#a livewire

AND SCENE!!!!!!!

I wanted to draw the sillier scene first from this chapter before I draw the tragic part 🤭

Stupid little CRT

Okay but like…

Tenna, even back in college, absolutely had game.

Not on purpose — he’s that perfect combination of tall and handsome and charming while still being kind of a nerd, which is exactly the archetype that turns half the student body into thirsty puddles.

And Tenna, who thrives on attention like it’s oxygen, eats up every compliment, every flirt, every little scrap of praise tossed his way.

Which is… where Yin starts to lose their mind.

Anytime they’re out with him — hanging out, grabbing dinner, getting drinks — the second someone approaches Tenna, Yin feels this heat rise in their chest. A sharp, crawling venom threading through their bloodstream.

They don’t know why.

They don’t want to know why.

So they chalk it up to being annoyed, being interrupted, being introverted, whatever makes sense. Anything except the truth.

But then someone takes it just a little too far.

And Tenna — of course — falls right into it.

⸻

They’d gone out for drinks after a brutal day of rehearsals. Tenna was somehow already tipsier than Yin, leaning into them, laughing too loudly, talking about nothing and everything. It was perfect — exactly what they both needed.

Then she sat down.

This gorgeous woman.

Right beside Tenna.

Fine. It’s fine. Totally fine. Yin tells themself that on loop.

Of course Tenna would think she’s pretty. They don’t know why that bothers them — they’re not his type anyway. He’s into women. Yin knows this. Yin reminds themself of this.

But then her hand brushes Tenna’s arm.

And he smiles.

And the flirting starts.

Yin feels that heat surge again — molten, ugly, electric. They try to breathe, sip their drink, keep their voice steady as Tenna’s attention drifts further and further away from them.

They even try to include the woman in the conversation, desperate to keep things normal.

But then they hear it.

Before they see it.

A wet smack.

Yin turns — and there he is.

Their best friend.

Kissing her.

Casually.

Hungrily.

His hand curling around her waist like she belongs there.

Something inside Yin curls up and dies.

They stand abruptly, muttering something that might’ve been an excuse, might’ve been nothing at all. The bar suddenly feels too small, too loud, too suffocating.

Outside, their hands shake as they fumble with a cigarette, anything to steady their breathing — anything to drown out the sound of that kiss, the sight of his fingers gripping someone else like that.

Tenna doesn’t even notice they’re gone.