raptorcanaria: ([young] flowers)
Dinah Laurel Lance ([personal profile] raptorcanaria) wrote2013-05-22 11:04 pm

Welcome to Star City, Pretty Bird

Queen Industries has gone into receivership

This could be worse than it is, apparently. Ollie himself hasn't gone bankrupt, he's just lost a lot of money and the business his parents left it. He's been stressed and angry about it, which is stressful and infuriating for Dinah, when she's trying to sell up, find a new place, and organize moving for herself and her mother.

(It's resulted in some incredible hot sex though, so she can't really complain.)

It means that most of the looking for her new place has to be done by herself. Even when he asked her to move in with him, she turned it down flat.

"Too soon, hotshot. Isn't archery supposed to be about the waiting?"

But he's doing okay. He hadn't lived in his family home for years, and the selling of that and everything not directly related to his Green Arrow persona has supported him through the loss of his fortune, and he's even cashed in on his name by landing a job at a local newspaper.

He's not Oliver Queen: billionaire philanthropist anymore, but that's not why Dinah liked him in the first place. He's still Green Arrow: crusader for justice.

But when he gives her his 'moving present,' it blows her away.

Over breakfast at his place, he drops an envelope by her plate.

"What's this?"

"Your moving present - don't open it." He wraps his arms around her, hands tucking into the shirt that's the only thing she's wearing (it's his) and kisses her neck. "you need to open it in a certain place. Just put some pants on and come with me."

"Ollie, what...?

"Trust me, Pretty Bird."

"I'm not sure I do."

But pants are acquired, underwear as well, and she's soon sitting shotgun in his convertible as they race through the part of Star City she'll never afford to live in. It takes almost thirty minutes to get through the city traffic, but he refuses to say where they're going. She only notices that the buildings get considerably more grandiose, and the stores let less 'boutique-y' and more 'grocery.'

She's so busy looking at the mural on the side of a public school that she doesn't even notice it until they pull up.

"What?"

She gets out of the car, looking up at the storefront that's already painted; Pretty Bird Flowers.

"You were so busy looking for an apartment for your mother and then for you," Oliver says, coming up behind her, "that I noticed you hadn't even been looking at stores for weeks. So I asked around, and talked to my lawyers and... open it."

It's ownership papers. The entire deed, made up in her name. Not leasing the space. Owning it.

Dinah stares, and looks through them.

There's another sheet that has Oliver's name on, and hers, and mentions money and payment.

"It's a loan," Oliver says. "I found the space, and then I had my lawyers draw up the contract. A personal loan, between you and me, but you own the store, and everything associated with it. But we had to come up with a business name to put on the paperwork, so... ta da?"

She stares at him. Then it turns into a glare and she shoves the paperwork in his face. "What the hell is this?!" she demands.

"What?"

"Is this supposed to be romantic, Oliver? You buying me a store?"

"No! No wait, I mean yes, kind of? It was supposed to be... I thought you'd like the help."

"I don't need your help, Queen!"

She's carefully regulating her voice - she has to, of course - but she's suddenly aware of the potential for a scene, so she storms towards the store.

She doesn't have keys.

When she looks over her shoulder at him, he's following, and on catches her eye, throws her the keys and she lets herself in.

It's -

The light is amazing.

The space is wide and shallow, with lots of storage up high and a sturdy looking ladder to access it all. The paint is fresh and looks sturdy. The cash register is in front of a roomy and private office space, and there's a perfect little alcove beside it that Dinah suddenly envisions holding a work table and all her arrangement tools.

She's standing in the middle of the store just staring at the empty space when Oliver comes up behind her, clearing his throat to avoid taking her by surprise. He stands behind her, and doesn't touch her while she walks slowly around him.

"Are you furnishing it in your mind?"

"Shut up, I'm still mad."

"It's not a gift. It's a favor and a loan."

"You had no right."

"You like it though?"

"Oliver."

She turns to face him, places her hands on his shoulders and gives him a firmly disapproving frown. That doesn't last long.

"I love it."

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