Anonymous requested: Felicity feeling self conscience about her bathing suit when she, Oliver, Thea go to the beach (already in established relationship). Just and addendum - pretty sure this isn't completely what the anon meant, but I couldn't resist. :-)

She hadn't wanted to go to a private beach. Where was the fun, she'd asked Oliver, in going away for a day at the beach, without all the extras? Buying ice cream from vendors, finding your own little corner of unoccupied sand to pitch your umbrella, crashing a volleyball game and kicking everyone's asses (her personal favorite)… You couldn't do that at a private beach. Private beaches were nice for an hour or two, but what then?

Oliver had made an extremely convincing argument that involved secluded coves and coconut flavored edible body lotion and nudity. But then she'd remembered that Thea was coming too, and smacked the hand that had somehow found its way under the hem of her shirt, giving him her best 'angry eyes'.

But now Felicity stood in the public locker room and stared in horror at her bikini, wishing she had agreed to the private beach after all.

How had this even happened? She dug through her beach bag, finally pulling out a razor she must have left in there the last time she went to the pool. One side of the blade had come loose, and pieces of fuschia fabric were caught on the edge. She was lucky she hadn't sliced her finger open. Frowning in disgust she picked up her bikini again. It was ruined. The bottom was fine, but the top had been totally shredded.

It was brand new. She'd bought it specifically for the occasion. Oliver Queen seeing her in a sexy bikini for the first time was definitely something she'd been excited about.

But no.

Of course not.

Felicity bit her lip and dug through her bag once more, pulling out a second suit. A suit she had only brought because she had a thing about being prepared for any occasion. A suit she only ever wore when she took her bubbe to women's swim nights at the JCC, once a month. Just sweet little old ladies congregating for their hydrotherapy class. What did she need a fancy suit for?

"Why do these things always happen to me?" she asked, her voice echoing off the tiled walls.

"Felicity, you okay?" Thea asked from the front of the room.

Felicity sighed. "Yeah," she said, beginning to pull on the atrocity. "My new bathing suit just got ruined in my bag. It's okay, I had a spare."

"That sucks," Thea muttered. "But hey, at least you were prepared!"

"Yeah, say that after you see it," Felicity responded and stepped out. Thea was fixing her hair in the mirror, gorgeous in an ivory strapless bikini. She turned, and Felicity could pinpoint the moment Thea realized how bad the situation was.

"Oh."

"Yup."

"Um."

"Uh-huh."

Thea bit her lip. "It's really not… that bad?"

"It has ruffles."

"They're sort of cute?"

"And ponies."

"Oh. Is that what those are?" She stepped forward to get a better look.

Felicity couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. Thea tried to hold out a second longer, but soon joined her.

"Where did you even get it?" Thea asked in between gasps.

Felicity wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye, shaking her head. "It's the remnant of a more fashionably challenged time of my life," she said. "And I do like ponies…"

This sent them both into a renewed gale of laughter.

Once they'd calmed down, Thea sighed, smiling. "Well, nothing we can do now, right? So let's go out and find my brother."

"Ugh, Oliver," Felicity groaned. "I can't believe he's going to see me in this. So much for being the sexy IT girl/girlfriend."

Thea looked thoughtful. "You know, it's funny. The Oliver I used to know might have cared… But the Oliver I used to know also never smiled like he does when he's with you. I think this will just give him something else to smile about…" She picked her bag up, hanging it off her shoulder. "I think that makes your bathing suit perfect."

Felicity's eyes widened, and she smiled, oddly touched. She knew Oliver worried about Thea; that she was rash, and impulsive, and at times immature. But Felicity had a feeling he gave her far less than her due credit. Thea was a very insightful young woman, and Felicity was grateful.

They stepped out into the sunlight together. The sounds of people enjoying their day surrounded them, and after a couple of minutes trekking through the sand, they found Oliver laying out their towels and putting the final touches on their little corner of paradise. He looked up as they approached, smiling at the two of them before quirking his head to the side.

"Ponies?" he asked, looking slightly puzzled. His confusion only increased when both girls dissolved in a fit of giggles.