4th Arrow [written/action-ish]

[threeweeksago]

Snow sucks. I don't get why people make such a big deal out of this season. Everything looks dead and everyone's freezing their asses off the moment they step outside. Where's the fun in that?

Seriously. Fuck winter.

[Ellie's walking as she's writing this (and any replies to comments), and isn't paying much attention to the decorations. Not that she'd really know what they were all about, so she could be walking right under a bit of mistletoe without even noticing...]

Comments

[indirectcause]

[Oh hey, Ellie, guess who's going to bump right into you? Ben has the opposite problem, he's heard about the decorations and it eyeing all of them with his usual brand of excessive paranoia. He blinks when he realises who he's knocked into, the worry vanishing, albeit for a moment. She had that effect on him]

Oh. Ellie. Hey.

[threeweeksago]

[Ellie stumbles back a few steps, and it shows just how distracted she is by her own thoughts that she doesn't snap at him immediately. Of course, when she looks up and sees who exactly it is that walked into her, any fight that she would have had would've died right there.]

Oh, hey Ben. [She actually manages a halfhearted smile.] Uh... sorry about that. I got a bit distracted.

[indirectcause]

[His smile fades slightly, concern marring it a little]

Are you okay?

[threeweeksago]

... Yeah, I guess. [Not really. She doesn't feel like complete shit just yet, but she's still feeling kinda terrible. But for some reason, she doesn't really like the idea of making Ben worry, so she's just going to lie. Just a little.]

Just... bad memories and shit, y'know?

[indirectcause]

[He nods in understanding. The smallest of things could set those shitty memories off, he knew that himself only too well]

I get it. Sorry you're having a shitty day. Anything I can do?

[threeweeksago]

Nah, I don't think so.

[It's something she'd like to talk about, yeah... but not with him. Not that she doesn't trust him or anything - she does! - but... it feels kind of weird. Thinking about telling him what happened to her.]

But.. I appreciate the offer. Really... thanks.

[indirectcause]

[And he would totally understand that. Some things, you just don't talk about, you just can't find the words for]

Hey, any time. [Completely missing the mistletoe hanging nearby, good job Ben]

[threeweeksago]

[Ellie doesn't really miss it, but she's still so unfamiliar with holiday customs that she didn't think twice when seeing the decoration. Even now, when she feels a strange tug inside of her, she doesn't think to eye the suspicious plant above them.

But that tug... it's not really an unpleasant feeling. And that's kind of weirding her out. She shifts a little awkwardly before looking up at Ben.]

Uh... hey. I know this sounds kind of crazy, but do you mind if I do something weird right now?

[indirectcause]

[He feels that tug, too and as much as he's been warned about the decorations, he lets himself fall into it anyway, offering her a small smile, his usual nervousness about...everything just slipping away]

I don't mind at all.

[threeweeksago]

[And that's all the encouragement she needs. Before she can chicken out, before she can question the weird feelings in her chest too much, Ellie stands up on the tips of her toes, and presses a kiss right to Ben's lips.]

[indirectcause]

[Normally, Ben would be running for the hills. Too afraid to let himself feel anything, to actually LIVE. But the magic keeps him there, and he'll dip his head to return that kiss]

[threeweeksago]

[Of course, it not a long kiss or anything, more like a quick peck. Ellie's never had any experience with this, after all. Which is why when she pulls back, the mistletoe's magical pull no longer in effect, a fierce red blush spreads across her cheeks, all the way back to her ears.]

... S-Sorry. [Oh god her heart is thudding so hard it's like she just ran from a clicker. What the fuck is going on???] I don't know why I had to do that. I just... did.

[indirectcause]

[Ben blinks as the spell releases its hold on him, taking a moment to come to his senses. When he does, he blushes himself stepping back a little]

Oh...shit, sorry. [Not completely] I forgot. It's the castle. It uh...does this apparently at this time of year.

[threeweeksago]

It was... the castle's fault? [Does she sound disappointed? Maybe a tiny bit.]

Okay, am I missing something? Because I've been able to talk to other people before now without wanting to kiss them.

[indirectcause]

A little. [He can't claim it's ALL the castle, because it's not and that no-lying clause the place has given him is a pain in the ass]

I remember someone saying it was in the decorations? But they change every year, what it is that actually cases them.

[threeweeksago]

... The decorations. Seriously. [Uuugh.] Man, all this magic shit still gives me a headache.

[.....] But... it wasn't that bad, I guess. [Shit her ears are burning again is this normal???] So I'm not mad or anything.

[indirectcause]

I don't think it'll ever not give me a headache.

[Oh, and he wasn't expecting that. He feels the blush creeping further, clearing his throat to try and pretend he's less awkward than he is about this whole thing]

I- yeah. It wasn't bad at all.

[threeweeksago]

That's reassuring. Sometimes I think that maybe one day I'll be used to this shit, and then...

[God, she's never felt this awkward before.] ... Really?

[indirectcause]

[Ben's awkward all the time, this is just another helpful slab of awkward. He really is not good at this talking to girls thing, dear god]

Yeah, sure, really. It was pretty okay.

[threeweeksago]

[Well, that's just fine, because Ellie's absolute shit at talking to boys! Well, she could talk to Sam just fine, but that was different]

Just okay? [She tries to laugh it off, but her nervousness is clear in that sound.] Geez, I don't know if that's supposed to hurt my feelings or not.

[indirectcause]

Oh, shit no I didn't mean it...like that.

[Oh god can the floor just eat him now? Would that be ok? He blushes furiously, rubbing the back of his head]

I...I mean it was more than okay. [Oh great, the nervous squeaking voice crack has come back. He'd missed you, buddy] It's was pretty great, actually.

[threeweeksago]

Hey, don't worry about it! I was just trying to joke. [Is she not supposed to joke with this kind of thing??? Ugh this is so weird.]

Yeah... yeah, it was. [Pause.] Kind of feels like it was trying to give me a heart attack though. Is that bad?

[indirectcause]

Oh...yep, failed to get that. [God this is exactly why he doesn't talk to girls.

He feels the blush creep back, just as he thought it might be receding. No safe harbour for him, nope]

I- I don't think so. Me too...kinda.

[threeweeksago]

[There's a long pause before Ellie speaks up again.]

... So is this what it's like to really like someone?

[indirectcause]

[So awkward]

I...yeah. I guess so.