Tangled Realities (Ot7xreader)

The city hums around you, neon lights flickering against the damp pavement as you walk home alone. The evening air is crisp, filled with the scent of rain that never quite falls.

You should’ve taken the bus with the others. Should’ve let Jungkook drag you into one of his playful races down the street. Should’ve laughed when Taehyung dramatically recited lines from a movie you barely paid attention to.

But instead, you’d made up an excuse—something about needing extra time at your internship.

A lie.

You just hadn’t wanted to sit there, pretending the weight in your chest wasn’t growing heavier.

By the time you reach home, the house is alive with laughter. You pause at the door, fingers tightening around the strap of your bag.

Inside, voices overlap, warmth spilling into the cool night.

Jin’s playful scolding.
Hoseok’s laughter, bright and familiar.
Jimin whining about something, Jungkook undoubtedly egging him on.

It’s comforting. It’s home.

And yet, you hesitate.

It’s not that you don’t want to be here—it’s that you don’t know if you’ll be noticed here.

Taking a deep breath, you step inside.

The scent of takeout fills the air as you walk into the living room. Jin spots you first, chopsticks frozen midair.

"Oh, you’re back? We were about to text you!"

"Yeah, lost track of time." You force a smile, setting your bag down.

Namjoon tilts his head, eyes scanning yours like he’s trying to read between the lines. But before he can say anything, Jimin tugs him into a conversation about a new song demo.

You settle into the space between them, listening, nodding, but never quite there.

No one seems to notice.

Not when Hoseok leans against Yoongi, murmuring something that makes him smirk.
Not when Jungkook pulls Taehyung into a wrestling match on the floor.
Not when Jin tells some ridiculous story that has everyone howling.

The room is full of love.

But tonight, it doesn’t reach you.

Halfway through dinner, Yoongi turns to you.

"Did you eat?" His voice is quiet, but there’s something knowing in it.

You blink, caught off guard. "I grabbed something earlier."

Another lie.

Yoongi hums, watching you for a second longer before looking away. He doesn’t push. He never does.

And for some reason, that makes it worse.

You wish he would push. That someone would.

Instead, conversation flows around you, easy and light. You nod along, taking small bites of food you don’t really taste.

You wonder if this is how it starts—this slow, unnoticed unraveling.

Later that night, you sit curled up on the couch, sketchbook resting on your lap. You should be working on your project, but your pencil hovers over the page, unmoving.

The others are scattered around the room, laughter simmering down to quiet conversations.

Yoongi and Hoseok sit close again, their bodies naturally leaning toward each other.
Jungkook dozes off against Taehyung’s shoulder, his soft snores barely audible.
Jimin and Jin argue over some variety show episode, their voices playful.

Namjoon is watching you.

You feel his gaze before you meet it.

"You okay?" His voice is low enough that no one else hears.

Your fingers tighten around your pencil. "Yeah. Just tired."

It’s the same lie you told last night.

Namjoon studies you for a long moment, but before he can respond, Jimin pulls him into a conversation.

The moment slips away.

And just like that… so do you.

You slip away before anyone notices.

Your room is quiet when you close the door behind you. Safe.

But it doesn’t feel like home tonight.

You press your hands against your face, exhaling shakily.

You’re being ridiculous, right? You know they love you. You know they care.

So why does it feel like you’re standing outside of something you used to be a part of?

Why does it feel like no one even notices that you’re slipping through the cracks?