Marrok stopped. It surprised him that he did. He hadn't planned to.
Even more surprising was how stunned Oliver looked as he jogged up beside him, slightly breathless, his brows raised high enough to challenge gravity. He pulled up short, staring at Marrok as if he hadn't expected him to actually wait.
"You okay?" Oliver asked, his voice gentler now, stripped of its usual boisterous edge. "Everything good with Coach?"
"Yeah," Marrok replied, the word clipped and accompanied by a short nod. He didn't elaborate — he didn't need to.
Oliver blinked, clearly taken aback. That's it? No grunting? No sarcasm? No brush-offs? The captain's gaze lingered on Marrok a beat longer than necessary before a slow smile began to stretch across his face. "Alright then. Let's head to class."
