Hi! This is my first foray into the world of Smallville, so please leave me some nice reviews! They would make my day!
Disclaimer: Any recognisable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. This is a work of fiction and I make no profit from such.
I hope you enjoy this fic. It is a sort of AU scene set at the end of the season six episode 'Reunion'. It features Oliver and Lex; Lex taking care of Ollie after he has been injured and them both coming to an agreement. No slash! Enjoy!
"Oliver, are you alright?"
Oliver just nodded in reply at first, taking in the destruction around them. "I'm fine. You need to get out of here before Lex sees you and starts asking questions."
Clark made no reply but left, shooting one last worried glance at Oliver before speeding off. It was just in time; Lex began to stir, a groan escaping his lips as the throbbing headache made itself known to him. He looked around the apartment (the Green Arrow armoury had fortunately been closed before Clark left), letting his eyes focus. His gaze landed on Oliver. He was pinned to the wall by the arrow that had pierced his shoulder. The wound was surrounded by a sizable red blood stain. Oliver was weakly attempting to pull the arrow out but a combination of blood loss and blood making the arrow shaft slick was hindering his attempts to gain purchase on the missile.
Lex pushed himself laboriously to his feet. His head was throbbing in time with his heart but he didn't think he had a concussion. He watched Oliver's progress, or lack of it, for a moment before approaching him.
"Let me give you a hand with that."
His words surprised even himself. But Oliver had tried to protect him when the glass had exploded and he felt that gratitude was owed, even if it was simply in the form of assistance.
Oliver glanced up, equally surprised. Lex noticed that his eyes took longer than normal to focus; shock and blood loss were the obvious culprits. His hand dropped away from the arrow and he allowed Lex's hands to replace it. One hand gripped the arrow shaft, the other supported Oliver's shoulder. He stared at the arrow in doubt for a moment, then addressed Oliver.
"Should we not leave it place, wait for paramedics?"
Oliver shook his head, jaw clenched in pain. "No, just get it out."
Lex was about to argue but thought better of it. Bracing Oliver's shoulder, he tightened his grip on the arrow.
"Ready?" he asked.
At Oliver's short nod, he pulled hard on the arrow, drawing it from Oliver's shoulder in one swift movement. Oliver hissed through gritted teeth, the only indication of the pain he was in. Lex couldn't help but admire his stoicism; if it had been him in that position he had no doubt that he would have been screaming. However, Oliver could not hide the weakness that the blood loss caused; he began to slide down the wall, eyes at half mast. Lex dropped the arrow that he was still holding and grabbed Oliver, pulling the taller man's good arm across his shoulders and supporting him as he led him over to the sofa. He let Oliver fall against the cushions in a half-sitting, half-lying position and pulled out his mobile phone, hitting his speed dial for his driver who was still waiting outside Oliver's building.
"Ray, come to Oliver Queen's apartment. We need to take him to the hospital and I need some help getting him to the car."
He hung up on the man's promise to be right there and pocketed the phone. He surveyed Oliver, working out the best way to get him standing again. In the end, he once again took Oliver's arm across his shoulders and hauled him to his feet, staggering a little as he did so. The man was heavy and his superior height did nothing to make supporting him less awkward.
He half carried, half dragged Oliver to the lift where Ray was waiting. The driver, who was taller and more muscular than Lex, took Oliver's weight from him. He asked no questions, working for the Luthors taught one that sometimes it was better to remain ignorant. Lex's mind, however, was reeling, attempting to piece together. Where had the arrow come from? Why would Oliver have an arrow in his apartment? The questions nagged at Lex but they made his headache worse, so he pushed them aside for now.
The area in which the car was parked was thankfully deserted, so it was relatively easy to bundle Oliver into the car without anyone asking questions. Ray pulled the car away gently so as not to jostle the wounded man in the backseat. Lex attempted to keep pressure on the still bleeding arrow in Oliver's shoulder but it seemed to be of little effect. The blood continued to ooze out of the hole, coating his fingers and filling the car with a metallic smell that made him want to gag.
Oliver's face was as white as a sheet, his eyes were shut and his breathing was fast and shallow. When Lex pressed his bloody fingers to his neck, his pulse was fast and weak. Shock, something at the back of his mind whispered, but he found himself incapable of recalling the treatment required. He settled for pressing harder against the wound, trying to stop the steady bleeding.
"Ray, he's getting worse. Hurry up."
The car sped through the traffic and they soon arrived at the hospital. Ray rushed inside and returned with several hospital personnel and a gurney, onto which they lifted Oliver's still form. They whisked him away into the hospital, leaving Lex and Ray staring after them.
"Sir? Should you get checked out too? That cut looks pretty nasty," Ray said carefully.
Lex shook his head. "No. It's only a scratch. Just take me home."
Lex sat in his office in his mansion, deep in thought. He still didn't know why it had seemed so important that he help Oliver Queen, the boy who had tormented him and Duncan mercilessly while at Excelsior. He had heard through other people that Oliver was out of the hospital. His help had probably saved Queen's life.
He was pulled from his thoughts by the door opening. He glanced up and saw the object of his musings standing in the doorway. Oliver looked far healthier than the last time Lex had seen him. The only indication that he had been injured at all was the sling that supported his arm and shoulder.
"Have you ever heard of knocking?" Lex asked, a note of annoyance in his voice. He stood as Oliver walked into the office. Oliver merely smirked in reply and Lex sighed. He had liked him better unconscious. "What do you want?" he snapped.
Oliver's smirk disappeared, replaced with a more serious expression. "I came to say thank you," he replied calmly. "You probably saved my life."
Lex had not expected to see Oliver so sincere. He had been prepared for the barbs that they typically slung at each other and this honest, serious version caught him off guard. Annoyed at himself, he cleared his throat. "Is that it?" he asked.
Oliver nodded. "That's it," he replied. He turned to leave and Lex bit his lip, visibly swallowing his pride.
"Oliver," he called. Oliver turned back, eyebrows raised questioningly. "I also wanted to thank you. You saved me when that glass exploded."
Oliver considered this for a moment. "Are we even then?"
Lex pursed his lips. "Yes. We're even." He held out his hand and Oliver shook it. His eyes reflected understanding. This was not a truce. It was merely an acceptance that each had helped the other, the scores were even, no debts were owed on either side. Lex nodded once, the handshake was broken and Oliver turned away, exiting the office.
Lex sat back down at his desk and leant back in his chair. He had not forgotten his curiosity about the arrow but that was a question for another time. Right now, he needed to forget business and old vendettas and spend some quality time with Lana.
There you go! I hope you enjoyed it; please leave a review. If you have any criticism, please make it constructive. Thank you!