Beagle Coconut faking being injured so Beagle Night will dote on him and give him kisses and cuddles. Phai tries to do the same thing and Reaver gives him The Look that has Phai going “aw shucks” and poking his fingers together.
It happens when he’s in the Garden of Life. That itself is nothing unusual; it was in a way “prescribed” to him by the combined might of Hyacine and Professor Anaxa that he spend at least three hours a day in the Garden of Life as a part of his healing. So he does and he enjoys it. The chimeras have taken a great liking to him, not being scared anymore to come lay on him when he’s napping.
It also means he gets to watch over Beagle Coconut and make sure the chimera isn’t causing too many issues.
And speaking of the menace…
Phainon sees him by the Awooo Firm hub, looking around curiously. He finds it a little odd for the chimera to be curious about it, given that Beagle Coconut has been there and gotten tasks from the Firm several times, but then he sees it.
In a matter of seconds, Beagle Coconut goes from walking around just fine, nose in the air all smug-like, to suddenly limping, holding his front right paw slightly above the ground and shaking it ever so slightly. His normally large, all-seeing eyes droop and fill with tears as he hops forward—
Right toward Beagle Night, who has just returned from an errand if the empty bag on his back is anything to go by. He watches as Beagle Coconut limps his way over to the much larger chimera, sadly awoo-ing as he does, bumping into Beagle Night when he gets close enough. And then…and then the little actor has the audacity to fall over and cry out as if he were actually injured.
What in the name of Kephale?
He looks around to see if any of the other chimeras have caught on and notices that they all have. Every chimera in the area is either rolling its eyes or pointedly ignoring the show that’s happening near them.
“...awoo?” is all that Beagle Night says, which is apparently enough to set Beagle Coconut off. The grey chimera starts awoo-ing and iwi-ing while more tears well up in his eyes. He “tries” to stand, leaning heavily on his left paw to show his “injured” right paw to Beagle Night. Beagle Night lowers his head to sniff at the paw. “...awoo…”
“...awoo! Awoo awa!” The grey chimera cries out, acting as if he’s going to step on it but flinches right before he can.
Beagle Night eyes the limp closely, reaching out with his own paw to touch. Beagle Coconut flinches right before he can touch and he sees how Beagle Night’s eye narrows just a little bit.
And whatever Beagle Coconut says has Beagle Night leaning down and—
You’ve got to be kidding.
That little shit! That’s all he wanted!
He watches as Beagle Coconut climbs up onto Beagle Night’s back, nuzzling his little head against Beagle Night’s. The larger chimera huffs once, before turning and giving the grey chimera several kisses.
And all the while, Beagle Coconut looks as smug as he can be, basking in the rare affection he’s getting.
And when Beagle Night turns even more to look at the chimera, Beagle Coconut has the audacity to whine and hold his “injured” paw up.
It’s… It’s not fair! Khaos never gives him kisses like that when he’s injured, doesn’t even carry him. He’s not jealous of a chimera though!
He shrieks at the sudden unknown voice, flailing around for a few seconds before turning to see Khaos standing above him, brow furrowed under the shadow of his hood.
“Khaos! You scared me!” His heart is beating fast and taking a few seconds to calm down before addressing his lover. “Hi!”
“...you’ve been staring at Beagle Night for a while now… Is he okay?” Khaos asks, still standing. His dull gaze shifts from Phainon to the chimera, who is now walking toward the river that flows through the Garden of Life, Beagle Coconut awoo-ing away happily on his back.
“He is! I was just watching him with Beagle Coconut. They are very cute,” he muses. And then, “Hey…Khaos?”
“You know…when you startled me…I hit my hand on the ground… It hurt really badly…”
“Mhm!” He nods, looking up at Khaos with his best puppy look. He lifts his hand up, making his wrist go limp. “...it hurts, Khaos… I think you should carry me back home.”
“...” Khaos looks at him with narrowed eyes, mouth thin. “Your hand hurts…and you want me to carry you back home?”
“Mhm!” He even adds a sniff for effect. If Beagle Coconut can get Beagle Night to carry him around, then so can Phainon!
“W-what? Why?!” he cries out, lip wobbling.
“...you are faking it. Your hand is fine; you’re resting on it right now.” Whoops. He immediately stops and swaps to leaning on his right hand. “...Phainon…”
“But Khaos! I’m injured!”
“...I think the only thing injured is your… Nevermind… I’m going now… Beagle Night needs a new blanket…”
And then Khaos walks away, leaving Phainon to flail again as he rushes after him. “I’m sorry! Khaos, don’t be like that. I’m fine! I’m fine! I just want you to carry me like Beagle Night does to Beagle Coconut! It’s not fairrrrrrr!”
And then Khaos is gone in a flash, leaving Phainon grasping at nothing. He sniffs again, this time for real. How unfair!
Sighing, he turns to grab his satchel, done for the day. Except there, walking by, is Beagle Night with Beagle Coconut on his back, paws snug in the purple fluff around Beagle Night’s neck. As they walk by, Beagle Coconut turns to him, a smug grin on his little face. Before Phainon can say something in response, Beagle Coconut lets out a sad awoo and Beagle Night turns and gives the little chimera a lick on the cheek.
And Beagle Coconut’s grin only gets bigger.
“I’m gonna tell on you.” He mouths to the chimera.
Beagle Coconut only huffs and goes back to kneading Beagle Night’s fluff.
