⍟ Broken Strings {A Chaos Theory x Male Reader Story - Yasmina}

𝟻. 𝙱𝚘𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙾𝚟𝚎𝚛

"You're right." Y/N stands up, "We have gone over this. So, I need you to really listen to me this time, okay?"

"Brooklyn got on that plane on her own. She chose where she is and who she went with. She didn't choose us, so it's clear that it's not us she wants to be with." He crosses his arms, his position guarded.

"Sammy isn't swaying me on anything, and I think it's quite ironic that you're so dead set on me forming my own opinion, because when I speak up, you shut me down."

"But what if she's onto something we just don't know about?" Ben jumps in, ignoring the specific undertones to Y/N's previous statement.

"W-- What if--" Darius begins.

"We gave her an out." Kenji stands up, "Doesn't seem like she needed it, or wanted it."

"We don't know that." Darius huffs.

"Fine." Sammy shrugs, "You need proof?"

She marches over and takes Gia's phone from Ben. She takes a step back and scrolls onto Dark Jurassic, calling Brooklyn.

The phone rings and a wave of suspense washes over the group when Brooklyn picks up almost instantly.

'Soyona!' She answers cheerily, 'Soyona?'

"It's Sammy." Sammy responds flatly.

'Sammy, not right now, okay?' Brooklyn's voice drops to a whisper.

"Why? What are you doing?" Sammy scoffs.

'Nothing.' Brooklyn replies briefly, 'Working.'

"Working, huh? That's new." Kenji rolls his eyes.

'I don't have time for this.' Brooklyn grumbles.

"Where are you?" Darius frowns, "Are you okay?"

'I'm fine.' Brooklyn seemingly grows annoyed.

"You there?" Sammy calls into the phone after a moment of silence.

"Sammy, give me the phone." Yaz reaches for it but Sammy backs away.

'I've gotta go.' Brooklyn hands up without another word.

"Sammy why did you do that?" Yaz scolds as Sammy looks down at the phone screen.

"Me? She hung up!" Sammy scoffs.

"I might have been able to keep her on the line if you gave me the phone." Yaz argues.

"Hold on!" Darius steps in, "The phone doesn't matter, Brooklyn does."

"The sooner we leave for Malta, the better." Ben nods.

"You don't even know where to go once we get there!" Sammy throws her hands up in disbelief.

"We don't have time to keep debating!" Darius grumbles.

"She doesn't want anything to do with us!" Kenji folds his arms.

"Yes, she does, we just--"

"No, she doesn't!" Y/N cuts Ben off, "Was that not made clear from the phone call?"

"That's not fair!" Yaz scoffs.

The arguing begins to overlap, everyone shouting over each other in a nonsensical manner, not one point getting across.

"Basta!" Nonna finally shouts over the heated feud, quieting everyone down.

Gia and Nonna both begin lecturing them in Italian, Ben being the only one to understand even a lick of it.

"Chill out!" Gia finally switches back to English, "You can't let Brooklyn tear you apart!"

"Again." Kenji mutters.

Yaz storms out of the room and Y/N waits a second before reluctantly following after her.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

Yaz and Y/N sit on their shared bed, but on opposite sides. Separated.

"I feel like you don't care about Brooklyn." Yasmina finally speaks, breaking the thick tension.

Y/N holds back a groan. He hates this. He hates the 'I feel' and 'I understand' statements. Talking to his girlfriend shouldn't feel like a therapy session, yet, here they are.

"I... understand how you feel." He sighs, "But I feel like you're not listening to what I'm saying."

"And I feel like you're not getting the fact that Brooklyn is fine. She doesn't need our help."

"And I feel like you're not being honest to yourself about this." Yaz turns around to face him.

"What does that even mean?" Y/N scoffs, not facing her just yet.

"How could you know if I'm being honest with myself? You don't even know who I am."

"What are you talking about?" Yaz presses.

"When's the last time we hung out before all of this, Yaz? The last time you called me? Checked in?" Y/N huffs, "You didn't even know I was staying with Sammy!"

"You've been so focused on yourself and school and that stupid, sealed off little island you live on, that you've shut everyone and everything else out!"

"This isn't about me!" Yasmina grumbles.

"Isn't it? Isn't that what everything is about?" Y/N throws his hands up, finally turning to face his girlfriend, "I'm surprised you even care so much about Brooklyn being gone, since you didn't reach out to Sammy once after her family left!"

"You want me to go and risk my life to go save someone who doesn't even need saving, when you won't even stick your neck out to ask how someone is doing? You're boyfriend? Your best friend?"

"You're just running away from this!" Yaz shouts, "Like you always do!"

"Like you always do!" Y/N shoots back, "Like you did. When you left for Wyoming."

It's silent for a moment, the couple makes heavy eye contact, remorse and regret painting their expressions.

"I'm sorry." They both speak in tandem.

"...This isn't working out." Yaz takes a deep breath.

"It's not." Y/N readjusts his gaze, looking out the window.

"Where does that leave us?" Yaz looks up at him helplessly.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

Y/N and Yaz leave the bedroom and step into the kitchen for dinner. Y/N glances up, noticing there's only two seats left. Directly beside each other.

He gives Ben a pleading look and he scoots over as soon as he realizes. The pair take a seat silently, Ben in between them.

"Wait..." Darius glances between them, "A look of realization coming to his features, "No."

"Did you two break-- Ow!" He groans as Ben kicks him under the table and gives him a stern look.

"So..." He clears his throat, glancing down at Smoothie as he waddles around the table, "This is it?"