You walk on eggshells around them
You rehearse sentences before speaking, watch their face for the shift, and feel your shoulders drop when they leave.
Rule out first
They're under acute stress at the moment. You've actually wronged them. A power gap that would make anyone careful.
What could explain it
Intermittent reinforcement: Warmth and anger come unpredictably, and the uncertainty is what keeps you watching and hooked.
Borderline personality: Small things set off intense hurt or fury, often about feeling dismissed, and they're often sorry afterwards.
Narcissistic rage: The trigger is always a slight to their standing, and the fury aims to humiliate; no apology follows.
Coercive control: Crossing them has consequences, and your world (friends, money, choices) has quietly shrunk to avoid them.
Fawn response: The eggshells are your old pattern; you do this with many people, not just them.
A next move
Ask whether others around them feel the same. If many do, it's them; if only you, look at your own history. If there are consequences for crossing them at home, treat it as a safety issue.
If it’s you
Who taught me to watch faces this closely?