Silent Affection: A Future Popee x [OC] Reader

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He finally made his way to the front entrance, glancing in the floor in fatigue.
The man finally made it to the room, looking for her.

He sighed.

'What is she doing now?'

He peered out the door again, looking and seeing his client and Pavol leisurely stroll the hallway. Was today really that slow of a day that they could do this?
He rolled his eyes, watching her cling to her arm. He stands still, staring and thinking what to say.

It wasn't until she stops laughing and talking about whichever that she sees him. Their eyes lock onto each other, and the planet became earth and water as a whole again. Her eyes light up and she detaches from Pavol's arm, running towards him to recollect him in a swift hug. 

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He watched her from the short distance above, genuinely not knowing how to react.
"..."
Pavol put her right hand over her mouth, not saying anything but absolutely living for the moment as of now. 

She looked up at him, smiling. Even with all the random disappearances and Pavol's presence, she still felt more than complete around him.
"Something tells me I was missed."

She nods, repeatedly.

Pavol sighs, before walking off. 'I'll just be heading off now.'

Popee glances at her, watching her contort her face in a taunting manner before scampering off. He scowls, a crease of frustration appearing on his right cheek.

He shortly removes the girl from his torso, not really much of a hugger.

'Where were you?'

"I got kidnapped."

'What??'

He smiles a bit, realizing how drastic that sounded. 

"I'll explain. Let's just...get out of the hallway first."

....

...Moments later, the man is sitting in his usual chair with crossed arms. Miraculously, his client isn't sitting in the bed to his left, but that awkward leather chair in front of him.

"...And that's it."

She stared at his legs, impressed. She pointed at them.

"I know. 1.9 mile hike, my ass..."

She scratched her chin, looking at him weirdly.

'Your sister is crazy.'

"Hey, leave her out of this. She's...trying her best."

'...'
Olive squinted her eyes a bit, staring him directly in the eye. That's all he could say, concerning that dark-haired woman? Had it been anyone else, he would most certainly label it as a crime, so why not this time? 

She even noticed his hesitation towards completing the sentence.

'So..you're okay with that?'

"What? No, absolutely not."

'Are you mad at her?'

He thought about his response a bit, shrugging.

"Yeah?"

She stared at him.

"...Look, I'm back and that's all that matters, right?"

She showed off a grin, and he made one to match it. Olive put a thumbs up.

He leaned back in the chair a little bit, at ease for the time being.

"Did I miss anything?"

She shook her head no.

'Did you know about the kids, though?'

His eyebrows peeled together, showing a slight pause of concern.

"The what ?"

Soon, both their heads peeked outside of their doorway, and into the pediatric center.

"..."

They put their heads back inside the room.

"I don't pay attention to them, honestly. They have been here since I came here, though."

Olive mentions the statement from Pavol to her.

He put his right hand against his cheek, his brows raising.

"Oh.."

She falters a bit, watching him.

'What?'

"Nothing...Are you actually going to take up the offer, though? I doubt the management will offer to pay much."

'...I don't know. It seemed like fun.'

He smiled.
"Well, whatever happens, it's up to you."

She put up another thumbs up, with a look of acknowledgement.

The room was voiceless, again.

It was just the two of them again.

"Hey...can I tell you something?"

She looked at him, his eyes softening. Denim cushions, possibly.

He sat forward a bit.

He was still having trouble saying

...that.


"I'm glad you're here, right now."

Olive looked at him, sitting upwards hearing that.

'Really?'

He nodded.

She smiled.

"I'm glad you're here, too."

They watched each other, beginning to come up with ways to waste the shift together.

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Later that day, he waved bye to her, smirking.

He left the room, unsure of if she would still be here.

Pavol glanced at him, putting her book down. Her daily and sometimes nightly entertainment was here.

"So?"

He turned to face her.

"So...?"

"I didn't know management added a Hallway Hug protocol for employees."

He rolls his eyes, trying to avoid that.

"What?"

She leans forward on the front desk, her hands clasped together.

"You know precisely what I'm talking about, Popee."

He sighs.

"...And what of it, Pavol?"

"...I don't know...it's just...cute." She laughs. 

"Why are you so interested in all of this anyways? Is this some sort of game to you?"

She smiles at him with an awfully smug glance.

"Who, me ?"

"..."

"Now, doctor, you know nothing happens in this establishment. The last exciting thing that happened was probably the racoon that got into the ATP vials. Funny day, that was."

"Are you that desperate?" He scoffed.

"I wouldn't label it desperation. More like helping a friend and watching them take off like a sweet baby bird." She clasped her arms together, swooning playfully.

"I do not need help, why does everyone keep saying that...??"

She shrugs.
"Maybe you do."

He clutches his bag.

"Good night, Pavol."

"'Night, Romeo."

The front-desker watched him walk out, unable to do much but smile. She kind of felt like a middle schooler. With an a additional urge to shove a lovesick nerd into a brick wall. It was weird.

...

Popee trudged home, more thoughts plaguing his head about the lack of public transportation.

'I thought she was supposed to leave yesterday...'

As of now, it was still pretty murky as to what his and Olive's status was. His chest felt pretty weird, and the fact that they were so...casual, messed with him a little bit. 

Would it be weird to compare this to their livelihoods back then? 

He felt a little silly.

The streetlights started to turn on, illuminating sort and separate areas on the road.

For some reason, he never imagined coming to a stage like this. He never imagined that this is how he would be spending those years.

He could only see himself at his desk...

Writing angrily at his desk, he huffed in anger. Being silenced and overrun in arguments was one thing, but being sent to his tent was another. He kept on writing on his homeschool assignments, as if they were going to be turned in in the first place. He scribbled on them, ripping them, and eventually snapping his pencils.

He kept muttering to himself.

"One day...One day I swear.."
The wolf wasn't around to console him at the moment, and his sister was busy living it up at his mother's. He wanted to leave, as soon as possible. He didn't care what he had to do.

He didn't care what he had to do.

The man approaches his home, shaking away the memory. He decided to be grateful for the few things he could keep in check, and smiled a little. He was thankful the street was empty.

He was thankful, grateful even.

The feeling didn't last long, however, as he paused in his tracks, upon seeing the thing stand on his porch, seemingly unaffected by the tender breeze around them.

"....Hello, Popee."