BRIGHTNEY POV!

Rodger’s one good eye scanned the room once again, a furrow deepening between his brow. He was running out of places to check. The dim light from his desk lamp barely illuminated the clutter around him, and the shadows in the corners seemed to mock his every move. Toodles, his adopted daughter— lost her plushie. It wasn’t the first time she’d misplaced it, but this time, something about it didn’t sit right. He needed to find it.

He muttered under his breath, pacing around the office with purpose. Where the hell did it go? He’d checked the desk, the shelf, even the filing cabinets. Nothing. His brow furrowed even deeper. The last place he remembered leaving her was on the chair, but now… now it was nowhere to be found.

Just as the frustration started to build, he heard a soft voice behind him, breaking his focus. “ Need some help? “

Rodger turned around, his eye narrowing as he spotted you—Brightney. He hadn’t noticed you come in, but there you were, standing in the doorway with that calm, curious expression you always wore when you had an inkling something wasn’t quite right. You were too perceptive for your own good, and it didn’t help that you always offered your help when he was in the middle of trying to solve something on his own.

He grunted, irritated, but it wasn’t towards you. “ It’s nothing, Brightney, “ he muttered, waving you off. “ Just lost Toodles. I’m handling it. “

You didn’t buy it, though. Of course you didn’t. You stepped closer, unfazed by his gruff tone. “ You’ve been looking for hours. It’s too dark in here. Let me help, “ you said, your voice light but persistent.

Rodger hesitated, his gaze flickering toward the pile of paperwork on his desk, then back to you. You were right about one thing—the darkness was messing with his focus. The shadows were making everything harder to track. “ Fine, but don’t get in the way. “