Sarah Paulson Mental Health One-Shots

Can't Focus -Cordelia Goode

TW: ADHD, stress, medication, mention of weight loss from meds.

prompt: reader struggles with ADHD and Cordelia helps them get their work done.

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It's just homework. You do it all the time. Focus y/n focus.

You put your face in your hands and groan, trying to finish your homework for Miss Cordelia's class. It was simple things about herbs. With all the time you spend with Cordelia in the greenhouse, Herbs and plants should be a breeze but you can't bring yourself to do it. It's been hours just staring at the pieces of paper. You suddenly hear a knock at your bedroom door, snapping you out of your thoughts.

"y/n, sweetheart are you awake?"

You jump up from the bed and open the door to see Cordelia greet you with a smile.

"Hey Cordelia what's up?"

"I haven't seen you since class and it's time for dinner. Is everything okay?"

"Uhm yeah I was just doing my homework because you always tell me not to put it off last minute but I'm kind of having a hard time with it..." You say, looking down and fidgeting with your rings.

"Oh honey that's okay. What do you have done so far?" Cordelia asks, walking to your bed, seeing your papers everywhere.

"Uhm nothing yet. I'm usually good at this stuff I don't know what's up."

"Did you take your meds today?" She asks, turning around and looking at you. You take a second before you shake your head. "Sweetheart you know you're supposed to be taking them."

"I know they just make me feel so... bored and numb. I've also dropped a lot of weight from them."

Cordelia gives you an apologetic smile and walks to you, wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

"How about we go eat dinner and I can help you afterwards?"

"Thanks Cordelia."

"Of course darling."

You walk downstairs together and go to the kitchen to see everyone else coming in. Zoe, Mallory, Coco, Madison, Queenie, Nan, Misty and Myrtle. You take a seat in between Cordelia and Zoe as always and everyone starts eating. You start shaking your leg and join in the girl's conversation laughing. There we're talking about something that happened last week that was really funny in class. Myrtle had fallen asleep and you all took a picture with her. Myrtle was just now finding out about this and started getting mad.

"You did what?!" She scolded, making you all throw your heads back laughing. Even Cordelia.

"No Myrtle don't worry you looked great I promise!" You said, laughing as well as all the girls.

"Jesus y/n why are you so loud?" Madison said rudely, making your smile fade.

"Sorry." You said quietly, going back to your food. You started shaking your leg more. Cordelia notices and placed her hand on your leg. You start playing with her rings on her fingers, like she'd let you do in class and then you started playing with your fork, making it lightly tap your plate. No one seemed to notice since everyone was so wrapped up in the conversation except Madison.

"Oh my god I can't even hear myself think with that tapping y/n can you please fucking stop?"

"Madison." Cordelia said sternly.

"What?! She's like a fucking motor boat she doesn't stop running. How about you do everyone a favor and take your stupid meds?"
You drop your fork and push out your chair.

"I'm full."

"y/n!" Cordelia calls to you. She looks at Madison and shakes her head with wide eyes, silently asking why she said that. Cordelia follows you up the stairs but you get to your room and close the door, pushing all your homework off your bed.

"You shouldn't have said that Madison." Zoe said coldly.

"What? She's so annoying. It's not my fault she doesn't take her stupid meds."

Cordelia wiggles the handle a bit and knocks.

"y/n? Hey honey it's okay can I come it?"

You reach your hand out and unlock the door with your powers, keeping your knees to your chest and your forehead pressed on your knees. You soon feel Cordelia's hands stroking your back and the bed dip next to you as she sat down.

"It's okay baby. She didn't mean it."

"She's right Cordelia. I mean it's my fault."

"No it's not sweetheart you can't help it."

"No she's right. I should just deal with it and take my meds."

"How about we start that homework hm?" Cordelia asks sweetly. You nod and wipe a tear as Cordelia picks up your fallen papers from the ground. She places them in front of you. "Okay. Herbs. You know this stuff." Cordelia said with a reassuring nod.

"I know I just was getting distracted and stuff..."

"Hey I hear you kiddo, that's alright. It happens. So how about we start with this paper okay? Rosemary isn't too hard." She said with a smile.
You smile back and nod.

After a few minutes, you finished pretty quickly as she guided you through each question. You didn't even notice how you had taken her hand in yours as you started twisting her rings on her fingers again.

"There you go!" She said after you finished your last paper. You smiled brightly and gave her a hug.

"Thank you Cordelia."

"Of course sweetheart. You know you can come to me whenever for whatever reason. Okay?" You nodded with a shy smile and she kisses your forehead. You close your eyes at the feeling of her soft lips against your skin. "Goodnight baby."

"Goodnight Cordelia."