Day One: Leather

Day One Question: Why do you ship Lauliver?

Answer: This is a long…. Story. I started shipping them before the book began. I really should read the comics, but there was one episode of Justice League Unlimited that featured Oliver meeting Dinah… and it just went from there. His admiration for her strength, the ability for them to take turns taking the lead/support, and their teamwork… they are an amazing couple that balances each other out. As a shipper, that's all I really want in my ship. It's why they're in my top ten otps.

Well, usual disclaimers apply. Enjoy!

He loved that leather coat. The first time they'd seen each other in weeks, he'd seen her from across the street with that black leather jacket. He'd stopped in the middle of the lunch rush to stare and turn to watch her walk down the street. She didn't even stop to say hello.

He knew that it was a predictable outcome for what had happened. He was the one at fault, after all.

No one could tell him otherwise. She needed space in a time when he wanted none. Who could tell him that she wasn't the one that held the power in their relationship? He was worried about the people of the city, how he was going to reclaim his family's legacy, and she was more concerned with how everyone else was doing. It was only fair. He never looked at the scope outside of his team and her, but she did.

She said it wasn't good if they spent all their time together. He needed to rebuild his image with the public, have someone that matched him more than she did. Someone that didn't have a shaded past with substance abuse.

It was better for them, she said. It was the only way the people of Starling City would accept him back into their graces. He needed to figure out who he could share his life with for short term.

He didn't want short term, though. He wanted long term with every problem that it presented. But his long term was walking away in that leather coat.

And he hated every minute of it. She didn't need to do any of this to him, but she stood by her choices. She made him proud of her even in her most infuriating moments.

The gall of the woman he called the love of his life. The strength that he needed came from her and that blasted leather jacket.

.

She'd never tell him that she noticed him. She couldn't afford to not have him learn his lesson, that there were still boundaries she was not willing to forsake. She didn't want him hurt, especially with the precarious image he obtained with his family going to trial. He needed a stable figure in his life, not someone that needed to have private time to work out her problems. Not everything revolved around their relationship.

She needed to develop her confidence, maintain her growth in positivity that didn't dwell on who she was in a relationship with.

That didn't mean she wasn't immune to him. She was more in tune with him than anyone else. And her spy made sure that she was updated on his every move.

Her spy actually winked at her as she walked by Oliver. She kept her head down and smirked her response. She heard Oliver let out a disgruntled breath as she walked by in the lunch rush. Thank God for a busy downtown.

Her phone chirped and Laurel walked into a local bakery. She pulled out her phone and saw a text message flash on her screen. Thanks for the emotional mess.

Laurel smiled and walked to the counter. She ordered a lunch for two, since she was seeing her father in her unheard of two-hour lunch break. She smiled at the person taking her order. "I need two…"

"Make it four," a voice stated from behind her. Laurel closed her eyes and felt her pulse pick up. She turned and saw Oliver standing behind her with a navy business suit on and his arms crossed at her. Behind him, John Diggle kept a smirk on his face. Laurel raised an eyebrow at the duo.

"Don't you have a date with your girlfriend?" Laurel asked. Diggle shook his head and rubbed his head. Laurel watched Oliver's reaction more closely. Oliver nodded.

"That's why I'm here," he stated. Laurel looked at him confused. Oliver smiled at her. "One date doesn't mean anything."

Diggle almost started laughing. Laurel marched over to Oliver and stared at him right in the eyes. "Go back home. I don't want to talk to you."

"Guess what? I don't care." Oliver's face lowered to hers so that they were almost inseparable. Neither of them heard Diggle filling out their order. "We need to talk."

"No." Laurel stated quietly. Oliver brought his hands down to her hips. They stared at each other. "We're not talking right now, remember?"

Oliver glared at her. "We need to."

"Go back to Felicity. Pander your audience, Ollie," Laurel grumbled. She glared at Diggle. "Please make sure he stays away from me."

Oliver watched her walk away from him. He looked at Diggle. Diggle shrugged and handed him the bill. Laurel walked out of the shop with her part of the order. Diggle grabbed their bags and Oliver walked out to the sidewalk. Oliver stared down the street at Laurel's retreating form. He heard Diggle come up beside him. "Pander?"

Diggle shrugged. "Let her go, Oliver."

Oliver scoffed and walked in the opposite direction.

.

A few months later, Oliver was in the dating stages with Felicity. He didn't look for Laurel. His heart wasn't letting him forget their argument, though. He replayed that moment every free minute he had.

He didn't notice that Diggle was starting to become busier with a side business that he'd started. Oliver encouraged his friend to become more active on the side, influencing people in Diggle's special way because Oliver didn't want him to get hurt. Diggle's fatherhood was something that Oliver didn't want the chance for Diggle to get in danger.

He just didn't know what his former bodyguard was up to.

He'd probably have a heart attack if he did know.

.

Laurel wiped sweat off her face as she glared at a very sweaty John Diggle. They heard their teacher, someone that Diggle never thought would teach either of them, yell at them. "Get off your asses and get back in the ring!"

"Five minutes, Ted!" Laurel shouted back. Diggle straightened and stretched his aching muscles. Laurel marched up to the middle-aged man and Diggle saw the older man cross his arms at Laurel. They were glaring at each other. Diggle stopped himself from laughing at Laurel snapping at Ted Grant. The legendary Ted Grant training them was not something he'd anticipated.

Laurel had asked him three months ago, after the lunch incident, if he were interested in training to another level, one where his military training would implement and his natural grace would be improved. He'd never known how much he'd grow.

His friendship with Laurel was an unexpected twist as well. She and Lyla were fast friends, which terrified him, and Diggle was happy to have someone that supported them… outside his Team Arrow friendships.

When they were done their training session, Laurel slammed herself down onto the mat and gazed up at the ceiling. Diggle walked toward her, but Ted held a hand up. The older man motioned for Diggle to come to him.

"Go find him. I'll distract her here," Ted mumbled. Diggle nodded and pulled out his cell phone. He went outside of the building.

"Oliver," he breathed into the phone. "I… Laurel needs you, man."

"What are you…?" Oliver started asking and then paused. "Where are you?"

Diggle gave him the address and hung up. Six minutes later, a very troubled Oliver Queen marched up to Diggle. Diggle pointed into the gym. Oliver opened the door and roared.

"Laurel! We need to talk!" Diggle laughed as he slid onto the bench outside. Ted joined him a few moments later and they listened to two very passionate people yell at each other. Ted shook his head.

"They've mellowed out a lot," he mused. Diggle gazed at him. Ted grinned. "Their hormones were bad. They'd be in screaming matches for hours. It'd drive their parents nuts."

Diggle laughed. "She told him to pander the last time they were together."

Ted nodded. "Sometimes, she makes rash decisions. They both… give me a gigantic headache sometimes, my friend."

"He doesn't… converse with Felicity the way he does with Laurel," Diggle noted. Ted outright chuckled at the younger man.

"They're cut from the same leather." Ted rose and watched the couple get closer and start talking more quietly. "They're intense in everything. They just don't know how to convey their feelings any other way when they need to really talk… and understanding that in each other is the key to their success."

Diggle rose and he saw Oliver's head on Laurel's shoulder. Laurel's arms hugged Oliver to her and Diggle saw something that shocked him. Little tremors were shaking Oliver's body. Diggle gazed at Ted. "What's going on?"

"They're rebuilding each other… relying on each other in their weakest moments." Ted chuckled. He began walking down the street. "Let's get some coffee."

Diggle walked after him. He shook his head for three blocks.

.

In the gym, Laurel stood on the mat with her arms around Oliver. He was shaking from the laughter in her ear and she smiled at his attempts to seem like he was crying. "Did we succeed?"

Laurel nodded. She tossed her leather gloves on the mat and he raised his head. Laurel smiled at him. "He's invested with Ted now. There shouldn't be anything to worry about."

"Can we finally come out in the open? I really… please," Oliver whispered. Laurel looked at him mischievously.

"As long as I'm the only one," she whispered. Oliver looked at her with an offended expression. "Good."

A/N: Please review and let me know what you think.