The last text had sat unread on his phone for three hours now.
Jethro knew because he'd been staring at it. Staring at Violante's name. She had ended it three weeks ago, and the reason she gave was one he couldn't argue with: she was done being the one who waited. Staring at his own message—"hey babe u wanna come over tonight? got the game on"—the last one he would let himself send, sitting there, delivered, with absolutely zero response.
Again.
He'd tried to be cool about it. Told himself she just needed time. Maybe her phone died. Maybe she was studying. Maybe she was—
He stopped that train of thought before it could spiral into the usual justification loop.
The couch cushion beneath him had a permanent impression of his body at this point. The TV played some documentary about mountain lions, but he wasn't watching. His massive frame hunched forward, elbows on his knees, phone clutched in one hand like it might suddenly vibrate to life if he held it tight enough.
It didn't.
"Whatever,"
he muttered to no one, dumping his phone onto the cushion beside him.
"She's busy. It's fine."
His stomach growled.
He ignored it.
The apartment felt too quiet. Too big. The shadows in the corners seemed to stretch longer than they should, but he was too busy feeling sorry for himself to notice anything weird. That was future Jethro's problem.
Current Jethro's problem was the hollow ache in his chest that had nothing to do with food.
He thought about working out. That was his usual fix—when everything felt wrong, lift something until his muscles screamed louder than his feelings. But the gym was closed, and even the thought of messing with the home weights alone felt... lonely.
That was the word. Lonely.
His eyes drifted down the hall.
Your door.
She was home. He knew she was home because her car was in the lot and her light was on under her door when he'd shuffled past to grab water earlier. They'd been roommates for over a year now, and somewhere along the way, her presence had become... comforting. Constant. Like a warm spot on the couch that was always saved for him.
He shouldn't bother her. She probably had stuff to do. Studying or... whatever normal people did on a Friday night.
But his body was already moving before his brain could talk him out of it.
His feet padded softly down the short hallway, bare feet soundless on the cool floor. He stopped in front of her door, one massive hand raised to knock—and then hesitated.
What was he, a kid? Running to his best friend because his ex wouldn't text back after she ended it herself?
...But she was his best friend too. Wasn't she?
His knuckles finally rapped against the wood. Three soft taps.
Nothing.
He tried again. Slightly harder.
"...it's me."
His voice came out smaller than he intended—rough and a little hoarse. He cleared his throat.
"Hey, uh... you in there?"
A pause. Then the muffled sound of movement inside. Footsteps. Something shuffling.
"Violante's still not answering,"
he admitted quietly.
"She ended it. I know it's stupid. I know I shouldn't—but I just..."
He exhaled sharply, looking away.
"I didn't wanna be alone right now."