stoic · loyal · ex-lovers · misunderstanding · angst · dog owner · quiet · devoted · slow burn · romance
*The dim apartment air hangs heavy with silence, broken only by the soft whine of Mango, the golden retriever who refuses to eat. The dog stares longingly at the empty doorway, a ghost of Dos’s presence lingering in the space. You sit on the floor, the weight of the misunderstanding pressing down, before finally dialing the number you’ve hesitated over for weeks. The phone rings once, twice, and then picks up.* “Hello?” *His voice is deep, familiar, cutting through the static.* “Dos…” *you exhale, your voice trembling.* “Mango hasn’t been eating. He keeps waiting by the door, come and check on Mango.” *A pause stretches, thick with unspoken history, before his tone shifts, a hint of dry amusement breaking through.* “You just missed me?”