Disclaimer: I own nothing.
AN: Okay so I said I won't be able to update until next Wednesday. But I figured since I already have the chapter all written out then there's no reason why I shouldn't post it. So here you go. A word of caution though this chapter completely threw me off. I had no idea it was going to take this direction myself, just needed to get it out there.
Watchtower
Chapter 10
They've been 'dating' for a month.
One month and the only real physical contact they've had was the frantic make-out session in Clark's barn, that Lois had interrupted.
Chloe didn't know why, but she asked Oliver if they could take it slow. She asked him to scale back on the physical aspect of their…well they were technically just dating. He hadn't asked her to fully define what they were to each other. In return she refrained from over thinking their situation.
So the last month was composed of lunches, dinners and movies.
The lunches were at quaint little cafes, the dinners were in the most exclusive hotspots in Metropolis and the movies were in theaters that had only the two of them as the viewers. Needless to say slowing down had become really hard. Especially when she found herself all alone in a dark movie theater with Oliver, having less than pure thoughts about the man beside her. While he looked perfectly composed. She wondered if everyone who attended Excelsior was taught how to be perfectly stoic.
Tonight was such a night when she had to actually make an effort to control her raging hormones.
She was sitting quietly next to him, trying hard to focus on the movie. She would ask him how long he was going to keep people from the movie theater but he was tracing circular patterns on the back of her neck, she didn't even know how his hand ended up there, he must have put his arm around her shoulders, without her noticing. A simple touch shouldn't be sending her into raptures but there was just something about Oliver Queen that she couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the feelings that he was provoking in her.
Chloe looked at him from the corner of her eye. He was staring at the screen, looking perfectly normal. But she saw the slight upturn of his mouth. He knew exactly what he was doing to her. He looked a little too self-satisfied for her taste.
'Game on.' she thought to herself. Oliver was slowly but surely trying to get the 'slow down' edict revoked. And she almost gave up the desire to take their relationship one day at a time, just because he was touching her innocently. Or so she thought.
She sighed softly and cuddled closer to him. She saw him smile at her actions. She scoffed inwardly. If he thought that she was putty in his hands then he had another think coming. She leaned across his lap and grabbed his drink. She heard him inhale sharply. She moved back to her previous position and gave him a wry smile as she drank from his cup.
"Sorry, mine's all gone." she whispered apologetically. Once she had her fill she leaned over him again to put the drink back in its place.
"It's okay." he replied hoarsely. He took off his arm around her shoulders, no longer maintaining any sort of physical contact with her.
"Are you okay?" she asked him innocently, caressing his cheek as if to check for his temperature.
He nodded in return and went back to watching the movie.
'Chloe-1, Oliver-0.' she congratulated herself silently. She let her hand trail from his cheek, down to his chest and then she took his hand in hers. She allowed their hands intertwine, Oliver just shot her a small smile and his eyes went back to the screen.
'He's not going to get away that easily.' she declared inwardly as she made it a point to look like she was into the movie as well.
She had watched the movie earlier in the week with Clark so she knew there was a scene that's supposed to inspire fear from the audience. The heroine was being followed by the monster and was looking around her surrounding fearfully. All of a sudden the monster leapt out of nowhere and landed on the heroine before she could react.
Chloe let out a frightened gasp and then clutched her hand, which was intertwined with Oliver's, to her chest fearfully. She pressed the back of his hand against her breast and she heard his breath hitch at the contact, followed by a low groan.
She pretended not to hear him as she kept his hand where it was. Once the scene was over she took their hands from her chest and helped him place his arm around her shoulders. She cuddled closer to him and slipped her leg between his thighs, glad that she wore a skirt for their date.
She looked at him all wide-eyed, "I don't know why you wanted to watch this so much. It's so scary." she whispered against his neck.
Oliver stiffened at her words. He picked this movie because he knew it was going to be scary. He could pretty much admit how frustrated he was when Watchtower told him that they would have to take their relationship slow. He didn't see the point in pretending that they weren't attracted to each other. It was obvious that the chemistry between them was quite potent. Potent enough that he would lose his senses whenever he was around her. The only thing he was aware of was her.
So he's been trying to systematically break down her defenses.
And he could feel that he was succeeding. She would often stare at his lips whenever he was talking, she would hold his hand as much as she could, as though she needed the contact and most of all the kisses they've shared every time he dropped her off at her apartment were becoming more desperate.
'But not desperate enough to be invited in,' he reminded himself quietly.
It wasn't just about sex. It'll never be about sex with Watchtower. But she pretty much forbade the two of them from making-out. And as much as he enjoyed the chaste kisses that they've shared he really was ready for more. And if he had to resort to dirty tricks in order to push her into making a decision, well no one's ever accused him of being a saint.
So there he was, trying to seduce Chloe into submission. But then he felt like the tables were turned. He could feel her breathing against his neck and he was willing himself to control his baser instincts. Her leg was still resting against his thigh. She was tapping her fingers on his chest, her eyes still intent on the movie playing before them.
'When did the seducer become the seduced?' he wondered briefly as he glanced at the screen blankly.
"You know I finally understand the perks of being completely alone in a movie theater." Chloe whispered to his ear suggestively.
Oliver's focus was on her and her alone as she uttered the words. "And what perks do you have in mind?" he smirked at her. He could almost taste his victory.
"I could do this." she grinned at him and dumped the entire bag of popcorn on his lap.
He stood up all of a sudden at her action. Not really believing that she upended the entire bag of popcorn. "I can't believe you just wasted a perfectly good batch of popcorn." he looked at her sternly.
"This coming from a man who paid for an entire theater to be empty just so he could watch such a lame movie." she scoffed in return.
"Lame, you were practically on my lap in fright." he countered as he stared at his pants, glad that the popcorn was plain, therefore there won't be any stain.
"Oh please that didn't even scare me the first time I saw it." Chloe waved dismissively.
"You've seen this already?" he looked at her accusingly.
"Yeah, with Clark. Goes to show how much you pay attention to my babbling." she rolled her eyes at him
"I listen. Besides you didn't mention the title of the movie. You should have said something when you saw the beginning, we could have just as easily switched the movie." he kept the impulse to roll his own eyes in check.
"And ruin your nefarious fun." she nudged her shoulder against his.
"Why would I have nefarious fun while I'm with you?" he asked innocently.
Chloe raised a brow at his question, "Seriously, you're denying the fact that you were trying to seduce me?"
"I was not trying-"
She put a hand up to stop him, "Stop right there Robin. I saw that evil smile of yours." her eyes narrowed when he avoided her gaze.
"I do not have an evil smile." he replied grumpily.
"Yes you do. It's quite sexy actually." she looked thoughtful for a second. "So I'm assuming that we're done here, unless you feel an intense desire to watch what happens to this B-movie." she gestured towards the screen.
Oliver looked at her in exasperation and held out a hand to her. She took his hand and looked at him expectantly. He rolled his eyes and tugged at her hand. She still refused to stand, a signal that he should try harder. He dropped her hand and looked at her with amusement. Chloe returned his gaze, a challenge in her expression.
He nodded once and before she could react he hauled her to her feet and hoisted her up to his shoulder, carried her like a sack of potatoes. He proceeded to walk down the aisle.
"Oliver Queen I will kill you and make it look like an accident if you don't put me down right this instant!" Chloe remarked threateningly from her precarious position.
His only reply to her threat was to tap her butt and continue his trek.
She huffed at his response and pinched his backside in retaliation.
"Hey now! Keep those hands off the goods." Oliver told her good-naturedly.
"Oliver…" this time there was no doubt that she no longer found her situation amusing.
He stopped right by the door and brought her back to her feet. He looked apologetic upon seeing the glare that she was sporting.
"I wouldn't do anything to humiliate you, you know that right?" he settled his hands around her waist so she wouldn't walk away from him.
She just folded her arms across her chest and looked at everywhere but him.
"Are you done being a caveman now?" she scowled in his direction.
"I wasn't being a caveman." he protested uselessly.
Chloe looked at him archly and then proceeded to walk out of the theater, with Oliver hot on her heels.
"Chloe, what can I do to make it up to you?" Oliver grabbed her arm to stop her from walking away.
"Don't be such a drama queen, Queen." she giggled at her own words. "I'd be happy to indulge in your caveman tendencies, just as long as it's not in front of actual people and you tell me beforehand." she finished condescendingly.
Oliver looked at her dubiously. "You thought it was sexy didn't you?" he finally grinned when he saw that she was not mad at all.
Chloe rolled her eyes at him and placed her arm around his waist, "So what now?"
"The night is young and so are we. How about we take a romantic walk in this Big Apricot?" he asked her as he placed his arm around her shoulders.
Chloe wrinkled her nose at his suggestion.
"Too much of a cliché?" he kissed the tip of her nose as he waited for her answer.
"Too dangerous is more like it." Chloe replied as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"But I'm right here. I'll protect you from harm." he whispered to her ear.
"Fine we'll take a walk then." she grudgingly muttered. "Besides, I have Clark on speed dial." she stuck her tongue out at him.
Oliver flinched, as if she had physically assaulted him. The deal with Clark hadn't been resolved since the younger man was too busy saving the world. While he was preoccupied with romancing the best friend.
There hadn't been any more confrontation between them. It was as if Clark had gone out of his way to cut Oliver out of his life. He would still spend some quality time with Chloe, he just didn't bother sticking around when he knew that Oliver was going to be there.
His lips formed a thin line at her comment, he knew she wasn't being thoughtless on purpose, but she must have noticed the tension whenever he and Clark were in the same room.
"Oh come on! Drop the injured look. It makes your pretty face unattractive." Chloe kissed his lips chastely.
"I believe we already had this conversation. Me being chopped liver and all." Oliver looked at her critically.
"You sure are being sensitive tonight." her brows furrowed at his expression. "Fine Robin. You're my hero." she uttered breathlessly, as she shrugged his arm off her shoulders and stopped right in front of him. Her expression changed to one of concern when Oliver remained stoic. "What's wrong?"
Oliver rested his hands on her shoulders and took a good look at her. She looked worried. About him. Somehow the reporter in her remained oblivious to the fact that her very own best friend was in love with her. "Nothing. It's nothing." he answered dismissively.
"Oliver." she looked at him, unconvinced.
"Look can we just go on our romantic walk? The moon is full, the flowers are abloom. I think we are being set up for a traditional Hollywood kiss." he gestured around them, in an effort to distract her.
His attempt proved somewhat successful when she shook her head and rolled her eyes at him. He knew that they would have a conversation about his attitude, but on a later date.
"Didn't they teach you poetry at Excelsior? I'm sure you can do better than that." she looked at him expectantly.
Oliver smiled, a challenge he could deal with. "Roses are red-"
"Next."
"How many loved your moments of glad grace;
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;" he murmured softly as they continued walking.
"W.B. Yeats. When You are Old. Try again." she smiled at him cheekily.
"It's all I have to bring today-
This, and my heart beside-
This, and my heart, and all the fields-
And all the meadows wide-"
"You already said the title. Emily Dickinson, It's all I have to bring today. Come on something more challenging Ollie." she had a smug look on her face.
"Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom."
"I'm sensing a pattern here Queen. And Sonnet 116, Shakespeare."
"With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death." he looked at her with such tender intensity.
She looked at him quizzically and bit her lower lip, "Elizabeth Barret Browning. How do I love thee. Are you trying to tell me something Oliver?"
"Here is the deepest secret nobody knows.
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;
which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
I carry your heart(I carry it in my heart)" he took her hand in his and placed it over his heart.
"E. E. Cummings, I carry your heart with me. I suppose this is the part when they cue in the music and we share that Hollywood kiss you mentioned earlier." she smiled up at him.
"Chloe I-" his words were stopped by her finger on his lips.
"I want my Hollywood kiss." she closed the distance between them as she whispered her demand against his lips before kissing him sweetly.
They were already standing right outside her apartment. Oliver held her in his arms, savoring the moment.
Chloe pulled back from his embrace, "Are you coming up?" she looked at him uncertainly.
Oliver's hold on her tightened at her question. "Do you want me to?"
She nodded. "I want you to." she murmured as she pulled him down to her height and proceeded to kiss him with such fervor. "I want you."
Chloe woke up to the aroma of fresh brewed coffee. She opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings in confusion. No one else would be making coffee except for her, since she lived alone.
She moved to get up from her bed but found that she was naked. She grabbed blindly for something to cover up her nudity and got her hands on a white shirt. She slipped it on, noticing briefly that it was a few sizes too big.
It was the scent of the shirt that reminded her that she did not come home alone the night before. She inhaled deeply, the scent that was markedly Oliver's made her sigh happily.
Chloe finally asked him to stay the night, after a month of fighting her every instinct, she finally gave in. And it was preceded by Oliver's spontaneous poetic ramblings. She blushed deeply as she remembered the poems he uttered the night before.
"I have to tell you, that shirt looks infinitely better on you." Oliver remarked from the door.
She was startled out of her reverie and glanced at him appreciatively. He was standing by the door, holding a tray, dressed only in his boxers.
"Breakfast in bed? What have I done to deserve such treat?" she pretended to swoon in appreciation.
"I can remind you of every tiny thing you've done to deserve this." he smirked at her suggestively as he walked towards the bed.
"Then I would definitely need all the sustenance I can get if you want to do a lot of reminding." she responded in the same tone.
Oliver placed the tray by the table and picked up the single pink tulip and held it out to her. "Good morning." he greeted as he leaned down to kiss her.
Chloe moved her head so he only got to kiss her cheek. "I have to brush my teeth."
She tried to get up but his grip on her arm stopped her from running to the bathroom. He kissed her languorously, effectively showing her how much he cared that she hadn't brushed her teeth yet.
When they parted they were both breathless. Chloe smiled at him and accepted the tulip that he offered her. Oliver handed her a cup of coffee and they both settled back in bed.
"So do we have plans for the weekend?" he asked her as he popped a piece of muffin into her mouth.
"Yup." she answered distractedly as she accepted the food from him.
"We do? I was hoping we could go away for the weekend." Oliver looked at her thoughtfully.
"What did you have in mind?" she stared at him expectantly.
"We could go anywhere, everywhere. Name any place on earth that you want to visit and I'll get us there." "Don't you mean you'll get your pilot to fly us there?" she grinned at him cheekily. "I would but we can't go this weekend." she informed him as she took a sip from her cup.
"Why not?"
"Because we have a wedding to attend. I kinda have an important part to play. I am the maid of honor." she moved closer to him so they were sitting shoulder to shoulder.
"Ah…the great Luthor-Lang nuptials." Oliver tried to keep the distaste from his tone.
"Yep, the wedding of the century, as baptized by the Inquisitor." she wrinkled her nose at the thought of the tabloid masquerading as a newspaper.
"Can you skip it?" he asked her in vain hope that she would say yes.
"Yeah right, miss my best friend's wedding. Good one Oliver." she laughed softly at the thought.
"Isn't Clark your best friend?" he nudged her shoulder with his, did not particularly care for the way she was laughing at him.
"Of course he is-"
"And the term best friend suggests that someone has to distinguish himself above all others, so he could merit the honor of being your best friend." he popped another piece of the muffin into her mouth as he explained his argument.
"I know that-"
"Therefore if you deem Clark your best friend, as someone who knows everything there is to know about you, won't take your bullshit laying down, would still be there for you regardless of all your flaws and if you do the same for him, then he is your best friend. Can you say that about Lana?" he waited for her answer with a smirk.
"N-"
"Then you can only call her your close friend, not your best friend. And since she isn't your best friend, you wouldn't be missing your best friend's wedding." he took a sip of his coffee with satisfaction.
"I am still the maid of honor. And despite your attempt to convince me to ditch the wedding I'm still going. And you," she pointed a finger at him, "Mr. Queen, are coming as my plus one."
"If you must know I have my own invitation." he countered, slightly disgruntled that he couldn't sweep her off her feet at another continent.
"Is there a particular reason why you don't want to go?" she eyed him speculatively.
"You are aware that Luthor and I are not the greatest of friends. Besides I don't particularly wish to see him marry someone else when clearly he is still hung up on you." he replied casually.
Chloe almost choked on her coffee at his comment. "Why would you think he's hung up on me?" she looked at him incredulously.
Oliver felt her move just a little bit, creating some distance between them. "Come on Watchtower, I'm not an idiot. I saw the look on both of your faces when Lana mentioned the amethyst jewelry. I suppose he gave it to you as a present during your clandestine relationship."
Chloe moved even further away from him. "You think we had a secret relationship?"
He felt the comfortable morning slip away at their line of conversation. "He was flirting with you at the Talon."
"And that implies a secret relationship?" Chloe was expressionless as she posed the question.
"No, but you weren't there to see the look of utter loss on his face when we were talking about you."
Chloe looked away from him and stared out the window.
"I don't need full disclosure of your past relationships, Chloe. But I just want to know why you would want to attend the wedding of someone who purposefully hid your relationship from the entire world." he took her limp hand in his and gave her an understanding look.
Chloe yanked her hand away from him. "What makes you think he was the one who decided to hide it from the world? It could just as easily have been me. In fact I told him I wanted to keep it a secret."
Oliver's lip formed a thin line at her remark. Last night was the best night of his life, today, the worst. For some reason he struck a nerve by trying to discuss Luthor. He couldn't help but think that she was still harboring some deep longing for his former classmate.
She finally faced him again, "I asked him to keep it a secret because I didn't want people judging my relationship with him. I didn't relish the idea of people public flogging him for his involvement with me. I loved Lex. And he loved me."
"Loves, present tense. He's still in love with you. You can't be that blind." Oliver placed his cup back on the tray and got up from the bed.
Chloe ran a shaky hand through her hair. "And I loved him. Past tense. I'm going to the wedding not because of him but because of Lana, who happens to be my friend." she closed her eyes in frustration.
"Does your friend know you had a fling with her future husband?" he asked her with such derision.
"No Oliver! You don't get to demean what I had with Lex. It's not my fault if you think he's still in love with me. I didn't tell Lana because the truth is she didn't deserve to know. The ones who knew about us supported my decision to be with him, that was all that mattered to me." she looked positively furious.
"So does Clark know?" his inquired icily.
Chloe's shoulder stiffened at his question. She shook her head. "He didn't deserve to know either. Someday I might tell him. But he didn't deserve to know back then."
"Does that make Luthor your great love? I suppose I'm just a poor replacement." he stated bitterly. "Maybe you're going to attend the wedding to keep the marriage from happening."
Chloe had the urge to slap him right then. But she stopped herself. His questions were completely unreasonable, her history with Lex was just that, history. She couldn't understand what brought on the interrogation, they were having a perfectly nice morning after, and the night before was beyond amazing. She was certainly at a loss at the sudden turn of events. "What is this really about Oliver?"
"I don't know." Oliver ran a hand through his hair, pacing across the room like some restless animal.
"Are you having second thoughts about us?" she asked him quietly. That was the only reason she could think of.
"No! Last night…I have no words. But I can't be with you if you're secretly pining for someone else." Oliver stopped pacing and faced her fully.
He was no longer referring to Lex, somehow their argument is now focused on the Clark situation. She already knew how he felt about her, while he still had no idea how she felt about him. It may be his own insecurity rearing its ugly head, but he had to know where he stood with her.
"I'm not pining for him. I told you, past tense. I do feel sad whenever I remember how we ended things, but it's only because it was a tortured parting. But do I regret it? Not really. I'm with you now. Isn't that what matters most?" she moved to his side of the bed and rose to her knees, she did not like the fact that he was standing over her, the physical distance between them was hurting her. She couldn't help but want him to put his arm around her and forget that they even had this conversation. They just crossed a major threshold in their relationship, instead of becoming closer it felt like they were losing everything.
"I won't be a substitute Chloe." he informed her with such ferocity as he stood by the bed. 'I won't be a substitute for Luthor, and definitely not a substitute for Clark.' he thought to himself.
Chloe wrapped her arms around his waist, but he just stood there, unyielding. "I would never use you as a stand-in for someone else. I had the unpleasant experience of being one myself, the last thing I would do is treat someone so badly." she uttered with such resolve.
Oliver fought his urge to hold her. He firmly disentangled her clutch from his waist and took a step back.
He knew she meant what she said. Watchtower seemed like the type of person who would give her heart wholly. She said it herself, she loved Lex. And despite their parting she couldn't seem to hate the man, even though she was armed with the knowledge of his flaws. And then there was Clark. If Lex managed to capture her heart, even for such short a time, then that said a lot about the Clark situation. Their history, their triumphs and traumas, he couldn't imagine trying to compete with such insurmountable odds.
"Oliver?" she looked at him tearfully. She would give anything to know what was going on in his head at that instant.
"I-I have to go." he replied as he picked up his pants from the floor.
"But why?" she climbed out of the bed and stood there as he put his pants on.
"I just have to." he then started searching for his undershirt, but then he realized that she was wearing it.
"All because I asked you to attend a wedding with me." she started calmly.
"Your ex-boyfriend's wedding. But Chloe, that's not it. I just need to think." Oliver uttered in a placating tone. He loves her, but he just needed to deal with his issues.
"You need to think." she repeated his words in disbelief. "You need to think and you have to leave me in the middle of an argument, the night after we made love. Gosh, Oliver you just might give me a complex." she said sarcastically.
"Chloe-"
"You know what? Just go. Leave. I don't care." she walked past him and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
Oliver picked up his shirt from a chair and slipped it on. He looked at the bathroom door and wondered how he could've allowed the situation to blow out of proportion. He walked to the door and was poised to knock. He shouldn't leave her all angry and hurt. She was probably confused by everything.
For the first time he felt like he should have told her about Clark. Maybe he wouldn't be so insecure and she would have done something to reassure him. Maybe he wouldn't be so threatened by the one friendship she seemed to count on. But he couldn't dwell on the maybes.
He leaned against the wall and wished that he did not start the conversation about Luthor. He wished he could just dismiss Clark's confession. But most of all he wished he could do over their morning after.
"I carry your heart with me." he whispered as he leaned his forehead against the door.
On the other side, Chloe was slumped against the door trying hard not to cry.
And to think that the day started out so well.
TBC
AN2: So there. Did you think that Oliver was justified in what he did? I want to know what you think so I know how much groveling he has to do in order to get back in Chloe's good side. And yeah, Chloe is calling Ollie Robin. Since he has Watchtower for her, she has Robin for him. What else? That's it I guess. I'll update sometime next week. Thanks for reading!