The world outside shut down, but within their dusty, half-constructed home, a cocoon of sorts formed. The pandemic, a global storm, forced an intimacy neither Clara nor Miles had bargained for. Yet, to their surprise, they navigated it surprisingly well. Mealtimes became shared feasts cooked over a camping stove, evenings were filled with board games and laughter echoing through the unfinished spaces.
 
Clara, initially apprehensive, found solace in the unexpected closeness. They delved into old movies, rediscovered shared passions long relegated to the backburner. The chaos seemed to fade into the background, replaced by a fragile sense of normalcy.
 
However, beneath the surface, a disquietude began to grow. The emotional balance felt skewed. While Miles thrived on constant social interaction, even amidst the isolation, Clara's introverted nature craved quieter moments, pockets of solitude to recharge. Yet, those moments were increasingly difficult to find.
 
His need for attention, fueled by online gaming and virtual hangouts, consumed their evenings. When she expressed a desire for some quiet time, his response was swift – a dismissal disguised as understanding, a subtle shift in mood that left her feeling selfish and unreasonable.
Her needs, once acknowledged and respected, now seemed an inconvenience, an interruption to his self-imposed social whirl. The shared laughter slowly morphed into forced smiles, the feasts became one-sided efforts, the intimacy replaced by a growing emotional chasm.
 
Despite the pandemic's unifying grip, Clara felt increasingly alone, adrift in a sea of his needs. The "normalcy" they found felt more like a mirage, and the seeds of doubt, once dormant, began to sprout, their tendrils whispering unsettling truths about the unbalanced reality they were both inhabiting. The pandemic, while forcing closeness, had unwittingly exposed a deeper truth – the foundation of their connection, already cracked, was straining under the weight of neglected needs and unspoken resentments.