Chlollie Fanfic: Beauty in the Breakdown V - Feeling Good
I go where the Muses take me, and today, the wind is blowing in the Chlollie direction. Whee! :-D
First chapter of the Fifth installment in the Beauty in the Breakdown Series, titled Feeling Good. I hope you like it!
NB: Three chapters tops. Please don’t laugh at me if once again, I’m unable to stick to projected fic lengths. :-/
Enjoy! Awesome banner by the lovely jennyspring. Thanks so much for letting me grace my fic with your talent!
Title: Beauty in the Breakdown V - Feeling Good
Author: BabyDee
Pairing: Chlollie
Rating: NC-17 (this chapter PG-13)
Warnings: An expansion of Chlollie post-Warrior
Timeline: Season 9
Disclaimer: All characters belong to the CW & DC comics.
Summary: Chloe’s confidence begins to soar as her relationship with Oliver goes public.
Feedback: …bring it, bebe. J
As always, written for sxymami0909, based on my favourite song on the Chlollie playlist she sent me. Thank you, Cori - you’ve helped create a very beautiful monster here. J
Previous stories in the Series:
Beauty in the Breakdown I: Letting Go
Beauty in the Breakdown II: Taking Hold
Beauty in the Breakdown III: Reaching Out
Beauty in the Breakdown IV: Falling In
Beauty in the Breakdown V: Feeling Good
Birds flying high, you know how I feel
Sun in the sky, you know how I feel
Breeze driftin' on by, you know how I feel
It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me…
….And I'm feeling good
- Feeling Good, by Muse
Chapter 1
“I still don’t see why you couldn’t have just used the make-up you already have at my place,” Oliver grumbled as he turned the Ferrari onto Smallville’s Main Street and turned off the engine.
Chloe smiled at him affectionately. “Because it isn’t a perfect match for this outfit, I told you,” she patiently explained for like the fifth time, indicating her chocolate silk gown. “And there’s no way I’m going to some fancy shindig with you if I don’t look my best.”
He took her face in his hands and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “Chloe, you’re beautiful with or without make-up, you know that,” he insisted.
She chuckled gave him a quick kiss before unbuckling her seatbelt. “Yeah, but you’re my boyfriend, you have to say that. The Press, on the other hand, won’t be quite so enamoured. And no way am I embarrassing you by ending up on some ‘Worst Dressed’ list.”
Oliver folded his arms resolutely. “Well, we’re gonna be late,” he pouted.
“Yeah, and who’s fault is that, huh?” she replied with a sneaky wink. Oliver had the good grace to look a tiny bit guilty at having…distracted her…as she was getting ready for the charity ball.
He held up his hands in defeat. “Okay, fine, I’m guilty. But driving us all the way back to Smallville simply to pick up lipstick and eyeliners took twice as much time as us doing…you-know-what,” he said defensively.
Chloe kicked off her heels and got out of the car. “Two minutes, tops. Quick dash-in, dash-out, I promise. Girl Scout’s honour.”
He glanced at his watch and nodded. “Okay, my Lady. Your time starts…now!”
Chloe grinned and ran barefoot into the Talon, picking up her dress and taking the steps two-by-two up to the apartment that she shared with her cousin Lois. Quickly she threw the door open, startling said cousin and Clark who were arm-in-arm on the couch, watching TV.
“Don’t mind me,” she giggled as she breezed past the flustered pair to her dresser. “I’ll be outta here so fast you’d swear The Blur was my wingman.”
“Chloe, where have you been?” Lois asked, rising to her feet. “I haven’t seen you in two whole days!”
She shrugged. “Out,” she supplied absently, concentrating on finding her make-up bag. She knew she ought to sit Lois down and fill her in on her new status, but they rarely were home at the same time these days. Besides, she thought smugly, Oliver somehow always managed to persuade her to stay over with him in Metropolis with the most…compelling…of arguments.
“Out where?” her cousin pressed. “And where are you going to, all dressed up to-the-Nines in a dress I haven’t seen or stolen yet?”
“I’ll fill you in later,” she stressed, her eyes lighting up as she spied the satin pouch containing her make-up.
“Bingo.” She grabbed the small purse and made a beeline for the door when she was suddenly stopped by a wall of…breasts.
“Not so fast, missy,” Lois drawled sternly, halting her with an outstretched hand on the shoulder as she stared at her through narrowed eyes. “There’s something…different…about you…”
God, her cousin really did pick her moments. “Lois, I’m in kind of a hurry here, so could we maybe -”
“Omigod, you had sex!” Lois screeched, pointing at her with widened eyes.
“What?” boomed Clark from the couch, adding voice to the conversation for the first time.
“What??” Chloe echoed, her face heating instantly.
“You have a ‘sex’ glow about you, I can see it!” Lois went on triumphantly, still pointing a shaky finger in her rapidly reddening face.
“A sex glow?” Clark scoffed. “Come on!”
Lois ignored him and grinned at Chloe eagerly. “Admit it. You’ve been doing the dirty all afternoon, haven’t you?”
Well… not all afternoon, Chloe thought with a smirk.
“Don’t be silly Lois, of course she hasn’t,” Clark said almost crossly. “I mean, she’s not seeing anyone, and -”
Chloe gave up trying to get a word in edgeways and glanced at her watch.
Damn it: her two minutes were up.
“…and if she were, it certainly wouldn’t reflect on-”
“Okay, yes!” she admitted, cutting Clark off mid-stream. “I had toe-curling, mind-blowing, scintillating sex about…” she glanced at her watch again “…ninety minutes ago. Now, if you don’t mind-”
“A-ha! I knew it!” Lois squealed, jumping up and down and clapping her hands excitedly.
“Yay you,” Chloe said dryly. “Now, I really have to go before -”
“Oh, nooooooo. No way are you leaving it there, babe. Nuh-uh!” Lois exclaimed, turning the latch on the door and standing with her back against it. “Details, girl. Details!”
Clark interjected from the couch. “Lois, surely we don’t need to know all about that-”
“I’m gonna be late, Lo, please!” Chloe pleaded.
Lois relented - slightly. “Okay, quick-fire one-line answers. Who?”
“Oliver Queen.”
“Oliver QUEEN??” yelled Clark.
“OLIVER QUEEN?!?” Lois shrieked, her eyes popping open. “My Oliver Queen?”
Chloe sighed and rolled her eyes. “Come on, Lois. He hasn’t been your Oliver Queen for quite a while now.”
“Wow!” Lois exclaimed, still in disbelief. “Um…okay, when??”
Chloe thought briefly. “Intimate for six weeks, dating for five. Can I go now?” she begged.
“No, you cannot go now!” Lois yelled indignantly. “You have some ‘splainin’ to do, young lady. Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you never asked! Now I really need to go, or we’ll be late!” she cried, exasperated.
As if on cue, the purr of the Ferarri’s engine sounded loudly from the street. Chloe groaned and hurried over to the window, sticking her head out. Sure enough, Oliver was scowling up at the Talon apartment, his hand held threateningly over the horn.
“In a second!” she yelled down, blowing a kiss at him. That seemed to mollify him some, because he returned her grin and eased off the accelerator. Slightly.
She heard a movement behind her as Clark leaned out the window and stared over her shoulder. “Jesus, you weren’t kidding,” he said breathlessly.
“No I wasn’t,” she snapped, starting to get very annoyed. “I really am going to be late, guys, so can we please talk about this later?”
Lois joined them at the window and stuck her head out. “My goodness, it’s true,” she gasped. “That’s Oliver’s car!”
“Yes, and as you can see, he’s barely keeping the gas pedal contained!” Chloe said crossly.
Oliver’s brows rose as he surveyed the trio of heads above. Never one to disappoint an audience, he deftly unbuttoned his shirt and opened it wide, baring his chest as he winked up at them lasciviously.
“Ugh!” groaned Clark, covering his eyes.
“Pervert!” Lois yelled down at him gleefully.
“Well, you both deserved it,” Chloe mumbled as she extricating herself from between the two of them and headed for the door.
“Hey cuz, wait up!” Lois called. Chloe sighed in despair and turned around, half-expecting a lecture.
Instead she was greeted with a smile. “I’m happy for you, Chloe,” her cousin said with genuine warmth. “Oliver’s a nice guy, he’ll treat you well.”
Chloe softened as she always did when Oliver’s name was mentioned. “Thanks; he already is,” she said fondly.
“Yeah, who’d have thought it?” Clark drawled from the window, his tone decidedly frosty. “You, pulling Oliver Queen? Didn’t know you had it in you.”
Chloe’s brows went up in surprise at the thinly veiled insult. Oh, no he didn’t.
“Oh, I’ve had it in me several times now,” she replied smoothly. “And I’m pretty sure I’ve pulled it fairly often, too.”
Clark’s jaw hit the floor as he was stunned into silence. From behind her Lois snickered loudly at his obvious discomfort.
Ha, Chloe thought triumphantly. Swallow that, you big douche.
She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned as Lois handed over her make-up purse.
“Better go now,” she said softly. “You don’t wanna keep your man waiting.”
She smiled up at her. “Thanks, Lo. We’ll talk later, okay?”
Lois nodded, holding her close in a warm hug. “Have fun tonight,” she whispered. “At least one of us should.”
Chloe eyes twinkled mischievously. “Oh, I will. Clark?”
Clark was still staring at her with his mouth still wide open. She grinned and wiggled her fingers at him in a saucy little wave. “Toodles.”
She spun round, opened the door and sped down the stairs, feeling equal parts amused and annoyed. Where the hell did Clark get off, insinuating that she could never get or hold the attention of someone like Oliver Queen?
Her rage had cooled considerably by the time she stepped into the purring car, where a not-so-jolly Ollie was pointedly staring at his watch.
“Seven minutes, Chloe,” Oliver said with a reproachful frown. “Seven. You promised no more than two.”
“Sorry, I got held up,” she apologised as she strapped herself in. “But you’ll be pleased to know that Clark and Lois totally know all about us now.”
His frown automatically reversed as his eyebrows went up. “Oh? What did you tell them, exactly?”
She smoothed her dress down and settled comfortably into her seat. “Just that we’ve been dating for five weeks, and banging each other’s brains out for six,” she said matter-of-factly, pushing on a pair of oversized shades.
Oliver grinned, a satisfied smile lifting his lips as he threw the vehicle into gear. “Cool.”
The car roared to life and tore off down the road in the direction of Metropolis, leaving a small windblown pile of leaves where the car had been.
***
Chapter 2…