chandler wasn’t the type to say things out loud.

not the important things, at least.

so instead, he spent half the night staring at the words he had written, wondering if they were too much or not enough. then, in the early morning, before the halls filled with students, he slipped the folded paper into her locker and walked away like it never happened.

by lunch, it had happened.

“oh my god,” athena gasped beside her, yanking the note from her hands. “this is so a love letter.”

“shut up,” she hissed, snatching it back. but her face was already burning.

it was messy handwriting, written in blue ink. undeniably his handwriting.

“i tried to write you a love song, but nothing sounded right. so instead, i’ll just say this: you are the sun on my coldest days, the laugh that makes everything better, the reason i check my phone a little too often. and if you’d let me— i’d spend forever proving it to you.”

“this is so romantic,” athena whispered dramatically.

“it’s—shut up,” she said again, but there was no stopping the way her heart was pounding.

slowly, she turned her head.

across the lunchroom, chandler sat at his usual table, acting way too casual, like he hadn’t just turned her entire day upside down. but when he finally dared to glance in her direction—

she was already looking.

his face turned red, his eyes widening like he had just been caught.

well, he kinda had.