Say No

1/1

They found him in his arrow room, carefully putting his trick arrows in each of their appointed areas. He had a stack in his hands, all being held carefully so not to trigger them. AC, Bart and Clark exchanged looks, grinning. They knew not to bother asking if he wanted help, he wouldn't let them touch his arrows. They were sacred and therefore nobody bothered offering anymore. He only allowed one other to touch them, and even she had him standing right behind her, keeping an eye on her movements. They were deadly weapons after all. They figured it was a half and half chance that he was standing so close for her safety and because he wanted to be near her. For the last year and a half Oliver had been madly crushing on their Watchtower. The spunky and vivacious blonde had intrigued something in the usually stoic leader. Since Lois was long out of the picture, now dating Superman himself, the League didn't see the problem. They realized, however, that Oliver wasn't pursuing his feelings for very unselfish reasons; her safety being the main one. She was already in danger on a constant basis, given her day and night job and her close affiliation with the blond billionaire as it was and he didn't want to add to that.

It was obvious though that the attraction wasn't ebbing. If anything, it was growing daily. If they weren't standing next to each other, they were on the phone together. If Oliver was nowhere to be found, all a League member had to do was call Chloe and they'd know where he was. It had only recently declined some since Chloe had reignited her relationship with photographer Jimmy Olsen, much to Oliver's obvious chagrin. He'd been closed off lately; quieter than usual, clipped in conversation with everyone, and just generally in a pissy mood. It was no mystery why he was annoyed; he and Chloe had been tighter than tight the last while. It wasn't rare to visit Oliver and find him hanging out with Chloe; watching TV, talking, cooking together, working out, teaching her to shoot an arrow. It was just a matter of time before they got together. The League was getting impatient, however. They had thought when Jimmy came back into the picture, Oliver would give in and tell her his feelings; instead he was moping. And they were tired of it. Drastic measures were called for!

"Hey Ollie," AC greeted, stepping into the room and leaning back against the wall.

Oliver glanced at them over his shoulder and it was evident through the frown on his face that he was still brooding. He simply nodded at them before going back to putting his arrows away.

"Where's Chloelicious at? Doesn't she usually help you organize all this?" Bart wondered, lifting a brow.

They could see the scowl tugging at his mouth as he shrugged. "She's got a date tonight."

"Oh yeah, she told me about that," Clark said, nodding. "Big night."

Oliver's brow furrowed and he looked over to Clark questioningly.

"I was talking to Jimmy earlier, I guess tonight's the night." His brows raised and his mouth thinned slightly.

"Dude, it's so not cool to tell your friends when you're finally doing your girlfriend," Bart commented, his head tilting.

Oliver glared at him. "I doubt he meant that."

"Why?" AC wondered curiously.

He cleared his throat, turning his eyes back to the arrows. "They only just got back together and she doesn't trust him yet."

"She told you that?"

His shoulders hunched slightly. "Nope."

They didn't bother asking for clarification; besides Clark, Oliver knew Chloe best.

"Well, if things go as Jimmy planned I doubt they'll be holding back in that area," Clark said, shifting slightly at the subject.

"Why's that?" Bart asked, lifting his leg and crossing it over the other as he leaned back against a shelf boredly.

"He's asking her to marry him."

All of the arrows in Oliver's arms slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground with a loud crash. One triggered, sending an electrical current off that dulled out a moment later when it didn't latch onto anything. The three League members exchanged looks before Oliver bent forward to pick them all up, staying quiet.

"Dude, Chloelicious is gonna be a wife!" Bart said with an awed tone.

As Oliver stood up abruptly, he knocked the back of his head on a shelf, sending a few more arrows to the floor. Rubbing the back of his head, he glanced at them, his complexion having gone completely white. "She's not going to marry that goofy photographer guy," he told them, voice annoyed as he scooped up the arrows and practically stuffed them onto the shelves with little to no care. "They've only been back together three weeks and four days!" Not that he'd been counting or anything. "That's hardly enough time to consider marrying her!"

"Hey, we're not the ones proposing!" AC told him, lifting his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"I think it kind of depends on how Chloe feels," Clark said with a half-shrug.

"And you're okay with that?" Oliver asked accusingly. "He doesn't deserve her. He barely knows her!" He threw the last of his arrows onto the shelf and left the room quickly, practically stomping as he walked toward the kitchen. It didn't surprise them that he took two mugs down from the cupboard and filled them, one for himself and the other how Chloe liked hers, despite her not being there. He always did that. Usually, though, she was there to drink it. He leaned back against the counter and held his cup up to his mouth, muttering under his breath. "She doesn't even trust him enough to tell him about being Watchtower!" He shook his head. "How is their marriage going to work if she has to sneak out all the time?"

"Well, I guess—"

"You don't think she'd give up working for the League, do you?" he asked anxiously, his eyes widening slightly. This was the most open they'd seen him in weeks. "She's a vital part of the team, we can't lose her!"

"I doubt she'd—"

"And what about her work at the Planet? She's a little busy to go on a honeymoon," he practically spat the end. "And where could they go anyway? He's barely making ends meet and she's still paying off her student loans! They can't even afford a wedding as it is." He lifted his cup to his mouth but broke away before he could take a drink. "What if they just get a justice of the peace to do it? She deserves a big wedding, not some little thing on paper!"

"Aren't you getting ahead of yourself? I mean—"

"I have to go…" he said suddenly, dropping his mug on the counter. "Uh, I just remembered I have something… important to do. Yeah. I'll see you later." He left without waiting for their reply, grabbing a coat and half-running toward the elevator.

"Worked like a charm," AC commented with a smirk.

"I still don't see why we're getting Ollie and Chloelicious together," Bart mumbled, frowning.

"You know there's something going on there. They're just too stubborn to admit it!"

"Or you're too stubborn to admit she'd be better off with me!" Bart claimed.

Clark snorted, shaking his head. "By the end of the night, I bet those two will finally get their act together."

"Great. Now all we have to do is find Bart a girl," AC said, shoving the shorter man who glared at him.

He took a cab to The Planet. He didn't want to walk down the street to his car and taking his bike out would look rather suspicious. As he sat in the back seat, his knee jumped nervously. He'd been expecting them to fall apart. While he wasn't willing to get into a relationship, given their status in the League and her relation to Lois, not to mention the fact that he was sure she didn't like him that way, he also didn't want her to be with anyone else. It was selfish, he knew, but he'd grown to care about her in a way he'd never expected. He could admit that they were spending a lot more time together than they should be. And it wouldn't take much to figure out their relationship; a simple glance at his phone records would show her number was obviously on his speed dial. Number 1, in fact.

She was good to talk to; a friendly voice that understood him and knew his secret. She picked him up when missions dragged him down, dusted him off and told him to get his head back in the game. Sometimes, he came home after a long night only to find her sleeping at his desk, a mug of cooling hot chocolate set out for him, with mini marshmallows, just how he liked it. He'd end up carrying her to his bed and tucking her in, stroking the hair out of her face before he left to camp out on the couch. She'd make breakfast in the morning in thank you and they'd go about their lives like it was normal between two friends. She always seemed to know when he needed to talk to her. He'd have the worst day imaginable and the next minute his cell would be ringing, her name flashing before him.

"Hey hunk, what's up?" was her general greeting. Which got them in trouble the one time Bart answered his phone for him, speeding away from his reaching hand. It unfortunately resulted in a lot of unwanted attention and teasing. He made sure never to let Bart in the vicinity of his phone from then on.

Her voice cheered him up; just hearing it through the phone, no matter how many hours away he was, he could feel the various problems in his life instantly melt away. He'd never had that before. He'd always dealt with it on his own; through target practice or yoga. That she had the ability to ease his mind without even really trying was a miracle all on its own. He became attached to that feeling; to hearing her voice daily and finding a sense of peace he'd long given up on.

He ignored his growing feelings for a year; told himself it was just a result of their close friendship. But then he found himself doing things he knew a friend wouldn't do. Always making her a cup of coffee, whether she was there or not. Stocking his shelves with her favorite brand and buying her an extra large mug, never to be used by anyone else. It was when he bought her a house coat for whenever she fell asleep at his place that he knew his feelings for her had changed far too much for him to ignore any longer. Her laughter made him smile. Her smile made his stomach squirm. Her touch made him warm; from head to toe.

And now she was getting proposed to by the wrong guy. He was sure Jimmy Olsen had a few redeeming qualities, not that he cared to think of them in that moment. But he also knew that there was no way Jimmy could possibly know Chloe like he did. Their relationship had ended the first time because she wasn't sure he could handle her lifestyle and he'd expected the same reason to cause the end this time. He knew it was selfish and he should want her to be happy. It shouldn't matter who the guy was as long as he deserved her. But he couldn't accept the fact that he might have to give his Watchtower away to some photographer that had no idea how beautiful her smile was. Or how utterly adorable she looked every morning when she just woke up, mumbling about coffee beans and the weird dream she'd had. There was no way that Jimmy had any idea just how incredible a person Chloe was. He couldn't. Because he didn't know all of her; he knew the intrepid reporter with a penchant for the weird, but he didn't know the heroine that worked behind a computer at night to bring justice to the world. He didn't know that she spent hours sitting in Queen Towers, keeping herself awake on four or five mugs of her favorite dark brew, chatting with him through his ear piece about random everything. He didn't know that those sick days or weeks she had every once in awhile were her going to Japan or wherever, jetting around on his private plane with a group of superheroes. He didn't know that she slept in Oliver's shirts three nights out of the week, when she just didn't have the energy to go home. That sometimes, she asked him to stay with her and she'd cuddle up to him in his giant bed and fall asleep with her nose pressed against his chest, breathing him in before she fell asleep. He didn't know Chloe at all.

The cab came to a halt and Oliver threw a bill he was sure was too large to the cabbie before rushing out of the car and into the building ahead of him. Most of the reporters had already gone home, but Chloe had mentioned to him that Jimmy was picking her up from her office and taking her out for dinner. He glanced at the large clock ahead of him and scowled. He was pretty sure he was late and he tried to remember which restaurant she mentioned they'd be going to. He continued up the stairs anyway. She often made Jimmy wait because she had to finish whatever thought she was writing down, which turned into thirty or forty minutes and he desperately wished she did that same thing to him this time.

He rounded the corner and weaved through the desks until he reached the half open door leading to her private office. He could see the light on inside and his heartbeat sped up with hope. Pushing the door open, he stumbled inside to find her poring over papers. She glanced up at him with surprise written on her face.

Finding no Jimmy in the room, he slammed the door behind him and walked toward her. Breathlessly (for a hero, he apparently needed to work out more), he told her, "Say no!" He stared at her with wide, serious eyes.

Her brow furrowed and she shook her head slightly. "What?"

He swallowed tightly. Now that he thought about it, he figured the heavy breathing was more out of nervousness than anything. While he and Chloe had various in depth conversation, feelings taken into consideration, he'd never been very forthcoming with emotions like love or attachment or anything similar. Loyalty he knew. Courage he understood. But love… It could be so fickle, so untrustworthy. It could burn him; badly. And he'd never loved anybody like he did her. He'd never spent the majority of his time wondering when he'd seen her again or hear her voice. He'd never checked his phone so many times in one day, in the hope that he'd see her name flashing. She was ingrained in him and he didn't want to lose her. Not to anyone or anything. Not to Jimmy Olsen or their lifestyle. He was tired of hiding.

"I'm sorry," he said, taking a deep breath. She looked confused and yet somewhat understanding. She stared at him, knowing he was gathering the words. "I'm sorry I waited so long. That I avoided this; us. I'm sorry I didn't tell you when I fell in love with you that… That I love you. I'm sorry that I thought I needed to shield you. From the world or our relationship or anything. That I ever let you think I didn't love you. Because I do. I have for a long time." He shook his head. "I wake up thinking about you and I go to sleep wishing I could hold you. And I- I know how complicated this is. I'm Green Arrow and you're Watchtower. I dated Lois and you're with Jimmy. I know that you're in enough danger as it is and being with me will only add to that." He lifted his arms in an almost pleading gesture. "I've thought of all these reasons not to be with you. The con list is at least ten feet long. But then…" His throat felt tight and his tongue too large for his mouth. "Then you call me or I see you and that list seems trivial compared to the list of things I love about you."

Her eyes were glimmering with tears and he didn't know what to make of that. Rejection? A sorrowful apology? An end to a friendship that they'd bred over a year and a half and he honestly couldn't stand to lose?

"I love how your hair smells and that smile you give me when your first wake up, with your eyes still closed." His jaw clenched. "I love how you feel in my arms, whether you're hugging me or leaning against me or cuddled up to me when we go to sleep." He let out a shaky breath. "How you look in my shirt. How you don't even ask for coffee anymore because you know that I'll make it for you. How you always seem to know when I'm having a bad day. I love that you make me hot chocolate to cheer me up after patrols and how you meticulously put my arrows away, all the while teasing me for being so careful."

Her hand rose, brushing away a tear and she bit her lip, staring up at him.

"Please," he asked. "Say no. Don't marry him."

"Marry him…" She repeated, shaking her head. Her brows knit together. "Oliver, I broke up with Jimmy tonight. And… I don't think he was going to ask me to marry him."

Oliver crossed his arms. "But Clark said…" He frowned. "The guys - they came by…" His forehead wrinkled with confusion before he sighed, chuckling slightly before lifting a hand to rub his face. "They set me up! They… I can't believe they would…" He stood in utter shock. He couldn't –wouldn't- take it back, but he had no idea how she would react to it all. He'd basically just poured his heart out and set it down in front of her to either accept or turn away. He'd never put so much out there for a woman before. She was worth it, but some part of him was truly terrified of what she might do.

He heard the creak of her chair and the click of her heels as she rounded her desk. He didn't want to look; he kept his hand over his face even as he felt her body sidle up close to his. Her hand lifted, wrapping around his forearm and drawing it down. As it fell, she took his hand in her own, their fingers threading. She stared up at him for a moment, her eyes searching his. "Did you mean what you said?" she asked, her voice a soft whisper.

He reached up, hand cupping her face, thumb stroking her cheek. "Every word," he admitted honestly. There was no going back now.

She smiled, her eyes filling with tears once more. "I love you, too." She shook her head. "I have for a long time. I just thought…" She sniffled before laughing slightly.

A grin tugged his mouth up before he tipped his head and pressed his lips against hers. Her hands slid up his arms, wrapping around the back of his neck and his arms encircled her waist, drawing her body up against his. Their mouths slanted over one another's, tongues tangling and lips almost bruising in their intensity. One of his hands rose up her back before tangling in her soft blonde locks. She tasted like coffee and cinnamon gum; a ritual she'd picked up when she was overloaded with work, he knew. There was a burst of relief that filled him as the all the words had been said and the kiss he'd been longing to press against her mouth had finally come to fruition. It had been so long and despite the various times he'd told himself it was best not to go there, he knew now he'd been deluding himself. There was nothing better than the stroke of her tongue against his, the pressure of her lips on his, the feel of her fingers in his hair and the curves of her body fitting against his.

They backed up against the desk and he lifted her up by her hips until she was sitting on the side of it, her legs parting as he slid between them. Their lips broke apart as they panted for air, eyes opening and gazes meeting.

"Think we should thank them?" she asked, her voice wobbly.

"Let 'em wait a few days." He pressed a lingering kiss to her swollen lips. "We have a lot of time to make up for."

She grinned, arms tightening around his neck and a laugh escaping her as he leaned her back against the desk, pushing her skirt up with one hand.

Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed this! Reviews are sustenance, readers! Luv yas - Fina