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Chapter 26: Blood on Hardwood
Last Updated:
2025-07-31 16:15:43
Latest chapter
More Than Roommates Chapter 116
Alex~ I wake up first, which is rare, because Seth usually sleeps like he’s guarding something. Light and easily ready to throw his arm across whatever’s closest like it might disappear if he lets go. Today it’s me. His forearm is warm against my stomach, skin-to-skin, the weight of it anchoring me there. The room is so quiet in a way that only exists early in the morning. Pale light sneaks through the blinds, striping his shoulder, his jaw, the corner of his mouth that’s always slightly turned down even when he’s relaxed. I don’t move right away. I just lie there and breathe him in. His hair is a mess, curls flattened on one side, sticking up on the other. His lashes look unfairly long like this, resting against his cheeks, and for a second I feel that familiar tug this soft, ridiculous fondness that feels like it could ruin me if I stare too long. So I don’t stare, I catalog. The steady rise and fall of his chest. The way his fingers twitch occasionally, like he’s dr
More Than Roommates Chapter 115
Alex~ The dorm feels quiet in that late afternoon way, the kind where sunlight spills in through half-open blinds and the world outside seems almost irrelevant. Jordan is perched on the edge of my bed, knees bent, backpack at his feet, and he’s talking fast, half to himself and half to me about the final edits on his project. He gestures, letting the air take the shape of his words, and I watch him, listening more than responding. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him like this, casual and relaxed. He is a little distracted but it’s good. “I think I finally settled on the last color grade,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s subtle, barely there, but it keeps the mood from going too… theatrical, I guess. Too polished. You know what I mean?” I nod, though I’m not sure I do. “Yeah. Polished most times can kill authenticity. Sometimes too much clarity makes people miss what’s underneath.” He grins. “Exactly. That’s what I was going for. Lived-in, but intentional.
More Than Roommates Chapter 114
Alex~ Seth wakes me up by stealing the blanket. Not all at once though, just enough that cold air sneaks in and my body notices before my brain does. I make a sound somewhere between a groan and a protest and roll toward him on instinct, reaching out like I expect him to still be there. He is. Bare shoulder and warm skin. The quiet rise and fall of his breathing. “Hey,” he murmurs, already smiling. I can hear it in his voice even with his eyes still closed. “You’re evil,” I say into his chest, my voice thick with sleep. “Mm. Possibly.” He shifts, tugs the blanket back over us, pins me there with his arm like he’s undoing the crime just committed. “But you’re awake now.” “I was awake already,” I lie. He laughs, low and soft, the sound vibrating under my cheek. For a second, I just stay there, listening to it, letting my body recalibrate around the fact that this is where I am. That this is who I’m with. That nothing is pulling us in opposite directions right now.
More Than Roommates Chapter 113
Alex~ Lunch is Seth’s idea, which is how I know it matters. He says it casually, like it’s a logistical decision and not a correction. We’re standing in the kitchenette, him leaning against the counter scrolling on his phone, me rinsing out a mug that’s been sitting in the sink since last night. “Wanna grab food?” he asks. “Like, actual food.” I glance at the clock. It’s later than I thought. Early afternoon sliding toward evening, the day already half spent without either of us really noticing. “Sure,” I say. “Where?” He shrugs. “Anywhere that doesn’t come in a microwave-safe container.” That makes me smile, a small involuntary thing. It feels like a peace offering without being labeled as one. We walk instead of taking an uber. The campus paths are busy with people walking about, everyone half-aimed toward their next obligation. Seth keeps his hands in the pockets of his jacket. I swing mine at my sides, my bag thumping lightly against my hip with each step. We don
More Than Roommates Chapter 112: Scheduling Conflicts
Alex~ The first thing that changes is the mornings. Not all at once but it’s just enough that I notice. Seth starts setting an alarm again. Earlier than mine and way earlier than it needs to be for practice. It goes off in that soft, almost apologetic tone he likes, the one that’s supposed to ease you out of sleep instead of tearing you from it. I wake up alongside him anyway. He moves carefully at first. Slides out of bed instead of sitting up probably to not disturb me. He dresses up in the half-light with his back turned, tugging on socks, stepping into shorts. The bathroom door clicks shut instead of swinging open. From where I lie I hear water run and then stops. I lie there longer than usual, staring at the ceiling fan as it spins slow and uneven, one blade wobbling slightly like it always has. I tell myself this is probably going to be our new normal. When he comes back into the room, he leans down and presses his mouth to my forehead. It’s brief and almost pro
More Than Roommates Chapter 111
AlexThe gym smells like rubber and old sweat and something citrusy that never quite masks either. It’s late afternoon, the hour where daylight still sneaks through the high windows but everything inside feels enclosed anyway, like the world narrowed itself down to this rectangle of court and sound.I’m sitting on the lowest row of bleachers with my jacket folded beside me, camera bag at my feet even though I’m not filming. I told myself I might grab a few shots for reference. Warm-ups, footwork.The ball thumps against the floor in steady rhythm. Sneakers squeal. Someone laughs too loudly, the sound bouncing off the walls and coming back wrong.Seth is already sweating, hair darkened at the temples, shoulders loose as he jogs back into position. He doesn’t look up at the bleachers. He knows I’m here. I told him earlier, offhand, while we were brushing our teeth side by side.Might stop by practice, I’d said around toothpaste foam.He’d nodded, mouth full, and that was it.This is wha
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