Care

🫂🫂🫂

Care

Jos Cleary-Lopez x fem! reader

Warnings: fluff, coarse language, anxiety mentions/descriptions

In which reader is stressed out about a major exam— way too stressed out. Jos sees it all, worried that reader might break.

Requested? Yes / No

(Pictures used above are from Tumblr & Pinterest)

Jos was up as the sun rose, quickly freshening up then going for a morning jog. You were still soundly asleep in her bed, face nearly buried in the pillow. Jos chuckles to herself as she left her room, closing the door so you could have the privacy.

“Oh, Jos!” Margot saw her, “Good morning. You’re up early.”

“Hi, Mom. Couldn’t fall back asleep, thought I’d go for a jog.” Jos shrugs.

“y/n’s still asleep?” Margot asks, holding her mug in both hands to take a sip of her coffee.

“Yeah, if she’s up before then— I doubt it, but let her know I’m just jogging.”

Margot chuckles, “Yeah, of course, sweetie. Have a good run.”

“Thanks.”

Jos leaves with that, turning right to head for the park nearby. Putting her earphones in, she put on her favourite playlist and just relaxed. Back at home, you were still in dreamland. But only because you stayed up till nearly one in the morning trying to study. You got out of bed to do that after Jos fell asleep around eleven. The fact that you had a major, life-altering exam coming up in no more than two months was constant weighing on your mind. You couldn’t forget about it even briefly, to catch a break. Lately, every waking moment was spent stressing over that exam. You thought you were playing it off very well, but Jos knew how to read you like a book by now. She knew something was off— she just didn’t want to pry and upset you just yet, hoping that you’d talk to her about it yourself.

Jos was aware that you had that exam, and she’s already told you— remember to take breaks from studying to do something else. Anything at all. But did you listen? No. Somehow you just couldn’t do anything but focus on studying.

And honestly, you didn’t exactly go to bed willingly last night. Jos dragged you into bed after seeing you still awake at her desk doing practice papers when you got up to pee.

“Babe!” She gasped, startled to see someone sitting at her desk. “Oh, thank God it’s just you. Why are you still up?”

“I need to study.” You sigh, hand still holding onto the pen and writing down answers to the questions on the sheet on paper.

“No. What you need, is to sleep. We need enough sleep, so we’re not tired and cranky and anxious. You need to get in bed, right now.” Jos looks at you.

“Just go pee.” You told her dismissively.

Jos huffs, going to the bathroom to do her business but quickly returned. “y/n. Sleep. Now.” She ordered. Sighing exasperatedly, you dropped your pen onto the desk and stood up unwillingly. You turned around and flopped onto bed like an annoyed child, arms crossed on your chest.

“Are we feeling cranky?” She teased. You knew she was right, but your mind just wasn’t…right. After hours and hours of practice exam papers. You huffed, turning away from her. Jos remains unfazed, spooning you next. You didn’t say anything, but you relaxed under her touch. Soon, you drifted off to sleep in her embrace, arguably the calmest you’ve felt all weekend.

Jos returns home in just under an hour later, got showered and refreshed. You, were still out. Jos was glad though, you were finally resting. She sat back in bed, reading her storybook for the week to finish it up. Her eyes glance at you every now and then, feeling herself smile as she watched you sleep.

————

When you started to stir in your sleep, Jos put her book down. She watches you closes, hoping you wouldn’t immediately get back to studying. That really was all you were doing other than using the bathroom when needed. You wouldn’t even eat unless someone brought it up and you were hit with the realisation that you were actually hungry.

“What time is it?” You slurred, arms stretched out and you yawned.

“It’s not even six.” Jos answered.

“Why are you up?” You asked while turning onto your back and eventually to face her on your side.

“I went for a jog because I couldn’t fall back asleep.” She explains.

“Oh.” You sat up.

“Okay.” Jos began before you got even move another time, “I’ll make you a deal. We chill from now till breakfast, we have breakfast, then after that you can continue studying if you want to. But you have to get up and stretch, or just take a break every hour or so. Sound good?”

You give her offer some thought, ultimately nodding, “Okay.”

“Good.” She smiles, relieved, pressing a kiss to your cheek, “Do you want to talk about anything?”

You exhaled harshly, debating internally whether or not you wanted to tell her how you were feeling. She locked eyes with you, and somehow you just felt compelled to let her know. Maybe because at the back of your mind, you knew that she’d been so worried about you, but yet still so supportive— she knew you just wanted to do your best on the exam and achieve the best results possible, but hated that you couldn’t seem to take a break for your own sanity. Once you got sucked in, it was hard to have you stop. Once you started studying it was after you’d be sitting and worrying about your future, your family’s future— should you not get into the course you wanted to at university. You’ve experienced an influx of anxiety attacks over the last few weeks, because of the uncertainty you have been feeling about your life in university and beyond. All thanks to this exam coming up So she was glad you weren’t rushing over to her desk right now, and just…sitting by her.

“With the exam coming up, it got me thinking about a lot of things that I never even focused on before, ‘how will life be like at uni?’, ‘will I be able to cope?’, ‘will the course be the right one for me? what if it’s not?’, ‘what if— people are not…nice? especially after they find out i’m not straight’, ‘will i be able to maintain my grades?’, ‘what do i work as after i graduate?’, ‘will my salary be enough to pay for bills and things and saving up?’.” You started.

Jos just listens to you.

“I know I’ve been studying a lot, I know I put a lot of pressure on myself, but I don’t realise why I do that, I don’t realise I’ve been sucked into this downward spiral where the more I study, though- yes I retain the information — most of it, but my mind is still racing with those thoughts, those questions and I feel like if I stop thinking about those questions on the papers I will have to hear my own thoughts and that just…terrifies me.”

She was quiet for awhile once you stopped talking and started fiddling with your thumbs. “Okay, we will go make breakfast. Then I’ll study with you— we’ll make flashcards for each topic and I’ll quiz you, make it a little game. After forty-five minutes, we get up: to stretch, to walk, grab some candy or a drink. Anything. Just get away from the desk, let your mind recalibrate. Then we’ll go for a drive and get some lunch and just spend some time outside. Okay? Shake things up a little. We all have to do things we enjoy that aren’t just needs. Studying can be paused for a couple hours, it’s not gonna make you any less smart. Baby, you are the hardest worker I’ve ever known…aside from my Mom, maybe. But…” Jos chuckles over her words at the end, “If you keep forcing hour after hour of endless cramming, you will drive yourself insane and I don’t want you to experience that. I want you to take care of yourself. You’re more than your grades. Slow down, breathe and let your heart relax for awhile. I’ll be so proud of you no matter what the results are, you hear me?”

You nodded solemnly, but appreciative of what she’s just told you, “Yeah, I hear you. Thanks, Jos.” A smile creeps onto your face when she moves closer to you and caresses your cheek, “No matter what, I’ll be in your corner cheering you on. But you need to take care of yourself before you go tire yourself out just for a small part of your life. I’ll be here to take care of you, to do whatever you wanna do. I’m down, but you need to prioritise yourself. Alright?”

You pulled her into a hug, tears falling down your cheeks in eventual relief. You felt a heavy weight lifting off your shoulders after this. Your mind was as clear as ever. Free of all that previously weighed on your mind and body. “Thank you. I’m sorry for not spending more time with you lately.”

“It’s okay, baby. We’re okay.” Jos assured. “Don’t worry, you’ll do just fine. Everything will be fine. Let’s go make something to eat, ‘kay?”

“‘kay.” You agreed, letting her take you by the hand to go to the kitchen downstairs. Margot was starting to make breakfast, so Jos asks if you two could join in and help her.

“Oh, absolutely, girls. That’d be so fun.” Margot agreed, “Good to see you smile, y/n.”

————

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💭A/N: I’m so sorry your request took this long babes. It’s finally yours:’)