There was a rich aroma floating around the McGarrett kitchen as Olivia sat on the kitchen counter with a glass of red wine in her hand as she watched Steve cook them both dinner. Steve was making them Italian which just so happened to be Olivia's favourite food in the entire world and she was quite impressed that Steve had remembered that. Olivia was very much enjoying herself as she watched Steve had cook for her, it brought back some normalcy to her as it was a bit weird for her to suddenly be working with him. The two of them had always just been childhood friends who kept in sporadic contact with each other because they were rarely ever in the same place because of their line of work. Now the two of them were working together and it had taken some time for Olivia to gather her footing as part of her agreeing to join Steve's taskforce was that she wasn't his subordinate but his co-worker and it was going to take a whole for things to adjust properly. But the workday was over and for now Olivia was quite enjoying herself watching Steve cook for her, it was nice the two of them hanging out here at his childhood home again like they used to do when they were much younger. But things has drastically changed since they were kids, they were a lot more older, no longer the kids who used to run around having childish fun spending their days running round all over the island exploring every single inch of it with their siblings. The only thing that hadn't changed was the McGarrett house, it still looked the same from how Olivia remembered from her childhood but there were a few subtle differences from where Steve was updating the house to put his own personal marks on it.
"After all these years I am still constantly surprised by your cooking skills." Olivia commented as she watched Steve prepare the sauce that was going to go with the pasta that was currently simmering on the stove. At first glance Steve McGarrett didn't seem like the kind of guy who was good at cooking as he seemed like a typical Navy SEAL but Olivia knew that there was a lot more to Steve than what met the eye. He was like an onion, lots of layers and a bit bitter at times.
"Impressed, huh?" Steve questioned.
"Very, I like a man who knows how to cook, it shows that he can take care of himself. It's also very sexy since I can barely follow recipe instructions and I have to rely on Nora and my family feeding me whenever I'm home. I can assemble a rifle blindfolded, rewire an entire house, balance my checkbook, unclog the garbage disposal and do general maintenance on my house and but I cannot cook to safe my life. Beyond obvious that my father taught me everything that a man would teach his son and then some." Olivia replied with a small smile before taking a sip of her wine.
"Well it doesn't seem like it didn't you too much harm as you clearly survived growing up in a house full of men." Steve noted and Olivia couldn't help but laugh, she had grown up thinking that she was one of the boys, always coming home covered in dirt with scrapes every and getting into trouble that only boys would. She didn't play with dolls or dream of being a princess or her dream wedding, Olivia spent more time climbing up trees and falling out of them or spending her days down at the beach. There was no cheerleading, just lacrosse and track.
"I don't know about, like I told you before I raised by a man who had no idea what to do with a little girl so instead he raised her as if she was another son. If my dad had his way I would have never learnt about boys until I was 21, he was content in sticking his head in the sand and telling himself that I was one of his boys." Olivia replied with a small smile.
"He loved you Liv–" Steve began.
"–As best he knew how, I know Steve." Olivia finished with a grin. "I know it wasn't too bad as there was no restrictions in my life, my dad never told me that I had to do what society expected of girls. I could go out and cover myself head to toe in mud and he wouldn't blink an eyelid. I didn't have to play dolls and go to sleepovers and braid hair while having tea parties. As a kid all I ever wanted to do was what my brothers were doing because I adored them and because of that my whole childhood was one big continuous adventure which I wouldn't change any of it for the world."
"Here taste this." Steve offered holding out a spoonful of sauce and Olivia leaved forward and took a taste. God knows what Steve had put into it but it was the best sauce that Olivia had ever tasted, it was delicious and Olivia could at least cheese and mushrooms which made her all the more hungry.
"This is so good." Olivia murmured as she attempted to savour the taste, after tasting the sauce she was more than excited for dinner now. Now more than ever Olivia was glad that she had taken up Steve's job offer as she could try and convince him to make dinner for her more often. Olivia attempted to try and get some more but she noticed that Steve was given her an odd look. "What?"
"You have sauce on your chin." Steve stated as he stopped stirring the sauce and moved forward slightly and moved his thumb to Olivia's chin and wiped off the sauce. Then he made no attempts to move and the two of them just stood there looking at each other with dumb grins on their faces.
"Oops..." Olivia chuckled.
"You are such a mess." Steve murmured and Olivia just laughed as she looked at Steve, he was ridiculously handsome and he understood her better than most. He knew the life that she lived because he had lived a similar one that she had but they had their differences, however Olivia liked spending time with Steve. He made her laugh and there was something about him that she just found herself drawn to him. Maybe it was the familiarity because of how long they had known each other but Olivia knew if she wasn't careful that crush off hers that she had about fifteen years ago. "Can I ask you something Liv?"
"Depends on what it is McGarrett, you know that but shoot." Olivia quipped with a small smile as she took a sip of her wine, eagerly waiting for Steve to go about asking his question. Olivia was pretty sure she had nothing to worry about as there was no way that Steve was going to ask her about Iraq or Afghanistan. Olivia was sure that they had put that subject to bed.
"You mentioned when I offered you this job that you used to have a crush on me and I just wanted to ask you about it?" Steve questioned and the moment that the question came out of his mouth, Olivia could feel her cheeks starting to burn feverishly, a sure sign of embarrassment on her part. Olivia couldn't believe Steve was asking her about that, there was a million other things she would have thought he would have asked her.
"Really? You bring that up now?" Olivia questioned before forcing herself to take a very large sip of her wine, she could not believe that she had told him that even if it was in the heat of the moment of her yelling at him. Clearly Steve hadn't forgotten about that even if it was just over six weeks ago and Olivia would have preferred for this subject to have never come up. She would rather talk about what happened in Afghanistan then her silly school girl crush on Steve eighteen years old. This was one of those things that people hid in their past hoping it would never rear it's ugly head again but it had and it was all her fault and Steve was clearly enjoying seeing Olivia squirm judging by the amused grin on his face.
"I couldn't think of a better time." Steve quipped as he refilled Olivia's glass before going back to focusing on the food.
"You are enjoying this way too much Sailor." Olivia murmured and Steve's grinned just widened further and Olivia wearily laughed, this was so embarrassing yet oddly funny at the same time.
"Come on Soldier spill." Steve prompted gently prodding Olivia and she felt herself caving.
"When I was 12 I finally started taking notice of boys, I was ever more aware that despite the fact that I was being treated like a boy at home, I was actually a girl. Puberty was becoming a thing and you were there Steve, you weren't like all the boys in my grade who just ignored the girls most of the time. You were different, older and so effortlessly cool all the time and I am not going to say anymore because I've said too much already." Olivia allowed herself to admit, feeling her cheeks getting even more hotter than they already were, almost like they were on fire.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Because I was just a kid to you, I was always just Everett and Grady's goofy little sister who tagged along with you guys because our dads always grouped us together and insist that we get along with each other because we'd see a lot of each other because they were friends. Besides there was no way I could ever tell you that as it was embarrassing, you were 16 at the time and it was just a little crush, it wasn't like everything I did back then depended on you." Olivia bashfully said allowing herself to finally look back up at Steve.
"You were never just Everett and Grady's little sister to me, sure you were one of the guys but you were just Liv and I thought you we're pretty great back then, I still think you are pretty great." Steve stated in a soft manner and Olivia found herself as she looked at Steve, there was this feeling in the air that she never wanted to go away. Olivia couldn't really describe the feeling but it felt safe and rather familiar at the same time.
"You think way too much of me."
"Maybe or maybe you don't think enough of yourself."
"So you ever going to ask me the question that you've been dying to ask me? The reason why I decided to accept your job offer? I know that for someone like you it must have been killing you for those long six weeks trying to figure out why I decided to give up the life I knew to join your taskforce." Olivia questioned and Steve smiled
"Okay Sgt. Phillips, enlighten me." Steve stated in a teasing manner which caused Olivia to smile.
"Nora. Um… my roommate Nora, you met her briefly."
"Oh yeah. That roommate of your sure is interesting." Steve murmured and Olivia could literally see the wheels turning in Steve's head, no doubt he was recalling her pink haired roommate
"You have no idea. Behind those supermodel good looks, pink hair and flirty attitude is someone unbelievable. Nora's getting her PhD in mathematics and she's the smartest person I know, quick as whip and my best friend. But my point is Nora is the person behind the reason I decided to take the job, the day you came over to talk and I took the job, just before you arrived I was talking to Nora about the job. I wasn't going to take it but Nora reminded me of something, she reminded me that whilst I did dedicate my life to protecting and serving my country, I still have a life of my own. That's I'm not just Sgt. Phillips but I also just Olivia. The woman who likes drinking tequila, dancing and watching old movies as well as going climbing. The last nine years I have dedicated myself and my life to my job but I've let things slide, like my friends and my family. My deployments when you add them all up total to six years I've spent overseas and I missed so much, my father's funeral and just spending time with the people I love. I'm so used to being Sgt. Phillips that I'm used to putting my life as Olivia to the slide…" Olivia wearily began.
"Liv…"
"Steve it's fine, honestly… But I miss out on a lot, most of my friends are married with kids and my longest relationship has been with my job. I need to have a life again, to be with my family again because I've missed out on a lot. I want to be here to meet my niece or nephew when they arrive and be a sister again. To hang out with my brothers and have fun instead of them worrying constantly that I would be hurt again overseas or worse killed. Nora has a part to play again, when I came home from my last deployment I remember being in bed my first night back and my door creaks opens and Nora comes in and climbs into my bed because she wants to spoon of all things. Simply because she missed me so much and was glad I was home safe. I have these people in my life who love, god knows why after everything I put them through when I go on deployments but they love me and I want to be with them, I don't want to be on the other side of a video chat or letter anymore. I want to be here, to my live my life not only for myself but the people I love. So I took your job offer, you have Nora to thank for inspiring me to live my life again." Olivia replied with a forced smile on her face.
"That's a really sweet thing for you to do Olivia." Steve noted and Olivia frowned.
"Not really, it's more selfish really. I put the people closest to me through strenuous and stressful times, they constantly worry when I'm overseas. And me joining this taskforce isn't going to end it as I will be called up from the reserves eventually and I will have to go back. This right now is only a temporary reprisal it'll make my family stop worrying for a while but it won't end because I'm too selfish to leave the army to make them happy because I love my life too much. Like I said selfish." Olivia replied with a shrug of her shoulders.
"There is nothing wrong with loving your job." Steve stated.
"People often think that there is something wrong with women who are dedicated to their jobs and don't settle down to do the whole marriage and babies thing. I love my job, it's the only thing that I have ever really understood and have been good at it. I can't do relationships and I didn't grow up in a normal environment and my fiancée left me because I loved my job more than I loved him, which is true and supports my theory that I am selfish."
"You were engaged?" Steve questioned and the surprise was clear on his face, he hadn't expected for Olivia to reveal something like that.
"Once. Like I said, it didn't work out–"
"–His loss." Steve interrupted as he refilled Olivia's glass.
"I find that hilarious coming from the guy who is equally alone as me and perhaps even more of an workaholic than I am but nice attempt Steven. Grady always said that no man in his right mind would marry me and I'd have a better chance of a gorilla wanting to marry me and I think he may be right. I don't do normal by any conventions and given my past relationships King Kong might be an improvement…"