Danielhowell’s Instagram Story 02/08/2018

ok but this hoe y/n is living her best life in all these fics. can I be her

YOU'RE SO VAIN!

"are you trying to flirting with me?"

"... did i make it too obvious?"

despite being a hopeless romantic, y/n has never truly experienced love in her life. stuffing her face in romance book, or sobbing to rom-com movies were her way of experiencing something she never had. but what happens when she comes across a fiery, blunt boy, whose flirty comments fly straight over her head?

bakugou x fem! reader

uploads every wednesday and friday!

released:

status: ongoing

content: modern high school au, angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, first person pov in reader's perspective, third person pov in bakugou's perspective, ooc bakugou sometimes

playlist | regular pinned

i. who i am

ii. take my hand and drive me head-first

iii. so pretty, it hurts

iv. do i like her? no definitely

v. you're so vain

vi. the way you smile

vii. crazy over you

viii. find yourself

ix. sitting alone

x. you'll never change

xi. alone again

xii. one more night

xiii. won't run away this time

THE END.

TAGLIST [29/50]: @ditsyngel @shibuyablonde @lotusstarr @katsulina @wonubby @kalulakunundrum @tamishadawn @bangersplusmash @erenjaegerswifeee @r9yri @aa-soo @shewki @rednicotine @jaguarthecat @katsuisbaby @snoozebun @h0ngh0ngh0ng @megumismyhusband @jazoewazoe @ac333s @ikissfade @icey-wonders @bakunianadecorazon @marvel-z0mbie @tjbfingfh @d4rlinxs @bokutosmeatythigh @harryzcherry @holobean

©LOOKINGFORURAVITY 2025 | please do not copy, translate, or repost my work onto other platforms!

finger guns 🌻

xD yaa !!! dancenta would be funny too ROFL !!! so random !! (im in pain)

haha reblog if you ship dantesers xD

This was 365 days in the making! What a year, guys.

THAT BOY IS MINE .ᐟ I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY HIM .ᐟ

*+:｡.｡ SUMMARY. yuuta's the shy, unassuming guy in your media and ethics class, the kind of moral and upstanding guy who's never seen the real world before up until coming to college. of course, he latches on to you and your drastically different world. wc: 5.3k

contents. 18+ mdni, yuuta okkotsu x female!reader, smut, porn with a dash of plot, overstimulation, body worship, oral fixation, a lil bit of a corruption kink, edging, unprotected sex, virginity loss (yuuta), praise kink, pet names, hair pulling, reader being a lil unfair, drunk sex

When Yuuta comes, it’s a sight to behold.

His eyes screwed shut, desperate and mindless pleas tumbling off the edge of his lips like a waterfall, begging for release. He can’t help but rock his hips faster into yours, a pace that sends you off to your third orgasm of the night, but you can’t linger on that for too long when Yuuta falls apart like it’s a revelation. Like he loses himself in the sensation of it all, all strangled gasps and whimpers as you praise him through it, giving him something tangible and steady to hold on to.

God, he gets so desperate, drunk off your pussy and doesn’t stop rutting into yours even though the aftershocks of his orgasm send tremors down his spine, completely and utterly spent but unwilling to give up on the high, and you feel so unbelievably warm.

"Can you give me another one, baby? Please?" Your hand's already snaking back down to his swollen, aching cock, a mischievous lilt to your voice. 'Cause you already know what he wants.

You can hardly believe that you only took his virginity just a couple hours ago. 

Yuuta has that baby deer lost in the woods look to him, the kind of moral, upstanding guy that seems to have been sheltered all the way up until college. You remember the first time you saw him, you accidentally mistook him as part of one of the college tour groups, raising a brow when he nervously asked you where the lecture hall for the media and ethics course was.

"I'm so, so sorry, I just—ihavenoideawherei'mgoing—and… and this professor has a ⅕ rating on ratemyprofessor.com and I'm going to be so screwed, how do I—"

He had shaken his phone with his schedule in front of you then, all wide eyes and flushed cheeks, and you could barely conceal the annoyance on your face. Still, you took pity on his poor soul, looking like he was on the brink of bursting into tears. "Yeah, fine, fine, just stop waving your phone in my face. Dude, how did you even get on this side of campus—god, you're hopeless, just follow me."

When Yuuta hesitates to follow you, already three feet away, you turn around with an exasperated look. "You comin' or what?"

"Y–Yes ma'am!" He's stumbling over his words again, embarrassed with the fact that he called you ma'am, thinks that you're definitely going to abandon him there and then, but to his and your surprise, you don't. You merely huff, motioning for him to keep following you. "I mean… sorry, yes, I'm right behind you!"

It's no wonder you walk with such purpose and intent. Wherever you went on campus, people naturally tend to carve out a path for you. It's an observation that does not go unnoticed by him, surprised at the easy way in which students on campus held a quiet respect for you. He thinks can understand why—he believes you're stunning in a way that's almost unfair, sharp eyes appraising him and elevating his heart rate with just a few words.

Can't focus on much else but stare at the way your hips sway from side to side as you march confidently through campus like it's a playground.

Yuuta would find out much, much later that he might've just accidentally fallen onto the devil's lap.

You look over your shoulder to check that he's still following you and you almost burst out chortling at the way he looks, giving you the world's largest puppy dog eyes and hanging on to your every step. He's taller than you, yet his pace barely matches yours. "You sure you're a college student?"

"Y–Yes! Of course!" His words come out quicker than expected, a little bit too defensive. He rubs his neck sheepishly. "I just transferred."

You hum, a small sign of acknowledgement, weaving past a large group of students also hustling to their next class. "So you got a name or what, transfer?"

"Yuuta! Yuuta Okkotsu. And yours?"

You tell him your name, and Yuuta makes a mental note and locks it away for later. He rolls the letters over in his mind until it's permanently engraved into his memory. It's pleasant, it's sweet, and it's you. God, he can't believe he's only just met you and he's already this down bad, like a puppy nipping at its owner's heels, desperate for any crumb of recognition. He seriously needs to pull himself together…

The walk around campus is pleasant enough, if not a bit quiet, as Yuuta struggles to maintain small talk and you struggle to really find a will to care, your steps hurrying just slightly as you glance at the time. You were already running slightly late, and then you picked up the stray rushing behind you.

"Well, here we are. Media and Ethics with Professor Yaga," When you finally arrive at the lecture hall, you whip around to face him, only to find his eyes trained to your ass. Yuuta almost instantly gets flushed, stumbling over his words in an attempt to explain himself. You can vaguely hear him trying to say there was just something, a bug, a stain, whatever, but catching Mr. Goody Two Shoes acting pervy is kind of entertaining. Huh, you wouldn't have expected that. 

Instead of humoring his little excuses as to why he was staring at your ass, you merely wave him off with a small smile. "Okay, weirdo. Just do me a favor and try not to get lost again, yeah?"

"Right! I'll try…" You're already walking away and heading off to your seat before he can finish his sentence. "Not to get lost again."

Gingerly, he finds a spot cramped in between two friends who glare at him as he sits down and he winces, mumbling soft apologies. You're a few rows down, chuckling and goofing around with who he assumes are your friends, a boy with platinum blonde hair and a girl with a blunt, black bob. You settle into a comfortable banter with them, and for a moment, Yuuta appreciates you at your most natural state, all smiles and unfiltered laughter. He can see the column of your throat as you laugh unabashedly, and instinctively, he licks his lips, dry and parched so suddenly.

As if you can feel the weight of his stare, you flip around in your seat to meet his tired, dark blue eyes. Your brow raises and a side of your lips curl, as if challenging him. 

If he was any other guy, a better guy, maybe someone who was more sure of himself, he would've risen to the occasion, meeting your eyes with just as much intensity. The kind of guy who meets you head on, who would have confidently asked for your number earlier, and maybe even a date.

But alas, he was only Yuuta Okkotsu, and Yuuta Okkotsu is unfortunately the kind of guy who goes red from head to toe and buries himself back into the crook of his textbook at the notion of being caught staring so openly. He gets too caught up in his own mind to notice the cheshire-like grin that creeps onto your face, turning back to face the board with something akin to trouble written all over your face.

Maki turns around to glance back at what you were looking at earlier, and sees nothing but an unimpressive ball of white fabric and dark black hair trying desperately to avoid eye contact with your row. She snorts, and you roll your eyes. "Looks like you got a new admirer again."

"Hm, something like that," You think about his wide eyes, like a deer caught in headlights, and it's decided. "Call it my new project."

And you suppose that's where your little cat and mouse game began.

You quickly discover that yours and Yuuta's schedules conveniently align. He's rushing through the doors of your next class almost every time, perpetually late and flustered and embarrassed about barging into whatever classroom or hall and garnering dozens of speculative eyes. And every time, he meets yours somewhere in the crowd, but never fully returns it, just rushes down to a seat and pushes his head down.

Such a shame. He's a pretty boy, and you like the way he goes pink all over. 

Sometimes when lectures get a little too dull, you allow your mind to wander, thinking about how overwhelmed and discomposed Yuuta could become if you just sank down to your knees in front of him, eyes never leaving his as you pull those pants down, give him a little kiss here and there, then leave a hot, wet stripe down the length of him, watch as those hands, those surprisingly strong and veiny hands try to push you down entirely. How delicious he would taste—

This time, it's him who catches you staring, but your mother did not raise a coward. You stare back more openly, bottom lip catching between your teeth and gaze darkening. Just the slightest bit of reactions sends him spiraling, and you delight in the way he seems to get just a little bit lost, his lips parting slightly and leaning in slightly, wanting to close the distance between you despite being several feet apart. 

That's when you break your little staring contest with him, facing back towards the board with barely concealed satisfaction. It's like Yuuta just had a bucket of ice cold water splashed on him then, blinking rapidly and forcing himself to concentrate once again as if nothing ever happened.

After class, you see him fiddling with his waistband at the corner of the hallway, and you crack up.

You know that you're just being so mean, at this point, but when Yuuta hears you, all dazed and feverish, it's worth it. So you get a little bit more bold, a little bit more open with your game. 

Forgoing leggings and sweatpants for jeans and tight, little skirts, shorts that hike up a little bit too far and shows off the expanse of your soft belly when you reach over and hand Inumaki a pencil or a pen, tank tops that should, quite frankly, be outlawed in your city, exposing soft skin and your plush chest. You keep your distance, however, never quite allowing him the satisfaction of going past a few words with you or polite interactions.

Yuuta's a gentleman, even if his eyes betrays his actions. Taking only what you give him, opening doors for you when he sees you coming down the hallway, obeying so sweetly when you ask him to throw your trash away for you, the only times he can drink your full figure in and capture your full attention.

He's different, you realize, from other people you've previously fooled around with. You can see how much he's trying so hard to remain composed, never letting his eyes linger for too long, never once touching you. Other guys would've broken by now, but not your Yuuta. He's a good boy.

You make your move one Friday after lecture, and it's a familiar dance you and him have come to recognize. Yuuta's already at the door waiting to push it open for you and you beam, positively radiant, lips wrapped around a cherry red lollipop. There's a light smack! as you pull it away from your mouth, tongue peeking out just slightly to cherish the taste. 

As always, he's watching intently, as if committing the sight to memory. You absolutely love the idea, of Yuuta making himself cum over and over again at mere thoughts of you. 

To be quite honest, you've spent hours pondering if he's the type to torture himself through it, pulling away just when he's about to finish, chest heaving and panting with need before letting himself cum after a long session, or if he would rather push himself through orgasm after orgasm until he's shedding tears, begging for no one but himself to stop.

"Say, Yuuta, you got any plans for tonight?" The question is anything but innocent, and there's that pink glow that radiates from him once again, surprised at just how open you are. "Don't get any silly ideas. I'm throwing a little party tonight."

You let your tongue swipe across the shimmering head of the lollipop, delighting in the way his Adam's Apple bobs. "You should come."

For a moment, Yuuta doesn't say anything until he realizes he's just been standing there, staring at you slack-jawed. "O–Oh! Yeah, for sure, I can go! Uh… where is it? And when?" Instead of responding to his questions, you grin excitedly, like a shark who's just successfully lured its prey into the belly of the beast. "Perfect! I'll text you the details. See ya later, Yuuta!"

He nods furiously, flabbergasted more than anything, until he realizes he's never given you his number before. "W–Wait! But my number—" Too late, you were already off to your next destination. "I never… gave it to you…?"

His phone buzzes suddenly, startling him and amassing a few stares from passersby. Sure enough, there's an address, a time, and a winky face emoji from you that makes him rub his eyes to make sure that what he was seeing was right. Fuck. If the address was right, he was definitely going to get lost. He still has no idea where left and right were on campus.

Another buzz on his phone with detailed instructions on how to get to your place. Just in case. No excuses, Yuuta, you typed.

God, you were going to be the death of him.

But sure enough, he arrives at the designated place and time (not that you ever had any actual, real doubt that he would show, absolutely not), and is met with a house party at full steam, smoke radiating from some of the windows and a few people alternating through rounds of beer pong. There's some heavy R&B blasting from the basement that thrums through his spine as he tries to navigate his way through the crowd, searching for the illustrious host.

Just when he's about to give up hope, he finds you on a worn leather couch in a room off to the side of the house, surrounded by a haze of smoke and purple neon lights, looking so dangerous and gorgeous that it forces the ability to vocalize his thoughts right out of him. At the same time, you spot him, and it's silence between you two for a second. 

You smirk, and his heart skips several beats.

With one pretty manicured finger, you're gesturing him to the spot next to you. Wordlessly and hopelessly, he follows.

"You made it," He falls down next to you with a plop, sinking down on the leather and sitting so nicely, hands properly situated in his lap. He turns to look at you with a sheepish nod and you laugh, because you don't know what else you should've expected. It's the closest that you've ever been to him, and it's like he's already going into overdrive. "Did you get lost on the way or did you find me okay?"

"It's quite a party," Yuuta's distracted by your shimmering stockings, adorned with glitter and tiny little rhinestones. He normally loves when you're all exposed for him, bare legs crossed during lecture, but he thinks he likes this a lot more. "Your directions were super helpful," he murmurs.

"What ever would you do without me, hm?" You're suddenly so close, he can feel your breaths mingling in the air, and you're looking at him with those dark, dark eyes like you want to devour him. For a split second, your gaze flicks down to where his heart is pounding so loudly in his jugular, and there's another sharp spike between his legs.

It's honestly so unfair, this effect you have on him. Barely even a minute, and you've got him panting at your feet like a dog. 

He inhales and chuckles shakily. "I don't know," I don't want to know. Don't think I can ever stand a day without seeing you, without hearing you, God, please I just want you so bad—He allows himself to be bold, to see if what he's feeling is true, impossibly long lashes drifting to the floor as he lets his next words escape him quietly. "Let's hope I don't find out."

"Hope not," Your smile's all pearly teeth and he can see your canines glinting even in the low lights. The party really gets in full swing all around you, and he can vaguely hear the shallow whoops and screams of his cohort having the time of their lives. "Say, Yuuta, you wanna have some fun?"

It's a blur of bodies and pounding music from that point on, the only times when he really feels lucid is when you're holding onto his hand, taking him from one part of the party to the next with that same, sly smile like you're taking him down the rabbit hole. He doesn't drink that much, intoxicated off of your presence alone, and it's addicting. The rush gets to his head and you convince him to play a round of beer pong with you, relishing in the way you embrace him after he sinks a ball into one of the cups and feeling the shape of your breasts against his chest, hot and sweaty, and he just wants to taste you, wants to lick up your shoulder up to your jaw and wrench beautiful noises out of your pouty lips.

It's a silly, stupid game, shooting balls into cups, but when he wins the game for the two of you, you're looking at him so ecstatically, overjoyed and nearly falling into his lap. "Yuuta, Yuuta, baby, holy shit—didn't think you had it in you. Good job!"

Your praises set something on fire inside him. "I can win another," His voice is hoarse, pleading, and he knows he can win another. "Watch me."

All night, he's glued to your side, fetching drinks for you, holding your purse, winning more and more games just to see you happy, just to hear you praise him a little bit more, harmless words that you don't even know carry so much weight for him.

It's almost 4 AM when the party really starts to wind down, and that buzz of alcohol's just starting to really get you flushed, and you motion to your friends to wrap it up, to get going. But not Yuuta.

Yuuta helps you up the stairs and into your room, and he takes a moment to soak it all in, your room and all of its treasures. It's filled to the brim with mementos, photos, and clutter that's been specifically tailored for your taste, and his head's swimming, overwhelmed from being wrapped up in you. "Yuuta?" Your voice is soft and inviting, looking back at his form by the door as you fiddle with the zipper of your dress. You know you can reach it by yourself, but the tension you've felt all night goes taut, string suspended after months of pushing and pulling, and it makes you bolde, more confident. "Wanna help me?"

"S–Sure, yeah," He murmurs, never quite fully meeting your eyes. His hands work diligently, undoing the zipper, and watching as it descends to your lower back, exposing your spine. "There… there you go."

"Thank you," To his surprise, you shuck the whole fabric entirely, leaving you exposed in just your underwear. His eyes widen, trying to avert his eyes from your figure, but you reach for his hands, willing them to stay at his sides. "It's okay, Yuuta. You can take a look."

Yuuta surges forward in an instant. It starts as a chaste, innocent kiss, fast and spurred by the rush of alcohol and desire in your veins, and in a mere second he's pulling away. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me—"

But you're even faster, pulling him back in by his waist and kissing him deeper, with more ferocity. When you lets him up for air, you see just how much he needs you, how much he wants it, and you sober up rapidly, pushing him up aggressively against the bathroom wall and making him give in.

You may be a little too aggressive, but you can't find it in you to care, when Yuuta's squirming against you, unabashed hands sneaking to grab at the globes of your ass and press himself closer to you. You nip and nibble at his lips, tongue swiping over to soften the blow as your Yuuta slowly loses his mind.

When he gasps, you're probing your tongue into his mouth, hot and filthy, drawing moans out of him when you suck on his bottom lip, exploring him for all his worth. You kiss like you're parched and he's your oasis, unrelenting and unforgiving with the way you wrench him even closer by his hair, and he moans, a depraved and nasty sound that only serves to satisfy you further.

The wall's nice, but your bed's even nicer, grabbing him and forcing him down on the downy mattress to climb up on his lap, rocking into his hardness and dragging your clothed pussy over the rough material of his jeans, never leaving his grasp  only to mutter praises you know he likes. "Mmmmm, Yuuta, you're so—"

You gasp when he pulls you down even further, his hips involuntarily griiiinding you down in a way that sends shivers down your spine. "Don't stop. More, more, more." And who were you to refuse your baby?

Yuuta's so needy and demanding, and his actions are sometimes rapid and unrefined, but he makes up for it with sheer enthusiasm, in disbelief that he's finally got you in this position. You also find out that he's eager to leave marks all over your pristine skin, sucking marks that will surely bloom purple on your collarbone and the highest peaks of your breasts. He's running on instinct, you realize.

He paws at your underwear, desperate to get the flimsy fabric off as you giggle and finally shuck them off your legs. "Slow down, Yuuta!" But he can't pay any mind to that, 'cause in seconds, he's mouthing at your sweet, sweet cunt, until his jaw's drenched, mindlessly flicking his tongue back and forth, finally getting the taste of you imprinted onto his tongue, his body, his mind.

"Such a pretty baby," You coo, a hand coming down to grab at his hair and press him closer to your cunt, sighing delightfully when his nose brushes your pubic bone and his tongue slides up and down, up and down, setting a pace that makes you rock against his face. "So good for me, baby, so sweet. Always takin' care 'f me."

Diligent, obedient, wrapped in the palm of your hand as he eats you out like you're his last meal, and you swear you see the glimmer of tears in his eyes. "God, you taste so good, holy shit—" obscene, graphic words that you would've never imagined Yuuta saying.

Your back arches when he forces you to grind even closer down the bottom of his face, thighs wrapped securely around his head and nails scratching at your ass, intensifying the feeling of falling down this slippery slope with him. There's lewd sounds all around you and it's all you can hear, eyes closed shut as you soak the bedsheets underneath you.

Yuuta's tongue scrapes against your clit and you jolt, helpless whines tumbling out as he takes note, wraps his lips around the bundle of muscles and sucks, harshly and unforgivingly. There's stars behind your eyes, and you're gripping onto the sheets, waiting for that string to snap and it does—cursing and mouth parting in a silent scream.

It takes a second for you to become lucid again, but you come back to awareness with Yuuta still licking off your juices, hot tongue lazily cleaning you off so generously and with so much care, a thumb stroking the smooth skin of your thigh, like he didn't just make you ascend to heaven a few minutes before. 

He only pulls off of you with a slight push, and he looks up at you like you've just deprived him of oxygen. Yuuta's sprawled over your pink comforters so innocently and you lick your lips, eyeing his jeans with desire. "Mind if I return the favor, Yuuta?"

When he doesn't answer, you ask again. "Yuuta?"

"I'm sorry, I've never—I've never done that before," It's that familiar flush again, painting a brilliant blush onto his cheeks.  "Or any of this before, really, um—I got a little… excited, I'm sorry." Oh. Well, that's a first. "But–But give me a second! I can go again, I swear, I promise, it just takes me a little bit of time—" "Yuuta," You reach forward to cup his face, and he slumps onto your touch so easily, inky blue eyes encircled with exhaustion going softer at your touch. Slowly, you drag yourself back onto his lap, excitement rushing through you at the prospect of taking every single one of his firsts. Hell, you'll wait all week if you have to. "I can wait. We've got until sunrise, yeah?"

To pass the time, you strip off the rest of his clothes and lay him down on the bed, content to just lick and nibble at the milky expanse of his neck, captivated by his soft sighs and little whines. Something stirs you to play with his nipples, pinching and squeezing the bud until Yuuta's breathless, begging you to stop and keep going at the same time. "Hm, you like that?"

"Y–Yes! Don't stop," He whimpers when the pad of your finger swipes across the sensitive skin, hips raising to the air. "Don't stop, please, please, I need it, I need—"

"Needy, needy, needy," You tut, but you keep going anyway, and you feel dizzy from the amount of power he's just placed on your hands. "What do you think about putting some clamps on these, huh? Maybe for next time. Think you'd look so pretty, don't you think?"

You lick a soft, velvety stripe up his neck to nibble on the outer lobe of his ear, thrilled with the way he gasps, leaning further into your touch. "Just picture it. Some sparkly little clamps on these, while I jerk you off nice and slow, force you to feel it all. Pulling away just when you reach the edge. Think you might actually lose your mind." Your laugh is piercing, and he gets hard once again at the thought of being completely and utterly at your mercy. "You ready for round two, Yuuta?"

He's at a loss of words, only able to nod uselessly and watch as you climb back on top of him, groaning when he feels to heat of your pussy on top of his cock, ramrod hard again and already leaking pre-cum. He swallows the lump of his throat, unable to tear his eyes away, but he regains his sanity for a moment. "C–Condom?"

"Nah, Yuuta, we don't need it," You giggle, aligning the angry and red, leaking tip of him to your entrance, rubbing it around sloppily to lubricate yourself with his and your juices. You moan quietly at the sensation, trying to regain your composure. "I'm on the pill and I'm clean. Besides, you're a virgin, right?"

"Uh…Uh–huh," Yuuta can't stop looking at where you're almost connected, mesmerized. "You're my first." Your grin gets even wider. He was putty in your hands, he would do anything if you asked him to.

"Hm, 'f you play your cards right, maybe I can be your last," You see the glint of hope in his eyes just before you sink down, delighted with the way his lips fall slightly open, heart beat elevating. The stretch is harder than you expected, groaning lowly as you force yourself to descend fully down until you meet his pelvis, resisting the urge to start bouncing right then and there, not when Yuuta looks fully ready to combust. "Y–You alright? Heh, lookin' a bit pale."

You're a bit nervous, yourself, but you're not gonna admit that and betray this nonchalant image you've curated. When you move even slightly, hips readjusting for your comfort, Yuuta squirms. Patience, patience. You huff. He's big. "Give… give me a second to adjust. I'm—mmmf!"

Yuuta can't help it, he can't stop the way he pounds up into you and causes you to yelp, desperate to feel your velvety walls clench around him. He looks at you with restraint that's very quickly fading. "S–Sorry! nghhh—" He grabs onto your hips, subjecting you to another brutal thrust that wrenches helpless moans from you in turn. "I'm—I need, just let me—"

"I'll be good, promise, swear, fuck, just need to fuck you so bad!"

He's babbling even as he starts fucking up into you with a renewed vigor, the picture of depravity, eyes rolling back as he takes his pleasure for his own. You're on top, and yet he's the one controlling the pace, veiny hands forcing you to meet every single one of his thrusts as if you were nothing more than a doll. "Oh god, oh god, oh god, feels so good!"

Your second orgasm of the night surprises you with a jolt, tongue lolling out and lost in an orgasm-fueled haze, and Yuuta's capturing your mouth with his, tasting you, drinking in your moans and mindless pleas. How the tables have turned, boneless in his lap now, as he keeps murmuring praises for you. 

And yet, he doesn't stop. He's insatiable, you realize. You've unlocked a complete fucking monster, a monster that keeps fucking you through your orgasm.

"Ugggh, Yuutaaaaa—" You don't even know what you're begging for at this point, tears involuntarily pulling at the corners of your eyes. It just feels so good. Your previous partners have never made you feel this good, to the point that your toes are cooling and there's a string of drool connecting the two of you together. Yuuta pays you no mind, eyes closed shut as he chases his own high.

His pace grows ragged and uncontrolled, and his voice is hoarse, murmuring wanton pleas that makes you ache with need. Your beautiful, beautiful boy. "Can I cum? Oh please, let me cum, fuck, going to be s'good for you, mmm, 'll fuck you every day, be your last," He moans, low and long, like he can barely contain himself any longer. "Let me cum, please."

"Yes, yes, yes, cum for me, Yuuta, mmf! Mm—let me see you fall apart, cum inside me," Your words are what brings him over the edge, and he's collapsing into your touch, nothing but your name and your pretty face carrying him through.

When he slowly returns to lucidity, it's a familiar sight as he encounters your devilish smile. "Can you give me another one, baby? Please?"

Sunlight's streaming through the window by the time you get through with him, true to your word, fucking him every which way until you've lost track of time. He's so eager to learn, so eager to memorize every way to pleasure you, until he's nothing but a boneless heap on your bed, reduced to soft moans and whimpers.

The air's thick with sex and your sheets are soaked, but it doesn't matter, not when the prettiest boy in the world's panting and heaving, in a daze after cumming over and over and over. It fills you with a sweet sense of satisfaction, and you're not even close to being done.

You'll take care of him for now, wash off the musky headiness of sex and all your juices, press innocent kisses on all the marks you've left, shower him with praise and comforting words, let him rest for a bit, but it's only Saturday.

By the time you're done with him, you'll truly be the only thing left on his mind.

© ROSESAINTS ᐟ — do not repost, translate, plagiarise or claim any of my works as your own. requests are OPEN .ᐟ

where?

hey so protip if you have abusive parents and need to get around the house as quietly as possible, stay close to furniture and other heavy stuff because the floor is settled there and it’s less likely to creak

𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐛 ─ ⊹ ⊱ ☆ ⊰ ⊹ ─ 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬

★ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: it's your senior year at the aerospace academy, and over the course of nine months, your connection with caleb shifts from mere classmates and acquaintances to something deeper. but there's one problem—the girl he loves back home.

★ 𝐜𝐰/𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: first person pov, non-mc reader, feminine implied reader, some connections to caleb’s 4-star tender moments, angst/hurt + no comfort, kinda long but fast paced

★ 𝐰𝐜: 11.1k

★ 𝐚/𝐧: longest fic i've written yet, go me woot woot :p i wanted to write heartbreak so here it is. pls do not have your therapist bill me, thx! anyways when caleb goes, ‘i wont get a girlfriend’ in stage observer, he sounds kinda down, right? yeah imagine hes thinking about you (the reader) in this as he says that LOL. okay, (try to) enjoy lovelies!! <3

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝!

I never believed I’d let something like this happen to me. 

Yet it crept in quietly, the way all irreversible things do. A shift so subtle I almost missed it, until I was already too deep to turn back.

It was in the lingering glances, in the way the air felt charged in the spaces between us. In the laughter that came too easily, the silences that felt safe, the moments that stretched just a little too long. It was in the way he looked at me; like maybe, for a second, he saw something more.

But love, if you can call it that, isn’t always kind. Sometimes, it’s a quiet war. A battle between logic and longing, between what’s real and what’s only ever been wishful thinking. And when the person you want is still holding onto someone else, someone they can’t seem to let go of, where does that leave you?

I swore I’d keep my balance; though gravity has a mind of its own.

August-

It was breezy, as are most August days in Skyhaven. Fumbling my fingers through my hair, desperately trying to comb through any loose strands from the wind, I tried to make myself look somewhat presentable for my first day of classes. It was senior year, and I wanted to make the most of it for once, as it felt like the past few years had been me barely passing by. 

I sat down in the lecture hall, music blaring through my headphones as I fidgeted nervously with the pen in my hand. It wasn’t long before a figure sat next to me in my peripheral, and I internally groaned.

‘You have this whole ass lecture hall with so many empty seats in this row, and you sit right next to me. Dick.’ I thought to myself.

Seeing the person tap on my desk, I glanced over to notice it was Caleb.

We had crossed paths before, orbiting the same social circles through mutual friends. Our interactions had been fleeting, exchanged pleasantries at gatherings or brief moments of conversation that never really dug beneath the surface.

His lips moved as he spoke but I didn’t hear a word he said over the sound of my music. I pulled one of the speakers off my ear, “What?”

“Well first I said ‘hey, what's up?’, then told you I’m glad to know someone in this class.” Caleb smiled, “But then I realized you weren’t listening.”

His grin was infectious. Then again, everything about him was. Caleb was a campus favorite, and for good reason; his effortless charm and magnetic charisma drew everyone in, leaving them captivated.

I smiled back, “I would’ve listened, I just couldn’t hear you.”

“Shoulda tapped you sooner then.”

We talked as more people trickled in, and conversation with him flowed effortlessly. He was almost unfairly likable, the kind of person who won people over without even trying, it was no wonder he had everyone wrapped around his finger.

“Yeah, I failed this class the first time around, so if I want to graduate this spring, I have to finally retake it,” Caleb sighed, shaking his head. “The Caleb failed a class? No way…” Gasping, I clutched my chest in mock shock. “I had no idea you were even capable of failure, Mr. Perfect.”

His lips twitched into a smile at the nickname, but his eyes betrayed him. He shrugged, “Well, I can do it this time around.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I totally didn’t realize I needed this credit.” I poked his hand resting on his desk with my pen, “We’re in this together.”

The professor was about halfway through the syllabus when Caleb started writing on my notebook. 

Do you have class after this?

I looked over at him, mouthing “No”. Not for a few hours, I wrote back. 

Hangout with me after this then

And that’s how I ended up sitting in the quad with Caleb, with the itchy grass prickling my legs and a sweating can of soda in my hand beneath the warm August sun. Yet Caleb’s presence was still warmer; my cheeks and stomach hurt from laughter, and every giggle of mine only fueled the fire of his jokes. 

As the laughter died down, Caleb leaned back on his hands, squinting up at the sky. “Man, I forgot how nice it is to just sit around like this on campus. No deadlines yet, no stress… just kinda existing.”

I took a sip of my soda, nudging his knee with mine. “You make it sound like you’re constantly suffering.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “I mean, maybe a little. Gotta keep up the ‘Mr. Perfect’ image, right?”

I tilted my head, studying him. For a second, he looked almost… tired. Like there was more he wanted to say but wasn’t sure how.

“You know you don’t have to be perfect all the time, right?” I said, softer now. “You’re allowed to mess up. You’re allowed to breathe.”

He glanced at me, something flickering in his eyes—surprise, maybe. Or relief. Then, just as quickly, his signature grin returned. “Good to know I’ve got my personal cheerleader.”

I rolled my eyes, but my smile gave me away. “More like your reality check.”

“Even better.” He bumped his shoulder against mine, before laying down on the ground. The sunlight hit his eyes just right, making them glimmer like polished amethyst. With his brown hair tousled against the grass and his shirt riding up just enough to reveal a hint of skin, it wasn’t hard to see why all the girls fawned over him. When it came to looks, Caleb really did live up to the whole Mr. Perfect thing.

“What about you?” Caleb glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “What’s your kryptonite?”

I raised a brow. “Come again?”

He smirked. “Your weakness. What takes you down every time?”

I pretended to think it over, then shot him a cheeky grin. “Probably failure.”

Caleb let out a soft laugh, propping his head up on his elbow. “Alright, I’m sensing some hypocrisy here.”

“It’s not hypocrisy,” I defended, shrugging. “I just fail to take my own advice.”

He tapped his chin, feigning deep thought. “Mm, no, that just makes you a hypocrite. But hey, at least you’re self-aware, Miss perfect.”

Something between us just clicked, that unspoken feeling when you know you’re going to get along with someone. Nothing about our conversation felt forced, it unfolded with an ease that caught us both off guard. I don’t think either of us saw this coming, but somehow, it just made sense.

And so it continued; messing around with Caleb in class, then hanging out in the quad afterward. Our dynamic quickly shifted from casual acquaintances to good friends as our connection bled beyond the classroom. The progression was almost rapid; natural, but undeniable.

Conversations with him came naturally, filled with dry humor, shared ambition, and the kind of unspoken understanding that made being around each other feel easy. We started saving seats for each other without thinking, sharing notes even when we both knew we hadn’t written anything useful, and lingering just a little longer after class, stretching out the moments before we had to part ways.

Afternoons in the quad turned into grabbing coffee, which turned into late-night study sessions that often had more laughing than actual studying. It wasn’t just that we got along; we started to seek each other out, gravitating toward one another like it was the most natural thing in the world. 

It wasn’t just about sharing space; it was about the way we easily fit into each other’s lives like we had always been meant to.

I found myself opening up in ways I never had before, trusting Caleb with thoughts I usually kept locked away. And in return, he let me see past the carefully constructed walls he had built. 

I learned a lot about Caleb in our time spent together; I learned about his dreams and aspirations, his worries and fears, his home back in Linkon and how much of it still clung to him.

And her.

I learned about her.

MC; the kind of nickname all the cool girls had, lifted from their initials like it had always belonged to them. She was innocent, pretty, just the right balance of book-smart and blissfully unaware. The kind of girl who never had to try too hard because the world seemed to bend in her favor. She was perfect in that way, and maybe that’s why Caleb felt like he had to be perfect, too.

She had been his childhood friend, raised alongside him by his gran, their lives tangled together like roots beneath the same old house.

“She’s your sister?” I had asked, unsure of the dynamic.

Caleb hesitated, something unreadable flickering across his face. “No,” he said finally, his voice careful. “Not really. We just grew up together.”

She was everything to him, the quiet force that shaped him in ways he probably didn’t even realize. Everything he did, every careful step he took, was in her image. And suddenly, it all made sense.

The way Caleb kept people at arm’s length, the reason he didn’t have many real friends at the Academy. It wasn't because he didn’t want them, it was because a part of him was still anchored somewhere else; belonged to someone else.

Once, we had sat on the steps outside one of the buildings, his elbows on his knees, staring out at nothing in particular.

“You never really let people in.” I looked over at him, my statement coming out of nowhere.

He let out a short breath, almost a laugh, but there was no humor in it. “Was it that obvious?”

“I didn’t get it back then. Thought maybe you just had too many friends to be really close with any of them.”

He was quiet for a moment, then shook his head. “It wasn’t that,” he admitted. “I just… I already had MC. Growing up the way we did, it was always just us. I guess I never really learned how to need anyone else.”

I glanced at him, but his eyes stayed on the horizon, lost in something I couldn’t see.

“You still do that, you know,” I said. “Keep people just enough away.”

He swallowed hard, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Some habits don’t go away easy.”

“So why am I an exception?”

Caleb exhaled slowly, rubbing his hands together. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “Maybe because you didn’t try to push your way in. You just… stayed.”

I frowned. “That’s it?”

He shook his head, a small, almost self-conscious smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “No. It’s more than that.” He glanced at me then, something raw in his eyes. “You just understand the way I think, and nobody has before.”

A silence stretched between us, thick with things neither of us knew how to say.

“You make it sound like some big thing,” I murmured. “Like I did something special.”

He tilted his head slightly, considering me. “Maybe you did.”

His words awakened something in me, an ache settling in my chest. A quiet, gnawing feeling that signaled the start of an internal war; one I never really meant to step into, but quickly became hard to ignore. A silent competition I didn’t sign up for, but suddenly felt compelled to win. 

It wasn’t against MC, not even Caleb himself.

But against the undeniable truth that no matter how close we got, I may never be the one he chooses.

September-

I barely notice the shift at first; the way August hands things off to September, smooth and effortless, like they’ve done this a million times before. Like they were always meant to meet. It feels familiar in a way I can’t explain, like stepping into a conversation that’s already halfway finished but somehow still knowing exactly what’s being said. 

Things with Caleb had settled into a familiar rhythm. On campus, we were either together or in class, our days stitched together by shared moments. Being with him was refreshing, like the first warm breeze after a long winter, a quiet promise that brighter days were ahead. Silence with him was never awkward; it was understood. He always seemed to know what I was thinking, what I meant to say, even when I didn’t say it aloud.

I’d known Caleb for a while, but the way we grew close so quickly felt natural, like we’d been moving toward this all along. It was as if there had always been a space in my mind shaped just for him, waiting for the right moment for him to step in.

The cloudy sky above turned dark with the impending storm coming, but in a rush to meet Caleb, I had hardly noticed until I was halfway to his dorm. Cursing to myself, I silently tried to manifest the rain would hold off until I got back to my own dorm later. 

It was movie day; every Friday afternoon after Caleb and I finished with our classes for the day we would have lunch and watch a movie. He was on hosting duty this week, and his dorm was on the other side of campus. If I got caught in this rain, I’d still have a bit of a walk in the storm before I arrived. 

Almost as if laughing at me, the sky cracked with lightning and thunder rumbled, and I heard the pouring of rain before I felt it.

“Shit!” I picked up the pace, my sneakers splashing through puddles forming on the sidewalks as I started to run. Thunder booming in the sky, I mentally prepared to get struck by lightning and hoped I would be eaten by the campus birds before anyone found my body. 

Trying to take a shortcut through the grass was the worst decision I could have made, as I wasn’t even two feet from the sidewalk before I slipped, landing on my back and getting waterboarded by the sky. “Argh!” I screeched, tears of frustration welling in the corners of my eyes. I sat up, glaring at the students staring at me as they passed by with their umbrellas. 

My whole body was drenched by the time I was outside of Caleb’s; my hair, jeans, and sweater caked with mud (and probably a few stray leaves). 

Making my way upstairs, my cheeks were pink from the cold and embarrassment as everyone in the building looked at me with confusion as my clothes and hair dripped all over the floor. 

Caleb swung the door open before I could knock, something he’d do as he watched for me through the peephole in his door. Looking me up and down, the corners of his mouth twitched upward as he coughed, stifling a laugh.

He leaned against his door frame, “What happened here?”

“Shut up.” I pushed past him, annoyed but a bit guilty as I continued to drip all over his floor.

“You look like a sad wet cat,” Caleb patted my wet hair, frowning when he saw I was shivering, “a cold, sad wet cat.”

He started to rummage around the room, going through his drawers and closet, pulling out clothes. Tossing them at me, he pointed to the bathroom, “Go shower, I don’t want you all soppin’ wet on my stuff.”

I glanced at the clothes he handed me; hoodie, sweatpants…his boxers? 

“Um, Caleb-”

He shook his head, “It’s only weird if you make it weird.”

Pursing my lips together I nodded, heading into the bathroom. I called out to him, “Caleb, do you have a towel?” 

“Just use the one in there.”

Okay, we were close, but I wasn’t aware we had crossed into this land.

Peeling my clothes from my body, I threw them into a pile in the corner. I nearly moaned when the hot water hit my skin, and basked in the feeling for a bit. I stared at Caleb’s shampoo and body wash, conflicted on if I should actually use them or just try to rinse myself off the best I could.

Feeling the mud and tangles in my hair, I accepted defeat.

By the time I was done, clad in Caleb’s warm clothes with every inch of me smelling like him, it felt like he was smothering me. Like I was enveloped in one of his bear hugs.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and I felt my heart jump a bit. There was something about wearing a boy’s clothes as is, but Caleb’s clothes? 

A bit ago, I had felt the shift before I could name it. 

It’s in the way my eyes flick to my phone more often than before, in the way my chest tightens, just a little, when his name lights up my screen. It’s in the way my pulse stirs when I spot him at our usual spot in the library, twirling a pen between his fingers like he’s been waiting for me. Like he knew I’d show up (and he always did). 

And maybe that’s what unsettles me the most, not just that I notice these things, but that a part of me already expects them. Like I’ve been pavloved.

It was ignorable at first, but it’s become this nagging feeling at the back of my mind. A tugging at my heart. It’s annoying, like a mosquito buzzing in my ear that’s too quick for me to smack it away.

The feeling that I didn’t want to just be friends anymore.

Coming out of the bathroom, Caleb was already sitting on the floor in front of his bed with two cups of tea and food, and my mouth watered when I saw he made my favorite.

He smiled at me, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “You look pretty good in those.”

Heat crept up my neck, and I let out a nervous laugh. “You’re just saying that because I look like you.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Caleb nodded toward the bathroom. “Your hair’s still wet. Grab the towel.”

“It’s fine,” I shrugged. “It’s not that bad.”

He raised an eyebrow, arms crossing over his chest. “You already got caught in the rain once. Stay damp any longer, and you’ll catch a cold.” Then, with a cheeky grin, he added, “And I can’t be left alone in class. That’d be tragic.”

Rolling my eyes, I turned on my heel, grabbed the towel, and tossed it at him. “Right, of course. That’s all I am to you, entertainment in class.”

“For sure,” he said smoothly, catching the towel with ease. “Now sit.”

I sat beside him, reaching for the towel, but before I could take it, his hands found my shoulders, gently turning me away. I barely had time to protest before he took the towel himself, carefully running it through my damp hair.

“Caleb, I can do it myself—” I started, trying to shift back, but his grip was steady.

“Shush,” he murmured. “Let me help.”

I could have argued, but the warmth of his touch, the slow, deliberate way he moved, made it impossible to resist. My shoulders relaxed as he worked, the soft scratch of the towel against my scalp lulling me into stillness. Silence settled between us, easy and unspoken, the only sound the steady rhythm of rain tapping against the window. It was peaceful, grounding. For a moment, I let myself sink into it, let myself be cared for.

Before long Caleb tugged on a strand of my hair, “Okay, done.”

“Thank you” I pinched his cheek, his lips curved upwards and his eyes went soft.

“Now, what should we watch?”

“Nothing crazy, I don’t think my brain can function right now after today.”

Caleb laughed, flicking through the movies, before settling on some random cartoon. I sighed dramatically when I took a bite of the food he made, “Caleb, you’ve outdone yourself yet again.”

He looked at me mischievously before stealing a bite, and I punched his shoulder, “You have your own!”

His phone lit up and I saw the name, looking away as he picked it up to respond to the incoming texts.

MC.

A wedge of jealousy crept up my throat. It was our movie time, and here she was, almost on cue.

I always listen—really listen—when he talks about her. About how much she means to him, how she’s one of the only constants in his life. And it stings, sharper than I expect, because I want to be that constant. I don’t say it, of course. Instead, I throw myself deeper into the friendship, as if proving my place will make it true.

I laugh at his jokes a little too hard. Memorize the way he takes his coffee without meaning to. Notice the small things that make him tick, the way his expression shifts when he’s lost in thought, the songs he hums under his breath.

The internal competition I created against her wasn’t intentional, but once I noticed it, everything about it became hard to unsee.

He sets his phone down just as quickly as he picked it up, shooting me an apologetic look. “Sorry, MC just had a question about something.”

‘That stupid question could’ve waited’, I think, irritation curling in my chest. But I shove it down, nudging his shoulder with a forced smile. “S’alright. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, all good.” He settles back into the movie, but I barely hear it now. The feeling of her lingers, clinging to the space between us, and I try to shake it off.

His presence beside me soothes the sting, like a bandage over a wound, and I start to loosen up, letting my head rest against the bed. The warmth of his clothes, the comfort of a full stomach, the quiet rhythm of rain against the window; it all starts to pull me under, drowsiness settling into my bones. My eyelids grow heavy, and I barely register the way Caleb shifts beside me.

“Sleepy?” His voice is soft, almost amused.

I peek one eye open, managing a lazy smile. “A bit.”

Without a word, he moves closer, wrapping an arm around the back of my neck. His hand finds the side of my head, cradling it gently as he guides me to rest against his shoulder. The touch is careful, deliberate, something more than our usual play punches and casual grabs in a crowd. This is different. More intimate.

For a moment, I forgot about the competition. Because my head fits perfectly in the crook of his neck, and the slow, absentminded way his fingers trace shapes on my shoulder feels so easy, so natural. He watches the TV like this is nothing new, like having me this close is just the way things are meant to be. And for the first time I let myself believe, just for a second, that maybe he feels the same way about me too.

October-

There's a charge in the air alongside the change in leaves, a quiet pull I feel every time Caleb leans in a little too close or looks at me like I’m the only person in the room.

But then, there’s her.

She’s not here, but she is. Always lingering in the pauses between sentences, in the spaces Caleb leaves open without realizing it. She’s in the way his face softens when he says her name, in the light that sparks behind his eyes when he talks about her. And I hate how it makes me feel; petty, ridiculous, like I’ve stumbled into a battle I was never meant to fight.

I just can’t shake it.

Because lately, there’s been something else. An even bigger shift, subtle, but impossible to ignore. The way his hand lingers a beat too long when he passes me something, like he’s reluctant to let go. The way his gaze finds me, even in a crowded room, like I’m the only person worth looking at. The late-night texts, filled with thoughts that could have waited but never do.

Maybe I’m imagining it. Maybe I’m just reading too much into things, seeing what I want to see. But a part of me, deep down, knows he feels this too.

My phone began to ring as I was getting ready for the Senior Gala the Academy holds every year for those graduating in the spring. 

“Yes?” I already know who it is without looking.

Caleb’s voice drifts through the speaker, soft and warm. “Are you almost ready, honey?” The pet name catches me off guard, a shy smile pulling at my lips before I can stop it. He’d started using it recently, and I hadn’t dared to question it out of the fear it would stop.

He was my date tonight (as friends of course), and I was running a little behind.

“I still have to finish my makeup, do my hair, and put on my dress,” I groaned in frustration, “I’m sorry Caleb, I’m trying to go as fast as I can.”

He laughs sweetly, “Well, I’m almost there. I can help you out.”

“Help me…?”

“Yep, Captain Caleb is gonna be there to save the night. See you soon!”

The phone clicks before I can respond, and not a moment later, Caleb is strolling through my door like he owns the place. 

I turned to face him, and my breath caught in my throat. His suit was a deep navy that matched my dress, the rich fabric adorned with his pilot and aviator pins. His hair, tousled yet intentional, framed a face that always felt like home. Caleb stood there composed, sharp but still him; and there was something about the way the badges gleamed against his chest that nearly brought me to my knees.

His gaze sweeps over my desk, taking in the chaos of makeup scattered around, before pausing on my curling iron.

“Is this plugged in?” He picks it up, inspecting it.

“Caleb, you are not putting that anywhere near my head.” I instinctively flinch as he reaches for a lock of my hair.

But he’s quick, his hand firmly grasping the top of my head, holding it still. “I always helped MC with her hair. I know my way around a curling iron.”

The words land harder than he meant, and I can’t help but squint at him, a frown tugging at my lips. He misreads it, thinking I’m questioning him, and gives me a serious look.

“Trust me here.”

I let the assumption hang in the air, letting him believe my discontent is just doubt. I sigh, giving in, “Alright, but if you make me look bad for my Senior Gala, I will hate you forever.”

He starts to section my hair and I raise my brows in approval, ‘Okay, yeah,’ I think, ‘Maybe he does have this’.

Caleb’s touch is gentle as I apply my mascara and lipstick, careful not to mess me up, his hands steady as he moves around me. It doesn’t take long before he pulls back, setting the curling iron down as I finish up with the last touches of my makeup.

“We make a pretty good team, don’t we?” His hands rest on my shoulders as he leans down, chin lightly resting on the top of my head, both of us watching our reflection in the mirror.

I tilt my head, inspecting my hair with a playful smile, running my fingers through a few strands. “I suppose you did an okay job.”

He pinches the bridge of my nose, a mock scowl crossing his face. Laughing, I stand up, reaching for my dress hanging in the closet.

I headed to the bathroom, “I’ll be out in a sec.”

I slipped the dress on, the blue silk molding to my body, the delicate sleeves draping off my shoulders. It was beautiful, I was beautiful; but as I caught my reflection, doubt crept in. Would I look out of place next to Caleb? He was all polished perfection, and I was just… me. Not bad, but not him.

She would look perfect beside him.

‘No.’ I straightened my shoulders. ‘I’m Caleb’s date tonight, not her. He could have asked her, but he didn’t. He chose me. It’s just us.’

Fumbling with the zipper, I let out a frustrated breath before finally pulling the door open. “Caleb, can you help me with this?”

His head snapped up, eyes widening as a flush crept up his cheeks. “Of course.”

Caleb stepped forward, hesitating for just a moment before his fingers brushed against my back. His touch was warm, a stark contrast to the cool fabric clinging to my skin. Gently, he gathered the dress, his knuckles ghosting along my spine as he found the zipper.

I held my breath.

Slowly, he pulled it up, the quiet sound of the zipper filling the space between us. With each inch, his fingertips lingered, tracing the curve of my back, sending shivers down my arms. My skin felt hypersensitive, like every nerve was tuned to him and him alone.

When he reached the top, he didn’t step away. Instead, his fingers grazed the nape of my neck, adjusting the fabric, smoothing it into place. His breath was warm against my shoulder, his voice barely above a whisper.

“There,” he murmured. “Perfect.”

I turned slightly, just enough to catch his gaze. His eyes flickered down to my lips, then back up, as if caught in some silent battle with himself. The air between us was thick, charged, pulling me toward him.

“Thank you,” I said softly, my voice barely steady.

His hand lingered for just a second longer before he finally let go, stepping back, but not too far. Not far at all.

I turned around slowly, my heart pounding as I met his gaze. His eyes traced the length of me, starting at the hem of my dress and lingering as they traveled upward, taking in every detail before finally meeting mine.

Caleb swallowed, his lips parting slightly as if he had something to say but couldn’t quite find the words. Then, as if shaken from a spell, he smiled—soft, almost bashful.

“You look beautiful.”

His voice was quiet, reverent, like he wasn’t just saying it, but feeling it. Like the words weren’t enough to capture what he saw.

Warmth spread through me, creeping up my neck, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. I’d spent so much time wondering if I looked right beside him, if I fit; but now, standing here, bathed in the glow of his gaze, I didn’t feel out of place.

I felt chosen.

“Hold your compliments until you’ve seen the whole look,” I teased, holding up a finger to silence him. “I still need to put on my shoes and pins.”

Caleb smirked. “Need help with those too?”

I rolled my eyes. “I think I can manage strapping on my own heels and pinning a badge to my dress, thanks.”

“I’m not so sure about that.” He plucked my heels off the dresser, twirling them lazily around his finger, his gaze practically daring me to challenge him.

I huffed but gave in, sinking into my chair. “Fine.”

Caleb knelt in front of me, his fingers warm as they wrapped around my ankle, steady but gentle as if I were something delicate. He slipped the first shoe on, fastening the strap with practiced ease.

“I can do most things myself, y’know,” I muttered, though my voice lacked its usual bite.

“I know.” His fingers lingered against my skin for a fraction too long before he reached for the second shoe. “I just like to be helpful.”

But he still wouldn’t look at me when he said it, and something about the way his voice softened made me think he wasn’t just talking about shoes.

I stood as he finished, reaching for my pins amidst the clutter of my desk and fastening them carefully over my heart. Turning to the mirror, I shifted from side to side, checking every angle, making sure everything was just right.

I glanced back at Caleb. “Are you sure I look okay?”

Without hesitation, he took my hand and lifted it into the air. “Twirl. Let me see.”

I spun for him, the silk of my dress catching the light, and when I turned back, there was something bright in his eyes, something warm, something real.

“You look more than okay,” he said, voice sure with conviction. “I promise.”

I held out my pinky. “Pinky promise?”

He grinned, hooking his finger around mine. “Pinky promise.”

“Lock it,” I reminded him, and he chuckled before pressing his thumb against mine, sealing the deal.

His fingers lingered for a second before he gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “Now come on, we’re definitely going to be late.”

When we arrived at the gala, it didn’t take long for Caleb to be swept away by a group of guys he often talked to. I lingered around, exchanging polite small talk with a few people I still considered friends. I didn’t see them much anymore, as most of my time was spent with Caleb.

“So, are you two dating?” one of the girls asked, tilting her head. “I thought he was seeing that girl from his hometown… What was her name again?”

“MC.” I said, a little too quickly.

“Right, that’s the one.”

I forced a smile. “No, we’re just good friends.”

But even as I said it, my gaze drifted to where he stood, laughing easily with his own friends, his posture loose and carefree. A quiet ache settled in my chest.

I wanted to be next to him.

But then again, I was; just not in the way they all saw. I knew him in moments no one else did, in the quiet spaces between conversations, in the unspoken gestures and late-night confessions.

And for now, that was enough. It had to be.

I excused myself from the conversation, weaving through the crowd until I reached one of the drink tables. Grabbing a glass, I slipped into the quieter halls, letting the hum of conversation and music fade behind me. The walls were lined with grand, extravagant paintings, each one demanding attention. I paused in front of a few, sipping my drink as I took them in, letting my mind settle.

I wasn’t antisocial, I could hold my own in a room full of people, I just needed a break from the carefully choreographed chaos of the ballroom. 

The rhythmic click of shoes against marble echoed through the quiet hallway, followed by a familiar, soft laugh.

“How did I know I’d find you out here?”

I hummed against the rim of my glass. “Maybe because you can read my mind.”

Caleb shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. “Sometimes I wish I could.” Then, extending his hand toward me, he asked, “Dance with me?”

I glanced at his outstretched palm. “Out here?”

He tilted his head playfully. “Well, my possible mind-reading powers tell me you’d rather not go back in there.”

A slow smile spread across my face as I laced my fingers with his. “I think you might be psychic.”

The distant music from the ballroom barely reached us, muffled and softened by the grand halls, but somehow, that only made the moment feel more intimate. Caleb’s hands found my waist, warm and steady, while mine slipped around the back of his neck.

He guided us into a slow, easy rhythm. I rested my head just below his chin, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath the fabric of his suit.

We moved without words; his breath against my hair was the only thing I could focus on, like everything else had paused around us.

The world outside the two of us faded, the grand chandelier lights dimming, the chatter and laughter of the crowd becoming a distant murmur. All that remained was the softness of the moment, our steps in sync, and the quiet, unspoken connection between us.

I could feel his thumb tracing gentle patterns against my back, the touch soft in a way that wasn’t rushed. There was no need to hurry, no need to speak. We simply existed in this space, suspended between the melody and the quiet.

His fingers moved up to brush a lock of hair behind my ear, the gesture tender, almost shy. I looked up at him, and his eyes held mine, reassuring.

“You feel like home,” he murmured, so quietly I almost thought I imagined it.

I didn’t answer. I didn’t need to. Instead, I leaned in a little closer, savoring the rhythm of our slow dance, the feeling of him holding me like this, as if the rest of the world didn’t matter at all.

“Do you want to get out of here?” Caleb tapped my shoulder lightly, pulling away just enough for the space between us to feel suddenly too wide. It wasn’t much, but the shift left a coldness in the air, and I immediately wanted to fall back into him.

“Where are you thinking?” I asked.

He pointed toward the window. “There’s a park across the street. We could go there. Away from all… this.” He gestured vaguely, as if the chaos of the gala was still buzzing around us.

I nodded without hesitation, and soon we found ourselves at the park, sitting on an old, rusty swing set. The contrast was stark; our lavish clothes against the worn, weathered metal, but I didn’t care. My dress snagged on the rust as I sat down, but I was too lost in the quiet to be bothered by it. All I wanted was this moment, the stillness, just the two of us away from everything else.

The night air wrapped around us, cool and still, with only the rhythmic creak of the swings and the occasional whisper of wind through the trees breaking the silence. It felt like we existed in a world separate from everything else, suspended in something fragile, something fleeting.

Caleb leaned back against the chain of his swing, his fingers gripping the metal tightly as he looked at me again. That look—like he could see through me, past all the walls I tried so hard to keep up. My pulse hammered in my chest under his gaze.

“You ever feel like… you don’t know where you stand with someone?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes flickered, something unreadable passing through them. “Yeah,” he said quietly, but with a certainty that made my stomach twist. “All the time.”

For a second, just a fleeting, breathless second; I wondered if he meant me.

I forced a smile, trying to ease the tension hanging between us. I nudged my swing into his, making it sway slightly. “You have a really good sense of self-restraint,” I teased, the words a shield to keep myself from feeling too much. “It’s almost a talent.”

His lips curved, but it was thin, hollow—there was something sad in it. “Is that a bad thing?”

I tilted my head, watching him. “No… well, maybe. Sometimes, I guess. I think you have a habit of depriving yourself of what you really want.”

Caleb looked down, his boot dragging against the dirt beneath him. “What if I can’t have what I want?” His voice was rougher now, lower. “What if it’s not allowed?”

I reached forward, gripping the chain of his swing, giving it a slight shake to bring his eyes back to mine. “If it’s within your reach, it’s legal, and you’re not hurting anyone, I don’t see a problem.” My breath hitched, and my chest tightened as I spoke. “If I had to guess, you’re trying to convince yourself you can’t have something.”

His exhale was shaky, and a bitter laugh barely escaped him. “Maybe, yeah.”

I saw it then—the decision in his eyes, the surrender.

And then, he moved.

Caleb leaned in first, closing the space between us with a quiet certainty that made my breath catch. I barely had time to react before his lips met mine; soft, warm, real. My fingers clenched around the swing’s chain for balance, but it didn’t matter. My whole world had already tilted.

The kiss started slow, tentative, but it didn’t stay that way for long. Caleb’s hand found my jaw, his fingers brushing my skin, grounding me as he deepened the kiss. There was no hesitation, no pulling away—only the quiet urgency of something inevitable, something long overdue.

I let myself sink into it, forget everything outside this moment. The cold night air, the weight of the past few months, the uncertainty of what came next—it all melted away as Caleb kissed me like he’d been waiting for this as long as I had.

When we finally broke apart, breathless and dazed, our foreheads nearly touching, Caleb let out a quiet, almost incredulous chuckle. His thumb brushed over my cheek, lingering there like he was memorizing the feel of me.

His eyes searched mine, and for a moment, neither of us said anything—just letting the silence settle between us like something sacred.

I tried to catch my breath, still feeling the warmth of his touch all over me. “I—uh, I didn’t think that was how tonight would go.”

“Me either,” he admitted softly.

I bit my lip, searching for something to say, but my thoughts were still tangled up in the kiss. The taste of him lingered, sweet and unfamiliar, like a song you’d heard once and couldn’t forget. The warmth of his breath was still etched into the space between us, and the silence felt heavy, like it was holding something fragile; something we both weren’t quite ready to name. I felt the words sitting at the edge of my mind, waiting, but they were lost in the echo of his touch, the weight of everything unsaid.

Caleb gently brushed a strand of hair away from my face, his touch so tender it almost felt like he was afraid to break something.

There was a quiet moment, just us sitting there, the air between us charged and delicate. Caleb’s fingers brushed along my wrist, and he gave a small, hesitant laugh.

“Is it weird to say I’m kind of glad we did this here?”

I smiled, the tension easing slightly. “Not at all. There’s something nice about having a moment that’s just ours.”

He glanced up at the dark sky, the stars scattered above us. “Yeah, it’s like we’re in our own little world. Just us.”

I took a deep breath, trying to settle the fluttering in my chest. “Then let’s not rush back. Let’s just stay here for a little longer.”

He grinned, that easy smile of his, and nodded. “I’m in.”

We swayed gently, both of us still lost in the quiet, the stillness of the park and the soft feeling that somehow, things were different now. 

Better.

November-

The moment on the swings stays with me long after it’s over, a quiet echo that pulses in the back of my mind, haunting the spaces between my thoughts. It lingers in the way Caleb reaches for my hand without thinking, in the brief touches we exchange. The kiss, though, that’s the one that lingers the longest; the warmth of him, the certainty that wrapped around me like a promise. 

He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t hold back.

I tell myself it was nothing, that it was just a rush, a fleeting spark that will eventually fade with time. 

But it doesn’t. 

Instead, it settles into the corners of me, a quiet undercurrent beneath everything else.

Everything is subtle at first, in the little things. His hand brushing against mine when we walk, his knee grazing mine when we sit side by side, the way his texts come more often now, careful and soft. When we’re together, it feels like we really have built our own little world, a space apart from everything else. And I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, it’s enough.

Though one night, I find him distant. His gaze fixed on his phone, jaw tight like he’s trying to hold something in. He barely speaks, his words sharp and short, his mind somewhere else entirely. I don’t ask, don’t press him for an answer. But I know.

It’s her.

And in that moment, something clicks.

I’m not the only one caught between two worlds. Caleb is, too.

The realization doesn’t ease the ache, it only makes it worse. Because if there’s a choice, I already know who he’ll choose.

Training’s getting harder, and graduation is only a few months away. The exhaustion is catching up to all of us, but I feel as if it's hitting me the hardest. Barely sleeping, too many long nights and even longer days, each one blending into the next until I can’t tell where one ends and the other begins. I can feel my body wearing down, but I keep pushing, because what else is there to do? Let myself stop and think?

Ha.

No.

Caleb notices, though. He’s just as drained as I am, but he’s still there, watching me. He always makes sure I eat, even when I don’t feel like it. Reminds me to drink water when I forget, and always seems to be there after training, hanging around like he’s making sure I don’t collapse right there on the floor.

I try not to let it mean anything, try not to read too much into it. He’s just being a friend, right?

But it’s hard to ignore the way he lingers, the way his eyes flicker with something I can’t quite place when I sway slightly on my feet, too tired to stand straight. He doesn’t say anything, but his hand is there, steady on my arm, holding me like he doesn’t want to let go.

Caleb picked me up from the Academy airport after a training flight. We were supposed to grab lunch, but when his eyes landed on my exhausted form, something in his expression softened.

“Let’s get you home, yeah?” he said, his voice gentle.

I shook my head, trying to shake off the exhaustion. “No, I’m fine. Let’s just go—” But before I could finish, my body betrayed me, and I stumbled forward, barely able to keep myself upright.

Caleb’s hand was there in an instant, steadying me by the shoulder and wrapping his arm around me like he wasn’t letting go. “I think you’d fall asleep in your food and suffocate. When was the last time you slept?”

“Yesterday… no, Tuesday? I don’t really remember.”

I threw on my coat, but Caleb’s gaze was still on me, studying me like he could see right through the act I was trying to put on.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I muttered, glaring at him. “I’m fine. Let’s hurry before we miss the bus.”

Standing outside at the bus stop, I shivered against Caleb's arm around me (that was still trying to hold me up). He asked me about my day, if I had eaten breakfast; simple questions that didn’t require much thinking on my part and patient, non-expectant responses from him. I pressed my body closer into his, trying to soak up his warmth, and maybe even share a bit of my own. 

He looked down at me and chuckled, ruffling my hair, “Just a bit longer, honey.”

And he was right, seconds later the bus pulled up. I was practically bouncing to get inside and out of this weather.

Snatching the window seat, I stuck my tongue out at Caleb as he situated himself next to me. “You’re evil, you know that right.” 

The bus was a welcomed relief from the biting cold outside, the warmth inside wrapping around me like a comforting blanket. My coat was serving as a blanket, and I don’t even remember when I drifted off, but at some point I found myself asleep on Caleb’s shoulder.

I half-awoke to him nudging me gently. “Hey, this is my dorm, let’s get off here.”

Groggily, I shook my head, struggling to form a thought. “No, s’okay, my stop is next…”

He chuckled softly, and I could hear the concern in his voice. “I don’t trust you not to fall back asleep and miss your dorm.” His fingers brushed through my hair to comb the strands away from my eyes, his touch tender as he looked at me. “Just come back up with me. You can sleep there until you’re good to go back.”

I barely had the strength to argue, so I let him lead me, sleepily leaning against him the entire way. By the time we reached his room, I was barely conscious. He helped me take off my coat and shoes, and without a second thought, I crawled onto his bed, curling up into a ball as sleep claimed me again.

When I woke, the world outside was dark, and it took a moment to realize where I was. The blanket was soft against my skin, and I noticed Caleb beside me, his face relaxed in sleep. It was the first time I’d ever seen him look so at ease, so… soft.

I felt a pang of guilt when I noticed the clock beside his bed. It was nearing one in the morning. He probably wanted to sleep, but I had taken over his space.

I started to sit up, but before I could move, an arm wrapped around my waist.

“Where are you going?” Caleb’s voice was thick with sleep, and I froze, my heart skipping a beat as I turned to see him blinking slowly up at me.

“I have to go home,” I murmured, my words barely above a whisper. I reached out, hand instinctively brushing his face, but then I stopped myself and pulled it back.

He toyed with the hem of my t-shirt, and I felt the warmth of his touch spread through me. I could feel myself melting under his proximity. “It’s too late,” he said softly, his voice almost a plea. “Just stay here.”

“Caleb—”

“Or I can walk you home,” he added, his eyes still half-closed, and he stretched as if to get up, but I placed my hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

“No, really, it’s okay.”

He smirked a little, still mischievous even through sleep. “You pick. I either walk you home, or you stay here.”

In that moment, the stillness of the night seemed to press in around us, and my heart ached. Caleb was a vice. He was dangerous.

“Okay,” I whispered, my resolve crumbling. “I’ll stay.”

The room is quiet except for Caleb’s steady breathing. The city of Skyhaven hums faintly outside, the night stretching endlessly around us. I’m awake now, but I can’t bring myself to move. Caleb’s hand rests lightly on my waist, like he’s afraid I’ll slip away if he lets go. It’s nothing, really. Just a small, almost casual touch. 

But it feels like everything. 

It sets my entire body on fire, this little contact. I shouldn’t be here, not like this, not after everything. But I don’t leave. Instead, I sink back down, letting the warmth of the blanket and his presence pull me under.

We don’t speak. There’s nothing to say. No explanations, no excuses—just this fragile moment, suspended in time, hanging between us. Caleb’s breathing evens out again, his grip loosening as sleep pulls him back under. I stay awake, staring at the ceiling, listening to the soft sounds of the night. I know this is a mistake. I know when the sun rises, when the reality of the world outside finally settles in, things will go back to how they were.

He’ll wake up, stretch, rub the sleep from his eyes, and we’ll pretend like this never happened. He’ll go back to talking about MC, and whatever this—whatever we—will remain suspended in the realm of “almosts” and “what-ifs.” But for now, in this quiet moment, I close my eyes. I let myself have this, just for tonight. Because even if it means nothing to him, it means everything to me.

Morning comes too quickly.

I stir first, blinking against the soft light filtering through the blinds. For a second, everything feels warm and comforting. Caleb’s steady breathing beside me, the weight of the blanket, the quiet hum of the city waking up outside.

Then, reality crashes back in. I shouldn’t be here. Not like this.

Carefully, I try to slip out from beneath the covers, but the moment I move, Caleb stirs. His grip tightens around my waist, pulling me closer just a little before his eyes flutter open.

He looks at me, caught between sleep and consciousness, and for a second, there’s something in his gaze; a softness that makes my breath catch in my chest. But then, he blinks, and it’s gone.

“You’re awake,” his voice is thick with sleep, raspy, and it twists something inside of me. He doesn’t let go.

“Yeah,” I whisper. “I should go.”

Caleb doesn’t respond at first. His fingers absently trace the hem of my sleeve, like he’s thinking, weighing something.

Then, finally—

“You don’t have to.”

It’s quiet. Hesitant. It feels like a confession wrapped in uncertainty.

I swallow hard. “Caleb…”

I don’t even know what I’m trying to say. I just know this, this tension, this dangerous line we’re walking, is too much.

He sits up slowly, rubbing a hand over his face, and then he looks at me. His expression is unreadable, and it makes my heart clench.

“Look,” he sighs, like this is some sort of explanation. “I know things have been… complicated.”

Complicated. That’s one way to put it.

I scoff and shake my head. “You think?”

He runs a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

And that hurts more than it should. Because I know what I’m doing. I’m falling. I’ve been falling for so long, and I’m pretty sure I’m about to hit the ground.

“I can’t keep doing this,” I whisper, my voice barely steady.

His jaw tightens. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Something inside me cracks.

“Then stop making me feel like I’m something you have to choose.”

Silence. And that’s when I know.

He won’t say it, but I already have my answer. Because if I was ever truly an option, I wouldn’t be standing here, begging for clarity.

I nod to myself, standing up. “I need to go.”

This time, he doesn’t stop me.

December-

It hurts, it really hurts. 

My chest aches like it’s been hollowed out, and every breath feels too heavy, too sharp. My body trembles, like it’s trying to hold itself together, but it’s already unraveling. 

Is this what dying feels like? 

Is this death? 

The slow suffocation of something that was once whole? 

Or is this grief?

Endless, suffocating grief—bleeding through my veins, consuming everything I am.

I can’t tell anymore. Only that it hurts. So much. 

I don’t even know who I am anymore. 

I feel like a hollow shell.

January-

The snow falls lightly, dusting the pavement with delicate flakes as I walk across campus. The world feels quiet, wrapped in winter’s cold embrace, but inside me? There’s nothing but noise, a clamor I can’t silence. Just as fast as everything had began, it ended just as quickly. 

I didn’t expect Caleb to reach out. After everything, after the silence between us that’s stretched since November, I thought he’d let the distance settle. Let whatever we had fade into something unspoken, unresolved.

But then I got the text.

can we talk?

And because I’m weak, because no matter how much I want to convince myself I’ve moved on, I know I haven’t, so I agreed.

Now, I’m here, waiting outside the coffee shop, my breath clouding in the cold air. Caleb’s already inside, sitting by the window with his fingers curled around a paper cup. When he sees me, he gives a small, hesitant smile. He looks the same, yet it feels so foreign.

I steel myself and walk inside.

“Hey,” he says when I slide into the seat across from him.

“Hey,” I echo, my voice flat, unreadable.

We sit in silence for a moment, the weight of everything hanging between us.

He exhales, looking down at his coffee. “I hate how things have been between us.”

I don’t say anything, just let him speak.

“I miss you,” he admits, and for a moment, my heart stumbles. But before I can process it, he adds, “I don’t want to lose you, I want us to still be friends.”

Friends.

I should have expected this. Maybe I did. Maybe I’ve just been foolish enough to hope for something else.

I swallow, my fingers tightening around my cup. “Friends.”

He nods, earnest, like he doesn’t realize he’s twisting a knife into my chest. “Yeah. I mean, we were good at that, right? Before things got… complicated.”

Complicated. That word again.

I take a slow breath, trying to force the ache in my chest to quiet. Maybe this is what we need. Maybe being friends, just friends, will hurt less than losing him completely.

So I offer a small smile, one that feels forced but I try to make it real. “Yeah. We were.”

Relief flashes across his face, and something deep inside me tugs painfully. But I ignore it.

We can do this.

We have to.

“Are we okay?” he asks carefully.

I hesitate for a second, just a moment, but then I nod. “Yeah. We’re okay.”

And maybe, if I say it enough times, it’ll start to feel true.

We step outside together, the cold air biting at my skin. We walk side by side, but it’s different now. Less certain, more fragile. But for now, it’s enough. We’re still in each other’s lives. And that has to count for something.

February-

The cold of February feels different this year. It’s sharp, biting at my skin, but it’s nothing compared to the way the distance between Caleb and me has settled; thick, suffocating.

We’re friends. At least, that’s what we tell ourselves.

But every interaction feels like a shadow of what it used to be. We pass each other on campus, exchanging forced smiles, awkward pleasantries. He texts me sometimes, but the messages are clipped, casual. The playful banter, the inside jokes—we don’t have those anymore.

I’ve gotten good at pretending it doesn’t hurt. I laugh at his jokes when we’re in class together, crack a smile when he waves in passing. I tell myself that being near him, even like this, is better than nothing.

But it isn’t. It isn’t better at all.

One afternoon, after class, Caleb waits for me while I pack my things, his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his jacket. His eyes meet mine, but they flicker away quickly, like he’s not sure how to look at me anymore.

“Hey,” he says, his voice quieter than it used to be.

I force a smile, but it feels too tight, too stretched.

We walk together, but the silence between us is thick. We’re not really talking anymore. Not like before.

“How’s everything?” I ask, trying to fill the space with something. Anything.

Caleb shrugs, his gaze far off. “Same as usual. You know how it is.”

I don’t know how it is. Not anymore.

“And you?” he asks, almost apologetically, like he’s afraid he’ll break something if he pushes too hard.

“I’m good,” I say, too quickly. Too easily. I wish I could say something that would make it sound like we haven’t drifted so far apart. But I can’t.

The truth is, I don’t feel good. Not at all.

The rest of the walk is silent, and when we reach the place where our paths diverge, Caleb gives me a tight, awkward smile.

“Catch you later,” he says, already turning away before I can say anything else.

I watch him walk off, the weight of all the things we never said hanging between us.

It’s painful. But I swallow it down. I have to.

The days pass, and we continue this dance; one of shallow conversations, stiff smiles. Every text feels like a performance. Every interaction, a reminder that we’re no longer who we used to be.

One night, I sit at my desk, the glow of my laptop screen casting a pale light over my face. My phone vibrates on the table beside me. Caleb’s name.

I hesitate before picking it up.

hey, are you free later?

My heart skips a beat, but I force myself to respond.

Yeah, what’s up?

There’s a long pause before his next message.

i was thinking we could grab coffee. but no pressure, just thought it might be nice.

The words “just thought it might be nice” sting more than I expected. It’s so casual, so simple—like the idea of spending time together doesn’t carry any of the weight it used to.

But I can’t back out now. I can’t keep pretending that I’m not still craving his company, even if it’s not the same.

Sure, sounds good.

When we meet at our usual café, the air between us is thick. We talk, but it’s like we’re strangers, circling around the things we used to share so easily. Caleb talks about his classes, and I nod, smile at the right times, but it doesn’t feel like we’re really connecting anymore.

I tell myself it’s fine. This is what we agreed to. That being friends is better than nothing.

And no matter how many times I tell myself I’m over it, no matter how many times I remind myself that this is what I chose; it still hurts.

When we part ways that evening, Caleb gives me a small, almost apologetic smile. “I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah,” I reply, throat tight. “See you.”

I watch him leave, and I can’t help but feel like a piece of myself is slowly drifting farther away.

March-

I can’t keep doing this.

April-

The months start to feel like a slow, inevitable slide into something I can’t quite escape. The air has warmed, and the snow is nothing more than a distant memory, but the silence between Caleb and me cuts deeper than any winter chill.

We still see each other every day. We still share the same spaces, the same halls, the same class. But now, we’re nothing more than shadows of what we once were. Just two people who used to mean something to each other, now standing on opposite sides of a wide, unbridgeable gap.

We promised to be friends. We promised we’d make it work. But those promises feel empty now. There’s no joy in our interactions, no spark. Every conversation is forced, every laugh hollow. We’ve become experts at pretending, at wearing the mask of “just friends,” even though neither of us believes it for a second.

I’ve tried to move on, but when I see him, it’s like a miserable cold wave crashing over me. His eyes, once warm and inviting, are distant now; like he’s holding back something I’m not allowed to know. Even though he’s still there, still around, it feels like he’s lightyears away.

It was a Tuesday afternoon, sitting alone in the student lounge, my books spread out in front of me though not really focused on them. My phone buzzes, and I glance down at the message, already knowing who it’s from.

Caleb.

I hesitate before opening it, my fingers lingering over the screen.

i’m outside the library, want to grab coffee?

My heart skips. I want to say yes. 

I want to say yes more than anything. 

But a part of me knows how this will go. Another awkward conversation. Another round of small talk and unspoken feelings.

I’m tired. Tired of pretending things are fine when nothing is fine.

I can’t, sorry.

May-

The day is warm, but there’s a crispness in the air, the kind that signals a transition; between seasons, between chapters, between what was and what will be. The hum of excitement fills the air, the kind only a graduation ceremony can bring. Students in their uniforms mill around the venue, laughter and shouts of celebration ringing through the open space.

I move through the crowd, my diploma and badges in hand, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. I should feel proud, should feel accomplished. And I do, somewhere deep inside. But there’s something else, something heavier, lingering beneath the surface. The kind of feeling I’ve spent the past few months pushing away, convincing myself I’ve moved past.

Then, I see them.

Caleb stands a few feet away, surrounded by the floods of people. I notice he’s staring ahead into the crowd, and a girl comes crashing into him with the kind of ease that twists my stomach; MC.

She leans in, close—too close. And then, as if the universe had been waiting for the perfect moment to shatter the fragile balance I had built, she presses a kiss to his cheek. It’s celebratory, happy, and by the look on Caleb's face, just enough.

The world tilts.

For a second, the sounds around me blur into static, the conversations and cheers fading into the background. The weight of months of restraint, of quiet acceptance, of pretending I was fine, collapses all at once. The carefully built walls around my emotions crack under the force of everything I had tried so desperately to move past.

I thought I had let go. I thought I had made peace with everything that had happened. But in this moment, watching him, watching them, it all comes rushing back. The late nights, the quiet moments, the unspoken words that once sat between us. The way he once looked at me, the way he’s looking at her. The realization that, despite all my efforts, my heart had never truly stopped waiting.

I force my feet to move, to carry me past them, past the reminders of what could have been, of what wasn’t mine to hold onto anymore.

The weight in my chest is suffocating, but I refuse to stop, refuse to break—not here, not now. Because this is supposed to be a celebration, the closing of a chapter, the start of something new.

Maybe in another life, it was never a competition. Maybe in another universe, I don’t have to worry about her. In that world, I am her—running into Caleb’s arms, stealing his hat, and pressing a kiss to his cheek.

Yes. In another universe, I am her.