[meme] christmas means k-i-s-s-i-n-g

[scovilles]

mistletoe meme!

hello friends! you've stumbled upon the dc universe's newest crop of hanging mistletoe - with your new favorite person! whether it's magical compulsion, that you're trapped until you kiss, or just tradition and social pressure, you've been caught under the mistletoe and that means you have to kiss.

get ready to pucker up, buttercup!

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Oliver Queen

[unrecognizable]

( may as well call him the grinch )

his heart grew three sizes that day?

[fastestalive]

"--When did you start hanging mistletoe in the Arrowcave?"

So, yeah, Barry totally had a reason for zipping on over here, but it's been briefly sidetracked by looking up at the cheerful little sprig of mistletoe hanging on the ceiling because... what? No, really, what? While she would not be surprised by Felicity or someone getting it up there, she is genuinely surprised it hasn't been ripped down yet.

[unrecognizable]

There's a way she has of just appearing; while his concentration was divided, missing the blur that preceded her was fairly easy. One moment the foundry had been his alone and the next, without warning, Barry is standing off to the side, eyeing the holiday decor suspiciously. "Mmm," the sound comes out as more of a grunt; his gaze is torn away from the computer screen, focusing on her, and only through practiced efforts was he able to keep any surprise from registering onto his expression. "I didn't," his words are a little exasperated; Christmas had little meaning to him lately, the season served as a reminder to what was lost, and an anniversary of when Damien Darhk attacked. "Not my idea," pushing away from the chair, he rose to his feet, not really looking away from her while doing so.

"Curtis or Felicity must have put it up." His error in not noticing before; that was the price you paid for the pinpoint like focus that applied to the way he spent his nights. Maybe some of the grumpiness was an act, because as he stepped forward, his eyebrows lifted. "You are standing underneath it, though."

[fastestalive]

"Hmm?" She blinks at him for a moment before realizing that yeah, actually, she did kind of gravitate to underneath it while she was looking at it. "I guess I am. That a problem?"

Something tells her the answer is going to be no.

[unrecognizable]

“Is it?” Knowing how fast she can move and the fact that she hasn’t should be incentive enough; there’s another layer he probably wouldn’t be willing to admit out loud. Making Barry flush or squirm has become a favorite pasttime of his; and even that isn’t the entire truth of the situation. Another step and they’re standing in front of each other; all of this is made easier by it only being the two of them in the foundry...not that shyness could ever be attributed to Oliver Queen.

Reaching out, he surprises even himself with the way he cups her cheek, fingertips brushing through her hair afterwards. “Merry Christmas, Ms. Allen.” Whether he should be asking about the real reason for her visit or not didn’t even register in that moment, instead he leans in, the kiss light at first.

I'm freeeeeee I survived finals week

[fastestalive]

Honestly, she's expecting the kiss at this point, but not the way he touches her cheek first. Blushing... might happen before he actually kisses her (get it together, Barry, you're a grown woman), but that's fine. Because she forgets about it when he actually does kiss her.

She's the one to deepen the kiss, curl an arm around his neck and press closer because hey, if something's worth doing then it's worth going all in. (Or something.) Hopefully no one else decides to come in to the Foundry right now, that would be awkward.

yeah, i got rambly, sorry.

[trigeminalheadache]

[ Christmas has grown to become a horribly bittersweet holiday for Caitlin. The past few have been tainted by past loss and heartbreak or in retrospect by betrayal. But in each of those instances, she's had family of the found variety to keep her from getting mired down in the sadness. This year is no different. In fact, this year is better, despite having her world turned upside down by her latent meta gene rearing its ugly head.

It took some finagling, but she'd managed to find a way to have her cake and eat it, too. So to speak. She didn't want to choose between spending the holiday with Cisco and Barry and the Wests or spending it with Oliver. Sure, there was the option to celebrate early with one of them, but that still meant spending actual Christmas without. And that just wouldn't be acceptable. So, why not make it the first annual Team Flash/Team Arrow Christmas Party? STAR Labs would be big enough to host it, with plenty of room for people to crash for the night if they needed to. Besides, it would be a nice way to almost reunite everyone without the world ending.

But maybe she shouldn't have let HR do the decorating. It seems like the entire building has been festooned with hidden mistletoe, including right where... ] You know you're standing under about three sprigs of mistletoe, right?

my favorite kind of tags, tbh

[unrecognizable]

[ As with most people, the childlike wonder of Christmas had died long ago for Oliver Queen; only once, during that first year back, when re-forging bonds with the loved ones who had spent five years thinking him dead seemed most important, did it hold any real meaning. Since then only loss and troubled memories marked the season; making plans didn’t register on his agenda, though...turning them down, especially from her, was a feat even the Green Arrow was incapable of. Barry and the others in Central City had become almost a second family to him; that, and reasons that only he and Caitlin shared, were enough to get him to attend the party.

No ugly sweaters; the music had been endured only because Thea forced him to, and every time he cringed or looked broodingly out the window, she seemed more satisfied with herself. All of that paled in comparison to what STAR Labs has been turned into; green and red tapestry, bows, and other intricacies of the decor that would have taken a considerable amount of time to notice. In a way, it felt like walking into a hallmark store, and his eyes were lifted as he began to navigate his way around.

It’s the sight of Caitlin that has him stopping unintentionally under a sprig of mistletoe; that’s the way it always happens, no matter how long or short a time they’ve been separated, he still gets just...a little stunned by her beauty ]

Hmm? [ The words don’t register immediately until he’s done taking her in; then his head tilts back, gaze following the motion to settle on what she had mentioned. ] Tell me Barry didn’t all of this.

[ Mostly because the mental image is filling his head; a blur of movement, the speedster zipping around, though...the more he looks at it, the more he thinks it’s someone else ]

I didn’t bring my bow. [ There’s a reason for saying that and the corners of his mouth twist into the beginning of a smile ] Which means I can’t put an arrow into anyone else that might notice...so maybe you should come over here first.

huzzah. :3

[trigeminalheadache]

[ Worry creases her forehead momentarily when he seems a bit unfocused. She knows there has to be so much on his mind: Star City as a whole, Vigilante, Prometheus. The new recruits who weren't too far away just now. But those are all reasons as to why she insisted on a break for all of them tonight. If she could have her way, Savitar, Alchemy, and all their ilk would stay dormant until well after New Years.

Hoping they stayed that way forever is a nice thought, but she knows it would never happen.

The concern recedes from her expression as she moves closer, watching him take stock of the green hanging above. Whatever it might have been, it's gone for now, and she would take it upon herself to keep it from cropping up again. As she draws near, she automatically checks the cuffs on each wrist. Caitlin knows they're there; the only time they aren't is when they need to charge, and she'd already done that earlier. But it's a small measure of reassurance. With no solid control of her abilities, she isn't going to take a chance. Not when she knows what being around Oliver does to her. ]

That's a bit of an extreme deterrent, maybe? [ She smiles, mouth closed, the expression lighting up her eyes. ] And I'm pretty sure not having your bow isn't going to stop you if you really meant to put an arrow in someone. So...

[ She only stops when there's barely a breath between them, her head tilted back to look up at him. ] I guess I can take this one for the team.

[unrecognizable]

So, you’re subscribing to the theory that I’m the weapon. [ There’s almost a visual component to it; how tension eases from his body language, momentarily dissolving in Caitlin’s presence. Maybe the holiday spirit isn’t dead after all ] I appreciate that.

[ A genuine smile appears this time; there’s plenty of other people that still need to be greeted, and the reluctant promise to eat one of the flash cupcakes that he made to Barry, but all of it, all of them can wait just a little longer. Reaching out, calloused fingertips move in a surprisingly gentle motion, gliding across her cheek, only to tuck a strand of brunette hair behind her ear ]

Your noble gesture won’t go unappreciated, Dr. Snow. [ Further teasing could have been done; she makes him feel that way, as if it’s okay to let his defenses down...as much as patience is one of his better virtues, in certain situations, any willpower to delay what they both want has fallen. Leaning in to adjust to the difference in height, the way his lips first brush across hers in more chaste than he really intends; it’s the thought of eyes on them, or making her uncomfortable, but those concerns don’t last for long, not once the initial contact is made.

Placing his hand against the small of her back, he pulls her in, attempting to bring them even closer as the kiss deepens. He could have stayed like that...for far too long, and forgot about the party all together. Instead, he breaks it after a long moment, turning his head so that his lips were near her ear, his voice a low whisper ] You look amazing tonight.

[trigeminalheadache]

[ She's very tempted to make a joke about him being a weapon. Something along the lines about his shirt, concealed weapons, "guns." But it feels a bit hokey at the moment and, given that they're already in a slightly cheesy moment, she isn't going to push her luck right now. (She's still pretty sure he'd laugh, if only to humor her.)

When he touches her cheek, her head shifts slightly, following to keep the feeling of it there just a moment longer. She's learned every bit of his hands: the roughness, the calluses, the surprising soft spots. If only they were a lot more alone right now. If only dragging him off to one of the many secluded spots in the building wouldn't go unnoticed. They've still managed to keep this a secret from everyone except Thea.

(A moment's indiscretion and one of them forgetting to lock the door to his office.)

She falls into him in the kiss, his hand pushing them even closer together, her hands finding first his shoulders, then the back of his neck. As he breaks the kiss, she lets out the softest groan of disappointment. She blushes at the compliment, her cheek growing warmer where it presses against his. Her lips press against his jawline, needy for more. ] I wore this for you. All of it, if you catch what I mean.

kara would be cindy lou who but then it would get weird

[advena]

[ kara is trying, truly she is. she's trying to trust that the astronomically expensive party planner that oliver's hired is really the best person for this job. but when thea's favorite glass ornaments get hung on the wrong side of the tree for the fourth time, or when the pile of christmas crackers on the foyer table becomes a lopsided mess again, she can't help but huff and puff and wish that oliver had let her just do the party planning on her own.

(after all, if there's one thing kara danvers learned from her tenure at catco, it's how to plan an elegant, understated, appropriate affair. cat grant would never have stood for anything less.)

but oliver hadn't let her. he'd hired this freshly manicured, overly familiar party planner — a girl, thea had told her in hushed tones over coffee that morning, that had been happy to follow him around in boarding school like, well, a lovestruck school girl — who apparently was quite happy to waste her hourly fee making a total mess of things.

when the girl finally leaves, closing the door behind her and her endless (fruitless) attempts at self-invitation, kara breathes a sigh of relief. almost immediately, her flats tap against the freshly-shined tile floors as she fusses from spot to spot, careful fingers tidying glasses and packages and platters that will, in short time, overflow with food and drink and gifts for the guest list kara still hasn't memorized.

she's going to need a private party just to recuperate from this party, it seems like. ] Where do the nutcrackers live? The mantle or — no, the dining room, right? [ after no immediate answer, she trills, ] Oliver!

[ maybe oliver will notice the mistletoe above her head. kara certainly hasn't. ]

sometimes these things happen in star city

[unrecognizable]

[ facing the criminal element is second nature; situations that others would flee from are faced head on without allowing the hint of fear into his heart. an easy explanation is that having been close to death so often builds up a tolerance that can’t be attained in any other way; which, should speak volumes about his current state….the christmas gala, something he found out to be his duty as mayor, has the green arrow’s stomach twisting into knots, and the stress levels rising higher than they should.

his out and out refusal to let kara plan the party has nothing to do with whether he thinks she’s capable of it; doubting supergirl is a lesson that he’s steadily learning not do, the decision has...more to do with her being his invited guest. date? that’s the fuzzy part; his own fault, for not being specific in asking her to come. he’s brushed things off to thea; and even took a small break, venturing to the foundry to work off some of the build up tension on the salmon ladder,

still, the phone has been constantly buzzing, and when he gets back the foyer, her voice is what breaks through and brings him out of his thoughts. when a woman says his name in that exact way, there are some things even he’s unwilling to deny, and she’s at the top of that list right now ]

Kara? [ rounding the corner, all the work that she’s done has become more obvious; in all honestly, his attention hadn’t been on the hired planner to realize what a terrible job was being done, outside of thea’s complaints. his eyebrows lift slightly as he looks at her; just as high energy as he knew she would be and the corners of his mouth twist upwards ]

The mantle is fine, I promise. [ he has noticed what she’s standing underneath; a sprig of green, and even though she isn’t aware at the moment, he doesn’t doubt she knows all about holiday traditions. closing the distance between them in even strides, he reaches out, gently lowering her hands that were clutching said nutcracker ] Breathe. There’s something more important to deal with at the moment.

[ he could tell her; point towards the mistletoe, but the safe route isn’t one oliver queen engages in very often. the risk being if she reacts badly kara could probably knock him across the room without meaning to. instead he tips her chin up with one hand and leans down, brushing his lips across her’s. it’s an innocent enough kiss for the mistletoe; but probably not as chaste as he should have been ]

they both need a vacation from their weirdness

[advena]

[ kara doesn't react badly. in fact, she doesn't react much at all. her eyes fall closed nearly immediately, and her grip on the nutcracker loosens a bit, but she doesn't pull back or swoon dramatically or otherwise embarrass herself. when oliver's mouth leaves hers, a long-held breath escapes her, and kara tries her best to not grin too wide in his direction. ]

What was that for?

[ she's glad for it, oliver; don't let the doe eyes fool you. they haven't quite said what this dynamic is — supergirl and the green arrow are a good team, a good mix of cheerful optimism and gritty realism, but kara danvers the reporter doesn't have much of a practical reason to attend oliver queen the mayor's holiday bash. she'd come to star city at thea's request. somebody had to help thea pick out a dress, and kara's commute was the shortest, so she'd been summoned for the job.

once thea was well-dressed and satisfied, kara had been sent off to the party's grand location under the pretense of supervising the party planner — which, as it turned out, was an incredibly time-consuming task, and one that sorely tempted her moral obligation to not heat vision innocent civilians into a crisp.

but was kara attending the party? she wasn't sure. thea had seemed sure of it, had even pulled out a few dresses that would fit her, but without some kind of formal request from the mayor, kara wasn't keen on gatecrashing. even if she'd helped put it together. ]

so incredibly true

[unrecognizable]

Multiple reasons.

[ the truth isn’t something that he practices with any type of frequency; a defense mechanism built during those years away, but denying it to kara is a feat that even he’s not capable of. sincere eyes were always going to be a downfall. brows lifting as if to signal the plant hanging above them, oliver is already struggling to keep a smile from appearing in his expression...easier said than done ]

First, that. [ honestly, how subtle kara’s reaction had been wasn’t going to be viewed as a negative on his part; the lack of anger or complaint is enough to wash away any lingering reservations that may have existed ] Second, and more importantly, since you’re here...there’s something I need to ask you.

[ thea should have given him some type of advanced warning; but if this were his sister’s plan all along, it wouldn’t be any surprise. all of it has kept his mind from obsessing over the details of how the night and party may end up going. stepping away to give kara a little more personal space hasn’t registered, either ]

Will you be my date for tonight, Ms. Danvers? [ he doesn’t plan for it to be only the party; the knowledge that kara can visit easier than what they previously would have thought is...a bonus, and the thing inside of him that always wants to push everyone away is momentarily quelled ]

i have rewritten this like SIX TIMES so i'm just posting it #yolo

[advena]

[ she'd like to think she's capable of subtlety. it's a happy accident when she manages it, but twice in one evening is a feat supergirl has yet to master. when oliver's quirk of a brow isn't quite enough to clue her in, kara looks around — first down, searching for some hidden meaning in the way his hands are arranged, and then to the sides as if her proximity to the nutcrackers or the bar snacks yet to be put out would be reason enough for an unexpected kiss. it isn't until she finally looks up, a desperate last resort, that her eyes focus in on the mistletoe twinkling above them. what an idea.

it seems both serendipitous and downright embarrassing that mistletoe would be the reason oliver queen would choose to lay a smooch on her. a soft, warm, lingering kiss that left her just this side of breathless, sure, but not a kiss she was expecting to receive. her disappointment in this discovery is far less subtle; kara's mouth drops almost impossibly fast, a frown dulling the bright glimmer in her eyes, and her hands clasp together as if to steel herself from further embarrassment.

but then oliver asks her, and his question is so sincerely posed, so sweet and almost hesitant in a way that seems incredibly uncharacteristic of himself, kara nearly chokes on surprise. ] You — but I thought — I mean, yes, obviously, of course I'll be your date, but I thought — [ a breath, hands fluttering a bit ] I thought you were just kissing me because of the mistletoe!

[kanapini]

Kind of a cliche move, Oliver.

[She likes it. Maybe. You don't own her. But she loves you.

Maybe.

Probably.]

[unrecognizable]

Someone may have pointed out I haven't been the most festive person lately.

[ thea being the main culprit; though in his defense, there should be some amount of creative points awarded to him for hanging the mistletoe with an arrow.

this is who you're stuck with, laurel. ]

Not to mention. [ a sidestep to reveal the two mugs of hot chocolate waiting behind him. see? he's not completely thoughtless ]

The thing is...in order to get those, there's a holiday tradition we need to honor first.

[kanapini]

You? Not festive?

[Laurel scoffs, like she just cannot believe it but then she's smirking and that probably ruins it. She knows the man that Oliver is. She knows the wounds that the island left on him. She doesn't hold it against him. She loves him for who he is.

His actions always did speak better than his words.

The smirk softens into a gently smile and Laurel takes a step into his personal space.]

Are you bribing me with hot chocolate to kiss you?

breaking news: oliver queen has no shame

[unrecognizable]

No one wanted to knit an ugly green sweater with arrows...so I’m only partially to blame.

[ As much as the smirk gives her away it doesn’t prevent the electric shock from traveling down his spine; Laurel Lance, the only woman that knew all sides of him, the boy he had been before the island...and the kind of man that stood before her now.

That alone is why she’s his home even more than Star City ever could be. Meeting her halfway to eliminate any space left between them, some of the tension eases from his shoulders ]

Hmm? [ A slight shake of his head as the fingertips of his right hand thread into her hair ] No, kissing me is the reward. Hot chocolate is just a consolation prize.

[ Did you think he’s going to follow tradition completely, Laurel? With some of her hair swept to the side, he leans in, all but whispering into her ear, his voice dropping lower ] Merry Christmas, Laurel. [ The other kiss will come soon enough; for now, he lets his lips drop to the curve of her neck, teeth grazing over her skin ]

holy mother of god that is brand new information

[kanapini]

[She is a grown woman. A lawyer by day, a vigilante by night. She knows every single one of Oliver Queen's tricks, because she's seen all of them more than once and maybe taught him a few herself. She is not going to blush and giggle and swoon like a teenager because the cute boy likes her.

She's going to make the boy beg to have her.

Laurel tips her head when he lowers his mouth. Just to make it easier. And she'll deny that shiver and the little breathy sound she makes forever. Forever.]

Ollie... I think you missed a spot.

[That's her hand on the back of his head, pushing him towards her collar bone.]

[bloggings]

I think Barry is going to have a heart attack.

[unrecognizable]

A heart attack, or leave me stranded on an another island somewhere as punishment.

[ the christmas spirit doesn't exactly live within Oliver Queen; which...is an understatement, but exceptions could be made ]

You know, he's going to claim this was part of an insidious plan on my end.

[bloggings]

[Iris doesn't deny it... because it's entirely true. But she doesn't think that Barry would leave Oliver stranded on an island for very long. Like a couple of days. Tops.]

Well. Was it?

[unrecognizable]

Almost. I didn't actually get to set mine up.

[ As if to confirm his guilt he reaches into the pocket of his leather jacket and produces a small mistletoe, along with an arrow head to pin it with ]

Which means I think I'm allowed one kiss under good conscience.