A/N: A little Olicity fluff. I think they deserved it.
Chapter 9
The worst part of things getting back to normal is on display right that second for Felicity. She stares across the room in lust as Oliver takes off his shirt to reveal sweat glistened muscles. She bites her lip. And lets out a moan that has Lyla chuckling.
"You alright over there?" she asks Felicity, her amusement obvious.
"It should be illegal for a man to look that good half naked," Felicity mutters, her cheeks flushing to a scarlet red when she realizes she said it out loud. "Sorry. These pregnancy hormones got me all … worked up."
"Yeah, that'll happen," Lyla laughs. "But don't blame it all on hormones. Our guys aren't too shabby."
The women watch their "guys" in a sparring match that leaves them all breathless. Lyla lets out a little groan of her own when Diggle's shirt join Oliver's on the floor.
"See? Not just your hormones. Wow," Lyla gasps before calling out, "Looking good, Johnny Baby!"
Felicity just smiles. It's good to see her friends happy, in love, and still passionate for each other. Even after a baby. It gives her hope that things will only get better for Oliver and her.
Not that things have been bad. There's just been an adjustment period. And she understands. They've both been through so much. First he was dead. Then he wasn't. Now he's back. And she's pregnant. It's a lot to take in. She loves him and she knows he loves her. But on days like today, days when he, God help her, runs that Salmon ladder like a boss, she needs more than just the words. She needs to …. let's just say it involves a lot of rubbing and licking. And no clothes. Except for the maybe the mask. He can keep on the mask.
"I can only imagine what you're thinking now," Lyla says, her laughter renewed. "Your face just got bright red."
"I'm thinking things will get pretty 'R' rated in here if have to watch him work out for one more second." Felicity picks up the nearest file folder and starts fanning her overheated skin.
"Get on out of here," Lyla tells her. "I'll make sure Johnny drops him off at home when they're done with their workout."
"You are a lifesaver!"
Felicity takes her advice and takes off. But not without one last glimpse of her warrior. She must admit she missed this. Maybe getting back to normal isn't such a bad thing after all.
By the time Oliver gets home, he's exhausted. But it's a good feeling. He loves being fully active again. It seemed like it took forever for him to get back into fighting shape. It nearly killed him every time Roy and Diggle went out on a mission without him. But in his condition, he would have only been a liability.
Now he's back to how he used to be, maybe even better. He suspects it has something to do with the mysterious drug he was given when he was "dead." Based on the analysis Felicity did, the drug was very similar to Mirakuru. A watered down version of Mirakuru. It offered slightly accelerated healing and a slight enhancing of strength and speed, but none of the psychotic side effects. Someone obviously perfected the formula. Perhaps one day they'll find out who. Right now, Oliver is just grateful to be alive. He has a bad feeling that if he digs too much into the how and why, he'll be opening a can of worms he's not ready to deal with.
Felicity is already home when he gets there. He notices that she's gotten into her comfortable clothes and has started dinner. He smiles as she stands to the stove, stirring the pasta. She really is adorable in his flannel pajama pants and one of her tank tops that doesn't quite cover her belly all the way. The pants are way too long and pool around her feet. Her bare feet. He's suddenly seeing her as way more than adorable.
"Would it be sexist of me to admit how turned on I am seeing you like this?" he says, walking up behind her and wrapping his arm around her waist. He bends to press a kiss to the side of her neck.
"Like what? Barefoot and pregnant and in the kitchen cooking a meal for my man? Yes. It's incredibly sexist," she giggles, turning off the pot and then turning around in his arms. "Maybe it's even more sexist of me, or maybe it's just my hormones, but I'm pretty turned on seeing you all turned on."
She pushes him back a step and gives him a blatant once over, stopping her gaze briefly at the evidence of his arousal. When she looks back up into his eyes, he can see she's not kidding about being as turned on as he is.
"You know," he starts slowly, slipping one of her tank straps off her shoulder. "The doctor did give me the all clear to resume my normal physical activities. I was thinking of suiting up and going out on patrol with Roy later. But maybe there's another … activity I can pursue tonight. Maybe something we can do together."
Her cheeks flush and she bites her lip, trying to hold back a moan as he starts to nibble on her now bare shoulder.
"I might can think of something," she manages to get out before the moan finally breaks free.
His control breaks. He grabs for her and kisses her in a way he's never kissed her before. When they came together all those months ago, it was a tender, comforting lovemaking. Today, there's only heat and desperation. A bit of wildness. He tries to pull her closer, but is stopped by her belly poking into him.
"Hmm … this is going to take some coordination and planning," he says with a genuine look of puzzlement on his face that makes her laugh.
She tips up on her toes and nips at his earlobe, taking time to whisper, "I'm sure we'll figure it out."
And figure it out they did.
Oliver can only moan and swat at her hand later. He peeks an eye open and sees sun coming through the window. He made it to morning. The night before more than he expected. WAY more. His eager little lover was … insatiable. Literally. She just couldn't get enough of him. And he couldn't say no to her. Not that he wanted to. But now, he couldn't say yes if he tried.
"Again?" her groans, his voice probably the only thing on his body still working. He scowls when he hears her giggle. "What's so funny?"
He lifts his head off the pillow and finds her now across the room, sliding into a sexy pair of heels that's making him reconsider his earlier claim. Perhaps one more time …
"Where are you off to?" he asks, pushing himself up on his elbows.
"Work. I have a meeting with Ray in about an hour."
"Oh." So the sexy heels are for Ray? He doesn't bother to hide his displeasure.
She smiles at the little pout on his lips. She can't resist walking over and covering them in a quick, hard kiss.
"I'll be home by lunch," she promises him.
His hand reaches out for hers and he pulls her back, reluctant to let her go. This is hardly the first time she's left him for work, but for some reason this time, he wants to keep her close.
"Don't go," he says suddenly, still not sure what's prompting the sudden need to have her there. "We can just hang out today. Maybe start on the nursery."
"It's just a couple hours," she reminds him.
"How about I come with you?" Oliver counter offers, trying to keep his tone casual so she wouldn't realize how desperate as he is to keep her near.
She gives him that quirky little look she reserves for moments when he's telling her some far fetched story that she finds impossible to believe. It's so cute that he can't resist pressing a tiny kiss to the tip of her nose.
"Let's compromise," she finally says. "You can drop me off at work, but then I'll meet you at the lair when my meetings are over. I'll have Ray drop me off at Verdant. I'll tell him I'm meeting Thea there for some baby shopping so he won't get suspicious."
Oliver can't hold in a laugh.
"He's gotta be suspicious of you always being at a nightclub," he chuckles. "Not the typical place for a pregnant woman to hang out."
"Ha ha," she rolls her eyes. "I didn't realize you were such a comedian."
She pulls him out of bed and pushes him towards the bathroom.
"Go get dressed," she orders. "The sooner I get to my meetings, the sooner we'll be back together."
He watches her leave the room, not entirely happy about the day's plans, but resigned to accept them. He just wishes he knew why the dread in the pit of his stomach won't go away.
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