So, welcome to my new side project. 'Cause I don't have enough on my plate, already.

But this really is a side-project and it comes from a list of Winnie-the-Pooh quotes I found and love. So, the idea behind this is one-shot, no more than a thousand words and it has to be based on the quote. Hopefully, I can pull it off!

Anyway, this won't be my main focus, that's Of Leather Pants, Random Kissing and Illegal Activities. But I hope I can sneak this in every now and again!

Also, I don't own these quotes and the title is definitely not mine that belongs to A.A. Milne too.

So, please, enjoy!


Piglet: "How do you spell 'love'?"

Pooh: "You don't spell it...you feel it."

Winnie-the-Pooh - A.A. Milne

Oliver is watching Felicity.

She's standing in the middle of the party, dressed in some sort of bright blue dress and laughing at whatever quip has been made.

Oliver is standing off to the side, leaning against one of the pillars in the spacious ballroom and simply watching the blond as she holds court over what Roy likes to call the Sphere of Felicity.

Which only makes an appearance at parties like this.

Roy's pretty sure if he wasn't in love with Thea, he'd be trying to worm his way into that group and bask in the Sphere of Felicity.

Not that she's aware that she's creating a sphere or that all the men that surround her are literally hanging onto her every word because she's pretty much the most interesting woman in this room.

Roy has no doubt that if Felicity were aware of her actual effect on men, she'd have a panic attack and the Sphere of Felicity would burst under the weight of expectations she places on herself.

It seems like the sort of thing she'd do.

Roy sometimes feels a bit sorry for her when she becomes aware of herself or what she's saying. Because, well, she manages to make it worse a lot of the time and sometimes it's amusing and sometimes, it's a little painful.

At least, until someone steps in and saves her from herself.

That person is normally Oliver and Roy's pretty sure it's because Oliver has a complex about rescuing Felicity.

A complex that seems to have served the billionaire well over the years.

Spotting Thea, who has attracted her own group of men, Roy feels a twinge of discomfort. He doesn't actually want to be Oliver, standing on the fringes of this party and watching a woman but he can't help himself.

Especially seeing as Thea looks gorgeous, dressed in some slinky black dress that caused him to swallow his tongue when he saw her. She seems to be courting he group of men like the Queen she is and Roy still, sometimes, can't help but compare himself to the men that are talking to her.

He can't help but think that she deserves one of those men and one day she'll realize it.

He wonders if this is how Oliver feels. He wonders if Oliver ever looks at Felicity like she's going to leave him for the many men in the Sphere of Felicity because she'll wake up and realize he's not the one for her.

Roy doesn't think that will ever happen but still, Roy can't help but wonder if Oliver watches Felicity during these functions and thinks that.

Maybe he should ask.

Casually, Roy begins to wander over to Oliver and is pleased that people don't talk to him.

They don't tend to at things like this when he's not with Thea.

Roy's pretty sure it's because they all know where he's come from and no amount of defence from Thea will rehabilitate his image in the eyes of the wealthy as the charity case taken on by Thea Queen.

He doesn't mind.

He can't stand a lot of the people who attend these parties.

Sidling up to Oliver, who's still casually leaning against a pillar and watching Felicity, Roy wonders how to ask Oliver what he wants to ask.

Just because he's been working side by side with the man for years doesn't mean that he has any idea how to approach him properly.

Oliver is still a bit of a mystery to Roy and Roy's got a feeling that he'll always remain that way.

Thea maintains that the only two people who will ever really know the post-Island Oliver are Felicity and Diggle.

Roy thinks that's basically true and he simply stands next to Oliver and folds his arms, keeping an eye on Thea who's still holding court while maintaining a distance between herself and the men.

Which is a good thing, there's no back to her dress and Roy doesn't think he could handle it if any of them tried to touch her.

"Roy. Enjoying yourself?" Oliver's voice breaks through his thoughts and Roy shrugs.

He also prides himself on not startling at Oliver's sudden question.

"No. I hate these parties." He replies honestly.

Oliver dips his chin in acknowledgement and glances at him. Roy's pretty sure this is the first time all night Oliver has taken his eyes of Felicity.

"What do you need?"

It's an opening that Roy hadn't expected and he stares at the older man for a bit because he wasn't expecting it.

Maybe he shouldn't ask this question.

But why waste an opportunity to ask Oliver something when the other man is clearly offering?

"Do you ever watch Felicity at parties like this and wonder if she's going to leave you for someone who deserves her?"

Roy winces.

He probably could have phrased that better. He probably could have not blurted it out like that too.

Oliver stares at him.

Roy wonders if he can make an excuse and leave before Oliver answers the questions because, well, he's never really asked about Oliver and Felicity's relationship. Or about how Oliver feels for Felicity or the state of it.

He's never been curious enough to open that particular can of worms.

"Yes." Oliver replies baldly and it's Roy's turn to stare. "But she never has. Felicity could have had anyone. Barry, Ray, the guy from Big Belly who asked her out for a month straight. All deserved her but she stuck with me because she's the one who figures out who she deserves and who she doesn't. I'm just along for the ride."

"Oh." Roy says because what can he say.

It's probably one of the most personal things Oliver has ever said to him and he's not too sure how to respond.

Oliver turns his gaze back to Felicity and Roy catches a hint of a smile as he sees the blond glance over and her eyes light up at the sight of Oliver.

"Felicity told me once, a long time ago, that we talk about love and deserving and think about it all to much. But, really, in the end, you just have to feel love." Oliver says quietly and Roy watches as he straightens. "Excuse me."

Standing there, Roy watches as Oliver cuts his way through the crowd to Felicity and slices through the Sphere of Felicity simply by existing.

Felicity's whole face lights up when Oliver slides an arm around her waist and tugs her close, turning to say something to the men and causing them all to laugh.

Feeling arms slide around his own waist, Roy glances down to see Thea looking up at him curiously.

"What were you doing?" She asks as he wraps an arm around her shoulders.

"Nothing. Just talking to your brother. He, ah, had some advice." Roy tells her honestly and Thea turns to her head to watch as tugs Felicity towards the dance floor.

Felicity raises her hand and waves at the group of men she'd been talking to and the emerald on her left hand glints. Roy can't help but think that Felicity is right, as usual.

He loves Thea and he has for years but he's never really considered that maybe loving Thea could be as simple as feeling it.

Maybe it's something he should start doing from now on.


I hope you all enjoyed and liked the quote.

As always, please leave a review as they make any authors day!