STATIC- part1: familiar
Summary: you don’t remember him. he remembers everything.
you notice him before he notices you.
it’s not on purpose.
it just… happens.
like your eyes know where to go before you do.
…
he’s sitting a few rows ahead, shoulders slightly hunched, head tilted down like the weight of it all is just a little too much today.
there’s something off about him.
you can’t explain it. not really.
people get tired. people get quiet. people have bad days.
but this—
this feels different.
…
your gaze lingers longer than it should.
you don’t even know his name.
you’re sure of that.
so why does it feel like you do?
…
he shifts slightly, like he can feel you looking.
for a second, you think he’s going to turn around.
he doesn’t.
instead, his hand tightens where it rests on his knee.
just for a moment.
like he’s bracing himself.
like he’s—
…
no.
you’re reading too much into it.
you look away.
…
but it doesn’t last.
it never does.
your attention drifts back to him like it’s pulled there, quiet and stubborn and impossible to ignore.
there’s a faint crease between his brows.
his jaw is set a little too tight.
and there’s something in the way he breathes—
shallow. uneven.
like he’s trying to keep something under control.
…
your chest tightens.
you don’t know why.
you don’t know him.
you keep telling yourself that.
…
he looks up.
and this time, he does turn.
…
your eyes meet.
and everything—
everything just—
stops.
…
it’s only a second.
maybe less.
but in that second, something shifts.
his expression changes so fast you almost miss it.
surprise.
then something softer. something heavier.
something that looks a lot like—
recognition.
…
your brows pull together.
that doesn’t make sense.
you’ve never seen him before.
you’d remember.
you would.
…
right?
…
he’s staring.
not in a weird way.
not in a rude way.
just—
still.
like he forgot how to move.
like he forgot where he is.
like all he can see is you.
…
your stomach twists.
“what?”
the word slips out before you can stop it.
quiet. confused.
…
he flinches.
actually flinches.
like your voice startled him more than it should have.
like it meant something.
…
his lips part slightly.
for a second, it looks like he’s about to say something.
like he’s about to—
…
“sorry.”
it comes out quick. automatic.
like he didn’t mean to say anything at all.
…
you stare at him.
something about that feels wrong too.
like that’s not what he was going to say.
like there was something else.
something important.
…
your heart starts beating a little faster.
you don’t know why.
you don’t know why any of this is happening.
…
“do i—”
you hesitate.
that feeling again.
pulling at you.
insistent.
familiar.
…
“do i know you?”
…
he goes still.
completely still.
like even breathing is too much right now.
…
and for a second—
just a second—
you see it.
clear as anything.
the answer on his face.
…
yes.
…
but then it’s gone.
wiped clean like it was never there.
his expression shutters.
his shoulders tense.
his gaze drops for half a second before forcing itself back to you.
…
“no.”
…
it’s too fast.
too flat.
too—
wrong.
…
you don’t believe him.
you don’t know why.
but you don’t.
…
your fingers curl slightly in your lap.
your chest feels tight again.
like you’re missing something.
like you’ve forgotten something important.
…
“…okay.”
you say it anyway.
because what else are you supposed to say?
…
he nods once.
sharp. final.
like that’s the end of it.
like it has to be.
…
but even as he turns away—
even as he breaks eye contact—
even as he tries to pretend none of that just happened—
…
you can’t shake the feeling.
…
something about him feels—
…
familiar.
and for some reason,
that scares you more than anything else.
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