Mayhaps I possibly request another Douxie x OC oneshot? :>
YESSS ofc writing takes so long like this took 3-5 days but it's WORTH IT
Wc: 1.9k (almost made this a 2 part series)
Category: Request, fluff, hurt/comfort
Tw: mentions of insecurity, self-esteem issues, crying, mention of cursing
It was a beautiful day in the Arcadia public library as Lana shelved a few returns, putting them in their proper Dewey decimal places. But for her, the day wasn't so beautiful. Lately, she'd been having long-lost insecurities from her younger years show up all over again, doubts and self-esteem issues on the forefront of her mind. And it was all because of a certain wizard. Well, two.
She thought back to the scene at the park, where she took her late-night strolls down by the fencing. Once she had brought Douxie along, thinking maybe he would join her, but something much more hurtful happened.
From a good few feet away, that night, she had seen the bright pink hair and dark black and blue hair of the spellcasters, Douxie and Zoe. They laughed and smiled and never even noticed her behind them. It made sense they were close, they had nearly grown up together. And yet, Lana's chest tightened every time she thought they may have been too close.
She sighed, shaking herself from the memory and sliding another book onto a shelf before steering the cart to another section. When she saw who was there, looking at all the romance novels, she beamed.
“Mary, Darci! I didnae know you wehre stoppin’ by!” she called, abandoning the cart at the end of the aisle as she ran over to her best friends.
“Hey girl!” they called back, meeting her halfway as they met in a hug. They pulled away shortly, Lana feeling more comforted than just happy. Darci noticed immediately.
“Girl, what's wrong?” She asked, stepping closer again to comfort her. Lana shrugged, not wanting to seem like a crybaby.
“Ah, it's nothin’. I'm just a littel… tired.” She was a pretty bad liar, and Mary and Darci could tell, the two sharing a look. This time, Mary stepped closer.
“C'mon, you can tell us! We won't make fun of you or anything.” Darci nudged Mary with her elbow, knowing that with her, it was a possibility she would. But never with Lana.
Sighing once more, Lana dropped her causal facade and tears pricked her eyes. She swallowed her pride and took a breath. ‘You’re just bein’ silly,’ she told herself. ‘There’s no reason to crye over a boy.’
“Eit’s just…” she paused, turning to the shelves as she tried to find words for the hurtful emotions aforementioned boy had accidentally given her. But before she could speak again, the bell on the door jingled, signaling Lana to go to the desk.
“I'll tell you later,” Lana hurriedly muttered, grabbing the book cart and rushing off, despite Mary and Darci’s protests.
Parking the cart behind the desk, Lana smoothed her skirt on habit, and slid into the chair behind the counter. Just as she rolled into place, a familiar face walked up to the desk. Looking up, the customer-service smile she always wore slowly turned into an obviously forced look, lips pursed as she folded her hands together on the counter.
“Uhm, heow may I help ya today, Douxie?” she asked, voice a little shaky as she tried to ignore the dread and tears bubbling up her throat. It was such a little thing that happened, but her insecurities were getting the better of her as she watched him, so nonchalant in his ways.
“Heya, Lana,” he winked, only noticing after a moment how sick in the stomach she looked. “Are you alright?” He looked her over, seeing her breathing shutter as she exhaled. “Fine,” she muttered, averting her gaze to the books stacked next to her. She couldn't feel any more like a poor lamb, the wolf not even realizing he's baring his teeth.
Just then, they both heard two gasps and subsequent shuffling before the girls appeared again, nearly diving behind the counter as they guarded their best friend. Darci stood by Lana, hand on her shoulder as she gave a disapproving look to the punk boy. Mary took the offense, standing in front and glaring daggers at Douxie.
“Would you excuse us?” she asked, her tone cursing him off in ways that would make a sailor blush. He paused, almost feeling the singe of the crackling tension in the room.
“Is something wrong?” He was genuinely concerned, trying to look over Mary's shoulder to see Lana—who was silently crying as Darci comforted her—while Mary refused to let him see. “Go away!” Mary snapped boldy. He couldn't even understand why they were so upset, but he could tell they weren't going to let it go any time soon. So, with a sigh, he headed off to one of the aisle, glancing back at them as Mary continued her eyeball attacks until he was out of sight.
She immediately turned to the other girls, the expression of a concerned mother in her eyes as she jumped over the counter to hold Lana's hands.
“Is he why you've been so down, Lay-lay?” she questioned, more than ready to take him down. Darci rephrased the question, acting as the sensible buffer for Mary. “What did he do?”
Letting out another shaky breath, Lana wiped the tears from her cheeks and forced herself to speak.
“Eit's not him,” she sniffled. “I'm just… bein’ oversensitive. She didnae do anything wrong.”
The girls paused, sharing another look before Mary softened her tone and asked another question.
Shaking her head, Lana sat straighter and took a breath. She fixed herself up and forced herself to act like a lady, even if she wanted to bawl her eyes out.
“Zoe,” she explained. The girls nodded, knowing of her, but still unsure of why it was different now. “Douxie took Zoe to my walkin’ spot, in the paerk.” Mary and Darci understood instantly. She had only taken them to walk with her 4 months after they'd been friends. It was her special place, the one spot where she could always feel safe, with or without people.
“Oh, Lana,” Darci cooed, her comforting hand firm on Lana's shoulder as the blonde pulled herself together. “It's alright, he probably didn't mean to.” Sighing, Lana nodded.
“I knowe, I knowe,” she stood from the chair, looking down at her hands in Mary's. “Eit still hurts, though.”
Without hesitation, the girls hugged her, almost trying to squeeze the sadness out as she hugged back. Between her friends loving arms, she found a small sense of peace her love life lacked, and she let out a deep exhale. This was good.
After the sweet moment, the girls pulled apart, deciding to sit at the desk and chat, taking Lana's mind off things.
Until the familiar face came back.
“Lana?” the sweet British voice called, as confused and worried as it was before. The girls glared at him, although not entirely cutting him off. Lana, giving a small, hurt smile, stood and walked warily around the counter.
“Ey, Douxie,” she said softly. She leaned against the counter, knowing that her friends had her back and she had no reason to feel insecure.
He, however, was feeling all sorts of insecurities. Mostly with how he acted. ‘Was I too loud? Too annoying?’ his mind raced. ‘Does she just… not like me?’ Now that thought particularly caught his attention, but he knew better than to freak out before finding out the problem.
“Is everything okay?” he anxiously asked. “Did I do something?” But she just shook her head, looking down as she fiddled with her thumbs. “No, no, eit's not… really your fault.”
Taking another breath, she looked back at the two girls watching over them, causing them to look confused. They got the message, but why would she want them to leave? Although not understanding, they nodded and started backing away anyways.
Lana turned back to Douxie, hoping the words would come to her easily. Unfortunately, that's never the case, and she fought for the sentences she needed to say.
This sent a spark of fear down his spine, but he welcomed any way to fix whatever had been broken. “Yeah, it seems like.”
Looking back, Lana made sure the girls were gone, before she took a step closer to him. She tried to keep eye contact, but the natural instinct to run made it all that much harder as her gaze flittered all around him.
“We’ve known each ohtter a long time, y'nou?” she started, trying so hard to let herself feel how she needed to, instead of labeling herself a crybaby. “I… the other dey…” she trailed off. A part of her wished she would just spit it out, while another screamed to keep her mouth shut.
Douxie started convincing the first side.
“Which day?” he asked tentatively. “Was it when I had to work and couldn't come over?” He was trying so hard, he never meant to hurt anyone. Especially her. But she shook her head. “No,” she assured softly.
“Last Wednesday, you and…” she was about to say nevermind, say ‘just forget it,’ but she heard Mary's voice in her head, telling her that she deserved to gripe him out to hell and back, Darci chiming in to tell her he deserved to know what he did wrong. So she looked him in the eyes, pausing a moment as she looked in those pretty blues.
“... You and Zoe, I saw ya together. On a waulk.” It sounded so silly when she said it out loud, but she continued. “I showed ya the path that I always waulk on. I… it was mah safe space.” A look of realization dawned on him as she said this, and he started understanding.
But she felt a little bad, as if telling him was a mean thing. ‘I deserve to tell ‘im,’ she told herself. “I showed ya so… so that we could waulk together sometemes. I was invitin’ ya inta my space. And…” her jaw set and she swallowed as the memories and hurt flooded back, forcing the words from her lips.
“And ya brought ‘er, without even telling meh. You broke mah troust… and that ‘urt.”
Douxie was flooded with guilt, regret in his eyes as he stepped closer and put his hands up, wishing he could give a comforting touch, but not wanting to invade her space.
“I'm so sorry, Lana, I didn't realize-” she cut him off, shaking her head as she spoke.
“No, no, ya didnae know.” If she was anything, she was understanding. “But, please,” she started to tear up again, unable to hold back the emotions. “Please don't bring ‘er back.”
He hummed a soft coo, holding his arms open as tears started running down her cheeks. She immediately latched on, burying her face in his chest as he smiled down at her.
“Never again,” he agreed softly. “Never again.”
His warmth around her and the sweet words he spoke felt like they touched her soul as she cried into him, sniffles slowly quieting into soft breaths as his touch healed her. This ethereal peace was something most could only dream of, but it was all hers.
With a little help from a certain wizard boy and his glowing bracelet, which might have been in a drowsy spell rune alignment, but whatever it was, it carried her to a peaceful rest where she belonged.
A little long, didn't add much in the means of breaks, but I like it. Reblog and request if you liked it as well!
