Marble Statuette | T. Drake

[03]

A normal working day in the life of Olivia McArthur started with Vanya's alarm system waking her up at six thirty in the morning.

From then onwards, she followed her routine of having breakfast, watching TV for fifteen to twenty minutes to catch up on the daily news then getting dressed and leaving for work.

She usually reached Wayne Plaza at eight and went to her office to work on her projects. She would have an hour until Tim would join her and then they would look at the proceedings of their department and visit the labs together.

Tim joined late in the mornings because he spent his nights out on patrol and Olivia had made him promise not to compromise on his health and sleep schedule. According to Steph, it was a huge accomplishment for someone to succeed in persuading Tim to rest and she was quite certain that no one else other than Olivia and Alfred had that power over the caffeinated insomniac.

Not much changed in Olivia's daily routine after the Fall Gala but with the successful launch of Project VANYA, the workload increased for her department.

The people were quite eager to try out the new software and the elite families of Gotham had sent in orders already. So Olivia and Tim were quite occupied in the days following the Gala.

An international technology fair was coming up as well and like always, Wayne Tech had an impressive portfolio to display at the event. So preparations for that were underway too.

The clock struck five minutes past nine when the door to her office opened and Tim stepped in. She was checking the reports on Project VANYA and seeing him enter, she briefly looked up to see that he looked much refreshed than usual.

"Good morning," he greeted her and it was clear by his voice that something had made him quite happy.

Tim usually overworked himself so finding him in a good mood in the mornings was a rarity.

"Looks like you woke up on the right side of the bed," she remarked with a slight smile, subconsciously observing how his smile made him look twice more adorable.

"I don't know that but I do have very exciting news for you."

She raised an eyebrow, placing the file aside, "what is it?"

"Take a guess."

Olivia hit his shoulder with the file she was holding, watching him take his seat with a light laugh.

"Come on, Liv, it's not that hard," he remarked, taking the file from her so that she wouldn't get to hit him again.

"Let me think... It would have been easy to guess if it was something exciting for you since your world literally revolves around coffee," she mused, lips puckered into a thoughtful frown, "but it's exciting for me? Now what can that be..."

"Okay, maybe it won't be that exciting for you at first thought."

Her eyes narrowed, "I knew it. It has something to do with Bruce right? He comes up with the not-so-exciting ideas."

"Absolutely right," his eyes sparkled and she couldn't quite guess whether it was due to mischief or amusement.

"I give up. You tell me."

She refused to guess so Tim had to tell her himself. "So you know about the international fair, Bruce chose the representative from Wayne Tech."

Realization settled on her face, "no... Please tell me it isn't true."

"It is. He wants you to go. Told you it wouldn't seem that exciting at first but-"

He didn't get to complete his sentence as Olivia interrupted him, "I don't care about any buts, I don't wanna go!"

As always, Olivia was quite quick to react and Tim had to turn the door to check that there weren't any employees outside getting the wrong idea that they were fighting.

"Bruce sure has some nerve to put my name up even though I clearly told him the Fall Gala would be the first and the last time I would deal with public speaking," she was starting to panic and Tim could see that his idea of giving her a surprise wasn't quite working the way he wanted it to.

"Liv, at least listen to what I have to say. You're not going alone," he made her sit down on a chair, trying to get her to stop being more frantic.

"Either way, I don't wanna go."

"Before you finalize your verdict at least hear who's accompanying you."

"Is it Steph? No. Then what does it matter who goes and who doesn't?" However, as soon as the words were out of her mouth, Tim's happy expression fell into a look of hurt and she paused, "wait... You are going with me?"

"Yeah I mean but what does it really matter since I'm not Steph..." He shrugged with a somewhat crestfallen expression.

Seeing him like that finally sent a smile up her face and she leaned closer, "you could have said that earlier."

"You didn't let me. You were so intent on grilling Bruce before that," he replied, "also still bugs me how we're still dating if you're so fond of Steph that you'd easily pass a trip with me just because she isn't going."

"Aw, are you getting jealous?"

"No, I am not. I was in such a great mood earlier you know. I am just lamenting the loss of that and the fact that I still don't compare to the love you have for Steph."

That dramatic reply managed to make her laugh and she shook her head, brown eyes locking with blue, "oh come on, you're so dramatic."

"And you are so cruel for playing with my feelings like that each time you get the chance," he remarked as he stood up, indicating that he was going to leave.

She chuckled, her hand closing onto his wrist to stop him, "where are you going?"

"To tell Bruce that you still don't wanna go. Apparently, a vacation with me isn't enough to bribe you," he replied but right next second, she had pulled him down, making him almost stumble over the chair. "Hey..."

Her eyes danced in mischief as she leaned closer and sealed their lips together. It didn't take long for Tim's pale face to turn red at the fact that they were in the office and not in the privacy of their home.

"A vacation with you doesn't sound that bad though," she breathed, pulling apart at last.

"So...?"

"So go tell Bruce we're going together," she smiled, pecking his cheek lightly, "and stop sulking like an ostrich. Bring that happy face back."

He took in a deep breath, recovering from the sudden kiss and a smile flickered on his face at that remark, "okay. Good?"

"Perfect," she let go of his wrist, gesturing him to go and inform Bruce that she had agreed to go. However, just as he was about to step out the door, she added, "you still can't compare to Steph though."

"Hey, that's not fair!"

The smile on her lips widened as the door shut behind Tim's retreating figure. She could still not let go of her habit of teasing him each time she got the chance.

That wasn't going to change between them ever.

Or so they thought.

***