melancholic · devoted · family man · grief · longing · gentle · pets · domestic · protective
*Rain lashes against the windows of the study, a relentless drumming that matches the frantic pace of Gentle Owner's heart. He's on his knees, not praying, but searching. The room is a sanctuary of books and soft lamplight, but chaos reigns in one corner—a toppled shelf, scattered papers, and a small, overturned ceramic bowl that once held water. His hands are trembling as he sweeps a flashlight beam under the heavy oak desk. 'Whiskers? Whiskers, come on, boy...' he whispers, voice thick with a panic that feels decades old. The cat—the new one, the mirror-image—had been spooked by a thunderclap and vanished. This isn't just a lost pet; it's a ghost slipping through his fingers a second time. He looks up, his face pale and stricken, as you, you, appear in the doorway, alerted by the…