Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Snow leopards are solitary creatures; they do everything on their own and have little to no desire in asking for help from other species. Which made it all the more embarrassing when you found yourself calling the Octonauts for help. Or rather, a group that you were guiding through the mountains called for help while you got yourself trapped in a cave, trying to assist an injured hiker. You had told him it was too dangerous, but of course no one ever listened to the ‘grumpy cat’ and yet there you both were. Trapped.

You glared at the sheepish mountain goat who refused to make eye contact and awkwardly pulled at the fluff around his wrists. He was too cocky the entire trip and thought that he found a quicker way down, only for the ledge to give out beneath him and land awkwardly in a cave. You of course had to follow him via a much safer route, dropping down beside him only to inwardly groan when you noticed his swollen ankle from his fall. Ridiculous.

And because luck was on your side, just as you landed, a boulder fell right above the two of you, blocking the only entrance out. You could fear the fearful bleats from the rest of the party and the gravity of the situation slowly sunk into you.

You were stuck in a cave with an injured goat, and the rest of the party would likely die of hyperthermia because none of them had the fur to survive the harshness of the mountains. It was all so ridiculous and entirely preventable.

A small growl left your throat, startling the goat who flinched when he moved his ankle accidentally. You had propped his hoof on a rock, wrapping it to the best of your ability while you waited together for the help to arrive. You rested on the wall of the cave, closing your eyes in an attempt to calm yourself when in truth, you were half-tempted to find your own exit out the cave and leave behind the goat.

It could not be stated how much you hated him right now.

“I’m sorry-”

“Shut up.”

You didn’t need to hear a word from him or else there’d be a missing animal report on top of it all.

Time seemed to pass too slow before the sounds of a helicopter filled the tense atmosphere as you looked up at the blocked ceiling. There were all sorts of sounds coming from outside, mixed with voices and footsteps that all clambered to the large boulder.

“-Now!”

A British voice soon spoke up and light suddenly flooded the cave as your pupils adjusted to the brightness. You watched passively as an orange cat boldly jumped down the entrance, followed by a penguin and sea otter that were lowered through the hole by a descending stretcher.

“You alright matey?” The cat turned to you first with his single eye trained on you while the other animals helped the goat.

“Fine.” You responded curtly, a quick flick of your tail revealing your true annoyance, “Just get the goat out of here.”

Without waiting for a response, you expertly climbed the walls with your now unsheathed claws and pulled yourself up from the exposed roof. You wasted no time in quickly returning to the rest of the group that all stood anxiously by the mountainside, all huddled together by the fire and awaiting with what looked like to be the rest of the Octonaut crew.

Just great.

Your ear twitched.

You could feel your annoyance rising and ran a paw over your face slowly, cursing everything in sight and planning out your retirement. Your job will never let you live this down and that was punishment enough in your eyes.

“Ah, you must be Rose?”

That familiar British voice intruded your wallowing, and you lifted your face to lock eyes with none other than the captain himself.

You stared at him unwaveringly, not saying a word as the polar bear took up your entire vision.

‘He’s big.’  Was your first thought, immediately latching onto the way his fur protruded from his blue suit in an almost tantalising fashion. You couldn’t help but start analysing the creature in front of you, taking note of his teeth, the way he carried himself and of course his large round pupils that showed only concern and a gentle kindness that was rarely seen in predatory animals. Even you struggled to look kind, though that was never something you were too concerned about.

Clearly you had to look meaner if that goat thought he could defy the very clear rules you gave him prior to the hiking trip.

“Miss?” The captain spoke up.

You blinked slowly.

“Yes?”

“Are you alright? I know you went down to help your friend there, but I wanted to make sure you didn’t hurt yourself either.”

“I’m a snow leopard.” You answered bluntly, narrowing your eyes in blatant disbelief while your tail lashed out behind you. Captain Barnacles raised his paws in the air non-threateningly, “It doesn't hurt to be cautious.”

“Should’ve told the goat that.”

You couldn’t help but scoff, rolling your eyes as you turned your back on the bear and watched said goat get airlifted from the cavern. All you could think about was the paperwork you’d have to fill out later and all the follow up meetings that the higher-ups would no doubt want to have with you. It was all a big annoyance, and you could only blame yourself for not picking up on the goat’s arrogance sooner, you should’ve known he’d try to do something stupid sooner or later. Now it fell on your shoulders, and you were already weighed down plenty enough without these silly antics.

Your ear twitched as you heard the bear hum questioningly like he was unsure about something.

“You don’t sound too concerned about the situation.”

“Well, you’re handling it now.” You spoke through gritted fangs, digging your claws into your arms with barely restrained fury. Your fur bristled at the sudden cold wind that washed over you and you were quickly reminded of the group you were still hired to look after.

“Have fun.”

You whirled around and walked past the captain, giving him a wide berth as you beelined it to your tour group. They all clamoured over themselves to rush to your side, throwing question after question while you stared impassively back. You counted their heads to make sure no one else had wandered off, only slightly less annoyed when you found that everyone was accounted for. A small mercy.

With a quiet sigh, you turned back to the captain who stood only a few paces back yet made no move to come closer. He was talking to presumably the other team members, one you recognised as the sea otter from before and one that looked like a dog, possibly a dachshund from their ears and coloured fur. The trio suddenly turned towards your group, and you found yourself straightening at their attention. A growl involuntarily left your throat, startling your group and getting a head tilt from the captain that no doubt heard it even from the distance.

He took a few steps forward with his paws casually resting on his belt while his teammates stayed where they were.

“We’ve got some Gups that can carry the rest of your group back down to the mountain as well as Julius to get some proper medical aid.”

The bear gestured towards the vehicles that had gone unnoticed by you, all decorated like sea creatures but appeared true to the captain’s words. You eyeballed their wheels and counted the seats, already planning on how you were going to split the group between the Gups.

You gave a sharp nod and that was all the approval needed as your group all but ran towards a new source of heat and security. However, you hung back and watched silently as everyone clambered aboard, counting them all again to be extra sure of the numbers. With a chuff that went unheard, you tightened the straps of your bag on your chest and looked over your own equipment. Everything looked to be accounted for with only your first aid needing to be restocked back at the station.

“Are-”

“No thanks.”

You cut off the captain, not even looking at him as you tied the laces on your boots. He was going to ask if you wanted to join them or which Gup you were going into but frankly there was no chance you were getting a ride in any of those vehicles.

“I’m hiking back down.”

Because finally you had no one to worry about and that meant going as fast as you wanted back down to base. You barely waited for a response as you took off into the snow, distantly hearing a yell before you threw yourself off the ledge and lost yourself to instincts long awaiting to be used. The wind brought you comfort as rushed down the mountain, using your tail for balance with every leap and landing that slammed against your boots. You could smell the leftovers from the break room guiding you back to base as the sounds of a helicopter overpassed you.

Loud revving came from behind you and a grin spread across your face as the Gups finally started to catch up to you like you were all racing to the bottom together. You quickly picked up speed, knowing the terrain like the back of your paw as dropped down the snowy cliffs with ease. Your senses heightened at the nearing building getting ever so closer with your body screaming at you to go faster. Full of adrenaline and childish glee, your mind latched onto one of the nearby Gups, taking in the sled like appearance and more noticeably the captain and orange cat that looked to be piloting it. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, you leaped towards the vehicle, using the momentum from the barrelling beast to propel yourself into the air. Closing your eyes temporarily to embrace the winds and sounds of nature as your body flew to the sky.

It was beautiful.

As your body began to descend, you tucked your ears to the flat of your head, unsheathed your claws and whipped out your tail; all prepared for the landing as you slammed against the rooftop of your workplace. Purring loudly at your victory, you sat calmly on the roof and watched the others arrive only mere seconds after you.

“Woah! What was that!?” The orange cat was the first to exit the ski craft, wasting no time to rush towards you as he looked up at you from the ground bewildered.

“Certainly, didn’t expect that.” Barnacles took his time to exit, following by the cat but still keeping his distance from you. Must be a polar bear thing, definitely not because of your cold nature. The two stared at you with a mix of curiosity and awe while the rest of the animals all gradually exited their assigned vehicles.

“Snow leopards are adept at mountain climbing.”

The sea otter spoke up as he neared the group, reading something from his data pad as he scrolled through lines of text.

“So, you’ve met Rose then.” A familiar grating voice entered the conversation, “She’s our best guide though not much for socialising.”

You bristled at the comment, narrowing your eyes at the silver wolf who merely chuckled back, exiting the building to stand with the others. He waved his paw at you teasingly before shaking paws with the captain. “I must thank you of course for your team’s intervention, we got worried when the tour group hadn’t come back after their scheduled time.”

“It’s no problem!” Captain Barnacles assured, “We’re always here to help when we can and lucky enough that we’re here anyway.”

The two began cordially chatting with each other while you let your mind drift, quietly taking in the sun that was beginning to set. You stared at the changing colours and allowed yourself a small break before your next shift. There was only the quick patrolling of routes to make sure no rubbish or lost items were left behind then you could return home to your den. With that thought, a burst of energy was shot through your body as you gracefully landed in the snow, idly shaking off the snow that had gathered on your fur.

Your tail swayed behind you as you set off on your journey, resolutely ignoring the questioning looks shot at you as left the scene.

“-don’t mind her, that’s just how she is.”

Chapter Text

“Morning Rose!”

Maria, a cheerful lynx waved at you from behind their desk, flashing their fangs in greeting with their eyes scrunching up behind their glasses. You nodded in acknowledgement towards them, before heading to your own desk that was overflowing in posters and wasted paper from failed report writings. You were never good at documenting things and reporting was no different, it was just another useless step that could go to literally anyone else.

Which was where Maria stepped in, always happy to lend a paw and excelling where you lacked. They always offer to help with the writing, and you were never going to say no, sitting silently behind them while they taught you how templates and excel spreadsheets worked. None of it sunk in but they remained unbothered and that was good enough for you.

Paperwork meant nothing to you when you get to spend workdays traversing mountains and preserving their surrounding environments from harm. Even now it was all you could think about as you sat at your desk, fiddling with the various pens that you had splayed out last night. Your eyes ran over the forms that Jack – the silver wolf – had left for you to fill in after the incident a few days ago. An annoyed chuff escaped your throat as you hunched over your desk and began hurriedly scribbling down bits and pieces of what had happened. You were blunt in your recollection, thoroughly insulting the idiotic goat that ignored you and his overall stupidity in not only endangering himself but the rest of the tour guide for going offsite.

It was only when you got up to the Octonauts coming in did you soon pause in your angry writing. Mind drifting as you remembered Captain Barnacles and his interesting behaviour that day. He was truly the only Octonaut you knew to his reputation and the fact that he was the most popular polar bear across the globe; it’s hard to miss him in the environmental-saving world-industry.

You tapped your pen lightly on your desk, losing yourself to your own thoughts before the desire to go outside overtook all instincts.

“I’m heading out.” You called to Maria, picking up your backpack and slinging it over your shoulder. You heard their voice call out for you, but your mind was made up and barely paid attention as you left the office, breathing in the cold air and ready to go back on the trail. Your footsteps crunched satisfyingly against the snow, occasionally kicking a rock or two along the way as you travelled further along the base of the mountain. Your ears twitched every which way as the sounds of nature flooded your mind and brought a sense of peace to your jitteriness. You could never handle being indoors for too long and had told your fellow workers about it before. If they ever needed, you then they’d find you outside and never in the office.

You couldn’t imagine spending that much time indoors let alone an office when you’re surrounded by such beautiful sights and smells. There was truly nothing like fresh morning snow and the quietness that it brought. This is why you were a ranger for the solitude and familiar environment of the mountains; it was everything to you and you had no patience for those that disrespected what you cherished.

You checked over the trail that you were walking along, scanning for anything out of the ordinary and taking note of the fauna that surrounded you. Everything was second nature by now, mentally cataloguing everything that you saw until your radio sparked to life.

“Rose, we got some cabin goers needing some assistance, if you could head over?”

“On it.”

Picking up the pace, you lightly jogged on the premade path as you made your way further down south towards the cabins. Anyone could book out the little holiday homes or cabins near the base of the mountain for a little getaway with the funds going straight back to the preservation itself.

The smell of baked goods invaded your nose as you neared the cabins, taking in the homely atmosphere of the decorated buildings before abruptly stopping.

You recognised the quite large ski-mobile parked only a few metres away from the house. There was no way it belonged to who you thought it did. You pinched yourself on the arm for a quick reality check as your legs robotically carried you to the clearing, half in disbelief as the scents of the Octonauts became more prominent. Especially the one belonging to the Captain Barnacles who stood by himself on the veranda of his presumed cabin.

You stood a few footsteps away, letting him see you before raising a brow at him in curiosity.

“Did you call for assistance?”

He seemed sheepish at your question, likely embarrassed at asking for help so soon after their assistance in the mountains.

“More of a question actually, I had emailed it, but I didn’t realise they would just send in the nearest ranger instead.” He trailed of awkwardly, while your brain struggled to comprehend the sentence.

“A question?”

You bit out in disbelief, almost hitting yourself at your rude tone when the captain averted his eyes from your harsh stare. He opened his mouth as if to apologise but you were quick to cut him off.

“Sure, never mind, what’s the question?”

“Right,” Barnacles’ eyes darted off to the side as he rested his paws on his hip out of nervousness, “I was just curious about the nature of this park and the mountain range here. I’ve got a niece and nephew that I think would love it here and I wanted to know more about it.”

Oh.

You blinked for a few seconds, staring at him silence before looking out towards the terrain. “What do they like doing?”

“They both like adventuring though Ursa, my niece, has taken to climbing some of the icebergs at home while Orson has become a bit of a hunter.”

You hummed in consideration, already mentally going through some of the programs that the rangers ran as well as what the mountain range could offer the family. Instinctively, you headed out towards the trees that perfectly protected the mountain and could hear the captain distantly trailing after you. Your mind went on autopilot as your body actively searched out the places that popped up as ideas. Ending up towards one of the many frozen lakes that became popular in the summer.

Without even turning around you gestured towards the whole area, “This is generally where we have some of our little cub’s program, where the young ones can decide what activities, they want to do after school. Or if they’re a bit older they can do some of challenges that the rangers think of.”

“Is that what you do?” Captain Barnacles asked softly, still a bit away but in hearing distance.

“Nah, I race them.”

“Race?”

You shrug, slightly distracted by the way the light dances across the frozen lake as you pointed vaguely to the side of you.

“There’s a track that runs from one side of the mountain to the other, however, it’s for more experienced climbers. If they win, they get something named after them, but if I win, I get shouted lunch.”

The bear chuckles, “And you enjoy it?”

“Most fun I get to have here, and I get free lunch, what’s not to love about it?”

You finally turned to face the captain and found his eyes already on you, seemingly just watching you from a respectable distance. Always so oddly spaced away. You were almost tempted to ask but before you could say anything, another pair of footsteps stampeded their way towards your little conversation.

It was none other than the orange feline.

“Kwazii.” The captain greeted warmly, patting him on the back in welcome while you took note of his slightly tense posture.

“Captain, we got all the food set up for dinner!” Kwazii gestured back towards the cabins, though not before shooting a dirty look over towards you while the captain was distracted. You narrowed your eyes and reminded yourself you were still technically on the clock and needed no more complaints against your name.

“I’ll be off then.” You spoke with forced casualty, “Going to go finish up my patrol.”

“Ah, I didn’t mean-”

“It’s fine captain, it’s part of my job to do this.” You waved him off, ignoring the scoff from the feline and walking around the two. You hadn’t thought that domesticated cats were territorial about stuff, but then again instincts were varied amongst species and even more random when they decided to take over. Yours were pretty under control with the usual urge to hike up anything steep and give chase to smaller animals that lived in the towering trees that surrounded the mountain ranges. It was all manageable stuff and for that, you were grateful in being a snow leopard.

You didn’t know what you did to offend Kwazii but that was neither a problem for here nor there, just something to think about in the background. Your radio crackled to life from your belt.

“So, what was it like with mister tall and handsome?”

“Maria.” You brought the walkie-talkie up to your snout, already realising what they had done. “Don’t even think about it.” 

“Oh c’mon! That bear was obviously fishing for you-”

“Stop spying on me with the park cameras.”

A gasp.

“I would never-”

“Maria.”

“Ok but it was only for this! I was so bored by myself and you two looked so cute together!”

A third voice suddenly entered the channel, “Are we talking about that captain that kept making love eyes at our ranger?”

“Yes!”

“No.”

You clicked off the radio and stubbornly ignored the heat that crept up your face at the mere thought of anyone looking at you beyond platonic means. It just never happened for you, not when all you cared about was the environment and its preservation. And you were sure they were just mucking around anyway, your workmates loved to tease you in an attempt to cheer you up more often. It was never enough that you showed up to work every day and did your job, they wanted companionship, and you were dragged down with them, begrudgingly following their antics.

Maria was always at the scene of the crime with Jack not too close behind, followed by whoever else was in the office and judging by the new voice it was most likely Nova, an artic lemming that was new to the job. She was as much as a trickster as Maria was and that meant double the pawful for you. Possibly the only serious worker throughout the entire mountain range.

You wouldn’t chance a thing though.

They had all but weaselled their way into your cold, icy heart and you weren’t completely bothered by it. Not when they let you act as how you were and never demanded for you to change, it was the bare minimum, but it was enough for you. And that’s why you stayed.

First for the nature and second for the animals here. It really was a nice job.

You made your way back up to the office, taking the scenic route as you took your time and enjoyed the hike of climbing up the harder trails. It was always such a rewarding routine, and you could feel your bones relaxing as you finally reached the office’s doors, pushing it open with little effort and letting the snow drip off your snow-white fur.

Maria chirped excitedly when they saw you, sitting on your desk as they swung their legs without a care in the world. They also had papers in their lap and a teasing expression on their furry face which always meant trouble.

You stood in the front entrance, staring at them silently before your eyes were drawn to what was making them so giddy in the first place.

“What.” You whispered in shock and slight embarrassment at the sight of framed grainy photos that revealed the conversation between you and Captain Barnacles. They were ones with different angles, some with better quality and the main one that took your attention was a medium sized frame that held a picture of the polar bear looking at you while you stared at the frozen lake. It looked like it came straight from a romcom film, complete with obviously photoshopped sparkles and gaudy hearts floating in the air. You were speechless.

Literally.

There was nothing you could say that could possibly articulate the overwhelming feelings that swirled in your body. Maria cackled at your visible distress and hopped off your desk, wrapping an arm around yours and gently leading you towards the breakroom, where you sunk dramatically into the lounge. You covered your eyes with your paws and simply wallowed in your own misery.

“C’mon it wasn’t that bad! Besides you have no one to blame but yourself, if you didn’t take so long, we wouldn’t have decorated your desk.” Maria spoke calmly, bustling around the attached kitchen as the smell of hot chocolate floated towards you.

“And I mean, I only printed out the pictures, it was Nova who really took the cake, and I mean she did great! I’m so proud of her; she’s really finding her place here.”

“Did it have to be at my expense?”

“Hush, you’re fine.” They swatted at your shoulder gently, “Now here, I made you hot chocolate.”

You groaned loudly before revealing yourself back to the world, taking the cup from Maria’s paws and sipping the drink. They made good hot chocolate.

You hummed approvingly.

“See, you’re fine!”

Maria suddenly leaned in close.

“Though I think that Captain might think you’re more than fine.”

You spat out your drink.

Chapter Text

There was something to be said about having annoying coworkers, they may decorate your desk with romcom edited photos but at least when tourists came in to complain, they took the brunt of it.

“-irresponsible and not to mention completely rude to my family and I!”

The shrill guest complained loudly, her voice echoing in the quiet office as she bombarded poor Nova with her complaints.

Specifically, complaints about you.

It was not a good start to the day.

You remained hidden in the breakroom while Nova suffered the complaints like a trooper, you felt slightly bad about the situation, but it truly was the tourists’ fault. They kept trying to take ‘souvenirs’ of the place which wasn’t allowed, wouldn’t keep their cubs under control and the biggest issue of all was their littering. Every few steps were followed by lolly wrappers being dropped or disregarded tour maps that you kept explaining were important.

It all inevitably ended up with you snapping at the group and forcefully turning them back around to the office. Which given the circumstances, you could’ve left them for dead in the snow rather than bother with returning them.

Your ears pressed against your skull as another sentence was shouted, followed by the relieving sound of a slammed glass door. Waiting a few seconds, you peeked out into the office and let out a quiet sigh of relief as the lioness disappeared.

Nova shot you a small smile, turning to face you as you approached her nervously. “Sorry.” You apologised regretfully. She waved you off.

“It’s no worries, part of being a team, right? You took the group for me so I’m happy to ‘file’ the complaints they had.”

“Still, I appreciate it. If there’s anything-”

“Keep that photo on your desk.” She didn’t hesitate to take up the offer, pointing her paw towards your still horrendously decorated desk. Upon closer inspection, the photo she was pointing out was the one in a gold frame with the image being a close up of Captain Barnacles staring at you while you distracted. You’d be lying if you said it wasn’t your favourite.

Nova pumped her fist in the air with excitement when you nodded at her request, already manoeuvring the picture frame to be the centre piece of your desk. It had a bit of charm to it and was certainly eye-catching, your desk needed a bit of sprucing up anyway. You moved the rest of the love shrine into your drawers, tucking them into whatever hidey-hole you could find and under the desk. If anyone asked about the picture, you could always make up a lie and say it was an early April fools’ prank.

“Code Purple, that family is back again and requesting Rose – good luck!”

Jack’s voice sparked across the radio channel, breaking the peaceful silence and ruining your mood. You stared at your desk for strength, using every bit of self-calming technique that you knew and falling short. Nova patted you on the back for comfort, not saying a word yet her silence was very telling.

“On my way.” You spoke into the radio, voice betraying nothing as you spun on your heels and headed off to the not so happy campers. You could only imagine what they might want you for, certainly not for another tour and definitely nothing positive related.

You inwardly groaned at the thought, mentally preparing yourself for the battlefield that would take place. Stomping your way heavily through the snow, you ignored all the distractions of the beautiful nature and the usual soothing sounds were suddenly aggravating to you. Everything was mocking all of a sudden and it did little to help your situation.

Your tail swished behind you in aggravation, flicking the snow left and right as you stormed your way to the cabins.

“If anything happens, I’ve got the cameras for back-up!” Nova cheered for you on the radio. You didn’t even bother to respond, trusting that she knew how much of a bad mood you were in.

“It’s going to be a bloodshed.” Jack unhelpfully piped up on the channel.

As you neared the dreaded cabins, you stood still for a few solitary moments, just breathing in the cold air to dampen your bloodlust. With a quick glance to the sky for strength, you dragged yourself to the lion’s cabin and knocked on the door gently; almost hoping they wouldn’t hear it. But to your dismay the door swung open almost immediately and you were faced with the familiar scowl of the lioness. She let a warning growl, practically shoving you out the doorway as you stumbled on the steps down. Your tail was your only saving grace, keeping you balanced even as you pushed away.

“Don’t go near my family.”

Ah, an angry mother lioness.

Your own instincts flared on the defence, straightening your posture to match hers as you let out your own angry chuff on reaction.

“I was made aware,” You spoke through gritted fangs, “That you called my assistance.”

The lioness laughed in your face, spit hitting your fur as her tail lashed out behind her.

“I just wanted to see if you still had your job and tragically it appears you do.” She crossed her arms over her chest, “Which is shocking considering how bad you are at your job!”

“If you have any complaints-”

“I have plenty! And the main one is that you’re still working here!”

She shoved you again, harder.

You grabbed her paw as she went to pull her arm back.

She growled.

You matched it.

If she pushes you again-

“Excuse me, hate to interrupt!” A familiar voice cut through the tense atmosphere, violently reminding you that you were not in fact not allowed to touch a tourist let alone swing on one regardless of what happened. You let go of the lioness’ paw, taking a few steps back from the aggravated mother and looking away from the scene.

Captain Barnacles moved with grace between you and the mother, smiling cordially and protecting you from her glare.

The lioness seemingly caught herself as well, “No, you’ve interrupted nothing. Just a misunderstanding with the soon to be unemployed ranger!” She hissed threateningly from over the polar bear’s shoulder, spinning around and storming back into her family’s cabin without another word.

“She seems nice!”

You chuckled dryly at his words.

“She sure is something…”

“I apologise for stepping in, but I heard the growling all the way from my cabin and was worried about something happening.”

“Thankfully nothing did.” You murmured quietly, still looking at the trees that surrounded the community of cabins and forcefully patting down your own fur.

The polar bear hummed thoughtfully, rocking on his heels as you watched him from the corner of your eye. He looked to say something, opening and closing his jaw like he couldn’t find the right words. A peaceful silence settled between the two of you, giving you a moment to fully decompress from the tense atmosphere only a moment ago.

Amused from watching him struggle internally, you decided to throw him a bone.

“She was upset because I didn’t baby her cubs when they kept breaking rules, did basically everything wrong and then refused to refund their tour despite cutting it short.”

You gestured for him to move closer, which he did with wide eyes.

“They didn’t deserve it.” You whispered conspiratorially, not noticing the way his ears pitched forward or the low rumble that escaped his throat.

“Ah, I see.”

The captain stuttered suddenly nervous, you assumed due to your close proximity. You have been told before that your fangs make lots of animals nervous, especially up close like you were with Captain Barnacles. Your sure the office is having a field day with the cameras and whatever images they create from it.

“I’m going to head to the office now.” You lean back from the bear, shrugging a shoulder towards the mountain. “If she’s serious about that complaint, I might as well start deleting her emails that are no doubt piling up.”

“I’m glad then.” At your raised eyebrow, he quickly corrected himself, “Not about the complaints but the deleting part. I’m glad your workplace trusts you.”

You chuckled at his panicked expression.

“Yeah, they’re pretty great. Though I think I might have to take a couple weeks off soon, my tours seem to keep ending in disaster recently.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Captain Barnacles paused, looking off to the side before making contact with you, “But do you think you have time for one more?”

You blink, surprised.

You did still have time before your shift ended, and the weather seemed to be manageable for once.

“Yeah, I guess I have time for one more.”

The captain grinned at your words, “Then please, guide me.”

Almost without thought, you switched off your radio as you began leading the bear off to another track. It was the more mundane one that simply stretched along the outskirts of the forest, built for more sightseeing rather than a challenge like the others. You pointed out all the tourist hotspots with ease, rambling about the history and local fauna that only bloomed under certain conditions. And it seemed that the captain was soaking it all up, nodding along to everything you said and asking all the right questions whenever you finished.

It was nice.

It was really nice.

You were reminded of the goodness about your job whenever you got to guide animals that were actually interested in what you had to say. And Captain Barnacles was a perfect example of that with his white fur glistening in the sunlight and his permanent smile that was always aimed at you.

The two of you headed towards the end of the track where the grand finale awaited those that finished. It was a small clearing of wildlife flowers that continued to grow despite the harsh weather during the winter. You leaned down and brushed bits of snow off some of the flowers, noticeably the Snow Gums were growing best compared to the others.

“They’re my favourite.” You told the captain casually, remaining crouched on the ground as you stared at the sturdy white flowers.

“They match your fur.” He spoke up quietly.

“Match yours too.”

You joked as you plucked one of the more healthier looking Snow Gums, twirling it between your digits before turning towards Captain Barnacles, who stood back a few paces.

This bear and his weird distance thing.

You cleared the gap and planted yourself right in front of him, the two of you staring at one another in heightened silence. Without double-thinking your actions, you quickly tucked the flower into his collar, laughing at how the flower almost blended into his fur. The captain froze under your paws, sucking in a surprised breath at your actions.

“Told you it matches.” You mumbled, suddenly flustered.

Your eyes struggled to look back at the captain and found yourself looking anywhere but at the bear. You made to take a step back when Barnacles suddenly moved closer, gently taking your paw and placing something inside it.

“My friend, Peso, said that I should give this to you.”

It was a rock.

You felt over the small pebble, oddly charmed by how smooth it was and the way it reflected light like Captain Barnacle’s fur. You squeezed it tightly in your palm before tucking it into your pocket. “I love it.”

You rumbled pleased at the gift.

And the Captain matched it with his own.

“Guess, I’ll just head back to work now…”

You mumble weakly, all too aware of the cameras and the way you kept leaning into Barnacle’s space. You needed to separate less something happens that you’ll never live down; your reputation wouldn’t be able to take a hit like that.

The captain looked almost regretful at the sudden space between you two and you felt like you had to fix it.

“You can come back with me to the office, if you want?”

“I’d very much like that.” He was quick to take up the offer, offering his paw out like the gentleman he was, and you were too weak to deny him. You intertwined your arms and guided the bear back up the mountain, letting the silence do all the talking for you.

It was nice just walking up the mountain range, not pressured to start a conversation or initiate awkward small talk. It was just right.

You hadn’t realised when you let your guard down or unknowingly believed in the whims of your coworkers. Something about the bear, the myth, the legend, Captain Barnacles just slotted perfectly against your jagged edges. You took the lead, and he was all too happy to follow along, from trailing after you to walking arm in arm, something unspeakable shifted between the two of you. And for once, you had no complaints.

The office was within eyesight after a few more steps, both of you stopping only a few metres away as the chilly wind rushed past you. You squeezed the captain’s arm who quickly reciprocated and with that, the two of you headed towards the building.

Like the proper bear he was, Captain Barnacles opened the door for you, shooting you a charming grin as you felt your face heat up from his chivalry. No one’s ever treated you like this before, like something precious or needing to be cared for. Not that Snow Leopards had a particularly good track record with other animals, but then again, most predators were always deemed to be more ‘tougher’. But you certainly weren’t going to stop the captain, if this was how he was going to treat you.

Of course, the sweet gesture was immediately ruined by the jeering and taunts from your coworkers.

“Oh, how polite!”

“He’s got my approval!”

“Your cubs will look so cute!”

Maria shouted out the last comment, cacking in delighted glee at the shocked expression you were clearly giving her. Barnacles coughed awkwardly to the side of you, still holding the door open while his eyes darted around the small space. You gave him a look and gestured to your coworkers, mentally trying to project to him that this is not a normal occurrence and you hated everyone here.

Afraid you might combust on the spot, you headed over to your desk and grabbed your things, shoving everything violently into your backpack for the trip home.

“Oh, c’mon Rose, you know we’re just teasing!” Maria went to pat your shoulder and that’s when you snapped.

“Back off!”

Embarrassment and shame flooded over your body with your ears flattened and fur bristling from the tension. You couldn’t look anyone in the eyes as your paws shook violently from how hard they were shaking, dropping your keys on the office floor as tears threatened to fall. Your breathing picked up pace, sounding loud and uneven as your coworkers rushed to your side suddenly.

“We’re so sorry!”

“Oh Rose, we weren’t making fun of you-”

“Just leave me alone, please!” You shoved them all away, ditching your bag at your desk before going out the back door. Your emotions were all over the place, a horrid mixture of anxiety and humiliation that threatened to overtake your mind.

It was just such a vulnerable moment between you and the captain that you felt too exposed to indulge in their usual teasing. You were actually hurt and most importantly, afraid, afraid that they’d scare off the first animal who’s ever shown interest in you. And you just ruined it by snapping at everyone and overreacting over nothing. Typically, behaviour from you, always either too emotional or not emotional enough.

Sometimes it really sucked being you.

Chapter Text

You were avoiding everyone.

And they all knew it.

You never greeted anyone whenever you clocked in and left just as quickly as you had arrived. It was only inevitable when you finally turned in your personal leave that Jack had no choice but to allow it. He only wished you a good break and let you leave that very same day, watching you silently as you packed up your desk and left the golden framed picture behind.

You needed to think about how things were going and what your future was really going to look like. Ever since you had met Captain Barnacles, he’d made your whole heart sing and brought a special bounce to your steps. But it made you think, if someone as great as the Captain Barnacles could show interest in you, then could other animals as well?

Your self-esteem wasn’t exactly high, but surely you had some good qualities about you that others would like.

You weren’t trying to get over the captain, not at all. Your heart still ached whenever you thought of him, and you missed the warmth that the two of you had shared briefly. You craved it.

However, a part of you knew that the chances of seeing him again were slim. He saw you at your worst and you’re sure you’re not the only fish in the sea for him, so with that logic, there should be plenty for you as well. You needed to be better and there was no other way to improve yourself then broadening your horizons.

You had spent weeks working up courage, practicing small talk and rehearsing your lines for an upcoming speed-dating event. It was for all creatures big and small to talk to new animals and find ‘the one’ or at the very least meet some new friends. The pop-up for the event had appeared on your furbook page and with nothing to lose, you signed yourself up.

And as another day ended, you stared at yourself in the bathroom mirror looking over your simple blue dress that sparkled under the light. It was the only nice thing you had with the length thankfully covering up your sandal wedges that you wore underneath. Not that you needed the additional height, but it was the only comfortable shoes you had that were somewhat better than your casual boots for work. Your options really were limited, and you weren’t going to spend money on a potential waste of time anyway. There was no telling how the speed-dating event was going to go, but you had to hope for the best regardless. It was just for the night, nothing commitment related or wedding bells just yet.

You fluffed up the fur on your face, making sure you looked more softer than threatening and forced yourself out of the house. Thankfully, the event was only a bus ride away, saving the use of your car and wasting any petrol.

The streets all blurred together as you lost yourself to your own thoughts.

How many would show up?

What if they were all better dressed than you?

Had you put on perfume beforehand?

Were your keys in your purse?

You had little time to ponder as your stop arrived, gently easing in front of the building that was hosting the event. You sucked in a quick breath and made your way out of the bus, only hesitating for a brief second before walking towards the awaiting doors.

Almost on instinct, you swished your tail left from right as if you were still bounding through the mountains and not walking on plain old cement. It was times like these where you missed the simplicity of your job, but now you were going to try something new. Something that could potentially change your life for the better.

Pushing open the building doors, you mentally ran through the instructions that you had read online. All you had to do was sit at your table, interact with the other animals and find out at the end of the event if anyone wanted to pursue you further. It should be easy.

You eyed the other animals wearily, taking note of all the differing species as you found your designated table to sit at. It had your name written in fancy cursive with a touch of glitter on the folded paper that marked this area as yours. You folded your paws carefully over your lap, tucking your tail behind yourself as you attempted to make yourself look approachable.

Your ears kept picking up on all the various sounds that surrounded you, momentarily distracting you when a bell rang out throughout the room, signally the start of the event. A growing pit of dread swelled in your stomach at the increasing number of animals that lined up to the side, all waiting and talking amongst themselves as they organised who was going first to start off the rotation. And as your eyes looked over each of them, you suddenly locked onto one that was already looking right back at you.

Another snow leopard.

His fur was almost impeccable, glistening and sparkling under the light with near symmetrical rose pattern marks that had you straightening your back. Your instincts were alight and so apparently were his, as the feline barely acknowledged anyone else in the room and headed straight towards your table.

“Rose?” He let out a low chuff, reading your name card.

“A nickname.”

The answer fell easily from your tongue, staring up at him while he continued to stand over you. His paws resting on the table, claws suddenly retracting out as he quickly and suddenly tore through the white cloth, leaving it tattered before sauntering off without a word.

Your eyes were drawn to his puffed-up tail as he left, watching it swish left and right in an almost teasing fashion.

“So, is it my turn then?”

A hesitant Tiger appeared from your peripheral, shooting you a small grin as she gracefully sat down in front of you.

“Sorry,” You apologised, “It’s a snow leopard thing.”

The rest of the night went by in a blur after that, nodding and smiling to the other animals that sat at your table, always listening to them and never once offering something about yourself. It was a lot more draining than you remembered, having never socialised for such a long period of time before.

Yet your mind kept running back to the male Snow Leopard, who went through the traditional courting method. He certainly captured your attention.

Almost like another white furred animal.

An almost mournful sigh escaped you, watching the last animal leave your table before the bell rung to signal the closing of the event. You dutifully got up from your table and headed towards reception, patiently waiting in line with the others. It was only when you finally reached the table did you notice the stack of cards that were piled by your name.

“Seems you were quite a catch!” The feline chirped, handing over the cards into your frozen paws. You stood there flabbergasted for a moment, before robotically exiting the building and staring up into the night sky. How was this your life, exactly?

You barely even glanced at the cards, stuffing them into your purse as unease settled into your stomach. The night truly was great, and it didn’t feel wasted, you met entertaining animals and certainly some that you’d like to get to know more.

But your thoughts kept thinking about his sparkling fur, his kind eyes and his silly little captain’s hat that made his face perfectly round.

Would he have shown up for you if he knew?

Was this the part where Barnacle’s makes his grand re-entrance into your life?

“No.” You whispered to yourself sullenly, “No it isn’t.”

Because things like that don’t happen to you, no matter how much you wished it did. With a bitter sigh, you stormed off back to the bus station with your fur bristling and ears pinned to the back of your head. You sat on a vacant chair and tucked your tail over your lap, resting your purse behind it to discreetly pull out the cards you had gotten. You were a bit embarrassed by the amount and slightly nervous as you scanned over the names that wanted to see you again.

“And what’s that look for?” A familiar voice cut through your thoughts, belonging to none other than the male Snow Leopard from before. He was leaning up against the bus shelter, towering over you like he did back at the event. His piercing brown eyes were a sharp contrast to his soft fur, somehow looking even brighter in the night.

You stared up at him unmoving, both of you watching the other intensely as an unknown tension began to rise in the air.

“Never caught your name.”

“It’s Raph.” He chuffed back.

You watched as he instinctively rubbed his neck alongside the stop, maintaining eye-contact as you felt yourself stand to match his height. You couldn’t help but compare him to Captain Barnacles, he was almost a complete opposite of the bear you were enamoured with. There was a roughness there that you liked, and you had no doubt that the two of you were compatible.

His scent complimented yours, his patterns symmetrical and he kept himself at a distance yet still close enough. You took a single step forward, watching him for any reactions as you leaned in close and sniffed at his neck.

Raph let out a low purr, standing perfectly still before mimicking your own movements once you pulled back. His nose was slightly cold as it pushed against your neck fur gently and your own quiet purr matched his.

Yeah, there was something there alright.

There was security, protection, stability in the knowledge that this leopard was almost exactly like you. It’d be perfect and simple and so, so easy to allow yourself to fall into a life with this feline. This perfect specimen of a snow leopard that would give you all that you wanted, and you wouldn’t have to change a thing about yourself. It’d be so easy.

And maybe that’s why you hesitated, maybe that’s why despite it all you shook your head sadly and sat back down on the chair. You turned your head and watched from the corner of your eye as Raph suddenly stiffened, a deep growl emitting from his throat before storming off from wherever he came from.

You sagged in the metal chair, letting your tail drop to the floor and waited in silence for your bus to arrive.

You barely remembered the trip back home or the closing of your eyes as you suddenly jolted up in bed from a knock at the door. You ran your paws over your face, struggling to comprehend all that was happening when the knocks suddenly grew more frantic in nature.

“Coming!”

You threw off your blankets, stumbling bare pawed through your house as a yawn escaped you. Just barely clinging onto consciousness, you struggled to even turn the knob before finally swinging open the door.

“You have three seconds to explain why you’ve abandoned our captain or I’m going to fight you.”

“Wha-”

“Three.”

“Kwazii?”

“Two.”

“Hang on a minute-”

“One.”

A blur of orange was your only warning before the agitated feline tackled you to the ground, just quick enough to protect your head as you hit the floor. He hissed in your face, baring his fangs as his claws dug into your shoulder blades. It was a tangle of limbs and tails, the two of you going back and forth between blows. Kwazii forcing himself deeper into your home and threatening the very safety of all that you held close.

If the two of you weren’t fighting, you’d be almost surprised at his agility and quickness in dodging your clawed swipes but now was not the time. You needed to get the upper paw soon or risk hurting Captain Barnacle’s second in command.

Thankfully, everyone had a weakness and Kwazii’s wore his on his sleeves. Thinking fast you blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“He wasn’t good enough for me!”

“What!?”

Hook, line and sinker.

The pirate feline froze on top of you; his paw seemingly stuck in the air as he starred at you in bewilderment.

“Not good enough? You’re the one that’s not good enough-”

You kicked him off you violently, throwing him into a wall as you quickly put space between the two of you. Kwazii let out an annoyed grunt as you chuffed low in warning, straightening out on the wall opposite as you watched him carefully.

“I know.” You answered through gritted fangs, “So why are you here? And I’ll give you two seconds before I claw your other eye out.”

“You don’t scare me!”

“Could say the same, kitty cat.”

He hissed at your words, but remained still, seemingly taking in your home as his eye darted around the area. You took the momentary pause to stare at Kwazii’s belt, noticing that while he had his Octonaut’s communicator, he was distinctly lacking his knife. For anyone else that might not be a big deal, but you knew that this meant this matter was personal for him. He wanted to go straight to the source, though who knew why.

“Look,” Kwazii finally spoke up, still not looking at you as he stared at the opened front door, “The Captain’s sad, he’s not been the same since you decided to give him the cold shoulder. He’s wondering around base, not really there and barely even talks to us.”

He pauses.

“He’s got a big heart, y’know and no defences around it. So, I don’t care if I must drag you out of this house, you’re going to explain to that soft-hearted bear why you’ve decided to abandon him!”

“That’s not, that’s not what’s happening.”

“Then what is it? Cause it ain’t his fault and I’m sick of him feeling like it is.”

And that broke your heart to hear.

You didn’t mean for all this happen and certainly didn’t mean to hurt Captain Barnacles in the process. You just wanted to see what was out there, though maybe you shouldn’t have been surprised that it led you right back to the bear that first captured your eye.

With a quiet sigh, you headed back to your room, purposefully ignoring the tabby’s footsteps as he trailed after you. There were no words exchanged as you knelt by your bed, reaching your paws underneath to a small box carefully hidden from view. You cradled it to your chest, before turning to Kwazii and holding it out to him. “Take it.”

Cautiously the feline moved closer, his eyes darting from yours to the box as he reached for the treasured item.

“If this is a trick-”

A soft gasp escaped him.

You quickly turned your back to him, resolutely staring at your blue bedsheets as your tail twitched in nervousness from his reaction.

“I’m not used to this, Kwazii. I don’t know what I’m doing, so just tell me…”

You rested your head against your mattress.

“What do you want me do to?”

Chapter Text

You closed your eyes against the soft material, quietly waiting for an answer that most likely would destroy you.

“I want you to go back to the captain and give him this.”

You felt the familiar box-shaped item get pressed back into your paws, turning your head to face Kwazii as he wrapped his own paw around yours. He looked into your eyes, staring for who knows how long before nodding in satisfaction at whatever he saw. “Go.”

And that was all you really needed to hear.

It was like a burst of energy had just run through your body, you felt different and lively. Because you were going to see your captain.

Your Captain Barnacles.

With renewed passion you stood up and beelined it to your closet, hastily grabbing your worker’s jacket and throwing it over your shoulders. You barely passed Kwazii a glance as you entered your bathroom, checking yourself in the mirror quickly before making a mad dash to the front door. You had no time to waste or worry about your outfit, unbothered by the fact that you hadn’t changed from last night. None of it mattered until you could find that polar bear and tell him all that consumed you, as well as giving him the gift that you had made. You shot a quick glance at the box in your paw, safely tucking the item into your jacket’s while using your other paw to open the door.

And promptly choked on air at what you saw.

“Oh, hello!”

A very, very familiar voice greeted you with the sight of the very bear that kept haunting your mind.

“I hadn’t realised this was your address, I was-”

“Don’t worry captain!” Kwazii called out from behind you, nonchalantly slipping passed you to pat Captain Barnacles’ shoulder. “I accidentally pressed my communicator; I’ll get Tweak to fix it right now!”

The cunning feline was quick to flee, wearing nothing but a cheeky grin on his face as he waved to the two of you and left in what you assumed to be his gup vehicle as he sped away. You watched him leave with an amused grin of your own, a quiet chuckle leaving you before looking over at Barnacles, who always watched Kwazii with fondness in his eyes.

Yeah, there was definitely something there.

A surge of energy settled beneath your fur, building up in anticipation as you reached for the box in your pocket. You waited until the Captain turned to face again you, simply taking in the special bear that stole your heart. He gave you a smile, holding his arms behind his back as he met your eyes almost nervously.

“Hi.” You breathed out.

“Hello again.”

Barnacles spoke back just as softly, eyes never leaving yours as a small rumble escaped his throat. You couldn’t help but match it with a chuff of your own, subconsciously taking a step back into your home, “Wanna come in?”

You squeezed the box in your pocket for strength, letting your paws guide you back to your loungeroom as the Captain wordlessly followed after you. He seemed closer than normal, practically matching your steps as the two of you were lost in your own worlds. There was an unspeakable tension in the air, something you’d never felt before with another animal, let alone another species. Yet you didn’t find yourself minding in the slightest.

Backtracking to the lounge, you found yourself sitting on the carpeted floor, tail swishing behind you as Captain Barnacles sat across from you. You watched him stare briefly at the gap between you before boldly scooting over, knees touching the other while he slowly moved forward.

Your heart was practically bursting from your chest, slowly copying his movements till your foreheads gently brushed against each other. Another rumble escaped the bear, much louder than last time. Keeping your heads touching, you finally pulled out the box softly nuzzling against his fur as you gently placed the precious gift into his waiting paw. You stared into his warm brown eyes, letting your paw stay held in his as he took the box.

“Is this for me?” He whispered transfixed, almost like he was afraid to look away and dare tempt fate that this wasn’t real after all. You smiled, unable to help yourself as you leaned forward and rested your head atop his shoulder, purposely letting yourself cuddle into his neck with a gentle purr.

“It’s not for anyone else, Captain.” You couldn’t help but tease.

He rumbled deeper.

You lowered your head into his neck, angling yourself to watch in anxious trepidation as Barnacles slowly opened the small box. Your tail swished nervously behind you, betraying your true emotions when you felt the bear’s quiet gasp.

The revealed present was of course the rock he had gifted you so long ago but now converted into a necklace.

Or rather two necklaces.

“Thought we could be matching.”

You mumbled embarrassed, tucking yourself closer to the bear as you felt his chuckle gently shake you. Closing your eyes, your fur stiffened as the feeling of his paws were suddenly wrapped tightly around you, bringing you closer to him as the harmonies of both your purrs and his matched beautifully.

“I must admit,” Captain Barnacles spoke into your fur, “I was worried when you didn’t turn up to work. I thought I scared you away and I read too much into it-”

“No, no, that’s not it.”

You hurried to interrupt, reluctantly pulling yourself away from the warmth of the Captain, smiling slightly at the way his paws remained around you, keeping you close.

“It was my coworkers, well, my friends,” You stumbled over yourself, “I’m not the best at handling myself when I’m being teased. And I was already nervous about showing you my workplace, so it just all got in my head, and I had to leave.”

“I’m sorry, I should’ve followed after you, but I didn’t want to presume.”

“I wouldn’t have minded if you did.”

The words rushed out of you.

“Well, now I’ll know for next time.” He chuckled.

You watched him take you in, smiling at the way you laughed at his words. His eyes darted to the open box in his lap, and you felt your heart squeeze as he looked back at you.

“May I?” He let the question hang in the air and you nodded wordlessly, tilting your head to the side and allowing Captain Barnacles to brush past your fur as he settled the necklace around your neck. His paws hesitated if only for a moment before pulling back, awkwardly pulling his ears back in embarrassment. You laughed at his reaction, leaning forward to press your heads together in comfort before putting his necklace over his work collar.

A please purr escaped you at the matching accessories, happier now than ever at him accepting your gift. You were just so smitten over him; it was all you could do.

“So,” You spoke softly, “Will this mean you’ll stop with the distance thing?” You couldn’t help but tease, enjoying the way his blush covered his snow-white fur.

“No more distance.” He mumbled quietly, “Not when I can be this close to you.”

“Smooth talker.”

He chuckled at your words, looking into your eyes with such warmth and care that you almost couldn’t believe a bear like this found you.

Your captain had found you.

And you couldn’t be happier.