Title: ABCs
Rating: T
Description: [Olicity AU] If Oliver had known how incredible his daughter's teacher was, he would've started dropping her off at school months ago.
N.B - so this is my first Olicity fic! I hope it is alright...This is set in America but I'm from England so I apologise if there are any major disparities.
If you like it, please please review as I would love to carry this on!
Chapter One
Felicity jogs on the spot. The backs of her new trainers are chafing into her heel, and to say her new running resolution is going to be short-lived would be the understatement of the century. She's only managed three kilometres before she spots the ice-cream truck, and the beads of sweat on her forehead are enough to persuade her that yes, she does deserve one.
The queue has just edged forward when Felicity hears an over-excited squeal behind her. "Daddy, look! It's Misslicity!"
She spins around at what sounds - almost - like her name, before she collides face first into the most attractive man she's ever seen - wait, scrap that. The most attractive man anyone has ever seen.
Holding onto the hand of one of her sweetest students.
Felicity almost forgets the presence of the god - sorry, man - as she grins down at the little girl, her hair pinned up with Princess Leia buns.
"Hey, Mara! It's good to see you."
The five-year-old grins up at her favourite teacher. "Are you waiting for ice-cream too, Misslicity?"
Felicity nods sincerely. "Of course. I'm going to have a Flake 99, I think. What do you think you're going to have?"
She blinks up at her father innocently. "It's Daddy's turn to choose today."
The man smiles as if he's won the lottery and not the choice of ice-cream, but Felicity supposes he might just have a billion-dollar smile. He holds out his hand for her to shake and she takes it nervously (Felicity's panicking - she doesn't want to inflict the God with her jogging sweat). He grips it firmly as he speaks, his voice an octave lower than she's used to.
"I'm Oliver Queen - Mara's father. It's good to meet you -?"
He lets go of her hand and it drops back to her waist.
She smiles. "Felicity Smoak. I'm Mara's Kindergarten teacher."
"Oh!" She can see it dawn on him. "You're Miss Felicity! Or Misslicity, as Mara is always saying."
His daughter grins sheepishly, but before Felicity can reply Oliver has grabbed onto her elbow and is leading her towards the front of the queue, which has magically dissipated in mere seconds.
"Sorry," he tilts his head to the side. "I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine." Felicity says it hurriedly, and moment of awkward silence falls between them.
Mara's voice cuts in a moment later, the little girl not sensing anything. "You have to pick your ice-cream now, Misslicity!"
"Huh?"
She follows the path of Mara's tiny finger to where the ice-cream man is drumming his fingers impatiently on the ledge. "Oh! Thanks. I'll just take a Magnum, I think." Felicity hands over her money and moves aside for Oliver.
She throws the wrapper in the bin and stands hesitantly on the spot, uncertain of whether to start walking off or wait for incredibly handsome Oliver and his daughter.
The decision is made for her when the pair walk straight towards her, a crazy smile plastered across Mara's as she takes in the size of her Mr Whippy ice-cream and the the three chocolate flakes stuck into it.
"Are you looking forward to school tomorrow, Mara?" asks Felicity, stifling a grin as she notices the blob of melting ice-cream on the girl's nose. It starts to drip onto Mara's upper lip but she doesn't seem to care as she continues diving into her ice-cream.
"Oph cworse!" Mara mumbles through a mouthful. She swallows before continuing, "I've got to finish my picture for Daddy before Christmas."
Felicity remembers the picture Mara's had been working on the previous term. It's of her, a man Felicity now knows is Oliver, and a woman she presumes is the lady who picks her up everyday. They're on a beach and there are palm trees everywhere. Literally everywhere. It's not Picasso, but Felicity can tell Mara will be a talented artist when she's older.
"What picture is that, Mar?" Oliver asks.
His daughter's hand flies to her mouth. "It was meant to be a surprise! Daddy...you've ruined it now." Mara crosses an arm across her chest, her mouth forming a sulk.
Sensing an impending tantrum, Oliver quickly reassures her. "But I don't know what painting it is, do I Mara? It'll be a surprise. One that I cannot wait to see."
"Really?" The little girl asks, almost shyly.
"Really."
Felicity glances down at her watch and realises she's late to meet her friend Caitlin. She glances up apologetically at Oliver.
"I have to go, I'm so sorry." She holds her hand out. "It was nice to meet you, Oliver." He shakes it firmly and Felicity turns her gaze to Mara. "See you tomorrow, okay Mara? We're going to bake cupcakes."
She waves behind her as she starts to jog off across the grass.
Oliver stares after her wistfully. He's beginning to see why his daughter loves going to school so much.
"Is it too short?" Caitlin poses in front of the mirror, switching the angle she views herself at.
Felicity peers at the dress. "You want the simple answer, or the truth?"
Caitlin twitches her nose, hesitating. "Simple answer first, please."
"It's too short."
"And the truth?"
"You look pretty damn amazing in it so what does it matter?"
Caitlin laughs. "Thanks, Lissy." She gestures over to the shop assistant. "I'll take this one please."
"You excited?" asks Felicity as Caitlin pulls out her credit card.
"Huh?"
"For the date." Felicity nudges her.
"Oh!' Caitlin's hand scratches the back of her neck. "I guess.."
Felicity's brow scrunches. "I thought you were excited?" She gestures to the bag in Caitlin's hand. "You just bought a wow dress."
Caitlin purses her lips. "I am excited. I'm just a little nervous, you know? I mean, we haven't seen each other for three years. What if he's not like I remember?"
Felicity smiles reassuringly. "He's Ronnie. Of course he will be - in fact, he'll better than you remember."
"You think so?"
Felicity nods. "Now, how about lunch?"
They step out the shop into the midday sun and Felicity holds up her elbow to shield herself from the glare. As they shift out the way of a massive congregation of tourists and make it onto the far edge of the sidewalk, Felicity feels the urge to tell Caitlin about her morning.
"So I was out jogging this morning-"
"You were jogging?"
Felicity holds up her hands. "You got me," she jokes. "No, I actually was jogging. I even bought new trainers for it-"
"Was it just your excuse for buying new trainers?"
"Let me finish! So I was waiting in the queue for the ice-cream truck-"
"There it is. Felicity's true motivation."
Felicity laughs. "Carrying on, I was in the queue and I met this really nice guy."
Caitlin stops in her track. "You had a meet-cute? I've always wanted a meet-cute..."
"I wouldn't exactly call it a meet-cute - he was kinda the dad of one of my students?"
Caitlin's mouth drops open. "He is single, right?"
Felicity swats her shoulder. "Of course he's single! I think." She adds, not actually a hundred percent sure.
"Because I don't want to see you get hurt, Lissy."
"I don't even know him, Cait. We only spoke for like, three minutes. With his daughter there. Not exactly a romantic tryst."
"But is he hot?"
Felicity bites her lip. "Seriously hot," she admits.
"Who's seriously hot?" A voice asks from behind.
Felicity spins around to come face to face with her other best friend. "Roy! You're here already!"
He grins. "That I am, Lissy. I caught an early plane."
She pulls him in for a hug, and a moment later Caitlin joins in. They stay like that for a couple of seconds before they realise they're on a crowded street and receiving quite a few stares. Felicity pulls away from them and eyes Roy.
"You're looking good, you know?"
He nods, almost shyly. "I really want this job to work out."
She rubs his shoulder reassuringly. "I know you do."
The next morning, Felicity is astonished at how quickly Roy managed to unpack all his boxes into Caitlin and her's spare room. She peeks her head in, "All ready in here?"
"Gimme a sec." Roy's stood in front of her, wallet in his mouth as he searches his pockets for something. He's traded in his signature red hoody for a simple pullover, and Felicity is impressed with the effort he's put in. He's a newly qualified teaching assistant, and he's managed to get a job at the school where she works.
"Come on, we've got to go or we are gonna be late. Caitlin left an hour ago." She claps her hands together. She's itching to get to the school; she's missed her job over the long summer.
"But S.T.A.R Labs is over an hour away," argues Roy, "so that point is void."
"It's nice to see you've become a smart-ass while you were away," Felicity jokes. "You can join the club."
Roy grins, guiding her out the door and pulling it shut behind them. "I'm flattered."
They get to the school office twenty minutes later and Felicity's surprised to see Roy wringing his hands together nervously. "You're gonna be great," she reassures him.
"Felicity!" The receptionist grins up at her. "It's great to see you."
"You too, Amy." Felicity takes the I.D badge that's been slid across the counter and pins it to her jacket. She gestures to Roy. "This is Roy Harper."
"The new teaching assistant?" He asks as though it's a question.
Amy smiles at him. "Of course, honey." She passes him his badge. "You've been assigned to Felicity's class, actually."
Roy's mouth hangs open, a smile encompassing his face. "Really?"
Felicity nudges him. "I told you everything would work out. This is going to be a great year, I can feel it."
They get to her classroom a few minutes later and Felicity's relieved to see they're the first to arrive. She doesn't like the idea of her students waiting in an empty classroom.
All the desks and chairs are stacked against the far wall and Felicity gestures to Roy to help her get them down.
"I like having them like three sides of a square," Felicity explains. "That way everyone can see the front and everybody else, and there's room in the middle for circle time.
"Makes sense."
They've just finished arranging the last desk when there's a sharp knock on the door. Felicity rushes over, almost tripping, and pulls open the door.
It's Mara Queen.
"Hey, honey. It's great to see you again. Come on in."
"Thanks, Misslicity." She steps into the room, her pristine French plaits an indication that it can only be the first day back to school. "It was 'weally nice to see you yesterday," Mara adds as she drops her bag in the corner.
"It was nice to bump into you to, Mara. Did you have a fun day with your Dad?"
Mara nods furiously. "The bestest day ever. And he's coming to pick me up after school, as well!"
Felicity tries to convince herself that her heart did not just start beating a little quicker.