A/N I'm really not very happy with this one, but I don't have time to rewrite it :( so if feels forced, just know that I wrote this on lack of sleep. And i'm not happy either. Also: google the meaning of the flowers ;)

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

Felicity choked on her tea.

"What?"

Not that she wouldn't fancy a date with her admittedly hot employer, but that was not expected. So she did what she did best and talked over it.

"Isn't it a little soon to start dating again after all your girlfriends either hold grudges against you want to kill you or get shot in the process? Sorry. That was very rude. I will stop babbling now. Ok. A date. Why?"

She took another awkward sip from her tea.

"It's not actually a date…" Oliver changed directions when he saw her eyebrows narrowing. "…Well it is kind of. I need to go to this restaurant to check out the owner, who is said to be part of the triad."

"And you don't want to go alone"

Felicity did her best to try and hide her disappointment. Why was she disappointed anyway? It wasn't like she had hopes for anything between her and Oliver, or that she thought about what it would feel like if she actually laid hand on those muscles of his, or what he would taste like… get your head back Felicity! She mentally hit herself for letting her thoughts wander in that direction. Again.

"So?"

"I'm sorry what?"

This is what you get when you don't keep your head where it belongs Fel.

"I said it was suspicious if I went alone and I can't take Diggle because that would be suspicious and a little weird so I asked if you would join me for dinner Friday at 8."

"How date-y is this observation going to be?"

"As date-y as necessary to be convincing."

"Do I get flowers?"

"Why would you want flowers?"

"Because it's date-y"

"Fine I'll get you flowers. I'll pick you up at 8."

And with that Oliver, who had been inching his face gradually (and subconsciously) closer to Felicity's, stood up from the desk he had been leaning against and walked away. Partly because he deemed the conversation to be over, partly because he didn't want to want to get out of this feeling like a teenager who asked his crush out. Which would be fine, if it were an actual date, which it was not.

"Pretty enough for a pretend date?"

If she was going on a date with Oliver Queen, even if it was a fake one, she was going to do it right, so she had left Queen's Consolidated a few hours early that Friday to prepare; for the façade obviously and not because she wanted to impress Oliver. What would she do that for? It wasn't even a real date. She wore a flowery, knee-long A-line dress, which left her back bare due to the neck holder top and plain black pumps. Her hair was open and curled and she even put in her contacts instead of wearing her glasses like she normally did.

"Too pretty actually. You're going to draw all the attention on you."

Did he just flirt with his IT girl? And that after he already spent an hour in his closet trying to find a suit that was… suitable. He didn't even know why he bothered. It wasn't even a real date.

"Lets go then. We'll be late for our reservations. Oh, and I got you your flowers" and with that he pulled out a small bouquet of variously coloured tulips.

"I got them on the way here, I thought they looked nice." Why was he babbling? He was a sociopathic assassin, who had survived days of torture and years on a remote island!

"I'll just jump and put them into a vase." Felicity turned on her heels and rushed back into the apartment, tripping over the doorsill and almost landing face first in her hallway.

When she came back she was still blushing, but Oliver didn't comment on it and just held the car door open for her to get in.

After an initially awkward silence, they actually began talking. First about Felicity's work in the IT department, then how Oliver knew so much about computers when he did spent 5 years… abroad. When they arrived at the restaurant, Oliver was in full gentleman mode, pulled out the chair for her, asked what she wanted to drink, and was generally really pleasant to be around. Oliver felt, that he was actually enjoying himself and had to remind himself more than once to also keep an eye out for signs of the triad and not just fixed on Felicity. He didn't find anything suspicious though. It had been a long shot anyways, slight rumours, the owner of the restaurant wasn't even on his father's list. But he had felt that it would be worth to go here anyways. He wasn't disappointed. He did have a really nice time anyways.

When he dropped Felicity off at her apartment building, they lingered outside of the door for a little. Neither of them wanted to say good-bye, but neither of them wanted to admit it either.

"Well, I'll better go inside now." She didn't move an inch.

"Yeah."

Silence.

"I had a pretty good time actually."

"Yeah. Me too."

"Sad about the triad thing though."

"Not that much."

Silence again.

Then Felicity actually turned to go inside but underestimated the heels of her shoes. This time Oliver caught her. Both of his hands had jerked forward and were now placed on either side of her waist, holding her so she couldn't fall. Or move away. They both froze. Their faces were really close now, closer than they've ever consciously been. Felicity was the first to move, placing a light kiss on Oliver's cheek.

"Thank you for dinner."

Oliver was perplexed and didn't react instantly. Then he gathered himself enough to let go of her waist and clear his throat.

"Yes, umm… my pleasure. I'll know whom to ask if I need help with observing a restaurant again."

He then turned and all but flew from the scene, getting into his car and driving around the corner where he stopped. He could still feel Felicity's lips on his cheek. He lightly ran his thumb over it. When he looked at it, it had a bit of smudged lipstick on it.