I don't own Arrow. All rights go to their respective owners.
I'm Glad You Came Back
He shouldn't do this. This is a terrible idea.
Probably one of his worst ideas ever in a sense.
Yet also it could be one of his best ideas in a very long time.
Prometheus must be stopped.
Prometheus must be defeated.
That's the most important thing right now before any more lives are lost.
Before he can inflict anymore pain.
Yet what his plans are right now cause pain.
It causes pain to him beyond words and no doubt will it cause pain to the others.
They'll think him insane.
Thea may never look at him in the same way again.
But Oliver knows she'd do anything to save those they care about.
Even doing the unthinkable.
The unthinkable that Oliver's doing right now.
Opening the large black bag he holds in one hand, he removes the mask.
Holding it in his hand.
The metal mask feels heavy in his hand, heavier then it actually is.
Made heavy with the emotional aspect that comes with it and that's just the mask.
The simple, orange and black metal mask which currently feels like a dead weight in Oliver's hand as he clutches it so tightly he believes the ends of the mask cut into his fingers.
He tries to loosen his grip.
This conversation really wouldn't get off to a good start if Oliver has gotten blood on the mask.
He wonders briefly why he wants to smile at that thought.
Old habit. Very old habit.
If this was the man he had met almost ten years ago now he would be smiling.
He'd be happily doing this with no qualms.
But he isn't that man anymore. He became something else.
Which is why coming to this man now might not be a good idea.
As he gets closer to the cell block, Oliver's grip on the mask tightens.
He can't help it.
Every step he makes is drawing him closer to a place he believed he'd never return to.
What's going to happen? He thinks to himself.
Is he going to be angry, livid, his usual vengeful self?
Will he threaten people again to rile him up? Felicity, Thea, Diggle...
Will he flatly refuse what Oliver is asking of him.
Worse… Will he agree with Prometheus?
Will he wish to join him?
What if Prometheus has already been here before and enlisted his help?
They both wanted to destroy him. Why wouldn't he want to help Prometheus?
The thoughts race through Oliver's mind a mile a minute as he begins to approach the door now, his grip on the mask tightening even more.
He hadn't even realised his other hand was shaking until he reaches for the door handle.
Wrapping his fingers around it he closes his eyes for a few moments.
He pushes the door open as quickly as if he were ripping off a band aid.
He keeps his eye to the floor as he walks into the room.
He hears the sound of the prison bed creaking loudly as its occupant moves on it.
Still Oliver keeps his eyes to the floor.
He doesn't know what would happen if he looked up.
He tries to take a few deep breaths as he hears the sound of feet hitting the ground, he doesn't think he's stood up.
Just sitting there, facing him.
Waiting for him to make the first move.
Oliver doesn't know if he can make the first move.
How does he approach something like this?
What does he say? What should he refrain from saying. Should he tell the full truth and nothing but the truth? Should he even be here right now…
"Hey, kid."
Oliver freezes at those two small words.
'Kid'
That word that was once his nickname.
The nickname at one point he thought to himself was a term of endearment.
But then it became a nickname to taunt him.
He doesn't want to read into the tone of voice Slade Wilson has used.
Soft, gentle. He cannot detect any resentment.
It keeps Oliver frozen in place.
Unable to move, unable to even breathe.
What is happening right now.
"I'm glad you came back."
Slade uses the same gentle voice he'd used only seconds before.
Why is their no resentment in his voice?
Why isn't he taunting him?
Why is he 'glad'?
Could it be sarcasm?
Could it be his accent that's making his words sound the way they do to Oliver?
Could this all be a dream?
Oliver waits for the snap.
The sarcasm, the insult that never comes.
The two men stand in silence.
Only metal bars keeping them apart.
Oliver finds himself raising the mask along with his own head and he can't keep looking down anymore.
If it wasn't for the eyepatch, Oliver would have thought time had turned back and he was facing the man who had once been his friend.
The man who'd once called him brother…
Slade raises his eyebrow at Oliver, whom is certain he is seeing things as he believes he can see a hint of a smirk on Slade's face.
That damn smirk.
Oliver takes a deep breath, his eyes never leaving Slade's one immense brown one.
"Something's up. Something serious. Something that might get a whole lot of people killed. You have no reason to say yes to anything I ask of you right now." Oliver stops as he holds the mask up to a rather perplexed look from Slade in response.
"I think if we. If we worked together. Would could stop it. Him. We could stop him. If we work together…" Oliver repeats stopping when he realise the words he wants to say sound just like words Slade had once uttered to him before all that time ago.
"We might just have a chance."
Authors Note: Thank you all so much for reading, I honestly couldn't help myself. I watched the recent trailer for Arrow and I still am trying to get my head around what I heard. The voice of Slade Wilson. My favourite Arrowverse character may finally return! And I still can't get over how he said those words to Oliver. It just. He didn't sound like he had much hate there. I can't wait to see how it turns out. I just hope to god this isn't another 'Floyd Lawton'. It's two seasons on and I'm still recovering from that! Thanks again so much for reading, please leave a review and tell me what you thought :)