The Awkward Factor. With chloeas, and <lj site="livejournal.com"

[olliequeen]

Oliver didn't sleep well that night. Even after deciding to go patrolling for another couple of hours after Bart walked in on him and Chloe, he still wasn't quieted enough to rest. He tossed and turned, alternately staring at the digital clock on his bedside table, and staring at the ceiling.

More than once he'd contemplated just going across the hall to Chloe's room to talk out what had happened, or better yet, spend the night in her bed. But he'd resisted.

He knew they were going to have to at least try and explain things to Bart today. He didn't think the younger man would say anything, if for no other reason than because he was now terrified of Chloe.

A faint smile touched his lips as he thought about how hot she'd looked pissed off like that. He groaned, throwing an arm over his eyes and willing his brain to shut off. Especially when it came to thoughts like that.

By sunrise, he finally gave up on the notion of sleep and rose from his bed, showering just to help him keep his eyes open, and heading down the hall to make coffee.

Comments

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe shook her head and shrugged a shoulder, "punning is... my dad's favorite thing to do and it seems he rubbed off on me after all."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He smiled, nodding a little. "Now that makes more sense," he told her. "How is your dad?"

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"Good," she told him, relaxing against the seat, "work has been keeping him busy lately."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

Oliver nodded slightly, not surprised. Lex's employees were always busy, but frankly he was more than a little surprised that Chloe's dad worked for the guy to start with. Then again, her dad didn't know what Lex had done to her, or to her mom. "You going to spend Thanksgiving with him?"

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Nodding, she raised her eyebrows a little, "yeah, Mrs. Kent invited us to come over to the farm." She paused a little and glanced him, "what are you doing for Thanksgiving?"

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"That was nice of her," he said with a small smile. Then he shrugged. "Heading back to Star City."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Giving him a look, she shook her head, "no you're not, you're coming to Smallville with me."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Uh, no. I don't think so, Chloe. But thanks," he said, shaking his head.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"It wasn't a request." She told him, glancing at him and giving him a stern look, "you're coming."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He turned his head to look at her. "Because that won't be awkward or suspicious at all," he pointed out.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Rolling her eyes, she shrugged "you're my friend, you didn't have a place to go, you know everyone who is going to be there and if you want awkward, here is awkward: Mrs. Kent invited Lionel Luthor to join us, I'm sure no one will notice you're there."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He was silent for a long moment, then he looked over at her. "What about Lois?" His voice was quiet, uncertain. Even if he wasn't interested in Lois anymore, he had serious feelings for her for a long time, and knew she had been deeply hurt when he'd left. The last thing he wanted to do was cause her anymore grief.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Shifting a little, uncomfortable, she shrugged, pushing her own uneasiness aside, it was more important that Oliver didn't spend the holiday by himself than she felt like she was inderectly hurting her cousin's feelings, or that Oliver thought of her as an obvious replacement, not that she did think that, but... yes, Thanksgiving was more important.

"Lois will understand that you didn't have a place to go, Oliver. Even if you guys broke up, she still cares about you, she told me as much and I'm sure she will be fine with it." Even if she had to talk to Lois before and then listen to her after Thanksgiving.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He really hated the way it sounded like he was a charity case. Like a lost puppy with no one to go home to. He grimaced and looked out the window, falling silent once more.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe glanced over at him and took a deep breath, if the look on his face was anything to go by, she had said something wrong. Or he could be thinking about Lois and that particular thought made her more uneasy than she'd like to admit. Which was why she didn't ask him what was going on, just sped up and kept on driving in silence.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"I'm not a big fan of holidays," he admitted, still gazing out the window. "I pretty much do what I can to avoid them at all costs." He wasn't even sure why he was telling her this. "I spent last Christmas rock-climbing in South America. The year before that, I spent it scuba-diving off the gulf of Mexico. That Thanksgiving I drank myself into a stupor and crashed a party Leonardo Dicaprio was throwing."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Frowning, she looked over at him and shrugged a little, deciding not to question why he was giving her all that information, "sounds a lot more interesting than eating your way into a coma."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Exactly. So why don't I kidnap you and your dad for the day and we can all go lay on the beach in Hawaii?" he suggested hopefully.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"Right, because that wouldn't look suspicious at all." She gave him a look and shook her head, "besides, you'd just hurt Mrs. Kent's feelings."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Mrs. Kent doesn't even know I'm in the state," he pointed out.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"She will when I call her tomorrow, besides, she's expecting me and dad anyway," she raised her eyebrows and smiled at him.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He couldn't help but smile back at her despite his serious desire to be on the first flight out of Metropolis in the morning. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend the day with Chloe. The idea was actually appealing. But the idea of spending it with a bunch of people that he wasn't convinced even really liked him? That wasn't so appealing.