Work Text:
Authors: 
chloeas and 
dl_greenarrow
Title: A Christmas Of Their Own (1/1)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Based on Lifeboat's verse, Oliver, Chloe and Maddie have their second Christmas as a family.
Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays/Good Sunday everyone!
Maddie held on to her dad’s arm as he picked her up so she could take a better look into the glass cases, she frowned in concentration and shook her head a little, “there are so many of them, daddy,” she said quietly.
He smiled at that, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, that’s why I needed your help,” he explained.
“Which ones do you like the best?” She asked, turning her head toward him.
Oliver cocked his head to the side, considering the question as he peered down at the jewelry selections. “I kind of like that one,” he told her, pointing to a silver heart locket with tiny diamonds framing it.
“The heart?” She asked, frowning then pouting a little, “but it’s not yellow.”
He chuckled softly at that. “No, but look.” He smiled at the man behind the counter as he took it out of the case to show them. “You can open it and we can put your picture inside of it.”
“Oh,” her eyes widened in shock as she looked at the necklace then back at her dad, “what pictures?”
“Well, I thought we’d have our picture taken while we were out today. What do you think?” He raised his eyebrows, grinning at the look on her face.
“Yes!” Maddie grinned, nodding, “mommy will like that.”
“I thought so too,” he said, winking at her and kissing her cheek.
“And I can draw her a picture of the picture we take!” She said excitedly.
“We could get her a frame for your picture,” he offered, nodding.
“And she can have it on her desk,” Maddie grinned a half toothless grin.
“I think she’ll love that.” He grinned back.
Maddie threw her arms around his neck and nodded, looking over at the necklace again, “I can’t wait until it’s Christmas!”
“I know,” he admitted, hugging her close and then watching as the jeweler wrapped it up in a nice box.
“What else are we getting mommy?” Maddie asked.
“I don’t know. Do you have anymore ideas?”
“I don’t know what Santa is getting her,” she shrugged a little, pursing her lips together.
“Me either,” he admitted with a small smile.
She considered for a moment, “I think mommy wants Aunt Lois to come for Christmas.” She said, cocking her head.
“You think so?” Somehow he wasn’t surprised. And he was fairly certain Chloe wasn’t the only one who was wanting to see Aunt Lois.
Maddie nodded a little, chewing on her bottom lip and looking up at him.
“I do, too. Maybe Aunt Lois will make it to Star City for Christmas.”
Her eyes widened at that and she stared up at him, “really?”
“Really.” He smiled softly.
Her face brightened and she hugged him then cocked her head, “are you okay, daddy?”
“I’m good,” Oliver assured her with a nod.
“Okay,” she smiled and hugged him once more, laying her head on his shoulder.
He kissed her cheek and smiled once more. It would be their second Christmas together as a family.
* * *
Chloe shifted sleepily on the bed when she heard quiet noises coming from somewhere inside the apartment, she looked at the clock, it was just past eight and took a deep breath as she snuggled closer to her husband, ready to go back to sleep before pausing when she remembered what day it was.
“Ollie,” she whispered, turning her head toward him as she pressed back against him a little more.
He grunted softly, eyebrows furrowing, but didn’t wake up.
“Ollie,” she whispered again, reaching for his hand and squeezing it lightly.
The trace of a smile touched his mouth, but he didn’t open his eyes.
Chloe turned a little more toward him and smiled softly when she saw the smile on his lips, then pressed a kiss to his forehead, “it’s Christmas.” She whispered.
“It is?” He murmured, shifting closer to her and winding his arm around her waist.
“It is,” she whispered, “Merry Christmas,” she told him quietly.
“Merry Christmas,” he responded, opening his eyes and offering her a sleepy smile. His hand slid up along her hip and he frowned.
She paused when he did and turned on her back to look at him, “what?”
“There’s no bow on my present,” he said, pouting.
“Your pres--” she paused and grinned, shaking her head and kissing the corner of his mouth, “you’re funny.”
Oliver grinned. “Yeah, I know.” He kissed her softly on the mouth.
She kissed him back for a moment then pulled away, “she’s already up.”
He cocked his head to the side, a smile tugging at his mouth as he heard the soft footfall of little feet approaching their bedroom door. “Yep.”
Chloe kissed him once more then adjusted on the bed so she was laying on her back just in time to hear the door opening slowly.
He quickly closed his eyes, feigning sleep even though he didn’t try to wipe the smile off his face.
Maddie pursed her lips together and walked over to the bed slowly then reached up and touched Oliver’s arms. “Daddy?” She whispered.
He turned on his side to face her, grinning at her. “Morning.”
She grinned up to him and held on to his arm to start climbing on the bed, “hi.”
He wrapped his other arm around her quickly and helped her up. “Hi.”
Chloe lifted her head and smiled softly, stretching on the bed, “morning,” she whispered.
“Merry Christmas!” Maddie grinned.
“Merry Christmas,” Oliver told her, kissing her cheek and laying her down between Chloe and him.
Chloe turned and wrapped her arm around both of them, “did Santa come by yet?” She asked, smiling softly.
“Yes! And he ate all the cookies and he left a lot of presents,” Maddie said brightly at her mom.
“Well, that’s good.” Oliver smiled brightly.
“Can we go open them?” She asked, turning around so she could see both of her parents.
“Aren’t you hungry?” He cocked his head to look at her. “I was thinking of fixing pancakes.” His eyes were filled with amusement.
“Yes,” she said, pursing her lips together, “but we could eat after, like last year?” She asked hopefully.
Chloe smirked and shook her head, looking over at Ollie.
He pursed his lips together to keep from chuckling, then nodded solemnly. “I suppose we can do that.”
“Thank you, daddy!” She grinned and hugged him then pushed herself to a sitting position. “Can we go now?”
Smiling, Chloe nodded and slowly sat up too, “I suppose we could.”
Oliver nodded, too, sitting up and helping Maddie down off the bed. He grinned at Chloe and winked at her.
She smiled at him and got up too, walking around the bed and over to the two of them, “what do you think he brought you this year, Maddie?” She asked, looking down at her daughter as she took her hand.
Her eyes were wide. “I don’t know!” She tugged on Chloe’s hand a little and then grabbed Oliver’s hand, too.
She grinned more and glanced at her husband, letting the little girl drag her toward the living room.
He couldn’t help but chuckle softly at Maddie’s enthusiasm and the way her eyes lit up when she saw the mountain of presents under the tree. “Why don’t you pick one out?”
“Okay!” She said excitedly, letting go of both their hands and going through the pile for a moment, picking up two presents then running to her parents, “these are for you.” She said, holding one out to each of them.
His expression softened as he took one of the packages she was holding. He wondered how many other parents had a kid as thoughtful as Maddie was. “Thank you.”
Chloe leaned down and kissed her cheek then smiled at her, “thanks, now you should pick one of yours so we can open them together.” Chloe suggested as she sat down on the couch.
“Okay, Mommy,” she agreed with a nod, moving over to grab one of the presents that had her name on it.
She held her hand out to Oliver so he would sit next to her.
He gave her hand a squeeze and sat down beside her, smiling as he watched Maddie choose a gift wrapped in shiny red paper, a huge green bow on top of it. He’d never done a lot of gift-wrapping in the past, but he’d discovered that he wasn’t half bad at it.
Chloe pressed a kiss to his cheek then smiled at Maddie, “ready?” She asked, not surprised by her choice of gift.
“Ready,” she said with a solemn nod.
Oliver couldn’t help but grin, glancing at Chloe and then back at Maddie. “Unwrap!”
Arching her eyebrows, Chloe looked at Maddie then back at Ollie before unwrapping her gift.
Maddie giggled and sat on the floor as she unwrapped her own.
Oliver shrugged and quickly tore into his own package, taking the lid off the box and grinning when he saw the stapled pages of a homemade drawing book laying inside. “Oh, wow,” he said, his eyes filled with warmth.
“That wasn’t from Santa!” Maddie grinned brightly as she tried to open her own box.
“It’s even more special,” Chloe winked at Maddie then opened her own gift, ripping the paper around the small box.
“Yeah, it is,” he said softly, glancing over to watch his wife unwrap her gift.
Chloe opened the small back box and smiled when she saw the locket, “this is beautiful,” she said quietly.
“It’s not from Santa either! Open it!” Maddie grinned, kneeling on the floor.
He couldn’t help but smile at Maddie’s excitement. “Nope, not from Santa.”
She looked between the two of them and smiled then opened the locket, her face softened when she saw the picture of the two of them, then nodded, “this is perfect,” she whispered, glancing between them, “thank you.”
“Maddie was a huge help picking it out.” He glanced over at their daughter and winked.
“Thank you,”Chloe repeated, wrapping an arm around her daughter and kissing her cheek then kissing her husband’s cheek and holding his gaze.
Oliver smiled softly, his eyes bright. After his parents died, he’d rarely celebrated the holidays, but now he had his own family. And it was incredible.