Sure Fire Winners 1/1

[ihearttvsnark]

Title: Sure Fire Winners
Author: ihearttvsnark
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Chloe and Oliver Queen
Banner: geek_or_unique
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 6,301
Summary: Oliver isn’t happy when he’s forced to team up with Booster Gold for a mission.
Warnings: Canon through most of season 10 and then AU

Special thanks to geek_or_unique for giving me this prompt (like over a year ago) ♥


Sure Fire Winners

Oliver double checked his email one last time to make sure he’d taken care of all the urgent messages for the day. He’d been in and out of meetings most of the afternoon and he didn’t want to be blindsided by anything in the morning. Once he was satisfied that everything was in order, Oliver shut down his computer, grabbed his keys and pulled out his cell phone as he made his way to the office door. Using his shoulder, Oliver pushed the door open as he started to text Chloe to let her know that he was on his way back to the penthouse.

“Good evening, Green Arrow.”

Stumbling backward in surprise, Oliver glanced up from his phone, wondering how the hell someone had gotten past his security. When he caught sight of the yellow and blue leather, he had his answer. Oliver arched an eyebrow at the man standing in front of him with an enthusiastic grin on his face. “It’s just Oliver when I’m not sporting the gear,” he said.

“Of course,” Booster Gold replied, the grin never leaving his face. “Oliver Queen, billionaire CEO by day, world renowned playboy by reputation and not so secret vigilante crime fighter by night when patrolling the streets to make the world a safer place,” he said.

“Yeah, I know who I am, thanks,” Oliver said slowly as he wondered what was going on. “I’m also married now so the playboy thing doesn’t really apply,” he pointed out.

Booster nodded. “Yes, to the lovely Chloe Sullivan-Queen, former reporter turned Watchtower who has devoted her life to helping the great heroes. You two were married here in Metropolis a few months back and then you moved to your hometown of Star City.”

Oliver frowned. “Is there a reason you’re standing outside my office quoting my tabloid biography and my wife’s history, which is also none of your business,” he added.

“Booster Gold,” he said needlessly as he held his hand out to Oliver. “I was hoping we’d meet sooner, but my press tour kept me pretty busy. I’m sure you’ve heard of me.” His grin widened as he gave Oliver an expectant look.

“I have,” Oliver confirmed as he shook his hand. Clark had given him an earful about Booster and his antics when he’d first turned up in Metropolis to try and steal the spotlight and Clark’s destiny. Clark had also mentioned that Booster had decided to stay in Metropolis, but that still didn’t offer any explanation as to why he was standing there in his full gear. “Was there an emergency or…?” Oliver’s voice trailed off as he waited for the other man to fill in the blanks.

Booster shook his head. “Everything is quiet thanks to the city’s heroes. I thought this would be a chance for us to take a photo together for tomorrow’s papers. I can see the headlines now. ‘Booster Gold and Green Arrow team up to guard the city in the Blur’s absence.’ We can do the local talk show circuit. I’m sure Kat Grant will want to interview us.”

“Hell no,” Oliver replied. Clark must have forgotten to mention the part about Booster being delusional. “First, I don’t do interviews. Second, do you ever change out of the leather? Maybe you should worry less about having your picture taken and concentrate on blending in,” he suggested. Oliver wasn’t even going to get into the reasons why they would not be drawing attention to the Blur being out of town. He couldn’t believe this guy was for real. If he thought for one second that Clark had a sense of humor, Oliver would think he was playing some kind of joke on him.

Booster’s smile slipped for the first time and was replaced by disappointment. “But I’m proud to be a hero and I don’t want to hide who I am. You’re proud too,” he pointed out. “That’s why you announced your identity to the world. You stood right there,” he added, motioning toward Oliver’s office.

“That wasn’t my finest decision,” Oliver replied, cringing. His chest tightened at the memory and how desperate he’d been at the time. “Coming out of the superhero closet almost got me and everyone I care about killed and it’s not a mistake I’m going to make twice.” He might not be able to take back the reveal, but he wasn’t going to flaunt his identity again either. Things were finally settling down for him. “Being a hero isn’t about getting attention.”

“I know, but attention is fun too,” Booster said as the smile returned to his face. “We should get a drink together. I have a table on reserve at the Ace of Clubs,” he said proudly.

“So do I,” Oliver replied, unable to keep the hint of defensiveness out of his voice. “Look, I appreciate the interest and I’m glad you’re onboard to help the team, but it’s been a long day. I just want to go home and spend time with my wife.”

“Another time then,” Booster said. He handed Oliver a card. “Call me, Green Arrow. You and I have a lot to talk about.” He sent Oliver another bright grin before he turned and disappeared down the hallway.

“Oliver,” he called after him. Oliver glanced down at the card in his hand and rolled his eyes when he saw the fancy gold lettering beside Booster’s picture. With any luck, he’d never have to see that guy again.

***

“He wanted to take a picture with me and do interviews. He mentioned the talk show circuit! Can you believe that?” Oliver shook his head as he pulled off his jacket and tie, tossing both of them on the railing to take upstairs later before he made his way to the wet bar to pour himself a much needed glass of scotch.

From her position on the couch, Chloe simply raised an eyebrow at her husband. He’d been home for almost fifteen minutes and all he’d done was complain about Booster. She’d tried several times to get a word in, but he’d kept talking each time she’d opened her mouth. “Lois mentioned that he likes attention, but she said he was harmless. That’s also not uncommon amongst the hero types,” she added pointedly.

Oliver glared at her over his shoulder as he poured his drink. “Because you’re my wife and I love you, I’m going to pretend you did not just compare me to him. That’s insulting, Sidekick.” He shook his head and took a sip of scotch.

Chloe bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing at the pout on his face. “I’m just saying that you’ve had your share of newspaper headlines over the years and some of them were intentional. It doesn’t make you any less of a hero.” She patted the couch cushion beside her. “Come here,” she said. “I missed you today.”

“It’s too late to sweet talk me,” Oliver replied stubbornly. But he made his way to the couch, setting his drink down on the table before he took the seat beside her. “How was your day?” he asked as he brushed a piece of her from her face.

She smiled at the familiar gesture. “Busy,” Chloe replied. She shifted her body into his lap, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck. “Tess and I got most of the bugs out of the new system and Victor is going to handle the rest. I finished my article and then made all the changes the editor requested. She gave me a new assignment, but I’m not sure this remote reporting thing will fly much longer,” she admitted.

It had been almost three weeks since they’d come to Metropolis, first to help with the final wedding preparations and then they’d stayed for Lois and Clark’s wedding and to make sure everything was running smoothly with one less superhero in town until they got back from their honeymoon.

Oliver nodded as he wrapped one arm around her waist, his other hand resting against her thigh. “We could just go back to Star City. Tess can handle things here and I’m sure Booster would be more than happy to take the glory if there’s any incident that requires a hero.”

Chloe rolled her eyes at his refusal to let this go. “Oliver,” she said warningly. “You and I promised Lois and Clark that we would stay here so they could enjoy their trip without Clark worrying that the city was in trouble and that’s what we’re going to do. My job will wait. No one is going to fire Oliver Queen’s wife,” she added, smirking.

He laughed as some of the tension he’d been holding onto eased. “At least my name is good for something.” Oliver rubbed his nose against hers. “All right,” he conceded, knowing that she was right and there was no reason to argue about it. “We’ll stay, but for the record, I’m not happy with this decision.” It wasn’t that he minded helping Clark out, but he’d gotten used to being back in Star City with Chloe and he missed being there.

“I know. You’ve been complaining for days.” But Chloe’s expression softened as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. She knew the real reason he was upset and it had nothing to do with Booster Gold. “I miss being home too, Ollie. This is important though.”

Oliver nodded. He knew she was right and hearing Chloe refer to Star City as home instantly improved his mood. “What do you say we forget about arrogant superheroes and the world’s problems and just concentrate on us for the night?” he suggested.

“Well…maybe we shouldn’t forget about all the arrogant superheroes. I’m sort of partial to one of them,” Chloe replied. She bit her lip, but it wasn’t enough to keep the smile off her face.

Oliver shook his head. “You’re going to pay for that.”

***

Tess stood at the main terminal, frowning as she tapped the screen to zoom in on the four-block radius surrounding the warehouse. Nearly all of the security cameras in the area had been broken or had disappeared altogether and that was making her job difficult. She widened the search again, but she still couldn’t get a clear picture of the building where she suspected the weapons were being held. The double doors were pushed open just as she let out a frustrated noise.

“Perhaps I can be of some assistance.”

“That is why I called you,” Tess replied, glancing sideways at Booster as he strode into the room. She’d been hesitant to make that call since she didn’t know this guy, but Clark had vouched for him and Booster had helped upgrade Watchtower using technology he’d brought with him from the future so that was going to have to be enough reason to trust him.

“Booster Gold at your service and happy to help,” he said. “It’s an honor to meet you, Tess Mercer, also known as Lutessa Luthor, daughter of Lionel.” Booster grinned, holding out his hand to her. “The pleasure is all mine,” he said appreciatively as his eyes roamed over her from head to toe before he met her gaze.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Tess muttered. She rolled her eyes skyward, ignoring the hand that he held out. “This is not a social call.” She gestured toward the screen. “There’s a possible weapons deal going down and we need to stop it.”

Booster nodded, but he didn’t take his eyes off her to glance at the screen. “I will be more than happy to save the day and then take you to dinner. It’ll be great for people to see the editor of the Daily Planet on the arm of one of the city’s superheroes. Do you like the Ace of Clubs?” he asked.

Tess arched an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned so she was facing him. “I don’t know how these things work in the future so I’m just going to speak slowly so you understand. I am not interested. Got it?” she asked.

“I’ve always enjoyed a challenge,” Booster replied. “I shall find the way to your heart, Tess.” He winked at her before finally turning to look at the screen. “I know this area of the city. I’ll find the bad guys, pose for some pictures, sign a few autographs and then I’ll be back for our date. Do you like the Ace of Clubs?” he asked again.

Her mouth fell open and Tess had a feeling somewhere in the world, Lois was laughing at her. That was the only explanation for this. “I already told you that I’m not going out with you ever. This isn’t a solo mission,” she added. If it had been, she wouldn’t be having this bizarre conversation in the first place.

Booster looked confused as Tess was about to explain, the double doors swung open and Oliver made his way into the room in his gear with Chloe by his side. Booster grinned. “Welcome, Green Arrow,” he called, his gaze shifting to Chloe. “You must be Green Arrow’s wife, Watchtower, also known as…”

“Save it,” Oliver interrupted as he pulled off his glasses and tucked them into his belt. He was not happy to have to spend his evening with this clown and he was in no mood for another history lesson. “Booster, this is Chloe. Chloe, Booster Gold,” he said. “What’s going on?” Oliver asked Tess.

“It’s nice to meet you, Booster,” Chloe said. She shot her husband a warning look before she moved further into the room to join Tess at the computers. “Any luck with the cameras?” she asked.

“No,” Tess replied. She was glad to see that she wasn’t the only one annoyed by Booster’s presence. “This is where we think the weapons are being held,” she said, pointing to the screen once Oliver was close enough to see it. “Victor was able to tap into earlier versions of the security feeds and there were several late night deliveries a few weeks ago. Our intel has the deal going down tonight or tomorrow. We need you here and here.” She pointed to the two rooftop locations that would afford the best views.

“It’s basically going to be a waiting game until the big boss shows up,” Chloe interjected. She’d moved to the second computer and she pulled up several photos for them to look at. “Since we have no video feeds, you both need to be there to watch each other’s backs. These are our two main targets.” She glanced away from the screen to look at Oliver and Booster. “They will be heavily armed and guarded. You need to work together,” she stressed.

“Booster Gold and Green Arrow are prepared to save the day. Should we work out a system of hand signals or code words to communicate?” he asked.

Oliver rolled his eyes. “Why don’t we just stick to the com devices?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a spare communicator, passing it to Booster. “We should probably initiate radio silence until we need to move in.” He turned to Chloe and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “I’ll see you at home.”

“Be careful,” Chloe replied. She ran her hand over his arm, squeezing him gently. “And be nice,” she added.

“I’m always careful,” Oliver replied. He winked at her, making no promises on the nice part as he reached for his glasses. “Let’s go Goldie. We don’t have all night,” he said as he headed for the double doors.

“Would you like to give me a kiss for good luck?” Booster asked Tess.

“Not on your life,” Tess replied without turning away from the computers. She waited until she heard the doors swing shut behind them before she glanced at Chloe and made a face. “Should we place bets on how long it takes Oliver to hit him with a taser arrow?”

Chloe sighed and shot Tess a look. “Not you too,” she muttered as she pulled up the schematics Victor had sent. “We’re all on the same side,” she reminded her. Chloe had spent the entire drive over telling her husband that as he’d grumbled about Booster. Chloe just hoped he’d been listening because she wouldn’t put it past Oliver to taser his only backup.

***

“False alarm,” Booster announced. “It was just a lost driver. I autographed a t-shirt for her son. What were we talking about?”

Oliver gritted his teeth and cursed Clark once again for bringing this guy into their lives. He also cursed the damn weapons dealers. Once they showed their faces, Oliver was going to make them suffer for forcing him to be in this situation where he’d listened to Booster for almost four hours straight. The man loved to talk about himself and his fans and every now and again, he’d changed it up and asked questions about Tess and whether or not Oliver thought they would look good together.

He ignored Booster’s question and isolated his com link before he spoke. “Watchtower, I don’t think these guys are going to show. Can we call it a night?”

“Not yet, Arrow,” Chloe replied. She took a sip of her coffee, her eyes glued to the screen in front of her. “There seems to be more traffic than usual and that can’t be a coincidence.”

Oliver sighed loudly as he walked to the opposite end of the rooftop to survey the streets. He hadn’t seen much foot traffic, but he knew Chloe was right. There did seem to be a lot of cars driving through what should have been a deserted area. “Okay, maybe things will quiet down in an hour or so.” It was already nearly one in the morning and it didn’t seem like the boss was going to show up. “Are you still at Watchtower?” he asked.

“Yeah, but I sent Tess home since she has that long drive. You know if you’re bored, you could pass the time by trying to get to know Booster better,” Chloe suggested.

“He’s already given me his life story,” Oliver replied. He used his glasses to zero in on Booster, who was standing on a rooftop two blocks over. “It looks like he’s practicing posing for pictures. I thought Clark talked to him about this stuff.”

“Maybe you’re being too hard on him,” Chloe said. She switched the screen in front of her to the outlying areas where there were still cameras. “He’s trying to fit in with the team and I’m sure that’s not easy. Give him a chance, Ollie.”

Oliver sighed again. “With any luck, this will be our first and only mission together. Next week you and I are going to be back in Star City.” He was practically counting the minutes until it was time for them to leave town.

Chloe smiled. “I’m looking forward to that too, but in the meantime…” Her voice trailed off as something on the screen caught her attention. She enlarged the image before she pressed the button to link Booster’s com to their conversation. “Boys, it looks like we have a situation. Three men armed with knives are attempting to break into to bank on Maple and Park. Can…”

“I’m on my way,” Booster interjected, not giving Chloe a chance to finish before he shot up into the sky, flashes of blue and gold light surrounding him as he flew toward the bank.

“So much for the element of surprise,” Oliver muttered, reaching for his crossbow. “I’ll go rein in our friend, but our stakeout is over for the night. Standby, Sidekick,” he said as he fired an arrow toward a flagpole across the way. Oliver used the zip line to lower himself to the ground and jogged the two blocks toward the bank. When he got there, he could see that Booster had already subdued the three men. “Nice work,” he called.

“Thank you,” Booster replied, grinning in Oliver’s direction. “I’ve alerted the press and they’ll be here any moment. I don’t mind sharing the glory with you. This will be our chance to stand side by side and proclaim victory over the criminals. Which is your best side?” he asked curiously.

Oliver rolled his eyes and started to tell Booster that he wasn’t going to stick around for any kind of photo op, when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Oliver lifted his crossbow and fired an arrow over Booster’s shoulder. The suspect who’d been about to advance on him fell back, pinned against the wall by the arrow embedded in his jacket. “This is why we take the time to zip tie the suspects instead of calling the press.” He shook his head, irritated as he moved to do just that.

Booster swallowed hard as he looked around, noticing that the other two guys he’d knocked out were stirring as well. “I guess I’m still learning the little things,” he said quietly. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Oliver replied, biting back his irritation as Chloe’s words about teamwork came back to him. “We’re in this together, right?” He got to his feet and patted Booster on the shoulder. “I’m going to head home. I’ll see you tomorrow night.” Oliver could see that Booster was a little shaken and he hoped this was the wakeup call he needed. Maybe the next night’s stakeout would be smoother.

***

“Son-of-a-bitch!”

Chloe winced when she heard her husband’s angry shout. She knew exactly why he was upset as she waited for him to make his way into the kitchen. When he did, she gave him a small smile and held out the protein shake she’d made for him. “Morning, Ollie,” she said.

He took the shake, setting it down on the counter as he held out his phone to her. “Did you see this? I saved his ass from getting stabbed last night and this is how he repays me? It’s like he didn’t hear a single word I said.”

Chloe could see that he was angry and she did her best to keep her voice calm, hoping he would take the hint. “I think this was his way of giving you the credit.”

Oliver glared at her and pushed the button to play the video of Booster bragging about taking down the bank robbers. He gave an exaggerated play by play of the event and Oliver cut the recording off halfway through, switching to the Daily Star website instead. “The front page of today’s paper is a side by side comparison of Booster Gold and Green Arrow. The front page,” he stressed.

“Of the Daily Star,” Chloe replied dismissively. “No one reads that paper. This isn’t a big deal, Ollie. At least he didn’t say anything about the mission.” That was what she had been concerned about when Tess had called to give her the heads up on Booster’s latest media blitz.

“How can people compare me to him?” Oliver demanded, outraged. “Don’t,” he warned when Chloe opened her mouth, “Don’t you dare say we’re a lot alike. You’re my wife. You’re supposed to be on my side.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “I am on your side, Oliver. Always,” she stressed as she moved closer to him and ran her hands over his chest, trying to ease the tension that was pouring off him. “But you’re both superheroes who don’t hide behind secret identities. People can’t help making comparisons.”

Oliver made a face. “I’m nothing like him. He could have gotten hurt if I hadn’t been there. He’s way too focused on all the wrong things,” he complained.

“Sort of like how you’re focused on going home?” Chloe asked. She pressed a kiss to his jaw, letting her lips linger there for a moment. “Ollie, we both know that’s the real reason you’re getting bent out of shape. You’re looking for excuses to be unhappy about this. Booster isn’t the first egotistical superhero we’ve worked with.”

“Are you talking about me again?” Oliver asked. He wrapped his arms around Chloe and pulled her closer, resting his head on hers. “Maybe you’re right. Not about the ego part,” he clarified. “But my attitude hasn’t been the best. I’ll work on it,” he promised, pulling back so he could see her face. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize.” Chloe kissed his jaw again and smiled at him. “I wasn’t happy that he wasn’t fully invested in the mission because that puts you at risk too. But you’re the leader, Ollie. You need to focus on that and forget about newspaper headlines. We’ve got weapons dealers to stop.”

Oliver nodded. “I know.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, drawing out the kiss. “How busy is your morning? Any chance you’d like to spend some quality time with your favorite husband?”

She pretended to consider it. “I suppose I could rearrange a few things. Oh! Do you think that husband of mine can get me Booster Gold’s autograph?” Chloe’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

“That’s very cute,” Oliver muttered. But he was smiling as he pulled her into his arms again.

***

“The guards are in place,” Oliver said. From his vantage point on the roof, he could pinpoint exactly where each of them was positioned outside the warehouse. There were a total of ten so far and they were spread out enough that they should be able to take them out in succession without tipping of the others as long as they kept to the shadows.

“Copy that, Arrow,” Chloe said. She was sitting behind the desk at the clock tower, running surveillance from there. Using facial recognition software, Chloe had found the car carrying the two bosses and was monitoring its progress as they crossed the city. “I’ll let you know when the car is close enough for you to make your move. Standby until then,” she ordered.

Oliver pressed the button to mute his com and turned to Booster, who was crouched beside him. Oliver had decided it would be better for them to stay together so he could keep an eye on Booster and make sure he didn’t move in too quickly. The other man had been fairly quiet and as much as Oliver was enjoying it, he got the feeling that something was wrong. Knowing he was probably going to regret it, Oliver pulled off his glasses and turned to Booster.

“All right,” he said as he met the other man’s eyes. “Why are you so quiet tonight? Did something happen I need to know about?” he asked warily, already imagining a news crew showing up and ruining the whole thing.

Booster shook his head. “I’m just doing what you asked and concentrating on the task at hand.” He gave Oliver a tight smile. “I got the impression that you didn’t appreciate the small talk.”

Oliver winced, feeling like a total jackass. Chloe was right. He shouldn’t be focusing on Booster’s annoying qualities. He should be acting like a leader and helping the new guy feel more like he was part of the team. “I’m sorry about last night,” he said. “I’m not really happy about being in Metropolis and I’ve been acting like an ass.”

“It’s okay,” Booster replied with a shrug. “I know I made a mistake the other night by calling the press instead of making sure those guys were secure. It’s not just about the glory for me even though it seems like it is. I want to make the world a better place.”

Chloe’s voice broke into their conversation before Oliver had a chance to respond. “Incoming, gentlemen,” she said. “The black sedan is less than a mile away. Arrow, start on the east end of the building and Booster, you start on the west. By the time you get to the south entrance, the bosses will have arrived.”

“Copy that, Watchtower, we’re on it,” Oliver said. He put his glasses back on and reached for his crossbow. “You heard the lady,” he told Booster with a grin. “Let’s go show these guys why it’s not okay to sell weapons in Metropolis.”

Booster nodded and the two men made their way off the roof, quickly crossing the street to the warehouse and separating per Chloe’s instructions. Oliver took out two guards with his taser arrows, carefully lowering them to the ground so they wouldn’t make any noise. But the next guard was ready for him. Oliver ducked the punch he threw and kicked his legs out from under him, pulling one of the taser arrows from his glove and jamming it into his shoulder. Once he was down, Oliver rounded the corner and found three more guards waiting for him.

“Well this is fun,” Oliver said cheerfully, his voice bouncing through the distorter as he fired an arrow at one of the guards. The other two rushed him at once and he used his body weight to shove one back into a wall while he hit the other one in the jaw with his crossbow. That guy hit the ground, but the second man regrouped and shoved Oliver, both of them tumbling to the concrete.

Oliver dodged another punch, groaning when the guy elbowed him in the stomach. He shoved him away, trying to grab his taser arrow, but before he could reach it, the guard pointed a gun at him. Oliver kicked him, attempting to throw off his balance even as his finger moved toward the trigger. Before he had a chance to pull it, he was hit by a blast of light and sent flying across the parking lot. Booster moved over to Oliver and held out his hand. “Are you all right?” he asked.

“I am. Thanks for the save,” Oliver added as he let Booster help him up. The two men quickly secured the guards and once that was done, Oliver pushed his com device. “Watchtower, we’re good on this end. Have they arrived?” he asked.

“They’re pulling in now. There are two guards in the car with them plus the driver,” Chloe observed as she watched them exiting the car. “They’re making their way into the warehouse and I am alerting Metropolis’ finest that there’s a situation. Do your thing,” she said.

“Copy that,” Oliver replied. He nodded toward Booster and the two of them quietly made their way into the warehouse through one of the service entrances. Oliver could see that the bosses were standing in the center of the room, talking to the suppliers while the guards stood in front of the door. He motioned for Booster to get in position and raised his crossbow, firing off two arrows in succession, causing both guards to drop to the ground.

The other man started to reach for their guns, but Booster fired off one of his blasts, sending them all flying backward. Only one of the men remained on his feet and he didn’t bother going for his gun, turning and hurrying toward the exit instead. Oliver hit him with a taser arrow between his shoulder blades and he dropped to the concrete. It took a few minutes to secure the men and by the time they walked out the front door, the police had already arrived on the scene.

“Not bad for your first official mission,” Oliver said as he held his hand out to Booster. “I’m sure the reporters will be arriving soon, but I’m going to head home. Thanks again for saving my ass,” he added.

Booster smiled as he shook Oliver’s hand. “I owed you one and besides, we’re on the same team. I think I’m going to go too. I was on the front page of the papers yesterday,” he added, shrugging like it was no big deal. “You make this look easy, Oliver, and you don’t even have a power suit to do half the work for you. That’s a lot more impressive than having your picture in the paper all the time.”

Oliver heard something in his voice that almost sounded like regret and once again, he found himself feeling guilty for not trying harder to make Booster feel welcome. “There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the way your picture looks on the front page. I used to save every article ever written about Green Arrow. But at the end of the day, we’re doing this to make the world a safer place. As long as you don’t lose sight of that, you can pose for as many pictures as you want,” he said.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Booster said. He motioned toward the sky. “I am going to head back to my place. If I don’t see you again before you leave, it truly was an honor to meet you, Green Arrow. Oliver Queen too,” he added as he held out his hand.

“Same goes for you, Booster,” Oliver replied. He shook his hand and started to walk away before he immediately changed his mind. “You know Chloe and I are going to be here for another few days until Lois and Clark come back. Do you want to grab a drink with us tomorrow night at the Ace of Clubs?” he asked.

Booster grinned. “I’d love to. Do you think Tess would like to join us? I’m not sure I made the best impression on her and I’d like a chance to try again. I believe in being persistent,” he added.

Oliver laughed. “I’ll bet you do. I’ll have Chloe ask her,” he said, knowing his wife would be a lot more effective at persuading Tess to have drinks with Booster than he would be. “Maybe you can shake things up a little bit and leave the suit at home.” He laughed again when a look of horror crossed Booster’s face. “Just think about it,” he said. “We’ll see you tomorrow around seven.”

***

The hostess led Oliver through the crowded club to his usual table in the back corner. He smiled and thanked her as she left menus for the table and promised to send someone over for their orders once the rest of his party arrived. He pulled out his phone to return a text from Chloe and when he was finished, he started to reach for a menu just as someone cleared his throat beside the table.

Oliver glanced up and his eyes widened when he saw Booster standing there without his trademark leather and glasses. Instead, he was dressed in a dark suit and a fairly conservative tie. “How does it feel?” Oliver asked as he gestured for him to have a seat.

“Different,” Booster admitted. He sat down and glanced around the club. “No one asked for my autograph in the elevator and the hostess barely looked at me.” He shifted his gaze to Oliver. “Do you really like this blending in thing?” he asked.

“I do,” Oliver replied. “Sometimes it’s nice to be able to sit back and have a quiet night out with good friends and not have to worry about people taking your picture or trying to monopolize your time.” He wished he was able to do it more often.

“I’ll take your word for it, Green - Oliver,” Booster corrected himself quickly. “I guess I’m not used to that either. You can still call me Booster even though I’m not wearing the suit at the moment.”

Oliver grinned, doing his best not to come right out and laugh. “One big change at time,” he agreed. “Chloe texted me a little while ago and she and Tess should be here any minute.” He was still surprised Chloe had managed to convince Tess to join them for drinks, but he knew how persuasive his wife could be when she put her mind to something.

Booster nodded and leaned forward, lowering his voice. “Now that we’re friends, can you give me some tips on how to get Tess to go out with me? She hasn’t been receptive to any of my suggestions.”

That time, Oliver did laugh. “Sorry, I’m not touching that one for so many reasons,” he said. Oliver spotted Chloe heading in their direction and got to his feet. “Hey Gorgeous,” he said brightly as he leaned down to kiss her. “How was your day?”

“Good. Better now,” Chloe added before she took the seat beside him. She smiled at Booster across the table. “It’s nice to see you again. Tess is just checking her coat.”

“It’s nice to see you too,” Booster replied. He got to his feet and motioned over his shoulder. “I’m going to go see if I can interest Tess in grabbing a drink at the bar. Excuse me,” he said.

Oliver shook his head and wrapped his arm around Chloe’s shoulders. “You were right about him,” he admitted. It was obvious all Booster was doing was trying to find his way and fit in with the rest of the team.

“Did you doubt me?” Chloe teased. She leaned in to kiss him again. “You did a nice thing helping him, Ollie. He’ll be a better hero because of it.”

“I hope so,” Oliver said. His eyes drifted toward the bar where he could see Booster standing with Tess. He was talking animatedly, waving his hands around and attracting a lot of attention from the people around them. Tess looked like she was about two seconds away from bolting. “There’s not much I can do about that though.”

Chloe laughed and rested her head against his shoulder. “Not everyone has your natural charm, Romeo.” She turned her head and pressed a kiss to his jaw. “Good thing you’re all mine.”

Oliver grinned. “That’s a very good thing,” he agreed.