Outside Work We... •[TNN One-shots]•

Not Fair •|| MARJOREECE + OLIVE ||•

Prompt: Marjorie and Reece drop Olive off at the airport.

The drive to the airport was unusually quiet, save for the hum of the car engine and the occasional sound of Olive tapping her fingers against her knee. Marjorie glanced at her in the rearview mirror and offered a soft smile.

“You’ve been quiet this morning, love,” she said gently.

Olive huffed and crossed her arms. “What’s there to say? It’s not fair that school starts the day after New Year’s. Who even thought of that? It’s cruel.”

Reece chuckled from the driver’s seat, glancing briefly at his daughter. “You’ve been complaining about this since the schedule came out, Olive. I hate to break it to you, but we can’t exactly change it now.”

“That doesn’t make it any less ridiculous,” Olive grumbled, slumping in her seat.

Marjorie turned slightly to face her. “I know it’s not ideal, darling, but you’ll be back with your friends soon. Didn’t you say they’re planning to meet up before classes start?”

Olive sighed dramatically. “Yeah, but it’s still too soon. I barely got a break!”

Reece laughed, his golden retriever energy shining through. “You’ve been home for three weeks, Olive. Are you saying you’re not going to miss us?”

“Of course I’ll miss you,” she said, rolling her eyes but smiling faintly. “It’s just... I hate leaving so soon after New Year’s. It feels rushed.”

The mention of missing them made Marjorie’s heart ache a little. Even though Olive had only been part of her life for about a year, the bond they’d built felt unshakable. “We’ll miss you too, sweetheart,” she said softly.

The car fell into a comfortable silence for a moment before Olive broke it. “And I’ll miss Aunt Autumn too. She’s the only one who gets my mood swings.”

Reece smirked. “That’s because she knows exactly how to handle you. She’s had years of practice.”

Olive grinned despite herself. “Yeah, well, Aunt Autumn doesn’t judge me when I turn into a moody monster. She just… knows what to do.”

Marjorie chuckled. “She’s one of a kind, that’s for sure. But don’t tell her we said that—it’ll go straight to her head.”

As they neared the airport, Olive’s mood seemed to shift. Her complaints grew quieter, and she stared out the window, biting her lip.

Marjorie reached back to squeeze Olive’s hand. “You okay, my love?”

Olive hesitated before nodding. “Yeah. I’m just... I hate goodbyes. Even if it’s just for a while.”

Reece’s grip tightened on the wheel. “It’s never easy. But we’ll call, text, and video chat. You’re never too far away.”

When they pulled up to the drop-off zone, Olive stepped out of the car, her black hair shining under the overcast sky. Reece helped her with her bags while Marjorie walked over to wrap her in a warm hug.

“Promise me you’ll eat properly and not skip meals,” Marjorie said, brushing Olive’s hair back affectionately.

“I promise,” Olive said with a soft laugh.

Reece pulled her into a bear hug next. “Stay safe, kiddo. And call if you need anything—anything at all.”

“I will, Dad,” Olive said, her voice thick with emotion.

As Olive began walking toward the terminal, she turned back to wave, her blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I’ll miss you guys!”

“We’ll miss you more!” Marjorie called out, blowing her a kiss.

Reece waved until Olive disappeared through the doors, his usual cheerfulness tinged with sadness.

“She’ll be okay,” Marjorie said, slipping her arm around his waist.

“I know,” Reece replied, his voice soft. “But I’ll still miss her like crazy.”

Marjorie leaned her head against his shoulder. “So will I.”

As they walked back to the car, Reece said, “At least now we can start counting down to when she comes back.”

Marjorie laughed. “You’re hopeless.”

“And proud of it,” Reece said with a grin, already planning their next visit.

[A/N: Doing this because MY classes start today. Like, WHO DOES THAT??? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? AT THE LEAST MAKE IT JANUARY 6TH FOR FUCKS SAKE. Okay I have to get ready now. :)]