Working With Red

Restlessness and Reevaluation

The ending of this story has already been written. GETTING THERE is the real struggle here. 

* * * 

"Good morning." 

Oliver let out a dismissive groan as his eyes reluctantly fluttered open. Almost immediately, they burned under the harsh glare of the fluorescent lights above, taunting him to pull his thin mylar blanket up over his face. He did so, effectively, but admitted defeat when his bare feet became exposed to the frigid air. The emergency blankets in the cache were no match for his height; he regretted not packing more than one sleeping bag for their trip to Gotham. He also made a mental note to switch out the fluorescents for warm bulbs to avoid future discomfort--though he dreaded the idea of using the cache in such a manner ever again. 

The cache may not have been the best choice of location for an under-the-radar hideout. However, it was the only feasible option available for their off-grid agenda, and frankly, they could have done a lot worse. 

Dinah's amused chuckle floated past his ears. It prompted his decision to lazily rise into a sitting position, and a chill rolled down his spine as he lifted his back off the cement floor. He was stiff, rigid--the same way he'd woken up the previous two days. His hips and shoulders ached from being pressed into the concrete for so long, and an impenetrable knot had formed at the base of his neck. 

As Dinah shuffled about somewhere on the other side of the room, Oliver placed a hand over his face before releasing a hearty yawn. Slouched posture and sunken eyes were clear indications of his exhaustion, but not as a result of the long-awaited super-secret mission over which he'd been riddled with anxiety. It was the opposite: three painfully uneventful days filled with nothing but training, research, preparation, and hours upon hours of wasted time. Boredom was his enemy and the newest bane of his existence. 

"Need me to rub that out for you?" 

"What?" In an instant, Oliver was awake, wide eyes darting to Dinah before falling to his waist. It took his delirious mind a moment to process the burst of laughter Dinah released as she wandered over from beside one of the weapons cases. His cheeks filled with heat, and he grimaced when Dinah plopped down on the floor behind him before placing her hands on his tense shoulders. 

"Good dream?" she asked, leaning forward to kiss his rosy cheek. Oliver pursed his lips in embarrassment, drawing another chuckle from Dinah. 

"You're implying I was actually able to catch some sleep." His head lolled to the side as Dinah used her thumbs to skillfully work through the knot. "This is a nightmare. You know, I'm rich. Why have I never considered putting a bed or a cot or something in here?" 

"Since when has hindsight ever given you the idea to put a bed in a storage cache?" Dinah teased. "Well, at least you had the place insulated. Otherwise, we'd probably be freezing to death right now." 

"Mm, or maybe it's the space heater I brought..." Oliver mumbled with feigned thoughtfulness. The aforementioned device whirred quietly in the corner as though to fortify his point. Dinah rolled her eyes.   

"So, today's the big day, huh? Your meeting with Jackson. No wonder you're so tense."

"Don't remind me--" 

Oliver let out a sharp grunt as a twinge of pain shot up his neck, but he waved Dinah off when she retracted. Her hands carefully fell back to his shoulders, and a few minutes of content silence passed before Oliver suddenly began massaging both temples with the butts of his palms. 

"Something wrong?" Dinah paused her movements again and leaned forward to look Oliver in the eye. "Are you getting another headache?" 

He pursed his lips. "Not really. Just... This whole mission, Dinah. I can't believe our meeting is today, and... You know, I should be focusing on how to handle Jackson, but I can't stop thinking about the kids. (Y/N) and Roy probably have everything under control, but the fact that we can't at least check in is killing me inside." He turned his head when Dinah's fingers curled into his bare shoulders.