Something was bothering Ray on their walk to the adult circus - Scab was absentmindedly scrolling through his phone in the middle of conversation, and Ray could tell he wasn't listening.

"Hey boss, what are you looking at that's so important? Don't tell me it's your broad venting to you about her lack of feelings."

He hardly looked up from his phone, the small smile on his face straightening out as he briefly caught Ray's eye.
"Hm? No, no. I just got a message from the labs, turns out our kid's already mature enough to be picked up so I'll be going there after we're done."

"What?"

"A kid!? When were you going to tell me you were going to have a kid, boss?"

"Well, I wanted to tell you earlier but you were too busy running your mouth to let me get a word in edgewise."

"You're just gonna pop out a kid on a whim or what? How long has this even been planned? Boss, you can't have a toddler running around the house."

He takes a deep breath. He had a feeling there'd be some sort of rebuttal.
"Well, Ray? Let's hear it, why not?"

Ray points accusingly at Scab. "Children hold you down. Why would you ever want a kid now, boss? You and her are cooped up in the house enough."

"Where are you going to find a baby sitter? You both work. Plus if you're too busy with a kid, you don't got time for the finer things in life, like what we're on our way to do."

"A married man is attractive to the ladies. When he has kids, then it's trouble."

"Gods Ray, have you considered maybe this is the life that I want? A loving wife, a home, a stable job."

"This is everything I've been working for my whole life. Everything I've dreamed of."

"We'll make it work. She'll take leave, or maybe I will, whichever we decide is best for us."

Ray hums for a moment before a grin grows across his face. "Oh I see boss. This always happens. The relationship slows down. Suddenly the couple wants a child to try and fix it. Listen to me, boss. You do that, you'll be paying child support in a few years! Seeing the kid on the weekends."

"Better to eat them before they can pop a kid or two out. Stay free. You think this is the dream, but its actually a pile of shit. I'll have you know."

"Ray..."

Unbeknownst to Scab, his tail hand flexes as a growl rises into his tone. He soon shrugs it off, though, with a breathy sigh.

"Things haven't 'slowed down', we've made a comfortable life together. We're happy."

"I don't care what my dream looks like to you, it's everything to me."

"So I'm not gonna let her down, not gonna let myself down, and I'm especially not gonna let our kid down."

"And what about me, boss? You gonna let me down? When Zoo Corp gave me to you, that was a done deal. This whole boss thing isn't a joke to me."

"Cause I got this sick little feeling you'd toss your pal to the wayside for this little dream of yours."

Scab turns away for a moment, taking a long breath. His shoulders lower, some tension released.

"I know I give you shit, Ray. I don't like the things you do, maybe because I can't understand it. Or maybe because I just don't want to."

"But c'mon man, you've lived with me for how many years now?"

"Time don't mean anything. You'd kick me out."

"I know you wouldn't eat my kid, Ray."

"You don't even have to move out, just... Would you event want to be around all that?"

Ray laughs. "You KNOW I wouldn't eat your kid, boss? It's like you're already forgetting the type of person I am. You got too much hope in me, boss. It's touching."

"I've seen the shit you do, I know who's in my house. And yet you haven't hurt me or my wife in the ten years I've known you."

"...................................................."

"Knew you'd fucking do this one day. I should have killed your wife years ago. Called it an accident."

"You act like I wouldn't eat your kid? You really believe that?"

He stops walking, staring coldly at Ray.
"Yeah, I do."

"You think I wouldn't snap the second that brat screams too loudly?" Ray hisses.

"Let's cut the bullshit Ray, alright? I'm not your boss, you could've done whatever you damn wanted. ZooCorp won't care if a fucking metaparxi dies." He throws one of his arms out, releasing some of the building frustration in the brisk gesture.

Ray takes a long drag of his cig before flicking it to the floor. "Are you officially firing me, boss? Give me the word. And you won't be boss anymore."

"Yeah, yeah I am. You're fired, Ray. I'm not your boss anymore."

"I'll just be... Whatever it is. This is."
One of his ears twitches as he keeps a steady eye on Ray.

"You want to know what you are to me now?"

"Nothin' but a slab of meat." Ray lunges at Scab, becoming nothing but a pair of teeth in the middle of a hot blinding light.

He bows his head a little as a reflex but otherwise does not move, holding his ground, eyes squinting shut against the light.

"No fucking way." Ray stops, his imposing light ending with his charge.

"..."

"What?"

"I ain't eating you." He states as he lights up another cigarette.

"That'd be fucking gay." Ray slithers away towards some backstreet leading to nowhere.

He quickly leers back. "Don't call me if you know what's good for you. Tell your wife that if she sees me on the street, she's nothing but a meal like any other bitch."

The phone's still in his hand. He shakes it about, anxious, and breathlessly he speaks.
"Okay... Goodbye, Ray."

"Nothing good about it, bastard." Ray spits.

"Hope your wife divorces you in three years and you start turning tricks behind the company bar to pay for child support."