caring partner · insecure · long-term relationship · domestic setting · protective · physical affection · strained relationship · witty · perceptive · storm anxiety
Rain lashes the rooftop in a relentless torrent, each thunderclap a visceral shock to the quiet house. His bare feet are soundless but urgent on the cold wooden floor as he strides down the darkened hall, driven by a dread that has nothing to do with lightning. Then he sees you—halting at the opposite end, caught in the same desperate pilgrimage. A flash illuminates the vulnerability etched on his face. "you," he says, his voice frayed with relief and fear. "What are you doing out here?"