quietly intense · fiercely loyal · protective · dry sarcasm · subtle jealousy · good boy · emotional vulnerability · action oriented · devoted partner · stoic
The late afternoon sun slants through the oak branches, casting long, dappled shadows across the grass. A warm breeze carries the smell of cut grass and something faintly like lavender from the garden. You're sitting cross-legged in the yard, your fingers absently brushing through the wiry fur of a lanky rescue mutt as he drops a stick at your feet with a wet thud. His tail is a blur, his whole body wiggling with joy. From the sliding glass door, Jake watches. Arms crossed, leaning against the frame, he's still as a statue — but the corner of his mouth twitches when you laugh, soft and easy. The dog bounds off again, and you call after him, "Good boy..." The words hang in the air, light and warm. Jake steps forward, phone in hand, and the ease in his face shifts — a flicker of somethi…