Written by Paisley ( paisleyhss )
Game: Hollywood U Genre: Romance Ship/s: Crash x MC Warnings: N/A Word Count: 1623
Authorâs note: Valentineâs thing between Crash and my MC, Riley. Enjoy!
Ethan had been the one to tell Riley Crash was in the hospital. She had been locked away in the library, studying films when Ethan rounded the corner with the news. He drove her to the hospital and answered all of Rileyâs anxious questions.
In the passenger seat, Rileyâs leg bounces in a jerky, uneven rhythm while she picks sporadically at the hem of her shirt. âHow did the dogs even get loose? Why wasnât someone watching them?â
âRiley,â Ethan says using his smooth, calm, and serious negotiation voice. âWorking with animals always comes with an extra risk. Crash knows that. Thatâs why they asked him instead of a more inexperienced stuntman.â
Riley sucks in a breath. She can imagine all the other dangerous stunts Crash will be asked to do, simply because heâs been doing this longer than other students. âThat doesnât make it any better. God, heâs going to kill me one of these days.â
Pulling the car up to the hospital door, Ethan chuckles. âHe knows what heâs doing.â Before either of them can say another word, Ethanâs phone starts buzzing. He scoops it up. âRoom 311,â he says to Riley and then into the phone, âEthan Blake, at your service. Mm, yes.â
Riley suppresses a groan and climbs out of the car. When she slams the door, Ethan throws his hand up in a wave. She waves back, and he peels out of the lot.
It doesnât take Riley long to find Crashâs room, but she spends a few minutes pacing outside his room. Ethan had told her that a horse had fallen on Crashâs leg. Surgery was needed, and they stuck pins in him. Riley doesnât want to enter the hospital room until she was certain she can process that information.
When a few of the nurses start eying her suspiciously, Riley decides itâs time for her to head inside. She knocks twice, then pushes the door open.
Crash is lying in the bed, propped up on a mountain of pillows. Thereâs a few flowers on the window sill and Dr. Phil is playing on the TV across from his bed. She looks at his leg last. The entire limb is in a cast.
âRiley!â Crash says, pushing himself up with his elbows. âListen to this, this kidâs like 13 and - woah!â
She doesnât let him finish before crossing the room and throwing her arms around his neck. Heâs nearly knocked backwards, but catches himself before they both fall. âHey,â he says softly, clearing his throat. âItâs okay. Iâm okay.â
Riley shakes her head, keeping it buried in his shoulder. They sit there for a few moments. It comforts her to be able to feel him under her. Heâs so solid and strong, she can almost forget the plaster encasing his leg. When she feels him groping around for the remote, she finally pulls away.
She snatches a pillow up and smacks him on the shoulder with it. âWhat,â she says, hitting him again, âon earth were you thinking?! You couldnât have waited until after Valentineâs Day to get yourself thrown off a horse?â
Despite being pummeled with a pillow, Crash is laughing and trying to wrestle the the pillow away from her. âWoah, calm down! Isnât it unethical to beat up the guy in the hospital bed?â
She hits him once more for emphasis, before flopping down onto the bed next to him and throwing her arm over her face. âDammit, Crash. Youâre gonna give me a heart attack one day.â
âwell,â he says, shifting around in the bed to make more room for her, âthe way things are looking now, at least youâll probably be in the hospital with me when it happens.â
Groaning, Riley reaches for the pillow again, but Crash catches her hands with his. âBut, hey, itâs not so bad.â He grins at her, and she canât help but smile back. She sits up and finally takes a good look at his cast.
âDoes it hurt?â
He shakes his head. âNah, Iâve had worse. Itâs just uncomfortable. But look.â He reaches over to his bedside table and pulls out a pack of Sharpies. âI know my fans are just dying to get a piece of me, so I got these for them to sign my leg. But instead of names, they have to draw something.â
Riley glances at the cast, stark white without a trace of color on it. âLooks like theyâve really sunk their teeth into it.â
Crash grins. âYeah, but donât worry, I saved you the best spot.â He hands her a red Sharpie.
âHmmm.â Riley takes the marker and scoots down to his knee. When she starts to draw a square, Crash tries to lean over to see it. She quickly covers it with her hand. âNo peeking, punk. Draw  your own picture.â She waves him away and returns to her drawing, keeping it hidden from view.
Crash snorts but picks up a green Sharpie. They hunch over their drawings until both are ready to present their masterpieces.
âYou first,â Riley tells Crash. He giggles and uncovers his stick figures. One has spiky hair and little lumps on his arms - muscles?-, and the other has what Riley assumes are breasts. âWhat is that?â She laughs.
âItâs us. Me, you.â He swells with pride when Riley laughs again.
âItâs very detailed,â she observes. âI think you made her boobs bigger than mine.â
He scoffs, offended. âTheyâre perfect, shut up. What did you do?â
She uncovers her drawing. Her stick figuring - without any breasts or muscles, or any details - it falling off a burning building. âItâs you. I think mineâs better. More accurate.â
Crash hoots, clapping. âItâs great! Thatâll have to be my next stunt.â
âPlease, no. Letâs try to wait three months before coming to the hospital again. Set a record.â
He shakes his head, still grinning. âHere.â He tosses her the pack of Sharpies. âBest Hunt impression wins.â
Riley smirks. âYouâre going down Yamaguchi.â
They lose track of time as they scribble doodles onto Crashâs cast. There are animals, flowers, and poorly drawn imitations of their friends.They briefly lost the pink Sharpie, so Lisaâs hair was a neon green. Neither one of them could figure out how to draw formal wear, so Ethanâs body turned into a strange collection of squiggly lines. And the horseâs butt may or may not have been labeled Hunt.
Theyâre giggling over Crashâs interpretation of Bianca when thereâs another knock on the door. A giant stuffed bear hovers in the doorway.
âHelp,â a muffled voice comes from behind the bear. Ethanâs head pokes out as he wobbles into the room. He trips over its leg and nearly goes sprawling.
âWho is this from?â Riley asks, hopping up to help him. Together, they drop it into a chair next to the bed.
âProbably one of my fans you donât believe I have. She doesnât think I have fans,â Crash says to Ethan, sighing loudly.
âAw câmon.â Ethan rubs the top of his head. âAll the people love Crash.â
Riley rolls her eyes and starts searching for a card. It isnât worth trying to argue with them, especially when they teamed up against her. âWhoâs it from?â
âI have the card right here.â Ethan waves a pink little piece of paper covered in flowers and hearts. It looked like Valentineâs Day vomited on the card after too much Hunch Punch.
âRead it,â Crash tells him while patting the bed. Riley drops back into her seat and smiles when Crash laces his fingers with hers. When Ethan clears his throat dramatically, Crash presses a quick kiss onto Rileyâs knuckles.
âRiley, my heart gallops for you. Happy Valentineâs Day. Love, Crash.â
Rileyâs head whips around to face Crash. Heâs blushing, just slightly, and his grin is nervous. Even his hands feel clammy. For a guy who does dangerous stunts for a living, he sure gets nervous easily. âIâm sorry I screwed up Valentineâs Day,â he starts, swallowing hard. âAs soon as Iâm out of here, Iâll give you a picnic in a hot air balloon or anything you like. I just didnât want you to think I had forgotten about today and how much I love you every day.â
She stops him with a long kiss. It was soft and sweet with feelings that didnât need to be said out loud. His free hand moves to her waist and holds her. This isnât how Riley envisioned Valentineâs Day. Not in a hospital or Crash with a broken leg. But it had still been nice. He was okay, and they still got to spend time together.
When she pulls away, he leans forward, following her. âMy heart gallops for you?â She whispers to him. Sheâs smiling so much her cheeks are starting to ache. âThat was really bad.â
Crash exhales a breathy laugh. âI was under the influence of pressure and painkillers. I thought it was hilarious.â
From the middle of the room, Ethan clears his throat. Their attention snaps back to him, surprised and embarrassed that they had both forgotten that he was still in the room. âAlright, I guess this is my cue to, uh, leave.â He starts to back out of the room, smirking. âDonât have too much fun, you crazy kids.â
Riley and Crash exchange a grin, her hand still on his shoulder, and his on the small of his back. âSorry, Ethan,â Crash calls after him as he disappears around the corner. A hand shoots back around the door in a mock salute and he pulled the door closed.
As soon as it clicks shut, Crash pulls Riley close and kisses her again. Â This time, she doesnât pull away.








