Marble Statuette | T. Drake

[09]

The International Technology Fair was held in Germany so Tim and Olivia reached Berlin a day before the event. They had their passes as Wayne Tech representatives and Lucius Fox had already briefed them about the event schedule and procedure.

Olivia, of course, didn't care much for rules and didn't even have to as Tim, a walking rule book when it came to professionalism, was going to be with her at all times. In her opinion, he might be a lousy student at Gotham Academy, ditching classes whenever he could but he wouldn't dare be irresponsible for something related to Wayne Enterprises.

He was devoted fully and gave his cent percent to Bruce, Batman Incorporate, and Wayne Enterprises. Tim would always make sure that nothing went wrong on his watch, so of course, he would ensure things went smoothly on their international trip as well.

Olivia had gone straight to bed when they reached the hotel, claiming she needed her beauty sleep. But Tim was still awake, checking the schedules and coordinating with Mr. Fox for the event.

They had to attend an Orientation Ceremony that evening in which all the tech groups would be introduced. The conference and exhibitions started on the second day, so currently, they only had to dress nicely and show up for dinner and an introduction.

Knowing they still had some time, Tim finally shut down his laptop, set an alarm, and slipped into bed next to Olivia. As soon as he had slipped in, she turned to face him, her arm pulling him close as if sensing his presence even in her sleep.

A soft smile spread on his face at that subconscious gesture and he gently kissed her forehead, making sure not to wake her up.

No matter how burdened he was with all the tasks he had to look after, the second those thin arms wrapped around him, a comforting feeling washed over him. He would relax and close his eyes, letting go of all the worries that plagued him otherwise.

Being with Olivia had so far done him a lot of good and he acknowledged that wholeheartedly. He loved the feeling of being close to her and hearing her lively laugh each time he teased her. They had still not given up their habit of arguing with each other and getting involved in playful banters. But that was what made their relationship interesting. They could annoy each other to their wit's end but then made up faster than they got cross with each other.

Sometimes, Olivia could get very petty and try to not talk to him for days at an end. But it always ended soon because she would get bored without Tim's company and come back to pester him again.

It was hard to imagine that those two were now representing Wayne Tech at such a prestigious event. However, most of the products that were being exhibited by Wayne Tech at the fair couldn't have been possible without their combined efforts.

The few remaining hours ticked by and the alarm buzzed off, shattering the peace that engulfed the young couple. Olivia woke up with a murderous look in her eyes as if she wanted to destroy the clock or the phone that ruined her sleep. But she couldn't do so as Tim had already shut off the alarm and put away his phone safely.

"Hey, we have to get ready for the orientation ceremony," he told her, holding out his hand to her, "come now, we shouldn't get late."

"You know this is why I didn't want to come here on a business trip. Everything is so formal and on time, I don't like it," her lips puckered into a frown.

A smile creased his features as he remarked, "I know but it's only three days then we can do whatever we want without any time restrictions."

"Three days is a long time... I'll die of boredom," she groaned dramatically, making him laugh.

"Alright Miss Drama Queen, get up now. Or else we'll set a terrible first impression by showing up late."

It didn't take long for Olivia to get ready. Her striking features only needed a swipe of eyeliner and some dark gloss to make her look stunning in anything she wore. Tim, on the other hand, was getting his messy hair to tame down and pass for a somewhat formal look.

"What are you doing?" He asked Olivia who was giving a thorough last look to the room before leaving.

"Just checking that I haven't forgotten anything," she replied, but then facing him, she smiled, "oh I was about to forget you. Good thing I saw you in time, come on!'

He shook his head at the lame joke but said nothing as he took her out, "You can't forget me."

"Oh yeah? I almost did," she remarked but then her eyes twinkled as if she had just thought of a perfect response. "And I can forget you in the blink of an eye if Steph is around. So don't you get ahead of yourself."

"Hey, don't start with the Steph blackmail again!"

"I'm just reminding you so you don't forget," she laughed, twirling out of his reach as she stepped out of their room.

By the time they came down to the hotel lobby, their designated vehicle was already waiting for them outside. Or according to Olivia, the rich people privileges were catching up with them.

She found it preposterous how easy it was to get stuff done if you had enough money. Living in the woods by herself had made her grow up without the concept of the materialistic life other people led I'm the city, and though she was starting to adjust by then, she still found it weird.

In the car while they were heading to the venue, Olivia was looking out the window and the expression on her face was unreadable. She was also extremely silent which was rare and Tim soon realized why when her pinky finger tentatively hooked through his.

She was nervous but wasn't saying it out loud.

Perhaps it was the way she had been raised to face everything on her own and always be on survival mode that made her hide her weaknesses to the best of her ability. She would hide anything that could hint to her feeling scared or anxious.

But over time, Tim had learnt to pick up on the signs. He could sense that she was getting anxious about the event so he turned his hand, interlacing their fingers in a silent but reassuring gesture.

She had addressed the audience at the Fall Gala before but that night, it would be her first exposure to an event on a high-profile international scale. Even though she didn't have to make a speech that evening, she was still nervous.

But as Tim held her hand in his tightly, affirming his presence beside her, slowly all that nervousness began to dissipate.

Her eyes were still glued to the changing cityscape outside the car window, but the soft smile that gently broke out on her features as she squeezed his hand was enough to let him know that she appreciated the gesture.

She wasn't alone to face all those people, the unknown faces and the blaring lights. Tim was always right beside her, and he would be there close to her, every step of the way.

***