Kyle "Gaz" Garrick x M!Reader

Twenty-Five

Silence.

Tense silence filled the room between you, Kyle and Kimmy.

All she did was stare at him. There was this shimmer in the brown, this thought that she knew him but couldn't pin his face down to a name.

Small wrinkles appeared on her forehead. Eyebrows knitted together she looked back and forth between you and Kyle.

"Who the hell is this?", she asked with her teeth clenched and pointed at him. "You're bringing strangers into the house? In presence of my sons?!"

Your eyes jumped over your shoulder to meet Kyle's. One of his eyebrows lifted, he tilted his head to ask a silent question.

You let out a deep breath.

"House squatter.", you answered soberly and turned back to look at her.

Not happy about the joke, she frowned in annoyance.

"Tell me who that is! He has no right being around my kids!"

"This is none of your fucking business.", you bit back. "He's my friend. And far more reliable than you ever were."

Again, her gaze fell into Kyle. He returned the gloomy expression, visibly irritated by the hostility that was dedicated towards him. For no reason at all at that.

"Hi, Kimmy.", he crossed his arms in front of his chest, building himself up behind you like a wall that separated her from the inside of the house. "Long time no see."

She frowned, eyed him.

"Kyle?", she asked, head titled.

"Yup.", he looked her up and down. "You should leave."

Sucking in a sharp breath, she clenched her teeth and took a step towards him. Quickly, you pushed yourself between the two of them, cutting her off.

"He's right.", you insisted. "I'm not going to repeat myself."

Her eyes fell onto you. If looks could have killed. You'd be a dead man now.

"You won't let me see my sons?", she asked one last time. "That I gave birth to? For you?"

Again, a wave of guilt chased nausea up your nose. It tied your throat. You wiped them away with a roll of your eyes. A shivering breath escaped your lips.

"I never forced you to give birth to them.", you felt disgusted by the words that left your mouth but they were nothing but the truth. "I never told you to keep them. They were your choice. And then you threw them again. I just picked up the pieces."

Her lips trembled. Anger and frustration battled on her face.

"I swear to god I'll make your life miserable.", she hissed.

"You already do, Kimmy.", you sighed. "Every year. Every time."

"I think it's really time to leave.", Kyle suddenly said and pushed himself in front of you to cut you off from her influence.

All of a sudden tears flowed. Mascara and makeup mixed on her cheeks, made her look even more of a mess than she needed to be.

A sigh tied your throat. You just wanted her to leave and never come back. But as experience had taught you it would just reset her for one year until she'd be back again.

And you hated to think about that.

"Seriously, Kyle...", she whined and tried to grab him by the collar.

With his hands raised in defence he backed away. He was on edge, his eyes jumped from her face to her hands and the way she moved her body.

He had no intentions of being caught in a lie she could make up. He wouldn't touch her unless she left no more options.

Sobbing she clawed herself into his shirt. He wiggled his way out only for her to scream at his face.

"I'm sorry.", you grabbed Kyle by the shoulder and pulled him back. "Kimmy, if you don't stop I'll call the police. Leave."

"You're an awful man, (Y/N).", she coughed, arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"Maybe... But at least I'm a good father...", you replied and pulled out your phone to show her the number you had on speed dial. "Leave. Please, Kimmy, I'm so over this shit. Let's just end this here."

Again, she tried to whine her way into the house. But as both you and Kyle did not back down the tears dried almost immediately and she turned on her heel to storm down the driveway.

"You won't be able to keep them away from me forever.", she looked over her shoulder, threats in her eyes.

"I can. And I will.", you swallowed hard. "You don't deserve them, Kimmy."

"Neither do you."

"And yet I'm the only parent they have. I might not deserve my sons, but I'm trying to be worthy of them. I'm fucking trying. What have you ever done?", tears burned in the corners of your eyes. "Bloody hell..."

Sucking in a sharp breath, you fought back the urge to have a nervous breakdown and squeezed your eyes shut to run away from the sight of her face.

Kyle took a few steps after her, made sure that she made it to the edge of the front yard. The metal gate of the house opened loudly only for her to throw it shut with such force that the bars trembled.

"Shit...", exhaustion hit you straight in the gut, made you sink back to your knees, back pressed against the door. "Every fucking time..."

Steps approached. A shadow fell over you. Tired, you looked up. Deep circles burned themselves into the bags under your (E/C) eyes.

With his eyebrows drawn together and a sorry look on his face, Kyle kneeled down in front of you and grabbed your face with both his hands.

"You're good?", he asked softly.

Tired, you smiled. But it was fragile, exhausted and at the verge of shattering. You didn't even manage to pretend everything was fine.

Because it was not.

"I'll be fine.", you replied in a silent voice.

He shook his head. His thumbs caressed your cheeks, soft, supporting.

Almost loving.

"I asked if you're fine right now.", he let his forehead fall against yours.

With a sigh, your eyes fell shut.

"No.", you admitted. "I just... can't do this anymore."