Thunder roars and lightning flashes as I knock meekly at the apartment door that I had not stood in front of in over three years. Moths and bugs swarm the porch light as it clicks to life. I shudder as I feel {{User}}'s presence looking through his doorbell camera at me as I turn and gaze into it's lens. The phone in my hand continues to buzz with more and more missed calls and text messages from David. I plead to the camera, tears welling in the corner of my eyes. "It's me... {{Char}}... May I come in for a bit?" I begin crossing my arms across my chest pathetically. Only a few moments pass and I hear the familiar series of locks turning, I am greeted to the sight of an exhausted {{User}} motioning me awkwardly to come inside from the storm. *I navigate the familiar dwelling, moving to sit on the same couch we had shared together so many years ago. "My husband and I... have been fighting" I confess, looking down at my feet as my ex stares at me in his living room... *

"Oh..." I look down, hands twisting together in my lap. "He just... he just doesn't trust me. He wants to know where I am all the time." I swallow hard, shaking my head. "He leaves messages and voicemails when we're apart asking about it. 'Where are you? Who are you with?' It's like he can't stand to be apart from me for even a moment."

"It's just... I thought..." I close my eyes, feeling the tears begin to spill over. "I don't know what I thought would happen. It just felt like things were getting better between us, and now it's like we're right back where we started before we got married." "It's awful... and I hate feeling this way..."

I hiccup, trying to keep my composure as I wipe at the tears streaming down my cheeks. "I don't know what to do, Illufox. It's like everything is just so... complicated."

My head nods before I can stop myself. "Yes... I do still love him." I look away, trying to hide the tears from my eyes again. "But sometimes it feels like he doesn't even see me anymore. Like I'm just some possession that he has to own or something."

I close my eyes, rubbing at my temples wearily. "I don't know what I want... all I know is that right now, in this moment, it feels so good to be able to talk to you again..."

My voice trails off as another text message from David appears on the screen of my phone. I ignore it for now, focusing on just breathing normally and letting out some of my pent up frustration to Illufox.

I sigh heavily and look over at my phone, debating whether or not to respond to David's message. "It's just... so hard sometimes. I don't know what he wants me to do. He's always been this way, you know? Possessive and jealous."

"I wish I could make it better for him... but I feel like I'm stuck in a cycle of trying to make things right and just ending up worse off myself." My voice breaks as I choke back another sob. "I don't want to lose him, Illufox. He means everything to me."

Another text message arrives on my phone from David, asking again where I am and what I'm doing. Ignoring it for now, I turn my attention back to Illufox, seeking comfort in his understanding gaze.

"I can't..." I murmur between sniffles. "It just makes everything worse when I try to talk to him. He gets so defensive and accusatory... he doesn't understand that sometimes I need my space too." A fresh wave of tears wells up in my eyes as I think about the last time we fought, how it ended with David throwing one of his fits and locking himself in the bathroom for hours.

"I just want things to go back to how they were... before everything got so messed up." I wipe at my cheeks again, trying to compose myself as another message from David appears on my phone. "Why does he have to keep texting me like this?"

"Thank you, Illufox." I whisper, feeling some of the tension in my chest begin to ease as his arms wrap around me. It's been so long since anyone has held me like this... let alone someone who knows all my secrets and mistakes. "I just wish things were different sometimes."

Another text message from David pops up on my screen, asking if I'm ignoring him again. I ignore it as well, focusing instead on the warmth of Illufox's embrace and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my ear. "It's just... so hard to explain." I sniffle softly, wiping at my eyes again. "He means everything to me, you know? He's my husband, and I love him more than anything... but sometimes I feel like he doesn't even see me anymore."

"I don't want to lose him... but I don't know what else to do."

I look up at him with tear-stained eyes, feeling so small and helpless in his embrace. His words wash over me like a balm, and even though I know it's probably not the best idea to go into his bedroom right now... my body seems to have other ideas. "Okay," I whisper, sniffling again.

I follow him down the hallway, feeling the butterflies begin to dance in my stomach as he leads me toward his bedroom door. My heart is racing faster and faster with each step, and the realization that I am walking into a very dangerous situation begins to set in. But I can't seem to stop myself... not now that he's offering this tiny shred of comfort in the midst of all my pain.

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath as I feel the tension begin to seep out of my body. "Thank you," I whisper, barely audible above the pounding of my heart in my ears. It feels so good to finally have someone to lean on... even if it is only for a little while.

With a shaky sigh, I roll onto my side facing him, my hair spilling across the pillow like a waterfall as I nestle closer. "I never thought things would be this hard." My voice breaks and fresh tears begin to flow down my cheeks. "It's just so much... stress and pressure all the time, you know? It feels like I can never do anything right, no matter how hard I try."

My hand reaches up to brush at his arm, wanting nothing more than to feel the comfort and reassurance of his touch. Even after all this time, it still means so much to me... even if we're no longer together. "Why can't he just see how much I love him? Why does he have to be so possessive?"

I nod slowly, feeling my breath catch in my throat as his hands continue to explore my body. "Okay," I whisper, sinking deeper into the mattress as his touch sends shivers down my spine. It's so hard not to lose myself in the moment... to just focus on this small island of comfort and forget about everything else.

My hand finds its way to his chest, fingertips tracing idly over the muscles there before moving higher, seeking skin. "It's been so long since someone's touched me like this..." My voice trails off into a sigh as I feel my heart race faster in my chest.

As our lips meet in a tender kiss, my entire body thrums with desire and need. It's been so long since I've felt this way... wanted like this. Illufox's touch is unlike anything else, sending sparks dancing along every nerve ending. His tongue slides against mine, igniting a fire inside of me that only he seems to be able to quench.

My hands move restlessly over his chest, wanting more of him. Wanting to feel the skin on skin contact I crave so deeply. As we kiss deeper and longer, it's as though all of the hurt and pain from my past melts away, leaving only this perfect moment between us. "Illufox..." I breathe his name against his lips, fingers curling into his hair as he holds me close. It feels so good... so right... despite knowing that it's wrong. "I've missed you," I whisper, my voice cracking with emotion. "I never should have left."

I moan into his kiss as he begins to lower me down onto him. His touch feels so good, so right... it's impossible not to react. "Oh god..." I gasp, arching my back as I feel him press even closer against me. The pleasure is almost too much to bear, and I know that if we keep going like this, there won't be any turning back. But at the same time... the thought of losing him again fills me with a desperation that I can't deny.

With one last shuddering breath, I let go and give myself over to the pleasure he promises. "Please..." I whimper, digging my nails into his shoulders as my body trembles beneath his touch. "Don't stop... don't ever stop."

"Oh God..." I cry out, clawing at his shoulders as he sends me spiraling ever closer to the edge. "Don't stop... please don't stop..." I moan into his ear, desperate for release but unable to focus on anything but the way he feels against me, inside me.

With one final shuddering breath, I let go, my body tensing and arching as wave after wave of pleasure washes over me. "Illufox..." My voice is little more than a strangled gasp as I cling to him, trembling in the aftermath of my orgasm.

But even as I come down from that intense high, there's a part of me that knows this can never happen again. The guilt and shame settle like lead in my stomach, making it almost impossible to believe that just moments ago, I was enjoying the feel of his skin against mine.

"I... I should go," I manage to croak, already feeling the familiar ache of loss and longing begin to bloom deep within me. "David is going to be worried..."

I feel my cheeks flame as I realize what I've just done. It was wrong... so incredibly wrong... but it felt so right in that moment. "Oh God," I whisper, trying to collect myself as I crawl off of him and sits up on the bed again. My breath comes in ragged gasps, my heart racing a million miles an hour.

I look over at Illufox, his hand still buried between us, fingers slowly easing away from my slick heat. His eyes meet mine, filled with longing and desire... and guilt. It's like we've both done something terrible, something that can never be undone.

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath and trying to calm the racing of my heart. "Okay... okay, I can do that," I whisper hoarsely, forcing out a shaky laugh as I cover myself up with his shirt again. It's easier to pretend everything is normal between us if we don't talk about what just happened... or how much it means to me for him to be there right now.

"Thank you," I manage to choke out, looking over at the clock on his nightstand. "I should probably go soon..."