Odd Squad One Shots

Learning To Love Again (Otis x Oona)

(Otis x Oona)

The moment appeared serene as Otis gazed straight at the full blown sunset. The colors seemed to explode across the sky as a symbol of the battles of his heart. As he was painted in a yellow orange shade, all he saw was darkness and greys.

"Stare into the sun

to see my face for once

all the weakness shows

Too tired to lift the arms

that hold onto the stars

watch me as I sleep"

As soon as the sphere in the sky dipped below the horizon, he decided to climb into bed, pulling the covers up to him as he just went through the motions. He felt numb and confused, but above all else, lost. It seemed it was only yesterday he was sharing the sunset in the fake Odd Squad town with a special someone, but now they were grown up at the age of 18. Their paths had gone in different directions, very unlike the magnificent, vibrant display at the end of each day. He didn't even know why he was focusing so much on a phenomenon like that, since normally he didn't even look twice at pandas, but lately he had found himself stuck outside the zoo's exhibit, just watching them for hours. The memory seemed to sear through his brain, but the scorches were left on his heart.

*Flashback*

"Otis," Olympia giggled as she tugged on his hand. They were enjoying their last official day at the squad, since they had decided to age. Even though seventeen was considered a teenager and not a kid, Ms. O had made an exception, not wanting to lose two of her best agents for awhile.

It was odd how people couldn't say Otis's smiles were rare anymore, for this girl had changed all of that. If anything, he smiled so much that his cheeks constantly hurt. A lot had changed since the age of 11.

Their evening of a picnic in the park was shared with laughs, and lots of cuddles, but then the classic blue up above was transforming to a different assortment of colors.

"I can't wait to go to college! It's going to be so great, Otis! I still can't believe I'm going to Juilliard. I'll get to sing like all the time!"

Otis was grinning from ear to ear because of her enthusiasm, his arms locked around her shoulders from behind, as she leaned her back against him.

"Where are you going to college, partner," she wondered, him blushing from that special name they had always used for one another. That was soon all coming to an end...

"I got accepted to Purdue," he shared, but he could sense tension had formed.

"Purdue? Isn't that like all the way in Indiana," she questioned.

"Yeah...," he hesitantly answered.

She sighed some, sitting up so that she could turn around to face him. "Otis... Indiana and New York are really far away from each other."

"It's not that far," he claimed.

"Maybe, but we won't be able to see each other that often. We'll be busy."

"We could use the tubes," he offered, a bit of hesitation laced into his voice.

"No, we can't. You heard what Ms. O said. Once we're no longer agents, we also can't use the tubes," Olympia replied.

"We can still visit each other..."

"Yeah, on breaks and holidays. I just can't imagine not being with you every day. Maybe Oren was right. Maybe we're too different from each other..."