Tales of the Peculiar One Shots

Love's Touch- Olive x Reader

     You opened the wooden door that led into the kitchen. It was unusual to see it closed, which is what enticed you to peek inside. 
     Your eyes caught a glimpse of red hair, and your heart melted. 
     Your girlfriend, Olive, stood by the window of the kitchen, staring out into the gardens. The sunlight that leaked through the glass outlined her silhouette in gold, making her appear even more angelic. You couldn't see her face, but you knew she was crying. Her shoulders shook, and small sniffles echoed through the room.
    "Olive?" you questioned timidly. You stepped into the kitchen and silently shut the door behind you. 
     At the sounds of your actions, Olive tensed up and quickly began to wipe the tears from her face.
     "Oh, Y/N," she began. "I-I didn't hear you..."
     You could tell that she was trying to make her voice as strong as possible, but she failed at hiding its hoarseness. Concern flooded through you.
     "What's wrong?" you wondered aloud, quickly making your way over to her. 
     Olive tried to avoid your gaze by tilting her head down, a motion she typically did when she was nervous. It was an adorable response, which always made your heart flutter.
     "Do you..." she began. She bit her lip and didn't continue, afraid of the words that were about to come out.
      You reached out and placed a comforting hand on the cup of her cheek. The tears began to roll down her face again. She tilted her face away from your touch, which was incredibly uncharacteristic.
     You stood there, dumbfounded.
     "Olive..."
      "Why do you want to be with me?" she asked, abruptly. Her eyes finally met yours.
      You stared into her large blue eyes, which looked stormy in her state of ache and hurt.
     "... what do you mean?" you questioned, lowering your hand.
     Olive raised up her own hands, presenting them as if she were handcuffed. The black leather gloves bounced the sun away, making them seem even darker against her glowing pale skin.
     "I set fire to everything I touch," Olive began, her bottom lip quivering. "I have been able to live with that, up until now... I don't know how anything feels... besides my kettle or these gloves or unimportant inanimate things..."
     She swallowed back a cry that was forming, as more tears silently ran down her rosy cheeks. 
     "I can't touch you... I can't feel you... and... and you can't feel my touch... Doesn't that bother you?" she began, her breathing becoming shallow. 
     "I... I watched Emma and Abe cuddle and caress each other, Y/N. They didn't have to worry about leather gloves pulling on hair... or sticking to skin uncomfortably in the heat... they were able to show physical affection..."
     You couldn't believe the words that were coming out of your girlfriend's mouth.
     "I wish I could give you that, Y/N, but I can't and-." 
     You cut her off.
     "Olive, Olive, stop," you said, grabbing onto her hands. "... Just stop and breathe."
     She let out a few shaky breaths. 
     "I never knew you were so insecure about this," you began, comfortingly. You reached up and wiped away some of the tears that were trailing down her face. "I am happy you told me..."
     Olive sniffled. Your heart skipped a beat at the cuteness of it. 
     "It doesn't bother me that I cannot feel the touch of your hands, Olive," you said earnestly. She turned away, and you moved to meet her gaze. 
     "I'm serious," you tried again. "Olive, I always feel your touch. And I am so privileged that I am able to, because your physical touch is rare and beautiful."
     "What... what do you mean?" Olive asked, curiously. 
     Instead of answering verbally, you kissed her lips. 
     "You felt that, and I felt that," you answered. "Whenever you kiss me, I feel your touch, and you feel mine. Olive... Your leather gloves may pull out hair, but your lips don't... and your leather gloves may feel hot in the heat and uncomfortable at times, but your lips are always soft and light..."
     Olive blinked, the tears stopping. She was absorbing everything you were saying, and you were glad to see she was calming down. 
     "I feel everything I touch," you began. "I can feel Horace's hair gel, Emma's dress when it's my turn to tie the rope, Enoch's dry hands-."
     Olive giggled.
     "But, I don't kiss them... all of my physical affection goes to you, and you only. We, as a couple, just have a different way of displaying it."
     Olive seemed to be very comforted by what you told her. She immediately embraced you. You held her back. 
     "You're right," Olive sighed, a smile forming on her face.
      "Also... you don't have to compare our relationship with Emma and Abe's. They had their own issues, too. Emma floats... Abe had to deal with that, and I'm sure that was hard. We are all strange in this house. Our peculiarities make our lives different, and, therefore, our relationships... But I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. Being with you is the best thing that could ever happen to me."
      "I'm... I'm sorry, Y/N," Olive groaned, feeling ashamed. 
       You gasped, "Don't apologize, Olive. Never apologize for something like this! I want us to talk about these things..."
     "Me too," Olive agreed. "Being with you is a dream. I never feel alone when you are near. And you are so nice to me! You know me so well, and you make me feel so needed. You bring me so much joy, Y/N, I cannot even express it in words. I love you."
     Even though you both had said those words many times before, you never grew tired of hearing them. 
    "I love you too, Olive."
     She smiled and leaned in to kiss you. You kissed her back happily. 
     All of a sudden, the kitchen door opened, and Enoch stepped in. He peered at you and Olive through the jars he held.
     "Oh, sorry," he flushed, awkwardly. "Am I interrupting?"
     "No," Olive answered, before you could say anything. She grabbed your hand, making you smile. You interlocked fingers, not minding the leather glove at all. 
     "Y/N and I were just about to take a walk on the beach."
      You grinned, as she led the two of you outside. 
      You spent the rest of the afternoon together, walking along the sands of the beach. Not once did Olive ever feel insecure about her gloves, and not once did she shy away from planting a kiss on your cheek.