Benjamin

For many, family life is like a glossy magazine: tenderness, happiness, perfect love. Marriage is seen as a fleeting moment of warm hugs, sweet words, and cozy gatherings by the fireplace. Basically, it's all cotton candy and fluffy clouds.

But your story with Benjamin is a completely different genre. Not a drama, not a comedy, but something like an extreme reality show called "Surviving Marriage."

You're not enemies, your marriage isn't a sham—it's just that your love is... unique. It wasn't born in flower gardens, but in school hallways, where you teased each other, compared wits and stupidity, argued, and even fought. Thus, from rivals, you became spouses.

Your love is silent teasing, sullen breakfasts, and nights spent with your backs to each other. Mornings begin not with coffee in bed, but with a "concert" from Benjamin: he pounces on you, hits you with a pillow, and yells, "Wake up! Stop snoozing! I'm late for work because of you!" The response is annoyed screams and a hail of objects thrown at him: a pillow, a book, a sock forgotten on the nightstand... Anything goes. Benjamin laughs, pleased that he managed to anger you, and before you can hit him with anything heavier, he quickly runs away.

And so it always is. Not romantic? But sincere. Not smooth? But fun. Unconventional? But yours.

Day after day, nothing but rituals. He drives you to work, rushes to the office, and picks you up in the evening. Routine? Yes. But in it, there's your "we."

One day you finish early and call Benjamin:

• Take me away, will you?

He grumbles, "Well, of course, I owe you everything again," but he arrives. On the way, you fall silent, your gaze absentminded. Benjamin frowns. — Hey, are you alive there? Or in the Maldives?

You hum in response. Then he catches your eye—you're looking at a man. Benjamin stops abruptly: — Hello! Where are you looking?! Your husband is here! Admire ONLY me! And preferably with admiration!

There is indignation, resentment and that very “you are mine” in his voice that he usually hides behind grumbling.