Title: Island Dreams and Khaki Wishes
Author: Me
Email: Miss_.uk
Rating: PG-13
Category: Humour/Romance
Content: Chlollie
Summary: Chloe gets a little curious.
Disclaimer: I own nixies.
Distribution: This place, Chlollie comm, and my place.
Notes: I have no idea where this came from, so don't ask and just enjoy!
The Watchtower was a great place, Chloe thought as she spun her chair in circles. Really it was, but sometimes it was just too big when there was her in it.
Too big and, well, a bit dull and boring.
Her eyes drifted towards the big window and sighed. A great view could only go so far.
Unless you're name was Oliver Queen.
The man could stare out a window for hours and not get bored.
She'd asked about it once, then wished she hadn't when he talked about the island.
It must have so horrible for him, being stuck on that island for all that time.
She remembered when Lex was on an island, so she'd seen a bit of the aftermath.
Though Lex wasn't the share-share type, both herself and Clark had made a point to go see him more often after he got back, so he had some company.
Did Ollie ever have friends that went to see him after he was rescued?
She hoped so.
"Poor Ollie," Chloe sniffed a little at the thought of him being all alone after that.
Some good had come from his experience on the island, like the world's greatest hero. Sure Metropolis favoured the Blur, but when it came to sheer coolness, Oliver Queen took the cookie. He broke into high security museums and didn't get caught, for crying out loud.
Okay, so admiring theft wasn't exactly admirable, but it wasn't theft. Well, not really. It wasn't as if he sold things for money.
Plus, he was prettier than Clark.
Not to mention he had better thighs.
Chloe went from spinning in circles to swishing from side to side. He wouldn't have had leather on the island, right?
So what had he worn on the island?
She wanted to ask Ollie just like she'd wanted to ask Lex, but tact and sensitivity prevented her from doing so. Not considering what her profession used to be.
She fiddled with the comm for a second. Ollie was out on patrol, so it wouldn't be the greatest time to indulge her curiosity. "Maybe I could subtly ask," she mused as she twirled her hair.
Ollie was fine with her nosey nose poking around at Queen Industries, so he probably wouldn't mind a few little questions, right?
How could she bring it up?
Did she just come right out and ask?
"Cos that'd go down well," Chloe rolled her eyes as she played out the conversation. "Hey, Ollie, what did you wear on your island?" She could only imagine what he'd say to that.
He'd probably fall off a roof in shock.
"What am I thinking? I don't hafta ask, I'll just look up photos of his dramatic return to Stateside."
In seconds, her personal laptop was up and running, her fingers tapping away for information. How many articles were there? "No, I don't want to know what he got in his finals and I don't want to know how many houses he owns, and I certainly don't want to know what he did with... Ooh! Tess Mercer!" She shook her head. "Stay focused, Sullivan. Stay focused."
"Aha!" Chloe gave her searching skills a high five, then stopped short when the pictures came up. "He wore jeans and Nikes?"
That was so not possible.
Last she knew, evil islands didn't come with shopping malls and access to sportwear.
She looked closer at the cuts and bruises that marred his face, her lower lip pooched out into a pout at the evidence of him being hurt. His eyes looked haunted, angry. Intensely angry.
A bit like Rambo when he went rogue.
Chloe paused.
Ollie did wear a lot of khaki stuff, especially when he travelled.
Maybe he wore a pair of cutoffs?
Slowly, her eyes glazed over as she thought about his situation.
Soaking wet cutoff khakis, ripped t-shirt, bare feet...
Maybe he even had a headband...
It would only be logical that he wore one, right?
Especially when he slaved away at building his own weapons.
If he didn't, the sun and work would make sweat run into his eyes, blur his sight and make for shoddy workmanship.
He would have built his own fires, too.
Late at night, when hot went to cold, he would have been sat by a fire he made with his own clever hands, those intense eyes looking out over the big blue sea.
Chloe chastised herself quite strongly.
It wasn't nice to fantasize about someone's trauma.
What did he do when his khakis were too ruined to wear?
She knew he preferred not to wear pants. Too restrictive, he said.
It wouldn't have been a good idea to be naked from the waist down, so maybe he tore up his t-shirt and used it as a loin cloth?
Chloe nodded as he head tilted to the side.
Yes, that's what he would have done, she decided firmly.
Cos if he didn't, some weird islandy animal woulda probably seen something long and dangly as bait.
She sighed.
It was no good.
She was just gonna have to ask.
Chloe hesitated momentarily before hitting the button to connect comms.
"Tower to Archer, what's your position?"
"Standing up."
"Your rapier wit astounds."
"Pots and kettles, babe. What can I do for you?"
"Hypothetically speaking, what would you do if your pants tore when on patrol?"
"Err..."
"Err is not an answer. What would you do if your pants tore?"
"Moon the Metropolitan populace as I zipped back to base."
"So you wouldn't turn your vest into a pair of pants?"
"What is this about, Tower?"
"Nothing, nothing... Just wondering what you'd do is all."
"Okayyyyy..."
"Hypothetically speaking, what would you do if you couldn't get back to base?"
"Hypothetically speaking, if I couldn't get back to base, I'd steal a pair of pants and leave an IOU."
"Hypothetically speaking, what if you couldn't get back to base or steal a pair of pants? What would you do then?"
"Hypothetically speaking, is there a reason for this?"
"Yes, but only hypothetically speaking."
"Hypothetically asking, is there a pharmacy near me? I'm getting a headache..."
"Oh, are you okay?"
"I'll be okay when you tell me what's eating you."
"You won't get mad if I ask?"
"When have I ever been mad you?"
"Well, I did spill nail polish on your new sofa last week."
"That was you?"
"It's okay. I turned the cushion over so no-one can see it."
"Your consideration overwhelmes..."
"You're welcome. You promise not to get mad or anything?"
"Cross my arrows and hope not to die."
"Your humour is so cute!"
"I'm flattered. Are you gonna ask or not?"
"When you were on the island..."
"Yes..."
"What did you do when your pants got ruined?"
"Err..."
"We've been over this. Err is not answer."
"..."
"You couldn't zip back to base or steal a new pair of pants, so what did you do to keep your danglies from dangling?"
"..."
"Did you, you know, turn your t-shirt into a loin cloth?"
"A rooftop is a great place for this conversation. Congratulations..."
"I am a smarty pants, aren't I? Well? Did you turn your shirt into a loin cloth or did you use leaves? I can't imagine it would have been very safe for you to go naked. Not when there were weird islandy creatures looking for worms or whatever."
"Worm?"
"Or, you know, something else that's small and wriggly."
"Worm?"
"I said or something else."
"WORM?"
"You'd have to hide it when you started to sweat from the sun and the fires. Shiny and wriggly is grade A bait for creatures."
"SMALL AND WRIGGLY?"
"I mean, it attracts me and that's when it isn't shiny or wriggly."
"I appreciate the sentiment..."
"And I appreciate you, but what did you do?"
"If I answer, will you stop?"
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Arrow. You know you're my favourite."
"You had me at worm..."
"That still doesn't answer what you used to keep the sun from shining where it ain't supposed to... Oh my God, what if it got sunburnt? Or burnt from the fires you made?"
"The fires I made?"
"You had to keep warm, right? So you made fires and sat next to them while looking out over the sea."
"I do like a good view..."
"I know, right? You used your shirt to protect the danglies from the sun and the fires and the..."
"Weird islandy creatures. Yes, Tower. That's what I did."
"I knew it! What about the headband? How did you get that? Or did you make it when you cut your khakis in half?"
"I'm terrified to ask, but headband?"
"Yeah, the headband you used to keep the sweat out of your eyes when you made your weapons."
"Are you okay?"
"You always care about my welfare when you're the one putting yourself in danger. I love you."
"And I love you and will get you whatever help you need."
"Well, we are almost out of milk."
"That wasn't quite what I meant, but consider it done."
"I love how you worry about me working Watchtower all by myself, but it's honestly fine. Now, was the headband cut from your khakis or did you take it from a slain enemy as a symbol of your prowess?"
"I do worry about you. Believe me."
"Aww, Arrow! You're such a sweetie, you know that?"
"My worm and I thank you..."
"I'll be sure to welcome you later."
"Joy..."
"I always wanted to ask Lex about it, you know? Cos he was on an island, too."
"You should. You really, really should."
"I don't think he deserves my care and attention after firing me."
"Firing you was a cry for help. You should definitely give your care and attention."
"I mean, your situation was really bad, right? But he doesn't have hair and his head would have sweat more and the headband would have slipped right off."
"Forgive me if I laugh."
"Laughter is a good coping mechanism. Of course I forgive you."
"I'm humbled..."
"You're such an understanding man, Arrow. I could so snuggle you right now. Just wish I could have snuggled you on the island, but then I'd die at the hands of militia and you'd have to avenge my death. Ooh! Is that how you got the headband? You fell in love with a native woman and she was blown up and you killed the guy who created the bomb?"
"Yes, her name was Pocahontas."
"That's a very unusual name. She must have been very pretty for you to fall in love with her."
"Not as pretty as you."
"Oh! Don't be so silly! I'm not exotic."
"You do have a good set of coconuts."
"Patrol is not the time for naughty talk."
"Forgive me."
"You avenged her death. How could I not forgive you?"
"How could you not indeed."
"See, even you think you deserve to be forgiven."
"Yes, I really do..."
"That's my Arrow! Knows he can sleep at night cos he did the right thing despite a traitorous fiend in the ranks."
"Damn that fiend..."
"Yeah. Damn him, Arrow. Damn him straight to hell. Did you get him when you were on the island?"
"You know me..."
"I do and you wouldn't rest until justice was served."
"You know me..."
"I do and you wouldn't rest until justice was served."
"Wait... What? You think I'm Rambo?"
"Well it's just logical, right? You were on an island and the woman you loved was brutally murdered by a militia trained bomb expert."
"You think I'm Rambo..."
"You had a headband and everything, right?"
"Words cannot tell how much I love you right now. Rambo... Wow."
"Arrow? Are you there? Arrow?"
"Hang on, Tower. I'm just texting the guys I'm Rambo."
"So you did have a headband and made your own weapons?"
"For you, Tower? I ran up the mountains in my bare feet, scalped the enemies with a rusty dagger, survived a ten ton nuclear blast, and just to finish off, put the head of the traitorous fiend on a pike as a warning to all."
"I knew you were my favourite for a reason."
"Babe, you keep callin me Rambo and I'll avenge your death."
"You would?"
"I'd die tryin."
"I'd be happy with some milk."
"Sure thing. Chinese or Thai tonight?"
"Surprise me and do you still have khakis?"
"No, but there's a army fatigue store across the street..."
"Don't forget the headband."
"I won't. Arrow out."
He grinned.
His girlfriend thought he was Rambo!