.003 - sleeping beauty's here again

[greenarrowed]

Well, that was the most convenient nap I've ever taken.



[Open Spam]

[Oliver doesn't think he's ever going to be fully used to the strange things that happen here. Like falling asleep one night and waking up three weeks later like it's no big deal. He's been here long enough to know that it happens and that there's no real explanation for it and there's really no point in dwelling on it.

He misses the island now more than ever, he realizes, as he leans against the railing on the Barge's deck. Lian Yu had its own set of issues and oddities, he'll admit that, but if it's a straight choice between hellboat or an island in the North Pacific, it's not hard to figure which one he'd choose. If it were a choice between Starling City and the island, he can't honestly say he'd actually want to go back home either.

But anyway, Mr. Queen is just brooding at the stars, if interrupting his thoughts catches your fancy.]

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[theonlyresponse]

[Bruce is enjoying his newfound freedom(s). Still, he comes up to the deck regularly. It's hard to imagine this vanishing. Maybe he would be angrier if he'd felt it. He could have easily gone Bea's route.

He does spot Oliver (how hard is it to miss the guy) and keeps a professional distance. If the man wants to talk to him, they'll talk. If not, they can easily ignore each other.]

spammity spam

[greenarrowed]

[It is hard to miss a six fool tall man, even when he is trying to hide, which he isn't right now. It only takes him a few moments to realize that he has company, and another second to figure out who it is. He'll take a break from his thoughts for you, Bruce.]

Bruce. [Small nod here.] You make it out okay?

[theonlyresponse]

We were both napping. [He almost sounds amused.] Pleasant dreams?

[greenarrowed]

[It's funny if you ignore the fact that Barge comas are completely insane.]

Not at all. You?

[theonlyresponse]

Nothing, if you can believe it. [He's still trying out this 'politeness' thing. Navigating the loss of the Batman persona. It was comforting to have that security blanket, but he hasn't had it for years, and is still adjusting to the realisation.]

[greenarrowed]

[What's that like, to be without your vigilante thing. Oliver can't even imagine it.]

It's not any harder to believe than what happened to us in the first place. And that's already hard enough.

[theonlyresponse]

[He's still... him. Just not the same type. It's weird, but also freeing.] How long have you been a vigilante?

[greenarrowed]

[Oliver's face closes over, the same way it does when anyone here mentions that they know about that. Bruce is perhaps the only one (anymore) that he won't play stupid with.]

Officially? A few months.

[theonlyresponse]

[Good, because he'd call bullshit the second Oliver did try.

And goodness, the man is still so naive. It's hard to process.] This kind of thing is more commonplace where I'm from. [Beat.] You get used to it.

[greenarrowed]

Maybe that's what I'm afraid of. [He tried to help Helena become a force for good and look how that turned out. And now there's another archer on the streets.]

[theonlyresponse]

Good. [He gazes out, oddly distant, remembering something Alfred had told him.] Because if you ever do, that's when you should hang up the bow.

[greenarrowed]

[Oliver raises an eyebrow slightly.] I'll hang up the bow when my job is finished.

[theonlyresponse]

Define "finished." [This job never really ends, bro :|]

[greenarrowed]

[Don't say things like that. Oliver goes quiet for a moment, shifting his weight between his feet, and looking to the floor. It's still so, strange to talk about this casually with someone else who just. Gets it.]

There's a list I was working off of. I got it from my father. It's a list of all the people that ruined our city. Once it's done, I'm done.

[theonlyresponse]

I had a list. [He thought it was that simple, once. Wipe all of them out, systematically. But it never ended, and it cost him so much.] I'm not done.

[Bea isn't, either. He wonders what she would make of Oliver.]

[greenarrowed]

[Yeah, that's real reassuring, Bruce. You should go into the peptalk business.]

I'm not you.

[theonlyresponse]

No. [That much is true, but there's also-] Make sure you don't go down the same road.

[Peptalk business, yep.]

[greenarrowed]

[For the first time in this entire conversation, he cracks a smile and gestures around them.]

Kinda late for that isn't it?

[theonlyresponse]

[He steps closer, and on instinct, everything in him screams intimidation. Almost like he's jabbing a finger into Oliver's chest.] No. It isn't. Not for you.

[greenarrowed]

[If he's intimidated, he doesn't show it.]

What's this? Advice from the old veteran then?

[theonlyresponse]

Advice from a friend. If you have those.

[A little bit of it is self-hatred, for the the part of himself he sees in Oliver. The rest is all concern, however oddly he expresses it.]

[greenarrowed]

[Look old man, Oliver doesn't need people to be concerned about him. He's fine. Totally fine and in control.]

I avoid them, usually. Too much collateral damage.

[theonlyresponse]

[This conversation hits too close to the ones he first had with Alex. What had his ex-warden done? Backed off after a certain amount of time. Bruce can't really do the same, it shows weakness. But hey, this boat is about helping. He's not weak, not any more.] Suit yourself.

[He's still going to be here for you B(]

[greenarrowed]

[He'd like it, in theory, to feel like he belongs somewhere again but the last thing that happened at home, the reason he's here... it just reminded him why he can't have that luxury and it's hard to forget that, even here where people can't actually die apparently.]

Thanks. I guess. [He's turning back to his brooding now, alright try and stop him.]

[theonlyresponse]

[Maybe another day when he's in a less pleasant mood.

He turns to leave.] The CES is quieter.

[except not now because he needs to brood kthnx.]