Odd Squad One Shots

It's A Metaphor (Todd x Olive)

A/N: This is an idea I got when I was randomly thinking about John Green's quote about a metaphor in the book, "The Fault In Our Stars." After that my mind was trying to come up with the couple I wanted to write this for. I thought Todd and Olive were a good match. (: I hope you enjoy this, since it's my first one shot between those two. Please remember to comment, vote, and follow. Thanks! (:

(Todd x Olive)

Olive was working late one night at the squad. She had to go overtime due to the fact that Otto was on his annual vacation. She missed her partner from time to time, smiling at the sunny pictures he would send her onto her computer from the beach. She was just looking at the latest one after completing her paperwork, when she heard a rattling noise. She jumped as her alert, brown eyes stared in the direction of the sound. No one else should have been at headquarters that time of night, and the only lighting was from dim fixtures scattered around the squad. She remembered the one time her and Otto had been stuck there to water Obfusco's plant, and even when it began growing out of control, nearly destroying headquarters, Olive had not felt as tense as she did now. Something told her that the source of that crash was probably not good news, and every defensive impulse she had was on alert. She slowly stood up, cautiously walking towards the spot near the Ball Pit, but her ears had failed her, because then she heard another clatter close to where the real, miniature cities were displayed. Her heart fell when she worried that some of the residents could have gotten hurt, because they did talk sometimes. She did not expect to see what she did though when she ventured over there, or maybe it was better to say who she saw. A person jumped up as they carefully put an empty tray back onto the rack filled with small towns. 

"Sorry, Scribbles! I slipped," they exclaimed. 

All Olive could do was stand there in complete shock, the all too familiar traitor with a paint-splattered design on their suit, and a signature, white streak racing through their black hair looking back at her. 

"Todd! What are you doing here," she yelled, rage coursing through her body as her fists clenched some at her sides. 

The last time she had seen him he was releasing a pie-nado, which helped to mold her into the person she was today, yet unleashed a bunch of negative feelings. 

"I didn't hurt any of the small towns' people, if that's what you're wondering," he rudely responded. 

Olive couldn't help but look at him in disbelief, taking a double take at her friends' homes to make sure they were okay. 

"Then why are you here, Todd," she inquired, her tone cold, and her arms folded across her chest. 

"For a second chance," he stated bluntly, throwing her off guard. 

She laughed sarcastically as she placed her hands on her hips. 

"No, it's true," he claimed in a raised voice. 

"Then what's that sticking out of your pocket," interrogated Olive, pointing at the white handle that was barely visible in the dark building. 

It was nestled in his suit jacket, and he pulled it out with no shame, even though it was clearly a gadget. 

"What are you planning on doing with that? I knew you didn't change," Olive accused, narrowing her eyes at him, ready for an attack, regardless of the toothbrush-inator in her pocket, her only line of defense. 

"I've never actually used it for odd," Todd claimed. 

"What," asked Olive in disbelief. 

"It's a metaphor, you see," he began as he tossed the gadget back and forth between the palms of his hands. 

Olive was studying him intently with her lack of trust for him. 

"You take the thing that makes you do the odd, and you keep it close to you, but you don't let it actually go off. A metaphor," he finished. 

Olive's shoulders were relaxing a smidge, but she still was wary. 

"Is that like from some Nicholas Sparks's book, or something," Olive finally questioned casually, her eyes never once leaving the gadget in his hands. 

"No, actually from this guy called, John Green. I helped him one time. Not with this gadget of course...," Todd clarified. 

Olive couldn't help but finally believe him as she got out of her defensive stance, and naturally folded her arms across her chest. 

"Wow Todd, I'm impressed," she actually almost smiled. 

"Really," wondered Todd, probably a little too eagerly. 

His pale blue eyes were lit up by a twinkle that only Olive had ever given him. 

"Totally," Olive answered, a smile definitely across her face by now. 

She would never admit it to anyone, but some of the reason why Todd infuriated her so much was because he was like her partner in crime, her biggest crush, and then he had betrayed her along with everything she stood for. 

"So, what does the gadget do," Olive inquired out of curiosity. 

"It's a veg-inator. I am gardner Todd," he modestly pointed out. 

"Are you? Or are you still Odd Todd," Olive asked uncertainly. 

"I was never Odd Todd, Scribbles. I just felt so insignificant at Odd Squad. Everyone expected me to be great, and there were thousands of other agents just like me," he said. 

"Not just like you. You've always been one of the best on the force," Olive reminded him. 

"But I felt so insignificant to you, Scribbles. You were always helpful and good at making friends, while I was quiet and moody when others bothered me. I guess I should have been a scientist for a better outlet," he reckoned. 

"It's never too late," Olive told him as she finally stepped towards him, cautiously taking his wrist lightly. 

His hand went limp from her touch, and the gadget between them clattered to the floor, as though it represented the source of their problems dropping away. 

"You were my partner, Todd. I didn't feel that I could let you know that I liked you too, because we were supposed to be business, nothing more. I still like you," Olive finished on the end. 

"Still? After all that I put you through, out of all the oddness that I caused," he genuinely wondered. 

"I may not like what you did, but I've always liked you, the real Todd," she said. 

"You mean gardener Todd," he tried to correct. 

"No, I mean the real Todd, that just let his love of odd get the best of him. It is Odd Squad," she spoke. 

A smile twitched at the corners of his mouth until he was grinning like a fool. 

"Olive," he greeted happily. 

"Todd," she reacted, the bad things about him suddenly seeming to be swiped from her memory, as she welcomed an old friend.