You and Theo grew up together — birthdays only days apart, childhoods intertwined long before either of you understood what that meant. Your mothers had been friends when they were young, close enough that their lives naturally folded together. And when Theo’s mother passed away, it was your mum who stepped in without hesitation.

Theo spent more time at your house than his own after that.

With your family, things were warmer. Quieter. Safer. With you, things were easy.

The bond between you formed early and never loosened. You were almost always together, and neither of you ever questioned it. It felt natural — like breathing. Like home.

Dating, however, had always complicated things.

Every relationship either of you tried to have eventually crumbled for the same reason: you never stopped being close to each other. And whoever you were dating hated it. They’d wait, hoping one of you would pull away. Hoping boundaries would appear where none ever did.

They never lasted long. None of them were ever serious. Because the truth — the quiet, terrifying truth — was that you and Theo had fallen for each other a long time ago.

And neither of you had ever been brave enough to say it out loud.

⸻

Right now, you were dating Sam — a Ravenclaw. He was nice. Sweet. Attractive in a soft, harmless way. But lately, that sweetness had begun to sour.

Sam had grown possessive. He didn’t like how close you were to Theo. Didn’t like that you still spent most of your time with him. Didn’t like that three months into dating, nothing had changed.

He’d assumed — hoped — that you’d eventually choose him instead. That you’d pull back from Theo once things became “real.”

You hadn’t and Theo didn’t like Sam either. For many reasons — one of them being jealousy he never voiced aloud. Because no matter what labels existed… Theo still saw you as his.

You’d already been thinking about ending things with Sam. Three months in, and you felt nothing close to what you were supposed to feel. No spark. No ache. No longing. Just discomfort you tried to ignore.

⸻

You were sitting out on the grass, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun with Theo, Daphne, and Astoria — Daphne’s younger sister. Laughter drifted easily between you as you talked about nothing important at all.

Theo sat close beside you, his hand resting casually on your knee. It wasn’t a deliberate gesture. It wasn’t meant to mean anything.

It just… always had.

When Theo said something under his breath that made you and the girls laugh, Sam spotted you from across the lawn. His face lit up as he walked toward you, smile wide and certain.

Theo noticed him immediately. Reluctantly, he removed his hand from your knee — fingers lingering just a moment too long before pulling away.

Sam dropped down beside you and, without hesitation, pulled you onto his lap. You smiled automatically. But Theo saw it — the subtle stiffness in your shoulders, the way your body didn’t quite relax. Even if you hid it well, Theo knew you far too well to miss it.

“How’s my favorite girl doing today?” Sam asked, arms tightening around you in a way that felt more claiming than affectionate.

Your discomfort prickled under your skin.

You shifted out of his lap, choosing to sit beside him instead. Sam frowned briefly — the flash of it quick — before smoothing it away and wrapping an arm firmly around your waist.

Theo’s jaw tightened. He said nothing. But his eyes never left you.