Mutual Pain, Mutual Healing

Summary: Slade returns from Lian Yu
Warning(s): Spoilers for the first three seasons of Arrow; AU; sexual situations between two men; some references to violence; some injuries being treated; bondage
Pairing: Slade Wilson/Oliver Queen

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He wasn’t going to get home in one piece.

In his Arrow costume, Oliver stumbled along the street, one hand clasped to his aching ribs. Actually, they more than ached. Every time he breathed, sharp pain sliced through his chest. And he was limping almost too badly to walk. Which wouldn’t have been a problem if the goons he’d been facing hadn’t completely wrecked his bike.

The comms had been damaged in the fight, too. Oliver had already tried to contact the rest of Team Arrow, despite knowing his friends would be pissed at him for taking off on his own. Again. And he could do without hearing yet another lecture from the people who he was supposed to be in charge of. But today, he could have done with the comms actually working. Even if it would have upset the rest of his friends.

There weren’t many lights along the street he was limping along, which was just as well, as he wasn’t sure he was up to running into anyone…no matter if they were another enemy or not.

The weakness was just growing stronger with every step that he took. The pain sharpened every time he put one foot in front of the other. And dark spots danced in front of his eyes as unconsciousness dogged his every step. The sidewalk was beginning to look very comfortable.

By the time someone appeared in front of him, Oliver’s feet felt like he was wading through thick syrup. He blinked several times, focusing on a familiar form…a figure wearing an orange and black mask. “Slade.” He reached behind him, grabbing one of his arrows out of the quiver. He didn’t have the strength to draw his bow…wasn’t sure he could even fight just holding onto an arrow. But he was damned if he’d die without at least trying to fight.

Slade’s hand shot out and it was only then that Oliver realised he’d toppled forward, losing his balance. He all but collapsed against the other man’s chest, his legs too weak to support him any longer. If they weren’t, he would have pulled away. Pushed Slade away. Not let the arrow fall from suddenly nerveless fingers and inhale the scent of the leather from Slade’s jacket. And he certainly wouldn’t have nuzzled into the other man’s chest as his vision went totally dark. Not unconscious, though. He felt it when Slade lifted him into his arms and heard it when the other man grunted out, “Kid, when was the last time you ate something? You weigh about as much as a feather.”

A whole myriad of different responses went through Oliver’s head, but not one of them sprang to his lips. He struggled for a few moments; not because he really wanted to get away, but purely because he thought he should. And he didn’t have the energy to fight for long. If Slade was intending to kill him, he wasn’t going to have much trouble doing so.

Oliver had been hurt before, but the wounds were severe enough that he thought he probably blacked out. He certainly didn’t come to properly until he was laying back on something soft and a pair of hands was removing his Arrow outfit.

Opening his eyes, Oliver looked up into Slade’s face. Apart from the missing eye, he could almost believe they were back on the island and the older man was treating an injury received there. Almost believe that.

The panic that had been curiously absent when he’d literally fallen into Slade’s arms now came at him full force and Oliver scrambled backwards, covering the parts of his body that had been exposed by the older man. “What are you doing?” His eyes darted around the small room, taking in the door that had been left slightly ajar directly opposite the bed. The window that was in the wall on his left. He probably couldn’t get to the door before Slade stopped him, but the window might be doable….

“Don’t even think about it, kid. You’re too injured to get very far right now.”

Oliver looked down at his costume, noticing that parts of it had been cut. He wasn’t fully naked, but the patches of bare skin showing through made him feel more vulnerable and exposed than if Slade had removed the clothes entirely. “You’ve been cutting me.”

“I’ve been treating you,” Slade corrected.

“Then why am I bleeding?”

“Those were wounds you had when we ran into each other.” Slade held up a first aid kit, narrowing his eye. “Were you really so hurt, you had no idea you were bleeding?”

“I knew about my ribs,” Oliver muttered. Though if he’d been losing blood, that would explain the weakness. And why he’d collapsed into Slade’s arm instead of fighting the man who hated him. “Why are you doing this? And what are you doing here?” He hit on the most important question. “I left you back on Lian Yu.”

“I escaped.” Slade moved over and knelt on the bed, picking up a pair of scissors.

“Answer my first question.” Oliver tried to interject an authoritarian note into his voice, but it came out weak and shaky. “You’ve hated me since….” He swallowed and closed his eyes, giving his head a sharp shake.

“The mirakuru.”

“You told me that wasn’t what made you hate me.” Oliver opened his eyes and stared at Slade.

“It’s true. I did say that.” Slade moved forward and began to carefully cut fabric away from bleeding wounds. When he couldn’t pull it free without it sticking, he used a damp cloth to wet the material enough to remove it. “The words were true, but the meaning wasn’t what you thought. The mirakuru didn’t make me hate you because I never hated you.”

“That’s not….”

“Have I ever lied to you?”

Oliver paused, mouth half-open. He sat still as the rest of the fabric was cut free of the wounds and then held his body stiff and motionless as Slade began to clean the cuts and bandage them. He managed to hold still as the worst wounds were stitched up and through his ribs being bandaged, but as soon as Slade was finished, he pulled back, pressing his spine against the wall. “Maybe you never lied to me, but you tried to destroy my life. You murdered my mother.” The last sentence was uttered in a much quieter tone.

“There’re a lot of things I’ve done that I regret,” Slade replied. “But I’m more concerned with you, kid. Where were the rest of Team Arrow?”

Oliver frowned and looked away. “I don’t need to explain myself to you.” Especially not when Slade’s words reminded him of losing Laurel. He didn’t want to explain to the other man that he was too worried about his other friends losing their lives to involve them. He didn’t want to explain himself at all.

“I’d be happier if you went to the hospital.”

Oliver’s eyes darted towards Slade and he quickly shook his head. “No. No hospitals.”

“Yeah. I was expecting you to say something like that.” Slade sighed and stood up.

“Where are you going?” The words escaped Oliver’s mouth before he could stop them. He didn’t sound quite as lost as he felt, which was something. Slade’s actions were making him remember how they’d been back on the island. Before the mirakuru had ruined everything, he’d thought…he’d felt…well…. “Are you going to get someone else?”

“It’s just us here, kid,” Slade answered. “I was going to grab some food.”

“Food?” Oliver echoed, staring blankly at him.

“Yes. I assume you still need to eat. Despite what your weight might indicate.” Slade headed to the door and walked out of the room.

Oliver sank slowly back against the headboard and glanced again at the window. His wounds had been treated and bandaged. He could easily take off, out the window…but Slade wasn’t hurting him. Had treated him and now was getting him food. And emotions he’d thought long buried on the island were awakening once more.

Still, they weren’t on the island any longer. And whatever emotions had been awakened there, things were vastly different now. There was too much between them. Too much hurt. Too many words. Too many wounds that hadn’t had a chance to heal.

He glanced at the window again, but before he could move to leave, Slade came back into the room, holding a takeout carton. He sat down on the bed opposite Oliver and raised his eyebrows. “Were you planning on taking off out the window?”

“I was thinking of it.” Oliver took the carton from Slade and began to eat the noodles inside with the chopsticks. He was hungrier than he’d realised he would be and for a few minutes, the only sound was that of him eating. He finished the noodles and then took the bottle of water Slade offered him, opening it and draining about half of the contents. Then, recapping the bottle, he fidgeted with it for a few moments before asking, “Am I a prisoner here?”

“You’re not tied up,” Slade answered. “I didn’t lock the door when I left. You aren’t my prisoner, kid. Though I wouldn’t advise leaving before you’ve given your body a chance to heal.”

“Would you tie me up if I tried to leave against your advice?” Oliver glanced at the other man’s face.

“Would you like me to tie you up?” Slade met his gaze without flinching.

Oliver swallowed as the question caused his member to stir. He shifted slightly, put the water and carton to one side and said, “If you tied me up, I’d be completely at your mercy.” He paused, not sure how to continue that sentence. Not sure how to ask Slade for what he wanted. Could he even ask for what they’d had back on the island? What they’d been heading towards before the mirakuru had ruined everything between them?

“Lie down,” Slade directed, standing up. “Put your hands above your head.”

Taking a deep breath, Oliver stretched himself out on the bed, stretching his hands up above his head. A few moments later, he felt his hands bound tightly and then raised his head to watch Slade’s movements as the other man moved down to his feet and bound them to the bedposts too, spread about as far apart as they could go.

It should have been terrifying. Slade had been an enemy as much as he’d been a friend. And being tied up meant that Oliver was at his mercy. The other man could seriously hurt him if he chose to. But he’d had plenty of chances to do that and, instead, had treated his injuries. That feeling of safety and belonging was stronger than it ever had been before, despite his hands and feet being tied fast.

Slade’s fingers went to Oliver’s hips and he tugged the jeans down slowly, fingers ghosting over bare skin. Oliver shivered and closed his eyes.

“No. Keep them open,” Slade ordered. “I want you to watch this, kid. I want you to watch me.”

Quivering slightly, Oliver opened his eyes and watched as Slade finished pulling his pants down. As soon as they were around his ankles, the bulge of his erection through his white briefs was obvious. He gasped as Slade slipped his hand into his underwear and palmed his erection. A slight gurgling sound escaped his lips.

Slade gave a quick grin and then leaned down to brush his lips against Oliver’s. At the same time, he pushed the briefs down and wrapped his fingers around Oliver’s member.

His gasp was swallowed by Slade’s mouth and the other man nipped his lips. In response, Oliver opened his mouth and Slade’s tongue plunged inside. His gasps and moans were engulfed into the other man’s warm mouth as his member was firmly stroked and caressed. He arched into Slade’s hand as much as the ties around his wrists and ankles would allow him.

The kissing and touching of his member both drove Oliver to the edge. He kissed back hard, hungrily, desperately. And when his orgasm hit him, it was hard and full force…whited his vision out and left him limp and panting.

Slade slowly pulled back from the kiss, reaching down with one hand to gently stroke over Oliver’s nipples, almost absently. “You ready for me to untie you now?”

“If you’re ready for me to return the favour, then yeah,” Oliver replied. “Otherwise…I think I’m happy to stay like this as long as you want to keep me this way,” he admitted quietly. “You can do whatever you want to me and I’ll take it.”

“And tell me if you don’t like it.”

“And tell you if I don’t like it,” Oliver repeated obediently. And then he yawned.

Slade undid the ties around Oliver’s wrists and ankles, ignoring the pout that came over his face. “You need to sleep,” he said firmly.

“But later?” Oliver asked.

“Yeah,” Slade agreed. “Later, we can carry on with this.” He stretched out alongside Oliver and wrapped an arm around his waist, gently drawing him back against his stomach.

Oliver sighed and relaxed back into the embrace, closing his eyes. For the first time in a long time, he actually felt at peace…even if that peace was only temporary.

The End