Chapter Text
"Hey"
Oliver is standing in front of her desk, outstretched hand offering her her morning iced latte. She thanks him and takes it, the condensation from the plastic cup seeping into the sleeve he'd thoughtfully slid around it. The thought that he'd remembered to do that makes her smile. She takes a sip, humming happily as she spins around in her chair, surprised to find him still standing there by the time she slows down to a stop. "What do you want?" she asks. He brings her coffee most mornings but he usually just leaves it at her desk on his way into his office, but today he's looking kind of apprehensive. When he doesn't respond, doesn't even look at her, her eyes narrow. "What did you do?"
"I - " he tries to say then smiles to himself and shakes his head. "No, nothing, just - can make a reservation for two at Table Salt, please? Seven-thirty tonight," he says and then walks towards his office.
She sighs and puts down her coffee. Oliver has a date tonight. Typing up the restaurant’s website and making the reservation, she says out to him without looking, “Well you’re happy and it sounds like you like this one enough if you’re asking me to make the reservation…” She looks up and he’s stopped about ten feet from his door. “…which I am going to let go just this once because you asked nicely?”
He does that weird kind of teeth-grating-jaw-clenching thing as he turns back around. Maybe he wasn’t that happy. “Thank you, Felicity.” He swings the door open and walks in.
“You can make your own reservation if there’s a second date!” She calls out just before the door swings back closed.
Oliver’s day is packed with meetings so they don’t really get to talk much the rest of the day, but she spends her free time wondering who the mystery girl Oliver will be taking out tonight is. He hasn’t really met anyone recently. She would know; they spend at least 80% of their time together and the other 20% they probably spend asleep. Not together. Maybe sometimes together, like when she fell asleep in front her computers and had woken up in Oliver’s cot in foundry the other night and found him asleep on the couch. The point is, she doesn’t think Oliver’s met someone new, so it has to be someone he already knows, maybe already dated before? She snorts at the idea of him going on a date with either Laurel or Sara. Maybe it’s someone from all the fundraisers they’ve had to attend?
She’s staring at Oliver’s calendar for tomorrow, mentally going through the latest galas they’ve been to (undercover or otherwise) and trying to remember any one woman he’s talked to for more than five minutes at most when she hears someone clear their throat. She looks up and finds Oliver staring down at her with an uneasy smile.
“Oh! Hey it’s,” she looks to the corner of the computer screen, “oh my god, Oliver it’s seven! You’re gonna be late for your date!” Since he’s leaving and she has no reason to stay at the office, she grabs her purse and stuffs her phone and tablet inside it. “I’m stopping by at home to change, and then I’m grabbing dinner for me and Sara on the way to the foundry. I guess we’ll see you there later tonight?” She checks her drawers for her keys, which she can’t seem to find. Are they in her purse? “I mean, maybe not, if it’s a good date? Or maybe she’s not that kind of girl." She cringes and looks up at him. "Not that I’m saying you’re that kind of guy!” She grabs her coat from where it's draped over back of her chair and checks the pockets. “Ah keys! So anyway, if you’re going to um… just text one of us if you’re not gonna make it tonight, okay?” When he says nothing, she turns back to him, “Oliver?"
He’s just standing there, coat draped over his arm, staring at her and looking kind of panicked.
“What’s wrong? Oh no, did she cancel? I mean of course she didn’t. Why would she cancel?” She scoffed awkwardly, “You’re Oliver Queen!” Silence. “Do you want me to cancel? With the restaurant I mean, not with your date. That’s not really something…”
“No!” His voice seems to crack and he clears his throat again. “Sorry, no, no cancellation. Are you ready to go?”
“You didn’t really have to wait for me,” she says as she walks around her desk, “but yes, let’s go.” Patting her coat pocket once again to make sure her keys are still there, they make their way toward the elevator.