THE BAD GUYS IN: raising princess

A date with the saber tooth tiger

(A request from Flashbolt157ninja )

As the school days drifted by at Los Angeles High, Diego and his pack quickly rose through the ranks of popularity. It seemed like overnight, everyone wanted to hang out with them. Diego, with his tough demeanor and piercing eyes, drew plenty of attention. Girls whispered about him in the hallways, and even some of the guys looked up to him. Despite the buzz, Princess couldn't shake the feeling that Diego reminded her a little too much of Ash her late stalker. Every cold smirk, every sharp glance from Diego made her stomach twist with unease.

It didn't help when one afternoon, just after the final bell rang, Diego casually approached her at her locker.

"Hey, Princess," he said, leaning against the lockers like he owned the place. "You busy this weekend?"

Princess froze, clutching her books a little tighter. Her heart hammered in her chest. If she said no, would he get angry? Would he turn dangerous like Ash once did? Carefully schooling her face into a neutral smile, she replied, "I, um, suppose I am available. What did you have in mind?"

"My pack and I are going to hang out. Thought you might wanna come," he said with a half-smirk.

Swallowing her nerves, Princess nodded. "Sure. Sounds... delightful." Inside, she was screaming.

Later that day, while hanging out with Eddie behind the school, she let it slip. Eddie's green eyes widened in horror.

"You what?!" he practically yelped. "Princess, you don't even like that guy!"

"I know," Princess whispered, twisting a strand of her pink hair around her finger. "But... what if it was dangerous to say no?"

Eddie didn't waste another second. He sprinted off to call the Bad Guys.

At their mansion, Wolf paced back and forth, growling low under his breath. Webs tapped furiously on her laptop, digging for anything she could find. Within minutes, her eyes widened.

"Found something," Webs said, voice sharp. "Diego's last name is Sabertooth. His father is Antonio 'Fang' Sabertooth."

At the name, Snake, Shark, and Piranha all stiffened. Wolf stopped pacing.

"No way," Wolf muttered. "Fang was... is... one of the most dangerous mafia bosses on the West Coast."

"Not just dangerous," Snake said, flicking his tongue nervously. "He's bad news, even for guys like us."

Meanwhile, Princess, completely unaware of the panic she'd caused, met up with Diego and his pack. They loaded into a few rugged jeeps and drove up winding, narrow roads toward the hills. Eventually, they reached a high bluff overlooking all of Los Angeles. The city lights stretched out beneath them like a glittering ocean.

Princess stepped out of the car, shivering slightly as the cool breeze brushed against her pastel tie-dye jacket. She crossed her arms, feeling strangely out of place among Diego's pack, who all laughed and joked loudly.

Diego sauntered over, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Nice view, huh?"

"It's breathtaking," Princess admitted, glancing at the skyline. Still, her nerves remained.

They sat on the hood of one of the jeeps, the others a little distance away, sharing snacks and blasting music from a Bluetooth speaker.

"Hey, listen," Diego said, his tone turning serious. "I gotta ask you something."

Princess tensed. Here it comes. She steeled herself, already preparing her polite rejection.

Before he could say anything else, she quickly blurted out, "I'm flattered, Diego, but I must be honest—I'm already in a relationship." She twisted the pink bracelet Eddie had given her around her wrist nervously. "I truly appreciate the gesture, but I'm afraid my heart belongs to someone else."

For a moment, Diego blinked at her. And then—he burst out laughing. Loud, real, belly-shaking laughter that caught the attention of his entire pack.

Princess sat there, stunned and wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Diego wheezed between laughs. "You thought I was gonna ask you out?"

"Was I mistaken?" she said cautiously, cheeks burning in embarrassment.

"Totally!" Diego grinned, wiping a tear from his eye. "No offense, Princess—you're sweet. Like... too sweet. You're like cotton candy dipped in sunshine. Not really my type."

Princess blinked. "Oh."

"I like bad girls," Diego said simply, leaning back against the hood. "You know—the ones who might actually stab you if you look at them wrong."

She let out a shaky breath, a small laugh escaping her lips. "Well... that's rather... reassuring to hear."

Diego smiled. "Nah, I just wanted to hang out. Plus..." he hesitated, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one was listening, "...I kinda need your help."

"My help?" she repeated, eyebrows raising.

"I got a crush on someone," Diego muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Her name's Shira."

Princess's mouth dropped open slightly. Shira was infamous around school for being absolutely ruthless. She'd once given a senior a black eye for accidentally stepping on her foot.

"Shira?" Princess said, trying not to sound alarmed.

Diego groaned. "Yeah. I know. I know she's intense. But... man, she's awesome. I just don't know how to talk to her. She's not like other girls."

Princess smiled kindly. "Well, I could certainly offer you some advice."

For the next hour, they sat and talked. Princess coached Diego on how to be sincere, respectful, and most importantly—himself. Diego actually listened, nodding thoughtfully and asking questions.

As the night wore on, Diego's pack began to call it a night. Princess checked her phone and realized it was getting late.

"I should be heading home," she said, hopping off the jeep.

"I'll have Leo drive you," Diego said, motioning to one of his pack members. "You're cool, Princess. Thanks."

"You're welcome," she said warmly.

Leo drove her back to the city. As they neared her street, she spotted several familiar figures standing anxiously near her house Eddie and the Bad Guys.

Wolf's ears were pinned back, his arms crossed tightly. Snake and Piranha paced, while Shark wrung his fins nervously. Eddie was practically hopping in place.

The second she stepped out of the car, they rushed toward her.

"Are you okay?" Wolf barked.

"What did he do?" Piranha asked, baring tiny sharp teeth.

"I'll bite 'em!" Shark growled.

Princess laughed lightly. "Everyone, relax! It was a huge misunderstanding!"

She quickly explained everything—how Diego wasn't interested in her, how he just needed advice for his crush on Shira, and how they spent the night chatting harmlessly.

Wolf ran a hand through his fur, exhaling sharply. "You scared the hell outta us, kid."

"We thought you were about to get kidnapped," Snake hissed.

Princess smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry. But everything's fine. Really."

The Bad Guys grumbled but, seeing the genuine calmness on Princess's face, began to relax.

"Still," Wolf muttered, wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulders, "next time you're hanging with a Sabertooth, you text us every five minutes."

"Understood," Princess giggled.