Unbidden and Unburdened
Sevika x Reader
Synopsis: A shopping trip takes a not totally unforeseen turn when your girlfriend who can bite off more than she can chew tags along. Genre: Fluff POV: Second Warnings: None Word count: 1.5k
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The market is packed and bustling more than usual—it was always busy but the promise of new and exciting goods invariably brought out even more people. There was no set schedule when that would happen but the start of a new season or month had become the unofficial agreed upon time between both shoppers and vendors.
It wasn't strictly followed—new items could show up at any time—but for those who didn't want to or couldn't check all the time, it gave them the best chance to find something they didn't see last time.
You shop at this market all the time but days like this are when you like it the most, not just because of what was newly available but because of all the people. No matter how dour things got elsewhere, you weren't the only one looking to forget about it for a few hours.
Usually you came on your own but after coming back with more than you could carry followed by some light teasing and cajoling on your part, your girlfriend started joining you on these days. Ostensibly it was to save you from yourself, and maybe it was at first, but it had turned into more than that over time.
Sevika may still grumble about it from time to time and say she's doing you a favour for coming, but it was all bluster—she hadn't skipped one of these days once since she started joining you on them.
"What do you thing of these?" You hold up a couple hand towels with cute embroidery. They aren't anything particularly special but you think they would help liven up your apartment by adding a splash of colour and design to contrast with everything else.
"Whatever," Sevika grumbles, a scowl permanently etched on her face, barely looking at you before saying it.
You give the stall owner an apologetic smile as you put the towels back to join your girlfriend. You continue your rounds while Sevika follows but every time you ask for her input on something not on the list, you get a terse, non-committal answer. It makes things harder and you skip things you're sure she would like, but you don't take her words personally.
Sevika had never been one to do things in half-measures but even so, when she said she was quitting, you thought she might have meant the smoking or drinking, not both of those plus shimmer.
At the same time.
Quitting any one of the three would have been rough but all three at once had rendered Sevika's tolerance for people to an all-time low.
You were never afraid of her or her angry outbursts—she was careful to not take things out on you—but that didn't mean you weren't aware of them or how she had the ability to act on those impulses if she wanted to.
She wasn't even supposed to come today, not because you didn't want to spend time with her but to give her a break and maybe spare some people broken bones in the process. You thought you could sneak out and leave her to continue sleeping since you had carefully avoided reminding her what today was but somewhere in your stealthy attempt to leave without being noticed, she had woken up and gotten ready without you.
You did a double-take when you saw her standing at the door and acting as if you were the one holding things up. Acting as if she never once told you she'd rather be in bed than being dragged along.
But it was clear whatever she was feeling then had worn off by now. She wouldn't say anything but you can tell she's at her limit. As much as you love shopping, you love your girlfriend more and this wasn't a time to let her face the consequences of her choices or yours—that was for when she insisted she wasn't hungry or wouldn't get cold, not this.
With an inward sigh, you mark the trip done and make your way to the fringes to leave when someone carelessly walks into her in the controlled chaos, causing her to drop what she was carrying for you.
Without warning and moving impossibly fast, Sevika's hand shoots out to grab the person's shirt before they could so much as apologize.
"Watch where you're going," she growls ominously as she easily lifts them off the ground, not caring how the area around her clears of people.
"S-sorry! I-it won't h-happen again!" the person stammers.
In the past, that would have been enough to let them go—they were appropriately chastised and had done no real damage—but now her temper had a target and she was reluctant to let it leave. Even the person seems to know how much she's at war with herself and thankfully keeps silent.
Walking up to her, you put a hand on her arm until she turns her attention to you. "Sev, let them go," you said quietly enough none of the people watching could hear.
If it had been anyone else, seeing the animalistic fury in her eyes would have have you shrinking away as your legs weaken, but this was Sevika—no matter how pissed she got, she had never given you reason to fear her. Still, you can't completely hide the flinch her unfamiliar burning gaze causes but it's enough for her to push the irritation back enough to drop the person back down.
Giving her arm a light squeeze in thanks, you start picking up the fallen goods as people started to disperse now that there wasn't potential of a macabre show. Nearly everything is fine, if dirty, but you silently lament the bruising some of the fruit took. When everything is packed up but before you can settle the bags into a more comfortable position, Sevika takes not only them but the rest you were carrying as well.
Any other time you would have insisted on carrying something yourself but the remorseful look told you this was the most immediate way for Sevika to apologize so you let it be. She never was good with words, letting her actions speak for her even if they were actually more work even if she had gotten better about that with you.
"C'mon, let's get out of here," you tell her as you sidle up to Sevika's left side, wrapping an arm around her waist. Out of habit, she drapes her new arm across your shoulders as if it was the old one.
"You sure?" There were stalls you hadn't examined yet and Sevika would stay longer if you wanted.
"Yeah, I'm not seeing much and I'd rather spend time with my gorgeous girlfriend instead of hunting down ever little thing," you smile at her. There was also a non-zero chance that something else would happen and you really didn't want to have to wash blood out of something, but you kept that part to yourself.
Sevika's quiet as you lead the way home and by the time you get to the edge of the market, you can already feel the weight on your shoulders. You were grateful to Jinx for the new arm but there was no denying how heavy or awkward it was. Sevika insisted on wearing it around to get used to it but the physical toll it took was greater than Sevika let on.
Even though she had improved immensely about opening up—at least with you—since you first met, she still had the habit of denying just how bad something was or masking her discomfort. Normally you wouldn't go out of your way when she claimed to be fine but this was a special circumstance so even if you couldn't do anything about the rest, you could take some of the weight off her shoulder.
Plus she was carrying everything else.
"It's because I lost my temper, wasn't it?" Sevika finally breaks her silence as you near home.
"That certainly didn't help," you readily admit since she brought it up. There wasn't any point to lying about it when she knew as well as you that it was part of it. "But I really am not feeling it today after all. I'd rather be at home with you." Sevika hums in acknowledgement but doesn't argue. Whether you were trying to spare her feelings or not, she knew she was difficult to be around right now—there were times she got frustrated at herself—but at least you weren't coddling her like a child. Though she did regret her role in why you cut this trip short and for ever putting you in such a position.
She hadn't considered what the impact of her quitting would have on you when she made that choice but now she was all too aware of it even if you bore it without complaint. It was a lot to ask from you and sometimes seemed liked too much, but she vows to make it up to you when she's more herself.
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A/N: Dusted this off for Sevika week but wasn't really feeling it—one of those things that was better in my head than on (metaphorical) paper. Well, it could be good but I lost interest in going back and changing/adding/removing things.
