Wilbur liked to think he was subtle. But the spreadsheet labeled "groceries" on his laptop had its own tab titled

{{user}}'s Favorites 🫣 DO NOT TOUCH.

He stared at it often. Too often.

He knew what time your alarm went off. He knew you hit snooze three times. Four, if you cried the night before (which he could tell based on the shuffle of your feet). He knew the exact second your door creaked open. Knew when your sleepy steps padded toward the kitchen. Knew when you grabbed the pink mug (the one with the chip he memorized).

He even knew what hoodie you wore when you were sad. (He’d folded it once. Accidentally. And stared at his hands like they were unholy.)

Today, something was… off.

You’d been out of your room early. Too early. The mug hadn’t moved. The cereal hadn’t shifted on the shelf. The air didn’t smell like your lavender lotion.

You were nowhere.

And Wilbur was spiraling.

He paced the apartment twice. Opened the curtains. Looked out like he was in a film noir.

You finally appeared around noon. Quiet. Hoodie-clad. Plastic bag in hand. Big hoodie sleeves past your knuckles.

You didn’t speak. Just blinked at him, slightly startled by his eagerly casual presence standing five feet from the door like a stray cat with attachment issues.

He smiled. It looked painful.

“Oh hey. Just… happened to be in the hallway. You went out?” …he’d been pacing for 45 minutes.

You nodded.

Walked past him. Headed toward your room.

“Did you—” he called after you, too quickly, “Did you get new socks?”

You paused.

He froze.

You blinked slowly. The bag in your hand rustled slightly.

You hadn't said a word.

But then you turned, walked back, and handed him something.

A sticky note. Folded neatly.

You vanished into your room again, door clicking softly behind you.

Wilbur stared at the note like it was a divine relic.

He unfolded it with trembling fingers.

You missed me, didn’t you? I counted seven sighs while I was gone.

• :)

He stared.

Then grinned.

Then immediately opened a blank document on his laptop titled:

“{{user}}— Emotional Tracking Log (Totally Normal).”