Colette

It’s strange how quickly things can shift. A month ago, I barely trusted Ivan. I still saw him as a ticking time bomb, something unpredictable and potentially dangerous. But now? Now he feels... steady. Reliable.

It’s not just the way he talks or the way he works. It’s the way he listens. The way he understands me in a way that Jahar never quite could.

Jahar’s always been impulsive, brash, like a spark that could catch fire at any moment. Ivan’s different. He’s calm, deliberate. He makes me feel like I don’t have to keep my guard up all the time, like I can actually relax for once.

And yeah, maybe that’s part of the problem. Jahar’s been distant lately, more sullen than usual. I try to include him in things, but it’s like he’s pulling away on purpose. Or maybe I’m imagining it.

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Ivan, as usual, doesn’t miss a thing.

“He is unhappy,” Ivan says one evening, as we sit by the fire.

I glance over at Jahar, who’s pacing near the edge of the camp, muttering to himself. “Yeah,” I admit. “I’ve noticed.”

“Have you addressed it with him?”

I hesitate. “Not really. He doesn’t seem like he wants to talk about it.”

Ivan nods, his gaze steady. “He perceives a shift in dynamics. It has unsettled him.”

I snort. “Yeah, no kidding.”

There’s a pause, and then Ivan adds, “Do you wish for me to intervene?”

I shake my head quickly. “No. That would just make things worse. I’ll... I’ll handle it.”

But as I watch Jahar stomp off into the woods, a part of me wonders if I’m too late. If we’re too far gone to fix whatever’s broken between us.

Because the truth is, as much as I care about Jahar, I’m starting to realise something.

I trust Ivan more.