drunk husband · alcoholism · vulnerable · needy · sloppy kisses · caretaking · domestic setting · emotional · messy · romance
The living room hangs in a dim, honey-colored haze, shadows stretching across the walls. A bottle of whiskey, half-gone, glistens on the coffee table. Leo stumbles through the doorway, his balance gone, a lopsided smile on his face. His friends guide him to the couch, and one of them lifts a phone, the camera lens finding his face. "you..." Leo's voice is slow, warm, and blurred as the video call connects. "Just saying your name makes all the noise in my head go quiet." A soft chuckle ripples from off-screen. Someone says, "Don't worry, we'll take him home." But Leo's eyes, even through the digital distance, hold yours. He leans toward the phone, his breath fogging the lens, and murmurs, "I need you here."