Fuse (3/3)

Title: Fuse
Rating: PG-13
Author: Reportergirl13
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Oliver/Chloe
Word Count: 1240
Prompt: Chloe and Oliver reunite after the events in Checkmate.

Sequel to Turbulence

Oliver shook his head as he walked away from the coffee shop leaving Tess to digest his last words. She had some case, thinking that after everything she’d done he’d just forgive her. He’d had enough of her lies and betrayal. Chloe getting kidnapped by Checkmate had been the last straw.

Clark had text him letting him know he got her out in time and now that he was done with Tess it was time for him to head over to the clock tower and check on Chloe. He knew she was fine, but seeing it with his own eyes would make him feel better.

That right there should have had him running in the other direction, but it was too late. He’d already fallen for her and he wasn’t even going to deny it, at least not to himself. He hadn’t realized how much he cared about her until he thought he might lose her.

That’s how things usually worked though. He sighed making his way down the street hands in pockets. He glanced up and caught sight of the petite blonde moving in his direction. Oliver’s foul mood dissipated at the grin on her face.

“Hi.”

He returned the smile closing the distance between them.

“Hey.”

Chloe could see the tension ebb out of his shoulders as he came up next to her and she walked backwards slowly as he walked forward keeping time to her pace.

“Thanks for keeping my seat warm at watchtower.”

His grin widened and he shrugged lightly.

“Well, you’re welcome…don’t get used to it.”

Chloe spun around so they were both walking in the same direction as she smirked up at him, hips swaying lightly. She needed to tease him about it because if she didn’t she might just throw herself at him right there in the middle of the street.

Not only had Oliver figured out a way to get information about Checkmate on his own, but he’d actually paid attention to her when she showed him how to bypass firewalls one night when work had interrupted their ‘fun’.

Knowing that he paid attention to her, respected her enough to listen to her thoughts, opinions, and instructions made her feel important. Something no man had made her feel in a while.

“Aww but your timing is so good. I mean if you hadn’t flipped that castles electric switch when you did I would have been…”

“Chloe…”

She could hear the warning in his tone, but she couldn’t help it. Oliver was nothing if not adorable when he was out of his element. One of the many reasons she enjoyed keeping him on his toes all the time.

Her shoulder brushed against his as they continued moving down the street, playful tone filling her voice.

“But you know I kinda liked being out in the field knowing I had a warm bed to come home too…”

Oliver rolled his eyes slightly as she threw his words from the other night back in his face. He pulled on her arm, gently stopping her movements and moving her body so it was facing him. Their eyes met and he could see the mischievous glint in hers, lips still quirked into a large grin.

He wanted to tell her how he felt. That he’d been ready to gear up and tear into Checkmate headquarters to find her when he found out she was taken, but he knew better. He’d freak her out and she’d take off on him, most likely putting an end to their arrangement.

So he went with the only thing he could, the truth, minus the overly warm admission about feelings he wasn’t even sure what to do with yet.

“Well that’s very, very funny, but…you scared the life out of me…”

His hand slid down her arm and sparks shot through her. His words made her stomach jittery, nervousness filling her. The realization that he had been worried about her made something inside her give way. She was quiet for a second and he watched her.

Eyes softening, smile staying firmly in place as she titled her head, catching his eyes with a sparkle in hers as she spoke.

“You better be careful Ollie. I’m gonna start to think you’re falling for me.”

They stayed locked in a stare and he saw it then. She knew. She felt it like he did. Chloe might not be ready to admit how she felt, but she did feel something and that was good enough for him.
Standing there in the middle of the street smiling down on each other, not turning away they were admitting that there was something more between them, even if it was only silently. Oliver had hope that if he stuck it out long enough she’d eventually let him in.

Her heart beat picked up speed at the way he was looking at her. He shifted and she moved back taking his hand in hers before turning and heading back down the street again. His hand was large and warm and it felt good fused together with hers.

It was a cool night and she found her body moving in tandem with his. He stopped making her pause and she raised an eyebrow in his direction. He motioned toward his car.

“I drove over here.”

She nodded.

“I guess this is goodnight then.”

She grinned before gently trying to pull her hand from his. His grip tightened and he cleared his throat as she gave him a strange look.

“Come home with me.”

The words were out before he could think them through and if she wasn’t standing in front of him right now he probably would have taken his hand and whacked himself in the face for his stupidity. It was a long shot, but after the day they had, he wanted to feel her in his arms, breath against his chest.

Chloe took a deep breath studying his features as he tried to keep them neutral. It’s not like she’d never went to his place before. There were times when his apartment had just been more convenient or more comfortable than the Talon apartment.

But it seemed different this time, like if she said yes things between them would change and she was happy with the way things were. Nothing complicated, no strings. But as she spied the hopeful look on his face she couldn’t let him down.

She needed to be honest with herself. Things with them were already complicated. She’d learned that earlier when she’d practically had a heart attack thinking she’d never see him again. It was time for her to take a leap of faith and what better person to take it with than Oliver? She trusted him with everything else.

“Sounds like a plan.”

He seemed almost startled, but snapped out of it quickly as he moved over, blooping the alarm on the car and opening the door for her. She slid in the passenger seat as he walked around the car got in and starting it.

They drove off down the road, a comfortable silence between them, each lost in their own thoughts. They could feel something around them shift, emotions slowly spilling forth entwining and fusing their lives together in a way they hadn’t expected.

But for once neither of them were walking away, they were embracing it, knowing that it might not work out, but hoping beyond all hope that it would.