Chapter Text
Oliver’s struggling to keep his eyes off of Felicity.
Images from a couple of days ago keep flashing in front of his eyes and he seems to constantly need reminding that she’s there and she’s alright.
All he sees when he takes his eyes off of her is the Count, stroking his disgusting hand through her ponytail, holding that needle to her throat, his hands all over Oliver’s girl.
She is his girl, she always will be, but he can’t let it go where he wants it to. God, the Count only knew that she worked for him. He can’t put her in that kind of danger, she’s far too precious to him.
She’s sat at her desk outside his office now, typing away on her computer and he can’t help but smile at the little frown of concentration on her face. She gets this little wrinkle above her eyes and Oliver’s convinced it’s possibly the cutest thing he’s ever seen. She’s so passionate about her work, it’s such a beautiful thing to see.
Her dress is making him as crazy as they usually do. He was speaking the truth to Isabel, Felicity’s skirts aren’t that short, definitely not short enough to be deemed inappropriate but short enough to drive him crazy. This one’s a deep red color, perfect for the fall weather outside and her feet are encased in black heels, her hair devoid of its usual ponytail.
She takes a moment out of her typing to swoop her hair over one shoulder, revealing her long neck to his eyes and Oliver groans, thinking about how he’d like to trail his lips across the skin there, leave his mark on the spot just below her ear.
The sound of the elevator arriving at the executive floor brings them both out of their respective hazes and Oliver returns to the file he was supposed to be reading, trusting Felicity to direct whoever it was if they needed him.
“Mrs. Queen! I wasn’t aware you were visiting today.” Felicity’s startled voice makes Oliver raise his view to indeed see his mother stood by his assistant’s desk. One look at the terrified look on Felicity’s face has Oliver out of his chair and his office door in seconds, stepping forward to embrace his mother.
“Mom! You didn’t tell me you were coming by today.” He greets, kissing her cheek and she smiles, shucking off her coat and holding it out to Felicity who takes it immediately, stalking past them to hang it on the coat rack that sits inside Oliver’s office. They’d agreed to put it there because dealing with people’s coats isn’t what Oliver expects of her, just like she doesn’t get him coffee. She’s his partner, not his secretary.
“Yes, well, I’m afraid I need to speak with you and Miss Smoak immediately,” Moira tells them and Felicity frowns, looking over at Oliver helplessly.
“Me?” She asks, stepping out of his office and Moira raises an eyebrow.
“Your name is Miss Smoak is it not?” She asks condescendingly, and Oliver takes a deep breath.
“Mom.” He says warningly and Moira’s eyes snap to him in surprise, humming slightly. She then stalks into his office, settling on one of the chairs in front of his desk. Oliver moves closer to Felicity, catching her arm lightly before she turns to follow his mother. “I’m sorry about the coat thing.”
“It’s fine, Oliver.” She smiles at him reassuringly and he shakes his head.
“No, it’s not. I respect you more than that.” He tells her honestly and she smiles, letting her arm slide out of his hand as she heads into the office herself, leaving Oliver to follow.
Moira is tapping away on the tablet she’s pulled out of her purse and there’s a significant ping from Oliver’s phone in his pocket and the tablet sat on his desk. Moira gestures towards them and Oliver digs his phone out as Felicity unlocks the tablet, both clicking on the message that’s just come through from Moira.
It’s a link to a gossip site, the most popular in Starling, Oliver notes. This is the only site that his mother allows herself to lose sleep over, she considers most of them trash not worth acknowledging but this site has a considerable following.
Oliver Queen Back to His Playboy Habits?
Right underneath the title is two pictures of he and Felicity, one of them leaving the office and the other of them leaving Verdant. He recognizes the one from the office as last week. Felicity had been rambling on about bringing Isabel down when her mouth had slipped in its usual way, a double entendre slipping out that had made Oliver laugh. It was that moment that the camera captured, his head thrown back in laughter and clutching her elbow for support. The other one is only a few days old. Oliver had gone down into the bunker to find Felicity running searches but she’d been shaking, visibly upset. The bags under her eyes had let him know that she hadn’t slept since the Count at QC the day before and he had bundled her shaking frame in his old hoodie and driven her home, staying with her until she fell asleep. The picture showed her drowning in his hoodie and her tucked under his arm, looking up at him with those wide vulnerable eyes that always made him want to kiss away her pain. The look on his face was pure adoration and Oliver briefly wondered how many people had caught him looking at Felicity with that expression on his face.
“As you can see, this is a real issue,” Moira speaks up and Oliver frowns, not having moved past the pictures. He scrolls down, skim-reading the article and frowning at the accusations that Felicity was sleeping her way up the company and that he was allowing her to take control. There were quotes from ‘anonymous’ sources at QC stating that they were always together and Felicity acted above her ‘station’ as an assistant. That particular comment has Oliver growling. “Oliver!”
“It’s rubbish Mom. Felicity and I are friends, this job is far below what she’s capable of and she took it as a favor to me because I rely on her expertise.” Oliver explains, sitting down in his chair and nodding for Felicity to sit in the chair next to his mother. She shoots him a look and stays standing, fidgeting uncomfortably when Moira’s glance turns to her.
“Is this true Miss Smoak?” She asks, a perfectly plucked eyebrow raising and Felicity nods her head.
“Yes, of course, Mrs. Queen. I was actually set for a promotion in the IT department which I’m telling you would have been a much better idea because the supervisor down there is still as incompetent as he’s ever been. I have to go down there like twice a day to fix the system when someone inevitably crashes it and…” She rambles away and only stops when Oliver places a hand on her arm, steadying her.
“Felicity.” He says softly and he notes that Dig may have been right when he pointed out a couple of weeks ago that he seems to have a voice reserved especially for Felicity.
“Well, be that as it may. We have to do some sort of damage control on this. Oliver, your position at this company is tenuous as it is, we need to stabilize this. There’re two options here. We either move Miss Smoak to another department and the two of you make a conscious effort to not be seen together in public…”
“No,” Oliver states soundly, looking to Felicity’s whose eyes have blown wide. “Like I said, I rely on her and I am not reducing the amount of time I spend with her outside of work Mom. We’re friends.”
He knows that his speech is a little preachy but still, having Felicity out of his life like that is not something he even wants to consider the possibility of. She’s the light in his darkness, he needs her.
“Well, the second option is a little more… shall we say, intimate.” Moira states and Felicity coughs, blushing as the attention shifts to her.
“Intimate?” She asks and Moira nods, looking the two of them over.
“We address this as if the two of you are in a serious relationship. It will help show the public, and the board, how much you’ve grown from the boy you used to be and it will hopefully stop the gossip from spreading. Committed relationships are far less interesting to the press than a scandalous fling. We’ll release a press statement, emphasizing the fact that the relationship began after Miss Smoak became your assistant and that the reason it was kept quiet was to protect her professional reputation.” Moira announces and Oliver chances a look over at Felicity who’s jaw is slightly open in shock.
“Mom…” He starts but his mother cuts him off, holding up a hand.
“Those are your two options. I am going to use Miss Smoak’s computer to type up a draft press release whilst you two discuss your options.” She states and in a whirlwind is out of the room, settling herself at Felicity’s desk. She closed the door behind her and the two of them are left alone.
“Felicity, I…” He starts but her hand flies out to stop him, just like his mother’s moments ago.
“Oliver, we need to take this seriously. Your mother’s right, if the board catches wind of this, you’re only going to fall further in their eyes and that will only boost Isabel which ugh…” She groans and Oliver chuckles, settling back into his chair.
“I don’t want to have to avoid you.” He tells her honestly and she melts a little, her shoulders loosening and her gaze turning softer as she looks at him.
“I don’t want that either. Especially because that would make how we spend our nights kind of awkward, oh frack, your mother shut the door right?” She freaks and Oliver chuckles, watching the way she relaxes once she spots the door firmly closed.
“I don’t want to make you do anything you’re uncomfortable with.” He assures her and she smiles, turning to look at him.
“Oliver, we’ve already somehow got the press convinced that we’re sleeping together. I don’t think it’s going to take too much more to convinced them we’re in a relationship. So it’s what? A little handholding and the occasional stuffy gala? Unless you’re so repulsed at the idea of dating me, even if it is fake.” She trails off, her voice gaining that vulnerable edge and Oliver’s heart tugs.
“Hey. Nothing about you could ever be repulsive, I just want to make sure that you’re comfortable with this.” He tells her, standing from his chair and walking over to clasp her hand in his own. “I respect you and your integrity.”
“Are we really going to do this?” She asks, looking up at him and he shrugs.
“The ball is in your court.” He tells her and she takes a deep breath.
“Then I guess I am the fake girlfriend of one Oliver Queen.” She speaks determinedly and Oliver smiles, squeezing her hand in his.
“I assume you’ve made a decision?” Moira asks as they step out into Felicity’s domain in the office.
“Send the press release out,” Oliver speaks with determination in his voice and his mother smiles, nodding her head.
“Miss Smoak?” She asks and Felicity looks up at her, a little scared.
“Yes?” She asks and Moira smiles a little.
“What are your plans for Thanksgiving?” Moira questions and Felicity raises an eyebrow.
“Lighting my menorah? Hanukkah starts on Wednesday.” Felicity explains and Moira hums, taking a deep breath.
“I don’t wish to undermine your religion Miss Smoak but it would be very beneficial to this story if you came and spent Thanksgiving with us. We’re taking a week at our cabin in the mountains in New Hampshire.” Moira explains and Felicity nods, having known of the plans as she organizes Oliver’s schedule.
“Mom, that’s asking a lot. Isn’t this a big deal? You said something about them not falling on the same day for over 100 years.” Oliver asks Felicity, looking down at her and she shrugs her shoulders.
“Yeah, but I never really do Thanksgiving. My mom was throwing out ideas about me going back to Vegas but honestly, it’s a trip I’d like to avoid.” She tells him truthfully and he nods, having noticed that she really doesn’t ever mention her mom.
“Miss Smoak, I assure you, we won’t stand in the way of you celebrating Hanukkah. You may have to guide us a little in the traditions but, if you don’t mind a few extra guests, we would be happy to celebrate with you. I understand that I’m asking a lot of you but I just want to cement my son’s place in this company, and yours as well. I can see how he relies on you and I don’t wish for that to be jeopardized. I can see the bond the two of you share. I don’t beg, I have too much pride for that but this week and a few well placed social media posts will do wonders to blow this storm over.” Moira tells her and Felicity smiles. Oliver is shocked, he’s never heard his mother be so candid with someone outside of their family before.
“Yeah, okay. I’ll come.” She says quietly and Moira smiles, clapping her hands.
“Excellent! I’ll get this finished and sent up to PR. Oliver, I don’t want your sister knowing this is a ruse, she’s not the best at keeping secrets.” Moira states casually and Oliver freezes. If Thea doesn’t know that this is all a ruse, then he and Felicity are going to have to actually sell this the entire time they’re at the cabin.
“Oliver?” Felicity asks as she follows him back into his office and he sighs, turning to look at her.
“I’m so sorry for all of this.” He tells her and she shakes her head, stepping towards him and running her hands up his arms. They stop at his elbows cupping them softly and he allows himself to place his hands on her waist, watching the way that she shivers slightly as the tips of his fingers brush the skin revealed by the cut-out at the back of her dress.
“Hey, we’re a team. If this was the other way around and I needed your help, you’d do it right?” She asks and he looks into her eyes, so full of trust and he sighs, nodding.
“In a heartbeat.” He tells her honestly and she smiles, her head tilting in the way that always makes him grin.
“Then let me do this for you. We’ll figure it out, we always do.” She assures him and he sighs, breaking her gaze.
“But my sister… we’re going to have to act like…” He sighs and one of her hands moves, rubbing his arm in a way that immediately calms him.
“We’ll figure it out.” She repeats, more determined this time and he nods. “I need to go and reclaim my computer from your mother. We’ll work out on how we’re going to sell this as not so platonic later, okay?”
He nods and reluctantly lets her go, gripping her fingers until they slide out of his. “Felicity?” He asks when she reaches the door and she hums, turning around. “I think you and I both know you’re lying when you say that what we have is purely platonic.”
She smiles and blushes a little, looking down at her feet. “Later.”
“Later.” He promises, watching her go with a smile.