This is my first fanfiction for Arrow (I fell in love with the show and marathoned all 2 1/2 seasons over winter break) so I hope you like it! It's a oneshot. Feedback is much appreciated!
When Oliver Queen knocked on the door to Felicity's apartment, fully decked out in a navy-blue tuxedo and expensive Giorgio Armani shoes, he wasn't sure what he was expecting, but he was happy to be pleasantly surprised.
"I'm coming," Felicity yelled from behind the door. Oliver heard an "Oompf!" and a clatter and he chuckled quietly to himself.
When Felicity finally opened the door, smoothing out her blue cocktail dress, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Wow, you are way dressed up for the occasion. I mean, not that our first date is like, an occasion occasion… well, maybe it is, since I guess the definition would be a special event… not that our first date is like, super super special, but since it hasn't happened before, I guess it fits the bill… and I'm rambling again."
Oliver just smiled at her and took her hand. "Looks like we are… unintentionally matching."
Felicity glanced down at her blue dress and at Oliver's immaculate suit and grins. "Team Arrow telepathy you know…" She suddenly scanned her environment. "Oops, did I say that too loudly?"
"You're fine," he replied, guiding her down the stairs. The chauffeur opened the door to Oliver's limousine and the two of them slid in. When the couple finally arrived at the French restaurant downtown, Felicity was already in fits of laughter, and Oliver couldn't keep up his serious businessman demeanor.
Their reservation is on the third floor of the restaurant, and Oliver's left hand sought out Felicity's right hand as they waited for the elevator. A surprised look flitted across her face but settled in the form of a content smile.
They are halfway through their meal with Diggle called Oliver. "Oliver, Felicity's apartment has been bombed."
Five seconds later, Felicity's phone rang. When she hung up, the blood drained from her face. "Lance just called and said that my apartment…"
Oliver pursed his lips. "I know. Diggle told me."
As they rush out of the restaurant and into the elevator, Oliver's hands curled into fists. "Felicity… the person who bombed your apartment was probably targeting the Arrow."
He watched as his date swallowed, her lips curling into a grimace. "I know what you're going to say. Don't say it."
He grabbed both of her hands, pulling her into him. "Felicity, I can't be both Oliver Queen and the Arrow at the same time. If I'm with you, I'm only going to put you in danger."
She silenced him by standing on her tiptoes and leaning into him with a kiss. Her lips tasted like champagne and he was unable to bring himself out of the kiss.
"I love you," he murmured against her lips.
"I love you too."
"When I step out of the elevator," he said quietly, releasing her, "we will be over."
His eyes searched hers and tried to convey all of his feelings, but she averted her gaze. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. He didn't glance back—or he might never have been able to leave her—and flew out of the building. Oliver switched on his earpiece. "Diggle, I need you to tell me where the bastard who targeted Felicity's apartment is."
There was a sigh at the other end. "You broke it off with her, didn't you."
"Diggle, I need the address."
"1093 Rescinda Way. Oliver, you're going to regret pushing her away."
"I'm putting my feelings for her in a box and I'm going to tuck that box in the back of my mind. She'll be safer that way."
"Lance called," Roy Harper announced, running into the foundry. "There's a cyberhacker who is stealing bank passwords. Where's Felicity?"
"She's in Central City visiting Barry Allen," Diggle responded, sitting down next to Oliver and turning on Felicity's monitors. "I'm going to try to backtrace the signals, but don't expect me to be as fast as Felicity," Diggle warned, before clicking away on the keyboard.
"I thought you forbade her from going back to Central City," Roy muttered, polishing his arrows carefully.
"I didn't forbid her from—" Oliver stopped protesting after a skeptical glance from Diggle. "Fine. Maybe I did warn her against it. But she didn't tell me she was going."
"If she told you, would you have let her leave?" Diggle pointed out, leaving Oliver grinding his molars.
"I'm over her," Oliver replied. Diggle looked unconvinced. The Arrow grabbed his cell phone and dialed the number on speed dial.
"Felicity. Where. Are. You."
He heard a giggle. "Barry, that tickles. I'm on the phone. Hi Oliver, I'm in Central City."
Oliver swallowed the bile that was threatening to climb up his esophagus. "There's a situation."
Silence greeted him, until Felicity finally said, "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Diggle waved his hands to get Oliver's attention. "There's no need," he mouths, "I've traced the signal."
"Good," Oliver muttered into the phone. "We need your help."
Diggle raised his eyebrow at Oliver but doesn't say a word.
When Felicity finally arrived in the foundry three hours later, Oliver jumped down from the salmon ladder to greet her.
"Where's the bad guy and what do you need me to do?" She said immediately, throwing her duffle bag on the table.
"Locked up in Iron Heights, no thanks to you."
"I came back from Central City three days early for this?" She gestured at his sullen demeanor.
"It's not my fault you went to Central City and left us behind for Barry Stinking Allen."
Felicity walked up to him until they were only inches apart. "You were the one who told me to move on. This is me moving on."
He took a deep breath and mentally shoved the box containing his love for Felicity far, far back into his mind. He forced a smile onto his face. "Good."
When Oliver and Felicity each received an invitation to Barry Allen and Iris West's wedding, Oliver immediately showed up at Felicity's new apartment.
"Did you hear the news?" He asked when she opened the door. "I'm happy for Barry." For some reason, he couldn't keep the goofy grin off his face.
She invited him in. "Makes sense that the first guy who likes me back ends up finding a new love," she muses dejectedly.
He's not the first guy, Oliver thought to himself, but kept his mouth shut. There's no reason to remind her of… our disastrous date.
Felicity put in a DVD and collapsed onto the sofa. "Want to marathon Gossip Girl with me? It's my guilty pleasure. Chace Crawford is perfect."
He followed suit and sat next to her, their arms touching.
"Thanks for being my best friend, Oliver," Felicity said, three episodes into the first season. "It really means a lot to me."
He grimaced at the words "best friend", and he didn't know why: he was definitely over Felicity Smoak.
She noticed his expression. "What's wrong?"
"A bit of a stomachache," he lied, training his focus on the television.
Oliver woke up a month later with Helena Bertinelli in his arms. He gently put her down and stepped into the bathroom. Looking into the mirror, at his disheveled appearance and eye bags, he sighed.
"This is me moving on," he muttered to himself, echoing Felicity's words to him. "Why is it so hard?"
He left Helena a simple note: "Thanks for the night."
An hour later, he found himself in the foundry, looking for Felicity. "Where is she?" Oliver asked after his favorite blonde was nowhere to be seen.
"I think she went home. Finally ready to come to terms with your feelings for her?"
Oliver gave Diggle a sour glance.
"Looks like Barry Allen is useful for something. He pulled Starling City's favorite couple together," Diggle mused, ducking when Oliver threw an arrow at him.
"I need her. I'll figure out how to balance the Arrow and Oliver Queen because… I can't live without her," Oliver said quietly, surprising himself with his confession.
Diggle tossed him keys. "Roy cleaned up your motorcycle. It's shiny now. Great for getting girls."
The first thing Oliver noticed when Felicity opened her door was her new diamond necklace.
"When did you buy this?" he asked as he walked in.
"Oh," she replied, blushing. "Ray got it for me."
"Ray Palmer?" The name left a bad taste in Oliver's mouth.
"Yeah, we're, uh, actually going out to dinner now, so…" For once, Felicity isn't rambling. Her cheeks turn fuchsia and Oliver has the sudden urge to cup her face in his hands and kiss her senseless.
When she stood up to walk out of the door, he blocked her way. "Oliver?" she asked questioningly. "I… really need to go now, or I'll be late."
"Then be late," he said huskily, gently grabbing her hands and pulling her into a kiss.
Felicity was unmoving at first, but molded softly to his touch. "I," she said breathlessly, "thought you said you couldn't do this."
"I'll figure out how, because I can't lose you," he growled softly. He leaned more into her body and her curves are smashed against his rock hard muscles, but it felt right. She deepened the kiss and wrapped her arms around him, dropping her handbag, and he guided her towards the bed.
Suddenly, it felt like there were too many layers between them, but Felicity stopped him before he could take off his shirt.
"As much as I love you shirtless," she said, smiling, "I really have to go to this dinner with Ray and a potential business partner."
Oliver blinked. "Oh, I thought you meant you two were going on a date."
Felicity raised an eyebrow. "Is this you being jealous?"
He furrowed his eyebrows. "Oliver Queen doesn't get jealous."
She wriggled out of his grasp and smoothed out her dress. "I'll be back in two hours."
Felicity shivered as soon as she and Ray stepped out of the restaurant. "I'm so glad we reached an agreement," she admitted. "I was nervous."
Ray nodded. "It was all thanks to you, Felicity Smoak."
She glanced up at him and smiled contentedly. As the night wind blew around them, she shivered again and crossed her arms in an effort to keep warm.
"Cold?" Ray observed, taking off his coat. He's about to put it around Felicity when a voice interrupted.
"I've got her covered," Oliver said coldly, stepping out from the shadows. He wraps his suit blazer around Felicity possessively.
"Alright," Ray said, shifting uncomfortably under Oliver's threatening gaze. "Call me when you get home safely."
"She'll definitely get home safely. I'm taking her. So there's no need to be worried," Oliver replied.
"I wasn't talking to you," Ray bit back.
"But you were talking to Felicity, so by default you were talking to me."
"I'm right here," Felicity protested. Ray gave Oliver a pointed glance.
"Felicity, want to have lunch with me tomorrow?" he tried again.
"Actually," Oliver cut in, "she's busy tomorrow. And she will be busy for every day after that." With that, he ushered Felicity into a cab before giving Ray a wave and taking a seat next to the IT girl.
"Didn't I tell you that I would be back in two hours?"
"I couldn't wait that long, Felicity."
There's a silence before Felicity pointed out angrily, "You really didn't need to do that. I'm not an object."
"No, but you're my girl."
Felicity smiled. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say that."