Based on this prompt from love-valdaya-and-captainswan on Tumblr: Can it also be smoaking canarrow? where Oliver shows up with both the girls at a gala, like a three way date, and also takes both home at the end of the evening :) (or they can't wait to get home and smthing (smut?) happens between them at the gala)
The only reason there isn't full-on smut in this one is because I'm saving that for the next Smoaking Canarrow drabble. This is a continuation of the universe I set up in Friendly Competition.
In retrospect, Oliver should have known Felicity wouldn't like the idea.
Much as she has fully embraced and, really, orchestrated this relationship amongst herself, Oliver and Sara, she's been somewhat wary of making their admittedly scandalous arrangement public. But since she had freely and proudly admitted it to Diggle (who raised an eyebrow, but mostly seemed unsurprised) and Roy (who raised both eyebrows and dropped his jaw in shock) the other day, Oliver thought a public début wouldn't be a problem.
In retrospect, he should have approached the subject earlier than five minutes before they left for the party.
"Are my dates almost ready?" he had asked, popping his head into the bathroom in hopes of spurring them (OK, Felicity) on because they were already running late.
"Your dates?" Felicity had repeated drily, the corner of her mouth upturned in distaste.
"Yes?" Oliver had answered already knowing something was about to go horribly wrong but powerless to stop it.
Felicity had been decidedly icy since.
She sat in sullen silence throughout the car ride to the Starling City Museum of Art and Oliver could feel the anger radiating off her despite the barrier Sara provided—who sat between them after Felicity's urging. Things didn't improve much when they reached the fundraiser.
Oliver offered her his arm to walk her down the stairs leading into the main hall, but she narrowed her eyes at him and took Diggle's arm instead. Sara smiled at him in pity and looped her arm around his. He had spent the night unsuccessfully trying to get back on her good side–bringing her drinks, trying to strike up conversation–but to no avail.
"You know how she is," Sara says after Felicity simply walks away rather than speak to him for maybe the fifth time this evening. "She just needs some time to cool down."
"How long do you think that'll take?" Oliver asks with a frown.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Sara says with a shrug. "Remember last time?"
"Oof," he grunts and cringes, remembering the aftermath of the last fight she and Sara had gotten into. "I'll do anything to avoid that," he mutters and downs the remainder of his drink before chasing Felicity down.
"Care to dance, Ms. Smoak?" he says and pulls her into hold before she can protest.
"Not really," she says with a scowl and tries to turn away. Oliver doesn't let her budge.
"Felicity, please," he says sincerely. "Why are you angry? I thought you were happy with what the three of us have." Instead of trying to leave again, she sighs and her shoulders slump as some of her anger dissipates.
"Of course I'm happy," she says softly. "I love you both," she adds and squeezes his hand.
"Then why wouldn't you come as my date?"
"Because it's not that simple, Oliver," she replies, the angry edge returning. "You are the CEO of a company whose financial position is tenuous at best thanks to how unreliable you are. The board and the public don't know it's for a good reason. What do you think openly dating two women is going to do for your image?"
"You're joking," he says with a smirk. "I'm Oliver Queen. That's exactly the kind of thing people expect of me."
"Uh-huh," she says coolly. "So Sara and I are just supposed to be content to be your little set of blonde arm candy?"
"Hey, come on, you know you both mean a hell of a lot more to me than that," he argues, fighting to keep his voice down.
"That's how everybody is gonna interpret it though," she counters, not bothering to control her volume and drawing a few indignant glances. "Half of QC, not to mention your mother, already thinks I slept my way into my job. As if I worked my ass off at MIT so I could become a glorified secretary. I wouldn't be able to walk around the office for all the spite."
"Stop, don't be ridiculous," he says in a harsh whisper. "Everybody knows how qualified you are."
"Oh, I'm being ridiculous?" she says sarcastically, now garnering full-on stares.
"No, that's not–" he starts but she holds up her hand to silence him.
"Nope. I'm done dancing now." Felicity storms off with a huff and Oliver can only stare after her longingly.
"I'll talk to her," Sara says from beside him after a few moments and squeezes his arm in sympathy.
"Thanks," he says dejectedly and watches her go. He wants to watch their conversation even if he can't hear it–just to gauge Felicity's mood–but he's quickly distracted by the head of Saverin Industries.
The man begs, yet again, for an investment from Queen Consolidated and by the time he finishes his usual, long-winded spiel, Felicity and Sara are no longer standing where he last saw them by the bar. Oliver scans the room for any sign of them and comes up wanting.
"Hey, have you seen Felicity and Sara?" he asks Diggle.
"Think they went off in the direction of the powder room," he replies and Oliver doesn't understand why he says it with a smirk.
He quickly gets the picture though. He's just approaching the ladies' room door when Felicity comes flying through it looking a little flushed, her hair a little loose and falling out of place. She chews her bottom lip nervously when she sees him, but brushes past before Oliver can say anything. Sara appears then, looking slightly smug.
"Is she alright?" he says under his breath and wraps an arm around her waist.
"Oh yeah," she says casually, but when she leans up and presses her lips to his, he knows exactly what they've been doing.
"Were you two…?" he starts, his voice low at the thought of them having fun without him.
"You know it calms her down," Sara replies with a sly smile.