Sorry, this one's really short, but I'm planning a longer one soon. I'm going to try and update this at least once every week, maybe twice.
When Roy woke up, the last thing he expected to find was Oliver Queen sitting a few feet away. Frankly, Roy had been exhausted from the night before, and now he found that was on the couch in the Arrow Cave. Roy jumped slightly as noticed Oliver, and he looked up.
"Hey, Roy," Oliver greeted. "You, uh, fell asleep after... everything last night. Thought you might appreciate somewhere more comfortable."
Roy sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Thanks."
Oliver smiled slightly, but didn't reply. Roy felt his skin crawl as he tried to ignore the feeling of Oliver scrutinizing him.
"You know, when I was on the island," Oliver said particularly, "I was taken aboard a ship called the Amazo. I was shot, and they only gave me basic supplies. I got to choose if I would dig the bullet out and stitch it up, or die."
"I'm sorry," Roy told Oliver.
"Don't be," Oliver said. "It's not your fault. The point is- do you think I'm weak?"
"What?" Roy asked in shock.
"Do you think I'm weak?" Oliver repeated.
"No," Roy answered immediately, shocked at the idea of Oliver ever being considered weak.
Maybe the press considered him the playboy drunkard, but Roy knew quite the opposite was true. Oliver was probably the strongest man that Roy had ever met.
"I think you expect us to believe you're weak for what you went through. You know we'll look at you differently now, but Roy, we don't think that. Just like that island made stronger, what you've gone through has made you stronger too. You never deserved it Roy, and you may not believe that now. Someday we'll help you see the truth."
There was a pause as Roy gazed down at his coffee.
"You didn't deserve it either."
The words caught Oliver off guard, but he gave a pained smile.
"I wasn't a good man, then, Roy."
"You weren't a bad one, though." Roy told him. "And maybe someday you'll realize that you didn't deserve that either."
Oliver met Roy's gaze and there was a moment of silence where Roy got the oddest feeling the Oliver could see his soul. They finally broke eye contact, and Roy found himself biting back a sigh of relief.
"My offer still stands, Roy," Oliver said softly, "you ever want to talk, I'm here."
Roy found that he was trying not to cry again. Blinking away the tears, he nodded instead.
"Thanks."
He didn't know when he'd be ready to talk about it, if ever. But he couldn't stop the sudden desire to tell someone everything. After a pause, Oliver stood.
He offered, "Well, I was going to head out to the city if you want to join me for breakfast."
"I'd like that."
