Naive Hearts

Together or not at all.

There hadn't been much time and there still wasn't, not when Oliver stood there looking like he wanted to be dead again and like the life he knew was long gone. Nevali understood more now, she'd seen all these friends of his die and Nico and Declan Junior had been part of that too. As soon as the apartment registered that it was Nevali who stepped in she had sighed "Try not to move for a moment", Nevali instructed each of them although Oliver specifically, he looked confused like he didn't understand at all. A blue light extended from the ceiling and made its way down scanning across the entire apartment before it retracted pulling back up into the ceiling "What was that?", Oliver asked before Nevali moved to take her coat off to settle it on the coat rack to her left

"There were explosions on this ship a few years back, we stayed behind to... it doesn't matter... but this is an included system now. They are still trying to get it into the others", Nevali commented, she knew Oliver would be confused. Darius unexpectedly had grabbed onto Elijah's hands, they were trembling and the pair of them shifted towards one of the windows. Nevali's eyes were on them briefly as were Oliver's but both quickly looked away when the boys had interlaced their fingers together, the pair had chosen to look towards photos scattered along tabletops of Nico and Declan Junior, most of the photos were of the pair hugging or the pictures moved and showed moments where they were making a mess with paint and soaking each other in it. Oliver found he couldn't look for long and didn't know where to look, Nevali had shifted a hand to rest upon his shoulder as if to say she understood. Meria, Alaric and Asher were all by the couch speaking quite quickly although each looked calm.

"Talk to me", Darius felt the words come out gently even though he was sure he didn't feel calm at all "It was too much", Elijah replied, unable to look directly into Darius' eyes as if the sight of him might cause him pain. Darius shifted and closed his eyes, Elijah had noticed that having done the same just as their foreheads gently touched. It was a moment that felt private to them but was still quite open to everyone else "There was so much pain, they were his friends. He disagreed with them and died for them, time and time again and yet his memories with them are so different", Elijah commented and Darius hummed, knowing that more was likely to come from him "The only people he has left that aren't missing are in this room", he added. Darius felt the pain start to swarm across his chest, often when he took Elijah's hands after a moment such as that through the vents he felt like that but Elijah just felt warmth from him.

Darius had unravelled his hands from Elijah's and pulled his head into his shoulder "It's okay, we'll help him", Darius replied although he did not know how exactly "It's our fault", Elijah stated feeling his voice tremble and like he might crumble but Darius held him firmly and yet comfortably "Maybe it is but we can still do it, as long as we're together", Darius replied. Oliver without meaning to had been watching the pair of them and it seemed Nevali had been too "They are so young", Oliver commented "And yet they remind me of you and Tina", Nevali replied which only made Oliver stare at her "You were watching?", Oliver asked almost sounding offended which only made Nevali laugh "Oh please, you two couldn't keep your hands away from each other if you tried", she replied "You know they can hear you?", Oliver questioned flicking his head slightly in the direction of Asher and Alaric

"They know it too, Oliver", Nevali pointed out. "There's something you should know", Nevali had started to say and Oliver did seem to be listening up until the loud knocking on nevali's door "Shit, too soon", Nevali commented, Asher and Alaric both quickly moved the teenagers into the compartment behind the bookcase along with Oliver "What are you doing?", he questioned "Do you trust us or not?", Alaric replied and Oliver's gaze went away from Alaric's face flickering to the left and the right before returning to his face "Yes", he answered, Alaric had shoved something into his hand "Then get that signal out of you while we stall for time", he added. Asher moved the bookcase back into place with ease leaving Oliver, Meria and the boys in the dark. The four of them could barely hear Nevali, Asher and Alaric talking in such a lying manner but it was clear they were and for them "What? A dead body roaming around here? No, it's just me and my holograms", Nevali stated