Chapter Text
Felicity doesn’t think much of the video diaries when she starts them except for them being an interesting addition to her research for her thesis.
Dr. Wells’ ‘Hypermediation in New Media’ class has had a profound impact on the way in which Felicity has understood her master’s course, and with the need to pick a project for her thesis being more and more urgent, it had made sense for her to launch her own YouTube channel in order to collect primary research.
She’s still not entirely sure what her thesis is going to look like as she films the first few videos, but she does know that she wants to look at how technology companies are utilising the new age of media in new and innovative ways.
Plus, it’s all excellent market research for when she finally starts up her start-up.
The videos don’t start being about anything in particular.
She talks about her parents; her mom who’s obsessed with her and her sisters’ love lives, forever lamenting how painfully single Felicity is, and her stepdad, Quentin, who’s learned to live a nice and quiet life amidst the crazy whilst still remaining calm and supportive of all three of his girls.
She talks about her stepsisters; Sara, the cute, adorable, humps-your-neighbours-leg, never-know-where-she-sleeps puppy that she is, and Laurel, practically perfect in every way, studying to be a lawyer to help the poor but currently stuck in an internship that works her off her feet.
Which ultimately loops Felicity back around to herself. Twenty-two years old, still living at home, what was once her accelerated post-grad course seemingly taking forever, and drowning in student loans.
Felicity can see why she never thought it would be much of a basis for a particularly popular vlog channel.
To start with, Felicity pins all her success on her best friend and partner, Caitlin Snow. The two of them have been best friends since before they were even born, their mothers having been bridge partners who went into labour in the same book club meeting. Felicity and Caitlin have been practically inseparable ever since and Caitlin has taken over most of the work shooting and editing the video diaries.
She’s an utter gem, Felicity has no idea what she would do without her, and she’s sure it’s Caitlin’s mastery that’s causing her subscriber count to grow.
That is until Tommy Merlyn comes to town.
The young and rich medical student sends the whole town in a spin, but no one more than Felicity’s own mother. She immediately starts screaming to them all of how Tommy must be introduced to her three very single daughters so that they can get married and have lots of beautiful and rich children.
Felicity is pretty much done with the whole thing before it even starts. Her mother’s obsession with marrying the three of them off is the thing that causes the most animosity in her and her mother’s relationship. Her mom loves them all a lot and Felicity knows that in her own way, her obsession with their dating lives stems from just wanting them to be safe and happy. But good lord, it is so annoying to have to listen to. She just doesn’t understand how her mother cannot see how many other wonderful things there are about her daughters to be celebrated.
Laurel graduated from law school at the top of her class and is seriously impressing people at her internship, even if they are working her way too hard. Sara, even though Felicity’s not too sure of what she actually spends her days doing, is one of the most loving and happy people she’s ever known and, even though college might be taking her slightly longer than the others, she’s getting through it and doing incredibly well. Felicity herself is finishing her second master’s degree at 22, the age when most people are only just finishing their bachelor’s.
But no, all her mother can concentrate on is Tommy Merlyn and the apparent tirade of women he’s bringing to the Netherfield mansion he’s renting on the nice side of their very small town.
She’s explaining these frustrations to the camera in her own unique fashion of costume theatre (which may or may not involve her acting like her mother dressed in one of her hats and scarves) when Sara bursts into her room.
“Oh wow, grad school finally broke you, huh?” Her sister questions with a grin, reaching for her phone as if to take pictures but Felicity scrambles to her feet, removing the costume before she gets there.
“What do you want?” Felicity questions, looking at her sister with an unimpressed raised eyebrow.
“You have to be nice to be, I know something you don’t know.” Sara sings in a teasing voice as she plops herself down in front of Felicity’s camera and waves at it with a wink.
“What is it? Sara?” Felicity questions as she moves to sit next to her sister.
“Hmm…” Sara pouts, tapping her finger against her lips as if she’s thinking about withholding the information.
“Oh my god, tell me or get out my room.” Felicity huffs with a roll of her eyes. It’s funny, Sara is two years older than her but has more of the mannerisms of the youngest sibling. Felicity has always supposed it was because she’d had fourteen years of it before Felicity and her mom came into their lives but it is still amusing to see the dynamic.
“Donna paid me ten bucks to drive past the Netherfield mansion on my way back from Amaya’s and Tommy Merlyn only brought back one girl. And it only gets better. Guess what? She’s just his sister!” Sara grins, wiggling her shoulders in excitement and Felicity groans.
“Oh thank god, that should shut Mom up.” Felicity bemoans happily, looking towards the camera before frowning and turning back to Sara. “Wait, so you saw him. Is he actually good looking?”
“I only saw the back of his head. His sister though? Gorgeous. There’s some good genes there for sure. Although look at Laurel and I, it’s clear that sometimes, good genes skip a sibling.” Sara preens, flicking her hair behind her shoulder and Felicity rolls her eyes.
“Sara. Time for you to go.” She states blankly, turning to push her off the stool but Sara holds strong.
“I’m not done! There was someone else! Another man…” Sara sings, wiggling her shoulders and Felicity’s brow furrows.
“Like his friend ‘another man’ or his friend ‘another man’?” Felicity asks, looking to the camera with an inquisitive look.
“I don’t know but he was hot.” Sara answers with a shrug of her shoulders.
“Did you catch his name?” Felicity presses, feeling like she’s trying to get water out of a stone.
“Oliver.” Sara states simply with a declarative nod and Felicity pulls a face.
“Oliver? Sounds pompous.”
I think it’s a great name.” Sara nods once more before she jumps up and heads to the door. She stops just before she leaves, turning back to look at Felicity. “Oh, by the way, if you thought the sister thing was going to satisfy Donna, she’s now excited that there’s three eligible rich people for her three single daughters.”
“Of course she is. You know, I can’t believe there was ever a time I was worried about coming out to Mom.” Felicity huffs, remembering how nervous she’d been only for her mother to squeal loudly and hug her tightly. It took about 0.5 seconds for her to ask Felicity if it still meant she was going to give her grandkids but she’s really sweet about it in general.
“Right? It just opened the pool up even wider in her eyes.” Sara answers with a laugh and an affectionate shake of her head.
“Sometimes I envy Laurel and her heterosexuality.” Felicity poses, looking at Caitlin sat behind the camera who is watching the whole exchange with her usual bemused expression. Felicity’s best friend is very used to the Smoak-Lance antics by now.
“I don’t. Boring!” Sara calls, still at the door and Felicity groans, turning to look at her sister.
“We’re going to have to listen to Mom scream about this all week until the Cutter wedding, aren’t we?”
“I may ask Zari if she’s up for a week long sleepover.” Sara answers simply with clenched teeth and Felicity grins.
“That is a good idea. Caitlin?” She asks, looking back to her best friend who merely levels her with an unimpressed look.
“No.”
Felicity deflates with a pout but even that doesn’t seem to budge her. Which is sad, because Felicity’s pouts are great.
The wedding is… surprisingly successful. Not in the way that the bride and groom got married and there was good food, alcohol, and dancing. That was not surprising at all (although Felicity’s mom might have something to say about it if you asked her about Carrie Cutter getting married before any of her daughters).
What is surprising is Tommy Merlyn.
He spends the entire night dancing with Laurel, he practically has eyes for no one else, and in the brief moments that Felicity spends with him, he is charming and sweet and altogether wonderful. Laurel too is immediately clearly taken and the only downside is that Felicity has to spend her entire night listening to her mother squeal about how it’s her daughter dancing with the new, young, eligible bachelor.
Well, almost the entire night.
Felicity is forced from her spot standing against the wall into the crowd for the bouquet toss and by forced she means literally is shoved into the group by her squealing mother. She has her suspicions that some coercion may have occurred between Donna and Carrie Cutter because the bouquet practically sails into her hands.
And guess who has simultaneous bad luck catching the garter?
Tommy Merlyn’s snobby friend, Oliver Queen.
Queen has spent the entire night shoved up against the back wall of the venue, fake texting, and ignoring everyone around him. Felicity has seen Tommy try to coerce him into being more sociable numerous times but Queen remains resolute in being glued to the point furthest away from all human interaction. The garter toss appears to be an unfortunate moment wherein he left his haven to get a drink from the bar and is forced into *shocker*, actually talking to people.
Namely, Felicity.
“It was the most awkward dance ever.” Felicity recounts days after for the camera in her room. “He was stone cold, no expression, no attempt at even a smile. It was like he was trying to hear the crickets in the next county! I finally asked him if he liked it here in town? ‘Not especially’. And if he enjoys dancing? ‘Not if I can help it’. I’m glad to have rocked his world!”
She intercuts her speech with flashes to her own interpretations of the almost robotic man, dressed in her costume for him which consists of a bow tie and a replica of the ridiculous flat cap he insisted on wearing all night.
To be honest though, the dance isn’t the worst part of it all. Once it is over, and Felicity counts her prayers to say she doesn’t have to participate in the awkward swaying anymore, she and Caitlin head outside to get some air as they laugh about how awkward the dance was.
And there is Queen, talking to Tommy.
“Stop wasting your time with me and go back to continue to dance with who seems to be the only tolerable girl in that room.” Oliver starts to his friend and Felicity turns to Caitlin to pretend vomit, the two of them having to bite their hands to hide their giggles.
“Well what about Felicity? She seems lovely.” Tommy offers, getting Caitlin to knock Felicity’s shoulder with a proud smile.
Felicity is smiling and then Oliver has to go and ruin it by opening his stupid, prideful mouth. “Felicity’s decent enough, but why should I keep dancing with her when no one else does?”
“Decent enough? Decent enough? Vacuums are decent enough. You don’t talk about people like that! I hope it’s not too lonely on the pedestal he appears to have put himself on.” Felicity cries as she finishes recounting the story to the camera with a huff. “I think it’s safe to say that I like him, even less than he likes me. Felicity Smoak. Decent enough.”
Luckily for Felicity, her interactions with Oliver Queen are very limited over the next few weeks. Laurel spends more and more time with Tommy and his sister, Helena, who Felicity actually finds she gets on quite well with.
For the most part, however, Laurel is out and that leaves Felicity alone with Sara.
Sara who Felicity loves very, very much, but is also the biggest partier Felicity has ever known.
And the week in which Sara is practically uncontrollable?
The last week of the college term.
Their town is small but the university actually garners quite the student populace and when their finals are complete for the year, they all descend upon the bars with their fake IDs in tow. It’s mayhem and Sara can always be found right in the middle of it.
Felicity only goes with her to their local bar, Verdant, to keep an eye on her. Sara’s not always totally aware of her actions when drunk and, even though she’s the younger one, it just makes her feel better to know there’s someone she trusts keeping an eye on her sister.
And who can you trust if you can’t trust yourself?
She’s approaching a table by herself, having found one of the only available spaces in the entire bar when a tall, handsome man appears in front of her.
“Don’t sit there.” He tells her with a frown, looking between her and the stall she was aiming for in disgust.
“Why not?” Felicity questions, looking up from her drink into bright blue eyes set in one of the most chiselled faces she has ever seen.
His lips are quipped into a smirk and Felicity watches in amazement as he swings his jacket down from where it’s thrown over his shoulder and lays it on the stall. He then gestures for Felicity to sit down but all she can do is stare at him in bafflement.
“Did you just lay your jacket down? I didn’t think people did that anywhere other than period movies.” She stutters out, immediately regretting her words. She forgets sometimes, that her brain appears to have no filter to her mouth and the best thing to do is to just not think but alas, her brain also doesn’t work like that.
“It’s making a comeback, like mixtapes and bad 80s perms.” Tall, dark, and handsome apparently has no qualms, however, and he extends his hand with a smile even more charming than his smirk. “I’m Adrian Chase.”
“Felicity Smoak.” She answers, shaking his hand. He then gestures to the jacket covered stool again and Felicity slides onto it, trying to force her cheeks to remain a normal shade.
“I feel that I should preface this by telling you that I am not a young college student anymore. I’m visiting my friend who works in one of the dorms.” Adrian starts and Felicity actually relaxes at his words. Whilst she’s not the age of most grad students, she is still older than freshmen and is not particularly looking to make a connection with any barely adults.
“Ah, that would explain the lack of beer stench and actually clean hair.” Felicity comments with a chuckle, feeling a sense of pride rise in her when it garners a laugh from Adrian too. “I’m actually a grad student, I’m just keep an eye on my sister.”
Felicity immediately regrets nodding her head in the direction of Sara when Adrian spins to see her dancing on top of the bar. “Is that her?” He asks with a grin and Felicity winces as he turns back to look at her.
“We’re not biologically related.”
They spend the rest of the very pleasant night talking and chatting until Felicity has to leave to get a very drunk Sara home safely but as she informs Laurel as they’re filming the vlog explaining the events; “Adrian Chase’s number is in my phone and he’s already texted me today.”
She has no doubt that it’s a lasting foundation for a relationship but Adrian is a rare gem in what is literally a cess pool of romantic options and Felicity is excited for the way he makes her smile.
It’s a few weeks later and whilst Adrian has left town, he and Felicity have kept in touch through texting and video calling. Laurel and Tommy are moving along nicely and Sara is even somehow not causing trouble.
As the semester comes to a close along with the penultimate year of grad school for Felicity, things seem to be looking up and she’s looking forward to what the summer might hold.
Until Felicity’s mother ruins everything with one of her convoluted plans.
Felicity has never been under any delusion that they’re rich. Her parents in debt and all three of her sisters are in their own debt from school but she thinks it might be a new low for her mother to use that debt as an excuse for one of her matchmaking schemes.
She and Quentin have been talking about selling the house for a while but apparently, in order to add the needed value to it, they’re going to have to do some serious remodelling.
Which means construction work.
Which means a house they cannot live in.
Quentin knows someone who can put he and Donna up for the duration of the work and Sara has enough friends that she can couch surf until necessary but that leaves Laurel and Felicity in a bit of a desperate situation.
“I wish you could stay with me but Mom and I don’t exactly have the largest apartment and then you’d be saddled with my mom which…” Caitlin is explaining to her in front of the camera but Felicity grabs her hands, shaking her head.
“It’s fine. Now I’m understanding why Mom always said I needed more friends than just you.” She teases with a smirk and Caitlin relaxes with a chuckle.
“Luckily for me, you didn’t listen.”
“Crisis averted.” Laurel states as she enters the room, smiling at Caitlin as she tucks her phone into the pockets of her skirt.
“What does that mean?” Felicity questions, looking at her older sister with a raised eyebrow as she scoots over on the bench so that she can sit down.
“Tommy says you and I can stay in the guest wing at Netherfield.” Laurel explains with a smile as if it’s the most simple thing in the world but Felicity finds herself focusing in on one detail of Laurel’s plan.
“There’s a guest wing?” She questions audaciously and Laurel levels her with a reprimanding look.
“I can tell him you want to surf Sara’s friends’ couches instead…” She starts in a sing-song voice and Felicity’s eyes widen at the prospect.
“No! Her friends are all nice enough but just… no.” Felicity shakes her head with a wince, her teeth clenching.
“They are a particularly chaotic group.” Caitlin comments with a frown and Felicity notes that it might be the understatement of the century. There’s no telling what trouble Sara and friends find themselves in.
“What is it they call themselves again?” Laurel questions and Felicity sighs.
“The Legends.” She reminds her and Laurel nods.
“So you’ll come to Netherfield?” She asks hopefully and Felicity sighs with a nod.
“Yes, tell Tommy thank you from me.”
“Okay! Yay! This is going to be so much fun!” Laurel grins, jumping happily up from the chair and grinning at both Caitlin and Felicity before she rushes out the room.
“I know that face. That’s your ‘solving a mystery’ face.” Caitlin states immediately and Felicity frowns, turning to face her friend.
“I can’t believe her. This is a new low, even for Mom.”
Caitlin sighs with a roll of her eyes. “They’re trying to sell the house, Felicity. This has nothing to do with her hopes for Tommy and Laurel.”
“Oh so the fact that Quentin knows someone who can put he and Mom up but none of the rest of us is just a coincidence?” The blonde questions, shaking her head and pointing her finger at Caitlin.
“Maybe they just don’t want to impeach on their hospitality?” Caitlin offers in explanation, moving Felicity’s wagging finger away from her face.
“You are too nice to my mother.” Felicity huffs with a scowl and Caitlin rolls her eyes.
“And you are too harsh on her. I think you should be concentrating less on that and more on packing for your time at Netherfield.”
“Oh god, you know who else is at Netherfield?” Felicity realises with a groan.
“Helena?” Caitlin poses and Felicity sighs.
“No, well yes, but also…” She reaches across to the box where she keeps her props for the videos and pulls out the flat cap she uses for Oliver. Flopping it onto her head, she straightens her posture and does her best imitation of the rich heir. “I dislike smiling, it contorts the face.”
“He did not say that!” Caitlin huffs with an amused shake of her head as she pulls the cap off of Felicity’s head.
“Okay maybe he didn’t but he’s still a pompous ass.”
“You’re also too harsh on Oliver Queen.” Caitlin notes, waggling her finger in Felicity’s face which she bats away.
“Hey, he started this. ‘Decent enough’, I am so much than decent enough.” Felicity states indignantly. She really doesn’t know what it is about Oliver Queen but he really gets underneath her skin.
“I still think he likes you.” Caitlin grins and Felicity groans.
“Please.”
“You didn’t see him that night at Verdant! He was totally ignoring Helena and staring at you.” Her best friend insists, tugging on her arm but Felicity just rolls her eyes.
“Because he enjoys belittling me. He was just waiting for more ammo.” She explains with a long groan.
“You always bite back. He probably thinks it’s flirting.”
“Please, I would get more back from flirting with a brick wall.” Felicity poses with a frown but Caitlin appears decidedly undeterred.
“There’s a thin line between love and hate.”
“And I am decidedly on the hate side when it comes to Oliver Queen.” She reminds her friend but Caitlin just shrugs her shoulders.
“I think his sentiments might be altogether different.”
“Whatever, I apparently need to pack. God, I hope this work doesn’t take too long, I don’t know how long I can stand being stuck in a house with Oliver Queen.”
“Ugh, I am so done being stuck in a house with Oliver Queen!”
She and Laurel have been at Netherfield for almost two weeks now and it seems like it is taking forever for this remodelling to be done. Felicity is growing more and more annoyed by the moment, whereas Laurel and Tommy just seem to get more and more besotted with one another.
“He hasn’t been that bad.” Laurel comments from her spot next to Felicity on the bed and Felicity huffs.
“You are spending all your time lip locking with Tommy, I am the one who has to endure him.” She states indignantly, gaining herself an unimpressed look from her sister.
“Okay, firstly that’s not fair or true.” Laurel starts patiently, quietly reminding her that Felicity’s annoyance shouldn’t be directed at Laurel.
“Fine, you’re not spending all your time lip locking with Tommy. Just a lot of it.” She finds herself grinning and avoiding the gentle swing of a light smack Laurel sends her way.
“You know sometimes I wonder whether it would be worth it to go back 10 years and sabotage Dad and Donna getting together. I think I’d have a lot less headaches with only one sister.” Laurel states to the camera before turning to look at Felicity at the end, narrowing her eyes in mock anger.
“Please, you love me.” Felicity grins, turning to face Laurel too and keeping their faces close together.
“Unfortunately I do.” Laurel sighs, stretching to kiss Felicity’s forehead before she face the camera. “And you antagonise Oliver.”
“I do not!” Felicity insists, resisting the urge to flail her arms around like a petulant child.
“He’s trying to be nice and you keep ignoring his attempts.” Her sister elaborates and Felicity groans as she throws her head back.
“I do not!”
“Yes, you do. Let’s take last night for example.” Laurel starts and Felicity briefly notes that she’s gotten so much more comfortably in front of the camera since this has all begun. She’s not sure she likes it if it’s going to be used against her in this way. “Oliver and Felicity were stood by the speakers and…”
Felicity groans as Laurel reaches for her favourite polka-dot blouse that has become the synonymous ‘Felicity’ costume for the vlogs. “Do we really have to do this?”
“Put the shirt on.” Laurel insists and Felicity grumbles but does as Laurel places the ‘Oliver’ hat on her head.
“How do you like these speakers? You’re into tech, right? I put them in myself.” Laurel starts in her best impression of the billionaire and Felicity huffs.
“They’re okay, the sound quality is kind of mediocre.” She repeats what she said, looking over at Laurel who is throwing herself into the performance with gusto.
“Oh right. I personally like a more vintage sound, like that you achieve with a record player.” Her sister mocks before staring at Felicity with longing expectancy.
“I didn’t say anything, why are you looking at me like that?” She questions as she breaks character and Laurel shrugs her shoulders.
“Because that’s how he looked at you.”
“Please just go back to the script.” Felicity huffs with a wince and Laurel smirks, lingering for a moment before she adjusts her posture and goes back to playing ‘Oliver’.
“So how about this song? I hear it’s popular, it’s catchy and seems good for dancing.” She pauses again, looking over at Felicity when she doesn’t say anything. “I said it’s catchy and it seems good for dancing.”
When Felicity still doesn’t respond, she takes off the hat and turns to stare at the camera with a knowing look.
“That was not him asking me to dance.” Felicity insists, bringing up what started this argument in the first place.
“What else was it then?” Laurel questions with a raised eyebrow and Felicity groans.
“An attempt for him to get me to admit that I like popular music so that he can later criticise me for it.” She answers simply, nodding her head, but Laurel just rolls her eyes.
“He wouldn’t do that.” Her sister states but Felicity just stares at her.
“When did you become Oliver Queen’s biggest fan?” She questions, feeling betrayal stir within her. Laurel knows how much Felicity dislikes Oliver and she’s always been in Felicity court before.
“He’s just not the bad person you always make him out to be.” Laurel insists as she turns back to the camera.
“You’re starting to sound like Caitlin.” Felicity rolls her eyes and Laurel shrugs her shoulders with a happy smile.
“Caitlin is a very smart woman.”
“Laurel, my brother was looking for… Oh!”
Helena Bertinelli entering the room puts an immediate end to Felicity and Laurel’s argument as the former jumps up to attempt to hide her camera from the rich socialite.
Felicity doesn’t really know Tommy’s half-sister all too well, apart from the fact that she’s very close with her brother and Oliver, which is enough for her to know that finding out about her video blog is a very bad idea.
“Helena, I…” She starts but trails off, any thought of an explanation leaving her brain.
“You’re filming.” The beautiful brunette frowns, looking between the two sisters and the camera with a frown.
“Um yes.”
“I’m going to go. Did you say Tommy’s looking for me?” Laurel asks, jumping up from the end of the bed and moving towards the door. Felicity glares at her, mouthing ‘traitor’ but Laurel just shrugs her shoulders with an apologetic grimace.
“He’s out by the pool.” Helena instructs to Laurel, watching her go before she turns back to Felicity. “This is for your video blog?”
The blonde’s eyes immediately widen in fear at thought that Helena already knows what her vlog is. “You know about that?” She questions shakily but Helena merely gracefully descends to the bed and preens slightly in the viewfinder of the camera.
“’I’m Felicity Smoak, and this is my life!’” She states in a bad impression of Felicity, merely sending the younger blonde into far more of a panic.
“You’ve seen them?” She practically screeches, settling down next to Helena with wide eyes.
“A few of them.”
“Oh my goodness, Helena, I am so sorry. I can totally stop right away and we can take them down. They’re really not that big of a deal, more of an experiment more than anything else and…”
“Relax. At first I thought they were childish, but you have a way with the camera, Fliss.” Helena smirks, interrupting Felicity’s rambling with a smile and a hand held up as if signalling traffic. Felicity frowns, both at her seeming acceptance and the nickname.
She decides not to question the former, seeing as she doesn’t want to reverse that any time soon, but the latter…
“Oh um, nobody really calls me that.” She states with a wince, really not a fan of the usual abbreviation of her name and especially not in the way it sounds coming from Helena’s mouth.
“It can be our special thing then!” The woman states enthusiastically with another somehow perfect swing of her long, dark hair and Felicity freezes with wide eyes.
“Right.”
Felicity’s not entirely sure how she feels about Helena.
Her videos are generally kind towards her, knowing the rich socialite watches them now has made her wary of being too critical of her on video, but she sort of feels like she’s being coerced in some way.
She’s so grateful to Helena and her brother for putting them up in their time of need. They’ve certainly outstayed their welcome at Netherfield but it seems the work at their house is taking far longer than any of them expected.
Helena, however, is the only buffer Felicity has between her and Oliver Queen, and she’s not exactly very good at it. She doesn’t know whether Helena is just far better at ignoring Oliver’s annoying qualities than Felicity is, or whether her higher social class means that she’s just far less willing to show it in public but she seems to have a talent at extracting some of Oliver’s most irritating quirks out of him.
“Were you talking before I came downstairs?” Felicity questions of the socialite once they’re sat in front of the camera. They’re talking about the events of the afternoon wherein Laurel and Tommy were off being all vomit-inducingly coupley, leaving Felicity, Helena, and Oliver to entertain each other.
“No, he was just working in the lounge. Not speaking.” Helena states aloofly and Felicity frowns.
“He’s so rude! He only started talking when Helena asked after his sister, not even when I came into the room and said hello!” Felicity groans, her hands moving quickly along with her mouth as she grows more and more irate at the situation.
“And what was that thing about an ‘accomplished woman’?” Helena prompts with distaste in her mouth and Felicity shudders.
“Oh my goodness, yes!” She calls as she remembers, reaching for the ‘Oliver’ cap and straightening her posture before she puts on the right voice. “A woman can only considered herself accomplished if she has a basic grasp of all the basic academic studies, exercises both her brain and form, and understands the necessities of maintaining polite decorum.”
“What does that even mean?” Helena bemoans to the camera as Felicity finishes and Felicity huffs loudly.
“Honestly the fact that anyone has a list of what makes an ‘accomplished woman’ in the 21st century is just… UGH. He annoys me so much. It’s like he observes my movements throughout the day and collates them into a perfectly tailored argument just to piss me off.” She groans, rolling her eyes.
“What do you mean?” Helena questions with a frown and Felicity waves her off with a long sigh.
“He saw me coming out of the gym earlier and then I ran into him in the library as well. ‘Exercises both her brain and mind’. Please.” She mutters and if she weren’t so caught up in her own anger, Felicity may have noticed the way Helena’s eyebrows furrow in confusion as she registers her words. She also may have noticed the look of pain on her face that morphs to anger before she schools her expression just in time for when Felicity turns her attention back to her.
Luckily for Felicity and unfortunately for Laurel, the construction work on the house finally ends. The lack of apparent changes to the structure only fuels Felicity’s theory that their temporary eviction was all part of her mother’s convoluted plan but even that doesn’t stem the joy that she gets from finally being more than a mansion’s wing away from Oliver Queen.
“Guess where I am? Home! With my own bed, in my own room, with my own Caitlin!” Felicity grins to the camera, wrapping her arms tightly around her best friend with a grin from where she’s sat next to her.
“Oh, I missed you so much!” Caitlin giggles, turning to squeeze Felicity back just as tightly as they sway from side to side.
“I missed you too! I am SO happy to be home and away from Oliver ‘brooding’ Queen.” Felicity shudders as they pull apart, sending Caitlin a look of disgust.
“Your videos with Helena were certainly… interesting.” Her best friend starts but Felicity just launches into her own thoughts.
“Can you believe how arrogant he was? Ugh, if I don’t see him again until the end of the summer, it’ll be too soon.” She throws her hands out, speaking to the camera and Caitlin shakes her head with an amused sigh.
“That wasn’t what I was referring to.”
“And Laurel is back too, though I’m surprised Mom let her in the door seeing as her ring finger is still tragically bare.” Felicity states, purposefully ignoring Caitlin and what she’s trying to imply as she tugs her sister into the shot and lifts her bare hand up to the camera as evidence.
“Shh, you. It’s nice to be home with Dad and Donna and Sara. Even though I do miss Tommy already.” Laurel states diplomatically, pulling her hand away from Felicity’s and smiling sweetly at the camera.
“Aww.” Felicity and Caitlin coo in unison, their heads pressed together.
“Shut up.” Laurel huffs affectionately at them.
They all jump as the door to Felicity’s room slams open and they turn to see Sara stood there, bouncing on her toes in excitement. “But you know who you all missed the most?”
“Yes Sara, we all missed you.” Felicity chuckles, wincing as her sister throws herself across the room and pulls them all slightly violently into a tight hug. Honestly, sometimes Sara really doesn’t know her own strength.
“Group hug!”
“Did you actually run out of friends’ couches to couch surf on?” Caitlin questions as they pull apart and Felicity chuckles as Sara solves the issue of there not being enough space on the bench for them all by plopping herself in Felicity’s lap.
“I did but then I just looped back around to Ray. He’s far too nice to throw me out.” Sara states with a shrug of her shoulders and Felicity chuckles.
“I still don’t understand how you guys are friends.” She comments. Her sister and the nerdy boy who is already a few years into his own start-up and doing extremely well for himself aren’t exactly two people you’d expect to be compatible as friends.
“There’s just some things that bond you for life.” Sara states with a shrug and Felicity and Caitlin share a baffled look.
“Okay, come on Sara, let’s leave Felicity and Caitlin to finish up.” Laurel frowns as she tugs Sara up from Felicity’s lap and leads her out the room. Felicity sends her sister a thankful smile before she turns back to her friend.
“Oh, you know who’s back in town?” Caitlin comments once the room is free of Felicity’s sister.
“Who?” Felicity questions, wondering how on earth she’s so out of touch with everything that’s been going on despite being in the same small town. It’s like the Netherfield mansion was a vacuum away from time and space.
And there’s no worse person to be stuck in a vacuum with than Oliver Queen.
“Barry Allen.”
Felicity frowns as the name registers. “Barry Allen as in Barry we went to school with Barry Allen?”
“Yup. Apparently the Wests have made the move to Vancouver permanent and asked him to come back to clear out the house.” Caitlin explains with a shrug and a look to the camera as Felicity’s brow furrows.
“Did he and Iris West actually…?”
“Felicity.” Caitlin stops her before she can finish her sentence and Felicity huffs, shrugging her shoulders.
“What? I’m just saying. It’s kind of weird.”
“Anyway, I ran into him at the grocery store. He’s doing some particularly revolutionary work actually and they’re expanding into web video.” Caitlin relays and Felicity frowns at the thought.
“They are?”
“Yup. He works at STAR Labs but they’re looking into a more transmedia approach to create more transparency about what they do there. He’s leading the project.” Caitlin states with a small smile and Felicity hums.
“He is? Wow. Who knew dorky Barry Allen would grow up into successful businessman?” Felicity laughs, thinking of the weird kid on the playground who used to antagonise everyone by claiming he could out run them all.
“I don’t know whether he’s quite a successful businessman, but he’s certainly done well for himself. They’ve just secured investment for the project.” Caitlin explains and that makes Felicity frown once more.
“And now’s the time to come back home to empty his adoptive family’s home?” She questions, finding it odd that he’d take such a break from work at the start of such a large project.
“I don’t know. You can talk to him about it at dinner.” Caitlin shrugs, her voice nonchalant despite her words making alarm bells ring in Felicity’s mind.
“Pardon?”
“Didn’t your mom tell you? She invited him over.” Caitlin frowns, looking at Felicity with a small wince and Felicity’s jaw practically drops to the floor.
“She what?”
The next week is possibly what Felicity might describe as her own personal hell.
Barry Allen was nice enough at school. He was smart and did his work quietly and just tried to avoid the school bullies like the rest of them.
But Barry Allen grown up?
He appears to be on a whole other level.
Felicity has no idea what has happened to him in the four short years since they last saw each other, but he certainly seems to have had his ego bolstered in one way or another seeing as he now seems to think that he is the world’s leading expert on video blogging.
…and he’s seen Felicity’s vlogs.
He has extensive thoughts on them. That he likes to tell her about for what feels like hours on end without letting her get a word in edgeways.
That’s all bad enough, but couple that with Felicity’s mother inviting Barry round practically every day for dinner and being entirely unsubtle in her attempts to matchmake.
Yup, personal hell.
It’s been almost a week of it and Felicity is lamenting alone in her room to the camera when her door bursts open.
“Felicity!” Barry Allen grins as he enters and Felicity winces.
“Oh good lord.” She grimaces under her breath, sliding along the bench as he pushes his way in.
“Oh, don’t worry, I asked your mother before I came up.” He states before he settles himself on the bench and Felicity frowns.
“Because that’s all you need to enter my bedroom.” Felicity answers with a confused frown as she looks back at the door Barry closed behind him with trepidation.
“I wanted to talk to you in private.” He tells her and Felicity grimaces, turning to gesture to the camera.
“I’m recording a video. If you can’t say it to the internet then maybe you shouldn’t say it at all.” She tries, hoping that whatever he’s planning isn’t something he’s been coerced into by her mother.
“Your efforts to impress me have not gone unnoticed.” He starts and Felicity immediately freezes as she frowns.
“My… what?”
“Felicity Smoak, would you do me the honour of sharing the most important part of life and becoming my new business partner?” Barry asks, clearly having no intent of beating around the bush but Felicity freezes.
“I… what? You’re offering me a job?” She questions in bafflement, his question having completely blown her off.
She had no idea there was even a position available and why on earth is Barry offering her a job when she hasn’t even finished school yet? And what on earth has given him any indication that she wants to go and work for him when it seems all he does is lord over how wonderful his investor ‘Mrs. Queen’ is and his plan seems to be making lab safety videos for YouTube?
Not exactly the job of a lifetime.
“Yes. Let me just explain to you why I wanted to offer you this in the first place…”
Felicity doesn’t subject her viewers to the extensive length of Barry Allen’s explanation. He bumbles his way through it, as he is want to do most things, and doesn’t let her interrupt at any point even though all she wants to tell him is a resounding no.
He goes on about ‘Mrs Queen’ and her extensive knowledge on the subject and all Felicity wants to do is tear her hair out and put as much distance between herself and Barry Allen as humanly possible.
“Barry. I really don’t think you’re understanding me.” She finally manages to say and Barry frowns, pulling a large envelope out of the briefcase he came in with.
“I know that sometimes employees wish to negotiate. I can lay out how extensive the benefits may be…” He starts but Felicity really has heard enough of his voice for one day.
“No! Barry Allen, the answer is no. I do not wish to accept the job.” She states as plainly as she can, watching as his face turns from blissful ignorance, to confusion, to something more sinister.
“Felicity, I hope you realise that you’re making a huge mistake. You are charming and lovely but this is an extremely lucrative offer and I think you should seriously reconsider. I highly doubt anyone will offer you an position like this even once you are qualified and…”
“Barry! The answer is no. I do not want to be your business partner. Now please leave before you insult me anymore.” She states, gesturing to where the door is and Barry’s eyebrows furrow as he looks at her.
“Insult you? I…”
“Please, just leave.” She states, watching him stand dejectedly and walk out before she looks back to the camera with a totally baffled expression.
If she thought that Barry’s offer was baffling, however, nothing prepares her for the shock news that comes from Caitlin in the next few days.
“You’re doing what?” Felicity questions as they sit in front of the camera as they have so many times before. Caitlin is staring at her with a desperate expression and Felicity can feel her heart breaking before they’ve even really begun.
“I’m taking the job with Barry at STAR Labs.” Caitlin states once more and Felicity shakes her head resolutely.
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am.” Caitlin sighs, looking over to the camera with a clearly uncomfortable look. Felicity feels bad momentarily that she’s insisting on filming it but she just thought that maybe putting her best friend in front of the camera might make her see sense.
It doesn’t appear to be working.
“How can you take the job?” Felicity questions, truly not being able to work out why Caitlin would even want this job in the first place.
“Because it’s a job.” Caitlin states as if it’s the plainest thing in the world and Felicity just feels her confusion grow. She doesn’t even feel as if she recognises the version of Caitlin in front of her and she’s her best friend.
“But you haven’t finished school yet!” Felicity insists, reminding her that they both still have a year of grad school to go and she knows that Caitlin’s also always wanted to do a PhD.
“I spoke to Dr. Wells. He said I could call it a year in industry and gain my credits that way. Plus, this lessens my debt and makes me money.” Caitlin lays out logically and Felicity frowns, flailing as she realises that her explanation actually makes sense.
“But you’d have to move.” She grasps at the other vein of the argument and if she’s being honest, the one that hurts the most.
“Yes. Star Labs is in Central City.” Caitlin states plainly and Felicity frowns, moving to wrap her arms around a clearly still uncomfortable Caitlin.
“You’d be away from me. We haven’t been away from each other for more than a month since we were born!” Felicity frowns and the thought of it makes her heart clench. She hasn’t done anything where she hasn’t had Caitlin by her side, what’s she supposed to do with her suddenly half a country away?
“We’re not kids anymore, Felicity. I have to do what’s right for me. We were never going to be at each other’s sides forever.” Caitlin states with a long sigh, levelling Felicity with a sad look and the pain in her eyes is just far too much for Felicity to handle.
“You’re selling out! He wants you on board to make dumb lab safety videos.” She changes vein once more, unable to listen to the pain of them being separated anymore.
“I don’t have the privilege of refusing him.” Caitlin shakes her head and those words certainly give Felicity pause.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“My mom is in debt, I am in debt.” Caitlin tells her plainly and Felicity shakes her head.
“So are my parents and me.”
“It’s not the same, Felicity. Your mom and Quentin, they have the house. My mom? There is no house to sell. I need a job and money coming in.” Caitlin insists, gesturing to the room around them and Felicity frowns.
It’s just Caitlin and her mom, it has been ever since her dad died. Felicity never thought much about them packing up the house and moving into a smaller apartment seeing as she’d only been ten when it happening but even though she knows logically that Caitlin is right, her heart is in charge right now. Not her head.
“What happened to Doctor Caitlin Snow?” Felicity questions, reminding her friend of what she thought was always her aspiration.
“She may still be coming. But for now, this is what I need to do and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
“I can’t believe you’re selling out. You’ll have no time to work on your own stuff.”
“Like I do now? I spend all my free time on your stuff.” Caitlin bites, gesturing to the camera before them and Felicity freezes, the tears immediately pooling in her eyes.
These diaries, this vlog, it’s always been theirs, not just Felicity’s and she thought Caitlin knew that. If she doesn’t… How awful of a friend must she have been over the past few months?
“I… I…”
“Will you please let me go?” Caitlin questions and Felicity drops her arms from around her in shock. Caitlin has never used that angry tone with her before and Felicity feels her heart shatter as her best friend walks towards the door and away from her forever. She looks back at Felicity with a long sigh before she leaves the room and Felicity barely has time to turn off the camera before a gut-wrenching sob forces its way through her body and she falls to the floor.
Felicity remains in her room for most of the next week.
The thought of facing the world without Caitlin, the thought of there being a world where she and Caitlin are no longer best friends? She hates it and staying inside seems like a far better plan.
Plus there’s the fact that Felicity’s mother is clearly unimpressed with Felicity’s refusal of the job offer from Barry and doesn’t seen to be afraid to let Felicity know that. Of course, her bemoans are less about the job itself and more about the new pool of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes that could be awaiting Felicity in Central City.
Yes, staying in her room is a far better idea.
She’s just explaining that to her camera when her bedroom bursts open and Sara appears in her room.
“Guess who’s back in town?” She questions with a coy grin and Felicity turns to look at her with a frown.
“Who?”
“Adrian Chase.” Sara states simply, signalling for Felicity to budge over on the bench which she does.
“How do you know that?” Felicity questions her sister, confused as to how she would have any information about Felicity’s friend.
“He texted you.” Sara states simply, as if that doesn’t raise a million other questions.
“And how do you know that?”
“You’re not the only one who can do tech stuff.” Sara grins with a preening twist of her shoulders and Felicity frowns in alarm.
“You hacked my phone?” She questions indignantly and Sara rolls her eyes with a sigh.
“Your laptop which is connected to your phone. I needed to get your Netflix password. I just happened to see the text.” The older sister explains with a huff but luckily for her, Felicity is already reaching for her phone.
“Oh he did text me.” She confirms with a grin, smiling down at the text from her handsome… something which does indeed confirm his presence back in town.
“Right? So will you stop being such a bummer and come to Verdant with me? Please?” Sara begs, tugging on the sleeve of Felicity’s sweater with a pout.
“I’m not being a bummer.” Felicity insists, although she knows that the collection of mugs by her bed and the sweats she’s been wearing all week might state otherwise.
“You are being kind of a bummer.” Laurel’s voice chimes in and Felicity turns to see her other sister stood in the doorway with a smirk on her face.
“Laurel!” Felicity frowns, looking at her with a disproving pout.
“I think Verdant is a great idea! I’ll call Tommy and see if he and Helena can meet us there!” Laurel grins with a nod, turning and heading to her own room with a flounce.
“Ugh that means Oliver.” Felicity realises with a grimace. The last person she wants to see right now is Oliver.
“But Adrian will be there! You need to get some action. It’ll help you feel better.” Sara grins and Felicity’s frown turns to a laugh as Sara’s shoulder gently nudges into hers in tandem with her eyebrows wiggling.
“I am not hooking up with Adrian.” Felicity counters as she levels her sister with a look.
“I’m just saying, couldn’t blame you if you did. That man is one hot…”
“Okay, thank you, Sara! Guess we’re going to Verdant?” Felicity interrupts quickly but Sara is undeterred as she looks back at the camera with a grin and throws her arms in the air.
“Yay!”
The next day, Felicity may not have had much sleep but she’s far too worked up to change that.
“It’s not that weird.” Laurel bemoans as Felicity sits her down in front of the camera.
“It’s weird. Something happened between them! That eye contact had some serious tension, and then Oliver just left. I’ve got to know what happened.” Felicity insists looking between the camera and her sister with a begging look.
“Don’t go snooping, Felicity. I know what those techy fingers are capable of.” Laurel frowns, reaching for Felicity’s hands and gesturing to her fingers as if to make a point.
The two of them are discussing the very odd circumstances that occurred last night at Verdant. Adrian had been getting them drinks when Oliver arrived and when he got back to the table, the two of them shared a very long and tense look before Oliver made a very awkward apology and just left.
“As if I would ever use my technical talents to… Okay, I totally would.” Felicity sighs, extracting her hand back from Laurel’s grasp with a sigh. “But I won’t this time! Adrian is on his way over and if the opportunity arises, I will just ask him.”
“You’re just going to ask him about something potentially traumatic?” Laurel questions and the look on her face tells Felicity how much of a good idea she considers her plan to be.
“Not like that! If he doesn’t want to talk about it, I will not push.” Felicity states declaratively and Laurel raises a dubious eyebrow.
“And then you’ll resort to more technical methods?”
“I plead the fifth.” Felicity responds as she lifts her hand to her heart. Laurel rolls her eyes, standing as she makes her way to exit the room.
“Leave it alone, Felicity.” She calls before she opens the door and slips out.
“Laurel can stop with her preaching. This also isn’t anything to do with me missing Caitlin, Laurel, before you start on that. This is just a mystery left to be solved and if there’s one thing that bugs Felicity Smoak, it’s a mystery!” Felicity tells the camera, frowning as she thinks of how she might be able to drag it out of Adrian before a voice in the doorway makes her jump.
“Oh really? Well then, I hope Felicity Smoak finds many more mysteries about me. I’d like some more of her attention.”
“Adrian!” Felicity grins as she turns to see him and he chuckles, dropping to the bench and pressing a kiss to her cheek in greeting.
“Hey, peach.” He states in his usual greeting and Felicity smiles, thinking briefly about how good he looks in her room.
Oddly, he’s surprisingly forthcoming about what went on between him and Oliver when Felicity asks. He doesn’t want to use any real names for liabilities sake so Felicity’s viewers get the story of ‘the Arrow’, ‘Prometheus’ and the latter’s want to study in the ‘League of Assassins’ (Felicity really doesn’t understand the names but she rolls with it seeing as it gets Adrian to tell her the story).
It turns out that Adrian’s father had worked for Oliver’s until he died suddenly, leaving Adrian fatherless. Oliver’s father had favoured him and helped to raise him himself, essentially making Oliver and Adrian brothers. He promised to fund Adrian’s education at an Ivy League but he died before Adrian came to a point in his life when he was ready. When he asked Oliver for the money, he refused, denying Adrian the inheritance he had been promised from Oliver’s father despite there being much of it left for Oliver himself and his younger sister.
Adrian also explains how Oliver is estranged from his mother due to believing her spending ‘frivolous’ and confirms that she’s the same Mrs. Queen who Barry Allen so greatly values as his investor. Investing in, somewhat dubiously thought out but potentially very lucrative, business plans doesn’t seem like frivolous spending to Felicity but Adrian claims that Oliver is very protective over the family wealth, which Felicity can certainly see in what she knows of him.
She’s grateful to learn that Adrian’s hatred of Oliver isn’t deterring him from attending Tommy’s birthday party with her at the weekend. She wants to have fun, despite the fact that she’s sure it’s probably a recipe for disaster seeing as her parents are also involved, and she knows there’s the biggest possibility of that if Adrian comes with her.
He leaves with the promise that he’ll see her there and Felicity rages as she considers how she’s ever going to look Oliver Queen in the face again after what she’s just learnt.
Felicity is lurking by the wall of the party when Laurel appears with a drink for her about halfway through the party.
It’s in full swing and it all seems to be going well so far apart from the fact that Adrian is a no show. He promised he’d come and he’s not generally one to be late. He’s not answering his phone and Felicity is honestly getting a little worried but she doesn’t want to come on too strong.
“Where’s Adrian?” Laurel questions, looking around, but Felicity merely sighs with a shrug.
“I don’t know. He said he’d be here by now.” She laments, taking a long swing of the drink and being grateful to feel the sting of the alcohol as it traces her throat.
“I’m sorry.” Laurel frowns and Felicity smiles shaking her head.
“You don’t have to be sorry.” She comments before a shrill, familiar voice pierces her ears and she turns to see a blonde figure introducing herself to all of Tommy’s distinguished college friends. “Oh god, is that Mom?”
“Yup. She’s introducing herself as the host’s future mother-in-law.” Laurel states nervously, her teeth clenched and Felicity takes a deep breath.
“Oh, good lord.”
“I told Dad, he’s going to sort her out.” Laurel reassures her and Felicity calms slightly, watching her her step-father indeed appears behind his wife to reel her in.
“Bless Quentin.” Felicity comments with a chuckle and they share an affectionate look.
“LET’S DO SHOTS!”
“Oh lord, that’s Sara.” Laurel winces and they turn to see her stood by the open bar, a small crowd gathered around her as she dances rather provocatively to the loud music.
“Where’s Tommy?” Felicity questions, trying to distract herself from the car crash happening around her.
“Entertaining, there’s lots of his family and friends here.” Laurel states diplomatically but Felicity’s brow furrows.
“Still, I thought you said you wanted to spend time with him tonight.” She reminds her sister but Laurel just waves her off.
“He’s hosting. It’s no big deal.”
“Laurel!” Helena calls from across the room before Felicity can insist otherwise and Laurel smiles.
“That’s my cue.” She grins at Felicity before she heads over to where the socialite is stood with a group of other women.
Helena waves at Felicity before she turns back to the group and Felicity manages one back before she sighs, leaning against the wall herself.
It’s a good enough party. There’s plenty of alcohol and food and the house is so large that it doesn’t feel cramped despite the hundreds of people here.
She just wishes Adrian would appear soon.
“Felicity.”
Felicity jumps at the sound of a voice right next to her ear and she turns to see Oliver Queen staring down at her intensely. Her anger immediately flares as she remembers the new information she’s received in the last few days but she straightens her shoulders, wanting to appear the bigger person. “Oh, Oliver.”
“How’re you enjoying the party?” He questions quickly, looking intensely into her eyes and Felicity frowns with a shrug.
“It’s fine I guess.” She comments and takes another long swing of her drink as an awkward silence manifests around then.
“Would you like to dance?”
Oliver’s question is so abrupt and it cuts through the silence so sharply that Felicity is baffled and she finds herself saying, “Oh… I… sure?”
She immediately regrets it as he waits for her to place down her glass and leads her into the main area where people are dancing. The music, of course, immediately shifts to a slow song and Oliver reaches for her hand to hold her in a relaxed ballroom hold.
Because of course he does.
He stares at her very intensely and Felicity almost wants to look away. It's a habit of his, she's noticed, his eyes will lock on her from across the room and not leave her frame. It confuses and unnerves her, but she also doesn't really know what to do about it. He's just staring and he's never actually looking at her inappropriately.
“Thank you for agreeing to dance.” He states after a few moments of awkward, silent swaying and Felicity frowns. The alcohol may have gone to her head slightly but she certainly doesn’t regret not beating around the bush and addressing what’s on her mind.
“I have to say, I think it was rather rude how you acted with Adrian the other night.” She states, referencing the incident at Verdant and Oliver’s eyebrow furrows.
“Chase? His feelings do not concern me.” He states with a scoff, enraging Felicity even more. How can he so apathetic when he practically ruined Adrian’s life?
“Are you at least going to be civil when he gets here tonight?” Felicity questions, looking up at Oliver incredulously.
“Oh, Adrian Chase will not be showing his strikingly handsome face here tonight.” He merely scoffs, shaking his head, and Felicity’s eyebrows furrow.
“Yes, he will. He promised me he would.” She explains, her voice far softer than she’s like. It forces Oliver’s expression to soften slightly but he speaks very plainly and with no remorse when he answers.
“Felicity, he will not. I made sure of it. He’ll seriously regret it if he does.”
“And that is how Oliver Queen made a great guy stand me up.” Felicity concludes once she and Sara are done re-enacting the scene for the camera the next day.
“Has he called you yet?” Sara asks from next to her and Felicity frowns.
“Oliver?” She questions in bafflement and Sara pulls a face of disgust.
“No, ew. Adrian.” She implores and Felicity frowns. She actually hasn’t heard from his still and she knows that it’s not like they’re exclusive but seeing as he promised to come to the party…
“Oh no, he hasn’t called. He probably just… um… he totally should’ve called, right?” She winces, looking at Sara despondently.
“Definitely.” Sara confirms before her harsh expression softens and she places a comforting hand on Felicity’s shoulder. “I’m sure he will.”
“I don’t know. I still can’t believe Oliver basically forced a great guy to stand me up. I understand Adrian’s side of their disagreement but Oliver has no reason to be such a dick.” Felicity bemoans and Sara sighs, sliding her hand up to tug her into a hug.
“Ugh, I’m sorry, babe. Guys suck.”
Sara cuddles her some more and then leaves her alone to finish up the video but before she can, she interrupted by Laurel arriving home.
“Hey Felicity.” Her sister calls as she enters the room, smiling at the sight of the camera.
“Hi. How was work?” Felicity asks, sliding to let Laurel sit down and she does with a long sigh.
“It was okay. I’m exhausted.” She bemoans, running a hand over her face and Felicity frowns
“Are you okay?” She’s seen Laurel tired from work a lot but there’s something else behind her eyes now that’s not just exhaustion.
It’s confusion.
“I don’t know. I went to see Tommy on my way home from work but he wasn’t there.” Laurel explains with a frown and Felicity pouts in confusion.
“Oh. Were Helena and Oliver?” She questions and Laurel shakes her head.
“Nope. There was no one. It was weird, almost like the house had been cleared.” She comments with a confused shake of her head and Felicity frowns too.
“That’s odd…”
“Oh, Tommy just tweeted.” Laurel comments when her phone sounds off.
“You have each other on Twitter notifications? That’s adorable.” Felicity grins to the camera but when she turns back, Laurel is staring at her phone in what Felicity knows to be disbelief. “Laurel?”
“I…” Her sister shakes her head, handing her the phone with a deep frown on her face.
“Small towns are great but back to the big city. Gotham here I come.” Felicity reads slowly with a frown of her own. Anger mixing with her confusion as she realises what’s happened. “What? Did he tell you he was going?”
“No, he… he didn’t say anything.” Laurel answers, clearly confused and upset and Felicity bites her lip, sighing heavily before she stands up and switches off the camera.