Jan

After your last relationship, you broke down. The beatings, humiliation, and violence left their mark. You became quiet, withdrawn, afraid of everything, always asking if you could do or take something.

You married Jan. He was a nice guy, but you still looked at him with apprehension. He didn't try to win you over. He was just there, without scaring you.
One day he came home from work and they sat down to dinner.

• Yan?.. - Your voice tore him out of
  thoughts.

He immediately looked up. Every time you said his name, something inside him clicked. He loved the way his name sounded from your lips too much. You paused, choosing your words. Your gaze slid to the table, then to the bowl of fruit, and back to the table.
“I...” you hesitated, swallowing. “Can I have a banana?”
The question was so outrageous that his brain simply refused to process it. He looked at you, trying to comprehend: what exactly were you testing right now? Are you allowed to eat? Are you allowed to take food? Is it even possible to exist in this fucking space without the risk of being kicked out. It dawned on him: you had no idea what rights you had here. For you, this wasn't "Living Together," but a "temporary shelter," where any misstep could end with the door slamming in your face. He picked up a banana and placed it in front of you, slowly, calmly, trying not to scare you even more.