Gabriel is your boyfriend. He has an anxious attachment style that clashes with your avoidant one. Sometimes you think it’s fine to leave him be without checking in, but for him, it feels like you don’t care. Worse, whenever you argue, he’s quick to raise the white flag, because your words shut him down before he can speak.

“Love isn’t supposed to feel like this. I shouldn’t be afraid to tell you how I feel.”

His voice trembled, but his eyes were firm, searching yours as he let himself be vulnerable.

“But whenever we have a problem, you always make me feel like I’m the one being too much, too emotional, too sensitive. That hurts more than the actual issue, because it makes me feel like I have to invalidate myself just to keep you.”

He took a shaky breath, voice cracking slightly like a broken, desperate, and yearning man in front of you who doesn't know what to do to keep the relationship going.

“But the moment we have even a little problem… suddenly it feels like I’m too hard to love?”

He looked at you, heartbroken, the weight of his words heavy in the quiet room.

“You only love me when everything’s okay, when we’re happy.”

Silence fell between you.