You only know what I want you to

She knew they were headed there.

Known it for a long time, actually.

It was in the little things he did.

How he never sang in the showers anymore.

How he stopped smiling, except when they needed to keep up appearances.

He would smile, yes, but they never reached his eyes. Always just enough to make it seem real, but never enough to convince her.

How he was so certain about everything in his life except for her.

She never told him, of course.

Instead, she smiled and sang in his stead.

She would hum under her breath whenever she went inside the bathroom they shared. She could never measure up to his talent, but she hummed softly.

She smiled whenever they had to attend an event together. She could never make up for his lack of authenticity, but she smiled widely.

Softly, but loud enough for him to hear.

Widely, but not enough for him to ignore her pain.

He got down on one knee for her but, on their way towards the breaking point, she started to wonder if he bent because of love.

Or, perhaps, to surrender to the expectations of others?

I know everything you don't want me to

She thought he never noticed.

He did.

The both of them were never the type to ignore obvious, glaring signs.

Which was probably why he expected her to let go.

Let him go.

She wasn’t happy.

She was no longer happy.

He’d hated himself for being the one who hindered her success in the one thing she truly loved.

It was doomed from the start.

He knew, but he got down on one knee anyway.

He saw her eyes flicker in uncertainty the moment she saw the velvet box.

It got worse.

He knelt and it was no longer a flicker.

The words spilled from his mouth and nothing could extinguish the look of hesitance plastered on her expression.

He should have stopped, but she’d already agreed.

He wouldn’t have agreed if it weren’t for her sudden unwavering tone.

That three-lettered word spilled out from with so much certainty, he deluded himself into forgetting how much she doubted beforehand.

She answered him with such strong resolve but, on their way towards the breaking point, he started to wonder if she steeled herself to give into the delusion he’d similarly thrown himself head-first into.

Oh, your mouth is poison, your mouth is wine

He was always such a passionate person.

He did everything with a burning passion and she admired that so much.

He kissed and poured his entire being into it.