'Masks'
One thing Ted did not expect to see when he walked into his meeting was Oliver Queen.
Yet there the other billionaire was, reclining in a chair at the head of the table, one leg crossed carelessly over the other, smug smile on his face. That shit-eating grin widened as he walked in, and Ted hated the man infinitely times more in that second.
"Ted!" Oliver greeted like they were old friends, jumping to his feet and approaching him quickly. He stopped just in front of him and extended a hand.
For a good few seconds, Ted just studied the hand in front of him, wondering if this was a dream. If it was maybe he could punch the smug bastard, just a little bit. But looking up he saw the intelligence in Oliver Queen's eyes, cold and calm despite his friendly demeanour; Ted knew it couldn't be fake. Even he couldn't dream up a gaze like that.
"It's Mr. Kord," he replied slowly, as Oliver put on a frown, hand dropping to his side. "What are you doing here? This is my building."
"I heard you were in town and wanted to propose a business merger to save the branch of your company here in Starling," Oliver replied, keeping his tone even. "I'm here to help, Mr. Kord."
Ted couldn't keep the bite out of his voice, although he didn't try too hard in all honesty. Who gave a damn what Oliver Queen thought of his rudeness, that asshole had hurt Felicity badly. "Well, Mr. Queen, I think you'd better take your 'help' elsewhere."
"Ted," his own assistant, Angie, pulled him away by the arm, "a word, please."
Although it felt like losing, the newcomer to town forced composure over himself. He couldn't lose it here and start yelling – Ted had gotten good at compartmentalising his life: there was home, there was work, and then there was his night time persona. If he wanted his secret identity to remain that, he had to keep his work life completely focused on the company and not let his fake facade slip.
'Ted Kord' was an eccentric billionaire, but he was kind to his employee's, even if he could be dumb and careless. But he did not shout at meetings and he certainly did not speak rudely to people he saw at social events, pretending to get along with like Oliver Queen, or risk people's jobs because of his personal opinions.
Business manager Ted Kord wouldn't do any of that, but best buddy Teddy would. He'd definitely do it for Felicity.
Ted wanted nothing more than to merge all three lives for a second and fracture Oliver Queen's throat so that the jerk never had the opportunity to say an unkind word to anyone ever again.
But that would be very, very problematic.
So he forced out a smile and left with Angie, not daring to speak up in anger in front of the directors present or Mr. Queen. Outside, he could say what he wanted - get the advisor to turn down Oliver in a polite way. There was no way in hell they were ever going to work together.
"What, Angie?" he demanded as soon as they were outside, turning to the girl in irritation. It made her step back a little: Mr. Kord wasn't like this. He was the goofball who just so happened to manage the company – aggressiveness wasn't in his nature. He sighed, feeling guiltier by the second – he wasn't like Oliver Queen, he treated his assistant like a friend. "I'm really sorry, Angie. I just don't want to work with that asshole. We can work this out without Queen Consolidated."
"Actually, we can't. The K.I building here will shut down unless we can get another company to pick up the slack. Mr. Kord, think about it."
"What about WayneTech? I'd rather work with Bruce Wayne than him, and Wayne's a dumb playboy! Hell, I'd even make a deal with LexCorp at this point."
"But this city belongs to the Queen's. Their family has too much influence here to just ignore them, even with everything that's gone on recently, they have power. We need him, I wish there was another way – but if you care about keeping your company here in Starling open, we need to make that deal."
Ted sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair in frustration, " . . . is there no other option? What were we going to discuss in this meeting before he crashed it?"
"Before Mr. Queen's offer, we had no other options. The meeting was to discuss saving as many jobs as we could by transferring employees – but we could save all of them with this." Angie peered at her boss in confusion, not used to seeing Ted so frazzled. "Why are you so reluctant to work with Mr. Queen anyway? I don't mean to pry, but it's unlike you to dislike someone like this."
Ted peeked through the fingers covering his eyes, "How much of a selfish prick would I sound like if I told you it was for personal reasons?"
"A little, Mr. Kord, but I've also learnt to trust your judgement. What is it about him that's got you all riled up?"
"I don't like how he treats his employees," he answered honestly, picturing Felicity's downtrodden face that afternoon. Ted really hated to see her that way. Besides which, working with Oliver right now would definitely be betraying her, and it hurt him to even have to consider it. But he knew he'd need an explanation, so went on, "you know how it is at K.I – we're a team. I don't think of anyone as being my employee, they're my friends, but Mr. McAsshole-Queen doesn't share my philosophy. He treats his employees like crap until they quit; burns out good people. I don't think it's in our company's best interest to work with a man like that."
Angie studied him carefully for a second, biting her lip. It hurt to look at her, glasses perched on her nose like Felicity's always were. In every other way, they were unlike – Angie was just a kid, round-faced with dark hair. She was also very nervous, having none of Felicity's backbone, but she was also a good kid, like his friend had been when they first met.
"I agree, Mr. Kord, that he doesn't sound like the sort of person I'd want as a boss. But the meeting is to negotiate – so make a better deal."
"What do you mean?"
"Take his money to bail out the branch, but limit his duties as much as possible. Chances are Mr. Queen will be too busy with his own company to have much to do with K.I here, apart from any contractual obligations, so make sure he has as few as possible. You don't have to like the guy, just tolerate him."
Ted looked up at her and smiled, bright grin she was used to returning. Quickly, he hugged her, a look of fierce determination creeping into his eyes. "Angie, you're a genius. There's no way I pay you enough – remind me to give you a raise."
"There's no need, Mr. Kord. I love my job. You're right – you are good to us. You gave me a chance and I'm grateful."
"Kid, you're a superstar," he told her, "never forget it. And call me Ted."
"Shall we, sir?" she smiled back shyly, gesturing towards the meeting room, "You still have a company to run, after all."
"Yes," he agreed, "let's go see how much money we can sucker out of Oliver jerk-face Queen."
"That's the spirit."
At the end of the meeting, Ted's stomach was twisted in knots. They had agreed for a merger with Queen Industries here in Starling, giving Oliver partial authority over the branch there. He could make minor business decisions and all of the staff of the building would report to him, the new 'regional manager' of the company. It had physically caused Ted pain to give him that title.
Putting his phone on his lap under the table, he text Felicity, ignoring the last few minutes of the meeting – it was just repeating all the things that had been said already. Irrelevant repetitions and politeness. Meetings were tedious.
Are we still on for tonight?
His phone buzzed a few minutes later with her reply.
Of course, if you are. How was the meeting?
Long story. I'll need to talk to you about that later.
He sent the reply, feeling dirty somehow, like he had been contaminated by association with Oliver Queen. Ted felt like dirt. He had cut a deal with the asshole that had treated her like she was nothing, a deal with the devil in his mind, and he felt pangs of guilt more intense than earthquakes. Felicity had every right never to talk to him again after this – he certainly wouldn't blame her for it.
Ted? What happened?
I am a terrible human being.
. . . And not dramatic at all.
He laughed at that, having to pass it off as a cough when people looked over.
Felicity, you're a fantastic friend and you deserve better. Please don't hate me.
Never, you dork. You can tell me all about it at dinner, but don't beat yourself up over it in the meantime. Whatever it is, I'm sure we can work it out.
Yeah, I hope so. And you can give me an answer about working for me.
It took a few minutes for the reply to come through that time.
Maybe, maybe not. Give me until you leave for a final answer, and I promise to forgive whatever it is you've done this time.
This time?!
You let me take the fall when we painted our lecturer's car purple in third year. I forgave, but never forgot, Theadore Kord.
Ted really did laugh at that, getting dirty looks from the directors and advisors but not caring this time. He owned the damn company after all; he was entitled to text during the boring parts of meetings, surely. He didn't reply, but chuckled to himself until they called the meeting over, getting to his feet quickly and shifting on the balls of his feet, uncomfortable after sitting for hours.
He hoped his small forms of resentment were enough to convince Felicity that he was only working with Oliver for business.
All the way through the meeting, he sent Oliver scathing looks whenever the man hadn't been looking, even sticking his tongue out at him immaturely once. It wasn't very professional, but neither was he. A few times, Oliver seemed to notice the glares and looked confused, but didn't comment on it if he did see, instead looking away superiorly. Ted really hoped Felicity didn't hold this against him.
He didn't want to lose his best friend.
Oliver watched Ted on his phone at the end of the meeting. From the little smile on his face at every message, he could only imagine it was from someone important, and felt his stomach drop at the thought it was probably Felicity. But he kept his poker face, approaching the other man at the end of the meeting.
"Mr. Kord, I'm so glad we could come to an arrangement," Oliver said, false smile plastered over his face. He had taken a liberty with this merger, organising it in half an hour before coming, somehow convincing the directors of Queen's Consolidated it was a good idea without revealing his ulterior motive: to understand Ted Kord.
Ted seemed to have an interest in Felicity from the way they had laughed over coffee, and that was enough to warrant an investigation by the Arrow.
He wasn't sure how he felt about the other man yet. Ted Kord was an entrepreneur and the way he had turned his company around was impressive – he was a former athlete and a certified genius, who would be intimidating for most people, but Oliver was just suspicious. There was something more to Ted, he could feel it in his gut. He just wasn't sure what it was – not yet.
One thing he had learnt was that the other man didn't seem to like him very much, if the looks sent in his direction every five minutes was anything to go by. It wasn't subtle, but most of all it reminded him of the persona he sent out to the world – but what would Ted Kord need to hide behind a smile and feigned ignorance?
"Great," Ted replied, stressing the word out sarcastically as a false smile of his own appeared on his features. For a moment, however, his face twisted into almost comic irritation at being stopped from leaving. "I really have somewhere to be, Mr. Queen, so if you'll excuse me-"
Although the other man tried to leave, Oliver stepped in front of him, smile stiffening on his face. He didn't know why he did it, but he just couldn't let Ted go. He acted the playboy for a moment, "hot date, Ted?"
"Meeting an old friend for dinner, actually," Ted replied, his smile a lot colder now, "Felicity Smoak, do you remember her? She used to be one of your employee's, until you were such an asshole she quit."
"That's company business."
"She's a friend. A very good friend, in fact, and let me tell you something about my Felicity, Mr. Queen – she isn't a quitter. So you must be something terrible for her to have walked away."
Oliver felt like he had been punched. The weight of the words dropped onto him like a hundred pound dumbbell as soon as they had been spat out by the man in front of him. Ted's jaw jutted out in barely contained anger the entire time, although his face remained scarily happy, tone even light and a smile frozen in place as his icy words cut holes right through Oliver.
He was either a very good actor or very pissed off, but either way, his remarks were working. In all his years, Oliver had never felt guilt as strongly as he did then. But then the other man's choice of words flashed through his mind, and his mouth worked before he could catch up with it.
"Your Felicity?"
"Are you serious?" Ted scoffed, rolling his eyes, "don't tell me you're jealous." There was a pause in which Oliver did not speak, feeling his throat dry up. Ted didn't miss it. "You are, aren't you? Yes, my Felicity. I use the term fondly, to describe my close friends. People I consider family, Mr. Queen – and I really don't appreciate the way you've been treating my family recently."
Oliver felt his blood boil, "is that a threat?"
"Nope. Just a warning to never be in my presence uninvited again . . . stay away from me and my friends."
"Again," Oliver bit out, carefully holding himself back, "that's between Felicity and me, not you."
"We'll see."
"I-"
"I really don't need you to talk, Mr. Queen. I have no interest in being your friend, or in fact anything but your money, so anything you have to say just became redundant." Ted flashed one more smile, straightening his collar confidently with a smug look on his face, knowing he had won that argument. Turning his back, he added, "I'd wish you a good night, but honesty is important in business, right?"
He walked away without another word, leaving Oliver fuming, staring at his back and thankful he didn't have his bow on him right them. Oliver didn't think he'd have been able to hold back with a weapon in his hand; it was amazing he had kept his head at all. Anyone else and he probably would have punched them on principle.
But there was something about Ted Kord. Somehow, the other man got right under Oliver's skin, seeming to know the exact thing to say to piss him off. It was the wrong sort of anger, though. Instead of being adrenaline fuelled and wanting to rip someone's head off, Ted left him feeling frustrated at being faced with his own faults, not able to blame the other man which left only one solution – blaming himself. Mostly, above all of that, it was the way he said nothing but the truth.
Honesty was honesty, even if it was brutal.
All those things Ted had said, about Felicity and the way she had been treated and the genuine venom behind his words as he spoke: that was all true. It left Oliver with no choice but to face it, which was something he had avoided well for far too long. The truth finally being shoved in his face that way cut deep, hurting the billionaire in ways very few people had been able to, and Ted did it all with a vindictive smile.
Oliver didn't blame him. Ted was just angry on his friend's behalf, and he could never begrudge someone for protecting Felicity – it was the most important thing. The other man might have been cruel, but his anger was earned.
The Arrow was left feeling too many emotions to fully understand the exchange, so instead gritted his teeth as he left the Kord building, heading straight for the Foundry. He had work to do.
A/N: Everyone be honest with themselves - you've all wanted Oliver to be told off like this at some point. And if you follow me on tumblr you'll know I've fancasted Zach Levi as Ted. I mean, he is Ted Kord. Something I plan to put into action if I ever achieve my dream of writing/directing a blue beetle/booster gold team up movie.