Questions with dl_greenarrow

[chloesullivan]

Chloe didn't get it. It just made no sense at all. Why would Oliver send her flowers? And at the Planet nonetheless.

They had been delivered that afternoon, a huge bouquet of tulips in every imaginable color. Bright colors. Colors that made everyone in the office stop and ask her who they were from. By the end of the day, Chloe's answer of choice: 'a friend' had caused more gossip than she would have liked.

The only good thing about it was that Jimmy looked pissed every time he glanced at the flowers. Not that she cared what he thought, it was his own fault for choosing Kara over her.

Still, she needed answers, which was why as soon as she got back to the clock tower with the massive bouquet and managed to place it over the counter, she pulled her phone up and called Oliver.

Comments

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

Oliver was getting his things together to leave the office in Star City for the day when his cell phone rang. He didn't even glance at caller ID before picking it up and pressing it to his ear. "Queen," he answered,

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"Well, thank you, I guess," she told him, sliding her shoes off then raising her eyebrows, "but what the hell was that for?"

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

The sound of Chloe's voice made him pause. "Sorry?"

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"The flowers, what was that for?" She demanded, leaning back against the kitchen counter. She even had to double check the calendar and make sure it wasn't her birthday or something.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He sighed inwardly. Only Chloe would be pissed that someone had sent her flowers for no reason. Figured.

"A speedy friend may have mentioned tulips were your favorite," he said nonchalantly.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"They are, thanks," she told him again, which was about as much gratitude as he should expect from her, "but that doesn't explain why."

She had been on edge since Oliver's last visit. Something was off and she couldn't figure out what it was because every time she tried to, he seemed to manage to find the perfect way to distract her and she wanted to know what the hell he was distracting her from.

If there was something she didn't like, it was not knowing what to expect, especially in her situation with Oliver.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He wanted to point out that most women would be thrilled to get flowers, but he reminded himself that Chloe certainly wasn't most women.

"No reason in particular," he said honestly, shrugging a little and sitting back down at his desk after closing the door. "I saw them, I thought of you, and I thought what the hell."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"Right," she shifted uncomfortably because she wasn't sure how she felt about that, and she had to make an extra effort to ignore the small part of her that got excited at the thought that he was thinking of her.

Because if she allowed herself to think that way, it would all go to hell.

"Most people just call or text." She managed to add casually, even if she really wanted this conversation to end now.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"When have either of us ever been most people, Chloe?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"We aren't," she paused, shrugging a little, and looking at the flowers, "and that shouldn't change."

Nothing should change, not between them and he was changing things and while Chloe didn't usually mind changes and actually welcomed it because it made things less boring, there were only two ways this thing between them could change, and no matter which way it went, it would end it, so it was better not to let it change at all.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

Oliver fell silent for a moment. "It isn't," he responded. "We're still the same people. I don't think a few flowers changes that."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"Good." She said firmly, looking away from the flowers, "I don't want anything to change." And she still wasn't willing to have that conversation, but she wanted to make that clear.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

His chest tightened a little and he wondered what he'd really expected. Had he really thought a bouquet of her favorite flowers would make her care anything about him for reasons besides their arrangement?

"Neither do I," he responded as casually as he could.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"Good," she said again, pulling the phone away and taking a deep breath, "I guess... thanks for the flowers, then, but you don't have to do that."

Because that kind of thing just wasn't for her, what she and Oliver had, casual sex between friends was easier to deal with, anything else was messy and never ended well. Which was why she kept her feelings far away from this whole things.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"I know I don't have to," he answered, frowning involuntarily. Rubbing a hand over the back of his neck, he felt the awkward tension beginning to stretch between them once more. He needed to get rid of it, fast. "How'd Jimmy react?"

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe paused at the question and raised her eyebrows a little, "he kept glaring at them," she told him, her voice a little quieter than usual and she had the feeling he was distracting her again.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

He forced a smile into his tone. "Mission accomplished then."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

She frowned at that, yeah, he was trying to distract her, "you don't really expect me to believe you did this to piss Jimmy off, do you?"

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Why else would I have done it?" he questioned.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," she told him, she didn't know what made less sense, that he was thinking of her, or that he cared enough to want to piss Jimmy off.

To be fair, she was surprised he even remembered Jimmy existed.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Well, you're right. Pissing Jimmy off was just a nice bonus," he responded with a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. But it wasn't like she was looking at him, so it didn't matter.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

"So I still don't know why you sent them," she pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Yes, you do. I told you, I saw them and thought of you so I sent them. Relax, Chloe, there's no ulterior motive involved," he said, his voice a little shorter than he'd intended to be.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

She frowned at the tone his voice had taken and pursed her lips together, at lease she knew she had been right, "okay then, I'll let you go."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Sure," he said evenly. "Have a good evening."

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Her eyes narrowed a little, she wanted to ask him when he would be in town next, but stopped herself, "yeah, you too."

[dl-greenarrow.livejournal.com]

"Goodbye, Chloe." His voice grew very quiet.

[chloeas.livejournal.com]

Chloe frowned a little more and sighed, "bye," she told him before hanging up.

She had the feeling he was going to vanish on her again.