oliver-reid

[oliver-reid]

alessia-zabini​:

“How sweet is that? You’re a great friend to not let her down.” Alessia leaned in a little, a smile on your face. “Between you and me, pregnant women can be so convincing, it’s like you cannot say no. It’s a whole thing.” It was why she had often been roped into helping with decorating nurseries or going on shopping trips - neither of which she minded much, but she never quite knew how she was made to agree to any of it. “I suppose it does, seeing how people do pair up after a while,” she mused, as she tilted his head to look at Oliver once more, an interested glint in her eyes. He offered a quite unique way of looking at things tonight, and she could admit that she enjoyed the exchange of thoughts. “Not for me, though. And definitely not, when it comes with a condescending tone. I cannot count the times I’ve been referred to as “a little lady like you” tonight.” As much as it had raised her hackles before, emotions she had shoved way down during the conversations, she now rolled her eyes good-naturedly - she was well and away from them all right now, and actually having a nice conversation. 

Alessia smiled at him once more and nodded, when he turned her down gently. She could understand the reluctance of flaunting something, as fake as it might actually be, around, have people notice. Yet, she wasn’t the type to hide in the shadows, if anything, she would actually go out there and have a good time with people just to prove that nothing could stop her. There was something endearing about the way he was talking, and she could see that whoever that ex was had meant something to Oliver. “We’re all different - I’m loud, for the most part. It’d probably be worrying for my friends, if I weren’t. But I don’t drag people out with me kicking and screaming, that would be unfair of me.” Another grin flittered over her face, as she added, “I like the thought of laying low for a little while longer, when there’s good company, and drinks, involved. So, thank you for the invitation, I’ll happily accept.” In fact, she didn’t mind hiding out for the rest of the evening, when it meant not having to smile through another painful small talk with some guy who thought he was it. “What’s your drink of choice? Do you have a signature drink?” Looking over at him, she pursed her lips. “I keep switching my choices just to keep it interesting, or keep people guessing, but in the end, my reply would always and forever be coffee. I can’t help it, I’m hopelessly addicted to it. Have you ever had a coffee martini?” Realising she was talking a mile a minute again, and she stopped herself and gave a little grin.

-

“Then it’s settled.” Oliver smiled, gently pulling the barstool out for the woman to take a seat at his side. As she came to sit, he lifted his hand slightly to garner the bartender’s attention so that she may order, and then refocused on her question--his signature drink. He thought for a moment, though it wasn’t really necessary. “I’m a Maker’s Mark guy,” he supplied with a small, abashed smile--not something to be embarrassed about, objectively, but sparing any detail about himself often made him uncomfortable. 

“I don’t think I’ve had a martini a day in my life, actually,” he said thoughtfully. Martinis were generally his mother’s drink, and thus, he avoided them at all costs. “Though I agree with you wholeheartedly about the coffee--I know it’s trite and cliched, but I truly don’t know how I’d function without it most days. I’ve been trying to get into tea lately, but...” He scrunched his nose slightly in disapproval. “It’s not quite the same.” 

Realizing that he needn’t wax poetic any longer on his drink choices, he shook his head. “Anyway--tell me a bit about yourself, if you’d like. What is it you do?” After a moment, he suddenly remembered his manners, extending his hand for the woman to shake. “Oh! I’m Oliver, by the way.”

[oliver-reid]

itslucaromero​:

“No, I’m fine.. really!”, Luca quickly tried to assure Oliver when he brought up his colleagues. Although he obviously only meant well. “I mean, it still sucks obviously but I’m not going to take any shady pills this time”, he added before offering the other a little smile in an attempt to underline his words, “Thank you though!” Thinking about his second offer, Luca finally nodded though. “It would be great to catch up sometime I guess..”, he admitted. Back then, it probably wouldn’t have been the best idea with Oliver having been his therapist but since he’d also been one of the few people who had seemed to understand him, it could probably be nice to have someone else to talk to. Taking his card, Luca shoved it in his own pocket before glancing back up. “I… don’t suppose you’d have time for a coffee or something right now, do you…?”

-

Oliver could sense Luca’s trepidation, and began to fear he’d overstepped; there were boundaries in place for a reason, and though he and Luca had shared a meaningful relationship when Luca was his client, he recognized that, perhaps, Luca might not be interested in extending it outside of those circumstances. He was delightfully surprised--and wholly relieved--when Luca not only agreed to perhaps consider connecting with him once again, but seemed interesting in doing it so soon. He smiled. “I would--yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I’d love that.” Oliver nodded. “C’mon. It’s on me.”

[oliver-reid]

alessia-zabini​:

For the first time that night - since her speed date with Dani, which had been fun - Alessia found herself relaxed and enjoying herself in present company. Perhaps it was the way they had fallen into a random conversation and the lack of expectation on Oliver’s part that had her keep her guard down, and not go on the defensive right away. “My sarcasm aside, I believe you’re right about that. I’m here, because I lost a bet to a few coworkers, and they’ll have a ball being told all the things I had to listen to on Monday.” Alessia made a face, then started laughing at herself. “Honestly, though - perhaps I’m getting old, or jaded, but when has dating become all about one’s possessions, about one’s assets, and not about who someone really is, what they have achieved, how they see things?” If she had to hear another guy tell her she couldn’t possibly understand the intricacies of the finance world, she was going to scream. They knew nothing about her, or her background, and it was pretty obvious they didn’t care, rather liking to make assumptions instead. Her sardonic smile turned joyful, however, when she heard Oliver’s compliment. There was something about a well-placed compliment that she loved to revel in. “Thank you so much,” she told him, a slight blush forming on her cheeks, “and I might have, but some of those numbers might have been lost to sea forever.” A grin appeared on her face. “Oops?”

A man this handsome would not not get all the attention, or a fair amount of telephone numbers, she thought, not unless he was actively avoiding it, and from his words he seemed like he was. “Oh, that’s too bad - you should be able to enjoy yourself without having to look over your shoulder all night long.” Alessia knew all about avoiding an ex - she had moved here, after all, to get away from UCSF and her cheating ex-boyfriend. “You might not have been looking, but from what I can see, I know you have caught a few people’s attention out there,” she told him, “including my own. Although I have to admit that I was most intrigued by the food part of your conversation starter, at first. What can I say? I love to eat.” Her shoulders rising in a nonchalant shrug, she looked at Oliver and grinned. “Do you feel like giving that ominous ex of yours something to look at? I can be the perfect fake companion for events like these.”

-

Oliver offered a nod of understanding, bemused by the concept of the woman only coming because she was forced. While he felt similarly, this wasn’t entirely true--Sara would have understood if he refused. He just didn’t have the heart to, considering who it was asking. “My best friend wanted me to come,” Oliver explained, commiserating. “She’s very pregnant and very persuasive, so here I am.” He listened to her muse about the dating world, feeling rather grateful he wasn’t an active participant; Russ had been an accidental foray into it, or some version of it. He pulled his lips to the side, dissatisfied. “Peacocking, yeah. I think...it’s almost a biological instinct that we want to impress people, you know? Show them everything we have to offer right off the bat, so they deem us worthy of staying around. It’s...odd, to be sure, but--I dunno. It works for some people, I suppose,” he offered with a shrug of his shoulders. He didn’t engage in the practice, certainly, but that didn’t mean he didn’t understand it to some degree, the innate need to be liked, to be wanted. 

“Oh, no it’s--” He shook his head. “It’s quite alright, really. This isn’t particularly my scene, anyway.” He and Jill had grown up forced to attend formal events by way of their parents,  and, as an adult, he largely swore off them forever. For Sara Bennett, however there were few things Oliver would not do. He smiled at the woman’s kindness, only slightly taken aback--he certainly hadn’t done anything to warrant it. “You’re very sweet. Thank you. I think it might be better if I just...lay low, though. He’s not quite as ominous as I’ve made him out to be, I think, and I don’t--” He pulled his lips to the side. He didn’t want to hurt Russ, but he didn’t feel particularly vulnerable enough to admit that. Still, he was enjoying the woman’s company. “You’re welcome to join me while I lay low, though. Let me buy you a drink.”

[oliver-reid]

itslucaromero​:

Even though Oliver tried to assure him that it wasn’t stupid, it still felt that way to Luca. He knew the way his parents were after all so how could he hope that suddenly they changed so much..? “It sucks…”, he admitted, trying to force a smile on his lips but immediately realising that he was failing. But then again Oliver probably knew him too much for that anyway… When he realised that the other actually saved the garage as a contact on his phone though, the smile became a little more genuine until it actually turned into a smirk at the mention of his car. “My boss will be glad to hear that!”, he stated, “Although it sounds like a whole lot of work for me as well..”

-

Oliver’s lips curled downward in a dissatisfied frown at Luca’s admission. He thought for a moment. “You know, I’m not sure how interested you might be, but I have some wonderful colleagues that might be able to offer you a bit of support,” he offered gently, not wanting to overstep. “That being said, you’re always welcome to reach out to me, too. Obviously not, you know, in a professional capacity, but--I’d be more than happy to talk.” He loathed to think that Luca might just be muddling through, dealing with his feelings alone--or, worse, not dealing with them at all. He reached into his back pocket to withdraw his wallet, and pulled out a card. “Just in case you don’t have my info anymore,” he explained as he extended his hand with a soft smile. 

[oliver-reid]

jasonmaddox​:

“He wasn’t one for making a fuss about himself, didn’t want one after he was gone, either.” It was a remembrance, as much as an explanation, Jason thinking of the man who had raised him, the man who had known his own worth but didn’t brag about it. The man who had loved him in the same way, and had been so quietly, but fiercely, proud of his son. “Thank you,” he added, the words only somewhat route. There was nothing, really, that anyone could say, and some days he hated the sympathy, but today wasn’t one of them. Today, he could appreciate the intention, even if it did nothing. “You know, I thought I knew about loss, but this— I wasn’t ready. I don’t think I’d ever have been ready, but—” He sighed, frustrated with his inability to put it into words. How differently the loss of his mother, someone he never knew, felt to the loss of his father, who had been the only parent he’d ever needed. “It’s—yeah. That. I think if I didn’t take the time for myself, I’d get swept away by it all.” He raised his water glass in a toast as he dropped into the indicated stool. “I appreciate that. You drive over here, too?”

It wasn’t altogether uncommon for people in the throes of grief to long for someone to talk about it all with--somedays, it felt like an impossible weight. Others, it barely registered. To endure it alone was not something Oliver wished on anyone. So, if he could be the set of ears Jason Maddox from junior year study hall needed, then so be it--he was happy to play the part. “Sometimes it just rips the rug out from under you,” he commiserated with a nod. Oliver understood and often preached the merits of the stages of grief through his work, but it sometimes felt like a farce; in practice, it was a far more nebulous and messy thing. “I know you’re not asking, but my best piece of advice? Tetris.” He smiled softly, then elaborated, “There’s been studies done that prove it tempers long term effects of anxiety from traumatic events, which...in my opinion, a loss certainly qualifies as. It’s also free, and it’s...it’s pretty fun,” Oliver admitted with a grin. He took a sip of his water, nodding at Jason’s question. “Stupidly, yeah, though I think I’ll likely end up taking an Uber home. What about you?”

[oliver-reid]

alessia-zabini​:

A little smile formed on her face at Oliver’s surprised reaction. Had he really not expected someone to take him up on his comment? Aw, well, he would have to get used to that, it was how she rolled. “Oh, that sounds wonderful,” she sighed, “You know what would go great with this champagne?” Holding up her glass, she pointed to it with her other hand. “Quesadillas.” The little food offered at the ball did little to nothing to soak up the alcohol she had had so far, which meant that she was starting to feel the effects slowly seeping in. So, if food was offered, she would definitely take Oliver up on it. “Oh, please do. Now that we’ve started talking about food, I find myself craving it. I should have eaten properly before attending, but this dress would not let me do that.” Although Alessia should have known better, she was too vain not to look her absolute best during an outing like this. Looking down at herself, she shook her head. Sometimes, she was her own worst enemy, but at least she owned her looks tonight. Her self-indulgent musings were interrupted by his question, and she tilted her head and looked at him blankly at first, a look with turned into a slight raise of her eyebrows and a lospided smile soon enough. “Some of it was quite fun so far - Dani is a lovely woman, and a great speed dating partner, but I do believe I wasn’t what she was looking for,” she said, her smile widening somewhat. “And from the small talk until now, one thing is clear - I won’t find my one true love here tonight. What about you? Anyone who caught your eye?”

-

Oliver appreciated the woman’s willingness to pick up the conversational ball where he haphazardly set it, and he listened with rapt attention as she spoke, captivated by her effervescence. His ears perked up at the mention of Dani, and he wondered if it was the Dani he knew, if only tangentially. Still, he didn’t really feel as though it was his place to pry, and he definitely wasn’t interested in stirring up the latent feelings of misplaced guilt he often experienced whenever he thought of what had effectively fallen apart between him and Scott since his marriage to Catalina. Eager to change the course of his thought process, he hitched it on to the woman’s declaration of . “I think there’s a bit too much pressure placed on the concept of finding true love at a speed dating event on Valentine’s day,” he mused, giving the woman a smile. “But you look absolutely lovely, so I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that you managed to, at the very least, get a few numbers.” He glanced back down at his phone, though he didn’t do much more than stare at the screen. “I’m not really one for romance, at least not as of late,” he said, keeping his tone purposefully light. He glanced back to her with a look of embarrassment. “I’ve been not-so-casually avoiding running into my ex, so--I haven’t really been looking.”

[oliver-reid]

russell-davis​:

Russ glanced away as Oliver scolded him, feeling quite like a foolish child in that moment. In a way, Russ had not fully matured, forever immature when it came to matters of the heart. And until he came to terms with himself, he would forever be that same scared little boy in the closet. That much, as ever, was obvious. But Oliver Reid had seen depths to Russ he’d never permitted another soul to before, and likely never would again. “That’s not at all what I want.” Russ replied in a wounded tone, gaze dropping to his shoes shamefully. “I’m sorry, Ollie. From the bottom of my heart, I am. I’m not — I’m not brave, okay? I know that I’m a coward. I thought that I could do it, that day. I really did think I could let them in. And I wanted to, or I never would have invited you to come to Thanksgiving. But then it all got too real. Not, not us, but me. It’s not something that I can’t take back, once it’s out there. And I freaked out, and I made a mistake. A big fucking mistake.” Finally, he looked back to Oliver, tears welling in his eyes. “I loved you. And I think you loved me too. And that love made me brave, even if it was too late.”

-

It wasn’t that Oliver didn’t believe what Russ was saying, didn’t think his words held merit. He did, wholeheartedly, despite his better judgement; Russ had not misled him in any way aside from that day, and everything that the man said just affirmed what Oliver had long suspected--that he had been scared. A twinge of sadness struck Oliver, and he swallowed thickly, desperate to suppress it. It wouldn’t serve him well at this juncture, anyway. Still, that sadness colored his words, his tone heavy as he struggled to hold Russ’ gaze. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you felt like that. That you were made to feel like you needed to be something other than what you are.” Oliver hung his head, a faint, rueful smile curling the edges of his lips. “You are an incredible man. And you’re going to do a lot of good in this world, and you’re gonna help a lot of people.” He dared to look up, then. “And I’m glad that I got to know you. To be with you. I am. I’m--I really, truly am. I wish you all the happiness in the world, Russ. You deserve it. But I don’t feel like that happiness is going to be found with me.”

[oliver-reid]

jasonmaddox​:

“I … did,” Jason confirmed, feeling a little unnerved though he couldn’t pinpoint a particular reason. “Yeah, Richter,” and this time he smiled, prouder; not of himself so much as of his friends. “That’s us. I mean, I know we’re not the only, not even the most well known, musicians to come out of Eureka, but— it’s been incredible. Still is, in some ways.” he realized, belatedly, that he’d never answered the question implicit in all that, and he found that he wanted to; that he wanted to talk about it. “Anyway, after my dad died, I came back—” They all had; his three best friends had returned just as swiftly as he had, but he’d been the one who stayed after the funeral, after things had been mostly settled. “—I was all he had, really. His job, the house, and me. I thought I’d just sell the house, but …” There was the practical; it likely wouldn’t go for as much as it could, in its current state. Jason had done much in high school, in those years before the band made it, but his attentions had been focused on practical, not aesthetic. His father had redone the master bath a few years back, but the other bathrooms, the kitchen, even the floor plan; it needed work, the real estate agent had told him. The curb appeal was lacking. There was no need for Jason to do any of this personally, however. He could’ve hired a contractor, overseen it all from LA. Instead … “I’m guess I’m just not ready. For all it’s hard to actually be there.”

-

“I hadn’t heard about your dad,” Oliver murmured softly, his tone steeped in sympathy. He didn’t know how he would, really--he and Jason weren’t friends, even on social media, and he didn’t particularly keep abreast on every loss that Eureka sustained. Still, he felt an ache of sadness, intimately familiar with the sensation of loss. “I’m very sorry,” he continued, though he knew it likely didn’t mean much. “For what it’s worth, I--I think it’s probably a good idea you did something for yourself right now. The time period after you lose someone, it’s...” He shook his head once, as if he still couldn’t believe the way it all worked, the machinations of grief. “Everything moves so quickly and then...somehow, not at all at the same time.” He gave Jason a soft smile: a show of solidarity, a tacit display of understanding. To lose a parent was a lot different than losing a sister, but a loss was a loss in that it was irreparable. Oliver gestured to the stool beside him. “You’re welcome to sit. I’m just half-assing trying to sober up a bit.”

[oliver-reid]

alessia-zabini​:

Slumping down on a recently vacated bar stool at the most remote bar she could find at this venue, Alessia let out a sigh of relief. It wasn’t like the charity speed dating event, and the small talk weren’t nice and fun - especially Dani had been a good distraction during a good portion of the evening - but she needed a breather from all the schmoozing, before she lost the last shreds of her good education  and self-restraint, and started rolling her eyes at most of the comments thrown her way this evening. “Honestly? None at all,“ she replied with an easy smile. The comment had come out of nowhere, and it was probably the first in a long line of conversational topics that had her truly amused. “But I will mind you, and say that if you were to order, please tell me, so I can include an order for Ale, too.” She pointed at herself, as if to say that it was for her. “I don’t know about you, but those hors d’oeuvres really don’t fill you up any.” Hangry wasn’t a real word, but it was the closest she could come up with for what she was feeling at the moment. “What were you thinking of ordering, handsome stranger?”

-

Oliver blanched, both surprised and charmed by the woman’s candor. He huffed out a laugh. “Uh...I’m thinking Mexican, but that depends on how late they’re open,” he confessed. In reality, it didn’t matter, much; he’d drank enough that having something to eat relatively soon would be a necessity unless he was looking to have a monstrous hangover, and his body couldn’t quite withstand those the way they once had when binge drinking was somewhat of a sport to him. He hadn’t been paying much attention to how much he’d had, though, too swept away in dodging Russ’ gaze, in an artful avoidance of eye contact. He tried to push the thought away, now. “I’ll let you know what I come up with and we can figure out logistics,” he said with a grin, though he found himself seriously considering the notion more now that he might have a partner in crime. He let a friendly silence fall over the two of them for a moment or two, but not long enough to imbue the space with awkwardness; he wasn’t great at small talk, buzzed or not, but figured a valiant attempt at it was only appropriate. “Having a good evening, I hope?

[oliver-reid]

jasonmaddox​:

“It’s remarkable how many things are that simple,” Jason mused, nodding as he considered the prospect. “Especially when best friends are involved.” His father had been rather more lax than most when he was growing up, unable to play a strict parental role when he was absent, working, so much of the time, but still, Jason had heard that old cliché, if your friends jumped off a cliff … more than once. He’d always thought it was stupid; if his friends jumped off a cliff, they wouldn’t even have to ask him to follow, he’d be right on their heels, not wanting to miss a second of the adventure. Strange to think he was the only one back in Eureka, now. He was probably, definitely, missing things in LA, but still, he remained. “Oh, no,” he answered swiftly. “No date. Not tonight, not—” he broke off; this was much too strong a reaction, he realized, for what had to be the gimme question. Gentler, he clarified, “I’m single, and I’m not looking to change that, but there is only so much sitting around an empty house one can do before sledgehammers start to look appealing. And nobody likes when the neighbors do construction after five o’clock, especially not on the weekend.”

-

Oliver’s head tilted slightly, involuntarily, as he found himself intrigued with the information the other man offered him. A trait he was abashed to admit he’d inherited from his mother was his general innate desire to know things about people, a nosiness that carried him and, in fact, bolstered his current career, and he couldn’t help but wonder what exactly Jason Maddox was up to in Eureka an empty house. The last he’d heard... “I thought you’d left town. The...the band, right? That was you and your buddies?” Oliver didn't ever know a great deal about the local music scene, but when you attend high school with a famous person, it’s unavoidable that you become acquainted with happenings you otherwise may not have been privy to; Jason Maddox fronting a band was something of a novelty back in high school (at least in Oliver’s opinion), but Oliver was genuinely surprised to eventually learn that they’d garnered a respectable amount of success. “Congratulations, by the way, on that. You’re living the dream.” Not Oliver’s, really, but surely many other people’s. 

[oliver-reid]

Eureka Yacht Club → @mari-russo

The thing about any social event that generally happened in Eureka was that it was practically an unavoidable truth that you were going to run into people you knew. The town was just small enough that in ensured that you could seldom go more than a week without a chance encounter, and it was something Oliver had always hated about it, despite its’ other charms. He’d seen several clients’ parents, a smattering of people he’d gone to high school with, and, unsurprisingly, his own mother and father, with whom he’d been ensnared in a rather lengthy but ultimately meaningless conversation. The moment he spotted an out, he hurriedly took it, lying to say that he needed to go say hello to someone and crossing the room with ease to get as far away from his parents as possible. It wasn’t a lie, per se, but he wouldn’t consider his neighbor to be the most pressing priority of the evening--not that she wasn’t lovely. “Mari,” he said warmly by way of a hello. “In the interest of full disclosure I’m going to be very transparent: I need a favor.” Before she could decline, Oliver quickly added, “Nothing major. I just...need you to stand here and pretend that we’re having a very important conversation for about two minutes.”

[oliver-reid]

jasonmaddox​:

“Oliver Reid,” Jason repeated, smiling a little that he’d remembered. It was one of the things he prided himself on, remembering names, remembering faces. Remembering people, really. “You sat by the door.” He’d sat one seat in, because that was where he always sat; even when his three best friends weren’t in the same class. “But, yeah. Jason Maddox, that’s me.” It seemed only fair to add his surname, as Oliver had. He noticed the glass in Oliver’s hand, and gestured to the bartender, quickly requesting a water of his own. It had been a telling choice, in a room full of champagne drinkers; clearly he wasn’t the only one feeling slightly less than festive, the only one trying to sober up, just a little. “What brought you out tonight?”

-

Oliver huffed in amusement, shaking his head. “Honestly, I’m not...even really sure,” he admitted. “My best friend told me to come, so I did. I guess it’s as simple as that, really.” There was little he wouldn’t do for Sara Bennett, although there was obviously more to his intention than simply appeasing her when he chose to venture out this evening. Seeing Russ had been one thing; the ordeal that was their interaction, however, an entirely different beast. Oliver struggled to refocus, and he took a sip of his water while he let his mind clear a bit.  “What about you? Get dragged out by a date?” 

[oliver-reid]

russell-davis​:

Russell could hardly stand being in Oliver’s presence, not when they’d once been so intimate, so comfortable in one another’s presence. But he’d still approached him, prepared to wreak havoc on both of their hearts with just one unwarranted conversation. “It isn’t.” Russ agreed softly, hands shoving themselves into his pockets. “I made a lot of mistakes. I made a lot of shitty choices and hurting you and then letting you go were the biggest of them. But I did tell Simon. About us. And I know it’s too little, too late. But I just can’t…” Russ let out a broken sigh. “I wish I knew the right words to fix this. I just don’t think anything adequate exists.”

-

Oliver cast a sidelong glance toward Russ, then, the full weight of his anger hitting him like a freight train. He bit the inside of his cheek as he ruminated on Russ’ words for a moment, mulling over them in his head, forcing himself to maintain a sense of calm. “You don’t want to fix this,” Oliver murmured darkly, his tone accusatory. “You wanted this to happen. You wanted this to end. It’s easier, for you, that this ended. You bolted at the first sign of an exit, Russ. And I understand that. I’m not stupid. I’m a great many things, but I’m not stupid.” He reached for his glass, taking a sip of his drink, and shook his head as he swallowed. “You came over here to tell me how bad you feel because you want me to validate that. You want me to tell you it’s okay. And it is, Russ. It’s fine. Everything is fine. You have my forgiveness--though you’ve never once asked me for it--and it’s okay. But I can’t keep doing this with you. I won’t keep doing this with you.”

[oliver-reid]

jasonmaddox​:

@oliver-reid.

location. Eureka Yacht Club

Jason knew that it had been a mistake to drive himself to an Valentine’s event where there would be an abundance of champagne ( not to mention the other alcoholic options ). Despite knowing it was a mistake, he’d done it anyway, and now he was debating whether it was worth getting a rideshare home and returning for the pickup in the morning, or whether he could wait long enough to sober up. It was a tough call, because it seemed the couples were growing more affectionate as the evening wore on; that, and anyone who’d shown up alone was more eager than ever for companionship. He was watching the thinning crowds, though, when he noticed a familiar face amongst them. Not exactly a surprise, given he’d grown up in town. But what was a surprise was he couldn’t place the other man, not at first. But as his gaze kept flicking back, pieces began to fall into place, and eventually Jason had to walk over, “I know you. Right? We went to high school together. You’re … Oliver?”

-

Oliver was buzzed. Not embarrassingly so--his anxiety prohibited him from ever truly getting into a situation where he couldn’t keep his wits about him--but enough that he had resigned himself to the fact that he’d be doing little else other than sitting for a few more minutes until he conjured up the motivation and energy to call an Uber. His run in with Russ had left a sour taste in his mouth, and his tongue was thick with unsaid words; still, he found he wasn’t longing to redo the interaction. As far as Russ went, what was done between them, as always, was done. What could be, Oliver supposed, no longer mattered. The thought made him want another drink. Thinking better of it, though, he simply requested a water, waiting patiently and in silence--until someone broke it. The gears in Oliver’s mind shifted so as to allow him to be a presentable human being, and he turned, feigning genuine interest--until he saw who’d approached him. They did know each other, in whatever tangential way sitting next to each other in study hall in high school granted knowledge of another person. He gave a single nod, bemused. “Oliver Reid,” he offered. “Mrs. Pulaski’s study hall. Jason, right?” He asked politely, though he knew his memory served him correctly.

[oliver-reid]

russell-davis​:

When it came to Oliver, Russell was finally confronted with the concept of his own humanity, despite how desperately he’d attempted to separate himself from it. He wanted to be careless, no longer concerned with the feelings of others, outside of a very select few. When he’d first gotten into bed with Oliver, love had been the furthest thing from Russ’s mind. The crux of it all was that he loved Oliver, and Russ had absolutely no idea how he could possibly mend this particular fence. “Thanks.” He looked down at himself, knowing he’d spent more than he should have on an outfit just for the simple fact that Oliver might like it. God, he felt so foolish. And foolishness was not a feeling Russ was accustomed to in the slightest. “I think you know the answer to that.” He replied softly, soulful gaze now settling on Oliver. “I miss you, Ollie.”

-

The words might as well have been a knife, the way they pierced him, and Oliver wondered if Russ felt any remorse. He felt himself grow hotter, an annoyance prickling within him. It was irresponsible of Russ to say something so casually intimate, as if either of them had a right to such sentiments now. Oliver had entered into whatever agreement he and Russ shared knowing that he’d one day lose him. He’d not been surprised when that loss had finally come, though he still stood grieving it. He wondered if Russ could ever be aware of that fact--if maybe that’s why he’d decided to tell Oliver the exact thing Oliver had long thought he wanted to hear. He swallowed thickly. “I don’t think that’s an appropriate thing for you to say,” he finally murmured, his eyes intent on his drink, on his hand, on the bar top--on anything but Russ.“And I think that you know that.”

[oliver-reid]

russell-davis​:

CLOSED START FOR: @oliver-reid​

Russell wasn’t quite sure what was compelling him to approach Oliver — but it could be easily blamed on the liquid courage. What exactly did you say to the man whose heart you unceremoniously broke? That it was better this way? Oliver could have a life with someone, but not with Russ. He was too much of a coward still, too selfish even if his cowardice was set aside. Russell was built to live his life alone, and he’d come to accept that. Loneliness was a part of the human condition, and that was that. “I just… Wanted to say hi before I left.” He spoke softly, gaze avoidant of Oliver’s. “You cleaned up very nice.”

-

Oliver was not a prideful man, nor was he by any means self-aggrandizing. It didn’t particularly suit his nature as someone who still largely battled the idea that he was an inconvenience at best to those that knew him. Still, he found that when it came to Russell Davis, he was better off pretending to have some semblance of dignity, and he’d remained as far away from the man as the yacht club had allowed him--which wasn’t, as it always seemed, very far at all. Still, he’d expected them to continue this dance of theirs the entire evening, not anticipating Russ would break form. Oliver set his glass down on the bar top, his jaw clenching as Russ spoke. His heart thrummed madly within his chest, and he thought of a million things to say at once, all tinted with either indignance or heartbreak or some mix of the two. When it came time for him to actually speak, however, he couldn’t muster the courage to articulate anything other than a meager, “Thank you.” He cleared his throat. “You have, as well.” This was true, though Oliver wasn’t particularly thrilled about having to confront the idea. “Did you have a good evening, at least?”

[oliver-reid]

Eureka Yacht Club → @alessia-zabini​

From the moment he’d stepped foot inside the yacht club, Oliver had regretted his decision to come. For all of his sentimentality, he wasn’t ever particularly fond of the concept of Valentine’s Day, and even less so when his own romantic life was still somewhat of a nightmare, a blur of regret and heartbreak he wasn’t keen on attempting to make sense of at present. So h sat at the bar most of the evening, foregoing the ever-flowing champagne in favor of his tried and true bourbon, feeling awkward and useless and increasingly hungry. A woman came to sat beside him just as he reached into his pocket to ascertain the hours of El Huerto Secreto, and he gave her a polite smile as she glanced to him. “Trying to figure out how much judgment I’d get for ordering UberEats,” he offered, lifting his phone just slightly in display. “Don’t mind me.”