[LOG][PRP] New Papa [Hlaziya x Pupazzi-dido]

[- Mynsed -]

He was quite tired of not having a male adult in the family. Sure, he knew he had to have had a father. But every time he asked his mama about him, she would end up giving him a different name. Eventually, she just murmured she couldn't remember before remarking on how handsome her little puppet was. It was disgusting. Azzi wanted to be a man but he feared that his mother's solo influence may rob him of that. And so, for the past week, he had been on a mission. A mission to find a well suited father.

There had been three main candidates that could do, in his mind. Lazy, Scaryface, or Copycat. So, naturally, he did a thorough investigation, stalking after the three whenever he had the chance, noting their behavior. Lazy was out immediately; he smiled too easily, flattered females too much. Half the time, it left Azzi gagging in disgust because girls were gross. Next was Copycat. He looked just like Scaryface but Azzi knew full well he couldn't give them the same name. The male seemed suitable. Maybe he would have won, if competition had been different.

But having the head drummer as his papa was ideal. It was manly. It was perfect. And now it was time to inform the winner.

What luck, there he was. Grinning widely, he swaggered over to the male, promptly sat in front of him, and leaned his head back to look at him. "You've won a name change," Azzi cheerfully announced, waiting to see the same excitement to appear on the other's face before continuing. "Mama doesn't know who father is. And I need one," he began happily. Surely, the male knew where this was going. "So I picked one. You're no longer Scaryface. From this day forward, you're Papa," Azzi told him happily, quite proud of his decision.  

[- Mynsed -]

Was that? Had that been? The questions had left him more confused as of late. He’d seen the cub from time to time... stalking him? Hlaziya found himself slightly deterred to keep company with the cub if these were the tendencies he would be adopting – simply inappropriate.

“Oh, I have?” He wished he could say that this was alarming, to simply be put on a pedestal, but it wasn’t. So instead of reacting he simply dropped what he was doing and settled his gaze on the cub that had settled confidently in front of him.

“You realize that your mother is supposed to pick… don’t you?” He asked the youth. Though it looked as though the cub was expected a ‘hooray’ of some kind. But the celebrations weren’t about to start. Not at the expense of his dear childhood friend.  

[- Mynsed -]

Azzi scoffed, giving Scaryface -no, Papa- an incredulous look. "Mama doesn't get to pick; she can't even remember our real papa so she's more than likely to forget whoever she picks. And besides, you'll just be my papa," Azzi explained. Obviously, this wasn't going to work. It was time for Plan B, in case Scaryface-Papa told him no.

He bit the inside of his cheek until it hurt, getting his eyes all teared up. Widening them, he quivered his mouth a bit, staring up at Scaryface-papa. "Do you not want to be my papa? Do you not like me?" he asked in a small voice. Hopefully Scaryface-papa would fall for it.  

[- Mynsed -]

The cubs argument was sounds, which Ziya couldn't believe he was agreeing with, but he found himself nodding along to what Little Moth had to say. "Your mother may have a terrible memory, but usually your Papa would be whomever is taking the father role.." He sighed softly and rested the palm of one of his paws against his face. "You know what, forget it." Removing the paw he sighed and tried for a smile. The cub was a cool little guy after all and there could really be no harm in acting as his 'Papa'?

Then the water works started. "Are you kidding me?" Ziya muttered and narrowed his ruby eyes at the cub. "I'll give you credit, those look pretty good, but you should know your audience before trying to get away with something like that. Who do you think invited fake crying?" Hlaziya sat back a little looking rather smug with himself for a moment.

"Nonetheless I'll be your Papa." A heavy sigh left the lion. "But!" He paused for effect. "I get to teach you how to make a drum. If I were a real Papa I'd do that with my cubs, so you'll have to do. Do we have a deal?" He leaned down to look eye to eye with Little Moth.  

[- Mynsed -]

Well, darn. Obviously tearing up wouldn't work. Azzi grinned, though, chin lifting. "You didn't invent fake crying!" he told him, but doubt creeping into his voice. What if Scaryface had? He would have to learn from the best, then. Because he couldn't trick the best, obviously.

Azzi's face brightened at the other's agreement. Finally, he had someone to call papa, like most other cubs his age. The but had his face faltering. But what? He didn't like buts. What followed them was usually nothing good.

However, Scaryface's terms were actually... exciting. He wanted to jump with joy but settled on nodding frantically. "Deal, deal!" he crowed before knocking his head against Scaryfaces. "I'll be the best drum maker, papa!" he promised, trying out Scaryface's new name. He liked the sound of it.  

[- Mynsed -]

"You don't know that." Truthfully Hlaziya was far from the inventor of fake crying, but Little Moth had no idea that was the case and wouldn't know that until he was much older. Doubt was growing on the youngsters face and he couldn't help, but to smile. This was actually.. kind of nice. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but the agreement was still finalized with the cub.

Papa.. The name had him ready to tear up. Hlaziya hadn't aimed to be a father, real or fake, but the sounds of it on his ears made him smile and for a moment he wanted to tell his mother. That moment soon passed as he realized how pointless it would be, he wasn't a father, not really. "You bet your bottom you will be! You'll be learning from the best." He leaned in slowly with widened ruby eyes. "I don't teach just anyone, so you best take this seriously." He wore a large smile through his serious tones.

"Would you like to get started?" Or did the cub have something else in mind? He wondered if this would end with Boneka finding out. His ears pinned back slightly at the thought of it - she wouldn't dare go for it, not with her newest idea of who he was.  

[- Mynsed -]

Azzi couldn't wait to brag to his siblings and other cubs about how great his papa was. Not only was he the best drummer ever, but he also invented fake crying! Obviously, no other cub could be as lucky as he was! Azzi puffed out his chest proudly, trying to give his new papa a smug look. "I'm going to be the best learner ever," he bragged, already feeling quite arrogant about getting this far ahead in life. Obviously, his choice of papa was not a wrong one at all.

"Yes!" he cried out, this time giving into the urge of jumping. "I've gotta be the best as soon as I can!"  

[- Mynsed -]

"The BEST learner." Hlaziya echoed the cub with pride at his enthusiasm. He hoped that his own cubs would be so excited to learn something so important to him, if not than at least he could hold onto the memory of this cub. "Well, the boring stuff comes first I'm afraid." He mused softly, testing the limits of this cub would be interesting. "We will have to gather some supplies from my den first." He stood and pointed lazily towards his den.

"Come with me." The lion didn't wait much longer than it took to point out the dens direction. Instead he started on the move, a slower pace, but only so the cub could keep up.