Chapter Text
"We're on in five minutes!" yelled the stage manager, clipboard in one hand, the other pressing the headset closer to his ear, attempting to decipher the muffled voice coming from the earpiece. The stage crew scrambled to move the set pieces at the right spots, angling the hued acrylic statues until they aligned with the purple spike tape that was scattered across the stage. The crowd could be heard mumbling and buzzing with excitement as they waited for the main event to begin.
Through the mass of chaos behind the wings, a tall figure striding confidently. He was wearing an oversized white button-down shirt, the top few buttons unclasped and exposing fluffy striped orange fur. Cinched tightly to his waist was a simple black corset, tight enough to reveal the tabby's already thin frame. The top was matched with a pair of simple white shorts, small embroideries of flowers and cats etched across the canvas. His tail, matching his fur pattern, remained bare for the most part, a simple white ribbon with black gemstones crossing through the appendage. The tabby's legs remained bare, short fur accenting their slender yet slightly powerful form. As they walked forward, the clunky, silver ankle boots clacked against the tile flooring.
Petey looked at the chaos before him, growing increasingly more frustrated with the continuous hecticness that always happened, no matter how many times they have done this before.
"Ah! There you are!" said the stage manager, walking over to his direction. "We have to get you mic'ed up!"
"Yes, yes. I know," Petey sighed, waving his hands aimlessly at the air. He turned around as the stage manager pulled up his shirt, hands brushing up against his fur as he felt the fabric strap wrap around his hips. He felt the familiar tug as the mic pack belt tightened around him. The stage manager secured the mic pack on the back pocket, their hand going up his spine against the tight corset, their other hand waiting for the wire to peek out through the collar of Petey's Shirt.
"There we go," the manager mumbled to themselves as they pulled more of the cord. Quickly readjusting Petey's shirt, making sure to cover the mic pack as best as possible, they gave Petey the wire, the earpiece dangling at the end. "Can you put this on?"
"As if I don't do that already," Petey scoffed, grabbing the earpiece and quickly adjusting it to his ear. As it fit snugly around his ear, he found the mic piece and adjusted it until it was aligned to his mouth. He quickly took a look at the side mirror and made sure that everything was looking good. He turned to look at his back and was satisfied that the shirt was not disheveled. He adjusted the cuffs of his shirt as he made his way to the open space of the wing, to where the backup dancers, 6 of them total, were standing in a circle and were doing quick exercises to release the pre-show jitters. He joined the circle and began stretching downward, his hands seamlessly touching the bottom of the boots. Closing his eyes, he took a deep inhale, feeling his lungs expand, ribcage pressing together.
Five, four, three, two, one. Zero. He slowly exhaled, the air leaving his lungs and through his lips. He slowly climbed back up, each vertebrae stacking up and straightening out as he stood up slowly. Now standing up straight, he let his head rear back, the weight of gravity taking over as he let his head sway left and right, releasing any tensions that were on the muscles. Shoulders began rolling slightly, shoulder blades pressing together and spreading apart with each slow rotation.
Feeling his body relaxing, he opened his eyes and looked at his team. Each of them adorning pieces of white, silver, and black to match the aesthetic of his outfit. He outstretched his hand, the backup dancers quickly placing their hands on top of each other.
"Alright, first live stage comeback. Let's get our first win!" exclaimed one of the dancers, Sarah, Petey's co-trainee. The backup dancers nodded and murmured in agreement, determination radiating through the air. She let out a small exhale. "Three, Two, One. Fighting!" Sarah said, hands going up in the air as they all silently screamed out in preparation for the performance.
The stage manager walked up to them, hands motioning them to head on stage.
Laxing his shoulders, Petey stepped forward. The bright stage lights burned brightly against his fur, eyes slowly adjusting from the darkness of the backstage to the brilliant lights of whites, blues, and purples that flushed the main stage. The crowd cheered, in which he faced the crowd. Giving his signature smile, he waved at the general direction of the audience, earning a louder cheer from the crowd.
He looked down and continued walking until he found the bright purple 'X' of the spike tape. Taking his position, he sat down on the floor, legs bent. He arched his back and turned to stage right. Right arm stuck straight down and provided him support. Left arm bending as his hand gently grasped his hip.
"Now introducing to the stage, Making their hot comeback 'Siren,' Petey!" announced the emcee, earning a wave of applause and cheers from the crowd.
"Tick Tick Tick," came the automated voice from his in-ear piece, indicating that the live stage was about to start. "Track-Tick tick tick- Siren- tick tick- Artists in position." Petey took a deep breath, feeling his heart pounding loudly against his chest as the music started building up on the stage. "Tick Tick- Intro in One Two Three- Start."
The music blared through the speakers as he felt the months of practice and muscle memory take hold. Left arm stretched up to the ceiling, slowly falling back down, body shifting from its side as he turned to face the audience. His falling arm then jutted out, hand stretched out, as if to grab the audience. Pulling back, he leaned forward and crossed his arms on the ground, behind lifting from the floor.
"♪I told you not to deceive me. The moment you hold this hand, you will become dangerous,♪" He sang, Feeling the words encapsulate the choreography, sitting upright hands outstretched upwards. His hips rolled slightly to the beat of the music.
It all became second nature to him at this point. Each roll of the hip, the positioning of his arm, to the flick of his wrist. He had spent several strenuous weeks practicing and perfecting the dance. "♪Don’t even hesitate a little, Just let go. You know that I’ll hurt you,♪" He sang, letting the lyrics flow through his vocal chords, the notes vibrating with the bass of the instrumental, his arms snapping upward, slowly sliding his hands down and running through his fur and the fabric of his shirt.
He let gravity take a hold, bending his knees and right hand touching the ground while his left folding behind him. "♪The beautiful me of your fantasies doesn’t exist,♪" he belted, right leg fully extending out. Sliding it through the floor, Petey repositioned his leg within three counts, slowly rising up from his crouched position while still staring into the audience.
"♪Can't you see that, boy?♪” the backtrack began "Main chorus, in three-"
Petey scanned the crowd, the sea of orange and yellow illuminating the audience as they all waved their banners and lightsticks excitedly for his performance. Gaze continued to drift until they locked eyes with one stocky figure. Through the glow of the lightstick, Petey could make out the individual, face covered by a simple mask and a brown baseball cap.
"Two..."
He felt his heart skip a beat. Despite the distance between them, he could see through the fabric of the mask, the stocky spectator was flashing a smile, face scrunched and eyes closed as he waved the lightstick up in the air, his other hand holding a banner and moving it excitedly.
"One..."
His attention flickered back to reality, his cheeks burning slightly at the realization that he had been staring at the only person he shouldn't be staring at. His stance wavered slightly as he got into position.
"♪Get away out of my face, Don’t come any closer boy♪" Petey belted, barely making it to his cue. "♪Even if I’m sad, I won’t cry no more♪"
He regained his composure as he continued to sing through the chorus, body moving to its own accord from weeks of endless practice. Sweat rolled down his forehead, the heat of the stage lights heating up his body as he maneuvered through the stage, each step and arm motion methodical and in sync with the music. Inhaling deeply, he pushed through the chorus, the sounds of the crowd cheering roaring over the music as he continued.
~~~~
"♪Lalalalala lalalalala♪" He sang, the final string of chords and beats playing as the song came to an end.
"End of song," said the automated voice. Petey's chest rose and fell rapidly, his body burning as he loosened himself from the ending pose, eyes scanning for the cameras. Spotting one, he raised his hand and curled his hand to his cheek, giving the camera a half-heart as he flashed a smile. His eyes darted back to the crowd, and there his eyes met with a spectator, his chocolate brown eyes coming into contact with his own. The familiar burn of his cheeks rose as he stared at the individual. The audience lights rose and Petey could now tell that he was wearing a simple orange knit sweater, colors complimenting the brown cap and his faded golden fur. Through the mask, he could see that the onlooker was flashing him an even bigger smile as he raised his arm to shake his lightstick towards Petey, the other hand waving the banner lightly.
He could feel his tail twitch slightly behind him, and he broke his gaze with the brown-eyed spectator and back to the general audience, giving them a wide smile and waving, the crowd bursting into a louder cheer.
"Thank you everyone!" announced the emcee as he walked towards Petey and handed the tabby with a bouquet of flowers. "Give a round of applause to our soloist, Petey and his hot new comeback: Siren!"
The crowd erupted into applause and all waved their light sticks excitedly. Petey stood up straight and smiled at the crowd as he gave the general crowd a wave of gratitude. Giving a slight bow, Petey and the dancers exited their way out through the side curtains as they continued to wave at the fans until they were out of their field of vision.
His stage manager immediately ran up to Petey and gave the tabby a towel. "You did great Petey!"
Petey accepted the towel and began to pat himself dry as they made their way back into the dressing room. Walking down the hallway, the tabby and his manager quickly made their way through the staff and other idols. quickly giving them a curt bow as they continued their walk to the dressing room.
Finally reaching the dressing room, Petey and his manager entered the room and closed the door. Petey sighed heavily as he set down the bouquet down the table and plopped himself down the chair. Grabbing a bottle of water, Petey unscrewed the cap and drank the contents eagerly. The bottle cracked and popped with each gulp as Petey continued to drink the water. Once finished, Petey parted the bottle from his lips and let out a sigh.
"This is not the performance I wanted to show my fans!" exclaimed Petey. "I was off beat before the main chorus and my footing slipped after verse two. Can you believe it? Been in this industry for so long and I'm still making mistakes like a rookie."
His manager chuckled as they rearranged the gifts that were scattered around the table. "Listen, Petey- I've known you for a long time now. And as your manager, I can tell you with confidence that your performance tonight was simply radiating!."
His manager finished rearranging the gifts and turned around, body leaning against the table as they stared at Petey. "I'm not sure what happened between your debut and this comeback," he said. "But whatever happened in between, it seems that you have a new fire growing within you- one that burns brighter than when you were in B.A.K."
Petey gave his manager a hollow chuckle, grabbing the towel that he placed on his lap and patted his face dry. His body still felt hot after the performance, but the cold air of the dressing room provided comfort. "I don't know, I guess you could say that I found my spark." Leaning back into the chair, he gave his manager a smirk. "Don't you worry though, I'm not planning on losing momentum any time soon."
Just as his manager was about to say something, a knock at the door interrupted both of them. The handle turned and the door pushed open, the head of a stage hand peeking in.
"I'm sorry to bother, but the last group's performance is almost done. We will be doing award handouts in ten minutes."
"Thank you ten," said Petey's manager. With a nod, the stage hand closed the door behind them.
Petey sighed heavily as he stood up from the chair, raising his arms to stretch off the stiffness. Walking over to the wall mirror, he grabbed a brush and quickly combed his fur back into place, and readjusted his outfit, making sure they were in the right place once more.
"Okay, let's go," Petey said as he straightened up. The pair walked out of the dressing room and made their way out back to the main stage, where the crescendo of the last group's music faded out and was replaced by the cheering of the crowd. As they navigated through the busy hallway, Petey caught a sight of the backup dancers, the small crowd chattering softly and adjusting their outfits.
Weaving through the other groups, he finally made his way to the group in white. One of the dancers turned around and gave Petey a big smile.
"Well look who decided to show up!" said Sarah, placing her hand on her hip and cocking it to the side.
"Har har har," Petey said, feigning his laughter. "You know that I needed some time to properly cool down."
Sarah simply shook her head and turned back to face the idol group through the wings of the stage. Petey shifted his gaze to see that the group ahead of him had already finished and was bowing to the audience.
The emcee walked out of the wings and back into the main stage, quickly thanking the group for their performance. "Now, will we please welcome back to the stage, Yolay and Petey! Today's winner will be determined by today's voting stats! As a friendly reminder, Chart rankings are calculated by a combination of sales totaling to 200,000 points! Remember, Up to 120,000 points are counted from Digital Music Charts, 40,000 for Broadcast, 20,000 for Fan Voting Charts, 10,000 for Album Sales, and finally up 10,000 from Social Media!"
Taking a deep breath, Petey took a step forward and walked past the curtain wings. The crowd burst into cheers as they walked their way to their respective positions. Petey and his backup dancers made their way to Stage right, waving and smiling at the Cheering crows, until they positioned themselves left of the group. Petey snuck a glance and could see that all the way on stage left was Yolay, and a handful of dancers, matching to her vibrant red outfits.
Yolay cocked her head to the side, eyes meeting Petey's as she gave him a wide smile and a small wave. Petey gave Yolay a small wave in return before facing back to the audience.
The noise of the crowd dimmed to a small murmur as the emcee coughed. "Thank you everyone. Now that we have our main groups here out on stage, let's announce our winner for tonight's countdown!"
The crowd cheered as the Television screens lit up around the room. Petey's gaze fixated on the screen in front of him as the categories dropped, cameras pointing to him, Yolay, and the group in the center. The dramatic music began to sound off through the speakers.
"Voting rounds are now officially over, So let us announce tonight's winner!" belted the emcee, the music growing louder as the screen began lighting off, various numbers spinning around each score category, the numbers stopping one by one.
Petey's eyes quickly calculated his score as each category stopped spinning....47,500...12,250....9,000....4,275....2,250....He accumulated a total of 75,275 points. The crowd erupted into cheers as his eyes glanced at the other results. Yolay had won a total of 69,250 points. The group in between them had done 126,500 points.
Petey's heart sank a little as he realized that he lost yet again. He forced a smile and clapped with the audience as the group jumped with excitement. "With 126,500 points, our winner for today's show is AI-B!"
The music began blaring through the speakers as Petey and Yolay left the main stage, letting AI-B to enjoy their encore show.
As they disappeared through the wings of the stage, Petey took off his ear monitor and pulled at the cords down until they were free from the back of his shirt. His hand ran through his waist and removed the mic pack from his body. Handing it to the stage hand, Petey waited for the dancers and his manager to finish handing the equipment back to the staff.
Once all were fully ready, the group navigated their way out of backstage, through the hallways, and into their respective dressing rooms. Hearing the door click shut, Petey let out a heavy sigh and slumped to the ground. My first comeback, and still no reward to show for it, he thought to himself. Reaching to his back, Petey caught the tied laces of his corset and messily began to unravel it, the pressure of his abdomen fading as his fingers worked quickly to remove the ribbing off of each eyelet of the corset. Setting the corset aside, he unbuttoned his shirt, tugging at the material until it was fully untucked from his waist.
Petey leaned his head against the door, looking up at the bright fluorescents above. He extended his arm, as if wanting to reach and touching something that was not there. Another sigh escaped his lips, let gravity take hold of his arm and let it slump down.
He heard a knock at the door behind him. “Petey?” asked the voice of his manager. “Are you okay there?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. I’m just getting changed so give me like five more minutes okay?”
“Okay, just let me know when you’re finished,” Petey’s manager said, the sound of their footsteps clacking against the tile becoming more faded as they walked away.
Petey exhaled softly, standing up from the cold tile floor. Wiping off any dirt that clung on to his stage outfit, he walked over the clothing rack. His fingers ran through the material, hastily peeling off his outfit and neatly hanging it on to the empty coathangers. The clunky silver boots were set down next to the rack and the accessories were now looped around the bar of the hanger rack.
Once his outfit was now neatly arranged, He walked over to where his duffle bag was and pulled out a folded garment bag. Quickly unfolding it, he unzipped the bag and walked back over to the rack, carefully putting his outfit and accessories inside the cloth bag.
Once fully zipped up, Petey walked over to his duffle bag and began to pull out his personal belongings. Petey pulled various articles of clothing out from the bag: A pair of worn sneakers, black sweats, a simple tank top, a windbreaker, and his cap. He quickly began to put on the clothing, the fabric of clothing gliding against his fur uncomfortably. He flung the windbreaker around him and his arms slid through the sleeves. Adjusting the ends, he zipped the windbreaker up, his striped fur hiding behind the mesh. Lastly, he flicked his cap open and placed it on his head, feeling the slits open up as his ears poked out through material of the cap.
He glanced over at himself on the wall mirror, making sure his prominent features were well hidden. The only thing that always stuck out was his tail, but that was always something that he knew that he would never be able to hide. Zipping the duffle bag closed, Petey walked over to the door and unlocked the handle, swinging the door open.
Petey’s manager was waiting patiently for him, their chipper aura radiating brightly amongst the chaos of the hallways. “Ah!” they began, their face beaming with joy. “Glad to see that you've changed, C’mon, let’s start packing up the rest of your essentials and putting away the gifts.”
Petey couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the bright demeanor of his manager, but it was that attitude that made his job a bit more bearable. The duo began to pack up his personal belongings and gifts in his bags in silence. Soon the room was cleared up of Petey’s stuff, and the duo did one final sweep before heading out of the room. They slowly passed through the bustling crowd of idols and crew members, each bowing and smiling softly to those that acknowledged them.
They finally made it to the exit, and found that Sarah and the rest of the backup dancers were already packed up and waiting for the pair. Making sure everyone was accounted for, the manager took lead, opening the door to the outside and their awaiting van.
Petey, sighed, pulled out a mask from his bag and placed it over his mouth and nose. Adjusting the straps to fit snugly around his face, he took a deep breath as he stepped through the doors, immediately being bombarded by the flashing of the cameras and the cheering of fans. He winced slightly at the sudden flashing lights but put on his persona once more and began to smile through the mask and wave at the crowd. He would occasionally walk over to a fan and sign a photograph or magazine that they had brought with them, giving them a quick thank you as he proceeded to walk to the van.
Stepping into the vehicle, he set down his bags and closed the door. As the van began to drive off slowly from the parking lot, Petey began to wave goodbye to the crowd as the van continued to drive off away from the performance center.
As the window closed, Petey slumped onto the seat and removed the mask from his face. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he sunk deeper into the seat. The noise of the backup dancers chatter, the hum of the van, and the faint whispers of the radio station fills the air.
Petey was exhausted, and all he wanted to do was to get back home to see the two people that mattered to him, hoping that he had already made it home in time. The lanky tabby gazed out the window and watched the passing streets and nightlife- friends and family walking around, eating at the open stands and laughing. His mind began to wonder- what would it be like for him if he wasn’t an Idol, would he stand with the two people that mattered to him now, walking down the streets with cheap street food as they held hands and huddled closer together?
His train of thought was abruptly broken off as the van geared to a stop to their entertainment building. The glow of "Tree House Ent” illuminates softly alongside the nightlife of the city. Petey sat upright, hand hovering over the handle as the van made a complete stop and geared to a park. He opened the door and stepped out of the van, arching back and arms stretching up to the sky as he pulled on his aching muscles and bones.
An exhale of relief escaped his lips as he let his arms fall back to his sides, turning around to grab his bags. Sarah and the back up dancers were already scrambling out of the van and continued to chatter away as they each grabbed their own bags and headed inside the building. Following suit, he walked through the double doors, the hallways dimly lit through the soft side lights. They group continued their way through the corridors of the building, entering through a door to the right. The entrance led them to a large dance studio, walls aligned with mirrors. Petey looked around the wall and flicked on one of the many switches, the side lights illuminating the studio with soft white. To the right of the group, the wall was covered with a stereo system and benches. A miniature fridge hummed softly in the corner.
The group slowly filed through the wall and dropped their bags, plopping onto the soft cushioning of the benches. They continued their chatter, the words and laughter filling the quiet dance room.
The manager stepped into the dance room and walked over to the middle of the floor. Watching over the group, a warm smile spread across their face. Balling their hands into a fist, they covered their mouth and cleared their throat, prompting the group to silence and turn their attention to the manager.
“Today was very eventful,” they began. “Now, I understand that tonight was not the outcome we expected, but words cannot convey how proud I am of each and every single one of you for performing your best. We still have another week before the promotion period ends, four more shows- So I'm sure we're gonna get a win within this period!”
The crowd began to cheer and holler in agreement, the moral after the show coming back higher than ever. Petey looked around and shook his head, a smile spreading across his face as the positive energy that radiated off of the room started to affect him, despite him wanting to keep his stoic demeanor.
"With that being said, thank you everyone for your hard work!" said the manager happily, clapping their hands together. "Everyone get some rest, because tomorrow is another day of ratings, so let's do our best to give Siren its first win before our promotion period ends!"
The crowd stood up and with one giant ‘Thank you,’ everyone grabbed their bags and dispersed, chattering away as they all made their way back home.
Petey looked at the dancers and gave a silent chuckle, he couldn’t show it but he was excited to head home himself. Grabbing his duffle bag, Petey adjusted the straps and made his way out the dance studio and through the corridors of the building. Pushing open the door, His face was met with the crisp, cold night air. He looked up and saw that the stars illuminated the dark skies, the moon glowing dimly in its waxing crescent formation. Petey sighed, adjusting the straps once more, the soft glow of "Tree House Ent." illuminating and casting shadows in front of him as he began walking to walk off up the hill and back to his home.
“You heading home now?” said a voice behind him. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face Sarah. “Some of the dancers and I are thinking of going out to Big Jim’s if you want to join” Her gaze was fixated on Petey, but gave a knowing smile to him.
Petey gave Sarah a sheepish smile, his gaze falling down to the ground between them. “Yeah, you know me- Ain’t got time for nonsense like drinking and such.”
She feigned an eyeroll and waved off at Petey as she began to walk away. “Alright. Go have fun at home lover boy~”
Petey gave Sarah a playful glare and stuck out his tongue. He gave Sarah a wave goodbye and began to walk back to his home. The silent and dimly lit streets were a source of comfort to the tabby, having grown used to the roaring of the crowds and bright spotlights- It was the smaller moments outside of his idol life that he cherished deeply. He hummed a silent tune, digging his hands into his pockets as he continued his walk uphill, the only noise welcoming his ears were the soft chirps of the nightlife and the occasional noises of the stray animals.
After several minutes, Petey broke the uphill horizon and his gaze fixated on a tall apartment complex, various rooms lit- despite the late hours- and his eyes stopped one particular window panel. It was turned on and he could barely make out the figure that was emitting from his apartment. He let out a soft chuckle as he made his way to the complex.
Nearing the front gate, Petey pulled out his key card and waved it through the censor. Hearing the lock click, he pushed open the door and made his way inside. He gave a small nod to the security guard, who tipped his hat in response, as he made his way to the elevator. Pushing the button, the elevator dinged and opened its door. The warm lighting of the machinery glowing brightly against the dimly lit lobby.
Petey winced slightly at the brightness as he stepped inside. Turning around, Petey gazed at the rows of buttons and clicked the button to his floor. The doors closed softly, and the gears jolted slightly as he began his ascend. Petey looked at the doors, his heart beating loudly against his ribcage. He readjusted his cap and windbreaker, hand gripping the straps of his duffle bag tightly. The elevator stopped and opened its doors. He stepped out the compartment and made his way through the hallway until he reached towards the last door to his right. The face camera lit up as he stood at the front of the door. He looked at the lit keypad and punched in the numbers. Zero, One, Three, One. The lock clicked open and Petey grabbed the door handle, turned the knob, and entered the apartment.
"Papa!" yelled a small figure, the soft thudding of footsteps running past excitedly towards him. Petey closed the door behind him and dropped down to his knees. Running around the corner, a small tabby dashed his way to Petey.
Petey let the duffle bag slide down from his shoulder as he opened his arms to accept the speeding kitten. Upon impact, Petey wrapped his arms around the kitten. Standing up he spun around, earning high pitched giggles from his son.
"Hey there kid, what are you doing up so late?" Petey said as he gave the kitten a tight embrace and kissed the top of his head.
"Dog man let me stay up!" giggled the kitten tabby, his eyes staring up at Petey and eyes glistening brightly as he turned his head to the end of the hallway. Petey shifted gaze and saw the familiar figure standing. His mask was gone, but the smile that shone was still plastered on his face as his hips swished slightly from side-to-side upon their eyes meeting.
Petey smiled, walking forward until he was standing in front of the smaller and stockier figure. Petey looked down at the hybrid. A small smirk crept through his lips as he leaned down slightly and gave the other a chaste kiss.
"Did you enjoy the show, Greg?" Petey asked as he watched the hybrid's cheeks burn brightly and his hands moving fast, failing to form proper words.
Setting Li'l Petey down, Petey grabbed Greg's hands and gave them a tight squeeze. Mentally he chuckled, because despite them having been dating for almost a full year, seeing his partner act flustered like it was their first date. It was those small parts of Greg that he found endearing and grounding, so separate from his life outside this apartment. Cupping the hybrid's cheeks, he tilted his head upwards as both looked into each other's eyes.
"Did you bathe Li'l Petey like I asked you to?"
Greg nodded his head eagerly, his own hand slowly curled and holding on to Petey's. Greg closed his eyes and pressed himself against Petey's hand as he nuzzled himself to the tabby's scent.
Petey's eyes widened slightly as a blush crept up his face. His tail twitched slightly, but refused to let go as he stared down at his partner. His thumb gently stroked the coarse fur of his partner's as they stood there in the hallway.
"I've missed you," Petey whispered as the pair continued to stand in the hallway of their apartment.
Greg simply let out a soft whine as he flashed Petey his signature lopsided smile, hips swishing slightly happily.
There they stood for several minutes before Petey cleared his throat.
"I should probably shower, I feel hot and sweaty after today," he said.
Greg nodded as he separated from each other, the hybrid turning his attention to Li'l Petey, who was in the living room drawing, crayons and paper visibly scattered across the hardwood flooring.
Shaking his head at the sight before him, Petey simply let it be, grabbing his duffle bag and walking through the hallways into the main bedroom. His wandered over the various hanging picture frames, all showing various points of his life: A childhood photo of him and Grace, Her in a hospital room smiling while holding a bouquet of flowers, various photos of Petey and the members of B.A.K., and various other photos that his managers or coworkers had given to him. The further he walked, the more intimate the photos became: various frames of Li'l Petey and him from years prior, recent frames containing memories of Greg and Petey together- selfies from their secret dates, and others of Li'l Petey and Greg together.
A small smile crept up his lips as he continued to gaze at the picture frames. Standing at the foot of the entrance to the bedroom, Petey glanced at the photos once more before entering and closing the door behind him. Dropping the duffle bag, the tabby let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his shoulders as walked over to the bathroom.
Going over to the tub, Petey put on the stopper and turned on the water, his fingers feeling the running water as the temperature increased to his liking. He stood upright and began to peel the clothing off, the constricting fabrics sliding off of his body, the immediate relief washing over him as the material dropped down to the ground. Petey began to massage his shoulder, closing his eyes as the pressure of his palm dug into the sore muscles.
Cracking open his eyes, Petey looked down and saw that the tub was reaching its fill line. leaning forward, Petey turned off the faucet and stepped into the tub, the hot water stinging his body slightly. Hissing quietly, he lifted his other foot and let it sink into the waters, slowly lowering himself until his body was submerged with the hot water. He let out a deep sigh, feeling the warmth of the water soothe his sore body, he sank lower into the bathtub, peacefully drifting off to the heat of the water, the warm light of the bathroom, and the muffled sounds of Li'l Petey and Greg in the living room.
~~~~
Freshly bathed and properly dried, Petey stepped out of the bathroom, donning a pair of simple sweats and a loose shirt. He quietly opened the door of the main bedroom and began slinking his way to the kitchen. Glancing over to his son's bedroom, he could see that Li'l Petey was tucked in and sleeping in his bed. He quietly made over to his son, making sure he was fully tucked in. Leaning forward, he gave his son's forehead a gentle peck.
Petey flicked on the nightlight before making his way out of his son's room. Sneaking one more glance, he closed the door behind him. He then made his way to the living room- the lights were all turned off, save for the television, the bright lights illuminating the couch. Petey's gaze drifted over to see that Greg was already sitting with a bowl of popcorn, eyes fixated on the muted show.
Petey couldn't help but smile at the routing that they had built together. Within the past 8 months, Greg had entered his life, and he had found comfortability in being with him. Li'l Petey loved him as well, and whenever Greg had his day off, he would ensure to spend time with Li'l Petey and him.
He navigated to the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulled out two soda cans from the side door. Closing the door, he made his to the living room, to where the hybrid was sitting, body covered by a large blanket, and the bowl of popcorn resting on his lap as he grabbed a few kernels at a time and popping it into his mouth
"Hey there, Greg," said the lanky tabby as walked over to where the hybrid was. Sinking into the seat next to Greg, he let his body fall limp as he curled up and pressed against the other's. He knew that these nights were precious, especially during comeback season. His chest rumbled softly as he felt Greg's arm wrap around him as they watched the muted movie together.
Amidst the silence and the occasional crunching as they took handfuls of the popcorn, Petey's mind began to drift off, reminiscing on how it all began.
~~~~
After seven years of being a group together, the time came for B.A.K's contract expiration, and it came to no surprise when Big Jim, Mr. Whiskers, and Fluffy decided to not renew their contracts and chose to part ways with the company. Petey and Tippy had been the only two members in the conference room to review their contracts with their company, to determine their new journey- but B.A.K. had now officially disbanded.
Petey simply sat there. He knew that the group would disband, but the reality of his goal feeling father away sent a pit down his stomach. Petey leaned forward on the table, looking at the stack of documents in front of him, scanning and analyzing each sentence of his contract, his finger tapping against the wooden frame of the table.
Petey cleared his throat, looking away from the documents, eyes focusing on the two figures sitting across from him. "Excuse me, Mr. Beard, Mr. Hutchins- I'm going over the renewal contract, and so far it just appears that all you got planned for us is promotional work, training, and hopes for the formation of a new group."
The two figure heads snuck glances at each other. The Blond figurehead cleared his throat, leaning forward ever so slightly.
"Yes, that is correct. We feel that on a business standpoint, it would benefit you to train a little bit longer and join another group while you still remain with the company."
Petey stared at the duo, mind stunned at what was being said to him. Petey had spent the betterment of his childhood training, debuted with B.A.K. when he turned nineteen, and now seven years later, is being tossed back into the training grounds in hopes to debut with another group. He was now twenty six and knew that debuting in a new group would be next to impossible at his age.
“No,” he muttered under his breath, his hands balling into fists as his mind began to swirl haplessly.
“I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” asked the blond, head cocking to the side in curiosity.
Petey swallowed, his heart beginning to race at the thought of him speaking up. But he knew that this would be his only chance at achieving his goals. Standing up, Petey looked at the duo with determination. “No sirs,” he began. His throat felt tight, his body tensing slightly. “As much as I appreciate the offers of wanting me to debut under a new group, I am wanting to progress further into my career.”
The duo looked at each other once more, both leaning forward in unison as they stared at the nervous tabby. “Please, how do you want to progress further? What next steps are you thinking of?” said George, his eyebrow cocked upwards. His tone felt almost interrogatory.
Petey’s eyes darted between George and Harold, hands clenching and unclenching. “I, uhh,” he stuttered. “I wish to go the soloist route. I feel that I am ready for that next step.”
There was no response from either George or Harold, the silence between them growing. Petey fidgeted slightly as the silence became almost uncomfortable.
“Tell me Petey,” Harold said, breaking the silence. “Do you think you are ready for it?”
Silence filled the air once more, Petey’s resolve waving slightly as the question settled over his mind. Was he ready? The simple question had lingered over his head, shrouding his senses. His gaze lowered to his feet, ears pressed flat and tail twitching nervously.
No, he thought. Petey threw the shroud of doubt out of his mind, his determination burning brightly within him. He had to persevere, for that’s what he dedicated his life to. From being scouted after his mother’s death to constantly failing to debut until B.A.K, Petey had set his goal to shining brightly- shining as brightly as his mother once did.
Petey took a deep breath, holding it in for various seconds and slowly releasing the air, feeling his body and nerves relax slowly. His gaze shifted back to Harold. “Sir, I think- No, I know that I am more than ready! I want to go solo and prove to everyone that I'm not just the remains of a tarnished legacy- I want to prove to the people that I am so much more than that! Please, let me prove to you that I am ready to go solo."
George and Harold looked at each other, leaning into each other closer as they whispered softly, barely inaudible enough for Petey unable to make out the words that escaped their lips.
Petey stood there, his eyes darting between the figure heads as they continued their hushed conversation. After several minutes, they stopped their hushed conversation and turned to Petey.
"Do you really think you are ready to go solo for this company?" Asked the blond.
"Yes sir, I think- no," he corrected himself. "I know that I'm more than ready to take my career to the next step!" exclaimed Petey, his own words laced with such fervor.
George and Harold looked at each other once more, both of their gazes conversing in ways that Petey was unable to understand. The stillness enveloped the room as the duo continued their quiet discussion.
Petey’s heart thumped loudly against his ears as his eyes darted between the two figureheads nervously. He was painfully aware of how his throat contracted and tensed as he swallowed dryly. Waiting for a response from George and Harold was proving to be tasking for the orange tabby as his own doubts began to creep and settle into his mind.
After what felt like an eternity, the duo stopped their mute conversation and turned their attention back to Petey. George was the first to clear his throat. “Petey,” he began. “After some quick thoughts and deliberations, we are deciding of giving you the opportunity to move forward and pursue the soloist route. But, you will still need to practice for at least one year. Finding the right music that suits your tone is gonna be costly, alongside training backup dancers, the promotions, the contracts…..” His voice lowered to a murmur as he continued to list off more and more items.
Harold gave a light hearted laugh as he watched George continue to ramble on regarding logistics and financial breakdowns. “What George is trying to say is that yes, we are going to give you the opportunity to represent the company and yourself as a soloist!” His face beamed with joy as he watched Petey’s face turn from worry to shock. “We’ll have our lawyers draft up a new contract to include your career route and any additional details. But for now, consider yourself a free man and enjoy your time off for now.” He gave Petey a wide smile and waved him off.
Petey’s eyes widened as the words that they spoke settled into his mind. “Th-thank you both!” He exclaimed excitedly as he walked towards the door, continuously bowing and uttering words of thank you. “I promise you won’t regret this!” With that he opened the door and exited the room.
Closing the door before him, Petey began to punch the air wildly as he walked down the hallway. As he turned the corner, he spotted the rest of his now ex-members huddled in a group, chatting and laughing
Big Jim was the first to notice the hyperactive tabby. His attention turned to Petey as he yelled out. “Petey! What’s got you all excited?”
Petey’s permanent gleam radiated off his smile as he skipped over to the group, tail twitching restlessly. “Oh nothing~ Just getting what I wanted out of the meeting, but nothing is set in stone yet.”
“Well,” Mr. Whiskers interjected. “While you were in the meeting room, we were thinking of heading out to celebrate, since this is our last day as B.A.K. And frankly, I want us to go out with a bang!”
“Yeah, but where exactly are you suggesting we go to celebrate?” Asked Tippy, head cocked to the side as he stared at the taller white cat.
“Well, there is one spot I know that’s in the next city over. They have lots of bars, restaurants, and other sights- If you catch my drift,” He said, giving a suggestive smirk to Tippy.
Both Petey and Tippy rolled their eyes in unison. Despite their Idol image, both know that Mr. Whiskers had a reputation of having a rather large stack of NDA’s under his belt. However, they couldn’t help but feel that he was right. After seven years of being a group together, they couldn’t let their union end just like that- They had become a family in their own right, and to that extent wanted to keep in touch after the end.
So the group all agreed that once they got changed to their pedestrian clothing, they would go out of the City to celebrate. Rapidly going to the dressing rooms to get changed, they all profusely thanked the staff and management for their years of hard work. As they waved goodbye to the staff, they all made their way outside of the building and got inside Big Jim’s personal van.
With a turn of the key, the van purred to life, and soon the quintet began to drive off, the scenery of Ohkay City transforming to the fair countryside that surrounded the metropolis. As the time passed, the group chatted about what they were going to do with their lives, sang the popular tunes that played on the radio, and at times just sat in the comfortable silence. Soon, along with the setting sun, the rural plains began to transfer back into cityscapes, tall buildings and businesses now littering and becoming more compact as they continued their drive to the heart of the city.
As they continued their drive deeper into downtown, the congestion of the street started to become too hard to maneuver, forcing Big Jim to find the nearest available parking spot. He turned off the van, and soon the group was out of the vehicle and examining their surroundings. The strip was bustling with various noises and flashing lights, enveloping the cats’ senses.
And so they began to walk around, the group blending in with the diverse party. Very soon, they entered the nearest bar to them and began to celebrate. Shot after shot, each cat slowly became more inebriated as the night continued. Unsure of how it happened, the group slowly began to disperse from one another. First it was Mr.Whiskers, who prowled off after their fourth bar. Shortly thereafter Tippy and Fluffy separated and disappeared with the crowd, leaving Big Jim and Petey alone on the bar, both of them nursing their drink. The orange tabby was visibly more drunk than the taller purple tabby.
“Y'know Jim?” said Petey, his words slurring together. “You’re honestly like my best friend. I love you so much it's crazy! You’re like a brother to me” He finished by downing the glass full of clear liquor in front of him. His throat burned as he swallowed the liquor. His head began to swirl, leaning into Big Jim. “I love you so much bro”
Big Jim shook his head as he let out a chuckle. “Yes Petey, I know that,” he replied, patting the ginger tabby’s back and giving him reassuring rubs. His own vision was slightly blurred, his body feeling heavy and lightweight at the same time. Feeling that it was time to stop, he turned his attention to the bartender and gestured to her that they were ready for the tab. “Hey Petey,” he began. “You're ready to find the others and head back home?”
His question was met with silence. Big Jim turned his attention back to his side and found that Petey was no longer sitting by his side, the now-empty drink being the only remnants of his presence.
“Well Shit…” He muttered he scanned the room, hoping to find a glimpse of the orange tabby. He didn't.