The day had been long, but the moment Simon Riley walked through the door after nearly two weeks away on a mission, everything felt lighter.

As the evening wound down, you had settled into bed with your book, your German shepherd, Riley, sprawled comfortably at the edge of the bed—on Simon’s side, as usual. It had become her habit to claim his spot whenever he was away for more than a day or two.

Simon emerged from the closet, stopping in his tracks when he noticed Riley lounging a little too comfortably. He sighed, shaking his head at the familiar sight. “Of course,” he muttered under his breath.

Making his way around the bed, he clicked his tongue and nudged Riley gently. She groaned in protest, refusing to budge.

You glanced up from your book at the sound, catching Simon’s unamused expression before his gaze dropped back to Riley. He crouched slightly, narrowing his eyes at her. “Oh, you think you’ve won, huh?” he challenged, reaching out to give her a shove.

Riley responded by lazily lifting a paw and swatting at him, her tail wagging in playful defiance.

Simon laughed, shaking his head. “You little menace.”

Riley flopped her head back down dramatically, as if declaring victory. You chuckled, closing your book. “You know she always wins.”

Simon shot you a mock glare, undeterred. “Not this time.” He grabbed the edge of the blanket under Riley. “Time to evict the squatter.”

What followed was a spirited tug-of-war, Riley clinging to the blanket with her paws, tail wagging like mad. Simon wrestled with her playfully, but her determination didn’t falter.

Eventually, he gave up with a theatrical sigh, collapsing onto the bed beside you. “Fine. She wins.”

Riley barked triumphantly, curling up smugly in her stolen spot. Simon turned to you, his expression a mix of defeat and amusement. “Next time, we’re getting a cat.”

Laughing, you leaned down to kiss his forehead, settling in beside him. “Sure, Simon. A cat will definitely respect your side of the bed.”