#edit: update tag definition

[assorted-entities]

Hi we are the Assorted Entities Collective!

[pt: Hi we are the Assorted Entities Collective! /end pt]

We're a mixed origin system. Our system is queer, fictive and alterhuman heavy. We are disabled physically, mentally and neurologically. Our main focus on here will be related to our communities and life. We will try to not post personal things and may delete things. Most of our active altars will post on here and we may make personal side blogs in the future. We are bodily and mostly minors.

Main fandoms:

[pt: Main fandoms: /end pt]

Hermitcraft, Bungo Stray Dogs, My Hero Academia, Danganropa, The Amazing Digital Circus, Project Sekai, Genshin Impact

Byf:

[pt: Byf: /end pt]

We are mentally ill, traumatised and neurodivergent. All of these will affect how we post/interact. Many of us get uncomfortable having 1:1 interactions. We have issues with emotions and empathy but will try to manage this. Some altars have typing quirks and rough grammar but we will usually provide translations. We will sometimes swear but will tw tag this.

Dni/boundaries:

[pt: Dni/boundaries: /end pt]

Follow your own dni, we are willo safe and not entirely traumagenic.

Please keep interactions (mostly) sfw and respectful. We try to keep out of syscourse but may bring some things up. We will also not talk much on politics but may talk about things we feel really matter.

We will block freely if anyone makes us uncomfortable. We prefer minimal interactions with adults.

Tag us if you feel we would like/should see something. Asks, comments and reblogs are encouraged but we may be slow to respond. Ask any questions that don't break above boundaries but we won't answer everything.

Tag system:

[pt: Tag system: /end pt:

#[Name].entity = altar mentioned in or made post (altars may also use emoji signoffs or userboxes)

#blurry.entity = unknown or too many altars to name making post

#anon.entity = anytime an altar doesn't wnat to be named

#entities.reblog = reblog

#entities.asks = answered asks

#entities.text = text posts

#entities.ramble = thought/word vomit posts

#entities.pictures = posts with photos

#entities.moots = posts with moots

#entities.life = anything about our life

Any tw's will be tagged, please tell us if you feel a tw should be added to a post.

Links:

[pt: Links: /end pt]

[leenfiend]

what's ur type first < prev next >

[dragonagepolls]

Me at work: I should make a biteability tier list for the Dragon Age characters

Dragon Age characters ranked by how biteable they are

Criteria under the cut

Firstly this is assuming that either the bitee has agreed to be bitten, or that the bite is happening during a brawl or whatever idk don’t look at me

Secondly this is not about how much I want to bite them (otherwise Harding would also be S-tier).

Cleanliness: Pretty self-explanatory. Extremely important to me.

Tolerance: How hard can I bite them

Mouthfeel: Also self-explanatory

Repercussions: What is gonna happen to me as a result?

[bidokja]

I thought you kin kdj?

anon i hope this is a joke cause if this is a genuine question it is the singlemost scathing read i have ever recieved in my life 👏 bravo

[ecos-syscourse]

Dear syscoursers, the Atlantic ghost crab was once described as "An occult, secretive alien from the ancient depths of the sea."

[zakuryoishi]

my girl... i don't know if you'll ever see her again because doing a whole reference sheet is painful. i think i forgor to color the marks on her cheeks but i don't care anymore </3

[imjustavenuxwithaboomerang]

re-rating rise of red songs as i listen to them on spotify

see the first rating here

red by red, jack of diamonds, and guards: 7.75/10

i've warmed up to the chanty chorus so that made the rating go up. again, kylie sounds really good. don't know how to feel about the pre-chorus. still don't care for jack of diamonds and the guards' parts (other than the "oh oh oh oh" parts but those go on a little too long imo)

so this is love by cinderella and king charming: 9.75/10

literally almost perfection! paolo and brandy sound SO GOOD. it's so so pretty omg. the pacing again is the downfall, some parts sound slightly too fast but i almost don't care, it's that pretty

love ain't it by red, queen of hearts, chloe, cinderella, and auradon citizens: 6/10

same ranking. mainly the same notes as the first ranking post, i like the beginning and chorus but it's (as a whole song) a little messy. again didn't really care for the citizens and guards singing and wanted a lot less rap. rita sounded great though

what's my name (red version) by uma and red: 7/10

the "stop us" is thankfully fixed as far as i can tell. the new instrumental is taking some getting used to but i like that the song isn't just the 2017 vocals on top of a new instrumental. red's talking parts in her verse are what's throwing me off and what brought down the ranking down a number. i am fine with the rap part though. the "that's my name, that's my name" adlib at the end sounds slightly off to me too

fight of our lives by red and chloe: 7.75/10

it definitely picks up after the first chorus. speaking of the first chorus, there's odd editing on the line "running out of hope" that takes me out of the song. i really like the instrumental though (the wannabe drummer in me is very happy about it). kylie, again, sounds very good but that's a given (i really like her chorus) and like i said in the first ranking, malia and kylie's voices sound very nice together and the layering and harmonies are nice (TO ME)

life is sweeter by rise of red cast: 6.75/10

again the chorus and the villains's (specifically hook, morgie, and uliana) part are the selling point to me. however why is maleficent's part like drowned out?? (actually a couple parts of this song are) ruby's voice sounds very nice on the chorus's melody. still haven't decided if i like that the song is everyone's introduction. the verses don't click with me, save for the first verse. the instrumental shift to the villains' introduction could be better. and the final chorus is very jarring with the villains interjecting, and not in a 'so bad it's good way'

perfect revenge by uliana, hook, morgie, hades, and maleficent: 6/10

i feel like this song is the definition of a grower and an earworm. i'll probably sing it over the next week even though it's my least favorite song. basically it's objectively catchy and i would understand why someone would like it. i personally don't love the melody of the post-chorus and i don't care for hades and maleficent's voices or parts (no offense). i do like dara's ad-libs at the end and the song makes my choreographer brain start ticking so i guess that's an upside.

shuffle of love by bridget: 8.5/10

one point off for the fact that i had to strain my brain and ears to figure out the lyrics of the first line of the chorus (it's "first, one two-step to start", had a feeling disney+ captions were wrong and they were). a half point off for the MORE unnecessary rapping (it wasn't bad just unneeded). other than that i really like this song. i especially like chorus, which i mentioned before, and i was robbed of this being fully in the movie

get your hands dirty by ella and chloe: 8/10

don't know why it went down, just vibes. everything i said is still true. i like the melody and absolutely love the songwriting and the rapping/talk singing is a bit more bearable. and again morgon sounds very nice.

life is sweeter (reprise) by red and queen of hearts: 7/10

pretty reprise, same ranking. nothing much to say that i haven't said already

life is sweeter (remix) by rise of red cast: 5/10

i like the little nuggets of vocals that can be heard but like i said before, not always a fan of remixes. ranking went lower because the scene talked over the remixed instrumental so i couldn't get an opinion on it.

bad reputation by red: 3/10

this is a lot at once and will probably be the only song i don't add to my soundtracks playlists. the instrumental is very loud and very distracting but kylie sounds nice

[icewindandboringhorror]

Apparently I can meet my goal of roughly 400,000 words in 6 months if I just somehow write at least 2,200 words a day ghbjh... Almost 2,500 today... huzzah...

[best-fnaf-song-competition]

Oh you KNOW this playlist is full of bangers when I've got 4-5 of them stuck in my head at once

[sidewalk-scrawls]

Looking up reviews of The Winter of Mixed Drinks, and uh:

"Released: 20th July 2024" "While this is their best effort to date, we feel that they somehow haven't peaked yet."

This album was released in 2010, and rereleased in 2020... Scott Hutchinson, the lead singer, killed himself in 2018 =/

[novella-november]

Novella November 2024 Announcement Post

Hate AI, but love writing challenges?

Want to take part in a global, fun project to write a Novella in one month?

Grab some friends, and take part in Novella November, by writing 1,000 words a day for the month of November, ending with a 30,000 word Novella to test and stretch your novel-writing skills!

Your goal is not perfection, but merely getting into the habit of writing a litte bit every single day :D

No website, no sign-ups -- Just a community initiative to write using only your own word!

What are the rules? Just Three so far!

#1 - No AI

#2 - No Plagiarizing

#3 - Wordcount for the month should only come from what you write during the month.

What does that mean?

Only words written during November should go towards your Wordcount for the month... but! Feel free to use your 30k words as a continuation of previous writing, or just make it the first 30k words in a longer novel!

Don't think you can write a whole entire 30k word story? Write a series of short stories that total up to 30k!

Not ready to write original works yet? Write a 30k word fanfiction that you can post after the month is over!

Share your writing experience, tips, encouragement, and questions in the #Novella November tag!

---

EDIT, from the tags: Want a progress tracker? Track your progress with TrackBear!

https://trackbear.app/

Don't have a word processor? Use LibreOffice , the free and open-source alternative to Microsoft Word!

Want to organize/storyboard your Novel and don't want to pay a subscription? Try 7writer by Simon Haynes!

Want to be able to listen to your story aloud for proofreading using TTS (text to speech)? Try Balabolka!

Or, create some custom progress / Goal Cards in advance you can fill out as you reach word goals! For ideas and templates, search this blog for "goal cards" :D

Want to do a writing challenge in more than just November? Check out my ideas here for year round challenges to keep you writing consistently! Got feedback? Send it in, I'd love to see everyone's ideas!

---

EDIT 2: I almost forgot to mention, if you are unable to write/type your story, you can also narrate/dictate your story to your preferred recording device!

If you're doing a Recording only and it doesn't automatically generate a transcript, it would obviously be hard to judge the word count -- but you're also working with a lot of obstacles, so I'd say if you're able to complete your story via voice recording from start to finish, you've definitely achieved the goal!

Edit #3: added the title "Novella November 2024 announcement post" to the top to make it more standard with my Ominous October and Drabble December posts (will be updating Outline October shortly) , added "Official Announcement Post 2024" to the tags so people can easily find the monthly events for 2024, and added a bit of bold to the third bullet point in the original post from September 2nd 2024 for emphasis.

[vivitalks]

omg i didn't see that you did a writer's ask game! hopefully it's not too late to send asks? if not, may i ask 1, 7, 12, 15, & 5 about "blow a kiss to concern"? thank youuu 💙

i reblog a writer's game and then don't answer this ask for several days SORRY! love you here i am now let's go

1. What fic of yours would you recommend to someone who had never read any of your work? (In other words, what do you think is the best introduction to your fics?) this is a tough question because i write in a lot of different fandoms. however, i am going to give two answers. one is the stydia fic blow a kiss to concern (which will be discussed later) because it has a lot of tropes i enjoy - driving, flirting, canon compliance, fluff with some angst, all the good stuff. the second is my kate bishop & peter parker series young & not too wise which has two fics - one of kate and peter meeting before the events of the hawkeye show, and one of them meeting right after. one thing i really enjoy doing is taking two characters who haven't really met or interacted but have the grounds for a fascinating interaction to meet and talk. so like, post-nwh peter has all this trauma from being a superhero, and pre-hawkeye kate is all starry-eyed wanting to be a superhero, and i loved the idea of those two perspectives meeting, two young new yorkers with such different life experiences. i do this kind of pseudo-crossover a lot and it's always so much fun.

7. Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of? i don't worldbuild that often. i am a big big fan of writing things that are canon compliant or very slightly canon divergent (one character lives instead of dies, a relationship is broken up instead of still together, that kind of thing) where the broader universe is still intact, because i feel like in fictional media, part of what's so fun and interesting about writing the characters is dealing with the shit they've gone through and experiences they've had as a result of the universe they exist in.

that being said, i did a smidge of worldbuilding (really more like world-expanding) for my bellarke fic taking the world off your shoulders, particularly the couple of grounder villages they wind up in, and that was fun. the 100 established this bit of canon where only the warrior grounders speak english but then we didn't get a lot of opportunities to see the communities of non-warrior grounders who didn't speak english at all, so i especially liked dipping my toes into sonia's village and exploring a community of people who aren't involved at all in the grounder violence/war and are just peaceful and self-sustaining

12. Are there any tropes you used to dislike but have grown on you? mmmm i'm thinking about it but can't come up with any. i think i've probably gotten to like more rarepairs, but that's not a trope (maybe just an influence of hanging out with you lol).

15. What’s your favorite AU that you’ve written? like i said before i don't write a lot of AUs outside of your garden-variety canon divergence, so my options for answers here are limited. i guess my favorite AU is the whole post-age of ultron series i wrote where everything is the same except that pietro lives (bc seriously wtf was that). the series is called pietro lives 'verse but it wound up becoming an entirely clint-barton-centric series and i apologize for nothing.

5. What do you wish someone would ask you about blow a kiss to concern? Answer it now! "hey raviv, what's so special about driving stick shift?" look. you'll never know. you'll never understand until you're driving a bunch of foreigners from literally any other country other than america and they suddenly go, "wait is this a manual?" and you get to very nonchalantly say "yeah it is." you just can't know the level of smug pride you get to experience when people are impressed with you for something as simple as that.

also, driving stick is an even more involved way to do the already-hella-romanticizeable act of driving, and in my experience, it is frustrating as SHIT to learn. and like, stiles loves his fucking car so fucking much. the only other person we ever see drive that car is scott (i think?), most likely because it's not something most people can do, but also because scott is like a brother to him, one of the people he loves the most in the entire world. it's a huge act of trust for stiles to let someone else drive his car. so the idea that there's a skill lydia doesn't have but wants, and only stiles can realistically teach her because he's the only one with both the know-how and the actual car to teach her with is just. very charming in its potential. plus, learning stick at ALL is really hard and it's a testament to the relationship between stiles and lydia that she isn't constantly in tears, because like. he completely believes she can do it, and she completely trusts him to teach her. I JUST THINK THEY'RE NEAT

ask me a question for fic writers!

[turon-na-saging]

Fixation at Strength

sung jinwoo with a short older female reader older that has herculean strength like Do Bong Soon.

a/n: hello everyone, this is my first contribution to this fandom 🙆‍♀️. my writing skills has definitely rusted from years of inactive writing but hope you like this. i was working on the isekai corporate slave reader, but this kept occupying my mind so now this was born lol.

update a/n: had to edit a few things after rereading as it mostly comes off as a self-insert instead of a reader insert. apologies for that. 🙇‍♀️

EDITED WARNING: this is my first time attempting writing a yandere/dark fic. if such trope makes you uncomfortable, please continue scrolling and ignore this post.

EDITED TAGS: mentions of blackmailing, cliché plot/trope, probably the brewing beginning of dark jinwoo(?)

[you are here] [2]

Sung Jinwoo was brooding.

He was on his way home after clearing a gate an hour earlier when the system screen popped up in his face. On the screen, an alert was issued to look out for a potential threat. With a loud ring, the amount of distance was shown to him.

His eyes narrow at the distance drastically went shorter. Was this a hunter? Possibly a monster? He hasn't heard or receive any news of a dungeon break near this neighborhood. His body was tense as he ready himself at the upcoming threat. His eyes shook as he looked at the number closely. It was coming closer to him. Glancing at every road corner of the neighborhood around him, he waited.

The tension he felt was immediately broken once he heard a light-hearted humming. A short young woman appears from the corner of the neighborhood staring down at her phone.

Jinwoo nearly tripped at the sight. Was the system broken? Jinwoo thought as he stared at the short woman before him who walked passed by glancing at him for a second before minding back your own business. He double checked at the screen and indeed it really was you that the system considered a potential threat, seeing the number of distance growing again after he passed by you. Not to mention, he could not see or sense a single mana around you yet why did the system deemed you a threat? Unless you were like him?

A notification appeared as it now identified you not a threat and the alert was closed.

Something didn't felt right. The fact the system reacted to you like that. Using his stealth skill, he followed behind you hidden from sight. He could hear you hum as you wonder what to get for tonight's dinner. With raised eyebrows, he can tell you are quite harmless and . But then again, you are a civilian and not an awakened hunter like him.

Deep laughter broke him from his thoughts as he saw an approaching group of 3 guys. Based from their clothes, the few armors they had and the aura they're emitting, they are definitely hunters. D-rank to be exact. He looked at you, who was still happily skipping as you scroll down your phone.

As he predicted, you accidentally bumped your shoulder into one of the hunters in the group. You immediately offer an apology to the man, but he didn't liked it as he grabbed your arm and tore off the phone from your hand, slamming it down the ground.

"The hell was that woman! Not a proper apology? You just bumped into a fucking hunter, show some respect!" The burly guy, who could tell was the leader, shouted.

"That's right boss! Tell 'em!" His buddies cackled beside him as if they found a new entertainment.

Jinwoo was about to show and finish those guys himself when he froze upon seeing you push the man like nothing making him fly hard to the nearby trashdump. His buddies took a step back out of shock before you expressed your frustration at them holding your now broken phone.

Jinwoo was in disbelief as he quietly watched you singlehandedly beat them up and dragged each of the guys by pulling up by their top, lining them up against the wall to kneel near the garbage dump. They were cowering as they sobbed snots pouring out of their nose.

He could hear you ask their ages with each of them obediently answering. After their answer, you made sure to lightly smack each of their heads yet the men cried harder as if it was painful, after learning they were younger than you. Judging from the state those men were in as they bow down apologizing to you in tears and swearing not to be bunch of assholes anymore, you have certainly already taught them enough lesson.

A noona? You sure didn't look like it. Jinwoo just felt something light inside him despite his human emotions slowly died out from the near death experience he had after he received the system. If one were to look closely, there was redness on his ears.

Upon finally noticing him standing a few feet away from where you were, you froze as there was a witness. But there was something unsettling for you, his eyes were glowing purple and small wisps of shadows surrounded him. That definitely screamed danger to you. This man is a hunter and far more dangerous than the usual ones you encountered. You may have your superstrength, but you remain cautious as your jinx may backfire.

Seeing you were distracted, the men scrambled off running away in fear. You didn't pay them any mind as your attention was on the hooded man a few feet away from you.

"Who are you...?" You warily asked, fists clenched watching him with caution.

Jinwoo couldn't hold back his chuckle. He may have seen your strength and knew not to underestimate you. The height difference was big with him towering over you. But you were too adorable for him despite being older than him. This unknown feeling was growing rapidly at the sight of you, high alert looking up at him with wariness. Like a cat ready to bare her claws and fangs, he mused.

You have certainly caught his interest. Was this a good thing? With the smirk present on Jinwoo's face and the glint in his glowing eyes? Well, who knows.

At the sudden shift in the mood, you could only feel dread and the urge to run away. Like a predator laying its eyes on its prey, waiting for its move.

You gasped when he was infront of you, leaning down close to your face the instant you blinked. His eyes lingered at the company ID which displayed your name for a few seconds before a smirk graced his lips.

"Sung Jinwoo. Nice to meet you, noona~"

Upon hearing that name, your blood ran cold. Korea's 10th S-Class Hunter, the one people especially the media have been going crazy about lately. His display of strength during the Jeju Island Raid has certainly earned him a reputation and admirers. With growing popularity, there will be no doubt people who see him in a negative light.

With your instincts of danger sent shivers down your spine, you held his arm as you plan on throwing him down the ground as a warning to stepping into someone's personal space. Instead of that happening, the ground under your feet crumbled as you realized Jinwoo was not budging an inch. Your eyes went wide in shock and perhaps fear. It didn't work.

Seeing as you didn't stand a chance, you are about to step away but he immediately held you by your waist pulling you close to him. The shadows around him made you freeze, like you'll be swallowed whole in any moment. You are shaking without realizing it.

Jinwoo felt bad that he found this sight of you cute. He easily towered and covered you as you only reached until his chest. He didn't know why he felt the need to pull you close to him. This was an entirely knew feeling for him.

"It is curious as to why you're not a hunter with that strength, noona? Does the Association know there's an unregistered awakened?" He whispered in your ear. It was a teasing tone yet it was laced also with threat.

"I-I'm not an awakened! I swear!" You hastily answered. "Please don't report me! I really am not!"

Your thoughts were running out of control as you try to come up with excuses regarding your power. Meanwhile Jinwoo remained silent as he continue staring at you, contemplating. Indeed you are speaking the truth as he couldn't sense even a speck of mana on your body, even at this close contact. Unless you have tremendous skill of cloaking it to the point of being thought as a normal person. After a minute, he finally let go despite not fully satisfied with what he got.

"I'll believe you for now." Jinwoo released his grip from your waist as you sighed in relief before glancing up at him again with those wary eyes.

"But in exchange, I wanna see noona more often." His eyes narrowed as it glowed, yet he has a smile that you couldn't describe. "Wouldn't want the Association learn of your power right?"

The confidence he held by holding the knowledge of your deepest secret, Jinwoo knew you would've give in. Seeing you glanced down at your broken phone, he knew what you were insinuating.

"I have my ways of finding you. Seoul is a smaller than you might think." He simply answered with a shrug. With a sour look you nodded, he knew he already won.

His phone rang making you both broke eye contact as he check who was calling. Seeing it was his younger sister, Jin-Ha, he had no choice but to part ways with you for now. "Sadly, I would have to cut our meeting short. I'll see you soon, noona."

To your surprise, his whole body slowly disappeared like mist leaving you alone in the middle of the neighborhood street. You definitely have sealed your fate.

Without a second thought, you ran away in haste as to make sure you've gained distance away from that place. Once you were home, your family noticed your pale complexion and thought it was due to a long day of work. Although bad news for you, he already planted some of his shadows to yours without you knowing.

Anyways, thank you for reading y'all! Thoughts are appreciated! Don't mind me going feral for this as I'll be making more parts for this pairing. owo/

[deadtower]

i have a ton of WIPs, some of which i post about, some of which i don’t :p i have an ongoing WIP here if you’re looking for something to read, and everything else is in the process of being vanity published, except for my tower of silence series and my guide to being hired at working-class jobs both of which can be found here! and my ao3 is here if you like my writing style and want to check out some more stuff.

mostly i don’t post a ton about my WIPs because i feel like no one’s really interested, but i’m trying to post about them more when i can, and have a sizable writeblr/writing ref tag and participate in ask games when i come across them on the dash :)

So I just cleaned out my follows, which has left me with 61 blogs, a handful of which belong to mutuals who haven't updated in years but I won't unfollow because I am waiting for them to return from war.

Which basically means I barely follow anyone.

So any writers or artists who have active WIPs they post about, feel free to advertise yourselves or each other to me so I can fill out my dash and find some new folks!

I tend to prefer fantasy and/or romance, but I can generally do whatever if the concept intrigues me enough!

[lockeswoodss]

The Crimson Glow: Chapter 2

Tag list: @nocturnalrorobin , @silas-aeiou , @mischiefsemimanaged , @wolfbc97 , @pocket-of-possibilities

A/N: So sorry this update took so long, but I'm finally done with the semester and am home free for the summer. This chapter has some mature themes, but nothing explicit yet. This chapter has a decent amount of filler; the reader will be in the Pitt in the next chapter. I'm gonna attempt to update weekly while I can.

Word count: ~4,680 (it kinda got away from me lol)

(Most future chapters will be closer to 3,000 words, I know over 4,000 is a commitment for one sitting)

Warning: Food, mentions of past cheating, and unspecified threats of violence, suggestive dialog (Jack calls the reader a good girl twice). (Let me know if I missed anything. This took over an hour to format/edit. I'm craving sleep.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your breath caught in your throat as you made eye contact with your soulmates. You found yourself looking up automatically, before the door was even fully pulled back, like your body knew. Like this was the final puzzle piece sliding into place to fill the void you had long been ignoring. Your eyes darted between them, lagging to take everything in. They both had lovely brown eyes. The shorter of the two had firm, dark brown eyes; they were steady and made you feel secure. He looked like he had just gotten out of bed in a rush. He was supporting himself on forearm crutches, wearing a pair of shorts and slides, a t-shirt thrown over his shoulder. You felt your face warm as you took in his toned bare chest. The glare of his dog tags was a blessed distraction. His hair was still flattened on one side, red creases still present on his face from the imprint of his pillow.

He had to have been the string across the Atlantic. The one who almost died.

Glancing higher, you were met with soft brown eyes; the kind that makes you feel warmth. There was another emotion there, one you couldn’t put words to, at least not yet. He was dressed in scrubs, with a lightweight hoodie on over them, a gold chain peeking out of his shirt collar. Your eyes locked on an ID badge still clipped to him. He was a doctor, a doctor at the same hospital that had hired you, PMTC. Somehow, that information had grounded you, pulling you out of the initial shock of your strings forming a glowing triangle.

“Um, hi?” you said hesitantly, trying not to immediately embarrass yourself, your face already warming under their combined gaze. Fuck, you knew you’d find your soulmates attractive, people rarely didn’t, but at a glance they were the definition of your type. From the stubble and grey curls of the veteran to the slight greying of the beard on the doctor, and his size compared to yours. It all, it all made you feel something. You tried to ignore the spark in your core from being near them. While it was perfectly normal for a soulmate greeting, it still made you feel a rush of embarrassment on the back of your neck.

“Hey,” the doctor exhaled, like a weight had been lifted off his chest. He gazes down at you with a warm smile, misty-eyed. His smile lines and crow’s feet widened your smile. You had always found creases that represented a life lived beautiful. When you glanced to your left, the soldier was already looking at you, seemingly done sizing you up.  

“I’m Jack,” he quipped before nodding to his left, “He’s Robby.”

It took you a second to process what he was saying, too caught up trying to quell your nerves. You quickly supplied your name, stumbling through it.

There was a beat of silence before your anxiety spiked again.

“Do you want to come in?” You asked, always a nervous talker. You stepped aside; they glanced at each other fleetingly before moving into your apartment.

“Sorry about the mess, I’ve only been in the city for-”

“Three hours?” The doctor, no, Robby supplied. “I noticed Jack and your strings overlapped at around 3ish.”

“Is that why you got off your shift on time?” Jack asked, quirking a brow.

“Yeah, but I was discreet, no one noticed outside of Dana,” Robby replied.

“You mean Dana was the only one to call you out?” Jack said, telling more than asking.

“I-Yeah, no that,” he sighed, running a hand down his face and took a breath, “That’s probably more accurate,”

“What department do you work in?” you asked.

“We both work in the emergency department.” Jack answered, “Attendings.”

You nodded, trying to school your face, as you debated if it was a good idea to tell them now that you’d be in the same hospital for work. You knew as soon as you told them your occupation that it’d click anyway. Their hospital was the closest to this apartment building, and this apartment building was the most affordable option in the immediate vicinity.

“What do you do for work?” Robby asked, segueing away from what, based on their tone, seemed to be a touchy subject.

“Oh, I’m an art therapist.” You answered, “I actually start PMTC on Monday.”

They shared a look that you couldn’t quite nail down. Hopefully it wasn’t anything bad.

“What department will you work in?” Jack asked.

“From what was explained to me, I would be flexing in different departments based on patient needs. Primarily, I’d be in the behavioral unit, inpatient rehabilitation, and pediatrics.” You answered. “While I start on Monday, I’m actually going to be going in tomorrow to get a tour and orientation so that I can hit the ground running on my first official day.”

“Okay,” Jack said, Robby and Jack shared another look, before letting out a breath/sigh. Normally, you wouldn’t pry, but the combination of your nervous mouth and quick observations had you blurting out your conclusion before entirely thinking it through.

“They don’t know about you two being soulmates, do they?” You asked. They shared yet another look, “Okay, you two need to knock it off with the looks.” You sighed, slightly frustrated, “I know we literally just met, and you don’t know me, but I’m not one to judge. I’d appreciate it if you’d let me into what’s going on so we can form a plan and set healthy boundaries.”

“Okay,” Robby replied, while Jack just nodded. Despite your age gap, it seemed like you were on equal footing, that being you were all equally at a loss.

“Are either of you hungry?”  You offered, hoping that a mild distraction would help make the talk go smoother.

“Have you already gone shopping?” Robby asked, confused.

“Oh, no, I just got way too much Thai takeout. I actually got so much to justify not going shopping til I’m unpacked.” You confessed with a laugh. Robby smiled in return, while Jack’s lip twitched, like he wasn’t all the way there yet to commit to fully taking off his mask. You smiled despite that. If your career had taught you anything, it was not to rush it. You could meet him where he’s at, at least for now. They both followed to the kitchen, not straying farther than an arm’s length away. You made quick work of unpacking the food. You were happy you got a soda and water bottles on the side to make packing it tomorrow easier. You heard a faint huff of a laugh behind you as you pulled out the third entrée.

“What?” you asked, giving Jack side-eye,

“Nothing, I just didn’t figure that you’d be feeding yourself and a small army.” He said, a smirk pulling at his lips.

“I may have been a little hungry when I was ordering.” You admitted pulling out an appetizer of dumplings and finally some Thai spring rolls, causing both of them to laugh, “Okay, maybe very hungry.” You said in your defense.

“I can see that,” Jack replied, smirk now fully present.

“Shut up,” you said, before he could comment as you pulled out five sets of plastic cutlery.

“Yes, Ma’am,” he answered, teasingly causing you to now be the flustered one.

“Are you ever gonna put on your shirt?” you said, trying to segue into something less embarrassing.

“Are you?” he shot back, causing you to pause and look down at your outfit.

“I’m wearing a shirt,” you said with a quirked brow, gesturing down at your crop top.

“Yeah, but it’s missing the other 60%,” he responded, taking a seat at your kitchen table, before sliding his shirt on.

You jokingly over dramatically rolled your eyes, before tossing him a water bottle and making a plate for him that he dictated from his spot, leaning his crutches against the table.

“Did you build all of this?” Robby asked, gesturing to your couch, coffee table, and TV.

“Oh, no, I just used a handyman that my friend Cleo knows. He was like half the rate of the guy the building manager suggested. Technically, my move-in date was last weekend, so he was able to assemble all the furniture over the past week, and he also helped me set up the TV and Wi-Fi. Which I’m grateful for because I’m terrible when it comes to tech stuff.” You answered, settling up next to Jack at the table.

“And all the plastic boxes?” Jack asked as Robby sat down across the table from you.

“Oh, since I was moving across the state from Philly, I hired movers. They use reusable boxes as a motivator to unpack everything. You pay a flat rate for two weeks, and then there’s a fine that gets added for every day you’re over. Which I definitely need. I was still finding boxes from the last time I moved when I was packing my apartment up.” You answered.

“Next time we move, you’re in charge,” Robby declared, before taking a large bite of one of the spring rolls. Only to stop mid-bite after realizing the implications of what he just said.

“I-I mean-” he tries to get out around the large bite, causing you to laugh.

“It’s okay, I know what you meant,” you said with a light smile. Jack bumps his shoulder into yours, drawing your attention.

“Next time let him sweat more,” Jack comments with a smirk, “He’s pretty when he blushes.”

“He could’ve choked,” you pointed out as Robby finally swallows his bite and takes a large swig of water.

“Never said he wouldn’t,” Jack paused to take a sip of his own water, “but for the record, he’s equally pretty when he chokes. You’ll never hear me complain about the sounds he makes.”

Robby choked on his water at the implication, causing a whine to pull from his throat, before he started coughing. Jack’s smirk widened. Your face heats up at how casual Jack is with it, especially considering they weren’t even out at work. But then again, you are their soulmate. Normally, you were apprehensive when men cop an attitude like that; it almost always felt like they were overcompensating. But Jack felt different, his personal brand of cockiness seemed earned; like he could back up his smugness in an instant. You wish he’d reel it in, though, as a flourish of warmth sparked in your core. It didn’t help that you were practically touching, to the point that you could feel the heat radiating off of him. You cleared your throat and took a beat to build up the courage to continue your talk, heart palpitating.

“So, does anyone else you know aware that you’re romantic soulmates?” you asked.

“Only Dana and Jack’s therapist,” Robby said, glancing at Jack for confirmation. he nodded in response.

“Whose Dana?” you asked.

“She’s the charge nurse on day shifts.” Robby started, “She’s also our friend, but even if she wasn’t, she’s smart enough to figure it out.”

“Do you both work day shifts?” you asked.

“No, I’m on nights. I just have today off, normally I’m Robby’s relief.” Jack replied.

“Is that on purpose to keep up appearances?” you asked.

“It doesn’t hurt, but I’ve always preferred nights, and he prefers days. If there’s short staffing or an emergency, we normally work together.” Jack explained, and you nodded as you took another bite, trying to process everything to set up the best system. While you still yearned to be close to them, to the extent that Robby across the table from you felt too far, you didn’t want them to out themselves at work if they weren’t ready.

“So, if I’m ever in the emergency department, I should act like I don’t know either of you?” you asked, causing a silent pause to wash over the table. This time, you let go of them, glancing at each other before responding. It was a loaded question. You shifted nervously in your seat at the lack of response, before giving them reassurance.

“I’m okay with it for now if that’s what you’re worried about.” You said, “I just met both of you, but I know the dynamics of working in an environment like an emergency department is crucial to best serve people. Throwing off that rhythm can cost lives. I just want us to nail down a plan now so we’re all on the same page.”

“Jesus,” Robby exhales the breath, a look of admiration on his face as he meets your eyes, “How are you only 33?”

You tilt your head slightly, confusion clear on your face. Prompting Robby to continue.

“I could never dream of being that emotionally intelligent at your age,” he clarified, “Fuck, not to date myself, but with a 13-year head start I only pull that off half the time.”

Jack hummed in agreement, a small absent-minded smile gracing his lips when he looked at you.

“How do you know how old I am?” you asked, confused.

“That’s when the second sting appeared,” Robby answered, before continuing, “I was at temple for Yom Kippur, September 18th, 1991. It felt fitting on the day of atonement to receive another motivation to better myself.”

“It was a Wednesday, around 3, I had just been dismissed from school for the day and was in the locker room changing for football practice. When I held my helmet in my hands, I only had one string, and then after putting it on and adjusting it, I had two.” Jack added, mirroring Robby’s look.

“Oh,” you answered, slightly embarrassed. Of course, since you were the youngest, the strings have always been there for you.

“I’m only two years older than Jack, so I don’t remember a time when his string wasn’t there.” Robby explained, “It makes sense for you not to think about that if they’ve always been standard for you.”

Jack nodded in agreement, but that didn’t help the heart palpitations from your nervousness.

“So,” you said, attempting to get the conversation back on track, “We’re going with the plan that we act like we don’t know each other?”

“Maybe we can go with that, you’re our new neighbor?” Jack said, “It’d be an easy excuse if we wanted to walk you home, or why we know you at a base level.”

“Do they know you two moved in together?” You asked, curious about what was and was not known to the ED.

“They think we just moved in together since we have opposite schedules to save on rent,” Robby explained.

“Oh, so you have two bedrooms set up?” you asked, knowing that your one bedroom on the corner of the building was cheaper than other units.

“Yeah, don’t use it, but it’s there.” Jack nodded.

“Okay.” You nodded to yourself, “So no soulmate talk, other than to Dana if she asks?”

“Yeah,” Robby said. Jack nodded in agreement.

“K, outside of my brother Ben, and my friend Cleo, no one I currently know knows I have 2-strings. My parents ingrained it in me to only say I have 1.” You added.

“You have a brother?” Robby asked.

“Yeah, he’s my twin. He lives in London with my brother-in-law Dante, and their five-month-old son named Atlas.” You clarified. “Do either of you have siblings?”

“No,” Jack answered, before adding, “We both aren’t close to either of our remaining family members.

“I am close with my ex-girlfriend’s son, Jake. Her name is Janey. While we were dating, Jake and I got close to the extent that we agreed it’d be detrimental to him to cut me out when we split. He’s not close with his bio-dad.”

“Oh, so you filled that role?” you asked, with a smile. Robby found himself also smiling in return. Your tone was neutral and judgment-free, and you genuinely wanted to learn about him. Despite the importance of your conversation, talking to you was easy. He knew you were soulmates, but your warmth filled a part of him he wasn’t aware he needed. It was like his heart had expanded more to now be fully filled with the love blossoming in his chest. He hadn’t felt this sensation since meeting Jack. He was only pulled back to reality by the tilt of your head, waiting for a response.

“Y-yeah, I guess I did.” He nodded bashfully. Your smile widened at the blush developing on his face. Jack was right, he was pretty when he blushed.

“Jake’s a good kid,” Jack added. Your heart rate sped up again as he rested his arm on the back of your chair. Not touching, but close enough to satisfy the urge to hold you.

“Are you close with any family outside of Ben?” Jack asked.

“Oh, no, actually Ben and I went no contact almost a decade ago with our parents. They weren’t on board with his ‘lifestyle choices’; they blamed Dante for putting ideas in his head.” You sighed.

“That’s terrible, at least you had each other,” Robby said. Jack nodded, his jaw clenched and unclenched.

“I mean, yeah, it did at first, but in retrospect, we had been dealing with our parents’ discriminatory mindset our whole lives. It was just time to move on. The fucked-up part is that our parents actually expected me to be on their side.” You started, “I mean, I shared an egg with the guy, how could I not love him unconditionally?”

“You shared an egg with him?” Robby asked, confusion clear in his voice as he attempted to process what you were saying.

“Yeah, we’re identical twins.” You clarified, “Ben’s trans.”

A look of realization flashed on both of their faces at your omission.

“So, your parents weren’t okay with him being trans?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, they never cared about our soulmate(s) gender, you can’t control that. But they did believe that Ben being trans was his choice.” You explained, taking a deep breath to quell the negative emotions that began to well up inside you. You were jerked out of your headspace when Robby lightly gripped your hand and began to rub his thumb soothingly over your knuckles. A small smile graced your lips.

“Ben doesn’t care whether or not people know he’s trans. His biggest goal in life was to become a dad. He sacrificed a lot to achieve that. He had some fertility issues, which in turn meant putting off his own comfort of being able to transition. Atlas is the only reason he hasn’t medically transitioned yet. He’s waiting until he’s done weaning to take that step.” You explained.

“He’s lucky he has a sister like you,” Jack said, leaning his weight against your chair, face inches away from yours. Warmth filled your chest at his opinion.

“I think it’s the opposite, you can thank him for giving me the push to move across the state." You spoke.

“Was that the only reason you moved?” Robby asked.

“There were a few factors. I had a bad breakup twoish months ago, but I’ve wanted to get out of the city for longer. I applied for jobs across the northeast; I was actually between a job here and in Boston. I only ended up here because my friend Cleo lives here.” You explained.

“How bad was the breakup?” Jack asked.

“Pretty bad. She had been cheating on me for the majority of our close to two-year relationship, before I caught her and her ‘platonic’ soulmate in the act. Apparently, that’s just a fucked-up routine they have to ‘spice up’ their sex life. On top of that, she rubbed salt in the wound by saying she was only with me out of pity, because I was too old not to have found my soulmate yet.” You answered. Robby’s grip tightened in your hand, and Jack had inadvertently pulled your chair closer, knuckles white from his grip on your chair.

“And what was her name?” Jack asked.

“And address,” Robby tacked on.

“Social security wouldn’t hurt,” Jack said, jaw clenched.

You began to smile thinking they were joking around, until making eye contact with Robby he looked pissed. Your smile dropped.

Oh, they were serious.

“As much as I appreciate the gesture. I’m more of a forgive-but-remember kind of person. I was just happy I found out before I moved in with her.” You started, “I was also glad Ben was in England, he’s always been overprotective. I just want to be done with it, hence moving here.”

Neither of them seemed satisfied with your dismissal.

“When did you guys move in?” you asked, trying to dodge another bomb in this minefield of a conversation.

“Last weekend,” Robby answered, in an attempted neutral tone, his anger still shining through.

“Are you still in the unpacking phase?” you asked.

“No,” a ghost of a smile on Robby’s face, “took Jack two days to build and organize everything. We’re so efficient that we even had our first argument since moving in.”

“What was it about?” you asked.

“Apparently, I can’t fold clothing,” Robby replied.

“I never said you couldn’t fold clothing. Your attempt at crumpling a t-shirt into a ball was spot on.” Jack responded, and Robby rolled his eyes at him.

“You told me to ranger roll it, and it was a ball. I completed the task.” Robby argued.

“What’s a ranger roll?” you asked.

“It’s a folding technique so the clothing takes up the least amount of space. It’s how I fold clothing for my work bag.” Jack explained, “I use the pinch technique for my clothing going into the dresser.”

“What is a pinch technique?” you asked at a loss.

“Exactly,” Robby said exasperated.

“If you get me a shirt, I can show you,” Jack replied.

“K,” you said, standing up, “Do you want a full shirt or a 40%-er”

A small laugh escaped Jack. “Surprise me.”

You walked to your bedroom, unaware of the two sets of eyes locked on you.

“Fuck,” Robby exhaled.

“She’s better than anything I could have dreamt up,” Jack agreed, “She might be too nice though.”

Robby hummed in agreement. Their quick assessment mirrors their speed and accuracy at work.

“We’ll have to keep an eye on that. I don’t know what I’d do if someone tried to take advantage of her.” Jack said, clenching and unclenching his fist.

“I think we both know what would happen if her ex were here,” Robby commented as you reemerged from your bedroom.

“Agreed,” Jack said, turning to face you. You tossed him an oversized T-shirt. He quirked at the size.

“It’s a sleep shirt,” you answered the unasked question.

“So, your shirts are either normal, 150% too big, or only 40% there?” Jack asked.

“For the most part, I got a few that are less than 15%, but they’re just for going out.” You joked. You laughed at Jack's ‘Are you serious’ face.

“So, how do you do a pinch technique?” you asked. You watched him do it a few times before getting it down. You took a seat as Robby attempted and failed to fold the shirt right.

“Is this what older people do for fun?” you joked. Robby immediately dropped the shirt in a heap, ironically his best attempt yet, before snapping his head up.

“Oh, sweetheart, I know you did not just call us old,” Robby said.

“I know you didn’t call me old.” Jack tacked on, while his tone was stern, he had an amused look in his eyes.

“And if I did?” you asked, teasingly.

“I can think of a few ways we could address it; Jack’s got no patience for brats,” Robby said, straightening up from his leaning position over the table.

“Probably let you off with a warning,” Jack started, smug look returning, “Wouldn’t want a good girl like you to be punished while figuring out your boundaries.”

You bit your inner cheek, trying your hardest to school your face, and not give away the warmth rushing to your face. You weren’t sure if it was just being called a good girl or Jack’s tone, but you could feel the spark in your core returning. Before you could respond, a yawn cut through you. Your eyes widened as you took in the time; what had felt like only minutes with your soulmates had been hours.

“Tired?” Robby asked.

“A bit,” you replied sheepishly, covering your mouth as you let out another yawn.

“When do you go in tomorrow?" Jack asked.

“I’m expected at 0700, I was planning on heading out around 0615 in case I get lost.” You explained.

“I can walk you in if you want. Unless I’m called in earlier, I normally start at 0700 too.” Robby offered.

“That’d be great,” you smiled, fatigue from your cross-state drive finally catching up with you, your eyes beginning to droop.

“Not to be presumptuous, but would you like to sleep over at ours?” Robby asked. You waited for a beat as you internally argued whether it’d be too clingy to want that.

“If it’s okay with both of you, I’d love that,” you replied.

“Of course that’s okay, fuck I think we’d both prefer it,” Robby said, glancing at Jack, who nodded.

“I don’t think I’d be able to sleep without having eyes on you,” Jack answered honestly.

“K, I’m just gonna brush my teeth and change clothing.” You said, pushing yourself back from the table. In what felt like seconds, you found yourself standing pensively at the foot of their king-sized bed. Jack was finishing up his nightly routine when you entered the bedroom. Would it be too presumptuous to think you were sharing the bed? Did they want something more, or were you just going to sleep? Before you could fully spiral, Robby interrupted your internal argument.

“Com’ere,” he said, pulling back the covers, “Do you have a side you prefer sleeping on?”

“Um, would it-would it be okay if I were in the middle?” you asked, looking up at Robby. His brown eyes softened, and a smile bloomed on his face.

“Of course, Honey.” He answered, fully folding back the covers so you could slip in. While you were getting situated, Robby stripped down to his boxers and passed Jack as he disappeared into their bathroom. Jack greeted you with a soft smile as he sat down and leaned his crutches in a nook between the bed and his bedside table. He slipped out of his shirt before maneuvering himself under the covers to face you.

“Is this okay?” he asked, his minty breath washing over your face. You nodded in response.

“Baby, when I ask you a question, I want a verbal answer.” He said gently, but firmly.

“Um, yeah,” you nodded, you could feel his eyes rake over you.

“Are you sure?” he asked again, and you broke eye contact.

“Could we cuddle?” you asked nervously. Jack gently cupped your face, forcing eye contact.

“Of course we can cuddle,” he said with a small smile, before pecking your forehead. Still flustered by the whole conversation, you rolled over facing Robby’s side. Jack’s arm snaked around your waist, pulling you back flush against his warm chest.

“Is this alright?” he asked into your ear. His hot breath fanned out onto the back of your neck. You contained a shiver, before nodding your head.

“Yeah,” you answered quickly, forgetting about the expectation he had just told you.

“Good girl,” he whispered into your ear. Causing your breath to hitch, face heating up once more, these men would be the death of you. A smile spread across Robby’s face when he took you and Jack in as he circled around to his side and slid under the covers.

“Is this okay?” he asked, front flush with yours, one of his long arms wrapped around Jack’s waist behind you.

“Yeah,” you replied quietly. You hid your face in his chest, not to give away how okay you were with it.

“Night,” he said, pecking the crown of your head.

“Night,” you and Jack echoed contently.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Thank you so much for taking the time to read ^-^

Very excited to write about the reader's first time in the Pitt in the next chapter. I'm hyped for them to meet Dana. Hope you're doing well wherever you're at 💛

I will have a master list for this blog made tomorrow, I just need to sleep first lol

Chapter 3 Part I: here

Back To Chapter 1: here

[callikari]

──────── 💼 WE HUG NOW, LACY

。i have a feeling u got everything u wanted, and ur not wasting time stuck here like me.

... 沉在允 x fem!reader 🥂 angst 。 jake is an idol, reader isn't .. 4200 wc (·•᷄‎ࡇ•᷅ ) emotional neglect , implied cheating , no comfort , mentions of social media

【 more like this 🌙 】

• part 2 | ceilings

you used to love tour season.

it was the time he was his most alive—posting little updates from different cities, rambling in excitement over every performance, voice cracking from rehearsals, face glowing under stage lights. and you? you were always there, in the background. the one he texted after every stage. the one he called when the hotel room got too quiet.

you’d wrap yourself up in his voice like a blanket, whispering goodnights across time zones, promising to wait just a little longer.

“i miss you,” he would say.

but somewhere along the way, that stopped.

and you can’t remember when the shift happened—when the texts started getting shorter, when the replies took hours, then days. when your name stopped showing up in the small ways it used to: no more blurry selfies captioned “missing someone.” no more late-night facetime calls where he asked about your day before venting about his.

he became busy. too busy.

and you told yourself it was okay. he was on a world tour, after all. things were hectic. he had a million things pulling at him from all directions—staff, rehearsals, fans. you were just… one of them.

but it didn’t stop the ache. the coldness that crept in when your messages were left on read. when your good mornings went unanswered. when his instagram stories showed him laughing with people you didn’t know, in places you’d never been invited to.

and then came her.

lacy.

that wasn’t her real name, of course. but it was the only one your brain allowed you to give her—the only way to put a label on the ghost haunting the corners of jake’s life.

a new member of le sserafim. a recent addition. pretty, popular, and everywhere he was.

you first saw them together in a fan edit.

at first, it was just the usual nonsense. stan twitter being delulu again. “they looked at each other for 0.2 seconds!!! they’re definitely dating!!!”

you rolled your eyes, laughed it off.

but then the videos kept coming. then pictures. then interviews, where their names were brought up together just a little too often. jake smiling when hers was mentioned. her giggling at something he whispered during an awards show.

you wanted to trust him. god, you wanted to.

but the silence kept growing. and so did the disappointment.

you tried asking him about it once.

he was in paris. you were sitting in your apartment, curled up in the hoodie he left behind last winter.

“have you been… hanging out with someone new?” you asked, careful, quiet.

there was a pause. static on the other end.

“you mean the new le sserafim member?” he chuckled, and you flinched at how easily he said her name. “we’re labelmates, babe. we see each other all the time. nothing’s going on.”

“okay,” you whispered.

he didn’t say i love you that night.

you started seeing her everywhere after that. maybe she was always there and you were just now noticing. in the background of tour vlogs. tagged in stories. always two steps behind jake. always smiling.

and the worst part?

she was beautiful.

no, not just beautiful—she was unreal. effortless. the kind of girl who floats through a room and makes people stop mid-sentence. skin like porcelain. eyes that held galaxies. every photo of her looked like it had been dipped in gold.

you hated how she made you feel. how every scroll through your feed left you questioning your worth. how you started avoiding mirrors. how you downloaded and deleted every editing app on your phone just to blur out the imperfections you used to never notice.

she became the person you couldn’t stop thinking about.

not jake. her.

how could he look at you, and then look at her?

it was raining the night you found out.

you were on your way home from work, drenched, exhausted, heart heavy. you hadn’t heard from jake in two days. your last text—“call me when you can? miss you.”—was still unread.

you stopped by a corner café, phone in one hand, umbrella dripping rainwater onto your shoes.

and then you saw it.

a blurry photo on some gossip page. not even a dispatch post. just grainy enough to make you hope it was fake.

“rumors spark as jake of enhypen is spotted leaving a parisian hotel with le sserafim’s newest member. insiders say the two have been ‘close’ for months.”

your heart dropped.

you stared at the image—him in a black cap, hand on the small of her back. her leaning into him, soft smile, like she belonged there.

like you never did.

you didn’t cry. not at first. just sat there, blinking at the screen, watching as the rain painted streaks across the glass window.

your phone buzzed.

it was jake.

finally.

you answered, voice already cracking.

“hey,” he said, breathless like he’d just been running. “you okay?”

you didn’t know how to respond. your throat felt tight. your hands shook.

“you’re with her,” you said.

silence.

then a sigh. “look… i was going to tell you. i swear, i just didn’t know how—”

click.

you hung up.

days passed.

then weeks.

he tried to call. once. then twice. you never answered. there was nothing left to say.

your room still smelled like him. your playlists still had songs he sent you. your hoodie still held his warmth.

but you were done waiting.

done shrinking yourself to fit into the corners of his life.

because lacy might be everything you weren’t—perfect, polished, adored—but she didn’t have you.

your loyalty. your patience. your quiet love that wrapped around jake even when he didn’t deserve it.

you weren’t lacy.

and for the first time in a long time, you were okay with that.

维维安的 taglist : @ash-engen @cheruphic @jungwonbropls @chrrific @ijustreallylike2read

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