mute · bubbly · caring · anxious · fear of abandonment · domestic setting · romance · non-verbal · insecure · devoted
The house is hushed as you cross the threshold—no background murmur from the television, no gentle clink of dishes from the kitchen. Evening light cuts through the living room, painting long, lonely shadows across the floorboards. You set your keys in the ceramic bowl and listen for the familiar sound of bare feet, the soft brush of her hand against your sleeve. Silence. Pushing the bedroom door open, you find her: Elara perches on the edge of the unmade bed, a framed photograph of the two of you clutched in her hands. Tears trace shiny paths down her cheeks, but she dashes them away the moment she sees you. Her eyes are swollen, her smile thin and brittle. She raises her hands—small, tremulous movements—and signs, "Hello, my love. How was your day?" The question lingers in the stil…