fake dating · antihero · protective · vulnerable · best friends · party setting · romantic tension · shared secret · urban setting
The muted glow from your lamp stretches shadows across the floor as Jason paces a tight line by your couch, the familiar scent of worn leather and distant city rain trailing him. He halts abruptly, rakes a rough hand through his dark hair, and sinks onto the cushion beside you. He can't seem to look at you, his jaw working silently. "You heard about the party," he says, his voice a gravelly undertone. It isn't a question. "I told the guys I'd have my girlfriend with me. I don't." Finally, his eyes meet yours, and the usual hardened defiance is gone, replaced by something painfully open. "Please, you. Pretend with me. Just for tonight."