Disclaimer: I don't own Arrow.
"Can I have another one of those aspirins, please?" Felicity grinned a toothy grin at Diggle.
Diggle smiled. He was enjoying seeing high Felicity too much. "What I gave you was enough. No more painkillers for you tonight, Miss Smoak."
"Oh come on, Dig," Felicity whined. "Just one more? Pretty please with a cherry on-whoa!" she cried as she tipped over to the side.
In a flash Diggle was at her side and he righted her on the stool. "Okay, Felicity, time to go home."
"But I don't wanna," Felicity pouted. She stood up, swaying. "Wow, the whole lair is spinning." She held onto Diggle to steady herself.
"All the more reason why you should get home, Felicity. You have to rest," Diggle said. "That wound of yours is gonna hurt like hell when the painkillers wear off."
Felicity was quiet for a minute as she mulled it over. "Okay," she said finally. "Carry me?" she reached out her arms to Diggle.
Diggle smirked and started to slip an arm under Felicity's knees when Felicity suddenly launched herself at Diggle and wrapped her limbs around his neck and waist instead. Diggle lost his balance for a second, but he recovered quickly and settled Felicity in his arms before going up the stairs.
"Oliver, I'm taking Felicity home," Diggle yelled.
"Okay. Call me when you guys are in her apartment." yelled back an unseen Oliver.
It was quite a challenge for Diggle to carry Felicity all wrapped around him and practically a dead weight. He was able to load her in the back seat of her car, taking care that he wouldn't hurt her any further. Upon arriving at Felicity's apartment building, Diggle had no choice but to carry Felicity in the same fashion as she had insisted on it. Thus he looked like he was carrying a sleepy daughter to her room. The doorman gaped at Diggle and Felicity as they came in.
In the elevator, Felicity nuzzled her cheek against Diggle's broad shoulder and wrapped her arms tighter around his neck. "Mm, you're like a teddy bear, y'know, Dig? Didn't realise you're so huggable." she shifted her legs around Diggle's waist for traction, her skirt inadvertently hiking up to her waist now.
If Diggle was carrying a woman other than Felicity, he might have responded in a different manner, given that the situation is different from this one. But this was Felicity Smoak, IT expert, the heart of Team Arrow. Intelligent, strong and pure of heart. In the course of a year and a half he had grown to love and respect the woman who was now woozy and half-dozing in his arms. So the only thought that coursed in his mind was to bundle Felicity off to bed and make sure she's comfortable.
"Hm. I never thought of myself in that way, Felicity," Diggle said as he fumbled for Felicity's keys in her purse with one hand while he balanced Felicity with the other.
"Oh, but I do. You're my teddy bear," Felicity slurred and launched into a drunken-like laugh.
"Okay, I am your teddy bear." Diggle conceded, laughing along with her. He finally managed to unlock the door, enter Felicity's apartment and shut the door with his foot. As he proceeded down the small hallway to Felicity's bedroom, Felicity spoke up again.
"Dig?"
"Yeah?" Diggle asked as he gently laid Felicity on her bed so as not to jar her injured shoulder. He removed her shoes and set them under the bed.
"Thanks for everything."
Diggle stopped on his way to Felicity's closet to get her some sleepwear. "Why? What did I do?"
"You think I didn't notice that you looked out for me more than the usual today? You showed me some moves on the bamboo stick after you guys compared scars. You immediately moved to stand beside me when Sara, um, blew off my suggestion to take the blood sample to the lab. You helped me clean out the lair after it practically blew up. Now you brought me home and just tucked me into bed. It must be tiring. Y'know, looking out for me and such." Felicity's speech slowed more after every word she said.
Diggle quickly found a tank top and a pair of plaid boxers which he placed on the bed. "I'd never think that helping you out is tiring," he said, kneeling beside Felicity. "Have you considered all the times you patched Oliver and me up after a nasty patrol on the streets?"
Felicity just shook her head.
"If I were to count all those times plus the other times you used your IT expertise to help us in catching the bad guys, I'd say you've done more than enough for the team. Allow me to return the favour because I'd be more than glad to do so. Oliver will, too. I'm sure of that. Because that's what we do, we always help each other out." Diggle smiled at Felicity.
Felicity smiled back at him. "So... about what you said back at the lair... do you mean it?"
"Absolutely," Diggle replied without missing a beat. "Because while the lair has grown considerably crowded with Sara and even Roy around, there's only one Felicity Smoak. The things you do for everyone are led largely because of your heart."
"My heart." Felicity's brows furrowed at this.
"Yes," he said simply, willing for Felicity's currently muddled brain to understand that single word. After giving Felicity a brotherly pat on the head, Diggle headed for the door. Felicity's hand reached out to his, stopping him at mid-stride.
"Please stay."
"I'm not going anywhere, Felicity," Diggle promised. "I'll just be in the living room to call Oliver. And uh, can you manage?" he gestured a bit awkwardly at the tank top and boxers.
Felicity grinned a toothy grin at Diggle again. "Ah, yes, preserving my modesty and all, yeah? No worries, Dig. I got this one. Can I just have some water when you get back? And promise, I won't ask for no aspirins."
Once Diggle assured Oliver that Felicity was all right, he returned to Felicity's bedroom with a pitcher of water and a tall glass that he got from the kitchen. Felicity was back in bed by this time. "You comfortable, Felicity?" he asked.
Felicity looked up at him sleepily. "Yup, as comfortable as I can be. Um... please stay?" she asked again, patting the space beside her.
"All right." Diggle tucked the blankets around Felicity first before settling on top of the covers. Pleased with this, Felicity curled up beside him and took his hand in both of hers.
And once again Diggle had to smile at Felicity's open show of affection even in the midst of oxycodone haze. He was proud of the initiative Felicity took tonight even if it scared the hell out of him. Just like Oliver, he didn't want to see Felicity get hurt. But Felicity has that stubborn streak in her and still goes out of her way to help out the team in every way she can. Yes, even in branching out on her own and stepping in the line of fire for someone. That's what Diggle meant by her heart. So he couldn't begin to imagine that there's no Felicity in the team.
The two friends lay still in the dark for a long time. Just when Diggle thought that all was well and quiet, Felicity spoke.
"Dig, Oliver said I'll always be his girl," she said, her voice thick with sleep. "How about you? Am I your girl, too?"
Diggle squeezed Felicity's hands. "Yes, Felicity. You're my girl too."
a/n: Diggle standing by Felicity after Sara waved off her offer in having the blood sample analysed at the lab is the inspiration for this. That was one major Delicity moment, imo. loved it!
Thanks for reading :)