[Closed] Walk Away

[wintershepherd]

Characters: Jack Frost, Oliver Queen / PART TWO: + Kyle Rayner / PART THREE: + Connor Hawke / PART FIVE: + Zatanna Zatara
Date: Following this showdown and Jack's horrible excuse. Exact length of time to be determined.
Location: One of Tu Vishan's abandoned villages (as outlined here) near the shell's edge, a few hours outside Keeliai and by the mountains.
Situation: Taking issue with Oliver's plan of action, Jack has brought him outside the city to see if he can't get his head on straight. Part Two & Three: After their return, there are still some things to answer for.
Warnings/Rating: Ollie's probably not happy, so associated warnings there.


Jack had been out to these areas several times since his arrival, so he flew straight and unerring across the barren landscape, stirring up heavy storm clouds in his wake, pregnant with snow that was only partially intentional, reacting to his emotions. When they finally touched down at the outskirts of a burned husk of a village, Jack dragged Oliver's unconscious form into the most complete building. It wasn't great, but it had four walls and most of a roof and that was good because Oliver was heavy and it didn't help that Jack couldn't stop replaying their conversation in his mind, over and over.

"What if someone starts coming after you the way you're going after these kedan?!"

"Then I kill them."

"Wrong answer."

So when the man awakes, he will find himself under a blanket but sans boots (and said footwear being nowhere to be seen) and Jack sitting in the windowsill, looking out at a thick curtain of falling snow and humming something of a song under his breath.

Comments

[imaginate]

'Let's not,' he agrees. 'Connor, I don't know if it hurts you to look at him--' because Oliver Queen was still Oliver Queen, and his friend still had to deal with his real dad being six feet under, '--you can talk to me about it too.'

He reaches over and squeezes Connor's shoulder. 'Okay?'

[bowarmed]

"I would be lying to say it doesn't," he shows a brief smile as he speaks, grateful for Kyle's sympathy and having a friend there who he can talk to.

"But we all know what kind of life this is. Losing him again-- when everything was going as perfect as it can get -- is another reminder that we have to spend our time wisely with the people we love."

[imaginate]

'Yeah.' He looks at the counter again. 'Sorry I didn't. Put things right. With him. Before.' He knew how much it meant to Connor the few moments he and Ollie weren't at each other's throats. He'd wish a lot of things upon Oliver Queen. (A large hail of pies, for instance.) Not death.

Every time you look at me, it's like you can't believe they gave me the job.

He'd kept trying. Sometimes he thought even Ollie tried, but they'd grated each other too much.

[bowarmed]

"Don't play Atlas, it's not your fault. You have to get him to be willing to set things right, and that's no walk in the park."

He stares down at his glass for a moment.

"Steph told me that he comes back away. Don't worry about it." He claps a hand on Kyle's arm and moves to sit on the couch before continuing. "We still have this Oliver Queen to deal with. We can't let him hurt Jack or anyone else again."

[imaginate]

That had been what had made him angry about Ollie, he supposed. That he'd never been willing. Kyle swallows the thought. Not now.

He follows Connor to the couch and sinks into it. 'Yeah. That's not going to be easy. He wants everyone to think that he's worse than he really is. That's probably why... he went out like that. He thinks our version is the better one.' He tilts his head up and looks at the ceiling. 'I'm not sure how to convince him we're not comparing him to the one we know.'

[bowarmed]

Connor leans his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. He feels a need for long period of meditation. If he could find an archery range around, that'd be even better. For now, he thinks about the best course of action.

"We should give him some space, for now. I don't think this is something we can convince him on. He has to realize it for himself. If we go to him now, he'll only see what he wants to believe."

He lifts his head and looks at Kyle for confirmation.

[imaginate]

He nods. That had been exactly what he had been thinking. 'Can't rush it.'

He leans forward himself and tilts his head slightly so he can catch Connor's eye and smile at him. This is tough for them both, but Kyle is going to remain as optimistic as he can. 'We can do this.'

They'd been through worse, after all.

[bowarmed]

That smile catches on. Connor has doubts. They are either easy to shrug off or they boomerangs back. His zen teachings are hard to follow on when it deals with Oliver. He worries what will happen in the future, but he shouldn't - he should let things proceed with the mild intervention. His family has always been his weak spot. Good thing Kyle has the conviction to carry them through.

"Are you okay? With everything."

[imaginate]

It'd be easy to say I'm fine and leave it at that but Connor knows him. Kyle had spent over a year just telling Connor and Wally that he was fine, and he wonders why they'd never pushed him. They'd known he was lying through his teeth.

'No, but I don't want to pour this on you right now.' It's more a question than a statement, an unspoken may I? tacked on to the end. He does need to talk. There's a lot on his mind.

Maybe Connor could use the distraction, and the best way to get his mind off Oliver was to make him feel useful for helping Kyle with his own problems.

[bowarmed]

He wants focus on the present. The present has Kyle in the picture, and Kyle has a tendency to put too much on his shoulders. It's not too hard to tell when Kyle's got a lot on his mind. Connor makes a point to stare at the art on his walls, then back at Kyle.

"I'm not asking out of courtesy. If you ever want to talk, I'm here."

[imaginate]

He hangs his head and twiddles his thumbs, trying not to think of how shamefully he brushed his friend off previous times this had happened.

He nearly starts off by blurting out what's going on with Soranik, but keeps a lid on that. For now. Time travel, timelines, they're all confusing and it hits too close to the alternate universe crap.

'I'm thinking of going public. I haven't used a secret identity in almost two years.' He looks back at Connor. 'That would endanger you.'

[bowarmed]

He frowns. It's not exactly what he wanted to hear about, but it is what he expected. Like Oliver, Connor will just have to wait until Kyle needs the friend that can listen.

"Going out with a bow and arrow endangers me. Righting wrongs endangers me. Being with a friend makes me stronger. Regardless of what you choose to do on that."

Connor puts a hand on Kyle's shoulder and pushes himself up. "I'll just have to increase the security here."

[imaginate]

It's what he needed to hear, and Kyle breathes a sigh of relief. 'I can take care of that.' He looks around. 'There's not much call for work that needs a power ring, and I practically live here anyway.'

He doesn't get up; he lean back on the couch and looks up at the ceiling, deliberately not meeting Connor's gaze.

'There's one more thing. About Soranik Natu. I'm not ready.' He owes an explanation, at least, about why he's not talking about that just yet. He doesn't know if Connor's already been to Jenny's funeral, or Moira's. He can't pull those out right now.

[bowarmed]

It's funny how that the years reverse their position on the idea. Connor's more concerned about a secret identity because of his family; and Kyle, for his own reason, prefers to be out in the public. He'd remark on the change, but Kyle brings up Soranik and he pause his thoughts.

It's been a while since he learned about Alan Scott's daughter. It's not that Hal has a big mouth and it wasn't something they wanted to talk about, but there are things that slips through eventually. Inevitably.

Connor takes another sip of water before answering, "Whenever you're ready then. You know where I live. And it's not like we're going anywhere."

[imaginate]

'Thanks.' It's a little strained. He gets up. If he ponders it any more he knows it'll be broadcast on all frequencies of his body language - if it hasn't already. Connor can read him like an open book. Sometimes Kyle feels frustrated by that, and the fact that he can't be as patient as his friend.

'It's been a long day for both of us. I'll crash at my place today, you can meditate.'

[bowarmed]

"Okay."

He smiles a thin line. He knows he won't be sleeping or mediating the way most people think meditation means. A quick nap, if he can manage it, and he'll be out looking for some sort of bamboo equivalent in the markets.

"Night, Kyle. I'll see you in the morning."