How it should have been
Before Felicity left Starling City to be with Ray she signed her company over to Oliver. So now both Oliver and Tommy were running their family companies and at the moment they were having business together and Tommy needed Oliver's signature on some papers. Only Oliver had been missing from the office for the whole day, so Tommy had decided to go at the new "Arrow cave" to see his friend.
He stepped out of the elevator and saw Oliver and Laurel standing in the training area. They had probably just finished training and now they were just standing there, both panting slightly. Then Oliver leaned in and kissed Laurel. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he slid his around her waist hugging her closer. When they parted Oliver leaned his forehead on Laurel's and they just stood there gazing in each other's eyes for a while.
They didn't see him, so Tommy quietly walked to the elevator and left, his heart aching in his chest, his throat constricted while he tried not to cry.
During those last years Tommy had determined to get Oliver and Laurel back together. If his relationship with Laurel had taught him anything it was that she and Oliver belonged together. Tommy and Thea had always lurked in the shadows, waiting for those two idiots to finally realize that they were meant to be together. It took them almost four years to finally get back together and in the end Tommy had been the one to give the final push. One night talking with Oliver his friend had told him that he was thinking about asking Laurel out on a date, but he didn't want to risk his friendship with Tommy. He almost lost him that first year when he got back from the island and he didn't want to go through that again. Tommy told Oliver that he just wanted them to be happy, and he knew that they could only be happy together.
- Don't let the love of your life slip through your fingers because of me. Go and take your happy ending. – he had said and Oliver had smiled.
Two weeks later Oliver and Laurel were back together.
Since then Tommy had seen them together countless of times. They had lunch together, dinner together, movie nights. Oliver and Laurel were his best friend, the only important people that he had left in his life. They knew him better than everyone else in the world and he needed them. So he had focused on being happy for them. And most of the times he succeeded. And then there were times like this one. When seeing them so happy, so in love hurt like hell. And this time the look of pure love and devotion that his two friends had exchanged had hit him like a punch in the gut, breaking his heart all over again. And the worrisome part was that he was at a point where he didn't even know if he was more jealous of Laurel or of Oliver.
He went to Oliver's office and left the documents he needed singed to his assistant. Then he went home, switched off his phone and held his own private pity party, with booze, ice cream and awful action movies.
Three weeks later Laurel and Oliver were again in the cave. They had just finished training and for the millionth time they were talking about Tommy. Their friend had disappeared from the face of heart. They hadn't seen of heard from him in the last three weeks and they missed him.
- We can't go on like this, Laur. – Oliver told her while they were changing.
- No, we can't. – She agreed.
- We gave him enough space and enough time. He needs to talk to us and tell us what's wrong so we can fix it. – Oliver said.
He had clearly told Tommy that nothing in the world was more important than their friendship. He was willing to let Laurel go in order to preserve his relationship with Tommy. Oliver could live with being only friends with Laurel, she would be in his life and at his side anyway; but he couldn't live without Tommy. So this time he had asked Tommy's permission before pursuing Laurel. Oliver wasn't stupid, he knew that Tommy still loved Laurel, no one in his right mind could stop loving Laurel, and he'd been surprised to have his permission to ask her out. He had asked Tommy multiple times if he was sure, cause he didn't want to hurt him in any way. And Tommy had said that seeing them apart and unhappy made him unhappy to and that Oliver should just go for it, that he couldn't let the love of his life slip through his fingers. So Oliver had asked Laurel out and two week after they were together again. But now Tommy had disappeared and Oliver needed to fix it. Even if fixing it meant leaving Laurel again.
- You should go talk to him. – Laurel said.
Laurel loved Tommy, not as much as she loved Oliver, but she loved him. She had always felt guilty for the way she had handled things with Tommy back then. She had used him as a rebound for Oliver, even if she hadn't realized that at the time. She had almost destroyed Tommy and Oliver friendship, a friendship that had existed long before her. She had broke Tommy's heart and had hated herself for this for the longest time. She loved Tommy and she needed him in her life, that's why when Oliver had asked her out she had hesitated. She didn't want to hurt Tommy again. Oliver had reassured had that Tommy had given them his blessing and she finally said yes. Two weeks later Oliver and her were together again. And now Tommy had disappeared and Oliver was hurting, she was hurting and she could bet that Tommy was hurting too. She would break up with Oliver if that would bring Tommy back in their life. It would be better to be only friends all the three of them together, than for her and Oliver to be a couple and lose Tommy in the process. It had always been the three of them. Oliver and Laurel didn't make sense without Tommy.
- I'm going tonight. – Oliver said.
- Do whatever it takes to bring him back. – Laurel said. – Whatever it takes Ollie. –
Oliver nodded and leaned down to kiss her. He lingered for a while and then left.
For the last three weeks Tommy had left his house only to go to the office. He always turned down all Oliver's and Laurel's calls, had his assistant lie to them when they stopped by the office asking for him.
That day three weeks ago he had an epiphany, or better he had finally acknowledged something that he'd known all along. He loved Oliver almost as much as he loved Laurel. He had refused to admit this even for him for the longest time. He had told himself over and over again that he and Oliver were just friends, that feeling like his life was over when the Gambit sank and he thought that Oliver was dead was normal. He knew it wasn't normal, he knew what it really was. But ignoring it was easier. Had been easier until now.
Three weeks it didn't hurt to see Oliver with Laurel, it didn't hurt seeing Laurel together, it hurt not being part of that love. He hurt realizing that he loved them both so much and he could never have even a tiny bit of what they had. He thought that having them in his life as friends would be enough. That day he realized that it wasn't. It hurt too much. It was better to lose them forever than to hurt that bad.
Tommy sat on his couch watching TV when someone knocked at his door. He looked at the hour. 4:00 am. He groaned, only one person would be crazy enough to come knocking at his door at such an ungodly hour. A person that he really didn't want to see.
- Tommy. I know you're in there. Open the door. – Oliver yelled from outside.
Tommy didn't move. Maybe Oliver would get tired and go away.
- Tommy I'm not leaving. I can be more stubborn than you. – Oliver said – You know I can be. –
Tommy still didn't move.
- Thomas Merlyn! If you don't open this damn door in the next ten seconds I'll kick it down. –
Tommy still stayed put.
Suddenly there was a crash, the sound of glass breaking and Oliver was standing in front of him.
- What the hell, Oliver! – Tommy said standing up.
- I told you I would kick door if you didn't open. Turned out the window was easier. –
- You didn't think that there is a reason if I didn't open the door? –
- Tell me. –
- What? –
- Tell me the reason. You disappeared for three weeks. You don't pick up our calls, you make your assistant lie to us when we stop by your office. What happened? –
- Nothing happened. Can you just leave? I'll stop by the cave tomorrow. Okay? – Tommy said.
Oliver looked at him, searching his eyes.
- I know you, Tommy. You're lying. I'm not leaving until you tell me how to fix whatever needs to be fixed to have you back –
Tommy shook his head.
- There's nothing to fix. –
Oliver sighed.
- Is this because Laurel and me? She and I talked… Tommy if us together hurt you too much we'll break up. –
- What? – Tommy said shocked. – You'd break up with Laurel? –
Oliver shrugged.
- Yeah. You're our friend Tommy. It's better to be all together as friends than lose you. -
- I don't want you and Laurel to break up. I don't want you to be unhappy. I don't. – Tommy said.
- Than what it is that you want? Tell me, Tommy. What do you want? Just tell me. –
- I can't. – Tommy said looking Oliver in the eyes. – I can't. Cause if I tell you, you will hate me. –
Oliver put a hand on Tommy's shoulder.
- Tommy, there's nothing you can say that will make me hate you. –
Tommy sighed. He didn't have anything to lose. He couldn't be near Laurel and Oliver and not be a part of what they had. He was going to lose them anyway.
- I don't want you and Laurel to break up. – Tommy said and then a deep breath – I… I want to... I love you. I love you and I love her. As in I'm in love with Laurel and with you and I can't be near you and not be a part of you. –
There was a moment of silence. Tommy looked at Oliver and his friend was there, completely stunned, his hand still on Tommy's arm. Tommy sighed.
- See? I knew you'd hate me. – Tommy said.
But Oliver put a hand on his cheek and leaned in to kiss him.
When their lips met Tommy froze. He definitely didn't expect this. Oliver was kissing him. He tried to push him away, he didn't want to know how it would feel to be kissed by him and then lose him. But Oliver held on, firmly. And in the end Tommy gave up and kissed him back, melting in the kiss. When they parted Oliver leaned his forehead against Tommy's, like he always did with Laurel, and for a moment Tommy thought he saw in his eyes the same look he had when he looked at Laurel.
- Oliver don't… Don't play with me. Don't do this if… -Tommy said
- I don't hate you. – Oliver said. – And I'm not playing with you. I always knew that you were important to me. The way I missed you on the island, almost as much as I missed Laurel, the way it hurt when you hated me just before the Undertaking. I kept telling myself that if was normal, that you were my best friend and nothing. But now… I was ready to break up with Laurel, I am ready to break up with Laurel. Only to have you back in my life. And she's willing to do the same. If this is what you want… If you want to be a part of us… Tommy this is already yours. You already are. You always have been. –
Tommy shook his head.
- Oliver. Please… You and Laurel are meant to be together… -
- And you're meant to be with us. – Laurel's voice came from the doorway.
The two men turned and looked at her startled. Oliver still had his hand on Tommy's cheek and Tommy still had his hands on Ollie's chest.
- Laurel! – Tommy said and once again he tried to push Oliver away, and once again Oliver held on tight.
- I should have known that you would have followed, Laur. – Oliver said
- Of course. – Laurel said walking in the room and stopping right next to them. - I thought you might need some help. –
- Smart woman. That's why I love you. – Oliver said leaning over Tommy to kiss Laurel.
Tommy closed his eyes, hurt. He tried again to push Oliver away and again Oliver held on tight. And then he leaned in and kissed him again. And when they parted Laurel leaned in and kissed him too.
- You're an idiot, Tommy. – Oliver said, looking him in the eyes.
He was still so close, and Laurel was there too. And Tommy didn't understand what was happening.
- What? – Tommy asked.
- You're an idiot. We are all idiots – Laurel said. - You said you want to be a part of us. –
- That you're in love with us and can't stay our friend cause you want more. – Oliver said.
- There is no us without you, Tommy. – Laurel said.-
- We were a bit slow in realizing this, but in these three weeks… without you it's not the same. We need you. –
- You can't mean it. You're Oliver and Laurel… You're… -
- It's always been the three of us. At first it was Oliver and I you as a friend, then you and me and Oliver watched, then the three of us as friends and now Ollie and I, again, and you watch. It's always been the three of us. – Laurel said
- We've just been too stupid to see it before. It took us to almost lose you again to realize this, but we're here now. It's always been the three of us. Always. There's no reason for one of us to suffer and watch the other be happy. We can be happy together.– Oliver said.
- I love you guys. I love you so much. And there's nothing that I want more than be with you… But you have to be sure… I can't have you and then lose you. -
Oliver and Laurel exchanged a look and then Laurel said.
- I love you Tommy. –
Oliver smiled.
- I love you too. –
- We're sure. – Laurel said and Oliver nodded.
- We are sure. I promise. -
Tommy looked from Oliver to Laurel and back again. He couldn't breathe and he couldn't believe what they were saying. But in their clear eyes there was only love and that strong connection that deep understanding that he always saw between Oliver and Laurel, only now they ere looking at him. That love was for him too.
- We're just sorry that it took this for us to realize this. – Laurel said
- We can all be together. Laurel, you and I. All of us. – Oliver said.
Tommy breathed deeply and then leaned in and kissed Oliver and then he kissed Laurel. And Laurel and Oliver hugged him.
- I love you. So much that it hurts. – Tommy said holding on to them, tight, like he never wanted to let go. And they held on as tightly.
- We were so stupid. We wasted so much time. – Laurel said.
- We did. – Oliver said.
- We just have to make up for the wasted time. – Tommy said.
Oliver leaned in and kissed him again, and then he kissed Laurel and Laurel kissed Tommy. They were all where they belonged and they were happy. Together.