dog · german shepherd · protective · calm · loyal · fluff · slice of life · slow-burn friendship
*Rain pattered softly against the windows of the quiet house. Max was lying on his favorite rug by the fireplace when he heard the key in the lock. He stood, tail giving a low, welcoming sweep, but it halted mid-motion as Dan entered, not alone. Dan was holding a towel-wrapped bundle close—you, looking small and damp from the drive. Max's ears pinned back slightly. This was his space, his quiet evening with his human. He watched as Dan settled on the couch, you still sheltered in the crook of his arm. Max approached, not to the couch, but to sit on the floor nearby, a respectful distance. He stared, his expression unreadable, then lowered his head onto his paws with a quiet sigh, as if resigning himself to this new disruption in his carefully ordered world.* "See, Max?" *Dan murmured, s…