Title: Killing Me Softly Author: Agarwaenloth Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Clark/Oliver Warnings: Mentions of suicidal themes Summary: AU of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' Clark bonds with Oliver shortly after meeting him, but Oliver's with Lois...

He had tried to deny it. There was no way that he had fallen for those warm brown liquid eyes, or that sensuous mouth, or that silky blonde hair, or that fabulous body. No. There was no possible way on this planet that Clark Kent could be in love with Oliver Queen. Right?

Who was he kidding? Certainly not himself. His heart would flutter every time he saw the blonde billionaire. His mere presence would give Clark the hope that everything would be alright, that he could defeat anything that came his way. He wanted so badly to be able to hold onto that feeling, and hold onto Ollie, but he couldn't do that.

Oliver was with Lois, and they were good together, Clark had to admit. Both of them deserved all the happiness in the world. While he and her may have gotten out on a somewhat rocky start, Lois Lane had somehow managed to worm her way into his heart with her sharp tongue and wit. In a way, she had become the sister that Clark had never really wanted but still loved anyway. And if she and Oliver made each other happy, Clark was not going to interfere with that.

However, the downside to that was that, while being with Oliver made him feel as if he could overcome anything, once the decision to let Lois have him had been firmly cemented in Clark's psyche, he had felt powerless. It was as if he were adrift in a sea of uncertainty. He felt as if he could do nothing right, as if his world held no meaning. All of his past mistakes, real or imaginary, were coming back to haunt him and all of his fears about the future were weighing heavily on his mind. He tried to hide his depression from everyone around him, but those closest to him knew that something was up. Hell, even Lex had showed concern for him the last time he saw him.

He couldn't take their questioning looks of concern. So, he had begun to avoid everyone. Most days he spent all day in his loft, after superspeeding through his chores of course. He would have felt even worse if he knew that the farm was suffering because of his neglect. His mom was extremely worried, but had given up pressing him for answers after the first week. She had taken to bringing his meals up to the loft, believing him to eat them. However, most days, he just fed the food to Shelby. He couldn't eat, could barely sleep. The days were beginning to run together, and life barely seemed worth living.

And the lead box that currently sat on his desk looked very inviting...

OoooOoooOoooO

Lois stared absentmindedly down at the coffee in her hand and sighed.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Oliver said with a smile, sitting down next to her on the bench where she was waiting for Chloe.

She raised her eyebrow and smirked at him. "What? Only a penny? You'd think a billionaire would be able to afford more," she commented to her ex-boyfriend. They had broken up about a week ago, both having realized that there was no real spark between them. They both cared for the other, but not really in a romantic kind of way. Besides, Lois was far from blind. She had seen the way the Oliver and Clark looked at each other. Now if only she could take the blindfold off of them...

"Well, maybe your thoughts aren't worth more," he teased.

"Oh, please, pretty boy, my thoughts are worth more than you could afford," she shot back before sobering. "I'm worried about Clark," she admitted, seeing the way that Oliver sat up a little straighter at that.

"Clark?" he asked. "He always seemed pretty equipted to handle himself to me."

She glared at his irritatingly casual attitude, which was obviously very forced if the tension in his body were any indication. "He's been isolating himself for a while now. At first we all thought that it was just Smallville being Smallville, you know? Always going off on his own somewhere. But he isn't going anywhere! He just sits up in that damn loft all day and avoids any questions that you may ask him. Senator Kent and Chloe are going out of their minds with worry, and I even caught Lex acting worried about him. You haven't noticed?" Lois asked increduously, looking eyes with him. "I've seen the way you two look at each other. I know you care a great deal about him."

Oliver stared at her in shock before looking down in shame. "Truthfully, I was kind of glad that he wasn't around. You're right. I care about Clark a lot. I... I love him, but for him to be around is torture when I know that there is no way that he feels the same," Oliver admitted. "I have to find him. Maybe I can help him. The thought of him suffering..."

Lois smiled sadly. "I hope you can, Ollie. Nobody else has been able to yet, and I am a little afraid of what he may do if he continues down this self-destructive path..."

OoooOoooOoooO

Oliver all but ran to the barn when he pulled up at the Kent farm. He had driven 90mph the entire time. Lois's last statement haunting his mind. Clark wouldn't really hurt himself, would he? Fear coursed through him as he felt in his heart that something was extremely wrong with this situation. Clark was one of the best people he had ever known, if not the best, but he was far too hard on himself. There had been times when it seemed as if the weight of the world were on those strong, broad shoulders, and even with super-strength, there was no way Clark could hold it all.

However, time and time again, Clark had proven him wrong. He had come out on top of everything thus far, but it had taken its toll. What if this time it was too much? What if he were too late?

He couldn't think that way, he admonished himself, running up the stairs to the loft and freezing at the sight that greeted him at the top.

A small box made out of some metallic substance was lying open on the floor, with a green-glowing rock next to it. Clark was lying next it, deathly pale. If it weren't for the shallow rise and fall of his chest, Oliver would have thought he was too late.

"Clark!" he cried, rushing towards the prone figure and dropping to the ground next to him. He quickly grabbed the glowing rock and shoved it back into the box, shutting it securely and throwing it out the window. The color began to slowly flow back into Clark's face, and Oliver breathed a sigh of relief as he gathered the younger man in his arms.

"Clark, please open your eyes," he pleaded, cupping his cheek gently.

Clark groaned and cracked his eyes open, confusion written in those blue-green orbs. "Oliver?"

"Clark! Thank God!" he exclaimed, pulling the younger man into a passionate kiss, which was reciprocated despite Clark's confusion.

Suddenly, however, Clark pulled away and stared at him in puzzlement. "What about Lois?"

"We broke up a week ago. We both realized that there was nothing between us. I think we both saw how much in love I was with you."

"You love me?" Clark asked in wonder.

"Of course I do. And I never want you to do something like that again," Oliver stated seriously.

Clark smiled. "As long as you're around, I have no reason to. I love you."

End.