First Night of Hanukkah

Felicity tapped her steering wheel along with the Christmas song blasting through the radio. She murmured the lyrics under her breath as she parked the car, finally home. Tonight was the first night of Hanukkah and she saw the menorah in the window, unlit but ready. This would be their third holidays together as a couple, second with William, and her first pregnant.

She wasn't completely happy that she was ready to pop any day, well technically by the end of the month, but the baby had dropped almost a week ago and she was a whale. Oliver refused to admit it. William kept his mouth wisely shut, though he did tell her she looked nice every morning. Felicity was certain it was a ploy by Oliver, but Will seemed so genuine about it she accepted his compliments.

She wasn't totally sure what the boys had planned this year. Last year was all about introducing Will to Hanukkah and the traditions she and her mom held. Lighting the menorah, saying the blessing, giving a gift each night, and eating latkes and sufganiyot which Oliver prepared with way too much talent.

This year they'd had decided to do the same gift tradition they had last year. Which Felicity preferred as giving small gifts to Oliver and William over eight nights was easier than planning those big gifts for Christmas day. Also she was much happier getting gifts that increased in meaningfulness or extravagance over eight nights and receiving small gifts during Christmas than she was with the massive expense charge their very first holiday season together way back when. Oliver honestly seemed to be on the same page now that they had William and Will picked up on how they spent money on him.

She'd never forget the confusion when he'd gotten a few way too expensive gifts for his first birthday with Oliver and her. He accepted them but did quietly tell them he usually got one or two simple gifts and one impressive gift for his birthday with his mom and he kind of liked that a lot because she always put lots of thought behind the gifts. It had crushed Oliver, making him think his son didn't believe Oliver had truly thought of every gift he had given, but they learned for the holiday season.

Out of the corner of her eye Felicity saw a shadow cross in front of the menorah. She looked up and saw her husband standing there watching her. The shadow had been Will coming up to him. Felicity blinked up at him wondering how long he'd been staring. He quirked a smile at her and she turned off the car. She grabbed her purse, opened the car door, and lugged herself out of the car. She was beyond grateful for those morning yoga sessions because she knew without them she'd be huffing and puffing her way anywhere without them.

Oliver was in the kitchen when she opened the door; Will was playing video games in the living room. "Hi," Will sang. Felicity chuckled at his sweater as she had that morning. It was one of the sweater's he'd received last year. Not the one that was slashed down the front with a Christmas tree and red background on one half and a menorah and blue background on the other half, honestly Felicity thought she'd been brilliant with that one, but the nice blue one that said "Deck the halls with matzo balls."

"Did you wear that to school?" she asked honestly a little shocked at seeing him wearing it again.

"Yeah," he answered simply. Felicity's mouth dropped. His brow furrowed slightly. "My math teacher complimented me. And Olivia talked with me about Hanukkah for a few minutes between fourth and fifth period." Felicity nodded. They'd heard a lot about Olivia the past few weeks. Will had firmly told them several times she was just a new friend.

"You do know you don't have to wear them right? I don't want you to be made fun of, Will." William shook his head slightly.

"I'm fine, Fliss. Everyone wears holiday sweaters now. Dominic was wearing a red reindeer one and the other day Charlie wore one that lit up, thatwas an Ugly Christmas Sweater." Felicity nodded. She sat down on the sofa and slipped out of her flats. She couldn't see her feet, but she knew they were swollen. Just getting out of shoes made her moan. "Dad, Felicity needs a foot rub," Will shouted.

"I'm making latkes," Oliver called back.

"Really?" Felicity straightened her back and peered toward the kitchen. His back was to her but she did smell the delicious fried potato pancakes wafting into the living room. How she didn't notice before, she was unaware. "Bring me some?" she basically begged. Will chuckled, put his remote down, and made his way to the kitchen. He came back with three and handed two to Felicity saving one for himself.

"I can't believe I didn't know about these last year," he said through a mouthful. Felicity moaned loudly and nodded sincerely.

"It's a shame. Your dad said the same thing the first time I had him make them. That was after my mom burned a batch and almost set the kitchen on fire." Will's brow lifted. "Don't worry I was there with the fire extinguisher."

"You were there."

"Yeah," she sighed disappointedly. "Cooking doesn't run in the Smoak genes." Will watched her for a moment, silently, the mirror of his father.

"Then let's hope the baby has the Queen cooking genes." He grinned at her and she smirked back.

"How many did you take?" Oliver exclaimed putting two platefuls in the warming drawer. Felicity stuffed the rest of one in her mouth just as he rounded on them.

"Two," she mumbled. William still had half of one in his hand but had the mindset to look ashamed.

"We still have dinner. It's almost done." Felicity gulped down her mouthful and gave him her innocent look. Oliver's shoulders bent slightly at the look.

"We'll still eat dinner, Dad." Oliver's shoulder lurched back into place and he eyed his son with a serious look. William eyed him with little caution and a lot more confidence than he had the previous year and a half. Oliver sighed his shoulders rising and falling dramatically before he stepped to Felicity. He leaned down to press a kiss to her lips. She pecked him quickly before ducking and stuffing a mouthful of latke into her mouth. Will's videogame's background noise came back on and Oliver's hand cupped her jaw. He pulled her face up to his and kissed her more soundly.

"Happy Hanukkah," he murmured against her lips. His next kiss was pressed against her grin. He pulled away, her shoulders danced and her head bobbed side to side.

"What am I getting?" she asked excitement glowing behind her glasses. Oliver winked at her and walked back to the kitchen. Three steps there the buzzer went off. Felicity huffed and slumped into the sofa.

…

She had two presents wrapped, leaning against the windowsill. William had one and Oliver had two. Felicity frowned slightly. She and Oliver had decided to get William a humous book about getting the wrong test answers. She'd been proud. He'd been really struggling with the stress of getting perfect scores. Oliver picked out a few self-help books, after they decided to get him something along the lines for one of his gifts, but Felicity found this joke book about failing in her searches. She'd bought it and read it just to make sure and laughed through it, so she knew it was a good one. Oliver had read the first few chapters and agreed.

She also knew she and William had gotten Oliver three tickets to the Star City Stars hockey game coming up in ten days. It was fitting as they'd gotten him three tickets to the opening game of the Star City Rockets' baseball season for the last night of Hanukkah. She had no earthly idea what her two gifts could be. Perhaps William decided to give them something on his own?

She lit the first candle saying the blessing as Oliver and William stood on each side of her silently. They each took their own gifts or gift, to the living room and sat on the couch in a circle.

"Felicity, go first," Will urged.

"I thought it was youngest to oldest," she teased. That was the consensus last year, a tradition from Oliver's family one William was happy to continue and one Felicity was pleased with.

"Yeah, but you and Dad have two so you go first." Felicity hummed happily moving to rip the wrapping paper up but quickly eyed Oliver. He nodded his head and smiled at her.

"You guys should really put who this is from," she murmured. They had all used the blue and gold star wrapping paper. She knew this wouldn't be brought out for Christmas, just the eight nights.

"That's from both of us," Oliver supplied. Felicity flipped the box over in her hands and oohed. It was herbal warming slippers, whatever those were. But they looked soft. She popped open the box, which they had thankfully already opened for her just closed with some wrapping tape. The slippers were heavier than she expected but extremely soft. She sighed deeply and pressed them against her face.

"They're not just normal slippers, though," Will said excitedly. Felicity raised her brow and peeked over at him. "The bottoms come out and you can warm them up so they heat your feet." Felicity looked at Oliver for conformation. He nodded.

"Microwave?" she asked. They both nodded. "Can I put them on now?" Her feet were terribly cold. The rest of her was a furnace with pregnancy but her feet and hands somehow still stayed frozen. Will slipped out the insoles and popped them in the microwave before running back and handing them to her like a hot potato. Felicity laughed at him as he bounced while running toward them but yelped with the heated soles hit her lap. Oliver frowned and took them away slipping them in.

"Here," he murmured grabbing her feet gently and slipping the slippers on. Felicity let out a breath as they quickly warmed her feet. "The second you get too hot, tell me. I'll help you take them off." She grinned the grin Will deemed sickeningly lovely dovey. His eyes filled with love.

"Dad, your turn," Will grumbled. Oliver chuckled his hand coming to squeezed hers before he opened the small box. "That's from me." Will sat up straighter and watched intently.

Oliver popped open the small box that used to hold an ornament for the tree they had yet to put up. He grinned as he peered into the box. Felicity craned her neck to see and a chirp of a laugh popped out of her. Will beamed at them.

"Sushi socks," Oliver chuckled. "Thanks, Will." He wrapped an arm around his son and pulled him into a big hug. Will sunk into him before patting his back.

"My turn." He opened his gift and quirked a brow upward at the title "F in Exams The Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers." He opened it and read the first two pages before chuckling. "Thanks." He wrapped Felicity in a hug then his dad. "Go, Fliss. This is gonna be good. It's from me." He smirked conspiringly. Felicity quickly opened the little box, another old ornament holder, and laughed.

"Matching socks." She held up her sushi socks to Oliver. His eyes widened.

"There's a condition with these socks," William added. This time both of their eyes widened. Their heads turning to their son. "You have to wear them at the same time so I can get a picture." Oliver considered it for a moment as Felicity stared off to the side. Were they those kind of parents?

"As long as you wear matching pajamas with the little one for the next holiday," Oliver wagered. Will tilted his head in thought.

"Can I chose the pajamas?"

"No."

"As long as you don't make it a onesie, it's a deal."

"What about your reindeer onesie?" Felicity asked, something they'd got him last year that he actually wore at home year round. William furrowed his brow in thought.

"If it's something cool like that we have a deal." He put out his hand and Oliver shook it. Oliver picked up his socks and moved to get up. "Wait, your present from us," Will reminded. Oliver looked to his side and saw a little rectangular box.

"Are these reading glasses?" he grumbled. William and Felicity immediately laughed until they bent at their sides, which was hard for Felicity.

"We're never doing that again," Felicity reassured. That gag stocking gift did not go over well. Oliver's frown disappeared when they stopped laughing and Felicity rubbed his knee softly. "Come on, open it. You'll really like it," she urged her voice gravely. Oliver's eyes softened. He opened the thin box to see a clear plastic box with tickets in it. He read them before looking up at them with wide eyes.

"How many are there?" he asked excitedly throwing the top off the box and slipping the tickets out. "All of us?" Both of them nodded with happy smiles adorning their faces. Oliver pursed his lips together holding in emotion then wrapped an arm around each of them tugging them into a family hug. Each of their chins landed on both his shoulders respectively, Felicity's large belly nestled between them, William's arm wrapped around her shoulders, and hers around his waist. This wasn't a normal occurrence but it felt right in the moment. Felicity felt tears pricking her eyes. Oliver breathed deep and slow.

"Happy Hanukkah," William gently said. They parted with a laugh. Felicity rubbed her belly. "Kicking?" She nodded. "Can I feel?" Will reached a hesitant hand out. Felicity grabbed it and placed it over the kicks.

He'd only started asking in the past month. But both Oliver and her had noticed his urge to feel his sibling the moment he walked in on her and Oliver talking at her growing belly with their hands placed over her. He'd been silent, brooding almost, about it. Felicity had asked a few times and he'd simply shook his head. It wasn't until he saw the last sonogram photo did he ask. They'd been talking nonstop about how the baby had been really active and they'd been unable to tell the sex then Felicity laughed and placed a hand over her belly and he'd just asked. Softly, in that hesitant unsure voice of his. The one he rarely used now.

Oliver pressed a kiss to Felicity's head and ran a hand over William's. He came back with a plate full of latkes. They both turned their attention happily.

"Too bad the baby will basically be one by the time they get to have their first Hanukkah. Wait." Will stopped eating and eyed both of them seriously. They paused eating too. "Does that mean he or she will get to try latkes? Cause don't they usually eat normal food by the time they're one?" Felicity chuckled.

"Yes," Oliver answered. "You've been reading up?" Will looked sheepishly at the plate in between the three of them.

"No about pregnancy." He wrinkled his nose. "That book was good enough." He shivered. Oliver openly laughed at that. Felicity hit his chest with the back of her hand when she noticed the blush creep up Will's cheeks. "But, I've been reading up on what they're like and the developmental stages. Did you know some babies sprout teeth at three months?" Felicity groaned.

"No. Not happening. Knock on wood." Oliver obliged with the side table. "I just hope they're not born on Christmas Eve or Day. I had friends who were and they always said it was a bummer. Hanukkah's not the same. It's eight days, but Christmas is one, two if you're really into Christmas Eve which I mean we're not really."

"Christmas Eve pajamas," Will defended. Felicity shrugged.

"I hope their born a few days after. That way we can actually celebrate without intruding on the holiday." Oliver's hand came down on top of hers and he kissed her cheek.

"I'll be happy no matter what. And the baby will be happy to be with us." Felicity's eyes dazzled at him.

"Okay, on that note, I'm leaving. Going to bed." Will took a few latkes in his hand and darted to his room.

"Night," they called after him. He grunted in return, mouth full. Felicity wrapped her arms around Oliver's neck.

"I'll be really happy if I get a Hanukkah present in the form of the baby," she murmured. He pressed their foreheads together.

"You're not due yet, and I'd really like both of you to be healthy." Felicity huffed and turned her head just before his lips hit hers. He gave her a look, a pouty look. She pulled back, but left her arms around him. Oliver tilted his head as he stared her down. She didn't back down. He wrapped his arms low on her waist and tugged her closer. "I know, I know. Your body, your choice. But you can't really choose this, hon." Felicity's bottom lip popped out. Oliver wrapped a hand around her neck and pulled her into him.

"They'll come when they'll come. And we'll be happy no matter what," he murmured. She sighed deeply her nose digging into his neck.

"I'd be happier if it was soon," she mumbled. Oliver chuckled and rubbed her back soothingly.

"I know," he whispered kissing her temple.