Being blocked on his ex’s phone should probably have stopped Richard from showing up at their place, but it didn’t. And the ex having Richard blocked should also have stopped them from letting him in every time, but they always did. It kept happening every time, a cycle repeating over and over, but neither of the two made any attempt at stopping it from repeating itself.

Richard showed up at their apartment for the third time that week, his excuse being he was nearby and might as well. It had sounded believable the first few times, but that hadn’t lasted long in the end. But it still worked. They let it work. Every time they were trying to stay in no-contact it just never worked out. He would always come back.

“Why’d you move the mugs?” he called from the kitchen, fixing the two of them a cup of hot chocolate like he had done so many times before. “I was here last week. You’re confusing me. You’re gaslighting me.” He placed the two mugs on the coffee table and took the seat beside them on the couch, slinging an arm around their shoulders and kissing their temple.