Copper Heart (Coco Cruz x OC Fanfic)

Chapter 6

Coco's hands trembled lightly in his lap as he watched Pea weed her garden. Her skin glistened in the sun, her arms and shoulders on display from the light tank top she wore, her shorts allowing his eyes access to areas he hadn't seen before. Suddenly his mouth felt dry as he sat there, hungrily staring. He was nervous. In fact, he was absolutely bricking it. The night before, Angel had come back from Pea's, that annoying stupid smirk on his face. Coco had rolled his eyes before Angel had even reached him, knowing whatever was going to come out of Angels mouth was going to rile him up. "You gotta make a move man," Angel started. Coco restrained himself from losing his shit. "Dunno what you're talking about," Coco had replied, shrugging and taking a drag of his smoke. "Yeah you do cabron, c'mon we ain't dumb." Coco sighed, kicking the toe of his boot against the dusty ground. "Don't think she even wants anything to do with me. Don't see why she would," he murmured, avoiding eye contact with Angel. "Well considering every time I mention your name around her, her skin turns warmer and she can't string a sentence together I would say that isn't exactly true." Coco looked at Angel, his eyebrow raised in question. Angel sighed, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Just... at least get to know her man. She's cool."

So that's how Coco found himself here, sat on Pea's porch in the middle of the day as her protection detail, trying to work up the courage and work out how to get to know her. As if sensing his gaze on her, Pea looked up, their eyes meeting. He immediately looked away, a slight feeling of embarrassment washing over him. She sighed, looking back down at her garden. "Still wants nothing to do with me," she thought. She pushed up off her knees, dusting herself off before making her way up the porch steps. "You want something to eat?" she asked. "I can... make us sandwiches?" Coco looked at her, surprised at her offer. He was here to be her protection. Because she was storing their drugs for them. And she treated him like he was here for a sleepover. He realised he had obviously taken too long to answer when he saw a small frown pass over Pea's face, and she started to move towards the door again. "Yes," he blurted out, startling her a little. "I'm sorry. Yes... please. I would like that." His heart squeezed in his chest as the grin that lit up her face at his response.

She was beautiful, he had decided. He knew he was attracted to her. Entranced by her. But after being able to spend more time with her, spend more time really looking at her, watching how she moved, how she talked, how she lived. He decided she was beautiful. He tried not to seem like a creepy stalker, but it felt like all he could do in her presence was watch her. His tongue bewitched into no longer working when he was around her. So, he decided. He had to speak to her. Had to know more about her. If not for any other reason than to convince himself that he still had his groove and could actually have a conversation with a beautiful woman. A moment later she emerged from the house carrying a tray, two sandwiches on a plate and two cups of what he assumed was juice balancing on the top. She put the tray on the little table, handing Coco his food. "Thank you," he gave her a small smile, which she returned. They ate in silence, the tension seemingly growing thicker as the minutes passed. Coco finished his food and put his plate and cup back on the tray. "Now or never I guess," he thought. Breathing in a shaky breath he turned to her, watching her notice and straighten herself up under his gaze.

"So uhhh," he scratched the back of his neck. "How old are you Pea?" She furrowed her brow and he mentally slapped himself. "Yeah real smooth dickhead," he thought. And then she smirked, huffing out a laugh. "Old enough," she quipped. He raised an eyebrow but didn't push. She hardly knew him; he couldn't exactly expect her to come out with it all. And he knew better than anyone how keeping your guard up makes you feel safe around new people. He laughed lightly, averting his gaze. "Sorry, I'm not really good at this," he shrugged. "Good at what?" Pea asked. "Small talk," he expressed. She smiled softly. "I'm not exactly a good small talk person either." He met her gaze then; thankful she didn't completely shut him down. "How about... we play 20 questions?" she suggested. Coco pulled a face. "Ain't that shit for like... college kids?" She laughed, and Coco felt his skin warm up at the sound. He liked her laugh. He really really liked it. "Maybe so. But you know, if we're both shitty conversationalists at least this will give us some sort of prompt to actually talk." Coco mulled over it for a moment before he nodded. "Alright then, you go first but." Pea rolled her eyes. "Did your mother name you Coco?" He lightly chuckled as he shook his head. "Nah. Well, maybe. But it's just a nickname. My real name is Johnny. My turn," he answered. "Do you have any other pets?" Pea let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding. She had been worried as soon as she had suggested the game that Coco would start prying, asking about her private life, her past. "Nope," she shook her head. "Just Rajah and Echo. My turn."

After a few more questions where they had learned a few things about each other Coco turned to Pea, his face suddenly serious. "Do you have any family?" He noted she visibly tensed, turning her gaze away from him. Pea swallowed around the lump that had risen in her throat, her eyes starting to sting as she tried not to think about the punch in the gut that question had just dealt her. She cleared her throat, swallowing thickly and turning back to Coco with a tight smile on her face. "Yeah, yeah I do," she said, her voice a little gravelly. "They just," she breathed in shakily. "Aren't around I guess." Coco knew he struck a chord, and while he didn't like seeing her upset he couldn't help but want to know more. "Is your family the reason you're involved with the club?" he asked. She stood up abruptly and turned away from him towards the door. "I have um- I have stuff I have to do and... clean inside, um," she held her hand to her chest as she tried to calm herself down. "I'll see you... whenever I see you I guess." And with that she moved quickly inside the house closing both the gauze and wooden door, leaving Coco staring at the empty space next to him that she once occupied. "Fuck, what have I done?"