Thanksgiving [Jason Oliver, Alison, Dinah, Victor]

[Deleted]

The two-story home was all decorated for Thanksgiving with a large brown wreath hanging on the door adorned with orange and yellow leaves. Inside, guests could see a
leaf garland twisting around the banister with mini, plastic, orange pumpkins and white squash growing out from under the red-orange, orange and yellow leaves which also grew out from the winding brown vine that lead up the stairs to who knows how many more decorations there would be.

Cream colored chrysanthemums, light brown-colored chrysanthemums with caramel leaves, dark brown cattails, pheasant feathers and a big, glittering umber brown colored ribbon which all sprouted out of a egg shell white colored faux pumpkin that stood on a long and wide strip of cloth that was crème colored except for the matching brown glitter that bordered the sides. Painted in the middle was an exocentric leaf design of many brown colors, which draped over a six foot long dark brown, polished rectangular hall table. Straight ahead was the kitchen where, the scents of a variety of home cooked foods were made.

Alison placed the thick bowl of stuffing onto a hot pad next to the mashed potatoes. Beside the potatoes was a long, oval plate where the sliced honey-baked ham was placed around the borders of the plate. Beside that was the gelatinous cranberry with the two orange slices on each side while seated atop some green parsley, and next to the cranberries was the pumpkin pie with the whipped cream on top that would be saved for later. A basket of rolls stood beside the pumpkin pie and next to that were the sweet potatoes mashed with large, melted marshmallows on top and to the right of that came the green bean casserole and finally the turkey. The drinks were sparkling ginger cider “mocktail” since Alison did not drink alcohol. It was fresh sliced ginger into 32 ounces of apple cider and chilled for an hour. Ginger ale was poured on top and a sprig of mint was added for the final touch.

The center piece was removed and set on the counter so that the guests could see each other and talk while seated at the table. It was made of medium sized candles, a pumpkin in between the candles and leaves surrounding that. It was certainly another decoration that Alison had picked up for the only thing that Dinah cared to decorate was the Christmas tree and houselights, for that was the one holiday that she remembered most with her family, aside from the bounteous meal during Thanksgiving.

Excitement showed through Alison’s eyes for this was the first time that she and Victor would be spending a holiday together! It was especially thrilling when she thought about them continuing the tradition together and possibly with a future family. She looked over the food and dinnerware with a contented sigh as her imagination pictured little Victors and Alisons smiling up at her from their seats and tormenting their poor Aunt Dinah over trivial things. And who knows? If all went well maybe Dinah could patch things up with Oliver. She did hope so, for she could tell he was a good man underneath all the flattery and flirting. The moment she heard that he was back in town, her hopes for Dinah being happy had returned and a joyful future would soon be forming if the two could see eye-to-eye and accept the fate Alison created for them; first a Thanksgiving meal, then maybe some time in the hot tub, and after that maybe a kiss or two. Oh how she could hardly wait!

[dinah]

Dinah wondered how Jason would take to the idea of Thanksgiving when he had only Bruce to look up to during the holidays. He had mentioned to her that Bruce practically raised him and then was torn from his side by the antics of the Joker, and anything could trigger a brutal memory at any given time due to his post-traumatic stress disorder, even something as simple as a carving knife. She looked down at the knife she held in her hand and at the reflection of herself in it. Her own memories of being abused by Oliver’s enemies still sent chills up her spine. She reached up to touch her throat in remembering what they did to her but that was another reason why she wore a black choker around her throat, to give it some protection against anyone who might want to try that again and also as a reminder of what had happened. She would never allow that to befall her again.

It took her years to get through the worst of the trauma, but she could see that Jason still had some things he needed to pull through. The avoidance of others, being detached, the memory loss, the difficulty in concentrating… and to think that most of that changed during one night of them being together. It was a step in the right direction, to gain trust and to express his thoughts to her when there may be no one else to. Of course Dinah had counseling for her problems of the past but did Jason? Her heart sank at the idea of his extreme loneliness and wondered how he could get through everything by himself. It usually took a great deal of strength to do that, a will and a drive to survive, but without those the life can easily become discouraged and destructible. She too had felt powerless and vengeful.

Her mind turned to better things when she heard Alison sigh. Her cousin was staring off into space again with another hopeless grin on her face. It was hard to tell what that girl was thinking when her thoughts usually drifted from one idea to the next. It was impossible to try and figure out those thoughts, especially when she could not catch up to the overactive imagination that ruled Alison’s life.

“You’re doing it again. Thinking of Victor as usual.” She hazarded a guess and shook her head. “I’m not letting him eat all the yams just because you like him.”

The butter and gravy were brought over by Dinah and set down in front of the turkey. She looked over the edible assortment and began to wonder if there was anything else she might need. Food, drinks, plenty of chairs… wait, why was there an extra seat? Oh no, who did she invite this year? It couldn’t be a fellow employee since it was just the two of them who worked in the flower shop. A bum off the street? A panhandler? “Alison, who did you invite? I’m counting five chairs. Please tell me Victor‘s mother is coming over… or Batman himself.”

[Deleted]

Alison looked down at the plates and chairs in knowing she could not get away with anything from her cousin. “You said you were bringing a guest to dinner and so have I.” She began. “I don’t know who this friend of yours is but I’m sure you’ll appreciate the man I have invited. I ran into him not too long ago and he asked about you, once I told him I was your cousin. He seemed rather curious to see how you were doing and looked a little nervous when I asked him to come over. He said he has never been asked to Thanksgiving before. Can you imagine that? Going your whole life without enjoying holidays?” She wasn’t sure if that was entirely true or not but she did like to exaggerate things to bring out strong emotions in others. It wasn’t a good thing to do, especially when others can prove her wrong, but she wanted Dinah to feel sympathy for the guest so that she would not become too angry in case she was not happy over Alison having invited him. And what if he didn’t show up? She looked back at the spare plate. What if he decided it was not worth showing his face after being away from Dinah for five years. What if their interests in each other have changed? No way. She used to speak about him like a lost lover once the anger of feeling stood up faded. She watched as Dinah listened to the news and used her sources to try and track down Oliver but to no avail, for no one knew where he had disappeared to, until recently. His name had been mentioned on the radio and Oliver himself said that he had returned from an island not too long ago. Does that mean his table manners have changed? Would he rip off the leg of a turkey and eat it like a caveman? Would Victor say something along the lines of, “When in Rome” and copy Oliver? Ho boy.

And who was this guest that Dinah invited? She supposed now was as good a time to ask than never. “Who were you with last night? And there’s no point in denying it, you smelled like a guy… really, really bad. Is he the one coming to dinner?”

She straightened out the table cloth and adjusted a glass before taking her eyes off of the table and placed her vision on Dinah. She was watching for any signs and listened for hints that would give Dinah’s feelings away for whomever it was she was talking about. But the woman was good. She knew how to have a poker face 24/7. It was sometimes annoying when she couldn’t tell what Dinah was really thinking, for she wanted to form a deeper bond with her cousin but for the most part, Dinah simply could not relax enough to allow it. She was always ready to fight and win an argument when they were formed, unwilling to back down no matter if she was right or wrong. But as long as Alison said she was sorry in the end, Dinah usually followed through with understanding. She was hard to get along with at times but their friendship was worth keeping. And besides, she knew people hurt the ones they loved most because they feel most comfortable being around them. When two people feel that they can say anything to each other, that’s when the fur flew. And with her cousin, it happened every once in a while. She hoped that today would not be that day.

[dinah]

“I call him Red. He’s someone I met when getting a cup of Joe. We talked for a while then set up a date, only I had to find him. He was using a scope to check out another guy, probably some detective work. He set it aside so that we could go on our date.” She smirked and fondled her choker. “We raced through Gotham like bats out of hell. I may have one, but I wasn’t really paying much attention since he looked great in leather. He took me to his place and showed me around the apartment, fed me Chinese, and then we had a fight. Don’t worry it wasn’t the type of fight you’re thinking. We bashed each other’s heads and bodies with pillows for a while then wound up wrestling und… well we wrestled and I’ll just leave it at that.”

Dinah sighed and looked down at nothing in particular. “He treated me real good Alison, just like Oliver used to. He’d put his coat around me when I got cold and respected my space when I needed it. His eyes are an incredible green color, not dark enough to be emerald and not light enough to be a sea green. They pierce right through me when he looks into my eyes and I can’t help but stare back. His voice is commanding even when he’s calm.” She looked at her cousin with a soft expression in her eyes. “I think I’m ready for another partner.”

She knew Alison would not approve of her spending the night with someone she had just recently met, but who could blame her? Jason moved like Batman, he had a sob story close enough to her own, and he was jump start into a relationship that she needed. If he could get along with Alison, she would know that he would be the one. And in knowing her cousin, they would get along just fine, for Alison could get along with anyone.

“Save me your talk about how I shouldn’t give in to just anyone. It was my choice and I wanted something different. I’m sick of waiting for someone who didn’t care enough to tell me where he was going. I’m tired of waking up in bed alone, but most of all I want to be loved again. So spare me your lessons in chastity.” She had hoped that Alison would look past her little midnight romp and see how much she wanted a fresh start. After all, it was hard not to rethink her life when she saw how easily Victor fell for Alison, and Alison for Victor. She wanted to feel as happy as they looked, even if it was for maybe one night only.

The Black Canary kept her eyes away from her cousin’s for she knew that Alison was right. She was always right when Dinah wanted to do something risky over selfishness or pride. But how could her cousin expect a woman’s desires when she had not experienced them herself? You can’t just quit men when one up and ran out on you. She narrowed her brows to have Alison back off and drop the subject for she could feel herself becoming defensive for her recent choice. There was nothing wrong with being intimate with a man, especially when it helped relax Jason and it made Dinah feel better. “Besides, you might not mind it so much once you give it a shot. Then again look who I'm talking to.”

[Deleted]

Alison had picked up a bunch of Autumn-colored napkins and began placing them onto the plates as she listened to Dinah. It was obvious that her cousin had a grand time on her date. But why would a man need a scope to spy on others? Was he a crime fighter? FBI? No not FBI if he was racing through Gotham. Most likely a crime fighter. She smirked as Dinah continued then went pale in the face as she mentioned having wrestled with him. She turned to look at Dinah in horror and the next few words coming out of her roommate’s mouth sounded like she was making up excuses for what she had done. Sure it all sounded romantic but relationships had to be built on trust and not lust. There was a code for what to do and Dinah seemed to toss the code aside and simply do as she pleased, as she had so often before. This was puppy love, not love, love! She was not entirely ready to justify that thought because even she could feel attraction toward Victor and she knew that strong could overpower someone’s better judgment, but Dinah Lance was not the type of woman who lets others rule her heart so easily, especially after the loss of Oliver. Oh my gosh, Oliver! She had invited him to have dinner with them and Dinah is bringing her fling! What has she done!?

This realization made her heart stop then start with a jolt. She could feel fear setting in and knew that Dinah would be furious with her. There was no way Alison could call this off, not now. Well sure she could but that would be rude and poor Olie might feel rejected, especially after having spent five years in trying to see Dinah again. And how bad is that going to look on Alison’s behalf, inviting the Green Arrow, Dinah’s lover to dinner right after she found a new man to love. How was she supposed to know what went on between them last night?! Dinah said she would be late but did not explain that she was on a date! Especially with a new… wait, did she just say she wanted a new partner?

Dread flooded Alison’s senses as she imagined the entire Thanksgiving dinner being held in honor of Eris, the goddess of chaos, strife, and discord. Sure why not? Let’s set a place at the table for Eris’ friend the war-goddess Enyo while we’re at it.

“He sounds as if he was Olie.” Alison threw in her two cents. “It sounds you are trying to replace Olie with another Green Lantern only that you did not mention if this man’s voice and show of kindness could melt your heart like butter. You never once said that you loved him, or that he could replace Olie. From what you told me you wanted an a fun escapade that may or may not lead some where and just because you sleep with someone does not mean that they will become your partner. Who’s to say it wasn’t all just a ruse to sleep with you? You are the Black Canary after all. Who wouldn’t want to get past your feathers? Besides, love is earned and you did not earn it with this Red character. What about all the times Oliver wrapped his arm around you and pulled you to safety or carried you on a zip line he made from his arrow? What about kicking bad guy’s butts together and always watching each other’s backs? Where was all of that during your little mattress make out? And speaking of which, who’s to say I don’t know what it’s like to want somebody? I’ll have you know that Victor and I have kissed and held hands and at one point I sat on his knee so you can’t say that I don’t know what passion is!” She threw down a napkin then immediately regretted it for now it was dirty for having touched the floor. She exhaled through her mouth and bent down to pick it up. It wasn’t dirty as in dropped I mud but she also knew that no one would want it after it had touched the ground. Guys didn’t care, generally, about these things but as a good part-hostess she would end up recycling it anyway.

“If anything Dinah, I’m disappointed that you caved in for one night of lust. Your mother wouldn’t have. And don’t feed me that garbage about how times have changed and that you’re a woman with needs. We all have needs and even though things are different in our generation, self respect and morals still exist. You’re a hero for crying out loud, what kind of message are you sending to your fans when they find out what you did? What kind of role model does things like that? Especially when I look up to you?” She voice wavered for she felt a sudden pain in her throat as tears began to form. “Besides, I care about you and I want you to be happy. How can you be happy with a one night stand when real love awaits you?”

[dinah]

“Mattress make out?” Dinah winced at that word because that didn’t even make any sense to her. Alison was one to make out, what Dinah did was make as close to love as she could with someone she felt was good enough to express the deed with her. Her cousin tried to come off strong and had the full belief in standards of morality and chastity, but her words always came out sounding like a child would argue, for how could an innocent come out sounding strong when she had no real experience to fight over? It was almost downright laughable when she tried to explain was passion was when admitting to being affectionate with Victor. And this was also something she had not mentioned to Dinah before, probably out of fear that Dinah would go after Victor and scold him for…dare she sat it? Letting her cousin sit on his lap. Everything Alison had said just made Dinah want to burst out laughing, and in fact, she did.

She imagined her naïve cousin thinking she was doing something wrong when in fact everything was perfectly natural. Once you bed a man and get over the shyness, it feels natural to have more confidence to find another if the first lover disappears. But Alison was right about her not owning up to mentioning being in love or waiting before she got to know Red. She did find out a little bit about him sure, but when you want something so badly that you’ll avoid all reason… dang it, she called me on that too! Sure she hasn’t bonded with Red as deeply as Green Arrow but there was always time for that. And it wasn’t like he would just lay with her then leave, for he stuck around in the morning when they had woke up together.

Guilt set in when Alison had to mention her mother for she was once again right. Her mother would be disappointed in her and so would the other mothers of Gotham who would tell their children that The Black Canary was a woman true to her senses, even when her heart was longing. But no one knew that she and Red had done anything. Not yet. Alison was the only one who knew. And lastly Alison ended with the killing blow of the sword when she mentioned that she wanted her to be happy.

“Alison, I never said it was a one night stand, and I know that you care about me but this is my second chance at love, don’t you see? The more I get to know Red, the more time I’ll have at getting to know him. And you’re right about putting passion before friendship, but every once in a while relationships do work out when based on lust first. It’s more uncommon than your way but we’ll just have to see where this leads me.” She gave Alison a hug and held her in an embrace. “I am so lucky to have you watching out for me and know that I am here for you as well. I don’t ever want you to change.” She kissed the side of Alison’s head, leaving a red mark of lipstick on it. She smiled at the thought of covering Jason with them last night, and her grin grew even wider when she thought about leaving it for their guests to raise their brows at.

[Deleted]

The only reason Victor managed to make it out the door dressed coherently was due to Cana and now Lupin stepping in and helping him keep his thoughts straight. He was going to see Alison today! And anyone who was paying attention could tell that he was excited. This was going to be the first time he spent a holiday with her! With anyone really..... Ever sense his uncle died. He had run out the door at least ten times before having to run back and grab something else that he had forgotten. He was dressed in a gray colored polo shirt and was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans that he had taken special care in keeping clean. He also had his ever present fedora atop his head and was wearing his glasses though this time they were cleaner then usual. And on his feet were some sneakers that he rarely wore. They were white and so clean that they nearly shined. He also wore the WWII era German trench coat. But again he had gone through extra effort to keep it cleaner then it had been in a long time. And it was already a very clean coat.

When he drove up to Alison's house he got out of his car and put his fedora on his head after sweeping his hair back. He rubbed his clean shaven chin to try and calm his nerves. Then he moved to the back of his car and took out the jug of ice cream he had brought. It was a tradition that he and his uncle had and he didn't see a reason not to try and introduce it to Alison. he wondered if anyone else would show up. And if more did show up then who would be here?

"Alright you two." He said speaking to Cana and Lupin. "I know we've all been reunited and all that but please keep quiet while I'm doing this. I don't want to mess this up." He said to them under his breath.

'Well if you don't want to mess up then we should talk you through it.' Lupin playfully commented. 'He's right you know.' Cana added. Victor simply kept quiet. They knew what he had meant. It was just so long sense Lupin had been with them in one way or the other and they were still excited about it. He'd have to thank Dinah again while he was here. He ran his free hand down his coat to make sure it was straight. Then he raised it and knocked on the door and took a deep breath. Here he went he was about to spend a holiday with Alison. He bounced on the balls of his feet as he worked himself into what he was about to do. It wasn't that he was scared. Rather just nervous.

[redhood]

The engine roared of his red demon. Wearing a tight fitting black polo shirt, a leather jacket, although not quite his one when he wore as the hood, a pair of black boots, and of course his helmet. It was not his high tech red hood, it was a blackened helmet, with a drawing of knives on it. He got off the highway and went from house to house, until he managed to find the place. Finding a place hidden in an alley close by, he parked the bike, and put his helmet down. Taking a look in the mirror, he noticed his black hair, with his artificial contacts. They were blue, not the greenish that he naturally had to his body. He did not want to risk one camera catching him, and his name being flooded with him being alive and all.

Setting the helmet in a saddle bag, he swore under his breath as he saw the rifle was still there. He packed the bag with his helmet, and put a tracer on the rifle, should any miscreant take said rifle. He straightened himself up, and proceeded to walk around the corner. He saw a man, who seemed to dress nice. A nive trenchcoat, jeans, sneakers, and a polo shirt. He seemed quite nervous, was probably the roommates significant other. Donning his shades, he snapped a few shots of the mans face and body. When he got back to his warehouse, he would analyze his picture. But the thought of 'Hey be friendly' crossed his mind momentarily, before he was reminded why he didn't.

Approaching the wonderfully decorated house, he knocked on the door three times, and turned to the man. He of course had his pistol and his bowie knife, strapped inside the jacket. You never could be more careful nowadays. "Hey, how is it going, the name is Red." said Jason as he held his hand out to shake the mans hand. He put on a smile, thinking of ways to cover up his identity. He could say his name was Robert Long. Yeah that sounded good.

[Deleted]

They heard a knock at the door and Alison hurried over to greet whomever had arrived first. She opened the door and held an excited grin on her face as she saw Victor standing there holding what looked like ice cream. She threw her arms around him in greeting and kissed his cheek. “Victor! I am so glad that you could make it! And you look really nice. Please come in. May I take your coat?”

Her eyes looked over at Jason and took notice of the jacket, the boots. He certainly looked like a wild one, probably someone whom Dinah thought she could tame, or handle. Immediately she had an off feeling about the man, for she was able to tell what kind of a distinctive quality someone had about them just by being around them. “You must be Dinah’s guest. I am Alison.” She reached forward o shake his hand and kept a cool look to her expression. She hid her facial expressions well when observing people so that they would not become offended if she was surprised by something. And as long as this man behaved at the table, she would not show any discontent with him. “There is a seat awaiting you at the table. We have one more guest who should arrive tonight.” She added that last part so that everyone would hear her.

She looked over at Victor to see if he had also picked up something strange about the new comer but otherwise said nothing. She linked her arm through Victor’s and lead him into the kitchen. “Do you like the decorations? I bought them this year. I find this year to be the best when it came to Halloween, but as you can see everything works for Thanksgiving too.” Dinah’s lipstick mark moved up when she smiled. “And I see that you brought ice cream! Do you prefer it on your pumpkin pie or just eat it alone? We have strawberries and chocolate syrup if you want to add to the ice cream. Oh! And the hot tub is running. Did you bring water resistant boxers?” She giggled at her own thought up term for swim trunks. “Or shall we go for a walk afterward? I would not mind either.”

She guided Victor over to the table and looked at the seating arrangement. Originally it did not matter where everyone sat, but now that Dinah had brought her love interest, she decided it best to put both Olie and Red on each side of Dinah. Then Victor could be seated next to Red while she sat on his left, and Olie’s right. She waited behind her chair in knowing that Victor would most likely want to pull it out for her and then help her to sit. She only hoped that Red was watching so that he too could do the same for Dinah. Or would Dinah find that annoying? Who could tell with her cousin?

[dinah]

Dinah heard the roar of Jason’s bike engine and grinned. “That’ll be my guest.” She smirked. She walked up behind Alison and stepped aside as the men entered her home. She removed Jason’s jacket and ran her hand across his shirt. “I’m pleased that you are on time and not on a rooftop spying on someone with a scope. I might just have to have come after you a second time.” She smiled and kissed his lips while helping him remove his jacket but paused when she felt the knife. She raised a brow at Jason for having brought it in the first place. And why was he hiding behind shades?

She turned his shades onto the top of his head and looked into his… blue eyes? Oh really now! “You must be nervous to be changing your eye color for one meal.” She shook her head at him with a smirk and moved in close to him to whisper, “You needn’t be. You’re among friends now.”

She reached around and placed both of her hands into his back pockets and drew him in close to her. “Did you bring some swim wear? We got the hot tub up and running if you want to relax after dinner. I wouldn't mind if you left yours at home.” She swayed with him from side to side to persuade him to join her in the heated water later on.

She looked into his eyes seductively. Maybe that will give him something to think about during dinner to keep him from getting antsy around strangers. She looked past him and saw Victor's car but not his bike and wondered where he put it. Was he being careful so that no one followed him here? If he was, he would have used a quieter engine. Whatever his reasons were for, she did not mind. "Come on, you can sit next to me at the table. We'll get started the moment Alison's guest arrives. The food's going to stay warm for a while since it's covered and has been sitting in the oven."

[bowman]

That growl that comes with the Aston Martin shakes the ground as its thick tires rolled across the road towards the apartment block. The large decorations above, hanging on the lamp posts, were reflected on the Car's silver roof as Oliver had just cleaned it before leaving. It was his pride and joy, an Aston Martin DB5 from 1964. It belonged to his father, Robert, but it was in his will that Oliver should have it. And he couldn’t think of a better occasion to drive it, than Thanksgiving Day. It would be the first he’d had in a while, ever since the family went to Alaska all those years ago. He even brought Dinah with him, to stay warm through the cold winter nights. Still, that’s all in the past now.

Dinah had given him the address a few days ago but Oliver had to write it down upon a piece of paper just to remember. “21, 22, 23 and ah here we are. It’s quite nice, very cozy and quiet.” Oliver talked to himself quite often as he got used to it during his stay on the Island. He eased the car into a free parking space near the building, removing the keys from the ignition while grabbing the large bouquet of tulips from the passenger’s seat. He closed the door quietly, trying not to make a scene while locking the door. A blue pin-stripped jacket with a pair of grey expensive jeans and a red jumper beneath, were his choice of clothes, trying not to over do it while still keeping that formal feeling. He continued to walk along the path, stopping out side of his destination with a sigh followed by a smile. Marching up the steps, he pressed the buzzer to signal his arrival. “Hello, hello? Is this thing on? It’s Oliver Queen, Dinah’s friend.” He stood back for a few seconds, waiting for a response. While he waited, he began to look around the street.

[dinah]

Dinah heard the sound of a car pulling up and raised her brow. “That’s the noise of an expensive car.” She headed back for the door and pulled back the curtains, then smiled. “Oliver’s here.” She stood behind the door and waited to open the door right as he rang the doorbell or knocked. “That’s the doorbell, we don’t have a buzzer. Two story homes usually don’t.” She shook her head at him and his rich ways. She grabbed his Jacket and pulled him into the house, closing the door behind him. "Come here you."

“May I remove your jacket or do you prefer to keep it on?” She asked since he was holding flowers and she couldn’t exactly remove the jacket without him dropping the flowers. She recognized them at once, red tulips, a symbol of “perfect love” or “true love.” She wondered if he knew what they meant and looked him in the eyes with a fond expression of her own. “I hope those are for me.”

She reached into the closet and pulled out a long vase from the top shelf. It was green and she estimated the length plus length of the stems and placed the flowers into the vase, set them aside and then removed his coat. “You look good.” She commented. “I’m surprised you left the chauffeur at home this time.” She made a joke and carried the flowers into the kitchen where she filled the vase with water and set them on the counter, then lead him over to the table for him to sit on her right side and Red on her left. Directly across from Dinah was Alison and Victor sat between Red and Alison.

Since Dinah was paying for this house, she thought herself to be head of the household, despite having three different men at her table. She looked them over like a queen in a castle and decided to take control. “Would you like to say Grace Alison? Or have someone else call the shots?” She asked her cousin while placing the napkin on her lap. She wasn’t a fan of Grace but she did what ever pleased her roommate and family member.

[bowman]

Oliver pulled his coat off before passing the flowers over to Dinah. He pulled the coat over a peg by the door. “I’ll take it off thanks; it is quite warm in here.” Oliver gave the flowers to Dinah, pecking her on the cheek while doing so. The interior of the apartment was even nicer than the exterior. It was the polar opposite to what Ollie’d just left behind in the centre of town. While he enjoyed his own accommodation, this place was something else. “You know I don’t trust anyone to drive my cars, especially my pride and joy out there.” The flowers looked quite nice in their vase, reflecting the seasonal warmth around it. He knew what those flowers signalled; Oliver doesn’t do anything by accident any more. Not since he became the Arrow.

Excluding Dinah, Queen knew none of the other guests. “Afternoon, I’m Oliver Queen. It’s a pleasure to be here and thank you for inviting me.” Strange, Ollie could speak before a thousand drunkard people fine yet not in front of a group of every day honest folk. There was a guy with messy hair, he looked kind of cool. Then there was some girl with blonde hair and a huge smile upon her face. Finally there was a man with dark shades upon his eyes, strange. Ollie actually felt out of place among these people, like a snob. Once everyone began to sit, Oliver did the same. He sat down next to Dinah, still with a smile upon his bearded face. The food looked delicious, all lined up on the table like a grand feast for a king. It was well known that Oliver’s family never sat down together, they all had their respective jobs to get on with, leaving Ollie alone yet again. This year would be different, he hoped.

"It looks great, fit for a king." Oliver said to Alison, knowing she had made most of it.

[Deleted]

When the other man came up and introduced himself as Red Victor looked at him and took the man's hand to shake. "I'm Victor" And gave a nod with greeting. There was something strange about this man but he didn't know what it was. And the man didn't seem like he was going to actively attack anyone at the moment so he'd have to just wait and see.

His thoughts changed as soon as he saw Alison. Victor chuckled slightly out of surprise when she threw her arms around him. He managed to recover soon enough to hug her back still holding the ice cream in his hands. "I wouldn't miss this for the world. And yes please." He said as he slipped one arm out of his coat before switching the ice cream to the other hand and slipping the next arm out of his coat. As he entered the house he looked around and removed his hat. "I love them." He said when asked how he liked the decorations. He looked at Alison and smiled. "You look amazing as well." He added. He felt a small bit of pride rise up in him. But it wasn't his pride. He could tell it was Lupin. And thankfully he was being quiet. He had actually forgotten about the ice cream until Alison mentioned it. "Oh right. Yeah I'll eat it any way. It was a tradition my uncle and I had. We always ate ice cream with the meal."

Victor set the ice cream down on the table and figured it would be fine there for now. He then looked up when he heard another voice. He had no clue who this man was but felt that there was something about him he didn't care for much. But he didn't know what it was so he wasn't going to act on the feeling. "Nice to meet you sir." He said looking at Oliver. "I'm Victor." He added looking at the man yet still standing close to Alison with his arm still looped around hers.

[redhood]

The man had introduced himself as victor, but then he saw a face he had gathered from intel, as well as Dinah. It was Oliver Queen, aka the green arrow. Billionare, drove an aston martin. Long hours without turning up. Bruce did the same thing, only he threw batarangs and left apprentices to die. "Well no, i would n't mind you coming after me now would i?" said Jason as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. He did indeed bring a bathing suit, and he loved the feeling of having her hands in his pockets. He was pretty cautious around people he didnt know so he would leave his contacts in. He trusted Allison, and Dinah, as well as Victor. He just did not trust oliver. Especially with him bringing flowers. Their time was cut short when he brought her flowers, and everyone began taking their seats. He would be sitting to the left of Dinah, and with victor next to him.

If it was one thing that was constant in the Wayne Manor, it was the fact that they always had thanksgiving together. Alfred, Dick, bruce and sometimes barbara. It was nice being amongst friends too. Jason removed his shade and draped his jacket over his chair. He did not like Ollie one bit, but he sat infront of the food and it did smell delicious.

He did not know grace that well, seeing as how bruce, or alfred always said it. He was not really a religious man, but he did respect it. Victor had brought ice cream, Ollie had brought flowers, and jason just brought a knife and pistol. Boy did he feel like a chmuck, bringing nothing. Oh well, he was going to dip out anyways after teh meal, he had to make sure the gotham west side punks met their appointment with bullets.