Author Note:

I realize the age difference is unsettling to some and that's part of the point. It's unsettling to Oliver, too. To put it into perspective, Emily Bett and Stephen Amell have a ten-year age gap in real life. So it's actually not that far off from reality. Also, I promise there will be NO underage shenanigans. In my opinion, your experiences and attitude towards life speak so much more for you maturity than the number of years you've been around. I have met seventeen year olds who are much more mature than some twenty years olds I know.

But, if it makes you uncomfortable and you don't want to continue reading then I am in no way offended. I know it is not everyone's cup of tea.

Also, here is Felicity's work outfit on Polyvore: /felicity_breakfast_1st_day_oliver/set?id=116845374&lid=3451805

...

Chapter 2: I Am Not My Father's Son, I Am My Own Man

He wakes up the next morning to an empty bed and a note on the bedside table where Sara's clothes had been.

Last night was fun. Thanks for showing me some of your new Army moves.

- Sara

Shaking his head in amusement, Oliver rolls out of bed to get dressed. He pulls on a pair of athletic shorts and one of his Army t-shirts then heads out to take a run around the property. It's only been two days that he's been home and already he is getting antsy. His body craves physical exertion after so many years of knowing only such.

Oliver jogs through the garden and across the yard. He doesn't have an exact route planned, but figures he'll just keep going and at some point turn back when the muscle fatigue starts to set in. It's hot out, especially for seven in the morning and he can feel the perspiration begin to trickle down his face. It's still nowhere near as hot as it was in Afghanistan. This is child's play compared to the heat he experience there.

About fifteen minutes into his run, Oliver finds himself at one of the tree lines on the property. This place is familiar to him. It brings back memories of when he was little, playing with Tommy and Laurel in the tree house they built, and when he was not so little, sneaking back here during parties to make out with whoever caught his eye that night. He cuts through the trees and finds the wooden structure that was his own escape all those years ago.

After checking the ladder's stability, he climbs the wooden rungs into the house. He thought it would be neglected, aged and broken down from years of disuse. Thea had used it for a while, once Oliver decided he was too old for this kind of thing, but she too had grown out of it. Instead what he finds is much more intriguing. Someone has placed a carpet on the floor and a very small cupboard in the corner.

Opening it, he finds books. There is an odd mix of genres. Classic novels and sci-fi titles line the two shelves. It's stocked to the brim, books lying in every direction so they can all fit. The Introduction to Coding Theory catches his eye and he pulls it out from the stack. Opening it he finds little handwritten notes, some elaborating on the text and others marking a certain section of interest. It has to belong to Felicity.

The thought of her coming here and using this place as a sanctuary brings a warmth to Oliver's chest that he rarely feels anymore. He spends a few minutes reading some of her notes. For someone who he remembers can be so analytical the scribbles he finds hold a personal vibe to them. Oliver even finds himself chuckling at what she's written. After a few minutes, he puts the book away and exits the tree house. It's getting hotter by the minute and he's eager to get inside for breakfast and a nice, long shower. He doubles back, heading for the manor.

Entering through one of the side doors, Oliver catches the smell of breakfast coming from the kitchen. When he walks through the kitchen entryway, the sight that greets him is almost comical. Thea is sitting at the table, hair tangled and knotted and head lying on top of her folded arms. There's a plate in front of her, far enough that he assumes she pushed it away, with a couple pieces of toast and a glass of orange juice adjacent to it.

Next to her sits Felicity, looking the exact opposite of his sister. Her curly blonde hair is pulled back into a sleek ponytail, glasses perched on the top of her nose. She alternates between taking bites of her bacon and eggs and sipping on her coffee. Felicity's tablet sits next to her and she taps it occasionally while she reads. He's momentarily distracted when she nibbles on her lower lip in concentration, painted a bright shade of red.

"Mister Oliver, would you care for some breakfast?" Raisa's question breaks him out of his staring and he turns to see she's already bringing him a plate.

"I missed you, Raisa."

"No gourmet kitchen in the Army?"

"No, not quite." He takes the plate she offers to him and places a kiss on her cheek. "Thank you."

"Good morning, Speedy." He can't help taunting her as he takes his place at the table on her other side, across from Felicity.

"NO. There are no such things." Her arms muffle her response.

"That's what happens when-" Thea shoots up faster than he thought possible in her current state. She wobbles a little, lightheaded and slightly nauseous at the sudden movement.

"You know what, I think I'll skip out on breakfast this morning." Then she's gone without another word.

Oliver stares at the empty chair in confusion. He thought that whatever had gone on between them last night would be forgotten. They used to fight all the time when they were younger, just like any other siblings. Disagreements usually blew over after they had both slept on it.

"She's still letting off steam from last night. Give her some time." Felicity studies him from her seat and takes a sip of her coffee.

"I didn't realize she was so angry about this."

"Don't worry. Thea will come around eventually. She always does."

They spend a few moments in silence as Oliver digs into his breakfast and Felicity continues to sip her coffee while reading whatever is on her tablet.

"You know coffee stunts your growth, right?"

"I think I lost all hope of growing past 5' 4'' two years ago. Plus it was either this or constantly falling asleep at really inconvenient times and places. I'm pretty sure I've doubled my intake this summer. This internship is kicking my butt."

As she says this, the last of her coffee runs out and she pours herself another cup from the pot sitting on the table.

"I'm sure if you said something to my father he would help."

She shouldn't be working herself so hard. Especially when she barely slept last night.

"No. I refuse to be treated differently from any other intern just because I live with the CEO and have a certifiable genius IQ. That reminds me, MENSA contacted me the other day. I should probably call them back."

"Still, you had a long night. I'm sure they would understand if you took a day off."

"Maybe, but it doesn't matter because I'm going in. Right now actually."

Felicity stands and shoves her tablet in her bag before crossing the kitchen to grab a thermos from one of the cabinets. Her outfit instantly grabs Oliver's attention. She's wearing some kind of light blue button down but what really gets him is the skirt and her bright red heels, specifically what they do to her legs. They're long and toned and he briefly imagines what it would be like to have them wrapped around his waist. His breath catches when she rocks forward onto her toes in order to reach the thermos on its shelf. The motion pulls her skirt just an inch higher, exposing more of her bare legs.

Fuck. He really needs to stop thinking about her like this. He feels like a perverted old man. Luckily she turns around and he's forced to focus on her face again.

"Bye, Oliver!" She throws him a smile and a little wave before hurrying out the door.

Maybe he'll go into Queen Consolidated today. Just to see how she is holding up after her late night.

….

Sure enough as lunchtime rolls around Oliver finds himself checking in at the security desk of the company. The man, or should he say boy, at the front desk barely glances at him. It's a bit concerning seeing as they've had incidents before with protesters sneaking in. Oliver brushes it off as the kid recognizing him from the news and steps into the elevator to meet his mother on the executive floor.

Moira meets him as the elevator opens and leads him down the hall.

"Oliver, sweetheart, I'm so glad you wanted to come in today. As you can see we've modernized quite a bit."

They enter an office with all glass walls. Robert is standing behind one of the desks and crosses over to greet them.

"I remember when I brought you in with me as a boy. You were always so excited."

"Yeah, well, you let me drink soda in here." They exchange tight smiles.

"We have been working on diversifying the company to expand our pool of investors. Currently we have cutting edge developments underway in the fields of clean energy and defensive technology." Oliver isn't really paying attention until Robert mentions the last part.

"Defensive technology?"

"Yes, that's something your father and I would like to talk to you about. Why don't you take a seat, son?"

"It makes me nervous when you ask me that. I'll stand."

Robert and Moira exchange a look. Their son was never the nervous type and he definitely wasn't the type to own up to it on the rare occasion that he was. They thought this proposition would be easy but now, talking with Oliver, it might not be the case.

"Son, Queen Consolidated's Applied Sciences division is looking to enter a contract with Defense Technology. Currently, the department is working very hard to create prototypes of less invasive, less lethal technologies of war. Your mother and I want you to take up the position as Department Chair and oversee the project."

"No." He doesn't even give it a second of consideration. "No, this is exactly what drove me to join the Army. You two have always pushed me to take over this company, to follow in dad's footsteps. I don't want this life."

"Darling, we're not asking you to taking over the company. There's not hidden agenda. You are the best-equipped and most experienced person we know for the job. You have first hand knowledge of the military and their weaponry and the situations they will be used in. This project would grow so much under your supervision."

"Mom-"

"Just think about it. We aren't asking for you to make a solid decision today."

"Mr. Queen, the food you ordered has arrived." Robert's assistant pops her head through the door, take-out bag in hand.

"I didn't-"

"I did. I thought I would visit Felicity for lunch while I was here." Oliver takes the bag from the assistant then turn to face his parents. "I'll think about the offer."

He travels down the eighteen floors to the IT department where Felicity has her internship. It's the first time he's ever stepped foot in here and he has to stop multiple employees to ask where he can find her. Finally he reaches the alcove he was told he could find the interns in.

She's the only one there and he assumes the other interns are on their lunch break, where she should also be. Instead Oliver finds her working diligently with her back to him. Her ponytail swings back and forth as her focus shifts between computers and paperwork. She's so immersed in her what she's doing that she doesn't notice his arrival.

"Felicity Smoak."

Felicity spins around in her chair and he almost groans. Her red lips are wrapped around a pen she was absentmindedly chewing on. Luckily she pulls it away and places it on the desk before his mind can truly wander and looks up at him questioningly.

"Hi! What can I do for you, Mr. Queen?" He's still slightly distracted by her mouth and her cherry red lipstick.

His pants definitely weren't this tight when he left the mansion this morning. Fuck, what is he, a twelve-year-old boy? No, a part of him reminds himself, he is thirty and she is seventeen. The age difference between her and a twelve-year-old is less than the one between the two of them. He winces at that.

"Someone mentioned that this internship was a bit taxing. I thought I would swing by and force you to take a break."

"That's nice of you, Mr. Queen, but I really do have a lot of work to get done." She needs to stop calling him that.

"First of all, Mr. Queen is my father. You don't have to be formal with me. Second, you've probably noticed that my name is on the side of this building. I think your boss will be okay with you spending your lunch break with me." There's a look of contemplation on her face before it breaks out into a smile.

"Okay, what did you bring me?"

He holds up the bag so she can see the logo for a local burger joint, Big Belly Burger.

"Oh you sure know a way to a girl's heart. Figuratively. I don't have like a crush on you or anything. I'm just thankful that you brought me food, really delicious food that I have been craving for days. But you didn't come down here to listen to me babble, which I promise will end in 3, 2, 1…"

He can't stop the grin from breaking out across his face. The babbling is so Felicity he can't help it. She's done that since the moment he met her. Reaching out, he pulls one of the rolling chairs over next to her and plops the bag down on her desk, unloading its contents so they can start eating. Felicity breaks the silence a few bites in.

"So, what else brought you down here?"

"What?"

"You seemed kind of broody and 'grrrr' when you first walked in. What gives?"

"I wasn't brooding."

"Yes, you were. You listened to me last night, now it's your turn to spill."

He contemplates whether to tell her or not. She already has so much on her plate. Oliver's family problems shouldn't be added to that list. But she looks so genuine and talking to Felicity is easy so he finds himself opening up despite his qualms.

"My parents offered me a spot in the company."

"And that's bad because…"

"The whole reason I joined the Army was because my parents kept pushing me to become my father. They wanted me to become CEO and I didn't. They froze my funds because I wasn't taking it seriously."

"I remember that. It was the same day we met."

"Right. I thought that these past five years would make them realize that just because I didn't want to follow their path didn't mean I was being irresponsible and immature. To some extent, I think it did but there is still a part of them that wants this for me."

"What's the position they offered?"

"They want me to head some project in the Applied Sciences Division. Something about a partnership with Defense Technology and safer weaponry."

"Sounds exactly like your cup of tea."

"It is and I think if it were any other company offering I would take it."

"Is it going to make you happy? Are you going to be proud of the work you do?"

"Yes. From what they briefly told me, the goal is to produce less evasive and less lethal defense mechanisms. This could prevent a lot of war causalities, specifically civilian casualties."

"Then there's your answer. Take the position. Just make it clear to your parents that you won't take any other roles. Draw the line so they know where you stand."

There's a pressure on his hand and Oliver realizes that at some point in the conversation Felicity covered it with her own. When he looks back up, she's dipping the last bite of her hamburger in ketchup before popping it in her mouth. It leaves a smudge of sauce at the corner of her lips and he can't help but stare.

"What? Do I have something on my face?"

"Yeah, actually you have ketchup right here." He gestures in the general direction of it and she reaches up to wipe it off.

"Did I get it?"

"No."

Again she raises her hand and wipes at her cheek, just missing the red smudge.

"Did I get it that time?"

"No, here let me…"

Before he realizes what he's doing, Oliver reaches up and wipes the ketchup away with his thumb. It grazes her bottom lip and he hears Felicity's breath catch in her throat. Her tongue sweeps out to wet her lips, thoroughly distracting him from whatever he was doing. Both of their breaths start to come in faster, shallower. He finally tears his eyes away from her mouth to look into hers and he swallows hard at the dark blue they've become.

"Oliver…" She doesn't say his name so much as breathe it in a sigh.

"Hey, Felicity, you still working on that processor?"

The spell is broken and the two jump apart as fast as possible. Felicity's supervisor rounds the corner as she's righting the drink she just knocked over. Fortunately for her there wasn't much left in the cup and she fixes it fast enough that nothing leaks out.

"Oh, Mr. Queen, how are you today? What brings you to IT?" The man is older, in his late-forties with black, slightly balding hair and a small beer gut.

"I'm fine, thank you. I just stopped by to have lunch with Felicity. I hope that's not a problem…" He looks at the man's company ID. "Mr. Andrews."

"Not a problem at all, sir. Take all the time you need. Felicity, don't worry about getting that processor done today. It can wait." Oliver throws her a pointed look, to which she rolls her eyes in reply, but she seems distracted.

"Thank you, Mr. Andrews but I'm almost done. It should be finished by this afternoon."

"Good. The other interns should be back soon."

It's a reminder for Felicity that her lunch break is nearly over. She turns to organize her desk and clean up the remainder of her lunch with Oliver as Mr. Andrews walks away. That leaves her alone with Oliver. She slows down her cleaning, hoping he will take the hint and leave.

"Uhm, I'm gonna go."

"Yeah, yeah that's probably a good idea."

"I'll see you at the mansion for dinner?"

"Yup, I'll be there." The air between them is tense and awkward as Oliver decides it's time for him to make his exit.

"Bye, Felicity."

As Oliver walks down the hall to the elevator, he can't help but recall what happened less than five minutes ago. Or what almost happened. It's so easy for him to forget about everything else when he's talking to Felicity. He forgets that he's damaged. He forgets that she's so young. He forgets the other million reasons why this attraction he has to her is a bad idea.

Maybe he just needs to get laid… again. Oliver reaches into his pocket for his phone but drops it back before he has a chance to pull it out fully. He runs his hands through his hair, sighing in frustration, as he rides the elevator down.

This has got to get sorted out, fast.

...

Note: So hopefully that gave you more insight into why Oliver joined the Army. We will delve deeper into that and all other story lines as the story progresses. Also, this is sort of a short chapter. The next few get progressively longer. I won't be posting twice in a week anymore but I wanted to get this off the ground a little bit. I'm excited to get to the good stuff :)

Let me know what you think!

- B