Chapter Text
It’s the sort of lazy Saturday morning that none of them have seen in a long time. By some unspoken agreement, Tommy and Laurel find their way to the Queen mansion where Thea and Roy are lounging around in the kitchen-cum-dining area, bleary-eyed after a long night at Verdant. It’s a rare occurrence that none of them really has anywhere to be in a hurry and they’d all like to take advantage of the situation by doing...absolutely nothing. It feels like heaven to all of them that the entirety of their plans extends to seeing what Raisa has left in the fridge for them to eat.
The foursome is sitting around the kitchen island, making insipid small talk when Oliver and Felicity walk into the room, clearly in the midst of a lively argument. They pause a few feet from the table and talk face to face.
“...that’s not even the point, Felicity. You don’t need to even go that far to see why this is a terrible idea.”
“How is this different from last week Oliver? Exact same circumstances...”
“These are not the exact same circumstances!! They’re so wildly different that it’s actually shocking to me that you don’t see it.”
With that Felicity turns sharply on her heel and proceeds to walk away from Oliver, past the table and towards the kitchenette.
“Where are you going? We’re not done with this,” Oliver demands.
“Oh we most certainly are, pal. At least for now. I can’t talk to you when you’re like this,” Felicity exclaims throwing her hands up as she continues to storm off.
“Like what?”
“Pig-headed. Stubborn. Impervious to reason!” she says as she turns around to face him.
“Protective. Abundantly cautious. Sensible,” he counters as he walks towards her.
“Oh my god, why are you being impossible about this?”
“Why are you acting as if wanting to keep you safe makes me a crazy person?”
“Keep me safe from what, Oliver? Some vague and generic threat??!! Outside of your mother, Walter and yourself, I am the most recognizable member of QC in the press. These sorts of emails were bound to start coming in. You had to know that. We can’t press pause every time some nut job with too much time and too little interaction with the outside world decides to type some nonsense in his mother’s basement.” Felicity states, clearly frustrated.
“Wait, someone threatened Felicity? Who?” Laurel asks.
“Nobody” Felicity says at the same time as Oliver says, “I’m looking into it.”
“Felicity, you should take this stuff seriously. Trust me. We deal with so many stalking cases at the DA’s, I can’t tell you. These guys tend to escalate really quickly.” Laurel says.
“Thank you Laurel!” Oliver says pointedly before turning back to Felicity. “Please, at least listen to the professional if you won’t take me seriously.”
“Exactly when do you propose this bodyguard will need to guard my body??!!” Felicity yells. “I’m with you all the live-long day. I mean I literally spend every waking second with two hulking slabs of muscle who glare at anyone who so much as looks at me funny. I’m with you and Digg all day and all night. When am I left unprotected?? You want someone to watch me while I sleep??”
Oliver seizes on that, “Yes!”
“Oliver, no!” Felicity responds, realizing that she’s inadvertently given him fuel for his quest. “I was being sarcastic.”
“But you’ve brought up a hole in your claim that you’re protected all day.”
“You’re making no sense Oliver. A bodyguard is almost redundant. When I’m at QC, I’m in one of the most secure buildings in Starling. And I’m always surrounded. I’m with you from 7 in the morning till 2 AM most nights.”
“Yes, but I’m not with you when you sleep!”Oliver blurts out.
That finally seems to shut Felicity up as she looks utterly startled. Laurel and Roy too look stunned but Thea and Tommy seem to be smirking at Oliver’s Freudian slip.
Felicity seems to notice that Oliver seems discomfited at having perhaps said more than he intended. Partially in an effort to mollify him and partially to lighten the mood she says, “Hey, I’m the one who makes the verbal gaffes around here! Don’t go stealing my thing.”
Oliver lets out a short, humourless laugh. He then rubs his eyes and forehead with his palm and it’s evident that this whole scenario has him worried beyond reason.
“I just...” Oliver trails off. “I just need you to be safe, Felicity,” he says in a softer tone.
With that, the fight seems to leave Oliver’s body. Noticing this, Felicity steps right up to him, grabs the front of his shirt in her fist and tugs slightly, meeting his eyes. “Oy! No guilt. Not about this okay? It’s going to be alright. You, me, Digg, we’ll figure something out. We always have.”
She lets go as he says, “Well you could just move in here with us. The mansion is easily the safest private home in Starling City.”
“Right,” she scoffs. “Because that’ll go over so well!”
“What’s wrong with this idea now? I was being serious,” Oliver huffs.
“Your mother and me, under the same roof. What on earth could go wrong there, Oliver?” Felicity mocks as she heads back towards the exit.
Instinctively, Oliver follows her, his hand on the small of her back, “It won’t be so bad. And I can keep an eye on you at...” his sound of their voices tapers off as they leave the room.