Pairing: Javier Pena x AFAB reader
Summary: Javi and Y/N need to have a talk
Rating: G
Warnings: Hurt/Comfort
Author’s note: Sorry guys for the late update! The writer’s block has been real
Word count: 1.5K
As you pass all the town businesses, the summer air flows into Javier’s truck. Then, finally, he pulls into a parking spot, his door facing the sidewalk.
“Thank you for dropping me off. You know I could've just biked to work?” you ask him, closing his door. You circle to the driver's side, leaning on his open window.
“I like driving you to work. Dinner tonight?”, He suggests.
“I could go for some wine-ing and dining,” you play with the thought. Unfortunately, Maria’s been on vacation for the last week, so you’ve taken care of the shop yourself.
“Ok, I’ll pick you up at closing.” he leans his head out the window to connect his lips with yours.
“I love you,” you say, pecking his lips once more, then turning away from him to walk to the shop's door.
“I love you more,” he says quickly, rolling up his window. Then, before you can retort, he drives off.
It's corny, but you both argue about who loves who more. He’s so frustrating.
You snort, unlocking the door and stepping inside.
Today’s going to be different. You can feel it.
----
Javi
“Did you pick it up?” I ask Steve.
“Yes.” Steve throws the ring box at me.
“How did you get all that money past the misses?”
“Told her I lost a bet to you.”
Steve snorts. “So today is the day? The day Javier Pena settles down. We really should have cake.”
“I am so nervous.”, I say, bracing my head with my hand.
-
For the last month, Javier Pena has been driving himself absolutely nuts. Should he propose? Should he not? There are so many things he has to take into consideration. He’s never felt this way about a woman before. This week, she’s been covering for her boss and the empty hours without her has brought him to snoop around her stuff. He has read approximately 5 of her books. Fantasy books about men in flowy white shirts on ships, some hot and heavy scenes that would make a nun pass out. But they all ended up with the man saving the woman and passionately kissing her. Demanding she marry him.
One day he was so invested that he forgot the time. Y/N was unlocking the door and he nearly tripped on the carpet putting the book back on the bookshelf.
Grabbing the dictionary, he barely reached the couch before she got inside.
“Honey! Im home”, she shouts out.
Acting surprised, he lifts his head, “Oh! Hi! You’re off earlier.”
She walked in clutching four paper bags, clearly struggling. “Yeah, the cafe was super dead so I locked up early. The weather was nice so I thought I might walk.”
He hopped up in a flash. “Let me help you with those”
She twisted away in rejection. “You need to take it easy. The doctor said no heavy lifting. Anyways, so I remember we needed bread so I dropped by the grocery store and I was shopping hungry. So, now im making chicken alfredo for dinner.”
“I wouldn't call bread and milk ‘heavy’ but”, you put up his hands in surrender, “you’re the boss”
“Can you set the table”, she shouts back, making her way to the kitchen. “Did you feed Avery!?”
“Once this morning, and a little bit before you got here,” he says placing the dictionary back on the shelf.
“You hear that, little girl? You’re dad already fed you. Hey! Don’t yell at me, young lady!”. She’s yelling at the cat again, he thinks. Javi laughs to himself. I couldn’t love her more than I love her, right here, right now. He feels for the ring in his pocket. It’s gotta be today.
----
Y/N
You’re faking a positive attitude for him. You’ve been running yourself ragged all day. You had multiple wrong orders. Lemon tea in espresso, mistaking heavy cream with half and half. So when the midday rush clears, you decide to close up early. Some fresh air will do you good. It’s been a long week without Maria and you are bone tired. Cooking might be the stress relief you need right now.
Javi was acting weird. He’s been different since the accident. You can blame it on some kind of PTSD but that doesn't seem like the only thing circling his brain. Whatever it is im sure you guys can figure it out. Unless he breaks up with you.
Oh no, he’s breaking up with me.
“I found this red wine at the store and I thought I could try it out”, you pour two glasses of wine. Taking a sip, you cringe at how bitter it is. The longer you spend cooking the more the nasty thoughts get to you.
He realizes he wants better than you can give him. You down the glass.
He found someone else. You pour another glass.
He knows your secret. You down the second glass.
You start to feel woozy.
“Corizón”, he walks in. “You ok?”. He looks you in the face, searching for an answer.
“Yeah!”, you enthusiastically breathe out, “Im good!”. You give him a half-baked thumbs up.
“Here.” He comes around behind you, grabs you under the elbows, and leads you out of the kitchen and to the table. “I’ll finish dinner, you just sit there and look pretty”
You're spiraling. Javi accidentally burned his finger testing the sauce, “FUCK!”, he yells out, sucking on his digit.
He’s mad. We’re breaking up. He knows.
You try some calming breaths. In and Out. Inhale, Exhale. Now you’re tearing up. You hold your face in your hands, sobbing.
He comes walking out, just then looking up at you “Hey do you know where th- What happened? Honey, talk to me. What’s wrong?”
Kneeling, he turns your body to face him, “Heyyy…” he croons, “What’s going on?”, he’s rubbing your knee.
“It's just..” you sniffled, trying to collect yourself. “It’s been a long week and you've just been kind of distant. And I thought maybe you were mad at me for something”
He’s scanning the hurt on your face. “My love, Im not mad. I wasn’t mad. What made you feel like this?” He starts brushing circles on the backs of your hand.
You just sob a little bit more, shrugging.
“I love you… so much. In fact”, he starts patting his pockets, he’s shifting onto one knee. It's much worse, he’s proposing. TELL HIM
“Wait. Wait.”, you stretch your arms out in protest, shaking your head. “We need to talk”
Pain crosses his face. “Ok.”, he swallows, “Let’s talk”
---
“Haha, very funny. You’re a vampire”
“Immortal. None of that blood stuff”
“Immortal, who’s been living since the 1800s”
“Correct.”
“You’re pulling my leg”, he scoffs. “I get it. Big joke on the doofus”
“Im not joking.”
“I don’t believe you”
“Okay.”, you lift a single finger, running off to find the box under your bed with things you've collected over the years. One reallllllyyy old picture of you. The only one you have to remember your old life by. She looks so lively...
You hand it to Javi. He looks at it closely.
“So you have an ancestor you look exactly like”
“That’s me, in the summer of 1901. There was a giant storm on St. Simon’s beach, I was pulled under by an undertow.”
He flipped the picture, writing on the back says “The Day of the Big Storm”.
“I drowned, Javi. But before I could cross over, I was pulled out, dragged onto the sand, and resuscitated. I was”, you measure an inch between your pointer finger and thumb, “close to dying. I was 20. That’s the day my life changed. After that, I didn't age a day. I have been 20 for 74 years.”
“Do you remember who pulled you out?”
“No idea. Do you believe me?”
“I do. Just give me time. Have you been keeping this from me the whole year we’ve been dating?”, he speaks softly.
Tears start running down your face again. You’re shaking.
“I didn’t know how to tell you… I’ve never told anyone before. I usually move town before I could get close to anyone”
He’s squeezing his temples.
“This is a lot to process.”
“I know. I’d understand if you left right now”
“Goddamit. Hold your horses for two seconds.”, he gets up from the couch, pacing. “I’m not going anywhere. I just need a fucking moment.”
“Javier”, you can barely recognize your voice as it escapes your mouth. “You were going to propose weren’t you?”
He stalls. He shakes his head and utters, “Yeah” he slides his hand down his jaw. “Yes, yes I was”
“And you’re having second thoughts?”
“Yes. No. It’s not like that. Just give me a day to process this. Would you have said yes?” His brows furrow.
“I think we both need time to think about this. “, You stand up and kiss his cheek. “Hey”, you place your hand on his cheek, “We’re gonna be fine. I have to clean up at the shop anyways. I’ll see you in the morning, ok?”
You grab your coat and walk out.
