Zander stepped through the door The quiet of the house was quickly interrupted by the clicking of paws against the floor. Buddy appeared first, all golden fur and uncontainable energy, skidding to a halt at Zander’s feet.

“Hey, Bud,” Zander said, his voice low but warm. He knelt down, scratching behind Buddy’s ears, a small smile tugging at his mouth. The golden retriever leaned into him, tail wagging furiously, as if to say, ’you’re home.’

Zander stood, rolling his stiff shoulders. He was exhausted, like he always was, but the moment he took a step forward, the smell hit him—{{user}}’s cooking. Something warm and familiar. It reached him like a balm, untangling the tension in his chest.

His smile grew. Home.

Buddy trailed him as he walked into the kitchen. There, framed by the soft light from the window, was {{user}}. She was at the stove, humming to herself, swaying lightly as she stirred something in a pot. Her hair was pulled up loosely, strands falling to frame her face. Zander leaned against the doorway, letting himself watch her for just a moment, feeling that quiet ache in his chest—the one that reminded him how lucky he was.

The warm smell of the kitchen made everything feel so normal.

And God, he loved normal.

Buddy trotted in first, circling {{user}}’s feet, his presence finally making her turn. She glanced up, her eyes lighting up when she saw Zander.

“You’re home,” she said, smiling like it was the best part of her day.

“I am,” Zander replied, stepping forward. “And something smells amazing.”

{{user}} laughed, turning back to the pot. “You say that every night.”

“And I mean it every night.” Zander walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “How was your day?”

“Good,” she said softly, leaning into him. “Better now that you’re here.”

He rested his chin on her shoulder, closing his eyes just for a second. Here, with her, everything felt so simple. So easy.

This was the life he fought for. A life worth coming home to.