Tired, Free de la Hoya x Reader

Chapter 3

"I-I'm sorry... I slept in," she stammered, her voice shaky, as she tried her best not to break down right there and then. Unfortunately, her stutter only seemed to fuel the laughter of those around her, and the cruel atmosphere left her wondering what was wrong with this place. Free, in particular, appeared to be growing more furious by the second, though she remained uncertain about the source of his frustration.

Chris's sigh echoed through the room, a heavy gust of disappointment. She shook her head slowly, her eyes revealing the depth of her frustration. "I made it very clear yesterday, Y/n," her voice carried the weight of her stern warning. "I'm truly disappointed in you."

As she spoke, Y/n could feel her heart sink. The consequences of her actions were unfolding before her, and it was a hard pill to swallow. Chris's words continued, each one hammering the point home. "Today, I had intended to team you up with Valt and Free. A chance to learn and grow with them. However, given the circumstances, I'll be assigning Rantaro to that team instead," she stated, her tone laced with a measure of regret.

The sense of regret only added to Y/n's burden of shame. Her opportunity to work closely with two of her new teammates was slipping away, replaced by the heavy weight of her mistake. Chris's final words were a somber reminder of the consequences of her actions: "I hope this serves as a lesson for you. Now, go take a seat."

Y/n nodded in a subdued manner, her embarrassment palpable. She felt the weight of every eye in the room as she began her slow walk of shame, her head bowed low. Her steps carried the burden of her mistakes, and she couldn't help but feel the ghostly snickers that followed her like shadows. With determined resolve, she moved to a seat on the far side of the room, distancing herself from the others, her isolation a stark reminder of where she placed in BC sol.

Y/n's inner frustration and self-loathing swirled within her as she cursed herself under her breath. Losing her coveted spot and becoming the subject of laughter from her peers was a bitter pill to swallow. She couldn't help but feel a strong resentment toward those who took pleasure in her misfortune. Was this what people found enjoyment in? It was an agonizing realization of the harsh realities of this world, one that she struggled to put into words.

Stan's snickers, Django's sly smirk and nod, and Sasha's outright laughter served as painful reminders of the collective amusement they found in her mistakes. Y/n's anger simmered beneath the surface as she tried to regain her composure, determined to prove herself in the future despite this setback. The hurt she felt was profound, but she wasn't ready to let it define her place within the team.

"Y/n?"

Her response was a mumbled, "What," delivered with little enthusiasm. She wasn't in the mood for anything at the moment, feeling the weight of her embarrassment still lingering.

To her surprise, Free took a seat beside her. His usual bored expression remained intact, but there was a certain seriousness in his voice as he inquired, "You okay?"

Y/n let out a scoff and tried to keep her lower lip from trembling, suppressing her usual snarky retorts. "What's wrong with this place?" She whispered fiercely, her frustration evident.

Free leaned back slightly, his gaze remaining on her. "Not what you expected?"

She shook her head, exhaling a heavy sigh. Free's soft grip on her arm was unexpected but strangely reassuring. "Ignore them," he advised, offering a glimmer of support in this mess, before walking away. Who knew sleeping in could be turned into such a big deal?

As Y/n observed Free walking away to stand beside Valt and Rantaro, she couldn't help but wonder about his unexpected behavior earlier. What had caused his apparent frustration, she pondered. Was it solely because of her laziness, or was there more to it? And why was he being nice all of a sudden? Her curiosity stirred, but she shook her head in an attempt to put it aside.