Chapter 18:

Is Green a Family Tradition?

DC: The Infinite Villain

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Some nicknames earn themselves.

Whether you looked at his codename or his costume, everything about Oliver Queen was green.

Before he became Green Arrow, he had been a world-class disaster of a boyfriend. Even after becoming Green Arrow, his love life did not exactly become a monument to stability.

Take two of the famous exes first: Laurel Lance, the Black Canary, and her sister Sara Lance, the White Canary.

Oliver dated Laurel first, then secretly got involved with Sara behind Laurel's back. The two of them slipped away together on the Queen's Gambit, hiding it from Laurel, only for the shipwreck to supposedly kill them both.

While Oliver was "dead," his best friend Tommy Merlyn stepped in and started dating Laurel.

If Laurel's side of the mess was only one layer of romantic wreckage, Sara's was a full renovation project.

She had not died either. Later, she became White Canary and captain of the Legends.

Her love life after that?

Men, women, complications, time travel. The whole buffet.

It was not really about whether Laurel or Sara counted as the female lead, though.

Just look at the woman currently driving the car.

Felicity Smoak.

IT woman. Future Overwatch. Probably the female lead by most standards.

She and Oliver would break up, get back together, break up again, and somehow keep orbiting each other. Along the way, Felicity dated other men too.

Green Arrow did not seem to mind much in the end.

So yes, Damon still felt that "Green Arrow" was almost too neat a name. The man's arrows were not the only part of his life painted green.

Then again, maybe green was a Queen family tradition.

Oliver's father had his own mess, and that brought one person into the discussion: Tommy Merlyn's father, Malcolm Merlyn.

The Dark Archer.

A man trained by Ra's al Ghul himself.

At this point, Malcolm Merlyn was probably the only villain in Starling City worth putting on the board.

The man had spent years plotting to destroy the Glades in revenge for his dead wife. He arranged the Queen's Gambit disaster that killed Oliver's father, only to accidentally create Green Arrow in the process.

That much was already impressive.

The truly absurd part was this: five whole years passed, and the Glades were still standing.

If Gotham's villains had wanted that district gone, it would have been rubble several disasters ago.

By the time Oliver Queen returned as Green Arrow, he followed the trail, found the hidden mastermind, and fought the big bad.

Then Tommy Merlyn got caught in the middle and died.

His son was dead?

No problem. Malcolm still had a daughter.

Thea Queen.

Oliver Queen's half-sister.

That "no problem" deserved underlining.

With a daughter left in the world, Malcolm Merlyn bounced back at full strength and prepared to train her himself. He manipulated Thea into killing Sara Lance after Sara had left the League of Assassins. Later, he even managed to rise into leadership of the League, though his strength could not hold that seat for long. In the end, he was cleaned up enough to help Oliver Queen against Prometheus and died saving Thea.

Between the Merlyns and the Queens, the family tree and the love lives were tangled enough to deserve a slow clap.

By the time Damon finished amusing himself with that thought, the car had already entered Starling City.

Starling City had a modern look. It lacked Gotham's heavy gothic atmosphere, but it was plenty dark in its own way. Crime came in every shape and size. Its crime rate could almost stand shoulder to shoulder with Gotham's.

The biggest difference was talent.

Gotham produced criminals and lunatics like an art form.

Starling City's villains were not nearly as entertaining.

"Where should I drop you off?" Felicity asked, glancing over.

"Your place."

Damon drew his gaze back from the city outside and smiled at her.

"What?" Felicity froze.

"You live alone, right?" Damon asked.

Felicity nodded before she could stop herself, then grew uneasy.

What did that mean?

She had offered him a ride, not an invitation to move in.

Seeing her nervous expression, Damon gave her a gentle smile and explained very seriously.

"I came from Gotham. You've heard what happened there, right? In Gotham, I didn't need money. Why pay for things I took with my own ability?"

Why pay for things I took with my own ability?

Felicity stared ahead and, despite herself, felt that the logic was horribly complete.

"So I have no money right now," Damon continued. "But I need somewhere to stay. Maybe..."

He looked Felicity over.

"Maybe I need a body pillow too."

"I thought you were a good person," Felicity said, her voice shaking.

Damon laughed.

"And now you have learned a valuable lesson. Don't trust strangers so easily. I won't even charge tuition. Letting me stay at your place for a few days should be fine."

"Can I say it is not fine?" Felicity asked timidly.

"No."

Damon smiled brilliantly.

Felicity was in despair.

Why had she let him into the car?

Great. Perfect. She had brought trouble home with her.

What now?

Humor him first, then find a chance to call the police.

Full of regret, Felicity drove in silence. The car passed several blocks before she finally pulled over at the side of the road.

"I... live here," she said unwillingly after turning off the engine.

"Then get out."

Damon smiled.

Felicity dragged her feet getting out of the car. Before she could find a chance to reach for her phone, Damon slipped an arm around her shoulders and walked her toward the building.

In that moment, Felicity hated herself for choosing pretty clothes over an apartment with security.

Reluctantly, she went upstairs with Damon.

Fifth floor.

By the time they climbed five flights, Felicity was already panting.

Wonderful.

Now she did not even have the energy to run.

She took out her keys and opened the door with obvious reluctance.

Once they went in, Damon looked around and stopped.

Then he turned to her with complete seriousness.

"Since I came to this world, you are the first person who has made me feel like I have nowhere to put my feet. You should clean first."

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