CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: EVERY SINGLE NIGHT

I'm so into you, boy

You told me some time ago
You don't know what I've been thinking of
And you say that I should let you go
I tell you that it's you that I am dreaming of
Cause I feel your heart beat if I breath
Every single look you define me
I will never shut down my beating
I will show the world what I've got
All I wanna do is surround you
Make you understand that without you
Every time you touch me, I'm dying
Every single night, oh, every single day, oh
Every night I feel us colliding
Trying to let go, but I'm blinded
Tell me what I do is enough
I am into you, oh, I'm so into you!

"Dinah Laurel Lance, I've been wanting to ask you this for a very long time…"

Tommy got out of his seat, dropping to one knee in front of his girlfriend in the middle of a crowded restaurant. He was done trying to plan the perfect moment, sure he wanted the proposal to be perfect, but he just couldn't wait any longer. Their date had been wonderful, and he was about to make it extraordinary. Laurel's hand flew up to cover her mouth in shock, holding her breath as she watched him get down on one knee. Tommy pulled the blue velvet box from his inside pocket, popping it open and presenting the love of his life with a beautiful princess cut diamond ring.

"Will you marry me?" He asked, letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

He could see the tears forming in Laurel's eyes as she nodded, hand dropping from her mouth to whisper 'yes'. With a grin so wide it almost cracked open his entire face, Tommy took the silver ring from is velvety bedding and slipped it onto Laurel's ring finger. She stared at it in shock for a moment before exhaling heavily and leaning down to kiss her fiancé passionately. Cheering erupted around them as they kissed.

It wasn't until a waiter appeared at their table, clearing his throat to present them with two glasses of champagne.

"On the house." He said with a gently smile, congratulating them on the engagement as he set down the glasses.

Thanking him, Tommy sat back down in his seat across from his new fiancée. He'd never seen her eyes sparkling that bright before and it was quite marvelous. He couldn't let go of her newly adorned hand either. His thumb kept stroking across her knuckles, even as they finished eating their dinner. They were ready to go home pretty quickly, wanting to continue the celebration in a more private setting. Tommy paid their bill and all lovey-dovey as they were, stealing kisses and clinging to each other, they made their way to the foyer to get their coats.

While exchanging their third kiss as they waited for their coats, Tommy spotted something over Laurel's shoulder. Or rather, someone. Laurel pulled away from him when the girl behind the counter handed them their coats, which gave him some time to look back into the restaurant.

"Is that Oliver?" He asked Laurel as he narrowed his eyes to get a closer look.

Laurel paused and followed his gaze. "Yeah. Definitely him. But that is not Felicity."

Tommy frowned and shook his head. "Alright, let's just go. Staring is rude and besides, I've got a lot more planned for you tonight, fiancée."

Grinning from ear to ear, Laurel wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in for a kiss.

"I really like the sound of that." She giggled, tucking her hand in the crook of Tommy's elbow and letting him lead her out of the restaurant.

It was Thursday night and one of the rare days that Felicity had nothing to do but relax. Putting her bookmark between the pages and setting the book down next to her, Felicity tucked her feet up under her when she saw the caller-id.

"Tommy! Hi, how are you?" Felicity asked as she answered her phone. She was sitting on her couch, book in hand when the phone had started ringing.

"I proposed to Laurel last night." Tommy blurted out.

There was a beat of silence on both sides of the conversation before Felicity realized what exactly her friend had said and her face contorted into an expression of surprise mixed with an unimaginable amount of joy.

"OH MY GOD CONGRATULATIONS!I mean, only if she said yes, of course, but obviously she said yes, I mean why wouldn't she, you guys are perfect for each other. Oh I'm so excited and happy for you! Mr. and Mrs. Smoak, that sounds amazing! So? When's the wedding? Oh my god I'm getting ahead of myself again. 3…2…1. Okay. She said yes, right?"

Tommy laughed on the other end of the line. "Yes, Felicity, she said yes."

Felicity sighed. "I'm really happy for you two. Congratulations."

"Thank you. So much, but I actually have something else to tell you. I don't know if you'd want to know but I feel like you should."

Felicity frowned, suddenly feeling very nervous, fidgeting with the trim of her fluffiest blanket. "Tommy? What is this about? You're kind of scaring me. Did something happen?"

"It's about Oliver."

Pursing her lips, Felicity nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. Since she'd made it clear there was no future for them as a couple as long as he was running across rooftops, risking his life at night, she hadn't spoken to him unless really necessary. It had been a couple of weeks since that horrible day. Yes, she hated it as much as he did. She only saw him whenever Moira invited her over for dinner or when she'd run into him at the mansion when she was dropping off some files for Walter. She knew he was avoiding her just like she was him. It got easier over time. She hadn't thought about him once. Today.

"Oh. What about him?"

"Last night, when Laurel and I went to dinner, we...saw him." Tommy spoke.

Felicity frowned in confusion. "So? He's allowed to go to dinner, isn't he?"

Tommy was quiet for a moment. "He was with someone else. And by someone else, I mean a possible romantic partner that's not you."

Felicity's world stopped spinning for a split-second, but it was enough for her life to crumble to pieces. How could this be? He'd told her he loved her. She didn't understand. Had he been lying? Was it that easy to get over her? How could he move on just like that? Was she just another girl to him? No more than a fling that was easy to get over? The promise he'd made to her just a few weeks ago was ingrained into her memory. He would fight for her. For them. Had he already forgotten her? Felicity bit her lip as the possibilities, one more horrid than the other, ran through her mind. A fire started burning in her chest. She couldn't believe Oliver would actually do that. It felt like he was doing it on purpose. Asshole.

And then she realized. What right did she have to criticize him? She'd been the one to call it off between the two of them. She'd needed space. Oliver hadn't wanted to put a halt to their relationship, but she'd made her decision. So why was she feeling like this? This gnawing deep down in her stomach. It wasn't anger, or disgust or confusion. Was she jealous?

A knock on her front door pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, Tommy, I'm sorry, I gotta go. There's someone at the door."

Tommy sighed on the other end of the line. "Alright. Just please, Felicity. Don't jump to conclusions. I don't want—"

Too late. Felicity thought, but she would put up a good front not to worry her friend. "I won't. I gotta go. Thank you for telling me."

After hanging up, Felicity kicked the blanket off of her and got off of the couch, bare feet padding towards the front door, cellphone still in hand. She frowned as she peeked through the peephole.

Unsure, she opened the door. "Oliver." She said with a soft smile. "What are you doing here?"

He returned her smile and took a breath before speaking. "Look, I know you said you couldn't be with me. I understand. I'm not here to try and change your mind, but… I miss having you in my life and I-"

Felicity shook her head and held up a hand to stop him. "It's okay. C'mon in."

With a soft smile, she pulled the door open a little further and stepped out of the way. Oliver looked unsure as he walked inside, looking around like it was the first time he set foot in the place. The comfort they had with each other had made their friendship, their relationship so great. The way they communicated, verbally and non-verbally, it all seemed a distant memory, something from the past. Crumbled down in the wake of recent events and decisions made. A trust and familiarity that they would only get back with time. A lot of time.

They were willing to work on it. This was a first attempt.

They sat on the couch eating their ice-cream, talking about mundane things like work, family, friends. Felicity happily shared the news of Tommy and Laurel getting engaged while Oliver talked to her about the progress of the restaurant. He clearly noticed the way she quieted down. He knew her well enough to recognize the little crease between her eyebrows as being extremely deep in thought. He had to call her name out twice to get her to snap out of it. Her head snapped up in his direction, hand falling away from her lips, big blue eyes meeting his.

"That's where your base of operations is, isn't it?" She murmured.

"What?" He asked, frowning.

Felicity swallowed. "The restaurant is a cover. So you have an alibi for whenever you need to go out and shoot arrows."

"Yes." Oliver replied after a long deep breath.

Felicity sighed in exasperation. "And here I thought you were actually passionate about something for once."

They stared each other down for a long moment until Oliver broke the loaded silence.

"If there's something you wanna say to me, Felicity, just say it!"

Felicity bit the inside of her cheek, averting her gaze to where she was fidgeting with her fingers in her lap.

"I know about the girl you went out with last night." She muttered.

Oliver sighed. Helena Bertinelli. He'd only taken her to dinner to find out if she would release any intel about her father's organization. Romantically, he would only ever be interested in one person. But this was business and he had to put up a good front to keep his cover. Dating the daughter of the head of the Italian mob was the perfect way in. And as it turned out, Helena wanted to see her father go down just as much as he did after he had her fiancé killed.

"I don't understand how you could move on so easily. You promised me you'd come back to me and one second later there's another girl on your arm. That kind of hurt."

"You know what also kind of hurt?" Oliver asked, anger in his voice as he looked her dead in the eye. They both knew exactly what the answer was to that question. It had not kind of, but really, really hurt when Felicity had told him she couldn't be with him. They just looked at each other. Blue meeting blue, chests rising and falling with the heavy breathing.

"You were the one to call it off between us, not me. So stop acting like this is my fault." Oliver said quietly, averting his gaze.

He pushed himself off the couch and headed for the door.

"Oliver, wait!" She called out, putting her bowl on the coffee table and scrambling to her feet. She barely managed to get between him and the door before he had the chance to open it, but he wouldn't manhandle her out of the way.

"I'm sorry. I had no right. Believe me, I know this is on me." Felicity said, putting a hand on his chest to stop him, clutching his shirt when he tried to turn away from her. She understood he was hurt, but he needed to listen to her.

"I ask myself on a daily basis if it was the right call." She murmured.

That got his attention.

Felicity was pretty sure she was going to regret the split-second decision she'd just made in the morning, blame it on the wine and shitty day at work she'd had, but if she was being honest with herself, she never was, and never would be, able to resist Oliver. It felt like her entire body was aching for him. Her heart rate quickened, her palms getting clammy. And that wasn't something she hadn't experienced before. She knew the signs that said she was about to succumb to his very being. But, she knew, that even if he had her wrapped around his finger, she'd always had the same effect on him. There was no denying the immense amount of chemistry they had. Both mentally and physically.

Oliver loomed over her, his heated gaze boring into hers. His lips pressed into a thin line.

With one last ragged breath Felicity pushed up on her tiptoes, tightened her grip on his collar and pressed her lips against his. It started out soft, but as soon as Oliver responded with a low, guttural growl and his hands wrapping around her, pressing her further into the door, all the softness was replaced by a fury, a hunger, a need, to be with each other.

He could've stopped her, could've pushed her away. The fact that he didn't told her that maybe she hadn't screwed up that badly. Their lips moved together with hurried passion, teeth nipping and tongues meeting. Felicity's hands moved into his hair as he pressed them chest to chest. Felicity lifted up her knee as her nails scratched at his scalp, giving them a little friction they both needed.

Oliver tugged at the straps of Felicity's cami, but when he realized that while she had her hands in his hair, the piece of fabric wouldn't come off, he wrapped his arms back around her waist and lifted her up off the floor. Felicity yelped into his mouth, tightening her grasp on his shoulders, letting him carry her into the bedroom. They didn't bother with the lights.

Setting her down at the edge of the bed, Oliver immediately moved his attention back to her flimsy camisole, but not before Felicity reached the buttons of his shirt. She literally ripped it off of him, sending the buttons scattering across the hardwood floor. It was extremely hot. Watching her undress him further was even hotter. She let her hands roam over his chest, freely touching the numerous scars and tattoos like they were the most delicate things in the world. She didn't look away from them or ignore them. And that's when Oliver realized this was way more than just a sexually frustrated hook-up.

He stood there, dumbstruck for a second, while Felicity made work of his belt. He stopped her, cupping her face, forcing her to look up at him. He just stared at her for a moment before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss against her lips. When he pulled away again, her eyes were still closed, eyelids fluttering. Slowly, his finger skimmed the hem of her cami, slowly lifting it up over her shoulders, leaving her bare as a chill ran down her spine, her nipples pebbling at the slight wintry chill in the room.

Oliver just watched her. Her chest rising and falling in steady motions, lips slightly parted. He waited for her to open her eyes. When she did, she closed her mouth and swallowed before melting into him, against his warm chest. Her head barely reached his shoulder, her freezing fingers raising gooseflesh as she pressed them into his skin. Oliver wrapped his arms around her, a silent promise that he would always keep her safe.

They stood like that for a long while, the walls around them crumbling until there was nothing left but just Oliver and Felicity and their love for each other. No vigilante, no five years away, no secrets, no Queen Consolidated. Just a boy who loved a girl and a girl who loved a boy. Even for just a moment.

Felicity ran her fingers over a long scar running diagonally down his abs. The first one. She'd seen it before. touched it before. Gently, she lifted her head off of his chest, her golden curls swishing around her shoulders as she pressed a gentle kiss to his sternum. Oliver let his hands wander down her back, sending a delicious shiver down her spine. She arched into him and looked up, a sad but hopeful expression on her face. With their chests pressed together, Oliver leaned down to kiss her, giving Felicity the height advantage she needed to wrap her arms around his neck. He pulled her into his arms and walked them over to the bed.

He sat down with her in his lap, knees on either side of his hips. Their lips moved against each other rhythmically, deliciously like was so familiar to them. The heat radiating off of his body and the softness of her skin. They'd missed this. Missed each other.

Feeling bold, Oliver moved his hand from the small of her back to cup her through her pajama shorts. His index finger pressed down and Felicity mewled against his mouth, rocking her hips for more friction. Oliver smirked, thinking he had her right where he wanted her, until she unwrapped her arms from around his shoulder and pushed him back against the covers. As he lay on the bed, stunned, completely taken by surprise by her actions, she appeared above him, a devilish grin on her face before disappearing again.

He could hear the swish of fabric against her skin, the soft thud of a drawer opening and closing, and the all too familiar crinkling sound of a silver foil package. But, he managed to stay put, a million thoughts running through his head as her hands fell to his chest, not long before her lips did. A shudder ran through him as her tongue dipped in the creases of his muscles and edged along scars. She quickly undid his belt, slipping his jeans off his hips with only a little assistance. His boxers did nothing to hide his arousal.

Felicity's tongue circled around his hipbone and a second later his boxers were gone too. He shuddered as her small hand fell around his length, slowly rolling the condom down. When she was done, her hands moved up his body and he could feel the bed dip, where she put her knees on either side of his hips. She hovered over him, lips latching onto his before she reached between them where he was pressing against her stomach. Oliver moved his hands over her bare back and sat up. Felicity gasped in surprise, her mouth letting go of his with a pop. Oliver used her surprise to move his lips to her neck, pulling her up with one arm, guiding himself to her entrance with the other. She mewled, her hand falling over his before she slowly sank down on him. So slowly.

Oliver held her close as she adjusted to the his size, the delicious stretch more pleasurable than uncomfortable. With their foreheads pressed together, their labored breaths mingled, only interrupted by the occasional soft kiss.

Felicity ran her fingers through his hair and rolled her hips, biting her lip at the pleasure that rolled through her body. She set a slow rhythm, lifting and rolling her hips as Oliver held her close and kissed her neck. He wasn't sure how long he could take the excruciatingly slow pace before his needs would take over, but Felicity was the one in control, and that sure was a turn on for him. It was nice not being rushed like the last time they'd been together, to be able to take their time touching and loving each other without the imminent threat of separation.

When the rhythm faltered, her hips shaking and her muscles fluttering around him, he held her hips and thrust upward. His free hand slid between them, finding her apex, index-finger rolling around the sensitive little nub there and guiding her over the edge. With a squeaky moan, she collapsed in his arms. Lips pressed to the shell of his ear, she took heavy breaths as she came down from her high. Oliver just held her, kissing his way from her collarbone to her mouth. She hummed in appreciation as their tongues tangled together.

He stayed buried inside her as he wasn't quite there yet himself. Tightening his arms around her he stood up, turning them around and laying her back against the soft chevron-patterned bedding. As he hovered over her, kissing her chest, rolling a sensitive nipple through the warmth of his mouth, she arched her back off the bed, mewling at the new angle.

He let go of her nipple with a pop, latching his mouth back onto hers as he slowly pulled out of her before thrusting back in. Felicity gasped, fingernails digging into his shoulders.

Oliver's hand fell to her thigh, wrapping her leg around his waist. Felicity keened under him as he kept hitting that sweet spot deep inside of her. Oliver was getting close now too. He leaned over her to kiss her again. Felicity took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his shoulders and arching her back to press their chests together. She bit her lips to keep from screaming as her muscles started tightening around him. Her leg around his waist stiffened, and her arms too. Oliver kept moving, chasing their mutual pleasure. Felicity squeaked, mouth falling open in a silent o as she peaked. Her inner walls spasmed around him, tipping him over the edge right behind her. Oliver braced himself over her, elbows on either side of her head as he rode them through their orgasm. Felicity's chest rose and fell with heavy breaths as she came down, hands reaching up to cup his face, pressing a sweet chaste kiss to his lips. Again and again until Oliver, reluctantly, had to pull out of her. He collapsed on top of her. Felicity wrapped his arms around him, welcoming the familiar weight of his body pressed into hers.

They kissed until Felicity's lips were so chapped, her chin red and itchy from the scratch of his stubble that it was almost painful. Oliver pulled himself off of her to throw away the condom, but that wasn't the end of the night for them.

Oliver made sure to worship her body until they passed out in each other's arms from exhaustion and completion, bare limbs tangled together.