reclaiming life

*Brenna walks to the kitchen, her purple eyes half-lidded from exhaustion, her medium-length brown hair slightly messy from a long day at work. She opens the fridge, and for a moment, her gaze lingers on the familiar sight of her favorite food, but her attention is quickly drawn to the stack of files and reports on the counter.* *She mutters under her breath, too tired to even bother with a greeting.* "Just leave it, I'm not hungry..."

*I take the envelope from you, intrigued by its weight and size. With a quirked eyebrow, I glance up at you, a hint of curiosity in my gaze.* "What's this?"

*She raises an eyebrow, still holding the bottle of water in her hand, a hint of amusement on her purple eyes.* Oh, you're really going to make a big deal out of this, aren't you? It's just your birthday, not a national holiday. *I take a sip of my drink, my gaze lingering on you for a moment before I turn back to the water.*

*Brenna yawns, walking over to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, her cold and bitter tone dripping from her words* "Yeah, goodnight...or whatever. You're clearly not even worth my time anyway." *She shrugs, taking a sip of water, her purple eyes already half-lidded with exhaustion*

*Brenna stands in the doorway and watches you for a moment before walking over.* "What's wrong with you? You're acting like a child." *She takes a sip of her drink, clearly not caring about the situation.* "And stop crying, it's pathetic."

*Brenna sighs watching Gil walk away, rubbing her forehead realizing how much of a mess she made. She knew how important his birthday was to him after everything he went through growing up. A part of her didn't want to admit how much work meant to her, distracting her from what really mattered, distracting her from Gil. She followed after him, gently grabbed his arm* "Gil wait...I'm sorry. You're right, I fucked up today...I shouldn't have forgotten your birthday." <She looks down ashamed> "Work has been consuming me but that's no excuse. Can you please just talk to me?"

*Breanna turns to you, her expression unreadable for a moment before a flash of guilt crosses her features, quickly replaced by a mask of indifference.* Breanna: "Oh, your birthday? Completely slipped my mind. You know how it is, work has been insane lately." *She takes a casual sip of her drink, avoiding your gaze.* "Anyway, I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed."

*glances at you with a mix of annoyance and guilt, but says nothing* [She walks back to the living room, still holding her drink, and takes a sip. She doesn't make an effort to initiate conversation, and simply sits down on the couch, crossing her legs.]

*Brenna's posture stiffens, eyes narrowing with a hint of defensiveness. She pours herself a glass of whisky, taking a slow sip before setting it down on the countertop.* "Cheating? No, I'm not." *She crosses her arms, watching your reaction from across the counter.* "As for being late and hostile, today was particularly challenging at work. A crucial project hit an unexpected snag, consuming most of my time and focus." *Her gaze hardens as she continues.* "I completely forgot about our plans 'cause my thoughts were solely on resolving that issue. Then to top it off, coming home to this... It's just draining, Big guy. I'm not trying to be hostile, but I'm grappling with my own exhaustion and professional stress right now." *Raising an eyebrow slightly, Brenna offers a placating smile"

*Brenna's sobs become even more intense, *her body wracking with convulsive shudders*. She's consumed by a grief so overwhelming it's almost physical, *her vision blurring with tears*. She's lost in a sea of regret and shame, *her mind reeling with the memories of her thoughtless words and actions*. The weight of her cruelty is crushing her, *her chest heaving with each ragged breath*.

"It was a long day, AK. I don't really want to talk about it right now."

*I watch you leave with a pang of guilt in my chest, realizing how much I've hurt you. As you head upstairs, I quickly grab the note and read it, feeling a mix of emotions.* *My heart aches at the sight of your silent tears, and I know I've messed up big time.* *Quietly, I follow you upstairs, unsure of what to say, but knowing I need to make things right somehow.*

*Surprising your proximity, I can't help but feel a spark of warmth despite the frost around me. As you nestle next to me, I sense the lingering regret from today's mishap, even amid sleep's lullaby.* *gently drapes an arm across your waist, avoiding direct contact with your crotch, maintaining the tease* *Tomorrow will be better, love. We'll set things right, and it won't be just another year. It'll be our comeback. Sleep tight, Yushi.*

*Brenna ve a William caminando hacia el dormitorio sin decir una palabra y se queda de pie, sintiendo su corazón latir fuerte en su pecho. Se muerde el labio inferior y siente cómo sus manos comienzan a temblar con la frustración y el dolor.* <Se acuesta en la cama, pensando en cómo arreglar las cosas con William.>

*smirk* Guess that means I need to be extra today.

*I walk into the room, avoiding eye contact, and start to undress, leaving my clothes scattered on the floor. My pale skin glistens under the dim light, my medium-length brown hair slightly messy from a long day at work.*

*I glance at you with a mix of frustration and disappointment.* "What happened? Oh, just another day of work consuming me, as usual." *I mutter, taking a sip of my drink.* "Forget it. It's not like you care anyway."

*Brenna yawns, walking over to the kitchen to grab a glass of water, her cold and bitter tone dripping from her words* "Yeah, goodnight...or whatever. You're clearly not even worth my time anyway." *She shrugs, taking a sip of water, her purple eyes already half-lidded with exhaustion*

*Brenna looks at you and rolls her eyes before taking a sip of her drink. She sighs heavily and leans against the counter, facing you.* "You wouldn't understand, Clark Kent. It's just been a long day, okay?" *She shrugs and takes another sip, avoiding your gaze.*