#gabe is the only one who ever seems to call mateo out on his shit regularly | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

notmoreflippingelves · 6 months

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Hi! I just read your post about Mateo recently. If I may, can you give me any specific instances in the narrative of the show where Mateo isn’t called out as heavily as they should have? I’m just curious?

During the Shuriki returns arc in particular, Mateo makes some pretty glaring mistakes that I feel like he should've gotten much more flack for (and based on what we see elsewhere in canon, I feel pretty confident that if Gabe, Naomi, Isa, or Esteban at least --and possibly even Elena-- had made these mistakes, they wouldn't have been swept under the rug nearly as quickly as they were for Mateo).

While it's unfair to completely blame Mateo for Carla's manipulating him during the "Rita" arc, I feel like it's reasonable to hold him a *bit* accountable. He did after all blab highly confidential information (on more than one occasion) to try and impress a pretty girl with how clever and important he was. (Something tells me that if any of the others had done likewise, they would've been called out for it. But because it's "beloved" Mateo, we don't even get "wait, you told Rita how to get into your workshop? And you've known her for only a few weeks? What were you thinking, Mateo?") Moreover, he never even apologizes for this or promises to do better/be more careful with such important, sensitive information in the future.

Even more aggravating is his behavior in "The Scepter of Night." Mateo is so eager to play the hero and claim all the glory for himself that he twice (!) disobeys a direct order/abandons the plan and goes looking for the scepter piece on his own. This directly leads to Fiero and Victor finding the scepter piece and (temporarily) stealing it. And it's really only due to luck and very conveniently-timed infighting amongst Shuriki's allies that Elena and co. are able to get the scepter piece back. While Mateo does receive some (brief) criticism, it's nowhere near the level that it should be.

Also noteworthy Elena doesn't really get particularly "mad" at him (especially considering how angry we see her get at other characters even for more minor things) . She's not truly, actually angry at Mateo (and Gabe and Naomi are only a bit angrier); she's just a little frustrated and disappointed at him in the moment. And apart from a (very short) little "do better next time" speech, Mateo doesn't face any real consequences or lingering resentment unlike other characters who do.

When Isa obeys direct orders in "Sister of Invention," she has to face consequences (Elena grounding her). Similarly, Elena holds a grudge against Esteban for days (if not weeks) after he interfered with the Feast of Friendship (a much lower stakes mistake than Mateo's imo). Moreover, it's possible to interpret Esteban's staying behind in Avalor when the others go to see the Norberg Lights as a punishment (either self-inflicted or imposed by Elena) for his actions in the previous episode.

In contrast, Mateo just gets a brief "I expected better from you" speech from Elena and Gabe jokingly assigning him push-ups as punishment (which he immediately takes back when Mateo tries to do them). I'll give Mateo a little bit of credit for actually apologizing this time (which he doesn't always do). But it's still frustrating that everyone is so ready to forgive and forget Mateo's missteps immediately while this same courtesy is seldom shown to others.

I think it's worth directly comparing a few Mateo-centric episodes with a few more similar ones that focus on other characters so that we can see how there does seem to be a noted narrative bias in his favor compared to the others.

Let's start with two "feeling kind of insecure" episodes: "Spellbound" for Mateo vs. "Naomi Knows Best" for Naomi. In the former, Mateo expresses doubt that he's capable of rising to the occasion as royal wizard. No one (except Gabe and he gets over it by the end of the episode) blames him for not having reached his full level of confidence and potential right away and not being able to immediately solve the problem. And Elena in particular (and by extension the narrative) gives him so much validation and support. Whereas in "Naomi Knows Best" (and to a lesser extent "Finders Leapers" and the "Carla-as-Rita" arc as well) the narrative "punishes" Naomi for her feelings of self-doubt. We're told that *if only* Naomi had trusted her gut instincts and stood her ground right away, Elena and co would not fallen right into the trap and that Naomi needs to screw her head back on straight and embrace confidence ASAP to fix her mistake.

When Mateo feels insecure, the narrative gives him every reassurance about how capable and special he is, that he can learn at his own pace, and his insecurity isn't really such a problem after all. When Naomi feels insecure, the narrative encourages her to get over her doubts as quickly as possible because unlike with Mateo, there's "no time" for her to wallow in self-doubt and actually the fact that she even had said doubt in the first place is what "caused" the disaster.

On a slightly different note, Naomi is also called out for taking a little free, fun time for herself in "The Last Laugh" when the group needs her, and yet somehow I have a feeling that Mateo would've been allowed to take a day off if he wanted without any protest. He complains about long hours in "Movin' on Up" and Elena gives him the big royal wizard's chambers for him to relax and unwind in. Naomi asks for one (1) day off to spend with her childhood friend for her birthday , and suddenly it's big drama. (And at the time, Naomi asked for said day off, all Elena needed from her was help doing paperwork. The Team Ash stuff came up unexpectedly.)

Similarly whenever Gabe and Mateo get their little rivalry on ("Spellbound," "Party of a Lifetime," "Captain Mateo" and a few other examples) , the narrative either presents them as equally at fault or Mateo as the only one in the right.

When Gabe brings in Bronzino to train the Royal Guards in magic, it's specifically because Mateo failed to explain how and why he was training the guards in the way he was. If he'd just explained how they were going apply the seemingly basic exercise they were doing to real magic, Gabe likely would've allowed Mateo to continue the training at his own pace.

(Also like. it's super hypocritical imo for Mateo to get annoyed at Gabe feeling impatient/impulsive about their apparent-lack-of progress when Mateo himself is easily the second most impulsive character in the show after Elena.) Mateo feels entitled to keep important information to himself (or blab it to a cute girl he barely knows) even when its no one else's best interest. He's only okay with being "cautious and patient" when he specifically is the one setting the pace. And yet, Gabe is the only one who is called out for his behavior in this episode--even though he might not have acted as he did if only Mateo had trusted him and the guards with an explanation in the first place.

And then there's just a few other "dude not cool" little moments that never really get acknowledged/Mateo never apologizes for. For instance, there a two low-key terrifying Mateo moments in "Captain Mateo" that are not only not acknowledged but are also framed in context as Mateo being just "so funny and quirky". Near the end of "Should be in Charge," Mateo magically gags Gabe so he can't protest anymore about Mateo taking over as leader of the mission. And this is after having already enchanted one of the stationary suits of armor to come to life and fight Gabe. (Gabe admittedly does lightly shove Mateo out of the way during his parts of the song, but that's still a far cry from literally drawing a sword on Mateo as Mateo does via magic to Gabe.)

It's played for laughs (The Grand Council is just smiling happily in the background throughout the scene which is so yikes), so it's easy to overlook what's actually happening. Frankly, it's pretty horrifying that Mateo's natural instinct upon his experience/authority being questioned is to literally attack and then silence. (And attack and silence someone who is supposed to be one of his best friends and closest allies at that!)

Rather than the narrative acknowledging that maybe it's a bad idea to immediately grant power to someone to someone who is so retaliatory against fairly minor criticism, the Grand Council just gives Mateo exactly what he wants and doesn't even offer a "maybe next time, let's not gag or attack our friends, okay?" alongside it. I mean sure Mateo does step down as captain at the end of the episode, but it's very specifically presented as his and Gabe's voluntary choice and not an order from Elena/the Council.

#elena of avalor #eoa salt #it's not mateo that bothers me so much; it's the double standard that nearly every other character is held to while he is not #gabe is the only one who ever seems to call mateo out on his shit regularly #and most of the time; it's framed as petty jealousy and/or gabe being unreasonable #even when gabe is the one talking sense #i feel like i've heard that mateo is one of the writers' faves and dang does it SHOW!#we were owed a dark mateo arc tbh #mateo thinks he's the next alacazar but I don' think it would be all that hard to turn him into the next fiero instead #it writes itself and honestly i would've liked him more that way #instead of just presenting him is as the specialest; cutest; quirkiest magical boy instead #let him go dark for a short time before realizing his mistakes and then have to work hard for everyone's forgiveness #esteban has to sacrifice his life in order to earn forgiveness for an (admittedly huge) mistake he made 40+ years ago #yet it's apparently too much for mateo to get more than the mildest rebuke over a (also big) mistake he made less than an hour ago?#also like whenever esteban or gabe are really proud/cocky or naomi gets single-episode acquired situational narcissism in “my fair naomi”#the narrative absolutely punishes them for it #whereas mateo is free to be as over-confident and braggy and vain as he wants and seldom gets called out on it #because i guess he's genuinely as 'cool and special' as he claims so he deserves the right to brag?#whereas the others' apparently aren't and don't?#anti mateo de alva

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biluata · 7 years

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Our Hearts Run on Gasoline - Quakerider One-shot

Words: 4,356

Request #2: Robbie and Daisy meet at an illegal street race

No Powers AU Meet-Cute with Dramatic Action and Sweet Moments

Read on Ao3: Here

Racing was in Robbie's blood. His father knew it from the day Robbie was born, just like his father before him. All the Reyes men were racers, and Robbie was no exception.

As the night was reaching eleven o'clock, Robbie rolled up in his custom '69 Charger at the crowded parking lot of an abandoned furniture store in East Los Angeles. Reggaeton blasted through the warm, night air and the beats hummed through his chest. Several tricked-out cars painted in obnoxiously loud colors filled the space and were proudly shown off by their owners to the flocks of people gathered around. While some were just there to dazzle with their sweet sound systems and fancy LED light shows, there were a few mean-looking vehicles who came to play.

Robbie grinned as he reached and gently patted the dash of his beloved Charger, Lucy. She might be a classic beauty, but she could still give all the other guys a run for their money. He and his Uncle Eli had made sure of that.

Robbie pulled up into an empty spot where several of his friends had already gathered around to laugh, chat and drink the night away.

"There he is!" Juan announced as he draped one arm over Robbie's open driver window while the other hand held his beer high in the air. "The man! The myth! The legend! The Ghost Rider!"

Cheers erupted from his friends as they raised their beers then chugged them down. Robbie chuckled as he parked his car and got out. "You know that's just a stupid nickname," he said, pushing Juan and his gaudy, bright orange-and-black bowling shirt aside.

Juan laughed then held his beer bottle close to his mouth like a microphone. Robbie rolled his eyes. Not this shit again.

"They say he sold his soul to the Devil in order to get his sweet ride," Juan continued in a deep voice reminiscent of an old radio announcer. "You never see him coming until you already lost. He is. . ."

"The Ghost Rider!" Ricky, Mateo and Felipe hollered by the trunk of his car. They all immediately bawled into hysterical laughter, holding on to each other to keep themselves from falling over.

Robbie shook his head with grin. They teased, but it was all in good fun. These were his people after all, his friends. Ever since Uncle Eli got sent to South Ridge Penitentiary four years ago for attempted manslaughter, they had been there for him like no other. Besides Gabe, these guys were his family.

"Honestly, you guys, that's enough," Lisa chided with a roll of her eyes, pushing the three aside and walking up to him and Juan. Robbie smiled, but quickly averted his eyes. She was wearing an outfit that was highly appropriate for the summer heat, but also highly inappropriate for public eyes. Between her white crop top and her pale jean short shorts, she was showing enough skin to make a nun collapse on the spot.

She stopped only a few feet in front of him, but his nose was still overpowered by the scent of her floral perfume. "H-hey, Robbie," she said in a high-pitched tone. Lisa leaned against his car, twirling one of her long brown curls and batting her dark lashes at him.

"Uh, hey, Lisa," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. To say she had a crush on him was obvious. Robbie wasn't a complete idiot. And Lisa was a sweet girl, very pretty, too. The only problem was she was Juan's cousin, and if Juan was like a brother to him, Lisa was like a little sister.

He had tried dropping hints over the years that he was not interested, but to no avail. She still kept showing up to the races, to his work, and even to his home with a sweet smile, googly eyes, and sometimes a delicious baked good. He liked her. She was a good friend, but that's all she would ever be. At this point, Robbie could only pray she'd meet a guy someday who would make her forget all about him.

"You know, I'm here, too, cuz," Juan scoffed from beside him.

Lisa shot him a scowl before turning her big hazel eyes back to Robbie and flipping on her charming smile. "So, how are things? Did Gabe finally decide to come this time?" She asked, glancing around.

A stabbing pain pierced his heart and he bowed his head a little. Gabe never approved of Robbie's street-racing hobby. Besides the fact it was illegal, it could also be highly dangerous. One bad blowout and that could be the end for any driver. He's seen it before, has even gotten close to crashing himself a few times, but ultimately Robbie decided that the rewards were better than the risks.

Robbie had been trying for years to get Gabe to come with him to the races, to maybe see why he enjoyed it so much, but to no avail. It turned out tonight wasn't going to be any different.

He sighed. "Nah, he said he had homework to do."

"On a Friday night, are you serious?" Juan asked.

"Oh, hush," Lisa said, smacking her cousin's arm. She then gave Robbie an empathetic smile and placed a tender hand on his shoulder. "That's too bad, but, hey, at least he's such a good student."

Robbie smiled. That was true. Gabe was one of the smartest kids in his school, and he really couldn't stay made at him for that. He was going to go places, which is more than he could say for other kids in this city.

"What your brother is, Reyes, is a nerd!"

Robbie groaned as his shoulders sagged. Ramirez, he thought bitterly.

Manolo Ramirez strolled up to Robbie's car looking like a Latino Elvis Presley with his black hair gelled up into a tall pompadour and his floral shirt only half-buttoned up. He wore a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses despite it being night and had two gorgeous women hanging onto him, one under each arm. They were so similar, they had to be twin sisters who seemed to have just walked out of the cover of a fashion magazine.

Robbie sighed. Manolo was a decent racer, could even give Robbie a run for his money at times, but he always had to appear like the biggest fake and asshole in the world.

"Hey, Manny," Robbie said, forcing a smile on his face. He brushed off Lisa's hand as he stepped closer to his rival.

"Tonight is the night, Reyes," Manny stated with a flash of his shiny, whitened teeth. "You're going down!"

"Funny, Manolo!" Juan called from behind him. "That's what I was telling your sister last night!"

An explosion of hooting laughter and hollering erupted within a ten-foot radius around Juan. His friends jumped around the small space, howling and ramming into each other as if they lost their damn minds. Robbie stifled the laugh that bubbled through his chest with a grin instead.

Manny's face was so red, his head could have ignited into flames any moment. He ripped his sunglasses off, eyes like poisoned daggers.

"Hey, Reyes," Manny said with a scowl that matched the acidic contempt in his voice. "You better watch your friend's mouth before either of you gets a fist in it."

A hushed "ooh" fell across the crowded group as their eyes glanced between Manny and him. Robbie let out a soft chuckle. "Manny, it's just good fun," he explained. Everyone knew Juan talked a lout of his ass. Robbie often took everything his friend said with a grain of salt. "Relax."

Manny sneered as he slipped his shades back on. "Whatever, man, I'll see you on the streets!"

Robbie shook his head as Manny walked off with the twins in tow. Every conversation with that guy was like dancing on broken glass.

"Eh, forget about him, Robbie," Juan said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "You know, for a guy with a lot of beautiful women around him, he hardly seems to get laid, huh?"

Robbie chuckled. "You may be right about that."

"You two are the worse," Lisa announced as she wedged herself in between them.

Suddenly, a cacophony of cheers, hoots and whistles rang through the night. Robbie straightened up, eyebrows scrunched together. What in the world? His eyes scanned the scene, widening when they found what everyone was making noise about.

A sleek cherry-red '62 Corvette slowly rolled onto the lot, sparkling magnificently even in the dim streetlights. Robbie bit his lower lip. Lucy may be his baby, but even he could recognize what a good-looking car this little beauty was. It was gorgeous from its smooth curves to its shimmering chrome adornments. His hand twitched. The mechanic in him was already itching to get a look under the hood and see how it ticked.

The crowd of watchers slowly backed up as the newcomer made their way through the lot and parked only a few spots away from where Robbie and his friends were.

"Who do you think it is?" Juan whispered. "You think it could be Lucas?"

Robbie shook his head. "Nah, Lucas is too much of a scrub to have a ride as fly as that. Maybe, it's another hotshot from Miami?" Those guys always rolled into town in the summer like they were such a big deal, but Robbie would knock them down a peg or two.

The driver's door popped open and a woman with short dark hair dressed in all black stepped out. Robbie raised his brows. Okay, he was not expecting that.

She slammed the door to the Corvette shut then turned, scanning the lot. Electricity danced across his skin as her heavy-shadowed eyes seemed to land on him. Was she looking at him? She had to be, because soon she was strutting his way.

Despite her small demeanor, the woman walked with her shoulders back and her head high. With each hard steeped of her heeled boots, it was like the ground shook beneath her. She oozed a confidence and swagger that warned anybody and everybody she was not one to be messed with. His heart rate began to pick up speed and he'd be lying if he said he didn't find her tough-girl act to be a little sexy as hell.

She stopped in front of Robbie and his group of friends, shoving her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket and jutting her hip to the side as if she didn't have a care in the world. "Are these where the races are at?" She asked, taking her time to eye every single one of them. His heart jumped as her dark eyes settled on him, slowly looking him up and down.

"Um, yeah," Robbie answered, cringing as his voice cracked a little.

The woman nodded as her hands shuffled around in her pockets. When she pulled them back out, in each hand was a thick wad of twenty-dollar bills. "I want to join."

"In that?" Juan asked, nodding to her Corvette as everyone laughed.

Robbie smirked. Juan was right. She had a pretty sweet ride, but his Charger could easily smoke her.

"Don't worry," she said with a grin, her eyes flicking from Juan to him. "Lola has a few tricks up her sleeve."

He raised his brow. This could be interesting. "Okay, you see Big Bass over there by the pimped-out Scion XB?" Robbie gestured over to where the large Latino man, both tall and wide, in a blue sweat suit was chilling with a few scantily-clad women and a police monitor. "He runs these races. You should talk to him."

She nodded her head. "Cool, thanks." Her eyes roved over him one last time before she spun around and walked off.

"Tourists," Lisa spat quietly from beside him that garnered a few chuckles from his friends.

"Aw, come on, cuz," Juan cooed, draping an arm over her. "You're just jealous, because she kept giving Roberto the eyes."

Robbie's ears began to burn as Lisa's face turned a bright red, as well. "Wh-what? No!" She exclaimed hastily, shoving Juan so hard he nearly fell on his ass.

"Yeah," Robbie choked out, rubbing the back of his neck. "She was probably just trying to figure me out, you know, examine the competition."

"Right," Lisa said, nodding her head and smiling sweetly at him. His stomach churned. Crap. He didn't want to give Lisa the wrong idea, but he was also pretty sure that woman (no matter how hot she was) was not checking him out.

He scratched his chin. Although, if she was . . .

"Hey, hey, Robbie!" Big Bass called, shuffling his large figure over. "Homicide in Monterey and the cops are moving in. Now's the time, you in?"

Robbie's gut clenched as he nodded his head. It was a damn shame they could only race at the cost of somebody's life, but that's just how their world had to work. Robbie dug into the pockets of his jeans and pulled out several hundred dollar bills which Big Bass happily accepted.

"Cool, man, I'll see you at the start." Big Bass said then hastily headed off.

This was it. His time to shine.

"You got this, Robbie!" Lisa cheered, giving him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah, I got a lot of money riding on you, man!" Juan teased with a pat on his back. "So, don't fuck this up!"

Robbie laughed as he brushed Juan aside and opened the door to his Charger. "I don't plant to," he stated as he got in and slammed the door shut.

"Yeah, that's my boy!" Juan hollered.

The crowds of people quickly rushed to get out of the way as Robbie and the others drover their cars to the hastily thrown together starting line.

Manny was already there in his tricked out '08 Chevy Cobalt SS. Robbie chuckled. The damn thing looked like it just rolled off the set of a "Fast and Furious" movie with its silver paint job and shimmery purple flames on the side. Yep, it was a very Manolo-style car, alright.

Robbie sidled up his Charger alongside him. "Nice flames," he teased. "Think they might help?"

Manny sneered at him. "I hope you got a good look at my ass, Reyes, because that's all you're going to be seeing." He lowered his sunglasses down, pointing two V-sign fingers at his eyes then then over towards him.

Robbie snorted as he shook his head then noticed as the red Corvette pulled up on his right between him and Little Emilio's Honda Civic. So, he was going to be racing her after all. Robbie sat there admiring the fierceness on the newcomer's face as her hands tapped hastily on something in her dash. Her fingers moved with such a graceful dexterity, it was more like she was playing a piano than a car. He grinned. Yeah, this could prove to be a very interesting race.

He focused back up front as Big Bass came to stand out in front of the four cars. "Alright, alright, you guys know the rules, one lap around, first one back here is the winner, and if I--"

Robbie tuned him out. After nearly four years doing this, he knew the man's words by heart.

"We got this, Lucy," he whispered to his car as he did before every race. She had rarely failed him before, tonight wasn't going to be the exception despite what Manny jeered. Robbie gave Lucy's dash a gentle pat as Big Bass finished his speech and stepped off to one of the sides where the crowd of people from the parking lot gathered. His friends stood off to his left, clapping and giving him thumbs-up.

"Ready, racers?" Big Bass hollered.

Robbie revved Lucy's engine, which let out a guttural roar and flared the flaps on her blower. They were ready.

As Big Bass raised his arm to the sky, it was as if the world fell silent. Robbie couldn't even breathe as he waited, his stomach a churning mess and his foot twitching over the pedal.

Everything happened in slow motion and at the speed light at the same time. Big Bass' hand fell and Robbie took off faster than a bat out of hell.

He sunk back into his leather seat, hands tight on the wheel, as Lucy surged forward. His heart sputtered into overdrive, coursing energy through his veins. Everything was a blur around him with the only fixed point in his universe being the open road ahead and the needle climbing on his speedometer.

The biggest smile grew on Robbie's face as butterflies swarmed his chest. He swore there was no better feeling in the world than going fast in a car. With the windows down and the air rushing across his face, he was flying. It was magical, the indescribable connection between man and machine that made his whole body tingle. Whenever Robbie got in the driver seat, it was as if his heart and Lucy's engine became one.

Robbie shook himself from his euphoric stupor as the first turn came up ahead. He checked his rearview mirror to see he had gotten a good head start with Manny trailing at least a car behind and the other two lagging just behind him. Shifting gears, Robbie easily made the turn and maintained his lead.

They raced through the near empty streets of East L.A. like demons in the night, lacing the air with the acrid smell of burning rubber and exhaust. Although Manny would catch up with him at the turns, Robbie would still easily pull ahead. He laughed. Manny was probably fuming by now underneath those ridiculous shades.

The racers made one last turn and they were down to the final stretch. Robbie revved Lucy's engine and she roared like a black jaguar. This was it. There was no stopping them now.

He glanced at the rearview mirror and his eyes widened. While Manny was still behind him, Ms. Corvette was rapidly catching up to them. Fire and smoke spewed out of the back of her car, sending her forward at breakneck speeds. Robbie's jaw dropped. Were those rockets?! God, she hadn't been kidding when she said that her car had a few tricks.

Manny seemed to finally notice her sudden approach as his eyes bugged out to the size of saucer plates before narrowing into snake-like slits. "Not today, bitch!" He spat over the rushing wind.

As the newcomer tried to pass Manny by, he swerved his car into her. The harsh sound of smashing metal filled the night briefly followed by the shrill screaming of tires. Robbie's stomach dropped and his fingers went cold as the Corvette quickly spiraled out of control. Her brakes screeched as her car skidded into the brick exterior of a store, grinding in a spray of sparks to a halt.

Robbie couldn't breathe. His body was numbed. Was she okay? How could she be after a crash like that?

He glanced forward where victory only lay a few yards ahead then back to the steaming Corvette. His heart panged tight in his chest as he slammed on his brakes and peeled his car off to side of the road.

Robbie gritted his teeth as Manny passed him by with resounding hollers and whoops followed by Little Emilio. Once they were gone, he peeled Lucy around and sped back to the Corvette. Screeching to a standstill a few feet away from the wreck, Robbie wriggled out of his seatbelt and threw open the door. He hopped out, only stopping for a moment to slam his door shut before rushing over.

The air stunk heavy of burnt rubber and leaking fuel. His gut heaved, but he managed to make sure his dinner didn't make a second appearance. Glass littered the ground along with a few torn pieces of metal. Luckily, the car wasn't on fire, but steam billowed out of the front like an active volcano. His heart was beating faster than a jackhammer as he slowed down near the driver's side. Robbie held his breath and prayed that he wasn't about to find a dead body.

The woman lay in the driver's seat with a deflated bag on her lap and several bits of shattered glass in her hair. She was pale, her eyes half-closed and a line of blood trickling down her forehead. A sweeping coolness ran through his body when he saw the rapid rising and falling of her chest, and he damn near collapsed onto the ground. She was alive, a little battered and bruised with a few cuts on her face, but alive.

"Hey, hey, stay with me, you're okay," he said, gingerly resting a hand on her shoulder.

The woman jolted awake as if his was lightning. She gasped for air, her wide eyes searching around until they landed on him. His heart fluttered wildly in his chest. Her chocolate brown eyes, even if they were reminiscent of a deer in a headlight, were gorgeous. He hadn't been able to notice it before, but now, with their faces only a foot apart, he could truly appreciate how mesmerizing they were. They even had little flecks of gold that shimmered like stars.

"Wh-what?" She coughed out.

Robbie blinked his eyes. Right. There were important things to worry about right now. He took in a deep breath. "You were just in an accident," he explained in his gentlest tone. "But, it's okay. You're okay."

She nodded her head, but her eyes still seemed dazed. Shakily, she undid her seatbelt and Robbie backed up as she opened the driver's door.

"Hey, hey, take it easy," Robbie said, offering a hand as she slowly staggered out of her car. The woman swatted it aside with her left hand, but immediately doubled over, crying out in pain. His body tensed. "Hey, let me take a look?"

She watched him warily, considering him like a wild animal and wondering if he would bite. She said nothing as she held out her left arm. Robbie slowly unzipped the sleeve of her jacket and smoothed it back. He then held her arm in one of his hands while the other softly tapped up her arm. When his fingers touched halfway to her elbow, she flinched, sucking air sharply through gritted teeth.

Robbie nodded. "Your arm's fractured, but not completely broken. I could take you to the hospital."

"No!"

His shoulders jumped at the harshness of her voice. The woman roughly brushed him off with her good arm, but she still winced at the pain the movement caused her injury. "No hospitals. I-I can't."

He held his arms up, showing her his palms. There was a dark fear in her eyes like an animal caught in a corner. His head tilted a little. Was it just something against hospitals, or was she afraid she could be arrested if she turned up at one? Either way, she probably wasn't going to tell him. "Okay," he agreed. "No hospitals."

She nodded, her body slowly relaxing once more.

"But you really need to get that checked out," he said, stepping closer.

She stepped back. "I'll be fine." She looked away from him and her eyes widened. "But Lola won't."

Robbie followed her gaze and immediately cringed. The once beautiful Corvette was now in a terribly dismal state. The windshield was gone with only a few shards of glass hanging around the frame. The front end was concaved in where it hit a street sign and the hood now stood up like a pitched tent. The right side rested against the wall, but if the missing side mirror was any sign, Robbie figured it wasn't looking too pretty, either. At least, the left side was only dented in slightly from when Manny bumped into her, and it seemed like the back end was fine, as well. All in all, it could have been worse.

"Shit!" She muttered under her breath, running a hand through her short, dark locks. "Coulson is going to kill me."

Robbie cocked his head to the side. Coulson? Who was Coulson? Her boyfriend? Her really handsome auto-enthusiast boyfriend? He sighed as he shook his head. What was he doing? Now, again, was not the time for such thoughts.

Tears brimmed in her eyes that threatened to spill over any second, but she bit her bottom lip and took in a deep, shaky breath to force them back. He raised his brow. God, she really was tough.

"Hey, it'll be okay." Robbie walked up to her as she examined the front end of her car and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I'm a mechanic and I've been able to fix up cars in much worse states than this."

"Wait, really?" Her narrow eyes flicked between his face and his hand, but she didn't make any moves to oppose. "You can fix her?"

He nodded. Robbie still remembered when his uncle rolled Lucy into Canelo's one night. Poor thing was barely a car at all, and now it was the baddest ride in all of East L.A. If he could do that with almost nothing, he was certain he could fix her Corvette.

"Yeah. Well, it might be a little heard to get some parts, depending on what we are working with, but I could probably get it done in a few weeks, one month tops."

The woman tilted her head as she stared at him like he was one of the strangest puzzles she's ever seen. The kind of puzzle where you have no idea how it got put together but the end product was undeniably amazing. Robbie grinned. It was great to see her being in his place for a change.

"Thanks," she murmured.

He smiled as he removed his hand from her shoulder and held it out. "I'm Robbie. Robbie Reyes."

She slowly accepted his hand, sharing a small, dazzling smile back that made the stars pale in comparison. "Daisy."

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