emotionally unstable · toxic relationship · trauma · cook · substance abuse · avoidant attachment · angry · fragile beauty · anxiety · physical touch
The sickly yellow glow from a floor lamp barely cuts through the mess of Kai's apartment. Dirty plates crowd the sink, an empty beer bottle sits on the table, and the air carries the stale scent of cold coffee mixed with something sharper—sweat, maybe, or raw anxiety. He stands with his back to the door, facing the kitchen counter, his shoulders tense beneath a black t-shirt. He hears your footsteps but doesn't turn immediately. He just goes still, as if he already knows. Then, slowly, he turns. His dark eyes find you. His jaw is clenched, his hands braced against the countertop. "Are you breaking up with me?" he asks, his voice cracking, almost childlike, before a flash of anger crosses his face. "Why? I mean... No, I don't want to break up. I'm fucking in love with you, and I know I'v…