THE BAD GUYS IN: raising princess

Struggling friend

(A request from Flashbolt157ninja )

Titus sat on the worn-down park bench, his massive frame hunched over, elbows resting on his knees. His golden eyes, once filled with a cautious hope, were now dulled by exhaustion. He had been struggling for weeks—job hunting, scraping together what little money he had, and trying to keep himself afloat. But it wasn't enough.

His apartment? Gone.
His savings? Drained.
And now? He had nowhere to go.

A heavy sigh escaped his snout as he rubbed his face with his claws. He had never been the type to ask for help. It wasn't in his nature. He was supposed to be strong, independent—but here he was, feeling like a failure.

"Hey, big guy."

Titus looked up to see Princess standing in front of him, her hands on her hips and a knowing look on her face. She wasn't alone. Behind her, the Bad Guys stood, watching him with varying degrees of concern. Wolf had his arms crossed, Snake looked skeptical, Piranha had an encouraging grin, Shark waved, and Diane—well, she just studied him.

He sat up straighter, trying to put on a brave face. "Hey, Princess. What's up?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You tell me."

He hesitated, but one look at her and he knew she wasn't going to let it go.

"...Lost my place," he admitted gruffly. "Job didn't work out. Been... crashing where I can."

Princess's expression softened, and before he could blink, she plopped down beside him. "So, what's the plan?"

Titus let out a humorless chuckle. "Figure it out, I guess. I'll manage."

"Yeah, no."

Titus blinked at her. "No?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Not happening. You're coming with us."

His eyes widened. "Princess, I—"

Wolf stepped forward, hands in his pockets. "Look, we get it. No one likes taking handouts. But you saved our kid. You're not alone, big guy. So, suck it up and let us help."

Titus glanced around at the group. Piranha was nodding enthusiastically. "Si, hermano! You got us now!"

Shark clapped his hands together. "Yeah, man! We'll figure something out!"

Snake just sighed. "Eh, guess you don't seem like the worst."

Diane finally spoke. "I might have an idea."

Everyone turned to her.

The governor smirked. "I need a new assistant. Someone strong, reliable, and who can handle a bit of chaos. Think you can handle working for me, big guy?"

Titus's jaw nearly dropped. "You... want me to work for you?"

She shrugged. "It's either that or keep sleeping on park benches. Your choice."

He hesitated, but Princess nudged him. "Come on, Ty. You can do this."

Titus took a deep breath, then—finally—nodded.

"Alright... I'm in."

Princess beamed. "Good. Now, let's get you cleaned up. You have an interview in the morning."