Lex watched Logan finish his breakfast of chicken with a surprising amount of enthusiasm. The dog licked the bowl clean, then looked up as if expecting dessert. Lex raised an eyebrow.
"You're lucky I like you," he muttered, getting up and tossing the empty packaging in the trash.
Logan padded after him, tail swishing low but happy. Lex moved to the couch and sat, propping his feet on the coffee table. Logan jumped up beside him with a grunt, settling in close enough to brush against Lex's leg.
Lex didn't push him away.
For a while, they sat in silence. The apartment was quiet, save for the low hum of the refrigerator and the occasional creak of the building. Logan let out a small sigh and laid his head on Lex's thigh.
Lex glanced down. "You're not exactly subtle with your affections, huh?"
Logan just wagged his tail once and closed his eyes.
Time passed slowly. Lex wasn't used to daytime stillness. Nights were easier—darker, quieter, safer for someone like him. But today, he had company. A creature who trusted him without reason.
Lex reached out absently, running his fingers through Logan's fur. It was oddly soothing, the way the dog leaned into the touch, warm and alive. Mika's scent still clung faintly to his coat, and Lex inhaled it without meaning to.
Her.
His thoughts kept drifting back to Mika—her smile, the way she tilted her head when she was trying to read him, the casual touch of her hand on his as she left. It was maddening. She was maddening.
But intoxicating too.
Lex leaned back, head against the couch. His gaze drifted to the desk across the room where the black rose still stood in its glass vase. The blood had dried at its base.
He sighed. "I should've said no."
Logan opened one eye.
"But I didn't," Lex continued. "And now she's part of it. Even if she doesn't know."
The dog gave a soft huff, unimpressed.
Lex's mouth twisted into a half-smile. "You're a terrible therapist."
He stood and stretched, grabbing his hoodie from the back of a chair. "Come on. We're not going to sit here all day."
Logan's ears perked up. At the word "come," he was already on his feet, ready for action.
Lex clipped the leash onto his collar and opened the door. Sunlight spilled into the hallway, and Logan trotted out eagerly.
They walked the quiet streets for over an hour. Lex kept to the shaded sides, his hood up. Logan seemed content to sniff every tree and mailbox they passed. They made their way to a nearby park, where Lex sat on a bench and let Logan explore on the long lead.
Watching Logan play was strangely comforting. The dog found a stick and pranced proudly in a circle with it like he'd discovered buried treasure. Lex smirked, shaking his head.
"This is what humans live for, huh?" he muttered. "Tiny joys."
When Logan tired out, they returned to the apartment. Lex filled a fresh bowl of water, which Logan lapped up noisily. Lex turned on the TV more for noise than interest and settled in with a book.
Time slipped past. He found himself listening for the sound of footsteps in the hallway, watching the clock as it crept toward six.
Logan stirred from his nap and padded over, resting his chin on Lex's knee.
"You know she's coming back," Lex said quietly, petting his head. "You trust that. I don't."
He didn't trust anything.
When the knock finally came, Lex was already standing. Logan barked once and wagged his tail, running to the door.
Lex opened it.
Mika stood there, windblown and flushed from the cold. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Logan.
"Hey, bud!" she said, dropping to her knees to greet him. Logan licked her cheek in rapid-fire affection.
Lex stepped back to let her in. Mika looked up at him, a quiet smile playing on her lips.
"How'd he do?"
Lex's eyes softened. "He's a good dog."
"I told you."
She stood, brushing hair out of her face. Lex noticed the way her hand trembled slightly, like she was cold or tired. Or nervous.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Yeah," she said too quickly, then shrugged. "Just a long day. But I couldn't stop thinking about whether Logan was driving you insane."
"Not even a little," Lex said.
Their eyes met again. Something silent passed between them.
"Thanks," she said. "Really. You didn't have to do this."
"I know."
She stepped closer and touched his arm. "But you did."
He looked down at her hand, then back at her. "Get him home. Feed him. You both look like you need sleep."
Mika chuckled. "You saying I look rough?"
"I'm saying you're not invincible."
She nodded slowly, a flicker of seriousness behind her smile. "Neither are you."
Lex watched her go, Logan prancing beside her like they'd been separated for days instead of hours.
When the door closed behind them, the apartment felt colder.
Lex walked to the desk and picked up the rose. The petals had begun to curl at the edges, darkening.
He held it in his hand and watched as a single drop of fresh blood formed on the stem—and ran down his wrist.
He didn't flinch.