[attr="class","olivertop"]

[attr="class","oliver"] it was working. wils always had a way of making him feel better, even when'd he fucked things up beyond imagination.

[break][break] he glances at her, face breaking into a half-smile as she brushes her thumb against his wrist, consoling him the words that he knew that he needed to hear.

[break][break] ollie sighs, running a hand through his hair. "i know. i know you're right - i just, i don't know if it's that i'm afraid of the kiss, what it means, or about our friendship - "

[break][break] was he afraid of GIDEON GRAVES? was he afraid of the kiss?

[break][break] was he afraid of what PENELOPE LIVY might think if she found out?

[break][break] 'you aren't together,' an insidious voice inside his head whispered. 'she'd rather fuck matias than even look your way.'

[break][break] ollie blinked when willow atkins admitted that she had never questioned her sexuality. not that he'd ever really been surprised... he was pretty sure that he'd never seen her look at girls the way that he looked at -

[break][break] "you really don’t remember? or are you just so ashamed for some reason that you won’t admit that it happened?"

[break][break] his head whips around to stare.

[break][break] not at the delicious pancake batter that his fellow ranger captain has whipped up.

[break][break] it doesn't even have to do with the rugged way that boruta maher looks in the daytime, enough to make plenty of girls' heads turn.

[break][break] it didn't even have to do with the way he looked shirtless in the morning, dappled sunlight shifting through the atkins' windows.

[break][break] his throat felt dry.

[break][break] "i... what?"

[break][break] and it was then, all of a sudden, memories came rushing back. the dimly lit bar after splashfest, the sound of idle chitchatter in the distance as they knocked back two microbrews. promises of sky-diving in kalos. deep laughter. the flash of a rougish smile, hands tangled, swollen lips.

[break][break] it wasn't the bar at new years, where he'd gone home with wils.

[break][break] there was a version of this story where ollie could've gone home with bo.

[break][break] a flush suddenly surged rapidly through ollie's neck, as he ripped his hand away from willow's grip, instead to turn fully towards bo.

[break][break] "we kissed."

[break][break] "at splashfest."

[break][break] "at the bar."

[break][break] he was bright red.

[attr="class","ooc"] willow atkins boruta maher

☉

[attr="class","littleollie"] "I am," he said, though it wasn't as if he would've said anything else. Even if it wasn't true. He knew his place in her life, and knew the spark that he was to provide admist the chaos of her mind.

[break][break] A hand reached out for hers, entangling their fingers atop his knee.

[break][break] It felt good to touch her again, like this, in the comfort of the room. Without prying eyes, at least, for now.

[break][break] "They'll heal in no time," he promised.

[break][break] His eyes met hers.

[break][break] 'I know it wasn't your fault.'

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] PENELOPE LIVY [break]
POST-PSDT

☉

[attr="class","littleollie"] If Ollie notices the slight tinge of HATRED flowing through his fellow ranger, he does not make comment on it. After all, his reputation in the League for being it's light, the glowing beacon of optimism that he shares only with Eva Morales, is not for no reason.

[break][break] "We'll get to this in a minute," he says, not quite yet ready to give over the paperwork.

[break][break] He's more interested in what Remiel Calcifet has to say about the LIGHT STONE.

[break][break] "What exactly happened with the Light Stone?" A pause. "As you're aware, Penny and I were fighting against Rockets on the ground when all that went down." He grimaces when he thinks about Belial Stone and Tempest Quinn. His jaw still feels sore from where the latter struck him. His burns are entirely visible too.

[break][break] He huffs out a sigh, then flashes a smile.

[break][break] "I wanted to give you my personal thanks, as well. In the name of the rangers, you've done a lot."

[break][break] "And of course, speaking as a friend, I'm definitely glad to have you on our side now."

[break][break] "Anything we can do to help, I'm more than happy to provide."

[break][break] Did he mean in regards to getting the LIGHT STONE back?

[break][break] Or did he mean something else?

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Remiel Calcifet PENELOPE LIVY

☉

[attr="class","littleollie"] "I - of course!"

[break][break] It was unbearable to know that she would even doubt it.

[break][break] Ollie glanced quickly at the nurse to affirm that she was done with his wound care, watching her disappear behind the sliding door, before his lips slid into a smile that hurt.

[break][break] It was just because Tempest Quinn had punched him, he told himself.

[break][break] A hand patted the worn fabric next to him gently, insisting that she sit down.

[break][break] "How are you? Are you alright?"

[break][break] When they'd met Remiel Calcifet hours ago, it had been under pretenses. Ollie knew that. They were Councilwoman and Head Ranger; they couldn't show weakness, especially not to others.

[break][break] But they were different — at least he hoped so.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] PENELOPE LIVY [break]
POST-PSDT

☉

[attr="class","littleollie"] She'd burned him.

[break][break] Memories of magma and searing fire scorched his vision alongside the smell of burning flesh. It was nothing like he'd ever felt before. Ollie knew pain, he'd lived it. As a young, active person, it wasn't exactly unusual for him to fall from cliffsides or be thrown from horseback. He'd broken bones before, perhaps more times than he could remember.

[break][break] But this was different.

[break][break] This pain, this agony, was unlike anything else. Not just because he'd never been burned before, but to be burned - literally - by her hurt all the more.

[break][break] "GET OFF OF HIM!"

[break][break] Ollie winced. The nurse who was redressing his wound pulled a little bit too hard, perhaps more than he liked.

[break][break] "Hey, could you -"

[break][break] His words, however, are cut off at the sound of a sliding door. He blinked.

[break][break] Penny.

[break][break] "... Hey."

[break][break] Despite everything, his expression was still fond.

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] PENELOPE LIVY [break]
POST-PSDT

☉

[attr="class","littleollie"] Shortly after the battle, they receive the news. With only basic first aid administered, he and PENELOPE LIVY make their way to the other League encampment tent. The taller of the two clutches a certain manila folder under his arm as he limps along beside her.

[break][break] His usual Head Ranger jacket is shed, draped across the Councilwoman's shoulders,accenuanting the burns marking his skin from the recent battle — a poignant reminder of his willingness to burn for her, and her alone.

[break][break] Her words, striking the cold air akin to that of a burning kindle, draw his emerald-green gaze towards her.

[break][break] "Wanting me to take the lead?" he teases, bemused. "You must be tired, Penny. That's not like you."

[break][break] But he knows just as well as her, that isn't the case. She's right, after all. It is his prerogative. It has been, ever since she helped him ascend to his seat. As Head Ranger, it's his responsibility. He reflects on dahlia goode's praise from days before disaster struck, recalling the appreciative way she'd looked at him as the new year had dawned. Who could have thought that a literal dragon would usher in the new year with such unprecedented chaos?

[break][break] Maybe she'd known then, too, what would transpire.

[break][break] "Remy!" he greeted warmly, his own voice charred from disuse. "Glad to see you're all in one piece."

[break][break] His own demeanor a striking contrast to the burning ember at his side.

[break][break] Nodding briefly toward Penny when she gave him the stage, the Head Ranger limped forward. He put the manila folder on the table, but pressed his fingers against it, not quite offering it.

[break][break] "How's Zekrom doing? I heard that it took quite a beating in the fight."

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Remiel Calcifet PENELOPE LIVY

☉

[attr="class","littleollie"] The first time they had kissed, on that fateful night at the bar, it had been under the influence of alcohol. Then when they had kissed again, at the League Holiday Party, it had also been under the influence of alcohol as well as a burning ENVY in his gut from seeing both PENELOPE LIVY and Caleb Harcourt kiss.

[break][break] But now, in the closeness of this room, in the quiet that exhibited the Museum Director's office — there was nothing to blame for the way that Ollie looked at him now.

[break][break] The way that his breath caught in his throat as he skimmed the back of his hand down Gideon's face, down his shoulder. The temptation to tug GIDEON GRAVES to him, just as they'd done that night.

[break][break] "Depends?" he echoes, blinking gently. Innocently. As if there was nothing at all deceitful about the way his hands tightened around the other's, or the miniscule way that he stepped closer. Heat radiated off his body as he leaned closer, but not quite close enough.

[break][break] They were in public, after all.

[break][break] "What about the park? Or somewhere open, like it was when we saved those Combee?"

[break][break] Absently, his hand brushed against some imaginary dust on Gideon's shoulder.

[break][break] "Or your lab?"

[break][break] Not that he'd ever try there, not when the possibility of Eva Morales walking in was simply too great.

[break][break] Inching slightly closer, one hand intertwined their fingers together while the other smoothed out a wrinkle that he saw in Gideon's shirt collar, palm pressed against his chest.

[break][break] "Definitely not anywhere in the museum, though, right?" he murmured, as if to himself. "Even if the doors were closed."

[break]

[attr="class","ooc"] GIDEON GRAVES [break]
canon connections

☉

[attr="class","littleollie"] Ollie was far from perfect. In his life, he had done plenty of foolish things. His childhood was practically one littered with mistakes — waking up late and forgetting to do his morning chores, accidentally eating the last slice of pie that had been meant for Eva Morales, falling asleep in the middle of class and not listening to a lecture. He was not perfect and didn't feel like he should be — yet, that didn't mean he was incapable of feeling bad when he did something wrong.

[break][break] Quite the opposite, actually.

[break][break] As practiced as GIDEON GRAVES was in academia, Ollie was practiced in the way of emotion. Of looking and feeling guilty. The sheepish look that wormed it's way into his expression was genuine, his tough feather-light against the other's hand as he inclined his head down towards him.

[break][break] He watched Gideon's face closely, following the softly amber-lit eyes that he inexplicably felt himself drawn to. He wanted Gideon to forgive him. He needed Gideon to forgive him in order to feel settled, even though he couldn't quite explain why.

[break][break] So when the professor finally acquiesced, he released a sigh of relief.

[break][break] "Okay," he said, voice equally soft. "Got it. No kissing at League functions."

[break][break] 'Not even while drunk,' was implicit. 'Not even when under the influence of PENELOPE LIVY's envy.'

[break][break] A pause.

[break][break] Somehow, something mischievous sparked it's way into his expression. His fingers tightened, only slightly more firmly, around the others. A smile in the corner of his mouth.

[break][break] "Just so I know..."

[break][break] With his other hand, he reached to brush a strand of hair out of GIdeon's eyes.

[break][break] "Where else am I not allowed to kiss you?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] GIDEON GRAVES [break]
canon connections

☉