Written by Paisley ( paisleyhss )
Game: Hollywood U Genre: Romance Ship/s: Crash x MC Warnings: N/A Word Count: 1623
Author’s note: Valentine’s 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 Riley’s anxious questions.
In the passenger seat, Riley’s leg bounces in a jerky, uneven rhythm while she picks sporadically at the hem of her shirt. “How did the dogs even get loose? Why wasn’t someone watching them?”
“Riley,” Ethan says using his smooth, calm, and serious negotiation voice. “Working with animals always comes with an extra risk. Crash knows that. That’s why they asked him instead of a more inexperienced stuntman.”
Riley sucks in a breath. She can imagine all the other dangerous stunts Crash will be asked to do, simply because he’s been doing this longer than other students. “That doesn’t make it any better. God, he’s going to kill me one of these days.”
Pulling the car up to the hospital door, Ethan chuckles. “He knows what he’s doing.” Before either of them can say another word, Ethan’s phone starts buzzing. He scoops it up. “Room 311,” he says to Riley and then into the phone, “Ethan Blake, at your service. Mm, yes.”
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 doesn’t take Riley long to find Crash’s room, but she spends a few minutes pacing outside his room. Ethan had told her that a horse had fallen on Crash’s leg. Surgery was needed, and they stuck pins in him. Riley doesn’t 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 it’s 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. There’s 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.
“Riley!” Crash says, pushing himself up with his elbows. “Listen to this, this kid’s like 13 and - woah!”
She doesn’t let him finish before crossing the room and throwing her arms around his neck. He’s nearly knocked backwards, but catches himself before they both fall. “Hey,” he says softly, clearing his throat. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”
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. He’s 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. “What,” she says, hitting him again, “on earth were you thinking?! You couldn’t have waited until after Valentine’s Day to get yourself thrown off a horse?”
Despite being pummeled with a pillow, Crash is laughing and trying to wrestle the the pillow away from her. “Woah, calm down! Isn’t it unethical to beat up the guy in the hospital bed?”
She hits him once more for emphasis, before flopping down onto the bed next to him and throwing her arm over her face. “Dammit, Crash. You’re gonna give me a heart attack one day.”
“well,” he says, shifting around in the bed to make more room for her, “the way things are looking now, at least you’ll probably be in the hospital with me when it happens.”
Groaning, Riley reaches for the pillow again, but Crash catches her hands with his. “But, hey, it’s not so bad.” He grins at her, and she can’t help but smile back. She sits up and finally takes a good look at his cast.
“Does it hurt?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, I’ve had worse. It’s just uncomfortable. But look.” He reaches over to his bedside table and pulls out a pack of Sharpies. “I 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.”
Riley glances at the cast, stark white without a trace of color on it. “Looks like they’ve really sunk their teeth into it.”
Crash grins. “Yeah, but don’t worry, I saved you the best spot.” He hands her a red Sharpie.
“Hmmm.” 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. “No peeking, punk. Draw your own picture.” 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.
“You first,” 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. “What is that?” She laughs.
“It’s us. Me, you.” He swells with pride when Riley laughs again.
“It’s very detailed,” she observes. “I think you made her boobs bigger than mine.”
He scoffs, offended. “They’re perfect, shut up. What did you do?”
She uncovers her drawing. Her stick figuring - without any breasts or muscles, or any details - it falling off a burning building. “It’s you. I think mine’s better. More accurate.”
Crash hoots, clapping. “It’s great! That’ll have to be my next stunt.”
“Please, no. Let’s try to wait three months before coming to the hospital again. Set a record.”
He shakes his head, still grinning. “Here.” He tosses her the pack of Sharpies. “Best Hunt impression wins.”
Riley smirks. “You’re going down Yamaguchi.”
They lose track of time as they scribble doodles onto Crash’s cast. There are animals, flowers, and poorly drawn imitations of their friends.They briefly lost the pink Sharpie, so Lisa’s hair was a neon green. Neither one of them could figure out how to draw formal wear, so Ethan’s body turned into a strange collection of squiggly lines. And the horse’s butt may or may not have been labeled Hunt.
They’re giggling over Crash’s interpretation of Bianca when there’s another knock on the door. A giant stuffed bear hovers in the doorway.
“Help,” a muffled voice comes from behind the bear. Ethan’s head pokes out as he wobbles into the room. He trips over its leg and nearly goes sprawling.
“Who is this from?” Riley asks, hopping up to help him. Together, they drop it into a chair next to the bed.
“Probably one of my fans you don’t believe I have. She doesn’t think I have fans,” Crash says to Ethan, sighing loudly.
“Aw c’mon.” Ethan rubs the top of his head. “All the people love Crash.”
Riley rolls her eyes and starts searching for a card. It isn’t worth trying to argue with them, especially when they teamed up against her. “Who’s it from?”
“I have the card right here.” Ethan waves a pink little piece of paper covered in flowers and hearts. It looked like Valentine’s Day vomited on the card after too much Hunch Punch.
“Read it,” 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 Riley’s knuckles.
“Riley, my heart gallops for you. Happy Valentine’s Day. Love, Crash.”
Riley’s head whips around to face Crash. He’s 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. “I’m sorry I screwed up Valentine’s Day,” he starts, swallowing hard. “As soon as I’m out of here, I’ll give you a picnic in a hot air balloon or anything you like. I just didn’t want you to think I had forgotten about today and how much I love you every day.”
She stops him with a long kiss. It was soft and sweet with feelings that didn’t need to be said out loud. His free hand moves to her waist and holds her. This isn’t how Riley envisioned Valentine’s 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. “My heart gallops for you?” She whispers to him. She’s smiling so much her cheeks are starting to ache. “That was really bad.”
Crash exhales a breathy laugh. “I was under the influence of pressure and painkillers. I thought it was hilarious.”
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. “Alright, I guess this is my cue to, uh, leave.” He starts to back out of the room, smirking. “Don’t have too much fun, you crazy kids.”
Riley and Crash exchange a grin, her hand still on his shoulder, and his on the small of his back. “Sorry, Ethan,” 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. This time, she doesn’t pull away.