Arrow: Visceral Barrage Part 1

Uncaged

The cool breeze blew in fron the open door, bringing a chill to Felicity's neck. She shivered for a brief moment, reflecting on how high her body temperature had risen a few nights ago when Oliver had placed his hand on her. Even though they had touched each other numerous times in the past and each time brought with it an uncontrollable heat, this last time was something more almost a burn on her skin that she could still feel. Felicity hadn't been able to figure out what it was exactly that had been the cause of the lingering feeling, but she couldn't help but fully accept the warmth that came over her everytime she replayed the moment in her head.

"I know that look." Thea began, a giant grin spreading on her face. Felicity snapped out of her daydream and remembered that she was in the middle of lunch with Thea. After Oliver's disappearance the following year Thea and Felicity had spoke a few times but it wasn't until Felicity's selfless gift to Thea that brought the two closer. Even without Felicity dating Thea's best friend, the two ladies began to meet for lunch and the occasional shopping excursion from time to time. Felicity not only enjoyed Thea's company due to the fact that she almost endlessly worked with and around men, but mainly because they simply got along. Thea wasn't apart of Oliver's secret life, atleast not in the sense that she knew of his secret life but it was a nice step back in a normal life that Felicity used to have. Though she wouldn't trade anything for the life she had now, Felicity did miss somethings that she rarely got to do anymore. Fortunately Thea was her link to a temporary shelter outside of the Arrow Cave, as she still liked to call it. Felicity quickly straightened up at Thea's comment, unsure what she was referring to.

"That's the look of a guy problem." Thea happily explained, taking a sip of her coffee. Felicity forced a laugh.

"What? No. There's no problems with me in that department...not that I'm bragging or anything, because under normal circumstances I would be having about a million different problems revolving around the lack of a guy." Felicity nervously babbled, doing her best to sound confident but failing miserably.

"Is there something wrong between you and Riley?" Thea asked, taking notice of Felicity's uneasy demeanor. Felicity nearly forgot about Riley, she hadn't seen him in a few days and her mind was currently elsewhere. A brief sting of guilt struck her for not thinking of the man she was currently dating, a characteristic she had never once displayed.

"No. No, Riley and I are fine. It's not about him." Felicity stated, wanting to throttle herself for letting the last part slip out. Thea lifted her head back and smiled as she now understood what was bothering her friend. She knew Riley was very charming and sweet but even he couldn't have this effect on a woman such as Felicity, and in Thea's mind that left only one other suspect. Felicity caught Thea's prying glare and sighed, knowing she couldn't escape the conversation now.

"Oh. Well it's not really a problem as much as it's a..." Felicity began, searching for the words to keep the true meaning of her distraction from Thea.

"Let me guess. Brooding, handsome, and emotionally shut off?" Thea finished for her, unable to contain her childish smile. Felicity paused and sighed, nibbling on her bottom lip.

"It's just...so difficult between us sometimes." Felicity began, not completely sure why she was telling Thea. Thea leaned in over the table, paying closte attention to her friend's confession.

"We've known each other for almost five years now and sometimes it seems like things are just as hollow and unknown as they were when we first met...and then other times it's as if we can hear each other's thoughts." Felicity explained glancing off to the side, remembering her expansive past with Oliver. Thea listened intently, not wanting to interupt Felicity's train of thought.

"He can be the sweetest man I've ever met but then make me want to run him over with an unmarked van under an overpass." Felicity stated, quickly flashing back to when she ran over Isabel Rochov with the team van. Thea noticed the odd attention to detail in Felicity's statement, but remained quiet.