Unravel Me | Arrow [ COMPLETED ]

chapter eight

"When they pull me under, and I can feel my sanity start to unwind
Darling, only you can ease my mind"
BEN PLATT – 'Ease My Mind'

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It was as if telling Oliver about Michael had flipped some kind of switch. Suddenly, Oliver was full of words, and they stumbled off his tongue as if he was trying to tell her everything and he was running out of time. He never spoke about his time away in detail, of course, but he babbled on about Tommy and Moira and Thea, and how he came back home afraid that he was too different. Cali listened to it all.

"I feel like I have to play a part," he confessed, biting down on a biscuit. "It's like time here froze while I went away, and I'm the only one that changed. I don't fit anymore."

Cali drained the last of her hot chocolate. "That's because you've been alone on an island for five years. You were the only one to survive the sinking ship, too. It's only fair that you've come back different. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Yeah." Oliver's face went vacant for a second, and Cali frowned. He went away too often now, trapped inside his own head and his own thoughts. His memories must be strong to be able to pull him away like that.

She chewed on her lip for a moment, hesitant to say the thing that had been floating around her head ever since Oliver had mentioned Sara. Saying it would hurt both her and Oliver, and yet it was probably the best thing to do. The Lance family needed to move on. Their hurt had only become more inflamed by the rescue of Oliver.

And the knowledge that Sara hadn't made it.

"Have you spoken to Laurel?" She asked quietly, refusing to look up lest she see something in Oliver's eyes that hurt her. "Not just said words or put on your mask. Have you really spoken to her, like you're speaking to me now?"

Oliver frowned down at the empty mug he was toying with. "Why should I? What could I offer her? I got Sara killed, and I cheated on her and-"

"And nothing," Cali said firmly, looking up and staring at his nose. Still not his eyes. Not yet. "What's done is done. You and Laurel are different people now. She lost a sister. You lost a friend. There's no shame or guilt in trying to find comfort in each other."

Oliver exhaled softly. "Thank you, Guppy. I don't think I could do this without you."

Cali reached across the table for his hand. "I love you, Oliver," she said seriously, "and I'm glad that you're home safe."

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Rain tapped elegantly against the window, regal even in its sudden destruction. Cali watched the droplets in a daze, curled up under the blanket in the chair. Michael was supposed to have been home two hours ago, and he still hadn't so much as called.

Cali stared at the rain and she allowed herself to wonder. About Michael, about herself, about Oliver. About what could have been.

Had she jumped into this relationship too fast? She'd gotten together with Michael only a month after the Gambit went down, so her emotions had been decidedly unsteady. Maybe she was just looking for comfort in the wrong place. She wasn't ready for a relationship like this. She was still young and craving reedom.

Her mouth twisted into a grimace. But her and Michael had been together almost eight months now. She couldn't just break it off suddenly. It wasn't fair to him. Michael had invested a lot into their relationship too, and it was selfish of her to take that for granted and then walk away.