violet ➳ arrow fanfiction

eight : stalking

"... and then I realized I killed that cop." Roy finished his story. They were sitting in her favorite coffee shop and he was telling Arden about the first time he had killed someone. Arden took a sip of her iced coffee and looked at him with complete interest.

"I understand that we've both killed someone, but yours is different." Arden explained, taking another sip of her drink. "You were under that drug thing, I was completely myself. I have no excuse for my situation."

"Arden, I killed because the drug inside of me made me, but you were protecting someone from getting hurt." Roy insisted, leaning back to his chair. Arden just shook her head.

"I'm a killer, Roy." Arden mumbled, "No matter what I do, it won't change the fact that I pulled the trigger and killed a human being."

"I'm not saying it will." Roy pushed, lifting his cup of coffee and taking a sip. "It will make you feel better to accept the fact that your choice was the right one."

"I could've shot him without killing him." Arden responded. She was not going to think killing someone was right, she needed to punish herself. The moment she killed him will be replayed over and over her head as her punishment.

"Goddamit, Arden!" Roy yelled, slamming his cup in the table. Arden flinched at the sudden outburst and backed away a little. He noticed the fear in her eyes and regret washed over him. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to do that."

"It's okay." Arden gulped, still scared. She slowly moved forward and carefully took her cup from the table.

"Are you okay?" Roy asked concerned. She was acting like she'd seen a ghost.

"Just," Arden hesitated before speaking again. "You triggered a memory there."

His face softened and he spoke softly, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay, I'm okay. Just need a second to breathe." Arden said more to herself. She inhaled a deep breath and exhaled.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Roy asked, still very concerned. Arden took one last breath before standing up straight and fake smiled.

"Completely sure."

–

"This is what you do on your free time? Stalk a random family?" Arden asked confused as she saw a woman with a kid, walking inside their home.

"That's his wife and that's his son." Roy explained. When he saw Arden's confused stare, he kept explaining. "The wife and son of the cop I killed."

"Oh, Roy. This is torture." Arden said sadly as she stared at Roy. As to comfort him, she placed a hand in his shoulder.

"I haven't seen them in a while actually, they probably think I'm dead." He said and Arden silently nodded, not wanting to ask any further.

Roy started the engine again and drove off. "We're going to another house."

"M'kay," Arden mumbled and titled her head against the window. Roy turned on a few streets and passed a few lights before parking beside a small peach colored house.

"We're here," He announced and turned off the engine. Arden focused her gaze to the small house and looked at it confusedly.

"Where are we?" Arden asked curiously.

"Felicity did some research on the team that worked for Gonzalez and found out who you had killed. His name was Mario Rodriguez, and he lived in that peach house with his husband." Roy explained and Arden looked at the peach house, this time her face was full of sadness. He saw a black, tall guy taking out the trash. The expression in his face seemed like he was broken and that made Arden tear up.

"I'm a murderer," She sobbed into her shaky hands. "I don't deserve to live."

Roy didn't know how to handle a crying mess, so he pulled her into a hug. She accepted the warm hug and wrapped her arms around his neck, sobbing into his shoulder.

"It's okay, you're okay." Roy whispered to her, which made her sobs quieter. She finally stopped after a minute and pulled out of Roy's warms arms.

"I'm such a mess." Arden mumbled as she wiped the tears off her face.

"Me too."

–

The doors of the lair elevator opened, revealing Arden and Roy. They walked to where the rest of the team was and Roy spotted a very familiar brunette.

"Roy!" Thea excitedly screamed out, running over to hug him.

"Thea!" Roy said in the same tone as Thea. He hugged her tightly and spoke into her ear, "I've missed you."

Arden couldn't help but feel disappointed. They clearly had a past together and she didn't know why but she felt so jealous.

"Oh! Arden!" Thea said, walking over to her. Arden couldn't hate Thea, who could? "I never told you that I absolutely love your hair."

"Thanks, I'm kinda over it actually." Arden shrugged, "I wanna change it, any ideas?"

"Plenty."