Work Text:
“Stop dangling … ‘maybe’s. Say ‘never’.
“Don’t ask me to say that I don’t love you."
Never.
Never had become a deep and unholy pit of nothingness. The world held no 'maybe’s or ‘hopefully's for her anymore.
“I love you."
The words still hung somewhere between the neon lights and the Arrow suit in its transparent wardrobe. And for a fleeting moment, the word ‘coffin’ sprang across her frayed mind.
Felicity closed her eyes. Again. Hoping to stall her feverish thoughts.
He’d told her that he loved her.
He’d laid it all bare to her. Matter-of-factly. Simple. Truth of a life. Last truths.
It made it all worse. So much worse. In hindsight she knew. Knew that such truth, stated so plainly could only come from the knowledge of final reckoning. He had known. Against all assurance that he wouldn’t go up against a mythological giant if he didn’t think he could win.
Liar.
And what a beautiful lie. He had fooled them all.
Oliver Queen. Celebrity playboy by day, vigilante by night. Selfish, shallow, guilty in the eyes of some. Daring, criminal, champion for others. He’d walked off into a slaughter prepared by others, by a fight between Ra’s al-Ghul and Malcom Merlyn, they knew nothing of.
Had stood there, spinning a web of assurances and ‘i love you’s to fool her off.
And she hadn’t answered. Hadn’t said a word in return. She had just let him leave. Like it had been nothing. Like it hadn’t shattered her world apart.
She knew long before the first messenger of Nyssa al-Ghul ever reached Starling city.
The Arrow was gone.
Oliver Queen was dead.