City of Smoke // Brian 'Otis' Zvonecek ✔️

17 || APOLOGISE

Would Rory accept his apology? That's the only question that currently rattled around inside Otis's mind as he stood outside on the apron, allowing the crisp air to cool him down after waking up in a sweat over what her answer might be.

Ever since the flowers arrived earlier Otis hadn't seen much of Rory, and not because she was avoiding him or anything but because it appeared as though everyone needed an ambulance from that moment on as the calls hadn't stopped all day.

It was driving him crazy, not knowing. He should have just asked her. He should have simply cornered her during the small amount of downtime she'd had between calls and straight up asked her whether or not he was forgiven as now she was fast asleep in the bunk room, leaving him at an odds as to when, or if, she'd ever put him out of his misery.

With a deep sigh, Otis sank down onto the cold, hard ground, leaning up against the pillar next to the bay doors. He couldn't help but think back to the day when he'd come out here and saw Rory in this exact spot, sketching away with a blanket wrapped around her, the very same blanket she'd then given him after she spotted him and immediately went back inside because she thought he hated her.

Even with that, the thought that he couldn't stand to be around her, she'd still gone and given him the blanket because she didn't want him to get cold, just another example of how she was the sweetest person ever and he'd just been a straight up dick. He still couldn't believe she'd forgiven him after all of that, but he'd been glad for it as the moments they shared afterwards were ones he'd never forget. And ones he'd give anything to be able to experience again, but he didn't think he'd ever get to do that, at least not until the voice that had quickly become his favourite reached his ears.

"Thank you for the flowers." Rory's quiet words greeted Otis before she did. He could see her in his peripheral vision, walking slowly towards him, making his heart hammer furiously beneath his chest and the nerves in his stomach increase drastically with every inch closer she got to him. His head turned slowly, catching sight of her just before she sat down next to him, his body tensing at the mere closeness between them. "Daisies are my favourite."

"I, uh, I know." Otis replied nervously, swallowing harshly as he scratched the back of his head and avoided eye contact. "I kind of figured they were."

"Yeah, I guess I'm not the most subtle person in the world when it comes to showing off my favourite flower." Rory chuckled, a sound that had Otis's heart clench tighter than ever before as it was something he hadn't heard in a while, at least not directed towards him that's for sure. He'd been too busy making her cry lately to have made her laugh.

"No, no you are not." Otis said humorously, finally mustering up the courage to turn and look at her. The second he saw her smile, her genuine, heartwarming smile that made him regret every single thing he'd ever done to her, he quickly found that he couldn't stop the words from pouring out of his mouth. "I'm really sorry for what I said, Rory... I should never have doubted you. I should never have accused you of making something like that up, not when I know that's not the kind of person you are. And I-"

"Otis." Rory interrupted, placing her hand on his knee which she felt twitch a little beneath her. "It's okay... You don't have to apologise, not when you already did."

"You deserve a proper apology, Rory, not just some half assed note." Otis protested, feeling angry at himself for how stupid he'd been. He took a breath, allowing the touch she still had on him to offer him a little comfort as he composed himself, you know, before he didn't anything else he regretted. "I need you to know how sorry I am... I never meant to hurt you... again."

"I know." Rory said softly, giving his knee a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "But I don't blame you, not really. I know it can't have been easy hearing what I told you."