Birthday Fic!
This is a birthday fic for
mitsuki_shizuka, a very late one. It'll be split into two parts, because it got kind of long. I hope you enjoy, even though it's really late!
Story: One Night
Pairing/Characters: Clark/Oliver, Oliver/Lois, Clark/Lana
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: don’t own anything
Warning: slash, mentions of m/m sex
Spoilers: 7.11 “Siren” (some parts have been changed)
Summary: After Lois leaves him, Ollie worries that he’ll never find love. Clark comes to see him. What starts out as a simple conversation turns out to be so much more, leaving both men to face the consequences of their actions.
Part 1
Oliver crouched down, wiping the broken pieces of glass off the picture of his parents and him as a child. Setting the photo and what was the left of the frame, he stood once more. Surveying the damage to his penthouse, he sighed.
The last few days had been absolutely crazy. He could hardly believe that it had happened. Walking toward his once protected Green Arrow room, he shook his head. Everything was visible and he made a mental note to get that fixed as soon as possible.
Completely lost in his thoughts, he didn’t hear the footsteps approaching.
“Oliver,” the familiar voice said, snapping him back to reality. Spinning around, he saw Lois standing there, hands in her pockets.
“Slash Green Arrow,” she continued, “Any other hyphenates I need to know about?”
A smile graced his features, as he shook his head. “No, that was pretty much the biggie.”
She nodded slowly before turning toward the balcony. As she started to move toward it, the smile dropped from his face.
“Sorry,” he said, quickly closing the distance between them. “Hey … I never meant to hide who I was from you. I just …”
“No, it’s okay,” Lois interrupted, facing him once more. “I get it. You were just … trying to protect me.”
Could it be? Was it possible she really understood? She had been really angry before but considering they were tied to a chair at the time, he didn’t blame her. It seemed that with time, the anger had worn away, filling his heart with a new hope.
“Then I gotta say,” Lois added, “It clears up a lot.” She smiled. “It never did make sense at how you could blow off a hottie like me.”
Oliver laughed, feeling a bit more at ease. “Right,” he agreed, “That’s true.” He ducked his head, considering his next words carefully.
This was the moment … he was going to take the biggest risk he had ever taken in his life. Sure, he had tempted fate before but he was not scared to put his life on the line. But his heart? That was so much more dangerous.
However, remembering Lois’s kiss, how it felt like to have her in his arms, even for that brief moment … he knew that he had to try.
He lifted his head, meeting her eyes. “Now that you know,” he said, his voice low, “I’m really hoping that … umm …” Taking a deep breath, he went on. “I know that my job takes me out of town a lot but on the weekends there’s, there’s uh …”
She sighed, averting her gaze for a moment.
Taking another step closer, he said, almost pleading, “I’m asking you … please give us another chance.” Lois smiled but he could see it was forced. “I can make this work,” he finished.
“I can’t,” Lois said, her voice full of emotion, as she walked past him. “You know me and my big mouth. I can never keep a secret.”
“I don’t believe that,” Oliver replied, trying to keep his voice steady, though panic was taking over his entire being.
“I’ve never been good at long distance relationships,” Lois said, shrugging her shoulders.
“Come on,” Oliver said, one step short of going on his knees and begging. He walked toward her, shaking his head. “Lois …”
“Okay,” she said suddenly. “Maybe I’m selfish here.” She paused, searching his expression. “But I don’t want to wonder where you are every night.”
Oliver was dying inside, too torn up to even speak.
“I don’t think I’d be good at the whole dual identity thing,” Lois told him. She swallowed hard.
“I can’t … I can’t share you with the rest of the world,” she concluded. The ache in her voice told him that it wasn’t easy for her but he couldn’t stop the breaking of his own heart.
She leaned forward to embrace him but he could only remain stiff in her arms, closing his eyes as he realized that this would be the last time he felt her arms around him.
Pulling away, she gave him a look and without another word, headed toward the elevator. Turning his head, he watched as she stepped into the elevator, her gaze locking on his.
With a shake of her head, she closed the gate, the screen coming down, separating her from him forever.
Oliver felt his knees weaken, sinking the ground, no longer having the ability to stand. She was gone … she had rejected him.
For the first time in his life, he had opened his heart, had risked his feelings … and been shot down. Ever since his parents had died, he had never let anyone in. For once, he thought that could change. But it couldn’t.
As long as he was the Green Arrow, he could never have a stable relationship. Lois Lane was the first woman he had truly loved … and she had loved him too. He knew it, he had seen it in her eyes. Yet it wasn’t enough to make her stay.
It wasn’t enough to overlook what he did at night. Lois couldn’t just handle the responsibility he had to the world. If she couldn’t, would there ever be anyone who could?
There was no doubt in the blonde’s mind that he was confident in his want to save the world but was he destined to walk through life alone because of it?
The idea of never finding love, never getting married and having a partner to share his life scared him more than anything.
Though his parents had died when he was young, he still had plenty of memories from his childhood, ones that he treasured. Among those, he could remember as clear as day how happy and in love his parents had been.
Was he wrong for wanting for too? But you can’t have it … nobody will love you, nobody can love you. At least not enough to put up with all sides of you.
Wasn’t that the truth.
This is going to be tough. Clark knocked at the door of the apartment above the Talon, where he knew one of his best friends would be residing, mending a broken heart.
As he twisted the knob, he found it to be unlocked and stepped inside, finding Lois at the edge of the room, sitting with a box of ice cream.
“Enter at your own choleric risk,” Lois said
Clark smiled sympathetically. “How’re you doing?”
“Aside from the metaphor, I was hoping Rocky Road would help,” Lois said, pointing to the container. “But nothing … nada … not even a dent.” She poked the ice cream with her spoon.
He slowly walked toward her, slipping his hands in his pockets, not really sure what to say. Fortunately, he didn’t have to say anything.
Lois leaned forward. “You know,” she said slowly, “I thought Grant would help me get over Ollie and if that didn’t end badly enough, the moment I saw Ollie again, all those feelings came rushing right back up again.”
“Maybe it can still work between you two,” Clark suggested.
“You don’t know Ollie like I do,” Lois said, standing up. As she walked past him, she added, “There are parts of him you’ve never seen.”
“That’s a given,” Clark said dryly, spinning around to face her.
Setting the ice cream on the counter, she faced him. “I mean, sides of him,” she clarified, “He’s got this … one side I’m not sure I can live with.”
Oh, Lois … Clark knew exactly what she was talking about. Chloe and he had seen her trying to cover up for the Ollie being the Green Arrow when they found her.
“How would you know if you don’t give it a chance?” Clark questioned.
“We’re not like you and Lana,” Lois burst out. “We’re not the perfect couple. We’re not destined for each other.”
And Lana and I are? Sometimes, especially lately, he was doubting this fact. Right now, though, he was more concerned about Lois.
“Lois, this isn’t like you,” he said pointedly, taking a few steps toward her. “Normally, when things get challenging, that’s when you get interested.”
“This is different,” Lois replied. She shifted to stand behind the counter.
“My dad was a general,” she explained, “And he cared about me but I learned really early that his role in the world was a lot more important than being a father. And you know? For good reasons. And Ollie’s life … is demanding too,” she finished.
“Lois, just because someone’s life has great responsibility doesn’t mean your life has to take second place,” Clark said gently.
“Of course it does, Clark,” Lois argued. Her voice shaky, she made her way around the counter to him and continued, “Can you imagine what it would be like to look into somebody’s eyes and know that their destiny is so much greater than yours? That you will never compete … you will always be left behind?”
Lana. “That would be hard for anyone,” Clark conceded, “But …”
“No,” Lois interrupted, shaking her head slightly. “I can’t be left behind one more time.”
Clark had never seen Lois break down like this and it almost scared him.
“You know, where Ollie’s life is going,” Lois told him, “there’s not room for me in it.” She sighed. “And I know he’d never admit it so I had to.”
“I just, um … I just can’t face another heartbreak down the road,” Lois finished, the tears she was holding back evident in her tone. Her eyes were shimmering and his heart ached for her.
Unable to think of what to say, Clark just pulled the brunette into his arms, Lois burying her head into his shoulder.
He heard the muffled sobs and he just stroked her back comfortingly.
“Besides,” she added, “Why settle for hot, rich and famous when I can hang out with you?”
Clark couldn’t help the small smile that emerged on his face as he continued to rub her back. Trust Lois Lane to try to crack jokes even when she was in pain. Her inner strength was something he had always admired about her.
Though he wanted to stay with Lois longer, eventually she pushed him out the door. It helped that Chloe came in and took his place by her side. Knowing the two cousins needed their alone time, he left, telling her that he could call her if she ever needed anything.
Heading back to the farmhouse, Clark had to really resist going to the penthouse instead. He wondered what Ollie was up to … he sympathized with Lois but he knew that the blonde must be hurting as well.
After all, he had taken a huge risk in asking Lois for that second chance and he had been rejected. Clark had always urged him to tell Lois his secret but it seemed that the brunette wasn’t able to handle it after all.
But he wasn’t sure whether he would be wanted after their last conversation. He admitted he had been downright nasty to Oliver when he entered. However, seeing a bruise on Chloe had hurt him and he just couldn’t bear to lose her too.
She had been there through everything and if Oliver was snatching her away, he’d be truly alone.
You have Lana. Yes, but she wasn’t enough. She couldn’t be his best friend … she couldn’t be his confidant.
Hello? She’s the woman you love … she’s supposed to be all those things. Then why couldn’t Clark trust her?
Entering the house, he shrugged off his jacket, placing it on the couch, as he headed into the kitchen. The sight that greeted him was shocking. Lana was packing things into a duffle bag.
Seeing him, she froze. “Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi,” he replied.
“I talked to Chloe,” Lana explained, “And I thought I should go stay with her for a few days.”
Nodding at his silence, she grabbed the bag and headed for the door.
As she reached the knob, he blurted out, “I stole a Lamborghini.”
Before he knew it, he was confessing his sins, telling her how he broke into a bank and basically spilling every other thing he did while hyped up on red kryptonite that fateful summer.
“I am anything but perfect,” Clark said slowly. “And I know it’s hard living with me,” he added, as she made her way back toward him.
“Clark, it’s not you,” Lana interrupted. “It’s me …” She sighed. “Clark, when did you do all of this?’
“The summer I ran away to Metropolis,” he admitted.
“You mean after your parents lost their baby and you thought your best friend was dead?” Lana questioned. “When you were sixteen years old? Clark, I appreciate the gesture but our situations are nothing alike … you were running away from your pain and I’ve been doing what I have for revenge.”
“Lana, I don’t want to end this,” Clark said desperately. He couldn’t lose her … if he lost her, it would really prove that he couldn’t have a normal relationship. She knew his secret and they could be happy.
“Clark, I love you,” Lana said gently. “And I know you love me too. Or at least … you want to.”
“I do love you,” he insisted.
“Do you?” she countered. “Clark, the woman that you fell in love with is long gone.”
“You’re still right here,” he argued.
“But I’m a different person,” Lana said, “I’m not that five year old who liked to pretend to be a princess or the naïve fifteen year old girl who you had a crush on. I’ve grown up, I’ve made decisions … some good, some bad.”
“I am not perfect either,” Clark said eagerly, “We can be together … give me a chance. I can make this work.”
“You want to make this work, Clark,” Lana told him. “But the truth is … I’m not so sure we can.” She paused. “When you imagine the future, is it really me you see pictured by your side? I’ve seen the look in your eyes Clark … you long for more, a life outside this farm. It’s not enough for you and one day you’ll see that I’m not either.”
Clark closed his eyes and hated that every word she was speaking was the truth. He loved the farm more than life itself but sometimes, he wanted to get out into the world and see what was in store for him. There were days where he resented being stuck there but he wanted it to be enough.
More than anything, he wanted it to be enough. Because his parents had a normal life here … so why couldn’t he?
He wanted to be normal. But he wasn’t. No, he was an alien, Kal-El from Krypton and just like Lois said Ollie’s destiny was greater than her own, his went beyond this farm.
“Clark, you love saving people,” Lana said, causing him to open his eyes. She smiled. “And I adore that about you and even I can tell you want to do more.”
“I can’t say I haven’t thought about it,” Clark admitted. He thought of Ollie’s offer all those months ago and remembered how if it wasn’t for the Phantoms, he would’ve packed a bag and gone with them.
“Then what’s stopping you?” Lana questioned. “The future is endless Clark ... but as long as we stay with each other, your options are limited.”
“I can be with you and do more with my powers,” he said.
“I hate to bring him up,” Lana said sadly. “But the phantom … he said that you want to love me and do the right thing but you won’t stay by me forever. And I looked into your eyes and I just knew … knew that he was telling me the truth. That you saw that truth too.”
“Lana,” Clark protested but it was weak. He too remembered the phantom’s words and he hadn’t been able to argue back then … and he couldn’t do it now either.
“We’ve changed, haven’t we?” Clark said instead. “I mean … once upon a time, we could’ve made it work.”
“But not anymore,” Lana concluded.
“I wanted to be the one to make you happy,” Clark said, meeting her eyes. “But Lana … I’m not sure I can do that anymore. I’ve been honest with you and I’ve tried to give you whatever you need …”
“Clark, as I said, it’s not you,” Lana interrupted. “I thought about what you said at Isis … you’re right. I’ve become consumed with this hatred, this need for revenge and I need to get away from Smallville. I need to find out who I am again.”
“I understand, Lana,” Clark responded. He wished he didn’t but he did.
“I’ll be back for the rest of my stuff later,” Lana told him. She took a deep breath. “Take care of yourself, Clark.”
“You too Lana,” he said, engaging her in a quick hug. Any more than that and he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold his composure.
“And if you ever need anything,” he added.
“You’ll be there,” she finished. “The same goes for you too, mister.”
He forced a smile and nodded.
Eyes watering, she smiled. “Good bye Clark.”
“Bye Lana,” he replied and watched as his first love walked out of the door and out of his life.
This time, he knew it was for good.
The tears he had long held back filled his eyes and spilled over. She was gone … Lana and he had broken up.
It had been coming for a while but that didn’t change how much it hurt. He had so hoped for a happy ending for them. Lana’s calm acceptance of his heritage had made him think that maybe he wouldn’t be alone but it seemed that that was exactly what he was going to be.
Wiping away the tears, Clark frowned. Lana had said that she needed to figure out who she really was and he did too. Honestly, he did like saving people and he wanted to do more with his powers. Not because of what Lana said or because of what Oliver thought he should be doing but because he, Clark Kent, wanted to make use of his abilities to protect the world.
Oliver. That was the name that stuck out in his head and he couldn’t help but once again hang his head in shame, as the accusations he had thrown at the blonde came back at full force.
Ollie had snapped too but Clark had been the initiator. Even if he had been worried about Chloe, he should’ve known Oliver would never intentionally put her in danger. The blonde was more than cautious and he had always been so kind to Clark, giving him the security codes to the penthouse and not even caring as incident after incident left his home in Metropolis in shambles.
After the incident with the Phantom, Clark had called and offered to pay for the damage but Oliver had literally laughed it off. The blonde had firmly said he didn’t care and that the topic was settled.
Clark agreed to that and neither brought it up again.
Right now, the incident just brought up even more guilt. I’ll go apologize, he decided. Besides, he really needed to be away from the farm at that moment.
Making sure he looked presentable, as so not to draw any questions, he sped to the Clock Tower.
Within minutes, he was stepping into the elevator. As it stopped, he prayed for the best and watched as the screen shot upwards. Pushing the gate aside, he looked around.
There was so much glass all around, the shattered remains of Oliver’s Green Arrow room. The windows had already been replaced though but then again, he supposed that that was Ollie’s priority.
“Oliver?” he called out.
“Clark,” the familiar voice came from his side, getting his attention. Oliver was walking inside from the balcony, a glass of what he assumed was wine in his hands.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” the blonde remarked.
“I just wanted to check in on you,” Clark responded. He paused. “I heard what happened with Lois … I’m sorry.”
Oliver shrugged. “I guess it’s what I should’ve expected.”
“Maybe she’ll get used to the dual identity thing some day,” Clark offered.
“Yeah, like when?” Oliver questioned. “When the Earth cracks open and time spins backwards? I don’t think so.”
“Are you okay though?” Clark asked.
“Physically I’m fine,” Oliver said, with a shrug. “Thanks to you, of course. You made it in the knick of time, as always.”
“Guess so,” Clark said, “I’m glad both you and Black Canary are okay.”
“Black Canary?” Oliver repeated, amused.
“That’s what I named her,” Clark told him. “Besides, it sounded better than Yellow Raven, which was what Chloe came up with. And it’s definitely better than Boy Scout,” he added with a smirk.
Oliver chuckled and Clark grinned.
“Look at that,” Oliver said, “We got you to make a joke.”
“I guess miracles do happen,” Clark replied.
Oliver smiled and nodded.
“Have you heard from her?” Oliver asked curiously.
“Dinah?” Clark questioned. Oliver raised his eyebrow. “That’s her name … Dinah Lance. She works at the Planet.”
“Let me guess … you and Chloe found that out?” Oliver questioned.
“Yeah,” Clark said, with a smile. “She’s great.”
“It explains why you’re so possessive of her,” Oliver noted.
He shrugged. “What can I say? She’s my best friend.”
“I wasn’t trying to steal her, you know,” Oliver said quietly. “I mean … she’s helping me out but you know she’ll never really leave you, right? Trust me … I’ve tried to get her to come with us and her first priority is always to be at your side.”
“Really?” He didn’t know that.
“She refuses to leave you,” Oliver said, with a small smile. “Chloe Sullivan is one loyal woman.”
“She really is,” Clark agreed, his heart warming at the thought of Chloe refusing to leave him. He didn’t know what he’d do without his best friend. I have to do something nice for her. Lately, he had been using her too much and with the whole Lana fiasco, he had definitely been taking advantage of her goodness. I’ll make it up to her, he vowed silently.
“I’m sorry,” Clark said, realizing he had yet to apologize.
“For what?” Oliver asked, confusion evident in his features.
“For yelling at you like I did earlier,” Clark replied. He didn’t apologize for much but this definitely deserved one.
“I was out of line,” he added. “I mean, I know you’d never put Chloe in danger … I just hate the thought of losing her and I took it out on you. You didn’t deserve it and I’m really sorry.”
Oliver’s features softened. “It’s okay,” he said, “I gave it back pretty good … that comment about your relationship was unnecessary.”
“I deserved it,” Clark said. “I didn’t expect you to just take my yelling … you wouldn’t be … well you if you did.”
Oliver laughed. “True.”
“So we’re okay?” Clark questioned.
“We’re good,” Oliver assured him. “I can’t hate the man who saved my life.”
“I didn’t do much,” Clark replied lightly. “Let’s just hope this sends Dinah off Lex’s payroll for good.”
“One can only hope,” Oliver said, taking a seat on the couch. “Powers like that shouldn’t be wasted though ...”
“You’re always looking for new members, aren’t you?” Clark teased.
“Yes, I am,” he told him. “Have a seat, Clark.”
Clark nodded and sat down across from him.
“She has a helluva scream,” Oliver commented. “If my poor windows have anything to say about it.”
“That she does,” Clark agreed, wincing in memory. Unconsciously, his hands went to his ears.
“Wait a second,” Oliver said, frowning. “It affects you?”
“Considering the way she made my ears bleed, yes, it does affect me,” Clark told him.
“Wow,” Oliver said, with a shake of his head. “Never thought you’d be vulnerable to it.”
“Well, you’ve seen how nicely I react around that little green rock,” Clark pointed out.
“Never did get an explanation for that, by the way,” Oliver noted.
“I’m allergic,” Clark said lightly. “Besides, I’m not completely invulnerable.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” Oliver replied, refilling his wine glass.
Clark eyed the bottle suspiciously.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Oliver said, once he noticed where he was looking, “Would you like some?”
“No thanks,” he said, “I’m not quite of age … Oliver … how much have you had to drink?”
“Not much,” Oliver said. “But that will rectified soon enough.”
“Oliver!” Clark exclaimed, “You can’t drink away your problems.”
“Can too,” Oliver argued. “Besides, this isn’t even strong enough … I need something stronger.” He eyed Clark. “And now you’re here so I don’t even have to drink alone.”
“I’m still not of age,” Clark reminded him.
“You’re close enough,” Oliver told him. “And I won’t tell anyone.” He stood up and disappeared for a moment only to return with a few glasses and a lot more alcohol.
“Oliver, this is not a good idea,” he tried but Oliver just shot him a look.
“It’s a great idea,” he corrected. “Come on, Clark … just one drink. What’s the worst that can happen?”
“I suppose,” Clark said reluctantly.
“Excellent,” Oliver said, sounding pleased. He poured Clark a glass of clear liquid and handed it to him. “This will be fun. We could use some guy bonding.”
“Guy bonding?” Clark echoed, his lips curling into a smile.
“You really need more male friends, Clark,” Oliver said, “You’re surrounded by women. It’s no wonder you get so damn emotional over everything.”
“And you’re volunteering yourself?” Clark questioned, ignoring the insult for the moment.
“Perhaps,” Oliver responded. “You’re kind of nice to have around when you’re not yelling at me.”
Clark laughed wholeheartedly at that one.
“I’m really on a roll here,” Oliver said, with an easy grin. “I got you to make a joke and I got that laugh to bubble up to the surface.”
“Shall we give you a prize?” Clark joked.
“I deserve one,” he said haughtily.
“You’re crazy,” Clark told him.
“Possibly,” Oliver agreed, “But normal is highly overrated.”
Clark found himself smiling more than he had in the past few weeks combined. Being with Ollie … he could almost forget the pain of his recent breakup. It was nice.
However, one drink turned into two, which turned into a few more. Ollie, of course, was apparently a bartender in training with all the mixes he knew.
“If I have company, I need to know these things,” he had cheerfully explained.
The blonde only got happier with each drink and Clark felt his own head get dizzy with all the alcohol.
Somewhere in the middle though, Oliver turned somber.
“Clark,” he said seriously. “Have you ever thought about your future?”
“Future?” Clark repeated, “Like what do you mean?”
“I mean, the future,” Oliver said, with a wave of his hands. “What you want to do with your life and whatnot!”
“Not sure,” Clark said, leaning back against the couch. He was impressed with himself for being coherent … he was positive he was more than a little tipsy a this point.
“I think about the future,” Oliver whispered. “All the time.”
“Don’t you have yours planned out?” Clark quizzed. “I mean, you have Queen Industries and then there’s your lovely night time job …”
“Yeah, but I want more,” Oliver told him. “I mean sure, having money and doing stuff is great but what about love?”
“What about love?” Clark asked dumbly.
“I want love,” Oliver said, meeting his gaze. “I want to find my soul mate and do that whole happily ever after thing.”
“It does sound nice,” Clark said wistfully.
Oliver took another drink. “Who am I kidding?” he sighed. “I mean, it’s not going to happen … I guess I better just get used to being alone. I mean, I’ve been alone all these years … guess I can handle a lifetime more.”
“Why would you have to be alone?” Clark wanted to know. “Just because it didn’t work out with Lois …”
“It didn’t work out with Lois cause she couldn’t handle the dual identity!” Oliver burst out. “Nobody will be able to. What sane person would want to be with someone who voluntarily puts their life at jeopardy every single night?”
“I’m sure you’ll find someone,” Clark said reassuringly.
“Easy for you to say,” Oliver muttered, “You’re already in the perfect relationship … you’ve found your destiny …”
“Ha,” Clark scoffed, downing another drink. “Trust me, Oliver, if either one of us ends up alone, it’ll most likely be me.”
“Yeah, right, like Lana Lang would ever let you go,” Oliver retorted.
“She already has,” Clark countered, refilling his glass.
“What?” Ollie looked shocked.
“Lana and I broke up today,” Clark explained, taking a sip.
“I thought you two were perfect,” Oliver replied.
“Hardly,” Clark said, scoffing, “Lana and I haven’t been perfect since she returned from the dead. We wanted to be perfect … pretended we were happy. But nobody can make her happy.” The bitterness in his tone was evident and had Ollie raising his eyebrows.
“Really?” the blonde asked. “Do tell.”
“She’s not the same person I fell in love with,” Clark said, the alcohol having lowered his inhibitions and making him quite chatty. “First, she fakes her death, then she steals ten million dollars of Lex’s money, kidnaps Lionel and when she got a hold of my powers, not only she hurt Lois but she almost killed Lex! How am I supposed to love someone like that?”
“You can’t,” Oliver said simply. “Your morals are too strong to allow it.”
“God, maybe she’s right,” Clark muttered, “That sounds so self righteous …”
“Clark, I get annoyed with your lectures but I’ve always admired your morals!” Oliver exclaimed. “What the hell has she been feeding you anyway?”
“Oh God,” Clark groaned. “I’m sorry … I didn’t mean to turn this into all about me. I’m turning into Lana …”
Oliver choked and laughed. “I doubt it and I really hope not. You’re way better looking than Lana Lang.”
“I think you’re the only one who would feel the way,” Clark said wryly.
“So the rest of the world is blind then?” Oliver shot back.
“Maybe it’s just you,” he said.
“Nah, I never really got what you saw in her,” the blonde confessed. “I mean, she’s pretty, I suppose ... but doesn’t she seem like a Barbie doll to you?”
“Oliver!” Clark said, unable to hold back a laugh. “That’s my ex you’re talking about.” He really should be offended on Lana’s behalf but he couldn’t bring himself to care that much.
“Truth hurts Clark,” Oliver said unapologetically.
“No kidding,” he murmured, remembering how it felt to find out that Lana was not what he thought she was.
“It’s over for good?” Oliver asked quietly.
“Definitely,” Clark confirmed. “We just didn’t belong together after all.”
“How’re you handling it?” Oliver asked curiously.
“By not thinking,” Clark answered, “And apparently getting drunk with you.”
“I’m not drunk,” Oliver protested. “Just … tipsy.”
“If that’s what you want to call it,” Clark laughed.
He stood up, needing to stretch his legs but that’s when how much the alcohol affected him hit and he stumbled instead.
Oliver immediately stood up to catch him but instead, they landed on the couch, Clark half-lying on top of the blonde.
Part 2
mitsuki_shizuka, a very late one. It'll be split into two parts, because it got kind of long. I hope you enjoy, even though it's really late!
Story: One Night
Pairing/Characters: Clark/Oliver, Oliver/Lois, Clark/Lana
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: don’t own anything
Warning: slash, mentions of m/m sex
Spoilers: 7.11 “Siren” (some parts have been changed)
Summary: After Lois leaves him, Ollie worries that he’ll never find love. Clark comes to see him. What starts out as a simple conversation turns out to be so much more, leaving both men to face the consequences of their actions.
Part 1
Oliver crouched down, wiping the broken pieces of glass off the picture of his parents and him as a child. Setting the photo and what was the left of the frame, he stood once more. Surveying the damage to his penthouse, he sighed.
The last few days had been absolutely crazy. He could hardly believe that it had happened. Walking toward his once protected Green Arrow room, he shook his head. Everything was visible and he made a mental note to get that fixed as soon as possible.
Completely lost in his thoughts, he didn’t hear the footsteps approaching.
“Oliver,” the familiar voice said, snapping him back to reality. Spinning around, he saw Lois standing there, hands in her pockets.
“Slash Green Arrow,” she continued, “Any other hyphenates I need to know about?”
A smile graced his features, as he shook his head. “No, that was pretty much the biggie.”
She nodded slowly before turning toward the balcony. As she started to move toward it, the smile dropped from his face.
“Sorry,” he said, quickly closing the distance between them. “Hey … I never meant to hide who I was from you. I just …”
“No, it’s okay,” Lois interrupted, facing him once more. “I get it. You were just … trying to protect me.”
Could it be? Was it possible she really understood? She had been really angry before but considering they were tied to a chair at the time, he didn’t blame her. It seemed that with time, the anger had worn away, filling his heart with a new hope.
“Then I gotta say,” Lois added, “It clears up a lot.” She smiled. “It never did make sense at how you could blow off a hottie like me.”
Oliver laughed, feeling a bit more at ease. “Right,” he agreed, “That’s true.” He ducked his head, considering his next words carefully.
This was the moment … he was going to take the biggest risk he had ever taken in his life. Sure, he had tempted fate before but he was not scared to put his life on the line. But his heart? That was so much more dangerous.
However, remembering Lois’s kiss, how it felt like to have her in his arms, even for that brief moment … he knew that he had to try.
He lifted his head, meeting her eyes. “Now that you know,” he said, his voice low, “I’m really hoping that … umm …” Taking a deep breath, he went on. “I know that my job takes me out of town a lot but on the weekends there’s, there’s uh …”
She sighed, averting her gaze for a moment.
Taking another step closer, he said, almost pleading, “I’m asking you … please give us another chance.” Lois smiled but he could see it was forced. “I can make this work,” he finished.
“I can’t,” Lois said, her voice full of emotion, as she walked past him. “You know me and my big mouth. I can never keep a secret.”
“I don’t believe that,” Oliver replied, trying to keep his voice steady, though panic was taking over his entire being.
“I’ve never been good at long distance relationships,” Lois said, shrugging her shoulders.
“Come on,” Oliver said, one step short of going on his knees and begging. He walked toward her, shaking his head. “Lois …”
“Okay,” she said suddenly. “Maybe I’m selfish here.” She paused, searching his expression. “But I don’t want to wonder where you are every night.”
Oliver was dying inside, too torn up to even speak.
“I don’t think I’d be good at the whole dual identity thing,” Lois told him. She swallowed hard.
“I can’t … I can’t share you with the rest of the world,” she concluded. The ache in her voice told him that it wasn’t easy for her but he couldn’t stop the breaking of his own heart.
She leaned forward to embrace him but he could only remain stiff in her arms, closing his eyes as he realized that this would be the last time he felt her arms around him.
Pulling away, she gave him a look and without another word, headed toward the elevator. Turning his head, he watched as she stepped into the elevator, her gaze locking on his.
With a shake of her head, she closed the gate, the screen coming down, separating her from him forever.
Oliver felt his knees weaken, sinking the ground, no longer having the ability to stand. She was gone … she had rejected him.
For the first time in his life, he had opened his heart, had risked his feelings … and been shot down. Ever since his parents had died, he had never let anyone in. For once, he thought that could change. But it couldn’t.
As long as he was the Green Arrow, he could never have a stable relationship. Lois Lane was the first woman he had truly loved … and she had loved him too. He knew it, he had seen it in her eyes. Yet it wasn’t enough to make her stay.
It wasn’t enough to overlook what he did at night. Lois couldn’t just handle the responsibility he had to the world. If she couldn’t, would there ever be anyone who could?
There was no doubt in the blonde’s mind that he was confident in his want to save the world but was he destined to walk through life alone because of it?
The idea of never finding love, never getting married and having a partner to share his life scared him more than anything.
Though his parents had died when he was young, he still had plenty of memories from his childhood, ones that he treasured. Among those, he could remember as clear as day how happy and in love his parents had been.
Was he wrong for wanting for too? But you can’t have it … nobody will love you, nobody can love you. At least not enough to put up with all sides of you.
Wasn’t that the truth.
This is going to be tough. Clark knocked at the door of the apartment above the Talon, where he knew one of his best friends would be residing, mending a broken heart.
As he twisted the knob, he found it to be unlocked and stepped inside, finding Lois at the edge of the room, sitting with a box of ice cream.
“Enter at your own choleric risk,” Lois said
Clark smiled sympathetically. “How’re you doing?”
“Aside from the metaphor, I was hoping Rocky Road would help,” Lois said, pointing to the container. “But nothing … nada … not even a dent.” She poked the ice cream with her spoon.
He slowly walked toward her, slipping his hands in his pockets, not really sure what to say. Fortunately, he didn’t have to say anything.
Lois leaned forward. “You know,” she said slowly, “I thought Grant would help me get over Ollie and if that didn’t end badly enough, the moment I saw Ollie again, all those feelings came rushing right back up again.”
“Maybe it can still work between you two,” Clark suggested.
“You don’t know Ollie like I do,” Lois said, standing up. As she walked past him, she added, “There are parts of him you’ve never seen.”
“That’s a given,” Clark said dryly, spinning around to face her.
Setting the ice cream on the counter, she faced him. “I mean, sides of him,” she clarified, “He’s got this … one side I’m not sure I can live with.”
Oh, Lois … Clark knew exactly what she was talking about. Chloe and he had seen her trying to cover up for the Ollie being the Green Arrow when they found her.
“How would you know if you don’t give it a chance?” Clark questioned.
“We’re not like you and Lana,” Lois burst out. “We’re not the perfect couple. We’re not destined for each other.”
And Lana and I are? Sometimes, especially lately, he was doubting this fact. Right now, though, he was more concerned about Lois.
“Lois, this isn’t like you,” he said pointedly, taking a few steps toward her. “Normally, when things get challenging, that’s when you get interested.”
“This is different,” Lois replied. She shifted to stand behind the counter.
“My dad was a general,” she explained, “And he cared about me but I learned really early that his role in the world was a lot more important than being a father. And you know? For good reasons. And Ollie’s life … is demanding too,” she finished.
“Lois, just because someone’s life has great responsibility doesn’t mean your life has to take second place,” Clark said gently.
“Of course it does, Clark,” Lois argued. Her voice shaky, she made her way around the counter to him and continued, “Can you imagine what it would be like to look into somebody’s eyes and know that their destiny is so much greater than yours? That you will never compete … you will always be left behind?”
Lana. “That would be hard for anyone,” Clark conceded, “But …”
“No,” Lois interrupted, shaking her head slightly. “I can’t be left behind one more time.”
Clark had never seen Lois break down like this and it almost scared him.
“You know, where Ollie’s life is going,” Lois told him, “there’s not room for me in it.” She sighed. “And I know he’d never admit it so I had to.”
“I just, um … I just can’t face another heartbreak down the road,” Lois finished, the tears she was holding back evident in her tone. Her eyes were shimmering and his heart ached for her.
Unable to think of what to say, Clark just pulled the brunette into his arms, Lois burying her head into his shoulder.
He heard the muffled sobs and he just stroked her back comfortingly.
“Besides,” she added, “Why settle for hot, rich and famous when I can hang out with you?”
Clark couldn’t help the small smile that emerged on his face as he continued to rub her back. Trust Lois Lane to try to crack jokes even when she was in pain. Her inner strength was something he had always admired about her.
Though he wanted to stay with Lois longer, eventually she pushed him out the door. It helped that Chloe came in and took his place by her side. Knowing the two cousins needed their alone time, he left, telling her that he could call her if she ever needed anything.
Heading back to the farmhouse, Clark had to really resist going to the penthouse instead. He wondered what Ollie was up to … he sympathized with Lois but he knew that the blonde must be hurting as well.
After all, he had taken a huge risk in asking Lois for that second chance and he had been rejected. Clark had always urged him to tell Lois his secret but it seemed that the brunette wasn’t able to handle it after all.
But he wasn’t sure whether he would be wanted after their last conversation. He admitted he had been downright nasty to Oliver when he entered. However, seeing a bruise on Chloe had hurt him and he just couldn’t bear to lose her too.
She had been there through everything and if Oliver was snatching her away, he’d be truly alone.
You have Lana. Yes, but she wasn’t enough. She couldn’t be his best friend … she couldn’t be his confidant.
Hello? She’s the woman you love … she’s supposed to be all those things. Then why couldn’t Clark trust her?
Entering the house, he shrugged off his jacket, placing it on the couch, as he headed into the kitchen. The sight that greeted him was shocking. Lana was packing things into a duffle bag.
Seeing him, she froze. “Hi,” she said softly.
“Hi,” he replied.
“I talked to Chloe,” Lana explained, “And I thought I should go stay with her for a few days.”
Nodding at his silence, she grabbed the bag and headed for the door.
As she reached the knob, he blurted out, “I stole a Lamborghini.”
Before he knew it, he was confessing his sins, telling her how he broke into a bank and basically spilling every other thing he did while hyped up on red kryptonite that fateful summer.
“I am anything but perfect,” Clark said slowly. “And I know it’s hard living with me,” he added, as she made her way back toward him.
“Clark, it’s not you,” Lana interrupted. “It’s me …” She sighed. “Clark, when did you do all of this?’
“The summer I ran away to Metropolis,” he admitted.
“You mean after your parents lost their baby and you thought your best friend was dead?” Lana questioned. “When you were sixteen years old? Clark, I appreciate the gesture but our situations are nothing alike … you were running away from your pain and I’ve been doing what I have for revenge.”
“Lana, I don’t want to end this,” Clark said desperately. He couldn’t lose her … if he lost her, it would really prove that he couldn’t have a normal relationship. She knew his secret and they could be happy.
“Clark, I love you,” Lana said gently. “And I know you love me too. Or at least … you want to.”
“I do love you,” he insisted.
“Do you?” she countered. “Clark, the woman that you fell in love with is long gone.”
“You’re still right here,” he argued.
“But I’m a different person,” Lana said, “I’m not that five year old who liked to pretend to be a princess or the naïve fifteen year old girl who you had a crush on. I’ve grown up, I’ve made decisions … some good, some bad.”
“I am not perfect either,” Clark said eagerly, “We can be together … give me a chance. I can make this work.”
“You want to make this work, Clark,” Lana told him. “But the truth is … I’m not so sure we can.” She paused. “When you imagine the future, is it really me you see pictured by your side? I’ve seen the look in your eyes Clark … you long for more, a life outside this farm. It’s not enough for you and one day you’ll see that I’m not either.”
Clark closed his eyes and hated that every word she was speaking was the truth. He loved the farm more than life itself but sometimes, he wanted to get out into the world and see what was in store for him. There were days where he resented being stuck there but he wanted it to be enough.
More than anything, he wanted it to be enough. Because his parents had a normal life here … so why couldn’t he?
He wanted to be normal. But he wasn’t. No, he was an alien, Kal-El from Krypton and just like Lois said Ollie’s destiny was greater than her own, his went beyond this farm.
“Clark, you love saving people,” Lana said, causing him to open his eyes. She smiled. “And I adore that about you and even I can tell you want to do more.”
“I can’t say I haven’t thought about it,” Clark admitted. He thought of Ollie’s offer all those months ago and remembered how if it wasn’t for the Phantoms, he would’ve packed a bag and gone with them.
“Then what’s stopping you?” Lana questioned. “The future is endless Clark ... but as long as we stay with each other, your options are limited.”
“I can be with you and do more with my powers,” he said.
“I hate to bring him up,” Lana said sadly. “But the phantom … he said that you want to love me and do the right thing but you won’t stay by me forever. And I looked into your eyes and I just knew … knew that he was telling me the truth. That you saw that truth too.”
“Lana,” Clark protested but it was weak. He too remembered the phantom’s words and he hadn’t been able to argue back then … and he couldn’t do it now either.
“We’ve changed, haven’t we?” Clark said instead. “I mean … once upon a time, we could’ve made it work.”
“But not anymore,” Lana concluded.
“I wanted to be the one to make you happy,” Clark said, meeting her eyes. “But Lana … I’m not sure I can do that anymore. I’ve been honest with you and I’ve tried to give you whatever you need …”
“Clark, as I said, it’s not you,” Lana interrupted. “I thought about what you said at Isis … you’re right. I’ve become consumed with this hatred, this need for revenge and I need to get away from Smallville. I need to find out who I am again.”
“I understand, Lana,” Clark responded. He wished he didn’t but he did.
“I’ll be back for the rest of my stuff later,” Lana told him. She took a deep breath. “Take care of yourself, Clark.”
“You too Lana,” he said, engaging her in a quick hug. Any more than that and he knew he wouldn’t be able to hold his composure.
“And if you ever need anything,” he added.
“You’ll be there,” she finished. “The same goes for you too, mister.”
He forced a smile and nodded.
Eyes watering, she smiled. “Good bye Clark.”
“Bye Lana,” he replied and watched as his first love walked out of the door and out of his life.
This time, he knew it was for good.
The tears he had long held back filled his eyes and spilled over. She was gone … Lana and he had broken up.
It had been coming for a while but that didn’t change how much it hurt. He had so hoped for a happy ending for them. Lana’s calm acceptance of his heritage had made him think that maybe he wouldn’t be alone but it seemed that that was exactly what he was going to be.
Wiping away the tears, Clark frowned. Lana had said that she needed to figure out who she really was and he did too. Honestly, he did like saving people and he wanted to do more with his powers. Not because of what Lana said or because of what Oliver thought he should be doing but because he, Clark Kent, wanted to make use of his abilities to protect the world.
Oliver. That was the name that stuck out in his head and he couldn’t help but once again hang his head in shame, as the accusations he had thrown at the blonde came back at full force.
Ollie had snapped too but Clark had been the initiator. Even if he had been worried about Chloe, he should’ve known Oliver would never intentionally put her in danger. The blonde was more than cautious and he had always been so kind to Clark, giving him the security codes to the penthouse and not even caring as incident after incident left his home in Metropolis in shambles.
After the incident with the Phantom, Clark had called and offered to pay for the damage but Oliver had literally laughed it off. The blonde had firmly said he didn’t care and that the topic was settled.
Clark agreed to that and neither brought it up again.
Right now, the incident just brought up even more guilt. I’ll go apologize, he decided. Besides, he really needed to be away from the farm at that moment.
Making sure he looked presentable, as so not to draw any questions, he sped to the Clock Tower.
Within minutes, he was stepping into the elevator. As it stopped, he prayed for the best and watched as the screen shot upwards. Pushing the gate aside, he looked around.
There was so much glass all around, the shattered remains of Oliver’s Green Arrow room. The windows had already been replaced though but then again, he supposed that that was Ollie’s priority.
“Oliver?” he called out.
“Clark,” the familiar voice came from his side, getting his attention. Oliver was walking inside from the balcony, a glass of what he assumed was wine in his hands.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” the blonde remarked.
“I just wanted to check in on you,” Clark responded. He paused. “I heard what happened with Lois … I’m sorry.”
Oliver shrugged. “I guess it’s what I should’ve expected.”
“Maybe she’ll get used to the dual identity thing some day,” Clark offered.
“Yeah, like when?” Oliver questioned. “When the Earth cracks open and time spins backwards? I don’t think so.”
“Are you okay though?” Clark asked.
“Physically I’m fine,” Oliver said, with a shrug. “Thanks to you, of course. You made it in the knick of time, as always.”
“Guess so,” Clark said, “I’m glad both you and Black Canary are okay.”
“Black Canary?” Oliver repeated, amused.
“That’s what I named her,” Clark told him. “Besides, it sounded better than Yellow Raven, which was what Chloe came up with. And it’s definitely better than Boy Scout,” he added with a smirk.
Oliver chuckled and Clark grinned.
“Look at that,” Oliver said, “We got you to make a joke.”
“I guess miracles do happen,” Clark replied.
Oliver smiled and nodded.
“Have you heard from her?” Oliver asked curiously.
“Dinah?” Clark questioned. Oliver raised his eyebrow. “That’s her name … Dinah Lance. She works at the Planet.”
“Let me guess … you and Chloe found that out?” Oliver questioned.
“Yeah,” Clark said, with a smile. “She’s great.”
“It explains why you’re so possessive of her,” Oliver noted.
He shrugged. “What can I say? She’s my best friend.”
“I wasn’t trying to steal her, you know,” Oliver said quietly. “I mean … she’s helping me out but you know she’ll never really leave you, right? Trust me … I’ve tried to get her to come with us and her first priority is always to be at your side.”
“Really?” He didn’t know that.
“She refuses to leave you,” Oliver said, with a small smile. “Chloe Sullivan is one loyal woman.”
“She really is,” Clark agreed, his heart warming at the thought of Chloe refusing to leave him. He didn’t know what he’d do without his best friend. I have to do something nice for her. Lately, he had been using her too much and with the whole Lana fiasco, he had definitely been taking advantage of her goodness. I’ll make it up to her, he vowed silently.
“I’m sorry,” Clark said, realizing he had yet to apologize.
“For what?” Oliver asked, confusion evident in his features.
“For yelling at you like I did earlier,” Clark replied. He didn’t apologize for much but this definitely deserved one.
“I was out of line,” he added. “I mean, I know you’d never put Chloe in danger … I just hate the thought of losing her and I took it out on you. You didn’t deserve it and I’m really sorry.”
Oliver’s features softened. “It’s okay,” he said, “I gave it back pretty good … that comment about your relationship was unnecessary.”
“I deserved it,” Clark said. “I didn’t expect you to just take my yelling … you wouldn’t be … well you if you did.”
Oliver laughed. “True.”
“So we’re okay?” Clark questioned.
“We’re good,” Oliver assured him. “I can’t hate the man who saved my life.”
“I didn’t do much,” Clark replied lightly. “Let’s just hope this sends Dinah off Lex’s payroll for good.”
“One can only hope,” Oliver said, taking a seat on the couch. “Powers like that shouldn’t be wasted though ...”
“You’re always looking for new members, aren’t you?” Clark teased.
“Yes, I am,” he told him. “Have a seat, Clark.”
Clark nodded and sat down across from him.
“She has a helluva scream,” Oliver commented. “If my poor windows have anything to say about it.”
“That she does,” Clark agreed, wincing in memory. Unconsciously, his hands went to his ears.
“Wait a second,” Oliver said, frowning. “It affects you?”
“Considering the way she made my ears bleed, yes, it does affect me,” Clark told him.
“Wow,” Oliver said, with a shake of his head. “Never thought you’d be vulnerable to it.”
“Well, you’ve seen how nicely I react around that little green rock,” Clark pointed out.
“Never did get an explanation for that, by the way,” Oliver noted.
“I’m allergic,” Clark said lightly. “Besides, I’m not completely invulnerable.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” Oliver replied, refilling his wine glass.
Clark eyed the bottle suspiciously.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Oliver said, once he noticed where he was looking, “Would you like some?”
“No thanks,” he said, “I’m not quite of age … Oliver … how much have you had to drink?”
“Not much,” Oliver said. “But that will rectified soon enough.”
“Oliver!” Clark exclaimed, “You can’t drink away your problems.”
“Can too,” Oliver argued. “Besides, this isn’t even strong enough … I need something stronger.” He eyed Clark. “And now you’re here so I don’t even have to drink alone.”
“I’m still not of age,” Clark reminded him.
“You’re close enough,” Oliver told him. “And I won’t tell anyone.” He stood up and disappeared for a moment only to return with a few glasses and a lot more alcohol.
“Oliver, this is not a good idea,” he tried but Oliver just shot him a look.
“It’s a great idea,” he corrected. “Come on, Clark … just one drink. What’s the worst that can happen?”
“I suppose,” Clark said reluctantly.
“Excellent,” Oliver said, sounding pleased. He poured Clark a glass of clear liquid and handed it to him. “This will be fun. We could use some guy bonding.”
“Guy bonding?” Clark echoed, his lips curling into a smile.
“You really need more male friends, Clark,” Oliver said, “You’re surrounded by women. It’s no wonder you get so damn emotional over everything.”
“And you’re volunteering yourself?” Clark questioned, ignoring the insult for the moment.
“Perhaps,” Oliver responded. “You’re kind of nice to have around when you’re not yelling at me.”
Clark laughed wholeheartedly at that one.
“I’m really on a roll here,” Oliver said, with an easy grin. “I got you to make a joke and I got that laugh to bubble up to the surface.”
“Shall we give you a prize?” Clark joked.
“I deserve one,” he said haughtily.
“You’re crazy,” Clark told him.
“Possibly,” Oliver agreed, “But normal is highly overrated.”
Clark found himself smiling more than he had in the past few weeks combined. Being with Ollie … he could almost forget the pain of his recent breakup. It was nice.
However, one drink turned into two, which turned into a few more. Ollie, of course, was apparently a bartender in training with all the mixes he knew.
“If I have company, I need to know these things,” he had cheerfully explained.
The blonde only got happier with each drink and Clark felt his own head get dizzy with all the alcohol.
Somewhere in the middle though, Oliver turned somber.
“Clark,” he said seriously. “Have you ever thought about your future?”
“Future?” Clark repeated, “Like what do you mean?”
“I mean, the future,” Oliver said, with a wave of his hands. “What you want to do with your life and whatnot!”
“Not sure,” Clark said, leaning back against the couch. He was impressed with himself for being coherent … he was positive he was more than a little tipsy a this point.
“I think about the future,” Oliver whispered. “All the time.”
“Don’t you have yours planned out?” Clark quizzed. “I mean, you have Queen Industries and then there’s your lovely night time job …”
“Yeah, but I want more,” Oliver told him. “I mean sure, having money and doing stuff is great but what about love?”
“What about love?” Clark asked dumbly.
“I want love,” Oliver said, meeting his gaze. “I want to find my soul mate and do that whole happily ever after thing.”
“It does sound nice,” Clark said wistfully.
Oliver took another drink. “Who am I kidding?” he sighed. “I mean, it’s not going to happen … I guess I better just get used to being alone. I mean, I’ve been alone all these years … guess I can handle a lifetime more.”
“Why would you have to be alone?” Clark wanted to know. “Just because it didn’t work out with Lois …”
“It didn’t work out with Lois cause she couldn’t handle the dual identity!” Oliver burst out. “Nobody will be able to. What sane person would want to be with someone who voluntarily puts their life at jeopardy every single night?”
“I’m sure you’ll find someone,” Clark said reassuringly.
“Easy for you to say,” Oliver muttered, “You’re already in the perfect relationship … you’ve found your destiny …”
“Ha,” Clark scoffed, downing another drink. “Trust me, Oliver, if either one of us ends up alone, it’ll most likely be me.”
“Yeah, right, like Lana Lang would ever let you go,” Oliver retorted.
“She already has,” Clark countered, refilling his glass.
“What?” Ollie looked shocked.
“Lana and I broke up today,” Clark explained, taking a sip.
“I thought you two were perfect,” Oliver replied.
“Hardly,” Clark said, scoffing, “Lana and I haven’t been perfect since she returned from the dead. We wanted to be perfect … pretended we were happy. But nobody can make her happy.” The bitterness in his tone was evident and had Ollie raising his eyebrows.
“Really?” the blonde asked. “Do tell.”
“She’s not the same person I fell in love with,” Clark said, the alcohol having lowered his inhibitions and making him quite chatty. “First, she fakes her death, then she steals ten million dollars of Lex’s money, kidnaps Lionel and when she got a hold of my powers, not only she hurt Lois but she almost killed Lex! How am I supposed to love someone like that?”
“You can’t,” Oliver said simply. “Your morals are too strong to allow it.”
“God, maybe she’s right,” Clark muttered, “That sounds so self righteous …”
“Clark, I get annoyed with your lectures but I’ve always admired your morals!” Oliver exclaimed. “What the hell has she been feeding you anyway?”
“Oh God,” Clark groaned. “I’m sorry … I didn’t mean to turn this into all about me. I’m turning into Lana …”
Oliver choked and laughed. “I doubt it and I really hope not. You’re way better looking than Lana Lang.”
“I think you’re the only one who would feel the way,” Clark said wryly.
“So the rest of the world is blind then?” Oliver shot back.
“Maybe it’s just you,” he said.
“Nah, I never really got what you saw in her,” the blonde confessed. “I mean, she’s pretty, I suppose ... but doesn’t she seem like a Barbie doll to you?”
“Oliver!” Clark said, unable to hold back a laugh. “That’s my ex you’re talking about.” He really should be offended on Lana’s behalf but he couldn’t bring himself to care that much.
“Truth hurts Clark,” Oliver said unapologetically.
“No kidding,” he murmured, remembering how it felt to find out that Lana was not what he thought she was.
“It’s over for good?” Oliver asked quietly.
“Definitely,” Clark confirmed. “We just didn’t belong together after all.”
“How’re you handling it?” Oliver asked curiously.
“By not thinking,” Clark answered, “And apparently getting drunk with you.”
“I’m not drunk,” Oliver protested. “Just … tipsy.”
“If that’s what you want to call it,” Clark laughed.
He stood up, needing to stretch his legs but that’s when how much the alcohol affected him hit and he stumbled instead.
Oliver immediately stood up to catch him but instead, they landed on the couch, Clark half-lying on top of the blonde.
Part 2