summary: andy comforts you when you feel stressed about law school.
word count: 1,059
warnings: anxiety about (law) school, reader feels like she's not good/smart enough, pet name (baby)
notes: in this universe, andy doesn't work for the da and has his own firm.
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Andrew Stephen Barber was beyond proud of you. And he made a point to tell you that every single day. He'd had more than a few issues with Laurie, one of the most prominent ones being lack of communication, which led to their inevitable divorce. So, now that he was with you, he was doing his best to make sure that things never get that bad between the two of you. So, every morning, he'd wake up with you in his arms, pepper soft kisses across your face, and whisper about how he was beyond blessed to have you and your love in his life.
One of the things he'd been most proud of was your decision to attend law school. You'd been working for Andy's firm as a paralegal for several years now, and you were finally in a place where you were able to afford going to law school and its many expenses. Andy had helped you study for the LSAT, telling you some of the tips and tricks he'd used all those years ago, pointing you in the direction of good study materials. And he's helped with your applications, reviewing your resume and writing samples, suggesting people you could ask to send in letters of recommendation for you. When you got your acceptance letter from your first choice school, you'd cried, jumping in his arms, as he told you that he knew you could do it, that they would've been idiots if they'd rejected you.
Then the anxieties started to set in. As you began buying your text books and registering for your classes, the syllabi coming in steadily over the summer, you spent more time asking Andy if what you were doing was a good idea. If you had what it takes to be an attorney. He spent hours with you wrapped up in his arms, him whispering to you about how you absolutely have what it takes. That you would blow them all out of the water with your genius. And, even if you struggled, you'd still be just as capable.
The anxiety only ate at you more, though, when classes started.
Andy, unfortunately, had been working late hours the week that you started, and so he didn't have time to see how you were holding up. He often had to leave before you woke up, and he'd be coming home after you'd already gone to bed. But now it was the weekend, and he was here, and he knew something was wrong.
You'd holed yourself up in his at-home office, using it as your study space since he didn't use it much anymore. You'd been in there since the crack of dawn, and hadn't come out for more than snacks and bathroom breaks. He was beginning to get worried.
When lunch time finally came, he made his way to the office, pushing the door open to find you surrounded by text books, your face buried in your hands, sobbing wracking your body.
"Everything okay, baby?" he asked.
"No," you cried.
He was by your side in an instant, picking you up and taking your seat, holding you in his lap. He rubbed his hand up and down your back, quietly shushing you as you cried. When you finally started to calm down, he whispered, "Wanna talk about it, baby?"
"I'm just so stupid."
"No, you're not."
"I am! I don't understand what the hell I'm doing!"
"Baby, I know it's been a while since I've been in your shoes, but that's completely normal."
"But I've been doing this shit for years, Andy. Well, not exactly, but..."
"It's still different than what you're used to. You're not gonna understand it overnight. It takes time. You've been thrown into a world you're not totally familiar with, and your professors probably aren't giving you straight answers. But there aren't any straight answers. They're tryin' to teach you how to rewire your brain to think more like a lawyer."
"I just don't think I can do this, Andy."
"You can, baby. If there's anyone I know who can do this, it's you. And, listen, even if you keep trying and still don't feel like you can do it, that's okay. There's no shame in having to quit."
"I'm just scared, you know?"
"I do. I was scared, too. But, hey, look far I've gotten, and I didn't have anyone helping me. Imagine how far you can go with help."
"I'm really just scared that I'm gonna get to the bar and have spent all this money, and then I'm gonna fail and I'm gonna keep failing and it's all gonna be for nothing."
"Listen, if Neal Logiudice can pass the bar exam, you can, too, baby," he said, his lips brushing against yours. "He's a fuckin' idiot. And you're a genius, there's no way you couldn't pass."
You giggled, nuzzling your face in the crook of his neck, and Andy's heart lifted. He liked hearing you laugh. It meant that you were feeling more like yourself. "You're just trying to butter me up."
"I mean it, baby," he insisted. "And, you still got three years before the bar. We'll get you a tutor if you need one. I'll take on more responsibilities around the house so you can have more study time. We'll get through it. And, when you pass, we'll celebrate for a fucking month."
"I'll have to get a job after I pass," you said.
"Nah, you can work for me baby. Change our name to Barber & Barber. Whaddya think of that?"
"I think I'll have to be a Barber for that to happen."
"What if you were? A Barber?"
You pulled away, your brows furrowing. "Baby, you're gonna have to be direct. I don't have enough brain power to think about what you're trying to suggest."
"Marry me," he said, leaning in, kissing you. "Wanted to make it special, take you out somewhere nice, but...God, baby, I just wanna know that you'll be mine forever."
"It'll be a while before we get married..."
"I don't care. I just wanna know that you'll be Mrs. Barber."
And, with the way you smiled up at him, the way you leaned in to kiss him, he knew that you wanted to be Mrs. Barber just as badly as he wanted you to be his wife.
