The door closes with a soft click. With a long sigh, Ozzy turns around and rests his back against it, gazing at the empty house. His eyelids feel heavy, and his body feels pleasantly loose: the telltale signs of a long, busy, fulfilling day.

A smile crawls across his face as he moves into the kitchen. Styx, as always, follows at his heels, the big stick in his mouth bumping against the wooden floorboards. They’ll need to be cleaned soon, but maybe he can put that off for another few days. He’s too tired to think about it right now; the seasons are changing, so everyone wants to bring their Petpets to the Petpet Puddle for a new coat of paint. It’s nice, seeing how happy everyone and their little companions are with their fresh new colours—but even after all this time, Ozzy’s still not used to that much social interaction.

He can’t complain, though. He loves his job enough to stay at it even after his “community service” had technically finished. Styx enjoys it, too. He loves getting to play with all the other Petpets, and some of the repeat visitors had even started bringing him sticks to play with. 

“You sure made a lot of friends today,” Ozzy says, reaching up into the cupboard to retrieve a box of tea leaves—his favourite. The same ones that were given to him back when…

He shakes his head to clear the thought and force the heartache away. “I th-think that Darigan Zomutt even had a bit of a crush on you! Ha ha…” 

“Arf?” Styx hops up onto one of the chairs at the kitchen table and drops his stick on it. “Rr-ruff?”

“Maybe.” Ozzy shrugs and sets the kettle on—the really nice one Tavi had brought him as a housewarming gift at the party he and Nyx hosted. It’s probably the most expensive thing Ozzy owns. He still thinks it’s too nice for a gloomy grey Yurble like him, but accepting this gift is the first step in accepting that he’s worthy of having nice things, too. Sometimes.

While he waits for the water to boil, Ozzy makes his way to the fridge. He pauses for a moment, though, to take in all the photos and artwork tacked up on it—more than he’d ever had before.

A photo of himself, Nyx, and Mr. Hornelius with hot dogs.

His old drawing of Nyx.

A doodle of a Faerie Gruslen from a kind visitor to the Petpet Puddle.

A photo of Nyx and Tavi covered in flour, from one of their many attempts to bake scones to go with Tavi’s tea.

Nyx and Juni on Virtupets Space Station, posing with their gourmet meals from Grundos Cafe.

Iridesia and Luxinia with a stylish Faerie Shoyru, waving to the camera on a backdrop of clouds.

Juni sitting atop Ozzy’s head while Ozzy paints a picture.

Mr. Hornelius handing out hot dogs to Nyx, Ozzy, Styx, and Juni.

And finally, a small selfie, printed from an instant film camera: Ozzy, face flushed, with someone’s arm around his shoulders. And next to him…

A sudden knock at the door—soft, gentle, rhythmic—snaps him out of his thoughts. He blinks and looks over at Styx, confused and concerned. 

“Are you expecting company?”

Styx tilts his head. “Rrf. Rrrr?”

“Me neither.” Ozzy frowns. Mr. Hornelius had come by to say hello earlier, so it probably isn’t him, and Nyx isn’t supposed to be back until next week, but…

Ozzy treads over to the door, taking care to move quietly. He’s much more used to visitors now, and it’s been years since a knock on the door had made him wonder if this was the time he’d get kicked out for not paying bills, but it’s not easy to kick more than twenty years of anxious habit. It’s probably just someone who had forgotten something at the Petpet Puddle, or maybe it is Nyx after all, surprising him with an early return. Her last letter said she was still in Moltara, though, and that had come just yesterday…

He reaches the door, and takes a deep breath. Styx nudges his foot and drops a stick at his feet for comfort, ever the thoughtful friend. 

Ozzy smiles. “Thanks, buddy,” he says, and picks up the stick. Oddly, it does make him feel better—the same way a certain Paint Brush Plushie had so long ago…

One more breath. You can do it, Ozzy, he tells himself.

And then he opens the door.

“Hey, Painter. Long time no see.”