Oliver Burton

Oliver simply didn't have it in him to crush the dreams of that package of joy and rainbows that was Abby. He was ever so aware of the way she so visibly and truly at the heart of it, beneath that prickly, hardened exterior he had encased himself in, he had his weaknesses. Apparently this little were panda was one of them, not even the cantankerous bear was unable to withstand the power of that ray of sunshine. Really really? She asked entirely chipper, that sadness chased back to the ends of the earth in that moment. "Really... really." He repeated with far less enthusiasm as she had displayed, it wasn't like you could change a tiger's stripes here, no matter how good your paint is. Hopefully that delicious food would be enough to soften the edges of his mood, he was trying but clearly was failing. He was by far the furthest thing from perfect, but he was not exactly the most outward man. No, he liked things controlled, preferably by him.

Before he knew it, he was describing how good tasting the very duck's she so desired to catch. He even offered to return the favour and buy her lunch at once of the best places in the city so she could taste exactly how it should. Why waste your time with mediocrity when you could skip it and go for the best. She seemed so entirely eager to grasp at that very offer, plucking a date at the top of her head. How easy it was for her to be so carefree and make plans, he could hardly imagine a life like that. Perhaps one day. "Next week should be fine.." But in truth he wasn't even sure if his schedule was clear, he needed to check in with the secretaries just to be sure. "Although I might need to find a way to contact you, should things get a little chaotic. My schedule is a little disordered at the best of times." How he hated how all-consuming work had become, no wonder why the bear was so displeased, consistently being neglected in that fashion. He knew the time would come where the bough would surely break, and he would need to make some changes. But those were thoughts not intended for now, why would he want to think about work while not at work? Although, he had to admit with the recent merger of another company and his own, he found himself working even harder than usual. It probably only contributed to the English man's poor attitude of late.

At the very least lunch was soon revealed, and he was never so happy to see food, his nutmeg hued eyes grew wide, wanting nothing more than to stuff his face. But no, he had manners, he was a civilized Englishman after all. The woman excitedly invited him to her work for some extra fish. "I will remember. Especially if extra fish in involved I don't think I could say no." He agreed almost warmly, allowing a rare smile to spread across his face. That very smile felt foreign somehow, like his muscles were not used to forming such a shape. However, he was content to listen her go own about her job just so long as he could stuff his face with mouthful after mouthful of glorious food. It certainly made his tummy happy after neglecting it for too long. Abby took her time, taking far smaller mouthfuls, hardly the starving bear he was. Hopefully he didn't offend her too much.

He could hardly stop the sheer look of contentment as he stuffed his face full of food. Maybe this was the reason why he was always so grumpy, he just didn't eat enough. He would have to make a more conscious effort in the future, he knew it but work so often had other plans. That giggle seemed to let a ray of light in upon his tarnished heart, it was infectious. "I am sorry for every doubting you." His accented voice replied, looking her in the eye for complete sincerity, surely he could be charming when he wished to be. The Englishman would dare not doubt her taste for food again.

He then finally questioned her about that very reason why the little were woman has chose to seek him out in the first place. The very sound of the word pack made him pause, swallowing that bite he had just taken. His face grew stern and that skepticism arose, stealing that contentment he had just found moments ago. The weight of that disapproval within that hardened gaze had found her fully then as he listened and questioned. He truly worried for her then. He could not let her make a mistake that could very much ruin her life. To be fair he knew so very little about this pack but the potential and obscurity of it all made the Englishman uneasy.

He nodded as she spoke that 'we', mentioning her mother and father. He thought nothing more of it, unknowing that there was a tragedy that nestled behind her hazel eyes. But the mention of family it had surprisingly seemed to resonate within him, god he missed his family. He could hardly help that sensation of homesick that washed over him then. With a sigh he brushed it all away, another issue for another time, surely he couldn't continue this way. But that didn't stop him from getting down to the bottom of this debacle the sweet woman had found herself within. If he could shield her even a little from that harsh world he knew in that instant he would. Oliver could hardly allow anything bad happen to her, the world was cruel enough to tarnish yet another.

Oliver noticed the frown that so danced upon Abigail's features and this time he didn't feel bad. Good, let those words sink into her head a little. She needed to be a little wary of the world, it was not always ducklings and fishies. A pack was a big deal even if she didn't understand just yet. He hoped she would one day and maybe even thank him for his own weariness. He was still waiting for one from his sister and he suspect it would never come.

"You certainly cannot judge a pack after one meeting.. They aren't pressuring you, are they?" He asked quite concerned then, concerned over a woman he had only met once before. Yet somehow it hardly stopped him from being responsible for the girl. He couldn't believe these thoughts didn't cross her mind whatsoever. He drew in another steadying breath because as she continued to speak about the pack the more he became entirely too skeptical and that grumpy bear of a man was rearing his ugly head once more.

She listed off a long list of things that Frost could have been and that the one singular time she had met him, he was at least kind to her. He would damn well hope he would be. To make matters worse she had no idea what kind of creature Frost was. She was so blissfully unaware of the very facts that could very much lead to her own demise. "Just because someone feeds you salad does not mean they can be trusted, no matter how good it tastes." He muttered pointedly, the auburn haired woman clearly needed him now more than ever. "There is a big difference between a moose, a deer, and an elephant. What did he seem most like to you?" He questioned that frown upon his face not daring to fade while faced with the horrors of Abby's poor decision-making skills. She was going to drive him mad, just like his own sister would surely accomplish. He couldn't imagine them in the same room.. if only to save his own mind.

Then so suddenly the woman blurts out that she could surely eat him. "As much as I would like to admit it, I believe I would have a hard time eating a whole elephant. Maybe only one quarter of one. But over a few days.. I might.." He considered amusedly, seriously contemplating how he could eat a full elephant even through the sheer ridiculousness of it. "If he seems off, even a little. I will eat him Abigail." He narrowed his nutmeg hued eyes before taking another bite of food perhaps a little more forcefully that usual.

She then invited him to meet him after this. "Meet him? Or Eat him?" He questioned curiously, his failing attempt at a joke. "Does he even know.. or are you going to surprise the man like you did me. I am however grateful of your drop in and this fish, but I doubt an alpha would be. They are a peculiar type.." His accented lyrics flowed so easily from him. He drew in a hard sigh before finally somewhat easily giving into that sunshine panda.

"Alright Miss Abigail, I will meet this Frost. Someone needs to make sure you stay out of trouble, seeing as your sense of judgement is sometimes off. It is a good thing you came to me today." He ran an idle hand through his dark brown hair, trying to enjoy these short moments of peace before they soon ran out. She may have been grinning like a fool but he was the actual fool and internally he was grimacing. How quickly convinced she was that this was all going to be splendid while the horrors that could come out of this scenario flooded his own mind. All in a days work, it would seem.