The next morning, Dog Man walked into the police station with a spring in his step. His tail wagged as he hummed to himself, ears perked up in excitement.

Chief, who had just taken a sip of his coffee, immediately narrowed his eyes.

"Alright, what's with you?" he grumbled, setting his mug down.

Dog Man grinned, pulled out his notepad, and scribbled something down before holding it up.

"Petey & Li'l Petey are staying with me forever!! :D"

Chief choked on his coffee.

"WHAT?! FOREVER?!" He coughed, pounding his chest. "Are you nuts?! You're telling me you're living with your archenemy permanently?!"

Dog Man gave him a proud nod, tail wagging even harder.

Chief stared at him like he'd just sprouted another head. "Okay, okay, hold on. Dog Man, buddy, pal—you do realize this is Petey we're talking about, right? The guy who used to try to destroy you on a daily basis?"

Dog Man scribbled furiously.

"He's changed!! He's not bad anymore!"

Chief crossed his arms. "Yeah? And I'm supposed to just take your word for it?"

Dog Man's ears drooped.

"Look," Chief sighed, rubbing his temples, "I get that Li'l Petey's a good influence on him or whatever, but I haven't seen it for myself. How do I know this isn't some kinda long con? What if he's just pretending?"

Dog Man shook his head rapidly and started writing again.

"Come to dinner at our house! You'll see!"

Chief blinked. "Dinner?"

Dog Man nodded eagerly.

"I dunno, man..." Chief muttered, scratching his head.

Dog Man wagged his tail and quickly added more to the page.

"Sarah can come too! She helped me a lot!"

Chief sighed. "Great. Just what I need. That nosy reporter sniffing around my business while I eat."

Dog Man's eyes sparkled.

Chief groaned. "You're not gonna let this go, are you?"

Dog Man shook his head.

Chief pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh. "Fine. Fine! I'll come. But I swear, if Petey tries anything funny, I'm hauling his tail straight to jail."

Dog Man beamed, saluted, and bolted off to send Sarah an invitation.

Chief took another sip of his coffee, muttering to himself.

"Dinner with Petey... This is either gonna be a disaster or the weirdest night of my life."

Sarah Hatoff was in the middle of typing up her latest news article when her office door slammed open.

Dog Man stood there, panting, tail wagging like crazy.

Sarah didn't even flinch. "Let me guess—more crime-fighting heroics to brag about?" she teased, smirking.

Dog Man shook his head, pulled out his notepad, and started scribbling.

A moment later, he held it up.

"DINNER AT MY HOUSE TONIGHT! :D"

Sarah blinked. "Dinner?"

Dog Man nodded excitedly.

She tilted her head. "Wait... Who else is gonna be there?"

Dog Man quickly wrote again.

"Me, Petey, Li'l Petey, & Chief!!"

Sarah's smirk widened. "Ohhh, so Chief is finally getting a front-row seat to your weird little domestic life, huh?"

Dog Man barked happily.

Sarah leaned back in her chair, grinning. "Oh, I have to see this. I mean, you've told me so much already—Petey being grumpy but secretly soft, Li'l Petey treating you both like an old married couple—" she waved a hand. "I need to witness it in action."

Dog Man's tail wagged so fast it was a blur even though he didn't understand most of her rumbling .

"Alright, alright, I'm in." Sarah chuckled. "This is gonna be the best dinner ever."

⸻

Later That Day...

Petey was on the couch, flipping through a book, when Dog Man walked in, looking very pleased with himself.

Petey glanced up. "What's with the face? You look like you just got away with stealing the mayor's lunch."

Dog Man quickly pulled out his notepad.

"Chief & Sarah are coming for dinner!"

Petey froze.

Slowly, he set his book down.

"...Excuse me?"

Dog Man beamed.

Petey's ears flattened. "And why did you think that was a good idea?"

Dog Man wrote quickly.

"Chief doesn't think you've changed! I wanna prove him wrong!!"

Petey groaned, rubbing his temples. "Great. Fantastic. Just what I wanted—company."

Li'l Petey, who had been playing with 80-HD nearby, perked up. "Yay! A dinner party!!"

Petey shot Dog Man a look. "You better be the one cooking, mutt."

Dog Man wagged his tail.

Sarah and Chief coming over... This was going to be interesting.

——Pre-Dinner Chaos———-

Dog Man, Petey, and Li'l Petey stood in the middle of the living room, surveying the disaster before them.

Toys were scattered everywhere, some of Dog Man's chewed-up newspapers were lying around, and there were suspicious snack crumbs all over the couch.

Petey crossed his arms. "Alright. We need a plan. First, mutt, you're on dish duty. Li'l Petey, you pick up your toys. I'll handle sweeping because if I leave it to you two, we'll be buried in fur and dust bunnies before dinner even starts."

Dog Man barked in agreement and ran off to the kitchen.

Li'l Petey saluted. "Aye, aye, Papa!"

For a few minutes, things were going smoothly. But then—

CRASH!

Petey snapped his head toward the kitchen. "Dog Man, if you broke a dish, I swear—"

Dog Man peeked his head out with a sheepish grin, holding up a now two-piece plate.

Petey groaned. "You had one job."

Meanwhile, Li'l Petey had not been picking up his toys. Instead, he and 80-HD had somehow turned cleaning into a game, zooming across the room at top speed.

Petey rubbed his temples. "I should've just let the house stay a mess."

⸻

As they cleaned, a thought snuck into Petey's mind.

What if this was a mistake?

He had spent so long being a villain, and now here he was—playing house, cooking dinner, and living with Dog Man of all people.

Had he really changed? Or had he just lost who he was?

And what if Chief and Sarah didn't like this new version of him? What if they expected the old Petey, the sarcastic, scheming, independent rogue—only to find some washed-up ex-villain who made lunch for a dog cop every morning?

He didn't even realize how lost in thought he was until a warm hand gently squeezed his own.

Petey flinched and looked up.

Dog Man was watching him, eyes soft, ears slightly drooped. He didn't write anything down. He didn't bark. He just held Petey's hand and gave him a quiet, reassuring look.

It said everything.

You're okay. You're still you. And you're not alone.

Petey swallowed and quickly pulled his hand away, ears burning.

Just as he did—

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The door.

Petey's heart jumped. They're here.

He straightened his posture, cleared his throat, and turned away. "Alright, let's get this over with."

Dog Man just wagged his tail.

The door swung open, revealing Sarah Hatoff and Chief standing on the front step.

Sarah, as expected, had a huge grin on her face. Chief, on the other hand, looked like he had just been dragged somewhere against his will—which, in a way, he had.

"Well, well, well," Sarah said, stepping inside. "So this is the legendary household of Dog Man and Petey, huh?"

She looked around, taking in the freshly cleaned space. "Not bad. I was expecting more destruction. Maybe a crime scene or two."

Petey rolled his eyes. "Glad to disappoint."

Chief, meanwhile, was still standing stiffly at the door, eyes darting between Petey and Dog Man. "This is just weird," he muttered.

Dog Man wagged his tail and pulled out his notepad.

"WELCOME TO OUR HOME :D"

Chief blinked at the note, then looked back at Petey. "You two actually live together?"

Petey crossed his arms. "What, you thought I was just crashing on his couch?"

Chief raised an eyebrow. "I mean... yeah, kinda."

Sarah elbowed him. "Oh, come on, Chief. Look at this place! It's practically a sitcom waiting to happen."

Li'l Petey suddenly zoomed into the room, skidding to a stop in front of them. "Hi, guys!!"

Sarah crouched down. "Hey, kiddo. You excited for dinner?"

"Yup! We made everything ourselves!"

Petey coughed. "I made everything. Mutt broke a plate, and this one got distracted halfway through cleaning."

Li'l Petey grinned. "It was fun!"

Sarah laughed. "Sounds about right." She then turned back to Dog Man and Petey. "Alright, I gotta see this dynamic in action. Show me what family dinner with you guys is like."

Dog Man barked excitedly, while Petey sighed. "You people are too nosy."

Chief rubbed his temples. "I'm already regretting this."

——-Dinner & Disasters——-

The dinner table was set, the food was served, and—for the first time in history—Petey, Dog Man, Chief, and Sarah were all sitting together for a meal.

Sarah smirked, resting her chin on her hands. "Alright, let's see what a domestic dinner with you two is like."

Petey sighed. "You say that like we're some kind of science experiment."

"Oh, but you are," Sarah teased.

Dog Man, wagging his tail, happily started eating. Meanwhile, Chief hesitated before taking a bite. He looked at his plate, then at Petey.

"You sure this isn't poisoned?"

Petey rolled his eyes. "Would I really waste my time poisoning you of all people?"

Chief considered that. "...Fair point."

Li'l Petey, completely oblivious to the adult conversations, was swinging his legs under the table and happily munching on his food. And then—

"Oh! Didja know my papas always sleep together?"

Petey choked on his food.

Sarah's eyebrows shot up. "Oh?"

Chief froze. "...EXCUSE ME??"

Dog Man, mid-bite, paused.

Petey coughed violently, pounding his chest. "KID!!"

Li'l Petey grinned. "Yup! We always sleep in the same room! Well, sometimes Dog Man sleeps on the floor 'cause he's a dog, but mostly we all sleep in the same bed now 'cause our old one was too small!"

Sarah was grinning now. "That's. Adorable."

Petey glared. "IT'S NOT WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE!"

Chief had a horrified look on his face. "You've got to be kidding me."

Dog Man just blinked.

Li'l Petey kept going. "And Dog Man always licks us goodbye when he leaves for work! And and! Papa always worries when Dogman is late to come home in secret but it's obvious—"

Petey kicked Dog Man under the table. Dog Man yelped and dropped his fork.

"Lil Petey." Petey's voice was dangerously calm trying to hide his embarrassment. "Buddy. Son. I need you to stop talking."

Li'l Petey giggled. "But I have so many things to share!"

Sarah was eating this up. "Please, kid, continue."

Petey slammed his forehead on the table.

Dog Man, meanwhile, just wagged his tail.

Chief sighed. "I don't even know what to say anymore."

Sarah smirked. "Admit it, Chief. You love this."

"I do not."

Li'l Petey grinned. "You will! This is our family now!"

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, Chief. What do you think? Do you believe Dog Man and Petey are really a family?"

Chief looked at them—Petey glaring, Dog Man smiling, Li'l Petey radiating happiness.

He sighed. "...I still think it's weird. But I guess it's working."

Sarah smirked. "That's the nicest thing I've ever heard you say."

Petey groaned. "I regret everything."

Dog Man, tail wagging,just happy to see everyone together get along (mostly)

——-After Dinner———

After all the food had been eaten (and Li'l Petey had finished oversharing), the evening slowly began to wind down. Petey stretched his arms with a sigh. "Alright, kiddo, time to get ready for bed."

Li'l Petey groaned. "Awww, but I wanna stay up!"

"Tough luck, junior," Petey said, already standing up. "Go brush your teeth, and no, you can't skip washing your face just 'cause we had guests over."

Li'l Petey huffed but obeyed, zooming off towards the bathroom.

Chief raised an eyebrow. "You sound like an actual dad."

Petey gave him a flat look. "Yeah? Well, that's because I am one."

Dog Man had already started cleaning up the table, gathering dishes with practiced ease. Chief watched as Petey got up and—without a word—grabbed a towel, wiping down the table while Dog Man carried plates to the sink.

Sarah smirked. "Wow. Look at you two, working like a well-oiled machine."

Petey rolled his eyes. "It's called keeping the house from turning into a disaster zone. Something tells me Dog Man never bothered with dish duty before I moved in."

Dog Man stuck out his tongue playfully before rinsing a plate.

Chief was still staring. "So... this is real, huh? You're actually doing this whole family thing?"

Petey paused. He looked over at Dog Man, then glanced toward the hallway where Li'l Petey was brushing his teeth (badly, judging by the loud gargling noises).

He sighed. "Yeah. Guess I am."

Dog Man glanced at him, then pulled out his notepad and scribbled something.

"AND YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB! :D"

Petey snorted, but there was a small smile on his face. "Yeah, yeah. Don't get sappy on me now."

Li'l Petey suddenly sprinted back into the room, his fur still slightly damp from washing his face. "Okay! I'm ready for bed!"

Petey smirked. "Good. Off ya go."

Li'l Petey pouted. "But I want a bedtime story!"

Petey sighed dramatically. "Ugh, fine. Get in bed, I'll be there in a sec."

Sarah chuckled. "You've got this whole parenting thing down, huh?"

Petey scoffed. "Pfft. Please. I'm just winging it."

Dog Man nudged him playfully before flipping up his notepad again.

"YOU'RE A NATURAL! :D"

Petey felt his face warm up slightly but quickly turned away. "Whatever. Mutt."

Chief watched all of this silently, then finally sighed. "Alright. I get it now."

Petey raised an eyebrow. "Get what?"

Chief shrugged. "That this isn't some weird fluke. That you actually... I dunno. Changed."

Petey blinked, caught off guard. "Well. Yeah. Guess I did."

Sarah smiled. "Aww. Look at you, Chief. Admitting Petey's not evil anymore."

Chief groaned. "I never said that."

Petey smirked. "Too late. You're getting soft."

Dog Man barked in agreement.

Sarah laughed. "Alright, we should probably head out. Thanks for dinner, you two. And thanks, Li'l Petey, for all that great information."

Li'l Petey beamed. "You're welcome!"

Chief shook his head. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but... good job, Dog Man. And you too, Petey. Somehow, this whole thing works."

Dog Man wagged his tail happily. Petey just smirked. "Of course it does. We're awesome."

Sarah and Chief said their final goodbyes before heading out. As soon as the door shut, Petey let out a dramatic groan. "Finally. They're gone."

Dog Man nudged him with his elbow.

"YOU LIKED IT :3"

Petey scoffed. "Did not." But there was a small, almost hidden smile on his face as he walked off to put Li'l Petey to bed.

Dog Man watched him go, tail wagging.

Yeah. This was their family.

And he wouldn't trade it for the world. .

Hey guys! The author here! Sorry it took so long it was in my drafts for a while it's a bit harder for me to make continuation for a story since all my chapters so far had been kinda one-shots but finally I'm done! I have another story in mind that I wanted to write so now that this chapter is done I can continue it :) also WHERE DID YOU ALL COME FROM HELLO??! 7k reads?!? This is insane😭😭 tysm!!!