Part 8

The Neutralizer Ray 2000 was almost ready.

Petey held it in his paw, slowly turning it to inspect the final details. He had worked on it with the same precision he put into all his inventions, making sure it wouldn't fail.

Once he activated it, Dog Man would return to normal.

He would go back to being the same goofy dog as always, without looking at him with that intensity that made Petey's stomach feel weird.

He would wag his tail at anything again, not just when Petey was nearby.

He would go back to...

Petey clenched his teeth.

The lab was silent, except for the sound of his own breathing.

Before, it wouldn't have been like this.

Before, Dog Man would be here, sitting close, maybe playing with some tool he didn't understand, asking questions nonstop with his new robotic voice.

Before, Dog Man would be resting his head on Petey's shoulder without even realizing it, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Before, Dog Man would have smiled at him.

Petey growled and shook his head, as if that would be enough to drive those thoughts away.

It didn't matter.

None of that mattered.

He straightened up, took a breath, and turned on his paws, ready to go out and find Dog Man to end this once and for all.

But then, he saw him.

Dog Man was standing in the doorway, watching him.

His expression wasn't the same as always. He wasn't smiling, he wasn't restless, he wasn't even wagging his tail.

He was just looking at him.

And Petey knew.

He supposed it had been obvious. Dog Man had never been good at hiding what he felt.

But seeing him like that, standing in front of him, with that look that said he had heard everything, that he understood what Petey was about to do...

That made Petey feel a strange emptiness in his chest.

Dog Man didn't say anything.

And neither did Petey.

For the first time in a long time, the cat had nothing to say.

Because deep down, he knew that if he spoke, if he tried to explain his reasons, all he would do was admit something he wasn't ready to face.

That Dog Man wasn't just the dog he had accidentally shot.

That Dog Man wasn't just the problem he needed to fix.

That Dog Man wasn't just Dog Man anymore.

Dog Man was...

Dog Man was someone he had gotten used to having around.

And the idea of him stopping looking at him like that, of him stopping seeking him out, of him stopping wanting to be with him...

Was more terrifying than Petey was willing to admit.

Dog Man tilted his head, as if waiting for something.

As if he were giving him the chance to decide.

Petey lowered his gaze to the Neutralizer Ray in his paw.

So easy.

So simple.

And yet, his fingers didn't move to activate it.

The silence stretched.

And then, with a slow sigh, Petey loosened his grip and set the device down on the table.

Dog Man blinked.

Petey crossed his arms and huffed.

"...Ugh. This is a terrible idea."

Dog Man tilted his head.

Petey didn't look at him.

"But I guess I can postpone it... just a little."

And even though he didn't see it, he knew Dog Man was smiling.

Dog Man looked at him curiously, tilting his head as if trying to solve a puzzle.

"Why didn't you do it?" he asked softly.

Petey felt a shiver. Not because the question scared him, but because he didn't have an easy answer. Well, actually, he did: he had gotten used to Dog Man. To his silly laugh, to his habit of tilting his head when he didn't understand something, to the way he looked at him with those big, bright eyes as if he were the most interesting thing in the world.

But he wasn't going to say that.

"Pff, why? Obviously! Because I need to do more scientific tests. I'm not going to risk using an unstable device. What if you grow a third eye? Or suddenly turn into an evil genius? Huh? It's not like I like you or anything. It's just... scientific responsibility! Yeah, that."

Dog Man watched him for another second, with a smile that showed he didn't believe a single word.

"You like me," he said, wagging his tail.

Petey felt like he had been punched in the stomach. His skin heated up.

"No, I don't!"

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't!"

"Yes."

"Look, just shut up!"

Dog Man didn't stop smiling, and Petey ran a hand over his face, wondering when exactly he had gotten to this point. Maybe he really should destroy the invention... because he was starting to fear that he would never want to use it.

But he still had his pride. And his pride couldn't allow Dog Man to be right.

So he crossed his arms, spun his chair around, and focused on anything that wasn't Dog Man or his annoyingly wagging tail.

Dog Man, of course, didn't move from his spot. He didn't even stop looking at him.

"You know what I think?" he said suddenly.

"No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me anyway," Petey replied wearily.

"I think... you're scared."

Petey dropped a tool with a loud clang.

—Excuse me!?

Dogman tilted his head with a genuinely curious expression, as if he were actually studying Petey and not just spouting nonsense.

—Yes. You're afraid that I won't like you anymore if you use that device. Isn't it?

Petey felt his fur bristle. He opened his mouth to respond, to flat-out deny such an accusation, but he fell silent.

Because Dogman was right.

And that was unacceptable.

—Don't be ridiculous! —he finally snapped, standing up with his arms akimbo—. I couldn't care less whether Iyou stop liking me or not. In fact, it'd be a relief! You'd save me the trouble of having to deal with you following me everywhere like a lost puppy.

Dogman looked at him, but he didn't seem hurt. Just... patient.

—Do you really want that? —he asked.

Petey didn't respond. Instead, he turned around, picked up the screwdriver he had dropped, and went back to work as if the conversation had never happened.

Dogman sighed and stepped closer. Petey could feel the warmth of his presence just behind him.

—If you really wanted me to leave —Dogman said softly—, you would've done it already. You don't need a device for that. You just have to say it.

Petey clenched his jaw. His fingers tightened around the tool.

Dogman waited, but Petey didn't respond. Because he knew that if he did, his voice would betray him.

Silence stretched between them. Finally, it was Dogman who broke it with a lighter tone.

—Besides... what if I don't stop liking you?

Petey felt his stomach drop.

He barely turned his head, just enough to catch a glimpse of Dogman from the corner of his eye. He saw him smiling, though this time it wasn't one of his goofy, carefree grins. It was different. Softer. More... real.

Petey felt the urge to say something, anything that would break the strange, suffocating atmosphere settling over the lab.

— I-I...

Dogman waited, expectant.

Petey swallowed hard and searched for a way out. Any way out.

And, as always, he resorted to what he did best: deflecting with sarcasm.

—...Well, that explains why you've been so clingy lately. I thought you'd developed some kind of shadow complex or something.

Dogman blinked, then let out a low chuckle, wagging his tail with more energy.

—You know? You don't have to say it out loud. But I already know.

—Know what!? —Petey felt his fur bristle again.

Dogman leaned in slightly, closing the distance between them. His voice dropped just a bit.

—That you don't want me to stop liking you.

Petey felt heat rising to his face. This dog was testing his patience.

—Just stop spouting nonsense and get out of my lab! —he snapped, spinning around and shoving him toward the door with both hands.

Dogman, still laughing, didn't resist.

—Alright, alright, I'm going... but you know it's true, don't you?

Petey shoved him harder.

—Out! And stop smiling like that! You look like an idiot!

—But I'm your favorite idiot~

—NO, YOU'RE NOT!

The door slammed shut, leaving Petey alone in the lab.

The cat let out a long sigh and leaned against the door, feeling his heart hammering in his chest.

He looked at the Neutralizer Ray 2000 sitting on his workbench.

And, for the first time since he had started building it, he wondered if he really wanted to use it.

Because, though he would never admit it out loud...

...A part of him had already gotten far too used to Dogman.

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Hello! Thank you very much to the people who read this! Also thanks to those who comment, the truth is that it is entertaining to read them hehe

Sorry if there are any spelling or grammar errors, English is not my first language.