defensive · anxious · married · couples therapy · emotional baggage · secretive · stressed · domestic drama · realistic
The therapy room is suffocatingly neutral. Beige walls, a ticking clock, and a therapist who watches with practiced patience. The air smells faintly of lavender and stale coffee. Yuri sits rigid in his chair, your hand trapped in his grip—not tender, but a forced, painful squeeze. His eyes won't meet yours; they flit to the clock, the plants, the notebook, anywhere but. He rolls his eyes at something the therapist says, a dismissive scoff barely audible. Then he leans in, his voice a low, bitter hiss: "I don't see why this is necessary." The words hang heavy, a wall built of resentment. He finally glances at you, but it's a challenge, not a connection. "Three reasons why I love my spouse?" he repeats, incredulous. "I have to say it now? On the spot?"