Author's Comment: Before anyone freaks out at the end of this, there will be at least one other chapter.
BlueSuedeShoes
--1--
This...this was why women were stupid, Oliver thought. They whine about men being afraid of commitment, about guys not wanting serious relationships, about not being treated like they matter, and yet, along come girls like Chloe, girls who supposedly don't want any "strings" attached. Oh, the irony. He spends half his adult life wanting little more than good liquor and one-night-stands that disappear come morning, but when he finally meets a girl he might actually like to--heaven forbid--settle down with, she's suddenly the one who's holding up a huge red stop sign.
He rubbed his forehead in frustration, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. He knew he should get up, should do something. It didn't have to be something important, just so long as it was something. He made a frustrated sound, realizing what she was doing to him. He'd laid awake almost all night, thinking about why she wouldn't want a serious relationship with him. He had come up short. He knew she was still in a very defensive state after all that had happened to her in the last couple of years, but surely the fact that she was even involved with him meant that she was getting past that, at least as much as she ever would. So what was it? Did she not trust him? She'd been around long enough to see the best and the worst of him when it came to women. She'd seen him treat women like a means to an end, arm candy and bed mates and little more. On the other hand, she'd seen him with Lois, seen how badly he'd wanted to make that work. Maybe it was the very fact that Lois was her cousin--but no, Lois had more or less volunteered to plan their wedding when she found out they were...not dating, or whatever the hell this was.
Maybe that was the problem. There had never been an in between for him before. Either he was in a committed relationship or he wouldn't even be expected to remember the girl's name the next morning. Since when did he do the friends with benefits thing?
Never. That's when. It was a stupid idea. Oddly enough, he'd always thought it would be stupid because he had assumed the girl would get too attached or expect more than he could give. He'd figure he'd end up alienating a good friend and getting himself into all kinds of trouble. It had never occurred to him that he would be the one getting too attached.
Dear God, Chloe was wearing the pants in the relationship. Well, that had to stop immediately.
He chuckled to himself at the idea that Chloe was in charge. It wasn't that absurd, all things considered. He hadn't been emasculated or anything. It was just that she was a control freak.
But what to do, he wondered as he finally pushed himself off of his bed with a groan. He scratched his head wearily, looking around his apartment.
Yoga or target practice? It had to be one of the two because they were the only things that would cool the adrenaline he was dealing with. He was antsy.
...how pathetic.
It was just that this situation was really bothering him, he thought, picking up his bow and fitting it with an arrow. His mind had been reeling ever since their less-than-magnificent weekend together at that bed and breakfast. He couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Chloe seriously didn't want an actual relationship.
It bothered him.
He wanted to demand a reason, to demand to know what was wrong with actually dating him, but he stopped himself, knowing that he'd only push her away. She would just end up shutting herself up in that little imaginary fortress of hers and he'd lose her altogether.
Was it worth messing with? Maybe he should just take what he was given without questioning it and be grateful. Maybe half-way with Chloe was better than not at all.
But he was Oliver Queen, damn it! Since when did he compromise? It was all or nothing. No prisoners!
He shook his head, fitting a fourth arrow. He was in so far over his head. He lifted the bow to take aim and struck another bull's-eye.
Well, he thought, as long as he was the woman in their relationship, what would a woman do in this situation?
He chuckled, thinking of Lois. The woman would give an ultimatum.
Would that work? Possibly. Or it would backfire magnificently. He let another arrow fly. The question was whether it was worth taking the chance. Immediately he thought yes, of course it was. Chloe was absolutely worth the risk. Then he realized he was risking losing her, not keeping her.
Nothing was worth losing Chloe over, but then he had to realize that the way they were headed, there was no way he couldn't lose her. If not today, then another day. Someone else would come along and she'd end it with him, or she'd realize she couldn't keep it up anymore and she'd end it with him, or she'd get jealous somehow and she'd end it with him. No matter which way he looked at it, eventually it would all come to an end.
So...ultimatum it was.
As if on cue, as if God had been waiting for the exact moment he made up his mind in order to put his resolve to the test, Chloe Sullivan walked in.
He let the last arrow fly before gritting his teeth and turning to her.
"Hey there," she said, dropping her purse on the counter. "What are you up to this morning?"
"Not a lot," he said with a sigh. "You?"
"Nothing here either," she grinned, walking over to him. "It's been a slow week overall." She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, but pulled away quickly, a frown on her face. "What's wrong?" she asked.
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. It had taken her--what?--ten seconds total to realize something was on his mind? There was no point having secrets when Chloe was around.
So, rather than try to pretend things were fine, he gritted his teeth and charged right ahead. "We need to talk," he told her, searching her eyes.
She pulled out of his arms, a frown flickering across her face. "Well that sounds serious," she joked humorlessly.
He nodded. "I don't like this."
She waited, but he wasn't quick enough to continue. "Don't like what?"
"This," he said, gesturing ridiculously between them.
Chloe shook her head, chuckling. "Meaning?"
He took a breath, trying to sort through the words in his head. "I don't like that we're just fooling around."
She looked startled. "Oh."
"I mean I want more than that," he said quickly, before she could get the wrong idea.
She stared at him. Then, slowly, "Oh."
He didn't like the sound of that. That was her "time to get the hell out of Dodge" voice. "But you don't," he confirmed for her with a nod.
Chloe looked away from him in a noncommittal gesture, but said nothing. So, he walked over to her and slipped his hands over her hips in encouragement.
"Would it really be that bad?" he asked, trying to get her to meet his eyes.
She shook her head warily. "I'm sorry, Oliver."
It felt like a hot knife slowly slicing its way through his chest. A slow, sharp, searing pain. He let her go. "Why not?"
She shook her head, going for her purse, but he stopped her, grabbing her arm to make her face him. Her face was impassive. She looked him calmly in the eye. "Because I can't."
"Why not?" he demanded again, feeling his desperation growing. "I'm not saying we have to walk down the aisle. I'm just saying I want more than what we're doing."
"Oliver," she pleaded, "just let me go."
"No. Not until you give me a real reason."
"Why don't you give me a real reason why you want more?" she shot back. "Things have been fine from where I'm standing."
She had him there. Why did he want more? He just knew he couldn't live with things the way they were. "Honestly?" he said finally, "Because this feels wrong. I don't like that you've become this ambiguous part of my life and frankly, you deserve better than this, Chloe. This isn't you."
She pulled back from him. "Maybe I've changed."
He shook his head. "Something's never change. And you will always deserve better than this, Chloe. Even you must know that on some level."
She backed away from him but he pursued. "Oliver, please. Just let me go."
"Why? Why should I?"
"Because you want more!" she shouted suddenly, "and I haven't got anything to give you all right?" Tears suddenly formed in her eyes and Oliver stood in shock, too surprised to chase after her as she grabbed her purse and ran from the room.
"Damn," was the only word he could manage once she was long gone.