Hi! It's been a while, so thank you for holding on, reviewing and all the lovely wishes! As expected, my birthday was spent studying but I actually squeezed in a little writing for my other WIP story that made my day better :) Anyway, I'm almost done with exams now, so will be back to a normal updating rhythm soon.

Also, a shout-out to 'deargoodbye'. Your comment meant a lot, seriously thank you!

NEVER LIKE THIS

I found myself in a situation

No walls, no reservations

Diving in deep, no hesitations

It's taking too much time and I'm tired of waiting

There was little she could think about at the moment.

Through fogged mind she barely registered the ride over, hooded eyes etched on the nervous tick of his jaw, the way he would steal a glance her way whenever his attention wasn't needed on the road, how he clutched onto the steering wheel with more force than necessary trying to keep it together, from reaching across to touch her.

Restraint didn't seem like one of his many qualities since hands went astray and gliding over her thigh whenever a red light halted his rushed driving; blue eyes darkened with desire, lips demanding on hers. Tugging, tasting, pulling before leaving hers with a smug smirk when a blaring horn blasted from behind them.

Somehow they made it there without combusting in anticipation, light grazes and hypnotizing glances not nearly being enough. The normal and expected questions didn't flood her mind as he pulled the car and rushed to her side, broad arms falling so comfortably around her waist the moment she was on her feet, lips glued to hers as if he were drowning and she held all the oxygen of the world. Between the alcohol drowning her blood and the invigorating feel of him all around her, she blindly followed his lead, letting go of inhibition, of doubts and missing information about exactly who she was doing; instead getting lost on the what.

Deft fingers worked on the lock while still holding onto her for dear life; then tugged at her waist and one step followed another until stairs got on their way. A groan left him in protest before he nimbly picked her up, a smirk growing back on his handsome face as his hands kneaded up her tights; hungry grin widening at her breathy response, holding him closer, urging them forward.

Stairs quickly left behind, a hand left its place underneath the hem of her dress to yank a door open, unbridled, eager, impatiently pressing her against the now closed door, lips working over hers, demanding yet giving so much. She could only react, breathe harshly as thoughts left her in a rush, intoxicated, so willingly gone in his arms. Drawing a trail over her jaw he nibbled the sensitive skin, lips curving appreciatively as delicious mewls left her lips in a symphony, asking for more.

"What's your name?" he let out, blue eyes fluttering open to meet his expectant gaze by her side.

"Felicity", she breathed trying to find a steady ground, gripping onto him for dear life with no plans of letting go.

Again a devilish smirk pulled at his lips in return and, when they were merely an inch away from retaking his claim on hers, huskily whispered a single word in return; one name she would savior in her tongue time and again in the hours to come.

"Oliver", she moaned when his lips finally left hers, leaning her forehead against his.

Barely a few minutes had passed since the bow had been placed on his desk with a thud, still her lungs burned in complaint given breath had hardly reached them ever since; since that curse had been voiced, since she'd turned around in his arms, leaning in, hands reaching, pulling. She had barely registered the grunt reverberating up his throat before swallowing it whole, lips capturing his in familiar warmth.

Unlike last time, no one was wavering, there were no pauses, no one was frozen in place, hesitance having left them after the torturous ten minutes of foreplay his archery lesson had consisted of. Instead there was release, resolution for the pent up tension that had kept them on edge ever since he'd walked up behind her, hands so effortlessly eliciting goose bumps all over her skin. As if mirroring those moves, fingers clutched at her lower back, pressing her as close as possible to him, bodies melding together as if they were made for each other.

Blue eyes fluttered open to meet his and, though she was still heaving from the previous kiss, there was no question to be asked. Angling her head to the side rose lips met his once more, not before he got to see them rise in a satisfied grin he couldn't help but mirror.

He gave up all kind of restraint next, anxious hands drawing him in by a fistful in his dress shirt clearly signaling she wanted this as much as he did. In response his fingers dug into her back as his tongue worked hers thoughtfully, having to suppress another smile as she replied with the same amount of passion, taking and giving as hard as he did.

She quickly became engrossed with him, completely lost as her senses felt only Oliver; husk smell, rough touch against the naked skin on her back, where her shirt had been freed from her skirt, wickedly talented mouth slanting over hers relentlessly until he coursed a moan from her trembling lips.

He hummed in approval, drawing back to see her flushed cheeks. Darkened eyes locked on his before an urgent hand took hold of his neck, nails raking over sensitive skin drawing out her name in the form of a growl. It took only a gentle pull forward for him to lean in again, his right hand coming to cup her face and guiding their every move, as if it was necessary. Their tongues dueled, hands tugging urgently as they moved backwards until her back hit the edge of his desk. Her nails trailed down his back, kneading the muscle she encountered on the way, feeling empowered as Oliver tensed and grunted accordingly.

His hands weren't idle either, drawing her impossibly close, committing every second of that heavenly moment to memory. A flash of that first night crossed his mind when his fingers reached the back of her tights bringing forth a smirk against her mouth as he tugged her up and close before placing her on the desk. Her legs parted at once, lips never straying from one another, harsh breaths mingling as he took the cue and stepped between them.

"Oliver" she purred once more when his lips released hers and kissed a path to the hollow of her throat, his thumb dangerously tracing along the edge of her skirt. He smiled against her skin, pleased of how breathless she sounded, and proceeded to deftly nip her pulse point, one he recalled being a very sensitive spot for her; the moan he got in reply more than asserting his guess.

Lost in the rapid pounding of her heart beneath his touch and the way her nails kept his head in place, Oliver failed to notice the other noise filling the lair. It wasn't until his name dripped from Felicity's lips again, calling his attention with the urgency and panic clear in her tone, that he leaned back to see what was wrong. The delicate hand that had released his hair no long before now desperately pushed him away, troubling his mind and making him wonder if she was already regretting this, having snapped out of their daze. Still a throat clearing behind him swiftly gave her reaction and the blush creeping over her cheeks another meaning.

Oliver turned around and was met with no other that Tommy's raised eyebrows and shit-eating grin after having just walked in on their heavy, very hand-on make out session. Though Oliver's frown disappeared at the sight, knowing probably that's the reason Felicity had pulled away, the uncomfortable expression he saw when stealing a glance her way wasn't that comforting either.

"I'm sorry to interrupt", Tommy cut in the palpable tension, effectively drawing Oliver's attention back from her. "But you're needed upstairs. Thea wants you to give a speech or something, been nagging about you bailing the party for a while now. Don't worry, I told her you had sneaked away for a quickie with a feisty blonde; which actually seems to be true now." He finished with an amused smile as Felicity pulled at her clothes trying to look presentable and Oliver cleared his throat sending him quite the death glare –though he hardly looked menacing with pink smudged lips–.

After glancing back at her and seeing her blush a deeper shade of red –that he knew for a fact extended far beyond the cleavage of the shirt she was wearing– he addressed his friend with utmost authority. "I'll be up in a minute."

"Oh I think you already are", Tommy hinted fully amused, eliciting another groan in protest from Oliver as Felicity's eyebrows shot upwards. "Okay, okay; I'm going." He exclaimed raising his hands in surrender, though a full on smile still remained in place. "But don't take long 'cause I can't hold Thea off for much longer."

Oliver wiped at his lips and then faced her again once the door soundly closed behind Tommy. She was pacing between the desks, putting away his bow and the arrows used; tucking her shirt back on her high-wasted skirt as she walked to the one still plunged into the wall. Her lips pressed in a hard line at the effort of pulling the arrow free and then, as if sensing his eyes trained on her, she looked up.

"Felicity", he breathed, silently saying much more. What are you thinking? What do you want to do? Please don't drive me away.

She seemed to take a moment to collect herself, delicate fingers tracing the arrow as if it held all the answers needed. Then walked to the chest to lay it next to the other bunch; her eyes were still glued to it when she softly broke the silence.

"We need to talk, don't we?"

He nodded once she looked up and their eyes locked again. A hesitant step her way prompted another as he saw she didn't flinch or stop him. He halted a foot away, sensing her hesitation; still he could see words being played on her tongue so he waited patiently until she gathered her thoughts.

"This is undeniable." She stated and he silently agreed. There was really no point in fooling themselves, she thought. "But, right now, I need time. I can't just dive into this, whatever this is, head first."

Fair enough, Oliver thought, still a wave of disappointment washed over him at her words; or more accurately, at the hesitance in her tone.

"I'm not good at fast." Felicity went on, quite a few memories she wasn't too fond of flashing before her eyes at the thought. It seemed Oliver was the exception in that issue, or at least he had been. Yet there were still things that held her at bay, that needed to be talked over, dealt with for her to feel good about this.

"I would have to disagree." Oliver quipped, unable to help himself, fairly different memories flooding his mind at the moment. She looked up and, reading the double meaning on his words and the familiar smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, couldn't help but chuckle, a faint blush tainting her delicate skin again.

As their laugher echoed around them Oliver walked over there, a tentative hand cupping her cheek with the lightest of touches, making her meet his eyes.

"You need to head upstairs", Felicity said in protest, though still leaning against his touch.

"I know."

His voice was calm, a warm smile stretching across his face as she stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips ever so slightly over his. One peck, then two before a hand nudged his chest backwards and she slipped from his hold.

Oliver walked towards the stairs fully invigorated, genuine happiness on his face as their eyes met once more before he stepped back to pretending. Though not fully together yet, seeing Felicity not close the door on them and actually take a few steps forward gave him hope.

"Where have you been? And why do you look so smug?" Thea questioned him looking rather rattled once he joined her by the bar. "Oh my god, don't tell me Tommy was actually telling me the truth! Gross! Way to over share, Merlyn!" His sister complained throwing his best friend a disapproving glare where he stood behind the bar. "Anyway, you got to do some work here, Ollie. I haven't been paid nearly enough for all this, and you know that public speeches are not my thing, regardless of the drinks I've had."

"What?" Oliver reacted, eyebrows shot upwards in response.

"Nothing." Thea promptly said before shoving a microphone in his hand while ushering him to the stage up front and, just as the spotlight was being directing to him, music suddenly halting as if on cue, she bargained with a smile on her face. "Tell you what, you look past the drinking and I'll ignore the pink lipstick smudged all over your mouth."

Thanks for reading!

Also to everyone who expressed their wish for olicity flashbacks! Here is your first taste, a little snipet of the night when it all started; which fitted quite nicely as a mirror to their present situation. I wrote that first part with a different technique, like edited stream of consciousness, trying to express what she was feeling and seeing in that moment. Hope you guys enjoyed it and it wasn't too weird or confusing.

Reading your observations, what you like most and what you expect means a lot, and it's really helpful, so thank you guys so so much for that! Keep them coming, please :)

Until next time!