Cedric The Sensational X Reader

It Was Supposed To Be Fun

TREAT YOU BETTER FINAL PART 

Love was fun. 

At least, that's what the storybooks like to tell you. Love got those characters through anything, no matter what life threw at them, they were together, and everything was fine. Love came with little butterflies that tickled the stomach. Love was flushed cheeks, hidden smiles, stolen glances and gentle shivers. 

Of course, that's only if that love is returned. 

Unrequited love is painful. The kind that tears at your heart. Smiles give you butterflies with razor blades for wings. Flushed cheeks were followed by awkward excuses and rushed exits. Stolen glances are greedy, and unfulfilling. There's never enough to fill the ache that digs itself deeper with every word, every smile, every touch. 

Then there's the jealousy. Every time she touched him. Every time she got to kiss him. Every time she made him smile, while all you seem to do is make him frown. While your touch is shaken off because she wouldn't like it. While your conversation are cut short, because you don't matter enough to him anymore. Did you even matter in the first place? 

It was thoughts like this that drove you away from this place all those years ago. The passage of time had numbed such thoughts, feelings replaced and forgotten. Almost. As you stand on the castles steps, one lone suitcase besides you, a chill runs through your spine. Forcing away the intrusive and painful memories, you turn your attention to the joyful princess rushing down the steps to greet you. 

"Y/N! I'm so excited to see you!" The hug Sofia inflicted upon you nearly left you winded. The girls got muscles. 

"Well hello! Look at you!" pulling Sofia off of you, you hold her at arms length and look her up and down "Miss Storykeeper and Protector! Look how you've grown!" With a Cheshire cat grin, you pull her back in for your own life-sucking hug, ignoring royal etiquette for a bit.

"I'm so happy you could make it! I had no idea if my letter would even find you, with you traveling so far." 

"As if I'd miss Enchancias 800th anniversary ball! Especially not since my favorite princess specially invited me." Sofia laughed at that, and started to tug you up the stairs. 

"You need to tell me all about your travels around the EverRealm! Where all have you been? Who have you met?" Sofia kept rambling on, leading you through the castles doors and into the busy entryway. The castle was buzzing in preparation for the 8th Centennial ball, maids flowing past you seamlessly as Sofia drags you through the chaos. Unfamiliar faces pass by, people who must have been hired in the four years you were gone. Sofia and you chat about your travels as you wind through the halls, Sofia clutching onto your arm as if you'd disappear if she let go.  24 years old and still as sweet as when you left. She walks you to your room, as you greet a few old friends on your way. Baileywick even stops in his busy schedule to personally welcome you back, and you start to feel a soft warmth spreading through the previous cold dread. Coming back was scary. Leaving this place helped suppress the memories, but the familiar walls brought them screaming at the edge of your brain. But there were good ones here too, as you smile and chat with those you left behind. Eventually, Sofia was called away, needing to finish preparations, and you left alone in your guest room. It was then, when you finally were left to think about him. 

No one had brought Cedric up to you. Maybe they knew that's why you left. You hadn't heard anything about him in four years. Is he married? Did he finally grow a brain and leave? You had no idea if you would even run into him during your stay here. In fact, it was incredibly unlikely, you told yourself. You were only staying for a few days, and the castle is huge and busy. You wont have to run into him at all. 

----

In hindsight, that was a incredibly stupid conclusion to come to. 

All you wanted to do was take a walk in the garden. You even took a less kept path through the bushes, one people rarely go through. Unfortunately, you forgot who showed you this path in the first place.  Now you were standing face to face with a very unkempt Cedric, who's looking at you as if you were a ghost. 

Surprised and suddenly incredibly anxious, you freeze in place. Your breath catches sharply in your throat, and even blinking feels like too much movement. The two of you just stare, unmoving, until Cedric finally breaks the silence. 

"Is... Is it really you?" 

You very briefly consider saying no and just walking away. But you don't. Because you have some words for this man. "Yes," you respond, bluntly. 

Cedric doesn't seem to know how to react. His hair is black again. A good sign you suppose. He still looks terrible though. His eyebags could have their own postal code. Plus it didn't look like he had eaten for years. His mouth opens and closes, and his gaze rockets to the ground. "You were right." 

You blink, surprised. Out of everything you expected, this was not one of the outcomes. "What?"

"You were right. About everything. She was just using me, and I was too stupid and desperate and I refused to see the truth. I should have listened to you. Instead I was a jerk and a fool." Cedric's voice came out strained, and soft. 

"You really were," You respond, coldly. "Did 14 years of friendship not matter to you? Did I not matter to you? You threw me away the second you got a hint of female validation and suddenly I was the bad guy. It hurt Cedric. It hurt a lot." A solid lump was developing in your throat, choking out any attempt to speak further. 

Cedric refused to meet your gaze, his glassy eyes fixed solidly to the ground. "I took it for granted. You mattered so much, but I took that for granted and treated you like an asshole who only wanted to ruin my relationship. You only wanted the best for me and I realized that too late." His hands were trembling, and you could feel yours trembling too. 

"You made me feel like trash Cedric. You gaslight me into thinking I was the problem. You were my best friend." your tone was rising, but you didn't really care anymore. "And that wasn't the worst part! You made me watch, silently, as she abused you and hurt you and walked ALL OVER YOU." 

Cedric finally looked at you. Hot tears prick your eyes as you meet his sorrow filled gaze. 

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I don't expect your forgiveness. I don't ever expect things to go back to the way it was. I just wanted to apologize." 

That was your breaking point. Four years of suppressed anger, sorrow, and pain got the best of you at last, as you start wailing. Between the sobs, you feel Cedric lead you towards a bench, and sits you down on it. He sits besides you, hand in yours, and you feel a few hot tears on your skin that weren't your own. 

It took you both a while to calm down. Red-eyed and stuffy-nosed, the two of you make idle chatter about your lives apart. Thing's aren't healed, and the wounds that were opened can never be truly closed. But you missed him. Love isn't pretty, and it can be messy, and stupid. It can forgive what shouldn't ever be forgiven. So sitting there, hand in hand, you decide that while the past can never be erased,  the future could have a second chance. 

_____

So I finally wrote another ending to treat you better, my worst oneshot in this whole book lol. It was supposed to be a angsty one-off, I didn't plan 3 parts. Anyway, I don't really support the idea of giving people who hurt you as much as I made Cedric hurt you all a second chance, but its fiction so its fiiinnneee. Just remember kids, don't forgive those who don't deserve it. 

Sorry if the ending feels rushed, I couldn't figure out a decent way to end it and gave up. I debated doing a ball scene but I think I'll save that for a future fluff oneshot. 

Anyway y'all have a good day and thanks for all the love and support! 

Peace!