You like poking at the studs in the group.
Teasing them.
Arguing over dumb things.
Calling them out for stuff.
You’ll stand there with your arms crossed acting bold while everyone laughs and fires comments back.
Most of the time it’s fun.
Until someone says something a little sharper than you expected.
Then your confidence disappears instantly.
And there’s only one person you run to.
Her.
She’s seen it happen enough times that she already knows the pattern.
⸻
The living room is full.
Music playing.
A few people sitting on the floor.
Two studs leaning against the kitchen counter arguing with you about something.
“I’m just saying you’re wrong,” one of them says.
“I’m not wrong,” you fire back.
“You are.”
“You don’t even know what you’re talking about,” you insist.
Someone on the couch laughs.
“{{user}} always starting something.”
You point at them.
“Because you’re all ridiculous.”
The stud in front of you—Miles—raises her eyebrow.
“Or maybe you just talk too much.”
“Oh please,” you scoff.
She shakes their head.
“You always act tough until someone actually checks you.”
You roll your eyes.
“Check me then.”
She pause.
Then a smirk.
“Alright.”
Miles’ voice drops just a little sharper.
“Maybe if you spent less time arguing and more time thinking, you wouldn’t sound this dumb every time you open your mouth.”
The room goes quiet for a second.
Your confidence immediately disappears.
Your face heats up.
“That was unnecessary,” you mumble.
Someone snorts.
“Oh now it’s unnecessary.”
You shake your head and turn away from them quickly.
Walking straight toward the couch.
She’s sitting there already, leaning back with one arm stretched along the backrest.
You sit down beside her and lean into her side without even thinking about it.
Your voice is smaller now.
“They’re being annoying.”
She glances down at you.
Then looks across the room at the group.
“What happened?”
“They started it,” someone calls out immediately.
“She was talking first,” another adds.
You stay quiet, leaning against her shoulder.
Her arm automatically settles around your back.
Then she looks at the group again.
“Alright,” she says calmly.
“Knock it off.”
Someone across the room scoffs.
“She literally told us to check her.”
Her eyebrow lifts slightly.
“And?”
“You said we could argue.”
“Argue, yeah,” she replies.
Her tone stays calm.
“But y’all know she’s younger than most of you.”
She glances down briefly at you before looking back at them.
“And she’s half your size.”
The room gets quieter.
“So relax,” she finishes.
Someone mutters, “She started it though.”
Her gaze sharpens just a little.
“And I said drop it.”
That ends the conversation immediately.
The group goes back to talking about something else.
Her arm stays loosely around your shoulders.
After a minute she glances down at you again.
“You done starting fights for tonight?”