heavyhitter | IC CONTACT (futuro & prisma)

I'll be there soon!

[ it takes her a little over five minutes, mostly because she hadn't actually gotten out of bed yet. her hair is tamed at this point, at least, though she wears little more than the pajama shorts gifted by haise, and one of those godawful sweaters. ]

Ramir? [ she knocks on the door, saffron yawning loudly at her side. ]

[ The door pops open in a second to Ramir similarly lazily dressed, in just a tanktop and underwear. It's like a morning slumber party, right? Definitely. Pepper darts out immediately past her, to take up sniffing at Saffron's legs. ]

Hey! [ Are you ready for this hug, Olivia, because here it comes. It's a combo hug-and-pull-into-room, because Ramir wastes no time. ] My phone says it's like three days from Christmas, so merry almost-Christmas!

—Oh!

[ olivia can do nothing more than stumble into ramir's bear hug, tripping over her own feet as she's pulled in. saffron blinks at the display rather lazily, but seems to perk up when he spots a familiar feline. he makes a low, chirping sound more similar to his times as a younger cub, and rises onto his feet to playfully bat at the fat tabby. ]

D-Don't stray too far, [ she says to the felines, who have already begun to forget humans exist tbh. she turns to ramir then, lifting her arms to return the hug properly. ]

Merry almost-Christmas to you too, Ramir! Thank you for having me over...

[ She bumps the door closed behind them with her hip, and inside the scene inside is a moderately tidy room, nothing too remarkable — plus a pink cake with white frosting set inside a lidded cake stand, and a small wrapped parcel at its base. Ramir points at them as she frees Olivia from the hug. ]

That's yours, also I wanna hear all about this date.

[ sorry ramir all attempts at girl talk must be put ON HOLD for an indeterminate amount of time, as olivia's mind manages to catch up with ramir enough for her to understand the gesture.

her gasp is sharp, hands flying up to cover her mouth. ]

R-Ramir... really? [ literally only olivia would be surprised by this, given ramir's complete lack of subtlety. ] Oh my gosh, you shouldn't have...!

[ is she crying? she's totally crying. ]

[ Okay, so, Ramir used to think she cried pretty easily, but she doesn't think she's ever cried about a cake. (Not yet, anyway.) Olivia might win this one. Her eyebrows pop up, then a laugh bursts out as she slings an arm around her shoulders. ]

Oh my god, look at you! It's just a cake. [ She uses that slung arm to nudge her forward. ] Fine, date stuff in a second, wanna have cake for breakfast?

[ ramir she canonically cried over a lone strawberry on a plate ok i think you may have to give up that mantle

but at the nudge, olivia can only stumble forward, her lower lip quivering as big, wet eyes turn towards the taller woman. ]

B-Breakfast? [ it's more of a "how can i possibly eat such a BEAUTIFUL and MEANINGFUL GIFT" and less a "god what time of the day is it have i eaten at all today" kind of question... so. progress! ]

Ramir — really... thank you so much. I don't even know what to say...

[ Check out this forethought: She thought to grab plates and forks and a knife for cutting. God, she's on fire today. She pulls them out, but first turns a smile on Olivia. It's not one of her usual lazy grins, it's something much warmer. ]

You saved Sigma's life, right? Back on Zeta-12. A belated cake is kind of the least you deserve, if you ask me.

[ olivia falters a bit at that, thrown by both the warm expression...

and how much it hurt to look directly at it.

rather hastily, she has to glance away. ]

...I suppose I did, yes. [ she smiles a little, too, recalling how worried he'd been in that moment, threatened with the possibility of never seeing ramir again. ] But I only did what anyone else would in that moment.

Hey, hey —

[ She ducks around, looking to snag both of Olivia's hands in hers even as she dips to catch that wayward gaze again with hers. ]

Don't dismiss that shit, alright? There's people out there that might've wanted to help but couldn't, and some who wouldn't even give a shit. [ And she may not have seen the extent of the damage at its worst, but she sure saw the scars it left. She has an idea of how bad things were. She gives those hands a squeeze. ] He probably would've died without you there — thanks, Olivia.

[ she does meet ramir's gaze eventually. but only briefly.

still, at least her smile is a bit more genuine, a little less pained. and the squeeze she gives ramir's hands in turn is firm. ]

You're welcome, [ she finally concedes, even if her voice is quiet. there is a brief moment of hesitation before&mdsah; ]

He was very determined to get back to you... It'd be a lie to say it was all me.

Yeah, maybe, but determination only get anyone so far.

[ Her smile warms again, and she leans in for two quick kisses, one on either of Olivia's cheeks. ]

Anyway, point is, I owe you more than a couple presents. Literally anything you need, even if you think I'm not the right person to help — just ask. I'll find a way.

I'll — keep that in mind, [ she says around a strained smile, mostly because she isn't really the kind of person to think of asking for favors in the first place. it's the best she can promise ramir, at least.

she turns towards the cake then, perhaps a bit too eager for something else to focus on. ]

I didn't know you baked...

Yeah, I bet there's plenty of shit you don't know about me.

[ Because that sounds way better than "I didn't until I started on this thing", much more confidence-inspiring. Before the cake, though, she reaches for that wrapped parcel, holding it out. It's a lovely red and gold affair, with a pretty bow and everything. (She stole the bow from one of North's gifts to them, don't be too impressed.) ]

Hang on, open this one first.

[ And inside is a pair of golden bracklets wrapped up in a handwoven cool teal, sheer scarf, both from Perdition's Rest. ]

[ she's distracted from saying something too cheesy like i'd like to when ramir hands her the gift. she looks just as surprised by it as she had the cake, tbh, and as her fingers pass through the delicate material, her eyes start to water again. ]

Oh... Ramir — th-they're lovely... [ the urge to deny the need for them is strong, feeling too overwhelmed by ALL THE NICE THINGS SUDDENLY BEING THROWN AT HER HOW IS SHE SUPPOSED TO HANDLE ALL THIS but fortunately she takes heed to ramir's earlier words and quells the urge down, not wishing to be rude.

her own gift for the woman is sadly not quite ready yet, but it will be. soon. ]

Thank you so much...

Yeah, no problem.

[ Is she crying again? That's delightful, there's no wondering if Olivia actually liked the stuff or not. Ramir's still smiling, pleased, when she finally turns back to the cake, and makes quick work with the knife to carve out two pieces for them. Holding out one on a plate for her: ]

Okay, here you go. Breakfast. It's strawberry flavored, and I don't think that's a fruit? But I wasn't gonna make fucking fruitcake, so it's the best I could do.

I'm sure it's delicious, [ she insists, before she even lifts the fork to her mouth. but once she does, her lips split into a wide, appreciative grin, followed closely by that distinctive mmmm! of someone quite pleased. ]

Oh, Ramir, it's amazing!

[ she's never had something so sweet for breakfast before... but exceptions can definitely be made. ]

[ Ramir looks a little delighted by the prognosis — although she's pretty sure Olivia would say that regardless of how it tasted. Still! It's nice to hear. She pulls up her own plate and nudges out one of the chairs from the little table with a foot, for Olivia. ]

Nice. Turns out it's kinda fucking hard to figure out 'cake' without the internet, but... [ Around a mouthful: ] Yeah, that's not bad.

[ She takes a seat herself at the other chair, but digs in with slightly less gusto than she might usually, mostly so she can glance up with her question: ] Also, hey, I meant to ask — how're things going?

[ In the Achilles department, she means, but she'll start general and narrow it down from there. ]

[ olivia's fork hesitates over another bite of cake, and her entire body seems to freeze in that moment. how are things going. it is an innocent enough question, general as general can be, but there is a tone to her voice and a look that olivia will know will be there as soon as she looks up from her lap — both things her heart is too weak to endure.

she knows what ramir must mean. knows it as well as she knows of the woman's friendship with achilles, something she does not begrudge anyone for, but it is nonetheless a fact that glares whenever he is brought up. a quiet reminder to censor herself. the last thing she wants to do is complicate other relationships. ]

Fine, [ she says, in a way that makes it obvious her lie, but with a quiet sort of finality that insists ramir believe her anyway. she scrambles for any other bit of news to speak about. ]

I was — able to speak with Mr. Llyod from Human Resources... He thinks there may be a good chance I'll be able to send a letter to the two Qorral I had helped heal.

[ Well, that's a hell of a shutdown of an answer, Ramir would have to be an idiot not to see that. Unfortunately for Olivia, Ramir doesn't tend to let answers like that go. ]

Okay, hang on, "fine" is always a lie.

[ She speaks around a mouthful, and points the fork at Olivia for emphasis. ]

Plus, why would you be? You guys really had a thing going. [ She leans in a little closer, face and tone dropping a few notches more sympathetic. ] I wanna make sure you're doing alright. As alright as you can be, anyway.

[ olivia shrinks back under the emphasizing fork, hastily setting her own down on her plate, her appetite now long forgotten. fine was definitely a lie, but she thinks, maybe, before the ball, she had gotten pretty damn close to it...

what can she even say? what good will it do to tell the truth now? at best, ramir will get upset for someone's behalf, and cause herself unnecessary stresses; at worst, olivia could very well ruin a friendship...

right now, it's not really too clear to her whose. ]

I should go, [ she says instead of any real answer, moving now back to her feet, setting the plate aside on the table. ]

Thank you for breakfast, Ramir, it was really very nice of you—

[ Oh, shit. This wasn't how she'd wanted thinks going. She hastily hops to her feet to follow suit, abandoning her own plate and fork. ]

Wait, hang on — I don't wanna chase you away. I'm not gonna make you talk about it if you don't wanna, alright? I didn't call you over for an interrogation. [ She nods down at Olivia's plate, face falling a little. ] And you didn't even finish. I know it's a shitty breakfast, but you can pretend the strawberries in it are healthy.

You know it's not about that, [ comes olivia's surprisingly sharp response, her own expression tightening briefly as she meets ramir's eyes. for a moment, she doesn't do much but that, but in the next, she is glancing away once more, the fight leaving her tone and shoulders.

slowly, she lowers herself back down to her seat, quietly reaching for her plate once more. ]

I'm sorry, Ramir, but it's just for the best we don't discuss him.

[ That sharp response gets a quick little flash of a smile, but then they're back to the actual stuff at hand, and Ramir drops it again. She sinks back into her seat too, sitting a little less easily than she was a second ago. ]

Hey, that's fine. We can talk about whatever you wanna, I promise.

[ and yet, olivia cannot help but feel the guilt well up inside her. here ramir was, trying to do something nice for her, just showing concern, and olivia can't even grant her a happy smile... no matter how fake it is.

she wonders if she will ever stop feeling like such a black hole of merriment. ]

I'm sorry for ruining breakfast... [ she sniffles loudly, reaching up to finally wipe at her cheeks and eyes with her sleeve. ]

IC CONTACT (futuro & prisma)

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