A robert x gn fic with the song better in the dark by tv girl????🥹 the plot is whatever u do, but I think I want it to be fluff or angst !!!! 
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𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 |𝐏𝐭.𝟏|
ʀᴏʙᴇʀᴛ ʀᴏʙᴇʀᴛꜱᴏɴ x ɢɴ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ
Summary: Reader and Robert have had a spark between them for god knows how long. Robert throws about dozens of attempts to get them to go on dates with him, but they reject him out of their own insecurity. Robert just wants them to know how much they can be loved.
Warnings: Angst! It gets really intense at the end so do be warned! Swearing, drinking, insecure!reader, part one of two. EVENTUAL FLUFF YAY! also… not proofread so it’s hot ass.
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They were beautiful. At least Robert thought so.
The moment he laid eyes on them at work, he practically fell in love.
He constantly went out of his way to talk to them, or check up on them during their shifts. And, since they were a fellow dispatcher, their lunch break’s always lined up.
Robert would sit tight them in the break room and share his leftovers with them if they forgot their lunch. Or— if they were feeling particularly well off, the two would go out to a restaurant or a cafe in Torrence that wasn’t far from the SDN building.
Of course, Robert would always offer to drive, but they would say no.
But! That’s okay, because at least he could pay for their lunch.
When they got to the cafe and the pair ordered their food, Robert proudly picked out his wallet, fingers reaching to grab his card.
But they beat him too it.
For weeks, whether it was him offering them a ride home, or a snack from the vending machine, they would always deny him, and Robert never knew why.
It jad been clear at that point that he was trying to flirt with them, and he knew they were picking up on it. So why didn’t they reciprocate it?
They always laughed at his dumb corny jokes, and watched over Beef if he ever needed a dog sitter. They would entertain his stories from when he was a kid, and listen to him ramble on and on about how much the Z-Team got on his nerves that day.
But when Robert tried to relay all that back to them, they pushed him away, and whenever he’d ask what was wrong they’d shrug and say:
“I’m fine, Robert. Just a little tired,” They would always finish with a smile. The smile that Robert loved to see.
Every time their eyebrows furrowed and made that little crease above their nose, and every time their smile lines appeared: he couldn’t help but think about how stunning they were.
He wanted them to know how beautiful they were in his eyes, and flirting didn’t seem to be enough, so a second plan was devised.
He would asked them out.
It was all perfect in his head, he’d stop them after they clock out and mention something stupid about the weather, and maybe crack a few jokes. Then, once he had them warmed up, he’d mention the fact that their favorite restaurant they’d visit, was now open until midnight. After he could mention that, they would finally get the hit, and ask if he was flirting (he’d say yes) and then it would all go from there.
Except that’s not how it went down.
The day he did it, he had to practically run to catch up with them as they left the office.
He had barely seen them at all that day, and anytime he did sneak a glance into their cubicle, he would see your stressed figure hunched over your desk, frantically spewing orders at your team.
Despite seeing all that, and knowing it hadn’t been the greatest day for them, he still went through with his plan/daydream.
By the time he reached the exit doors, they were halfway across the parking lot, fumbling to get their jacket on.
The only reason they stopped was because they could hear Robert yelling for them to wait up.
He was by their side moments later, trying to make it seem like he wasn’t out of breath.
“You alright?” They murmured, a little chuckle leaving their lips.
Robert nods, bending over so his hands could brace his knees.
“Great. Just great.” He pants, “I just wanted to walk with you. Y’know, like usual?”
They immediately nodded, a look of guilt seeming to etch their face as the tow walked along. “Yeah sorry about that. I know I should’ve waited but, it’s been a long day and I’ve just been so caught up on work—you get it.”
“Yeah totally,” Robert huffs. “I get it.”
Theres a moment of silence that passes over them, the only sound being other cars leaving the SDN lot, or the wind catching on Robert’s jacket.
He couldn’t help but look at them periodically as they ventured to their car.
Their hair was tousled by the wind, and their eyes were squinted ever so slightly. Those little creases appeared again.
He smiled to himself and let it linger until they made it to their car.
“Well,” They clear their throat. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Robert.”
“Hey-about that, I was wondering,” He pauses, his palms starting to get a little clammy. “Not wondering. What I mean’t to say was , the lunch place. It’s open until ten. I figured since you were having a rough day, we could check it out for dinner? It’s on me of-“
They cut him off, “I’m sorry Robert.”
Ouch. He felt his heart wince.
“It’s just been a long day,” They continue, their hand reaching out to excuse themselves. “How about a rain check?”
Robert was still standing there, his heart beating a lot slower than before. He didn’t think this was how this was going to turn out.
But thats alright. He knew they were having a tough time, so he wouldn’t push the date. instead he nodded, smiling at them, hands shoving into his pockets.
He can tell they feel bad, because when Robert tells them a rain check would be okay, they started to give him apologies. The guilt and wear on their face wa showing now. He knew they felt bad, and he had been so enfatuated with them, that he brought a hand out of his pocket and put a hand out.
“I promise,” He coos, “It’s alright. Maybe next week, right?”
They nod, the look of guilt slowly fading, “Next week.”
Robert proceeded to watch them say goodbye, and climb into their car, pulling out of the lot.
That really didn’t go to plan.
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That night, Robert lounged on his worn down couch that he grabbed off the side of the road a few weeks ago, as he scrolled through his phone mindlessly. Beef had scampered up the worn leather and into Robert’s lap, deciding that he’d take a little nap.
Robert’s hand found the puppy’s ears and he scratched at them while he paged to unread messages.
As be passed a few contacts, he noticed that theirs had been missing. When he searched up the number, it didn’t come up. Their name didn’t pop up either.
It didn’’t take him long to figure out that they had, for some reason, blocked him.
Robert felt his heart drop. He knew for a fact he hadn’t been blocked yesterday, and now all of a sudden he was? First they reject him and now this? It was all so strange.
He sat up, waking up Beef, which he apologized for, and went onto his social media. He clicked on the one he knew he followed them on and searched up their username. It was there, thank god, and it was unblocked.
Without thinking about how annoyed they may be, or about how they may react, he messaged them.
He wanted too know hy they had been so set on denying him all the time.
Robert [9:27pm]| Hey! Went to text you and couldn’t find your number. Everything okay?
He clicked send before he could even think about the tone. Was it too forward? Was it push? Weird?
He didn’t have much time to dwell when he saw that they had read the message.
The response bubbles popped up, then disappeared, then appeared again. It went on for five minutes, Robert’s heart rate going up and down every time the icon showed.
Finally, their message came in:
[9:33pm]| Everything’s great, and sorry about that lol did some spring cleaning on my contacts. Yours must’ve been deleted or smth.
Robert’s eyes scanned over the text at least ten times. Every time he read it, the less it sounded like them. From the way they typed to the way their words were ordered.
Something was wrong.
Robert [9:36pm]| Right… thats okay
Robert [9:36pm]| Do you need to talk about anything??
Thought bubbles.
No response.
The message is left on read for another hour before Robert really starts to get worried. He sends a message to Galen, asking if he had heard anything form them. Galen said he didn’t know anything.
His next best option was Chase, who he didnn’’t assume would answer right away.
And he was right he didn’t. Which mean’t he was out of mutual the two of you had, and it was this moment he wished he would’ve introduced them to more people around the office.
Then again, maybe they wouldn’t have let them. they were so hesitant on meeting chase. Chase of all people. The guy who couldn’t care less about how someone carried themselves or how they looked.
Their excuses had been shit like that, and they were the same every time. “Robert, I’ll make you look bad”, “Robert people would want you to have better friends than me”, “Robert, I’ll just drag you down.”
Every single time. He as sick of hearing it from them. In his eyes they were everything. Not a single thing they could do was wrong. they were hardworking, and always so kind to him. They never missed his sarcastic jokes, and picked up on any hint of humor in their conversations.
How could they let him down with that? They were perfect. For him and anyone they met.
Dwelling on it all made Robert realize he should check up on them, so he scrolled back up to their DM’s and licked on their profile.
His thumb hovered over the call button, hesitating as he thought about the responses he would get from them.
But all the rejections, and all they self doubt they had made him realize that his cowardice would have to be pushed aside, because in his mind they always came before him. Always.
His thumb lands on the call button.
The phone rings a few times before it picks up, loud music immediately blaring over the speaker. In the background Robert picks up on some shouting, not able to decipher everything being said.
What he could hear clearly though, was a deep voice close to the phone.
“Yo!” the voice shouts over your phone. “Who the fuck is calling you? Who’s Robert?”
He can hear a voice come from the background, and closer to the phone. It’s them.
“Get off my phone, I told you quit fucking with it,” They shout.
Shit, they were drunk. Robert could hear it in the way their vowels slurred and their tone got louder at the end of the sentence. Everything about this was sending alarms to his brain, but he shoved them down as he face scrunched up.
“Look,” Robert speaks up. “I was just calling to check up on them.”
The phone crackles a bit before the deep voice comes up again.
“She’s fucking fine. Now don’t call this phone again, man. She doesn’t want you like that.”
Robert’s hand tightens around the phone.
At this point Beef at been sitting up too, seemingly invested on what was going on right now.
The guy doesnt hand up, but he can hear their phone drop, presumably on a table or chair. The music got louder the longer the call went on. The voices in the background ramble on, but the ones that still stick out to him are theirs and the random ass dude who had picked up for them.
“You got random guys talking to you?!” The deep voice yelled. “Why don’t you just go get more drinks in you? then you won’t be able to talk to anyone!”
Robert couldn’t listen anymore. He hung up the phone and looked down at beef, his chest beating with rage, blood rushing through his body just a little faster.
He had to find them.
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Masterlist
