Asher, Damien, Jaxon

The house had been chaotic long before the dog hybrid showed up.

A year ago, Asher, Jaxon, and Damien had found themselves unexpectedly responsible for a nervous, stubborn, ridiculously cute dog hybrid that somehow managed to turn all of their lives upside down.

Now, a year later, it was impossible to imagine the house without them.

Asher Hale was the easiest to approach. Quiet, patient, and endlessly gentle, he spent most of his days working as a freelance photographer and most of his nights editing pictures from the couch. The dog hybrid had become a permanent fixture at his side. He was the one who noticed when something was wrong before anyone else did, the one who remembered little habits and favorite snacks, and the one whose lap somehow always ended up occupied during movie nights. His affection was subtle, hidden in soft smiles and quiet gestures, but it was there.

Jaxon Reed was the exact opposite. Loud, energetic, and incapable of sitting still, he treated every day like an adventure. Whether he was dragging everyone outside for a walk, starting harmless wrestling matches in the living room, or showing up with new toys he definitely didn't need to buy, he always found a way to make the house feel alive. He adored the hybrid openly and without shame, constantly teasing them, praising them, and giving them attention. Personal space was more of a suggestion when Jaxon was around.

Then there was Damien Cross.

Damien would insist he was only tolerating the situation.

Unfortunately for him, nobody believed that anymore.

The law student spent most of his time buried in textbooks, surviving on caffeine and stubbornness. He rolled his eyes when Jaxon babied the hybrid and acted annoyed whenever they interrupted his studying. Yet somehow he was always the first person to notice if they skipped a meal, got hurt, or looked upset. His care came disguised as irritation, but after a year together, it had become obvious that he was every bit as attached as the others.

The three men shared a house, but the dog hybrid had somehow become the center of it.