Chlollie Fanfic: Beauty in the Breakdown VIII, Living Life - Chapter 5
And another Chlollie chapter in the House, peeps! :-)
Probably one more chapter after this, but you know what I'm like. If I've still got something to say, I'll say it! :-P
Enjoy!
Title: Beauty in the Breakdown VIII: Living Life
Author: babydee1
Pairing: Chlollie
Rating: NC-17 (this chapter PG-13)
Warnings: A Re-telling of Chlollie post-Warrior
Timeline: Season 9
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics.
Summary: With Oliver by her side, Chloe learns to let go, find peace, and fall in love.
Story Summary: As with everything else in Chloe and Oliver’s relationship, their next step is as unconventional as ever.
Feedback: …Always. :)
Series inspired by sxymami0909’s Watchtower playlist.
Awesome banner by sanaazzy.
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Chapter 5
“Ollie, you’re crazy!” Chloe shrieked joyfully as Oliver dunked her chest-deep in the balmy ocean. “Darn, I think I just lost a slipper…!”
He chuckled and lifted her high enough out of the water to remain submerges from the waist down. “Yeah, you just married a madman, Chloe,” he joked, pulling her up against him. “Oh my God, we’re married…!”
She wrapped her legs around his waist and giggled. “Unbelievable. I must be the only bride in history to get baptized on her wedding day!”
“Yeah, and by your husband, no less,” he grinned, then paused and adopted a lofty stance in the water. “I’m your husband. Damn, this feels good!”
“Mr & Mrs Queen, look this way, please!” called Bobby, the hotel employee taking their pictures. He had taken off his shoes, rolled up his trousers and waded ankle-deep into the shallow water with the camera slung around his neck. They turned to him and smiled, and he took several pictures before giving them the thumbs-up and treading back to the sand.
“It’s a miracle my hair didn’t get wet,” she giggled as Oliver waded back towards the shore. “Otherwise those would have been some very unattractive wedding photos.”
He got to shallower water and lowered her to her feet again.
“Nah, you don’t really care about wet hair though, do you?” he murmured as he rubbed his nose against hers.
She shook her head. “Nah, not really; though I wouldn’t have been too thrilled if I’d been snapped with the whole one-shoe look.”
He stared at her. “You were serious about that?”
She lifted one dainty bare foot out of the water and he made a wry face.
“Oops. My bad,” he said sheepishly.
“I’ll er…need a lift to shore, seeing as I’m one shoe down and all,” she said coyly, trailing her foot temptingly up his calf.
He grinned again. “In that case, Mrs Queen, your chariot awaits,” he declared proudly. “Hope you like piggy-back rides.” With great economy of movement, he lifted her in the air again and swung her onto his back, gripping the backs of her legs and settling her against him.
Her laughter rang out like a bell as her arms went around him and he walked them both back to shore. Bobby was still there snapping away, and he smiled as they approached.
“Everything is ready for you back at the hotel, Mr Queen,” he said. “Mario said that if you’d like to freshen up first, the Mezzanine Suite has been made available for yours and Mrs Queen’s use.”
Mrs Queen. Just hearing it gave him such a thrill.
“That would be excellent, thank you Bobby,” he replied warmly. “And have them bring in some gowns from a local boutique in my wife’s size, so she can have something nice to change into for the Reception.”
“As you wish, sir.” Bobby departed, and Oliver glanced over his shoulder at his wife’s smiling face.
“Now, why didn’t it occur to either of us to get a gown from the boutique before the wedding?” she said with wry amusement as he began to walk them back to The Florida Palms.
Oliver laughed. “I have no idea, but I can’t imagine you’d have been too pleased with me if I’d dunked you in the Atlantic in a five-thousand dollar dress.”
“Good point,” she agreed, and stroked his ear with her finger. “You are indeed wise, my Husband.”
“Hey, no dirty talk,” he said with mock sternness as he lightly smacked her thigh. “We have company expecting us in ten minutes.”
She tightened her legs around him and leaned down to whisper in his ear. “But if we’re really quick…” she murmured sexily, brushing a finger over his nipple and touching his earlobe lightly with her tongue.
Oh, she was good. A quick frisson of arousal tingled through him, and he hurriedly immobilised her roving hand.
“No touchie,” he said with a quick wink. “At least, not right now.”
She pouted. “But---”
“No buts, woman,” he said firmly as he approached the hotel entrance. “I may have gotten the hang of the quickie thing, but I’m not that quick.”
***
“That one,” Chloe said, pointing to the dress in Oliver’s right hand.
He glanced at the dress and smiled. “Of course it’s this one,” he replied passing her the flirty lime-green cocktail dress that she’d indicated and discarding the royal blue one that had been in his other hand.
“I can’t not wear green on my wedding day,” she declared confidently as she got changed for the reception. “And besides, it was the prettier dress.”
They went downstairs and were greeted with cheers and applause from the members of staff who were waiting for them in the reception room. There were tables of sandwiches and other assorted finger foods, and bottles of champagne on every table to toast the happy couple as soft music played gently in the background.
The old Southern couple who’d witnessed the wedding, Wilfred and Mary Donohue, had been invited along to the reception and didn’t waste time in dispensing marriage advice to the newlyweds.
“Keep the fights clean an’ the sex dirty,” Wilfred said to Oliver with a nudge and wink. “And accept the universal truth that you will never win an argument with that girl. It’ll save you both time and money.”
“And no matter what arguments you may have during the day, never take them to bed with you,” his wife chipped in, and she leaned conspiratorially towards Chloe. “You might try takin’ some skimpy lingerie, though…that always works for us.”
Oliver squeezed Chloe’s hand and gave her a leery grin, making her blush as the Donohues laughed out loud.
“Be sure to tell her everyday that she’s as pretty as she was the day you met her,” Wilfred added with an affectionate glance at his wife. “Actually, that’s a lie; my Mary’s only gotten more beautiful in fifty years.”
“Aw,” Chloe said with a warm smile as the elderly couple gazed at each other with ardent affection.
“And make sure you put your arms around your man and tell him you love him at every opportunity,” Mary pointed out. “Romance isn’t just for Valentine’s Day, now, you hear me?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Chloe said meekly.
“Happy married life, and all the best!” they said cheerily. “We were saying on the beach that we have a good feelin’ about you two. Y’all keep each other happy, now.”
Oliver held his wife against him and dropped a brief kiss on her forehead as the Donohue’s made their exit, holding each other’s hands.
“That’ll be us in fifty years, you know,” Oliver observed. “Taking walks on the beach, and dispensing marriage advice to some other young couple just starting out on this grand journey.”
“Oh, I hope so,” she said, smiling up at him. “This is the happiest day of my life, Ollie. I’ll remember this moment forever.”
He grinned and a movement by the door caught his eye. He looked up, and his eyes widened in surprise before narrowing in disdain.
“I don’t believe it!” he groaned.
Chloe blinked, puzzled. “What?”
He gestured towards the door. “Guess who just walked into our Reception?”
Chloe followed the direction of his gaze and sputtered. “Elise?” she exclaimed. “What the hell is she doing here?”
“Society-scrounging again, I’d imagine,” he said with a sigh, and tugged her forward. “What say you we go say hello, hmm?”
Chloe’s eyes glinted mischievously. “Oliver Queen, you are so bad,” she murmured as she walked with him in the direction of their unwelcome guest.
“Congratulations to…whoever just got married!” they heard her saying in a sing-song voice that made it clear she was more than halfway drunk. She lifted a flute of champagne from a passing tray. “Long life, and all that. Where’s the happy couple?”
“Right here,” Oliver said, and she turned around on unsteady feet and came face to face with them.
Immediately her smile disappeared and she stared from Oliver to Chloe and back. “No way!”
Chloe pointed at her and furrowed her brow. “Let me see…Alice, was it?” she said with mock sweetness.
“It’s Elise,” she growled venomously as she stared at Chloe with undisguised loathing. “And I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”
“Nor can we, you don’t have a vulnerable rich pensioner hanging off your arm,” Oliver mocked. “Flying solo, Elise?”
“What the hell---?!? Her??” Elise raged. “How could you marry her?”
“Well, Elise, when a man and woman love each other very much…” Oliver began condescendingly, and she all but seethed with rage.
“She must have trapped you,” she said bitterly. “Is she pregnant?”
Oliver grinned. “Not yet. But we’re gonna have a blast while we’re trying.”
“I don’t believe this!” Elise cried. “I mean, what does she have that I don’t?”
Oliver’s jaw hardened. He’d had enough of this sour tart.
“Well, let’s see…” he said, ticking items off his fingers. “A heart, a soul, and a bad-ass body that isn’t made up of various pieces of plastic, and that’s just for starters,” he replied harshly, plucking the flute of champagne out of her nervy fingers. “And now, my wife and I would appreciate it if you would leave. This is a happy day, and we’d like to keep it that way.”
Fortunately Elise had seen enough. She scowled, spun on her wobbly heel and stomped out of the room.
“Well that showed her,” he chuckled, taking her hand. “Come on; let’s go get some fresh air.”
***
“You feeling alright?” he asked.
They were standing by the Mezzanine railing watching the azure waves roll gently as the sun sank lower on the horizon, casting a golden glow. Oliver had his arms around his wife’s waist and was resting his chin on her head.
She looked up at him and smiled. “I feel wonderful,” she replied. “Not even Elise’s cattiness could get me down today.”
“I’m glad.” He tightened his arms around her. “So, what’s it like being married?”
“Amazing; a million times better than it was the first time,” she said. “There was so much going on back then, with Brainiac and all; but his time, it’s all me, and it’s all so different, so real. I know here, in your arms…this is where I’m meant to be. It’s perfect.”
Oliver stroked her arms for several seconds, summoning up the courage to say what he needed to next.
“Life isn’t always perfect, you know,” he said gently.
She stiffened. “Ollie…”
“I saw the worry in your eyes,” he went on, his voice soft and quiet. “When I said I would love you in times of sorrow, and in times of joy.”
She shook her head stubbornly. “There’s no sorrow in our future, Oliver.”
He sighed deeply. “Oh, Chloe, I wish I could promise you that there wouldn’t be any, but be both know that life is unpredictable---”
“Can we not talk about that now?” she pleaded, her voice wavering. “I…this is our wedding day, the most memorable day of our lives. Let’s just keep it happy, okay?”
He sighed and turned her to face him, taking her face in his hands. “I love you, Chloe, with all my heart; and no matter what the future has in store for us, I will never let go of your hand,” he promised fervently. “You hear me?”
Tears filled her eyes, and she nodded. “I hear you. And I love you, too.”
“Good. I just needed to say that.” He kissed the tear that rolled down her cheek, and drew her into his arms for a comforting hug.
“Let’s go upstairs,” he whispered, nudging his hips against hers. “Call me old-fashioned, but there hasn’t been a wedding until there’s been a consummation.”
Chloe smiled through her tears and nodded. “Well-spoken, Mr Queen.”
***
Chapter 6…
Probably one more chapter after this, but you know what I'm like. If I've still got something to say, I'll say it! :-P
Enjoy!
Title: Beauty in the Breakdown VIII: Living Life
Author: babydee1
Pairing: Chlollie
Rating: NC-17 (this chapter PG-13)
Warnings: A Re-telling of Chlollie post-Warrior
Timeline: Season 9
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics.
Summary: With Oliver by her side, Chloe learns to let go, find peace, and fall in love.
Story Summary: As with everything else in Chloe and Oliver’s relationship, their next step is as unconventional as ever.
Feedback: …Always. :)
Series inspired by sxymami0909’s Watchtower playlist.
Awesome banner by sanaazzy.
Read previous chapter here.
Read story from the beginning here.
Chapter 5
“Ollie, you’re crazy!” Chloe shrieked joyfully as Oliver dunked her chest-deep in the balmy ocean. “Darn, I think I just lost a slipper…!”
He chuckled and lifted her high enough out of the water to remain submerges from the waist down. “Yeah, you just married a madman, Chloe,” he joked, pulling her up against him. “Oh my God, we’re married…!”
She wrapped her legs around his waist and giggled. “Unbelievable. I must be the only bride in history to get baptized on her wedding day!”
“Yeah, and by your husband, no less,” he grinned, then paused and adopted a lofty stance in the water. “I’m your husband. Damn, this feels good!”
“Mr & Mrs Queen, look this way, please!” called Bobby, the hotel employee taking their pictures. He had taken off his shoes, rolled up his trousers and waded ankle-deep into the shallow water with the camera slung around his neck. They turned to him and smiled, and he took several pictures before giving them the thumbs-up and treading back to the sand.
“It’s a miracle my hair didn’t get wet,” she giggled as Oliver waded back towards the shore. “Otherwise those would have been some very unattractive wedding photos.”
He got to shallower water and lowered her to her feet again.
“Nah, you don’t really care about wet hair though, do you?” he murmured as he rubbed his nose against hers.
She shook her head. “Nah, not really; though I wouldn’t have been too thrilled if I’d been snapped with the whole one-shoe look.”
He stared at her. “You were serious about that?”
She lifted one dainty bare foot out of the water and he made a wry face.
“Oops. My bad,” he said sheepishly.
“I’ll er…need a lift to shore, seeing as I’m one shoe down and all,” she said coyly, trailing her foot temptingly up his calf.
He grinned again. “In that case, Mrs Queen, your chariot awaits,” he declared proudly. “Hope you like piggy-back rides.” With great economy of movement, he lifted her in the air again and swung her onto his back, gripping the backs of her legs and settling her against him.
Her laughter rang out like a bell as her arms went around him and he walked them both back to shore. Bobby was still there snapping away, and he smiled as they approached.
“Everything is ready for you back at the hotel, Mr Queen,” he said. “Mario said that if you’d like to freshen up first, the Mezzanine Suite has been made available for yours and Mrs Queen’s use.”
Mrs Queen. Just hearing it gave him such a thrill.
“That would be excellent, thank you Bobby,” he replied warmly. “And have them bring in some gowns from a local boutique in my wife’s size, so she can have something nice to change into for the Reception.”
“As you wish, sir.” Bobby departed, and Oliver glanced over his shoulder at his wife’s smiling face.
“Now, why didn’t it occur to either of us to get a gown from the boutique before the wedding?” she said with wry amusement as he began to walk them back to The Florida Palms.
Oliver laughed. “I have no idea, but I can’t imagine you’d have been too pleased with me if I’d dunked you in the Atlantic in a five-thousand dollar dress.”
“Good point,” she agreed, and stroked his ear with her finger. “You are indeed wise, my Husband.”
“Hey, no dirty talk,” he said with mock sternness as he lightly smacked her thigh. “We have company expecting us in ten minutes.”
She tightened her legs around him and leaned down to whisper in his ear. “But if we’re really quick…” she murmured sexily, brushing a finger over his nipple and touching his earlobe lightly with her tongue.
Oh, she was good. A quick frisson of arousal tingled through him, and he hurriedly immobilised her roving hand.
“No touchie,” he said with a quick wink. “At least, not right now.”
She pouted. “But---”
“No buts, woman,” he said firmly as he approached the hotel entrance. “I may have gotten the hang of the quickie thing, but I’m not that quick.”
***
“That one,” Chloe said, pointing to the dress in Oliver’s right hand.
He glanced at the dress and smiled. “Of course it’s this one,” he replied passing her the flirty lime-green cocktail dress that she’d indicated and discarding the royal blue one that had been in his other hand.
“I can’t not wear green on my wedding day,” she declared confidently as she got changed for the reception. “And besides, it was the prettier dress.”
They went downstairs and were greeted with cheers and applause from the members of staff who were waiting for them in the reception room. There were tables of sandwiches and other assorted finger foods, and bottles of champagne on every table to toast the happy couple as soft music played gently in the background.
The old Southern couple who’d witnessed the wedding, Wilfred and Mary Donohue, had been invited along to the reception and didn’t waste time in dispensing marriage advice to the newlyweds.
“Keep the fights clean an’ the sex dirty,” Wilfred said to Oliver with a nudge and wink. “And accept the universal truth that you will never win an argument with that girl. It’ll save you both time and money.”
“And no matter what arguments you may have during the day, never take them to bed with you,” his wife chipped in, and she leaned conspiratorially towards Chloe. “You might try takin’ some skimpy lingerie, though…that always works for us.”
Oliver squeezed Chloe’s hand and gave her a leery grin, making her blush as the Donohues laughed out loud.
“Be sure to tell her everyday that she’s as pretty as she was the day you met her,” Wilfred added with an affectionate glance at his wife. “Actually, that’s a lie; my Mary’s only gotten more beautiful in fifty years.”
“Aw,” Chloe said with a warm smile as the elderly couple gazed at each other with ardent affection.
“And make sure you put your arms around your man and tell him you love him at every opportunity,” Mary pointed out. “Romance isn’t just for Valentine’s Day, now, you hear me?”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Chloe said meekly.
“Happy married life, and all the best!” they said cheerily. “We were saying on the beach that we have a good feelin’ about you two. Y’all keep each other happy, now.”
Oliver held his wife against him and dropped a brief kiss on her forehead as the Donohue’s made their exit, holding each other’s hands.
“That’ll be us in fifty years, you know,” Oliver observed. “Taking walks on the beach, and dispensing marriage advice to some other young couple just starting out on this grand journey.”
“Oh, I hope so,” she said, smiling up at him. “This is the happiest day of my life, Ollie. I’ll remember this moment forever.”
He grinned and a movement by the door caught his eye. He looked up, and his eyes widened in surprise before narrowing in disdain.
“I don’t believe it!” he groaned.
Chloe blinked, puzzled. “What?”
He gestured towards the door. “Guess who just walked into our Reception?”
Chloe followed the direction of his gaze and sputtered. “Elise?” she exclaimed. “What the hell is she doing here?”
“Society-scrounging again, I’d imagine,” he said with a sigh, and tugged her forward. “What say you we go say hello, hmm?”
Chloe’s eyes glinted mischievously. “Oliver Queen, you are so bad,” she murmured as she walked with him in the direction of their unwelcome guest.
“Congratulations to…whoever just got married!” they heard her saying in a sing-song voice that made it clear she was more than halfway drunk. She lifted a flute of champagne from a passing tray. “Long life, and all that. Where’s the happy couple?”
“Right here,” Oliver said, and she turned around on unsteady feet and came face to face with them.
Immediately her smile disappeared and she stared from Oliver to Chloe and back. “No way!”
Chloe pointed at her and furrowed her brow. “Let me see…Alice, was it?” she said with mock sweetness.
“It’s Elise,” she growled venomously as she stared at Chloe with undisguised loathing. “And I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”
“Nor can we, you don’t have a vulnerable rich pensioner hanging off your arm,” Oliver mocked. “Flying solo, Elise?”
“What the hell---?!? Her??” Elise raged. “How could you marry her?”
“Well, Elise, when a man and woman love each other very much…” Oliver began condescendingly, and she all but seethed with rage.
“She must have trapped you,” she said bitterly. “Is she pregnant?”
Oliver grinned. “Not yet. But we’re gonna have a blast while we’re trying.”
“I don’t believe this!” Elise cried. “I mean, what does she have that I don’t?”
Oliver’s jaw hardened. He’d had enough of this sour tart.
“Well, let’s see…” he said, ticking items off his fingers. “A heart, a soul, and a bad-ass body that isn’t made up of various pieces of plastic, and that’s just for starters,” he replied harshly, plucking the flute of champagne out of her nervy fingers. “And now, my wife and I would appreciate it if you would leave. This is a happy day, and we’d like to keep it that way.”
Fortunately Elise had seen enough. She scowled, spun on her wobbly heel and stomped out of the room.
“Well that showed her,” he chuckled, taking her hand. “Come on; let’s go get some fresh air.”
***
“You feeling alright?” he asked.
They were standing by the Mezzanine railing watching the azure waves roll gently as the sun sank lower on the horizon, casting a golden glow. Oliver had his arms around his wife’s waist and was resting his chin on her head.
She looked up at him and smiled. “I feel wonderful,” she replied. “Not even Elise’s cattiness could get me down today.”
“I’m glad.” He tightened his arms around her. “So, what’s it like being married?”
“Amazing; a million times better than it was the first time,” she said. “There was so much going on back then, with Brainiac and all; but his time, it’s all me, and it’s all so different, so real. I know here, in your arms…this is where I’m meant to be. It’s perfect.”
Oliver stroked her arms for several seconds, summoning up the courage to say what he needed to next.
“Life isn’t always perfect, you know,” he said gently.
She stiffened. “Ollie…”
“I saw the worry in your eyes,” he went on, his voice soft and quiet. “When I said I would love you in times of sorrow, and in times of joy.”
She shook her head stubbornly. “There’s no sorrow in our future, Oliver.”
He sighed deeply. “Oh, Chloe, I wish I could promise you that there wouldn’t be any, but be both know that life is unpredictable---”
“Can we not talk about that now?” she pleaded, her voice wavering. “I…this is our wedding day, the most memorable day of our lives. Let’s just keep it happy, okay?”
He sighed and turned her to face him, taking her face in his hands. “I love you, Chloe, with all my heart; and no matter what the future has in store for us, I will never let go of your hand,” he promised fervently. “You hear me?”
Tears filled her eyes, and she nodded. “I hear you. And I love you, too.”
“Good. I just needed to say that.” He kissed the tear that rolled down her cheek, and drew her into his arms for a comforting hug.
“Let’s go upstairs,” he whispered, nudging his hips against hers. “Call me old-fashioned, but there hasn’t been a wedding until there’s been a consummation.”
Chloe smiled through her tears and nodded. “Well-spoken, Mr Queen.”
***
Chapter 6…