Thank you - I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's a tricky balance, knowing they care, but won't/can't actually express it. Men...

I was hoping to convey the sensation of choking and its aftermath - I choked on a marshmallow (!?) when I was in elementary school and still haven't forgotten the experience, even many years later.

Oh boy, I better write a happy balcony story :) I blame the prompt table, the angsty words are just too tempting!