3847/A Night For Talking

A Night For Talking
Date of Scene:	18 October 2020
Location:	Oliver's Room
Synopsis:	Oliver and Vanessa discuss everything from family, to what it is to kill someone, to her mutant ability.
Cast of Characters:	Vanessa Carlysle, Oliver Queen

---

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
It's a quiet Saturday night at the Queen mansion. Vanessa and Oliver have had the house to themselves. There was slow dancing, as Vanessa wore the outfit she had that fight night at the diner in New York where they'd met. Oliver was not required to wear his same tux though!

Now the pair are lounging together on the bed beneath the covers. Vanessa rests her head on Oliver's shoulder, a hand moving to find his, and lace fingers with him. "Relaxing and being lazy for an evening is kind of a nice thing," she says with a grin. "We don't do this nearly enough, Oliver Just," she says, using that name she called him at the diner so long ago.

Vanessa smiles and nuzzles her cheek to Oliver's shoulder. "So after a little bit of a cold shoulder from one of the turtles, they seemed to warm a little bit more the last time I saw them. I did mention passing on a greeting to Mikey, who I still haven't met," she says.

Oliver Queen has posed:
It's good to relax for a change, even if only for a night, one hand behind his head and the other reaching to take Vanessa's under those covers, his body relaxed after their dance. It did bring back memories, his grin more pronounced when Vanessa calls him by that name she used so long ago. "It's not something we can afford to do often. But I am glad when we are able to." he says quietly, the sound of the rain outside being the only break to the otherwise silent mansion.

He looks down at the woman against his arm when she speaks of the turtles, a brow quirking up. "Good news then. I feel they are rather young, at least the one I met was. So patience will help I am guessing." he muses about it. That's how one handles teenagers right?! Patience!

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa gives a soft chuckle. "Yes, reminds me of being around teenagers," she tells Oliver. "There's a girl who has canine features. Honestly she seems as much dog as person. So sweet though. In much the same way a dog is. Just so lovable," Vanessa says with a soft smile.

She looks back up to meet Oliver's eyes. Her hand squeezes his and she slides a little closer, part of her body moving to rest atop his side. "So when you got back to Starling for the first time, after Lian Yu? What was it that got you to take up the bow around here as you did?" she asks him. "Was it something that happened? Or was it a plan that took place before you got home?" she asks.

Yes, she probably knows the answers to her questions already. Yet despite having Oliver's memories, she often converses with him as if she did not. As if she would never take from him that chance of revealing things about himself to her in his own words.

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Is this a good time to say I am much more of a dog person than I am a cat person?" Oliver replies to Vanessa, continuing to lounge lazily and relaxedly. It's honestly a good feeling, the man's breathing now coming slower and his own demeanor not as tense as one can often find him at.

Blue eyes turn down to look at Vanessa when she moves closer to him, arm sliding about her form to keep them close, sharing warmth and care for one another. The question though. That makes him pause to consider. "Vengeance." he finally says. "That was the fuel that motivated me. No point in beating around the bush to say it was something different. Or at least that's what I thought. The plan was formed even before I came back home, taking revenge on those that had wronged him here in the city, the corrupt ones behind the scenes."

He pauses a moment, memories taking him back to those times. "I was back, but also not if that makes any sense. I could barely recognize or be around family back then. It was not good times for anyone."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
A soft laugh is given at the comment about Oliver's animal preferences. "I am too though I like cats. And, there's one of those as well. More like a mountain lion maybe than a tabby though," she comments. "It's... an interesting group. And you found them first, sort of," she says, tapping Oliver's chest idly.

Vanessa lays quietly, listening to Oliver. Nestled in the warmth and safety of his arm. "So that part of why things are a little tense with Thea sometimes?" she asks quietly. Vanessa rubs her cheek gently against Oliver's shoulder. "And you've worked past that now," she says, this time it's more of a statement than a question for him.

Oliver Queen has posed:
"There wasn't exactly a lot of time for mingling though. We were driving off on his .., turtle van while being pursued by Mongul's forces. Somewhat hectic." Oliver says with a brief chuckle. Sure, he chuckles now that it's all over! Though to be honest he did chuckle a few times while there too. Being so close to death often brings out that morbid humor of his.

"Part of it." He then answers about Thea, his tone more sober. "She never took well my disappearance, and our father's. And when I returned I wasn't the best of brothers for a time, though it improved." his fingers trail up the woman's arm idly, brushing some hair away from her face.

"For a long time there was a lot unsaid between the two of us. Secrets. Tension. But I think we are in a good place now, perhaps the best we have been in years." he exhales at that last statement and nods. "I am. I realized what I had to do was save people, save this city. Not hunt them for notions of revenge, or a skewed sense of justice."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
The younger woman gives a slow nod of her head, eyes lifted to Oliver's. "I'm glad you've been working it out," she says. "I know how much she means to you," Vanessa tells Oliver. And of course he knows just how true that is for her to say.

"It's kind of kind of comforting. I never really had any family like that. Not that mattered. Just my uncle. And I mainly tried to avoid him," she says. "So someone that you're actually related to that you /want/ to be around? It's a bit of a new experience for me," she admits.

Her eyes glance over towards the computer sitting on the desk, thinking about some research she was doing. "Seems like there's always someone else to deal with. This Cupid now," she says with a little sigh. "But we'll catch her."

Oliver Queen has posed:
"What of you?" Oliver then asks, his hand continuing to slowly brush over Vanessa's hair and head, slow and gentle. "Have you thought more about that moment when you were with the turtles? When you tried to kill someone?" his tone quiet. "I am not going to hide it from you. It will happen one day. It always does. Doesn't mean it will have to define you." it was the kind of dilemma he had had time to work with the last few years.

"Now you have our family, Vanessa. You are part of it already. And so is Roy." He says before offering a playful grin. "But please.., don't give me as many headaches as *he* did." he says of Roy in a jesting tone, leaning down to place a kiss atop the woman's head.

His eyes roam towards that computer. "We will. So far there's been no hits on the one I am watching. But I am certain she is being careful and bidding her time. Specially as she will be aware we are involved now. She was obsessed back then, but never stupid." even if he wasn't 100% sure it was her.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa seems to focus in on the question about what happened in the Turtle's subterranean lair. "I've been thinking about it a lot," she admits, looking down for a moment, her expression full of self-reproach.

She sighs after a few seconds and looks back up to Oliver. "The thing is... if I had it to do over again, I wouldn't change it. I wasn't even sure that killing him would break his hold over Splinter. Let alone the hit he took in the shoulder. And... I mean, the guys could have died. Splinter was that good. Better than them, or you. Enough to take the group of them in a fight, especially as one was kind of hurt badly already," she says. "Could be I wouldn't have lived either if I didn't take the shot. Just getting out of their alive from the thousands of rats, a lot of them big mutated ones, wasn't a sure thing," she says.

Her eyes search Oliver's. "I know. Sometimes it's necessary. And I know some of the men at that Hydra base probably died. Ones we took down who didn't get out in time. Though, it's still a little different when you intend to kill." She sighs again. "I'll do what's necessary. I just... well, on top of how it made me feel? I worried how you'd feel," she says.

Oliver Queen has posed:
"One thing I have learned is that regret can lead to self-doubt. And can't afford to have that in the kind of life we lead." Oliver says in that firm, solemn manner of his. "Yes, you would had killed him if you could. That wouldn't change, but its important to not break oneself because of it. Instead think on ways to improve, to become better so it doesn't need to happen again." he offers. It was one of the reasons he was so focused in self-improvement. Never skipping training or making sure he was always on top form. The people he protected deserved no less.

The talk about the Hydra base makes him nod. "Yes, most did." he says. "And exactly, we were there to stop them. Not exactly with the intent to it."

"You have seen what I did in the past, Vanessa." He then finally says. "Wouldn't I be an hypocrite if I felt any less about you? Specially if there was no other choice."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa gives a slow nod of her head. Which since her cheek is on Oliver's shoulder is more a sideways nod. "It wasn't that I thought you would stop loving me. But I knew it would pain you. To see me faced with that. And, well, ok maybe a tiny bit of me worried you'd think less of me. Especially since I do know what you went through, it's not like it's something that I don't have experiences to draw on. But those are just fears, and ones I know weren't going to happen," she says.

She slides over, leaning up then to cup Oliver's cheek, and tenderly kiss him. She makes it a slow, beautiful kiss. One that just reaffirms her feelings for him, and that she knows his feelings for her.

Finally she rests her head back to his shoulder. "I was thinking about maybe going and seeing Gemma Simmons again. Just... well not quite a checkup. But, see if she can find out any more about how this works. Or if there's anything more to it, now I know I can change my appearance and body too."

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Pain me?" Oliver presses his lips together, thoughtful a moment. "I spent a long time trying to protect those I love from dealing with the same things I did. In the end it hurt them more than not. I have learned my lesson. I will support you, no matter what." as long as she doesn't turn into a full-fledged murderer that is! But he doesn't really have to say that.

The kiss is returned, slow and quiet, enjoying their proximity, his arm squeezing her closer to him. "It's a good idea." seeing Jemma. "They may have more information about what's going on with you. They have some of the best minds in the world afterall." he says.

"Did you ever get to do a followup with Doctor McCoy?" he then asks.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa shakes her head at the mention of Doctor McCoy. "I have not. But I probably should. He's trustworthy you think? Or, I guess he is. He's a mutant too after all. And a mutant rights activist. I can't imagine he'd share something I wasn't comfortable with," she says.

"I'll make a note to contact him," she says. "I wonder how many people like that he has reaching out to him. Probably a lot. While my situation was... well, smooth? I can imagine someone who woke up with... ah, well blue fur a good example, probably is a little more freaked out," Vanessa says.

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Maybe. But I don't think Dr. McCoy is the type to refuse helping someone due to how they developped their mutant abilities." Oliver notes, giving her another reassuring squeeze. "Sleep on it. And considering he is a mutant too he may have quite the insight.."

His gaze drifts towards the windows where the rain continues to patter on, he resting back on the bed and going silent.

It was a good night, and sweet dreams would be soon to come, ones he hoped he'd share with Vanessa.