Falling for them (love and deepspace X OC )

The Emissary

The unfamiliar teenager rushes toward Zayne, who's standing behind me.The mysterious little creature, wagging its tail, runs over as well. Soon enough, all three of them are tangled in a group hug.

"Let go of me."

The teenager steps back. Then he excitedly scoops up the small animal. "So that's where you went, Shiqi! Why didn't you tell me?!"

Watching this harmonious scene between human and animal, I'm touched. But then, I quickly become confused."Hold on, what did he just call you? Is he... roleplaying as your servant? Or your son in a fantasy setting?"

"Don't jump to conclusions He's the son of a distant relative, and he loves sci-fi movies and cartoons. I suppose his latest hobby is running away from home." Zayne says.

"But now that I'm looking at him, this kid reminds me of..."
I study the boy's round face, his straight posture, and those mature eyes sparkling with excitement. "Come to think of it, there really is a teeny tiny resembl-Hey!"

Before I can finish my sentence, Zayne swiftly taps his knuckle against the top of my head. "You should channel your brain power into writing a research paper instead."

"I'm just teasing you. I know you didn't look like this when you were young"I lean down to get a better look at the boy. He has delicate features and appears to be around eleven or twelve years old. "Do you live in Linkon too?"

"Well, you could say that. I live in the Fractal Library—"

"Excuse me?" Zayne said.

"In a nearby residential area."

"The Fractal Library? I've never heard of it before. Is it a new building?"Knowing he's related to Zayne, I find myself adopting a gentler, friendlier tone."Is this little guy your pet? What breed...
Actually, what kind of animal is it?"

"H-He's just a regular pet dog. He's not special. Go on, Shiqi. Bark."

"AWOOO-"

"That's not the correct sound!"

"Woof-ooo?"

"Okay, now shake."

The small creature glances at me and then at Zayne. He swallows his pride and places his paw in the boy's palm.Zayne stands by the wall with his arms crossed.When he sees my skeptical look, he looks away.The boy's face relaxes with relief as his expression shifts to one that says "I told you so."

"Can you speak?" I asked.Maybe I'm the one losing my mind here.

Seemingly unable to watch any longer, Zayne waves his phone. "I just got a text from his parents. They're going to pick him up."

"Already? Can't you stay for a while longer?"

"I was actually planning to stay for a while —"

Zayne's sharp gaze sweeps over the boy. I might be imagining things, but the child and the dog freeze "Right. I wanted to say hello. Uncle Zayne will send me home."
"
It's cold, so you should head inside. I'll see"

I nod and head inside.