"Alright, who is it?"
Perry blinked away from his stacks of papers resting on his desk and looked at his partner in question.
"Who is what?"
Pinky wagged his finger showing him he isn't buying that for an answer. "Don't act innocent to me hombre, I've known you long enough to tell when there's someone new in your life. Now, save me the trouble of tying you down and torturing you for the answer, and reveal to me the source of your merriment."
Peter decided to intervene from across his desk and gazed at the duo. "I'm surprise you even know what merriment means."
"It means some sort of joyous fish right?"
Pinky received a crumpled paper ball as his answer. He swiped it in midair playfully and smiled at the thrower. "Okay! Geez, careful with those. You could poke someone's eye out."
Peter huffed. "I can only hope."
"Aww you do care. Anyways, back to the matter at hand." Pinky looked at Perry sternly; face inches away from him as he crouched down on eyelevel.
"Don't. Lie. To. Me." He made his voice low and gruff. Intimidating to those who didn't know who Pinky was, but since this is Perry who is receiving the other end of the glare, it didn't faze him one bit.
In fact, it made him laugh.
"Okay, no. Pete, did he just do what I think he did? Did you just do a Severus impression?" He said in-between breathes.
Peter ruffled his stacks of papers and once he collected a set tapped the bottom to straighten them as best as he could. "I do believe he did, though he lacks the greasy hair bit."
"And pink isn't really Snape's color, no offense Pinky."
The pink haired partner straightened himself and smiled along. "None taken, I much prefer to be Luna Lovegood honestly. Seriously though, who is this new person in your life?"
Peter, who was about to walk out of the room, stopped in his tracks once he heard a new person in the teal-haired man's life. He turned and walked back, standing beside Pinky in front of Perry's desk. He tried his best not to show his emotions on his face but it wasn't enough to prevent his voice from cracking or sounding demanding. "What is our pink haired-menace talking about?"
Perry didn't seem to notice the cracking nor did Pinky, and if they did, they weren't pointing it out.
"You got me. Pinky, do you care to elaborate in your request?" Perry questioned the source of all this commotion.
"You mean you haven't noticed? How you randomly smile like a buffoon when stacking papers or how you suddenly laugh at the computer screen? Not to mention how you get all goo-goo eyes when you look at your phone."
Pinky received a confused look. The teal-haired man really didn't notice he was doing all of that!
"Goo-goo eyes?"
"Oh come on! Pete! Tell me you noticed Perry doing this! Don't leave me alone here man."
Peter gave him a quirked eyebrow as his response. He hasn't noticed the man doing any of this either.
The pink-haired detective threw his hands in the air. "I can't believe this! How did you both even get here in the first place? You call yourselves detectives, for shame!" He wagged his finger in disapproval at both men and gave them a stern look before continuing where he left of.
"I can't pinpoint the exact date Perry my man, but you've started to get easily distracted. Not in a bad sense but compared to how you got when your cousin came to the picture you seem more relaxed, more free from the work attitude you carried. You smile at the most random times, you laugh when nothing was said and you're just plain lost in your own world. You seriously haven't noticed any of this?"
Perry thought this information over. He guessed he has gotten a little distracted in the past week or two. His mind has started to drift off easily when working on reports and the laughing part; well it can't be helped when he remembers something funny that happened days before.
"Okay, so maybe I have been doing all of those. That doesn't necessarily mean that it is caused by someone new." He tried defending himself, but he knew deep down it's a lost cause. His partner can put pieces together, solve cases, study behavior, (And when he has worked with you for well over two years) know reasons behind everything.
"Do I even need to respond to that?" Pinky smiled at him. He knew all too well that even Perry knew he can't lie to him.
Pinky knew the reason but he doesn't need to know who the reason is. He doesn't need to know that the doctor that gave Ferb his check-up weeks ago ran into him in the grocery store and they exchanged numbers. He doesn't need to know that the doctor has a habit of sending him good morning text messages, and sending them from Phineas to Ferb as well. He doesn't need to know that Perry may, or may not have a growing attraction to the doc whose name is Heinz Doofenshmirtz. He also doesn't need to know that the doc is a guy.
Pinky can know the reason; he doesn't need to know who the reason is.
He smiled at his partner. "No, you don't. I may have met someone a few weeks ago and we may have exchanged numbers."
At every word he said he noticed Pinky's face growing a smile that only widened and curled upward once he finished his sentence. He also noticed Peter's face, even though the man's face was practically blank all the time, frowned the more he spoke, his face falling when he finished. Did he say something wrong?
"Hombre, this is great news!" Pinky glowed at the revelation. Finally! Someone new in Perry's life!
"Now don't get excited yet, for all you know nothing will happen out of this."
"As if, the way you've been acting tells me something will happen faster than you know it."
"Yeah, maybe-" Before Perry could say anything else his phone started ringing. He checked the id but he didn't recognize the number arrangement.
"Hang on, someone is calling me." He excused himself and made his way out of sight.
Once alone, Pinky's face changed from the excitement of hearing the news to concern. He looked straight at Peter and couldn't help but feel sorry, and at the same time happy, for the man.
Perry remained oblivious to the man's affections and no matter what Peter did to get his attention, it all ended in failure. He just sees him as a co-worker, maybe even a partner, but anything outside of that is a major no.
Peter hasn't moved from his stance, choosing to gaze at the spot where Perry was sitting just moments ago and refusing to let his emotions show. He didn't fool Pinky though; he knew exactly what was going on.
"Hey, Pete boy? You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Why shouldn't I be?" Peter replied coldly.
"Well because of the whole Perry finding someone new thing. You don't have to hide-" Pinky got interrupted as Peter whipped his head and looked at him, his face completely blank of emotions.
"Hide what? So Perry found someone new why does that matter to me? He is happy now, practically prancing around like a love-struck schoolgirl, this doesn't affect me."
Pinky stopped his ranting. "You and I both know that it does, and telling me it doesn't matter is like saying boss man can live without his coffee. You know how he gets without his coffee."
Peter didn't respond to this, choosing instead to turn away and look at a spot on the desk. "He's still alive isn't he?"
"Yeah, but I wouldn't want to be near him."
Silence took over as Peter refused to look up from the spot and Pinky decided to join in on the staring.
"It's not all bad news you know. This way I can finally-" He got interrupted again when Perry flew down to them and grabbed hold of everything he could get. His eyes were wide and full of panic, his skin looked paler than usual and if Pinky was imagining it, his hair seemed to have gotten white. Perry didn't even remember to say anything to them when he ran out of their confined desks space.
"Perry! Man, where's the fire?" Pinky shouted after him before he disappeared through the doors.
"Pinky! Tell Monogram I had to leave early! Something came up!"
"What happened?"
"I-I, hospital! I got a call from the hospital!" Was all he said before he left the room and out of the building, dashing through co-workers and hallways.
"Hospital?" Pinky questioned out loud. "Why would they call him?"
Perry's mind was reeling and jumbling in panic. He couldn't get a proper thought across let alone remember how to speak. He whirled through the car ride over to the daycare and picked up Ferb, hardly saying a word besides 'Emergency' and 'Got to go now!'
He never gave a proper explanation to Miss O'Neill and never even said hi to Ferb, who sat in the passenger seat looking at him with concern and worry while also strangling Perry the Platydoll in a hug.
Perry received a phone call from the hospital giving him unexpected news, big unexpected news, big unexpected and shocking news. He doesn't even know how to begin explaining it.
He hardly paid any attention to road signs or other cars driving near him. Later he will scold himself for putting Ferb in any car-related danger but right now he just couldn't think straight.
The Danville Hospital appeared sooner than Perry would have liked but he needed to figure what's happening out. He managed to find a parking spot and jumped out of his car in a hurry. Quickly opening the passenger door and lifting Ferb up before locking it and speed-walking inside the hospital. Ferb never stood a chance in complaining on walking on his own and instead clutched Perry the Platydoll even more as his older cousin slammed the hospital doors opened.
Perry looked around once inside and spotted folks sitting in waiting rooms, talking amongst themselves, walking from room to room and observing small T.V's.
He saw a lady sitting behind, what he guessed, was a front desk and asked with a shaky voice.
"U-uh, excuse me? I'm here because I received a call involving Lyla Wallinberry?"
The receptionist didn't even look at him, choosing instead to continue examining a stack of papers before pulling out an orange folder.
"Are you Perry Platynis?"
"Yes, yes that's me."
"Walk through those doors and head down the hall-way, when you come to a blockage turn right and keep going straight until you see room 101C. One of the nurses will assist you." The lady pointed to the side towards two giant white doors to show where to start, she still didn't look up to gaze at him.
"Thank you." The receptionist might have been rude but no matter what Perry was taught to be respectful. After all, treat others how you wish to be treated, even when sometimes they don't deserve it.
Perry ran down through the instructions, Ferb now clutching his neck in an attempt to stop the constant bouncing from the movements. He was terrified, his older cousin hasn't said a word to him and now he was back in this evil, white place. The last time he was here his parents went away. He didn't understand the function of this white place but he knew enough to understand that it's a place that takes important people away. Why did he bring him here? Is Perry going to disappear too? Is it his turn to disappear?
Ferb buried his face into his cousin's neck. He didn't want to disappear and he doesn't want Perry gone either. Take him back home, he promises to be good; just don't let him or Perry disappear. Please!
Room 101C was right in front of him. Perry spent a good amount just looking at the door and never noticed his little cousin sniffling on his neck. He shakily reached for the door handle and cautiously walked in.
The room was shining and big. Inside weren't any typical patient beds or curtains and instead housed little glass versions of baby cradles, there were ten cradles in total but only four of them were occupied by a figure inside.
There was one nurse inside the room and already stood in front of him when he entered. "Hello, how can I help you?"
"Uh, I-I uhm, I got a phone call from here, saying that Lyla Wallinberry, that she uh." He couldn't process any words to explain but the nurse seemed to understand just what he wanted to say.
"Your last name sir?"
"Platynis, my last name is Platynis."
"Ah yes, Perry Platynis correct? I should have recognized who you were from your hair color. Right this way sir."
The nurse led them to a baby cradle that sat at the far end of the group; inside he can already see the teal-hair showing from the figure. It was faint because of the lack of hair, but it was there.
"Here you are sir, this is your son."
Perry became breathless. Inside the cradle was the smallest little being he had ever seen, so delicate, so fragile and so defenseless inside the glass. He couldn't even tell if the being was real or alive until he moved his small hand. His eyes were closed so Perry couldn't tell what color they were but the hair is unmistakable, he got his hair. His nose however, not so much. Looks like he got hold of Lyla's pointy nose.
This is his son.
By George he has a son.
He is a father and this little being is his son.
He couldn't begin processing the thought. When he and Lyla broke up he never imagined her to be pregnant, she never told him anything, and suddenly here he is in the hospital nine months later looking at a baby that is his son.
"Is he?" He found himself asking. What exactly he was asking remained a mystery but he just needed to say something, anything.
"Your son is a healthy and average 6lb and 9oz little baby boy. They both are."
Perry whipped his head at her. "Both?" His voice cracked at the question but can you blame him?
"Yep, both." She then proceeded to tap the glass on the cradle next to his so called one son.
The baby inside the glass didn't look at all like the first. Instead of his teal hair he got a brown shade, same as his ex, but he did get his long, ball-pointed nose. Poor kid.
"S-so t-twins?"
She smiled warmly at him. "Yes indeed, fraternal twins."
"I-I'm a father?"
"Last time I check when someone has a son they get labeled as father, so yes, you're a father. Aren't you already?"
Perry looked confused at the question; no he wasn't a father before he received the phone call. Why would she-?
He answered his own question before he could finish it. She meant little Ferb who, now that he noticed, was clutching his neck, that he also noticed was wet on one spot. His little cousin was crying.
"Ferb? Hey Ferb? What's wrong bud? Did something happen? I didn't hurt you did I?"
Ferb mumbled something, something so soft and so quiet that Perry was sure he wouldn't have heard it if he wasn't just inches away from his ear, and it broke his heart in two.
"M-mom… d-daddy… gone.. don't go."
Perry mentally punched, kicked and did any other form of punishment on himself. He was such an idiot!
Ferb is crying because they were in a hospital, a place where his parents were in for the last time before they disappeared from his life. He doesn't understand that hospitals are technically supposed to help you, save you and heal you. He only knows them as the place that took his parents away, and Perry just walked inside like nothing.
He also thought back at the clinic where Ferb got his check-up done. He wasn't scared because of sharp, pointy needles; he was terrified because he knows people leave when they go inside and never come back.
"Ferb? Hey bud? Nobody is going anywhere. We aren't disappearing, okay? We're actually here to get someone. Two someone's actually."
It took a couple of minutes for Ferb to cautiously look at him, lifting his head from hiding and curiously looking around for these two somebody's. The nurse was an angel, waiting patiently and not asking any questions, instead going over a clipboard and minding her own business.
Perry straightened himself out, he can't go off and panic all the time. It usually ends with him causing his little cousin to cry or become terrified. He needs to be strong for the both of them.
He leaned Ferb closer by crouching down a bit and encouraged him to look at the two babies he stared at a couple of minutes ago. "See these two little bundles?"
Ferb nodded, gazing at the two little figures with his puffy, red eyes in interest.
"Well, these are the two someone's we came to see. They are my sons."
Perry couldn't believe he just said that. He just said my sons. It felt so surreal.
His little cousin looked at the two babies and while still holding on to Perry the Platydoll with one arm, used his other to try and reach for them. Perry had to tighten his grip a little to prevent him from falling off his arms.
"Whoa there bud, easy now. You have to be careful around babies; they can't defend themselves and can get hurt easily.
Ferb instantly pulled his arm back as if just trying to reach out could break them.
"Excuse me Mr. Platynis?" The nurse finally came back once she noticed that everything was okay. "I need you to sign a couple of papers for me, would you mind?"
Perry shook his head. "Not at all, hold on a sec." He carefully set Ferb down. "Now Ferb, I'm going to go sign things, keep an eye on these two, okay? Don't let anything happen to them."
Ferb nodded as if he was just left in charge on a dangerous mission, turning his head back on the two cradles and guarding them.
Perry walked over to the nurse who pulled out papers from a folder and placed them on a clipboard.
"What are these for?" He questioned, looking over the papers once he got hold of them.
"They are papers saying that you claim every right to the two boys and are responsible. It also claims you as the father."
He nodded. "What about their mother? Shouldn't she be here or something?"
The nurse frowned a little, throwing sympathy at the two infants. "I'm afraid Miss Wallinberry signed over all her rights and left the moment she could stand. She never revealed who the father was when they were first born and only when she sign and headed out did she reveal your information. She left before we even called you."
His fingers tightened around the pen to the brink of breaking it in half. Perry couldn't believe what he has just heard. Lyla left just like that, signed over her rights on the twins and didn't even think twice? If she didn't want them then why did she carry them?
No, Perry shouldn't be asking himself that. If she hadn't have carried them than he wouldn't be here looking at his two sons in person. He would never have known that he was a father, but to think she would do something like that. Perry didn't know she was capable.
"By signing all her rights away she basically can't see them anymore?" He asked to make sure.
The nurse nodded. "Not unless you want her to."
"Yeah, that's not happening anytime soon."
Once he signed all the papers necessary he handed her the clipboard back. "Let me be the first to congratulate you sir, even if its late its better than nothing."
He chuckled at this. "Yeah, it's a start at this new life. Thank you."
"Now for the important matters, what are these two little angels' names?"
This made him freeze for a second. Names? He never even thought of that!
"I, uh, I have no idea." He answered.
The nurse gave him a smile and shooed him away to the twins. "Well than, start brainstorming because no infant should leave a hospital nameless."
Perry couldn't agree with her more. "I'll get right on it."
He walked back to the cradles holding the twins and to Ferb who still remained the way he left him, standing at attention and vigilant.
"Good work soldier, at ease." Perry teased him, crouching down and picking him up again.
"Hey bud, I'm going to need your help. These two need names and I can't decide on my own. Any ideas?"
Ferb thought this over, even going so far as to put a finger on his lips and furrowing his eyebrows in concentration.
Perry did the same, minus the finger and eyebrows part, as different sets of names crossed his mind. One particular name kept rotating around, a name he had grown fond of when he first heard of it. There is something in Ethan that he just loved, it could be because of the similar sounds it has with Eternal. Everlasting and long living, something you can't forget. He wants his son to be remembered for things that he will accomplish and do.
"What do you think about Ethan?" He asked his cousin once he decided.
Ferb only thought this over for a second before nodding and pointing at the teal-haired baby.
"So that one got the honor of the name?" Another nod.
"Alright, you got any ideas yet?"
Yet another nod. "Max."
"Max?" Perry repeated.
"Maximus."
Maximus? Why does that name sound so familiar?
The more Perry thought about it the more the image of a white horse popped into his head, than it hit him. Tangled, the movie with the long, blond haired girl and the thief that have a white stallion help them out. The stallion is named Maximus.
"Bud, are you naming the baby after a horse from a movie?"
Ferb shook his head in his defense. "Maximus strong, smart and good."
Oh, there was deeper meaning besides just a character's name. Ferb is naming him after someone who is depicted as strong, very intelligent, independent, and determined.
Is this child really four?
"Alright, we'll name him Maximus. When he gets older and figures out his name is based on a cartoon character, I ain't helping you."
Ferb stuck his tongue out playfully.
"That being settled."
He turned to look at both twins, Ferb following after as the two infants continued to sleep, separated by a glass wall.
"Welcome to the family than, Ethan and Max."
Ferb, even though he knew the twins couldn't see him, waved at them in greeting.
"Hello."
