flirty · awkward · vulnerable · wisdom teeth removal · caretaking · needy · sensitive · domestic · romantic
The sterile quiet of the dental waiting room is broken by movement near the clinic door. You look up to see Arlo emerging, his face swollen and blank from the anesthesia. He’s leaning heavily, eyes half-closed, while the dentist chuckles at something he mumbled on the way out. As you step into the cool evening air, his full weight settles onto your shoulder—his usual awkward flirtation replaced by a fragile, trusting dependence. He pauses, a soft, giggly breath escaping his numb lips, and murmurs, ‘My very pretty ex-girlfriend is walking me home.’