Too Late (1/1)
Author: serafina19
Title: Too Late
Summary: Chloe wakes up in the middle of the night, wondering if what had just happened could be anything other than a mistake. Sequel to One Night and Giving In.
Rating: PG-13
Too Late
But I know your face 'cause I learned it as if I was blind
In the moment, I feel like I am and I hate that I know it so well
You're always in my head, searing your thoughts in to my skin
But this still won't work, no
While she knew it was still dark outside, Chloe opened her eyes because this was far from a normal night at Watchtower.
That was because, for once, Chloe didn’t talk herself out of something she wanted. Instead, she let herself enjoy what happened, which led to sleeping next to Oliver on the couch. That concept didn't bother her before, as she had forgotten that they would inevitably have to talk about this in the morning, but that fact wasn’t lost on her now.
So she rotated her body, hoping that Oliver was still asleep. When he didn’t show any signs of the contrary, she considered testing her luck further, as she knew her clothes weren’t too far from the couch. Sure, it wasn’t like she had any place to go at this time of night, but staying here was also a dangerous concept.
However, as her eyes adjusted to the dark, Chloe started recognizing details of his face and she knew she couldn’t leave. Not only did she not like the message that would send, but it also wasn't like she regretted her earlier decisions. Or at least, she didn’t yet. There was a tiny voice in the back of her mind telling her otherwise, but when she moved her eyes down to notice Oliver’s grin, all other thoughts went away.
The grin itself wasn’t big, but it was there. It was an expression that almost became unfamiliar a few months ago, but now, things were looking better. And if Oliver was still grinning after what had happened, maybe there was a chance that this didn’t mess up things as much as she thought. After all, they were both frustrated, in more ways than one, so he probably just needed to build off some tension.
Which totally explains why he has an arm wrapped around my waist, she thought, as she wouldn't have guessed that Oliver was the cuddling type. Either way, it was a good thing she abandoned her thoughts of leaving because Chloe couldn't shake the feeling that he was holding her a little tighter now.
The bigger problem was that she couldn’t accept any other answer to Oliver's motives. Chloe didn’t know everything about Oliver, but she did know that, as much as he admired what his parents had, he accepted that part of his life wasn’t possible and the work at Queen Industries and with the team came first. And if anyone understood that philosophy over the last few months, it was Chloe.
She put Jimmy’s death behind her and put everything she had in putting the team back together. When it actually succeeded, it was a huge relief, a sign that putting her personal life to the side was the right call. It wasn’t like she ever expected to find someone who got her anyway, especially when her best friend was still struggling to be a part of her life. That was Clark’s business though, as she had moved on. Now, the team was the most important thing in her life, and Oliver’s presence was a big part of that, so his current happiness helped Chloe believe they could get through this and move on as if nothing happened.
With that, Chloe stopped thinking and let herself relax, even under these circumstances. In fact, in another life, she probably would have enjoyed this moment more, as something other than just one night. However, that didn’t stop Chloe from enjoying this feeling for a few more minutes. Even she didn't notice the smile that slipped from her lips when his grin widened slightly. She also didn’t anticipate that sleep would soon re-claim her, but that was okay. All that mattered was that things still had a chance to go back to normal in the morning.
No love, you have come too late
~End~
Coming Soon: Best Laid Plans
Scribbles: It’s funny, because I remember how much I initially debated posting “One Night,” but this whole series is turning out to be a bit of muse saver. Although this time, the lyrics are to blame (from “Too Late” by The Paper Kites). I make no promises for being “back,” as I’m still dealing with some personal issues. However, I started “Best Laid Plans” a while ago, and I am determined to finish that, along with my WIPs. I figure posting this might be the push I need to finish it, even though I practically re-wrote this (twice) tonight alone. So... here's hoping this still makes sense.
.
Title: Too Late
Summary: Chloe wakes up in the middle of the night, wondering if what had just happened could be anything other than a mistake. Sequel to One Night and Giving In.
Rating: PG-13
Too Late
But I know your face 'cause I learned it as if I was blind
In the moment, I feel like I am and I hate that I know it so well
You're always in my head, searing your thoughts in to my skin
But this still won't work, no
While she knew it was still dark outside, Chloe opened her eyes because this was far from a normal night at Watchtower.
That was because, for once, Chloe didn’t talk herself out of something she wanted. Instead, she let herself enjoy what happened, which led to sleeping next to Oliver on the couch. That concept didn't bother her before, as she had forgotten that they would inevitably have to talk about this in the morning, but that fact wasn’t lost on her now.
So she rotated her body, hoping that Oliver was still asleep. When he didn’t show any signs of the contrary, she considered testing her luck further, as she knew her clothes weren’t too far from the couch. Sure, it wasn’t like she had any place to go at this time of night, but staying here was also a dangerous concept.
However, as her eyes adjusted to the dark, Chloe started recognizing details of his face and she knew she couldn’t leave. Not only did she not like the message that would send, but it also wasn't like she regretted her earlier decisions. Or at least, she didn’t yet. There was a tiny voice in the back of her mind telling her otherwise, but when she moved her eyes down to notice Oliver’s grin, all other thoughts went away.
The grin itself wasn’t big, but it was there. It was an expression that almost became unfamiliar a few months ago, but now, things were looking better. And if Oliver was still grinning after what had happened, maybe there was a chance that this didn’t mess up things as much as she thought. After all, they were both frustrated, in more ways than one, so he probably just needed to build off some tension.
Which totally explains why he has an arm wrapped around my waist, she thought, as she wouldn't have guessed that Oliver was the cuddling type. Either way, it was a good thing she abandoned her thoughts of leaving because Chloe couldn't shake the feeling that he was holding her a little tighter now.
The bigger problem was that she couldn’t accept any other answer to Oliver's motives. Chloe didn’t know everything about Oliver, but she did know that, as much as he admired what his parents had, he accepted that part of his life wasn’t possible and the work at Queen Industries and with the team came first. And if anyone understood that philosophy over the last few months, it was Chloe.
She put Jimmy’s death behind her and put everything she had in putting the team back together. When it actually succeeded, it was a huge relief, a sign that putting her personal life to the side was the right call. It wasn’t like she ever expected to find someone who got her anyway, especially when her best friend was still struggling to be a part of her life. That was Clark’s business though, as she had moved on. Now, the team was the most important thing in her life, and Oliver’s presence was a big part of that, so his current happiness helped Chloe believe they could get through this and move on as if nothing happened.
With that, Chloe stopped thinking and let herself relax, even under these circumstances. In fact, in another life, she probably would have enjoyed this moment more, as something other than just one night. However, that didn’t stop Chloe from enjoying this feeling for a few more minutes. Even she didn't notice the smile that slipped from her lips when his grin widened slightly. She also didn’t anticipate that sleep would soon re-claim her, but that was okay. All that mattered was that things still had a chance to go back to normal in the morning.
No love, you have come too late
~End~
Coming Soon: Best Laid Plans
Scribbles: It’s funny, because I remember how much I initially debated posting “One Night,” but this whole series is turning out to be a bit of muse saver. Although this time, the lyrics are to blame (from “Too Late” by The Paper Kites). I make no promises for being “back,” as I’m still dealing with some personal issues. However, I started “Best Laid Plans” a while ago, and I am determined to finish that, along with my WIPs. I figure posting this might be the push I need to finish it, even though I practically re-wrote this (twice) tonight alone. So... here's hoping this still makes sense.
.