Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The early morning sun is filtering through the windows between the hastily closed blinds in the break room. The only sounds being loud slurps of coffee, and a very low hum of fluorescent lights. 

Until there’s a small thud and Bobby is placing down a half empty coffee mug and a worn out clipboard up front. “Alright, team,” he begins, “Good morning, everyone. I know it’s  early but we have a job to do and to do it right.” 

There is a low yawn coming from up back where Buck’s hand is covering his mouth and Eddie is shaking his head, clearly wondering why he is doing this job. 

“I don’t have a lot of updates for you all today, just a few routine reminders. Chimney, there is a new arrival to the penguins, but please refrain from show and tell of pictures until after. Of Jee or the penguins.”

Chimney huffs and beside him Ravi stifles a yawn, gaze unfocused and not paying attention to a single word that is being said. Around them the rest of the zookeepers stifle yawns, giving half-hearted nods. More than one of them looked half unconscious. 

“Remember we have animals that rely on us, people who want a fun day out, and that we open in two hours. Get cleaning, feeding, and Hen, please don’t get distracted again and just spend your time at the vet with Karen.”

Hen, on the edge of her seat, looks sheepish as she rubs sleep out of her eyes, she too, wonders why she does a job that requires such a stupidly early call time. But hey, at least her wife is here too. 

“Finally, safety first as always. For yourselves, the guests and the animals. Do not hesitate to radio for Athena if needed,” at the mention of Bobby’s wife, Athena, his eyes brighten. So does Athena’s, who’s in the back of the room preparing to have a similar talk with her crew. 

If there was a slight groan from the team and a soft hit of Buck’s head on Eddie’s quickly placed hand on the table, it was ignored like most antics from them. 

“Alright, that’s it for now,” Bobby concluded before sculling the rest of his coffee and eyeing Buck whose head is still in Eddie’s hand. “Let’s make today a great day.”

No one makes an effort to get up. It’s too early, and too quiet. Quite frankly, everyone is half asleep— or fully asleep in Buck’s case. It stays quiet, the only movement is Bobby shuffling his paperwork and mumbling to himself.

Before Chimney speaks up.

“Who wants to see a picture of my penguin?” He asks, opening up his camera roll without waiting for an answer. Quite frankly, no one has any idea if it’ll be a picture of an actual penguin or Chimney’s two year old daughter. 

Today, it was both. A picture of Jee-Yun with a baby fairy penguin on her lap, both looking at each other with innocence. The unanimous decision by the zookeepers was that it was quite adorable. Really, really, cute. 

After even more pictures, coffees drank way too hot, and a few more seconds of sleep the room lets out a collective sigh. The scratching of seats on the floor, banging coffee mugs and more than a few groans meet the room as they all rise. Trickling out of the room and making their way to different areas. Ready to do their jobs one animal at a time.

Eddie wasn’t short, thank you very much. It’s not his fault his boyfriend was one tall hunk of a man. Which wouldn’t seem like a problem, but it is when his name is Buck, and he likes to make fun of Eddie. 

Which is what’s happening today. Again . 

Inside the spider monkey enclosures is where he finds himself, a crate full of various enrichment activities. From tree logs full of nuts to some branch balls. Essentially a hollow ball full and made out branches, and filled with newspaper wrapped around fruits, that requires being hung up high. 

Something Buck usually does. Until today, as he seemed way too busy cuddling up to a monkey. That currently seems very interested on the mask covering Buck’s face. Eddie thinks he can vaguely hear Buck telling the monkey, Simon, about the purpose of the mask. Keeping Simon safe.

With the way Simon holding onto Buck’s fingers, staring into Buck’s muddled blue eyes, Eddie almost wants to believe he’s listening. And that somehow he is jealous of a goddamn monkey. 

Anyway, hang up the balls. That’s his job today. He places the crate down and gives a gentle scratch to one of the baby monkeys' heads before grabbing the first ball. And quickly realising that there were zero low enough branches free.

Only a few monkeys looked at him and were seemingly laughing. “Stupid monkeys,” He harshly mutters under his breath standing on the tip of his toes. His fingertips brushing against some leaves but not quite able to grab the branch. 

“Having some trouble there, Eddie?” Buck asked, a smirk hidden by the mask. Simon seemed to be sharing the extra same stupid look. Stupid monkeys and stupid boyfriends.  

Eddie shoots him a mocked glare, one hand on his hip, the other still holding the ball. “Buck, please, you and your goddamn monkey need to stop with that smirk,” he huffed. “I am doing perfectly fine.” 

“Are you really though?” 

That response was met with a huffed sigh from Eddie and a high-pierced squall from Simon who is now perched on Buck’s head.  

Eddie sighs again, before shoving the ball in  Buck’s hands and grumbling, “Just hurry up and put it up before they get bored, and start throwing stuff at us. Or their shit. Again.”

Buck starts laughing, a full belly laugh, causing Simon to squeak and jump back into the branches, scurrying up. “Okay— wheeze — yeah got it,” Buck tries to straighten himself up only to be left laughing again. 

“Oh my god babe. This really isn’t funny. Please. I can see Simon and Theodore plotting again.” 

“Oh no, the big scary guy is scared of a little spider monkey.” 

“No, but you will be scared of me if you don’t hang these up!” Eddie retorts, trying to keep a straight face and really not succeeding. As told by the slight upturn of his lip. 

At that Buck manages to finally stop laughing, and effortlessly reach up and hang the ball on the branch. What. A. Tease. Eddie couldn’t help but think. Especially at the slight sliver of pale, but defined stomach showing between Buck’s belt and shirt as he reached upwards. 

Nope. This is a workplace, he can’t be ogling his boyfriend’s body here.

“Die— Eddie?” Buck asks a small furrow in his brow as he waves his hand in front of Eddie’s face causing him to jump. 

“What? Wait yeah I’m good, let’s, uh, keep going,” Eddie mumbles, reaching down for a different one, one he can actually place. 

Buck laughs at him. Again. 

Ravi was ever so slightly stressed. Only a little and for totally normal reasons like the seal's health. Not about the make-a-wish kid coming in. Totally not at all. It’s not that he didn’t like doing these, he loves them actually, but this kid…He’s seven. The same age Ravi was when he was first diagnosed with cancer himself. 

Worse, he looks like kid Ravi. His name is even one off, an ‘F’ in place of the ‘V.’ When Ravi first received the details he remembered staring at the stack of papers and a few pictures and crying into his boyfriend’s arms. 

Same age, same cancer, same face. It feels like looking back to his past. A cruel way to torture him. Part of him wishes he could push the kid aside to someone else, but truth be told, he may be the youngest keeper, but he has the most extensive knowledge on seals.

So it’s  up to him. He can do this. Hopefully. Without a mass amount of anxiety or what Hen dubs as his ‘emotional’ eyes. Whatever that means. 

Now he finds himself out the front of the sea life area and rocking slightly on the balls of his heels, hands fidgeting with his belt. The zoo’s been open for a few hours now and people keep bustling past, kids screaming, parents confused, and he's already been asked three times today if this was the lion enclosure. Which is confusing, as well, this building is bright blue with shells and fish painted on it.

Ravi’s train of thought is cut off as someone in a blue shirt with a star asks if he’s ‘Zookeeper Panikkar’ something that never fails to make him smile. 

“Uh yes. That’s me, and I see this must be the seal enthusiast, Rafi, correct?”

A small voice comes from below, belonging to Ravi’s child lookalike. “Yes!!! I’m so excited!!!” He has to swallow back bile as he feels himself tethering on the edge of dropping back into his own childhood. The kid is so small. So innocent looking. 

“Yeah, well, why don't we go and meet some seals huh? You can even feed them fish.” 

“PLEASE CAN I??”

Ravi can't help but chuckle a little at the boy’s excitement. He really is a mini Ravi. “Of course you can.” 

After quickly introducing himself properly to the family and the make-a-wish person, Ravi takes them behind the scene to where he and Chimney spend way too much time preparing fish. Ravi cringes as he thinks about all the times Sebastian (his boyfriend) will kiss him then complain it's like kissing the ocean. 

Which, actually, Chimney is here,  humming some sort of tune while stuffing hamster balls with fish. Looking like he’s having a blast, while also digging through his metal lunchbox, with a cartoon otter that says “hairy otter” on it. He cheers as he pulls out a clear container with still alive krill inside it. 

“Who’s that?” Rafi asks and Ravi’s reminded about what he's actually meant to be doing. Getting fish so Rafi can feed the seals. Right. He tries to not let his heart drop at the small eyes with heavy bags stare up at him. 

“That’s Chimney. He looks after the penguins here,” He responds, before calling out, “Isn’t that right Chim?”

“Hm? Oh yeah I do. How about this kid, afterwards you should come see the penguins. Maybe I'll even let you hold one!” Chimney suggested, winking, and grabbing the steel bucket Ravi prepared earlier and handing it to him.

“Can I zookeeper Ravi? Pleaseee?”

“Of course you can.”

As Ravi grabs the bucket, out of the corner of his eye, he can see a flash of red feathers by the window and he vaguely wonders if one of Hen’s birds got out, before getting distracted as he hears a moan like sound come from his seals. He knows immediately who it is. 

He directs the group into the seal’s home and is greeted by the Australian fur seal, Xavi, right at his feet patiently waiting for the fish. “Hi buddy, this is Rafi. Rafi, this is Xavi. Why don’t you give him a little pat?”

Tentatively giving him a pat, Rafi asks, “After the soccer player?” 

“Soccer fan too huh? Yes he is.” Ravi’s eyes briefly gaze at the playing cards with each seal’s representative player up against their little huts. His heart aches at the wear and tear, knowing how many hospital stays they got him through. Too many for a kid. 

“Yes! I want to play when I'm all better.” 

Ravi’s heart drops. He holds back the urge to scream at how cruel the world is. His body is humming as he thinks of all the pain and hurt. At how messed up it is. “I’m sure that’ll be real soon. Now, I think this big boy is hungry,” Ravi says, grabbing a fish and holding it between his thumb, index, and middle finger. “So, if you hold it like this, and then dangle it right over his face,” Ravi does just that. “He’ll grab it.” As if on cue, he does. 

Rafi squeals, eagerly grabbing a fish and doing the same thing. And another. And another. 

“Woah slow down a little, kid, got to make sure all the seals get their snacks okay?”

As if on cue, Xavi protests, slapping his flippers and nudging Ravi’s belt. “I know you think you're starving but you can’t have all the fish,” he says chuckling. 

“Can we feed that little one over there?” Rafi asks, pointing at a smaller long-nosed fur seal.

“Of course. That’s Sam, she’s one of our newest.”

“Is she missing a flipper?”

“Sadly, she is. Boating accident last year.” Ravi woefully states as he directs the kid over to her. “Now, same process as last time okay?”

“Got it!”

Hours pass with a similar pattern. A lot of fish being fed, different seals met, so many pictures being taken, and just a general air of excitement coming off the kid. Ravi even finds himself enjoying the time with the kid even if he keeps getting violently reminded about his own childhood. Especially when they had to sit down for a while when Rafi admitted he felt like he was going to vomit. Ravi remembers that feeling way too much. His heart is racing in his chest and his ears are ringing. He wants to go home. He wants Sebastian and his headphones.

Eventually, Chimney comes around with a look of utter concern on his face, with a penguin in his arms and holding an empty bucket. “Ravi. Do you think Hen’s birds are loose?” 

“Hen’s?” Ravi asks looking up from where he is showing Rafi a trick that Sam learnt. “You mean Hen, who is so antsy with making sure both doors are shut, and lets her birds out maybe once a month?” 

“Yeah! I didn't think so, but I keep seeing this red bird. It’s like, stalking me.”

“I think you're making a connection that doesn't exist.” Ravi then turns to Rafi, “How about holding a penguin now?” Hopefully to buy himself a few minutes alone. 

Chimney, still perplexed, but now excited, gestures to the penguin in his other arm. “This is Pebbles. She loves cuddles.” Rafi lets out a massive grin. 

Time passes by so quickly, and before he knows it Rafi’s arms are full of plush seals and penguins, as well as a hat that reads ‘future zookeeper.’ 

“Thank you Zookeeper Ravi and Zookeeper Chimney! I had so much fun today.” 

“I’m so glad you did Zookeeper Rafi! You should go check out the monkeys next. And tell our friends Eddie and Buck that we sent you,” Ravi responds, he really wants this over with. He's a cute kid but it's a lot of talking, a lot of painful memories, a lot of, well, everything.

“Or to the birds. And tell Hen I said it better not be her bird,” Chimney grumbles before letting out a noise of protest at Ravi elbowing him. 

“I will!” Rafi gleefully exclaims, grabbing his mother’s hand and dragging her off to see more animals.

“You okay kid?” Chimney asks Ravi, noticing the lack of smile now. 

“Yeah. Uh, just hit a little... um, close to home.”

“I know. You did good.” 

“I just hope he couldn’t tell. I can’t ruin his day,” Ravi looks down at his feet. The last thing he wants to do is be the reason a kid didn't like their wish. The reason a kid could potentially die and not have a good memory at a zoo. He can't ruin more lives. He can’t do that again. 

“Did it look like he did? Cause all I saw was big smiles, even bigger eyes, and a kid that looked genuinely happy for once.” 

“Yeah. I guess.”

“I have to go prepare for the penguin talk, okay? But you know where to find me if you need me okay?” Chimney holds Ravi’s shoulder for a second, a tight reassuring grip before moving off, muttering about needing more fish.

Hours later, the zoo has just closed and Ravi finds himself lying on the floor of the seal enclosure. The world is quieter finally, and he feels like he can actually breath. That the air isn't assaulting him and his every sense. Sam is laying on his lap, and maybe to anyone else it would hurt but the pressure is quite nice. Xavi is right by his head, nudging him for more fish. The other seals are around too. Like Pedri is currently flapping his flippers at Alexia who looks far from pleased about it. 

He can hear the last few passersby leaving, Chimney clattering in the back on the phone with Maddie and he can't help but think of his past. He looks down at Sam and strokes her fur right above her ear, her tail flipping. “You are so carefree, huh? Don’t have to worry about anything but when you're getting fish and cute little tricks. You aren’t hurt. Or scarred by losing your flipper. If anything, you’re doing so well. And here I am, stuck as a seven year old having weekly chemo treatments.” 

Ravi feels insane talking to his seals like humans. But they feel like his children, and it's easier to talk to animals. They never judge, the body language is so easy to read and it's just nice. It also feels like they are listening. Especially when Sam turns her head, looking at him with expressive eyes like he's being egged on. To keep talking. 

“You don't even know what that is. Or what cancer is. Such a soul sucking disease. God, I still sometimes feel the effects, and I've been in remission for years. I didn’t think I would ever live. Especially not when I lost…Jai. I miss him. But somehow I'm here. Still standing. And I feel so bad. Like it's not meant to be. Like I need to do more.”

Xavi flops closer looking down at Ravi’s face with an expression that can only read, ‘ Are you kidding me? Look at us.’ He weakly smiles, lifting his left hand to gently scratch under his chin. The slight damp, coarse fur grounds him. Also makes him realise how tired he is. As if knowing, Xavi places his chin right below his collarbone. On the slightly raised old red scar that resides as a sickening reminder of the port that was once his lifeline. 

“You can tell, can’t you? You always know when someone went through hell and back. That’s why you were so invested in Rafi today, and why somehow I’m your favourite keeper. It makes no sense. I don’t deserve you all I did was cause so much pai–”

He was cut off by Sam letting out a huff, and nipping him right on his hip. On an old biopsy scar that still aches as if it only happened yesterday. “Okay, okay! I get it. No self-depreciation around the seals.” 

Ravi can’t help but chuckle. He can feel the crippling weight of living being replaced by the comforting weight of his seals. His seals really do know him. Xavi, as such, moves his furry little chin off and pats Ravi’s head. Understanding the silent cue, he lifts his head up letting Xavi wiggle under him. He rests back, his curls already starting to stick to his head.

He closes his eyes, finally feeling at peace. “Thank you buddies. You are great listeners.” 

Sebastian was confused. He had been waiting at the front entrance of the zoo for an hour now, and Ravi still hadn’t messaged back telling him he was coming. Which is weird. On the days where his classes and Ravi’s shifts match up, he’s always waiting right on time. Should he call someone? Is this the kind of thing 9-1-1 gets called for? Ravi is never late; he likes his routine too much. 

He stares at the staff entrance. He could just go through. He has a friend and family pass. But he hasn’t exactly used it. But, glancing down at his watch and reading that it's half past 7, he knows he has too. 

As Sebastian walks through the entrance, it feels so wrong. He can see all the staff and zookeeper bustling around, and even a red bird on Hen’s shoulder who seems to be laughing at Chimney. Shaking his head, he’ll never understand the dynamics here. As Ravi said one morning, it’s like trying to understand quantum physics. You have to be in it to know. 

As he walks a very familiar route, waving at Buck and Eddie, who seem to be in a heated discussion about dinner. He can’t help but be scared something happened. He can’t lose Ravi. Shaking his head, he can’t hold on to such a thought. 

Sebastian walks into the seal enclosure, before gently knocking at the door that reads ‘employee only.’ 

Someone else opens the door, smiling.

“Hello? I’m sorry, but the zoo is closed.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m Ravi’s boyfriend,” his heart flutters at saying that. “He wasn’t responding to my texts? I’m here to get him.”

“Oh yeah. He’s out back with the seals. Just take a left turn than a right.” She states before hurrying off.

Left than right. That’s easy. 

It was, actually. Because Ravi had left signs up. As if he ever forgot. He talks about his seals pretty much hourly. It's adorable. He shakes his head fondly at the thought.

Sebastian comes up to a door that has a seal painted on it, and peeks through the small window on the top. He can vaguely see Ravi laying down with a seal on his lap and resting his head on another. 

Softly, he opens the door, which turns out to not be so soft. It’s heavy, old and a little rickety. As he enters the enclosure it feels even more wrong to be on this side. He stands there for a second, watching Ravi peacefully sleep, his chest rising and falling intune with the seal’s. 

He can’t help but take a photo, already planning to make it his lockscreen. God he loves this boy. 

He slowly sneaks over, being quiet and making sure he didn’t fall into the water, before kneeling down next to Ravi. Sebastian places his head on his shoulder, softly shaking it. Last thing he needs is for him to be startled awake and roll into the water like that one time he rolled off the bed.

“Hm?” Ravi’s eyes flutter awake, blinking away the blur before he sees his boyfriend staring down at him, softly smiling. “Seb? What,” he stifles a yawn, “are you doing here?” 

“Baby, your shift has been over for an hour and I was waiting for you.” 

“Ah. Sorry. Got carried away with my friends,” he says gesturing to the small armour of seals around him.

“Really? Couldn’t tell,” He grins, reaching out a hand to Ravi. “Come on. Let’s get you out of your damp shorts and into an actual bed.”

Grabbing his hand, Ravi lets himself be hoisted up, Sam not pleased about her pillow moving. “Home sounds nice.” 

“It always is with you.” 

Ravi blushes ever so slightly, squeezing Sebastian’s hand and whispering, “I love you.” 

Sebastian squeezes back, as if slowly draining the hurt and tension out of him, making everything just, nicer. 

“I love you too. Always.”

Chimney felt like he was going insane. 

All day he had been working with his penguins, making sure the little critters were happy and enjoying their fish treats. While also feeling like eyes are constantly on him. Different eyes that is. 

Because, look, the penguins eyes are cute. Beady little bluish-green eyes, that stare at him a bit like Jee does. It’s honestly adorable. But this time the eyes are weird. They seem beady like they are looking into his very soul. Like they are right now. 

He glances over his shoulder, seeing a flash of red feathers and the rustle that only comes from an animal taking flight. Which penguins can’t. He should know because as a kid he cried when he found out. How cruel is it that they have tiny wings but can’t use them. 

Chimney’s train of thought is cut off as there is a small squawk from his feet where Snowball is currently pecking his boot. “That’s not a fish Sno– Oh my god is that the goddamn stalker again?” He turns his head and is met with nothing but empty trees. 

“Okay, pull it together Chimney,” He mutters as he bends down, picking up Snowball and giving him a little head pat. “It’s just imagination playing tricks again. Like the crow.” 

Snowball just looks up at him, almost looking concerned before nudging him and letting out another squawk. He quickly forgets about the stalker as more and more penguins start surrounding him, demanding fish. They really do love it. 

Chimney was violently reminded as his break was coming up. He was sweeping and checking over the penguin's burrows. There was the same beady eyes sensation and a red feather placed on his lunchbox. “Ravi, I swear to god if this is your idea of a prank I will–”

Ravi comes out of the bathroom wiping his hands on his khaki shorts, one eyebrow raised, “What are you on about?” His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and he looked on with a forced smile. His fingers are now rapidly tapping on his belt. “I have to get back to Rafi so could you please be paranoid elsewhere?” 

“I am not!” He squawked before there was a similar squawk coming from outside that absolutely did not come from the penguins. Chimney’s head whirls around trying to spot anything. Any sign of this thing following him. He can almost hear Hen’s voice in his head telling him, ‘They’re a bird, not a thing.’

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the edge of Ravi's mouth tilt up before he shakes his head and exits back out. Chimney picks up the red feather and makes a note to talk to Hen after their shifts end. Surely she’ll have answers. 

Now shaking his head, he grabs the feather and the hose, intending to go fill up the penguin's water trough. He places the hose in the water before bending down, still staring at the feather, when there is a rustling from the nearby bushes that causes him to jump and drench his right leg in cold water. “Ah shit,” he drops the hose, standing up and looking around, only met with empty foliage and a penguin or two staring at him with small cocked heads. 

“What is going on?” He asks, gesturing to nothing. 

Chimney regrets that quickly when a flurry of wings above his head sends him stumbling backwards landing on his ass. Next to his penguins. Thankfully not on them. His heart pounds as he looks up and finds a sleek red macaw up in a tree staring down at him. 

“My god. You’re one of Hen’s?” The bird cocks his head to the side and nods, agreeing. Chimney groans laying back on the sand as one of the penguins, named Fairy– Look they’re fairy penguins okay it’s funny – stares at him.

Even more so when the Macaw lets out a few trills, then something that sounds a lot like, “Chimney.”

He sits upright quickly. “Did you just call me by my name?” He blinks in disbelief. 

The bird bobs its head in affirmation, its beady eyes looking with mischief before it takes off again, ducking back over him, and flying off on the route to Hen. 

Chimney stands up, brushing off the sand before grabbing his radio, “Aquatics to Aviary.”

“Hen speaking.”

“Hen, I swear to god, I’m marching right over and you need to have answers.”

The only response he gets is a gasp before Hen starts laughing.

Hen had been planning it for weeks. 

Ever since the one morning when Hen got to her locker and every single photo of her and her family was changed to feature Chimney’s face, she decided to get him back. What better way to do so than using one of her favourite birds? Marie, a red-bellied macaw. Yes, after the scientist. All her birds are named after famous women scientists, and of course her wife is one of them. She’s a bright green winged macaw.

She could talk about her for hours. It’s quite great that they work in the same place, like, she hates sick animals but seeing Karen help them, makes those butterflies flutter in her stomach again. Even though they’ve been married for years. 

Which is why she is absolutely getting Chimney back for what he did. No one touches her wife or son. So, in comes Marie the macaw, one smart bird who once managed to escape her enclosure and visit the monkeys. It was a weird radio call from Eddie. 

Any who, in came a clipboard. With a very comically large picture of Chimney’s face plastered on it. And maybe the word ‘enemy’ scrawled above it. She has to get the point across. Chimney dared to involve Karen and Denny into his pranks, therefore Hen fully deserves to go up and above. And, well, this could always be a new trick for the bird show. 

Early in the morning, Hen went straight to the enclosure, whistling for Marie who flew down from her perch, landing on Hen’s arm and fluttering her wings before using her claws to scratch her cheek. Which Hen intercepted, doing it for her, her fingers scratching gently, “You ready to get some new skills, pretty girl?”

She got a very nice squawk in return and a happy bird who knew she was about to earn a lot of treats. Entering the back room, Marie flew to her perch and started trying to figure out what trick it was today. Words? Flying? Until the board came out. 

Over several training sessions, Hen would constantly reward Marie whenever she showed interest in the board, escalating till Marie could spot and target (by tapping the picture with her beak) Chimney in a sea of people. “You’re such a smart bird huh? Going to make Chimney pay.” Hen said one afternoon, feeding Marie a walnut, who takes it back to her perch to eat it while the next course of action happens. 

An obstacle course, with the ending target being the clipboard. If she can successfully swoop him, she’ll get a big treat. After a few hours (where Hen accidentally neglected her duties– look, the animals are cared for by multiple people and this is important) It happened. 

Marie navigated a course that included a few branches, a few penguins ( Chim loves those guys. She can’t have them be targeted.) and at the end successfully knocked over the clipboard, grazing the top with her claws. In which a loud “Yes!” Followed by so many pieces of fruit, Hen knew it was almost time. The next shift, he would pay. 

That next shift, Hen is raking through the leaves on the ground and refreshing the water dishes when Marie lands on her shoulder, bobbing around, almost eager to stalk Chimney. “You ready? Do this right and you’ll get so many treats.” Hen leans the rake up against the wall as she walks out both doors. Once out, a sharp whistle and off Marie goes. 

Hen doesn’t hear anything for hours, only the occasional message from Athena watching the cameras and laughing at him. Until Athena forwards a video. One that shows Chimney drenching his leg and then getting swooped. God she's so proud of that bird. Then, Chimney comes over the radio just about when Marie returns home landing on Hen’s shoulder, puffing her chest out proudly. Marie starts rubbing Hen’s head with her own, clearly pleased with her antics.

“Look at you go sweetheart, such a clever birdie. Well done, Karen will be very happy you helped me get revenge,” Hen remarks, a smile blooming across her face as she digs into her fanny pack, grabbing out treats. She holds them out to Marie who is thrilled, trilling and singing before she grabs them 

That is where she finds herself when Chimney comes around the corner, one short’s leg drenched, and sand still in his hair. “Wilson, we need to talk.”

Hen just smirks, “What brings you to my side of the zoo?”

“You know exactly why I'm here.”

“I don't suppose I do.”

 Chimney groans, gesturing at the bird, “I can literally see the bird that you’ve been terrorising me with today.”

“My Marie? A terror? Never.”

“Hen– that bird escaped to go see monkeys. Plus just have her say Ch–”

He is cut off by Marie, who was mid preening herself, responding “Chimney,” and pointing in his direction with her claw. In which Hen’s eyes get the same glow that happens when she talks about Karen.

“Oh my god, yes. That is Chimney, good work. Wow you deserve more treats,” Hen ignores Chimney sputtering, instead grabbing more treats. Marie, who takes them and flies over to Bobby, who’s walking pass muttering, a pen at his lips and a clipboard in his hands. She lands on his shoulder and seems very pleased when he relaxes, reaching up and scratching her head. 

“Oh it’s so on Hen. It is so on.”

“Just don’t touch my photos again! Remember she knows who you are now.”

Chimney just groans, burying his face into his hands. 

May is exhausted. Between working part time at the zoo and  dispatch, her time is spread thin. Even more so knowing she can’t hide behind the animals. She has to face the public. Which, she dreads. Who wouldn’t? People can be just horrid at times. Which is where she finds herself. Standing in front of the meerkat enclosure waiting for the zookeeper to come out for the talk, when something catches her line of sight. 

An older woman, with the very classic ‘I-want-the-manager ’ haircut, leaning over the glass fence, her face strained with a sour expression as she tries to pat one. May can already hear the curses getting louder as each animal runs away. 

“Ma’am? I’ll have to ask you to please refrain from touching the animals. It’s a hazard for both you and them.” May states stepping up to her, really hoping this won’t go wrong. 

“Excuse me? Do you know who I am? I do as I please,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes and leaning further over. It almost looks like she’s going to fall in. 

May sighs. “I do not. But it doesn’t change a thing. I know they’re cute, but the stress of anyone but their handlers touching them can cause significant pain and could cause them to bite.”

“This is ridiculous. I pay good money to be here and I can’t pat the animals? What kind of piss poor zoo is this?” 

“Not a petting zoo, that is. Look, I can assure you this is just for the safety of both you and them. Nothing against you as a person.” But I wish it was. She can't help but think. The entitlement dripping from this woman is making May want to go and quit. Which would really hurt Bobby, and she loves her step dad too much for that. 

“You’re just a young thing. You don’t know anything. I want to speak to a manager and do it now.” The woman demanded, stomping her feet and everything, still holding onto the glass fence. She looks halfway to a tantrum May remembers Harry throwing when he was 3. And this woman is at least 53. 

Taking the second deep breath in about 5 minutes, May keeps her patience, “Of course. Our managers are up at the ticket booths.” 

“How dare you make me walk such a far way? Wow, what an entitled snob you are.” The woman huffs, storming past May, knocking into her shoulder with enough force that she’s pretty sure she spins  in a full circle. 

May really hates these kinds of people. As May watches the woman stalk off, a grey cloud seemingly following her, she feels bad for the poor manager who will have to deal with this. She reaches into her pocket, grabbing her phone and shooting off a quick message to Julie– the manager on duty– warning her. Way quicker than fumbling with a radio she still doesn’t understand. 

She opens Ravi’s contact next. She can’t help but grin at the contact photo, it's a picture of him with a monkey that seems to have the same expression with wide eyes. 

True to her word, five minutes later, May is standing against the wall of the back room for the seals patiently– actually that's a lie she's not patient– waiting for Ravi to come out. She can hear him laughing in the other room and the honk of some clearly not impressed seals. 

She’s not left there for much longer before the seal painted door swings open ( How does he do it? That’s a heavy door.) and out steps Ravi. Looking… interesting. 

His shirt is untucked, with a button missing. Said shirt and shorts are covered in random damp areas and he smells vaguely of fish. Well. Maybe strongly is a better word. That could also be the empty bucket he’s got in his hand. “May! Hi! Welcome to the seals.”

“Seals? Wow, I would never have known.”

He scoffs. “Hey! And here I was trying to be polite.”

May just smiles, taking a few short strides and meeting Ravi by the door. She ignores the stench of fish and the bucket, wrapping her hands around his waist. His right hand comes up and rubs her back gently, the left coming around to hug her back, a bit awkward with a steel bucket. His hugs are always awkward, like he doesn't know what to do but it's evident he loves them. She does too. They might poke fun at each other, but he’s easily her closest friend. He whispers to her, “You, okay?”

“Yeah. Just dumb Karens. Didn’t make fun of me this time though.” She answered, pulling away with a soft smile, already feeling better. 

“That’s good. Would hate to send my seal army after them,” He smiles back, walking and placing the bucket on the bench before opening the freezer. “I have to get another bucket of fish to Karen or else the seals won't listen. But after that I’ll leave it with Lucy and bring you a seal pup.”

May can’t help but gasp. “Yes! Vivianne please.”

He laughs while throwing in a massive container of frozen fish. “Of course. I know she’s your favourite.” He grabs the bucket, before walking over and pulling the door open. She really doesn’t understand how he can do it so easily. 

It’s a while before anything else happens. In that time, May sits at one of the rickety steel stools by the bench, scrolling on her phone. At least no public is in here. Eventually the door is pushed open and she’s greeted by Ravi’s back towards her. A smaller metal bucket clipped to his belt and she can see fish in it. Gross. 

He turns around, holding a small fur seal in a pink spotted blanket. His smile reaches his eyes easily as he cradles the pup close, who seems more interested in the bucket. “Vivi here just got her check up done. Healthier than ever, and growing quite well,” he walks over to May, gently handling the pup over.

“Hi baby,” May starts, as the pup sniffs her, nudging her cheek. She knows who this is. “Yeah look who's so big now, huh? Just like the soccer star,” she coos. She really does love spending time with the pups too. Ravi smiles, before hastily wiping his damp hands on his shorts, and reaching out to grab a fish from the bucket. He dangles it over Vivi’s face who reaches up, grabbing and eating it in seconds. 

“She even eats like you, Ravi.”

“May!” 

“Hey, Sebastian would agree with me.”

“Don’t bring my boyfriend into this!” Ravi huffs, the bucket banging against his leg with a soft thud. May laughs at him, before scratching the seal’s head listening to the little flaps of her tail against the soft blanket. 

Christopher loves that his dad is a zookeeper. It means special visits and seeing how it functions behind the scenes, which is something that's intrigued him since he was 7 and his dad first got the job. So, here he is during one of those moments currently standing in the backroom helping Buck cut up some fruit. His dad is covering dead spiders in some sort of nutrient dense powder. 

He shifts on the stool, making sure he won't fall off, “Dad, why do these monkeys eat spiders?”

Eddie, from where he is currently holding one with a grimace, says, “I have no idea but I wish they didn't.” 

Buck laughs, placing down the knife, and grabbing Chris’s crutches, “Just a common bug found in Colombia. Now, why don’t we go feed them?”

“Yes please.”

Eddie grabs the bucket of spiders, “Now, remember why you have got to have the mask on?”

“To protect them from human diseases!”

“Good one champ.” Eddie softly smiles, ruffling Chris's hair.

Chris slowly climbs off the stool, grabbing the crutches from Buck before following his dad and his Buck towards the enclosure. He loves these monkeys specially, with their funky hair do’s and how much they love to climb on him. 

As they reach the enclosure, all three boys hook their masks around their ears and nose before Buck pushes it open, “My boys first,”

Eddie rolls his eyes, a light blush hidden by the mask. The second Chris is inside the enclosure all the monkey’s are flocking him. Including one dropping from the branch above to his head, letting out a soft chirp. He giggles. 

One of the monkey’s, Bambi, is now trying to get into the spider bucket, hanging off Eddie’s biceps. Eddie laughs as he walks over to dump the spiders around the enclosure. Buck is doing something similar, putting various fruits into tree logs and on branches. 

Christopher is still surrounded by monkeys. It’s almost weird, the monkeys love their food yet seem to love Chris more. It’s great. He loves it. 

Until a monkey jumps on his shoulder with a spider in its hands and eating it. Then it’s not so fun. As he goes to ask his Dad to get the monkey off him, he turns around and see’s Buck peck a small but sweet kiss to Eddie’s lips. 

He might be glad his dad is happy but, “Ewwwww Buck!” The boys turn around quickly, almost like they got burnt as they see Chris with a monkey on his head, and one on his shoulder with a spider butt hanging out his mouth. And a very, very, unimpressed look on his face.

“Ah, you good kid?” Buck asks, stepping away from Eddie, a slight blush from his cheeks to his ears. 

“No, this monkey is eating a spider on me, and you two kissing is gross!”

Eddie rattles the almost empty spider bucket and the monkey jumps off, and comes running. “There you go. One problem fixed,” he states, smiling at the monkey as he takes another spider. He leans into Buck giving him a kiss on the cheek which only makes Chris roll his eyes.

His dad and Buck are really weird. But he loves them.

The morning briefing today was weird. To Ravi it felt like everyone was watching him. Or specifically, Chimney. Chimney’s eyes were on him and wildly awake. He wasn’t almost asleep in his coffee like normal, instead he had a laptop with him and he was smiling. Too big. He was up to something and something tells him Ravi’s the next victim. 

He tries to zone out, ignore the stares, and focus on Bobby’s morning pep talks but it feels like a lot of the team is watching him as well. Did someone stick a kick me sign to him? A random zookeeper from the Elephants had told him good job today, patting him on the back. It's happened before. Not here, but at school when he was younger. Students aren't keen with those who don't fit in.

Nah. Surely Hen would tell him at least. He would like to say May would, but she would find it funny. Actually May keeps staring at him too and trying to hold back a laugh. That was common behaviour at least. 

Ravi’s about to pull out his phone and see if he can figure it out when Bobby’s speech ends and Chimney is out of his seat like it caught on fire. 

“I have something you all will want to see,” Chimney excitedly says, grabbing the laptop and plugging it into the TV. Buck follows, giggling while helping Chimney set it up. 

As Chimney seems to be downloading some sort of video, Buck can’t keep a straight face. At all. He’s grinning and smirking, looking Ravi dead in the eyes.

“Okay. What’s going on and why is everyone looking at me?” Ravi ends up asking.

“Well let’s just say you went viral last night,” Chimney claps his hands as he presses play, not leaving Ravi any time to respond. All he did last night was go on a date with his boyfriend and then cuddle for hours. 

None of that matters when he sees a video from the live cam at the elephants. And quickly sees himself come into view with a rainbow fan he found. 

“Oh shit.” Those two single words left half the team laughing, the other half leaning forward, excited to see what was going to happen. 

Then video Ravi starts dancing. To Taylor Swift. Love story to be exact. ( It’s a classic okay! ) He groans, burying his face into his hands, shaking his head as laughter feels the air. At least this laughter is because it's fun. It could be worse. 

Up front, Chimney is on the floor laughing while Buck is gripping the table, doubled over, full belly laughing. Great. This won’t haunt him at all. “I can’t believe I forgot the elephants have a live cam,” he mutters, still shaking his head from behind his hands, his face hot. 

When he finally looks up, video him is doing a final spin before answering the radio and dashing off. The video ends and somehow the laughter in the room only gets louder. 

Chimney stands up, and does a mock bow before coming over to Ravi, clapping him on the shoulder, “Nice moves Panikkar, you could start a ele-funk class!” 

He just groans. Again. 

As the shift unfolded, Ravi was feeding the seals, having them perform a few tricks for the guests. A routine task, one that always got lots of attention, one he enjoyed doing. Alicia was currently at his feet with a red ball balancing on her nose, eager to trade it for a fish. 

He laughs, doing just that as May wanders around the corner guiding a group, “And here, you guys will find the seal’s getting fed and none other than the viral dancer from the elephant enclosure.” She has a playful grin on her face, and Ravi just sighs. 

“Really, May?”

“Just had to be there to see it. Now why don’t you show off some tricks?”

Ravi just laughs, the tour group eagerly eyeing him. Unknown to him, May was subtly plotting with a kid that could barely be ten years old. He grabs another fish from the bucket, subtly eyeing the rust on the handle. He really needs to get a replacement. He chucks the fish into the water, one of the seal pups diving after it. 

As a very familiar melody feels the air. 

“Not again. Please,” He looks around, half expecting Chimney to pop out with a speaker. Instead he spots the child with the biggest grin on her face, wearing a frilly dress with a seal on it. 

She steps forward, clutching a phone that looks too big in her hands, a smile on her face, “Can you do the spin again mister?”

Ravi sighs, looking at May who is desperately trying to hold back her laugh– and failing might he add– as he looks back at the child. He moves the bucket, “Just for you okay?” He knows there's no escape. There never is. 

He looks around quickly, seemingly making sure no seals are around but really he's just checking and making sure Chimney won’t pop out with a camera. Ravi looks toward the kid, and winks before doing the same spin, this time exaggerated, and twists his hand like he did in the video. The kid cheers, a few other children joining in. Even the adults are grinning and he tries to hide his smile. 

It doesn’t work. He looks up, playfully bowing, as he spots May laughing and filming him, before turning and high fiving the little girl who looks very, very, pleased with herself. 

“Thank you for the dance mister. You should teach it to your seals.”

“Well wouldn’t that be fun huh? Maybe next time you visit they can give you a little performance.” 

“Yes please,” She eagerly responded before tugging on one of her mother’s dresses, “Can we come again tomorrow?”

She laughed, mouthing a thank you to Ravi, “Maybe we can. You’ll have to ask mama too.” 

The kid skips over to her mama, as May directs the group to continue moving to see the penguins this time. May gives a thumbs up and a smile and Ravi just shakes his head, amused. 

Before maybe plotting about how to get Chimney back. And well, if his idea was on getting Athena to give him a copy of the camera’s catching Chimney waddling with his penguins, that’s for Chim to find out.

Athena was just helping a rookie out with finding a kid's parents when her radio blared to life. “Nash to Security,” Athena unhooks it from her belt pulling it up to her mouth. 

“Athena here.”

“Athena, there are reports of a suspicious male, around 6 foot in black near the aviary.”

Birds. Her one true hatred. She huffs, “I can find you a rookie available and  be there in 10 minutes, max.” She goes to end the call when something else catches her attention. A few giggles. 

Followed by, “Athena you are specifically required for this particular job.” He’s lying. She can tell. She can hear the way his voice hitched on the word ‘you’, and the way she can hear the smile on his voice. He really never has been good at lying or keeping secrets.

She signs, holding down the button, “Are you sure, I have a perfectly good rookie–,” She watches said rookie trip over her feet and almost fall in the bin. She can’t help but sigh again. “Who could come help you?” It comes out more like a question than a response. 

“Nope! Hen I promise– oh wait my fingers still–” the radio clicks off. Athena’s hand comes up to her hair, running her fingers through it. They were up to something. She knew it. But really, when were they not up to something.

Turning to the rookie, who now is smiling as the kid reunites with her parents, “I have to go handle something down at the aviary. Please go take a break and not fall into any more puddles.” Said rookie looks down at her damp uniform, a shocked face, as if she forgot.

“Ah, got it.” She shuffles away muttering something about a dove.

Athena shakes her head as she pats her various pockets, doing a once over. She then begins the short– yet long, when it’s full of kids– walk down to the aviary. The second she gets there, she pointedly doesn’t open the door, grabbing the radio to call for more details when the door swings open. 

A hand reaches out, grabs her by the arm and pulls her in before she even has the chance to react. She stumbles, a strong arm around her waist pulling her in. She looks up, and finds herself between two doors, one leading to where the birds are. And a grinning Hen. With a green bird on her shoulder. She also finds Bobby, smiling down on her. 

Pointing her finger at his chest, she asks, “What have you gotten me into,” groaning as her eyes dart to the birds again. Bobby just smiles wider.

“We figured some bird hugs–”

She pushes back, “Nope! Nope. Bobby, I will not–”

He cuts her off with a small but swift kiss on the lips, “You don’t have to but why not at least try? Hen thinks the green would compliment your eyes.” She has no idea what he means by that considering her eyes are not green. At all.

With a huff, Athena lets Bobby take her hand and guide her through the second door and into the enclosure, which the chirps up above make her flinch. She's not scared of them. She just dislikes them. No harm in that.

 After some chatting with Hen, the bird, named Karen as she learnt, flys over and lands on Bobby’s shoulder. Hen grins before whistling, Karen flying back to her and somehow landing on just her index finger. 

“Athena you should hold one. Specifically this one, she is the sweet one after all,” Hen reaches up, gently scratching the bird's chin who fluffs up. 

“You’re just saying that because she’s named after your wife.” Athena crosses her arms, trying to not let her grin show. (Which failed, as Bobby told her later that night as they were curled in bed together.)

“Come on, do it for her.” Then Hen whispers something to Karen which makes her do a twirl, and flash puppy eyes ( Or well I guess bird eyes?) at her. If you asked Athena, she said she didn't cave. You ask Hen, Bobby or the children outside the enclosure, she most definitionally did. 

Which is how she ends up here, a bird on her shoulder. That is very interested in her hair, similar preening through it. A show of affection Hen said. It was going all fine until another bird flew down and landed on her other shoulder, causing her to jump and let out an inhumane sound. 

Very unathena like. She sighs. Again. It happens a lot these days. “Hen. You need to get these birds off me now.”

“I will, let me just grab their treats.” Hen leaves, hopefully just for a moment. Athena turns to Bobby who’s been watching silently with a love struck grin on his face. He reaches over, scratching Karen on the head who starts bobbing. 

“Bobby, why did you do this to me?”

“Hey, I would argue you look stunning as a two-timed pirate.” He cracks a grin, soft laughs. She might dislike birds, but she loves that laugh.

It’s all going completely fine until Hen comes back in, and a wet squelching sound is followed by Athena’s shirt going damp. Her left side. From the red one, named Marie? The name doesn’t matter to her as her shirt soaks up.

Athena turns to her, a glare that could cause someone to drop dead on her face, “Henrietta. You’re bird did not just shit on me.” 

“Uh….”

Bobby is laughing harder at her, half bent over, his phone clutched in his hand. That traitor.

Zoo life isn’t always happy and sparkles. As all the handlers know too well. Animals rarely live as long as you, and they’re more susceptible to diseases and getting hurt. No matter the care. Which is where Ravi finds himself, hunched over the sterile, cold bench. He’s in the veterinary office, one of the small seal pups in front of him. Karen is examining her, with a very grim look on her face. 

“Look, Ravi, her breathing is really shallow. Way beyond normal, even for her. I think we’ve exhausted all options to help her,” She adds, putting her hand on his shoulder. 

He looks up, his face marked with tears and bloodshot eyes. “Surely not. It’s been months since she came in after she got hit.” He tries to not remember the state she was in. Broken flippers, cuts all over her face. A dreaded boat accident. They happen way too frequently and it breaks his heart every time.

“I know. But the damage done to her lungs and heart was extensive. She’s suffering,” Karen states, softly rubbing his shoulder. The shoulder that twinges in pain, reminding him of when he jumped into the water to help get her out of the boat propellers. He too had been hurt by it, really, just fueling his anger. “The kindest thing we can do now is put her down.” 

He can’t look at her face anymore. He buries his head in his hands, shaking as he sobs more. It’s way too long of just that. Him sobbing, Karen rubbing his shoulder, and murmuring soothing words, and baby Mia in between them, way too quiet and still for a pup. He hastily wipes away his tears, but it's futile. For every one gone, two come back. 

Ravi looks at Karen finally, seeing that even she has tears. “We have to do it. I can’t let one of my babies suffer.” It comes out as a choked whisper, and he has to fight back the urge to whimper and scream about how unfair it is. 

She nods, giving his shoulder one last squeeze before moving further into the back. Ravi gently picks up Mia, cradling her in the soft pink blanket. She makes a small little honk before just laying her head limply in the crook of his elbow. Ravi gently runs his thumb above her eye, right over a freshly healed scar. Her one good eye looks up at him and he weakly smiles. “It’ll be okay baby girl. You won’t hurt after this, and I heard there are so many fish there.” He doesn’t even realise he’s rocking her, and himself really. His body is buzzing, and he just wants to hit his head. Slap his brain into believing it was a dream. 

She’s still so young, she hasn’t moulted into her silver fur coat yet. He can feel more hot tears dripping down his face, hurriedly trying to blink them back. He can’t have this be her last memory. She looks up to him before closing her eye, her breaths getting even weaker. Ravi’s seen enough passings to know this is it.

“Kar-Karen?” He calls out, choking on his words, “It won't be needed. She’s– She's passing, uh, right now.” He doesn’t even try to hide the emotions tainting his voice. 

Karen comes back into the room quicker than she left, ditching the injection she had started. Both of them had put in countless extra hours for her, it only made sense they were both here when it happened. She spots Ravi holding Mia, his whole body shaking. As she gets closer, she wraps her arm around his shoulders, gently stroking Mia’s head. Mia let out an almost inaudible squeak before her breathing stopped. 

They both stand like that for way too long. 

Hours later Ravi is in the breakroom, in a corner sobbing. His shirt is still damp from Mia, and vaguely smells of antibiotic cream and fish. His legs are pulled up, and his face is buried in his knees. Hen is by his side, her hand rubbing up and down his back, talking into the radio. He can’t hear what she's saying. The world feels quiet, like it did when he was in the water with Mia. 

All he can think of is this tiny, innocent seal pup who was just exploring the water with her mother when it all went down. The way the mum, Hamm, kept nudging him as he was gently unwrapping the net and pulling her daughter from the propellers. The way Hamm just reacted when they took Mia’s body to have one last cuddle with her mum. The way Hamm looked at him, nudged his shoulder, as if to say thank you. 

He cries harder, his chest hurting and each breath reminding him of when he was eight and almost died from pneumonia due to the chemo ruining his immune system. In the muddled haze that is Earth, he vaguely hears, “Shh. Deep breaths alright? Bobby is arranging for you to get some time off and Sebastian’s already on his way to get you.”

He manages to nod, not moving his head from his knees. He takes a deep, shuddering breath, that only manages to fill his nostrils with the wet dog scent that was Mia. He sobs harder, his hands coming up to his arms, his fingernails digging into his skin. It's hard to fight back the urge to rake them across his skin, quiet the emotional pain.

Ravi doesn’t know what to do now. He tries to focus on Hen’s hand up and down his back, and he finds himself pressing into her side. He wants the hurt to go. To leave him alone for one moment in his life. He silently asks Jai to look after her. He knows he will. 

Thinking of his first boyfriend who passed from cancer when they were 15 wasn’t a smart move, and now he’s crying harder. Which he didn’t think he could. “I-I should’ve-ve done more,” He chokes out as he finally lifts his head from his knees. 

“You did everything you could Ravi,” Hen pulls him closer. “You showed her love and joy in her life, even if it was short.”

He doesn’t respond. How do you when you’re the reason so many people and animals get hurt? It should’ve been him. He rests his head on her shoulder, tears silently running down his face still. 

They stay like that until a blurry version of Sebastian kneels in front of him. “Ravi? I’m so sorry.” He says, his hand reaching for Ravi’s. Their fingers intertwin and it seems a little easier to breathe now. 

Wordlessly, Ravi lifts his head from Hen’s shoulder and sits upright. Sebastian sits on the back of his legs and opens up his other arm. Ravi doesn’t need any convincing. He barrels right into Sebastian’s chest, his head resting against Sebastian’s collar bone, still gripping his hand. He feels Sebastian’s other hand come up and rub up and down his back, Sebastian resting his chin on Ravi’s shoulder. 

He hears the door quietly shut, only just realising Hen left. Sebastian gently lifts up Ravi’s chin, looking into his brown soaked eyes, “Why don’t we get your stuff and head home.”

Home. It sounds nice. But he can’t go back into the enclosure. Not yet. “I can’t– I can’t go back,” he sucks in a breath, delaying the panic he feels coursing through his veins. 

“Okay, baby, breathe, I’ll have Chimney drop it off when he can.” Sebastian somehow manages to pull Ravi closer, into his lap. Ravi’s legs wrap around his waist, one hand still holding Sebastian’s, the other gripping around his shoulders. He softly inhales, the soothing scent of his boyfriend calming his frazzled nerves. He sinks into his embrace, dropping his head onto Sebastian’s shoulder. He feels Sebastian start to slowly rock him. Something he does a lot. 

It doesn’t matter that Ravi is slightly taller, they fit together like two puzzle pieces. He can hear Sebastian start to hum into Ravi’s ears and he lets himself be lost into the world, and the gentle hand coming up his back. Sebastian’s fingers find the curls on the nap of Ravi’s neck, his fingers effortlessly running through them with a gentle tug that makes him sigh out in relief. 

He knows it’ll be a rough few weeks, it always is after an animal passes in the zoo. Even more so when it’s from such traumatic reasons. But he has his boyfriend, he has his memories and Mia’s soft pink blanket.

The zoo’s team was all pretty subdued that day. Animal loses hit them all, even if they weren’t in their enclosure. Bobby hates it. It makes him feel like he should’ve done something more even when physically no one could. That's what's running on his mind as he does his last rounds, the sky darkening, the zoo is even quieter. There’s only a few employees left when he finds himself wandering over to the Red Pandas who had only just woken up for fun. 

He opens the door and is instantly greeted by Mochi, who is nudging his legs and already climbing up him, little bit like a tree. She squeaks and he smiles, bending down and letting her climb into his arms. She nudges his face, pointedly looking down at his jacket.

He huffs out a laugh, unzipping it and letting her climb in. It's a regular occurrence here. He zips it back up, leaving her head out as she wiggles into the warmth coming from his chest. Bobby smiles, scratching her head gently as he leaves the enclosure, “So Mochi, you ready for the late night adventure again?”

She lazily blinks, nodding as if she understands his every word. He continues scratching her head as he wanders around checking on each enclosure, and thinking about the never ending paperwork he has to complete. Mochi joins in, her gaze wandering between all the different animals and exploring with little squeaks.

Bobby stops at one of the monkey enclosures, orangutans, and Mochi seems fascinated at the matching fur colour to her own. As he's walking back, he bumps into Buck, who has a wheelbarrow full of hay. “Buck, your shift is over.” 

Buck half heartedly smiles as he reaches over, stroking Mochi’s ears, who wiggles in delight. “I know. Just thinking about what happened earlier, Eddie went home to Chris but I needed to stay.”

“Did you need to or do you still feel like you're burdening the Diaz's?”

Buck doesn’t answer and that's all the response Bobby needs. “Buck, you’re dating Eddie and were pinning for years before. Go home to them okay?” Bobby places his hand on the wheelbarrow, Buck taking a breath before letting out a much happier smile. 

“I will after this. Thanks Bobby.” 

“It’s nothing, kid.” Bobby drops his hand, continuing his walk, Mochi looking up at him with utter affection in her eyes, as if to say good job. He smiles. “Yeah Mochi, thank you, want to go see some turtles?” She wiggles, poking her head out more, nudging Bobby’s chin. 

The conversation was only short, but it got him thinking about one of Buck’s first shifts. He lost a monkey early on, a freak cardiac arrest. He had done his all, CPR and everything as Karen rushed down, but there was no saving him. Buck was a complete shell of himself for months afterwards, running himself to the ground which only led to a breakdown in Bobby’s office. Since then he always just hurts when an animal passes. Which he hates admitting, hence why he stayed and let Eddie go home. He can only hope Buck talks to him tonight.

They continue like that for a while, her curled up against his chest and enjoying the sights, while he just talks freely to her. There’s something healing about the night, the quietness. He makes a mental note to ask Ravi how he’s doing as he starts the walk back to Mochi’s enclosure. 

Exchanging pleasantries to a few other workers, before unlatching the gate and entering back in. At the sight of her home, Mochi wiggles her way out onto his shoulder. She then makes a jump to the nearest branch, climbing up and making a little growling sound as she smiles at him. 

“Behave and don’t escape again tonight okay?” She looks at him and wiggles her tail before climbing higher, ignoring him. Even the animals have big personalities. He leaves, making sure the gate is properly locked before softly humming, opening up his phone as it dings. 

Had fun on your night stroll with Mochi?

Always. She loves the turtles.

I know I was watching you guys.

Of course, you’re Athena.

See you in 5?

Wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Bobby softly smiles at his phone, pocketing it before putting his hands in his jacket pockets and strolling up to where Athena is checking the security cameras. God, he loves his wife.

Ravi has a week off and then doesn’t come back to the seals. He misses them, but the wounds are too raw and from what he's been told by Lena, Hamm isn’t too happy. She misses her pup and his heart just aches when he thinks about it. Today he finds himself filling in for Buck, who is out sick– It’s believed he’s actually taking Christopher to some new aquarium judging by how much he wouldn’t stop talking about it–  so this will be interesting. 

Especially considering it’s been raining for the past 24 hours and the monkey’s are all outdoors. He cringes as he thinks of the mud. Or maybe it was shiver, because it was beyond cold. He zips up his jacket a little bit tighter before retreating into the spare gear shed and grabbing a pair of gumboots. With a grunt, he manages to force them on, the fit is just weird. 

He stares down at his feet for way too long, before a tap on his shoulder makes him jump, standing at eye line is Eddie who snorts. He hands over a mask before gesturing to him to follow. Ravi follows, biting the urge to jump in the puddles, and his heart painfully thuds as he thinks about how much his seals would be loving this weather. Come on Ravi. You can’t see them, you messed up their family enough. He shakes his head, stringing the mask across his nose and mouth as he enters after Eddie. 

“You’ll have to help with the water and food first,” Eddie says, grabbing a bucket of various treats from Matt, and immediately handing it to Ravi. Who frowns at the dead spiders, that was his second choice to work with here.

The shift is going quite well until Eddie stops him as he is crouched down refilling a water trough. “Ravi, how are you after it all?” 

He stops. 

“I’m fine,” he says with a curt nod, not making eye contact. 

“You’re not. You can’t avoid them forever, you know how animals get when they don't see their handlers. I know it hurts, but you can’t do this to yourself.” Eddie says leaning against a tree, a monkey on his shoulder. 

“Since when did you become the voice of reason?” It’s more harsh then he meant it, fear in his veins as he mumbles out, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do.”

Eddie strides over, squatting next to Ravi, the monkey using their heads to bridge across to a log, “After your shift, you go to them. If you don’t go now, you never will.” 

He just numbly nods. He wants to. But he thinks of Hamm’s face and how it’s oddly similar to his sisters, Anaya's, when he first admitted that he wanted to give up when he was nine.

Eddie is slightly annoyed with the world. He always is when Buck isn’t on shift. He knows Ravi can tell, ( Or maybe not. Aside from their conversation, he seems more focused on his feet.) but he really just misses his boyfriend when he’s not here. Ravi’s a good kid, just also a ball of jitters and really down, today especially. 

Which he knows he needs to push Ravi to see the seals. That’ll be why Buck called out sick, because otherwise the whole team knew Sebastian pushed him to go back to work, so now its up to them to get him to the seals. 

And sadly Eddie got that job. He really wants to curse god, but Buck and his big heart said Eddie would understand. He really thinks Buck would be the better person for it, but he was also mentioning a lot that he wanted to take Chris to a new aquarium. 

He quickly realises he's just standing in the middle of the enclosure as he hears Ravi curse a bang that could only be the bucket dropping on his foot. Eddie bites back a groan as he walks over to where Theodore was munching on a spider. “Theo,” He began, squatting next to him, “I know you only like Buck, but I need you to go over to him,” he points at Ravi, Theo actually nodding. “He needs monkey cuddles. Now. Please, I'll give you extra spiders.” 

That’s all it takes for Theo to jump off the log and go running to Ravi who looks surprised at a monkey just climbing up his legs. Eddie stands up, brushing his damp hair out of his eyes as he sees Ravi looking content for once, just a tad bit of sadness in his eyes. And maybe a tear. But it’s raining so hard that he has no idea. He just shakes his head as he sprinkles more food around before rattling his brain to think of what to do next. Maybe he’ll throw some random task at Ravi instead.

So, he goes to direct Ravi to do something– maybe see the seals at this rate, he’s been a fumbling mess. Eddie thinks if his head wasn’t screwed on, he would leave it behind. When he hears a yelp, and a disgruntled squeak from Theo. He turns around in time to see Ravi bending over trying to pull his boot from the mud where he loses his grip and falls backwards. His boot does come unlogged at least. But Ravi is now laying on his back, staring at the sky and the monkeys who are laughing at him. And now Ravi is laughing. At least he's finally doing it.

Eddie laughs too, before catching a breath, noticing him still on the ground. “Oh my Ravi. Really. Okay,” He pinches the bridge of his nose, breathing deeply as he reaches out his other hand and helps him up. “Go change, and then go see your seals.” Ravi opens his mouth to talk but is cut off quickly. “Nope. I don’t want to hear it. You are an emotional mess and we all know the seals help you breathe, so please just go see them.” 

Eddie looks up at the sky, and this would be where he would pray to god if he wasn't religiously traumatised. He can hear Ravi stumble again, before rushing out the door. He digs into his pocket, grabbing his phone before calling Buck. 

Who picks up in two seconds and hears him, “Hi Eds! Chris, come and say hi, it’s your dad.” And he can finally breathe. Which he also knows Ravi will be doing soon.

Ravi did not go and get changed. The zoo is so wet and cold that no one is around, so he simply walks over to the seals, not before shaking out the mud from his curls. Part of him doesn’t want to do it at all, but he’s a little scared of Eddie who fully resembled the ‘resting bitch face’ today. So now he is tracking mud all over the zoo. Stupid gumboots.

When he receives the employee door for the enclosure it’s like time stops. Last time he was here he had a deceased seal pup in his arms and was showing it to her mum to try and limit depression. A tidal wave of emotions hit him as he gulps, his jacket suddenly too tight and his clothes constricting. The door that is usually easy to open is hard, a safety barrier between what could await him. 

“Ravi?” Came a voice from behind him, Ravi jumping and twisting around to be met face to face with Chimney. 

“Oh uh hi.” 

“What happened to you?” He asks, tilting his head like his penguins do, eyeing him and the mud. “Actually, I can guess. Just come in and say hi to them okay?” Chimney opens the door and places his hand on Ravi’s back, pushing him in. Well that's one way to do it. The room is empty aside from Lucy smashing a block of ice with frozen fish inside. 

He bypasses her, Chimney patting him on the shoulder before going through the door painted as a penguin. Ravi stands in front of the door with a painted seal. He takes a deep breath before entering and being greeted by a few honks and slaps of wet fur against the concrete as the seals come up to him. 

He does feel at peace. As he’s knelt down patting all of them and singing praises he notices that Hamm is nowhere to be found. He kisses Xavi on the head, who keeps nudging him and goes to find her. She's curled up in her bed area. “Hey mama,” he softly says as he sits down next to her. “Someone misses Mia, huh?” 

She nudges him, as if agreeing. “I know. I’m sorry, we really tried to save her. I promise.” She looks at him, head bobbing before flopping onto her side and laying her head on his lap. He starts to stroke her scalp. “I promise she’s being looked after in heaven for you. By one of the bravest kids I ever knew.”

Ravi looks down at her as her eyes make contact with his, and for once in the week they both feel lighter, happier. And up above, so does Mia who is being taught tricks by Jai. He had promised Ravi he would always look over him, and that now includes his seals.

When Buck is back on shift. He’s out of bed with record skills, getting coffee ready for him and Eddie, who is less than pleased at the wake up call. But at least he doesn’t have to drive, which absolutely means he gets more sleep in while Buck is singing along to some Disney song. 

At the zoo, Buck bypasses Bobby’s pep talk. Quite frankly he just wants to see his monkeys. As he swings open the door to go say hi before starting early morning prep, he’s stopped in his tracks. He could’ve sworn he went into the spider monkey enclosure but instead he finds himself face to face with a white-cheeked Gibbon hanging upside down on a branch. And another up above looking close to starting a fight with Theo. 

“Ah Theo and,” He walks around to check the monkey’s back, finding the star-shaped marking, “Daisy, please don't fight each other?” Daisy lets out a feral call, before dropping straight on Buck’s head, making him stumble with a grunt.

He reaches for his radio, “Bobby, I need you to send Eddie straight to the spider monkeys because ah… it seems like a few switched enclosures with the gibbons?” Flounder, who is still hanging upside down flings himself onto Buck, the radio dropping as a voice crackles out of it. 

“What do you– Never mind. Diaz is coming your way.” 

Buck lets out a sigh of relief. With both monkey’s either on his head or in his arms he searches the perimeter of the cage looking for any sort of way for the monkey’s to switch enclosure. While also taking a head count, all the spider monkeys seem to be counted for.

Eddie bursts in, his head darting around til he spots Buck crouched by the wire, checking it over, “Buck what on earth happened?” He spins around holding out one of the monkeys to Eddie, who takes it looking apprehensive. 

“Monkey chaos that's what,” Buck says quickly, pulling open the door. “We need to check on the gibbon’s. Last thing we need is one still out there. I would rather not have to explain to Athena that we lost a monkey again.”

Eddie shudders at the memory as he follows Buck, looking down at Flounder who is currently trying to wrap his whole body around Eddie’s arm. They both walk into the enclosure to be met with squeals of delight at the monkey’s reuniting. 

A quick check and the rest seem to be there, with neither enclosures looking destroyed or wrecked. It’s a monkey mystery. Buck shakes his head, hands on his hips as he looks at Eddie. “We have to warn Athena, don't we?” 

Eddie just puts his head into one hand, groaning, “Yes. We do.” 

Buck’s once present smile disappears as he thinks about the lecture they’ll both get about animal safety. “God. Here we go.” He goes to grab his radio before remembering it’s still on the floor of the spider monkey cage. 

Eddie wordlessly hands over Buck’s radio, having picked it up without anyone realising, Buck smiles again, coming over and pecking a kiss to Eddie’s cheek before turning the radio on. Only to be met with a stern. “Buckley. Diaz.” Athena. Both boys wince as she starts lecturing them.

Bobby prides himself on all animals being the healthiest for them. Their most natural diet is followed, there's plenty of enrichment for each animal, exercises run and everything. He even does a round down with each head keeper once a month. Which is why Chimney is in front of him, holding a clipboard and running through the data from the penguins most recent check in. 

“Well, aren’t we looking just fine huh Cap?” It doesn’t matter how many times Bobby tells him he’s not a captain, Chimney doesn’t stop. “Guess I can head back.” 

“Chimney. We both know you’re overlooking some data. Your penguins are getting a little round.” He states, gesturing for Chimney to sit back down for where he’s trying to get up. 

In a mock annoyance, or actual annoyance, you never know with Chimney, he huffs “They’re penguins! They’re going to be round.”

“Chimney there's a difference and you know it,” He starts to explain only to be cut off. 

“Nuh uh. You’re just shaming my penguins.” 

“I only want you to cut back on the treats, and put them on a diet. We have the penguin parade coming up.” 

“No treats? That's like, animal abuse.”

“Chimney,” Bobby’s patience is really being tested today, “It is not. Please just try.” 

“Absolutely, Cap,” Chimney mock salutes, standing up and leaving the room.

Bobby know’s straight away that Chimney will absolutely not listen. He never does when it comes to treats and his penguins. It’s hard to stop him when he’s buying his own and bringing them in. 

He grabs out the spider monkey clipboard, sighs loudly and mentally prepares himself for a similar conversation with Buck. 

It is very early in the morning when Ravi stubs his toe on the fridge. A muttered curse under his breath as he grabs out yet more fish, but also decides to grab some octopus and squid. Balanced diet for his children. As he places them down on the bench, grabbing a knife, and beginning to cut away, trying to not grimace at the stink. Or the slime. It really isn't nice. 

Eventually he scoops the pieces in the bucket before grabbing it and walking through to the seals. As he opens the door he isn’t greeted, meaning they’re all enjoying the weather and the water. He grins, opening the gate that leads him to their pool. 

Ravi rattles the bucket, before placing it down as seals come out, and start barking for their food. Including Vivi who shoves her head in the bucket. “Vivi, no, those aren’t just for you,” He says, bending over and gently prying her head out. She makes a noise in protest. He steps back, and his right foot slides out from under him and with a surprised yelp he finds himself plunging into the cold water. 

His system is shocked as he twists in the water, pushing himself up. His head breaks the water with a sputter, coughing as he shakes his head, gasping for air. Xavi’s face is inches away from his, slightly tilted as he nudges Ravi’s face, as if to say, “Human? You’re not meant to be here.” He just sighs, reaching out and patting him as he shakes his head to clear his vision and unstick his curls from his forehead.

He groans, swimming to the edge, “I know, I know, this is your home, not mine.” He gets to the edge and with way too much effort, a groan and a sigh he manages to hoist himself up on the edge. His shoulder protests at it, sending a sharp jolt of pain. He quickly pats his pockets, making sure everything is still there before prying Vivi’s head out of the bucket again. 

Ravi looks down at his legs still in the water, and his soaked uniform. He eventually stands up, chuckling sheepishly as he wrings out his shirt. It doesn’t help much. He tries to not cringe at the wet, slightly sticky feeling covering his skin. He brushes his curls out of his eyes again, as he hears a hysterical laughter. 

“Oh my god, Chimney, not a word!” He exclaims, his face flushed with embarrassment as he tries to regain his composure. 

He is ignored, Chimney yelling between laughs, “Panikkar! Didn’t realise you were a seal!” He’s gripping a railing with white knuckles and bent over, his hands shaking from laughter as he tries to radio someone. “Athena? Please– get— oh my god I can't breathe, the footage from the seals,” as he speaks it gets less and less clear, his laughter echoing and drawing the attention of visitors. 

“Chim really!” Ravi says, grabbing the bucket and eventually pouring it all into the pool as he unlocks the gate. He’s followed everywhere by a squelching sound coming from his boots. He lightly shoves Chimney which only causes him to laugh harder, eventually sliding down the glass, his laughs coming out silent, tears running down his face.

“Oh my god. I’m just leaving you here,” Ravi groans in despair. He is absolutely going to become the team's source of entertainment. Agree. He doesn’t forget the dancing. He steps over Chimney and stalks into the back room leaving a trail of water as he shivers. 

Entering the room he glares at Lucy who opens her mouth but is only met with laughter as he grabs a towel hanging up, bending over and moving to dry his curls first. Wet hair is never nice. He can still hear Chimney laughing. 

“Did you have a seal-tastic swim?” Lucy asks breathlessly before kneeling over and laughing again. Ravi just sighs. He will never live this down.

“Okay Chimney you are on in ten.” Came Bobby’s voice crackling through the radio. 

“Alright, Snowball, Fairy, Pebbles, Skipper, Rico, Kowalski, and…” Chimney’s head spins around, his finger coming up and off the clipboard where he was checking names. “Private? WHERE’S PRIVATE?” His hand comes up to his head, as he groans. 

He can hear some shuffling coming from behind him and he finds Ravi staring at him, one eyebrow raised, and a confused look on his face. 

“HAVE YOU SEEN PRIVATE RAVI? He’s like this big,” He shoves the clipboard under his armpit, demonstrating the size with his hands, his face etched in worry. “And like, blue?” 

“Did you, seriously? Oh my god. No I haven’t.”

There's a clatter as the clipboard drops and Chimney hides his face in his hand, “He’s gone, and Bobby is going to kill me.”

“I think that's a little dramatic but sure, okay.” Ravi seems unphased, like this is a normal Tuesday, as he pulls out his radio. 

“You can’t tell Athena! I don’t want to explain to her that we lost another animal this week.”

“Do you think I have a death wish? No, I’m going to radio May. She's in charge of this.”

Oh great. Another Grant woman. He sighs, stepping around the penguins as he goes looking. He can hear Ravi snickering and part of him wonders if he’s a part of this. But then remembers when his ring went missing and he blamed Ravi, that didn’t float over well. 

Chimney quivers as he remembers how hard it was to get the smell of fish, octopus and salt off his skin and out of his hair. Maddie didn’t even want to come near him. Neither did Jee. Both moments that still make him tear up as he thinks of it. He shakes his head before resuming the search.

He’s currently kneeling next to a bush that he knows the penguins love when May comes running in the door, a clipboard in her hands, her uniform even more pristine than usual. “Okay wayward bird. Any ideas at all?”

“No!” He groans out, flopping backwards into the sand. 

Ravi’s head pokes out from behind some rocks, “Chimney that really won't help you. You have to find the penguin, not to be one.”

“Shut up, Panikkar.” 

“Wow! So rude, Han.” 

“I seem to recall when you lost a seal and I was so kind about it.” 

“I didn’t lose one, she was stolen. Plus you ended up pushing me into the penguin pool that same day!”

“Yeah because you were being dramat–”

“Boys. Please. We have five minutes, can you not bicker for once?” 

Both boys pop back up, not without sticking out their tongues at each other and saluting at May. Who only sharply exhales.

It’s when there’s about two minutes left does Chimney start to give up. “This is a disaster why did I ever become a zookeeper or think I could d–”

“Chimney if you don’t stop spiraling and keep looking, I will tell both Bobby and Athena, and let you deal with the fall out.”

That shuts him up pretty quickly. As does the glare Chimney sends Ravi when he starts laughing. The enclosure is silent, everyone just staring. Oddly looking like that spider-man pointing meme, he thinks. That thought is thrown out the window when a small chirp comes from the fish bucket hanging up. The bucket he moved out of the way so they could look. 

“He can’t be.” 

“I think he is.”

“But penguins can’t–”

“Ravi. You idiot, Chimney hooked it up after Private already went missing.”

Chimney ignores them both, stumbling as he races over, peering inside and is met with Private laying in a once full bucket, a fish tail hanging out his mouth. And a noticeable distending belly. No wonder Bobby thinks they’re round. “I found him. But I don’t think he’s going to do much waddling in the parade today,” He gently scoops up Private, who wiggles back into his hold. He gently scratches his belly, while turning and showing the very full, very happy penguin to the others.

“That is one round penguin.” 

“Can you be even more obvious Ravi, and Chimney? You were meant to have your penguins out 30 seconds ago.” 

“Shit.” 

Thankfully after some minor fighting between Pebbles and Skipper, the parade went well. Delayed, but well.

Hen loves when it’s time for the routine health checks of her birds. One, seeing them all wrapped in blankets makes her heart melt. Two, it means she gets to spend hours with her wife while still getting paid. Which is pretty incredible if you ask her. Even though her birds honestly hate being rugged up, their disgruntled faces make up a lot of her camera roll. Her heart flutters as there's a knock on the door.

Karen is standing in her white coat, with a nervous looking student vet nurse behind her dragging along the wagon of gear. “Hey babe. This is Ellie with me,” Ellie shyly waves. Hen and Karen lean into each other, a soft gentle peck that screams love. As they pull apart, both with matching smiles, Hen shows them both through the well worn path.

“Ellie? Can you please set the gear up over there,” Karen directs, pointing to a nearby bench, “Hen, who are we starting with?”

“Hardest first.” Joy. A red-tailed black cockatoo with one hell of a personality and a very strong beak. Named Joy because of irony. And that he loves to watch inside out. He’s a handsome yet bossy bird. 

Hen’s gaze lingers on Karen for a second too long before moving out into the aviary. As if knowing, Joy is looking right at her with beady eyes and an unimpressed glare. “Come on mister. You know this is needed.” 

He flaps his wings in protest, hopping to a lower branch but not coming closer. He may be smart, but she knows exactly what will make him cave. Berries. She reaches into her fanny pack, pulling out a couple. It’s not even a second before he’s on her arm pecking at her closed fist. She pulls open the door, in which Karen, who was waiting, manages to wrap the blue blanket around him. Not without a very loud screech. 

Ellie, from where she’s pulling out a stereoscope looks mildly concerned. Hen, who is now feeding the berries to a thrashing Joy in Karen’s hands, “It’s okay Ellie. Joy here isn’t hurt, just very dramatic and nasty if he’s not tightly wrapped.” As if on cue, Joy bites down on Hen’s finger and she doesn’t even flinch.

“Come on. Don’t be nasty. Let's just get this over with.” She gives him the last berry and he hisses, Karen walking over to the bench. Hen’s eyes can’t help but be drawn to her wife's body, not so subtly looking up and down. Her wife is hot, what else can she say?

As Karen lies him on his back, he glares at her and wiggles but is completely unable to get out of her hold. She takes the stereoscope, subconsciously placing it into her ears and then under the blanket. Joy doesn’t make a move to bite, but does let out a little protest at the chill. “All good. What a pretty bird.” 

Hearing her wife’s baby talk to him just makes her want to turn into a puddle on the ground. For multiple reasons. She walks over to her side, her hand grazing Karen’s hip, “You always look so good when you’re in ‘doctor mode,’” Hen looks into her eyes, a faint blush on Karen’s cheeks. 

“Yeah? Well maybe I can perform a few more ‘check-ups’ later,” her tone laced with love. 

“Hm I would like that,” Hen’s shoulder bumps into Karen’s, sparks flying.

There’s a loud, annoyed kee sound from below where Joy is looking up at them with a peeved off expression. As well as a cough from the side, where Ellie is standing holding a clipboard in one hand and a scale in the other, looking confused on what to say or do.

“Ah– sorry Dr Wilson, I-I think you need to weigh him next?”

Karen’s hand lingers from where it was on Hen’s, neither having realised they made that move. “Don't apologise. If you could please set it up in front of you, while I trim his claws first?” Joy doesn’t like that in the slightest. Even less when Karen exposes said claws, he starts to kick them like a toddler. 

Hen and Karen just look at each other, as Hen remarks. “Looks like how Denny used to.” 

“It does. Actually, his science test came back,” She smiles at Ellie who is handing over the trimmers. 

“Oh really, what did he get?” Hen grabs one of Joy’s legs, holding it still and earning herself a bite. 

“An A+. The one I helped him study for, compared to the A he got in maths from you.” 

With fake shock, Hen gasps, “Hey! I could have gotten him an A+ in science too. Maths is hard.” Her heart just swells. Her wife is everything. 

There's a faint click and tap as the nail breaks off and falls on the bench, Joy huffing and trying to peck Hen again. “Could you though? I recall that I'm the one with the doctorate, not you.” 

Hen shakes her head, her chest hurting from how full her heart is. “I could if you weren’t adamant we had to bring Karen home for the night.”

“Well, I need to get to know the one named after me,” Karen chuckled, the sound beautiful. Akin to waves crashing on a beach, to her birds singing as the sun goes down, to the way she smiles when she opens her locker and is greeted by photos. Like home. 

“I know.” She would bring her birds home everyday if it meant more cuddles and fun with all of her loves.

Hen just moves over, switching hands to hold Joy’s other foot and to give her wife a kiss. It lasts a few seconds longer than appropriate for the workplace but judging by how jumpy Ellie is, they’ll be fine.

A similar routine unfolds over the hours, but with less bird bites as they get to the easier ones. But more flirting and stolen touches, and Bobby’s voice in Hen’s ear reminding her to not get distracted again. (She does.)

As Maddie opens the breakroom fridge, she grabs out her otter lunchbox, smiling fondly. Matching with Chimney’s, he just thought it would be adorable. She won’t admit it, but it is. Even more so when he brought one for Jee before she was even born. That left her crying. 

She sits down, pulling out her phone as she opens it, very much ready for a break between relentless calls. She gets half way before Josh sits down in front of her rambling about some call that involved a dog-coyote showdown.

“It was weird, I mean who– Maddie, is that fish?” Josh’s mouth is wide open as Maddie is staring into her lunchbox. Instead of the food she packed, there was an array of fish, krill and octopus. The smell was pounding into her nostrils. 

“I guess I grabbed Chimney's instead.” She pokes what seems to be some weird fish stuffed combo. She has no idea. 

Josh just laughs, shaking his head, “That is not something we see here regularly. Guess you have to do a penguin treat lunch exchange.”

“Yeah, because I don’t fancy eating,” She picks up what seems to be a squid tentacle, “this.” Her face pulled back into a tight grimace as she can just imagine the taste and texture. 

“Are you sure? Heard squid was the new diet.” 

“Ha-ha. I’m sure.” She reaches to grab her phone, only for it to start buzzing the second she picks it up. Chimney’s contact fills the screen, a picture of him holding baby Jee. As she picks up, she has no time to say anything. 

“I need my lunchbox, the penguins want to eat me instead!” 

Maddie looks at Josh with a smirk, as they both can hear squeals coming from Chimney and the penguins.

The backroom is empty as Chimney pushes open the door, his small group of penguins waddling after him. He might be waddling with them too but that’s his secret. It was treat time, arguably everyone's favourite time. 

He grabs the lunchbox from the fridge, settling it down, the penguins starting to squawk, wanting their treats and wanting them now. “Alright, alright I get it. You’re hungry.”

He throws open the lid only to be met with human food. “This is not fish,” he exclaims, both arms extended out as he looks around for some sort of prankster. The lunchbox is completely devoid of any fish or anything vaguely penguin friendly. Only a salad, some fruits and a chocolate bar.

“Oh no,” he muttered to himself as he saw the head penguin, Snowball, start to gear up, letting out a very annoyed squeak. Before running towards his ankle and pecking it. “Snowball, what on Earth, It’s not my fault, Maddie grabbed mine, ow– stop?” More and more penguins start to express their disappointment. 

At another harsh peck on his leg, he puts his hands on the bench before lifting himself up on it. The penguins huddle right where he was standing and start to squeal and flap their wings. Chimney fumbles for his phone in his pocket, dialling Maddie. 

“I can’t believe I’m being attacked by penguins,” he whispers to himself as the phone rings. “Come on pick up, please,” begging to anyone out there to get his lunchbox back. 

Maddie picks up, and he doesn’t let her speak, instead yelling into it, “I need my lunchbox, the penguins want to eat me instead!” 

After a very desperate phone call from Chimney, Maddie finds herself walking through the zoo to the penguins. From what she could make out from some very panicked screams, he was being attacked? By the penguins. That are barely 13 inches and barely a kilo. It’s all a little maddening to her. 

When she knocks on the employee door, there's a muffle screamed and his voice telling her it's unlocked. As she steps through, she's greeted by her husband crouching on a bench, a group of penguins jumping and trying to get closer to him. 

“My saviour! Thank you so much Maddie.”

She just laughs. He looks panicked and actually scared for his life, as if they could do anything to him. She rattles the lunchbox as she sees Chimney do, and they waddle quite fast towards her. 

“Hi little ones, sorry about the mix up,” She opens the lunch box as one of them starts rubbing against her ankle. She starts feeding them as there's a thud from Chimney hopping off the bench. 

“Why don’t they attack you!”

“I think you’re a little dramatic with that babe.”

“Am not.”

“And I have to get back to work so I will not respond to that.” She hands over the lunchbox, leaning over and kissing him gently. Maddie turns around to leave, flashing Chimney a grin, who is just staring back at her, star struck in love. 

Sebastian has never been this stressed in his life. Not even when he presented his thesis. The day Ravi came home, threw his duffle bag on the island, and ran over to the couch with a massive grin and started rambling about his day, Sebastian knew he was the one. He is truly the boy of his dreams, and he would take his parents homophobic rambles again and again if it met he got to live a thousand different lifetimes with Ravi. 

He had had the ring for months, seven actually. It is a silver tungsten band, with the centre having a ring of green opals. He knows Ravi likes a pop of colour, and how green shines against his skin. He got it engraved as well, the location of the apartment where they were first roommates . It’s timeless, and shines in the sun. He should know, he sat on their bedroom floor by the window crying when he first received it. Custom made, not too expensive but shows his love. 

The only reason why he waited so long was because he had to make sure the seals were ready. Yes, seals. When Ravi told him about how almost all the couples involved animals in their proposals, he knew he just had to do the same. He can only hope it goes well. He’s not worried about Ravi saying no, he’s more worried it’ll be dropped in the pool or a seal will eat it. 

But, from what he heard, Chimney, (he was going to pick Bobby but learnt that Bobby spoilt Athena’s ex’s new proposal so he was off the chart.) had managed to convince Ravi to train the seal in proposals. Apparently he said he got a dm from a celebrity who wanted it. He knows because Ravi came home complaining, confused why he didn’t get the dm. It took everything in him to not kiss him silly and propose right then and there. 

Which is how he feels right now as Ravi is leaving to go see Hen. Aka, Phase One. The distraction. She was taking him to the local aquarium and then out for some food while him and the rest of the team prepared back at the zoo. 

Ravi moves out of the bedroom, leaning over the back of the couch and giving him a long, sweet kiss on the lips before moving to the door with a gentle “Love you,” as it clicks shut. Sebastian lets out a shaky breath, his hands trembling as he gets up and enters the bedroom. Digging through his old college bag, he pulls out the soft velvet box. 

He opens it as a rush of emotions pour out in time with his love. Looking at the green, it reminds him of all the small moments they had at the local park, and how the sun streaming through the leaves warms his skin like Ravi warms his soul. He thinks of the bird's chirps and how it’s similar to Ravi talking about the seals and everything he loves most. He thinks of the time Ravi asked if he would still love him if he was a worm and he just said he had class. He would. But he doesn’t need Ravi getting a big head about it. 

He wipes away a tear he didn’t realise fell as he stands up, shoving the box into his pocket and grabbing his phone, wallet and keys and starting Phase Two.

Phase Two begins in the seals enclosure. He's standing there with Chimney, Buck and Eddie. Bobby and Athena getting May’s help with a few decorations first. His heart is racing and every few seconds he's wiping his clammy hands on his pants. Buck comes up to him, resting his hand on his shoulder. 

“You don’t need to worry Sebastian, Ravi will say yes.” 

“That's not exactly what I'm worried about?” He can’t stop it from coming out like a question. 

Buck cocks an eyebrow, “Then what are you worried about?”

He doesn’t respond for a few seconds, before squeaking out, “I’m worried a seal will eat it?”

Buck laughs at him for way too long and he just sighs. Ravi really does have the weirdest team. “We will keep it away from the seal’s mouth.” Buck then quickly runs off, which makes Sebastian turn and see him stopping Eddie from falling backwards into the pool

He doesn’t have long to dwell on anything, really, May coming up to him. “You got this. Anywhere you specifically want those?” She’s pointing to a seal shaped balloon and a thing of fairy lights. 

“Uh, balloon behind me and fairy lights above?” It’s almost next to impossible to not stammer as he speaks, he really doesn’t think he’s ever felt so nervous before. Usually he’s the calm one in this relationship.

He breathes deeply as he watches them all bustling around, his phone beeping with a picture of Ravi taking a selfie with a lionfish captioning it with a single, it’s you. He smiles. Yeah. This is the right thing to do. 

Phase Three starts later, the seals being bustled around to sit behind him, Xavi with a basket in his mouth that will hold the ring box. Sebastian finds himself being cleaned up by Eddie and Buck who are being very finicky about the position of each hair strand. Hen was around 10 minutes away with Ravi. 

God, will he even be able to hold the ring? His hands are trembling. 

“Just breathe.” Eddie's voice comes from his left side where he was making sure the blue sweater fell properly. Sebastian doesn't know what that means. But Buck is doing the same thing but with his grey slacks. 

“I’m trying,” He chokes out. Really has never been so nervous. 

Buck’s voice pipes up from below, “I promise Xavi won’t eat it and that Ravi will say yes.” 

He halfheartedly chuckles. Even more so when he gets an updated ETA from Hen of 5 minutes. 5 minutes till the boy of his dreams will come walking in the door. See his favourite animals, see part of his family, and see him. On one knee. 

“Come on. Let's get you into position.” 

He’s standing in front of the seal balloons, a few plain blue and grey ones as well, and green. To match the ring. That is burning a hole through the basket. Chimney is kneeling next to Xavi who is now swinging the basket in his mouth. Athena is standing by with an ipad in her hands, holding a feed of the cameras and watching Ravi and Hen walk this way. 

“Chimney, stand up and away. Sebastian. It’s time to kneel.” His heart skips a beat as he very shakily gets on one knee, Xavi flopping closer. He feels like he’s going to be sick. He takes a deep breath. “He’s entering the backroom, everyone, quiet.” Everyone follows. But Xavi who honks and thrusts the basket at Sebastian. 

Who grabs it out as the door creaks open, and Ravi steps out in Sebastian’s sweater and a pair of plain black jeans. The boots on his feet don’t match, and he bites back a laugh, especially at the fact Ravi is just bantering with Hen and not paying any attention.

“Hen come on, it’s easy. It’s feathers or fur. And fur wins all day.”

“Yeah but one can fly and the other can only swim”

“Who needs flying when–” Ravi stops as he takes in his surroundings. The whole team, all the seals, balloons and fairy lights. And in the middle. Sebastian was kneeling on one knee. Sebastian had a ring out. Sebastian was kneeling on one knee, with a ring out. Holy shit he was getting proposed too?

“Oh my god? What the fuck?” The words came tumbling out of his mouth as he stood frozen in front of the doorway. He can feel Hen slowly nudging him forward.

Sebastian takes a deep breath as he opens up the box and the ring glows in the fairy lights. Ravi’s brain is empty and he’s never been more still. “Ravi Panikkar. Since the day I moved into that apartment with you, I knew you would be a constant in my life.”

There's already a tear dripping down his face, and the words were stolen from his mouth. “I never want to spend one day without you again, even if you were a worm. I love you and I want this no matter what. Will you marry me?”

The words hung in the air, the moment frozen in place. Ravi’s brain was reeling and all he could process was his cheeks were wet and that Sebastian just said the words. It felt like his heart was spilling all the love and he couldn’t do anything but crouch down in front of Sebastian. 

Ravi cups his face, pulling him forward into a searing, long kiss, the only way he knew how to give his answer. As they pull back, Sebastian's eyes are glistening with unshed tears, “I’m guessing that's a yes?”

Ravi’s crying now as the words finally come to him, “Yes!” His face suddenly changes as he remembers something “Oh god, my boots,” Sebastian just laughs pulling him into another kiss. The team all cheer out, and they both finally register the clicks of a camera. The seals join in as well, barking out and a few even clapping.

He finally looks down at the ring, only to make a choked out sound. It’s beyond gorgeous. “S-Seb I, wow?” Is all he can manage to breathlessly say. His hands are trembling as his thumb gently glides over the hammered surface, and at the glittery green jewels. He takes it out as he sees the inscription on the inside, and sobs more. He has never felt so goddamn happy.

Sebastian’s hands shake as he takes the ring, and takes Ravi’s left hand. “Almost as gorgeous as you.” As he slides the ring on, the fit is perfect. Ravi holds his hand out in front of him before showing his hand out to the side, and to his team. 

He pulls Sebastian in for an even stronger kiss, his lips craving that close connection and the love they shared, the love that will just continue and continue to grow. Amidst the whoops, cheers and camera clicks, one of the seals takes the chance to dive into the pool splashing both boys. But it doesn’t matter cause this is all they want to be. 

Together.