"Ok," Matt huffed, "You can get down."

Kyle gingerly slid off the bunny's back as he inquisitively studied the apartment. Matt straightened his back with a loud crack and finally caught his breath before he drug in both bags and closed the door.

Kyle's legs shook as he held the wall to stand up straight. This place was very unusual to the boy. It didn't have a hallway like the orphanages did. His eyes went wide, though, when he looked to the right and saw a counter with a sink and a fridge and a stove. It was a kitchen. He wasn't allowed to go in the kitchen because it was too dangerous. Kyle dropped the crutch and hugged the wall even tighter. Had he already made a mistake? His ears went down as he looked to the bunny.

"You can walk on all fours around the house." Matt said, "It's just us."

Kyle tilted his head to the side. What about the kitchen? He saw the things that he was supposed to avoid, but at the same time it didn't look like the kitchen that he saw in his shows. It opened up to an area with a table, and further back he saw a couch and a tv. Maybe it wasn't really a kitchen.

As he looked around the corner Kyle saw Matt looking at him with a tired smile. The bunny was waiting for something. Was he supposed to do something? The bunny nodded softly which didn't help. Kyle put his tail between his legs.

Matt rushed to the fox with a worried expression and leaned a little to be face to face with the boy, "It's really just us. You can relax."

The kit's ears lifted, even more confused than before. How was that related to the kitchen? Kyle was switching focus between Matt's eyes, desperately wanting to get a hint as to what he should do. But in the growing silence the bunny's smile got weaker.

"I know that it has to be scary to do that in an unfamiliar place, but you're safe here." Matt spoke softly with a true conviction behind his voice. Then he lowered his body to the floor to place his paws on it. With a few hops he moved past the kit and looked back. "Come on. I want to show you your new home."

The realization dawned on the kit's face. It was silly that he forgot about it, but at the same time it felt nice to see the bunny on all fours. The only thing that kept Kyle from wagging his tail was the torn fabric on Matt's back. It was something that would normally get him into trouble, but the weird bunny seemed to forget about it and wanted Kyle to follow him on all fours next to the kitchen.

Kyle's legs were shaking, and he really wanted to give them a little break, but he had to make sure. He lifted his head up and sniffed. Everything smelled just like Matt! It made him feel so nice and warm. He knew the bunny's scent, but this was different. It was Matt's space and the boy was invited into it. This was the place where Matt felt safe, and Kyle felt safe with him, so without hesitation the fox dropped on all fours.

The kit was still tired, but with his arms supporting some of the weight he had some energy left in him to explore and timidly follow the bunny. Kyle's tail was down, almost dragging behind him with his head low. However, his wondering eyes scanned every little detail of the apartment.

On the right wall of the room there were three doors and they stopped at the first. Matt got up to open it and went back to all fours right after. "This is the bathroom."

The boy peaked in. It was a normal-looking bathroom, but there was something weird about it... It looked really big for Matt. Kyle looked back and saw that it was the same with the kitchen that they just passed. Some of the counters were lowered, but there was also a stepping stool with a rail so it could move around.

"We have a shower, and I'm sure you'll love the fur-drier." Kyle looked back at the bathroom. There was a stool next to the sink to make it easier to reach. The toilet was bigger than the fox was used to, but it should be fine to use. The shower was really big, too but the most interesting thing was what looked like another shower with holes in the wall and the floor. Kyle had never seen anything like that before. It must be the fur-drier.

Matt studied the boy's muzzle and moved on to the next door when the boy was ready. The bunny was visibly excited when he opened the door. "This is going to be your room."

Kyle's head perked up and he pushed his head inside the room. It wasn't the first time that he got a new room, but it was the first time that it wasn't at an orphanage. Kyle wasn't sure what he was expecting, but in a way it was shocking how normal the room was. It was very spacious with a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and a dresser. It was the biggest room that the kit had ever stayed in and it had the biggest bed.

The kit slowly walked in. The room was more sunny than he liked because of the big window, but the curtains reached the floor so he would be able to move them around. He really liked the big bed. It would be nice to have so much space to sleep on. He smelled something weird. The bed was clean, but he could smell a faint scent of three young hares. Mister Matt probably takes care of other kits, too.

"Do you like it?" Matt asked excitedly.

That was a weird question. It was a nice room, nicer than most of the rooms that he had before, but it was still just a room. 'One of the many that he had and will have in the future.' The words of a mammal from one of the orphanages stayed with him. Kyle shrugged, which dimmed some of Matt's enthusiasm.

"Don't worry. We'll make it nice once you settle in. I'm sure that you'll love it." Matt gave a big smile. That was weird, too. How can you make a room nicer?

They moved to the last room, which was Matt's bedroom. It was smaller than Kyle's room with a smaller bed, dresser, and wardrobe. The fox was fascinated because he had never seen the room where adults sleep, but it just looked like a normal room. Maybe all bedrooms look similar to each other... the ones at the orphanages were mostly the same. The only difference was that sometimes there were a few kits in the same room. Maybe it was the same for tv homes. Kyle watched with fascination when his belly growled.

"Ok! It's time to put some food in you." Matt smiled and led the boy to the table right next to the kitchen area and helped Kyle into the chair. Kyle leaned back as Matt nervously approached the bag with the meal. The bunny's movements were slow and smelled sweet. The boy furrowed his brow. Movement can't smell sweet.

The fox curiously sniffed around and in seconds pinpointed that the sweet scent was coming from the bowl on the table. It smelled a little different than what he was used to, but he knew that scent. It was chocolate. The kit wagged his tail eagerly. They didn't give him chocolate at the bunny orphanage, and it was one of the things that he missed the most from the predator orphanage. He often smelled chocolate from the bunny kits, but he always got something different. The kit licked his lips. He was hungry and Matt wanted him to get something to eat.

"""

After Matt put on a new shirt, he looked at the dreaded pre-made meal on the counter. He didn't like it for so many reasons. For starters, he loathed the idea of giving a kit in his care unhealthy, processed food when he should be cooking for his foster kits himself. The bunny also believed that the savage incidents might be caused by some substance being introduced in predator oriented products, so the meal was also potentially dangerous.

Matt could give Kyle some leftover soup, but it felt like delaying the problem rather than dealing with it. The bunny would have to cook for the kit at some point, and frozen food was a way to get used to the idea. Giving Kyle junk food just felt wrong, but it was only a temporary solution. He was going to do his research and find some simple meals that he could make. He looked with annoyance at the cookbook on the shelf, 'Healthy Meals for Growing Bunny Kits'. He would have to look for the fox version of that book.

Matt carefully read the instructions for the cricket and tomato sauce pasta. He just needed to open the lid and microwave the meal for a few minutes and it should be good. Being frozen, it didn't really have a scent, and to his relief none of the crickets were poking out of the sauce. The bunny set the timer and started the microwave. Then he went to the fridge to get his leftover vegetable soup to reheat it on the stove. He didn't really need to control any of it so he went back to the table to sit with Kyle.

The microwave hummed softly and the soup bubbled as they sat in silence both exhausted by the events of the day. Kyle looked at him with his big, curious, icy-blue eyes as if he was trying to decide how he felt about the whole situation. It was a little unsettling how well the boy took it all. It might have been a fox thing, but Matt suspected that it was more related to how often he was moved between orphanages. The bunny wasn't sure if he wanted to know what the boy considered to be normal in his life. The kit's eyes were still red, but at least the cough seemed to die down a little. His fur was a mess and when he saw the boy's untrimmed claws Matt realized what he'd forgotten.

"We forgot to clean our paws. Let's do that before dinner's ready." Matt got up and looked at the boy. Kyle nodded and jumped off the chair directly on all fours. There was a fragile grace in that. It was clear that the boy wasn't strong enough to move a lot. Each step was underlined by the threat of one of his legs finally giving up, but the way his body moved reminded the bunny of a field of wheat on the wind.

They faced another issue in the bathroom. Kyle was tall enough to reach the sink, but Matt wasn't sure if the soap that he was using was good for the boy. Following a quick search on the internet, he learned that the only thing specific that the boy would need was a shampoo and conditioner. So they were in the clear. They heard the ping from the microwave and Matt carried the boy on his back to the table.

His house was clean, but Matt had never thought that cleaning paws before eating could be an issue for the boy. He should remember to buy some wet-wipes to make it more convenient when the boy was too tired to walk upright.

On the way to the kitchen he grabbed the empty bowl from the table and put it in the dishwasher. The room was filled with the scent of tomato sauce, vegetable soup, and the eerie scent of the crickets. Matt stood still before the microwave, dreading to open it. With one swift motion before he could change his mind he opened the door.

The scent was more intense than he ever expected, and when it hit him it made his stomach drop. It wasn't that bad, but there was just something awful about it. It smelled so weird that his first instinct was to toss it into the bin rather than serve it to a kit. Maybe it wasn't stored properly and went bad. The bunny wouldn't know because he didn't have any experience with that type of food. The expiration date on the lid said that it should be good for a few more months.

Matt pulled out the hot container from the microwave and for a moment considered just giving it to Kyle so the bunny wouldn't have to see what was inside. He decided that wouldn't be a proper way to eat the first meal at the house. The fact that it was a pre-made meal already shattered how he had imagined his first meal with his foster kits. He glanced over his shoulder at the fox. A lot of things were different than he imagined, but at least he could control how the food was presented.

He ripped the lid off and was again lucky that none of the crickets were visible on the surface. With a shaky paw he poured the contents of the box into a bowl and tried to prepare himself for a cricket to show up. Matt was going slow so he wouldn't accidentally drop the box, and after more than half of it was already in the bowl he still hadn't seen even one cricket. Mat looked at the lid on the counter and it clearly said that there should be some in it. He dumped the rest of it into the bowl and at the end he finally saw three rather small bean-like things and got worried.

Was that enough for a growing kit? Most of it was noodles and sauce. Matt lifted the bowl to sniff it and could smell the strange scent of insects, so they probably were boiled in the sauce and not added afterwards. Most predators didn't need to eat proteins all the time, but it still felt like he wasn't providing for his kit. It was just one meal. He'll get something better tomorrow.

Matt placed them on the table and sat down. He looked at Kyle for any sign that the food smelled weird but the kit just dug his spoon in and started eating.

"Does it taste good?" Matt asked as he took a sip of his soup. Kyle just nodded and continued eating.

Some weight was finally lifted off Matt as Kyle happily ate, and the bunny quickly followed. Neither of them had had lunch, so they made short work of their food. They both sat in their chairs, resting after supper. Kyle yawned, showing the bunny all his teeth. Despite the sun still being up it was getting late, probably close to the kit's bed time.

Matt smiled and stood up from the table. "Someone's getting sleepy. Let's get you a quick shower before bed."

Kyle tensed and dropped his ears and said, "No."

It wasn't a request, it was a statement. Kyle really didn't want to do it. Matt forgot that the boy didn't like taking baths. He could try to convince the boy, but it had been such a long and stressful day. And anyways, he didn't have a proper shampoo for the kit.

Matt sighed. "I guess one day without a shower won't be that bad. I'll bet that you're really tired."

Kyle didn't say anything, but after a warm meal his eyelids had grown heavy.

"Let's get your bed ready." Matt motioned for the kit to follow him.

In Kyle's room, Matt quickly got the fresh sheets on the bed and pulled the kit's pajamas from his bag. A short time later, a confused but tired fox lay in bed as Matt pulled the curtains. The bunny came back to bed and tucked the boy in.

"If you need anything, I'm in the next room." Matt gently stroked Kyle's ears. "Good night."

"Good night." Kyle replied softly. The bunny smiled warmly as he left the room.

"""

Matt was sitting on the couch with his head rolled back and his eyes closed. The taser was tossed to the side and the TV was on some news channel. The bunny wasn't really listening, though. He was trying to work over how it had all happened. He was the foster parent to a handicaped fox kit, and he clearly didn't know what he was doing.

He could manage that. At work, he was often put on projects that he had no prior knowledge of. But each time he learned, and he adapted, and he did his job well. Raising a predator kit couldn't compare to a work project, but it was similar to raising a bunny kit. Only the minute details were different, and he just needed to learn. The most important thing was that he needed to be there for Kyle.

Matt's ears shot up and turned into the direction of the boy's room. There was a faint sound, like a whimper. Maybe Kyle had a bad dream? He should check on him. Matt was about to get up when he heard a groan of pain. His heart dropped and without thinking he rushed towards the room and burst open the door. Kyle was shivering. In two leaps he was next to the boy.

"What's wrong?" Matt's ears were down and his muzzle was full of worry.

Matt had seen that look on Kyle before. It was the same as the one from the doctor's office. The boy was scared and in pain.

"Please, tell me what's wrong."

Kyle was breathing heavily. He wanted to lie that he was fine, but couldn't hide his shiver, "My belly hurts."

He knew that there was something wrong with that meal. He should have trusted his instinct. How could he experiment on a kit? He could beat himself up later, now he had to act.

"We have to get you to the hospital."

"No!"

Matt gently stroked Kyle's head. "I know it's scary, but they'll make you feel better. Doctor Swift was really nice and the syrup made you feel better. They'll make you feel better again."

Kyle swallowed and nodded weakly.

"Can you get up?"

Kyle tried to turn on the bed but it was only met with a groan of pain. Matt put his paw on the boy's shoulder. "Don't force yourself, Kyle. It's alright."

The bunny's heart was racing. He needed to do something. Kyle wasn't feeling good enough to walk. Matt put his arms under the boy and tried to lift him. His body ached, and he only got the boy a few inches up before he had to put him down again. Trying to pick him up only caused Kyle more pain. The kit was completely limp, and Matt was so worn down he would never be able to lift him by himself. Matt was panting, and he became more frantic and distressed with each passing second.

"I'll be back in a second." Matt ran out of the room to get his phone. Where was it? It was normally on the coffee table, but it wasn't there. Kitchen, no. Bedroom, also no. He started to panic. Did he lose it and he hadn't noticed? When was the last time that he had seen it? At the clinic. He rushed towards his bag and dug into it. It was there! He dialed 911 and went back to Kyle, who wasn't faring that well. After two rings the operator picked up.

"911, What is your emergency?"

Matt took a deep breath to calm himself down. "My name is Matt Leaper. I live on Hedge Street, building twelve, third floor, apartment fifteen. I'm taking care of a seven year old fox boy. He's shivering, and he has a severe stomachache."

He heard the clacking of a keyboard on the other side of the phone. "Did he eat anything suspicious, or something that he wasn't supposed to like grapes, onions, or chocolate?"

Matt was going to go on a tangent about the ready to eat meal from the store when something clicked in his mind. A cold shiver ran down his back. The empty bowl that was on the table. The one where he usually kept sweets. What was in it?

"Kyle, did you eat any chocolate today?"

Kyle looked as if he was caught. He covered himself with his tail and nodded.

"He says that he had some."

"Ok." Another few clicks on the keyboard. "Was it canine safe chocolate?"

Matt nervously stroked his ears. "I don't think so."

"Is he allergic to theobromine?"

Matt tried his best to remember Kyle's medical records. He didn't remember reading anything about allergies, but maybe he wasn't tested for it. "I don't know."

"I'll inform our paramedics about potential theobromine poisoning. The ambulance is on its way and they should be there shortly."

"Thank you." He said weakly. He hung up the phone.

Matt stared blankly at the screen. Poisoning. He let a kit in his care get poisoned in his own home. He gulped. He didn't think about checking for chocolate at his house. It was such a common thing, and now Kyle was in danger. He even read about it that day.

He needed to move. The ambulance would be there at any second. He ran to his room and grabbed a smaller backpack with a change of clothes for Kyle. Matt also grabbed his wallet, his keys, and his phone. When he was ready, he waited for the medics at Kyle's side, gently stroking his ears, hoping that he helped to soothe the pain. Soon, the sound of the siren could be heard in the distance.

"Some mammals are gonna come here to take you to the hospital. I'll be by your side, so you're gonna be alright." Matt tried his best to prepare the boy for what was going to happen.

There was a loud knock, and Matt rushed to the door, opening it to a female gazelle and a male bear in paramedic uniforms. They looked shocked to see a bunny. The gazelle looked at her phone with a furrowed brow, but before they could say anything Matt motioned for them to come inside. "He's in his room."

With that, both mammals came in. The place was a little cramped for the bear, so he stayed close to the door as the gazelle went into the room. She smiled as she entered. "Hello little guy. My name is Misty. I'm here to check on you."

Kyle was shaking, and his eyes darted around. Matt rushed to the kit's side and grabbed his paw for comfort. "The nice paramedic is gonna check you to see what's wrong, just like doctor Swift did."

The gazelle got closer to the boy and turned him on his back without giving him time to think about what was happening. She placed Kyle's other paw on hers and waited to feel how much it was shaking. Then she gently pressed on his belly in a few different places until Kyle groaned from pain. He curled up defensively and tears filled his eyes.

"I'm sorry." She said as she continued working on the kit.

Matt rubbed and massaged Kyle's paw. "It'll be over soon."

She shined light into Kyle's eyes and furrowed her brow when she saw how red they were, but the kit was on the brink of crying. "Do you know if he was tested for theobromine allergy?"

"I don't." Matt's ears were down and his nose was twitching like crazy.

"We're taking him to the hospital. He has symptoms of poisoning, and if he is allergic it can be life threatening." The medic dug through her bag. "Jerry, can you hand me the stretcher?"

The bear appeared in the doorframe holding a small stretcher in his extended paw. It was a small thing compared to his size, but still big enough to comfortably fit Kyle on. She grabbed it and placed it on the bed next to the boy. She gently lifted Kyle's head up and pressed a vial to his lips. "Drink it. It'll help with the pain."

Kyle was in no position to argue and drank the medicine without fussing. When the vial was empty the paramedic put her arm behind his back and under his knees. With a quick, gentle motion she put the fox on the stretcher and strapped him in, then grabbed handles at the ends of the stretcher and lifted. It was too heavy for her alone, but she only needed to get it to the doorframe where her bear colleague took it from her and headed out of the apartment.

Matt grabbed the backpack with the change of clothes and followed the paramedic. As he walked with them to the ambulance he could feel the stares of the mammals watching from windows. A commotion like that didn't happen too often and his neighbours were curious about what was happening. At least by tomorrow morning everyone would know that he was taking care of a fox… or used to take care of a fox.

The paramedic secured Kyle in the ambulance while Matt paced nervously beside it. "Can I ride with you?" The bunny's nose twitched, and he preemptively had his car keys in-paw in case they refused him.

The grizzly bear looked at Kyle. The boy was holding well, but was clearly scared by the whole situation. Both paramedics looked at each other and nodded.

"Ok," the bear said, "but you need to promise that you will do what we say."

"I promise." Without waiting for their response he jumped into the ambulance next to Kyle.

The stretcher was much too high for Matt, and he was barely able to see Kyle's muzzle. The bunny tried to keep a brave face, but he couldn't stop his nose from twitching. The doors closed, and they were on their way.

"Could you call his parents and inform them what is happening?" The gazelle said as she kept her eyes on Kyle, "We need someone to be able to make decisions for him if it's needed."

Matt blinked. He had completely forgotten. Being Kyle's foster parent didn't make Matt his legal guardian. He was just a glorified kitsitter. He needed to call Bob, Kyle was under the legal custody of Zootopia. Matt gulped. He didn't want to make that phone call, but he had to.

Matt's heart pounded as the phone rang. It was probably going to be a new record for Bob. Not many foster parents had kits in their care taken away after not even a full day. They would probably take away his foster care licence. Kyle looked so weak. The kit was already exhausted from their long day, and poisoning was the last thing that would help.

The call went to voicemail. Matt automatically hung up and called again. Matt poisoned the boy. A canine parent would know about the chocolate and wouldn't have it around the house. Kyle was supposed to be safe at his house. He thought for a moment about what to tell Bob. He just had to keep it simple and concise, then face the consequence.

Bob finally picked up the phone. "Hello, Matt," He said with a tired voice, "I didn't expect you to call me so soon... or at this hour. Is there something you need help with?"

Matt couldn't think of what to say. His mind went completely blank the moment the racoon answered the phone. All he could do was let his worries flood out of him. "Kyle ate chocolate and his belly is hurting really bad. I didn't think about hiding it when we got home and now…"

"Woah, woah, slow down." The raccoon yawned, "I'll send you a text with the name of the medication you need to get for him. He'll be fine."

"What?" Matt froze, and his only movement was his nose twitching. "But chocolate is deadly for canines?"

"Yes, it is if they are allergic to it, which Kyle isn't. In fact, he's not allergic to anything. He was tested for the most common allergies for his species at an early age. The worst he's gonna get is a bad stomach ache if he eats too much, but it's nowhere near life threatening. Like I said, there's medication that'll help." Bob yawned again. "There's even canine chocolate you can buy for him to enjoy. It'll be 'theobromine free.'"

Matt gulped and looked at paramedics. "He's not allergic to theobromine."

Both of them sighed in relief. The bear gave him a thumbs up, and the gazelle smiled at Kyle and said, "You'll be fine."

"Yes. I just said that," Bob sighed, "Look, I know that it's scary, but just get the medication for him and keep it around the house. You know how kits are, they like to get into anything that's fun to eat. I can almost guarantee that you'll need it again…"

With an unusually high-pitched voice Matt interrupted, "We're in an ambulance on our way to the hospital."

There was a long pause and another sigh from Bob. "If I had to choose, I'd prefer you to over react rather than not caring. Just tell them that you're Kyle's foster parent. If they need me to make a decision, call me again. I'll visit you and make a report on the incident, probably tomorrow. I'll text you the details."

"Ok." Matt said weakly.

"Don't worry, it's just some paperwork. It sounds like you did everything right."

"I did everything right?" Matt slowly became bitter and the paramedics looked at him strangely. "Bob, I poisoned Kyle!"

"No, you didn't." Bob said sharply. "He just got his paws on some chocolate. It's a simple mistake, it's not your fault."

"That's called neglect, Bob."

"Do you want me to take him away from you?" Bob shot back, coldly, "Is that what this is about? Because if you're looking for an excuse to get rid of him, tell me. It'll be easier for everyone involved."

Matt quickly answered, "No, of course not!" But his brain started whispering that Kyle would be happier with a canine family, that he wasn't good enough. The bunny's nose twitched. But he was the kit's only option.

"Alright, good to know," The raccoon's voice warmed up, "Do you need anything else?"

"No?" Matt said unsure.

"Ok. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The raccoon hung up, and Matt was so dumbfounded all he could do was keep the phone next to his ear. The paramedics tried their best to pretend that they didn't listen to the conversation. The ambulance slowed down as they came to the front of Meadowlands General Hospital. The paramedics pulled the stretcher out of the ambulance, but they were much more relaxed than they were at Matt's apartment.

"When will his parents be here?" The gazelle asked casually.

That broke through to Matt as he followed them. Timidly, he said, "I'm Kyle's foster parent. That was his social worker on the phone."

The bear furrowed his brow and checked his phone. "Did you mention that to the operator?"

Matt didn't look at him, keeping most of his focus on Kyle. "It was a stressful situation. I didn't think to mention it." The kit was shaking, but he still looked better now than he did. The gazelle went ahead to inform the staff of the new arrival.

"Next time remember to say it. Foster kits are tested for common allergies. If the operator knew he was a foster kit they would have asked you to check his record." The bear effortlessly carried the stretcher to the door. "We assumed you were a kitsitter and his parents hadn't tested him."

Matt's eyes went wide and his head snapped to the bear. After spending as long as he had going over Kyle's records yesterday he was more than confident in what he saw and didn't see. "The allergies section in his records was totally blank. I thought he hadn't been tested. Shouldn't it specify that he's not allergic?"

The bear looked ahead sternly as they entered the hospital. "I can assure you that there is documentation with the full details of his testing. I notice he has digitigradism, so it could've been buried with that, but next time there's an incident you need to give as much information to the dispatcher as possible."

Matt stared blankly. He felt so stupid and incompetent on so many levels. He had not one, but two chances to avoid going to the hospital with Kyle, and he fucked up both of them. The bear, with the help of a cougar nurse, moved the kit onto a gurney. The nurse went with Kyle towards the emergency room and Matt followed them closely, quickly losing the sight of the paramedic.

They arrived at the ER and the gurney was parked next to some medical devices. Matt noticed that there weren't many mammals around. Considering how late in the evening it was, that made sense.

The nurse looked down to Matt and said, "The doctor will see you shortly." He took a pen and clipboard off the gurney and handed them to Matt. "In the meantime, can I get your insurance information?"

Matt nodded his head and said, "Of course." and he began the process of filling out what he hoped was the last of a long list of documents for today.

When he finished, the cougar took the clipboard and left them alone. An occasional cough could be heard through the buzzing of the fluorescence light, and the scent of disinfectant permeated everything. He could barely see up to Kyle, who was struggling to stay awake. It was probably a good sign that the pain had eased. If Matt was more attentive Kyle would be fast asleep in his own bed.

The sound of claws on the floor made the bunny look back. The same cougar nurse was coming back with a middle-aged female kangaroo in doctor's scrubs.

"Hello there, how are you feeling?" She asked Kyle sweetly.

"I'm fine." Kyle answered.

Matt didn't believe that for even a second, but there was no pain in his voice which was definitive improvement. She grabbed the kit's paw and held it for a second before moving to pressing on Kyle's belly. The boy still yelped in pain and the kangaroo nodded. She noted something on a chart and looked at Matt.

"The medicine is already working. His results are better than when the paramedic checked him." She said it as a matter of fact. "But the shaking should be the first thing to disappear. Do you know how much chocolate he ate and how long ago he ate it?"

Matt shook his head. "I don't know how much he ate but it was a few hours ago."

The doctor nodded. "That explains the shaking. He didn't tell you right away and it got worse. At this point it'll take a few hours for him to work through the theobromine. The pain should disappear soon but we'll keep him overnight for observation, just in case. In the morning you'll be able to order medical assistance if you need it."

Matt's ears shoot up. "Medical assistance?"

"I have other patients I need to attend to," the kangaroo gave the chart to the nurse, "Paul will take care of you." Without another word she walked away.

Matt was completely stunned. He looked, speechless, up at the nurse.

"He'll be weak, and it will be difficult for you to take him home on your own. You'll be able to order medical assistance in the morning." The nurse explained.

Matt looked back at Kyle and the exhausted kit was already sleeping.

"""

It was early in the morning and Matt was exhausted. He couldn't sleep at all after they were moved to a room. His mind was plagued by the thoughts of how horrible he was as a foster parent. There was no denying it. He fucked up multiple times in only a few short hours and they had to take an ambulance to the hospital because of it. He didn't care that it wasn't for a serious reason. Was Kyle really better off with him? Matt would have to order assistance to get the fox home.

Kyle was sleeping so peacefully. It was nice that they let Matt stay in a room with him. The chair wasn't the most comfortable, but at least it was high enough that he was able to watch Kyle through the night. He could see Kyle's paws slowly stop shaking over time. In a way, the bunny needed that to keep his sanity. It was tangible proof that the kit was getting better and, despite his negligence, Kyle would be alright.

Maybe Matt should start drinking coffee. It might help when he's still got the whole day ahead of him. He could try to find a vending machine before Kyle wakes up. A cola would do wonders for him, sugar and caffeine was exactly what he needed. Screw up or not he would have to take care of his kit.

Kyle was still sound asleep, so it should be fine if he hurries. The boy shouldn't have to wake up alone in an unfamiliar place. As fast as his exhausted body allowed him, Matt went out to find a vending machine.

Luckily it was a short trip. It was in a corridor just around the corner. Matt rested his head against the cool glass of the vending machine.

"Rough night?" Matt jumped and looked up at the cougar nurse who had taken care of them. How did he sneak up on him? He wasn't wearing scrubs anymore, just his street clothes.

"Yeah. Not how I imagined my first night with him." Matt pulled a cold can of soda out of the machine.

"Probably one of the most memorable kits that you've taken care of." Paul extended his paw with a card in it. "I got you a pamphlet for the assistance service."

"Thanks." Matt grabbed it and put it in his pocket. "Actually, he's my first one."

"Really? They gave you an incompatible kit as an emergency placement? And he's your first foster kit? I know times are crazy right now," he looked up over his shoulder solemnly at the ceiling, "but that's over the top. Are they actively trying to discourage mammals from being foster parents? I hope that your next placement will be more reasonable."

Matt clenched the can harder, looking behind the nurse. "I really should get back before he wakes up."

"Of course. I gotta get going, too." The cougar started moving but stopped after a few steps. He looked as if he wanted to say something but wasn't sure if he should. Matt's nose twitched. The bunny had a bad feeling about it so he moved along quickly.

"You know," Paul started slowly, "if he is too much trouble for you, I'm sure that one of our doctors could write an opinion that you're not fit to be his foster parent. It should make it easier for you to get more suitable kits. We need foster parents and it would be a shame if you would burn out after just one."

It was like a punch to the face. Matt's legs felt weak but he kept walking. "Thank you for the offer, but I think that I'll manage."

The bunny didn't turn to face the nurse because his vision got blurry from the coming tears. He thanked the gods that his voice didn't crack as he answered. Matt just kept going forward as the world spun around him, rushing back to the room so the cougar wouldn't see his inevitable breakdown. He put his paw on the wall to keep himself from collapsing to the ground.

Matt was able to turn the corner when his legs finally gave up and he slid down the wall to the ground. All the exhaustion, guilt, and regret flooded him without mercy. He was focusing on his breathing, trying to control himself, but the whispers at the edge of his mind turned into screams. He would get through it. It was just a new parent's anxiety, he kept telling himself.

Matt wasn't sure if he believed that, but it was enough to quiet those screams. Kyle depended on him now, regardless of how Matt was feeling. It wasn't a calming thought but that sense of purpose was enough to pick him off the ground and back on the way to his kit. Matt couldn't afford to break down.

The silence of the corridor was interrupted by a ringtone. It was so sudden and unexpected that Matt dropped his can. What was worse, it was coming from him. He pulled it out his phone and on the screen he read: Liam.