Heart to Heart. With need2speed.

[dl_greenarrow]

Oliver sat on the roof of Watchtower, looking out over the city and watching as the sun set. He'd asked Mia to meet him there after she finished her homework for the day so the two of them could talk. He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. He heard her footsteps approaching the window and he glanced over his shoulder and offered her a small

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[need2speed]

Mia had been waiting for the other shoe to drop since they got back to Metropolis. So it was with tension in her shoulders and a knot in her stomach that she stepped out onto the roof and approached Oliver where he was overlooking the city. She couldn't smile back.

[dl_greenarrow]

"Hey." His voice was soft as she stepped outside. He patted the spot beside him, reading the anxiety on her face easily. "You can relax, Mia. I meant what I said before. I'm not kicking you out."

[need2speed]

"Okay," Mia said, relaxing a little, but not fully. She sat beside him without protest, hands in her lap, fidgeting. "What do you want?"

[dl_greenarrow]

"I thought we should talk about what happened," he said quietly. "I heard that's what I'm supposed to do." There was a hint of teasing in his voice, as well as a little uncertainty. He sighed softly. "This is new territory for me," he admitted, glancing at her sideways.

[dl_greenarrow]

"I'm not mad, Mia." His voice grew soft. "Just do me a favor and in the future if you're wanting to do something like this...tell me. I'll try not to be the annoying hovering worried guy." He glanced at her sideways. "I'm not saying it'll be easy, but I'll do my best. I want you to trust me."

[need2speed]

He wasn't mad. He still liked her. Mia let out a sigh as the tension left her shoulders, though she still had a bit of a flutter in her stomach. "I didn't think about it," she admitted. "I just wanted to go all of a sudden and I didn't think you'd let me if I asked. You're not annoying, Ollie."

[dl_greenarrow]

A small smile touched his lips at that and he leaned his head against hers once more. "Good." He paused. "There's one more thing. I just want you to know that...there's nothing you could do or say at this point that would make me kick you out, Mia." His voice was very quiet. "I know you were worried about that."

[need2speed]

Mia swallowed the lump in her throat and turned her face into his shoulder, eyes burning. "...Okay," she said. "Am I grounded?"

[need2speed]

She tucked her hands underneath her thighs and kicked the back of her heel against the cement of the building. "It's just hard to remember sometimes," she started, haltingly. "Once you start protecting yourself, you do it with everyone, whether they're the ones that are hurting you or not. Like how if you grabbed me right now, even though I know it's you, I'd still probably put an elbow in your chest."

[dl_greenarrow]

"Instinctual automatic reaction," he murmured, looking down toward the streets again. "I get that."

[need2speed]

"Well it's not just for physical reactions. Getting angry feels a lot better than...a lot of other feelings."

[dl_greenarrow]

"Like grief. Or fear." He paused, drawing in a breath and letting it out slowly. "Or guilt."