Technical Assistance

Chapter 42: Wired Networking

Pleased to leave work early, Felicity walks into Verdant with a smile on her face and a spring in every step she takes in her panda flats. It's nice to be somewhere other than Queen Consolidated when the sun is starting to set; she's worked late every night for a week and she's tired of her cubicle, even if she usually likes it. Verdant is just… different in her world.

For once, she walks in the front doors instead of the back exit, unsurprised to find Tommy on his laptop at the bar. She is surprised, however, to find him frowning at it, which she thinks might have her name written all over it. "Are you hurting innocent computers again, Merlyn?" she calls to him, and he immediately looks up with a smile as she walks up to him. "Anything I can help with?" Before he can answer, another question falls out of her mouth. "And is Oliver already downstairs?"

Tommy feigns something like mock hurt. "I can't get a word in edgewise, and you're already asking where my best friend is, Smoaky?" is his dry response. "If I were a lesser man, you could hurt my feelings. Ollie hasn't made it in yet—at least through the front entrance. He usually gives me a heads-up, though." He turns the laptop toward her. "And by all means, if you can tell me why this program isn't balancing my accounts, that would be awesome."

Pulling the laptop toward her, Felicity sits at the bar, looking at the information and trying to determine the issue. "Just give me a few minutes," she mutters to him before zeroing in on the screen, trying to determine what the hell he did to screw up the program. A few moments later, she's able to give him a triumphant fist-pump, and he studies her like she's some sort of alien life form. "Minor software glitch—but nothing I couldn't fix."

Finally, Tommy shakes his head and offers her part of a smile. "Actually, I think my inventory program sucks pretty hard, too," he admits slowly. "I hate to ask because I know it's a lot of work and that you're burning both ends of the candle, but do you think you could… make one?"

Though his technology jargon is completely hopeless, she answers slowly, "It might take me a few days, but I could definitely do it." Before he can ask anything more, she pulls out her tablet, starting to type on its keyboard. "Actually, I think you just probably need a database—those are a whole lot easier to design, and I think it would be easier for you to use a familiar program instead of learning a new one. I can do it right now."

"You sure, Smoaky?" he asks her slowly. "Because I don't want to add to your already crazy workload. And I know Oliver is taking up most of your time—you're probably exhausted by the time you get to work in the morning." He winks at her, leaving no room for interpretation with what he means. "Hopefully in a good way."

"Because I don't want said boyfriend to use you for archery practice," she answers as sharply as possible, "I'm going to pretend you didn't just drop an innuendo." She mocks frowning at him over the tablet. "The only one here allowed to make innuendos is me, and mine are always accidental—and usually a lot less subtle."

A dramatic sigh leaves him. "You used to be fun, Smoak," he comments dryly, the smile taking the bite out of his sarcasm. "You've spent too much time pouting in the corner with Ollie." Something changes his expression, a fact Felicity notes over the top of her tablet screen. "We should all do something… mundane and normal together—you, Ollie, me, and Digg. Like watch a movie—my dad is pretty much never home, and we have a killer home theater system at my place. Or we could just go eat Big Belly Burger in the lair. But just the four of us who are in on the secret, so none of us have to live up to any expectations."

Arms wrap around Felicity's waist from behind, pulling her into the same man she'd curled up against last night. "That sounds great," Oliver agrees, before dropping a kiss against her hair. "Provided I can talk Felicity into it."