#nite writes

[acryinthewrite]

July 7, 2026

165 words of original work written for @thepromptfoundry's Jazzy July and @tropevarietyhour's July theme, The Lies We Tell.

Day 7 Prompts: Battle of the Bands and “Do You Want Me to Lie and Say I Love You?”

Once again I have no idea what is happening. And once again I am going less literal with ‘battle of the bands’. More like ‘battle of the words’. Which is kinda dumb but whatever.

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“Do you want me to lie and say I love you?”

“I want you to say it and mean it.”

“You should know better than to ask that of me now.”

“Fine.”

“It’s not fine, though.”

“It is.”

“It’s not.”

“Well, it’s not going to change. So.”

“But you want it to change.”

“Yes, I want it to change. I want you to love me the way that I love you. But that isn’t going to happen. So it’s fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.”

“And that doesn’t matter. You’re the priority in this situation.”

“Just because I’m the one who can’t change my feelings doesn’t mean you can’t be affected by it.”

“My feelings don’t matter because I’m not the one who would be hurt.”

“But you are hurt.”

“I’m fine.”

“I don’t want you to lie to me.”

“You can’t change your feelings, I’m fine, and it doesn’t matter.”

“I do love you.”

“I know.”

“Just not in the way you want.”

“I know.”

[acryinthewrite]

July 1, 2026

371 words of original work written for @thepromptfoundry's Jazzy July and @tropevarietyhour's July theme, The Lies We Tell.

Day 1 Prompts: Swing Time and "I"m Fine."

I went more with the vibe of swing time than literal swing, but we move.

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Tonight is amazing conditions. The stars will be perfectly visible, not a single shooting star covered by clouds. Or worse, light pollution. 

It’s really a shame that I feel too bad to enjoy it. 

I hear their footsteps walk up behind me. “You good?”

“I’m fine,” I say. 

“Right.” They draw the word out skeptically. “You’re fine. That’s why you left the group, and that’s why you’re staring up at the sky on your own.”

I huff. “It’s the perfect night to stare at the sky. Look–” I point up. A star streaks across the sky, gone before they can see it. 

They frown exaggeratedly. “Aw darn, I missed it.”

I smile at them. “You’re fine, there’s gonna be more.” 

They smile back at me. “Yeah, I know.”

They jump to their feet with a dramatic spin, and then perform a ridiculous bow with their hand held out towards me. I laugh. “What are you doing?”

“May I have this dance, my lovely?” They quickly twirl their hand a few times, for effect. “I will feel blessed by the heavens, if you deign to accept.” 

I laugh again and grasp their hand. They pull me up, close to their body, and I expect some sort of waltz or something fancy like that. Instead, they start moving our bodies in a rollicking rhythm that feels like it needs music to really be complete. 

I can’t stop myself from laughing into their shoulder. “What is this?” I manage to get out. 

“Swing!” they explain, throwing me out into a spin and quickly pulling me back.

“Doesn’t that need music?”

“Well, yes, usually.” I duck under their hands for another spin, getting pulled right back into our original position. “But we can make our own music!”

They freeze in a dip and stare into my eyes. “Can’t we, my lovely?”

I keep my hand tight around their back. “Of course we can.”

They smile a soft and lovely smile. “You’ll be okay.”

I nod and smile back at them. “I”ll be okay.”

Their whole face brightens up again. “Then let us dance in celebration!”

They spin me back up out of the dip, and we dance the night away, laughing all the while.

[acryinthewrite]

July 3, 2026

398 words of original work written for @thepromptfoundry's Jazzy July and @tropevarietyhour's July theme, The Lies We Tell.

Day 3 Prompts: First Instrument and “Don’t Worry About It.”

This one is like . . . fanfic of my own work? Even though it's technically canon by virtue of me writing it.

Basically there's a lot of backstory and other stuff going on that doesn't get explained, but I hope it's enjoyable to read anyway.

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“You’re back!”

The excited exclamation brought Sid out of the painful stupor she had slipped into. The small body slamming into her helped too.

She wrapped her arms around her little sister. 

“Yeah, I’m back.”

August looked up at her. “Where did you go?”

Sid waved one of hands around. “Oh, you know. Here and there. Don’t worry about it.”

“Right. Well, I’m glad you’re back. It’s weird when you’re not around.” August didn’t believe her, obviously. But sometimes you lie to protect people. 

Sid rested her hand on top of August’s head. “Hey. Don’t worry about it.”

August stepped out of their hug. “Okay. As long as you’re okay. You’re okay right?”

Sid ignored the pain in her side. “I’m totally okay.” She painted a smile onto her face. “And I brought something for you.”

August’s eyes lit up. “Yeah? What is it?”

“Come on. It’s in the music room, so we need to be quiet.” 

Together, they walked to the music room. They made sure to keep very quiet so there’s no chance of them being caught breaking curfew. 

Sid closed the door gently after they entered. 

August was lifting her heels up and lowering them quickly, almost bouncing. The music room has always been her favorite place.

“What did you bring me?” she asked, 

Sid shook her head playfully. “Eager, aren’t we?”

August stopped bounding and glared at Sid. “You’re the one who brought it up.”

“I know, I know,” Sid laughed. “It’s over here.”

Sid led her to the other wall. There, hanging on a stand, was a beautiful violin. 

August’s eyes went wide and she crouched down to touch it reverently. “Wow,” she breathed. 

Sid felt a real smile creep onto her face. “Is it a good one?”

“Yes, it’s amazing! Thank you!” August leapt up and hugged Sid again. She kept the smile on through the pain of August’s arm on her side. 

“I can actually learn to play now!”

Sid gently smoothed her hand over August’s hair. “I know. That’s why I got it.”

“It’s the best present ever.”

“You’re welcome. But we should head back to our rooms.”

August’s joy dimmed just a bit. 

“Hey.” Sid cupped August’s face in her hands. “It’s okay. You can start learning with Onyx tomorrow.”

August forced a smile on. “Yeah. I can’t wait.”

“Come on. Let’s go.”

Their walk back is entirely silent.

[acryinthewrite]

July 2, 2026

194 words of original work written for @thepromptfoundry's Jazzy July and @tropevarietyhour's July theme, The Lies We Tell.

Day 2 Prompts: Speakeasy and "It's Good to See You."

Again, more vibes, and again. We move.

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It’s strange, having to meet in secret places. In secret rooms, lit by candlelight. We used to meet under the sun.

They smile at me. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you, too,” I say. 

There’s a little sliver of sunset peeking through the gaps in the walls. It’s still brighter than the candles.

They hold out their open hand. I look, and there it is. My matchbox.

“You kept that?” I almost reach out for it, but who knows how they would respond to that. Not me, not anymore. 

They nod, and move their hand closer to me in offering. I pick the box up gently. 

“It’s been so long . . .”

“Yeah.” Their eyes look so bright in the candlelight. It’s been a long time since I saw them look like that. “I just figured . . . Well, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

I trace the details of the box with my finger. “Yeah.” Not much about us matters anymore.

They nod decisively. “I thought you would want it back. Memories, you know?”

I stare at their hand, still against the wood of the counter. “I know.”

I know about memories. 

I remember, too. 

[acryinthewrite]

July 6, 2026

260 words of original work written for @thepromptfoundry's Jazzy July and @tropevarietyhour's July theme, The Lies We Tell.

Day 6 Prompts: Warm Radio and “Look Me In the Eye and Say It Again.”

Don’t ask me what’s happening here because I don’t know either. Also I do not agree with the character’s views on jazz music.

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“Don’t ignore me.”

The radio’s song drifts between us in the silence.

“I’m not,” I say.

“Then why won’t you look at me?”

I turn around. 

“There. I’m looking at you.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am. I turned around and everything.”

“You’re not making eye contact.”

“And why is that so important?”

“It is important because that’s how I know that you’re paying attention to me.”

I sigh. “I promise that I’m paying attention to you. Good enough?”

“No.”

Their response is punctuated by a rumble of thunder and a crack of lightning from outside. I force my eyes to meet theirs.

“There you go. Happy now?”

“It’s an improvement.”

Their voice is still frosty. I sigh again and lean my head back against my chair.

“That is not an improvement.” 

“Thank you so much for your feedback.”

We sit in silence again, except for the storm outside and the radio. I try to place the song that its playing. It feels vaguely familiar. Then again, it’s jazz, and most jazz sounds very similar to me. 

They’re the one to break the silence again.

“Please look at me.”

I consider it. Their voice sounds warmer this time, more asking than demanding.

“Why?” I ask. 

“One more time.”

“Why?”

“Please.”

“Fine.”

I lift my head up from my chair and look at them.

They don’t react as far as I can tell. Then again, their complete non- reaction might mean something on its own.

“Happy now?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

I lean back again and lose myself in the radio’s song.

[acryinthewrite]

July 4, 2026

387 words of original work written for @thepromptfoundry's Jazzy July and @tropevarietyhour's July theme, The Lies We Tell.

Day 4 Prompts: Midnight Music and "Were You Ever Going to Tell Me?"

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It was midnight. 

There was music drifting through the air. I didn’t know where it was coming from, but it wasn’t important. 

What was important was that I had just been told something by the wrong person, at the wrong time.

I ran through the grass. I was halfway there before I realised I didn’t bother to put on my shoes on the way out.

I found them lying underneath a tree, eyes closed, their head swaying to the mysterious music. 

I came to a stop next to them, panting. 

I could tell that they knew I was there, but they didn’t open their eyes. I sat down next to them. They didn’t acknowledge me at all. I pulled my legs up and rested my head on my knees. 

After a moment, I broke the silence. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

Their eyes opened slowly and they smiled when they saw me. “Tell you what?”

I stared at them long enough that their smile faded and they sat up, leaning against the tree. 

They still didn’t say anything, though. It was looking like I was going to have to be the brave one, here. 

“You love me?” I asked. That was it. I had heard it from the wrong person at the wrong time, because I should have heard it from them, and I should have heard it years ago.

Another smile crept onto their face, this one looking more pained. “Always have.”

I squeezed my legs harder. “Then why didn’t you ever–?” I cut myself off. What does it matter? They didn’t tell me.

They knocked their head against the tree trunk, looking at the stars through the leaves. “It never felt like the right time, you know?”

I shook my head. “No. I don’t know.”

They laughed, just a little. “You were always . . . I don’t know. Busy, I guess.”

“Never too busy for you,” I whispered.

Their smile turned less painful. “Yeah, I know. But I didn’t really know, you know?” They laughed, in a better way this time. 

“No,” I said again. “I don’t know.”

They turned to face me. “Well, it doesn’t matter anyway. You’re busy again.”

I stared at them. “Didn’t you just hear me?”

I moved closer, and tucked myself underneath their arm. “I’m never too busy for you.”

[acryinthewrite]

(56 words of poetry written for @thepromptfoundry’s Jazzy July and @tropevarietyhour’s July theme, The Lies We Tell. 

Day 27 Prompts: Rouged Lips and “I Would Have Given You the World”.

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i would have given you the world.

i would have given you everything

and anything you asked for.

every time that you put your painted lips to mine,

i gave in 

and would have given

you everything.

but hearts and time

change like minds,

and your painted lips

have not touched mine

for quite some time. 

[acryinthewrite]

July 12, 2026

524 words of original work written for @thepromptfoundry's Jazzy July and @tropevarietyhour's July theme, The Lies We Tell.

Day 12 Prompts: Quartet and “Every Memory I Had With You…”

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All Sid can think is, we were supposed to be a team.

The four of us, we were supposed to keep each other safe.

It hurts to look at the flames and know that her sister has caused this destruction. 

It hurts to think that maybe she could have done something to prevent this.

Part of the fire seems to reach out to her. She douses it with a wave of her hand, taking water from the buckets around her.

There isn’t enough water for her to put out all of the fire at once, especially considering that it has to be Sid’s water to counter her sister’s fire. Instead, she’s focusing on not letting the flames reach any further than they already have. 

Someone is walking up behind her. She can sense the water that they’re carrying, so it must be either August or Jack. One of her siblings, so there’s no need to turn around.

“You need rest.”

Oh, good. It’s Jack. She doesn’t have to be as strong, not like she would for August. 

“I need to keep the fire from spreading.”

Jack sets down the /yoke/ with the buckets of water on each end. “We can keep watch. And it’s dying down anyway.”

Sid shakes her head. “No. It isn’t getting any smaller. I’m only able to keep it the same size.”

“Hey.” Jack puts their hand on her shoulder. “You need to rest. It won’t get much larger in a few minutes. Me and August can take care of it.”

She almost falls into their hold. She wants to rest. She wants to lie down and sleep and never have to think again. She wants to forget that their sister is capable of burning down people’s homes with no remorse. She wants to rewrite every memory and make everything better. 

But she can’t. She has to put out this fire. 

She shakes Jack’s hand off her shoulder. 

“No. Only the water I control can put out her fire. You know that, Jack.”

Jack looks tired, with dark circles around their eyes that they would usually will away. “Yes, I know that. I also know that everything this fire can consume in the few minutes you will allow yourself to rest is already beyond saving.”

She shakes her head. There is nothing beyond saving.

“Sid.” Jack puts their hands on her shoulders and turns her to face them. “You need to rest. The only thing the fire can burn right now is grass. You lie down, and me or August will wake you if it gets too close to something else.”

Sid stares into Jack’s eyes. They look so tired. And sad. Sid wonders if they’ve allowed their tears to fall yet. She certainly hasn’t.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Jack asks.

“Yes, okay,” she replies. “I’ll go lie down. And one of you will wake me up if I’m needed.”

“Yes, we will.” There’s a sense of relief on Jack’s face. Not a smile, exactly, but something close.

Sid finds a soft patch of ground and lies down and tries not to think of her sister as she used to know her.