Baby Mine: Part 2 (Cameron Cassmore x Reader)
Summary: Caring for a new baby octopus is a challenge, but what happens when Selah ends up having to spend a few days with you, Cameron and Tova? Some very interesting things, that's for sure.
Warnings: References to animal injuries etc.
Tagging: @floydsmuse @floydsglasses @sebsxphia @lewmagoo @lalalunascope @em1i2a3 @abbottsdarling @keeryspullman
"Alright sweetie pie, in you go," Cameron said as he quickly lifted Selah from her tank and placed her in the little aqua culture carrier.
His mouth turned down in an exaggerated frown as Selah kept wriggling and writhing her little tentacles all over his hand, clinging to Cameron and refusing to let go of it.
"You little shit," he chuckled. "I don't think I have anything that you could possibly want. Now get in the tank."
Selah's little tentacle slapped the water with a little *SPLASH!* which shot right into Cameron's face. He turned right around when he heard you giggling from the doorway and saw a teasing look on your face.
"Well at least she didn't ink," he pointed out.
"I think you spoke too soon Cam," you told him.
"AAGH!" he yelped as a pool of slick black ink had begun to pool on his hand.
"Oh look, the baby gave you a little present," Tova teased.
"Not funny Tova," Cameron insisted, still trying to get Selah off his hand and into the tank.
"Alright, I think I know what she wants," you said.
Reaching into her aquarium tank, you pulled out the little magnetic pirate ship before it could float away. You placed it into the little aqua culture carrier and before you could blink, Selah had released herself from Cameron's hand.
"Eew she inked all over me," he jokingly complained.
You laughed, handing him the soap to clean it off and prepped the container to be taken home. "All the better to prep for our little sleepover," you told him.
Cameron sighed as he washed his hands. Having a sleepover with a baby octopus was definitely not on his to-do list for the weekend.
As soon as his hands were thoroughly cleaned, you and Cameron helped Tova close up for the day, eager to get home and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Thank goodness the start of summer meant taking half days on Fridays.
Tova's car was just a little cramped to say the least, but the three of you made the best of it with Cam popping in a mixtape of all the good 70s, 80s and 90s hits.
You pulled into the parking lot at the Sowell Bay Fish Market, the fishermen steering in the trawlers and boats at the docks and unloading their catch of the day. A little unconventional, but the fish market not only specialized in excellent quality seafood for humans, but also for the local aquarium as well.
You and Tova waited in the car while Cam ran in to see if he could get the food for Selah. So far there hadn't been a day that went by when you weren't grateful for Shorty, one of the local fishermen who caught all kinds of live prey for the residents of the aquarium.
"Good Lord she's absolutely going to town on that damn pirate ship," Tova chuckled as she watched Selah playing with her favorite toy.
"She must think she's the kraken in Pirates Of The Caribbean," you joked.
You and Tova watched Selah play with her little boat, the waterproof magnetic pieces snapping back into place when she pulled them apart. In less that ten minutes, Cameron returned with a plastic bag full of freshly packed food for Selah.
"Got enough food there?" you chuckled.
"Enough for the four days that Selah's gonna be sleeping over," he answered, placing the groceries on the floor in the back.
As soon as he was in and the car started, you were all off again and down the road for home.
As soon as you, Cam and Tova were in the house, you placed Selah right in the in-home fish tank in the living room, making sure that she was comfortable and that her favorite toy was with her at all times.
Dinner that night was utterly perfect, chicken thighs coated in a spicy dry rub for the grill, earthy white rice and crisp veggies pulled from the garden the previous day. Selah of course was in heaven as she munched away on the hundreds of tiny little crustaceans that had been put into her tank for her to eat.
When the three of you had begun closing up and bedding down for the night, you and Cameron made sure to feed Selah one last time. Cam put a handful of shore shrimp into the water but before he could remove his hand, Selah quickly swam right into it, nesting and curling up in his large cupped hand.
"What you wanna sleep there?" he chuckled.
She lifted her head and blinked her eyes but didn't respond with anything else.
"She thinks your hand is a hammock," you cooed.
Cam smiled and rolled his eyes. "Alright I'll oblige," he said.
He very gently rocked his hand back and forth, cradling the baby octopus as though she were the most precious thing in the world. The two of you hummed a familiar song and gently pet her mantle until she curled her tentacles around both your fingers.
Tova couldn't help but come over to pet her either, totally captivated by the sight of such a tiny creature held in Cam's big, veiny hand. "Now when are the two of you gonna give me a great grandchild?"
You and Cam started laughing as Selah woke to life and swam into her little hideout. "Jeez Tova, we come home with a baby octopus for four days, isn't that enough?" he laughed.
"I'm joking, I'm joking," she answered laughingly.
You, Cam and Tova shared a few laughs on the matter, though it was a thought that you knew would cross your minds sooner than later. Though it would be quite a while before that, you and Cam were willing to be content with Selah in the present moment.