If You Can't Be With the One You Love

For A Love That's Impossible

The two men left the shop, not speaking much to each other. Every word Oliver said to Barry pained him. Every word Barry said to Oliver pained him. Sometimes silence is comfortable. Other times it's torture. The feeling of knowing there are words that need to be said, feelings one may want to put out in the open, yet they stay bottled up only feeding into the tranquility. That was an agonizing moment of silence for Oliver.

Oliver starts the car and turns to Barry. He swallows the lump in his throat before speaking. "Are you hungry?"

"No." Barry replies, resting his feet on the dash in front of him. "But you can still grab a bite if you want."

Oliver shakes his head. "I'll be okay. Back to the loft then?"

"Yeah."

Oliver sighs before driving off, heading back towards Iris and Barry's home. The dreary soundlessness continues, allowing the tension to grow so strong it was nearly felt physically. Oliver's knuckles became white from gripping the wheel so tightly.

Barry catches sight of this and looks at him worriedly. "You alright?"

"Just hate driving in Central City." Oliver nonchalantly bluffs through his teeth. Barry nods his head before bringing his attention back to the surroundings that flew by them as they drove.

The two remain in silence as they arrive at the loft. Oliver walks Barry up to the door before another word is spoke. Barry looks at Oliver as he opens the door. "I'll see you at the rehearsal dinner tonight?"

"I'll be there."

Oliver wanted to lock himself away again. He longed for a bottle to drown away his sorrows and wallow in his own self-pity. But something about the events of the past twenty four hours has made him feel like he should fight that temptation. The thought of Barry almost drove him to be better.

As he walked through the hallway, he heard footsteps running behind him.

"Nice of you to make an appearance somewhere, Oliver." Felicity says, patting his shoulder.

Oliver scoffs. "Couldn't let my friend down."

"But it's okay to let your team down right?" Felicity begins. "It's okay for you to spend your nights in bottles while we're out in the field fighting your crusade?"

"I don't need this right now, Felicity!" Oliver yells, stopping in his tracks as the enter the stairwell. He turns to face her as the door shuts behind him.

"What is going on, Oliver?" Felicity asks worriedly. "Please just be honest with me."

"I don't want to get into it." Oliver begins. "Just understand that this weekend hasn't been easy for me."

"That tells me nothing." Felicity replies sullenly. "Are you talking about the wedding?"

Oliver bites his lip. "I'm sorry I haven't been present out in the field lately. I promise, once we get back, it'll be different. I'm truly sorry."

"That's not what I care about most right now," she begins. Her facial expressions begin to show concern. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'll be fine." Oliver says before making his way down the stairs. He knew he just told Felicity yet another lie. But ultimately, the word fine hasn't been and won't be in Oliver Queen's diction for an extended period of time and that was something he had come to accept.

The evening came. Oliver once again presented a look of content, as if everything was okay. As if he wasn't being consumed by the feelings of regret and loneliness. He wanted to put on the persona that he whole heartedly supported Barry and Iris' marriage,

The night had been going smoothly. Oliver spoke with Iris, her father Joe, some of Barry and he's mutual friends. He didn't say a word to Barry, yet he constantly was exchanging glances with him. Solemn, longing stares. Other times he wasn't looking. He would watch as Barry forced a smile while talking to his guest. He watched Barry pull Iris close to him, kiss her, hold her hand, each time making Oliver want to leave more and more.

Speeches were being made. Each one mentioning how much Iris and Barry exemplified unconditional, strong love. Each one solidifying the thought in Oliver's mind that this marriage is what Barry deserved.

Barry had just laughed, causing a peeping Oliver to smile along with him. Iris, who had been attentive of Oliver's stares, looked directly at him. When he noticed this, he began to loudly clear his throat in order to grab the attention of the guests.

Out of obligation and non vocal cues of question from Iris, Oliver began to speak. "Back when I was at Queen Consolidated, I met this CSI in an absurd break in case. He was eager to help with this case because it was seemingly the impossible.

This individual believed so deeply in the impossible. This man was Barry. And ever since we met, he has taught me to believe in the impossible."

Oliver's smile fades as he looks to Barry. Their eyes melting into one another's. He feels his heart sink as he speaks the final words with his champagne glass raised in the air.

"The way this man loves, makes him the impossible." He pauses. "You can see the love in his eyes when he looks at Iris.

Their love is the impossible. And I wish them nothing but the best."

With that, Oliver chugs the rest of the champagne out of the glass. He feels Barry's stare remain intact. He sets the glass on the table beside him, before making his way through the crowd and out of the building.

Thought I would take the time to say a big thank you to everyone who has read and supported this story! It's very important to me and to see this support means the absolute world. Thank you. Never in a million years did I think 1k reads for this story would be attainable and now it is.

Thank you all so much. Let me know what you thought of the chapter!

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