Title: "You're my Present This Year."
Author: QueencestQueen
Pairings: Oliver/Thea (aka Queencest and/or Tholiver)
Rating: K (or G, depending on the rating system)
Summary: "Five years had seen most of the Queen family holiday traditions fade away to only sore memories, but there was one that Thea always observed."
Notes/Warnings:
- Not edited because this is a surprise gift for my wonderful beta and every other Queencest fan this Christmas!
- No spoilers for the current season of the show.
- Set post season two episode nine, "Three Ghosts."
- Also, incest, people.
- Title from the infamous Folgers Incest Commercial.
Disclaimer:
All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of this author. This author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Further Notes: Established Relationship piece. A little piece that takes place in the universe of "What I Feel is the Only Truth for Me."
Five years had seen most of the Queen family holiday traditions fade away to only sore memories, but there was one that Thea always observed. She slid on bare feet down the hall to the staircase and did an awkward little dance as she stood on each step careful not to put any weight at all on the creaky boards. She very much doubted that she'd get more than a stern look for waking their mother, but part of what made this tradition fun was the fear of being caught.
She forced herself not to turn her head and look into the living room before she entered. She told herself that it didn't matter, that it wouldn't hurt, if Oliver didn't show. It had been six years since they had done this particular activity together, after all, and it was just a silly little tradition; it was no big deal, really. Last year, despite his being back from the island, he'd been stuck in the hospital and she had been alone once again. She sighed as she stepped onto the first floor. 'It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter,' was a continuous chant in her head.
Thea kept her eyes locked on the hardwood floor as she walked into the living room. She had always loved how at Christmas the blinking, colored, lights reflected on the polished floors. When she was younger, she had imagined that the shiny surface below her feet was ice and that she, the Amazing Thea Queen: Magician Extraordinaire, was walking across it without the ice even cracking.
"I was starting to think you weren't coming, Speedy." Oliver's voice was loud in the dimly lit room and Thea's gaze snapped up to observe more than just the floor. He was exactly where she had hoped that he would be.
She grinned, big and bright, as she hurried to close the distance between them. "I would never miss my favorite part of Christmas," she said as she knelt by the tree. He smiled at her, his blue eyes reflecting the twinkling lights, and her heart skipped a beat.
She tugged her pale blue nightgown down just a little before she laid upon the floor and scooted very carefully until she too was laying under the tree with only the thick trunk separating her and Oliver.
Once settled beneath the looming tree, she looked up into the chaotic image of evergreen branches above her. String upon string of bright color tiny bulbs were weaved in a specific pattern in the tree. It was a beautiful and peaceful image; it made the season really feel like Christmas.
"Beautiful," Oliver whispered. Thea turned to nod her agreement only to find him looking at her. She blushed at being complimented so, from only him did it sound like the truth. As she looked at him, under the dancing lights, she was struck by the image he created: so handsome, so ethereal. She was humbled that this man, this beautiful disaster as he termed himself, had chosen her. She didn't deserve him.
Thea scooted just a little bit more to the right and craned her neck to kiss him. It was just a warm press of lips even though she was very tempted to deepen it. There was, however, the matter of the tree trunk between them; the sound of the beautifully decorated tree crashing down on them would certainly wake their mother, who would want to know what they were doing to knock over the tree.
So Thea forced herself to stop the sweet kisses before she forgot about their surroundings. She would forever be addicted to him, the sound, sight, touch and taste of him. She was oddly at peace with being that type of girl...as long as it meant she was his girl.
He smiled, lips curving against her own as silence descended upon the room once more. The two stayed like that, under the tree with lips touching but not kissing, for a long while before Oliver broke the spell weaved by Christmas magic. "I think it's time for your real Christmas present." He had gifted her with a small bottle of her favorite perfume earlier while their mother watched, but he had told her in a whisper that she'd be getting her real present later. It had intrigued her all evening, her eager mind mulling over the possibilities, but to no avail. All she could puzzle out was that the gift was something that a brother wouldn't normally give to a sister; it did not narrow the options much at all.
She shook her head while he reached behind his back. He didn't take his eyes off hers for a second while he brought the narrow, long box around him and held it for her to take. "You're my present this year," she told him, plucking the carefully-styled green bow from the top of the box and firmly pressed it to his chest, right over his heart.
He chuckled and leaned forward to place a kiss in her hair, "You're such a cornball." He pushed the box into her hands heedless of her words. "Just open the box, Thea."
She had meant what she said, corny or not; he was the only gift she wanted this year. She was unable to deny him much of anything though, especially when he looked so hopeful and earnest. The lid was off the box and on the floor behind her back quickly, her curious mind eager to find out what it was that required a private gift giving.
"Ollie?" Her voice barely a whisper as she removed her present from its nest of cotton. The sliver chain glittered different colors in the flashing twinkle lights as she held it before her, confused by all the secrecy; it was certainly a beautiful necklace, but nothing their mother couldn't know about. He smirked slightly and held out his hand for the chain and she gave it over.
It disappeared from her view for a second before he handed it to her yet again. There was now a silver ring dangling in the middle of the length. It was a beautiful ring, the kind she'd choose for herself if she was to do so. The band was molded into a gentle wave shape and the one wave was studded with white diamonds. Thea reached up absently so that the ring rested in the middle of her palm which allowed her to read the inscription: 'with love, always, Oliver.'
"It's a promise ring," Oliver explained, reaching out with a single finger to tip her chin up slowly. She wanted to lower her eyes again lest Oliver spy the tears in her eyes, but he wouldn't let her, "One day, Thea Queen," he whispered, leaning forward to speak his following words against her lips, "I'm going to marry you."
"Marry?" Thea echoed, "Ollie, that's…" She took a shaky breath, "it's a nice sentiment, but-"
He cut her off, "But nothing." He reached into his shirt to pull out a necklace and ring that matched hers and yet was different, "it won't be legal, but I don't need legality," he said, "I just need us." He kissed her softly and took the necklace from her hands again. "I know we've only been dating for a few months and I don't wish to pressure you…" He hesitated, "If you don't want this or if you discover at any point in the future that you d-"
This time it was her turn to cut him off, "Oliver, stop talking crazy and help me put my new Christmas present on." She turned so that her back was to him and he laid the open chain around her neck and did the clasp. Her fingers reached up and played with her new ring. She didn't need to ask why he had given her the necklace to wear the ring on, that was easy to understand. If she walked around wearing a ring on her finger the press would notice and start to ask questions that she and Oliver didn't need. She turned back around so they were face-to-face again, "Can I see yours?"
Oliver nodded. Thea reached out and picked the ring up from where it now rested against his pajama top. His silver band was wider than her own, but it had the same wave shape. Instead of the diamonds that decorated hers there was an inscription: 'only love you.'
"So?" He asked, picking her necklace up from where it rested against her chest, "do you like your present?"
Thea grinned, only he could make her feel this happy and at ease, "I love it." She said, "You're still the only present I need this year, though."
He chuckled again, kissing her gently, "You are such a cornball, Speedy."
"You love me anyway," She said, lacing their fingers together as they turned to stare up into the Christmas tree once more.
"I do," Oliver commented, the smile in his voice so strong that she didn't need to see it to know it was there.
When their mother discovered them asleep under the tree the next morning, she simply shook her head with a small smile on her lips. Christmas did bring people together, after all.
A/N: Images of the promise rings and a link to the commercial that inspired some of the dialogue in this story can be found on my , bonus points for anyone who knows where I got the Christmas Tree hang out from!