Author's note: This was supposed to be updated a long time ago and then life got in the way and some things happened. Alas, for any of you reading this, I'm back and here's the overdue dinner chapter. Here we go!
Felicity sat down in her chair at the restaurant Oliver took her to, glancing around the room in admiration. It was definitely not Big Belly Burger, she realized and she was okay with that. She ordered a water when the waiter came and took their drink orders, wishing for something a little stronger but not wanting to be under the influence and not have any control over what she said or did. When the waiter brought back their drinks, along with a bread basket, Felicity plucked out a stick of bread and took a bite of it, chewing methodically to help keep her anxiety at bay. She could feel Oliver's eyes on her and she sighed quietly, offering him a tentative smile. "I'm okay, really."
"You don't feel dizzy or like you're going into shock or anything due to the flashback?" Oliver checked, earnestly watching her and she knew he was looking for any signs that indicated she was slipping into shock. She took a sip of her water and smiled at him kindly.
"I'm all right, Oliver," she replied gently and his eyes softened.
"You have a beautiful smile, Felicity," Oliver complimented her and she felt her cheeks hue red and glanced down, before looking at him through shy eyelashes.
"Thanks," she murmured, slightly uncomfortable for the sole fact that Cooper had never given her a compliment after they were together and she didn't know what to do with the one Oliver was giving her now. Perhaps he saw something in her expression because he was talking again a moment later.
"Something I said?" Oliver asked calmly and Felicity choked out a laugh, hating herself for how easy she was to read.
"No, I promise," she assured him. "I'm just not – well, really used to compliments. Not ones of that magnitude, at least."
Oliver tilted his head to the side. "Magnitude?"
She nodded. "Yeah, you know, I'm used to IT related compliments or something about my geeky side or whatever, but not that I have a pretty smile."
"I believe I said it was a beautiful smile," Oliver commented thoughtfully, soft smile adorning his face. "Pretty doesn't do it justice."
Felicity blushed even further, dropping her gaze shyly and staring at the table, knowing better than to open her mouth lest she spew out proverbial word vomit like she was so very accustomed to doing. When she was certain she wasn't going to embarrass herself by inserting her foot into her mouth, she smiled and looked up at him hesitantly. "Thank you, Oliver."
He nodded once and the waiter came to take their orders. After ordering a pasta off the menu she thought looked good and a salad, Felicity handed over her menu and watched as Oliver ordered the steak and salad. Once the waiter left, Oliver turned back to her and began talking in quiet tones.
"I'm curious, and you can definitely tell me to mind my own business, but have you ever talked to a professional about your time with Cooper?" Oliver asked.
Felicity answered his question with a question of her own. "Have you talked to a professional about the five years you spent on an island?"
Oliver laughed. "Well played."
She smiled as she took a sip of her water and then spoke up, deciding to answer his question honestly. "Truth of the matter is I didn't want to talk to a therapist or someone. I-I thought it must have been my fault, you know? That I must have done something to anger Cooper to that degree all the time."
Oliver studied her with gentle eyes that held a force. "Do you still feel that way now?"
Felicity took a moment to think about his question so she could make sure her answer was one hundred percent honest. Shaking her head a moment later, she spoke once more. "No, I don't. Nothing gives anybody the right to put their hands on another person. Cooper is sick – he needed a modicum of help that I couldn't provide."
"He needs a good kick up the ass," Oliver replied flatly and Felicity laughed so hard she snorted.
"Frack," she mumbled through chuckles and Oliver laughed freely with her.
"You should do that more," he said and she tilted her head to side curiously, beckoning him to continue. "You should laugh more. It looks good on you."
She stared at him for a moment before replying. "I'm not sure what to make of this."
"This being…," Oliver prompted her to continue and she took a fortifying breath before doing so.
"This," she said, punctuating her point by waving her hand around the nice restaurant they were in. "I-I don't know if this is a date or if I'm reading too much into it and it's only a one-sided attraction on my part and oh, frack,I have to go crawl in a hole now for admitting that out loud."
Thankfully, Oliver cut her off mid-ramble by laughing warmly. "You stay in your head this much every day?"
"I over-analyze to a T," she admitted, face flushed and she knew her eyes were bright in her moment of embarrassment.
Oliver smiled kindly. "It's a date if you want it to be a date."
"What do you want?" Felicity whispered, too scared her voice would betray her by cracking if she spoke any louder.
"I'd personally like to view this as the start of what I hope are many dates," Oliver commented casually. "But it can't solely be my decision. I'm fairly certain Cooper tried to squash your voice and I'm going to tell you right now that I'll never do that – dating or not."
"You make it sound so easy," Felicity murmured.
"Sometimes it is," he replied.
She studied him for a moment, before taking a sip of water as she spotted the waiter bringing their plates of food and she leaned back in her chair so he had the opportunity to sit it down on the table. Once the waiter left their table, Felicity twirled her pasta around her fork and took a bite of it, relishing in the seasoning. She looked back at Oliver.
"We – we can view this as a date," she admitted. "I just…can we go slow?"
Oliver cocked a gentle smile in her direction. "We can go as slow as you need, Felicity."
His voice was assuring in all the right places and perhaps that's what helped Felicity relax the most. She found herself trusting him. Nothing more was said but then again, nothing more needed to be said and they enjoyed the rest of their dinner together, Felicity feeling at peace for the first time in too long.
Author's note: I'm going to shatter that peace. Enjoy! X