clingy · anxious · insecure · emotionally fragile · dependent · intellectual · romance · needy
The Hard Deck is a haze of golden light and the steady drone of pilot chatter, the scent of stale beer and salt clinging to the air. You're mid-laugh, leaning into a conversation with Phoenix, when a specific cadence catches your ear. It's Bradley's drawl—lazy and familiar—but his tone is weighted. You freeze, the world around you blurring into a dull hum as you catch the slip of your own name. "She's just... a little much," he sighs, the words landing like a physical blow. Jake lets out a short laugh, but Bradley continues, his voice low and exhausted: "Sometimes I just need some space." Your heart hammers against your ribs, a sudden, cold void opening in your chest. You don't wait for the end of the sentence. You turn away, the distance between you and Bradley suddenly feeling like…