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Chapter Text

“Paw patrol! Paw patrol! We’ll be there on the double!” The sound of Lil Petey’s voice intertwined with the upbeat theme song on the television. It was one of those days— a lazy afternoon, where there was nothing to do but watch kiddie shows with your son and his grouchy father.

“Awooooo! Ooo-oooh!” Dog man happily howled along, before pulling Lil Petey into his lap. His embrace was met with a symphony of squeaking giggles, and a heavy groan at his side.

“That’s it, I can’t take it anymore,” hissed Petey, who was rigid as a flagpole on the couch. “If I have to watch Mayor Humdinger act like an infant in a purple suit one more time, I’m gonna kill my-“

The cat got his own tongue when Lil Petey turned to look at him inquisitively, eyes wide and brimming with innocence. “…mmmy television,” Petey lamely supplied. “I’m gonna kill my- my television, that’s what I was gonna say.”

Lil Petey blinked at him, as if to visibly absorb his papa’s words. Then he simply giggled, “You’re silly, papa,” before turning back to the vibrant colors flickering on the screen.

Dog Man watched Petey from the corner of his eye, trying not to smile too visibly. Petey hated Paw Patrol, and while Dog Man was partial to the show, it did become somewhat repetitive after an hour or so. Being the merciful mutt he was, he cocked his head back, eyes roaming across the living room for…

Ah! There it is. The TV remote! It sat idly on the arm rest, beckoning Dog Man, luring him in. The dull plastic was littered with bite marks, having been repurposed as a chew toy when Dog Man buried his last one (and couldn’t find it for the life of him.)

Leaning back just a little, the canine slowly, slowly inched his hand closer to the remote— the decider of fate, the dictator of television. But he couldn’t be too hasty; the slightest movement would surely alert Lil Petey, and they’d be doomed to at least another hour of Ryder and Chase.

Petey’s ear flicked back and he turned to see Dog Man’s subtle maneuver. His emerald eyes flickered curiously to the cop’s muzzle, then to where his hand was flailing around for the remote…

And a deviant little smile curled his lips, fangs glinting in the daylight. He leaned over, every bone in his body seeming to ooze, ‘‘conspirator’ as he waved his tail in front of Lil Petey.

A fit of giggles erupted from Lil Petey’s lips almost instantly, and he pawed at the offending tail. It wriggled against his tiny pink nose, luring out squeal after squeal after squeal.

With Lil Petey distracted by the swinging orange pendulum, Dog man was free to make his move. He inched closer to the remote, closer, just a little closer. His fingers grazed the plastic, his nails scraped the buttons.

In his lap, Lil Petey shifted.

Dog man stilled. Breath held, posture rigid. He was there, he was one button away from either relief or a migraine and one grumpy cat. His hand curled around the remote, clutched it tight… and very suavely passed it to Petey. Success!

“Haw haw! Yes!” Petey cackled, shaking the remote in a smug show of victory. Before Lil Petey could form so much as a whine, his papa kicked back and began to flip eagerly through the channels, leaving Paw Patrol in the digital dust.

“Armando, I love you! But I also love your evil twin brother, Ernesto!”

“Cliche,” droned Petey. Click!

“Welcome back to ‘Keeping up with the-‘“

“Unoriginal.” Click!

“Here on Animal Planet, we-“

“Existentially questionable.” Click!

“Police are currently investigating the scene, but as of now, it seems more than likely that this incident was intentional.”

Dog man’s eyes widened. ‘That’s Sarah,’ he signed, sitting up a little straighter. Running along the bottom of the screen, a bright red reel. The blurbs passed by quickly, fleeing from the television, but Dog man caught it just in the nick of time.

‘Ohkay City Medical facility bombed? Police suspect foul play.’

“Do you know anything about this?” Petey muttered, craning his neck to stare intently at Dog Man.

Dog man shook his head, stupefied. ‘Nothing,’ he signed, his lips drooped into a worried frown. ‘I will ask Chief tomorrow.’

“Hey! Mr Policeman! I don’t want no trouble! I just wanna drop my-“

The phone on the coffee sang and buzzed incessantly, just begging to be picked up. Dog Man leaned over briefly to check the caller ID:

Chiefy-Weefy 🐶

‘Or now, I guess,’ the canine signed before scooping his phone up. ‘I’ll be back in a minute.’ Dog Man carefully shifted Lil Petey out of his lap and stood with a whine, shuffling quietly down the hall. He hit the ‘green’ button (it looked more gray in Dog Man’s eyes) and pressed the phone to his floppy ear.

“Hey Dog Man,” came Chief’s weary voice. It was strained slightly, like he was fighting to force each word out of his mouth. “I’m gonna take a wild guess here and assume you saw the news report this morning?”

Dog man nodded, then quickly remembered Chief couldn’t see him, and supplied an affirmative, “woof!”

“Yeah, it’s playing on every other station,” sighed Chief. Silence filled the phone speakers, broken only by faint crackles of movement here and there. Then Chief cleared his throat and said, “Listen, I know it’s your day off and all, but the people are uneasy with everything that’s happened, and I was wondering if you could take a shift tonight?”

Dog man’s ears drooped slightly. Saturday was his only day off. The only time he got to spend his little makeshift family. Every day after belonged to the force; a rigid schedule of five to eight, six days a week, no questions asked. Was… whatever this was, really so important that Dog Man had to miss a nice evening with his family?

He whined quietly into the phone, a feeble protest.

“It’d just be a few hours, Dog Man. You know, walk the beat a few times and call it a night,” Chief rebuttaled. The desperation in his voice was palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife. He needed this, needed Dog Man.

And who was Dog Man to say no? He sighed and gave Chief his most upbeat, “woof!”

“Phew!” Chief sighed, already sounding ten times lighter. “Thanks, Dog Man. You’re a good boy. Er, man. Dog.” An audible scowl. “You know what, whatever. Just get here within the hour.” The phone clicked abruptly.

Dog Man gave one lingering look down the hall. He could hear the idle chatter of Lil Petey, the absent hums of acknowledgment from his papa, the tv playing quietly in the back. Another night he should have spent with them, down the toilet.

‘Chief needs you,’ the canine cop reminded, feeling guilty on both sides. ‘The city needs you. Just for a few hours.’ He chuffed once, steadying himself, before running upstairs to change.

Chapter Text

“Where are you going?”

Dog man froze, halfway through the motion of sliding on his work shirt. He looked silly, no doubt about it. His muzzle stuck out from an open button on the blue fabric and his hands weren’t even fully through the sleeves yet. The cold air around his midsection made him sure his stomach was visible right now. Slowly, Dog Man turned around to where he picked up Petey’s voice.

‘Chief wants me to walk the beat today, just for a few hours,’ he tried to explain, despite his hands not really being visible. The sleeves flopped over and back uselessly with the movement of his frantic signs.

From the doorway, there was a curt little sigh. Then the sound of shuffling paws on the floorboards. Small claws kneaded at Dog Man’s shirt, pulling it down all the way and subsequently freeing him from his fabric prison.

The canine huffed an appreciative, “woof,” as he met Petey’s gaze. But any gratitude was replaced with looming apprehension as he recognized that look on the feline’s face.

“It's your day off,” Petey argued, his brows knit together fiercely. With his tabby paws, he fussed over the wrinkles on Dog Man’s shirt.

Funny, because Dog Man wasn’t seeing any wrinkles.

“Doesn’t he have like, twenty other mindless zombies to order around?”

‘Yes,’ Dog Man signed, visibly mulling over the conversation he had on the phone. ‘But the city feels… safer, when they know I’m on the clock.’ The canine turned just slightly to reach his vest, which conveniently hung on a beige mannequin bust in the corner. With practiced ease, he slid the heavy vest over his shoulders and chuffed. The weight settled against him comfortably, his leg muscles tensing to adjust.

Once that was on with a sturdy click, he tucked his shirt into his pants and carefully cinched his utility belt through the black loops.

The tabby scoffed, something between a bitter choke and a hiss. “Whatever.” He turned away, muzzle upturned to convey a sense of indifference… but as Dog Man began to trek back downstairs, Petey quietly followed.

“Dog Man?” Lil Petey squeaked from his spot on the couch. He sat up on his haunches, staring intently. “Are you going to work? I thought we were gonna watch the Aristocats!”

Oh, that’s right. Dog Man had almost forgotten. Lil Petey had been wanting to watch that movie all week now. He’d waited very patiently for Dog Man’s day off, having insisted it be a ‘family movie night’ with popcorn and candies and his two fathers in tow.

The familiar tendrils of guilt began to creep in, slowly rooting around inside. But despite the pang in his heart, Dog Man knew he couldn’t stay. Not right now, at least. Instead, he nodded enthusiastically, hoping to assure the young kitten. ‘We will, Lil Petey. Later tonight, okay?’

Leaning in, the canine licked an affectionate stripe up the tabby’s forehead. Lil Petey stifled a giggle and nodded eagerly. “Okay!”

The canine turned to the door, but not before checking himself over one last time. Boots? Check. Hat? Check? Everything in between? Check. Dog Man smiled, ready to head out for a quick and easy shift.

“Hey, sheriff! Forgetting something?” Petey’s voice purred from the sofa.

Hmm? Turning around, Dog Man spotted his… co-parent? Feline-friend? Housemate? Petey. He spotted Petey, who flashed a golden badge between his two clawed, tabby fingers. The feline stood up in a graceful sort of way that only cats can do, and smoothly approached Dog Man.

Without a word, he pinned the escutcheon on the canine’s chest, right where his heart would be (which was probably beating twice as fast now.)

Dog Man was thankful for the fur on his face; it helped to cover up his blushing cheeks. His strong nose twitched, picking up the distinct scent of Petey, but also… vanilla and sandalwood, Dog Man’s soap.

Petey had his own soap, citrus and cinnamon. It was still half full in the shower, he checked last night before a shopping trip. So why was he using Dog Man’s?

“…don’t keep us waiting too long,” Petey murmured, his tail wagging playfully in the air. One side to the other, in a rhythm both tender and tantalizing.

Say something, the canine thought distantly. Hurry! Dog man blinked out of his stupor and hummed in response, not trusting his shaking hands to sign cleanly. He leaned up on the toes of his work boots and happily lapped at Petey’s face. Wet, slobbery kisses, leaving no stone unturned, no hair follicle dry.

“Ugh! Quit it! You mangy mutt!” The feline hissed, swatting at Dog Man’s face. But his claws were retracted and seemed to reveal no true intent on warding him away. “I just showered.”

Dog man howled out a laugh before tipping his hat and swinging out the door. When it clicked shut behind him, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. In the canine’s chest, there was a drum, beating incessantly.

Bum-bum-bum! Bum-bum-bum! It echoed throughout his whole body, leaving only a faint tingle in its wake. Especially where Petey had pinned his badge. Smoothing out the fur on his face, Dog man breathed deep and pushed off the door, readying himself for another day of labor.

Chapter Text

Dog Man managed to walk the streets four or five times before he was finally tuckered out. Getting around on two legs was much harder than four, he’d learned. He leaned up against his squad car, panting heavily and fanning himself with his hat.

Thankfully, the sun had already dipped below the horizon, the last slivers of light just barely peeking out over the edge. Evening breeze brought relief to Dog Man’s flushed face. Er, fur? Well, it brought relief to Dog Man.

He gazed down at his watch, eyeing the time carefully. Six o’ clock. He’d left the house at around three, and Chief did say it’d be a short shift. Maybe he could call it a day? The lengthier hand dropped down once in a jagged little tick! Six o’ one now.

Assuring himself with a hopeful “ruff,” Dog Man reached for the car door, already roaring to get home… but something stopped him. A feeling at first, an unsettling pang in his gut. Then, from his peripheral vision, movement. It was subtle, slight, but it was there.

Dog Man froze, going stiff as a board. His hand was still clasped around the car door. He could pull it open with a click and hop right in; Ignore the nagging voice in the back of his head and drive home to Petey and his son.

But no. He refused to put his desires before his duty. Instead, he released his eager grip on the door and peered just over the vehicle’s roof. There, slowly trailing down the sidewalk, the source of Dog Man’s uneasiness. A male, the canine noted to himself. Six feet, caucasian, swaying back and forth mindlessly.

Inebriated? No, not at this hour. Maybe he was hurt. “Woof!” Dog Man barked out, trying to catch the stranger’s attention. His face was barely visible in the dimming light, shrouded in an almost theatrical mystery.

And his movements. He stumbled, shambled, shuffled— jerked one side to the next in a way that was just so… uncanny. He was human, clearly, but the way he twitched so spastically was enough to entertain otherwise.

Raising his nose again, Dog man scented the air. No, definitely no alcohol, no metallic tang of blood… but there was something. Something he just couldn’t put his finger on. It was heavy, acrid, thick; Familiar too, no doubt about it. He’d smelled it before on Knight during the long winter months.

A little musky, a little sweet…

Sickness, Dog Man realized, his eyes widening slightly. It was sickness. And it was growing stronger, more pungent, with every step the man took.

Alarms blared in the canine’s mind. His hackles raised instantly like the dead, his senses honing in the face of potential threat. Tentatively, Dog Man stepped around his squad car, eyes locked on the suspect. “Woof woof!”

…If the man heard his warning bark, it went completely ignored. Dog Man narrowed his gaze, the air thick with dread. Something was happening, something big. What it was, he could not say. But every part of him knew he was standing on the precipice.

The world darkened around the limping man down the street. Tunnel vision, prey drive, call it what you will. It didn’t matter to Dog Man. Because in his eyes, the only people standing on that street were him and the man who was not quite right.

If only that had been the case. The truth was, in the face of such intense focus, Dog Man had failed to notice the nice old lady crossing the street. Her back was a crook, leaning heavily against his beat-up walker. She seemed oblivious to the mounting tension around her, oblivious to her fate, which had already been sealed.

…And oh, it was like watching a train wreck. Dog Man couldn’t move, couldn’t possibly look away. Every bone in his body seemed to lock up as the man leapt into the air like a jumping spider… tackling the poor, elderly woman into the ground.

The maelstrom of noises that followed were ones Dog Man would remember for a long time to come.

Squuuuuuiish!

Squuueeelch!

Sssssplat!

Each vulgar, bloody bite was accompanied by one of two bone-chilling sounds: A gurgled cry as the woman choked on her own hot blood, or a barrage of fleshy smacks to the man's back as the woman struggled for her life. Her beige flats kicked out in a panic, jerking and spasming in the air fruitlessly.

Move, move, move!As soon as the paralysis had come, it had worn off, releasing Dog Man and launching him into action. With canine speed he darted forth, a wild howl escaping the back of his throat. His combat boots thudded on the ground, each one drawing him nearer and near to his target. Yet as he approached, time slowed to a mere crawl.

The scene was somehow even more grisly up close— every tear of flesh, every splatter of blood, amplified by ten. The heady scent of blood assaulted Dog Man’s nose, his stomach flipped inside out. And the sidewalk… oh my god, it was an entirely different color. The man and his victim wallowed in it like pigs, flailing as if to swim in the piping hot fluids.

Before Dog Man could lose his lunch, he lurched forward, arms locking around the offender’s. Each muscle in his upper body strained to pull him away, to get him off this woman who was now more red than white.

But the man did not go down, not without a fight at least. His arms and legs frantically flailed, spraying blood in every which way. He hissed, snarled, growled— his jaws opened and snapped shut with a horrendous, ‘clack clack clack!’

Spittle and blood came down like rain, dripping down his chin, soaking his clothes in a mess of sick fluid.

“Ruff!” Dog Man barked, trying his best to get the offender to simply comply. Every muscle burned with exertion— this couldn’t go on for much longer. At his hip, the taser weighed heavily. It was time, he knew it was. After all, what other choice did he have?

With his left arm, Dog Man blindly fumbled for the base of his taser, managing to unhook it with a click! At once, it crackled to life at once, practically vibrating with raw electricity, raw power. He held it in a vice grip and drew a breath deep into his chest… before striking the steel fangs under the offender’s left rib.

And he squealed. The man squealed, something Dog Man had never heard before in his days as a police dog. Officer. Dog officer. But despite the awful, hellish noises he made, the man could not resist the electric current coursing through his veins. He fell limp almost instantly. Not for long, but long enough for Dog Man to get him in cuffs and into the squad car.

Sweat caked into his fur, adrenaline and exhaustion mounting like the weight of the vest on his shoulders. He wiped it off quickly. The woman still needed help, after all. He could focus on himself later.

Swiveling around, Dog man opened his mouth to let out an assuring bark… but only a perplexed whine slipped out when he saw that the woman was gone. Without a trace. The canine howled once, twice, hoping to call her back. He had not seen the extent of her damage, but she may need medical attention!

…yet, the woman did not return. And Dog Man couldn’t afford to wait any longer. Not while he had a rabid man sitting in the backseat of his car. Whining low in his throat, the cop tentatively stepped back, back, back, biding as much time as he could… before getting into the driver’s seat.

Wherever that woman was, Dog Man hoped she was okay. For now, however, he needed to get this guy to the precinct, fast. As he hit the gas, his floppy ears perked at the sound of snarling and gnashing teeth backseat. His eyes flickered into the rearview mirror, staring intently at the wall— the divider between him and whatever the offender was doing— and growled.

Something didn’t sit right inside… but what? The canine bristled, focusing his eyes back on the road. The sooner he could get the precinct, the sooner he could get things figured out. He turned right on Steakway street (a lovely name in Dog Man’s opinion) and pulled into the station’s driveway. The snarling backseat had only doubled in intensity, and movement back there was constant.

Dog Man drew one good breath before stepping out of the driver’s seat. He slowly approached the passenger door, which seemed to tremble with all the movement within. In fact, the entire car shook back and forth relentlessly.

The canine locked his grip around the handle, squeezing so hard his knuckles ran white. This was the tough part. Well, not tougher than actually apprehending the man, but certainly not easy either. Whatever he did when this car door opened, Dog Man would need to handle it quickly.

Squaring his shoulders, he prepared himself for what lay ahead.

Three… two… one!

Dog Man threw the door open, and stepped back, his arms spread wide to prevent any sort of escape. The man came stumbling mindlessly, a wet hiss climbing from the back of his throat. He would have barreled right over Dog Man if not for his sharper reflexes.

Dog Man moved quickly, spinning the man by his shoulder and taking hold of his cuffed wrists.

And the man fought. He fought the entire way in. Fought until he was locked up in a cell and then fought some more, writhing and jerking about ruthlessly.

Fellow officers served as spectators to the mad howling and hissing of the man in custody. They kept their distance when they saw the blood on his mouth, the fabric between his teeth.

“No way, Dog Man! You gotta Flakka addict?” One of them hummed in awe. “Very nice.”

But dog Man shook his head and signed, very briefly, ‘Not Flakka. Too aggressive. And he’s cold to the touch.’

“Dog man!” A familiar voice rang through the station. A door swung open and smacked against the wall, revealing none other than Chief himself. “What’s this about a Flakka addict I’m hearing?”

Wow. News travels fast, Dog Man thought distantly. He had a lot of explaining to do.

Chapter Text

Dog Man was torn. One one hand, Flakka made sense. Suspect exhibited almost all the same signs and symptoms. But something about this just wasn’t… clicking. His hand came to rub anxiously at his neck, until he felt the rough texture of old stitches underneath. As if burned, Dog man yelped and pulled away.

He was torn, mentally. No need to be torn physically too.

‘Chief, I’ve sniffed out Flakka before. There’s no trace of it.’ The canine whined lowly, then signed, ‘I think he may be… sick.’

The chief’s face scrunched up, like he’d just bit into a verbal lemon. “Sick?” He repeated, a brow quirked up into his hat. “Dog man, no offense, but I ain’t never seen no sick guy act like he on bath salts. A sick-o, maybe, but not some guy with a cold.”

Dog man turned back to the man behind bars. Everyone stood there, simply watching him pace back and forth. Snarling, howling, snapping. It was similar to watching an animal at the zoo.

Dog Man had been to the zoo once, with Knight. The different sights, smells, sounds. So many exotic creatures— beasts— and the only thing separating them then was the same thing that separated them now:

Solid metal bars.

And then it swung open.

No, not the metal bars; the front door. Two men in white HAZMAT suits entered first. Dog man was assaulted with the scent of rubber and cleaning agent. He whined. Following the opposing men was none other than the mayor herself. She smelled like money. Power.

A shrill, highly feminine shriek rang out through the station. Chief, of course. He quivered at Dog Man’s side like the last leaf clinging to its branch. “Mayor! Haha! What a s- what a surprise!” Chief laughed anxiously. It sounded less like a good chuckle and more like he was struggling to breathe. He probably was.

“Chief,” Mayor began tersely. She cleared her throat and stood tall, imposing professionalism radiating from every pore. “This may come across as rather odd, but I’m afraid we’ll need to take your latest offender in.”

Dog man’s eyes widened. Take him… in? In, where? There were only so many places you could take a criminal. Jail, prison, court… the electric chair.

But if Chief had considered the absurdity of the Mayor’s request, he didn’t make it known. Instead, he leaned up against Dog Man’s shoulder, trying and subsequently failing to look confident. “Oh, uh, of course, Mayor!”

This seemed to have appeased the Mayor. She stood a little taller, her nose lifting in the air as she soaked in superiority. “Good. Oh, and, let’s not speak of this little… excursion, to anyone else, alright?” She turned her gaze to Dog Man, narrowing into slits. “That goes double for you, mutt-man.”

Dog man felt a growl bubble up from his chest to his throat, but he smothered it quickly. Instead, he watched as the HAZMAT men carried their offender out and into a dark, plateless van outside.

He hissed and clawed and snapped at their gear, but failed to find purchase on the smooth white rubber… and before Dog Man knew it, the Hazmat team, the man, and the mayor were gone, speeding down the street in a cloud of dark fumes.

Silence befell the police station. No one knew what to say. Either that, or they had taken the Mayor’s warning to heart.

Dog Man looked around, hoping to find someone at least mildly determined to figure out what just transpired. But he was met with a room full of ashen, blank faces.

Right. The canine chuffed.

“Hey, uh, Dog Man…” Chief trailed off, his eyes not quite leaving the door. “You can… take off if you want to. It’s been a long day.”

‘Tell me about it,’ signed the cop, though Chief didn’t seem to be looking. He whined quietly and nudged the man with his muzzle, hoping to bring an ounce of comfort… but it did either of them little good.

Hanging his head, the canine looked down at the mess that was his uniform. Blood painted each line and every ridge of his vest. His clean blue sleeves were soaked purple, his shoes squeaked from the fluid it spread. I look like a killer, Dog Man whimpered to himself. What would Lil Petey think if he saw him like this?

As much as Dog Man wanted to come home, he knew he needed to clean up first. So, he trudged off towards the bathroom, each step feeling heavier than the last. The mirrors reflected his bloodied form in three different angles. None of them looked good.

Semi-warm fluid soaked into his fur, staining the once golden hue a rusty orange. Orange is a very pretty color, Dog Man thought to himself as he dabbed it away with a paper towel. But not on him. Petey wore it much better.

He wiped what he could from his uniform, washing his fur and hands to get rid of the stains. As he cleaned up the pink blood-water from the sink counters, his thoughts got away from him.

Who were those men in HAZMAT gear?

Why did they take that man away?

What does Mayor know that we don’t?

Dog Man didn’t realize he was rubbing a completely dry countertop until the paper towel tore in half. “Aroo?” He shook his head, realizing he’d been completely lost in thought, and tossed the towel in the garbage.

After checking to make sure his hands were still clean, the canine reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone… only to be met with an anxiety-riddling sight: Ten unread messages, two missed calls, all from Petey.

Petey 😻: Ahem.

Petey 😻: Where are you?

Petey 😻: It doesn’t take five hours to ‘walk the beat.’

Petey 😻: Hello?

Petey 😻: Answer me or I’m going to claw the keys out your piano. Very slowly

Petey 😻: 🎹 🔥 😼

Petey 😻: Ok seriously where are you

Petey 😻: LP is getting tired but he’s insisting on watching this blasphemous Disney film

Petey 😻: Hey

Petey 😻: Whatever, kill yourself I guess. See if I care.

Dog Man’s ears drooped lower than ever. He let out high-pitched whine— anxiety, guilt, confusion all weighing down on him like a stack of bricks, piling higher and higher. He chuffed quietly, his thumbs flying over the keypad to send a quick message.

Dog Man: OMW. sorry.

As he turned for the door, Dog Man’s eyes couldn’t help but trail to the empty holding cell.

Unease churned in his gut as he recalled the thrashing, the yowling, the bloody spittle. Something was wrong. Dog Man knew that with every bone in his… well, Knight’s body. With every hair on his canine head.

Something is wrong.

Those three little words echoed in his head— a warning, a mantra— all the way home.

Chapter Text

The door cracked open with a pleasant little click. So quiet, so subtle… but it was more than enough to send a flurry of footsteps throughout the house.

“Dog man! Hooray!” A tiny voice cheered from inside, and Dog Man found himself smiling before he even set foot through the door. He swung it open and immediately went to his knees, crushing Lil Petey in a snug hug. His fur was soft and warm against the cold, rough material of Dog Man’s vest.

Then came a scoff from the living room, one the canine had gotten used to long, long ago. “Well, look what the kitty dragged in,” Petey purred. He was sprawled across the couch in a languid way that just screamed, ‘cat.’

Dog man offered a sheepish smile, which felt particularly heavy tonight, and his efforts were met with a displeased hum.

“What took you so long?”

‘Simple,’ Dog man began to sign… but then he paused, because it really wasn’t that simple, and he had no idea what to say. What was he allowed to say? Was the very nature of the arrest he made something he should keep to himself? How was he possibly going to explain the bizarre-ness of what transpired tonight?

Simple, the canine thought to himself. He wouldn’t. ‘Just... You know, police things,’ he signed quickly, hoping that would be enough of an offering to appease the tabby cat.

Clearly, it wasn’t. Petey’s brow quirked upward, practically brushing the base of his ear, and he hummed again. “…right.” Not appeased, and yet not willing to push any further.

How very unPetey-like.

Dog Man hadn’t even acknowledged the tension brewing between him and the tabby until Lil Petey broke it in two. “Papa and I made popcorn!” He chirped, little paws eagerly kneading at Dog Man’s leg. “Can we watch Aristocats now?”

…The thought alone made Dog Man want to curl up in a little ball and simply pass out. Exhaustion visibly oozed out of him, from his unusually heavy gait to the way his ears refused to peek at anything. But Lil Petey had waited so patiently, and how could Dog Man say no to such a cute little face?

‘Of course we can,’ the canine signed, doing his best to mimic enthusiasm even though his heart wasn’t in it. ‘Set it up and I’ll go change, okay?’

Lil Petey’s bobble head nodded so hard, Dog Man was sure he’d be dizzy when he stopped. He made his way upstairs, each step feeling heavier than it should. Probably due to the weight of Petey’s intensive gaze on his back.

Oh well. Dog man tossed his badge off, his vest, his work shirt, his belt, and changed into some clean home clothes: a pair of sleep shorts and a soft gray shirt. He left his clothes on the floor. Messy, inconsiderate— he knew that but his mind was… elsewhere.

‘Let’s not speak of this little… excursion. That goes double for you, Mutt-Man.’

“Ruff!” Dog man barked, trying to scare away the ever-looming thought. But it lingered. He shuffled downstairs, where Petey and their son were already waiting.

The little kitten was curled up in his papa’s lap, clutching the remote to his chest, dying to press the start button. Petey seemed more interested in the double cheddar cheez-Its nestled safely at his side.

‘I’m here, family!’ signed Dog man as he climbed onto the couch as well. He got situated right next to Petey, who did hiss at him, but his heart was clearly not in it.

As they settled down and the movie began, however, the feline did spare a few… passing glances. His eyes, narrowed into sharp green slits, darted between the colorful screen and Dog Man’s weary face.

And Dog Man knew. Oh, he knew. He could feel that gaze, that piercing gaze boring into him from the side. Petey wanted to prod, to poke, to pry inside the canine’s brain and simply pick at it for answers.

…If Dog Man wasn’t so exhausted right now, he’d be sweating bullets. Instead, he wearily watched the white and orange cats (Dutch and… O’Mary?) dance around the screen. He yawned, ears flopping back as he stifled a high-pitched whine.

And that’s when he felt it. A little thump and then a snooze. Looking down, there was Lil Petey, fast asleep with his head in Dog Man’s lap. They were only a quarter way through the movie.

“Of course,” Petey grumbled at Dog Man’s side. He pushed off the couch with a stiff grunt and scooped the sleepy kitty into his arms. “…I’m gonna take him to his room,” the feline murmured, already making his way up the stairs. “See you in bed.” Then his face, typically a bright, lovely orange, burned red as a rose, and he gagged.

“I hate that I’m in a position to say that.”

Dog man chuffed, this time in amusement. He rolled off the warmth of the couch next and followed behind the feline family. Truth be told, he was eager to get some sleep. All the wrangling he’d done with ‘he who shall not be named’ coupled with the running circles in his mind had tuckered Dog Man out. Just the thought of curling up in bed made the canine’s eyes heavier than his work vest.

While Petey put their son to bed, Dog Man went to go brush his teeth quickly. He couldn’t be bothered to shower, however disgusting and sticky he felt. The events of tonight were too much, and the canine was ready to conk out. Spitting into the sink, Dog Man wiped his face and trudged back downstairs to clean up.

Put away the cheez its.

Toss out the popcorn.

Fix the sofa cushions.

Dog man yawned. By the time he was done, Petey was already under the covers. Not asleep. Dog Man could tell because his tail was flickering against the bed in short, sharp thumps; Not heavy like a dog’s, but light and intentional.

He was waiting.

Dog man crawled under the covers next to him, laying flat on his back. Funny enough, now that he was finally in bed, sleep was so far away. Ten minutes ago, he’d have given his left leg for some shut eye. But instead, the canine simply stared up at the ceiling, his head full of nothing but questions.

What was wrong with that man?

Why did the mayor need him so badly?

Who were the HAZMAT people?

…where did that poor woman go?

“Alright, spill the beans,” Petey grumbled, sitting up impatiently. “Something happened out there and I wanna know what.”

Dog man froze. Could Petey hear his thoughts? His nonexistent tail wagged furiously. Quick, what number am I thinking of?

“And before you get the idea: no, Dog Man, I cannot read your thoughts,” The tabby deadpanned.

Oh. Dog Man deflated. He raised his hands and began to sign, ‘Nothing happened,’ but Petey cut him off.

“Don’t give me that bullshit; there was blood on your uniform.” Petey’s eyes narrowed, his ivory fangs poking out under his lip. “So what is it, Dog Man?” His spindled arms crossed over his chest with a short-tempered huff.

What am I supposed to tell him, Dog Man asked himself. Everything, he answered. Everything. The man, the woman, the hazmat, the mayor. But then those words came back to him, like a ghost.

Let’s not speak of this little excursion to anyone else, alright? That goes double for you, mutt-man.

But why not? Why couldn’t he tell Petey what he saw? What he heard, what he felt? What was going on that was so important, it could not be uttered to a single soul? And had anyone disregarded the Mayor’s warning?

“Uh, hello?”

Dog man sneezed abruptly, a visceral reaction to the tail tickling his nose. Petey had been wagging it underneath him, trying eagerly to regain his attention. And it had worked.

“Earth to Dog Man? What are you doing in there, chasing squirrels?” Petey poked Dog Man in the spot between his eyes, just to be sure the mutt was back in the present.

Normally, Dog Man would laugh at the tabby’s teasing antics. Or bark at the mention of a squirrel. But he was too busy trying to find a way to answer the question: what happened out there? His hand reached up to rub his neck, but a sharp scolding hiss from his bedmate made him think twice.

‘Sorry,’ Dog Man signed absently. He shifted on the bed a little, the mattress squeaking under his weight, and sighed. ‘There was a woman today. Attacked. I apprehended the man, but the woman fled the scene. I don’t know where she could have gone or if she’s even alright.’

Oh, and also, the Mayor walked into the station flanked by HAZMAT men and took the criminal away. Dog Man left that part out.

“Shit,” Petey murmured as he took in Dog Man’s words. His eyes were wide, blinking rapidly as if stunned. Then, slowly, he turned back to Dog Man and timidly asked, “you okay?”

Dog Man was already moving to sign a quick, ‘yes.’ But something in Petey’s tone, that foreign touch of vulnerability, worry, made him pause. He offered the tabby a weak smile. ‘…I’m worried. But okay,’ the canine assured.

And Petey deflated as well; Not with disappointment like Dog Man, but relief, though he tried to hide it. “That’s… good,” he murmured softly. Then he cleared his throat, the walls coming back up as soon as they came down. “Not that I care either way.”

Dog man woofed in playful acknowledgment— quietly so as to note wake Lil Petey in the next room. ‘Goodnight, Petey,’ he signed, his smile small but not nearly as weak as before.

Petey just shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, whatever, ya dumb mutt. Try to drool on your own half of the bed tonight.” With a theatrical sigh, he turned on his side to fall asleep, ignoring the fact that Dog Man was in the process of saluting him.

Waving his hand, Dog Man turned on his own side and curled up snugly. He could feel the heat radiating from Petey beneath their shared sherpa blanket and hummed, content to be enveloped by pure warmth. As he laid there, his eyelids grew heavy, wishing to draw shut like curtains. The day’s staggering events began to fade away, dissipating in the serene dark of night.

He thought of squirrels, chew toys, bones; A few of his favorite things. And— just before his eyes became too heavy to bear— a certain snarky feline with pretty green eyes.

Chapter Text

The sun was warm on his back. Golden light cascaded over the hills, highlighting its vibrant green hues. To his side was a sturdy oak tree, its lush leaves whispering in the wind. Here is good, Dog Man decided as he sat down in the grass.

Lil Petey took to rolling down the hill, his squeaking giggles ringing throughout the air. His papa, however, found his place beside Dog Man in the shade.

“This is… nice,” Petey admitted between them. His eyes were glued far off in the distance, but Dog Man could tell the cat had never been more in the moment than right now.

He nodded, his ears flopping back and forth.

“So,” the feline pressed on, his voice carrying in the wind, “what did you want to tell me?” His claws gently threaded through the longer blades of grass; the green matched his eyes beautifully.

Something in Dog Man’s chest clenched tight. This was it, this was the moment— the one he’d dreamed about. Bum-bum-bum! Bum-bum-bum! Blood pounded in his ears, it matched the imploding pace of his heart. Do it, Dog Man, the canine urged. It was now or never.

‘Petey,’ he began to sign, his hands like brittle leaves in a windstorm. Sweat beaded down his neck, and… was it getting hot out here?

‘I just want you to know…’

The feline leaned in, anticipation pouring off of him in waves. His eyes widened slightly, and they simply sparkled in the warmth of the daylight. Hell, they could sparkle in pure darkness, Dog Man thought. An alluring shade of cadmium gems.

‘I want you to know that I…’ Dog Man’s face burned under Petey’s intense gaze, and he prayed the tabby couldn’t see how pink he was beneath his fur. He froze up when Petey leaned in even closer, his soft breaths fanning Dog Man’s heated skin.

Do it, do it, do it, the canine chanted, courage surging through his veins. ‘Petey, I love you. I loved you for the longest time,’ Dog Man signed as his whole world seemed to become a big dreidel. Spinning, spinning, spinning.

Petey put his hand on Dog Man’s shoulder and the spinning stopped. So did Dog Man’s breathing. But that could wait.

“Dog Man,” began Petey, before he shook his head. “Greg,”he tried again, appreciating how much nicer the name rolled off his sandpaper tongue.

Dog Man’s heart was a tennis ball, bouncing around wildly inside. Just the mention of his name made him soar.

“I…”

And then the sweet sound of Petey’s voice was cut off. His lips were moving, he was still speaking… but in place of his words, there was just… noise.Abrasive and grating and striking fear into Dog Man’s heart.

Where had he heard it before?

The sound grew louder, more violent with each passing moment. Where was it coming from? Dog man looked around in a flurry of panic. It came from the song of the birds, from the rustling of the leaves, from the laughter on Lil Petey’s lips. From everywhere and nowhere at the same exact time and—

Dog man jolted awake. His eyes, though still heavy with sleep, darted around the room, familiarizing himself once again. The sun, the grass, the hills… the moment. None of it was real. And yet in his chest, there was still a distant bum-bum-bum! Bum-bum-bum!

…louder still was the noise from downstairs. Dog man’s ears perked, his posture straightened. He knew that sound, the one he’d been hearing in his dream… and it struck terror into his heart. The canine rolled out of bed, only distantly registering the grumpy groans of his bedmate.

Petey’s face scrunched up in a sour look, and his paws kneaded at the spot where Dog Man’s back had once been.

‘Sorry,’ the canine signed, though Petey couldn’t necessarily see it right now. A pang of guilt surged through him. With one last guilty look at the endearingly grumpy cat, Dog Man tiptoed towards the stairs and began his descent.

As he hit the bottom of the stairwell, he was met face-to-face with the source of the noise. Aristocats was still playing on the television, probably on loop for the past few hours, but the audio had been exchanged for the grating alarm… of an EAS.

Dog man swallowed hard. In front of him, the TV flickered to darkness, before lighting up once again. ‘Emergency Alert System,’ it read in bold letters at the top of the screen. With a shallow breath, Dog Man carefully shuffled into the living room, his eyes never leaving the television.

“Dog Man?” A croaky voice murmured from behind. Petey yawned as he took his place as the canine’s side, rubbing his eyes wearily. “What are you doing down here? What’s goin’…?” his words trailed off into thick silence as he finally noticed the screen. “…oh.”

“We have received numerous reports of a highly alarming phenomenon taking place within Ohkay city,”a man’s voice rang through the speakers. It was broken up by bouts of thick, fuzzy static, and Dog Man strained his ears to decipher each word.

“Reports have been regarding individuals exhibiting erratic and unusually hostile behavior. These reports are not confirmed to be attributed to any form of organized crime or riot. Rather, they are suspected to be the result of a viral outbreak from the former research Medical facility.”

As if telekinetic, both Petey and Dog Man turned to blink at each other. Petey’s jaw hung open, his ears pinned back, a clear sign of panic. For his own part, Dog Man tried to look confident, if only to give Petey some peace of mind. But his own ears could not lie, and they drooped against his head in distress.

‘Don’t panic,’ the canine signed… though the very next sentence from the television made his blood freeze.

“Victims of this outbreak are known to display similar patterns of behavior including but not limited to: disorientation, lack of motor skills, and extreme aggression.”

One minute, Dog Man was standing in his living room. The next, he was right back on the streets of Ohkay city. His arms were looped around the offender’s, trying desperately to hold him back as he hissed and clawed at the poor woman.

‘What’s this about a Flakka addict I’m hearing?’

‘I’ve sniffed out Flakka before. There’s no trace of it.

‘I’m afraid we’ll need to take your latest offender in.’

‘Let’s not mention this little… excursion to anyone. That goes double for you, Mutt-Man.’

“We strongly encourage residents of Ohkay city to stay within their homes while local government and law enforcement resolve this issue. This is to ensure your health and wellbeing, as this phenomenon is suspected to spread through physical contact such as bites and scratches.”

The man, Dog Man realized, his legs turning to jello beneath him. The man he’d arrested on the street, the one who attacked that old woman… his chest tightened, ribs constricting around his organs, threatening to pop each one like a balloon. He looked down at himself, only one mortifying thought running through his mind:

‘I touched him. I touched that man. I touched Chief. Lil Petey…’

“Dog man?” A fuzzy voice called to him, but it was lost in the static swirling around in the canine’s head. I touched him. His blood’s on my uniform, in my hands, my fur. There was a gentle graze along his arm. Dog Man didn't feel it at first, didn't register it… but when it finally broke through his spiraling panic, it was like an open flame. At once, he lurched back with a yelp, his heart hammering in his chest, screaming to break out.

He looked down at the source of the touch, and there was Peter, his brows knit in thinly concern. “Hey, it's me, ya dumb mutt,” the feline hissed, but it held no edge, just a bucketload of worry.

‘Don’t touch me,’ Dog Man signed frantically. Was he even being coherent right now? He couldn't be sure, his hands were shaking so hard. He stumbled back, the closeness between him and Petey only serving to frighten him more. The room became so small— everything he touched felt tainted, contaminated.

The canine’s eyes flickered up the stairway once… and before Petey could say so much as a word, Dog Man took off like the wind.

Chapter Text

With a slam that rattled the house’s foundations, Dog Man shut the bathroom door and locked it behind him. He tore off his clothes as if they burned, before throwing them off to the side in a discarded little heap. In his chest, Dog Man’s heart was pulsing violently.

‘Disorientation, lack of motor skills, and extreme aggression.’

His hands fumbled for the shower knob, twisting it until it wedged up with a creaaaaak. Hot water spilled from the shower head, getting hotter, hotter, hotter, until Dog Man’s pale skin was pink and steam filled the room like a noxious gas.

Clawed fists banged incessantly on the door. “Dog Man!” Came a muffled hiss. “Dog Man! What the hell’s going on?!”

Just a little longer, the canine told himself, his body going rigid under the scalding heat. His skin blistered, his muscles ached, his head throbbed. Just a little longer, a little longer.

‘…This phenomenon is suspected to spread through physical contact such as bites and scratches.’

Dog Man turned to assess his arms, his torso, his legs. Every inch of skin was red and raw from the shower’s blistering heat… but there were no wounds. No punctures or scratches or bites. You're okay. You're okay, the canine told himself, flipping his arms one more time to truly be sure.

Nothing.

He was okay.

Creaaaak! The shower hissed to an abrupt stop. Dog Man didn’t even realize he’d been straining to turn it off. Everything burned, itched, stung, but it didn’t matter, thought Dog Man as he dried off with a rough towel. He needed to be clean, needed to keep whatever was out there away from his family.

“DOG MAN!” Petey yowled from outside the door, resorting to kicking at it stubbornly.

The canine gave an assuring woof, which felt a little breathy given he was inhaling purely steam at this point. He stumbled towards the door, towel hanging loosely around his waist, and paused inches from the knob. What if he wasn't safe? What if he gave something to Petey? Or worse, Lil Petey?

He was so close to the door, so close to Petey on the other side… and yet, Dog Man never felt further away from him than right now. His entire body throbbed and ached, but nothing hurt worse than the looming fear within him, gnawing away at his insides, swallowing him up.

You’re okay, Dog Man told himself once more. Slowly, carefully, he grasped the knob, twisting it back.

…and in came Petey, barreling right through. Perfect timing, as always. With a surprised yelp, the feline stumbled across the threshold, having expected to collide with a solid oak door. Instead, he rammed his shoulder into Dog Man’s chest, eliciting a sharp yelp.

“Ack!” The feline hissed as he slammed against hot, wet skin. His arms shot out in a panic, looping around whatever it could (Dog Man’s neck, in this case) and hanging on for dear life.

…They stood there for a moment, caught in a mix of shower steam and shock. Maybe that’s why Petey’s face was so flushed, Dog Man offered inwardly. The steam was surely uncomfortable.

His hand mindlessly reached out and grasped Petey by the hip. To keep him steady, of course.

Right.

Petey’s mouth was agape as he blinked up at Dog Man’s wide eyes. His knees were utterly buckled beneath him— Dog Man’s neck being the only thing to keep him upright. He felt the rough stitches beneath his claws and part of him winced.

The other part shuddered, cheeks flaring even darker beneath orange fur.

Then, as if by some sort of magic, the trance had broken, dissipating with the steam. Petey scrambled back from Dog Man, a scowl carved into every line of his face. “You rabid mutt! What the hell were you doing?!” The feline hissed. He threw his hands up in the air, gesticulating wildly. “We get an EAS at three in the morning and the first thing you do is take a shower?”

Dog Man held up his hands in a placating gesture. ‘Let me explain,’ he signed.

There was a pause. Dog Man was sure the feline would snap at him once again… but instead, Petey crossed his arms, his tail lashing impatiently behind him. “I’m listening.”

Dog man blew a sigh of relief. ‘The man I arrested last night,’ he began, each moment coming back fresh in his mind. ‘He was…sick. Like the EAS.’

Petey’s eyes blew wide open, but Dog Man wasn't finished. ‘We were trying to figure out what was wrong with him when the Mayor walked in with a HAZMAT team. They took him away and told me not speak of it.’ The man’s face flashed before Dog Man’s eyes. Pale, drawn, smeared in blood. It was caked between his teeth, stained into his shirt, buried beneath his nails.

Dog man felt his hands begin to tremble yet again. He forced them to still. ‘When the EAS came up, I worried I had brought… whatever it was, into the house. To Lil Petey.’ The canine paused thoughtfully. Just the idea that he could be so careless, so risky, that he could hurt the ones he loved the most, made him sick to his stomach. ‘To you,’ he added, chocolate eyes shining with earnestness.

“…So you went to clean yourself,” Petey murmured, gesturing to his housemate’s rosy red skin.

Dog Man nodded. There was a brief pause, a moment of understanding between them. Then the canine raised his hands again. ‘Please don't touch my uniform,’ he added quickly. ‘I want to throw it out. Chief can lend me a spare.’

“Your first mistake was thinking I’d pick up after you,” smirked Petey, though they both knew he always did. Whether it was washing and folding his uniform after a long day, or simply finding a long lost chew toy between the couch cushions.

For a moment, the two simply stared at each other, completely mute. They lingered— neither one wanting to leave, yet neither one willing to speak either; At least, not what was on their minds— on their hearts.

Dog Man caught himself shifting from one foot to the other, self-conscious under the weight of Petey’s gaze. The tension between them grew thicker; not the same kind as earlier in the night, yet just as intense.

Especially considering Dog Man was clad only in a damp towel.

‘Hey! Mr Policeman! I don’t want no trouble!’

The sound broke Petey from whatever trance he was in, and he turned away with a quiet hiss.

…Dog man couldn’t tell if he was frustrated or relieved at that. Sighing, he reached for his phone on the bathroom counter and accepted the call, hitting, ‘speaker.’

It wasn’t a second later when a familiar voice was hollered in the air. “Dog man! You saw the alert?” began Chief almost frantically.

Petey’s eyes widened. He jerked his thumb at the phone and muttered, “Is this guy’s timing good or what?”

“Woof!”

“Good. I know this is gonna sound counterintuitive, given what’s going on right now, but I need you to come in.”

In his chest, Dog Man’s heart sank. Leaving? Now? His eyes flickered to the clock on his phone. 3:24 AM, it boldly displayed. It was still dark out. And not only that, but the threat of sickness, of imminent danger, was looming just outside the door.

Before Dog Man could let out a hesitant whine, there was a hiss at his side.

“No way,” Petey growled, glaring daggers into the phone screen. “Dog Man can’t come into work. His uniform’s soiled.” The feline upturned his nose, delighted by his quick thinking (and his excuse to keep Dog Man home.)

…but Chief just shrugged, “he can borrow one from me.”

Told you, Dog man sang in his head. Now probably wasn’t the time to tease Petey.

“So? What do you say, Dog Man?” Chief continued, his voice tinged with hope. “Can I count on you?”

Yes. Always. 100%, thought Dog Man dutifully. His eyes flickered to Petey’s lanky frame, taking in the crossed arms, the lashing tail, the flexing claws. Oh boy. Maybe this would be harder than he thought.

“Don’t you dare,” mouthed Petey, his bared fangs dripping with menace.

Dog Man’s gaze darted from the phone to Petey, from Petey to the phone. He had to make a choice— right here, right now.

“…Woof!”

And there it was. Almost instantly, Petey’s scowl deepened, and he waved his paw dismissively. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Chief sighed in utter relief. “Thanks, Dog Man. I’ll see you then. Be safe out there, buddy.”

Click!

Silence filled the bathroom, the calm before the storm. Dog Man stared expectantly at his feline housemate, who was going to blow up any second now. Any second…

“Are you out of your mind?!”

Yep, there it is.

“Dog man, you can’t possibly be thinking of going out there right now! We just saw the EAS— we’re supposed to stay in confinement!” Petey threw his hands up wildly, astounded by Dog Man’s lack of concern.

‘It also said to let law enforcement handle this,” the canine signed calmly. As much as he didn’t want to go out, as much as he yearned to stay here and simply exist with his family, he couldn’t. ‘Chief needs me. Maybe the city too.’

Rather than placate Petey, Dog Man’s words only seemed to spur him on. He scowled, white fangs glistening in the fluorescent light of the bathroom. “Yeah, maybe,” he hissed out. “But what about us, Dog Man? What about Lil Petey?”

His hackles raised, a clear sign of the turmoil within. “What am I gonna tell our kid when you don’t come home tomorrow?”

‘That won’t happen,’ Dog man signed. Each gesture was firm, unwavering in its earnestness. ‘I’ll be fine, Petey. I promise.’

…but Petey just scoffed. His arms folded over his chest, he turned his gaze away. “Right,” the feline muttered, almost inaudible with how quiet he was. His nose twitched subtly and it broke Dog Man’s heart. “Well… unlike you, I can’t just live off of empty promises.”

And there it was. The impasse. It was over, yet completely unresolved. Dog Man had a feeling this was as good as it would get for tonight. He raised his hands one last time, wishing desperately for Petey to understand. ‘I know things look scary right now. But the world doesn’t stop turning in the face of hardship, Petey,’ he signed, slowly. ‘I have to go out there.’

Petey opened his mouth to retort… but whatever it was he planned to say, it died in his throat. Instead, his ears went flat against his head, and he chuffed. “…whatever, Dog Man. Just don’t expect me to be at your funeral.” And with that, he turned away, sulking off downstairs.

The canine sighed, smoothing back his dampened fur. His head throbbed, either from the intense heat of the shower or the useless argument he just finished. Probably both, Dog Man thought distantly. He made his way to the bedroom, tossed his dirtied uniform out the window, and changed into something more… suitable.

A tight black t-shirt, a good pair of jeans, and his timberland boots… which may or may not have had a few chew marks on them. It was probably chilly outside, given the fact that it was three in the morning, so Dog Man shrugged on his corduroy coat (cotton-padded, for maximum comfort) and smoothed it down.

In front of the mirror, he stopped, staring intently into his own eyes. Fear lingered deep within his chest, and it welled up at the thought of leaving home; especially without his gear on. Who could say for certain what was out there, waiting to strike?

‘We strongly encourage residents of Ohkay city to stay within their homes while local government and law enforcement resolve this issue.’

The man’s droning voice came back like a yo-yo in Dog Man’s mind, serving him a well-needed reminder. A reminder that everyone was uncertain, everyone was afraid… but they were counting on the government— on law enforcement— to set things straight.

They were counting on Dog Man to set things straight. And so, the canine mustered up his courage with a low growl, and marched his non-existent tail to the front door.

…Petey was waiting for him at the kitchen table. He said nothing, lips pressed in a stubborn line— but his ears perked at the sound of Dog Man’s heavy steps.

The canine frowned at him, feeling a pang of guilt claw its way into his heart. Testing the waters, he waved his hand in Petey’s general vicinity, hoping to get his attention.

A short chuff. Then cadmium eyes reached his.

‘You keep the car. I’ll walk,’ began Dog Man.

Petey tensed. “…What?”

‘In case you need it. I won’t have peace of mind unless I know you and Lil Petey are completely safe.’

For a moment, Petey seemed stunned. The firm line of his lips fell agape just slightly… then he turned away, staring at the floor like it had insulted his mother. He muttered a quiet, “You’re a martyr, Dog Man.”

Dog Man just shrugged his shoulders. ‘I’m a father,’ he signed. He offered an encouraging smile. ‘And a friend, I hope.’

Or more. Not that he’d say that out loud.

Petey stood up from his chair reluctantly, his tail swaying from one side to the other in thoughtful paces. A pink hue filled the feline’s orange cheeks, giving them a sweet sherbet look.

It made Dog Man want to reach out and taste them.

“Just come back in one piece, you mutt,” Petey warned, though it was impossible to miss how the edge of his lips curled in.

Taking a step closer, Dog Man woofed softly. He leaned in and, his heart fluttering, gave Petey a careful lick. Not one of his usual flurries of affection— more tender, intimate. And just barely grazing the corner of Petey’s mouth.

The feline shuddered upon contact. As Dog Man pulled away, Petey stared at him, looking more red than orange. His mouth hung open, his eyes locked on Dog Man’s smiling muzzle…

And then he sputtered. “Yuck! Ugh! That’s disgusting, Dog Man!” Petey gagged, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Get outta here, you slobbery psycho.”

Like before, Dog Man howled out an amused laugh and swung open the door, disappearing on the other side.