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live-laugh-lenney · 19 days ago

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i am absolutely obsessed with this series right now! 🫶🏼

arthur frederick and the new producer: chapter 5 ₊˚⊹♡

words: 5,965✦ .ᐟ

♯┆arthurtv slow burn, bach and arthur podcast

after lara leaves bach and arthur’s podcast, you become her replacement. after discovering that arthur hates change, it takes a lot for him to warm up to you and become friends. it also takes a lot for him to admit how he truly feels about you.

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Chapter Four

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Chapter Five ₊˚⊹♡

You were excited for today. The studio had become a place you were starting to look forward to, especially after the last few weeks of getting to know Arthur and Isaac better. You couldn’t help but feel a little buzz of anticipation as you walked to the studio, eager to see them both. The previous day with Arthur had been so lovely, finally an easy conversation, genuine laughs, and that sense that you were slowly breaking through whatever walls he had up. You figured today would be more of the same.

When you arrived, Isaac was already there, setting up, and he waved at you as you entered. You smiled back, feeling that familiar sense of comfort around him. But then you looked over at Arthur, and your heart sank just a little. He was sitting at his usual spot, but he was hunched over his phone, not even looking up as you approached.

You set your bag down, hoping that maybe it was just a weird moment. “Hey, Arthur,” you said, walking over to where he sat, trying to sound upbeat. You were genuinely looking forward to catching up, hoping you’d get more of the same as before.

He looked up, blinking a few times, as if he hadn’t expected you. “Hey,” he replied, but there was something off in his tone. It wasn’t the new found warmth, or even the usual indifference. It was almost… worse than neutral? Distant? You couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

Isaac noticed the shift, and you could tell he picked up on the vibe too. He gave you a sympathetic glance, but didn’t say anything.

You tried to brush it off, not wanting to overthink things. “How’s it going?” you asked, moving to get set up for the recording. You were still smiling, genuinely hoping to break through whatever this was.

Arthur shrugged slightly, then glanced back at his phone. “It’s fine,” he muttered. The response was short, almost disinterested. Normally, since you’d went on your ‘hang out’, he would make some kind of comment or joke. But today, he seemed to be barely engaging, and it left you feeling a little thrown off.

Isaac, sensing the awkwardness, chimed in, his voice a little hesitant but anything to break the tension. “So, are we all ready for another recording session?”

You nodded, though you could feel the negative energy. Arthur didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he reached for his tea and took a sip, still not quite looking at you. You tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he was just in a mood. You’d seen him have moments like this before. But it still stung, the sudden coldness. The contrast between how things had been the last time you were together and now was jarring.

As the recording began, you found yourself trying to engage with him, making little jokes, even throwing in some comments to lighten the atmosphere, but he was mostly quiet, responding in monosyllables or only when absolutely necessary. It wasn’t like before, where there was at least a little back-and-forth, even something that you would consider friendship.

It was like that stupid wall had been put up again, and no matter how hard you tried, it didn’t seem like he was letting you through.

You tried to focus on the recording, but the whole session felt off, and it frustrated you. What had happened? Had you done something wrong? You racked your brain, trying to figure out if you’d said or done something that had caused him to pull away, but nothing came to mind.

The recording wrapped up, and you quickly excused yourself to the bathroom, hoping to clear your head before leaving the studio. You couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off with Arthur. The whole session had felt like he was pulling away, and the more you thought about it, the more frustrated you became.

You finished up in the bathroom, took a deep breath, and made your way back to the studio. When you walked in, you were expecting to see Arthur still there, maybe finishing up or preparing to head out. But instead, you found Isaac sitting at the table, packing up his things.

“Hey,” you greeted him, trying to sound normal, but the disappointment still lingered. “Where’s Arthur? I wanted to talk to him for a second.”

Isaac glanced up from his bag and shrugged. “He said he had something he needed to do. Took off right after the recording finished.”

You felt a twinge of frustration in your chest. You’d been hoping to have a quick word with him, maybe even clear up the tension that had hung in the air during the recording. But now, he was gone. Just like that. You could feel your disappointment spreading, and it made your shoulders slump slightly.

“What’s up?” Isaac asked, noticing your change in demeanor.

You let out a sigh, not bothering to hide your anger. “I don’t know. I just thought me and Arthur were starting to become friends, and now he’s just being a dick again.”

Isaac raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the sharpness in your voice. “Really? I thought things were good between you two.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought too,” you muttered, rubbing your temples. “But today… it was like he just shut down. He was so distant, barely said anything. And now he’s just left without saying goodbye? What’s up with that?” You shook your head, feeling a mix of confusion and irritation. “I thought we were making progress. But now he’s acting like I don’t even matter.”

Isaac looked at you for a moment, as if trying to gauge what to say. “I don’t know, man. Arthur’s… he’s a bit of a freak sometimes. He doesn’t always show what he’s feeling, and it’s not always easy to figure out what’s going on in his head.”

“I get that,” you sighed, trying to calm down. “But it’s frustrating. I was really starting to like him, like so much, and now it’s like I’m back at square one with him.”

Isaac gave you a sympathetic look, then shrugged. “Maybe he’s just going through something. Arthur’s not really the type to open up about that stuff.”

You nodded, trying to process what Isaac had said. Maybe it was true. Maybe Arthur just had a lot going on and didn’t know how to deal with it. But still, it didn’t make the sudden distance any easier to swallow. You had been hopeful that things were shifting between you, and now it felt like all of that progress had been undone in one day.

“I just don’t get it,” you muttered, mostly to yourself. “I thought we were on the same page, you know?”

Isaac gave you that classic reassuring smile, though it was tinged with a bit of uncertainty. “Don’t stress about it too much. Arthur’s weird, but he’s not a bad guy. Just give him some time.”

You nodded, though it didn’t fully ease the frustration you felt. “Yeah, I guess. Thanks, Isaac.”

As you grabbed your things and headed for the door, you couldn’t help but feel a nagging sense of doubt about where things stood with Arthur. You had hoped this could be the start of something, maybe not even just friendship, but a real connection. But now? You were left questioning whether that was ever going to happen at all.

It had been days since you last heard from Arthur, and the silence was starting to get to you. Every time you saw him, it was just before or after a recording session, and his whole presence was still distant, like he was going through the motions. He hardly ever made small talk, and when he did, it was brief and felt forced. The spark you’d felt between you two seemed to have faded into nothing. You tried to push it out of your mind, but it was hard to ignore the fact that you’d been hoping for something more.

You were sitting on the sofa, scrolling through your phone, when your flatmate walked in. She looked at you for a moment, taking in your frustrated expression.

“What’s up with you?” she asked casually, throwing herself down on the sofa next to you.

You sighed and dropped your phone onto your lap. “Arthur hasn’t messaged me in days. I don’t know what’s going on. It’s like I’m just back to some colleague to him now.” You ran a hand through your hair. “Before, we were actually talking, hanging out. But now? It’s like I don’t even exist outside of the podcast. Every time I try to start a conversation, he just shuts down.”

Her jaw dropped slightly. “I literally told you,” she said, her tone almost amused.

You shot her a look, half-exasperated. “I know, I know. But I thought things were changing. I thought we were getting along. It felt like we were starting to connect, you know?”

She shrugged, not looking at all surprised. “From what you’ve said, Arthur’s not the type to open up. He’s probably just being… Arthur. You know, weird and distant. I warned you he might pull away.”

You groaned, leaning back against the couch. “Yeah, but it’s just frustrating. I put myself out there, and now I’m stuck wondering what I did wrong.”

“Look,” she said, turning to face you more directly, “Arthur seems like a tough one. I get why you thought things were going well, but some people don’t work the way you expect them to. Maybe he just doesn’t know how to keep up the momentum, or maybe he’s just not as into it as you thought.”

You frowned, feeling a pang of disappointment. “I guess I’m just sick of the games. It’s like every time I think we’re getting somewhere, he pulls back and acts like nothing happened.”

“I’m sorry. I really am. But maybe it’s time to just… let him do his thing and not take it so personally. If he doesn’t want to be friends or whatever, then that’s on him, not you.”

You nodded slowly, trying to accept what she was saying. But deep down, you couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that maybe you had misread things. That maybe Arthur had never really been as interested in being friends as you had hoped.

“Yeah,” you muttered. “I guess so.”

She patted your arm. “You’ll be fine. You’ve got other things to focus on. Don’t let him mess with your head.”

You gave her a half-smile, even though the frustration still lingered. As much as you wanted to let it go, Arthur’s sudden distance left you confused and disappointed. And no matter how much you tried to push it away, it was still there, hanging in the back of your mind.

You stared at your phone, where Isaac had sent you a message reminding you to basically just ‘calm down’. You couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated. It seemed like Isaac wasn’t fully grasping just how much Arthur’s behaviour had been bothering you. Sure, he said Arthur talks about you, but that didn’t make it okay for him to completely shut you out. You weren’t just looking for some half-hearted reassurance. You needed answers.

You: Hey, Isaac, quick question. Has Arthur been acting weird to you too? I know we talked about it a few days ago but I’m worried. It feels like he’s completely shut me out. I keep seeing him in videos with you guys, laughing and having fun, but with me? It’s like nothing ever happened. Did I do something wrong?

You felt a bit vulnerable sending that message, but you needed to know if it was just you being paranoid or if there was something else going on.

Isaac replied almost instantly.

Isaac: Really? Still? Arthur had been talking about you all the time. Are you sure he’s acting weird?

You frowned at the screen. What do you mean, “are you sure?” you thought. I’m literally telling you he’s been distant and cold. How is that not weird?

You typed back, trying to keep your frustration in check.

You: Yes, really. He’s barely said more than two words to me outside of work, and when he does talk, it’s all business. I don’t get it, Isaac. I thought we were starting to actually get along, but now he won’t even look me in the eye half the time. It’s confusing. I actually really liked him, and now it feels like I’m invisible.

Isaac’s reply came quickly, but it didn’t make you feel any better.

Isaac: Yeah, all the time. He’s always mentioning you and stuff, but it’s like I dunno, he just doesn’t always know how to act around people sometimes. I wouldn’t worry about it too much. He might not be showing it, but he thinks you’re cool.

You sighed, staring at the message. Worry about it too much? How am I not supposed to when he’s literally ignoring me? You were starting to feel more annoyed than relieved.

You: Isaac, I get it, okay? You’re saying he likes me or whatever, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay for him to just shut me out and pretend I don’t exist. I’m not some afterthought, and I’m not just here to do my job and disappear. I don’t know why you’re acting like this is no big deal when it’s really frustrating. You’re not seeing how it feels from my side. He’s not even trying to communicate anymore. Why is that okay? We literally work together, he can’t just shut me out.

It took a few minutes before Isaac replied, his tone a little softer this time.

Isaac: Look, I get that it’s frustrating. But I swear, he’s not doing it on purpose. He’s just not great at showing he cares sometimes. He’s the kind of guy who acts like everything’s fine even when it’s not. I’m not saying it’s perfect, but I don’t think it’s something you should take personally.

You were still frustrated, but his response did make you stop for a moment. It wasn’t the reassurance you were hoping for, but it was something. Arthur, it seemed, just didn’t know how to handle the emotional side of things.

You typed back with a sigh.

You: Yeah, well, it’s not easy for me either. I don’t expect him to be some perfect communicator, but if he’s just going to keep brushing me off like this, I don’t know how to keep doing this. It’s like all the progress we made just disappeared overnight.

Isaac replied after a few seconds.

Isaac: I get it. But just trust me, he’s not doing it to hurt you. He’s just Arthur. He really does like you. He doesn’t always know how to be the friend you want him to be.

You read that message and felt awful again, you didn’t know why his sudden distance affected you so much.

You: I don’t know, Isaac. I don’t want to keep making excuses for him. It’s just hard when I don’t even know where I stand anymore. I’m not asking for perfection, but I’m also not asking to be ignored.

Isaac’s next message came slower, more thoughtful.

Isaac: I hear you. I really do. But iI know Arthur, he wouldn’t just do this for no reason. He just doesn’t know how to show it right now. Don’t give up on him so fast.

You stared at your phone, the anger still simmering under your skin. You didn’t know what was harder to handle, Arthur’s silence or the fact that Isaac seemed to think it was no big deal. You didn’t want to give up on Arthur, but you also couldn’t keep running in circles, trying to chase after someone who wasn’t giving anything back.

You typed one last message

You: I’m not giving up. I just need to figure out where I stand. Thanks for talking to me, though. I’m trying to be patient, but it’s getting hard.

Isaac’s response was simple.

Isaac: I get it. Please just keep trying.

You sat there, staring at the screen for a while. You weren’t sure if Isaac’s words made you feel better, but you did know that you needed to figure this out, for your own sake, not just Arthur’s. You work together, he has to come around, for the podcast’s sake, obviously. Maybe he just didn’t know how to show he cared.

You laid in bed, the lights dimmed, trying to push all the thoughts racing through your mind aside. But it was impossible. Every time you closed your eyes, your mind kept returning to Arthur, to the way he had been acting lately. The way everything had seemed so good for a while, only for it to fall apart again.

You tried to tell yourself it wasn’t a big deal. That you shouldn’t let it bother you so much. But the truth was, it did. It hurt, and you hated how much it hurt. You weren’t expecting things to be perfect with Arthur, but the distance, the silence, the way he just pulled away for no reason, it didn’t make sense.

You felt your eyes prick with tears before you could even stop them. The frustration, the confusion, the disappointment all came rushing out, and you couldn’t hold it back anymore. You buried your face in the pillow, hoping the soft fabric would somehow absorb the tears. But it didn’t. It just made everything worse.

You didn’t want to cry. You were embarrassed, even in the solitude of your own room. You didn’t want to admit how much this was bothering you. You didn’t want to seem weak. It wasn’t like you were even that invested in Arthur. You had barely known him for long, but when things started going well, when he started to seem like someone you could actually be friends with… that made it worse, somehow. He made it seem like he wanted the same thing, but now, he was just shutting you out.

The tears came in sharp, quiet bursts as you pulled the blankets tighter around you. It felt like everything you tried to do was falling apart. And as much as you hated to admit it, you felt like a fool for caring so much about someone who didn’t seem to care about you in return.

Your breath caught as another wave of emotion hit, and you felt your face flush in embarrassment. What is wrong with me? You thought. Why am I letting this get to me so much?

You wiped your face, trying to stop the tears, but it was useless. It wasn’t about the job or the podcast anymore. It was about being seen, being understood by Arthur. About wondering if you’d ever have that connection with Arthur that you thought was possible, and now felt so far out of reach. The most frustrating thing was how much you found yourself enjoying Arthur’s presence, his jokes, his awkwardness, just everything that made him so uniquely Arthur. Fuck, you thought, why do you care him so much?

You sat in the studio, the early morning silence surrounding you as you adjusted the equipment. You’d arrived early to make sure everything was perfect for today’s special episode. You had a good feeling about it, the kind of excitement that made the little details feel worth the effort. Everything was set up just how you wanted it, and you were finally ready for a smooth, productive day.

Your phone buzzed on the table, snapping you out of your focus. You glanced at the screen, already knowing who it was. Arthur.

You picked it up and read the message:

Arthur: Not coming today. Came down with something.

You stared at the screen for a moment, feeling that familiar frustration bubble up. You had been looking forward to today, hoping for a chance to break the ice with him again, to maybe make things easier between the two of you. But instead, here he was, pulling another disappearing act, and with a vague excuse, no less.

It was starting to feel like a game, one you weren’t sure you wanted to play anymore. You had put in the effort, tried to be patient, and yet he couldn’t even show up for the one day you were excited to see him?

Your fingers hovered over the keyboard as your annoyance surged. You weren’t going to let this slide without at least saying something.

You: Are you serious? I’ve been here for an hour already getting everything set up, and now you’re pulling this? Whatever.

You stared at the message, unsure whether you should send it. The anger in your chest made your stomach twist. You were tired of him acting this way, tired of feeling like an afterthought every time you tried to reach out. You were especially tired of how much you missed him.

But you took a breath, backspacing the harsh message. Just keep trying, like Isaac said. Instead, you just sent a simple reply.

You: Okay. Hope you feel better.

It was the polite thing to do. But even as you hit send, it didn’t make you feel any better. Arthur’s sudden shift in behaviour, now completely ignoring you, was starting to wear thin, and you were done letting it slide without it getting to you.

Isaac arrived at the studio, his usual lovely energy filling the room. He set his bag down by the door and glanced around before looking at you, seated by the mixing desk with your arms crossed tightly. “Where’s Arthur?” he asked casually, raising an eyebrow.

“At home,” you snapped, your voice sharper than you intended. “Where else would he fucking be?”

Isaac blinked, clearly taken aback. “Woah, what happened?”

You exhaled hard, trying to rein in the storm of emotions that had been brewing all morning. “It’s… it’s literally stupid,” you muttered, waving your hand dismissively before looking up at him. “I’m really sorry for yelling at you, Isaac. That was not nice of me to do.”

He held up his hands, shaking his head. “It’s fine. But why are you so angry? What’s going on?”

Your throat tightened, and you hesitated, unsure if you even had the words to explain the frustration, the disappointment, and the growing sense of shame for enjoying your time with arthur, you’d been carrying. “I—” You started, then stopped, your voice trembling. “I don’t know… it’s just…”

Your eyes stung, and before you could stop it, the tears spilled over. You wiped at them quickly, embarrassed. “God, I’m sorry,” you muttered, shaking your head.

Isaac’s face softened, and he stepped closer. “Hey, it’s okay,” he said gently. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

You sniffled, shaking your head again, trying to steady your voice. “I genuinely thought we were friends,” you said quietly, your voice cracking on the last word.

Isaac crouched slightly to meet your gaze. “He is your friend,” he said firmly, as if that alone should reassure you.

You let out a bitter laugh, shrugging helplessly. “It doesn’t seem like it,” you whispered. “Not with the way he’s been acting. He barely talks to me anymore, and when he does, it’s all surface-level stuff, like I’m just someone he has to tolerate.”

Isaac hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and pulled you into a hug. It caught you off guard, but you didn’t pull away. His arms were warm, steadying. “Arthur’s… complicated,” Bach said after a moment, his voice quiet but reassuring. “He must be stressed about something lately. I’ve noticed it too.”

You pulled back slightly, looking up at him. “But why take it out on me? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Isaac sighed. “It’s not you, I promise. That’s just… how he is sometimes. He overthinks how he talks to people and doesn’t know how to handle it.” He paused, then added, “You should go see him.”

You frowned, confused. “But he’s sick,” you pointed out. “He said he wasn’t coming in today because of that.”

Isaac’s lips twitched, almost like he was holding back a laugh. “I know he’s not,” he admitted. “He’s told me that excuse so many times, thinking I wouldn’t catch on. Trust me, he’s not sick.”

You stared at him, your mind racing with a mix of emotions. “Then why—”

Isaac cut you off gently. “Just… go see him. Talk to him. I think you’ll figure it out.”

You hesitated, unsure if you had the strength to face Arthur, especially after everything. But deep down, you knew Isaac was right. You couldn’t keep letting this fester. Something had to give.

Finding Arthur’s flat wasn’t easy. You had to scroll back through your messages with Isaac to locate the address he’d sent. Standing outside the door, you hesitated for a moment before knocking, your hand lightly trembling. It felt weird to be here, to take such a direct step, but after weeks of rejection and confusion, you couldn’t just let things stay the way they were. You want to be closer to Arthur, you didn’t mind how you just knew that him backing away was making your heart sink.

After a few moments, the door opened, and Arthur stood there, his eyes wide and definitely shocked. “Why are you here? I told you I couldn’t make it” he asked, his tone less harsh than you thought, though still cautious.

“I just wanted to talk to you,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady.

He blinked, then stepped aside, holding the door open for you. “Uh, yeah. Sure, come in.”

His flat was smaller than you’d expected, but cozy. It felt distinctly like Arthur, books and cables scattered around, a random piano leaning against the wall, and a mug abandoned on the coffee table. You sat down on the sofa, your hands resting awkwardly in your lap, as he took the chair opposite you.

“So… what do you want to talk about?” he asked, his voice uncertain.

You looked at him directly. “Why did you lie about being sick?”

Arthur stiffened, his eyes widening slightly. “What? I didn’t—” he started, but you cut him off with a knowing look.

He sighed, slumping back in the chair. “I just… felt like shit and didn’t want to come in today,” he admitted, avoiding your gaze.

“Okay,” you said calmly, “but just let me know next time, please. We can always reschedule if you’re not feeling up to it.”

“I know,” he said quickly, but then hesitated, his fingers drumming on the arm of the chair.

Your brow furrowed. “And what the fuck, man, why have you been so cold to me?”

Arthur shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting to the floor. For a long moment, it looked like he wasn’t going to answer. Then, in a rush, he said, “I really like you— as a friend.”

You blinked, caught off guard. “Okay…?”

He ran a hand through his hair, visibly upset with himself. “It’s just— I’m worried, alright? That you’re gonna find me weird and… leave. Like other people have.”

“Arthur—”

“I know it sounds stupid,” he interrupted, his voice tense. “But it’s happened before. People get to know me, and then they figure out I’m not as cool or as put-together as they thought, and they just… stop caring. So I thought, maybe if I don’t get too close, it won’t hurt as much if it happens again.”

There it was, the vulnerability he kept buried under layers of sarcasm and distance. You could see how much it took for him to say those words, and it made your chest ache.

“That’s literally so dumb,” you said, your voice soft but firm. “If you keep pushing me away like this, that’s the only thing that’s gonna make me stop being friends with you. You can’t just treat people like shit. I’ll find a new podcast if you act like a dick to me like that again.”

Arthur finally looked at you, his expression a mix of surprise and disbelief. “Really?”

“Yes,” you said, your tone unwavering. “I’m not going to stop being friends with you because of some imaginary version of me you’ve built in your head. But I will stop if you keep acting like there’s nothing between us.”

He stared at you for a moment, then let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head. “I’m really, really sorry, like genuinely sorry for pushing you away. I like you a lot—you’re such a good person, and you’re amazing at your job.”

“Thank you, and I know. You can’t survive without a producer. You can’t lose another one,” you replied, giving him a cheeky smile.

Arthur hesitated, his fingers fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. “But… it’s not just that,” he said quietly. “I’ve always been like this. Keeping people at arm’s length, I mean. It’s easier than letting them see me, really see me. Like not how the viewers see me. But you…” He looked at you then, his gaze steady, though his voice shaking. “You and Isaac make me feel like I don’t have to hide who I am. And that scares the hell out of me because I really, really like spending time with you, like, more than I know how to say, you’re so different to Isaac, in a good way of course.”

Your heart twisted at his words, and you offered a small, genuine smile. “Arthur, you don’t have to be scared of that. That’s what friends do, we listen to each other. And we stick around anyway.”

He nodded slowly, as if processing your words. “Okay,” he said quietly. “I’ll try. I mean… I don’t want to lose you, you mean to much to me.”

“Good,” you said, leaning back against the sofa. “Because I’m not going anywhere. Unless you kick me out of your flat, that is.”

He let out a real laugh at that, the tension in the room easing slightly. “Nah, you can stay.”

Arthur stood abruptly. “I’ll get you something to drink,” he said, heading toward the tap in the corner of the flat. You didn’t know how long you’d talked for but you had somewhere to be later and wanted to know how long you got to spend with Arthur.

You reached into your bag to grab your phone, but it was buried somewhere at the bottom beneath your notes and charger cables. Instead, your gaze flicked to Arthur’s phone that rested on the table.

You hesitated for a moment before picking up the device, the screen lighting up in your hand.

For a moment, you froze.

There, on his lock screen, was a photo. The photo. The one you’d sent to Isaac, the one of you and Arthur from the day you’d gone out together. You were smiling brightly, a little windblown, and Arthur, slightly awkward but still grinning, was standing beside you.

Your stomach flipped.

Did Isaac send this to him? But why? Why would he save it as his background?

Your thumb hovered over the phone for a second too long, almost as if you were afraid it would confirm something you weren’t ready to face. This wasn’t just a casual decision. People didn’t make others their phone backgrounds unless it meant something. It was intimate, personal in a way Arthur didn’t typically allow himself to be.

And that was what made it so startling. Arthur wasn’t exactly sentimental, or at least, not openly so. He kept his emotions locked away, wrapped tightly in layers of sarcasm and avoidance. This… this was different.

You stared at the image, your thoughts spinning. Suddenly, pieces of the puzzle you hadn’t even realized existed began clicking into place. The awkward stares, the hesitant smiles, the way he sometimes hovered near you but never quite closed the gap.

Your chest felt tight.

Quickly, you set the phone back down, careful not to disturb its position, as if handling it too carelessly might shatter the delicate thread of understanding that had started to form in your mind.

Arthur returned a moment later, two glasses in hand. “Here,” he said, handing one to you before plopping back into his chair. His sharp gaze zeroed in on you almost immediately. “What’s up?” he added, noticing the way you were looking at him.

“Nothing,” you said too quickly, your voice higher-pitched than normal as you shook your head. “Thanks for the drink.”

He didn’t look convinced. “You sure? You’ve got that weird ‘thinking too hard’ face on. Is it work? Something I did?”

“No, no, it’s nothing.” You forced a smile, taking a sip of your drink to avoid his searching eyes.

Arthur leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable, but the faintest hint of a frown tugged at his lips. “Alright,” he said slowly, as if he didn’t believe you but wasn’t going to push.

The conversation moved on, or rather, Arthur started rambling about something inconsequential, filling the silence, but your mind couldn’t stop circling back to the photo.

It was strange, disarming even, to realise Arthur thought of you enough to make a moment like that his background. But what did it mean? Was it just some fondness he hadn’t expressed aloud, or was it something deeper than that?

You glanced at him as he talked, gesturing happily about some podcast drama you hadn’t even heard of. For once, you weren’t really listening. Instead, you found yourself studying him, noticing the way his hair fell slightly out of place when he gestured too enthusiastically, or the faint line between his brows that always appeared when he was passionate about something.

And then there was that small, vulnerable part of you wondering if maybe, just maybe, Arthur’s walls weren’t as impenetrable as you’d thought. That maybe the photo meant something more.

You weren’t sure if you should ask him about it or let it slide. Confronting him felt like stepping into territory neither of you had quite dared to explore yet. But ignoring it felt impossible now.

Either way, the relationship between you was changing, and there was no going back.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁౨ৎ. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

Chapter Six is coming soon !!

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁౨ৎ. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

author note: IM SORRY GUYS FOR THE ANGST I JUST CANT HAVE THIS BOY ACTING UP AND NOT GETTING TOLD OFF, the next chapter might just make up for it ;)

my lovely taglist:

@rubyskies @rkaya @pookietv @rougetv @arthurhillmastermind @fatneek444 @pretendyoucantseeme @neivivenaj @mmilllll @asmoothoperator

#recommended reading

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