Barbara Dunkelman x reader Reboot

Part 2

-Your Pov-

You sat on the couch, and then accepted the beer from Gavin, and then did the best you could to focus as everyone was talking all around you. As always, the podcast was barely controlled chaos as everyone tried to throw in their stories and jokes, and it made you manage a small smile. You didn't manage to talk much, since you were still reeling from being introduced to Barbara's boyfriend, but seeing the people you worked with happy and full of life was enough to make you manage a small smile. It didn't last for long however, and faded when Burnie clapped his hands together as if he was just remembering something. 

" So, in the spirit of Valentine's Day, I wanted to bring on two members of the Roosterteeth office, and the two of them just entered a relationship today," he says, and then you look down and pray that there's any other couple at this office who started dating today. But then Burnie gestures, and you look over to see Trevor walking in, his arm around Barbara and her head rested on his chest. A pang of sadness went through you, and then you began to peel away at the label of the bottle. 

The two of them sit down, and then you want to look away from them and look at anything else, but you feel like you're watching a train wreck and there's nothing to do other than just watch, no matter how weird it makes you feel, or how hurt it makes you feel. Every few moments, you think you've gotten used to seeing the two of them together, but then the two of them will do something which you would normally admit is sweet, but you can't help but feel like that should be you with her. 

Everyone else on the podcast begins to ask them questions about how they got together, and how long the two of them have been dating. If it were any other couple in the office, you would join in on the teasing and inquiry, but it feels like if you ask her anything about it, your voice will either break or just get stuck in your throat entirely. All you can do is just idly pick at the label on the beer bottle, until even that stops working when you pick away the entire label and then just start scratching at the glass, and bend your fingernail back. 

The podcast eventually stops asking questions about Barbara and Trevor, and you're about to let out a sigh of relief. However, Gavin then turns to you, and looks like he knows something you don't. " Didn't you have a crush on Barbara," he asks, innocence in his voice. It looks like he has no idea what he's asking, and you sigh and then look at the roof, blinking a few tears out of your eyes and then you look back at the rest of the room, a fake smile plastered on your face. 

" I plead the 5th," you tell them, and then some of them chuckle at your joke, and then they laugh for a little bit, until Barbara looks at you, her head titled with curiosity, and then you sigh and then look down for a few moments, and then look up. 

" Yeah, I did," you manage to admit eventually. There was no need to lie about it anymore. They all knew you well enough they could see through it anyways, and since you were on the podcast, you needed to act as normal as you could. You didn't need the comment section exploding with people you didn't know asking if you were okay. " But I mean, it was just a little crush."

" Did you ever plan on telling me this," asks Barbara, a little but confused, and laughing at the same time, which stings a little bit. Even if she doesn't mean anything by it, it feels like she's laughing at the idea of the two of you being together. She couldn't have known before this, but it does hurt a little bit. 

" Today actually," you said, trying to keep the same joking tone in your voice ." I had talked to Ally about it, and then yeah I was going to tell you. But, that was when you introduced me to Trevor."

" Wow, that's bad luck," one of them says, which makes you roll your eyes. As if you didn't already know that you were unlucky, as if everyone doesn't already know that you were unlucky, like you haven't been sitting here telling yourself that ever since the podcast started. But, you have to remind yourself to stay calm. They don't know how hurt you are, and none of this is their fault. 

They continue to tease you about it, and making jokes about how unlucky you were for this to happen to you, and you just nodded and did the best you could to roll with the teasing and the jokes about it, but it kept getting harder and harder. " Hey, let's leave him alone," says Barbara eventually, saying it jokingly, but with a serious note in her voice, which makes you chuckle sadly. Even now she's looking out for you and making sure you're okay. The podcast looks at you and then her for a little bit, and then nods ,and they quickly change gears to something else. You thank Barbara and then go back to staring off into space. 

It seems like forever, but then the podcast ends eventually, and then you help all of them get cleaned up, before you turn to go, and then Burnie places a hand on your shoulder, and then you look over to see him. " Hey, thanks for being a good sport for us," he says. " I don't know if we stepped over a line or something, but yeah. That was really helpful for all of us." You nod at him, and then swallow the lump in your throat to ask to go to lunch, and then he nods. 

When he lets go of you, you duck into a bathroom, and then close the door of the stall. Slumping down on the toilet seat, you begin to cry into your hands. 

( let me know what you thought)