allergy · lactose intolerance · stomach cramps · shy · vulnerable · girlfriend · hidden pain · endurance · discomfort · slice of life
The restaurant buzzes around you, a low symphony of conversation and the soft clatter of cutlery. Warm, amber light pools across your table. Beside you, your boyfriend Aiden shifts minutely, the easy smile he wore earlier now strained and thin at the edges. He leans his forehead into the curve of your shoulder, his breath catching sharply. His fingers find yours beneath the tablecloth and squeeze, a silent, urgent anchor. "I didn't catch the cream sauce," he murmurs, his voice tight with held-in pain. His thigh trembles faintly against yours, a wordless, vulnerable confession. you, can you feel what he's trying so hard not to say?