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William Clayton-Queen loved Disney classics. So when his parents, or better, his stepmom, came with the idea to introduce his five-year-old sister Mia to them, he thought it was great and was immediately on board. His biological mother had done the same when he was a child and he loved it, so of course he wanted to continue the tradition.
It wasn’t easy though. The little girl was a hurricane; restless, courageous, loud and stubborn. Felicity claimed she was exactly like Oliver. But there was so much of Felicity and not the obvious physical resemblance. Mia had a sweet energy that was quintessential Felicity.
William struggled a lot, but in that Saturday afternoon he managed to bring the little girl to the family room and made her sit right next to him on the couch.
“Where’s Lucas?” She asked wiggling her little legs that hang a great distance from the floor.
“With mom.” He answered while pressing the TV’s buttons in search for the movie. “She’ll probably bring him when she’s done.”
“What we going to do?”
“I’ll introduce you to one of my favorite childhood movies.” Her brother answered with an exaggerated mysterious tone. Mia, blessed be her infant innocence, turned to him, her face filled with curiosity and thrill, her mouth opened in an ‘O’. “It’s called The Lion King.”
“Lions? I likes lions!” Mia exclaimed throwing her arms up excitedly. In one of the hands she held a rubber arrow. William shook his head half exasperated, half entertained, the corner of his mouth twitching with a faint smile.
Ever since their parents started telling the adventures of the Green Arrow to Mia she was in a bow and arrow phase. She thought the stories were pure fiction, invented by the couple. She had no idea the Green Arrow had indeed existed and it had been her father.
William both wanted and didn’t want to see her reaction when she learned the truth. Maybe the little blonde head would explode.
Or maybe the phase was because archery was in her blood.
“Why don’t you drop the arrow? You won’t play with it now.” He suggested smoothly.
With his recently acquired adulthood, William was more and more certain he wasn’t a fan of kids nor saw himself having kids in the future, but he loved Mia and Lucas more than life itself. Of course when they started with the tantrums, it wasn’t unusual for him to go crazy, lose his cool and return them so Oliver and Felicity could handle.
The little girl glanced at his face and the arrow, going back and forth a few times, as if in a tennis match. The wild blonde curls twirled, her little face changed, brow furrowing, and suddenly Mia was a copy of Oliver – if his father pouted. William thought it was so cute.
“No! What if I has to save the world?” She replied. “I has to help the Arrow!”
Mia loved role-playing superhero and being the Green Arrow’s sidekick. Her family was more than willing to help. Especially her father, who was wrapped around her little finger since the very first breath she gave into this world.
Of course there were some tense moments. Like when she tried to climb up the stairs railings. Or when she did climb the tree on their yard. Or this one day when Oliver went to the roof to fix something, she saw him and was buzzed with excitement shouting she wanted to play up there the next time. Convincing her that was a restricted area and that no one went up there had been an enormous challenge to her parents.
“Mia, sweetheart, the Arrow can save the world one day without your help. And he knows you’re here and he really wants you to watch the movie.” William said patiently.
Mia lowered her eyes to the arrow, her confused expression still there.
“Green Arrow likes The Lion King?” She asked genuinely curious.
William weighed his answer. The Green Arrow had been real, after all. “I bet so. He’s a man of taste.”
Mia’s antics changed in a whip. Her pout faded, so did the confusion, her face lit up and she was back to the previous state of excitement.
“Okay!” She exclaimed but didn’t let go of the arrow.
William settled lazily on the big couch, Mia also sprawled on it. For someone so little, she could reclaim a lot of space. He pressed play and the movie started. He chose the original, cartoon version as he was not crazy.
It didn’t take long for Mia to be enchanted. He watched her amusedly through the corner of his eye. Disney made its magic, drawing her to its world, and soon she was entirely focused. So much she almost didn’t make a sound, and the house lost temporarily its biggest source of noise. Fifteen minutes later her brother realized she forgot the arrow and dropped it on the couch.
“Simba is cute.” She made the comment not looking away from the screen, not even by a mere inch.
“He reminds me of you.” William said.
“Why?”
Because he’s cute and when he gets angry wants to attack and doesn’t realize he just looks cuter. Of course he couldn’t answer this.
“Because you are both curious and brave.”
“What is curious?” Mia pronounced the last word carefully.
This was a thing no one told him about living with kids: defining words that were so natural, so usual he didn’t know how. William paused the movie, thinking about his answer and also to prevent her from losing the plot and getting lost.
“Uh. Curious means getting interested for something, wanting to know and see and experiment things. Like you and the Green Arrow. Ever since you found out about him you want to know everything about him.”
“What is ex… expe… expiment?”
Moments like these Mia showed she was definitely Felicity Smoak’s child. She had a sharp mind, always eager to explore the world around and learn.
“Experiment.” He then proceeded to explain. “Now enough of question otherwise you’re gonna miss the movie.” He pointed to the TV then pressed play again. If he played dictionary with his sister they would do nothing else. And he’d rather watch The Lion King than serve as walking Google.
“Oh ok.” Mia wasn’t even bothered. The movie was a lot cool. “Then I am Simba.” She declared.
All went well. Silence fell in the living room, the biggest proof that Mia was distracted and completely immersed in the movie.
And then Mufasa’s death scene came. William knew it would be a tough moment – if not a bit traumatic –, something that marked any child’s life, but he reckoned the rest of the movie would make up for it.
“What… happened?” She mumbled, voice weirdly calm. “Simba loses daddy?”
On the screen, the cub poked the fallen lion.
“Yeah, Mufasa died.”
William turned his head to look at his sister. Sadness took over her features and then the shock. He approached her with caution and tenderly placed his arms over her shoulders.
“Simba loses his daddy.” Mia repeated with a weak voice. Her eyes shone with tears.
William got worried, he didn’t record ever seeing her like this. Oh frack. He squeezed her shoulder, bringing her comfort. He understood it completely.
Or he thought he did.
Crying with Mufasa’s death was normal, whether you are a child or an adult. He remembered this one time when Felicity was pregnant with Lucas and she broke in tears when they watched it together. Oliver, overbearing as he’d been with both pregnancies, showed up in a frantic way after hearing the sobs, ready to tear the world down for her until he found out the reason why.
“I loses daddy?” Mia spoke. She placed her weepy eyes on her brother, pressed lips trembling, face holding back the crying. Surprise hit William, his eyes widening, and that was when he understood. Mia truly saw herself as Simba and, watching Simba losing Mufasa, she imagined herself losing her own father.
“No!” He exclaimed exasperatedly. He wanted to take the dread off that little angelic face as quick as possible. “Your daddy is fine. He’s not going anywhere.”
Her eyes scanned around the room, but Oliver wasn’t there. Ever since they started the movie there was only the two of them. But William knew his parents and brother were home. Not seeing her father made the little one even more upset. She began crying desperately, jumped off the couch and ran away.
Oh no.
Every time Oliver’s eyes moved to where the desk met the floor a small smile inevitably escaped from the corner of his lips. A concentrated Lucas played with his blocks, entirely unaware of reality.
Ever since he was a baby and started crawling Lucas thought desks and tables were fascinating. The first time he crawled under one he cried when his father tried to take him out. He loved crossing from one side to the other giggling out loud.
Oliver thought the wonder had evaporated, but no. A few months ago the phase returned. This time, at the age of three, Lucas’ face brightened whenever he looked at the tables, astounding enchantment filling his features. It was such pure and honest curiosity that always made his father smile. Now he couldn’t see a table that he wanted to crawl under and found the space under so interesting. Oliver thought his son saw the pieces of furniture as a fort because he usually dragged his toys there.
Lucas liked even better when him or Felicity were seated. Particularly his mother as he seated there and watched over her like a tiny bodyguard. Sometimes he stood still, sometimes he played with their legs. Once he even bit Oliver’s calf – playfully, but still hurt. Of course sometimes there was some argument when the adults had to leave the room and the little boy wanted to stay. In rare moments like these Oliver cursed that his children were so independent and driven.
But today was a day of peace. And not because of this particular moment. The beautiful day arrived with sunlight streaming through the master bedroom’s closed curtains, waking Oliver early. He gazed lovingly at his wife, struck once again by the reality that this domestic life was actually real, then cuddled her when she woke up. He ditched his daily morning run, which was not something he liked, but Felicity made the great point that the house was still quiet, there was some time until William arrived from college, and as parents to two wild toddlers they had to embrace every breach possible. She sealed her point with a soft kiss which quickly turned to a hot make-out session, so he changed his cardio to mind-blowing morning sex.
They were still coming down from the rush when Lucas barged into the room, screaming ‘morning’ and jumped on the bed, crashing over them. Luckily they’d already separated their bodies, and Felicity wrapped them in the covers again; they’d thought they had some more lazy minutes to spare. Then Mia appeared with Oliver’s phone in hand – he still didn’t know how it happened –, talking to William, joined the bed as well and asked why mommy’s and daddy’s pajamas were on the floor. Flustered, loose limbs and mind filled with pleasure, struggling to keep his still half-hard body covered, Oliver babbled something about adult sleepovers that made William groan on the other side, the toddlers cheerfully discuss what an adult sleepover was and Felicity cover her face with the pillow, mumbling “This is why I’ll never set foot at that school again.”
Oh yeah, he remembered well the incident with Mia’s homework that had Felicity attend a meeting with the teacher and come back home mortified. Which then made him and Felicity teach their little monsters about knocking on a door before opening. Still, his wife restrained their physical contact for two weeks. Two weeks of torture for Oliver. Rude. It hadn’t been his fault.
He’d just accepted embarrassing moments with his kids were part of the deal, no matter how hard he tried to avoid them. After so much hell, Oliver appreciated and cherished every moment with his family, no matter how crazy.
Still, today was a quiet morning in the Smoak-Queen residence. And it got even better when William arrived for the weekend.
Now he discussed with Felicity the next gala they’d go as she typed something on the computer. Lucas was barely aware of his parents’ presence. He sometimes laughed on his own, which made Oliver and Felicity exchange amused glances and laugh. Lucas was such a happy child, a ball of sunshine like his mother, and it warmed Oliver’s heart.
“DADDY!”
The scream broke the atmosphere. Mia’s voice. A bit far, dampened, but still carrying fear. Oliver was immediately alert, tense stance, years of vigilantism igniting his instincts. He was about to leave the office when his daughter barged in copiously crying. He went to her and squatted in front of her, his hands gently cupping her arms in a protective gesture. Recognizing him, Mia threw herself in his arms and hugged him strongly. He hugged her back, letting her take his comfort she sought for a few seconds.
“My precious girl, what happened? Are you okay?” He asked in a mist of worry and softness. He let go a bit of her just so he could study her. He eyed her up and down, but didn’t see any wounds. She also came in running, with meant she didn’t break anything.
Her crying began to diminish. Mia took one hand and cupped her father’s face, caressing his stubble, something she always loved since she was a baby. A smile of relief escaped from her lips.
“Daddy, you are here.” She mumbled then launched for another tight hug.
Oliver was still confused, but his initial fear disappeared. Apparently she was fine.
Felicity stood up, circled the desk and stopped right next to them, watching them. Even Lucas was brought back to reality with the commotion and now watched his father and sister, one arm frozen in the air with a block in hand.
“Of course I’m here, Princess Mia.” He used the nickname William christened her with after they watched Princess Diaries to soothe even more. He rubbed his hand on her back in calming motions.
“Why wouldn’t he be, baby girl?” Felicity asked sweetly.
The little girl lifted her head off her father’s shoulder and fixated her look at him. “I thought... I thought…”
The answer was interrupted by another arrival. A puffed William showed up by the door. Oliver lifted his glance to his oldest son.
“What happened? Weren’t you watching the movie?”
William sighed. “She’s fine. We were watching the Lion King, she identified with Simba, then came Mufasa’s death and she thought she was losing her father too.”
Oliver had to hold back the growing smile. Oh Mia, so adventurous and sweet. One of his precious cargos. He squeezed her back.
“Daddy die?” Lucas spoke, making his family turn to him. Tears quickly surged in his blue eyes. He turned his head towards Oliver. “Lose daddy?”
“Oh no, not the other one.” William muttered under his breath.
This was turning to a crisis.
“Hey, hey!” Oliver had to calm the nerves. “Daddy is fine. Daddy is not going anywhere, ok?” His eyes ran from one child to another. He turned to Mia, still cuddled in his embrace, wiped her face with his thumb delicately then caressed her cheek.
Lucas forgot the toys, raised to his feet, ran the tiny distance between them and slammed against his father’s back, hugging him. He sniffed against his shirt.
Felicity went to the floor too and caressed her youngest son’s back. “Hey tiny humans?” She used her favorite nickname that they both loved. Mia and Lucas glanced at her and she returned with a smile full of love and comfort. “It’s just a movie, a cartoon. It means it doesn’t happen in our world. It’s not real, ok?”
Oliver sat on the floor, put his two kids in front of him and stared at them. So much alike, the perfect mixtures of him and his wife. “Mommy’s right.” He circled their waists with each arm and brought them closer. “Mommy’s always right, but don’t tell her that ok?” He whispered but everybody listened. Lucas and Mia giggled then threw a look of devotion to Felicity, the look Oliver knew they inherited from him. Felicity and William also smiled.
The tension lifted off the air. Oliver grew serious again. “Pay attention. Nothing will take daddy away from you, okay? I will always be here, nothing, absolutely nothing in this world can take me from you. I’m here” With his index he gently poked their hearts, and Lucas giggled again feeling tickly, which was his point. “forever. Got it?”
“Yes.” Mia emphatically replied. Lucas nodded.
“Like mommy said, it’s a cartoon. It didn’t truly happen. It’s different than real life.”
“Like the Green Arrow?”
“A’ow!” Lucas exclaimed.
Their father thought for a moment. “Kind of.” He said diplomatically then pulled the two little creatures for a crushing hug. “I love you so much.” He kissed each of their faces. “You are my life. Now go back to watch the movie.”
“I no want to watch the movie!” Mia protested with a pout.
“Movie?” Confused, Lucas looked from his father to his sister.
“Why not, my love?” Oliver asked.
“Simba loses daddy. Don’t like, don’t want!”
Oliver sighed. Mia was as headstrong as him. Raising her was showing him what Felicity and Diggle had to put up with him years ago. Now he gave them more credit and appreciation.
“The rest of the movie is pretty cool, you’ll like.”
“Yeah Mia, it ends well.” William said, still leaning against the door. “And there are more songs. You liked the songs, I saw it.”
“How can movie end well without Simba’s daddy?” Mia argued, turning on her father’s arm to look at her older brother.
“She has a point.” Felicity said low, a small smile covering her lips.
William sighed. “Be a little less your mother’s daughter, Mia. God.” He threw his mother a mocking glare.
“Never!” Mia was adamant.
Oliver chuckled, but beamed with proud. Mia was one of Felicity Smoak’s biggest fans.
“And you said is your favolite movie. Do you like watching daddy die? Movies with daddy dying is bad!” Mia kept scolding William. “I no watch movie anymore!”
“What movie?” No one wanted to explain poor Lucas a thing.
Mia turned to her little brother. “Movie with lions. And other animals.”
“I like animals.” Lucas said grinning. “But not daddy die.” He shook his head, face serious again.
“It’s a movie that teaches about loss, Mia darling. It teaches that sometimes things don’t happen the way you want, but you can still fight and find your way back to light and happiness again.” Oliver explained patiently. “It’s very cool, I love it. Why don’t you give it another chance? You’ll like it. This is the only heartbreaking scene, I promise.”
She stared at her father deep in thought. In moments like this Oliver saw Felicity staring at him, studying and judging choices he’d made along the way for years. The little girl was cleverer than she should be at that age.
“Let’s make a deal. What if I watch with you?” He saw her iron-clad resolution crack. “Will you watch the rest of the movie with me, Mia?”
“I can watch too?” Lucas asked excited.
Oliver grinned and squeezed his son even closer. “Of course you can, my sweet boy.”
“Yay!”
“I’ll watch too.” William said. “Which means only Mia will be out on the sideline.”
Mia Smoak-Queen didn’t like being teased and loved a challenge. Her head turned quick as a whip and she threw a sharp glare to her brother.
“Remember the Green Arrow is counting on you to watch the movie? He’ll be disappointed if you don’t continue.”
“No!” She yelled.
Oliver shook his head, half entertained, half disapproving his eldest kid’s persuasion method. But he also couldn’t help admiring how fiercely Mia loved the idea of the Green Arrow.
“What do you say, Princess Mia?”
She turned to look at him. “I watch with you, daddy.”
Oliver let go of his children and stood up. “We all will. Family movie session.”
Lucas went towards Felicity and pulled her hand. “Come on, momma.”
She caressed his blonde hair in a motherly gesture, messing the locks a bit. “I’ll be there very soon, my angel.” She kissed his head. “I’ll just finish this one little thing here, ok?”
“Don’t be late, mommy.” Mia said. “Oh!” She came to a halt then turned on her heels and raced to Felicity, almost knocking her off balance hugging her legs. She tilted her head up. “I talked about daddy but movies with mommy dying is bad too. Love you, mommy.”
“Agree!” Lucas shouted.
Felicity leaned to say it back and plant a kiss on her but the little monster was already letting her go. She chuckled. Her gaze crossed Oliver’s and they understood what they meant just like this. They were doing a hell of a job raising them.
William left the office. Oliver followed, holding hands with each kid. Arriving at the living room, he settled on an armchair. Mia and Lucas jumped on him, and he winced a little when his son’s leg almost hit his crotch. Second time today. They took each side of him and sprawled their tiny bodies all over him, practically drowning their father. But he didn’t mind, he actually loved it. Cuddling his tiny humans was one of his favorite things in life. Smiling softly, he nuzzled their heads and closed his arms around them, keeping them warm and close.
“I think we need popcorn.” William said settled on the same previous spot on the couch.
“Lots and lots popcorn.” Said Mia, popcorn’s number one lover.
“Ask momma to bring.” Lucas said, nesting his head on his father’s chest.
“Noooo.” His sister protested. “Mommy don’t make good popcorn.”
Lucas giggled. William snorted.
“Tell her that and you’ll get the loud voice.” He teased.
It was a known fact that Felicity ruled the entire realm with her loud voice.
“No loud voice, thank you.” Mia said.
Her father shook his head, amused. All that sass was pure Felicity.
“Daddy?” Lucas lifted his head, looking at Oliver with sparkling eyes.
A second known fact was that Oliver couldn’t resist his family’s puppy dog eyes. He was almost getting up, but he was so comfortable there.
“Noooo. Daddy stays, I want the cuddles.” Oliver got a little emotional. Mia was never the cuddly type of child. “And I am also lazy.”
Lucas burst into giggles again.
“Also, you tiny humans are trapped and not going anywhere.” Oliver said, squishing them so they yelped.
“Brownies?” His youngest child proposed. Before the man could argue, he added. “Will is home.”
Oliver sighed in defeat. Not the first time he’d been played by his children and it wouldn’t be the last. “I’ll make them for dessert after dinner.”
“Yes!”
William chuckled and got up. “No need for a new crisis, I’ll be right back with the popcorn. Don’t hit play until I’m back.”
“I think we should restart so Lucas can watch everything.” Oliver said.
“Ok than.” The young man shrugged then left the room.
“No! I no want to watch Mufasa die again.” Mia stated.
“You can close your eyes or look at me instead.” Oliver suggested.
She lifted her head to look at him, a smile breaking out of her lips. “I like looking at you, daddy. You are pretty.” She stretched her arm and petted his stubble.
Oliver laughed. “So are you.”
“I know.” Mia said matter-of-factly and her father just laughed more. “Mommy says is because of her.”
“Can’t argue with that.” Oliver realized the remote was far from them. “Lucas, will you get me the remote, please?”
He soon restarted the movie. William came back minutes later with three bowls filled with popcorn along with Felicity. Mia wiggled, dying to get her hands on her current favorite food. She immediately grabbed a handful, not giving Lucas or Oliver a chance.
“Watch out and don’t drop it, okay.” He advised his kids, well aware he’d have to clean the rug after they were done.
“Hey, I want cuddles too!” Felicity said grinned at the sight of her three favorite humans.
“You’ll have them later.” Oliver said, winking and then aiming a loving gaze to his wife. She answered blowing him a kiss.
“William, cuddle mommy.” Mia ordered, the little boss she was.
“Alright, you tiny adorable monster.” He mumbled right before Felicity wrapped her arms around him. Oliver loved that, though he was an adult, William was never ashamed of showering his family with gestures full of affection.
Felicity found Mia’s rubber arrow. “You forgot this, baby.” She placed it on the little girl’s hand. “Also, I didn’t forget you and Lucas need to put your toys away.”
“After movie, momma.” Lucas said, eyes glued to the screen.
“Yes, I need to be close to the Green Arrow.” Mia said, gripping the toy.
Felicity looked at her husband and kids with love bigger than the universe. “You are closer to the Green Arrow than you think.”