Interrogation Techniques For Lovers
Oliver was keenly aware of his reputation - both that of an emotionally stunted, asshole playboy, and that of a cold and calculating violent killer. He found them both useful. Knowing what people thought of him meant he could play up to expectations or subvert them completely.
It was particularly useful as “Ollie”, because when he used his vapid persona to its full extent, people always underestimated him.
Even his friends.
Older friends like Tommy and Laurel had a hard time reconciling the Ollie they knew with the Oliver of today. It was what made it easy to get away with being The Hood in the early days of his return to Starling.
But now they knew better. He had let them see his darkness and waited for them to reject the new broken version of himself.
But people will surprise you, and his friends certainly had. After the initial shock wore off, after questions had been asked, after they learned to see the new version of him with clear eyes, they had been accepting and gave him grace he neither expected nor deserved.
The least he could do was offer them the same consideration.
Tommy had changed the most. His shallowness replaced by a depth of character that sometimes took Oliver’s breath away. He had become a man his mother would have been proud of.
And he was keeping secrets from Oliver.
He should have seen it coming really.
When he first introduced Tommy and Felicity there had been a palpable spark. They became friends quickly and easily, and bonded over red wine and busting his balls.
There had been an immediate familiarity between them that developed into easy touches and in-jokes.
Then he walked into the Arrow Cave and saw them deep in conversation. When they realized he was there, they both blushed.
Actually blushed.
He pretended not to notice and immediately began to watch their interactions more closely.
Tommy brought Felicity dinner most nights. He knew all her favorite dishes and knew that she preferred sushi from the place on Elm Street, but loved the crunchy spring rolls from the place on Montgomery Drive. He brought her both.
Oliver frequently found him massaging the kinks out of Felicity’s shoulders after the club was closed for the night. Neither of them were the slightest bit self-conscious about it.
Felicity spent hours helping Tommy prep for board meetings and advised him on the best way to aid the rebuilding projects in the Glades. But when she came to him with a packet of research for how to set up a chain of free clinics to honor the memory of his mother, the look on Tommy’s face had been one Oliver would cherish for years to come.
She protected him online with a fierceness that was frankly terrifying. Anyone who dared spread rumors or lies about Tommy found themselves locked out of all their online accounts and on airline watch lists.
What really sealed it for him, though, was the way they looked at each other when they thought no-one could see. The intense focus and adoration that emanated from them was obvious when you were looking for it.
Dig had noticed it too. They caught the blinding smiles between Tommy and Felicity one night and Oliver and Dig looked at each other with a raised eyebrow and a slight nod. Yeah, he definitely knew.
They hadn’t been on a single date. Not one. But they were, without a doubt, head-over-heels for each other.
And Oliver was almost certain that they had no idea.
After three more days of watching them sub-consciously gravitate towards one-another and find excuses to constantly touch one-another, Oliver couldn’t take it any more.
He tracked-down Tommy doing inventory in the club.
“Hey, Tommy, how’s it going?” Said Oliver, as casually as he could.
“Mmhhmm good,” replied Tommy, distracted by the clipboard in his hands.
“Did you hear Laurel got a new case?” asked Oliver as he sat down on a barstool.
“Uhh, yes I did,” said Tommy, counting bottles of tequila.
“Yeah it’s one of those Central City powered guys,” said Oliver, checking under his fingernails.
“Yeah that’s right. Electric powers I think?” replied Tommy.
“I wonder what kind of cell they can even keep him in?” said Oliver.
“Yeah, dunno,” said Tommy.
“Seems dangerous,” said Oliver.
“Yeah, probably,” said Tommy.
“Do you love Felicity?” asked Oliver.
“Yeah, definitely,” answered Tommy.
Oliver grinned.
Tommy paused. Oliver could practically see the gears turning in his head.
“Wait…” said Tommy.
“Yes, Tommy?” asked Oliver, innocently.
“Wait, what??” Tommy looked at him, a slightly panicked look in his eyes.
Oliver stood and came around the back of the bar, pouring two glasses of whiskey. “You love Felicity,” he said calmly and handed Tommy one of the glasses.
Tommy took a big gulp of the drink. “Yeah I… oh.” He looked at Oliver. “How did you–?”
“You guys aren’t subtle,” Oliver grinned around his glass.
“Oh… right… okay,” said a dazed Tommy. There was a sudden intake of breath and he stared at Oliver, wide-eyed. “Does she love me?”
“I don’t know,” Oliver admitted. He smiled a sly grin, “I didn’t ask her yet.”
Tommy swallowed hard, his eyebrows knitting together. “You okay with this? With me and Felicity… if I ask her out?”
“When you ask her out,” said Oliver, firmly. “No, it doesn’t bother me. You guys are good together.”
“I should probably get on that, huh?” said Tommy with a grin.
~~~
Two hours later, Tommy was upstairs with the club in full swing, and Oliver was in the basement with Felicity and Digg.
Diggle was training Felicity in some self-defense moves on the mats. Oliver was pacing around them, correcting her form and demonstrating moves against him.
“One, two, hand, elbow– yes like that. Good. Again.” Oliver repositioned her hands and stepped back.
“Did you hear that Laurel is defending someone with super powers now?” He asked.
“What?” panted Felicity.
“You have to be able to multitask in a fight, Felicity,” Oliver explained. “You need to strategize while physically defending yourself; think ahead.”
Diggle raised an eyebrow but didn’t contradict him.
“Oh, okay,” said Felicity, wiping sweat from her forehead. “Yeah, I heard about that.” She gave Dig a “come at me” gesture and widened her stance.
“Did Cisco give them a name yet?” Oliver asked.
Felicity grappled with Dig and grunted, “Yeah. Electroshock.”
“When you go to flip him, put your foot on this side for better leverage,” said Oliver. “Where are they holding him?”
“Um, right, yeah,” Felicity tried again to disable Dig.
“Felicity?!”
“What?!”
“Electroshock? You were telling me where they put him,” Oliver said firmly.
“Oh! Yeah they made a special dampening cell at Barry’s labs,” answered Felicity.
“Let’s try some glove training,” said Oliver to Dig.
Diggle put on the impact pads while Oliver wrapped Felicity’s hands and helped her put on the gloves.
“Left, right, left, left, right,” coached Oliver. “Good. Keep this wrist straight. Yes, better. So how does the dampening cell work?”
“I don’t know, I haven’t seen it yet,” said Felicity, continuing to land punch after punch.
“Do you think we can replicate it here?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Probably not though,” she gritted out her answer with each punch.
“Can we make an arrow with a dampening field?” Oliver’s expression was curious but open.
“Maybe a mini EMP?” Felicity shrugged.
“Do you love Tommy?”
Felicity missed the sparring pad, pivoted quickly on her heel and glared at Oliver.
“Mind your fucking business, Oliver,” she snapped.
Diggle looked as though he was trying not to laugh.
“I’m hitting the shower,” she said cooly.
“What was that?” Diggle asked with an amused look on his face.
Oliver shrugged. “It was worth a try. Tommy spilled his guts when I tried it on him.”
Diggle barked out a laugh. “You should update your passwords, Oliver.”
~~~
24 hours later, Tommy and Felicity were on a date and Oliver received a notification from Homeland Security that he was no longer allowed to fly in the United States.
It was his own fault for forgetting Felicity’s hacker reputation.
