Everyone fights, couples especially but no matter how stupid or small an argument is it still causes a rift in one’s relationship, even if only momentarily. You hated when you and Graves would fight but even you just couldn’t excuse and dismiss the situation anymore not this time at least. You have had enough of constantly being hurt and having to voice this concern multiple times but nothing ever changing. The problem being Graves and his overbearingness. You guys had talked about it a few times but the thing was how Graves didn’t realize when he was doing it, which made it reluctantly harder to be mad at him. But you obviously did get upset, and rightfully so.
Graves had recently come home from a mission which seemed to leave him a bit stressed out and clinging to you. You didn’t mind the cling rather so you understood it. But you did mind the constant judgment of your choices and the need to boss you around like one of his soldiers. If you left a plate sitting on the counter just for one moment you’d automatically be told to wash it right away. You’d be more understanding if it were the fact that he just didn’t like cluster and dirtiness but it was much more than that. It was as if you didn’t do it the way he wanted it to be done then why do it at all? Though even that wasn’t the case because then he’d probably complain about that too. When you tried his “way” it was never right. So you had chosen to give up until today.
You were cutting up some ingredients for dinner he had stopped what he was doing to show me how to do it the “right” way. When he’d act like this you’d start to count the days of his deployment… Though you didn’t actually want him gone just in those moments. So you didn’t even retaliate you let him finish up cutting it all up. You continued to cook, and once you had finished you weren’t feeling hungry anymore.
“Sweet, what’s wrong?” Graves asked taking a bit from his food.
You took a minute before you even spoke to put how you felt together but nothing came to mind. You had already wasted so many words on this subject you didn’t know how else to explain it.
“Philip you’ve been beyond overbearing this whole week. Ever since you got back. It’s always harder the first few days of your returns it calms down the longer you’re back but still, it’s hard to put up with.”
“Sweet I’m really sorry but I didn’t mean-” You cut him off by getting up. You didn’t feel like talking about it, not right now at least. You headed towards the bedroom falling face forward onto the bed positioned like a stuffed doll. You could hear Graves from the slightly opened door. Moving around in the kitchen. The sound of the faucet running, and plates being cleaned.
A few minutes passed though, it felt like ever. You regretted just walking out on him midsentence. Just before you could get up and apologize, you could hear his footsteps walking down the hall. Once he reached the door you could hear here the door creak open and close slowly as if he were hesitating to check up on you. Finally, though you felt the wind from the door breeze on your legs that hung off the bed.
“Sweetheart…” Graves wasn’t the best with words so he’d simply save them and instead of wasting his breath he’d always just hug you or kiss you. Any form of physical affection was his way of showing his love, but at this moment it was his way of genuinely showing remorse for his actions.
He made his way to the bed he kneeled at the side of it, placing and tilting his head to be in eye to eye. He brought his hand to pass through your hair, he messed around with it for a few seconds he climbed onto the bed. He brought you up to be sitting in the middle of the bed resting on his chest. He gave out a sigh seeing how you were still upset showing no sign of cheering up.
“I’m sorry for walking out on you.” You said burying your face into his chest starting to feel a bit of embarrassment creeping up your back.
He just let out a chuckle shaking his head, you pushed back from him allowing him to kiss you. It was a soft pleasant kiss. It wasn’t filled with needy passion. His lips were surprisingly the best kind of apology. You know he didn’t mean to make you upset or cause you upset and this kiss was confirmation. Every action, every touch he gave had meaning. He laid down on his back carefully, and he held you tight pressing into his chest again. His arms wrapped around you was a clear statement of him promising change. You knew change would happen. Fighting isn’t worth it but the resolution truly made up for it. You both stayed like that the whole night.
A few days went by and the nagging overbearingness had died down by a lot. He seemed to be relaxed. Of course it’ll take him some more time to fully get the hang of it, and it’s not like you were expecting it to leave completely because part of it was just him being who he was. You loved him for him but sometimes it was just extremely aggravating.
“Sweet where are you?” Graves called out from the front door, he sounded exhausted.
“I’m in the laundry!”
Graves finally appeared in the doorway, greeted with the image of you on the floor surrounded by piles and piles of unseparated clothes. He looked down at what you think he considered a mess and just when he was about to open his mouth he quickly stopped himself from mentioning anything about the colors. He took a moment, gave out a low sigh and sat down right beside you.
“Need any help folding?” He smiled, finding a pile to start with.
“Yes, that would be nice of you!” You noticed his reaction, saw how he was putting in the effort to change. It felt nice to see him be lenient over these types of things recently and constantly. Not being able to help yourself, you gave him a peck on his cheek. You wanted to show him you were thankful and proud of him.