Evan Peters Drabbles

I Just Wanted to Keep You Safe (Russell Hayes [Sleepover] x Reader)

REQUESTED: A Russell Hayes imagine where the reader is best friends with him & he asks the reader out & they say yes but he starts acting differently around them. He used to rough-house with them & take them skateboarding & out on adventures with his other friends, but now he's gentle & doesn't want to rough-house anymore. He doesn't take them skateboarding or out on adventures & when the reader asks to hang out with him & his friends Russell says no. The reader talks to him & he says that he just wanted to make sure they were safe. Stuff happens. They go back to how they were before but still dating?

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You practically sprinted out of your class excitedly, running straight to your locker. It was Friday, which meant you were going to the skate park with your boyfriend & his friends. You grinned to yourself. You still weren't used to calling Russell your boyfriend. He had been your best friend for ages now until he asked you out nearly a month ago. So far, dating your best friend was pretty amazing & not very different, aside from a few interesting situations.

Russell didn't play-wrestle nor rough-house with you anymore. You guys used to mess around all the time before, but now, whenever you brought it up, he always said he wasn't in the mood. He also didn't hang around his friends much when you were there & had even turned you down once when you offered to come along with him & his pals.

You tried not to let it get to you, but you did start to wonder & worry why he was acting so differently around you. Do his friends not like you anymore? Did he want to break up with you? God, you hoped not, but you couldn't help but worry.

Today, you had planned to go skateboarding with Russell, like you guys did every Friday. You hadn't gone the last few times because Russell claimed to be sick & have family issues, but he had come to school today & said he was free. As you dropped your skateboard down onto the ground, you shut your locker & grabbed your things, skateboarding out of school & towards the familiar tree where you & Russell met & had lunch under everyday.

As expected, Russell was already there, talking to his friends, "Hey, Russell!" you yelled excitedly as you skateboarded over to the guys. Russell turned around when you called him & smiled, but it immediately fell when he saw you skateboarding incredibly fast towards them.

You screeched to a stop & picked up your skateboard, grinning at Russell & his friends. Russell made his way over to you worriedly, looking you over to make sure you were okay, "Babe, what the heck are you doing??"

You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion, "What do you mean? It's Friday! That's when we always go to the skate park."

Russell shook his head, "No way! The guys & I are going together."

"Well, I want to come, too! We always go, why can't I come all of a sudden?"

Russell sighed, "Because I don't want you to come."

You felt as if Russell had punched you in the gut. He didn't want you to come? "You...you don't?"

He noticed the sadness in your eyes & he immediately felt guilty, "Wait, I didn't mean it like that---"

"Save it," you said, holding up a hand to silence him, "Just forget it. I'll see you later, I guess," you didn't even bother trying to ride your skateboard home. You were so upset that you just started walking home, ignoring Russell when he called out to you. You started to walk faster when his voice got closer, but he was faster than you, so he always managed to catch up.

After playing cat-&-mouse for a few blocks, you finally got tired & stopped, "What do you want, Russell? You don't want to mess around anymore, you don't let me hang out with your friends, we don't go out on adventures like we used to, & now you don't want to go to skate park with me?" you screeched at him, tears starting to brim at your eyes, "What do you want from me?" your voice softened sadly, "Do you want to break up with me?"

Russell stared at you incredulously, "Break up with you? Of course not, that's crazy!" he assured you. He sighed & ran a hand through his hair, frowning a bit, "I'm sorry I've been acting funny, I just don't want you to get hurt," he looked at you, smiling sheepishly, "I just wanted to keep you safe."

You sighed, relief instantly flooding your body. You rolled your eyes once you pulled yourself together, "I'm not made of glass, Russell; just because we're dating, doesn't mean I'm suddenly more fragile. We can still do all the things we always do; there's no need to protect me. I'm fine."

He smiled, "You're right, I guess I overreacted. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

He bit his lip softly, smiling at you, "Do you still want to go to the skate park with me & the guys?"

You nodded excitedly, "Heck yeah!" Russell grinned & kissed your cheek happily, making both of you blush.

"Come on, losers!" one of Russell's friends called, "The skate park is waiting!" you grinned at each other & ran back over to your friends. As you all walked to the skate park, Russell gently took your hand in his, making you grin. You both walked hand-in-hand behind his friends, eager to finally hang out together again.