4691/So this really happened

So this really happened
Date of Scene:	11 January 2021
Location:	Verdant - Abandoned Warehouse
Synopsis:	The Verdant is honestly a 'thing'. And soon to be more of a thing than just a thing! If the siblings have anything to say about it.
Cast of Characters:	Thea Queen, Oliver Queen

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Thea Queen has posed:
Winter in Starling City. Not the most romantic, to say the least. White blankets of Snow seems to turn grey a little quicker in places in the city than in others, and certaingly in The Glades. It's a dark, damp, cold and icy place; not a location for the faint of heart.

The bits of neon, however, cast a colored glow to the pockets of ice and puddles. The buildings in the area of the newly renovated and opened Verdant are a little drearier than its nightclub counterpart, the warehouse turned club now serving as a beacon of life. Music spills from the main door, as sound test after sound test is performed to make sure everything is just right; the speakers are in their proper places, that the balance is just so..

Thea Queen looks.. very much as she used to, her manner of clothing reminscent of that just a year or so ago. Short skirt with tights, boots, her shirt a bright red sequened midriff number complete with something of a lower neckline that showcases necklaces that hang. Her dark hair remains short, bobbed and hanging just at her ears.

As for the music, it's loud, it's electronic techno.. danceable, but no discernable lyrics. Certainly not a 'top 10' sort of sound. Thea is at the bar, standing at the end, a glass of clear liquid with a slice of lemon seen floating at the top. She looks.. relaxed, pleased finally.

Things have come together.

Oliver Queen has posed:
While Oliver can often be quite the hopeless romantic he'd tend to agree. Starling City isn't exactly the most romantic of places, specially down here at the Glades. And even if normally he is here in Green Arrow business tonight it was all about Oliver. Or rather, his sister. As that is who he was visiting.

He makes way in through one of the backdoors. A door for the staff! Scandal! But he helped getting this up, he knows the ins and outs of the place and besides the staff seems loyal enough so far.

"Should we talk about the DJ that you have chosen to play this ..., music?" Oliver's voice. Just next to Thea as he slides in to rest his elbows on the counter, looking at his sister. "You did it, Speedy."

Faint smile on his lips as he regards Thea. As for his clothes, warm sweater with cardigans along with a pair of boots. At least he ditched the business suits today.

Thea Queen has posed:
So far, so good with the hiring, though places like this does go through staff reasonably quickly. Drifters come and go, and Thea does still have that heart of hers and can be a pushover for a good story for hiring someone with a less-than-stellar working background. So far, there's no hint of it, but the club is still young.

There she stands at the end, and at Ollie's approach, she sets her water down and pushes it slightly so it's not near an edge where it can fall. A smile is given at the sight, and brows rise with amused affection as she asks lightly, "And you had doubts?" Oh, she had them, most definitely. Probably still does, but in the here and now?

She's proud.

Thea is ready to dig an elbow into her brother's ribs briefly, "I'm not going to play your music. I don't want people falling asleep in their drinks. Besides, Mother's also already complained that the music is going to keep her away." As if that was a threat?

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Perhaps not as many doubts as someone else." Oliver then quirking a brow, as if challenging her to dispute what he just said. They know it's true! His attention goes to the bar briefly, rapping knuckles on the counter to call the bartender's attention. "Jameson. On the rocks." nothing like whiskey to start the night well.

The ribbing has him looking back to Thea, "I will let you know that my musical tastes were the bomb back in my time. Now we have ..., this." It's a tradition as each new generation comes the old always hates their tastes, so no surprise there. "Once a week music for the oldies. To get the old crowd in. Could be successful." he suggests. And maybe that could even lure one Moira Queen to come out more!

"Proud of you though." He then finally says. "It's quite the achievement. And to think this was riddled with bullet holes a few months back." he snorts.

Thea Queen has posed:
Thea does have the grace to look modestly dubious regarding her victory lap, as it were. There are still so many little things that she's unsure of in terms of her life and the stability thereof. Malcolm has been quiet, even if he's continuing to pay for her 'modest' apartment in the City. Slade, too, has gone quiet, but strangely enough, neither of those holes seem to be harsh and raw. She has her brother, and the other two? It wasn't a hard or bitter 'goodbye', so there is that?

So perhaps things are looking up for the younger of the Queen siblings.

The Jameson requested is poured easily into a glass, slid down the bar slightly. "On the house," is offered by the so very helpful bartender. That receives a soft chuff from Thea and a murmured, "Way to lose profits there, Mark." Still, she's kidding!

However, the kid sister in her can't help but respond, "'In your time'.." is scoffed teasingly. Taking a step back, she dips her head and looks at her brother with a theatrically disapproving expression. "Once a week, oldies? I don't think I have the insurance in case someone falls and breaks something." Like, a leg or a hip. "But," and it looks as if Thea may actually allow for it, "maybe. For your stuffy office gatherings." Beat. "Maybe."

At his words of praise, however, Thea takes that step, then another to give her big bro a hug. "Oh, I'm not naive enough to think there won't be holes in it again," there's a pause before, "but thank you, Ollie. For helping me and believing in me."

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Now you are spoiling me." This said about the free Jameson, Oliver lifting his glass up at the bartender and then to Thea, "But if you expect me to go home drunk you are most likely dreaming." the man replies, specially as there was still danger in the city. One couldn't have a drunkard green arrow hopping around. Would he miss if he was drunk though? Now that gets him thinking ....

"Thea, I have reached that age that I am aware I am not one of the youngsters anymore." If anything he is quite down to earth! Yet at her disapproving expression and comment about the oldies night he can't help but to laugh. Loud. "Think about it."

When Thea moves in for that hug he happily returns it, wrapping one of his arms around her even if the other continues nursing the Jameson. "Don't linger too much on the hug." he says jokingly. "I am trying to score tonight.." see? He can tease too!

As for holes..., well.., "It's in the Glades. So it's more probable than not. Do you have good security around?" he asks, already starting to case the place, looking for signs of those bouncers.

Thea Queen has posed:
"I wouldn't dream of it," and the smell of the drink assails her senses as she frees her brother from her embrace. Thea's been good about -not- drinking, and as a result, seems to be a little more sensitized as to others. After all, she's never followed her brother at parties, even in the HFC..

"Though, I could always call John to come get you. I'm sure he'd enjoy that." Is that sibling sarcasm? Absolutely. Let there be no doubt!

Thea takes a step back and retakes her glass of water with the twist of lemon, sipping at it for the scene of citris to help get that lovely top shelf whiskey smell from her nose. She laughs in a light sound, and theatrically considers the request, blue eyes narrowing. "I'm not going to promise anything, but I might think about-"

Did he just say what she thinks he just did? Little sister coughs on the water, and she sets it down deliberately. And here she thought that her brother was settling down?! "Did I just .." Thea shakes her head, and has to ask, "You and Vanessa okay? Or.."

The question regarding the bouncers, however, is ignored for the moment. She's got them, and Ollie shouldn't have any problem locating them. A couple at the door, a couple at the edge of the dance floor as if they'll have to leap into the fray to rescue a would-be mosher..

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Lets not get Diggle in the middle of this." Oliver says, followed by a grunt. Yea..., John wouldn't like that. Not that Ollie ever did that kind of stuff (at least since he has known the man), but yea.

He takes another drink from the whiskey, without any apparent care to keep too far away from Thea. Just a normal drink. Yes, he knows her past with the booze, and how she wanted to get better. Being in a club almost every night meant she'd be in close contact to alcohol so this was perhaps another one of his tests. Could she make it? So far all seemed good!

"What?" A brow arching innocently when Thea almost coughs out the water, "Seems like your old brother can still surprise you. But no, nothing wrong between me and Vee." he confirms. A slow smirk starting to get up to his expression. "Was just fishing for a reaction."

His eyes take note of the bouncers, the ones at the door, then near the floor. Good enough so he nods almost imperceptibly. As if his question had been answered.

Thea Queen has posed:
"That just makes me want to call him," Thea grins and she leans on the end of the bar, the humor decidedly reaching those bright blue eyes of hers. She's got her attention on her brother, while also watching the expanse of bar behind him. "Just to get even for all the times you had Tommy bring me home." Many, many times.

It's bittersweet, being able to recollect those memories; the ones that can bring a smile in the actions of the day. It's a time missed, certainly.. but for each day forward, Thea's finding that it's okay.

She's learned a great deal, and still is learning. (One day, maybe she'll be a functional adult? Naaaaah.)

Again, Thea laughs at Ollie's answer, and her eyes narrow at her brother, her tones dropping conspiratorially. "So, what you just learned is that I'm going to check if you're still seeing Vanessa before you go out playing the field." Like, well.. old days. "I will always be your little sister, Ollie." And with all that entails.

Now, though, Thea glances around the room, her gaze landing briefly in the area of that back door area, the spot where it descends into the 'basement' and beyond. "No one but you and I have a key to the basement." In case it needed to be said? She still has food drops there, and each time she leaves it, it's gone by the next morning.

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Yea..., Tommy.." Oliver takes another drink from his whiskey, being silent for a time and continuing to case out the bodyguards, their posture. He knew help was hard enough to find, specially in the Glades. Might as well make sure these weren't thugs looking for an easy cash out in a new club..

His eyes then go back to Thea when she starts laughing, "I am not playing the field anymore. Vanessa is more than enough to fulfill me, and beyond." he assures. Yet he nods about the little sister part. He understood that well.

And if he had grown from being an incorrigible playboy he was certain Thea could find her way too. Hopefully without having to spend a few hours alone in an island.

"What do you want do with it?" This about the basement, his expression now more serious, thoughtful. Originally it was going to turn into a second hideout, but if they had guests down there? They'd need to think of something before adapting the space.

Thea Queen has posed:
"Okay," Thea can't help herself, and she raises a hand as if to stave off anything more, and laughs. "Got it. No more bachelor ways," and if she's teasing him, well.. she absolutely is. "It's scary."

Thea is slowly finding her way, and remarkably, the man that 'helped' (and that's a term being used loosely) Ollie is the self-same one that helped her. A family curse, perhaps? Though, the island visit did a great deal more good for her than ill...

"They're still down there," is said quietly. "I don't want to throw them out. It's home, now." She gestures in a nod in quiet invitation to start to head over in the direction, their conversation lost to any that might be listening, thanks to the non-oldies music blasting from the speakers. She wants a second hideout, more for her brother than herself; she needs him to be safe, and if he can't get home, he can make it here!

That, that is Stage Two of the Verdant.