CHAPTER 3: Bonding

Joey awoke some, to the sunlight shining in on his face through the window. He stirred sitting up, blinking his eyes a bit seeing blurred visions of two furs standing above him in his crib.  As his vision cleared he could see his mom Sasha, and a skunk fur standing next to her, as he looked over at him curiously the skunk just smiled  brightly. 

"Hey there kiddo, nice to finally meet ya"  the skunk replied, reaching down giving  Joey a belly rub

Joey smiled happily, feeling his belly being rubbed making him swish his tail, "Hello, my name is Joey, who are you?" Joey asked as the skunk kept rubbing his belly

"Me? Oh my name is Ben, I'm Sasha's husband and your new daddy" He replied giving Joey a head pat

"Ben? That's nice name" Joey replied out happily

Ben lifted Joey out of his crib and held the otter in his arms, smiling as he carried him over to the changing table.

"Whew, someone sure is stinky, I think we need to get you changed before we do anything" Ben replied teasingly laying Joey down on top the changing table

Joey could only blush trying to hide his face as Ben had begun changing the little otter. Sasha handed Joey a plush friend to cuddle with as Ben changed Joey for the first time.

"Hehe your stinkier than I was when I was your age" Ben commented playfully giving Joey's belly a tickle

"I’m not that stinky" Joey blurted out in response

"Oh be nice to him, your embarrassing the little guy" Sasha replied snuggling up to Ben

"I know, just trying to get him used to my teasing" Ben replied as he was finishing up

Joey waited some  feeling Ben fold the new diaper up around him as the sides were taped on snuggly and his diaper was patted lightly to let him know Ben had finished

"There you go little guy, all done" Ben replied lifting Joey up

Ben carried the little otter over to chair as he sat down and and playful and gently bounced Joey up and down on his knee softly as the otter giggled playfully, finding it oddly fun. Ben kept it up as Joey began laughing happily and playfully over the rustling and crinkling of his diaper, not noticing as Sasha left the room to get something. After ten minutes Ben had stopped as Sasha walked back in holding a wrapped gift.

"SURPRISE!" Sasha called out happily

Joey looked over smiling widely with glee seeing a present for him reaching for it with cub like glee and excitement. Sasha smiled, handing Joey his gift as he wasted no time in tearing through the wrapping paper, revealing a box. He quickly opened the box to see a scallop shell attached to string, to make a necklace. He looked over the shell curiously, looking at the inside of the shell, he saw Sasha and Bens names etched into the back with a heart etched around their names. Joey looked down at it holding it in his paws as his tail drooped down a little.

"I know it's not much sweetie, but when I had learned you would be joining our family I couldn't help but look for the best shell I could find to make something special, so you'd have something to always remember us by" Sasha replied in a loving tone

"And whenever we go to the beach you can look for another shell that we can add to it, to add to the memories it will carry with it" Ben replied petting the otters head

Joey just sniffled feeling a little teary eyed, holding the shell close to his chest. "It's..... it's wonderful really. This is the nicest thing I have ever gotten. Anyone can buy a gift, but this gift means so much more"  Joey replies wiping his eyes. He smiled and slipped it on over his head  smiling as he looked at the back, holding the shell in his paws. "With this gift, I will never forget the times we spend together, I will always wear it" He replied smiling widely

Both Ben and Sasha walked up and gave Joey a warm loving hug as Joey nuzzled into them both lovingly.

"You feeling hungry sweetie?" Sasha asked in motherly tone holding Joey in her arms nuzzling his nose lovingly

Joey had nodded his head softly as his stomach had already answered for him, as i gve out a loud growl

"Well then let's get you something to eat then" Ben replied getting up

Ben and Sasha walked to the kitchen as Sasha hummed happily sitting Joey down in his high chair as Ben looked around in the fridge for something to fix up to eat.

"What are you feeling hungry for sport, some mashed up carrots or some tasty fish sticks?" Ben asked jokingly knowing what the answer would be

Joey only made a face hearing carrots "Fishy sticks please!" Joey chirped out happily
Ben smiled as he put the sticks of fish into the oven setting the timer as Sasha began tying a bib around Joey causing him to blush.

"Mom, i don’t need a bib" Joey protested some

"But it makes you look so cute and adorable, besides all little pups need to wear bibs, they are quite the messy eaters" Sasha replies petting the little otters head

Joey just blushed some but smiled under the headpet. As minutes began to pass on by, the smell of the fish sticks soon began to fill the kitchen causing the little otter's mouth to water. Joey began sniffing the air hungrily, eager to dig into his food. Ben soon pulled out the food as Sasha poured him up some milk in a sippy cup. She soon started to help him in eating his fish.

"So, what do you think of going to the park this weekend?" Ben asked as he cleaned up the kitchen

"Oooh! I love the park!" Joey replied happily

"well okay then, we can go there this weekend and after we can go for ice cream" Ben replied with a smile

Sasha just gave Ben a slight look "Not too much I hope, i don't want him getting any cavities so soon" she replied

"Don't worry I won't let him have too much" Ben replied giving joey a slight wink 

Joey just giggled some as he finished off his fish sticks, drinking down his milk  before patting his full belly happily

"All finished?" Sasha asked

Joey nodded his head, as Sasha then started to wipe his face clean and cradled him in her arms carrying him to the living room while Ben washed the dishes

"So what does my widdle boy wanna do now?" she asked

"Can we play a game?" Joey asked giving her a cute wide eyed look

Sasha chuckled softly "Of course, we can we can play together as a family"

Joey merely smiled, unable to contain his excitement, waiting for Ben to finish up.

"So what's everyone up to ?" Ben asked walking inside as he dried off his paws
"
“We're getting ready to play a board game as a family" Sasha replied pulling an old game of sorry

"Sounds like fun to me" Ben replied taking a seat around the coffee table

The three smiled as they all played games together laughing and having a good time as the sun slowly began to set in the horizon.

"My time sure flies when you're having fun" Ben replied looking at the time

He reached over and picks up Joey as the otter was struggling to stay awake 

"Nyu, I nawt sleepy yets......." he trailed off as he let out a cute yawn "Can’t...we play more games?"  he asked groggily starting to drift off to sleep in Ben's arms 

"Maybe tomorrow, little guy, but little cubbies need their rest" he replied carrying him to the changing table

Before Ben could even set the little otter on the table Joey had drifted off to sleep, sucking on his paw unable to stay awake any longer. Ben merely chuckled to himself seeing the sleeping otter.

"Good night little guy, see you in the morning" He whispered softly 

As he slept he soon found himself in the old store once more, looking about hearing a familiar voice muttering to himself. Getting up, he began to walk around trying to find where it was coming from, taking notice of a light coming out from a room as the door was partially closed.  Joey slowly walked up to the door curiously peeking inside to see what was the matter. Peeking through the door, he saw the familiar kitsune sitting at a desk looking at some papers. He had a somewhat worried expression on his face as read them over, holding his head in his hands.