If Oliver wanted to laugh, Blaize literally did. Bursting into laughter, he leaned back in his chair slightly and shook his head at his words.

"This one is funny. Okay, first off, Dick" He would never, ever tire of calling Richard that to his face, considering the man made it VERY clear that he hated it and insisted on either Richard or Mr. Dexter, "You don't come into the University demanding things. We had Professor Maxillian here last week, and he didn't demand anything. Dr. Bart had to practically force him to accept a cup of coffee. Second, if you even made the tiniest hint of wanting to take my father's office, the University would set you on fire and throw you out the window on it's own outrage, let alone spare you from what I would have done to you. I find it cute you thought you could have my office, even after I pointed out the clerical mistake. Trying to take Oliver's office is the last straw, it's clearly used and this isn't a Goddamn kid's party where you can just steal toys because you want them"

The Head was taking note of Blaize's deconstruction of what Richard was saying, and narrowed his eyes at the implication that Richard would have taken Dr. Elliot's office if it wasn't explicitly marked as Do Not Use and only very few people in the entire world had keys to access it.

"Is that true" He turned to them, or rather, turned to Jeanette as he saw she was the assistant, and guessed she worked in the same capacity that Oliver did for Blaize.
"I-I was told to use the office, Mr. Elliot was very kind in pointing out the mistake" Her voice small but strong enough for the Head to clearly hear her. That point was marked as solved, and the Head looked back to Richard.

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Richared glared at Blaize once that God-forsaken nickname was said. He took everything everything Blaize with a poorly measured since of calm, his composure was weakening after each point that Blaize made.

"You've had everything handed down to your because you got 'Elliot' as a damn last name! If your father hadn't worked for this damn school you wouldn't have shit! And apparently I'm the only one thinking clearly! Its ridiculous to keep an office as a shrine. There are active professionals trying to work here," Richard replied back his words cutting and cruel, paying not mind to Blaize's possible emotional state.

While Dr. Elliot was widely respected and known Richard Dexter had lived too long in the shadows of the Elliot family. He believed it was time to let the memory of Dr. Elliot go and make way for new discoveries.

Oliver felt terrible and as Richard went on to talk about Dr. Elliot ther was a fire that sparked in his chest. A protective nature emerged and resulted in his hand curling into a fist.

Jeantte's words went ignored by Richard despite the truth she spoke.

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"Ah, here's where you wrong, Dick m'boy" Blaize smirked right in the man's face, "See, I'm an Elliot, but I'm also me. I'm damn handsome, smart, brave, and I'm just amazing. Even if I was born a nobody, I would still be the best, because I'm made of the best. Understand me, sunshine?"

"Dr. Elliot's office is not to be touched" The Head was becoming more and more irritated the more the minutes ticked by, "Dexter, do you have a point or are you just wasting time. There should be a spare office near the library, share that with your assistant until the changeover of staff happens and offices are rotated"

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Richard stared at Blaize but found no words to reply. He would be pointless to engage with Blaize in a battle of ego, but when he was supposed to be making a good impression to the Head of the Department.

Defeated for a moment Richard turned his attention to the Head, doing his best to gain some of his lost composure.

"I'm done for now but I want the first available office," Richard knew when to admit defeat, as he rose up from his chair. He casted a dark glare toward Blaize as he squared his shoulders.

"This isn't over Elliot," Was his parting phrase as he left the Head's office, expecting his assisant to be right behind him.

Oliver exhaled loudly as he forced himself to relax.

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Blaize gave a mocking little wave over his shoulder, not bothering to look around as Richard left. Sure enough, Jeanette was walking right behind him meekly as they both disappeared into the halls and out of earshot.

"... You" The Head pointed at Oliver, "Explain what he meant"

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Oliver's eyes went wide for a moment. He didn't know what to say, a lot had happened and he wasn't sure what the Head meant. Looking toward Blaize for a hint, Oliver realized in that meant what he was asking about.

"Um...Mr. Dexter barged into my office and Blaize stood up for me. Nothing else," Oliver stated simply keeping the to the facts. He didn't want anyone to dig into their relationship, not only was it inappropriate but it also wasn't very accepted.

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"Why, exactly, did he think you are 'owned' by him"

"Because he thinks either you own your assistants or you have useless ones" Blaize rolled his eyes, "I've heard stories about the way he treats people, it's common with people like that"

The Head seemed satisfied with that reasoning, given how Richard had acted in the office. But something seemed to have come from Richard's wording of an 'unfit relationship' and he turned to Oliver again"

"Where did you go after you disappeared from here"

"He didn't disappear, I told your people he had a week off after you almost killed him working" Blaize glared at the Head, but the Head didn't answer or even bother looking at him, still staring at Oliver and waiting for a response.

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Oliver thought there were done, he wanted to be done. He was ready to head home, pack a bag and spend some unknown amount of time working alongside Blaize. Oliver hated feeling like his life was under a microscope and he knew that it wasn't going to end. He wasn't going to 'come clean' but he wasn't going to lie either.

"I uh, went to the Elliot estate. Blaize's staff made me a really nice dinner and then I slept for awhile, it was nice to actually sleep instead of load myself up with caffeine and wait for a crash. I relaxed, it was a vacation for me really," Oliver did his best not to let his mind wander to how he spent part of his vacation.

"Recently I went to the book storage and got a book for a class I want to try and teach. I also attended Dr. Elliot's service," Oliver added looking to Blaize for a brief moment to see if he missed anything. He had spent a lot of time along side him, going to his apartment for only a few hours at a time to get clothing or something he forgotten.

"I don't see why any of this matters, Blaize and I work really well together," Oliver added.

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The Head wasn't a stupid man. It wouldn't do well for the leader of an entire higher education body to be stupid, and he was showing so now. It was common for people to remark that Oliver was a ghost, a fleshed skeleton, practically soulless as he went about his business. The entire faculty had been outraged that he left Blaize behind, and they had agreed to give him harsh work in order to make up for it. It was petty and childish, yes, but it was the price of leaving behind an Elliot despite explicit instructions in Oliver's contract.

Yes, Oliver had had a week of rest from his intense workload. Yes, he spent it in the company of the Elliot estate, no doubt where all of his wants and needs were catered to. But something fundamental had changed in Oliver that even he could see. Oliver, frankly, had had the life breathed back into him.

"Are you two in a relationship"

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Those six founds sounded like a bookcase toppling over but Oliver felt like a deer caught in headlight. He didn't dare look toward Blaize for help because he knew it would give away that were was something hidden behind closed doors. Oliver wasn't even sure if he could call it a relationship, they hadn't talked about it and Blaize openly said he didn't do commitment. In honesty Oliver didn't mind, all the matter was that he was with Blaize and able to be with him when ever he wanted.

"We are in a working relationships, but not a uh..romantic relationship we ..." Oliver said, it wasn't a lie nor was it a full truth but it worked. He found it safe to hide behind vague wording. Oliver would claim their relationship was mostly physical, while Oliver would like it to be romantic, with the sweet gestures and promises, he knew it wasn't going to happen any time soon, if ever.

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"Why are you asking" Blaize's voice was ice-cold, but the Head didn't stop looking at Oliver.

"I asked you a simple question. Are you in a relationship with Blaize Elliot, yes or no"

"I'm right fucking here" Blaize snapped.

"I'm not asking you" Again, his gaze didn't move, nor did he seem to blink.

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Oliver still didn't bother to look toward Blaize, even if every part of him was screaming to check in with him for some kind of advice. He was starting to feel the prickles of anxiety on race down his neck but he only managed to brush them away by rubbing the back of his neck.

"I don't see why you keep asking, sir. We aren't doing anything wrong. We work together and Blaize was cocerned for me nothing else," Oliver tried to explain.

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"So you admit you are in a relationship with him, then"

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"I admit to having a friendship with Blaize, which is a kind of relationship," Oliver replied back, clearly uneasy.

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"Marks, wriggling around the wording of the question is just going to test my patience"

"We're seeing each other" Blaize shot back, his temper tested by the questioning. He didn't exactly know what to call their relationship, he did his best not to think about it, now that he was back from Shenosha and his self-reflection was conflicting with his day-to-day mode of thinking and overall personality.

"..." The Head looked between the two, weighing his options. His gut reaction was to dismiss it; Blaize flirted with anything attractive that had breasts and wasn't married, and Oliver had the sexuality of a stone as far as he knew. The idea of Blaize sleeping with his assistant was so absurd, he would have to check that his coffee wasn't being heavily drugged by pranksters from the Chemistry wing.
But the fact that Oliver was clearly highly uncomfortable and on the verge of a heart attack, coupled with Blaize's icy glaring, was forcing him to consider it a real possibility.

"You are aware that-"

"Code 45.5, University Code of Conduct Guidebook, 10th Edition. No member of the Faculty may engage in a romantic or sexual relationship with another Faculty member that is considered their junior or that they are in a position of power over. I'll remind you that that particular area of the rulebook was made for lecherous male teachers to not take advantage of female interns, students, receptionists or juniors. It was also to stop them having affairs with other MARRIED people. Oliver's a man, so am I, and nowhere in that rulebook does it say two men can't be in a relationship" Blaize snapped, fire in his words to drive home his point.

"..." The Head sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his face in pure exasperation.

"Elliot, Marks is your assistant, that is covered in the rules-"
"Rules are man-woman centric, I'm not that senior above him, and it's a fucking CONSENSUAL relationship"
"Do you think that matters with a homosexual relationship?!" The Head snapped, looking at him, "How the Hell are you supposed to think you'd get away with sleeping with your assistant?"
"Because I'm Blaize Elliot, and what I want, I GET" Blaize shot back, his temper flaring at the idea he wouldn't get his own way, or they'd be somehow punished for this, "Don't like it? I leave and I take Oliver with me. Plenty of Universities out there that would LOVE our talents and our names and wouldn't care what we do"

"... Look" He held up a hand, the other pinching the bridge of his nose, "I don't normally care what the Hell you young people do when you're not here as long as it doesn't reflect on the University. The Elliot name can take a lot of scandal from things if you carry it off, God knows I've never heard anyone complain about you seducing any woman that takes your fancy. But another man, one that you are the boss of when you are in-field, is different. For decency's sake, I'm going to have to temporarily split your partnership"

"What" Blaize hissed between his teeth.

"The University is doing their audit of paperwork. EVERYONE needs to be here for it. Once expeditions start again, do whatever the Hell you want, but for the audit, you are both here and you are both with someone else. Dexter is already making noises you two have an unfit relationship, he doesn't need to start spreading word that you are forcing Marks into your bed as well"

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