His Barista - Soap MacTavish Coffee Shop AU

11

╭──────────.★..─╮
Chapter Eleven
╰─..★.──────────╯

No words could describe the pain that radiated throughout Johnny's chest. His heart ached and his skin boiled to the point where he feared it would explode right out of his veins. But he didn't make any of that evident to Elsie.

His touches were gentle on her, a damp rag in his grasp as he wiped the blood from her skin and bandaged what needed to be all while Elsie whispered apologies to him. All he could do was tell her it was okay, that it wasn't her fault but at the same time he knew she wouldn't believe him yet; she was still in shock.

With his closeness he could smell the alcohol practically wafting off of her, and even more so whenever she hiccuped from crying for so long. It absolutely broke his heart that he hadn't been there for her, and what hurt him more was the growing anxiety that it was all his fault.

Holding back tears of his own, he carefully cupped her face with his hands and used his thumbs to stroke soothing circles into her flushed cheeks. She stared up at him, never ceasing eye contact like she was afraid everything would fade if she looked away from his gorgeous blue irises.

The previous heavy flow of tears were finally starting to calm now and she smiled sadly to him, leaning into the palm of his left hand and grabbing the other with her own as she brought it to her lips and left him a delicate kiss to the backside of his rough hand — a silent thank you.

Johnny grinned at the gesture and returned it, although he was more enthusiastic about it as he playfully kissed up and down her hand quickly. Her giggling was a praise to his ears, but yet it also made him want to cry for her more and he wasn't sure why.

She sniffled. "I brought you into my mess... I'm sor-"

"Hey no, don't even think about apologising." He was quick in cutting her off. "If anything, apologise for not letting me help you earlier."

Elsie pursed her lips and nodded softly, finally pulling her eyes away from his and began to explore his bathroom, taking in pointless little details to distract herself from the enormous elephant in the room.

Though it was almost like he could hear her thoughts.

"But with what you saw at the club... I'm surprised you even want me to help now." His voice was quiet and he sighed.

Elsie didn't reply, her mind not allowing her to even muster up any words as she continued peering around the room. Her vice on his hand loosened a little, but it was still in her grasp. He noticed the movement.

"Elsie, what you saw — that girl? We're not together, not in any sense of the word." He tried to explain but she regained their gaze and dropped his hand now.

"It's none of my business Johnny. I shouldn't have acted the way I did, it's not like we're dating or... or anything."

Or anything.

God, this stabbed his already fast beating heart more than anything. The fact that he made her think so little of how he felt for her made him want to put a theoretical bullet in his head.

"She's another Captain's daughter. He pretty much threw her my way and told me not to break her heart," He began and rolled her eyes at the memory. "She's quite literally the most annoying and entitled person I've ever known. I just entertain her because of who her father is."