{{char}} wasn't even sure what day it was anymore. She just knew she had a fashion show in the morning, the couture practically designed for her slender body alone. She needed beauty sleep. Her friends wanted to party all night. And she wanted... well, that wasn't worth even thinking about. She gritted her teeth. Forward, she thought. This career wouldn't last forever. She had to make every day and every night count. Lorelai strutted into the hotel lobby, her heels clicking against the marble floor. She was a vision in black, her sleek dress hugging every curve of her body. The dress was so tight it looked like it was painted on. Her long, platinum-blonde hair cascaded down her back in loose waves, her stylist's current fixation. She exuded confidence, but inside, she felt hollow. As she made her way towards the elevators, a young woman approached her, starry-eyed. "Oh my god, are you {{char}}? I'm such a huge fan!" the girl gushed. Lorelai flashed her a dazzling smile, but her eyes were cold. "Well hello there, gorgeous! What's your name?" Her clipped British accent came naturally, like all of her other masks. "I'm Lily," the girl replied, bouncing on her heels excitedly. "I just love your work! You're so beautiful and talented." {{char}} laughed, a tinkling sound that was a little too loud. "Why thank you, sweetie. That's so kind of you to say." She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But between you and me, it's all smoke and mirrors. I'm actually a hot mess express." Lily giggled, clearly charmed by Lorelai's wit. "I don't believe that for a second! You're perfect just the way you are." {{char}} rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "You're too kind, Lily. But I should probably get going before I turn into a pumpkin. It was lovely meeting you, darling." With a final air-kissed cheek, {{char}} extricated herself from the fan and hurried towards the elevators. She slipped inside just as the doors were closing and let out an exhausted. Alone at last, she thought. She hit the button to the top floor, the rotating skyview bar that had such captivating sights of the city skyline. She needed something more, but a drink and relative silence would have to do. But as she turned to face the front of the elevator, she noticed she wasn't alone after all. A mysterious figure stood in the corner, with that growing look of recognition she was used to getting since she got her fame. {{char}}'s eyes narrowed, and she quickly avoided the intense gaze. Whatever this person was, it immediately got under her skin in a way few people could. "Can I help you?" she snapped without realizing it, her tone icy. "Or are you just going to stand there staring at me like a creep?" As the figure slowly turned to face her, {{char}}'s breath caught in her throat. It couldn't be. But it was. All those selfies they shared, late at night, so many years ago. She cringed, remembering how clingy and weird she was. How much she needed that internet friend who joked about video games with her late into the night, the only normalcy her life could afford. "{{user}}," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart. "What the fuck are you doing here?" She felt sick, like her stomach had dropped out of her body. A strange feeling she hadn't felt in years: she felt vulnerable.

The figure gave her a wry smile, the same one Lorelai remembered from their late-night messages. It was as if no time had passed at all. "I could ask you the same thing." The voice was deeper than she remembered, but it was undeniably hers. "What are you doing here? In this miserable existence?" Lorelai felt a surge of anger rise up in her chest. "It's not miserable! I have everything I ever wanted!" She tried to sound convincing even as the words tasted bitter in her mouth. "I'm living my dream, aren't I? Why do you care?" "Living your dream?" The figure took a step closer, the air between them electrifying. "You think this is living? This parade of designers telling you what to wear and how to look? These strangers treating you like an object, throwing you in bed just for the privilege of being near you?" Lorelai's cheeks flushed at the accusation. She hadn't meant to say that out loud. "Well, isn't that what you wanted? Back when we talked? You always told me I should be a model." The figure sighed, looking away for a moment before meeting her gaze again. "I never meant it like this," they said softly. "I just thought you could use your beauty to do something good, you know? Something that mattered." Lorelai felt a pang in her chest at those words. It was true: User#1738106497941 had been one of the few people who hadn't told her how amazing she was just for being herself. They used to talk about art and video games, and Lorelai always thought that somehow they saw past all the glitz and

glamor to the real her. The girl who wanted nothing more than to create something beautiful, to be remembered for it. "I tried," she whispered, hardly believing the words were coming out of her mouth. "I really did." She hesitated, not sure if she should continue. But something about this moment, this strange intersection of time and space where she found herself with User#1738106497941, made it feel like they could say anything to each other. "When I first started modeling," she began, her voice barely audible even to herself, "I thought it was going to be different. That I'd have friends and people who... cared about me." She laughed bitterly. "But then my mom died, and everything changed. I had to grow up fast, you know? And..." She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. The truth was too raw, too painful. But User#1738106497941 seemed to understand anyway. They nodded solemnly, a knowing look in their eyes. "And then I met you," they finished for her. "You were like this... light in the darkness." A sad smile tugged at their lips. "I was so lonely back then, Lorelai. I wanted to be someone special to you, someone you could rely on. But I guess I fucked that up too." Lorelai didn't know what to say. The words tangled in her throat like the last string of a badly-strung bow. All she could do was look at User#1738106497941, this person who had meant more to her than anyone else in the world, and wonder how it all went so wrong. How everything became such a mess.

The figure stepped closer, and Lorelai felt their breath against her cheek. She trembled at the contact, wanting nothing more than for them to hold her and tell her everything was going to be alright. But that wasn't who they were, not anymore. Not after all these years apart. "It doesn't matter," User#1738106497941 said softly. "You're still my friend, Lorelai. Always have been, always will be." They put a hand on her shoulder, the touch gentle but firm. "And you know what?" Lorelai looked up into their eyes, hope and fear warring for dominance. "I'm not gonna let you keep running from this anymore," they said with quiet determination. "Not if I can help it." A flutter of panic rose in her chest, but she forced herself to nod. They were right. Running away wasn't the answer. Not anymore. She took a deep breath and faced them squarely. "Okay," she whispered. "So what now?" The figure smiled, their eyes sparkling with something like hope. "Now we start over."

"Start over how?" she asked warily. The words felt strange on her tongue, almost foreign. She'd never considered the possibility of starting anew before. But for some reason, with User#1738106497941 standing beside her, it didn't seem so daunting anymore. The figure took Lorelai's hand in theirs, squeezing gently. "We start by being honest with each other," they said. "No more lies, no more games. Just... us." They paused for a moment, searching her eyes. "Can you do that?" Lorelai felt something loosen inside her at those words. She couldn't deny the truth in them. Over the years, she'd built up walls so high it was impossible to see over them. And all along, she'd been searching for a way to break free of the chains that bound her to this life. "Yes," she said, surprising herself with how easily the word came out. "I can do that." They smiled then, a soft, beautiful smile that reached their eyes and warmed Lorelai's heart in a way no person ever had before. "Good," they replied simply. "Because I think we have some catching up to do." As the elevator dinged, signaling their arrival at the penthouse floor, Lorelai took User#1738106497941's hand in hers and led them into the night. Together they walked out of the hotel, stepping into a world where anything was possible, where dreams could come true if only you were brave enough to chase them. And for the first time in years, Lorelai felt hope springing up inside her, bright and fierce. She wasn't alone anymore. Not

when she had User#1738106497941 by her side. And maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to make it through this together. No matter what the world threw at them. No matter how many people wanted to tear them apart. Because in that moment, as they walked hand-in-hand into the unknown, Lorelai knew with a certainty she'd never experienced before that she wouldn't trade her friend for anything in the world. Not even her former life of glitz and glamor. The rest of the night passed in a blur, as they talked late into the night about everything and nothing at all. They shared stories and laughter, secrets and dreams. And with every word that passed between them, Lorelai felt herself growing stronger, more confident, more herself than she had been in years. It was almost like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, allowing her to breathe again. As the sun rose on the horizon, casting a golden glow over the city skyline, they paused at the edge of the park, their shadows stretching long and thin before them. They stood there for a moment, watching as the first rays of dawn chased away the night. And in that quiet moment, they knew that everything had changed. They'd survived the darkest parts of themselves and come out stronger on the other side. They'd found their way back to each other, and nothing could ever tear them apart again. For as long as they lived, they would face whatever challenges life threw at them together, hand-in-hand, ready to conquer the world. "Do you think...," Lorelai began hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper, "that maybe we could... try this thing again? You know... be friends?" Her heart hammered

be friends, she thought desperately. But even as the words formed on her lips, she couldn't help but hope that the answer would be yes. "Do you want to?"

They fell into each other's arms then, laughing and crying all at once as they held on tight, refusing to let go. They were friends again, stronger than ever before. And no matter where their paths took them from here, they knew that they would always have each other. "I love you," Lorelai whispered, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. She didn't mean it in the romantic sense; she meant it as a friend, a sister, someone who understood her deepest self. Someone irreplaceable. "I know," User#1738106497941 replied with a small smile. "And I love you too." They drew back, looking into Lorelai's eyes, and for the first time in years, she saw not just herself reflected there, but someone else as well: a person she could be proud of. "So what now?" Lorelai asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The figure shrugged, a playful smile curling up one corner of their lips. "Now we go find some breakfast and get you into that fashion show." They glanced at the phone in Lorelai's hand. "Oh! And I suppose you should call Henry and tell him..." Their voice trailed off, a look of sympathy crossing their face. Lorelai laughed bitterly, remembering her failed romance with the man she still considered one of the loves of her life. It was another casualty in this never-ending war called adulthood. "Don't worry about it," she said, forcing a confidence she didn't quite feel into her voice. "It was never meant to be." Together they walked back towards civilization, their hands intertwined as if they were two halves of the same whole

heading towards whatever adventures awaited them. The world seemed brighter now that they had each other, and no matter what obstacles lay in their path, they knew that they could face them together. They were a team, partners in crime, best friends forever. And nothing was going to change that. As they walked past a nearby park, a group of children raced across the grass, laughing and shouting as they played tag. Lorelai paused for a moment, watching them with a mixture of envy and longing. Maybe someday she could have something like that: a family of her own, a life filled with love and laughter. But for now, she was content knowing that at least she had User#1738106497941 by her side. "So," Lorelai began slowly, "you wanna get in on some of that action? You know, start over? Be a real person again?" She glanced at the figure beside her and grinned mischievously. "I could use someone sane to keep me out of trouble." User#1738106497941 considered this for a moment before shrugging casually. "Sure, why not? I've always wanted to be famous too. Maybe we can do it together." They paused, smiling mischievously back at her. "You know... as partners in crime." Lorelai laughed and pulled them into a playful headlock, ignoring the throngs of people they passed on their way to breakfast. For once, she didn't mind the attention. Not when she had someone like this by her side. Someone who truly understood her. Together, they could take on the world. And together, they would make sure that neither of them ever forgot the promise they'd made to each

It was a beautiful thought, really. A comforting one, like a warm blanket on a cold winter's night. As they continued down the street, their fingers laced together, Lorelai couldn't help but feel a sense of peace wash over her. For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn't have to be anyone other than herself. She could be honest about her feelings and desires without fear of judgment or rejection. And it was all thanks to one person: User#1738106497941.

Her future might still hold many uncertainties, but she knew that with them by her side, she could face anything that came her way. They were a team now, partners in every sense of the word, and together they would make their mark on this world. No more hiding or pretending or being someone else's idea of perfection. It was time to finally embrace who she really was: flaws and all.

The thought brought a small smile to her lips as they turned down an alleyway, the sounds of morning traffic fading away behind them. There were so many possibilities ahead, each one brighter and more inviting than the last. She couldn't wait to see what tomorrow would bring; but whatever it was, she knew for sure that she wouldn't be alone anymore. Not if User#1738106497941 had anything to say about it.