Greeting Cards
What a fun way to spend Christmas, Oliver thought to himself. He had promised to come home and spend the time with his family. Not that he usually ignored them, not at all. But his mother had a way of guilt tripping him into coming around for special occasions. He tried telling himself that the only reason he agreed to this was because Felicity had gone home as well. They had talked about their Christmas weeks ago. When they both realized it wasn't going to happen, they tried not to let their disappointment show too much. Their collective sighing was proof enough that the idea of spending the holidays without each other and with their families was not a thrilling one.
Thea wasn't around much these days and his mother's company wasn't one he liked to keep lately. Thus he wandered around the mansion, exploring long forgotten rooms, tending to flowers or simply staring through windows, acting busy whenever someone tried talking to him.
Had he mentioned this was a lot of fun?
His latest distraction consisted in sorting the mail. He had never realized how much junk arrived at their house each day. Advertisements, papers, bills, more bills, hate mail, charities asking for money, people asking for money, some more bills and a whole lot of other useless things. He hadn't realized all this still arrived via physical letters. He had walked past the post office down the streets his entire life without once thinking it might hold a wagon full of letters for them day after day.
With Christmas around the corner they had been receiving a lot of greeting cards as well. Mostly from other firms around town, from their partners oversees or simply from official establishments. There were a few, however, that came from old friends, distant relatives or people who actually cared about the Queens.
Today he was wafting through an exceptionally high pile of letters, throwing the ones he didn't care for over his shoulder, while carefully placing the ones he wanted to read on the table in front of him.
He was absorbed in the movement of sending a letter flying over his shoulder, so much so, that he almost sent a light pink envelope soaring through the air too. He halted his arm just before releasing the letter and looked at it. He knew that handwriting! He sliced open the envelope and flipped the greeting card open as well.
Dear Oliver,
I know this isn't ideal but merry Christmas from over here. My parents are driving me insane. Please think of a reason to get me back to Star City. I will love you forever.
Felicity.
'Felicity.' He said her name out loud. Then he snorted. Then he burst out laughing. He laughed for a good ten minutes before finally quieting down, holding his stomach, gasping for air. It felt good. Oliver looked around the office that once belonged to his father and thought that he hadn't laughed in this house like this for ages. He smiled at the letter. This is what Felicity had changed. This is exactly why he loved her.