One More Moment. With chloeas.

[olliequeen]

Oliver knocked softly on the door to Chloe's new apartment. Once the power had returned the night before, they had finally managed to get out of the elevator and used his phone to call Bart. Sure enough, the younger man had sped to Metropolis before Chloe had even hung up the phone, and between the three of them, had all of her things moved out and her bed put together before Midnight.

He hadn't slept once he'd arrived back at the clock tower. Instead, he'd gone out patrolling. It had been awhile since the last time he'd patrolled Metropolis. It was different from Star City in a lot of ways. More dangerous in some ways and less in others. After all, Metropolis had the Red-Blue Blur looking after it, as well. Still. It was a hell of a big city for one man to look after alone. Sure, Clark was capable of it. But Oliver didn't like feeling useless. And if he helped make the place even a little bit safer for its occupants, than it was worth it.

When he arrived mid-morning the next day, he hadn't slept in nearly twenty four hours. He was used to the lack of sleep anyway. He held the small gift behind his back as he waited for her to answer her door.

Comments

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe, on the other hand, had managed to sleep. A lot. She hadn't been getting much sleep in the past few weeks, both because of her lovely former neighbors and because, well she just didn't sleep as well by herself. Even if she wasn't willing to admit it and there was no point in admitting it anyway because she had to get used to it.

After Oliver and Bart left, she took a quick shower and was asleep the second she hit the bed, and hadn't woken up until about fifteen minutes ago, so when Oliver knocked, she was still in her PJs.

Frowning a little, she looked down at herself and decided it was decent enough, then took a deep breath and opened the door, not at all surprised to see him there, "hey."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Hey. I didn't wake you did I?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing a little.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

She shook her head and stepped aside for him to coming, "I woke up a little while ago, I was just making coffee."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He smiled a bit, and stepped inside, pulling his arm from behind his back to reveal the small, potted plant he was holding.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe raised her eyebrows and looked down at the plant then up at him, her first instinct was to ask him what the hell was that, but she didn't, she blinked and cocked her head, "that's... interesting looking."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

An amused smile tugged at his lips at her slightly bewildered expression. "It's a housewarming gift. I've heard plants are traditional." He paused, remembering the vase of tulips he'd seen at the greenhouse. Then he exhaled slowly. "It's a...friendship plant."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"Oh," she raised her eyebrows and closed the door before stepping closer and taking the plant from him. Friendship plant, that was a good sign, right?

She smiled softly and nodded a little, "thanks, I'll try my best to keep it alive."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"You'll do fine," he said softly, leaning back against the door. "You working today or are you hanging around to unpack and get set up?"

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"I'll probably go in for a while, since I was gone most of yesterday," She placed the plant on the small counter that separated the kitchen from the rest of the apartment, "what about you?"

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"I'm actually heading back to Star City later," he admitted, keeping his eyes on her.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

At that information, she paused and deep her best not to react to it aside from a nod, "right, I guess you have to go back sometime."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He offered her a small smile. "Plus Metropolis already has its own defender."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"The city is big enough for both of you," she told him, raising her eyebrows slightly, "but I guess Star City needs you too."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"I don't know, Chloe. I think Clark can handle things around here pretty well without my help." His voice was quiet as he watched her.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"Clark is just one person, Oliver and even he can get hurt," she pointed out, "besides, he's not always around."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

Oliver was silent for a moment and he nodded slowly. "I'm sure I'll be back sooner than later." Probably sooner than she really wanted.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"That's good," she told him and looked at him for a moment, allowing enough emotion for him to see she meant it.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He met her eyes for a moment, then nodded and looked down. "Chloe, there's something I want to say." He reached into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out the carefully folded letter she had sent him.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

She blinked and looked down at what he was pulling out of his pocket, recognizing the letter immediately since she had hand-written it.

With her heart beating faster, she shifted nervously and held her breath, "yeah?"

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He nodded a little and slowly moved so he was standing with her in the kitchen. "It's something I need to say and I'm hoping you'll hear me out." His voice was soft.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

She looked up at him and unconsciously crossed her arms in front of her chest defensively, even as she held his gaze, "okay."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He took in her defensive posture and stepped closer to her. "You said your dad told you about two kinds of girls and how you had wanted to be the kind a guy grows into and not out of." Oliver held her gaze. "You are that girl," he said quietly. "And I know that because I grew into you, Chloe." His voice was very soft. "I wasn't looking for it to happen, but now I don't know how I missed it. You're beautiful, and smart, and sexy, and fun to be with."

He paused. "I don't fall easily, and I don't fall often. And if you made me fall in love with you..." He watched her. "The right guy for you is out there." He swallowed hard, his chest tightening. "It might not be Clark Kent or Jimmy Olsen. But you shouldn't give up because they're too blind to see you."

He lifted a hand and touched her cheek. "Because I do. And I won't be the only one." Oliver closed his eyes for a moment. "So don't think you're not enough or you're not perfect the way you are, because you are an incredible woman, Chloe." He leaned down and kissed her lips, a soft, chaste kiss.

Then he pulled away, his eyes stinging. "I should get back. I need to pack and uh, get ready for the flight."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

She stared at him in shock, her eyes wide as she listened, and the more he talked, the harder it was for her to keep herself from tearing up.

Those things he was trying to tell her, they would have been hard to hear no matter who it was coming from, but the fact that he was the one saying them made this harder. Because she wanted nothing more than to believe him the way he believed those things were true.

"Wait," she told him and stepped forward before she could stop herself. She didn't know what to say or do, but she didn't want him to leave.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He forced himself to take a deep breath, not sure why she was stopping him. If it was to yell at him or thank him. He swallowed hard, bracing himself silently.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

She just stared at him for a long moment, her mind going over his words and she couldn't think straight. She hadn't expect him to say those things, she never expected him to be so straight-forward about any of it.

After a long moment she looked down and shook her head slightly, "I can't," she told him quietly. She wanted to tell him she was sorry and that she wanted to believe what he was saying, but she couldn't give them both hope and put them through something that she knew it would end.

And she had almost lost him once, now that she might have his friendship back, she wanted at least that much.

Chloe mumbled something quietly and shook her head, still looking down.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"I know," he whispered, his chest tightening again. "I'm not the right guy. But that doesn't mean you won't find the right one. Just...don't forget that." He drew in a breath and let it out slowly.

"Anyway. I should get going. I'll uh--I'll email you."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe tightened her arms around herself and although her vision was blurry, she lifted her head to look at him, her jaw tight as she tried to stop herself from full on crying and nodded slightly.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Take care of yourself," he whispered, sliding his hands into his pockets and slowly heading out of the kitchen and toward the front door.