Between Us

☆ part sixteen ☆

Larks pov

The familiar scent of the animal shelter greeted me as Sophie and I walked in. It wasn't exactly pleasant—equal parts disinfectant and the distinct musk of animals—but it was comforting in its own way. This place had become something of a sanctuary for me. A place to get lost in the steady rhythm of tasks, away from the noise of my own thoughts. Sophie, however, made it feel different today. Brighter, lighter. Her laugh had echoed through the halls earlier when I accidentally dropped a water bowl and managed to soak myself. She'd leaned against the counter, her eyes crinkling as she teased me for being clumsy.

Now, as we wrapped up the last of the chores, I handed Sophie her bag and slung mine over my shoulder. She was tucking a stray strand of her blonde hair behind her ear when I reached for her hand. "Come on," I said, my voice low but full of excitement. "I want to show you something."

Her eyebrows rose in curiosity, but she smiled as she let me lead her down a quiet corridor toward the kennels. "What are we doing?" Sophie asked, her voice soft with amusement.

I didn't look back, just tightened my grip on her hand slightly and answered, "Showing you my favorite dog."

We stopped in front of a kennel that looked empty at first glance. Sophie tilted her head, her curiosity growing, but I already knew what was inside. I pushed the gate open gently and stepped in, gesturing for her to follow. We sat down against the wall, the cold concrete pressing against my back. I scanned the shadows of the kennel and whispered, "Come here, buddy." Sophie's brows furrowed for a moment, but then she gasped softly as a tiny head poked out from under a tattered blanket. The little grey puppy was skinny, too skinny, but his big brown eyes lit up when he saw me.

"Hey, there," I murmured, coaxing him out of the blanket. He wobbled over to me on unsteady legs, his tail wagging furiously, and immediately started showering me with licks.

Sophie giggled beside me. "Oh my god, he likes you," she said, her voice full of delight.

I smiled down at the pup as he climbed into my lap, his tail thumping against my thigh. "Yeah, well, I like him too," I said softly. I looked over at Sophie. Her cheeks were slightly pink, her smile radiant. She was watching the puppy like he was the most precious thing in the world. "I've been thinking about adopting him," I admitted. "He came in a few days ago, and I... I just fell in love with him."

Sophie's eyes widened slightly, and she looked at me like I'd just told her the most wonderful secret. "You should," she said, her voice full of encouragement.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she nodded, then asked, "Can I...?" She didn't have to finish her sentence. I gently lifted the little guy and placed him in her lap. He sniffed her hands curiously before curling up and letting out a tiny, contented sigh. Sophie's laugh was soft and full of wonder.

"He likes you too," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound of his tiny breaths.

Sophie looked up at me, her eyes sparkling. "He's perfect," she said, her voice filled with quiet affection.

But as I watched her stroke his soft fur, her fingers delicate and careful, I couldn't help but think the same about her. The puppy had fallen asleep in Sophie's lap, his little grey body rising and falling in the softest rhythm. Sophie kept stroking him absentmindedly, her fingers brushing through his fur like she didn't want to stop, even though her attention was clearly shifting. I could feel her watching me out of the corner of my eye. I quietly got my notebook out, scrawling out the same line over and over in slightly different ways, but the words refused to fit together. It felt like there was too much caught in my chest to get anything out properly.

Sophie's voice was gentle when she finally broke the silence. "What are you writing?"

I glanced at her, then back down at the page. "It's, uh... a song."

Her eyes lit up, that curious sparkle I hadn't seen in too long. "Can I hear it?"

I hesitated, running my hand over the worn cover of the notebook. I shook my head with a small, apologetic smile. "Not yet. Maybe someday Blondie."

She studied me for a moment but didn't push. Instead, she shifted closer, leaning her head against my shoulder."That's okay," she said softly, her voice steady and calm. "You don't have to tell me what it's about. I'll wait until you're ready to show me."

Her words caught me off guard. I wasn't used to that kind of patience, that quiet, unwavering support. It wasn't the first time Sophie had been like this, but it still hit me in a way that made my throat tighten. "Thank you," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper. I closed the notebook and leaned my head against hers. It was a small movement, but it felt huge. The quiet weight of her leaning back into me grounded me in a way I didn't even know I needed.

For a while, we didn't speak. The room was filled only with the sound of the puppy's soft snores and the distant hum of the shelter outside. The world felt smaller here, quieter. Just me and Sophie, tucked away from everything else. She broke the silence after a while, her voice almost hesitant. "I'm really glad we're spending more time together again."

Her words landed gently, but they hit something deep inside me. I swallowed hard, keeping my head against hers because I didn't trust myself to look at her just yet. "Yeah," I said quietly, my voice rasping slightly. "Me too." There was so much I wanted to say, but the words felt heavy in my throat. I wanted to tell her how sorry I was for everything—for pulling away, for the distance I'd created, for not being able to handle the mess of feelings I still didn't know what to do with. But she didn't need to hear all that right now. Not yet.

I shifted slightly so I could glance at her, and she turned to meet my eyes. Her gaze was so full of warmth and understanding that it nearly undid me. She smiled softly, like she could see right through me, like she already knew everything I couldn't bring myself to say.  "Thank you," I said again, and this time it came out steadier.

"For what?" she asked, tilting her head just enough to bump mine gently.

"For being you," I said simply. It wasn't enough to cover everything I meant, but it was the best I could do without spilling too much.

Her cheeks flushed faintly, and she laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, I don't know how to be anyone else."

I smiled despite myself, leaning back against the kennel wall. The puppy stirred in her lap, stretching his tiny paws before curling back up again. Sophie resumed stroking his fur, and the movement seemed to settle something in me too. We didn't say much after that. We didn't need to. Her head rested against mine, her presence wrapping around me like a comfort I didn't realize I'd been craving for weeks. It felt natural, like slipping into a rhythm we'd always known but somehow lost along the way. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt... at peace. Like maybe everything wasn't perfect, but this moment was. And for now, that was enough.