Disclaimer: The show isn't mine.
A/N: So I lied. This wasn't not sorry though, please continue. I'll catch you at the bottom.
It really is true. Opposites do attract. Not only that, in fact in Oliver and Felicity's case they come together and benefit their worlds without the need to be recognised for their successes. The Flash team catch first hand glimpses into the developing, yet unspoken relationship that Oliver and Felicity had going on and can all individually be witness to the partner's incredible understanding and synchronicity. Honestly the great scientific minds of Star Labs best and brightest could barely even imagine the chaos it would take to wrench their connection apart.
Barry didn't realise from the very beginning but they were perfect for each other, Oliver and Felicity that it is. They balanced each other, her light chased his dark away.
The first time Barry saw what Oliver and Felicity were to each other, was a moment he only recognised in hindsight. When he first met the brilliant blondehe was impressed. The woman knew exactly how an industrial centrifuge worked and could explain it quite easily to the confused detective at her side. He was struck by her intelligence.
Oliver also struck him, not physically, although... if looks could kill. The whole stoic thing made even more sense when he found out Oliver was the Arrow. He didn't as much like it when that stoic, fear of god thing was turned onto him, but hey whatever, he'll get over it. It was in the moments that Oliver and Felicity looked at each other that sharpened everything into focus for Barry. Like they read each others minds. Like they had entire conversations without a sound. It was a spectacle of strength almost quite literally, as Felicity lent him some of hers and Oliver gave her some of his own in return.
Barry could build an entire definition as to what being Partners truly meant based on watching the two- watch each other. By the end of his first Starling visit Barry understood, Felicity was in the same place he was. Despite knowing how he felt about Iris, was exactly how Felicity felt about Oliver, he still offered to be there for her. Even though, being entirely honest, she was probably more put together than he was.
Barry left the mask behind for the man and hero he knew Felicity saw in Oliver.
He saw it again when all of team Arrow came to visit. When Iris was speaking about her list and sneaking glances at Oliver from across the coffee house, the man himself was too busy looking at Felicity. Barry could see them, eyes locked and speaking quietly. So in tune to each other, that they didn't miss a look or a word, despite being in a noisy cafe surrounded by it's patrons. They were a walking, talking metaphor, her light to his darkness. Opposites. Even down to the colours that they wore. Felicity stood out in her bright blue dress, easily spotted in the sea of grey and black business suits that swamped the coffee shop in the morning. Just as much as Oliver seemed to camouflage into the urban setting and belong to observing from the shadows. Together they drew many an eye but from what Barry could tell, were oblivious to all of them. She balanced him, that was clear, even in the way they spoke. Opposites even down to the way they said goodbye and yet it totally still made sense, at least to Barry, Cisco was fairly confused. She covered all the ground that Oliver hadn't and together they were both able to convey both the gravity of their situation and their gratitude to Barry's team at the same time, saying exactly what they needed to.
Barry also refuses to believe that its coincidence that during his teams visit to Starling while he's speaking to Oliver about light, Felicity walks in and immediately has Oliver's attention. Be it awesome cosmic timing or the universe speaking, opposites do attract, and just like lightning proceeds thunder both Oliver and Felicity need each other and like stars wouldn't shine if it wasn't for the darkness, they're better together. Oliver gives Felicity a chance to be a hero and Felicity already believes in the hero Oliver has become.
Caitlin Snow sees it too. Despite the fact that she met Felicity first without Oliver, when Felicity was making trips to see a then comatose Barry. She watched as both Iris and Felicity came to visit him separately, and it didn't go unnoticed that When she mentioned Barry's other visitor to the blonde, Felicity's visit declined to a total of zero before Barry woke up.
She kind of knew something was going on in the blonde's life when Star Labs was tasked with making anti-serum for super soldiers. It all made more sense when Barry let slip that Felicity was part of Starlings own vigilante team. With all the help Felicity gave them while she was with the Star Labs team, Caitlin wasn't surprised when Felicity's phone rang multiple times a day and eventually she was needed to return. Caitlin could understand how valuable Felicity was to the Arrow after seeing her in action.
When Star Labs meets Team Arrow, Caitlin also understands why Felicity cut her time in Central City short to return to her team in Starling. Her and Oliver working together is a partnership to be admired, its almost like he only listens to her and she's the only one that can truly understand him. Aside from Mr. Diggle who is well versed in all things Oliver and Felicity, which often means he stands next to her and Cisco, watching his teammates from afar and shaking his head at their antics.
However Caitlin is also learning quickly, how complicated heroes can be. From Barry to Ronnie to Oliver. She resolves to help Team Arrow's resident female as much as she can, especially during her trip to Starling. She watches as the Starling team work efficiently, how Lyla and Felicity spring to action in times of imminent danger, adapting to the situations as quickly as their male partners do. Caitlin understands that Oliver isn't invincible and that the threats they face are very real. She comes to the realisation that the day will come when Caitlin herself will be that battle prepared and hopes that she is as effective with Barry as Felicity is when her and Oliver set their collective power on mission.
Caitlin is also introduced to the power of the salmon ladder, and doesn't miss the looks on Oliver and Felicity's faces when she mentions it. Their thing goes unmentioned again when Cisco presents Oliver with his new jacket and credits Felicity for the unchanged Hood. Caitlin figures that most things probably go unspoken between the two, purely because they just know.
By the time her team is headed back home Mr. Diggle and Roy have roped all three of them into their long running bet on Oliver and Felicity's relationship.
When Cisco first meets Felicity all he see's at first is a pretty girl. When he meets Oliver at first he see's a massive, imposing, no bs kinda dude. He quickly learns that, separately, both of them can do pretty cool stuff. Felicity works with team Arrow, which is pretty mind blowing but at the same time makes total sense. When she visits Star Labs and helps with a mission, hacking into their satellite in seconds like its no big deal, Cisco comes to the conclusion that she should visit at least once a week. When she's standing in the middle of Star Labs without a shirt but with a cool piece of tech Cisco alters his previous thoughts and wonders if they can keep her full time. Of course he quickly realises Oliver would have something to say about that.
On third thought, when he sees how well Felicity works with Oliver and Team Arrow as a whole, he doesn't think anything would be able to keep her away for long. To say that watching her work with Oliver both in Central City and in Starling is awesome, would truly be an understatement. They have everything from a badass lair to cool jackets and their own version of a red suit. But its their teamwork that impresses him, their ability to cope with dangers Cisco couldn't begin to imagine before he arrived in Starling. Team Arrow have made a thorough impression by the time their little vacation to Starling is done.
Oliver the man, mostly just rolls his eyes a lot at Cisco. But Cisco also see's Oliver's innate ability to carry the heaviest of burdens while still being open to his team and Barry's advice, Cisco see's a man that is learning every day and refuses to give up against that darkness that threatens to swallow the soul of his city or that threaten to plunge his own spirit into a deeper more vengeful darkness that he's fighting to pull himself out of every day. Cisco doesn't miss the fact that Oliver's surrounded himself, however unconsciously, with people who are willing to stand by his side and help pull him through, Felicity seemingly the most prepared.
Oliver as the Arrow is great thing to see in action, he and his team work in complete sync and the trust he has in them is remarkable. His faith in their abilities is impressive, especially when he calls on Felicity. Cisco observes that he doesn't exploit her as a sidekick but treats her like an equal partner in all that they do.
Before they leave, Cisco takes his improvement designs on Oliver's outfit to Felicity. He's pretty proud of his additions, but a little stuck on the Hood. She tells him to leave it untouched. He's never seen Felicity more serious about anything despite the events of Arrow's visit to Central and the danger they faced at the hands of the ex-Argus agent. She doesn't give much explanation or reason, just that its sentimental to Oliver. Cisco is pretty sure Felicity doesn't even know why cause that guy is like a locked safe of information, a man of few words if you will.
But its Felicity's wistful smile that stops him, in that moment Cisco realises that Felicity might not know everything about Oliver but she understands the man better than anyone else, perhaps at times even more than the man does himself. When he presents Oliver with the new jacket and credits Felicity for incorporating Oliver's Hood, the unspoken thank you that passes between Oliver and Felicity tells Cisco that Oliver probably knows this too.
A/N... oh hey look another one happened. Mostly because I was amazed there were still a faint few out there that came to give this fic a shot. So this chapter is for all the follows and favourites that I keep getting even after a total lack of updating for an entire half year... surprise? And as always, cheers for getting to the bottom.