Chapter 5
Otto later on in life would say that this fight actually did mean a lot when he looks back on it. It was the start of him telling people how he feels instead of sticking to himself like he always did. It was an important fight and it was something that seven year olds fight about. Favoritism. Who favors which child more, it is very common with twins at this age unless they are angels, it definitely took the parents by surprise.
Winter 2023
Leo was watching Olive skate around the rink after her practice ended, she always needed to cool down afterwards, he taught her well. The schedule worked out so that Leo would pick up Olive and discuss hockey with her on the way back to her mothers house. Ink doesn’t understand hockey at all so it lets Olive talk about her hobby without trying to explain everything at the same time.
Ink having been a performer though loved talking to Otto about figure skating because her and Leo were cheerleaders. They understood the importance of loving what you do to be able to pull off a great performance. Somedays Ink would run late from tattooing to pick Otto up and he would be the last one at the rink with the coach.
Leo was never late to pick up Olive though, for some reason that really stuck in Otto’s little brain.
Leo would talk to Otto about figure skating but Olive would always but in to talk about her hobby and little Otto wouldn’t say anything, he would just sink into the background and let her talk. It hurt even if he wasn’t emotionally mature. Even if he was still a little kid he saw how everyone adored his sister, the Lions would actually start conversations with her instead of waiting for her to talk first.
“Olive how is practice going”
“Olive did you decide on what position to play.”
“Olive if you need any advice on how to skate fast just ask.”
“Olive, you’re gonna be the greatest player one day.”
“Olive”
“Olive”
“OLIVE!”
It started to irritate Otto going to family dinners after traveling Lions games, so he started to stay home with June. She was quiet and knew how to talk to Otto like he wasn’t inferior to his sister. Like he was… an only child. He loved his parents but sometimes they are dumb.
It all came to a helt one day when a Sunday dinner turned into a full on fight. Sundays were when Leo would come over to Ink’s house and eat dinner as a family. June would go over to the apartment with Finn and Logan and do whatever they wanted. But Sundays were family days.
“Daddy, I have decided to play defenseman!” Olive smiles at him brightly, proud of herself. She had some BBQ sauce in the corner of her mouth and her hair was falling into her plate. Otto rolled his eyes and rested his cheek on his fist, elbow on the table just punching his food around.
“Put your hair up Olive, it's getting in your food. That's great honey I’m proud of you.” Leo smiles at her, the same spot on his face also has BBQ sauce. “Otto, elbow off the table Bud.”
A sigh comes from Otto and he slams his fork down sassily removing his elbow from the table. Crossing his arms and glaring down at his plate. Ink and Leo share a look of confusion, then, look back at Otto. Ink sets her fork down gently.
“You alright there Bud?” She looks at him a little worried and it makes him even angrier.
“What do you care?” Ink is taken aback by this, normally Otto is the sweetest child you have ever met. This attitude is new. “It’s not like I’m the star player of a stupid game.”
“What are you talking about?” Leo furrows his brow trying to figure out what's going on, as any parent would say. He doesn't have a favorite kid just like he doesn’t have a favorite boyfriend. Olive just talks a lot more than Otto, did he miss something.
Otto scoffs and looks Leo in the eye. “I know you like Olive more than me… Everyone does.” He looks back at his food as tears form in his eyes but he doesn’t want to show them that ot hurts. “It’s always ‘Olive this’ and Olive that’! She-she talks over me and no one ever talks about figure skating with me except for mom and she doesn’t even understand it! She compare it to cheerleading when it really is the only way I can talk without talking! Olive is a good hockey player like dad so everyone talks to her like she is the most amazing person to ever exist and they all forget about me! The team, my friends, the school… My own parents!” Tears are now streaming down his face and he angrily wipes them away.
“You make everything sound so bad! When you were sick and got everyone attention I didn’t care!” Olive snaps at him and glares at him with the icey stare she is known for. Everyone always says her eyes are scary while Ottos are sweet. Yet still more people talk to Olive.
“I hate you!”
“I hate you more!”
“Hey! Hey!” Leo watches as Otto shoves his plate away and storms off to the room he stares with his sister and slams the door. Ink has her head in her hands massaging her temples. “I’ll go talk to him after he cools down, but you” He turns to Olive “That was uncalled for, Otto getting sick was not us giving him more attention because we ‘loved him more’ or whatever is in your head. He got more attention because we didn’t know if he was going to live.”
Olive is looking down at her plate and looks up at her parents with the biggest, saddest eyes they had seen in a while.
“I didn’t mean to say that- I don’t know why I did.” She sniffles and wipes her nose on her sleeve.
“I know honey, but you will have to apologize to your brother. This is something that makes him feel really bad. What we should do, instead of hurting someone because they said something out of anger, is let them get all the emotion out until they are ready to talk. Okay?” Ink wasn’t sure how she should explain the way she handled people to a seven year old but this was all she could think of. Olive nods, wiping her eyes and then putting her hands in her lap just looking at them sadly as the words she said keep flowing through her head. “It’s okay to feel bad about things we saw, but we do need to do the proper actions after to clear our heads, and this time it would be to apologize.” Olive nods again.
“I’m going to see if Otto has calmed down at all.” Leo stands, walking to the door that was just slammed. He knocks twice and hears hard crying behind the door, his heart hurts as he listens to his child gasp and sob into a pillow or his teddy bear. He can hear the soft mumbling of the team and knows Otto is listening to the build a bear from his fourth birthday. Leo hadn’t seen the bear in a while. “Otto, can I come in?”
“Y-yeah” Otto hiccups, he is sitting on his bed under the covers with his back against the wall, his Lion being held tightly to his chest. Pressing the paw every once in a while because he misses the team like this. He feels Leo sit next to him but doesn't get under the covers with him.
“Want to talk about it?”
“I just feel really lonely” Leo sighs silently and rests his head on the top of Ott’s. The cover being a barrier between them. “I just want people to talk to me like they do Olive, no one hesitates to talk to her, or tell her how good she is. You and mama never tell her to not talk over me. I feel like i’m not here sometimes.” Otto began to cry again leaning into Leo’s side.
“I didn’t know we were doing that, I’m sorry.” Leo wraps his arms around the figure leaning into him and kisses the top of his head. “How come you didn’t say anything.” Leo should have noticed this going on, now that he thinks about it, Olive really does take up most of his time. He feels horrible for not noticing. Maybe he would talk to Dumo about this.
“I didn’t want to be annoying.” Leo humms, he knows that feeling. They sit there for about twenty minutes, until Otto uncovers himself and hugs Leo fully. “I gotta say sorry to Olive, I feel really bad.” Leo nods and gives Otto a squeeze before they get up and walk towards the door.
From that day on Otto let people know what he was feeling.