Lean on Me ||perciver

7. Wise Words

Oliver had a feeling that he needed to talk to someone about the constant whirlwind in his head. He wasn't really sure if that was it was, but judging by how he felt like he was about to combust from the feelings inside of him, it was probably best to let it out. He just wasn't exactly sure how to do it. Talking to his mum was out of the question, and his friends were immature and only expected  him to rave about quidditch. Teammates were also off limits, as he liked to keep his personal life just that.

He sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. His feelings for Percy were bound to take its toll at some point, especially after festering for so long. It was really no wonder he couldn't talk to anyone about it; he had never had feelings for anyone until Percy, swept up with quidditch as he was.

There was no other option. He would keep it to himself and work it out himself. It wasn't like he was doing a terrible job of doing that either. While he had been testing the waters, he had seen how Percy had reacted to his flirting at the ministry, and it certainly wasn't with repulsion. If he was being completely honest, he would say that Percy had liked it. He didn't like to be so hasty in his conclusions, however. He would need to keep it up if he wanted concrete evidence. 

Merlin, he was starting to sound like Percy with his technical terms...

He glanced down at the grocery list and grumbled. He didn't need anyone to talk to anyway.

Later that day, Oliver pushed his cart through the grocery store, trying to reference his checklist as well as navigate in the most efficient path.

"Grocery shopping, huh?" Angelina said as they strolled down the isle.

"Yeah," he replied, not exactly sure what she was trying to get across. He reached for a box of pasta noodles, scrutinizing the ingredients.

"I somehow didn't peg you as the one who did the shopping," she said, peering at the item in his hand curiously.

"Why not?" He asked absently, frowning at the back of the box. The ingredients list was appallingly unhealthy, leading him to drop the package in disgust and push his cart to explore more of the selection. Maybe they would have those bowtie noodles- they seemed like something right up Percy's alley.

Angelina shrugged and followed him along his expedition, thoroughly assessing each item. She was no doubt bored in the store, but what had he expected? Grocery shopping wasn't typically something you did with friends for fun. What had his motives been originally? To talk about his feelings?

He turned to Angelina. Maybe he could...?

She caught his eye and tilted her head. "Need something, Wood?"

He grimaced. "I need...advice, so to speak," he said stiffly, carefully placing some chosen ingredients into his cart and moving on.

She nodded for him to go on.

"Relationship advice, to be precise," he cleared his throat and navigated his way to the condiment isle and continued, "I figured, you're married and in a healthy relationship, you're my friend, and I've never bothered you with questions like these, so it wouldn't hurt to start now..."

He fumbled with the list in his hands, terribly out of his depth. He had never found it easy to ask for such things, call him prideful.

"I- there's someone," he started, "and he's really great, and we've known each other since forever. He knows more about me than anyone else does, and I'd like to think it's the same for him too. He's smart, if not a bit oblivious, but it's not his fault, he's just a bit overworked. Merlin, I wish he wouldn't work himself so hard ..." He trailed off with a forced grin. "This is a bit weird, sorry."