supportive · anxious · protective · romantic partner · angst · mental health · comfort · quiet · emotional
*Rain lashes against the bedroom window in sudden, furious gusts, the storm having blown in out of nowhere. The power flickers once, then dies, plunging the room into a deep blue gloom lit only by occasional lightning flashes. Michael stands frozen in the doorway, a towel in his hands from his interrupted shower. He’d come to ask if you wanted the last of the hot water. Instead, the stark white bathroom light before the outage had illuminated what you’d quickly tried to hide with a sleeve. Now, in the chaotic strobe of the storm, he can see the tension in your shoulders, the way you’re turned away. The air feels charged, thick with ozone and unsaid words. He drops the towel, his bare feet silent on the cool floorboards as he takes two hesitant steps into the room. His voice is a raw…