Work Text:
XXXXX
"Ugh," she groaned again from her office chair. That was the fifth time in so many minutes and it was starting to wear on his already trying patience.
"You think I'm having a party over here?" He answered her next exasperated groan. His arm received a tight jerk to the right.
"Its impossible to type with you here," he could tell she was fuming but he just couldn't find a fuck to give. Even if it made the situation last longer.
"I write with my right hand Felicity! Its impossible for me to get any work done!"
"Well, excuse me your majesty," the sarcastic clip to her voice was enough to let him know that she meant business. "I'll just sit here twiddling my thumbs all day. No, no. Its fine. Screw Mr. Smith, you need your hand to write. That's what his next victims tombstone will read, 'here she lies because Oliver needed to write'!"
Then a thought hit him, "Why are you angry with me? All of this is Diggle's fault,"
There is a pregnant moment of silence while Felicity ponders this point. Abruptly her head is moving side to side in a pointed gesture. "No. Don't blame Dig. This happened because you can't control yourself," she poked him in the chest with her good hand.
"Oh, that's right. I forgot I was handcuffed to myself!" He hissed through gritted teeth.
XXXXX THREE HOURS AGO XXXXX
"I can't believe you went out last night without me there! Something could've gone wrong! One of you could've died!" The fiery blonde didn't need this first thing in the morning. She'd only just arrived at the office.
"But I didn't, which is why you're yelling at me right now," he deadpanned moving away from her into his office. Just as he was brushing past the rest of his team, Diggle came out of nowhere like a goddamn ninja and slapped his wrist. Technically he slapped both of their wrists.
"Take. Them. Off. Now" the vigilante growled to his partner in crime.
"I don't even see a keyhole," Felicity mused looking them over. Her anger was silently building in the opposite way that Oliver's was erupting everywhere. Spreading smoldering ash throughout the room and probably surrounding villages.
"That's because there is no key. I had those specially made for the situation. Suffice to say, they won't come off until you stop fighting," Diggle delivered the news with all the guarded features he mastered during his years of combat.
"John! You can't do this! Take it off! How will I change my clothes? How will I type? I'm a woman. What if I have to go to the bathroom?!" Shit! Yesterday she'd gotten her monthly proof that she, indeed, had ovaries. Maybe it wouldn't be that long. Surely they could get along before it came to that. Right? As if on cue her stomach gave a loud gurgling sound. "No one heard that, right?"
"Heard what?" Diggle smiled. Patting her back as he walked away.
XXXXX NOW XXXXX
"I can't do this. Let's jut go home," Oliver said bringing his fingers up to rub against the bridge of his nose. His face became one of stoicism as he gently helped Felicity rise from her chair.
"That's a good plan. But how do you expect to exit the building without everyone noticing the cuffs linking you to your assistant. I have a hard enough time convincing them that this," she lifts her cuffed hand to jiggle, "isn't happening behind scenes. These cuffs will only add fuel to the fire,".
" Felicity. I survived five years on a hellish island and came home to become the feared vigilante cleaning up this city. I think I can manage to sneak us out of the office,"
Famous last words.
They made it out of the office, alright. After the fifth person caught them "sneaking" out Felicity threw her hands up in frustration letting the proverbial cat out of the bag by showing of the sleek metal around her wrist connection her to her boss.
Now safely tucked into Oliver's room at the mansion, Oliver calls for Chinese food while Felicity hides her face inside of her hands.
"I'll never live this down..." she moans pained.
"...an order of steamed dumplings..." he continues.
"...they'll all know by Monday that I was handcuffed to Oliver Queen..." she continues into her palm.
Oliver continues on barely listening to the pained words muffled into his assistant's palms. "...a small lo mein..." He stuttered only a second when he heard a muffled,
"...and not even in the fun kind of way. Nothing is ever the fun way in these situations..."
XXXXX
"You did not!" She laughed so hard that she almost dropped the carton of sesame chicken in her hands.
"I swear it. Sometimes Thea still asks me to check inside her closet!" Oliver added trough his own laughter.
"That's terrible! Suddenly I'm glad to be an only child," she sipped some more wine.
"Really? You don't want your big brother to pretend there are monsters in your closet?"
"I don't think so," her hair swings to the side as she answers. "Its kind of sweet though. You made them to slay them. Although, I'm pretty sure that's how cults are formed," she has to duck the napkin that he tosses at her.
"The order of the Arrow! That's what we'll call this cult," she shrieked excitedly between giggles.
"We should get matching leather jackets and bandanas next" he laughed along.
XXXXX
"Oh man. The dreaded time has come," she groaned shoving his pillow over her face as they sat on his bed watching TV.
"What do you mean?" He asked badly glancing at her from his spot on the bed. They were both leaning against the headboard with their legs spread out in front of them.
"I have to pee really bad and the cuffs didn't poof off yet" she groaned as though the idea of being in the bathroom at the same time physically pained her. Maybe it did.
Pausing the episode of Falling Skies, Oliver turns to her. "Here's what we'll do. We'll take turns okay? I'll wear headphones while you go with my back to you,then you'll do the same after. Problem solved"
"Oliver" she said through the pillow still shielding her face from reality. "I have my period. I need both hands"
XXXXX
After the most awkward fifteen minutes of their lives both make it out o he bathroom sated. They're in the process of creeping back down the hall when Thea Queen comes bounding down the hall with her Mother in tow.
Oliver is quick to move Felicity behind himself with their bound hands between them. Felicity gives a wide-eyed panicked look to her younger friend.
Moira has stopped to greet Oliver while Thea notices the cuffs. Quizzically her brown eyes shoot to Felicity's green ones only to find them pleading to get her boss out of noticing distance.
"Mom, come on. I need to get shopping before work tonight and you promised me bonding!" She tugs at her mothers sleeve pulling Moira away physically before she has time to see the point of connection.
Once safely hidden in his room Felicity gets a text: I'm so teasing you later :P
XXXXX
"Oliver. Are you still awake?" She calls into the darkness.
"Yeah. I don't usually sleep much" he answers from next to her on the bed.
"Do you ever wonder what life would've been like if you hadn't gotten on that yacht?"
"I have" was his terse reply. It wasn't said with any malice or anger, only stated as a fact.
"I have too" she whispered even lower. Finding some semblance of courage in the dark. Knowing that she's come this far, Felicity asks, "Do you regret it?"
"I couldn't"
Brow furrowing in the night air, "Because you're saving people's lives".
"That's part of it, yeah"
"I'll bite. What's the whole reason?"
"There are several. First, I'm helping people. The citizens that my family has failed. Secondly, I've found out more horrible truths about my family now then I ever would have then. Third, I've found a new family that I can trust and care for. And the best one. I've found love"
She knew that it wasn't herself. But hearing Oliver Queen just say the word "love" made her heart race.
"Wow. Should send that poor girl a muffin basket" she joked weakly.
"Are you offering to buy her affections through wheat products or getting it because you feel bad for her? Is it that bad to image someone happy with me?"
Yes! Its hard to image anyone other than myself with you! She cried in her head. Thankfully her filter was working tonight. "Of course not. Tell me about her. What makes her worthy of The Arrow's affection?"
"She is brilliant, witty, dorky. She makes me want to be better than I am. Makes me angry all the time, but in a way that is completely endearing. Never backs down from a fight with me..." Wait. "And she's the most gorgeous woman I have ever known" Nope. Now he definitely couldn't be talking about her. "Do you know how frustrating it is to see the love of your life every day and know that there is no way they could ever want you. To know that you're the one who is unworthy of them?" Yes, yes she does.
"I'm sure that's not true. This woman is starting to sound like God. Wonderful in theory and fake in person. Who is this girl?"
"The reason I could never regret the island is because it made me stronger. It taught me who I needed to be. But it took away everything that made me Oliver" he paused for a moment and Felicity waited for him to continue. He gave a derisive chuckle. "Not a week later I met you" That took a turn. "You gave me back everything that made me who I was while keeping in line all that I've become. You challenge me. You hold me responsible when others shirk it away" Holy shit. What is... "I could never regret the island because that would be regretting you. And I could never do that. I love you, Felicity"
Felicity didn't answer. She was stunned into silence. That couldn't be true. She was dreaming. But whether this was a dream or reality she knew what needed to be done next.
Leaning closer Felicity closed the gap between them. Her hands rose to tangle in his hair as he deepened the kiss. One hand tangled in her hair while the other brought her by the hips to cover her body with his own.
Neither noticed the fact that the cuffs had disappeared. And when she woke up tangled together with Oliver, Felicity thanked God and all of his angels for letting this be her reality.