At first sight
AN – I often borrow the extended Olicity eye contact scenes from the show for my stories but I have never truly explored the reason for it. This short piece is just my take on Oliver's POV as I couldn't get the thoughts out of my head. No beta, as I just typed this up this morning and wanted to post before I head out for the day! Not sure if it will go anywhere but I always love feedback so don't be shy!
DISCLAIMER - Absolutely no claim to these wonderful characters but I do so love playing with them anyway!
He used his eyes to charm, lie, seduce, tease, and basically get his way. Women melted for him, men tried to curry his favor (technically his dad's favor but it still meant he got what he wanted). He didn't think too much about it, but then again he didn't think too much about anything before the Gambit went down. That was when his life changed.
While he was stranded on Lian Yu, his eyes became a tool of survival. Not at first though, as he really didn't want to see the situation or accept responsibility for his life. Later, he learned to observe, truly observe his surroundings and others. He used his eyes to track prey, learn from friends, and evade his enemies. He didn't think too much about it, but then again he was just trying to survive.
Once he returned to Starling City, his eyes were still his tools but there were times he again didn't want to see. He didn't want to see his mother's betrayal, he didn't want to see his sister's faults, he didn't want to see his own faults. He didn't want to see the world was different, that he was different. He still used his eyes to survive and even charm and lie once again, but he had lost the ability to see…until her.
Felicity Smoak.
Oliver could still remember the first time he met her, the first time he saw her. He wasn't sure what he was expecting from the IT geek that Walter had recommended, but what he saw had surprised him and even made him smile. That was when his life changed (even if he didn't realize it at first).
He was still avoiding so many truths, but she put an end to that – she locked him in his own headquarters and forced him to see himself, to see her, to see her view of the world. She stood in front of him and forced his eyes to her and he had difficulty looking away. That's when he started to realize that things were changing. He fought it at first, he fought her but she stayed and he changed.
His eyes were often drawn to her – not just because of the bright colors, the brighter smile, or even the inappropriate rambles. Felicity was a mystery to him and she was an unexpected surprise. She didn't fit into his view of the world before the Gambit, she didn't fit into his view of the world after it either. He kept watching her, trying to figure her out and put her somewhere in his known world – a friend, an assistant, a side kick. She didn't fit anywhere though and that's when he understood that his view of the world was changing in order to include her.
His decisions were no longer just his own – her words could change his mind, her eyes could touch his heart. That's when he accepted that he hadn't actually been observing the world as closely as he had thought. He had kept himself separate from everything and everyone since he had returned. He no longer belonged to his family, his friends didn't know him anymore, even the women he slept with didn't actually see him. However, one small blond IT geek saw him, really saw him and she forced him to see her as well.
Felicity was the first person he truly saw after he returned from the Island. With the others, he saw what he wanted or needed to see, he saw them as tools or obstacles, he saw what he expected. Felicity though had stood in front of him and forced his eyes to her and he found himself staring, captivated. He was both lost and found.
The Island had taught him to survive, Felicity taught him to live.
Considering how different Felicity was from him and everything he knew, Oliver found it strange that he could see himself in her, that he could see his future in her. He fought it at first, he fought her but she stayed and he changed.
His eyes were still drawn to her and she still forced him to see – to see her, to see himself. He still had doubts and questions, but he couldn't stop looking at her, he couldn't stop seeing her. Felicity still stood in front of him and forced his eyes to her. He not only couldn't look away from her eyes but he also found that he didn't want to look away. He wanted to see her and he wanted her to see him.
Then Slade returned from the dead and Oliver put Felicity in danger to defeat his old enemy, to save the city. That was when his life changed.
He became the one who stood in front of her and forced her eyes to him. The words of love were surprisingly easy and honest even if she didn't believe him. Oliver realized that she had her own doubts and questions that it was her turn to fight him. He stayed, just as she always did and now he's just waiting for her to change.
Felicity was the first one who saw him, the real him, and he knows she'll see the truth soon.
Oliver Queen had fallen in love for the first time in his life and it was love at first sight.
