Penalty Kill

Jake

As the elevator dings, signaling its long-awaited arrival to the floor of my apartment, a huge sigh escapes through my swollen, cut lips. A week of grueling road games has finally come to an end, and having just driven back from the airport at 11 at night, I'm fucking toast.

There's nothing nothing I want more than to plop all my shit down, get showered in Huey licks and kisses, then sprawl out on my bed to pass the fuck out for the next twelve hours. The only thing missing to make my return home absolutely perfect is Harper.

I know she had a late shift at the library today, since we texted a little while I was up in the air. The last I'd heard from her was an adorable picture she sent of her and Clover all cozied up on her bed before she left for work. It's now my new lockscreen, and while I wish I would've asked her to come over tonight to see all of her cuteness in person, I know that would've been an unfair ask.

She'd probably gotten home sometime around 9, and after a long ass day, I'm sure she was more than content to hang out at home. The thought had crossed my mind to surprise her at her place, but my exhaustion and aches had gotten the better of me when I'd gotten off the plane. I decided dragging my sorry ass home was the best bet.

Plus, let's be honest—I wouldn't be much good to her stone cold asleep. I'm not exactly going to be the most exciting person to be around when I'm worn down with a battered body. So with some luck, I managed to fight against the powerful, nagging urges to see Harper tonight and settled for coming straight home.

Turning my key in the lock, I try to ignore the crushing wave of loneliness that washes over me. Coming back home to my empty apartment throughout my career has hands-down been the most fucking depressing, devestating fact to deal with time and time again. I got Huey shortly after I started in the pros as a way to combat it, and while having my best furry buddy certainly helped, it only did so much to combat the overwhelming silence of my apartment after road trips.

Tonight is no different. As I step inside, shutting and locking the door behind me, I turn to anticipate Huey's usual licks and wagging tail as he runs from wherever he's been sleeping. But as I drop my bags on the floor and look around my apartment, my lovable pooch is nowhere to be found. My brows furrow in confusion as I look around, noticing there are a few more lights on than when I left, too.

The dog walker had texted me earlier letting me know Huey was happy and thoroughly exhausted after the dog park, and there wouldn't have been a reason for them to leave lights on during the middle of the damn day.

Just as I'm about to take a few steps forward and call out for Huey, I hear the shuffling of claws on the floor. I grin as the familiar sound meets my ears, and as I get ready to bend down and give him all the good boy pats and scratches he's missed while I've been gone, I see him round the corner with someone in tow.

With Harper.

My jaw drops as Huey barrels towards me. She's got on gray sweats on one of my blue Storm hoodies, a smile spread wide across her face as she takes me in. Her long blonde hair is tossed up into a messy bun on top of her head, her skin bright and glowing, like she's just washed it.

Huey's begging for my attention as I stand gobsmacked, unable to speak or form a single fucking thought in my head.

"Welcome home, Bryers!" I reach down without looking to give Huey the pets he's so desperately begging for, my eyes trained on Harper with an open-mouthed smile as I take in the fact that she's here, in my apartment, waiting for me to come home.

"So I wasn't sure what time you'd be back, so there's takeout from a place down the block that was very familiar with your address, so I'm assuming you probably like it. I also wasn't sure what you'd want, so there's a lot of it." I'm blinking at her, still unable to form a single fucking sentence. All I can do is absentmindedly pet Huey as I try and process what's going on.