SUMMER HEARTS // Quackity X Reader

26

You stormed into the apartment and straight into your room, tossing your bag and your phone to the side before flopping face first on your bed and groaning into the pillow. You were going to fail. Tercero wasn't going to do anything, and you were going to fail-

"Hey are you okay?" 

You peeled your head up from the pillow to see Reyes leaning on the side of the door, looking mildly concerned, their eyebrows drawn together. 

"Tercero is an asshole." You said, pressing your face into the soft fabric of the pillow again. "I'm going to bomb this midterm because he can't work on the goddamn project-"

"Um." Reyes interrupted quietly, fidgeting in the doorframe. "Does it have to be two people?"

"It was a partner project." You said. "And my partner is possibly the worst person I've ever met-"

"Did the rules of the project say that it had to be your partner that you worked with?" Reyes offered. 

You sat up on the bed. Professor Bernal had just said that you were working in groups of two... there had been no solid wording that the other person you worked with had  to be your partner. And since Tercero was being no help, what other option did you have than to look for an outside resource?

"I don't know anyone though." You said. "Everyone else in class is already partnered up and probably done by now."

"What's the project about?" Reyes asked. 

"It's a mock trial sort of thing." You said. "Really just making a legal case for..." Legal. "Alex is studying law, wait-"

You ripped out your phone and quickly texted him. 

are u doing anything in the forseeable future

You got a response rather quickly. 

no whats up

This could work. He'd helped you before, and if he was good with it, he could help you again.

do u think u could help me with that project?? the mock trial?? my partner turned out to be a bust

His response came within seconds. 

sure thing 

u wanna meet at mine or urs??

"Okay." You said aloud, glancing up at Reyes with renewed hope. "Do you think Nieve would mind if Alex-"

You were interrupted when the door opened in the front of the apartment. Reyes started off down the hall and you got up, following them. Nieve was coming through the door, bags of hair supplies from her work in her hands. 

"Hi love." She said as Reyes took her hat and pressed a kiss to her cheek. 

"Nieve." You said. "Would it be alright if Alex came over here? It's kind of a school emergency."

"Of course." Nieve said, setting down her bags. "What's going on?"

You explained the situation as she got settled into the house again, telling her about how you had confronted Tercero about the deadline (she had been proud of you for bucking up and doing it) and about his reaction (she had called him a few nasty names) and about the situation you were now stuck in. 

"Of course he can come help you." Nieve said. "You text him to come over, and I'll order some takeout for everyone, and we'll get to work on this project."

You were halfway through the text to Alex when you paused, looking up. "We?"

"We." Nieve said. "It'll be done in no time if we all pitch in, right?"

You smiled and texted Alex that you were clear to get to work here as Nieve called in to the little restaurant down the street, ordering enough food for four people.  

While you were waiting, you brought all your school supplies out to the living room, giving Nieve and Reyes a quick briefing about the logistics of the project and what you had already done. Luckily, they had both read the book when they had been in college as well, so they weren't completely lost when it came to the plot points and characters you were working with.

The three of you were sat around the coffee table, notebooks, novels and your laptop spread across the table when someone knocked on the door. Reyes, who was closest to the door got up to get it, revealing a slightly disheveled looking Alex on the other side. 

"Hi." He said. 

"Come in, come in, come in." Nieve said, waving him over. "We were just getting started, and the food should be here soon."

Alex stepped inside and plopped down into the seat next to you, popping his knuckles as he looked over the mess. "What are we working on?"

Progress picked up under Alex's supervision and expertise on the legal part of the project. Reyes turned out to be good and finding evidence and quotes to pull from the novel itself, and Nieve was the pep that everyone needed to keep going, making jokes and asking questions and generally being her bubbly fun self. 

Eventually, the food came was well and Nieve passed around silverware and plates. You ate and worked at the same time, putting together what was supposed to be Tercero's side of the slideshow with the help of your friends and boyfriend. 

Oddly enough, it felt like the moment in the movie when the team comes together for the first time. There's music, and a montage of short clips of everyone working together, showing how each person compliments the larger whole of the group, and how much progress you were making. It was fitting and cinematic at the same time. 

The montage came to an end around one in the morning, after Nieve and Reyes had tapped out and already gone to bed. You put the last touch on the slideshow and saved before closing your laptop, and resting your head on Alex's shoulder. "Done." You yawned.

"Good job." Alex pressed a kiss to the side of your forehead. "I think it's time for bed."

"Mmm bedtime." You hummed in agreement, stumbling to your feet as Alex got up as well. You sluggishly walked down the hallway and into your room, dropping on the bed with a satisfied sigh. 

Alex leaned down to press one more kiss to your forehead before turning to walk out the door. 

"Where are you going?" You asked, lifting up the blankets and crawling under them. 

"Home." He said. 

You pouted, shaking the blankets you were still holding. 

"Nevermind, I guess." Alex said with a chuckle, climbing into bed next to you instead.

You were out like a light in minutes.