Chapter 9: DELIGHTFUL DARES
A/N: I'm SO SORRY that it has taken so long for me to update this fic. Real life had to take priority. I've been swamped with work and had to take care of domestic concerns. I even had to be out of the country for a while, and then I came home sick. I hope that you're still sticking with this story, because there's so much more to tell, and the most exciting parts are coming up.
So this chapter is where the fluff begins. I hope you like it, and that it could somehow make up for the very long wait. Things are looking up for Oliver and Felicity, and stuff happens soon. Please let me know if you're still following this. Comments and reviews help boost my internal drive to keep going.
Day 17
Felicity had been humming into his ears through the comms last night. He recognized it immediately as one of her favorite songs, which had become one of his favorites, too, since they became a couple. Oliver couldn't help but grin widely at the thought. He wasn't sure if she had done that on purpose as he patrolled the city, or if she had been doing it unconsciously, unaware of what her simple, mundane act had done to him.
It had felt so good to have her voice in his ears. It had made him run faster and scale walls like a meta-human with actual superpowers. It had sharpened his aim when he had to release an explosive arrow directly at the tires of the truck of a gang of gun runners that the Team had gone after. It had made his heart beat faster, long after the chase ended and the criminals were apprehended. It had made him feel warm all over. He felt ecstatic at the sound of her soft, cheerful singing. He felt like he could do anything.
Oliver had certainly missed her singing. She was no professional, but he'd always thought she was really good at it, especially when she did it while sitting on his lap at the end of a long day, wrapped up in his arms, with her arms encircling his neck and keeping his head close to her heart. He remembered those intimate moments, and he smiled even more – so much so that he couldn't bring himself to finish shaving off some of the scruff that darkened his jaw near the ears.
On day 17, Oliver needed to pass by the fertility clinic for his tests before heading to City Hall for work. But before hitting the shower, he'd finished reading the journal's entry for the day. It had said quite succinctly, "Love waits." The Scripture text seemed a bit more poetic than usual to him. It was a quote from chapter two of the Song of Solomon, which read, "Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases." He had smiled for a while, taking a few moments to remember Ms. Bradford, one of the few teachers in his junior high years who had actually captured his interest with lessons in poetry. He was thankful he had paid attention instead of falling asleep (or ogling the attractive brunette sitting in the front row), because now he was confident that he understood what the poetic imperative about love meant and how it was applicable in his present situation. He knew that it was a lesson on waiting, patient waiting for the right time to act on his emotions and desires.
Despite Felicity's silence – and the emotional torture of not knowing whether or not she was seriously pursuing divorce – an intense longing had been stirred up in him in the last couple of days. A longing for the woman he had vowed to love and cherish for the rest of his life – the same woman who wasn't really responding to his recent gestures of affection, wasn't sure she was still willing to take him back even if she had already forgiven him, and was even contemplating on divorcing him. But yesterday's dare had him enumerate all the wonderful qualities of Felicity that he believed in, and that had awakened a host of pretty powerful feelings towards his wife. Those strong feelings had supplied the impetus for him to reiterate his unending love for her and his unwavering commitment to her through a phone call, which, unfortunately, went straight to her voicemail. She hadn't called back or even texted. But for Oliver, her presence in the lair last night and her carefree humming over the comms had been enough reassurance that he still had a fighting chance to win her heart.
For the day's dare, Oliver was supposed to avoid nagging his spouse about something he's been expecting her to do. He was supposed to drop expectations that he may have of her to reciprocate any kind deed he'd shown. Instead, he was to wait for his wife to initiate acts of love and kindness. More waiting. Great.
The tests at the clinic had gone smoothly. One very polite nurse had briefed him about the procedure before leaving him alone in one of the specimen collection rooms. Dr. Henderson immediately endorsed the specimen Oliver had collected to the med-tech at the clinic's lab, and then informed Oliver that he would personally call about the results as soon as they're ready. But even though things had been going well for him all day, Oliver had remained uneasy. He couldn't focus on his tasks entirely because he'd been itching to find out what Felicity's response was to his voicemail. Three times he'd attempted to call her, but he had changed his mind each time as he thought of the journal's dare.
Love waits. Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.
By the end of the work day, he was tempted to drop by her office and offer a ride home in his limo if only they could have time to talk before going to the lair. But when he hopped into the car and Diggle asked him, "Where to?" he had simply said, "Home."
Love waits. Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.
The words echoed in his ears, much like Felicity's humming had the night before. He struggled to keep calm. He even had to audibly remind himself a couple of times to take things slow and give his wife time. If Thea had seen him all day, she'd tease him for pining for Felicity, more than he'd care to admit.
To Oliver, it felt a lot like when he had become aware that he had felt something for Felicity beyond being partners, way back when she worked for QC as his EA, but he had denied his feelings because he thought things wouldn't work out between them because of the life he led as a vigilante. It felt a lot like when Felicity had spent more time in Central City visiting Barry Allen more frequently than he would have liked, when the guy had been in a coma after being struck by lightning. It felt a lot like when she had been with Ray Palmer sometime after he had pushed her away because of the repercussions of their disastrous first date. It felt a lot like those cold and dreary nights on that snowy mountain when Tatsu Yamashiro was nursing him back to health after Ra's sword nearly severed his life; Felicity was all he could think of then, giving him the will to survive and recover. It felt a lot like those many lonely, torturous nights of brain washing in Nanda Parbat when Ra's had assumed that he was succeeding in wiping out every memory of Oliver's identity and replacing them with a dark consciousness that would be subservient to the Demon's Head; in the midst of his sufferings, images and thoughts of Felicity, the sound of her voice, and the touch of her skin had kept him alive, kept him sane, and kept him hoping for victory so that he could finally come home to his city, to his family, to her. He had longed for her time and again in the past, and he longed for her now.
But there was a difference between then and now. This time, Oliver wasn't longing for something he didn't have. He was longing for something he already had, but probably lost… for good. Oliver already experienced what it's like for Felicity to be his and for him to be hers. She was his wife, and he had savored all the privileges and pleasures of being one with Felicity, but he had taken that precious gift for granted. He longed for her regretfully, fully aware of what he'd been missing. That was what made the longing and the waiting much harder.
But Oliver also looked at the brighter side of waiting. He realized that he was beyond pining for that one woman in the world that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He was done with brooding and sulking for idiotic, irrational reasons such as "she deserves better," or "I'm far too damaged to deserve someone like her." Yes, he longed for Felicity with regret, but at the same time he longed for her with hopeful determination that he would win her back no matter what, because he loved her with everything that's in him. It was Felicity who had believed in him, taught him never to give up or quit fighting for what he believed in. (He just never thought he'd be taking her advice when it came to fighting for her.) That – and everything he'd been learning and applying from the Love Dares journal – made his desire for the woman he loved burn more fervently than ever. Oliver longed for his wife ardently, now more than even, and he was going to stop at nothing – come hell or high water – to win her back. Even if it meant he had to wait.
Love waits. Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.
During the limo ride back to the loft, Oliver was deep in thought. He understood that winning his wife back simply by waiting wasn't going to be easy for him. He also knew that it might take some time before he could get a hint at where Felicity stood regarding their relationship. She would have to be the one to bring it up, and he decided that it would be better if he would wait for that to happen because he had already said everything there was to say. Oliver shook his head gently as he sighed, rubbing his palm against his scruff. "She probably isn't anywhere near ready to take even baby steps towards saving our marriage," he thought.
He thought wrong.
That night, Felicity arrived at the lair with a radiant smile on her face, looking gorgeous in her coral pink sleeveless islet dress (the hem of her skirt noticeably inches above her knees) even after a long day's work. She was the first to greet him and ask him how his day went, and he was more than happy to share with her a couple of good news about the city from the mayor's office. It was purely small talk, but he enjoyed every minute of it and was very eager to take their conversation to a deeper level. But when he was about to ask her about the message he sent to her voicemail, the rest of the team began to trickle in and join them. He realized that it probably wasn't the right time.
Love waits. Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.
When the Team was complete, Laurel briefed them about everything that the SCPD and the DA's office had on the most recent threat to the city, which was the re-emergence of an enhanced version of Vertigo. According to Commissioner Lance, a notorious drug ring that had risen from a faction that had broken away from The Count's main operations (before his incarceration and eventual death at the hands of the Arrow) had started circulating an aerosol version of the dangerous drug. This time, however, the drug syndicate wasn't wreaking havoc in the Glades; their clients were among the city's elite, and they were dealing drugs in socialite circles not just at night but also in broad daylight. Police investigators had been finding it difficult to determine where the Vertigo was, theorizing that the drug has been mixed with expensive breath sprays, body sprays and perfume, or a dozen other aerosol products that Star City's elite used on themselves. As soon as Oliver led the Team into agreeing on a definite plan of action to help the SCPD bring down the drug ring, they suited up, ready to hit the streets and gather more intel.
Oliver picked up his bow and strapped on his quiver, and as he turned to put on his mask, he was surprised to find Felicity standing in front of him, his dark green mask in her hands. She gently helped him put the mask on, and then she flipped his hood over his head.
"How do I look?" he asked her, reminiscing the first time he had asked her that question when she helped him put on the first mask that Barry Allen had designed for him some years ago.
"Like you always do – a hero," she replied with a warm, earnest smile that spoke volumes of the pride she had of him.
Oliver smiled back. It had been months since she last helped him gear up, maybe more if he counted the last time she helped him gear up with a smile on her face. That night, Felicity's simple gesture was, to him, the best reward for waiting. His heart filled up to the brim with hope. And as he turned to walk towards the elevator to join Diggle, Thea, and Laurel, she surprised him a second time.
Felicity reached out and grabbed his hand. With a tender squeeze and a sparkle in her eyes, she told him, "Be careful." Those two words gave him an adrenaline boost that lasted until the wee hours of the morning.
Day 18
The next day was a Friday, and it was even better than the day before. Although he had just had a couple of hours of sleep, Oliver got up early and cooked up a hearty breakfast. He was on a roll, and he felt like he hit the jackpot prize in the state lottery when Felicity obliged and joined him for breakfast before heading out to work. Just before noontime, he wanted to call and invite her out to lunch, but he thought that was too much too soon, so he settled for a simple text message asking her how she was doing and if there was anything she'd like for him to pick up at the store on his way home. She texted back with just a few words: "Busy day. Mint chocolate chip please." One minute later, he got another text from her: "Thank you." It was shorter than the first one, but it had a smiley at the end.
When he was in the store waiting for his turn at the cashier, he thought of texting her if she needed anything else, but he held back. He didn't want her to feel like he was rushing things. He'd rather they take it slow, knowing that his wife would appreciate it better that way. He remembered what he had read from the journal that morning. "Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life," the Scripture quote had said. He liked that one very much, and he was looking forward to how he was going to do that with Felicity if she decides to give their marriage a second chance. He sincerely hoped she would, because he could think of nothing else that would make his life richer and happier than delighting in this wonderful woman. "Love takes delight," the journal had said.
The dare for the day challenged Oliver to purposefully neglect an activity that he would normally do so he can spend quality time with his spouse. He was supposed to do something that she would also love to do, or work on a project that they both really liked to work on. The whole point of the challenge was to just be together and find delight in that togetherness. Oliver knew that his wife's craving for her favorite ice cream gave him the perfect opportunity to invite Felicity to do just that.
As soon as he got home, Oliver called Diggle and asked if he, Thea, and Laurel could handle patrol that night without him and Felicity. Of course, Diggle instantly picked up on the reason behind the request and was more than glad to give way. Diggle said that they would just do routine patrol in the areas where Vertigo drug busts had gone down in the last couple of weeks but failed. Diggle assured Oliver that the three of them could handle it and that he should grab the rare chance to enjoy Felicity's company. When Diggle hung up, Oliver went to the kitchen and put a bottle of red wine in the chiller. He then called to order pizza – her favorite kind.
An hour after the pizza was delivered, Felicity still hadn't come home. Oliver's eyes were drooping as he watched the early evening news. He hadn't noticed how tired and sleepy he was after a long day at City Hall and not having slept well last night because of too much excitement that Felicity had helped him gear up at the lair. Soon, he fell asleep on the couch while waiting for her.
The sound of the loft's door opening and closing woke him up. When he opened his eyes, Felicity was taking off her coat. She walked towards him carrying her heels in her hand. As he sat up on one end of the couch, she dropped her shoes on the floor and sat on the opposite end of the couch, one of her legs bent underneath her. She heaved a sigh and put a forearm on her forehead.
"Long day, huh?" he asked.
"Yeah… Nothing pizza and mint chocolate chip can't cure," she replied with a smirk. "And you?"
"I think you saw what this day has done to me when you came in," he answered.
"Anything new on the evening news? Well, I mean, other than what the mayor already knows," she asked again.
"Same old," he answered again.
"Well, I hope we can find out more tonight about how we can stop the Vertigo from hurting more people in the city. We can go together, if you'd like," she said with a shy smile.
Oliver leaned forward a bit, but was careful not to invade her personal space. He cleared his throat and then said, "About that… I talked to John a while ago and he said that since tonight's agenda would still be just routine patrol and gathering of intel, you and I could just… I mean… I could take the time off and you… you could rest if you've had a long day. He said… he and Laurel and Thea could handle things tonight. Anyways, Lyla has two days off work and could very well stay home with Sara. So…" He spoke slowly and tentatively, his gaze shifting from Felicity's face to her fidgety fingers. He watched her eyes narrow and her lips press together, as if she were carefully considering how to respond to what he just said.
Felicity thought that the offer was strange. The Green Arrow had scarcely asked for a night off, and neither had she (except when she had walked out on him and stayed away for three weeks after finding out about Oliver's lie). Her first instinct was to worry that something was terribly wrong. Was Oliver sick or not feeling well? Was he brooding over something again? And then she thought that maybe there was something else he wanted to take up with her. Did he want to ask about the voicemail he had sent the other day? Was he going to bring up the divorce she had previously considered? They certainly hadn't had the chance to talk about that awkward incident at the restaurant when Clint Harwood had rudely interrupted their moment. Felicity knew she wasn't ready to talk about that, and for a brief moment her heart raced, anxious that Oliver was willing to skip vigilante duties that night to take up the matter with her. But she held her ground, took a deep breath, and scolded herself inwardly to get it together.
Instead of giving in to panic, she asked him calmly, "Are you feeling okay? Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong. I'm fine," Oliver assured her. He knew he was treading on thin ice and he had to choose his words wisely or risk drowning in cold water and destroying the evening altogether. For a while they just sat in silence. He wanted to say, "I just want to spend some quality time with my lovely wife and enjoy her company, because I truly miss her." But he ended up saying, "I ordered pizza."
"You did," Felicity responded with a chuckle, cocking her head at the box of delicious, greasy three-cheese and pepperoni pizza on the coffee table.
"Red wine's chilling in the fridge and the mint chocolate chip is in the freezer," he added.
"So, we're just pigging out?" she asked, teasing.
"Yeah, we are." He stood up to get the bottle of wine and two wine glasses.
She bent over and grabbed a slice of pizza. Deep inside she was relieved that he had no other agenda for the night except to lounge around and relax. Yeah, she thought too, Diggle and the girls can handle patrol for tonight.
They enjoyed a quiet conversation about far-from-sensitive topics over pizza and red wine. He even offered to massage her tired feet after they finished the last scoop of ice cream, and she caved in. Truth be told, Felicity liked the idea of taking the night off. Very much. It seemed like ages ago when they last did something like this and really had fun. Needless to say, she ended up delighting in his company just as much as he did until they said "good night" to each other at half past eleven. They both slept soundly until half past seven the next morning.
A/N: I thought this chapter was a much-needed break from all the heavy drama and heart-wrenching developments of the previous chapters. It's meant to be a respite, not just for Olicity, but for me and, hopefully, you as well. It's also meant to set up the plot twist that's coming up ahead. So, please do be patient and read on. I hope to update sooner.
