Hi again 😅😅 im so sorry for a big amount of requests, but if its okay imma ask another one. How would Raf&Xav react to a Reader who masks her emotions with them? When shes too low she jokes more than she usually does, but the difference between her usual self and masked sadness (when she acts *too* happy) is too striking. Maybe they notice the difference, or red puffy eyes, or new scars.
I really enjoy your writing, thank you so much for your work
Hello again! I hope you are doing well! No need to apologize for the number of requests, I love seeing you in my inbox! Please enjoy!
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Xavier:
Xavier always knew when something was wrong, usually before you even knew yourself.
You had been talking almost nonstop since he'd arrived at your apartment. You joked about your mission, joked about the weather, even joked about burning your dinner. You laughed at everything.
He sat beside you on the couch, listening quietly as you rambled on about something that had happened earlier that day. Then you laughed again.
But it sounded wrong, it was too high, almost forced.
The smile reached your lips but never your eyes. Slowly, he looked you over and noticed they were a little red, as though you had been crying.
"You've been making a lot of jokes tonight."
You smiled. "What? Am I not funny anymore?"
"You are," he reassured.
You grinned. "Good. I was worried."
Xavier didn't smile back.
As the room grew quiet, and you immediately filled the silence.
"You know, if this whole Hunter thing doesn't work out, maybe I could become a comedian..."
"Why are you so sad?"
The words stopped you and it took a moment for you to respond. "What?"
"You're sad."
You looked away while shaking your head. "No, I'm not."
"You are."
His voice remained gentle, but there was something unmovable in it. You opened your mouth to argue, but then his hand covered yours.
"You don't have to pretend with me."
The words made your chest tighten. You laughed again, weaker this time.
"I'm not pretending."
"You haven't looked at me once since I got here."
Your breath caught, surprised he had noticed.
"You've been smiling all night, but it never reaches your eyes." Silence settled between you before he added softly, "And you keep making jokes every time the room gets quiet, like you can't handle the silence."
Your vision blurred with tears. You hadn't even realized you were doing it.Xavier's expression softened.
"You don't have to be okay all the time."
You covered your face with your hands, embarrassed. A moment later, you felt his arms around you, careful, gentle, like he was holding something fragile.
"I don't know how to stop pretending," you whispered.
He rested his cheek against your hair, and you looked up at him.
"You don't have to be anything tonight." His hand stroked gently over your back. "You can just be sad."
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Rafayel:
You had made him laugh three times in the last ten minutes. Normally, that would have been a good thing. Instead, it made him worry.
You were talking faster than usual, smiling wider than usual, teasing him more than usual. It was too much. Rafayel knew your real smiles, and this wasn't one of them.
He watched you from across the room as you launched into another ridiculous story. Then he noticed it.
You hadn't touched your drink once.
Normally, you'd absentmindedly sip it while talking, tracing circles along the rim of the glass or stealing a sip between jokes. Tonight, it sat untouched in front of you.
And your hands...
You kept tugging your sleeves down. Every few minutes, you'd pull at the fabric again, as if making sure it stayed in place.
The smile on your face suddenly looked painfully fragile.
"...Cutie."
You looked up immediately. "Hm?"
"Come here."
You blinked. "But I'm in the middle of telling you something."
"I know." He patted the space beside him. "Come here anyway."
You hesitated before sitting beside him.
For a moment, he simply looked at you. Then he gently took your hand.
You stiffened as his thumb brushed over your knuckles before he carefully tugged your sleeve back just enough to reveal a few fresh marks hidden beneath it.
His expression softened immediately.
"Oh, cutie..."
You quickly tried to pull your hand away, but he didn't let you.
"It's nothing."
"It doesn't look like nothing to me?"
You looked away, pulling your arm away quickly.
"It really is."
"You've been hiding your hands all night." His voice was gentle. "And you haven't touched your drink once."
Your breath caught, surprised he noticed so much.
"You always do when you're comfortable."
Silence settled between you. Then, softly, he added, "Something happened."
Your eyes stung.
"I'm fine."
"You've made six jokes in five minutes."
You blinked. "...Was it six?"
"It was six."
Despite yourself, a small laugh escaped you.
Rafayel's smile softened.
"There you are."
Your eyes widened.
"There's your real laugh."
The tears came almost immediately after, and you covered your face, mortified.
"I didn't want to ruin tonight."
"Oh, love." He gently pulled your hands away from your face. "You could never ruin anything by being sad."
You looked at him, tears slipping down your cheeks.
"You don't have to perform happiness for me."
The words broke something open inside of you, and a sob escaped before you could stop it.
Without hesitation, he pulled you into his arms.
He held you close, one hand stroking your hair as he rested his cheek against the top of your head.
"You spend so much time taking care of everyone else," he murmured. "Let me take care of you for a little while."