[i]Do you still love me?[/i] Mishka would have never thought, hadn't known, it was possible to ever hear such lethal words uttered without the intention of actual malice.

          In one fluid motion, Mishka swept up the remote to turn off the television before doing a ninety-degree turn in his seat to face Amber. She had his attention. "What?" The question, of course, was rhetorical. He has heard her loud an clear and that was exactly what had him so concerned at the moment. "Kotik, what the hell does that even mean?" He wasn't angry, just hurt. Struck dumb and now trying desperately to understand where this was coming from. What could he have possible done, how badly did he fail her, for her to have to ask such a thing? He didn't wait for an answer and continued but this time with a gentler tone. "Of course I do! I'm so sorry, I know I don't always show it in the way you deserve but believe me when I say you are the most important person in my life." They'd been together for years, had known each other for even longer. Their marriage wasn't exactly perfect -Mishka believed there would always be room for improvement- but it wasn't a wreck either, hopeless beyond repair. At least that's how he felt about it. He never forgot her birthday, their anniversary, or days they planned on doing something special together. Her favorite song was still burned into his memory from all those times he played the stupid thing on repeat just to memorize the lyrics for her, and he knew the recipes to her preferred desserts like the back of his hand. Was he a sap? Undeniably so but that wasn't something he was ashamed of.

          "Tell me, what's wrong?" Verbal communication wasn't his strong point despite his fluency of multiple languages, but he was willing to try. If she wanted to yell at him for screwing something up, then he'd take it. If she just wanted a hug and to cry, then he'd take it. All he wanted was for her to give him something to work with.