Chapter Text
Don’t Be Afraid, Take the Road Less Traveled On
Sara knew she was late, but her professor had kept her after. She might have been more annoyed, but it had been in Advanced Contemporary Dance professor, the one class she was taking that she wanted to take. The professor had let her know that the dance company Windwood was losing their principal dancer after this season as she had found out she was pregnant; she thought Sara should audition for the position. It was everything Sara had always dreamed of, but as she rode the elevator up to the penthouse, she remembered the last time she had pursued her dream and how it had been ripped from her. She didn’t think she could handle that kind of disappointment again. It was easier to not try for her dreams, nothing came of them anyways.
She unlocked the door and set her bag down on the dining table, she didn’t register the voice calling to her as she was lost in her thoughts.
Oliver had been playing Call of Duty and talking with Tommy, who was at school on the east coast, while he was waiting for Sara to show up from her last class. He had been glancing at the clock, knowing he had to log off with Tommy. He felt the sting of guilt about lying to his best friend about his relationship with Sara, but he couldn’t ask Tommy to keep this secret. He heard the door finally open, and Sara came into view, but she didn’t seem to see him. She put her bag down before heading to the fridge to grab a bottle of water, she was always thirsty after her dance class. “Sar where have been?” she gave no response, “Sara, hey!” he tried again but she still didn’t respond. It had been a long time since he saw her this distracted, he was getting concerned. He got up and walked over, “Pretty-Bird?” he used his finger to gently lift her chin so he could look in her eyes.
Sara’s thought had been spiraling until she felt a warm hand and she was staring into the familiar eyes of her best friend and lover. She took a couple breaths letting his gentle touch pull her back from the darkness. “Ollie.” She whispered as she leaned up and pressed her mouth to his.
He was familiar enough with her to not be caught off guard for more than a moment. He wrapped his arms around her and returned her kiss. He quickly grew frustrated with the angle and picked her up and put her on the counter, evening out some of the gap, even as he continued to hold her to him. Another few minutes and the heat lowered to something gentle and comforting between them and he pulled back enough to look at her, “Sara, what’s going on?”
She traced his face with her hands, keeping her legs locked around his midsection. “My dance professor wanted to talk to me after class.” She wasn’t sure if she should tell Oliver about the recommendation.
Knowing there was more to it than a simple conversation with a teacher, he let his hand travel from her back up to her shoulder and slide under the curtain of her light, blonde hair before settling on the back of her neck; his thumb rubbing her pulse point gently. It was something he had discovered when they were young, it had been pretty successful in calming her down. They were supposed to go out to a club with some of his frat buddies, but he would cancel if she wasn’t in the mood.
He really should be living in the Frat House and Sara should be in the dorm but the longer they continued to be involved the less they cared. Laurel had never been to visit saying she was too busy. Since they had gotten back together after the scandal with the swimsuit model, they had only spent a few days in the same place. Every conversation they had revolved around her law school and what the future would look like. He loved Laurel, he did, but lately every time they talked it felt like a noose was being tightened around him. She never seemed to want to spend time with hanging out, all their time was spent out at the right events or restaurants. The only time it was just them was a couple afternoons she had been at the mansion when they both had been back for break; even that was spent with her studying. He knew she was driven, and he loved the passion she for the law, he selfishly wished she would put a little of that passion into their relationship. That thought always ended in guilt, because as soon as left Starling he was spending his time with Sara, Laurel’s sister. He knew how fucked up he was, but he loved Sara too. Sara was like air, she could be this comforting, soft breeze that you wanted to follow, that you needed to live; she could also be a hurricane and sweep you away to somewhere you never planned, she could even be as destructive as one.
Sara let him calm her down, she loved the feeling of his hands on her. Once she was collected, she continued her story, “She let me know that there is a dance company that will be losing their main dancer at the end of this season. She wants me to audition for the position.”
“That’s amazing, Pretty-Bird. When is the audition?” He asked. He knew how much she loved to dance.
“I don’t think I’m going to.” She bit at the inside of her lip as she looked back down.
“Why not?” He could guess the biggest reason; he remembered the last time he saw this defeated look on her face.
She let out a humorless laugh, “Ollie, why set myself up for a disappointment I’m not sure I can survive?” He was the only person who she would ever be this honest with. No one else knew how close it had been after her family had ripped her dream from her last time. She knew in her head that they loved her, and they wanted what was best for her; but she knew that was best for her and it wasn’t the life they wanted.
“Who said you would be disappointed this time? You can do anything Pretty-Bird, you are so talented.” He knew it wasn’t her talent she was questioning but talking about their families was hard for them. He brought his other hand up to cup her cheek.
“Even if I get it, I’ll be disappointed, how do I tell my family? They would find a way to take it from me.” She felt her lip tremble, she didn’t want to cry about this not again. She remembered being at Tommy’s party the day after her dad had told her she couldn’t go to the art’s school. She had swiped a bottle of meds from her mom’s drawer, and she was contemplating taking the whole thing and handful of other pills she had scored off Max Fuller. Ollie had been the one to find her before she could take them.
“Not this time, Sara. They can’t, you’re an adult. If you want to do this, do it; you have nothing to lose by going to the audition and you have everything to gain. If you don’t get it, you still have school, and you can still dance. But if you get the position, you can have the life you want.” He encouraged.
Sara stared at him for a few minutes thinking about his words. He was right, they may never understand what she was doing and they may never talk to her again, but they couldn’t stop her this time. She really didn’t have anything to lose by doing the audition. “Ok, I’ll do it.” She said letting a smile grow for the first time since she talked with her professor.
Oliver felt his mouth tip up in response the dazzling smile that was lighting up her face. He adored that look on her face, even more when he was the reason it was there. He leaned back into her pressing his forehead to hers, needing to be close but not wanting to lose her smile. “You are going to be amazing,” he whispered.
Sara let her eyes fall close as she fully processed her change of heart, for the first time in years she felt a lightness in her soul. “Thank you.” She cupped his face in her hands and brought his lips to meet hers in a reverent kiss. She wanted to tell him she loved him, but she knew those words came with weight and he was carrying too much as it was; instead, she poured it into this soft meeting of lips.
He felt something shift in their relationship yet again, but it felt right and honest, so he didn’t question it. All he wanted to do right now was get them out of their clothes, because being as close to her as possible was the only answer he could come up with for the shift. He brought his hands to the hem of the dress she had thrown over her leotard and tights from class.
“Hey,” she pulled her mouth away as his hands wandered, “not that I don’t love where this is going, but don’t we have to meet your friends at that club?”
Oliver remembered he had agreed to go clubbing with his frat brothers but leaving the apartment was the last thing he wanted to do. “Nope, that’s not tonight.” He lied as he brought his mouth to the sensitive spot of her neck just behind her ear, a sure way to distract her.
Her head tilted to the side automatically when he scraped his teeth across the skin. Well, this was certainly more fun than going to a club. She worked her hands around him to grip the hem of his shirt and pull it up over his head. “Excellent,” she hummed against his shoulder. She let him pull her dress over her head, so she was left in her dance clothes and boots. “Want to move locations?”
He pulled back to look at her disheveled hair and the flush of arousal creeping up her chest, “Nope.” He slid the straps of her leotard off her shoulders and down her arms leaving her bare from the waist up. He ducked his head to suck one of her hard nipples into his mouth. He felt her hands in his hair tighten to hold him there. He used his hands pull her boots off first, last time he forgot her boots and they crashed into the doorjamb, and he had an awful bruise on his side.
Sara used his preoccupation with her state of dress to work on his by popping the button and lowering the zipper on his fly. She cupped his dick through his boxers, squeezing and rubbing it up and down. He looked back up to her, as he tried to catch his breath. She smirked wickedly as slid her hand into his boxers to grasp him skin to skin.
He leaned his head on her shoulder as she worked him expertly. He suddenly remembered his goal of getting her naked had been derailed. Oliver pulled her into a steamy kiss and gently removed her hand, so he could focus on her. He laughed at the pout on her face, “No pouting, little bird. Lift up.” He commanded so he could pull the rest of her clothes off. Once they were on the floor he went back into her arms, letting her pull him closer. Her hands were moving over his body and pushing his jeans and boxers down. He pulled her to the edge of the counter and let her guide his straining cock to her wet pussy. He had been thrilled when they had both admitted that they didn’t want to continue to fuck other people, because they decided they could ditch the condoms, she had been getting the birth control shot every three months since she was sixteen. It was something he only did with her, even Laurel insisted they still use condoms, just in case.
Sara moaned as he pushed inside of her, she loved this feeling. She loved being this close to him, it was like she could make him a part of her. Plus, it was so much fucking fun. She let him push her back until she was lying flat on the counter.
He looked down at the pleasure haze in her bright eyes, he wrapped one of her legs around his back while he lifted the other to his shoulder. He loved how flexible she was, and he knew the change would allow him to sink deeper into her; she always came harder when he was deeper. She gasped when he hit the right spot, “there it is.” He smirked.
She wanted to glare at him, the only issue she had with the position was that it left him with all the control. Though it felt so fucking good, she wasn’t sure she cared that much. Maybe she could give up control if he made her feel this good. “So close, Ollie.” She cupped one of her breasts, pinching her nipple hard.
Oliver watched where they were connected, until he heard her speak. He could see the smallest hint of frustration crease her brow; he knew what she was missing. He moved his hand from where he had been gripping her perfect ass, to rub two fingers around her clit. He could feel her start to clench around his dick as he picked up his pace as he felt his own pleasure crawl along his spine. He loved to watch her body succumb to the pleasure, it was like when she danced it consumed her fully. He let her drag him over the edge with her this time, there would be time later to see how many orgasms he could give her.
Sara felt him collapse on his elbows above her, so he wouldn’t crush her. She tapped his side so she could move her leg before it cramped up. Once she was more comfortable, she wrapped her arms around him as he caught his breath. “I’m hungry.” She complained but made no move to do anything about it.
He chuckled against her neck; she was always hungry after her dance class. “We could go out, or we could order?” The housekeeper that came twice a week did bring groceries, but it is mostly cereal and some fruit and snacks. She had tried bringing food to cook but quickly realized he didn’t cook and neither did the near permanent guest who shared the space, so she switched to purchase things that didn’t require any cooking.
“Pizza, unless you want to go meet your friends.” She smiled.
“Pizza, I have plans for us and they don’t involve my frat brothers.” He pushed off her and leaned down to pull up his boxers and step out of his jeans. He moved to pick up his phone off the couch and dialed the number of their preferred pizza place, he turned to watch her hop off the counter and stretched her arms over her head. She bent over and when she stood back up, he watched her pull his shirt over her head before walking out of the kitchen carrying the rest of their clothes to the hamper. He placed the order and sat back down to wait for her.
Sara walked back to living room after dumping their clothes in the hamper knowing the housekeeper would send it out and return them in a couple days. She had also pulled a pair of soft boy-shorts on under his shirt. Walking back into living room she smiled at how comfortable he looked sprawled out on the sofa; it was something she had rarely seen in him growing up. It made her happy, that he felt he could be this free with her. She grabbed them each a full bottle of water and snuggled into his side as they waited for the pizza to arrive.