( closed )

[winces]

CHARACTERS: olivia and keats

DATE: backdated to january 30

WARNINGS: losers being losers

SUMMARY: in an attempt to appeal to the unaffiliated goblins' good sides, olivia is sent on a number of random tasks... keats is around because olivia shouldn't be allowed to do things herself tbh

[ three rabbits and eight sparrows. it wasn't too bad, all things considered. it's certainly more reasonable (and less questionable) than what the humans had requested for, a fair number of which olivia cannot, in good conscience, reiterate, no matter how much keats questions her about it. it's embarrassing, is all she gives him, and while it was certainly that, it was much more uncomfortable than anything else. but he doesn't really need to know that. nobody does. ]

I don't really have the supplies to make any rabbit traps, [ she explains as they venture further out into the woods, her tone and smile apologetic. she hadn't meant to waste quite so much of keats' time, after all... ] So I'll have to do it the harder way.

[ ??? what does that even mean. ]

Are you sure you don't want to go back...? You don't really have to accompany me anymore.

[ she'd asked him as a favor when confronting the goblins, after all. surprisingly (or perhaps not so surprisingly) enough, they'd all been quite amiable. ]

Comments

[headlining]

[Now it's his turn to look befuddled.]

Have you seen yourself? Of course you do!

[winces]

[ what does that even mean?! ]

A-Are you saying that I look like an animal? That they think of me as one of their kind?!

[headlining]

W-what? No! No, I meant- ugh, you look, I don't know, innocent? Appealing? Like you could just go up to some animals and they'd like you instantly?

...You get what I mean, right? [HE'S CALLING YOU A DISNEY PRINCESS, OLIVIA]

[winces]

[ she squints at him for a very long time, as if trying to determine whether or not he's actually trying to insult her right now. ]

I.... guess?? [ she huffs a little though. ] What do you mean I look "innocent," though?

[headlining]

Like you could do no wrong. [He can feel his ears already start to burn from sheer embarrassment.] That's usually what "innocent" means.

[winces]

[ for whatever reason, olivia feels mightily Insulted by this insinuation. she puffs up a little more, drawing herself to her full height (which still doesn't do much, compared to all of his six feet) and glares at him. ]

I can too do all sorts of wrong! I do wrong all the time!

[headlining]

[He can't help it - she looks so silly glaring at him that he can't resist the urge to let out a short, amused laugh.]

Ha, you? Don't make me laugh! [YOU ALREADY DID, KEATS?] I bet you couldn't even take candy from a baby without feeling guilty about it.

[winces]

[ ack, olivia actually does feel guilty about it already... and all she's done is think about it! ]

Th-That's not the point! Who would steal candy from a baby? It's a baby!

B-But I've... I've totally lied to a vendor before, and conned him into letting me pay half of the price of his produce!

[headlining]

It's the easiest things one could do! Goodness, look at you getting worked up over it already.

[He looks so incredibly amused by this - oh, Olivia, who are you trying to fool?]

Is that so? [He places a hand on his chest, his tone mocking.] My, they should really put you among murderers and criminals and ne'er-do wells, I can't see how anyone would forgive you for doing a little haggling.

[winces]

[ this is not helping!! olivia doesn't even know why she's so intent on making this point — perhaps it has a little (or everything) to do with the fact that he seems to find it so amusing that she's this naive, innocent thing. she doesn't want to amuse him! she wants to impress him!

she stamps her foot a little... which doesn't really help her case. ]

L-Look it's worse than it sounds, okay...!

[headlining]

Right, right.

[He says, ever so disbelieving. But he seems to pull back on his amusement, giving her a somewhat more serious look (though his eyes still glint, mischievously).]

Really, Olivia, don't try to be something you aren't. Just don't.

[winces]

[ she pouts, looking genuinely upset now as she stairs at her feet. ]

Why shouldn't I? [ her voice is small, sullen. ] Anything's better than the me I actually am.

[headlining]

[He stops.]

[He actually stops walking, moving in front and turning to face her. The delight he was showing is gone, replaced by a stern expression.]

Hey. What do you mean? [He says, voice low, quiet. There's nothing to laugh at here.] Why would you say that?

stairs at her feet??? brain pls... *stares

[winces]

[ her feet stutter to a stop when he suddenly blocks her path, but she doesn't glance up from the ground. she just sighs. ]

Don't sound so surprised... We all know I'm dead weight around here.

i warned you about stairs, bro

[headlining]

[He really can't believe what he's hearing. He stares for a moment, eyes hidden behind the abnormal sheen of his glasses, before he suddenly reaches forward, grasping her by the shoulder.]

You... [He gives her a slight shake, as if to wake her up out of whatever depressing reverie she's gotten into.] Are talking absolute nonsense, you know that? What's gotten into you?

not well enough bro

[winces]

[ she makes a brief, startled sound when she's suddenly grabbed and shaken, the gesture so surprising she finally glances back up if only to give him a mildly incredulous look. ]

What— nothing. [ she reaches up, trying to shove his hand off, but admittedly there is no real strength behind the movement. ]

This isn't news, Mr. Keats. This world is in chaos and — what am I doing? [ she makes a brief, frustrated gesture to their surroundings. ] Hunting for bunnies and sparrows! [ a heavy sigh. ] And I can't even do that well.

[headlining]

We haven't even started yet, and you're already predicting failure? My, Olivia, and I thought I was the cynical one between the both of us.

[But he's surprised, he honestly is, based on the way his eyebrows go upward - this isn't some rare bout of low self esteem. How long has she been dealing with this?]

[He doesn't let his hand go.]

Look, you can't just judge yourself like this over a few mistakes. Nobody's expecting you to single-handedly save the world, here. If that were true, then ALASTAIR wouldn't have dragged so many people into their schemes. They're not expecting one person to save the day, and neither should you.

[winces]

[ she doesn't quite roll her eyes, but there is a certain look in the way they slide back down to the side that seems to give off that impression anyway. beneath his hand, he'll feel the way her shoulders slump and deflate. ]

That's easy for you to say, [ she murmurs. later, she'll feel rather guilty about this — she normally isn't so bitter and petulant. at least not out loud. ] You can actually do something...

[headlining]

Me?

[He actually seems confused by that observation. There's a pause, and then he speaks again, his eyes never leaving her face.]

Look, Olivia. You can't judge what you have against what someone else has. It's like, uh, comparing apples to oranges. An apple may never be an orange, and vice versa, but together they help to make a good fruit basket, right?

[He sighs.] We all have our own strengths, right? And we also have our weaknesses. Sure, maybe I can do something you don't. But the opposite rings true, too. You can do things I'd never dream of doing.

[winces]

[ her lips purse a little, almost as if in a patient manner, quelling a wry smile. ]

I can't exactly dance my way out of this, [ she points out. ]

[headlining]

[There's a pause, and he lets out a quiet laugh - it's obvious by the look on his face that he is not laughing at her, but at the mental image her statement has made.]

No, I don't think you can. But you have qualities that I never will. I mean, look at me: do you think I could charm the socks off of anyone with my attitude? I mean, I'm not stupid - people just don't like me. It's just a fact of life.

[winces]

[ she frowns at him a little, looking mildly put off by the frankness of his own self-assessment. ]

I like you.

[ said just as frankly, as if to prove him wrong. she likes you quite a lot, keats! so... take that! ]

[headlining]

[He laughs again, a hint of surprise in his expression.]

Ha, do you? [He cocks his head, smiling wide.] Well, then, you are certainly an exception to the norm.

[winces]

[ she blinks for a second, not entirely sure what to make of a response like that. it sounds almost like a compliment... but also almost like an insult?

is he just messing with her??

puffing up a little, she reaches over and pokes him squarely in the chest. ]

I'm serious! You better believe me! I like you a lot!!

[headlining]

[At this point, the mischievous glint is back in his eyes, and it only gets brighter when she pokes him in the chest - it's a side of him that doesn't get to show very often, and it's obvious the way she huffs and puffs is enough to make him incredibly amused.]

That so? How much do you like me, then? I mean, the word "like" is rather subjective. I should know, being a writer and all.