Work Text:
Hey guys
So there's a few things that bugged me in Arrow 2x02 episode, and while one of them is Felicity looking for any excuse to rip apart Oliver cause he made Felicity his sectary to keep her close for mission purposes, like what you never expected to have to make sacrifices for this job Felicity? No doubt, but that's not what I'm discussing today.
What I am addressing instead is Thea giving Roy a choice between saving his home or having to give it up to be with her, despite her worrying for Roy's life and the show starts this dumb Roy lying to her as a result. Yeah, this is bull crap writing.
On with the show
Upstairs in the Verdant
Roy was sweeping the floor after closing when looking up to see Thea walk over.
"Great crowd tonight" Roy says.
“Now that we’re closed, are you going to be starting your second shift?” Thea asks sarcastically with crossing her arms “Suicide by Chinese street thugs.”
"Do you really want to talk about this again?" Roy asks, annoyed.
"We never finished talking about it. I wanted Laurel to arrest you" Thea admits.
"You know, you're not the first girlfriend to say that to me" Roy replies while stopping his sweeping with the broom.
"She said I couldn't change you, so I'm not going to try to" Thea replies, handing him two items.
"What, so you're giving me money and a rock?" Roy asks in confusion with taking the envelope and the hozen.
"The check is two weeks' severance from the club" Thea says to his surprise.
Roy looks up at her as Thea wipes away tears.
"Just because I can't change you doesn't mean I have to let you be in my life until you get yourself killed. And my brother gave me that when he came back from the dead" Thea continues, indicating the rock. "He said it was a hozen, some Buddhist thing that symbolizes reconnecting. If you want to reconnect with me, keep the hozen and tear up that check."
Letting out a sigh Roy thinks for a moment before tossing the envelope and hozen back to his girlfriend who catches it awkwardly, with giving Roy a confused look.
"I don't do too well with ultimatums. Thea, I love you but if you think I'm going to give up saving my home or pick you because you can't accept, I have to do this, then you don't know me at all. Because let's face it, Thea, you've always got that nice mansion to run back to, me I've got an apartment in the Glades" Roy says passionately "The Hood and the female vigilante are running around are doing something to protect The Glades. Perhaps I never will be trained by The Hood, but I'm not going to quit. If I die out there so be it."
"So that's it, we are over?" Thea asks hurt.
"Until you can learn to accept all of me then yeah, we are. I'm not going to play your stupid ultimatums. Keep the hozen and the money. You know where to find me if you change your mind" Roy replies firmly.
Thea can only watch in sadness as Roy drops the broom handle to the floor before exiting the club. Meanwhile unseen by both is Oliver wearing causal clothes standing in the back corner, hidden in the shadows while he watches this scene play out and thoughtfully considers bringing Roy in for an ally.
For two reasons Oliver notes, one is so Roy does not get killed and second because he just now proved that he does indeed have the conviction for doing this type of work. Putting the mission first in order to save his home where something like pride fills within Oliver's chest.
Briefly, Oliver wonders if this what Slade felt like when watching Oliver growing with pulling off some fighting technique that Slade trained him in. So, Oliver decides to have a conversation with Roy later as The Arrow and has a feeling he's not going to regret this.
Hope you all enjoyed that and let me know what you think in a review if you want.