This chapter has Oliver-Thea and Thea-Felicity bonding. The rest of the family gets to join the chapter hereafter.
And yes, this will be a very, very long breakfast. Mostly because they're not even eating yet.
He barely remembers to place a call to Walter between grabbing the ingredients from the fridge for breakfast (and silently apologising to Raisa, who is undoubtedly out buying groceries, for further depleting her storage) and ensuring Felicity's absence from work is excused and fully paid. He shouldn't have doubted him – Walter's already organised everything with HR, informed her manager and sent an official email from QC to their employee's personal email address – without a single hint of personal connection or weight pulled on her behalf to grant her these things.
For a moment, Oliver wonders whether maybe he can leave QC in Walter's capable hands – but then remembers everything that has yet to come and reminds himself that he really should ensure QC's continued well-being before he becomes Mayor. Being a Mayor felt good – felt like tangible change, positive change, that he was making – was responsible for. Being CEO felt like drowning in paperwork and relying on Felicity's continued goodwill to translate at least half of it. But he can't let what happened last time happen again.
He doesn't allow himself a sigh.
Raisa raised him better than that.
Food – any food, all food – is to be made with love. Not when you're angry or frustrated or upset because you will make your food taste like it.
Instead, he thinks of the beautiful blonde getting ready upstairs. Of her surprised face when she'd let him in only to find herself face to face with two racks full of clothing and shoes and him shrugging semi-nonchalantly behind them, telling her his mother had done it, before she had a chance to get angry at him.
Well, his mother had sort of done it. She'd probably just called their personal shopper and spent less than five minutes on the phone with them, but still. It was a gesture. A fairly empty one, considering Moira, but it was an attempt, at least, so Oliver would let it stand as is for now and tell Felicity more about his mother later. And the hidden meanings within hidden meanings.
Another reason he loved his blonde not-yet-girlfriend. She was honest. She didn't hide. Didn't use subterfuge. Didn't obscure her meanings or say something she didn't mean. Felicity didn't play games trying to seduce him – she was just honestly herself around him.
A remarkable woman. One who made people sit up and take notice. Whose inner light and warmth was so bright it couldn't – wouldn't – be obscured.
By the time he noticed Thea's and Felicity's footsteps – and Oliver was yanked out of his musings on how much he loved the latter – he realised that in his momentary indecision, he'd ended up with far too much food.
"Well, Ollie," he could see Felicity frowning behind Thea's back, mouthing 'Ollie?' to him and he just shook his head at her, amused. Surprisingly, her dress, while clearly designer, was in the brighter colours that Felicity had always preferred – another point to Moira. "Mom's gonna be here any moment. When I told her you were cooking, she apparently told the driver to do a 360 and rush home. She's cancelled her meetings for the day – you should be impressed. I didn't think she was going to cancel the meeting with her stupid charity even if it rained down hellfire. Although you cooking – might still happen."
"Ha, ha, Speedy," Oliver responds with an easy eyeroll. "Just take a seat. I'll dish things up and bring them out momentarily."
With the ease of familiarity, he brings out several glasses and a jug of juice. He'll follow it up with coffee (it's Felicity – any breakfast where she isn't pregnant would have to include coffee) but for the moment all he does is put things onto the table before pulling out the chair beside where he normally sits, nodding his head at Felicity to take a seat when she hovers, unsure.
"This is such a huge table," she starts, staring down the length of it. "How many people usually drop by for breakfast?"
"I know, right," Thea says, sitting down unceremoniously and pouring herself a glass. "It's so we can have guests over, but mostly so we can pretend to be a family when what we're really doing is shouting things at each other across a large table. Or so we can ignore each other and pretend there's totally no family drama happening."
Felicity winces, eyeing the table with even more caution now, but gamely sits in the chair Oliver's pulled out for her and lets herself be pushed in against the table, blushing lightly under his attention.
"Well," Oliver says, letting his hand caress Felicity's shoulder as he turns away before hugging his little sister from behind – chair and all – and pressing a deliberately wet, soppy kiss to her cheek. "Not today, Speedy," he says easily watching, amused, as his sister groans and grimaces, wiping her cheek before sticking her tongue out at him. He huffs a laugh, shaking his head, and steps back towards the kitchen, but is halted by Felicity jumping up, chair nearly clattering to the floor if he hadn't steadied it.
"Oh god, I should be at work now! I'm sooo late. First leaving early yesterday, now late today! My super's going to fire me!"
Before she can spiral further, he clasps a warm hand on Felicity's shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. Your absence yesterday is excused already and you've been given today and tomorrow off. If you need more time after the weekend, I'm sure we can accommodate. Walter sent you an email about it, so it's all official and your supervisor is aware and won't have a thing to say against it."
He can see her shoulders drooping in relief.
"Oh thank Google," she exclaims and allows him to push her seat in again. Oliver barely stops himself from giving Felicity her own – a lot less soppy – kiss to the cheek, merely taking a moment to stroke soothingly over her collarbone before withdrawing to the kitchen, smiling to himself.
"No- no – hold on!" Thea exclaims pointing at the kitchen door with wide eyes and enough outrage that Oliver peeks back out to look at her, confused when the next moment she sounds half-amused. "What is wrong with your face?"
"What do you mean?" He tilts his head, touching his cheek, wondering if maybe he'd managed to get some of the flour or butter all over himself.
"There's something really weird on it. Like this thing with your mouth it- it looks like it's in the shape of a smile."
This time he laughs out loud, shaking his head as he disappears into the kitchen for the next bevy of beverages. "That's cute," he tells her as he leaves.
"You know, I think that's the first time I've honestly seen you smile since you've come back," Thea says quieter, softer, the moment he enters back into the room.
He empties his tray mutely, wondering how to respond, but then he watches as Felicity smiles warmly – not at him, no, but at the hot cup of coffee he presses into her hands. Amused, he watches as she doesn't ask him what he put in it – doesn't reach for sugar or cream, but just inhales deeply and takes a sip, moaning blissfully, eyes still closed. She'd known – or guessed – that he would make her the perfect cup of coffee.
He's always reaching for Felicity, touching her. She's let him abscond with her from work for a non-date date yesterday, trusted him to rescue her and let him sleep in the same bed with her.
It's that moment when he realises that he and Thea, they're doing the same thing. They're looking at a person they love deeply, and they keep trying to reach out to them, time and again. Oliver is physically reaching for Felicity – but also emotionally. And while he's been doing miles better than last time, it's not enough. He can see Thea's openness shuttering, can see her withdrawing after reaching out to him, making herself be vulnerable. Felicity reached back, trusted him, let him in. She grounded him.
He needed to the same for Thea. He reaches for Felicity's hand, just hidden by the large table when she slips her small hand supportively into his, relinquishing her tight hold on her coffee at his silent plea for support.
"Those five years, when I was away, Thea," he starts with a hard swallow, feeling more vulnerable and open than yesterday, "It- It wasn't good. The island, it took things from me. I don't know how to do things anymore – simple things. Like enjoying life. Living. I- It didn't feel like I left the island at all. Like I'd come home. Speedy, I'm trying," Oliver knows his voice is deeper, rougher, and can see the tears brimming in Thea's eyes. "you can always, always talk to me. About anything. I will always make time for you, okay? And I will try, but give me time. You're not twelve anymore. Just like I will never be that Ollie again, Speedy. I'm sorry, so sorry, for all that you lost – that we lost. But I am your brother. And you will always have me."
In a move familiar from long family dinners from years and years ago – instead of trying to circumvent the table or climb over it, Thea drops to the floor, crawls over to their side in record speed and stumbles into Oliver's arms with a heartbroken sob.
Felicity has tears in her eyes too, rubbing comfortingly over Thea's back, her other hand resting supportively against his upper arm, lending him the same quiet strength he'd come to depend on. Oliver closes his eyes, pulling Thea in tight, rubbing comfortingly over her back. Only a minute or so later, luckily after Thea's cries have died down a little already, he hears the kitchen beeper. He stills momentarily, but quickly resumes his earlier motions and hopefully soothing murmurs, with no intention of rescuing his food. Felicity makes a quick head gesture, silently asking if she should go, but before he can answer, Thea's leaning back, away from him, wiping her eyes.
"It's fine, Ollie," she tells him. "Go check on your food."
"You sure, Speedy?"
Thea nods and he presses a quick kiss to her forehead, before stepping quickly into the kitchen.
"Sorry," he hears her quietly say behind him, to Felicity. "This is not quite how I wanted us to get to know each other."
"Don't worry about it," the blonde genius quickly waves off while he extracts several items from the oven, resetting the timer for the last batch. "I mean, technically, we met last night, apparently. Not that I was conscious for that. So maybe more this morning up on the stairs? It was a really nice introduction. I was expecting a little more, you know, grrr, and maybe bitchiness? You know, for the way I showed up last night and then sleeping with your brother this morning."
He hears Felicity gasp, then can hear her start to backpedal. Amused, Oliver continues dispensing the food onto platters, letting his sister get to know his future wife without interference. Besides, Thea had always liked Felicity's babbles.
"I mean, not sleep-sleep, just, you know, sleep." A pause. "I know that sounds like the exact same thing, but I swear it sounds different in my head."
He can hear Thea snort and feels his own lips tick upwards. Felicity is always good at that – lightening the mood and breaking down the stiff façade the Queens usually tried to uphold.
"What I mean, is that it was entirely innocent – just sharing a bed. Without any inappropriate touching. Or appropriate touching, for that matter. No touching. Period. Or- well-" Felicity is well flustered by the time he re-enters, whereas Speedy, eyes now dry but cheeks still flushed, just looks endlessly amused.
"Frack," the blonde curses. "I am so sorry. I'm going to stop talking in three, two, one."
Felicity exhales sharply as Oliver lays down plates and Thea easily takes the cutlery from him, both familiar with the motions.
"I see what you mean," Thea says, addressing him instead of the nervous blonde. That only serves to fluster her more.
"What he meant when?" She asks and Thea cheekily grins up at him and although he's not entirely sure what's coming, Oliver is already shaking his head 'no' – but that's never stopped her before.
And it doesn't this time either.
"Oh, just yesterday, when he warned the family off." Oliver winces, eyes slamming shut, before he forces himself to face down Felicity's part-inquisitive, part-annoyed stare. "I mean, he wasn't wrong. Mom was ready to disparage you as a gold-digging little slut, Tommy thought you were spinning Oliver's head and-"
"Thea," Oliver barks out in warning, having noticed Felicity's rapidly paling face. Thea's overcompensating, hating having her vulnerability bared in front of a stranger and lashing back out, trying to make her feel vulnerable in turn. It's not necessarily deliberate, but he wouldn't quite put that past her either. His sister winces but recovers rapidly.
"But Oliver- he called us on it. He said you were nothing like that. That you were genuine and kind," Thea shrugs, "and I'm just saying, I can definitely see what he meant."
Felicity is not so easily placated, however. She's refusing to make eye contact, looking at the floor.
"I think- I think I should go," she says slowly, quietly – but Oliver knows she's hurt. "Yes, definitely," she reaffirms, voice slightly steadier. "I should go."
She's stepping away from the table and Oliver leaves the plates on the table, stepping towards her.
"Hey," he says, voice soft and eyes tender, "talk to me, Felicity."
His arms encircle her loosely – loose enough so she can easily step out of his embrace if she wants to, but close enough to lend her some support – physically and emotionally. To shield her from the outside world – from his family, if need be.
"It's stupid," she whispers to him, voice quiet as she looks up at him. "I just- I thought they liked me. Or at least didn't think I was some sort of" she gestures up helplessly before dropping her arm again, "wily seductress."
He can see Thea grin at the wording but a sharp look in her direction ensures she remains quiet while Felicity airs her frustration.
"Or that I'm after your money. I mean, out of the two of us, I'm not the one who has been pursuing the other," she winces apologetically as soon as the words are out. "Sorry-"
He shakes his head gently, pre-empting her apology.
"No, don't worry about it." He shrugs, smiling wryly. "Besides, not like it's untrue."
She eyes him for a moment longer before nodding.
"But, see, then your mum gave me all these clothes and shoes and everything this morning."
He can see Thea grimace in the background. They're both far more familiar with wealth, extravagant spending habits, apology gifts and the dozens and dozens of manipulations and ties woven into every seemingly innocuous gift. And outside of direct family – apart from Tommy – none of those is usually out of actual kindness.
"So, I thought she liked me. And then you were all upbeat and nice to me, too." Felicity waves at Thea, shrugging helplessly before eying him again. "And the way you look at me, Oliver – I just, I thought-"
She trails off, unsure how to continue but he can read it in her eyes. He thought that however he knew her, knew everything about her – that it extended to his family, too. That they liked her, too, before she ever met them.
"Sorry," he apologises softly. "But they just don't know you yet," he promises easily, intending to only tuck a stray strand behind her ear but ends up palming her cheek, caressing the soft skin with his thumb. She leans into his hand ever so slightly and he can feel his heart pick up pace at the easy trust, at the way she takes comfort in him.
"Please stay," he pleads, "I know my family and I, we haven't put our best foot forward this morning/ It's just, with me just returning from the dead, everyone and my relationship with them is still in upheaval, but I promise I would love to have you here." He breathes out before offering her an out.
"But you don't have to." He can hear Thea's reprimanding "Ollie" in the background but ignores it. "I can easily just pack you an assortment to take home with you. If it's too much. Or too fast. You don't have to stay. But… I would really like you to."
Felicity looks more curious than upset now, having relaxed at his continued offering of a guilt-free escape. She's biting her bottom lip, head angled to the side slightly as she continues to stare at him like it would somehow reveal his time travel experience so long as she looked at him for long enough. He meets her, look for look, not dropping his gaze from hers, unwavering in his support and finally, finally, her lips curl up slightly, her eyes drop, and her cheeks gain the slightest tinge of pink.
"I'll stay," she says quietly, extracting herself from his arms and it's like their own little world suddenly expanded to a large room and Oliver blinks slightly at the reassertion of reality.
"Sorry about that," Felicity apologises to Thea, looking a little flustered but his sister just waves off the apology.
"I did tell you we have this huge table so we can avoid family drama. Unluckily for you, we decided to sit close enough to instead air out our family drama. So, really, me crying my eyes out, and then unintentionally insulting you is just par of the course."
Oliver gives her his best prodding apologise-now-look, a familiar staple in his repertoire from the moment Thea learned how to run – and gained the nickname Speedy – because avoiding obstacles was not something the toddler took to as easily as she took to running high-speed into everything.
Thea rolls her eyes but is just as familiar with the look and heaves an overly dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes at him. "Which I am totally sorry about, by the way."
It sounds borderline sarcastic, but when she turns to Felicity, she looks nothing but genuine. "And I do actually like you, you know. You've been good for my brother. It's the first time I feel like he's actually here. And he's opening up to us – to me. Which, well, if you don't know our family is huge. Plus, he's like super-adorable around you. I've never seen my brother crush on anyone so hard," Thea finishes with a large grin and teasing wink in his direction.
He can feel himself flush when Felicity turns to him and shrugs helplessly, a silent acknowledgement that his sister, for all her teasing, isn't exactly wrong. It's not like it's a secret from Felicity at this point either but being called out on it so openly is still making him shuffle his feet slightly, breathing out in relief when the timer in the kitchen dings again.
"Finish tabling up, Speedy."
His sister looks contemplative – not usually a good thing, especially given the way this morning has gone already.
"Is there enough to invite Tommy, too?"
Oliver snorts. "There's enough for him and probably at least a third of our staff. Oh, and no eating like a bird, today, Speedy. You're looking way too thin."
He knew that some drugs – ones that models took too often – quenched their hunger so the body didn't process the signals the way it should. He could see that slight thinness, the gauntness in Thea. Just the edges – most of it likely helped by endless dinner parties, general parties and mandatory family breakfasts and dinners, keeping her at least somewhat fed. Thea rolls her eyes but doesn't object – Oliver will take it for the silent acquiescence it is. Their family has always struggled with talking, with apologies – or at least sincere ones.
Speedy picks her phone up and steps into the corner of the room as he steps back into the kitchen and deals with dinner. With the door open, he can hear the conversation.
"Tommy? It's Thea." –
"No, of course I'm not at school." –
"Well then, you go if you're so keen on having mics and cameras shoved in your face. And your teachers passing you their phone number so you can give it to your 'handsome' brother, telling you how they always knew he was alive when just a few days ago they said I should give up and talk to a psychiatrist." –
"Psychiatrist, Psychologist, what's the difference? Point is, teachers and students are assholes and the only thing worse is the media." –
"Yes, I actually did have a point for calling you. Come over for breakfast." –
"It's not like you got anything better to do, Merlyn. Besides, it is different from the other hundred-thousands of times you've been by for breakfast." –
"No, not just because my brother is no longer a castaway – but he's cooking." –
"Yep, I didn't believe it either. But he is. Cooking, that is. So come on over, let's taste-test whatever horrible thing my long-dead brother has concocted." –
"Great. See you soon. Oh- and I agree with Oliver on blondie. So, unless you want to continue the great prank war of '05 with a now smarter and wiser near-adult, you better be on your best behaviour." –
"What do you mean you were going easy on me? I won that, fair and square, against both you and Ollie. If you want a rematch, just say so." –
"Yes, yes. Remember: best behaviour. Bye now."
Oliver is calmly placing one dish after the next onto the table. Thanks to their frequent dinner parties, they're definitely not lacking in large serving plates, at least.
"I hope you told Tommy that he's only getting leftovers. We're about 20 miles from the city. It'll take him at least twenty minutes to get here."
"Nah, it won't. He was already on his way here. Plus, he'll be contributing bagels – not that we need them by the looks of this." Thea stares as he keeps returning to the kitchen and coming back with more dishes.
Felicity's already put plates on seats next to each other – none at the head of the table and no gaps. No one disputed it or told her their customary seats and Oliver kind of likes the far closer seating arrangement Felicity put them in by default. He sends Thea a look to remind her to be silent on the matter and his sister rolls her eye but doesn't say anything. She does, however, make Felicity and him shift a seat down so the blonde is sat between them – a silent front against his mother and Tommy.
He pats her on the shoulder in silent thanks – a lot of his Thea's communication is done with small gestures rather than effusive words. They all learned how to twist words and read more into them than is being sad. Hugs, pats on the back, kisses to cheeks or foreheads are much easier to comprehend.
"How did you even do all of this? Did you get up at like 2 am to make all this?"
Oliver shrugs. "No, I just- I like cooking. I forgot how much. Plus, Felicity said to surprise her – I think I succeeded well on that front."
Felicity looks up, embarrassed by the effort he's gone to, but Thea speaks up before she can.
"Yeah, but, not for nothing, Ollie – but this smells amazing. How? Did you learn this on the island?"
Oliver snorts.
"No. Definitely not." He hesitates for a moment, but Felicity is beside him, silently supportive so he continues. "There were only really two ways of cooking on the island. Cooked. And Uncooked. No, this is from before your time, Speedy."
Notes: Please review - loved all the ideas and thoughts in the last chapter. Next one we'll have Tommy and Moira joining for breakfast with some interesting tension and some surprising bonding moments and, hopefully, a fair bit of playfulness. Then we finally get to Diggle! Yay. And Salmon Ladder. Even better! Hope no one is too OOC.
Please, please, please review and comment :)