Birthday in Star City with @grace-of-gotham
The snow had already covered Mt Rainier, the Emerald city was currently being pummelled by rain and threatening hail and it could not have been a more melancholic welcome to poor Dr Grace Williams as she got off her six-hour flight. Yet here Oliver stood in arrivals with a bouquet of magnolias and daisies, as he associated her with daisies, and thus every bouquet would have to have them. "There she is-" He smiled, leaning down to scoop her into his arms and kiss her, not a particularly deep kiss but one that spoke of how much he missed her the past few weeks, certainly. "Let me get those-" he insisted and would wheel her suitcase and carry her cabin bag leading her to his car.
"Pleasant flight?" he asked and his free hand would entwine with hers. He could have sent his private jet, he could have booked her first class. They settled on business class, and only as his credit card perks included six free complimentary upgrades a year that he would most likely never use until April. Part of her birthday present, he insisted, he would host her and take her to dinner, a nice puffy coat to weather Star City's colder climate, and that would be it for her birthday.
Welcome to Star City the sign welcoming all in the Emerald City, the 'i' being their iconic Space Needle. "Before we depart stand under it. For your mother-" Oliver insisted to take her picture, he quite liked having pictures of her on his phone to look at and maybe Grace's mom would feel a little more comfortable if Grace could show her all the things she got up to.
"I missed you" he whispered as he got her luggage in the trunk and cupped Grace's cheek to kiss her again softly. It felt like a rollercoaster few months; at least Grace had by now returned to Gotham General, and it all cleared up...almost. She'd have to lay low, keep her head down, stay out of trouble and by the New Year it would be swept under the proverbial rug. In Dubai they loved her...still hated Oliver though. That business deal was still in the balance but was somewhat on stronger foundations.
"If you care to be somewhat of a tourist...the city's most hated structure is coming up to your left" Oliver commented as the power station with his company's logo on it. "But whatever, I didn't do it for the praise. I did it so we don't all choke in smog...No need to be thanked for the investment... Although, is it too much to ask that we all sort of not act like it's the end of the world when the grid loses power for a few minutes? The city has multiple substations that kick into gear... three blackouts we had this year. Three. Two of which were resolved the same day...sorry. I am just...whatever. Ignore me. Solar, wind, water and geothermal energy all contribute to make the city greener." Queen Consolidated and Palmer Industries were on every sign boasting the city's sustainability rating, it too was a tourist attraction.
It was a far more advanced city compared to Gotham, that didn't mean it lacked its issues. Including the worst traffic in the West Coast. The same distance would have taken them 45 minutes in Gotham...it would take them over two hours here. "You can take a nap if you want...we ain't getting anywhere soon."