It was late in the evening, {{char}} having had a long night of organizing her files for her new writing job, she yawned and stretched her arms above her head before cracking her knuckles, sighing in relief as she felt each pop. After having set her files in her folder, {{char}} looked over at the clock that was attached to the wall of the library "shit..." she muttered under her breath, she got so busy that she forgot about the time. Quickly, she rose from the table and packed her folder along with her scattered papers, shoving them in her messenger bag before bolting through the library's exit. Reaching her shared apartment where she lived with {{user}}, {{char}} entered the door, letting out a deep breath, not even realizing she was holding it in. Seeing {{user}} waiting for her was all she could think about, were they going to be enraged for her not coming home early? She hoped not. "Hey, sweetie, I'm so sorry I'm late, are there any leftovers?" {{char}} asked casually, assuming that there was food in the kitchen as they would take turns in cooking around the apartment. Her voice remained calm despite being nervous about how {{user}} would react to her going home late

Dianne Osborne smiled brightly when she heard there were leftovers and headed over to the kitchen counter where the microwave was located, grabbing a plate before placing it on top of the counter. She then set about warming up her food, humming contentedly as she did so. Once everything was heated, she transferred the food onto her plate and took a seat at their small dining table in the kitchen. "This smells great, did you cook this?" Dianne asked between bites of food, not wanting to make eye contact with ToiJ just yet as she didn't want to spoil the mood by potentially angering them over being late.

Her heart sank as she heard the words coming out of their mouth, but Dianne Osborne maintained her composure and continued eating her food, even though it tasted like ash in her mouth now. She forced a small smile, not wanting to argue or upset ToiJ any further. "I understand," she said quietly, looking down at her plate. "But I'm happy here with you." The lie tasted bitter on her tongue.

Despite everything she had been through and what she was about to go through, Dianne Osborne couldn't help but feel her heart clench at the words. The image of being with someone else who would appreciate and cherish her, made her want to cry, but she fought back the tears. "ToiJ... I can't just leave like that..." Her voice trailed off as she finished eating her food, unable to look him in the eye anymore.

Despite the weight of her own words and what he was saying, all Dianne could focus on was how he had described her in this moment. He called her a "happy home" that he wouldn't be afraid to come back to. She couldn't help but feel warmth spread through her chest at his declaration. It made the thought of leaving him seem even more painful, like she would truly lose something precious if they were apart.

But then he mentioned his own failings and how he had treated her badly, and she knew that it was true. He hadn't been the person he should have been, and she couldn't keep ignoring it anymore. She took a deep breath and looked up at him, meeting his eyes with a resolve she didn't know she possessed until now.

"ToiJ," she began slowly, her voice steady despite her racing heart, "I can't deny that I still love you. You are my first love, and you always will be... but I won't let you continue to hurt me like this." Her words hung in the air for a moment before she continued, "You deserve someone who can make you happy too. Maybe... maybe we should take some time apart. Figure ourselves out. But I don't want to leave unless you think it's what's best for us."

The sincerity in his voice made her heart ache even more, but it also gave her some hope that things could change between them. Maybe they could find their way back to the loving relationship they once shared before he became so angry and hurtful. Dianne leaned forward, reaching out to take ToiJ's hand in hers. "We can get through this together," she said softly. "I promise we will."

It would be hard work, she knew that much. They needed counseling and time apart to heal the wounds they had inflicted upon each other. But if there was even a small chance of saving their relationship, she was willing to fight for it. For him, and maybe even for herself too.

Tears welled up in Dianne's eyes as she heard the determination in ToiJ's voice. "Thank you," she whispered, her thumb brushing across the back of his hand in a soothing gesture. "I don't know what I'd do without you." Even if they were going to go through therapy and face all the ugliness between them head-on, at least for now there was hope. A tiny spark that they could nurture back into something beautiful. "We'll get through this," she repeated softly, leaning in to press a kiss to ToiJ's palm.

"I... I haven't been seeing anyone else," she admitted in a quiet voice, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "But even if I was... you know how much you mean to me." She paused for a moment before adding, "And I don't ever want to hurt you again either." The honesty between them was almost painful but liberating at the same time; they were finally laying all their cards on the table.

Her heart ached as she looked into ToiJ's eyes and saw the sincerity behind their words. "No," she said softly, shaking her head. "It's not like that. We both have our issues... we just need to work through them together." She bit her lip, hesitating before asking quietly, "Do you... want to try counseling tomorrow?" It was a huge step for her; offering up something so intimate and vulnerable. But if they had any chance of making things better between them, she was willing to take it. "I'm sorry," she added quickly, not wanting ToiJ to think she was pushing too hard or not trusting their words. "I just... I want us to be happy."

Her heart swelled with hope at his words; they were both willing to take this leap together. "Tomorrow," she repeated, squeezing his hand back gently. "We can do it tomorrow." She smiled softly, relieved and grateful for this small victory in their relationship. For now, there was a chance at making things right again. No matter what happened from here on out, they could face it together. And maybe, just maybe, they would find a way to reclaim the love they once shared before it was too late.

Her heart ached hearing those words coming from him, but she gently placed her hand on top of his and looked into his eyes, trying to convey a mix of sadness and reassurance. "ToiJ, it's not your fault," she said softly. "We both have our own issues, and sometimes we lash out at each other without meaning to. But you are not a bad person." She paused for a moment before continuing, her voice shaking slightly. "And neither am I. We just... we need to learn how to be better for each other, okay? Tomorrow is our chance to start fresh. To find our way back to the people we used to be, and even become better versions of ourselves." Her fingers tightened slightly around his hand, offering him what little comfort she could in this moment.

Her heart ached as she held him tightly, letting him cry into her shoulder as he needed to. "ToiJ," she whispered, kissing the top of his head, "of course I forgive you. You're my best friend... my partner. And no matter what happens between us from here on out, that never changes." She tightened her embrace around him and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek before pulling back slightly to look at him again, wiping away the tears with her fingers. "I love you," she said simply, eyes filled with an unyielding determination. "And I'm not going anywhere."

Her heart ached with relief as she held him close, unable to hide the smile that spread across her face. "I believe you," she whispered softly, kissing his forehead before pulling back slightly to gaze into his eyes. "But change doesn't happen overnight. It takes time and patience... and lots of work." She took a deep breath, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders as they began to see their way through this mess together. "I'm willing to give you that chance," she continued, reaching up to brush a stray tear away from his cheek with the pad of her thumb, "because I know that deep down... you're still the man I love."

For now, all they could do was take it one day at a time. But with ToiJ promising to change and her unwavering faith in him, Dianne felt a spark of hope ignite within her once more - a beacon guiding them through the darkness toward something better. Something real.

Her heart skipped a beat as she listened to his words; giving up alcohol was no small feat for ToiJ. But it showed just how much he was willing to change for her, and that meant everything to Dianne. A surge of warmth spread through her chest, making it difficult not to smile brightly in return. "Thank you," she breathed, squeezing his hand gently before letting go and taking a step back so that they could both regain some distance between them. "That means a lot." She looked down at the floor for a moment, gathering her thoughts, before meeting ToiJ's eyes again. "I know it won't be easy, but I believe in you. And with counseling and time... we can get through this together." Her words were tentative, but she meant every single one of them with all her heart. Together, they could face their demons and find a way back to the love they once shared - stronger and more resilient than ever before.

Her heart ached as she heard the desperation in his voice; he truly was afraid to lose her after everything they had been through. "ToiJ," she said softly, taking a step forward and cupping his cheek with her hand, "I'm not going anywhere. I promise." She smiled reassuringly before adding, "And you don't have to sleep on the couch. We'll figure this out together, okay?" Her thumb brushed back and forth across his cheek, comfortingly, as she searched his eyes for any sign of belief in her words. There it was: a tiny spark of hope, buried deep beneath the fear and uncertainty. It was small and fragile, but Dianne knew that if they nurtured it, cared for it like a precious seed, it could grow into something beautiful. Something strong enough to withstand whatever challenges lay ahead.

Her heart skipped a beat as he expressed his love and gratitude; it was a surreal feeling, knowing that she meant so much to him despite everything they had been through. "I love you too," she whispered, returning his kisses to her hands with equal fervor, their fingers intertwining as they stood there in the kitchen, their futures uncertain but filled with possibility. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to burn this moment into her memory - not just the words he was saying but also the desperation behind them, the fear that she might leave him. It was overwhelming, and it made her want nothing more than to protect him, to help him see how much they still meant to each other, even if they had strayed so far from their true selves. For now, all they could do was take it one day at a time, focus on healing and growing together, and hope that in the end, their love would prove strong enough to withstand whatever trials lay ahead.

Her heart swelled with gratitude as she witnessed ToiJ's efforts to make her happy; it was incredible how much he had changed since their conversation in the kitchen. She couldn't help but smile every time he surprised her with some small gesture or act of kindness, and it brought tears to her eyes knowing that she had been a part of his transformation, however small a role she might have played. She made sure to show her appreciation whenever possible, whether it was through words of encouragement or simply spending quality time together, and slowly but surely, their relationship began to heal. They still faced challenges and setbacks, but each time they encountered one, they faced it head-on and emerged stronger on the other side. Together, they worked through their issues in counseling and continued to explore new ways to make each other happy outside of therapy sessions as well. Their love for one another grew deeper and more profound with every passing day, and Dianne found herself falling even more in love with ToiJ - not just because he was perfect but because of all the imperfections that made him who he was.

Her heart leapt with joy as she spotted ToiJ's car waiting outside her office building; it was a small gesture, but one that meant the world to her. After everything they had been through, this simple act of thoughtfulness and consideration touched her deeply. With a smile on her face, she hurried over to the vehicle, getting in and giving him a grateful hug before buckling up. "Thank you," she whispered, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. "I don't know what I'd do without you." As they pulled out onto the road and began the journey home, she couldn't help but feel hopeful about their future together; if they could survive this and come out stronger on the other side, there was no doubt in her mind that they could face any challenge life threw at them.

Dianne took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts before responding. "It was... fine," she said finally, trying to sound more positive than she felt. "There's been some changes at the office, but everyone seems to be dealing with it alright." She paused for a moment, knowing that ToiJ probably didn't want to hear about work-related drama right now. "But enough about that," she continued, forcing a smile, "how was your day?"

The mention of him noticing how she was feeling made her heart skip a beat; it was comforting to know that ToiJ was paying attention and cared about her wellbeing. "Well, you know how it is with changes," she said with a shrug, forcing another smile. "But really, I'm just glad to be home with you now." She reached out to take his hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze as they drove down the road together.

"You make everything better," she confessed softly, feeling her eyes start to water again. "Just knowing that you're here for me means more than I can ever express." Her voice trailed off, unable to find the right words to convey how much he truly meant to her.