Broken Doll // Shawn Mendes

LV. Real Life

Re-upload cause I forgot about the dedication on this one. Forgive! The only thing in my mind right now are composers and stats tests for my finals so sorry! But congrats to the winner and yes, it was indeed Heathers! (Which is a bomb-ass musical that all of you should listen to!)

*******

Shawn felt his heart snap with the closing door. Coppélia had been terrified something like this would happen. "Shawn... what was that?" Karen finally shattered the silence.

"Remember that complication I told you guys about?" He asked. They nodded. "That was it." His parents raised an eyebrow while Aaliyah looked sympathetic. She had suspected what it was. "She has severe anxiety, about 10 times worse than my own." His parents' eyes widened. "She plays music to keep her calm. She was terrified of having an attack in front of you so she put one in her ear and kept it on low volume." He turned to his grandmother, even if she couldn't understand him. "She wasn't being rude. She was trying to keep her anxiety at bay." He grabbed a blanket from the couch. "I'm gonna go check on her."

He went out the door, knowing his dad would translate what he had just said to his grandmother. He went out to find Coppélia standing in the snow. Her fingers were tangled in her hair, pulling on it lightly, and she was muttering under her breath. He slowly approached her and draped the blanket over her shoulders.

She flinched but relaxed as he wrapped his arms around her. He could hear her breathing start to even out, still a bit shaky. He started singing softly and felt her relax a bit more. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

She laughed bitterly. "You know I hate when people ask me that because no, not really." He tightened his grip on her. "I just... I wanted to go one day without embarrassing you or myself."

He gently kissed the shell of her ear. "You didn't embarrass yourself. And you definitely didn't embarrass me. I told them what happened and they understand. They didn't know. That's all it was. My mom and Avo will still think you're pretty, Aaliyah will still try to embarrass me in front of you, and my dad will still say you fit me perfectly. Which you do." She blushed and he pressed a kiss to her jaw. "They'll still love you."

Coppélia nodded but he knew she wasn't convinced. He held her against him for a few moments in silence before they heard the door open. They looked to see Aaliyah walking to them with a steaming mug. She held it out to Coppélia. 

"Mom's hot cocoa. You need something to drink after an attack and it's too cold for water." She explained. Coppélia looked shocked but cautiously took the mug.

"Don't I get one?" Shawn teased. Coppélia snorted a laugh.

"Mom says you'll get one when you bring her in from the cold." Aaliyah shot back. Shawn rolled his eyes and she smiled at Coppélia. "Which should be soon. It's frigid and you still haven't done my other hand." 

"You okay to go in?" Shawn asked his girlfriend. She took a shaky breath and nodded slowly. Aaliyah smiled and grabbed Coppélia's hand, pulling her towards the door. Shawn groaned. "This better not become routine, little brat!" Aaliyah stuck her tongue out at her brother and Coppélia laughed at the two.

*******

Coppélia mirrored Aaliyah's smile when she finished the last nail. "These are awesome!" Aaliyah told her. Coppélia smiled her thanks but sucked in a sharp breath when Shawn's grandmother slid into the seat next to her, Manuel standing next to her. Shawn noticed her nerves and came to place a hand on her shoulder.

The older woman reached over to gently take Coppélia's hands in hers and began speaking Portuguese (Coppélia remembered Shawn telling her that she spoke very little English). Coppélia looked to Manuel for a translation. "She said that she's incredibly sorry for her actions earlier." He told her. "She said she shouldn't have assumed and only wanted to make sure you were right for Shawn. Which she realized you most definitely are." 

Coppélia blushed and Shawn placed a small kiss on her head. "Tell her that it's my fault for not telling you all about my condition." She said. "I would never disrespect Shawn or any of you like that. He's the best thing to happen to me in so long and I just... didn't want to screw this up."

Manuel smiled brightly as he translated for Shawn's grandmother. She smiled at Coppélia and cupped her chin in her hands. "Boneca linda." She said quietly. 

Coppélia raised an eyebrow at Manuel who smiled back. "'Beautiful doll'." He translated. Coppélia's blush returned and Shawn smiled brightly at the truth of the statement.