Hey guys, this started off as a drabble prompt but grew into its own monster. It'll be 3 chapters long (if i can help it). Hope you'll enjoy it, at least a little.

I don't have a beta so all mistakes are mine. I'm kinda iffy on the tense because i tend to throw that out the window in the midst of my writing. Hopefully it doesn't bother you too much.

Its my first prompt + my first arrow fic, so go easy (or not, you know, whatever)?

Disclaimer: I dont own Arrow or any of its characters (although i wouldn't be opposed to owning the hunky piece of man flesh that is Oliver Queen)

She thought she deserved some time off. He certainly did. For goodness sake, he was the one who pushed her to "get a life" (his words – not hers; the man certainly has no tact when it comes to these things, not that she minded…that much) outside the Arrow Cave (her words – he wouldn't appreciate the phrase as much as he should).

She really should have known better though. You'd think having spent 2 years with the man, she'd learnt to anticipate his antics. Apparently, there was still a lot about Oliver she couldn't even begin to understand.

At first, she'd taken to his advice. Yeah, she thought, I need some time away from his manly, hormone-inducing, intoxicating self. Hell, she spent more time with the man than alone by herself! His unadulterated, testosterone-filled presence is all-consuming – it's literally all she can think about whenever he's within 5 feet of her vicinity. She needed time away from him to clear her head (if only just to try).

So she'd called up her old friends from IT she'd lost touch with ever since she'd joined Team Arrow; they were more than surprised to hear from her (they'd thought she'd abandoned them for something better – someone better). After explaining her relationship with Oliver in excruciating detail (not every detail, mind you – just the less pointy ones), they'd believed her (she hoped) and finally got around to setting a lunch date on Friday at the Italian place across the street from QC (they used to hang out there all the time before her favourite vigilante adopted her as his IT girl – the food wasn't amazing, the place was kinda dingy, but it didn't matter because they were friends and that's what friends did).

To ensure Oliver kept his word (God knows his emergencies came up at every inopportune moment), she'd informed him of her Friday lunch plans three days prior. He'd promised to keep out of her way then (he didn't have a reason not to, since he was the one who suggested it). She'd eyed him skeptically but left with an irrefutable bounce to her steps, hair waving slightly with every sway of her hips. He'd definitely not been thinking about her hips at that moment.

When Friday lunchtime rolled around, Felicity had left 5 minutes early (she hates being late) for the date. She hadn't been that excited since…the last time she'd been that excited (she just didn't want to have to admit that she was always excited to see Oliver). She'd only just begun to break the ice with her friends after her long absence ("Noah and Emily, if you must know, Oliver" she'd told him when he'd asked – the look in his eye when she'd mentioned Noah didn't escape her at the time, but she didn't think too much of it; he was probably just being his over-protective self again) when her phone started ringing (she'd known it was an emergency because she'd designated a special ringtone for Oliver – she'd assumed he'd only contact her for Arrow or work emergencies because why else would he call?) Casting an apologetic glance towards her lunch companions, she'd excused herself to answer (to his beck and call, she'd thought to herself). His scratchy voice floated through the speakers, a "Hi," barely registering before she felt a slight shift in the air around her.

She didn't even have to turn around, didn't have to take a breath before she'd realised that Oliver had just stepped in to her Italian place. She could always feel his presence. Of all the Italian cafes in Starling City, he'd picked her café. Really, Oliver?

It took her several long moments as she tried, and failed, to collect herself, and when she finally did turn to face him, he wasn't even looking at her. In fact, he'd paid no attention to her as he introduced himself to her friends (his grip on Noah's hand was exceptionally firm). Emily herself was slightly dizzy with embarrassment around Oliver (not that she could blame the woman – Oliver in Armani was a sight to behold) and Felicity felt a wave of –something- overwhelm her. She couldn't quite put a finger on it, but that was not the time anyway.

Stalking towards the man, she'd put on her formidable face (Oliver coined it) and demanded an explanation. What the hell was the man doing here? It wasn't an Arrow emergency because he didn't have that air of danger around him and it wasn't a work emergency because he wouldn't have interrupted her lunch break otherwise (he always waited for her to return before bothering her with work stuff, it was one of those things she appreciated). But his shoulders were slightly pulled back and his jaw was tense, teeth almost clenching but not quite. Why he adopted such a defensive stance, she had no clue. But she was about to find out, if she had any say in the matter.

"Oli- Mr Queen," she'd corrected, quick to catch herself before she let slip to her friends the nature of their decidedly complicated relationship.

"What, exactly, are you doing here? And don't tell me it's a work emergency because I know for a fact that I've settled all the documents to be reviewed for the next two days and scheduled all your meetings with the other executives without a hitch. I am very good at my job, after all."

"Ms Smoak," he'd emphasized, a small grin pulling on the side of his mouth, threatening to break out. "I assure you, I am well aware of your capabilities as my Executive Assistant. I could not even dream of dressing myself without your help." Well, that certainly elicited some very pointed looks from Noah and Emily.

"I am presently here for an entirely different matter. A social call, if you will," Oliver added, secretly pleased himself for having blind-sided his EA. Felicity, for all her effort, was simultaneously trying to dig for a response and justify Oliver's actions.

"Wha- What? What social call? A social call with me? Why would we have social plans? No, we don't have plans – okay yeah, we have work plans but not any other plans because we're not together. Well no, that's not accurate, we are together a lot, just not together together in that sense so we don't – "

"Felicity," he'd insisted, interrupting her little sideways ramble with a hint of amusement dancing behind his eyes. He couldn't quite hide his mirth around her, especially when she went on one of her tangents that always kind of made sense in a roundabout manner. "I merely wanted to pass by and meet your lovely friends here. I figured it's about time I heard some embarrassing stories about your IT days since you've been privy to so many of mine," he'd breezed, sliding in the empty chair next to Felicity's as if he'd been invited all along.

Knowing when to admit defeat, she'd slid into her chair with as much calm as she could muster. She didn't want him to think (know) he could fluster her with his mere unexpected presence (he did).

As they slowly fell back into relatively tame (and honestly kind of mundane) conversation, Oliver's gaze flitted between Felicity and her friend Noah (what kind of stupid name was that anyway? and wasn't he supposed to be off building an ark somewhere or something?). Whenever the man in question said something (not even remotely close to being in the general vicinity of funny) that made Felicity smile that sweet, open, honest smile of hers, he couldn't help but cringe a little (a lot; he just hoped nobody would notice).

He'd thought he was being quite tolerant of the man's advances on Felicity (because they could only be described as advances – the man was practically throwing himself at Felicity, how could she not see that?), but he'd reached his last straw when Noah reached across the table to lightly touch his IT girl on the forearm. Who even does that?! Felicity's slightly startled reaction delighted him (not that he would ever cop to it), but it wasn't enough to stop him from grabbing her by the waist (oops, he really didn't realize he was reaching for her waist until he felt her blouse under his fingers, but once he felt the contact, he didn't have the heart to let go).

Standing up abruptly and pulling her to his side, Oliver muttered a small apology, throwing out some lame excuse about a work emergency (even though they'd already established that there weren't any), and dragged Felicity out of the café with him, the woman stunned into an odd silence (she was hardly ever not talking, the woman).

When they'd finally exited the café, Felicity whipped her head around, preparing to give Oliver one of her stare-downs for being a complete Neanderthal but stopping when she'd noticed the slight glint in his eye that contrasted with the clenched fists he still held at her side.

"Oliver. What was that about?" she'd inquired, hoping to get half the answer she deserved for all his silly antics.

He was silent for a moment, staring at a spot behind her ear, and she'd almost thought he didn't hear her. As Felicity was about to sigh and walk away, Oliver grasped her waist (yes, his hand was still there) just a fraction tighter.

"Noah. He…how much do you know about the guy? I mean, did you know he cheated on his fifth grade exam? You shouldn't be hanging around people like that," he'd said, completely seriously (no really, he was giving his straight face and even though he's always giving a straight face, she can always tell when he's being serious and when he's kind of joking – well, at least what almost passes for his own version of humour).

Felicity could only stare at him dumbfounded for a grand total of 2 seconds before bursting out in genuine laughter. He wasn't sure why, and really, he didn't have to. Her laughter is just one of those things he'd always appreciate, regardless of context or reason. She'd just grabbed his arm and walked them back towards QC, failing to suppress a grin the entire way.

Please review/fav/follow if you like this! I'd love to receive some feedback on my writing (i dont know how well you guys take to the internal monologue thing - i mean, i could always do without it but idk, i kinda like it).

Next time: Oliver interrupts Felicity's dinner date (yes, an actual date with an actual potential romantic prospect).