A/N: This is a follow up to the previous chapter. Something I don't typically do with drabbles, but a bookend was requested and once it got stuck in my head, required. Set a couple of years in the future. Spoilers for 2x06
Oliver stood on the upper balcony of the mansion, hands braced on the mahogany banister as he looked at the party that moved below him. Up there he was separate from it all. Even though he'd spent the better part of his life at events just like this it didn't make it any easier, especially when he just needed a few minutes to clear his head.
It had been two years since he'd taken over as CEO of Queen Consolidated and he'd attended more of these functions under that moniker than he could have ever imagined. The stigma of the Glades was finally falling away and the company was rebounding. He thought maybe he had played a small part in that transformation.
He didn't always know what triggered his need to get away. It didn't happen all the time and he'd long since tried to make sense of his often times touchy psyche. Regardless of how much control and willpower he had sometimes things broke through.
It had only taken one meeting of the eyes across the room for Felicity to know he needed an escape. She'd smoothly stepped in and linked her arm through the investor who had been talking his ear off. The man had been more than happy to be escorted to the dance floor by Felicity and Oliver made his getaway.
Now he stood above and found he couldn't drag his eyes from her. Her bright yellow gown made her stand out, not that he wouldn't be able to pick her out of a crowd blindfolded if necessary. She had the ability to be everywhere at once and make the person she was talking to believe that they had her complete and total attention.
She flitted from group to group, always making sure to talk to the ones who they were trying to woo or needed a bit of coaxing. She also dealt with what looked like it could have been a major disaster with the catering and removed Hugh Sorenson's hand from her ass with such diplomatic grace the U.N should take note.
As she made her way from the dance floor her eyes found his like she'd felt his gaze. It was a striking moment of clarity that took his breath away. His hands gripped the banister as most of the feeling left his limbs.
He was so caught in his own head he missed the way her brow had furrowed or how quick she headed for the stairs.
When her hand landed on his arm he actually startled. Her soft voice filled with concern made it's way through to him. The worried look turned to confusion as he turned to her, hands falling to her waist as he looked down at her like he'd never seen her before.
She gasped as his hand lifted and traced gently over her cheekbone before cupping behind her ear. "How could I have been so stupid?" he asked, shaking his head in disbelief at his own blindness.
Her eyes went wide and then she gave him a soft, secret smile. "Finally figured it out? I've been waiting forever it seems."
"But...you've…" he protested, not understanding how he could have not seen this before,
The laugh she let out filled him with light and he felt himself drawing closer to her, "I've been right here in front of you for three years? Yeah, I have." there was no admonition or bitterness in her voice,
He struggled for words and finally she took pity on him. Her hands came up to straighten his bow tie and then lay on his lapels although they weren't still. Fingers traced along the edge where it fell off to crisp white shirt, and there he could feel the heat of her touch through the thinner fabric.
"You weren't ready." she said with a small shrug, "And you were worth waiting for."
It was all so easy. She made sense in a way that nothing else in his life ever had.
"I'm sorry it took me so…" she cut him off with a finger across his lips,
"I'm not. It was what needed to happen. If something had happened too soon...I don't think we'd be here right now." the surety with which she spoke strengthened something inside him and any doubts that lingered were purged immediately.
Her hand fell from his lips and trailed across his jaw, nails scraping through his stubble causing him to pull her flush against him. She bit her lip and gave him a coy smile over the top of her glasses, "I'm going to do that a lot now that I can."
Unable to wait any longer he used the hand he had behind her neck to tilt her head to the side as he slanted his mouth over hers.
He'd kissed her before, eight months earlier during a mission when they'd needed a cover, but he'd been more concerned about being caught than enjoying the moment.
He didn't have to worry about being caught this time.
Tiny whimpers came from the back of her throat as he traced her lips with his tongue. She tasted like champagne and when her tongue came out to tangle with his the heat within him spread outwards, threatening to consume him.
Her fingers carded through his hair and over the back of his neck, nails leaving trails of electricity wherever they scraped.
When he pulled back it took a beat before her eyes opened. She looked slightly drunk and a primal surge of possessiveness made him growl and pull her even closer.
She smiled dopily up at him before raising on her toes so she could wrap her arms around his neck. He returned the gesture and there was something so very Felicity about her hugging him just then that he couldn't help the broad grin that cracked his face.
"If you take this long to ask me to marry you I'll shoot you with one of your own arrows." she mumbled into his neck and he let out a real genuine laugh.
He tugged her further into the shadows where they couldn't see or be seen from the floor below and took her hand in his, the other wrapped solidly around her waist as they began to dance.
She tucked her head under his as they moved slowly to the music that flowed up from beneath them. He still felt a bit stunned, like he'd been hit hard and hadn't quite gotten his equilibrium back.
When she made a small half laugh and shook her head lightly he pulled back so he could see her. "What?"
"I was just remembering something."
"What?" he prodded,
She leaned back in his arms so she could see him, "You remember that trip we took to Moscow..two years ago or so?" when he nodded she continued, "Do you remember me telling you one day you'd deserve better than a woman like Isabel Rochev. That one day you'd understand?"
The memory was vague but he could recall the sincerity in her voice and the way her big blue had beseeched him to believe her.
"I think you understand." she said, her voice cracking with emotion
He kissed her again, not pulling back until they both needed air. "I understand. Although...I'm not sure I'll ever deserve you." at her immediate protest he captured her lips again to stop her from talking. It was a tactic he was looking forward to exploring further in the future. "Like I said, I'm not sure I'll ever deserve you, but I'm willing to try."
It was her turn to surprise him as she slid her hands under his jacket and moved in so close he could feel all of her. The heat from her palms made him push into her as she slowly pressed small kisses along his neck.
A throat clearing behind them finally made her step back and they turned to see Roy looking slightly uncomfortable.
"Um, sorry, boss." he tapped his ear once and they both knew they were needed for business that was not QC related. Roy had been on comms duty that night which had been a nice change of pace.
Oliver nodded, "Head to the lair, I'll be there soon." he ordered and his partner nodded once. Felicity was already pulling away to head after him but he caught her wrist and pulled her back into his chest. The easy smile that lifted her mouth was enough to make him wish they could stay there forever.
"Go, I'll close the party down and join you when I can, Roy can handle the comms until I get there unless you need him." she said, slipping into her other role with such ease it amazed him.
He gave a slow shake of his head, "I still don't know how I missed this."
"You figured it out, like I knew you would." she said and kissed him softly. "Now go, be a hero."
He didn't leave until he watched her descend the staircase and slip back into the crowd like she hadn't been missing. As he hurried down the back staircase Digg was waiting at the bottom with a barely contained shit eating grin.
"I suppose you knew this too?" Oliver said drolly as they made their way out the back to where the car already waited.
"I knew before either of you." he replied in a smug tone.
Just before the door shut behind him, Digg leaned in slightly, "I beat your sister out in the pool by two months."
An exasperated sigh left him as he tugged the bow tie loose and dropped it along with his cufflinks into the center console. If he lost another pair Felicity was going to kill him.