Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Catna—!”
“Catnap?”

She nudged my right shoulder.

“Mmm… huh?”

I looked up at the green rabbit who was disturbing my sleep.

“Catnap, the boss is going to be fuming mad if you keep sleeping on the job like that.”

'Yeah, yeah', I signed, annoyed. But she was right.

I had apparently fallen asleep at my desk. The spreadsheet I needed to finish was still up on my screen. My calendar task bar was still filled with unfinished assignments. Wondering what time it was, I glanced at the corner of my desktop. 3:04 PM.

“Come on,” she said encouragingly, “you better hurry. There’s only two hours left. But I did hear we’re having a celebration later at a nearby restaurant. The boss got promoted.”

My ears perked up at that. I wouldn’t pass up free food.

'Well, I’m only going for the food', I signed, grinning.

She rolled her eyes, clearly expecting me to leave right after eating.

Hoppy Hopscotch has been my friend since college. She’s way more energetic and outgoing than I am. Still, she’s always been a reliable friend. As for me, I’m more introverted. I only got this job on a whim, because of my skillset. Other than that, I never really had the motivation to put effort into anything.

I don’t even know why she joined this company. When we were job hunting, we noticed this one paid slightly more than average. I was fine with that. But Hoppy? She saw it as a starting point, determined to climb the ranks and build a better future for herself.

Looking back at my desktop, I knew I had to finish my tasks. Cracking my knuckles, I started working. I even tackled the pile of documents I had been avoiding. 

And... 

Done.

I glanced at the time again. 4:03 PM.

See? I wasn’t lying when I said they only hired me for my skills. My work ethic, though... that’s another story.

Turning my gaze to Hoppy, I noticed she was still working on the same spreadsheet.

I tapped her shoulder and signed, Hey, you’ve been working on that document for over an hour now.

“Well, it’s the annual spring report,” she sighed. “It takes For. E. Ver to fix everything”

'Have you been organizing it... manually? Editing it column by column?' I looked at her, surprised. There were definitely better ways to handle a report like that.

“Yeah, well… I don’t know any commands that can fix typos across a whole column or compare it to the confirmed data.” Her eyes looked tired from staring at the screen.

'Want me to help?' I signed, feeling a sudden urge to ease her suffering.

“I mean… yeah, if you can,” she chuckled, clearly doubting I could finish it quickly.

Rolling my chair closer to her desk, I signed, 'When handling a large set of columns, you need to—'

—20 minutes later—

“You. You actually did it!” Hoppy looked up at me, eyes wide. A gleeful aura surrounded her. “I knew you were good, but this is amazing!”

'Just simple commands, but thank you.' I signed, chuckling.

She hugged me tightly.

“Thank you. Thank you for saving me from that hell.” She clung to me dramatically, making me laugh.

'We’ve still got some time. Want to take a quick break? We could go for a quick snack' I signed. 'I needed to stretch my legs.'

“Oh, yeah. Sure! And~ because of this, it’s on me,” she added. Then, noticing my grin: “Hey, don’t go haywire with the snacks. We still need to attend the promotion party.”

I slumped a little and nodded in defeat.

“Aww, come on. I’ll still buy you beef jerky~”

Smiling, I appreciated that she remembered my favorite snack. We headed toward the nearby convenience store. Our company’s located in the middle of the city, so shops are everywhere. As we walked in, the only thing on my mind was food. Literally: food. Surrounded by countless shelves and rows of snacks, that craving wasn’t going to fade.

I tapped Hoppy’s shoulder. "I’ll be right back, just going to grab some food."

“Sure,” she replied. “But again, don’t overload yourself, okay?”

I nodded and headed to the far left of the store, where the ramen and snacks were. The song “Gorgeous” was playing on the speakers. It was a decent song, but they were definitely overplaying it.

Looking for my beef jerky, I saw this new thing on the shelf, "Prawn crackers". Wow. Trying to be fancy by calling shrimp in a different term? Nice try. I’ll still try it. But beef jerky’s still my go-to

My basket now full of goodies, I started heading back to Hoppy, until... I heard what sounded like an argument in the next aisle. Curious, I peeked around the corner.

A beagle...Maybe, was being scolded by an elderly bear. She had a cane and was poking him with it, clearly upset. The dog looked flustered, wearing our company uniform and a little sun-shaped necklace. Was he one of my coworkers?

I usually avoid conflict, but this could easily escalate. By the good will of my heart, I'll help.

I rushed to Hoppy, tugging her to follow me, signing for her to put her items in my basket.

Approaching the scene, Hoppy stepped in.

“Um, excuse me, sorry to interrupt. But, may I ask what’s going on with my… friend here?” she asked, trying to sound casual even though she didn’t know the canine.

“Well, I was trying to walk to the back of the store, when this idiot bumped into me and made me fall!” the bear shouted.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to push you, ma’am,” the dog said apologetically, his tail between his legs. “I was just trying to reach a can on the top shelf and slipped.”

“Are you hurt anywhere, ma’am?” Hoppy asked gently.

“W-Well… not really,” she muttered. “Just a little dizzy.”

“I’m really sorry,” the dog repeated. “Is there any way I can help? I can take you to the hospital if needed. Really, it was a accident.”

“No need. Just be more careful next time,” the bear grumbled as she walked away. “Young people these days…”

The dog looked relieved.

“You saved me. Thank you so much,” he said with genuine gratitude. “I didn’t think I could get out of that without it going badly.”

“Oh, no problem,” Hoppy smiled. “But you should thank this guy too. He was the one who noticed and brought me over.”

The canine looked at me, a look with sparkles in his eyes.

“I can’t thank you enough. Both of you. I’m Dogday, by the way!”

“Well, Dogday, I’m Hoppy, and this is Catnap,” she said, introducing us.

“I knew you two looked familiar…” he squinted, then lit up. “You’re the power duo from Department B!”

“Uh… what?” Hoppy blinked.

“Huh? You guys didn’t know?” he asked. “The higher-ups have been keeping an eye on you ever since you joined three months ago. Word spread to other departments. I’m from Department A, by the way.”

'Did you know about this, Hoppy?' I signed. 'I thought we were just laying low.'

“Same here,” she replied. “Maybe it’s because of your skills!” She remembered my earlier spreadsheet miracle.

“Well, even though I have absolutely no idea what he just signed, congratulations to both of you!” Dogday grinned, his tail wagging. “You just got engaged last week, right?”

“WHAT?!” Hoppy shouted, shocked. “We’re not engaged! Heck, we’re not even a couple!”

Taken back by his statement, I quietly giggled.

“Wait, really? Rumors said you were!” Dogday was just as surprised. “Everyone’s been talking about it across departments. Tons of eyes are on you guys.”

I showed Hoppy the time on my phone. 4:45 PM.

“Well, we’ll have to continue this conversation another time,” she said.

“Sure! It was great meeting you guys!” Dogday said, grabbing my paws with both hands. “Seriously, Thank you.”

Flustered, I nodded. He waved and ran off.

Personal space? Thrown out the window. 
But… 

I didn’t mind. 

His furry paws were… warm.

What’s wrong with me? Thinking like this about someone I just met.

“Catnap!” Hoppy shook me out of my daze. “Come on, we’re going to be late!”

We rushed to the counter and waited for the cashier to ring up our items.

He. Was. So. Slow.

Glancing at Hoppy, she looked like she wanted to strangle the poor guy. For a good reason, though.

Looking at our phones again. 4:53 PM.

Finally, he finished. We bolted out of there, rushing back to the office.

We made it in time, out of breath. Thankfully, the cool AC helped.

Still, I couldn’t stop thinking about that dog.

He was like... the sun.

We kept acting that we haven't been gone for an hour. When, Bobby Bearhug, Hoppy's close friend and the assistant manager of our unit, called out to everyone in Department B. Everyone looked at her.

"The boss wants all of you to..."

She paused, a grin forming on her face as we all waited in anticipation.

"..."

 'Freakin say it already!!!

"...head to the restaurant. Picky’s! Boss's treat"

Excitement exploded throughout the department. Hoppy immediately shook me with joy.

Picky’s was a famous restaurant here in Crittertown and had just earned its first Michelin star last year. I’d never been there before. Honestly, my broke-ass couldn’t afford it. It’s actually kind of a wonder why the boss chose Picky’s of all places, especially since he was paying for dinner for fifteen people. Still, I’d heard great things, and their menu had a wide variety of international dishes.

We all headed there together, but while we were walking, Hoppy seemed… tense.

Getting her attention, I signed, ‘Is something wrong?’

“Well… ever since Dogday told us about that engagement rumor, I’ve been worried about what other things the employees might be saying about us.” She whispered nervously, “Especially now that all their attention is on us.”

I patted her back. ‘Let’s just keep doing what we’ve always done. This could actually help your dreams. You know, especially if the department heads really are watching us.’

She sighed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Still, she looked uneasy. So I signed, ‘You know I’d never date you, right?’

She stopped walking, then burst out laughing. “Oh, I know. I don’t see you as anything more than a friend.”

There was something I hadn’t told anyone yet. I’d known it about myself since high school, maybe even middle school. I’d never really been interested in women. I really prefer men. The thought of being wrapped up in someone’s arms made my heart flutter. Little spoon, big spoon. All that nonsense. 

The party itself, to be honest, wasn’t all that eventful. They ordered more drinks than food. Tragic, I know.

But, even with that, they still got some food. Hoppy, had her eyes glued on the molten chocolate lava cake. I had to stop her from joining the others in drinking because... well, she can get a little chaotic when drunk. The last time, she nearly burned down our apartment trying to make s’mores. Problem was, we didn’t have marshmallows. So there she was, waving an empty BBQ skewer over an open flame like it was a mission from the gods.

As for me? I’m not really a fan of drinking. I just don’t like the taste of beer.

When the restaurant was closing, we all left. Hoppy, of course, couldn’t resist temptation. She downed one bottle of beer and completely passed out. I hate carrying her when she’s like this. But, now I'm lugging her over my shoulder as I trudged back to our apartment. 

Then, on one street corner, I saw a familiar canine.

It was Dogday.

He approached us. “Hey, guys! What are you doing out here so late?” He sniffed the air and immediately caught the scent of booze coming from Hoppy. “Been drinking?”

I was about to sign something but remembered, he doesn’t understand sign language.

I simply nodded.

“You want some help?” he asked, “It’s the least I can do. I want to return the favor.”

He didn't need to, but it's thoughtful of him.

I made an OK sign and watched as he carefully lifted Hoppy onto his back like it was nothing. 

Leading the way down the street, I awkwardly walked beside him.

Looking up at the night sky, he tried to make small talk. “You know, even though you guys aren’t a couple, from an outsider’s point of view, it really does seem like you are.”

Hoping not to leave the conversation one sided, I pulled out my phone and typed:

*We’re really just friends. Nothing more.*

“How about you?” he asked. “Do you have anyone you’re interested in right now?”

His eyes perked up seemingly interested in knowing more about me. He tried his best to hide it but it's obvious that his tail is wagging behind him.

Kind of a weird question to ask someone you just met… but I brushed it off.
I shook my head and typed:

*Why do you ask?*

“Oh, no reason,” he said quickly, but his tail wagged a little faster. “I just mean… with your looks, it’s kinda hard to believe. You're so handsome... I mean, Good-looking!”

I blushed, flustered, but I couldn’t help giggling at his comment.
He stumbled on his words which make me believe that he may be sincere.

Typing on my phone wanting to continue the our chat:
*What are you even out so late? Don't our shifts end at 5?*

He looked at me with a tired grin,
"Well... I had to work overtime. They didn't really give me a choice."

His ears sank, it's obvious that he was tired.

*I hope you get paid extra, that seems a little unfair.* I typed, empathy in my heart

"Even so, sometimes it's just really tiring. I'm not really good at my job, but they said I'm somewhat dependable"

More like gullible... 

No, I don't mean it.

Giving him a playful smirk,
I typed:
*Well aren't you just a good puppy*

His faced turned red. He laughed a bit. 

This was nice. It was enjoyable. 

Seeing our apartment abead I pointed towards it.

“You have reached your destination,” he said in a robotic voice, trying to lighten the mood.

I smiled at him as returned Hoppy.

He waved goodbye as he grinned and said, “It was good seeing you again!”

Huh…

He really is just like a ray of sunshine.

I unlocked our apartment and stepped inside. The living room was a disaster. Shirts tossed all over the couch, garbage overflowing, dishes piled high in the sink.
Hoppy’s a great friend, but man… she is not an organized critter. It looked like a tornado had passed through here.

Rolling up my uniform sleeves, I got to work cleaning up. My eyes were heavy, but I pushed myself to finish. I’ll give her a lecture tomorrow, no doubt about it.

Finally, I got ready for bed.
But the thought of Dogday completely filled my mind.

His bright personality… 
his question… 
why was he so curious if I was dating someone?

Weird. But considering all the rumors flying around about me and Hoppy, maybe it wasn’t that surprising.

Laying on my bed, I suddenly though of-

*AHHHH—!*
I buried my face in my pillow, blushing at his compliment.

Still… I smiled.

Lying in bed, holding ny necklace. My eyes slowly grew heavier, and I let sleep take me away.

-----------

Zzzzz....

Waking up to the sound of Hoppy's aggressive snoring, I realized it was already morning. Still drowsy, I closed my eyes again, savoring the comfort of my blanket and pillows.

...

ZzZzzZ....

Well... there goes my sleep.

I guess waking up early isn’t the worst thing.
But still, this sucks.

Since I'm already awake, I might as well start the day.

Yay...

Ughhhhh...

I switched on the light in the living room and quickly made myself a cup of coffee. It doesn’t really do much for my energy, but I like the taste. Especially when I dip some bread into it. Letting the sweetness of the coffee seep into the bread makes such a rich, balanced flavor.

Hey, don’t judge my eating habits. I can already hear your thoughts.

Anyway...

I glanced at the wall clock.
6:56 AM.
There’s still an hour before work.

WAIT.

AN HOUR?!

HOPPY TAKES THE LONGEST SHOWERS.

I scrambled to grab my emergency wake-up tools, a pot and a wooden spoon.

Marching into her room, I saw her sprawled on the bed like she fell from a three-story building. One leg was on the floor, and her arms were bent in the weirdest way.

But no time to admire that disaster.
I raised the pot and started banging it as loud as I could. Good thing we’re the only ones on the fourth floor.

Her eyes immediately shot open, giving me a half-dead, half-irritated glare.

“Dude. What in the actual-” She didn’t even finish, trying to block out the noise.

I sprinted across the room to grab her alarm clock.

Seriously, why even own one if you’re not going to use it?

I shook her urgently, flashing the alarm clock in her face.

“Come on, Catnap... just a bit more,” she groaned into her pillow. Then she peeked at the clock, and suddenly—
“7:00 AM?!”

She shot out of bed like she got hit by lightning, bolting to the kitchen and then the bathroom.

What even was that?

I peeked into the bathroom. She was brushing her teeth... with toothpaste... on bread.
TOOTHPASTE.

I quickly signed to her, ‘You’re not supposed to eat that.’

“Eh, it’s not gonna kill me,” she shrugged.

Well... it’s your life, Hoppy.

Moving on from that incident, I finished my coffee. 

Still, it’s such a nice morni-

“Catnap! Have you seen my bracelet? I can’t find it anywhere!”

‘No,’ I signed. ‘But did you check your bed? Maybe it’s underneath?’

“Well... no.”
She dashed back to her room.

That bracelet was a gift from her late mother, Ms. Hopscotch, though I always called her Ms. Scotch. She raised Hoppy on her own after Hoppy’s dad left them when she was three. The details were always vague. Ms. Scotch never really talked about him. Personally, I think he’s a complete loser for walking away from such an amazing daughter and wife.

That’s why the bracelet means so much to Hoppy. It’s a symbol of her mom’s love and strength.

--Flashback -- (3rd Person POV)

*Knock knock knock.*

Catnap stood waiting at the Hopscotches’ door. His ears perked up when he heard footsteps approaching.

The door creaked open.

“Oh, hello Catnap!” Ms. Scotch greeted him with her usual bright smile. “Here to play with Hoppy?”

He nodded excitedly.

“You’re in luck, dear. Hoppy just finished cleaning her room,” she said, glancing upstairs. “Hoppy! Catnap’s here!”

‘Thank you, Ms. Scotch,’ he signed before stepping inside.

The house was a bit messy, papers scattered across the dining table and the living room in mild chaos.

As Hoppy came down the stairs, Catnap ran up to meet her and gave her a quick hug.

“Let’s go,” she grinned. “There’s something I wanna show you.”

They dashed up to her room. Catnap noticed new decorations. Light green walls, white edges, and swords and katanas proudly displayed. Some were limited editions. Hoppy had hidden them before to keep them pristine.

On her bed, she flipped through a photo album.

“Come look at this, Catnap,” she said softly, her eyes locked on one picture. “I think this is my mom… with my dad.”

It was a photo of two rabbits standing in front of their house.

“This is the first time I’ve seen a picture of him,” she murmured, tears forming in her eyes. “They look so happy, like they never had a problem in the world. It’s not like now.”

Catnap gently patted her back.

“They would’ve never expected this to happen. Is it me? Am I the reason they fell apart? The reason Mom’s so stressed about the divorce and custody papers?”

Catnap closed the album and signed, ‘It’s not your fault. You don’t know what really happened, right?’

She shook her head.

‘That means you were never part of the problem.’
He hugged her as tears streamed down her face. ‘Your mom is still here. She cares about you so much.’

‘If your "father" ever comes back, I’ll personally teach him a lesson,’ Catnap signed with a serious face.

That made Hoppy giggle.

But two months later, things got worse. Ms. Scotch suddenly passed away.

Hoppy was devastated. All her mom left was a red box containing the bracelet and a final letter:

---

“Hoppy,

My sweet baby, I know this is all so sudden. But I want you to know that even in the darkest storms, you will shine. Just like lightning.

You will never be alone, my baby. I will always be here, watching you. I hope this bracelet reminds you that you are strong and resilient.

Even if I’m not there, I am always holding your hand. Do you remember the song I sang to you the night your father left? Keep those words close to your heart. Never forget the love I had, have, and always will have for you.

Like an image passing by
My love, my life
In the mirror of your eyes
My love, my life
I can see it all so clearly
All I love so dearly
Images passing by
Like reflections of your mind
My love, my life
Are the words I try to find
My love, my life
But I know I don't possess you
With all my heart, God bless you
You will be my love and my life
You're my one and only

My dear baby. I love you. So, so much.”

---

Flashback Ends

“Well...” Hoppy muttered, 

The bracelet, silver with a lightning bolt charm, truly reflected her, swift, strong, and unstoppable personality.

Anyway, it’s already 7:30. See? Told you Hoppy takes forever in the shower. But 30 minutes is just enough for me to get ready.

---

15 Minutes Later

Uniform? Check.
Shoes? Shined.
ID? In the bag.

I’m good to go.

Hoppy, on the other hand, was still frantically running around like the world was ending.

I stopped her.

‘Calm down.’ I signed. ‘What are you doing? Need help?’

“The time’s moving so fast, I still can’t find my bracelet, and I’m worried I won’t—”

I gently put a finger to my lips, signing for her to breathe.

‘If you can’t find it now, we’ll look later, okay? You were wearing it last night, so it has to be somewhere in the apartment.’

She took a deep breath and nodded.
“Okay, Catnap. Let’s get to work. Wouldn’t want our pay to get docked.”

We headed to the door. I turned off the lights while Hoppy double-checked the stove. We definitely didn’t want... another fire.

---

Back at the office.

There was a huge stack of papers on both our desks. I skimmed through them.
Apparently, they’re for a new building project in a nearby town.

This is going to be a long day...

-To be continued in the next chapter-

Chapter Text

Get a document.
Scan through.
Fix typos.
Sign.

I’ve probably signed 60 pieces of paper with at least 100 typos.

That’s been my life for the past two hours.

My eyes are literally hurting. I’m not joking. The letters and words are starting to float all around me.

This is literally math class all over again.

I think I’m going fucking insane.

I glance at Hoppy. She’s not even breaking a sweat.
Yeah, we all know who’s good at this.

I check the time.
10:10 AM.

Two more hours before lunch…

I tap Hoppy on the shoulder and sign, “I need to take a breather or I swear I’ll jump out the window.”

She giggles and gives me a thumbs-up.

Finally.

I head out of the office and take the elevator to the top floor. It’s just a five-story building, but the view from the rooftop is amazing. You can see the whole city in perfect detail.

As the elevator doors open, a cool breeze immediately brushes against my fur.

I lean on the guard rail, soaking in the view in front of me. I’ve been here countless times, but it still amazes me every time.

It’s peaceful.
A place just for my solitude.
So quie-

“Hey, Catnap!”

Welp.

I hear a familiar voice behind me. It’s Dogday.

“What’re you doing up here?” he asks, leaning against the guard rail beside me, resting his arms.

I sign, ‘Nothing much, just relaxing.’

Oh no.
I completely forgot. He doesn’t know sign language. This is so awkward. I need my phone, I nee-

“Huh, well… mind if I relax with you?”

I gasp and start signing frantically. ‘Wait! You know sign language?’

“Hey, hey! Slow down, I can’t understand if you go that fast!”

I slow down and sign carefully. ‘You know sign language?’

“Oh, I’m learning it. I have a client who only communicates in ASL, but… also because I wanted to talk to you. Still, I can’t understand everything, just the most basic phrases.”

He smiles at me.

I blush and quickly hide my face away from him.

Taking a moment, I pull out my phone and type:

‘Then, did you really not understand what I signed yesterday?’

“You did it so fast I didn’t have time to catch what you meant.”

I silently nod, agreeing with him.

I type again: ‘So… why did you come up here?’

“Well… nothing much. I just wanted some fresh air. And… to think.”

I didn’t want to pry about what he was thinking. Again, I turned to the city below us, silently appreciating the view.

I glanced at Dogday.
He doesn’t seem like himself.

Though I just met him yesterday, I can tell something isn’t right.

I check the time on my phone, 10:30 AM. I need to head back.

But I know better than to leave Dogday like this.

I prepare a message and show it to him:

‘Hey, is everything okay? You don’t seem like your usual self. I know we haven’t known each other for long, but if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here for you, okay?’

He nods. I know I can’t go too deep into someone’s business when I barely know them.

As I walk toward the elevator, I glance back at him.
Still staring off into the city.

I just hope he’ll be okay.

Entering the office, I peek at Hoppy and it seems like she's done with her stack.

I didn't really want to put more effort into this than I've already have so... She wouldn't mind if I gave this to her... Would she?

Hoppy, seeing me, asked,
"Are you fine now?"

'Yeah' I signed, "But... I'm not really feeling like finishing these documents..."

She looked at me knowing what I would say.

'Could you...'

"Help you out? Sure! I'll finish this in no time!"

She guess what I was about to say, but feeling a little embarassed, I signed, 'Is it okay?'

"Of course, you did it for me yesterday didn't you?" She said with a smile, "I'll happily return the favor."

That warmed my heart.

Laying my head on my hands, I let out a long, exhausted sigh, closing my eyes in surrender.
Some people would say that the sounds of clacking keyboards and the relentless clicks of computer mice could drive a person insane.
But for me?
After six long months of this routine, it’s more like… background music. It’s oddly soothing. It’s a rhythm I’ve grown used to. 

May my dreams embrace m-

Ding.

My eye twitches.

“You have a notification.”

Of course.

Of course when I’m finally relaxing, something has to disturb me.

I groan as I lazily lift my head, already feeling the irritation bubble in my chest.
It’s a message from our department’s group chat. The sender? Mr. Sibayan. Our boss.
Just great.

I squint at the glowing screen, reading the message in his usual blunt tone.

"Because of a lack of staff for our customer service department, we will need to assign additional employees to assist with incoming inquiries. The company will randomly assign 3 people from each department to help out with this task. The people from Department B are as follows:"

I swear to all things good. If I see my name, I will fucking break something.

 "Morvena."

Okay, fine. Expected. She’s literally the most extroverted person in the building.

 "Jacob."

…Who?
Is he even part of our department? I’ve been here for months and I’ve never heard that name. Out of the 15 of us, two names are down. The odds are now thinner. I’m safe. I have to be safe—

 "Catnap."

SON OF A BITCH.

Why.
Why would they send me?
The guy who doesn’t even speak most of the time?
For a customer service assignment?!

I want to launch my mouse across the room. I want to bite my monitor. But I just deflate, pressing my face into my desk, accepting the hell that’s about to unfold.

There’s nothing I can do.

A gentle tap on my shoulder snaps me out of my internal spiral. I lift my head just a little to see Hoppy standing beside me, her concerned eyes studying my probably miserable face.

“Hey… You want me to switch with you for the customer service assignment?” she offered softly, her voice carrying that subtle kindness I’ve come to rely on. She probably figured I’d be drowning in discomfort since, well, I’m not exactly a people person.

I shake my head slowly before lifting my hands to sign, "No need, Hoppy."
I don’t know if I’ll regret this later, but honestly… it’s not her responsibility to carry this for me.
It’s not fair to dump this on her, not when she’s already got so much on her plate.

I let out another sigh, collapsing onto my desk again. I try to steal a few precious minutes of rest before the gates of hell open and swallow me whole.

I have the lowest possible expectations for this assignment. 

But whatever. It’s their fault for choosing me.

“Hey, Catnap?” Another tap on my shoulder. I look up at Hoppy again, my eyes half-lidded with fatigue.

“I’m done with your documents.” She hands over the stack, her neat handwriting just slightly different from mine, not that anyone’s going to notice.
I flash her a grateful smile and sign, Thank you so much, Hoppy.

She gives me a bright thumbs up, her ears perking up. “I’m gonna grab something from the vending machine downstairs. You want anything?”

I pause, pretending to think hard about it.
Coke sounds nice right now.

'Maybe a Coke', I sign.

“Okey dokey!” she chirps before quietly heading out the door.

Just as she’s about to leave, though, someone else appears at the doorway, a familiar orange silhouette. It was Dogday.

What is he doing here? Isn’t he part of Department A? It’s rare for him to just… wander over here.

And wait...
He’s walking straight toward me?

“Hey, Catnap,” he greets, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His tail gives a soft wag behind him. “So… did anyone tell you the news?”

I blink at him, confused.
News? What news?
We’re in different departments, so why would he even...

'No? What news?' I tilt my head slightly to the side, curiosity prickling at me.

“We’re working together on the customer service assignment,” he says with a little more excitement, his tail wagging faster now. “There’s this one client who uses sign language. That’s probably why they assigned you.”

Ohhh…
So that’s why. That’s why they picked me.
Okay, maybe… maybe the universe isn’t completely screwing me over today.

Hearing that brings a surprising wave of relief washing over me.
At least I won’t be alone in this mess.

'That’s great!' I sign enthusiastically. 'Is our client the one you told me about earlier?'

Dogday’s smile softens, though a twinge of guilt flickers in his eyes. “Yeah, sorry about earlier. I know I wasn’t really in the right headspace since…”
His phone buzzes loudly, cutting him off.
He checks the caller ID and winces. “Let’s talk about it later, Catnap."

I lean forward quickly, extending my hand to sign Wait! but he’s already answering the call and walking away, urgency pulling him out of the room.

I stare after him, letting my hand drop back onto the desk. Seems like it was serious.

Still, it’s kind of comforting knowing I’ll be working with him. Maybe the boss wasn’t totally off the mark assigning me to this after all.

After a little while, Hoppy came back, gently setting the cold can of Coke on my desk. I gave her a small nod of appreciation as I cracked it open, the soft hiss and fizz filling the air. The sweetness and sharpness of the soda perked me up just a bit.

I glanced at the time on my monitor, 11:45 AM.

Hmm. Still fifteen minutes before lunch.

Well… how about an early one?
They wouldn’t really mind if me and Hoppy slipped out a bit sooner, right? I mean, who’s counting?

I let out a quiet laugh without realizing it. Hoppy must have caught me because I could feel her gaze pressing on me like she was waiting for me to say something.

I signed with a mischievous smirk, Hey, want to have an early lunch? Like old times?

Her ears perked up, but she hesitated, glancing around at our coworkers. “Well… I mean… yeah! But—are you done with your memos though? Wait—no, actually… you probably finished them yesterday, didn’t you?”

Yeah, did it yesterday.

“I knew it.”

Then let’s go.

We crept toward the exit as if we were still high schoolers sneaking out of class. The moment the door swung open, we bolted for the elevator. 
Was it necessary?
Not at all.

But it was for nostalgia’s sake.
Back in high school, this was our thing. Cutting classes and making mad dashes just to feel the thrill of it. It was like muscle memory now.

Sure, the stakes are higher now. If we got caught, we’d probably get a salary deduction.
But…
Meh.
Would it really make that big of a difference?

…
Maybe.

Outside, the city air was warm and smelled faintly of car exhaust and street food. Our stomachs were already craving fried chicken, so we pulled up Google Maps and found a place nearby: Sr. Pedro’s. Only a few minutes’ walk.

As we made our way down the street, Hoppy suddenly glanced over at me, still carrying that gentle concern from earlier. “Hey, are you sure you don’t want me to take over the customer service thing?”

'No, I can handle it,' I signed confidently, though my tail unconsciously wrapped itself around my leg. 'I have a partner anyway.'

“Oh? Who is it?”

'Dogday,' I signed quickly. 'So I don’t really have anything to worry about.'

She shot me a playful look, smirking. “Don’t do anything with him, okay~?”

I paused mid-step.
'What do you mean by that?' I signed, confused, my brows knitting together.

She just kept smiling at me.

I have absolutely no idea what she’s talking about.

Then she chimed, “When he was carrying me the other day, I still remember… He called you handsome~”

My ears burned. I blushed and lightly punched her arm. 'We’re just friends.'

“Mhmm, okay,” she hummed in a teasing tone. “Just don’t forget to use lube, ‘kay?”

I sighed, slightly irritated now, but thankfully, we had arrived.

Sr. Pedro’s looked like a pretty solid local joint. The smell of freshly fried chicken wafted from inside, making my mouth water instantly. The restaurant had a laid-back vibe, nothing fancy, but definitely the kind of place that would hit the spot.

But… when we stepped in, I had to stop.

The cashier was a… chicken.
A literal chicken.

I am absolutely serious.

Why would a chicken be working at a place that sells fried chicken?

IS THIS NOT CANNIBALISM AT ITS FINEST?!

I shook off the absurdity and let Hoppy take the lead at the counter.

She approached him, brushing her hair back. “Good afternoon, is the Number 6 meal available?”

The chicken cashier barely looked up. “Yeah.”

“Can I get two of those, please?”

The chicken tilted his head. “Oh, I don’t know. Can you?”

Hoppy’s jaw tightened. I could see the frustration bubbling under her polite smile.

“Oh, come on. Don’t you remember me, Hopps?” the chicken suddenly said, leaning a little forward.

Her brows furrowed. “Wait, what do you mean?”

“Junior year. Leader of the baseball team?”

Hoppy’s eyes widened as the memory clicked into place. “WAIT! KICKIN?!”

“Yours truly,” he grinned.

Kickin? I heard back then that he and Hoppy were pretty close in the baseball team, though I’ve never met him personally. I just let the two of them do their thing as I sat down on one of the chairs.

“Dude, it’s been like five years! What are you doing here, working at a fried chicken place? Isn’t that… like… a little inappropriate?”

Kickin shrugged, his beak twitching in a dry smile. “Life’s been a bit of a bitch. I had to drop out of college. Couldn’t afford the rest of my tuition.”

Her expression softened. “What year were you in when you dropped out?”

“My graduating year. They won’t let me get my diploma until I pay off all the fees I’ve racked up.”

“How much do you owe?”

“Thirty thousand six hundred somthing?.”

Hoppy’s jaw practically hit the floor. “Dude, that’s… a lot. Like, a lot a lot.”

“Yeah,” he sighed, “but if I work here for another year, I can probably scrape enough to pay it off.”

Hoppy crossed her arms, thinking. “Okay, after work, let’s meet up. We need to catch up anyway, and maybe… I can help out a little.”

His eyes lit up. “Really!? I’d really appreciate that.”

She grinned. “So~ can we get our orders now?”

Kickin laughed awkwardly. “Oh, sorry, Hopps.” He quickly punched in our orders and passed the receipt.

Me and Hoppy found a table by the window and sat down, the mood a strange but warm mix of nostalgia and weird coincidence.

Honestly, I didn’t expect lunch to be this interesting.
And deep down, I was glad we took the early break.

Sometimes, skipping the rules brings you right to where you need to be.

After waiting for a bit, Kickin finally brought us our food.

He looked at me and grinned, “Hey, a friend of Hoppy’s is a friend of mine, ‘kay?”

I just gave him a small nod and a slight smile. Nothing else needed to be said.

As he walked away, Hoppy and I both took a bite of the chicken at the same time.

Oh man.
As he walked away we both took a bite of the chicken. It was juicy, tender, and ultimately a really solid piece of meat.

. . .

After we finished eating, we said our goodbyes to Kickin and made our way back to the office.

On the way there, I asked Hoppy,
‘You really gonna help Kickin with his tuition?’

“Yeah, he was such a hardworking guy back then. I know he’ll go far once he gets that chance to graduate.” She was looking up to the sky, maybe reminiscing about memories?

‘How much are you giving him?’ I curiously asked her, since 30,000+ is a pretty hefty amount.

“Probably his whole tuition. I’ve got at least 200,000 saved up over the years.” she said with a casual tone.

That number SHOCKED me. I’ve only saved up around 60,000+. Where the hell did she even get that money?!
Well, it’s not really my place to judge, but still. That’s insane.

‘You really are such a good friend.’ I signed, truly thankful that she is who she is.

“Aww, shucks.” She scratched her cheek, looking a little embarrassed but still trying to play it cool.

When we finally got back to the office, we were greeted...
By Mr. Sibayan.

Oh. Shit.

Did he see us? Were we busted for having an early lunch?! Is he gonna dock our pay?!
I know I said earlier it wasn’t a big deal but like… my beef jerky fund is sacred.

“Catnap, Hoppy, both of you. Come with me.”

His voice was calm but firm. No way out.

We followed him into his office. The room was weird, it felt cold but also kinda warm? I couldn’t really read him. His poker face was top-tier.

“So, I have a question for both of you.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to suppress my panic.
Hoppy looked like she was about to fucking implode.

“How has your experience been so far in the company? And what have you learned from it?”

What kind of question is that?
This isn’t an interview, right? Or is this a trick question?

“Catnap, you can use your phone to answer,” he added, giving me a nod.

Hoppy jumped in first.

“It’s been pretty great! I mean, there are a lot of obstacles we face every day, but with this company’s facilities, it’s been a lot easier to handle. My experience taught me that your co-workers can either be your strongest allies… or your toughest opponents.”

Mr. Sibayan then turned to me. I passed him my phone with my response already typed:

“The company gives people like me a chance. It has no bias. It gave me the opportunity to grow, and that brought me to where I am now. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that working with others is the key to a better and more efficient operation.”

He took a moment to read it. Then he smiled.

“Excellent. I’m satisfied with your answers.”

Then, he paused. Like he was building suspense on purpose.

“Which brings me to my next announcement. You both are being transferred to Department A. Congratulations. It will be effective immediately tomorrow.”

We both stood there in silence. Just… stunned.

WHAT.

Sorry, that’s an understatement, 

WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUCK.

I mean, it’s great, don’t get me wrong. But this was so sudden. No hints. No signs. No emails. Nothing. Just this random bomb dropped on us like it was nothing.

This company is so weird. Like really weird.

Hoppy, always the quick thinker, asked, “So… what does that mean exactly? Promotion? Perks? Better seating?”

“In simple terms, yes, it’s a promotion,” Mr. Sibayan said calmly. “The benefits include a 5% salary increase, and a higher chance of reaching an upper management position. Though, competition is steep. You’ll be going up against employees from every branch.”

Hoppy’s eyes lit up, knowing this was a huge step toward her goals.

“We’re grateful for this opportunity, sir! Thank you so much!” she said with a polite bow.

I just sat there, still processing the entire thing.

What just happened?

Well, that's not something I should think of right now. Since, with a higher department means more work. It's kinda a "you won the battle but you lost the war" scenario. 

But, thinking it through again, it would mean I would be in the same department as...

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

Going back to our desks after that one hell of a meeting, I stopped and glanced at Hoppy.

She was giggling.
Not just a small laugh. She was actually giggling like she’d just won the lottery. Her energy buzzed around her like she was seconds away from exploding.

Before I could say anything, she grabbed my arms and shook me like I was a soda can about to burst.

“You know what this means?!” she beamed, her ears practically twitching from excitement.

I just stared at her, completely lost.

I had no idea what she was talking about. My hands moved instinctively as I signed,
‘What are you on about?’

I kept staring, blank as ever.
Nope. Still no idea.

She grinned, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“WE’RE GONNA HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR EXCLUSIVE LOUNGE!!!”

…Huh?

I tilted my head, ears flicking in confusion.
‘What do you mean? Do they even have a lounge?’

Honestly, I thought she'd bring up the salary increase. Or finally getting better desktops. You know. Normal things.

But nope. A lounge.

She leaned in, practically vibrating now.
“There are so many rumors about Department A. They say they get luxury treatment because their boss is the CEO’s son! I think his name’s Mr. Bubbaphant? He’s supposed to be a little strict, but apparently, he’s super nice if you’re nice, and a total nightmare if you’re not.”

She looked at me, sparkling with pure excitement.
“But anyway! About the lounge, they say it has an unlimited coffee machine.”

I raised a brow, ears drooping slightly.
That’s it? That’s what all this excitement’s about?

She caught my unimpressed look and puffed her cheeks.
“Oh, don’t give me that face!” she jabbed her finger into my shoulder. “You literally inhale coffee like it’s oxygen! I’ve seen you hoard coffee sachets like you’re stockpiling for the apocalypse.”

I scratched my cheek, a little embarrassed, my tail unconsciously curling around my leg.
Okay. She’s not wrong.

“Admit it. You’re kinda excited now,” she teased, arms crossed, a smug grin stretching across her face. “Especially since you’re now in the same department as Dogday~”

I looked away, pretending to be disinterested as I signed slowly,
‘Maybe a little.’

She nudged me with her elbow, laughing.

Her ears perked up as something crossed her mind.
“Oh! Do you wanna come with me to meet back with Kickin?”

I hesitated.
I mean… I don’t really have anything to do.
But… I also don’t really want to do anything.
Contrast speaks the loudest, huh.

‘I’ll think about it,’ I signed to Hoppy.

She agreed, giving me a thumbs up before heading off to do her own thing.

My mind wandered.
Do I still need to stick with that customer service assignment? I mean, I’d still go through with it since… hehe.

Hey, just because he’s probably not gay doesn’t mean I can’t daydream about him.

Though, it does make me wonder about our client. He hasn’t really given me many details… Maybe I can ask him?

I tapped Hoppy on the shoulder.
‘Hey, do you know Dogday’s email?’

“Why? You wanna know?” She grinned, eyes glinting with curiosity.

‘I need to get more details about our client. And no, I am not using emails to flirt.’
I stared her down, already seeing where her mind was going.

“Aww,” she pouted, ears drooping in disappointment. “You can find his email on the company website. It’s all there. Only accessible to employees. ”

‘Thanks,’ I signed, before heading to my desktop to pull up the site.

Looking at Department A, I noticed our names were already listed.
Huh, this company really works fast.

Ignoring that, I scrolled down and saw his name.

Dogday… Rufford.

I giggled a little. It was unusual, but cute.
Still focus.

Clicking on his profile, I saw his email:
...
[email protected]

He probably thought of that in thirty seconds, didn’t he?

I shook my head, trying not to laugh too hard, and got to work drafting an email to ask him about the client.

I typed:

---

Hey Dogday, just wanted to ask if you have any details about our client.
Aside from needing to speak in ASL.
It would mean a lot if I could prepare a bit before our meeting with them.

Thanks,
From Catnap.

---

Simple. Casual. Nothing serious.

Though, it did make me wonder.
Why was he so stressed about the client earlier?
And then, when he came over here, all that fear and stress just… disappeared?

Maybe he was doubting his ability to read sign language?
Whatever it was, I hope I could help him. Even just a little. He seemed like the type to overthink the smallest things.

I sighed, standing up to freshen up a little. After the chaos earlier, my fur was… in a bit of a mess.

Looking out the window, I noticed it was raining.

On my way to the bathroom, something caught my eye. A room, its door left slightly open.

Inside, I saw it.
A piano.
Something that was… precious to me.

It reminded me of...
Well, no need to get into the details.

But I always wanted to have another chance to play just one song.

No one would mind if I played a bit... Right?

I think I still remember…

(For those who can't play the audio: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka4h5YOXnjw)

It was in the scale of C.
So… soothing.
It blended perfectly with the sound of rain outside.

I’ve missed this feeling.

Though… I can’t shake the feeling that someone’s staring at m-

SHIT!

I jolted, snapping my head toward the door.

Dogday was standing there, watching me.
His ears twitched slightly, a faintly disappointed look on his face—probably because I’d stopped playing.

Before I could even process, he rushed over to me, eyes sparkling like a kid in a candy store.
“I didn’t know you could play piano.”

Well… obviously. You’ve only known me since yesterday, remember?

Still, I pushed that thought aside and signed,
‘Just a little bit.’

“STILL! That sounded really good. Well, except for that last part,” he giggled. “Come on, continue.”

I felt my ears heat up, blushing slightly at his comment.
But now I was way too embarrassed to keep going.

‘Maybe next time,’ I signed quickly, trying to hide my flustered expression.

His ears drooped, a quiet sadness settling on his face.

"I promise."
He looked at me with a bit of hope and excitement sparkling in his eyes.

"Also, I wanted to meet with you to talk about the client. I'm sorry I didn’t really give you any details about him..."
His voice softened, laced with a touch of genuine regret.

'It’s fine.' I signed, glancing up at the canine while still seated. 'Want to talk over a cup of coffee?'

Okay…
No, this isn’t just an excuse for another cup of coffee. It’s just a simple invitation.

"Yeah, sure!" His ears perked up again, the tip of his tail giving a small wag as he eagerly led me to the downstairs coffee area.

I thought he’d bring me to the lounge Hoppy mentioned earlier but… it’s fine. This place was quiet too.

The gentle patter of rain against the windows filled the space, creating a soft rhythm that settled in the background.

He hovered at the coffee station, his tail flicking lazily behind him, then turned to me with a grin.
"White, brown, or black?"

Ooh~ Decisions, decisions~
I wouldn’t mind a bold black coffee right now… but since it’s raining, let’s fit the mood.

'White.' I signed.

"Coming right~ up!"
He made it look like he was crafting an elaborate drink, swirling his arms and gesturing like some kind of over-the-top barista.

In reality, he was just tearing open creamer and sugar packets.

Still, it was refreshing to see him like this, at ease, without the weight in his shoulders.

The rain continued its soft tapping, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee wrapping around us like a comforting blanket.

Yeah.
This was nice.

He set our mugs down at the table before starting,
"Okay, so… our client's name is Baba Chops."

The Baba Chops?
The one Critter who single-handedly built the entire "Eclipsa" brand?
What would she even want with a contruction agency?
On second thought, it's probably a factory for a new line of clothing.

"I'm sure you've heard of her, right?"
He looked at me, searching for confirmation. I nodded.
No wonder he was so frantic. Being in front of someone that powerful would definitely rattle your courage.

“She doesn’t really prefer using words. She barely speaks most of the time,” he explained, “but she does use sign language. So~ I’m going to be pretty dependent on you… Is that okay?”

‘Yeah, it’s fine.’
I signed with a slight grin, letting him know I’ve got his back.
I’m glad that me being his partner eased his worries, even just a little.

“Well… we’re going to meet her… I think the day after tomorrow. But it’s mostly task-focused, so we won’t need to overthink it.”
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I was so worried, though. I stayed up all night just trying to learn even a little bit of sign language. But I think without you there, I’d just… I don’t know… sink into the couch and dissolve into thin air.”

I giggled at his dramatic honesty, taking a sip from my mug before signing,
‘Don’t worry, you have me now.’

God. I wish I could say that with different intentions.

But moving on, by the looks of it, this was going to be smooth sailing.
I mean, nothing really seemed out of the ordinary. Just a normal, plain procedure.

"But here's the problem," he cut in, leaning forward, "one mistake, and the company's reputation is at stake."

‘How?’ I signed, tilting my head slightly.

"She’s got a reputation for having the strictest standards imaginable. If something goes wrong, she will not hesitate to take action immediately. No second chances."

‘She’s not that bad, right?’ I signed back, not fully convinced by the doom in his voice.

Without a word, he pulled out his phone and showed me an article. The headline caught my eye instantly: "Leading Company Declares Bankruptcy Days After Deal with Baba Chops Collapses."

The details of why were conveniently redacted.

Oh, fantastic. This is going to be like the Titanic.
Guess I’m the captain now, and the captain goes down with the ship.

Dogday must have noticed the way my breathing had picked up. He gently held my paw to steady me. Strangely, it worked. My frantic thoughts calmed, even as my face started heating up from the sudden contact.

I glanced at him. He was also looking away, blushing furiously, ears twitching.

He was so adorable!!!
If I could freeze time, I would have whipped out my phone and taken a hundred pictures of him from every possible angle.

I pulled my paw back and signed, ‘Don’t worry, we got this.’

He looked at me, inspired, his tail wagging slightly, his eyes full of hope.
Meanwhile, I was thinking of ten different ways to sneak a picture of him right now.

When I glanced at the clock, I realized it was already 4:30.
Hoppy’s offer from earlier popped into my mind, but… as I looked at Dogday, I couldn’t help but ask:

‘What are you doing later?’

"Nothing much… just planning to binge-watch some shows until I pass out hugging my plushies."

Okay. Weirdly specific.
But honestly? That’s exactly what I would do if I wasn’t drowning in work.

I wanted to ask if I could come over so badly. Like, desperately.
But the idea of asking felt… so awkward. Like, what if he says no? What if he thinks it’s weird? What if I ruin his chill plans?

Ughhhhh.
I’m stuck.
Do I want to spend the night in a cozy, pillow-fort slumber haven?
Or do I want to be a third wheel with my best friend and a chicken I’ve only met once?

I mean…
I think the answer’s obvious.

But still, this is so hard!!!
I would kill for a TV marathon right now. But I don’t know if Dogday would even be comfortable having me ov-

"You wanna join me? Like… a slumber party?"
He paused, replaying the words in his head before quickly correcting himself, "Wait. Sorry, that sounded kinda childish but, yeah… you wanna come over?"

.
.
.
.
.

My mind went completely blank.
Did he just...
Did he just read my thoughts?

There’s no way. No way he could’ve picked up on my internal screaming, right? Right?!
I swear I didn’t sign anything even close to that!
Unless… was I that obvious?

I blinked, trying to reboot my entire brain.
Say something. Say anything. Accept the invitation. This is what you wanted!

But instead of immediately signing back, I just kept staring at him like I’d forgotten how communication worked.
Dogday started to panic a little, misreading my silence.
“A-Ah, it’s totally fine if you don’t want to! I didn’t mean to make it weird, I just thought... like, since we’ve been working hard and all—”

‘Yes.’
I finally signed, maybe a little too fast.
‘I’d love to come over.’

His ears perked up instantly, and a small, relieved grin tugged at his lips.
"Cool! Awesome! Yeah, we can just chill, nothing fancy. I’ll prep some snacks. Maybe... A bird's nest?"

"A… what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh! Sorry! It’s just a term my family uses when we’re sleeping by the TV on movie nights. We lay out blankets and then, a bunch of pillows."

I giggled, quickly signing, ‘That’s a promise, okay?’

He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck, a soft blush still lingering on his face.
"Looking forward to it."

And honestly?
Yeah.
So was I.

"I’ll give you my number so I can text you my address later."

His… number?!

Okay. Wait.
Why am I so hyped about this?
We’re not teenagers. It’s just a number.
Catnap, get your shit together.

I handed him my phone, trying to act like this wasn’t the most exciting thing that had happened to me all week.

He entered his number into my contacts and handed it back with a grin.
"Great! I’ll be waiting for you, ‘kay?"

He stood up, tail wagging excitedly as he waved goodbye—
Almost… skipping?

I couldn’t help but laugh at his exit.
God, he’s adorable.

As I left, I casually walked away, leaving our dirty mugs at the counter.
Before you say anything, it’s not the employee’s job to clean the mugs… though… it would’ve been thoughtful of me.

Anyways~ I headed back to our department, spotting Hoppy as she packed up her things, ready to head out.

“You gonna come with me, Catnap?” she asked.

I shook my head and signed, ‘I’ll be staying at Dogday’s for the night.’

Her jaw dropped.
“Okayokayokayokay... WAIT. WHAT.”

‘Don’t be ridiculous, we’re just watching a bunch of shows.’

“Dude. That’s literally a date. Are you guys dating already?!”

‘NO!’ I giggled at her shock.

Like, Hoppy. Seriously.
You, of all people, should not be talking like that.
You were the one in college who practically had three new partners every week.
(Not saying Dogday’s already my partner, though.)

‘It’s just a simple sleepover. To get to know each other better, since we’re working together on the customer service assignment.’

Yeah… no way I’m telling her that Dogday was the one who invited me.
She doesn’t need to know that.
Let’s keep that between me and the gods of fate.

“O-okay then…” she gave me a sly smile.

I already know what she’s thinking.
Hoppy. Get your mind out of the freaking gutter!

‘Don’t go crazy with Kickin, okay? NO BEER!’ I signed.

She burst out laughing. “Have fun with Dogday~” she called out teasingly as she walked away, leaving me at my desk.

Packing my things, I knew I needed to prepare for tonight.

…

Hoppy’s perverted thoughts totally got to me.
"Prepare."
I laughed to myself as I made my way to the exit.

Yeah.
This is definitely going to be an experience, that’s for sure.

Chapter Text

Walking back to the apartment, my phone buzzed with a text from Dogday.

---------

Dogday

[5:25PM]

Catnap? Just wanted to let you know you can come over anytime, no need to hurry.

Kay²

Btw, judging from your apartment, my house is at the left corner. See you later~

----------

Huh…
Didn’t know his place was that close.
How come I’ve never seen him walking to work before?

…Well, it’s none of my business anyway.
Though, it would be kind of nice to walk to work with him sometime. 

Unlocking my door, I immediately went into full-on prep mode.

Should I bring more pillows?
Maybe… maybe not?
But just in case, I probably should?
Wait, no. I can’t bring extra pillows without his permission. Would... Would that be weird?

Okay.
I’m not going to freak out.

It’s just a simple sleepover.
Just binge-watching TV shows.
Just snacks.
Just a bunch of pillows.

…

With Dogday.

I stared at my wide-open closet.
I literally had no idea what to bring.

Should I pack pajamas?
Something casual?
Or maybe something comfy?
Wait. Why am I so stressed about clothes?!

Ughhhhh.
I can’t think.

*Ding!*

Huh?
I grabbed my phone.

---------

Dogday

[5:36PM]

Hey, no rush, okay? Just wear whatever you’re comfortable with. Also, I found my old plush collection thought you’d like that, haha.

…

(Wait.
Did he just…?

No, there’s no way. He couldn’t have known I was spiraling about this.
Right?
It’s probably just him being considerate. Probably. Totally.

Another text popped up.)

Come by when you’re ready. I’ll wait for you.

(God, he’s so.

AGHHHH

I flopped onto my bed, groaning into my pillow.
Why is he so sweet?! Why is he like this?!
He's literally just a bundle of sunny joy!!

I clutched my phone to my chest, tail flicking anxiously.
Okay. Breathe. Pick an outfit. Definitely not packing fifteen emergency pillows.
Maybe just… three.

I texted back quickly)

Got it. See you soon ;)

-----

I think I’m going with my Friday rest night pajamas.
Sure, they’re a little worn out, but I’ve loved and loved the design. Purple tint with little moons. It just felt… me, you know?

What would Dogday wear?
Probably something cozy, right? Maybe a soft hoodie? Some pajama pants with a funny print?

Or. 
Or maybe,
... Oh god.

My brain suddenly betrayed me with an image of Dogday standing there with
Nothing o-

I smacked my cheeks with both paws.
STOP. STOP. STOP.
Why are you like this, brain?
Abort mission. We’re not thinking about this.
Nope. Nope. Shutting that thought down right now.
Is this the effect Hoppy made on me?

Ignoring… that whole can of worms, I grabbed my backpack and headed out the door.

Should I leave it unlocked?
Hoppy does have her keys… I think?
Actually, she always forgets her keys. Like, religiously.
But if I don’t lock it, our valuables are just sitting there like free samples.

There’s only one viable solution.

I texted her.

What?
Do you think I’d just leave the keys under the doormat or something?
Hell no.

----------

Green Leach

Hey, you got your keys?

-------------

...

....

....

…She didn’t respond.

Well, if she can’t bother to reply, I can’t bother to leave the door unlocked.
Enjoy sleeping outside tonight, Hoppy.

I shrugged and locked the door.

As I made my way over to Dogday’s place, I started wondering what show we’d be watching.
Lately, I’ve been watching more anime than TV shows, so honestly, I have no idea what’s relevant anymore.

Still…
I don’t know much about him.

But soon, I will.

The streets were quiet tonight, the air a little cool, the lamps casting long shadows as I walked.
But then, as I got closer to the left corner, I realized,

I had absolutely no idea which house was his.
He said ‘left corner.’
There are like six houses here.

I thought about texting him for more specific details when something caught my ears.

A… ukulele?

For those who can't access: https://youtube.com/shorts/Ovc1SUzLSsI?si=MNa7kDFtCKY1cUoW

Heading closer to the house, I probably looked like a fucking stalker peeking through the window like this.

But come on. How else was I supposed to know if this was the right place?

There was light spilling out from the TV, and there he was.
Dogday, snuggled up in a mountain of blankets on the couch. On the floor was the so-called “bird’s nest” he’d mentioned earlier. And honestly?
It looked so, so, so, so comfy.

But what really caught me,
Was him.
Sitting there, strumming the ukulele like it was the most natural thing in the world.

He was amazing.
Like, actually amazing.

I wanted to just… stay there a little longer.
Listening.

He played so gently, his expression soft but focused, completely lost in it.
Like the rest of the world didn’t exist.

And when he finally stopped, I felt a small, stupid wave of disappointment.
I kind of wanted to hear one more song.

But... okay, enough of that.
I should probably knock now.
I’m not trying to get arrested for suspicious loitering outside his house.

Straightening up, I moved to the door and knocked.

Suddenly, I heard a loud crash,

*Bang! Clatter!*

Then came the rapid sound of heavy footsteps thundering toward the door.

The lock clicked, and there he was.

Dogday, standing there slightly out of breath, wearing bright yellow pajamas covered in little sun patterns.

Huh.
Kinda ironic.
We had opposites.

“Oh, you made it! Come inside, Catnap!” he beamed, stepping aside to let me in.

I obliged, stepping inside, and immediately,
Vanilla.

His whole house smelled like vanilla. Like, fresh bakery vanilla.
It was warm, sweet, comforting.

I made my way to the living room and sat on the couch, waiting as Dogday disappeared somewhere deeper into the house.

…He was taking longer than I expected.
But then, he came back proudly holding a bucket of popcorn.

Because of course.
No movie night is complete without popcorn.

He plopped down next to me, tail wagging happily.
“So~ what do you think of my bird’s nest?”

I signed, ‘Adorable,’ giggling a little. ‘Just the right amount of pillows.’

And by “right amount” I mean…
If I counted correctly, that’s twenty pillows.
In a perfect, soft circle, with at least two giant blankets stacked on top.
Honestly, if we hadn’t planned to binge TV shows, I probably would’ve just laid down right then and there and knocked out.

His tail wagged even faster at my comment, practically vibrating with excitement.

He set the bucket of popcorn between us like it was some sacred offering. I took one, popped it into my mouth and,

Whoa.

It was so emulsified with butter. Like, this was not a reasonable amount of butter. This was criminal levels of butter.
It was absolutely delicious.

I looked over at Dogday, only to catch him staring at me.
When our eyes met, his gaze immediately darted back to the TV, trying to casually hide his face behind his paw, blushing.

“S-So… wha-what’d ya wanna watch?” he stammered.

Hmmm…

I think I saw a sitcom going viral recently. Was it The Good Place?
I pulled out my phone to double check,
Yep. That’s the one.

I showed Dogday the trailer, and his ears perked up.
“Oh, I think I saw this on Netflix. Let me check... hold on, hold on,”

He scrolled quickly through the options and,
There it was.

“Huh, I’ve never seen this before, but it doesn’t hurt to try.”

He grabbed a handful of popcorn and shoved it into his mouth without hesitation.

I settled back into the cushions, feeling the soft weight of the bird’s nest surrounding us.

Something about this moment just felt… right.

As the first episode started, I watched the screen,
But I couldn’t help occasionally glancing back at him.

There was something about the way Dogday was sitting.
Snuggled deep in his blanket, tail swishing lazily, ears twitching every time something funny happened.

I was supposed to be watching the show.
Really, I was.
But my eyes kept drifting back to him.
Like I couldn’t help it.

He’d laugh suddenly, sometimes kicking his leg or throwing his head back like he couldn’t contain it.
It was… cute.

Focus, Catnap. The shrimp are flying. The shrimp are literally flying. Why are you looking at him right now?

I turned back to the screen, but the warmth in my chest stayed.

Yeah. I was probably enjoying this movie night a little too much.

As I tried to refocus my gaze onto the show, I absentmindedly reached out toward the popcorn bucket, not even looking.

But instead of grabbing popcorn,
I touched… something else.

His hand.

I was getting popcorn at the same time as him, and my paw just...
Oh God. I touched his hand.

I froze.
He froze.

I looked over at him, and he was already staring at me, ears perked straight up, tail stiff like someone had just hit pause on him.

His paw was warm.

Why was I noticing that? Why was my brain even processing that detail right now?

But neither of us moved. It was like both of us were silently waiting for the other to react first.

Slowly, carefully, Dogday pulled his hand back, a tiny nervous laugh slipping out.
“Uh, I-I was, just... popcorn, uh, yeah”

His whole face was blushing now. Like, full cherry red.

I snapped back to reality and yanked my paw away so fast I nearly fell into the pillow pile.
I signed quickly, ‘S-Sorry!’

“N-No! It’s fine! Totally fine!” he sputtered, waving his hands frantically. “Just surprised me!”

We both went back to facing the TV like nothing happened.
But the air felt so much warmer now.
Too warm.

I was pretty sure neither of us processed a single scene after that.
My tail had unconsciously wrapped around myself, tightening like it was trying to contain my entire nervous system.

“U-uh… I’mma go to the bathroom for a moment. Just keep watching, ‘kay, Catnap?”
He stood up, his hands fidgeting with each other like they couldn’t decide what to do.

It was obvious he was flustered.
Maybe… a little too much?

I watched him scurry off, his tail twitching behind him as he practically fled the scene.

I… kinda wanted to check on him.
Just to see if he was okay.

But that would ultimately be an invasion of privacy.
Right? Right.
I can’t just go knocking on the bathroom door like some socially inept maniac.

But...
AHHHHH.
I still couldn’t get that feeling out of my head.

It was just an accident. A normal, stupid, popcorn-grabbing accident.
Why am I spiraling like I’m freaking reliving puberty all over again?

I grabbed a pillow and slammed my face into it, groaning loudly into the fabric.
Ughhhhhh.
Why is this so hard?

Breathe Catnap. Breathe. It's fine.

...

...

…

IT’S NOT FINE.
What if he’s in there washing his hands furiously, trying to scrub off the germs I had on my hand before I touched him?
What if,
What if,

I need to stop overthinking.
This is just getting worse.

I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing for a second, just trying to push the spiraling thoughts away.

I heard Dogday coming back.
His tail was wagging again, this time a little slower, a little more settled.

He sat back down next to me, his eyes casually glued to the TV like nothing happened. Not once did he glance in any other direction.

…Is he really trying to ignore me?

I should apologize.

Before I could even reach out to tap him, he turned to me and said,
“Hey, ‘Nap? Sorry for making it awkward…”

I blinked.
He’s…
He’s literally the most thoughtful person ever.
I didn’t even have to say anything.

‘It’s okay,’ I signed quickly, but my tail betrayed me, flicking around wildly like it had a mind of its own.

He smiled softly and rubbed the back of his neck.
“We’re okay, right?”

‘Yeah. We’re good,’ I signed.

And we were.
The awkward air slowly melted away after that.
We fell back into watching the show, the tension easing, the soft sounds of the sitcom filling the room as we slowly relaxed into the warmth of the couch.

Time passed, but that’s kind of obvious when you’re binge-watching anything.

The popcorn bucket sat untouched,
which, honestly, made sense after everything that happened.

But it seemed like exhaustion finally got the best of us.

I yawned, stretching lazily, and glanced over at him.
Dogday’s eyes were fluttering shut, only to snap back open like he was trying to fight it.

I tapped his shoulder and signed, ‘Getting sleepy?’

“Yeah. You too?” he asked, his voice soft and groggy, his face…
God. His face.

That stupidly adorable half-awake expression was gonna kill me.

“I might just…” he mumbled, trailing off as his eyes slipped shut mid-sentence.

I caught him before he could completely slump over.

And just,
There it was again.
That vanilla scent, clinging to his fur, warm and sweet.
So that’s where it was coming from.

And even though I really, really, really, really wanted to just hold him in my arms and bury my face in his fur like he was my favorite plushie.
I knew what the right thing to do was.

(…Though, is it really?
...
Ha. Yeah. It is.)

I carefully picked him up, he was surprisingly light for someone with his build and settled him onto one side of the bird’s nest.
I pulled the blanket over him, tucking him in snugly.

So, I guess I should...

…Okay, that can wait.

It wouldn’t hurt if I just… took a little picture of him, right?

Just one. Just for the memories.

I pulled out my phone, fully aware of the moral argument waging war inside me.
I mean it’s not a felony, 

...

probably.

Lining up the camera, I noticed a tiny line of drool slipping from the corner of his mouth.

Adorable.
AHHHHHHHHHHHH
I NEED THIS.

Without hesitation, I took ten pictures from every angle like my life depended on it.

This was fine. Totally fine. Nothing wrong here. Hehe.

After I’d… let’s say… “satisfied my photo collection,” I finally settled in on the other side of the bird’s nest, wrapped myself in the spare blanket, and let myself drift off.

At least tomorrow was the weekend.

-----------

Sunlight crept into my eyes, dragging me out of sleep.

I groaned, squinting against the brightness as I slowly stretched out my numb limbs.  
That’s when I felt something.

Warm and Heavy... Wrapped around me.

AH!

D-D-DOGDAY’S HUGGING ME.

He was completely curled around me, one arm slung over my waist, his chest pressed against my back.  
I was...

I was the little spoon.

I felt my whole body tense, ears burning, tail puffing out instinctively before it slowly, so very traitorously, wrapped itself around his leg like it had been waiting its whole life for this moment.

I should probably move. I should definitely wake him up.  
But, honestly?

I don’t hate this.  
Not even a little.

Even with my totally unnecessary gay panic setting off alarm bells in my head, this…  
This feels kind of nice.

Just for a few more seconds.  
I can stay like this.  
Right?

Hehe.

This is a moment I need to FUCKING savor.

My eyes started to drift off again, breathing in that soft, sweet vanilla that clung to Dogday’s fur.

Honestly?
Yeah.
I could definitely get used to this.

Well, see you late-

*Ding!*

My ear twitched.
Well… it wouldn’t hurt to check.

I lazily reached for my phone.

--------

Green Leach 

[12:26 PM]

Catnap.
I just Heard something AMAZING from Kickin.
Idk if you’re even gonna see this today but LISTEN.
You know Kickin?
Apparently, he bumped into Mr. Bubbaphant earlier today.
Okay, not “bumped into” but like, Kickin was working at the chicken place we went to, right?
AND it was during the busy hour. And he was the only person working at that time! 
So Kickin was literally running around like a chicken. lmao.
AND GET THIS.
Mr. Bubbaphant was there and he watched him the whole time and was SO impressed by his work ethic that he OFFERED HIM A JOB ON THE SPOT.
LIKE. WHAT.
HE FREAKING SPEEDRUN TO EMPLOYMENT.

[6:49AM]

Hey Catnap?
I didn't have my keys last night so I stayed over at Kickin's 
Just wanted to let you know hehe

I stared at the message, processing the layers.

Kickin… got scouted by Mr. Bubbaphant… at a chicken joint.

Of course.
Of course this would happen while I’m wrapped by vanilla-scented dog.

Honestly?
I’m not even mad.
Just impressed.

I grinned, shaking my head as I slowly typed back with one hand, careful not to disturb the sleeping Dogday behind me.

I slipped my phone down, my eyes growing heavy again.

Again.

If he was a drug I WOULD GET ADDICTED.

Chapter Text

...

...

...

...Why does it smell like… pancakes?

I don’t really want to get up…
But… the pancakes...

The ultimate battle...
Sleep vs. Pancakes.

The scent of butter and maple drifts through the air like it’s trying to bribe my soul.

My eyelids are traitors. They keep pulling me back toward unconsciousness.

What time is it, anyway...?

I blindly reach for my phone, cracking one eye open.

11:26.

…

11:26?!

I bolt upright.

Did I oversleep?! Is it Monday?! 

Oh...
Right.

I’m at Dogday’s...
And it’s the weekend.

I exhale in relief, flopping back down dramatically into the bird's nest, sinking into the pillows like a deflated balloon.
After a moment, I push myself up again. Slow, groggy, still wrapped in one of the giant blankets and crawl up the couch like an oversized caterpillar.

Then I peek over the armrest.

...

AHHHHHHHHHH

Dogday was wearing a sun-patterned apron tied a little too snug around his middle. 
It bunched slightly over his stomach in the cutest way.
Not that I’m staring.
(Okay, I’m absolutely staring.)

He’s got that kind of build that just screams "Dad bod". I'd never gotten the chance to fully look at him these last two days...
He had strong arms. Bit of a tummy. 
It suits him. Perfectly.
Warm, soft, and definitely approachable.
Like he’s one step away from offering me coffee and life advice about taxes.

And he’s whistling, tail wagging in rhythm.
He does tiny hops like he’s trying not to explode from excitement, and presses his hands to his face, blushing so hard I thought his fur might change color.

That’s when he notices me.

I freeze.

He yelps in surprise, ears perking up like I just caught him stealing cookies.

Then he chuckles nervously, scratching the back of his neck.
“M-Morning, Catnap!”

He looks flustered.
Was it because of last night?

...

But still...
That smile?

Let’s just say it could kill a hundred men.
And I’d gladly be the first casualty.

Now that I’ve revealed myself, there’s no use hiding anymore.
Dragging the blanket along like a cape, I shuffle to the kitchen and plop down at the small table.

Dogday’s still by the stove, flipping the last pancake, tail moving like he’s trying not to let it wag too hard.
He avoids eye contact, while still smiling and blushing.

Then, with both paws on the edge of the plate like it’s some kind of offering, he walks over and sets it in front of me.

“Hope you like pancakes, Catnap. It’s… the only thing I had in my pantry. Sorry…”

‘No need to be, ‘Day.’
I sign back, trying to meet his eyes.

He smiles, but there’s still a bit of disappointment behind it.
Like he wanted to impress me, and this didn’t feel like enough.

But, honestly?
The pancakes looked absolutely divine.
Golden edges, fluffy centers, still steaming.
And the smell?

Yeah, he could’ve served me cardboard with that vanilla scent and I’d still thank him.

After setting my plate down, he opened the oven and took out his own stack, identical to mine. Five pancakes each.

He finally sits next to me.
Close.
Not too close… but close enough that I can see him fiddling with his thumbs like he's trying to squeeze the nerves out of them.

“Catnap?” he says softly.

“Hm?”

He glances at me, eyes apologetic.

“Sorry if I, uh… invaded your personal space last night.”

‘What do you mean?’ I sign, tilting my head slightly.

“The way I…” he hesitates, cheeks turning pinker. “The way I cuddled you. I know it was kinda sudden... and we’re just friends, so I get if it made you uncomfortable.”

He fidgets with the hem of his pajama sleeve, voice getting quieter.

“I guess I just… do that on instinct. I always hug a pillow when I sleep. And I guess last night the pillow was... you.”

…

I don’t know what to say.

I should say something
But my mind’s doing backflips.

Because deep down,
I know I didn’t hate it.
Not even a little.

I didn’t say anything for a full minute.
Just smirked, letting the silence hang like a trap.

He fidgeted in his seat, completely bamboozled by my lack of reaction, eyes darting between me and his plate like I might sentence him to death by syrup.

Still not breaking the silence, I casually sliced into my pancake. Lifted the bite to my mouth.
Chewed slowly.

Then finally, I signed:
‘Next time, maybe warn me before using me as an extra-small body pillow.’

“Wha-!” His ears shot straight up like bamboo.

I let out a quiet giggle.

“You’re… you’re not mad?”

I shook my head, signing again.
‘It’s not the end of the world. And… it was comfortable.’

(Yeah.
It was comfy.
And I absolutely loved it.)

Another wave of red flushed across his face like a full-system error. He looked like he was overheating from emotional exposure.

“C-C-Comfy… Huh. Okay… yeah… a-at least it wasn’t uncomfortable for you.”
His voice cracked halfway through.
Now he was just sadly poking his pancakes, appetite utterly obliterated by secondhand embarrassment.

I, meanwhile, was demolishing my pancakes.

No mercy. No hesitation.

And I gotta say,
For a home-cooked meal, this was amazing.
Like, Michelin-star-who? kind of amazing.

...Or maybe my palate is just trash and I’m easily impressed.

Whatever.

I didn’t even look at Dogday.
I was too focused, laser-focused, on inhaling this buttery, syrup-soaked perfection.

Bits of food? Syrup drips? Yeah, they were definitely everywhere.
Dignity? Absolutely gone.

But,
It. Was. So. Worth. It.

Maybe it’s just that Hoppy’s cooking is actual radioactive garbage, and this tastes like heaven by comparison.
Seriously, if I had a choice between this and her mystery lasagna that once moved, I’d eat this every day until I die.

"Catnap..." Dogday said, his voice low and oddly serious.

I paused mid-bite, fork hovering in front of my mouth like a frozen frame.

He was looking at me with an expression I couldn’t quite place.

Concern?
Awe?
Disbelief at how many pancakes I’d just inhaled in under five minutes?

"...Just stop for a moment."

My ears drooped slightly.

Oh no.
Is he mad?
I know I’ve been messy but I didn’t think it was that bad.

“I mean it,” he added, softer this time. “Stay still.”

I froze.
Utterly still.

He leaned in, and I instinctively shut my eyes like a cat bracing for a surprise bath.

Then,
I felt it.

His touch.

It was... Gentle.

Just near the corner of my mouth. His thumb swiped lightly across my cheek, right at the edge of my lips.

“You had a bit of syrup there,” he said with a small chuckle, his voice just above a whisper. “Hehe…”

I opened my eyes again, slowly.

His face was right there.
Close.
Too close.

I could see every detail, his soft fur, his flushed cheeks, the way his tail had gone completely still behind him like his brain just blue-screened.

And me?

I was redder than a freaking tomato.

I couldn't even sign anything. My paws were trembling too much.

He cleared his throat, scooting back just a bit, though not nearly far enough to make this less awkward.

“S-sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out. I just... didn’t want you walking around all day with syrup on your face,” he mumbled, ears folded back like an embarrassed puppy.

I tried to respond.

No words.

I just… stared at him.

My gaze stayed locked, like my eyes had forgotten how to blink.

Suddenly, from the living room, my ringtone suddenly exploded into the quiet, some obnoxious jingle that felt way too loud in Dogday’s soft, vanilla-scented kitchen.

Ugh.

I slumped off the stool like a pancake sliding off a plate and shuffled over to grab my phone.

12:48 PM.

The caller ID flashed: Hoppy.
Of course.

I sighed and hit Decline.

What?
You think I magically grow vocal cords when a call comes through?
No thank you.

A second later, my screen lit up again.
This time, a text:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Green Leach

Why Hoppy?

Sooooo can me and Kickin come crash at Dogday’s place~?

...

What?
It’s not rude if he says yes, right?? 

I'll... Go ask him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stared at the screen like it personally offended me.

Meanwhile, Dogday was peacefully munching on pancakes across the room, his tail occasionally flicking behind him.

I padded over to him, soft floorboards creaking beneath my steps.

He looked up mid-bite, his fork halfway to his mouth.

I signed slowly:
‘Hey... can Hoppy and one of her friends come over?’

His chew slowed down. “Oh… uh. I mean…”
He glanced around at the living room, pillows scattered from last night, two empty mugs still sitting on the side table.
“I’m a little embarrassed. The house is still kinda a mess.”

I waved it off with one paw.

‘They won’t mind. Hoppy defines mess. Our apartment looks like a war zone after she makes dinner.’

He chuckled nervously. “Then... I guess it’s fine.”

I nodded. Then added, slower this time:

‘You sure? Hoppy can get… a bit much.’

He tilted his head. “It’s not like she’s gonna burn the place down, right?”

I just… stared at him.

Dead. Blank. Flatline expression.

His ears twitched. “…Right?”

‘You don’t know Hoppy like I do. Do you have a fire extinguisher?’

His face paled. “…Yeah. Uh. Spare room. Near the towels.”

He looked genuinely scared for a second.
I patted his arm and signed with a half-grin:

‘I’ll do my best to keep her stable.’

Dogday let out a long, dramatic sigh and leaned on the counter like I’d just assigned him to babysit a bomb.

“Thank you, Nap,” he said, shaking his head slightly.

As I sat at the table again, finishing my leftover pancakes, Dogday still looked nervous...
Was it because of Hoppy?
Or...

I gently brought up my paw and placed it over his, not wanting him to feel alone.
He looked at me with a surprised expression.

'You... okay?' I signed, trying to figure out what was going on in that overthinking head of his.

"Yeah, just... thinkin'," he muttered, eyes flicking away from mine.

He was like this before. Back on the balcony at our company. He was somewhere far inside his head.

'Do you want to talk about it?'
I rubbed my finger lightly against his paw, trying to ease whatever tension was coiling inside him.

"Are... you sure?" he asked, hesitant, like he didn’t want to weigh me down with his problems.

I nodded, my eyes soft with quiet understanding.

‘You remember what I said back then, right? I’ll lend an ear whenever you need one.’

Dogday nodded slowly, then exhaled.
“Did you notice how my mood changes so fast? Like… an hour ago I was all jolly, and then the next minute I was serious.”
He paused, fidgeting slightly with the edge of the table.
“It’s… tiring, being like this. To have no control over your own emotions. Giving your all to be this person you don’t even recognize, someone you think you’re supposed to be, but… you have no idea what you're really feeling.”

He stopped himself, eyes glancing away.

“I’m sorry. I’m rambling. I should clean u-”

‘No.’
I shook my head gently.
‘It’s okay. Just say what’s on your mind.’

He hesitated, but then his voice dropped into something more real. Softer.

“These days… before I met you, I had so many moments where my emotions just got me in trouble. For being ‘too emotional.’ Or ‘too angry.’ People would look at me like I was unstable. Sometimes I wish I could just rearrange my brain, organize it so I could finally be in control of what I feel.”
He took a breath.

“But last night… when you were here?”
He smiled faintly, eyes watery but warm.
“I felt… comforted. Like my mind finally gave me permission to just... breathe. I don’t know why… but when I’m with you, I feel at ease. Like I can finally be… me.”

I stood up.
And without thinking, without needing to say a word, 
I pulled him into a quiet, steady embrace.

We stayed like that for a good five minutes.
No words.
Just comfort.
The kind that doesn’t need to be explained or filled with noise.

Eventually, I felt him sniffle.

I looked up at him, tears were rolling silently down his cheeks.
“Sorry for trauma-dumping over pancakes,” he said with a small, sheepish giggle.

‘I don’t mind.’ I signed, giving him a gentle smile.

“Thanks…” he murmured. His voice was soft, almost hesitant, like he wasn’t sure if he deserved to keep speaking.
“For agreeing to stay over last night. It… felt like a nice breeze of fresh air.”

I reached up and wiped a tear from the edge of his cheek with my thumb.

‘If you ever feel like this again… I’ll come by anytime, ‘kay?’
My paws moved slowly as I signed, making sure he understood every bit of it.

His gaze lingered on mine. He looked like he was trying not to cry again, but this time, maybe for a different reason.

“…Okay,” he said softly. “I’ll hold you to that.”

‘Come on, I’ll help you clean up.’

Without waiting, I picked up the plates and headed to the sink, grabbing the two mugs from earlier along the way.
Dogday followed behind me, still sniffling a bit as he grabbed a cloth and started wiping the table.

Washing dishes isn’t exactly glamorous—but doing it with someone you enjoy spending time with?
It almost made it... fun.

After we finished tidying up, we returned to the leftover bird’s nest from last night, gathering up blankets and organizing the twenty-something pillows back into a corner.

Then,

*ding!*

My phone buzzed from where I’d left it on the desk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Green Leach
1:32PM

Hey… where’s Dogday’s place?

It’s on the left corner of the street up our apartment.

Kay~

Be there in like 5 minutes? Me and Kickin wanted to celebrate his new job with you guys so~ we brought beer~!

Hoppy.
Let’s talk first when you get here.

Awww, I already know what’chur gonna say. Pwease…

No.

:(

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I sighed, chuckling under my breath.

“Something wrong?” Dogday asked as he folded the last blanket.

I turned to him with a deadpan look. ‘Hoppy is bringing beer.’

Dogday blinked, ears twitching. “We’re gonna need that fire extinguisher after all, huh?”

We both giggled at the thought of it. Hoppy setting the house on fire somehow, and Dogday playfully walked off toward the spare room to grab the fire extinguisher.

Meanwhile, I organized the living room table and cleared off space.
If they were really bringing beer, then someone had to be the responsible one. I grabbed a pitcher from Dogday’s kitchen and filled it with cold water, just in case we needed something to sober them up later.

Dogday returned, holding the extinguisher like it was a sacred relic.
“Catnap?” he called from the hallway. “Will it still work if it’s a year expired?”

Hmm...

I remembered from our old school fire drills, they used outdated ones all the time. The spray turned a weird yellow or pink, but it still worked.

I nodded, and Dogday set the extinguisher in the kitchen like a first aid kit for chaos.

Then...

*Knock knock knock!*

No surprise there.

I opened the door, and there they were.

Hoppy, grinning from ear to ear, holding six cans of beer. While Kickin, less enthusiastic but still smiling, balanced two boxes of pizza in his arms.

“Party delivery!” Hoppy chimed, already trying to peek past me into the house.

I sighed, stepping aside.

As soon as Hoppy set the beers on the table, I gently grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her aside.

‘Hoppy. We’re not in our apartment, so I swear, I will cut off both of your ears if you get drunk.’

Her hands immediately shot up to protect her ears like they were national treasures.
“Okay, okay! Fine!” she said with an exaggerated pout. Then, that mischievous grin crept in.
“Only one can. Deal?”

I sighed, rolling my eyes.
‘Sure.’ One can. That’s all she’s getting. If I even see her eye a second can, I’m taping her to the ceiling fan.

Meanwhile, Kickin had already taken charge in the kitchen, setting out the pizzas. One box pepperoni. The other… Hawaiian.

Well. Thank God Dogday wasn’t Italian, or they’d both be sleeping on the sidewalk tonight.

Personally, I didn’t mind either kind. Back in our home country, Hawaiian was a best-seller anyway.

Just then, Dogday walked in from the hallway, drying his paws on a kitchen towel. He glanced between the beer, the pizza, and the guests, and gave a soft, polite smile.

“Hey, guys,” he greeted, his tail wagging slowly. “Thanks for coming. Sorry the place is still a little messy.”

Kickin gave Dogday a nod with a slight smile. “No worries, dude. It’s cozy.”

That single word lit up Dogday’s whole face. He beamed, genuinely, and his tail even gave a small, pleased wag.

Meanwhile, Hoppy made a beeline to the corner of the room where she’d dropped her and Kickin’s bags. She rummaged through one before triumphantly pulling something out.

A stack of playing cards.

Oh no.

Okay, okay, okay. Look. I’m good at cards. Really good. But only the ones I grew up with, Tongits and Lucky 9. I never bothered to learn any of the games they play here. Playing cards weren’t really a “thing” in this city.

But back home?

If there was videoke going on, I guarantee you’d see at least three folding tables outside with everyone in your family sometimes even the neighbors shouting over a game like their lives depended on it. Classic.

“Alright! Let’s get started!” Hoppy cheered, smacking the cards down on the table like a dealer at a high-stakes casino.

I gave her a look.
‘Hoppy… this isn’t a party.’ I signed.

“Oh, come on ‘Nap,” she grinned, completely ignoring my concern. “It’s for Kickin~”

I sighed and reluctantly signed, ‘Okay.’

Soon, the four of us gathered around the coffee table in the center of the living room, pillows and blankets still scattered from the bird’s nest nearby. The air smelled faintly of vanilla and leftover pancakes.

Hoppy started shuffling the cards with expert flair, a mischievous glint already in her eye.

I had a feeling this was going to turn chaotic fast.

“Since everyone here doesn’t really know each other well,” Hoppy said with that smug grin that meant she was up to something, “let’s play a few rounds of Truth or Dare: Card Edition!”

Dogday blinked. “Wait.. how does that even work?”

She dramatically held up the card stack and thumped it on the table.

“Easy,” she said. “Each suit has a different challenge.”

She flipped out a napkin and scribbled the rules like she was designing the world’s worst contract.

♥ Hearts = Truth, asked by the person either your right or left. They will do a round of rock paper scissors and who wins will say the question.

♠ Spades = Dare, chosen by the person either to your right or left. Same rules as the hearts.

♦ Diamonds = Wild card, you get to pick who chooses your fate. You will pick either a truth or a dare and pick someone from within the group.

♣ Clubs = Group Decision – Everyone else agrees on your truth or dare together

“And,” Hoppy added with a wicked grin, “if you refuse, the group will decide on your punishment that will play out for the next three rounds.”

Dogday, trying not to laugh, set down his mug and looked between us. “So… we just draw and do what the suit says?”

“Exactly!” Hoppy clapped her hands. “Now sit down and suffer, cowards.”

I gave her a flat look before signing, ‘I already know you’re aiming for chaos.’

“That’s the fun part, ‘Nap~”

Chapter Text

Game Rules Recap:

♥ Hearts = Truth
The person to your left or right (decided by a round of Rock-Paper-Scissors) will ask you a question.

♠ Spades = Dare
The person to your left or right (Rock-Paper-Scissors again) gives you a dare.

♦ Diamonds = Wild Card
You (the drawer) choose someone else in the group and choose either Truth or Dare. That person will come up with your task or question.

♣ Clubs = Group Decision
Everyone else agrees together on a truth or dare for you.

---

Chapter 6 (3rd Person)

(Visual Seating: Hoppy at the top, Kickin on the left, Catnap on the right, Dogday at the bottom of the square.)

Hoppy was the first to go.

She cracked her knuckles like a drama queen and stretched her arms wide, flashing a grin that already screamed chaos.

“Alright~ go easy on me!” she sang, pulling a card from the stack and pressing it to her chest like it held ancient secrets.

Then she peeked.

“HA!”

Kickin groaned.

“Ten of Diamonds, baby!” she declared, spinning the card between her fingers like she was dealing in a magic trick.

Kickin slumped in exaggerated disappointment, he had definitely been hoping she'd get a dare.

Turning to the group, smug and glowing with power, Hoppy pointed dramatically.

“Okay! I choose… Catnap!”

Everyone turned to look at the violet feline.

Catnap blinked slowly. 
*Oh, this was going to be fun.*

He signed, smirking: ‘Truth or dare?’

“Truth,” Hoppy replied confidently. “I know you’ve got a masochistic mind, ‘Nap.”

She wasn’t wrong. If it had been a dare, Catnap would’ve made her smash three eggs over her own head without hesitation.

“Wait… You guys can understand that?” Kickin blinked, puzzled by the sign language.

“Oops. Forgot you can’t read hands,” Hoppy said with a laugh, completely unapologetic.

Catnap sighed and pulled out his phone, pointing to it to show he’d type instead.

He gave a dramatic pause, tapping his chin like he was calculating the secrets of the universe.

Then he typed and held up the screen: ‘How many boyfriends or girlfriends have you had?’

Hoppy froze for a moment, lips twitching.

Kickin had to physically stop himself from cackling.

“Ohh~ you’re going there, ‘Nap? You’re on!”

She looked up at the ceiling, as if summoning the ghosts of relationships past. Then she began counting.

One… two… three…

And she kept going.

Like, literally. For a solid minute she silently mouthed numbers, tapping each finger with great seriousness.

Kickin and Dogday just stared, visibly shaken.

Kickin leaned toward Catnap. “Is she summoning a spreadsheet?”

Catnap gave a single nod. 

Dogday blinked. Then slumped forward in quiet horror.

“Forty-six! Or… maybe more?” Hoppy finally announced with a dazzling grin. “I lost count, but it’s somewhere in that range!”

Kickin choked. “HOPPY. WHAT.”

Dogday stared, speechless.

Catnap? Not surprised. Hoppy basically paraded home a new “partner” every other day during college. Honestly, forty-six was probably the censored version.

“I’m done~” Hoppy grinned and dramatically passed the deck to Kickin.

“I don’t trust any of you,” Kickin muttered, drawing a card and flipping it face up with minimal fanfare.

5 of Spades.

“Oh, come on!” he groaned. “Really?”

Hoppy stuck out her tongue. “Come on, Dogday! Let’s give him something spicy!”

Dogday chuckled nervously. “O-Okay…”

Rock, Paper, Scissors!

Dogday won.

“Awww!” Hoppy pouted, while Kickin let out a small sigh of relief, only to remember he still had to do something.

Dogday rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm… I’ll go easy on you, Kickin. Do a backflip.”

Kickin blinked. “That’s it?”

He stood up with confidence. “Please. This is gonna be- EASY.”

His confidence radiated off him in waves.

Hoppy, meanwhile, started laughing in advance. She knew what was coming.

The others leaned forward, watching closely.

Kickin crouched, took a breath… and launched.

He flung himself into the air,

And landed flat on his back with an audible *THUD.*

The entire group winced in perfect unison.

“You okay, Kicks?” Hoppy asked, her voice finally tinged with some concern.

Kickin groaned from the floor, holding his back. “Yeah… never better…”

Dogday stifled a giggle behind his paw. Catnap just shook his head.

“Let’s… maybe not do anything that’ll break someone's spine next time, okay?” Hoppy said through a chuckle, still eyeing Kickin on the floor.

“Want to take a short break?” Catnap asked, tilting his head toward Kickin with concern.

“No, it’s okay, Catnap. Thi-” He paused mid-sentence as something audibly cracked in his back. “--This is nothing. Don’t worry about it.” He forced a smile that was far too confident for someone who just kissed the floor.

But hey, if he said he was alright, who was Catnap to judge?

Next up was Dogday.

Hoppy, still giggling, handed him the deck after helping Kickin back into his seat. “You sure you don’t want to sit this one out, Kicks?”

“I’m fine~ dude. I've survived worse.”

“Whatever you say, Kicks,” she replied, clearly not convinced.

Dogday pulled a card and flipped it over.

Queen of Hearts.

He didn’t flinch. In fact, he looked… relieved?

He glanced at the two beside him, Kickin to his left, Catnap to his right.

“Alright, ‘Nap? You ready?”

Catnap gave a small nod, paw raised and ready.

“Let’s go.”

Rock… Paper… Scissors!

Kickin won.

“HA!” he cheered, pointing dramatically at Dogday as if he never fell down earlier. “Let’s gooo!”

Dogday raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Alright then. Hit me with your best shot.”

Kickin leaned in like a talk show host about to deliver scandal.

“Okay. Dogday,” he said, dragging the moment out for tension. “Truth time.”

Dogday adjusted his posture slightly. “Shoot.”

Kickin grinned. “Tell us… who was your first crush?”

Catnap’s ears perked up slightly as he blinked, clearly intrigued.

Dogday blinked harder.

Even Hoppy leaned in.

“Ohhhh this is gonna be good,” she whispered.

Dogday looked away for a second, rubbing the back of his neck. His ears had turned a light shade of pink.

“Uhhh…” he exhaled.

The other three looked to him in curiosity.

He groaned softly. “Fine… back in school, okay? I had a crush on this one girl… She used to always sit under the mango tree behind the gym. Wore a red headband and liked doodling weird comics in the margins of her notebook.”

He covered his face with both hands. “She gave me one once. Said it reminded her of me.”

“AWWWW,” Hoppy and Kickin sang in harmony.

Catnap tilted his head, curious. ‘Did you ever tell her?’

Dogday peeked through his fingers, mumbling, “No. I panicked and said I hated comics.”

The group burst out laughing.

“You did what?!” Hoppy cackled.

“I panicked!” Dogday shouted, flailing his arms in defense.

Kickin wiped away a fake tear. “Bro fumbled the whole bag.”

Catnap just gently patted Dogday’s shoulder, his expression somewhere between entertained and oddly proud.

“You’re never living that down,” Hoppy said, handing the deck over to Catnap.

“You’re up, fluffball.”

Catnap reached forward and carefully drew a card: Seven of Hearts.

“Ooooh~ another Heart!” Hoppy said, wiggling her ears dramatically. “Brace yourself, Dogday.”

“Wait, wha-?”

ROCK. PAPER. SCISSORS!

Hoppy won.

“YES!” she yelled, pumping her fist in victory. “Now for the big question I’ve been dying to ask.”

Catnap’s ears twitched. His paw hovered near his chest as a strange little pang of anxiety rippled through him.

“Do you…” Hoppy paused, for once looking serious.

Catnap’s tail swished behind him.

“…have a crush right now?”

The room went quiet.

Dogday stiffened. His ears twitched slightly, and though he tried to play it cool, a soft blush was already creeping across his face.

Catnap glanced at him for a second. Just a second. Then looked away like nothing happened.

He tilted his head at Hoppy, squinting slightly. “No namedropping, right?”

“Oh! Shoot. Yeah, yeah... anonymous, of course!”

A tiny giggle slipped from his mouth.

"Then… yes." He showed the note on his phone.

Hoppy squealed.

Kickin gasped like this was a drama show. “Oh, we’re so coming back to that later.”

Dogday stayed silent, quietly chewing on the inside of his cheek.

Catnap, meanwhile, smiled coyly as he handed the deck over to Hoppy again.

“Round two?” she said, practically vibrating with excitement.

“Let’s go,” Dogday muttered, attempting to keep his cool. But anyone watching could see the way he was stealing glances at Catnap now.

This game? It wasn’t just cards anymore.

“Okay! It’s my turn~” Hoppy said with dramatic flair, immediately picking a card and slapping it in the center of the table.

Jack of Clubs.

She stared at it like it had personally insulted her entire bloodline.

“Well,” she sighed, already accepting defeat. “I’m doomed.”

The other three instantly leaned in, forming a huddle like some secret underground council. But even from his seat, Hoppy could tell who was running the show.

More like Kickin decided, he thought, watching the bird wave his wings like a conspiracy theorist.

After some intense whispering and suspicious giggling, they broke formation.

“Okay,” Kickin announced, voice smug with authority, “we’ve decided-”

*You decided,* Catnap mentally corrected.

“-that you have to drink a whole bottle of Sprite. In one go.”

Hoppy’s jaw dropped. “Dude- if I go to the hospital for stomach pains, I’m blaming you.”

“You have insurance, don’t you?” Kickin snickered.

Dogday, always too helpful for his own good, headed to the fridge and returned with a full, freezing-cold bottle of Sprite.

He set it in front of her with reverence. Like it was an offering to a sugar-loving god.

Hoppy cracked her knuckles, narrowed her eyes at the bottle, and muttered, “If I burst like a soda can, I want all of you to feel guilty at my funeral.”

Catnap held up his phone with a quick text:
‘Make sure you burp away from me.’

“Noted,” she replied grimly.

She twisted the cap off.

Fizz.

Everyone leaned in.

“Three…”

“Two…”

“One... GO!”

Hoppy tilted her head back and started chugging.

The room fell into stunned silence as the bottle’s contents rapidly drained. Catnap’s ears flicked in shock. Dogday’s jaw dropped. Kickin was already giggling like a maniac, ready for disaster.

Halfway through, her eyes watered. Her paws trembled. The carbonation hit hard.

“Ggkh, gah!” She gasped, but she didn’t stop.

More than three-fourths through the bottle, she slammed the rest back and emptied it- 

Then slammed it on the table.

“DONE!” she wheezed, holding up a paw in victory, like she just crossed a finish line.

And then it hit her.

*BEEEEEELCH.*

It was violent. Ungodly. It echoed off the walls like thunder rolling through a mountain pass.

Everyone burst into laughter. Dogday nearly fell off his chair. Catnap covered his face with both paws. Kickin was pounding the table.

Hoppy looked like a war veteran. Her eyes were glassy. “I... can't feel my throat.”

“You did great, champ,” Kickin said, patting her on the back. “You’ve won my respect and possibly early stomach surgery.”

Still recovering, Hoppy nudged the deck toward Kickin. “Your turn, Soda King.”

He laughed, already bracing himself like a game show contestant. “Alright, let’s see what fate has in store for me!”

With a dramatic flourish, Kickin plucked a card from the stack and flipped it onto the table.

“Ace of Diamonds!” he announced, throwing his arms up like he’d just hit the jackpot.

“Oooooh~ wild card!” Hoppy grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. “Choose your destiny, soldier.”

Kickin smirked. “Alright, truth! Easy win. Catnap, go easy on me, buddy~”

Catnap was already typing something on his phone, a playful glint in his eye.

He turned the screen toward Kickin.

‘What do you think of Mr. Bubbaphant?’

Kickin froze.

“Oh,” he said, blinking. “Like… Bubbaphant-Bubbaphant?”

He glanced at the others. “You mean, first impressions or like, how emotionally wrecked I was in front of him yesterday?”

They nodded.

Kickin scratched his head. “Dude… I was in full-on apocalypse mode yesterday. Fuckin' burned three chickens, register was beeping like crazy, floor was slippery as hell. place was a freaking warzone, okay?”

He let out a breathy laugh. “And this guy, this mountain of a dude. Walks in, orders a two piece chicken and sits down. I didn't notice, but he said he'd been watching me for thirty minutes just... struggling.”

He gestures, animated. “And then, get this. He walks into the damn kitchen. Just strolls in, checks out the chaos, and goes, ‘Hey, wanna work for me?’ Like?? No lecture. No ‘you should’ve done this.’ Straight-up offer. Who even does that?”

Hoppy raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.

Dogday stayed quiet, still listening.

Kickin’s tone softened. “He didn’t act like some big shot. Just… saw I was struggling and stepped in. Didn’t make me feel like trash. I guess that meant a lot.”

Catnap typed again.

‘So… you admire him?’

Kickin shrugged, a little more genuine now. “Yeah. I do.”

A pause.

Hoppy opened her mouth, clearly preparing for something.

Kickin raised his hands fast. “And no, I don’t have a thing for him! Relax! He’s just... cool. Real cool. That’s all. Not everything’s about crushes, jeez.”

"Mm-hm" Hoppy said, unconvinced. That earned a few chuckles, and just enough quiet for him to slide the deck over.

“Alright, Dogday,” the chicken said, leaning back into his seat with a smug little grin. “Your turn~.”

Dogday smiled, tail wagging just a bit. He looked chill. Relaxed. Confident even.

He drew a card.

Hearts.

TWO. IN. A. FUCKING. ROW.

The entire room groaned.

“Oh my god, AGAIN?!” Hoppy clutched her stomach, wheezing.

Dogday let out a whine, flopping back against the couch dramatically. “Are you kidding me…”

Hoppy was already whispering something to Kickin while pointing at Dogday. Kickin giggled. GIGGLED. Like he was planning something illegal.

Meanwhile, Catnap just slowly lowered the question he had saved in his notes app. Defeated.

“Okay!” Hoppy clapped. “Rock, paper, scissors time!”

ROCK.
PAPER.
SCISSORS!

Kickin won.

Catnap signed something rude under the table. Hoppy stifled a laugh.

“You ready, big guy?” Kickin asked, leaning forward with that mischievous glint in his eye.

Dogday straightened up, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess.”

Kickin grinned. “Alright, then. If you had anything to say to your crush, anything at all~ what would it be?”

Everything stopped.

Even the soda fizzed quieter.

Dogday’s eyes flicked toward Catnap for half a second before darting away like nothing happened.

Catnap blinked. Subtly. But he caught that.

Dogday gave a small breath, like he was trying to force the words out before his nerves kicked in.

“…I’d say ‘Thanks,’” he started, voice a little quiet. “Thanks for sticking around, I guess. Even when I’m a mess.”

He hesitated, then went on.

“I feel so comfortable around them. Even if the world is somewhat falling apart around me... when they’re there, I don’t feel like I need to fake it. It’s… safe.”

No one said anything.

Hoppy’s mouth was open like she forgot how to close it.

Kickin actually softened, his teasing grin replaced with a quiet expression of respect.

Catnap stared.

He couldn’t look away.

His ears twitched. He looked like he was thinking a hundred things but couldn’t put any of it into words. Like something in his chest just… stung and fluttered at the same time.

But he didn’t let it show. Not too much.

Dogday quickly cleared his throat and slid the deck toward the center. “Okay, whose turn is it now?”

Still, no one moved.

Until,

“Wow.” Hoppy broke the silence, blinking. “Okay, that was. A lot. I kinda feel bad now.”

Catnap didn’t say anything.

But he gently pulled the deck toward himself.

And if his face showed a bit of a smile?

No one mentioned it.

...

...

Kickin broke the silence. “That… that was certified golden retriever energy.”

Hoppy burst out laughing and gave Dogday a playful smack on the back. “God, you’re such a softie. I love it.”

Dogday giggled, scratching the back of his neck while trying not to combust from embarrassment.

Then, all eyes turned to Catnap.

They stared.

Waited.

The violet cat groaned under his breath but reached toward the deck anyway.

“OoOooh~ the finisher~” Hoppy whispered dramatically, leaning forward like this was the climax of a drama series.

Catnap flipped his card.

Nine of Hearts.

“FOUR HEARTS IN A ROW!” Kickin shouted, throwing his hands in the air like the world had ended.

“THE... THE PROPHECY… IT’S FULFILLED!” Hoppy joked, as it was something she'd never seen before.

Dogday and Hoppy locked eyes, grinning as they prepared for the final Rock, Paper, Scissors of the night.

“Rock…”

“Paper…”

“Scissors…!”

Trumpets sounded in someone’s imagination.

Dogday wins!

“Aw, you couldn’t let me have it, ‘Day?” Hoppy teased, flopping over the back of the couch in fake defeat.

Dogday giggled softly, clearly pleased with the win. Then he turned to Catnap with a warm look and asked,
“Okay... what’s something that someone does that always makes you feel cared for?”

Catnap blinked. His ears twitched slightly. The usual smirk on his face faded into something a bit softer.

He stared at his phone for a moment before slowly typing.

Then he lifted the screen:

“The small stuff… like remembering what I like, checking in, giving me space when I need it... but not too much. Doesn’t have to be a party or a huge gift. Just… simple things.”

The room went quiet for a second. A cozy kind of quiet.

Dogday smiled, a bit too obviously.

Kickin nodded like he got it, then said something that broke the mood in the best way possible:

“…Okay but imagine someone doing all that and then handing you food? Instant love.”

Hoppy burst out laughing. “TRUTH! Honestly, love languages? Mine is just ‘snacks.’”

Catnap snorted, covering his face, ears twitching in amused agreement.

Dogday leaned back with a soft chuckle. “Alright, that was a good one to end on.”

“Yeah,” Hoppy said, stretching like a cat herself. “I don’t think my stomach can take another dare.”

“And I don’t think my back can take another flip,” Kickin added, cracking his neck.

They all laughed.

The mood was soft now, the buzz of teasing giving way to something warmer. Something that lingered like the last traces of sunlight before night.

And Catnap?

He didn’t say anything.

But he smiled again.

(Back to first person)

After… that one hell of a game, we finally ditched the cards and freakin’ FEASTED.

I’m not even kidding, pizza never tasted this damn good.

I took one bite of that greasy, cheesy, pineapple-covered heaven and felt my soul leave my body in the best way.

Hawaiian pizza?
Mwuah!
Chef’s kiss.

I don’t care what the Italians say. This shit?
This is the good stuff.

I glanced over at Dogday mid-bite.

And…
Okay, real talk. if I had a dollar for every time I thought he looked cute, I’d be rich.
He was just sitting there, cheese stringing off his slice, with his tail wagging so fast.

Like, how is someone allowed to be that adorable while shoving pizza into their face?

Unfair.

Meanwhile, Hoppy was halfway through her second can of soda, like she didn't just drink an entire bottle of sprite earlier. She was talking way too fast about some conspiracy involving cheese crusts and brainwashing.

Kickin, still cradling his sore back like a war veteran, kept adding, “Real,” after every sentence she said. I don’t even know if he was listening. But it was funny.

Honestly…
That night?
It felt normal.
Weirdly, wonderfully normal.

And I didn’t realize how much I missed that.

Anyways~ At least everything got Hoppy off of her beerfest. Cause... That would've been... A disaster.

After eating, I… genuinely just wanted to sleep.

I missed that cozy little bird’s nest of a bed.
(And Dogday’s hugs. Yeah. I said it.)

But before I could mentally clock out, I needed to know where we were crashing for the night. So I signed to Dogday, while Hoppy and Kickin were still stuffing their faces:

“Hey, where are we sleeping tonight?”

He blinked. “Well… I don’t really know.”

…

Excuse me?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T KNOW.

“There’s one master bedroom and one guest room,” he explained, scratching his ear. “So… either some of us sleep on the floor, or it’s… with a partner.”

…

…

…

I couldn’t think.

One part of my brain immediately fired off like a cannon:
I would fucking kill to sleep with Dogday again.
(Not in that way, you perverts.)

But at the same time… leaving Hoppy and Kickin alone in a room together?
Yeah, no. Absolutely not.

They’re like two chaotic kids, except louder, dumber, and capable of setting the entire house on fire with nothing but a bag of chips and an inside joke.

So now I’m stuck between potential snuggles and preventing property damage.

God help me.

Unless…
"How about you move the mattress from the guest room into the master bedroom?" I signed.

Dogday perked up. “That’s… not a bad idea, ‘Nap.” giving me a smile, “Wanna help me?”

I nodded quickly. No way was I gonna sit around like some spoiled little prince waiting for my butler to do the heavy lifting.
(Not that Dogday wouldn’t totally look hot in a butler outfit.)

We made our way to the guest room, standing in front of the mattress like it was a final boss.
And oh boy. That door?
Way, way smaller than the mattress.

We stared at it in silence.

“…Okay, we’ll just pivot,” Dogday said with optimism that felt dangerously unfounded.

We got into position, me on one end, Dogday on the other.

“You ready?” he asked, looking at me with a brave, determined sparkle in his eyes.
Like this mattress was a dragon and we were about to slay it.

I gave a serious nod.

We lifted it together and slowly inched it toward the doorframe.

“A little more to the left... no, wait, turn it sideways. Horizontally!” Dogday instructed.

I tried to follow his lead, twisting my end just a bit,
and that’s when it happened.

THUD.

The mattress slipped, tilted awkwardly...

...and crashed directly on top of Dogday.
With me landing on top of it.
Which meant… yes.
I had just body-slammed Dogday via rogue furniture.

Dead silence.

His arms flailed briefly from beneath the mattress like a tragic cartoon character.

My face flushed instantly. Like full-on tomato mode. I scrambled to get off him, completely flustered.

He wheezed. “I’m fine! Just... maybe don’t elbow-drop me next time?”

I clutched my face in sheer embarrassment, groaning.

Though…
if I’m being totally honest?

If the roles were reversed,
I probably wouldn’t mind all that much.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally, after what? Like… ten minutes of full-blown war with a mattress, we got it through the door and into the master bedroom.

We looked over at the other two…

And they were literally sleeping.

After one of the most physically exhausting things I-we, had ever done, they. were. OUT.

I stared at them in disbelief.
Like, full betrayal.
They didn’t even pretend to wait for us.

I wanted to stomp over and just, shake them awake like a soda can. But… Dogday was beside me.

(If he wasn’t, I totally would’ve yeeted them off the couch. No hesitation.)

“Well, I’m gonna get ready for bed,” he said, stretching with a yawn. “How about you, ‘Nap?”

I signed back, ‘Maybe relax for a bit.’

“Alright. I’ll just take a shower then, kay? Oh, also… could you, uh… get some bed sheets for the mattress? I haven’t changed them in like, two months… I think?”

I gave him a thumbs-up like the totally responsible mattress assistant I am.
He nodded, gave me a little smile, and disappeared into the bathroom.

...

...

...

I cannot find the damn sheets.

Like. At all.

Okay, look. It's not my house. Cut me some slack here.

I checked every drawer, cabinet, and ominous closet I could find. Nothing but towels, extra shampoo, and a suspiciously high amount of socks.

Now I’m just standing in the hallway like a lost intern.

I want to ask Dogday but…
He’s in the bathroom.

...

...

OKAY. NO. NOPENOPENOPENOPE.
NOT that thought.

I mean... sure, I could ask him. But I’d have to knock. And risk… I dunno.
Hearing something.
Or... Seeing something...

But what if I don’t do it?
What if he comes out and sees the mattress still untouched?

Will he be disappointed?

Will he think I’m lazy?

Will he silently judge me and never trust me with linen duties again??

God, I hate how I overthink stupid bed sheets.

I'll… I'll just explain it to him when he gets out.

In the meantime, maybe I can figure out what I’m gonna wear.
I left my suitcase in the master bedroom, so I made my way over and opened it,

Only to realize…

I didn’t bring any extra clothes.

AHHHHHHHHHHHH.
THIS IS FUCKING BAD.

I knew I should’ve brought a spare!!
I mean, yeah, the plan was only one night, but still!
Hoppy and Kickin both rolled up in here like they were prepared for a freakin' week-long retreat, and here I am with nothing.

I can...
I’ll just...

I turned around and Dogda-
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

HE’S ONLY WEARING A TOWEL.
OKAY. OKAY. CALM DOWN.
THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
HE’S JUST A PUPPY. IN. A. TOWEL.
I’M NOT GONNA DIE.

I snapped my head around like a broken animatronic and immediately signed without making eye contact:

‘Do you need me to get out?’

I paused… then added:

‘For you to change?’

And, internally:
Bury me alive.

Dogday blinked when he saw me panic-signing, towel clinging to his hips like it was hanging on for dear life.

He tilted his head and gave a crooked little smile.

“Unless you wanna stay for the show~”

My brain blue-screened.

I literally choked on air.

Did he just-
WHAT

But then, 
His ears shot up, face going from confident to catastrophically red in 0.2 seconds.

“I-I’m kidding! Kidding!!” he blurted out, waving both hands in front of him like he just set off a bomb. “I’ll-I’ll change in the bathroom!"

He scrambled back into the hallway with nothing but panic and bath steam trailing behind him.

I stood there, stunned, eyes wide, heart racing like it just got drop-kicked out of a window.

...
I blinked.
Then muttered under my breath:

“...Was it hot in here or is that just me dying.”

I sat down on the edge of the bed, brain still in a whole other dimension.

Like-...
hello??
Was that real?
Did Dogday actually say that to me?
With the voice??
While half-naked???

I covered my face with both paws, sinking forward like a folding chair.

That.
Was.
NOT.
LEGAL.

I needed to breathe. Like actually breathe. But instead, my lungs decided to start doing a funky little tap dance and refuse oxygen.

He was joking.
Right??
Right.
He had to be.

...

But he was also blushing so hard he looked like a damn tomato that got dunked in hot water.

I flopped backwards onto the bed and groaned into the nearest pillow.

There was no escaping the heat in my face. I could feel it radiating off me like a freaking toaster.

And the worst part?

…I liked it.

I groaned again and rolled onto my side dramatically. 

I am never emotionally recovering from this.

The door creaked slightly.

I flinched upright in 0.1 seconds.

Dogday peeked in, now wearing his usual PJs (thank god), ears still slightly pink.

“Uh… I didn’t mean to freak you out or anything, I swear,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I… just wanted to mess with you a little.”

My gaze locked onto his.

And all I could do was laugh.

Like, actually laugh.

Because holy hell, he was trying so hard to play it cool, but his tail was wagging so fast behind him he looked like a blender.

“I didn’t pass out,” I signed with a cheeky smile. “So, technically, you succeeded.”

He smiled too, genuine and soft.

“Good,” he said. “I’d hate to knock you out with my charm.”

Now that one nearly did it.

I had to grab a pillow to cover my face before I short-circuited again.

Once I was sure my heart had stopped trying to explode out of my chest, I peeked over the pillow again.

I finally sat up and signed: “Hey… um. Small problem.”

He looked at me, concerned. “What’s wrong?”

I scratched behind my ear and glanced at my suitcase.

“I didn’t… bring any extra clothes,” I signed slowly. “I didn’t think we’d be staying this long.”

Dogday blinked once. Then he gave a soft little smile.

“That’s okay,” he said gently. “Hang on.”

He turned back to the closet and pulled open a drawer. After a moment of rummaging, he came back holding a folded shirt and a pair of pajama pants.

“They might be a little big,” he said, walking over and carefully placing them on the bed beside me. “But they’re clean. And soft. I always use the lavender sheets when I wash them.”

I stared at the clothes, then back at him.

“…Thank you,” I signed, a little slower this time. It felt heavier than just a thanks for pajamas.

He gave a quiet nod. “Of course.”

I picked up the shirt and pressed it to my chest. It was warm. Familiar. Smelled like him, like clean fabric, a bit of vanilla~

I smiled a little without meaning to.

Dogday stood there for a second, just watching. Then he said, voice soft, “I’ll go finish drying my fur. Take your time.”

And just like that, I left the room to shower, quietly closing the door behind me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once I finished showering, I put on the PJs and… yeah. They were a little big on me, especially the sleeves. But not so big that anything was falling off.

Still. I looked like a walking bundle of laundry.

Whatever. They were comfy. And they smelled like him. Which wasn’t helping the whole situation I had going on, but we’re not gonna talk about that.

…

I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE DOGDAY SAID THAT EARLIER.

THAT’S IT. THAT’S GOING IN MY CORE MEMORY.

Like if Inside Out were real, the little Embarrassment guy would be absolutely fucking slamming the button right now. Sirens blaring. Code red. Full emotional meltdown.

Okay. Breathe. Calm.

Enough of that. Even though I absolutely cannot get it out of my head.

I open the door, stepping out into the quiet living room, and… huh?

The couch was empty.

The table? Spotless.

Kickin and Hoppy? Vanished like ghosts.

What the-?

I blinked at the cleanliness for a second before sighing and flicking off the light switch.

The apartment dimmed, and I padded quietly to the master bedroom.

When I opened the door, I saw Kickin and Hoppy already curled up on the floor mattress. Hoppy was muttering something in her sleep. Kickin had kicked the blanket halfway off himself.

Figures.

And then my eyes drifted to the bed.

Dogday was laying there on the king-sized mattress, phone glowing softly in the dark. His tail flicked lazily, his ears perked when he heard me come in.

“’Ya done, ‘Nap?” he asked without looking up.

I gave him a small nod, still drying my hair with the towel. I hesitated for half a second… then walked around to the opposite side of the bed and climbed in.

…

…

Was this a bad idea?

Because oh god the mattress was warm.

And it smelled like him.

Why does everything smell like him. He’s not even doing anything wrong and yet I’m out here overheating like a toaster.

I pulled the blanket over myself as casually as I could. My brain was screaming, but I tried to look cool.

Dogday glanced at me once, then set his phone down on the nightstand.

He didn’t say anything.

He just smiled, gently.

And for some reason?

That was enough to make my heart feel like it was gonna pop out of my chest.

We laid there for a while. Not saying anything.

Just… listening to the hum of the fan and the tiny, sleepy breaths of the chaos gremlins on the floor.

I shifted a little under the blanket, arms tucked against my chest, eyes tracing the faint shadows on the ceiling.

“Catnap?” Dogday whispered.

I turned my head, blinking at him.

His voice was barely louder than the breeze outside. “You comfortable?”

I nodded slowly, then signed, ‘Yeah. It’s… nice.’

He smiled again. A tired one this time. “I’m glad.”

Silence again. Not awkward. Just… quiet.

I turned onto my side, facing him now. He was still looking at the ceiling, but his ears twitched like he knew I was watching.

“Thanks for today,” he said after a moment. “I really needed it.”

‘Me too,’ I signed. ‘It was fun. And… it felt normal.’

“Yeah,” he chuckled softly. “Normal’s kinda rare lately, huh?”

I was just about to drift off when I felt Dogday shift beside me.

"...Catnap?" he whispered.

I blinked, still half under the blanket burrito. "Hm?"

He hesitated. I could feel it in the air, like he was thinking hard before the words even came out.

"Can I ask you something kinda weird?"

I turned to look at him, ears perked slightly.

‘Go ahead,’ I signed.

He swallowed. “Is it okay if..."
“Would it… be okay if we did that again?”

I blinked. My brain short-circuited a little.
'What do you mean?'

"Be... Close to each other? Like last night...?"
He kept going, voice quieter now. “I mean, like, not to be weird. It just felt… nice. And I guess I sleep better that way.”

My chest felt stupidly warm.

I nodded slowly, then signed:
‘Yeah. I’d like that too.’

A small smile tugged at his lips. The kind that made me melt like microwaved chocolate.

And then, wordlessly, he reached out.

Carefully.

Softly.

His arm wrapped around my shoulders again, just like last night.

And just like last night, I didn’t resist.

I leaned into him, letting the warmth pull me under.

And in that moment…

Everything felt right.

Chapter Text

“Catnappp…”
“Psttt, Catnap~”

…Dogday?

It’s the middle of the night.

I cracked one eye open, blinking up at his blurry silhouette standing over me like some overexcited golden retriever with a secret.

I groggily lifted my arms and signed,
‘What is it?’

“Follow me,” he whispered, eyes practically glowing. “I wanna show you something.”

Ugh… fine.
Just give me a second to wake up, you ridiculous bundle of sunshine...

…

...

...

“Catnap!”
“Come onnn, you're gonna miss it!”

Wait...

Why do I feel like I’m floating?

Is… is he carrying me!?

I was barely conscious, but I caught the scent of vanilla on his fur again, warm and soft and familiar and I melted just a little.
Okay. This is fine. I can pretend I’m not being abducted if it smells nice.

Then,

Cold.

The night air kissed my skin, chasing away whatever sleep I had left. I blinked more alert, squinting against the darkness until...

“Look, Catnap!” Dogday whispered, pointing up at the sky.

And I did.

A meteor shower.

Streaks of silver and soft gold painting across the dark canvas, fast and fleeting like tiny wishes burning through the sky.
And down here? Two chairs. Already set up. Just waiting.

Did he plan this?

He sat me gently in one and flopped into the other beside me, tail swaying as he looked up, completely absorbed.

Despite the chill, I felt… warm.

“Are you enjoying it, Catnap?” he asked quietly. “Sorry I woke you up so suddenly…”

He turned to look at me with those soft, bright eyes. Like he really cared about the answer.

I rubbed at my eyes and signed,
‘It’s okay. This is something I’d wake up for anytime.’

He laughed under his breath... light, sweet, and tired.

God. Even his laugh is adorable.
(Even though I heard it a bunch of times yesterday…)

Still, the fact he woke me up for this, brought me out here, just us two…

It made something flutter in my chest.

The kind of feeling that lingers long after the stars fall.

As the last meteor flickered across the sky and the night slowly grew still again, Dogday turned to me.

His eyes searched mine, a quiet kind of softness behind them. Like he was thinking hard about something…

And I swore my heart stopped for a second.

He moved his chair closer to mine and,
He wrapped his arm around me.

My brain? Gone.
My soul? Ascending.
My face? Definitely glowing red.

Okay. Plan A: Don’t pass out.

I gently set my head on his shoulder, trying to act casual.
(Was this casual? It felt like dying. In a good way.)

“Are you still sleepy, ’nap?” he asked softly.

I didn’t answer.

But… I started purring.
Like a traitor.

He laughed quietly, a soft little giggle that rumbled against my cheek.

Goddamn it.

Still… the night sky really was amazing.
Full of light and falling stars.

I tilted my head just enough to peek up at him... and yep.
He was still looking at the sky, his expression gentle, thoughtful.
I… I want this moment to last forever.

“Y’know…” he said after a while, voice barely louder than the breeze, “I forgot to tell you yesterday about this.”

“Why?” I signed lazily. “You study meteor showers?”

“No,” he chuckled. “I just saw it in a tweet. Didn’t think it’d be real. But… still woke up. Just in case.”

He paused, and I felt the weight of something shift in the air—like he wasn’t done talking.

“I wanted to say somethin’ to you, ’nap.”

I lifted my head slightly.
‘Hm?’

He hesitated.

“I… When you first arrived at the company,” he said slowly, “You didn’t see me, did you?”

‘What do you mean?’

Dogday’s gaze didn’t leave the sky, but his voice was steady. Soft.

“I mean… I saw you. Before you ever talked to me. Before we even said hi.”

He smiled to himself, voice quiet with nostalgia. “I heard rumors about you and Hoppy, that’s what I meant back at the convenience store. But… I always kinda admired you from afar.”

He glanced at me, then away again. “Every now and then, when I had a reason to drop by Department B, I’d sneak a look. Sometimes you were just sleeping at your desk, and it was... uh… really cute.”

My ears twitched.

He chuckled nervously. “You had this little habit, too. Whenever you got bored, you'd fiddle with your mouse. Just… spin it around, or click it a bunch. I don’t even think you noticed you were doing it.”

He paused, ears folding slightly. “Not in a creepy way! I swear! I just… couldn’t help but watch sometimes.”

He scratched behind his ear, flustered. “You were... are so gorgeous, ‘nap. It was kinda hard not to look at you for too long.”

My chest fluttered.

He looked down at his hands. “I kept telling myself to stop staring, but… I never really did.”

I blinked. Hard.

He must’ve noticed, because he let out an awkward, bashful laugh. “Okay, that sounded way dumber out loud. Sorry...”

I shook my head quickly, signing: ‘It didn’t sound dumb.’

His ears perked up just a little. “No?”

‘It sounded honest.’

He smiled, small and warm... and turned his gaze back up to the stars.

After a beat, he said softly, “Y’know… now that I think about it, the stars are beautiful.”

Then he looked back at me.

“But not as gorgeous as you.”

...

Did-
did he really just-

I blinked.

Twice.

Maybe three times.

I fucking felt my soul just ascend.

My ears? Absolutely betraying me with how fast they were twitching.

I covered my face with both hands and let out the tiniest, most pathetic whine.

Dogday chuckled softly beside me. “Too much?”

I peeked through my fingers and glared at him, gently. ‘You can’t just say things like that!’ I signed with frantic hands.

“But it’s true!” he said, laughing now. “You should’ve seen yourself when I picked you up earlier. You were all cuddled in the blanket like a lil’ cinnamon roll.”

STOP.

‘No I wasn’t!’

“You totally were.” He leaned a bit closer, that lopsided grin spreading again. “And I liked it.”

My brain exploded. I could feel it. Shrapnel everywhere.

I turned away and tried to look at the stars again, hoping they would somehow suck me into space and end my suffering.

“I like this,” he said after a moment, quieter now. “Sitting here with you.”

I glanced at him.

He smiled softly. “I dunno… Feels like I’ve wanted this for a while.”

My ears perked up, despite my best efforts.

And then he had the audacity to lean just a little closer.

“Is it cheesy if I say… I think you’re kind of my favorite view right now?”

I froze.

Then slowly turned to stare at him, horrified and flustered beyond words.

He grinned and nudged my shoulder with his. “Okay, yeah. That one was cheesy. But you still like me, right?”

I tried to sign something... anything, but all that came out was a frantic mess of motion that could’ve meant ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ or ‘I’m actively dying from affection.’

Dogday just laughed again and pulled me gently into his side.

“Thought so.”

And like the biggest idiot in the galaxy… I purred.

Loudly.

"I'm gonna be sad when you go back to your guys’ apartment tomorrow… later actually, since it's already 1AM."

I blinked slowly, still tucked against his side, the stars above starting to blur in my sleepy vision.

I raised my hands to sign,
‘I can still come over if you want.’

His ears perked instantly. “Really? Is that okay?”

‘Yeah. But next time, I’ll bring extra clothes.’

He let out a tiny yelp of excitement, barely more than a breathy squeak, and I swear I could feel his tail wagging behind me.

But I didn’t tease him for it.

His warmth was just too nice. Too good.
It wrapped around me like a blanket.

"If you get sleepy," he mumbled softly, brushing a thumb over my arm, "just sleep, ‘kay?"

Yes sir~ I wanted to say, but all that came out was a soft hum as I leaned into him a little more.

The world around me started to drift, slow and fuzzy, vanilla in the air, Dogday’s heartbeat close enough to lull me...

“I----”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why does it feel... so warm?

Of course.
Why does the sun just blaze specifically on my eyes?

What time is it, though?

...

11:04 AM.

Hm...
Meh. It’s Sunday anyway.

Hoppy and Kickin are still asleep on the floor, tangled up in blankets like overcooked spaghetti.
But... my vanilla-scented puppy isn’t here.

(Okay. So he’s not mine.)
(Maybe...?)

Still.
Where is he?

He couldn’t have just vanished into thin air.

I pulled the blanket closer. It still smelled like him.
Soft, warm, a little bit like soap, a lotta bit like comfort.

Maybe... he’s cooking something?

...

Just as I thought that, something wafted in from the hallway.

Smells like...
Curry?

Of course, he’s wearing that cute apron again.
Okay. Mark my words.
In the future, we’re doing a full-on photoshoot. 

He was stirring the pot with total concentration, ears twitching lightly to the sound of the bubbling curry. And when he looked up and saw me?

“Good morning, ‘nap!”

I gave him a small wave, signing:
‘Morning.’

“You in the mood for some curry? I already made rice!”

‘Maybe… with a cup of coffee?’

(Okay. Don’t judge me.)
Coffee is for any time of day, alright? Morning, noon, night, you name it.

“Oh yeah, sure ‘nap. You want brown like last time?”

I shook my head, smirking slightly.
‘Black this time. It’s better right after waking up. Hehe.’

He chuckled softly, turning back to the counter. “Got it. One black coffee coming right up.”

God.
How is he so cute before noon?

I know I’ve said that like, ten times by now, 
AHHHHH
But I can’t help it!!!

Suddenly, heavy footsteps came thudding in from the bedroom.

“Mornin’.”

Okay.
Kickin.
What. The. Actual. Fuck.

He didn’t have such a deep voice yesterday!!
Dude sounds like Louis Armstrong doing What a Wonderful World.

“Morning, Kickin… I mean, Sir Kickin~,” Dogday teased with a grin.

“It’s just my usual voice when it’s early…”

“It’s 11AM, Kicks,” Dogday shot back, raising an eyebrow.

“Same thing,” Kickin muttered, plopping down on a chair like gravity betrayed him.

Okay. Just putting this out there:
If we ever do karaoke night, I’m making him take a nap first, wake him up, and then force him to sing My Way by Frank Sinatra.
I don’t care. That voice deserves a solo.

Just as I was still recovering from the audio whiplash, Dogday handed me my cup of coffee.

‘Thanks, Dogday.’

“No probs, ‘nap.”
Then he turned to Kickin. “You want some coffee too, Kicks?”

Kickin blinked slowly, like he didn't sleep for almost 15 hours.
“Only if you can make a heckin’ good white coffee with, like, half a bag of sugar.”

“Sweet tooth, ey?” Dogday grinned.

Kickin didn’t answer. He just shuffled over to the table, dropped into a chair, and flopped forward with his head buried in his arms, clearly waiting for sleep to take him again right then and there.

A few moments later, Dogday set a steaming mug beside him.
“Here you go, Kicks. Extra sweet, just how you like it.”

Kickin let out a low, vaguely appreciative groan.

“And hey, if you’re hungry, there’s plenty of curry on the stove. Help yourself, ‘kay?”

Another half-hearted thumbs-up rose from the depths of Kickin’s arm cocoon.

Well... I want some of that curry.

I stood up and gently tapped Dogday on the shoulder.
‘Can I have a bowl of that curry?’

“‘Kay, ‘kay, ‘nap, just wait at the table,” he said, wagging his tail.

He reached up into a cabinet for a bowl, grabbed a spoon, then scooped up some steaming hot rice and ladled the curry right on top. The smell hit me like a truck.

He brought it over, and holy hell,
The aroma? Absolutely divine.

I blew on it a little, trying to cool it down, then took a bite.

Oh.
Okay.
That’s good shit.

Like, if this had a love potion in it? Doesn’t matter. The flavor alone is making me fall for him harder.

He watched me carefully. “Hey, is there anything wrong with it? Anything I should add or take out?”

Did he seriously just ask me that?

This isn’t just food, this is the embodiment of perfection.

I shook my head and signed with zero hesitation:
‘Nope. It’s fucking delicious.’

Dogday blinked, then gave this shy little grin like I’d just made his entire week.

Worth it.

As I start devouring my bowl of curry, Kickin finally~ starts sipping his coffee and…
Something changed.

“Wow, that’s some good coffee.”

Aww. His voice went back to normal.
There goes Louis Armstrong.

“Hey ‘Day, can ya get me a bowl of that too?”

“Sure, Kicks. Wait a second and we’ll all have our lun-” he paused, “Brunch.”

He chuckled to himself and got to work on their bowls.

By the time he handed them over, my bowl was already halfway demolished.
And honestly? If this is what mornings are like now, this is what I’d call a fucking paradise.

...

“Did you guys start eating without me?”

We all turned toward the hallway.

Hoppy, hair a mess and shirt slightly crooked, stood in the doorway with the most offended expression I’ve ever seen.

Like we just betrayed her in a war.

“No, we just didn’t want to wake you up, Hopps,” Kickin said smoothly, saving all our asses in a single breath.

“Yeah, don’t worry. I already got your bowl right here,” Dogday added, pushing it across the table like it was a peace offering.

These two… they really just shielded us from a full-blown morning disaster.

Hoppy shuffled over, still pouting a little, and plopped down in the last empty seat. She picked up the spoon like she was ready to judge it harder than a cooking show judge with personal beef.

But the second she took a bite, her entire expression shifted.

“Mmh! Dish ish sho goosd!”

Dogday laughed, “Glad you like it, Hoppy.”

And just like that, the mood softened.

Just quiet. Just the sound of spoons and soft breathing and the comforting aroma of warm curry filling the air.

And maybe... just maybe, the smallest smile on my face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After we ate, we all helped clean up.
Nothing fancy, just simple... quiet teamwork.
Dogday washed, I rinsed, Kickin dried, and Hoppy kept trying to sneak bites of leftover curry until someone smacked her hand with a spoon. (Me. I did it. No regrets.)

Once the last plate was dried and stacked, Kickin grabbed his bag with a dramatic sigh.

“I gotta head out early,” he said, slinging it over his shoulder. “Mr. Bubbaphant’s dragging me into some last-minute thing.”

Hoppy smirked. “Ooooooh, gonna kiss up to your work-dad now?”

“Don’t start.”

“You wearing that fancy cologne too?” she teased, stepping closer and sniffing. “Wait, wait... Is that ylang-ylang and... Shame~?”

Kickin groaned. “I swear, I hope you choke on your toothpaste.”

We all laughed and with one final wave, Kickin made his escape. 

Hoppy yawned, stretching her arms overhead.
“Welp. I’m gonna repack my bag before I forget everything.”

She disappeared into the bedroom and then… we heard snoring.

Figures.

And suddenly, it was just me and Dogday.
Again~

He flopped onto the couch, exhaling like he hadn’t sat down in years.

I stayed near the table, absentmindedly drying my hands with a dishtowel.
The silence wasn’t awkward.
Just soft.

“So…” he started, glancing at me with a lopsided smile, “tomorrow’s the big meeting.”

I nodded. ‘Yeah. With Baba Chops.’

He chuckled. “First official group thing in a while, huh?”

‘Kinda weird to think about,’ I signed. ‘I haven’t even looked at my work phone since… you know.’

“Same.”
He leaned his head back against the cushion, tail lazily swaying.
“But hey, at least we’ll be in it together this time. You’re part of Department A now.”

I blinked.
That hadn’t fully hit me until he said it.

Department A.
His department.

My gaze dropped to the floor for a second before I looked up and signed:
‘Hope I don’t mess anything up.’

Dogday scoffed softly. “You won’t. You’re one of the smartest guys I know. And if anything goes wrong? We’ll figure it out. That’s what we do.”

‘Hey, shouldn’t we prepare?’

He gave a small shrug. “Heh, it doesn’t matter. Whenever a meeting like this happens, most of the heavy lifting’s already done by the whole department.”

Aww…
Kinda makes me think about my last department.
Everyone worked alone, kept to themselves.
Well, except for me and Hoppy.

I signed: ‘Well, wanna watch a movie before me and Hoppy leave later?’

He slumped dramatically into the couch. “You don’t gotta remind me.”

‘I could always come back. Whenever you want to.’

His ears perked a little. “Really?”

‘I mean… your house is literally just a five-minute walk from our apartment.’

He laughed, flopping back into the couch a little. “Alright then. What movie do you wanna watch?”

‘The Conjuring.’

His ears twitched. “…You’re into horror?”

‘I’m just feeling it right now.’

He went very, very quiet.

‘You don’t like horror?’

“It’s not that I don’t like it,” he mumbled, ears drooping slightly. “I just… don’t do well with it.”

‘I’ll be here the whole time.’

He smirked, trying to play it off, though his tail had already curled around himself like a safety rope. “You gonna protect me, my knight~?”

‘Yes, my king.’

We settled on the couch.

No popcorn between us since.... well, we both knew he’d probably launch it across the room by the first scare.

Dogday hugged a pillow to his chest like it was a security blanket.

“You sure this is what you wanna watch?” he asked, giving me one last desperate chance to change my mind.

‘Yes.’

“Okay… okay.” He took a deep breath. “I’m brave. I’m so brave. You’re gonna be so proud of me.”

I didn’t even get the chance to tease him before the movie started.

Not even five minutes in, when the clap game scene played?

He yelped. Like, full-body-flinch, tail-shot-straight-out kind of yelp.

Then immediately scooted so close to me I could feel his heartbeat through his sleeve.

I glanced at him. ‘You okay?’

“Y-Yeah…!” he said too fast, eyes wide and very much not on the screen.

…

Then came another scare

He practically latched onto my arm.

“I’m not scared,” he said quickly. “Just… holding on for moral support.”

Mmhmm. Sure.

I let him cling. Didn’t say a word.

Actually, I leaned in just a little bit closer. Just enough to make sure he’d feel me next to him the whole time.

By the halfway mark, he’d given up pretending to be brave. His head was resting fully against my shoulder, pillow still clutched to his chest like it held the meaning of life.

“You’re not even watching,” I signed with a tiny smile.

“I am watching,” he whispered back. “I’m watching the corner of the screen. That counts.”

I snorted.

Then came that scene, the exorcism one. You know the one.

He jumped so hard, he grabbed my hand.

Just. Bam. No hesitation. His hand in mine.

My heart froze. My soul temporarily left my body.

But I didn’t say anything.

I just... let it happen.

I let him hold me like that, fingers curled around mine, warm and trembling and real.

Because if this is what horror night with Dogday is like?

Then I am never skipping one again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The movie finally ended.

“I-I survived!” Dogday yelped, still clinging to the last ounce of tension in his voice.

‘Yeah, you did, buddy.’

He slumped back dramatically against the couch. “I think I deserve a medal.”

A medal? After hiding behind me the whole time?

Okay, sure, 'Day.

Before I could tease him, his voice dropped a little, softer now.

“Hey, ‘nap?”

‘Hm…?’

“I… kinda need a breather. Want to come with me?”

A breather? From what? the fictional death traps?

Still… I looked at him. The way his ears tilted back, his eyes didn’t quite meet mine.

Yeah. He wasn’t joking this time.

‘Yeah, sure, ‘Day.’

We both got up and stepped outside, slipping quietly past the bedroom where Hoppy had passed out. 
We quietly ended up in the same place earlier this morning.

Wow.

It had the perfect view of the sunset. 

Dogday lowered himself onto the chair first with a quiet sigh, rubbing at his wrist as if he didn’t know what to do with his hands.

I sat next to him, same as this morning.
Just us. Again.

He didn’t look at me at first.
Just watched the sky, ears flicking gently at the wind.

“I know we already came here earlier,” he said after a while. “But... I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

I signed:
‘The view?’

He let out a breath that wasn’t quite a laugh. “Not exactly.”

His hand scratched the back of his neck. “I mean... yeah, the view’s great. But this place... this moment... It’s different with you here.”

I tilted my head.
His voice was quiet, nervous, but not unsure.

He kept talking, eyes focused somewhere out in the clouds.

“I used to come here by myself sometimes. Just... to think. Y’know?”
“On tough days. On good days. Or when I didn’t know what to do with myself.”

He looked down now, hands folded on his lap.
“But this morning... when you were here? Everything felt a little clearer. Like... like I wasn’t carrying everything alone anymore.”

My breath caught a little.
His tail curled softly near his ankles.

“I’m not good at this,” he admitted with a dry chuckle. “Saying things straight. But... I meant what I said last night.”

I blinked.
Last night?

Dogday finally turned to look at me. His voice dropped just enough to sound like it was meant for me and me alone.

“You... you didn't hear it?”

My heart started thudding in my chest.

He leaned just a little closer, eyes locking with mine now.

“I said I love you, Catnap.”

...

Oh.

Oh my god.

He smiled, nervous and soft and sweet all at once.

“I love how you sign things real fast when you're flustered. I love how you always tilt your head when you’re curious. I love the littlest things you do.”

He laughed under his breath, eyes glinting with embarrassment. “And I said this earlier this morning, but, I'd always watched you from afar and now... getting to know you, and talk to you, and... hehe. It... just feels so unreal.”

He paused. Swallowed.

“I don’t know if it’s too early, or too much, or too weird but… I wanted to say it. Just once. For real. While you’re here. While it’s quiet.”

Then, softer,

“If I don’t say it now, I’m scared I never will.”

...
...
...
...
...

‘You want my answer?’

Dogday’s ears twitched. “Y-Yeah... I mean... yeah. This is kinda... new to me.”

He gave a nervous little laugh, his voice soft, almost cracking with hope.

I sat up straighter in my seat and leaned in, closer, closer... until my lips were just beside his ear.

“I love you too.”

And instantly-

“WHA-WHAT?!”

His tail fluffed up. His whole body jolted like I’d zapped him with electricity.

“T-That’s the first time you’ve ever actually said something, like said said it... Oh my god. Your voice. Your voice is, You're-You’re gorgeous, Just like it, Just like you!”

AHHHHH.

Why do you always say the cutest things?!

He stood up so fast he almost knocked over the chair. His arms came around me in a heartbeat, pulling me into a warm, breathless hug. And I hugged back, burying my face into the crook of his neck where he always smelled like vanilla and faint dish soap.

After a few seconds, I pulled back just a little to look at him, really look at him.

His cheeks were flushed, eyes bright, smile nervous and completely, completely real.

And maybe it was the moment.

Maybe it was the sunset. The soft wind. The fact that for once in my life, nothing felt uncertain anymore.

So I leaned in again...

And kissed him.

Right on the lips.

Just for a second. Maybe two. Gentle. Steady. The kind of kiss you give someone when you’ve been holding back for way too long.

When I pulled away, he was just staring at me.

Mouth slightly open.

Ears glowing red.

And then, 

“Hey… Catnap?”

‘Hm?’

“Are we… are we a thing now?”

…

…

I grinned. Took his hand.

‘Do you want us to be?’

His tail wagged once. Then again. Fast.

“God yes.”

And just like that,

The sun embraced the moon.

Chapter Text

Chapter 8
(Directly after Chapter 7)

...

...

...

Ha…

I don’t even know how to explain this.

Just putting your head on your
...
...boyfriend’s shoulder?

I can't believe I get to say that.
But... I FINALLY GET TO!!

It’s like everything finally clicked into place.
The sky, the air, his warmth, his heartbeat... I can hear it now that I’m this close.

And his smile...

God. He’s smiling more than I’ve ever seen him smile before.

I can just hear the soundtrack of the cinderella movie's, "So this is love~"
...
I would die a million times to just feel this. 

“Hey, Catnap?”

His voice pulled me back.
He was still looking at the sunset.

“Hm…?”

He let out a tiny sigh. “Even though it kinda kills me to say this… it’s getting late. You and Hoppy still gotta head back to your apartment.”

Ughhhhhhhhhh-
Right.
Tomorrow’s Monday.

I don't want toooooooooo.

I would rather be tied to a fucking pole to just stay here.

But then again…

It’s Hoppy.

She’d probably set the apartment on fire.

Dogday glanced over. “You wanna head out early?”

I shook my head and signed: ‘Let’s stay like this just a little longer.’

That did it.

His ears turned red. So did the tips of his cheeks.
I finally get to see his flustered face up close and in THIS high definition.

And yeah, I’m never letting him live it dow-

“CATNAP! Why didn't you didn’t wake me u-?!”

What. In. The. Hell.
WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST KNOCK FIRST!?

Her eyes immediately landed on us both.
It was a look of disbelief...
Followed by the slowest, most devious smile I’ve ever seen.

“…Did I interrupt something~?”

We were speechless. Though... Dogday didn't care.

“No, but you could’ve been a little more gentle on the door.”
Dogday giggled, but one thing was out of the ordinary.
He was gently holding my hand.

Okay...
So, she’s heading closer to us now...

She looked at us both, then down at our hands.

“Oh my god. Are you two official?!”
She looked surprised. I guess her smirk earlier was just a tease.

“Y-Yeah...”
Dogday looked flustered, yet he said that somewhat confidently.

“This... This is probably the fastest relationship I’ve ever seen form.”

Maybe we just met like... two days ago...
But maybe it’s just fate?
Y’know? Like a invisible string was tying us together~
Maybe the gods finally had their good hand around us.

I looked back at Hoppy.
She had this blank look on her face, blinking once…
Then again, her gaze shifted to our still-linked hands.

I swear, if she's about to teas-

“I’d better be invited to the wedding.”

...

W-What?

That’s the first thing she says?!

“B-But we only started dating like… thirty minutes ago-!”

“Well, either way. Still. I’d better be invited.”
She said it like it was non-negotiable. 

Dogday laughed and then hugged me tighter with this happy little wiggle.
His tail was wagging as he nuzzled his nose to mine.

God, he was warm.

“Okay, lovebirds,” Hoppy waved a hand with mock-annoyance, “break it up. We still need to get some rest for work tomorrow.”

I gave her a look.
Then signed, mischief in my fingers:

‘Maybe I’ll file a leave.’

She narrowed her eyes, but I caught the smirk threatening her face.

“Don’t tempt me,” she said. “You know you BOTH still have a costumer service meeting tomorrow."

Dogday groaned. “Ugh, don’t remind me…”

I just leaned against him with a smug little hum.
‘Well, some of us deserve a break. For emotional reasons.’

“Emotional, my ass,” Hoppy snorted. “You’re just soft now that you’re taken.”

I stuck my tongue out at her. She stuck hers back.
Mature adults? Never heard of them.

"Let's go, Catnap. I already have your backpack ready. Even if... It literally has nothing inside."
She walked off with no expression on her face.
...
Well, it doesn't matter to me hehe.

Looking over to Dogday... He looked at me.

He smiled as I literally could not move.
"So... I guess see you tomorrow?"

I nodded, before hugging him again. This time...

"See you, 'Day."
He immediately froze.

Hehe, this is my secret weapon now.

He smiled again at me, "Still never going to get used to that."

As I stood up from my chair, I gave him a small oeck of the cheek.

"Love you 'nap~"

As I headed out of the door and into the hallway I gave him one last look.
Still with his cute smile.

It’s… sad.
That this weekend flew by so quick.

Heading into Dogday’s room, I spotted my bag on the bed.
The whole space still smelled like pure vanilla.

I picked up the bag and…

Huh.

Surprised?
A little.
But then again… not really.

It was empty.

...

...

...

Okay. So...

Dogday wouldn’t mind if I…

...

Look to the left.
To the right.
Behind you.
Lock the door.

...

Immediately grab the blanket from the bed, fold it, and shove it into your bag.

Flawless execution Catnap,
If I do say so myself~

No witnesses.

No regrets.

Besides, it still smells like him.
I’ll return it… eventually.
...
...Probably?

…Okay no I won’t.
But that’s not the point.

Hoppy’s probably still waiting for me outside.

I unlocked the door and stepped out of the room.
Dogday was still on the balcony, staring into the last bits of the sunset.

I tiptoed toward him.
...
Now I was standing just behind him.

He looked so peaceful.
Like… unfairly pretty, actually.

So, naturally-

“Chu.”

His entire body jolted as I kissed him right on the forehead.

His face turned red instantly.

“N-Nap~! I thought- Didn't you go home?!”

I grinned, signing, ‘Not without an actual goodbye, silly.’

He stood up without missing a beat and pulled me into another hug.

“Love you, Nap. Take care, okay? Let’s see each other tomorrow.”

I melted just a little in his arms again.
Maybe a lot.

But I still signed back with a soft smile,

‘Love you too. Sleep well, alright?’

Then I pulled away…

Only to hear Hoppy from the hallway with the loudest groan imaginable.

“OH. MY. GOD. GET A ROOM!”

Dogday just giggled, nuzzling his snout against mine like he was proud of how sappy we were being.

I walked up to Hoppy, my bag slung over one shoulder.

I looked back at Dogday one last time…

Okay, yeah. Maybe I’m being a little dramatic.
But it’s gonna be a week before I get to come here again.

I waved at him, and he smiled at me. Cheeks all puffed up from how hard he was blushing.

He really does look like a puppy when he smiles like that.

Well… he is a puppy.
...yeah.
My puppy.

As we walked through the living room, it honestly felt like a whole month had passed since I got here.
Like everything that happened this weekend carved itself into permanent memory.

We unlocked the front door...

And we were greeted by a calm, starry night sky.

We started down the path toward our apartment, side by side.

“So…”
Hoppy muttered under her breath.

I already knew where this was going.

“Boyfriends, huh?”

‘Don’t even.’

“Heyheyhey, I’m not gonna tease,” she said with her hands raised innocently.
“But~ your little orange dog is your prince charming now, huh~?”
“Love at first sight~”

I lightly punched her arm.
She cackled.

But... I can’t lie.
She’s kinda right.

“Okay, okay,” she said, waving it off. “Jokes aside… I still haven’t found my bracelet.”

She stopped in her tracks, turning toward me with that annoyingly serious look.
“Can you help me look for it later?”

I was just about to sign when she cut me off again...

“Ohhh~ Wait, you can’t, can you? You’re gonna spend the whoooole night texting your little orange puppy, aren’t cha?”

‘You want my help or not?’

She laughed. “Catnap... yeah. I do.”

There was a pause.

Then she added a little softer, “It still reminds me of her... I just comforts me knowing that it was the last thing she gave me.”

I looked at her for a second.
She wasn’t smirking this time. Not even a grin.

Just… her.

‘We’ll find it.’

She smiled at me. “Thanks.”

...

“So you and Dogday gonna get matching bracelets now or what?”

I stomped on her foot.

She burst out laughing again as we walked down the street, stars watching quietly above us.

As we reached our apartment… the building STILL reeked of damp carpet.

I miss the constant smell of vanilla already.

We trudged up the stairs and finally made it to our door.

The moment we stepped inside, Hoppy tossed her shoes off and looked back at me.
“You hungry, ‘Nap?”

…Hm. Maybe ramen?

“Okie doke!”

And okay, just so you get a picture of what kind of “ramen” we’re talking about:
I mean instant noodles with a side of bacon and eggs.
Yeah. That’s what Hoppy and I call ramen.

She’s basically a disaster in the kitchen for anything else, but when it comes to soft-boiled eggs?
Oh my god. She slays.
I don’t know what spell she casts to make them taste that good, but I’m not complaining.

Anyway.

While she’s summoning her breakfast-dinner magic, I head to my room and drop my bag by the bed.

Right… bracelet.

Shouldn’t be that hard to find.

I head to Hoppy’s room.

...

...

...

I take everything back.

Her room is a disaster zone.

It’s like a tornado made of laundry and old receipts tore through the place and gave up halfway.

There's a pile of socks that looks suspiciously like it has layers.

Like sedimentary rock.

Also, why is there a cereal box in her laundry basket??

...

I gave up asking questions about her system years ago.

I start sifting through the chaos carefully, pushing aside blankets, pillows, an empty water bottle, a notebook with “DO NOT OPEN” on the front (I will absolutely be opening that later), and-

...

What the-

I pull out a tiny whiteboard with a list scrawled across it in neon pink marker:

"TO-DO BEFORE I DIE:

eat ice cream in Antarctica

Watch the entirety of steven universe 3 times.

Sneak into Department A's lounge to steal food

adopt a goldfish and name it “Greg”

prank-call management"

...
...
...

...get Catnap to wear a maid outfit again

…

Excuse me…?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN AGAIN?!
I DIDN’T WEAR A MAID OUTFIT.
Or at least…

…
…I think I didn’t…?
...
WHEN THE FUCK DID I WEAR A MAID OUTFIT?

DO I EVEN OWN ONE??

This just gave me more questions than answers.
Like what, when, where, and WHY the hell is the word "maid outfit" in the same sentence as my name?

I DON’T EVEN OWN ONE-
...

...

...

...Did I look good in it?

…

Would Dogd-

OKAY. THAT’S ENOUGH.
I slid the whiteboard back under her bed with a grudge and a half-
And of course.
There it was.

The bracelet.

Right under the her place of slumber.

I held it up with a sigh.
Found it.

But if you ask me right now, I deserve a full interrogation session before handing this back.

If it weren’t for the fact that Ms. Scotch’s spirit is probably still watching over us from the heavens…
I would've committed a felony.

At least...
I finally found it.
But not without consequences.

Walking out of her room, I saw Hoppy setting down two bowls on the table like she didn’t just emotionally scar me forever.

I calmly walked up to her and tapped her shoulder.
While hiding an unrelenting fury under the skin of my face.

‘Hoppy. Be honest with me.’

She turned and blinked at me. All innocent-like.

“Hmm? What’s up?”

‘What’s this about me wearing a maid outfit.’

Her eyes widened slightly.
"How did yo-"

I shushed her immediately with my finger.

‘Answers. Now.’

She gave this weirdly smug little giggle.
"Let’s talk while we eat, yeah?"

Ma’am, this is not a dinner conversation.

But fine.

We sat down, steam rising from our bowls like this was normal.

It was not normal.

I kept staring.

‘Well?’

She twirled her noodles like this wasn’t a federal interrogation.

Then,
“So… remember Rebekah’s party?”

Rebekah.

Huh.

Haven’t heard that name in a while.

She was that socialite from college who somehow knew everyone. Her parties were basically mythological events. I only went once, and even then, it was because Hoppy threatened to blow up my dorm if I didn’t.

...

Okay, let’s rewind.

I was in my dorm room, studying and minding my own business. 
Then boom, Hoppy barges in screaming about some party.

Of course, I said no.
Because have you met me?

I’m like the quietest person you will know and you want me to go to a crowded house full of drunk strangers?

She begged.

Eventually, I caved.
Fifteen minutes of pestering will do that to you.

Mostly because, I just didn’t want to spend the rest of the night fielding 200+ notifications and threats via emoji.

So I agreed.
We walked to Rebekah’s house.
It was a half-moon that night, I think.

...

...

...

I don’t remember a single thing after getting there.

‘I forgot what happened during it. But… yeah, I can remember.’

“Well…” Hoppy stirred her noodles with way too much amusement. “We played a game of Sink or Drink. Basically, if you didn’t want to do something, you had to take a shot.”

She paused just long enough to make me regret asking.

“And you didn’t want to do any of the things they were saying... so you got wasted, like absolutely wrecked.” She was already snickering. “Then, while you were still dizzy and slurring, they dared you to pick any outfit from the closet…”

My soul began leaving my body.

“…And you agreed. All confident, too! I swear, you wobbled outta that hallway like it was a runway.”

She burst into full-on laughter now.

“And when you came back, oh my god. You were wearing a maid outfit. Like, frills and all. And honestly, ‘Nap… you were rocking it. No joke.”

...

I hate everything.

...

I guess that’s how I started to hate alcohol.

Hoppy suddenly went quiet.

"You looked at my bucket list, didn’t you?"

I just nodded and handed her the bracelet.

She blinked, surprised. 
Then lit up.
"You found it now?! Thank you!"

She stood up and wrapped me in a tight hug,
Then let go like nothing happened.

“Come on, eat up.”

...

Ignoring… THAT.

The ramen itself?
Amazing.

You can literally stir the runny egg yolk into the broth, and it becomes this thick, rich, umami soup that punches you right in the taste buds.

Though... if you ask me if I’d rather eat Dogday’s curry or this?

...

I’d pick both.

Hey! Doesn’t mean I’m biased just because he’s my boyfriend.
(Hehe.)

---

After dinner, I started washing the dishes while casually tapping Hoppy on the shoulder.

‘Go clean your room.’

“Catnap~! I don’t wanna~! Look outside, it’s already dark!”

‘If you lose your bracelet again, you’re never gonna find it. Not with the wreck your room is in.’

“Please, ‘Nap~?”

‘Either you clean it or I’m breaking your collection of limited edition swords.’

“You wouldn’t.”

‘I totally would.’

“…Okay! Fiiine!!”

She stomped off like a child throwing a tantrum, maybe joking. Maybe not.
But hey. Mission accomplished.

...

Tomorrow’s gonna be our first day working in Department A together, huh?

Technically nothing’s really gonna change. It’s the same work. Same weird coworkers. Same lunch breaks.

Well...

With the addition of Dogday.

...
...
...

Imaginewesendcuteemailsbackandforthlike"heycutie"or"don’tforgetyourlunchbabe"andweholdhandsunderdamnthetablelikemiddle-schoolersandhismuzzlesmellslikevanillastillandiwannabitehim(affectionately)andmaybeIpackhimsweetswithheartnotesandsneakhimcoffeeandwestealstaplerslikeabondingactivityandohmygodweshareheadphonesinthebroomclosetontuesdaybreakslisteningtocringy90sloveballadswhilemakingeyecontactthroughtheshelfslikewereinalowbudgetromcomandihopeheblusheswheniwinkathimandthenhedoeshislittletailwagandimscreaminginternallybecauseHELLOHOWISTHISREALIDONTDESERVETHISMUCHLOVEINONEFURRYORANGEPACKAGEWITHFLOPPYEARSANDADUMBCUTEVOICEANDICANTBREATHETHISISNOTSUSTAINABLEAAAAAAAAAAAA

I.
Love.
Him.
So.
Fucking.
Much.

…

After I finish washing the dishes, I flop face-first onto my bed.

Today was THE BEST DAY.
(I’m totally not biased.)
Anyhow~ I am so freaking excited for tomorrow.

…

Actually...
This is the first time I’ve ever looked forward to work.

Well—not the work.
More like... Dogday.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I wish I could talk to him.

...

Wait.
I have his number.
Why did that completely slip my mind!?

Dogday

(...Should I give him a pet name?)
(...Isn’t that what couples do?)
(...I’ve never been in a relationship before...)
(...Would he even want that?)
(...Maybe it’ll come naturally?)
(...Okay. I need to stop thinking.)

10:26 PM

‘Day?
How you doing?

(...Oh god.)
(Was that too casual?? Should I have used a winky face??)
(Wait, no, that’s weird...)
(OH NO. He’s taking a while.)
(I scared him off. He’s changing his name and moving to another town-)

Hey ‘nap :3
Sorry I took so long to respond
Was cooking dinna~

(OH THANK GOD)

What you cooking, handsome? 😏

Hehe, just… any leftovers in mah fridge
Basically an egg-and-ketchup omelet with rice.
Gourmet, I know.

That’s not dinner, that’s a tipid meal.

A what meal?

It just meals a meal that you eat when you're saving. Like a poor man's meal

Aww, you think I’m a poor man? 🥺

I think you’re adorable for even eating that.

You’re lucky I’m cute.

I know I’m lucky. 😌

(...Wait, was that too smooth?? Did I just flirt?? Did he just flirt back?? Are we flirting??)

Hey,
I was planning to go grocery shopping tomorrow after work.
Wanna come with? Carry my bags like my strong grocery boyfriend? 😘

Pfft. Only if I get to have the chance to buy coffee

Oh, don't worry I'll let you buy anything you want nap

See you tomorrow~ 
Love you <3

Love you too ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I roll over on my bed with the stupidest grin on my face.

The kind of grin that makes your cheeks hurt and your brain melt and your heart explode all at the same time.

I clutch my pillow like a lifeline.
Kick my feet a little.
Maybe giggle into it like a 14-year-old with a celebrity crush.

Shut up. Let me have this.

I can’t believe this is real.
I have a boyfriend.
I have a boyfriend who sends me hearts.
I have a boyfriend who calls me cute.
I have a boyfriend who and smells like vanilla giggles when I kiss him on the forehead.

God.

I’m gonna combust.

And I wouldn’t even mind.

If loving him means I die of terminal sweetness overdose, then I will proudly go out with glitter in my lungs and the memory of that dorky little smile on his face.

Tomorrow’s gonna be hell.
Work...
Meetings...

But you know what?

If he’s there...

If I get to see him wag his tail when I show up...
If I get to hold his hand when no one’s looking…
If I get to walk home with him again when the sky turns orange…

Then bring it on.

I’ll face anything.

...

...

I flop onto my bed again, arms out like I’ve been emotionally crucified.

I can't sleep.

I literally cannot sleep.

I want to be next to him again.
I want to hear his laugh again.
I want him to kiss my nose again and call me cute in that dumb, soft voice like I won’t melt every time.

God, I miss him already.
It’s been two hours.

And that scent...
That sweet, warm, vanilla scent...

...

...

...

Wait.

Waitwaitwaitwaitwait-

I help towards my bag,
Unzip it like it’s holding state secrets.

And there it is.

The blanket.

The one I “borrowed.”

(“Stole.” Whatever.)

I pull it out, clutch it like a lifeline, and bury my face into it.

And there it is.

That scent. That soft, cozy, cinnamon-toast-sugar-warmth-vibe-of-a-dog-scent that literally short-circuits my brain.

My eyes go wide.
Then shut.
Then open again just to check he’s not actually here.

I curl up in it like some tragic Victorian orphan starved for love.

...

Goodnight.

(And no, I’m never returning this blanket.)
(He’ll have to pry it from my cold, love-struck corpse.)

Chapter Text

...

...

...

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

...

What...?

Is that the...

Washing machine...?

...

Honestly? I don’t care.
My... his blanket is the only thing that matters right now.

...

“Catnap.”

Huh?

That voice...

“Catnap!”
“Catnap, it’s 6:30!”

...Dogday?

Wait.
Wait, that’s not him...

“CATNAP!!”

Okay, okay. Geez, Hoppy.
First time you wake up earlier than me and now you’re yelling like some grumpy mom dragging her kid to school.

...

Well... at least she didn’t use my method.

Anyway.
What did she say the time was again?

Getting up, still wrapped in my Dogday-scented blanket, I open the bedroom door and immediately get hit by a wave of fabric conditioner so strong it nearly knocks me back into bed.
Laundry? She's... doing laundry?

That's... suspicious.

Dragging my feet across the floor, I reach the kitchen counter and...

Wait.
Are those... Eggs and bacon?
Well... Both are slightly burnt.

Okay. This is getting weirder.

“Finally! You woke up!”
Hoppy’s standing at the bathroom door, holding a laundry basket. No idea if the clothes inside are clean or not.

“Just 'cause you got Dogday doesn’t mean your job magically disappeared, you know?”

‘Isn’t it Sunday?’

She looked at me like I just told her the moon was made of cheese.

“It’s Monday, ‘Nap.”

...

Okay. Okay.
No need to panic.
I think I still have some uniforms left in the closet.
But... why the hell is she doing laundry?

‘Why are you doing laundry?’

“We didn’t do it this weekend and I ran outta clean uniforms, okay?! Do you have any, ‘Nap?”

‘Lemme check.’

I think I still have 2 or 3 pairs left?
No clue if she’ll even fit into them though...

Shuffling back into my room I leave the blanket on my bed and opened the closet...

...

Oh.
Haven’t seen that in a while.

Anyway... 
Uniforms. I still have two. Grabbing one, I head back out, just in time to hear some weird beeping from the bathroom.

Peeking in, I catch Hoppy jabbing random buttons on the washing machine like she’s trying to disarm a bomb.
I tap her shoulder and hand her the spare.

‘Check if you can fit this.’

“Hope I can. ‘Cause doing laundry sucks. How do you even use this thing?!”

‘Time.’

“Seriously?!” She groans and scratches the back of her head.
“Why does that make sense coming from you?”

‘We’ll finish it later. We’ll be late for work.’

“What time is it?”

I glance at the living room clock.

‘6:37.’

“...”

“Well... guess today’s not a concert day.”

‘Hurry up, okay? Leave the baskets. I’ll wash them after work.’

I slowly walk out, 

“Okay, ‘Nap. There’s breakfast on the table.”

...

I’m not really feeling it right now.

But... it’s the first time Hoppy’s cooked breakfast.

...

...

...

I shouldn’t be so ungrateful.

I drag myself to the kitchen counter and sit down, staring at the plate. It's... an attempt. Sunny-side up, though the bottom’s burnt and the yolk’s cooked (sadly). The bacon is crispy, but not in the appetizing way... more like “crispy with a sprinkle of ash.”

Ha...

I pick up the egg with my paw and pop it into my mouth.
(Look. I don't really want to do dishes and if you call it gross, I'm the one eating it anyways. So~ mind your own business)

...

It has... No salt. Just... Has the texture of the egg white. 

Alright. Surely the bacon can’t be worse.

(That was me fifteen seconds ago.)

...

It was sweet.

Like, aggressively sweet.

Like she dunked it in sugar. Not in the “candied bacon” way either. I mean spoonful of honey kind of sweet.

Well...

Now that... “breakfast” is over, I head back to my room and start organizing my office bag. I’d honestly rather sleep the whole day. The weekend really wore me down.

Should I text-

No. Probably not.

He’s probably already on his way to work. I shouldn’t bother him. We’ll have time later anyway-

...

Oh. Right. The meeting.

It should be fine.

As long as he’s there with me.

...God, that sounds so cheesy.

But it’s true. Hehe.

I really can’t wait to see him late-

*Knock knock knock.*

...

Who could that be?
(Totally not like I know already.)

I drag myself to the door, still half-asleep, and crack it open with a casual,
“Hey, Dogda-”

The fox critter standing there blinks at me.
"Uh... this is a delivery for... Miss Hoppy Hopscotch?"

Oh. My. God.
That’s so fucking embarrassing.

AHHHHH.
Why the hell do my instincts always default to Dogday?! Why?! WHY.

“Uh... sir? Are you okay?”

No. No, I’m not. But I can’t even sign properly like this. My hands are shaking from shame.

I flail out a ‘wait’ gesture and bolt back to my room, scrambling for my phone like it’s my lifeline. Typing in a panic:

‘Is it already paid?’

“Yes, sir. Just need your signature,” he says as I return.

He holds up the board. I scribble my name, he hands me the box, and walks off.

...

I close the door.

And I just stand there.
I cannot believe I just did that.

STUPIDDDDD.

Hoppy pokes her head out of the bathroom, towel around her ears.
“What… happened?”

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’
Yeah. More like I literally can’t without my head exploding from embarrassment.

“Well… okay. But you still need to get ready.”

I give her a thumbs up like I didn’t just have a full-body cringe attack in the hallway.
She shrugs and disappears into her room.

Trying to... function, I shuffle to the bathroom.
Time to fix myself.

Do you really want the details?
Water. Soap. Rinse. Done.
I don’t know why Hoppy takes so freaking long in here. Then again, after brushing my teeth, it was already 6:50.

Hm...
Meh.
Still enough time.

...

...

...

Oh!
We’re in Department A now, huh…

I genuinely wonder what’s going to happen later.

Also, is Kickin in Department A?
I mean... Mr. Bubbaphant did offer him the job.
Literally being the CEO’s son gives you so much power, huh?

Hope being the boss was... earned.
I hope he wasn’t just handed it by his parents.
'Cause I think the whole department would literally be up in flames.

“Nap! You ready?!”

I stepped out of my room already in uniform, bag slung over my shoulder, ID clipped to my chest.
Okay. I'm set.

“Took you long enough.”

That’s really amazing coming from you,
I signed, sarcastically.
Let’s all be real.

Hoppy just rolled her eyes, “Whatever. Let’s go, drama queen.”

As we walked towards the city, I glanced toward Dogday's house. The lights were off, but the door was literally open.

Hoppy took notice.
“Should we close that?”

Did he just leave it like that?

‘Wait for me. I’ll be right back.’

I jogged over. Work can wait, okay? Even if it’s our first day in Department A, they wouldn’t mind... probably.

Anyway~

Standing in front of the open door, I glanced back at Hoppy, who was already looking impatient. I gave her a simple, ‘Wait’.

Looking inside...

Yup. Dogday already left.

Ha...

The sweet, sweet smell of vanilla.

...

...

...

Okay. Enough of that.

I stepped inside, closed the door, and locked it. Then bolted back to Hoppy, glancing at my phone.

7:00 AM.

At first, we didn’t panic.

But then our walk turned into a jog...
Then into a run...

And... yup.
Now we’re panicking.

We were scared, okay?!
First impressions are NEEDED in any office job.
Especially since Dogday’s there!!

I don’t want to mess anything up on day one—it might affect him.
I know he’s stressed about work and he hasn’t even texted me all morning and-

*Thud.*

“Catnap! Are you okay?!”

“Come on, get up! We need to hurry!”

Hoppy grabbed my arm. My forehead throbbed, I smacked straight into the lobby’s glass door.

Still dizzy, she dragged me into the elevator. Inside, she finally checked the damage.

“Oh my god..." She looked at me like she'd seen a dead body.
She leaned closer. “‘Nap… you’re fine. You’re not bleeding, and your fur’s too thick for bruises to even show.”

This bitc-

“Oh come on,” she smirked. “I know you don’t want to look like a mess when you see your little puppy later.”
She nudged my side. “Don’t worry. You’re fine.”

...That’s actually pretty comforting.

*Ding.*

The elevator doors opened to the floor of Department A.

It smelled... different.
Like... They actually used air freshener, freshly vacuumed carpet.

Wow.

We stepped in. Desks lined the room in neat rows. Some were... custom?

And then-

THERE’S A POKÉMON ONE.
Little plushies stacked on the desk, and... IS THAT A SHADOW LUGIA?!

The desk had the name... Crafty?

Okay.
That’s definitely someone I can get along with.

It’s honestly kind of surprising the boss allows this. But maybe... he’s not that strict?

I mean, Hoppy did say, “He’s super nice if you’re nice, and a total nightmare if you’re not.”

Fair enough.

I guess the rule still holds:
“Do unto others as you’d like others to do unto you.”

...

And maybe...

Just maybe...

This department (minus the FREAKING DOCUMENTS) might actually be fun.

And like, 90% of that fun?

Hehe... it's Dogday.

“So… where are we supposed to go?”

I shrugged.
There’s not really a tour guide for this place.

‘Maybe we should meet with Mr. Bubbaphant?’

We walked up to a nearby coworker. A lion, tall and a little intimidating, but with soft eyes.

“Um… excuse me?” Hoppy asked.

“Yes?” She looked at us, not angry or anything, just a little confused.

“Do you know where Mr. Bubbaphant’s office is?”

“Ooh-” she winced slightly. “Don’t call him that when you meet him, okay? He’s… a little picky when it comes to names, haha.”

“Then… what should we call him?”

“Sir Bubba. Just that. Don’t add the ‘phant’. He doesn’t like it. His office is down at the end of the hallway. You’ll see a door with his name on the glass.”

“Thank you,” 

People are so nice here, huh.

We headed toward the end, and lo and behold, the lion was right. The door was glass, with the name Bubba Bubbaphant written in big block letters. Honestly, it would've been nice if we got instructions before arriving instead of just being left to wander like confused pigeons.

Thanks, Department B.

We braced ourselves and knocked. A little ding chimed from inside.

“…Does that mean we should go in?” Hoppy whispered.

‘Maybe?’

She took initiative and opened the door.

Lemongrass. That was the first thing that hit me. The room smelled weirdly calming, like someone was trying very hard to make a stressful office smell like a day spa.

And sitting at the desk? A large blue elephant, calmly talking to-

Kickin?!

Oh right. It's his first day too.

“Oh, come in. And close the door behind you,” the elephant said.

We stepped inside and sat in the two blue chairs in front of his desk. I glanced at Kickin, his leg was bouncing... Nervously.

Okay, mood.

I get it. It’s a new place. And he hasn’t even graduated yet.

“Since today’s schedule is a bit hectic, I’ll brief all of you together,” the elephant began. He gave us a long, slow glance, then sighed.
“Don’t be so nervous! I’m not going to bite ya,” he added with a grin.

But I mean…
You’re our boss.

He waved a hand. “Loosen up! This’ll be quick.”

“So. I’m Bubba Bubbaphant, manager of Department A. But please don’t use my last name. Just call me Sir Bubba.”

He looked at each of us in turn. “Now, have you three met yet? Kickin here is still a student, but with the right training, I believe he’ll be a great asset.”

“Could you introduce yourselves?”

“Oh! Right!” Hoppy perked up. “Sir Bubba, I’m Hoppy Hopscotch, formerly from Department B.”

He turned to me. “And you are?”

“Sorry, sir,” Hoppy chimed in again. “My friend can’t really speak…”

I can. I just don’t like to. But I'm sire you guys already know hehe

“May I introduce him?”

“You may.”

“This is Catnap, also formerly of Department B.”

Sir Bubba nodded. “Ah, yes. You two were the ones chosen for transfer, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Excellent. That means you must’ve demonstrated some strong positive behaviors while you were in Department B.”

We didn’t respond. I mean… yeah, I guess?

“So!” he continued. “Since you two have more experience, you’ll be in charge of mentoring and guiding Sir Kickin here.”

We both nodded. Even Kickin nodded, though his eyes were still twitching with stress.

“Any objections? Questions? Violent reactions?”

“No, sir,” we said in unison.

He laughed. “Alright then. Each desk here has a number. Kickin, you’ll have number 1186. You two will get 1187 and 1188.”

We nodded again.

“You’re allowed to decorate your desks however you’d like. I’m sure you noticed the variety on your way in. As for job specifics, I’m confident you already have a baseline from your time in Department B. But if you have any other questions, ask your fellow team members.”

“In this department, we treat each other like family. So don’t be afraid, okay?”

We all nodded as he smiled and glanced at his watch.

“Go on now. Time’s gold.”

“Thank you, sir,” Hoppy said, looking oddly inspired.
Huh. She’s really taking a liking to him. Can’t blame her. He's strict, but kind.

Anyway~

The three of us stepped out of the office just as a muffled jingle came from Sir Bubba’s phone. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem like our problem.

As we walked to our assigned desks, Kickin finally broke the silence.

“So... is this like our OJT? In accountancy, I mean?”

Wait.
Kickin took accountancy?

That was... unexpected. I always pegged him for something like communications or, I don’t know, physical education?

I raised an eyebrow at him, but Hoppy beat me to it.

“You chose accountancy?” she asked, clearly surprised.

Kickin scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah. I mean, it seemed like the most stable option. And, uh... I don’t really mind sitting at a desk for eight or nine hours a day.”

Hoppy laughed. “You’ll regret saying that in about three weeks.”

“As for your OJT... it depends on what kind of stuff you did. But once you get used to this, it gets manageable.”

Kickin gave a nervous little nod. “I hope so... I really want to repay the favor. I don’t want Sir Bubba thinking I’m just some freeloader.”

“Aww,” Hoppy said, nudging him with her elbow. “Don’t worry, Kicks. You’ll be fine. You’ve got two semi-capable mentors to keep you alive.”

I lightly punched her.
'Hey! I’m fully capable.'

“In your dreams,” she shot back.

As we reached our desks, I glanced over at the crowd of employees... but still no sign of Dogday.
Maybe he’s busy?
Today’s our meeting day, so… maybe he’s just caught up in work?

...

I sat down at my new desk.
It’s nice, honestly. But even with that, I couldn’t shake the weird tightness in my chest.
It just makes me worried... especially after seeing his front door wide open this morning.

I hope he’s oka-

“Hey, ’nap~”

I nearly jumped out of my fur.
It’s Dogday!

I shot up and hugged him immediately.
“Whoa! Didn’t expect that... hehe.”

“Oh come on, lovebirds, get a hold of yourselves! You’re at work!” Hoppy groaned.

I didn’t care what she was saying. I buried my face deeper into Dogday’s neck, breathing in every last molecule of that sweet vanilla scent.

“’Nap… we still need to talk about the meetin-”
“Just ten more seconds.”

Behind us, Kickin whispered, “Are they...?”
“Yup. Yesterday.”
“Well... that was obvious.”

I finally let go, only to see Dogday covering his face. Embarrassed.
Best. Thing. Ever.

A nearby hippo... probably in her fifties, leaned back with a grin. “OoO~ looks like our little puppy’s got himself a mate.”

“Aw, come on, Rosemary…”

She just laughed and went back to her paperwork.

“Come on, ’nap. Baba Chops is coming in three hours and we have absolutely no time to waste.”

“Don’t hide in the broom closet~” Hoppy sing-songed.

‘Hoppy, I will actually kill you.’

“Okay, okay! Geez. I guess I’m taking first shift at teaching Kickin,” she said, throwing up her hands.

Dogday grabbed my hand suddenly.
…

(AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY ENTIRE WORK LIFE.)

…

He led me down the hall into an empty meeting room with a long table buried under stacks of paperwork.

“Okay. So… are you ready?”

“For what…?”

“All these files on the table…”
He held my hand and tugged me closer by the tie.
“And still, you’re the only thing I want to pin down and spread out.”

...

“…Sorry!”
He let go immediately, laughing nervously. “I just had to, you know?”

“’Nap?! Are you okay?”

…
…
…

Yeah. I’m fine.
Fine.
Totally not seconds away from short-circuiting.

I gave the tiniest nod, though my brain was very much trying to exit the building.

“Okay, good. Sorry!”
He rubbed the back of his neck, grinning like an idiot. A hot idiot.

Trying to calm the purring vibrating in my entire soul, I managed to sign a weak,
‘So… what are we here for again?’

Dogday cleared his throat, somehow shifting effortlessly from flirty menace to composed team lead.

“Right. The meeting.”
He pulled out one of the reports and tapped it on the table.
“The stakes are high. All the other departments pitched in for this new project. Well. But... We still need to discuss how to talk with her later.”

I nodded, the gravity of it starting to settle under the leftover heat of his pin-down comment.

“We need to align our talking points, polish the figures, and figure out who's saying what. If this goes well…”
He looked at me, all the teasing melted into something serious and steady.
“…we might finally get the approval for the expansion budget.”

My ears perked. That would mean new hires, more resources and actual breathing room.

'Okay.'
I tapped the stack of papers in front of us.
'Then let’s make it perfect.'

Dogday smiled. 
“That’s what I like to hear.”

We got to work, side by side, reviewing the proposal.

I scanned the first slide of the draft on Dogday’s tablet, trying not to fixate on how close our shoulders were. His handwriting, neat and measured. Outlined the whole pitch with tight bullet points, clean margins, and color-coded highlights. It almost made me forget what he’d said earlier.

“We’ll open with the project timeline,” he said, flipping through a few more pages. “Foundation estimates, contractor partnerships, the rollout schedule for the branch itself.”

He paused at the next section. “Then we’ll move into projected regional growth, demographics, client reach, zoning benefits.”

I nodded, tapping one of the headers.
‘Makes sense. And I’m taking the second half?’

He hesitated.

Then glanced over at me, voice a little softer.
“Let’s do every part together.”

...
That... wasn’t part of the plan.

But it made sense. More than that, it felt right.

I gave him a small grin and nodded.

He smiled, ears twitching a little from the nerves still clinging to him, but his posture straightened. Confident again... or at least pretending.

Together, we reviewed every section. Somewhere between bullet points and blueprint schematics, I felt the mood settle. It wasn’t calm, exactly. But it was focused.

We were building something, too.

And we were doing it together.

'I'll try my best'

"I know you will."

Eventually, Dogday stretched his arms over his head with a soft sigh, letting the silence hang for a moment.
“You know…” he said, tapping the edge of the table. “We make a good team.”

‘Mhm.’ I didn't look at him. If I did, I might actually start purring.

“I mean it,” he added, voice a little quieter. “I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else.”

I finally glanced over. His gaze was already on me. 
And just like that, the looming stress of the meeting didn’t feel so terrifying.

‘Thanks,’ I signed. ‘I needed that.’

He smiled and leaned in again, brushing his fingers down my arm.
“Later, after the meeting, you want to get a cup of coffee?"

‘I’d love that.’

While he looked at his watch, I leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

He froze.

Then, he blushed. Right down to the tips of his ears.

God, he’s so cute.

He cleared his throat, clearly trying to recover. “S-So… Only one hour left.”

I signed, ‘Let’s clean up and organize everything.’

“I was going to suggest a little… uh… Okay, that works too.”

What was he going to suggest?!

Ha… Figures.

We both stood, straightening the mountain of papers like it hadn't just witnessed one of us short-circuit from the other’s existence. I snuck a few glances while I worked. His tail was wagging. It was subtle, but definitely there. Soft little flicks like he was trying to pretend it wasn’t happening.

Too late, Dogday.

As we sorted the files by section, I couldn’t help but let the silence linger. It wasn’t awkward... just warm. Like the office hum around us had faded and left only the gentle rhythm of our hands brushing past each other on the table.

He glanced up, caught me watching.

“You always look at me like that,” he said quietly.

I tilted my head.

“Like I'm better than I actually am."

‘Well... you kinda are.’ I sign.

Then I step a little closer, tilt my head, and say softly,
“You’re just as radiant as the sun.”

He blinked, caught completely off guard. Then laughed, rubbing the back of his neck like he didn’t know what else to do with his hands. Already flustered beyond salvation.

“Okay, that’s not fair. You can’t just say things like that with a straight face.”

I just shrugged, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

But yeah. My ears were burning.

“You’re dangerous,” he muttered under his breath.

‘Only for you.’

That shut him up.

Like, completely.

For a solid thirty seconds.

Hehe.

We moved through the last pile of reports in companionable silence. Well... mostly silence. I caught him sneaking glances every now and then. He was trying not to get caught.

Trying... and failing.

Every time I caught him looking, he’d snap his eyes back to the papers and pretend like he wasn’t glowing pink all the way to his ears.

It was adorable.

I let him squirm a bit.

Until...

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.*

Both of us jumped.

Dogday immediately straightened up, coughing into his sleeve like we were doing anything other than sorting files and flirting shamelessly.

“Come in!” he called, voice cracking halfway through.

The door creaked open.

Hoppy poked her head in with a very smug expression. “So~ am I interrupting something?”

‘Yes.’

“No,” Dogday said way too fast.

She squinted. “Mmhm. Okay, sure. Anyway, Kickin finished setting up his desk and he's panicking. Said he doesn't remember how to log into the internal system?”

Dogday let out a dramatic sigh. “First hour and he’s already in IT distress. Should I be worried?”

“Probably,” Hoppy said, smirking. “Also, Sir Bubba said the exec meeting might get moved earlier, so he wants all materials finalized in thirty minutes. Not sixty.”

...
THIRTY?!

Dogday muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a swear. “Okay. Great. Amazing.”

‘We’ve got this.’ I signed, already turning back to the document stack.

He gave me a quick nod, all fluster gone, replaced by that sharp, competent look he always wore when things got serious.

Hoppy started backing out of the room. “Good luck~ You two lovebirds better hustle before Baba Chops shows up early and eats someone alive.”

‘You’re not helping.’

“Bye~” she said, slamming the door shut behind her.

Dogday groaned. “Why is she like that?”

I smirked.

‘Because we let her be.’

He grinned despite himself and grabbed a pen. “Okay. Let’s finish strong.”

We turned back to the last slide deck and double-checked every graph, every figure, every line of the proposal. The air buzzed with quiet urgency. Outside, footsteps moved faster, Department A was kicking into high gear.

But inside this little meeting room?

It was just us.

And every now and then, when he thought I wasn’t looking, he’d sneak one more glance.

And this time?

I let him.

But~ anyways.

I started fixing my uniform as I glanced over at Dogday.

He was... nervous. Really nervous. His hands were visibly shaking now, fingers twitching slightly against the edge of the table.

I didn’t say anything.

But I needed to do something.

Quietly, I stepped behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my head gently between his shoulder.

He flinched at first.
“N-Nap?”

“It’s all going to be alright, okay?” I murmured.

“I’m fine-”

“No. You’re not. And it’s obvious. Don’t lie to me.”

He sighed, and I felt the tension drain just a little from his shoulders. His hand reached up and gently cradled my head, petting softly.

“Sorry... This is just nerve-wracking.”

“I know,” I whispered. “But I’m here. We’ll do this together.”

He took a deep breath.

Another.

His breathing began to slow.

“Thanks,” he mumbled. “Really.”

I let go, stepping back as he checked his watch.
“Welp... only five minutes left.”

“We can handle this.”

Just then...

*Knock knock knock.*

The door creaked open.

And there she was.

Baba Chops.

Dressed in a sleek, deep black-purple blazer, custom fit, her own brand, of course. With Silver cuffs that somehow made everyone else in the building look underdressed. 

Her presence? Fucking intimidating.

She didn’t need to raise her voice. Didn’t need an introduction.

The air in the room shifted on its own.

“Good morning, ma’am,” Dogday said with a practiced calm.

Only I could hear the slight strain beneath it.

Baba Chops gave him a single nod, her gaze sweeping across the room with the precision of a hawk. Her expression unreadable. She moved like she’d already decided how the meeting would end. She sat at the far end of the table, placing her cane beside her without a sound.

Dogday straightened slightly, ears at attention.

“Ma’am,” he said, “Do you prefer that we use sign language or vocal?”

She signed in smooth, deliberate motions:

“Whichever you are most comfortable with.”

Dogday nodded, bowing his head briefly in respect. Then he took a slow breath and began.

“This is Catnap,” he said, gesturing to me. “They’re our department’s newest analyst and my co-presenter for today.”

...

“And... someone I trust with the heart of this pitch.”

Uh… Sir?

My ears twitched. He gave me the faintest smile, and I had to resist the very real and very unprofessional urge to melt into the carpet tiles.

Baba Chops gave a small, almost imperceptible smirk.

The good kind.

She signed:

“Begin when ready.”

Dogday glanced at me.

I nodded.

Showtime.

He stepped forward and began the first half of the presentation.

He laid out the scope and structure for the new branch launch. Location plans, zoning clearance timelines, and preliminary contractor bids. Then the projected labor force needs, local partnerships, and the site’s alignment with the firm’s five-year development plan. He even threw in a slide about eco-compliant infrastructure, which wasn’t technically required, but probably won us points.

He... Was steady and confident.

All that tension from earlier was gone.

He found his footing. Maybe he’d always had it, and just needed the right floor to stand on.

I stood beside him, shifting through slides and translating key points into sign with practiced rhythm.

And then, he turned to me.

“All yours, ’Nap.”

I stepped forward.

Deep breath.

Let’s do this.

I started off with the demographic analysis, target ranges, projected trends, some very pretty pie charts. 
...
Baba Chops said nothing.

I think she only blinked once the entire time I was speaking. Respectfully... Like a predatory bird.

Meanwhile, Dogday stood just behind me, watching like he was holding his breath. His posture was perfect. His tail was trying not to wag. His eyes stayed on me the whole time, like I was the presentation.

I didn’t let myself smile. (Okay. Maybe a little.)

When I closed out, I stepped back beside him. We both bowed slightly in unison.

Silence.

Then,

Baba Chops signed, “Is that everything?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Dogday said.

Another pause.

She looked down at her notepad. A single page. One line written on it. She tapped her pen twice, then set it aside with a soft click.

“Thank you.”

We both nodded, trying not to look too eager for praise. The air was still thick with unspoken evaluation. She adjusted the cuffs of her blazer and rose with a quiet elegance that still managed to feel like thunder.

“The pitch is structured adequately.”

...Adequately?

She picked up her cane and paused in the doorway.

Then turned to us again.

“However.”

There it is.

“There is a difference between presenting information and guiding vision. You gave me your numbers, but not your conviction.”

Dogday opened his mouth... then closed it.

I took half a step forward, but she raised one hand.

“I want to be sure that this is stable offer."

She tapped her cane against the floor once.

“We’ll have a follow-up tomorrow morning. I expect your own opinions.”

She didn't wait for a response.

She just walked out.

Silence.

I exhaled only when I was sure she was out of earshot. Dogday let out a quiet groan and collapsed into one of the chairs, hands over his face.

"Adequately," he muttered. "That’s worse than bad. That’s polite bad. That's..."

I slid into the chair beside him. ‘You did amazing.’

He peeked through his fingers at me. “Don’t lie to me.”

‘You really did. She just... wanted something else.’

He tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling, “Do you think she was testing us?”

I hesitated.

‘...Maybe. Not about the numbers, though.’

His gaze dropped back to me. Focused. “What, then?”

Before I could answer, the door opened again.

Hoppy stuck her head in. “Sooo... how’d it go?”

Dogday didn’t move. “I need five minutes.”

“...Oof. That bad?”

I signed, ‘We’re fine. She wants another meet-up tomorrow morning.’

Hoppy winced. “Yikes. That’s a her-style second chance. You know what that means, right?”

Dogday sat up slowly. “That she hated it but thinks we’re fixable?”

“No. That she wants to like you but you haven’t earned it yet,” she said, slipping inside fully now. “Baba Chops doesn’t hand out extra meetings for fun. You do know, she’s been making rounds to all the construction firms lately. You think you're the only ones she’s seeing?”

Kickin poked his head in under her arm. “Guys, she looked at me in the hallway and I almost passed out. She has demon eyes. Am... am I going to get possessed?”

“She’s been bored,” Hoppy said, ignoring him. “That’s the worst thing for someone like her. All these people bending over backwards to impress her, and nobody’s had the guts to actually say something.”

Dogday blinked. “Say what?”

“Anything real,” she shrugged. "She's looking for a company that tells the truth. Not just basing off of data."

Dogday and I exchanged a glance.

Hoppy sighed, "Look, I may be... A sick-ass cool bitch. But, when it comes to people, I know a bit more."

His ears twitched.

I signed slowly, ‘We played it safe.’

I stood, stretching a little. Dogday followed, still looking somewhere between stunned and thoughtful.

Hoppy squinted at him. “You okay, loverboy?”

He sighed. “Define ‘okay.’”

“Oh good, so he’s still dramatic,” Hoppy said brightly.

Dogday glanced over at me. “You wanna go to the lounge?”

I nodded. Some food... or coffee... sounds absolutely fantastic right now.

“Hey, can... we come too?” Kickin asked, peeking around Hoppy’s arm.

“No.”
Dogday paused, then added, “I’m joking. Yeah, sure.”

We headed out, Hoppy and Kickin following behind us like two hyper interns on a snack mission.

The hallway felt colder somehow. Quieter. I glanced up at the office wall clock... 4:30.

Well. That took longer than expected.

Dogday was staring at the floor as we walked. Shoulders tense, ears slightly drooped. I reached out and took his hand. That got him to look at me.

We didn’t say anything. We didn’t need to.
That was the point.

He opened the lounge door and...
What the hell?

Massage chairs... A full-on snack bar and-are those... freshly baked scones?

Dogday, of course, wasn’t even surprised. Of course he wasn’t. Department A veteran privileges.

Meanwhile, Hoppy and Kickin beelined for the snack table with 101% enthusiasm. 

Dogday just dropped onto one of the couches, hands folded, eyes distant. 

I sat beside him and signed gently, ‘You okay?’

“I-”
‘Actually, no. Don’t answer that.’

I paused.

‘Want me to stay with you tonight?’

He hesitated. “That’d... you don’t need to-”

‘I insist.’

I leaned in closer.

‘Remember what you told me when you confessed?’

He didn’t say anything.

So I did.

‘That you’re always comfortable with me.’

He exhaled. Shoulders slowly unclenching.

“I just... I don’t want to be a bother.”

‘You’re never a bother. You’re mine now. Don’t you ever forget that.’

His eyes softened.

“I love you.”

He leaned in and kissed me. Just for a second.

(I wanted it to be longer. But~ we’re still at work.)

Maybe later... hehe.

We sat in silence as Dogday stretched out across the couch, resting his head on my lap. I ran my fingers through his hair slowly while his eyes drifted closed.

THIS. IS. THE. BEST.
The beauty of boyfriend privilages.

I didn’t think he was fully asleep, but I also wouldn’t be surprised. Across the room, Kickin was half-melted into one of the massage chairs. Hoppy, meanwhile, was still going to town on a family-size bag of chips like she hadn’t eaten in a week.

*Bzzt.* 
My phone buzzed.

5:00 PM.
That was... a pretty productive day, if I say so myself.

“Dogday?” I whispered, giving his shoulder a gentle tap.

...

...

...

Okay. Yeah. He’s out cold.

I carefully shifted his head off my lap and onto a pillow, then stood up and tiptoed over to Hoppy. I tapped her shoulder.

‘Could you help me get Dogday back home?’

“Why, wha-” She glanced over and immediately got it. “Oh. Yeah. Of course.”

‘I’m staying with him tonight.’

“What? Wait... okay, fine. But what about laundry? We don’t have uniforms for tomorrow!”

‘I’ll text you how to do it.’

...

...

...

‘On second thought... just bring the dirty clothes to Dogday’s place. I’m sure he has a washing machine.’

I love Hoppy, but I’m not trusting her with a dial setting.

“Thanks, ’Nap.”

She stretched, cracking her knuckles. “Now... shall we get puppy home?”

I gave her a thumbs-up just as the massage chair let out a soft ding and slowly returned to its upright position, kicking Kickin back into consciousness.

“Where you guys going?” he asked, blinking.

“We’re taking Dogday home,” Hoppy said, already gathering her bag.

Kickin sat up straighter. “Need any help?”

Hoppy glanced between him and Dogday, then nodded. “Actually, yeah. Can you help Catnap carry him while I head back to grab our clothes?”

“No problemo~”

“Thanks, Kicks.”

Kickin saluted. “I’ve been training for this exact moment.”

'Gently' I signed, Kickin didn't know what it meant, but he understood.

Kickin made a face like I had ruined his fantasy. “Okay~ Fine.”

We got to work. Dogday stirred a little when Kickin lifted him up, muttering something about brownies. His head lolled against my shoulder.

“Poor guy’s totally wiped,” Kickin whispered.

We made our way out of the building, the sunset casting long shadows through the empty hallways. Hoppy peeled off at the intersection to grab the laundry, calling out, “I’ll meet you guys there!”

The trip to Dogday’s house wasn’t long, just a few blocks away. But the weight of the day made every step feel like we were moving through a snow storm. Kickin kept quiet, thankfully, probably sensing that the moment didn’t need any jokes.

And then, 

...

It’s locked.

WHY THE FUCK DID I LOCK IT.

“Uh... dude? What are we gonna do?”

I gave a long, dramatic sigh and motioned for him to follow me around back. We snuck through the small side gate (which creaked like a haunted door, by the way), and, yes. The back door was unlocked. Dogday really needs to work on his home security.

But! It is working in our favor right now so~
Hehe

We stepped inside and navigated quietly through the familiar space. I led Kickin to the bedroom and helped settle Dogday down on the bed. He shifted just slightly, then went still again.

I exhaled. Crisis avoided.

‘Thanks,’ I signed.

Kickin gave me a little two-finger salute and smiled. “I’ll head out first, yeah?”

I nodded.

...

Now, it’s just us.

I knew I didn’t want to do anything. Not tonight. He’s already done enough. 
"You don’t have to act like you’re the strong one all the time, you know?"
"You can fall apart too. You don’t always have to smile or say it’s fine. Not with me."

I laid down next to him, staring at his sleeping face.
Cupping his cheek... It was warm. 

"You're never a burden. Or a bother. Okay? You’re just... you. And that’s enough."

I pressed my forehead gently to his and-

...

Nope. Nope nope nope nope.

That’s not normal heat.

I pulled my hand back and pressed it to his forehead.

...

He’s burning up.

Okay... okay.
Uh...

What do I do?

What the fuck do I do?

Okay, think. School health class? Useless. 
Uhh.... Oh! Don't they cool them off first?

I sat up and started carefully unbuttoning his uniform shirt. My hands were only shaking a little.

I peeled off his jacket and... resisted the temptation to smell it (which was, frankly, a heroic effort). Then slipped off his pants, leaving just his white undershirt and boxers.

Okay. Step one: cool him down.

Step two... 
...
In movies they put a wet towel over their forehead right?

I opened his cabinet. No towels. Not even a washcloth.

Why does this man have no towels? How does he shower? Does he just air-dry in front of the mirror while flexing?

Okay.
Focus.

I grabbed the tiniest shirt I could find... looked like it belonged to a toddler, and dashed into the kitchen. Wet it under the sink, wrung it out, then rushed back and laid it gently over his forehead.

Okay.
Okay. That’s... something. Right?

I looked at him. 
Right. Meds.

I pulled out my phone and texted Hoppy.

Green leach

Hey hopps? You still at our apartment?

Yeah, Y?

Could you get me some meds for a fever?

Kay. 
For who though?

DD

"Just a little bit more, 'Day."

I waited.
And waited.
...

And waited.

I checked the time.
5:45.

WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU, HOPPY?!
IT’S BEEN FORTY-FIVE MINUTES-

*Knock knock knock.*

Oh. There she is.

I practically flew to the door and opened it.

‘Where are the meds?’
“Is it urgen-”
‘Give. Them. To. Me.’
“Alright, geez…”

She handed them over, and I grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen before returning to Dogday. He was still out, forehead still warm. I gently tapped his shoulder.

“Haa... huh?”

“Oh my god... I feel like I’ve just been hit by a truck.”

“Drink these.”

I gave him the meds. He obeyed without a fuss. If there’s one thing I know about paracetamol, it’s every six hours. 

“Get some rest, okay 'Day?”

“I love you,” he murmured.

He gathered all his strength just to kiss me on the cheek...
And then... yup.
He was out again.

I stood there for a second, just watching him. 
He was breathing small breaths but... He looked peaceful.
...
I could watch him breath all day and still be entertained.
But...
Then I went to find Hoppy.

She was by the laundry basket, dropping in our dirty clothes.

‘What do you wanna eat?’

“Taco Bell?”

She made a face.

“Actually, no…”

We both paused... and just knew.

At the exact same moment:

“Jollibee.”
‘Jollibee.’

We grinned.

‘You go and order takeout while I start the laundry, okay?’
“Yeah, suresure.”
‘Get some sopas for Dogday. Since their portions are tiny, make it two.’
“Your treat?”

...

‘Yeah. But next time, it’s yours.’

She laughed and grabbed her phone, plopping down on the sofa to place the order.

As for me?
Laundry duty.

Can I just say, this is probably one of the most confusing washing machines I’ve ever touched. Like, ever.

Or maybe... I’m just too used to ours.
Hehe.

Still! I figured it out.
Pressed all the right buttons (eventually), and it started rumbling to life.

“It should be here in 25 minutes!” Hoppy called from the other room.

The next 25 minutes were just me running around the place cleaning up. Hoppy… well… let’s just say she helped maintain the carbon dioxide levels in the house.

The place was kind of a mess, but… I get it. I’m not gonna pretend I don’t know why.

It’s obvious Dogday’s been stressed about the meeting. He probably didn’t have the energy or the mindset to deal with chores.

Maybe… I should move in.

Okay! That’s just a thought, but~ it would save me a bunch on rent.

And… we could share a bed!

But… ha… too many variables.

Anyhows~

The doorbell rang, and Hoppy went to open it. I’d already given her the money earlier, so it wasn’t a scramble.

She brought the food to the table and set it out.

The smell of the fried chicken. Is. Amazing.

"You wanna eat, Catnap?"

...

‘I think I’ll wait for Dogday. It’s better if he has someone to eat with him.’

"So you don’t want to eat with me?"

She gave me the baby eyes.

‘No.’

“Well… you’re forgetting me now that you’ve got Dogday…”

‘Don’t gaslight me.’

...

‘Okay… fine. I’ll sit with you while eating fries.’

“Yay!”

We ate for what felt like half an hour. Hoppy had gone all out. Two two-piece chicken meals with rice and mashed potatoes, three peach mango pies, and three orders of fries.
Honestly? Pretty balanced.

I checked in on Dogday between bites. Still asleep. 

After eating, Hoppy packed up and headed back to our apartment. She gave me a little salute on her way out.
"Text me if anything happens, yeah?"

I nodded.

Now, the house was mostly clean. Except for the dining table, but honestly? That could wait.
Right now, I only had one thing to do. Wait for Dogday to wake up.

I tiptoed into his room and found him in the same position, the towel still slightly damp on his forehead.

I sat beside the bed, careful not to wake him.
I could wait.
...Though if he didn’t wake up by 8, I need to wake him up. He can't survive on love and paracetamol only.

It... It was all so quiet.
I laid down beside him just like earlier.
He looked… peaceful.

And then... finally, a quiet groan escaped him, and his eyelids fluttered open.

"Hey..."
"Good morning, sunshine."
"Sunshine? That’s new."

Heh.

"How are you feeling?"
He took a deep breath. "A little tired, but I'm doing better."

I didn’t need to say anything. I just cupped his cheek and smiled.
I think he got the message.

"You wanna eat?"
"What are we having?"
"Me."

He blinked. Visibly stunned. A flush of red crept across his face.

"Oh come on, you can't be the only one who says those things," I said, grinning.
He laughed. One of those soft, real ones that made everything worth it.

"You wanna eat at the table or here?"
"Hm..." He stretched an arm, wincing just a little.
"I wanna stretch my legs a bit."
"Then come on," I said, already offering my hand. "I'll help you."

He reached out and let me pull him up slowly. Still warm, still a bit wobbly, but his grip was steady.
We moved at his pace, step by step toward the dining table.

As we sat down, he looked over the food, wide-eyed.
“You weren’t kidding. This is a feast.”
“Yeah, and you’re gonna eat all of it. Doctor’s orders.”
“I don’t remember seeing you in a lab coat.”
“I don’t need a license to love you properly,” I said as I opened the container of soup.

He leaned over slightly, squinting at it like it might bite him.
“What is that?”
“Basically macaroni soup.”
“Is it good?”
“You’ll find out~ I made it just for you.”

He gave me a look. “Yeahhh, the food in a fast-food bag is food you made.”
“Hey, give me this moment!”

He chuckled and shook his head, still a bit groggy but smiling now. The fever must’ve gone down.

I grabbed a plastic spoon, scooped up some of the sopas, and brought it close to his lips.
“Say ahh~”

He gave me a very unimpressed look. “Are you serious right now?”
“Deadly.”
“Fine. Ahh.”

I gently slipped the spoon into his mouth, and he took it with minimal dramatics. 
Which is already a win, honestly.

Then…
“OoO~ Okay. That’s... wow. That’s amazing.”
“Told you.”
He let out a pleased hum and leaned back in his seat. “You’re spoiling me.”
“Damn right I am.”

I handed him the spoon this time, letting him eat at his own pace while I picked at the fries. He didn’t rush, he never really does when it comes to eating. 

I think the worst of the fever passed.

"Did you clean up around the house too?" he asked between bites.
"Yup. You were a bit of a tornado, by the way."
"Ah, yeah... sorry."
"Don't be. Just letting you know next time you spiral, I charge an hourly rate."

He grinned at that, setting the spoon down. "I’ll pay in cuddles."
"Tempting. But I prefer payment in shares of your bed."

He let out a little wheeze-laugh and shook his head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“And you’re lucky.”

He looked at me for a long moment. That quiet kind of look. 

“Thanks for staying,” he said. 
“I always will.”

And honestly?

This was perfect.

After a while, he pushed the soup away and leaned against me.
“I think I’m gonna pass out again.”
“Go ahead. I’ll finish the fries and watch over you like an angelic nurse.”

He chuckled against my shoulder, and I ran my fingers gently through his fur.

“Hey…” he mumbled, already drifting.
“Mm?”
“I love you.”

I smiled, kissed the top of his head, and whispered, “I know.”

Chapter Text

(This is directly after chapter 9)

"Sleep well, 'Day."

I still haven't eaten yet, but... I feel full just looking at him...
NOT IN A CREEPY WAY.
But... I don’t know.

I just want to look at him for a little bit.

I slowly reach out and pinch off a small piece of chicken.
Juicy.
As expected.
Especially from Jollibee.

Anyway, he still smells a little like soup.
I should probably get him cleaned up.
If I lift him now, would he wake up?

...

Well, it's better than his back feeling like crap tomorrow.

I carefully lift his head, then brace myself-
Okay.
Time to lift.

...
I forgot... he doesn’t weigh much.

"Hm..."
I freeze. Is he waking up?

He opens one eye, slow and heavy-lidded.
"Nap...?"

"Just keep sleeping, sunshine."

"Hehe... I can’t. Not with such a handsome cat holding me~"

...
COME ON, YOU JUST WOKE UP AND YOU STILL HAVE THE ENERGY TO FLIRT?!

...
I still love it though.

"Where do you want to sleep tonight? On the couch or outside?"

"Na-ap~! I'm joking~!"
He flailed like a fish out of water.

"I know you are, silly."
I nuzzle his nose, and he giggles.

"Naaap~!"

"Okay, okay~ Let me get you to the couch."

He smiled like the dawn of a thousand suns.
I gently carry him over and lie down with him curled on top of me.
This... is comfortable. Not gonna lie.

"Want me to sing you a lullaby, baby~?"

He laughs, covering his face with one hand.
"You don't need to, 'Nap."

I gently cup his cheek.

Okay, in all honesty, I was feeling pretty warm.
Because...

Well...

He was pretty hot.

...

In a literal way.
...
(Also in THAT way.)

"Remember when I told you about my first crush?" 
He looked at me, still with sleepy eyes.

"Yeah... That girl from elementary school, right?"

...

He looked at me, confused.
"Oh come on, don't be jealous, ‘Nap... it was almost two decades ago~"

I’m not jealous...
Wait-
Why am I blushing?!

"I'm not jealous, 'Day."
I laughed it off, trying to not make him uncomfortable.

"You sure? I'm sorry, ‘Nap... I won't bring her up again." 

"No, you don't have to. It's all part of the past anyways."

"What about yours, ‘Nap?"

"What do you mean?"
I tilted my head.

"I mean... your elementary school days."

...

...

...

I don't really want to remember those days...

...

...

...

"‘Nap, you don't have to if you don't wanna."

"No... it's just... hard to talk about."
I turn away from facing him.

"I'll give you time. I'm sorry for asking."

"No! It's okay! You don't need to apologize, sunshine."

"You know... where did you get the name sunshine?"

"I don't know... But you remind me of... y’know? A ball of energy? ...I can't explain it."

He giggled before looking into my eyes.

"Well..."
...

"If I'm your sunshine... then you're my moon."

"That's cringeeeeeee."

"Hey! You started it by calling me sunshine."

"That's true..."

"Maybe I’ll call you Sun?"

"I’ll be content with anything, Moon."

AHHHHHHH
OKAY. I DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE SO CUTE WHEN HE SAYS IT.

"Okay... and... back to my elementary days... it was... hard, to say the least."

"Why, Moon?"

He rests his cheek on my chest, looking up at me with that soft little face of his.

"I was a really energetic kid. Like, always raising my hand. But it didn’t matter what I did. I’d try to help with group stuff, get involved, even just answer a question, and they’d make fun of me. Say I was being annoying. Or acting like I was better than everyone."

...

"I always got teased with the name 'Bida bida' Cause they said I was always acting like I was the main character and that the world revolved around me. Even though... I just wanted to help."

"They’d always talk over me. Laugh when I got stuff wrong. Even when I didn’t, they'd roll their eyes. I don't remember everything... Just the way it made me feel."

...
My throat tightens just thinking about it
...

"It got bad. Like... I didn't... couldn’t even talk anymore."

"I felt like if I said the wrong thing, even once, everyone would tear me apart."

...

Tears started welling up in my eyes.
But... yeah.
This is something I never really said before. Well...
Except to my parents, who-
...
...
...
...
They don’t matter right now.

I feel so... comfortable talking to Dogday about this.
I didn’t even tell Hoppy about this. 
I just told her I didn’t like to talk.

Why-
Why am I so comfortable with him?
Why am I tearing up even though it happened so long ago?
Why...
Why did I let myself-

"'Nap."
I flinch a little. Look up.
"I understand."

...

Those words...

They mean so much.

He-
He hugged me. Tight.

"I understand,"
"But you don’t need to be scared anymore. I’ll always be with you. Always."

"No matter what anyone else says... I’ll be here."
"You didn’t deserve to be treated like that."

...

...

I close my eyes.
His arms around me feel safer than anything has in years.
I press my face into his shoulder, trying not to cry too hard. Just breathe.
It’s okay now.

He understands.

I...
I always pushed this down.
This is the first time I’ve actually said it.
Not just out loud. But in a way that felt… real.

That I was comfortable saying it.
That I meant it.

Something about this... makes me believe I actually… belong.
With him.
To him.

There’s really no better way to explain it.
I’ve never felt so wanted. So understood.

"...Are you not tired of me yet?"

He didn’t even blink.

"...I’ll never get tired of you, Moon."

I hugged him tight. 
My tears spilling over, soaking into his shirt.
But he didn’t pull away.
He held me like he meant it. Like he wasn’t going anywhere.

“No matter how many times you rant, open up, or don’t… I’ll always be here for you. Every single day. Week. Month. I’m here. For all of it.”

...

...

...

We lay there, saying nothing.
But somehow…
This moment spoke louder than anything we could ever say.

His hand rubbed soft circles on my back.
My breathing slowed.

"You know, Moon?" he said, voice quiet but smiling.

"Hm?"

"If I’d met you in college or high school, I think I would’ve fallen in love with you then."

I snorted softly. "Corny."

"I’m serious."

"...Where’d you go for high school, anyway?"

"Playtime High."

"P-Playtime?! Are you serious?! Why didn’t I see you back then?!"

He lifted his head a little, squinting. "Wait… You went there too?"

"Yeah, I was there all four years."

"There’s no way we didn’t cross paths."

"Did you join any clubs?"

"I mean... Not a ton. I was in the debate team for a while. And the music club. I played the ukelele a few times during those weird school programs."

"Wait... YOU were the one who played the ukelele?"

"A little bit, yeah. Why? Surprised?"

"I would’ve remembered if I heard how you played. You’re way too good."

"Stop~"

"No, seriously- how did I not notice you?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Moon."

"I mean... I was mostly just in my classroom. When I did do something outside of class, it was just to watch Hoppy's sports matches."

I looked at him for a long time after that.
We didn't say anything...
But our eyes were the ones doing the talking.

He-
He's so...
Amazing.

Never in a million years would I have imagined or seen him being my boyfriend.
...
...Husband?

Oooooh-
That’s a name I want to call him soon.

"Maybe..."

Hm...?
What was he thinking?

"Maybe we were fated. Y’know? Fated to meet now and... not then."

"You know... I don't believe in fate. But, I believe my future is you, Sun."

"Oh! Come on! You can't say it like that while using your deep voice!"

"Why~? You don't like it?"

"...No. I do..."

He pouted cutely.

"I like your voice too, y’know?"

I gently pet his head, which made him curl up even more on my chest.

"It's so soothing."

"Aww, don't flatter me, Moon."

"...I remember something from high school, Sun."

"And what's that?"

"...There was this one day it rained so hard they canceled last period."

I glanced at him. He stayed quiet, just listening.
"I didn’t have an umbrella, so I just waited it out under the walkway near the music room. Most of the other students had already left. I sat there for, like... thirty minutes. Just watching the rain."

His hand relaxed over my stomach.

"It was the first time I didn’t feel rushed to do anything. Where I could take my time and just... feel everything around me without needing to think about anything."

I ran my paw through his hair, slow and soft.
"I think about that moment a lot, actually. Not because anything big happened. But because it was one of the few times I remember feeling... like myself." I said gently "...You still feel like that sometimes?" 

I turned, met his gaze.

He was already looking at me, his eyes soft and gleaming.

"I feel that way too sometimes," he said. "But... I especially feel it right now.
With you, Moon."

I let out a small laugh, almost breathless from the warmth swelling up in my chest.
"I love you, Sun."

He blushed and buried himself into my chest like he was trying to melt into me.
This... this moment is just perfect.
I wouldn't exchange it for anything in the world.

Also...
I'm never washing this shirt.

...

He suddenly paused. Then, very slowly, he lifted his head to look at me.

"...Can I tell you something a little embarrassing?"

"You’re already lying on top of me and drooling into my shirt. What’s more embarrassing than that?"

He gave a quiet snort.

"I’m not drooling."

"You are."

"...Okay, maybe a little."

I smiled.
He glared at me without much commitment behind it.

"I used to imagine this"

...what?

I looked at him tilting my head.

"No- I mean, not you back then since- ughhh. Sorry, nevermind. I knew it sounded dumb."

"Hey." I used my paw to have him look at me. "It's not. Okay? Tell me."

He giggled before continuing, "Having, well... This, y'know? Having someone to hold and tell things to. And... To actually have one who cares and listens."

...
I love him.

"I didn’t think I’d ever actually get that. I thought maybe I wasn’t... someone people wanted like that."

My chest tightened

"...Sun."

"I told you it was embarrassing."

"It’s not."

I leaned in and pressed my forehead to his.
"It’s not embarrassing. It’s beautiful. And you do deserve it."

"Even with the embarrasing moments?"

"Always."

He gave a soft little laugh.

"I really like being yours, y’know?" he whispered.
"It feels like something I didn’t even know I needed until I had it."

I held him a little tighter.

"...Me too."

We let the silence settle in, soft and warm like a blanket. Just being here, in each other's arms, was enough.

His tail slowly swayed behind him. And...
Can I just say...
Him breathing is so cute.
It’s so freaking cute.
Like, it’s just like a puppy. I mean, well, he is a puppy, but literally- 
his slow, airy breaths are just so cu-

“Hey, Moon?”

"...Hmm?"

“Do you... ever think about the future?”

“Yeah... Sometimes.”

“What do you see?”

Well... didn’t expect that.

He kept his eyes on me, still shimmering with love. Waiting.

“I guess... times like this. You curled up next to me, still asleep. And maybe... I’d brush your hair while you snore into my shirt.”

“Okay... Creepy~”

“Hey! You asked-”

“I’m joking~ What else, Moon?”

I exhaled, smiling as I rubbed his back gently.

“I want to see us fighting about breakfast and arguing over who used the last of the milk. You pretending to be tired and then doing midnight karaoke. I wanna lie next to you under the stars and...” I paused. His eyes were locked on mine. “S-Sorry. I’m yapping.”

“No... It’s fine. You-”

“Everything I see in the future... you’re in it. Wherever I go, it’s with you, Sun.”

“I want that too.”

He snuggled closer, burying his head in my chest. His arms tightened around my waist like he was afraid I’d slip away.

“Do you... Would you still love me even if I’m not like this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Not... cute. Or charming. Just... tired. Or grumpy. Or... I don’t know. Different.”

I almost laughed. But the way he said it, so quietly, so unsure... I got it. I really did.

“I’ll always love you. Even on the days when it’s hard to get out of bed. When everything feels heavy. When it seems like the world’s falling apart. I’ll love every version of you, even the ones I haven’t met yet.”

He didn’t blink. Just stared at me like I was something sacred. Like I’d said exactly what he needed.

I cupped his cheek.

“There’s no version of you I wouldn’t choose. Now or later... it’s you. Always.”

He trembled a little. I felt it right before-

He kissed me.

He tasted like leftover soup but it didn’t matter. My heart felt full. His lips on mine felt like the world slowing down just for us. 

Passion. That’s the only word I can use.

When we finally pulled apart, we stayed close. Breathing each other in.

“You’re stuck with me now. You do know that, right?” he mumbled, nuzzling under my chin again.

“And I wouldn’t choose anyone else to be stuck with. Not in a million years.”

He let out a small hum, relaxing into me. I could feel him start to melt into sleep.

“…You’re warm,” he whispered.

“So are you.”

...

“…Do you think… I’ll still make you happy five years from now?” he asmed, his eyes looking away from me

I didn’t even hesitate.
“You already make me happy. If five years from now is just more nights like this... then I’ll be the luckiest person alive.”

He sniffled a little, but didn’t say anything else. Just hugged me tighter.

The room was quiet again. Except for the sound of his tail gently thudding against the blanket, and his breathing. Slower now. Calmer.

I kissed his hair and felt him smile against my chest.

“…Goodnight, Sun.”

A soft murmur: “Goodnight… Moon.”

And just like that, we both drifted off. Wrapped in each other.

Together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...
...
...

Of course.
...
...
...

Of course I was the one to wake up first.

Ha...
Not that I’m mad about it, I still have this amazing sight in front of me.
...
His stream of drool is making a little wet spot on my shirt...

hehe.

We still both haven’t showered yet.
But...

I don’t really care, ’cause he still smells like vanilla.
...
Hmm...
I wonder what he thinks of my scent?

Looking at the clock, it’s... 4:14.
Pretty early...

We still have that meeting later with Baba Chops to close the deal for the company.
What if...
What if...
What if we just... don’t show up?

We’d probably both lose our jobs.
I unconsciously giggle.

“Mmph... Morning, Moon...”
He noticed my smile.
“What are you laughing at so early in the morning?”

I brushed it off. “Nothing...” then giggled.

“I love it when you laugh, Moon.” He paused. “Wanna take the day off?”

“Sun... We’re probably going to get fired.”

“Means more time together,” he giggled before leaving a peck on my cheek.

“It’s so early...”

I brought my face close to his.

“You smell like a used towel wiped on the counter. With vanilla.”

He looked at me dramatically.
“Okay... Weirdly specific, but rude.”

"But~ it's true."

“Moon, you also need to take a shower.”

“No. We need to take a shower.”

“But it’s so earlyyyyyyy. Can’t it wait until later?”

“Sun.”

“No.”

“Sun.”
I pressed my voice down, made it firmer.
...
Haven’t done that in a while. Hehe.

“Moon~...”

“Sun. We need to.”

He went quiet.

“Only if you come with me.”

...

D-Day?!?!!??!?
WHATTTT.

“B-But we only-”

“Do you think I care?”

“Sun, it’s too early for us to-”

“Then I’m not getting off of you.”

“Sun~...”
This is going to be the death of me.

“Make your choice, Moon.”

His voice was serious. But that little teasing grin gave him away.

“But-”

“1... 2...”

OH MY GOD.
WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?!?
It’s too early in our relationship to be-

“4... 5...”

FUCK.
CATNAP, THINK.

“7... 8...”

DOGDAYYYYY.

“9...”

“OKAY!!”

He smirked like he just won the lottery. “See~? Wasn’t that hard, right, Moon?”

“Sun...”

“Oh come on. Don’t tell me you didn’t want to.”

“It’s just so...”

“Are you uncomfortable with it?”

“No. I just thought you’d be... I don’t know....”

He gave me a look.
A full-on ‘Are you serious?’ face.

“Okay, Sun...”
I sighed, defeated. 

(And maybe a tiny bit excited.)

He got up and dragged my nervous ass across the living room to the bathroom, where he opened one of the cabinets with towels.

He looked at me... still in a daze.

But-
 COME ON. WHO WOULDN’T BE?!

It’s... going to be my first time...

“You still shy, Moon?”

...

“Moon?”

“H-Huh?”

“If you're uncomfortable, just say it. I won't force you.”

“No. I-I can do this.”

“Then I’m gonna get the shower ready.”

He peeled off his shirt, and I completely panicked.

HA... STOP.

Stop thinking about it.

He crouched down to set the heater, all casual like this wasn’t the biggest moment of my life. Because obviously no one wants to shower with cold water at 4 FUCKING A.M.

Everything about this is just... sending me into overdrive.

I took off my shirt too, now just in my boxers.

The second he turned the knob, a rush of steam rolled out.

“Hey, Moon?” he called gently, checking the water.

“It’s ready. Come in."

YEAH, SURE DAY.
JUST CASUALLY INVITE ME TO COMBUST INTERNALLY.

“O-Okay…”

He smiled at me softly, and somehow that made everything feel less terrifying. Gently, he reached out, pulling me into the shower with him, and wrapped his arms around me from behind.

“See? That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“I-I guess it wasn’t…”

He leaned his chin on my shoulder. “I just want you to remember that I’m comfortable with you, okay?”

“Yes, Sun…”

I shifted a little to look at him. The water streamed down his body, and...
okay, listen, I’m not trying to be weird, but he looked really good with his hair down.

“Moon?” he said, catching my gaze.
Then immediately started flexing his arms like an idiot.

“You like what you see?” he teased.

I laughed, “You’re more cute than hot, Sun.”

“Moon~!” he whined, dramatically clutching his imaginary pearls. But then he calmed down.
“So… is it shampoo or conditioner day?”

“Hm… Conditioner.”

I reached out my paw to take the bottle, but he pulled it back with a grin.

“Oooh, no, Moon~ I’m doing it for you.”

My face practically caught fire.
“I-I can do it myself, Sun-”

“No excuses.”

He squeezed a bit onto his paw. “Turn around, Moon.”

I obeyed, cheeks still warm, and he started massaging it into my hair with slow, careful motions.

It was… strangely quiet. Peaceful.

This was the first time anyone had ever washed my hair for me. He was gentle. 
My eyes fluttered closed. I let myself lean back just a little.

I heard the squirt of the conditioner bottle, then felt his paws gently working it into my back.

It's... definitely different.
But... I like it.

"Why are you... so good at this?"

"You say that like it's surprising," he giggled.

"Cause it is."

"Well~ you better get used to it. This is going to be daily."

"Hey! I'm not moving in... Well... not yet at least."

"After this... will you let me do you?"

"Of course! Unless... you don't want to..."
His tone grew quiet.

"Come on, Sun. It's only right that I would."

It was so relaxing. Not gonna lie.

After he finished with me, he handed me the shampoo bottle.

"Shampoo?"

"Yeah, I just conditioned my hair yesterday."

As I started lathering it into his head, I teased,
"How did you have time? Is that why you left your door open yesterday?"

"H-Huh?!"

"Yeah, you left it open. Me and Hoppy saw it on our way to work and closed it."

"Oh shoot. Thanks, Moon."

"Are you just prone to having your stuff stolen?"

"No... I–It’s just that... maybe I was too excited yesterday to see you, I rushed out."

...

T-That makes sense.

"Well~ you couldn’t spend half a day without looking at this face, could you, Sun?"

"Moon~!"

With both of us soaped up and giggling like idiots, we turned the shower back on, water washing over us like nothing in the world existed outside this warm, Foggy little space.

...
...
...
...
...

“Moon? You’re spacing out again,” he said with a smile, carefully washing behind my ears.

“I’m not,” I lied. Obviously.

“Yeah, sureeee. You’ve been staring at the tiles for three minutes.”

“I’m just processing.”

“Processing what? How much you love me~?”

I turned around and gave him the flattest look I could muster. He burst out laughing.

“Okay, okay. Come here,” he said, drawing me closer. His touch was gentle as he started washing my face and neck, his paws slow and soft, like I might break if he pressed too hard.

I couldn’t help it — a small purr escaped my throat.

“You’re being really gentle.”

“I always am with you,” he said quietly.

That made me smile.

Somehow... my chest felt warmer than the shower.

“Moon?”

“Hm?”

“You okay?”

I nodded, eyes still half-closed. “Yeah. I’m just... happy.”

He smiled, that kind of soft, sleepy smile that made time feel slower. “Me too.”

We stood there a little longer, the water running steady, eyes meeting — and then quickly looking away, both of us blushing like teenagers.

The water rinsed everything off — the soap, the conditioner, and maybe... a little bit of the nervousness I’d been holding in my shoulders.

Eventually, he reached out and turned the shower off with a quiet click.

“I’ll get the towels,” he said, stepping out and opening the drawer. He picked out the two fluffiest ones.

He tossed one over my head.

“Gee, thanks, Sun.”

“Only the best for you, Moon.”

We both laughed, and it echoed through the bathroom like a tiny bubble of joy.

As I towel-dried my fur, I caught a glimpse of him watching me through the mirror.

Smiling, “Checking me out, Sun?”

“No.”
He said that a little too fast.
“Just looking at my hair.”

“Yeah, suuureee.”

He winked. “You’re a ten out of ten, Moon.”

“Pshhh, stop joking.”

“It’s trueee~!”

I tried to hide my face with the towel, but my ears were definitely pink.

"You're just trying to fluster me before the meeting."

"Is it working~?"

“...Unfortunately.”

I lightly punched him before stepping out of the shower.

...

Oh! Good thing I did laundry last night...
Or else me and H-
Oops.

She’s coming by later, isn’t she...

“Hey, Sun?”

“Yeah?”

“Hoppy’s gonna drop by later. Is that okay?”

“Sure,” he said casually, but then immediately pouted,
“But whyyy? I wanted you all to myself today…”

... DAYYYYYY~
Are you seriousss~?!

“She needs her uniform. And... sorry if I used your laundry machine without asking.”

“It’s fine~ Just repay me.”

“In what?”

“Kisses.”

“Camhere!”

...

...So.
...
I chased him around the house for five minutes.
He was half-naked and laughing like a maniac.
I tripped once, slammed into a couch cushion, and he threw a sock at me.
BUT I GOT MY KISSES.

(And maybe accidentally gave a few more than I meant to…)

After… that.
I grabbed my uniform and all the other necessities, heading toward the bedroom to change in th-

“Moon?”

I turned around mid-step.

“Come on,” he grinned, “Let’s change together.”

OH FOR THE LOVE OF-

I stared at him.

“Sun… We literally just-”

“What? You’re shy again? After everything?”

“I’m just saying-!”

“You’ve seen me shirtless.”

“I’VE SEEN YOU WET.”

He burst out laughing.

“I’ll face the wall if that makes you feel better.”

“You better.”

He turned dramatically toward the wall, arms crossed like a statue.
(His tail was still wagging.)

I quickly threw on my shirt and pants. My hands were shaking a little. Not because I was nervous, okay? I WAS JUST COLD.
(...)
(Okay! I was a bit excited!)
(Shut up.)

“Done?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I muttered.

He turned around, half-dressed, pulling on his undershirt. I looked away immediately.

BUT NOT FAST ENOUGH APPARENTLY.

“You looked.”

“NO, I DIDN’T.”

“Moon~ You looked.”

“I WAS MAKING SURE YOU WEREN’T DYING FROM PUTTING ON A SHIRT WRONG.”

“Sure~ That’s exactly what that burning blush means.”

“S-SHUT UP”

He only laughed and ruffled my hair before finishing up.

...

Honestly, it’s weird how normal this all feels.

Like… we’ve done this forever.
Even though it’s only been...

...
How many days has it been since we got together?
One?
Two?

…Huh.

Why does it feel like it had been longer?

... ... ... ... ...

Anyways…

It was almost… six.
(5:43 AM, to be exact. Yes, I checked.)

“Sun?”

“Yeah?!” he yelled from the other room.

“You ready?”

“For what?!”

“You know? We still need to talk about the meeting later?”

“Just a bit more, Moon!”

...

Welp.

The neighbors love us.

I made my way to the coffee machine, silently praying I wouldn’t get a repeat of last time.
...
Phew.
It didn’t hiss at me this time. 

Dogday wandered out of the bedroom, hair still slightly damp and sticking up in a way that made him look way too cute for someone who's supposed to be talking about corporate strategy in, like, three hours.

“So…” he started, rubbing his eye, “What’s the game plan, Moon?”

“Remember what Hoppy said yesterday?”

“Yeah, but… I don’t really know how to… y’know. Do that.”

“Me neither,” I admitted, pouring coffee into two mismatched mugs. “But she said to give Baba Chops something real, right?”

“Yeah... like, not just another stiff presentation.”

“Exactly. I think... we shouldn’t focus on the slides. I mean, yeah, they’re there if she needs to look at them, but maybe what she actually wants is the project she's invisioning in a realistic view."

“Like… show her the heart behind the project?”

“Yeah. Like that."

Dogday took the mug I offered him and stared into it for a second.

“You’re really good at this, y’know?”

“At coffee?”

“At making sense of stuff.”

I smiled a little. “You’re just saying that because you’re still sleepy.”

“I’m saying it because it’s true, Moon.”

I sipped my coffee before answering. “Okay. So today... we don’t perform. We just talk. We tell her what we’ve seen, what we know, and what we want this company to stand for.”

He blinked slowly, then nodded.

“Okay. Yeah. Let’s do that.”

“And if it blows up in our faces?”

He grinned. “Then we’ll crash and burn together.”

“Romantic.”

“I try.”

We clinked our mugs like idiots.

“Whatever goes later-”
“We’ll stay together.”

Knock knock knock.

We both froze.

“Well... I guess that’s Hoppy.”

I sighed, got up, and made my way to the door.
Unblocked it.
Swung it open.

Lo and behold.

“Morning, lovebirds~ Hope you guys didn’t do anything too scandalous last night~” she grinned, waltzing in like she owned the place.

'Hoppy. I swear-'

“Come on, Nap, it’s too early for you to be mad,” she said, barely holding back a laugh.

'Your uniform’s on the bed,' I sign, shutting the door behind her.

“Aw, thanks, sweetie~” she chirped, walking straight past me like she hadn’t just launched a nuke into my blood pressure.

Dogday was trying so hard not to laugh. His tail gave him away.

I shot him a look.

He immediately straightened up, sipping his coffee with the exaggerated calm of someone who absolutely was laughing inside.

“Good morning, ‘Day,” Hoppy called as she passed him, finger-gunning on her way to the bedroom. “You sleep okay?”

“Like a rock,” he smiled. “Nap's chest makes a great pillow.”

I choked.

He sipped his coffee. Innocent.

Hoppy wheezed from the bedroom.

I was going to die.
Absolutely going to keel over right here, heart stopped, fur frizzed, dignity in ruins.

She peeked her head back out, already halfway into her uniform.
“Y’know, nap… You used to be so shy~ What happened to you?”

'You two.'

Dogday raised a paw, proud.
“I take full responsibility.”

I couldn’t help but laugh just as Hoppy reappeared, now fully dressed in her uniform and adjusting her collar like she was ready to host a TED Talk.

“How’s Kickin, by the way? Any news about him?”

She shrugged. “He’s a bit tired. First day kinda kicked his ass.”

Dogday and I glanced at each other.
Then back at Hoppy.
Yeah… figured as much.

“Well... hope he gets used to it,” I said, sipping my coffee.

...

Hoppy squinted at us, head tilting just slightly.

"...You know what’s surprising though?”

Here we go.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you two actually glowing. Like... oh. My. God.”
Her eyes went wide.
Of course.

“Something definitely happened last night~”

“Hoppy.”

Dogday’s voice was a little lower... Serious.

She blinked, caught off guard, before slipping back into her grin.
“Oh! Sorry, Day~ Didn’t expect you to be so protective over your little kitten~”

His ears shot up and tried to hide his face behind them.
I almost choked on my coffee again.

Okay. That was way too cute.
Unfair, even.

“Alright, alright,” Hoppy said, holding up her hands, “jokes aside. You guys did think about what I said yesterday, right?”

“Yeah… but...” I hesitated.

Then I looked at Dogday. He looked right back at me.

I sighed.

‘We can do this.’

His tail gave a soft flick.
And he nodded.

'So... when does the lounge open, Sun?'

“Around... 6, maybe 6:15-ish. Depends on what time Sir Bubbaphant clocks in.”

“Are there new snacks every time?”

“Oh yeah. Always. You never get the same set twice.”

Hoppy’s eyes lit up,
“So~ when are you guys gonna go?” she asked, clearly already mentally raiding the snack table.

“Probably... 6:30? You okay with that, Moon?”

I gave him a thumbs up.
...
Until I looked back at Hoppy.

Who looked...
Bamboozled.

“M-Moon?!” she squawked, pointing an accusatory finger between us. “You guys already have pet names?!”

...

Oops.
We…
We weren’t supposed to say that in front of Hoppy.

Dogday froze mid-sip, eyes wide.
“I-” he started.

“No. No no no,” she interrupted, already spiraling. “How long has this been going on?! Wait-when did you start calling him Moon?! You guys are disgusting. I love it. Tell me everything.”

Dogday looked at me like I was his only hope of survival.

I panicked.
'It just... Happened'

“Yeah,” Dogday added quickly, “just, uh, happened in the moment.”

“The moment?!” she gasped. “Was there a moment?!”

“Oh my god. Hoppy,” I groaned, hiding my face behind my mug.

She cackled and threw herself dramatically onto the couch like this was reality TV and she’d just found out who the father was.

“This. This is GOLD.”

“You’re never going to let this go, are you?” Dogday asked, his ears still pink.

“Oh, absolutely not,” she beamed. “But... I am rooting for you two.”

That part caught me off guard.

She smiled, genuinely this time. “Seriously. It’s good to see you both like this. You deserve it.”

...
Oh.
...
That was... really sweet.

'Thanks, Hops,' I signed softly.

“Now,” she stood up, brushing herself off. “I’m gonna head out before I become a third wheel. Good luck at the meeting, lovebirds~!”

She winked, then ducked out the door before either of us could say anything else.

The second it shut behind her, I turned to Dogday.

"…We are so screwed."

He snorted. “Nah. She’ll forget.”

"No she won’t."

“…Yeah. You’re right.”

I moved closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder.

“We need to get going, you know…”

“I’d rather just stay home with you.”

I giggled as he gently ruffled my hair.
We stayed like that for a while. Just leaning into the quiet air of the morning.

Until the clock blinked 6:25.

“Come on, Moon,” he said, standing up. “Let’s get going.”

“Do we have to?”

“Stand up, or I’m going to carry you all the way to work.”

...

...

OKAY. YOU KNOW WHAT?

“Then… go, my prince,” I teased, knowing full well he’d never-

“Up we go!”

“W-Wha-?!”
He scooped me up bridal style like he didn’t just have a fever yesterday, slung both of our bags over his shoulder, and strolled out the door like we were in a rom-com.

“S-Sun…?! I-I was joking!”

“Shhh. You asked for this,” he snickered.

It was a quiet morning. No cars. No people. Nothing.
Just the gentle sound of his footsteps and the rhythm of my heart absolutely losing its mind.

I looked up at him, and… I don’t know.
The lyrics to a song I can’t even remember the name of just hit me out of nowhere:

*I wanna wear his initial on a chain 'round my neck chain 'round my neck, not because he owns me… but 'cause he really knows me.*

And…

He really does.

He knows exactly when to carry me and exactly when to let me fall.

Suddenly, the building doors slid open, and a soft breath of semi-cold air brushed through my fur.

“We’re here, Moon.”

He let me down gently.
Looking around.
...Wow.

This is the first time I’ve ever been to work this early.

And it was… peaceful.

We stepped through the lobby, our footsteps echoing faintly against the carpet.

No one at the front desk yet.
Just silence and the soft hum of the elevators waiting patiently.

Dogday hit the button.

We stood there, side by side as our reflections flickering across the chrome doors.

I glanced up at him.

He was still holding our bags like it was no big deal. Like carrying me and our crap was just part of his Tuesday morning routine.
(Which, okay, I guess it kind of was now?)

“Sun?” I said, my voice softer than I meant.

He looked down at me. “Yeah?”

“…Thanks.”

He smiled.
“Anytime, Moon.”

The elevator doors opened with a soft chime.
We stepped in.

I stood close to him. Not because I had to, but because... yeah. I just wanted to.

He didn’t say anything.
But his tail wrapped lightly around mine.

And that was enough.

The ride was... safe.
Like the elevator sealed off the rest of the world. Like nothing could touch us just yet.

I kind of wished it would break down for ten minutes. Maybe twenty.

Just a little longer before-

*Ding.*

We were here.

The doors slid open, and a faint scent of baked goods floated in.

Dogday tilted his head toward the hallway. “Ready?”

“Nope,” I said.

He chuckled.

We stepped out together.

The office was so freaking quiet. Like, you could actually hear your own breathing echoing through the halls.

As we walked along the side corridor, we spotted Sir Bubbaphant emerging from his office.

“Morning, sir!” Dogday called out, trying to sound respectful.

“Good morning,” he replied curtly, already making his way to the lounge.

Dogday paused and looked at me.
“So? What do you wanna do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Wanna talk about the meeting… or have a quick break in the lounge?”

...

Hmm.

Okay. The lounge does sound amazing right now, but… Sir Bubbaphant is in there.
Also, I really don’t want to talk or even THINK about the meeting just yet.

“The lounge,” I said finally.

“Okie dokie.”

He gently took my hand as we headed in that direction.

As he slowly opened the door, a wave of pastry heaven hit us.

And then we saw the table.

...
What the hell.

They weren’t kidding when they said the lounge was nice, but man this was next-level.
Freshly baked pastries, a spread of snacks, bottled water, juice, the works.

Yesterday was amazing, but this? This was downright extravagant.

Sir Bubbaphant was lounging on one of the couches, holding what looked like... an egg pie?

“Hey! You two!” he called out, grinning.

We both turned toward him.

“If you’re gonna grab something, go for the egg pie,” he said, waving the crust around dramatically. “They are immaculate.”

Dogday chuckled beside me.

...
Huh...

I’ve… never expected Sir Bubba to be this friendly.
I mean, yeah, he was polite yesterday, but I just assumed that was his Business Persona.

Dogday nudged me toward the table.

I grabbed a paper plate and scooped up a generous slice of egg pie, then took a water bottle.

...

Look. The coffee earlier already made me full, okay?

Dogday grabbed a croissant and a water bottle, and together, we made our way over to sit with Sir Bubba.

I took a bite of the egg pie and-
OKAY. THAT.
IS DELICIOUS.

Sir Bubba watched my reaction, clearly pleased.
“See? I told you~”

That made me giggle, so did Dogday.

Then Sir Bubba leaned forward a little, his voice shifting.
“Alright, I just wanted to give you two some advice.”

“About what, sir?” I asked.

“The meeting later.”

Dogday nodded, and we both listened closely.

“Ms. Baba Chops came into my office yesterday,” he began. “She told me this meeting is going to make or break everything. But...” he paused, “I noticed something about her. She was still searching for something. And honestly? I think she found it in you two.”

“Is there anything specific she was looking for?” Dogday asked, tilting his head.

Sir Bubba gave a slow smile. “I don’t know the exact thing. But I do know this: when the moment comes, you’ll know what to do. Just remember. Say what you truly mean. Show what’s real.”

Dogday looked at me, his eyes soft but serious.
“You think we’ll be able to do this, Nap?”

I nodded.
“We’ll do our best, sir.”

Sir Bubba gave a satisfied nod.
“I know you will.”

...But the way he looked at Dogday after that?
Kinda intense.

Like a predator sizing someone up, or scouting talent.

Is it just me, or is Sir Bubba-

Yup.
I’m definitely excited.

Believe it or not…
I think Dogday’s getting promoted soon~

“Good luck to both of you, okay?” Sir Bubba said as he tossed his paper plate into the bin and made his way out of the lounge. "She'll be here at 7:15!"

The door clicked shut behind him.

I let out a quiet breath and leaned back, resting my head on Dogday’s lap.

“We already spent all morning together, Moon…” he murmured, looking down at me with a soft smile.

“And…? Do you not want to?”

“No… I do,” he admitted, brushing a few stray strands of fur from my forehead.

“That’s what I thought.” I smirked.

He laughed quietly, and for a moment, we just breathed in the peace of it all.

“You think we’re going to be fine?” he asked, voice low now. Honest.

“Of course, Sun. Having second thoughts?”

He nodded a little. “Yeah…”

I smiled.
At least he’s not hiding it anymore.

“I love you,” I said gently.

He grinned. “I know.”
A small laugh escaped him. “I just… I’ll be comfortable with you there. It’s kinda amazing that we were even paired up in the first place. ‘Cause honestly? I wouldn’t want anyone else in that meeting room with me but you.”

I looked up at him and tried not to melt on the spot.
“Aww, come on, Sun,” I said, nudging him playfully. “You’re gonna make me cry before the PowerPoint even loads.”

He laughed again, then leaned down and kissed my forehead.

“…We should probably head there now,” he whispered, still close.

I groaned. “Do we have to?”

“Yes. Unless you want me to carry you again.”

“…Fine.”

We stood up... reluctantly, and straightened out our shirts. He reached over and brushed a pastry crumb off my collar. I returned the favor by smoothing out a tuft of fur sticking up behind his ear.

Then he grabbed the door.
“You ready?” he asked.

I looked at him, took a deep breath.

“Yeah. Let’s go knock her socks off.”

We entered the meeting room.

Time: exactly 7:00 a.m.

That meant 15 minutes left before... hell.

We sat down at the long table, The room was quiet. 

We looked at each other.
Then immediately looked away, blushing like middle schoolers.

I cleared my throat. “So… how are we gonna pass the time, Sun?”

“Hm… I don’t kno-"

Before he could finish, I casually placed my hand on top of his.

“Moon…” he whispered, a little too flustered for someone who lifted me like a princess earlier. “I don’t think we should do this here…”

“What? You don’t like me taking control?” I smirked.

“It’s just… a bit… y’know…?” he blinked rapidly, cheeks blooming pink.

I giggled and gently locked our fingers together.

He stared.

Then, suddenly, I pressed my thumb against his. “Thumb war.”
(So? What were you thinking of? Perverts.)

“You’re kidding.”

“One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war.”

“…Moon.”

“Five, six, seven, eight, no backing out, it’s too late.”

He sighed, gave in, and squared up like we were about to duel to the death.
(Which, to be fair, we kinda were.)

Our thumbs began dancing around each other.
Tap...
slip-trap!

“Ha! Got you!” I grinned, pinning him.

“That’s cheating! Your thumb is double-jointed!”

“Don’t hate the player, Sun.”

He groaned dramatically, head hitting the table.

“That’s it. I’m requesting a rematch after the meeting.”

“Better bring your A-game,” I whispered smugly, stretching my winning thumb.

As we both laughed, trying our best not to be too loud. The tension in my chest eased just a bit. The air didn’t feel as heavy anymore. Somehow, even in the waiting room of impending doom, he made everything bearable.

Still holding my hand, he looked at me and smiled.
That soft kind of smile.

The kind that makes you believe everything’s going to be fine.

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

The door creaked open.

“It’s time, Sun.”

Baba Chops stepped in, sharp as ever.

This time, she wore a structured maroon blazer, tailored to perfection, with a thin black belt cinched at the waist. Underneath, a sleek black mock-neck top that matched her pointed loafers. The pants high-waisted, straight-cut.

Terrifying in the calmest way possible.

“Morning, ma’am,” Dogday said quickly, sitting up straight.

She gave him a nod and moved to the same seat as before. Her every movement was controlled, almost too quiet for someone with that much presence.

“You two look different today,” she signed plainly.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Mmkay. Let’s get straight to the point. I want no PowerPoints. No scripts. Nothing. I want to hear it from you two. Directly."

Dogday and I stood up quickly.

“What do we do?!” he whispered, panicked.
“I don’t know!” I hissed back.

She raised a brow. "I can see you’re tense. Ease up a bit, I don’t bite."

Her tone was firm. Serious. But oddly… it helped.

Dogday took a deep breath. “We’ve given you all the data, the statistics, even our personal assessments of the project, but…”

She tilted her head slightly. Waiting.

Okay, Catnap. Think.
We’ve shown her everything... floor plans, numbers, timelines, our ideas.
What’s missing?

...

...

...

That's it.

I stepped forward. "Ma'am… we’ve given you all we had to say about what we think. But there’s still one thing we haven’t asked..."

I glanced at Dogday. He gave a small nod.

I looked back at her and signed carefully:
"What do you want, ma'am?"

Silence.
She stared at us for what felt like an eternity.

And then...
She clapped.

A smile formed on her face, not warm... but real.

"You know," she began, "in all the years I’ve built the Eclispsa brand, only two companies have ever met my standards. Cotillion Inc. and Phylia."

She held up a finger.

"One. They understood who they were bringing into the room. With both, I was greeted by someone who could communicate with me in my language. Fluently. Respectfully."

Another finger.

"Two. They presented clear, accurate visions, tailored to what they thought I aspire to create, not just what they wanted to build. Which showed me they took the liberty of trying to research and find out what I truly wanted"

A third.

"And three, where nearly every company fails, they asked me.
What I wanted.
Not just what they thought I should want."

She leaned forward slightly, gaze sharp.

"You two? You’re the first ones in weeks who haven’t tried to trap me in their pitch.
You asked.
You listened.

Most companies assumed that because I don’t prefer to speak orally, they couldn’t ask me anything. So they hand me canned presentations, blind information with no soul.

But if you noticed… I spoke with you yesterday. Not just in sign."

She paused, folding her hands on the table.

"There’s one thing I believe in when choosing a company to partner with, 
The employees they send me…
They’re not just employees.
They’re the mirror of the whole."

She leaned back in her chair, eyes flicking between the two of us. 

“I don’t need a slideshow to know how a company works,” she said. “I can tell by how their people sit in a room. By how they talk to me. Or if they talk to me at all.”

Her fingers tapped softly against the table,
“Catnap. Dogday.”
My ears perked up at the sound of our names.
“You showed up. Not just physically. You were here. With me. And when you didn’t know what to say… you asked.”

“Too many people pretend to have the answers. You didn’t. You waited, you listened, and when you spoke... It was honest. That’s what I want."

My chest felt warm. Not nervous anymore, just full. Dogday sat up straighter beside me.

She nodded slowly. “You two aren’t polished. Not like Cotilion or Phylia. But that’s good. You’re clear. You don’t wear the polish like armor.”

She reached into her coat pocket. Maroon and velvet-lined, and pulled out a thin folder. She slid it across the table to us.

“I want your team for this. But I’m not signing anything until you’ve both looked through this with your own eyes. Every page. Every clause. I expect questions.”

Dogday opened it slightly, eyes scanning the first line before stopping to look at me.
“I… thank you, ma’am,” he said, still a little breathless.

I could barely keep the grin off my face. 'We won’t let you down.'

She stood.
“I hope not.”

She gave us a nod, an approving one this time. Then walked out without another word.

The door clicked softly behind her.

Silence.

Then-

“WE DID IT,” I whisper-screamed, accidentally slapping Dogday’s arm.

“OW- Moon-" but he was laughing. So was I.

“Holy crap. I think we actually did it.”

“We definitely did.”

He looked at me and suddenly grinned wider.
“You know what this means, right?”

“What?”

“I’m gonna have to update my résumé.”

I rolled my eyes.
“Nerd.”

He leaned in just a bit closer. “Your nerd.”

I tried to look unimpressed. Failed.
Completely failed.

“We definitely need to celebrate,” I said.

Dogday raised an eyebrow. “Moon… it’s still eight in the morning.”

“Oh… right…”

I giggled, already imagining the look on Hoppy’s face when we told her. Actually... no, she was the one who helped us the most.

“Sun, let’s treat Hoppy later?”

“Where?”

“Picky’s.”

“OoOo, definitely. She deserves it.”

“But first…” I reached for the folder Baba Chops had left on the table. “Let’s look through this properly.”

“Sure… sure… work shark.”

“Moon~!” he whined, half-laughing as I snorted.

We sat side by side again at the long table, and for a moment, the energy in the room shifted. It was calmer.

Dogday flipped the folder open carefully. We scanned the first few pages, glancing at each other whenever something stood out. A clause about materials, a paragraph about sustainability goals, a bolded note that read: NO GLASS WALLS. THIS ISN’T A TECH STARTUP.

“Oh my god, I love her,” I muttered.

Dogday chuckled, “Right? She’s… kinda scary but also kinda iconic?”

“Kinda? I want her to adopt me.”

We kept flipping. Each section was clear but demanding. She knew what she wanted, and now, so did we.

When we hit the end of the first phase draft, Dogday closed the folder and leaned back in his chair with a slow exhale.

“I think we’re really doing this.”

I nodded, unable to stop smiling.
“I think we are too.”

There was a moment of quiet, not awkward, just… satisfied. We’d stepped into something way bigger than ourselves, and held our own.

He bumped my knee with his. “So. Picky’s later?”

“Yup. You’re buying.”

“What? Why me?”

“You’re the one who’s gonna get promoted soon~”

“Oh my god. Please never say that in front of Sir Bubba.”

“No promises.”

We laughed again, the kind that echoed softly off the walls. Because the pressure was off, but the spark was still there.

The rest of the day was... honestly? Uneventful.

But~ I did get a glimpse of Kickin struggling with the spreadsheets.

...
Of course,
I helped him out.
What do you think I am? A shallow co-office mate?

Please.

Anyway~ Dogday and I were quietly scheming all day. We didn’t tell Hoppy about our little surprise. There was even a whole whispered debate about whether or not to bring Kickin…

Spoiler: We did.

By the end of our shift, the three of us were wrapping up in the office when Dogday walked over to Hoppy’s desk with that gentle tail-wag energy he always has when he's about to say something nice.

“Hoppy?” he asked.

She looked up from her monitor. “Yeah?”

“Wanna head to Picky’s? Our treat~”

“Wait-really? What’s the occasion?” she blinked.

'Don’t worry about it~' I signed, giving her a wink.

“Hey! No fair!” Kickin called from his desk, spinning around in his chair. “How come she gets an invite?”

“You can come too, bird brain,” Dogday said.

He perked right up. “Eyyy, nice. I love being a pity choice.”

“You’re not a pity choice,” Dogday said flatly.

“Yes he is,” Hoppy whispered.

“I heard that!”

We left the office just as the sun dipped low, casting golden light across the halls of the building. Dogday held the door open for us as we all stepped out.

And maybe it was the way the air felt lighter.
Maybe it was how Dogday kept glancing my way and not looking away fast enough.

But in that moment…

Work didn’t feel like work.

It felt like something else.

Like the start of something good

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 11
(The night after the events of Chapter 10)

“Hoppy? You okay?” Dogday asked, leaning over the table.

Hoppy had her head in her hands.
Fully... drunk.

So...
Maybe we got a little too excited at the celebration dinner.
And maybe someone (not naming names) ordered just a few beers.
And maybe... SOME OF US didn’t exactly pace ourselves.

Yeah.
You already know where this is going.

Kickin was still crunching away on the last of the food like nothing happened. Meanwhile, Hoppy looked like she wanted to commit a crime. Or sleep in a fountain. Hard to tell.

Dogday and I sat across from them in silence, my head resting on his shoulder.
...Hehe.
At least Hoppy wasn’t at the stage where someone blacks out, buys the restaurant, or starts a bar fight with a chair. So far... things were going well.

But still, priorities.

I leaned closer and whispered,
“Hey, Sun?”

He tilted his head to me, ears twitching slightly. “Moon?”

‘What time is it?’

He pulled out his phone, squinting against the glare.
“Almost 7:30. Why?”

‘We still have work tomorrow.’

“Oh! Yikes... yeah, forgot,” he winced.

‘Of course you did,’ I smirked, nudging him under the table.

“Don’t you just wanna take a leave?” he asked, one brow lifting hopefully.

‘Sun. No. We only get thirty-six days of leave a year.’ I signed.

He gave me a sheepish grin, then glanced over at the disaster duo. “What about these two?”

His eyes flicked toward Hoppy and Kickin.

Kickin noticed. “What’s goin’ on?”

“It’s almost 7:30, Kicks,” Dogday said.

“Sheesh... Didn’t think it got that late. So? You guys heading out?”

Dogday raised a brow. “So... what’s the plan, ’Nap?”

Honestly?
I'd say we leave these two here, fake our deaths, and run away on a honeymoon.

BUT~
Because I’m such a nice friend (please, hold the applause), I guess we’re being responsible tonight.

I looked over at Hoppy.
Still... a walking health hazard.

‘You got some energy left, Sun?’

“A little bit,” he smiled.

‘Can you help me bring Hoppy home?’

“Sure, but...” he glanced at Kickin. “What about you, Kicks? You good to head home alone?”

“Yeah~ Don’t worry, I got this all covered,” Kickin waved lazily.

‘Well, I guess let’s get a move on.’

Luckily, we already paid earlier. Learned from experience that Picky’s is a ‘pay first, eat later’ kind of restaurant. Which makes sense. But also… I’ve always wondered, why the name “Picky’s” specifically?
Hm... It's just a thought.

Anyway.
As we did our best to clean up the table, Kickin was the one who suggested it. He knew how much it sucked when customers left a mess. Honestly, I think Kickin’s a really thoughtful guy.
...Though sometimes his brain is literally just non-existant.

Once we got up, Kickin waited for us to grab Hoppy.
Well, more like... I waited for Dogday to grab Hoppy. Hehe.

Come on.
Cut me some slack, alright?

We made our way to the door, the warm, sticky outside air smacking us right in the face, trying to cancel out the freezing cold A/C that had been numbing our skin inside.

"Alright, I'm off, dude. See you tomorrow!" Kickin called out, tossing us a casual wave as he started walking.

We waved back, watching Kickin’s bright yellow figure fade into the distance.

Now... it was just me and Dogday.

…Well, if you ignore the fact that Hoppy was slung over Dogday’s back like a very drunk, very unconscious backpack.

She probably wouldn’t remember any of this. Probably.

“You okay, Sun?” I asked, catching up beside him.

He nodded, then suddenly bounded onto the empty street like a kid. The soles of his black shoes smacked the pavement with this light, excited rhythm. Completely ignoring the fact that he was LITERALLY carrying Hoppy.

“Come on, Moon!” he called, laughing.

Ha…
You’re lucky you’re my boyfriend.

I sighed dramatically and went after him. Though, honestly, my chest was all warm and gooey. Maybe from affection.

We strolled down the stretch of road, streetlights flickering gently above us. And every time we passed under one, the glow hit him just right. Catching the gold in his sun necklace and all his… handsomeness.

…Is handsomeness even a real word?
…Well~ if it’s not, he’s the literal embodiment of it.

OoOoOo~
He’d look so good in glasses.
Like, painfully good.
...I should buy him a pair just to prove myself right.
(For science.)

I was already giggling to myself when he suddenly stopped walking.

“Hey, Moon?”

“Hm?” I slowed beside him.

“You remember this part of the road?”

This part…?

I looked around.
A four-way street.

“No… not really.”

“It’s where we saw each other that night,” he said, a little smile playing on his lips. “Right after we met at the convenience store.”

“Ohhh. That night.”
I laughed. “Wow. That feels like… ages ago.”

“Right? But it’s only been, like… a week. Well, not just a week, but… y’know what I mean.”

I nodded.
Yeah. I really did.

Time’s weird when you’re with someone who makes you forget life even existed before them.
Like… was there a me before Dogday?
Before his stupid grin?
Before that addictive vanilla scent?
Before the way he says ‘Moon’ like it’s his favorite secret?

“You were weird back then,” I muttered.

He gasped. “I was weird? You had a basket full of prawn crackers and beef jerky!”

…
I opened my mouth to argue.
...
But, okay. He had a point.

He laughed and shifted Hoppy higher on his back. Her arm flopped over his shoulder like she was trying to join the conversation from her dreams.

I reached out and cupped his cheek, just for a second.
“But I never would've expected… I’d end up with you.”

His breath hitched.
Then he blushed and turned away, like the sun was suddenly shy.

…
My sun.

He started walking again, clearly avoiding eye contact but completely failing to hide that little smile pulling at his lips.

I followed.
And for a while, we didn’t say anything.
The silence was soft.
Like… when the cherry blossoms fall onto the couple in...
Ugh. What anime was that again?
Whatever. It felt like that.

“Moon?” he said again, more quietly this time.

“Yeah?”

“…Thank you. For this.”

I blinked.

That wasn’t what I expected.
Not here. Not in the middle of a cracked sidewalk under flickering lights and a half-asleep city.

But I looked at him.
At the way he smiled like he was holding something fragile inside him.
At the way his eyes locked onto mine.

And I couldn’t help but giggle.

“You know,” I said, “I’ll never get tired of saying this.”
I paused.
“I love you.”

Those words came straight from my heart.
Even if work tomorrow would suck.
Even if everything fell apart again.
Even if the stakes rose higher than we could climb,

I loved him.
And I will always love him.

Okay… yeah, maybe that sounds cringey.
But it’s true.
And I think... no, I’m sure. This isn’t even the first time I’ve said it.

Dogday looked at me. His whole face softened, like I’d just pulled him out of a storm.
And then,

He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

We didn’t say anything after that.
Just walked.

Letting the night breathe around us.

And I guess… love really is a roller coaster.
It terrifying, sometimes.
But I’ll never stop being grateful that I get to ride it with him.

As our apartment came into view in the distance, Dogday glanced at me, his expression soft but a little pouty.

“So… you’re not staying at my place tonight?”

“Maybe tomorrow, Sun.”

He didn’t say anything at first.
But the silence… kind of stung.
And it wasn’t just for him.

After a moment, he muttered, “I knew I never should’ve let them order beer.”

I chuckled gently. “Sun, it’s fine. We’ll see each other tomorrow.”

“B-but… Moon…”

He looked at me with those eyes. You know. The puppy ones.

Ugh. What could possibly soften the blow of not spending the night-
...Wait.
Got it.

“How about… we do a video call while we sleep?”

He blinked.
Then laughed. “What are we? In an LDR?!”

“No. But because of your clinginess, it kinda feels like it.”

Honestly, we were less than a kilometer apart…
But somehow, it still felt like a whole country.

He snorted. “Then how about I just sleep in your room for the night?”

…Okay.
Actually, that’s not a bad idea.
...
If my room wasn’t a COMPLETE disaster zone.

I froze.
...

“Uhhh…”

Dogday squinted at me. “Don’t tell me…”

I avoided eye contact. “It’s… not exactly sleepover-friendly.”

He burst out laughing. “What happened, Moon? I thought Hoppy was the messy one.”

He looked at me.

For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He just kept looking at me with those soft, gentle eyes.

It felt like... a fairytale moment.

If you forget the fact that Hoppy was literally slumped in my arms like an exhausted backpack.

CUE THE SOUNDTRACK.
(Now it’s just me and you, and you and me, just us and your friend Steve… Dodododotodoto Steve.)

Then he nodded, slowly.

“Okay,” he said.

I smiled again, softer this time. “Tell you what, I’ll come to your place tomorrow morning.”

“Really?” His eyes lit up, tail wagging like someone turned on a leaf blower behind him.

“Yes, really.”

I leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead.

He hesitated before turning, like his feet were stuck in my orbit. But eventually, he started walking backwards down the street, still watching me.

I waited until he was almost at the corner before calling out, “Don’t forget the call!”

“I won’t!” he yelled back, spinning like a dork. “I’ll be waiting!”

I rolled my eyes and turned toward my building, still cradling a half-asleep Hoppy in my arms. She groaned softly, probably dreaming about punching someone.

Once I finally reached the door, I nudged it open with my foot and stepped into the familiar silence of the apartment.

Still smelled like... take-out?

Ha. Guess Hoppy ordered something.
Again.

I gently set Hoppy down on the couch and pulled a blanket over her.

Then my phone buzzed in my pocket.

*Dogday Calling…*

Oh shit.
I still haven’t changed his name on my phone...

Well, I’ll do it later. Hehe.

I grinned.

And picked up.
“Hey, clingy.”

His face popped up on screen... way too close, like an old man trying to figure out FaceTime for the first time.

“Hey, Moon~” he beamed.

“Y’know it’s only been, like, three minutes since we split, right?”

“Hehe.”

…

So cute.

He was just outside his house, fumbling with his keys. The porchlight flickered above him like we were in a soap opera.

“Don’t get too excited, Sun,” I teased. “You still need to get ready for bed. Unless you want THE WORST morning breath known to man.”

“I know, I know” he said.

He finally got the door open and stepped inside, then kicked off his shoes in the most chaotic way possible.
One of them actually flew halfway across the room.

I chuckled and stretched.
“Okay~! Bedtime routine.”

“You gonna do it with me?”

“Obviously. I gotta make sure you do it properly.”

We both headed to our bathrooms, setting our phones down by the sinks. He pulled out his toothbrush, a blue one. Slightly chewed on.

Of course.

We squeezed toothpaste at the same time. Mine was neat.
His looked like he was preparing to brush a dinosaur.

“Sun. That’s enough to brush a horse.”

“It’s minty!”

He stuck his tongue out at me and immediately started brushing, aggressively.
Foam built up around his mouth like he was halfway into turning rabid.
I almost spit mine out laughing.

“Lookin’ good, babe,” I mumbled around my toothbrush.

He leaned close to the screen, cheeks puffed like a chipmunk, eyebrows wiggling in the most cursed way possible.
Toothpaste dripped down his chin.

I gagged. “Gross.”

He giggled with a mouth full of foam and kept brushing like he hadn’t just traumatized me.

By the time we rinsed, he wiped his face with the sleeve of his uniform.

“Seriously?” I groaned. “A towel, Sun. Ever heard of one?”

“It’s already dirty anyway,” he shrugged.

I rolled my eyes.
This boy.
This disaster of a man.
No...
Puppy.

He was already heading into his room when he looked back at the screen, still grinning.

But I narrowed my eyes.
Suspicious.

“Wait! Sun?! Are you... Are you seriously not going to shower?”

He blinked. “What? I just brushed my teeth.”

“Brushing isn’t bathing, you goblin.”

He dramatically clutched his chest. “B-But... Moon…”

“Go. Shower. Now.”

“But-!”

“No ‘but’s. You’ve been out all day, you carried Hoppy on your back, and I know you sweat more than a leaky faucet.”

He pouted at the screen.

I tilted my head. “I’m going to shower too, so don’t be such a drama queen.”

He looked up at the ceiling like he was making a life-altering decision.
...
“Moon.”

“Hm?”

“What if... we stayed on call while showering? Since we already did it together this morning~”

“Sun-”

“Are you still not used to seeing my glorious bare fur, Moon?”

“It's not that!”
(Okay maybe it is that-)
“But if you drop your phone into the water, what happens then, hm?”

“It’s waterproof.”

“Sun...”

He laughed, the kind that made his eyes crinkle and my brain melt.
“You just don’t wanna see me all wet and handsome again.”

Ha.
...

I can’t even disagree.

“Can’t say anything, can you~?”

“Stop teasing.”

“I’ll send you a picture~”

“Su-”

“Too late~”
And just like that, the line beeped. He hung up.

I stared at my phone, shook my head, and sighed.

God, I love that idiot.

...

Now where’s my damn towel?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I stepped into the shower and turned it on, the water hissed to life, warm and gentle against my skin.
But it didn’t drown out my thoughts.

I couldn't stop thinking about him.

His stupid face on my screen.
That wagging tail.
His lopsided smile when he thinks he’s being slick.
That voice...

God. He’s probably already done.
Lying in bed with wet hair, looking like some annoyingly beautiful K-drama lead.
…Ugh. He’s gonna send that picture, isn’t he?
I swear, if he does it while I’m mid-rinse I will scream.

I grabbed the shampoo and tried to focus on the smell, on the lather, on literally anything else.
But all I could see in my head was the way he looked when he leaned into the camera earlier.

Wide eyes.
The softest cheeks.
Foam around his mouth like a gremlin.
...An adorable gremlin.

My phone buzzed on the bathroom counter.

Oh no.

I reached out with one hand, careful not to soak the screen.

A message.

Notification: 1 message from Dogday
Miss me yet~?
Attached: [1 Image]

...

I didn’t open it.
Yet.

“…You little shit,” I muttered under my breath, cheeks already burning.

I stared at the notification.
...
Do I tap it?
HNGGGGGGG
I DON'T WANNA
BUT... I KINDA DO??
THIS IS SO CONFUSING!!!!

My finger hovered over the image preview.
It was like I was defusing a bomb.

Deep breath, Catnap.
You can do this.
You’ve already seen him like that.

*Click.*

…

Oh my God.

HEWASWEARINGATOWEL.
WITHHISHAIRSTILLDRIPPINGWET.
ITHOUGHTISAIDHELOOKEDBETTERWITHHISHAIRDOWN.
ANDNOWLOOKATHIM.
POSINGLIKEIT’SANAUDITIONFORASOFTBOYFRAGRANCEADANDFUCKINGTHIRSTTRAPPING

...

Well...
Except...

He was flexing his bicep way too hard.
And squinting like he couldn’t tell if the camera was blurry or if he was just naturally glowing.

Dogday

Miss me yet~?
also rate the arm. be honest.

(HOW CAN I RATE THA-)
(God, you’re such a-)
(...)
(Why is he like this.)
(Why is he so-)
(He's everything.)
(And also~)
(He's mine.)

(My thumbs moved before I could stop them.)

6/10. points deducted for looking like you’re constipated.

RUDE.

you asked for honesty.

i’m blocking you.

no you’re not.

…no i’m not.

I snorted and leaned back against the tile wall, letting the water pour over me.

God, I really do love that idiot.
Even when he’s not here beside me.

Especially then.

Because...
Shit.

I miss him already.

The water was warm, but my face was warmer.

What the hell kind of spell did he put on me?

I stared at his photo again.
And again.
And tried not to smile like an idiot.
(But I failed.)

...

…Okay. Fine.
Two can play at this game.

I propped my phone up on the sink, angled it just right, wiped the steam off the lens.
Did a few poses.
Flexed the arm a bit.
Bit my lip.
Undid it because ew.
Let the water drape across my shoulders and collarbone.

Then I looked into the camera with my best, and

*Click.*

Dogday

since we’re rating… 9.5/10. mine.

(It took him three seconds to respond.)
(Yes. I counted. Shut up.)

YOU.
ARE.
EVIL.

He didn’t reply after that.
(WORTH ITTT.)

I smirked and rinsed my hair, feeling ten feet tall and deeply, stupidly in love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is just for ambiance hehe)

Eclipse.

For those who can't play: https://youtube.com/shorts/RqDN3i5kkjc?si=x_iZ_nY6bkdQeTkd
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The call buzzed just as I was toweling off.

Dogday is calling...

I picked up, still drying my hair with one hand.

His face popped up on screen, and he was red.
He was definitely on his bed, kicking his feet like a teenage girl after a boy band concert.
(I know his so well~)

“Moon,” he whispered,
“How could you do that to me…”

He dramatically flopped onto his pillow, tail swishing behind him.
“I’m suing you for emotional damage.”

I chuckled, slipping into my PJs and into my-

Oh no.
HIS BLANKET IS STILL HERE.

Why is it here?!
Why didn’t I throw it in the closet or something?!

Thank GOD I didn’t let him sleep over.
He would’ve seen it.
He would’ve never shut up about it.

I subtly reached for it and threw it to the side while he looked away.

But then...

Oh no.

He squinted.
He zoomed.
He knew.

"...Wait."
"Was that... my blanket?"

“No.”

“Moon.”

“I SAID NO.”

“That was definitely my blanket.”

“It’s not what it looks like!”

“So you did keep it?”

“I didn’t keep it! I-I”

“And you weren't going to return it, weren't you?”

“I was going to! Eventually!”

He narrowed his eyes like he was trying to see through the pixels.
“Have you been sniffing it?”

“I-”

“I knew it-”

“I HAVEN’T BEEN! Okay! maybe once BUT ONLY BY ACCIDENT.”

He smirked and laughed, "Yeah... Sure... Accident."

“I-I, I-"

“WERE YOU GOING TO SNORT IT LIKE A DRUG?”

“IT’S NOT A DRUG-"
"IT’S-"
"YOU-"
"UGH."

He rolled back onto his bed, grinning like the smug little idiot he was.
“…You miss me.”

I glared at him.

He smirked harder.

“Say it.”

“No.”

“Say it~”

I hung up.

He called again.
Of course he did.

I answered, “What.”

He leaned in close to the camera.
All flustered cheeks, sparkling eyes, and a ridiculous, shit-eating grin.

“I miss you too.”

…

I paused.

Then sighed.

“...I miss you more.”

He just stared at me through the screen.

"You can keep it if you want, y'know?"

“…What?”

“The blanket,” he said, voice dipping just slightly. “It smells like me, right?”

I looked at it beside me. Wrinkled and warm. Definitely him.

I hesitated… then pulled it over my lap.

“…I was already planning to.”

His grin was slow and dangerous, all teeth and trouble. “Oh? You sure you don’t want me to come over and recharge the scent myself?”

“Dogday,” I warned.

He raised a brow. “What? Just offering a premium service for my favorite customer.”

I fought the smile tugging at my lips. “You’re so full of yourself.”

“And you,” he said smoothly, “are so cute when you pretend not to like it.”

I choked on air. “Shut. Up.”

“Make me.”

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Oh, I want to tempt you,” he said, voice almost purring now. “I’m trying very hard, actually.”

I hid under the blanket, my face on fire. “God, you’re the worst.”

“And yet, here you are, clinging to my blanket like it’s me.”

I peeked over the fabric. “S’not the same.”

His smirk faded a little. Voice dropping.

“…You want the real thing?”

...

“…Maybe,” I whispered.

“You can say it.”

“I miss you,”
“I miss your voice. Your stupid hair. Your stupid face. I miss falling asleep next to you.”

His eyes burned into mine, something aching and wanting in them. “Moon…”

I leaned into the camera, like it could somehow close the distance.

“…I want you here.”

His ears perked.

“And if you were…” I trailed a finger along the edge of the blanket, slow. Deliberate. “I wouldn’t be wearing this much.”

Hehe.

His jaw dropped slightly. “You-you can’t just say that and expect me to sleep tonight!”

I giggled. “Suffer.”

“You’re evil. You’re actually evil.”

“I learned from the best.”

He groaned and collapsed back onto his bed. “I’m never gonna survive this call.”

“I’ll send flowers to your funeral.”

“I want you in black.”

“You just want to see me in a tight suit.”

“I want to see you out of one, actually-”

“DOGDAY.”

“Kidding!” he said, face flushed and voice pitchy from laughing. “God. You’re fun when you’re flustered.”

“And you’re lucky you’re cute,” I muttered, curling deeper under the blanket.

His voice softened again. “Seriously though… you should keep it.”

“The flirting or the blanket?”

He smiled. “Both.”

We stared for a moment.

"It's still a long day tomorrow, Sun."

He just looked at me, 

...
The silence was a bit sufficating...

“Sleep with me?”

I blinked. “What?”

"Uh- Sorry... But, y'know? Could you... Stay on call with me? For the night?" He continued, “You can pretend I’m beside you. Pretend I’m under that blanket.”

That shouldn’t have made me blush.

But it did.

“…Okay,” I whispered.

He smiled, turning on his side, phone still propped up. “Night, Moon.”

“Night, Sun.”

…

The screen stayed lit.

Just him.

Eyes sleepy, lips parted, hair messy across his pillow.

As I pulled the blanket tighter and let my fingers rest over the glowing screen…

I swear I could feel his warmth.

Even from here.

I stayed like that for a while.

Just watching him.

His breathing slowed. Chest rising and falling, slow and even. Every now and then, he'd twitch a little. Tail flicking, ears giving the tiniest wiggle. 
Probably dreaming.
Probably of me.

God, what did I do in a past life to deserve him?

I set my phone down beside me, still angled toward his sleeping face. My arm tucked under the pillow, legs tangled in the warmth he left behind, the stupid blanket clutched against my chest.

I let the quiet pull me in.

Even the silence between us felt full.

…

I don’t need anything else.
I’m really content.
Content with him.
And… I know he’s content with me.

And honestly?

I’ve never felt this way with anyone before.

Not even with Hoppy.
And… especially not with my parents.

I wonder what they’d say if they saw us together.
Probably insults.

But… deep inside?
I miss them too.
Even after everything.

(Flashback scene)
(Author’s note: there’s gonna be a little fourth-wall break hehe.)

My childhood, as I’ve told you before… wasn’t anything spectacular.
Especially not at school.

I was diagnosed with SM (Selective Mutism) and my parents didn’t take it well.

They couldn’t talk to me. Had to spend extra money and time learning ASL.
And sometimes, in the house… it just got loud.
Everyday there would just be... Constant fights.

Being an only child, I'm their... was their only priority.
And when I was diagnosed, I guess it just felt like another burden.

They already had the highest expectations for me.
So I studied hard. I pushed. Because if I didn’t?

It got loud.

And back then? I would’ve rather locked myself in my room forever than go outside.

It made them ask, What are you going to do with your life?

Because:
I wasn’t doing well in school.

I had no friends.
And at the time, that honestly felt… fine.
But they shamed me for being quiet.
They said I was “closed off.” “Rude.” “Unreachable.”

And I was being bullied, too.
They argued with me like that was my fault.
Like I was the reason things were bad.
Like I was the reason they were having problems with money.
Like...

I was the reason they split up.

…

I was never really “expected.”
I was an accident.
And because of that, they were forced to marry. By my grandparents. Very religious family, of course.

After the divorce, I went to live with my mom.
She stopped me from ever contacting my dad.

And honestly? I didn’t even want to.
But still… I saw the sadness behind her smiles.

The whole thing destroyed her.
And it just made me…

It made me regret ever being born.

Especially when I...

When I figured out I was gay.

I couldn’t come out.
Not to her.
Not to them.

I knew I’d get abandoned.
I know how they think.
That kind of love has rules. Conditions.

And back then, I listened to this one song that said,
"When you are young, they assume you know nothing."

And it was true.

They thought I was naive.
Stupid.
Too soft.

They teased me for how I acted. Said I was “too gay.”
Like it was something I could fix.

I didn’t mean to.
I wasn’t trying to be anything.

It’s just… my whole life, I was surrounded by strong women.
So, wouldn't it be obvious if that was the behavior I posessed?

And yeah, I blamed myself.
For all of it.
For who I was.

...

Then came eight grade.

That’s when I hit it.
The lowest point of my life.

I didn’t care about grades anymore.
Didn’t care about moving. 
Or... Doing anything really.

I just… existed.

Barely.

I would scroll through songs, games, cartoons... anything that gave me something to hold onto.
Something that made the pain feel like background noise.

I was holding on to a life I didn’t even want.

I was an accident.
A burden.
Unwanted.
Unplanned.

A mistake.

And I thought about ending it.
Every day.

I settled on two ways:
Either fall off the rooftop of my house…
Or a clean jab to the stomach with a kitchen knife.

I just felt numb.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunset.

For those who can't play: https://youtu.be/vVwIZbCqDfk?si=S3L_9GY9Q029sU7T
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every day felt like hell.

And if there was a hell, like I was raised to believe…
Then I was already living in it.

Just when no one was around, I planned to end it.
I wrote notes and letters in my room.
Some... had tears.
I settled on jumping.
It was quick, painless.
I... I didn't like pain.

I went all the way to a building off to the side of the city.
Someplace... I knew no one would ever see me.

As I climbed the stairs all the way up to the 18th floor,
the wind brushed through my fur.

I looked below and... it was horrifying.
But... I knew in myself that there was nothing left for me here.
No one.

I took a deep breath.
And noticed that the sun was setting.
I thought that maybe it would be nice to see that view before I go.
No one could hurt me now.
It... wasn't loud.
It was quiet.
Something that I absolutely loved.

I dropped my bag and sat on the side of the building.
Just watching.

...

*Bzzt bzzt bzzt*

...

And... at that moment, I never would have expected Hoppy to call.
She...
I...

She was hurting inside herself because of her mother's passing.

...

I declined,
and started to text.

Hoppy

What’s the matter, Hopps?

Where are you?

Hopps, I’m in my room.

No you aren’t.
You think you can lie to me?

(She stopped texting.)
(While... I couldn’t move my hand.)

She sent a voice mail.

“Don’t you dare say you’re leaving. You-”
“Nap. I-”
“I...”

(I remember her sobs were so desperate.)

“You can’t leave me too.”
“I’m here for you.”
“You can’t break your promise.”
“Please, Nap.”
“Come back.”

The voice mail ended.
And back then...
I was rethinking it.
But... my mind was clouded with memories of words that others had said-
that my parents had said.

Did you look at the letter, Hopps?

No.
I can’t.
You can’t.
Please, Nap.
I know this is because of everything that you went through.
But I’m here with you.
I have a confession to make.
Just before you do anything else.
I was planning to move out and run away.
And I wanted to take you with me.
I know how hard it is for the both of us to be here.
So, what do you say?
I have everything ready.
You don’t need to do anything.
I have everything covered.

I couldn’t move.
I couldn’t think.

Hoppy...
was giving away everything to save us both.

And in that moment,
something in me cracked.

Not in a painful way,
but in a way that let the air in.
Like... like when you’ve been underwater too long and you finally, finally breathe.

I sat there, 

...

And all I could think was:

She needed me.

And for the first time in my life,
someone actually meant it.

Not because they had to.
Not because it was their responsibility.
Not because, "Blood is thicker than water" 
But because...
they cared.

So I got up.

I picked up my bag,
my phone still open to her messages.
Still hearing her voice in my head like she was right next to me.

I didn’t jump.
I walked.

Down all eighteen flights of stairs.
Each one echoing louder than the last.
Like a heartbeat.
Like the world reminding me I was still in it.

I didn’t even realize I was crying.
The wind had dried most of it.
But when I saw her waiting outside my house,
arms crossed, face puffy and red...
I broke again.

She ran up to me.
Grabbed me by the collar.
And just,
hugged me.

No words.
No scolding.
Just her,
holding on like I was something worth saving.

And I clung back.
Cause maybe,
just maybe...
I could believe it too.

That was the day I said yes.

To her.
To the plan.
To living.

We left everything.
No goodbyes.
No second thoughts.

We ran.
Together.
Two broken kids trying to build something out of the ashes.

And you know what?
That was the first time I ever felt free.

Even if the world still hurt, 
Even if the past still lingered...
I wasn't alone anymore.

And somehow...
that made all the difference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Moon?"
"Moon?"
"Moon?!"

H-Huh?
It's... Morning?

I blink, slowly.
Everything’s blurry.

The screen's still on.
Dogday's face fills it, eyes wide with worry, little sleepy smudge on his cheek.
Hair ruffled.
Voice soft.

"You're okay?" he whispers, like maybe if he says it too loud, I’ll shatter.

I sniff.

"Yeah," I croak.
It comes out raw.
Like something unburied.

He stares at me for a moment longer, then… he smiles.
One of those crooked, sleepy grins that makes something in my chest melt.
"Good. Thought you passed out on me for a sec."

I let out a soft breath that might’ve been a laugh.

"Sorry," I mumble, wiping at my face.
"Was... thinking. Too hard."

He hums.
Doesn't push.
Doesn’t ask what about.
Just nods.
Eyes still locked on me like he’s grounding me through the screen.

And then he says, 

“You’re glowing, y’know.”

I blink.

“What?”

Dogday leans back, tilts his head.

“I dunno. You look like you… are the prettiest cat in the whole world."

I cover my face with a groan. “Oh my god-”

He laughed.

It was warm.

It felt like home.

I peek at him through my fingers.
He’s still smiling.

“Guess we both had dreams last night, huh?” he adds, voice quieter now.
More careful.

I nod.

But I don't tell him what mine was.

Not yet.

Instead, I whisper,
“Thanks for staying on call.”

He shrugs, casual. “Always.”

Silence again. But this time it’s the good kind.

Then I murmur,

"...Do I really look like I was glowing?"

Dogday smirks.

“You look like the moon, Nap.”

"...Which part of the moon?"

“The soft part."

…

I hate him.
I hate him so bad.

(My face is so hot I might catch fire.)

He yawns and stretches, tail flicking lazily behind him.

“Alright, time to get your glowing butt in the shower. Chop-chop.”

I roll my eyes. “Yes, boss.”

But my heart’s still fluttering.

I'm taking back my word. 

Dogday isn't the only one who I've felt this feeling before.

I've felt content with her as well.

And... I'm grateful for both of them.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12
(Directly after Chapter 11)

---

Ha...
Well...
I guess I still need to get a move on.
Wouldn’t want to disappoint my sun.
Well... it’s still 5:30.
So~ I can still make it to him by 6.

Going out of my room, Hoppy’s... still on the couch. By experience, it’s better to wake her up now with the hangover than later, since that fucking hurts like hell.

I move closer to her,
and lightly tap her on the shoulder.

...

Welp. Expected.
I can’t really use the pot to wake her up. Her hearing’s sensitive and... I won't do that to her.
 
Instead~

...

“Catnap! What the fuck!”
“Shit! My head hurts...”

Hehe.
I may or may not have shaken her "lightly".

For a hangover cure, I’ve got some ginger tea in the cabinet.
As I grab a mug and pour in the hot water from our dispenser, I can tell she’s having the best morning of her life right now.

She’s sitting there, massaging the edges of her head, glaring at me like I just personally invented pain.

'Here,' I set the mug down in front of her. 

She squints at it. “This isn’t coffee.”

'It’s tea.' I signed, 'It helps with your hangover'

Hoppy groans but takes the mug anyway, muttering something that sounds vaguely like I hate you but with a lot less energy.

I glance at the clock. 5:42.
Perfect, still got time.

I dart back to my room, tossing my bag onto the bed and laying out my uniform. Shirt, pants, socks, all in the exact order.
I’ll need them later.
It's an old habit. Makes mornings feel less like a battle.

Towel in hand, I head to the bathroom, already running through my mental checklist: shower, brush teeth, quick face check to make sure I don’t look like a zombie.

The tiles are cold under my feet.
I twist the faucet, let the water warm up, and step in.

The hiss of water fills the room, drowning out the faint hum of the fridge in the kitchen. Steam curls upward, wrapping around me like a blanket.
And just like that, my brain… drifts.

And...

I... think about him.

Dogday.
The way he smiled at me yesterday... the one where his eyes crinkle just a little, like he’s holding back a laugh meant only for me.

I let the water run over my shoulders, closing my eyes.
I remember his voice, warm... and steady, like it could pull me back from the edge if I ever fell too far.
I still remember the first time I felt his touch, back when we both reached for the popcorn.

It’s ridiculous, but I can still feel the ghost of his touch if I think about it long enough.
And I do.

...

...Maybe he’s making coffee right now, yawning into the cup, wishing it were me instead.

God, I sound like a lovesick teenager.
Which… yeah, fair.

I turn the water a little hotter. It hits the back of my neck, and I imagine his hands there instead, maybe... teasing me for something I said. He has this way of making me feel seen without making it a big deal. Like he just… knows.

I rinse the shampoo from my hair, still lost in that quiet, impossible fantasy where it’s just the two of us.

And maybe that’s why I’m in such a rush to see him this morning.
Not because I have to.
Because I want to.

Ten minutes later, I’m out, towel wrapped around my head like some kind of weird turban. I dig through the cabinet for deodorant, accidentally knocking over the toothpaste in the process.

I get dressed, check the clock again. 5:53.
Perfect. Still ahead of schedule.

Bag slung over my shoulder, I grab my phone and head for the door.
Not without checking Hoppy who... Still looks like a zombie.

"Hey?! Where are you going this early?"

'Dogday's'

"Oo~ Stay safe, alright?"

'Get ready for work too Hopps, it's almost 6'

"Yeah yeah..."

Well...
Time to see my sun.

The street is still half-asleep.
Which... Is obvious since it's 6 in the morning.

But, not going to lie, even as a night person... I love this. Like, the air is literally just the right level of cold. 
Hope he still remembers that I promised I'd go to his place this morning. Since...
What if he’s still sleeping even after he woke me up earlier?
What if he’s halfway dressed and I just entered and see...
AHHHHHHH
OR
OR!
What if he's still just showering and I'll suprise him, making him drop his towe-
…God.

I pull my hood over my head and pick up the pace.
Giggling to myself with a small blush. 
(I know I can't see myself, but it's obvious I'm blushing)

By the time I turn the corner onto his street, I can see his window. 
Curtain half-open like always. The light’s on.
...phew.
He’s awake.

Of course he’s awake. He’s probably been waiting.
...
Wating for me...
Hehehehe

I slowly approach his door, trying not to think too hard about the fact that my tail’s doing that stupid wrap around my leg thing. 

…Knock once.
…Twice.

The door swings open before I can even drop my hand.

And there he is.

“Mornin’, Moon~” His voice is all scratchy from sleep, and he’s got this sleepy grin that (AGHHHHHHHH) is somehow even better than last night’s. His fur’s a little messy, sticking up in weird places, and he’s still in that loose shirt that hangs just enough off his shoulder to show a little...

I pull my hood back. “Morning, Sun.”

He yawns, stretching in the doorway before stepping aside to let me in. His tail’s wagging, slow, lazy, but definitely there. Like he’s trying not to make it obvious.

“You’re early,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “Didn’t even give me time to shower.”

I shrug. “Don’t care.”

He smirks. “Oh? You like me like this?”

I freeze mid-step and glare at him, but he just laughs under his breath and shuts the door.

Inside, it smells like him. 
Familiar, a little like coffee but mostly just my vanilla. My tail tightens again before I can stop it, and I make a quick move to set my bag down so he doesn’t see.

Too late. His grin says he saw.

“You want coffee?” he asks, already heading to the kitchen. “It’s not done yet, but I can pour you the first cup. Perks of showing up unannounced.”

Hm... It wouldn't be that bad since... I didn't have breakfast.
“Not unannounced,” I say, following him. “You knew I’d come.”
He glances over his shoulder with that smug little look. “Yeah. But still nice to see you couldn’t wait.”

I sit at the table, watching him move around his kitchen.
He’s not even trying to look presentable, and yet… yeah.

When he finally sets the steaming mug in front of me, he doesn’t sit.
Just leans on the counter, arms crossed, tail swishing slow like he’s got all the time in the world.

I take a sip. “So~... you got anything for breakfast?”

Without missing a beat, he says, “Me.”

Uhhh... WHAT
I blink at him over the rim of my cup. “That’s not food.”

“It could be~”

I set the cup down a little harder than necessary. “Sun-”
“What~?” His grin is all teeth now, like he knows exactly what he’s doing. “I’m high in protein. Very filling.”
High in protei- 
Dogday. 
What has gotten into you this morning?! Like-
You... You weren't like this on our video call earlier!?!!

I hide my blushing face from him while he giggles.

He finally moves to the fridge, like he’s actually going to feed me something that isn’t him.
Even if... Okay... Maybe I'm contemplating...
Though with the way he glances at me over his shoulder, I can tell he’s not done. Not even close.

He finally moves to the fridge, rummaging around like he’s actually going to make something.
Then, without warning, he hooks his fingers under the hem of his shirt and
...yep. 
There it goes.

“...What are you doing?” I ask slowly.

“Cooking,” he says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. The shirt’s already halfway over his head, ears flattening a little as he yanks it free.
Now it’s just him, standing there in nothing but a pair of low-hanging briefs, tail swishing lazily.

I blink. “You own pants, right?”
“Yeah. But where’s the fun in that?”

Before I can answer, he grabs an apron from the hook behind the door. Ties it on, nice and loose, like he’s in some ridiculous commercial for ‘Breakfast, but make it seductive.’
The apron’s barely covering anything.
ESPECIALLY NOT COVERING THAT AS-

“Sun…” I warn, trying very hard not to stare. Failing spectacularly.

“What?” he says, pulling eggs and bacon out of the fridge. “Keeps the clothes from smelling like grease.”
“That’s… not the problem here.”
“Oh~? Then what is the problem, Moon?”

I open my mouth. Close it. Sip my coffee instead.
He grins, clearly winning whatever unspoken game he’s playing, and starts cracking eggs one-handed. 
...Show-off.
Like... I know your dad-bod IS FUCKING GORGEOUS. But... Man... Okay, I'm glad it's only for my eyes, but this early in the morning?!?!

“See? Breakfast,” he says, glancing over his shoulder at me. “Told you it’d be me.”

The smell of sizzling bacon fills the kitchen, mingling with the low hum of the fridge and the faint clink of utensils.
Dogday moves like he owns the space... because he does. But also like he knows I’m watching him. Every little thing is deliberate. Even the way his tail sways.

He flips the bacon with a flick of his wrist, then slides the pan off the burner. “Eggs, sunny-side up?”
“Yeah,” I say, voice maybe a little too soft.
He smirks like he heard the crack in it.

The eggs hit the pan with a gentle hiss.
“I could get used to this,” I mumble without thinking.
“Me cooking for you?”
“Yeah.”
“Good,” he says, and there’s something in his tone that makes me feel like maybe he’s been imagining the same thing.

When he’s done, he plates everything and sets one dish in front of me before taking the seat across.
He still hasn’t taken the apron off. Or, you know… PUT ON CLOTHES.

I raise a brow. “You’re really committing to this look, huh?”
“Why? Distracting?” he says, cutting into his eggs like we’re not having this conversation.
“Yes,” I agree cause COME ON.
He grins, fork halfway to his mouth. “Good. Means it’s working.”

We eat in comfortable silence for a moment. Well... comfortable for him. I’m trying to focus on my food instead of the way the apron dips every time he leans forward.

Halfway through, he tilts his head at me. “Y’know… you could’ve just stayed over last night.”
I nearly choke on my coffee. “Wha-”
“You could've let hoppy sleep on the couch and it would’ve saved you the walk. Plus…” His eyes flick down toward the apron and back up. “You’d get this view first thing in the morning.”
I mean... Yes please~
But, in all seriousness... What has he eaten so that he's like this?!

I shove another bite of egg into my mouth just so I don’t have to answer.
He laughs, low and pleased with himself.

Yeah. Definitely dangerous before breakfast.

I cut into the eggs, letting the yolk spill across the plate, and I swear he’s watching me eat.
Not in a creepy way, just… observant. Like he’s storing away every little thing I do for later.

I stab a piece of bacon. “What?”
He shrugs, chewing his own. “Just nice having you here in the morning.”
“...You’ve had me here in the morning before.”
“Yeah,” he says, swallowing, “but you weren’t sitting at my table, hair still damp, drinking coffee like you live here.”

I take a slow sip just to give myself an excuse not to answer.
The coffee’s still too hot, but at least it’s keeping me from saying something embarrassing.

Dogday leans back in his chair, stretching just enough for the apron strings to tug against his waist. His shirtless chest is right there... broad, a little messy from sleep...
and I hate myself for noticing the way the morning light catches on his fur.

“You’re staring,” he says, smirk curling at the edges.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m not!” I protest, which is exactly what someone who is staring would say.
CAUSE HOW IN THE HELL, ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO IGNORE THAT?!?!!

He just chuckles and takes another bite of toast.
The worst part? He knows exactly what he’s doing.

I focus on my food again, determined to make it through this breakfast alive. But then...
He leans forward suddenly, reaching for the pepper grinder, and his elbow bumps the edge of his plate.

A small streak of yolk smears across the apron, low enough to be a problem.

He looks down at it, sighs, and then... like it’s the most normal thing in the world, pushes his chair back and stands. “Well, guess I’m a mess now.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You could… I don’t know, wipe it with a towel?”
“Or,” he says, stepping closer, “you could help.”

ARE. YOU. SERIOUS?!?!
He tilts his head, grinning like a fox. “C’mon, Moon. You’ve got good hands.”

My brain does a full system reboot. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Maybe,” he says, but he’s already leaning down, one arm braced against the table so we’re eye-level.

The apron is right there.
And apparently, so am I, because my hand moves before my brain catches up. I grab a napkin and dab at the smear, trying not to think too hard about the fact that my knuckles brush against his stomach.

His voice dips, low and teasing. “Careful. Ticklish~"
“Then stop moving,” I mutter.
“Didn’t say I minded.”

I freeze for half a second before finishing the job as fast as possible and tossing the napkin onto the table. “There. Done.”
“Thanks,” he says, all easy smiles again, but his eyes have that spark that makes me want to throw the coffee at him.

He sits back down like nothing happened, going right back to his food. Meanwhile, I’m trying to will my heartbeat into something less noticeable.

We eat in relative silence after that, but every now and then, I catch him looking at me like he’s got a dozen more things he wants to say.

When I’m halfway through my second piece of toast, he speaks up again.
“So, what’s the plan after breakfast?”
“Work.”
“Right, but after that.”
I glance at him. “You’ve already got something in mind, don’t you?”
He grins. “Maybe~”

I narrow my eyes. “Sun…”
“Relax, Moon,” he says, leaning his chin on one hand. “Just thinking we could spend the evening here. Order something~. Watch a movie.”
“...And by ‘movie,’ you mean?”
“An actual movie,” he says, looking fake-offended. “I’m classy.”
I raise a brow. “Right. Classy. Says the guy in nothing but boxers and an apron.”
“Hey!” he says, smirking again, “you didn’t complain.”

I roll my eyes and focus on my plate again, ignoring the way his tail flicks lazily behind him like he’s perfectly comfortable. Which... he is. 

By the time we’re done, he’s leaning back in his chair, hands laced behind his head, looking obnoxiously pleased with himself.
I start stacking the plates, but he stands, sliding them right out of my hands. “I’ve got it.”
“You cooked, I’ll wash-”
“Nope,” he says, already moving toward the sink. “Guest rules.”

I sigh and take another sip of coffee, leaning against the table as I watch him.
He hums softly while he works, tail swaying behind him, every movement easy and unhurried.
The sound is… nice. Familiar.
The kind of thing I didn’t realize I missed until it was there.

When he’s done, he hangs the apron on its hook and finally disappears down the hall toward his bedroom.

My mind agrees, but... why does my heart want more?

“Don’t get too comfortable,” he calls over his shoulder. “I’m grabbing a shirt.”
“Yeah, sure,” I say, even though part of me is wondering if I should’ve said don’t bother.

He comes back a few seconds later, tugging the shirt halfway over his head before pausing. “Welp~ I’mma shower,” he says, looking at me still perched at the counter.
Staring…

“Wanna come?”

“SUN~!”

“Alright, alright…” He grins, clearly not sorry. “But hey~ y’know? The offer’s always on the table. You’ve already seen me like that befo-”
“Sun. No.”
“Awww…”

He slumps dramatically, looking so defeated it’s ridiculous.
God.
Why-
Why… do I have to be so in love?

He disappears into the bathroom, leaving the faint sound of water pipes groaning through the walls. I pick at the rim of my coffee mug, staring at the swirl of leftover cream. It’s still too early for my brain to fully function, but being in this house… with him… kind of makes me not want to think too hard.

I hear the shower start. The white noise fills the air, warm and distant, and before I realize it, I’m wandering toward the couch.
The cushions smell faintly like him... Vanilla.
I sink down into the corner and let my head tip back.

A few minutes pass before I catch myself imagining him walking back out here with his hair's damp and skin still warm from the shower. I shove the thought away immediately... like that’s going to work.

The bathroom door creaks open, and there he is.
Exactly as imagined.

“Your ears are red,” he says, smirking.
“No, they’re not.”
“They are,” he insists, walking past me toward his bedroom. 
AGHHH.
I CAN'T WIN AN ARGUMENT AGAINST HIM.

He reappears a couple minutes later, fully dressed this time. With his uniform highlighting his physique. 
OKAY. 
Maybe... In these past couple of days I wasn't so... Observant.

“Alright,” he says, leaning on the doorframe, “ready to head out?”
“Yeah,” I say, standing and grabbing my bag.

But… I have this sudden urge to just-.

Before I can second-guess it, my feet carry me forward, and my arms wrap around him.

“W-Woah! Moon?” His voice catches in surprise, the warmth in it matching the warmth in his body as he freezes for a heartbeat. Then his arms are around me too, solid and steady. “You doing alright?”

I nod into his shoulder. “Yeah… just… needed this.”

His hand moves up to the back of my head, fingers threading lightly through my fur. “You could’ve just said so.” His voice is quiet now, almost a whisper. 

Meant only for me.

“I know.” I breathe in, and his scent grounds me instantly. “But saying it wouldn’t have felt the same.”

We stand there in the doorway for a while, neither of us moving. The morning hum of the city drifts in from the street, muffled, distant. Right now it’s just his heartbeat under my ear, slow and steady, like it’s syncing with mine.

When I finally lean back, his eyes search my face for something... worry maybe, or an answer I can’t quite put into words.
“I’m fine,” I tell him, and this time I mean it.

He gives a small nod but doesn’t let go of my hand as we step outside together.

The air is crisp, the faint chill making me pull my jacket tighter. Dogday walks close enough that our arms brush now and then, his thumb tracing lazy patterns against the back of my hand. It’s not on purpose... well, maybe it is but it’s small and simple. But means so much.

I glance at him. “You didn’t even put your shoes on until I was ready to leave, did you?”
He smirks faintly, but it’s softer than usual. “Didn’t want you waiting on me.”

The street’s still quiet, only a few people shuffling past with takeaway cups and tired eyes. The smell of fresh bread drifts from the bakery on the corner, warm and yeasty, cutting through the cool morning air. Dogday pauses mid-step like he’s actually tempted.
“Want to stop in?” he asks.
I shake my head. “I’m good. Just want to get there with you.”

He smiles, squeezing my hand once before we start walking again.

Halfway down the block, I…
This. This really is the climax of my life, huh?
Where I actually feel comfortable. With… everything.

But…

“Hey… Sun?”
“Hm?” His ears twitch slightly as he turns, and our eyes meet.
“Are you okay with… this?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you okay with me? And… how we are?”
“Yeah! How could I ever not agree?”

I don’t answer right away. The question sits heavy in my chest, even as the morning breeze brushes over my fur.
“Even… even in the future? When it just seems so uncertain?”

He stays quiet for a moment, his thumb brushing lightly over the back of my hand, like he’s telling me without words that he’s listening.
“I want to confess something, Sun.”

His ears perk fully, his gaze locking on mine.

“I… if the people from my past come back… would you still be with me? Through it all?”
I take a breath that feels bigger than my lungs can hold. “I haven’t had a night where I didn’t think of what happened… well, except for when I’m with you.”

“What happened?”

“Things got bad back when I still lived with my family. To the point where… I almost killed myself. And because of that, I abandoned everything to go with Hoppy and start a new life here.”

His arms come around me without hesitation. I feel the warmth of his chest, the steady beat of his heart under my cheek.
“I-” his breath trembles, “Moon, I’m sorry you had to go through that- I-”

“No… I’m fine now, Sun.” My voice drops softer, almost lost in the space between us. “But… what if, y’know, my mother comes to find me? Would you-”
“I’ll always be with you.”
“Even-”
“Yes. Whatever you say. My answer is yes.”
“And if I ask you to marry me?”
“Of course, dummy!”
“Sun~” I giggle, the sound breaking through the knot in my chest. “It was a joke!”
“Hey! If you offered~ I’d take it.” He chuckles, then exhales, warm against my ear. “But back to the point, you don’t need to be scared anymore. I’m here.”

…

I kiss him.

And-
I don’t want to let go.

After what happened last night, I-
I know.

“I love you, Moon. Okay? Never forget that.”
“I love you too.”
“Awww, look who’s being sappy.”
“Sun~!”

We both laugh, the heaviness melting into something lighter.

When we reach the four-way in the street, I glance at him. He catches it instantly.
“You good?”
I nod. “Better than good.”

The crosswalk light clicks on, and we step forward together. Our shoes scuff in sync against the pavement, the air carrying that faint mix of morning dew and exhaust.

When we reach the office building, he holds the door for me… not because he has to, but because that’s just who he is.

Inside, we head for the elevator. He presses the button, and I lean my head against his shoulder.
“Aww, Moon~ Is this a sign?”
“H-Huh?”
“That you’re staying with me tonight?”
“Hehe… maybe.”

Come on~ I gotta tease a little.

The elevator hums as it climbs. When the doors slide open, we’re met with an… aroma. Not unpleasant, just… floral? Whatever it is, it’s definitely not the usual scent here.

Dogday’s ears perk. “Oh... Crafty’s back...”

Crafty…?
…Wait.

“Sun? Who’s Crafty?”
“Oh, just my... our, senior. She’s the one with that Pokémon table.”

…Knew it.

“Come on, let’s get to our table.”

We walk along the side, and I glance toward where I remembered the table with the Shadow Lugia figure. And... wow. Crafty’s beautiful.
Her fur’s a perfect, clean white, catching the light like fresh snow, and her mane’s this rich, flowing blue that looks like it belongs in a shampoo commercial.

“G’morning, Day,” she greets, smooth as silk. Her eyes flick to me. “Who’s that with you?”
“Mornin’, Crafty. This is Catnap, previously in Department B.”
“Well, g’morning, Catnap.” She gives this little giggle, like she’s already in on some joke. “Hope Dogday doesn’t make your work life hell.”

“Uh…” I turn to look at Dogday with some suspicion. “What was she talking about…?”

He laughs, too quickly. “W-Well… I do have the reputation for… overexerting new people in the department…”

I raise a brow. “…Overexerting?”

“Y’know! Motivating them to greatness,” he says with that fake-innocent smile that’s about as convincing as a paper umbrella in a hurricane.

Crafty just smirks, like she’s watching a play she’s already seen the ending to. “I’ll let you two settle in. Welcome to Department A, Catnap.” She turns back to her desk, mane swishing like it knows it’s better than mine.

Dogday guides me to our table, his hand brushing against my lower back in that casual way that still makes my chest tighten. “Don’t listen to her,” he says under his breath. “She’s just dramatic.”

I lean closer. “And you’re… not?”

He grins. “I’m selectively dramatic.”

We sit, and before I can unpack that comment, he’s already pulling out some files and passing me a pen like we didn’t just walk through the social equivalent of a minefield.

We settle into the morning rhythm. Papers shifting, keyboards clacking, the low hum of the air conditioner. Dogday dives into whatever’s in front of him, and I start reviewing a file he slid my way.

It’s quiet for a while… until Crafty strolls over, balancing two steaming mugs.

“Tea?” she asks, setting one down beside me. “Figured you might want something lighter than Dogday’s sludge.”

“Hey, my coffee’s perfect,” Dogday says without looking up, though I can hear the edge in his voice.

'Thanks,' I say, taking the mug. It smells floral, I type on my phone, 'You didn't have to'

“Please. Anything to keep the new blood from burning out in their first week.” She leans an elbow on my desk, close enough that her blue mane brushes my arm. “So~ how are you finding Department A?”

I glance at Dogday. He’s definitely not looking at us, but his ears are angled this way. Listening.

'It’s… good,' I type. 'Different from department B, but I like it so far.'

“Different’s good.” She smiles... just a touch too long. Then starts pointing at a document I’d been sorting. “You’ve got a sharp eye. These are some of the more complex requests; not everyone catches the mistakes here.”

“That’s because he's got me,” Dogday says suddenly, standing and walking over. “I’ve been training him personally. Right moon?”

I... Don't know how to respond to that.

Crafty’s smirk says she knows exactly what he’s doing. “Mhm. Sure you have, Day.”

“I have,” he insists, planting a hand on the back of my chair. “We make a good team.”

Something in his tone makes my tail twitch. It’s not possessive in a bad way… more like he’s quietly staking a claim.

Crafty just chuckles. “Alright, I’ll leave you two to it.” She takes her empty mug and saunters back to her desk.

The moment she’s out of earshot, Dogday leans down. “She’s always like that,” he mutters.

“Like what?” I ask, sipping the tea.

“Friendly... Too friendly.”

I hide a smile. “You jealous?”

He scoffs, way too quickly. “No. Just… making sure you don’t get distracted.”

“From work?”

“From me,” he says, straightening up and heading back to his desk like he didn’t just casually drop that.
Awwwww.
Can't really argue with that.
Y'know...? Back then I would be denying it but... I've gotten used to accepting his flirts hehe

The rest of the morning passes in its usual blur. Emails, phone calls, the occasional muttered curse from Dogday’s side of the desk. 
He... hasn't been liked this before...
Every now and then, Crafty finds a reason to swing by. Sometimes it’s a “quick question,” sometimes it’s “oh, you have the files I need.”

Every single time, Dogday’s attention snaps up like a radar.
If I’m holding a pen, suddenly he’s asking for it back.
If Crafty’s leaning on my desk, he’s got some “urgent” papers for me to review, with him.
Once, he even pulled my chair a few inches closer to his, muttering, “Better lighting over here.”

Subtle, my ass.
It's... Gotten a bit obvious at this point. 
But, Come on sun... After the talk we had earlier this morning...
Well, I guess I can't blame him...

By the time lunch rolls around, Hoppy appears, balancing a paper bag in one hand and a can of soda in the other. “Delivery!” she chirps, dropping it on my desk.

'You’re a lifesaver,' I sign, 

“Picky’s special. You owe me,” she says, then glances at Dogday with a grin. “Unless your boyfriend was planning on feeding you.”

Dogday’s ears flick. “I was. Just hadn’t gotten the chance yet.”

Hoppy raises a brow, clearly enjoying this. “Right. Sureeeeeee”

Before I can stop her, Kickin strolls up, hands in pockets. “What’s this? A lunch date?” His grin’s practically criminal.

'It’s just lunch,' I sign

“Mmhm. And yet…” He gestures between Dogday and me, “…this one’s glaring like someone stole his fries.”

'Wait... You understood what I signed?'

“I’m not glaring,” Dogday says, which would be more convincing if he weren’t still staring at Kickin like he was considering kickin(g) him.

"Yeah, I've been learning some ASL. Just so we wouldn't have to always type." Kickin chuckles and leans on the desk. “And~ You need to relax, Day. We all know 'Moon’s' yours. No need to mark territory.”

Dogday doesn’t answer, he just slides my soda closer and unwraps my sandwich the rest of the way for me, like he’s done it a hundred times. His hand lingers a second too long on mine when he passes it over.

“Eat,” he says simply.

Kickin lets out a low whistle. “Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll go bug Hoppy instead.”

“Good luck with that,” Hoppy says, already halfway down the hall.

We kept eating and Dogday... Still hasn't loosened up his guard. He was... Kinda like an animal protecting the pack. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s mid-afternoon when Crafty appears again, leaning on the edge of my desk.
“Hey, Catnap. Got a sec?”

Dogday doesn’t look up from his monitor, but his ears flick just enough to give him away.

“I need a hand in the storage room,” Crafty says, voice all easy charm. “You’ve got a good eye for organizing.”

"Sure,” I type, hesitating before standing.

Before I can take a step, Dogday’s suddenly there, chair spinning away from his desk like he’s been waiting for this exact cue. “I’ll help too.”

Crafty blinks. “You? Since when do you volunteer for storage duty?”

He shrugs, utterly casual in a way that’s not casual at all. “Since now.”

The storage room’s dim, the air thick with the smell of cardboard and printer toner. Crafty hands me a stack of binders. “Top shelf,” she says, smiling.

I stretch up, sliding them into place. Behind me, I can feel Dogday. Close enough that the heat from his arm grazes mine when he reaches for another stack. He’s helping, technically, but every time I shift, he’s there too, a warm, solid presence.

Crafty chats away, mostly about old office stories. Some of which include Dogday in rather embarrassing situations. I glance at him after one particularly funny one, and he’s got that faintly annoyed crease between his brows.

“You okay?” I murmur.

“I’m fine,” he says, but the words are clipped, his tail giving a short, betraying flick.

By the time we’re done, Crafty thanks us both and heads out, leaving us alone in the narrow room.

“You know,” I say, “you didn’t have to come.”

“Yeah, I did,” he answers, meeting my eyes. There’s no teasing now. Just that warm, steady look that always gets me. 

I didn't reply. I know that It's better to talk with him alone, rather than in a cramped closet.

I didn’t reply.
Not here.
Not with the smell of dust in the air and the walls closing in.

We head back to our desks without another word. Crafty throws me a smile in passing, but Dogday doesn’t even glance her way. His focus is on his screen, fingers tapping faster than usual, tail swishing in a way that tells me his head’s anywhere but on the numbers in front of him.

The rest of the day passes in that strange in-between. Light chatter with Hoppy and Kickin, a few shared looks with Dogday that I can’t quite read, and the usual rhythm of typing, phone calls, and the hum of the AC overhead.

But the weight of that moment in the storage room lingers.
Every time I catch him watching me from across the desk, I feel it again... like he’s waiting for something. Or maybe he thinks I’m the one who’s supposed to make the first move.

By the time the clock hits five, most of the office is already packing up. Hoppy’s leaning back in her chair, stretching with a groan. “I’m hitting the café before heading home. Anyone coming?”

Kickin’s already halfway to the door. “Only if you’re paying.”

“Ha! Funny,” Hoppy says, following him out.

And just like that, it’s quiet again.

Dogday’s still at his desk, pretending to scroll through something important.
I grab my bag, walk over, and stop just beside him.

“Sun,” I say softly.

He looks up, ears perking.

“Can I… talk with you for a sec?” I meet his eyes. “While no one’s around?”

“Y-Yeah… sure.” He looks a little frazzled. “Why? What’s going on?”

“Sun… I know what you’re feeling. It’s been obvious the whole day.” I reach out and hold his hand. “What’s the matter?”

“I-I don’t know. It’s just… I…” He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t like how Crafty’s stealing you from me.”

“Stealing me?” I can’t help but giggle a little.

“It’s just that… I’m not used to not having you with me all the time, y’know? Yesterday… I always had you there, and… I… don’t want…” His words trail off.

“It’s okay,” I say gently. “Calm down. Take a deep breath.”

He does, shoulders relaxing just a little. “I’m just jealous of how Crafty’s been around you all day… y’know?”

“Well, of course she has,” I say. “You introduced me as a new member this morning. And since she’s our superior, it makes sense she’d be keeping an eye on me.”

“I just don’t like how she’s taking every moment we could’ve had together…”

“Maybe it’s just for today,” I offer. “You never know.” Then I reach up, cupping his cheek. “Can you promise me you won’t be like this tomorrow? I… I want us to go back to how we acted at work yesterday.” I giggle. “Even if you flirt every minute.”

That gets a genuine laugh out of him, warm and unguarded. “Okay. I promise.”

“Good.” I let my hand fall from his cheek, but not before giving it a soft brush with my thumb. “Now… can you walk me home?”

“Of course.”

We leave the office together, the quiet hum of the city wrapping around us. The air is cooler now, carrying the scent of rain that never actually fell. Streetlights glow in long, warm streaks across the sidewalk.

Dogday falls into step beside me, our shoulders brushing just enough to notice. He keeps his hands in his pockets, but every so often, his tail brushes against mine like it’s testing the waters.

“You know,” I say after a block or two, “you could’ve just told me earlier.”

“Told you what?” he asks, glancing at me with that tilted-head look.

“That you were jealous. Would’ve saved you a day of sulking.”

“I wasn’t sulking,” he says, voice defensive... but there’s the smallest smile tugging at his mouth.

“You so were.”

He chuckles under his breath, looking away. “I just… don’t like feeling like someone could pull you away from me.”

“You realize that’s not possible, right?” I bump his arm gently. “You’re my sun. Not Crafty. Not anyone else.”

His ears flick up at that, and for a moment he doesn’t say anything. Just looks ahead with that quiet, almost embarrassed smile that he probably thinks I don’t notice.

We cross a quieter street, the sound of our steps echoing against the buildings. At one point, he shifts his arm, and his fingers brush mine. I let him take my hand without saying a word. His grip is warm, steady.

“Moon?” he says softly.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks… for not getting mad about it.”

I glance at him. “Why would I? You were honest. That’s… more than most people have been with me.”

He squeezes my hand, and the way his thumb runs over my knuckles makes something in my chest unclench.

We pass the little bakery on the corner, its windows still glowing faintly even though it’s closed for the night. The scent of baked bread lingers in the air, mixing with the faint tang of the street after dark.

As I head toward his place, he glances at me with a raised brow. “You’re… staying with me tonight?”

“I mean… of course. Didn’t I tell you that this morning?”

“I guess I forgot,” he giggles, and for the first time today, his laugh feels light.

“Unlock the door, then,” I say.

“Okay~”

He fumbles with the keys, and I stand right beside him. In all honesty, he reeks a little of sweat from the long day… but underneath, there’s that same warm, sweet vanilla that clings to him no matter what.

…
Is it weird that I’m so entranced by his scent?
…
Probably not. He’s mine, after all.

The door clicks open, and I follow him inside. The quiet wraps around us instantly, shutting out the rest of the world. He tosses his keys on the counter, glances over his shoulder, and smiles that small, tired smile that makes my chest ache in the best way.

“Welcome home, Moon,” he says softly.

And… I think he means it.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13
(Directly after Chapter 12)

“I really am home,” I whisper.

“What’s that, Moon?”

I just giggle and step inside.

Dropping my bag by the door, I head straight for the couch and collapse face-first into the cushions.
This is... exactly what I need after a full day of staring at a computer screen.

...
Laying there for a bit. Don’t know how long though.
...

But then I hear footsteps padding softly around the sofa.
“Hey,” he says, leaning over the backrest, “what do you want for dinner?”

Mmm… chicken? Maybe… something fried?

“You decide, Sun…” I mumble into the pillow.

He chuckles. “No energy left, huh?”

I wiggle one hand lazily in the air to confirm. My other hand fishes for my phone, and I squint at the screen.
...
Yeah… I don’t have the physical capacity to care right now.
I turn it off and set it on the coffee table.

…
…
…

I suddenly feel warmth press against my leg, the couch dipping as he sits beside me. His fingers thread gently through my hair, and it’s unfair how fast THAT alone makes the ache behind my eyes soften.

“You worked too hard today,” he murmurs.

I tilt my head to look at him. His face is closer than I realized...
I know he’s worried.

“Not as much as you with your jealousy earlier~” I tease, voice softer than I intended.

His ears shoot up. “H-hey! I thought we were done with that.”

“Oops, sorry.” I laugh tiredly, watching his mouth twitch into a reluctant smile.

This time, though, it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

He keeps petting my hair, but I can tell... something small has shifted.

“You know, Sun... sometimes you worry too much. Like... like I can’t take care of myself.”

It comes out lighter in my head. A little joke. But the second the words leave my mouth, I see the way his ears droop, the way his hand hesitates mid-stroke.

“Oh.”

The room stills. My chest tightens.

“Sun, I didn’t mean-”

“It’s fine, Moon.” He says it quickly, pulling his hand back and standing up slowly, as if not to be too obvious. “I’m... just going to order take-out.”

It’s... fine?
But it doesn’t feel fine.

My body feels hotter the longer I notice it.
Notice… him.

I push myself up slowly, leaning on one elbow. “…Sun?”

“Wait a little bit, Moon.” He smiles as he walks away.

I-
...
I-
This-
I didn’t-
Why...

I know I did something wrong.

...
I slowly force my body to get up, padding after him into the bedroom.

...

Hearing movement inside, I peek through the doorway.
He’s just changing his clothes.

Should I... maybe I should wait?
...
No.
Maybe-
No.
I need to do this now.

But...

...

This is so confusing.
Should I give him space or... should I-

...

I should apologize now.
We’ll be together the whole night.

“…Sun?”

“What do you need, Moon?”

His voice is a little more stern this time.
It... scares me.

“Sun... I’m sorry.”

“I told you, Moon. It’s fine.” He says it without hesitation.

But his back is still to me. And his tail flicks once, sharp, betraying him.

“…No, it’s not,” I whisper.

That makes him freeze. Shirt half-pulled over his head.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” I say quickly, stepping into the room. “I don’t think you’re smothering me, or that you don’t trust me, or any of that. I just... I was tired, and I was trying to joke, and it came out wrong. I’m sorry.”

He pulls the shirt down slowly, his ears still tilted back.

His shoulders loosen just barely, but instead of softening, his voice comes out rough. “Then why did it feel like you wanted me to?”

“…Sun…”

“Because people say stuff like that before they leave, Moon. They get tired of you. When you're... Too much. And then they’re gone.”

My chest lurches. He’s not looking at me anymore, eyes fixed on the floor like it’s safer than my face.

“…You’ve had people leave you like that?” I ask quietly.

His ears twitch. He doesn’t answer.

The room feels heavier.
I step closer, heart squeezing. My hand brushes his arm, tentative. “Please look at me, Sun.”

This time... when he does...
His eyes are wet. 

“I’m not them,” I whisper. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I-I’m sorry, Moon.”

I don’t say a word. I just pull him into me.

His arms circle my back almost desperately, and I hear the muffled sobs against my shoulder. His grip tightens, trembling, like if he lets go even for a second I might slip away.

What did he mean when he said they leave?
Who are 'they'?
I... I didn’t expect this.

So... I hold him.
Because what else can I do?

Slowly, His breathing steadies. 
I can feel it in the way his chest no longer beats so hard against mine.

“You okay now, Sun?” 

He doesn’t respond.
And... he doesn’t need to.

I just keep patting his back gently, grounding him in silence.

After a while, he pulls back. His ears are low, 
“I’m sorry,” he whispers again, softer this time. “You shouldn’t have to see me like that. I guess with everything that happened today... I just...”

I shake my head quickly. “No. I should be the one to apologize. I was the one who made you remember. But... you don’t need to say sorry. Not to me.”

That makes him glance up, just for a second. And there it is... that flicker in his eyes.

“…Someday, I’ll tell you,” he says quietly. “About who they were.” His tail curls closer to his leg, like he’s bracing himself. “...They were supposed to be the people who’d never leave. But they did.”

…
…
Family.

“I’ll wait until you’re comfortable,” I say softly.

He doesn’t say the word, but I can feel it in the way his voice breaks.

His thumb rubs absently against my sleeve, almost like he’s trying to reassure me now. “I promise, Moon. I’ll tell you. Just… not tonight.”

I nod, heart aching. “Then I’ll wait. As long as you need.”

We looked at each other for a good while just... Taking in everything that happened.

Until I saw a slight...
His ears twitch. “I... I’m sorry.”

“I told you, Sun... you don’t need to be.”

“But... I lashed out at you. A-And I...”

“It’s okay.” I smile, brushing my thumb over his hand. “I know you, Sun. You’ve told me a little before, remember?”

His brows knit. “When?” His voice is softer.

“When we were on the rooftop. Back when we first met.”

“I... I don’t remember,” he admits.

I squeeze his hand. “Even if you don’t... you know I still love you, right?”

That gets him. His shoulders ease, and a small, breathy laugh escapes. “How could I not?”

The sound loosens something tight in my chest. I giggle too, half in relief, half because I need the air back in the room.

We just stand there for a moment, hands still tangled, breathing the same quiet space.

Then my stomach growls.

We both freeze, then burst out laughing.

“Chicken?” he offers.

“Chicken.” I grin.

…

A little later, we’re curled up on the couch with the food spread out across the coffee table. The TV hums low in the background, some show neither of us is really watching. He sits close enough that our shoulders touch the whole time, his tail resting lazily against my leg.

Every now and then, I realize I’m glancing at him too much, like I’m checking to make sure he’s really still here.
And every time, he meets my eyes, steady, like he knows.

By the time the boxes are half-empty, I lean back into the cushions. My head tips against his shoulder, heavier than it should be, but he doesn’t complain.

“Still tired?” he asks softly.

“Mm,” I hum, already sinking into that space between awake and asleep. “…But better. With you.”

“Aww, look who’s getting sappy now~”

“You like it,” I mumble into his shirt.

He doesn’t answer right away, but I feel his tail shift against my leg, brushing gently back and forth. His quiet version of a confession.

Everything just… eases out after that. The weight in my chest, the ache in my eyes, even the thought of today’s mess... it all fades. I don’t know how long we just stay there and exist.

...Exist.
Funny word. 
Kind of existential, really. 
...
God, I’m not even fifty and I’m already saying things like that.

Anyway.
My eyes keep getting heavier by the second. Every time I blink, it takes more effort to open them again. Dogday’s still watching the TV.

I… should really think more before I speak. I know I hurt him earlier, even if I didn’t mean to. 
And still... he held me. 
Still, he accepted me for who I am... Every wrong part of me. 
The least I can do is not forget that. The least I can do… is be better for him.

But… 
it’s... 
to…
sh…

…
…
…

Hm?

My eyes crack open. The TV’s still on, flickering light across the walls.

What time is it?

I squint at the clock. 10:47. It's late.

He’s still sitting there, awake. His tail is draped warm against my leg, his hand resting on my thigh like it never left.

“Moon?” His voice is soft, surprised. “I thought you fell asleep.”

“What about you, Sun?” My voice is rough, “…Why are you still awake?”

“Just… couldn’t sleep,” he says, ears lowering a little.

I know what this is. The way his tail’s wrapped around me, tighter than usual. The way his hand grips on my thigh...

“Turn off the TV, Sun. Come here.”

“Why?”

“Sun.”

“…O-okay.”

He fumbles for the remote, clicks the screen dark, then shifts, lying down against me. His weight settles across my chest, just like back then, the first time he let himself fall apart in my arms.

“You’re overthinking something, aren’t you?” I murmur, brushing my fingers against his fur.

“N-no… I’m not-”

“Sun.” I tilt my head down, trying to meet his eyes, but he’s staring at the floor like it’s safer than me. “You can tell me. I’m not leaving.”

That makes his ears flick straight up. 

“You… really aren’t?”

“Tell me, Sun. Are you okay?”

“I-” His voice catches.

Before he can finish, I wrap my arms tighter around him, pulling him against me. “Is this about earlier? I’m sorry, Sun…”

“N-no! It’s not that. I-I’m just… thinking of stuff.”

“…About?” I ask, softer now, like maybe if I don’t press too hard, he’ll actually let it out.

His tail flicks once, then curls closer to his leg. He doesn’t answer right away. 
...
It feels like there's something he wants to say but... Can't.
Is this about... What he said earlier?

Finally, he whispers, “About… how easy it is to lose people.”

My chest tightens. “Sun…”

“It’s just-” He cuts himself off, shaking his head against me. His ears are low, his voice rough. “Sometimes I think if I blink too long, you’ll be gone. Just like they were.”

The silence after... Was intimidating.

I breathe in, brushing my fingers through his mane. “I’m not them.”

“I know,” he says quickly, almost... too quickly. His hands bunch in my shirt, clinging. “I know, Moon. You keep saying it, and I keep wanting to believe it, but… it’s hard. When you’ve… when you’ve seen it before. Felt it before.”

My thumb strokes the back of his head, “Then let me prove it. Every day, if I have to. However long it takes.”

That finally makes him look at me. His eyes are wet again, shining faint in the low light. But he doesn’t cry this time. He just stares, like he’s trying to burn the words into his memory.

“…I don’t deserve you,” he murmurs.

“Don’t say that.” I cup his cheek before he can look away. “You do. You do, Sun. More than you know.”

For a moment, neither of us speaks. The room is quiet, save for the sound of his breathing against my chest.

Then, in the smallest voice, he says, “Sorry if I sound like a broken record... I know I already said this before. But... Someday, I’ll tell you. Everything.”

I nod. “I’ll wait.”

His ears twitch, a faint, fragile smile tugging at his lips. “You’re too patient with me.”

“Someone’s gotta be,” I tease gently, though my voice cracks a little from how much I mean it.

That earns me a soft laugh... Anxious but real. He buries his face in my chest again, arms tightening around me like I’m the only anchor he’s got.

And maybe I am.

…

We stay like that for a while, wrapped up in each other. No distractions... Just warmth. I could his the soft beating of his heart from my chest

Eventually, his breathing evens out. His grip loosens just a little, but he doesn’t let go.

“Moon?” he whispers, barely awake now.

“Mm?”

“Don’t ever change.”

I smile into his hair, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “Not planning to.”

He hums softly, and that’s the last thing before he drifts off, tail still looped loosely around my leg.

…

I stay awake a little longer. Watching him.
Okay, in retrospect, that sounds a little creepy. 
But… with everything he said, I can’t help it. His face looks so calm like this... At least he's getting a bit of rest. 
...all I can think about is how much weight he hides behind that smile of his during the day.

What he told me earlier… the way he said “they were supposed to be the people who’d never leave”…
I don’t need to ask who. 
I know. 
...
Family.

And maybe that’s what hurts the most. Because I know what that feels like.
When it’s your own blood that makes you feel like you’re too much.

But... Yet... here he is, still carrying that wound, still trying to be my Sun, even when it burns him to keep shining.
...I’m an idiot for making him remember it.
I was the reason he shut down. The reason he doubted, even for a moment, that I was going to stay.

I squeeze my eyes shut, biting back the sting in them.
I don’t deserve him. Not when I can hurt him that easily.
Not when he still looked at me tonight like I was the one thing he couldn’t lose.

“…I’m sorry, Sun,” I whisper into the quiet. My voice is shaky, the kind that would’ve broken if I’d tried any harder to say it.
He doesn’t stir. His breathing stays steady, deep, caught in whatever safe place his dreams built for him.

Good. He deserves that peace.

I brush a hand through his hair, careful not to wake him, and let my fingers rest there, tangled gently in the soft strands. Just enough to remind myself that he’s real. That he’s here.

I’ll do better tomorrow.
I’ll be softer with my words.
I’ll make sure he never has to question again if I’m staying.

...This...
Is a vow I’ll keep.

Slowly, the weight of the day creeps back into me. My eyelids grow heavy, my body sinking deeper into the cushions beneath us. The last thing I register is the rhythm of his heartbeat against my side, steady and reassuring.

…
…
…

Is it… raining?
Yeah. That’s rain.

It’s pounding faintly against the windows, like an endless white noise track. Relaxing, in that half-dreamy way where you could just stay in bed all day and pretend the world doesn’t exist.

I blink open an eye. My sun’s still not up yet. Dogday’s chest rises and falls against me, slow and even. His arm’s slung across me like a dead weight, one paw still tangled in my shirt like I might slip away if he lets go.

Hehe. Cute.

It makes me wanna...
“Soft kitty, 
warm kitty, 
little ball of fur. 
Happy kitty, 
sleepy kitty, 
purr purr purr…”

…No reaction. He didn’t even twitch an ear. Wow. The man can sleep through a storm and bad lullabies.
Okay... Not a bad lullaby but a bad singer (me)

“Well,” I whisper, half-smiling, “guess I have to make breakfast today.”

I carefully inch my leg off the couch, prying his hand from my shirt finger by finger. It’s like defusing a bomb, one wrong move and he’s awake.

...
Yup. Success!!!!

The kitchen greets me with a faint chill and that… fridge smell. Not bad, just cold air and leftovers. I pull the door open and peek inside.

Okay. So. I didn’t expect much, but wow.
Two eggs. Half a can of peaches. And a mystery container shoved in the back. I lean forward, sniff cautiously. …Nope. Not risking it. I like the morning smell of the rain.

Cabinets, then. 
Please, Sun... 
let there be something-

I open one and... jackpot? Sort of... 
Instant noodles, rice, a dusty box of pancake mix that looks older than both of us, and a single jar of peanut butter.

Well, Catnap... what do we have? 
Option A: half-ass pancakes. 
Option B: sad noodles. 
Option C: peanut butter... and two eggs”

My stomach grumbles at the thought. 
Yeah, yeah. You’re not picky.

I grab the eggs and pancake mix. Rain’s still pattering outside, filling the quiet. It feels weirdly… homey. Like I’m in the middle of some domestic life I never signed up for but secretly always wanted.

I set the pan on the stove, turning the knob until the flame flickers blue. 
I crack one egg... carefully. 
...
No shell! 
Victory!!
The mix hisses faintly as it hits the pan, and the smell rises almost instantly. 

Behind me, there’s a groggy yawn. Then the shuffle of feet.

“…Moon?” His voice is raspy, half-asleep. “What’re you… doing?”

“Cooking,” I say simply, flipping the pancake. “Someone’s gotta feed us, and your fridge looks like a crime scene.”

He immediately sprints and hugs me...

He rubs at his eyes, "…You didn’t open the container, did you?”

“Nope.”

“Good. Don’t.”

“…Should I even ask?”

“Nope.”

We look at each other, then both crack up laughing.

We’re both laughing so hard the pancake nearly burns. I scramble to flip it and, miracle of miracles, it’s actually golden brown instead of charcoal.

Dogday shuffles closer, peeking over my shoulder. His breath is warm against my ear. “Looks edible. Color me impressed.”

“Edible is the bar now?”

“For you? Yeah,” he teases, grinning.

I elbow him lightly. “Go set the table or something before I throw this at you.”

He snickers, tail flicking lazily behind him, but he does grab two plates and forks from the cabinet. I watch him move around his own kitchen like he’s still half-asleep, ears twitching every time the rain hits harder against the window.

It’s… nice. 

The second pancake hits the plate, then the third, and soon enough we’ve got a small stack that actually looks like food. He sets the table. Two plates, mugs... Without anything inside, and the half-used can of peaches I salvaged from the fridge.

“Wow,” I say 'enthusiastically', sliding the pancakes down. “Five-star dining.”

“You’re welcome,” he says, as he turned on the coffee machine and he sits down before jabbing the fork into the stack.

We eat while the rain outside lightly bangs on the roof and windoes. 
...The pancakes are a little dense, maybe, but sweet enough. The peaches help.

After a while, he looks up at me. His eyes are softer than his words. “You didn’t have to cook, you know.”

I shrug, chewing. “You cooked for me yesterday, and... I wanted to cook for you today.”

His ears twitch. “Still… I liked waking up to this.”

I almost choke on my bite. “…Sun, you can’t just say stuff like that when I’m eating.”

“What? That I liked it?” His grin is mischievous now, the sleep gone from his voice. “You, in my kitchen, making breakfast while it rains? Pretty much dream material.”

“God, you’re-” My face goes hot, and I cut myself off with a sigh, stuffing another bite into my mouth. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Yeah. Yours, though.”
He says it so casually, so matter-of-fact, like it’s already carved into stone.

The silence stretches, so I lean back and mutter, “So… what if I pulled the same move you did yesterday?”

His grin widens, and he drops his voice... low. “Aww, Moon… I wouldn’t stop you.”

That tone makes my whole body jolt. “Hah… see? It doesn’t work when you actually want me to.”

He bursts into giggles, tail swishing lazily as we both go back to eating. Outside, the rain picks up, drumming harder against the roof. The sound fills the space between us.

I glance at him. He’s eating like nothing’s wrong, tail swishing lightly under the table. But last night’s words… they’re still in the air. .

I swallow, setting my fork down quietly. “…Are you’re okay, Sun?”

He blinks, ears twitching, then sets his own fork down. For a second I think he’s going to deflect it... or joke... But instead he sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Yeah. I mean… better. You helped. I just… it sticks sometimes, y’know? Like rain. Even when it stops, the ground’s still wet.”

I nod slowly. “Then let me help dry it up.”

He stares at me. Then laughs softly, shaking his head. “That was cheesy.”

“Shut up.” 

But he doesn’t let it go. He leans across the table, his paw brushing mine. “I mean it. Thanks, Moon.”

And suddenly, the heaviness doesn’t feel so heavy anymore.

We finish the meal in easy silence. My chest doesn’t ache like before... it’s lighter, steadier, even with the rain pounding outside.

When the plates are cleared and the dishes stacked in the sink, I lean against the counter and glance at him. 

He taps his phone, showing me the group text. Sure enough, big bold letters: OFFICE CLOSED! FLOOD ADVISORY. STAY SAFE.

I raise a brow. “Flood advisory, huh? Guess we’re trapped together.”

His grin spreads slow and sly. “Oh no. Whatever will we do, locked inside with nothing but rain, and each other?”

“Sun…”

“What? I’m setting the mood.”

I roll my eyes, but the truth is... he already did.

The rain is still pouring, the couch is waiting, the blankets piled messily, the world outside drowned in grey. And for once… we don’t have anywhere else to be.

...

...Unless.

“Hey, Sun?”

“Hm…?” He looks up at me from the couch, 

“Wanna go grocery shopping? I know you LITERALLY don’t have anything in your fridge OR your cabinets.”

He blinks, then grins, “Well… sure!” He hops up and leans closer, lowering his voice right against my ear. “It’s a date, right?”

That's-
was NOT what I meant.
But~
Wait…
It would actually be our first real date. If you, y’know, disregard the movie night last week. 

Still… who cares, right?

“Do you want it to be~?” I tease back, raising an eyebrow.

His grin softens into something almost boyish. “Moon, anything with you counts as one.”

…
Oh.
OH.
My face feels warm...

“Alright then,” I say quickly, grabbing my jacket from the hook. “Let’s go! On a grocery store date!”

He laughs, slipping into his shoes and grabbing the umbrella by the door. “Most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.”

“It is, isn't it~?” I can’t keep the smile off my face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Youtube source (credits to~):https://youtu.be/JmYjaF9AS2g?si=BEI1zjqsmmOdAK4B
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door opens, and we’re greeted by a wall of rain. He pops the umbrella open, holding it above us, and we step into the storm together.

The streets are nearly empty, puddles swallowing the sidewalks. The air is cool and it's like a cold mist is splashing onto my face, carrying that clean smell only rain can bring. He brushes against my side every so often, and maybe it’s the cold, but I keep inching closer too.

“This is our first… outside date, right?”

Well…
“Guess so…”

He giggles, but something about the way his eyes light up feels a little too mischievous.
“…Sun?”

Before I can question it, he suddenly snaps the umbrella closed-

“Let’s make it memorable!!!”

“S-SUN?!” I yelp, jerking back as cold rain instantly splatters across my fur.

He’s already out there in the middle of the street, spinning with the umbrella useless at his side, laughing like the storm was made just for him. Water runs in little riffles down his face, dripping from his ears and clinging to his shirt. And God, he looks… ridiculously alive.

Then he turns toward me, grinning, hand outstretched.

“Come on, Moon!”

I stand frozen under the awning, bag hugged tight against my chest. My clothes are already speckled from the rain, damp enough to make me shiver. “You’re insane!”

“Maybe,” he shouts back over the downpour, “but I’m your insane.”

…God. How do I even argue with that?

I groan, half-exasperated, half-laughing, and shove the umbrella under my arm before bolting toward him. The rain hits harder the second I leave, it feels like cold needles against my skin, soaking my fur until I’m sure I look like a half-drowned mess.

But then his hand catches mine, warm even through the storm. He pulls me in, close enough that water sprays between us as our shoulders collide.

And just like that, I’m laughing too.

The street is nearly empty. Just wet pavement shining under the pale glow of streetlamps, puddles gathering at the curbs.
He spins me before I can protest, both hands clasping mine, pulling me into some ridiculous half-dance in the middle of the road. My shoes slip against the wet concrete, splashing through puddles, but his grip never falters.

“Sun!” I choke out between laughter. “We’re gonna-slip!”

“Then slip with style!” he cackles, twirling us both in a sloppy circle.

I stumble into his chest instead, water dripping into my eyes, but he’s there... grounding me even when he’s the reason I’m off-balance in the first place!! His chest is soaked, shirt plastered to him, heartbeat hammering against me like it’s part of the storm.

“You’re ridiculous,” I mumble, blinking rain from my lashes.

“Yeah,” he says without missing a beat, lowering his head so we’re nearly nose-to-nose. 

My breath hitches, lost in the storm.

And then... he kisses me.

The world blurs out, rain pelting our skin, his lips warm and firm against mine. It’s messy and desperate and so real. My tail curls instinctively around my leg, nerves sparking hot through every inch of me, but my arms find his waist anyway, holding him close.

The rain slides between us, cold against the heat of his mouth, but it doesn’t matter. Nothing else matters.

When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine, our breaths mingling in the chill. His eyes are half-lidded, shining with something brighter than the streetlamps.

“I’ve wanted to do that all day,” he whispers.

“You could’ve just… done it,” I whisper back, still breathless.

He chuckles, brushing a wet strand of hair from my face. “Nah. Rain makes it better.”

“Rain makes it freezing,” I complain, though my voice wavers, softer than I mean it to.

“And romantic,” he teases, thumb lingering on my cheek.

I can’t even argue with him this time.

We don’t make it very far after that. The grocery is just a few blocks away, but he keeps tugging me into puddles, “accidentally” splashing water at me until I shove back and suddenly it’s a full-on war.

“Sun! Quit it!” I laugh, shoving him away as he sends another wave of dirty street water onto my legs.

He’s doubled over laughing, tail whipping around like a metronome. “Your face-oh my God, Moon, you look like a kicked kitten-”

“Shut up!” I lunge at him, which only results in both of us slipping into the same puddle, collapsing onto our knees with a splash that soaks us even worse.

We sit there in the middle of the storm, drenched, laughing until our chests hurt. And when the laughter finally stops, all that’s left is the sound of rain hammering the world around us.

He looks at me, water dripping from his ears, his grin softening into something that makes my chest ache.

“…Worth it,” he says quietly.

“What is?”

“This.” His hand squeezes mine under the rain. “Being out here. With you.”

I don’t answer, because I can’t. Not without sounding like a sap. Instead, I lean forward and press a quick kiss to his cheek. The rain steals the moment almost immediately, washing it away, but his tail thumps against the wet ground, betraying him.

By the time we finally reach the grocery, we’re both shivering, shoes squelching with every step. The automatic doors slide open, and the sudden blast of warm, dry air nearly makes me collapse on the spot.

“See?” I huff, shaking out my drenched sleeves. “If we’d just kept the umbrella, we wouldn’t be half-drowned right now.”

He grins, dripping all over the tile floor like he doesn’t even notice. “Yeah, but then we wouldn’t have had our first real date in the rain.”

I groan. “Rain date isn’t even a thing.”

“Is now,” he says smugly, bumping my shoulder.

And somehow… I can’t help but smile back.

Shopping takes longer than it should. Every aisle feels cozier compared to the storm outside. He keeps tossing things into the cart... “For later,” he says, or “Trust me, you’ll thank me when you’re craving it.”

At one point, he holds up a box of cookies with an exaggerated puppy-dog expression. “Moon. Please. For your Sun?”

I roll my eyes, tossing it into the cart. “You’re impossible.”

“You love it.”

God help me, I do.

I... Sneak in some beef jerky in the cart. Luckily~ he didn't see.

At the counter, it was a pretty quick transaction. Though... There was this red dragon in the other lane that was screaming at the cashier for not taking the items out of his cart...
Weird...

But~
By the time we step back outside with bags in hand, the rain has softened to a drizzle. The street glistens under the lamplight, quieter now, like the storm had its fun and finally decided to rest.

He reopens the umbrella this time, holding it over both of us as we walk side by side. Our arms brush with every step, tails swaying close enough to tangle.

I glance at him, at the way his eyes are brighter even in the dim glow, his smile softer now.

“Sun?”

“Hm?”

“…Thanks. For today.”

He tilts his head. “You mean for drowning you?”

I laugh under my breath. “Yeah. That.”

His fingers brush mine as we walk, not quite holding, not quite letting go. “Anytime, Moon. Anytime.”

And even with the drizzle still falling, even with my shoes still squelching, I realize he’s right.

It was worth it.

By the time we finally reach his place, my arms ache from carrying the grocery bags, my fur is damp, and my stomach is growling louder than the thunder ever did.

The second the door shuts behind us, I drop the bags onto the counter with a dramatic sigh. “We survived.”

“Barely,” he laughs, shaking water from his mane in all directions like a big, overgrown dog. Droplets scatter everywhere. “Look! instant indoor rain.”

“Sun!” I squeak, shielding my face. “Do that outside!”

He smirks, flicking the ends of his soaked tail for good measure. Then, as if nothing happened, he pads over to the counter and peeks into one of the bags. “Ooooh, you actually snuck jerky in. Thought I didn’t notice, huh?”

I freeze mid-step. “…What? How did you-?”

“I saw you grab it.” His grin grows wider, teeth flashing. “I just let you think you got away with it.”

“…So what you’re saying is, I won.”

“What I’m saying is, you’re adorable.”

“...Why do I even try.”

He chuckles, walking over and brushing damp fur against me. He’s warm despite the rain, and that brief contact sends a shiver crawling up my spine that has nothing to do with being cold.

“Alright,” he says, too casually. “First things first: shower. We’re freezing.”

My ears flick. “…Together?”

He doesn’t miss a beat. “Obviously. We’ll save water.” His voice drops into that smug, playful lilt. “And you won’t complain about being cold if I’m in there.”

My face burns instantly. “Sun!”

“What? I’m being practical!” He winks.

Practical, my ass.

Still… I don’t argue when he takes my paw and gently pulls me toward the bathroom.

The hot water is a blessing. Steam rises, curling around us in a cocoon, chasing away the bite of the rain that clings to our fur. For the first few moments, neither of us says a word. We just breathe it in, letting the warmth sink deep.

He tips his head back into the water with his ears flattening. The tension finally starts to ease out of his body, muscle by muscle. He exhales a long, low sigh that fogs the glass.
And… maybe I stare a little too long.

“Enjoying the view?” he murmurs, not even opening his eyes.

I jolt. “W-what? No!”

“Uh-huh.” He grins lazily. “It’s okay. I’m staring too.”

My throat goes dry. “Y-you’re impossible.”

“You love it.”

I don’t have a comeback. My chest feels too tight, and not from the steam.

We get to washing... sort of. It’s clumsy, trading the shampoo bottle back and forth, our elbows bumping, shoulders brushing. At one point he insists on helping scrub behind my ears, fingers lingering just a second too long.

“Sun,” I grumble, though I can’t keep the smile off my face, “that’s not how you save water.”

“Sure it is,” he says, grin wicked. “One bottle of shampoo. Two critters. Very efficient.”

“Idiot,” I mutter.

“And you still chose me~,” he shoots back immediately.

…Okay, fine. He wins.

By the time we finally rinse, my fur is heavy but my body feels lighter, like the storm worked its way out of my bones.

We towel off in the small bathroom, jostling for space. He insists on shaking himself out first like some giant golden retriever, nearly knocking me into the counter.

“Sun!” I yelp, clutching my towel.

“What?” His grin is unrepentant. “I warned you.”

“You did not!”

I swat at him with the towel. He laughs, catching it before I can pull away, and for a second we’re just staring at each other in the mirror. Damp fur sticking up in ridiculous tufts while our cheeks are flushed.

He breaks the moment first, nudging me. “Come on. Let's go to the couch” he stopped for a bit, "It's mandatory~"

Well... I don’t argue.
More like... I don't want to hehe

The rain has softened outside, now just a faint patter against the windows. The storm still lingers, but quieter, more like a lullaby than a warning.

We’re tangled up on the couch, groceries abandoned on the counter, still wrapped in blankets piled high around us. The TV hums in the background, muted, some old movie neither of us is actually watching.

His head rests against mine, his breathing even and warm. My paw traces lazy shapes across the back of his hand under the covers, not thinking about it until he squeezes my fingers softly in return.

“You know,” he mumbles, half-asleep, “if all our dates end with this, I wouldn’t complain.”

I smile into the blanket. “Even if it’s just grocery shopping?”

“Especially if it’s grocery shopping.” He nuzzles closer, his voice barely more than a whisper. “As long as it’s with you.”

…God. He’s going to kill me with this softness.

I kiss the damp fur at his temple. He makes a small noise... half sigh... Half purr, that vibrates against my chest.

“You’re ridiculous,” I whisper.

"I know I am~ but you're dating this ridiculous dog" he giggled

And just like that, silence takes us again, comfortable and whole. The world outside fades away... the storm, the work, even the ache of yesterday. It’s just us. Here. Now.

At some point, the drizzle stops. The apartment grows quieter, save for the hum of the fridge in the kitchen and the faint static from the TV. My eyes grow heavier... and my body's sinking deeper into the couch.

I don’t remember when his breathing deepens, but suddenly I realize he’s asleep, his tail still looped lazily around my leg like a tether.

Slowly, finally, I let my eyes close. My breathing falls into rhythm with his, the warmth of him sinking into me like the last ember of a fire.

When I drift off at last, it’s not to the storm outside, but to the steady beat of his heart against mine.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14
(Directly after chapter 13)

For those who can't play: https://youtu.be/WZGy4w9nQKQ?si=c8S0E9WwCRS0gMVy

...hm?
...Sun?
...
Oh.

That’s… his voice.
He’s singing.

…God.
I can hear it so subtly, he's using a somewhat soft voice for the intro. The rain outside is still lightly banging on the windows... Like it's joining him.

...And of course it’s “Close to You.” The Carpenters.
Of all songs, he had to pick one that feels like it’s aimed directly at me.

I try not to make a sound as my body slowly sinks in the cushions.
His voice isn’t... THE karen carpenter, it cracks here and there, dips a little low, floats a little high. 
But... It still hits my heart so hard.
That even though I'm listening and judging his voice... It's not perfect... And I know that. 
...
It just feels so... Him, y'know?
And he doesn’t even know what it’s doing to me right now.

The slow sizzling sound of whatever he's making surrounds the room...
Definitely garlic and onions... 
I-
...
I can't focus describing what he's cooking because his singing.

…
Why is my chest so tight?

I’ve heard his laugh, his sighs, his sleepy voice when he says my name half-asleep. 
...This is new. 

...
And it’s unfair.
Because it’s making me fall in love with him all over again.

I shift onto my side, trying to poke my head out from the couch to get a little peek.
He’s there, tail swaying gently as he stirs something in the pan. 
The way he moves is comfortable, like the song is spilling out of him without thought.
Maybe... He's thinking of me while singing this?
Well...
Of course he is!
Hehe

But... I should stay quiet. Just let him have this.
Let me just... Listen until the song concludes.

...
...
...
...
...

Ha...
I really can't say that I'm not lovestruck by this dog.
As he lands the last notes of the outro, I slowly wrap the blanket around me while I silently go closer to him.

...
“You’re trying to make me cry, aren’t you?”

“M-Moon?!” He spins, ears shooting up so fast “D-Did you hear that...?"

I grin, “Of course, Sun. You really think you can serenade the kitchen and I wouldn’t notice?”

His face goes red, “I wasn’t serenading! I was j-just passing the time while cooking, that’s all!”

“Mmhm~”  
Looking at him flustered is still one of my favorite parts of the day.
“Passing the time with one of the sappiest love songs ever written. For no reason whatsoever.”

“M-Moon!” He groans, covering his face with one hand. His tail wagging side to side so fast the air practically swishes.

“Don’t ‘Moon’ me,” I tease. “You’re adorable.”

“I’m not adorable,” he mumbles into his hands.

“Fine. You’re ridiculously, hopelessly romantic. Better?”

He peeks through his fingers, ears still glowing pink. “…Yeah.”

I can’t help it. I laugh, the sound bubbling out before I can stop it. 
He’s just too easy to fluster.
Though... I guess...
This is my payback for yesterday hehehe

“So~,” I draw out, watching the pan on the stove hiss and sizzle, “are we going to end up with burnt dinner?”

“O-oh!” His head snaps back to the stove as he fumbles for the spoon. The smell of caramelized onions wafts through the room as he stirs frantically. “It’s your fault, Moon!”

“Does that mean you don’t want me to act like this?”

He pauses, shoulders tense for a second, before answering softly, “…No. I… I love you like this.”

That’s all I needed. My grin widens, smug and fond all at once. “That’s what I thought.”

I giggle as I sneak up behind him, slipping my arms around his waist. He stiffens for a heartbeat, then melts into it, tail curling back to brush against me.

He smells like dried sweat and vanilla... My favorite.
N-not the sweat!
But... I guess it is as well, since I've gotten used to it. 
It... Smells like home.
He is my home, isn’t he?
...
Of course he is.

I rest my cheek against his back, eyes closing for a moment as the steam rises around us, the rain humming outside. The spoon clinks softly against the pan in his hands, steady, grounding.

“You’re going to distract me,” he said, voice caught between annoyance and laughter.

“Good,” I mumble into his shirt. “Dinner tastes better when I'm here with you, isn't it~?.”

He huffs.
“Is… is this payback for earlier?”

“…Maybe~”

I grin against his back, watching his ears flick before he turns back to the pan. He pulls out the two steaks we picked up on our grocery date earlier.

OoOo~ Steaks for dinner.
Haven’t had that in… two? Three months?
Steak is freakin’ expensive. Especially in this economy. So Hoppy and I just avoided buying any at all. We figured the price would drop in, what, thirty years?

“Moon?” he asks, glancing over his shoulder. His hand comes up to cup my cheek, warm and a little greasy from the oil. “How do you like your steak? Medium rare?”

His palm smells like garlic, but…
Mmm… yeah, I’ll allow it.

“Yea,” I murmur, leaning into it.

“Okie dokie.” He giggles, turning back to the stove and basting butter over the sizzling steaks. The sound alone makes my stomach growl.

See~? At least I remembered something from home economics class.
…Or maybe I just heard the word “baste” from Hell’s Kitchen.
Eh. Same thing.

The next few minutes slip by in quiet. The kind of quiet that feels nice. The house is filled with that buttery, garlicky warmth that makes your hunger worse the longer it lingers. My mouth is basically watering already.

“It’s ready,” he announces finally, his voice steadier now, calmer.

Reluctantly, I peel myself away from his back. 
Sad, I know.
Then I shuffle to the table and start setting it up.

He suddenly grabs one of the plates from me. “Wait.”

I watch as he ladles some gravy onto the center, swirling it into a perfect design like we’re in some Michelin star restaurant. Then, he carefully sets the steak down, placing asparagus on the side with surgeon-level precision.

…
“Sun. Is this really necessary?”

“Of course!” His grin is brighter than the stovetop. “Only the best for you, Moon~”

Ha… how do I argue with that?
I can’t.
So I don’t.
I don't mind the princess treatment hehe.

When both plates are finally ready, we sit across from each other. The steaks glisten in front of us, steam rising, smelling so good it’s almost sinful.

I pick up my knife and fork, about to cut into it, but...

“Wait,” he says quickly, his hand reaching across the table to stop mine. His ears are tipped red, his tail flicking behind him. “Can we… um… toast first?”

My chest squeezes a little. He’s so earnest it hurts.

“Sure,” I whisper, picking up my glass of water.

He lifts his own, clinks it gently against mine, and holds my gaze for just a beat longer than necessary. “To us.”

“To us,” I echo, softer.

The clink is tiny, but it echoes bigger than it should inside my chest.

When I finally take that first bite of steak, I almost melt on the spot. Perfectly tender, buttery, with that garlic warmth still lingering in the air.

“Holy-" I hesitate, "Sun, this is amazing.”

He beams, ears perked. “Really?”

“Really. Like… amazing."

He laughs, biting into his own piece, and for a while the only sound is rain against the window and our forks scraping gently against porcelain.

The silence… was romantic. And that’s an understatement.
Every so often, our eyes would meet across the table, and neither of us dared to break it with words.

If there was a soundtrack to this moment, it’d be-
"Can you feel the loooove tonight~"

But in reality…
I could look into his eyes forever and never get bored of that handsome gaze.
Cheesy, I know.
But… it’s different when you’re really in love.

I slowly stretch my hand across the table, fingers brushing against his.
He glances up, startled, but doesn’t say anything.

Then... I slide my foot along his leg under the table.
The way he instantly goes red and lets out this tiny, nervous giggle?
Priceless.

“M-Moon~!”

Hehehe. He has no idea what’s coming.

I push my chair back and stand, taking slow steps toward him. His eyes follow every move, ears twitching like he’s on high alert.

When I reach him, I let my index finger trail across his cheek, tilting his chin just enough to make him look straight at me.
And then...
I press a soft kiss to his lips.

…He tastes like steak.
Well, duh. Should’ve expected that. Still good, though.

“Helpless now, puppy?” I whisper against his mouth, teasing, watching the way his eyes widen and lock onto me like I just stole the ground from under him.

Ohhh, that reaction’s going straight into my memory vault. Hehehe.

I pull back, giggling, and stroll back to my seat like nothing happened. I gather up my plate, and his too, and carry them over to the sink.

Then, without another word, I start walking away.

…
…
…

“That’s… it?”

I glance over my shoulder, and sure enough, he’s still sitting there at the table like a puppy denied treats. His ears drooped, and that little pout on his face-
Oh my god.

The disappointment in his voice is delicious.

I lean against the doorway, crossing my arms with the smuggest grin I can muster. “What? You were expecting more?”

“Y-Yeah!” He blurts it out before catching himself, ears shooting up in embarrassment. “I mean-
I thought-
you can’t just kiss me like that and then walk away like nothing happened, Moon!”

I giggle, pretending to think it over. “Hm… sounds like a you problem~”

His tail thumps against the chair leg, frustrated. “Moon…”

He’s so close to standing up and chasing me. I can see it in his eyes, the little twitch of his knee under the table. But instead, he huffs and folds his arms, glaring at me like I just committed a crime.

I let him stew for a moment longer, just enough to really feel it, before sighing dramatically. “Fine. Come on, sulky puppy. Help me with the dishes.”

“…That’s my reward?” He grumbles, dragging himself out of the chair.

“Yes,” I say firmly, though I can’t keep the grin off my face. 

He rolls his eyes but follows me into the counter anyway.

At the sink, I’m already rinsing off the plates when he sidles up next to me, still pouting. I hand him the towel without even looking.

“Dry.”

“Slave labor,” he mutters, snatching it from my hand.

“Love labor,” I correct with a smirk. “You’re welcome.”

He huffs again, but I catch the little curve of a smile tugging at his mouth as he starts drying the first plate. His tail flicks lazily, brushing against my leg every so often. Probably on purpose.

The warm water runs over my hands, the soft clink of dishes filling the quiet. Outside, the rain is still falling steady, 
It’s domestic. Comfortable. The kind of scene I didn’t know I needed until now.

And, of course, he ruins it.

“You know, Moon…” he says slyly, leaning a little closer. “…if you really wanted to punish me, you should’ve let me keep staring at you while you washed dishes. Apron and nothing else.”

I choke on air. “S-Sun!”

He bursts out laughing, filling the kitchen. His ears perk up high, his grin wide, and I swear he looks too proud of himself.

“W-Why are you like this?!” I sputter, glaring at him as my face burns.

“Payback,” he sing-songs. “For earlier.”

…
Okay. Fine. He wins this round.

But-
Ugh. His laughter is so contagious I end up laughing too, even as I flick soapy water at him. He screams with his tail puffing out, and suddenly we’re both giggling like idiots over a sink full of bubbles.

By the time the last plate’s dry, my cheeks hurt from smiling. He sets the towel down and leans against the counter, watching me with that soft look again. 

“Thanks for helping, Sun,” I say, quieter now.

He shrugs, but his tail wraps around my ankle. “Always.”

We stood in silence for a while, until… he went to look inside the cabinet, then he pulled out a wine bottle.

“So… want to end the night with a bang?”

…Bang.
Hehe.
…OKAY FINE.
I might be a little immature.

Though… I’ve never actually tasted Pinot Noir.
And I’m not really a big fan of drinking, as you might know…

But~
What the heck?

“Sure, Sun,” I agreed, and he immediately lit up like a kid at Christmas.

“Then come on! Follow me~” He practically sprinted toward the hallway, bottle in hand like it was a trophy.

Ha…
He didn’t even bring wine glasses.
How do you freaking expect us to drink, Sun?

Welp.
Guess I’ll cover for him.

I grab two glasses from the cupboard and start making my way after him. Just as I step out, I hear his voice calling:
“Moon! Where are you?!”

Sun… If you weren’t my future husband…
Well, I’d still love you.
But still. 
Ha...

I silently make my way to where-

…

I… missed this place.

The second floor corner, where the big window stretches open to the sky.
It’s where he confessed.
Where he first told me he loved me.

He already set things up, two chairs and a small table, the bottle resting in the middle like a centerpiece with the moon perfectly placed in the center of the window.

“Sit, Moon.”

I approach slowly, placing the glasses on the table with a soft clink before taking my seat across from him.

“You still remember, Moon?” His eyes catch mine in the low light, playful but almost shy.

“How could I not?”

He giggles, ears twitching. The kind that means he’s happy but trying not to burst too much.

The cork pops, echoing faintly against the glass. He pours it carefully. The wine pools into each glass, catching little shards of moonlight.

He slides one toward me. “To us?”

I take it, my fingers brushing his. “...To us.”

We clink gently.

The first sip nearly makes me squint. Smooth, but strong, heavier than I expected. My tongue chases the aftertaste, fruity and dry, not at all what my brain prepared me for.

It’s… not bad, actually. Not soda-level good, but not “ew, cough syrup” either.

When I lower the glass, he is staring at me with those big expectant eyes. 

I blink at him. “…What?”

“Well?” He leans in, ears forward. “Do you like it?”

I pretend to think, swirling the liquid like I know what I’m doing. “…Not terrible.”

He beams, tail thumping against the chair leg. “Success!"

I snort into my drink. 

The laugh lingers between us, softening everything.

After a while, the quiet slips in. Not awkward, but... Warm. The kind of silence that makes you feel like words would only ruin it.

He leans back in his chair, with his wine glass dangling loosely in one hand, watching the rain streak down the window. 

The moonlight shimmers upon his face, making him more handsome than... What I ever seen before. It's like if the moonlight was enhancing his beauty.
...
What?
Can't a guy fucking be mesmerized by his partner?
But...
Finally, I say it. “…You’re staring.”

He doesn’t even flinch. Just grins lazily and says, “And you’re beautiful.”

My ears burn instantly. “S-Sun!”

“What?” His grin widens, with his teeth showing emphasizing his fangs, “It’s true.”

I try to hide my face in the rim of the glass, nearly choking as I gulp another mouthful.

Ugh.
How did he get so good at this?

I set my glass down with a little clink, resting my chin on my hand. “…You really remember everything about that night?”

“Of course.” His voice softens, ears tilting back, tail curling around the chair leg. “It was the first time I didn’t feel afraid of being… me. Because of you.”

The words hit me square in the chest.

I don’t move for a moment. The air feels heavier... But... More calm type heavy. 

I reach across the table, threading my fingers through his. He squeezes back instantly, almost too quickly, like he’s been waiting for it all along.

The rain outside softens to a drizzle. The night is quiet except for the faint hum of the world beyond the glass.

“…Sun?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. For… not giving up on me. Even when I’m tired. Or teasing. Or careless.”

His thumb rubs against my knuckles. “…Moon, you’re the reason I can even picture myself being this happy. You’re not careless. You’re you. That’s… everything.”

I swallow hard, fighting the sting behind my eyes. “…God, you’re romantic.”

He smirks, leaning across the table. “Say it louder.”

I roll my eyes and tug him closer by the hand. “You’re ridiculous.”

“And yet you’re still holding my hand,” he says smugly, tail swishing,

...I can’t stop smiling.

…

We don’t even notice when our chairs creep closer, scraping against the floor until we’re side by side, shoulders brushing. Our glasses sit mostly forgotten on the table, the wine glinting untouched in the moonlight.

He rests his head against mine.

But then he murmurs, voice softer than the rain: “You know… I’m still scared sometimes.”

I tilt my head toward him. “…Of what?”

He hesitates. “…Of waking up one day, and you deciding I’m too much.”

My chest aches. I press my forehead to his. “Sun. I told you last night. I’m not leaving. I'm never leaving.”

He breathes in shakily, but when he lets it out, some of that tightness leaves his shoulders.

“…You really mean that, huh?”

“Every word.”

His ears twitch, like he’s listening for cracks in my voice. But there aren’t any.

Finally, he exhales, leaning fully against me. “…You’re gonna kill me with how much I love you, Moon.”

I laugh softly, kissing the top of his head. “Guess we’ll go down together then.”

He snorts. “Cheesy.”

“You started it.”

“…Fair.”

…

Time slips by. 

The drizzle turns into mist against the glass. Our wine glasses empty little by little. We laugh about dumb things, like how expensive steak is, or how he definitely can’t pronounce “charcuterie board” no matter how many times he tries.

At one point, he insists we toast again. “To never letting the fridge go empty again.”

“To survival,” I add, clinking his glass.

We laugh so hard I nearly spill mine.

…

Eventually, we pull the chairs even closer, abandoning them entirely as we curl up together against the window. The table stays behind, the wine half-finished.

His back is warm against my chest, his head tucked under my chin. The moonlight paints him in silver, his tail curling around my waist like a promise.

“…Moon?”

“Mm?”

“I think this is my favorite night ever.”

I close my eyes, nuzzling into his hair. “…Mine too.”

...
...
His breathing evens out, soft and steady, I realize...
he’s fallen asleep.

I smile, my arms tightening around him. “…Love you, Sun.”

The window fogs with our warmth, the moon still glowing outside.

I press one last kiss to his temple before my own eyes drift shut.

Wrapped in him, in the night, in everything we’ve promised...
I let sleep take me too.

---

Why is it so… hot?
…
It’s so… bright.

FUCK.

WHAT TIME IS IT?!

“Sun!!!” I bolt upright so fast the blanket strangles me halfway. My heart is slamming like a damn drumline in a parade.

He groans beside me, ears twitching. “H-huh?? What... Moon?”

“We have work today!!!” My voice cracks, panic climbing out of my throat like a gremlin.

He blinks blearily, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. “…No we don’t. It’s… Saturday.”

“…No it’s NOT. It's friday!”

I dive for my phone like it’s the last lifeboat on the Titanic. The screen flashes in my face,

7:34AM

7:34?!?!?

SEVEN. THIRTY. FOUR.

We’re supposed to clock in at 7.
Seven.
SEVEN.

“Sun.” My voice goes thin. “Sun. We’re dead. We’re both dead.”

He squints at the phone. His ears shoot up, tail stiffening. “…Shit.”

I jump out of bed, half-tripping over the blanket. “Okay, okay, shower first, clothes second, food NEVER. We don’t have TIME for food.”

“Moon-wait....” He stumbles out too, hair sticking in every possible direction. “We can make it! if we run-”

“You think Boss won’t notice us walking in like freeloaders?!”

“You think he doesn’t ALREADY hate us?!”

…
…
Okay, fair.

The bathroom is war.

We both cram in front of the sink at the same time, bumping elbows. Toothpaste flies. He tries to spit and I almost step in it. My toothbrush falls to the floor and I just… I stare at it.

“…Three second rule?” I mutter.

“Moon. That’s NOT how it works.”

“I’m desperate, Sun.”

Meanwhile, he’s brushing at light speed, muttering, “Why do I even bother? I’m just gonna get yelled at anyway.”

“Because I like you fresh, that’s why.”

“Moon! Don’t! this is not the TIME!!!”

“Oh, but you had time to serenade me in the kitchen last night, huh?”

He glares at me through the mirror. “Don’t bring that up now.” His cheeks are pink. 

"What're you gonna do about it~?"

He didn't respond just pouted.
Hehehe
Small win.

Clothes. Right. Clothes.

I grab the first shirt I see from the floor and yank it on. It feels… weird. Oversized...

Then I look down.

It’s his shirt.

“Moon, that’s mine-”

“TOO LATE.”

He’s hopping around trying to shove one leg into his pants without falling over. 
I try to quickly put on socks.

“Moon, those are two DIFFERENT colors.”

“Fashion is subjective!”

We’re running around the apartment like lunatics. He’s trying to find his tie, I’m trying to find my bag, all while out fucking uniforms look like a fucking mess!

We finally crash out the door, both of us juggling bags, shoes barely on. The rain from last night has left everything slick and shiny, like the world is mocking us.

I check the time again. 7:50.

“Ten minutes ‘til we’re officially marked absent.” My stomach twists.

“We can make it!” He grabs my hand, dragging me into a run.

“Sun, if I slip and die, tell Hoppy she can have my desk plant-"

“Moon, shut up and run!”

By the time we reach the office, we’re soaked in sweat, gasping for breath, looking like we just fought our way out of a survival game. The automatic doors hiss open, and we stumble inside, shoes squeaking violently against the tile like we’re starring in a slapstick comedy no one asked for.

We rush toward the elevator just as it’s about to close... Dogday lunges forward, jamming his arm between the doors. They snap back open with a ding.

Inside, leaning casually against the rail, is a guy I’ve never seen before.

Crisp suit. Tie perfectly knotted. Hair slicked back like he just escaped a shampoo commercial. And, oh-
he has a... cigarette between his fingers.
...In the elevator.

He smirks at us like he’s been waiting all morning for this.

“Well, well.” His voice is smooth, low, almost lazy. “Late on the job and already drenched. What a way to make an entrance.”

Dogday and I glance at each other, both still panting.

“…Who the hell are you?” Dogday asks the... Bastard. There's no other term to describe him.

He takes a long drag of his cigarette, in the goddamn elevator. Then exhales slowly toward the ceiling, ignoring the very obvious NO SMOKING sign bolted to the corner.

“Name’s Simon,” he says finally, eyes flicking between us like he already owns the place. “Simon Smokes.”

Of course.
Of COURSE his name is that.

Dogday mutters under his breath, “That’s not even real.”

Simon’s smirk widens, like he heard anyway. “Brand new hire. You’ll be seeing a lot of me.” He flicks ash into an empty coffee cup at his feet like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Perks of having friends upstairs, you know how it is.”

And then, the kicker, he looks me up and down, “Hope you two aren’t planning to drag me down with you.”

...
I fucking want to kill this fucker.
IN ALL HONESTY.
NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I EXPERIENCED SUCH A TRASH FIRST IMPRESSION AND INTERACTION.

The elevator dings, doors sliding shut behind us. The air suddenly feels way too small.

…

I glance at Dogday. His ears are tilted back, tail stiff, shoulders locked like he’s two seconds from knocking this guy’s cigarette down his throat.
Me too, Sun.

I touch his arm lightly. A silent not here, not now.

The ride feels like it lasts ten years. Simon doesn’t stop smirking, doesn’t stop puffing smoke into the tiny box, doesn’t even blink. At one point, he hums.
HUMS.
Like he’s got his own private soundtrack.
...
Okay, when I do it, it's fucking normal.
But, WHO IN THE FUCK DOES THIS WITH OTHER PEOPLE,
WHO,
MAY I MENTION,
HE DOESN'T EVEN FUCKING KNOW!

Finally, the elevator dings again. The doors slide open, and I bolt out like I’ve been released from solitary confinement. Dogday follows, ears still twitching with irritation.

Simon strolls out last, calm as ever, exhaling a final cloud of smoke as if to mark the space as his.

We stumble into the main office space, dripping sweat and panting like we just ran a marathon. A few heads turn. Someone coughs.

We slowly walk to our desks,
And then...

“Well, well, look who finally decided to show up,” Hoppy calls out in the other table, grinning. She leans back in her chair, arms crossed, “You two lovebirds oversleep again?”

My ears shoot up. 'W-What?! No!'

Dogday freezes beside me, tail stiff. “…Maybe.”

Hoppy gasps dramatically, smacking her desk. “Oh my god, you did!”

Kickin swivels lazily in his chair, sipping from a mug like he’s been waiting for this moment his whole life. “Tsk, tsk. First the PDA, now rolling in late together? Should we just get you one big desk to share?”

'Kickin!'

Dogday, tries to deflect. “We were… caught in the rain yesterday! And then-
uh-”

“And then you overslept cuddling,” Hoppy finishes for him, her grin sharklike.

I bury my face in my hands. Dogday groans into his sleeve.

And of course, that’s exactly the moment a smooth, unfamiliar voice cuts in behind us:

“Well, isn’t this cozy.”

We both look up, straight into Simon Smokes’ smirk.

His voice carries across the room. “Guess introductions are in order.” He raises his cigarette like a microphone, drawing every eye. “Simon Smokes. New blood. Don’t bother asking how I got the job, it’s called connections.”

A ripple of whispers. A couple raised brows. Hoppy makes a face like she just swallowed spoiled milk.

Dogday mutters, “Unbelievable,” under his breath.

Simon saunters to an empty desk. Not just any empty desk, but the one directly across from mine. Of course. He drops into the chair, kicks his feet up on the desk, and lights another cigarette like he’s setting up camp.

Dogday coughs, "You know smoking isn't allowe-"

“Relax.” He exhales smoke in a perfect ring. “Rules don’t apply when you know the right people.”

Dogday’s tail flicks dangerously. “That’s not how it works.”

Simon grins. “Sure it is. Watch me.”

…

This guy’s gonna be a nightmare.

The morning drags. Every time I glance up from my monitor, Simon’s either:

1. Blowing smoke directly into the air vent.
2. Making some obnoxious remark at whoever passes his desk.
3. Catching my eye and smirking like we’re in on some private joke.

Spoiler: we’re not.

At one point, he leans across his desk, eyes locked on me. “So, Catnap, right? Dogday’s shadow?”

My ears twitch. 

“Don’t get me wrong.” He waves his cigarette lazily. “Every office has one. The quiet little tag-along. Gotta say, though... didn’t expect the tag-along to be cuter than the main act.”

Dogday growls. “Watch it.”

Simon raises his brows, smirk never faltering. “Protective, huh? That’s sweet.”

Before Dogday can launch across the desk, I grab his wrist under the table, squeezing hard. Not here. Not yet.

Simon notices. Of course he notices. And he grins like the devil himself.

Lunch break can’t come fast enough.

We escape to the break room, both of us collapsing onto the couch like survivors.

Dogday rakes his hands through his hair, ears still twitching. “He’s impossible.”

“You think?”