#shahrukh

-Cariño- dear

-Mi cielo- my dear

-Anonymity- basically privacy lol 

The bar was low-lit and quiet in the way Sharukuh preferred: soft music, polished wood, and the kind of anonymity money usually bought him. He sat alone at a corner table, jacket still on, posture stiff, one hand wrapped loosely around his glass. He wasn’t here to socialize. He was here to disappear.

That peace, however, didn’t last.

“Mind if I sit?” came a warm voice, accented far too confident for someone who hadn’t been invited.

Sharukuh didn’t look up. “Yes.”

Esteban took the seat anyway.

Sharukuh sighed, finally lifting his gaze. Esteban always wore that familiar grin easy, charming, and clearly aware of the effect it had on people. The kind of man who treated rejection like a suggestion.

“I said I minded,” Sharukuh muttered.

“And yet,” Esteban replied cheerfully, settling in, “here I am. Must be fate.”

“Or poor listening skills,” Sharukuh huffed back.

Esteban laughed, undeterred. “You’re drinking alone again. That doesn’t seem very fun for a man who owns half the city.”

Sharukuh scoffed. “You do not know anything about me.”

“I know you pretend you don’t enjoy company,” Esteban said, signaling the bartender. “And I know you always stay, even when you tell me to leave.”

Sharukuh scoffed again, but it came out weak. “You assume too much.”

“I observe,” Esteban corrected, resting his elbow on the table. “There’s a difference.”

Sharukuh risked a glance at him and immediately regretted it. Esteban was closer than necessary, smile easy and knowing, eyes warm in a way that made Sharukuh’s chest feel tight. He looked away just as quickly.

“Stop looking at me like that,” Sharukuh muttered.

“Like what?” Esteban asked, tilting his head.

“Like you—” Sharukuh stopped, ears burning. “Never mind.”

Esteban’s smile softened. “You’re adorable when you get flustered, cariño.”

Sharukuh froze. “…Do not call me that.”

But he didn’t sound angry. And worse he didn’t pull away when Esteban’s hand began to slide closer on the table.

Their fingers brushed.

Sharukuh tensed, instinct screaming at him to move, to retreat behind the walls he’d built so carefully. But Esteban didn’t rush it. He just let his fingers rest there, barely touching like an invitation rather than a demand.

The bar grew quieter as the night wore on, the low hum of conversation fading into soft music and clinking glasses. Sharukuh barely noticed. His attention was on the warmth of Esteban’s hand around his own steady, patient, like it had always belonged there.

He should have pulled away.

He didn’t.

Instead, he let himself breathe.

“You know,” Esteban said gently, voice low enough that it felt meant just for him, “you don’t have to pretend with me.”

Sharukuh’s fingers tightened just a little in response. “I’m not pretending.”

Esteban smiled, not teasing this time. “That’s all I needed to hear.”

When it was finally time to leave, Esteban stood first never letting go of the super stars hand.

Outside, the air was cool and quiet. The city lights reflected softly off the pavement, and for once, Sharukuh didn’t feel like he needed to rush anywhere.

Esteban glanced at him. “Can I walk you home, mi cielo?”

Sharukuh hesitated just for a second. Then nodded.

“…Yes.”

Esteban nodded his smile was now bright but gentle. He didn’t pull Sharukuh closer or rush him forward. He simply matched his pace, their hands still intertwined, steps falling naturally in sync.

As they walked, Sharukuh felt something unfamiliar but welcome settle in his chest. Not pressure. Not fear.

Peace.

He still didn’t say the words. He wasn’t ready for that yet.

But when Esteban squeezed his hand and Sharukuh squeezed back without thinking it felt like a promise all the same.

And this time, Sharukuh let himself believe he deserved it.

?!?!?! OMYGOD?!?!?!? OMYGOD??? CONTENT FOR THE RAREPAIR?!??!!? OH MY GOD

Ok first of all I need to thank you for this PROFUSELY LIKE. WOAAAAAHHHTT??? this is so amazing!!!

i love the dynamic here like. Shahrukh being so closed off and scared of letting himself be vulnerable and Esteban barges in (not literally) and offers Shahrukh the smallest bit of genuine affection. He's simultaenously so pushy and so patient with him and it fascinates me like woah! and at that slightest bit of affection Shahrukh just. breaks. ooooohhh? but not like he'll let that show 🤭🤭🤭

these lines especially i really love

"Sharukuh sighed, finally lifting his gaze. Esteban always wore that familiar grin easy, charming, and clearly aware of the effect it had on people. The kind of man who treated rejection like a suggestion."

Like that is literally so esteban. he's such a social butterfly fr fr love ittt

and also

"Sharukuh tensed, instinct screaming at him to move, to retreat behind the walls he’d built so carefully. But Esteban didn’t rush it. He just let his fingers rest there, barely touching like an invitation rather than a demand."

SKJHSKJHS AWW

man i dont say it a lot, but i really do appreciate your constance in the LPS 2012 fandom and keeping us fed. your writing is just so lovely and seeing any content for these silly lil guys is just ^^ AAUUGHH

I WILL be drawing something for this, LOOK OUT!!!! it wont be immediate bc i'll be busy with other stuff at the moment but i would love to. and also i've been vying to redraw/redesign my other lps designs too (mainly the swap 7 and ESPECIALLY THAT PARROT AND SUPERSTAR MONGOOSE) so this is just perfect!

Adult Rikki

Baby Rikki

Rikki's original version (drawn 10 years ago)

Description:

Rikki is blue mongoose with a small segment of lighter blue hair, muzzle, and tummy/chest. He also has light blue on the bottoms of his paws. His eyes are cyan colored and he has a tiny magenta-red nose. He has dark blue stripes on his back. The inside coloring of his ears is very dark blue. As a child, he is affectionate, curious, playful, shy, and timid. As an adult, he is calm, less timid and shy, romantic, flirtatious, and also playful. He loves magic tricks like his parents and does them like his father. He has a father Sunil, a mother Daisy, an uncle Shahrukh, an aunt Rose, grandfathers Peter Nevla and Linus Naram, grandmothers Sunna Nevla and Sheila Naram, great-grandfathers Sanjay Nevla and Ranjit Parvakh, great-grandmother Randa Parvakh, great-great-grandfathers Jimmy Parvakh and Sunil Gupta, great-great-grandmothers Preeti Parvakh and Shreya Gupta, great-great-great-grandfather Harun Parvakh, great-great-great-grandmother Prisha Parvakh, and several younger brothers and sisters. He was born on the island like his mother. Since childhood, he has been friends with the hedgehog Adiboo Ferguson, the gecko Buddy Terrio, the dog Clover Butler, the monkey Poppy Brown, the panda Aurora Chen, the skunk Irma Pharaoh, and a human Paige Sharp

Relationships:

Adiboo Ferguson: A very good friend, but sometimes finds him a bore

Buddy Terrio: Best friend since early childhood and loves spending time with him, can sometimes quarrel with him, almost always tolerates his stupidity and low intelligence

Clover Butler: He'd been in love with her since early childhood. He dated her as a teenager, and Clover ended up having two children with him and then left him for another guy

Poppy Brown: Has a good relationship with her, but sometimes can't stand her hyperactivity

Aurora Chen: A very good friend from whom he can ask for advice and support

Irma Pharaoh: Ricky was in love with her too, but not as much as Clover. He only dated her because Clover had left him for another guy. But his relationship with Irma also ended with her giving birth to two children from him and leaving for another guy

Rita Aaron: His love forever. Even though he is happy with her after ending his romantic relationships with Clover and Irma, Rikki still loves Clover the most, and Rita understands this and is not jealous of it

Paige Sharp: Has a good relationship with her, loves her like her owner, and sometimes asks for affection

Interesting facts:

1) His name is a reference to the character of the same name from Joseph Rudyard Kipling's short story of the same name

2) In the original version, he was a yellow mongoose with blue eyes due to the character's author's poor knowledge of genetics

3) Also, in the original version, Rikki was the main character during the arc when the pets became parents

4) His adulthood is a reference to Luka Couffaine from "Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir"

5) Rikki and Clover's romantic relationship is a reference to Luka and Marinette Dupain-Cheng

6) Also, the romantic relationship between Rikki and Clover is a reference to the shipp Sunil x Zoe (also with the romantic relationship between Rikki and Irma is a reference to the shipp Sunil x Pepper)

7) The friendship between Rikki and Buddy is similar to the friendship between their fathers because Sunil and Vinnie were determined that their children would be best friends just like them

8) In the original version, Rikki only had a romantic relationship with Orm and Pepper's daughter

9) Although Rikki may be cowardly like his father, he is mostly brave like his ancestor Ranjit and his "prototype"

10) Rikki can sometimes playfully tease and taunt his father, just like his mother sometimes does

11) Rikki is the first child to follow in Sunil's footsteps

12) Rikki has been attached to Sunil since birth, just like babies mongooses do when choosing nannies in real life

13) Rikki doesn't feel jealous of his exes' boyfriends at all, especially Clover

14) The reason why Rikki's and Clover's/Irma's romantic relationship ends is because they are different species