One-shot. Odd Della Robbia x Fem!Reader. Enjoy!
āItās not your fault.ā
Odd had seen it coming, really.Ā
The invitation to come alone, the offer of getting something cold for the especially hot weather. Coincidentally sitting on the pier overlooking the Factoryāit practically screamed a confrontation.Ā
So why was he still surprised at the sudden stab in his chest upon realizing that out of everyone else,Ā you would be the one to do this to him.
āSo this was your plan? Lure me with ice cream and then force me to talk with you about my feelings?ā
He scoffed, unable to keep the sharp sarcasm from slipping out. His stomach churned in a mixture of guilt and satisfaction when he caught the hurt in your eyes. Clearly you came with good intentions, likely with support from the others, but he simply found himself unable to accept it entirely. Not when he was still going through the motions.
Odd eventually looked away, swiftly unwrapping the popsicle and popping it in his mouth before heād say something heād regret.
The taste of bubblegum filled his mouth, sweet and creamy. Admittedly, heād missed itās familiar taste and itās eye-pleasing teal color, basking quietly in the fond memories the treat brought. Times where heād go out with his friends, walking through the city streets and enjoying their time together away from school groundsā¦
Memories that began to sour as he remembered why he and the others hadnāt gone out for ice cream in a while, not since the events of the last few weeks.
Odd crushed the wrapper in his hand at the reminder, stuffing it in his pocket to throw away later.
āIām sorry,ā you said after a stretch of silence, awkwardly playing with your own wrapper, unsure of what to do or say anymore. You couldnāt even use eating as an excuse for the unbearable silenceāyou had yet to open yours.Ā
Your eyes flickered hesitantly to him.
Odd had always take the initiative to open your popsicle for you, since you tended to have trouble opening it (something heād tease you mercilessly for). The thought of opening it yourself felt foreign, as ridiculous as it sounded. Surely you could open it yourself without trouble, right?
So you were surprised to say the least when Odd gently took the treat from your hand, easily opening it before handing it back to you wordlessly, his own popsicle still remaining his mouth.
He nodded in response, turning back to look at the Factory, still standing in itās old, mysterious glory surrounded by the River Seine. The place that held the Supercomputer, the main controls to the world of Lyoko.
Where his best friend was, somewhere in the abyss of endless numbers and codes...and at the mercy of one frighteningly dangerous virus.Ā
Heād been so lost in thought that he hadnāt noticed that youād been staring at him until you cleared your throat, forcefully pulling him back up before he could spiral down the sea of guilt.
āAbout what happened with Ulrich...ā
He could feel your eyes burning into him, watching himāprobably expecting him to lash out again at the sound of his name. Not that he could blame you when heād done exactly that not too long ago, only to shut away in his room shortly after and refuse everyoneās texts and calls.
Still, he pretended not to notice, licking at the frozen treat with faux indifference even when his knuckles turned white with how hard he was gripping at the poor popsicle stick.
You took his silence as a sign to continue. āLook, weāreĀ all at fault, okay? None of us saw William coming up until it was too late, and by then your Overboard had been shot down and Ulrich...ā you swallowed thickly. āThere was nothing any of us could do. It was over before itād even started.ā
He took a deep breath, turning to see your eyes watery to the point that he thought youād burst into tears right then and there. His heart clenched. It was clear that he wasnāt the only still feeling guilt over it, and he wasnāt as stupid as to think they were holding it any better than himābut everyone knew heād been the one who had the best chance of saving him. And yet he had missed the mark, and now everyone was paying the price.
Odd felt his throat tighten at the memory of Ulrichās body as he was hauled down into the digital sea, never to be seen again.
The thought of him getting over this setback even if they got Ulrich back felt impossible, and forgiving himself hadnāt even been thought heād entertained since heād woken up alone in the scanner room.
...but he knew he needed to try.Ā
For the first time in weeks, Odd could feel a bit of his old self emerging. He felt lighter, a little less sad.
āI know.ā He responded after another taking a bite from his popsicle, laughing lightly when you blinked in surprise at his easy response. He scooted near your side of the pier, and with thumb wiped away the salty droplets at the corners of your eyes.
His smile was weak and forced, but his words were genuine. āI still donāt one-hundred percent believe it yet, but...Iām getting there.ā
You sniffled and couldnāt help the laugh that bubbled from your throat, accepting his honest answer and realizing how stupid you were to worry this much about talking to Odd of all people. He was going to be okay, and so would you and the others.
After a moment, you added softly, āWeāre going to get him back, Odd. William too.ā
As if by nature, the corners of his lips tilted upwards in a faint smirk; somehow you found your heart beating faster as the ghost of the old Odd returned for that split second.Ā āThat I can guarantee I believe in.āĀ