In Between

He Laughs At Her Eyes

It's been a few days since Lacy joined the cast, and Y/N has noticed small, subtle changes in the group dynamic. Lacy is everywhere—always in the middle of things, laughing easily, lighting up conversations with her presence. There's something magnetic about her, something that seems to draw people in without her even trying.

Walker, especially, seems to be around Lacy more and more. It's not like they're glued together, but Y/N can't help but notice when they're sharing a laugh between takes or grabbing coffee together in the morning. Nothing overtly romantic, just... friendly. Too friendly, maybe.

Y/N tries to push the thoughts aside, but they nag at her throughout the day. Even Dior notices her distraction as they sit together during a lunch break.

"You good?" Dior asks, glancing up from her phone.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Y/N replies a bit too quickly.

Dior eyes her skeptically. "You sure? You seem a little... off."

Y/N forces a smile. "Just tired, I guess."

But it's more than that. It's the way Walker's attention has subtly shifted. The way his focus seems to drift toward Lacy, even when he's hanging out with Y/N and the others.

Later that day, the cast gathers for a casual rehearsal, blocking a scene for the next day's shoot. Walker stands across from Y/N, their characters exchanging dialogue, but his energy feels different. Distant. Almost like his mind is somewhere else entirely.

When the rehearsal wraps, Y/N watches as Walker wanders over to where Lacy is sitting, the two of them sharing a quiet conversation. Something in Y/N's chest tightens.

That evening, back at her house, Y/N curls up on the couch, staring at her phone. She pulls up the group chat—*Demigods + Y/N*. Everyone's been messaging about plans for the weekend, but Y/N hasn't chimed in. She isn't sure she wants to. The idea of hanging out with the group, with Walker and Lacy, feels... heavy.

Her phone buzzes, and she glances down. It's Walker.

**Walker**: Hey, you okay? You were quiet today.

Y/N hesitates before typing back.

**Y/N**: Yeah, just tired.

A few moments pass, and another message pops up.

**Walker**: Wanna grab dinner tomorrow? Just us?

Y/N stares at the screen, her heart skipping a beat. Is this his way of saying things are normal? Or is he just trying to keep up appearances?

**Y/N**: Sure.

She hits send, but the knot in her stomach doesn't go away.

The next day arrives faster than expected, and Y/N finds herself sitting across from Walker in a quiet corner of a small restaurant. The tension between them is subtle but unmistakable. They make small talk at first, but it's stilted, the conversation never quite settling into its usual easy rhythm.

Finally, Y/N can't hold it in anymore. "You've been spending a lot of time with Lacy."

Walker looks up, startled by the shift in tone. "What do you mean?"

Y/N shrugs, trying to sound casual. "I don't know. You two just seem... close."

Walker's expression softens, but there's a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "She's cool. We're just friends."

"Yeah, I know. It's just..." Y/N trails off, unsure of how to say what she's really feeling.

Walker leans forward, his voice gentle but firm. "There's nothing going on, Y/N. I promise. Lacy's nice, but... it's not like that."

Y/N wants to believe him. She wants to trust that everything is just the way it was before Lacy arrived. But the uncertainty gnaws at her, refusing to let go.

They finish dinner, the tension still lingering in the air. Walker walks her back to her house, but there's a distance between them that wasn't there before. As they stand outside her door, Walker hesitates.

"I feel like something's been off between us," he admits quietly.

Y/N swallows hard, her heart pounding in her chest. "Maybe. I don't know."

Walker looks at her for a long moment, like he's searching for the right words. "I don't want you to feel like I'm not here, okay? You're... you're important to me."

Y/N nods, her throat tight. "You're important to me too, Walker."

But as she watches him walk away, disappearing into the night, she can't shake the feeling that something is changing. And she's not sure how to stop it.