Technical Assistance

Side Story #6: System Response

She jolts awake, putting a hand over her heart as her eyes go wide.  "You have got to stop doing that," she says flatly.  "Seriously, one of these days you're going to give me a heart attack, and then where would you be?" she chides.  It's amazing to him how quickly her mind is coherent after sleep this time, since the last time she was practically the walking dead.  He hopes that she spent more time sleeping tonight than on her specialty projects.

He decides to be honest with her this once; he hates lying constantly, especially to Felicity.  "Completely lost," he admits, "and in need of a new IT girl."  It's one of the most honest statements he's ever made.  For someone who has been in his life for so little time, he's become attached to the fiery blonde.

She colors at that confession, folding the blank book discreetly under the notebook with thoughts and directions.  He understands that it must be something private, so he knows better than to pry.  After all, Felicity Smoak is a secretive person, which he admits is just part of her charm, and he will not take that from her.  And he is willing to admit that its one of his favorite qualities about her.

She seems to have forgotten why he's here, so he prompts her, "You said we have something to discuss."  He smiles at the completely blank look that crosses her features before she remembers that she called him.

The light finally dawns across her features.  ''Oh, right," she mutters, a frown across her face that makes Oliver mirror the expression instantly.  She holds up her notebooks, careful to flash him only the notebook.  "Give me a second to put these up before we start in."

He waves a hand easily, and she walks toward her bedroom.  He knows she won't appreciate it if she follows him, so he takes a moment to examine the interior of the room.  The other night when he was here as Oliver, he noted the movie collection—ridiculously expansive and meticulously organized.  A copy of a blue hardback book with a dragon on the cover sits atop her TV, proudly proclaiming itself as Eragon.  Next to it, there's a DVD of some kind with an action-packed, bizarre scene on the top, and the title reads "Doctor Who Series 7."

Hands reach in front of him, and he notices again that her fingernails are painted emerald green again.  He must have been so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear her walk up to him.  She picks up the two, and he turns to face her to find her flushing, though he can't understand why.  "I'm sorry," she says as she stacks the book on one of her bookshelves and the movie in the cabinet by the TV.  "I've been binge-watching.  I do that when I get stressed or have a particularly tough challenge.  Well, that and I binge-eat my way through a pint of mint chocolate chip."  She fixes him with a wary look.  "Don't judge—we all have our vices."

"Felicity," he reminds her gently, and he notices for the first time that something has happened to the space between them.  The first time they met as Arrow and IT girl in her apartment, there was an entire room between them.  Now, though, she's only a few inches from standing on his feet, and he wonders when that change happened.  Then he wonders why he cares.

She shakes her head before biting her lip, and, for whatever reason, he can't allow her to do that.  He touches her chin before using his thumb to coax her bottom lip from between her teeth.  "I need a favor," she says finally, and he wonders why her voice is a little breathy in quality.  First he asks himself if it's fear, but then he thinks she wouldn't allow him to stand so close if it was.  If not fear, then what?

He drops his hand, because some things just too important to say while he's touching her.  "Anything," he promises her, surprised to find that he means it.  Before the island, such things were empty promises and hollow flattery, but now they're actually genuine.  Then he marvels at how much things have changed.