𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫.

tripp    swallows    hard    ,    throat    tight    with    everything    he’s    been    too    much    of    a    coward    to    say    before    .    he    doesn’t    look    away    this    time    ,    doesn’t    scoff    ,    doesn’t    throw    up    his    hands    and    act    like    this    isn’t    terrifying    —    because    it    is    .    it    always    has    been    .    ❛     ——    you    think    i    don’t    see    you    ?     ❜    his    voice    is    quiet    ,    raw    ,    but    steady    ,    ❛     ——    i    see    you    ,    yasmin    .    i    always    have    .     ❜    his    breath    hitches    ,    but    he    doesn’t    pull    back    .    ❛     ——    so    ,    if    you’re    choosing    me    ,    then    let    me    fucking    prove    i’m    worth    it    .     ❜

for a second , yasmin searches his face for any cracks in resolve . there's a fear in her eyes — fear of another almost , worry of him slipping through her fingers , scared of being alone . " and i see you . " she echoes him , voice layered with some affection and some frustration too . because she always has . " you were always worth it , tripp . even if you don't believe it . so much so that i'm terrified of losing you . " but there's hope now that he finally meets her halfway . " then prove it . not by pushing me away when it gets hard or scary or uncomfortable , " she says softly but firmly . " you prove it by staying , by choosing me too . "

angelo    watches    her    ,    the    way    her    breath    stutters    and    her    hands    tremble    as    she    wipes    away    the    tears    she    doesn’t    want    him    to    see    .    and    god    ,    he    hates    this    —    hates    that    his    love    had    ever    become    something    she    had    to    grieve    .    his    jaw    clenches    ,    fingers    curling    at    his    sides    ,    useless    in    the    face    of    something    he    can’t    fix    .    because    what    is    there    to    say    ?    that    he’s    sorry    ?    that    he    regrets    it    ?    she    knows    that    already    .    she    has    to    .    ❛     ——    i    wanted    to    ,     ❜    he    says    finally    ,    voice    quieter    now    ,    like    anything    louder    might    shatter    the  fragile    moment    between    them    .    ❛     ——    i    wanted    to    fight    for    you    so    badly    ,    trinity    .    but    i    convinced    myself    that    letting    you    go    was    the    best    thing    i    could    do    for    you    .     ❜    his    laugh    is    bitter    ,    barely    even    that    ,    ❛     ——    turns    out    ,    all    i    did    was    hurt    us    both    .     ❜    the    admission    sits    heavy    in    the    air    ,    between    them    the    weight    of    everything    left    unsaid    .    he    exhales    sharply    ,    gaze    dipping    to    the    ground    before    finding    her    again    ,    drinking    her    in    like    she’s    something    he’ll    never    be    allowed    to    touch    again    .    ❛     ——    i    never    stopped    wanting    you    ,     ❜    he    admits    ,    ❛     ——    even    when    i    tried    .     ❜

her lips part briefly , but nothing comes out . just a shaky breath as her blurry gaze finally lands on him again . all those months spent hating him for making that choice , thinking she was the only one left broken . but staring at him now , identifying the guilt written across his face , the heaviness in his posture , trinity realizes she was never grieving alone . the truth finds a home deep in her chest , aching and familiar , like pressing against a bruise that hadn't fully healed yet . for a second , she can't breath around it , can't speak around the pain of knowing they both suffered for a choice neither of them truly wanted . " you know the worst part ? i couldn't help but wonder if i were different , maybe you would've stayed . " then she tried so hard to hate him for leaving , but it only made her miss him more . " angelo . . . " his name leaves her lips softly , trembling at the edges . emotion caught underneath each word . " you were never something i needed saving from . " more tears fall free before she can stop it . eyes still heavy with hurt and love in equal measure . but she doesn't look away this time . instead , she takes a small step closer , enough to feel the gravity of him , enough that the gap between them suddenly feels unbearable . " then show me , " she whispers . " fight for me , for us now . "

ezra    exhales    a    quiet    chuckle    ,    shaking    his    head    like    he    can’t    quite    believe    her    .    or    maybe    just    this    moment    .    ❛     ——    ditch    the    party    ?     ❜    he    echoes    ,    letting    the    words    hang    between    them    ,    weighing    them    against    the    reality    of    the    night    .    the    music    hums    in    the    background    ,    the    chatter    of    people    he’ll    never    bother    to    remember    buzzing    like    static    around    them    .    but    it’s    all    faded    ,    softened    to    a    murmur    beneath    the    clarity    of    her    gaze    .    she’s    looking    at    him    like    she    already    knows    he’ll    say    yes    .    and    maybe    that's    what    makes    him    hesitate    .    nova    is    warmth    ,    a    language    he’s    never    been    fluent    in    ,    a    feeling    he’s    only    ever    studied    from    a    distance    .    she    carries    light    like    it    belongs    to    her    ,    and    ezra    isn’t    fully    convinced    it    doesn’t    .    he    watches    her    for    a    second    longer    than    he    should    ,    trying    to    commit    this    moment    to    memory    —    the    tilt    of    her    head    ,    the    anticipation    sparking    in    her    gaze    ,    the    unspoken    promise    in    the    way    she    leans    towards    him    .    and    then    he    exhales    —    light    ,    easy    ,    surrender    .    ❛     ——    and    here    i    was    ,    thinking    i’d    get    to    bask    in    my    first    night    as    one    of    the    cool   kids    ,     ❜    he    clicks    his    tongue    ,    before    finally    setting    his    glass    down    ,    ❛     ——    but    since    you’re    so    desperate    to    get    me    alone    .    .    .     ❜    his    lips    curve    ,    teasing    ,    but    it    doesn’t    quite    hide    the    the    truth    buried    beneath    it    —    that    he    wants    to  go    with    her    .    ezra    has    spent    his    life    bracing    for    the    cold    ,    learning    not    to    miss    what    he’s    never    had    .    but    nova    is    sunlight    in    bitter    winter    —    rare    ,    golden    ,    impossible    not    to    reach    for    .    and    so    ,    against    his    every    instinct    —    he    stands    .    ❛     ——    lead    the    way    ,    california    .    let’s    see    where    this    night    takes    us    .     ❜

nova laughs softly , the sound warm and bright like sunlight skipping across water . " is that too much excitement for one night ? " perhaps its the drink humming gently in her veins , her natural wonder , or it's just him that makes the whole room suddenly feel a little lighter . he's all sharp edges wrapped in quiet charm , but she recognizes the hesitation . and unlike ezra , curiosity moves the girl before hesitation ever has the chance to catch up . it always has . adventure lives in nova the way tides live in the ocean — constant , restless , chasing whatever glimmers beyond the horizon . and for reasons she can't quite explain , she trusts this very specific moment . " no pressure . you're more than welcome to stay and be cool , and brooding , and mysterious . " her smile curves , sweet and unhurried , as a hint of warmth appears on her cheeks . she watches him carefully , waiting for the polite refusal , the practiced smile , the perfectly worded exit that keeps everything safely surface level . but when he stands instead , her expression lights up , unable to hide the little spark of victory that flickers across her face . a reaction that's entirely her . she slides off the barstool in one fluid motion , landing lightly on her feet . the party continues around them , muffled , irrelevant , already receding . she starts toward the door without waiting long , fingers brushing briefly against his sleeve as she passes — a fleeting touch to make sure he's following . " come on , new york . " the nickname slips out easily , like it belongs there . " try to keep up , " she teases , glancing back at him over her shoulder .

she’s    close    now    ,    barely    any    space    between    them    ,    close    enough    to    feel    the    warmth    of    him    ,    the    heat    of    his    body    searing    through    her    thin    layer    of    resolve    .    her    breathing    is    unsteady    ,    shallow    ,    everything    inside    her    fighting    the    gravity    pulling    her    toward    him    .    her    gaze    drops    —    to    his    lips    ,    to    the    space    where    her    life    ends    and    another    could    begin    .    she    could    kiss    him    .    she    wants    to    kiss    him    .    but    if    she    does    ,    she’ll    never    stop    .    her    breath    hitches    ,    and    for    one    unbearable    ,    endless    second    ,    she    sways    forward    .    and  then    —    she    catches    herself    .    a    sharp    inhale    .    a    step    back    .    a    clean    break    .    or    at    least    ,    the    illusion    of    one    .

he exhales deeply . no sight of the composure he arrived with . the confession doesn't feel like a relief , more like freefalling off of a cliff . it's like a bomb waiting to detonate . his heart races when she steps closer , and he can't help but wonder why the universe is torturing him . he wants to lunge forward and kiss her . his fingers twitch with the urge to reach out once again , to wipe the tears from her cheeks . but he just waits . the ways he always waits for her , in every room , in every reality before she ultimately pulls away . and he's reminded that being near drew is its own sadistic kind of punishment . " it doesn't matter anyway . nothing i say is going to change anything . you want me to pretend as if everything's normal ? that's not going to make me love you any less . i can't stand here and lie to your face if that's what it takes to keep you in my life . "  makes  myles feel  like  shit  for  even  saying it aloud ,   how  badly  he  wants  to  say  fuck  it  and  keep  her  no  matter what . even though she was never his to begin with .

bonnie    hums    ,    letting    the    words    settle    in    her    chest    like    something    warm    ,    something    safe    .    her    fingers    tighten    around    nala’s    just    a    little    ,    as    if    to    anchor    herself    in    the    moment    ,    to    make    sure    it’s    real    .    she    leans    in    ,    nose    brushing    against    nala’s    cheek    before    pressing    a    lingering    kiss    just    below    her    ear    ,    voice    dropping    to    something    playful    ,    something    only    for    them    .    ❛     ——    forever’s    a    long    time    ,     ❜     she    muses    ,    though    there’s    no    doubt    in    her    tone    ,    no    hesitation    in    the    way    she    speaks    .     ❛     ——    guess    we    should    make    it    official    then    ,    huh    ?     ❜    she    pulls    back    just    enough    to    meet    the    femme’s    gaze    ,    searching    for    even    the    smallest    flicker    of    resistance    .    but    all    she    sees    is    the    same    thing    she’s    always    found    in    brown    optics    —    something    bonnie    could    spend    a    lifetime    getting    lost    in    .    corners    of    her    mouth    quirk    up    ,    but    there’s    no    teasing    in    the    next    words    ,    no    hesitation    ,    just    bonnie    speaking    the    truth    as    it    settles    on    her    tongue    .    ❛     ——    let’s    get    married    ,     ❜    she    says    ,    simple    ,    plain    ,    easy    ,    like    it’s    the    most    natural    thing    in    the    world    .    and    to    her    ,    it    is    .    ❛     ——    no    big    fuss    ,    no    waiting    —    just    you    ,    me    ,    and    forever    .     ❜

" not long enough , " she counters , finding solace in her touch . a simple gift remnant of their beginnings . a thumb brushes against bonnie's knuckles , silently grounding herself before the next three words nearly steal her breath ; they've been building forever in pieces — in late night conversations , in the way they reach for each other without thinking , in every almost that refused to stay unfinished . she gazes back at the femme , as if committing the moment to memory . she has searched these eyes before , but there's no question in them . no doubt . just an unspoken certainty between the two . it doesn't feel sudden or reckless . it feels like they've finally come back to one another . " — let's get married then , " she says softly with a quiet fondness behind her smile . because the answer is almost as easy as loving her . leaning in , she closes the gap between them with a kiss that feels too tender for someone who usually keeps her heart locked up so tight . when she pulls back , it's only far enough to rest their foreheads together . " i'd love to do forever with you . "

khalil    nods    before    he    even    realizes    he’s    doing    it    ,    ❛     ——    yeah    ,     ❜    but    his    fingers    twitch    where    they    rest    against    his    thigh    ,    and    his    jaw    tenses    for    a    split    second    before    he    forces    it    to    relax    .    he    should    stop    there    ,    should    leave    it    at    yes    ,    at    something    final    .    but    kendall’s    looking    at    him    like    she    always    has    —    like    she    knows    him    ,    like    she    sees    straight    through    every    neatly    crafted    answer    ,    every    lie    he’s    tried    to    tell    himself    .    in    response    he    shrugs    ,    eyes    flickering    somewhere    past    her    ,    ❛     ——    it’s    just    .    .    .    different    now    ,    you    know    ?     ❜    he    laughs    half    -    heartedly    ,    one    that    barely    reaches    his    chest    ,    ❛     ——    .    .    .    but    different    doesn’t    mean    bad    .     ❜    the    words    sit    between    them    ,    flimsy    and    unconvincing    .    ❛     ——    what    about    you    ?     ❜    he    finally    meets    her    gaze    ,    something    unreadable    flickering    behind    his    eyes    ,    ❛     ——    are    you    happy    ?    ❜

of course kendall recognizes the twitch in his fingers , the tension in his jaw the way she always does . she notices everything , but she doesn't say the quiet part out loud . " then that's all that matters . " instead , her lips curve into a small , practiced smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes . " different , " she repeats slowly as though the words feel fragile . a subtle flicker of envy crosses her face before its buried . " like you said , we're not in high school anymore . people change . you've changed . so if it's different now , that's a good sign . " she offers a quick nod , lingering gaze dropping to her hands . but when the question is returned , it catches kendall off guard . she pauses to force her smile to widen a fraction . " — yeah , i am . i'm in a good place . " it almost sounds convincing like she's not grieving something , someone that was never hers to begin with .

❛     ——    you     can     walk     hazel    .     ❜     he     murmurs     ,     voice     deceptively     soft     ,     ❛     ——    but     we     both     know     you’re     not     leaving     me     behind    .     ❜

as beau steps closer , the room seems to shrink with him . instinctually , she leans in , like feelings haven't caught up with reality yet . a humorless laugh escapes her that is brittle , splintering around the edges . " you want to stand here and psychoanalyze me ? " a breath catches in her throat , but that doesn't stop her ; eyes stiffen , glassy but defiant . the femme lifts her chin even though hands start to tremble at her sides . " you don't know me like you think you do , sweetheart . " but he does know her —  all the messy , paranoid , damaged parts . she hates him . she hates herself for trusting him . and more importantly , she hates that her heart's still breaking instead of hardening . she swallows thickly before finally saying , " no , i hate you 'cause you're insane and a fucking coward . " a flicker of something colder slips under her ribs — fear . suddenly , it overpowers her anger . when she moves , it's abrupt . a sharp step back that turns into two , then three until the distance feels like oxygen flooding her lungs . her body makes a decision before her mind could , desperate for the exit .

xavier    exhales    sharply    ,    stripping    the    moment    of    its    weight    ,    ❛     ——    dense    ?    no    ,    zo    .    i    just    know    how    to    take    a    win    when    i    see    one    .     ❜    his    gaze    drags    over    her    ,    a    blade    sharpened    just    for    this    ,    cutting    clean    through    whatever    softness    still    lingers    between    them    .    ❛     ——    you    were    a    game    .    a    good    one    .    kept    me    entertained    longer    than    i    expected    .     ❜    he    steps    in    ,    heat    radiating    off    him    l    a    dying    star    ,    pulling    everything    in    before    it    collapses    .    ❛     ——    but    don’t    act    like    i    forced    you    into    this    .    you    wanted    it    .    you    wanted    me    .    you    made    it    too    fucking    easy    .     ❜    his    lips    curl    ,    something    jagged    ,    something    cruel    ,    because    if    he    doesn’t    gut    her    first    ,    she’ll    be    the    one    to    do    it    ,    ❛     ——    the    bet    was    worth    it    .    you    ?    not    so    much    .     ❜   

zoelie sees through it . she sees his facade , how desperate he is to prove something . her eyes narrow slightly , jaw clenched in anger when focusing on his condescending grin . her entire frame tenses , buzzing with disbelief , as he continues to goad her . and it makes her stomach turn . a hollow laugh spills from her lips . " you're more of a loser than i thought . " hearing this face to face doesn't lessen the blow , doesn't make her feel any less shitty for giving him any of her time . her hand flies before she can register the motion . an open palm finds his cheek . it strikes across his face , brutal and vicious and satisfying . her palm stings but a sense of triumph swells within her . " — fuck you , xavier !  don't act like i'm just some girl that's fucking obsessed with you . "

❛     ——    it’s    funny    how    you    always    remember    ,    and    we’ve    both    done    it    a    hundred    times    before    ,    it’s    funny    how    i    still    forgot    .    it    would    be    a    hundred    times    easier    if    we    were    young    again    .     ❜

he's quiet for a moment . a quiet he's known for . he exhales slowly , like he's been holding onto something for longer than one simple conversation , longer than tonight . " i never forgot a single thing about you . " it's the truth , stripped of all the academic armor . he finally looks at her , no deflection , no footnote . then he makes a sound - low . almost a laugh but not quite . " i keep thinking about that . we would've done this back then without a care in the world . "

adonis    doesn’t    flinch    ,    doesn’t    look    at    the    body    ,    doesn’t    look    at    the    blood    soaking    into    the    ground    ,    claiming    its    place    like    it    always    belonged    .    his    focus    stays    on    her    —    simone    ,    trembling    ,    unraveling    ,    still    gripping    at    the    edges    of    the    life    she    thought    she    had    .   ❛     ——    hey    ,     ❜    he    steps    closer    ,    hands    finding    her    wrists    ,    tethering    her    to    something    solid    ,    ❛     ——    look    at    me    .     ❜    her    pulse    thrums    beneath    his    fingers    ,    a    trapped    bird    beating    against    its    cage    .    he    remembers    it    slower    ,    remembers    it    softer    ,    remembers    it    pressed    against    his    own    years    ago    .    ❛     ——    you’re    not    thinking    straight    ,     ❜    he    whispers    ,    shifting    her    so    the    wreckage    is    behind    her    ,    as    if    turning    her    away    from    it    could    erase    it    altogether    .    ❛     ——    breathe    ,    simone    .    i    told    you    i’d    handle    it    .    that    hasn’t    changed    .     ❜    his    thumb    skims    along    her    wrist    ,    a    fleeting    touch    ,    before    he    lets    go    .    rolls    his    shoulders    like    shaking    off    the    weight    of    a    routine    task    ,    maybe    that’s    all    this    should    be    ,    maybe    that’s    all    this    is    .    ❛     ——    but    we    can’t    have    you    falling    apart    on    me    just    yet    ,     ❜    he    exhales    ,    finally    casing    a    glance    at    the    body    before    his    gaze    tracks    back    —    down    to    her    lips    ,    then    back    up    ,    something    unreadable    flickering    behind    his    eyes    .    something    that    looks    a    lot    like    devotion    .    ❛     ——    you    gonna    be    okay    ,    or    do    i    have    to    carry    you    out    of    here    too    ?     ❜

she hears him , feels him — the gravity of his presence — but eyes betray her . because there lies her husband . not just the body on the ground , the blood , the ruin — but the memory of him , coming undone frame by frame . her stomach turns in knots ; grief , sharp and humiliating , settling beneath her ribs . simone swallows thickly , chest tight and eyes glassy , as he turns her away from the damage . she blinks once , twice , bringing the world into focus . then she forces herself to look at adonis and it hurts in entirely different way . " i'm sorry , " she breathes . not sure if she's talking to him , her late husband , or herself . " i know you will . i just . . . i need a second . " even after all this time , he still keeps her steady like an anchor . it feels familiar — back when the world was smaller , when danger wore a different face , when he was just adonis . she exhales shakily , finally noting brief touch that vanishes too soon . she shifts her weight , as if to pause for balance , for nothing at all . " i'm fine . " an automatic response — a reflex polished and perfected . the words snag on delivery but don't falter , at least not completely . and neither does she . clearing her throat , her lips press together firmly , jaw tightening as resolve fills in the cracks . " i'm not falling apart here , " she adds , almost defiant . " i can walk . "

I was planning to make a comeback but my step dad just passed away, leaving me with the responsibility of myself and my two younger brothers. I don’t know when or if I’ll come back. if you have my discord, just message me there although I doubt I will answer anytime soon.

I was planning to make a comeback but my step dad just passed away, leaving me with the responsibility of myself and my two younger brothers. I don’t know when or if I’ll come back. if you have my discord, just message me there although I doubt I will answer anytime soon.

I was planning to make a comeback but my step dad just passed away, leaving me with the responsibility of myself and my two younger brothers. I don’t know when or if I’ll come back. if you have my discord, just message me there although I doubt I will answer anytime soon.