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fic: you don't need to race (i'm already yours)- clark/oliver
Title: you don't need to race (i'm already yours)
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing/Characters: Clark/Oliver, Tess
Prompt: #09 "blankets"
Word Count: 2247
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: don't own anything
Summary: Clark finds Oliver sleeping at Watchtower.
Author's Notes: for my![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
25fluffyfics table
AO3 link
Thank God it’s Friday.
Clark was more than ready for the week, which felt like it had been going on forever, to be over. He just had to stop by Watchtower to check in with Tess, go through patrol, and then he could go back to Smallville for the weekend.
While he had gotten an apartment in Metropolis to avoid suspicion about how he was making the commute to work, and as much as he had gotten used to it, he did miss the farm and it would be nice to get away from the city. Sure, he would have to come back to Metropolis in the evenings, but at least he would have some time to himself.
As he stepped through the doors leading to the main floor of the Watchtower, it wasn’t Tess that caught his eye. In fact, she wasn’t even around. There was someone else though, an all too familiar face, one that he always liked seeing but hadn’t been expecting to that evening.
Oliver didn’t take notice of his presence, not that he could’ve taken notice of anyone’s really, because he was fast asleep on the couch against the back wall. A recent addition that was clearly already being made use of, and Clark’s heart warmed at the sight. There was a gift bag resting at his feet, but Clark was too focused on Oliver to really pay it any attention.
It had been ten days (and seven hours and six minutes, his mind chipped in helpfully), since he had seen Oliver, as he had been on a business trip to Italy. Clark hadn’t expected him to return until late Sunday night. Seems he got back early.
And was clearly tired. Probably going through a little bit of jet lag. He silently wondered why Oliver would even be there. He wasn’t on duty, and surely he would be more comfortable in his own bed?
Watching Oliver shift in his sleep, Clark pursed his lips, and made a quick decision. Speeding out, headed to his apartment and returned a few minutes later with a pillow and a hunter green fleece blanket. His mom had gotten him a red one just like it last year, and it was one of the softest things he had ever owned, so he had found and bought a couple more, intending to give them as gifts. He hadn’t known when an appropriate time was to give it to Oliver.
Now is as good time as any. At least he wouldn’t have to witness his reaction.
He closed the distance between them, and as carefully as he could, lifted Oliver’s head to slide the pillow underneath it, and slowly covered him with the blanket, tucking in the edges. Taking a few steps backward, he smiled in relief as Oliver continued to sleep peacefully. He watched Oliver for a few moments, expression openly affectionate in a way he didn’t allow it to be when the other man was awake, before spinning around, and barely managed to restrain from gawking.
At some point, Tess had shown up, a cup of coffee in her hands, her expression amused as she stared at him. She was like a cat, stealthy as can be, but he really should’ve been more aware of his surroundings.
“Hey, Tess,” he greeted her, hoping she hadn’t been standing there long or that she wouldn’t read too much into the situation.
“You know, if you’re not careful, he is going to notice,” she replied. She was smiling, but her tone was gentle, which actually made him feel worse.
“There isn’t anything to notice,” Clark insisted, but he couldn’t even convince himself.
She took a sip of her coffee and raised an eyebrow. “You want to try that again?”
“Not particularly,” he admitted. “There’s, it’s fine, I have it under control.”
“You don’t need to, you know,” she pointed out. “There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s easy to have feelings for him.”
“Speaking from experience?” he offered. Tess just shrugged. “Past or present?”
“Worried about the competition?” she retorted.
Clark shook his head. “Not to make Oliver sound like some sort of trophy, but let’s face it: I’m not even in the race.”
Walking around him, she took a seat one of the desk chairs and watched him curiously. “Are you sure?”
He slowly headed toward her, to keep some distance between himself and Oliver, hoping the conversation wouldn’t wake him up. “Yeah, I am. Doubt I’m eligible.”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” Tess responded, between sips of her coffee.
“I appreciate the encouragement, but you’re wrong here,” he told her. Glancing at her cup and wanting to change the topic, he added, “That smells good. It’s not the usual stuff we have here, is it?”
“No, Oliver picked this up in Italy,” Tess informed him. “He knows I have a liking for the brand. It’s good, you should try some.”
“Maybe another time,” Clark replied, smiling. “You want to talk about that race again?”
“Just because he knows what kind of coffee I like doesn’t mean he wants to date me,” Tess countered. “And let’s be clear: I don’t want to date him.”
He glanced over at Oliver and back at Tess. “That’s a surprise. I always thought the two of you might try again someday.” Meeting her eyes, he said, “You know, if you did, I would never do or say anything to get in the way, right?”
“I know,” she assured him. “But we’re both past that stage. Maybe a few years ago, if things had been different, but I’m good with what we have now.”
Clark nodded, accepting her answer. Even if it wasn’t Tess, it still wouldn’t be him.
Tess stood up abruptly. “Now that you’re here, I have to run a quick errand. Can you cover for me or do you have to head out on patrol?”
“I can dart in and out if needed,” Clark assured her.
She nodded her thanks, and started to head out. “Watch over Sleeping Beauty,” she teased.
“I’ll do my best,” Clark replied, grinning, as he walked with her to the door. Once she was gone, he headed toward the desk with the police scanner, listening to see if there was anything worth leaving for, while making sure to train his hearing to keep track of any potential trouble nearby.
A rustling sound behind him had him spinning around, and he couldn’t help but smile at seeing Oliver sit up, rubbing his eyes. When the other man caught his gaze, Ollie shot him a sleepy smile. Something about Oliver with his blond hair messy, one hand still clutching the blanket, and not looking completely immaculate made his heart skip a beat.
“Evening,” Clark greeted him instead.
“Is that what it is?” Oliver asked, yawning. “The days have gone by so quickly. I think I lost track of time somewhere around Florence.”
“You could’ve gone back to your place and caught up on some rest,” Clark reminded him. “That couch is nice, but I’m sure your bed is better.” Not that Clark had ever spent any time thinking of Oliver’s bed. Or himself in Oliver’s bed.
“Maybe, but this blanket is soft,” Oliver remarked, running a hand over it. “Where did you get it?”
“There was a website online,” Clark explained. “Mom told me about it. That one was for you so you can keep it, if you’d like.”
Oliver nodded. “Thanks, I will.” He rubbed his eyes. “Oh man, I need to get some coffee.”
“I can get it for you,” Clark offered. “Though I really think you should go home and catch up on sleep. You seem to need it.”
“Here I thought I would stay and keep you company,” Oliver joked. “Didn’t you miss me?”
“Yes, I didn’t know how I could go another minute without seeing your face,” Clark retorted dryly.
“That’s why I thought,” Oliver replied, visibly smug. Standing up, he stretched a few times, before grabbing the bag and making his way toward Clark, handing it to him. “Which is why I brought you something.”
Clark was surprised, looking between the bag and Oliver. Accepting it slowly, he said, “Oliver, you didn’t have to do that.”
Oliver just shrugged. “Yeah, I wanted to. What’s the point of going somewhere if you are not going to return with souvenirs for your friends?”
“Not like you were traveling for fun,” Clark pointed out. Looking into the bag, he pulled out its contents, revealing boxes of chocolates, a bottle of wine, and a dark blue sweater made out of a material that looked expensive and was extremely soft. When he met Oliver’s eyes, speechless, he saw that Oliver was carefully watching his reactions.
“I know you don’t drink much,” Oliver was quick to say. “But you can’t go to Italy and not get wine. Also, it is a slightly lighter tasting red wine, which I think you might like.”
“I’m sure I will,” Clark assured him. “Thank you. These are all great.”
“You’re welcome,” Oliver replied. Pausing for a moment, he continued, in a thoughtful voice. “You know, Italy was beautiful, even though I was mostly working. It has been a while since I have gone there for fun. Next time, if I can steal you away from work, you should come with me.”
A vacation with Oliver? Seemed like a dream come true. Clark smiled, even if he wasn’t sure it would ever be a reality.
“Sounds like fun,” he said, wanting to believe just for a moment. “Are we at the vacationing together stage of our friendship?”
“It can’t all be about saving lives, can it?” Oliver joked. He paused to yawn again, and Clark’s smile widened.
“You know, you can get some sleep if you’d like,” Clark suggested. “Since you seemed to be okay on that couch, you don’t even have to leave. I mean, I will probably be in and out, but Tess should be back soon.”
“Nah, I want to stay up for a few more hours, and try to beat this jet lag quickly,” Oliver insisted. “Besides, I’m kind of a light sleeper anyway, so I will wait till I get home.”
The smile faded as a worry edged in the back of his mind. “You are?”
Oliver nodded, serious again. “Yeah, actually, I have been since the island. Had to learn to be more alert of my surroundings after all.”
“Right, but you seemed to be sleeping soundly when I got here,” Clark said, keeping his voice steady. “You must’ve been tired.”
“I’m pretty good at faking it,” Oliver confessed, his words completely freezing Clark in his spot. Oh no.
“So when did you wake up exactly?” Clark asked, hoping his facial expression didn’t reveal how nervous he actually was. He was better off knowing, even if he would not like the answers, or at least that is what he told himself.
“I think I heard you come in the first time, but I was mostly dozing in and out until Tess returned,” Oliver admitted.
“So you heard-?” Clark could hardly get the words out.
“Everything,” Oliver confirmed, bringing Clark’s fears to light, and he suddenly felt like he was going to be sick. What must Oliver be thinking now? Had he been trying to find a way to let Clark down gently all this time?
“Look, Oliver,” Clark started, trying to find words, but his mind was blank and he was unable to come up with words. Did Tess know that Oliver could be awake? After all, she had been in a relationship with Oliver, post-island. She was his friend, and he had trusted her for a while, but it was hard not to feel at least a little set up.
As if sensing Clark’s panic, Oliver frowned, his hands moving to rest on Clark’s shoulders. “Hey, sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out. This isn’t a bad thing. I’m not upset.”
“You’re not?” Clark managed.
“No, and I didn’t mean to put you on the spot,” Oliver insisted. “I didn’t make that comment with the expectation that you would put two and two together. But it is probably better; I did want to talk about it eventually.”
“You do?” Clearly, Clark was eloquent that evening. Some reporter he was. He should just give Perry his resignation right now. And maybe find a hole to climb in.
Oliver nodded. “Yes, because I’m not sorry I heard it, Clark. The exact opposite really.” Clark could only watch in shock as Oliver took his hands and clasped them in his own. “And I bet you’re feeling a little set up right now, but even if Tess knew I might be awake, she didn’t do it to hurt you. I think she just got sick of my pining.”
“Your pining?” Clark repeated. This conversation was not going the way he ever expected it to go.
Releasing Clark’s hands, he raised his own to cup Clark’s face. “Yes. And here’s the thing: you don’t have to run any races, because you’ve already won.” He let out a self-depreciating laugh. “Well, if you could call this winning.”
“I do,” Clark said, resting his hands on Oliver’s waist. “You have no idea.”
“So do I make a pretty trophy?” Oliver murmured, bringing his face closer to Clark’s.
“The prettiest of them all,” Clark agreed, chuckling, as their lips met.
And it was one he would take care of for all his days.
Fandom: Smallville
Pairing/Characters: Clark/Oliver, Tess
Prompt: #09 "blankets"
Word Count: 2247
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: don't own anything
Summary: Clark finds Oliver sleeping at Watchtower.
Author's Notes: for my
25fluffyfics tableAO3 link
Thank God it’s Friday.
Clark was more than ready for the week, which felt like it had been going on forever, to be over. He just had to stop by Watchtower to check in with Tess, go through patrol, and then he could go back to Smallville for the weekend.
While he had gotten an apartment in Metropolis to avoid suspicion about how he was making the commute to work, and as much as he had gotten used to it, he did miss the farm and it would be nice to get away from the city. Sure, he would have to come back to Metropolis in the evenings, but at least he would have some time to himself.
As he stepped through the doors leading to the main floor of the Watchtower, it wasn’t Tess that caught his eye. In fact, she wasn’t even around. There was someone else though, an all too familiar face, one that he always liked seeing but hadn’t been expecting to that evening.
Oliver didn’t take notice of his presence, not that he could’ve taken notice of anyone’s really, because he was fast asleep on the couch against the back wall. A recent addition that was clearly already being made use of, and Clark’s heart warmed at the sight. There was a gift bag resting at his feet, but Clark was too focused on Oliver to really pay it any attention.
It had been ten days (and seven hours and six minutes, his mind chipped in helpfully), since he had seen Oliver, as he had been on a business trip to Italy. Clark hadn’t expected him to return until late Sunday night. Seems he got back early.
And was clearly tired. Probably going through a little bit of jet lag. He silently wondered why Oliver would even be there. He wasn’t on duty, and surely he would be more comfortable in his own bed?
Watching Oliver shift in his sleep, Clark pursed his lips, and made a quick decision. Speeding out, headed to his apartment and returned a few minutes later with a pillow and a hunter green fleece blanket. His mom had gotten him a red one just like it last year, and it was one of the softest things he had ever owned, so he had found and bought a couple more, intending to give them as gifts. He hadn’t known when an appropriate time was to give it to Oliver.
Now is as good time as any. At least he wouldn’t have to witness his reaction.
He closed the distance between them, and as carefully as he could, lifted Oliver’s head to slide the pillow underneath it, and slowly covered him with the blanket, tucking in the edges. Taking a few steps backward, he smiled in relief as Oliver continued to sleep peacefully. He watched Oliver for a few moments, expression openly affectionate in a way he didn’t allow it to be when the other man was awake, before spinning around, and barely managed to restrain from gawking.
At some point, Tess had shown up, a cup of coffee in her hands, her expression amused as she stared at him. She was like a cat, stealthy as can be, but he really should’ve been more aware of his surroundings.
“Hey, Tess,” he greeted her, hoping she hadn’t been standing there long or that she wouldn’t read too much into the situation.
“You know, if you’re not careful, he is going to notice,” she replied. She was smiling, but her tone was gentle, which actually made him feel worse.
“There isn’t anything to notice,” Clark insisted, but he couldn’t even convince himself.
She took a sip of her coffee and raised an eyebrow. “You want to try that again?”
“Not particularly,” he admitted. “There’s, it’s fine, I have it under control.”
“You don’t need to, you know,” she pointed out. “There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s easy to have feelings for him.”
“Speaking from experience?” he offered. Tess just shrugged. “Past or present?”
“Worried about the competition?” she retorted.
Clark shook his head. “Not to make Oliver sound like some sort of trophy, but let’s face it: I’m not even in the race.”
Walking around him, she took a seat one of the desk chairs and watched him curiously. “Are you sure?”
He slowly headed toward her, to keep some distance between himself and Oliver, hoping the conversation wouldn’t wake him up. “Yeah, I am. Doubt I’m eligible.”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” Tess responded, between sips of her coffee.
“I appreciate the encouragement, but you’re wrong here,” he told her. Glancing at her cup and wanting to change the topic, he added, “That smells good. It’s not the usual stuff we have here, is it?”
“No, Oliver picked this up in Italy,” Tess informed him. “He knows I have a liking for the brand. It’s good, you should try some.”
“Maybe another time,” Clark replied, smiling. “You want to talk about that race again?”
“Just because he knows what kind of coffee I like doesn’t mean he wants to date me,” Tess countered. “And let’s be clear: I don’t want to date him.”
He glanced over at Oliver and back at Tess. “That’s a surprise. I always thought the two of you might try again someday.” Meeting her eyes, he said, “You know, if you did, I would never do or say anything to get in the way, right?”
“I know,” she assured him. “But we’re both past that stage. Maybe a few years ago, if things had been different, but I’m good with what we have now.”
Clark nodded, accepting her answer. Even if it wasn’t Tess, it still wouldn’t be him.
Tess stood up abruptly. “Now that you’re here, I have to run a quick errand. Can you cover for me or do you have to head out on patrol?”
“I can dart in and out if needed,” Clark assured her.
She nodded her thanks, and started to head out. “Watch over Sleeping Beauty,” she teased.
“I’ll do my best,” Clark replied, grinning, as he walked with her to the door. Once she was gone, he headed toward the desk with the police scanner, listening to see if there was anything worth leaving for, while making sure to train his hearing to keep track of any potential trouble nearby.
A rustling sound behind him had him spinning around, and he couldn’t help but smile at seeing Oliver sit up, rubbing his eyes. When the other man caught his gaze, Ollie shot him a sleepy smile. Something about Oliver with his blond hair messy, one hand still clutching the blanket, and not looking completely immaculate made his heart skip a beat.
“Evening,” Clark greeted him instead.
“Is that what it is?” Oliver asked, yawning. “The days have gone by so quickly. I think I lost track of time somewhere around Florence.”
“You could’ve gone back to your place and caught up on some rest,” Clark reminded him. “That couch is nice, but I’m sure your bed is better.” Not that Clark had ever spent any time thinking of Oliver’s bed. Or himself in Oliver’s bed.
“Maybe, but this blanket is soft,” Oliver remarked, running a hand over it. “Where did you get it?”
“There was a website online,” Clark explained. “Mom told me about it. That one was for you so you can keep it, if you’d like.”
Oliver nodded. “Thanks, I will.” He rubbed his eyes. “Oh man, I need to get some coffee.”
“I can get it for you,” Clark offered. “Though I really think you should go home and catch up on sleep. You seem to need it.”
“Here I thought I would stay and keep you company,” Oliver joked. “Didn’t you miss me?”
“Yes, I didn’t know how I could go another minute without seeing your face,” Clark retorted dryly.
“That’s why I thought,” Oliver replied, visibly smug. Standing up, he stretched a few times, before grabbing the bag and making his way toward Clark, handing it to him. “Which is why I brought you something.”
Clark was surprised, looking between the bag and Oliver. Accepting it slowly, he said, “Oliver, you didn’t have to do that.”
Oliver just shrugged. “Yeah, I wanted to. What’s the point of going somewhere if you are not going to return with souvenirs for your friends?”
“Not like you were traveling for fun,” Clark pointed out. Looking into the bag, he pulled out its contents, revealing boxes of chocolates, a bottle of wine, and a dark blue sweater made out of a material that looked expensive and was extremely soft. When he met Oliver’s eyes, speechless, he saw that Oliver was carefully watching his reactions.
“I know you don’t drink much,” Oliver was quick to say. “But you can’t go to Italy and not get wine. Also, it is a slightly lighter tasting red wine, which I think you might like.”
“I’m sure I will,” Clark assured him. “Thank you. These are all great.”
“You’re welcome,” Oliver replied. Pausing for a moment, he continued, in a thoughtful voice. “You know, Italy was beautiful, even though I was mostly working. It has been a while since I have gone there for fun. Next time, if I can steal you away from work, you should come with me.”
A vacation with Oliver? Seemed like a dream come true. Clark smiled, even if he wasn’t sure it would ever be a reality.
“Sounds like fun,” he said, wanting to believe just for a moment. “Are we at the vacationing together stage of our friendship?”
“It can’t all be about saving lives, can it?” Oliver joked. He paused to yawn again, and Clark’s smile widened.
“You know, you can get some sleep if you’d like,” Clark suggested. “Since you seemed to be okay on that couch, you don’t even have to leave. I mean, I will probably be in and out, but Tess should be back soon.”
“Nah, I want to stay up for a few more hours, and try to beat this jet lag quickly,” Oliver insisted. “Besides, I’m kind of a light sleeper anyway, so I will wait till I get home.”
The smile faded as a worry edged in the back of his mind. “You are?”
Oliver nodded, serious again. “Yeah, actually, I have been since the island. Had to learn to be more alert of my surroundings after all.”
“Right, but you seemed to be sleeping soundly when I got here,” Clark said, keeping his voice steady. “You must’ve been tired.”
“I’m pretty good at faking it,” Oliver confessed, his words completely freezing Clark in his spot. Oh no.
“So when did you wake up exactly?” Clark asked, hoping his facial expression didn’t reveal how nervous he actually was. He was better off knowing, even if he would not like the answers, or at least that is what he told himself.
“I think I heard you come in the first time, but I was mostly dozing in and out until Tess returned,” Oliver admitted.
“So you heard-?” Clark could hardly get the words out.
“Everything,” Oliver confirmed, bringing Clark’s fears to light, and he suddenly felt like he was going to be sick. What must Oliver be thinking now? Had he been trying to find a way to let Clark down gently all this time?
“Look, Oliver,” Clark started, trying to find words, but his mind was blank and he was unable to come up with words. Did Tess know that Oliver could be awake? After all, she had been in a relationship with Oliver, post-island. She was his friend, and he had trusted her for a while, but it was hard not to feel at least a little set up.
As if sensing Clark’s panic, Oliver frowned, his hands moving to rest on Clark’s shoulders. “Hey, sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out. This isn’t a bad thing. I’m not upset.”
“You’re not?” Clark managed.
“No, and I didn’t mean to put you on the spot,” Oliver insisted. “I didn’t make that comment with the expectation that you would put two and two together. But it is probably better; I did want to talk about it eventually.”
“You do?” Clearly, Clark was eloquent that evening. Some reporter he was. He should just give Perry his resignation right now. And maybe find a hole to climb in.
Oliver nodded. “Yes, because I’m not sorry I heard it, Clark. The exact opposite really.” Clark could only watch in shock as Oliver took his hands and clasped them in his own. “And I bet you’re feeling a little set up right now, but even if Tess knew I might be awake, she didn’t do it to hurt you. I think she just got sick of my pining.”
“Your pining?” Clark repeated. This conversation was not going the way he ever expected it to go.
Releasing Clark’s hands, he raised his own to cup Clark’s face. “Yes. And here’s the thing: you don’t have to run any races, because you’ve already won.” He let out a self-depreciating laugh. “Well, if you could call this winning.”
“I do,” Clark said, resting his hands on Oliver’s waist. “You have no idea.”
“So do I make a pretty trophy?” Oliver murmured, bringing his face closer to Clark’s.
“The prettiest of them all,” Clark agreed, chuckling, as their lips met.
And it was one he would take care of for all his days.