PEDRO PASCAL IMAGINES

IMAGINE: Spending Christmas with Javi (Javier Peña x reader)

Warnings: angst

It was going to be the best night of the year. You had spent hours, days even, trying to convince Javi to take Christmas Eve off from work. At first he had fought back, a lot, but when he'd seen the sparkle in your eyes along with your pouty, pleading expression, he had given in.

Here you were, sitting opposite him at the dining table of your apartment on Christmas Eve, each of you with a full glass of wine, next to the meal you had been cooking for tonight. It wasn't possible to describe your happiness with words. This was all you wanted for Christmas.

"It's good to see you so happy," Javi observed and took your hand from across the table. You smiled uncontrollably, already anticipating giving him his present.

"You make me happy."

The apartment was decorated with what you could find in the shops of Medellín, cheap looking ornaments and garlands made of plastic, you had even provided a tree. Being away from home on Christmas was hard for you, especially in a country that didn't even have snow or low temperatures at all.

Halfway through dinner with Javi regularly complementing you on your cooking skills, his phone rang. You instantly stopped chewing and shot Javi a warning, yet pleading glance. He peeked over at the phone and let out a deep sigh in frustration. His eyes found yours again and the ringing stopped. You smiled thankfully and squeezed his hand.

Unfortunately, the phone rang again. The more you tried to ignore it, the louder and more aggressive it became.

"Sorry," Javi muttered, took the phone and left the room. Disappointed and already aware of how the night was going to end, you sank back in your chair and drowned the wine glass in one go.

After a few minutes, which seemed like an eternity for you, Javi returned. You didn't need to look up at him to see the apologetic look on his beautiful face.

"I'm so sorry, babe, that was Feistl. They're on to something and they need me there."

You rose from your chair and started clearing the table, well aware of the amount of food that was left on the plates.

"Whatever."

Javi came next to you when you almost angrily put the plates away. Cautiously, he placed his hand on your back.

"Please understand," he whispered. Without looking at him and having a very hard time biting back your tears, you turned on the tap to wash the dishes.

"Babe... you know what? I promise you to be home before midnight. No matter what happens out there. I promise, okay?" His voice was intent and serious, and something inside you believed him. Maybe it was the wine or the Christmas feeling or simply your love for him, but you nodded.

"Fine."

Javi showed you a lopsided grin and leant in to kiss your temple, "don't finish all the wine."

You let out a soft chuckle and watched him slip into his jacket, stuffing the gun inside the back of his trousers.

"I'll see you later," you called after him and he gave you another smile before he closed the door behind him.

The hours went by, 10pm, 11pm, 11:55pm. You caught yourself standing by the window overlooking the city, silently examining the streets for any sign of Javi. The hope and belief in him slowly faded away, punishing your heart with tiny pricks of needles for putting trust in his words. It had been like this ten, maybe twenty times. Javi got called away for work, promised you to come back home soon, yet stayed away for the night. Fighting the Cali cartel was a special, tedious and exhausting job for everyone involved and you loved Javi dearly, but was this worth it? Being stood up numerous times?