Kirstin Maldonado / April 7, 2026

         was almost embarrassed at the thoughts that raced through her brain as of late, innocent flirtation quickly turning into something that blonde couldn't exactly understand. male had clouded her thoughts for weeks . . tiptoeing a risky line, as if the two would be committing a crime if the line was blurred & shy comments shifted towards real actions. ❛ i need you to be honest with me. ❜ pulls him to the side, gaze looking upwards at tall frame, ❛ is it all in my head? am i the biggest idiot in the world? ❜

archie    blinks    as if    she's    just    said    something    that    completely    rearranged    the    air    around    them,    hand    coming    up    to    rub    the    back    of    his    neck;    a    nervous    habit    he    doesn't    quite    realize    he    has.    for    a    second,    he    just    looks    at    her    like    he's    trying    to    figure    out    how    honest    he's    allowed    to    be.    " hey,    no,    don't, "    a    soft    huff    of    a    laugh    slips    out,    not    at    her,    just…    overwhelmed.    " you're    not    —    you're    not    an    idiot. "    he    shifts    his    weight,    glancing    away    briefly    before    his    eyes    find    hers    again,    steadier    this    time,    even    if    there's    still    something    careful    in    it.    " i    just… "    he    trails,    exhales,    then    tries    again,    quieter.    " i    didn't    think    it    was,  ...   fair,    i    guess,    to    assume    it    wasn't    just    me. "    a    small,    crooked    smile,    almost    shy.    " but    no,    it's    not    in    your    head. "

         strangers hands gripped his shoulders as if they'd known him for years, an attempt to catch his attention clear in the way their body shaped into his. unfortunately for the other, elijah's mind was filled with distraction — gaze searching & landing on her, the flirtatious scene that played before him, and while male had no right to form jealousy between veins, was all that encompassed him as dark eyes shielded over the two, ❛ huh? yeah — yeah, i'm listening. ❜

she    clocks    it    immediately;    the    distraction,    the    way    his    attention    fractures    mid - sentence,    the    way    his    eyes    keep    dragging    back    to    her.    it’s    almost    funny,    if    she    didn't    already    know    exactly    what    that    look    means    on    him.    she    lets    the    conversation    she's    in    linger    just    a    second    longer    than    necessary,    and    lets    the    hand    on    her    arm    stay.    not    because    she's    interested,    because    she's    watching.    then,    finally,    she    extricates    herself    with    a    murmured    excuse,    stepping    away    like    it's    effortless,    like    none    of    it    mattered.    because    it    didn't.    by    the    time    she    reaches    elijah,    her    expression    is    already    set;    cool,    sharp,    just    short    of    amused.    " you    look    busy, "    she    says,    gaze    flicking    pointedly    to    the    person    still    half - draped    over    him    before    returning    to    his    face.    " try    to    keep    up,    yeah ? "    her    head    tilts    slightly,    voice    dropping    just    enough    to    carry.    " or    are    you    gonna    keep    staring    every    time    someone    touches    me ? "

Laura Harrier