always like, reblog always

trey starts noticing long before anyone else says anything. it's not because you're particularly obvious about your struggles. if anything, you've become frighteningly good at hiding them. every time someone asks how you're doing, you have a joke ready. every time a conversation drifts too close to your own feelings, you redirect it somewhere safer. most people laugh and move on. trey doesn't. the more time he spends around you, the more he realizes that you never talk about yourself unless absolutely necessary. you'll sit for hours listening to someone else's problems, offering advice, reassurance, and support without hesitation, yet the moment anyone tries to return the favor, you're suddenly making a joke or changing the subject. at first he lets it slide. then the overblots keep happening. one after another. crisis after crisis. somehow you're always there to help pick up the pieces afterward. eventually trey begins to wonder when exactly you've had time to process any of it yourself.

Trey Clover

the conversation happens on an otherwise ordinary afternoon in heartslabyul's kitchen. you're sitting at the counter while he works on a batch of pastries, casually chatting about classes and dorm drama. the atmosphere is comfortable, familiar. then trey asks how you've been holding up lately. the answer leaves your mouth before you've even thought about it. some ridiculous joke about being mentally stable. something meant to get a laugh. normally it works. this time it doesn't. trey simply looks at you. not annoyed. not angry. just patient. waiting. the silence stretches longer than expected. you instinctively try another joke. then another. none of them land. eventually you stop talking altogether because it's becoming painfully obvious that he isn't going to let you hide behind humor this time. when he finally tells you that you don't have to do that around him, something inside you cracks. not dramatically. just enough. enough for all the exhaustion you've been carrying to suddenly feel impossible to ignore. before you realize what's happening, your eyes sting. then the tears start. trey doesn't make a scene out of it. he simply sets aside what he's doing and pulls you into a hug. the embrace is warm, steady, ankd reassuring in a way that makes crying even harder. for once, someone else is taking care of you.

Jade Leech

jade notices because that's what jade does. he observes. he listens. he remembers. the first time you dodge a personal question with a joke, he finds it amusing. the second time, it's interesting. by the 20th time, it becomes concerning. the pattern is impossible to ignore. whenever conversations become emotionally vulnerable, you immediately retreat behind humor. the jokes are clever. entertaining, even. most people would never question them. jade does. every deflection feels rehearsed, like you're following a script you've been relying on for years. he doesn't confront you immediately. instead, he watches. he notices how tired you look after helping everyone through another crisis. he notices how often you're comforting other people. most importantly, he notices that nobody seems to be comforting you.

one evening, the two of you are walking together when he casually asks how you're doing. instantly, you respond with a joke. he smiles. you continue talking. he doesn't respond. confused, you glance over and find him watching you with an expression that's far too knowing for comfort. when you attempt another joke, he gently points out that you still haven't answered the question. the realization sends a strange feeling through your stomach. you're so used to people accepting the deflections that having someone calmly refuse them feels almost unfair. every attempt to redirect the conversation is met with the same patient persistence. eventually you run out of distractions. the silence that follows is unbearable. then, quietly, you admit that you're tired. the words leave your mouth before you can stop them. once they do, everything else follows. the stress. the fear. the exhaustion. all the emotions you've spent months avoiding come spilling out at once. jade doesn't interrupt. he simply listens. and somehow, being allowed to speak without needing to entertain anyone feels like the greatest relief imaginable.

Floyd Leech

floyd doesn't notice because of your words. he notices because of your energy. usually you're one of the few people capable of keeping up with him. you joke back. you tease him. you react when he decides to cause problems for fun. lately, though, something feels off. the smiles are still there, but they don't reach your eyes the same way they used to. the laughter sounds forced. you're still trying your best to act normal, but floyd can tell the difference. he doesn't know exactly what's wrong. he just knows that something is.

the confrontation is about as subtle as you'd expect from floyd. you're in the middle of another conversation when he suddenly grabs your face. immediately, you protest. he ignores you completely. instead, he squints at you like he's trying to solve a puzzle. when you ask what he's doing, he bluntly informs you that you've been weird lately. naturally, you respond with a joke. he doesn't laugh. you try another. still nothing. then, with complete certainty, he tells you that you're sad. the statement catches you so off guard that you forget to respond. floyd isn't smiling anymore. for once, he's completely serious. the realization hurts more than you expect. you attempt one final joke. your voice shakes halfway through it. he immediately notices. the next thing you know, he's wrapping his arms around you in a crushing hug. it's almost impossible to breathe, but somehow that's exactly what makes you break. the tears arrive all at once. floyd simply holds you tighter and quietly tells you that you don't have to do everything by yourself. hearing those words from someone who saw through you so easily is enough to shatter whatever walls you had left.

Sighhes so ooc mbs y'all I can't write for ts man AUGH..

Azul Ashengrotto

azul recognizes your behavior because it mirrors his own more than he'd like to admit. he knows what it's like to carefully manage how other people perceive you. he knows what it's like to hide insecurities behind confidence and polish. the difference is that while azul eventually learned how to rely on others, you seem determined not to. every time he tries to check on you, you immediately brush the concern aside. every attempt at a serious conversation ends with a joke. at first, he assumes you're simply uncomfortable discussing personal matters. then weeks pass. then months. eventually he realizes you aren't avoiding vulnerability because you dislike it. you're avoiding it because you've convinced yourself you're not allowed to need help.