“That sucks, I don’t know what happened to you and you don’t need to tell me, but I’m really sorry that whatever happened, happened to you.”

Oliver just shrugged his shoulders, he didn’t want to go into detail with a strange, in fact... he never went into detail with anyone, ever. “How have you escaped PRIME’s clutches anyway? Most of the police force belong to them now.”

“I dunno, I think you secretly move a big strong man lifting you up and taking you back to his dark damp cave.” Letting out a laugh, Noah eased the other down. Squeezing him a bit before releasing him completely. “So, going in? Don’t be shy.”

Oliver just scoffed lightly when Noah gave him a squeeze before finally putting him back on his feet. “Me manly man, me must carry my prize into the dark, damp cave.” He even beat his own chest then turned the shower on, he gave it a minute then dropped his jeans and stepped under the spray. 

“The only thing harder than being a firefighter and a PRIME agent is being a big brother and legal guardian. Well….. sometimes anyway.” It was pretty true though. Shaun was normally a good boy but he had his moments. On top of which, making sure he was taken care of was something Zach had been used to for most of his life. Still, sometimes it could be a pain.

“Ohh no, you poor thing. Life must be very tough for you.” Oliver put one hand over his own heart then the other on Zach’s shoulder and his voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Well, every now and then you need to flatter the lady.” Shaking his head, Noah dipped low, wrapped his arms around the other’s knees and picked him up over his shoulders. He spoke as he continued toward the bathroom. “Well if you’re going to be that way.”

Oliver was in the middle of a laugh when he found himself being picked up (again) so he sort of hung there. “This doesn’t get me in the mood, Noah.” he huffed slightly and waited for Noah to put him down once they were in the bathroom.

“Thirty? With that baby face…. nah, I don’t believe ya.” Lifting himself up, Noah walked over to the doorway with a smirk on his face. “Ladies first.”

“Aw, now you’re just being flattering.” He put his hand over his own heart then moved out of the way of the door, indicating into the room. “Go ahead, Princess.” 

“Yeah, I can see that,” he admitted. “But I’ve met people that were worse, you were rude in a way, but I met people that were more.”

“Of course, we’re all a product of our surroundings and when you’ve been through what I have, it takes a bit longer for your personality to catch up.” 

“Sorry… just bothers me a bit when people react like that,” he mumbled with a little shrug, averting his eyes from him. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling just ass disheartened as he had looked. He knew he was a bit much sometimes. “Yeah… have a good one, dude,” he said softly, getting up to leave.

Oliver rolled his eyes when Shaun started to get up. “Oh just sit down, it’s fine. I apologise for assuming.” 

“I’m not rubbing anything on anyone’s face, I was just answering your question,” he pointed out. “You made a question and I answered.”

“Eh, that’s true...” he shrugged his shoulders once more. “As you can tell, my people skills aren’t up to par.” 

“Well, I figured you’re young enough to have played them recently or something.” Shaking his head, Noah let out an amused sigh before moving to join the other. “Always so needy and helpless.”

“I’m 30... I’ve played a few video games when I was a kid, before stuff happened.” With a shrug of his shoulders, he stopped at the door of the bathroom. “Well come on then.” 

“If that is what it takes.” the Ninth Sequence replied flatly, the tone of his voice mild; frankly enough, he didn’t care too much about Oliver’s waspish attitude as long as he sought to get help somewhere and Samuel knew that it all esteemed from the fact that he saw a bit too much of him in the younger man and he didn’t know what to make of it.

“I mean, some people would consider interesting that I investigate crimes but it has turned into a common thing for me so my views might be askew.” he asserted with a nondescript gesture, taking a gulp out of the drink that Oliver had brought them “I guess that I can endorse that as long as you don’t plan on damaging your liver or something.” Sam joked dryly, grinning up at his taller companion.       

“Eh, just drinking to drink these days.” he shook his head and downed the shot he got himself. “Investigating crimes though... makes you sound like some sort of CSI, remember that? Wow, where did that go.” Oliver pondered now. 

“So you want to be the Princess Peach to my Super Mario? I see, I see.” Smirking, Noah tilted his head a bit. “Well if you need help I suppose the polite thing is to give it.”

“Look at you with your video game references, cute.” Then he made his way over to the bathroom, stopping in the doorway. “Yep, I definitely need help.” 

“You sure it’s not that I’m used to you being around so much that the scent that just stuck. Although, it’s interesting you don’t at all mind that I have it memorized and can track you down.” In the past, some found it a bit weird themselves but quite understanding that he was as much animal as he was a man and still had many of their traits as his own. “Well, if you need help I suppose you can always drag me along with ya.”

“Think about it positively, if I get kidnapped or taken as prisoner or some shit, you can find me.” Oliver gave him a positive spin on things. “I think I am gonna need a bit of help with my back.” he smirked slightly. 

“So you keep saying I dunno though.” He shook his head at Oliver knowing full well what he meant. “Well, there is a shower in here that’s pretty big, just saying. Plus, I’ve grown used to your smell.”

Oliver rolled his eyes slightly playfully now. “You only got used to my smell because I forced myself into your bed last night. I’ll take the shower.” He took his shoes off then his shirt. 

“No.” She paused but only for a moment to get herself up. She also hated how she wondered if she had said any of that out loud when she knew she didn’t. Curse her inner panic. But Inner panic doesn’t stop her from being curious, she’s not getting a lot of feelings from this guy, his signals are odd but not something she hasn’t seen before. She thinks back to some people she met before that just don’t feel as open as other people. “Do you always answer peoples inner monologues for them?”

He picked up on her inner panic and rolled his eyes a little, he did hate it when people got like that. “Only when they’re thinking out loud and you were.” Oliver pointed at her. “That’s why I answered it. I would’ve been able to have heard it a mile away.”

“I don’t take them,” he said softly, eyes downcast. “Just copy them. I don’t think any part of you is boring, but..” he sighed, beginning to slide out of his seat. “Uh, maybe I should leave you alone with your rest, huh?”

Oliver groaned out loud as the kid seemed to get disheartened all of a sudden just because he asked him about his powers. “Alright already, I get it, you copy them.” Then he raised his brow. “Aint gonna force you to leave.” 

“I’m 26, but you saying that is not offensive,” he pointed out, he was pretty much saying that he looked younger. “My life is not bad, so I don’t have a reason not to be happy.”

“Eh, potato, potato.” Oliver really didn’t care. “That’s nice for you.” he patted him once again. “Don’t need to rub it in everyone’s faces though, life still happens after all.”