justprompts: Demons.
In the past, when things had gotten too hard, when things had spiralled out of control and he was past the point of caring, Oliver had turned to alcohol. It helped dull the pain and ease the guilt. And he had always carried a lot of pain and guilt, regardless of whether he showed it or not.
But he was beyond the help of alcohol.
It had been six months. Six months since he'd failed his team, since Davis had been separated from Doomsday and had still murdered Jimmy and tried to murder Chloe. Six months since he'd had any contact with Dinah or Bart or A.C. or Victor.
If there was one thing he knew how to do, it was disappear. So he had. He'd left it all behind--friends, the league, his company, his money. Green Arrow. He didn't deserve any of it. He wasn't that person anymore.
He saw the punch coming before he felt it, and he made no attempt to move or even fight back. He hit the ground hard, stared up at the top of the cage for a moment, then shut his eyes as the other man kicked him hard in the ribs.
This was all he was now.
This was where he belonged.
Sometimes the demons had to be beaten out of you.