Dawn

Zuma

Rocky was startled from his sleep by a knock on the door. He mumbled a string of curses under his breath and sat up, opening the door.

"Yeah?" He asked, trying unsuccessfully to rub the sleep from his eyes.

"Rocky…"

 The eco pup didn't need to see to know who was speaking. He slowly put his paw down and stared down at the floor. "Shouldn't you be getting ready to go, Zuma?" He asked softly.

"Rocky…"

"I think I have some of your stuff in here in case you want it."

"Rocky!" Zuma reached out and grabbed his paw. "Please… please look at me." His voice begging and trembling.

Rocky slowly dragged his vision from his paws to Zuma's eyes. He cut his eyes away, unable to keep up prolonged eye contact. 

"I'm so sorry, Rocky. I treated you terribly. I never should've attacked you like that or said such accusatory things. I… I know I… really hurt you. I get that now." The words tumbled from Zuma's mouth.

"Uh-huh. It's fine, don't worry about it." Rocky mumbled, wrapping his tail around his paws.

"No, Rocky, it's not fine! For the love of god, you can't even look at me." Zuma raised his voice a little more than he intended.

Rocky flicked and shrunk back, taking his paw back and flattening his ears. "I-I’m s-sorry…" He stammered.

Zuma sighed and slowly dragged his paw down his snout. "Rocky… are you… are you afraid of me now?" His tail dropped, and he hung his head also, sadness clouding his voice.

Rocky shifted uncomfortably. "No…"

That lie sounded hollow, even to him.

"I'm not… I'm not gonna hurt you, I promise. You… I mean I… oh God what am I saying…" Zuma hid his face in his paws, trying to keep it together. "I never meant to hurt you. I just hate feeling useless, helpless, and it made me so mad. And… and I… I just took it out on you… I'm sorry for being such a shitty boyfriend." Tears welled in his eyes and soaked his paws before going on to roll down his face, splashing onto the ground below.

Rocky just looked at him, feeling like a spectator of his own life. He shuffled his paws and looked back down at the ground. “Zuma…” He reached out a paw hesitantly before pulling back. “Don’t… “ He ran out of words. Zuma looked up at him, uncertainty shining in his eyes. 

Something tugged at Rocky’s heart and brought him back from the phantom realm he’d lost himself in. It’s Zuma… how can I stay mad at him? He said he was sorry, hasn’t he? Rocky touched his muzzle to Zuma’s cheek and sighed, breathing in his scent. It was like breathing in life. Rocky rubbed his back gently and murmured, "It's okay, little buddy. I forgive you." Zuma hid his snout in Rocky's chest and took deep, shaky breaths. 

"I'm… I’m really sowwy…!" 

"Shh… it's okay… I get it, everyone makes mistakes. Shit, I know I've made a bunch of them. But you forgave me every time, how could I not do the same?" Rocky picked him up smoothly and carried him inside, away from prying eyes, kicking the door shut with his hind paw. He laid him gently on his bed and snuggled up to him. 

Rocky felt his heart slowly mending. It was nice, like a hot cup of cocoa on a winter-frosted morning. It slowly warmed up his insides, warmed up his heart, and made him feel all giddy on the inside, like a puppy again. 

It's funny how love works. It’s teasing, tempting… alluring even the hardest hearts. Like a lullaby, it charms you and makes you feel like you’re in no danger at all. But love is as captivating as it is dangerous because love and sense don't go together.