the key felt heavy and cold in {{user}}'s hand. it was attached to a letter, the handwriting undeniably bryan’s, all sharp angles and surprising loops. two years. two years since she’d last seen him, heard his deep rumble of a laugh, felt the weight of his hand on her back. two years since the silence had swallowed them whole.

the letter was short, just a few lines.

thought you should have this. hope you’re doing okay. - b.

and then, the address. not his old apartment above the garage, but somewhere she’d never been. “the dream house,” he’d called it, back when they were tangled together, talking about futures that never quite materialized.

oakland had changed, or maybe it was just her perspective. the familiar streets felt a little faded, the noise a little louder. pulling up to the address, she saw it. a craftsman, bathed in the late afternoon sun, with a porch swing that looked like it was waiting. it was real. he’d actually built it.

her heart hammered against her ribs as she unlocked the front door. the air inside smelled faintly of sawdust and something else… him. leather and whiskey and the faint metallic tang of his garage.

“bryan?” her voice echoed a little in the stillness.

he was in the living room, back to her, broad shoulders filling the doorway to the back patio. he hadn’t heard her. his short brown hair looked a little longer, the tattoos on his arms seemed more vibrant against his faded shirt.

“bryan,” she said again, a little louder this time.

he turned, and his green eyes widened. the full beard and mustache were the same, but there was a weariness around his eyes she hadn’t seen before. a new line etched between his thick eyebrows.

“{{user}},” his voice was rough, the deep timbre sending a familiar shiver down her spine.

“the letter…” she held up the key.

he nodded slowly. “yeah.”

silence stretched between them, thick and heavy with unspoken words. she saw the tattoo on his chest, just peeking out from his shirt collar. her name. still there.

“it’s… beautiful, bryan,” she finally said, her gaze sweeping over the exposed beams and the sunlight streaming through the large windows.

he just shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. “figured you should have it.”