@ofravagers continued from here
A grunt sounded as she backed into him, stopping the plan to take off running after their intended target. Oliver was frustrated as well, but not about the exact same issue. “We aren’t here to act as judge, jury, and executioner!” he bit out after she’d turned to face him. This was not the first time he’d had this argument, though it was the first time he’d had it with her. There were numerous times at the onset of his becoming the Green Arrow that he had to remind himself that people were redeemable - that shooting at a non-lethal spot was better.
“And then what does that make you?” he asked, not at all holding back the contempt he felt at her attitude. “You think they’re killers? You want them to suffer because of it? If you go around doing the same thing to them, how are you any better?” It would be so easy to write Rose off based on her family history, and if he were anyone else, that might be the course of action to take. But Oliver couldn’t. Even after all these years, he believed that circumstances made people who they were - that the hand they’re dealt affects the way they react in a given situation. Rose had been shown one way of life by Slade, she just had to know there were other ways to go about things.
“Don’t I get a say in that?” he had picked up the sword, thumb and forefinger on either side of the blade as he held the handle out toward her. “You want to make a difference? Show people that violence isn’t the only way. It’s one thing to defend yourself, to subdue a criminal, it’s another to stop and make them live with their choices.”
How strange. Rose remembers her father telling her the exact opposite of what Oliver was trying to convey. For the longest time as Ravager, she was told only she can be judge, jury, and executioner. This was…for a lack of better words, odd. Rose cursed himself as the perp ran off and shook her head. She’d find him later. She owed Oliver that much. “I don’t mean to be difficult.” And truly she didn’t. Rose just wanted to understand. What was her purpose here? Did she really come to help and fight the good fight or was she here with ulterior motives? On some days she isn’t sure who she is. The “why” is especially daunting.
“Those same guys didn’t care about her!” And she knew she was projecting. She knew this. Oliver and all these “good guys” were there for the honest people of New York City but when it came down to it when she was fighting herself, who would fight for her this way? It’s admirable. In a way that twists her stomach and Rose chews the inside of her cheek as she bites back all the things, she’s held inside with contempt. “I never said I was better than those guys. I’m not better than most people, Oliver. Remember?”
When he held out her Katana, Rose’s gaze fell on the blade before it flickered up to meet his eyes. Why was he still there? “Slade would have disowned me a million times over for fucking up…why don’t you do the same?”
