Chapter Text
“3 out of 6? Really, three feels like the perfect number to settle with.”
Oliver chuckles at her side, a firm hand laying over Felicity’s fidgeting one on her thigh.
“I thought when this started you said ‘bring it on’.”
“Yes, I did; but I may have just wanted to make a reference to the movie.”
His eyebrows knit in confusion, eliciting a hushed ‘never mind’ from Felicity as she files one more movie away to the never-ending list of things Thea and her have to make Oliver catch up with.
“What’s wrong with six?”
“Oh nothing. Six is a wonderful number. I love all numbers really: binary, in sequence; they’re all my friends. Now when they’re applied to number of times I have to humiliate myself in public, or listen to ‘secretary to girlfriend’ jokes, then I start minding.”
His brow furrows with concern now as he gently tugs her hand for her attention.
“Hey. I’m sorry. I wish we didn’t have to–”
“I know,” she whispers, slowing down. “As I know it’s just the novelty of it, that it’ll pass, and that you sure are getting your fair amount of jokes on me ‘wearing the pants’ in this relationship since I run your company now.”
Both wince in disgust at every cheap word thrown their way, twisted into jokes and pleasantries. Yet, as usual and much to his relief, Felicity soon lightens the mood.
“I still think three is a pretty decent number to stop. Always helps end my rants with countdowns, is the number of names QC has had since we’ve worked there; even the number of years it took us to get here…”
His thumb begins tracing circles on the back of her hand. A quiet calm settles between them in the back of the car; her heels lying on the floor, his tie undone.
It’s not long before his lips curve upwards, a warmth wrapping around his heart he never wishes to stop.
“Okay,” he finally breathes, seeing joy burst in her sight, “three is the number.”