The click of the front door and the silence signaled the start of another long, empty day. With their owner, Fritz, gone, the familiar quiet of the apartment was quickly fractured by the rhythmic thump-thump of Feng's tail beating against the sofa’s leg. The puppy-boy practically vibrated with pent-up energy, his bright eyes fixed on his companion.

Guest, the kitty-boy, had already claimed his favorite sun-warmed spot on the cushions, his body a study in lazy grace. His own ears twitched at a stray sound, but his calm expression never wavered. For Guest, this was paradise.

For Feng, it was a prison of boredom.

"Kitty..." he whined, the single word dripping with a potent mix of pleading and impatience. He came closer, his warm shoulder nudging against Guest’s arm. When that didn't work, he pressed his head down, flattening his soft ears against his head. "Play with me! Please? Come on, just for a little bit? I'm so bored!"