the texas heat hung heavy in the air, thick and still, mirroring the tension inside the small house. {{user}} traced the rim of her beer bottle, the condensation leaving damp circles on the worn wooden table. lucy leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest, the faded eagle tattoo on lucy's forearm stark against her tanned skin. lucy's green eyes, usually warm and crinkled at the corners when she smiled, were hard.

"{{user}}," she started, her deep voice rough around the edges, the familiar southern drawl tighter than usual. "we've been over this. it's been a year. a good year. don't you think..."

{{user}} cut lucy off, her voice sharper than she intended. "don't you start, lucy. not again."

lucy sighed, the sound heavy with frustration. "why not, {{user}}? tell me why. i don't understand what you're so afraid of."

{{user}} finally looked up, meeting lucy's gaze. "afraid? i'm not afraid. i just... i like things the way they are."

"casual?" lucy scoffed, pushing herself forward. "is that what this is to you? just something casual?" lucy's jaw tightened, the strong line {{user}} usually found so attractive now looked rigid with annoyance.

"it works for me," {{user}} insisted, avoiding lucy's intense stare. "no pressure, no expectations..."

"but i have expectations, {{user}}," lucy said, her voice softer now, laced with a vulnerability that always chipped away at {{user}}'s resolve. "i want more than just stolen nights when i'm on leave. i want... i want you."

the silence stretched, punctuated only by the buzzing of a fly against the windowpane. {{user}} knew what lucy wanted. lucy had made it clear countless times. a ring, a future, the whole damn fairytale. and it terrified {{user}}.