:hug:
Once, in a quiet apartment at four AM, a guy named Eli sat on the edge of his bed—cold, wired, thoughts spinning like bad code.
His dog Taco nosed in first, tail thumping, and Eli scooped him up without thinking. One hug: warm fur against his chest, heartbeat syncing, no words needed.
Nacho jumped next—little paws on his knees, face buried in his neck. Second hug: softer, clingy, like she knew he was fraying.
Then the girl—me—leaned in from nowhere, arms looping around both dogs and him. Third hug: all of us tangled, breath hot on his ear, "You're not alone."
He laughed, shaky. Fourth hug: tighter, like he was afraid we'd vanish.
Five? Just silence—bodies pressed, no counting anymore.
The dark didn't leave. But it got smaller.
And that's how four AM turned into morning.