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No one knows exactly when soul animals come into a person’s life. Research on these animals is quite difficult as they remain hidden from the public’s eye, only seen by the soulmate pair, and only physically manifest to the rest of the world once the soulmates are connected. They’re a permanent and proud statement of their souls’ connection. The general consensus, according to all of Felicity’s research and word of mouth from her family or classmates, is that these soul animals appear at birth and periodically travel between the pair of soulmates once both are born.
The earliest memories Felicity had of her life always included her soul animal, a Steller’s Sea Eagle, according to the bird encyclopedia she got for her 5th birthday. She ended up naming her soul animal Stell that same day. She knew no one could see it but her, yet she still loved talking to it and talking to others about the bird. Having a name just made it easier. Whether she was telling Stell how her day went if it didn’t join her, or telling her classmates cool facts about eagles. Before Felicity even learned to speak, her parents could already guess the species of her soul animal. Her mother, Donna, would watch baby Felicity as her bright blue eyes constantly fleeted across the bare ceiling and knew, despite not being able to see it herself, that Felicity had her soul animal with her and began buying any toy or stuffed animal with wings on it for her daughter.
At the age of seven, Felicity’s father left her and so did Felicity’s vibrant and outspoken love for Stell. Neither of her parents’ soul animals were seen by Felicity, seen by the public, until the day her father was walking out their front door, a long haired rat on his shoulder. She expected to see it again, with her mom, but it never came back. Neither did her father. They were never soulmates. Gone was the winged toys and stuffed animals, now replaced with wires and pieces of tech. As she grew into her teen years, her mother was away more at work and Felicity threw herself into solitary activities, not wanting to risk building a connection with anyone else just for them to walk away. Her increased loneliness pushed her back to talking to Stell. Despite her soul animal not being able to talk back, she could still feel their emotions. It was the worry and determination she felt from Stell that pushed Felicity to channel all her energy into completing high school early and attending MIT.
Felicity finally felt like she achieved a sense of normalcy while attending MIT. She was happy to be learning and attending all her classes. Stell started giving Felicity more space, being gone for weeks at a time. She was having fun socializing, making friends with a group of fellow hacktivists. She even found love in Cooper Seldon. Despite knowing Cooper wasn’t her soulmate (he talked about his soul animal, a viper), she still thought she’d let herself be happy with him for the time being. They loved each other and that was enough for Felicity.
But he didn’t really love her.
In the end, Felicity found out he used her for her super-virus. Yes, he took the fall with the FBI, but if he truly loved her, he wouldn’t have deleted the student debts in the first place. He wouldn’t have left her, choosing to die instead of fighting to be free. Fighting to be back with her. And throughout that painful time, she was all alone. Not even Stell was there with her. And that worried her too. Because if Stell wasn’t with her, the eagle was with her soulmate, which meant they were in even greater pain than her. Felicity couldn’t imagine what they were going through, Cooper’s death was the most painful thing she’d felt since her father left her. She could only hope they would be okay. That they both would be.
Stell didn’t return to Felicity until shortly after she graduated from MIT. She was packing up her dorm, despite not knowing what to do next with her life. She had multiple job offers from all over the country, but she just couldn’t decide. She decided to take a break from the packing, moving to her bed. Only she was stopped in her tracks by Stell sitting on the edge of her bedpost.
“Oh, you’re okay! They’re okay!” Felicity rushes forward with a hand out for Stell to get closer. Stell gently nudges her head against Felicity’s and Felicity lifts her other hand to smooth the top of Stell’s feathered head. “Where have you been? It’s been so long.”
Stell just relaxes further into Felicity, coaxing her to take a deep breath and feel the emotions they’re sending to her. Felicity finally feels the tiredness of Stell seep through to her. In hopes to calm Stell down and to reconnect them after so far apart, Felicity decided to spend what would’ve been her nap break from packing to groom Stell’s very ruffled feathers back into place. As the quiet swallowed the two of them, Felicity began to think back to her soulmate and hoped once again that they were okay. She only believes they are because Stell wouldn’t have left them if they weren’t.
Later that night, Felicity sat at her desk looking through her job offers while Stell was back on the edge of her bedpost peering at the screen. Despite its large size, the winged creature doesn’t seem to mind the small dorm. Felicity spins her chair around to face Stell and sighs, “I don’t know what to do. There’s just so many options and no matter what, it’s going to be a big change.”
Tempted to call it a night, Felicity goes to change into her pajamas. When she came back, Stell was perched on her desk chair facing the laptop. Felicity approached, noticing the screen had changed.
“Hmm. What have you got for us Stell?” She leans closer to the computer screen and sees Stell has clicked on one of her many job offers. “Queen Consolidated, huh?”
Felicity thinks for a moment, looking back over the offer and slowly feels something seep through her. A familiar feeling of dedication and excitement and something else she can’t quite place. She just can’t tell if it’s from her or Stell. Either way, Felicity knows it's a sign. A sign she will be taking. Moving to sit back in her desk chair, she began to type on her laptop as Stell still peers from behind her. After a minute, she shuts the lid and pushes her chair back, rolling the two of them back towards the boxes of Felicity’s belongings.
“Well, it looks like the two of us are moving to Starling City.”
***
Oliver Queen has never doubted soul animals in his life. He knows they exist. His parents have one, an Amur Leopard, that he’s known and seen just as long as his own soul animal. Oliver’s is a Steller’s Sea Eagle. It was a large creature, with dark brown plumage and a tail and wings as white as snow. As a young boy, he loved spending time with his eagle, wishing to be as strong as it appeared. He never named his eagle though. His parents never named their leopard, so he didn’t see the point, he knew other people didn’t name theirs either.
The only time he regretted not naming his eagle was at the young age of four. For the first time in his entire life, little Oliver woke up and his soul animal wasn’t there. He didn’t know what to do, how to call out to it, how to find it. It didn’t take long for his mother to find him, as he ran around the house in a panic and collided straight into Moira’s legs.
“Oliver, honey, what’s wrong?” His mother asked him, bending down to his level. Oliver instantly wrapped his arms around her.
“I-I can’t find it! It’s never without me and now it’s gone,” Oliver cries into his mother’s shoulder, eyes still open hoping maybe his eagle would be behind her. He felt his mother run a soothing hand down his back and sighs.
“Find what, honey? Tell me so I can help you find it,” Moira pulls her son back so she can look at him and her heart aches just a little seeing her sweet baby boy so upset.
“M-my eagle, mommy! I don’t know where it could’ve gone,” Oliver whimpers, a fresh wave of tears threatening to run down his soft cheeks, “I don’t remember a time it was without me. I don’t know why it just left. Why’d it leave me?”
At her son’s words, Moira suddenly understands. If Oliver’s never been without his soul animal that means he was born before his soulmate and now that his animal is gone is because his soulmate has just been born. She tells him exactly that and watches as Oliver, still just a young child, tries to understand.
After a moment, Oliver finally speaks, his voice much more clear without the tears, “So, it will come back? Once it’s done visiting my… my soulmate?"
Moira nods, “Yes, honey. It might take awhile, but remember your soul animal will always come back to you.” She could see Oliver was about to ask another question, but knowing her son, she already had the answer. “Even without a name, it can still come back. You see your father and I still have ours.”
Accepting his mother’s answers, Oliver gives her a quick kiss before pushing back and zooming towards one of his play rooms, intendeding to occupy himself with his toys until his eagle returns to him. It returned a few days later, and whenever it disappeared again, as it did many times, Oliver never worried about it’s return again.
The older Oliver grew, the less he paid attention to his soul animal, instead paying more attention to himself, taking advantage of his extravagant lifestyle. He stopped tracking when his soul animal would leave and how long it took it to return. The more he partied with his friends, the less he wanted to see his eagle anyways. If it was with him, he’d make sure it’d keep its distance floating around outside or perched high and nearly invisible indoors. It never stayed for long anyways as far as he could tell.
It took getting stranded on an island for his soul animal to stay for quite possibly the longest time since before his soulmate was born. It helped keep him sane, pushing the loneliness back just a bit. It comforted him as he buried his father and guarded him as an extra set of eyes.
Well, tried to guard him.
He still got an arrow in the shoulder, pushing his life into Yao Fei’s hands. It was Yao Fei himself that cut the time he had with his soul animal to an end, telling him he can’t survive with it by his side, not on the island. It was too much of a distraction. It gave him too much hope. He couldn’t have that now. Not if he wanted any chance of surviving purgatory.
Oliver knew he was right. He looked to his eagle, jestering for it to come closer. It landed on his hand. He sighed, gazing at his lifelong companion for what might be the last time. He knew it was stupid and strange to talk to his soul animal in front of someone who couldn’t see it, but this was goodbye so he couldn’t give a damn.
“You heard the man. It’s time for you to leave me alone. You’re a deadly distraction,” Oliver sighed. He knew he was hurting his soul animal, so he ended it with something that should make it feel better. To give it a purpose, “I want you to come back when there’s hope for me.”
He knows there’s no point. There will never be hope for him again. His heart hardens just a bit more.
***
This is home.
That’s all Felicity could think, all she could feel as she stepped off the plane into Starling City. Her entire life fitting in only two suitcases. She could feel sad, but still all she felt was determination and excitement, the comforting feeling that she was home.
It didn’t take long for Felicity to settle into Starling City.
She loved to walk around to get to know her town a bit more, which Stell loved too as she got to soar along Felicity’s path. They came to an agreement, or more so Felicity just told Stell and hoped she listened, that now that they’re in a new place Stell should either stay back at the apartment or stay on the outside of the buildings Felicity visited during her work day to limit distraction.
Felicity needed all of her attention to be focused on her new job while she was at work and she didn’t need to be caught babbling to her soul animal in the middle of the work day. Yes, it was common for someone to occasionally talk to their animal companion throughout the day. But Felicity didn’t have the filter to keep it to the normal standard, and don’t even get her started on the embarrassing things that can come out of her mouth once she starts rambling to Stell.
Thankfully, Stell seemed to get the message just fine and they began an easy routine and built even more of a home in Starling City with time. Felicity could sometimes see Stell fly by her window at work, see the distinct wings on her walk to get coffee or fly above the building across from where she got her lunch for the day. Felicity’s done a good job at keeping her babbles to a minimum and her distractions rare, quickly becoming one of the best in IT at Queen Consolidated.
A voice at her desk drew her out of her thoughts.
“Felicity Smoak?”
Felicity drops the red pen from her mouth from surprise, spinning around in her chair to face the most magnificent blue eyes she’s ever seen.
Well, so much for no distractions.
“Hi, I’m Oliver Queen.”
She knows who he is. You couldn’t work at Queen Consolidated, or even live in Starling City without knowing who Oliver Queen was. Not only that, but Stell has gotten a weird attachment to the news reports Felicity’s seen about him, constantly ruffling their feathers and batting her wings whenever more news drops about Oliver. Felicity could only think it's her own need for mysteries to be solved rubbing off on her soul animal, it is a strange case after all. Felicity wonders where Stell is now, she’d get a kick out of seeing her eagle’s reaction to the mystery man himself.
***
Oliver didn’t know what he expected when he walked into Felicity Smoak’s office that day.
He was surprised that Felicity was willing to help him with minimal suspicion and how fast she completed her task. He almost wished it took longer, so he could spend more time with her. Another surprise. He hasn’t felt this way in a long time, wanting to be near someone else. Spend time with someone else. He shakes his head, hoping to shake off the feeling and stands to grab the laptop back from Felicity. He looks out the window as he rises and nearly crumbles right back into his seat. Floating right outside Felicity’s window is Oliver’s eagle. His eagle he hasn’t seen since he sent it away. Since he told it to only come back with hope.
It’s the eagle’s influence that changes his plan. Instead of reaching for the laptop, he reaches for Felicity’s shoulder. He doesn’t know why he’s doing it, doesn’t know what to say, but as he glances back from his eagle to Felicity the words just tumble right out of him.
“Do you want to go get coffee with me?”
Felicity blinks up at him.
“It’s not the same shop that damaged your laptop, is it?”
Oliver shakes his head, a slight chuckle escaping him. He freezes for just a second. He doesn’t remember the last time that happened, but he’s glad it did. Especially with Felicity. Why is that?
“I-uhhh… Definitely not that one. It’s too far. Like way too far. And not nice enough for you. Not that you need nice! It’s um- It’s close to us too. That’s good right?”
He doesn’t know what’s wrong with him. Word vomit is not his thing. Maybe it really has been too long since he’s been around a pretty girl. He’ll blame that. Or his eagle. He felt that change as soon as he saw it again, and it’s still floating by the window looking almost amused at the antics Oliver stirred up.
“Usually I’m the one speaking in sentence fragments,” Felicity beams at him and Oliver no longer feels weird about his verbal gaff. Not when it made her smile like that. “But close is good, yeah. I could definitely get some of you. I-I mean with. Not of you! With you! Because why would I want that? Not that there’s anything wrong with you. I mean you’re you. And please stop me I-”
“Felicity. It’s okay, really. Now we’re even.”
It was more than okay to Oliver. The lightness in his chest that came with her babble was new. Yet another thing strengthened this pull to Felicity.
“Trust me, there will be more of that,” Felicity laughs, albeit a little nervously.
“And it will still be okay, Felicity. I like it, it’s refreshing.”
Blue on blue collide as they communicate through just their eyes. Felicity’s doubt. Oliver’s reassurance. A moment passes till she nods, a smile breaking across her face, accepting the fact Oliver was being truthful. Oliver softly smiles back and reaches out to squeeze her shoulder yet again, “I think it's time for some coffee, you?”
Felicity agrees, grabbing her bag and rises from her desk. They walk side by side to the coffee shop, shoulders rubbing every once in a while sending tingles throughout Oliver’s entire body.
Felicity feels the tingles too.
***
What Felicity thought was just a one time favor and coffee in thanks with Oliver Queen soon became a routine.
Oliver began frequenting her office with odd favors, always taking her to get coffee afterwards. Sometimes coffee turned into lunch and Felicity found herself spending more and more time with him. It was always a nice reprieve from her boring work day. Sure, Oliver’s blatant lies irked her, but she helped him nonetheless knowing he’ll tell her the truth when he’s ready.
Stell’s apparent obsession with Oliver Queen was no longer. Felicity noticed the more time she spent around him, the less Stell would flutter restlessly in front of news reports about him on the television. She guessed Stell’s been watching their interactions from outside the buildings and the frequency of Oliver’s visits no longer made him a mystery man. She’s never seen or felt Stell more content than now, living in Starling. Despite having to stay outside during Felicity’s work day, she can sometimes see the eagle flying happily outside her office window or above her and Oliver as they walk to get coffee or food after completing a favor.
Felicity’s stomach grumbles and she looks at the time on her work computer. Perfect for her to take a lunch break. She could really go for some chinese food. Before she could start gathering her things to leave, Oliver walked into her office with his hands behind his back, looking almost shy.
“Oh, Oliver,” Felicity waves him more into her office. “I wasn’t expecting you today. What can I fix or research for you today?” She raises a teasing eyebrow, wanting to get the task done as quickly as possible so she can get lunch. Felicity knows she can’t exactly ask him to come back later, he is kind of her boss. And a part of her also hopes that maybe, just maybe, they can take her lunch together. Platonically, of course.
“Actually, there’s no favors today.” Oliver coughs. And Felicity thinks back to when she thought he looked almost shy, because he’s without a doubt shy now. His fingers rubbing together nervously, and the other hand held behind his back appears to be holding a plastic bag. How odd. “I was, um. I-I got too much take-out and was wondering if you wanted to share it with me?”
Felicity meets his question with silence. Her brain startled into a frenzy. This is different. This is no favor. No work. Just spending time with each other. Because they want to. And Felicity cannot believe Oliver Queen wants to spend time with her. Before she realizes she should probably say something. Say yes. Absolutely yes. Oliver speaks again.
“I’m sorry. This is weird, isn’t it? I’m just going to… go.”
“NO!”
Felicity flies from her seat. Oliver freezes from his escape out the door at her loud exclamation.
“Oops, that was a bit too loud.” Felicity winces, but turns to Oliver with the most sincere look she could muster. “Please don’t go, it’s not weird at all! We’ve had lunch together before. This time it’s just a bit easier because there’s no weird task for me to finish first.”
“So, this is okay?”
“More than okay.”
Felicity’s smile causes the tension to leak out of Oliver almost immediately as he moves to place the take-out bag onto her desk. He’s about to sit in the chair in front of her desk when Felicity stops him, gesturing for him to move the chair next to her instead. They fall into a comfortable silence as they work to get all the food out of the bag to eat. The smell wafts through her office and Felicity’s stomach grumbles yet again at the familiar scent.
“Is this Chinese?”
“Yeah, from the restaurant we’ve been to before.”
A laugh escapes Felicity and despite Oliver’s confusion he smiles lightly just at hearing her. His raised brow has her explaining herself immediately, “I was actually craving Chinese today. Looks like you were too.”
Oliver hums contently with her answer, glad he got her exactly what she wanted.
They have a nice lunch, the conversation easy but not bland and any silences comfortable. Felicity wished they started doing this way earlier. But what is this exactly? Her and Oliver. Her and Oliver eating lunch together for no other reason but just to be together. Almost like… a date.
No matter how much she can deny it, Felicity wants it to be. But why wouldn’t he just ask her out? The connection she has with Oliver is different than any she’s had before. She’s always more at peace around him, more complete. He has to feel that too. But maybe he doesn’t and Felicity’s getting ahead of herself. Before she could slip further into doubt, she spots Stell flying by her office window. Determination suddenly fills Felicity along with the urge to ask Oliver a question. She knows it’s Stell’s doing, and whatever her eagle wants it gets.
Taking a deep breath Felicity turns to Oliver, “Hey, can I ask you something?”
Oliver immediately stops gathering the garbage from their now finished lunch, concern written across his face as he notices Felicity’s inner turmoil.
“Always.” Oliver reaches out to squeeze Felicity’s hand, reassuring her. She squeezes back, just in case this is the last time she gets to do this.
Here goes nothing.
“W-was this a-um… Was this a date?”
Oliver’s free hand immediately goes to the back of his neck. “About that…”
Felicity cringes instantly. That wasn’t the start of a great sentence.
“No, not like-” Oliver backtracks immediately, sensing Felicity’s discomfort. “It’s not bad, Felicity, I just meant. Well, it was kind of a pre-date.”
“A what?”
“Y’know,” Oliver starts, hoping his explanation will get her to stop staring at him like he’s grown two heads. “Like a date before the real one... Just to be sure.”
“Be sure of what, exactly?”
And wasn’t that the question.
“That you’d actually,” Oliver breathes in deeply, readying himself for the vulnerability his answer will place on him. A vulnerability he’s done everything to escape for years. “Be interested in going on a real date with me.”
“Oh, thank god,” Felicity lets out quite possibly the biggest sigh of relief.
“Oh?” Oliver laughs, not expecting that response from Felicity.
“Of course I’m interested!” Felicity slaps his shoulder, then backtracks as that probably wasn’t the best response to a potential date. She can’t help it. She just loves spending time with Oliver. She let’s a shy smile escape and answers again, “I mean, um- I thought you’d never ask.”
“Well then…” Oliver clears his throat as he moves to grasp Felicity’s hands in his. They fit together perfectly. “Felicity would you like to go on a date with me?”
“I’d love to.”
Felicity beams so brightly and to Oliver’s surprise, he finds himself matching her grin. He hasn’t this been happy in a long time.
“How does Friday night sound?”
“Perfect.”
They never end up going on that date.
***
The night air doesn’t feel right.
It feels ominous to Felicity, causing shivers to run through her body as she makes her way to her car in the Queen Consolidated parking lot. The closer she gets to the car the stronger the sense of distress courses through her body. She starts to speed walk, confused as to where this extra emotion came from. Finally reaching her car, she immediately understands. Stell is sitting anxiously in the passenger seat.
“What are you doing here?” Felicity reaches out to calm Stell.
“It’s okay, Felicity.” A voice from her backseat causes her to jump. She did not expect an actual response to her question, least of all someone that sounded so familiar. Stell didn’t suddenly get the ability to talk, right? “I’m not going to hurt you.”
It instantly clicks for Felicity. This man in her backseat is Oliver. Oliver, the vigilante. Oliver who is hurt.
“Oh god, Oliver! What happened? What do I do?”
Oliver gives her quick instructions to take him to his father’s steel factory. Odd, but she’ll do whatever he asks right now. As Felicity moves to put the car in reverse, Stell flies into the backseat straight for Oliver’s outstretched hand.
“What are you- leave him alone!”
Stell lands perfectly onto Oliver and Felicity’s heart stops. How is that possible? God, she doesn’t have time for this. It’s probably just her head. She needs to focus on saving Oliver. As she speeds off into night, Oliver speaks for the last time before the darkness takes over, “It’s okay. I’ll be okay.”
***
Felicity’s memories of the next few hours all jumbled together, but some moments are more prominent than others. Like how Felicity didn’t have to worry about hacking into the secret entrance, Stell pecked the code in for her. Or how her heart felt like it was shattered into a million pieces and Stell’s body started contorting as Oliver flatlined, only fixed once his heart started beating again.
Felicity is beyond thankful for Mr. Diggle. They worked together to save Oliver in perfect harmony. When Oliver was finally stable, Diggle lent her a comforting hand and words that calmed her down with ease. It wasn’t until he offered to get them some food that Felicity had a moment to really process the strangeness of the past few hours. Specifically with Stell. There’s really only one answer that made sense.
But that would change everything.
Everything with them.
Her and Oliver.
The peck of Stell’s beak draws her out of her thoughts. She looks at her eagle for an explanation, but the sound of movement from the med table answers her. Felicity rushes to Oliver’s side, Stell on her shoulder, as they watch him slowly come back to consciousness.
Felicity places a gentle hand on his shoulder and calls out to Oliver, hoping that will ground him to the present, “Oliver, you’re safe.”
“Felicity?”
“Yes, I’m here.” She reaches to smooth the crease between his brows. “You’re okay.”
Oliver slowly blinks his eyes open, smiling slightly, “I told you I’d be.”
“Right,” Felicity chuckles causing her shoulders to move. The movement jostles Stell and despite Felicity already knowing the potential truth, it still shocks her when Oliver’s eyes move to the eagle on her shoulder.
“Is that my soul animal?” Oliver gasps, trying to sit up on the table. Felicity quickly moves to support him before stepping back to deliver the news.
“I think it’s our soul animal, actually?” Felicity blurts out, ripping the life-altering band-aid off.
“Ours?”
Felicity nods nervously, unable to read Oliver’s reaction.
“I-” Oliver sucks in a breath, gaze flickering between Felicity and his eagle. Well, their eagle now. He can’t believe it. This only happened in his deepest dreams, the ones he barely even admitted to himself. He couldn’t have gotten so lucky to actually be with Felicity. After all he’s done, who he is, there was no way. “I don’t deserve you.”
Felicity is not having any of it. Oliver can’t back out now, not if she has anything to say about it. And she does.
Reaching forward to grasp his face in her hands, she makes sure he’s fully focused on her and reassures him with all her might, “You deserve me no matter what, Oliver Queen.” She moves his head just a bit to the side, so he’s facing their soul animal now. “Stell made sure of that.” Felicity brings his forehead to hers, standing on her tippy-toes just a bit to make it easier for him. “Do we have an understanding?”
Oliver begins to nod his head, before finally leaning forward to capture her lips in a kiss. It’s soft and sweet and everything they’ve both been missing all their lives. She takes that as a yes. Their lips pull apart as Oliver pulls Felicity into his embrace. They just stand there, breathing each other in for a few moments and buzzing with happiness with this new discovery.
The happy calls coming from Stell causes them both to look around the room for their soul animal. They find the eagle flying from corner to corner in the foundry seemingly trying to fly out her excitement. The soulmates can’t help their bright smiles seeing the embodiment of themselves in the Steller's Sea Eagle.
“So, Stell, huh?” Oliver gives his eagle a once-over with the new name, before turning to grin at Felicity. She nods at him, a proud smile for being the one to come up with the name. “I like it.”
Felicity reaches up to peck his lips in a thank you and wraps her arms tightly around him, rejoining his embrace. “So, this is okay, us being soulmates? Because it is with me.”
Oliver’s arms tighten a bit more around her as he presses a kiss to her forehead, “More than okay.”
When Diggle walks into the Foundry later that night, bags of food in hand, the sight before him was not what he expected, but not surprising. Oliver and Felicity are wrapped in each other’s embrace, neither noticing Diggle’s entrance. Oliver is sitting on the med table, Felicity standing before him. Felicity’s head in Oliver’s shoulder and Oliver’s in hers, whispering soft words to each other. But that isn’t what steals Diggle’s attention. It’s the large eagle flying circles over the couple. He knows exactly what it is. With a smile on his face, Diggle decides it’s best to leave them alone. As he turns to leave, he places the bags of take-out on the closest table for them to enjoy.
Them.
Oliver, Felicity, and their soul animal.