as the little kitty pushes into his touch and the rumble turns into a purr.
Ziggy blinks, like his eyes are still deceiving him. Like he's sure he must be sleeping. "Sandal?" He chokes the name half in disbelief and half in horror.
What kind of a name was that?!
"Yep." Flop grins. "Sock, Shoe and little sister Sandal."
"Oh my god." Ziggy groans, sitting down next to Flop and holding out a hand for Sandal to sniff. She does so tentatively, still gazing towards Flop every few seconds, and Ziggy's heart swells despite wanting to laugh at the too ridiculous name.
"That is the most ridiculous name…" He says with a shake of his head, scooping up Sandal and holding her close to him. "And as a Ranger - " He doesn't get very far before she starts to squirm.
"Um… I'm sorry?" Flop grins as Sandal scratches at Ziggy lightly until he puts her down, then jumps back onto Flop. "See! She loves me! And her name!"
Ziggy flops onto his back with a dramatic sigh. "Fine, fine, just adopt a murder kitty and name her after another piece of footwear."
"Already done." Flop laughs, leaning over to press a kiss to Ziggy's cheek.
The Ranger looks over, memorising the way Flop's eyes are sparkling and his lips are pulled into a wide, genuine smile.
He looks happier.
Happier than he has in a long while.
And while that pulls at Ziggy's heart - whispers that it was the cat, not his husband, who had done that - he can't help but melt all the same.
"Okay." He says softly, pressing a kiss to Flop's lips and then reaching out to pet Sandal again. "Welcome to the family, Flip Flop."
"ZIGGYYYYYYY!"
"OW SHE SCRATCHED ME!"
"YOU CALLED HER FLIP FLOP!"
"FLOP GET BACK HERE YOU SONUVABITCH!"
Things might have been rocky, but the Dugong-Buggs family was going to be just fine.