Pedro Pascal Character Imagines

Don't You (Javier Pena)

Summary: Javier runs into a former flame back home in Laredo.

A/N - Inspired by "Don't You" by Taylor Swift. This song is from a female's POV, but I thought it would be fun to flip it to the male perspective.

He was staring. He knew he was staring but he couldn't help it. It'd been so long since he'd seen her (at least a decade), but at the same time it felt like yesterday. Javier had only just returned from Colombia so he knew he'd run into her eventually.

Laredo was a small town.

Finally she turned and saw him. "Javi!" she squealed.

He remembered her doing that when he got home from a long shift at the police department. She'd throw herself into his arms and kiss him.

It always brought a smile to his face. Now it broke his heart. "Hey Steph."

She smiled at him and he felt his heart start racing like it always did. He wished she wouldn't do that.

"How have you been?"

How could she ask him a question like that?

Javier shrugged. "Good. I'm helping Pops out on the farm again. He...uhh...told me you got married."

Stephanie twisted her wedding around on her finger. "Yeah. Two months ago."

"Congratulations. Sorry I missed it."

Her new husband was nothing like him. Instead of a hardened DEA agent and former cop, she'd married a lawyer. He was sweet and affectionate and waited on her hand and foot.

Javier could tell by the look in her eyes that she was happy. David probably made her happier than he ever could.

Javier knew he wasn't a relationship person. He'd never be the perfect boyfriend or husband. Before Colombia maybe, but Colombia had spoiled everything. It had turned him into the hardened man standing in front of her.

"I...I've really missed you Javi. Laredo hasn't been the same since you left."

She missed him? If she really missed him, she wouldn't have gotten married so quickly. She would have waited for him. The announcement of her wedding had come on the morning of the final arrest of the Cali Godfathers.

Maybe if he'd been here, he could have stopped the wedding, but Javier knew deep down that he wouldn't have been able to do that. He loved her too much.

Couldn't she see how much he still loved her? Could she not tell by the look in his eyes? Or was she too blinded by the 'love' for her husband?

Javier wished he could hate her. He really did. It would make everything so much easier.

"Well it was nice seeing you, Javi. We'll have to get together for dinner sometime."

Javi offered her a soft smile. "Sure." Javier was lying through his teeth. There's no way he'd come to dinner with her and her new husband. Thankfully, he'd perfected the art of lying in Colombia.

"Have a good night, Javier. Tell Chucho hi for me."

"You too, Steph."

They parted without a goodbye kiss on the cheek or even a hug.

Javier scoffed. So much for missing him. Javier went to the check out counter and ordered a pack of Nicorette gum.

No more Colombia, no more cigarettes.

Javier wanted to return to the man he was before Colombia, even though he knew that wasn't possible. As he was leaving the store, he walked past Stephanie and a few older ladies standing by their trucks talking.

Javier got in his father's truck and pulled out of the parking lot. Driving back to the ranch with the windows down and music blasting the radio.

Javier knew by tomorrow that the whole town would have heard about their little encounter in the grocery store. There would be speculation at their relationship. Whether or not Javier "Man-Whore" Peña would steal her from her husband.

Stephanie had put on an innocent act after their split when in reality it was her who had left him and shattered his heart. It had pushed him to apply with the DEA and led to him be stationed in Colombia.

If he really wanted to, he could blame her for causing him to go through the shit he did in Colombia. But he couldn't. He still loved her and part of him figured he always would.