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Perry groaned as he woke up, eyes shooting open to stare into his pillow where his face was buried in it. The ringing from his phone was so loud it felt like it was cutting through the quiet of the night like a knife. Detangling his arm from his pile of blankets, he pulled it towards his face, surprised when his watch lit up to show a blank screen with no new messages or calls. Perry squinted at the light, lifting this head slightly to reach for his phone. He scowled at his phone as Heinz’s contact picture (a nice one of him smiling at Niagara Falls) grinned up at him.
Perry hesitated a moment longer when the call ended but it immediately started again, the ringing loud enough he swiped across to answer to cut it off with an sharp exhale, dropping his head back down to his pillow and pressing the phone to his ear.
“Perry the Platypus?” Heinz said. If Perry had been any less aware he wouldn’t have noticed the trembling of his voice. “Oh, danke Gott. Uh, listen, Perry, I’m sorry for waking you. Well, I don’t even know if you sleep, to be honest, I thought you might have one of those weird Spy chambers that you recharge in like in the films.”
Perry didn’t even want to know what films he was talking about. “Whas’ wrong?” he croaked, his voice a sleepy grumble. Heinz took in a sharp exhale at his voice.
“I always forget you have that accent, Perry the Platypus. That’s, uh, that’s some morning voice. I guess you do sleep, go figure. But, um, it’s Vanessa.”
Perry wiped the last traces of sleep from his eyes and sat up to listen, leaning back on his free hand. Heinz sniffed, his voice cracking as he carried on. ”She was at this rave thing all her friends were going to that was supposed to finish at midnight. I didn’t want her to go, Perry the Platypus, full disclosure, but she insisted.” There was a pause as Heinz tripped on something, barking a German curse, and then he carried on, “You know what Vanessa can be like. She’s a real dummkopf sometimes, she gets it from me. I’ve been waiting up for her but she’s not came home!” Perry pulled his phone from his ear quickly to check the time and saw it was 03:23. He began to share Heinz’s concerns. It was unlike Vanessa to stay out so late, especially since she was aware of how much her Dad worried about her. “She’s not answering her phone. Perry the Platypus, I just—“ Heinz swallowed what sounded like a sob, which broke through whatever ties had kept Perry to his bed until then.
Perry threw his blankets to the side as he put his phone on speaker and put it down, grabbing the t-shirt he’d dropped on the ground earlier that night and pulling it over his head. He shoved his feet into his favourite platypus slippers as Heinz kept talking. “I don’t know what to do. I can’t even find her with the tracker I put in her boot! I texted her friend Lacey and she told me Vanessa had gone off with other people during the rave! You’re the only person I could call, Perry the Platypus. I’m so scared something bad has happened to her.”
Perry grabbed his phone, hanging up and opening his text messages as he hurried down the stairs.
[ HEINZ DOOFENSHMIRTZ >:( ]
03:25 AM
OMW. Will find her
Where was the rave?
THANK YOU PTP. DANVILLE SCRAP YARD 302 MAIN RD
BRING MY LITTLE GIRL HOME PLEASE
Perry shoved his phone into his pyjama pants pocket, recognising the address, and opened the door to the garage from the kitchen. As he pressed the button to lift the garage door and threw his leg over the motorbike he tried to ignore the trembling of his hands. He’d been to that scrapyard before.
Turning the keys to his motorbike, Perry pressed down on the gas and roared out of the garage to the road. He was bound to have woken the boys at least, but that was the least of his worries right now as he began to drive out of the suburbs, towards town. Even during the day, when he’d (unwillingly) attended the midday scrapyard rave he’d noticed what a dive the place was. His keen agent eyes hadn’t missed the solitary figures skulking the edges of the crowd, the quick flash of full baggies being handed over and the broken glass scattered over the ground. The thought of Vanessa out there at night, never mind alone, didn’t sit right with him at all.
It was unlike her to not answer her phone, either. For all Vanessa liked to complain about her Dad and his overprotective ways, Perry knew she secretly was grateful for Heinz’s sometimes overbearing attitude. She’d never intentionally worry him, and surely by this time she must know he’d be going mad with it.
Perry pressed down on the accelerator, speeding up as the wind whipped through his hair. In his panic, he'd even forgotten to put on his hat. Would Vanessa even recognise him? Perry shook his head to clear it. Vanessa was definitely not as face-blind as her Dad. The scrapyard was just around the corner now and his stomach was twisting with nerves despite himself. Perry never could control himself when someone he cared about was in danger. It was his only failing as an Agent, and one that his bosses despised.
If something had happened to Vanessa—no. Perry couldn’t afford to think that way. In the past few years Vanessa and Heinz had worked their way into his tight circle of people he cared about and became as much family to him as the Flynn-Fletchers. Perry could still remember when he realised how much he cared. He had stayed late after a mission, helping Vanessa with her homework while Heinz made dinner for them, grinning at a joke she’d made, when he’d stopped suddenly and thought: I am home here. The thought had frightened him so much he’d dashed to the bathroom where he stayed until he managed to calm his racing heart.
The thought of something happening to her panicked him as much as the thought of something happening to his own kids.
Perry parked the motorbike on the side of the road, kicking down the stand and pressing the red button that locked the bike to the floor. He took the keys out and headed towards the scrapyard. Straggles of people sat on the pavement outside. The air was thick with weed and tobacco. Perry glanced up and down, looking for any sight of Vanessa or her friends. All the people there seemed to be older. No teenagers visibly were in eyesight—the youngest person Agent P could see seemed to be at the youngest late twenties.
“Hey, dude, nice shoes,” a drunk man held out his fist for Perry to bump and he did absentmindedly, letting his features slide into a friendly smile as he nodded his head, mentally preparing himself to speak.
“Thanks, mate,” he said, putting a hand on his hip and shifting to a relaxed posture. “Is anyone still in there?” He wouldn’t ask for Vanessa specifically. Who knew what the ravers around him were like—he didn’t trust anyone, and especially not these people. Perry wasn't a judgemental person, but he'd grown up in the rougher areas of Australia, and his own experience with drugs and drink, especially considering his darker skin in his small childhood town, had him a little on edge here. He could already sense the stares he was attracting.
“I dunno, maybe a few,” the man slurred. “And hey, nice accent. Australian, right?”
“Born and raised,” Perry agreed with a slightly more real smile. He seemed to have met the only nice guy from the scrapyard. “Thanks for your help.”
“Hey, no problem dude,” the guy shrugged and turned back to the girl he was with, who was glaring at Perry glassily, pupils blown. Perry turned away, letting the smile wash off of his face as his posture straightened again, fists tense by his side as he stepped past a few more people who were all shouting about something.
Vanessa wasn’t out here. Unless she’d left the scrapyard with those other people Lacey had mentioned, she had to be in there. If she wasn’t—well, Perry’s blood chilled at the thought, but he would search the whole of Danville until he found her if she wasn’t there. With one last glance around, making sure he wasn’t being followed, he turned to the entrance.
Perry walked into the scrapyard, hands poised at his sides, refusing to let his guard down. Despite the noises coming from the street behind him, it all seemed to fade away as he became aware of the vast quiet in front of him. Perry strained his ears, stepping over knocked over bins and past a few drunk guys lying on the floor, mumbling things to each other he couldn’t hear.
The steps he took were almost silent as he walked further around the massive rubbish heap. A sick feeling rose in his stomach as still there was no sight of Vanessa and he looked back down at his phone, confirming the address Heinz had texted him.
Then, suddenly, there was a sound of garbage shifting to his right, behind the curve of another smaller garbage heap. Perry turned immediately towards the sound, wishing he had brought something to fight with. He had no problem fighting evil, but usually he had back up plans in his hat or his hidden pockets over his usual outfit. His pyjama trousers and t-shirt felt very flimsy all of a sudden.
There was no more noise. Perry half-wondered if he’d imagined it, frozen to that spot, when a voice spoke up.
“Let me go!”
That was her. Perry recognised Vanessa’s voice with a chill down his spine and launched to life, sprinting around the side of it to come face-to-back with a very large, very drunk man.
“Now, shh,” the man was slurring, leaning forwards. Perry caught a glimpse of Vanessa under him, head craned away from his leering face, hair caught in the garbage behind her and unusually messy. “Pretty girls gonna get what a pretty girl’s gonna get.”
“Get your meaty hands off me,” Vanessa spat, her voice trembling with more rage than fear. Perry saw red. He didn’t waste any time and grabbed the man’s shoulder, using all of his training and brute strength to pull the man back from Vanessa and flip him over his shoulder so he slammed back on to the floor a few feet away with a surprised bellow.
“Perry?” Vanessa asked, still flat on her back. With an unobstructed view Perry could see one of her sleeves was ripped and she was missing a shoe. A light trickle of blood had run down one side of her face as she squinted at him. Rage lit a fire in his stomach, hot and heavy as he rushed forwards.
[Are you okay?] he signed, leaning forwards to help her remove her hair from the garbage it had become stuck in. Vanessa nodded, expression only a little strained as he began pulling her hair from the pile she’d been trapped against.
“I’m fine,” she assured him, lifting her head when he removed a few tins, wincing as some of her hair got pulled out. She did look okay, despite the small cut on her temple. Vanessa even smiled at him as she pushed herself on to her knees. “Thanks.” Her eyes widened. “Perry, look out!”
Perry looked back just in time to duck as a large fist came down where his head had been, crashing down on the floor as the man overbalanced and fell close to Vanessa’s foot. She yelped, scrambling back.
No. Perry wouldn’t let this man get anywhere near her again. Readying himself, he rolled as the man roared, trying to land a blow. Perry reached down and grabbed his slippers after checking the ground for glass. It wouldn’t do any good to be injured while trying to take him down. Luckily the ground seemed pretty clear and he stood, jumping up to land a hard slap of the slipper on to the man’s face, making him stumble back and swear. A rare venomous hatred filled Perry. He could normally control his emotions while fighting, but the sight of Vanessa held down under the man’s large figure wouldn’t leave his brain.
Perry attacked, shoving one of his slippers into the man’s mouth as he shouted something unintelligible at him and yanking down, getting him off balance enough to jump and knee him in the chin. As the man wheezed, stumbling back, Perry attacked forcefully, landing harsh blows with his slippers until the man had collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Perry kicked him once more for good measure before handcuffing him to the pole at the edge of the trash site, a little satisfaction rising in him as he took in his bruised and bleeding face. Who would’ve thought slippers could cause much damage?
Normally Perry would never be so violent, but his stomach was still twisted as he stared down at the man, remembering Vanessa’s torn sleeve, Heinz’s tears down the phone. He wondered how long Vanessa had been held back here, all alone. Red tinged his vision as the anger rose high in his throat.
Turning away sharply, Perry held up his watch and tapped it to connect to the emergency services. After providing his agent number and a description of the man over text, as well as sharing his location, he turned to Vanessa, who was standing a few feet away, staring at the man with a slightly lost look on her face.
Perry clicked his fingers sharply, lifting his hands when she looked at him. [Are you hurt?]
“No,” Vanessa said, turning her gaze back to the man lying on the ground. Her tone was a little awed as she carried on. “Where did you learn to beat someone up with slippers?”
[Slippers 101.] Perry’s mouth twitched upwards as she snorted. [It was a special seminar provided by O-W-C-A last winter.]
“Of course it was,” Vanessa said, trying for a light tone and falling slightly short. She looked back at the man, expression becoming slightly distant. Perry could see her getting lost in thoughts and reached out, touching her bare shoulder where her sleeve had torn. Vanessa turned into the touch immediately, breaking away from the trance she’d been in to grab him in a hug. Perry was quick to respond, wrapping her up in his arms and stroking back her hair. With her shoe off Vanessa was a little shorter than him. She buried her face in his shoulder. This close, he could feel how badly she was shaking, the trembling of her breath she’d hidden so well. “Thanks for coming, Perry.”
He squeezed her tighter, letting her pull herself together. His eyes stung as she sniffed unsteadily against him, clearly trying not to cry. Over her shoulder, he pulled out his phone and shot Heinz a text.
[ HEINZ DOOFENSHMIRTZ >:( ]
[04:58 AM]
Got her. Home sn.
The reply came back almost immediately. Perry could bet Heinz had been waiting for his text, frantic with worry by the phone.
IS SHE OKAY PTP
THANK YOU
She’s fine. Will tell you when back.
THANK YOU PTP
Perry tucked his phone back into his pocket before pulling back gently from Vanessa, cupping her face with one hand while keeping the other around her shoulders. She gave him a brave smile and he responded, wiping some of the blood from the cut away and then the tear tracks with her hand.
[Home?] he signed with one hand. Vanessa nodded, tightening her arm around his waist. Perry kept her close as they turned to leave the scrapyard, past the man just as police sirens came into earshot.
“How did you know I was here?” Vanessa asked after a few beats of silence. Perry noticed a little worriedly she was limping a little on her bare foot. His own feet were starting to smart with his thin slippers on, but he didn’t want her doing any more damage. He steered them around a small spillage of garbage to cleaner ground.
Perry mimicked picking up a phone, unable to sign properly with his arm around her. Vanessa watched carefully. “Dad phoned you?” Perry nodded, glancing at the drunk guys still sprawled out on the floor near the entrance. Vanessa didn’t even notice them but made a wounded noise in her throat
“I knew he’d be worried,” she sighed. “I just kept thinking —you know, what will he be thinking, it must be so late, but I lost my phone when that guy grabbed me.”
Perry felt her trembling start up again and rubbed her arm, trying to soothe her as they left the scrapyard. His bike was still there but a guy was standing over it, poking at the buttons clumsily. Perry whistled loudly, speeding up and pointing at the guy as he whipped around to look at them. Vanessa walked quickly with him.
“Beat it, asshole!” she called. “That’s his bike, and he’ll beat your ass!”
The guy turned and booked it. Perry felt slightly ashamed at himself for the pride that rose up in him at her assertive tone. Even after everything, she was still brave enough to yell at people on the streets. Vanessa laughed lightly as she watched him run. “That felt good,” she admitted, and Perry ducked his head to hide the smile turning up the corner of his lips. He didn't hide it very well, though, he noticed. She was grinning when he looked back up.
Perry let go of her and held his hands up. Vanessa looked over at him. [You’ve hurt your foot.] She ducked her head, not denying it, and he waited until she looked back up before carrying on. [Are you okay to ride on the back?]
“Yeah,” Vanessa agreed, and Perry slipped his leg over the seat, feeling her settle behind him and wrap her arms around his waist. “I want to go home.” Perry squeezed her hand over his stomach before letting go, turning the keys and kicking up the stand.
The scrapyard wasn’t far from Doofenshmirtz Evil Inc. . Vanessa didn’t say anything as they sped down the streets, resting her head on the back of Perry’s shoulder. He worried about her silence but kept the uneasy peace himself, turning the corner to the big purple building.
Vanessa gave an audible silence of relief as they reached the bottom, climbing off stiffly as soon as Perry kicked the stand down and waiting impatiently for him to stand. The doorman let them in with a tip of his hat, recognising both of them from their usual comings and goings. Perry wrapped his arm around her to help her limp to the lift, pressing the button silently. The lift opened immediately and they stepped in.
“I never thought I’d get out of that place, Perry,” Vanessa admitted in the quiet, her head turned away from him. “That man… I didn’t think I would get away.”
Perry let go of her. [You’re here now.] She nodded, eyes bright with unshed tears, and he reached down to grab her hand, squeezing. [You’re safe.]
Vanessa sighed shakily, turning to the door as it dinged on to Heinz’s floor. Perry helped her out of the lift and to the door. It felt like his fist had barely touched it when it swung open to reveal Heinz Doofenshmirtz in all his glory, clad in bright green footie pyjamas.
“VANESSA!” he shrieked, lunging forwards to pull her into his arms. Vanessa collapsed into his embrace, tucking her head against his shoulder as she started to cry. Perry felt a lump in his throat at the sight and slipped past them into the hallway, heading to the kitchen to make some tea. Milk and three sugars for Heinz, black for Vanessa and milk for him. He could hear Heinz firing questions at her, absolutely frantic with worry and glanced back to see him holding her tightly, one of his hands fluttering around the back of her head. From what Perry had seen Heinz’s eyes had been red and swollen and his heart hurt even more.
By the time Vanessa and Heinz came through to the kitchen Perry was pouring the milk into the tea. “Oh, Perry the Platypus, you mensch,” Heinz said as Vanessa sat at the breakfast bar, taking the cup that was already waiting for her. Heinz crossed the floor quickly and pulled Perry into a tight hug. Perry responded, wrapping one arm around Heinz’s shoulders as Heinz held on to him tightly. He could feel him trembling and put down the milk, turning to give him a proper squeeze.
Heinz drew back, wiping his eyes. “I’m so glad you answered the phone. Thank you, Perry the Platypus. There is absolutely nothing I can do to repay you, nothing.”
Perry passed the tea to Heinz, who took it with shaking hands. [I’m glad you called me.] Heinz’s eyes softened as more tears began to glisten in them, looking down at his tea to hide the tears. [Has Vanessa told you?] Perry asked, glancing at her. The girl’s eyes were half-lidded as she watched them, hands still curled tightly around her cup.
“Vanessa, honey, why don’t you get changed into your pyjamas?” Heinz asked, recognising Perry’s hesitance. For such a dense man, he could be incredibly perceptive sometimes.
[We’ll fix your foot.] Perry offered and Vanessa nodded, turning and slipping off the stool. Perry waited until she’d limped to her room before turning back to Heinz, whose face was dark and stormy.
“What happened to my baby girl, Perry the Platypus?” he asked, and for a second Perry witnessed the evil scientist Heinz could be as he straightened, even with the green footie pyjamas. Without slouching he towered over Perry, face thunderous. Perry had to remind himself the anger wasn’t directed at him, heart skipping a beat at the cold fury in Heinz's eyes.
[There was a man over her when I found her.] He signed. There was no use sugarcoating what had happened. Heinz drew in a sharp breath, turning away to cover his eyes with a trembling hand. Perry took his tea from his other hand and placed it on the table before it was spilled. Perry made his familiar chattering noise and Heinz looked back at him with tear filled eyes. [It didn’t look like anything had actually happened. We’ll ask her when she’s out.]
“Ask me what?” Vanessa said. They both turned to watch her limp over to them. She was dressed in fabric shorts and a long t-shirt. Perry winced at her ankle, which was visibly swollen.
“Come sit down, honey,” Heinz directed her to the couch, hands fluttering over her as he helped her step over to it. Vanessa went silently, thanking Perry with a weak smile when he handed her her cup. His eyes pulled with tiredness. It had to be almost six am by now, and the sky was lightening. Vanessa and Heinz both looked dead on their feet. “Listen, I don’t want you to feel that you have to talk about it,” Heinz started, sitting down beside Vanessa. Perry sat on the comfy chair opposite them, taking a sip of his tea. “But you should, honey. I mean, look how far I’ve come, and all I do is talk about things that happened to me!” Vanessa smiled half-heartedly and Heinz sobered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “But what happened? Where did your boot go?”
Perry stood, remembering her ankle, and walked over to the cabinet, pulling out the first aid kit he knew was there. [Put your foot on the table,] he signed as he walked back over. Vanessa sniffed, letting Heinz help her lift her leg. Perry sat on the coffee table next to it, feeling gently along the swollen part as she started speaking.
“Well, I was with Lacey and Johnny, and stuff, but I bumped into Yasmine and Abdul, who I haven’t spoke to in ages. You remember them, right, Dad? From middle school?”
“Uh…” Heinz clearly did not. Vanessa rolled her eyes. Perry, the names meaningless to him, determined silently that her ankle was lightly sprained and told them through sign. Vanessa leaned against her Dad, who looked murderous again that she was so hurt. Perry pulled out the soothing spray and got to work.
“Ah! That’s cold,” Vanessa hissed, and then rested her head against Heinz’s shoulder. “Anyway, we ended up going away from the dancing so we could catch up, and I guess time just passed too quickly. We realised that the rave was almost over but they were both leaving through a different exit. I wanted to walk back with my friends, so I said I’d meet them later and went back to the rave.”
There was a pause and Perry glanced up as he pulled out gauze from the medic box. Vanessa’s gaze was filled with tears as she thought about what to say next. Heinz’s face was expressionless but his knuckles were white from where his hand rubbed her arm. “Well, um,” her voice broke, “I got lost. At first it wasn’t so bad, because there were still loads of people, but eventually they all disappeared, and then I was just myself. I got my phone out to text my friends, or—or you, Dad, but I didn’t have any cell service. I couldn’t find my way out so I climbed to the top of one of the scrap piles and then I.” Vanessa stopped, throat working as she swallowed tears. It was clear they were getting to the important part of the story, and Perry finished wrapping the gauze around her ankle so he could listen.
“I fell off the tip. That’s how I hurt my ankle and lost my phone. I was so scared, Dad,” Vanessa ended in a sob, and Heinz kissed the top of her head.
“It’s okay, honey pie,” Heinz said, his voice warm as usual, glancing over at Perry, who patted Vanessa’s leg. “I’m so sorry, my baby girl.” Normally the pet names would embarrass Vanessa but she just curled farther into her Dad’s arms.
“My shoe got caught in the pile and it hurt too bad to pull out, so I just unzipped it and left it there. I asked a guy for help. I didn’t realise he was drunk, or I probably wouldn’t have, but he turned around and got all, all—“ Vanessa sniffled, “all weird and complimenty. He said he’d show me the way out and I know I shouldn’t have gone, but I was scared and my ankle was sore and I just wanted out, Dad. Anyway, he grabbed me before we got back and I told him to get off and hit him.”
Perry smiled, giving her a thumbs up. Vanessa smiled back at him as he patted her leg again.
“Yeah, he didn’t like it much. He pushed me and I fell back into that pile you found me in, Perry. I hit my head on something. Then he started saying all this stuff about how I was disrespectful and how he—how he was going to teach me a lesson, and stuff, and he climbed on me…” Vanessa trailed off, her voice catching in her throat, and sniffed, wiping tears that were trailing down her cheeks.
[Then I found you,] Perry guessed. She nodded, breaking down into quiet tears. Heinz immediately wrapped her into a hug.
“Oh, Nessa,” he cried, his voice catching. “My poor girl. Honey, I am so sorry you had to go through that! I’m so glad Perry got to you—thank you, Perry the Platypus,” he added. Perry nodded, wrapping his arms around his own waist where he was sitting. “I will kill this man, I swear, I’ll find him and destroy him with my Disintegratorinator, I swear, baby girl.”
Perry didn’t bother reminding him that he couldn’t do that. His own rage was so strong he believed in that moment he would help Heinz do just that. Vanessa drew back, wiping her face. Perry caught sight of the cut on her temple and clicked his fingers to draw her attention, asking if he could clean it up.
She nodded and he unwrapped the antibacterial wipes, being extra gentle as he began to wipe away the blood. Vanessa took her Dad’s hand. “I don’t need you to be evil about this, Dad,” she managed through her tears. “I just—I just need you to be my Dad. Perry called the cops on the man, anyway.”
Perry nodded as he examined the cut with all the blood and grit was removed. It wasn’t actually that big; it wouldn’t need stitches. Head wounds bleed a lot, he reminded himself. Satisfied, he placed a large plaster over the cut and sat back.
Heinz seemed to be struggling with the request, but after she looked up at him his face crumbled. “Oh, of course, Vanessa,” he said, pulling her hands up and pressing his lips to them. “I love you so much, you know that, right?”
“Yeah, Dad,” Vanessa said. “I love you too. Thanks, Perry,” she added, feeling the bandage. Perry squeezed her shoulder. “Look, I’m really tired and I’m gonna go to sleep. It’s been a long night.”
“You can say that again,” Heinz agreed. Perry nodded. “I think we should all go to bed. Perry, will you stay?”
Perry looked between them for a second and then nodded. The boys would probably be up by the time he got back if he left now and he really didn’t feel like being questioned about his late night antics while he was so tired. Heinz’s face split in a big smile.
“Great! Okay, goodnight pumpkin. Do you need help getting to bed?” Vanessa nodded and Heinz got up to help her. Perry was surprised when she leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“Thanks, Perry,” she said tiredly. “Love you.”
“Love you too," Perry murmured.
Both of the Doofenshmirtz’s turned to look at him. Perry hadn't really meant to speak out loud, was a little surprised himself, but he knew he meant it fully. A small smile crossed Vanessa’s face at his words and she reached out, cupping one of his cheeks. Perry ducked his head and she let him go, turning back to Heinz. Perry knew his nemesis would have that stupidly fond look that always made his heart thump painfully.
“Come on, pumpkin,” he wrapped his arm around her waist and turned. Perry watched them go and then pulled out his phone, opening his texts with Lawrence.
[ LAWRENCE FLETCHER ]
[06:14 AM]
Had a late night work call. Will be back this evening.
No text came back through but Perry didn’t expect it to. Lawrence normally didn’t wake until seven, and the shop was closed today anyway. He put his phone down on the table, climbing on to the couch and turning on to his side.
“You know, Perry the Platypus,” Heinz’s voice made him jump and he looked up. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in anything except your work clothes.” Perry pushed himself on to his elbow, looking down at his attire. His platypus slippers still covered his feet. His grey sweatpants and Spider-Man shirt Candace had bought him one year for Christmas were certainly a step down from his usual teal fight-safe suit he wore. “It looks good.”
Perry looked up at Heinz, who was leaning against the doorpost. His heart twitched with an emotion he couldn’t work out and he half-smiled at his nemesis. Heinz seemed to struggle with something and then came out with, “You know, I know you’re a small guy—I mean, what are you, five foot six? But that couch is probably too small for Vanessa to sleep on comfortably. You’re welcome to share my bed.”
Perry thought it over, even as his cheeks heated up. Even though it did go against OWCA regulations, the night had been so confusing and scary he couldn’t seem to find it in himself to refuse. He pushed himself to his feet, grabbing his cell, and Heinz grinned. “There’s my guy!”
[Just this once,] Perry signed, even as Heinz placed a hand on his lower back to push him along. His hand was warm and brushed Perry’s bare skin as his shirt rode up.
“Yeah, yeah,” Heinz agreed lazily. Perry could tell he didn’t really mean it.
As they settled down in the big double bed, Heinz rolled over and placed his hand on Perry’s chest. “Thank you, Perry the Platypus. You really are the best nemesis I could ask for.” They were probably breaking hundreds of OWCA regulations; Monogram would have a fit when he found out Perry had stayed over.
As Perry drifted off, Heinz’s face inches away from his own and the rising sun washing the room with gold, he couldn't quite bring himself to care.