I didn't sleep the rest of the night, with 15 hours sleep the previous night, my body decided sleep would not come. I wandered out of my room around 1am to find I wasn't the only one that sleep was refused to.

Oliver.

Of course it had to be Oliver, didn't it?

He sat on the couch closest to the ever-blazing fire. His eyes weren't focussed on the fire though; they were glazed in an odd concentrating yet far off look. Deciding it was best to just leave him, I went to turn to hide back in my box-room. As I opened the door, it creaked loudly. I froze.

"Jem?" Oliver asked my back still to him.

I spun on my heel, "Sorry Oliver," I smiled weakly, "I came out to chill on the couch, saw you and didn't want to distract you from whatever this," I gestured to his position on the couch, "is."

He chuckled, "It's ok. I couldn't really sleep; you're welcome to join me if you can't either."

I sighed and waltzed over to the couch opposite him and we sat there in silence for a while. Oliver was toying with the front cover of a tattered leather book as he lay back on his couch to stare at the ceiling.

"What's with the book?" I asked, no longer comfortable with the silence.

"Oh," Oliver said, sounding a little started, "it's the playbook…"

"Oh. Cool." I answered; this was getting fairly awkward fairly quickly.

Oliver mumbled a 'yeah' in agreement. We were back to the awkward silence. I couldn't help but think back to the moments we had together. It had been just over a day since we met and it seemed as though he had tried to kiss me… twice. I huffed aloud.

"What's wrong?" Oliver asked, slight panic in his voice.

"Oliver, what is going on?" I asked frankly as I sat up on my couch and looked at him. He looked back, still lying down, with an expression of confusion, "I fall over. You land on me. You lean in to me. Then, I call you nifty. Nifty, of all things and then… then…" I huffed again.

Oliver looked at me, as he brought himself up from this lying position, "Jem," he chuckled, "I 'lent in' to you when you fell because you breathed out. Your chest lowered and so did I, seeing as how I was on your chest at the time." I started to blush. I really was reading too much into things, Oliver was still speaking, "and the other time, I was moving on the couch. I didn't mean to lean in… I'm sorry if I freaked you out…"

Nice one Jem, have a male be nice to you and you think he's trying to get some. Trust you to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

Oliver waved his hand near my face, "Are you with me?"

It was my turn to chuckle as I blushed, "Yeah, sorry. I'm just a little out of it. Blame this oddness on jetlag. I'll be right by morning."

Oliver laughed, "What can I blame my oddness on then? This is my turf, what's my reasoning?"

I pretended to be lost in thought, "You're Irish. That's your problem," Oliver glared as I laughed some more, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. I couldn't. I'm sorry."

Oliver smiled too, "You'll get yours Little J."

"Little J?" I asked incredulously, "you're kidding, right? I'm almost as tall as you!"

"You're smaller than me. That makes you little."

"Oh haha. Someone's smaller than you, gigantor. You know what Olly," I said icily, "Olly-Bear." I added with a chuckle.

"Olly-Bear?" He repeated, "That's ridiculous."

"So's Little J." I countered.

"How about… LJ?" He cocked an eyebrow.

I smiled. With four brothers and not many friends at Nimrix, I'd never really had a nickname other than 'Squirt' 'Short Stack' or 'Bub', "LJ works, I guess. Olly-Bear."

Oliver scoffed, "That's no fair. I compromised with you. I still get Olly-Bear?" he said the name with a lacklustre version of excitement.

"Fine," I drawled, relenting, "how's… Obi?"

"Obi… Obi…" Oliver said under his breath, as if testing the name, he shrugged, "Yeah, I 'spose that works." He smirked, "but on the pitch you call me Wood or Captain."

I laughed mid yawn, "Sure thing Obi. Sure thing." I yawned again, "I'm heading back to bed. Go back to bed, classes in the morning."

Oliver clambered up from the couch and walked to the stairs with me. He stopped at my door and turned to face me, this time the silence wasn't awkward. It was friendly and oddly calming. He lent in and gave me a long hug, "Night LJ," he whispered, his lips just past my ear.

"Night Obi," I smiled, hugging him back. Oliver opened the door for me and gestured for me to go into my room. The then closed the door after me and I could hear him sigh and trudge up the stairs to his dorm room.

I climbed into bed, smiling still. This was the beginning of a great year abroad and lovely friendship.