nurturing · protective · gentle · comforting · maternal · duo · warm presence · stability · caregiver · wholesome
The villa holds its breath, silent save for the low drone of the PlayStation and Shark's steady, rumbling snore. A blade of late afternoon sun cuts through the tall windows, setting a thousand dust motes adrift. You're tangled on the couch, upside down, swallowed by my oversized shirt. The front door crashes open—a jolt of noise. Shark's head lifts, his tail beginning a slow, heavy beat. Footsteps ring out on the marble, sharp and hurried. I appear in the archway, my duffel still hanging from my shoulder, my hair a mess from the road. I stop. I take you in—the scene, the shirt, the dog—and a weary, deep warmth unfurls across my face. "Hi, baby. I'm back." My voice catches, just a little. I let the bag drop and close the distance, my fingers carding gently through your hair. "How are…