#arrow fluff

Rain pounded the bunker windows, making the glass shake. Outside, the city glowed with neon and thunder, but down here, everything was uncomfortably quiet.

You sat on the edge of the medical table, twisting your fingers in your lap while the elevator doors opened with a loud groan. Oliver stumbled out first. Your breath caught, and worry for Oliver quickly took over your nerves.

Blood stained his suit sleeve, bruises marked his jaw, and he looked exhausted. Diggle came in behind him, looking tired too, but you couldn’t take your eyes off Oliver. “Oliver-” “I’m fine,” he muttered automatically. His lie bothered you more than you expected. “You’re dripping blood on the floor.” “I said I’m fine.”

Diggle slipped upstairs before the argument could start.

Oliver took off his hood with a frustrated sigh and tossed it onto a chair. He gripped the table, his shoulders shaking a little. It wasn’t from anger. From pain. Your chest tightened. You grabbed the medical kit and moved closer without saying anything. “I can do it myself.” “And yet you haven’t.”

He looked like he might argue, frustration in his eyes, but then his expression changed. He just looked tired. He sat down heavily. It was quiet as you cleaned the cut near his ribs. Oliver hissed when the antiseptic touched his skin. “Sorry,” you whispered. “It’s not your fault.” The storm outside rumbled again.

You tried to focus on bandaging him, but your hands shook. It was hard to keep your mind from spiralling. Even as you pressed the gauze to his skin, you still saw flashes from just hours ago, the sickening moment you thought you’d lost him, the echo of a gunshot too close, that same, cold fear flooding your chest. Relief mingled with dread, turning your stomach inside out. You kept remembering all the times he’d barely made it back, every grim call, every fresh wound, every night where you counted the seconds until you heard the elevator and knew he was safe. Sometimes you pictured what life would be if he didn't come back at all, a wordless emptiness, his empty chair, his laugh gone from the room. The thought made your heart race, almost painful with how much you needed him. Lately, every mission felt like waiting for bad news, like the universe was just biding its time before it took him away. You wished for a future where he would always walk through those doors, where you could let go of fear long enough to hope that someday, this constant ache would fade.

Oliver noticed. His gaze softened immediately. “Hey.”You refused to look at him. “Don’t.” “Don’t what?” “Use that voice on me.” A small, tired smile appeared on his face. “What voice?” “The one that makes me forgive you.” His smile faded right away, replaced by guilt. “I didn’t mean for tonight to go sideways.” “That’s the problem, Oliver.” Your voice cracked despite your efforts. “You never mean for it to.” The words lingered in the air.

Oliver stared at the floor for several long seconds before speaking again. "When I was on the island..." he began quietly, "I got used to believing I was already dead." His jaw tightened. For a moment, you saw the memories flicker behind his eyes: building a fire with numb fingers in the pouring rain, burying the watch he took from Yao Fei, the taste of salt water as he dragged himself onto the sand after a firefight gone wrong. The biting sting of salt air in open wounds, the endless damp chill in his bones, the echo of distant gunfire. "Sometimes I still think that way."

You finally looked up. Seeing how vulnerable he was made your frustration fade, replaced by a deep compassion. “That doesn’t mean you get to scare me half to death every night.” His expression softened further. “You care about me that much?” You let out a shaky, disbelieving laugh. “You cannot seriously ask me that.” Oliver blinked, almost stunned by the answer. He could read his enemies so well, but he couldn’t see himself.

You finished wrapping the bandage carefully before murmuring, “I love you, you idiot.” You said it before fear could stop you. Time seemed to stop. Even the thunder felt quieter. Oliver stared at you like the world had stopped turning. Then, very gently, he reached for your hand.

"You shouldn’t," he said. He hesitated, then looked down, fidgeting with the edge of the bandage. For a heartbeat, something deeper flickered across his face—fear, not just for you, but of himself. Sometimes he wondered if he belonged anywhere outside the violence that kept finding him, haunted by mistakes and losses that clung to his conscience. "Every time you get close to me, you put yourself in danger. What I do, what follows me... I don't know if I can live with the thought of hurting you, too."

Your heart cracked a little. “That’s your response?” “No.” His thumb brushed over your knuckles. “That’s me trying to protect you.” “From what?” “Me.” His honest words hurt more than if he had yelled. You stepped closer until your knees touched his. “Oliver,” you whispered, “you don’t get to decide that for me.” He looked into your eyes, hoping to believe you. You leaned in and pressed your forehead to his. He finally let out a shaky breath.

You had never known Lonnie to be the jealous type, in fact, you had never known him to be anything but sweet when it came to you. But when he seen you with another guy and his hands all over you and you batting them away, something inside him changed and he rushed towards you both without thinking.

He pushed himself between the two of you, his hands tight around yours. “Who do you think you are, touching her like that?!” The other guy laughed and leaned back against the wall. “I am Ben, her ex. Who in the hell are you?” Seeing the guy laugh about it made Lonnie’s blood boil. 

You felt Lonnie’s hand tense against yours and you knew that something was about to happen. You squeezed his hand in an attempt to calm him down, but to no avail. He let go of your hand and stepped towards Ben. “I am her boyfriend so I suggest that you go before I do something that you’ll regret.” 

Ben threw his head back with laughter. “Her boyfriend? No, I don’t think so. She belongs to me and she always has. The things that I have done to her, well...” He looked around Lonnie and winked at you. “I’m sure Y/N will tell you.” 

With a mixture of jealousy and anger Lonnie swung his fist forward and hit Ben square in the nose, sending him flying back and onto the floor. “Never talk about her like that. She is her own person and doesn’t belong to anyone. Now if you know what’s good for you, you’ll get the hell out of town and drive far away from here. If I get even a sniff of you around here again, you’ll get more than a bloody nose.”

Lonnie grabbed your hand and guided you out of the building and towards the car. When you were both inside, his facade completely changed. He was your sweet Lonnie again. “Baby, are you alright? He didn’t hurt you, did he?” He cupped your face with his hands, his eyes scanning for any sign of injury. 

You grabbed his hands with yours and squeezed. “He didn’t, don’t worry. I’m just glad you were there, Lon. I don’t know what would have happened if you weren’t. He’s never been able to get over us breaking up.” You looked into his eyes and slowly leaned in, placing a sweet kiss to his lips. “Thank you for saving me, my prince.” 

He gave a sad smile and shook his head. “You don’t need to thank me. I just wish you hadn’t seen me like that. I never wanted you to. I hate that side of me.” “Every part of you is special to me, Lonnie, the good and the bad. You never need to hide any part of you from me, alright? I love you just the way you are.”

Little Sara had a special place in Thea’s heart. She’d taken to her instantly, that first dinner at the Diggles’ house, and since then the girl’s precious smiles and hugs, usually accompanied by a softly spoken “Eea”, had gotten through some of Thea’s darkest moods. So when Lyla had received an emergency call while Digg was out on a mission, she’d jumped at the chance to have a night with her favorite child.

Not even bothering to change out of her comfy pajama pants, she’d thrown some clothes together and raced out the door. Upon her arrival the little girl had squealed with glee and practically leapt from Lyla’s arms into Thea’s. She was babbling incoherently, but Thea was pretty sure she’d caught the word “moo-ie”, so after Lyla’s quick instructions and departure she’d plopped them both down in front of the dvd cabinet.

More babbles with the occasional “Ish! Ish!” had Thea confused until Sara finally gave up with a grunt and climbed halfway into the cabinet to grab the copy of Finding Nemo herself. They’d snuggled up on the couch and made it thirty minutes into the movie, until the deep sea fish had Sara screaming and hiding her face in Thea’s lap before she’d decided maybe this wasn’t the best choice right before bed. Quickly turning it off, she grabbed her phone, about to pull up the little girl’s playlist (Sara had a playlist of music on everyone’s phone these days), when it was yanked out of her hands.

She watched on in awe as the 11 month old went straight to the Photos app and started scrolling through, babbling excitedly at all the familiar faces of their little family. When she came to the most recent picture Oliver had sent, the one of Felicity standing on the beach with her hair blowing in the wind and her tongue sticking out at the camera, Sara stopped scrolling and began jabbing her pudgy finger at the phone saying, “Iss-a-ey! Iss-a-ey!” and giggling while sticking her own tongue out.

The excitement in her eyes is what causes Thea to break her rule and open the specially encrypted video call app Felicity had installed on all their phones before leaving town. However, she does cover the young girl’s eyes and tilt the phone slightly away, just in case.

Felicity picks up on the fourth ring, and though she’s flushed and breathing heavy, at least she’s fully clothed, so Thea assumes it’s safe to remove her hand. She dismisses the woman’s panicked  “Thea? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”s with an “Everything is fine here, Felicity. I just have a surprise for you!” before turning the phone over to the child.

She is unprepared for the volume of the happy squeals that come from both the baby on her lap and the speakers of her phone.

After the initial chatter from Sara has died down, Felicity is all smiles and her voice is raised in pitch as she talks as if they’re having a full conversation, pausing between questions to let the child “answer” her.

“What are you and Aunty Thea doing tonight, pumpkin? Are you being a good girl? Aunt Felicity and Uncle Oliver miss you a whole lot! What are you doing up so late?”

Thea interjects, telling her, “Digg’s on an m-i-s-s-i-o-n and Lyla’s mom needed her? So we’re having a slumber party!” She turns to tickle Sara’s tummy and brings the giggles pouring out once more, “Aren’t we baby girl? We’re having so much fun, right? We watched some Nemo,”

Sara interrupts her with a squeal and, “Ish! Ish!” causing both women to laugh to themselves.

Nodding at her, Thea continues, “Yup. We watched the fish! And we looked through pictures on Aunty Thea’s phone and we found the silliest picture of Aunty Licity, didn’t we? What was she doing? Can you show her?”

The girl laughs and immediately sticks her tongue out at the phone.

When Felicity chuckles, but doesn’t immediately copy the gesture, her mouth forms a pout and she taps on the phone. “Iss-a-ey do!”

Her brow remains furrowed and her lips pursed, until finally Felicity shakes her head, glancing over her shoulder, before sticking her own tongue out at the little girl and the giggles begin again.

They play this game for the next five minutes, even Thea getting in a few silly faces, before Sara begins rubbing at her eyes and a yawn escapes. The women settle immediately and Thea thinks she sees a small tear on Felicity’s cheek as the woman smiles and speaks softly, “Thank you so much for calling, Sara. I miss you a lot!”

She’s sure when Felicity quickly swipes at her cheek as the little girl yawns again and mumbles an “-iss you” before she rests her head on Thea’s chest and her eyes drift closed.

Thea keeps her voice low, “I’m sorry, Felicity, we didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“No, no. It was worth it. We’ve been missing you all a lot. It was nice to see your faces tonight. Do you want me to get your brother real fast?”

“That’s okay. Just tell him I’ll call at our usual time tomorrow?”

“Sure, of course I will. He’d probably like a video call too, you know.” Then, with a wink, she adds on, “And I can promise you he’ll be presentable this time.”

Thea chuckles softly, careful not to jostle the now softly snoring child, “Sure. That’d be nice. I’m trusting you though.”

“Okay. Well I’ll let you go put that angel to bed. Thank you again for calling me. It meant a lot.”

“Anytime. And Felicity? We miss you too.”

My taglist of beautiful, beautiful people: sharingmyworld cityofolicity bookolicitynessa u-r-notdonefighting olicity4ever01 babblingblondegenius olicityalamode jaspertown smoakingenius skcolicity lieutenantsmoak andjustforthismoment bowsmoakandarrow gosmileattheworld agentsassydirewolf sailorslayer3641 onlyhere4olicity comegetyourloveredbone bluebook mrsd923 scu11y22 dreamingolicity @jelizabethl fullychippedcreation jedichick04 @525600fandoms525600ships arrow-through-my-writers-block sabahuniverse osnapitzsara adamamell cherrychapssstick miriam1779 olicitykisses melodifulsmoaks oiiverqueens snowssmoak saidthebutterfly dust2dust34 pharmalen bluemorgana nillachaps geniewithwifi boo-ritz-radley clarasfelicity secretglimpses cherchersketch hotcookinmama bitchwitharrow aussieforgood flailykermit lerayon tina3283 niki-is-amazing 

(Throwing on a tag for felicitymeghanqueeen who is not on my regular list but is quite guilty of the BabySara prompting)