ᴏ́ꜱᴄᴀʀ ɪꜱᴀᴀᴄ

please do not scare him away. i think i need to see the list of questions before i let you grill him.

what?! aw, c'mon rach, don't you trust me? i'll be nice, i promise... i mean, what's so bad about asking what his intentions are with my younger sister, where he sees himself in one year, ten years, twenty years... you know, just some light, casual conversation. it'll be fine.

the odds are pretty high, actually. can't think of anyone else i'd rather be trapped into a friendship with. correction: build a friendship with. what should we do to start this friendship off? hit the slopes or something less risky?

right on, i'm glad to hear it. i was going to suggest something low-risk so that i didn't immediately embarrass myself in front of my newest friend, but honestly, maybe that'd be good for us. if i wipe out in front of you and you still stick around, that's a testament to a pretty solid friendship. and hey, worst case? we can always heal our egos and strengthen our bond with tequila afterwards.

private: i didn't know you had business out here. "something wrapped up that didn't work out as expected?" babe, am i just... supposed to let that go? or are you going to explain why you're speaking in riddles right now? you know, figuring you out is as easy as looking in the mirror myself. you're kinda worrying me now.

private: no, i'm sorry, i'm not trying to speak in riddles or worry you. it's nothing dramatic, i promise. it's just... some old stuff between me and zoe that never really had a clean ending. we left things in a pretty bad place some years back, and i just want to put it to rest, you know? i want the air clear: no bad blood, no weirdness hanging over us. for all of our sakes.

agreeing to meet up with oscar was like confronting her worst almost. pain dug up from the depths of a horrific break-up every time she saw a billboard or even pulled out her phone. fault lines beneath her ribs trembled when his name shifted in her memory, fondness and then aching immediately after. her ex being plastered on everything throughout the city made her not want to leave the house for days... weeks... she eventually lost count. all the things that were said, all the things they didn't say... everything that they were was just agony kept close to her chest. it was true — to love someone is firstly to confess: i'm prepared to be devastated by you. and that, he did.

seeing zoe again was complicated. the word didn't even scratch the surface, but it was the only one that fit without reopening every old wound at once. the sight of her face to face hit him all at once: an old and dull ache of guilt, the sting of memory. he had loved her genuinely back then, but never with the whole of himself, not really. he'd tried to be present, tried to be steady, tried to shape himself into someone who could love her without reservation... but his heart hadn't been free to give. not since he'd been in college. not when, even in denial, even in distance, and even in the moments he tried hardest to forget it, the whole of him had always belonged to jess. still, that truth didn't erase the care he'd had zoe for or the pain of knowing his half-love had hurt her more than any absence ever could. the guilt sat heavy on oscar as he lowered himself back into his seat beside her, the air between them humming with a tension that felt far too familiar: slammed doors, an argument suffocated beneath a blaring tv, retreating to opposite corners of the apartment just to breathe.

it's always a pleasure when i get to see you, and of course i can set aside some time from my not so busy schedule to throw back a couple of cold one's with you. i need a full oscar run down. i need to know all the exciting things i've missed.

man, i've got to be honest: there's a lot of ground to cover. you'll probably want to wait until after we've had a few before asking any questions, if at all! but in the meantime: how've you been? enjoying norway so far?

see, the thought of watching you fell arse over tit on the ice is almost entirely too tempting to miss, but because i'm such an incredible friend, i'll just watch from afar with my phone out for my own entertainment. let’s meet up this evening for dinner, i already have a spot in mind, as long as your body isn’t too sore after your battle with gravity that is. how's your second day going so far?

see, it'll be funny until you wipe out next! unless you're about to tell me that you're actually a pro ice skater, then forget it: i'm pulling the older brother card and saying this is totally unfair. yeah, dinner would be great! name the time and i'll be there. i could actually use your advice on something, so... perfect timing. the second day's been nice! i'm having a great time with jess, you know, getting to take things easy and just really enjoy being in the moment with her. how about you? having a good time so far?

think i've been in la too long that my canadian blood is weaker because this weather? brutal. though it's crazy beautiful here, so it makes up for the fact that i can't feel my toes. what were you filming up in lake nippsing? give me a rundown and i promise my lips are sealed if you wanna throw in a spoiler or two. i'm good, happy to have a break from the chaos and just be in the moment. i mean, i haven't been kicked out of the hotel, so i'd say the first day went well. you having a good time so far? done anything fun yet or were you busy sleeping off the jetlag?

my guatemalan blood didn't stand a chance, throw in the fact that i was raised in miami? done for before i even stepped off the plane. no, but you're right, man, it's incredible sights all around, not to mention getting to see the northern lights out in tromso in a couple of days. no, you're good! it was for frankenstein, so no more spoilers left to give or slip. it was a lot of snow, frozen lakes, and ice plunges, so... in a way, it trained me for this. yeah, i hear you: it's rare to get to feel so far from it all, especially amidst all the holiday chaos, so i'm trying to take advantage of every second of it. ahh, i've been exploring what's around with jess, mostly! may have busted my ass ice skating, but you know. part of the experience, right? what about you, taking it easy or getting out there?

private: did you have a good time? you were perfectly fine before i left for dinner first, then when you finally arrived... i don't know. it's like you saw a ghost or something. you didn't fuck anything up for me. i'm just-- should i be worried? are you okay, honey?

private: i'm fine, baby, really. i was trying to get something wrapped up and it just... didn't work out as expected. but, you know, i'm here with you and that's really all i need. i promise.