Will might've been housebound and quasi-helpless before but that was nothing in comparison to how pathetic and needy he could be when he really put his mind to it. After his blow out with Tyler, he wanted all the soup and all the Jello and all the orange juice and all the popsicles.
That seemed to suit Oliver fine, allowing him to ratchet his guilt and parental fear-induced smothering up to eleven. But fatherly freakout and paternal sympathy only went so far. When his dad suggested, then recommended, then finally ordered him to shower and find somewhere to be other than the living room couch, air boot and all, Will knew he was probably pushing it.
He couldn't help it, though. Tyler was his… Tyler. She was the one. They'd met when they were fourteen. Started dating when they were fifteen after he'd kinda tricked his dad into taking the to Chicago for the weekend. She was the only girl he'd ever truly been interested in. The only girl he'd ever dated. The only girl he'd ever slept with. She was supposed to be the only girl he ever everything-ed with.
And now she wasn't talking to him. Or answering his calls. Or acknowledging his texts. The one time he'd convinced his dad to drive him over to her house, her dad had answered the door.
I'm not sure what you did to upset her like this, Will, but she needs a little time and space.
Without you in it being the unspoken part of that sentiment.
Which sent Will right back to the living room sofa.
Part of the reason Will was sulking was he simply wasn't sure of his next move. He and his dad were currently getting along, but that would change the minute Will made a serious push to get back to training and on patrol. Oliver's bad side was not a place he wanted to be and he wasn't sure he could handle both his dad and Tyler being mad at him at the same time. Not that the whole superhero thing was a deal breaker for Tyler. She didn't really care whether he was a superhero or not—she'd been right in saying she always supported whatever he did—but he wasn't so oblivious as to not realize that starting again before they worked things out would be the death knell for their relationship.
How much was he willing to give up for his drive to help?
A few more days passed and Will decided stewing in his own miserable juices would get him nowhere. He had to put his big boy pants on and fix this. It was time to play his ace in the hole. He arranged a delivery order and hoped for the best.
The next day, he was pleased but not completely surprised when his cell phone rang.
Tyler Rose Calling.
He tapped to activate the call. "Hey."
A short silence and then, "I'm still mad at you."
"I know. I just wanted you to know I was still thinking of you."
"You're playing dirty pool, William David."
"So you like them?" Will asked.
"I love them," she said. "I can't believe you paid for the overnight shipping to get them here all the way from Tyler, Texas."
Tyler's family was originally from East Texas. They'd moved to Star City not long before Tyler's birth. But her mother never forgot about Tyler roses. The town was so proud of its flowers it deemed itself 'The Rose Garden of America' and had pageants, contests, and the whole shebang to celebrate the spring bloom. Every year, their family back home would ship roses to Tyler, one for every year of her age, to remind her that she was loved and being thought of on her special day, even when she was in college.
"I remembered they always make you smile and I feel like I haven't done enough of that lately."
"Well, thank you."
"My pleasure."
The small talk died, leaving uncomfortable silence, the kind of awkwardness they hadn't experienced in years.
Will cleared his throat. "If it's… if I'm not overstepping my bounds, would it be okay if I came to see you?"
Tyler sighed. "I dunno…"
"It's been a month. We've never gone that long without seeing each other. Even before we were dating. I miss you, Tyler Rose."
The line was silent so long he nearly pulled it away to look at the display, to make sure she hadn't hung up.
Then she said it.
"Not as much as I miss you, William David."
Will let out a relieved huff of air. "Does this mean I can come over?"
"Yes," Tyler said. "But bring me chocolate. And that cream soda they only sell by your place. And some of your dad's chili!"
Will silently whooped in celebration. He'd bring her the damned moon if that was what she wanted.
When Will showed up, Tyler's dad actually let him in the house, although not with the warm, friendly smile he usually bestowed.
Will and Tyler settled in the den, door pulled, but not shut. Tyler tucked in on one end of the couch, far from him, but she was wearing one of his hoodies, which he took as a good sign. The TV was on a low drone, some kind of teen drama flitting across the screen. They both sat and pretended to be vaguely interested, even though Will had never seen the show before.
"I'm going to give up being a vigilante," he blurted when the show faded to commercial break.
Tyler carefully set down her bowl of chili on the coffee table next to the chocolates he'd brought and turned to tuck her knees up on the couch, her body facing Will. "Because you actually want to or because you think it's what I want you to do?"
"Because I want to be with you and you don't want to live with someone who has a bunch of secrets. Wearing a mask, that guarantees a lifetime of secrets."
Tyler wrapped her arms around her middle, hugging herself, and shook her head. "Don't give up something you really want for me. I don't want you to be wondering 'what if' twenty years from now and resenting me for it."
"I would never resent you. I'm not doing it to make you happy. Well, not just to make you happy. I'm doing it so that there's still an 'us' twenty years from now. That's the thing I can't live without."
She studied him for a moment before looking away to the chili and the chocolates and then back. "It… it just feels so sudden. You deciding that being honest with me is more important than this thing you've wanted for years. I don't… I don't understand. I need you to tell me what changed."
"The last time we talked you talked about me being able to trust you." Will bit the inside of his cheek, his stomach fluttering as he considered the seriousness of what he was about to do. There would be no takebacksies. "I want to tell you something. But I have to be able to trust that you won't tell anybody else. Ever."
Tyler blinked at him, her eyes full of concern before shifting to resolve. "Alright. Whatever it is, it goes with me to my grave."
Will shuddered. "Many, many, many decades from now."
Tyler frowned, confused. "Hopefully... What did you want to tell me?"
A big breath. "You wanted know what changed my mind… It was my dad's experiences as the Green Arrow."
Tyler's eyes grew big and her eyebrows shot up nearly to her hairline. "His… Your dad's the Green Arrow? Seriously? That doesn't-How long have you known that?"
"Since I was kidnapped about a year before my mom was murdered by the Throwing Star Killer."
Tyler's eyes furrowed. "Wait. Your mom died in a car accident."
Will nodded. "That was the official story since Oliver Queen is just supposed to be Oliver Queen. But in reality, he was targeted by Prometheus aka the Throwing Star Killer who eventually murder my mom and my dad's entire team."
Tyler gaped like a fish. He could see her brain spinning furiously, trying to process but no words were coming out.
Will shrugged ruefully. "You wanted the truth."
Be careful what you wish for, huh?" she chuckled mirthlessly.
He watched her, trying to find any indication of how she was going to take this. "I would have told you sooner, but it wasn't my secret to tell.
She nodded.
"Yeah, that part I get." She gave a small laugh. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I've known the Green Arrow most of my life and didn't even know it."
"Does it change the way you see him?"
Tyler tilted her head, her brow crinkling just a hint as she thought. "Not really. He was always really protective of you and worked hard to do right by the city. If anything, it makes him cooler."
"Does Speed Warper change how you see me?" Will asked softly.
She turned and looked him in the eye. "I'm not mad at you because you're out running around the city. I'm mad because you not only didn't tell me, but you intentionally and repeatedly lied to me about it."
"And if I promise never to lie to you about it again, could you find it in you to forgive me? I can't stand it when you're mad at me. It makes me feel awful knowing I did something to hurt you."
"I can't stand being mad at you." She dropped her chin down to her drawn up knees. "Please don't lie to me again. Not about something this big."
"I won't. I swear." He put one hand out, pinky extended. "I love you, Tyler Rose."
She grinned and hooked pinkies with him. "Not as much as I love you, William David."
