Youth isn't so great [for dl_greenarrow]

[furtum_est_vita]

Bela paced around the cafe bathroom, one hand holding her jacket closed over her chest, the other periodically making sure her slacks didn't slip off her now much narrower hips. She paused in front of the mirror. She looked pale and frightened

Comments

[dl_greenarrow]

It took him eight minutes to reach the cafe, which was, thankfully, just down the street from the clock tower. He didn't even glance toward the counter, instead making his way to the back hallway where the bathrooms were located.

Drawing in a breath, he paused just outside the door marked 'women's' and knocked softly. "Bela?"

[furtum_est_vita]

She almost tripped as she turned towards the door, silently scolding herself before opening it for him and peeking out. And up.

"Do you have to be so tall?"

[dl_greenarrow]

He blinked once. Then again. He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it. Then opened it again. "...you're..."

[furtum_est_vita]

She opened the door a little further to look and make sure no one was watching them and pulled her jacket tighter over her shoulders. "Fourteen."

[dl_greenarrow]

"Uh..." For possibly the first time in his life, Oliver Queen was speechless. For a moment anyway. Still staring at her, he lifted his hand and rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay, let's get you out of here and back to the clock tower."

[furtum_est_vita]

"That would be ideal. Thank you." She pulled her slacks up as high as she could, and stuck close by his side, hoping no one in the cafe was observant enough to notice her. This was awkward enough as it is.

[dl_greenarrow]

He led her out of the cafe and to his car, unlocking and opening the passenger side door for her, then heading to the driver's side, still more than a little shocked by the turn of events. He climbed in behind the wheel and glanced at her sideways. "Uh, so do you have any idea what happened?"

[furtum_est_vita]

She shuffled her feet nervously and bit her lip while she thought. "I had a few minutes to sit down after getting my coffee, but then I started feeling ill. So I went to the bathroom and not ten minutes later I called you." A pause. "...do you think it safe to say that I'm calling in to work today?"

[dl_greenarrow]

"I think it's safe to assume that's definitely a yes." He raised an eyebrow, starting the car and shifting it into drive. "All right. So you started feeling ill. Like sick to your stomach ill?"

[furtum_est_vita]

A nod. "At first. By the time I got to the bathroom I felt like I was going to pass out, but it passed. I feel fine now. ...other than the obvious." She wrinkled her nose and slumped a little in her seat.

[dl_greenarrow]

He drew in a breath, glancing in the rearview mirror. "You didn't happen to make any kind of wish did you?"

[furtum_est_vita]

"I wouldn't wish for this." Soft seriousness. "Too many bad memories."

[dl_greenarrow]

The seriousness in her voice didn't go unnoticed and he glanced at her worriedly. "All right." His voice was just as soft. "What about a curse of some kind?" They were treading on ground that he didn't have any kind of extensive knowledge on.

[furtum_est_vita]

She thought about it. "I guess it's possible. It's not like there aren't things out there that want to get at me."