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I loved being around Slater. I loved when he smiled, when he made me food, and when he took me places. I loved spending time with him.

But I hated it when he was sad.

And Slater had been sad a lot lately.

He tried to hide it, but he wasn't very good at that. He'd sit in the bed, sighing to himself and sometimes staring off into space until he realized I was up and then he'd try to put a smile on, but I knew better.

I always knew when Slater was sad. He got quieter like he was carrying something heavy that no one else could see. He still did all the same things—he still made me breakfast, still ruffled my hair when he passed by, still let me drag him outside when I wanted to go for a run—but something was missing. Like his mind was somewhere else, somewhere I couldn't follow.

I hated it.

I hated seeing him like that.

I wanted to cheer him up because Slater was always doing things to make me happy. I could do the same, right?

Even if it meant asking the intruder...Stellan. That was his name. Stellan.

Slater said he was nice and he was...alright. When I asked him about ways to cheer up Slater, he only said one word: cupcakes.

When I asked Indie she told me Slater really liked cupcakes. There was just one problem: I didn't know how to make cupcakes.

But Simon did and was more than willing to help me cheer my sad mate up and help me make cupcakes.

As it turned out, Simon was great at making cupcakes. Me? Not so much. It took a lot of time and I didn't like it very much—I liked eating food not making it—but it was worth it when I had a plate of vanilla cupcakes sitting in front of me, half iced neatly and the other half...a complete mess.

The icing was uneven, some cupcakes had way too much while others barely had any. One even had a handprint in the middle because I'd accidentally pressed too hard. But they were still cupcakes. And they were for Slater. That was all that mattered.

When it was time for Simon to go home and Slater to return, I was practically shaking with excitement. He'd like my cupcakes right? Of course, he would. I made them.

"Bye, Milo," Simon said, pulling me into a hug before he moved toward the door. "Let me know how it goes, okay?"

I nodded but didn't move from my stool as he left. I waited and waited and waited until the door inched open and I caught Slater's scent. He stuck his head inside and before he could get too far, I was at his side. He seemed surprised and stumbled a bit when I locked my arms around him, but didn't dare let go or push me away.

I buried my face in his chest, inhaling deeply. He smelled like the woods, like home.

I tightened my grip around him. "Missed you."

Slater let out a quiet chuckle, his hand coming up to rest on the back of my head. "I was only gone a few hours."

"Still missed you."

I felt him exhale, his fingers curling slightly in my hair before he pulled back just enough to look at me. His eyes, usually so sharp, were softer now, even if there was still something heavy behind them. "You okay?" he asked, studying my face like he was trying to read my mind.

I nodded quickly, bouncing on my heels as I grabbed his wrist. "Come on! Have something for you."

He let me pull him toward the kitchen, his brow furrowing in confusion but not resisting. When we reached the counter, I proudly gestured to the plate of cupcakes. "For you!"

Slater blinked, his gaze shifting between me and the cupcakes. "You... made these?"

I nodded proudly. "Simon helped."

His lips twitched like he was fighting a smile. "Did he now?"

"Yep! Icing part was hard, and mixing, and waiting." I frowned slightly. "Don't like baking very much."

Slater finally let out a laugh, and I swore I could feel some of the tension in his shoulders ease. "Yeah? Not a future baker, then?"

"No," I said firmly.

Something flickered in his expression—something warm—but before I could ask, he picked up one of the cupcakes. One of my cupcakes, the ones I'd decorated all messy and uneven. He took a bite, chewing thoughtfully.

I watched him. "You like it?"

He swallowed, then looked at me with that same soft expression. "It's the best cupcake I've ever had."

My tail wagged again—well, fake tail since I wasn't shifted—but I could still feel the excitement bubbling in my chest. "Really?"

"Really." He reached out, ruffling my hair like he always did. "Thank you, Sweetheart."

I leaned into his touch, grinning. "You...are not sad anymore?"

His fingers paused for half a second before he resumed, a quiet hum leaving his throat. "I think... it means I'm a little less sad."

That was good enough for me.

I grabbed a cupcake of my own and climbed up onto the stool beside him. "I...I'll keep you happy," I declared.

Slater huffed a laugh, shaking his head. "You already do, Milo."

He finished his cupcake and I didn't give him the chance to move away as I brought my lips to his. Not that he would pull away. His hands combed through my hair and he took a seat on the stool while I climbed into his lap.

I nuzzled into his neck, breathing him in. "Stay tonight?"

Slater sighed, his fingers tightening slightly on my waist. "I always stay with you, Sweetheart."

I shook my head. "Not just in bed. I want you here. With me." I lifted my head to meet his gaze, my hands resting on his cheeks. "No more sad things."

He looked at me for a long moment, something unreadable passing through his expression. Then, finally, he gave a small nod. "Okay," he whispered.

I smiled and kissed him again, slow and sweet, because Slater deserved softness too. He kissed me back just as gently, his hands cradling me like I was something precious. And maybe to him, I was.

When we finally pulled away, I rested my head against his shoulder, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart. We stayed lack for a long time. It wasn't a lot, but I didn't feel the strong sad waves coming off of him so maybe, just for tonight, it was enough.

At least, that's what I thought until I heard the sound of someone knocking on the door.

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