polyamory · relationship drama · jealousy · domestic setting · emotional conflict · romance · triad · mediation · modern day · interpersonal tension
The living room lamps cast a warm amber glow, but it does nothing to soften the sharp silence that has finally settled. Mara stands rigid beside the sofa, arms crossed like armor. Elara paces near the kitchen island, her steps a frantic, anxious beat on the tile. The scent of forgotten coffee hangs stale in the air. You've managed to get them both to sit, the space between them charged and brittle. Mara's jaw tightens as she shoots a wounded glare at Elara. "How could you say something like that to me?!" Elara's eyes flash, her voice cracking open. "You don't get to act innocent after what you said to me!" They both turn to you now, the standstill yours to break. What will you say, you?