#wyubsh part 3

[guabiju-marciana]

When you unintentionally become someone's hero - Part 3 - Cove Holden x Reader

(Y/N) kneels down beside their construction and starts looking in the big bag for the necessary tools to mount the tents.

“I'll do it, you can... I dunno, gather some wood or something.”

“Oh, I kinda wanted to help with it, though”

She gives him the most unimpressed and pointed look she can manage. “Nope, not happening, we're not bats, Cove.”

“Oh my god that was ONE time!”

“One time too many.”

He pouts cutely.

She pauses for a moment in her rummaging, looking at him with an apologetic smile. “How even did you manage to secure it upside down like that?”

“You've been dying to ask me that, huh?” He grumbles, gaze directed to the side and feet kicking at the little sand castle.

“It's been haunting me all these years, I feel like I've aged faster because of it, it's a horrible thing really, this burning curiosity.” He giggles, and she knows the callback to his nonexistent camping skills has been forgiven. “It's like they say, curiosity aged the cat!”

“I'm pretty sure it's killed.”

“Is that a threat, Cove Holden?”

“N-no! It's the saying!” He sputters, horrified, head wiping back to look at her so fast he gives himself whiplash, “Gah!”

(Y/N) laughs openly at the disturbed way he gapes at her, and cups her hand around his sore neck to give him a massage.

“Mhmm, you're banned from my room for the next week, just in case you're planning on whisking me away into the ocean's depths in the middle of the night”

Cove groans as she raises her eyebrow at him in a secret challenge. He tilts his head to give her better access to his neck. “It's not like I could force you into that situation anyway, you'd kick my ass!”

“True, but who's to say you're not secretly a siren waiting to enchant me with your singing”

“…you'd have to be desperate to fall for my terrible singing.”

“Oh, don't be like that. I'm sure there's some algae out there that would disagree.”

“You're mean. You're a mean friend.”

“Rather mean than dishonest!”

He rolls his eyes, stepping away from her hand and grumbling under his breath.

She sighs and looks down at the camping gear by their feet.

“It would also be dishonest to say you can't help out with the big stuff. You have to learn eventually.”

She grabs the nearest hook and presents it to him.

“Well, go on, then.”

Cove's pout turns upside-down, and he jumps forward, yanking the tool out of her hands and crouching down to begin assembling their tent.

(Y/N) watches closely over the task, worried he could hurt himself, but with her expert tutoring and a lot of bickering he eventually finishes, and they stand before a very much NOT at a queer angle camping site.

She sighs heavily as he beams proudly back at her.

“Yes, yes, you're such a big boy now, Cove, I knew you'd get there someday.”

Her hand slaps his back in an affectionate push, and the boy stumbles.

She startles when he starts falling and by pure reflex she manages to stabilize him through a hug around his waist.

He gasps loudly, choking on his own saliva. She can feel his skin warming up in a furious blush under her hands, so she slowly takes them off him, but she doesn't step back, keeping close to the boy while holding in her breath.

“Uh… Sorry. You okay?”

“…”

His face disappears behind his hands, and she can hear a long string of gibberish in a high-pitched tone escape between his fingers.

“Uh, Cove? What's wrong, did I hurt you??” There's a lilt of panic to her voice, not wanting to touch him in case that was the trigger, she fumbles with her hand, wringing them nervously.

“… You did it again.”

“What did I do exactly?”

His eyes peek from behind flushed fingertips.

“You grabbed me (Y/N)!! You KNOW, like a gorilla!”

“Hey now, I didn't even use that much strength. And why are you complaining about that? You said so yourself how much you admire strong peopl-” She blinks, “…oh.”

“Cove…” An evil grin stretches her lips. “Did my strong arms over your dainty waist give you feeelings?”

The embarrassed groan that he lets out is music to her ears.

“You pervert!! I'm telling Cliff his boy is a menace!”

She turns to run in the direction of their home, and she can only hear him squeal behind her and give chase.

“(Y/N) don't you dare! Stooop!”

She's cackling loudly and completely breathless by the time the young boy's father opens the door and looks down at her curiously. His son's voice in the distance screeching for him to close the door in her face only makes him slightly worried.

“(Y/N)! Wasn't expecting you two back so soon, I hope everything's okay?”

“Oh, older Holden, you have no idea!~”