Breaking Barriers (Olicity Fanfiction

Breaking Barriers

"Go talk to him, Felicity," John Diggle urged.

"He said he doesn't wanna see anyone. Unfortunately, that includes me. Or fortunately, depending on how you look at it," the aforementioned Smoak added after a moment's thought.

"But you're his girlfriend! That's gotta make a difference. It would to me."

Felicity blushed at the term Diggle used to describe her relationship with Oliver Queen. "But you're not him," she countered, "...That would be kind of weird if you were because then I'd be dating you and him and I'm not exactly into polyandry and - " She stopped rambling when she say Diggle's stare and shook her head, "Forget I said anything,"

"Remember after Tommy's death?" Diggle changed the subject, his mood once again serious.

Felicity nodded, "Yeah, terrible time; I didn't even know him that well but - sorry, go ahead,"

"He hit rock bottom, Felicity. His best friend died and he hit rock bottom," Diggle said quietly, "Now he's hit it again, but this time, he has someone to help him climb back up."

"So... I'm a ladder."

Diggle gave her a small smile, "I said someone, Felicity, not something."

Felicity sighed, her only line of defense gone. "I can't just talk to him, Diggle. Oliver's kinda scary when he's all broody and - "

"He won't hurt you, if that's what you're worried about,"

Felicity flushed, "What? No, I wasn't implying that all, that's just ridiculous, not that I'm saying what you said was ridiculous or anything, God no - but fine, I'll talk to him," she promised when she saw Diggle's questioning face and realized he wasn't going to give up.

"He'll listen to you, Felicity."

She smiled softly, "Just don't say 'I told you so' if he does."

He grinned, "Promise."

• • •

Felicity found him at Laurel's house, sitting on the couch that she sat on, staring at a picture of her - the same picture he'd been staring at for the past week. Standing at the doorway and watching him, Felicity knew she shouldn't be jealous of a dead person but she did, just a little bit, but she swallowed it down and walked over and sat next to him.

"Hey," Felicity said softly.

Oliver didn't look up.

"I figured you didn't eat so I brought you food - Italian takeout because I didn't want to risk poisoning you by cooking myself," she continued.

Oliver looked at her and Felicity could swear the morning sun started burning ten times brighter, the birds chirped ten times louder, the grass got greener, and heck, even that lacrosse player that stalked her in college finally got a girlfriend (he really was creepy).

He glanced down at the takeout in her hands and asked, his voice deep and hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken for a long time (which he probably didn't, she noted), "Italian?"

She nodded, flushing a little because it reminded her of -

• • •

"Felicity?"

She looked at him and, for some reason, he seemed nervous and Oliver Queen was never nervous.

"Would you go out to dinner with me?" Oliver asked.

Felicity stared at him for a second, then smiled and nodded at the same time, and attempted to make her vocal cords work. Instead, what came out was, "I'm allergic to nuts. Never forgetting that experience."