c h e f

oliver ollie prince. born and raised: brisbane, australia. currently: las vegas, nv. part of the 12 steps. line cook @ shooting star grille.

[ollieprince]

wtfdxrcy:

“That’s so true though. Like who would’ve thought that it was going to snow here of all places. Some people would call it a miracle I think.” Darcy shrugged, “A bit of both. I like it because my god it’s really pretty and it does definitely feel kinda magical. But then I don’t cause I’m a bit of a klutz and snow and all of this is definitely a bit of a safety hazard with me.” Rocking back and forth on her feet, she looked around. “If I’m careful though, I’d say I can have tonnes of fun in it. I always liked making snowman and sledding, there were the best.”

“A miracle?” He glanced back up at the sky and had to slam his eyes shut once again. It would be a bright day and he regretted not grabbing his sunglasses. He didn’t realize how bright it would be with the sun reflecting off the snow. “I hear it’s the ice you gotta worry about. Just walk slowly and grab onto whatever you can. I figure it would be better to grab a stranger than get a huge ass bruise. A literal ass bruise.” He chuckled to himself as he glanced back at the brunette. “Sledding sounds dangerous if you’re clumsy. I need to make a snowman. That’s my goal for the day.” 

[ollieprince]

lilacsinclair:

“As do you,“ she declared decisively, it was crucial her words reached him for he never should be doubting his worth. Lila had cared about the man even before the fatal attractiontook over, he was her oldest colleague. Together they’d been througha lot—maybe not dangerous or extreme situations but enough pushy customers andlong shifts for her to know he was trying his best. And, generally speaking, he wasdoing fine—he had been clean for months, had an apartment and a steady job he liked.However, in Lila’s humble opinion, he was missing human contact, perhaps even withoutrealizing it. In reality, Oliver Prince deserved to be held and kissed.And by someone who knew how to do it properly. It was then when Lila became aware of how her fingers had dug into his clothing, clinging. Clearing her throat, sheloosened her grip a bit. –But regretted it the second she noticed the change inhis expression—it went from soft to tense in no time. The woman watched himcarefully, afraid he might punch a hole through the wall. However, he did no such thing.

They were in sync. His head moved, hers did too; out of hisway, neck stretching and giving him access to her skin. God, she could easilyget used to this. Precisely because it was so slow and gentle, it didn’t feelforced. It felt natural and therefore didn’t frighten her. It was natural for her to caress the back of his neck andtrail fingertips up along his spine. Lila even imagined his lips healing her as they traveled across the sensitive skin. It would be so mucheasier if they erased all painful memories and made her forget too. Yet, itcouldn’t be done over night. Maybe the first step to recovery was counting her blessings instead ofcontemplating the incident. Maybe. His whispered suggestion left her speechless—it’d been a while since she didn’t spend the night in her own bed—butshe managed a quick nod for him. “You’ll, um, have to borrow me your clothes. And I need to take a shower.” She murmured. It took all the strength she had to pull back from him, but shedid, her both hands taking his one hand as she stepped further into the living room. Atiny smile even appeared on her lips. “What have you been up to?“ 

Ollie was using every technique his therapist had suggested. In tense moments, he had a tendency to overreact. He did first and thought later. But now was not a moment to fly off the handle. Not when Lila had just been through something so traumatic. His lips continued to work over her skin, only spurred on by the way her fingers stroked and massaged his skin. He felt at peace in a situation where he normally would have destroyed his entire apartment. “I’m glad you’re okay, Lila. I’m proud of you for protecting Ezra and the diner. The most important thing is that you’re here and breathing.” Each word was punctuated with a soft kiss to another inch of her skin. He focused on the way his feet held on the ground, the weight of his shirt against his skin, then the way her hair tickled his face. Next he focused on Archie chewing on the remote, the muffled sounds of Chopped on the TV, and his own quickened breathing. 

The grounding technique worked as she nodded for him. He felt the blush rush up the back of his neck and redden his cheeks. The words hadn’t fallen on deaf ears. She was agreeing to staying with him and he felt okay. He knew she would remain safe, her and Archie could stay as long as they needed. Maybe Lila had been right, even if he didn’t love his apartment, it was still his home. Important things still would happen within its walls. “I can do both. I have some old t-shirts and shorts. Nothing fancy. I can set your shower up for you.” His mind was already racing on what to pick for her. 

It disarmed him when she took a step away from him, but still grasped his hand. He was happy to see her smile and mimicked her with his own. Lila was infectious. “Nothing quite as exciting. Just watching The Food Network.” He took a few steps and dragged her into his bedroom. His sheets were a mess -- somewhere he had read leaving it unmade caused any mites to die quicker. He lived by that article. At least his dirty clothes were neatly piled into his hamper -- laundry left for another day. Raising her hands, he kissed each other before dropping them. He dug around in his drawers until he came up with a t-shirt and shorts. He laid them on the bed before pulling open his linen closet and grabbing her a fresh towel. 

Laying everything on the counter, he glanced around the bathroom. He was hyper aware of her eyes on him, but he didn’t stop moving. It was clean, as he usually kept things. He turned on the water to make sure she didn’t burn her skin off. Clearing his throat, he turned back to look at her. “Shower’s warming up, everything’s there. Sorry I don’t have any womanly fragrances or anything.” He gave her a weak smile before rucking his thumb over his shoulder. 

[ollieprince]

rcsaliya:

Snow? — Well, that was surely a first considering the desert state that they were currently residing in. Nonetheless, there was a part of the blonde that was extremely satisfied with the fact that this meant they would be having a white Christmas this time around. And who the hell didn’t want that and it’s cliche vibe? It was what this time of year was about, right? So, as the male beside her looked into the snowflakes falling from the equally white sky, she turned her head slightly to catch a glimpse of him as his words echoed around her. “Surely it’s gotta be good, right? — It’s Christmas in no time, after all. So, the white shit is here to stay for a while.” She commented back, using his own words to make her point before smirking at him. “Have you not experienced snow before, or?” Rosa questioned, knowing for the most part, people around here were looking up at each individually falling snowflake for the first time.

His laughter echoed off the soft, pillowy snow at her words. At leas the hadn’t offended her with his colorful word choice. It was a small relief. “Yeah, I’m leaning towards a good omen. Snow in the desert before Christmas? Even if it’s a bad omen, I’m gonna enjoy it while it lasts. It ain’t usually my cup of tea.” His face once again upturned to the sky. The snow was a welcome relief to the dry, humid air. “Not really intimately. I’ve seen it a time or two when I’ve visited New York. But this is my first real experience. I feel like I gotta make a snowman or something. Isn’t that how you celebrate your first snow?” He turned to look at her before shrugging. “What about you?” 

[ollieprince]

tabithaxdemartel:

“I think when people think about Christmas they think white blankets of snow and tall trees that spell like pines – or something like that. Unless you’re in Hawaii or some beachy area then you just know you’re going to get palm trees and coconuts with lights?” She shared her conclusion with the male, not truly having any data to back it up. Just relying on common sense – her common sense, which probably meant that there were two or three things that seemed to be missing. “Now that is something we should probably pray doesn’t happen. I don’t think any of us are ready for that. We don’t need a natural disaster to finish this year, there’s been too many of those already.” The California fires being the latest ones to come up to mind. “Don’t omens come with the smallest detail? Or maybe that is something else that I am thinking about – oh no I’ve seen snow a lot. I lived in Colorado for a couple of years and my brother lives up in Pittsburgh.”

“I’m used to the palm trees with lights. Australia doesn’t do snowy Christmas’s. It’s like our summer. But I have seen a few of those movies with the blankets of snow and tall pine trees.” Reaching into his coat pocket, he took out his crumpled pack of cigarettes. He brought one out with his teeth and somehow managed to light it with his other hand. Not wanting to be a grump, he held out the pack to offer the blonde one. “Yeah, one’s in that god damn White House of yours. He seems worse than anything else we’ve got going. Gonna cause another World War.” He inhaled and allowed the nicotine to hit his bloodstream. “I don’t know fuck all about omens. But maybe? Oh shit, Colorado. You ski or some shit? I don’t trust myself on any sort of slope.”

[ollieprince]

dylanbrenner:

Dylan crossed her arms above her chest, eyeing the cloud that had come out of her mouth. She’d always been curious about the snow and how those who lived in it could survive. Though never had she thought it could be this unbearable. “It’s not helping that I have a damn shirt on and nothing more to keep against the warm. My window was frozen from the inside.” Her head shook as she sighed and then nodded, taking a drag from his cigarette. After all, it could be worse. He was right about that. “Nah. It’s been a while since I’ve been anywhere remotely cold. Well, you should. I’ll sit and encourage you.”

Glancing over at the blonde, he noticed her state of dress. He was happily warm, so the cold wouldn’t hurt for a little bit. Shrugging out of his big over coat, he held it out to her. He didn’t know her, but it didn’t hurt to be kind to a stranger, especially during the holiday season. Maybe it was his good deed for the day -- something he would put down on his gratitude list. “Take this then. For a little while.” He pulled out his own pack of cigarettes and lit one before taking a long drag. Perhaps it wasn’t his RedBull, but it was a start. One that he was grateful for anyway. “I don’t shit about the cold. If I didn’t have to go into work soon, I’d make one. I think I’m gonna suggest we pool together to make one. A nice holiday treat.” The cold was refreshing against his sweaty skin as he took another drag. 

[ollieprince]

lilacsinclair:

Lila studied his face, looking for any sign of distress when she noticed a pang of guilt flashing through his eyes. It would’ve been so much worse if he had been there. Lila’s personal feelings and fears aside, Ollie would’ve intervened and possibly gotten himself hurt. He was almost as protective of the Grille and its employees as Lila– it was one of reasons why she was so unbelievably attracted to him. And the woman was aware his instincts would’ve kicked in and he would’ve tried to save them all, even if it meant risking his own life. He would be incredibly brave and while Lila could understand the instinct since it was what drove her, pushing her forward when she thought Ezra was in danger– she would’ve lost her mind if something happened to Oliver. Her hand on his waist reflexively wrapped itself around him and drew him closer. She blinked, stroking his back. “Don’t feel guilty. You are protecting me now, when I maybe need it more.” And without him, it would’ve been much harder. So Lila stood up on her tiptoes, closing the distance between their lips. “Nothing else matters,” the woman promised, sealing it with a tender kiss.

Once the need to make sure he was alright was taken care of, she allowed herself to focus solely on the comfort his lips and words provided. Some of them sounded foreign to her, the woman who kept her sorrows at bay. Some she didn’t know what to make of. When in fact the revelation came in the form of three simplest words which explained it all. Even though his magic hold on her seemed inexplicable, their connection wasn’t. The words I can see you explained it, they were simple but powerful all the same. Maybe at the end of the day there was a difference between those who looked and saw your beauty and those who saw cracks but appreciated the picture in spite of them. “I’m glad I came too.” Inspired by her latest discovery and certain the tears disaster had been averted, she held his head close after the kiss, rubbing his stiff neck. “I thought they were going to hurt Ezra,” she said on his lips in a whisper, yet tried to speak as clearly as possible. “So I…” she bit the inside of her cheek, unsure how to continue. “I leapt forward and… One of them grabbed me.” Simultaneously, she pulled the turtleneck downwards, revealing the bruised skin. Her eyes fluttered closed.

Her arm around her waist drawing him nearer made him feel incredibly connected to her. Maybe he hadn’t been there to take care of her. But it was maybe better that way. His anger was still a work in progress and if the gunmen aimed at Lila or Ezra, he would have lost it. It would have been game over. His life didn’t matter in the larger scheme of things. But Lila, who had been through so much pain, but still chose to be a beckon of light. Or Ezra who was so young, but had so much to give to the world. Ollie was Ollie. He had lived his life, did the best he could in the last seven months and maybe that was enough. It would have been enough. To protect those he cared about. He shook his head softly to pull the thoughts from his mind. His eyes fluttered close as she kissed him -- tender, but enough to make his grip on her tighten. He was afraid it was all a dream. He had never felt this way about anyone in his life -- the basic instinct to protect and help. “You matter.” 

He was glad when she kept him close after the kiss. He didn’t want her to draw away from him. He was scared she was wisps of smoke, ready to dissipate at the slightest disturbance. But she felt what he did, it seemed. She had come to his place for some reason -- a reason that made his heart hammer inside his chest. He knew one date and this encounter was enough to make him do anything for Lila. The fingers pushing in his tightened muscles made him relax. Enough to drop his guard. Their lips grazing each others as they spoke made his arm around her tighten. Her next works were enough to send a surge of rage up his spine. They had grabbed her. They had tried to hurt Ezra. But they had... His gaze shifted to the expanse of bruised skin on her next she had just exposed. His jaw tightened. He peppered kisses along her cheek and jaw -- one landing on the tip of her nose. He placed a kiss above each eye. Then finally, his lips ghosted over the bruised flesh of her neck. He nuzzled the skin there, purposely careful. “I’ve got you, baby. Stay with me tonight?” 

[gordonramsaygifs]

[ollieprince]

catalina-delgado:

“I know you’re joking but I was just about to ran about climate change to my dad inside,” she replied with a laugh and shook her head, glancing up at the sky with him. She laughed as he offered the coat. “It’s okay, I’m good. I’m about to run back to the motel anyway after checking in. I was on a run when the snow started.” She pushed back the coat and shook her head. “You’re sweet though. You came to Vegas prepared for the winter anyway, huh? Smart man.” She nodded in understanding and gave him a smile. “Alright well then I’ll just keep writing letters to red bull to make bigger versions of it just for you. And Lila could probably kick people’s asses just by looking at them. It’s pretty sexy, right?” Cat nodded at his words. “It’s nice. It’s a change and sometimes you need that when life gets a little too repetitive, you know?” She looked around them and laughed. “I mean it’s fucking crazy but it’s different. Did you not grow up in a place with snow?” She moved towards the door to the convenience as she looked at him. “Also I’m not trying to cut off this conversation but I can see my brother trying to re-stock and he’s fucking it up. Do you have siblings? They’re the worst and best.”

“I wasn’t exactly joking. It’s a very real thing. I’m pretty sure he’s snowed her from time to time, but this time definitely screams global warming.” He was a little disheartened that she turned down his coat. Maybe she was used to the cold or something. Perhaps the run had worked up some heat and she didn’t even feel the cold. Or maybe she a snow witch. Either of those options seemed feasible. “I don’t go anywhere and am not prepared. Plus, my whole life is here now. I travel. Or I used to. I accumulated a lot of clothes. At least I got to keep jackets and hoodies after rehab. Everything else...” He trailed off to let his hand zoom into the distance with some sound effects. “A good letter writing campaign never got anything don’t, but I highly support it.” He closed his eyes and groaned at the thought of Lila kicked his ass or anyone else’s. There was something inherently sexy about the woman and her independence. “Yeah, sexy is one way to put it. There’s just something about her.” His voice when gruff, as was its nature when speaking about Lila. He shook his head a few times trying to get the diner manager out of his head. It was for the best.” 

He pointed vaguely to his throat. “You hear that accent? It ain’t an accent that knows much about snow. We hit record temps during the season. It’s what happens on the end of the world. But I can see what you’re saying. About the snow. It breaks up the fluctuating temps and boring neon and sand.” He looked back inside Delgado’s. He knew what it was like to see a younger sibling do something stupid. It made him laugh. “Yeah, I got a little brother. Sentiment is true. But you go if you gotta go. Don’t let me keep you out here in the cold.”

[ollieprince]

dylanbrenner:

Dylan stood outside in the middle of the snow, her light jacket wrapped around her form as she peered around at the white fluff on the ground that had begun to melt beneath her feet and seep through her shoes. It was hell. A fucking cold hell. Though she hated the heat above all else, she hadn’t ever anticipated to get this shit. “Definitely a bad omen.” The blonde said without looking up, her gaze still lowered on the snow before she turned to the male and shook her head. It was bullshit. “I don’t fucking know. But I’m soaked and cold. I ain’t about any of this.” She waved her hand around to emphasis the snow before she reached for her pack of cigarettes.

Ollie wasn’t sure what sort of reaction he was expecting. He wasn’t exactly a bundle of sunshine himself, but he didn’t mind the snow. It was cold, yeah. But it was like a Christmas surprise. In his mind, it would make people pack into the diner and order stick their ribs food. Maybe he could float the idea of mac and cheese as a special. It would sell well in the weather. Brushing the snow off his face, he found himself laughing softly. “Yeah, well, the white shit isn’t for everyone. It could be worse. It could be a heatwave in December.” He exhaled and watched his breath turn into vapor as he did. It was fascinating to watch. “You not from the cold? Me either. But I kinda want to make a snowman. Never had the opportunity before.” 

[ollieprince]

tsursok:

The layer of crisp, white snow made talia feel ecstatic. she was always a sucker for a beautiful snowfall back in chicago and vegas was (clearly) no exception. getting out of bed this morning mimicked that out a child on christmas day; there was an extra pep in her step as she bundled herself up in her favorite sweater. “ coffee,” she mumbled to herself, watching her boots make imprints in the once untouched snow. in her mind, every occasion or celebration must be met with a good cup of coffee, unless it was after 5 pm when tequila would take over as the reasonable choice. with her usual less than five minute routine at delgado’s, talia happily wrapped her fingers around her fresh cup of hot coffee and made her way back out of the store. figuring she had nothing on her agenda on this snow day, the brunette rested her back against the brickwall. her green eyes followed the small snow flurries as they gently feel from the sky to join their comrades on the ground. the beauty of snow never ceased to amaze her; it was still, peaceful, pure and some how continued to radiate that beauty even with tire tracks disrupting the powder. her attention shifted from the weather to the man who suddenly (because she obviously wasn’t paying attention) appeared right next to her. “ oh, it’s the best omen, “ a smile naturally formed as she brought up the coffee closer to her lips, “ you can make snowman and snow forts. what better sign do you need? ”

“Snow forts, huh?” Ollie closed his eyes as he tried to figure out how that would work. The snow seemed so soft and pillowy. It might be better to make a bed than a fort. “Snowman.” He nodded a few times -- that seemed like a better bet. In fact, he was going to insist everyone in the diner pitch in to make a snowman during their breaks. They needed it after the robbery. Something fun to unite them and get them in the holiday spirit. He sighed as he scratched his beard a few times. “I’ve never built anything out of snow. This would be my first real experience.” He glanced at the brunette as she sipped her hot coffee. He was sure it was a better bet than his ice cold RedBull, but there just wasn’t enough caffeine. “I take you’re a bit of a snow expert.” He turned up his face and let the snowflakes nestle into his beard. “I’m Ollie. Not just some weirdo in the snow. Or at least one with a name.”

[mizworldofrandom]

[ollieprince]

ursula-atwell:

     “Hey, don’t blame me. I think it was the poet Robert Burns, wasn’t it? Senior year, profuse amount of hours, analyzing text after text that filled my head with such sullen thoughts.” Her shoulders raised, shrugging lightly as she recalled past events. An easy chuckle escaped her lips, her head turning to catch a glimpse of her companion. She studied his expression with a curious look upon her own. “Perhaps, though I don’t usually voice them. Judges aren’t so keen on me reciting Yeats before ever proceeding.” She teased. “I think I may have missed my calling? Think I should just quit my job now and lock myself up in a cottage up north? Nothing but a bottle of whiskey, a typewriter and the wilderness to quell my lingering mind? Become a shut-in poet.” The lawyer wondered aloud. Though she was only joking, she would admit: some days, the thought seemed rather appealing. “I need coffee. I don’t care from where – I just need caffeine. Vats of it. Care to accompany me?” 

“Why the fuck are you asking me about poets? I can barely read a poem, let alone tell you who the fuck wrote it. The last thing I read was a cookbook. I don’t dabble into real literature. It was never for me. You can carry that knowledge for the both of us.” His eyes were trained on her as she seemed to be lost in the thought. The laugh also caught him off guard. He wasn’t sure if anything she said was actually funny. And maybe it was, but he wasn’t smart enough to follow. The best he could muster was a smile. “I would kick your ass if I was a judge. You’re gonna lock yourself up with just one bottle of whiskey? You clearly aren’t even close to being a Hemingway or anything. Aren’t all writers tortured alcoholics looking for a solution at the bottom of the bottle?” He didn’t know shit about literature, but he did know about famous alcoholics. It seems par for the course for an addict. “Don’t go locking yourself away, Urs.” He lifted his bag with the RedBull, but shrugged. “Yeah, I can always do with more caffeine. Lead the way.”

[ollieprince]

tabithaxdemartel:

This was not the first time that Tabitha had been exposed to the white substance – perhaps she shouldn’t call it that. After all, that tended to be the description for cocaine and now that was something that she really didn’t need to go explore. She had woken up early due to the thoughts in her head. There were moments that the thoughts tended to be too much and Tabitha would not be able to push them aside and get some sleep. Last night – no, early today had just been another example of that. So the blonde had ended up laying in bed staring at the ceiling thinking about random shit just to prevent the real thought from coming above the surface. She had managed to question why Santa Claus was scary – why clowns tended to end up being killers and regretting watching the newest IT movie. All of those random thoughts ended up proving not to be enough. Because the thought of her late husband managed to come. The memories made their way up to the surface. She thought about the first time she had met him – how he had walked into the library to talk to her friend and had declared how he had no outline, during finals for property law.

Needless to say, Tabitha had been awake for a while. So it was no surprise that she had managed to make her way outside to see if the cold would silence her brain. Somewhere she had read that if you directed the brain to something else it would leave its current path and focus on the new struggle. Crossing her arms in front of her chest she stared right ahead – nothing truly capturing her focus, not really. “A white snow is always a good thing, isn’t it? Though I suppose if it doesn’t last until the 25th then I guess we’re looking a bad omen. I suppose we’re going to be forced to take the wait and see approach,” Tabitha hadn’t even realized that there was someone else, hell it hadn’t registered until she found herself responding welcoming the distraction, “Then again it is Las Vegas and I doubt snow is suppose to be here – so I think I am going to now firmly go with bad omen – first snow?”

“Why? Because then everything will melt or something? It’ll be an ugly Christmas.” He upturned his face enjoying the way the snow settled on his lashes. He blinked a few times before turning his attention back to the blonde. “With the way the weather’s been lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if we get hit by a blizzard. I didn’t even know it could snow here.” He cleared his throat as he studied the woman. She seemed lost in her own sort of daydream and Ollie couldn’t really blame her. The snow was enough to put anyone off, no matter how grounded they were to begin with. “Whoa, bad omen? That’s a lot of put on the snow. But I did ask.” He shrugged. “Not really? But it really isn’t something I’m used to. I’ve seen a flurry or two when I was visiting New York. But technically, this is my first real snow.” He scratched his beard, his fingers streaking the cold snow across his face. “What about you? You know snow? Or have you just met?”

[ollieprince]

wtfdxrcy:

Darcy had a love/hate relationship with the snow. On one hand, it was gorgeous, but then on the hand, it got on her glasses and made the clumsy girl a walking safety hazard. “Hm?” Turning her head to the male, she shrugged. “I don’t really know, I guess you could google that but my guess is that it’s a neutral one. Or maybe a bad one as back in the old days it would’ve been a right hassle to do anything in this weather. But then people ave fun in it so maybe that cancels the bad out?” Once again, Darcy shrugged and pushed her glasses up her nose. “I guess that you don’t like it though?”

Ollie wasn’t about to interrupt the woman’s stream of consciousness thinking. If she wanted to go on about the snow to his question, it was only right that he allowed her. As she spoke, he took out his RedBull and popped the tab. He took big long pulls from the can before sighing in relief. It didn’t change anything, especially not how cold it was, but it was a start in the right direction. “I haven’t really made up my mind one way or another. It just seems so strange to have snow in the middle of the desert.” He looked back up at the sky, his eyes slammed shut. “Do you have fun in the snow? Or do you hate it?”

[ollieprince]

lilacsinclair:

Another spark of relief hit her as Oliver stated they were welcome in his home, especially Archie. Lila almost allowed herself a snicker, shaking her head in slight disbelief. Oliver seemed to be almost as enamored with the puppy as Archie was with him. She made a mental note to let them hang out more often in the future, maybe when Ollie was free and she was working– a stabbing pain shot through her abdomen and a flood of all sorts of concerns was patiently waiting to drown her. I’m here, he said. One sharp intake of breath later and her eyes searched for him, only to see him closing the painful gap between them. Oliver was there, where she wanted him– at the same time her tears seriously threatened to spill. “I’m fine,” she murmured once, aware her voice might break. As an actress, the I’mfine was the one line she had brought to perfection, everyone bought it– why wouldn’t they, she’d been working on it ever since her father’s funeral. Oliver’s eyes, on the other hand, were so kind and caring as they looked at her. How could she hide anything from them? Even her tears? –Archie seemed to be excited about chewing on the remote control and the low sounds he made drew attention to him so Lila looked away from Oliver. “Archie, no!” At least did the temporary distraction help her hold her tears back.

The woman placed a hand upon his chest as his lips ghosted over her face. Her cheek soon replaced the hand as she wished to listen to the steady beating underneath. Another spark of relief filled her heart and she swore it was easier to breathe. Eventually she cleared her throat, deciding to give it another try. “I’m fine. I– Should be.” Her one hand rested on his waist and Lila looked down, watching it. “It happened around one. Two of them, both armed came in demanding money. Ezra was there–” she cut herself off mid sentence, the concern for Ezra almost brought her back in time as the only feeling ruling over her in those moments was fear something might happen to the young man. “But,” she continued carefully, for a brief moment she considered telling him one of them had laid his hand on her but decided against it. “We gave them the money. They left. We called the police. I got home about half an hour ago but…. I was so sad I couldn’t stay there. How incredibly stupid is that?” A bitter laugh followed her words. Lila gave Oliver a few moments to process what he’d just heard, knowing it must’ve been a shock for him too, seeing as the Grille was their safe haven, which was why she looked up at him– to check if he was alright.

Ollie didn’t take his eyes away from Lila. He could see she was upset, even from across the room he knew. But close up, he could see the tears threatening to slip out -- only hanging on by sheer willpower alone. Even as she turned her head to tell Archie no, Ollie didn’t look away. “It’s fine. He’s fine. It’s just a remote. Who cares?” He spoke softly as he felt his stomach flip again. She was always so worried about everyone else, but now he was worried for her. He couldn’t stop the twist in his chest. He hadn’t been there. He hadn’t been there to protect Lila and Ezra and the rest of the diner. Maybe it wasn’t his cross to bear, but the guilt still crept in. It wasn’t about him, it was about her.

The hand on his chest was enough to ground him. Of course, she was once again bringing comfort to him. But it was good to feel her, to have her close. He was scared if he stepped away, Lila would disappear. “You’re not fine.” More soft words as his thumbs stroked her skin. “I can see you, Lila. You can’t lie to me. It’s okay to not be okay. I’m here.” His throat felt tight, a million different scenarios running through his mind. “It’s not stupid. You just had something horrible happen. It’s not fine. You don’t need to be strong for me. You’re allowed to be upset. I can’t even imagine.” His eyes never stopped moving studying her face the entire time he spoke. “I’m so glad you came.” He whispered the words as he brought his lips down to kiss her again, just as chaste as the first. It was probably selfish, but he needed to kiss her and feel her. “What happened? Did they hurt you?”

[ollieprince]

lilacsinclair:

Lila noticed a skip in her heart when her eyes landed on his bright smile– the main star of every moment she’d savored over the past few weeks. A spark of relief entered her heart, at least he was alright. Maybe not alright but normal. Surely he couldn’t be affected by the… What’d happened since it was his night off but she couldn’t rely on her reason when it came to him, instead she chose to trust her senses. See him, hear, touch, feel, taste.

The kiss took her by surprise but before she could react, he was gone. In a way, she was glad. His proximity reminded her of the thrilling effect he had on her and although she wanted to see him, she didn’t need to burst into tears and complicate the situation some more, make it harder for him. Also, she never cried in front of others. Archie didn’t count. Speaking of the beastie, she set him down and he ran inside almost immediately, wiggling his tail. He made a quick tour but soon after assumed his position on the couch, next to the remote control. “I– apologize for him,” she said in one breath, exhaling. “He’s fond of trespassing as well.” But in all honesty, Lila just assumed he remembered Ollie’s scent and how comfortable he felt around him. She, however, didn’t have the strength to warn him to come back or put him on the leash. Or let her own eyes roam around for that matter. If anything, her frustration was draining all of her energy; she wasn’t supposed to see his apartment for the first time under those circumstances. It was supposed to happen on their official date. So she kept her eyes on Ollie’s face. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, Prince.” Lila whispered. It was barely audible and she was unsure if he heard her.

Yes, she kept a safe distance between them, although it was the last thing she wanted.The woman was aware she wouldn’t be able to convince him she was fine if she lost her self-control. After all she barely convinced herself. “I’m fine,” she said calmly. Even managed a weak smile for him. “I couldn’t tell you this over the phone,” they hadn’t seen much of each other since Jimmy had left– unless if it was at work but they communicated as much as possible via texts– she could vent to him, ask if she could punch him to get the frustration out and Ollie provided comfort in the form of a well-timed, appropriate  ‘fuck my life’ whenever a new disaster struck. Yet, they somehow kept it nice and light, with a healthy amount of teasing. “You don’t have to show up at work tomorrow.” A brief pause as she realized she needed to breathe. “We were robbed tonight.”

Ollie’s eyes didn’t leave Lila as she apologized for Archie. He didn’t mind if the dog decided to mark his territory. He liked the little thing -- a warm, sweet dog that belonged to his favorite person in the world. He shrugged off her comment, as he watched her closely. Something was most certainly not right. The light didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Archie can do whatever he wants. This house is his house.” He took a step towards her, but maintained a bit of distance between them. Since their first date, they had been like fire -- hands barely able to keep to themselves. “Either of you can trespass whenever you want, I don’t mind, okay? It’s welcomed.” Her next words caused his heart to ram into his rib cage at a ridiculous pace. He felt dizzy and off kilter. “I’m here. No need for those sore eyes, huh?”

The way she tried to reassure him that she was fine left a cold pit of dread in his stomach. He took another step toward her while she continued to speak. Jimmy’s departure had left them both extremely busy, especially Lila. For Ollie, it meant a few more meetings -- sometimes twice a day. But they made sure to keep in contact throughout. He looked forward to their messages and few stolen moments at work. Her declaration of the robbery made the sound suck out of the room. He didn’t understand. “Robbed?” He closed the distance between them and cupped her face in his hands. “Lila...” He tilted her chin up to look at her. He knew something was wrong, he could feel it as soon as he opened the door. But this was far worse than what he imagined. 

His thumb stroked over her cheek gently. “This might be stupid, but are you okay?” He bent down to pepper light kisses over her face. Each kiss filled with comfort and the hope that he could make things better. Or at least attempt it. “Talk to me.” 

[ollieprince]

ursula-atwell:

     “Good – it symbolizes cleansing I think, at least in literature. It is a blanket that obscures all – new beginnings, the truth. Though winter is usually portrayed as death, snow is the beauty of death, the hope that you feel when someone passes, in that they will find a better place. That their suffering has ended and they can be swept away into whatever form they please.” If one hadn’t known Ursula for her frosty demeanour, (one that closely mirrored the weather) one would think she was acting almost like a “normal” human being who was capable of showing human emotions. But she wasn’t, she had coined the nickname “the ice queen” by numerous coworkers throughout the years. Mostly because she was a woman in a position of power, especially in a field that one couldn’t easily show their feelings for or against the cases they took on. That wasn’t their job, that was a therapist – this was the law. And of course, she wouldn’t be dictated into a role of submission, wouldn’t be played like a damn puppet. She wandered through the snow, her eyelids shutting briefly as she felt the snow float to her skin. “Enjoy it, Ollie. Who knows when we will get it again?” 

“That’s fucking dark, Ursula.” Ollie’s eyebrows shot up as she explained why snow was a good omen. He really had no idea what most of it meant. He hadn’t had years of schooling and when he was in school, his mind was elsewhere. What she said sounded like poetry and he could appreciate that. Much like when Lila took him to the art gallery. Clearing his throat, he glanced back up at the sky and found his eyes closing. Face upturned, he spoke again. “Maybe never with the state of politics.” He chuckled to himself, proud of himself for venturing out and doing his best to keep up in the conversation. “You always so god damn poetic so early in the morning? Real question.” He scratched at his beard a few times before turning to look at her.