WildFire - Chapter 2

2.

Four months later

Valerio Rossi was very proud of the new fragrance his fashion house was launching today. White Sun would be a big hit after tonight's party, thanks to the promising young Nose he had been able to hire the year before. This Doctor Hendrickx was going to be his money maker for the next thirty or fourty years. He had to pay her an exorbitant salary, but it looked like his investment was worth it. She was currently sitting in a high chair at the bar, her foot still in a cast after a regretable incident a few months back, but she loooked pretty enough to be shown around. In fact he had insisted she come tonight, counting on people's curiosity towards her kidapping and subsequent rescue by the Vigilante, to come at his party. He toured the Verdant's floor, shaking hands and kissing cheeks while pretty hostesses dressed in sparkling white sprayed whoever wanted with the perfume.

Nola was tired, her foot ached and she knew she had been used as a publicity stunt. She couldn't said no to Valerio when he had asked her to come, because of the fortune he was paying her. He had sat her on a chair, provided a drink, that she left aside, and told her to smile, which she did, profusely.

She had been surprised when Tommy Merlyn and Laurel Lance had come to say hi. They had been in the same class in high school, but she had no idea they remembered her. They had spent a nice time reminiscing before Tommy had to check on something. Some other people had come say hi, and how much they liked her perfume, even if it was a lie. White Sun was pretty much all she was scenting at the moment, the air was saturated with it.

« Five more minutes and I'm gone. »

She saw Valerio gest towards her and bring three people with him. She immediatly recognized Oliver from the pictures and videos on the news. He had changed so much since high school she wasn't sure she'd have recognized him if she had seen him in the street. She guessed the older blonde was his mom and the young brunette his sister. She smiled.

« Moira, this is our R&D Director, Doctor Nola Hendrickx. Nola, this is Moira Queen, her daughter Thea, and son Oliver. »

Nola let herself be brushed on the cheeks by both women.

« Oh, we love your perfume, it's very fresh and warm at the same time. »
« Thank you. It wouldn't suit you, though, Mrs Queen. You should wear Moonbeam instead. But it would be perfect for you, Thea. »
« Then let me go get you a bottle ! »
« Thank you ! »

Oliver got closer to Nola and put a kiss on her cheek.

« It's nice to see you again, Nola. »

She smiled and smelled deelpy. This scent... She looked at him in stupefaction and whispered.

« You ! »

Oliver shook slightly his head, his smile still in place. Nola hesitated for a second and smiled again.

« It's nice to see you too, after all these years. »

Moira turned back to Nola.

« And how is your foot ? »
« Getting better every day. Physical therapy is long and tedious but it's doing its job. Thank you for asking. »

Valerio returned with a little package.

« Here's for you Thea. Moira, I'll have a bottle of Moonbeam sent over your house by tomorrow. Nola is never wrong about scents. »
« Then I'll try it. Thank you, Nola. »
« My pleasure. »

The Queens smiled goodbye and followed Valerio who wanted to parade them around. Oliver looked at Nola one last time and left.

*****

Nola was back at her place not long after. No need to make something up, she was tired and her foot was aching. And she had so much more on her mind than the damn party.

Oliver...

Oliver was the Vigilante. From his reaction, she guessed nobody in his family knew, and he didn't want them to find out. She remembered the kidnapping, the awful pain, and how safe she had felt when Oliver had carried her into his arms. In high school, he had been mostly a jerk, until she had threatened to tell his girlfriend he was cheating on her. Then he had just ignored her.

Once in her pajamas, Nola put the kettle on and made a cup of tea. She smiled to herself and made a second one. She cuddled on her sofa with her cats, holding her mug, and waited.

She didn't wait very long. When she heard the knock on her door, she didn't have to look in the peephole to know Oliver was there.

« I was wondering who I would see tonight, you or... the other one. »
« You're not a bad guy I need to scare. »
« True. »

Nola went back on the sofa, and offered Oliver the second mug of tea. He took a whiff.

« Smells nice. »

Nola just smiled. Oliver looked at her intensely.

« Thank you for not saying anything. »
« It's not my secret to tell. »
« How did you know ? »
« Your scent. »
« My perfume ? »
« No, your cologne is subtile and well chosen. I'm speaking about your body ordor. Every scent is unique. In high school, you smelled of gold. »

Oliver had a little smile.

« Gold ? »
« Yes, rich and tasteless. »
« Oh... »
« But if I hadn't seen you tonight, I wouldn't have recognised you. The five years alone on a deserted island have erased the gold and replaced it with rainforest. And since no two persons have the same scent... »

Oliver looked into his mug, took a sip.

« I smell of rainforest ? »
« Yes. Green, wild and dangerous. »

She closed her eyes and moved her head as she smelled the air.

« There's a hint of steel... no, iron. Raw and ruthless. »

One of the cats jumped on Oliver's lap. He was surprised but petted the calico that purred like a freight train.

« Hello you ! »
« That's Mrs. Crumbs. And this one on my knees is Shadoe. »

She petted a beautiful grey cat with golden eyes. Mrs. Crumbs settled down and made herself at home on his thighs.

« What do cats smell like ? »
« They actualy smell like cats. Every on of them has its own scent, but I don't see them in colors. And when I come back from work, it's soothing. It calms my over sensitive sense of smell. My mom bought me one when I turned four and it was a life changer. »
« I'm sorry I was such a jerk in high school. »
« No more than everybody else. »
« I remember... How did you know I was seing Michelle and Brenda ? »

Nola smiled and tapped her nose. Oliver shook his head.

« So you always had this gift ? »
« Yes. »
« In senior year, we went to the beach. And you looked so different that day. From a bookworm to butterfly. Did it have anything to do with it ? »
« Yes. The sea has such a strong smell it overpowers every other smell. For the first time ever I could smell only one scent. It's complex and composed of a hundred different scents, but it's a whole. I didn't smell any of you, your perfumes and deodorants, the tobacco... and else... It freed me. I felt strong. I felt like myself. »
« Do you ever go back there ? »
« The first thing I did when I started working for Valerio is buy a house on the beach. It's small but it's perfect. »

Oliver looked pensive.

« You said I smelled like the rainforest. What do you smell like ? »

Nola's smile vanished slowly as she looked in Oliver's eyes. He saw her breath hitch and she licked her lips. She swallowed and whispered.

« I smell of wild flowers. A meadow. »

He was intrigued by the change in her behavior, all smile and friendly one second, and like a doe caught in the light the other.

« What's going on, Nola ? »

She looked in her tea and he saw her blush.

« Nola ? »
« Your scent... it changed slightly. »
« What do you mean ? »

She lifted her gaze and looked in his eyes again.

« I smelled... your desire. And it woke up mine. »

Oliver was taken aback. When he had thought about that day at the beach, he had remembered her as she had been back then, in her bathing suit, copper hair and fair skin. He had recalled wanting her. Looking at her now with this image of her in his mind had stirred up his present self. And she has smelled that. Oliver felt embarrassed. Nola put her cup of tea down and got up with her cane. He did the same and Mrs. Crumbs let an angry meow when she landed on the floor.

« Oliver, you have two choices now. You can leave, or... »

She took a deep breath.

« … You can stay and make my bed smell like rainforest. »

Oliver got a flash of their naked bodies joined and wondered if she would taste like wild flowers too. She shivered under his gaze, probably smelling his growing desire. He took his jacket and headed for the door.

« I'd better go. »
« I suppose it's the right thing to do. »
« Bye Nola. »
« Bye Ollie. »

Once in the corridor, he turned back to her before she closed her door.

« Can I assume you like the smell of the rainforest ? »

She had a huge grin.

« I'd love to go there one day. »

He smiled back and left.

Nola sighed heavily and went back to her living room. Both cats looked at her as if asking where her visitor went. She limped to the chair Oliver had occupied, caught a blanket on her way and snuggled in with her cats, falling asleep basking in his scent.

In the elevator, Oliver thought he didn't expect this conversation. Scents and smells... He never had a woman come on to him like that. « Make my bed smell like the rainforest. » He closed his eyes and thought of the island.

*****

The day had been tough. Slade had made him run, and fight. Oliver was bone tired, hungry, and itchy. After a few months on the island, he was still afraid of noises and shadows. But that night was different. He settled on hit cot but couldn't will himself to sleep. Slade had taken the first watch so he was supposed to rest until it was his turn. But he got up and asked him to change shifts. Slade went to his own bed and was asleep in seconds. Oliver couldn't belive how quiet this man was when he was asleep. The night settled around them and for the first time since he arrived, he was at peace in this jungle. The sounds didn't make him jump, the smells were now familiar. He closed his eyes and listened to the restlessness of the wild. Tomorrow would be hard, but for now, everything was calm.

*****