Work Text:
Title: Caramel Apples [1/1]
Authors: 
chloeas and 
dl_greenarrow
Rated: PG
Disclaimer: Not ours. Don't sue. Thanks. :D
Summary: This fic is based on the universe of Lifeboats, it should be okay to be read as a one-shot, though. Chlollieween fluff.
Maddie ran down the stairs of the Queen mansion already in her full costume except for her wings, "Daddy!?" She called, looking around as her wings bounced in her hand, "Daddy, where are you!?" She called again as she reached the bottom of the stairs, her green ballet flats making no noise against the floor as she looked around.
Oliver stepped out of the kitchen, grinning as he spotted her in her costume already. "In here, Sweetie."
She ran straight to him, slipping a little but stopping as she reached him. "Mommy said you should help me with this because she still had to get Cassie ready," she told him, holding out her wings to him and bouncing.
He chuckled softly at her enthusiasm, reaching out to take the wings from her. He knelt down, kissing her forehead. "Okay, turn around and let's see if I can figure out how to attach these things, Tink."
Nodding, she turned around and held out her arms, standing still, "I think it just goes on my arms and then you have to twist them so they are straight."
He smiled and carefully fastened the wings on her arms and moved them around until they were straight, as she'd instructed. "You are so smart, Maddie," he told her, his eyes bright. "All right. All done."
She looked over her shoulders and bounced a little, making her they were secure then grinning, turning around and hugging her dad, "You're the best! Thank you!"
Oliver hugged her back, and picked her up as he rose to his feet. "I have a secret," he whispered, his eyes wide.
Her eyes widened as she looked up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, "What is it?"
"I'm making caramel apples," he whispered. "Want one?"
"Yes!" She bounced in his arms, grinning and looking over his shoulder to try and find the apples.
He chuckled, carrying her toward the kitchen. "We can't tell Mom or we'll get in trouble." He winked at her, picking up one of the smaller apples from the plate and handing it to her.
Maddie nodded and took a bite of the apple as soon as he handed it to her then paused, chewing, "I don't wanna get any on my costume." She told him, looking down worriedly.
Oliver glanced around, then grabbed the kitchen towel, tucking it in the front of her costume like a bib. "There we go. Better?"
"Thank you, Daddy," she said happily, leaning in and kissing his cheek before taking another bite.
He smiled and leaned his head against hers. To this day it warmed his heart to hear Maddie call him 'Daddy.' It was something he didn't think he'd ever hear a child say, frankly. But she had accepted him so easily, he hardly remembered that technically--biologically, Maddie wasn't his daughter. But it didn't matter. She felt like his, and she had since the first time he'd met her.
Chloe walked into the kitchen with three month old Cassie in her arms, dressed as peas in a pod, one of the few newborn costumes Chloe could find that was both green and warm enough, even if they were in Star City, she didn't want to risk her catching a cold or anything. She paused when she saw Ollie and Maddie and the apple, "I thought the candy apples were for after trick-or-treating?" She said, smirking a little. She knew Oliver couldn't say no to Maddie, not that he tried to anyway.
"Uh oh," he whispered to Maddie. "We've been caught. You'll have to protect me," he teased. Then he flashed a charming smile at Chloe. "What candy apple? I don't see a candy apple."
Maddie giggled, hiding the apple behind his back and looking over at her mom, grinning softly, her mouth covered in caramel.
Shaking her head, Chloe grinned back and looked down at Cassie, who was just starting to be aware of her surroundings, "I guess we were seeing things then, huh?"
Oliver kissed Maddie's cheek and moved over to Chloe's side, his expression softening at the sight of their youngest daughter dressed up in her first Halloween costume. He grinned softly. "We're going to need at least ten rolls of film," he announced.
"Eat your apple, honey," Chloe told Maddie, kissing the top of her head when Ollie came close enough then smirked at him, "Rolls of film? Which decade are you stuck in?"
He smirked at her. "You like your digital camera, I like my normal one. We're both happy."
Maddie carefully pulled the apple back to her and took another bite as she stared up at her parents.
"I'll convert you yet, Mr. Queen," Chloe warned, smiling up at him as she shifted Cassie in her arms.
"We'll see." He grinned at her and leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to Cassie's forehead.
"Can we go trick or treating now!?" Maddie asked hopefully.
"Soon," Chloe promised, smiling at her, "Take your time eating your apple and then your dad and I will take some pictures of the two of you and we can go, okay?"
"Okay!" She nodded happily.
Oliver grinned at Maddie. "Can I have a bite?"
Maddie nodded and held her apple out for him.
Chloe smiled softly as she watched the two of them and nodded softly, she was his daughter, no matter what biology said. Sometimes Chloe felt that Maddie looked more like him than Cassie did.
He smiled and took a small bite of the apple, raising his eyebrows. "Pretty good," he said with a wink.
"Do you want some, Mommy?" Maddie said, offering the apple.
Smiling, Chloe nodded, "Let's see if your dad can pull those off," she teased, taking a bite then raising her eyebrows as she chewed.
"What do you think?" he asked, grinning a little. "My culinary skills up to par for candy apples?"
"I think you should never be allowed to make these again or we'd end up eating all of them." Chloe told him, smirking.
"No!" Maddie said, "Daddy, you should make them all the time!"
Oliver grinned at Maddie, kissing her temple. "Well, maybe not all the time. But more often." He winked at Chloe.
Chloe shook her head, adjusting the baby who started to shift in her arms, "What is it, Cassie?" She asked quietly rubbing the baby's back.
"I think she wants to go trick or treating!"
He smiled at that and carefully set Maddie down on her feet as Cassie began to cry. He shifted closer to Chloe, reaching out and gently rubbing a finger over Cassie's cheek. "What's wrong?"
"She's probably hot," Chloe reasoned, shifting the baby and turning her back to Ollie, "Can you pull down the zipper?"
Maddie pursed her lips and looked up at them, "She's upset," she told them, rocking on her feet then taking another bite of her apple.
Oliver glanced down at Maddie as he carefully unzipped the costume. He pushed the little hood off her head and kissed her forehead.
"There," Chloe said, brushing Cassie's thin blond hair, "is that better?" She asked, looking down at Maddie.
Maddie pursed her lips, quiet for a second then smiled and nodded up at her mom.
He smiled down at Maddie, resting his hand on her head. "I think it's about time to go trick or treating."
"Okay!" Maddie said, taking a last bite of her apple before handing the rest of it to her dad.
Chloe smiled softly, Maddie had volunteered her help telling them how her baby sister was feeling the second Cassie was born, at first, Chloe didn't want to encourage it, but she also didn't want Maddie to feel like there was anything wrong with having an ability, and at least her being empathic wasn't something anyone could easily notice, so she and Ollie had decided that it was a good way to get her more involved with her baby sister.
Oliver threw away the rest of the apple and then picked her up. "Let's get you washed up first, okay?" He kissed her cheek.
Maddie nodded, wiping her sticky hands on the kitchen towel she'd been wearing.
Smiling softly, Chloe watched as they made their way to the downstairs bathroom and looked down at Cassie, "And let's get you in your stroller because you're getting far too heavy for me to carry you already," she told the baby, who was no longer crying, but was now staring up at her with big green eyes.
He carried her back to the kitchen a few moments later, kissing her cheek. "I think we're ready to go."
"So are we," Chloe said, picking up both her and Oliver's camera and placing them in the stroller too, away from the baby then smiled at Maddie, kissing her cheek too, "You're the most beautiful tinkerbell ever."
Oliver smiled at that. "Yes, you are," he agreed. "And our Pea Pod is the cutest Pea Pod ever." He chuckled.
Maddie giggled and wrapped an arm around her mom, kissing her cheek then kissing her dad's cheek.
Chloe smiled and kissed Maddie's temple, "Ready to get some candy?"
"Yes!" She said excitedly.
Oliver met Chloe's eyes and he smiled softly at her, reaching out for her hand. "We're so going to get the most candy in the neighborhood."
Chloe took his hand and squeezed it, smiling back at him and kissing the other side of his cheek, "We better get going, then, so we can still give candy out by the time we get back."
"Who said anything about giving it away?" He raised his eyebrows then winked at Maddie as he led the way out the door.
"Cassie and I will eat all of it!" Maddie announced, grinning up at her dad.
Chloe shook her head a little and followed the rest of her family out the door with the stroller.