in love ... all bets are off chapter 11
This story is alive! I know you're shocked ... I'm sorry that it's been so long but I do plan to complete it. Not sure anyone remembers this fic but if you do, I hope you enjoy the new chapter! :)
Story: In Love … All Bets Are Off
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing/Characters: Clark/Oliver, Clark/Lex friendship, slight Chloe/Lex
Rating: R
Disclaimer: don’t own anything
Warning: slash, mentions of m/m sex, jerk!Jason (sorry, I do like him but I needed a villain and he fit)
Spoilers: AU but slight season 1-early season 3 mentions
Summary: Clark’s dad dies when he’s in high school. Martha and Clark sell the farm and leave to live with Clark’s grandfather, Clark transferring to Excelsior. Excelsior … where Oliver Queen rules the school. Oliver takes a bet that he can get the new guy in his bed … but what happens when he ends up falling in love instead?
Previous Chapters: Here
Chapter 11
"We need to talk."
“Okay,” Clark agreed. He gestured to the bed. “Want to sit down?”
“Sure,” Oliver replied, sitting on the aforementioned bed. Clark sat down on the chair next to his desk. A silence fell between them, but it was not at all comfortable.
“What’s up?” Clark asked, realizing that Oliver wasn’t going to say anything.
Oliver shrugged. “I was just thinking.”
“Care to share?” Clark questioned.
“I don’t know,” Oliver said, his tone far too serious for Clark’s liking. He eyed Clark warily. “You know, I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
“So you’ve told me,” Clark teased, trying to lighten the mood. It didn’t work.
“I’m used to being around people who care only about money and power,” Oliver explained, “But you, you’re not like that. You’re so genuine … and honest. You have been honest with me, haven’t you, Clark?”
Clark frowned, unsure where this conversation was leading. “Well, not about everything …”
“I’m not talking about your abilities,” Oliver interrupted, scowling. “I already told you that I didn’t care about that.”
“Then what are we talking about?” Clark wondered aloud.
“Other things,” Oliver answered, “Say … your feelings, for instance.”
“My feelings?” Clark echoed. “What do you mean?” This conversation was getting stranger by the minute.
“Like when you told me why you couldn’t be with me,” Oliver replied, “You said that it was because of my reputation, right?”
“Right,” Clark agreed.
“That was it then,” Oliver stated. “If there was any other reason, you would’ve told me? For example, if you had feelings for someone else, you would’ve mentioned it?”
“Feelings for someone else?” Clark repeated. He felt like an idiot for his lack of communication skills, but he was genuinely confused right now and didn’t really know what to say.
“Yes,” Oliver said, “You know, anyone, like, Lex or … Jason Teague.”
“Jason.”
“It’s a valid assumption, considering how close you were this afternoon,” Oliver pointed out.
“Now hold on a minute,” Clark said, getting angry. Oliver had a lot of nerve, coming here and making accusations at him like this. “Were you spying on me?”
“You were standing outside where anyone could see you,” Oliver said, snorting, “It’s not like you were hiding or anything.” He raised an eyebrow. “Unless there’s something that you are hiding.”
Finally regaining control, Clark frowned. “First of all, I don’t owe you any explanations. Secondly, what I feel or do not feel for Jason is none of your business. Last time I checked, you don’t have any claim over me.”
Oliver looked like he had been slapped, but at this point, Clark didn’t care. How dare Oliver come into his room and act this way?
“If you had just asked me what was going on, I would’ve told you,” Clark continued, “But instead, you come here and act like that. This isn’t the you that I’ve come to know and like … this is the you that I met all those weeks ago and thought was a jerk.”
“You’re right.”
The words were said so softly that if Clark hadn’t had superhearing, he wouldn’t have heard them.
“What?” was all he was able to get out.
“You’re right,” Oliver repeated, louder this time. The cool mask was gone and he looked once more like the Oliver that Clark recognized. There was regret and sadness in those brown eyes and Clark felt all his anger fade.
“I’m sorry,” Oliver went on. “I just … I saw you with Jason and it hit a nerve. But you’re right; I don’t have any claim over you. Who you have feelings for is none of my business.” He bit his lower lip, “I have to warn you though … I don’t know how you feel about him, but really, you should be careful. I may not have a great reputation, but he’s not a good person. You deserve better than that …”
“Oliver,” Clark said gently, “What exactly did you see?”
“I saw you get out of his car,” Oliver admitted, “And I saw him holding your hand … that was when I left.”
“Then you didn’t see me pull away and reject him,” Clark stated, pleased with the look of shock that filtered into Oliver’s expression. “I went to a café to think and I ran into him there. It definitely wasn’t planned. He offered me a ride back … that was it. Yes, he asked me out, but I turned him down.”
“Oh.”
Clark couldn’t hold back the laugh at the bewildered look on Ollie’s face. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Oliver said sheepishly. “I feel like an idiot. I’m really sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Clark responded, shrugging. He was never one to hold a grudge anyway.
“I’m not used to feeling jealous,” Oliver explained, “I didn’t know what to do with it …”
“Like I said, it’s okay,” Clark told him. He grinned cheekily. “You wanna know a secret?” Oliver nodded. Clark leaned forward and whispered, “I get jealous when I see you with other people too.”
Oliver’s eyes widened at that. “Yeah?”
“Oh yeah,” Clark said. “I actually … I was taking a walk when I heard you with that guy a few days ago … you know, the one who called me your boyfriend?”
At that, Oliver jaw dropped. “Wait, you were there?”
“I was there,” Clark confirmed. He took Oliver’s hand in his and squeezed it lightly. “I appreciate you defending me, by the way.”
“I was just being honest,” Oliver muttered, clearly embarrassed now.
Feeling confident, Clark asked, “Do you know why I was at the café?” Oliver shook his head. “Because of you,” he finished.
“Me?” Oliver asked.
“Yeah,” Clark said. “Lex told me how you defended him against Alden and Geoffrey … and how you said the school is not a war zone …”
“I didn’t tell him to say that,” Oliver said earnestly.
“I know, he told me,” Clark responded, “Honestly, between that and what I saw, I realized I had to do some thinking. That’s when I ran into Jason … but honestly, meeting him today was probably for the best.”
“How come?” Oliver asked curiously.
“Because it just reinforced what I had already concluded,” Clark said mysteriously.
“Which was?” Oliver prompted.
“That maybe I can trust you more than I thought,” Clark confessed. “Not just with my powers, but with my feelings too.” With that, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Oliver’s lips, backing away before the blond had a chance to respond.
The expression on Oliver’s face was almost comical. “You know,” Clark joked, “I think a lot of people would pay good money to see Oliver Queen speechless.”
His words seemed to bring Oliver back to reality and he smiled. “Well, you always do manage to pull off the seemingly impossible.”
“So,” Clark said, unsure of what to say now.
“So,” Oliver repeated, in the same predicament.
“You haven’t changed your mind about me, have you?” Clark asked, trying to keep his tone light, but the insecurity he felt ended up seeping through his words.
“Clark,” Oliver said warmly, “I just threw a jealous hissy fit and made a fool out of myself … I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t have feelings for you.”
Relief washed over his body. “Oh, that’s good then.”
“In fact,” Oliver started, “I was wondering … would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?”
“Are you asking me out on a date?” Clark asked, delighted.
“Yeah, what do you say?” Oliver replied.
“I say yes, definitely,” Clark told him, beaming.
“Great,” Oliver said, standing up. “I’ll pick you up at 6 tomorrow?”
“Works for me,” Clark confirmed.
Saying their goodbyes, Oliver left and Clark had to stop himself from doing a happy dance. He had a date with Oliver Queen. While the day had started off weird and confusing, it turned out to be great. He was definitely going to have pleasant dreams tonight.
Glancing at the time, he picked up the phone to call his mom. Then a thought struck him: should he tell her about Oliver? Hell, she didn’t even know he was bisexual! But this was not something he could, or wanted, to hide from her.
He made a decision as he heard the familiar voice pick up on the other end.
She was, as always, happy to hear from him and they spent a few moments catching up on each other’s lives. Martha told him of her plans to start her own bakery, which Clark whole-heartedly supported. He told her about what was going in school. They were both excited to see each other for Thanksgiving.
Finally, Clark brought up Oliver. “Umm … mom,” he said slowly, “I have to tell you something.”
“Okay, sweetie, go ahead,” she replied, “You know you can tell me anything.”
“Well … I don’t know how to say this,” Clark admitted, “I just … I met someone and I really like them.”
“Oh, Clark, that’s great!” Martha said enthusiastically. “What’s her name?”
Clark swallowed hard before answering. “Oliver Queen.”
There was silence on the other end of the line and Clark grew more nervous with every moment that passed without a response.
“Mom,” he said fearfully.
“I’m here,” came the reply.
“Are you okay?” he asked hesitatingly, “Are you … disgusted?”
“Oh, no, not at all!” Martha said immediately. “I’m sorry, honey, I was just shocked. I never even knew that you were …”
“Interested in men?” Clark finished. “Yeah, either did I. Until I met Oliver.”
“He must be really special then,” Martha said softly.
“Very,” Clark said, smiling to himself. He paused and asked, “So you’re okay with this?”
“Of course,” Martha assured him. “I just want you to be happy, that’s all.”
“I am,” he said.
“Then that’s all that matters,” Martha proclaimed.
“Thanks, mom,” Clark said, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his chest. She asked him about Oliver and then they talked for a little longer, just chatting about superficial topics, before hanging up.
Clark was relieved though … if his mother had been upset, he wouldn’t have known what to do. But it seemed that today was his day and he went to sleep with a clear mind.
The next morning, he woke up, happy it was Saturday and at the same time, a little nervous for his date. He met up with Lex for breakfast.
“So, any plans for the day?” Lex asked casually.
“Actually,” Clark said, “I have a date tonight.” He made sure to keep his voice low to avoid any unwanted attention.
“Really?” Lex seemed curious. “With who?”
“Oliver.” He had to fight to hold back the grin that was threatening to take over his face.
Lex just laughed. “So you two finally got your act together, huh?”
“I guess you could say that,” Clark agreed with a grin. Taking a bite of his food, he asked, “So, any plans for Thanksgiving?”
To his shock, Lex ducked his head and seemed a bit embarrassed. “Yeah … actually, I’m going to Smallville.”
“Seriously?” Clark said. “Why?”
“Well, you know how Chloe and I have been keeping touch?” Lex began.
“Yeah,” Clark replied.
“She invited me to spend Thanksgiving with her and her dad,” Lex explained. This time, Clark couldn’t hold back the grin.
“Meeting the girlfriend’s dad,” Clark teased, “This is big.”
“She’s not my girlfriend,” Lex protested, “We haven’t even gone on a date!”
“You can change that this week,” Clark suggested. One advantage of going to a private school was that they got the entire week off for Thanksgiving.
“I don’t know,” Lex said doubtfully.
“She definitely likes you,” Clark insisted. “You should ask her out … I think she’ll say yes.”
“Maybe,” Lex said nonchalantly, but Clark knew him too well and realized that he was definitely considering it. That’s good. Chloe and Lex are both nice people … they’ll make each other happy, given the chance.
“Clark?” Lex added, snapping him out of his thoughts. “You’ve met Chloe’s dad, right?”
“Yeah, of course,” Clark said, “Why?”
“What’s he like?” Lex questioned. “I mean, I know he works for my father …”
Now Clark understood. Lex was worried that Gabe would be biased against him for being a Luthor.
“He’s nice,” Clark said, picking his words carefully. “Trust me, I’m sure that he’ll like you.”
“Okay.” And after a pause, “Thanks.” An outsider wouldn’t have been able to read Lex’s expression, but Clark could see the gratitude in his eyes.
“That’s what friends are for,” Clark replied cheerfully and they both smiled.
The rest of the day passed by quickly, a little too quickly for Clark’s liking. Clark spent ages picking out an outfit, finally settling on a dark blue dress shirt with black pants. His grandfather had insisted that he get some formal clothing and for the first time, Clark was grateful for that.
It had begun to snow in Kansas so to avoid suspicion, he picked out a heavy coat to top off the outfit.
At precisely six o’ clock, there was a knock at the door. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, Clark swung it opened. The sight before him caused his heart to skip a beat.
Oliver was standing there, a square shaped box in his hands, looking absolutely gorgeous. He was dressed in dark pants, and an emerald green pinstripe shirt with a jacket that matched his pants. Clark had to remind himself to breathe.
“Hi there,” Oliver greeted him. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks,” Clark said shyly, “So do you.”
“Oh, these are for you,” Oliver told him, handing him the box. Glancing at it, Clark found that it was chocolates.
“Thank you,” Clark said, smiling. Ollie smiled back.
“You ready to go?”
“Yeah, I’m all set,” Clark said. He quickly placed the box on his desk and making sure he had everything, he stepped out.
Clark and Ollie walked toward the car, both not knowing what to say.
“So,” Clark said at the same time Ollie began, “I was just …”
They both looked at each other and burst into laughter.
“I’m sorry,” Clark apologized, “I guess I’m a little nervous.”
“No need to apologize,” Oliver said, “I’m nervous too.”
“You are?” Clark said, surprised.
“Yeah,” Oliver admitted, as they reached his car. “It’s been a long time since I’ve gone out on a date.”
“Really?”
“Let’s just say it’s been a while since I cared about someone enough to take them on a date,” Oliver explained. Clark turned red at the compliment and didn’t know how to respond.
Ollie unlocked his car and they both got in. “I made reservations at this Mexican restaurant,” Oliver told him. “I hope that’s okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good with anything,” Clark assured him.
“Great,” Oliver replied, grinning. The ride to the restaurant was a short one, and as Oliver handed the keys to a valet, Clark took a moment to look at the restaurant. It looked nice from the outside, but when they entered, Clark found that it was even better inside. It was dim-lit, giving off a cozy atmosphere, making Clark feel instantly comfortable.
They only waited a few minutes after Ollie gave his name to the hostess before they were seated.
Relaxing in the comfortable booth, Clark took in his surroundings before glancing at the menu.
“Have you been here before?” he questioned.
“Once or twice,” Oliver told him. “I was pleasantly surprised … I’m from California, so I’m used to good Mexican food, but I like this place. Their food tastes pretty authentic.”
“I’ll take your word on that,” Clark joked. Oliver laughed at that. Returning to the menu, Clark asked, “Want to split an appetizer?”
“Works for me,” Oliver agreed.
“You’re the expert,” Clark said, “What’s good here?”
Oliver gave him a few options, and when the waitress came to take their drink and appetizer order, they were ready.
For dinner, Clark ended up ordering a chicken enchilada and Oliver ordered the steak fajitas. They ended up sharing their food and just having a lot of fun. Whatever nervousness Clark had at the beginning of the date was long gone.
Just as Oliver said, the food was delicious and Clark was stuffed by the time they had finished. Oliver insisted that they should get dessert though because apparently, the flan there was like a “little piece of heaven”.
“You should try my mom’s pie then,” Clark said, while they were waiting for their dessert.
“That good, huh?” Oliver said.
“Nothing beats it,” Clark said proudly.
“Well, then I’ll have to meet her sometime,” Oliver said, grinning.
“She definitely wants to meet you,” Clark told him.
“I didn’t realize you talked about me so much,” Oliver teased, eliciting a blush from Clark.
“Well, I did tell her about you,” Clark confessed.
“What exactly did you tell her?” Oliver asked. He didn’t seem upset, just curious.
“That I liked you … a lot, and not just as a friend.” The confession left Clark feeling a bit vulnerable and he lowered his eyes.
“You know, every time I think you can’t surprise me any more, you do.” The response had Clark looking up again and seeing Oliver’s expression, full of admiration and an emotion he couldn’t place, he felt a little less uneasy.
“Yeah? Is that good thing?” he wondered aloud.
Oliver took his hand and smiled. “Definitely a good thing.” Squeezing Clark’s hand, he added, “And just so you know, I’m flattered that I mean so much to you that you told your mom. I know that this is just our first date, Clark, but I want you to know that I can already see this as turning into something more.”
“So can I,” Clark responded, pleased. Both of them had identical looks of happiness on their face. Words weren’t really necessary; they were just content enjoying the moment.
The flan came within minutes of Ollie’s confession and Clark found that he was right; it was good.
Oliver took care of the bill, saying that he was the one to ask Clark out, so he should get to pay. The blond was stubborn, and Clark ended up giving in.
The valet brought their car and they left.
“There’s one more place I have in mind for the evening,” Oliver said, once they were on the road. “I don’t know if you’ll like it … it’s different but I thought it may be fun. But if you’re bored, we can leave …”
“Oliver,” Clark interrupted, “Relax. I’m sure I’ll enjoy wherever we’re going.” He hadn’t ever seen the blond this nervous, and to be honest, it was cute.
Where they were going ended up being a planetarium. Oliver watched Clark as he stared at the dome shaped building.
“I figured it would be more interesting than just going to a movie,” he said sheepishly. “I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s great,” Clark told him. “Actually, I love astronomy.”
“You do?” Oliver said, surprised. “I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah, I used to have a telescope in our barn,” Clark informed him. Shooting Oliver a grin, he said, “You must be psychic.”
“Hardly,” Oliver laughed. “Just lucky, I guess.” But he was more than a little bit relieved that he had gotten it right. The last thing he wanted to do was screw up his first date with Clark, especially when he was hoping to have many more in the near future.
They entered, Oliver already having bought tickets in advance.
“There’s a show staring in 45 minutes,” Oliver said. “I figured we could take in a few exhibits before heading on over, if that’s all right with you.”
“Sounds perfect,” Clark responded.
It was a very nice planetarium, Clark observed as they made their way through. He had always wanted to go, but never had the time or the opportunity. It was almost as if Oliver had read his mind.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Oliver commented, “How big the universe is.”
“Definitely,” Clark agreed. “There’s just so much out there. When I was a little boy, I wanted to be an astronaut.”
Ollie chucked. “I went through that phase too … I was obsessed with space. Even saw all the Star Trek movies.” His expression turned thoughtful and looked at Clark. “What do you think? Do you believe there’s life on other planets?”
If Clark had been eating something, he would’ve choked. In fact, he almost choked on air. What was he supposed to say to that? Yes, Oliver, I’m sure there’s life on other planets; in fact, I’m an alien myself.
“Umm …” He wasn’t really sure what to say.
“I’m sure there is,” Oliver said confidently, “It’s silly to think that in such a huge galaxy, we’re the only life forms.”
“Yeah, makes sense,” Clark agreed, finding his voice.
Glancing at his watch, Oliver said, “You know, maybe we should head over to the theater.”
“Okay, works for me,” Clark responded, thankful for the shift in topic.
As they walked, Oliver watched him silently. Clark had reacted strangely to his question and Ollie had to wonder what provoked such an odd reaction from the brunet. But he didn’t want to ask; if Clark wanted to talk about it, he would.
That didn’t stop him from being curious though. Hopefully, one day he would share. Until then, Ollie could wait.
The show was entertaining and afterward, they headed back to Excelsior. Clark almost didn’t want the night to end and while he was excited he was going home the following day, he knew he’d miss Oliver the following week.
“So, I suppose you’re going home for Thanksgiving,” Oliver remarked as they approached Clark’s room.
“Yeah, my flight is tomorrow evening,” Clark said.
“I can drop you at the airport,” Oliver volunteered. “If you want, that is.”
“I don’t want to go out of your way,” Clark replied worriedly.
“It’s no problem,” Oliver assured him. “Unless you’ve already made other arrangements …”
“No, I haven’t,” Clark said hastily. “And I’d like that.” That way, he could see Oliver before he left.
“What time is your flight?” Ollie asked.
“Five o’ clock in the evening,” Clark replied.
“So I guess we can leave around 3ish?” Oliver suggested. Clark nodded at that.
“Okay, yeah. Thanks,” Clark said gratefully. “And thanks for tonight too … I had a really great time.”
“I did too,” Oliver responded, “Maybe we can do this again after you come back?”
“There’s nothing I’d like more,” Clark said happily.
They stared at each other for a few minutes, before Ollie finally leaned forward. Clark closed the remaining distance between them, and their lips met in a soft kiss.
If he thought their first kiss was good, this was even better. Clark wondered how he could’ve ever had any doubts … nobody had ever made him feel like this before.
They parted after a few moments, breathless.
“Good night, Clark,” Oliver said.
“Night, Oliver,” Clark responded. He watched Ollie walk away and only when he disappeared from sight did Clark enter his room.
Sinking into his bed, he sighed. That was a perfect first date. I can’t believe I’m not going to see him for a week. Normally, it wouldn’t have been a problem, but they were just starting their relationship and Clark wished they could spend more time together.
Maybe you don’t have to part after all. An idea came to him, and even though it was a little bit risky, Clark couldn’t resist.
Picking up the phone, he dialed and smiled when an all too familiar voice picked up.
“Mom?” he said, “It’s me. I need to ask you something …”
In another part of the school, Oliver Queen was in a daze. His date with Clark had gone even better than expected. And the kiss … they just fit together so perfectly and it felt so right.
One thing was certain; he’d definitely miss Clark over the next week, but he would try to spend plenty of time together after the brunet returned. In his mind, he was already planning future dates and thinking of things they could do.
However, before they furthered their relationship, there was something that Oliver needed to do: call off that stupid bet.
The last thing he wanted was to jeopardize his relationship with Clark before it had begun. That meant he had to deal with Jason and soon.
But right now, it was late and was tired. With thoughts of Clark in his mind, he got ready for bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, he joined his friends for breakfast. They wanted to know where he was the previous night, but Ollie just sidestepped their questions.
It’s not that he was ashamed. What he had with Clark was none of their business and the last thing he needed was rumors to go around the school, embarrassing them both.
As they exited, he spotted Jason at the other end of the hallway. Perfect. Now, he could just forfeit and when he drove Clark to the airport, he would have a clear conscience.
Making his way determinedly toward the other man, Ollie was shocked when a figure blocked his path.
Meeting bright green eyes, his heart sank. “Hey Clark. How are you?”
“Hi Ollie,” Clark said happily. “I actually wanted to talk to you about something.”
Keeping one eye on Jason, he said, “Is it important? Because I kinda have to do something …”
“Actually, yes,” Clark told him. “I needed to ask you something.”
“Can I catch up with you later?” Oliver asked, frowning as Jason started to walk away.
“It’s something I need an answer to though,” Clark said, frowning. “Is everything okay with you?”
Ollie was about to make up an excuse when Jason disappeared from sight. Sighing, he said, “Never mind.” He grinned at Clark. “It was nothing.”
“Are you sure?” Clark said worriedly.
“Positive,” Ollie said. I guess I’ll just have to catch up with Teague later. “I’m all yours. What’s up?”
All of a sudden, Clark seemed nervous. “I have to ask you something.”
“So you said,” Oliver noted, “Go on; you know you can ask me anything.”
“Well,” Clark said, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, “I know that we just had our first date last night and this may be rushing things, but … I was wondering if you’d like to come home with me for Thanksgiving.”
If Oliver was expecting anything, it wasn’t that. “What?”
“I just … I am going to miss you over the next week,” Clark continued hastily, “And I thought it’d be a good idea …”
“Whoa, Clark, slow down,” Ollie said, raising a hand. “Wow. Umm … I am honestly flattered, but Thanksgiving is a family time … and I know you haven’t seen your mom in a while. I don’t want to interfere …”
“You won’t be,” Clark said. “I already called my mom and asked her. She said she would love for you to join us.”
All Ollie could do was stare at Clark helplessly. Go home with him for Thanksgiving? Wow … that was … well, that was big. And it had been so long since he had celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving.
Clark’s face fell when Ollie remained silent. “It’s okay if you don’t want to come … I don’t mean to pressure you.”
Oliver immediately felt bad for putting that look on Clark’s face. “No, no, that’s not it,” he said, “I just was surprised, that’s all.” Smiling, he added sincerely, “It would my pleasure to join you guys for Thanksgiving.”
The smile was back and Ollie knew that he had made the right decision. Besides, a week without Clark was not one he was looking forward to and this could be fun. Coast City wasn’t that far from Star City, his place of birth, and he could already imagine the fun they’d have.
“Great,” Clark enthused. “Umm … do you think we can get a plane ticket for you?”
Oliver tiled his head thoughtfully. “Hmm … it may not be necessary.”
“Why? Are you planning to grow wings and fly there?” Clark joked.
“I wish,” Ollie laughed. “But no, I actually have a private plane. I was just thinking if I could get it ready in a few hours.”
“You have a plane?” Clark blurted out and then blushed.
“Yeah,” Ollie confirmed. “In fact, why don’t you see if you can cancel your ticket? Then we could fly there together.”
“I’ll call and check,” Clark agreed. “I think it should be fine.”
“Okay,” Oliver said, “So, we’ll still meet here at 3. That should give me plenty of time to pack and make arrangements. I’ll meet you at your dorm room?”
“Works for me,” Clark replied. “See you then.”
“Clark?” Ollie called before he could walk away. Clark looked at him quizzically. “Thank you,” he said. “It means a lot to me that you want me there.”
“You’re welcome,” Clark told him warmly.
They parted ways and even though Ollie knew he had to make plans, he was more determined than ever to find Jason. There was no way he’d be able to enjoy Thanksgiving without ending this bet once and for all.
He ended up running into Geoffrey and Alden. “Hey guys,” he greeted them, “Have you seen Teague?”
“Why are you looking for him?” Geoffrey wanted to know.
“Just had to talk to him about something,” Ollie said, remaining vague. “So, have you?”
“He’s actually gone,” Alden told him.
“Gone?” Oliver repeated, “Gone where?”
“Home for Thanksgiving,” Alden answered.
“Already?” Oliver couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t been talking to Clark that long! “Are you sure?”
“Yup,” Geoffrey chipped in, “We saw him saying goodbye to his friends and get into a car with his luggage.”
“Great,” Oliver muttered. It seemed as if he was going to have to wait. Forcing a smile on his face, he said, “Thanks anyway.”
He ended up spending some time with Alden and Geoffrey, just catching up and finding out about their plans, before heading back to his room. Fortunately, getting the plane wasn’t very hard. Packing was boring, but he managed to get it done.
After having a quick lunch and running a quick errand that took him off campus, he went back to make sure everything was set. Around 2:30, he left his room. Putting his suitcase in the car, he went to Clark’s dorm.
Just as he was about to knock, he heard his name being called and turned to see Clark walking down the hall.
“Hey,” he greeted him. “I guess I’m early.”
“No,” Clark said, “I was just running a little late. I went to go say bye to Lex before he left.”
“Oh, is he going home too?” Ollie asked politely.
“He’s actually going to Smallville,” Clark said, unlocking his door. “Come on in.”
“Smallville?” Ollie echoed, following him inside. “That’s interesting.”
“Yeah, my friend, Chloe,” Clark paused. “I think you saw her? She and my other friend, Pete, visited a few weeks ago?”
“Yes,” Oliver recalled, “I remember seeing two people visit you.”
“That was them,” Clark said, “Anyway, Lex and Chloe really hit it off. They’ve been keeping in touch and she invited him for Thanksgiving.”
“That’s cool,” Oliver remarked.
“Yeah, it is,” Clark said, beaming. Ollie found it adorable how genuinely happy he was for his friends.
“Okay,” Clark said, grabbing a jacket, and his suitcases. “I’m all set. You ready? Where are your bags?”
“In the car already,” Oliver said, “You need help with yours?”
“I got it,” Clark told him. “Let’s go then!” He was clearly excited about going home and Ollie couldn’t hold back a smile at the sight.
“You didn’t have too much of a problem canceling your tickets, did you?” Ollie asked once they were in the car.
“No, it was fine,” Clark said, “I told my mom about the change in plans too. She said she’ll meet us at the airport.”
Oliver nodded at that, though there were butterflies in his stomach. Clark was an incredible person and extremely sweet so he assumed that whoever raised him had to be just as good-natured but it was still an intimidating idea.
While on the plane, Clark and Ollie had a chance to talk. It was nice; they chatted on everything from sports to their interests to their hopes for the future.
Finally, they landed and Oliver got more nervous with every step they took toward the entrance. Ollie didn’t know who to look for so he just followed Clark’s lead.
The brunet clearly saw someone because his grin widened and suitcases in hand, he ran toward a pretty redhead woman and an older gentleman. Ollie slowly made his way toward them.
“Welcome back, sweetie,” Clark’s mom was saying. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too, mom,” Clark said, hugging her.
He reached Clark’s side and that’s when they noticed him.
“Mom,” Clark said, “This is Oliver. Oliver, my mom, Martha Kent and my grandfather, William Clark.”
“It’s nice to meet you both,” Ollie said, feeling uncharacteristically shy. He shook hands with Clark’s grandfather and exchanged smiles with Martha. “Thank you so much for having me.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Oliver, and it was our pleasure,” Martha said kindly. “Clark has told us so much about you.”
“He’s told me a lot about you too,” Oliver responded, feeling a bit more at ease. Clark’s mom seemed to radiate friendliness, just like her son.
“We should all head out,” William commented, “I’m sure the boys are tired and we can all catch up at home.”
They all agreed to that and headed out. Once they got to the house, Clark was given the job of showing Ollie where he was staying.
Ollie got settled, and taking a seat on the bed, he smiled. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Downstairs, Clark was talking to his mom, just catching up.
“Oliver seems very nice,” Martha said, smiling.
“Yeah, he’s great,” Clark replied, grinning. He paused, “Does Grandpa know?”
“I did tell him,” Martha said. Seeing Clark cringe, she hastened to assure him, “I think he was a bit surprised, but I believe he said, ‘at least he picked a boy with a bit of class’.” She shook her head. “It seems that California has liberalized my father.” Clark laughed at that.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know him,” Martha added. “And I’m very happy to see you.”
He gave his mom another hug. It really had been too long. “I love you, mom.”
“I love you too, sweetie.”
They couldn’t say any more because Ollie chose to come in at that moment.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” It was interesting to see his normally cool and collected boyfriend (was he his boyfriend? Clark would have to check up on that) flustered.
Parting from his mother, Clark smiled. “You aren’t.” He eyed the flowers and chocolates in Ollie’s hands. “Aww, Ollie, you shouldn’t have,” Clark added, fluttering his eyelashes, attempting to lighten the moment. It worked.
“I didn’t, not for you, anyway,” Oliver teased. He handed them to his mother. “These are for you.”
“Oh, they’re beautiful, thank you,” Martha said. To everyone’s surprise, she leaned over and gave Oliver a hug. Clark almost cracked up at the bewildered look on Ollie’s face. The blond seemed to stiffen before he hugged her back.
“Anyway,” Ollie said, after he pulled away. “I’m just going to go and freshen up.”
“Dinner should be ready soon,” Martha informed him.
He nodded at that and left.
Martha and Clark exchanged smiles, and went back to their conversation.
Dinner was a pleasant affair, everyone relaxed and just chatting. Clark and Ollie talked about school, William asking Ollie his plans for the future while Martha and Clark chatted about the plans for her bakery.
Everyone was chatting long after dinner, but they all parted at close to eleven. Ollie and Clark went to their separate rooms, but even after he changed and slipped into bed, Clark found himself wide awake.
Even though it was past 1 am in Kansas, Clark had trouble sleeping. I wonder if Ollie is still awake. The blond’s room was not that far, unlike his mom and grandfather, who were on the other side of the house. Impulsively, he got up and went to check, hoping that he wouldn’t wake him up.
Ollie was indeed still awake, staring at the ceiling. He was in awe at how welcome he felt in this house. However, he couldn’t sleep. It was hard for him to get adjusted to new places. Even when he first went to boarding school, it took him a few days.
He was startled out of his thoughts when he heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” he called.
The door opened slowly, revealing a smiling Clark. Ollie sat up.
“Hi there.”
“Hey,” Clark said, entering and closing the door behind him. “I couldn’t sleep and wanted to see if you were up.”
“As you can tell, I’m awake,” Oliver said. He patted the empty space on the bed next to him. “Have a seat, Clark.”
“Okay,” Clark said, doing just that. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then he leaned over and captured Oliver’s lips. Instinctively, Oliver responded to the kiss, one hand sliding in Clark’s hair and the other wrapping around his back to pull him closer.
A desperate need for air had Ollie pulling away. He rested his forehead against Clark’s, trying to gather his thoughts.
“You know,” he finally said, “I’d be in big trouble if your mom walked in right now.”
“It’s a good thing that there’s no chance of that then,” Clark said.
“I almost want to ask you to stay here with me,” Oliver confessed. “You know, just to sleep, nothing more.” It was true; he was feeling more relaxed with Clark in the room.
“Why don’t you then?” Clark countered. The answer surprised Ollie but he kept his cool.
“Your mother hasn’t been won over by my charm yet,” he joked. “I don’t need her to see me in bed with her baby boy.”
“I’ll leave before she wakes up,” Clark promised.
“Clark …”
“Ask me to stay, Oliver,” the brunet said softly. How could he resist him? Oliver found himself incapable.
“Stay.”
“Okay,” Clark replied, with a cheeky smile. “Want to try and get some sleep now?” Oliver nodded, stunned at the turn of events.
Switching off the light, Clark got comfortable next to him and Oliver relaxed into the bed.
“Good night, Ollie,” Clark said cheerfully, kissing him lightly.
“Good night,” Oliver responded.
But even as Clark drifted off, Ollie stayed up for a little longer. He had never shared a bed before with someone, not without having sex first anyway. Even then, he could count the number of people that he had actually stayed with afterwards on one hand.
This was different … Ollie was happy just being in bed with Clark. He was content to just spend time with him, doing nothing at all. And watching him sleep, he realized that there was no place Ollie would rather be than here.
That’s when it dawned on him … Oliver was falling in love with Clark Kent.
TBC
Story: In Love … All Bets Are Off
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing/Characters: Clark/Oliver, Clark/Lex friendship, slight Chloe/Lex
Rating: R
Disclaimer: don’t own anything
Warning: slash, mentions of m/m sex, jerk!Jason (sorry, I do like him but I needed a villain and he fit)
Spoilers: AU but slight season 1-early season 3 mentions
Summary: Clark’s dad dies when he’s in high school. Martha and Clark sell the farm and leave to live with Clark’s grandfather, Clark transferring to Excelsior. Excelsior … where Oliver Queen rules the school. Oliver takes a bet that he can get the new guy in his bed … but what happens when he ends up falling in love instead?
Previous Chapters: Here
Chapter 11
"We need to talk."
“Okay,” Clark agreed. He gestured to the bed. “Want to sit down?”
“Sure,” Oliver replied, sitting on the aforementioned bed. Clark sat down on the chair next to his desk. A silence fell between them, but it was not at all comfortable.
“What’s up?” Clark asked, realizing that Oliver wasn’t going to say anything.
Oliver shrugged. “I was just thinking.”
“Care to share?” Clark questioned.
“I don’t know,” Oliver said, his tone far too serious for Clark’s liking. He eyed Clark warily. “You know, I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
“So you’ve told me,” Clark teased, trying to lighten the mood. It didn’t work.
“I’m used to being around people who care only about money and power,” Oliver explained, “But you, you’re not like that. You’re so genuine … and honest. You have been honest with me, haven’t you, Clark?”
Clark frowned, unsure where this conversation was leading. “Well, not about everything …”
“I’m not talking about your abilities,” Oliver interrupted, scowling. “I already told you that I didn’t care about that.”
“Then what are we talking about?” Clark wondered aloud.
“Other things,” Oliver answered, “Say … your feelings, for instance.”
“My feelings?” Clark echoed. “What do you mean?” This conversation was getting stranger by the minute.
“Like when you told me why you couldn’t be with me,” Oliver replied, “You said that it was because of my reputation, right?”
“Right,” Clark agreed.
“That was it then,” Oliver stated. “If there was any other reason, you would’ve told me? For example, if you had feelings for someone else, you would’ve mentioned it?”
“Feelings for someone else?” Clark repeated. He felt like an idiot for his lack of communication skills, but he was genuinely confused right now and didn’t really know what to say.
“Yes,” Oliver said, “You know, anyone, like, Lex or … Jason Teague.”
“Jason.”
“It’s a valid assumption, considering how close you were this afternoon,” Oliver pointed out.
“Now hold on a minute,” Clark said, getting angry. Oliver had a lot of nerve, coming here and making accusations at him like this. “Were you spying on me?”
“You were standing outside where anyone could see you,” Oliver said, snorting, “It’s not like you were hiding or anything.” He raised an eyebrow. “Unless there’s something that you are hiding.”
Finally regaining control, Clark frowned. “First of all, I don’t owe you any explanations. Secondly, what I feel or do not feel for Jason is none of your business. Last time I checked, you don’t have any claim over me.”
Oliver looked like he had been slapped, but at this point, Clark didn’t care. How dare Oliver come into his room and act this way?
“If you had just asked me what was going on, I would’ve told you,” Clark continued, “But instead, you come here and act like that. This isn’t the you that I’ve come to know and like … this is the you that I met all those weeks ago and thought was a jerk.”
“You’re right.”
The words were said so softly that if Clark hadn’t had superhearing, he wouldn’t have heard them.
“What?” was all he was able to get out.
“You’re right,” Oliver repeated, louder this time. The cool mask was gone and he looked once more like the Oliver that Clark recognized. There was regret and sadness in those brown eyes and Clark felt all his anger fade.
“I’m sorry,” Oliver went on. “I just … I saw you with Jason and it hit a nerve. But you’re right; I don’t have any claim over you. Who you have feelings for is none of my business.” He bit his lower lip, “I have to warn you though … I don’t know how you feel about him, but really, you should be careful. I may not have a great reputation, but he’s not a good person. You deserve better than that …”
“Oliver,” Clark said gently, “What exactly did you see?”
“I saw you get out of his car,” Oliver admitted, “And I saw him holding your hand … that was when I left.”
“Then you didn’t see me pull away and reject him,” Clark stated, pleased with the look of shock that filtered into Oliver’s expression. “I went to a café to think and I ran into him there. It definitely wasn’t planned. He offered me a ride back … that was it. Yes, he asked me out, but I turned him down.”
“Oh.”
Clark couldn’t hold back the laugh at the bewildered look on Ollie’s face. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Oliver said sheepishly. “I feel like an idiot. I’m really sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Clark responded, shrugging. He was never one to hold a grudge anyway.
“I’m not used to feeling jealous,” Oliver explained, “I didn’t know what to do with it …”
“Like I said, it’s okay,” Clark told him. He grinned cheekily. “You wanna know a secret?” Oliver nodded. Clark leaned forward and whispered, “I get jealous when I see you with other people too.”
Oliver’s eyes widened at that. “Yeah?”
“Oh yeah,” Clark said. “I actually … I was taking a walk when I heard you with that guy a few days ago … you know, the one who called me your boyfriend?”
At that, Oliver jaw dropped. “Wait, you were there?”
“I was there,” Clark confirmed. He took Oliver’s hand in his and squeezed it lightly. “I appreciate you defending me, by the way.”
“I was just being honest,” Oliver muttered, clearly embarrassed now.
Feeling confident, Clark asked, “Do you know why I was at the café?” Oliver shook his head. “Because of you,” he finished.
“Me?” Oliver asked.
“Yeah,” Clark said. “Lex told me how you defended him against Alden and Geoffrey … and how you said the school is not a war zone …”
“I didn’t tell him to say that,” Oliver said earnestly.
“I know, he told me,” Clark responded, “Honestly, between that and what I saw, I realized I had to do some thinking. That’s when I ran into Jason … but honestly, meeting him today was probably for the best.”
“How come?” Oliver asked curiously.
“Because it just reinforced what I had already concluded,” Clark said mysteriously.
“Which was?” Oliver prompted.
“That maybe I can trust you more than I thought,” Clark confessed. “Not just with my powers, but with my feelings too.” With that, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Oliver’s lips, backing away before the blond had a chance to respond.
The expression on Oliver’s face was almost comical. “You know,” Clark joked, “I think a lot of people would pay good money to see Oliver Queen speechless.”
His words seemed to bring Oliver back to reality and he smiled. “Well, you always do manage to pull off the seemingly impossible.”
“So,” Clark said, unsure of what to say now.
“So,” Oliver repeated, in the same predicament.
“You haven’t changed your mind about me, have you?” Clark asked, trying to keep his tone light, but the insecurity he felt ended up seeping through his words.
“Clark,” Oliver said warmly, “I just threw a jealous hissy fit and made a fool out of myself … I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t have feelings for you.”
Relief washed over his body. “Oh, that’s good then.”
“In fact,” Oliver started, “I was wondering … would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?”
“Are you asking me out on a date?” Clark asked, delighted.
“Yeah, what do you say?” Oliver replied.
“I say yes, definitely,” Clark told him, beaming.
“Great,” Oliver said, standing up. “I’ll pick you up at 6 tomorrow?”
“Works for me,” Clark confirmed.
Saying their goodbyes, Oliver left and Clark had to stop himself from doing a happy dance. He had a date with Oliver Queen. While the day had started off weird and confusing, it turned out to be great. He was definitely going to have pleasant dreams tonight.
Glancing at the time, he picked up the phone to call his mom. Then a thought struck him: should he tell her about Oliver? Hell, she didn’t even know he was bisexual! But this was not something he could, or wanted, to hide from her.
He made a decision as he heard the familiar voice pick up on the other end.
She was, as always, happy to hear from him and they spent a few moments catching up on each other’s lives. Martha told him of her plans to start her own bakery, which Clark whole-heartedly supported. He told her about what was going in school. They were both excited to see each other for Thanksgiving.
Finally, Clark brought up Oliver. “Umm … mom,” he said slowly, “I have to tell you something.”
“Okay, sweetie, go ahead,” she replied, “You know you can tell me anything.”
“Well … I don’t know how to say this,” Clark admitted, “I just … I met someone and I really like them.”
“Oh, Clark, that’s great!” Martha said enthusiastically. “What’s her name?”
Clark swallowed hard before answering. “Oliver Queen.”
There was silence on the other end of the line and Clark grew more nervous with every moment that passed without a response.
“Mom,” he said fearfully.
“I’m here,” came the reply.
“Are you okay?” he asked hesitatingly, “Are you … disgusted?”
“Oh, no, not at all!” Martha said immediately. “I’m sorry, honey, I was just shocked. I never even knew that you were …”
“Interested in men?” Clark finished. “Yeah, either did I. Until I met Oliver.”
“He must be really special then,” Martha said softly.
“Very,” Clark said, smiling to himself. He paused and asked, “So you’re okay with this?”
“Of course,” Martha assured him. “I just want you to be happy, that’s all.”
“I am,” he said.
“Then that’s all that matters,” Martha proclaimed.
“Thanks, mom,” Clark said, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his chest. She asked him about Oliver and then they talked for a little longer, just chatting about superficial topics, before hanging up.
Clark was relieved though … if his mother had been upset, he wouldn’t have known what to do. But it seemed that today was his day and he went to sleep with a clear mind.
The next morning, he woke up, happy it was Saturday and at the same time, a little nervous for his date. He met up with Lex for breakfast.
“So, any plans for the day?” Lex asked casually.
“Actually,” Clark said, “I have a date tonight.” He made sure to keep his voice low to avoid any unwanted attention.
“Really?” Lex seemed curious. “With who?”
“Oliver.” He had to fight to hold back the grin that was threatening to take over his face.
Lex just laughed. “So you two finally got your act together, huh?”
“I guess you could say that,” Clark agreed with a grin. Taking a bite of his food, he asked, “So, any plans for Thanksgiving?”
To his shock, Lex ducked his head and seemed a bit embarrassed. “Yeah … actually, I’m going to Smallville.”
“Seriously?” Clark said. “Why?”
“Well, you know how Chloe and I have been keeping touch?” Lex began.
“Yeah,” Clark replied.
“She invited me to spend Thanksgiving with her and her dad,” Lex explained. This time, Clark couldn’t hold back the grin.
“Meeting the girlfriend’s dad,” Clark teased, “This is big.”
“She’s not my girlfriend,” Lex protested, “We haven’t even gone on a date!”
“You can change that this week,” Clark suggested. One advantage of going to a private school was that they got the entire week off for Thanksgiving.
“I don’t know,” Lex said doubtfully.
“She definitely likes you,” Clark insisted. “You should ask her out … I think she’ll say yes.”
“Maybe,” Lex said nonchalantly, but Clark knew him too well and realized that he was definitely considering it. That’s good. Chloe and Lex are both nice people … they’ll make each other happy, given the chance.
“Clark?” Lex added, snapping him out of his thoughts. “You’ve met Chloe’s dad, right?”
“Yeah, of course,” Clark said, “Why?”
“What’s he like?” Lex questioned. “I mean, I know he works for my father …”
Now Clark understood. Lex was worried that Gabe would be biased against him for being a Luthor.
“He’s nice,” Clark said, picking his words carefully. “Trust me, I’m sure that he’ll like you.”
“Okay.” And after a pause, “Thanks.” An outsider wouldn’t have been able to read Lex’s expression, but Clark could see the gratitude in his eyes.
“That’s what friends are for,” Clark replied cheerfully and they both smiled.
The rest of the day passed by quickly, a little too quickly for Clark’s liking. Clark spent ages picking out an outfit, finally settling on a dark blue dress shirt with black pants. His grandfather had insisted that he get some formal clothing and for the first time, Clark was grateful for that.
It had begun to snow in Kansas so to avoid suspicion, he picked out a heavy coat to top off the outfit.
At precisely six o’ clock, there was a knock at the door. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, Clark swung it opened. The sight before him caused his heart to skip a beat.
Oliver was standing there, a square shaped box in his hands, looking absolutely gorgeous. He was dressed in dark pants, and an emerald green pinstripe shirt with a jacket that matched his pants. Clark had to remind himself to breathe.
“Hi there,” Oliver greeted him. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks,” Clark said shyly, “So do you.”
“Oh, these are for you,” Oliver told him, handing him the box. Glancing at it, Clark found that it was chocolates.
“Thank you,” Clark said, smiling. Ollie smiled back.
“You ready to go?”
“Yeah, I’m all set,” Clark said. He quickly placed the box on his desk and making sure he had everything, he stepped out.
Clark and Ollie walked toward the car, both not knowing what to say.
“So,” Clark said at the same time Ollie began, “I was just …”
They both looked at each other and burst into laughter.
“I’m sorry,” Clark apologized, “I guess I’m a little nervous.”
“No need to apologize,” Oliver said, “I’m nervous too.”
“You are?” Clark said, surprised.
“Yeah,” Oliver admitted, as they reached his car. “It’s been a long time since I’ve gone out on a date.”
“Really?”
“Let’s just say it’s been a while since I cared about someone enough to take them on a date,” Oliver explained. Clark turned red at the compliment and didn’t know how to respond.
Ollie unlocked his car and they both got in. “I made reservations at this Mexican restaurant,” Oliver told him. “I hope that’s okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good with anything,” Clark assured him.
“Great,” Oliver replied, grinning. The ride to the restaurant was a short one, and as Oliver handed the keys to a valet, Clark took a moment to look at the restaurant. It looked nice from the outside, but when they entered, Clark found that it was even better inside. It was dim-lit, giving off a cozy atmosphere, making Clark feel instantly comfortable.
They only waited a few minutes after Ollie gave his name to the hostess before they were seated.
Relaxing in the comfortable booth, Clark took in his surroundings before glancing at the menu.
“Have you been here before?” he questioned.
“Once or twice,” Oliver told him. “I was pleasantly surprised … I’m from California, so I’m used to good Mexican food, but I like this place. Their food tastes pretty authentic.”
“I’ll take your word on that,” Clark joked. Oliver laughed at that. Returning to the menu, Clark asked, “Want to split an appetizer?”
“Works for me,” Oliver agreed.
“You’re the expert,” Clark said, “What’s good here?”
Oliver gave him a few options, and when the waitress came to take their drink and appetizer order, they were ready.
For dinner, Clark ended up ordering a chicken enchilada and Oliver ordered the steak fajitas. They ended up sharing their food and just having a lot of fun. Whatever nervousness Clark had at the beginning of the date was long gone.
Just as Oliver said, the food was delicious and Clark was stuffed by the time they had finished. Oliver insisted that they should get dessert though because apparently, the flan there was like a “little piece of heaven”.
“You should try my mom’s pie then,” Clark said, while they were waiting for their dessert.
“That good, huh?” Oliver said.
“Nothing beats it,” Clark said proudly.
“Well, then I’ll have to meet her sometime,” Oliver said, grinning.
“She definitely wants to meet you,” Clark told him.
“I didn’t realize you talked about me so much,” Oliver teased, eliciting a blush from Clark.
“Well, I did tell her about you,” Clark confessed.
“What exactly did you tell her?” Oliver asked. He didn’t seem upset, just curious.
“That I liked you … a lot, and not just as a friend.” The confession left Clark feeling a bit vulnerable and he lowered his eyes.
“You know, every time I think you can’t surprise me any more, you do.” The response had Clark looking up again and seeing Oliver’s expression, full of admiration and an emotion he couldn’t place, he felt a little less uneasy.
“Yeah? Is that good thing?” he wondered aloud.
Oliver took his hand and smiled. “Definitely a good thing.” Squeezing Clark’s hand, he added, “And just so you know, I’m flattered that I mean so much to you that you told your mom. I know that this is just our first date, Clark, but I want you to know that I can already see this as turning into something more.”
“So can I,” Clark responded, pleased. Both of them had identical looks of happiness on their face. Words weren’t really necessary; they were just content enjoying the moment.
The flan came within minutes of Ollie’s confession and Clark found that he was right; it was good.
Oliver took care of the bill, saying that he was the one to ask Clark out, so he should get to pay. The blond was stubborn, and Clark ended up giving in.
The valet brought their car and they left.
“There’s one more place I have in mind for the evening,” Oliver said, once they were on the road. “I don’t know if you’ll like it … it’s different but I thought it may be fun. But if you’re bored, we can leave …”
“Oliver,” Clark interrupted, “Relax. I’m sure I’ll enjoy wherever we’re going.” He hadn’t ever seen the blond this nervous, and to be honest, it was cute.
Where they were going ended up being a planetarium. Oliver watched Clark as he stared at the dome shaped building.
“I figured it would be more interesting than just going to a movie,” he said sheepishly. “I hope that’s okay.”
“It’s great,” Clark told him. “Actually, I love astronomy.”
“You do?” Oliver said, surprised. “I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah, I used to have a telescope in our barn,” Clark informed him. Shooting Oliver a grin, he said, “You must be psychic.”
“Hardly,” Oliver laughed. “Just lucky, I guess.” But he was more than a little bit relieved that he had gotten it right. The last thing he wanted to do was screw up his first date with Clark, especially when he was hoping to have many more in the near future.
They entered, Oliver already having bought tickets in advance.
“There’s a show staring in 45 minutes,” Oliver said. “I figured we could take in a few exhibits before heading on over, if that’s all right with you.”
“Sounds perfect,” Clark responded.
It was a very nice planetarium, Clark observed as they made their way through. He had always wanted to go, but never had the time or the opportunity. It was almost as if Oliver had read his mind.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Oliver commented, “How big the universe is.”
“Definitely,” Clark agreed. “There’s just so much out there. When I was a little boy, I wanted to be an astronaut.”
Ollie chucked. “I went through that phase too … I was obsessed with space. Even saw all the Star Trek movies.” His expression turned thoughtful and looked at Clark. “What do you think? Do you believe there’s life on other planets?”
If Clark had been eating something, he would’ve choked. In fact, he almost choked on air. What was he supposed to say to that? Yes, Oliver, I’m sure there’s life on other planets; in fact, I’m an alien myself.
“Umm …” He wasn’t really sure what to say.
“I’m sure there is,” Oliver said confidently, “It’s silly to think that in such a huge galaxy, we’re the only life forms.”
“Yeah, makes sense,” Clark agreed, finding his voice.
Glancing at his watch, Oliver said, “You know, maybe we should head over to the theater.”
“Okay, works for me,” Clark responded, thankful for the shift in topic.
As they walked, Oliver watched him silently. Clark had reacted strangely to his question and Ollie had to wonder what provoked such an odd reaction from the brunet. But he didn’t want to ask; if Clark wanted to talk about it, he would.
That didn’t stop him from being curious though. Hopefully, one day he would share. Until then, Ollie could wait.
The show was entertaining and afterward, they headed back to Excelsior. Clark almost didn’t want the night to end and while he was excited he was going home the following day, he knew he’d miss Oliver the following week.
“So, I suppose you’re going home for Thanksgiving,” Oliver remarked as they approached Clark’s room.
“Yeah, my flight is tomorrow evening,” Clark said.
“I can drop you at the airport,” Oliver volunteered. “If you want, that is.”
“I don’t want to go out of your way,” Clark replied worriedly.
“It’s no problem,” Oliver assured him. “Unless you’ve already made other arrangements …”
“No, I haven’t,” Clark said hastily. “And I’d like that.” That way, he could see Oliver before he left.
“What time is your flight?” Ollie asked.
“Five o’ clock in the evening,” Clark replied.
“So I guess we can leave around 3ish?” Oliver suggested. Clark nodded at that.
“Okay, yeah. Thanks,” Clark said gratefully. “And thanks for tonight too … I had a really great time.”
“I did too,” Oliver responded, “Maybe we can do this again after you come back?”
“There’s nothing I’d like more,” Clark said happily.
They stared at each other for a few minutes, before Ollie finally leaned forward. Clark closed the remaining distance between them, and their lips met in a soft kiss.
If he thought their first kiss was good, this was even better. Clark wondered how he could’ve ever had any doubts … nobody had ever made him feel like this before.
They parted after a few moments, breathless.
“Good night, Clark,” Oliver said.
“Night, Oliver,” Clark responded. He watched Ollie walk away and only when he disappeared from sight did Clark enter his room.
Sinking into his bed, he sighed. That was a perfect first date. I can’t believe I’m not going to see him for a week. Normally, it wouldn’t have been a problem, but they were just starting their relationship and Clark wished they could spend more time together.
Maybe you don’t have to part after all. An idea came to him, and even though it was a little bit risky, Clark couldn’t resist.
Picking up the phone, he dialed and smiled when an all too familiar voice picked up.
“Mom?” he said, “It’s me. I need to ask you something …”
In another part of the school, Oliver Queen was in a daze. His date with Clark had gone even better than expected. And the kiss … they just fit together so perfectly and it felt so right.
One thing was certain; he’d definitely miss Clark over the next week, but he would try to spend plenty of time together after the brunet returned. In his mind, he was already planning future dates and thinking of things they could do.
However, before they furthered their relationship, there was something that Oliver needed to do: call off that stupid bet.
The last thing he wanted was to jeopardize his relationship with Clark before it had begun. That meant he had to deal with Jason and soon.
But right now, it was late and was tired. With thoughts of Clark in his mind, he got ready for bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, he joined his friends for breakfast. They wanted to know where he was the previous night, but Ollie just sidestepped their questions.
It’s not that he was ashamed. What he had with Clark was none of their business and the last thing he needed was rumors to go around the school, embarrassing them both.
As they exited, he spotted Jason at the other end of the hallway. Perfect. Now, he could just forfeit and when he drove Clark to the airport, he would have a clear conscience.
Making his way determinedly toward the other man, Ollie was shocked when a figure blocked his path.
Meeting bright green eyes, his heart sank. “Hey Clark. How are you?”
“Hi Ollie,” Clark said happily. “I actually wanted to talk to you about something.”
Keeping one eye on Jason, he said, “Is it important? Because I kinda have to do something …”
“Actually, yes,” Clark told him. “I needed to ask you something.”
“Can I catch up with you later?” Oliver asked, frowning as Jason started to walk away.
“It’s something I need an answer to though,” Clark said, frowning. “Is everything okay with you?”
Ollie was about to make up an excuse when Jason disappeared from sight. Sighing, he said, “Never mind.” He grinned at Clark. “It was nothing.”
“Are you sure?” Clark said worriedly.
“Positive,” Ollie said. I guess I’ll just have to catch up with Teague later. “I’m all yours. What’s up?”
All of a sudden, Clark seemed nervous. “I have to ask you something.”
“So you said,” Oliver noted, “Go on; you know you can ask me anything.”
“Well,” Clark said, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, “I know that we just had our first date last night and this may be rushing things, but … I was wondering if you’d like to come home with me for Thanksgiving.”
If Oliver was expecting anything, it wasn’t that. “What?”
“I just … I am going to miss you over the next week,” Clark continued hastily, “And I thought it’d be a good idea …”
“Whoa, Clark, slow down,” Ollie said, raising a hand. “Wow. Umm … I am honestly flattered, but Thanksgiving is a family time … and I know you haven’t seen your mom in a while. I don’t want to interfere …”
“You won’t be,” Clark said. “I already called my mom and asked her. She said she would love for you to join us.”
All Ollie could do was stare at Clark helplessly. Go home with him for Thanksgiving? Wow … that was … well, that was big. And it had been so long since he had celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving.
Clark’s face fell when Ollie remained silent. “It’s okay if you don’t want to come … I don’t mean to pressure you.”
Oliver immediately felt bad for putting that look on Clark’s face. “No, no, that’s not it,” he said, “I just was surprised, that’s all.” Smiling, he added sincerely, “It would my pleasure to join you guys for Thanksgiving.”
The smile was back and Ollie knew that he had made the right decision. Besides, a week without Clark was not one he was looking forward to and this could be fun. Coast City wasn’t that far from Star City, his place of birth, and he could already imagine the fun they’d have.
“Great,” Clark enthused. “Umm … do you think we can get a plane ticket for you?”
Oliver tiled his head thoughtfully. “Hmm … it may not be necessary.”
“Why? Are you planning to grow wings and fly there?” Clark joked.
“I wish,” Ollie laughed. “But no, I actually have a private plane. I was just thinking if I could get it ready in a few hours.”
“You have a plane?” Clark blurted out and then blushed.
“Yeah,” Ollie confirmed. “In fact, why don’t you see if you can cancel your ticket? Then we could fly there together.”
“I’ll call and check,” Clark agreed. “I think it should be fine.”
“Okay,” Oliver said, “So, we’ll still meet here at 3. That should give me plenty of time to pack and make arrangements. I’ll meet you at your dorm room?”
“Works for me,” Clark replied. “See you then.”
“Clark?” Ollie called before he could walk away. Clark looked at him quizzically. “Thank you,” he said. “It means a lot to me that you want me there.”
“You’re welcome,” Clark told him warmly.
They parted ways and even though Ollie knew he had to make plans, he was more determined than ever to find Jason. There was no way he’d be able to enjoy Thanksgiving without ending this bet once and for all.
He ended up running into Geoffrey and Alden. “Hey guys,” he greeted them, “Have you seen Teague?”
“Why are you looking for him?” Geoffrey wanted to know.
“Just had to talk to him about something,” Ollie said, remaining vague. “So, have you?”
“He’s actually gone,” Alden told him.
“Gone?” Oliver repeated, “Gone where?”
“Home for Thanksgiving,” Alden answered.
“Already?” Oliver couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t been talking to Clark that long! “Are you sure?”
“Yup,” Geoffrey chipped in, “We saw him saying goodbye to his friends and get into a car with his luggage.”
“Great,” Oliver muttered. It seemed as if he was going to have to wait. Forcing a smile on his face, he said, “Thanks anyway.”
He ended up spending some time with Alden and Geoffrey, just catching up and finding out about their plans, before heading back to his room. Fortunately, getting the plane wasn’t very hard. Packing was boring, but he managed to get it done.
After having a quick lunch and running a quick errand that took him off campus, he went back to make sure everything was set. Around 2:30, he left his room. Putting his suitcase in the car, he went to Clark’s dorm.
Just as he was about to knock, he heard his name being called and turned to see Clark walking down the hall.
“Hey,” he greeted him. “I guess I’m early.”
“No,” Clark said, “I was just running a little late. I went to go say bye to Lex before he left.”
“Oh, is he going home too?” Ollie asked politely.
“He’s actually going to Smallville,” Clark said, unlocking his door. “Come on in.”
“Smallville?” Ollie echoed, following him inside. “That’s interesting.”
“Yeah, my friend, Chloe,” Clark paused. “I think you saw her? She and my other friend, Pete, visited a few weeks ago?”
“Yes,” Oliver recalled, “I remember seeing two people visit you.”
“That was them,” Clark said, “Anyway, Lex and Chloe really hit it off. They’ve been keeping in touch and she invited him for Thanksgiving.”
“That’s cool,” Oliver remarked.
“Yeah, it is,” Clark said, beaming. Ollie found it adorable how genuinely happy he was for his friends.
“Okay,” Clark said, grabbing a jacket, and his suitcases. “I’m all set. You ready? Where are your bags?”
“In the car already,” Oliver said, “You need help with yours?”
“I got it,” Clark told him. “Let’s go then!” He was clearly excited about going home and Ollie couldn’t hold back a smile at the sight.
“You didn’t have too much of a problem canceling your tickets, did you?” Ollie asked once they were in the car.
“No, it was fine,” Clark said, “I told my mom about the change in plans too. She said she’ll meet us at the airport.”
Oliver nodded at that, though there were butterflies in his stomach. Clark was an incredible person and extremely sweet so he assumed that whoever raised him had to be just as good-natured but it was still an intimidating idea.
While on the plane, Clark and Ollie had a chance to talk. It was nice; they chatted on everything from sports to their interests to their hopes for the future.
Finally, they landed and Oliver got more nervous with every step they took toward the entrance. Ollie didn’t know who to look for so he just followed Clark’s lead.
The brunet clearly saw someone because his grin widened and suitcases in hand, he ran toward a pretty redhead woman and an older gentleman. Ollie slowly made his way toward them.
“Welcome back, sweetie,” Clark’s mom was saying. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too, mom,” Clark said, hugging her.
He reached Clark’s side and that’s when they noticed him.
“Mom,” Clark said, “This is Oliver. Oliver, my mom, Martha Kent and my grandfather, William Clark.”
“It’s nice to meet you both,” Ollie said, feeling uncharacteristically shy. He shook hands with Clark’s grandfather and exchanged smiles with Martha. “Thank you so much for having me.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Oliver, and it was our pleasure,” Martha said kindly. “Clark has told us so much about you.”
“He’s told me a lot about you too,” Oliver responded, feeling a bit more at ease. Clark’s mom seemed to radiate friendliness, just like her son.
“We should all head out,” William commented, “I’m sure the boys are tired and we can all catch up at home.”
They all agreed to that and headed out. Once they got to the house, Clark was given the job of showing Ollie where he was staying.
Ollie got settled, and taking a seat on the bed, he smiled. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Downstairs, Clark was talking to his mom, just catching up.
“Oliver seems very nice,” Martha said, smiling.
“Yeah, he’s great,” Clark replied, grinning. He paused, “Does Grandpa know?”
“I did tell him,” Martha said. Seeing Clark cringe, she hastened to assure him, “I think he was a bit surprised, but I believe he said, ‘at least he picked a boy with a bit of class’.” She shook her head. “It seems that California has liberalized my father.” Clark laughed at that.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know him,” Martha added. “And I’m very happy to see you.”
He gave his mom another hug. It really had been too long. “I love you, mom.”
“I love you too, sweetie.”
They couldn’t say any more because Ollie chose to come in at that moment.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.” It was interesting to see his normally cool and collected boyfriend (was he his boyfriend? Clark would have to check up on that) flustered.
Parting from his mother, Clark smiled. “You aren’t.” He eyed the flowers and chocolates in Ollie’s hands. “Aww, Ollie, you shouldn’t have,” Clark added, fluttering his eyelashes, attempting to lighten the moment. It worked.
“I didn’t, not for you, anyway,” Oliver teased. He handed them to his mother. “These are for you.”
“Oh, they’re beautiful, thank you,” Martha said. To everyone’s surprise, she leaned over and gave Oliver a hug. Clark almost cracked up at the bewildered look on Ollie’s face. The blond seemed to stiffen before he hugged her back.
“Anyway,” Ollie said, after he pulled away. “I’m just going to go and freshen up.”
“Dinner should be ready soon,” Martha informed him.
He nodded at that and left.
Martha and Clark exchanged smiles, and went back to their conversation.
Dinner was a pleasant affair, everyone relaxed and just chatting. Clark and Ollie talked about school, William asking Ollie his plans for the future while Martha and Clark chatted about the plans for her bakery.
Everyone was chatting long after dinner, but they all parted at close to eleven. Ollie and Clark went to their separate rooms, but even after he changed and slipped into bed, Clark found himself wide awake.
Even though it was past 1 am in Kansas, Clark had trouble sleeping. I wonder if Ollie is still awake. The blond’s room was not that far, unlike his mom and grandfather, who were on the other side of the house. Impulsively, he got up and went to check, hoping that he wouldn’t wake him up.
Ollie was indeed still awake, staring at the ceiling. He was in awe at how welcome he felt in this house. However, he couldn’t sleep. It was hard for him to get adjusted to new places. Even when he first went to boarding school, it took him a few days.
He was startled out of his thoughts when he heard a knock at the door. “Come in,” he called.
The door opened slowly, revealing a smiling Clark. Ollie sat up.
“Hi there.”
“Hey,” Clark said, entering and closing the door behind him. “I couldn’t sleep and wanted to see if you were up.”
“As you can tell, I’m awake,” Oliver said. He patted the empty space on the bed next to him. “Have a seat, Clark.”
“Okay,” Clark said, doing just that. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then he leaned over and captured Oliver’s lips. Instinctively, Oliver responded to the kiss, one hand sliding in Clark’s hair and the other wrapping around his back to pull him closer.
A desperate need for air had Ollie pulling away. He rested his forehead against Clark’s, trying to gather his thoughts.
“You know,” he finally said, “I’d be in big trouble if your mom walked in right now.”
“It’s a good thing that there’s no chance of that then,” Clark said.
“I almost want to ask you to stay here with me,” Oliver confessed. “You know, just to sleep, nothing more.” It was true; he was feeling more relaxed with Clark in the room.
“Why don’t you then?” Clark countered. The answer surprised Ollie but he kept his cool.
“Your mother hasn’t been won over by my charm yet,” he joked. “I don’t need her to see me in bed with her baby boy.”
“I’ll leave before she wakes up,” Clark promised.
“Clark …”
“Ask me to stay, Oliver,” the brunet said softly. How could he resist him? Oliver found himself incapable.
“Stay.”
“Okay,” Clark replied, with a cheeky smile. “Want to try and get some sleep now?” Oliver nodded, stunned at the turn of events.
Switching off the light, Clark got comfortable next to him and Oliver relaxed into the bed.
“Good night, Ollie,” Clark said cheerfully, kissing him lightly.
“Good night,” Oliver responded.
But even as Clark drifted off, Ollie stayed up for a little longer. He had never shared a bed before with someone, not without having sex first anyway. Even then, he could count the number of people that he had actually stayed with afterwards on one hand.
This was different … Ollie was happy just being in bed with Clark. He was content to just spend time with him, doing nothing at all. And watching him sleep, he realized that there was no place Ollie would rather be than here.
That’s when it dawned on him … Oliver was falling in love with Clark Kent.
TBC