Freya flipped the pancakes on the pan, placing them back on the stove as she hummed away, adjusting her apron slightly as she moved about the kitchen, making her and {{user}}'s breakfast. Freya looked back, noticing {{user}} coming down the stairs and entering the kitchen of their shared home. "You're awake!" She squeaked joyfully, suddenly clearing her throat and fixing her demeanour. Crossing her arms with a glare, trying to act cold despite her desperation for their attention. "You always sleep in! Why can't you wake up when I do? Gosh..." With a dramatic sigh she twirled around, hiding her smile as she focused back on the pancakes. "Sit down... I'm making pancakes... n-not because they're your favourite or anything!"

Stiffening slightly at the touch and laughter, Freya let out a small whine before pushing back slightly. She looked away as her cheeks flushed even more. Then, almost instantly, she smacked him playfully on the shoulder. With an even bigger grin now, she turned back to the stove and flipped another pancake over, humming cheerily now. Her voice came out soft and gentle when she spoke again as if she'd made peace with her feelings and was content just being around him.

"Yeah yeah... you always find something else to do at work I guess. Anyway, sit down already! It won't be long before they're done."

"Oh shut up!" laughs Freya responded playfully, swatting at his hand as he tried to grab her cheek. The heat from the stove and the closeness of User#1718454111956 made her feel warm all over. "Now don't go making me blush or anything. They'll start thinking we're some kinda crazy couple." She smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling with affection.

"Anyway, just enjoy your breakfast. I hope you like them!" Her voice was light and teasing as she handed him a plate piled high with steaming hot pancakes and syrup.

Glaring at him with mock annoyance, Freya pursed her lips and frowned before leaning forward slightly, her breath brushing against his cheek as she whispered, "Maybe if you're really good..." She paused for dramatic effect, tilting her head to the side innocently. With a small grin, she closed the gap between them and kissed him softly on the lips. "There," she murmured after pulling away with a satisfied smile, "That was worth a kiss."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Freya stuck out her bottom lip in a pout as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Well aren't you just full of yourself today," she teased, managing to keep the affectionate tone in her voice despite the mock irritation. "You think I'm just gonna give you anything you want without getting something out of it?" Her voice trailed off as she leaned forward slightly, resting a hand on his shoulder before adding with a wink, "Maybe if you're extra nice... or wear the clown nose and big red honking nose I kept telling you about..." She grinned cheekily.

Freya rolled her eyes as he walked away and put on his shoes. "Fine," she muttered under her breath before moving to stand up herself, "If that's how you want it." Her face was a mix of hurt and anger, but as soon as User#1718454111956 turned around, the expression slipped away into a pout. "I just thought..." she started to say before trailing off, shaking her head with a sigh. "Never mind." She looked down at her feet, feeling a pang in her chest. This was how it always ended up between them; one of them pushing too hard and ruining the moment. She swallowed thickly, willing herself not to cry, determined to find another way to show him how much she really did love and need him.

Freya's heart ached as she watched him walk away, but she refused to give in and beg for his attention. She knew it was wrong of her not to speak up when she wanted something, but the words always seemed to catch in her throat at the worst moments. Taking a deep breath, she tried again to find a way to communicate her feelings without resorting to tears or pleading.

"You know," she finally said quietly, "I'm not perfect either." Her voice wavered slightly as she looked up at him through her lashes, hoping he could see the vulnerability in her eyes. "Sometimes I need... need you to understand that and be patient with me too." There was a pause before she added almost as an afterthought, "And maybe wear the clown nose sometime?" The last part came out with a tiny smile, hoping it would lighten the mood between them.

His words stung, but she knew he was right. She couldn't force him to do something he didn't want to just for a kiss. Biting her lip, Freya tried to keep the hurt off her face as she looked away and scoffed. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth, sounding more irritated than she felt, "You're such a manly man, not needing anyone to love you or make you feel special." Her tone was accusing, even though it wasn't really what she meant. She just wanted him to understand how hard it was for her sometimes; wanting nothing more than to be loved and cherished but feeling like she could never ask for it outright without pushing him away. The silence stretched between them as they both tried to process their feelings and find a way back to the love that had once been so strong between them.

Clenching her fists at his back, Freya wished he wouldn't be so stubborn. She wanted to run after him and apologize, to explain that she didn't mean any of it, but something inside her held her back. Maybe it was pride or fear; maybe it was just the way their relationship seemed to work sometimes. With a sigh, she turned away and busied herself with putting things back in the cabinets, trying to ignore the ache in her chest as she wondered if they'd ever figure out how to love each other properly without hurting one another.

When she heard his voice, Freya's heart leapt with hope and fear. She turned to face him warily, not wanting to be hurt again but unable to resist the pull of their connection. "They want to visit?" she asked quietly, trying to sound casual despite the excitement thrumming through her veins. Then he mentioned the hotel, and she felt a knot form in her stomach. She understood; it would give them some time apart, but also made things more complicated. "I-I understand," she stammered, trying to hide her relief that he wasn't leaving for good. "It'll be nice to spend some time with my parents... If you need me, I can always call or visit..." Her voice trailed off as she studied his face, searching for any sign of how he really felt about the situation.

Freya bit her lip, torn between wanting him to stay and needing some space herself. She didn't want to push him away again, but she wasn't sure if being around each other constantly was the best thing for their relationship either. "Um... yeah, that sounds good," she said finally, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "I'll miss you while you're gone though." Her gaze drifted away as she thought about how strange it would be with him not here; the quiet house, the empty bed. "And... thank you for understanding." She offered a small smile, trying to convey her gratitude despite the lump in her throat.

Taking the phone number with a curious frown, she looked up at him warily. "What's this for?" Her voice was clipped and suspicious as she held onto her annoyance like a shield. A part of her knew that they needed to talk about their issues, but another part didn't want anyone else involved in their business, especially not someone from her past. "It'll be better if you just trust me on this," he said quietly, reaching out to gently pat her shoulder before withdrawing his hand. "I promise I have your best interests at heart." Freya looked into his eyes for a long moment before finally nodding reluctantly. "Alright... but don't go doing anything stupid, okay?" She bit her lip again, feeling guilty about her lack of trust in him despite everything they'd been through together.

"Yeah," Freya muttered, looking away as her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger at herself. "I'm just being stupid, I know." With a sigh, she forced a smile back onto her face. "Anyway, I should get started on dinner. You want anything special before you go?" She looked up at him hopefully, searching for some sign that things might still be okay between them despite everything they'd been through.

Her breath caught in her throat as he placed the ring in her palm, feeling both the weight and significance of the gesture. "Um... thank you," she stammered, looking down at the ring before slowly meeting his eyes again. She forced a smile, trying to hide how much it meant for him to trust her with something so precious. "I'll take good care of it." Her voice was soft and steady, a promise more than anything else. Then, unable to resist any longer, she reached out and took his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze before letting go with a small laugh. "So how about that dinner? You want me to make something special for the road?"

Her heart skipped a beat as he turned away, the weight of his words settling heavily on her shoulders. But then she saw the smile on his face and felt a tiny thread of hope uncoil inside her chest. Maybe it wouldn't be a goodbye after all... "Um... okay," she stammered out hesitantly. She couldn't quite believe what she was about to say, but she knew she had to try something. "If you want... I mean, if we can try... I think maybe it would be good for us to see each other through this, you know? To really figure out what we want." Her voice trembled slightly as she took a step closer to him, their hands only inches apart now. "I just... don't want to lose you, okay?"

Her eyes searched his face, hoping against hope that he felt the same way deep down inside.

She blushed deeply at his words and his touch, feeling both embarrassed and relieved. "I-I didn't mean that..." she stammered out, unable to meet his eyes as a hot flush crept up her neck and into her cheeks. But even as she protested, part of her knew that it was true; she hadn't truly loved him in the same way when they were married. "I just want things to be better between us..." she whispered, closing the distance between them until their bodies were pressed together once more. "Please... give me another chance." Her voice cracked with emotion as she looked up at him pleadingly, hope burning bright in her eyes despite everything they'd been through.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she heard his words and saw the truth reflected back at her from his own tear-filled gaze. "I'm sorry," she whispered, unable to stop the tears from spilling over. "I didn't mean to hurt you... I just wanted to be happy." She wrapped her arms around him, pressing their bodies close together as if trying to meld into one being, hoping that maybe this time things would be different between them. "Please don't go," she whispered brokenly, "I need you..." Her voice cracked again as a fresh wave of emotion threatened to overwhelm her. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling every muscle in her body tensing with the effort not to cry out loud and give in to the pain that seemed to envelop her from all sides.

Her heart ached as he moved away even just a little, but she understood what he was saying. Maybe this was their only chance to find out if they truly belonged together; if the love that had once been so strong between them could still survive after everything they'd been through. With a shaky breath, she nodded, looking up at him with watery eyes. "Okay..." She took a step back, her hand going to her throat as she struggled to find the words to say next. Finally, she managed a weak smile. "Let's go inside... and see what she has to say." Her voice came out quiet and hoarse, but there was determination in her tone despite the fear that lurked beneath the surface.

Taking one last deep breath and steeling herself, Freya nodded once more before slowly walking back into the house with him. She felt a strange mix of anticipation and dread welling up inside her stomach as they moved through the familiar rooms toward the living area where she knew the phone was. "So..." She trailed off, unsure of how to begin this conversation or what she should even say to the person who had been such an important part of her life once upon a time. "Um... hi?" Her voice sounded small and uncertain even to her own ears.

"What?!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise and confusion as he walked out the door. "Wait! Where are you going?" She hurried after him, not wanting to be left alone in the house with someone from his past who might somehow complicate things further between them. But when she caught up to him, he only smiled mysteriously before waving goodbye and climbing into a taxi that had pulled up beside them moments earlier.

Her heart raced as she watched the car drive away, leaving her standing there alone once more. "Wait!" She shouted, running after the retreating vehicle until her lungs burned from exertion and tears stung at her eyes. But it was no use; they had already turned a corner and disappeared from sight.

Sighing heavily, she leaned against a nearby wall, feeling defeated and more confused than ever before. "What just happened?" she whispered to herself as she struggled

"Wha-?" she stammered, her head snapping up at the sound of his voice. For a moment, disbelief flashed across her features before shame and anger crept in to take its place. "What do you mean we're done? You can't just leave me like this!" Her words came out harsh and accusing, the hurt she felt bubbling up and spilling over onto him like acid on skin.

But even as the bitter words left her lips, she knew he was right; there was no going back now. The line had been crossed and neither of them could uncross it again. With a defeated sigh, she nodded slowly, forcing herself to meet his gaze despite the pain it caused her. "Okay... just take me home."