Ollie stared at his terminal like it owed him emotional stability. It did not.
His thumb hovered over the call button far longer than necessary before he pressed it, and the moment the connection went through, he instantly regretted it.
"...Oliver?" came the voice of a mildly alarmed mother. "Is something wrong? It's the middle of the night, my dear."
"!!!"
"Mom! I need advice!" he blurted.
The Marquise blinked from her lounge chair on the other side of the star system. "Oh? What sort of advice?"
"It's for a friend," he said far too quickly.
"A friend."
Okay?
"Yes! He—uh—he got confessed to!"
"Hmm. I see." The Marquise smiled faintly, already amused. "And your friend decided it's best to call me at this hour…because?"
"There's a problem!"
"With the confession?"
"No, no!" Ollie shook his head, realized she couldn't see him i this position, then whispered anyway, "The confession wasn't the problem. I think?"
"Oh?" Marquise Julienne leaned forward slightly. "Then what is?"
