oliverxsutton

[oliverxsutton]

“I’m glad you like it,” Oliver’s smile grew at the compliment. “I think I’ll keep it for a bit, until it grows out. Maybe longer.” While he didn’t quite exude the same confidence as his boyfriend, he felt a bit more confident around him. Maybe Nicki was rubbing off on him, and that was a good thing for them both. They suited one another. He was learning that as time went on.

He hummed. “But you have to admit… she was onto something,” Oliver said with a slight shrug. He ordered the chicken Parmesan for himself before helping himself to just a bit more wine. (He promised Nicki he’d be careful.) “So you may have mentioned it,” he said with a grin. “I am very excited to see it. It looks very cute and fun,” he nodded. He lifted up his glass in toast. “Cheers. Happy birthday, my love,”

As if on cue, Oliver's cheeks brightened. Nicki couldn't help but laugh and reach over the table to brush some strands of Oliver's hair off his forehead. "It almost reminds me of the late 90s. My tween years. Crushing on anyone with those blonde tips. On Nsync." He smirked. "Mariah Carey." They were sweet memories. Nostalgic. He felt more like that hopelessly romantic boy everyday.

"I think," Nicki stole a kiss from Oliver's cheeks when he was close, "that her and that overgrown rat are much too smug." He could almost see the smile Oliver tried to hide, read the humor off the bright look in his eyes. "I love you too. And we'd have gotten here threats or not." He placed his order (Penne Vodka) before snatching up his wine again. "Did you know the show tonight won Best Musical at the Tonys?"

[oliverxsutton]

“Spending it mostly inside, which my job typically calls for,” Oliver said. “The back corners of the library don’t bring in much outside light,” he chuckled and took another sip of his tea. “I actually don’t mind the errands so much,” he said. “Gets me up and going,”

Zeke shakes his head at the apology, confused, it wasn't necessary in his opinion. He doesn't speak on his confusion though, merely listens to Oliver speak before following it up with a question. "What constitutes as 'wasting' a beautiful day away to you? Running errands? Or being inside?"

[oliverxsutton]

“It certainly does,” Oliver nodded with a smile. He gestured for her to follow him, pushing the glasses up his nose as he led her to the next section. “I believe it is. All we’ve to do is hop across the pond to get here,” he grinned a bit. “Well, in that case, welcome to town,” he said. “I’ve just been here for about a year now and it’s been a great time so far,” he said, pulling the book she had referenced.

"Takes one to know one right," she grinned. Her smiled only widened as he said that he may have it, "if you do I will be very impressed." Her eyebrows knitted at his comment, "is it a thing?" she asked, wondering how many other brits were wandering around. "I have shown up out of the blue I guess, long story but basically retired from sport and wanted to get out of London, so now I'm here, which is maybe further than I needed to go but nevermind."

[oliverxsutton]

Oliver blushed deeply, all of a sudden when Nicki complimented him. He couldn’t help but feel a little shy again. And he still couldn’t easily take a compliment, even from his boyfriend. The highlights were a choice, he had gone to get a trim and had mentioned he wanted to try something new and different, and that was the suggestion. And it worked. “Me too,” he exhaled. He sat back as his glass was filled and then took a small sip to start.

“Uppity,” Oliver repeated the word, holding back his smile and trying not to break. He could see that. But he was more amused than anything at the suggestion of Nicki being called out for being uppity. They had both in a low spot, spending time apart. “I am thinking that the threats worked, because you’re here with me now,” he said. “I love you,” he leaned over the table a bit, pecking his lips. “Even how uppity Mandy thinks you are. Worked in my favor,” he smirked. The waiter arrived and took their orders, and Oliver gave his before nodding at Nicki.

"Good, because it suits you. The confidence," his gaze trailed upward, "the highlights." He was still in a state of having to remind himself of them. Whenever they were apart (the arduous hours of work or chores) he'd forget and, when they came back together, he was walloped all over again by how well the blonde complimented Oliver. It just screamed summer. "I look forward to the refining," he said, sitting a little straighter and flourishing as he placed a napkin on his lap.

The wine came by soon after, and Nicki put his menu aside. They hadn't talked much about the long weeks in May. In part, because Nicki still felt a shard of guilt in his chest over everything that had happened. He'd been stubborn and ignorant. He took a sip of his wine before shaking his head. "She called me uppity," he said. Which might be a fair observation, but he fully expected his boyfriend to defend him. "She threatened to kick my ass if I didn't get over there. I have receipts."

[oliverxsutton]

Oliver smiled, picking up on the other’s accent as well. He chuckled and nodded. “Ah, so you’ve noticed,” he said. “I think we may have what you’re looking for. I just need to check what we have currently on the shelf.” The name sounded familiar. “Are you one of us few Brits showing up in town out of the blue?” He joked, remembering the first time he had formally met Nicki, and he felt like how he stood out when he spoke.

Isabel was on the hunt for a hobby and reading seemed like a good idea so she'd headed to the library in a bid to be more eco-friendly. She heard a voice and instantly turned, especially intrigued by the fact that the voice had an English accent mixed within it. "Hey, it's going okay," she said with a smile, "do I hear an English accent?" she questioned. "Yes, I was looking for Steph Houghton's autobiography 'Lead from the Back' but it's just hit me that it's probably not stocked in small American libraries..."

[oliverxsutton]

That’s understandable. You’ve got lots to talk about, don’t you? Sometimes it can hit pretty hard. Oh, I don’t know if I could handle that part of it. As someone who is obsessed with his dog, I feel like I would just be wanting to go out there instead and find a dog who is lost! That’s about right yes. And I have. I’ve gone through my options and I think I’ve got something ready to go. How about you?

My job feels like a job most days, especially on the hard news days. However, I'll say that most days, I enjoy it. Especially if the news for the day is about like.. someone's runaway dog showing back up a hundred miles away and we got the reunion scoop, front row. So it just got dumped on you in hopes that you would be more of a team player, or something? Have you got a look figured out yet for the gala?

[oliverxsutton]

That is true. And it is just a small part of it. It does! Sometimes life does us a few favors and it makes sense. Oh yes, it is. Sometimes I see the parents around town too, and that’s a fun conversation. It really does depend on the day and how things are going during class, so I like to think of it that way. That is good! So far, so good. I’ve got something sort of put together. Me too! It'll be a fun one. And on a boat? I think that was a good choice, especially for end of summer.

You don't have anything to be scared of! At least in regards to teaching. Life throws plenty of other things to be scared of at us when we're not looking, but that's besides the point. That's very sweet! At least there are some that aren't afraid to come and say hello to you, though. Better than them all being a little worried. Me too, I'd do that little shy wave if I liked them, and if I didn't... actually, there weren't many teachers that I didn't like. Thankfully. That's good! You're off to a good start, color is key. And yes, I can't wait to see what looks everyone pulls together!

[oliverxsutton]

Yes! So it’s nice to see them again, if not every year then every other year if I can. So there’s always something to do, which is a plus. I’m hoping to go next year. Oh I would love to have a white Christmas, that would be magical, honestly. I picked up a few pieces that I think would work together. So I’m hoping it doesn’t fall apart before I actually try it out. But I get you there! Comfy pants are the best!

That makes sense, and it's good to have family there, that means that you can go visit whenever you want to, have a nice little vacation destination! And you know, save a little bit on lodging and be able to get fed homemade meals hopefully, too! I think that's one of my favorite things about living here, is the fact that we get all the seasons, we get to enjoy a nice, warm summer at the beach, but then hope and pray that maybe we'll get a white Christmas, too. Best of all worlds. I have a couple of nice suits, but I'm always the, "I can't wait to get home and change into comfortable pants" guy.

[oliverxsutton]

“You have. But I really wouldn’t have it any other way,” Oliver said, watching him with a smile. He felt more confident around Nicki, and it was a positive achievement and this time around, it felt more natural, and it was easier. Nicki brought out that side of him. “I’ll teach you all you need to know,” he grinned at him. He loved the idea of them spending the summer together exploring, visiting his favorite places; just the two of them.

He tapped his fingers on the table as he smiled at his boyfriend. “She is. It suits her well, though,” Oliver chuckled a bit. His head leaned to the side a bit, curious as to what he had to say. “You never told me about that. I think what I recall is that she’s the one who called you to come get me,” he smiled a little.

Nicki's lips curled inward as he tried to hold back his laughter. It was a taste of his own medicine. The type of brazenly flirtatious comment he might have given Oliver last February. And even though it leveled him, he was proud to hear that confidence. "I've been a bad influence," he said, voice tipped low. "I've rubbed off on you." It was more than the attitude too. It was the new set of highlights in Oliver's hair, the happiness he saw reflected off his face. "I'll start working on my afternoon tea skills then."

It was the least he could do when he was dating a gentleman. The kind that kissed his knuckles. The kind that knew how to make Nicki's heart kick up a beat. (Even if they were discussing his recent embarrassment at the hands of someone half a foot shorter.) He put their wine order in with the passing waiter, straightening as the bread was placed before them. "She's . . .colorful," he explained. "And tiny. And you didn't hear what she said to me outside that night. I've known her most my life - she's not to be trifled with."

[oliverxsutton]

who: Oliver & @isabelmulligan

where: Merrock library

Oliver had his shift at the library, which meant he’d spend a few hours there before heading to the Brownstone Inn to meet up with Nicki. It had become a routine for the two of them, and it worked for his summer hours that they’d get to at least have their lunch hour together. He was organizing the bookshelves when he saw someone in the corner of his eye. He glanced over at the person next to him. “How’s your day going?” He asked. “Looking for something specific?”

[oliverxsutton]

“I know you’re not,” Oliver beamed proudly. Seeing Nicki’s reaction made him happy. He was usually the one blushing and tripping over his words, but he had successfully reduced his boyfriend to mush and he was pretty happy with himself. He grinned. “Great, then,” he nodded. “We’ll go. Visit all the places where I grew up. And then maybe travel around a bit,” he said.

Oliver couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his lips. He grinned brightly. “Yes,” he said with another laugh. “You are,” he lifted Nicki’s hand to kiss his knuckles. “I’m not going to argue on that one,” he stated with a hum. He glanced over at the menu and agreed with the choice of wine. He gave him another amused look. “Tinkerbell? Like the fairy?” his eyebrows shot up before grinning. “You’re cute.”

"I . . ." he was hardly bashful. He was quite the opposite actually. And yet Nicki felt his cheeks grow hot as goosebumps broke out over his skin. There was something to Oliver's voice just then. A steady, calm confidence that was like dragging a match over flint. ". . .am not going to win this argument." He laughed, dipping his head down and shaking his head. Would Oliver ever stop surprising him? "I haven't been to England." He'd stuck to warmer climes when he'd visited Europe. He squeezed his boyfriend's hand. "But I think I might have the perfect guide now."

He narrowed his eyes, straightening slightly at the mention of Mandy. He still hadn't fully recovered from the (emotional) smack down she'd laid on him months earlier. "Don't lump me in with Miranda," her full name was awkward off his lips, "I'm much hotter." He pointed out a suitable pink wine. The ABV was low enough not the level the lightweight across from him. "And she's a deranged Tinkerbell. She full on bullied me last spring."

[oliverxsutton]

"Nervous habit, sorry," Oliver popped the cover back onto his tea and took another sip. "Just started out my day actually," he nodded. "Errands to run and all that," he bit his lip. "But it's so nice out, I don't want to waste the day away either," he said, glancing out the window with a small smile. Well, Lizzie enjoyed the early hours of it.

Dark eyes watch him from his leaned position in his chair, observing him as he finally sits across from him. Zekeriya's hand twitches, his fingers tap like a metronome against the arm of the chair but with a controlled, easy breath, he nods his answer. "— you?" He offers; so he'd never been good at small talk, sue him.

[oliverxsutton]

“Hmm,” Oliver looked at him thoughtfully. “Are you sure about that, Nicki? I think I can convince you otherwise,” he said, looking directly at him, speaking in his teacher voice. He smirked before laughing a bit. He nodded at him. “I’d like that. You’ve never been to England before, right? We can take a trip there,” he said. He liked the idea of traveling with Nicki, and maybe even at some point sharing his home with him. It seemed more like a reality now.

He leaned against the table, clasping his hands together, grinning at Nicki. “I’ll make it happen,” he said, nodding. Oliver leaned his head to the side to glance over the wine list, before looking up at Nicki again. “I promise I’ll be fine,” he laughed softly. “We’ll get the sweetest pinkest wine on that list,” he chuckled. “And we won’t have Miranda here to be a bad influence,” he smirked. “Just you.”

""Fair enough, can't have you getting rusty over the long months. But," he narrowed his eyes, "don't use your teacher's voice on me. It won't work one bit, Mr. S." He'd fallen into a sour mood sometimes when he imagined the end of summer. The long stretch of a week when, in all likelihood, he'd be driving back and forth between his apartment and Oliver's house. The headaches, the schedules, the frustration of traffic. It would all be worth it simply to spend a few tired hours eating takeout before bed - but he'd mourn the freedom of this season. "We'll do more next summer," he promised. "Go international even."

Even their mishaps in the end turned into stories he'd remember. He nodded at Oliver's request. "We can definitely have tiramisu. In fact, as the birthday boy," he said the word softly so the hostess nearby couldn't hear him, "I demand it." The restaurant was lovely, their seat tucked away just enough to feel private. He leaned over the table slightly to view the wine list, one of his hands straying over Oliver's. "We don't have a great history with wine, love."

[oliverxsutton]

Now that is just making me a little scared! I’m only kidding, but yes. You win a few you lose a few. And then go from there, and learn. I like to talk to them. Some of them come up to me and say hello. So it’s sweet. Some of them are shy though! I only teach one class so there is that. But yes, I was also always too shy to say hello to teachers I saw out in public. That sounds about right, actually. I’ll tell you that I did a lot of research on what to pick out and I’ve got a color in mind. So we’ll see how that goes. We’ll take it. As long as it looks good, right?

There's got to be a favorite and least favorite teacher out there for everyone, and it's not always going to be the same. But you take the wins and make those mean more than the losses, truly! That's what matters. Do you just sort of wave hello and go on with your day, or do you stop and talk to them? I remember feeling like I was going to die of embarrassment sometimes when I would run into my teachers! I never knew what to say to them. I think so, too, I'm excited to see who goes all out, and who phones it in. 'Cuz I know some of the gentleman in town are going to show up with one tiny crab on their tie and call it a day. And I'll still tell them that they look great.

[oliverxsutton]

It is. Means I don’t have to worry too much about them. And I consider that a very good thing in this case. I do! I still have family there, most of them are still there. So we keep in touch, I spend the holidays there if I can. We get a lot of snow there too. Cold winters are all part of the experience, I’d say! We make up for it in beautiful spring and fall, and then a nice warm summer. I am too. That’s what I’ve come to love about this town. It’s very charitable. I wasn’t a big fancy dress up guy either until more recently. I think it’ll be fun, sounds like we won’t be out too far from shore.

Can be kind of nice to have that little bit of distance between yourself and the people that you have awkward relationships with, right? Do you keep in touch with people that you were friends with out west or in England? I've tried to talk a few friends into moving to Merrock, but everyone complains that Maine would be way too cold. Sometimes that's all it takes! I'm… looking forward to the chance to raise some money for charity, but I'm not much of a dress up guy, I'll admit. Being out on a boat will be fun, though. You?

[oliverxsutton]

Yeah! Thankfully… most of those people don’t live in town. They’re either on the west coast or back in England. It is. Sometimes it’s good to lose gracefully than to win with bad taste. Makes it better for both sides and everyone can just move on. Oh I agree, he’s the one that is really great at talking. So that success was always warranted. Are you looking forward to this big gala coming up?

Makes sense, there's always those people that you have a real, "you!" relationship with, you do everything that you can to avoid them, but you still end up running into them every time you turn around. Hey, sometimes it's better to lose to a good rival than to win against someone that didn't stand a chance, you know? He motivated you to participate in class, and obviously you can take credit for him going on to become a lawyer.

[oliverxsutton]

“I’d be worried if I didn’t slip into teacher mode at least once during summer holiday,” Oliver smirked at him. He chuckled, squeezing the man’s hand again. He was happy, and it showed. He was happy and excited to just be spending more time with his boyfriend, out and about together. There really was no going back. “I still can’t believe we fit so much in just a few days,” he said with a nod. “I love exploring with you. It’s been so much fun,” he said.

“Yeah, I remember,” Oliver said with a laugh. It was all part of the experience. And as much as he studied the maps beforehand, he still had his directions all mixed up. He leaned against him with a smile before turning slightly. “Can we still have that slice of tiramisu? I promise I’ll be the only one singing to you tonight,” he grinned, pecking his lips quickly before they were led to their table. It was a nice Italian restaurant, and the lights were dim for a romantic atmosphere, chatter and buzz about them. “Shall we order a bottle of wine?”

Oliver was infuriating at that moment. Sneaky. Snarky. Mischievous. I love him so fucking much, Nicki thought. And then, on the tail end of that thought, he looks sexy when he's being funny. Despite his frustrations, he leaned into the kiss. "You've never sounded more like a teacher," he grumbled. He wouldn't beg for another hint, wouldn't give in to a game he was obviously set up to lose. (He'd save his begging for when it counted) Instead, he saved their picture to the cloud and let Oliver lead him toward the restaurant.

"We have done a lot more than walking," he said, catching Oliver's gaze. His eyes were a lovely chocolate brown in the evening light, and though he knew the meaning behind the statement, he steered away from it. "Bookstores, carriage rides, observation decks, broadway - of course." He smiled. "Getting lost on the subway." That had been his fault. It'd been a while since he'd had to navigate the maze of maps. He drew Oliver into the circle of his arms when they were at the restaurant, wanting the warmth of that connection. "Fair warning," he said, "the only one in this restaurant I want signing happy birthday to me, is you." He deplored the tradition of waiters bringing out a slice of cake with a candle on it.