adawrites

[adawrites]

i had to speak about this because this is genuinely eating me alive. so fucking disappointing and upsetting.

i swear, some of y’all are the most disrespectful, entitled people i’ve ever seen. what the actual fuck is wrong with you? the kids are finally on the south american leg of their world tour, their first time in brazil, and instead of giving them the love and respect they deserve, some of you are out here acting like complete clowns.

stalking their hotel? crowding outside and filming them while they’re on the goddamn balcony? are you kidding me? they can’t even step out to breathe without a fucking camera shoved in their face. that’s not admiration, that’s obsession. and not the good kind.

and then they go to the beach, probably thinking they could relax and enjoy a moment of peace.. but no. y’all are out there too, filming them like they’re fucking zoo animals. make it make sense !!!!! what part of the word 'privacy' is so hard to understand? these are real people. human beings. the level of audacity is insane. do you even realize how suffocating that must feel? they’re literally on the other side of the world from home, wanting to meet their fans, their supporters from around the world, excited but probably exhausted, and this is how you treat them? so fucking disappointing.

but no, it doesn’t stop there, because of course it doesn’t! let’s talk about the absolute vile shit that happened after the chile concert. some of you had the nerve, no, the fucking gall.. to bash chan. over what? ghosting bubble for a week? after his group was mobbed at the airport? after one of his teammates nearly fell because of fans trying to stick to them? really?

a line of enlightenment, he’s not your personal entertainment service. he’s a human with a life, responsibilities, and feelings. he needed a damn break. he deserved it. maybe he was tired. maybe he just wanted to exist without the constant pressure of pleasing millions of people. but no, that’s too much for some of you to comprehend.

and then, when he finally comes back, the first thing he does is check in on his home country. because, in case you missed it, oh wait, you didn’t, you just didn’t care— sk was dealing with wildfires. literal, destructive wildfires. but y’all wanted him to just pretend that didn’t exist? the man asked if the weather was okay in his home country, and you psychos lost your shit.

calling him slurs? cursing him out? saying he only cares about k-stays? because he dared to check on his country? some of you even said you’re selling your concert tickets like that’s some sort of punishment. quite frankly, do it, i dare you. better and sensible stays are out there who actually deserve to attend their concert. go sell your tickets. stray kids don’t need “fans” like you there.

and what makes it worse? chan probably saw all of that. every disgusting comment. y’all made him feel like shit. you really sat behind your screens and tore down the most caring, selfless man who has done everything for his team pretty much his family, those around him, his company, and the fandom. after all the sleepless nights, the constant work, the emotional labor, this is what he gets? and then he comes back to bubble. those messages. are you fucking serious? that broke me. that genuinely broke me.

chan doesn’t deserve this. none of the guys do. i’m so goddamn tired of this toxic shit. y’all claim to love them, but the second they don’t cater to your every whim, you turn on them like a pack of wolves. being a stay isn’t about getting constant attention. it’s not about thinking you own them. it’s about supporting them, respecting them, and appreciating everything they do. if you can’t do that, leave. nobody fucking wants you here.

and before anyone says, 'but i didn’t do any of that!' — good! then this isn’t about you. but if you ever catch yourself excusing this behavior, staying silent while your so-called stay-friends act like actual bitches, or brushing it off as 'just criticism,' then yeah, you’re part of the problem. and i’m done sugarcoating that shit.

protect skz. respect skz. and for the love of everything, leave chris alone. i’m fucking done.

[adawrites]

“god, he’s just so…ugh fuck…you know?” you curse through gritted teeth, hands held before you in a choking motion.

jayce stares at you from across the room, brows furrowed in confused concern. “I-“

“it’s like he does it on purpose. he knows what he’s doing when he walks in all good morning lásko, how did you sleep?” you voice drops a few octaves as you imitate your lab partner. “it’s infuriating, i just want to grab him and shake him but i’m scared he’s gonna break.”

“hey, maybe-“ jayce unsuccessfully tries to pipe up again.

“and i get it, it’s not appropriate but it’s either gonna end with me kissing or choking him out next time because i can’t do it anymore.” your rant ends with a huff as you drop your head to the table on defeat.

“you can kiss or choke me, either way i don’t mind but please, do not be gentle” the accustomed accent floats through the room and you feel the weight of the universe crash down upon you at the realisation viktor had heard everything. “i will not break but i’m touched to know you are concerned.”

you feel a hand brush against your shoulder as he passes, the familiar patter of his footsteps and cane simultaneously calming and quickening your pulse. the heat of his body warms your bare arm as he leans over, lips now at the shell of your ear. “good morning lásko, how did you sleep?”

[adawrites]

𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘹 𝘨𝘯!𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦

𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧

𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘱𝘩𝘶𝘮 𝘷𝘪𝘱𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘵

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧: 0.4k

𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗗: 𝘯𝘰

𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵, 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘩����𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘬

Matt was always cool under pressure.

Football games? He had it handled. Tests he forgot to study for? He could wing it. Even the chaos of this trip? No problem.

But you?

You made him an absolute mess.

And right now, as you leaned closer with that teasing smile, Matt could feel his brain short-circuiting.

"Okay, but seriously," you laughed, nudging his arm, "you totally got flustered earlier when I complimented you."

Matt choked on his own breath. "W-what? No way."

You grinned. "Oh, definitely. I said you looked good in that jacket, and you went all red."

"That’s—that’s just the cold," he sputtered, tugging at his collar. "It’s freezing out here!"

You raised an eyebrow. "Mhm. Sure."

The two of you were standing on the cabin’s porch, the cold night air crisp around you. Everyone else was inside, but after the stuffy warmth of the lodge, you’d suggested stepping out for some fresh air.

Matt was deeply regretting that choice now.

Because here you were, smiling at him, teasing him, standing way too close in that cozy sweater of yours. And he was definitely blushing again.

"You’re doing it again," you sing-songed, pointing at his face.

"I—okay, maybe it’s just a little warm out here—"

You laughed, tilting your head. "You think this is warm?"

Matt was dying.

"Alright, fine," he huffed, running a hand over his face. "You win. Yes, I got flustered, yes, I’m blushing, and yes, it’s because of you."

Your eyes widened slightly before your lips curved into the smuggest grin. "Because of me, huh?"

Matt groaned, covering his face. "Oh my god."

You giggled, stepping closer—dangerously closer. "That’s kinda cute."

Matt peeked through his fingers, heart slamming against his ribs. "I—uh—w-what?"

Your smile softened. "I mean it. You’re cute when you get all flustered."

Matt was pretty sure his soul just left his body.

"I—uh—" he tried to come up with words, but his brain had officially shut down.

You giggled again before reaching up and pressing a quick, warm kiss to his cheek.

Matt froze.

"Oh my god," he whispered.

You stepped back, looking way too pleased with yourself. "Now that should keep you warm."

Matt just stood there, completely red, completely speechless.

And when you turned to head inside, laughing softly to yourself, he knew one thing for certain—

He was so in trouble.

[adawrites]

𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘵

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝘫𝘰𝘴𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘹 𝘨𝘯!𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴-𝘵𝘰-𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘴, 𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳

𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦

𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘻𝘪𝘦𝘳

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧: 0.5k

𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗗: 𝘯𝘰

𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘫𝘰𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦—𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬

"You are insufferable, you know that?"

Josh smirked, leaning against the kitchen counter like he owned the place. "And yet, you can’t seem to stay away. Interesting."

You huffed, crossing your arms. "Oh, please. The only reason I’m standing here is because Sam begged me to help with drinks. Trust me, if I had a choice—"

"You’d still be here."

Your glare could’ve burned through steel. "You’re so full of yourself."

He tilted his head, eyes dragging over you in a way that made your skin burn. "Maybe. But you’re still talking to me."

Ugh. He was impossible.

Every interaction with Josh Washington was like this—charged, infuriating, intoxicating. You weren’t even sure when it started, but from the moment you two met, it had been constant bickering, constant tension, constant something humming under the surface.

And the worst part? You couldn’t even tell if you hated it.

You grabbed the bottle of whiskey from the counter, fully prepared to just walk away, but then—

Josh stepped forward.

Too close.

Your breath hitched.

"Careful," he murmured, voice lower now, more amused. "You almost look nervous."

Your grip on the bottle tightened. "I'm not."

He smirked. "Oh, really?"

He reached past you, deliberately brushing against your arm as he grabbed a glass from the shelf. It was calculated—you could feel it.

Your jaw clenched. "Do you have to be in my space?"

He chuckled, setting the glass down. "I think you like it."

Your heartbeat spiked. "I think you’re delusional."

"And I think…" he leaned in, voice dropping just for you, "you get a little breathless every time I do this."

Your stomach flipped.

Because, annoyingly? He wasn’t wrong.

Your body was betraying you—heart racing, skin heating, every nerve on edge.

And judging by the glint in his eyes? He knew.

"See?" he murmured, way too smug. "Breathless."

That snapped you back.

With a sharp inhale, you narrowed your eyes and stepped closer—erasing what little space was left.

His breath caught.

Good.

"Fine," you whispered, lips barely inches from his. "If you wanna play this game? Let’s play."

His smirk faltered. Just slightly.

You trailed your fingers down his arm, slow, teasing—watching as his body reacted now. The way his chest rose just a bit quicker. The way his hands curled at his sides.

Then, leaning up just enough to brush your lips near his jaw—so close, but not quite—you whispered, "Not so cocky now, are you?"

He exhaled, shaky. "That depends. Are you gonna kiss me or just keep teasing?"

Your fingers curled into his shirt.

For a split second, you considered it—considered closing that final inch, just to see what would happen.

Then—

You smirked. And stepped back.

Josh blinked.

"What the hell?" he blurted, as if offended that you stopped.

You just shrugged, grabbing the whiskey bottle again. "Like you said, Washington—gotta keep things interesting."

And with that, you walked away, feeling his burning gaze follow you.

Game, set, match.

For now.

[adawrites]

𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝘤𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘹 𝘨𝘯!𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦

𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧

𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘧𝘵. 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘰

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧: 0.6k

𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗗: 𝘯𝘰

𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘤𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶—𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭

You had a problem.

And that problem was Chris Hartley.

Not in a bad way—no, Chris was probably the best part of this ridiculous, freezing weekend at the lodge. But that was also the problem. He was always there, cracking jokes, nudging your shoulder, flashing that dumb, adorable grin. And every time, without fail, your stomach did a little flip that you really wished it wouldn’t.

It had started small—a crush that was easy to ignore. But then you got to know him better. The way his excitement bubbled over when he talked about tech or pranks. The way he got adorably nervous when he was being serious. The way his laugh made your heart do embarrassing gymnastics in your chest.

And now? It wasn’t just a crush anymore. It was full-blown, stomach-twisting, face-heating feelings.

Which sucked. Because there was no way Chris felt the same. Right?

"Earth to Y/N?"

You blinked, realizing Chris was waving a hand in front of your face, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement.

"You good?" he asked, cocking his head. "You were staring into space like you just had an existential crisis."

Crap. How long had you been zoning out?

"Uh—yeah! Yeah, totally fine," you blurted. "Just… thinking."

Chris smirked, leaning against the couch. "Thinking about what? The meaning of life? The tragic fate of my dignity after that failed sledding attempt earlier?"

You snorted. "You mean when you wiped out spectacularly into a snowbank?"

"Hey, in my defense, the snowbank came outta nowhere," he said dramatically.

You laughed, shaking your head. It was so easy with him—so natural. Which only made your feelings worse.

"Anyway," Chris continued, rubbing the back of his neck, "I, uh, actually wanted to ask you something."

You froze. "Oh?"

He hesitated, suddenly looking nervous. "Yeah, uh—so, you know how Sam and Ashley were talking about that stupid Truth or Dare thing?"

You nodded, heart picking up speed.

"Well, uh, I may have been dared to do something."

You narrowed your eyes playfully. "If this is another prank, I swear—"

"No, no, not a prank! Promise," he laughed nervously, rubbing his hands together. "It’s just… okay, don’t laugh, but the dare was to, um…:

He trailed off, suddenly looking like he wanted to evaporate into thin air.

"To what?" you prompted, suddenly dying to know.

Chris exhaled sharply. "To kiss you."

Your brain short-circuited.

For a moment, all you could do was stare at him, trying to process the words.

Chris looked panicked. "B-but, you know, it’s just a stupid dare! Like, obviously, you don’t have to—"

"Chris."

He shut up instantly, lips pressed together.

You swallowed, pulse hammering in your ears. "Do you want to?"

Chris blinked. "W-what?"

You took a deep breath, forcing yourself to be brave. "Forget the dare. If no one had dared you… would you still want to?"

Chris opened and closed his mouth like a fish, his face turning red. “I—I mean—uh—”

He was floundering, his usual confidence nowhere in sight. It was oddly endearing.

“Because…” you hesitated before forcing the words out. “Because I wouldn’t mind.”

Chris froze. Like, actually froze, as if his brain had completely shut down.

Then, slowly, as if making sure he wasn’t imagining things, he said, “Wait… are you saying…?”

You rolled your eyes, a nervous laugh escaping. “Yes, Chris.”

For a second, he just stared at you, as if his brain was still catching up.

Then, all at once, his face split into the biggest, dumbest, happiest grin you’d ever seen.

“Oh my God,” he breathed. “Okay, cool, um—”

Before he could overthink it, you grabbed his hoodie and pulled him in, pressing a kiss to his lips.

It was quick—barely more than a soft press—but the moment you pulled away, Chris let out the most ridiculous giggle.

You raised an eyebrow. “Did you just giggle?”

“N-no! That was, uh—a manly chuckle—”

You kissed him again just to shut him up.

And this time, he kissed you back.

[adawrites]

𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢 𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘹 𝘧𝘦𝘮!𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦

𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧

𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘵

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧: 1k

𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗗: 𝘯𝘰

𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘨𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨-𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘰𝘯 𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨

The snowfall was thick outside the lodge, each flake drifting lazily past the window as the wind howled softly against the glass. You pulled your blanket tighter around your shoulders, but the warmth of the fire at your feet did little to calm the racing of your heart.

Jess was sitting across from you, curled up in the armchair, scrolling through her phone with a lazy smile. Her blonde hair was slightly messy from the day’s events—snowball fights, playful chasing through the trees, and the general chaos that came with a weekend away in the mountains.

She looked effortlessly beautiful, her cheeks still slightly flushed from the cold, her lips pursed as she concentrated on whatever she was reading.

You swallowed hard. It was always like this with Jess—she had this way of making your stomach twist up in knots with the smallest things. The way she laughed, the way she absentmindedly twirled a strand of hair around her finger when she was lost in thought, the way she could turn even the simplest touch into something that left you reeling.

It was unfair, really.

You had liked her for too long now, longer than you were willing to admit. And it wasn’t just some fleeting crush—it was the kind of feeling that settled in your bones, warm and persistent, the kind you couldn’t shake even if you wanted to.

"Hey, earth to Y/N," Jess’s voice cut through your thoughts, and you blinked, realizing she was watching you now, her phone abandoned in her lap.

"Huh?" you managed, cheeks burning at the fact that you’d been staring.

She smirked. "You okay over there? You’ve been staring at the fire for, like, five minutes straight. Pretty sure you were in another dimension."

You laughed awkwardly, shifting under her gaze. "Yeah, just… thinking."

She raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening as she stretched her legs out, her sock-clad foot nudging your thigh. "About what?"

You hesitated. You. The word almost slipped out, dangerously close to the tip of your tongue. Instead, you shook your head, offering her a small smile. "Nothing important."

She tilted her head, studying you for a moment before rolling her eyes. "Liar."

Your breath hitched as she leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees, her blue eyes locked onto yours.

Jess had always been playful, flirtatious even, but there was something about the way she was looking at you now that made your heart slam against your ribs.

"I think you’re hiding something," she teased, her voice dipping slightly, making your stomach do an embarrassing flip. "And I kinda want to know what it is."

You exhaled, trying to ignore the way her foot was still resting against your thigh, the way her gaze made it nearly impossible to think straight.

"Jess—"

"Wait," she interrupted, suddenly sitting up straighter. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and then, as if a switch flipped in her brain, her entire face lit up with realization.

"Oh my God," her grin was pure mischief.

Your stomach dropped. "What?"

She laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "You’re totally crushing on someone."

Your pulse skyrocketed. "What?! No."

"Oh, come on," she was fully leaning in now, eyes gleaming. "I’ve seen that look before, Y/N. You’ve got heart-eyes for someone."

Your brain scrambled for a response, but she wasn’t letting up.

"Okay, okay," she continued, shifting in her seat, crossing her legs. "Is it someone here? Someone I know?"

Yes. Very much yes.

Your silence only made her grin wider. "Oh my God, it is someone here."

You groaned, burying your face in your hands. "Jess—"

"Wait. Is it… Ashley? No, she’s too—hmm. Sam? Ohhh, maybe Josh—"

You peeked at her through your fingers, giving her an unimpressed look.

She gasped dramatically. "It’s me, isn’t it?"

Your body went rigid.

Jess was clearly joking, teasing like she always did—but the way your breath hitched at her words must have given you away. Because suddenly, her playful expression faltered, her smirk softening into something else entirely.

"Wait… is it?"

Silence.

Your throat felt tight, your heart pounding so loudly you were sure she could hear it.

She didn’t say anything for a moment, and that only made the anxiety worse.

Then, to your absolute horror, she smiled. Not in a mocking way, not in the way you feared—but soft, warm. Something unreadable flickered in her gaze.

"You like me."

It wasn’t a question.

You swallowed, feeling very small all of a sudden. "Jess, I—"

"I knew something was up," she murmured, more to herself than to you. Then she laughed—soft, breathy, but not cruel. Never cruel.

Your chest felt tight. "Please don’t make fun of me."

Jessica's expression shifted instantly, her brows knitting together. "Hey, no, I wouldn’t," she reached out, hesitating only for a second before placing her hand over yours. "I just… I wasn’t expecting that."

Your skin burned under her touch. "Yeah, well. Surprise."

She bit her lip, her gaze flickering down to where your hands touched before meeting your eyes again. The usual confidence in her expression was still there, but something else was mixed in now—something softer, more careful.

"…How long?" she asked, voice quieter.

You exhaled a laugh, shaking your head. "Way longer than I should probably admit."

She tilted her head, eyes searching yours. And then, with a teasing smirk, she squeezed your hand.

"You should’ve told me sooner."

Your breath hitched as she shifted closer, her face only inches from yours now.

"Why?" you whispered.

She shrugged, her fingers playing with yours absentmindedly. "Because maybe I would’ve kissed you already."

Your brain short-circuited.

She giggled at your expression, leaning in so close that her nose almost brushed yours. "Can I?"

You could barely breathe, barely think—so you just nodded.

Jessica didn’t hesitate.

Her lips were soft, warm, pressing against yours in a kiss that was both sweet and exhilarating. It wasn’t rushed or desperate—just slow, deliberate, as if she was savoring the moment.

When she pulled away, she grinned at you, brushing her thumb gently over your knuckles.

“So,” she said playfully. “Wanna be my girlfriend?”

Your heart felt like it might burst.

“…Yeah,” you breathed, smiling.

She beamed, pulling you into another kiss, and this time, you melted into it, knowing that this was only the beginning.

[adawrites]

𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴

𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝘫𝘰𝘴𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘹 𝘨𝘯!𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵, 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨

𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵

𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧: 0.8k

𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗗: 𝘯𝘰

𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬: 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘫𝘰𝘴𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘥𝘨𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯 ��𝘪𝘮, 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘺, 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘪𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

The Washington Lodge was eerily quiet at night. It had been a year since everything happened, but the weight of those memories still lingered in the walls, in the cold air, in the way the house never truly felt warm anymore.

Josh had invited you to stay for the weekend, though you had a feeling it was less about wanting company and more about his family’s insistence that he shouldn’t be alone. Not that you minded—you’d been worrying about him for months.

Ever since he came back, he wasn’t the same. Not that anyone expected him to be, but the difference was sharp, painful. Josh Washington had always been the life of the party, full of jokes, teasing remarks, and that signature smirk that made it hard to tell when he was being serious. But now? Now, he barely smiled. His words were quieter, his presence dimmer. He carried the weight of his sisters’ loss like an iron chain around his neck, and no matter how much time passed, he refused to let himself heal.

You could see it in his eyes—the guilt, the exhaustion, the way he constantly seemed to be fighting against something unseen.

That was why you were standing outside his bedroom door at midnight, hesitating. You had heard him moving around inside, restless, unable to sleep. It wasn’t the first time. Most nights, you would hear the creak of the floorboards, the sharp intake of breath, the occasional muttered words as he wrestled with the ghosts of his past.

You took a deep breath and knocked. "Josh? You awake?"

Silence. Then, after a long pause—

"Yeah… yeah, come in."

You pushed open the door and stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, a single lamp casting long shadows against the walls. Josh was sitting on the edge of his bed, hunched over, his hands clasped together. His dark hair was messier than usual, falling over his forehead, and his tired eyes flickered toward you as you entered.

"You couldn’t sleep either?" you asked softly, closing the door behind you.

He let out a quiet chuckle, though there was no real humor in it. "Sleep and I aren’t really on speaking terms these days."

You frowned, crossing the room to sit beside him on the bed. "Bad night?"

Josh exhaled, running a hand down his face. "Aren’t they all?"

You didn’t respond right away. You just sat there, close enough that your knee brushed against his, offering your presence without pushing him to talk. Josh had always been good at deflecting, turning things into a joke, pretending he was fine when he clearly wasn’t. But now? Now, he wasn’t even pretending.

"I don’t deserve this," he muttered suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper.

You turned to him, eyebrows furrowing. "Deserve what?"

"This," He gestured vaguely between you. "You being here. Still giving a shit about me," His voice cracked slightly, and he clenched his jaw, looking away. "After everything I did… after what happened to my sisters. I should be alone. I should be—"

"Stop," Your voice was firm, but gentle. You reached out, placing your hand over his. "Josh, you don’t get to decide that."

His fingers twitched beneath yours, but he didn’t pull away. He just stared down at your hand, as if struggling to process the warmth of your touch.

"I messed up," he murmured. "So bad. And no matter what I do, I can’t change it. I can’t fix it."

"You don’t have to fix it," you said softly. "You just have to keep going."

Josh let out a shaky breath, his shoulders trembling slightly. He wasn’t crying—not exactly—but you could tell he was close. His walls were cracking, and for once, he wasn’t trying to hold them together.

You squeezed his hand gently. "You’re not alone, Josh. You never were."

He closed his eyes, exhaling through his nose. A moment later, he shifted, resting his forehead against your shoulder. It was hesitant at first, as if he wasn’t sure he was allowed to seek comfort. But when you didn’t pull away, he let himself lean into you completely, his body warm and solid against yours.

Your free hand came up, threading gently through his hair, fingers brushing against his scalp. He sighed at the contact, his grip on your hand tightening.

"I keep seeing them," he admitted after a long pause. His voice was quiet, raw. "In my dreams. In the dark. Sometimes, I think I hear them."

Your heart ached at his words. "Josh…"

"I don’t think I’ll ever be okay again."

You pressed a soft kiss to his temple, a silent reassurance. "Then I’ll be here. Until you are."

He didn’t respond right away, but you felt the way he relaxed against you, the way his breathing evened out just a little. The weight of his pain wasn’t something you could take away, but you could carry it with him—and for now, that was enough.

For tonight, that was enough.