BURNOUT! ━ 911.

nine.

  For Ollie, 'helping out' meant sitting down on one singular armchair chatting with Maddie while Chimney, Eddie and Buck did most of the heavy lifting. It was like the two women hadn't spent a decade apart and, lucky for Ollie, it didn't seem like Maddie held any distaste for her after she had left. It was nice, not having to worry about possibly awkward or tense interactions.

"So, how are you enjoying LA?" Ollie asked, turning her head to look at Maddie. The woman was sitting on the arm of the chair Ollie had claimed as her throne, hands in her laps as she watched the boys carry in her boxes one-by-one. Admittedly, Ollie was having the same problem looking away, eyes scanning over Buck while he was too busy wondering where to place a box.

Maddie let out a soft laugh at the question, looking down at her. "It's not Hershey, or Boston. A lot crazier." She noted, before looking back up once Eddie dropped a box a little bit too hard. "But I like being close to Buck again. And you, of course, although I didn't know you were included in the Los Angeles package." She smiled, her fingers starting to twirl together in her lap. "Speaking of you and Buck..."

Ollie groaned, throwing her head back. "Maddie, please. We were so ten years ago." She huffed, eyes slowly rolling to look at the woman to her left.

The brunette laughed again, before nudging her. "Yeah, but you have to know there's a reason you both somehow ended up in the same city, the same state and the same firehouse. If I were more of a romantic, I'd argue that it's fate." She sing-songed, hand moving to slightly cover her mouth and quiet herself.

"I banged Eddie in El Paso and we're in the same city, state and firehouse. What if my love story's with him?" Ollie retorted, raising a brow.

Maddie paused for a second, face reflecting surprise and shock before settling back. "Nope, no way. You and Eddie dating would make for the most boring life ever, and you don't want that. You like the surprise factor." She noted matter-of-factly, humming. "You may be the same age, but Eddie seems so much older than you."

Now, it was time for Ollie to be silent, racking her brain to try and fill in the gaps with another conversation, yet unable to. Luckily, she was saved by Chimney calling over Maddie, talking about security cameras or something. She gave Maddie a small smile as she excused herself, leaning her head back against the chair and sighing softly.

"You cannot be that tired from doing no work." Buck groaned as he moved next to the chair, his hand sliding over the back of it.

A small hum left Ollie's lips, eyes peeling open to look at him. "Maybe I'm just this tired from two men barging into my apartment and waking me up this morning." She reminded, the corner of her lip twitching.

A husky laugh rumbled out of his chest as he took his sister's spot next to her, the warmth of his body seeming to radiate off of him and infect her entire body. "Yeah, whatever you say. How's the ankle feeling?" He asked, his voice staying quieter, talking gently. It was odd, the way it sent a chill up her spine, but she ignored it.

"How's the girlfriend?" She shot back, the corner of her lips pulling up in a smirk when his face grew ashen. "See, look, two things we don't wanna talk about! We have so much in common." She deadpanned, closing her eyes and tilting her head back against the back of the chair. The last thing she needed was to listen to him continue to worry about her, especially over something as silly as a broken ankle.

In response to her shortness, His eyes seared into the side of her face as a silence settled over them, only made uncomfortable by the fact that Ollie could practically feel the thoughts vibrating behind Buck's skull. "Please, shut off your thinking, Buckley."