Say It Back

Justin Bieber has everything he ever wanted. A career that won't slow down, a life most people would kill for. But none of it feels right without Soleil Beaumont in it. Two years ago, he let her slip through his fingers. Now, she's everywhere. On billboards, in stadiums, in songs that aren't about him.

She used to swear the world would never love her the way it loved him. Now, it does. The girl who lived in sneakers and stubbornness walks in designer heels and silk robes, untouchable in a way she never used to be. He expects her to still look at him the same, like none of it ever mattered, like he's still just Justin. But she doesn't. Her eyes don't soften the way they used to. Her guard never slips, not even for a second. She looks like the Soleil he left in Stratford, but standing in front of her, he knows better. There's no trace of the girl who once let him see every side of her without hesitation.

At first, it's a game. Late-night arguments disguised as conversations, lingering looks neither of them should hold. Soleil won't make the same mistakes, and Justin won't let up until she does. But they've never been good at keeping their distance, and the closer they get, the harder it is to pretend they don't still fit.

This time, it's different. The world is watching, waiting for them to fall apart again. And maybe they will. Because getting back what they lost means facing every mistake, every unspoken word, every reason they ended in the first place.

Some things are worth fighting for. Others are meant to stay in the past.

AU.

WARNINGS: COARSE LANGUAGE, MENTIONS OF ANXIETY, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, PREDATORY ENVIRONMENTS.