𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙚 / 𝙞 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙢

𝙞 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 | 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙨
𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥𝙝'𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙫

The streetlights outside blurred like tears I refused to shed. My hands shook on the steering wheel as I sat in the dark, engine running, the silence of my car swallowing me whole. I'm done. I told myself again and again, but the ache in my chest didn't listen.

Auriel's smirk, the way he looked at that girl—like I didn't exist—was burned into my brain. I wanted to scream at him, beg him to see me, to remember what we had. But I didn't. I just drove away, my heart twisting with every mile.

My phone buzzed, but I ignored it. I wasn't ready to hear his voice. Not tonight.

I didn't want to be alone. Not now. I needed someone who wouldn't judge me, someone who wouldn't expect me to be "fine." Tim.

Fumbling, I opened my contacts and typed out a message.

"Hey. Can you come over? I need someone."

I stared at the screen, my fingers trembling as I hit send. The thought of company felt like a lifeline—a tiny spark of hope in a night that was otherwise drowning me.

I sat back and tried to breathe, but every breath felt heavy. I was supposed to be over him. I was supposed to be done. But the truth? I had no idea how to be without Auriel tearing at the edges of my mind. i want to hate him. i should hate him.

The night stretched on, endless and cold. And all I could do was wait.

The knock came just as I was starting to convince myself I'd made a mistake reaching out. I jumped a little, heart pounding like I'd just run a race.

"Steph? You in there?" Tim's voice was soft but steady, and just hearing it made something inside me unclench.

I unlocked the door and opened it before he even knocked again. Tim stood there, casual in his hoodie and jeans, with that familiar easy smile that somehow always made me feel safer.

"Hey," I said, voice barely above a whisper.

He stepped inside without waiting, dropping his backpack by the door and folding his arms. "You sounded like you needed backup."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Yeah. I... I don't really wanna be alone right now."

Tim didn't say anything, just moved closer and sat down on the couch beside me. No pressure, no questions—just presence.

I let out a shaky breath and tried to steady myself. "It's Auriel," I admitted, finally. "I saw him... flirting with someone else."

Tim's jaw tightened. "That asshole," he muttered.

"God, it hurts, Tim. I thought I was over him, but—" I couldn't finish. The lump came back.

Tim's hand found mine, squeezing gently. "You don't have to be strong all the time. Not with me."

For the first time that night, I let the tears fall.

I sniffled, wiping at my cheeks with the back of my hand. Tim's grip on my hand was steady, grounding me in a way nothing else had tonight.

"I hate feeling like this," I said quietly. "Like my whole world just... shattered." My voice cracked on the last word.

Tim nodded, eyes soft but serious. "You don't have to hate it. It means you cared. It means you're human." He squeezed my hand again. "But you're not alone, Steph. You've got people who actually want to be here for you."

A small, bitter laugh escaped me. "Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one holding on."

"You're not." Tim leaned back a little, thoughtful. "And hey — if you ever wanna just get out of Gotham for a bit, I'm all in. We can crash somewhere, get away from all this drama."

I glanced at him, surprised by the offer. Tim was always the one keeping it together, the reliable friend, the calm in my storm. The idea of actually trusting someone felt foreign but... kind of amazing.

"Thanks," I said, voice still rough but sincere.

Tim smiled. "Anytime. Now, you wanna talk more, or just sit here and be miserable together?"

I managed a small smile back. "Let's just sit for a bit."

He pulled his hoodie tighter around himself and leaned back on the couch, not needing to say anything else. Sometimes, that's all you really need.

__________________________

published 07/02/2025 

hope you all enjoy this chapter :)

_____________________________