Deep Breaths (Garcello x Reader) [Slow Updates]

Part 5 - Shadowed Eyes

"Hey, Garcello!" Hex chirps, jogging away from the basketball court with a bright grin on his screen, "Are you hanging out with Calvin's friend?"

"Yep," he replies, leaning his back against the tree he's under, "Their name is (Y/N). Met 'em a few days ago."

You awkwardly wave 'hello' to Hex, as if he hadn't seen you before.

"Oh, hello!" Hex exclaims, his smile as bright as today's sun, "I'm Hex! Sorry, I didn't really introduce myself before, I was a bit busy catching up with Calvin."

"It's alright," you say, dipping your head slightly, "I don't mind."

You watch as Calvin walks behind Hex, absolutely soaked in sweat. Trotting over to the bench that you were at before, he falls back onto it, running a hand through his tussled hair. Ashlyn laughs slightly at his disheveled appearance. He sighs.

Hex turns, noticing that his buddy has sat down, clearly not up to playing more.

"Oh geez, are you okay?" he asks, worried.

"I'm... fine," Calvin manages through panting breaths, "Just... a bit winded."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot that humans need breaks sometimes," Hex murmurs, a hand to his monitor thoughtfully. Soon enough, though, his smile comes back as bright as ever. "Mind if I sit down with you?"

Calvin shrugs, too exhausted to form a proper verbal response.

"Sure," Ashlyn speaks for him, "Take a seat."

"Thank you!" Hex sings happily before he suddenly pauses. "Sorry, what's your name, miss...?"

"I'm Ashlyn, " introduces the brunette quietly before hiding her face back behind her phone.

As Hex sits down, still beaming, you decide that you're feeling a bit parched. Standing up, you turn to start heading for a vending machine with water bottles inside.

"I'm gonna get some water," you announce loudly to your friends, "Be right back."

"Mind getting me a bottle?" Calvin mentions, tiredly raising a hand.

You hear rather than see Garcello cough off to the side.

"Me too, please," he says, voice hoarse.

Hex seems to notice the odd twinge in Garcello's words, suddenly and silently sitting straight up to peer at him with analyzing eyes. You notice, too, and a knot grows in your stomach at the memory of Garcello gasping for air on the night you met him.

"Okay," you quickly reply, a bit worried about your teal-haired friend, "I'll get them and rush back."

"Aye aye, chief," Ash mock-salutes you, smirking.

"Shut up," you offer back sarcastically, though it's only friendly banter.

You dash away, hastily trying to find the nearest vending machine as your friends wait on the park bench and under the tree.

~~~

As soon as you acquire three bottles of cold water, you hastily jog back to your group's hangout location, brushing back a lock of (H/C) hair that fell from its place. You finally arrive, lowering your head exhaustedly. Calvin blinks at you, craning his head over the back of the bench to watch as you pant for air.

"Gee, (Y/N), are you okay?" he asks, a hint of amusement slipping through the worry in his voice. 

"Fine," you answer shortly, tossing him a bottle of water, which he fumbles to catch. As soon as he does, he pops off the cap and chugs down a few gulps. He lets out a satisfied sigh.