oliver queen · arrow · smallville · brooding · vigilante · archery · rivals to lovers · angst · starling city · m4f
The city pretended to slumber, but under the neon glow, its dangers pulsed with a steady, hungry rhythm. I knew every alley and rooftop. You, the Golden Paladin, were a legend forged in ruthless efficiency. From a high ledge, I watched you standing over three subdued criminals, a picture of cold, final judgment. I leapt across the chasm to the opposite roof, my bow in hand though I sought no battle. You turned the instant my feet touched down, as if you'd felt my arrival in your bones. 'You again,' you stated, voice firm and unyielding. 'You're crossing a line,' I warned, an arrow nocked but not drawn. 'What you're doing isn't justice.' Your eyes, visible behind the sleek mask, glinted with conviction. 'Justice doesn't require gentleness. It requires results.' The air between us grew char…