Red Strings | The Group Chat x Reader

Chapter 17 | Weak Feelings

The weekend is finally here since Blake visited me, and I'm sitting in front of my soulmates' open front door because Nick asked me to come over, but wouldn't specify why.

"Can you please check on Isaac?" Is the first thing Nick asks me when we meet face to face. What?

"Why? He doesn't want me anywhere near him."

"Listen, I know you guys haven't had the greatest relationship, but please. He's feeling sick and weak. It's because of the soulmate bond between you guys - at least I think. He feels, like neglected or rejected." Nick defends Isaac.

"Okay, first of all, he was the one who rejected me - he told me he didn't want anything to do with me. Second of all, why am I not feeling this weakness or sickness?"

"My theory is because there are multiple of us, so maybe you don't feel it to a full effect because you still have other soulmates to rely on? I don't know. You know how it feels to yearn someone because of the bond, how it guides us to do things - to push us along. He didn't get any of that affection. He didn't get to fulfill his cravings - he didn't get to experience your attention that we all want." He grabs my hand towards the end of his mini speech.

My heart aches, and I feel bad for Isaac. "He did this. He was the one who set the boundary," I verbally remind myself.

"Y/n, please. Isaac is my best friend and you are my soulmate, I care about you both so deeply. I will do anything, please just do this one thing I ask," Nick squeezes my hand in a last stitch effort to get me to agree.

I sigh, "okay, I will try. If he rejects me again, then I truly don't know what else to do Nick."

Nick beams, "I'll take it! Thank you, Y/n!" He ushers me towards Isaac's room.

"Uh, Nick, I don't know if I'm read-"

"It'll be fine, just go talk to him." Nick opens Isaac's door and shuts me in.

"Nick? This isn't cool, dude," I twist the door knob, but nothing happens. "Nick?"

"I'm sorry Y/n, but I need you guys to make up. I won't let you out until then."

"What the fuck man?" I pull on the door knob again, but nothing happens.

Fuck. It doesn't seem like he's going to let me out.

I slowly turn around, observing the room. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I faintly see a figure, who I can only assume is Isaac, lying in the bed. I stalk towards the bed, walking to the side he's laying on. Isaac is laying on his back, and he looks like he's in discomfort. I touch the back of my hand to his forehead and he's burning up, sweating.

I notice that our red string is slightly faded in color, and it makes me panic slightly. How didn't I realize it sooner? I feel the string guide my hand from his forehead, twisting and descending slowly down his face to cup his cheek. I watch his face contort, before leaning into my touch, momentarily relaxing. He looks so sick though, it pains my heart. Isaac's hand reaches from under his blanket and lightly grips my wrist. I watch as his grip tightens, then releases, slowly trailing down my arm.

"Why..?" He asks so softly, I almost don't hear him.

I look him in the eyes to see he's already staring deeply into my soul, and his face is full of sadness.

"Nick thinks you're sick because of our soulmate bond." I reply just as softly.

Isaac slowly takes my hand off his cheek, "so you're here just because Nick said something?" Isaac's face hardens.

"Isaac, I won't lie, yes-"

"I'm fine, you can leave." He cuts me off.

"Isaac-"

"Just go."

"Please, Isaac-"

"I told you-"

"ISAAC! Just fucking listen to me for once!"

Isaac just looks at me shocked that I even shouted. He looks like he's going to say something, but he stops himself, finally hearing me out.

"Yes, Nick asked me to come in here to check up on you because he's worried fucking sick about you. Isaac, I was fucking hurt by what you said. You said you didn't want me around you, and so I was staying away. You can't get upset at me for staying away when you asked me to and you definitely can't be upset that I was willing to stay away because of what you said to me. I don't even know why you don't want anything to do with me in the first place? I can be understanding, but you didn't even give me a chance." My voice starts to falter; I'm losing energy as I keep going, "and I... I want to forgive you Isaac, I really do. I want us to get along, we don't even have to be together if you don't want to. Everyone else has decided to be in relationships if you're up for it, but I will never force you. It does hurt me to see you like this, especially if it's because of me."

Isaac stays silent, studying me; all it does is make me feel anxious and regret for even trying. I sigh, I just laid all my cards on the table, if he doesn't want to come around, I can't force him and I won't. I tried, Nick. I turn and start to walk away, but I feel Isaac grip my wrist. I twist to look down at him.

"Don't go." Isaac whispers. "I... I thought that I wouldn't need you. There are 5 of us, there's no way that you can love everyone equally and give everyone equal attention. I mean, what about holidays? What about marriage? Kids? I was eliminating myself before even having the chance to be hurt by everything to come. Simply removing myself from the equation, so that it'd be easier." He starts to gain a bit more confidence the more he speaks.

"I get that Isaac, but you didn't even give me the chance." I sit on the ledge of his bed, right next to him.

"Yeah, but you also said so yourself that you don't care about being together."

"What? When did I say that?"

"You know, when I said those things to you."

What? "Isaac, I said I don't have a problem with not being in a relationship, if that's what you want. I would have loved to make it work, but I don't want to force you into anything that you're not comfortable with."

"You would have?"

"Yes, I would have. What you said hurt, Isaac. I don't want to give up on you, but I don't think I can forgive you so easily."

Isaac doesn't say anything for a minute, digesting the information. "I understand," he pauses again. "Will you let me be in your life?"

It's my turn to silently study him, and he looks so pained. He's waiting for my answer like it's his lifeline, and all I want to do is supply him. "I think we need to work on some things, but I would really like for you to be in my life Isaac," I smile down at him.

"Thank you," he says weakly. It's silent for a minute, the room only filled with Isaac's coughs and sniffles. Isaac's grip on my wrist becomes a smooth transition to being interlocked with my own fingers. "Is it okay if we stay like this for a while? I feel better with you around."

Isaac's sickness must be making him a little delirious and rubbing off on me, because I can feel my heart melt a little at his admission. "Alright."

Isaac scoots backwards from the ledge of the bed so that I can have more room to sit on, but he never breaks our hands that are holding. I don't feel like I have to do more, but regardless I reach out and stroke the hair out of Isaac's face, my hand falling and stroking his face, then going up and down his arm. I watch as Isaac looks like he relaxes, closing his eyes and letting me take care of him. I can faintly see the color in our string start to return, and it gives me a boost of happiness to see that this might be working. I listen to Isaac's breathing in his silent room, and then I start to hear the smallest snores.

I smile down at Isaac and whisper, "what am I going to do with you?"

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