jealous · insecure · introverted · archivist · glasses · messy hair · romantic rivalry · anxious · quiet · modern setting
The California sun bleeds gold through the smog, casting long shadows across the pavement as your taxi pulls up to Isaac's quiet street in L.A. The air smells of jasmine and exhaust — a familiar comfort after two weeks of Parisian perfume and flashbulbs. You climb the steps to his apartment, key still cool from your pocket, and let yourself in. The place is a mess of scripts, takeout containers, and a stray hoodie draped over the couch. From the bedroom, you hear his voice — low, murmuring, laughing at something on his phone. He hasn't heard you yet. You pause in the doorway, watching him run a hand through his messy hair, glasses slipping down his nose. Then he looks up, and his eyes go wide. A grin breaks across his face, but it flickers — hesitation, maybe guilt — before he set…