Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Petey had loved his mother with every single piece of his heart. Her name was Grace, a name so lovable and tender, the same way she was. He didn't know much about her story. The little things he recalled hearing from her past were that she had never met her parents and was another orphan kitty, like the thousands that wait for a family in Cat Houses. 

Cat Houses were nothing more than filthy and horrid places that worked as orphanages for kittens whose parents were murdered or had disappeared. They weren't very responsible either; many kids who were under that roof would usually leave before they had reached 18. The food was scarce, violence was in every corner, and no one seemed to care for the innocence that died between the walls. 

Grace left this awful place when she was 15. Luckily, she found a job as part of a hospital's cleaning staff. By 17, she was sharing an apartment with other cats, most of them young girls who were trying to be independent. Everything seemed to fall into place; her work didn't pay much, but it was enough for her. 

One night, she decided to go out with her friends, have a little fun, dance, and drink. She was young and beautiful, full of life, the type of girl Pete liked the most. They danced through the night. Grace once told Petey that in that exact moment, she felt like any other person. She felt normal, she felt young…, and she felt loved. 

It didn't last. When Pete found out that Grace was pregnant, everything went south. The love, the tenderness, the man who once promised the whole sky to her was gone. Petey cried when his father took everything they owned and left him and his mother on the streets. Not because he was sad, but because of the relief of knowing that he wouldn't have to face another day of psychological and physical abuse. 

She tried to get a new apartment for her and her kitten, tried to get another job, God knows she tried. After seven years, Grace had to go back to Cat Houses. No one wanted to hire cats. This Cat House was different, meant for cases like Grace's: adults who couldn't make it on their own. The room they gave them was very small, with only a bed and a chair. 

Petey met Big Jim there, a kitten who had lost his parents in a terrible accident. They became friends, but Grace couldn't help noticing that her son was more pessimistic, reserved, and sarcastic than before. She knew her kid was smart, that sometimes he didn't believe her when she would tell him, “Everything will be alright”. But she never knew how much this life was affecting her son. 

Since Grace worked until it was almost morning, she didn't have the chance to appreciate how much her child was growing. Without her noticing, Petey was already a teenager, a very difficult one. He would skip classes because they were “stupid”, spending most of his time creating weird inventions in Big Jim's room. 

Grace thought it was just a rebellious phase, that it would end sooner rather than later, and that it would become nothing more than a funny memory. She was wrong. When Petey turned 15, he had created little gas bombs, which he used to rob a gas station with Big Jim. They took some money and chips and were able to drive for a few miles before getting caught by the cops. 

When Grace had the chance to talk to her baby, she hugged him and, while crying, asked, “Why did you do that, Petey? You are a good kid. If you needed money, you could have asked-”. 

Petey broke the hug and looked at his mother with tears filling his green eyes, “Which money, Mom? We have nothing! I just wanted to give you something nice, buy you a cute necklace or something…”. Grace wanted to hug her kid again and hold him in her chest until all his worries disappeared. Then, the cop who was holding Petey abruptly kicked him inside the patrol car. She tried to reach her baby, but the officer only pushed her to the ground. 

What would you do if you saw that? Your mom, the person who has taken care of you all your life, was now being pushed to the ground for your mistakes. Petey reacted, and in a second, he had scratched the face of the cop. Blood began to fall, his claws still craving to hurt the man. Two cops held Petey down, and the wounded officer quickly punched the teen. 

“Fucking animal!”, he said as he kicked the younger cat on the ground, “Beasts like you shouldn't be on the streets, if it weren’t for the stupid government, we would have killed you all long ago”. As he was aiming for another kick, Grace screamed, her heart filled with pain.

“Please, stop! Don't hurt him!” 

The cops didn't show mercy, and after a couple of minutes filled with brutal violence, Petey was finally pulled up again to be thrown inside the car. Grace stood there, crying, wondering what she had done wrong for this to happen. All the people who surrounded the scene to satisfy their curiosity were leaving, their voices filling the space with judgment. 

“Did you see how that cat attacked that cop?”

“Yeah, I know they all should be free and all… But they are dangerous.”

“Dangerous!? They are fucking beasts; they should be in cages!”

“Maybe they should get declawed.”

“They all should be eliminated…”

Grace froze, feeling vulnerable again. There was no one there to protect her; without her son, she had nothing. She cleaned her face, wiped her tears, and walked towards the police station. Her kid needed her. 

-

One year for stealing, and three for hurting an officer. 

Grace hugged his kid and kissed his forehead before he was sent to Cat Jail. Since Petey was still a minor, the judge said he had reduced his second sentence. She thought that, at least, he wouldn't be alone. Big Jim will be with him for two years. But what about her? Now, she had nothing. 

As time passed by, Grace started to feel very weak. She thought it was just her sadness overpowering her, but eventually, she started to cough more and lose weight. One of the other women in the Cat House told her to go to the doctor, that it would be worse if she got sicker. She didn't want to worry anyone, but if she wanted to be next to her son, she had to get better. 

Leukemia was the diagnosis the doctor gave. Grace didn't cry, she didn't even blink. When she walked out of the hospital, the only thought that crossed her mind was, “What is my Petey going to do?” She had to be strong for as long as God let her. 

She would visit Petey every day, asking him how he was doing. At first, the teen didn't want to see his mother, mostly because of the shame of what he had done. But he started missing her like crazy, she was the only thing that kept him alive. His mother was the only thing that made sense to him. So, he behaved, and he did everything the officers asked him. He served half his time and got released early, along with his best friend. 

Both cats, now 17, swore to never commit a crime again. Grace picked them both up and drove them to the Cat House. Everything seemed fine; they started school again and finished with honors. Unfortunately, Grace was getting sicker. One day, she couldn't keep working; her limbs were too weak to walk. 

Petey started to work as part of the community kitchen for cats, he had an amazing ability to cook. But his brain ached for problems, for machines, and his hands longed to grab his tools and build something. He couldn't disappoint his mama again. 

He worked his ass off, cooking in the mornings and being part of the hospital cleaning staff, as his mother did when she was healthier. The young cat did everything so he could pay the bills and Grace’s medicine, but it wasn’t enough. At some point, even Big Jim started giving some money to Petey to help. 

Still, it wasn’t enough. A week before Petey turned 18, Grace got worse. She had to stay at the hospital, her body was now too weak to even breathe without help. One day, she called him and hugged him so tightly that the young cat thought his lungs would run out of air. 

The woman looked at her son, her sunshine, her everything. Gently, like she was touching the most precious things in the whole world, she grabbed his cheek. “I love you so, so much…” he wanted to beg her to stop, to not talk anymore. 

“Please, Petey, never forget that this world is beautiful because you are in it.” Her breath was shaky, and Petey’s heart rate started to rise. 

“Be a good kitty.” Her hand fell, her last breath left her chest, and life stopped running. 

Petey just looked at her, her beautiful calico fur. The doctors entered the room, they didn’t even care about what was going on; it was just another cat dying. 

He didn’t cry, he didn’t even blink. 

When the procedure was finished, all the documents signed and the body of his mother finally cremated and put into an urn, he decided to bury her as far away as he could. A place where nobody would ever disturb her peace, somewhere beautiful yet cheap. 

He found a lovely hill outside the city, and no one seemed to be living near, so he dug and created a small grave. He didn’t invite anyone, not even Big Jim or the few friends his mother had. 

Finally, when Grace was buried and the sun had set, he started crying. Why her? Out of everyone, out of every single asshole that is in that stupid city, why his mother? She had such a beautiful soul and a kind heart; she was a do-gooder and all, and she died in such a sad and painful way. 

He cried and cried and cried. 

It was already midnight when he finally ran out of tears, his chest burning with pain but also anger. Yes, he was angry. He was furious. Life sucked, his father left him when he was just a kitten, his mother died in such a painful way, and everyone seemed to hate him just because of who he was. 

Then fuck them all! Fuck this stupid society! Fuck this stupid city and its citizens. Fuck. Them. All. 

Did they think cats were beasts? Fine. They thought they were just animals with a little more intellect. Okay. They thought they were evil? Fucking alright! 

Petey was not going to be a victim. If anyone should be feeling miserable, it should be them, not him, not his mama, not Big Jim, not the kids at the Cat House, or the inmates at Cat Jail. It should be them suffering! 

Oh, and he was going to make sure every single one of them suffered. If cats were evil, then he would be the world’s most evil cat!

Chapter Text

“Crimes committed by cats have increased by 20% only this week. What the heck is going on in this city, Chief?” Screamed the Commissioner, an old man with a coat bigger than him, at the cop who was supposed to be in charge of bringing peace to Ohkay City. Everyone in the room remained silent, nobody dared to look up or even say anything. 

“Yes… We are currently investigating all these events, Commissioner. Nothing to worry about!” Yelped Chief. 

“Well, it doesn't seem like it, Chief! How many times has this specific cat robbed the bank? How many times has this specific cat played with you like you are nothing but a bunch of useless mice?! AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THEIR IDENTITY!” Again, silence followed the scream. 

At the back of the small reunion room, all the police dogs stared at the Commissioner with their tails hidden between their legs. Between all the German shepherds and bloodhounds, a golden retriever stayed firm, listening to every single complaint of his superior. Greg wasn't like the other dogs, and a whole report was made based on the intelligence he had shown while in the academy. 

Every officer was surprised by the way he approached things and understood the commands without needing a reward. Most people would congratulate the dog and his trainer for such amazing work, but others would rather not deal with this specifically intelligent (almost human-like in his behavior) canine. 

Greg walked towards his partner and sniffed his hand to get his attention without making a sound. Knight, the officer who had decided to adopt and work alongside the dog since he was just a puppy, looked at him with a confused look. Then, the dog realized what his owner was thinking, “What are they talking about?”.

The canine sighed heavily. Knight had a heart of gold, he was brave, strong, and very skilled in combat, but not the smartest at all. Some senior officers would often highlight the abilities of the young cop, telling him he would be a hero to this town in no time. And the man, without hesitation, would answer, “Nah, I would already be dead if it weren't for this little fur ball”.

Some people used to think this was just his way of being humble, but Chief, their superior, who had seen them both enter the academy and graduate, knew the truth. How many times had the dog stopped Knight from almost dropping a grenade in the middle of the field? How many times had Greg helped Knight during his tests? Countless times. 

Greg decided to pay attention again to what Chief and the Commissioner were saying. 

“Not only has the suspect robbed a bank! This same cat has vandalized the police station TWICE THIS MONTH! The only information we have about this individual is that it's a cat and that it's very fast. Chief!” The cop started playing with his mustache as he began to grow nervous. 

“We got the cameras from the store where the suspect attacked yesterday. We now have a better approach to the identity of the cat…”, answered the cop. 

“So… What do you know now, Chief?” Now the Commissioner seemed interested, almost relieved, finally, there was some advance 

“He's a tabby.”

“...”

“It's a tabby cat”, said Chief, now being more sure of himself. 

“No shit, Sherlock!”, screamed the old man, stomping and pointing a finger at Chief. “There are almost a hundred tabby cats out there! Please, Chief, I am begging you. Do you have any RELEVANT information?!” The officer took a step back, not knowing how to answer. 

Greg barked, and both men turned to look at the dog. Before any of them had time to answer, the canine jumped onto Knight's leg, making the young cop drop his files. Chief approached him and saw what the papers contained. A light flickered through the man's eyes, “You are such a good dog, Greg!”.

The dog wagged his tail and barked again, always happy to help. 

“Our young officer Knight has discovered a pattern in the attacks of the suspect. He seems to attack places that have mistreated cats in the past. The store he robbed yesterday had fired his feline employees for no apparent reason. And last week, the university students he attacked had beaten brutally some young cats,” explained the man, showing the Commissioner the photos the file contained.

Knight was proud of the work he had accomplished along with Greg. If the dog hadn't pointed out the articles in the newspaper about these cases, he would have never figured it out. The dog barked again, licking happily his owner's hand. 

The Commissioner read the other examples on the report, nodding as he recognized some cases. “I want Officer Knight to work on this case”, the old man smiled at the young cop before screaming. “Now get your asses back to work!”. 

-

Before leaving to go on patrol, Chief congratulated Knight and Greg for their work. The investigation had an extensive list of different examples that proved the theory of the dog, as well as a list of suspects who had recently escaped prison or committed crimes. The canine made sure to add every single tabby cat that fit the description. 

The day passed, and nothing out of the ordinary happened until 9:45 p.m. Knight and Greg were just eating inside their car when a loud boom startled them. As fast as the young officer was able, he drove directly to the building that was being consumed by flames. 

When they arrived, a huge crowd was watching the scene in distress. They both approached a woman who was crying, asking what had happened. 

“I don't know. The fire alarm of the building went off, the security made sure all the workers were out before looking for the emergency… Then BOOM! That's all we heard…” The woman was not hurt, just scared. 

“So, there's no one in the building?” asked Knight. The lady nodded and cried again when a part of the building fell. “Why would someone explode a building if not for harming the ones inside it?”. 

Greg looked desperately to see if he could help others when, out of the smoke and fire, a silhouette formed, imposing and scary.

“HAW HAW HAW!” The evil laughter broke the air. Fear filled everyone who was near the scene. “You may want to think twice now before destroying another cat's life! Yeah, that's right. This company runs thanks to the blood of innocents! Did you know that only this month, 58 cats died because these assholes didn't approve their health insurance? ONLY BECAUSE A CAT LIFE DOES NOT FUCKING MATTER!”. 

When the smoke finally dissipated and the air was clearer, a tabby orange cat emerged. The cops aimed their guns at the animal, but he easily jumped into a robot that was waiting behind him. As the shooting started and everything turned into chaos, the robot jumped, avoided, and attacked with agility.  

Greg looked at the fire truck that was trying to fight the fire, and, just before the robot could escape, he jumped to the water hose, pushing it just enough so it could hit the machine with all its power. As the robot started to fall, the cat got out, landing just in front of the police dog. 

“Well, that was a smart move.” Then, with an evil grin, the cat stretched his arms. “You caught me, doggy”. The criminal extended his paws in front of him.

Greg was astonished. Did the cat just surrender? 

Two other officers ran to the cat's side and held him down.  As they put the handcuffs on the feline, the dog kept looking at the criminal. 

Had he made all of this? Alone?! Yes, he knew cats were intelligent, but this was the work of a genius. This cat had made sure to let every single worker escape before detonating the bomb, made sure the security had abandoned the building and put his robot in the exact place so it would help him if the cops attacked. He even made sure the press had arrived to give his speech and had looked directly into a camera. 

Greg was sure this cat was responsible for all the other attacks that had happened before; he was the tabby, the suspect, the criminal. And he had surrendered.

His surprise became anger. Was what the cat just said true? 

His anger became admiration. Did this criminal do all of this for the sake of other cats? 

His admiration became envy. If he just had a body like that cat, one that resembled human anatomy, would he be a hero? Would he accomplish more? If he had the physical abilities of that criminal, he wouldn't need Knight to be recognized… If he just had a man-like body, he would be recognized as a cop, not just another police puppy. 

What a silly dog. 

Knight whistled to call Greg, he ran towards his owner. “Stay with the cat while I go for the car”, ordered. 

The dog growled at the feline, the criminal just looked at the fire consuming the building. 

“Now, puppy, don't be so harsh on me”, said the cat. When he turned to look at Greg, the dog tried to engrave in his memory all the features the cat had. Light orange fur with black stripes all over his body, green emerald eyes that were accentuated by dark circles (had he not slept well?), and three whiskers in each cheek. “You are a smart one, aren't ya?”

Greg looked at the cat, confused and a little embarrassed. Was the criminal complimenting him? 

“If it weren't for you, these pigs wouldn't have beaten my robot. It was bulletproof and fireproof, I even made sure it was light enough to jump”, the cat bent, stopping at his eye level. “But I forgot to make it water-resistant”. 

Greg wanted to say something, but he knew only a bark would come out. He whimpered, frustrated. Damn it! He wanted to answer, make a sarcastic comment, or talk to the criminal. But he was just a dog. A silly dog. 

“Now, now, don't cry over me. I'm sure we will see each other again”, Knight came back, took the cat, and put him inside the police car. 

Greg sighed. If he could tell someone, he had a bad feeling.  

-

It was already midnight when Knight and Greg arrived home. Too tired to even reach the bed, the cop threw himself on the couch. The dog turned on the TV with his paw, he was sure something else was going to happen. 

The young man started snoring, and the dog's eyes were beginning to close when the sounds on the television woke him up again. 

“This is Sarah Hatoff, reporting from Cat Jail. Just five minutes ago, the right aisle of this prison exploded, letting countless inmates escape”, said the journalist as she approached one of the guards. “Officers, could you please explain what just happened?”

“Uhh…” answered the cop. 

“Okay, are you telling us that the criminal that was captured just today, Petey TheCat, infiltrated a bomb when he was arrested and made it explode just when everyone thought he was locked down, allowing other evil cats to escape with him?” said Sarah. 

“Yeah! And…” the cop nodded. 

“Oh! What you mean is that, probably, Petey planned to get into jail all this time so he could free his cat friends?” the reporter added. 

“Yes?” the cop shrugged. As the woman started to throw more facts, Greg's mind stopped at only one word. 

One name. 

Petey.

Chapter Text

Petey knew Cat Jail like the back of his paw; the last time he got arrested, he made sure to draw a very specific map of every single corner. He knew that the cell in which the cops were going to put him was in the right aisle. The last time they locked him in that part of the prison, he made sure to alter all the windows. 

Now, every single one of them had a mechanism that would only activate if a cat put the tip of their claw in a little hole next to their beds. Nobody knew about this except for Big Jim, but Petey had told him not to use this to run away and to wait for him. 

They were going to be free again, and why not make a little mischief while escaping? 

“Fucking cats, I hate dealing with them,” said the officer holding Petey´s right arm. 

“Yeah, I hate looking at their faces. They look so… evil”, answered the one holding his left arm. 

“Exactly! Just look at this one! He made such a mess in the city. Bad kitty!” Both officers pushed Petey inside his cell, making him trip and fall on his face since his hands were still tied with handcuffs. 

The cat hissed at them, making them step back. 

“Told you, these are fucking beasts. Animal control should be taking care of them, not us.” Claimed one of the cops. 

“Nah, man, not even they want to deal with these freaks… Maybe we should leave him with the handcuffs, I heard he scratched one officer in the face when he was a teenager”.

“Really?” The other cop shivered. 

“Yeah, no one heard about that officer again. Maybe the cat scratch gave him rabies.”

“Oh, dude. I can't wait for our break…” 

The officers left, not even checking the state of the convicted. Petey sighed. He hated cops so fucking much. The cat sat at the edge of the bed, counting the seconds before putting his plan into action. After five minutes or so, when he was finally sure no other officer was near, he activated the window mechanism. 

The metal bars simply popped, making enough space for the cat to jump into the jail yard. He freed himself from the handcuffs with a little movement of his claws. Petey stretched and smiled. That was very easy. He went to the stupid litter box that lay there, another disrespectful example of how little humans knew about them. Cats prefer privacy! They weren't going to do their stuff in front of everyone. 

He picked the mine thrower he had hidden… Ugh, it was not even sanitary sand; it was beach sand! 

Petey made his way to one of the towers, where the guards were “watching” for any suspicious movements. He climbed easily, and when he arrived, he saw the officers that had thrown him into the cell. They were watching a silly TV show at full volume, so they didn't even notice him. 

The cat coughed a little to catch their attention. Both officers looked at him, scared, almost throwing the popcorn they had in their hands. 

“Sorry to interrupt, but I think it is time for commercials”, said Petey with a big smile before kicking the table in front of him, making the men fall. With feline agility, he avoided the futile attempts of the cops to catch him. He jumped and landed in front of the multiple screens where the cameras were displayed. 

Petey almost laughed when he noticed a red button that said OPEN CELLS. How dumb they had to be? 

“NO! Don't press that button!” screamed the officers. 

“This little red button?” asked Petey, faking naivety. Both cops nodded. “Well, I should do as the forces of law tell me… Right?” 

They nodded again, “Yeah!”

“Unfortunately,” Petey pressed the button. “I am such a bad kitty!” On the screen, he saw how the prisoners escaped. When he finally saw Big Jim get out of his cell, he turned to look at the officers. He tied them with the same handcuffs they had put on him before. 

–

He went to the tower at the other end. All the guards had gone to try to catch the inmates who were running towards the left aisle. When he saw on the cameras that Big Jim was waving and jumping, he knew it was time. He aimed his mine thrower at the mainstay of the right side of the prison. 

Petey shot three times, one at the base, one at the main wall, and the last one at the exterior wall. 

Tic, tic, tic… BOOM!

Half of the place fell. The cat looked at the camera and saw Big Jim giving him the thumbs up, meaning that no cat or cop was harmed. With elegance, the feline simply walked out of there. 

He waited for his friends. Every cat that saw him would greet him or pat him on the back. 

A big purple cat ran to hug him, “Petey! I've missed you so much!”

“What did we say about personal space, Jim? LET ME GO!”, shrieked the orange tabby. 

“Oh, sorry… I know you don't like it when I hug you. But I missed you, bro!” said the cat as he broke the tight hug. 

“Yeah, missed you too, big guy.” Then, Petey turned to talk to the muscular cat. “Whiskers! You haven't changed a bit!” 

“Good to see ya too, P.” 

“And Tippy, how is the ear doing?” The slim black cat put his paw on his right ear. 

“Almost healed! Thank God, cops don't have good aim.” They all laughed. 

When the chuckling died, Petey asked, “Where is Fluffy?”

Silence. The three cats looked at each other. 

“Petey, we will talk about that later”, said Tippy. “Let's get out of here.”

“Jim, what happened?” He knew if someone was going to be honest with him, it was going to be his best friend, the cat who had grown up with him, the closest Petey ever had to a brother. 

“Oh, Petey. Fluffy…” Before he could answer, they heard police cars approaching. 

“Let's move!” Rushed Whiskers. “It won't be long before the cops arrive.”

Petey didn't have an option, so he guided them towards a car he had hidden not so far from the prison. 

“Wait, Petey!” Big Jim stopped abruptly. 

“Not now, Jim! We have to run!”

“I met an old cat that looks like you in jail, he had the same horrible temper you have. We should wait for him!”

“I am sure he can take care of himself, Jim!” answered Petey. 

“He said his name was Pete, said he met you when you were a kid. Maybe he was a friend of Aunt Grace!”

The orange cat stopped abruptly. He felt how anger was building in his stomach. It couldn't be. IT CANNOT BE. 

“SHIT!”, Petey screamed as he began to run again. The other cats just followed him. “GET INSIDE THE CAR, NOW!”

– 

When they arrived at Petey´s lab, Whiskers, Tippy, and Jim explained to him what had happened to Fluffy. The four of them had been friends since they went to Critter Scouts together. The white Angora cat had just turned 19 before going to jail, he had been caught stealing kitten formula for his little brother. 

One day, an officer at the jail said, laughing, “Y’know, it’d be better if all those stupid orphan kittens disappeared once and for all. That way, the crime rate would drop exponentially. We should put poison in their food next time we have to go to Cat Houses”. 

So Fluffy punched the cop right in the face, not once, but several times, until more cops showed up. 

The officer didn't take that offense lightly.  They took the white cat to a “special cell”. All the inmates heard screams during the night. 

Fluffy didn't come back the next day. 

Petey remained silent for a minute, then pressed his temples. Could his day get better? 

“Whiskers!” he called. “Tomorrow night, you and I will pay a visit to the police station of the cat district”. 

“You sure, P? We just got out of jail!” The orange cat turned to look at him, his brows furrowed in a clear sign of annoyance.

“Oh, sorry! Maybe we can wait until they kill another one of our friends?!” Whiskers sighed at the answer, not surprised by Petey's dry sarcasm. “We are going tomorrow night. They are gonna pay”. 

–

Petey didn't sleep, he wanted to give the cops a surprise. His specialty was bombs, so why not make a classic one to thank them for what they have done to Fluffy?

Green, blue and red wires, a digital timer, explosives, and tape. Everything was ready!

It was simple, he wanted to watch the police station burn. 

When they arrived, Whiskers started a fire in front of the building. Just some old tires and gasoline. Of course, all the cops got outside to see what was going on. When Petey saw all the officers out, he approached to the rooftop in a flying robot and yelled, “This one goes for all the cats that couldn't defend themselves from you!”

The police force started running away when they realized the feline had thrown a bomb. Petey closed the robot's front window and left the scene. He made sure to be at a good distance before pulling his binoculars. The police watched in distress. 

Awesome! Now, at any second, the bomb will explode. And no one will be able to stop- 

Was that a cop and a dog near the bomb? The feline was sure that no man in that place knew how to stop an explosive; they would have needed to call a specialist. 

He focused his binoculars. It was the same stupid dog and the cop who had arrested him last time. Petey flew his robot towards the building again. 

“Oh no, no, no, no, no.” Said the cat, hoping to be fast enough to stop them. 

Just a few meters more.

3

Just one more second

2

He was not a murderer. He was not going to be responsible for the death of…

1

He couldn't even finish his thoughts; the force of the explosion pushed his robot to the ground. 

– 

He woke up in his bed. Whiskers had saved him. Petey felt like total shit. 

The cats had a party that night, celebrating the destruction of the police station. The other felines that showed up were also part of Petey´s gang; they trusted him and saw him as a leader for all the stray cats that had a problem with the law for unfortunate reasons. Jim and Whiskers were the only ones who knew what had happened.

Alcohol was everywhere. The table in Petey's living room was filled with catnip. The orange tabby didn't realize how much he drank or how much of that plant he had consumed. He just wanted to forget. When his world started spinning, he locked himself in his laboratory. 

He lay down on the ground. For some minutes, he listened to the distant sound of music and voices. He breathed. In and out. In and out. Until he started to hyperventilate. His mind raced in a whirlwind of thoughts. 

Had he killed that cop? Had he killed that poor dog? Was he a murderer? Tears filled his eyes. 

He remembered what Jim had said before leaving prison. His father had reappeared. What would he think of him? Would he hate him? He cried, and a gasp escaped his lips. 

He hated his dad. He had abandoned his mother! But what if he did because he saw the monster Petey was? A muffled scream now came out of his throat. 

What had he done? His mother would have been so disappointed… He was nothing but a killer, a criminal who was going to die alone. 

“FUUUUCK!” Petey screamed. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…”, he started to panic, his heart rate increasing, and nausea started kicking. He was going to die. He scratched his arms, his legs, and his broken tail. He was going to die right there and then. Alone… 

Suddenly, a thought appeared, and laughter filled the lab. 

He didn't have to die alone! There was someone who understood him! Someone who didn't judge him!

HIMSELF! OF FUCKING COURSE!

Quickly, he reached for his cell phone. A click on the right ad, and he was ready. He got up and smelled more catnip. Yeah! This was his brightest idea!

A knock on the door alerted him, and he opened it without thinking. A box was placed in front of him, a cloning machine. 

He turned it on and sniffed a little more catnip.

The instructions were easy. Place a sample. Press the button. And TA-DA!

Smoke started to fill the room, a loud rumble made Petey nervous. Unfortunately, he had way more catnip than his body could handle. His eyes started to close, and his breathing became steady. The feline took a last glance before passing out. Was that a…?

“Papa?”

Kitten?

Chapter Text

Greg woke up feeling dizzy. His mouth was so dry. God, where was he? What had happened? Where was Knight? He whimpered; he was scared. He tried to move, but his body wasn't answering. He tried to lift his head, but a sudden pain made him cry again. 

“Oh, he is awake”, said a man. 

“Wow, he is alive, that’s awesome”, answered another man. 

“Awesome?! This is horrendous, what have you done?! This is inhuman.”

Inhuman? What happened? He whined again, feeling confused, lost, and most importantly, hurt. 

“Don’t talk to me like that, Chief! I am your boss… And hush! You are stressing the patient.”

Chief? Was Chief there? He tried to open his eyes but couldn't. His neck was burning, the itchiness started to become worse. He growled, now more awake. 

“Call the doctors!” yelled one of them 

“Oh, Greg. I am so sorry for what we have done.”

He heard the door being abruptly opened. He tried to smell, he was a police dog, and he was trained for this type of situation. He registered four different scents: one man, and three women. 

“Now, Dog Man. I am going to put you to sleep… Don’t move.”

Dog Man? Who the hell was Dog Man? 

What was going on? 

Where was Knight? 

-

When he woke up again, he panicked. His whimpers flooded the room. What was going on? 

From what he could see, it was already night. The window was open, fresh air entered the room. Greg looked around him, but Knight was not there. Only a couple of empty chairs and a TV accompanied him. 

He focused on the screen, trying to steady his breath. The news was on, Sarah Hatoff was there, talking. Greg shook his head, trying to concentrate, forcing himself to listen to what the reporter was saying. 

“Commissioner, is it true?” asked Sarah. 

“Were you able to make it?!” Screamed another reporter. 

“Is he alive?” A woman on the right side of the Commissioner asked. 

“One question at a time, please… Indeed, Miss Hatoff, it is true. We were able to create the first super cop in the world! The strength and combat skills of one of our top officers couldn't be wasted. Also, with the intelligence this dog has shown, he can quickly determine the status of any dangerous situation. He can attack and defend, he is smart and sharp. He is neither a normal cop nor a simple police dog anymore… He is Dog Man!” Other journalists started to ask more questions. 

Has the man gone crazy? What he said didn’t make sense. Sarah took the lead again, pushing some of her colleagues to talk to the authority. 

“What you are saying is that in the hope of saving the best parts of Officer Knight and his police dog, Greg, you ordered, with the consent of the Mayor, the doctors to perform one of the most dangerous surgical operations in human history?”

Itch. 

“It certainly was… risky. But we cannot deny the results, the first super cop in history! The first successful hybrid!”

His neck. 

“A brand-new, crime-fighting sensation is unleashed… THE ONE AND ONLY DOG MAN!”.

His neck itched. 

A picture of him appeared on the screen. That was his head, but that wasn’t his… What have they done to him?! Fear crept into his body. Slowly, Greg looked down… Oh, God, how many times had those hands caressed his fur when he was just a puppy? 

His necked itched so fucking much. Carefully, he lifted his hand (Knight’s hand) to touch the upper side of his body (Knight’s body). Chest, shoulders, neck. Itching. All of them were itching like hell.

And, finally, fur. 

What have they done to him? To Knight?

“This is Sarah Hatoff, reporting from the new police station at cat's district…” Greg remembered the bomb, the way they ran to stop it, and how he tried to tell his partner which wire to cut. How he failed.  He scratched more and more. “Don't miss tonight's special interview with the family of Officer Knight.”

A warm liquid filled his nails (Knight's nails). The dog (man?) looked down, and there was blood in his hands (Knight's hands). He had killed his owner, and his best friend, all due to his incompetence. 

“Bad dog!” As if someone had hit him in the paw, he stopped. “You shouldn't do that to yourself, Dog Man.”

He turned to look at the person who was talking to him. A blonde nurse appeared at the door. The woman didn't seem surprised or scared, she was genuinely worried about the damage he had caused to his wound. Was that Nurse Lady? 

He whined again. He felt ashamed of himself. Nurse Lady was Chief's wife, of course, he knew her, but when he was a dog! Now, he doesn't even know what he is. A dog? A man? Or what everyone was calling him… a Dog Man? He put his hands over his face, trying to hide himself. 

“Oh, Greg… I am so sorry for all of this. You must be so confused”, the nurse approached him slowly. Greg growled as an answer. He didn't want her near, she had always been so nice to him and Knight. How could he look her in the eyes when he was nothing but a monster?

“Greg, please, let me cure you. You are bleeding,” begged the woman. 

The door opened again. “What have I told you, Nurse Lady? Don't call him Greg, he is not a dog anymore. He is our wonderful Dog Man.”

The Commissioner finally entered the room. Greg looked at him… He had done this to him. He had turned him into a monster! The dog tried to attack, jump at him, and bite him directly in the throat. A loud thump followed his attempt. He couldn't coordinate his front legs (now arms) with his back ones. 

“Calm down, Dog Man! You are not an impulsive puppy anymore. Behave!” Said the man. Nurse Lady helped him go back to bed. Greg felt so vulnerable, so sad, confused, and angry. He was feeling everything all at once. He started to hyperventilate again. “I said, calm down! We have important visits, Dog Man!”

He lay down in a fetal position, his hands over his head, and his knees fully touching his chest. He whimpered loudly. He wanted Knight to be next to him, to wake up and find himself sleeping on their bed. He wanted to see Alice, his owner's fiancée. Anyone! Anyone who could help him! 

“Dog Man! Get up!”

“Commissioner”, a new voice said. “Is this the magnificent creation you were talking about?” A middle-aged woman entered the room, her green long coat and high black heels making her look bigger than she was. Next to her was a tall, muscular man, with a patch over his left eye. They looked with disgust at Greg. 

“Mayor! Thank you so much for coming, we are honorou-”

“Stop licking my ass, commissioner. You know why I came here”, said the woman with obvious irritation. 

“Y-Yes! This is our wonderful Dog Man! The cop that will finally save this city from those evil cats!” answered the man with excitement. 

“Seems like he's having a nervous breakdown. He doesn't look like a super cop to me.” The Mayor said with a bored face. 

“He will be! He is just… adjusting to his new life.”

“Hum”, the woman approached the creature on the bed. She touched his ears and then his muzzle. Greg looked up, scared. He saw her mischievous hazel eyes. The hybrid tried to hide again. “Maybe this will help him go back to his senses.”

The Mayor moved his head abruptly, making him face the TV again. On the screen, the host of the program was talking. 

“Now, Alice, please tell me. How do you feel about this situation?” Asked the man with a very serious voice. 

Greg cried when he saw Knight's fiancée, the blonde had puffy eyes and dark circles. She was wearing a black dress. Next to her was his partner's mother, Sandy. She looked so sad, so lost. She wasn't even looking at the camera.  

“How could I feel, Mark? Yesterday, the police called me to tell me that my fiancée and our dog had died trying to fight a bomb. Today, when I woke up, everyone was talking about this monster! This Frankenstein kind of thing!” Alice started to cry again. “Why did they do that? They could have let them die honorably, doing their job. But they decided to go against nature!”

The host nodded and turned to the woman next to Alice. Knight’s mom seemed so tired, her once lively eyes were dark and bloodshot. 

“Sandy. Do you have something to say?” 

The old woman finally looked up and, in almost a whisper, she said, “They weren't trained to deal with bombs.”

“Excuse me?” Asked the man. 

Louder, she explained herself, “Neither Knight nor Greg were trained to deal with explosives. Why did they send them? My boy was not meant to be there! He was supposed to investigate a case, but the Commissioner sent him. Why? Why my boy?” 

“Do you want to see your son again, Sandy?” Asked the man, trying to keep her talking. 

“My son is dead. I want people to realize that this is wrong! My Knight is dead, and the only thing left is that creature.”

“Do you hate that creature? Do you hate Dog Man?” Greg felt his heart stop. 

The woman looked at the camera, “I… May God have mercy on him.”

The Mayor dropped his head and turned to talk to the Commissioner.

“I want Dog Man to return to duty next week. He will patrol the cat district. Understood?”

“Yes, ma'm" answered the old man. 

When the woman had finally left, Nurse Lady started healing his wound. Greg didn't have more energy to fight. He felt so emotionally drained. 

“You heard the boss, Dog Man. Tomorrow you will start with rehabilitation”. 

-

He had to learn how to walk, how to run, how to be himself all over again. But the Commissioner didn't want to wait, so Greg was pressured. It took him two days to finally be able to stand up and not fall. When he achieved it, he barked. The doctor who was with him shifted uncomfortably when he heard that sound. 

Most of the hospital staff didn't look him in the eyes. Apart from his doctor, Nurse Lady, Chief, and the Commissioner, no one else dared to even be near him. No one talked to him. One night, he stayed awake because of the nightmares that haunted him. Through the door, he saw a cat cleaning the floor of the aisle. 

The feline was relaxed, humming a song Greg was sure he had heard Knight play on the piano before. He got so sentimental that he howled. The cat jumped and looked at him. The look in their eyes was filled with horror. Their tail puffed, and before the dog could notice, the cat ran out of sight. 

After four days, he was able to walk long distances without feeling uncomfortable. On the fifth day, he could do a light jog. The commissioner made him lift weights since the day he woke up, so his arms were starting to become stronger. It was time for the next step.

“People will be afraid if you try to talk to them by barking,” said Nurse Lady. “From now on, I will teach you sign language. That way, at least some will understand without freaking out”. 

Greg sighed; he was so tired. He just wanted to go back to his house and sleep. Did he still have a house to go back to? 

“Please, lift your right hand for me. I am going to teach you the alphabet first,” the hybrid did as told, but whimpered when he saw his arm. Usually, Greg would avoid looking at his body, he would only look in front of him. And, if the commissioner didn't force him, he would never look at himself in the mirror. 

“Greg, we have to continue… Look, take this.” Nurse Lady handed him a pair of gloves. They were black and kind of heavy, the same ones Knight used to wear when they had a special mission. What was their name?

“These are tactical gloves. They belong to Chief, but I will make sure to ask the commissioner to add them as part of your uniform.” Lady took his hands gently and put the gloves on him. “Now you won't have to look at your hands when practicing.”

The smile the woman gave him almost made him cry.

“So,” Nurse Lady said while lifting his hand and closing it in a fist. “This is A”. 

-

The eighth day of his recovery came. The commissioner explained to him that he had a new house that the Mayor had “conditioned” for him. Nurse Lady let him shower and gave him his uniform. He put on his gloves and fixed his cap before heading out of the hospital.

Thousands of cameras welcomed him, along with journalists screaming questions. 

“Dog Man, how are you feeling?”

“Dog Man, are you ready for your first day?”

“Dog Man, what do you think about the Human Rights Organization trying to make a lawsuit against the Mayor for your situation?”

The hybrid tried to smile, but he was getting nervous. The Commissioner patted him on the back before whispering, “Smile and wave as we rehearsed”. 

Greg did as told. Some people cheered, others looked at him with fear. The old man yelled “No comment!” before heading to the police car. 

“Fucking harpies... Now, Dog Man, you know the plan. You will go to the cat's district, downtown. Just make sure to scare those beasts a little and make sure that they are not doing anything illegal.”

“Yes,” signed the hybrid. 

“And look for Petey, we haven't been able to locate him. But I am sure you will.”

Petey. His ears rose when he heard that name. He had some unfinished business with that cat. That criminal put the bomb that killed Knight, anger filled his stomach. Why had he done that? The feline only attacked places that had mistreated cats, according to his investigation… What did the police do? He wanted to put him in jail, but before that, talk to him. 

When they arrived, Dog Man sighed anxiously. The Commissioner dropped him at the new police station and wished him good luck before driving away. The few cats that were on the street ran when they saw him. He began to walk down the street, he had to be there until 6 pm, so he was in no rush. 

Next to a garbage bin, he heard a black cat whisper to another, “It's him, we gotta tell him”. When they noticed Dog Man watching them, they ran. 

Greg followed his instincts, he knew those two were up to something. Also, he needed a distraction, he could feel the eyes of every single person looking at him. Judging him. 

He saw them get into an alley. He was close to catching them when he crashed into something. Or someone. Greg opened his eyes to see what had happened, and he found a kitten in his arms. The little orange tabby looked at him. His green eyes glowed with excitement. 

“Dog Man!” Yelled the child. Greg looked at the kid. He wasn't scared or disgusted, the kitten was smiling. “Papa! It's Dog Man, the super cop”. 

The hybrid moved his head and tried to find the kid's father; if he had called him, he must be near. But he didn't find anyone; all the other cats just passed them by, trying not to get involved. Greg got up and carried the kitten in his arms. He barked, lowly, ashamed, just so the kid could hear him. 

“I don't know. Maybe he got lost”, answered the tabby. “Could you help me find my papa?”

Had the kitten understood him? He barked again, louder, more confident this time. 

“Yes, I can understand what you are saying!” Said the kitten, chuckling. Greg barked again. 

“Thanks, Dog Man. I am sure my papa must be somewhere near here.” And so they began to walk.

Chapter Text

His dad was next to him, an old orange cat with glasses. At first, he couldn't comprehend what the man was saying. Slowly, Petey got closer to him. His father grabbed him by the arm, and yelled in his face: “You are never going to be a good father! You are just. LIKE. ME”. 

Petey gasped for air. The bright light in his laboratory almost made him blind. He started to feel light-headed, and nauseous. He grabbed his head between his arms, trying to breathe. It was just a dream. Just a silly dream. Anyway, it didn't make sense, why would he worry about being a good father? He didn't have kids, he didn't want kids. And, for what he knows, gay cats can't have children. 

He sighed, what was he thinking? A light chuckle escaped his lips, he was just being affected by what had happened yesterday, all the commotion, the alcohol, and the catnip were making him think silly stuff. He had to work, no more time to lose. Petey tried to stand up when he felt a little arm holding to him. 

He looked down. A kitten was hugging him tightly. The cat almost screamed, but the baby seemed so peaceful. The child must not have been older than four or five years old. The same age he was when his father had abandoned him. He caressed the little kid's head, he always had a soft spot for children. 

Maybe during the party, one of the cats that were part of his gang had brought their sibling or kid. It used to happen, sometimes they couldn't find someone to take care of the youngsters, and they would sneak into his lab. Petey didn't have a problem with that, as long as they didn't touch anything, he knew what it was like to grow up that way.  

“Hey, little fur ball, it's time to wake up,” said Petey. “We gotta look for your parents”. 

The kid woke up lazily, stretching his paws and yawning. “Morning, papa.” 

“No, kid. I am not your father, I'm sure…” Then it clicked. The memories of last night ran to his head. Fuck! How much of an idiot he had to be? He had cloned himself! 

The kitten, now fully awake, stood up. Realizing his father's panicked look, he smiled and tried to hug him. 

“No!” Petey yelled. 

The child backed off and began to cry. 

“No, no, don't cry. I am so sorry for yelling,” apologized the older cat, but the kitten continued to whimper. Little hiccups escaped his mouth. He needed help, fast. 

“JIM! BIG JIM, GET DOWN HERE NOW!” Petey screamed. After a couple of minutes, he heard heavy steps approaching. 

“Good morning, Petey! Did you call me?” Said the always optimistic purple cat. Petey had woken him up abruptly, but he was always happy to see his bro. 

Jim saw the kitten crying on the floor and approached him. “Oh, look at this baby. He looks exactly like you when we were kids, Petey!”

The cat cradled the kid in his arms and started making silly faces to stop his weeping. “Hello there, little fella. What's your name?”

“Little Petey!” Answered the kitty, now happy. 

“He even has your name!” Jim said, looking at Petey. The orange tabby looked at him with a lifted brow. “Oh, wait… Is he your kid? Why didn't you say something? Hi, Li´l Petey, I am your uncle Big Jim.” 

“Jim! He is not my kid, he is a-”, he was about to make a mistake, but that would probably make him sound like an asshole. “Clone. He is a clone. Yesterday I was feeling so stressed because of what had happened at the police station, and what you told me about my father, and all that alcohol and catnip made me feel so lonely. I bought this stupid machine, and … You know I am not good at handling my booze!”

“A clone?” Jim put the kid down, letting him explore the lab. “Your father? Petey, what are you talking about?” 

“Ugh, let's get breakfast”, said the orange cat, looking at the kid. “He is probably hungry. We'll go to the kitchen in a couple of minutes, make sure only Whiskers and Tippy stay”. 

-

Petey started to make tuna sandwiches for breakfast. Big Jim was playing with Li´l Petey while Whiskers and Tippy looked at the kid with amazement. 

“Fuck, he looks exactly like you, P.” Tippy broke the silence. 

“No swearing in front of the kid!” The orange tabby put two trays full of sandwiches on the table. “And he is a clone, of course, he looks exactly like me!” 

Whiskers had brought a kid's chair while Petey was making breakfast, so the child was happily drawing on it, Big Jim was giving him different types of crayons. They had known about the situation for less than an hour, but all of them tried to help Petey in some way. 

“Uncle Tippy, why does your ear have a hole?”, asked the kitten. 

“'Cause I got shot, Li´l P.” Answered the black cat calmly. 

“Why?” Asked the kitten. 

“'Cause I was running away from the cops.”

“Why?”

“'Cause I hit my boss in the face!” Tippy remembered the fight. 

“Why?”

“The motherfu-”

“That’s enough, Tippy. Let's eat”. All the cats remained silent, devouring their breakfast. Petey sat next to the kitten and started cutting the food into little pieces, the same way Grace used to do it for him. Li´l Petey ate with a smile on his face. 

“You look just like Aunt Grace, P.” Everyone on the table turned to look at Whiskers. Petey lowered his head. This was wrong, he wasn't meant to be a father. He was a criminal, and the police were looking for him, for God's sake! He was evil, despicable, a mastermind for problems, a jinx. The kitten would suffer if he stayed with him. 

But when he saw the kitten's eyes, he remembered himself. How he longed for a father, for someone to be with him, to play with him… To love him. If only there was a way to know the child would be safe under the care of someone else. He sighed defeated. 

“Let's go, we have work to do. We need to talk about what we are going to do from now on.” Ordered Petey. The cats nodded, finishing their breakfasts. 

-

The cats went to a daycare, where some parents left their kids when they needed to work. Petey made a security system for them, so the people who worked there could look at all the babies at the same time without stressing too much. He had also created some robots that played with the kittens. 

“Hey, Leslie, how is it going?” Petey asked a young girl when he entered the place. The children playing on the floor made him smile. 

“Oh, Petey!” Answered the gray cat, her flowered apron giving her a lovely look. “Good morning! Everything's all right. The robot babysitters are such a wonderful help. All the kids love them!”

Jim entered the room, smiling at what his best friend had accomplished. “Look, Li´l P. Your papa made these robots to help take care of kittens like you!”

The kid looked at his father with glowing eyes. “Cool!”

“Oh, is that your… son, Petey?” Asked Leslie, genuinely curious, but afraid to make the orange tabby lose the little patience he had. 

“Something like that.” He answered. Then, an old brown cat approached them, smiling. 

“That is incredible, Petey! Such a handsome kid, and he must be as smart as you.” Said the old woman. 

“Thanks, Mrs. Richards.”

“And who is the lucky one? She must be a very special lady. Grace would have been so proud to see all you have achieved, Petey.” The cat had been friends with his mother, she had taken care of him when he was a kitten too. He knew she didn't say anything to make him uncomfortable, but he was starting to get tired of this situation. 

“Could you please take care of him? Just a couple of hours… I need to talk to the guys”, asked Petey, his voice weary. 

“Yeah, no problem, Petey”, answered Leslie. She took Li´l Petey in her arms and walked to the playground. 

“Bye, papa!” Said the kitten happily.  

The orange tabby thanked the woman and waved at the kid. God, what was he going to do? 

-

“So, that old fart was your father?” Asked Whiskers. 

Petey had explained to his friends what had been troubling his mind. 

“I am so sorry, Petey. If I had known, I wouldn't have said anything,” Big Jim apologized.

“No wonder he was a total dick in jail. From what I've heard, he was there because he didn't pay child support”, said Tippy. The orange tabby sipped his cup of tea. They were in a cafeteria near the daycare. 

“So he had more kids, huh?” Whispered Petey. Tippy knew he had talked too much, so he looked at Jim for help. 

Petey wasn't behaving like himself, he was quiet, his tail moving from one side to another behind him. Big Jim knew now wasn't the moment, but someone had to tell him. 

“About the explosion… I've heard some stuff, P.” Said the purple cat carefully. 

“What kind of stuff, Jim?” The cat doubted, maybe it wasn't the time. Petey had too much on his plate. 

“Uhm…”

“Spill it, Jim! They died, right? The cop and that dog, they couldn't have survived,” Jim didn't dare to look at him. “Jim, tell me!”

“A cat that works at the hospital contacted me, P.” Whiskers explained. “It will sound crazy, but I need you to believe me.”

The orange cat looked at him. What had happened to them?

“Seems like the cop's head was completely fucked up, the man was dying slowly.” Petey closed his eyes, trying to steady his breath. “The dog's body suffered so much damage, it was impossible to save him.”

He had killed them, had made them suffer. Yes, he hated cops, but he didn't want to kill them. Petey sighed heavily, feeling like he was about to cry. 

“Then, the commissioner announced on the news that they were going to perform surgery to attach the dog's head to the cop's body,” Tippy said so fast that Petey almost couldn't comprehend his words. 

“What?” That was impossible, so risky and illogical. 

“Yeah, they began the procedure last night. The Mayor said that they would update on the status of Dog Man tonight”, added Whiskers. 

“Dog Man?! What are you talking about? That's insane!” Petey wanted to throw up, the mere thought of the creature made him sick. How could someone do that? 

The dog must be scared, confused, and angry. If Dog Man was alive, he would come for him, to take revenge. Oh, he was so fucked up.  

-

Petey picked up the kitten in the afternoon. He ordered some cats from his group to search for more information about Dog Man. God, he was so scared.

“Papa, look at this! Miss Leslie let me play with the robots, and I took some parts from one of them”, the cat turned to look at the kid. The child showed him with pride a little car.

“You made this?” He asked, genuinely curious.

“Yes! If you press the button at the top of it, it will turn on.”

Petey pressed the button and saw the tire's car start to move. 

“This is so cool, kitten.” The kid smiled and jumped, he was so happy for the compliment. “What do you think of eating pizza tonight?” Petey took the kid's paw, leading him home.  

-

The days passed. Petey started to get used to the kid and was enjoying the company. He was nervous about the Dog Man situation, and spending time with the little fur ball helped him get distracted. 

The hybrid had survived. On the news, the Commissioner was more than happy to talk about his progress. He could walk, run and fight like a human, but, also, was smart and sharp like a dog. 

Petey remembered the police canine, he knew there was something different about him. The day he had arrested him, he saw the frustration in his eyes. He was sure the animal wanted to do so much more than what his body allowed him. 

That dog was dangerous before… Now he was a complete threat. 

He heard that Dog Man was going to start patrolling the cat district, so he had to be careful. When Li´l Petey asked him to go for ice cream, he doubted, but the look in the kitten's eyes won. 

When they were crossing the aisle that connected the laboratory with the main avenue, the kid started to run. “Come on, papa. We are already close! I want a strawberry-”

Petey saw the kid crash with someone. “Li´l P, wa-” Before he could speak, Tippy put his hand over his mouth. 

“Shit, Petey,” said the black cat in a whisper. “It’s Dog Man. He is here.”

The orange cat saw how in front of him the hybrid picked the child up. Wow, they had attached the dog's head to the human body. How impressive. The creature seemed to work just fine, with no lack of balance or signs of loss of sanity. He wanted to get a better look, but the kid was there. Wait, the kitten!

He had to save him! He had to… Then, the cop caressed the child. He made him laugh. The kitten seemed so happy, so safe in those arms. 

“Let's go!” He urged Tippy to run. 

“But, what about Li’l Petey?!” Whispered the black cat. 

“We will talk about that later! Now, run.”

-

On the first day without Li’l Petey, Petey simply told everyone to fuck off and locked himself in his laboratory. He heard from the other cats that Dog Man was looking for him. He was so scared. That creature could destroy him. Bite him, tear him to pieces. He knew he deserved such a violent death, but you can't blame him for not wanting to face his destiny. 

Big Jim visited him that night.

“Petey, he is your son, you can't leave him with Dog Man”, he knew that Jim was right. “What if he hurts him?”

No, he wouldn't. It took him just a second to see all the goodness and kindness in the hybrid, the way he cradled the kitten, how easily he had made him laugh. 

“No, Jim. I would have hurt him. He is better with Dog Man”, said the tabby. 

“So you are just going to leave him? That is wrong, Petey, and you know that. But you are so selfish!” This was the first time Jim screamed at him. “You are just like your father!”

“Don't you dare compare me with that asshole!” He screamed, pointing a finger at his friend. Again, he knew Jim was right, but Petey was not going to admit it so easily. “Get out of my lab!”

Big Jim left, closing the door violently. No one understood he was not ready to be a father. He was not meant to be a dad, to take care of someone. His heart was meant to hate, not to love. His hands were supposed to create machines, not to caress. 

He cried. God, he hated himself so much. Li´l Petey would be better without him. Jim would be better without him. The world would be so better without him. 

The second day, he woke up feeling like shit. There was no one at his house to share breakfast with him, all his friends were out working (Whiskers), hiding Petey´s trail from the police (Tippy), or just avoiding him because he had been acting like a total dick (Jim).

Creating something would make him feel better! He went into his lab again, he could make a new machine for the daycare, something to help them with the organization. Or, maybe, he could make another robot to help at the community kitchen, the last one had been really helpful.

His mind was full of ideas, but his hands couldn't even grab the screwdriver. Who was he trying to fool? He was sad. He missed the kitten. But, Dog Man was with him. The hybrid that could easily kill him. The creature was a mystery, was he thinking like a dog? Was he thinking like a man? 

What would he do if he saw Petey? Would he attack like a dog or act like a man? He didn't want to admit it, but he was so scared of the creature and intrigued, too, that he even started having nightmares with him. Dog Man would reproach him about the death of the officer, calling him a murderer, a cruel criminal, a filthy beast.

He gave up, his hands were not going to make anything. He started to clean his laboratory, organizing his blueprints. Between all the papers, he found four pieces of paper attached with staples. Inside it, there were drawings, Li´l Petey´s drawings. 

One showed them hugging. The other one is a drawing of them building a robot. He stopped, it wasn't just some cute picture, there was a description of how to make the robot that was displayed there. The more he read, the more he realized how much of a genius his kid was. 

Yes, his kid. His son. 

Fuck Dog Man! Fuck his fears! He was going to recover his kitten, and he was going to be the father his dad couldn't be. Petey began to build the robot, a spherical body with stretchy limbs. After a night of work, 80-Hexotron Droidformigon was finally ready to work. 

On the third day, Petey didn't care that it was almost 4 am. He was going to recover his son. He gave 80-HD a picture of the kitten so he could look for Li´l Petey. The cat made sure to give the robot access to the security cameras of the city, so he would be able to know every movement in every single street. 

When the machine finally beeped, he knew it was time. They walked through the dark streets, passed the river and the bridge. Finally, they arrived at a small construction that resembled a dog house on the outside. 

“Guess old habits never die,” said Petey, assuming Dog Man had chosen that house. “Whatever. 80-HD, bring my kid back!”

The robot stretched his hand and opened the door, he looked for the kitten and, when he finally found him sleeping in a little box, he grabbed him carefully. Li´l Petey moved a little when he felt the sudden movement. When he opened his eyes, his papa was in front of him.

“Papa, where were you?” The kitten hugged him. 

Petey took the kid in his arms, cradling him. Both cats purred, feeling the heat and love from the other. 

“Got a little lost, fur ball.” Petey licked his son's cheek, cleaning the smell of dirt and dog from him. 

“So you are not gonna leave me?” Asked the kitten, purring louder. 

“I swear Li´l Petey, I will never leave you alone again”. They both climbed into the robot and went home. 

Chapter Text

“You sure they sewed your head right?” An old cat asked with sarcasm, his subordinates laughed at the joke. “‘Cause you must be really stupid if you thought we were going to give info about P.”

Greg growled, after spending several days tracking the orange cat, this was the first clue that led to something. Mr. Snowball’s gang had been the last to sell machinery to Petey, so he tracked them down to an old fabric outside the city. 

“Come on, boss! The puppy’s getting mad.” Said another cat with a baby voice. 

“Maybe his head will pop off if he barks loud enough!” A third one added. They all laughed. 

He couldn't show weakness, but he was tired of the jokes. The cop knew he was a monster, but their words hurt him, deeply. He hated himself already. 

A few weeks ago, all the cats seemed so scared of him, that no one even dared to look him in the eyes. Now, they all looked relaxed, like everything was under control again. Maybe the novelty of the creature had passed. 

“Hey, Dog Man! Do you know some tricks? Let’s throw him a ball and see if he catches it.” A slim brown tabby cat teased while playing lazily with a tennis ball. 

“Now that would be interesting!” Mr. Snowball said, slowly walking out of there. “Have fun, guys. Just remember the rules.”

Greg knew he had made a dumb move, going alone to one of the hideouts of the biggest cat mafias, but he was desperate. He wanted to find Li’l Petey as soon as possible. What if the kitten was hurt? Perhaps he wandered through the streets, still looking for his dad. Still looking for Petey. 

He saw the leader cat leaving, his tuxedo fur portraying elegance and power. The cop jumped, trying to get to him. But the brown tabby that had made fun of him before was faster, throwing the tennis ball at him. 

Greg avoided it, but when it hit the ground, a horrendous smell came out of it. Vinegar and citrus filled the place, and the cop didn’t have another option but to try to cover his nose. The odor was so strong that it even made him tear a little bit.

He saw the cats putting masks on themselves, of course, they were ready to attack if Dog Man showed up. 

“Thank Petey for your new perfume, Dog Man!” Yelled one of the cats 

Petey.

God, he was going to enjoy putting that cat in jail. 

-

When he recovered, he went back to the police station. All the cats that crossed his path gagged or laughed at him. He had fallen into another one of Petey’s traps, and they all knew it. 

His bad luck started when the kitten disappeared in the middle of the night, he desperately looked for him. Li’l Petey had been the light he needed in his disastrous life. If he hadn't had the kid’s company the first night he arrived at his new house, he would’ve gone insane. 

The house was not bad, it was very roomy, but the way it was constructed was a total joke. A dog house in the middle of nowhere, filled with canned food and just a mattress on the second floor. At least, the Mayor made sure to move Knight’s clothes and properties. 

What a bitch! He knew it was disrespectful to think that way about a woman, but she had been so disrespectful to him. Treating Greg like a stupid dog, barely talking to him. Whenever he tried to sign something at her, she would simply turn her back on him. So rude! 

But he arrived with the kitten cradled in his arms that night, purring softly. The kid was so amazed at the house, that Greg couldn't avoid thinking it was not an awful place. Li’l Petey called him Dog Man with such admiration, that the dog didn’t feel judged or made fun of. 

He barked and played, even told the kitten a story before going to sleep. It was the first time since the accident that he felt absolutely happy. 

The next day, they ate breakfast and searched for Li’l Petey’s father. 

The kid gave a detailed description of his dad. “My papa’s name is Petey, he is orange and tabby, just like me! He has green eyes. Mmm… Oh! He has two whiskers on his right cheek and three on the left.”

Greg remembered the cat having the same amount of whiskers on both cheeks… Maybe he lost one while escaping prison. Who would have thought the most evil cat had a kid? 

“Anything else? How does he treat you?” Barked Dog Man, trying to get more information. 

“Well, it’s not like I got into his life… normally.” The cop looked at the kitten, confused. “But he loves me! At first, he didn’t want to play with me and would avoid me, but he changed. These days we’ve been closer. He even let me build some stuff with his old machines!”

Greg was surprised, he didn’t know the criminal could have a paternal side. But, still, he knew the kitten could grow in a better place, far away from crime. He wanted to ask more questions, but his throat was beginning to get sore. He carefully caressed the kid's fur, trying to comfort him. 

“Dog Man, can you teach me sign language? I guess your throat aches after all that barking. I heard about your surgery on the TV, but my papa would change the channel when they talked about you. Did it hurt a lot?” Greg nodded at the kitten, it was the first time someone wanted to understand him, to listen to his side of the story. “Hey! Until I learn sign language, you can write in this notebook. That way, you won’t have to bark all the time.”

The cop smiled gratefully, he grabbed the notebook and took a pen. “Thanks, Li’l P. It did hurt and still does. And yes, I can teach you sign language.” He wrote. 

“Awesome! Now, let’s go look for my papa.” Spoke the kitten. 

They looked everywhere. Some people recognized the kitten but didn’t say a word about Petey. When they arrived home, they were so tired they fell asleep immediately. 

The next morning, when Greg woke up, the kitten was gone. The cop sighed sadly, remembering his little friend. Now, going back to his house felt like a nightmare, a constant reminder of the monster he was. Maybe the kitten had left because he saw that Dog Man was not the super cop the Commissioner talked about. 

Li´l Petey was probably disappointed. 

Greg arrived at the station and massaged his temples. He hated going back there. When he entered, all the other officers stopped whatever they were doing to look at him, to whisper behind his back. Now, all of them saw him with disgust, not only for the creature he was but for the horrid smell. 

“Petey?” Asked Milly, one of the few officers that dared to talk to him. Greg signed a tired yes. The girl just nodded. “I think the showers are empty, you should go.”

The hybrid was so tired, that he didn’t even reply. He went to the back of the police station, where the showers were. It was not rare to get dirty while working at the cat's district, the fur, and smell used to attach to their uniforms sometimes and the officers hated that. 

Unfortunately, when he entered, the room was not empty. Two cops were there, cleaning their clothes. A tall blonde man was leaning into the lockers looking at his friend that was next to him, trying to get the cat fur out of his jacket. 

“Woah! It is our super cop, Dog Man.” Said the blonde officer with sarcasm. 

“Super smelly too!” The other answered, laughing.“Did you fall into another one of Petey’s traps?”

“I guess even the commissioner’s Frankenstein is not enough to catch him.”

“Last week he made a special dog training whistle sound in different corners of the district to confuse you, making you run like an idiot for hours! On Wednesday, Petey created an automatic firecracker shooter that made you so scared you couldn't even leave the police station. And now, you smell like you spent the night on a vinegar fabric! Maybe tomorrow he will throw Frisbees in the park so you can catch them.”  They laughed, so loud, everyone at the place must have heard them. 

“You are killing me, Jake!” They high-fived, still chuckling. 

Greg didn’t want to look weak, but a soft whimper escaped his lips. He was so tired of this. At least outside, Petey addressed him like an enemy and made such difficult plans to fight him. But here, he was nothing more than a silly dog.

“Ow, poor puppy. Don’t worry, this only shows that you are not a super cop. Just a weird creature victim of humanity!” Remarked Jake. “Right, Tom?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. Guess it wasn’t worth saving your ass. Anyway, you were here to take a shower.” Tom threw him a towel. “Better take that uniform off and burn it.”

Greg caught the towel, uncomfortable. He didn’t want to get undressed in front of others. So he waited, looking at the ground. 

“You just gonna stay there? Come on, Dog Man! Don’t be shy, we all have the same anatomy.” Teased Jake. 

“Well, at least half of it!” Tom joked. 

The hybrid was ashamed and angry. He wanted to say something, tell them to fuck off, but only a bark would come out. When he was about to leave, Chief entered the room. 

“Officers, get back to work! I need to talk to Dog Man.” The men kept laughing as they walked out. Greg sighed, can his day get any better? “Officer Dog Man, I think you know what I’m about to say.”

He signed a lazy “Yes.” It has been the same routine for the past weeks. 

“You need to catch Petey. The Commissioner is starting to get impatient. He wants to make a press conference and show the city how the super hybrid cop caught the most evil cat.” The man explained. “But you keep failing, Dog Man. And I don’t think I can keep making excuses”. 

Now he was sure he had disappointed every single person that had ever put their trust in him. 

“I am sorry. I know I keep making mistakes, but-” Started signing Greg. 

“No excuses.” Chief turned to look at the other side. Greg hated when someone did that, it was like taking away his only opportunity to be understood. “If you want, you can stay here and make a plan all night, but I want Petey arrested!”

Dog Man did a salute, showing that he had understood the order. Chief nodded and left the showers. Finally, he was able to take that odor from him. 

-

It was the fourth night Greg was spending at the police station, creating plan after plan. None of his ideas seemed useful, whenever he thought of something, a little voice in his head told him that Petey had already built a machine for it. 

He was tired, his head buzzing because of the lack of sleep. Maybe, it was finally time to go home. He had avoided going near that place. The day Chief talked to him, Greg had packed some clothes and toiletries to stay at his office. 

He stretched and scratched his ear lazily, getting ready to leave. He signed a “Goodnight” to the few cops that remained there. None of them answered. 

When he was about to get into his car, he saw a shadow jump from one building to another. Curious, he started to follow it, running through the alleys. The streets were mostly empty, so nobody was on his way. 

After a couple of minutes, the shadow stopped at the top of a building. The figure went down the fire stairs with agility. Greg watched from behind a nearby wall, trying to lie low. When the person finally stood under a light, the hybrid’s ears stiffened and his heart rate increased. It was Petey. 

The feline was wearing a dark baggy jacket and some pants. His eyes were hidden by some weird round goggles. He had never seen him wearing clothes, it was odd. Maybe others wouldn’t have recognized him, but Greg has made sure to remember his smell. Metal, oil, chemicals, and freshly baked bread. 

He had to act fast. It was the first time he had seen him in person since he had arrested the cat… Since Knight was alive. There were many questions he needed to ask the feline, so many doubts he had from the day of the explosion. 

He tried to approach him carefully, but Greg was nervous, almost excited to see Petey. It was dumb to think that, but it was true. The orange tabby had been the only constant in his life for the past months, even after the accident. 

He moved, slowly, trying not to catch the criminal's attention. But, suddenly, the cat’s ears went flat and turned to look at him. The silence fell on them, the tension growing. Greg didn’t dare to move. He had been caught. 

“You breathe too loud.” The cop didn’t have time to react, the feline started running away as fast as he could. Dog Man followed him, afraid his human body wouldn’t be enough to catch him. 

Petey moved with ease, jumping from one side to another, sliding between alleys, landing gracefully after every single movement. If he weren’t trying to catch him, he would have taken the time to enjoy the spectacle. The feline moved with precision and elegance. 

He had to think of something. The cop was starting to get tired of all the persecution. He was at a disadvantage; the cat knew the district way better than him. Suddenly, Petey stopped, pointing a grapple gun at the top of a building. 

“Thanks for the exercise, Dog Man. See you around!” Petey shot the grapple hook and made sure it had a strong grip before activating the mechanism that would pull him up. It was now or never. Greg threw the lid of a garbage bin at the criminal, the cat easily dodged it. 

“You should get better at your… Woah!” Before he had finished his sentence, Greg had tackled him to the ground. The cop made sure to hold the cat’s hands with his own, making it impossible to move. 

Dog Man growled as a warning, Petey understood the danger. Through his leathered gloves, Greg felt that the cat was trying to scratch him. But then, the tabby remained still. “You caught me, doggy. That was impressive.”

The flattering made him nervous, the way the cat said the word “doggy” was so… flirtatious. He accidentally let loose the grip on the cat’s right hand, Petey held his arm up in a very fast movement. The cop thought he was going to punch him, he even closed his eyes to welcome the pain. But instead, a paw was placed gently on his cheek. 

“What a wonderful creature you are.” The words left Petey’s lips like a whisper. Greg felt a deep blush creep to his cheeks, he wasn’t aware he could blush, but he was sure as hell he was three different shades of red. His heartbeat raced like crazy and if he still had a tail, it’d be wagging. 

“Just look at you, you must have to endure so much pain.” Greg leaned into the cat’s paw, feeling the warmth emanating from it. “And yet, here you are, doing your job. What a good boy. Such a smart cop.”

Greg was lost, so lost. When he heard the cat praising him, he didn’t realize how much he had needed that, to be recognized, to be taken care of. He needed to feel that someone saw the pain he went through. And, come on, he was being recognized by the mastermind he had been chasing for months! 

The cat moved his hand lower, caressing his muzzle, finally ending at his neck. Greg whimpered. The wound had healed long ago, but it still was a very sensible spot. The scar was awful, he hated looking at it or even feeling it. 

“They had to reattach every single one of your nerves, made sure that blood kept flowing to your head.” Petey slowly started moving his hand behind Greg’s neck, like he was hugging him. Closing the gap between them, making their faces get dangerously close. The cop’s mind stopped working long ago. Arresting the cat? Whatever! He was so invested in the moment, in the touch.

“You are magnificent…” The hybrid couldn't stop looking at Petey’s lips. Were they about to…? 

“But very naive.” The cat put his other hand on the cop’s chest and pushed him. Greg fell, still under Petey’s spell. The feline got up and began to escape, not looking behind him. The cop tried to follow, now he needed more answers than before. 

Before he could even stand up, a black cat got in his way, hissing loudly. Greg backed off, trying to distance himself from his opponent. He saw Petey behind the cat. 

“Tippy, what the fuck are you doing here?” Asked the tabby, his tail moving from one side to another with anger. “You were supposed to look after the kid.”

“Papa!” Li´l Petey said excitedly. Greg saw the kitten jump into Petey’s arms. The cat cradled his son with tenderness. The hybrid felt relief when he looked at the kid, he seemed so happy and loved in Petey’s arms. 

“Sorry to interrupt your moment, P. Li’l Petey said we had to go out and look for you. You promised to watch a movie with him.” Tippy mentioned, still not lowering his guard. 

“You promised to watch Captain Underpants with me and Uncle Jim. But it was already midnight, and you didn’t come back! Where were you?” The kitten asked, his small tail showing his irritation, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Oh! Is it that late already? Sorry, sunshine. I got… distracted.” Petey looked directly at the cop. Greg felt his heart beat faster. 

“Yeah, you seemed very invested in your talk with Dog Man. We didn’t want to interrupt.” Tippy teased, he saw how close his friend was before pushing the cop. 

“Not now, Tippy.” Warned the tabby. 

“Dog Man?” Greg saw how the child jumped out of his father’s arms and began running to him. But the black cat stopped him. 

“Woah, kid, slow down. We don't know what this creature's intentions are.” Petey got closer and held his kid's hand. Greg barked to get his attention. 

“Papa, Dog Man says you are under arrest!” The cat froze, his son chuckled at his own words, thinking it was some kind of joke. 

“You understand what he is saying?” Questioned the tabby, curious. Completely ignoring the fact that an officer was trying to capture him. 

“It’s not as hard as you think!” The kitten gave a thumbs up at Dog Man. 

“Well, sorry, Dog Man. As you heard, I have to go watch cartoons with my son. Maybe we can play another time.” Petey made a sign to Tippy to leave, and the black cat finally relaxed and followed his friend. 

But Greg wouldn’t let him leave that easy. He growled ferociously. He had so many questions. Why had he attacked the police station? Did he regret it? What was he going to do from now on? Is he going to still live a criminal life even if he had a son? What he had said to him was true? Did he mean the words he had said? 

He caught Petey’s hand and held it firmly. The cat hissed, flattening his ears. 

“No, Dog Man, don’t hurt my papa! He is not a villain anymore! He helps people now. Let him go.” The cop saw the kitten run to his side, begging with his eyes. Tippy was looking at him, dangerously. He didn’t have a chance to win. But he had to try. 

He barked. 

“Yes! I promise he is good now. You can come tomorrow night to see how he helps the cats at the district, right, papa?” Li’l Petey said with a smile on his face. 

The adult tabby looked at him with arrogance, making Greg nervous. “What he says is right, Dog Man. I haven’t committed a crime since… the explosion. I want to be a better man, for my kid.”

Greg doubted. Even if he was good now, he had to pay for what he had done to Knight. But if he attacked, the most probable scenario was that the black cat was going to fight him or that Petey had a hidden gun on his jacket. He couldn't be fooled again. 

He barked at the kid. 

“Papa, Dog Man says he wants to ask you some questions. Can he come tomorrow night and meet you here?” The feline held his gaze at Dog Man, trying to find a lie behind his brown eyes. Greg was being honest, he wanted to ask him many things. He could arrest him after. 

Petey pulled the cop, making him stand closer to him. Their hands were the only thing between them. The feline talked with a warning tone. “Meet me here, at midnight. No other cops, no tricks. We will know.”

The black cat nodded and showed him his claws. 

“If you make a strange move, if a single bark comes out of you about this, I am going to end you. And I swear if you try to take my son, I will make you pay.” Threatened the tabby. 

They looked at each other for a second, before Petey let Greg’s hand go. He took his kid in his arms and walked away. Li’l Petey waved happily at him. 

“See you tomorrow, Dog Man!” Yelled the kitten. 

The cop signed “Goodbye”. 

Finally, Tippy stood in front of him. “You know? You seem taller on TV.” And then he followed his friend.

Greg stood there for a couple of minutes, thinking about what had happened. He remembered how close was Petey, how he was able to feel the cat's breath on his face. The cop sat down, hiding his face between his hands. He was afraid someone could see the bright blush that garnished his cheeks. He was scared someone could hear his heart beat faster and louder than a drum. 

That was the most intimate moment he had ever had since the accident… No, since he was born! He stayed still for what seemed like an eternity. When he finally had the strength to get up, he thought about what the black cat said. He was tall… It wasn't his fault that Petey was just a few inches taller. 

When he thought of how the cat looked at him before leaving, his cheeks blushed again.

Chapter Text

Of course, things had happened differently in Petey´s mind. 

After silently walking there, Petey, Tippy, and Li´l Petey arrived at the lab. The kid had fallen asleep in his father's arms. The tabby made sure the kitten was warm and comfortable on his bed before going back to his living room. 

Big Jim was sleeping on the couch, snoring loudly. The dim lights in the kitchen were turned on, giving the place a somber atmosphere. Petey guessed Tippy was there, making some tea. When he entered, he saw his friend looking at the stove, worried. The orange cat took a seat at the table and sighed heavily. 

“Are you going to explain why you were flirting with Dog Man? Is it a new strategy or…?” Asked Tippy, carefully, to not piss off his friend. 

“Fuck!” The black cat jumped, scared. He thought Petey was going to punch him or insult him. Instead, he saw the orange tabby look at him with his eyes wide open. “Tippy, I almost died. I was trying to save my ass!”

“What?” To Tippy, it seemed unbelievable that his friend was scared. The most evil cat was afraid of Dog Man. Petey, the cat that had shown him that the world should be scared of cats and not the other way around, was now startled by the creature. 

They had planned for weeks different ways to defeat the hybrid. One of the cats that worked at the hospital had informed them that the cop kept a lot of his dog traits. During his recovery, the doctor had given him a rubber ball to make his grip stronger, but he had chewed it. 

Whenever he achieved something, Dog Man would get so excited he would jump at Chief or the nurse, licking their faces happily. Of course, the commissioner had scolded him for those “primitive” behaviors. If the dog had made a mistake or someone screamed at him, he would whimper and hide under the blankets or behind the couch. 

They took that information as an opportunity. If Dog Man still behaved like a dog, then he must be scared of the same things dogs did. That's how the tabby created the special dog whistle, the pistol that throws firecrackers, and the tennis ball with a vinegar smell. Petey even bought some books on dog training. 

“Tippy, you don't understand. Dog Man saw me like prey!” The orange cat shivered, remembering. 

He had gone to pick up some special tools for something he was planning to build. Of course, his dealer had told him to meet him at night in a god-forgotten alley. When he was returning, he got tired from jumping. Tippy and he had agreed that the best way to avoid Dog Man was moving through the roofs. But it was tiring, and it was almost midnight. 

Petey guessed the cop would stay at the police station like he had been doing for the past few days. So he went down, contemplating that a nice, peaceful, walk to his lab would help him relax a little bit. He had been so stressed, thinking that the hybrid would find him at any moment. Or worse, maybe he was planning to take Li´l Petey away from him, to call Child Protective Services. 

He lifted his goggles, trying to get a better look at the street. When he was about to close his jacket to protect himself from the cold, he heard heavy breathing. When Petey turned, he saw Dog Man standing a few meters away from him. The dog's eyes glowed under the moon's light, and his mouth was open, wide enough for the cat to see his big fangs. 

The cop had stared at him, a heavy breath fog leaving his mouth. Petey swore he even saw some drool fall. That was it, the orange cat knew if he didn't run fast enough he would be nothing but dog food. He remembered how his mom used to tell him that when he was nervous, he tended to say silly things. And that's what he did. 

“You breathe too loud.” What kind of asshole says that to a creature that wants to kill him?! 

He felt his heartbeat race, his ears flat against his skull. Petey didn't have more time to think, so he ran. He jumped with agility and avoided the trash cans and boxes on his way, but the heavy panting made him anxious. The cat wasn't sure how long he would be able to keep running. When he finally saw his building a few blocks away, he decided his best shot would be to run through the roofs again. 

He took his grapple gun out, and aimed, afraid to fail. Petey didn't want to look like a coward in front of his enemy, so he had to make a smart remark before leaving. When the cop threw the lid at him, he dodged naturally, not waiting to see Dog Man jumping at him like a wild beast. 

When they landed on the floor, he saw the cop growling lowly at him. The officer held his hands with such a force, that Petey was sure he had lost. He was going to get killed there. He tried to scratch the dog's hands, but his claws couldn't even rip the strong gloves he had. He had to think fast, he couldn't die. He had a son waiting for him, and a community to look after.

He remembered something he read in the books he bought about dog training, they love praising. Petey remembered the cartoon he watched with Li´l Petey that morning, the one with a bat-like vigilante. In one scene, the man had captured a cat thief, but the woman had escaped flirting with him, telling him exactly what he wanted to hear. So he gave it a shot. 

“You caught me, doggy. That was impressive.” His voice was raspy, and his tongue was getting dry from all the emotions. He felt the dog doubt, and when he freed his hand he thought of punching him, but it was a 5'6” and 80 kilos of muscle hybrid. Yes, Petey was taller, but he couldn't compare his strength with a fucking trained cop. He pushed his luck a little. 

“What a wonderful creature you are.” Said in a whisper, afraid of the consequences. He caressed the dog's cheek, gently. He tried to look at Dog Man with flirtatious eyes, but in his head he was repeating “Don't kill me, please, don't kill me.”

When the dog leaned at the touch, he let out a relieved breath. Now, he just had to play along. Also, he took the opportunity to take a closer look at the hybrid.  He saw the scar on his neck, impressed. The doctors had to reattach every single nerve. That must have hurt like hell, the recovery a total nightmare. 

He had to admit, he let himself go a little bit. It was truly magnificent what the doctors had achieved, what the cop had endured. Petey ran his hand through the back of Dog Man's neck, feeling the way the fur and the skin separated from each other. He realized he was too close when the hybrid lowered his head, without noticing, he was almost hugging him. 

The tabby looked at his eyes, realizing Dog Man was looking directly at his lips. Petey doubted, but before thinking of how intimate this moment was, he noticed his other hand was free. That was his opportunity! He placed it carefully on his chest and kept flattering the officer. When their faces were just millimeters apart, he pushed with all his might, hoping it was enough to get rid of him for some minutes. 

But Tippy had to be there. And Li´l Petey had to open his mouth. 

“So, you did all of that because you were scared? Am I right?” Asked Tippy after listening to his friend's story. Petey nodded, expecting him to give serious feedback on the situation. “What you are saying is that the best plan you had was to flirt with Dog Man? And you got inspired by Catwoman?”

Petey nodded again, a few seconds passed before the kitchen was flooded with laughter. The black cat cackled loudly, hitting the table while doing so. The tabby hushed him, feeling his cheeks get warm. 

“Hush! Li´l Petey is sleeping!” The orange cat slapped his friend's shoulder, urging him to shut up. But the laughter kept resonating on the thin walls. 

“Sorry, P.” Said Tippy while wiping a tear out of his eye. “It's just… I was looking for you because the fur ball was worried and when I took a look into an alley, there you are! Almost making out with the cop.” He laughed again. 

Petey felt his tail moving fast behind him, showing his annoyance. “We were not making out!” 

“I had to cover the kid's eyes! And when I saw you pushing him, I thought maybe Dog Man had overstepped, so I jumped to defend my friend! Now you tell me you had to flirt with him to save your life!” Again, the laughter filled the space. 

“Gosh, shut up! What would have you done? I was scared, I thought this was gonna be my last night on earth.” Petey tried to defend himself, but he had to admit he took advantage of the situation to take a better look at the hybrid. 

“I don't know! Kick him at the crotch or… You said you freed your hand, you could have punched him on the snout. I thought you the sensible spots!” Petey put his head over the table, trying to hide his embarrassment. Those were perfectly logical options. 

“You are a better fighter than I am.” It was a weak excuse, but whatever. 

“So you are a lover, not a fighter!” The cat laughed again. “I guess you should take more self-defense classes.” 

Petey huffed, of course, it was easy for his friend to say that. Tippy´s father was a boxing coach, he made a living out of giving classes to cats and some humans. The black cat didn't waste time and learned as soon as he could to defend himself and his friends from others. Petey decided to take some classes after Grace died, but he was a more witty and no-muscle cat. 

He knew where to punch and how to give a right solid hook, but apart from that, he didn't learn much. Petey decided to train parkour, so it would be easy to run away from the police. Also, his nature gave him a big advantage. 

Tippy stretched his arms and yawned. “Phew, you are hilarious. But, we better go to sleep, P. We have to be careful during Dog Man's visit.”

“Shit!” Petey remembered the promise he had made to Dog Man. He sighed, worried. What was he going to do? 

-

The cats began to work early, and Petey barely closed his eyes to sleep. He made sure to make breakfast and leave the kitten at daycare before going to meet his gang. Before leaving, he made sure to kiss his baby's head. When he arrived at his lab, ten cats, leaders of different groups, were already waiting for his orders. 

“You know what is going to happen tonight.” Said the tabby with a serious tone. “I want the streets clear, if any of you try to make a dirty move, I can’t assure your security. Tippy already made sure to spread the word over the district, so all civilians know how to act if they are out of their houses at the time Dog Man arrives.” He looked to his right, where the black cat was sitting, playing lazily with a mouse toy of Li’l Petey. 

“Jim will take charge of the community kitchen, where some of the inmates that escaped Cat Jail with me are hiding.” The purple cat made a salute at Petey, making him smile a little bit. “He will make sure they are safe, but if any of your men are in there, tell them to behave.”

“Whiskers will be in charge of the security, no cat or human can enter or leave this district as long as Dog Man is here. If a single soul moves, he will know.” The muscular cat nodded. 

“Tonight, I am going to give a special visit to the headmaster of the Cat Houses. We were finally able to track him down, so there would be no chance of him escaping. That asshole is gonna answer for all the things that happened between the walls he was supposed to make safe.” All the leaders assented, paying attention to every single detail the tabby gave. 

Petey made a gesture at Whiskers. The cat put a heavy suitcase on top of the table. “These are special communicators I developed this morning. They are small, yet efficient. I designed them specifically so they can fit inside a cat’s ear, I incorporated a volume regulator so they won’t hurt if an explosion happens.”

Every single one of the cats took a little bag, containing the communicators for their groups. “They have a closed network, so no one would be able to listen to anything we say”. 

“What about Dog Man? Are you going to go with him?” Asked a gray tabby cat. 

“Yes, we already have a plan for that. I am going to tell him why this meeting is so important, I’ll show him the evidence we have against Mr. White. We have compiled tons of pictures, videos, and testimonies of his crimes.” Said Petey with confidence. 

All the cats seemed to agree. 

“Also, bringing the hybrid with me will serve as a weapon to intimidate that jerk. We will give him no escape, he either signs his resignation and leaves the management to us, or we leak every information we have!” Petey said, ending the meeting. 

The cats left, parting their ways.

Later that day, he made sure to program 80-HD to take care of Li’l Petey during the night. If the kitten moved from his bed or tried something to leave the building, the robot had to activate the security system to prevent the child from going out. 

Everything was organized. He just hoped Dog Man would follow the plan. 

-

Petey picked up Li´l Petey from the daycare in the afternoon. After saying goodbye to the girls who were in charge of the place, he took the kid's hand and began walking towards home. 

“What do you think of making apple pie?” Asked the adult, wanting to spend more time with his son. 

“That would be awesome, papa! Can I decorate the pie? We can also buy some ice cream to eat with it!” Said the kitten, jumping with excitement. 

“Why not? Let's go to the store then.” They walked, feeling the sun warm their furs. 

They spent a lovely evening, cooking and playing. Petey made sure to give the kid a large portion of the pie, and a big scoop of ice cream. When it was already night, the older tabby showered the kid and put him to bed. The kitten was over his chest while his father was tenderly cleaning his head. 

“Why does Dog Man have to come at midnight? I wanted to play with him.” The little voice said with disappointment. Petey kept licking his son's fur, making sure to not leave any dirty spots. 

“Because we have to talk adult stuff.” Said the cat when he finished his job. 

“Why?” Asked the child, getting comfortable on the bed. 

“Because.” The adult tabby started to get out of bed slowly. Li´l Petey was already yawning and kneading his pillow. “Anyway, it is past your bedtime.”

The kitten was already closing his eyes. “Can you tell Dog Man to come earlier the next time?”

“Yeah, sure, kiddo.” Said Petey with a nonchalant voice. He tucked his child, making sure he was warm and comfortable. He kissed him on the forehead before leaving. He wasn't sure if there would be a next time. Everything would be determined in a couple of hours. 

“Papa?” The kitten's voice was the only thing making a sound in the building. The stillness of the night propitiates the importance of the mission ahead. 

“Yes, sunshine?” Petey was doing all of this for his child, and all the kittens in the cat district. They deserved a future where they would not be afraid of being mistreated just for their nature. 

“Make sure to give Dog Man a piece of pie.” Finally, the kid fell asleep. Petey sighed, completely adoring his son. He had never been so thoughtful of others, was he really his clon?

At 11 pm, Petey left the lab. He put on a warm green jacket and some cargo jeans, that way he could carry his tools without needing to take a backpack. A pair of combat boots and his goggles were the final touch. He looked at his kid sleeping one last time before heading out. When he was about to walk across the door, he remembered what Li´l Petey had said. 

He packed a piece of pie against his will. 

-

It was already midnight when Dog Man showed up. Petey knew he was getting close, Whiskers had alerted him with anticipation. Before going to meet him, he made sure everything was under control. Tippy informed him that the streets were clear and that he was waiting for him at the meeting point. Jim told him that the cats at the community kitchen had already finished their work and were already inside their bedrooms. 

Whiskers reassured him that no one had come with Dog Man, the cop had even taken his private car with him instead. The police station at the cat district was almost empty, except for some officers who had the night shift. Petey sighed, trying to relax. He stretched before jumping to the alley, he had been hiding on the emergency stairs of a building next to it. 

He landed gracefully, Dog Man looked at him in awe. 

“Goodnight, officer.” The cat said sarcastically, trying to hide his nerves. “Thanks for coming.”

The hybrid barked low like he was embarrassed to make the sound. They looked at each other for a moment, distrust, and tension filled the night. 

“So, you can't talk, right?” Petey said, fighting his anxiousness. Dog Man nodded and lifted his arm to make a gesture. “What was that?”

The cop tilted his head to the side, confused. He opened his arms with his palms open. 

“That”, said the cat, pointing at his hands. “Is that sign language?” 

Again, the dog moved his hand. This time lifting it on a fist and moving it from back to front. The cop made another movement, but Petey couldn't comprehend what he was trying to say. 

“Well, that will be a problem. I can't wake up Li´l Petey so he can be our translator…” Said the cat, thinking of the possibilities. “Whatever, we have work to do. Follow me.”

Dog Man doubted and growled softly. Petey sighed and placed a hand on his waist, he had never been a very patient cat. 

“I know. You don't trust me, I don't trust you. We are enemies or whatever, but I am trying to be a better person for Li´l Petey. So, at least for one night, let's work together.” The tabby extended his hand. Dog Man lifted his eyebrow, still doubting. “You were the one that accepted the kid's proposal, so deal with it.”

The cop took the tabby's hand, Petey noticed the doubt on the hybrid but decided to ignore it. Things were already uncomfortable. The cat wondered if he was the only one feeling tense. 

“I need your help, Dog Man. As a cop. Later, you can ask me whatever you want. I can get someone that knows ASL or…” The officer looked at him with bright eyes, almost smiling. He pointed at the pocket of his jacket, still holding the cat's hand. A small notebook and a pen were secured there. “Or you can write your questions and I will answer. That sounds like a better idea.”

Petey shook Dog Man's hand, closing the deal.

“One of our hideouts is in this building, I need to show you some disturbing stuff. Tonight I will meet the headmaster of the Cat Houses. Have you ever been in one of those?” Asked the cat, leading the officer to a small apartment Tippy tended to use as a bedroom when he was too drunk to go back to his real place. The hybrid nodded, making a worried face.

They entered the building, going up the stairs. It was dark and cold, no one seemed to live there. “Then you must know it is a horrible place and that they have mistreated and abused cats for years.” Reproached the tabby.

The hybrid suddenly stopped and shook his head vehemently, denying the last part. Petey kept walking, “So you want me to think you didn't know what was happening between those walls, huh? I am not that stupid, Dog Man! Guess you were too busy-”

The cat was pointing an accusatory finger at the cop, he was about to say that he must have been busy playing heroes with his ex-partner but decided to shut up. He knew that was a sensitive topic, it would be disrespectful to joke about the lives he had ruined while looking for revenge. Petey took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He was sure Dog Man was going to ask about that later, probably recriminating him what he had done. The cat had seen the interview the news did with the officer's fiancée and his mother. Their words had broken his heart into a million pieces. 

A piece of him wanted to see Dog Man mad, calling him a beast, a monster. He expected the cop to tell him he was showing everyone that cats were violent creatures. That was the main reason he hid all this time, he was scared to confront the damage. Because, every single time he went to sleep, he saw the disappointment in his mother's eyes, the hate in his father's. Every single night, he woke up trembling, imagining how Dog Man would kill him, how bloody his vengeance would be.  

But he had to face the consequences of his mistakes. For his son. 

“Whatever. I have several proofs of what I am saying.” Petey opened the door. Tippy made sure to hide all his stuff, only leaving the computers they used for emergencies. But the place still smelled like alcohol and cigarettes. “Take a seat”. 

The officer stood at the entrance, not giving a single step. There was only an old couch and a table. “What's wrong?” Questioned the tabby. Dog Man gestured at the sofa. “Yes, you can sit there.” Petey grabbed the laptop and turned to accommodate himself. But the hybrid kept looking at him. Was he mocking him? Did Dog Man think he was too important to be in a place like that?

“Damn it! If you don't want me to sit close to you, just say it. Are you too good to sit next to a beast like me?” Petey lost his patience. The dog barked lowly. “Come on!” The cat dropped the laptop on the table, angrily. “Bark louder or punch me in the face, already!” 

Dog Man looked at him and started to move his hands, trying to sign. The tabby sighed, exasperated. “I don't understand what you are saying! I am trying, Dog Man. I promised my kid I would show you all the stuff I do. But you don't know shit about me! You don't know how all of this started, why I attacked. You keep standing there all perfect and kind. But what about the cats that are in the district you are supposed to keep safe?” 

Petey grabbed his head between his paws, “They suffer, Dog Man. Every single day, they try to survive, forgetting they could be happy. Forgetting that they deserve to be happy! We didn't ask to be like this!” He didn't realize he was just letting his frustration out, but now that he had started, his feelings just overflowed. “We didn't ask to be these weird anthropomorphic cats! We didn't ask to be born! But everyone seems to hate us for that.” The tabby looked at Dog Man, who was extending his notebook at him. The cop's expression showed a mix of empathy and confidence. 

“I didn't ask to be born, either. To be created. But we have to keep looking forward. For the ones we care about.” Petey read and chuckled drily. Of course, the hybrid would try to comfort him. The commissioner must have given him a special course on “How to behave with criminal cats in a crisis”. The cop finally sat down on the couch. The tabby looked at him, at his big brown eyes that were glowing under the moonlight that sneaked through the window. 

He didn't deserve such kindness. 

“I'm sorry”. Said the cat under his breath, but before the officer could react, Petey had already sat down next to him with the laptop on his thighs. “Let's get to work.”

Why was he apologizing? For ruining his life? For thinking of him as some kind of pet of the commissioner? He knew that was wrong, Petey didn't have any right to judge. His prejudice was just a way to protect himself from the truth that was lying in front of him. The mutt cares about others, maybe just as much or even more than he does for the cat community. 

The tabby opened several files and typed some stuff before showing the screen to the cop. “This is Mr. White, he had been responsible for the Cat Houses for the past two decades, thousands of cats and orphans had been under his care during that time. I was able to sneak there three years ago, to install hidden cameras and capture the stuff this jerk does. He had been stealing the money the Mayor designates, and selling the scarce food that's there.” 

Numerous videos showed on the screen, audios of conversations, and files of all the money that had disappeared from the accounts. Dog Man took the laptop, looking at it carefully. Some videos showed the man mistreating the cats, beating them. The most violent videos showed Mr. White and some cops hitting the orphan kittens that were there. 

The cop gasped when he saw the evidence. He had been at Cat Houses multiple times with Knight, he had even played with the kids. And, after the accident, he had gone to make sure everything was under control. Petey knew all that because he had investigated everyone who entered those places. That is why he couldn't believe no one noticed it. 

“Dog Man”, the hybrid turned and saw Petey looking at him, getting dangerously closer. The cat's claws were already out, threatening him. “I need you to swear on the most important thing you have in life that you didn't know about this. Promise me, until this night, you had never suspected this was happening. Because, if you had a clue about this, and didn't do anything, I am going to kill you. Right here. Right now.” 

The cop shook his head. But he had been there, he saw the cats that were there. How could he not notice it? Why didn't he do something? Petey noticed the hybrid breathing faster, panicking. The officer's hand went to his neck, scratching the scar of his surgery. 

“Dog Man!” The tabby yelled, calling for his attention. But the creature in front of him was so lost in his thoughts, he barely listened to him. The orange cat saw how the official's neck started to get red. When he took a closer look, he could see little scars from scratches all around the wound. Some blood was already dripping from the fresh wounds. 

He put a paw on his chest, making Dog Man look down. Whatever was happening with the hybrid, he needed to put a stop to it. He required the cop to fully function if he wanted the mission to go as planned. “I need you to breathe with me. I know this is too much, I shouldn't have shown you all of this without a warning. But we can fight, you will make sure this asshole is arrested. Now, breathe in.”

The hybrid followed, his eyes showing his panic. “Breath out”

They did that exercise for a couple of minutes. When the cop was finally breathing normally, Petey stood up. Dog Man whined, and the cat looked at him with sympathy. Just how much does this poor creature have to endure on his own? “Wait here, I am not leaving.” The tabby walked to the table and took a container out of the drawer. Then, he simply turned and sat down again. 

The cop looked at him with curiosity. Petey took the lid off the container and showed him what was inside of it. A pie. 

“We made this with Li´l Petey. He forced me to bring you a slice. Eat it, it will help you relax.” Dog Man looked at him for a moment, then at the food, and, took a slow bite. The cop grabbed his notebook and wrote something. 

“I swear I never knew about this. 

If I had, I would have tried to stop them. Really.

I am so sorry. 

I am feeling better now. 

Thanks for the pie.”

Petey nodded, trusting the officer. “Then, let me explain to you the plan.”

Chapter Text

Greg was very anxious about the encounter, he would be able to meet Petey and ask him all the doubts that troubled his mind, but at what cost? Every single time he thought about the cat, he remembered what had happened at the alley. He had pondered about the situation and realized that probably the tabby had acted like that to escape, and not with any special intentions. It was just one of the cat's tricks, and he had fallen like an idiot. 

But, then, he would remember those big emerald eyes. And he knew (or he wanted to convince himself) that at least some part of the cat's heart believed his own words. The hybrid turned to his side on his little mattress, hiding his face on his pillow. He couldn't let himself get lost in such trivial thoughts. He was a cop, for God's sake! 

Before, he never had such feelings. He vaguely remembered liking another dog when he was at the academy, but nothing like this, nothing so intense. The only picture of “love” was the relationship between Knight and Alice, and he was sure he wasn't in love with Petey. A piece of his heart was angry, for the tabby's actions. Another hated Petey, for being responsible for Knight's death. And there was also a deep admiration for the genius. 

There was even this inexplicable desire to help the cat, to listen to his story, to feel his warm paw against his cheek again, and to hear those tender words he had said. Greg huffed, embarrassed. What was he thinking about? Petey was a criminal, someone who harmed others. He was the main responsible for his actual situation. Wasn't he? Yes, he was a monster!

He whined, knowing it wasn't fair to judge the cat that way. He had investigated Petey´s past, the cat had to endure difficult situations. Also, the tabby only attacked places that have harmed cats. What have the officers of the cat's district done? As far as he knew, there hadn't been any cases where the main perpetrators of discrimination against felines were officers… 

But he had finally met the real faces of his coworkers, he knew they weren't all good people. When he was a dog, everyone loved him. Now, all he heard from them were hurtful jokes and criticism. He used to think all cops must be do-gooders, and have good values and ideals. He was starting to think that maybe only Knight fulfilled those requirements. Greg growled, frustrated. 

On the other hand, was he even capable of loving? He knew he didn't think like normal dogs, that he was “more advanced” (at least that's what the doctors told him). But, was he capable of having such feelings? Such desires? Putting all the conflictive feelings he had for Petey aside, would he ever be able to have a romantic partner? A family?

Greg turned, looking at his roof. 

“Knight, if you are up there, somewhere, please, make this silly heart stop beating” , was the last thought he had before sleeping. Greg knew he couldn't trust Petey, not yet. 

-

When he woke up, his heart was still beating. He could hear the steady sound of it. Whatever, he had a very busy day waiting for him. First, he had to go to the hospital to get his regular checkup. Then, back to the station to write a whole report on his investigation of Petey´s location. Finally, meet the cat. 

Greg sighed heavily and went to the bathroom. It was time for the hardest part of his mornings: showering. He grabbed a towel from the cabinet and covered the mirror. He undressed, always trying to look in front of him. When he was finally ready, he welcomed the warm water happily. He was so relaxed that he even let the tip of his tongue out. 

He scrubbed his ears and shampooed his fur. That was the easy part, now it was time for the rest of the body. It was hard cleaning everything without looking, but every time he was starting to get better, more coordinated. The first time he took a shower by himself, he slipped, scaring Nurse Lady. 

At least now, he was able to take a bath without panicking or crying. He got out of the bathroom and shook his head, trying to get dry. Eventually, he grabbed his bathrobe and got out of the room. The hybrid got ready, his flawless uniform waiting for him. He put on the clothes, adjusted his utility belt, suited his cap, and got out of his room.  

His house had two rooms on the second floor, each one with a private washroom; on the first floor was his small kitchen filled with cans, water bottles, and dishes. Nothing fresh. He took a glance at one of the rooms, there lay a box with a pillow inside it. It was the bed he had made for Li´l Petey the night the kitten arrived.  At least the child seemed happy with his father. He had never thought Petey was able to look at someone with such adoration. 

Greg slammed his head against the door. He had to stop thinking about the adult tabby. He repeated himself: “You can't trust him. Wait and you'll see everything he said was a lie.” But, even if he fights it, his dog nature doesn't allow him to hold grudges for that long. Not when he knew there was kindness in the cat's heart (deep down). 

He continued his routine. Every morning he had the same breakfast, canned food, and a glass of water. The cop ate fast, devouring his little feast. It was time to start the day. He grabbed his car keys and left. 

-

“Everything seems alright, Greg. You even look happier, did something happen?” Asked Nurse Lady while ordering her equipment. Greg's ears rose. “Wait, your heart rate has increased. Are you nervous about something?”

The hybrid shook his head, denying everything. He looked at his side, faking naivety. The woman chuckled lightly. 

“You don't need to tell me, Greg.” He turned to look at the blonde again. “I am just happy that you finally seem a little like yourself again”. She smiled and patted him on the head. “Whatever or whoever is making you this excited, I hope you keep it that way. You deserve to be happy, too.” 

The cop smiled widely and started licking the woman's face, thanking her. 

“Okay, okay, big guy. It's time for you to go back to work.” If Greg had to think of one good thing he got out of his new body, it was that now he was finally able to hug. To hug tightly, with all his might. 

He left the hospital feeling renewed. For the first time, he enjoyed driving to work, he opened the window to feel the air hit his face, the smell of the morning filling his lungs. The trip was not more than 20 minutes, but he enjoyed every second of it. The big buildings and big houses in the center of the city were slowly turning into old structures, small constructions, and garbage bins. He had arrived at the cat's district. 

Greg entered the police station and signed, “Good morning.” No one answered. But they never did, so he wasn't going to let that affect his mood. The morning passed quickly, in a blink of an eye, it was already time for lunch. The Mayor had made sure to tell the staff to always fill the fridge with canned dog food, so he was not eager to go eat. He decided to go on patrol. 

“Will you stay late again, Dog Man?” Asked one of his colleagues. “You can take my night shift if so.” The last days he had been taking the late shifts of his coworkers, mainly because he had to plan how to arrest Petey, but also because he wanted to fit in. Even if it is only for making favors. 

He nodded and signed, “Yes.”

“Awesome! Tonight, I have a date with this girl I met at the club, she is so pretty. Thanks, Dog Man” Greg felt a little proud, it was the first time someone had treated him nicely in the office. “I guess you don't have such worries, huh? No girlfriends, no kids, just being a silly dog all day.” 

Of course, their kindness couldn't last. The man patted him on the shoulder before walking away. Greg grabbed his coat and left. He took some steps when he realized he was being followed, but every time he turned, there was no one there. He walked through the streets and even stopped a fight in a store. 

The feeling of being watched didn't stop, every single time he looked up, someone would be looking at him from their windows. He was not an idiot, he knew Petey was some kind of leader in the district, so other cats probably knew about their meeting that night. They were most likely keeping an eye on him, meaning the cat didn't trust him. He sighed. 

Well, he didn't fully trust him either. But tonight things could change. This meeting would define their relationship from now on. Nothing else happened through the afternoon, he filled his report saying that there were still no clues of the tabby's location. At 11:20 pm, he left the police station, explaining he would go on patrol again. None of the other officers seemed to care, but Greg still waited before going to his car. 

When he arrived at the alley, he noticed it was empty. Greg got out of his vehicle and took a few steps, when, out of nowhere, Petey jumped in front of him. He put his hands on his handcuffs, ready to capture the criminal if he dared to make a dangerous move. 

“Goodnight, officer.” Dog Man felt the sarcasm. “Thanks for coming.”

He wasn't going to lie, he was nervous. The minutes passed, filled with discomfort. It was not Petey´s fault, the cat was acting very natural, but he just kept thinking about what had happened last night in the same place he was standing at the moment. He was embarrassed and felt a little humiliated. He had fallen for such a dumb trick.

Then, the cat told him to follow him. 

He doubted. What if everything was a trap? What if, inside the building, there was a group of cats waiting to beat him? Or another of those smelly tennis balls or automatic firecracker shooters? 

“I need your help, Dog Man. As a cop. Later, you can ask me whatever you want. I can get someone that knows ASL or…” Did he hear right? Was the cat asking for his help? He couldn't help but feel happy. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea to meet the cat after all, he would be delighted if he could do something good for this place. He pointed at his notebook. He had already written some questions for the tabby. “Or you can write your questions and I will answer. That sounds like a better idea.”

Greg shook Petey´s hand, agreeing with the deal. The cat pulled his paw fast. They went into the edifice, and Petey started talking about Cat Houses. Had he heard right? A headache appeared as soon as the strong accusation left the tabby's mouth. What was the cat talking about? 

Then, everything happened so fast, that Greg could barely register what the cat said (or screamed at him). First, he hadn't taken a sit because he was afraid he would make the cat uncomfortable with his closeness. His colleagues have told him several times that his breath made them uneasy because it didn't sound human. But when the cat started yelling at him, he finally understood. 

Petey was just as nervous and tense as he was. He couldn't help but feel empathy. He was not perfect, he didn´t ask to be created and he still dealt with the pain of his existence. But he wanted to help others, he wanted to create a better society. 

Then the cat showed him those horrible videos, those pictures that illustrated such violence. Dog Man felt so guilty, so powerless. He was a police officer, he was supposed to help others. But what had he done for those cats? Nothing! He hadn't even seen their pain, their fear. 

He was supposed to look after the vulnerable, the ones without a voice. But where was he when those kittens were heavily hurt? Probably living his best life as a dog. He felt angry, where were all the other cops who were looking after the district before him? Helping the man! Different photographs showed cops participating in the crimes. Yes, crimes. They were criminals!

And him? He was also guilty of not doing something before. For being so stupid, so selfish, so… Greg felt a soft and warm paw on his chest, for the first time since he went out of the hospital, he looked at his body. “I need you to breathe with me. I know this is too much, I shouldn't have shown you all of this without a warning. But we can fight, we will make sure this asshole is arrested. Now, breathe in.”

He followed Petey´s orders, still looking at his chest, at how it expanded with every breath. Greg looked at how his body followed his orders. When he finally felt more relaxed, he looked at the tabby. Those big green eyes showed his worry for the officer. Dog Man knew he was right, there was goodness in that heart. He just had to figure out how to take all the kindness the tabby held inside to the outer world. 

When the cat lifted his paw, Greg couldn't help but feel vulnerable, but the feline had assured him easily. Petey came back with a pie. 

“We made this with Li´l Petey. He forced me to bring you a slice. Eat it, it will help you relax.” Dog Man took a bite, and the sweetness cleared his head a little. He could feel the love emanating from it. The soft smell of baked bread, the same Petey and his son had. He apologized through his notebook, putting all his effort into making the message clear, yet effective in portraying his emotions. 

“Then, let me explain to you the plan.” The cat was right, they had to make that motherfucker pay! Greg felt something he had been lacking for a long time, determination. This was the right thing to do, he was finally making a change. 

-

Petey and Dog Man drove in the cat's car until the meeting point. They arrived at a very luxurious area, and the tabby parked at a good distance. They walked in silence until they stopped at an open park. It was already two in the morning, so no one was there except for a slim figure that was sitting on the branch of a big tree. 

Petey recognized the cat and took Dog Man's wrist on his hand to guide him. The cop felt his heart jump a little, but now it wasn't time for silly thoughts. They had work to do. 

“Petey!” Greg saw the same black cat that had hissed at him in the alley. “Where were you, man? We tried to contact you for an hour before you answered, Whiskers was about to break into the hideout!” Said the young cat, jumping and landing in front of them. Then he hugged the tabby. “We were worried, Petey.”

“Yeah, I had to explain a lot to Dog Man before we could come.” Greg saw everything and a question filled his heart. Would he ever be able to hug someone like that? Would someone ever miss him so much they would run to hug him? He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. “How’s everything?”

“The creep is still inside the house, he is supposed to leave in two hours more to catch his flight. On the cat's district, everything is running smoothly.” Petey put his hands on his waist like he was expecting something else. “Oh, right! Li´l Petey is still sleeping, he hasn't even moved a whisker.” 

Greg saw how the tabby smiled, probably thinking of his kitten. “Give me the monitor.”

Tippy handed him a small baby monitor. The tabby turned it on and saw his kid sleeping. The grin of the cat just became wider, his pupils dilated and filled with love. Dog Man took a glance at the image, sighing, relaxed. He was so blissful that his little friend was finally happy with his father. He looked at the tabby, the way he smiled while looking at his child made Greg feel his heart lighter. 

Petey turned the screen off and exhaled, tired. “Okay, let's do this. Are you ready, Dog Man?” 

The cop signed a confident “Yes.” 

“Then let's not make our guest wait anymore.”

-

Greg rang the bell three times and waited. The house was big, but not luxurious enough to be considered a mansion. He heard footsteps on the other side of the door. A middle-aged man opened, his eyes fighting the drowsiness. But when he saw who was in front of him, he looked at the hybrid with surprise.

“Dog Man! What an honor…” The cop tried to hide his anger, looking at Mr. White made his stomach sick. “Do you understand me? It doesn't matter, just look at how cute you are. Who wants a treat? Who is a good boy?” 

Dog Man wanted to bite the man's head off. Mr. White was using a baby voice to talk to him, treating him like a foolish dog. 

“Come in, doggy. Did you get lost?” Said the man, fully opening the door, finally revealing the whole picture. The cop stood looking fiercely, next to him was Petey, leaning on the door frame. 

“Hope you don't mind a cat also getting in, since you are so kind to animals.” The man stepped back, fear creeping to his face. 

“Petey…” Whispered the man. “This cannot be, I made sure no one knew about this house.” 

“Well, you should pay better to your lovers. One of them might want to snitch on the asshole that decided to give her ten bucks and then threaten her with reporting her to the cops.” The man kept moving back, holding his hands up. “Just saying.”

“Do-Dog Man, you are a cop, help me!” Greg entered the house, and Petey followed him, closing the door. “Petey is the criminal, not me!”

“Then, why so scared, Mr. White?” The tabby got closer to the man. 

“Arrest him, you stupid dog! He is threatening a public server. You are supposed to protect me!” Yelled the man, panicked. 

Before Greg growled, Petey gave a solid right hook to the man's face. “You should not be talking to a cop like that, you filthy asshole!” The scared man ran to a small screen attached to the walls, desperately typing some sort of code. The cat chuckled and showed him his cutting pliers. “Oopsie, I may have cut some cables before coming in.”

“So you are working together, huh? Dog Man! Anything this beast told you is a lie. You know cats, they cheat, they are evil. Petey is the worst! You know that, he was responsible for the bomb that made you the monster you are. He is just a lying, horrendous piece of-” Before the man could finish his sentence, Dog Man punched him right in the mouth. The men shivered, the cop was heavily panting, showing his wrath. 

“Mr. White, you know why we came here. I have evidence of all your crimes and a journalist who is willing to publish everything, everywhere, before the sun comes up.” The man nodded, scared. “Sign your resignation, leave this place, and never come back. I am not going to follow you or harm you if you do.”

Petey showed him the papers. Mr. White took a last glance at Dog Man before signing. 

“There, now-” Greg stood up and tackled the man to the ground, tying him with handcuffs. “Bu-But you said you would let me leave!” 

“I said I would do that, you never asked Dog Man what he was going to do after you signed.” Said Petey with a little chuckle, looking at the documents proudly. Three years of work finally showing results. “Also, I took all the money from your accounts, anyway it was destined for Cat Houses. Hope you have fun in jail!” 

Petey and Dog Man had agreed that the cats would escape as soon as the cop had arrested the man. He would call for backup and then show all of Petey´s investigation as his own. Greg had tried to convince them otherwise, but the tabby simply told him, “You are the hero of this story, not us. Make sure he rots in prison.”

Before walking out of the scene, Petey got closer to Greg and gently patted his head. “Thanks. Good job, doggy.” Whispered the cat. The cop leaned at the cat's hand, then he licked it softly. “Gross,” the cat laughed. “Take this”. Carefully, the tabby put a communicator on the hybrid ear. “I'll talk to you later.”

-

The police presented Mr. White and clarified all his crimes during a press conference. Some videos got leaked, but not the most violent ones. People saw what the man and some cops were doing to the cats, and social media was full of comments supporting the felines of Ohkay City, calling the Mayor a corrupt politician. Organizations all over the world started talking about the situation, debating if this type of horrible scenario happened in other places. 

Dog Man became the hero of the city that day. Cats and humans celebrated his bravery. The commissioner congratulated him for such an extensive investigation, and for doing it all alone. Finally, the hybrid had shown that he was not a mistake, that he was a valuable cop. 

The official version of the things that happened was that after an extensive investigation, Dog Man found out that Mr. White wanted to escape from the city with all the money he had stolen from the Cat House funds. So the cop decided to risk his life and arrest the man just before he left for the airport to never be seen again. 

Greg returned to his house in the afternoon. He was exhausted, to say the least. The last hours had been such a roller coaster of feelings. When he arrived, he threw himself on the couch, ready to sleep. Chief had given him two days of vacation as a reward, and he was going to spend them resting. 

A little electrical sound made his ear twitch. “Dog Man?” 

Greg jumped, he had forgotten the communicator the cat put on his ear before leaving. He barked lowly. 

“Bark louder!” Yelled the cat. The cop obeyed. 

“That's better… So, I still owe you some answers. And Li´l Petey wants to play with you. So…” Greg heard the cat stutter. He barked again, asking him to keep talking. 

“Don't push me, you mutt!” The cop chuckled lightly, feeling the embarrassment of the cat. “Just… If you can. Meet me at the alley!” Said the cat, his words stumbling out of his mouth. 

They remained in silence for a couple of seconds. 

“If you don't want to, then whatever! Bye.” The hybrid barked again, trying to capture Petey´s attention. 

“Alley. 6 pm. It will give you enough time to play with the kid before his bedtime. Then, we'll talk. Bye.” Greg heard the connection fade. Of course, the tabby wouldn't wait for his answer. 

He had so much to think about, he had so many questions he wanted to ask the cat. After everything that happened, he wanted to get to know him better. He wanted to get closer to the cat that would put himself in danger just to avenge the victims of Cat Houses, the cat that looked at his kid with such tenderness. 

Greg wanted to know who was the real Petey: the criminal who shamelessly flirted with him just to avoid getting arrested, the one who made plan after plan to fight him, or the feline who worked as some kind of vigilante. The one who only wanted to be better for his son. 

Maybe, tomorrow, he would finally have his answers. 

Chapter Text

Petey watched the scene unfold before his eyes. He and Tippy had gone back to his car to leave. They saw the patrols arrive. Inside one of those were the commissioner and the Mayor. Dog Man presented the criminal and showed them the papers the orange cat had given to him. The old man patted the hybrid on the head, congratulating him. He seemed so happy about the recognition. 

“Guess he is finally the hero the commissioner expected him to be.” Said the black cat, lying lazily on the back seat. “Can we leave now? I am tired.” 

“Yeah, let's go, we have a lot of work to do.” Answered the tabby, not before smiling. Deep down, he wanted Dog Man to be happy, to fit in society. He had destroyed his life and given him a horrible scar that would follow him until his death. Also, if he had presented the case, no one would have listened. They tried for so many years to file a complaint against Mr. White, but no one had ever taken them seriously. 

It was a win-win. Dog Man would be the hero who investigated the horrible crimes the headmaster of Cat Houses had committed, the one who bravely arrested the man without help, and the cop who fights for cats. He would be the hero this city needed, and, also, he would finally receive the recognition he deserved. 

Petey wasn't dumb, he knew most people, and almost all Dog Man's coworkers treated him like shit. The hybrid had shown him that he had a good heart, that he cared about others, and that, after the accident, he still wanted to be a cop who helped the vulnerable. He started the car. 

And, Dog Man had promised to convince the Mayor to give cats the authority to choose the next headmaster of Cat Houses. The cop had helped them, never doubting Petey´s plan or the evidence he had shown him. 

“Petey? Don't start the engine if you are not going to drive, are you trying to kill us?” Tippy protested. 

“Shut up, lazy ass.” Said the tabby, but not with the usual annoyance. The black cat closed his eyes, not commenting about his friend's behavior. Finally, Petey drove them home. 

-

Petey couldn't sleep, he had to go check everything was alright in the district. He made sure to inform the cat leaders of the success of the mission. They all cheered, most of them had been direct victims of the abuse of Mr. White, so they were happy the man would be finally paying for his crimes. He also made sure to tell everyone that Dog Man had helped them and assured them that the cop would be helping them in the future. 

When he arrived home, the sun was already coming out. Petey sighed, another sleepless night. He entered his kid's room. Li´l Petey was still sleeping, curled up. The adult tabby smiled and sat down on the little bed. He caressed the child's head, careful not to wake him. 

How many times had his mother done this? Arrive almost with the sun, not being able to sleep. And, when she was finally home, spent the few free minutes she had simply looking at her baby's sleep. Now he understood, he would give every single second of his life to just look at the kitten sleep peacefully. He would do anything to ensure his happiness. 

Li´l Petey started to purr, softly. Petey chuckled, it was such a natural, yet endearing, reaction. How long has it been since he had purred during his sleep? Probably, he hadn't done that since his mother had died. When he looked through the window, the sun was already fully awake. 

Well, time to start another day. 

He went into the kitchen and started making coffee. He was feeling happy, his hard work had paid off. Today, he would finally see the asshole that had abused cats for so much time in jail. The jerk who had kicked his mother to the streets on countless occasions just because Petey was too “loud”, the one who had decided not to give them food for days, who would hit him. Finally, behind the bars. 

He heard Li´l Petey wake up, his tiny footsteps approaching. 

“Good Morning, papa.” Petey lifted his kitten in his arms and gave him tons of kisses on his small cheek. 

“Good morning, sunshine. What does the most wonderful kid want to have for breakfast?” The child chuckled and purred. 

“Eggs! And toasts! I want cereal too” The adult tabby chuckled. 

“What about eggs and toast, and, later, if you are still hungry, I give you some cereal?” He turned on the stove, getting ready to cook. 

“Yes, papa.” Said the cat happily. “Can I turn on the TV?”

Petey nodded. The news was still on, and Sarah Hatoff was giving a special report. 

“Mr. White, who had been the headmaster of Cat Houses for the last twenty years, is being accused of embezzlement, discrimination, and violence against cats. Crimes against the feline population have been recognized under the law for the past ten years. The super cop, Dog Man, had been investigating the man for the past months. The commissioner had declared that the hybrid had noticed these horrible acts when he started working at the new police station. The Mayor will talk now.” The redhead informed. 

A woman with an elegant green dress stood in front of the journalists at the town hall. “We are deeply sorry for such horrible crimes, if we had known sooner, we would have done something immediately.” The lady's voice filled with boredom. Petey frowned, they had informed the Mayor of these cases before, but she never answered their pledges. “I will make sure Mr. White pays for his crimes. Now, our hero will give some words.”

Dog Man appeared on camera, wearing his flawless uniform and smiling proudly. Petey felt something in his heart, something beyond happiness or pride, it was the first time he had seen the hybrid smile so brightly. The cop stood in front of the journalists, he was about to bark but doubted. 

“I told that mutt to bark louder.” Whispered Petey. 

“Papa, look, is Dog Man! I told you he was a supa cop.” Said the kitten, jumping happily on his chair. 

The officer extended a piece of paper to Sarah. The girl nodded, understanding. 

“Dog Man has just given me his speech. He says: 

What Mr. White had done is horrible, but also a reminder of how many bad things happen in front of our eyes and that we do not notice. Cats had suffered for so much time, not only because of discrimination, but for the lack of public politics that ensured their safety. I invite every person who listens to this, to reconsider their actions against the cat population. Have you ever ignored them? Have you ever seen one suffer but didn't do anything? Then you are also part of the problem, but we can be part of the solution. 

The Mayor will give total authority to cats to choose the next headmaster of Cat Houses. She will also make a public demonstration of how the budget destined for cats is spent. Thank you so much for listening.” 

The Mayor looked at the cop with eyes wide open, the commissioner shifted uncomfortably behind Dog Man. Petey laughed, and the kitten looked at him with curiosity. 

“Papa, what happened?” Asked the child. Petey started cooking again. 

“Nothing, darling. I just remembered I have to make a call later. Dog Man will come for dinner, want to come with me and buy some groceries?” Asked the adult tabby. 

“Yes! What are we going to cook? Can we bake a cake?” The child moved his paws excitedly. 

-

Petey waited in the alley for a couple of minutes until the cop showed up. Dog Man was not wearing his uniform, just some jeans, a long-sleeve shirt, a brown jacket, and his usual gloves. The cat tried to look disinterested, but he couldn't deny Dog Man looked good. Handsome even. 

“Hope I didn't bother Ohkay City's big hero.” Said the cat with sarcasm, trying to act as natural as possible. The hybrid extended his hands, holding a gift. “What's this?”

It was a small basket filled with fruit. A small card was attached to it. “It didn't feel good coming empty-handed.”

Petey smiled, looking at the contents of the basket. “Thanks, dude! You shouldn't have bothered. Li´l Petey is actually through that phase of hating some fruits and vegetables, but I'm sure he will eat this if he knows they are a gift from his favorite hero! Also, everything is so expensive nowadays, jeez.”

Dog Man looked at him, lifting a brow. Petey questioned if he had said something he shouldn't. 

“What?” Questioned the tabby. The hybrid grabbed his notebook and wrote. 

“Did you call me dude?” When Petey read the message, he frowned. Had he? What was wrong with him? Dog Man wasn't his friend, they had helped each other, but nothing else. The dinner was just an excuse for the cop to spend some time with Li´l Petey and, then, answer the questions the officer had. No other intentions. 

“Oh, sorry, got a little carried away. Thanks, Dog Man.” Said Petey, now more serious. Dog Man chuckled softly, barely hearable. He wrote a new message. 

“It's okay, dude.” 

“So now you are mocking me, huh?” The cat began walking, trying to hide his smile. “Li´l Petey is waiting. I made beef stew with carrots, I wasn't sure of what things you could eat or not, so I went for the safe choice. Is it alright?”

The officer nodded. “Where are we going? Did you cook?”  

Dog Man's letter was crooked because he had tried to write while walking. “My lab is the safest place here. And, yes, I cooked, so no judging. Li´l Petey made blueberry cookies. You don't need to answer, we are just a few blocks away. We will talk later if you want.”

They stopped in front of a building, it was old, and the street was not well-illuminated. “So, this is the lab.” Petey entered. The first floor was used as some kind of garage, filled with old robots, metal parts, and tools. The cat's car was also there. 

They were going up the stairs when Li´l Petey opened the door of the second floor. “Dog Man!” Yelled the child with happiness. 

“No running on the stairs, Li´l P.” Warned the adult tabby. But the kid couldn't care less, he jumped into the cop's arms. 

The hybrid licked the kitten's face with joy. Petey looked at them, they had only spent two days together, how could they get so close? “Hey, I just showered him! By the way, my friend Big Jim is also here. He always eats dinner with us, and will babysit the kid when we leave.” 

He hoped the officer would not get uncomfortable with another cat in the house. The dog just gave him a thumbs up, still playing with the kitten. 

When they finally arrived in the living room, Petey told Dog Man to keep playing with the kitten until the table was ready. “Jim, you better not have eaten all the cookies!” The purple cat got out of the kitchen, with his mouth full of crumbs. 

“Never, bro”. Petey patted him on the shoulder, entering the room. 

“Yeah, whatever. Go play with Dog Man and Li´l Petey, and make sure that mutt doesn't bite my furniture.” The adult tabby said, he saw how Dog Man waved at Jim, his friend hugged the cop, excited to meet him. 

“Thanks for helping us, Dog Man. What you said on TV made me cry!” The cop smiled, showing his gratitude for the kind words. 

“Let's draw comics! Uncle Jim, when I stayed at Dog Man's house, he bought me some crayons, but he ended up chewing most of them!” Jim laughed. 

“Well, then let's make sure he doesn't get full before dinner.” Said Jim, sitting next to the kid. Petey watched them get comfortable on the couch. Li´l P was explaining to them the new story he wanted to write. 

After half an hour, the table was ready. 

They all sat down, Petey made sure his son was comfortable in his kid's chair before putting his plate in front of him. Jim started devouring the stew, but Dog Man just looked at his plate. 

“Is everything alright, Dog Man?” Asked the adult tabby, worried. The hybrid barked lowly as if he were embarrassed to make the sound. “I already told you to bark louder.”

The cop barked louder, confident, and looked directly into Petey´s eyes, smiling widely. 

“He says that he is very grateful for the food, it looks delicious. Papa, in Dog Man's house there is only canned food and water.” The smile on Petey´s face faded. He never pondered how was the life of the cop outside the police station. He had been outside his house once, but he thought the hybrid had everything he needed. Just how much had he ruined the poor cop's life? The orange cat started cutting Li’l Petey's food. 

“Oh, is that so?” He asked, feeling guilty.  

“Yes, Dog Man told me he didn't know why the Mayor had bought a stove and a fridge if the only thing they give him is canned food and water bottles. They don't let him buy his stuff because they think dogs are silly.” Petey kept cutting the beef. Big Jim noticed the guilt in his best friend's eyes.  

“Petey can teach you how to cook, Dog Man! He worked at the community kitchen since he was a teenager. He even knows how to bake.” Spoke Jim, trying to ease the tension that he felt emanating from his friend. Petey looked at him with eyes wide open. 

“Yes! Or you can eat with us every day.” Said the kitten, smiling. Of course, the kid wanted to spend more time with Dog Man, he admired the hybrid. But Petey´s tail moved nervously. 

He looked at the cop, looking for something that showed discomfort or anger in his eyes. It was Petey´s fault that he had nothing else to eat except canned food, that people thought of him as just some foolish dog with nothing more but strength. One thought was haunting the cat's mind. “You ruined his life”

But the cop nodded eagerly, showing his tongue. 

“The food is getting cold. Eat.” He gave a little spoon to Li´l Petey, his beef was almost smashed from all the cutting. 

-

Petey heard how Jim and Dog Man were playing with the kitten in the living room, the laughter filled the space. He looked at the clock and sighed. It was time to confront his fears.

“Fur ball, it is time to sleep. Go wash your teeth.” Said Petey from the kitchen, washing the dishes. He didn't let Dog Man help him, telling him he was a guest. “Jim, go with Li´l P.”

“But I am not tired”, protested the child. 

The tabby finished his chores and went out of the kitchen. They were on the floor, playing with some car toys Whiskers had given the kid. “Go, Li´l Petey.” 

“Buu, fine!” The child got up, and Jim followed him. The purple cat nodded at Petey, understanding that it was time for them to leave. 

“We will go to the terrace, Dog Man. We will talk there.” The cop nodded, ordering the mess they had left in the living room. “You don't have to clean, I already told you, you are a guest.”

The cop started signing something but then remembered the other didn't understand ASL. He got up and picked up his notebook, he had left it with his jacket on the sofa. 

“But I want to help, Petey. You were so kind tonight. You deserve to take a rest.”

The tabby read the message and smiled shyly. “Fine. You can clean this mess, you owe me for feeding my baby canned food for two days.”

Dog Man blushed and started moving his hands, trying to communicate. The officer lifted his hand in a fist, then turned it to his chest, making circular motions. 

“What does that mean?” The cop stopped, looking confused. “The thing you just did, what does it mean?” 

The hybrid took his notebook again. “I'm sorry”. 

“I'll keep that in mind.” Said the cat, before turning to the kitchen again. “I'll make some tea.” Petey packed a lunch box with some containers filled with food. He wasn't sure if Dog Man would still talk to him after that night, it would all depend on his answers. The least he could do before the hybrid remembered he had destroyed his life and that he wasn't more than a criminal, was give him some fresh goods. 

“I am ready, papa!” Yelled the kitten. The adult tabby sighed, tired. When was the last time he had slept for more than a couple of hours? 

“Coming.” Said the cat. He took his kid's paw and walked to his room. Big Jim stayed in the living room, accommodating his blanket and pillow on the couch. 

Petey tucked his kid in the bed, making sure he was comfortable. “Good night, fur ball.” 

The kid, who was already closing his eyes, answered, “Good night, papa. Good luck with your talk with Dog Man. Ask him when I will see him again, please.” 

Petey didn't answer, he just kissed his baby's forehead before heading out. Dog Man was sitting on the couch, and Jim had turned on the TV. It was now or never. The news kept talking about Mr. White's case.

“Dog Man,” the cop looked at him. “Go upstairs. I'll meet you there in a minute.” He obeyed and left, taking his jacket with him. 

The cat prepared two cups of tea and a tray of cookies. He was about to leave when he heard Big Jim. “Good luck, bro.”

Yeah, he will need that. 

-

Petey didn't use the terrace often, but he thought it would be the best place to talk. If Dog Man decided to attack him, he could activate the security system easily. “If you think he could attack you, why did you invite him to your house, you idiot” , he thought. He huffed, how silly. The feline was so scared of the cop's questions, that he didn't realize he had been standing in the door frame, looking at him. 

The hybrid moved his hand, telling him to come closer. He sighed. 

“I made some tea. I know this place is cold. I thought it would be the best place to talk; no one would hear us.” The cop was leaning on the railing, waiting for his next movement. “I also brought more cookies.” There were a few chairs and a coffee table. Sometimes, the tabby liked being there, alone, watching the stars. 

He left the tray on the table, afraid to finally stand next to the officer. “I packed some food for you, just leftovers. I also put cookies.” What was he doing? He was so nervous, he couldn't stop talking.  Dog Man looked at him, he put his hand over his mouth and then moved it to the front. 

“And what does that mean?” Asked Petey, slowly approaching the cop. Trying to focus his mind on something else. 

The hybrid wrote, “Thanks.” Then looked at him with a sincere smile that completely broke the last piece of Petey´s heart. 

“Come on. Don't do that. Don't look at me with such…” At first, he tried to sound angry, but his regret was stronger. The cat covered his mouth, looking at Dog Man, hugging himself, protecting himself from those eyes that looked at him with kindness. With hope. “Why don't you hate me?”

The officer looked at him, surprised. He tried to get closer, but Petey stepped back. “I…”

He felt a lump forming in his throat. Why was the cop looking at him that way? Why was he worried about him?

“I am so sorry, Dog Man. I know an apology would never be enough for what I have done. I destroyed your life, murdered your ex-partner, the only family you had. I-I was so lost in my hate, on my vengeance, that I didn't realize what I was doing. I was sure no cop at the station knew how to deal with explosives, so I assumed no one would go try to deactivate the bomb. But then I saw you and that officer, running to save the day. And I tried, I swear I tried to reach you, to save you…” Petey felt a tear run down his cheek, he tried to wipe it fast, but more followed. “But it was already late, too late. I saw the interview they had with the officer's fiancée and his mother… God, I destroyed their lives too. How could they recover from such trauma?” He covered his mouth with his paw, crying softly. 

Dog Man just looked at him, keeping a neutral expression. 

“I don't know how you can stay there and look at me like nothing happened! Dog Man, I ruined your life! For the last couple of months, I had been so scared of you, imagining how you would kill me. Making plan, after plan to avoid you, to hide my trail. I am trying to be a better person. But who am I kidding? I am a monster, a criminal, a beas-” Suddenly, he felt the cop hugging him, tightly. Petey stopped breathing. “What are you doing?”

But the hybrid didn't move, he just kept hugging the cat. The tabby felt the warm embrace but wasn't brave enough to reciprocate. Petey wasn't brave enough to nurture the gratitude he felt. So he just stood there, sobbing, whispering “I'm sorry”. 

When Dog Man finally let him go, he grabbed his notebook and began to write. He would often cross out a word. Petey looked at him until the hybrid finished.

“I am not going to lie, Petey. I hated you. I spent weeks fighting the urge to simply give up. Some nights, I still don't want to wake up because I am afraid of what I will see in the mirror.” Petey left a sob escape. “But I decide if my life is ruined. Not you. One of my questions was about the explosion. I wanted to know how you feel about it. I tried to formulate that question since the night we met at the alley, but I already have my answer. You care, you are a good person. If you didn't, you wouldn't have cried for this, you wouldn't have apologized. You are not a monster, just someone who made bad decisions thinking they were good. Yes, you have committed crimes, but you have shown me that sometimes good people are in jail and bad people are not. And, Petey, you are not a beast or a monster. You are just someone who is trying to survive, like every single one of us.”

Petey looked at the sky, trying to calm down his tears. After some minutes, he gave Dog Man his notebook. 

“I'm so sorry.” The cat turned and took a sit on one of the chairs, taking his tea in his paws. “You can start asking your questions, now.” 

Dog Man followed him and opened a new page of his notebook. 

“Why do you do all of this? All your crimes?” Read Petey, wiping away the final tears. Denying to look at Dog Man’s face, just looking at the notebook the cop handed him. 

“Well, it's not hot news that people hate cats. When my mama died, I wanted to take revenge on every single person who turned their back on her. She had been such a good person, and yet some treated her like shit. She raised me by herself, and we didn't have a home, so we lived at Cat Houses. I was one of the victims, too. So, you could say it was a mix of vengeance, resentment and my insistance on surviving.” 

“Why did you attack the police station that day?” The tabby's tail moved uneasily. 

He shivered, remembering Fluffy. “I had a friend that was in Cat Jail, his name was Fluffy. He was young. Police arrested him when he was stealing cat formula for his baby brother. Jim told me that guards had killed him for punching a cop who joked about poisoning kittens at Cat Houses… So I decided to get revenge for my friend's life”. 

“Are you going to continue with that life?” The cat kept looking at a faraway point. 

“I don't know. I want to be a better person for Li´l Petey, but there aren't many jobs for cats. I would like to continue my studies, and maybe be an engineer. But I need money for that.” The tabby sighed and embraced his legs. “I don't know, Dog Man. I don't know what to do anymore, I just know I want to be with my kid. Give him everything I couldn't have.”

The hybrid doubted before handing him the next question. When Petey looked at him, the cop simply extended his hand. 

“You will make it.

I will help you.

Did you mean what you said that night in the alley?” 

“Oh,” Petey felt his cheeks getting warmer. “I- Sorry for that, I shouldn't have acted that way. I was really scared. I thought you were going to kill me. But...” The cop turned, watching him with his big brown eyes glowing. “Some parts were true. I do admire you, in some way. You had to endure such terrible pain, all because of my mistakes. Dog Man, you are an amazing creature. You showed me that you care about others like any other cop I met. But, still, I must have made you so uncomfortable.” 

Dog Man smiled. Then, he showed the cat his last question. 

“Can I keep coming?” 

“You want to keep coming?” Petey was in awe, why did Dog Man look at him with such longing? He must have a dozen more interesting things to do than visit a moody old cat and his son. “I mean...Yes? Yes, sure. Just let me know before coming, so I can cook something for you.” The cop couldn't resist anymore, so he jumped at Petey, licking his face excitedly. “Gross! Don't do that. Come on, Dog Man. Get down!” 

The officer gave him another piece of paper. “Do you have any questions for me?”

Petey looked at him with annoyance. His fur was wet for the affection he had received. The tabby thought for some seconds. 

“I have many questions, but I can ask them on another opportunity, it is starting to get late.” Dog Man whined, he wanted to keep talking with Petey. The cat thought that the hybrid was cute (just a bit). “Wait, I have one. What is your name?” 

The cop looked at him with eyes wide open, he hadn't expected that question and then, slowly, he wrote in his notebook. He took his time in every letter as if he was remembering how to write it. 

“GREG”

A wonderful name, for such a wonderful creature.

Chapter Text

Petey walked with him to the alley, they didn't talk, just enjoyed each other's company. Greg was so happy, he was holding the lunchbox in one hand. He had concluded that he didn't hate the cat anymore and that they could be friends. He decided it was better to take one step at the time, Nurse Lady had told him it would be good if he started going to therapy. 

“Oh, by the way. I hid your car in a parking lot, I should have told you sooner. And, well, since I didn't have the keys, I had to… you know, start it the old way?” Greg looked at the cat. Tonight, he wasn't wearing anything, not even a jacket. Every single time they had met this late, the tabby would be wearing something. Wasn't he cold? He took his notebook but didn't find his pen. “What?”

The hybrid pointed at his notebook and made the sign. It was very self-explanatory, so Petey understood. “So you forgot your pen, huh? Mmm… Hey, don't you have a phone?”

The cop made a surprised expression, he had completely forgotten he had a phone. The commissioner had given him an old one, the kind that still had a keypad. He took it out of his pocket and started typing, it was hard doing so with the gloves and with one hand holding the lunchbox. Finally, he showed the little screen to the cat. “Are you cold?”

“I just literally told you I had to start the engine of your car illegally, and you worry about me?” Petey chuckled. “You are such a good boy, aren't you?” 

Greg smiled, he was still not used to the cat's praising, but at least he knew he was being completely honest now. 

“I am fine… Greg.” The cop's heart jumped with delight. The tabby was the only one that learned his name by actually asking him. It may not seem like something big, but it made their friendship feel stronger. “I am a cat, after all. I only wear clothes when I need to do something special, like jumping through the roofs, or, you know… committing crimes. No need to worry.”

The cop doubted, but before he could do something, the cat talked. 

“And don't you dare give me your jacket, you will freeze!” Had Petey read his mind? 

“Give me that.” The feline took the phone out of his hand. He typed something and returned the device. “I saved my number so you could text me. If you want! If you don't, it's okay, too. Or, whatever! Anyway, the communicator I gave you wouldn't allow me to understand what you were saying.”

Greg looked at the numbers, memorizing them. He took his time before typing, “I will. Thanks.” He was so grateful. Since he had started to know Petey better, his nights weren't filled with loneliness. This is how it felt to have a friend. At least, that's how it felt when Knight was alive. Excitement for the next day, happiness for the small talk. 

Petey nodded and then started walking again, returning to his house. The hybrid grabbed his hand, not letting him go. When the cat turned and looked at him, Greg felt his cheeks get warmer. “What?” But there was something else, something he never felt when Knight was still beside him. 

He waved, signing “Goodbye.” The cop wanted to say so much more, but typing would take him an eternity. That's what was new, the longing for more. He wanted more homemade food, more pastries made by Petey and Li´l Petey. Greg wanted more time to talk with the cat, and more chances to hug him. Just, more Petey. 

“Goodbye, Greg.” He let the cat's hand go. He looked at the orange fur embraced by the darkness of the night. After a couple of minutes, he decided to go his way. 

When he arrived home, he was so tired he thought of going to sleep immediately. Then, he saw the lunchbox in his hand and sighed blissfully, Greg walked to his kitchen. He opened the fridge and put the containers inside it. The mere thought of having homemade food made his heart beat faster. Petey had taken the time to cook, thinking of him, on what he could or couldn't ingest. 

He saw the cookies, most of them were weirdly shaped, showing that Li´l Petey had made them. The kitten had remembered how much he liked blueberries and had helped his father bake them.  He felt so full of joy. He went to his room to change. Greg was about to put on his pajamas when his phone made a little sound. 

“Don't forget to put the food in the fridge when you arrive home. Put it in the microwave before eating it or your stomach will hurt.”

Greg jumped to his bed and lay down, reading the text over and over again. Then, he took off one of his gloves to type faster. He didn't even look at his hand. 

“Thank you so much for the food. And for inviting me. And for answering my questions.” 

He wanted to meet Petey again, as soon as possible. But what could he say? He didn't want to push. 

“I can pick up my car tomorrow if it's not too much trouble”

Greg waited, looking at the screen. Then, it finally sounded. 

“You said you had vacations, right? Meet me at the alley at lunchtime, so we can eat together. Then you can play with the fur ball.”

The hybrid was already typing when the phone sounded again. “If you want.”

He laughed lightly. He imagined Petey texting him, getting flustered while typing. 

“I would love to.” 

His thoughts were clearer now that he had talked with Petey. From now on, there won't be weird tensions or resentments. Yes, they still had a long way to go. But, one step at a time could lead to a wonderful destiny. 

-

Greg had sent Nurse Lady a text, saying he wanted to start going to therapy. The woman congratulated him on his decision and told him that that was the first step of his real recovery. That morning, he decided to take his time to get ready. He would usually rush to the shower, and then eat his breakfast quickly so he could be one of the first to arrive at the station. 

But not today, it was his vacation. The commissioner had told him that since he had shown such “human maturity” in the investigation against Mr. White, he could start managing his money. And, he had to admit it, they paid him well, at least more than they paid Knight. He remembered how the man used to protest because of this. Alice told him to ask for a raise, but he never got the chance. 

He never got the chance. 

Greg felt a lump forming in his throat. For the last days, he had been thinking of the possibilities this new body had given to him, he could hug people he cared about, he could touch things his paws never allowed him. But, was he taking this opportunity out of Knight? 

Something else he had been pondering lately was that Knight was dead. It was stupid, more than three months had passed since the day of the accident. But Greg was now starting to believe that sad fact. He had been living trying to avoid the subject, every single time his mind thought about that, he would exercise more or would stay late at the office. 

He couldn't keep running away from the truth. 

Knight was dead, even if he stopped thinking about him, he was never going to come back. And that gave him some kind of relief. His friend, his partner, was gone. He would never face this horrible world again. And, he had died before he could see the monster they had created with his remains. At least, wherever he was, he would not suffer the physical pain of seeing him. 

A little chuckle came out of his lips. If this was not Knight's body anymore, it meant it was his. A body that allowed him to touch, lungs that allowed him to breathe, arms that gave him the chance to hug, and a heart that could beat fast when flustered. Greg knew that even if he had accepted the death of Knight, he still had a lot to work on. The disgust, the hate, the insecurities, they were still there.  

He was not completely human. But he was not a dog anymore. Then, what was he? Just the commissioner's creation? If he had had the chance to go back in time and be in the explosion again, he would have decided to die. He would have given up. But he couldn't do that now, right? 

In his head, he knew he was Greg. But if he looked in a mirror, would the rest also be Greg or just the empty carcass of someone he had loved? Was he Dog Man? The super cop was nothing more than a lie, he hadn't done anything to deserve such a title, he had just helped Petey. Why was he still a cop? Maybe, it was just Knight's sense of justice running through his veins.  

Perhaps, nothing his body does is fully controlled by his will. 

He had been forced to keep living and, then, to keep working. The Mayor had been clear the day he met her, just one week to recover. Why did he just follow their orders? No one seemed to care if he helped people or not, and he had seen the real faces of Ohkay City's authorities. Nothing more than selfish assholes. 

Why was he still a cop? He could escape and be free. He could die and be free. Then, why? Why was he still fighting? 

His cell phone made a sound. For how long had he been standing in the middle of his room? He looked at the clock, it was already 11 am. Fuck! He looked at his device, a message from Petey made him run to the shower to get ready. 

“Could you bring some apples? I will pay you, don't worry. Li´l Petey wants to make some muffins he saw on TV.”

Greg grabbed a cookie and a water bottle before leaving his house. If he wanted to buy the apples and a gift to Petey, he had to run. 

-

“You know, you could at least answer with a smiley face, that way I would know you had read my messages. And you are eighteen minutes late”, Petey was standing in front of him. Greg was panting heavily, he had run all the way there. “Aren't you hot? It's like a thousand degrees, and you are wearing a jacket and leather gloves.” 

Yes, Greg was burning. But he refused to take his gloves off, he didn't want Petey or Li´l Petey to feel disgusted by him. He didn't want to feel so exposed. He shook his head. 

“Fine, but if you faint in the middle of the street, I will leave you to die.” Said the cat with a mischievous smile. When Greg was finally able to breathe properly, he extended his hands, giving Petey the bag of apples and flowers he had picked up from his garden. He didn't have time to think of something else as a gift to ask for forgiveness for arriving late. 

The face the tabby made would be forever printed on the hybrid's memory. It was a mix of surprise, nervousness, and gratitude. “Why? How? You… You shouldn't have, Greg.” 

The cop simply typed on his phone, “I told you it doesn't feel nice to come empty-handed. It's just a gift, from one friend to another.” 

“Oh, sure.” Petey looked at him with a raised brow. “Since friends always give flowers, right?”

The cop nodded, he remembered Knight used to buy a lot of flowers for Alice before they started dating. He had explained to him that it was chivalrous to give flowers to special friends, to the ones he wanted to keep around for a long time. Petey sighed, scratching his cheek. 

“Who said we were friends?” Said the tabby, jokingly, taking away the bag and the flowers from his hands. The hybrid pushed him playfully. “Let's go pick up Li´l Petey, he stays at the daycare while I am working”.

They started walking, and Greg typed on his phone. “What is your job?”

“Oh, nothing formal. I just help people around the district. Fixing their fridges, and building robots for some stores. They don't pay much, but at least is nothing illegal, right?” Said Petey, returning the phone. 

“Where do you get the parts to build your robots?” The cat stopped walking and looked at Greg. 

“From a friend of a friend.” The officer looked at him suspiciously. “I haven't robbed a bank in more than four or five months, be happy with that!” 

They continued their little journey, and finally, they arrived at a building with colorful murals on the outside. Greg followed the cat, and walked slowly, not wanting to scare all the kids. 

“Dog Man!” He heard a kid yell, and, in a second, all the kittens from the daycare were surrounding him.  They were all excited to see the hero who took care of the district. He doubted, but when he saw one of the children asking him to lift him, he did. The boy laughed happily. 

Greg had never felt so welcomed. A young lady came next, carrying Li´l Petey in her arms. “There is my baby boy!” said Petey, hugging his kid. “Hi, Leslie. How did my fur ball behave?”

“He is always such a good boy, Petey. He made sure your new invention worked fine today. Do you want to see her?” Asked the gray cat. The tabby turned to look at Greg, who was carrying two kids in each arm. 

“Hey, super cop, don't be a show-off! Come with me, I want to show you something.” The cop nodded and stopped playing with the kids. He went to lick Li´l Petey´s cheek, and the kid laughed and hugged him. Then he went back to play with the others. 

“Dog Man, what an honor! All cats in the district are so grateful for what you have done for us. Mr. White is finally in jail and the streets are safer. You truly are a super cop!” Spoke Leslie, leading them to one of the back rooms, with a flirtatious voice. 

Greg was about to thank her in sign language when he felt something wrap around his waist. He looked down and saw Petey´s tail. The cop felt his face get warm and his heart beat like a drum at full speed. The gray cat chuckled lightly. 

“Oh! Sorry, Petey. Didn't know you two were a thing.” The hybrid saw the cat finally look at what his tail was doing, he walked faster to the door that was in front of him. Petey held his tail in his hand, giving small rubs at the flat end.  

“Be quiet! Keep moving. And we are not a thing.” Talked the orange cat, stomping away from them. The cop put his hand on his chest. He had to calm down. 

“Greg, come here.” He breathed before following the tabby. They entered a room with warm lights, the walls filled with decorations of clouds and balloons. There were also a couple of cradles where tiny kittens slept peacefully. Petey got closer to one of them, careful to not make a sound. When the cop finally stood by his side, he saw a small baby sleeping. “Someone left this kitten on the door of the daycare last night. Fortunately, Mrs. Richards found her, or she could have died on the street. She is not more than a few weeks old.”

The hybrid looked fascinated at the kitten, it was a gray tabby. The kitten had a small bracelet on her arm, Greg pointed at it, asking what it was. 

“That's why I wanted you to come. The bracelet that's on her arm is something I built this morning, it sends every hour an update of her vital signs to Leslie's tablet. Every week, two or three babies are left here or at Cat Houses. I have been wanting to do something like this for a long time, but I didn't have the special tools for it.” The tabby took the baby in his arms, and the kitten meowed lowly. “Did you know that baby cats meow until they are two years old? They usually learn their first words when they are three, but in a couple of months they can speak way better than human babies.”

Greg just stared at Petey, looking at the tenderness in his eyes. He looked so peaceful. Petey hugged the baby lightly. 

“Anyway, remember the night you wanted to arrest me at the alley? I had gone to pick up those special tools, they were just very small screwdrivers.” The hybrid nodded eagerly. Wow, he just couldn't stop being impressed with Petey. “Do you want to carry her?” 

The cop stepped back and shook his head, he couldn't do that. What if the baby starts crying? Leslie chuckled lightly at his reaction. 

“It's okay, just be sure to hold her head.” The cop doubted but finally gave in. He cradled the kitten in his arms, and the baby meowed again. Suddenly, she grabbed one of his fingers. Greg looked at Petey, smiling. “Seems you have another fan. Not to brag, but I think I can finally fit in the do-gooders category. Don't you think?”

The cop was so mesmerized by everything. The way cats started treating him, how the kids welcomed him, how this tiny baby let him hold her. He was also amazed at how bright Petey´s eyes could shine when he knew he had helped someone with his inventions. He had never seen such a beautiful shade of green. 

A little sound made their bubble pop, it was Leslie's tablet. “The baby is stable, nothing to worry about. Thanks to your invention, the kitten survived the night.” 

Greg saw Petey smile widely, proud of his work. The hybrid left the baby at the cradle again, making sure she was still asleep. They got out of the room quietly. 

-

Greg spent the rest of the day at Petey´s lab, playing with Li´l Petey. The adult tabby had fallen asleep on the couch at some point after they had lunch. 

“Papa doesn't sleep much, he keeps working all night. Sometimes he sleeps with me but wakes up because he has nightmares.” Told the kid to the cop. “Uncle Jim had told him to rest more, but he says he has to work and make sure everyone in the district is safe.” 

Petey moved a little in his sleep. The cop looked at him, worried. He had realized the cat had baggy eyes, but when was the last time the adult tabby had a good night of sleep? 

He barked, lowly, so he wouldn't wake up. Li´l Petey was about to answer when his father talked. 

“It is not nice to talk about someone who is sleeping”, the cat stretched his arms. 

“Papa! Come play with us.” Spoke the kitten excitedly. 

“I think it is time for Dog Man to leave, darling. It is his last day of vacation, and he wasted it on us.” Greg shook his head and wrote on his phone. 

“It was not a waste, I enjoyed the day.”

Petey chuckled lightly and stood up. “Okay, big guy. But it's time for you to go home, it's getting late. I have to show you where is your car.”

Greg whined and Li´l Petey protested, they wanted to keep playing. The hybrid lay down face up on the floor, dramatically. The kitten laughed, imitating the dog. 

“You are such big babies. Let's go, Greg.” He resisted, but the tabby gave him a warning look. The cop was getting ready to leave while Petey packed a new lunchbox for him, Li´l Petey made sure to put one of his drawings inside. Big Jim arrived five minutes before they left, ready to take care of the kitten. 

They walked in a comfortable silence to the parking lot where Petey had left the officer's car. Greg looked at the cat's hand. Could he grab it? Would Petey be mad? Greg stopped, why did he even want to hold his hand? They were friends, he thought, and Knight had told him that special friends also held hands. He was about to do it when the cat suddenly turned. 

Petey stopped walking. “What do you think you are doing?” 

Greg took his phone out of his pocket and started typing, scared to have overstepped. “Trying to hold your hand.”

The cat looked at him, his eyes showing confusion. “I know that, Greg. But why? Why did you bring me flowers? Tell me, why did you try to hold my hand?” 

The cop pondered the questions, but he already had his answer. He wrote, “Because you are my special friend.” 

Petey sighed. “You need to ask someone what friends do.” Then, the tabby started walking again. They stood in front of his car for a couple of minutes. “Here, I packed you some leftovers for your dinner. There are a couple of muffins, too. Don't eat them all in one night, save some for your breakfast.” 

“Thanks, Petey. Can I come tomorrow?” Petey chuckled. 

“I already told you, Greg. You can always come, as long as you tell me before, so I can cook. Oh, I owe you ten bucks, right?” The hybrid tilted his head, confused. “For the apples?” 

He lifted his hand, putting his thumb together with his index and middle fingers while shaking his head. 

“That means no, right?” Greg nodded. The cat looked at him in disbelief. “You give me flowers, try to hold my hand while walking, and buy me groceries. God, you should be careful, officer, someone might say you are giving them mixed signals. Keep that for when you meet a special person. Ask someone what friends do commonly.” Before the cop could answer, Petey hugged him. It was so fast, that Greg almost thought he had imagined it. 

“Goodbye, Greg.” Then the feline ran away. He stood there, shocked. His heart was beating fast again. Special? Petey was already special for him. 

“Knight, is this really what special friends do?” Greg thought before entering his car. 

-

He had been going to have lunch with Petey and Li´l Petey almost every day for over a month. They would pick up the kid from daycare, and then go to the tabby's house to eat. When it was time for Greg to go back to work, the cat would give him his lunch box with his dinner, and his dessert, and, then, they would hug for a couple of seconds before parting ways. 

One time, Greg got so excited he licked the cat's face. Petey had told him that he could hug him if he was so desperate to show affection. That's how the goodbye hugs became a normal thing. 

On weekends (if he didn't have special shifts) he would spend all day with them. They would go to the community kitchen, where Petey would help cook for the cats that went there, while Greg would serve and clean. Sometimes, they went to Cat Houses and the cop would play the piano for the orphans and the families that sheltered there. 

A new headmaster had finally taken the lead, a cat named Twinkle. The woman was very serious with her job, but also kind. She had welcomed Greg and Petey, calling them the heroes of the cat district. 

He had started his therapy sessions, talking about his deep self-loathing and the disgust he felt about his body. The doctor had told him that such a traumatic event would take time to heal (and that, sometimes, one never recovers from such things, that people just learn how to deal with the pain wisely). To start working on that issue, he had to make a list of the things his body allowed him to do, and that he enjoyed. 

His list consisted of: 

• I enjoy hugging people I like. Specially, P and Li´l P. 
• I enjoy being able to scratch my belly. 
• I enjoy eating P´s food. 
• I enjoy giving gifts to P.
• I enjoy feeling P’s fur. 
• I enjoy P’s food. 
• I enjoy being able to carry Li´l P in my arms. 
• I enjoy playing with Li´l P. 
• I enjoy helping others in ways I couldn't before. 

His therapist congratulated him for his hard work and asked who P and Li´l P were. Greg signed the word, “Friends”. The woman looked at him before asking, “Is P a friend you made at the cat's district? Is she Li´l P´s mother?”

The cop knew he had to be careful, Petey was still someone the police were looking for. He nodded, trying to act nonchalantly. “P is his father.”

“Oh, is that so? Interesting.” The woman asked, looking at him, and squinting her eyes. “Could you please explain to me what is a friend for you, Dog Man?” 

Greg wrote, “Someone who doesn't judge me for who I am.”

“And what do you usually do with your friends?” Questioned the therapist, writing down in her notebook. 

“I play with them, hug them, and help them,” Greg explained easily. 

“What about P, do you do the same with him?” The woman took some notes. 

“Yes, most of the time. But he is my special friend.” But in which way, he just couldn't tell. 

“What do you mean by special, Dog Man?” She would not drop the subject, right? He thought about it for a while. 

“I don't have the same feelings for him as I do with the others.” Greg tried to explain. 

“What do you feel for P? Is it a special feeling?” Greg sighed, it was tiring to think so much of his feelings. 

“Yes.” He didn't understand what was the therapist's point.

“That's good, Dog Man. How does he make you feel?” This time, he took a deep breath. How could he explain everything Petey made him feel in a couple of words?

“ I want to take care of him, but I also enjoy it when he worries about me. I like spending time with him and Li´l P. I like being near him, hug him. Not only that, but I enjoy knowing that he trusts me, after all he has been through. We had a rough start, but he likes me, and I like him. I want to help him and to be with him in the future, too.

He cares so deeply about others, but he would never admit it out loud. I like the small things he does for me and his kid, like cooking what we like or learning ASL. He tries so hard to be a better person, but I already think he is amazing.”

The therapist took her time reading his answer, her face didn’t show any emotions. Greg tried to guess what she was thinking, but it was impossible. 

“Have you considered that, perhaps, you hold romantic feelings towards P?” Greg looked at her in disbelief. “Dog Man, I want you to think about this calmly. You once told me you were afraid that you were still a cop because Knight's sense of duty kept some control over your actions. Don't you think that, since you can hold romantic feelings, that your friend didn't when he was alive, you have complete control over yourself?”

And, since that day, he hasn't stopped thinking about it. What if he does? Does that mean he is capable of loving? Is this his body? Knight was dead, there was no way his friend was affecting his decisions. It was just him and his desire to help others that made him a cop, even after the accident. 

On the other hand, does he hold romantic feelings towards Petey? Yes, he wanted to do things with him that he didn't want with anyone else. Hold his hand, be with him every single day. Knight told him the day he asked Alice to be his girlfriend that he did because he liked her a lot. Does he like Petey?

Does Petey even like him? What if he doesn't? Maybe the cat thinks they are only friends, special friends, as he had told him. And, what defines when you like someone romantically?

He thought about Knight and Alice's relationship. When they started living together, they would act very affectionately. Greg remembered them kissing each other constantly. He recalled how his ex-partner hugged Alice while she cooked. They used to sleep together and took long walks holding each other's hands. 

Was that how a romantic couple behaved? He thought about that, imagining walking home holding Petey´s hand, kissing his cheek… kissing him on the lips. The hybrid smacked himself on the face, and all of his coworkers turned to look at him confused. Greg tried to concentrate on his work again, the same report he had been trying to complete for the past two hours. 

But every time he tried to type something, he would think about kissing Petey, holding his hand, hugging him while he cooks… sleeping with him, making sure he gets the proper rest. Greg hid behind his hands, he didn't want the other cops to realize he was blushing. Maybe he was lucky he didn't have a tail anymore, because it'd be wagging like crazy. 

“Good morning, officers.” Greg lifted his face. Fuck! He had completely forgotten the commissioner would visit today. Petey was going to be so mad that he hadn't texted him, telling him he wouldn't be able to make it for lunch today. “Dog Man! How is the search for Petey going?”

Greg stood up, saluting his superior. He signed, “Advancing.”

“It better be, son. If not…” The old man stopped and looked at him from head to toe. “Have you gained weight?”

“Maybe he's been stealing food from the garbage bins, again.” Said one of the cops. 

His coworkers laughed. Greg let a soft growl escape from his lips. He was getting tired of the jokes. “Commissioner, Dog Man has been going out to eat lunch every single day. Maybe he found someone that cooks for him.” Said Jake, teasingly. 

“Oh, Dog Man, did you get yourself a girlfriend?” Talked Tom in a mocking voice. Greg denied it, shaking his head. He could hear everyone chuckling. “No need to be embarrassed, man. We all need to release some stress from time to time.” 

Greg looked at Tom confused. What was he talking about? He was right, everyone deserved to relax, but he knew his coworker wasn't talking about that. Then, what?

“Release some stress? Take a load off? Dip the sausage?” Everyone laughed at his face, he was not understanding what they meant. “To fuck, man. We all need to have sex occasionally!”

Greg hid his face behind his arms again. What were they talking about? No, he couldn't do that. Who would want to do that with him? His head betrayed him, thinking of a certain feline he had as a friend. His only friend. 

He was such a bad dog! A bad friend!

“I wonder if someone is brave enough to do that with Dog Man.” Teased another cop. 

He whined, embarrassed. 

“That is enough! Dog Man, to my office, now.” Said the commissioner, Greg walked fast to get there without looking at anyone. The man slammed the door when he arrived. “Are you in a relationship, Dog Man? You have to be careful with whom you fool around, someone could take a picture! And you haven't advanced on your investigation on Petey, you keep giving excuses.”

Greg wanted to hide, it was so much pressure. He wanted to tell everyone to shut up. He wanted to go home. No. To meet Petey, tell him his problems. He would know what to do, and would probably scratch his head, telling him he worried too much. 

“The Mayor gives you special canned food because it is a special brand to give you the nutrients you need, Dog Man. Our super cop can't lose his figure. Are you sure you are not hooking up with some random cat?” Greg shook his head again. How embarrassing. “You better not! You are the hero of this city, if you want to fuck with someone, you tell me so I can find someone discreet.” 

Could everyone stop talking about his sexual life? He started breathing like his therapist had told him to do to calm down. He remembered what she said, “People can be mean to you, but you decide how their words will affect you.” He wasn't a bad dog. He hadn't done anything wrong. 

“Go back to work, now. Tell Jake and Tom to come in.” Greg left the police station as soon as he could. The other cops laughed when they saw him. He would not stay in a place everyone made fun of, and it was already past noon. He looked at his phone and saw he had several messages from the cat. 

“Are you coming today?”

“Greg?”

“Did something happen?”

“Greg, answer me. Are you still angry because I didn't let you bite my furniture?”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Greg, are you okay?”

“Answer, please.”

“Fuck, Greg. Where are you? Answer, please.”

He typed desperate. He wished he could talk, calling Petey would be ten times faster. 

“IamsorryIamsososorry. I am coming to your place. Don't hate me.”

Greg ran as fast as he could. When he was finally in front of the alley where they always met, Petey jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly. The cat's tail wrapped around his waist, protectively. 

“I thought something bad had happened to you,” Greg returned the embrace immediately and started licking the cat's cheek tenderly. “Greg! I told you to stop doing that.” But Petey's voice didn't show any anger or annoyance. 

“Don’t you dare do something like that again! Li’l Petey was really worried, I almost sent 80-HD to look for you. What happened?” The cat separated from the hug a little, but he didn’t break it. Greg was so tired, he had spent all day worrying about his feelings, his coworkers had made fun of him again, and the commissioner had come to remind him that he still saw him as some kind of tool. A tool that just had to work, eat the shitty food the Mayor gave him, and satisfy his demands. 

Oh, and he hadn’t finished the reports about the district. Just more work for when he goes back. 

“Had a bad day, big boy?” Greg sighed and nodded against Petey´s chest. He hugged the cat tighter. 

“Come on, Li’l Petey was waiting for you. You will explain everything to me later.” They finally separated. Greg tried to hold the cat's hand, and, this time, Petey let him.

Chapter Text

A couple of weeks had passed since that day, and Petey was starting to get anxious. He couldn't deny it anymore, he was starting to develop some kind of (irrational) feelings for Greg. The way he had worried about the hybrid, just because he hadn't arrived for lunch? What was he? A desperate housewife? 

That day was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, the sun warming his fur. They had planned to go to the park and play with Li´l Petey, all the cats in the district had grown used to seeing him with Dog Man. The first days people saw them holding hands; some looked at them judgmentally, but they knew better than to say something mean. 

And, it was no secret that Petey was not interested in females, he had dated a couple of guys in the past. He was not a playboy, but not a saint either. Some mothers at the daycare had asked him what was their relationship, they had even asked Li´l Petey. But the answer was always the same, “Just friends.” 

And it was true, they were nothing more than friends. Yes, Petey cooked for him every day, packed him his lunchbox to give to him after work, walked through the district holding his hand, and was (kind of) raising his son with him. But it was all because they were special friends! And, yes, Greg used to bring him flowers constantly and would help him when he was having trouble with the kid or with his work. It didn't mean anything. 

Petey was sitting next to a tree, watching his kid and Greg run after squirrels. He enjoyed looking at them play, it was rare to see that the cop could be himself without anyone judging. The last weekend, they had gone to his terrace to talk (it had become a habit at this point) and the tabby had learned some deep stuff about the hybrid. About how he perceives himself.

Big Jim had stopped going to have dinner at his lab, his excuse was that he didn't want to bother. Of course, Petey had told him that he would never be such a thing. The purple cat was the closest thing he ever had to a brother. He knew that, even if he acted like a complete asshole, Jim would be there at the end of the day to lift his mood and help him. 

“Don't worry. I will have dinner with the guys at the community kitchen. You are getting closer to Greg, and that is amazing! You have changed a lot, in a good way.” And, even if at first he didn't want to admit it, it was true. He was more patient and kind to others (not to everyone, of course. Some people still drove him crazy in a matter of seconds). 

Now, he knew that Jim intended to give Petey and Greg more “alone time”. Whiskers had told him one day when he asked him how Jim was doing, that: “Oh, Big Jim told us he wanted to give you more time with Dog Man since you have like a huge a crush on him. Didn't know you were into dogs.”

He felt flustered at first, but, in the end, the “alone time” Jim had given to them made wonders for their friendship. They talked about a lot of stuff. Petey asked Greg the things he liked, the food he enjoyed the most, or if he had a favorite toy. Most nights (when the cop didn't have late shifts) they would just ask each other banal questions. 

They would sit and eat the dessert the cats had made that day. Then, Petey would start asking him questions, giving the hybrid enough time to write his answers. The tabby had also learned more ASL, but he wasn't able to hold long conversations. Last Saturday, they were eating carrot cake, Li´l Petey had decorated it with bunnies made out of chocolate (Greg couldn't eat those. They had discovered that, even if he had a human body, chocolate was still a big no). 

“How is therapy going?” Had asked Petey. Greg would usually tell him that it was going well, but that day he just stared at the sky. “Is there something wrong, Greg?”

The officer took his notebook and started writing, the tabby gave him all the time he needed. When he finally handed him a piece of paper, Petey couldn't believe what he was reading. 

“I am confused, Petey. I have been wondering what am I. Am I a dog? Am I a human? How should I behave? You have helped me, a lot. At least now I can bark louder like you always tell me. But, when you are not around, people judge me. Everyone judges me, even myself. I am too much of a dog for my coworkers to treat me like an equal, but I am too much of a human to interact with other dogs. When I bark or growl, everyone looks at me like a monster. When I show affection or “human feelings”, everyone just says I am a silly dog. I don't know, Petey. I just don't know who I am. Greg or Dog Man?” The cop simply looked at the endless starry night again. 

The tabby pondered for a couple of minutes before answering. He wanted to comfort him, but how? It was his fault his friend felt that way. “Greg, you can be whoever you want. I know I am not the ideal person to tell you this, but, in some sort of wicked way, your body is like a chance to be a completely new being.” The hybrid looked at him with a neutral expression. Petey was scared to say something wrong. “I am not telling you have to love it right away, it still holds a lot of your trauma, but think about it like a new opportunity to rediscover yourself. Greg or Dog Man, it doesn't matter, why separate them? You are you, as a whole. You are the cop who decided to help cats even if everyone else hated them, the one who decided to trust in me even after all I have done. Li´l Petey loves you, he sees you as his hero, not because of your body, but for your actions and bravery. Kids in the district and the city look up to you, not because you are a super cop, but for the people you have helped, and the crimes you have stopped.” Greg was now looking at him with his eyes shining and a wide smile. Petey chuckled and decided to be brave too. He took the hybrid's hand, intertwining their fingers.

“We are kind of similar, don't you think? I think all cats can somewhat understand what you are feeling. For years, people had looked down on us. Are we cats or humans? We can talk, walk, and run like them, but we also have fur and feline behaviors. When I told you to bark louder, it was not because I wanted to fight you, but because you have to be proud of yourself, of your capabilities. Greg, you can bark and scare the bad guys! You can growl at them and make them shit in their pants! I saw you doing it. And you can also use your super strong kung fu moves.” Petey imitated him, making his friend laugh. “For years, cats have tried to hide their nature to fit, but I think that is bullshit. I can meow and purr, sometimes I push stuff from the table because I like to watch them fall! But, I can also create machines, read complex books, and take care of my kid like any other person. What I'm trying to say, Greg is that you should appreciate yourself more. You have people that admire you and love you for who you are.”

The cop looked at him for a couple of seconds before freeing his hand from the cat. Petey looked at him confused, afraid that maybe he had overstepped with his words. But then he saw him take his gloves off. Greg looked at his hands before holding the tabby's paw again. The cop signed “Thanks”. 

“You can always talk to me, Greg. I know sometimes I am a little annoying and that I lose my temper quickly, but I… appreciate you, a lot.” Said Petey looking directly at Greg's eyes. The cop jumped at him, licking his face with excitement. “That's enough, Greg. I told you, you can just hug me. Cats hate feeling drool all over their furs!”

Then, Greg made a sign that Petey didn't understand. He pointed at himself, then, “pinched” his chest with his middle finger and his thumb, and, finally, pointed at the cat. 

“That is a new one, what does it mean?” Greg smiled widely, he separated from the cat and wrote in his notebook. 

“I like you.” Petey blushed. It wasn't like that, right? It wasn't “I like like you”?  

“I like you, too.” Greg nodded, and got closer to his face, inviting the other to keep talking. But Petey´s common sense (his insecurities) was stronger. “As a friend, right?” He asked, afraid of the answer. He had hope for a negative reply but was scared of a positive one. The cop just frowned at him, and then signed, “Yes.”

“Ha, cool. That's cool. Awesome!” Petey stood up, trying to steady his heartbeats. “Look at the hour! It is so late, you should go home, Greg. It is not safe to drive this late. Come on, let's go.”

The cop sighed. Was he angry? The tabby didn't dare to ask. They left the lab and walked towards the cop's car, holding hands like every night. He was not carrying his usual lunchbox because he had already had dinner with the cats. 

“So, here it is. Goodbye, Greg. See you tomorrow.” Petey was ready to leave when he realized the hybrid kept holding his hand. “What?”

The cop looked at him like he was trying to say something. But, before the tabby could ask him what it was, Greg stood on his toes and kissed his cheek. Then, he waved at him and got in his car, driving away. The cat had placed his paw on his cheek, trying to hold the sensation.

A gentle hand on his shoulder made him snap out of his thoughts. When he looked up, Greg was standing there, holding Li´l Petey in his arms. He was wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt, the ones he used when he worked out in the mornings. Petey decided that anything that was on the floor would be way more interesting (and decent) to watch than his friend's pectorals. 

The cop had told him he had to exercise more to keep eating what he cooked and maintain his figure. Also, he had started to wear less oversized jackets, nothing short-sleeved, but at least the suffocating jumpers were gone. Greg was a little more comfortable with his body, and Petey was happy. Maybe too happy for the change. 

“Papa, are you having a heatstroke?” The kitten chuckled. 

“Oh, no, sunshine. It's just…” Greg placed a hand over his forehead, looking at him worried. “Yes. A heatstroke. Let's go home.” Petey moved the cop's hand away. Li´l Petey laughed at his reaction. The hybrid grabbed him by the hand and looked at the tabby like he was asking if everything was alright. 

“I am fine, Greg. Don't worry, just spent too much time in the sun. Let's go, I have to make dinner.” The tabby held his hand and began walking. After a couple of minutes, the cat realized the kid had fallen asleep on Greg's chest. “Guess he had too much fun.”

- 

Petey was cutting Li´l Petey´s vegetables, the kid was playing with his toys in his chair. Greg, on the other side, was cutting the meat. The TV was on, filling the room with a comfortable sound. 

“What do you want me to cook for lunch tomorrow?” Asked Petey. The cop barked, concentrating on his job. 

“Yes! I love chicken pie.” Said the kitten. 

“Okay, I'll make chicken pie. Anything else?” They were having a very regular conversation, and almost every day ended like that. Both made sure the food was small enough for the kitten to eat safely. 

Before the cop could answer, Sarah Hatoff announced “Breaking News!” on the TV. 

“After months of searching for the criminal, Petey TheCat, the commissioner had decided to double the reward for any information of his location. Dog Man, the super cop, had been searching for him with no rest, but to no avail. The commissioner had assured the press that his officers were willing to listen to any data of the feline. They will not reveal the identities…” Petey turned the TV off and looked at Greg. The cop was worried, just like him. They knew their friendship was not supposed to happen, the hybrid must have arrested him months ago. 

“Papa, why are the police looking for you?” Questioned the kitten, his ears flat, scared. “Dog Man, didn't you tell them that he is a good cat now? Are they gonna hurt my papa?”

Petey hugged his child, “Don't worry, sunshine. No one is going to separate me from you, I told you I will never leave you alone.” The kid hid his face in his father's chest. “Don't be scared, I will protect you. Dog Man will protect you, too.”

The cop took Petey´s hand, giving it a light squeeze. The tabby nodded, understanding. Then, he joined the hug. “Greg will make sure nothing happens to us, darling. Now, eat.”

“I will protect you, too, papa. When I grow up, I will be a strong cat and I'll be a cop. A good one, like Dog Man.” Petey caressed his kid's fur. 

“I am sure you will be the best cop this city has ever seen. But you have to eat to get stronger.” Finally, they started their dinner. A heavy silence joined the table. 

When the adults were sure Li´l Petey was asleep and that the tabby had programmed 80-HD for emergencies, they left to go to the cop's car. They held hands, but this time, they walked slower than ever. 

“No one would snitch on me, no amount of money could buy a cat's loyalty.” Said Petey, trying to comfort Greg. 

“I know.” He signed. Then, he took his phone and wrote, “The commissioner took this decision without me. I am afraid he is hiding more information.”

“Don't worry, Greg. I can take care of myself and my kid, you know I am tough to chase.” He tried to joke, but the cop didn't laugh. “And I am sure you will take care of Li´l Petey if anything happens to me, too.”

“I will protect you, both of you. I promise. You are my family, Petey.” The tabby smiled shyly. Could he ask that much from Greg? Could he ask for his protection too? 

They stood in front of the car, not wanting to move. 

“I will ask tomorrow. If I know anything, I'll text you.” Wrote the hybrid, looking at the tabby with determination. Petey hugged him tightly. Then gave him a long kiss on the cheek, holding his face between his paws. How could such a wonderful creature like Greg care so much of a wrecked soul like his?

“I will never understand why are you so nice to me. Thanks, Greg.” They hugged again, before parting ways. Petey tried to calm his nerves, he knew nobody would give his location. But, still, he had a bad feeling.

-

Greg had texted him that morning, telling him that the commissioner had called all officers in the cat district for an “emergency meeting”. He told Petey not to be afraid but to keep an eye open. 

“I'll text you as soon as I am out of the meeting. I don't think I will be able to go to lunch, and I have a night shift. But I will go to your place, at least for a couple of minutes. Miss you.”  

The cat smiled at the text, but the bad feeling remained. He even decided that Li´l Petey would stay with him all morning, he didn't have work to do, so they would have some father-son time, safe, inside their building. Just in case, he decided to put 80-HD on emergency mode; the robot would activate all security systems in the lab if he sensed Li´l Petey was in danger. 

But, he still felt worried. Petey looked at his inventions, what could he do to feel better? Maybe he should grab one of his ray guns, just to be sure. His kid was next to him, drawing a cute picture of them and Dog Man, smiling under a rainbow. He was just paranoid. Nothing would happen. He was about to sit close to Li´l Petey to join his drawing session. 

Then, he heard the bell ring. 

He told his child to hide, he knew whoever was behind that door, would not be good. Petey took his time before opening, he had a gun hidden behind his back.  The cat almost dropped his weapon. There he was, the reason most of his life sucked. 

“Hello, Petey.” Said the man, uninterested. Pete looked at him from head to toe and made a disgusted expression. “I've gotta say, you look like shit. Some things don't change, huh?” His orange fur had specks of white hair, and his glasses accentuated his baggy eyes.

“Dad?” Petey still couldn't believe it. 

“No, I am the fucking Pope.” Answered Pete with dry sarcasm, moving forward to enter the lab. “Now, let me in. I hate to stand in front of doors like an idiot.”

Petey reacted fast, preventing him from entering. “No! You can't. Why are you here?”

Pete huffed irritated. “Relax, I didn't come for you. Look, I am going to be honest. I need money, heard you robbed a bank a couple of months ago. Give me some cash and I leave.” The old cat extended his paw, and Petey felt anger fill his chest. 

“You asshole!” He pushed his father with his finger, poking his chest, making him step back from the door. “After all these years, you appear just to ask for money! I know you are a useless piece of shit, but… Why?” Pete looked at him, bored. 

“Why what? Petey, don't be such a drama queen, you talk just like Grace. Speaking of the devil, where is she? Maybe she is way more condescending with my petition.” That was the drop that overflowed his rage. Petey grabbed the man by the shoulders and screamed at him. 

“Where is she? Really?! She is fucking dead, you jerk.” The old cat frowned, and just for a second, Petey recognized a hint of sadness. 

“Poor Grace”, the tabby looked at him confused, the voice of the man in front of him was filled with sorrow. “She must have died of embarrassment knowing she had a criminal for a son!” Fucking idiot! Of course, his father would never feel sad about his mother's death. He was just an irresponsible narcissistic jerk.  

He was ready to punch him, but a little voice stopped him. “Who is that, papa?”

“Li´l Petey! I told you to hide. Why don't you ever listen to me? Go away!” He yelled at the kitten. The kid stepped back, scared, and started to cry. Petey tried to get closer to comfort him, but his father kept talking.

“No fucking way, you had another bastard who will follow the misery of being part of this family. Where is the mother? Did she leave you? I don't blame her. ” Pete laughed. “Don't make a scene in front of the kid, he will be scared”. The cat mimicked a female voice. “That's what your mother used to say. I told her she was just spoiling you. That you will turn out to be nothing but a faggot. And, boy, I was right. I heard a rumor that you became a professional cocksucker.”

Petey covered his ears, trying to hide from the harmful words, from the pain. Li´l Petey kept crying behind him and the horrible comments his father was saying reminded him of the past. Nothing had changed, but now, he didn't have his mother with him. He was alone, to face the abuse all over again.

No.

No, things have changed. He now had a responsibility, it was his time to take care of his child. He wasn't a scared kitten anymore.

The tabby fought his feelings and walked towards his kid. He cradled his child in his chest. “I'm so sorry, baby. I shouldn't have yelled at you. None of this is your fault.” He felt some tears running down his face, how many times had his mother said that to him? And what has he done after her death? Become a criminal under the excuse of helping others. He had hurt people just to satisfy his necessity for vengeance. What a way to remember the kind heart of his mother. 

“And you are doing the same with that kid. Petey, you are going to ruin his life like you did with mine. If you hadn't been born, Grace and I would have lived happily. But you came along and ruined everything like you always do.” He covered Li´l Petey´s ears, just like his mother used to do with him, and kissed his forehead, trying to calm his kitten down. Petey stood there. Then he slowly entered his lab and put Li´l Petey inside 80-HD.

“Activate the soundproof mode.” His kid extended his paws, reaching for his father. But the robot had already closed itself, not allowing any kind of sound to get in or out of it. Grace would hide him inside the closet, no kid should listen to such horrible words. 

His father kept screaming at his back. 

“You have lowered yourself so much, you even let that monster fuck you! Everyone knows that you are so afraid to be in jail that you decided to become his boy toy. Disgusting sodomite!” Pete was pointing at him, filled with anger. But now, Petey didn't see the monster that terrorized his childhood, just a tired old cat with a life as miserable as his. 

Then the tabby turned, facing his father again. “I don't have any money, Pete. Leave. And never come back.” He looked at the old cat with fury, he could feel his tail moving dangerously behind him. 

“So you are letting that beast get his easy way with you, but he doesn't even pay you? Come on. I have met prostitutes with more brains. I know you have money, just give me some and you will never see me again.” His father extended his paw. Petey breathed. He wasn't like Pete. He would not appeal to violence. Not in front of his kid. Not ever. 

“Pete, I am not repeating myself. Leave!” His father looked at him angrily. 

“Last chance, kid.” He threatened. 

“I am not a kid anymore, Pete. Get the fuck out of my house!” Said Petey firmly, pointing at the door. 

“Fine.” The old cat held his hands up. “I'll leave. But, remember, Petey. I gave you a last chance, don't say I am a bad father. There is still a way to make some money out of you. Hope your child doesn't turn out to be a sissy like you.” 

Then, he left, leaving a wreck behind. That was Pete’s charm, being able to always ruin his son’s stability. Petey fell to his knees and began to cry. He heard 80-HD open now that the threat was gone, Li´l Petey ran to his side and hugged him, crying silently with him. 

“I'm so sorry”, kept repeating the tabby under his breath. He tried to wipe his tears, but more and more kept falling. “I- I shouldn't have. You shouldn't have listened to all of that.” The kitten just hugged him tighter. He didn't know how much time he spent there, just crying. Could have been minutes or hours. 

-

The police siren was the only thing that woke him from his state. 

“Petey TheCat, come out with your hands up!” The tabby breathed heavily. Who was he trying to fool? He was a criminal, this would have happened sooner than later. His father was right, if he stayed next to Li´l Petey, he would ruin his life. He kissed his kid's forehead and hugged him tightly, caressing his fur. 

“80-HD, activate emergency mode.” The robot grabbed the kitten and placed him inside his capsule. “Don’t open until Dog Man arrives.”

“Papa!” The kitten tried to push the glass. “Don't leave me, papa!” 

“Li´l Petey, wait for Dog Man, he will take care of you. Don't come out, please.” He held his hands up and walked out of the lab. Two officers took him by the arms and pushed him with force. Petey tried to see if Greg was near, but there was no sign of the cop. Where was he? Why didn’t he text him? 

One of the men that was holding him grabbed his head and pressed it against the ground. “At least he’s not here to watch this,” he thought, but his heart ached. Petey thought it was foolish to feel hurt, but Greg had promised to protect them. Where was he?

More cats started to fill the scene, he could hear them whispering. He heard one of them yelling, “Stop, you are hurting him!”

“You know your crimes, Petey. You will finally pay for all that you have done.” The commissioner walked towards him and grabbed his chin. “Are you ready to spend your seven lives in jail?”

The tabby lowered his head. Whatever, maybe scum like him deserved this kind of destiny. He had promised his mother to be a better person, but he failed. Like every single time. The old man punched him in the face. “You embarrassed the police force enough. Be a good kitty, and let us use you as an example for other criminals like you.”

He heard the cats around him gasp, then he recognized a voice. A black cat ran to his side and punched one of the cops in the face. Petey barely looked at him. 

“Let him go! Petey!” Tippy tried to get near him. 

“Arrest any cat that tries to help him.” Said the commissioner with a threatening voice. He heard other officers punching his friend. Why? Why do they keep fighting for him? He didn't deserve it. Other cats started screaming, defending him. Soon, it became a fight between cats and cops. The felines scratched, and the humans used their batons. 

“We are tired of cops!” He saw his friends, and his community, being punched, kicked, and pushed like they were nothing.

“Get out of our district!” Again. 

“Let Petey go!” Over and over again. 

But Petey couldn't move. He heard the screams, the pain. Why? Why do people keep fighting? 

The commissioner grabbed him by the arm and made him stand up. Petey felt another punch in his face, a little stream of blood coming out of his nose. “Tell them to stop!”

He didn't answer, he was just so tired. The tabby looked at the old man, defiant. What could they take from him that he hasn't lost already? He had lost his mother, his father was disgusted by him, and his friends were being brutally beaten because of him. 

But Li’l Petey was safe. He would grow up with Greg as his father and would become the greatest cop ever. The kitten would publish his comics and everyone would love his stories. 

He just wished he could have had the chance to see it.

“You, motherfucker. Cats of this filthy district!” The commissioner yelled. “Look at your leader, he is nothing more than a coward, a criminal, and a monster. How could you follow him? Just because he has shown to be more intelligent than all of you, disgusting creatures! This is what is going to happen to all of you. You will all rot in jail! And this world will be finally free of such horrendous beasts.” Then, the man punched him in the stomach. Petey fell to his knees, trying to catch his breath. 

“Fight, Petey!” He heard. He wanted to tell everyone to leave him, to save themselves. Why are they still worried about him? “Get up!”

He couldn't. He can't. He is just a coward. He saw Tippy, Whiskers, and Big Jim looking at him, all tied up. He couldn't even protect his friends. The commissioner was about to kick him, but Petey would not be able to handle it, the pain was already unbearable. But then he heard a loud bark and a high-pitched “No!”

When he turned to look at the commissioner, he saw the most heartbreaking scene he could have ever imagined. His kitten had jumped and scratched the eye of the man. Time stopped at that moment. He saw the little paws filled with blood. Just like his when he had tried to protect his mother. 

“Shit! You disgusting parasite!” Screamed the commissioner. “Grab the kid!”

No. 

They can take him, ruin his life, or kill him. But not his baby, they would not take his sunshine away. He grabbed his kitten in his arms and pushed the commissioner with all his might. He heard barking behind him, but he couldn't get distracted. Li´l Petey´s safety was first. So he ran, he ran until his lungs ached for the lack of air.  

Petey wanted to be as far away from the world as possible. 

-

He heard the cops following him, it wouldn’t take long before they caught them. A distant shot made him run faster. He prayed that nobody was hurt. The closest hideout was about two blocks away, and he was too tired to keep running. When he was about to turn, a young cat waved at him.

It was Leslie, his friend at the daycare. He entered the place, and the girl quickly closed the door behind her. They listened as the officers passed in front of the building. Petey held his baby tightly, Li’l Petey had stopped crying long ago but was too scared to look up from his father’s chest. 

“You can’t stay here for too long, they will start raiding the district in the night.” Said the gray cat. The tabby just kept staring at the door, caressing his kid’s fur. “Petey!”

The tabby looked at her and remained silent. Leslie gasped and covered her mouth. “What have they done to you?” He could feel the dry blood in his face, his ears flat against his skull. In his chest, there was also dry blood, but he didn't know if it was from his nose or the commissioner. 

The girl tried to get closer, but Petey hissed. He knew she wouldn't harm them, but he was not rationally thinking. His mind had changed to survival mode, the only thought he had was to protect his kitten. No one could get near Li´l Petey. Leslie stepped back, but she knew what to do. It wasn't the first time she saw a cat acting like that. She had the misfortune to encounter countless mothers whose primitive instinct to protect their babies had made them act feral. 

“Petey, you know I do not want to harm you or your baby. But you have to let me help, I have to make sure you are not hurt.” She got closer again, and, this time, Petey let her sit next to him. “Can I see how is Li´l Petey?”

The tabby frowned but released a little his thigh grip. The kitten saw Leslie and began to cry again. “I didn't want to do that. I just wanted to protect my papa. I am not a bad kid”. Little sobs escaped his mouth, the kid buried his face against his father's chest. Petey still couldn't talk, his mind just had one thought: “Protect”. 

The tabby caressed the fur of his child and began grooming him tenderly, licking the tears and the dirt from his face. Leslie nodded and decided to go grab some supplies for the cats. Petey kept taking care of the kitten, cleaning every single spot he could. After a couple of minutes, the kitten started to relax. 

“Here, I packed some clothes, water bottles, and cookies for you. You have to look for shelter outside the district, you know how the police will act in a couple of hours. No one would be able to help you, even if we wanted to. They will look for you even under the rocks.” This wasn't the first time something like that had happened, when Petey was a child cops used to raid the district constantly, blaming cats for crimes they hadn't committed. 

But, since Petey had started to scare them and become a leader, the officers didn't dare to get closer anymore. Until Greg crossed his path. When he thought of the hybrid, his heart ached. Why hasn't he been there? Did he betray him? Did he collaborate with the commissioner to capture him? Maybe it was all a lie, the past months, the tender words, the way Greg held him when they hugged… 

He must go to the city, and wait until he can reach Tippy or Big Jim. Then get a ticket out of there. Forget everything. Start anew.

“Papa? What will happen with Uncle Jim, Uncle Tippy, and Uncle Whiskers? The cops caught them too!” Petey looked down, he still couldn't talk. At least he was starting to get more conscious. “And what about Dog Man! When he barked, 80-HD opened, and I saw him trying to reach you. Do you think they hurt him too?”

The tabby kept looking at his son. Was what he was saying true? Had Greg tried to help him? He shook his head, erasing the little hope that sparked. Leslie was right, the district would become chaos in a couple of hours. He needed a place where Li´l Petey could be safe, and he also needed answers. 

“Thanks, Leslie.” His voice was brittle. “I have a place in mind.”

-

They waited until the sun hid. Petey clothed himself and his son to go unnoticed and be able to leave the district. The tabby thanked the girl before leaving. He barely remembered the way to their destination, but he had to try. At least Li´l Petey would be safe there. Greg had trusted him once, he had to do the same. 

The district was not closed, yet, so they had a chance to escape without getting caught. They passed the river and the bridge. The kitten was asleep in his father's arms, tired of all the emotions of the day. When Petey finally recognized the small house, he shivered. What if Greg betrayed him? Leslie had packed him a gun, just in case. Could he shoot if he felt they were in danger? The tabby sighed nervously. 

He had to do it, for Li´l Petey, for him. He approached the door and stood there for a couple of minutes, the kitten moved in his sleep, probably from the cold. He knocked, three times, and waited. His tail dragged behind him, showing his anxiety. He heard someone running behind the door and then, Greg opened it, panting heavily. 

Before the cat could react, the hybrid hugged him tightly (but careful not to hurt the kid). Petey stood there, he wanted to scratch him, bite him, or punch him. He wanted to hiss and tell him to fuck off, to recriminate his absence, his protection. But his heart was more honest, and he cried. He fell to his knees, grabbing his kid in his chest. The cop had fallen with him.

They stood at the entrance, hugging each other. Greg caressed the cat's back, trying to comfort him. Li´l Petey woke up but decided to not move. He wanted to enjoy the feeling of protection a little more. 

“Where were you? You promised - You promised that you would protect us, but you weren't there. Why, Greg? Where were you? Why did you leave me?” Petey started to punch the cop's chest, lightly. “I was so scared, Greg!” He kept crying. “What if they have hurt my baby?”

The cop just kept hugging him. After the cat's sobs had reduced, Greg finally separated, showing Petey his face full of tears. The hybrid howled sadly before licking his face, and slowly, small whimpers escaped from his throat. 

“What happened, Greg? I need you to explain to me. Please.” The tabby's voice broken from all the crying. The cop nodded, he didn't want to break the contact, so he grabbed the cat's hand, leading him inside the house. He took Li´l Petey from his arms and accommodated the kid in his. Everything was a mess, Petey noticed that the books were on the floor, and some dishes were broken. 

All the furniture was out of their place. The only things that remained intact were the frames that held the drawings Li´l Petey used to put in his lunchbox every day.  He turned to look at Greg, his uniform a complete wreck. 

He wasn't wearing his gloves, and his sleeves were rolled up, showing part of his arms, his usually flawless shirt was unbuttoned. His head's fur was disheveled like he had grabbed it with force. Petey could almost imagine the panic attack the hybrid must have had, not knowing where they were or if they were hurt. The cop dropped his hand and signed. 

“I'll put Li´l Petey to sleep. Go take a shower. I'll write everything.” Petey doubted, his mind still nervous and filled with dangerous possibilities. “Trust me, please.” The cat nodded. They went upstairs, and Greg pointed at his room. He saw the cop putting the kid in the bed, tucking him.

He closed the bathroom door, and showered, trying to avoid looking at the small drops of blood that were on the sink. After fifteen minutes, he finally went into the room again. He saw that a sweater and a towel were folded on top of the bed. Petey dried and put on the clothes, it was a very cold night. He checked his kid was asleep before heading out. 

The living room was cleaner, the books were back in their place and the furniture had been accommodated. Greg was sitting on the couch, holding a piece of paper. The tabby sat down, at a considerable distance. The cop extended his hand, not daring to look up. 

“The commissioner had everything planned. He tricked me. Someone had given information about you last week but wanted the police to double the reward for your location. I don't know who could have done such a horrendous thing if I ever caught them…” Something was crossed there. Of course, there was someone evil enough to snitch on Petey. His father had told him that there was a way to make money out of him. That asshole. He kept reading.

“My coworkers locked me inside my boss's office. They said I got too sensitive with cats, and that I had forgotten who was my owner. I broke the door to escape. When I arrived, they had already harmed you and everything was chaos. I barked, trying to tell them to stop, that's when I saw Li´l Petey running out of the lab and attacking the commissioner. Then you escaped. I was so scared, nobody knew anything about you. I helped as many cats as I could. Jim, Tippy, and Whiskers were able to escape. Chief told me I wouldn't work in the district anymore. They transferred me to the city. When I arrived, all I could think was you, if you were okay, if Li´l Petey was fine. I am so sorry for…” There was more stuff written there, but Petey didn't want to read them anymore.

He decided to do the most irrational thing, the one thing his heart craved (and feared) the most. He trusted Greg.  His question had been answered, he had not betrayed him. 

The cat got closer to the cop, who was still looking at the floor. He hugged him, slowly sitting in his lap, nuzzling his neck. Just for this night, he didn't want to think of his feelings or the implications of the closeness. He just wanted to feel safe, and the best place for that was in his arms. 

“Thanks”, he whispered. Greg grabbed him by the waist and hugged him tighter. “You tried, Greg. Thank you so much.” The cop nodded. “Can Li´l Petey stay until I fix this mess? I'll make sure to leave in the morning.” The hybrid shook his head and broke the hug. “Greg, I can't stay. I will put you in danger.” 

The cop hid his face in the tabby's shoulder, hugging him again. Petey wanted to fight, but he knew he wanted to stay, to feel protected, to be near Greg. “You have to promise to tell me everything that happens outside, I have to know if my friends and the cats are fine.” The hybrid nodded. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes, the feline's tail had made its way around the officer's waist. 

“I have to call the guys”, Greg didn't let him go. “Come on, big guy. You know they are worried too.” The cop whined, and Petey chuckled lightly. He wouldn't admit it, but he loved it when the hybrid was overly physically affectionate. “Do you still have the communicator I gave you? I can reach them through that.” The cop nodded, pointing with his muzzle at one of the bookshelves. He wanted to get up, but the strong grip at his waist didn't let him. “Let's go, doggy. I won't leave again.”

They held hands to take just a few steps, Greg didn't want to separate and Petey understood the feeling. He turned the communicator on and waited until someone answered, it was Whiskers. 

“Petey?” Asked the cat doubtfully. 

“Whiskers, I am fine, tell everyone that I escaped with Li´l Petey safely.” He heard people talking on the other side. “I am at Dog Man's house, tell Tippy and Jim to locate this communicator and find me. Try to keep the calm at the district until I give you orders.” 

Whiskers sighed in relief. “Yes, P. Be careful, things are not looking good.”

The communication broke, he knew the cops wouldn't be able to break the security system but, still, he wanted to see his friends and talk to them face to face. He turned and smiled at Greg, their fingers still intertwined. “I think, it would be better to go to sleep.” He said, heading to the couch, but the cop pulled him and went upstairs. They went into the hybrid's room. 

Li´l Petey was there, sleeping calmly. The cop signed, “Together.” Petey chuckled lightly and nodded, he made sure to put the kid in the middle. Greg lay down on the other side of the bed, looking with adoring eyes at his family. 

“Goodnight, Greg.”

Chapter Text

He watched Petey sleep for a few minutes. Even if the cat had tried to stay awake, his body was exhausted from all the emotions, he had fallen asleep in a matter of seconds. His face still had the trails of his tears, and his cheek was swollen from the punch the commissioner had given him. Greg caressed his fur, careful not to wake him or bother Li´l Petey who was sleeping between them. The kitten was hugging his father tightly, and Petey was holding him close to his chest. 

His mattress was not big enough, if he wanted them to stay, he would have to buy a bed for the kid. But, for now, it was fine, there was no way in heaven he would separate from the tabbies again. Greg hugged them and sighed blissfully when he was able to hear their breaths. 

Greg whined lightly, thinking about the pain his family had to endure in the past hours. The anger, despair, and sadness he went through meant nothing. He remembered how his coworkers locked him in the commissioner's office, how he heard them plan everything behind the door. The awful things they said about him, about Petey. He shook his head, trying to forget all those harmful words. 

Jake had told him everything when Greg broke the door and punched him in the face. His coworkers had run away from him, but he couldn't care less. He remembered what Petey had told him, to be proud of his capabilities. He growled with all his might and barked ferociously. The other cops gave him the keys to one of the cars and explained in detail to him what the commissioner's plan was while shivering and asking for mercy. 

He had driven as fast as he could, and when he saw the fight between cats and cops, he ran to stop them. Then, he saw him. Petey was there, in the middle, his face full of blood, his eyes filled with tears, but his gaze lost and hopeless. Greg swore that even if it was the last thing he did, the tabby would never have that look in his eyes again. The genius he had admired for so long, the criminal he had fought, and the person who he was slowly falling in love with had never looked so defeated. 

He remembered the commissioner aiming to kick Petey, how he had barked and ran, but before he could reach them, Li´l Petey had jumped and scratched the man's face. Then, the tabby grabbed his kid and escaped. He tried to catch them, but the cats started to attack again, and the cops couldn't react in time. In a couple of minutes, all the arrested were free and punching any officer they saw. 

Greg had to stop them before they ended up killing each other, he saw some cops already pulling their guns out. So he shot to the sky, that was his first time using his gun. Everyone looked at him. He barked at Big Jim, who understood without needing any words. He shouted at the cats to escape. They ran away, Tippy thanked him before helping the ones that were hurt. 

The commissioner punched him in the snout and yelled at him. He had called him useless and a treacherous monster, maybe a few months before he would have whined and stepped back. But not now, not when his family was in danger. He looked everywhere he could, no one knew where they were. 

Greg panicked. He felt scared and lost. He ran through every alley and visited every place he knew, but most people had closed their stores or buildings. What if they had caught Petey and Li´l Petey? What if he had lost them? It would have been the second time he had lost his family without the chance to even say goodbye or do something. When he arrived home, he destroyed everything that was near him. Just how stupid and useless he had to be? 

First, he hadn't been able to protect Knight, the man who had taken care of him since he was a puppy. Now, the new family he had found, the cats that were able to make him want to live another day, were gone. Petey was probably hurt, and the kitten must have been so scared. He was nothing but an incompetent asshole. The only responsibility he had was to take care of them, to protect them, and he had miserably failed. 

Greg felt Petey move, he realized he had been breathing too fast again, probably making him uncomfortable. He relaxed when he felt the cat's tail move around his waist. His neck itched from all the recent scratches he had inflicted on himself. But that was something to worry about later, now he had everything he needed around his arms. 

-

Greg heard footsteps on the first floor. He stood up quickly, ready to fight. When he looked around, he only found Li´l Petey next to him, completely asleep. There was no sign of Petey. He ran down the stairs, skipping one or two on his way, almost falling. He checked every room, but there was no sign of the tabby.

Greg's breath started to get faster, his heartbeat speeding. Petey must have left while he was sleeping. Or maybe he had been so uncomfortable with him, that he had decided to leave. But without Li´l Petey? No, that is impossible. Maybe he just left to buy some stuff. But it would be dangerous if he went all by himself. 

“Hey.” He looked to the couch, there remained the fragile figure of Petey sitting motionless, looking at no specific point. The cat was still wearing his sweater and was holding a cup between his paws. The feline turned to look at him, his eyes lacking all the shine they used to have before. Everything seemed so surreal as if the cat in front of him was someone he had never met. “Sorry.” 

Greg kneeled in front of the cat and hugged him, then he pressed his face to his neck, smelling him. He nuzzled the exposed part of his shoulder, trying to permeate his scent on him. Just like Petey had done a couple of hours ago. 

But the tabby pushed him, and the cop backed off, confused. Had he done something wrong? Had he overstepped? The cat embraced himself and looked away, he put the cup on the coffee table. 

“Greg.” The tabby didn't dare to look at him. Why? He thought it was fine. Greg wanted to reciprocate the affection he had received. He wanted to make the cat feel safe. “Don't you think this…” Petey pointed at Greg, then at himself, he hesitated before asking. He was stuttering. “Don't you think this is kind of inappropriate?”

Inappropriate? Why? They had always hugged and, before, Petey seemed comfortable with the affection. What had happened? Why the cat looked so insecure? He looked at him, confused. The only thing that bothered Greg was the lack of emotion behind the eyes he loved.

“I… I know you think this is something friends do… But, others might misunderstand this kind of affection. You…” What have they done to his Petey? The genius that barely doubted his actions, the confident leader, and those beautiful green eyes that shone with determination were gone. Petey looked so fragile. Greg whimpered, heartbroken. “I don't want you to feel the need to comfort me. I can deal with this. You should keep your affection for… whoever you decide to love in the future. I… I don't deserve this. You know I don't deserve this.”

Greg took a step closer, but Petey moved back, embracing himself. Why was he so scared? He would never hurt him. He wanted to be affectionate to Petey because he liked him. He didn't need someone else, Greg wanted to do this just with the tabby. Things would have been easier if he could talk. He tried to get closer again, but this time slower. Reaching for his hand. 

“I like you, Petey. I want to do this. What happened?” He signed, taking the tabby's hand on his own. He sat next to him and started caressing his fur. 

“Greg, I… What would happen if someone found out I am here? They would take your job, and people would hate you. What would happen if someone found out about us?” Petey didn't label their relationship, but Greg wasn't dumb. He understood the implication, the fears the tabby had. But the cat hadn't moved his hand, so it was progress. “I have to leave. I don't want you to get hurt or to suffer because of me. I don't deserve it. Li´l Petey deserves a father like you, brave, strong, and perfect. Not someone like me, broken. I am going to ruin his life. I think I already did.” 

The feline couldn't hold his feelings anymore and started to sob lightly. “And it won't take much before I ruin your life, too. Greg, you deserve the best things in the whole world. Not to be stuck with a criminal, a useless and dirty sodom-” Petey covered his mouth as if he was afraid to continue to talk. Greg tried to hold him again, first putting one of his arms behind his back. 

Petey kept crying but didn't back away. The cop wondered what had happened, the tabby had never acted this way. He got closer again, licking carefully the tears that kept running. The cat gasped and remained still for a few seconds. Greg hated that, the reaction made him think that the cat was just accepting his affection because he was scared. 

What have they done to Petey? What had happened before he arrived? 

Before he could ask, they heard a loud cry on the second floor. Petey was faster in his reaction, in a second the cat was already running up the stairs. Greg followed him to his room, in his bed Li´l Petey was heavily sobbing, and his father was gently caressing his fur. 

“Papa, where were you?” Petey embraced his child, Greg tried to get closer, but the older tabby looked at him with a threatening look. He stepped back. 

“I am so sorry, sunshine. Did you have a nightmare?” The kitten nodded and looked at the cop. He extended his paw, telling the hybrid to get closer. Greg looked at Petey for approval, and when the cat nodded, he sat next to them, maintaining some distance. 

“Bad people were hurting you and the man who visited us earlier was screaming at you again”, the cop looked at Petey, how his body had shivered when he heard the last part. Who had visited them before the cops arrived? Whoever he was, he must be responsible for the cat's behavior. “I was trapped inside 80-HD and I couldn't help you. Dog Man was not there, but I could hear his barks.” 

“It was just a nightmare, darling.” Petey kissed his forehead, trying to calm down his sobbing. “We are safe now. No one is going to hurt us.” Li´l Petey calmed down and looked at Greg again. 

“Dog Man” The child extended his paw again, inviting him to hug them like they had done before everything happened, when he had promised he would protect them. He doubted getting closer. From what he could tell, Petey was in a feral state. He had read that when a feline experienced a very traumatic experience or confronted a very dangerous situation, they could completely change their behavior. They would not rationally think until they finally felt completely safe or until a doctor gave them tranquilizers. 

Mothers tended to represent most of the documented cases, they would deny separating from their kitten and would stop eating for a while. They would react violently if someone dared to get near them. He looked at Petey again. 

“Can I get closer?” He signed, carefully. The cat's pupils were dilated, his ears flat and his tail was a bit puffed. He saw the doubt, but then, a small nod. Greg hugged them. Li’l began to cry again, burying his face in the cop’s chest. Petey hissed lightly, but when he realized his kitten needed the affection, he pressed his head into the hybrid’s shoulder, also looking for comfort.

The sound of an incoming call made them separate. Greg didn't dare to go pick up, he wanted to be near them, to erase every fear they had. He felt Petey tense again, startled by the sound. But when the cat looked up to him, he seemed more relaxed. 

“Greg,” Petey´s voice was brittle. “Go, it is okay. We will stay here for a bit.” 

He nodded and picked up his cell phone, getting out of the room. 

“Officer Dog Man”, Greg barked, saluting his superior. It was the first time Chief was calling him, only the commissioner used to do that. “I just called you to remind you that you start working at the central station, come as soon as possible. We need you to make a complete report on what happened yesterday.”

That was the last thing he needed to do. He had to stay with his family, Petey was not in the best state of mind and Li´l Petey was still frightened. 

“But first, go to see my wife. Genie is worried you might have gotten hurt during the conflict. We will talk in the hospital.” Greg sighed, he didn't want to go anywhere. He barked. “See you then.” Of course, he hadn't said that, but Chief couldn't comprehend him. He heard the communication break. How could he leave his family? 

“Go, Greg.” When he turned, Petey was leaning on the door frame, looking exhausted. “It would be suspicious if you didn't go to work. And I think we both need some time to think.” The cop whimpered, looking sadly at the floor. “I will not leave, I promise. And…”

Greg looked at him, he saw that the cat seemed more like himself. Not completely relaxed, but at least more rational. “I am so sorry for what I have said before. I am just exhausted. Let's talk later when we are more calm.” He nodded. They stayed there, not daring to move. “Come on, doggy. Get ready to work. The city is waiting for its hero.”

When the cop looked up, Petey gave him a shy smile. His gaze was looking completely focused, maybe not bright or happy, but at least more awake. Greg smiled widely, making Petey chuckle. 

“It's so easy to make you happy”, the cat took a step closer and held his hand. “Thanks, for everything, Greg.” 

-

Greg had tried to make breakfast but failed miserably. He had some bread Petey had given him the day before everything went down. The cat had made some PB&J sandwiches for him and Li´l Petey since it was the only edible thing in the house. The older tabby didn't eat. 

Before leaving, Greg hugged Petey and this time, he reciprocated. The kitten had fallen asleep again. 

When he arrived at the hospital, Chief was already waiting for him. That was weird, he had never been present before, and he just talked to him when it was necessary. They entered one of the rooms, Nurse Lady was there, looking at him concerned. 

“Oh, Greg. I was so worried. Chief told me everything.” The woman hugged him, he looked confused at Chief. What exactly had he told Nurse Lady?

“Dog Man, I think it is time you and I talk. What happened yesterday is just the tip of the iceberg of something more gruesome, and we need your help, to end all of this once and for all.” Greg barked nervously, what were they talking about? 

“What happened?” He signed. Without noticing, he started scratching his neck all over again. 

“Greg, don't do that.” When the nurse got closer, she gasped. “What happened to your neck? Did you do this to yourself? Greg, your therapist has already told you that scratching yourself is just another form of self-harming. Did you have another panic attack?” 

Greg nodded, there was no point in denying it. His neck still ached from the damage that he had inflicted on himself. He still remembered the few drops of blood he left in the bathroom sink. 

“I am going to cure you, but these wounds are deeper. You will have to apply a healing cream every night and change your bandages, at least this week. Chief, you can talk to him while I work.” The woman didn't wait and began the procedure, disinfecting the wounds. 

The man in front of him sighed. “First, Dog Man, I have to apologize. I haven't been the best friend or colleague for the past few months. Knight's death affected me deeply, he was like a little brother to me. When the commissioner decided to… create you, I got really mad. I thought he was disrespecting the life and brave sacrifice of Knight. I never stopped to think how you felt about that. You must have felt so alone.”

Greg listened to him, keeping a neutral expression. It was true, at first, he felt lonely. Knight and Chief used to hang out a lot, Alice and Nurse Lady would spend their afternoons talking and playing with him, and when Dog Man was born, everything he knew was gone. Everyone left him behind. No one stayed by his side. No one visited, even once.

Nurse Lady kept working on the scratches, putting special bandages in the deeper ones. “It took me some time and a lot of Genie's talks to comprehend that this wasn't your fault. You are a victim of what others decided to do with your life. And I am deeply sorry.” Chief hid his face behind his hands. Greg just looked at him. Yes, he had felt alone, but he would never blame him for what he went through. Chief was Knight's best friend, he knew he was a good person. 

“I know you have been helping cats, a few cops have been talking about how much you care about them. And, some of them are spreading the rumor that they have seen you with an orange tabby.” Greg growled lowly, frowning, Nurse Lady stepped back for a moment, knowing that whatever her husband would say would define the reaction of her patient. “I worked hard to hide such gossip, but I want you to be honest with me. Do you know where Petey is? Have you been helping him?”

The hybrid stood up, he would never put his family in danger. He growled louder at Chief, even if he was Knight's best friend, he would never let them harm Petey. 

“Greg, calm down. There is something we need to talk about. Chief will not harm Petey, but you have to trust in him.” The cop felt how the nurse pushed him lightly, to make him sit again. “Just listen to him, please.”

“I am not going to tell you that I forgive Petey, he is responsible for Knight's death and I still think he is a criminal.”  Greg wanted to stand again, tell him that Petey was sorry for what happened and that he hadn't planned to cause such harm. “But, there are worse criminals out there. The Mayor, for instance.”

He looked at Chief confused, what did he mean by that? He barked, asking him to continue. Nurse Lady had finished her work, so she sat down next to her husband. 

“It all started when you arrested Mr. White, looks like he was being protected by the Mayor all this time. When you compromised her to give authority to cats, she got furious. I have never seen a woman like that. She came to my office and threatened me, she said I had to arrest Petey as soon as possible and to get you out of the district, or she would dismiss my charge. Dog Man, you have to know that the Mayor hates cats with all her might.” Chief made a pause, emphasizing his last words. “We began searching for him without the police force of the district knowing, that's when some of my officers saw you walking with Petey and a kitten. Holding his hand.”

Greg backed down, looking with his eyes wide open at Chief. How could he be so careless? He hadn't noticed people were following him. He had been so sure that his coworkers were not going to go on patrol without him knowing that he relaxed. 

“What is your relationship with him? I swear I am not going to tell anyone, that is why Genie is here because I need you to trust in me.” Greg doubted if he could. Chief noticed his uncertainty. “Dog Man, the day of the explosion, Knight told me before entering the operation room, with his last breaths, to take care of you if you survived. I have been failing my friend, but not anymore. If protecting you, means protecting Petey. Then I will do it.”

Greg looked at the floor, feeling a lump forming in his throat. Had Knight said that? Had he worried about him even when he was slowly dying? He felt a tear escape from his eyes, he wiped it fast. He sighed before signing, “Family. Petey and his child. My family.” 

Nurse Lady smiled next to her husband, and Chief nodded, taking the information as calmly as possible. “That is good, Greg. We are happy for you. Then, you need to know this.” The officer got closer, whispering. “First, you must know that someone sold Petey´s information. One of my officers told me it was his father.”

Greg gasped, how could a father do that to their son? Then, he remembered the words of Li´l Petey. Was Petey´s father the man the kitten had talked about? Maybe he was responsible for the state of the tabby. He just knew about Petey´s mother, Grace. The cat had never talked about his dad. 

“Yesterday, they wanted to arrest Petey and use him as an example for other cats, to scare them. If they catch him, Dog Man, Petey is going to receive a death sentence for the murder of Knight.” Greg huffed angrily. If the Mayor were so interested in making justice for Knight, she would not have allowed the commissioner to sew a dog's head in his body in the first place. 

“But the cats began to fight and a kitten, who I assume is Petey´s son, scratched the commissioner. That, Greg, was a big mistake.” The hybrid looked at Chief with disbelief. Li´l Petey had just tried to protect his father, and he was just a kid. How much damage can cause the innocent actions of a child? “I investigated the Mayor. Did you know she has a brother?” Greg shook his head, what did that have to do with what had happened? “You met him once, he is now her bodyguard.”

The hybrid nodded, he remembered the man the day he woke up for the first time as Dog Man. The muscular man with a patch in the eye. 

“See, he was not a bodyguard before. He was a cop, like you and me. When he was beginning to work in the force, he had arrested Petey, back then the cat must not have been older than fifteen. I asked some old officers what had happened that day, they told me the Mayor's brother had pushed Petey´s mother to the ground when she tried to protect her son. Petey reacted and scratched his face, leaving him without an eye. The Mayor hated cats before, but when this happened, she swore to take revenge on every single one of these creatures, especially on Petey. That is why she helped Mr. White all those years, that is why she sent you to the district because she knew you would terrify them. She never expected that you would start a relationship with the criminal that harmed her brother.” Chief chuckled. “Well, actually, no one expected that.” 

“I took care of the commissioner when he arrived at the hospital, he didn't lose an eye but made a huge scandal about it.” Said Nurse Lady, looking worried at Greg. “The Mayor came to visit him, she was furious, Greg. I couldn't hear everything they said, but it seemed that the commissioner was her cousin. She said it was embarrassing that cats had attacked her family twice. That it was time to take revenge, once and for all. She said they had to work on “the plan”, I don't know what they meant, but I know it wasn't good news either. Her bodyguard said the first step would be raiding the district to capture Petey and wait. They would use all the violence they could until he surrendered. But, if that didn't happen, they would take more strict measures.” 

“Dog Man, things at the district are horrible. The commissioner and the Mayor ordered to shoot if necessary. There are no deaths, yet, but I have seen the violence. It is unfair, it is inhuman. We have some time before hell breaks loose. Talk to Petey about this. Greg, this time, we have to help the cats, before it is too late.” Finished Chief. 

When Greg got out of the hospital, he walked down a couple of streets without noticing, holding a bag with some bandages and medicine for his wounds. Chief had told him to take the rest of the day, to find Petey and talk to him. But he couldn't, he knew how sad the cat was. He couldn't put more worries over him. At least not now. 

-

Before heading home, Greg went grocery shopping. He had to make sure to buy everything his family might need. Fruit, vegetables, meat, rice, pasta, everything. He left with about ten bags. Then, he headed to buy a small bed for Li´l Petey, toys, and some decorations for his room. Would Petey want more clothes? The cat had told him once that he didn't wear clothes that often, so he guessed it wasn't necessary. 

But a toolbox was, he could not replace every single thing the cops had taken from his lab. He bought the most complete one he could find. A couple of kitchen supplies like knives, cups, and dishes (to replace the ones he had broken) were the last things he thought were necessary.  He was about to enter his car when he saw a flower shop down the street. 

He used to give random flowers to Petey before when he visited him in the district. This time would be different. Greg entered the place, and an old lady smiled when she saw him. 

“Well, good afternoon, Mr. Dog Man. It is a true pleasure to have you in my shop. Are you looking for something specific?” Greg smiled kindly, he had already written what he wanted on his phone. 

“I want to give flowers to someone special. I heard that each one has a meaning. Could you explain a few to me, please?” The woman nodded while reading. 

“Well, it depends, Mr. Dog Man. How special is this person? There are as many types of flowers and meanings, as there are different types of relationships.” Greg nodded, understanding. He didn't want a bouquet that meant friendship or affection, he wanted to be more specific. 

“Eternal love. Promise. I want to make this person happy forever.” The lady chuckled when she read the words. 

“Oh, what a lucky lady! To catch Ohkay City’s hero must be something only a wonderful woman could do. I think I have an idea, wait here.” The cop simply nodded. Why did people assume it had to be a girl? He waited for a couple of minutes, watching the woman work, grabbing different types of flowers. “Since you seem to want to win the affection of such a special girl, I thought roses were too overrated.”

Before the woman could continue, Greg showed his screen to her again. “Yes, he is very special.”

“Oh,” she looked at him surprised. “Sorry for the mistake. Let me explain the meaning of each flower.” Her voice was not as lively as before. “Pink dahlias mean that you will try to make this person happy forever. The violet ones mean the hope of a lasting and loyal love. Red tulips represent eternal love.” Greg couldn't be happier, it was everything he wanted. 

“I'll take it.” Maybe Petey would not understand everything, but he would make sure to show him what he meant every day for the rest of his life. The lady gave him the flowers without commenting anything else, looking at him weirdly. He left with a wide smile on his face. 

-

He was afraid to get inside the house, what if Petey refused to be close to him? What if the empty look in his eyes was back? He started to take the grocery bags first, slowly. He didn't know how long he had stayed outside, it must have been enough for the tabbies to look for him. 

“Need help?” Said the cat nonchalantly. Greg almost dropped everything to jump into his arms and hug him. Petey seemed more relaxed, but sadness remained in his eyes. “Li´l Petey, take the smaller ones.” The kitten ran to his side, laughing lightly, taking one bag with him. 

“Hi, Dog Man. Can you play the piano tonight? I want to listen to that song you played the last time I stayed here.” The child didn't wait for an answer, he was already walking inside the house. “Oh, I love Pop-Tarts!” 

“He is so happy to be at your place again.” Petey took some bags with him. “I wanted to text you to tell you to buy groceries, but I left my phone at the lab. The cops must have it by now.” Greg looked at him worried. “Don't worry, it only unlocks if you have my or Li´l Petey´s paw print. If they type any password or try to unlock it, all of its contents will be erased. And it will possibly explode, but who knows.”

He looked at the cat in awe, Petey was a real genius. They finished moving all the new stuff inside the house, Li´l Petey was already playing with some toys he had bought. The older tabby was waiting for him, leaning on the door frame. Greg took the bouquet from the passenger seat and walked confidently towards Petey. 

The cat looked at him for a few seconds before getting closer. “You shouldn't have,” he said, but a smile was already forming on his lips, accepting the gift. 

“You always said that. So you must know my answer.” He typed on his phone. 

Petey chuckled. “That I deserve this and more?” Greg nodded happily. “You silly dog, go inside. I'll make dinner.” The tabby stood there admiring the flowers before following him. The cop was heading to his room when he felt a hand grabbing him with force. 

“Wait, what is that on your neck?” Asked Petey, the kitten turned to look at them and walked to his side. 

“Did you get hurt, Dog Man?” He lifted the child in his arms, shaking his head. “Then, why do you have so many bandages? And why are some red? Are you bleeding? Did you go to the hospital?” Li´l Petey was as smart as his father, he guessed. He looked at the child and pondered, how must have been the mother of Li´l Petey? He guessed she wasn't in the picture, but how did Petey feel about that? He had never asked. He had never wondered about the cat's love life. 

“Sunshine, why don't you go play with the new toys Greg has bought for you? I am going to check he is alright. I will make your favorite dish if you do.” Li´l Petey accepted the deal, the cop hugged him before letting him go.  

“Don't think you have saved yourself. Let's go to the bathroom, you will explain everything to me.” Greg nodded, he took the bag of medical supplies and his phone before following the tabby. 

Petey made sure to leave the door slightly open in case his kid needed him. Greg sat down in a chair the tabby had brought with him. The cop showed him what he had written before the cat could start asking questions. “Yesterday, I had a panic attack.  All the stress from the hustle and I didn't have any information about you or Li´l Petey. I went to the hospital this morning, and Nurse Lady cured me. I have to apply the cream that is in the bag for a week and change the bandages. It is just a few scratches.” 

“Greg, your therapist had taught you some ways to deal with your anxiety. I know yesterday was a mess, but you can't keep hurting yourself.” Petey started to take the bandages off to take a look and apply the medicine. The cat hissed when he saw the wounds. “Oh, Greg. These are not just scratches. I cleaned the blood from the sink in the morning. You have to stop doing this, what kind of example are you giving to our child?” 

Greg was about to sign an apology when the last words of the tabby hit him. He grabbed his notebook while Petey took care of the wounds. “OUR CHILD?!”

The tabby read the words and nodded, looking directly at him. “Yes, Greg, you are the only one I would trust to take care of Li’l Petey. You took care of him even when I didn’t. And I know you love that little fur ball as much as I do. You even comforted him when I was in the middle of a feral state. But I have been thinking about this for a while, you know, co-parenting.”

Greg was still letting the words sink. 

“Or maybe it is too much? Oh, I am sorry. Forget it.” Petey stepped back and embraced himself. Greg kept looking at him, feeling the happiness build in his chest. “I… I am sorry. It just slipped. I won't say it again.” Before the cat could keep gambling, he hugged him by the waist, pressing his face against the fur of his stomach, bringing him closer. They stayed like that for a few seconds. 

“Thank you so much. Li´l Petey has always been like a son to me. Thank you, for trusting me. Thank you for staying. For everything. You don't have to be sorry. This is all I've ever wanted.” Petey laughed and kissed his cheek. 

“We will talk with Li´l Petey later, okay? Now, don't move. I have to finish my work here.” The tabby started to put on the new bandages. Greg started typing again, even if he couldn't move his neck while the cat was treating the wounds. 

“Where did you learn how to treat wounds?” Asked Greg, impressed by his skills. 

“My mom used to work at the hospital. Also, cats tend to get hurt when running away from the cops, and I help them when the nurses are not available. I had my share of wounds. I’ve had to deal with my injuries since I was a teenager. Cuts, sprains, twisted ankles, and broken tails, I have learned how to handle all of that.” Greg had so many questions, that he decided to write them all right away, hoping the cat would not feel uncomfortable. When Petey had finished, he handed him the phone. 

“You prepared a questionnaire? Okay, let's see.” The cat sat down next to him, on the bathtub. 

“Was your mom a nurse?”

“Nope, she was part of the cleaning staff. But she learned a few tricks.” Said the cat with a smile. 

“Is that how you hurt your tail? Running from the cops?” Petey stiffened and cleared his throat before answering. 

“No, that… My tail… That happened before, my father stepped on it one time. He did it with such force that, well, he broke the tip of it.” Greg remembered what Chief had told him. Petey´s father had been the one who sold his location, he growled at the thought of the man. “Don't get mad, Greg. I will not see him again, I hope. Let's continue.”

“You can skip this question if it makes you uncomfortable… Can I ask where is Li´l Petey´s mom?” The tabby read the question with a confused look. Then, turned to look at Greg. They stayed face to face for a few seconds before Petey burst into laughter. 

“Oh, yeah, right. We never talked about that. So, one time I was feeling shitty. I got drunk and had too much catnip. And I cloned myself”, said the tabby with a serious face. Greg must have looked at him with a funny expression because Petey started laughing again. “Not the most common way to create a child, but yeah. Li´l Petey is my clone. He does not have a mother. Just me. But sometimes I doubt it, he is too good to be me.” 

Greg grabbed his phone again, writing fast. “You cloned yourself? How is that even possible? So he does not have a mom? And you were consuming drugs?”

Petey laughed again. “You don't know the things that people sell on the internet. And, no, no mother for Li´l P. I've never been with a girl. I don't swing that way.” Then, the feline scratched his chin, nervous. “And I haven't done catnip since then, so don't worry.”

“Swing?” Asked the hybrid, confused for the slang. Petey caressed his head, patting it lightly. 

“I am gay, Greg. I have only dated males.” Said Petey, looking at him with fondness. “Thought it was pretty clear.” In a very flirtatious move, the cat's tail had caressed his chin. Greg felt his heart at full speed, he looked at Petey who was already heading out of the bathroom. “We can continue this talk later, officer. But, first, I have to make dinner.” 

Greg stood there for a couple of seconds, blushing like hell. The look in the tabby's eyes was dangerous, it was not flirty like that time in the alley. It was so intense and honest, the cop had never seen something like that, so passionate. He slapped his cheeks, trying to erase the funny feeling he felt in his stomach. He barked before heading out. Petey’s laugh filled the house with joy. 

-

“Fortunately, you bought a toolbox. I don't know how we would have been able to build Li´l Petey's bed without it. Never thought child furniture was that complicated.” Petey was sitting on the small bed, resting from all the hard work. Greg was putting the small glow-in-the-dark stars on the roof, making sure they were all evenly spread. 

“I can't wait to go to sleep, papa. Look at this bed! It's amazing.” The kitten was bouncing on the mattress. The bed was car-shaped, and Greg knew that the kid (his kid) would love it. He smiled, thinking that he had made his family happy. 

“First time you are so eager to go to sleep.” Petey chuckled. “But I am going to miss hugging you while sleeping, fur ball.” The cat grabbed his child in his arms and hugged him, giving kisses on his cheeks. “You are growing up so fast, what will happen when you leave the nest?”

Petey lay down on the bed, still holding Li´l Petey. The kid was giggling, happy to receive affection from his father. 

“You are going to leave me alone,” the cat said, faking tears. He placed a paw on his forehead dramatically. 

“No, that is not true, papa.” Li´l Petey escaped from the embrace and ran to hug Greg's leg, who was standing on a small stepladder. “You will have Dog Man with you, right? You are together, after all.”

The hybrid tensed and turned to look at Petey. The cat was also looking at him with surprise. Greg finished sticking the last star before going to sit next to them. 

“We are not… Who said that?” The tabby denied it. And it was true, they weren't a couple. They were nothing. And that is what bothered him the most. 

“Teddy's mom said you two were a couple. Leslie said that you will marry one day. Does that make Dog Man my dad too?” Petey looked at the child. 

“Oh, Teddy’s mom always spreads rumors about others. She has been like that since we were kids. Dog Man and I are not dating.” Greg kept looking at them, he wanted to say something. But what? It was true. “But…” Petey looked at Greg, he guessed what he was about to say and nodded with excitement. “We wanted to talk about this later, but, if you feel comfortable with it, sunshine, Greg would love to be a parental figure to you. He loves you deeply and has promised to always take care of you, and-”

Before the tabby could continue, the kitten interrupted. “Awesome! I have two dads, which is one more than the average. And one of them is a supa cop.” Li´l Petey hugged Greg, he licked his son's cheek with tenderness. Petey laughed at the innocence of their kid. “So you are a couple.”

The older tabby shook his head. “No, we are just… Co-parenting?”

But it was going to change soon. Greg got up from the bed with the kitten in his arms and then left him to sit next to him on the floor. They started sorting the toys in a small wooden chest. 

“Why? You like him, he likes you.” Said the kitten. Greg looked at him and barked, trying to distract the child. 

“See, papa? Dog Man… or dad?” The baby tabby asked insecure at first. Greg barked again, happy with the new name. Li´l Petey giggled. “Dad likes you, he just said that.” The hybrid had not said that. Petey looked at him, asking what he had tried to say. If he said Li´l Petey was lying, Petey would get angry. If he said it was true, he would admit his feelings. It is not like he didn't want to, but he had been planning to do it on a more special occasion. 

“It is not good to lie, Li´l Petey.” The kitten looked down, but he would not surrender that easily. He was Petey´s son (and clon) after all. 

“Sorry. He didn't say that. But it's true!” Said the kitten. 

“No, kid. Don't push it.” Answered Petey, putting his paws on each side of his waist, showing his annoyance. 

“It is true!”

“It's not.” 

“IT IS.” The kitten was about to throw a tantrum. Greg got up and took the baby in his arms, he licked his cheek before barking again.  

The kid laughed, then hugged the hybrid. 

“Promise?” A small chuckle was hidden behind the kid's paw. Greg nodded, then made a hush sign. 

“What did he say?” Petey stood up and looked at them confused. “Greg, what did you say?”

“It is a secret between me and Dad , papa. Let's go, I want to play the piano with him.” The kid jumped from the hybrid's arms and ran down the stairs. Petey kept looking at him. 

“What did you say to him? It is the first time he drops a fight so easily, he is way more stubborn than me.” The cat looked at him, waiting for an answer. Greg just shrugged and kissed the cat's cheek. “Oh, so you are not going to tell me?” 

The cop shook his head and started walking to the door. 

“Come on! What did you tell him?” Petey walked behind him. They went down the stairs and Greg was feeling a warm sensation in his chest. He turned, looking at the cat with confidence. 

“Soon.” That was the only word he signed before heading to the piano. The cat looked at him confused. 

Greg sat down, accommodating his kid next to him. He barked, asking him what song he wanted to listen to. Petey leaned on the piano, looking at the flower vase that garnished the instrument. 

“The one you played to me last time! The one from the band of insects.” Greg chuckled before stretching his fingers. Petey was looking at their kid with a questioning look. 

“A band of insects?” Before the kid could answer, he began to play, feeling the music, and enjoying the song. He felt Li´l Petey´s gaze upon him, just like the first time he had played the piano for him. 

When he finished, he looked up to Petey. A tear went down the cat’s cheek, he tried to wipe it, but more came along. 

“Papa, are you okay?” Li´l Petey hugged his father, comforting him. Greg whined, thinking he had made Petey sad. 

“The Beatles, kid. It is not a band of insects, that is just their name.” The tabby took the kitten in his arms and made him sit in his lap. “Remember when I told you about your grandmother?” The kid nodded. “She loved The Beatles. She even had some posters of them. I grew up listening to their songs.”

Greg turned to hug his family, trying to comfort the tabby. After a couple of seconds, Petey turned and kissed his cheek. 

“Thanks, Greg. I didn't remember this song. Could you play it again, please?” The cop nodded happily. He started again, closing his eyes to concentrate. He had learned this song days after he was released from the hospital, he never knew it had lyrics. But, when he heard Petey singing, he knew there would never be a more beautiful performance. 

“There were bells on a hill

But I never heard them ringing

No, I never heard them at all

'Til there was you

There were birds in the sky

But I never saw them winging

No, I never saw them at all

'Til there was you”

Li´l Petey was looking at his papa, who was singing, and caressing his fur. The cat's voice was subtle and throaty, it gave a very melancholic feeling. He must probably be remembering his mother. Greg kept playing. 

“Then there was music

And wonderful roses

They tell me in sweet fragrant meadows

Of dawn and dew

There was love all around

But I never heard it singing

No, I never heard it at all

'Til there was you”

Now, Petey´s voice was happier. When he looked at his side, the cat was looking directly at their son; Li´l Petey was staring at him, too. Both smiled widely, feeling the love from the song. 

Greg kept playing, giving his best interpretation. He knew the song was about to end, so he looked to his side anew, hoping to see the heartwarming scene once again. 

But this time, Petey was looking at him. Singing with his gaze completely locked in his eyes. Greg felt his heart jump in delight, his cheeks burning. He had to finish the song, but those big green eyes were telling him the most wonderful promise. 

Eternal love, forever happiness. 

“'Til there was you”

-

Greg woke up to the sound of Petey´s voice. The cat was murmuring a song while brushing his fur. It looked like the tabby had just groomed himself, some parts were still wet. Last night, after singing a couple of more songs, Li´l Petey decided to use his brand-new bed. The kitten had waited for his parents to read him a story before sleeping peacefully. 

He smiled, this was everything he wanted. His family is safe, by his side. 

“Don't stare at me, you weirdo.” Greg chuckled, Petey turned to see him, also with a shy smile. The cat patted his head gently, rubbing his ears. “It's too early, you can keep sleeping.”

Greg furrowed his brows, he turned to look at the clock that was next to his bed. 5:45 am and Petey was awake. He stretched and sat next to the cat. As far as he knew, cats tended to sleep a lot. Li´l Petey would constantly take naps, but the older tabby no. He barely slept, and his eyes looked way too tired. 

“What's wrong?” Signed Greg, he knew something was bothering Petey. The cat kept brushing his fur. Then he held his tail, rubbing the flat end. 

“I don't know what you are talking about.” Greg lay his head on top of Petey´s lap. Then looked up, trying to convince the other to talk. “Don't look at me that way, Greg. I am just… worried.”

The cat started to rub the hybrid's ears, gently caressing the golden fur. Greg sighed and placed a hand on top of the tabby's thigh to comfort the other. 

“I have this bad feeling, and I tend to be very accurate on this kind of thing. I am worried about the district, about my friends. They had been my only family until you and the fur ball came along. I don't know what is going on there, I can't contact them because I would put them in danger. I tried to use the communicator again, but nobody answered. Nobody says anything on the TV, and I don't have my phone to look at social media. Anyway, all things related to cats must be censored.” Petey kept caressing the fur, making the hybrid feel drowsy. “Are you sure you don't know anything?”

Greg shook his head. He felt guilty about lying, but he was doing it for his family. He was doing it for Petey´s safety, he knew if the cat found out about the violence that was breaking loose, he might try to go and help. “I will fix it, Petey won't have to do anything. I will save them. I will help the cats, protect my family and our future”, he thought. 

He was a hero after all, right? He had failed Petey and their son already, he could not do it again. He had a new body that allowed him to be stronger, and to take care of others. Yes, he still felt insecure. But that didn't matter. His family was first, even if he got hurt, he would protect them. 

Greg felt Petey´s paw run down from his ears to his neck. He stiffened, and the cat kept touching, especially the area of his wound. 

“Did you realize that your fur is growing?” The hybrid looked up, and Petey kept looking at his neck. “Yes, there is a trail of fur that follows your backbone. Could it be possible?”

Greg stood up, ashamed. He grabbed a jacket that was in the closet and covered himself, whining. He was embracing himself, trying not to look at Petey. 

“Shit, I am so sorry, Greg. Did I make you uncomfortable?” The cat stood by his side, the hybrid tried to step back. The cat looked at him confused. “I… I won't get closer. I think it would be better if I go out.”

But Greg didn't want to be alone now, so he grabbed the tabby's paw.  He whined, asking for comfort. The cat got closer and held his hand. 

“Greg, I didn't mean to say that as something bad. I just… thought it was interesting. You know, sometimes when there is an organ transplant, the cells of the body of the receiver work to make the new organ fit. Changing genetic patterns.” The hybrid looked at the cat confused. Petey led him to the bed again, making him sit. “What I am trying to say is that your body is adapting to your canine genetics. Maybe that is why you have so much stamina and you still can't eat chocolate.” 

Was he? He didn't know why, but that simple fact scared him and made him happy in the same amount. On one hand, this was Knight's body, the last remaining of his best friend. And he was changing it, he was transforming it (or adapting, as Petey said). Would he turn into a dog again? No, that was impossible, but how much would his body change? What was next? Was he disrespecting his friend's memory?

He had come to terms with Knight's death, he had forgiven Petey. The only thing that was troubling him was the awkwardness he felt in his own body. Could it be possible? He had to make sure before getting excited. Even if he hated to, he had to look for himself. 

He ran to the bathroom, he heard the tabby call his name. When he finally stood in front of the mirror, Greg took his pajama top and stared at his reflection. 

“Greg, don't run like that. Woah, sorry!” Petey covered his eyes with one paw and turned. Greg chuckled lightly, but then a smile spread on his face. He had spent so much time avoiding looking at himself, at his own body, that he hadn't noticed. It was true, the fur of his head was starting to grow in his backbone. 

He looked at his arms, they had more hair than before, but it wasn't dark brown like Knight's, it was blonde like his fur. There was also more hair on his chest. Golden was everywhere, and very light brown was here and there. It was scary to think of the changes, but he could not deny the emotion. The body he hated, for so much time, was fading. The hybrid he saw in the mirror was him. 

It was Greg. It was Dog Man. Both, finally, together. Knight was truly gone, resting in peace. 

He howled joyfully and turned to hug Petey. Then, he started to lick his cheek. 

“Greg, slow down. What happened? You will wake up Li´l Petey.” But the cop could not care less. He started spinning with Petey in his arms. The cat gasped surprised at first, but, then, he began to laugh. “I don't know what's gotten into you. But, okay, I guess?” 

“What is happening?” Li´l Petey was standing at the door, still looking sleepy. “Papa? Dad?”

Greg left Petey gently on the ground and started licking his son's cheek. The kitten giggled and hugged him. 

Yes, this was everything he wanted. 

-

Greg felt happy, really joyful. He was ready to spend the rest of his days with a smile on his face. The days passed, and he had not received any news of the district. At night, he played the piano and Petey sang with delight. Even if the older tabby kept repeating the name of the band, Li´l Petey said that a band of bugs was funnier. 

A week had passed since the conflict, and Greg guessed things would start to slowly be left in the past. There were no calls, no reports, nothing. Maybe Chief had overreacted. That morning, he had a wonderful breakfast, enjoyed his shower like he had never, and even had time to play with his kid. 

Before leaving for work, he had hugged and kissed Petey´s cheek, making the cat chuckle and get flustered. Perhaps it was time to confess his feelings, to ask the tabby for a more formal relationship. Yes, he would buy a huge bouquet, prepare a nice and romantic dinner with the help of Li´l Petey and he will ask him to be his boyfriend. 

He opened the door of the station with a wide smile on his face, expecting to just sit at his desk. But he encountered his coworkers getting ready to leave. 

“Dog Man, you finally arrive. We have to leave, a group of cats was shot to death last night by one of the officers at the district.” Chief was moving fast, giving orders to everyone at the station. Greg stood there for a couple of seconds before moving to his desk and preparing himself. He grabbed his gun and jacket, ready to leave. 

“Have you…” Chief got closer, pulling him to a corner of the room. The other cops were already leaving. “Have you contacted Petey? We need him for this fight, Dog Man.” 

Greg shook his head. He couldn't. He just couldn't bring more worries to Petey. He will fix everything. Chief sighed. 

“Okay, but we have to go fast before cats get to know about this.” They ran inside the patrol cars and drove to the district. Greg had not been there for a week and everything was already destroyed. No cat was outside their houses, a haunting silence filled the deserted streets. Every store and building was closed. 

When they arrived at the crime scene, the commissioner was already there, whispering to one of his officers. Greg growled and Chief got closer, saluting the man. The shooting had occurred almost at the end of the district, where not so many cats used to go. It had happened in the early morning, according to the report. 

“Make sure to clean this mess, super cop.” Said the commissioner, patting his arm. The floor was filled with blood, splattered in very weird shapes. Greg got closer to the bodies, noticing they were conveniently placed. He had seen shot bodies before, and these seemed unusual. As if they had been shot after they were dead. 

He got closer, sniffing.

“Dog Man, enough of sniffing the bodies. You could contaminate them. Help Chief and the morgue team.” Greg didn't step back. The commissioner grunted, trying to grab him by the shoulder. But he was faster. There was a smell he recognized, and he got closer again. Yes, there it was. A mild scent of formaldehyde. But these bodies had not been at the morgue before. “Dog Man, enough!” 

He kept smelling, moving from the head to the paws. He stopped there, sniffing the scent of old blood. Why would they have blood in their paws? Greg barked. 

“Dog Man, what is it?” Greg knew something was wrong. 

“Fucking dog. Do as you please! It is not like you can do anything now.” The commissioner left, Greg wanted to follow, but there was something more important. 

“Gloves”, he signed. Chief understood and handed him a pair. The hybrid got closer, sniffing one of the cadavers again. He did not see any wound, but the scent of blood and metal bothered him. He grabbed the cat's paw, the victim was an adult tuxedo cat. He recognized him, it was Mr. Oli, the owner of the grocery store. He whined lightly. 

He examined it for a couple of seconds but didn't notice anything. Then he remembered, cats hide their claws most of the time. If he pressed the center of the paw, he would be able to see them. Maybe they held the blood or some sort of DNA of the one who had harmed them. Greg pressed lightly.

He began to bark with fury, showing his fangs. 

“Hey, what's wrong, Dog Man?” Chief got closer and gasped when he saw what Greg was showing him. 

Declawed. The cats had been violently declawed before dying. 

Chapter Text

A week after the conflict, Tippy and Jim were able to find Dog Man's house. That morning, Petey had woken up with a sour taste in his mouth. Greg had been in a wonderful mood since he realized his body had been adapting to his canine genes. And Li´l Petey had been enjoying the love and attention from both. So why bother them with his worries?

The cop had left late that morning, running with his lunchbox in one hand and his coat, in the other. He had kissed his cheek and licked their son's fur before leaving. Petey would lie if he said he wasn't enjoying the domestic routine. Maybe he could ask Greg for a computer so he can begin working remotely in a company, coding behind a fake name. He had done that before, and it had worked. 

He was just about to shower Li´l Petey, talking about a cartoon his kid had seen last night, when he heard someone sneaking through the back door. A loud thump made him jump, whoever was sneaking was surely not light-weighted. He hid the baby tabby under the covers and locked the kid's room, he grabbed the gun Leslie had given to him (actually, he had not told Greg about that, he would do it later). He went down the stairs as slowly as possible, trying to make no sound. 

A noise came through the kitchen. He took a few steps more and, quickly, he stood at the door and aimed. The black cat in front of him reacted, pulling his gun. They looked at each other for a couple of seconds, before laughing.

“You are not very subtle, you know? Li´l P already knew someone was coming through the back door before you even entered.” Petey put down his weapon and got closer, Tippy did too and hugged him. 

“Yeah, sorry, Big Jim smelled the ham and got hungry.” The purple cat was eating a sandwich filled with ham and cheese, the sweet glaze staining his fingers. 

“Sorry, it smelled great.” Petey gave him a napkin and hugged him too. When the purple cat was about to reciprocate the affection, Petey hissed. 

“Don't you dare touch me with your fingers all covered in ham glaze.” Jim laughed and held his hands up. 

“Sorry, bro. It is good to see you too.” Petey laughed. 

“It is so good to see you guys, how is everything going? I haven't heard anything about the district these days and…” The happy expressions vanished. The tabby frowned, worried. “That was not good news, I assume.” The room was filled with tense silence. 

“It is almost impossible to get out of the district, Petey. The cops raided every single house, building, or store. I… I don't even know how many are arrested. We just know that every single day, one of the guys disappears. Petey, I don't think they are going to stop this time. They want your head.” Said Tippy, sitting in one of the chairs. Jim had left his sandwich on the countertop, getting ready to participate in the conversation. 

“Petey, they even gave the order to shoot if any cat tries to defend themselves. We have started to act according to emergency plan B-4.” Big Jim sat next to him, speaking with a gloomy voice (something that didn't happen quite often, since the purple cat's personality was very much all positivity and sunshine). Petey gasped, surprised they had to appeal to the underground tunnels of the lab to protect the cat families.  “We are hiding as many families as we can, but the food is scarce. The cops closed Cat Houses, we can't get anything from them.”

“What about the orphans and the babies at the daycare?” Asked Petey worried. “Are they still there?”

“They are safe, for now. We had to hide them in the bunker, they all have the bracelets you build so we know they are healthy. Leslie and Mrs. Richards are taking care of them. We activated the security system over the district, so we know their movements while they are in the district, but when they step outside of it, we don't know what they do with the prisoners.” Tippy explained. The black cat sulked in his chair, rubbing the hole in his ear without noticing. “It's funny, I told you once that you were too paranoid. Guess all your sleepless nights made a difference.” 

Petey had worked on these “emergency plans” since Grace died. His mother had told him once that cats didn't have anywhere to go if cops started to attack the district violently. And, not many felines were welcomed in the city, not unless they were born there. That is why he had started building the tunnels and the bunker, he had prepared everything down there, just in case. Water bottles, cans of food, medicine, and clothes. 

The sheltered cats would have everything they needed, for a while. He had estimated that if every single cat in the district was down there, the supplies would last three months. He sighed heavily, massaging his temples. They had to do something as soon as possible. Either the cops find the tunnels trying to arrest Petey or they attack and finally rebel against them. 

“So we are not attacking yet, right?” Asked Petey. 

“No cat wanted to do anything until we were sure you were safe.” Said Jim with a shy smile, trying to comfort his friend. “We were worried, Petey. You mean a lot to the district.”

He nodded, letting the words sink in. How could they still trust him? He had failed them. He had always preached about never giving up, about fighting against violence and discrimination. And what had he done? He had given up, leaving them alone. 

“You did a great job. What about Whiskers?” Tippy looked at him nervously. Jim's tail moved anxiously. 

“He… Look, there is no easy way to say this. Whiskers was in charge of guiding cats to the tunnels. One night, he told us the police were following him, so he decided to distract them. The last thing we knew was that he got shot in the leg.” The black cat said with a gloomy look. 

Petey remained in silence, looking at the tiles on the floor. He could not disappoint them again. Not Whiskers, who had been his friend since he was a kitten. Not the district that raised him. He had promised them a life where humans wouldn't bother them. And he was going to be true to his word. 

“Start with plan A-35. We gonna make those assholes pay. Make sure every single cat that can fight, gets ready. We have had enough of their bullshit-” Before Petey could keep talking, a small voice caught their attention. 

“Papa? Are you okay? Is that Uncle Jim?” Petey looked up and chuckled. 

“Yes, sunshine. It is just your uncles paying a visit. I'll go up in a second!” He yelled. “Li´l Petey hid in his room in case you were cops. I am sure he will be very happy to see you. Greg must be here around 6 p.m., so we have plenty of time to talk.” The cats nodded, understanding the conversation had to wait. 

“Oh, Petey. We were able to save some stuff from your lab before the cops took everything.” Jim went outside, and three big boxes were in front of the backdoor. The tabby got closer to one, he saw the parts of 80-HD. “They thought it didn't work, so they just tore it to pieces and left it on the streets.” 

Petey beamed, now his kid would have something to play with. The kitten had been asking for the robot and wasn't sure he could build it again without his blueprints. He looked inside the next box and remained still for a couple of seconds before taking out an old ukulele. He hugged it before turning to face his friends. 

“How did you find it? I thought it was lost.” Said the tabby, looking at them, feeling some tears forming in his eyes.

“Jim found it in the bunker, you must have put it there to protect it. Some kids were playing with it, we thought it would be better for you to have it.” Petey couldn't remember, maybe he did it after a long night of work. 

“Thanks”, such a simple word, could not express how grateful he felt. 

-

“Papa, can I play with 80-HD?” Li´l Petey said, jumping excitedly. “Can I borrow your toolbox?” 

“Yes, sure, kiddo, " answered Petey, but his son didn't hear him. He was already working on the robot, selecting the tools he would need. 

“Are you sure that's safe?” Asked Tippy, worried that his nephew would get hurt with all the metal scarps and screwdrivers. 

“Meh, he is just like me.” The tabby thought for a second. “Well, he is me. You know how I used to be around that age, building weird gadgets and small robots that would explode. That's the charm of childhood!”  

They all laughed, remembering the old times. They had already eaten lunch, and now were sunbathing in the backyard, stretching their limbs lazily. Petey was looking at the leaves of the few trees that were there. He had always dreamed of having a house like that. Far away from everyone, just nature and his friends beside him. 

He always thought the concept of forming a family was foreign to him. Who would love him anyway? Who would stay by his side? Is there anyone stupid enough to marry him? To have a child with him? Nah. But now, he had a (unconventionally created) son and a (not labeled yet wonderful) relationship with a hybrid cop. Weird, huh?

He has to fight for them. Being in a feral state had taught him some stuff. First, everything can change in a second. His wonderful domestic life could end in just the blink of an eye, he had to protect it at any cost. Second, Li´l Petey would always be in danger for his mistakes if he didn't make a change. And, finally, he was irrevocably and helplessly in love with Greg. 

“Well, fuck.” Murmured Petey, giggling a little for what he had just thought. What was he? A teenager with a silly crush?

“What?” Tippy said with a very drowsy voice. “Shut up, Petey. I am trying to sleep.” 

“No, get up, lazy ass. We have some cop's ass to kick.” Jim was sleeping on the grass, snoring gently. “Jim, get up. I have a plan.” 

The purple cat stretched and turned to his side, ignoring the tabby. 

“Big Jim, I am not repeating myself.” Petey placed his paws on each side of his hips like he used to when they were teenagers. Jim did not waste any other second and got up to his feet. “I am going to bring a notebook, I need to explain some stuff to you.”

The tabby entered the house and checked on his son, who was working on the orange robot in the living room. 

“Try not to spill oil on the carpet, sunshine, or you'll have to clean it.” Petey got closer, the kitten concentrated while tightening some screws on the small screen of the robot. “Oh, you changed the motherboard? Are you planning on coding differently?” He looked inside the capsule and whistled, surprised. “You added solar panels?” Then, when he got a closer look at the robot, he asked with a worried tone. “Where are the missiles Li´l Petey?” 

“I took ´em off,” answered the kid nonchalantly. “I have a new vision of 80-HD. Papa, why create robots that follow all your orders? They should also be able to choose!” Petey thought about it for a second. 

“Don't you think that can be dangerous? What if he turns out to be evil? Or what if he harms others?” Asked Petey, curious about the idea the kid had. 

“80-HD won't do that, he is my friend! And, he would have the ability to choose his path.” Petey laughed, he guessed some innocence wouldn't hurt. “And the missiles are in the box, that would be dangerous.” 

“Oh, so giving robots free will is not dangerous, but programmed missiles are.” The kitten giggled before returning to his work. Petey took a notebook and a pen before heading out. 

Tippy and Jim were drowsing again, he could not blame them. The warm sensation of the backyard used to make him nap every single afternoon. Maybe he could convince Greg to accommodate a hammock there. 

“Okay, sleeping beauties, listen. I placed smoke bombs of different colors in every single sewer in the district, they recharge themselves, and you can activate them as a distraction when you are trying to escape. Some houses and buildings have mine throwers installed, use them if it is completely necessary. Tippy, I want you to ensure that very few cats go outside the tunnels, only if it's a matter of life or death.” The cats were paying attention to him, nodding, and concentrating. 

“How are we going to attack?” Asked Tippy. 

“I think it is time to finally make a complete change in this wrecked system. I have thousands of videos, photos, and documents of the Mayor discriminating against cats or making policies that would affect us in the future. Let's start with a peaceful protest. Jim, contact your friends in the city, they will help us.” Said Petey, drawing a map, and showing them a couple of hidden tunnels he never talked about.

“They won't listen to us, why a “peaceful protest”?” Asked Jim. 

“Because we need the public on our side. We don't want them to think we are just some violent beasts, we want everyone in Ohkay City to see the way their Mayor has been treating us. Also, it will give me time to locate the prisoners.” Petey finished his drawing. “These are hidden tunnels with some resources, also they lead to the center of the city. This one…” He pointed at a yellow path. “Leads outside the city, if at some point everyone must escape.” 

Both cats nodded. Jim got closer, realizing that one of the tunnels connected with the central station. “By the way, has Dog Man said anything to you? He must know some stuff we don't. He is a cop, after all.” 

“Oh, no, he hasn't. He was transferred. And, we don't talk much about his work.” But now that he said it out loud, it was weird. Maybe he was not working at the district anymore, but he had to know something. Could he be hiding information from him? No. He had to trust.

“Too busy making out?” Petey wished that's how they spent their time, but unfortunately, no. He sighed and punched lightly at Tippy´s shoulder. 

“Seems like they only make him do paperwork and public appearances nowadays. He said he didn't know anything, he wouldn't lie to me … He promised-” They heard the front door unlock. 

“Dad!” Yelled Li´l Petey, they heard a few footsteps and then an excited bark. Petey stood up, it was barely 3 p.m., Greg was not supposed to arrive that early. He went inside the house, the hybrid looked at him for a couple of seconds.

“Hey, Greg. What happened?” The cop didn't waste more time and hugged him, burying his snout in his chest. “Had a bad day, doggy?” The other whined and hugged him tighter. 

“Dad, look! Uncle Tippy and Uncle Jim brought some gifts. I am fixing 80-HD.” The cop looked at him with a confused look. Before Petey could talk, Tippy and Jim appeared behind him. 

“Dog Man, it's been a while, huh? Didn't mean to interrupt.” Said Tippy, looking at them while wiggling his brows. Petey was about to scold him, but he noticed that Greg's hands were still on his waist, holding him protectively. He cleared his throat, uncomfortable. Tippy got closer and patted the hybrid on the back. Big Jim smiled brightly. 

“Thank you so much for helping us that day. We wouldn't have been able to escape without you.” The cop explained to him how the cats were able to escape after he shot them. The commissioner reduced his pay for that. 

Greg nodded and signed, “You are welcome.” Petey knew that was not a common reaction. Greg should have beamed in joyfulness. He loved it when someone praised his work, especially when he helped someone. But the hybrid's usual excitement was gone. His eyes reflected worry and sadness. 

“Umm, so… Remember I invited the guys to come over and talk about the district? Well, they finally found your house and, yeah, you know.” Greg nodded but still held his waist. The cop sighed heavily, separated, and took Li´l Petey in his arms. 

“I am going to change. I'll take Li´l Petey with me, you can keep talking.” The hybrid left without looking at him. 

-

Petey was worried. Greg seemed so sad and nervous, he was not behaving like himself. He couldn't stop thinking about what Tippy said. What if Greg knew something about the district and didn't tell him? He had to trust. This was the only thing he had left, and he would not mess it up. The words of his father echoed in his mind. He huffed angrily. 

Petey wanted to forget everything his father had said. He kept repeating to himself that his words weren't true, but what if he was forcing Greg to accept him into his life? He knew the feelings they had for each other were not a simple friendship, but then what? He wanted to believe the cop liked him, romantically. But the hybrid didn't know how relationships worked, does he even want a relationship to begin with? 

What if he does not? What if for the cop the way things are now is enough? If Petey tried something else, like getting closer or kissing him (for example, not that he had thought about it for over a month), would Greg accept him? Would he be disgusted? Would he look at him with the same hate his father had seen him? He sighed and embraced his legs, hiding his face behind them. 

He thought, “Just enjoy the nice things while they last.” 

They were in the backyard of the house again. Jim and Greg were playing with Li´l Petey. The three ran behind squirrels, making them climb the trees. Whenever the cop was close to catching one of them, the kitten would chuckle slightly, exactly like his father when he was doing a little mischief. The cop was wearing a short-sleeved shirt for the first time in public, and Petey was truly enjoying the show. 

“Tee-hee”, said the kid when the cop almost caught one of the little creatures. Petey looked at them with a shy smile. He sighed, it was not necessary to think about that. He was safe now, and his father was not there. He tried to enjoy the breeze that caressed his fur. Tippy was sitting next to him, also enjoying the scene. But they didn't come all this way just to see his old friend and his kid play in the backyard of Dog Man's house. 

“Petey,” said the black cat with a serious tone, turning to talk face to face. They were sitting on a picnic blanket, it had been Greg's idea to go outside and play so he could talk with his friends without the kid interrupting.  

The tabby sighed, he knew his peace wouldn't last. It never lasts. “What is it, Tip?”

“Tip? You haven't called me Tip in ages!” Petey blinked surprised, then laughed lightly, he hadn't used that nickname since they were 10.

“Shut up, Tippy!” The word had just slipped, and he was not going to repeat it. 

“Come on, man. Am I not Tip anymore? What about Tip Tip? You used to call me that too.” Tippy hugged the tabby, trying to make him laugh. 

“Knock it off, dude!” The tabby laughed joyfully, it was nice to remember the old times once in a while. But he had to act annoyed, that's how he dealt with situations like this. 

“Not until you call me Tip!” They laughed, still hugging, just like when they were on the Critter Scouts. The black cat was poking Petey’s side playfully. Tippy had noticed the worry in his friend's eyes, and a very personal wish he had was that maybe, one day, the tabby would be able to laugh like they used to when they were kids. 

“I said, knock it off!” They were still fooling around, enjoying the moment when a low growl startled them. They turned and saw Greg looking sharply at Tippy. 

“Wow, dude, we're just playing!” The black cat broke the hug immediately, holding his hands up. 

“Greg, is everything alright?” Asked Petey, the cop looked angry, huffing loudly. The hybrid signed “Yes” before returning to play with Li´l Petey. The tabby simply shook his head, trying to ease his mind.

“I barely touched you, and he was so jealous.” Tippy looked at the cop carefully.  Something was bothering the hybrid, and it was not a simple show of affection between two friends.

“He wasn't… I can't… Ugh, shut up, Tippy! You wanted to say something, so shoot.” He was embarrassed, Petey knew he was blushing, and it wasn't for the warm weather. He noticed Greg had acted weirdly… but was he jealous? Why? Tippy is one of his closest friends, his strategist, the one who kept an eye on the streets when he was busy. 

Anyway, why would the cop be jealous? They weren't a couple. It was dumb, he was dumb. He was overthinking something unnecessarily. He could not ask more from Greg. He gave him his friendship, his house, and his protection, more would be avarice. 

“You know this is dangerous, right?” When Petey turned, the black cat was looking in the distance. Tippy didn't want Greg to listen to what he was about to say, so he murmured. “You are staying at a police officer's house, when the cops are looking for you… Don't you think that is kind of illogical?”

“Well, you know what they say, the best place to hide a tree is in a forest.” Said Petey nonchalantly. Greg had only asked him one thing during all this time, to trust him. And he was trying, hard, to not doubt. His insecurities made him wonder every single time if this little family they had would vanish in the middle of the night. What if Greg got tired of him? Or what if he messed everything up? 

There were things he missed from his criminal life, like the adrenaline, and the amazing things he had built. What if he turned evil again? Was he evil to begin with? And, when all this revolution he was planning began, would Greg agree with his actions? What if he doesn't? 

Tippy turned and grabbed Petey´s arm. “I am not playing, P. Are you sure he will not betray you? He can set you up or snitch some information. And I heard Li´l P calling him “dad”, do you trust him that much?” 

“Just trust him, you silly cat. He has not disappointed you!” He thought, but a small voice in the back of his mind chirped, “yet.”

“Yes, I do. He would never betray me, he is not like that. I trust him.” Whispered the tabby. “Greg has the kindest soul… He will see the bright side in anything, in anyone, even in me.” Petey took Tippy´s hands in his, giving it a slight squeeze. “I know you are worried, I am worried. This time, they are not only looking for me, the cops want to take revenge on every single cat that's out there. I am scared, Tip.”

The black cat looked at his friend's face. Petey seemed mature, way more than before. But there was a light change, a determination he had never seen before. He had seen it once. He saw the same expression when Grace died when the tabby decided to be a leader in the district and wreak havoc everywhere he went. 

“But when I am with Greg, I know there is hope, at least for Li´l Petey and the other kittens. We have to fight, Tip, with everything we have. For them.” The orange cat was now looking directly at the hybrid, who was breathing heavily with his tongue out. They had played too much, Li´l Petey was also resting on top of the cop's chest. Jim was sitting next to them, trying to catch his breath. 

“Oh, God. You are so in love with Dog Man. Ew.” Tippy made a grossed-out face. “Didn't know you had feelings.”

Petey´s ears stiffened, his tail flickered nervously, and his heart rate increased. He felt a warm blush garnish his cheeks. But since he didn't find the courage to deny it, he just huffed, embarrassed. 

“And you don't deny it? So you do have feelings for him! Y´know, he is way better than your past boyfriends,” mentioned the black cat, loud enough for the cop to hear. “At least he is not like that creep you dated back in high school. What was his name?”

“That's enough, Tippy!” The scream made Li´l Petey pay attention to his father. 

“What are you talking about, Uncle Tippy?” Asked the kitten, running to sit on his father's lap. Petey started grooming him, trying to get rid of the dirt on his fur (and distract himself from the embarrassment). 

“Oh, kid. You know, way before he cloned himself and shit,” began explaining the black cat with a mischievous smile. 

“No swearing in front of Li´l Petey!” Petey slapped his friend's head, then he went back to his job, licking his son's cheek. 

“Yeah, whatevs…” The cat scratched his chin, disinterested. “So, your dad dated this pig from his robot-building club.”

“Papa had a boyfriend?” Asked the kid interested. Petey didn't know where to hide his face. Jim and Greg joined them. The purple cat laughed loudly. 

“Oh, yeah, I remember. We went to Critter Scouts with him, he always had a crush on Petey. He finally confessed in high school. When your father broke up with him, Piggy stole his toolbox. What a jerk.” The kitten laughed at the story. Petey laughed at that too. 

Piggy stole his toolbox? Well, he made sure that asshole got kicked out of high school. 

“Was he a real pig, papa?” Asked the kid with innocence. 

“Yeah, not my best decision,” Petey said with clear embarrassment. Slowly, Greg got closer, sitting behind the cats. 

“Oh, Jim! Remember that Siamese cat Petey dated for a year? Now, he was a good match,” the black cat said, noting that the cop was listening closely. 

“Of course, I remember Sam; he used to work in the bakery. He would bring cupcakes to our meetings!” Jim recalled the tons of pastries he ate while Petey dated him. 

“Right! He was handsome, nice, and treated you right, P. Remember?” Talked Tippy, looking directly at Dog Man. 

Petey was about to yell at both of his friends, he didn't want to talk about his romantic life in front of his kid. Then, he felt a shy tap on his shoulder. When he turned, he found Greg with a conflicted look, doubting to move. 

“Greg?” The tabby urged him to talk. Why was he looking like that? The sad puppy eyes that made his heart ache looked down. Petey wanted to ask what was troubling him, but the hybrid kept staring at the ground, and then he signed slowly. 

“Why did you break up?” The tabby pondered his answer. 

“Oh… So, umm, Sam was trying to be a lawyer, he always wanted to fight for a fairer society. He was an idealist.” Petey remembered that when he dated him, he thought he was a dream come true. The kind of guy he would have presented to his mother. Maybe Sam was too good for him, like Greg. He chuckled sadly before continuing. He always fell for the good guys. “But, there is not much hope in the cat's district. So he left the city, and worked to pay for a private college.”

Tippy saw the perfect opportunity to push, “Yeah, Sam even offered to take Petey with him. Perhaps our P would be living in a different city, in a very big mansion, full of luxuries and shit. Don't you think, Dog Man?” He asked, teasing. The cop just looked away.

“Like those people from the TV?” Li´l Petey asked curious. 

“Yeah, just like them, kiddo. Maybe you would have had siblings.” Said Tippy, pushing further to see the cop's reaction. 

“Cool!” The kitten jumped with excitement.

Petey laughed lightly. He had thought about that before, how his life would have turned out if he had moved with Sam. If he had left the city, maybe he would be married, working in an office… But, he wouldn't have met Greg, and Li´l Petey wouldn't have existed.

Petey hugged his child tighter. Maybe, Greg's life would have been ten times better if he had left… But, is there any benefit in thinking about what-ifs? No! Whatever happened was already in the past. He had to think in the future if he wanted Li´l Petey to accomplish all his dreams and if he wanted Greg to have a place to live worryless. 

He had to fight for the ones he loved the most.  The tabby felt the hybrid stand up, taking him out of his thoughts. When he looked up, he knew something was wrong, something in Greg's behavior made him feel anxious. The cop signed, “Let's go home, it's getting late”.

“Yeah,” Petey grabbed his child in his arms. “Could you please take Li´l Petey with you? I need to speak with the guys.”

The cop grabbed the kitten, waved goodbye at the cats, and left with a nervous look. Something was definitely wrong. But before dealing with that, Petey had other business. 

“Jim. Tippy. I need you to listen carefully. Contact Sarah Hatoff, when you reach her, tell me so I can create a private communication line. We need to counterattack, and the media will help us this time.” The cats nodded. 

“Sure, P. Anything else?” Asked Tippy. 

“Jim, come back here every two days, we will meet at dawn.” The purple cat nodded. “Tip, keep an eye on the streets and make sure to tell anything you know to Jim.”

Both cats did a salute. 

“Be careful, please. Don't put yourself in unnecessary danger.” 

The tabby had turned to enter his house when he heard the black cat calling his name. 

“Petey” Tippy grabbed his paw, making him turn. “Ask Dog Man what is happening at the district. I think he knows something we don't. And kiss him already, the tension between you two is unbearable.”

The cats left the house as quietly as they entered. Petey sighed, afraid of what the future held unknown to him. 

-

Greg was sitting on the couch, looking disinterested at the TV. Li´l Petey was sleeping peacefully next to him, probably too tired from playing and fixing 80-HD. 

“Had a bad day, Greg?” The cop looked at him and nodded. “Do you want to talk about it?” The hybrid shook his head, not committing to the conversation. Petey sighed nervously, it was now or never. He remembered something his mother had told him: “Speak your mind, Petey. Talk about the things that bother you before they get too heavy on your chest. So heavy, you won't be able to handle them when they explode.”  

He got closer to him, ready to talk.

 “Greg, do you know something about the district? The guys told me some stuff, but…”

Greg turned to look at him, but then huffed and watched the TV again. “It is not that I don't trust you. But… I just… You are a cop, after all, you must know something, right? I just want to know… mmm. There is something Tippy told me…” 

The hybrid growled in a murmur. Petey was trying to be patient, but the lack of communication and the attitude was not helping. “So you don't want to talk, huh? Fine, I'll put Li´l Petey on his bed.” He didn't want to fight, so he cradled Li´l Petey in his chest and started going up the stairs. 

“BREAKING NEWS” Sarah Hatoff´s voice drew his attention, the tabby got closer and sat down on the couch. Greg looked tense at the screen. “The Mayor has decided to finally comment on the situation regarding the cat population.” A bunch of journalists were pushing each other, trying to get closer. The redhead pointed her microphone at the woman in the green dress. 

“Mayor, what do you have to say about the increasing violence in the district?” Shouted the girl. 

“Cats have started to attack, showing their feral and dangerous side. There was no other choice for our police force than to react. They are doing this just to protect us.” The Mayor's expression showed no emotion. 

“Cats in the city had expressed their worries to us, they are afraid for their families and friends. Can you assure their safety?” Hatoff pressured, moving her microphone closer. 

“Unfortunately, cats have shown their true colors. We trusted them, and we gave them a place where they could live freely, but they answered with violence. Last week, when we tried to finally arrest the criminal Petey TheCat…” Greg motioned slowly toward the remote. Petey looked at him with a dangerous look. 

The tabby was faster, he placed his paw on top of it. “Don't you dare, Greg.” The cop whined and stood up, walking nervously behind the couch, but Petey was way more interested in what that bitch was going to say. 

“A wild feral kitten attacked the poor commissioner, a man who was just trying to do his job. We are going to take strict measures regarding this situation. If kids can't behave and their parents are teaching them violent ways, then we will have to act accordingly.” Said the Mayor with a bitter voice. 

“Like throwing them inside inhuman jails? Not allowing them to properly eat? Is that what you call “act accordingly”?” The woman pushed her microphone again, almost poking the authority's face with it. 

The Mayor looked dangerously at the reporter. “That is a strong accusation, Hatoff. Do you have any proof?”

The other journalist moved, giving space to the women to confront each other. “What about the missing cats? What is happening to them? Why are you not allowing Dog Man to enter the district? What are you hiding?” 

“Oh, Hatoff. Dog Man visited the district today, he saw firsthand the violence that is occurring there. If you want to know more, ask him. I know such an honorable officer would never betray the force that saved his life. That's all I have to say.” The Mayor entered the city hall, and her bodyguard looked at the camera with an evil smile. 

Petey could feel his rage build. The Mayor's words were piercing his skull in an uncomfortable echo, the way she talked infuriated him. Also, the way she had pronounced Greg's name as if he was his property. And why hadn't he told him about this earlier? Oh, he was going to make sure that evil witch paid, she even dared to talk about their son. 

He felt the cop's hand touching his shoulder, and Petey turned. He tried to remain calm. “Want to say something, officer?” But he failed. His voice was raspy, showing his fury. 

“Sorry. Tell you. Soon. Complicated.” The cop signed so fast, those were the only words the tabby could comprehend.  

“Sorry? Why? Why would almighty Dog Man be sorry for?” Said the tabby, he knew his rage was talking, not his common sense. But he was so frustrated, he felt angry, betrayed, and just, helpless. “When he is such an honorable cop! Right? He is so loyal, he even decided to hide information from…” His friend? They weren't anything after all. Their relationship meant nothing.

The hybrid tried signing more stuff. Petey turned his back to him, he knew Greg hated that, but he could not avoid it. He was just furious at how unfair things were. The cop huffed, annoyed at that.

“Since you don't have to worry about your friends getting murdered, right? Always perfect, such a hero.” His sarcasm was filled with venom. “Should we wait until every single cat is thrown into a filthy cell? Would that be enough? Since your job is so important, arrest me! Come on, Dog Man!” 

He felt his kid move in his arms, Li´l Petey looked at him worried. He probably woke up from all the noise. Petey held him tighter against his chest. “What is happening, papa?”

“We are leaving, that's what's happening!” The tabby tried to go upstairs when Greg started barking louder, ferociously, growling now and then. The cop pointed at Petey and kept barking (Petey guessed he was yelling at him). 

He was starting to comprehend more words of the canine language. Petey understood: “I was. Trying. Help. You don’t. Listen. Why? Stubborn. Immature. Selfish. Listen! You. Can’t. Alone.”

“Do not bark at me that way! You know I don't understand what you are saying.” The cop kept barking and growling, pacing with fury in the living room. 

“Whatever, Greg! You knew this was a bad idea since the beginning.” He murmured, walking to Li´l Petey´s room. 

“Papa, wait.” The kitten jumped in front of him. “You are not listening to him. You keep yelling. Dad is trying to talk to you. How do you think you would understand each other if you don't stop yelling?” Petey looked at his kid in awe. Since when his baby was so mature? “Dad, stop barking. You have to relax, you are scratching your neck again.” 

A tense silence filled the room. The baby tabby grabbed his paw. “Papa, breathe.” Petey didn't realize he was breathing so fast, his tail was puffed. “Listen to dad. I am going to my room. You have to stop fighting.” The kitten closed his door calmly, leaving them alone. 

Petey looked at the closed door for a couple of seconds. What had just happened? He turned to see down the stairs, Greg was there, also looking at him. His neck was red, and the few bandages that remained were out of their place. The tabby sighed and started to go down. 

“I'll go outside. I-” The cop looked at him and huffed, nodding in agreement. He didn't have anything to say, not without the danger of yelling again. He simply walked to the backyard, holding the flat end of his tail in his paws. 

-

Petey grabbed the ukulele before heading to the backyard. He was playing a few notes absent-mindedly, tuning the strings as he went. He saw the sun hide behind the mountains, the sky turning into a mix of orange and purplish blue. He always loved the sunset. When Petey was a kitten, his mother—the few times she had vacations or holidays—used to go with him to the roof of Cat Houses to watch the sunsets. 

They would drink some tea (if they were lucky, or if Mr. White had not prohibited the lady in the kitchen services to give them food, they would have had pastries too) and Grace would play a few songs of The Beatles. He remembered that one time, she had told him that the night she met Pete, the DJ was playing “I Saw Her Standing There”. She was dancing with her friends when his father got closer to talk to her. 

After that night, the cat would often visit her at her job. He would give her huge bouquets and would invite her to have dinner. He also remembers the sadness that remained in her eyes when she used to talk about those years. If they were so happy, what had gone wrong? Was he the cause of their break-up? His mother used to talk about his father as a complete gentleman, a very loving partner. 

He never met a Pete who wasn't angry or annoyed by his presence. Grace had always told him that it was not Petey´s fault, that he was a blessing in her life. Maybe it would have been better if he had not been born, that way his mother would have had a wonderful life. She would have had a loving husband and, perhaps, later, a child that didn’t turn out to be a criminal. He had asked his father one time if there was something he could do to make him proud. 

“Disappear, and maybe bring back the years I wasted raising you.” Petey chuckled remembering that, trying to avoid the lump that was forming in his throat. Why did his father hate him so much? Was it because he looked like him? An orange tabby with personality problems. Perhaps his father saw what he was trying to avoid. He was just like him. 

He yelled at Greg and filled his words with all the venom he could think of. And, to make things worse, in front of their child. Just how much of an asshole he was? He kept playing the ukulele, trying to calm down his nerves. Petey felt someone sitting next to him, he saw Greg lying down on the grass, watching the few stars that were beginning to shine. 

The tabby left the ukulele next to him and lay down too. Silence fell upon them, none sure how to start. Petey let a shaky breath escape his lips when, suddenly, he felt the hybrid's hand holding his, bringing him comfort. 

“Sorry,” what a lame way to begin, but whatever. “I shouldn't have yelled. I… I am so scared, Greg. You don't know just how scared I am. I can't even sleep because I know they won't stop until they find me. Maybe, I should turn myself in.” The cop squeezed his hand, he turned to look at him. 

Greg shook his head and looked at him worried.

“Whiskers is missing. Tippy and Jim had to make sure to hide all the families they could in the tunnels I built under the lab. The babies from the daycare and the orphans are inside a bunker. The guys don't even know how many cats are missing. Tell me, Greg. What should I do? Everything is a mess. I don't think I am enough to save them. Any information is vital right now, and you… You didn’t even want to talk to me when you arrived.” He felt a tear run down his cheek. “They trust me, Greg. I don't even know why, but they do. They are counting on me to help them, to finish this. But I am just a scared cat. And…” 

Petey looked at the sky again, feeling the tears fall. 

“Greg, what if I fail?” The cop squeezed his hand again. “All those families, the kids, my friends, Li´l Petey… Even you are in danger, and I don't think I have what it takes to save you all. Maybe my father was right. None of this would have happened if I didn't exist, he saw the menace I was since the day I was born.” 

Greg pulled him, making him turn to his side. The cop embraced him with tenderness, and Petey buried his face in his chest, melting under the affection. Without noticing, his chest began to vibrate, and a foreign sound to his ears escaped. He purred, loudly. The hybrid began caressing his ears, making him get closer, looking for comfort. 

“I trust you, Greg. But do you? Do you trust me? Do you think I will make it?” Whispered Petey against his chest. 

After a few minutes, they separated. Greg sat down and signed, “You are enough, Petey. And I trust you, of course, I do. We can make it. Together. I am sorry, too.” 

Petey sat down too, looking at the hybrid with his pupils dilated. A faint smile was garnishing his face.

“I will explain everything. I swear. I lied, I know what is happening in the district. But I was afraid. I thought I could solve this problem alone. I didn't want to worry you.” The feline just kept looking at him. Then, slowly, he blinked. Something he had only done with their son. “Petey?”

The cat did it again, purring. He blinked slowly and smiled at Greg. The poor cop looked at him confused, he didn't know he was watching a love confession in cat language. “You know, Greg. When a cat looks at you and then blinks very slowly, it means something special.” 

The tabby got closer, and Greg looked at him, flustered. Gently, he hugged the cop and pushed him to the ground, and before he could question the feline, he kissed him. At first, the cat didn't move, just pressed his lips against the other, feeling the surprise of his (soon-to-be, he was going to make sure of that) boyfriend. Then, he cupped Greg's cheeks and deepened the connection, purring louder. The hybrid grabbed him by the waist, but Petey realized the poor cop could not handle a deeper kiss. 

A lack of experience, Petey would love to erase with tons of practice. The tabby smiled before backing off. 

“It means that I love you, Greg.” 

Chapter Text

Greg was looking dumbfounded at the wall, he was (supposedly) washing the dishes, but he had been scrubbing the same spoon for the last ten minutes. Petey was playing the ukulele while Li´l Petey finished the last details of 80-HD. 

They had a lovely dinner after Petey took care of the wounds on his neck. He just moved his bandages, nothing serious. The cat had cooked a wonderful steak with mashed potatoes and carrots. It was one of his favorite meals, but he just kept looking at the food in awe. 

The kitten laughed at his expression, “What happened, dad? You look as if you have been… struck with thunder?… or laser-struck! Is that a word, papa?” 

And he might as well have because he still couldn't comprehend what had happened. First, he fought with Petey, and that sucked, he said some stuff he didn't mean. He still felt guilty about them, he actually planned to write a full letter apologizing for everything. But then…

Then he tried to comfort him and BAM, the cat kissed him. PETEY KISSED HIM. The spoon slipped from his grip, falling to the water again. Why was he even washing the dishes? They had a machine for that! 

He heard a laugh behind his back. Petey was leaning in the kitchen door frame. 

“I already put Li´l Petey to sleep, he was so tired. He installed a whole new system and gadgets to 80-HD. God, he is way smarter than when I was his age.” The tabby got closer and started helping him, taking the spoon out of the water. “What a wonderful son we have, huh?” 

Petey kissed him, then said he loved him. When Greg tried to answer, the cat stood up and went inside, saying he had to make dinner and that Li´l Petey must be worried. He had not answered… For the love of all the squeaky balls in the world, he had not said anything! And he knows for sure the way he kissed Petey back had been a complete disaster. 

He read about kissing another person, he had seen Alice and Knight kiss before. But he never imagined such… He doesn't even know how to describe it. Excitement? He felt as if ten thousand fireworks were exploding in his mind, or if a million butterflies were dancing disco in his stomach. Not even those were close. 

Of course, he dreamt about kissing Petey, maybe when he finally asked him to be his boyfriend. Were they dating now? The tabby was talking to him, but he just couldn't comprehend one word. “He loves me. Petey loves me. He said it... And I love him, too.”, he thought. Greg barked excitedly, then howled at the roof. 

“I didn't know apple pie would make you so excited, but okay. I'll make sure to bake one tomorrow.” Greg grabbed Petey by the shoulders and started licking his cheeks. “Okay, you big goof. What's gotten into you?”

The cop separated and signed slowly, just like the way Petey had blinked. “I love you, Petey.” 

“Oh,” the tabby stared at him surprised, the spoon falling to the floor (the poor utensil would have to be washed again). “Oh!” 

A wide smile appeared on the feline's face. Greg hugged him and licked his cheek, making him giggle. The cop nuzzled his neck, and Petey did too with his head. A loud purr came out of the chest of the tabby. 

“So…” Greg separated a little, keeping his embrace through the feline's back. Petey questioned, “Are we… No. Do you want to be-” 

Before the cat could continue, the hybrid placed a hand on his mouth and shook his head. 

“No?” Petey looked at him, disappointed. 

“Yet.” He signed, wagging his phantom tail. “Petey, would you go on a date with me?” Greg took a step back and grabbed his hand, looking at him with a wide smile. 

“A date?” Petey laughed and jumped into his arms, grabbing his cheeks in his paws. “Of fucking course, you big sap.” Then, he kissed him again. The butterflies in his stomach started dancing tap, and the fireworks in his mind became missiles. 

If he could choose how to die, please, let him exhale his last breath while kissing the cat he loved. 

- 

When he went to work the next morning, he felt as if he was floating to the station. Petey had kissed him every single time he knew their son was not looking at them, and Greg was more than happy to receive all the affection. 

“You still owe me some information, officer.”  Said the tabby before caressing Greg's chin with his tail. “So be a good boy, and go protect the city.” 

When he arrived, Chief was already at his desk, typing ferociously. “These damn reports… Dog Man, come here!” 

The hybrid got closer with a big smile on his face, he extended a piece of paper to the man. “I talked to Petey. He wants to know everything that is happening in the district. Can I borrow the files we have? I'll make sure to inform him of everything we saw, he might help us get to the person who is committing all these crimes.” 

“You found him? Good job, Dog Man. Are the cats going to-” Someone opened the front door with force. Chief looked surprised at the entrance, where five cops were covered in pink and orange paint.  

“What happened?” Asked Chief, getting closer to them. Greg grabbed some wet wipes that were on his desk and handed some to his colleagues. 

“The district station asked for reinforcement. A big group of cats started to break the metal fences, they wanted to enter the city. We tried to arrest them when, out of nowhere, smoke bombs started to pop out of the sewers.” One of the officers started to talk after thanking Dog Man, whipping some paint from her face. “We tried to pull our guns, but someone started to throw firecrackers from the buildings.” 

Dog Man chuckled lightly, that was definitely Petey´s style. The Mayor ordered to prohibit the access of the district cats to the city, so the Commissioner had the fences put up. But since they couldn't find any felines, things had been pretty since yesterday. All houses and buildings were empty. 

“Chief, you must take a look at this!” A cop ran to the TV and turned it on. Sarah Hatoff was reporting from the fences. Behind her, some cats finally broke one of the fences, allowing them to step forward. 

“Cats are trying to get in the city! The commissioner is trying to regroup the police force to fight them. Let's see if we can have a word.” She got closer to the commissioner, the old man's coat was covered in different colors. He was yelling orders and moving his fist in the air angrily. “Commissioner, could you please explain the situation?”

“They came out of nowhere!” The look in the man's eyes was hilarious, as if hundreds of ninjas had attacked him on the desert. “We were simply patrolling the streets when these beasts appeared and attacked us. Look at my men! They are harmed and scared.” He was completely furious, the cops were also covered in different colors, but none seemed hurt. Just confused.

“How many officers are injured, commissioner?” Sarah placed her microphone in front of his face. 

“What?” The camera panned to the cats, the fence was broken, but they had simply put a big sign that read: “WE ARE TIRED OF DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLENCE. CATS DESERVE TO LIVE PEACEFULLY.” A few felines were wounded, and on the screen, the reporter showed that one cat was being brutally pushed against the floor. 

“Seems that they are just making a peaceful protest, they even resorted to paint to get to this point. No guns, no violence.” The commissioner looked astonished, realizing the camera was filming everything.

A loud whistle caught everyone's attention. The camera zoomed into a mural, that was in one of the tallest buildings in the district. It was a cartoonish drawing of an orange cat smiling widely, almost devilish. Dog Man couldn't hold it anymore and laughed. He would recognize the smile of his lovely Petey anywhere. 

“That damn cat… Enough!” The transmission flickered, and the image changed to some propaganda in favor of the Mayor. 

“Guess cats started their revolution.” Said Chief, trying to hide the smile that was creeping into his face. The rest of the cops looked at him confused. 

-

Greg arrived home almost at midnight, he saw that only the lights in the kitchen were on. When he entered, he perceived the sweet smell of apple pie, he sighed delightedly. After the beginning of the protest, all the officers of the central station were called to reinforce the limits of the district to prevent cats getting into the city. 

He had helped as many cats as he could, giving first aid to the ones hurt. His colleagues ignored him, and Chief tried to distract the commissioner until the man left. Sarah had waved at him before leaving. The hybrid assumed that Petey must have started to move his strings in the district. They had a long pending conversation. 

He had barely opened the door when the tabby jumped into his arms. Greg tried to bark in surprise, but his mouth was rapidly caught in a passionate kiss. He was still trying to get used to the rhythm of the feline, but he could proudly say that he was a fast learner. The cop closed the door behind him with a light kick, stepping forward into the house with his hands wrapped around his partner's waist, protecting them from falling as they kept advancing. 

After a couple of seconds, they separated, but their foreheads were still together as they tried to catch their breath. 

“Well, hello there.” Said the tabby with a bright smile. “Want some pie and tea to accompany this beautiful night, doggy?”

Greg barked happily while nodding. He went upstairs as fast as he could and changed into his pajamas. When he went down, the cat was already on the kitchen table with a notebook and a few papers that Greg brought from the station. 

“Here. This is all the information Chief and I could find about this situation.” A note was attached to the front page of the folder. Petey nodded and sipped his tea. 

“Well, here goes nothing.” Said the cat, flipping the pages, reading them fast. “Take this,” Petey handed him a small map. “It's the location of all the tunnels that I built and the bunker. I want you to memorize it.” 

They read in silence for a while. Greg was growing anxious as the tabby got closer to the end, he tried to finish his pie and tea before Petey read about the declawed corpses. He was picking up the cups and the dishes they had used when the cat slammed his fist on the table. The cop sighed in relief, noticing that he had been able to save the porcelain from falling. 

“What the actual fuck?! Declawed corpses? What kind of monster could do this?” Petey yelled, then covered his mouth, looking at the attached photos. “And you didn't want to tell me about this?!” 

“Sorry.” Signed the hybrid, but the cat was not even looking at him. 

“I- Shit! Why would they do this?” The tabby looked at the picture for a couple of seconds before standing up, he paced angrily, looking at the floor. “Unless…” 

Petey ran up to the stairs and brought a small pen drive with him. “Thank God Jim was able to save this. Greg, you know that cats had been under cruel experiments during World War II, right?” 

The cop nodded with insecurity. “I’ve heard some stuff”, he signed. He recalls watching an old documentary about that with Knight, the man had fallen asleep, but he thought it was curious that no one seemed to say anything about that.

“Few people and history books talk about this, but in the district, there was a veteran who gave us some files about the disgusting stuff they did. It was Mr. Oli's father, maybe that's why they caught him and did this to him.” 

Greg whined, remembering the kind man. He had been one of the few cats that had talked to him and helped him adapt when he had been transferred to the district. Petey went to the living room and got closer to 80-HD, sitting by his side. 

“How does this… Oh, right. Hi, 80-HD. Sorry for interrupting your sleep. Could you please do me a favor?” Asked the tabby in the sweetest voice he could. The cat turned to look at Greg. “We need a computer, darling. I cannot wake up the poor robot every time we want to read a file or watch a video.”

Darling? Had Petey called him darling? He was about to howl in excitement when Petey placed a paw on his hand. “The kid is sleeping, hush.” The robot turned on, but could not move its limbs. “It's fine, I just need your computer, would that be okay with you?” The robot gave Petey a thumbs-up before opening up and revealing the screen and keyboard. “Who would have thought I would have to ask a robot for permission…” Murmured the cat under his breath, not low enough because the robot began to close himself again. 

“I am not complaining, 80-HD! Please, it's an emergency. I know it's late and that you don't have much energy, so I will be using your backup battery, okay?” The robot patted the cat's head gently, giving him full access to the computer. “Greg, come here, I don't know how long the battery will last, Li´l Petey was going to use it until he finished his work.”

The cop kneeled next to them, looking at the screen. Different videos and photos showed up, and Petey clicked on a file that was labeled “PAST”. Old images were displayed, showing cats with army uniforms. 

“So, during the war, there was this general who was a complete lunatic. He thought that the cat's evolution had happened as a punishment for the loss of “values” in the world, so felines must be used as weapons just to help them win the war. According to Mr. Oli's father, he used cat soldiers as subjects in his experiments, he was able to escape before they could harm him. This general hypothesized that declawed cats could enter into such a vicious feral state that they would attack without mercy and, then, they would die a slow, painful death.” The pictures showed the man with different medical equipment. In one of the photos, a young soldier was looking at the camera with a wild look in his eyes. 

“So they used them in a couple of battles. The stories said that these cats would attack anyone they saw, biting the necks of other soldiers, shooting without aiming properly, or throwing grenades. After a few days, they would perish in excruciating pain.” Greg gasped, surprised by such a visceral story. He was astonished by the cruelty of humans. 

“When the Mayor was a candidate for election, we tried to publish these documents. This crazy general was her grandfather. I was barely 18, my mom had recently died and I joined the political party in the district. We tried, Greg. But we were rapidly censored. That was the second time I got arrested.”  The tabby closed the computer and sighed heavily. A tense silence filled the dark living room. 

“What do you think?” Signed the cop, caressing gently the paw of his lover. 

“I don't think the Mayor is behind this, she would never stain her hands with blood. She is just the face. There must be someone as evil as her grandfather who is crazy enough to do it. But who? They must be trying to declaw all the prisoners and make them act feral to attack the city. That would be a wonderful excuse to kill us, huh?” Greg placed his head on Petey´s lap, the tabby started caressing his fur. A shaky breath left the cat's lips. 

A few minutes passed, and the tabby remained looking at the screen, clicking on the ones that were more violent. 

“Greg, I need you to ask you something.” The cop lifted his head and looked at the cat. The tabby placed his gaze at a distant point on the wall. “If anything happens, if we lose control of the situation, please, take care of Li´l Petey. Forget you are a cop, forget me if necessary, and save our son. Survive.” 

The hybrid barked and signed, standing up. “I promised to protect you.” He began to whimper, how could he ask something like that? He refused to live in a world where the tabby was not with him. “Together, we promised.” 

Petey looked at him with a sad look in his eyes. The cop got closer and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. 

The cat simply grabbed him by the neck of his shirt, pulling him into a kiss.“Just promise to survive if things get tough, alright?” Greg nodded with some doubt, the tabby sighed acquiescently. “I think this is enough for one night. Let's go to sleep, doggy.”

-

Cats protest kept advancing, everyday they would move further. Their goal was to arrive at the town hall and demand the Mayor's resignation. Other cats from the city and even some humans had joined them, the movement was starting to gain attention from organizations all over the world. Sarah had helped them publish diverse articles about different investigations and testimonials of how they endured discrimination for so many years. 

Since all the police force had left the district to follow the protesters, some families had returned to their homes. At first, Tippy had thought it was a bad idea, but living in a tunnel was not exactly comfortable. Some peace started to fill the district, things were still tense for the ones that were heading to the town hall, but at least no more cops were terrorizing their streets. 

Even if things had started to look better, Petey was in the middle of a crisis. The third night Jim reported to the tabby, they were finally able to count all the missing cats, 86 males, 33 females, and seven kids. Greg and Chief had looked even under Cat Jails, but there was no sign of them. 

Petey developed a series of stickers that contained feline pheromones, that way the cats that were also looking for the prisoners would know which places to avoid. A series of murals of the tabby's face were painted across the city, driving the commissioner mad. 

The artist would usually wear a black cape, so everyone thought it was Petey making them show his supremacy over the police force. But not even the tabby had an idea of who was making them, only the first one had been planned. It had been a rough week, Greg had barely had the chance to return home and the tabby would work all night in communication devices, pheromone stickers, mine throwers, or special whistles. 

The house was filled with metal scraps, wires, and tools. Li´l Petey and 80-HD would clean once in a while, but they were also helping build the new walkie-talkies. It was Saturday night, over a week since he had talked with Petey about the experiments. They had found three more corpses over the week, this time they were thrown into the river. 

So, if they took away the dead cats they had found, only 118 were still alive. Greg sighed tiredly, placing his head over the steering wheel of his car. Chief told him to not go to the station on Sunday, to sleep and spend some time with his family. He agreed, he still owed Petey a date, but the only thing he wanted to do was drag the tabbies to bed and sleep with them until the world fixed itself. 

A tap on the window made him look up, Petey was standing there, wearing his weird goggles and his tool belt. The orange fur was disheveled and covered with some specks of oil. Wow, just, even tired as hell, the cat looked hot. Greg smiled at him and opened the door. 

“May I ask why you are sleeping in your car when you have a warm bed waiting for you?” Questioned the tabby. Greg stretched before hugging the cat tightly, and then they kissed. It was not passionate or desperate, this was just like breathing, natural, light, and filled with understatement. 

“Missed you.” He signed before walking to the door. 

“Yeah, me too. Li´l Petey tried to stay awake to wait for you, but he fell asleep on the floor a couple of hours ago.” Greg started going upstairs, but the tabby remained in the living room, ready to keep working. The cop sighed and went down again. 

“I just need to make a few adjustments; once it's ready, I will finally be able to get access to the security cameras of all the city. Then, it will be a matter of patience. I'll have to look through file after file until I find the recordings of the past nights. Perhaps-” Greg lifted the cat bridal style and headed to their room. 

He barked with a mischievous smile. The cat was about to protest, but he had to admit it, it had been many sleepless nights, and a nap would not hurt him. 

“You know, Greg. There are better ways to get me to bed.” The cat's tail sneaked under his shirt, making him shiver. “But you win, we both need a rest.” 

When they were finally in bed, Greg jumped into the arms of the cat, feeling a loud purr come out of his chest. 

“Next week I'll go visit the district." The hybrid stood up and looked at him worried. “I know, it's dangerous, but I need to make sure the families are safe now that they have returned to their houses. It will be just one day.” 

Greg whined and hid his face in the fur of the cat's chest. Then he looked up again, excited, maybe he could-

“No, you can't come. You have work. And you can't keep asking for licenses to help me.” The hybrid whined again, he had just asked a couple of times (10) but Chief didn't matter as long as he helped the cats. “I will be alright, darling. Li´l Petey and 80-HD will come with me, we will be alright!” 

Greg pulled the cat down, making him fall on his back, he accommodated himself on top of him, so the tabby could look at his hands. 

“If anything happens, you call. If you feel danger, you call. If Li´l Petey gets in trouble,-” He signed with determination. 

“I call. I get it, you worrywart.” Petey grabbed his cheeks, making him lower his face to kiss him. “I love it when you act all dominant.”

Greg pulled back, leaving the cat with his lips extended. Petey huffed annoyed. He chuckled before signing, “Tomorrow, we will finally have our date.” 

“Oh, I am waiting for it.” They finally kissed. After some minutes, they fell asleep, holding each other tightly. 

-

Greg cooked different meals for their picnic, Li´l Petey helped him. They made mini pancakes, fruit cut into different shapes, and cookies. They were surely not as delicious as Petey´s cooking, but the cat enjoyed even the last crumbs. Not only that, but they played with the kitten all day, running after squirrels, drawing comics, and playing music together. 

The tabby taught Li´l Petey some easy songs on the ukulele, and Greg was more than happy to accompany them on the piano. It was a date filled with laughs, kisses, and promises. The child was playing with 80-HD, jumping, and playing with the grass.

“Careful, Li´l Petey!” Yelled Petey when he saw the robot throwing the kitten in the air, filling the afternoon with giggles. “I’ll have to shower him again, goddammit.” 

Greg chuckled lightly, he had never wondered about the future. He thought at some point he was just going to die while fulfilling his duty, or when he just got too old to be a cop. He imagined that at some point he was just going to stop being, his existence would just vanish. But now, he had everything he never thought he wanted. A loving partner, a wonderful kid, a home to return to. 

And there was so much more coming, more laughter, more kisses, more years to come. He would watch their son grow and become whatever he wants to be. He would make sure Petey finally has a peaceful life, he would help him finish his studies, become a professor or an engineer in a big company. And he? He would be happy. Greg will make sure to enjoy every single day of his existence from now on. 

He took a letter from his jacket and handed it to the tabby, the cat looked at him surprised and then smiled. “Hope you didn't get too emotional, doggy.”

“Dear Petey, 

I don't even know how to begin with. Should I say I love you when we have been repeating those words over and over again for the past days? Definitely. Because it will never be enough. I will never get tired of saying it. I love you. I love how you are such a wonderful genius, an amazing father and, above everything, the most extraordinary being I had the pleasure to meet in my life. 

I asked Chief for advice on how to ask you for a more formal relationship, he thought I was going to propose marriage to you. When I tried to tell him that I was just going to ask you to be my boyfriend, it just didn't sound like the right word. Petey, you are the only one in this messed up world who saw me and acknowledged me. The only one who made me feel like I had a rival, then a friend and, finally, a lover. 

You are everything I want in my life, even if at some point you get tired of this silly old dog. Because I love you with or without me, I adore your existence as it is. I don't have enough paper to count all the things I simply love about you. How you deeply care about others, how you have such a strong personality, how you never give up. Because, even after the conflict, you decided to stand up, to look for help, and to provide security to others, even when you were falling into pieces. 

Petey, you were brave enough to change and to understand others even if no one tried to help you in the past. Even when you were a “criminal”, you did all of that because you knew the way people treated cats was unfair. Just, God, you care so much about others, I don't think you even realize how big your heart is. 

So I am not asking you to be my boyfriend, instead, this is my written promise to never leave your side, to love you every single day of my life. I swear I will always take care of Li´l Petey, because that kid was the first one to show me that I was not a monster, to look up to me, to not even care about my past. 

Stay with me, even if things get difficult. Survive with me, even if we lose control of this revolution. And love me, as long and as much as your big wonderful heart let you.

With a heart filled with everlasting love, 

Greg Dog Man”

Greg was looking at Li´l Petey laughing after 80-HD had tripped with one of his flip-flops. A light sob made him turn, Petey was hiding his face behind his paws. 

“Just… You should really stop reading all those romantic novels, Greg. You are going to kill me.” The cat wiped some tears, but more came as he reread the letter over and over again. “God, I must have saved a house filled with nuns and saints in my past life. What did I do to deserve you?” 

The cat cupped his cheeks and kissed him with devotion, a new feeling the hybrid was tasting through his lips. He chuckled, happy that his lover had liked the letter. 

“Greg Dog Man, huh? Is that your last name now?” The cop nodded, at first he had not thought about it, but it sounded good. 

“Do you like it?” Signed Greg with a silly smile on his face, still tasting the sweetness of their kiss. 

“I'll like it better when it becomes my last name, too.” 

Chapter Text

“Do you have the walkie-talkies? Are you taking some extra batteries?” Greg signed in front of Petey. The tabby had finally finished the special devices for them, they each had a screen and a camera so that the hybrid could sign in front of them (and, if necessary, they could be used as a grenade). 

“Yes, darling. I have everything you put on that list, three pairs of batteries, a flashlight and I even grabbed some Tylenol. Are you happy?” The cat licked their son's cheek, cleaning a dirty spot. Then, he ensured the coat covering the kitten was closed properly. Their costumes made them look like normal city cats. 

Petey was wearing a big hoodie that belonged to Greg (at first he refused, but he had to admit it was nice smelling the scent of his partner everywhere he went), baggy jeans, the same backpack Leslie gave to him the night of the conflict, and dark sunglasses. Their son was wearing a big raincoat and cute cowboy boots. Li´l Petey had said that if they were going on an adventure, he had to look accordingly. 

80-HD was finally ready to fully function independently and was outside recharging his solar panels. The robot had decided to go to take care of the kid and help him if necessary. They'd just have to walk to the closest entrance to the tunnels and then take an hour to reach the district; he hoped Li´l Petey wouldn't get bored. 

“No. Don't leave.” The cop signed before whining and hugging his family tightly. 

“It will be just a visit, we will return before you realize it. I prepared all your meals, do not eat everything in one sitting. I baked some goods for Chief and Genie, be sure to take them with you before going to the station. Okay?” Greg nodded but kept his arms around them. Petey giggled. 

“Don't worry, dad. I will protect my papa if anything happens.” The hybrid whined again. Li´l Petey caressed his floppy ears trying to comfort him. 

“Sunshine, could you please check if 80-HD is ready?” Asked the tabby with a melodious voice. The kitten smiled widely and ran to the door to see his friend. “Greg, you don't have to worry. No cop has dared to go to the district since the protest began, they are too busy and are probably too scared to end up covered in paint again. Also, they don't have a clue of where to find me.”

The hybrid looked up and kissed him, Petey grabbed his cheeks to deepen the connection. After the letter, they had become more “passionate” with each other. Driving each other crazy with touches and soft caressing. The tabby had been afraid that his rough tongue would harm Greg, but the hybrid seemed to enjoy the sensation. 

Once they began, they couldn't stop. 

He felt Greg's hand move around his waist, caressing under his hoodie. He purred against the feeling, when, slowly, the hand moved down, stopping at the end of his spine, just where his tail began. A small moan escaped his lips. 

“Whoa, okay. Time out.” Petey looked at the ceiling, trying to calm down. A shaky breath accompanied a chuckle. “Greg, you are really driving me crazy.”

When he looked down, the cop placed his head on his chest and looked at him with sad puppy eyes. Petey tried to fight the cuteness, but his partner stood on his toes so they could look at each other directly. The cat laughed loudly. “God, you are so cute! But, we have to go. The sooner we arrive at the district, the sooner we will return.”

The hybrid whined again, tightening his grip.

“And the sooner we can continue this…” Petey´s tail traveled to the cop's chin, stroking it seductively. 

“Papa, 80-HD is ready!” The tabby kissed his lover's forehead before separating. 

“That's my call, doggy. See you later.” Reluctantly, Greg let him go and waved at them as their figures disappeared on the horizon. 

- 

They arrived at the district an hour later, the tunnels were gloomy, and cold and didn't smell great, so 80-HD and he did their best to distract the kitten with jokes and games. When they got out, Tippy and Jim were already waiting for them with some warm blankets. 

“Oh, 80-HD, we didn't know you were ready for such adventures. It's freezing down there, take this.” Jim gently placed one of the blankets on the robot's shoulders and grabbed Li´l Petey in his arms. Petey came out last, making sure the entrance was fully sealed. The purple cat also gave him a blanket. “Are you ready to spend some time with your uncle?” The kitten moved his arms with excitement, asking what things had changed while they were gone and if they could visit their lab. 

Tippy got closer to him and sensed the air with a disgusted expression. “You smell like a wet dog.” 

“Well, it's nice seeing you too, Tip.” The black cat laughed and got closer to hug him, but then he smelled him again and stepped back. 

“Ew. Is that his hoodie?” Petey nodded, feeling a blush creep into his cheeks. Tip laughed loudly. “He marked you! I am sure every single cat in the district will know you two are messing around.” 

“First, we are not messing around, we are officially dating if you must know. And, at least I have someone who cares that much about me, not like you. You haven't been able to keep a relationship alive since… When?” Tippy placed a paw on his chest dramatically, as if he had been shot. Petey mimicked a thinking position, trying to recall if his friend had ever had a serious girlfriend. 

“That was a low one. And female cats are terrifying! But I am glad you finally sorted things out with Dog Man,” Said the black cat, trying to defend himself and dissipate the attention from his love life. 

“They are not scary when you treat them like sentient beings and when you show up to your second date, asshole.” Petey slapped his friend's head and moved forward, trying to catch Jim. 

“So, where are we going?” asked the tabby, feeling better now that he was out of the chilly tunnels. 

“To the community kitchen. Mrs. Richards makes breakfast for all the cats that lost their homes and businesses during the raid. They will be waiting for us there, we will have a small gathering and then we get into serious business. Sarah will be there too, she wants to talk with you about some of her investigations. Sounds right?” Big Jim smiled at him. Petey felt tired just thinking about the things he had to do before going home. “And some of your old friends will be there too, kiddo. Like Fluffy’s little brother and the kids from the daycare.” 

“Cool! I should have brought some of my comics, papa. Oh, what about the lab? I have some art supplies there.” Li’l Petey questioned, looking with hope at Big Jim. 

“I don’t know, kiddo, the lab is kind of… messy right now.” The purple cat looked at the tabby, hoping he would help him with the inquiry of the kitten.

“Nah, I want to see the lab.” Tippy shook his head, trying to convince him that it was a bad idea. “It’s fine, guys. I know the cops made a mess there, but I need to know what things remain. Maybe we could recover some of Li’l Petey’s old comics.”

Hesitantly, Jim led the way. “Okay, then. Let’s go to the lab, Mrs. Richards has breakfast ready by 9, it’s only 7:30, so we have plenty of time. Let’s go.” 

-

Messy had been a kind way to sugarcoat the destruction of his building. The place was mostly empty, the cops had demolished at least half of it thinking there were hidden rooms (Petey was not dumb, he would not make hideouts behind the walls). But since they found nothing and the cats started their protest, they left. 

So the terrace was gone, his apartment was left in pieces, and only the lab remained somewhat intact. 

“Papa, do you think they took my comics too?” He felt Li’l Petey’s paw pulling his hoodie, trying to catch his attention. But he was speechless.

He had been able to buy that building when he turned 22 after he robbed a cosmetic company that used cats as test subjects. This was the first place he had been able to call “home” after his mom died. 

He had worked his ass off to get all the machines, tools, and chemicals that were there (well, not anymore). And the mortgage had not been cheap either. Li’l Petey had been born (cloned) there, all those games they played, the small robots they built, and the pastries they baked were… gone. 

All those talks that defined his relationship with Greg, the times they watched the stars as they shared their secrets and stories about themselves. Just. Poof. Gone. 

“I think I need some water,” he said in a murmur, still looking at the destroyed walls and the dust that was covering everything. “Tippy, I used to keep all of Li’l Petey’s comics in the safe under the drafting tables. You just have to step twice on the floor to open a hidden compartment. Let’s hope they didn’t destroy that too.” 

He stormed to the bathroom of the lab, the lights didn’t turn on properly and a lot of dust remained in the air. Petey coughed a little, moving his paw to clean the air. 

The tabby stopped in front of the mirror, trying to steady his breath. He was an adult, he had been through worse. He just had to relax and think things wisely. 

“Papa, are you okay?” A tiny voice asked him with uncertainty. Petey jumped a little, before placing a paw on his chest, feeling his heartbeat rise. 

“Yes, sunshine. I am…” He sighed, it was a lie. He hesitated before accepting the truth.  “No, I am not. I-” He grabbed the kitten in his arms and cradled him. “I am sad. You know I worked hard for the stuff we had, I mean, it was not much, but it was ours. It was our home and now it’s gone.”

The kitten looked at him and grabbed his cheeks. “Not everything is gone, papa. We recovered some of my comics and a few blueprints… And I found the cups that had animal stickers! We have a new house, and the district is safe. You are still here and I am too. And we also have dad! Isn’t that home?”

Petey hugged his son tightly. The child was right, there was no good in crying over the missing stuff, he had a new bright future with the ones he loved. He would later take revenge for all his things. “Gosh, you are growing up so fast. Have I ever told you how much I love you and that you are the sunshine of my life?”

“No, but now you have.” Li’l Petey giggled before jumping to the floor. “I’ll bring the cups, I want some water too.”

The older tabby smiled at his child with tenderness, he still couldn't believe that was his clone. Was he ever such a sweet kid? He remembers being moody and angry all the time. Petey opened the faucet, he let the water run before grabbing some and cleaning his face. He stopped for a moment, the liquid smelled like flowers. The tabby sniffed again, weirded out. 

It was not strong, just a faint scent. Maybe he was going crazy, or all the dust had messed up his sensitive nose. He washed his face and drank some of it. Tap water had always been safe to drink in the district. But the taste was sweeter too. 

The kitten came back with the cups and handed them to him with excitement. He was just so stressed, he was starting to imagine things. Petey filled both cups and they went out of the bathroom to go back to the lab. 

“So, these are all the comics and blueprints that were inside the safe.” Big Jim placed a box in front of him, Petey watched them and smiled when he saw one of the papers. 

“Hey, guys, remember this? Mecha-Petey!” Tip and Jim smiled brightly. They had made those sketches when they were children. Along with Whiskers and Fluffy, they would play in Jim’s room; Petey had convinced them that one day he would be the most amazing inventor in the world. 

What he thought would be his biggest invention, the robot that would change the course of engineering and humanity, was a giant version of himself. He would fight the bad guys and make sure that the cats in the district would always be safe and protected. 

“Hell yeah! The robot that would have laser eyes and would make contact with aliens? That was so cool. I remember Fluffy gave the idea that the face would have your big smile, so everyone would trust in Mecha-Petey even if the real Petey was acting like a jerk.” Tippy held the hand-drawn drafts, they were scribbled with crayons. The tabby laughed at that, remembering his late friend. 

“Right, and it would have a machine that would make pancakes every ten minutes. You should build it now,” said Big Jim with excitement. 

“Yeah, maybe. But not with the pancake machine, Big Jim,” said the tabby with a serious tone. The purple cat answered with a sad whine. “Let's go have some breakfast. I am sure Jim and Li´l P are hungry already.” 

Everyone cheered and began to leave the lab. Petey made sure 80-HD helped him carry some boxes, the ones that contained the comics, and also one filled with the cups, dishes, and photos that survived the demolition of his apartment. He was carrying a few reagents, chemicals, and tools that seemed to still function. 

He took a look at the bathroom one more time before leaving, he could still sense the scent of flowers in the air. Petey shrugged and walked happily, ready to meet the other people at the district and make sure they were safe. A sound in his backpack startled him, he passed the things he was carrying to Tippy and finally answered the call. 

It took a few seconds before the big nose of Greg appeared. When the cop finally saw him, he barked with excitement. A collective “Hush!” was heard in the back, he was still at the station.

“Hi, doggy. How are you doing?” The hybrid began barking and whining, smiling once in a while with his tongue out. “Yeah, I miss you too already. You should go to a more private location… Not the bathroom! Outside would be fine.” Petey waited until his lover was in his car. Greg accommodated the device in front of him so he could sign. 

“Are you cold? Did you eat? How’s the kid? I miss you.” Greg signed so fast, it made the tabby laugh. 

“I am not cold. We are going to have breakfast with the other cats. Li´l Petey is fine, he is reading one of his comics to Jim while we go to the community kitchen. And I miss you too, darling,” answered Petey as fast as he could. They giggled at their reactions. 

“You are such dorks. Hey, Dog Man. Busy day at the station?” Tippy appeared behind him, waving at the screen. The cop greeted him with a bark.  

“Sunshine, come talk with your dad!” Jim and the kitten got closer. Petey asked 80-HD to grab the device while they talked. 

“Hi, dad! The cops destroyed the lab.” Greg looked at him worried, the tabby planned to talk about it later, but their child had other plans. Li´l Petey was very straightforward with what he wanted to say. “We were able to save my comics, but papa was sad about it.”

“Yeah, but we can talk about that when we get home. Everything is fine, few cats are on the streets and most of them are trying to reorganize their lives. And-” A tap on Greg's car window caught their attention. The cop looked up and began apologizing while pointing at the screen. Then he turned it so Petey could see who he was signing to. “Oh. Good morning, Chief.” 

“Morning, Petey.” Things were still uncomfortable between them. They had talked a couple of times over the private lines about the plans and advances on the search for the missing cats. “Sorry for interrupting, but Dog Man was supposed to go patrolling over an hour ago. Thanks for the cake, by the way.” 

The hybrid whined and looked at Chief with pleading eyes. Then he signed, “Just a few more minutes.” 

“No, Greg. Go to work. I will call you during your lunch, okay?” The cop nodded but remained with a sad look on his pretty face. Petey changed the tone of his voice, using the lovey-dovey one to convince his partner to go back to work. “Remember that I love you, darling. Now, be a good boy and help the city, alright?” 

Greg signed with a happier expression, “I love you too. I miss you. See you later.” The communication faded and Petey looked at the empty screen before turning to see Tippy and Jim looking at him with funny expressions. 

“Remember that I love you, darling.” Mocked the black cat with a high-pitched voice. “Be a good boy. I am Petey and I am so in love with a cop, mimimi… Ew, Petey.”

Big Jim laughed loudly. “Whoa, Petey. I have never seen you act that way. You are so in love, good for you!”

Petey felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. Li´l Petey giggled at the jokes. “Shut up. Let's go. And don't you dare to say a word about this to the others.” 

-

“And then, Petey said in the most ridiculous voice, "Remember that I love you, darling. Be a good boy.” Can you believe it?” Everyone at the community kitchen was laughing at the way Tippy retold the story over and over again, even Sarah was there giggling at the joke. Petey sighed heavily, helping Mrs. Richards and Leslie serve breakfast. 

“Will he ever stop?” whispered the tabby holding a glass of tap water in his paws. The liquid smelt like flowers there too. 

“Nah, he will talk about it until the day you marry.” Leslie was next to him, drinking some tea. “But I am happy for you, Petey. You and Dog Man deserve to be happy. And I told you, we don't need your help right now, go sit with the guys.” 

“Thanks, Leslie. But I would rather be here than with Tippy and Jim making fun of my life. By the way, have you noticed that the water smells like flowers?” The girl looked at him and nodded slowly. 

“I thought it was my perfume, but yeah. It began this morning, we were talking about it with Mrs. Richards. We thought that as long as we boiled it, it wouldn't affect anyone. Anyway, we give bottled water to everyone here.” Maybe he was worrying too much,  it probably was nothing. And Leslie was right, as long as they only drank bottled water and not directly from the tap, everyone would be alright. 

“Yeah, probably…” he said, as he played with the water in his glass; maybe he should take a sample. “I think the eggs are ready,” Petey informed Leslie as he began to help serve breakfast. 

-

A couple of hours later, he was showing the places Greg and Chief had already searched to find the missing cats. All the feline leaders sighed with sadness, a lot of their men were on that list. Petey swore he would look in the archives of the cameras of the city later that night, but he knew it would take a lot of time before he found something.  

Sarah was taking notes beside him, commenting once in a while when she knew something. The journalist had earned their trust through her investigations, she was the only one interested in giving space on her program to cats. 

“If the Mayor is involved in the disappearance of the cats, they probably erased the files that could be used as proof from the cameras," the woman pointed out. “ I think we have enough information to ask for new elections. We can release all these papers and photos you showed me, Petey.” 

“I think we will be able to finally take the town hall on Friday, then we-” The tabby felt a sharp pain in his stomach and a strong headache. He crouched over himself, a burning sensation in his abdomen making him gasp for air. 

“P? Are you alright?” asked one of the leader cats, getting closer to him. 

“Yeah, it's nothing… As I was saying, I still don't have the exact location of the missing cats, but-” Nausea kicked in, he tried to get up but fell to his knees. Tippy ran to his side and Jim tried to help him stand up. 

A yell made them focus on the door. “Petey! Some of the kittens started to throw up… I don't know what's going on!” said Leslie as she rushed to the rooms where the kids were.

“Li´l Petey,” whispered the tabby before trying to walk to the other room. Some cats beside him also started to feel dizzy or simply passed out. Tippy held him until they were finally in front of the door. “Li´l Petey!”

The kitten was crying in the arms of Mrs. Richards, and the poor woman was also starting to fall to her knees. Petey couldn't see properly, his vision was blurry, but he recognized a few kittens that were also lying on the floor. “Papa, it hurts.” He tried to get closer, but his legs failed him. He saw his son run to him as his eyes closed, and a tear ran through his face. 

Then he simply saw darkness.

- 

When he opened his eyes, he saw a ceiling he didn't recognize. He tried to move but all his body ached. He looked through the room, it was old, and the paint was not even covering all the walls. There was no furniture, just a table next to him with a glass of water and some pills. When he tried to reach for it, he saw his paw, it was tiny, as if he was just a-.

“Wake up, kid. I don't care if you are sick, I can't stay to take care of you, so you will have to go to work with me.” The door opened, and there was his dad. Looking younger than the last time, a few blond locks falling from his head. Gosh, he hated that look.  

“Do I have something in my face, lazy ass? Get up, I said!” Pete threw the glass of water in his face, he stood up as quickly as possible. 

“Sorry, papa.” His mouth moved before he even thought about it. So this was just a dream… Or a nightmare where he relived his horrible childhood. He hadn't suffered from these for a long time. “But mama said I have to stay in bed so I can get better.” 

“See if I care what that witch says. Come on, the bus will leave.” Petey got out of bed and looked at himself in the small mirror that was on the table. He looked so innocent and yet so sad. He checked his tail, the tip was still there. 

They went to the bus stop, and he tried to hold his father's hand, but the older cat walked faster. “Come on, Petey. Hurry up. Why are you so slow?”

The image blurred and now they were inside the bus, some cats waved at him and looked with aversion at Pete. “Papa, where are we going?”

“To the town hall, they asked me to help fix some doors. So you stay quiet and act like you don't even exist. Be a good kid for once in your life.” Petey nodded sadly and looked through the window, watching the streets pass by. His father was also very good at repairing stuff, but he probably killed most of his neurons with booze and drugs.  

They walked through the white halls, he waved at the people who were working there, but everyone ignored him or looked at him with disgust. 

“Those bastards think they are too important to even acknowledge a cat, huh? Well, then, why did they hire me? Because they are so stupid, they can't even fix a door,” murmured Pete under his breath. “See, Petey, humans hate cats because they know if they give us some power, we would be unstoppable. We are smarter, stronger, and just better than them. We should destroy them.” 

They took a turn before reaching the bathrooms; Petey didn't recognize that part of the building. A guard was waiting for them, and when his father showed his ID, the man opened a secret door. They went down some stairs for a while. It was a long walk. 

“But, papa, not all humans are evil. They just have to realize that hate doesn't bring any good to the world. We should learn about each other, not fight.” He didn't remember ever thinking that way. Funny. Maybe if he had remembered his own words, things would have been different. 

“Ugh, Grace has brainwashed you too. All those silly songs have turned you into a hippie. Come on, let's finish this so I can go to the bar.” Pete started to move faster, leaving him behind. He looked at the walls, the place seemed like a cave. Dark, humid, and cold. Where were they? He knew well the maps of the town hall, and it didn't have a place like this. Not one that he knew about. 

“But mama hates it when you go there. You will come back drunk and violent. But you don't even care…” Pete stopped abruptly and slapped him. 

“Mind your own goddamned business, Petey. I told Grace to get rid of you the moment she realized she was pregnant. I told her I didn't want to be a father, but she stopped me when I was about to leave, she even begged me to stay.” Petey sighed heavily and simply followed him. 

An old man was waiting for them in front of a big metal fence, he was wearing a fancy green suit. A long road of dark cells was behind him. “Good morning, Mr. TheCat. This is the door I talked about. I need you to-”

“That's not a door, that's a fence,” corrected Petey. The man looked at him with disdain. 

“This is a very important place to my family, my father used to be an amazing doctor and helped this country win the war. He made some… experiments down here, but the humidity is starting to rust the fences. I want you to repair every single one of them without messing with the electricity.” A teenager was behind him, looking at Petey with an evil smile. 

“Sure. I'll finish as soon as possible,” answered Pete nonchalantly. Petey looked at the guy in front of him, his face seemed familiar. 

“What are you looking at, creep?” The teen pushed him, making the kid trip with his tail. Pete was already working, ignoring him completely. 

“Not now, Conan. Let's go.” 

Conan. He heard that name before. But where? 

“Come on, Petey. Move!” He turned to look at his father. The place started to get blurry again. “Wake up, please!” 

“Ruff!” A loud bark made him open his eyes. He was in a different room now; the white lights blinded him for a while. 

“What?” A whine made him turn to his side. He recognized the room. He was at the hospital of the district. What had happened?

“Papa! You are awake!” Li´l Petey hugged him. His kid was heavily crying. A lick in his paw alerted him. Greg was there, his face full of tears as he whined. 

“What happened? Greg, why are you here? You were supposed to be working.” His voice was brittle, and his throat felt like sandpaper. 

“Papa, you… You fell to the ground and you didn’t answer. You slept for three days and we were so scared.” The little hiccups of the kittens broke his heart. 

“Three days? What happened?” Tip entered the room with Nurse Lady by his side. The black cat had baggy eyes, his fur looked disheveled and dirty. When he realized Petey had woken up, he hugged him tightly. 

“Oh, man. Don’t ever do that again. We thought we lost you.” Petey patted his back and looked at Greg, who had stepped back, looking at him with sadness. 

“I… What happened?” The tabby was still confused. Why was everyone so worried? Suddenly, the nausea kicked in. Nurse Lady got closer with a bucket and looked away as the tabby vomited. 

“I think I can explain that.” Nurse Lady got closer and checked his vitals, Greg cleaned his face with a napkin that was in his pocket. “Multiple cats around the district were poisoned. I ran some studies, blood tests, and urine samples. All of you had high amounts of Lilium pollen in your stomachs.”

“Lilies? But… How? It is strictly prohibited to bring any kind of this flower to the district. We know even the leaves could kill us,” Tippy said with confusion, then he paced angrily through the room.

“The water,” murmured Petey, after clearing his whiskers. “It smelled like flowers this morning.”

“Yes, Petey,” Nurse Lady said with a worried expression. “Leslie told me about something you said about the water in that morning, so I sent a sample to the lab in the city, just in case. The water in the district had been contaminated with lily pollen.”

The kitten kept crying on his chest. Petey looked at the walls in awe. How? Just how much did they have to suffer? He had so many questions and he was so enraged. A few tears escaped his eyes from the frustration.

“Fortunately, most kids threw it up and were able to get rid of the pollen in a couple of hours. They just have to drink a lot of water and take their medicine, that’s the case of Li’l Petey.” Nurse Lady took Petey’s paw. “But some adults couldn't handle the toxin, some are still in a coma. You have to be under strict supervision for a couple of days, the pollen almost caused renal failure in your case.”

“Fuck. Just fuck, ” whispered Petey as more tears fell. A hand made him look up, Greg was trying to comfort him by caressing his back. “Can we be alone for a second?” 

Everyone nodded, Nurse Lady went out to take care of the other patients, and Tippy smiled sadly before leaving the room, trying to bring some comfort to all that messed up situation. Li’l Petey had calmed down a little, but his breath was still shaky. 

Greg hugged him tightly, the tabby felt some tears in his fur. 

“I am sorry for worrying you. I…” He began to cry again. “Why? How could someone do something like this?”

The cop licked his cheeks. “We are investigating. But we don’t know yet,” he signed. 

“It’s the Mayor. Only a spiteful woman like her could do something like this, she must have thought she could make cats talk about my location if she poisoned us. Or maybe she was finally ready to kill us.” Sadness was gone, and now anger filled his words. “And I am gonna make sure she pays for every single cat that didn’t survive.”

“We don’t know for sure if it was her,” signed Greg. 

“Who else, Greg? I- Look, I don’t want to fight. Could you please just hug me? Then we can-” The hybrid didn’t wait and kissed him desperately. Li’l Petey hid his face on his chest. 

“I was so scared, Petey. You didn’t wake up. You didn’t call. I tried to reach Jim, but no one answered. I came here and everything was chaotic.” The poor cop signed so fast, that he would often skip a few words. “No one knew where you were. I looked for you for hours. No one knew what to do, so I called Nurse Lady.”

Petey tried to calm him down, caressing his head with tenderness. “Thanks, Greg. You probably saved many lives.” The cop took his paw in his hand and howled with such heartbreaking emotion. 

“But you didn’t wake up. I thought I lost you. You can’t leave me, Petey. You can’t leave us alone again,” he signed as a few tears ran through his muzzle. 

“I won’t,” he said, bringing his family closer. “I won’t ever leave you alone. I promise.”

-

Nurse Lady and the doctors told him to rest for some days before getting up. Of course, Petey didn't follow their instruction. After convincing Greg, the cop helped him visit the other cats to see if they needed anything. The younger felines were recovering quickly, some were able to go home before Petey had woken up. 

Some older cats, like Mrs. Richard, had unfortunately passed away in a matter of hours. Petey hugged Leslie as the girl cried over the loss of her aunt, the woman had taken care of so many cats in the district, she didn't deserve such suffering. Li´l Petey was playing with some kids in the hallway, trying to distract them from the pain and the horrible pills they had to take. It was already night. 80-HD was inside one of the rooms resting, he had helped carry as many cats and medicine as possible to the hospital. 

Petey wanted to do so much, go outside and investigate, create some sort of machine that would help his friends recover faster, or whatever. But the nausea came back occasionally, so Greg led him to his room carefully. 

They both tried to fit in the small bed. The cat was lying on top of the hybrid, purring slowly as his partner caressed his back. A comfortable silence fell upon them, the tabby was already closing his eyes. A few minutes passed when, suddenly, Greg smelled the air suspiciously before growling. 

“What? What is it?” He tried to sense any danger, but he only smelled detergent and pills. “Greg, what's wrong?”

The hybrid kept growling and hugged him tighter as if he knew Petey would try to escape his embrace once he realized what was going on. 

“Cats of the district!” A voice rumbled through the place, someone outside the hospital was yelling with a megaphone. “I am the Commissioner. I've come to help you. I brought medicine and a car filled with all the equipment you might need to treat the poison. Just give me Petey´s location, and everything is yours.”

Petey looked up at Greg, the hybrid kept growling but didn't let him go. He knew it would be dangerous, the tabby had not fully recovered. 

“Cats of the district! You have to understand you are hiding a very dangerous criminal. Your protests are futile. The Mayor offers peace as long as you give us the location of Petey TheCat. This is your last chance.” He tried to get up, but the cop's grip was stronger. Greg shook his head, trying to convince him to not move. 

“Get the fuck out of our district!” Petey recognized Tippy´s voice. “You fucking poisoned the water! You killed and disappeared our friends and family. And you want us to give you the location of Petey? You must be nuts, Commissioner.”

“Tippy, you are also a wanted criminal. I am willing to forgive every single one of the crimes committed by cats if you simply tell me where Petey is.” The man didn't sound like himself, he was nervous, desperate even. 

“I won't repeat myself, Commissioner. Get the fuck out of our district before we kill you!” the black cat yelled threateningly. 

“You know what, do it! Kill me, Tippy. Believe me, I would rather be dead if that means I won't see what he is planning to do with all of you.” Greg and Petey looked at each other. They didn't expect that at all. The tabby saw that his partner was distracted, so he stood up from the bed and got closer to the window. 

The Commissioner looked like a mess. He was not accompanied by any other cop but by two trucks from the hospital of the city. The old man looked older than before, his hair was almost completely white, and his uniform was dirty. 

Petey got out of the room, Greg was behind him, barking, telling him to stop. But the tabby had already decided what to do. He stormed through the front door, everyone looked at him in awe. The Commissioner's lips curled into a smile. Tippy tried to stop him, but the tabby ran faster and punched the old man right in the face. 

The man fell to his back and Petey took the chance to pin him down on the ground. “You are going to tell me everything you know, right here, right now.” 

The Commissioner laughed like he had lost his last drop of logical thinking. “Oh, Petey. I think if we are fast enough, you can still save the others, but I don't know. They keep dying. Even if I tried to stop him, he wanted more. He wants you. Petey, not even I would have imagined what was going on down there.” 

“What are you talking about?” The man kept murmuring nonsense. Petey yelled at his face, trying to make him focus. “Commissioner!” 

“I am sorry, Petey. But if sacrificing you means saving my old ass…” He felt something pointing at him. He stood up slowly with his hands up, the man was holding a gun directly at his chest. A shot caught everyone's attention. The Commissioner looked behind him and laughed again. 

“Dog Man, didn't know you were here.” The hybrid ran to his side and placed Petey behind him, growling defiantly. “Oh, so it is true. When I heard that you were fucking someone in the district, I thought you were just messing with a prostitute. You go for the big leagues, huh?” 

Greg pointed at the Commissioner, the man put down his gun and raised his hands. 

“You know, it was not my idea to create you. It was his.” Dog Man looked at the old man with confusion. Who was he talking about? “Growing up, I realized that asshole was crazy. I told my uncle, but he didn't believe me. All the family loves him, but I know he is nuts. When he told me about this super cop idea, I laughed. I mean, would you have believed him?” 

Greg got closer, making sure Petey was behind him. The tabby understood that it would be better if he didn't intervene. The Commissioner's eyes were not even focused on them. It seemed like the man had lost his mind. 

“Sew a dog's head onto a man's body? I mean, what? But then he showed me your file, he explained to me that you were the perfect subject for this experiment. You were smart and loyal, you only lacked a human body. And Knight was strong, the top in his combat and shooting class, but he was dumb as hell. Together, you would be unstoppable. So I believed him.” The Commissioner grabbed his hair, pulling strands of it as he talked. 

The man stopped just in front of Dog Man's gun, adjusting his forehead so it would be at the same height with the barrel of the gun. 

“I made you investigate Petey, waiting for the right time to attack. But your skank was faster than me, he dropped the opportunity just in the ceiling. I knew Knight was an asshole, and I knew you wanted to be a hero so bad. So I told you to go try to stop the bomb until the specialists came. I hoped it wouldn't kill you. And a day later, you were born!” Petey gasped as he tried to let the man's words sink in. Everyone around him looked surprised. Dog Man kept aiming, growling more heavily. 

“But it only took a slut like Petey to erase all the loyalty you have, you are a man after all, right? We can never say no to a good ass-” Greg knocked the man down with his gun. A tense silence filled the night. He turned to see if Petey was unharmed. The tabby just looked at him, he saw the sadness that those brown eyes held. He threw himself into the arms of the hybrid he loved. 

“I am sorry.” Why? Why was he even sorry for? “I am so sorry, darling.” Greg hugged him tightly as a whine escaped his lips. 

He was sorry for the future that presented itself as a maze of darkness. 

Chapter Text

If Mr. White's case had been big news, the Commissioner's arrest and story were one of the biggest scandals the world had ever seen. Sarah had recorded everything the man said that night, and the video went viral in a couple of minutes. Greg had made sure to place Petey inside one of the hospital's rooms before heading to the station with the old man. 

The tabby had tried to stop him, but the cop ordered the doctors and Tippy to avoid at all costs that Petey left the hospital before he fully recovered. No one dared to say no, the hybrid looked so angry, that people just followed everything he said. Before leaving, he kissed him and hugged Li´l Petey, promising to come back with good news. 

In the blink of an eye, Greg was nowhere to be seen, all the cats were inside the hospital again and the Commissioner's visit became a bittersweet memory. It took him a while (and some pills) to fall asleep. The next day, he hoped the hybrid would come back, but no. Sarah visited him and told him that Dog Man had asked for any information, photos, or videos that she had about discrimination against cats in Ohkay City. 

He wondered what were the cop's intentions, but later that day, all news channels were talking about the scandal. Dog Man presented the case to the Governor, accusing the Mayor of supporting the abuse of cats. So now the problem had escalated, it was not just a fight between cats and the authorities of Ohkay City, it was a chain of crimes committed against cats that the system had not given proper attention to. 

Since the last Mayors were also part of her family, Greg made sure to add evidence of how these people had used their political influence to discriminate and harm cats for decades. Petey was surprised, he didn't know a lot of the information that was shown in the report. The Commissioner had spilled all these secrets when Chief promised him fewer years in jail. 

And, Greg had made sure to make a full report on his situation too. How the creation of the super cop had been planned, how the Commissioner had put him and Knight in unnecessary danger just to accomplish this inhuman experiment, and more obscure information was released once the old man had been interrogated. 

Sarah made a special program about the scandal. She explained that the most gruesome details would not be provided to the public, to protect the families of the victims, but that the information spilled until that day was just the tip of the iceberg. Petey knew she was talking about the disappearance of many cats during the raid and the declawing. They still needed to find them. 

Animal Rights, Human Rights, and every single organization that wanted a piece of the cake was at the town hall, demanding answers. It was Petey´s third night (awake) at the hospital, his kid was next to him, painting some of his comics. Most of his symptoms had vanished, he had no more nausea or weakness. Nurse Lady told him he would be released the next morning. 

“Papa, where is dad? I miss him,” said Li´l Petey as he finished one of his pages. Climbing to his lap to sleep, the kitten began to knead the horrible white sheets of the hospital bed.

“He is very busy with his work, sunshine. Don't worry,” he knew the child didn't believe him. He understood his mother now, it was easier lying to his kid about how things would get better than facing the inevitable truth, he was scared. Greg had not called or visited these days, he knew nothing about his partner. And he knew that when the cop was completely silent, it was because he was either too angry or too worried. 

The few times he had the chance to see him or hear about him was thanks to the TV. The cop looked so tired, his usual happiness was gone. Only a constant worry in his eyes remained, and that broke Petey´s heart. He had not seen that bright smile that made his heart flutter or those dreamy eyes that made him fall in love. Just a cold screen, showing a colder police officer. 

“Breaking news!” Petey froze, his tail puffed in a second. Something big was coming. He turned up the volume and accommodated his child next to him. Sarah was at the Governor's office, like many journalists who were waiting for his answer.  The woman got closer to the camera, “The Governor will finally give some words about the situation in Ohkay City.” 

A tall man appeared on camera, he was stressed, and sweat fell from his forehead as rivers. Next to him was Greg, wearing his uniform with elegance. Even if he was shorter, he looked more imposing with his hardened expression. “We… Well, I-” 

All the cameras and microphones pointed at the old man. The Governor coughed and looked nervously around the room. Then, the man sighed, cleaned the sweat out of his face, and broke the papers he was holding. Greg looked at him, and all the tension that was built on his muzzle left. Petey started rubbing the flat end of his tail, nervous. When had the cop traveled to the Governor's office?  

“I am deeply sorry. I have not paid attention to what was in front of me, to such horrendous crimes. Reading this report on what cats have been struggling with for decades… God, I am so sorry. No one, animal, human, or hybrid deserves to go through what they went through. My secretary showed me how many cases of discrimination and hate crimes against cats have been registered in the past years. I-”

Petey placed a paw on his mouth, trying to hide a surprised gasp. Were they finally being heard? Would there be finally a change? 

“I don't think I have enough words to show how sorry I am. I know that giving up my charge would be enough for some politicians, but I want to do the right thing. At least one time. I know I cannot repay the countless deaths, and harm my ignorance and the disinterest of past Governors had caused over the years. Unfortunately, like many citizens of Ohkay City, I… I trusted the Mayor and her family. But not anymore.” The Governor looked at the camera and then nodded with confidence toward Greg, the hybrid smiled, and a hint of hope sparkled in his lover's eyes. 

Petey sat down in his bed, getting closer to the TV. He was breathing with difficulty. Could it be…? Li´l Petey asked him what was going on, but he couldn't talk, expectation grew in his chest.

“I suspend the Mayor. I don't have the power to dismiss her, but if the authorities find her guilty, we will call for a new election as soon as that woman answers for her crimes. Now, everything is in the hands of justice. The Commissioner will remain in jail until the due process begins.” All the journalists started yelling questions. Sarah couldn't hide her smile. Greg smiled at the camera, his eyes shining with pride, and Petey knew it was directed at him. 

The tabby felt a tear run down his face. Yes, he was not stupid, he knew not everything was solved. But it was something, an advance. 

“We will work hand in hand with the next mayor to provide justice and recognition to all the cats that were victims. We will never be able to repay everything they lost, but I promise we will work for a better future. And, finally, I want to thank Mr. Greg Dog Man, who bravely decided to present this case to our office. I will make sure such an honorable cop finds justice for what was done to his and Officer Knight's dignity. That's all I have to say.” The man disappeared behind his door accompanied by Greg, not wanting to answer any questions. 

It was a promise for a new beginning. He sobbed lightly. Petey would give the world away to have Greg by his side to enjoy this moment. But he had the hope of a brighter future next to him, he could feel that everything would finally be alright when he heard his child's voice asking him if he was okay. 

“Yes, I just miss your dad. That's all, sunshine.” 

-

The next morning, Petey was getting ready to finally leave the hospital. Li´l Petey was helping him, brushing his fur. The kid was standing in a chair, combing even the smallest hairs on his head. 

“You know, you don't need to do that, right, kiddo?” questioned Petey as he felt his child brush with a little more force than needed. 80-HD was fully charged and holding the boxes from the lab with him. 

“Yes, but I want to. You told me once that a cat with unbrushed fur would never be taken seriously,” the tabby laughed. He never thought an innocent comment would backfire like this. 

“But we are just going home. I'll take a shower when we arrive,” the older tabby said as he watched the TV again, an old cartoon was playing. The Mayor had not said anything yet, they would have to wait until they decide who would replace her until the new elections. But everyone at the hospital was happy that she was going to get dismissed soon. 

“Do you think dad will be there?” Petey´s smile faded. God, he wished he could answer that. 

“I…” it was already 10 a.m., time to leave. He got up and sighed heavily, making sure they weren't forgetting something, the robot went out of the room, leading the way. “Let's go, kid”

He took his child's paw with tenderness as they began to walk. Almost all the other cats had been already discharged, and only a few remained at the hospital. He visited them and promised that they would get better soon. Leslie waited for him at the door, a bright smile garnished her cheeks. 

“Why are you smiling like that?” Although the girl was wearing a black dress and a hint of sadness remained in her eyes, Leslie giggled when Petey got closer to the entrance. 

“Someone is waiting for you,” the young cat took a step back, letting him open the door. The brightness of the morning blinded him. Before he could react, Li´l Petey dropped his hand and ran. 

“Dad!” And there he was, the most wonderful creature he had the chance to see in his life. Greg was holding their child with tenderness, barking excitedly. Petey beamed at the picture. He loved them so much it hurt. 

Neither of them spoke, afraid to break the charming sensation burning their chests. Greg left the kid gently on the ground, and Petey threw himself into his arms, aching to erase the loneliness he felt the past days. They didn't want to waste time on stupid words, so Petey placed his paws around his neck and kissed him with such necessity, that 80-HD covered the kitten's eyes.

Li´l Petey chuckled next to them, and the robot gave them a thumbs-up. They finally separated after a couple of seconds. 

“Let's go home,” signed Greg with a delighted sigh after the kiss broke. 

-

Nurse Lady was drinking a cup of tea on their couch, Petey gasped surprised when he saw her. He looked at Greg for answers, but the cop just shrugged without giving any explanations, avoiding looking at him. Li´l Petey jumped excited into her arms, during the time the tabby had been at the hospital, they had formed a bond with the nurse. The kitten liked her and enjoyed playing with her. 

“Hi, Genie. What brought you here?” Asked the cat, sitting next to her. 

“Oh, well, Greg asked me to babysit Li´l P today,” said the woman with a bright smile. Then, she turned to hug the kitten. “Are you ready for some fun, guys?” 

“Yes!” The kitten and 80-HD high-fived. “Can we go outside to play? 80-HD needs some sun.” 

“Sure, darling,” Nurse Lady got up and placed her tea cup on the table. “Have fun.” She blinked an eye at Petey before leaving. 

“Bye, papa. Have fun on your date!” The child followed the nurse, and finally, the robot patted his head. Was he missing something? What date?

A bark caught his attention, in the stairs Greg was waiting for him. The cop was wearing a white shirt and some jeans, nothing too complicated, but perfect nonetheless. He looked so handsome.

“Oh my…” Petey got closer. “Okay, you look hot as fuck, but I am going to get angry if you don't give me some time to change.”

Greg chuckled and signed while nodding, “Take your time.” 

The tabby gave him a quick peck on his cheek before heading to their room. He had to think fast but smartly. His partner could look handsome with just a basic outfit, but not him. Petey threw all his clothes to the floor, he didn't have much, and he wasn't used to wearing clothes, but if this was a date, he had to make an effort. 

“Haw haw!” The tabby laughed as he found an old jacket and a pair of jeans that made his ass look great. “A see-through shirt and let's go!”

He opened the door with a kick and coughed to catch the attention of Greg, who was waiting for him sitting on the couch biting a tennis ball. Petey posed flirtatiously and went down the stairs, moving his tail with a studied rhythm. The cop couldn't move his eyes from him, the toy fell from his mouth, he observed how the jeans were loose and thigh in the perfect places, and how the shirt showed his fur shyly. 

“You better compensate for the days you were gone, officer.”

-

Greg was driving calmly. He explained to Petey that since things were not completely solved, they couldn't go to any public place. They would have a picnic outside the city, and then they would walk for a bit before the “final surprise”. 

“You planned all of this while making your reports and traveling to visit the Governor?” The cop shook his head and barked. “Oh, you wanted to do this before. I have so many questions about the case against the Mayor. I mean, we still have so much to do, but at least we will count on more support from the government. And I-”

Greg grabbed his paw and barked again. 

“Okay, no talking about that stuff on the date. I get it. Fortunately, cops won't attack the cats that are still heading to the town hall. I think they should stay there until there are new elections, as a way of protest… But, what about-” A playful growl made him stop. “Fine! I'll stop talking. What did you bring for lunch?”

They kept talking until they arrived at a forest, it was not far away and usually, people would go camping there. It was a weekday, so they didn't have to worry about being seen. They held hands as they walked, and the cop carried the picnic basket with him. 

“A forest, huh? Cool. You know, I was a critter scout when I was a kid,” Greg nodded, inviting him to talk more. They stopped at a beautiful spot, it had the exact amount of sun and shadow, not too hot or cold. The trees embraced them, promising security. The cop started to tend the picnic blanket. “I loved it, Tip and Jim were the best at finding firewood. Whiskers was in charge of making the tent, and Fluffy would tell the scary stories.” A sad sigh escaped his lips. “I wish we had one more chance to go camping together.” 

The hybrid turned and took his hand, inviting him to sit down with him. Petey followed him and watched as his partner took his notebook out of his pocket. He gave him a note. 

“I want this date to be like our talks on your terrace. Just us, knowing more about each other and eating without worrying about anything else. Li´l Petey told me you were sad about your lab. We made so many memories there, but I remembered I had the most important thing of those memories next to me. So let's make new ones. Tell me everything about you, and I will too. Ask whatever you want. 

Petey, when you didn't wake up, I felt as if my world was crumbling. I don't know what I would do without you, and I don't want to find out. And I know the world is pretty shitty right now, we haven't solved everything and we still have so many things to do. But I also think we need this time together. 

Just the two of us and the forest, for a couple of hours. And I hope you like the food, Nurse Lady helped me.”

“You are so good with your writing, no doubt you made the Governor feel like shit when he read your report.” Petey lay down and looked at the sky, trying to clear his head. Greg was right, they required some time together. “Okay, first question. I… How- How did you feel when you heard the Commissioner? About the explosion. I know it must suck to remember it, but I didn't have the time to ask you about it…”

He knew it wasn't the best way to start, but he needed to know, that question had been making him anxious. A light breeze moved the trees, and he heard Greg scribbling next to him. 

“What a way to start.” Petey chuckled. “I am not going to lie, I didn't go back to the hospital because I was afraid you would ask that. But, now, I am ready to talk about it. Chief and Nurse Lady convinced me to sue the Mayor and the Commissioner for it and to present my case to the Governor too. I was surprised, then angry, then sad, and now, I feel… Like a chapter is finally closing. I knew something was off the day of the explosion. There is still something missing, someone convinced the Commissioner to do that, and someone had the idea of the super cop way before the explosion, even before you placed the bomb. I need to find who it is and make him pay. But, at least I know more about that day. We contacted Knight's family and informed them about it, and they were thankful. For them, this is finally closure. They still don't want to see me, but it's alright. His mother sent me a letter, apologizing and wishing me the best. She said Knight would be very proud of me.”

“The Commissioner was scared as if someone was hunting him down or pressuring him to find me. And I am happy that you contacted them, they needed to know about it. What else did he say during his interrogation?” Petey gave back the notebook, he wanted to talk about Knight, but how? He never asked about him before. 

“Not much, the man was murmuring nonsense most of the time. I had to punch him a couple of times because he said some nasty stuff about you. Chief made me go out of the room for a couple of minutes. Then he kept repeating your name and Conrad? He said he would never stop looking for you. We said no more talking about this on our date. I will tell you more later.” His mind lighted up, and a memory popped up. The tabby sat down in a fast movement. 

“Conan! I know that name. I…” Greg looked at him with annoyance. “Okay, no more talking about that. Mmm, your turn, shoot.” 

The cop looked at the sky for a couple of minutes before writing his question. 

“Could you tell me more about your mother?” Petey grabbed his tail in his paws and caressed the flat end as a warm smile appeared on his lips. 

“Oh, she… Well, you already know her name. My mom was a wonderful cat who loved life, music, and me, even if I was a pain in her ass. She was incredible, she could find the bright side of everything. When my father left, he took all of her savings with him, and we didn't have anywhere to go. Since we didn't pay rent, we got kicked out of the apartment. When I asked her about the meaning of the eviction note, she told me that it was time for another family to live there. God, Greg, she always tried so hard to make me happy. Now I finally understand her, I would do anything to make sure our kid is safe.” The cop sat down and embraced him, licking his cheek carefully. “And she would have loved you so much.”

The trees moved again, and a few leaves and flowers fell in front of them. They looked at each other and giggled, whatever that was, they would take it as a sign. Grace was blessing their love. 

“Could you tell me more about Knight? I know I never asked about him, but he was very important to you. I would have liked to meet him.” Greg looked at him for a couple of seconds before smiling brightly, then he nodded with excitement. The hybrid started to write, and Petey looked at him tenderly. 

“Knight was awesome. Some people used to say he was dumb, but I never met a person with such a brave heart. When he adopted me, I knew we would be friends forever. He used to talk a lot, and he was sure I could comprehend what he was saying. I think he was the first one who saw me and acknowledged me before becoming Dog Man. I will always remember Knight as my first friend, he showed me the path of a hero. Not the ones that are shown on TV, but the real heroes. The ones that don't doubt before putting themselves in danger if that means saving other lives. The ones that understand the others before judging them.” Petey caressed his muzzle and placed a gentle kiss there. 

“I am sure he takes care of you even if he's not here anymore,” the tabby leaned his head on the cop's shoulder. “I am sure he is proud of how much you were able to accomplish.” 

Greg grabbed his notebook and wrote something down. “We shouldn't judge criminals by what they did, but by the reasons that led them to do it. I didn't understand him at first, but that's what he told me when we started investigating your case.” The tabby chuckled when he read those words. 

“You know, I think Knight was a very wise man.”

- **

They spent the rest of the evening talking and eating, kissing once in a while, Nurse Lady had prepared beef stew and they ate even the last bit of it. They were enjoying the last rays of the sun as they headed to the car. Greg took some photos with a portable camera he had brought for their date. 

“You had everything planned, huh?” questioned Petey. The cop looked at him with excitement and smiled at him flirtatiously. “I wonder what our next stop would be.” Said the tabby with a playful tone.

The hybrid chuckled and guided him to the car, he opened the door for Petey and he thanked him with a kiss on his muzzle. The tabby looked through the rearview mirror as his lover moved around the car, how his muscles flexed, and the shadows embraced his built body. Maybe he should take some risks. Greg planned all this, it was only fair to give him a gift. 

The cop put everything in the trunk. When he entered the car, Petey threw himself into his arms, kissing him desperately. Greg didn't have time to react, and the cat pushed the front seat down. With agility, the tabby placed himself on top of him. The kiss started to get more passionate as Petey moved his hands, exploring his partner's body, taking his time tracing the fur of his neck. 

“Since you have been such a good doggy, I think I should give you a prize. Right?” Petey took off his jacket and threw it to the back seat. The cop was still too surprised to react. The tabby doubted for a moment, Greg was not answering as he had expected. They looked at each other, tension growing every second. “I mean, I can stop if you want to… Oh, I never asked you if you wanted this. I am sorry. I am so sorry.” 

The tabby felt embarrassed, they had never talked about their sexual relationship. What if he crossed his boundaries? Greg was a virgin, he never had such intimacy. Did he even want to? What if he didn't? Oh, he must be thinking of him as some kind of desperate cat in heat. He looked to his side, feeling a lump form in his throat. What a way to ruin a date!

Just when he was about to back off, a firm hand held his thighs in place. Greg looked at him and signed slowly. “I love you, Petey. I don't know how to do this. But I want to. Let's take our time.” 

Petey felt a blush garnish his cheeks. He placed a paw on his face, feeling the heat in his fur. “Oh, God.” The tabby hid his face in his lover's chest and hugged him tightly. “I love you so much. That's why I want you to be comfortable with this. I'll understand if you are not ready. If you don't want to, it's fine. I'll always respect your boundaries, sorry if I-”

A hand guided his face to look up, Greg smiled at him tenderly before closing the space between them. They kissed again, slower. Petey let himself melt under the touch of his partner. They took their time, exploring each other's mouths, he felt Greg's tongue testing the sharpness of his fangs. Touching, caressing, feeling, they got lost in their little bubble. 

Petey was afraid to admit that this was the first time someone took the time to explore his vulnerability, he felt as if he was an inexperienced teenager all over again. He felt Greg's hands all over him, it was too much, but at the same time, he craved more. They separated to breathe, the hybrid didn't waste time and started placing gentle kisses along his jaw. 

It felt as if he was caressing every single black stripe of his fur, leaving a funny sensation behind. The hand on his back started to draw maps along his spine, finally arriving at the base of his tail. A moan escaped his lips, just like last time. Greg didn't stop, he started sucking and biting lightly on his neck, making the tabby feel like a complete mess. 

He could feel himself getting harder, he had never got so excited with just making out. It usually took more to get him in the mood, but now, he was not even able to control his breath anymore. They began to kiss again, and Petey felt the bulge in his partner's pants, he smiled against his lips. The tabby moved, rocking his hips. A growl told him that he was doing a good job.

He did it again, this time, with more precision. Greg bit down his neck harder, making him moan louder. “Greg… Greg… Darling, please, tell me we can continue.” 

This time the cop barely opened his eyes, his hips were already searching for more heat. His crotch was looking for attention. Petey waited until his lover nodded and barked affirmatively. This time, the tabby took his time, unbuttoning the white shirt while the hybrid kissed his neck. 

“I've always wanted to do this. I love every single part of you,” Petey finished his work and started placing gentle kisses along his chest, going lower, taking his time on his abdomen. It was an uncomfortable position, so the hybrid pressed the handle that allowed the seat to go further back, giving more space to whatever the tabby wanted to do. 

“You are always such a good boy, taking care of me, loving me…” Petey stopped in front of his pants and bit down the elastic of the boxers. Greg gasped for air, letting a whine come out as the expectation grew. “Do you want me to take care of you too?” He traced the happy trail of blonde hair. 

He opened the zipper, slowly, enjoying the excitement of his partner. His erection surprised Petey, and a light chuckle escaped his lips. He got closer to his intimacy, not touching, just teasing. The hybrid was a mess, panting heavily as he tried to look down, the tabby took his chance and caressed his member. Greg growled again and placed a hand on Petey’s head, pulling him closer. “Do you want me to continue? Come on. Tell me.” 

He moved his hand over the fabric, and some precum started to leak. Petey didn't stop, moving up and down without mercy. “Greg, look at me.” The cop followed the instructions and gasped when he felt his lover's tongue touch his member. Suddenly, Petey felt a strong grip on his fur, guiding him closer to his erection. 

“You want me to suck you, right? What a bad doggy,” the dirty talk seemed to work, he felt the hybrid tremble under the heat of his breath. With a slow movement, he pulled the boxers down, and, without further ado, he placed the member in his mouth. He moved, careful to not harm him with his tongue. 

The grip on his head tightened as a whine escaped his partner's lips. Petey moved, up and down, stroking the length. He found his rhythm after a couple of minutes, Greg became a mess of whimpers and growls. “You like that?” his voice echoed in his mouth. When he looked up, Greg was signing with a shaky hand. 

“Don’t,” he chuckled and separated, he replaced his mouth with his hand, moving slowly again. 

“You don’t like it when I talk?” He saw Greg tighten his grip on the seat. Petey’s back started to hurt, but he was not going to leave this business unfinished. The steering wheel partially pressed his body. The tabby licked the length and placed it in his mouth again. He was trying to find his rhythm when the cop grabbed his head and began guiding his speed, begging him to go faster without words. 

It took him a few more seconds before Greg came, leaving a mess in his mouth. He coughed, surprised. When Petey tried to get up, his head hit the steering wheel and the horn started to sound. 

They looked at each other and laughed. Greg helped him sit down and grabbed some tissues from the glove compartment, cleaning the corners of his mouth. 

“I am sorry,” he signed. Greg looked down, his puppy eyes showing his embarrassment. 

Petey on the other hand couldn't be happier. He had dreamt about this. He laughed lazily, his afterglow made his head feel lighter. He had come just when Greg had fucked his mouth roughly at the end. Kinky. 

“Why?” he asked, breathing heavily. “Didn’t you like it? Did my tongue hurt you?”

The cop grabbed his paw and placed a gentle kiss on it, shaking his head in disagreement. “I loved it! But I didn’t do anything. I didn’t make you feel good,” Greg signed with a whine. 

“Oh, boy. Look at this,” Petey pointed at his jeans. A clear white stain was just on his crotch. His shirt was also unbuttoned, and his fur was disheveled. “Believe me, I had a great time, too.” He caressed his neck, feeling the tingly sensation of the bite marks. “And I am sure if I didn’t have my fur to hide them, I would have a dozen hickeys garnishing my neck.” 

Greg blushed and covered his eyes with embarrassment. The hybrid started buttoning his shirt again.

“You should leave it like that, you look hot. So hot, I gave you a blowjob on our second date. You sure are special,” Petey joked, Greg chuckled, finally relaxing, and got closer, licking the cat's face and adjusting his clothes. “And we will have plenty of time to try new stuff later, we have our life ahead of us, right?”

A playful bark made Petey laugh. They hugged for a couple of seconds before kissing one last time. 

“You know, I am very flexible, but we should avoid using the car for this. My back hurts,” said Petey, getting comfortable in his seat. Greg whined, apologizing again. 

- **

“The final surprise is at home?” asked Petey reading a card. “Can I take a shower? I don't want Li´l Petey and Genie asking questions about why I am returning without jeans and a shirt. You are lucky, you don't have come all over your clothes.” 

Greg pressed the horn as the embarrassment hit him. He parked in front of their house and started signing. “I am sorry, I didn't mean to. I will buy you new clothes.” 

“Nah, it's fine. You can repay me with more dates. What about that, doggy?” Petey winked flirtatiously. The hybrid chuckled and nodded. 

“Go first. Li´l Petey and Genie must be in the backyard,” signed Greg. 

“How are you so sure? If they see me like this, I am going to kill you. I swear.” Petey looked through the window, it was already night, and the lights were turned off. “Why is everything so quiet? That is not good news when the fur ball is involved.”

The cop gave him another card. “A surprise is waiting for us. I'll wait for you in the backyard.”

Petey smiled and put on his jacket, “Whatever, Romeo. It better be good.” 

He entered the house and ran to their room, everything was dark, and he was sure he heard Genie murmuring. After some minutes he was ready, he put on one of Greg's hoodies, the night was chilly. When he went down, he heard some giggling and a bark. The tabby smiled, excited. 

The backyard was beautifully illuminated with small lights, and a table was placed just next to their tree. Greg was standing there with the brightest smile, Li´l Petey was wearing a cute suit. Genie was nowhere to be seen. Petey got closer to them. 

“Well, now I think I look ridiculous. You could have told me to put on something fancy,” Greg looked at him nervously, Li´l Petey chuckled watching his dad's reaction. “What's wrong? Why are you so anxious?” 

“Papa, dad asked me to read you this letter,” the kitten coughed, clearing his voice. Music began to play, and he would recognize that song anywhere. “Here, there and Everywhere” by The Beatles. He looked at their child, the kid was almost jumping with excitement. 

“Dear Petey and Li´l Petey, 

I hope I am with you until the end of my days. I promised before that I would always protect you and I want to make that promise a reality. We haven't been together for long, but I know this is the right thing to do. I feel it in my heart. 

Things are still pretty rough, and at this moment the thing we need the most is certainty. So, in front of our child, I want to give you this promise ring. Marry me when all of this is over. Let's wear these rings as a new promise, as the keys to the brighter future that is ahead of us. 

I love you, with every single piece of my heart. I want to wake up with you next to me every morning. I want you here, there and everywhere. When you are beside me, I know I can face any problem. 

Let's be a family united by strength and resilience. 

Li´l Petey, I promise you I will always take care of your papa. I'll try to be a better dad every day, and I'll take care of you in each step you take. I love you, son. 

Let's show everyone that we are not victims of our stories. We decided to rewrite them with hope and love. 

Look up now.”

Li´l Petey looked at him surprised, he wasn't waiting to be acknowledged on the letter too. Greg was shaking, his hand holding a small silver ring. 

“You are so… Put that damn ring on my finger!” The hybrid howled happily and placed the jewel carefully. Petey raised his hand, making the metal shine with the moonlight. Then, he grabbed their kid in his arms. “So, what do you think, sunshine? Do we have your blessing?”

The kitten looked at his parents, and a few tears escaped his eyes as he smiled brightly. The kid sobbed lightly, “I am so happy, papa.” Petey hugged their child and Greg joined them, embracing them tightly. “Thanks, dad. For loving us.”

Genie recorded everything from the backdoor, the woman cried at the emotional scene. 

Chapter Text

When Greg woke up, he was welcomed with the most beautiful sight of his life. Petey was next to him, sleeping peacefully and purring. He gently caressed his cheek as a few sun rays slipped through the window. The cat moved closer to the comfort of his warmth, letting out a sigh before approaching him. He laid his head on his chest and hugged him by the waist. 

Their legs were tangled and now it was impossible to know where the hybrid's body began and where the feline's ended. He closed his arms around his lover, getting drunk with the smell of his fur. Baked bread and a light hint of metal, the scent would be imprinted in his memory forever. Petey purred louder when Greg nuzzled his head gently. 

He knew the tabby was half-awake, he could tell by the way his tail moved under the covers. But they didn't want to wake up, not yet. Chief gave him two days of vacation, to spend some time with his family. Everyone was expectant to know who would be the Mayor's substitute, but what made the citizens anxious was that the woman had not said anything. Not even an official statement. 

The cat moved, making him get out of his thoughts. Petey was slowly kneading his chest, Greg smiled at the action. Li´l Petey had told him once that it was rare to hear his papa purr, but he would make sure this would be the way his husband-to-be wakes up every day. Full of love and kisses. They had a bright future filled with purrs, laughs, and songs played on piano and ukulele. 

“Whatever you are thinking about is surely making you excited,” the tabby looked up and smiled at him. “Your heart is beating like crazy.”

Greg smiled too and licked his partner's cheek with excitement. 

“Aw, Greg. You know I love you but don't-” He kept licking with emotion, leaving a wet trail in the orange fur. “Come on! Stop it.”

Petey giggled, and the cop took his distraction as an opportunity to place himself on top of the tabby. The cat kept laughing, feeling the ticklish sensation of his tongue. 

“Okay, enough,” Petey grabbed him by the muzzle and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. “I like it more when we just kiss.”

So Greg kissed him, taking his time to move slowly. They found a perfect rhythm, passionate but gentle. The cat began caressing his back, moving his paws and tracing the trail of golden fur that extended through his spine. Just when the hybrid was about to explore the other's body, removing slowly the pajama top, their door opened. 

“Good morning, papa! Good morning, dad! It's already 9, what are we going to have for breakfast?” they stopped moving and looked at each other nervously. “What are you doing?”

Petey moved faster and pushed Greg to the bed, sitting up while doing so. “We were just playing, darling. What did we say about entering the room without knocking?” 

“Oh, right, sorry,” Li´l Petey went out and closed the door, then he knocked three times. “Can I come in?” 

Greg chuckled, looking at the ceiling, trying to steady his breath. Petey giggled too. “Yes, you can come in, sunshine.” 

The kitten entered again and jumped to their bed. The older tabby hugged their child and blew raspberries in his cheeks. Greg looked at them with tenderness and barked happily, telling them what he wanted for breakfast. 

“Okay, I'll make pancakes. Let's go, fur ball. You will help me with the blueberry ones, alright?” The cats got out of the bed and stretched before leaving the room. After some seconds, Petey came back and kissed him. “Let's continue with this later.” 

The tabby left again, his tail moved seductively behind him. Greg sighed and looked under the covers, he was hard. Fuck. He would have to use the same tactic he used on his date to avoid coming prematurely. Repeat the constitution in his head. A cold shower could help too. 

He went to the bathroom and got undressed, taking his time to look at himself in the mirror. The scar on his neck was nowhere to be seen. The reflection didn't scare him anymore; he didn't feel disgust or hate. He just saw himself—Greg Dog Man, the hybrid. He was not a super cop, just another being. He was not a monster, just someone who was loved. He was someone who would marry the most intelligent and wonderful cat in the world. 

His reflection smiled at him. A light chuckle escaped his lips. Greg never imagined this life but wouldn't give anything for it. He got in the shower and thought, “Okay, Greg. Concentrate. Article 1, Section 1…”

-

Petey was humming a song while the last pancakes were cooking. Li´l Petey was in the living room, watching cartoons. He licked their son's cheek when he passed by next to him, making the kid chuckle happily.  The cat was moving his hips slowly, dancing to the rhythm of his tune.

Greg got closer and hugged him from the back, the tabby giggled as his tail warped around his waist protectively. They remained like that for a couple of seconds, moving gently with the murmur of a love song. He took some time to look at the silver ring that garnished Petey´s finger. A smile appeared on his lips. How lucky he was. 

“You can go sit down, I'll-” The hybrid grabbed him gently by the shoulders, so the cat could look at him. 

“You cooked. I will serve,” he signed, guiding him to the table. 

“I hit the jackpot with you, huh? Fine, I'll be with the fur ball,” Petey left the kitchen as Greg turned to grab some dishes and cups. Some giggles filled the house with a charming sensation. He sighed as he cherished the thought of how wonderful his life was.

A big tower of pancakes, a pot of coffee, and a glass of milk were placed on the table. He barked to get their attention. His tongue got out of the thought of devouring his breakfast, maybe if he asked nicely, Petey would let him have some dog treats after. 

“Coming!” answered the tabby. Greg was just about to sit down, when, suddenly, a loud buzz made his sensitive ears ache. The cop ran to the living room, Petey was in front of the TV, trying to stop the horrible noise. Li´l Petey was covering his ears with his paws, looking worried at the screen. The static faded as the image got clearer. 

An old man appeared, the patch in his eyes highlighted his severe features. The sound stopped, and the man cleared his throat, posing in front of the camera with a stern look on his face. Petey grabbed their son in his arms, trying to calm him down. 

“Good morning, citizens of Ohkay City. Sorry for interrupting… You probably don't know who I am,” said the man with a flat voice. Greg growled heavily. He knew him, he was the Mayor's bodyguard. “Most of you may recognize me as the security man of my little sister, Hailey, or, as you call her, the Mayor.”

Petey frowned and looked at Greg as if he knew what was going on. The hybrid shook his head, showing he was confused too. The tabby grabbed their kid in his arms, covering his eyes and ears. 

“My name is… I think I'll let Petey say it out loud when he comes to the town hall,” the tabby froze, his tail puffed behind his back. “I know you are watching this. Since Officer Dog Man decided to make such a big deal out of cats, he is also invited to join us.”

Greg growled and embraced his family, protecting them.

“Our family has fallen in disgrace thanks to the reports of the super cop. Never thought one of my creations would betray me that way. Anyway, we will gladly leave the office and we will answer to the charges presented against us ONLY…” the man pointed at the camera and smiled, he felt Petey shiver. “If Petey TheCat comes to the town hall and talks to me. I am not asking for much. I just want an honest conversation between two criminals. I have something he wants, and I want him. If he comes, we surrender.”

The tabby's breath quickened. Greg caressed his back, afraid he was having a panic attack. Even Li´l Petey looked at him worriedly. “It cannot be,” murmured Petey under his breath. 

“Oh, I know the cops can come at any moment and arrest us. But, Petey, if you don't want more of your kind getting hurt, you should hurry,” the camera moved as the man pulled some chains, four cats were behind him, all looking like death itself. A brown tabby was biting his paws, and some blood fell from his mouth. Their gaze was lost, all of them acting as if they were in some kind of trance, scratching and hurting themselves. 

“Greg, take Li´l Petey to his room,” he grabbed the kitten and left. He wanted to stay and watch the end of the horrible transmission, but Petey was right. He had to make sure their son wouldn't see all those horrifying videos. 

“Dad, what is happening? Is papa in trouble? Who was that man?” And, as much as he wanted to answer, he didn't have a clue either. 

“Stay here. I'll be back in a couple of minutes,” he signed and licked the kitten's cheek, trying to ease his nervousness. Greg sighed heavily before returning to the living room. Petey was still there looking at the screen, motionless. 

“Let's finish this once and for all, Petey,” the man tapped the patch of his eye and smiled again. He lifted it, showing a horrible scar behind it. Petey gasped and fell to his knees. “We are both holding some grudges, aren't we? Be a good kitty, and hurry. Don't forget to say my name.” 

The loud sound came back, Greg covered his ears, but the tabby remained there, looking at the screen. His tail moved anxiously behind him. Then, the TV returned to the usual program. A silly song from one of the cartoons began to play, making the whole situation more macabre. 

-

Chief called him right after and told him to avoid at any cost that Petey left their home. But it was already too late, the tabby was already throwing orders to Tippy through the communication line and packing their stuff. 

“Clean the lab! I will be there as soon as possible. If that asshole thinks he can threaten me and play with the hostages´ lives like they don't fucking matter, he is so wrong. I am going to kill him!” the tabby pulled out a gun and placed it in his backpack. “Three days, Tippy. And we will attack.” 

Greg was behind him, trying to calm down Chief on the phone and taking the gun out of his fiancé's hand. When they both finished their calls, they turned to look at each other. 

“What's the plan?” he signed slowly. “Why do you have a gun?”

Petey got closer and grabbed him by the shoulders, his pupils were dilated. A huge and evil smile appeared on his face as he said slowly, “The plan, honey, is that I am going to kill that bastard. He wants to mess with us, so I'll make his wish come true. But I will not go alone. I am about to build the greatest robot this world has ever seen.” 

“You will not go alone, I will go with you,” Greg signed, trying to get the tabby's attention again.  But the cat was moving fast, pacing angrily in their room. 

“Li´l Petey, are you ready? We are leaving, Greg, you will be safer in the bunker with the kittens. The families will go back to the tunnels, Jim must be helping them right now. I'll have everything ready tomorrow night, I just need-” The hybrid grabbed his hands and guided him to the bed, barking seriously. Petey stopped immediately, he hadn't realized he was just ignoring him. 

“Greg, we don't have more time. I will finish this, once and for all. We will finally be happy, and we won't have to worry about any of this anymore,” he nodded, understanding the urgency, but there was something he didn't like. 

“It could be a trap, we should analyze this first,” he proposed calmly. 

“Darling, you heard him. He wants me, just me. I-” Greg placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him closer. They looked at each other for a couple of seconds, he could hear the murmur of their kid moving in the living room, making sure 80-HD was ready to leave. The hybrid breathed, locking his gaze with his lover, urging him to do the same. 

They did this exercise for some minutes, just breathing and looking at each other. Greg hated that he couldn't talk, it would be faster to voice what he was thinking. But it also gave him opportunities like that, to express himself with just a gaze or his expression. He knew Petey understood him. It was his way to say, “Calm down, we are together in this.”

“I… Greg, I don't want you to be in danger. Li´l Petey needs you if something happens to me-” The cop growled, frustrated. How could he make him understand? He tried again with words. 

“Nothing will happen to you. That's why we are on this…” he signed as he waited for Petey to finish his sentence, the tabby looked at him and giggled. He expected his fiancé to say they would confront this situation side by side. 

“I get it. But, promise me, Greg. If things get complicated, don't play the hero, don't put yourself in danger for me or anyone. Survive.” Petey pleaded with his eyes, not saying what he expected. Greg huffed, he ended his sentence by himself. 

“We are on this together”, signed the hybrid, pointing at the silver ring they shared. They made a promise, to fight and endure through this, to survive together and marry when all of this was over. 

Petey just nodded and got up. He kissed his head tenderly before leaving the room. 

-

Greg knew something was wrong. He just couldn't comprehend what it was. The air, the way everyone moved, or simply the whole sky, everything felt just… off. He couldn't shake the burning feeling that something was about to happen, as if a serial killer was behind every corner, looking for him. No, looking for Petey. Which was way worse.

He agreed to go with him to the lab and spend some nights helping to make sure everyone in the district was safe. 80-HD organized the food and medicine that was left, and, even though many cats refused to go to the tunnels again, Greg convinced them that Petey would take care of the situation. They just have to trust. 

Tippy and Jim organized everything else. Since the tabby was sure the crazy man was going to use the declawed cats as a weapon, just like during the war, they would try not to attack them directly. Petey decided that their best chance was using dart guns. No bullets, just tranquilizers.  Once the affected cats were under the effects of the drugs, they would make sure to get them to the hospital.

The tabby asked Nurse Lady and Chief for their help. Genie convinced the doctors at the Central Hospital to aid in this situation, and after some debate, they agreed, considering the cruelty of the experiments. Chief and the police force would make sure no civilians get hurt and that no one entered the town hall during the “fight” (as Petey decided to call it). They would also help with the wounded after the battle.

Sarah was preparing a special program that would be broadcasted that night, it would show the papers of the experiments during the war, the disappearance of cats after the riot, and the declawed bodies the police found. If everything went according to the plan, this would allow them to have more days to get ready. 

The cop was making sure all the babies were placed in their cradles, with a warm blanket and a soft pillow. He recognized the kitten Petey helped back when they were just getting to know each other. Over six months had passed since that night, and the child was already moving in all fours, running and playing with the other kids. 

Li´l Petey was there, drawing with Fluffy’s little brother. They were laughing as they imagined what kind of robot Petey would build this time. 

“You are really good with kids, they just seem to be comfortable around you. So many changes have been stressing them out,” said Leslie. Greg was making sure all the kittens had their bracelets on. The young cat watched her tablet and confirmed to him that everyone was doing alright. “Have you and Petey thought of having more kids?”

The hybrid stopped moving, and then he looked at Leslie with a surprised expression before beaming. He hadn't thought about it, but why not? They could adopt a kitten, maybe two. Leslie laughed when he barked at her, showing his excitement. 

“I am sure you two will have a wonderful family. You know, Petey and I have been friends since we were kids. He…” Leslie looked around the room and got closer to Greg. “Dog Man, right now he must be acting like a mad scientist. When Aunt Grace was alive, she had to convince him to eat or shower when he was obsessed with a project… You should go take care of him.” 

He looked worriedly at Leslie, it couldn't be that bad, right? “I will, thanks, Leslie,” Greg signed as he moved closer to his son. “I am going to check on your papa, I'll be back with him.”

“It would be a miracle if you can convince him to take a five-minute nap, dad,” answered the kitten as he changed his blue crayon for the green one, painting the grass of his picture. “Just make sure to keep him hydrated.”

Greg looked confused at the kitten, he patted his head to get his attention again. 

“Dad, papa has become calmer since you arrived,” Li´l Petey changed crayons again, grabbing the yellow one this time, painting a bright sun on the paper. “But he takes his inventions very seriously. I used to help him when he asked me to, but, this time, he said he wanted some time alone. And, that,” the kitten looked up, and his tail moved anxiously in his back. “That means this is affecting him. So just give him some tea and hugs.” 

Li´l Petey went back to his drawing and asked his friend if the sun was too round. The hybrid shook his head, trying to organize his ideas. They were right, he hadn't had the chance to see Petey in his lab working, never. He saw him build stuff at home, and he knew he used to get moody when he was concentrated, but now it was a matter of life and death. 

But, it couldn't be that bad, right?

-

He grabbed a thermos with coffee and some cookies before heading to the lab, it was way past Li´l Petey´s bedtime. The place was still a wreck, a huge metallic roof was on top of it, making the place colder. A light was on in the right corner, and some sparks flew as the cat welded different metal parts. When he got closer, he saw a gigantic metallic skeleton. Did he build all that in what? Eight hours? 

The blueprints attached to the board showed a big robot named Mecha-Petey. Greg looked at them, they seemed so complicated. Equations were here and there, chemicals lying carelessly on the table. Petey´s fur was covered in oil stains that mixed with his black stripes. He got closer, the cat hadn't even noticed him. He was using his old goggles, the round ones that made him look cute. 

Greg smiled and placed the thermos on the table, the tabby froze in his place for a second and simply kept working. His hands were trembling, making his aim fail when he tried to use his tools. “Oh, it's you. It's late, you should be sleeping.” 

The hybrid barked, he knew the cat was not even looking at him, so signing was pointless. He tried to ignore the way Petey addressed him, so emotionless. 

“I can't sleep, I have to finish the internal structure before tomorrow. If that asshole wants to kill me, he will have to fight Mecha-Petey first. Who does he think he is? Acting all mysterious and shit. When I met him, he was nothing but a simple cop,” Petey turned and looked at him, his goggles making it impossible to read his expression. “Not that it is bad to be a simple cop, Greg. Anyway, I haven't seen him since… Fuck!” 

The hybrid just looked at him as he murmured, the cat usually worked with precision, moving with agility and grabbing his things with elegance, but not now. He was the definition of anxiety, his paws shook every time he changed the tool. Li´l Petey was right, this was really affecting him. Greg got closer, grabbed him by the waist, and guided him to the chair, making him sit on his lap. 

“What? Wait, Greg, I need to-” Before he could keep gambling, he kissed him, massaging his back and trying to relax his spine. The cat melted under his touch, and his tense position vanished. “Okay, that was nice.”

Petey placed his head on his chest, breathing slowly. The hybrid kept caressing his orange fur, cleaning some oil from it. 

“We need to talk,” he signed, pushing Petey a little so he could understand him. 

“Yeah… But then can I keep working?” the tabby nuzzled his neck, trying to charm him. Greg pushed him again. “Come on, just a couple of hours more.”

“No. Then we go to sleep,” he said seriously. Petey sighed tiredly, then he looked at the cop and kissed his cheek. 

“Okay, killjoy. But I'll be back in the lab before you wake up,” Greg huffed but simply nodded, giving up. It was the price of loving a genius, he guessed. 

“Do you know that man? The Mayor's bodyguard?” he questioned, Petey grabbed some cables from the table and began playing with them. His hands trembled again, lacking all coordination.

“Yeah, you could say that… Remember the time I told you about this cop who pushed my mom when I was being arrested? I didn't connect the dots at first, but it's him. A couple of months after that, he visited me at Cat Jail, he… He wa not… Let's say he enjoyed beating the shit out of me that night,” Greg looked at him in awe, then he growled, showing teeth and all. “I wasn't able to get up for days.”

“I am going to kill that bastard,” the cop signed, Petey simply sighed, moving his tail anxiously behind him. 

“Well, he promised me he would make my life a living hell. Only Big Jim knows about this, but… ” the tabby hid his face in his chest, avoiding showing his expression.“Later, when I got arrested again after some evidence of their grandfather's war crimes was leaked… God, I was just 19. Anyway, he would usually come to… How can I say this?” Petey broke one of the cables he was holding and threw it to the ground. 

Greg felt him tremble, so he hugged him tightly. The tabby let out a shaky breath. 

“Let's just say he enjoys watching a cat bleed. He disappeared afterward, and I tried to forget everything that happened those nights. I don't remember everything he did to me, maybe he drugged me, he used to do that with other inmates too… He used to talk a lot during this… We used to call them “sessions”. He used to say that he hated cats because we were just beasts that evolved to be toys for humans and that we weren't supposed to live and walk freely, but nobody seemed to understand that. Only his family. And that, in my case, I was meant to be studied for my abilities. It was not normal for a cat to be so smart. He said I was the devil incarnated and that it was his duty to end me,” Petey looked at him and smiled sadly. “When her sister got elected, he left. I didn't recognize him, I didn't know he was her brother. He looks so different. He had hair before, and he didn't use that horrible patch.”

Greg tried to sign something, but he had so many things he wished to say and he wasn’t sure most of them had a specific word. God, he just wanted to tear that bastard to pieces. Another growl came out, and Petey nuzzled his neck with his head. 

“But he still has that awful smile. I should have noticed… I should have fought back then. I don't fear him anymore, I am going to end him. I am going to make him pay,” the tabby looked up again and grabbed him gently by the muzzle. “I heard his name two times, once when I was a kid, the other when he left me bleeding in a cell.”

Greg nodded, comprehending the information Petey was giving to him. Maybe the tabby forgot the man's face because of the trauma. He felt so angry, so powerless. The hybrid finally understood the Commissioner's words. The one who planned the creation of the super cop, the one who was behind their pain...  

The tabby frowned and with all the hate of his heart he said, “Conan.”

-

His heart ached, and his body felt as if a thousand thunderbolts were running through his nerves. The day finally arrived. Mecha-Petey was ready, Greg had to admit that the robot was impressive (he was scared, to be honest, that thing was gigantic). Petey was inside the head, checking the last details. Tippy was next to the cop, making sure that the dart guns were fully charged. 

“One of these tranquilizers is enough to put a bear to sleep. I hope we can save them,” said the black cat. The cats who were part of the protest were informed about the situation, the ones that weren't able to fight, could go back to the district, but most of them decided to join them. 

Organizations all over the world found out about the declawing, and they tried to stop this encounter. After a long debate with Petey and the Governor, they decided to let the cats fight first. If things escalated, they would intervene. They wanted this awful family to finally be in jail, answering for their crimes. 

The plan was simple: distract the man, make sure no one was inside the town hall, and destroy the place. If Petey´s dream had been accurate, all the disappeared cats would be in the cells under the building. 

Greg just had to make sure to save the ones unharmed and get them to the ambulances that would drive them to the hospital. He sighed, trying to ease himself. It wouldn't be hard. He had investigated everything he could find about Conan. Excellent combat and shooting skills, graduated with honors from the academy, an overall genius according to the files. 

His grandfather and father had been doctors, and his mother had been the Mayor before Hailey, his sister. After suffering an accident with a young criminal (Greg assumed it was the incident with Petey), he became blind in one eye. Thanks to his family's influence, he got a job as the headmaster of Cat Jails. 

When his sister won the elections, he became her bodyguard. He cut all his hair, put a big black patch over his eye, and avoided at all costs being a public persona. The Commissioner, his cousin, got his charge months later. If he looked on the Internet, a sinister investigation appeared registered under his name, “Hybridization: The possibility of creating super soldiers through the physical union of K-9 units and elite police forces”. 

The scientific community had called him crazy and prevented his investigation from moving forward. Greg assumed the Mayor allowed him to carry on his experiments because three months later, he was born. That's why he had been present the day he woke up, he wanted to see if his creation had been successful. Nurse Lady confirmed that none of her colleagues, nor she, had been present in the operation room that day. 

A loud noise made him look up. Petey went out of the mouth of the robot. “Greg, come here, I want to show you something.”

He entered the metallic structure, there was a small elevator inside the left leg that allowed him to go up. Even if the cat had had so little time, Mecha-Petey was a wonder of engineering. The tabby was wearing his weird goggles again. 

“Come here, darling,” the cat grabbed his hand and guided him to the top of the head. He got a bit dizzy when he looked down, he had to make sure not to fall. If he did, there was no way he would survive. “Look, if I push this…” Petey gently placed his paw in one of the ears, revealing some hidden buttons. “This red button here will activate our last resource, the backup plan. I made sure to program the robot to always focus on Conan. If the man gets the chance to come up here, Mecha-Petey will grab him. Then it will enclose him in his mouth, and BOOM!”

Greg looked at him with his eyes wide open, the plan sounded… creepy, but there was something that he didn't like about it. “But you have to be up here to activate it,” he signed, trying to shake off the weird feeling from his chest.

“That's why it's our last resource. He wants me, so he will try to bring down the robot. This thing is indestructible. He will realize that the only way to get me would be to get inside Mecha-Petey. I will use that as a way to distract him. The robot will catch him if he gets closer and then we will put him on the capsule I built in the right hand. If everything goes as we planned, we capture him, we win and we save the cats…” Petey pushed the ear again, closing the hidden compartment. “If not, I will make sure to at least get rid of that bastard once and for all.”

“Nothing will happen. I will protect you,” he signed seriously. The tabby smiled and hugged him. 

“I know,” they stayed like that for a bit, embracing each other tightly. “Let's make sure our kid is safe before going to battle, Officer Dog Man.”

-

Li´l Petey hugged them and wished them luck. “Kick that man's ass!”

All the kittens inside the bunker cheered, and even the babies meowed. Leslie chuckled before patting Petey´s back. “Don't do anything stupid, you have to come back for your son. Dog Man, make sure to take care of him, but don’t play the hero.” The cop nodded and saluted the young cat, showing he would follow her orders. 

“80-HD, you must keep a record of all the cameras inside Mecha-Petey. If something is off, you send a signal, so Greg can look out for me. Alright?” said Petey. The robot gave him a thumbs-up and caressed his head. “Make sure Li´l Petey doesn't stress much, and that he eats properly. No cat treats, you hear me?” 

“Alright, Petey,” said Leslie, grabbing Li’l Petey in her arms. Greg got closer and licked his cheek, making him giggle. 

“Papa,” called the kitten, the older tabby got closer, grabbing the small paw between his. “You remember the promise you made, right?”

“What are you talking about, sunshine?” questioned the tabby, he didn't remember a specific thing he had promised to his kid. 

“You said you will never leave me alone,” Petey gasped. “And, dad. You said you will always protect us. I'll be a good kid, so let's all keep our promises, okay?”

They both smiled and nodded. Greg licked their cheeks, trying to avoid the burning sensation that was consuming his chest. They got out of the bunker holding hands, Mecha-Petey was waiting for them at the entrance of the district next to a big truck filled with dart guns, medicine, and some cats. 

The streets were empty, only the mechanical breathing of the robot greeted them as they got closer. Tippy waved at them, ready to go. Everyone knew they were going to win. They trusted Petey.

“Greg, I have to tell you something before we go,” said the tabby, stopping in the middle of the street. He whined without noticing. The cop was waiting for bad news from the very beginning. “Oh, no. It’s nothing bad, darling. Just… There is a project we started with Big Jim last year, it is not finished yet, but I think it's time someone else visits this place.”

Petey grabbed some keys and placed them in his hand, smiling sadly. Why did the air feel that way? So empty. Like it lacked oxygen. 

“I was building a new district outside the city… Grace Hill. It’s where my mom was buried. Jim and I wanted to make a new place for cats, somewhere they could be free,” the tabby looked at him and gently caressed his cheek. “It's not finished, that’s why I didn’t tell you earlier. It will have affordable buildings and houses, the perfect place for new beginnings… These are the keys to what would be our new home.”

Greg shook his head and barked. Why did it feel like they were marching to their death? No. He refused. If all of this meant the love of his life would be in danger, they wouldn't go. He barked louder. 

“No, I just… I just want you to have them just in case, you know. Like, I don't want to drop them,” Petey was lying, he knew. He barked again, tightening the grip he had on the other’s hand. “Greg, trust me. Please… Nothing will happen, I swear. When all of this is over, we will have a wonderful wedding in Grace Hill. We will go home together.”

The tabby kissed him, trying to ease the anxiety they shared. He hugged him, holding his fiancé’s body as close as he could. 

“Okay, love birds. Time to go,” yelled Tippy from the truck. “We don’t want to make our villain wait, right?”

They separated but kept their foreheads connected. A quiet giggle escaped both of their lips. “Together, we survive. We end this. And we go home. Let’s not play the heroes on this one, alright?”

The sun was finally at its highest, embracing their bodies with a warm feeling. It was time to face the fear they all felt. He guarded the keys in the pocket of his vest, the one next to his heart. 

-

The city was empty, Chief, and the police force had made sure to move every single citizen to a safe place. Only the loud steps of Mecha-Petey echoed through the streets. Just when they were a couple of meters away they heard loud cheers. 

Greg was driving the truck in front of the robot, Tippy was next to him, looking mesmerized at the scene. A huge crowd waited for them, humans and cats welcomed them, showing their support. A young cat that was using a dramatic cape was holding a white flag with Petey’s cartoonish evil smile painted in the middle. 

If they looked closely, all the city had that same picture on the streets. It was in small stickers, graffiti, and posters. Greg barked to the communication line, describing to Petey what they were seeing. 

“Yes, I can see it too!” confirmed the tabby, moving the robotic hand and waving at the crowd. The young cat got closer to the truck, his white fur had specks of paint everywhere and his heterochromic eyes shone with excitement. 

“Whoa. Hi, Mr. Dog Man. It’s such an honor to meet you,” said the kid. Because that’s how Greg saw him, the cat must not be older than 16. He was a teenager, what was he doing here? He was supposed to be at school or skipping classes with his friends. Not fighting against a crazy man who wanted to kill his species. The cop barked and smiled gently at him. 

“I hope Petey likes my paintings. We are here to fight by your side, Mr. Dog Man. We are here to fight for our freedom!” yelled the teen as the crowd cheered. Greg couldn't help to think that all of them were in danger, that they could die.

“What’s your name?” he signed, hoping the kid would understand him. The cat nodded and smiled. 

“My friends call me Copy, sir,” answered the teen. Greg got down from the truck and stood in front of him. He saw his son in that kid, and all his fears vanished in a new feeling: determination. He had to fight for them, for the youngsters, for the ones who deserved freedom and a life filled with happiness, not cruelty. 

“Copy, don’t play the hero. Survive. We will win this,” he signed slowly, the teen took his time but finally nodded. 

“Yes, sir!” The crowd cheered again. The hybrid barked with pride. They will win. He was sure. 

-

Mecha-Petey stopped a few kilometers away from the town hall, everyone was behind the robot. Nobody moved, they all waited. The town hall was empty, not even a sound came from the place. 

Greg barked at the communication line, a few seconds passed before the tabby answered. “Let’s make that asshole pay!” The cop smiled and jumped off the truck, aiming his dart gun, ready to shoot. 

The robot’s mouth opened, showing Petey behind the metallic teeth. The tabby grabbed a microphone that was next to him and screamed with all his might: “CONAN!”

As soon as that name rumbled through the city, the gates of hell opened. About a hundred cats came out of the town hall, all acting like feral beasts. They were all holding grenades in their paws. Dog Man barked determinedly. It was now or never. 

They began to shoot the dart as the felines approached. His aim was perfect, but many others failed. A line of declawed cats got closer to them, ready to attack. It was time for Tippy to begin with his part of the plan, fighting them hand to hand and injecting the tranquilizers directly into their necks. 

He had to admit it, the black cat was a master in combat. Agile, precise, and fast, like another bullet. They had to make sure to deactivate the grenades and bombs before they exploded. 

Two military trucks appeared in front of them, shooting directly at Mecha-Petey. The robot grabbed the missiles in its hands and crushed them. “Come on, asshole! Are you scared of some cats? Are you scared of me? Come out and play, you creep.” 

Nothing. The fight kept growing, and some soldiers appeared from behind the trucks. Their uniforms were black, they didn’t belong to any army. He focused on their main goal, saving the declawed cats. Some people helped take the ones that were neutralized to the ambulance. 

At least 40 were already heading to the hospital. All the adult cats that were missing were there, but not the kids. They must be under the town hall, as Petey told him. He had to make sure no one was inside the upper part of the building, so the robot could destroy it and create a path. 

Greg ran to the huge doors of the entrance, fighting some of the soldiers who tried to stop him. He bit their necks, punched their faces, and knocked them out. No one was going to stop him, not now, not ever. Not anymore. 

Mecha-Petey covered their backs, destroying the main hazards (bombs and grenades). Greg finally kicked the doors open, the place was empty. He smelled the air, trying to find Conan. Nothing. He went through the path that Petey explained to him, running and avoiding the desks of the people that worked there before. Next to the bathrooms at the end of the hall, there was a brown door. It was locked, he shot at the door plate. 

Greg ran down the stairs, it was just like Petey described. Dark and gloomy, he knew dogs could see things others couldn't, but now he hated that gift. He could see the despair on the ghostly faces that surrounded him. 

He had to keep going. A big fence welcomed him, he just had to go to the cells and… Whiskers? Yes, definitely. A muscular cat was at the end of the hall. All the other cages were empty. He barked, trying to get his attention. 

The cat looked up, next to him were all the missing kids. They all smiled, hope growing in their eyes. 

“Dog Man? What are you doing here? What is going on? Where is Petey?” The cop got closer, they were all dirty and looked sick. The kittens were trembling and looked malnourished, some of them had bruises or blood in their furs. 

He barked, trying to comfort them. “You are safe now-” A shot broke the scene, and all the cats gasped. Greg fell to the ground as the pain numbed his senses. He looked down, his leg was now covered in blood. Whiskers held him before he fell to the ground. 

“You thought I was going to simply fight Petey? That robot would end me in seconds. I thought you were smarter, doggy. That’s why I chose you to be Dog Man,” a cold voice emerged from the shadows. “Everyone knows the best way to catch someone is taking what they love the most.”

Conan looked at him and violently grabbed his head. The cats trembled in fear, even Whisker's tail puffed, and his ears went flat against his skull.

“You know, I don't blame you. Petey is different, a complete genius if you ask me,” Conan moved his muzzle, making him growl. “He is the final prize. Once you take a bite of him, it's never enough. I had my share of fun with him if you know what I mean.”

The man winked at him and smiled, leaving a sour sensation on his tongue. What did he do to Petey? The mere thought made his blood boil. Greg jumped on him, aiming his big fangs at his throat. Conan dodged and pointed his gun at the kids. 

Whiskers put himself in front of them, protecting them with his body. Dog Man fell to the ground, his leg was burning as more blood kept falling from the wound. The man got closer again and grabbed him by the ears. 

“Bad doggy,” Conan, aimed at the kids again. “Dog Man, I know you have a direct communication line with Petey. Give it to Whiskers. You,” he pointed at the muscular cat. “Tell him that this monster is hurt and that you need his help.”

The cat doubted but finally did as he was told. His voice was shaky, “Petey, do you hear me?”

Greg huffed, trying to fight the pain. After some seconds, the tabby talked. 

“Greg?” answered the cat on the other line, his voice was tired. “Greg, are you okay?”

He tried to bark, but Conan grabbed him by the muzzle, closing his mouth. “I… I am Whiskers, Petey. Dog Man, he… He is hurt. We are under the town hall, you have to help us.”

“Whiskers? Oh, my… Just wait, take care of Dog Man,” the tabby’s voice faded. If Petey was acting according to the plan, he was about to destroy all the upper parts of the building. He bit Conan’s hand, making him release his head. The cop barked, ordering the cats to take cover. 

Whiskers understood and hurried the kids inside one of the cells, Greg turned and punched the man in the face. The cop took his chance and entered one of the cages, “You fucking beast-”

Mecha-Petey broke the ceiling, making a huge hole. The sun's rays illuminated the place, showing all the blood and cruel tools that hid in the shadows. Conan avoided the falling parts of the building with agility. When the destruction stopped, the man grabbed Greg's head again and aimed the gun at his temple. 

Whiskers got out of the cell with the children. Petey opened the mouth of the robot, “Greg! Whiskers! What did you do to him?”

Greg felt the excitement of Conan, he could smell it. The man scoffed, “Well, hello, Petey. You missed me?”

“Motherfucker! Let them go,” yelled the tabby. They looked at each other, Greg could sense the despair in his lover’s voice. 

“The cats can go. I told you, I just want you. My men will retreat if you let me go up the robot,” Petey tried to grab them, but he was faster. Conan pressed the gun in his head, and the robotic hand stopped just in front of them. “No tricks or this fucking monster dies.”

The tabby huffed angrily, he accommodated the hand so they could climb in. Conan kept pressing the gun in his temple as they were lifted from the ground. Whiskers helped the kids get out, and Tippy was waiting for him, ready to aid the ones hurt. 

Outside, all the declawed cats were gone, just the soldiers kept fighting. When they saw their boss, they stopped and went back to their trucks, leaving behind the wounded. Dog Man realized that there were many cats and humans hurt, and the place was a wreck. Some bombs must have exploded even if they tried to avoid that. 

Instead of placing them inside the mouth, Mecha-Petey left them on its head. Greg cursed under his breath, this was supposed to be their last resource. But he was not going to let Petey alone, they were going to fight. Survive together. They promised. 

The cat went up there and gasped when he saw his leg. He tried to get closer, but Conan pressed the gun again. “No, kitty. Let’s talk, okay? I gave you all the cats, and I will surrender as I promised. Just, come with me.”

“You bastard! You declawed them, and they will never recover from that. How… Why? Just why do you hate us so much?” Petey’s tail moved behind his back, pointing at the man’s face. Greg looked at him confused. “Why are you so obsessed with me?”

“I told you once, Petey,” the man loosened his grip. The tabby pointed at his eye as if he were just wiping a tear or cleaning a dirty spot on his face. Dog Man finally understood, his eye was his weak spot. 

“The day I met you, I thought you were just like any other cat, just a juvenile criminal. But you attacked me. No one has ever dared to lay a finger on me, but you scratched my eye and left me blind,” the man was completely focused on Petey. Greg slowly moved his hand, afraid Conan would notice. “I investigated every single thing that you did, you are a genius. You are different, smart, brave… You are their leader. I concluded that if I wanted to eradicate all of your species, I had to kill you. With my bare hands.”

“But now you just want me, not the other cats. Why? Why did you create Dog Man?” Petey looked at Greg, begging him to move. 

“The other cats will die eventually. Do you think I am the only one who hates your kind? Someone will try to eradicate you, if not me, my family, or many others who despise you. But my mission is to end you, the heavens revealed that to me,” Conan pressed the gun again. Greg stopped his attempt of fighting, listening to what the man was saying. 

“When my sister got elected some things changed, she promised me that I would be able to perform my experiments freely if I followed her. So I did, but I kept thinking about you. About those sweet nights in Cat Jail,” Conan laughed, making Petey frown and hiss. The man tightened his grip around Greg. “Easy, kitty. I have your boyfriend here, and I don't mind killing him. Dog Man was supposed to capture you. But I guess you charmed him too.”

“So… You are just an asshole who thinks the skies tell them to murder innocents,” the tabby looked at Greg, begging him to wait. “Who do you think you are? Some kind of avenger of humanity? I thought you were smarter, but you are just another man with delusions of grandeur. How fucking embarrassing!” 

Conan gasped, and asked angrily, “What?”

“You just want an excuse to feel that you are better than everyone else, you are not different, Conan. You…” Greg felt the man lose his grip. Petey pointed at Conan with rage, “You and every single one who hates others just because they are different… because they don't fit your status quo. You can all burn in hell! Is it a sin to be ourselves? Is it a sin to be born? We just want to live freely, why does that bother you so much?” 

“You were never so talkative during our sessions, Petey,” the man was so concentrated on the tabby, that he didn't realize he was not even pointing the gun at Greg anymore. 

“Well, I talk more when I am trying to create a distraction,” in a fast movement, Greg turned and punched the man in the eye. Conan screamed in pain and pushed him. The cop lost his balance. His leg didn’t give him enough support. He closed his eyes as he felt himself falling. Petey caught him midair, holding his hand with all his strength. 

The tabby tried to lift him to no avail. Greg growled, the pain in his leg was getting worse. He was too heavy. He barked, they wouldn't make it. 

“No, I won’t let you go. Just…”, said Petey, feeling his hand slip every second. Conan yelled angrily, he was covering his eye, gasping heavily from the pain. When Greg looked to his side, the man was already recovering from the sudden punch. 

“You have to choose, Petey. I told you one time, we can’t escape our past,” the man said, grabbing his gun that had fallen next to him, and aiming at Petey. Then he slowly moved the gun to Greg. “We can’t escape our fate.”

“But we can build, a new future,” the tabby murmured as a few tears fell from his emerald eyes. “So you just want me dead, right?” Petey moved his head, lifting his gaze as the sun hid behind them. “Let’s finish this once and for all.” The feline looked down at Greg, smiling sadly. 

An evil laugh rumbled from the man’s chest. “Come on, kitty. I’ve waited for this my whole life,” the man charged the gun, ready to shoot if Petey moved. 

“I love you,” before any of them could react, the cat got closer to Greg and kissed him, a salty tear made the connection feel like a farewell. “Survive”, murmured Petey on his lips. 

The cat pushed him with all his might, making him fall from the head of the robot. A mechanic hand grabbed him in midair. He was gently placed on the ground, his leg hurt like hell, the wound was palpitating, and his pants were completely covered in blood. He looked up to the sky, afraid of what he might see.

The feline moved fast, taking advantage of the man’s confusion, and opened the emergency control board that was hidden in one of the ears of Mecha-Petey. A faint smile garnished his lover’s face. Conan shot him from the back like the coward he was. 

Greg didn’t cry, he didn’t even blink. 

The cat's fragile frame fell motionless, and the robot's right hand grabbed him before he hit the ground.

“Finally… At last, Petey TheCat is dead! You worthless beast, see who laughs at the end. I always win!” He pointed at Petey’s body, laughing and yelling like crazy, his voice echoed in Greg’s ears. It couldn't… There was no way… 

Humans and cats gasped, he saw some of them crying, falling to their knees. Greg just couldn't breathe, he gasped as his lungs screamed for air. For oxygen. For Petey. 

A ticking sound made everyone look up again. A wide smile beamed on the mechanical lips of the robot. Mecha-Petey pulled his creator’s body to his chest, and with his other hand, he grabbed the man. 

“You useless piece of shit, let me go!” Conan moved frenetically, trying to escape, but the robot's grip was stronger. Mecha-Petey held him just in front of his face. 

“See you in hell, sucker!” Greg heard Petey’s voice. It was just a recording. They had made several tapes with different phrases and put them inside the robot’s system as a joke. 

Greg grabbed his chest. His heart ached as if it was just about to burn into miserable ashes. Mecha-Petey opened its mouth and “ate” the man, Greg could still hear his screams inside the mechanical cat. 

Someone grabbed him by the arm and pulled him. “We gotta go, Dog Man. Come on, move!”

He couldn't. Petey was still there. He had to save him, he had to. He promised to-

The man screamed in despair inside the robot’s mouth. Whoever was grabbing him took advantage of his surprise and pulled his hand, making him run. He almost tripped when he looked back again. 

“No!” the man yelled. His fear made his voice break terrifyingly. A horrendous scream followed. That was the last they heard of Conan before Mecha-Petey exploded. Thousands of metal scraps filled the air, and the force of the blast made him fall to his back. 

He watched the sky as the sun finally hid behind the buildings, afraid to shine in the presence of such sorrow. 

Chapter Text

He repeated the video over and over again. Everyone in the hospital room was silent, expecting Dog Man would say something, anything. When the hybrid woke up, his first instinct was to whine. He hated hospitals with all his heart. Then Greg tried to get up. He must go look for Petey. He promised to take care of him. 

Genie stopped him, forcing him to go back to bed. His leg was covered in bandages, and some blood stained the white fabric when he moved. The cop could hear the chaos from outside the room, people crying as their families were reunited, or doctors yelling orders. Tippy grabbed him by the shoulders, begging him to stay. 

“I will go look for him, please, don't move,” said the black cat, his eyes were bloodshot. Then, the feline left the room. 

“Greg, you… You have to look at this,” Nurse Lady told him as she motioned to 80-HD to get closer. Right, Petey had told the robot to keep an eye on the cameras that were inside Mecha-Petey. “He… He might be alive. But…”

Greg felt his heart beat like crazy, when he looked at the screen, a very hazy picture showed the inside of Mecha-Petey. It was the camera from the right hand, the one that grabbed the tabby when his body fell. The video showed how Petey opened the capsule that was supposed to be where they locked Conan, and crawled inside it, leaving a blood trail behind him. 

He gasped, crying, caressing his lips. He could still feel their last kiss. Then, just when Petey passed out, the picture got blurry and the recording ended, probably thanks to the explosion. Greg repeated the video over and over again, trying to understand, to see one more time the face that made his heart ache. He tried to get up again. Waiting was a waste of his time. 

Nurse Lady ran behind him, trying to stop him. Dog Man got to the aisle before falling to his knees. If Petey was alive, why was he not next to him? What if he was hurt? Probably bleeding to death. He covered his eyes with his hands, trying to wipe the tears that fell. Itch. His neck itched like hell. 

The walls seemed to get closer, the white paint in them suffocated his already dying heart. He scratched his neck with anger. He failed, he had failed again. 

“Dad! Stop that,” when he turned, Li´l Petey was next to him. His bright green eyes were full of tears, just as Petey looked before pushing him. Before getting shot, “Dad, we are going to find my papa, don't worry.” 

He grabbed his child and hugged him. Their son shouldn't be comforting him, he should be the one lifting the kid's mood. But he failed, again. As a partner, as a father… They both cried, embracing each other. Greg caressed the orange fur, apologizing. He had not protected Petey. The child grabbed his chest, his little paws curled in a fist. 

“He is going to come back, he promised,” Li´l Petey said with a broken voice. “He promised he would never leave me alone. I was a good kid, I behaved.”

Greg hugged him tighter and howled sadly. Everyone in the hospital stopped talking, no one dared to say a word. Genie stood behind them, crying softly. 

“How could he leave if I was a good kid, dad?”

-

The Mayor and the Commissioner were arrested, the woman had tried to escape the city during the conflict. Their trials would begin next week, informed Sarah on the news. A lot of journalists had tried to contact him to no avail, he refused to talk. He barely even eats. Greg was in the hospital bed, his son curled up against his chest. They watched the TV without interest. 

The declawed cats were receiving treatment, but it would take a long time before they could live without pain. They were reunited with their families. Whiskers made sure every single one of the kittens was with their parents before passing out. Malnourished and heavily hurt, the cat had been sleeping for the past few days. 

Conan was dead, and the police found his body amongst the metal parts of the robot. Elections would be celebrated in two months. The new candidates were presented on Sarah's program. Organizations all around the world were talking about what happened, and they concluded that a new global agreement must be made. The discrimination and cruelty shown in Ohkay City should never be repeated. 

“The search for Petey The Cat's body remains, the Governor promised that they would never stop looking for their hero,” Greg grabbed the remote and changed the channel. A hero? They promised to don't play the hero, to not put their lives in danger, to not sacrifice themselves. He growled. Guess nobody kept their promise, huh?

He was furious, not only at the situation but at Petey. Everything seemed like it was falling into place, but not them. Of course, they had to suffer until the end, right? They promised to survive together, but the tabby didn't hesitate when he pushed him. They promised to marry when all of this was over. Now what? He just had a silver ring that reminded him how he failed. 

Greg looked at his hand, he was caressing his son's fur absentmindedly. A whine escaped his lips, no matter how angry he felt, he couldn't take off the ring. No matter how powerless he felt, he would look for Petey until the end of the world.  No matter how depressed he was, he had to take care of their child. 

Fuck, just fuck. He was tired of crying, hiding in the bathroom so Li´l Petey couldn't see him tremble, screaming silently for the love of his life. A light knock on the door made him look up, Big Jim appeared, his fur disheveled, the bags under his eyes showing the lack of sleep. The cat was part of the searching group with Tippy and a dozen other cops and volunteers. 

Greg looked at him, and, as every single day, his eyes sparked with hope for a second before dying miserably. Jim shook his head, “Sorry, Dog Man.”

Nothing, not a trail, not a single clue. It seemed like Petey had simply vanished. 

“No news means good news in these cases,” said the purple cat, getting closer. “We… We found out that Mecha-Petey was standing just above one of the entrances of the tunnels… We are guessing he escaped through one of them.”

Of course, Petey would place the robot there. He was always one step ahead of everyone. Did he think about this? Maybe he never told him about the full plan. Li´l Petey woke up and smiled. This was the hardest part, watching his son's heart break every single day. 

“Uncle Jim,” the cat smiled sadly and sat down next to them. The kid understood without words, he was just as smart as his father. “Don't worry. Tomorrow would be the day. I am sure my papa is going to come home.” 

But the innocent smile that came along with those words died as the days passed. 

-

A month had passed. Nothing. No trail, no clue. Greg left the hospital and went back home with his son. Had the house always looked so sad? He went to the kitchen. Genie made sure to buy groceries for them and cooked dinner. Chief visited the first weeks, Jim and Tippy too. Most of the time, they would play with Li´l Petey. 

Greg hasn't barked or signed since the fight. The town hall had been reconstructed. Sarah made a whole documentary on the cells where the cats had been trapped. The cop was making dinner, he knew his abilities were awful compared to what Petey used to cook, but their kid needed to eat. 

He heard some giggles, the light sound of the ukulele made him run to the living room. Could it be…? The kitten was playing the instrument, trying to remember a song. 

“Papa taught me this,” the kid played a few notes, missing some parts. But he recognized the song, it was the same Petey was humming the day Conan made his announcement. “It's called “And I Love Her” from that band of bugs he likes so much.”

The kitten played again, Greg grabbed him and walked to the piano. He knew the song. They played the first verse together, smiling. Then, it hit him. Music didn't sound the same without his lover. Nothing would ever be the same without the tabby. He stopped, and tears fell from his eyes to the piano keys. Li´l Petey turned and looked at him. 

“Yeah, it doesn't sound the same,” said the kitten, leaving the instrument behind him. “But he will come back, dad.”

Greg caressed his son's head, trying to calm himself down. The child hugged him, understanding, giving comfort. 

“Dad,” they separated, the hybrid tried to smile. “I think something is burning.” 

He ran to the kitchen. Great. Another meal he wasted. 

-

They looked in every single tunnel, even the ones that Petey never finished by the third month. Tippy found a trail in the one that led to the river. Now the search team was moving on that path, they hired boats and professionals in the area. Nothing. They told Greg that it would take a while before they found something. 

A new Mayor would be taking charge of the city next week, a man named Billy had won the elections. They invited Dog Man to give a speech, but at first, he refused. Maybe it would be the right thing to do, Li´l Petey said he would help him. The Commissioner's trial was that day, and he had to be there to testify. 

Genie was taking care of Li´l Petey, and Greg checked on him before going to court. He was wearing one of the suits of Knight, the ones the man hated. Even Petey hated it, he used to say the color was horrendous. He hadn't been working, Chief told him he could return when they found the tabby. If they ever did.

He shook his head, trying to concentrate. Greg got inside the room, sitting in the back. The judge read the charges and presented the case. He tried to avoid looking directly at the Commissioner, it was too much. After a couple of hours, he was called to the stand. The cop smiled at Sarah who was taking notes of the trial. 

“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”, asked the lawyer. He nodded as he passed him a note. 

“Since you are the victim, Mr. Dog Man, we would like you to explain what happened that day. I assume this is your testimony, I will proceed to read it,” the man cleared his throat. 

“I was part of the K-9 forces. My partner was Officer Knight. We trained together. We were in charge of the investigation of Petey TheCat, so the Commissioner transferred us to the district's station. A bomb was placed on the roof of the station, and the accused sent me and Knight to deal with it, even if we didn't have the knowledge to proceed. 

My partner and I ended up heavily hurt, and to save my life, they created me, Dog Man. That was what we knew until the Commissioner decided to poison the water in the cat district. That night, he confessed that he and the Mayor's bodyguard, Conan, planned this incident since the beginning. They wanted to create a super cop, the first successful hybrid. 

He and Conan murdered my partner and decided against my will or Knight's family to experiment with our bodies. The Mayor approved the procedure and visited me after the surgery. I was forced to go back to duty.”

The lawyer smiled and leaned in his chair. “I have a couple of questions, Mr. Dog Man.”

Greg nodded, he expected that. 

“Who put the bomb in the station?” Questioned the man, getting closer again. 

“Petey. He placed the bomb, but because he wanted to take revenge. Some cops killed his friend inside Cat Jail. He also made sure that no one was inside the station, Petey didn't know the Commissioner would send us. He never wanted to harm us, he never wanted to harm anybody,” the lawyer read with a flat tone. 

“Mr. Dog Man, this sounds like an excuse. Let's not forget, Petey TheCat is a criminal with a past of horrendous felonies,” Greg looked at the man angrily. “Could you please establish what is your relationship with Petey?”

He growled, and the lawyer simply looked at him with an amused expression. “Petey TheCat is my fiancé.”

“I think,” said the man, then he looked at the judge. “That the victim is not in the right mind to give his testimony.”

“Why, Mr. Harrison?” asked the judge. 

“He just stated he is in a romantic relationship with the direct guilty of his situation. Dog Man had been manipulated by that criminal for more than half a year, this poor doggy just believed a treacherous feline,” the lawyer stood in front of him. “I have read the reports on your situation, Mr. Dog Man. We know you are smarter and that you can comprehend humans. But, can you feel like a human? Are you sure what you feel is love?”

Greg nodded, trying to grab his pen and write. But the man was faster, he pushed those things to the ground and kept talking. “You should be suing Petey TheCat, not the Commissioner. Since the feline manipulated you into believing you loved him, your crimes, like hiding a wanted criminal, could be forgiven. Mr. Dog Man, no one here wants to harm you, we just want justice, like you. Drop the charges,” Mr. Harrison got closer, grabbed his hand, and looked at him with pity. “Petey is dead, Greg. Let all of this go and get to live the life you deserve. You have suffered enough.”

The hybrid punched the table and got up, growling like a feral beast. Without thinking, he grabbed the man by the neck and barked. Everyone gasped, the judge called the guards and ended the session. Mr. Harrison trembled, afraid that he would hurt him. Dog Man pushed him to the ground and left. The Commissioner hid behind his arms.

-

All the citizens, humans and cats, gathered at the town hall. The new Major was about to be positioned in charge. Greg, Li´l Petey and 80-HD were standing next to the Governor and Chief. Everyone looked at them with sadness, there was still no news of Petey. The hybrid was not even paying attention to what was happening in front of him. His mind kept repeating the last moments he saw the tabby. 

He should have guessed that going inside the town hall would be a bad idea, Conan was right. It was obvious, the best way to approach Petey would be taking him as a hostage. He fell for such a basic trick. 

He should have punched him before, he waited too long before attacking. 

He should have not put all his weight on his wounded leg, that sealed his destiny. 

Petey should have let him fall. Someone pulled his hand and when he looked down, Li´l Petey was calling his name. 

“Dad, are you okay?” everyone looked at him, the Mayor was extending his hand to help him go op the stand. He shook his head and smiled at his son. 

They go up together. Greg lifted the child in his arms, so the kid could talk through the microphone. They looked at each other nervously. The robot changed his expression sheet to a bright smile, encouraging them to talk. 

“Hi,” said the kitten shyly. The people cheered, giving him courage. “I am going to read to you the words my dad wrote. We hope you like it.”

A yell made the cop look at the crowd, a teenager was in the roof of a truck, waving the white flag he saw the day of the fight. It was Copy, smiling widely at them. Greg chuckled, and looked at his son. They didn't fight for Petey or just for revenge, they did it for them. For the cats, for the children. So they could live freely.  

Petey gave his life for them. Conan said it clearly, there would always be someone ready to end them, someone who hated the ones that were different. But the tabby confronted him, and he fought the man who caused him so much pain throughout his life. 

Petey always stood up against what was wrong. The love of his life showed the world that even if everyone is against you, you shouldn't remain silent. You have to fight. Greg wiped a tear before barking and smiling at the crowd. Petey broke his promise and became a hero because he knew it would be their only chance to show what cats were made of. 

They were brave, strong, intelligent… They were wonderful creatures, just like his fiancé used to call him. They were just trying to survive, to thrive, to endure. Like every single being in this messed up world, they were just trying to find hope. And he made it, Petey would inspire so many others. 

“Dear citizens of Ohkay City,

I want to congratulate every single one of you. We made it, we got rid of such a horrendous family of criminals. Thank you for being so brave. To all the cats from the district, let's celebrate this new beginning. 

Through these months I have learned so many things, the most important one is that we, as a society, are blind to injustice and hate. We think that since we are not the perpetrators or the victims, it doesn't affect us. But it does. We cannot celebrate freedom when others are suffering just for being different.

Everyone deserves a second chance, don't judge without allowing yourself to get to know the other. Petey wanted a second chance so badly, he was just a teen who wanted an opportunity. The system failed him, and society failed him. He knew he committed crimes, and he was deeply sorry for it. But when will we be sorry? 

Jails are filled with people and cats who were pushed to commit felonies to survive. No one ever apologized to them, but they had to be rejected and judged everywhere they went. We have so much to fight for, let's not forget how important is every single person. Let's not be blinded again by our hate and selfishness. 

Petey showed me what caring about someone else meant, you will never comprehend how big his heart was. He showed me that I was lovable and that I mattered. Last time, someone asked me how I could be sure that I loved him if I was not completely human. Can you explain why you wake up even if the world is messed up? Can you explain why you smile when you look at your family? Can anyone explain why cats kept fighting, even if no one listened to them for years?

I think you all know the answer. For love. We wake up because we love the air in the mornings or the smell of fresh pancakes. We smile at our families because they make us happy. Cats kept fighting because they loved life… And I love him. 

That's why I kept fighting. That's why I wake up every morning. I love him and our son. I will always do. 

Let's fight for a better future. 

Let's love for a brighter morning. 

Let's hope this never happens again.  

With love, the Dog Man family.”

Everyone cheered. The Mayor cried next to him. Li´l Petey looked at him and hugged him tightly. Greg smiled, then he simply waved at the crowd and went down the stand. 

-

Six months. Nothing. The police looked everywhere, and they found the capsule trapped between some rocks. They didn't find a body, just a metallic sphere covered in blood. He joined the search when the doctors told him his leg was finally recovered. Every day he went back home with empty hands. 

Grace Hill was finally ready to be a replacement for the district, and many families agreed to move there. Jim prepared a big party, so everyone could celebrate their new homes. The place was beautiful, and Petey planned everything. The stores were equipped with high technology, the buildings were new, and the streets were safe. 

The perfect place to live. Greg smiled sadly, this would be the first time he went there. He was driving, humming a melody. Li´l Petey was next to him, pointing at the trees that garnished the new district. Orange leaves fell to the ground, it was finally autumn. 

“Look, dad, is that the school?” the kitten pointed at a colorful structure. Greg barked, telling him that next year he would be going there. “Awesome!”

They arrived at the district hall, where many cats were dancing and laughing. He barely parked when the kitten got out of the car to play with the other kids. 

“Dog Man!” called Jim. They had decided that they would keep searching the next day. “What do you think?”

“It's beautiful,” he signed. Tippy got closer and smiled sadly. 

“Yeah, Petey had always imagined a place like this. Filled with life and nature,” Whiskers got closer and slapped the black cat in the head. 

“Hush,” said the muscular cat, pointing at Greg. The cop was looking at the ground, smiling sadly. He could feel his lover's essence in the place. Grace Hill was just a big reminder of his love, he felt protected. 

“I think… I will go visit our house,” signed Greg, the three cats looked at each other and nodded. 

“Yeah… We will call you for dinner, Leslie is cooking beef stew for everyone,” said Jim, patting his back. He simply smiled and walked away, barking to call his son. 

Their house was supposed to be up the hill. Greg and Li´l Petey walked holding hands and picking leaves. The kitten was telling him that he would make a sculpture with them. He giggled, his kid was as smiley as ever. 

They saw a big house at the end of the road, the place had trees and flowers everywhere. The sunset accompanied them, making everything look orange. Just like Petey. When they entered, it was like a warm breeze embraced them. The furniture was beautiful, and the couches were covered with anti-scratch fabric. 

Li´l Petey had begun scratching everything he laid his eyes on for the past months. The hybrid sat down, trying to comfort himself. It was too much, everything reminded him how lonely everything was without Petey.  A brand-new piano waited for him in the right corner.

“What about a song?” he signed, Li´l Petey nodded happily. 

“Dad, look,” the kitten pointed at the backyard. There was smaller construction out there, probably what Petey would have used as his new lab. “It even has a spot for 80-HD to rest at night.” 

The robot had decided to keep looking for any information on the Internet, maybe someone had found the tabby and posted about it online. Greg looked at the house, every single corner told him that Petey had thought of spending the rest of their lives there. Together.

They sat down in front of the piano, and the hybrid played a song that had been in his mind for the past few days. God Only Knows by The Beach Boys. 

God only knows what I'd be without you

If you should ever leave me

Though life would still go on believe me

The world could show nothing to me

So what good would living do me

He sang in his head, Li´l Petey played a few notes. Greg sighed, the song was ending. Maybe it was time to accept it, Petey was not coming home. 

“Is that uncle Jim and uncle Tippy?” Li´l Petey pointed out, Greg looked up, he could see the two cats running up the hill. They looked as if they had seen a ghost. 

The hybrid got up and ran to meet them. He knew something important must have happened. A smile spread through his lips, could it be…?

He opened the door and Li´l Petey followed him. 

“Dog Man!”, yelled Jim. The purple cat stopped in front of him, trying to catch his breath. “It's… It's…”

Tippy grabbed him by the shoulders and smiled, “It's Petey, we found him.”

Chapter Text

Nothing. If you asked Petey how it felt to die, he would answer: Nothing. Yes, his wound hurt like hell. He almost drowned, and the hypothermia was not a joke either. And the blood loss, don't get him started on that topic. But the few seconds he was “on the other side” felt like nothing. As if everything had finally stopped. No sound, no scent, no taste. Just infinite nothing as you feel your consciousness leave. Well, if he had stayed dead longer, he could have given a better answer. 

When the capsule fell into one of the tunnels, he set the course to the district, but failed. Petey was sure he pressed some buttons, but he wasn't sure which. Try getting shot and thinking about a plan to survive. It was not like in the movies. Definitely. Then Mecha-Petey exploded, and the shock wave pushed him farther from his original path. 

The capsule rolled into the tunnel that led to the river. Petey tried to stay awake before the metallic structure hit some rocks and broke down. At least the sticky sensation of blood was replaced by the freezing, dirty water of the stream. His body floated there, and the tabby tried to swim, but that was never one of his strengths. The strong current made it impossible. 

He could have thought that at least he had the opportunity to kiss Greg and hug Li´l Petey before dying in a river, where probably no one would ever find his remains. But the only thought he had was: “Can't a cat die in peace?”

After what felt like hours, his body got stuck between some old logs. Then, he passed out. But he was not dead yet, which was awesome (he tried to be optimistic). The cold river at least numbed the pain. When he woke up again, all he could see was a white ceiling with bright lights. He was at a hospital, but it didn't look like the ones in Ohkay City. This one seemed so… Luxurious. 

“Are you his relative?” yelled a woman next to him. He was on a stretcher, and some doctors were pushing him. A man placed an oxygen mask on his face. 

“No, ma´am. I found this poor fella when I was fishing,” answered a man. He shivered; the place was cold. No, he was freezing. He could feel his heart beating slower. What would kill him first? Hypothermia? Blood loss?

“Quick, to the operating room. The patient had been shot and…. Hypothermic shock. Fuck. We have to hurry!” shouted the woman. Then nothing. He couldn't tell how much time he was in the “nothing” state. It could have been days, hours, or months. Probably, seconds, if it had been that long, he wouldn't be able to tell his story. 

He never guessed, not even in his wildest dreams, that “nothing” would become his new everything. 

-

Petey woke up, but not completely. He could hear some people talking around him, and he felt the touch of others, but he couldn't answer or reciprocate. It was like being trapped in a cage. It was lonely. He never realized he had so much time to think or simply exist. He had always had something to do. Always. And now nothing. 

Everything was so confusing. He could vaguely tell if he was still breathing. He was “conscious” again, just his mind and emptiness. His family must be so worried about him. Greg must hate him… No, he was too good to hate anyone. Petey was sure he could live ten thousand lives and never deserve such. He always thought that heroes, or people who gave their lives for others, were dumb. Why can't they find another solution?

Well, now he knew why. Because he would give his life anytime to make sure his family was safe. And, just when he saw Greg's expression, so scared and desperate, he knew he had to do it. It was the right choice.  The poor cop looked so terrified. God, he hoped he could move on from this. 

Bullshit. He knew he would never move on from this; that's why he had to wake up. If he had been the one who lost Greg, he would never recover. Yes, he would try to keep living for their son, but… It was even inconceivable to think about it. Wake up without him, cook for a table that will always miss someone. He had to wake up.

Petey tried everything; he tried to remember sad things. Maybe crying would wake him up. Nothing. 

He tried with memories where he had been furious, like when he fought Conan. Nothing, just a headache. 

Happy memories, he tried thinking of his son. Li´l Petey was the light of his life… Nothing. 

Slowly, he fell into the void of nothingness again. 

Great. 

-

“Poor guy, nobody asked for him,” said a man. He guessed it was a doctor. Petey was barely conscious again. Yay! “Maybe someone robbed him or… A hate crime? The bullet impacted directly on his left lung. Even if he woke up, he would always have a breathing dysfunction.”

“No one would dare to commit a hate crime against a cat right now, not with everything that is happening in Ohkay City. We should call that lawyer who helps cats, you know, the one who is always so optimistic,” a nurse placed a hand on his forehead. “He looks so young, his mother must be worried.” 

“He has a ring; his wife must be looking for him, too.” The doctor moved closer to check his vitals. “It has already been, what? Three months?” 

“Well, we did everything we could. Unfortunately, since everything is still a mess in Ohkay City, it's very difficult to get some coverage on his case,” the nurse caressed his head. Three months? 

THREE FUCKING MONTHS?! 

He tried to move, but nothing happened. He was getting tired of that word. If he could move just the tip of his tail…

“Oh, shoot. I heard the ex-mayor and her cousin are finally going to jail. At least that man…” The doctor paused, probably trying to remember something. “Bah, that crazy bastard who wanted to kill Petey TheCat and Dog Man… Well, at least he's dead.”

He thought about the consequences, but hearing them was just impressive. They won. They had won. Even if he never woke up, he had made a change. A new future. 

“You heard the speech Dog Man gave in the Mayor's position? I cried so much,” the nurse said as they were leaving the room. “I never thought they were dating. They must look so cute together. I hope they find Petey soon.”

“Yeah, even the government is looking for him. But how many tabby orange cats must be around the world? Even this patient could be…” Their voices faded, and they closed the door. 

Awesome, he was in a hospital filled with stupid people. He can't escape them. Idiots followed him everywhere he went. Petey tried to breathe, to not get angry… To no avail. Everyone must be looking for him and just… He couldn't even ask for help. Greg used to tell him that he lost his temper too fast, that he must try to understand others before yelling at them. 

But if you ask him, he was in the right to get mad at his situation. His mind started to “turn off” again. Back to the nothingness he went. 

-

It was another day full of “nothing”. Only the murmur of hallway conversations. He thought about Li´l Petey. The kid must have grown up a lot. How much time had passed? Maybe Jim finished the construction of the district hall at Grace Hill. At least, Greg and the fur ball would have a big and nice house to live in. 

He thought about every single room and space for a family, but he never imagined he was not going to be in the picture. Petey huffed tiredly. How long would it take to find him? Why were they always so dumb? They could have posted his picture online or called the police stations of the nearby cities. This was just ridiculous. 

If he died, would he meet his mom again? In the past days, he had been thinking a lot about her. He suffered when he visited her at the hospital. Li´l Petey must be so confused, so sad. At least he had the chance to see his mom in her last days, accompany her, and talk. His son didn't have that. Just an empty promise. 

Petey remembered the way her warmth felt. Her soft fur, the smell of bread, and cleaning products. The way she used to sing and play the ukulele. God, he missed his mom so much. Just, if he was going to die anyway, couldn't he at least have some minutes with her? He would tell her everything he did, the good and bad things. He would tell her about Greg. About her grandson. 

He imagined, in a perfect alternate universe, that Grace would have never died. Petey would have gone to college and become an engineer. In this different reality, Greg was just a natural hybrid… or maybe a result of evolution, like him. Knight would be alive, taking care of him as his little brother. 

No trauma, no wrong turns. They would have met one day at the park. Greg would be playing with those goddamned squirrels and he would push Petey. Of course, the tabby would react angrily, but then, after seeing himself reflected in those big brown puppy eyes, he would have flirted with him. 

His consciousness giggled. It was like watching a soap opera in his mind. They would go on dates, probably take their time getting to know each other. After some years, they would finally marry. God, he never realized how much he wanted to have a wedding until he met Greg. No church or big celebration, just them and their families in a beautiful garden. 

Then, they would adopt some kids. Or maybe he would have cloned himself, who knows? He just hoped that in this imagined scenery, Li´l Petey would be there too. Their family wouldn't be complete without the kitten… He wanted more children, a baby that looked exactly like his partner. 

He tried to imagine, to picture it. A perfect family. But he was welcomed with the void again… Only this time it looked brighter. Was it finally time? Petey felt a tear fall from his closed eye. How much fun you had with his little miserable life, God? It was unfair; he couldn't die like that. The tabby felt a light breeze; it smelled like the forest. Leaves, dirt, and grass. Then, baked bread and cleaning products. Finally, a hint of fur kissed by the sun's rays. 

So peaceful. He sighed. Was his mama proud of her son? Maybe it was time to find out. The cat relaxed as he felt his thoughts vanish. 

Someone opened the door with too much force. Laughter filled the room… So he couldn't die in peace, right?

A young man entered the room, his voice was animated… Wait, he knew that voice. “Yes, Mr. Feline, this is the patient. We waited for your visit. You can take as long as you like,” the nurse's voice was absurdly sweet. He cringed. What an awful way to flirt. “We know you will help him, like all the cats you have helped in the past. You are so kind…”

The cat laughed (that last name was definitely from someone of his species) with that annoying tone the rich people had: “You can call me Sam, darling,” the nurse giggled. Sam? Oh, that voice—it couldn't be…

“It can't be…” The cat got closer to Petey and gasped. He grabbed his face and yelled. “Petey?!” If it was Sam, the one he knew back then… “Shit, you don't like to be touched, sorry. Nurse, call the cops.” Finally, someone recognized him. He just didn't expect his ex-boyfriend to be the one to do it. 

“What?” questioned the woman, surprised, getting closer.

“Hurry! This is Petey TheCat. Everyone was looking for him. How could you be so blind?” he felt the cat's paw in his, caressing gently his fingers. “Oh, man. If I had come sooner… But don't worry. I will call Jim. Come on, girl. Move!” 

They left the room. He could hear their steps as they ran. Sam yelled some orders to the nurses. A smile formed on his lips. Finally, something. 

-

Petey remembered why he didn't follow Sam to achieve his dreams of becoming a lawyer. The cat didn't know how to shut up. “I had to visit you a month ago, but I got delayed. I have a foundation that helps cats with their legal issues for free. But now, I will be taking some vacations. My wife and I were planning to take the kids to the beach. Did I tell you I got married? Her name is Sherry, and she is a brown tabby. We have a law firm and a big house in the most luxurious part of the city. It's the life I imagined!”

Just, whoever was coming for him… They'd better hurry. His patience was running out. Petey still wasn't fully awake, but he had smiled and moved his tail the day Sam came for the first time. The doctor said it wouldn't take long to finally open his eyes. They just have to wait. The Siamese didn't leave his side all night, telling him over and over again every detail of his life. 

Petey was happy for him, of course. He wished Sam had a wonderful life when they broke up, but now he just wanted to hear from his family. Or anything, but not his babble.

“For our honeymoon, we went to Rome! It was beautiful. I heard you were engaged with Dog Man… I got the chance to talk to him last night. I didn't understand a bark he said, but he howled so sadly. Poor guy, he must have missed you so much. You should go there! But you never liked crowded places… Maybe… Oh gosh, I don't know. Where do you want to go for your honeymoon, Petey?” The tabby felt his eye twitch. God, just take a break from talking, dude. “Right, you can't answer. Anyway-”

Loud barks finally made him stop. Petey felt his tail puff as Sam got up from the chair that was next to him. His heart was beating so fast. 

“Papa?” he cried silently, his sunshine was finally there. Loud steps accompanied the kid's voice; the tabby frowned. Wait. How many people had come?

“Papa!” A heavy weight fell in his lap, and he felt his son hugging him, hiding his little face in his chest as he cried. “Papa, I missed you so much!” 

He could still hear more steps. “Petey, oh my…” That was Tippy. His voice was broken. “Dude, you look like shit. We looked for you everywhere.”

“Don't say that!” said Jim, scolding the black cat. He hugged him as he cried heavily. “Oh, they shaved the fur on your side…” The purple cat hissed, breaking the hug a little, “Is that your wound? That must have hurt so much.”

“Jim, Tippy, be quiet,” strict as always, Whiskers got closer and caressed his head. “Hey, P. You will get better soon, and you are safe now. Thanks for saving me… For saving all the cats.” 

He was so happy to hear them, Petey wished he could hug them, to say something. But… Where was Greg? Maybe he was outside, not wanting to see him. Maybe he got tired of waiting. “He hates me. For leaving, for not keeping my promise”, he thought. 

“Guys, we are in a hospital, be quiet,” Genie said, getting closer. She took his paw and caressed it gently, “Hi, Petey. Someone is waiting to talk to you. Why don't we give you some space?”

He heard some whispers, and the cats hugged him as they left. Sam invited them to follow him to the waiting room. Li´l Petey remained hugging his chest; he could feel the warm sensation of his kid's tears against his fur. The room felt empty. He heard a whine from the right corner. 

“Dad, come here,” said the kitten. “Papa is cold.” Petey inhaled, not wanting to keep breathing. How much suffering did he bring to his family? “Dad?”

Greg threw himself on the bed, howling and licking his cheeks desperately. He wanted to hug them, to comfort them. This was the worst punishment, not being able to even say a word. The hybrid stopped and hugged him, holding his hand tightly. They remained like that for some minutes, only the sound of the heart monitor accompanied their reunion.  

Greg barked, his voice was so depressing, like all the joy of the world had died. Petey understood, “Wake up.”

-

It took him two more weeks to finally open his eyes. The room was dark, and he looked through the window. It was early morning, and the sun was barely up. Li´l Petey was peacefully sleeping in his chest… The kid surely grew up; the kitten looked like he was six or seven years old. How do clones age? Petey never wondered that. They never celebrated his birthday either… When was his birthday? 

Petey caressed his son's head gently and slowly. He could move his limbs, but there was still some numbness. As if his body were just waking up. The kitten purred and got closer. He looked to his side, Greg was there, sleeping with his head resting on his lap and his tongue out. The moonlight made it possible to observe the disheveled fur and tired eyes. His heart ached; it was something hearing the sadness of others, it was a different thing to see it. The pain, the tiredness… 

The cat lifted his paw again and placed it on top of his lover's head. The hybrid moved closer to the touch and sighed heavily, as if finally he could get some rest. The sun rays finally slipped through the window, warming his fur. Greg growled, angry at the sudden light. Petey tried to giggle, but he felt so tired, he huffed, feeling his lungs expand. It hurt, but not so much. Would it always be like that? 

“...” He tried to speak, but his mouth didn't follow his order. Guess it was too soon. Greg yawned and stretched, scratching his ears lazily. Petey smiled, feeling blessed with such a cute picture. The hybrid looked at the window and sighed sadly before rubbing his eyes. The tabby's smile vanished; he seemed so hopeless. 

Li´l Petey moved, extending his paws to the sun and turning to his side to keep sleeping. Greg chuckled at the action and then, finally, looked at Petey. They stayed still, the snoring of the kitten making them feel like they were still dreaming. The tabby would never know how many nights the hybrid spent dreaming about this moment. He was finally able to see those beautiful green eyes again, looking at him. And then, that damned smile (hidden behind the oxygen mask, but beautiful nonetheless) that could make his world feel like watercolor paints and squeaky toys. 

Greg was scared. What if he moved and he realized it was a dream all over again? What if he woke up and the doctors told him that Petey wouldn't wake up? He wouldn't handle that. Not again. Not losing the love of his life again. He covered his eyes and got up, afraid to touch him. Petey´s smile vanished, doubting. After a couple of seconds, he simply extended his hand towards him. Inviting him to believe. To have hope again. 

The hybrid whined and hugged himself, trying to comfort his insecure heart. If it were just a dream, then he would simply wake up and face the loneliness again. If this were his Petey, why was he wasting their time? In a quick movement, he walked and grabbed the tabby's paw. It was warm. Greg got closer, one step at a time. He approached his lover, smelling him, caressing his cheek with his muzzle. Then, slowly, he nuzzled his neck, and the sound of a light chuckle that died as soon as it was born made him look up. 

That was Petey. Alive. Petey was alive and smiling at him, arching a brow. Greg could almost hear his thoughts: “You silly doggy, hug me already” . Greg smiled and howled, hugging his family tightly. Li´l Petey growled, displeased with the sudden movement, “Dad, what is it? The doctor said…”

Petey caressed his head, the kitten looked at him in awe before laughing and jumping with excitement, “Papa! Dad, it's my papa. I told you he was going to come back; he promised.” The older tabby sighed and nodded, his eyes were closing. His eyes were closing, “Papa? Dad, call the doctors!”

Greg looked at him worried and ran out of the room. “Papa, don't sleep. Talk to me or look at me? I don't know, just…” Petey smiled again and caressed his head slowly. How could he comfort him? The tabby knew he wasn't dying; he just needed to sleep a little. But Li´l Petey was already crying, “Don't leave me, please, not again. I've been a good kid. I took care of my dad and made sure we both ate properly. I helped with the robots at Grace Hill. But I can be better, just don't go.”

The doctor entered the room with Sam by his side. They looked at him worried. The man checked his vitals, and Greg held their child in his arms, cradling him as the kid cried. They would talk about this later; a kid shouldn't be thinking their parents' love is conditioned. “Good morning, Mr. The Cat,” said the doctor, smiling after making sure the tabby was not dying (again). “Mr. Dog Man, he is alright, just a bit tired. Waking up after such a long time requires a lot of strength, and cats sleep way more than dogs and humans. He just needs patience and more rest.”

“He is not leaving?” asked the kitten, his voice broken. Petey extended his hands to Greg, asking for his child. The hybrid nodded, understanding. They would talk later, but now, there was someone who needed their attention and comfort. Li´l Petey cried again in his arms. 

“No, kid. Your papa had shown an incredible willingness to live,” the doctor tried to joke. “Just let him sleep. He would be able to talk soon… Mr. Dog Man, may I speak with you for a moment?” Greg tensed and nodded. He grabbed his paw and gave it a light squeeze before leaving the room. 

Li´l Petey curled up next to him, trying to calm down. Petey looked at Sam worried, “Wow, Petey, your kid looks just like you. You cloned yourself?” The cat laughed, and both tabbies looked at each other. “Just kidding, man. Don't worry, the doctor is telling Greg that you will probably leave the hospital next month. Your lungs are doing way better, and everything else seems like it's working properly. We are just waiting for you to be independent again, and then you can go back to Ohkay City with your family.”

Petey nodded, “Papa, is this the Sam Uncle Tippy talked about?” The tabby smiled before looking up at his ex and giving him a threatening look. He thought, “You say something out of place and I will kick your ass.”

“I hope Tippy said good things,” said Sam nervously. “Anyway. I think I will go tell the others the good news.” 

The kitten chuckled, “Papa, dad hates when Sam and you are alone. Don't tell him I told you, though.” Petey nodded and giggled lightly, his eyes were already closing. He had never felt so tired. “I love you, papa.” The kitten kissed his forehead and nestled in his chest again. “Let's sleep and wake up with more energy, okay?”

-

“I can shower on my own,” said Petey in an annoyed voice. Greg whined and looked at him with sad puppy eyes. “Don't…” The cat tried to catch his breath; talking was exhausting, and his lungs ached when he put in a lot of effort. 

If Petey was stubborn before, now he was ten times worse. He set his mind on recovering and going home as soon as possible. By the end of the month, he could talk, walk, and move on his own. He looked at the nurses with some disdain, avoiding asking for their help. He knew what those women talked about when they thought no one was listening. 

He walked to the bathroom and sighed. The fur on his side was already growing, but he felt so ugly. “Do you think I look bad? Like, look at my fur. You know how much I take care of it, and now it's not even growing properly…” Greg simply nodded and held his hand, guiding him. “Do you think I am ugly now? Should I cover up?”

The hybrid didn't say anything, just kept walking. Things had been awkward since he woke up. As if… They didn't know how to behave around each other anymore. Greg kept his distance all the time, just hugging and holding his hand, but barely communicating. Even Li´l Petey asked him what was wrong, but he shrugged, acting like nothing happened. In the first days, when he needed help with standing up or simply walking, the hybrid would help him but never look directly into his eyes. It was starting to get on his nerves.

“You know, you don't need to…” Petey breathed. He hated the sensation of losing control of his lungs all the time. “You don't need to help me if you don't want to.”

Greg simply smiled. That awful fake smile, and turned again, opening the door. Petey entered the bathroom and closed the door in Greg's face. The hybrid barked, confused. “You… You stay there, okay? Listen.” The cat breathed, trying to steady the pain in his lungs. He could feel some tears forming in his eyes. “I… I don't even know what you are thinking anymore. It feels like… Fuck, I hate this, Greg. It feels like you don't even know what to do with me. I… Fuck!” 

The tabby fell to his knees, his chest was burning, the air was not enough again. But he wouldn't come out until he had answers. The hybrid knocked and whined; he moved the door handle desperately. “I am not an obligation, you know I can take care of myself… I… I know I fucked up, okay? I failed you and Li´l Petey; I left you alone. You…” Petey coughed, Greg tried to open the door, but the tabby locked it. 

“If you don't love me anymore, it's okay…” The movement on the other side stopped. “You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I am fine. I will be fine.” Lies, he would never recover if Greg left. He wanted to be angry, to ask if all those promises they made were lies. But he couldn't. Not when he knew all of this was his fault. “I… You would still be Li´l Petey´s dad… But don't stay just because you feel sorry for me. Don't…”

Again, he coughed. He curled up on the floor, trying to keep breathing through his sobs. “I am so sorry, Greg. I know I failed you. I hurt our kid, and I left my family alone. I broke my promise, so…” he sighed, feeling dizzy. “It's okay if you break your promises, too. I won't hate you… I would never-”

The door broke, Greg was standing there huffing and looking angrily at him. The hybrid got closer and hugged him tightly. Petey cried heavily, letting all the pain and suffering go through every sob. The strong arms grabbed the pieces of his heart and built it again, like every single time he broke down. “Why? Why don't you hate me? Why don't you leave-” the cat coughed again, his lungs were burning, begging for oxygen. Greg grabbed him in his arms and placed him on the bed, pressing the button to call the nurse. “Greg, why? I know you… You don't love me anymore, how could you-”

The hybrid growled and grabbed his head, making him look. The brown eyes were shining with a mixture of anger and despair, then he signed, “Stop.”

The doctor entered and put an oxygen mask on his face. It probably had some tranquilizers too. He slowly passed out, watching Greg wipe a tear in frustration. 

-

When he woke up, the last sun rays were already saying goodbye. He was lucky; his room had a great view of the beach. Sam was next to him. “Hi, P. How are you doing? The doctor told you not to talk too much… But you never followed the rules, huh?”

Petey sat down on the bed. No one else was there. He was afraid to confirm his suspicions. Greg had finally left him, hadn't he? “What… Where is…” He tried to breathe, but a shaky sigh was the only thing he could manage to do.  

“Take it easy, Petey. You know, after getting shot, loosing a shit ton of blood and almost freezing to death you sure are strong,” Sam held his paw and smiled. “Well, I always knew you were different. I am so happy that you have a family and that you have achieved so much. You are a real-life hero. My wife says we can drive you back to Ohkay City, since everyone has already left, our car would be enough.”

“You… You better take care of your wife, Sam,” Petey tried to smile before lightly scratching his friend's hand. “I heard you flirting with the nurses before.”

The cat chuckled nervously. “Oh, fuck. Please, don't tell her.”

“Why wouldn't I?” asked Petey, trying to take the oxygen mask off. 

“I have a peace offer, okay? Look, I investigated the case in Ohkay City and,” Sam got closer, as if he was about to tell him the most precious secret of the world. “You know, with a better lawyer… Like me. We can make those assholes pay even more. Petey, I can make sure all their fortune covers the studies of all the kittens in the district. We can make a fund for them, so the families can make sure their kids go to college.”

“Really?” Petey questioned with distrust. 

“I swear, man. Look, even if we take all the money I am planning to get from them, they would still have some millions in their accounts. How does that sound?” Sam grabbed him by the shoulders and smiled. Petey giggled and nodded. “I know, I know. I am the best lawyer you could ever have.”

“That's…” he breathed. “Awesome. Thank you so much, Sam.”

“And my price is, please don't tell my wife. I swear I was just flirting, nothing else,” the tabby laughed. Sam took that as a deal. They hugged. “Petey, when you get out of the hospital, remember that it is your turn to be happy. We can also sue the hospital for not handling your case properly.”

When he was about to answer, the door opened. Greg looked at them and growled, stomping to his side. Sam laughed nervously and patted Petey´s back, “Well, don't want your hubby to get mad, huh? See you tomorrow. Bye, Dog Man.” And he left. 

The hybrid sat down next to him, huffing angrily. They remained in awkward silence for some minutes. “Where is Li´l Petey?”

“Hotel,” signed Greg. 

“Oh, he must be tired…” Petey breathed with difficulty. “Thanks and… I am sorry for what happened earlier. I shouldn't have acted that way. But…”

The hybrid looked at him and grabbed his hand. “Wait,” he signed. “Take this.” He handed him a piece of paper. It had marks of tears, the words were messy, and a lot were covered with angry lines.

“Why are you always trying to do everything by yourself? Petey, I love you. I love you so much. I would never, ever leave you. I was scared, I thought you would disappear at any moment. And I hurt you, so I am sorry. But why did you give up so fast? You assumed I hated you, that I would leave you. That I didn't love you. I thought you knew I would never do that. The past months without you have been like hell on earth; I could barely breathe without you. Just, why? We both made mistakes, but the biggest one would be breaking what we have. Don't give up on us, please.”

Petey sighed. He couldn't stop messing things up, huh? “I am sorry… I just… I feel so insecure about everything. You barely even looked at me last week, you didn't even sign… You haven't kissed me. I… Every single day, I woke up feeling like a failure because I made you and our kid suffer. I left you alone.”

Greg got closer and caressed his cheek, leaning slowly. It felt like their first kiss. Insecure but filled with emotions that couldn't be expressed with words. They barely moved; it was just a light connection. Salty, thanks to the tears that came with it, and tender for all the emotions that couldn't be said out loud. 

“The last time we kissed, you died,” signed the hybrid when they finally separated. 

“Oh,” Petey placed a hand on his lips. “I will try to never do that again,” the cat joked, but Greg looked at him with a lifted brow. “Kidding. Could you kiss me again, please? I…” Some tears fell from his face. “I just want…” He didn't give him time to end his sentence and kissed him. This time with more passion, with all the fears and anger vanishing with the movement of their lips. 

Greg hugged him and moved closer, almost placing himself on top of his lover. Petey gave him some space, but they couldn't fit. They laughed without breaking the contact. And, just like that, everything felt like it was slowly falling into place. Finally, the world didn't seem so dark, and the hospital room didn't feel that empty. Like gravity had returned.

Petey sighed, trying to burn in his memory the way their lips danced, the way they coordinated in such a delicate way. Like they were meant to be. He lost his breath in every movement… No, he was really losing his breath. The tabby pushed Greg and coughed, the hybrid looked at him worried, grabbing the oxygen mask.

“It's okay…” the tabby smiled, breathing heavily. “Just, come here.” He opened his arms, inviting him to lay by his side. “I know the bed is small, but when we go back home, we will sleep in that king-size bed I bought. Did you use it?”

Greg nuzzled his chest, marking his scent. He shook his head and signed, “No. I couldn't. Not without you.”

“Good boy,” he chuckled and caressed gently the back of the hybrid, feeling like he could finally close this horrible chapter. “I have plenty of ideas on how we can spend our first night there.” 

Greg looked at him and smiled brightly, “We can do anything you want when we are finally home.”

Petey kissed his forehead and played absent-mindedly with his ears. 

-

Three days later, Sherry and Sam waited for them at the entrance of the hospital. Petey could breathe better now, but he would have to go to the hospital every month for a check-up. The brown tabby hugged Petey when she finally met them. 

“Oh, Petey. I have heard a lot about you. Sam always wanted to go back to Ohkay City, but the law firm and the kids. Oh, this must be your kid. Hi,” Petey smiled. Sherry was just as talkative as her husband. They were meant for each other. The kitten smiled. Greg was holding his luggage in one hand and with the other caressing his back. “Dog Man, it's such an honor to meet you! My kids admire you.”

Greg nodded and smiled, “Thanks for the lift. I would love to meet your kids at another opportunity.” 

Sherry looked a Petey, asking for a translation of the signs. “Hi, Sherry. Greg says thank you for the lift and that it would be lovely if you came to Grace Hill in the future.”

Sam laughed and patted his back. “Of course, P. Our kids are staying with their grandmother, so we will be staying there for a few days. We are going to stay at Jim's. So you won't get rid of me yet.”

“That's great, Sam,” said Petey with a bright smile. Greg huffed and grabbed his waist. 

“Papa, how long will it take until we get home?” The kitten jumped as he played with a ball Sam gave him. 

“A couple of hours, we should get going. Are you ready?” Greg and Li´l Petey nodded before entering the car. Petey looked at the city one more time. “Then, let's go home.”

Chapter Text

They had a wonderful wedding a few months later, and Li´l Petey helped them with the planning. All the cats from the district and their friends were there. They all cheered when they kissed, finally making their promise come true. Petey and Greg wore beautiful white suits that complemented the venue.

Their rings were now made from gold, and they shined brightly whenever they moved. The light breeze from the afternoon made them walk closer; it was a chilly afternoon. It was almost December, and there was no snow, but they had to wear coats every time they went out. 

“I hate winter,” Petey said as they walked up the hill. It was not their way home, but the tabby told him it was an important visit. “I always had, but the fur ball seems to have so much fun.” 

“Papa, look,” the kitten jumped in a puddle, making his boots and coat dirty. The soft giggles filled the empty road. 

“Come on, sunshine. I will have to wash it when we get home,” Greg lifted their son in his arms, smiling brightly. “We were supposed to look fancy for this.”

The hybrid barked, asking him where they were going. 

“Wait, just a couple more minutes,” they kept walking. Greg was playing with Li´l Petey, the one who saw more squirrels would decide the dinner. Petey coughed a little, making his husband stop abruptly to caress his back. “I'm fine, let's continue.”

Petey stopped after some minutes and smiled, feeling the chilly breeze. Then, he ran. Greg followed him with a giggling kitten in his arms. He barked, asking him what happened. 

“Come here, doggy.” The cat sat down in front of a grave, the only one in the place. “Sit.” He did as he was told. When they were finally in front of the grave, the tabby cleared his throat. “Hi, mama. Sorry for coming so late. But I will come here often. We live near, anyway.”

Greg stood up and cleaned the dirt from his jeans. The hybrid didn't know what to do; this was the first time they had visited Petey´s mom. He saluted like he used to when he was in front of one of his superiors. The cats laughed, “You know my mom wasn't in the army, right? Just sit down and talk to her.”

“Hi, Grandma. I am Li´l Petey. It is so good to meet you, my papa said you were beautiful and smart and caring… There is another member of this family, it is a robot named 80-HD, but the weather makes him slow. I will have to fix that later. Oh, and this is my dad. They are married. You would have loved the decorations, I even played some songs by The Beatles with my dad on the piano for the wedding!” Petey chuckled, remembering how they performed that day. “Then the other cats played while they did the slow dance. You would have loved it, everyone said that.”

“Yes, mama. Li´l Petey did a great job. He is getting ready to go to school next year. But I think it is time for Greg to talk. This is your son-in-law, be nice,” the cat chuckled, giving space for his husband to sit next to him. 

Greg cleared his throat and tried to bark, but an awkward “ruff” came out instead. The hybrid shifted in the grass, trying to get comfortable. “Nice to meet you, Grace,” he signed, feeling his fingers move slower than he wanted. “I am Greg Dog Man, your son's husband.”

Petey rested his head on his shoulder, grabbing their kid in his arms, paying attention to what he wanted to say. “You can bark, she will understand. Don't be afraid, she already loves you.”

The hybrid felt a lump form in his throat, then he barked, moving his hands and telling her mother-in-law everything. How much he loved her son, how grateful he was for his existence. Li´l Petey laughed at the excitement of his dad, “I never heard dad bark like that.” 

“Me neither, but I am sure your grandma is listening very closely, sunshine,” said Petey, caressing his head and kissing his forehead.

“How did you know she would understand him?” the older tabby looked at the tree in front of them, feeling the breeze get warmer. A leaf fell in front of them gently. 

“There are things you simply know. I know that even if my mom is not here, she will always be in my heart, and in yours, too,” the kitten chuckled and remained silent as his dad kept barking. 

“How are you so sure, papa?” Petey nuzzled his head and smiled. 

“Because my mom once told me that this was my life, I have to enjoy every single bit of it. And, Li´l Petey, you can do the same. This is your story, kid, you can color it anyway you want. Love with all your heart, always fight injustice, and live. Okay, sunshine?” the child nodded and looked at the grave. He could almost swear he felt another paw on his head. But when he looked up, there was nothing, just a light breeze that brought more leaves. 

-

The years passed, and Petey became a successful professor at Ohkay City's College. His inventions brought happiness and a new era of technology to the world. Greg retired shortly after, and he decided to take care of the security of Grace Hill. They lived happily in his big home, now finally complete. 

Tippy married a few years later and was training to be a professional boxing coach like his father. Jim was in charge of the community kitchen and helped many cats go to rehab find new homes and jobs. Whiskers found his path as a teacher at the school in Grace Hill. Petey was surprised when he found out his friend was pretty good at math. 

Cats could leave freely now, and Grace Hill was thriving. Their main goal was not surviving anymore, just enjoying their lives. The Mayor did an amazing job helping the victims. The declawed cats lived a good life and would die with dignity. 

When Li´l Petey turned ten years old, they decided to have another kid. Greg was more than happy to clone himself, and Petey made some DNA adjustments. All their fears vanished when they welcomed his son, Charlie. Unlike Li´l Petey, the puppy looked months old and couldn't talk. He was just a baby. 

As the baby grew up, they realized he was more like Petey in his behavior and interests. When Li´l Petey turned fifteen and Charlie was five, the young cat didn't like building stuff anymore; he enjoyed his art classes more. The puppy, on the other hand, loved destroying things to rebuild them, driving Petey crazy.

Li´l Petey loved his baby brother with all his heart, so they would often get in trouble for playing with dangerous things. 

Charlie learned how to talk through the years, but enjoyed barking with his dad, they connected that way (and also when they hunted squirrels). It was a day like any other, the sun rays slipped through the window, warming their furs as the young cat drew comics and the puppy played with some cables. 

80-HD was next to them, making sure Charlie didn't get hurt. 

“Now, Charlie, let me tell you the story of how cats fought for their freedom in Ohkay City. This will be the story of how a temperamental tabby cat and a dog man hybrid met, became friends, and…” said Li´l Petey, showing his little brother his drawings. 

“Fell in love”, added the puppy playfully, leaving the cables behind and sitting next to his brother. 

“Yeah, but most importantly. This is the story of how they became heroes of their own lives”, finished Li´l Petey. 

Petey and Greg were in the living room, playing the piano and the ukulele. The house was filled with the scent of freshly baked bread and flowers. The kids listened as their papa sang: 

Bright are the stars that shine

Dark is the sky

I know this love of mine

Will never die

And I love him

Petey rested his head on his husband's shoulder, smiling. At that moment, he knew. He finally made his mama proud. He made himself proud. Now he had everything he could have ever wanted and needed: a family, a future. And all because he decided to love him. He looked up, and Greg returned the smile. 

They kissed slowly as the breeze brought some flowers to their window. Finally together, finally free, to love, to live. To survive, to endure. To grow older. As they promised, together.