Olivia had just finished applying her lipstick when the buzzer to her apartment went off.
"Who is it?" she called.
"Just a friend," was Fitz's reply.
Olivia grinned. "I'll be down in a sec!"
She ran back and grabbed her clutch and shoes, opting to take the elevator so that she could successfully put on her four-inch wedges. Because of the warm sticky weather in DC, Olivia had opted to wear a striped romper; she also grabbed her Ray Bans because of how light it still was outside, despite the fact that it was only seven out.
When she saw Fitz downstairs wearing Tommy Bahama shorts and a green polo looking as handsome as ever she couldn't stop the goofy smile that spread across her face.
"Hi there, beautiful," he said, grabbing her hand as soon as they had exited her building.
"Hi, Fitz," she said softly. "Where are we going?"
—
Fitz
His jaw dropped. Fitz had to pinch himself to bring him back to reality so that he could shut his mouth and stop looking like an idiot.
She was just so beautiful.
Her hair ironed straight and was in a ponytail. The romper made her ass look fantastic and the shoes were doing wonders on her legs. He was glad that her sunglasses were sitting on top of her head so that he could look into her amazing eyes.
He would never get over how beautiful she was.
"Fitz?" she questioned him.
"What? Sorry, oh, we're getting food," he stumbled.
She giggled. "We are? I would never have guessed."
He blushed. What an idiot. "Sorry, no, I'm buying you pizza, really good pizza, and then we're going to go to a random liquor store and buy some red wine. And then I'm taking you on a boat," he said.
She smiled. "Showing off the navy side tonight, are we?"
"Of course. Come on," he said tugging at her hand playfully and the two walked the warm DC streets together until they stopped in front of a pizza place.
"Have you ever been here before?" she questioned.
"Nope. But it got good reviews on on OpenTable, so…"
"You checked OpenTable for me? I'm touched," she said sarcastically, grinning.
"Hahaha. Okay, well, I've already ordered the pizza and it is—"
"California?" she guessed hopefully.
"That's my girl" he said, happy that they both like the same type of pizza. He gave her a high five and ran in and picked up the pizza.
"Liquor next?" she asked hopefully.
"Always," he called, reclaiming her hand.
—
Olivia
"This is your boat?" Olivia asked in awe, sitting next to him as he was at the wheel.
"Yeah," Fitz said, grinning. "My parents got it for me after a graduated high school. I'd always been good with boats, I've sailed since a young age. It's part of what interested me in the navy. I've always wanted to surround myself with the water. It's so calming."
"And does it live up to that?"
"What?" he asked, confused.
"The navy. Is it everything you had ever imaged. I mean it must be, with all the time you've spent."
"In some ways yes, in others no. It's really hard. Especially when you don't have that much to go back to. All my friends are there, you know? It's always just been my parents back here. And when you have spent so much time with them, it's not that exciting to go back home. That sounds horrible, doesn't it?" he shook his head.
"No, that makes a lot of since actually. My dad is so controlling. I would find it refreshing to leave for six months at a time. Just the other day my dad bitched at me for getting coffee with you," she rolled her eyes.
"It's messed up how much our parents hate each other," Fitz sighed.
"Let's not talk about them, please?"
"Exactly what I was thinking," he said, grabbing a bottle of wine and drinking, opting out of using a glass. Olivia smiled. There was a comfortable silence as the waves crashed up against the boat.
"So when do you go back?"
"To the navy?"
"Yeah," she said.
"Four days," he said softly.
"Fou—four days? Oh my God, Fitz," she cried.
"I know, I should of told you, that was fucked up. I just… I didn't want you to run in the opposite direction. And I get it if you don't want to get involved with me, because I'll be gone so much," he said hurriedly.
"Fitz, I won't run," she said softly. "It's just surprising," she sighed. "How long?"
"Three months. I come back for a month, then leave for six months. I have a month break after that, and then six more months, and then I'm finished. I have a weeklong break during that first six month time."
"A year and a half?"
"That's it."
"I can deal with that."
"You can?" he asked hopefully.
"I can try to deal with it. I—I care about you. I will be hard. But I'm already involved, Fitz. I'm going to have to deal with it," she said softly.
He slowed the boat, and turned the motor off. It was finally dark outside, the sun was just setting. Fitz went over a sat next to Olivia, wrapping his arm around her. She gently rested her head on his chest, and shifted so that her arms were around his waist. She was falling hard for him. The night had gone perfectly, with pizza and wine and boats. He was hilarious and caring and kind and Olivia hurt inside because he was going to leave so soon.
"I care about you too," he sighed. "I'm going back to Vermont for the next week, but I'm flying out of DC to my base. My best friend Stephen, he lives here, and we always fly out together. So…"
"So I'll see you before you go?" she said, the prospect of seeing him at least one more time making her feel better.
"Yeah. I'd love for you to see me off," he said, smiling.
"I'd love that too," she said.
—
Olivia
"Okay, tell me how great he is again?" Abby asked.
"Abs, we've gone over this a million times," Olivia sighed.
"Liv, your boyfriend is in the navy. Your lazy ass made my drive you to the airport to say goodbye. You won't see him, like, at all." Abby stated.
"He's not my boyfriend, and don't remind me. Happy thoughts remember?"
"I just want to make sure that he is worth it," Abby replied.
Olivia sighed. She and Abby were sitting in the car that the two shared. They had been best friends and college roommates, and both were in law school together. Abby lived in the apartment below Olivia.
Olivia sat shotgun, as the two waiting outside the airport to go in. Olivia's legs were crisscrossed and the two were each eating a pretzel.
"I'm being stupid right?" Olivia said, looking straight ahead.
"Yes. Thank you!" Abby said, looking up as if speaking to God. "You're being stupid."
"But I like him. A lot!" she said in a whiney voice.
"Liv, he's a Grant. What have I always said?" Abby asked. Olivia rolled her eyes.
"You started saying this the second I told you about him, so a week ago?"
"What have I always said?" repeated Abby.
"We don't fuck Grants," mumbled Olivia.
"Exactly."
"But the one Grant that I shouldn't fuck is the one that I want to," complained Olivia.
"Liv, don't go down this path. Not unless you know the consequences. And as long as you are sure about him."
Olivia sighed, and slammed her fist down on the dashboard.
"Hey! Don't take your want for sex out on Richie," said Abby referring to the car.
"You know what, no! I like Fitz. I feel something for him. We were drawn to each other. The rest of the world can go shove their dicks up their asses," shouted Olivia.
Abby looked over at her, and the two made eye contact. The broke out into a laughter that lasted at least three minutes.
"Okay… Okay, Liv—Let's go. You choose him. Okay," Abby, sighed. The two finally got out of the car.
Olivia wore a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and converse, and her hair hung straight down over her shoulders. Abby followed, locking the car, and the two made their way inside.
—
Fitz
He was looking around widely for her. She promised she would come, and he refused to leave without seeing her.
And then he did.
She was looking for him too, he could tell. A pretty redhead was standing next to her, but Fitz barely registered that, because he saw Olivia and that was all that mattered. She looked gorgeous and was only wearing jeans and a t-shirt. But God was she gorgeous.
The two made eye contact and she ran over.
"Thank God I found you, there are way many people in this airport—" but she didn't finish because he crushed her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him, and the two stayed like that for a moment.
She finally pulled back, but kept her arms around his neck. "Hi," she said, smiling.
"Hi," he said.
"Okay, well you have to go. But, I just—you better write me every day. And call me and all that shit. Because I'll miss you. Seriously, every fucking day, okay Fitz?"
"I'll do that. For you, I will."
She smiled, and leaned her forehead against his.
He was wearing a grey t-shit that had navy written on it, and was wearing the classic navy-colored camouflage pants.
"Do I get a kiss," he whispered, their lips dangerously close.
"No," she said, pulling back suddenly.
"Liv?"
"Something to look forward to," she said. She crushed him in a hug again.
"Bye, Fitz," she whispered in his ear. "Be brilliant, be bold, be brave, but most of all be safe. I'll see you in three months." She kissed his cheek and turned around, refusing to look back.
"I'll see you in three months," he mumbled under his breath.
Fitz turned towards his gate, grabbed his bag, and him and Stephen boarded the plain together.
"You're whopped, Grant," said Stephen. "Mind hooking me up with her friend?"
"Shut up, Finch." Fitz said, smiling.