Survive - Arrow Fanfiction

Chapter Ten

It takes her days to get used to the knife in her hand, and weeks for Olivia to even find an opening in Slade's meticulous defences. He's too fast and too strong. A few weeks ago she would have given up and chucked the knife at his stupid face and stormed off. Now she pushes herself until she is quicker than him. She will never be able to beat him with her strength, but with speed, she has a chance.

Their latest training session starts out the same. It's not until they're about to pack up and head home when she manages to get the drop on Slade by pressing her knife into his thigh and just as she's about to drive the knife home, Slade captures her wrist and squeezes so hard until she drops the knife with a cry. She lunges after it but Slade drags her back and spins her around so that her back is to his chest. Slade wraps an arm tightly around her struggling body as she tries to escape. With a gasp she manages to free her arm and catches Slade's arm just before he can press his knife to her throat.

But it's no use, he is far too strong as he moves the blade closer and closer. Olivia grits her teeth as she uses every bit of her strength to hold him back. Scrambling for a way out, she curses herself. She had been so close to finally beating him. She forces herself to remember everything Slade had told her after every one of her defeats, but only one thing comes to mind.

"You're too small to beat a man of my size if you rely on strength alone. You will have to be smart and quick, kid. Anything around you can be a weapon. Use everything at your disposal."

Olivia leans forward sinks her teeth into his hand so hard she can taste blood. Slade sucks in a sharp breath behind her but he doesn't drop the knife, he only loosens his grip. Not giving him time to recover, Olivia throws her head back and smashes her head into his chin, once and then twice until he's letting go of her. Olivia kicks him in the back of his knee and Slade falls to the ground, his knife falling from his hand as he goes. Slade fumbles for his fallen knife but Olivia is too quick as she kicks it away and climbs on top of him as he already trying to get up. She reaches into her boot and quickly presses the blade of her knife to Slade's throat.

"You're dead," she says softly, struggling to catch her breath as Slade still beneath her. An astonished laugh escapes her as it finally dawns on her. She's beaten him. She's actually beaten him!

"Since when do you keep a knife in your boot?" Slade demands incredulously.

"Since you told me to be smart," Olivia replies, the surprised look on his face just making her laugh harder. "I actually beat you!" She finally tucks her knife back in her boot and smiles widely.

Slade looks at her and slowly smiles. The look he gives her thrills her as she realises that he's actually proud of her. He opens his mouth and she's unprepared for what he says. "I've never heard you laugh."

Olivia smiles shyly and looks down. "I haven't had a lot to laugh about recently," she says quietly. Meeting his gaze head on once more, it dawns on her that she's actually straddling Slade Wilson right now. Looking into his eyes, the look he's giving her makes her want to lean down and capture his lips, but all she does is clear her throat and climbs to her feet. She turns away to see the sun set as Slade gets to his feet and when she turns back he's back to his normal stoic self with his emotions carefully concealed behind an impenetrable wall.

"It's getting dark," Slade says, his voice gruff with something Olivia can't name. "We should head back." He turns and walks away before she can even open her mouth to reply.

The short walk back to the fuselage is silent and tense. She's pretty sure that she's never felt so awkward in her entire life. Her eyes do not leave Slade's back as he leads her back home, and when they get there, he acts as though he's invisible. He busies himself with unlacing his boots and strips his gear. The sight of Slade's naked chest is something she has become used to over the past weeks, though it does cause her breath to catch in her throat.

There's been men. A lot of men. But compared to Slade, every one of them were boys. Slade is one hundred percent all man. From the wide set of his shoulders to the ripple of his muscles with his every movement. He's lived and experienced so much, he is so much more than the boys she used to entertain herself with.

With one look she could get any man she wanted to entertain herself for the night. But with Slade, everything has been different since the beginning. He didn't fall over himself to get her attention so that he could spend a night with the Princess of Starling City. Slade calls her out when she's being a brat and he refuses to take any of her bullshit. Instead of protecting her and treating her like a delicate flower, he teaches her to protect herself. He pushes her to better herself everyday.

Perhaps most importantly, he's taught her to survive the impossible.

Whatever he feels for her - and she refuses to believe that this is one sided - he fights it. And she's bloody tired of it.

"What's crawled up your ass and died?" Olivia snaps.

Slade freezes at her words. He drops his top and slowly turns towards her. "What?" Slade growls, finally looking at her. All traces of his soft eyes and proud smile are gone and instead he's looking at her as though she's a stranger.

Fuck that.

"One minute you're all proud and nice and then the next you're acting like I've killed your dog. What's going on?"

Slade draws himself to his full height and glares down at her. He steps closer to her, looking down at her where he stood within her shadow. Their gazes lock. She does not back away as she would have all those weeks ago when they had first met. Instead she steps closer, so close that she can feel the heat from his body as he stares down at her with solemn eyes. Olivia tilts her head up, and his mouth is close enough to kiss. Slowly, she raises a hand between them to touch his bare chest, and his heart is beating erratically beneath her hand. They share a breath, and just as Olivia leans in, Slade turns his head away.

"Slade please-"

"You should sleep," he says, his voice hard as he steps away from her and picks up his shirt. She's having none of it though as she follows him.

"Dammit will you just listen to me? Stop playing this off!"

"Look kid, we're not doing this-"

"I'm not a kid! I'm an adult and it's about time that you treat me like one. Don't try to make this into an age thing."

"Listen kid," he sighs, sounding every bit as pissed off as she does. "You're just feeling like this because I'm the only guy around here. I've protected you and that's bound to cause some feelings that have confused you."

"This isn't some pathetic crush because you're the only man around here who hasn't tried to kill me or rape me," Olivia snaps. "There's something going on between us, and you know it. If you don't believe that what we've been doing here means something then you're a liar. You're lying to me, but you're lying to yourself too."

"I don't feel the same way," Slade growls. "You're too young for me, and right now, getting laid isn't high on my list of priorities. We don't need distractions. That's what gets you killed."

Olivia flinches away from him. A distraction? It's like a slap to the face. Does he honestly think that she would risk their already shaky relationship for a quick fuck? Olivia clenches her jaw.

"I don't believe you," she whispers. "We're stronger together than apart. I truly believe that. But you don't, do you? You were quite happy to go it alone before I showed up and became a burden. You look at me and see a dead girl, don't you?" Olivia says, her voice tight with tears. She waits for him to contradict her, but his silence says it all. He looks away as a tear escapes. She's so fucking weak. Brushing it away, she says softly, "That's why you won't let yourself fall for me. Well, let me tell you something Slade Wilson. I'm going to prove you wrong."

She turns away but he catches her hand before she can escape. "Olivia this is for the best-"

"Just don't," Olivia says in defeat. She snatches her hand out of his and climbs into bed. She makes sure to turn her back towards him as she finally lets herself cry for what she's lost and for what will never be.