I own nothing! Enoch and Olive belong to Ransom Riggs, and A Thousand Years belong to Christina Perri. I recommend you listen to the song while you read. Enjoy, my lovely readers!
Olive's heart beat rapidly as she hid behind the door frame of Enoch's basement bedroom, watching him as he worked tirelessly over his newest creation. His pale face was fixed into its usual scowl, making his handsome face seem dark. His raven curls hung in front of his brooding eyes, partially covering them and the dark rings that surrounded them. Olive fidgeted nervously with her gloves, debating whether or not to join the grumpy boy she loved more than just a friend.
She was afraid, to be honest. Although Olive loved Enoch with all of her heart, for everything that he was, she was afraid. Not of Enoch exactly, nor his anger, but of what could happen if he ever discovered her true feelings. She could lose him. Olive didn't think that Enoch would ever realize he loved her; she doubted he even saw her as a friend like she had for years, and that saddened her more than words could describe. Olive was just Enoch's pesky assistant, the person in the background that handed him his tools and occasionally tried to speak to him. Olive's lip began to quiver and she started to leave, when Enoch growled in anger and threw the grotesque doll against the wall. Olive almost let out a small squeal of surprise, but she quickly put a hand over her mouth to muffle it.
When Olive peeked back into the room, her eyes filled with tears. Enoch was breathing hard, his eyes wide as he tangled his fingers in his dark locks. His elbows rested on the desk in front of him, his arms and shoulders shaking as he stared blankly at the ebony wood. When Olive listened closely, she could hear soft sobs and sniffles coming from the usually stoic and emotionless boy. She continued to watch him as he tried to hold back tears, his lip quivering and his body shaking. Olive wanted to go in and hug him tight, whispering sweet nothings into his ear and hold him until he stopped crying, but she couldn't Enoch would never let her.
"I must've done something... scared her away... God, I'm so stupid," Enoch said in a soft voice, letting a tear slip. Olive blinked in surprise and wiped her eyes, removing the tears that had started to gather on her eyelids. Who was Enoch talking about? It couldn't have been her, he didn't care about her one bit. Maybe it was Miss Peregrine? The two had been close ever since Enoch entered the loop. But Olive had a feeling that it wasn't their mentor that Enoch was talking about. He had done nothing to scare her away. Olive was snapped out of her thoughts when Enoch let out a muffled sob, getting up from the desk and picking the broken doll up from the floor. He looked at it for a moment before gritting his teeth and tearing it apart bit by bit, throwing the parts here and there. Olive bit her lip as he destroyed his creation with a sorrowful expression, and her mind was made up. She slowly stepped into the room, saying nothing at first as Enoch's arms hung limply at his sides, one hand clutching the remains of the doll tightly.
"Enoch? Are you alright?" Olive said in a whisper, and the boy whirled around. Enoch's eyes immediately widened when he saw her and he dropped the doll, rushing forward and enveloping Olive in a tight embrace. She gasped in surprise at the sudden show of affection and almost pulled away, but she quickly noted the trembling of Enoch's body as he held her close, his hug awkward and unpracticed but still affectionate. Olive felt the boy's tears on her neck and shoulder and her arms quickly wrapped around his torso, sealing them together for what seemed like a matter of seconds. When Enoch pulled away his left hand lingered on her shoulder, and tears still glistened on his cheeks.
"Sorry... I just... I thought you weren't coming, and... uh... sorry," Enoch muttered, keeping his eyes cast down. Olive's heart fluttered in her chest and she blushed lightly, giving her friend a sweet smile. "It's alright. Do you need my help?" she replied, and Enoch's lips curved upward a little. He nodded and sat back down at his desk, pulling his box of parts closer towards him and beckoning for her to join his side. The day went on as usual, Olive handing Enoch his tools when he asked for them, dealing with his occasional anger, and using her flames to light his work space as he worked late into the night. Enoch may not have loved her, but Olive was his friend, and she couldn't have been happier.
Olive loved Enoch, but sometimes he was so cruel and hard to deal with that she would just sit in her room and cry for hours. Today was one of those days unfortunately, and Olive sat on her bed, watching glumly as a few flames danced across her palms. She didn't want to think about what had happened, about the anger and hatred that rolled off of Enoch in waves as he yelled at her that day. She honestly didn't know why she even bothered trying. He would sometimes give her a ghost of a smile, or even pat her hand affectionately when she gave him a compliment or a grin, but those moments were far and in between. Olive was starting to think that none of it was really worth it anymore. Enoch would never love her, or care for her, no matter what Olive did.
"Why won't you just leave me alone?! I never asked for you to help me!" Enoch snarled, his face inches away from Olive's as he sneered at her. Olive's lip quivered but she said nothing, looking Enoch in the eye as best as she could. Enoch growled in frustration and shoved her away, towards the door, as if telling her to get out. Olive held firm, even going as far as to fold her arms across her chest as she returned his glare in full. Enoch's face blanked, as if he hadn't expected for her to be so defiant, but his angry look soon returned.
The slap came out of nowhere. The sound of it echoed through the basement, and Olive's head had snapped to the side at the force of it. Her cheek stung and smarted horribly, and her eyes filled with tears. Tears of pain, surprise, fear, and heartbreak. Enoch looked just as shocked as Olive felt, his mouth hanging open slightly and his hand still suspended in the air, shaking slightly. Enoch quickly turned back to his work,looking at everything but Olive. The poor girl had burst into tears and run back to her room, unaware of the tears that Enoch too had begun to shed.
Enoch was absolutely beastly to her, but Olive still loved him. Oh, her love for him was endless! He was a genius in his own right, and could be so kind when he wanted to. He was handsome and sharp-looking, almost like an older version of Millard and Horace put together. Olive loved him ever since she first laid eyes on him. She could see the pain Enoch hid behind his eyes, the emotion, the power. It entranced her and drew her to him like a magnet. Yes, Olive loved Enoch, and she wouldn't stop loving him anytime soon.
Olive had somehow managed to get Enoch to come outside into the light. He blinked blindly at first, not really used to the brightness of the sun, but his eyes quickly adjusted. Olive watched him with curiosity as his gaze lingered over each of the peculiars as they went about their daily activities. Olive noticed that his eyes lingered the longest over Hugh and Millard, who were playing their usual game of keep-away with a ball. His eyes seemed to hold a bit of longing, and Olive smiled as he tilted his head slightly.
"You should join them. They'd be happy to have you," Olive encouraged. Enoch's expression immediately changed to one of boredom and he looked away from the two younger boys playing. Olive noticed how stiff he was, and the way he nibbled slightly on his bottom lip. He wanted to join them, she could tell, but he was either too scared or just being his stubborn self. She cautiously went to his side, peering at his face and smiling.
"Come on," Olive said, pushing forward Enoch slightly. Enoch glanced back at her and swallowed hard. He took a deep breath and walked towards the other two boys. He weaved through the other peculiars, avoiding the twins as they rushed past him and Fiona as she grew a new hedge in the garden. Olive smiled at him encouragingly when he looked back uncertainly, and she gestured for him to keep going. She watched with a soft smile as Hugh and Millard enthusiastically allowed Enoch to play with them, giving him the ball and waiting for him to start.
Enoch stumbled about clumsily at first, constantly losing the ball to the younger boys and even almost falling flat on his face. Olive giggled at those moments, and her smile brightened when Enoch finally got a hang of the game. He kept the ball away from the two and even taunted them occasionally, sticking his tongue out at them or letting them have the ball for a quick second before snagging it back. Enoch actually looked happy. About halfway through their game, Enoch started to run farther out into the yard, grinning from ear to ear. Hugh had given up, but Millard continued to chase Enoch relentlessly. Enoch cried out as he foot caught on the root of one of the trees that Fiona grew and he fell forward, flying into the grass. He slid forward and laid completely still, unmoving and appearing unconscious on the ground.
"ENOCH!" Hugh, Millard, and Olive screeched, rushing to his side and turning him over. His eyes were rolled in the back of his head and he hung limp in Olive's arms as she tried to hold him up. Olive started to panic, lightly patting Enoch's face in an attempt to wake him. Enoch's head just lulled to the side, and Olive gasped softly in shock. "Is he alright?" Hugh asked weakly, leaning down until he was so close to Enoch's face he could have pressed a kiss to his forehead. Olive was about to reply when Enoch suddenly sprung to life, launching himself forward and tackling Hugh and Millard to the ground. Hugh and Millard both shrieked in surprise, the wind knocked out of them as they were pinned to the ground. Enoch grinned.
And he then was laughing. It was the kind of laugh that a person who hadn't had a good laugh in a while would sound like. It was loud and breathless, and Enoch's entire face was bright red. His body was positively shaking from the force of his laughter, and there were even tears in his eyes. The other three soon joined in, laughing happily along with their friend. People say that when you smile, you appear more attractive. Olive could say, with every fiber of her being, that Enoch definitely fit that description. After all her attempts to make Enoch smile, after all the jokes and funny memories she told him, Enoch was finally laughing and happy.
"Olive! Olive!" Enoch shouted with panic, shaking the frozen girl on the ground. He knew it was effortless, but she couldn't be dead. His wonderful, sweet Olive couldn't be dead. Her skin was cold, too cold. The ice was spread over her skin, encasing her completely in ice. Olive, Enoch's beautiful Olive, was dead. Enoch couldn't sense her heartbeat, couldn't feel her pulse. Enoch's grip on Olive's shoulder tightened and he looked down, his expression solemn. All these years they'd been together, and he never realized how he felt, how she felt. He'd been so stupid...
"I'm so sorry, Olive. All these years I never appreciated you. I didn't see how lucky I was. I got so used to having you there, I never realized..." Enoch's voice trailed off and he choked back a sob. He was such an idiot, he never realized how much Olive meant to him, and how much he really did love her. He leaned forward, his lips brushing against her ice cold quickly pulled away, not wanting to linger any longer than he had to on Olive's dead lips. He was too late. He bowed his head, his shoulders beginning to shake.
Olive's eyes fluttered open and she looked up at Enoch with a soft smile. She softly called his name as his head shot up, his eyes wide. Olive tilted her head with curiosity; what had she missed? She felt cold, the others were gathered around them in a circle, and Enoch looked like he was about to cry. She began to ask him just exactly what he'd realized when he hugged her tight to his chest, burying his face in the crook of her neck and sobbing.
It wasn't the sort of embrace you would give to a friend, or even a sibling, but the sort of embrace that lovers would exchange. Olive's mouth formed an "o" and she wrapped her arms around Enoch's neck, nuzzling into his soft hair. As Enoch cried softly into her neck, Olive gently stroked the back of his head, giving his cheek or forehead the occasional kiss. She didn't know what changed between them, or if anything had changed at all, but she was happy.
"What did you never realize, Enoch?" Enoch looked up from the book he was reading to see Olive standing in the door. His heart skipped a beat when his gaze ghosted over Olive's vibrant red hair, bright eyes, and familiar smile. He couldn't bring himself to answer her, the sound of the water hitting the side of the boat as they sat in silence being the only sound. Olive hesitated before sitting beside Enoch on his bed, gently taking one of Enoch's hands in her own and intertwining their fingers. Enoch stared at their clasped hands for a moment, his face falling.
"W-What do you mean, Olive?" Enoch stammered, pulling his hand from hers and hoping that he wasn't blushing. Olive's expression saddened and she folded her hands across her lap, looking down at them. "When I was frozen, I heard you say 'I never realized'. I woke up and everyone was standing all around us, and you looked so sad. What did you never realize?" Olive explained simply. Now Enoch knew he was blushing, but his lips were beginning to quiver and his eyes began to glisten as well. He looked away, staring blankly at the wall, and tried to fight back tears.
"I'm so sorry Olive. I never treated you like I should have. You've only ever shown kindness to me, and I'm a downright beast to you. I... I've insulted you, hit you, made fun of you... And all this time, you loved me. I never realized how terrible I was, and how much I care about you," he whispered, his grip on the blankets beneath him tightening. A tear rolled down his cheek and he breathed shakily, his shoulders trembling. Olive quickly got up and knelt in front of him, grabbing his hands and holding them to her chest. She was so moved by his confession, which was so sweet and honest that it seemed like her fire was roaring in her veins.
"Don't be sorry, Enoch. I was happy to be there for you. Just being there so you weren't lonely was enough for me," Olive said earnestly, making Enoch cry harder. He started to sob and he pulled his hands away from her, covering his face with them so Olive couldn't see his tears. Self-hatred and guilt radiated from him in waves, and Olive felt tears of her own gathering in her eyes. Enoch was shaking so much Olive could feel the tremors under her fingers as she rested her hands on his knees, and she had enough. She shot to her feet and grabbed Enoch's hands, yanking him towards her so that their faces were only inches apart. Olive could see each tears as it fell, and the soft sniffles and sobs were louder and more real.
"Shut up, Enoch. Don't blame yourself for things you can't control. You're a wonderful person if you want to be, your peculiarity is amazing, and... a-and you're extremely handsome! So stop blaming yourself and... just kiss me!" Olive said, her voice bold. Enoch stiffened, and he seemed to finally realize just how close they were. His eyes fell to Olive's light red lips and then back up to her eyes. His gaze softened and he wiped the tears that were sliding on her cheeks with his thumb. He let his hand linger there, cupping the side of her face as he gazed into her beautiful blue eyes. His heart was racing, and he couldn't believe this was really happening; his first kiss...
Enoch's eyes fluttered closed and he closed the gap between them, pressing his lips softly against Olive's. Olive's breathing hitched and she wrapped her arms around Enoch's neck, pulling him closer to her and returning the kiss sweetly. Enoch snaked his hands around Olive's waist, making the girl shiver. Her lips were soft and moist and tasted salty, maybe from her tears, but it wasn't an unpleasant taste. Olive moaned softly when Enoch shyly lipped her bottom lip, asking for her permission to enter. Olive quickly granted his request, letting Enoch explore her mouth. He was surprising dominate and passionate, his grip around her waist tightening as he moved his lips against hers.
Olive's grip went from around his neck to grab the front of his shirt and she could feel herself beginning to tremble. Enoch loved her. He was kissing her, so sweetly and passionately that her legs felt like jelly. Enoch pulled her from where she was standing onto the bed, still kissing her deeply as he hovered over her. Olive laced her fingers in his hair and he moaned softly against her lips, his arms trembling slightly. They separated after what seemed like an eternity, both of them gasping for breath. Olive was shocked to see that there were still a few stray tears flowing from Enoch's lashes, but the smiling that accompanied them helped her feel more at ease.
"God, I love you, Olive," Enoch breathed, settling down next to her and burying his face in her neck and wrapping his arms around her waist in an almost possessive and protective way. Olive chuckled softly and ran her fingers through Enoch's hair gently, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. Enoch smiled, his eyes closed, and he let out a sigh of content. "It took you long enough. I love you too," Olive replied softly. Their lips briefly met once, twice, three more times before they fell asleep in each others arms, a smile on both of their faces.