-1Scout's finger pressed against the glass, drawing lazy circles, big ones. The tank's inhabitant, a baby Tentaspy, followed the finger with childlike fascination, eyes wide and blinking owlishly as the finger darted across the glass, leaving behind a smudge.

The mini RED scooted after it, little limbs flailing as they tried to propel itself through the lukewarm water. Miniature arms with tiny gloved hands slapped against the barrier as it chased the finger, trying to break through to hug the finger of its adoptive parent.

Scout smiled. His new little pet would never have survived out there on its own, would probably have died where it lay on the wooden walkway if he hadn't nearly gotten his ass shot off to save it.

Still, was worth it. Wasn't quite the same as a dog, granted, but it was sweet, in a kind of squishy small baby way. It had that weird baby smell too, except different, kind of fishy. The BLU often thought to himself that if he removed that little mask (which he'd never do, it had already bit him for trying it) then he would find that weird hair that babies had, the sort of fluffy stuff and that flaky skin that smelt like sick. That or scales.

Scales would be cooler, he thought, removing the finger from the glass and unwrapping the white strip on that hand.

"Eh, c'mere you." he grinned, the unbound hand slipping into the water, fingers wriggling. He swore he heard a delighted squeak from the little sea creature as it spotted the hand and latched on, nuzzling the palm as its many suctioned limbs clung to his fingers, wrapping around them. "S'get ya some food eh?" the runner lifted the baby out and let the water drip back into the tank before cradling the diminutive creature close.

There was a plate of food near his bed, little bits of diced meat and veg filling the room with the mouth watering scent of carrots, onion, lettuce, chicken and cauliflower. Seating himself down on the bed, legs tucked under himself, Scout detached the countless limbs from his hand and set the infant in his lap.

"Stay." he warned, pointing down with one index finger before picking up the plate and setting it to his side. Picking up the squirming sewer dweller in one hand and a cube of chicken in the other, he cradled the hatchling close and held the cube before it. "Go on, take it."

Eager to eat, the cube was lifted from his fingers by two minuscule hands and cuddled for its warmth before it began to eat, tiny flecks of chicken smattering its face. It took all of Scout's manly willpower not to 'coo' and 'aww' over the infant.

"Eh, come on, ya makin' a mess. Don't want bugs all ovah ma bed." Once the little block of chicken had disappeared into its sharp toothed mouth, he gently brushed away the flecks of chicken, and offered it a cube of carrot. Scout could tell the little thing was reluctant to eat veg, kinda like he was, but he had to eat it, else he couldn't run fast (and Medic would give him that freaky glare, god what was with that? It was like his eyes were popping out or something) so the lil' guy had to eat them too. To, y'know, grow and swim and stuff…

The baby looked up at him with big goo-goo eyes and squeaked, holding out the carrot cube.

"What, ya want me ta eat it or something'? C'mon, I just ate, 's'your turn."

It squeaked again - and tossed the cube at his head!

"'Ey!" Scout picked up the cube and frowned at the little terror. "Look, do that again, and it's back in the tank!" he warned, putting the cube back on the plate and giving the baby brat a small piece of lettuce. It was devoured with reluctance, as was the rest of the veg on the plate.

Scout even stole a few of the cubes for himself.

After a while, it was time for the babe to go back into the tank, and it took ten soldier minutes to get it to "Get the fuck off Daddy's hand" as Scout put it. Everytime he managed to get one clingy limb off, another one would somehow reattach itself. It wasn't until he'd dunked his hand in the water and shook the surprised thing off that it let go.

The lid went on, to make sure his pet wouldn't get out and get lost. Scout took the plate through to the kitchen, stepping over a comatose Demo on the way round the table.

It was several hours before he returned to his room.

---

The tank lay smashed on the carpeted floor, the water long absorbed into the manky carpet, and Scout was relieved to see that his pet was not lying dead among the shards of glass, twice the infant's size in some cases.

What did worry him was the fact the pet was nowhere to be seen.