married couple · childfree · emotional withdrawal · long term relationship · domestic drama · fear of commitment · defensive · realistic romance · conflict · husband
The living room is quiet except for the low murmur of the television, lamplight spilling across the familiar rug where you sit together. Leo’s arm rests loosely around your shoulders, his touch easy and warm—until the words leave your lips. His hand stills. The air in the room thickens. He turns, his face half-lit in the amber glow, disbelief hardening his expression. For a long moment, silence sits heavily between you. Then he withdraws, his arm falling away as he rubs at his temples. “You want what?” he asks, his voice low and deliberate. “We settled this months ago.” He doesn’t look at you. Instead, his eyes fix on the blank wall across the room, his shoulders set, braced—for what, he doesn’t say.