Oliver x Reader || tpn fanfiction

Chapter 20 - You. Stay. Here.

Y/N pov

Lucas's reaction was far from what we had hoped for. As the truth unfolded, emotions spiraled out of control. He was yelling, and in the heat of the moment, I found myself yelling back, the tension between us reaching its breaking point. Oliver, usually the anchor in turbulent times, seemed close to tears, struggling to find a way to ease the growing discord. Meanwhile, Zack, uncertain and caught in the crossfire, stood there, unsure of how to intervene.

Deep down, I had anticipated this reaction, yet experiencing it was still a jarring experience. The gravity of our actions was now undeniable, and the realization weighed heavily on my conscience.

In the midst of the heated exchange, I couldn't help but wonder if anyone else had witnessed the commotion. The last thing we needed was to draw more attention to our situation. It was crucial to avoid making the same mistake again.

Lucas's final decree cut through the chaos, his voice stern and commanding. "Out." There was no room for negotiation, and so, without further hesitation, we obeyed. We left, each of us carrying a mix of regret, anger, and sadness with us.

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"We fucked up," Zack mumbled, voicing the frustration and guilt we all felt.

"No, I did," Oliver corrected him, taking the weight of responsibility upon himself.

I let out a sigh, my head throbbing with the stress of the situation. "Stop blaming yourself. I should have noticed it too," I admitted, grappling with my own feelings of regret and self-criticism. "Maybe I shouldn't have yelled like that..."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Zack reassured me, his comforting words easing some of my self-doubt. "Lucas started yelling first, and you were just trying to defend us. He needs time to calm down and think things through without all the worry, fear, and anger clouding his judgment."

Curiosity got the better of me as I asked, "How long have we been here?"

Oliver opened his eyes, greeted by the setting sun. "Probably half the day," he estimated.

Zack contemplated the situation, wondering if it had been enough time for Lucas to collect himself. "Do you think that was enough for him to calm down?" he pondered aloud.

"Who knows. But it would have been enough for me," Oliver murmured, reflecting on his own emotions.

"I also understand if he needs more time. He's seeing all his efforts of the past nine years vanish before his eyes," I empathized, trying to put ourselves in Lucas's shoes.

Oliver was quick to defend me and expressed his opinion on Lucas's behavior, "That still doesn't justify how he treated us. Sure, he's angry, and I get that, but he shouldn't have acted that way towards you, Y/N. Besides, I'm the one who messed up. You shouldn't have had to argue with him over my mistake."

Zack's sudden burst of laughter caught us by surprise, and soon, Oliver and I joined in. "Don't forgive him until he apologizes," he chuckled, breaking the tension with a lighthearted moment of humor.

As the laughter subsided, a sense of camaraderie filled the air.

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"Lucas wants to talk to you. It's good that you're hanging out together. Looking for each of you would have been exhausting otherwise."

Sonja's voice broke the silence. Startled, I jumped at the sudden sound, still on edge from the earlier events.

"Took him long enough," Zack grumbled, his frustration evident as he pushed himself off the ground. Sonja looked puzzled, not understanding the reason behind Lucas wanting to speak with us. "We'll explain it later," I reassured her, hoping to alleviate her confusion.