Part 3

"Come eat! It's going to get cold!" Petey called out from the dining room, raising his voice slightly so both the dog and the little cat could hear him.

Li'l Petey perked up at his father's voice and immediately grinned. "Yay! I was super hungry!" he exclaimed, jumping off the couch with all his energy. He grabbed Dog Man's hand and tugged at him to get up as well. "Come on, Dog Man! Let's go eat!"

Dog Man paused for a second, looking at the little cat with curiosity. Then, he raised his hands to communicate in sign language, his face showing a hint of doubt. "But... weren't you eating ice cream just a while ago?" he asked, a little surprised at how quickly Li'l Petey had moved on from his dessert.

Li'l Petey grinned widely, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes as he got ready to head to the table. "Um... there's always room for Dad's food," he said as if it were the most natural thing in the world. With Dog Man's help, he made his way to the table, the dog following close behind, ever watchful.

Petey observed the scene from the dining room, unable to stop a warm smile from forming on his face. Maybe he wasn't the best father or the best role model, and there were many times he felt unsure about whether he was doing the right thing. But at that moment, seeing Li'l Petey's joy and excitement over something as simple as dinner, something inside his heart softened. That simple, everyday moment—so normal yet so special—made him feel good. It warmed his heart to know that, at least in these small things, he was making his son happy. He didn't always know how to be the best, but right now, he felt like he was doing what truly mattered: taking care of and making Li'l Petey smile.

"What did you make, Dad?" Li'l Petey asked curiously, watching the older cat as he approached the table.

"Chicken curry," Petey replied with a shrug as he looked at the food. "I did what I could with the few ingredients this dog had."

Dog Man couldn't stop his nose from twitching as the aroma of the food reached him. The smell was incredibly tempting, so mouthwatering that it almost made him forget his usual love for canned food. "Wow..." he thought, overwhelmed by the rich scents floating in the air. Before he could think twice, he sat at the table and, like an eager pup, dove headfirst into his plate. He started devouring the food noisily and chaotically, bits of chicken and rice flying everywhere. His enthusiasm for the curry led to such a wild eating frenzy that food shot out of his plate like a confetti explosion.

Petey tensed slightly as a piece of chicken flew straight at his face, landing on his cheek. Silently, he wiped it off, his expression showing a hint of irritation. He looked at Dog Man, who, in his excitement, hadn't even noticed the small incident. Petey raised an eyebrow, his gaze a mix of discomfort and resignation, but he didn't need to say a word—his expression said it all.

Li'l Petey, on the other hand, couldn't stop laughing. His eyes shone with amusement, as if what had just happened was the funniest thing in the world. The little cat's laughter filled the room, easing the tense atmosphere. His joy was the best remedy for any irritation the others might have felt.

"That just means it was really good!" Li'l Petey said, pointing at Dog Man as he continued laughing at the ridiculous scene.

Petey looked at the little one with a soft smile, as if understanding the logic behind his words. "Yeah, I guess it does," he replied calmly, glancing at the dog with mild indulgence. "Despite the mess."

At that moment, Dog Man looked up from his plate, his eyes sparkling with happiness. He nodded eagerly, clearly thrilled. It wasn't just that the food was delicious—there was something more behind his excitement, something beyond just enjoying a good meal. It wasn't just because the curry tasted great; even if he didn't fully realize it, every bite was special because it had been made by someone who, at this very moment, he saw in a different light.

Yes, the food was amazing, no doubt about it. But for Dog Man, what made it even better was the fact that Petey had cooked it.

Despite all the chaos the meal had brought, a warm feeling filled his chest as he looked at the cat, who was watching the scene with a mix of mild annoyance and amusement.

Even though he couldn't completely understand what he was feeling, Dog Man knew, deep down, that being here with Petey and Li'l Petey was what mattered the most to him. And even if Petey wasn't perfect, and even if the situation was a bit chaotic, Dog Man couldn't help but feel grateful for this little moment of family happiness.

After about two hours of eating and chatting, with the atmosphere filled with laughter and small peaceful moments, Petey glanced at the clock with slight concern.

"I think it's time for me to go, or else it'll get too late," Petey said, slowly getting up from his seat.

Dog Man, who had been thoroughly enjoying the company of his new friend, wasn't too happy about the idea. The thought of Petey leaving made him feel uneasy, as if a part of him wanted to hold onto this moment just a little longer. But he knew he couldn't do anything about it. He had to stick to his usual routine, the one he had always followed.

Petey, with a small smile on his face, bent down to pick up Li'l Petey in his arms. "See you tomorrow, little guy," he said softly as the little cat hugged his father tightly. "Enjoy your time with your..." he let out a playful sigh, "...dog dad, who is obviously less cool than me."

Li'l Petey hugged him even tighter. "Bye, Dad. I'm going to have fun with my just-as-cool dad... I love you so much," he said, his voice full of warmth and emotion.

Petey smiled tenderly as he set Li'l Petey down, watching as he ran to the door. Dog Man followed close behind, not wanting to miss even a second more of Petey's presence.

"Uh... take good care of him, and I... hope to see you soon?" Petey said, trying to sound casual, though his tone carried a hint of uncertainty.

Dog Man looked at him with wide, sad eyes, like a puppy watching its owner leave. He was waiting for something more—maybe a warmer word or a promise.

Petey furrowed his brow slightly and thought, Ugh, why does he have to be so... adorable? Feeling a little awkward under Dog Man's intense gaze, he decided to step forward and give him a quick hug, though he couldn't hide a bit of exasperation on his face.

Without hesitation, Dog Man hugged him back. His excitement at having Petey close was so overwhelming that, without meaning to, he lifted him off the ground in his enthusiasm. In doing so, he accidentally toppled over, taking Petey down with him as they both tumbled to the floor in a mess of laughter and chaos.

"STOP IT, GET OFF ME, BAD DOG, UGH!" Petey growled, slightly annoyed, as he tried to free himself from Dog Man's grip. The two rolled around on the floor, and Petey couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and... something else he refused to acknowledge.

Realizing what he had done, Dog Man quickly got up and backed away, his ears drooping and his tail tucked between his legs in apology. He immediately raised his hands to sign a quick "Sorry," his face filled with guilt.

Petey shot him an annoyed look but couldn't ignore how genuine the apology was. With a resigned sigh, he let Dog Man help him up, though he still rubbed the back of his head with a grumble. "You're a mess... but what can I do?" he muttered, his tone softer, though still slightly irritated.

Dog Man grinned widely, feeling a strange warmth in his chest. It was odd how his feelings for Petey created this mix of awkwardness and joy all at once.

Both of them headed toward the door, where Petey stopped for a moment, looking at Dogman with an expression that tried to be serious but couldn't quite hide a hint of softness. "See you, Dogman. Take good care of Li'l Petey, okay?"

"I will, I promise," Dogman replied, looking at Petey with an intensity he couldn't conceal. Despite everything, he wished this farewell felt a little less... bitter.

Finally, Petey stepped out the door, and Dogman watched him until he disappeared from sight, as if he wanted to engrave every moment they had shared into his memory. When he finally closed the door, Dogman stood there for a moment, breathing deeply. His heart was still racing from all the emotions he had experienced, but at the same time, he felt a strange satisfaction from being close to Petey.

Will I see him again soon? Dogman wondered, as his mind spun around the new and confusing feelings that now filled him.

Meanwhile, Petey walked away toward his home, deep in thought, a slight smile on his lips—though still somewhat irritated by the incident. That was weird, he thought, but... maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

And even though Petey tried to appear indifferent, he couldn't ignore the feeling Dogman left him with—something that made him wonder if his life was about to take an unexpected turn.