Tired, Free de la Hoya x Reader

Chapter 5

Taking a deep breath, she attempted to collect her thoughts. Despite his cocky demeanor and potentially manipulative nature, there was something about him that captivated her. She frowned, grappling with conflicting emotions.

"Why did he stick around for me?" she mused aloud, her voice barely above a whisper. The realization dawned upon her like a slow, creeping shadow— maybe she was being used, albeit in a way that left her conflicted. There was an unspoken expectation, a debt to be repaid for his assistance. She knew for a fact that he was soon to ask for something in return , or so she thought. Yet, despite this realisation, she couldn't deny the gratitude she felt towards him for his unexpected help. If he did not come last night, she still would have been aimlessly wandering that forest, lost and hungry.

As she wiggled her bandaged feet, a pang of curiosity nagged at her. Who had taken the time to tend to her wounds while she slept? It was a question she couldn't answer, a thought left unanswered amidst the chaos of her mind.

With a heavy sigh, Y/n shifted her focus to the present, determined to at least make herself presentable after the disarray of sleep had left her hair tousled and her eyes puffy. Though she wasn't quite ready to face the world, she attended to at least appear somewhat human before confronting what she expected would be Chris's anger.

Opting to not even wear shoes to alleviate the dull ache in her feet, Y/n quietly slipped out of her room, gently closing the door behind her. The hallway, once bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, now basked in the warm embrace of afternoon sunlight.

As she descended the staircase, a sense of anxiety settled over her. She silently prayed to avoid any encounters, yearning for a moment of solitude. However, fate had other plans, and her hopes were swiftly dashed as she came face to face with the magenta-haired figure of Chris.

Y/n's heart pounded furiously in her chest as she watched Chris draw nearer. Doubts and insecurities flooded her mind like a tidal wave, each crashing wave threatening to overwhelm her. What if Free had deceived her? What if his promise of an excuse to Chris was nothing more than a bluff? The realisation on sent a surge of panic coursing through her veins.

"Why did I trust him?" she mumbled to herself silently, her mind racing with a million what-ifs and regrets. Holy moly indeed, she thought, bracing herself for the impending confrontation with Chris.

Y/n's worries however dissolved instantaneously as she saw the concern etched on Chris's face, replacing the anticipated anger. A sigh of inner relief escaped her lips, quelling the turbulent thoughts swirling in her mind.

"Y/n, Free mentioned that you injured your feet. I hope you managed to get some rest," Chris said, her touch gentle as she patted Y/n's shoulder.

"Yes, I did. Thank you." Y/n replied, though she couldn't help but inwardly cringe at how brief and almost rude her response was. Thankfully, Chris either didn't notice or chose not to comment on it.

As Chris cast a glance at Y/n's feet, her eyes widened momentarily. "My goodness, I had no idea they were injured so severely. What happened?"

Y/n offered a sheepish smile and shrugged. "Just got a bit lost in the forest, nothing too serious, ma'am," she mumbled, silently grateful that Chris didn't press for further details about the incident. That cleared one thing however but left the same question. If Chris was not the one to tend to her injuries, then who was it....it could not be Free, or?

Raising an eyebrow, Chris persisted, "Are they causing you pain?"

Y/n shrugged again, muttering a noncommittal "kinda," though in reality, the pain was far more intense than she let on. Knowing Chris's perceptiveness, Y/n couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at being the recipient of unwanted concern.