So...my friend finally read this and made me realize how slow the plot's moving. I. Am so. Sorry. No excuses. Shit's actually going to happen this chapter.

Thanks for reading (I swear it'll get better!). Don't be afraid to review and tell me how to improve!

XXX,

Eve

Star City

"And you're sure this will be completely untraceable?" The man asked, and his lackey sighed.

"I built and tested it myself. The boy himself is completely unaware of it's potential."

"And once we have the power source...we will be able to control it." He smiled sinisterly. "Good. Now all we need is the boy."

Oliver woke up slowly. He still felt dizzy, but was strangely warm. It took him a couple seconds to realize that his apartment was never this warm, and he almost sat up. The key word being almost. Because, to his surprise, what felt like a hundred pound weight was strewn over his chest keeping him against the mattress.

At first he could have sworn that it was Clark's arm, but turning he saw that it was Superman, mask and all. He frowned, trying to push himself away, before everything became clear. The reason why Superman was so invested in helping him, how he knew about the head wound.

But he had to check. So, knowing the man of steel would hear him, he quietly asked, "Clark?"

His heart plummeted as Superman's eyes opened, still glossed over with sleep. "Yeah?"

Silence. Oliver looked around while Clark was still disoriented and realized that he was in the loft he'd woken up in previously. Light filled the room, illuminating the white sheets and Oliver's bruised skin. He felt the muscles in the arm over his chest tense before it was gone; Clark had sat up and stared at him, shocked and scared at the same time.

Oliver honestly didn't care any more. His head was still pounding, and he just wanted to sleep. But the look of fear on Clark's face motivated him to sit up as well. "Clark." The meta looked panicked and pale, and didn't move at all. "Clark. Calm down. I didn't know until now." He didn't know why he felt like comforting the meta; usually, he would have gone on a rampage, or flipped out of the window to safety. "Out of the two of us, shouldn't I be the one freaking out?"

That seemed to get through to Clark, who blinked before flashing him a worried look. "I..." His eyes trailed on the ground. "Does your head still hurt?"

"Well, someone did hit me with a brick, so yeah, it still hurts." The blond replied sarcastically, before sighing. "Before you tell anyone who I am-"

"Woah, hey," Clark cut him off, wide-eyed. "I was never going to tell anyone."

"Oh really." Oliver laughed sourly, leaning back on his hands. "You're a teenage kid. Of course you're going to tell someone."

"No, I wasn't." Clark replied honestly, "I just wanted to see if you were okay. I was worried about you as Oliver and when I was Superman I was worried about you as Green Arrow; I just wanted to make sure you were safe...protected."

Oliver wondered if Clark was telling the truth. Something in the brunette's eyes just seemed so trustable, and it was really beginning to get to him. He felt his gut urging him to open up. After all, he wouldn't need to worry about hurting Clark. The guy was Superman-which was also why Oliver knew he probably wouldn't need to worry about Clark hurting him, either. He may not agree with the way Superman worked, but he did support the meta's moral code.

It would be easier...not having to move. He thought to himself. Smallville High was full of pretentious idiots, but there were a few people there that he liked. And he wanted to make sure that no one roughed up Roy-he'd been on his way home when he saw a couple guys cornering the kid in the alley. It was like he attracted danger.

"I..." Oliver took a deep breath. "I believe you. But Clark, you can't tell anyone."

"I know," Clark said. "But...why are you doing this? Why become Green Arrow?"

Oliver felt a rush of clarity. Clark knew his identity. Clark was Superman. For once, there was someone that Oliver could actually trust. "When I was little, my parents owned an art exhibit, and it got big enough for a couple major artists to put their art in it. Then one night a couple of people broke in and stole almost half of the paintings." Clark looked ready to console him but he held up a hand and continued. "A few weeks later I went to a new exhibit by myself, one of the ones in the bigger museums. It had all the paintings that were stolen on display. The museum had a lot of money, so no one did anything about it."

"So...Green Arrow stole the paintings back?" Clark asked, trying to coax the story out.

"No," Oliver replied bitterly. "Green Arrow's parents were killed in a car crash to keep the story quiet. And he ran for his life."

"Oliver..." Clark put a hand on Oliver's arm, searching his eyes and trying to comfort him. Oliver felt his eyes flutter shut, praying he wouldn't hear the obligatory 'I'm so sorry'. It was meaningless, and he'd already gotten that speech from the emotionless government agent at his house. "That must've really sucked."

Oliver laughed loudly in relief at the change of words. "Yeah." He said breathlessly, not remembering to pull his arm out of Clark's grip. "It was. But I got through it." He was careful to avoid the words 'over it'. He would never be over his parents deaths, no matter how long ago they died. He sighed before changing the subject. "So...Superman, huh? How'd that happen?"

Clark seemed to tense, piquing Oliver's curiosity. The blond opened his eyes and stared out at the meta with gentle interest. Clark cleared his throat. "I...remember that meteor shower a while ago?" Oliver shrugged. He blandly remembered something that the government had called an 'astrological miracle', and that it had gotten him a night alone in the apartment. "That was actually a planet, Krypton, exploding. My parents were from there, they sent me here because they believed I could save Earth from the same fate."

Oliver felt a little odd, but more annoyed. "What fate?" He asked, wondering why Clark hadn't told anyone, contacted the FBI or something if there was a danger to national security. Oliver didn't like the government at all, but even he had to admit he wouldn't be able to handle something like that alone. Besides, nothing brings people together like a common enemy.

"Krypton's government was corrupt; they became their own downfall. They sent me down because they believed I could save mankind...from itself. To become the hero they needed to look up to, someone they could strive to be."

Oliver thought about it. It did explain why Clark would be so adamant about following the laws-if he was seen as a criminal, it would go against everything he strove to become. And it also addressed why he was so concerned for Oliver's wellbeing, even though said blond was more commonly known as a thief. Even if it didn't explain the random long looks in his direction, or the ample usage of bodily contact. He'd been half-conscious in Clark's arms for time that totaled longer than the amount of time he'd spoken to him.

"So you're like...a role model for Earth?" Oliver asked eventually, still sorting through all the facts in his mind.

"Well, I never really thought about it like that." Clark said with a half-smile, before putting his other hand next to Oliver's hip on the bed and caging him in. "Seriously though, Oliver. This...this isn't safe. You could get shot. You could die." He searched Oliver's eyes for some semblance of understanding.

"I know that." Oliver snapped, looking everywhere but Clark's face. "But...if I don't do it, who will?"

"But no one needs to do it!" Clark exclaimed. "Oliver, no one wants you out there risking your life just so you can steal paintings back! What would happen if you got hurt?! Would Catwoman be okay with that? How do you think the person who hurt you would feel when they found out how young you are?!"

"Just because I'm not saving lives directly like Superman doesn't mean I don't help people." Oliver snarled, now seeing the strategy in Clark's position. His arm hindered any sideways movement, and the hand on Oliver's arm kept the archer from pulling himself backwards and away. He felt both physically and verbally cornered. "You didn't see the look on the museum owner's face when he saw that his paintings had 'magically returned'. He was crying, Clark. The things these big corporations are stealing aren't people's possessions, it's their lives."

He could see the surprise on Clark's face, and wondered if he was just tired or normally that slow-minded. It would have been endearing, in an entirely different situation. He forcibly calmed himself down, telling himself in his mind repeatedly that, for the first time, he could trust someone because they were virtually indestructible. It's not that Clark wouldn't die on him, it's that he physically couldn't.

"I...Sorry." Clark blanched, leaning in unconsciously to Oliver, who tried (and failed) to back up. "I didn't mean to downsize what you're doing, I just...I worry."

"But Clark," Oliver said. "I'm not worth worrying about." Clark's eyes widened in shock.

Clark couldn't believe Oliver had just said that. At all. He leaned in even more, looking earnestly into the blond's sharp green eyes. "Oliver, why would you even say that? Of course you're worth worrying about!" He frowned as Oliver squirmed.

"Look, Clark, it's okay." Oliver said. "My parents died years ago. I get that I have to take care of myself. I'm fine with it." But they could both tell that he was lying.

"Oliver, you should never have to be alone." Clark shot back. "You're amazing, and smart, and kind, and you try to change the world for the better. I've only known you for a short time and I can already see how impressive and great you are. I mean, do you know anyone else who's willing to sacrifice their own wellbeing for the sake of others? If I didn't have any powers, I would be terrified to do what I do, and I'm Superman. You should never be alone." He swallowed loudly. "And as long as I'm here...you won't be."

He didn't clearly remember what happened next. Years later, explaining it to several of their close friends and comrades, he would say that it was chance that he didn't miss completely. He would say that he didn't even know what he was doing, and that he blanked on everything leading up to it.

Because seconds later, Clark did something he never imagined he'd do. He let the comforting sound of Oliver's heartbeat finally entrance him, leaned forward, and kissed Oliver Queen.