Donβt Get Too Close β a Jackson Wang Fanfic
Episode 35: βIn This Togetherβ
They were curled up on the studio couch, a playlist humming low and her latest painting drying just a few feet away.
Jackson glanced down at her, her cheek pressed against his chest, fingers absentmindedly tracing shapes on his arm.
βSoβ¦ are we going to keep pretending weβre not something?β
Her head lifted slowly, eyes narrowing just enough.
He gave her that crooked smile.β¨βYou know what I mean.β
She sat up, legs crossed now, eyes searching his. The hesitation that used to live in her chest β the part that kept waiting for the catch β felt quieter today.
βOkay,β she said.β¨βWeβre something.β
βMore than something.β
βA couple?β she offered, slightly smug.
He leaned in, brushing her lips once.β¨βThat.β
That night, he posted a carousel. Just a few slides.
1. A shot of his camera roll β blurry concert lights.
2. A selfie with Mark and some of the guys.
3. A flick of her hand reaching for a paintbrush β just her hand.
4. A photo of a table for two, a hoodie draped over her chair.
5. A candid of her painting, back to the camera.
6. The last slide: a mirror shot. Her in the background, slightly out of focus, smiling at something off-camera.
Just:β¨βLife lately.β
Her post came hours later.
1. A photo of her paint-streaked sneakers.
2. A glass of wine balanced on a sketchbook.
3. A cropped photo β just the corner of his face and his shoulder.
4. Her exhibit flyer on a bulletin board.
5. A hoodie over her chair β again.
6. And finally, a blurry photo of them both in a mirror β hers this time, both of them laughing.
βFeels like a soft launch.β
The internet clocked it immediately.
Fans noticed the overlaps. The matching hoodies. The soft smiles.
The comments?β¨Unhinged.β¨Delighted.β¨Some cautious.
And them?β¨They laughed reading them β curled up again, this time in her bed.
βGuess this is happening,β she whispered.
He kissed her shoulder.β¨βItβs been happening.β
Within hours of their soft-soft launch, fan edits were circulating. A video showing side-by-sides: her hoodie in both posts, the matching paint-smeared sneakers he wore two weeks ago, the same cafΓ© corner from his and her Story.
βJackson Wang dating an artist?β
βWhoβs the mystery girl with the brushstroke smile?β
βThe couple we didnβt know we needed.β
No one had confirmed anything. No statement. No tag. Just vibes.
Theyβd put the pieces together.
Her DMs filled up with new followers, curious eyes. Some sweet. Some weird. Some too deep in her business.
His feed? A circus. Nothing he wasnβt used to.
What she wasnβt used to, though, was the endless Reddit threads dissecting her art like it held all the answers.
βIs this one about him?β
βSheβs way too cool for him tbh.β
βHe looks at her like she hung the damn moon.β
Back in their world, they stayed chill.
Jackson didnβt flinch. He texted her mid-shoot:
She responded with a screenshot of a thirsty comment on his photo.
βIβm fine. But why is someone offering to bear your children under my painting?β
He sent back a voice note.
βTell them to get in line.β
By the time they met up that night β her exhibitβs closing drinks, semi-private β things had settled.
The Bebe girls showed up first, teasing but protective.
βSo, hard-launch adjacent?β
MC shrugged, feigned innocence.
βIf the shoe fitsβ¦β
Lusher leaned in, smirking.
βHeβs lucky. Just donβt let the noise get to you.β
And when Jackson arrived β simple, casual, but unmistakably comfortable in her world β it was easy. He greeted her friends, exchanged inside jokes with Mark, even carried her leftover canvases out at the end of the night.
When a fan outside snapped a pic β her tucked under his arm, both laughing at something dumb β they didnβt flinch.
They didnβt pose either.
End of episode 35 & series
a/n: Thank you so much to everyone who read this story. When I started writing it, I honestly didnβt expect it to get the attention it did. If Iβm being real, this was originally just something I wrote for myself β a place to keep the story somewhere I could easily find and come back to whenever I felt like writing.
Seeing people enjoy it and follow along with the characters was such a nice surprise, and Iβm really grateful to anyone who took the time to read it.
As much as I wanted to keep going, Iβve been feeling a little uninspired with this story lately and have found myself wanting to explore completely different characters and ideas. Rather than forcing it, I think itβs best to end it here.
Thank you again to everyone who read, liked, or just quietly followed along. I really appreciate it more than you know. π€
