"Ow", Roy hissed and immediately started rubbing the spot on his upper arm where Oliver's staff had hit him with a resounding smack. "You did that on purpose!" he accused the other, glaring at him.
"I don't know what you are talking about", the taller man denied and the pair kept circling each other, always on the lookout for a chance to get another and the first hit of this match in, respectively. "Maybe you are just getting rusty."
The fleeting look to the right to check whether the other two team members would come to his rescue - they didn't, traitors they were, much to busy with gossiping to pay attention to his pain - left him wide open for Oliver to get another quick hit in and Roy jumped back to avoid another well timed and very painful smack. Again the younger man narrowed his eyes at his mentor's blatant exploitation of his - momentary - weakness.
Determined not to give Oliver the satisfaction of besting him once again - an inevitable occurrence if you asked Diggle, and Diggle always knew best, even if Felicity tried to claim that title - Roy twirled the stick in his right hand to get a better grip on it, should he ever get the opportunity to get back at Oliver. Everybody had to lose concentration, at least for a moment, was the mantra Roy tried to live by when sparring with his team mate - don't call him that to his face or he will hurt you, Felicity told him on more than one occasion, disregarding the fact the she was the one who always said the team stuff out loud. Or maybe you didn't lose concentration when your name is Oliver Queen. Roy's attack was quickly blocked and the rapid fire sound of their sticks hitting over and over again in quick succession echoed in the basement.
Narrowly avoiding loosing his footing on the soft training mat they were using. "I thought you had already taken out your aggressions on the training dummy before doing the same with me?!" For a quick second Roy actually regretted taking Oliver up on his offer to spar together while he was in the city visiting Thea. He really should have known better than not to suspect that Oliver had an ulterior motive for his offer.
"It's much more fun if the target shrieks every time it is hit," Oliver said, taking a step back so Roy could get his bearing again and maybe so it would seem as if he really didn't hurt him more than necessary for his ex-protege to learn a lesson. Although he was sure that Felicity and both Diggle and Roy knew why he didn't soften the blows he knew would hit Roy. Did he feel bad about it? Just a little.
"Does Felicity know how much of a sadist you are? I mean, I already knew it because you had me slapping water for ages, but this?" Apparently Roy still hadn't gotten over it and he probably never would. As if thinking back about his wordsa sour look crossed his face and he said, "You know what, I don't want to know what goes on behind closed doors between the two of you." He gave an exaggerated shudder. "I think I need brain bleach now."
Mentioning Oliver's and Felicity's behind closed doors activities made the latter get involved in the - verbal and physical - sparring match. "Don't taunt him, Roy. You know he gets even grumpier when you make fun of him."
Oh yes. They all knew how little Oliver liked people making fun of him, even if it was just in jest.
"You kissed my girlfriend," the current, undefeated and reigning king - or was it queen? - of the land of grumpiness accused his sparring partner, who in turn took a cautious step back now that they were talking about that again, hopefully out of reach.
"Your girlfriend is standing right next to you!" Felicity had her arms crossed and leveled them both with an unimpressed stare.
"Yeah, but think about this for a moment," Roy said, taking the opportunity to taunt Oliver once more, now that Felicity was part of the conversation and could save him from her boyfriend, if need be, "Your girlfriend kissed your little sister's boyfriend."
Diggle snorted loudly and went to stand next to Felicity, mirroring her stance. "Man, I wish I had brought popcorn."
"If you want to get to see said girlfriend again while being in one piece you might want to stop mentioning her to her brother," said brother all but growled at his sister's boyfriend.
"You have to let it go, Oliver," Digg, ever helpful, interjected from the sidelines, quite glad not to be the one Oliver had a bone to pick with.
"Did Sara make you watch Frozen again?" Felicity asked him.
"You'd think it's the only movie in existence." By now all of Team Arrow had been subjected to watch Frozen with little Diglet at least one time, if only to give her parents a temporary respite.
"Bring her over next week and I'll find another movie for her to obsess over." Much to Felicity's delight Oliver seemed to enjoy watching Disney movies with little Sara. He even made her swear on her beloved tablet not to mention it to anybody, lest it undermined his reputation as resident grump and all around bad ass person. Truning to her boyfriend she said, "Oliver, Roy already apologized to you." That didn't do any good. He was still glaring at the younger man and it looked as if he wouldn't stop doing that within the next decade. "And thinking about it, I don't know why you both feel the need for him to do that. He did what you do whenever you are in his position." Suddenly three people stared at her, in various states of shock and amusement. "I mean, not exactly, because with you there's definitely more tongue action involved." Realizing what she had just said she started blushing and as if to outrun her verbal embarrassment the words started tumbling out of her mouth even faster. "Although if we hadn't been interrupted I'm sure we would have gotten to that stage. And as far as first kisses go that one was pretty good. I mean not as good as it could have been but-" Taking a deep and very much needed breath she closed her mouth to prevent any more unfortunate words to escape. "Digg, will you just stop me please?" She said, turning around to look at her friend. Her friend, who of course only started chuckling. Traitors. All of them. Let them see who got the last laugh when they all found themselves on the no-flight list.
"Anyway. No need for him to apologize for kissing me to keep our cover and to get out of that party unharmed." They should know by now that a quick 'get in, get into the office and copy the data, get out' operation never turned out as planned. "Also, if there were a need for an apology I would have to apologize to Roy for stepping on his toes." Mentally she gave herself a pat on the back. For once that didn't sound too bad.
"Which you did," Roy confirmed. "I mean, you apologized. And stepped on my toes." Now it was his turn to look like a deer caught in the headlights again. Was Felicity's babbling contagious? Maybe somebody should take a look at that. "And I totally didn't mind my toes being squished." He put his fighting sticks away, as if the chances of Oliver doing him bodily harm were smaller if he were unarmed. One can only hope.
"Now will you stop roughing him up just because you are jealous he got to go to that party with me? Your own fault, by the way."
Oliver only groaned and also put his sticks away. In Felicity's book that was a win. And since that meant there wouldn't be any more bruises for Roy he also looked at it that way.
"Come on, I'm tired and Iolaus wants to go home, too." As if to emphasize her words the large dog lounging on the bright pink dog bed next to Felicity's computers yawned loudly.
Looking from the black dog to Felicity to Oliver and back Diggle groaned, "Please tell me you are not actually going to call him Iolaus?"
"I like it. And Oliver does too," the blonde argued but a quick "Oliver does not" coming from her boyfriend belied her words.
"I thought we finally got over the talking about yourself in third person thing," John said, raising and eyebrow at Oliver who didn't deem the question worthy of answering.
Just finished with clipping the leash to the dog's collar the woman spun around to look at the rest of her boys and asked Diggle, "Would you prefer it if we called him Little John?"
"You still haven't decided on a name? You adopted the dog over a year ago!" Roy sounded scandalized on the dog's behalf.
"Naming someone is hard work," Felicity tried to defend their inability to agree on a name, but Diggle was having none of it.
"Yeah, tell me about it," he told them, and sounding prouder than he should be he added, "Lyla and I came up with a name within 24 hours."
Realizing that Oliver wouldn't come to her rescue - if it were solely his decision they would have stuck with the name the shelter gave him, even if he didn't want to go around telling people he had a dog named 'Willy' - Felicity said, "Look, Rufus knows we love him and that's the most important thing, isn't it?"
"Get going. Cousin Itt wants to go home."
"Pop culture reference! Did you hear that?" For a moment Felicity was too excited to realize that her boyfriend did nothing to get their friends to back off. "You've been holding out on me, Queen!" Gathering her things and then taking the hand Oliver offered, the couple went to leave, still nameless dog in tow. When they reached the stairs, Felicity turned around one last time to shout, "Roy, don't you dare leave town without saying goodbye to us first!"
"I wouldn't dream of it," Roy assured her, before turning to Diggle to ask, "Will they ever grow up?"
"Highly doubtful." Diggle shook his head and released a long suffering breath. "He pouts like a five-year-old after you've taken away his toy and she isn't any better." For a moment he justed looked at Roy, as if debating whether or not to say more. In the end he decided to help the younger man out. "Next time you spar with him, watch his footwork - his right knee gives him trouble every know and then and it slows him down."
Was it petty using Oliver's weakness against him? Maybe. But if it gave Roy a chance to get even it was worth it.
"Duly noted."
Before they also left Diggle smiled and advised, "And don't kiss Felicity. No matter what happens."
"Believe me, I've learned my lesson." Never again. Even if their lives depended on it.
Some time later Oliver - not knowing that his best friend just gave sound advise to the man who kissed his girlfriend - and Felicity were in their apartment getting ready for bed.
"You know he only kissed me to get us out of there safely?" Felicity asked, putting the last few throw pillows Oliver didn't want to have but she insisted on away.
"I know." They both knew what it took Oliver to admit that.
"And that's part of what is bothering you, isn't it?" Slipping under the covers they picked out together the blonde waited until her boyfriend looked at her again before she continued. "That I was in danger again."
For a few moments he said nothing while he turned off the light in their bedroom, only leaving the lamp on her nightstand to guide his way back to the bed and under the covers.
"Something could have happened to you," he said softly, wrapping her in his arms and tugging her closer until she could rest her chin on his shoulder.
"We had that discussion before, Oliver." More than once and they both remembered it. Her life, her decisions.
"That doesn't change the fact that I worry about you." And it also didn't change the fact that he didn't like letting her run head first into dangerous situations.
"You wouldn't be my ever brooding boyfriend if you didn't," she smiled at him and dropped a kiss on his shoulder, just above his Bratva tattoo, as if to take the sting out of her words.
"Glad we finally come to an agreement."
For a few moments there was silence. They both relished these moments of peace and quiet after a long day of work and other work. Felicity scooted closer and lazily started drawing circles on Oliver's skin.
"Just promise me something?" she said after some contemplation, propping her head on her hand so she could look at him.
"What?" he asked, already suspicious.
"If something were to happen to me-"
He wouldn't let her finish her sentence, turning onto his side so he could mirror her position. "I won't let anything happen to you."
"That might not be possible." She knew from the look in his eyes that even the thought of something happening to her pained him and that he would do everything in his power to prevent her from ever getting her hurt, but that didn't mean that destiny had the same plan for her. "You know as well as I do that anything could happen. I could be hit by a car tomorrow and there would be nothing you could do."
"Don't talk like that." He flopped onto his back, rubbing his hands over his suddenly very tired eyes, telling her with his body language to let it go.
But of course she wouldn't. "If something were to happen to me, promise me you won't do anything stupid. Promise me you won't go off on some destructive warpath. Promise me you will continue living your life, even if I'm not there to make you."
"Don't talk like that," he pleaded, looking her straight into her eyes.
But she wouldn't budge. Of course she wouldn't. She wouldn't be his Felicity otherwise. "Promise me, Oliver."
"Felicity-" he again tried to dissuade her, turning away from her imploring look to stare at the ceiling instead. The very nice light orange ceiling Felicity insisted on painting on her own even if it resulted in her being covered in orange flecks of color from head to toe.
Not letting him get away with avoiding her she straddled his waist with ease, having done so time and time again. "I have a constant companion for your peace of mind." Oliver had wanted her to get a bodyguard. Felicity didn't want one. They compromised and got a still nameless dog. "Promise me. For my peace of mind," she used his words from a year ago against him.
Reluctantly he looked at her again and he saw how serious she was about this. He knew she wouldn't let it go, no matter how much he wanted her to. She was to stubborn for that. And he loved her for it. "I promise," he finally conceded.
Smiling at him she softly caressed his cheek and scratched his beard. "Good." For a moment she looked proud of herself but it didn't last long. With a graze that belied his size Snuffles jumped onto the bed and managed to knock his owner to the side. An "Oooof" escaped Felicity as her body hit the bed next to Oliver. "Will you stop that?" she complained, trying to get away from the large dog, who wanted nothing more than to lick her face. "Oliver!"
Recognizing the tone in her voice - and not wanting to share his girlfriend's kisses yet again - he got the dog to let up. "Explain again why adopting that beast was a good idea?" he asked, still trying to get the 'beast' off the bed.
"Because he needed a loving home. And he is beyond cute." As if she had already forgotten about his attack from a moment before, Felicity started scratching the animal and Oliver knew in that moment that any chance he had off getting the dog to sleep in his very own dog bed were gone. Good thing they invested in a king bed. "Don't act as if you don't like him. I know the truth."
"If you say so." No way he would say that know. Then both the dog and Felicity would know that they had won.