be us against the world - t - olicity - part 3 [a]
title: we keep all our promises (be us against the world)
category: arrow
genre: drama/romance
chapter rating: pg-13/teen
overall rating: nc-17/explicit
inspiration: gif (source)
word count: 6,602
summary: [au - no island] Oliver Queen has no idea what he's doing with his life, but when his father gives him an ultimatum, he has to figure it out. After meeting Felicity Smoak, he finds himself on a new path and his eyes are opened to what happiness really means and how finding it takes more courage than he ever thought he had.
Previous: Chapter One, Chapter Two, Interlude One, Interlude Two,
dhfreak
III.
Something wet was touching his face. Wet and cold and… smelly?
Hot breath panted against his face, and, despite being ridiculously tired, Oliver knew he couldn't fall back asleep.
He groaned, irritated, and went to roll over, only to fall right onto the floor. A rustling noise answered him and he opened his bleary eyes to see green carpet staring back at him, and then two rusty paws. His brow furrowed in confusion. Where the hell was he?
"Aspirin and water are on the table, but if you're hung over, I'd suggest a greasy breakfast cure-all."
His head lifted so quickly, his vision blurred. He closed his eyes at the pounding in his temples and frowned. "Felicity?"
And then there was a tongue licking his face and a wet nose bumping his cheeks.
"Jasper?"
She yipped at him happily, sitting down, her tail thumping on the floor.
"Let me guess, you don't remember how you got here…?"
Sighing, he pushed himself up, leaning back against the couch as he scooped up the aspirin and downed the entire glass of water she left him. Jasper sidled over, pressing against his side, and he hung an arm around her, lazily scrubbing his fingers through her fur.
Felicity looked over at him, eyebrow raised and lips tilted with amusement.
She was still in her pajamas, a loose muscle shirt that did nothing to hide the fact that she was not wearing a bra, and a pair of men's Mickey Mouse pajama pants that looked a little big on her. Hers? Or a boyfriends? He frowned. He'd never asked if she was seeing anybody. He'd also never told her about Laurel. The reason behind that felt more obvious than he wanted it to be.
"What'd I do?" he wondered, a creeping sense of worry working its way up his spine. The last time he got this drunk, he pissed on a cop car.
She walked forward and crawled into an arm chair, crossing her legs beneath her. Jasper wiggled out from under his arm and went over to see Felicity, resting her head on Felicity's knee. Smiling down at her, Felicity scratched behind Jasper's ears as she answered, "Well, you called me at 2 in the morning, slurred something about being confused and uh, a complete failure. Then you threw up on your own shoes and I'm pretty sure you started crying…" She winced sympathetically. "I asked where you were and drove over to pick you up. I wanted to take you home, but you were worried about your parents, so I brought you here."
"You let me crash on your couch…"
"Well, you asked if you could cuddle in my bed, but I'm pretty sure that was the tequila talking, so I just put you on the couch. I did tuck you in, though."
He scrubbed his hands over his face, feeling the warm embarrassed flush of his skin against his palms. "I'm sorry. I'm… I was having a bad night."
"Yeah, I know. You told me."
He went still and looked over at her. "I did?"
She half-smiled. "You told your girlfriend about the club idea with Tommy and she didn't take it so well. I guess her disapproval and your worry that your dad is going to tell you it's a bad idea kind of combined to make one nasty club night… For whatever reason, around 2, you were looking through your phone, saw me, and decided to ask for help."
His head fell back as he groaned. "I probably made a complete ass of myself."
"Well, you were shouting at a bouncer when I drove up, but he seemed pretty used to it." She shrugged. "I checked to see if there was any footage up of it, I even hacked TMZ and a few other gossip sites, but it doesn't look like there's anything waiting to go viral, so that's a plus… Before I got you to lay down, you tried to leave to go get Jasper. I promised I'd get you up at five so you could go pick her up. You were pretty upset, actually. You thought she'd hate you if you didn't take her for her morning run. Unfortunately, you didn't look like you were in any shape for walking straight, let alone running. So I picked her up and took her to the park. I asked if we could have her for a few extra hours today and they didn't mind, so I thought I'd bring her back here to wake you up. It was still early though, so we…" She smiled lovingly down at Jasper, "decided to get a couple more hours sleep, especially since you looked like you still needed them, too."
Absorbing what she was saying, he sighed heavily, pressing his fingers against his eyes and swallowing tightly.
"Oliver, it's really not that bad..."
"It's not great," he countered.
"Look, if you're embarrassed that you called me, don't be. Trust me, my best friend has done a lot worse than you have when she's had me pick her up. Of course, I actually do cuddle with Kelsey when she asks, but she cries if I don't. She's a clingy-drunk."
He let out a faint laugh. "So all I have to do next time is squeeze out some crocodile tears?"
Rolling her eyes at him, she pushed up from her chair, patting Jasper's head. "Come on. You can have a shower and I'll buy you breakfast. We'll drop Jasper off on the way."
He perked up a little. "Something greasy?"
She grinned over at him. "The greasiest."
Nodding, he climbed from the floor and stretched his arms up, working out the kinks in his back from sleeping on the couch. He didn't realize his shirt was missing until her eyes lingered on his chest.
Blushing, she said, "You started undressing on the way back from the club… I managed to keep your pants on for a while, but by the time we hit the hallway, you really couldn't be argued with."
He looked down, finding himself in only his boxer-briefs. "Uh…"
"On the bright side, I was able to clean them. Especially since your pants smelled a little puke-y." Her nose wrinkled. "But yeah, they're folded up, so you can just take a shower and… we'll go." She turned to walk away then, her face still a bright red.
Closing his eyes, he sighed. "I'm sorry, Felicity."
"It's fine, really. I mean, I've seen worse." Her eyes widened. "Oh, I mean, not that you're bad, or that I spend a lot of time with half-naked men. Or fully naked men. Or men, really. Well, I've had a few relationships, I'm not completely innocent. I've had sex before. Lots of sex. I just… I-I'm going to stop talking in 3… 2… 1…" She blew out a disgruntled sigh and hurried into her bedroom.
He stared at the spot she was previously in, a smile slowly pulling at his lips. His head hurt and his stomach was tied in knots, but… Well, that wasn't the worst thing to wake up to. He chuckled under his breath and then looked down to see an excited Jasper peering up at him. He bent to pet her, rubbing behind her ears and kissing the top of her head before he finally started toward the bathroom. His clothes were waiting there, stacked on the sink. He tested the water as he started his shower and stripped off his underwear. As he climbed under the spray, he tried to remember what had happened after he blacked out. It wouldn't be the first time he called someone to get him, he just wondered why he thought of Felicity.
Then again, he really shouldn't have wondered. It was pretty clear why.
When Oliver climbed out of the shower, towel wrapped around his waist, he was feeling a lot better. He could still do with a few more hours sleep, but he felt refreshed. What he really wanted was a toothbrush, because his mouth could not tasty any grosser. Standing in front of her sink, he looked around, a little hesitant to go digging around in her cabinet for a spare toothbrush. He'd pulled the door open to ask her if she had one somewhere when he heard voices.
"…texted me about going to brunch. I managed to pick Kelsey up off the floor from last night's party and bring her along."
"I texted you?" Felicity replied. "When did I text you?"
"Somewhere between Game of Thrones and Merlin… You said you wanted to complain about some guy named Dale and his tiny feet?"
"Oh… right… That was a terrible date."
"You know what they say about small feet…" another voice piped up with a snort.
"Yeah, I've heard," Felicity replied, amused. "Extensively. Listen, right now's not actually a good time, so maybe we could do dinner instead…?"
"What? No way. I was promised hang-over food. So get your cute butt ready, 'cause we're going somewhere to talk about Dave's tiny dick."
"Dale," Felicity corrected.
Oliver blinked, his brow furrowed as he mouthed to himself, "Dale?" What the hell kind of name was Dale? And who the hell was Dale?
"And I didn't see his dick," Felicity continued. "He just… was a dick."
"Did you mace him?"
"No, Kelsey, I did not mace him."
"I'm just saying, Papa Smoak's emergency mace is going to waste, so you should either use it or give it to me."
Felicity snorted. "I think you've maced enough people for me to never, ever give you mace again."
"I was fearing for my life!"
"Last time, you were just mad because that woman got that blouse you wanted and it was the last one in your size."
"It was vintage Chanel!"
"Oh my freaking…" Felicity sighed. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to wake up before you clearly finished sleeping off last night's bender. But right now is not-"
"Whose dog is that?"
"Hm? Oh, that… That's Jasper," Felicity replied hesitantly.
"Jasper?" There was a pause and then, "As in Oliver Queen's dog?"
"His paired dog, yes."
"And she's here, because…?"
"Oh, she's beautiful," another woman said. "Look at you, you are just stunning, huh?"
A thumping noise followed that Oliver was completely sure was Jasper's tail on the floor. She was clearly a glutton for praise, much like he was.
"Is she still up for adoption? Because, I'm sold. Where's her leash? I'll take her."
"Jenn," Felicity laughed. "Marissa is allergic to dogs."
"Who needs a hot girlfriend with a dog this pretty?"
"I'm partial to having both."
The words left his mouth before he could really register that he'd decided to speak, but, there he was, standing half naked and dripping on the floor in front of three beautiful, gaping women.
He had a fantasy like this once…
"Shut… Up…" A red-headed woman punched Felicity's shoulder hard enough that she flinched and rubbed it.
"Ow," she whispered-shouted back at her.
Rolling her eyes, the red-head surged forward. "Kelsey Harris, I'm Smoaks' best friend."
"Co-best friend," the other woman said, a pretty brunette, bent over so she could pet Jasper even as she gave him a curious look-over. "Jennifer Hodges," she introduced. "I'll shake your hand when you're wearing more clothes."
A laugh left him abruptly and he cast his eyes toward Felicity, who was looking nervous, and then down at the smirking Kelsey in front of him.
She cocked her head, a brow raised as she looked him up and down. "Didn't I see you at Viper last night?"
"I wouldn't know. I can't remember most of last night," he admitted plainly. "Although I have it on good authority I was a pathetic drunk who begged Felicity to let me stay over so my parents wouldn't reprimand me... Because apparently I'm sixteen again."
"I picked you up from Viper, actually," Felicity said, walking forward. "And, sorry, Oliver, these are my two best friends. Kelsey and Jennifer. Best friends, this is my friend Oliver, who was not as pathetic as he thinks he was."
"Probably more than I think I was," he added to Kelsey, half-grinning.
"Been there." Turning on her heel, she stepped back and swung an arm around Felicity's shoulders. "You picked right, though. I usually get Smoaky to pick me up, too."
He smirked. "You must be the one she does cuddle with."
"You missed out on cuddles?" She arched a brow and pouted her lips in mocking commiseration. "Poor thing. She's a great cuddler."
Lips twitching, Felicity said, "Not quite the Olympic cuddler Oliver claims to be, but I'm sure I do just fine."
He decided to blame what he was sure was an embarrassed flush to his skin on the shower. Reaching up to scratch a hand down his neck, he said, "Uh, before I permanently ruin your floor with water damage, do you have a spare toothbrush I could use?"
"Oh! Yeah, sure." She hurried over, sidling past him into the bathroom to search around.
He turned his attention back to the other two people in the room and offered an awkward smile. "So…"
Kelsey merely smirked at him knowingly, and he decided that was a route he was not ready to go.
He turned to Jennifer, who was completely enamored with Jasper. "You like dogs?"
She looked up, half-smiling. "I do." She shrugged, scrubbing her fingers into the scruff of Jasper's neck. "My partner's allergic though. I'm tempted, but I know I shouldn't." Looking up at him, she wondered, "Jasper's your first pairing?"
He nodded. "Yeah, uh, Felicity actually turned me onto dog walking. My mom's allergic to dogs too, so we never had any growing up."
"That sucks." She stood, still patting Jasper's head at it leaned against her hip. "So this must be a nice alternative, I guess."
"It's interesting. I never really thought about it before, but it works."
"So what happens when she's adopted out? You get paired up with a new one?"
His face fell, eyes focusing down on Jasper's pretty face. "I guess I do."
"Oliver?"
He turned at Felicity's voice to find her hanging off the doorjamb by her fingers. She waved a green toothbrush at him.
Walking toward her, he smiled. "Thank you."
Shrugging, she nodded, passing him the brush and stepping out of the door so he could pass her inside. "Sure."
He caught her hand before she walked away and squeezed, rubbing his thumb over the top as he stared down at her searchingly. "I meant for everything. I… might not remember last night, but… Thanks."
A faint, soft smile met him. "You're welcome."
They stared at each a moment longer, before he finally broke away and stepped inside. He closed the door behind him and stepped up to the sink. For a moment, he just took a breath. That felt heavy. Not entirely in a bad way, just in a… Felicity kind of way. He wondered when things with her had taken on their own life, and then decided it from the word Hi.
Shaking it off, he focused on the toothbrush in his hand his current problem. He was nothing if not a champion at lying to himself, and telling himself things with Felicity were completely platonic was one very big lie.
While he was brushing his teeth, he could still hear them talking outside.
"You have a naked Oliver Queen in your apartment right now," Kelsey mused.
"Well, he did just shower," Felicity said. "If he wasn't naked, I'd have questions."
"Especially if he smells half as bad as Kelsey does after she parties..." Jennifer added with a snort.
"If I smell like anything, it's fun and a lack of regrets."
Jennifer scoffed. "Or underwear."
"Oh, I found those."
"Where?"
"I put them in the freezer… I don't know, I guess I was overheated."
"As enlightening as this all is, can we please call a rain check until tonight?" Felicity interrupted.
"Only if that rain check includes details about how you brought that hunk of Adonis home," Kelsey offered lightly. "And I swear, if you didn't strip him down and rock his world, I will give you the worst tongue-lashing since the first time you let some inexperienced boy go down on you."
"What does that even mean?"
"You had a drunk, hot billionaire in your apartment. Tell me you had sex with him! Tell me right now so I can live vicariously through you."
"Kelsey, you have more sex than me and Jennifer put together. If anyone is living vicariously through anyone-"
"Not the point. Do not break my vagina right now and tell me you didn't sleep with him."
Felicity huffed. "You cannot substitute vagina for heart!"
"I just did. There are no rules about that!"
"She's not wrong. We didn't make that a rule," Jennifer reminded.
"Okay, I did not sleep with Oliver. Did you completely forget the part where he was blitzed out drunk?"
"He might've sobered up at some point, I don't know!"
"He didn't. Not until this morning. And we are friends. No-I know where you're going with that thought, Kelsey Jane Harris. We are not sex having friends. We are pick each other up from clubs so we don't do something stupid friends. And work friends. And lunch buddy friends. So I'm sorry if that breaks your vagina, but that is the bottom line."
"Ugh. You are a waste of a great ass, you know that?"
"I'm slightly flattered but mostly offended by that."
"What you aren't is laid, which you should be."
"Kelsey!"
"All I'm saying is you went out on a date, didn't sleep with him. Then you picked up a billionaire, didn't sleep with him. Those odds are terrible..."
"I will see you for dinner tonight, thank you for stopping by," Felicity dismissed.
"Do not use your passive-aggressive voice on me!"
"Jenn, will you please distract Kelsey with McDonalds?"
"Ooh, I bet you want a sundae, don't you, Kels? You love hangover sundaes! We'll get nuts this time."
"I had enough nuts last night. You're not going to distract me with- Do they make milkshakes this early in the morning?"
"I'm sure we could find you a milkshake… Come on, let's leave Smoaky to her morning. You can grill her tonight."
"Don't encourage her," Felicity complained.
"You want her out now or what?"
She groaned. "Fine. But we're getting take-out."
"Deal."
After a little shuffling, the door finally closed and Oliver focused back on brushing his teeth. Brow furrowed, he absently scrubbed his bottom molars. He wasn't sure if he should be flattered or disappointed. Her friend Kelsey obviously thought she should be pushing the boundaries of friendship, but Felicity was adamant that the only thing between them was friendship. After all this time telling himself that was exactly what things between them were, he wondered why the thought of it now made a ball of lead sink in his stomach.
[Continue.]