Happier | Adam Randolph x Reader x Eric Bouchard
The air on set felt familiar, but it wasn't comforting. YN was finally set to star in the next superhero film of the year and yet, the weight of past memories hit her the moment she stepped foot onto the soundstage. She hadn’t seen Adam since their messy breakup, and now here she was—playing opposite him in a film they once dreamt about together. The past hung heavy between them, though she tried to stay focused on her job.
Across the room, Adam caught sight of her. His breath hitched. She looked the same—better, maybe but it was that same look that reminded him of all they’d lost. This was supposed to be the opportunity to fix things, to make amends, but her unreadable expression told him otherwise.
I wish you all the best, really
"Hey, YN," Adam said, trying to keep his voice steady as he approached her. “It’s been a while.”
YN turned to him, her professional smile doing little to hide the awkwardness. "Yeah, it has," she replied, keeping her response short, like she knew where this conversation could lead.
Adam’s heart leapt. Here she was as vibrant as ever. It felt as if no time has passed and yet he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her. “So, how have you been?” He smiled at her.
She inhaled. Hoping this conversation would just end already. “I’ve been good. Just working, you know how it can be.” The tension was palpable, anyone near them could feel it.
Say you love her, baby, just not like you loved me
Adam nodded, blind to how the actress felt. He wanted to keep talking, find something to say but was cut short by the director, Eric cutting in.
“Excuse me Adam, I was just wondering if I could steal Miss YN from you for a second?” Eric smiled. YN posture immediately changed. Adam didn’t want to let her go but he couldn’t also just stand around all day trying to find the words to say to her.
“Of course! She’s all yours.” Adam watched her walk away with Eric, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. This was supposed to be the moment they reconnected. He ran his hand through his hair, realizing how much he still wanted her, even after everything. As his eyes followed her, he saw it, her hand resting casually on Eric’s arm as she laughed at something he said. There was an ease, an intimacy between them that made Adam’s stomach churn.
And think of me fondly when your hands are on her
In the days that followed, Adam tried to shake the growing jealousy gnawing at him. It wasn’t just that YN was with Eric. It was that she was happy. Really happy. He watched her on set, how her face lit up when Eric was near, the way she leaned into him. The casual touches that came so easily between them.
“She’s moved on,” he muttered to himself in his trailer, staring at his reflection in the mirror. That didn’t stop the thoughts that followed him like a shadow. He’d always been good at keeping his feelings hidden, but seeing her with Eric tore at him. He remembered the late nights, the shared dreams. He remembered her. Now all he could do was watch from a distance.
I hope you're happy, but not like how you were with me. I'm selfish, I know, I can't let you go.
He caught sight of YN and Eric again. The jealousy twisted in him, the knowledge that someone else now knew her in ways that used to be his. He clenched his jaw, battling between wanting to fight for her and accepting that she had moved on.
One day, after a particularly grueling scene, Adam couldn’t take it anymore. He found YN alone in the hallway, sitting quietly as she looked over her script. Now was his chance.
“YN,” he began, voice soft but steady, “can we talk? Really talk?”
She looked up, eyes meeting his, sensing the weight of his words. “Sure,” she said, closing her script. “What’s on your mind?”
“I know things ended... badly between us,” Adam started, “but being back here, seeing you again—it’s made me realize that I never stopped caring about you. I thought... I thought maybe we could fix things.”
An eternal love bullshit you know you'll never mean. Remember when I believed, You meant it when you said it first to me?
YN sighed, her expression gentle but sad. “Adam...”
“I still believe we could have something,” he continued, his voice cracking slightly. “I know we had our problems, but I’m different now. I can be better.”
She took a breath, shaking her head softly. “Adam, I don’t know if we can. We had our time, and I’ll always care about you, but... it just didn’t work between us and I think, deep down, you know that.”
Adam’s heart wrenched. “You seriously can’t tell me you don’t feel this.” He tried reaching for her hand. She pulled away before he could touch her.
“Adam I’m sorry, but you’ve got to realize, I’m happy, much happier than before. You’ve got to understand too, you’re the one who ended it first.”
He wanted to argue, to tell her she was wrong. That there was no possible way she’s moved on already but the sincerity in her eyes stopped him. There was no malice, just the truth. She had moved on. She had found someone who made her happier than he ever could. As she got up to leave, Adam felt the sting of her words.
So find someone great, but don't find no one better
As the final days of filming approached, Adam found himself retreating into his own thoughts. He watched YN and Eric openly enjoy each other’s company, the secret of their relationship no longer a secret at all. It hurt, but he was starting to accept it. She had moved on, and he needed to, too. YN deserved her happiness even if it wasn’t with him.
The last scene of ‘Tecto’ was a quiet one. As Eric called cut and the crew cheered on for their final day coming to an end, Adam turned to YN. They stood in the applause, the weight of everything that had passed between them still lingering.
“I hope you’re happy, YN,” he said softly, his voice sincere this time. “You deserve it.”
She smiled at him, a genuine smile that reached her eyes. “Thank you, Adam.”
Eric stretched his arm out to YN, she took a hold of it. YN began to walk away, she gave a quick turn to look back at Adam. “I really hope you find happiness too.”
She continued to walk away hand in hand with Eric, Adam felt the bittersweet weight of the moment. He wasn’t the one who made her smile like that anymore, but that was okay. Adam smiled through the pain, knowing that it was time to let her go.
You’ve moved on, found someone new
